Mornings After
By hye-kyo
Disclaimer: Nope, RK isn't mine…
Author's Notes: So I was late. Yeah, I know…If you noticed I have posted a couple of short fics here and there, to relieve my mind off stress…and I couldn't get to write this chapter down. But anyway, here it is, hope it's fine…I haven't time to read it again and edit it…just like with my other chapters.
So there…read and review!
Chapter thirty-one: towards the end
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--
"I'm going to ride back with Kaoru," Misao told Hiko as they packed their things. Omasu and Okon have gone ahead.
"Where's Aunt Kurumi?" Kaoru asked upon entering.
"She's gone ahead with Omasu," Hiko answered. He then turned back to Misao, "Okay, just give me a ring once you've arrived to Tokyo."
"Sure," and Misao kept giving his father playful punches as he walked out of the room.
"What is he saying?" Kaoru asked, picking up the bags.
"I'm going with you."
"Huh?" Kaoru frowned and remembered Kenshin. He even called her secretly just to tell her they'll finally be alone on Sunday night since he would be getting his car from her building.
--
Kenshin was frowning as they got off the train. He was frowning even more as they hailed a cab to Kaoru's apartment.
"Why don't we turn around to Musashino and drop you off?" Kenshin said bitterly.
Kaoru tried hard not to chuckle.
"I told you already," Misao said, "I'm coming with you."
And Kenshin snickered, "I'm just going to get my car."
"Yeah, exactly." Misao sneered, "You're just going to get your car."
And he 'hmmped' and looked out through the window.
"Kenshin, you're just going to get your car, it's not as if Misao being there would matter, would it?" Kaoru joined in, wanting to tease him.
He glanced at her from the rearview mirror. He smirked and murmured, "It would…" when Misao gave him a questioning look he turned to her and said, "I'm not going to Musashino, I'm going to my apartment after getting the car."
"Great!" Misao clapped her hands, "I'd get to see your place finally!"
He groaned and buried his face in his hands. There was no use arguing further.
--
After getting the car from Kaoru's building, Kenshin drove to Musashino much to Misao's irritation. He told himself he'd put off talking to Kaoru until tomorrow and it wouldn't probably hurt that much. He'd stay at their house so that Misao wouldn't insist she see his apartment. Especially now, he and Kaoru need a secret hideout. It was a good thing he hadn't told anyone aside from Kaoru about the apartment's address yet.
He dialed Kaoru's number as soon as he plopped on the bed.
"Hey," Kaoru's voice came through the receiver.
"Hey yourself," he pouted, "You're such a trickster."
She laughed, "I'd see you tomorrow anyway."
"I'll pick you up early tomorrow morning," he suggested.
"Nope, Tae would be coming over to see me in the morning."
He frowned, "How about lunch time?"
"Have a lunch meeting with the rest of the team."
He drummed his fingers on his chest, "Okay, dinner?"
"Okay," she giggled, "I'm looking forward to it."
"Great, me too…" and then in a hushed voice he said, "I'm dying to see you…"
Kaoru only laughed, "Misao might be overhearing you."
"Don't care," he said nonchalantly, "It'd be better if she would know."
"Not yet," Kaoru quickly said.
"Why not?"
"We'll talk it over tomorrow."
"O-okay…" and he was puzzled.
--
Kaoru doesn't really know if what they are doing was okay. She just has to feel around first. If it would be okay with Misao then good. But if it won't, then Misao would just have to deal with it. Besides it wasn't as if she and Kenshin are in a hurry to make this relationship known to everybody. If Misao would show signs of disapproval over their relationship then Kaoru would just have to do something to make her approve of it. Even if it would be hard.
As for Tomoe, Kaoru would just give in to her selfishness. Tomoe had her time with Kenshin and she wasted it.
--
Kaoru's eyes widened as she found him leaning against the reception desk. "What are you doing here?"
"I missed you," and he took her in two long strides. He pulled her close.
"Stop," she said, looking around. The receptionist was staring. She pulled away from him, took in a deep breath and beckoned him to follow.
"Why?" he raced to catch up with her. Soon they were out of the glass doors.
"I have a lunch meeting right?" she said as soon as they were back at the parking lot.
"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to see you," and he slipped his hands around her waist.
