Mornings After
By hye kyo
Disclaimer:Nope, RK is not mine...'m merely borrowing it.
Author's Notes: Okay, so this was on time, I know this is…haha…nothing much happened last chap but we're moving a bit faster this time…this is because I wouldn't be uploading any chapter next week. I'd be continuing the story by the middle of November. Don't worry, I'd make it longer…I'm sorry if I haven't been answering reviews, I'm always on the run you know, graduating and stuff…well, I'm finally done with my thesis and passed it with flying colors…anyone of you who knows scholarships offered in Japan? Thanks a lot in advance. Anyway, I hope you like this chap and read and review!
Chapter Four: A beggar no more
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It was two minutes past ten in the evening when she arrived home. Kaoru tossed her handbag on the couch, gave her apartment a passing look and stared at the calendar posted on the wall. The reply mails would be coming by the end of the week. She knew it was soon enough, but she couldn't wait that long.
She went to the bathroom, undressed herself, turned on the heater and the flipped the tap and somehow thought working at the insurance company wasn't that bad after all, especially since it provided her the money she needs.
Kenshin had posed an offer, a tempting one at that. But she wasn't the freeloader type, even if people would invariably tell her she's a fool for letting such an offer pass. She'd have a job after two months, no, she'd have a job by the end of this month. She need not accept Kenshin's tempting offer.
Kaoru knew Kenshin so well. He was the usual straight A type, the one you could always depend on, the one who could always defend you. She had known him since they were three and had grown up knowing him more. Somehow, she knew he would be offering her something like this. She just didn't know it would be this soon. He didn't even give her the time to be independent, or the time to beg.
Kaoru was an adopted daughter of Kenshin's entire family. Though not legally, she had deemed his entire family as her own. Her parents died in a car accident when she was five and she was taken in by Kenshin's aunt.
Kenshin's mother died of cancer when they were very young. His father was always away on trips and that left them to the care of their aunt.
Though not always getting along, she had grown fond of him and her sister. She was a year younger than he is but she started school a year early. She went to the same grade school Misao and Kenshin went to. They went to the same middle school and even to the same high school.
In junior high she decided to leave. She rented an apartment near Aunt Misako's house much to Kenshin's and Misao's interjections. She knew she had to be independent. She worked part time at a local diner while doing school work. Kenshin always ranked the quarterly examinations and had been number one in almost all inter-class rankings, except for one quarter. Kaoru wanted to show them that she could still do good in school while working. She ranked first for a quarter and usually ended up being second.
Even though she wasn't living with them, Aunt Misako still made her feel part of the family. She was always present in every party, Aunt Misako made sure of that. At times, especially in summer and winter breaks she sleeps over. She was still under her wing, and under the redhead's wing as well.
She quitted the diner when she her monthly earnings couldn't keep up anymore with her monthly spending in high school. Though in a scholarship grant, the load of high school was much more compared to that of junior high. She got a job in one of the local banks as a checker. It was a simple job but with better pay. It gave her enough time for studies and for more work. She got another job at a rather old magazine publishing house. She wrote articles, got paid several hundred yen for those articles that could make it to the circulation.
She had a good record in high school. Just like in junior high, she always aimed to beat the redhead. He was good in everything he does. And even still, he looks really good. He placed first in the overall rankings in graduation and being the student body president, it was very certain he'd get accepted in Tokyo University or in Keio or in Waseda.
But much to everyone's surprise, Kenshin left Japan after graduation, went to Germany and took a business degree. She doesn't know if it was because of his father or if it was because it was what he really wanted. Either way, she doesn't really care. Having no redhead around meant more freedom.
Kenshin usually spied her in middle school and it became unbearable in high school when a rumor spread saying she was going out with the good-for-nothing son of the principal.
But that was before he went to Germany to get a shining degree. She was a bit irritated by the fact that he hadn't told her beforehand. She only knew it two days before he actually left and her irritation caused her to tell herself to not see him.
Kaoru sank deep into the hot water. She settled her head on the nook of the tub and closed her eyes. Kenshin went back after four years but their relationship hadn't been like it was before he left. And it wouldn't be like before anymore, especially with what happened.
She hummed a tune, a tune she heard from the bus. She was having the last song syndrome and she doesn't even like the song she was singing.
