Mornings After

by hye-kyo

Disclaimer: Nope, RK isn't mine…

Author's Notes: Okay, so this is the first time I've uploaded two chapters in a week. It's a treat because people have been very kind to send me reviews. Don't worry about the reports guys, I had them sorted out…Hahaha!

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Chapter sixteen: pivot

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She hadn't a sleep last night. And the night before that. It had been three days since she last saw Kenshin, since she drove him home, since he drove her away without even thanking and apologizing to her. She didn't know why she hadn't been sleeping for three days. But the reason why she did so was unfathomable even to herself. Her eyes were still puffy from last night's and she thought that Tae and the others might get the wrong idea.

She dumped a tray on her table just as Sekihara-san was calling her.

"Kaoru," Tae beckoned to her. She was about to say something but Kaoru's puffy eyes caught her, "What happened to your eyes? Have you been crying?"

Kaoru instantly shook her head, "I just had soap in my eyes when I showered this morning." That was a lie. Kaoru was becoming good at lying.

"Anyway," Tae said dismissively, "There's someone looking for you at the lobby."

Kaoru's brows furrowed, "Who?"

"Enishi…Enishi something…can't remember." Tae looked at her wristwatch, "I have to get going, see me later in my cubicle okay?"

Kaoru nodded, apparently taken aback. Enishi? She looked at her own watch and sped to the elevator.

---

Kenshin looked at the watch and remembered Kaoru. She looked so sullen last night. She was a bit comedic as he tried pulling her out of the drinking bar last night. He smiled to himself. He hadn't been treating her right. He had been unfair.

"Megumi," he picked up the phone, "Call Kaoru please."

"Alright," Megumi replied.

He would make it up to her. Maybe a dinner or something. It wasn't really right of him to hide the fact that Tomoe had returned. Besides, thinking about it now, Kaoru and him had some sort of relationship, even if it lasted for barely a month. It was brief, yet it was nice.

He remembered and realized that it wasn't that bad at all.

---

Her heart was palpitating as she stood behind him. His back was as she remembered it was. She took in a deep breath and murmured, "Enishi?"

He turned. He broke into a smile. "Kaoru." He looked around, apparently searching for something to say.

"Why…why—"

Then he pulled her into a tight hug.

Kaoru was surprised. She was taken aback. She swallowed hard as she took in the scent of Enishi's cologne, his aftershave, his shampoo. Everything was exactly as how she remembered them. "E-Enishi…" she tried to break free from his arm hold.

He started laughing awkwardly as he realized what he had done. He released her and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, maybe…maybe I just missed you a lot…"

Kaoru smiled uncomfortably. She looked away.

"Could we…could we talk somewhere else?" he was flushing.

Kaoru turned to him and saw a part of her reflection in the lenses of his eyeglasses. "Ah…I couldn't. I have to work…you know."

Enishi laughed, and the scratched the back of his head, "Yeah…you've got a new job, Osamu told me."

Osamu? Ah, Osamu. One of her former co-workers. Yes, Kaoru remembered telling her where she presently works just in case she would want to see her, or contact her.

"How about…how about tonight? Tonight after your work?" Enishi's eyes brightened up.

"Ah," Kaoru flushed. She was flustered, "S-sure. See me tonight." Her heart was palpitating. Why now? Does it mean something? Maybe. Maybe it was some sign from above, telling her to quit her unfathomable feelings for the equally unfathomable redhead and go find someone else. Well, anyway, she doesn't have any feelings for the redhead.

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"Megumi," Kenshin picked up the phone, "So did you contact her?'

"I couldn't. Her cell phone's off and I can't connect with her office number."

"I see," Kenshin was thinking.

"By the way," Megumi said, "Yukishiro-san called."

His heart skipped a beat, "Yes, what about?"

"She asked if you could give her a call."

"I see." And Kenshin hung up. He thought of calling Tomoe but realized he wanted to know why she wanted him to call. And so he did.

"Hey," Tomoe's voice sounded clear. It was nice to hear.

"Hey," he replied, "Why did you call earlier?"

"I was just wondering if you have some free time today," she said.

"Why?" he looked at the clock.

"I thought of preparing dinner at home," she said, she sounded shy.

Kenshin thought and nodded, "Sure."

"And uh…bring Misao, I would like to see her too."