"Kenshin," she said, avoiding his eyes.
"Just a couple of minutes. I was at the office trying to concentrate on what I have to do but everytime I just think of you."
She frowned, "You're so cheesy."
"Yeah, I think I've watched too many romance flicks these past days."
She laughed, looking around and allowing herself to be pulled closer.
"Kaoru," he whispered, he nibbled on her ear.
"Hn?" she closed her eyes, "You want to say anything cheesy?"
"Let's go somewhere else." And he buried his face in the crook of her neck.
"I can't. I have a meeting."
"Why don't you just call them and tell them you're not feeling well." He was acting like a little boy.
She laughed, "I can't."
"But Kaoru—"
"Okay, five minutes."
"Thirty?" he peered to watch her face.
"Ten."
"Twenty please."
She furrowed her brows, "Okay fifteen and that's that."
"Alright," and he pulled her into the car.
"What do you want to do in fifteen minutes?"
"Kiss you," he whispered as he locked the doors behind them.
--
"Where were you?" Tae asked as Kaoru came through the double doors.
"Sorry," she murmured as she took a seat. She skimmed a hand through her hair. She laughed nervously and when she lifted her face she met Soujiro's eyes. He was watching her. She looked away.
"You didn't even say you're going to be late? I was trying to call you for the past half hour but you weren't picking up."
"I'm sorry," she bit her lower lip. Inching closer she asked, "Did he look for me?"
"No." Tae arched a brow. But even though he didn't ask anything it was evident that he was looking for you.
She felt guilty.
"So where were you really?"
She slowly looked up to meet Tae's eyes. "Honestly?"
"Honestly Kaoru."
She swallowed back and then whispered, "I was with Kenshin."
"Kenshin?" Tae almost gasped out loud.
"Quiet," Kaoru murmured, meeting Soujiro's eyes again. "He came and I just…I just couldn't say no…"
"Don't tell me…"
"No…nothing like that Tae…" she reddened, though of course there had been too many kisses and too many caresses and too many sensations that would not qualify for the nothing-like-that excuse.
"So you mean…you mean—"
"Yes…this time…"
"Oh," and Tae giggled which earned them glances from everyone.
--
Kenshin came to pick her up. Finally Kaoru introduced hi to Tae. Tae seemed to have liked him instantly and that was a good sign.
"So…where do you want to eat?" Kenshin asked.
"Anywhere," she smiled, blushing, remembering the events earlier that day in his car.
"I have a better idea," he said grinning.
She reddened more, she doesn't know how to read minds but Kenshin's mind was so transparent it doesn't need a rocket scientist to read it. "Kenshin," she warned.
"What?" he grinned, "I was just about to suggest that we just have a takeaway or something and eat at my apartment."
"I can't sleep over."
Kenshin's grin faded instantly.
"Why not?"
"I have to be at the office early tomorrow morning."
"I'll drive you."
"I'm telling you I can't stay up all night." And she regretted ever saying it.
Kenshin furrowed his brows, "What are you thinking?"
Kaoru's mouth hung open as she tried to explain.
"I wasn't implying anything." And he laughed, "So you're expecting?"
"Shut up," and she looked away, blushing intensely.
Kenshin just laughed.
--
The following day Kenshin called to ask if they could meet for lunch. Kaoru agreed only to cancel it at the last minute. There was another lunch meeting and she couldn't afford to miss it, nor be late. Soujiro had been giving her the eye.
Kenshin felt devastated. He frowned all day and eventually called her again to ask if she was free for dinner.
"Nope," she responded. She twirled her pen. Oh, how she would love to see Kenshin right now.
"Why not?" he was frowning. Now that they're finally together they can't do anything but hide it. How ridiculous is that?
"Misao's coming over," she said in a hushed voice.
"But Kaoru—"
"Tomorrow. I just have to accommodate Misao."
"If I could just strangle her."
"Kenshin," Kaoru swallowed the urge to laugh, "Don't strangle her. She's your sister."
"But she's making this hard," he almost cursed. He wanted Kaoru right now.
