Chapter 4, Part Two, Forever
Kaoru woke up to a bright glare through her opened curtains and... excruciatingly, loud piercing screams.
"Me-Megumi?! Ugh. What are you doing here?" She grunted and flipped over, stuffing her face into her pillow to drive out the echoing noises.
"KAORUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU," Megumi sang in a horrific, trilling voice. "Kaoru, my dear! Wake up!" She shook her body back and forth.
"Go away, Gumi!"
"What?! You don't want me to stay here? Hm, I think you must have forgotten."
Kaoru paused and crinkled her eyebrows in confusion. "Uh- forgot what?"
"Today's date." Megumi stated bluntly in a matter-of-fact way.
"What. Date?" She snapped back, narrowing her eyes. "Tell me! How can I not know? Is this some sort of surprise party?"
Megumi sighed and shook her head helplessly. "My, my! I can't believe you seriously forget. ...We're going out to the beach today with everyone. Remember? I mean, summer began days ago. It's about time we started celebrating!"
Kaoru bolted upright, stumbling over her words."Wha-What?"
"Thought you would react that way. Remember now?"
"Oh no. No way Megumi." Kaoru frowned. "I'm not going. Besides, I'm tired and I don't feel so well."
"Hah! Yeah right, excuses, excuses, excuses. Just get up. We've planned this for weeks."
"We have?"
Megumi rolled her eyes. "Yes! Now you better go get ready or we'll be late!"
Kaoru gripped her covers and glared. "No. I can't. I don't want to go. I won't."
"...Are you kidding me child?!" Megumi's eyes widened in disbelief. She wasn't going to play easy. "Look, I don't want to be all motherly or bitchy about this, but you will get out of this house and off your bum." She grabbed Kaoru's wrists and forced her up. "Okay, Missy?"
"AUGH! Fine you annoying jabber-head! Whatever! But we're driving your car."
Megumi's jaw flew open to protest.
"Don't test me, Gumi. At least I'm going. You're idea, your plan, your car."
Her teeth gritted in frustration. "Idiot, jerk, bitch," she grumbled under her breath.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Kaoru walked away towards the shower, smirking. And without another thought, she slammed the door shut.
Megumi sighed and laughed quietly to herself. "Fine. Just this time." Just to get the group back together, just to be with each other. Even if it's just one last time...
Twenty minutes later after speed blow drying, plunging through clothes, and plastering herself with makeup, Kaoru finally reached downstairs to chug a cup of orange juice and run out the house with Megumi. Once at the car, Megumi's car, they sprang in and slapped their belts on.
"Dang, even though I was so quick at getting ready..." Kaoru checked her watch with a slight pout.
"Well, I actually think it's your quickest time to get ready. Wow, you must be really energetic today. Good!" Megumi giggled and started the engine, zooming away from the sidewalk.
xx
His blazing, fierce eyes searched Sanosuke's face as the crazy-beyond-help drvier laughed in hysterics. "Oh no. Are you serious, Sano? You're kidding me right?! You are not going to be able to make that light!"
No surprise here while Sanosuke was too busy choking up snickers and pressing the accelerate pedal to reply.
"Ahh! Sano! Look at the freaking road!! You're gonna get us killed!"
"Oh, come on Kenshin. I'm not drunk or anything like that... I think." He pondered for a moment leaving his face blank for only a split second. "Hah, who gives a shit!" He sped up recklessly again, then screeched to a stop just when Kenshin screamed and slammed his eyes shut.
Silence. All was silent except for the heavy, deep breathing coming from the passenger seat.
"Sano?" Kenshin winced and lifted up his eye the slightest fraction. "You still alive man?"
Silence.
"Oh come on, Sano. You're not fooling me."
Was he ever going to give up?
"Seriously Sano." In a sudden rush, Kenshin's eyes snapped open, punching Sanosuke hard enough to make his jaw crack. He recoiled just as fast as hit him.
"Owwww! What the fuck man?! A small joke okay for you to handle?! What's on your freaking mind anyway?!"
