So, I'm really sorry for taking about, oh, I'd say a year to post this next chapter. Due to procrastination and the loss of computer access it took a little longer than intended. But I'm trying my best to finish this! Thanks so much for the reviews. -

Chapter 3

"Let the Game Begin"

This lunch at the Akabeko had been the longest that Kenshin ever had to endure. He was tense, and on alert constantly. Every other man had also taken notice to Kaoru's new look and some were getting a little close. Of course, one look at Kenshin made them immediately change course and proceed on with what they had first intended to do.

'That's right. Move along. Go and get drunk. That's what you came here to do, you filthy pigs. Keep your eyes OFF her.'

It wasn't just the men that had caused Kenshin to be uncomfortable. With every move the chopsticks made from the bowl to her pout little lips he became more transfixed.

"Kenshin," her voice made him shutter and quickly snapped his gaze from her mouth to her eyes. "Kenshin, you've barely touched your food."

"That I have not, Miss Kaoru. I've seemingly lost my appetite." He pushed a sappy smile onto his face and watched as she looked at him questioningly.

She lightly shrugged her shoulders, "Ok," and surprisingly left it at that. No whining. No worrying. She usually would push further, but this time did not. She simply continued on eating.

'Strange,' Kenshin watched her closer.

'I'm not his mother,' she thought. 'I'm not pushing anymore. It's gotten me nowhere in the past. Obviously, it won't get me anywhere now.'

He watched her think. She was so unsuspecting sometimes. Kaoru's face was one of the most expressional faces he had ever come across. Every thought she had, played outwardly across every move of her mouth and furrow of her brows. Her eyes were the worst. He could practically predict what she was feeling just by looking into them. The fact that he had so many years of experience reading people meant that he could take it a step further. He could get into her head if he really wanted to. He could invade her most private and personal thoughts. But that would be taking it too far. She was just a beautiful young girl that had made her home his. She wasn't anyone that posed a threat to him. Therefore, he'd stay out of her head…

'For now,' a dark voice inside his head said sternly. 'I'll let you watch her…for awhile, Rurouni. But only for a while. Because after a while I get bored. And when I get bored, I get angry. I'll let you keep your distance now. But when the time comes, I'll have my fun, too.' Kenshin's eyes shut tightly, trying to force himself to not pay attention to the thoughts of his past self. Problem being, it was becoming harder, much harder, to ignore him. The Battousai was becoming more and more persistent. Kaoru didn't realize that her game she was playing would be turned around drastically on her. Soon, it would become more than just a game.

"Uhhhhh..you goin to eat that?…"

A voice broke Kenshin from his thoughts. He looked up to see Sano staring at him blankly with small pieces of rice covering most of his face.

"No," Kenshin simply said. Sano immediately reached over, grabbed the bowl, scarffed it down in less than minute, and then let out a loud burp.

Yahiko laughed, Kenshin shook his head, and Kaoru just gave a small smile and shook her head as well.

"You're disgusting," she told Sano.

"You love it," he snapped back at her, giving her a sheepish sly smile, and a wink.

"You're an idiot," she rolled her eyes and finished the last of her food. Nevertheless, Kenshin couldn't help take notice to the slight pink flush that covered her cheeks.

'What the hell. I'll rip his eyes out. Then we'll see if he can still wink. Moreover, what the hell is her problem? First grabbing his hand and now blushing at stupid looks he gives her.'

Kaoru placed her bowl down on the table and couldn't help but feel as if someone was staring at her. She looked up and was taken aback by the sharp gaze of Kenshin. She froze, eyes wide, body tense. 'What's going on?' Her heart started to beat rapidly and she became very uncomfortable. Panic filled her body. It was then she realized that she had only ever felt this way once before. This gaze was not the gaze of Kenshin. It was the gaze of..

'Battousai,' her brain screamed but her body sat motionless. She felt as if her body was drained completely of all self-control. She swallowed harshly in attempts to pull herself together. "W-w-hat…," she managed to force out.

"Let's go," Kenshin said more harshly than intended and stood up slowly from the table.

Kaoru's brows furrowed in confusion and anger. 'What am I? A dog? Hah, or better yet. A child? I leave when he says it's time to go? I sit when he tells me to sit? I stand when he tells me to stand? Yeah, don't think so. Nice try though.' So she stayed seated, not moving an inch. She was surprised when her ear was embraced with the warmth of Kenshin's breath, just as it had been the night before.

"I said, Let's go. I want to go." Unlike his warm breath, his voice was cold and it took everything in Kaoru to not obey him. She swallowed hard again and regained composure.

"I'm not ready," she said sternly.

"I am."

"Then you can go." Laced with sarcasm, her words had struck a nerve. She could feel his cold stare on her back and somehow she had the nerve to turn around and face him. Still sitting, weight rested on her shins, she stared up at him.

"I'm not leaving you here," he said.

She giggled softly, meant more in insult than amusement. "I'll be fine Kenshin. I'm not a child." She watched his mouth open and then quickly close. His eyes squinted in the remembrance of the night before. 'Ouch. I almost forgot about that.' His face then went expressionless.

"Have it your way," he said dismissively. "I'll see you back at the dojo." And then he was gone, disappearing out the front door. Kaoru laughed again, this time in triumph. Talk about hitting him where it hurts. She sat, chin held high and couldn't resist but patting herself on the back. 'Good job.'

Sano took a break from attempting to breathe. "Did I, uh, miss something?"

"No..I-" It was then that a plan began to form in Kaoru's head. Kenshin had gotten jealous when Sano called her "hot". Kenshin had also gotten jealous when she had grabbed Sano's hand. And just before she was pretty sure he had gotten mad because of the comment Sano had made about her loving his disgusting habits. It had struck her. The one thing that Kenshin was unable to handle had always been jealousy. She saw the glint of gold flicker in his eyes when any man looked at her but always dismissed it, thinking it was nothing but the light or her imagination. Light - it wasn't. Her imagination - not that either. It was him. She'd decided then that she would use whatever she could to make Kenshin as jealous as humanly possible. But who would be her willing victim. Her eyes set directly on Sano and a sheepish smile covered her face.

Sano stared blankly at her. "….what?"

Her grin turned to a small smile and she shrugged her shoulders. "Oh nothing. You'll see."

The stupid look never left his face. "Uhm, alright."

"Who's ready to go home?!," Kaoru said, a little too excitedly.

Sano and Yahiko exchanged questioningly glances. Sano chuckled when Yahiko made a crazy hand gesture toward Kaoru. Kaoru, however, was too lost in thought to take notice and therefore, Yahiko managed an insult without repercussions, which was all too rare.

They exited the Akabeko and began walking home. Eyes followed Kaoru the entire way. But these were not the eyes of the men that were everywhere. No, these were eyes of molten gold. These were eyes that watched Kaoru deep in thought. These were eyes that she would eventually come to face to face with. If he had anything to say about it, that is.

Kaoru had no idea that the game she was about to start would turn into something much more interesting than a simple game of jealousy.