---
Kenshin did a scan of the remaining papers. He jammed them into a brown envelope and carried to Megumi's desk. Megumi had gone home and had advised him to do the same thing. She even called Misao to tell him to leave all those papers for tomorrow.
He locked the door and trudged towards the elevator. He smiled to one of the staff as the he punched the down button.
"Going home sir?" Hitotsu from the HR said.
Kenshin nodded, "Going home?" he asked back. The elevator door swung open. He stepped in and so did the other.
"Yes sir. Do you think sir the fruit stands are still open at this time?"
He knew what he was referring to, "I think so. Why? A fruit shake for a midnight snack?" he joked.
"It's for my wife. She's pregnant and had been craving for persimmons."
He felt a tightening in his stomach, "Pregnant?"
"She's on the way actually. Just about a month more."
"Well, congratulations." The elevator door opened and a man in navy blue blazer stepped in. he nodded at the redhead. Kenshin went back to the expecting father, "How does it feel?"
"How?" he beamed, "I actually can't explain sir. But it really is a good feeling."
Kenshin smiled, remembering Kaoru. "Well, that's good to hear."
The elevator door swung again and came two delivery men in cargo pants and two women, which according to the pins on their blouses, were from the accounting department.
"Anyway," Kenshin asked, realizing first hand information is being laid out in front of him, "If you don't mind me asking, when did you know your wife's pregnant?"
Hitotsu laughed and looked at Kenshin, "About four months, my wife's a bit skinny so we hadn't noticed it until we went to her OB." He grinned and then added, like it was an afterthought, "Why sir, are you expecting?"
The question caught the ears of the two women from accounting. They turned to Kenshin and looked away quickly and then started muttering.
Kenshin tried to look innocent and grinned sheepishly, "No…not really…I was just a little curious." He laughed, dryly. He eyed the two women from the corner of his eye and hoped that that conversation wouldn't spark a rumor.
"Maybe you are thinking of settling down? Have anyone in mind?"
Kenshin smiled despite the stares he was receiving from the female employees, "Well…you could say that…" he was still smiling to himself when the elevator door swung open. They had reached the ground floor.
"Well, good night sir. And whoever it is you are eyeing, I'm sure she's more than willing."
Kenshin smiled at the irony, "Well yeah…I think more than willing is an understatement. Good night and good luck to your persimmon hunt."
---
She had received the reply mails a week after, as expected. Judging from the blandness of the mails she knew she was unlucky.
Kaoru went to the white board she had hung in her bedroom wall, picked up the marker, squeezed the cap open and crossed out the company names she had received reply mails from. There were two more to come, but she knew she shouldn't keep her hopes high.
"Megumi," Kenshin asked as he placed a bundle of papers on her desk one Friday morning.
"Yes Himura-san?" Megumi asked, without glancing at him. She was typing something which turned out to be the list of new employees they were to admit the following week.
"You are pregnant right?" he said, looking at the top of her head.
Megumi stopped typing and glanced up at him, "Why?"
"Nothing," he suddenly said looking away, "I just thought of how I would be lost during your maternity leave…"
Megumi laughed, "Kenshin," she said, dropping the business etiquette, "You're as a worrywart as your sister says."
He smiled and then said slowly, "Did you plan…your pregnancy?"
By now she was very much attentive to him. She had leaned on her seat and was looking up at him, "Even though Sano doesn't look like it, we actually planned having a baby."
"Hitotsu-san's wife is pregnant too," he said smiling. "A lot of women are getting pregnant recently."
"Maybe a lot of men are just active," she joked and then broke into a fit of laughter. She straightened up and started typing again, telling him joke time's over. It was just like her, to be joking and working at the same time.
"Maybe," he laughed and turned on his heel. He thought of asking something more but realized he'd save it for later. He went back to his office.
---
She had one more stop before having lunch. She had punched the elevator buttons and had been waiting for three minutes already. The lift was still on the seventh floor. Impatient, she decided the ran the flight of steps.
Kaoru was breathless by the time she reached the fifth floor. She went to the receptionist, told her she was applying for a job and that she has an appointment for an interview. The receptionist pointed her to a glass door.
She scurried, ran her hands through her hair and straightened her skirt. The strap of her heel was burning the skin of right ankle. But she had no right to complain, it was either she stop and live like a beggar or endure the pain and harvest the fruits of her labor later.
