Mornings After

by hye kyo

Disclaimer: Nope, RK isn't mine…

Author's Notes: OKay so this is chap fourteen. I know I have so many grammatical errors, don't worry I'd be editing them soon, sorry if you feel distracted with it...Anyway, this is such a short chap. Hope you all like it...

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Chapter fourteen: not to

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It's been a whole week since she last saw Kenshin. Misao called her the other day told her his brother's been acting weird. To Kaoru not acting weird would make Kenshin weird, because he really was weird. But well she doesn't have to tell that to Misao and she ended up listening to her from eleven to three in the morning.

"Couldn't you do something?" that was Misao's exact plea. She wanted her to do something about his brother. Misao speculated that he was starting to fall for ice princess, that's what Misao calls Tomoe, again.

"What do you want me to do?" she had asked, just wanting to sleep. If she had just known she shouldn't have asked.

"Anything, dine with him, bring him to places, just to get his mind off ice princess." Misao had started referring to Tomoe as the ice princess. She used to do so five years ago.

And Kaoru ended the call there and then. She hadn't promised her anything but she told her she'd do whatever she could. And then she went to sleep.

And so now here she was dialing his number. There were a couple of rings and finally his voice.

"Hello? Himura Kenshin speaking."

Kaoru cleared her throat and then said, "Hey, this is Kaoru." Kaoru stared at the digital watch on her desk.

"Kaoru," his voice became low, "What made you call?"

"I was just wondering…" she swallowed, she wouldn't want to sound eager, "Misao told me you might be needing some company…"

"Misao?" there was a pause and then, "You know how much of a worrywart she is. I'm fine."

"That's exactly what I've told her," she said, not getting into something resembling a normal conversation. She couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

"I've told her the same thing."

"Really?" she asked, still looking at the digital clock, "Hey, what do you say I pick you up for lunch, I'll be there in your building in twenty."

There was a long pause. Kaoru thought he would hung up. But finally he said, "I can't. I have something to do."

Kaoru was unable to speak. She knew what it meant. He was probably going out with Tomoe for lunch and she was interfering. She took a long pause and when Kenshin said her name she quickly came back to her senses and said, "I see…maybe some other day."

"Ah…some other day perhaps." And then there was another pause which made Kaoru uncomfortable.

"Kenshin," she said, breaking the silence, "I'm happy for you," and she knew she meant it. She just doesn't know if she feels the same way for herself.

There was no reply.

Kaoru frowned at this, and felt mad. But nevertheless she said, "I guess…I guess you're happy now that you've gotten back with her."

"Gotten back?" he asked.

Kaoru nodded as if he could see and said, "By the way…I saw you at a café near here more than a week ago." And then she swallowed hard before adding, "You were with her."

Again, there was no answer.

"You look good together…You and Tomoe…" she fidgeted in her seat and turned the digital clock on its face. She wouldn't want to see it.

"You were there?" he asked, his voice quivered a bit.

She shrugged and then took a deep breath before trying to make her voice sound cheerful when she replied, "I happened to be there…and I happened to see you…"

"I see…" and then he added, "I didn't tell you about it."

Kaoru broke into a nervous laugh. Was he saying it wasn't any of her business and that he wasn't obliged to tell her about it? "You didn't have to, really." But she wanted him to tell her.

There was another long pause, a pause which made Kaoru fidget more. Finally he said, "Well then…I'll call you sometime soon…I have a lot of things to do now…"

"Yeah," she laughed, to her it sounded dry. And then there was click. And the call ended. And by the time it ended, there was something cringing in her chest. She needed a rest.

---

Kaoru had to admit it. She missed him. For the first time in her life she had admitted something so dumb. Well, admitting that she was incapable of producing something edible was dumb alright but this was the dumbest, lamest most shameful admission she had to do.

And now that the office hours were over she was hoping she'd see him in the parking lot just like before.

"Hey," it was Ayu from her team.

She turned abruptly. "You going home?"

"Not really," she grinned, "We're going to have dinner somewhere, want to join?"

Kaoru thought. She needed company, well this could probably occupy her mind, "Sure. I'm hungry myself."

---

For many days she had been spending her free time with her office mates, definitely a change from what she been used to. Well, even before it happened she had been spending most of her time with Misao, Megumi and her former officemates. It was only recently that her routine had changed.

At first that change was irritating, always seeing him after work, enduring his weirdness. But eventually it became okay, until she realized she had grown fond of their routine. But now she had reverted back to her old ways.

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"So?" Kaoru asked, suddenly looking at Misao.

"I'm saying that maybe we need to do something about ice princess," Misao continued. She had invited Kaoru for dinner. They were at a local restaurant.

"Why?"

Misao rolled her eyes like her question had the most obvious answer, "I don't like her."

Kaoru frowned, "She seemed nice."

"Nice?" Misao exclaimed, "He left my brother remember?"

Kaoru sighed, "Even so, I think we have no right whatsoever to interfere with them."

"What if he decides to reconcile with her?" Misao asked unblinking.

"Then…" she thought, somehow she doesn't really want to think of it. "Then…we can't do anything. Kenshin is old enough, even though he may be so stupid sometimes…he is still capable of deciding things on his own."

"Yeah he's so stupid he's capable of making the wrong decisions. Do you know how he was when ice princess left him? He's so pathetic. As his sister do you think I'll let him be like that again?"

Kaoru sighed again. Misao was hard to convince. Well, she was Kenshin's sister after all, it was understandable. "I get it."

"Good," and Misao started devising evil ways.

---

"Is it okay?" Tomoe asked as she turned to look through the window.

"I told you it is," Kenshin replied. He turned towards the station, "I don't have much to do."

