Disclaimer: Giant parfaits are awesome and you should totally make yourself one. (Seriously, sugared strawberries, blueberries, plain yogurt and granola. Do it!) Though I shall not be responsible for the too-full tummy ache afterward. Common tummy, we'll get through this.

"Never ruin an apology with an excuse."
— Benjamin Franklin

LAST TIME

Dad was waiting for them when Kaoru pulled up into the driveway of their family home. He handed Kaoru a lumpy package as Yahiko lazily hauled himself and his full stomach out of the car. "I hope it fits." Dad said.

Kaoru grinned and placed the package on the passenger seat. "Oh, I'm pretty sure it will." They did a kind of through-the-open-window hug and ended up laughing at the awkwardness of it. "Thanks, dad. I'll see you next week." Kaoru rolled out of the driveway and headed back to Megumi's house.

It was dark when she got there and she resolved to take care of her apology in the morning.

THIS TIME

Kenshin was in his office the next morning when he heard the doorbell ring. He opened the front door to see Kaoru decked out in her kendo regalia, holding her practice sword, a package, and sporting a high wattage grin. "Good morning, Ms. Kao- er, Kaoru." He corrected himself when Kaoru shot him a 'better rethink that' kind of look. But her smile was back in place in a heartbeat and she started that funny habit if bouncing on her toes when she was excited.

"Morning, Kenshin!" Kaoru replied in a sing-song voice that separated and emphasized the syllables of his name. "I hope I didn't disturb you."

Kenshin shook his head. He had been doing paperwork since he had involuntarily woken up at five again that morning. It had been a long time since he had been able to sleep in without medication or copious amounts of alcohol. "Not at all, Kaoru. I'm glad you came, actually."

Kaoru's smile got even brighter if possible. "Oh, good. I was wondering if you wanted to practice together this morning."

Kenshin hesitated.

Kaoru noticed and began to speak rather hurriedly. "Not a match, like yesterday. Just practice. We could maybe run through some kata* or something. We don't even have to do a pairs kata if you don't want to." Kaoru's eyes were darting around, refusing to look directly at Kenshin and her teeth where worrying her bottom lip bright red.

"That sounds like a really good idea." Kenshin acquiesced. "Why don't you come inside while I run upstairs and get changed." He opened the door wider to offer entrance.

Kaoru bounded inside and had to blink a few time to get her eyes to adjust to the darker interior. The only light in the house was a pathetic glow filtering through the blinds and curtains.

Kenshin flipped a light switch and doused the main living space in an electric glare. "Make yourself at home. I'll be right back."

Kaoru spun around and reached out a hand to stop him. "Wait." She held out the lumpy package. "Use this one."

Kenshin gingerly took the bundle from her. Is was malleable, like cloth. "Kaoru, what's this?"

Kaoru shrugged trying to appear nonchalant even as her toe-bouncing increased. "Open it and find out."

Kenshin untied the string holding the dark paper snugly, cocooning whatever was housed inside. He carefully unfolded the paper and placed it aside. "This is . . . Kaoru I can't accept this." In his hands was a brand new and beautifully made deep blue uwagi.

Kaoru crossed her arms. "Yes you can, and you will." Kaoru pushed it further into his hands. "Think of it as an apology."

Kenshin's eyebrows shot up into his fringe. "An apology? What could you possibly be apologizing for, Kaoru? If it's about the bump on the head-"

"No. It's not that. Although I probably should apologize for that too." She twisted her fingers compulsively around the end of her pony tail that was draped over her shoulder. "I remembered yesterday. I remembered that I kinda forgot you - from the wedding , you know?"

Kenshin smiled and appeared somewhat . . . relieved? "That's alright, Kaoru. You had a lot on your mind that day."

Kaoru snorted and flipped her hair back over her shoulder. "No kidding. Megumi's controlling and obsessive on a normal day. She had better never get married again because, no matter how much I love her, she'll just have to find another maid of honor. " Kaoru shook her head. "But that's no excuse. We were like less than a meter away from each other for half the ceremony." She sighed and leaned against the wall. "You must think I'm a head case, or something."

Kenshin chuckled. "Not at all. Actually, I'm lucky in a way."

"How?"

Kenshin reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Most people only get to meet you once for the first time. I got two first impressions."

Kaoru threw her head back in a laugh. "Yeah, I suppose you did."

Kenshin joined her laughter. "So, how do they compare?"

"Both good. Although," Kaoru paused and looked at him appraisingly. "You should wear your hair up more often. It looks good on you."

Kenshin grabbed the red mass and pulled it around to eyeball it. "Actually, I've been thinking of cutting it shorter."

Kaoru gasped sharply and smacked his hand away from his hair. "Don't you dare!" She wagged a finger in his face. "It would be criminal to cut it."

Kenshin looked at her quizzically. "You think?"

Kaoru circled around behind him and began to fix the mussed tie in his locks. "I know. I love your hair."

Kenshin was shocked at the sudden, gentile, and rather intimate tugging on his head. Whether from the actual tugging or Kaoru's proximity, is hard to say. Not that you would hear him complain. It felt really nice, actually. But he was beginning to wonder if Kaoru actually thought before she did things. And, if so, what was she thinking?

To be fair to Kaoru, she had thought about it. Not a lot, of course, but she had. And for the sake of full disclosure on the part of this narrative, and because it would be unfortunate if anyone reading this were to experience any undo stress from a fairly unimportant detail, we will now reveal her thought process.

It had gone something like this.