"Oh man. Sano... I'm so sorry for hitting you. It was completely... unintentional and I would never mean to hit you that hard. Ugh." He clicked off his seat belt and shifted his weight to look out the window. "But seriously. Please. I need your help."
"Ah, relax man. God. You look so freaked out right now- "
"No! Sanosuke! Look. I'm dead serious about this, pun not intended, by the way. I mean, I'm seeing Kaoru today! It's been almost a month since we last talked."
"Correction. It's been a week."
"Ugh, whatever! I still haven't seen her since Tsubame's party. Or spoken to her either."
"Yeah, yeah. I know. I was just thinking about that. It must suck."
"What sucks? I mean, a lot sucks right now, but what are you thinking of?"
Sanosuke turned to give Kenshin a long glance. "Sorry if this comes out hard. But... losing Kaoru, then making up with her, and now having to see her again as if nothing ever happened? It must be painful. I mean, it bites just to watch it all happen. Which reminds me to ask. I just remembered. Are you guys friends? Are you over her yet? Is she over you? Do you want to get together? What's your next move?"
Kenshin let out a gush of air. "Ahh! Please, too many questions. I'm already confused as it is."
A pause.
"I don't know. I honestly have no idea if we're even considered as friends or if we really are friends. Or, maybe all this happening to us is the reason why we're considered friends. And I don't know what's my next move will be, or what I'm even going to do once I see her. The scary part is not knowing how I'm going to react. I'm seriously going to blow." It's scary not knowing what might happen. But I'm prepared for the worst situation."
Sanosuke cocked an eyebrow. "I can tell. Your balloon is already loosing air."
"Huh? Sano, what the fuck? How random can you get?"
"Well, what I mean is, you punched me. I guess the emotions are starting to spill."
A sigh. "Right. Well, I'm prepared for the worst situation."
"Um, no you're not."
"Right. You're right. I'm not. I wish I was. But I'm not."
"Woah, woah. Kenshin. You're only human."
"Yeah... no shit."
"So, tell me what else is on your mind."
Kenshin went straight into talking without thinking twice. "The last time I saw her was at Tsubame's party. It was odd. Like, we made up- but we didn't. I apologized, but she just walked away... smiling calmly, but her eyes were like... defeated. Like she gave up on everything, completely."
"So I heard."
"Heard? From who?" Kenshin eyed Sanosuke curiously.
"Oh nothing, just talking to myself."
A comfortable silence was held for only minutes until that same wide grin he always smiled crawled onto Sanosuke's beaming face.
"Well buddy, sorry to ruin this intimate convo, but should head on out. Now, let's kick some ass and have fun today. I think that should be our main goal. Hah! Wouldn't you agree?"
Kenshin nodded distantly. "What? Yeah. Definitely." He pulled his muscles together, trying to prepare for the unexpected. He had to be ready, even if he was obviously not.
"Tsubame, my dear! My goodness, I think you've grown a pinch taller!"
"Ahh! Megumi. Can't. Breath!" Tsubame gasped under Megumi's suffocating, bear hug.
"Oops! Sorry, ha-ha. I'm just so excited to see you! We have so much to catch up on."
Tsubame rolled her eyes, smiling. "We just talked yesterday."
"Gasp, I know! So long ago!" Megumi shook her head pitifully, the sides of her lips curling up in a grin.
Immediately joining their conversation, Kaoru giggled and she walked up to the two.
"Oh my god. You have grown taller Tsubame! But… still as short as will ever be. Ha, get over here." Kaoru quickly grabbed her miget friend by the shoulders and crushed her in a hug.
"Well, well. Look what's happenin'. Girls, girls, please, I know you can't bear the sight of my sexy beastliness, but you can hug me. I'm not that breakable." Yahiko appeared out of nowhere, winking at Tsubame.
Megumi squealed, adding to the dramatic improv and jumped up and down, clapping her hands. "Ya-heee-koooo!! Oh my god! Is it really you?! Mah fav man!" Her eyes narrowed and she quickly regained composure in a blink of an eye."Right. Uh-huh. Funny, kid."
