Disclaimer: I don't own RK, nor the majority of the plot. Just sharing my friend's lovely story. Btw I did kinda rewrite parts of this. So it's a two people story. --;;

A/N: thanks to all my readers i didn't know if this story was good enough to continue.

Chapter Two
Apology

Trouble came in the form of a fist fight after school. We were both walking home together after school, with Soujiro carrying my bag and me carrying his books. I was relieved that nothing had happened to him during the last few hours of school. I didn't mind if it happened to me, but not to Soujiro. Besides, it was my fault that this happened anyway. I felt considerably happier as we walked and joked around. I felt nothing could go wrong anymore for today.

That was until I saw a silver sports car in the opposite direction.

Until I heard it swerve around and stopped a few feet behind us.

Until I heard the car doors opening and closing and footsteps approaching us.

"Well, what have we here? If it isn't little busu and her precious friend," sneered Tomoe. I felt a lurch inside, as though I had just dropped twenty feet. I slowly turned around, only to come face to face with Tomoe and Kenshin. No surprise there.

"You didn't think you could get away with this so easily did you? I, Yukishiro Tomoe, have never been treated like that before. And in public too. Surely, you didn't expect me to let you guys off the hook just like that, because nobody, and I mean nobody, messes with me and gets away with it," she said.

"There's always a first isn't it?" retorted Soujiro. "I was the one who caused everything. If you want to settle anything, you do it with me. Leave Kaoru out of this," he said, pulling me to stand behind him.

"Your wish is granted," said Kenshin as he grabbed Soujiro by the collar, his golden eyes piercing through Soujiro's warm brown ones. Before he could react, Kenshin had punched him in the jaw causing his glasses to fall to the ground. Next, he socked Soujiro in the stomach. It must have hurt a lot because he doubled over, crouching on the ground. Blood dripped from the corners of his mouth. Before Kenshin could lay another punch, I ran forward and held his hand back in a bid to prevent it from hitting Kenshin. Somehow, I must have done a pretty rotten job of holding it back because his fist connected with my jaw bone.

For a moment, everything froze. Then I felt the pain course through me as the insides of my mouth filled with blood. Tears of pain filled my eyes as I held onto my jaw. "Leave him alone," I managed to choke out while spitting out blood.

I could see Tomoe smirking whereas Kenshin was just standing there, still as a statue. As I looked up at him, my eyes silently pleading with him, I thought I saw something in his eyes. But it was gone in an instant. Instead, he turned Tomoe and said, "Let's go."

I helped Soujiro get to his feet.

"Hey, are you alright?" he asked.

I nodded my head. "My jaw feels a bit off though."

"I'm sorry I pulled you into this mess. It's all my fault. I'm sorry."

I knocked him on the head. "What are you talking about? We're friends, and friends go through everything together."

With that statement, I picked up the strewn books and his spectacles. "Do you think you can walk?" I asked with a smile.

He smiled back at me. "I'll need a little help."

"Kaoru! Soujiro! Whatever happened to the both of you?" asked my brother, Aoshi, rushing over to look at me.

"Oh, hey Aoshi! Heheh, we got into a fight," I replied meekly.

"A fight? Of all the things you could have done, you got into a fight? Don't you guys have anything better to do?" asked Akira, taking off his shoes.

"It wasn't her fault. I started the whole thing," Soujiro butt in.

"Nonsense. I had every part in it," I replied.

"What? But I was the one who said all those stuff!"

"So?"

"What do you mean, so? So you had no part in it!"

"Stop being so crappy, Soujiro. You know very well that it was my fault too! If it weren't for me…"

All this while, both Aoshi and Akira were observing us, their heads moving from left, then right, then left again and right again, as though watching a tennis match.

"Enough!" they both yelled out simultaneously.

We both shut up immediately and looked over at them.

"Come over here, Kaoru. Let me see your jaw," my brother said, beckoning me with his hand while Akira tended to Soujiro. "That guy must have given you quite a punch, huh? It's all swollen!" he said, moving my head left and right, carefully inspecting my jaw.

Then he lifted an ice pack that the Tae-san had prepared earlier and pressed it onto the bruise.

"Ow, ow, ow, watch it! Not so hard!" I whined.

"What happened anyway?" he asked.