"Isn't it—"

"Don't worry," he said, reaching the parking lot. He killed the engine and turned to her, "I have a lot of free time. Besides I want to go see Nagoya."

Tomoe smiled, "I'm sorry for all the trouble."

Kenshin frowned, "It's not trouble at all."

"I'm glad you could come with me," Tomoe looked down on her lap.

Kenshin forced a smile. Somehow, knowing what the trip was for was hurting him, "I'm always here for you."

Tomoe turned to him, "Thanks a lot."

---

After three days Kaoru decided to call him again. After a couple of rings he finally picked it up.

"Hey," she said, now looking at the time in her computer screen.

"Kaoru?" his voice was hoarse.

"Right!" she laughed but realized how dry it seemed so she stopped. "Listen, do you have time?"

"Time?" there was a long pause, "Why?"

Kaoru swallowed hard, "Could you meet me somewhere?"

There was a longer pause.

Kaoru was certain the next reply would be like 'I'm sorry, I can't' or 'Maybe next time, I'd call you'.

"Sure."

That was unexpected. Kaoru cleared her throat and asked, "What?" she wanted to make sure.

"I said sure," he said.

Kaoru smiled to herself. She toyed with a lock of her hair, "Do you remember the Chinese restaurant you told me about?"

"Eh?"

She rolled her eyes, "The one you told me about, when you brought me chicken fried rice, wait, was it pork or beef?" she shook her head, "Anyway, meet me there tonight."

Kenshin was silent. She assumed he was trying to remember, "Okay then."

"Really?" she was getting excited. This has nothing to do with Misao's plans. She had listened to her and nodded to her arguments, but there's no way she'd do what she wants her to do.

"Yeah," and then he said, "I have to go."

"Sure," she said brightly. And then she heard the click. The call has ended.

---

She was waiting at a table near the entrance when he came. She took in a deep breath. How long has it been? It was only a couple of weeks ago but why does it seem like it had been a really long time ago?

"Am I late?" he asked as he took a seat.

"Nope," she shook her head, "I'm just early."

He nodded, then looked at his watch. "What do you want to have?"

"You are in a hurry?" she asked, her brows twitching.

He abruptly turned to her, "No…sorry."

Kaoru knew it suddenly became tense so she faked a laugh, "Well, let's see…" she said, beckoning to a waiter. She flipped through the menu while glancing every now and then at Kenshin. "What do you want to have Kenshin?"

"Hn?" he asked.

Kaoru frowned. It was clear that he wasn't paying attention.

"What did you say?" he asked, not even turning to her.

"Did I say anything?" she asked, eyeing him strangely, "I said nothing."

"Really?" he looked at her, "I thought you said something…"

She looked down on the menu and glared hard.

---

Just as Kaoru was telling the waiter what they would have his mobile phone rang. Kenshin glanced at Kaoru before pulling it out from his pocket.

"Yes?" his voice faded as soon as he stood up from the table and went out.

Kaoru told the waiter she'd just call him back. The waiter in a Chinese get-up walked briskly away, leaving the menu with her. She stared at the empty seat in front of her. It was the same even with Kenshin sitting there. It was empty. It was even emptier when Kenshin was there, his mind trailing away.

Kenshin came back after a few minutes. He sat on the empty chair, looked hesitant for a while and then finally said, "I've got to go."

Kaoru frowned, "What?"

He pushed his chair backwards, starting to get up, "Something came up. I'll make it up next time."

She forced a smile, "Is it Tomoe?"

Kenshin was taken aback, he ignored the question and said, "I've got to go now."

She sighed as she nodded. Of course it was about Tomoe. Who could compete with that? By the way, was she competing? "Of course not…" she murmured as she watched him disappear through the doors and into the parking lot where her line of vision could not reach anymore.

---

Kenshin watched Tomoe as she talked with the planner. Everything will go well, the planner said. It made Tomoe smile, a sad small smile which puzzled him.

Why was he here anyway? In this place, in this kind of situation. Maybe he was just being nice, no too nice bordering on stupidity. So maybe he really was stupid.

"Hey," Tomoe said as she tugged at his sleeve.

"Hey," he said, "How was it?"

"It's getting along very well," she replied, looking around, "I'm glad you were able to come with me."

"I had nothing to do actually." Liar, he told himself. He had left Kaoru in that Chinese restaurant just for this. He was a fool. Now he was thinking about what Kaoru could be thinking.

"Is there anything bothering you?" Tomoe's face twisted into worry.

Kenshin shook his head quickly. He turned around and surveyed the surroundings. "Why not hold the reception in Tokyo?"

Tomoe was silent for a while until finally she said, "He likes the suburbs. He grew up here."

He nodded half-heartedly. No, he doesn't like the suburbs, with its lazy kind of life, its melancholic air and light. No he doesn't like it at all. He wanted to know if she likes it. But he didn't ask.

"Would you be living here after…" he trailed off. Somehow he still couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Maybe not. He said he wanted to stay at a farm he bought in France," she murmured.

"France is a nice country," Kenshin commented, "I'm sure you'll like it there."

There was no reply. He turned around and faced her and saw she had a sad expression. Her eyes were downcast and her face had that same melancholy aura as that of the surrounding light.

"Are you all right?"

She looked up at him and forced a smile. It was evident that it was strained, "I guess…I guess I'll like it there eventually."

He nodded then turned towards the car, "I'm thirsty," he said, changing the topic.

"Me too," she said, breaking into a smile.

He walked her to the car and remembered that he had not eaten anything. He was craving for Chinese now and he realized how much of a fool he was for letting the opportunity to eat with Kaoru pass.

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A/n: so how was it? I'm reading Pope JOhn Paul's Fides et Ratio now...It's hard to grasp them all...