"I know you from somewhere…"

I froze at Kenshin's soft words. Did he? A part of me – a large part, I admit – really wanted him to remember me, but another part wished he didn't. My fists clenched with tension and anxiety.

"…You're from my university!"

I stared at him. "I don't think so."

"You are! Kaoru Kamiya, the medical student. Aren't you?"

My mouth dropped open. "Wha-? How?"

"Everyone talks about you. You're only nineteen, right? A couple years younger than I, but you're already in med school."

"This little girl? Really? Don't make me laugh Kenshin!" A man's loud voice interrupted our conversation, and I jumped slightly at the volume of it.

"Father…"

"I told you, it's Shishou!"

Kenshin sighed and hung his head. Misao giggled from behind me. What was up with this family? Are they all insane? "So, I came here…to see something, and now I'm going to go. Bye now!" I started to dash out, but someone grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled me backwards.

"Now, little lady, I want to know why you were in my house." Misao and Kenshin's father towered over me and I gulped. He really was a huge man: broad shoulders (and a strange white-and-red cape draping over them majestically), very muscular, his long hair in a ponytail. He is the polar opposite of his smaller children…even though they are adopted. To be honest, he's very intimidating. Too bad I'm not easily intimidated.

"It's none of your damn business, old man." I snapped. "I'm hormonal and I want to leave."

He blinked and then threw his head back in laughter. He clapped his son's back, still chortling, and said, "I like this girl. Much better than that useless, flower-on-the-wall girlfriend you have. She's feisty." He raised his eyebrows at me suggestively and I recoiled. Ew. Who would have thought Kenshin – the gentlemanly, kind, soft-spoken Kenshin – was raised by this old pervert?

"Daaaaddd, I told you, don't hit on my friends." Misao skipped down the stairs and tackled her dad, and surprisingly, he fell to the floor with the small girl on top of him.

"Hai, hai, I'll stop now. Your tackles are getting better, Misao, but-" He flipped the small girl over until he had her arms pinned behind her back, "You gotta work on keeping your opponent there."

"Get offa me! I'm a ninja, not a sumo wrestler! I'm small! Tiny! Attack Kenshin!"

"I will if you get me off yourself."

"Daaad!"

Ok, these people are definitely off their rockers. I'm totally out of here. Before I started to sneak past the two wrestling people – Misao now in the process of flipping her father – I met Kenshin's eyes. He gave me an embarrassed smile and shrugged as if to say, hey, my family's crazy, but what can you do?

Maybe I'll stay for dinner.

After Misao successfully pinned her dad down for three seconds, I finally got introduced to him. His name is Hiko, and is actually a pretty damn good cook.

"So, Kaoru is it?"

"Yessir."

"Just call me Hiko. Anyways, Kenshin was saying you're a med student…?"

"Yessir, Hiko sir."

He sighed into his food. "What's with the 'sir'? Makes me feel like an old man."

"Dad, you are an old man."

Hiko glared at Misao, and she gave him an angelic smile. Immediately his face softened, and he smiled a little. I raised my eyebrows as I took a sip of my water. So Hiko has a soft spot for his daughter? How sweet.

"As I was saying before my daughter rudely interrupted – excuse her, she gets it from the wife's side of the family – don't call me sir."

"You have a wife, sir?" Now I was doing it to annoy him.

"No, he doesn't. He can't stand women, generally. That's his way of making a joke." Kenshin's soft voice startled me, but I think it was more because he was sitting right next to me. My heart kicked up its beat a few notches and my breath stopped entirely.

"R-really?" I finally managed to choke out. I gave a pointed look at Misao, my puzzlement obviously showing on my face.

"Misao's an exception. She and I were in the same orphanage, but we didn't really talk much; different age groups, you see. But Father has these charity martial arts classes for the kids of the orphanage, and I guess he saw something in me."

"Yes, when you were five. Now I regret it. You're a useless, baka desshi."

"Yes father."

"It's Shishou!"

Kenshin and Misao just sighed.