She took a deep breath and went in.
---
Kaoru had faith. She knew the interview went well. It was only a matter of days, or well weeks to be sure, and she'd be pumping her career again. She looked at her right ankle and saw the red marks. It would be very painful. She'd take a cab home, even if it'd cost her a fortune.
The elevator bell ringed once and she almost jumped. She took a deep breath and saw the elevator door open. She reached the lobby. It was almost one o'clock. She took a step out, thanked the elevator girl and turned left.
She knew she shouldn't be counting chickens as early as now. But she wouldn't want to work for Kenshin. Maybe, if he had posed that offer before that particular thing happened, well he actually had many times before but not as forcefully as recently, she might've accepted. But now just thinking that she would be seeing him five days a week irritates her.
She turned around, thought if she had left something. She mentally checked the contents of her envelope and when she realized she was just being a fusspot she whirled around, just in time to bump into a man holding a vintage camera.
It dropped and the man with brown hair, nice brown hair to be specific, was suddenly in a fuss, checking for damages.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she leaned forward, trying to get a good look of the camera. "Did something break?"
The man looked thoughtfully at his camera and then at her and smiled, "Er…I really don't know…I should have it checked first."
She mouthed apologies and bowed several times before finally saying, "I'd give you my number so that in any case…I'd pay for the repair." She fiddled around, looking for a paper but when she found her pockets empty she went to the receptionist and asked for a pen and a paper. She scribbled quickly but made sure her handwriting was legible.
"Don't worry," the man shyly grinned at her. "It's okay."
"No, no," she said, handing him the slip of paper, "I'd pay for the repair. I'm sorry, it was my fault I wasn't looking."
"Don't worry," the man said, still smiling, avoiding the slip of paper she was trying to give him, "I'd have it covered. Besides it's really very old. And I don't think there's too much to repair."
"No, please I insist." She said, finally slipping the paper into his hands. "Contact me for the damages. I really am sorry," she said and smiled. Kaoru hoped he'd contact her after she got a job because if he does immediately she'd be forced to make excuses.
"Oh, alright," he said grinning still, slipping the paper into his jeans' pocket.
Kaoru nodded and smiled apologetically as she waved a hand and decided that today is yet another not so lucky day. She slipped out of the building to get herself something to eat. She'd love to have some Chinese noodles.
---
Kenshin called her three weeks after. It had been more than a month and she had all the company names in her list crossed out. She was losing hope. Kenshin reminded her of their deal. He said there was an opening in HR, if she applied soon she'd be admitted without any hassles.
She simply said yes and made sure she sounded irritable with him. she hung up as soon as he finished talking and plopped herself on the couch. She turned the TV on and scanned the channels. Today was a Sunday and there's nothing much on TV. She knew she was doomed. She had to get over her pride and go to Kenshin. Kenshin is her only salvation now.
The telephone rang just as she turned the TV back off. She picked it up and hoped it wasn't the redhead.
"Hello," Kaoru said, clearing her throat.
"Yes hello, could I please speak with Kamiya-san?" the voice was that of a woman, it was clear and sharp. Kaoru liked the sound of it.
"This is Kamiya Kaoru speaking," she added her first name, lest the woman was referring to some other Kamiya-san.
"Yes, this is from . We have received your application and had reviewed your profile. If it isn't much to ask, we would like to invite you for another interview tomorrow at ten in the morning."
Kaoru couldn't believe her ears. Just as she was giving up, here was hope shining down upon her. "Of course Ma'am, I'd be most grateful."
"Please bring a copy of you CV and a couple of IDs for verification."
"Of course, of course. Thank you."
"We'd be expecting you tomorrow morning. Thank you very much," the voice was pleasant and it was much more pleasant now that it had informed her that she passed the preliminary screening.
"You're welcome. I'd be there," Kaoru waited for the click until she finally hung up. She was psyched the moment she sent the phone back on its cradle and she was more psyched as she prepared her CV and her clothes for tomorrow. Kami must've noticed her now.
---
By the end of November, she got herself a job. The air was cool and damp. And every night it had been raining. November wasn't particularly her favorite month but since it was the month when she had gotten a job she realized it wasn't so bad.
