FIFTH CHAPTER! YAHOO! Yay! I finally got to update. So far, 18 reviews for the story! Im so happy, keep em coming people! This is my first fanfic on the site and so far, everyone seems to be enjoying it! So anyway, I got some reviews asking why Kaoru doesn't get all the facts first. Well, for starters, she's extremely ticked off. This chapter will have some flashbacks as to why... Also, people want Misao and Aoshi, so Im still thinking about it... And people are wondering why Kenshin beleives Tomoe over Kaoru, well, to tell you the truth, some of this story is based on true things that have happened to me. I had a guy friend who's girlfriend convinced himthat I had backstabbed him, and I knew him for years! Even now, sometimes I get so upset, and I don't know why he belevied me... But Im okay now. You learn, you live, and you move on... Oh, and if those who are wondering if I found out how my hairbrush got in the fridge,(check out last chapters if you have no clue as to what Im talking about,)I think... Actually, I still don't know...

Okay on a lighter note: Some unrelated blabbering of the author!

My little sister (she's about 5 now) is the unchallenged queen of random things. Yesterday as my mom was driving us to the mall, we were just watching the scenery. Then all of the sudden, my little sis says to me, "Nuna?" (Nuna is "big sis" in korean) I said "what?" "You know... If we tied a whole bunch of ballons to our house it would fly up, and we could go anywhere but still be at home!" she giggled. Im still in a daze trying to figure out where the hell that came from. Okay, I shall now shut up and let you read...

Disclaimer: I dont own RUROUNI KENSHIN. (sob) Roses are red and attract butterflies and bees, Im just a poor kid, please dont sue me... (ugh, what a bad rhyme... oh well.)

OoO

NORMAL POV

Kaoru loved the way the wind carressed her fingers as Aoshi drove her home. She had finally been allowed to leave the hospital, and she was estactic about it. She draped her hand out the window, waving to passing cars. She felt so much better after getting out of those itchy scratchy sheets and awful smells. She shifted her position and suddenly winced. She quickly took the offending object out of her back pocket and froze. It was the box with Kenshin's necklace in it. She gently opened it and peered at the flashing silver. It was beautiful, no doubt, but what was the meaning behind it? She knew only too well that not all is as it seems...

(flashback,a few days at schoolafter the kendo match between Ken and Kao)

Kaoru slammed her locker shut, trying to hold back tears. How coul he do this to her? How could he be so cruel? As she began walking to class, she could sense the other kids whisper behind her hands and pointing at her. She caught snatches of the conversation around her, as she kept her head bowed.

"...she's only thirteen and she's pregnant?..."

"...heard that she was cheating on him too..."

"...what a whore. I bet her mom's the same way too..."

Anger burst within her. "If you have something to say to me, say it to my face!" she shouted. The hall fell abruptly silent. She couldn't take it. She ran down the hallways, shoving people aside and crying. Aoshi and Sano couldn't help her, they were at the highschool, and she didn't want Sou to get mixed up in this... She suddenly slammed into the wall and fell to the ground sobbing. Her vision was cloudng up and everything was blurry... "Kaoru!" she heard two familiar voices shout. A crowd had gathered around her. Some were laughing at her, throwing scrunched up paper balls, some were kicking at her and shouting all kinds of nasty things. She just tried to curl up into a ball, but felt two people grab her arms and haul her up. As they eased her through the crowds, people poured water and ketchup on her andKami-sama only knows what. Finally she was aware she was in an open space. The air was cold and silent, only the muffled sounds coming throught the walls. "Kaoru..." she looked up into Soujiro's face, the tears blurring his image. "Here." she felt a kerchief gently wipe away her tears, and she was aware of someone cliging to her arm. Misao had tears of concern in her eyes, gently clearing off the garbage that had accumulated on kaoru from the cruel mob. Suddenly Soujiro stood up, anger in his eyes, his smile was nowhere to be seen. "I'm going to kill that bastard." He seethed and began heading toward the door, but Kaoru grabbed his hand. "No, Sou. Don't..." she pleaded. His expressions softened and he stooped next to her. "Okay. If thats what you want..." Kaoru let them comfort her, but what they didn't now was how deep the pain was, how it was slowly freezing over her heart...

(flashback end)

Bitter tears came to Kaoru's eyes. Day after day she suffered from the same torture for a whole year. Until she finally left for America... She squeezed her eyes shut. The doctors still hadn't given her the all clear yet, and... In a sudden rage she flung the box into Sano's lap. "Give that back to your idiotic red-head friend." she growled. Gently he tucked the box into his shirt pocket, a sad look on his face. He dearly loved his sister, but he was close to Kenshin too. The others were careful not to disturb her further, knowing the pain was still fresh even after all these years.

"Oy Busu!" Take an easy! You just got out of the hospital!" Yahiko yelped, quickly dodging the bokken swing. With a strange rage she attacked, leaving Yahiko spending all his time blocking, yet still some blows found there way beneath his defenses. Finally, he landed with a whump on his rear end, his bokken clattering across the floor. Kaoru grinned and wiped the perspiration from her face. "Nice try Yahiko, but no cigar." she laughed. "Doesn't matter. I don't smoke." he growled in return, crawling after his bokken. "No, its a metaphor, it... oh, never mind. Your practice is done. Don't you have a certain girl named Tsubame to pick up from school?" she growled. Yahiko blushed bright red and threw his bokken at her. she dodged it easily and whapped him on the head. "Ow! Busu!" he snarled. Just them, Soujiro walked in the dojo, phone in hand. "Kaoru? You got a call from some person. She's speaking in english, and I only got a few words. He handed her the phone and walked out of the room. curiously, Kaoru held up the phone to her ear, answering in english. "Hello?"

