DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN RUROUNI KENSHIN

AN: Okay so I know I left this story for more than a year or so. And I'm sorry! But I'm back :) And I now know what I want from this story so hopefully the next update won't be next year. But bear with me as I have exams right now. Grr..

*Once again the quote at the beginning is from the middle of the story*

His Decision

"...Kenshin you deserve better too, we..this whatever it was, it was not compatible."

Kaoru, I'm really sorry but your mother wasn't able to make it, the impact of the crash..." Kaoru just stared at him in disbelief, and shook the tears away but only momentarily, "And daddy? Is he ok?"

"Ah you see the car accident affected his central nervous system; Kaoru this may be hard to understand but your father has brain damage. People with such a condition do not tend to live for very long after the incident. Do you understand?" Kaoru stared at the man who looked down at her and expected her to take everything calmly as her whole life just tore apart right in her face.

Kaoru just nodded numbly as she walked out the door holding onto pieces of a life that was long gone.

Since her parent's death was so unexpected Hiko took her in too, but a social outcast can only put up with two stubborn hardheaded kids for so long.

Dr. Gensai, a kind aged man, took her in. He was a friend of her grandfather, and respected him dearly. Kaoru never felt out of place in his home, he treated her as her own daughter. Over the years Kenshin conspicuously was with her through everything, he made sure to never leave her side, when Kenshin had a fan club of girls after him junior high he chose to go with Kaoru to the prom, his reason being he got lonely without their occasional witty banter.

"Well no use in lying in bed and thinking about the unchangeable"

Kaoru slowly dragged her way out of bed when she heard a low thump on her door thinking it would be Megumi or Misao she went to answer it.

"Why on earth would you guys be out this early in the morn-"Kaoru stared wide eyed at Kenshin who was trying hard not to blush at the indecency of her outfit. Trying to break the tension, Kenshin stepped forward which Kaoru misunderstood and slammed the door on his face.

"Kenshin you perv! How dare you come in here while I'm half dressed!"

"You're the one that let me in!" Kenshin squeaked back from behind the door trying to justify his actions. Kaoru peeked out from behind the door, saw him rubbing his now red nose, and glared at him before opening the door for him and gesturing him in. Kenshin being oblivious to Kaoru's actual anger commented offhandedly "And it's not like I haven't seen you in less." He slowly gestured at her outfit when Megumi passed by with a shock stricken face.

"Ohoho! So is that what you and Kaoru are up to? I knew there was something kinky about your relationship! Didn't I tell you Kaoru?" Megumi rambled uncaring to the fact that Kenshin was staring at Kaoru with hope? Disbelief? Want?

Kaoru, tomato faced at her accusation, turned away. Kenshin's face fell at her reaction and he tried clearing the confusion.

"No Megumi, it's not like that. I've known Kaoru for so long I don't even think she's a girl!" Kenshin turned his face horrified and stared at the changing emotions on her face.

"If I'm not a girl?! Then what the hell am I to you?" Kaoru seethed. Kenshin hurriedly waved her question of trying to reason.

"Now Kaoru-dono. Be reasonable I was just telling Megumi here-"Kenshin pointed to an already missing Kitsune and sighed.

"This is why."

"Excuse me?" Kenshin whipped his head back to the now silent Kaoru.

"This is exactly why I like Soujiro. He treats me like a girl. I don't expect Aoshi or Sano to, but Kenshin you of all people I expected to see that. I know I do not act like one but I still want all the same things a normal girl wants.

"Kaoru I'm really sorry, I was just backing you up. I didn't want Megumi to think of you in an inappropriate way because of me. I truly do see you as a girl believe it or not." Kenshin gently smiled at her and pulled her in for a friendly hug, which Kaoru eagerly accepted.

"Hey Kaoru I-" Kaoru quickly pushed herself out of Kenshin's embrace and slid herself over to Soujiro, who was standing in the doorway, with his usual smile plastered to his face. He gently took Kaoru who was within arm's length and pulled her forward for a chaste peck. Kaoru held her breath as she saw Kenshin look away, from the corner of her eye, dutifully.

"Oh hey Kenshin," Soujiro greeted, when he noticed the other man in the room standing awkwardly with his hands in his pockets and his eyes darting between Soujiro and Kaoru.

Pulling herself to her full height, Kaoru smiled at Soujiro "What brings you here so early? Miss me already?" She laughed at her cheesy joke and Soujiro only smiled and rolled his eyes at her.

