Mornings After
By hye kyo
Disclaimer: Nope, RK isn't mine…
Author's Notes: Okay, sure I said three days after but I'm quite surprised with the reviews I received so here's chapter twenty six. It will be still a bit frustrating since Kaoru would be really hard headed but anyway Kenshin will be doing something neat. By the way, someone asked me what a lemony lime is, actually I was thinking of a term that will describe chap28 which will be a bit lemon but not really a full blown lemon but will, I guess, be more than lime…so there lemony lime…hahaha
Anyway, on with the story.
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Chapter twenty six: admitting
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Kaoru didn't go back quickly as she told Kenshin. She went to the grocery, bought whatever interested her and went to the park. When she turned her phone on she found a couple of voice messages from Kenshin. She simply smiled, thought that at least Kenshin's happy ending was on its way. She could make it reach him faster by telling him about Tomoe, only she didn't want to meddle.
She sighed, she felt like she was merely justifying her decision not to tell him. Truth be told, she was in love with him and knowing that in a couple of days, perhaps even tomorrow, all hopes of him falling for her would be gone was frightening.
She dialed Soujiro's number, asked him to meet her at a diner and then send Kenshin a message. She told him she'd come home late.
--
"Tae told me about your sick leave," he said, "But since I wasn't directly in charge with it I had no—"
"I'm sorry," she grinned. Kaoru offered to pour him a glass of water.
"It was alright. So are you better now?"
She nodded, "I stayed over at my aunt's. I just came back this afternoon."
"Good, I was worried," he said, concentrating on her face. "I tried calling you, you know."
Kaoru smiled apologetically, "My aunt said it would be better if I shut off from the world for a couple of days until I'm better. I can't do anything about it so I just let her decide for me."
Soujiro laughed, "It was good that you had someone who took care of you."
Kaoru laughed back. So she was good at lying.
"So you're coming back to work on Monday?"
She nodded, watched as the waiter came over to their table and brought down a platter of fries and burgers. "Yes. I'll be there early Monday morning." She gave him a salute which made him laugh.
"That's good to hear," he ran a hand through his hair.
"I'll be working harder now," she laughed and dove into to get her fries.
--
Kenshin had his arms across his chest when Kaoru came in through the door.
Kaoru gave him an apologetic smile when she gave him a peck on the cheek.
"Where have you been?" he asked.
She replied by hauling her grocery bags. "I didn't notice it was already late." And she laughed.
He frowned and walked over to the kitchen counter, "Have you eaten?"
"Ah…yeah…" she nodded as she placed the grocery bags on the countertop, "I actually had fries and a burger."
He 'hmmp-ed' and turned the stove he had set a while ago trying to reheat the food.
"Have you?" she asked back, concern flooding through her.
"Not really, I was waiting for you." And he stomped his way back to the couch.
"Kenshin," she felt guilty. She wrapped her arms around his arm as he settled on the couch. "Let's have some ice cream."
"We don't have ice cream in the fridge," he turned the TV on. He surfed through the channels.
"Let's go out," she coaxed him, running small circles on his arm.
He swatted her hands and looked at her, with an exasperated sigh he said, "Okay. Let's go." And he stood up and laced his fingers with hers.
--
Kaoru found herself wondering why the heck she had brought herself in such a kind of situation. Telling him about Tomoe and moving on would be much easier. But she couldn't tell him nor move on. She doesn't want to actually.
She woke up, threw on a fresh pair of jeans and a plain shirt. She has to go back and see her apartment today and perhaps meditate on what she needed to do.
She left Kenshin a note on the fridge and remembering the notes he left for her before she smiled. Perhaps she should have left things as they were and not encourage any kind of relationship between them. It was unhealthy. It is to begin with.
--
Kenshin woke up without her in the house. He prepared breakfast after finding the note on the fridge. He was still sleepy, provided that they slept very late last night, having gone out for some ice cream and ended up staying at a jazz lounge drinking some fruity, yet spiked, concoction. Not that he was having a hangover.
He yawned, despite yesterday, despite his sleepiness, he was feeling refreshed. Maybe having Kaoru around made him a bit more unpredictable, and a bit different. For one thing she inspired him to get a place of his own, get a leave from work (which he actually encouraged because he was getting a bit too tired doing some things again and again), and to have casual sex (not that it really was casual, they were at the point of getting married…and well Kaoru didn't blatantly encourage him to do it with her in the first place).
He laughed. Maybe having Kaoru around wasn't such a bad idea after all. Maybe keeping her would be the best and the most intelligent thing he could do.
And so Sano was right. He was in love. And probably, he'd tell it to her tonight.
--
Kaoru had her hair straighten. Kenshin would be surprised when she gets back. Well she had made up her mind to leave tomorrow. Tomorrow morning to be exact. No matter what Kenshin would say, no matter what he would do she had decided to leave. Her staying would just complicate things.
