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Her left wrist was hurting her after that man had pushed her down. She hoped that she hadn't twisted it.
"Megumi-san?" Kaoru called as she entered the courtyard. Megumi stood in the doorway rocking a baby in her arms gently.
"Kaoru-san! I'm glad you dropped by to visit!"
Kaoru walked up and leaned over to look at the baby, who was dozing off in her arms.
"How is little Hayama-chan doing?"
"Oh, he's teething right now, so he's been kinda fussy lately. It drives Sanosuke insane because he wakes up so early in the morning."
"Is Sanosuke here?" Kaoru looked around. It had been two years since Sanosuke and Megumi had finally gotten married. Kaoru was overjoyed to see Megumi so happy, with a ten-month-old baby boy always in her arms; she fit the roll of mother perfectly. Fatherhood didn't change Sano's habits much though, he was still as bad ass as ever. Megumi didn't mind though, Sano had a way of making her feel like a teenager again.
"Not right now, he's probably out gambling or something." Megumi rolled her eyes and then headed back into the room. "Anyways, is there a reason for the sudden visit? Or did you just feel like coming by?"
"Oh, well…" Kaoru bit her lip, she didn't want to say that a bunch of drunk flunkies had gotten the better of her, she was sure Megumi would tease her for that. "I fell while walking down some steps, and I think I may have twisted my wrist or something, it hurts a little bit. I don't think it's serious, but since I was passing by, I figured I might get you to look at it for me."
Megumi laid Hayama into his crib and then sat Kaoru down on the examination table and took a look at her arm. Turning it over and flexing her wrist this way and that.
"Does it hurt now?"
"Yeah, a little bit." Kaoru said.
"How about this?"
Kaoru winced in pain and Megumi let go.
"You've sprained your wrist, it's not to bad of a sprain though, here, let me wrap it for you, It's best if you try and not do things with your left hand for about a week or so."
"Hai," Kaoru let Megumi rub some ointment on her wrist and then bandaged it with two splints on either side to keep her hand from flexing. "Arigato, I've twisted this wrist before, I can deal with it." Kaoru grinned at her. Megumi didn't smile back which made Kaoru a little uneasy. Maybe she was just tired from lack of sleep due to the baby.
"Kaoru-san…" Megumi said with her hands folded in her lap, she clenched her fists and slowly brought her head up to meet Kaoru's gaze. Kaoru could tell she was worried about something.
"What is it, Megumi-san?" "H-How old are you now?"
Kaoru blinked. "I'm 20… I'll be 21 in June."
Megumi smiled faintly. "And, have you been thinking about getting married ever?"
Kaoru's throat suddenly felt very dry. She swallowed hard; her heart began to thump in her chest. "M-Married?" She nervously laughed and looked away from Megumi's gaze. Of course she thought of it, she thought of it every day. But, she just couldn't bring herself to face Kenshin with it. She decided long ago when he had left to fight Shi-Shi-O, that he was the one she loved, and wanted to spend her life with. And even if it was true, just LIVING with him wasn't enough for her. Not anymore.
"By the look on your face, I can tell you've been thinking about it." Megumi put her hand on Kaoru's. "Kaoru-san, you've got to tell Ken-san soon! Girls your age should be married with children already!"
"But- You married Sanosuke when you were 22!" Kaoru mumbled.
Megumi puffed up a little bit. "That was NOT intentional! I wanted to get married long before that myself, but it took me a while to find Mr. Right."
"I-I want…to get married." Kaoru muttered. "But-" she bit her lip; Megumi could see tears surfacing in her eyes. "But, he'll never marry me!"
"Then, make him want to marry you!"
"Huh?" Kaoru blinked at her. "How?"
Megumi grinned mischievously. "What's that package that you have there?"
"My new kimono, why?" "I have an idea, and with just a little costume show, Ken-san will by dying to marry you."
"I'm not so sure about this Megumi-san!" Kaoru said nervously as she looked at herself in the mirror. "Are you sure it's going to work?"
"Of course! This new kimono is perfect! The extra long sleeves will be the perfect hint that you want to find a husband. And the color of the blue matches your eyes perfectly. Now for a ribbon…"
Kaoru stood awkwardly in front of the full-length mirror. Her blue kimono was decorated with white and purple embroidered cherry blossoms. The Silk obi that wrapped around her waist was snowy white and Megumi made her most elegant bow in the back. The ribbon was set a little lower on her hips to accentuate Kaoru's slim figure and make her look taller. Her shiny black hair was done up with a matching blue bow and the ends of her hair were slightly curled.
"There's something still missing…" Megumi mused as she looked Kaoru over. "Oh, a shawl!"
"I don't have a white shawl…," said Kaoru.
"I do, you can borrow mine. Just return it after you've seduced Ken-san."
"Heh-you say that so easily Megumi-san…" Kaoru said with a sweatdrop.
Megumi put on some make-up for a finishing touch. Kaoru looked at herself in the mirror in amazement. The person staring back at her was a complete stranger.