"Actually I was wondering if you'd be up for breakfast." Kaoru brought hand up in a contemplative manner.

"Hmm sleep in or have breakfast with this amazing man?" Weighing her hands, she brought it up to Soujiro's face and gently said "Amazing man wins!"

Blushing at her show of affection, Soujiro cleared his throat when he realized Kenshin was glaring at them. Breaking the tender moment he asked "Hey Kenshin, want to join us?"

Kenshin had seen the whole scene underplay, and he knew being around them any longer would just about the break the restrain he'd put on his emotions. Gritting his teeth he forged a smile and politely declined, "No thanks, I just needed to get something. But it seem Miss Kaoru, has misplaced it. Maybe she'll find it along with her common sense." He glared at her before hurriedly retreating.

Slamming Kaoru's dorm room shut, he clenched his eyes and swallowed the aftertaste of what he saw. Removing himself from her doorway, Kenshin made his way to his uncle's house, knowing he needed someone to talk to right now.

"Well it seems to me, once again, you're the idiot!" Hiko snorted in response to the elaborate tale Kenshin had just told.

"You know Kaoru likes you, yet you still treat her as you would any other girl. No, in fact, you treat her like your sister. So how's she supposed to know she's special to you?"

Grumbling and pouting Kenshin glared, "She does not like me! If she did she would be with me and not that always smiling freak."

Inwardly smiling at his pupil's dilemma, Hiko decided to add fuel to the already raging fire, "Well maybe if you were more of a man, she'd like you."

Kenshin only sent him his worst death glare, to which Hiko laughed.

"But seriously, I think if you like her make her see it. Baka, it's your last year you may as well take risks so ten years from now you won't regret wondering what could've been. Now get out of my house, I've had enough of your presence."

Getting up from his place, Kenshin rolled his eyes and smirked knowing this was Hiko's way of saying he was getting uncomfortable with the topic.

"Thanks..uncle," grinning from ear to ear at Hiko's expression he casually strolled out laughing.

Contemplatively he recalled his times with Kaoru, realizing he was slightly overprotective of her was no surprise but then again, he probably gave her the wrong signal while being that way and dating Tomoe at the same time. Smacking his head at his stupidity, he thought back to how even when he was dating Tomoe, Kaoru had always been his priority. He didn't think anything of it at the time expect that's just how they'd always been, but Tomoe had painstakingly opened his eyes.

FLASHBACK

"No Kenshin, that's not how a brother treats his sister," Tomoe glared at Kenshin as tears threatened to fall.

"I'm not happy with you, and you're not happy with me. What's the point of this?"

Taking a step towards her, he placed his hand on Tomoe's shoulder as a comforting gesture.

"Who says I'm not happy?"

Letting out an ironic laugh, Tomoe began to tackle Kenshin's argument point by point, "Kenshin, you're really blind. You hang out with Kaoru more than you do with me, and I understand you guys are best friends but even then once you get home, you have this..this expression on your face saying you'd like to be anywhere but here! You force out the conversations between us! It may have actually started with us having real feelings but now it's turned into nothing but a monotonous routine!"

Kenshin's eyes widened as he heard of all the hurt Tomoe slapped in his face, squeezing her shoulder slightly he began apologizing furiously, "Tomoe, I'm so so sorry. I didn't know that's how you felt. Oh baby, I never would've done that if it was hurting you that bad. Please Tomoe forgive me, I may not deserve it but it was never my intention to put you through all this. You deserve so much better."

Hanging his head in shame, Tomoe spoke almost gently, "Kenshin you deserve better too, we..this whatever it was, it was not compatible. At least we know now, rather than later when it got serious. I truly did like you Kenshin, but honestly, I do not think I could have ever loved you. And more importantly you need to realize just who your feelings are for, they aren't for me or for some other girl that's bound to come in the future. They're for Kaoru, and Kenshin until you realize that you will not be happy with just anyone else."

Nodding slightly, Kenshin brought Tomoe forward and placed a tender kiss on her forehead, "Thank you Tomoe, for everything. I sincerely hope you find happiness."

Shaking his head at the memory, he remembered how Kaoru had been extremely mad when he had told her of their breakup. She had even went as far as to offer talking to Tomoe for him, he laughed at that. Kaoru really was something, and it was too soon to lose her without at least an indication of his feelings, and Kenshin planned to give her just that.

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