Everyone laughed except for Kaoru. Her perky attittude soon died down as she looked around anxiously, scanning the whole beach.
"Wait. Where's Sano and Kenshin? I thought they would be arriving with you. They didn't bail out did they?" Kaoru's subtle voice suddenly came to sound like a sharp accusation as she asked her last question.
"Oh no, no! Don't worry, they should be here any minute." Tsubame exchanged a worried glance with her friends, then whipped out her cell phone to check for any missed calls.
None.
A few more minutes, seeming more like hours, had passed. Everyone continued on chatting, but every now and then, Megumi would look over her shoulder to check on Kaoru.
"Hey look Kaoru, stop worrying. Seriously. Everything is fine. Relax and enjoy yourself, okay? They'll all be here soon." Megumi held Kaoru's knee and smiled comfortingly. Kaoru looked around and saw her other two friends nodding in encouragement.
"Yeah, we're here. For you."
Kaoru thought for a moment, staring at the sand. After a few moments, she inhaled deeply and and smiled vaguely. "Yeah. You're right. Thanks for caring so much you guys. I don't really know why I'm so tense like this. Sorry for ruining the fun."
"Hah! Don't be ridiculous. The fun has just begun now that I'm here." A figure waved over his usual, crazy spiked hair. "Waiting for long?" He smirked, looking only at Megumi.
"Sano!" Megumi jumped up to land in his arms. "You're finally here!"
"And so I am."
The three eyed one another, sharing a silent conversation.
Since when were they... ?
Oh, who cares!
Yeah, I know, it's about time.
"Don't be so cocky you brainless piece of- " Before Megumi could finish, a hard kiss smoldered her down, tight on the lips. His hands crawled up to her fingers and intertwined.
When he finally released her, her eyes lifted open slowly and fell to her hands, clasped around a thornless rose. She smiled slighty and looked up to meet his gentle eyes. "Sano." She breathed in softly. "Not now. And whatever you want, you're not going to get." She sneered, laughing seductively through her eyes.
He bent closer to her as she turned around and leaned against him to whisper in her ear. "And the only thing I want is you. ...So then, Princess Vixen Megumi. Let's get out of here."
Her gaze held onto the ocean's purring waves. "No Sano. We can't justleave." She whispered back quietly and cocked her head in the direciton of her friends.
"Don't worry about them. They won't mind. Besides, the plan must play out sooner or later. And the sooner, the better. Kenshin is probably realizing just about now that I gave him the wrong directions." He chuckled. He nodded suggestively towards them. "And the plan must play out."
Megumi's eyes widened, her nose scrunching up. "What the hell? Seriously? Where did you even park? This place is practically empty."
"Well, that my beautiful, is a very good question. One Kenshin didn't even bother to ask. - A few blocks away. Heh, he's pretty wound up. Said I had to go to the bathroom and told him to go ahead of me. He went North, I went South."
"Damn. And I thought you were mentally challeneged. I mean, it's called a huge sandy area- the beach, and lots of water- the ocean. Not that hard to find."
Sanosuke chuckled lightly. "Well then, all the more reason to leave. He's probably realizing that just about now.
Hm.
"Okay, fine. Where to?"
Sanosuke's face brightened up as he grinned. "Seriously? So quick to give in?"
"Yeah, so don't make me change my mind. And let's tell them first."
They walked a few steps closer to their triangle positioned friends, Megumi grabbing their attention.
"Hey guys. Uh- look, we're going. We'll be back soon for dinner, the sunset, and anything else you want to do together. Just call us. Well then... catch ya'll later!"
They sprang away instantly. Perfect. Now was thee perfect time to escape.
"Yahiko, sweetheart. I'm a bit cold. Can we go to the car real quick to get a jacket?"
Yahiko looked up, understanding at once of Tsubame's "sudden" need to put on another layer. "Sure thing, hun." He stood up, to lift her gently by the elbow. "Here."
