Ruri's A Ripple in Calm Waters

    ‘A life with Kaoru in it.’ He couldn’t stop himself from thinking that wish. There, there it was, as plain as day. He loved her. No more beating around the bush. No more giving it another name nor ignoring the feeling in his heart.

    He knew that praying for her love was as futile as praying for redemption. He deserved neither but wanted them. He sighed and stopped his train of thought and finished his New Years prayers. He bowed and left the temple. He began to think as he walked down the long flight of steps.

    "Is that dinner?"

    Kenshin nodded, "Tofu, fish, and pickles." he said.

    Yahiko smiled, "Anything is better than Ugly’s cooking."

    "What did you call me?!"

    Yahiko entered with Kenshin and he said, "I said Ugly!"

    Suddenly a pair of doors slid apart and Kaoru burst through them. "Why you!"

    "Stop that, Kaoru-san!" Seira said standing infront of her.

    Kaoru stopped. "Eh?" Seira pointed to what she was wearing. Kaoru yelped and looked sheepish. She saw Kenshin and said, "Look, Kenshin!" she did a little spin.

    Kenshin suddently felt plain compared to the beauty that called out his name.

    "Wahhh! That’s my dinner!" Yahiko exclaimed as he caught the tub of tofu that fell from Kenshin’s hands.

    "What do you think?" she asked.

    "It's beautiful." he said. He watched as Kaoru rose her arms so that Seira could check her obi. She wore a navy blue kimono with silver-white sakura petals flying off of a black limbed sakura tree. Sakura petals were on the sleeves and hem.

    "Akira gave it to me, he’s taking Seira and me to the New Year’s festival!"

    "We’re not finished yet Kaoru-san!" Seira said and shooed Kaoru back into the room. Seira did a polite bow before she closed the doors.

    "Heh, they’ve been at it since midday." Yahiko said.

    Kenshin looked down at the ground. Kaoru, she looked like an angel. He didn’t believe he said those words so emotionally. She didn’t even respond to them. He composed his feelings and looked up, "If it makes her happy." he said and took the tub from Yahiko’s hands and went into the kitchen.

    An hour later he had dinner prepared. He found Yahiko practicing.

    Kaoru stood in the courtyard in that blue kimono, she held a matching bag in her hands. A matching blue ribbon was in her hair. Seira stood next to her in purple with small flowers dotting her kimono.

    Akira entered the courtyard, he wore a brown suit. "Ready to go to the Akabeko?"

    Seira nodded.

    Akira turned to Kenshin, "You’re coming too." he said.

    "Oro?" Kenshin said. "But I just-"

    Kaoru smiled. "Come with us, Kenshin."

    ‘That smile,’ he thought, ‘I could never say no to that face.’

    "Go on," Yahiko said, "I know you finished preparing it, Sano will probably come along and eat what I don’t eat."

    He smiled, "All right."

    On their way to the Akabeko, Seira ended up walking next to Akira and Kaoru walking next to Kenshin. For the first time he felt self-conscious walking next to Kaoru in her finery.

    "Welcome!" Tae said as they entered. "Tsubabme will seat you." she paused, "Ahhh, Kaoru-chan, you look lovely! Is it a special occasion?"

    "Thank you, Tae-san." Kaoru said. "It's for the New Years Festival."

    Tae smiled knowingly and said, "It's about time we had a festival."

    Kaoru nodded, "Yes, especially a New Year’s Festival."

    "Kaoru-dono," Kenshin said, "Akira-dono and Seira-dono are already seated." he lagged behind as Kaoru bowed to Tae and walked to the booth.

    Dinner went by quickly which made Kenshin thankful. He wasn’t sure if he could last any longer. Kenshin waited as Kaoru, Seira and Akira put their shoes on. When they had them on Kenshin put his on.

    "Himura-san."

    Kenshin looked up and said, "Tae-dono."

    "Kenshin!" Kaoru called from the door.

    Kenshin opened his mouth to reply but Tae interrupted him and said, "He’ll catch up with you, Kaoru-chan!"

    Kaoru nodded and left.

    "I know you needed an excuse to be away from them."

    "Ahhh, sou degozaru." he said.

    Tae smiled, "I’ve worked here long enough to pick up more than table manners and especially Sano’s tab." she muttered.

    "Thank you." Kenshin said and turned away.

    "I’m not finished yet!" she exclaimed. She dragged him to the back of the restaurant where she lived.

    "Oro!" Kenshin exclaimed.

    "Now tell me, am I right when I say that you felt uncomfortable sitting next to Kaoru tonight?"

    Kenshin dropped his head, "Hai." he said.

    "I guessed as much."

    "But it can’t be helped." Kenshin said with a faint smile.

    Tae looked at him. He felt uncomfortable in the silence. "It was late notice and I don’t have those kinds of clothes." he said before he could stop himself.

    Tae smiled at Kenshin, "I understand."

    "You do?" he said surprised.