"Yeah…" Kaoru felt bad. No, it wasn't Misao's fault. It was hers. If she wasn't all too fussy about that stupid feeling called love they'd be having the time of their lives now. But she wanted to make sure. She wanted to make sure Kenshin's really in love with her and not just getting carried away over this exciting feeling of hiding something. She just have to make him say it first. And then she'd tell everyone. God, she really wanted to tell everyone.
"I miss you already," he whispered.
"We were together yesterday," she smiled.
He pondered, "I couldn't explain. I miss you even if you're with me."
Kaoru laughed. "Yeah Kenshin. You better stop watching Misao's DVDs. They're bad for you. Listen to yourself now, you'd probably puke."
"Funny," and he smirked. "I want to kiss you."
"We just kissed yesterday," she teased. Of course she wanted to kiss him too.
"Kaoru," he stammered. "Couldn't I just come over?"
"Nope," she said.
"Why?"
"You just can't."
He narrowed his eyes as if she could see him, "Have you told him?"
"Him?" she knew who he was referring to.
"Seta…the Seta guy. He probably should know. Even if I don't really like him I don't want things to be unfair for him."
Kenshin was right. Really right. "I will. Don't worry."
"And I don't want him lurking around you."
"Yeah I know. You're getting possessive."
He laughed, "I can't help it."
She looked around, found the conference room getting cramped with the coming of people, "I'd better go. The meeting's starting soon."
"Alright," he almost growled. "I miss you."
She almost said it. She shook her head, "I miss you too."
--
Misao came over a little over seven. No of course not Kaoru wasn't a bad bestfriend. She loves having Misao around. It was just that she preferred having Kenshin tonight. Perhaps they could do something more than play monopoly, watch movies and drink beer which Kaoru and Misao were doing right now. Perhaps something more, something better.
She shook her head. She was becoming a little pervert. She stood up. Misao had started reading her notes.
"You have a test tomorrow?" Kaoru almost exclaimed.
"Yeah," Misao buried her face in her notes.
"Then why'd you come here? I mean you couldn't possibly study here…I mean we wasted time playing monopoly and—"
"I need to relieve my stress," Misao answered nonchalantly.
Kaoru frowned. She sat on the couch beside her. "Any problem?"
"Aoshi. He's becoming stoic."
Kaoru almost laugh but tried hard not to, "Stoic? Isn't he always?"
Misao glared at the joke, "I mean he's very busy…and he wouldn't…" she trailed off.
"Maybe he's just also very stressed with work." Alright, Kaoru wasn't really good at this.
"Everyone's very busy with work," Misao exclaimed, stood up and three her notes on the couch. "I'm taking a bath."
"Alright," Kaoru said quietly.
--
The phone rang while Misao was still in the bath. Kaoru picked it up thinking it was Kenshin.
"Hello," Kaoru said.
"Hello, may I please speak with Kamiya-san?" the voice wasn't Kenshin's. But it was definitely familiar. It was a female voice.
"Speaking, who is this?" she squinted her eyes.
"This is Tomoe," there was hesitation in her voice.
Ah, Tomoe…the ex-fiancé, Kaoru took in a deep breath, "Ah…Tomoe-san, why did you call all of a sudden?" Kaoru was being polite. There wasn't anything wrong between them anyway.
There was a long pause.
"Tomoe-san?"
"Ah…have you told him?"
"Told?" she asked. Of course she knew what she meant.
"About the cancellation of my wedding." Her voice was stiff, something Kaoru had expected of Tomoe's voice. She sounded offhand when she talked about the cancellation.
"No," it was swift. Kaoru hadn't intended it to be that fast but rather she would want to drag it, make it sound elegant. Well, she wasn't just elegant perhaps.
"I see…" and another pause.
Kaoru waited, thinking of nothing to respond to her. When Tomoe didn't say anything Kaoru said, "And?"
"And?" there was soft laugh.
Kaoru was getting annoyed.
"I'll tell him."
And Kaoru fell silent.
"I'll tell him tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Kaoru asked.
"Yes. I know he'd be back as soon as the words are out of my mouth."
Kaoru frowned. She sounded so sure of herself. "Well, let's just see." And there was a click. Before Kaoru knew it she had returned the phone back to its cradle.
--
A/n: So yay! A few more chappies to go and we're done! Haha, I'm really sorry if that was all I could come up with at this moment...I'm getting really stressed with my work...yeah...I'm working now...