I was silent. How was I going to explain the whole situation without him finding out what I was going through in school? Luckily, Soujiro was quick to come up with something.

"I kind of offended some snob in the school and while he was…um…hitting me, Kaoru decided to be a heroine and block one of his blows."

"Heroine? I was not trying to be a heroine! You were being beaten to a pulp! What was I supposed to do? Stand there and watch? Aish!" I said, throwing an ice cube in his direction.

He retaliated by throwing two ice cubes at me. I took a pillow nearby and flung it as hard as I could in his direction. The only problem was that it hit Akira instead. Ooops.

"Could you guys be any more childish? You're already sixteen! So behave like a sixteen year old!" he mumbled.

I opened my mouth in disbelief. "Look who's talking! You're the guy who wears boxers with little golf balls all over them! And you're supposed to be twenty two! If that's not childish, I don't know what is."

"Hey! That's not childish! And how did you know I had those boxers? Were you looking through my things?" asked Akira, his face flushing red with embarrassment.

"Akira-san, you're forgetting something aren't you? While you're staying here with us, the Tae-san helps to clean your laundry. And where does she dry the laundry? Out in the backyard where everyone can see it!" I replied, laughing.

"Yeah, yeah whatever."

"Aren't you guys going out tonight or something? Like, don't you all have dates or a social event that you have to attend?" asked Soujiro.

Both Akira and Aoshi exchanged glances.

"Nope. We have nowhere to go tonight. No dates. No nothing. Nada. So that means you're stuck with us," my brother answered, giving us a small smile.

I looked over at my brother feeling a bit sad. The only reason why he hardly ever dated nowadays was because most of the girls who were interested in him, or pretended to be interested in him, always had one eye on his wallet. And they always left him to pick up the pieces of their relationship.

"I know what you're thinking, little girl, and I'm fine," Aoshi said, looking over at me and pushing my forehead backwards with his finger.

"Mou! Why does everyone keep pushing my forehead backwards? You do know that each time you do that, I get a bit dumber, don't you? Are you all trying to make me dumber or something? Because it sure feels like it!" I said, whacking a pillow in my brother's face.

"You did not just do what I think you did," warned my brother.

I whacked the pillow in his face over and over again. Suddenly, he grabbed the pillow from me and held it threateningly over me.

"PILLOW FIGHT!"

We entered class the next day, feeling beaten. Who knew that both Akira and Aoshi actually had so much energy in them? They were already in their twenties, for goodness sake! They weren't supposed to be able to jump around so much. Instead, they were supposed to be complaining about their backs and how youngsters these days were such a rowdy bunch…or…maybe not. But still!

"Seta-san, what happened to you?" asked Izuka, one of our classmates.

"Oh, uh, I fell down the stairs," Soujiro muttered.

"And you dragged Kaoru down with you?" piped up, Beshimi, looking at my jaw.

"No! Of course I didn't!" protested Soujiro. "What do you think I am? A cow?"

"Then what happened to your face, Kaoru?" questioned Hyottoko.

"I walked into a door," I mumbled.

I could hear a few snickers around me, coming from the girls. I didn't really mind that most of the girls had not warmed up to me yet because at least, there were some people who had started to be nicer to me.

"Let me get this straight. You walked into a…door?" says Sanosuske, a new transfer student who also warmed up to me.

"Yes," I said defiantly. "I did. Anyway, I've got to get going now." I turned away from them with a roll of my eyes and headed towards my desk, stumbling a little. I dropped my books onto the table and slumped into my seat, laying my head down. That was when I saw it.

There, right next to me on the table lay a single red rose, with it's petals in full bloom. I jolted myself upright again and stared openmouthed at the rose. I racked my brain trying to figure out who could have sent me the flower. Coming up with nothing, I surveyed the classroom, carefully noting everyone's expression lest it was a prank that somebody wanted to play on me. Much to my surprise, nobody paid any attention to me. All of them had their heads bowed down and were busy with their own work, namely copying yesterday's assignment from their friends before the teacher entered the class. Could it have been Soujiro or one of his friends? I looked over in their direction raising my eyebrows at what they were doing. Nah, I concluded. It couldn't have been either one of them. I mean, guys who drew on other people's faces while they were asleep wouldn't exactly give roses to a girl. It just wasn't their style.

