Mornings After
by hye kyo
Disclaimer: Nope, RK isn't mine…
Author's Notes: So this is chapter twenty-three. I wanted to combine it with chapter twenty four but I wanted to keep the little cliffies I planned so there, sorry. Anyway, just to make it up to everyone, since this chap is pretty short as well as the next one, I'd be uploading them quicker. Especially this one since it's just been a couple of days since I last updated. Haha…
I still need to reply to most reviews. But here it is, read and review okay?
Thanks!
Chapter twenty three: in denial
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The look on his face was something she could not forget. If she was some objective third party observer who has no relation or connection with the scene or the participants, she'd say with utmost certainty that he looked jealous. But she was no third party observer and he was in no way jealous.
Maybe she ought to call him. Maybe.
--
Kenshin knew there was no point in getting so worked up about Kaoru going to a blind date. It was what some single people do. Some often go to the extent of doing speed dating or ad posting.
What was truly, exceptionally, and outstandingly irritating was the fact that it was her boss whom she actually dated with. And to make matters worse Kaoru had admitted having a crush on that Seta guy. And to make matters even worse than worse, that Seta guy seems to fancy Kaoru as well.
Okay so what? He should be happy Kaoru was going out with someone whom his family, well his father, knew. He should be happy Kaoru was going out with someone who has a stable job, an interesting and successful career and with someone who actually looks good. Kenshin should be happy for her, because for once she seemed to have made a right decision by having a right job, having a right income, and by meeting a right man. He should be happy. But no he was not. He was even more irritated now that that man she was fancying was right for her.
So why? He was getting exhausted just thinking about why the heck he was damn so possessive when it comes to her. Why? Maybe because she was his childhood friend, maybe because he had known her all his life, maybe because they went to the same kindergarten, to the same elementary, to the same junior high and senior high schools. Maybe because she knew whom he invited to the prom and to the graduation ball. Maybe because she knew who his first girlfriend was or whom he actually got serious with for the first time. Maybe because she knew the real reason why Tomoe came back and maybe because he could tell her how stupid he feels now that Tomoe's back. Maybe. Maybe those were the reasons.
Or maybe because he was thinking of her as a younger sister.
No, he told himself. He never thought of her as a younger sister.
Perhaps he was possessive because they had been friends for a long time.
No, he shook his head. A friend can never be this possessive.
He exhaled, felt exhausted. He knew there was no use in thinking about this. He felt tired, maybe he should take some rest. Maybe tomorrow he'd have a clear head and he could think about this in a different perspective.
No! He sat up. Perhaps he was like this because something happened between the two of them. Yeah, that could probably be it. It was just that and nothing more. If nothing happened he wouldn't be feeling like this. Or would he?
--
Kaoru let out a yawn as she passed through the guard, got a red plastic basket and started her shopping. She only needed some toiletries, cups of ramen and udon, loaves of bread, oyster sauce and she was all set.
As she gingerly scanned the shelves for the perfect (most affordable) instant ramen she caught sight of someone utterly familiar. Determined to say hi and to know who she was, she hurried.
"Hey," she called to the woman with long ebony hair. The woman turned, and gave her a puzzled look. As she was allowed a better view of the woman in question, it was then Kaoru realized who she was.
"Do I…do I know you?" the woman was polite, putting a stray strand timidly behind her ear.
Kaoru took in her features. Okay, so Tomoe really seemed a woman out of a fairytale. She seemed so ethereal. No wonder the stupid redhead can not get over her. Kaoru cleared her throat, "I am Kaoru. Kamiya Kaoru. We've been introduced before. I doubt if you'll still remember me since it's been…like…a long time ago?"
She furrowed her brows, thinking hard. And as if something suddenly occurred to her, she lifted her head up and smiled at her, "Ah…Kamiya Kaoru. You're Kenshin's friend. I remember."
Somehow, Kaoru didn't like the way she said Kenshin's name, as if he was someone very familiar to Tomoe. And the way she connected Kaoru's name with the stupid. It was as if there really was no connection at all.
"Hi, nice to meet you again." She bowed.
"Ah…yes, me too…" and she bowed too. To say that she felt weird was an understatement.
"I'm almost done with my grocery. If you don't have anything to do, we might as well have a little chat over coffee?" Tomoe offered.
Kaoru wanted to say she couldn't but she wanted to get to know her better. Her ideas about her were limited to Misao's and Kenshin's stories and a little bit from Hiko's gossips. So she said, "Great idea."
--
Kaoru sat uncomfortably on her seat. She stared at her cup. Maybe accepting Tomoe's invitation was not a right decision.
"I remember your name. But not clearly the face of the name," she said, "I've only seen you once and that was a long time ago."
"Ah…yes," she nodded. Does she need to say anything more?
"Kenshin told me a lot about you."