--
"So?" Misao asked, one eyebrow twitching irritably.
Kaoru chanced by her at the university and knowing that Misao has not been hearing from either her and Kenshin, she decided to pick her up on the spot.
"What's up with you?" she rolled her eyes, "Well of course I know you tend to zone out from the rest of the world but it's just not so like you to zone out from me."
"Look, I am sorry. Things went wild the past weeks…you know…"
"I don't."
Kaoru smiled apologetically, "Have you heard from Kenshin?"
"That stupid jerk too!" she stomped her feet, "Do you know he was already living alone in some apartment I don't even know where!"
"Really?" Kaoru winced inside, of course she knew.
"And here I was wondering where all the people have gone…" Misao sulked.
"Misao," Kaoru ruffled her hair.
"Whatever Kaoru. Why the heck have you gone AWOL anyway?"
Kaoru's mouth twitched, "I was kinda feeling sick…"
"Oh so they say at your workplace," she said, her anger subsiding, "I went to your place but you weren't there."
"I was at some friend's house," so that was a half-lie. At least there was some truth in it.
"You could have called me you know…you could have stayed over at the house…"
Kaoru smiled, "Yeah…I'm sorry…I just thought that since it was your exam week I might actually hinder you from studying…"
"You're just like my brother," she pouted, "That's exactly what he said when he moved out."
"Really?" Kaoru laughed nervously. Of all the reasons that she could use, why did she use the reason Kenshin also used?
"Anyway," Misao said, finally becoming cheery, "I met Seta-san yesterday."
Kaoru's eyes widened. She knew the disparities in the lies she told Misao and Soujiro. "R-really?"
"He said he had been able to talk to you and that you are finally well."
"And?"
"That's it. I was kind of in a hurry. He was too. So we didn't get to say that much to each other."
She let out a sigh of relief. "Good."
"What?" Misao turned.
"Nothing. I said…I see…"
"Ah," Misao nodded, "I think Seta-san's a really good guy. Much much better looking than Enishi. He has this homey aura…very comfortable…very safe."
"Yeah…I have to agree."
Misao smiled, "And I think he likes you a lot."
Kaoru blushed, well Soujiro does take care of her and well, he actually had made some hints about it and well, they seem to be, actually, having a some sort of mutual understanding (if that also works for adults).
"If you're going to get married you probably should choose him."
"Huh?" Nope, she hasn't gone that far.
"I mean, look, Soujiro's good looking, has a stable job, well a really stable job. He is nice, friendly, and the family likes him."
Yeah, the family likes him. Except perhaps Kenshin. So Soujiro is a good pick. A fat fish she had accidentally fished out of the ocean. So she really was lucky.
"So?"
"I don't know yet…" she looked away. Yes, of course there was nothing wrong with Soujiro. It was just her stupid feelings were telling her something else. And that these stupid feelings were pointing to some stupid redhead who was still head over heels with his ex…who in the near future would cease to be his ex because she was planning on getting back with him. And Kaoru knew that Kenshin would of course say yes. He was that stupid. Or intelligent. Because who would let go of someone like the ice princess?
"Tomoe called me and asked for your number," Misao suddenly said, her tone becoming serious all of a sudden.
Yeah, Kaoru knew Tomoe got her number from Misao. She was planning on asking. "Really?" she lied. "Did you give her my number?"
"Well," Misao sheepishly grinned, "I couldn't get through you so I thought maybe she could because you know…you tend to be polite to unfamiliar people…"
Kaoru snickered. "I didn't receive any call from her…"
"Oh," Misao arched a brow.
"What did she say she wanted to talk to me about?"
"She said she chanced by you at the grocery. And not having too many friends, well of course how would she have friends if she's so herself," Misao frowned, and continued, "I guess she wanted to make friends…" and Misao laughed.
Kaoru frowned. Make friends? Perhaps if they weren't in this situation they could possibly be friends.
"Anyway, I heard Tomoe's getting married."
She snapped back to reality, "Where'd do you hear that?"
"Megumi…I am not so sure. Somewhere. I guess my brother knows this already. I wonder why he didn't tell me. Anyway, do you know about this?"
"Ah…n-no…" she lied again.
"Tomoe's such a weirdo. She starts flirting my brother as soon as she gets back here even if she's going to get married."
Kaoru felt bad for some unknown reason. Maybe she was sympathizing with Tomoe, "Don't say that. Maybe Tomoe has her reasons."
"Reasons like?" Misao frowned. "You're beginning to sound like my brother—always acting rationally, looking at the reasons behind things…so he always ended up doing stupid things. Who are you and where'd you bring Kaoru?"