I fingered the petals of the roses gently. I lifted it up, only to discover, a very small slip of paper hidden underneath the petals of the rose. Filled with curiousity, I unfolded the paper and read what was inscribed on it.

Sorry. My eyes widened at what I read. Well, that narrows it down to one person didn't it? I was certain that it could not have been Tomoe because, one, as I was surveying the classroom, I had noticed that the ostrich herself was missing in action and that her seat was empty. And two, nobody knew what had happened to both Soujiro and I yesterday after school. If Tomoe was present, the whole school would have known about it by now. There was no doubt about it. It was from him.

Himura Kenshin.

I felt someone poking me in the sides.

"Go away!" I mumbled, stirring slightly so that I was in a more comfortable position.

"Kaoru, wake up! Mr. Saitou's headed this way!" muttered Soujiro frantically, jostling my arm.

I jerked my head up, all drowsiness vanishing from me immediately.

"Miss Kaoru, I see that you're sleeping in my class," said Mr. Saitou, peering at me over his spectacles which rested on his awfully large nose. "Any reason why?"

I bit my lip and bowed my head. "No, Mr. Satiou."

"Good. I expect to see you in detention class at 3 o'clock sharp today. No excuses. And you, Mr. Seta, I expect you to be there too." With that, he turned around and headed towards the front of the class again. Just then, the school bell rang signaling the end of the lesson.

"It's all your fault I'm attending detention!" grumbled Soujiro as we walked to our next class.

"Mou… I'm sorry Sou-chan. But Mr. Saitou can be such a cow sometimes. You didn't even do anything to deserve it!"

"Yeah, a cow in a shocking pink tube top and a black mini skirt!", Soujiro smiled at Kaoru's new nick name for him. Sou-chan, it sounded so childish and yet so sweet rolling off her tongue.

"With sequins all over!"

"And bright red lipstick to go with it!"

We both burst out in laughter.

"He's got a nose so large I wonder how he manages to keep his head upright!"

Soujiro looked over at me with a weird expression.

"What?"

"You are such a retard!" he answered, pushing my head to the side.

Suddenly, a group of people who were playing in the hallway accidentally knocked into me, causing me to stumble backwards and drop all my books upon the impact. As they mumbled numerous apologies, I bent down to pick up my books which were strewn all over the floor.

"Is this rose yours?" asked Soujiro feeling a slight wave of jealously as he held it out towards me.

I stared at it in dismay. Somebody had trodden over it and most of its petals had fallen off. The stalk had almost broken into two and one end of it was now hanging limply. I took the squashed rose from Soujiro.

"You didn't tell me you got a rose," said Soujiro, feigning a hurt expression.

"It was just someone's way of apologizing. No biggie," I said, poking him on the nose.

I stood up and deposited the rose into a dustbin nearby. There was no use for me to keep it anymore.

"C'mon Sou-chan! Let's go! We can't afford to be late to class and earn us another detention!" I said, dragging Soujiro behind me as we rushed to our next class.

But little did I know, that someone else had seen me throw the rose away apart from Soujiro.

And as he stared into the dustbin where the crumpled rose lay, he clenched his fists as his expression hardened and his eyes became cold and yet if one looks carefully the could see amber fire dancing.

We headed towards the cafeteria, our arms overflowing with numerous rags, sponges, and buckets, which we had managed to secure after rummaging through the supply closet.

"Oooof!" I said, heaving all the things I carried onto a nearby table. "I'll go get us some water by the pump in the back while you start sweeping the floor, ok?"

"Sure thing."

I headed out towards the water pump, swinging the bucket along in my hand. As our punishment, Mr. Saitou had instructed us to clean out the cafeteria. I had no whims about it. It was either the cafeteria or the toilets. The dirty, smelly toilets. Thinking about it made me want to hurl. As I turned the corner, I saw Kenshin smoking a cigarette, with one of his legs propped up behind him on the wall. Without thinking twice, I ran up to him.

"Hey! Thanks for the rose!" I smiled brightly.

