AN: I changed a few things that were annoying me about this chapter... I hope it makes more sense now.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.
Always and Forever
By: Mika Saito
Chapter 3- A reunion of friends
Recap of last chapter:
"Look, I don't know you. My father would have a heart attack if he knew I was talking to a complete stranger about where I live." Kaoru sighed again. Today was a complete mess.
"At least tell me your name."
"Kaoru Kamiya." The man offered his hand, and Kaoru hesitantly shook it.
"Enishi Yukishiro."
This chapter:
Enishi and Kaoru had sat talking for most of the time before her flight, only when Kaoru realized that she had yet to check in her luggage did she finally stand and tried to excuse herself, saying that it had been nice talking to him, but she had to go. Enishi hadn't let her. He had followed her asking her if she had ever really given America a chance, if she had ever just went out into the city and explored, this question surprised Kaoru, and somehow, before she could answer he had convinced her that she should stay a little longer, and give it a chance.
Enishi escorted Kaoru out of the airport, carrying her bags for her, and leading her to his expensive car.
"You can stay with me for as long as you want, or if you wouldn't feel comfortable doing that I could set you up in an apartment of your own." He had said, but Kaoru have fervently shook her head no to having her own apartment.
Kaoru smiled happily as she finally spotted her father standing by the TV screens with the flight information. Without a word to Enishi she picked up her bags and headed toward the older man, Enishi following closely behind her.
"Welcome home Kaoru-chan." Her father greeted her warmly while hugging her.
"Father, I want you to meet someone, " she stepped to the side, "this is Enishi Yukishiro, my fiancé."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Kamiya-san." Enishi smiled kindly. Koshijiro looked over the man who stood next to his daughter. Tall, white hair, and turquoise eyes. Kaoru had taken the mans hand into her own and was watching him eagerly, a faint smile on her lips as she waited to see if he accepted the one whom she had decided to marry.
"Please, call me Koshijiro." Kaoru smiled happily, laughing at Enishi's expression as her father pulled him into a hug.
The ride to Koshijiro's house was long and filled with happy chatter between Kaoru and her father. Every know and again Kaoru would say something to Enishi, trying to get him into the conversation, but he seemed happy just to watch her and her father catch up on what had been happening in their lives since the last they had talked, which in reality hadn't been that long really, only a couple of days. When they had finally pulled up in front of a dojo Kaoru got out, beaming happily at Enishi as she pulled him inside the court yard, her father following behind, laughing joyfully as Kaoru inspected the old building.
"It's exactly as I remember it." Kaoru whispered to Enishi as they rejoined Koshijiro in the kitchen after she had shown him around. "Nothing's really changed."
"Your mother was the one who liked to change things around." Koshijiro smiled slightly as he set cups of tea in front of them. "I didn't really care much about the way things looked, so your mother had free reign for whatever she wished to do to the place, within limits, of course."
"I remember mom changing things a couple of times, but not much. I guess I was to young to remember much though." Kaoru smiled sadly, raising the cup to her lips and sipping the warm liquid, appearing to have gotten lost in her thoughts.
"How long are you planning to stay?" Koshijiro changed the subject quickly, before Kaoru could ask anything about her mother as she had in the past.
"A week." Enishi answered for Kaoru, who was sitting quietly, cup held up to her lips, but not moving.
"Are you planning on visiting your friends while you're here Kaoru?" Koshijiro glanced at his daughter, who vaguely nodded her head. "All of them?" He pressed.
"Hai. I was planning on visiting them later tonight, give you and Enishi some time to talk and get to know each other." Kaoru shrugged, finally setting the cup down on the table.
"You should take Enishi with you, he should meet them." Koshijiro smiled when Kaoru narrowed her eyes at him. So, he had been correct in assuming that she hadn't really broken it off with Himura and now she wanted to talk to him alone to set things straight before Enishi could step in and cause a big scene, Koshijiro thought to himself. He had hoped that that hadn't been the case, but it was glaringly clear now that that is what had happened.