I just really, really want to touch Kenshin's hair.

Done.

Let's resume.

Once she was finished, she placed a hand on his back and gently pushed him toward the stairs. "Now, go change. I'll wait here."

Kenshin turned just before he reached the stairs. "Kaoru, thank you."

Kaoru waved him on. "Don't worry about it. I couldn't take you seriously in that pink one anyway." She giggled.

But Kenshin shook his head, "That's not really what I meant," and disappeared upstairs.

Kaoru stared at the empty steps, blinking rapidly and completely failing to decode his statement. She shook herself after a minute and took her first good look around the interior of Kenshin's house.

It was more open than Megumi's, with fewer walls and lower furniture. There were a few nick-knacks here and there, mostly pottery, and a brightly colored modern impressionist painting over the dining table of a rainy, fall evening. Kaoru was surprised to find the place neat as a pin and possibly cleaner. So, what? He forgot to eat but remembered to dust the picture frames?

Speaking of which. . .

Kaoru took a peak into the fridge to find it on the verge of being skeleton: a few eggs, a half each of a bell pepper and a tomato, some shredded cheese and some ketchup. Kaoru sighed and shook her head at the display. Something would have to be done about this man.

Kaoru was feeling fidgety just standing around, so she opened a few of the curtains in the main living space. The house really looked much nicer in the daylight. The plum colored couch had looked dull in the dark and the array of grays and whites were now complemented nicely with splashes of softer purples and swathed in morning sunbeams.

Kaoru couldn't help but wonder if Kenshin's late wife had done the decorating.

Kaoru realized that, of the photos hung in the hallway, none of them could possibly be the deceased woman. There was one of Kenshin, Sano and another man, smiling and holding up shallow sake dishes in a toast.

One of them showed a whole slew of individuals decked out in full military garb. Kenshin was standing in the center of the group alongside another very tall and rather icy looking man with shocking silver eyes. Kenshin looked . . . different. Different from the friendly neighbor Kaoru was growing to know. He was tense. His shoulders were bunched, his hands in fists by his side. He was smiling with the rest of the group but his eyes weren't happy. They were narrowed and the skin by the corners were crinkled, but not from laughter. Truth be told it was a bit frightening for Kaoru to have those eyes pointed in her direction; even if it was from a photograph. The Kenshin in this image was a man of focus and finality. She had seen a glimpse of this Kenshin once before – during their sparing match yesterday.

The topmost photo had Kaoru pausing and fighting a growing grin. A younger Kenshin, possibly eight or nine, covered in dirt and a toothy grin, was standing on his toes and holding up a fish the size of his torso. Little Kenshin was hoisting it up over his head with both hands and struggling to stay vertical with the help of a steadying hand on his shoulder. The hand belonged to a giant of a man with dark hair and kind eyes.

Kenshin came loping down the stairs adjusting the hemline of his new uwagi and holding out his arms to check the sleeve length. "This fits really well, Kaoru. Where did you get it?"

"It was my dad's, sorta. I got it for him a bunch of birthdays ago but slipped up and grabbed the wrong size." Kaoru had yet to look away from the photo. "Somehow it never got returned." She shrugged. "Kenshin, who is this?"

Kenshin reached Koaru's side and look at the photograph. "Oh, that's actually my father, Hiko Seijuro."

"Wow." Kaoru's brows pulled town over her eyes. "You don't really look much alike." She gasped and clapped a hand to her mouth. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

Kenshin chuckled. "No. It's true. Hiko adopted me when I was five." He reached out and touched the frame. "It's been just the two of us."

Kaoru lowered her hand. "Oh. But isn't your name 'Himura', not 'Seijuro'?"

"Right." Kenshin nodded. "'Hiko Seijuro' is actually more of a title. He took it on as a name after he became the master of the Hiten Mitsurugi style. 'Himura' was his birth name and he passed it to me when I was adopted." Kenshin shrugged. "Something about how the Himura line shouldn't end with an old hermit like him."

"I see. He looks nice."

Kenshin scoffed. "He's a lot of things. Nice isn't really one of them. Don't get me wrong, he's a great father, and a good man. But he's not 'nice'"

"Huh, I see." Kaoru didn't actually sound convinced, but left the subject and turned to survey Kenshin for the first time since he came back downstairs.

Blue was definitely his color. His skin looked tan and healthy next to the rich fabric and his fantastic hair stood out in stark contrast. Kaoru had to stop her jaw from hanging open at the sight. "You look great," she breathed.

Kenshin smiled sheepishly and look down at himself, not really understanding Kaoru's staring. It was just a different color.

Kaoru nodded approvingly. "Are you ready?"

Kenshin lifted the practice sword in his hand. "Absolutely."

Kaoru lead the way to the door. She spun around just as they were about to head out, her bamboo sword swinging in Kenshin's direction.

"I almost forgot. Kenshin?" She said, the tip stopped a little closer to Kenshin's face than would strictly be considered comfortable.

"Ye-yes. Kaoru?" Kenshin was leaning back with his eyes crossed toward the practice weapon.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Her expression read 'deadly serious: just try and lie to me'.

"I had an omelet for breakfast." Kenshin's eyes were wide but his voice was steady.

Kaoru remembered what she had seen in the fridge. His story checked out. "Okay then." She smiled and bounded out the front door. "Come on, let's go!"

CHAPTER END

Does anybody else think Kenshin in the blue uwagi is hotter, or is it just me?

Reviews are love and warm hugs!

Glossery of Japanese Terms

Kata: is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general.