Kenshin smiled. They weren't on good terms. Maybe it was time to make them meet again, that is if Misao doesn't know yet that Tomoe has returned. "Sure."

"So tonight, seven at my place," Tomoe said and the added, "You do know where it is right?"

"Of course," Kenshin replied, "And I'll bring Misao."

"Yes, see you."

Then he hung up.

---

She was looking down on her plate, toying with her fork as Enishi gazed at her.

"How are you?" he finally said something.

She looked up at him and forced a smile, "I'm good…You?"

He smiled back, his eyes wandering off, "Not so…since…since…" he trailed off.

Her brows furrowed, "What do you mean?"

Enishi was hesitant but Kaoru urged him on. He dropped his fork on his plate and leaned closer. Kaoru had to lean backwards. "When I left, I realized a lot of things…"

Kaoru waited. But when it became apparent that Enishi wouldn't continue she said, "Like?"

"Like…" he swallowed hard, staring deep into her eyes, "Like…I miss you…so much…"

Kaoru smiled awkwardly and tried to avoid his eyes. "Yeah…yeah…" and then she forced a laugh.

"And I have been thinking," Enishi continued, the intensity of his eyes forcing her to look back to him, "About what…about what I feel for you…"

"E-eh?" Kaoru was taken aback, for the second time that day.

"And I realized that…that I…that I wouldn't…that I wouldn't know what to do without you…" he then released a deep breath.

Kaoru's eyes widened. Her heart palpitated. He was confessing. The man she likes was confessing. What was she feeling?

"I do hope that you still feel the same way…" he looked down and leaned back.

Kaoru swallowed and when she realized her mouth felt dry she grabbed her glass and took a long drink.

Enishi tentatively looked at her and when he recognized how uncomfortable the situation is, he forced a laugh. "But…But I'm not forcing you or anything…I just…I just…" when he couldn't continue, he abandoned his original thought and said instead, "I'll wait…I'll be waiting."

"Enishi…" his name came rolling off her tongue. What does she feel?

"It was…It was my fault anyway…" he bit his lower lip, "I left you."

Kaoru looked down on her plate which was full. She doesn't have any appetite at all. "I'll…I'll think about it…"

"Really?" he suddenly beamed.

"A-ah…" she smiled. This time it was genuine.

"Good," he said, smiling brightly. "Thank you…and I'm sorry."

She smiled but as she realized what he said, she remembered what she wanted Kenshin to tell her three days ago when she drove him home. She wanted to tell him the same things Enishi told her. But Kenshin didn't.

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Kaoru dialed Kenshin's number. She wanted to tell him Enishi came back. But as soon as she had the number dialed, she quickly decided to call Misao instead.

"Who is this?" Misao's voice came. Kaoru rolled her eyes. Misao doesn't look at the screen to check who was calling her. She had a habit of doing so, well of not doing so.

"Kaoru." Kaoru said curtly, "Where are you? I'd treat you dinner, come and see me."

"Hn?" Misao asked. "I can't, I already had dinner. And I'm not home."

"Why?" Kaoru was dismayed. She picked at a small stone and started kicking it. Maybe calling Misao wasn't the right thing to do. She should've just called the redhead.

---

"I'm with onii," Misao replied. She adjusted the mirror and checked her reflection. She then returned it back. She leaned back on the passenger's seat. "Why did you call? Did something happen?"

Kaoru's voice was hesitant, "Where did you go with Kenshin?"

"We had dinner with Tomoe," Misao rolled her eyes.

Kaoru stopped walking when she reached the shed. She sat down and realized how strange it was to talk about Kenshin and Tomoe. "You're still on the road?"

"Yep, onii doesn't want to leave yet. I only persuaded him." Misao turned to his brother. Kenshin was giving the who-are-you-talking-to look. She ignored him.

There was a sudden strange feeling in her chest. Three days ago he had drove her away without so much as a good bye or a take care. He said he'll call her but he never did so. Why was she feeling this way?

"So?" Misao asked, "What happened to you?"

Kaoru cleared her throat and hoped that Kenshin will hear what she'll say, "I met with Enishi."

"Enishi?" Misao exclaimed. She turned to his brother just as Kenshin turned to her. "He's back? Since when? I thought he left for good—"

"He said he came back because…because he…he realized he couldn't do anything without me…that were his words…" she then stopped. It was hard to say it. It was hard to say anything.