"He will get to meet them, but I haven't talked to them in a while and I think I would like to tell them alone, then Enishi can meet them." Kaoru said through clenched teeth. Koshijiro just smiled at his daughter and nodded his assent to her plan.
Misao crossed her arms across her chest, trying her hardest not to yell up the stairs again for her friend. Kaoru had called her earlier, surprised her with the fact that she was home for a few days before she had to fly off to Osaka, and asking if she could get the 'old group' together, as she had called it. Misao, being the person she was had smiled to herself and agreed. Misao glanced at her watch. They were going to be late is Megumi didn't hurry up.
"Hey, Kitsune, hurry up and get down here or we'll be late." Misao yelled up the stairs. A few seconds later a tall woman appeared at the top of the stairs dressed in her normal blue jeans and a black tee shirt. Megumi had taken to wearing them in her hours off from the clinic. "Finally." Misao muttered as Megumi walked down the stairs.
"Are the guys coming?" Megumi looked around, but spotted no one.
"Yeah. They're outside waiting for us." Misao motioned toward the door and followed Megumi out, locking it behind her.
When they finally got to the restaurant Kaoru had asked them to meet her at they were surprised. They hadn't been in this part of Kyoto before and the name of the newly opened restaurant was unknown to them, so when they found themselves seated at a table in one of the most expensive restaurants in town waiting for Kaoru they weren't sure what to expect. Finally Kaoru showed up. She was dressed in a sensible black dress, nothing really fancy, but still more suited to the atmosphere around them then they were.
"Misao!" Kaoru hugged Misao from behind, surprising the whole group.
"Kaoru? Is that you?" Megumi looked Kaoru up and down. The restaurant had been unexpected, but the way Kaoru looked was more of a surprise, especially the silver ring that glinted sharply in the light from her left hand.
"Hai Megumi-chan, it's me." Kaoru hugged her in turn, before smiling and greeting the two guys sitting at the table. "I've missed you guys so much." Kaoru said as they finally sat down.
"If you missed us Jou-chan, then how come you never called or wrote us?" Sano asked.
"I was really busy when I was still in school, and then I met Enishi." Kaoru explained. She had decided in the car that she would tell them straight off that she was engaged, then explain the whole thing later if they wanted an explanation.
"Who's Enishi?" Misao asked. She was sitting on the edge of her seat, which was next to Aoshi.
"My Fiancé." Kaoru said simply, waiting for the many questions that were sure to be asked.
"I'm so happy for you Kaoru- chan!" Misao giggled as she hugged her best friend. "But what are you going to tell Kenshin? He's been waiting for you."
Kaoru pulled away from Misao. Kenshin? The name brought memories to mind, the main one being the day she had boarded the plane for America. What was she going to tell him? That she had forgotten about them, about their promise to each other? Well, it was the truth, but the truth was to painful for her to even think about telling to her first, and at the time she had thought he was her only, love.
"Who's Kenshin?" Enishi asked as he wrapped a supporting arm around his fiancée. Kaoru shook her head. She was just confusing herself, remembering perfectly well who he was one moment and forcing the name and memories surrounding it away the next. She'd have to work things out about her memory later, when she was alone and could allow the tears of pain and loneliness that she had held in since she had first left Japan.
"Who are you?" Sano stood suddenly, moving toward Enishi, ready to push him away from his friend.
"It's ok Sano, this is Enishi." Kaoru motioned towards the seat next to her. Enishi sat and asked again.
"Who is Kenshin?"
"No one. It doesn't matter." Kaoru answered quickly before any of her friends could say anything about hers and Kenshin's past relationship. Enishi shrugged, he could always find out later.
"Sorry to interrupt your reunion with your friends, but your father was starting to drive me crazy." Enishi apologized, waving for a waiter.
"It's alright. You were going to have to meet them eventually." Kaoru excused the apology with a practiced ease. Enishi's parents had drilled him since a young age to be polite, no matter who you were around, and in the time that she and Enishi had been together she had found it easier to do the same.