"You're horrible!" I stood up indignantly, slamming my hands on the table. "Just because Kenshin didn't live up to your expectations, doesn't mean that you just write him off like that!"

"Kaoru, calm down. That's just the way he is." Kenshin said softly.

"Well, the way he is, is pretty friggin' bad." I huffed as I sat back down.

"I think the only reason he doesn't stand me is because he has Misao."

I turned to him, childishly ignoring Hiko. "What do you mean?"

"Remember how I said that Hiko adopted me after seeing my potential? He saw a lot of potential in Misao, so to train her more, he adopted her. This was about the time he realised I wasn't what he had expected."

"What was he expecting?"

"That I wouldn't be so…"

"He's too idealistic, too naïve." Hiko responded as he dished out more potatoes for himself. "He has the talent, but he's too eager to use it where he is not needed. He has a lot of ability, a lot of potential. He just wastes it. Misao, on the other hand, has a lot of talent but no idea when to apply it. She uses it in all the wrong areas. Like spying and researching that Aoshi guy." At this, Hiko gave her a pointed look.

Misao didn't blush or avert her gaze. She boldly flipped her braid behind her shoulder and said, "Well, I need to find out more about him. He's my dream guy, and Kaoru knows him and is gonna set me up with him."

At this is choked on my water. "Wait, what? I never agreed to that!"

"Of course you did, Kaoru." Misao replied, batting her eyes.

"Why not?" Kenshin's voice was curious.

I spun to Kenshin. "Are you willingly letting your sister go out with an older guy?"

Kenshin shrugged. "Misao is a big girl, she can handle herself."

"This Aoshi person is older than my Misao?" Hiko thundered.
"Yes! Yes he is!" I answered desperately. I really don't think Aoshi would appreciate me much for setting him up with a high school student.

"Daaad, please?" Hiko took one look at Misao's wide, green eyes and caved.

"Fine. But I need to meet him first!"

"If he even agrees to any of this…" I muttered. Oh boy, what did I get myself into now? First I'm getting pregnant, and now I'm helping a girl get together with some guy who I've heard maybe a total of three words come out his mouth. Kill me now.

After the very lively dinner, I started to walk out alone, checking my phone-watch as I walked out. I had taken it off as the dinner started, so I was only now seeing that I had three missed calls from Sano, and one from Megumi. I sighed, and was about to call Sano back when I heard a soft cough behind me. I spun around and without thinking about it, aimed a punch for the guy's face. It was only when the guy stopped my punch with his hand did I gasp.

"Shit! Kenshin! What the heck are you doing sneaking up on a girl like that?" I yelled, holding my chest. Damn, he scared me, and him looking so damn fine does not help my heartbeat.

He chuckled. "I don't think you'll have any trouble fending off anybody with that punch."

"I am so sorry! If I knew it was you-"

"No, it's totally my fault. I shouldn't have sneaked up on you like that." There was a twinkle in his violet eyes that told me that he wasn't sorry at all, though. I grinned.

"So what are you doing following me?"

"I wanted to make sure the lady reached her car safely." He said with a mock bow.

"C'mon. Mock chivalry died in 2010." I joked.

"Oh, well. I like mock chivalry." He joked back, a smile on his face. His face then became serious. "I didn't want to mention it before, but I noticed that you haven't been at Enishi's place lately."

I crossed my arms. "Keeping tabs on me?" Inside, I was really screaming, holy shit! So he did remember me! But I couldn't help but feel a little warm inside.

He shrugged. "I like to keep tabs on all Enishi's flings." And with that one sentence, my warm feelings evaporated.

"Does he have many?" I noticed with some shock that my tone was bitter. Was I jealous? I can't be jealous. Could I? I mean, I liked him, but we 'broke up'. I haven't heard from him since.

Kenshin looked at me warily. "At least a new one every month." A sour taste entered my mouth. So I was just a fling, huh? Well, that stupid playboy got what he deserved. Asshole. "But, I haven't seen him go out much anymore. He kinda just mopes around at home. Did you guys break it off?"

I nodded. Enishi? Moping? I didn't think it was possible. "I broke up with him, in a backwards sort of way."