"Hey Kaoru! Do you remember me? You better!" the voice on the other end laughed.

Kaoru gasped in happiness. "Myra!" (Myra's name is pronounced "Meerah". she is my own made up character! Sejenn, is pronounced "Seh jen". Its unusual.)

(flashback)

Kaoru stood awkwardly at the airport, shifting her bags from one hand to the other. Her brothers stood solemnly behind her. Suddenly, she turned and gave each of them a hug, crying. "I'm going to miss you guys. Don't foget me okay?" they all hugged her, fighting back tears of their own. (Seems to me that boys always think that if they cry, everyone will think they are a wuss.)

"How could we ever forget you, Tanuki?" Sano grinned, receiving a playful bop on the head.

"Be careful," Aoshi murmered, patting her head gently and smiling sadly. (OMG! AOSHI SMILED AGAIN!)

"Don't forget to eat well...Ow!" Soujiro rubbed his head where he had received a double hit from his brothers.

"Baka! What kind of farewell is that?" Sano laughed, but stopped as Kaoru's fist connected with his forehead.

"Your the baka, tori-atama! Leave poor Sou alone!" Aoshi rolled his eyes, obviously used to the quarrleing.

"Now sou," Kaoru scolded. "You need to stand up for yourself against the baka tori-atama. Aoshi, you need to smile more. You're like an old stone statue! And Sano?" she turned to her tall spiky-haired brother. He grinned nervously. Kaoru rolled her eyes. "If I start saying what you need to change about yourself, I'll miss my flight! but take care, ne?"

they all nodded in unison, and as Kaoru turned her back, Sano whacked Soujiro on the head.

"Don't think I didn't see that Sano! When I get back, you'll hear from me!" she scowled, ambling toward the gate. She paused then turned and waved to them, tears rolling down her face. this might be the last time she would ever see them again... Finally, she turned and entered the plane.

After being seated she took out her headphones and began listening to English-speaking tapes. Se had already learned a bit, and since she was going to america, she might as well learn english! Suddenly, another person plopped down next to her. It was a tall girl with long black-brown hair. Her build suggested she was American, but her slightly slanted grayeyes and slender hands suggested asian. She smiled to Kaoru and spoke to her in Japanese.

"Hello. My name is Myra Sejenn, what's yours? Im fourteen, by the way."

At first Kaoru was, nervous but she answered

"Kaoru Kamiya. I'm fourteen too."

"So why are you going to the U.S? I've been living in Japan for three years already, learning the language. Now I'm returing to America. My dad is a very wealthy man and he wants me to learn as many things as possible." she flicked her hair.

"He never asks what I want to do though. Its always his way." Kaoru listened intently, then smiled. "My family trains every child in war arts, and thats also our business. Im on my way to america because..." she fell silent.

She really didn't want to talk about it. Myra sensed it and decided to let it pass. "Oh, I see. its a touchy subject. Anyway, I'm on my way to Wolfbane Highschool."

Kaoru did a double take. "You're going there? me too!" she said excitedly.

Over the long hours to the US, Kaoru and Myra became good friends, and found out they had much in common. They both liked sword arts, Myra specializing in fencing. They liked happy endings over sad ones, and they liked the color blue. Myra was an only child and her mother had died giving birth to her. She had been spoiled as a kid, but learned values from her stepmother.

"She's a really cool woman," she smiled. "She's been just like a real mom to me."

Kaoru talked about her three brothers, and a little about Kenshin.

" So your brothers! Are they cute?" Myra asked eagerly. Kaoru blushed.

"Well... I guess so. Soujiro is the cutest because he's always smiling."

Myra became more serious around the Kenshin issue, sensing she was treading on unstable ground, so she asked few questions about it. When the plane finally touched down, Myra invited Kaoru to be her roomate.

"Please? none of my friends can afford to go to Wolfbane." Kaoru consented, an the two new friends left the airport together.

(flashback end)

Kaoru smiled. "Of course I remember you! How could I forget four years of madness?" the girl on the other end laughed. "Anyway I was just calling because I'm moving back to Tokyo. and I need a room to stay in. Do you...?" Kaoru skipped about joyfully. "Of course you can stay with us! Which highschool are you finishing up in?"

"Sakurablossom High."

"Oh my god! You'll be going to the same highschool as me!"

The two girls shrieked happily. Yahiko rolled his eyes and quickly left the room.

"So Kaoru," Myra continued. "how is it with Kenshin?"

Kaoru's joy died down instantly. "I-I'd rather not talk about it." Myra actually knew quite a bit about Kenshin, as Karou grew to trust her over the years in America.

"And, uh, how is...?" Myra asked hesitantly.

"Oh, so far its clear." Kaoru replied firmly. She smiled at her friend's concern.

"Ookay. anyway, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything. by the way, was that Soujiro? He sounds cute."

Kaoru blushed again. "Yeah that was him. So I'll see you...?"

"Tokyo airport at Nine a.m, 24h gate, flight 45, and I'm coming friday. I'll see you till then okay? And Kaoru...? Be careful." Myra hung up.

Kaoru pressed the end button and rushed out of the room. she would have to tell everyone, and... HOLY CRAP! It was wednesday! That gave her two days to prepare! and she still had to go out and get her school shopping done! Panicing, she grabbed a bewildered Soujiro and hustled out the door.

OoO

HA ha! another chapter is done! (does the happy dance) I would sing, but then I would probably shatter the windows... T-T so anyway, Next chapter will have some Misao/Aoshi stuff too. So till next time, Sayonara!