Kenshin flinched as Kaoru raised her bokken and faced him. All around him the students of Maekawa dojo watched silently. The man's face flushed. He couldn't hit Kaoru.
He watched her lips as she mouthed the word, "Relax."
If only Yahiko were here. Kaoru's only student had fallen ill and was home at the dojo recouping. Today was one of Kaoru's joint-training days at the nearby dojo, and Kaoru was demonstrating. There shouldn't have been a problem, except she wanted Kenshin to fill in for Yahiko's role.
Now, he stood facing Kaoru in a room full of expectant eyes. As she had said, either he had to counter her or she would have to counter him. Neither seemed like a good idea, but he'd prefer the former over the latter.
Kaoru nodded to him, raised the bokken and sprang forward. She felt a pang of unease as she watched the wanderer freeze. He would refuse to lift his sakabato against her. She could see it now. She flinched and brought it down. The wooden sword bashed against the floor and Kaoru gave a start. Kenshin was kneeling five feet away, nowhere near where he'd stood before.
Kaoru lowered the bokken. The crowded room filled with applause and whistles, but Kenshin saw the disappointment on the woman's face. She played it off anyway, laughing, and praising, "Well, that's another way to do it."
Kenshin stood and dusted off his hakamas.
Kaoru wouldn't say it to his face, but she felt embarrassed. She shouldn't, but she did. She knew she should be grateful that Kenshin was so careful around her, but he hadn't even tried to fend her off. She sighed and shook the feeling off, turning to assist Maekawa-sensei's students.
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By the time they left the dojo, Kaoru was in good spirits again. Kenshin smiled as she jabbered on about the day.
"I was surprised Isao joined the dojo there, but I think he'll do fine, don't you?" she blabbed, turning down a street to their right. "I wonder why he didn't stay with us." Kaoru's hand made a fist. "I bet it's Yahiko's fault."
Kenshin said nothing on this. He padded along behind the lady, his mind elsewhere. The other night kept playing over and over through his head. A fellow hitokiri had showed up. That wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't so bothersome either. No, not as much as the killer's warning.
"Miss Kaoru."
She glanced back and smiled sweetly at him. "Yes, Kenshin?"
He bowed his head, considering his options. The best was to be honest. He didn't want to. He'd rather protect that smile.
The woman stopped a few yards from the Kamiya dojo when she caught the look on his face. "What is it, Kenshin?"
"Miss Kaoru, I…"
He froze. Chills raked his spine. A crowd had gathered around the Kamiya dojo's front gate. Kenshin ran past Kaoru and made his way through. His heart pounded erratically as he reached the sight. Red was splattered over the wood door. Blood.
The former hitokiri, Tenma lay slumped in it, dead. A note had been tacked to his shirt:
All hitokiri will be returned to Hell.