He looked over at me coldly and I flinched inwardly. Did I miss something here? Without saying anything, he threw his cigarette to the ground, ground it out with his foot and walked away from me, leaving me to stare openmouthed after him. What was it with him? I shrugged my shoulders as I picked up his cigarette butt to deposit into a dustbin nearby before proceeding to the water pump.

"Sou-chan yah! Help me carry the bucket! It's too heavy!" I yelled, sloshing water everywhere as I walked.

After he relieved me of the bucket all the while laughing at me, I slumped into a seat nearby, trying to catch my breath. Then, I picked up a sponge, dipped it in soapy water and proceeded to wipe the tables clean.

"Kao-chan, did you happen to see that battousai just now?" asked Soujiro.

"Yeah. He was out in the back. Why do you ask? And why do you call him battousai?"

"He crossed through here just now. He looked positively dangerous. He's cold enough to match Battousai. Did you do anything to make him mad?"

"Mou! Of course not! You think I'm crazy? Making him mad is as safe as stuffing a porcupine up a bull's nose!" We both feel to the ground with laughter and yet hoping no one saw us.

He threw a wet rag in my direction. "BOO!" he said, laughing. In retaliation, I flung my soapy sponge at him, which hit him right smack in the face. He looked stunned for a second, at first I thought he was impressed with my aim but then…

"Ahhhhh! My eyes!" yelled Soujiro, frantically trying to wipe away the soap. I quickly ran towards him splashing clean water from a bucket nearby onto his face in an attempt to wash away the soap. He finally stopped his incessant whining and looked over at me, water dripping off the tip of his nose. I took a step backwards as I noted his expression and finally realized that my frantic attempts to wash away the soap from his eyes had resulted in soaking him from head to toe. A nervous laugh escaped from me.

"I'll give you three seconds to make your getaway. Three!" he yelled, chasing after me.

It wasn't necessary for him to tell me that. Not necessary at all. I was already sprinting as fast as I could away from him, trying to dodge around all the tables and chairs. Needless to say, he caught up with me. I cowered on the floor with my arms over my head.

"You wouldn't do anything to me right, Sou-chan?" I asked.

"Of course not, Kaoru! You know I would never do anything to hurt you!" he said sweetly. The moment I raised my head to look up at him, a bucket of water was thrown down upon me. My long wet midnight black hair clung on to me as my eyes probably were filled with confusion. It took me a second to regroup myself.

"Mou! You'd better not let me catch you!" I shrieked, getting up to chase after him.

Next Chappie: Years fly by as Kaoru will look for a job, and yet she meets them. her once perfect life is spiraling down once more as she meets THEM. that once "evil" woman will once again send Kaoru down to her pit, how? over a long period of time.

A/N: sorry I made soujiro wear glasses… but he only wears them sometimes, like in class and stuff. Later on he'll get contacts cuz it just doesn't look right, soujiro with gasses. for every 15 reviews i'll update a chapter, if i don't get that, then i suppose my readers will be stuck with a chapter every week or two or so.

updatesoon: um don't haunt me, see i updated!

wafferlover: thank you, if it's good i suppose i will

wonderouzstarz:that's good, i hoped this one wouldnt be too boring.

aintnolove2me: well yes, i made some OOC because i didn't know who to use as the opposing people. so i figured tomoe will do that. i was going to put Megumi, but i can't imagine kenshin ever with Megumi, unless he's drunk.

Bradybunch4529: Thanks for the support. so it's worth continueing?

muchimuchi: i can't tell you the end yet. haven't decided on it. but they were in highschool. so around 16 or so. give or take, didnt pay too much attention to that.

Choking-on-my-blood: Kaoruwill change. but not in high school. this story's going to take place more of when they are around 20

forever angel: i'm well. and yup ifi get a lot of reviews and if the readers like this story i'll update as soon as i need to.

lili125: i had to stop, g2 eat ;) but i will write more once i finish

Snow Lepord: i hope you won't be disappointed in where i make this story go then.

JMai : i hope u keep reading too. tell me if my story starts to get boring.

kennii'smine: Sorry can't tell u the pairings yet, because i'm not too sure. but yes soujiro got hurt.

jodibetz : hopefully this was soon enough for you.

cyjj: i'll try to update asap.

dayof46: well no one died. yet... i might make someone die later on. soujiro is nice in this story, but from what i could tell he was nice in the original RK story as well.