"Um, Kaoru, we'll be back soon. Sorry to leave you alone, it's just that I'm so cold." Tsubame put on her best desperate look.
"R- " Before even answering, the two ran off. "Right."
Kaoru sighed and folded her hands onto her lonely lap. So there she was, sitting alone, shivering from the cold, and thinking to herself angrily. Exactly why did I come again? I'm alone. This is pointless. And I can't believe my friends! Ditching m-m-
It started with a drip. Then her shoulders trembled and the tears began to flow endlessly. Watching, and having to pretend not to notice was excruciatingly painful for her. Everyone acted in perfect harmony and peace with themselves. Megumi. Sanosuke. Tsubame. Yahiko.
"WHY?!" She screamed and threw her face into her hands. "WHY!! Why me?! Why does this have to happen to me?! Why, Dad, why? Dad, why can't anything be normal for me?! Why did you have to leave me alone in this useless world?! All alone... " She choked on her sobs and threw her back lifelessly again, convusling in a scream louder than any other she gave.
She finally cracked...
...and her friends knew it too as they watched in pain. Megumi clutched Sanosuke's hand, tears falling from her cheeks along with Tsubame.
She couldn't help her. No matter what Megumi did, Kaoru's pierced heart could never be healed. Never. The damage was already done.
Kaoru forced her eyes open, clouded by shedding tears, and suddenly, everything was awfully quiet. She stood up, viciously stripping off her sweater and sprinting towards the waves.
Reaching the shoreline she plunged in the water, making her way down until she was fully soaked through. Clothes sagging, hair tangled and eyes now stining by the harsh saltwater, another scream died off into a insuferable whimper.
A cool breeze swept through her body, awakening her senses. A chill ironed its way down her spine, pushing her to fall over into the water.
Then a warm touch landed on her back, and in seconds she was rising back onto her feet and flying in the air.
Was she insane?
No. Of course not.
Half-dazed, she turned to see nothing but a blaze of fire flying in the wind.
Who?
Her eyes struggled to define the rescuer, but her heart knew well enough.
Kenshin.
She clutched his collared shirt instinctively as he cupped his arms around her lifeless body, then paced his way back to the sandy shore. Tears fell once again.
Hers?
No.
"Kenshin," she struggled to speak. "Don't let go of me Kenshin. Don't let me fall... into blackness. Ever. Ever again."
"Kaoru." He clentched his teeth and his voice ripped into a silent cry. His matted eyelashes and cheeks said it all...
"I. Love you Kaoru." He fought to stare at her through his splashed wet bangs. "Don't leave me again Kaoru. Don't."
A sorrowful smile tugged at her muscles. Finally they arrived at their campsite farther from the ocean and closer to the softer, dry sand.
They lay side-by-side, hand-in-hand, staring up at the sky now almost setting dark. Kenshin turned to face her, reaching out to hold her face firmly between his palms.
"Kaoru..."
He frowned and could speak no more as he watched Kaoru's beautifully perfect facade.
"Let's watch the sun set," she finished for him.
They both sat up and stared off into the darkening night, tears unconciously sliding from their cheeks.
The starry sky, the bright moon, and beautiful shades of purple-blue clouds filled their hearts and memories.
They lived for the moment. Not for the past. Not for the future.
Just for the savoring moment.
The End.
A/N: Hey kiddos! I really, really hope you like this ending! I spent a long time on it- heh.
And sorry for putting it up unbelievably late after a horribly long and lazy hiatus. I'll punish myself now by eating a carton of ice cream. Ahahahhahahahahhahah so like me. :D
P.S. I will be getting it revised soon by my beta buddy, xxfirebubblesxx, but I just wanted to put this up ayway. Enjoy!
One last thing before I go...
REVIEW!! :)
(Heh, but I mean, eating ice cream is so darn hard, right... ?)
To the reviewers: Thank you for supporting me throughout this story! I would've dumped it a long time ago if it wasn't for you wonderful comments and tips!