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"Enishi?" Misao's voice disturbed him. The name was familiar. Where? Where had he encountered it? And then he realized. It was the name of the guy Kaoru cried over many months ago. The guy who dumped her.

"He's back? Since when? I thought he left for good—" Misao's voice was quickly cut off, apparently because Kaoru started speaking.

"Really? Good for you! I told you he likes you a lot!"

That's when Kenshin automatically stopped the car and grabbed Misao's mobile. Misao shot him a puzzled and an angry look. He turned and tried to shield the phone from Misao's grabbing arm.

"Kaoru," he said aloud.

"Kenshin?" her voice was a bit garbled.

"Don't go out with that Enishi guy. He fooled you once, he wouldn't have any second thoughts on fooling you again."

"What?" Kaoru's voice sounded clear this time.

"I am telling you," he glared at Misao who was now punching his back, "Don't believe that Enishi."

"He didn't do anything to me—"

"Kaoru—" Misao grabbed the phone and glared at him.

---

Kaoru heard Misao and Kenshin bickering. Misao spoke, "Stop it!" Kaoru couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey," a voice shouted over the phone.

"Mi-Misao?" Kaoru asked, confused.

"This is Kenshin," the voice said. "Listen…Misao stop it! Okay, listen Kaoru—stop it Misao! It hurts!—that Enishi guy, whoever he is, don't go out with him, he'll only make a fool out of you—Misao!"

"Kaoru," now it was Misao.

"Misao," Kaoru affirmed. She was getting baffled.

"Don't listen to onii, he's an old man," Misao was apparently trying to hide the phone from Kenshin's grasp.

"Yes, I know that," Kaoru glared at the approaching bus. Kenshin came from a dinner with Tomoe, and here he was telling her to not go out with Enishi. Who does he think he is? "Misao?"

"Yes? Onii!"

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "I want to talk with Kenshin."

---

Misao blinked back. "Ah…Onii?"

"Yes," Kaoru said, serious.

"O-okay," Misao slowly turned to his brother, whose arms she had trapped with her right. She released him and handed him the phone, "She wants to say something to you."

Kenshin shot him a disbelieving look but nevertheless accepted the phone. He turned to the farthest corner possible and said, "Kaoru do you get—"

"Who do you think you are?" she suddenly burst.

Kenshin was taken aback, unable to say anything.

"You are not my father nor my brother so don't act like one." If only she could clobber him.

"Eh? I just wanted you to—You don't get my point!" Kenshin said, starting to get irritated.

"I can date whomever I want to date," she said, frowning, "You do the same thing don't you?"

Now she's accusing, "But it's different. Actually—"

"Different? How so?" and with that Kaoru ended the call. She was fuming mad.

Kenshin suddenly heard a continuous beeping, "Kaoru? Oi! Kaoru!"

Misao started laughing, "Now that's what you get for being so nosy." She 'hmmped' and grabbed her phone.

---

Misao stretched on the couch, "By the way, how did you know about Enishi?"

Kenshin didn't turn to her. He was mad, he was mad at what Kaoru did. How could she ignore him? His warnings. He was only worried about her.

"Hey," Misao poked at him.

"Kaoru told me about him."

Misao arched a brow, sitting up. She leaned to her side to have a better look at her brother's face, "I never knew you were that conversational."

Kenshin suddenly pulled back and stared at her, "H-ha?"

Misao laughed, "So maybe you're closer than I thought!" and she giggled.

"Stop it," Kenshin said, looking away, "Me? You know how…how hard it is for us to get along…"

Misao stood up and wiped the corners of her eyes, "Whatever. I'm going to take a shower now."

Kenshin was flushing and sweating as Misao left him.

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Kaoru stared at her mobile phone for hours. Her feet was aching from all the walking she was doing. She wanted to clobber Kenshin. Who does he think he is? Who is he to tell her what to do?

Somehow she wanted to show him what he was now missing. He seemed very happy about the result of the second pregnancy test. Just right after knowing that she wasn't really pregnant he started dating Tomoe again. No, she wasn't jealous. She was just…just…

Never mind, she told herself. She'll show the redhead what he could possibly have if he hadn't been so stupid. She would show him.

Revenge it is. Bring it on.

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A/n: So how was it? Anyway, some reviewers do not have email ads where I can reply to them. I hope you'll all put in your ads. I would like to thank you all.