"Don't you think the make-up is overdoing it a little?" Kaoru asked nervously.
"Of course not! You look like an empress!" Megumi grinned at her, then pushed her towards the door. "Now, go and seduce Ken-san. I know this plan will work! And be sure to take care of that hand!"
"Arigato, Megumi-san!" Kaoru waved to her and started back towards the dojo.
"Yo, Kenshin!" Yahiko held up his empty rice bowl. "Could I have some more, please?"
"Ah-sure," Kenshin refilled his rice bowl and continued sitting in perfect silence, looking towards the door of the dojo.
"Kaoru will be back…" Yahiko said in between mouthfuls. "You don't need to worry, she's got that brute strength doesn't she? No one could hurt her."
"You're right, I'm sure she's ok. But, it's odd for her to take this long." He sighed and shook his head. "I'm just being paranoid."
Kenshin was about to take a bite of the fish that he'd cooked up when he heard someone approaching the dojo. Yahiko barely had the time to blink before Kenshin vanished before his eyes.
"Huh? Kenshin?" Yahiko turned his head and saw that Kenshin was running towards the front gate, he opened the door and almost launched himself outside with the force that he'd been running.
"WELCOME HOME KAORU-D…." He stopped in mid sentence as Sano stared back at him bewildered.
"What a nice welcome." Sano grinned… "But, I'm not Jo-chan." Kenshin face faulted and Sano passed over him and walked leisurely over to Yahiko.
"Yo! Yahiko!" Sano called out; he walked up to the porch, chewing on the end of a fish bone. "You ready to go?"
"You bet!" Yahiko quickly finished his meal and then grabbed up his wooden sword. The two began walking back outside as Kenshin got up off the ground and dusted off his gi.
"Where are you two going?" Kenshin asked.
"Ah- I'm gonna teach Yahiko the golden art of dice tonight." Sano grinned.
"If Kaoru-dono finds out, she'll give you hell for corrupting her student to gambling." Kenshin said with a sweatdrop.
"Ah, Don't worry Kenshin. I'm not going to get so addicted as to lose money every night and make someone like my friends pay off all my debts, drifting around bumming meals and sleeping in alleys and-OUCH!"
Sano gave him a quick karate chop to the head and Yahiko rubbed his head angrily.
"HEY! THAT HURT!" Yahiko growled at him.
"My hand slipped." Sano said with a smirk.
"Oh really?" Yahiko jumped on Sano's head, biting his hair menacingly.
"ACK! GET OUT OF MY HAIR MAGGOT!"
"APOLOGIZE FOR HITTING ME ASSHOLE!"
Kenshin stood watching the two throw insults to each other with a large sweatdrop.
"A-no…" Kenshin raised his hand to intervene.
"STAY OUT OF IT!" Sano and Yahiko both snarled at him and they fell to the ground kicking and biting in a cloud of dust.
Kenshin was too busy begging for them to stop that he didn't notice the slim, tall woman in the blue and white kimono approach the dojo. She stopped a few feet from the brawling pair.
"Yahiko! Stop that right now!"
The two stopped instantly at the familiar voice of Kaoru. But when they looked up from the ground, they saw a completely different woman.
Kenshin turned to the sound of the voice and this woman's beauty hit him like lightning. His mouth fell open and his eyes bugged out as he stared at her speechless.
Sano and Yahiko stood up and looked at her similarly.
"Hmmm… I thought I heard Kaoru's voice just now…" muttered Yahiko as he walked over to the beautiful lady.
"Yeah, I swear it was Jo-chan."
Kaoru raised an eyebrow as she could hear every word they were saying.
Sano and Yahiko huddled, "She looks kind of like her." Yahiko muttered, "Only she's really pretty."
Kaoru's eyes narrowed.
"Maybe Jo-chan has a twin sister or a cousin that she doesn't talk about…" whispered Sanosuke.
"Ah-hem! It's me!" stated Kaoru flatly. The two froze and turned to look at her again.
"Kaoru?" Yahiko looked up at her. "Wow-what happened?"
Sano noticed Kenshin standing in the background, his expression hadn't moved from that of complete astonishment. He even thought he saw Kenshin's hair go a few shades lighter as Kaoru confirmed that this stranger in front of them was indeed she. Sano grinned and elbowed Kenshin.
"Yo Kenshin… it's rude to stare at a lady like that… at least close your mouth…" he whispered.
Kenshin shook free of the first wave of surprise and managed to close his mouth, but he still stood completely rigid and staring at Kaoru wide eyed. Kaoru noticed the way he'd been looking at her and blushed slightly.
"Well! Looks like Yahiko and I will be taking off!" Sano said as he grabbed Yahiko by the back of his gi, lifted him off the ground and he slung him over his back.
"HEY! PUT ME DOWN!" Yahiko protested as Sano slowly began sauntering away.
"We won't be back until late!" Sano said with a wave of his free hand.