That made her twitch her brow, "Y-yeah?"
"You know," Tomoe said, flipping her hair, "You're like a little sister to him. If he is not talking about Misao then he is talking about you." And she laughed, "You must be happy you have an older brother like him."
Kaoru managed to smile. So Tomoe was pointing out something that had once crossed Kaoru's mind. Maybe Kenshin really was just thinking of her as a little sister. She cleared her throat, she doesn't want to talk about how Kenshin thought of her. She wanted to know what Tomoe's plans are, what she was planning to do with Kenshin or the wedding. She cleared her throat, "Anyway…Kenshin told me you are getting married…"
That made her lean back in her seat, "Kenshin tells you a lot I see." And she smiled, like she had just remembered something in the past but was now gone, and she said, "Kenshin's been a great help."
Kaoru nodded, "Yes. He has been. I think he had done a lot to help you. That's why…"
"That's why?" she arched a brow.
"That's why I think maybe you should stop." Kaoru swallowed hard.
"Stop?" Tomoe leaned forward.
"Yes. I know you know how hard it is for him. He was your ex-fiancé and to ask him to help you in your wedding was just…immature."
"You don't know what you're saying," she said in a low voice.
"Of course I know," Kaoru bravely said, "I know because…but anyway, don't you think you should be allowing him to move on? Because with what you are doing he can't!"
Tomoe smiled amused at her, "Yes, of course. But you don't know anything. He could not move on because he doesn't want to. Who knows, in the end maybe he really wouldn't need to move on."
"What do you mean?" Kaoru asked, apparently annoyed at how omniscient she was trying to pose herself as. She hated it when she was the only one who doesn't know about certain things.
"Kenshin loves me." She said and Kaoru knew she had to agree. Because it was true, even though it was causing a slight weird uncomfortable sensation in her chest. "I love him too," she smiled at her, just like how an older sister would smile to the younger sister of the man she's going to take away and marry.
Kaoru rolled the words back in her head. It was in the present tense, not in the past. Maybe it slipped her to add a –d in the verb. Kaoru was confused.
"You don't know anything Kaoru-san," she said in a polite voice, "I understand that you care so much about him. But this is beyond you. This is about us. Me and Kenshin. And you don't have to interfere. In fact you shouldn't."
Right. She was so right about it. There was never a Kaoru and Kenshin. There was only Tomoe and Kenshin. And coming in as a third party made her look like an antagonist in their aside-from-the-break-up-and-the-fact-that-Tomoe's-getting-married perfect love story. Remembering why theirs is not an entirely perfect love story Kaoru said, "But you are getting married Tomoe. Isn't it selfish of you?"
"Isn't it selfish of you?" she returned the question. When Kaoru didn't reply, she said, "I'll get married to the person I love." And she stood up, left a couple of bills on the table and said, "It was nice talking to you. I'd better get going."
Kaoru stared at her retreating figure, hearing her last words echoing in her mind. Isn't it selfish of you? So she had no right to interfere whatsoever. It was their story, she wasn't included. It was their life.
--
That weekend she went to the family house. Hiko told her to invite Soujiro over which she did. She wanted Soujiro to stay over until Sunday but seeing that he was busy even in weekends she insisted no further.
She stopped as she saw Kenshin sitting at the porch. He waved a hand, smiled to himself and beckoned her to sit down.
"Hey," he said, not even bothering to look at her.
She cleared her throat, wanting to say something but unfortunately couldn't find the right words to say.
"I'm sorry," he murmured. He looked out into the sky and sighed, "I was wrong."
She looked at his face and moving closer she said, "Yeah…me too…"
He laughed, and then he stood up. "I'm going."
"Where?" she was hesitant to let him go. She wanted to tell him not to go yet but he had already stood up.
"Sleep," he said nonchalantly and still without bothering to look at her he left.
--
Soujiro arrived for tea time. He had brought cakes and was welcomed into the Himura household warmly. Kaoru ushered him into the family hall and introduced him.
"So how long have you known Kaoru?" It was Misao who asked. She was drinking tea while looking at Soujiro from the corner of her eye.
"Well, not that long…but long enough to know what annoys her and what not," he smiled.
"Good," Misao shot Kaoru a Finally! look.
"Well," it was Hiko this time, "I guess I'm good at matchmaking then." And he laughed.
Kaoru reddened and looked away.
"Tell your father I might drop by some time soon," Hiko told Soujiro.
"Why don't you stay until tomorrow?" Aunt Misako asked, handing him his cup of tea.
Soujiro thanked her, smiled and said, "I would love to, if not for the things I have to do."
Kenshin came abruptly in the family hall. He stared at Soujiro, acknowledged him when the latter smiled and glanced at Kaoru. He then excused himself.
"Where are you going Kenshin?" Aunt Misako asked.
"Some place," and he left.