Sekihara-san, she knew her caller's name as soon as she arrived, told her they were impressed by her interview and much more by her CV. She had graduated from Tokyo University, after passing the rigorous examination, got a degree in the social sciences and reapplied for a non-major, non-degree status that would allow her to attend courses interesting to her.
Kaoru had attended several courses, from philosophy and logic to a crash course in painting. She attended several accounting courses, got whipped up by the magic of math and was enticed to enrolled even in chemistry units. She liked the hard sciences and went on even to attend course lectures on quantum. All in all, she had a couple of units to boast of, all of which are unrelated to her real degree. Misao said she should've just applied for graduate school instead of spend time as a non-major. She also thought of it that way, thought she spent quite a lot of money and time doing nothing. But all those changed because of her new job.
Sekihara-san was impressed by her CV and all the crash courses she had attended served as the main reasons why she now has a new job.
"When do I start?" she remembered asking.
"You could start today if you want, but I'd rather have you start tomorrow," Sekihara-san was smiling when she said that, "I'd just introduce you to the rest of the creative team."
And so she spent the day knowing the staff.
---
She gave Misao a quick call to tell her she had a job. After seconds of hesitation, she also called Misao's brother, the answering machine got it, and said curtly that she won't be needing his assistance anymore.
She had started on a Friday and that was yesterday. She was free to celebrate for the rest of the day and she was just thinking of what she should do when the phone rang. She thought it was Kenshin and waited until it rang five times. When it persisted she finally picked it up.
"Hello," she said. She scratched nape.
"Kaoru," so she was right. It was Kenshin after all.
"Yes, what?"
"I got your call," he said. His voice was low.
"Good." She doesn't know what to say.
"Could I meet you now?"
She arched a brow, "I like my job now."
"I am not going to refer to that."
"Then what?" she thought of turning the TV on but she couldn't find the remote. She stood up and went over and pressed the power button. She kneeled down and punched the channel buttons. It was lifestyle network for today. She went back to sit on the couch.
"Could we meet?" he repeated, "Out or do you want me there in your apartment?"
She made a murmur and said, "Of course not. Okay, I'd meet you somewhere."
---
She jogged the blocks to the bus stop and huddled herself as she climbed an empty bus. It was cold outside even though the sun was rather bright.
She spotted Kenshin as soon as she entered the restaurant. Kenshin was a fan of fine dining. She sat across him and looked at him annoyed. "What? Make it quick."
Kenshin frowned, "You just got here and you already want to leave."
Kaoru looked at what he was eating, "I'm hungry."
"I preordered for you," he said as he motioned for the waiter.
She slumped back on her seat and examined Kenshin. He always looked neat. Even though he had decided to keep his hair long he still looked neat, and straight, and conservative. She looked around and sure women are looking at him. so his uptightness is attracting a lot of women. Thank Kami she wasn't easy to fall into the bait.
"How was your work?"
"I started yesterday."
He nodded, "So I guess…" he faltered. He had to look at Kaoru for some unknown reason. He cleared his throat and continued, "I guess you won't be joining the company then…"
She nodded, "Honestly, I don't think I could work well with you."
"Why not?" he asked.
She took a deep breath and leaned forward. She hated women ogling him like this. "I'm uncomfortable."
"Why?"
She narrowed her brows, "Don't play dumb Kenshin."
"Really Kaoru."
She looked away and caught the eye of one woman staring at Kenshin. The woman quickly looked away.
"Remember what I proposed," he said, now treading on dangerous grounds.
"About the job offer?" she asked, still not looking at him. The waiter came and placed a plate in front of her. It was the most scrumptious piece of chicken she had seen thus far.
"No, the other proposal," he hissed, looking straight into her eyes.
She reddened and looked away. "Kenshin we've talked about it."
"I am serious," he murmured. "I said I'd marry you."
"But I am not pregnant," she said irritated.
"But what if you are?"
"We are going through the same arguments again Kenshin."
"Because you keep on stalling Kaoru."
"I am not." She said, she put a piece of chicken in her mouth. This is what Kenshin is for, just for food and nothing more.
"You wouldn't know until we go to the doctor."
That took her aback. She dropped her fork and looked hard at Kenshin, "Doctor?" She had seen this scene before...
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A/n: So how was it? Do read and review people okay? Thanks a lot!