"Kenshin, why aren't you eating? Aren't you hungry?" Kaoru inwardly was jumping up and down; ever since she'd come home, Kenshin hadn't stopped looking at her once. He tried to keep it hidden, looking at her through the corner of his eyes, and through his long red hair, but she could tell that he couldn't tear his eyes away.
"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked again. Kenshin blinked and snapped out of his daze.
"Oh? Oh gomen…" He took a huge bite of the fish and swallowed it. "It's very good!"
"You don't need to praise it silly, you're the cook…" Kaoru laughed. Kenshin turned red and put his hand behind his head embarrassed.
"You're right… heh heh-"
"Well, I'm finished. Thank you very much for the lunch. Did you ever get the dojo cleaned up?" Kaoru said as she stood up and began to clear the table. Kenshin jumped up to help her.
"Oh! Yes I cleaned up the dojo, and finished the laundry and everything." Kenshin said quickly. He took the dirty dished from her hands and then realized her left hand was bandaged.
"Kaoru-dono! Your hand!" Kenshin quickly put down the dishes and held it up. "What happened?"
"Oh-it's nothing, I just fell down, that's all." Kaoru withdrew her hand and hid it in the long sleeves of her kimono. "I was just being clumsy." She flashed a smile at him and then picked up the dishes again. Kenshin narrowed his eyes slightly as she walked off, humming happily to herself.
"She's not saying the whole story…" he thought to himself. "But, if she's ok, then that's what's important."
"Megumi-san…" Kaoru thought, "You were wrong, he knows what I want and now I've just scared him away… He'll never marry me." She stood up feeling incredibly depressed and trudged into the washroom to take off the make-up.
"Who's there." He demanded as he jumped to his feet.
"It's just me!" Sano said as he popped his head up from the bushes. Yahiko was next to him, red in the face with anger. He jumped from the bushes for Kenshin's neck.
"Damn you Kenshin! You've been alone with her ALL DAY and NOTHING has happened!"
"Oro-" Kenshin fell backwards as Yahiko landed on him. He waved his wooden sword threateningly. "Look Kenshin, Kaoru made herself look INHUMANLY beautiful for a reason… can you think of that reason?"
"Oro?" Kenshin blinked confused. Sano sighed heavily.
"Jo-chan dressed up like that for you, And we've been hanging around here all day waiting for you to make a move… but you're TOTALLY CLUELESS!"
"For me?" Kenshin blinked, He sat up as Yahiko got off of him and pondered. "I just couldn't believe Kaoru-dono could look so… so…"
"Mature?" Sano smirked.
Kenshin blushed slightly and nodded. "To tell you the truth, I didn't know how to act in front of her, she looked like royalty. A completely different person… So I made excuses to keep myself from having to talk with her."
"BAKA!" Yahiko hit him over the head with his wooden sword.
"Orooooo…" Kenshin fell to the ground clumsily.
"Even I'm old enough to get the hint when a girl is interested in me. You'd better make Kaoru happy… she's really depressed now because you didn't do anything."
Kenshin blinked "Kaoru-dono is depressed?"
Sano grinned and held out a giant bouquet of white lilies. "Take her out on a date tonight."
It took a moment for it to register… Kenshin finally smiled and nodded to them.
"Well, looks like we finally did our part, now let's go gamble." Sano laughed and him and Yahiko sauntered out of the dojo for the second time that evening.
Kenshin sighed and began walking towards Kaoru's room. She stood out on the porch, leaning against the railing with her arms crossed.
"Sano and Yahiko came back?" She asked Kenshin.
Kenshin hid the flowers behind his back and nodded. He bit his lip, summoning as much courage as he could and stepped onto the porch, walking towards her.
"Kaoru-dono, I want to apologize for the way I acted today." Kenshin said with a sigh. Kaoru blinked, amazed, and then uncrossed her arms.
"You looked like a totally different person, I didn't know how to talk to you… so I made excuses to avoid talking to you." Kenshin smiled at her. "I'm glad you've washed your face… I can talk to the old Kaoru-dono again and…" He held out the white lilies to her. "Even though the make-up made you look very beautiful, I think that you're much more attractive when you show your natural beauty."
If Kenshin hadn't been standing right there, Kaoru would have pinched herself to make sure she wasn't daydreaming. But it was really happening! She took the white lilies, her eyes sparkled. "Thank you very much!" She bowed to him and then put her nose to the flowers. "They're beautiful Kenshin!"
Kenshin's eyes widened, In the pale moonlight, with the wind gently playing through her hair, Kaoru truly glowed with beauty and happiness. Kenshin took a deep breath.
"Since no one is here tonight, would you like to have dinner out?"
Kaoru's eyes shot wide open and she looked at him astonished. "Just the two of us?"
"Yeah…"
"Dinner out? Together?"
"Yeah…"
"Are you…" She could feel her heart quickening in her chest. "Asking me out on a date?"
Kenshin's heart was also racing; he nodded his head slowly. "Yeah…"