Kaoru was puzzled at the look her gave her. And somehow she felt weird. Why was it always that Kenshin leaves and leaves her with things she can't understand?
--
It was late and as she ushers Soujiro outside she felt Kenshin's eyes trained on her. She glanced at him. After two hours he returned, with some greens in his arms. He said he went to the market, and realizing that it was harvest time he decided to do some shopping. He wanted Aunt Misako to prepare a vegetable soup for dinner.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Kaoru asked Soujiro as he opened the door of his car.
"Of course," he said. He slipped inside but let the door open.
"Then, send me a message when you get home. It's fairly late."
Soujiro smiled, "I like it when you worry like that." And he nodded at her like a little boy and started the engine.
"Okay then," she closed the door, took a step back and watched as he revved the engine, and sped off. She waved.
--
"Are you still awake?" it was Kenshin.
She stood up from her futon, went to the door and slid it open. The house was so dark.
"I'm sorry, have I bothered you?" he wasn't looking at her.
"No, not at all," she wanted him to come inside. Actually she wanted to talk. So much. To him. But it seemed like he doesn't want to.
"I won't be staying," he said, leaning against the door frame, "I just wanted to know…are you happy?"
She frowned, "Happy? About what?"
"About him…"
She couldn't figure out what he means. She can't see his expression. "It's not what you think—"
"Good night then," he straightened and before she could even speak, he had disappeared.
--
The following Monday morning Kenshin stopped by to see how Sano was doing.
"Yo," he said, beckoning to Sano.
The rooster-head looked at him, grinned and then turned to the man in overalls beside him. He said some instructions and then turned back to Kenshin and approached him, "What brings you here?"
"Nothing," he said. He lied. "Anyway, how's Megumi?"
"She's due anytime this week. Anyway, I'm still working on Jou-chan's car," he said, pointing at some random car behind his back, "If I'd be able to fix it, it'll probably last for only two or three weeks. And then it'd be the end of it."
"You told Kaoru about it?" he asked. No, this is not what he really wanted to ask. There are things he wanted to ask him, being a man. He needed some advice from a man.
"Not yet, but I told her she needed to start looking for a new one," Sano wiped his hands on his overalls, "Anyway, why are you here?"
"Nothing really," he lied again. But clearing his throat, "Have you had breakfast? I need coffee right now."
"I'll ask someone to make you a cup but well, I don't know if we still have instant coffee mixes," Sano offered.
"No, no," he declined, "That wouldn't be necessary. I just thought I'd drop by and talk. Want to have coffee? I mean, brewed coffee? It's my treat."
Sano eyed him suspiciously. "Okay, give me a sec."
--
"Okay," Kenshin cleared his throat as he downed his croissant with a gulp of his coffee, "There is something I want to ask you about."
Sano laughed, "As I thought so. Okay, spill."
"This is not about me mind you," his eyes darted from Sano to the door, "This is about a male friend."
"Okay…"
"So there was this certain woman who I…no, I mean my friend knows since he was young. This female friend started going out with someone and this annoys me…no, my friend. This annoys my friend. So…so what do you think is happening to my friend?" Kenshin heaved out a sigh.
Sano rubbed his chin, narrowed his eyes and said in a detective voice, "So you're saying that you are in love with Kaoru and you are jealous because she is going out with someone else."
"Yeah, apparently—What?"
Sano laughed, "It was obvious."
"What?" Kenshin was now nervous.
"You should've just told me in the beginning that this was about you and Kaoru."
"No, I told you it was my friend and his female friend…I didn't tell you names," in denial, he was in denial.
Sano laughed again, "I knew it. Did you tell Kaoru you feel that way?"
Kenshin stopped. He wanted to tell Sano that he was not referring to himself but to someone else. But that would be futile. "Well…I actually do not know what to tell her in the first place."
Sano tried hard to stop himself from laughing, "You are jealous."
"Am I? Isn't this maybe…some sort of brotherly love…like I simply just want to protect her?"
Sano furrowed his brows, "Have you thought of her as your little sister?"
"Okay, point taken. I never did." He bit his lower lip.
"So you are in love."
"You think so?" Kenshin was unsure still.
Sano leaned forward and in a whisper said, "I won't tell anybody, pray tell me, have you kissed her yet?"
Kenshin frowned, "Shut up."
Sano grinned, "Well, so you have." And then he leaned back on his seat, "I never thought…" and he laughed to himself, "Well…it's surprising, but possible…" and he laughed again.
"Stop laughing Sano, I feel stupid." He admitted. He was already flushing too much.
"Don't blush Kenshin." And he laughed again, "You really are in love. You should tell Kaoru right away if you don't want someone to take her away."
And that made Kenshin think.
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A/n: Anyway, we are nearing the end of this story, I promise a bit of a lemon and lime by chap28 or 29...hahaha...spoilers...