"What do you mean?"

"I told him something he didn't agree with, and we haven't talked since." I couldn't, wouldn't tell him about the surrogacy thing.

He smirked. "Now I see why he's acting like this – he never had a girl break up with him before."

"Well, his ego needs to go down a notch or two. He's not that great that girls should chase after him."

"And yet they do." Kenshin answered, rubbing his forehead. "He really worries me. Ever since he and Tomoe started living away from their parents, he seems to be falling apart."

"How long have you been with Tomoe?" I asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"A long time. I think I mentioned this when we first met, but we are having problems…so we are on a break."

"That's too bad." I muttered, but I was trying to suppress a smile. "Wait, were you lying when you said we went to the same university?"

"Nope. You're in the medical section of our school, and I'm in the business section."

"You? In business? I can't picture it."

"Well, believe it. You're looking at the future CEO of some big company." Kenshin replied with a grin.

"Ambitious are we?" I joked, nudging his shoulder.

"Maybe a little." He joked back. "Actually, I'm looking into starting a not for profit business."

My curiosity was piqued. "Really?"

He nodded, his shaggy red hair bobbing with the movement. "I want to help those who can't help themselves."

"What the heck does that mean?"

He laughed. "I want to travel and help anyone who needs it."

I stared at him. "That's impossible, especially these days. The world is at peace and everyone who needs help receives it. Have you not heard of welfare programs?"

"I don't mean like that. Sure, the world is prospering, but there is always someone who needs a little extra help." He laughed softly. "You sound like my father and Tomoe. This is why he says I'm too naïve. He says that I'm going to travel for no reason, and end up being a homeless vagabond and I'll be the one who needs the help."

"He's right." I answered, but my mind was being blown apart at his generosity. He would willingly travel, not expecting much while giving as much as he could?

"You think so too? Well, I guess if anything I'll just crawl back home and start really working." He said with a chuckle.

"No, I don't think you should do that." I answered, meeting his light eyes with my darker ones. "If it is something you want to do, really want to do, you should chase after it with all your heart. Your father and girlfriend should understand that and support you, not bring you down."

My statement was met with silence, and I backpedalled. "Of course, it's up to you of course…I'm just talking shi-"

I froze as he wrapped his arms around me. "Thank you," he whispered into my hair. "No-one has ever supported my crazy plan before."

I breathed in his scent and sighed. He smelled so good. Before I could respond (if I could respond) he released me and gave me the most sheepish smile I have ever seen.

"Can I take you out to dinner sometime?"

"B-but what about your girlfriend?" I stammered. "I don't want her to get the wrong idea!"

"I told you, she and I are on a break. Plus, this is a dinner between friends, ne?" He responded with another one of those soft smiles.

"Yeah. Totally. So, I'm going to go now. Right. Ok. Bye."

He laughed. "Bye, Kaoru. I'll call you?"

"Yeah, yeah. Um, see you then!" I said as I jumped into my car (the normal, electric kind. Gas cars were outlawed seven years ago, and I wasn't rich enough to afford a fancy hovercar like Megumi or Enishi).

It was only when I reached home later, had a shouting match with Sano and Yahiko that I didn't answer because I was at a friend's, and why the heck do they feel they have to babysit me, that it hit me: I was going out for dinner with Kenshin. With Kenshin. The guy whose sperm is now fertilising my egg, the guy who was dating Enishi's sister, the guy whose sister I promised I'll set her up with the 'man of her dreams', the guy who makes my knees weak every time he smiles.

Dammit.

I want to make Hiko one of those father who dotes on his daughter :] I'm kinda basing his relationship like Carrie Underwood's song, "All American Girl." I already know how he acts with Kenshin, but having him have a daughter is just too much fun :D you know what I also realised? That no-one (or hardly anyone) puts Aoshi and Kaoru as siblings, though they would be the best siblings, at least looks-wise. Black hair and blue eyes…haha anyways.

Any thoughts? Comments? Criticisms? Like it? Hate it? Love it?

r.e.v.i.e.w.

please?

;]