Kaoru laughed. So Misao was right. Since Kenshin came, she had been more subdued. Of course her life had still been crazy but she wasn't as impulsive as before (save for having her hair curled and for the overhauling of her wardrobe). Sure she gets late for work but not as usual as in the past. Maybe Kenshin was one strong force to reckon with. But Kenshin, even though he had actually made a subdued self out of her crazy one had been driving her mind and…uhmm…libido…wild.
"I'm going to class now. When are you going back to work?"
"Tomorrow," she shook her head inwardly, "I'd also be back at my apartment tomorrow."
"Okay, see you then," Misao started marching back but stopped and turned to say, "If you happen to see Kenshin, tell him I'd clobber him when I see him."
"That probably would be enough to make him not want to see me too." And Kaoru laughed and Misao laughed too and resumed walking.
--
She pressed the intercom.
"Who is it?" Kenshin's voice was deep.
"It's me," she murmured and she turned to the door, found it slowly opening.
Kenshin was frowning. "Have you had dinner already?"
She shook her head. "I bought something on the way."
He looked at the paper bag she was holding, took it from her with one hand, closed the door with the other and led her to the kitchen. "I am starving."
"I've seen Misao. She was asking about you. Haven't you told her yet?"
"I just want a little privacy…" he said, pulling the cartons from the bag. "What's in it?"
"Chicken and beef," she said, taking the last carton. "I was thinking whether you'd like chicken rather than beef."
"I could eat whatever's in here," he said, opening the others.
"Okay, I'll take the beef," and she went over to the fridge. "Do we still have Coke?"
"Yep," he said.
Kaoru wondered at the naturalness of the we. She shook her head, knew that it was the last day anyway.
"So where did you go?"
She frowned, "Didn't you notice?"
"What?"
She frowned again, pointed at her hair and said, "It's straight now."
He laughed, "I'm sorry. I was too hungry to notice."
She slapped him, "Yeah right."
And then he smiled, stopped and looked at her, "It's because I like you either way."
That made her swallow hard. "Y-yeah?"
He nodded. And that made her feel stomach flipped.
--
Kaoru slipped into the couch beside him. She had changed into her pjs. "What's on TV?"
"Something suspense, or was this comedy?" he said nonchalantly.
"By the way," she warily said.
"Hn?" he stroked her hair. She was sitting in front of him, with her back to him.
"I went to the apartment," she said.
"And?" he asked, ignoring the weight of her tone.
"I'd be leaving tomorrow," she murmured, "Someone's going to move in a couple of days. I guess it's much safer now. They have heightened security, with the CCTVs and all—"
"I thought it'd take two weeks? Why are you in a hurry?" he snapped.
She frowned, turned to him and said, "Nope, I went there and there were some stuff already. Kenshin, I'm not in a hurry. I just don't want to bother you any—"
"Who told you you're a bother to me?" he smirked.
She remained quiet. So wrong reason, "Listen, I have to go to work, do some stuff that I have been doing for a long time. I can't do those things if I don't go back to my apartment?"
He shook his head, "I didn't get the logic in there."
"Whatever," she waved her hand, "I'm going home tomorrow."
He remained silent.
--
He glanced at her. If he wanted to tell her, he'd got to tell her now. Because if he wouldn't tell her she might leave tomorrow and that would actually break his heart. Because he is in love. Because he is crazy about her.
"Kaoru?"
"Hn?" she asked frowning. She had stopped talking after arguing about leaving the next day.
"Do you remember…"
She turned, "What?"
"How it happened…" how could he tell her when her lips were so distracting? He shook his head inwardly and tried to focus.
She wrinkled her nose, "What?"
"I think…" he said, gazing at her mouth, "I think it started with something like this…" and he had his own lips against hers. He had given in to instincts.
--
Kaoru swallowed hard. Sure, Kenshin had kissed her before, but it wasn't anything like this. This was…weakening.
He slowly pulled back, gazed at her face and said her name.
"Why did you do that?" she covered her mouth with the back of her hand.
"I just wanted to know if it would feel the same…" he said flushing.
She frowned, unable to comprehend.
"If it would be like when I first kissed you…when you were drunk…" he bit his lower lip. He had the impulse to lick his lips to savor the taste of hers in his but seeing her flushing made him stop.
"Stupid!" and she stood up.
"I've been wanting to kiss you," he confessed, "I want you…to stay here with me…"
And she felt something stir in her stomach which, if not for her knowledge about Tomoe, would've caused her to jump for joy. But she knew better and, glaring at him, she stomped to the guest room with a snappy, "I'm going to bed."
He cursed himself. Now what?
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A/n: So how was it? Stupid Kaoru? Poor Kenshin? Don't worry, when chap28 comes something really good will happen…or well, at least for me. I hope I don't disappoint you with the lemony lime…I'm not really good at writing lemons…hahaha…