    "You don’t need to ask Himura-san. I have just the thing." she said. She got up and said, "Wait here." as she left the room. She returned with a cardboard box. She pulled the lid off and underneath was a kimono, hakama, and matching jacket. "It belonged to an uncle of mine." she said, "He’s about your size. He passed away a few years ago before he could wear it. I’m glad I found some use for it."

    "But I can’t accept this." he protested.

    "Yes you can, and I will not take no for an answer." she said.

    "But-"

    "It's New years, we all need to look our best sometimes."

    "But I’m not going anywhere." he said.

    "You are if you care that much about her." Tae said quietly. Those words made Kenshin still. He remembered what he prayed for. ‘A life with Kaoru in it.’ "Now go and put it to good use." she said.

    Kenshin bowed, "Thank you. I don’t know how I’ll pay you back."

    "Consider it a gift, Himura-san. You can change here." she said and left him alone.

    Kenshin sighed and stared at the box. Why not? It was New Years after all.

    It was an hour later when he arrived at the festival near the bridge. Kaoru was talking to Seira and Akira. She looked beautiful in her kimono. The kimono made her look more mature and it made Kenshin realize that he never noticed a quiet beauty and strength of a woman. She was no longer a girl. He had loved her as a girl but he realized that he loved her as a woman.

    "Ahhh, Kenshin-san."

    Kenshin turned to see Akira. "Akira-dono."

    "Just the person I wanted to see." he said as he walked towards him.

    "Oh?" Kenshin asked.

    "What do you think of Kaoru?"

    "She’s beautiful." Kenshin said.

    Akira nodded, "Any man would be proud to have her as his wife. But she won’t just marry any man. It should be someone she’s known for quite some time." Akira said.

    Kenshin froze. "S-so if that person asked her would she accept?"

    "I think she would." he said and walked away.

    Kenshin felt as if Akira had taken away all the courage he had. He looked down at the borrowed clothing and found his hopes had washed away.

    "What do you think of Kaoru?"

    "She’s beautiful." Kenshin said.

    Akira nodded, "Any man would be proud to have her as his wife. But she won’t just marry any man. It should be someone she’s known for quite some time." Akira said.

    Kenshin froze. "S-so if that person asked her would she accept?"

    "I think she would." he said and walked away.

    So it was true. She hid in the shadows as Akira passed her. "Akira-san." she whispered sadly.

    Suddently Akira doubled over.

    "Aki-kun!" Kaoru exclaimed.

    "Akira-san!" Seira said as she caught him.

    "I don’t feel well." Akira said.

    "We can take you to the clinic." Kaoru said, "I hope Megumi is still there."

    Akira nodded, "Seira can take me."

    "But-"

    "I know I promised to watch the fireworks with you, Kaoru-chan, but don’t waste this night because of me. It’s nothing serious. Besides, Kenshin-san is here to keep you company." Akira said.

    Kaoru looked up and saw Kenshin. She stared at him for a moment. Kenshin was afraid he looked silly in his outfit. She smiled and said, "There’s still time before the fireworks, let’s go to the festival."

    Kenshin nodded and walked along side her.

    "Look, Kenshin!" Kaoru exclaimed. "Sparklers!" she dragged him to a booth.

    "Orooo!"

    She paid for a packet and then smiled at him, "These are so much fun, have you used them?"

    Kenshin shook his head, "Iiie."

    "I’ll show you." she said and dragged him further into the festival.

    Time seemed to fly by, Kenshin forgot to remind himself that Kaoru was engaged to Akira. He began to enjoy his time with Kaoru. Finally Kaoru dragged him to a spot on the bridge over looking the water. She pulled out the sparklers and handed one to Kenshin. She took one and then lit Kenshin’s.

    "Oro!"

    Kaoru smiled and lit hers, "Aren’t they pretty?"

    Kenshin glanced at Kaoru. She was holding a sparkler. She looked beautiful still, but most of all was her face. It was free of powder. With the moonlight shinning on her face and the sparkler casting shadows he realized it was her face that he loved. It was an open window of emotions. Sadness, concern, happiness, admiration, and especially anger quickly showed on her face. He couldn’t recall seeing love on her face.

    "Your sparkler went out." Kaoru said.

    "Huh?" he said. He looked down and saw the spark had died out. He reached for another and before he could light it the sky erupted with fire.

    "Ooooh! Look, Kenshin!" she said.

    Kenshin looked up and saw fireworks light the sky up. It seemed as though the stars were falling towards them.

    There in the darkness of the night, he stood next to her on the bridge like he had done many times before. She smiled as she looked at the fireworks. "Aren’t they beautiful?" she whispered.

    "Yes, they are." he said looking at her. She didn’t notice, her eyes were trained to the sky.

    She was so close, all he had to do was wrap an arm around her shoulders and bring her close to him. He knew that the closer she was to him the safer he felt for her. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and run away from all the madness he had brought with him.

    Something stopped him. Maybe it was because she was to be engaged to Akira, maybe it was because the moment wasn’t right. If he did do it and Kaoru told him that she was engaged to Akira would his heart stand it? He wanted to hold her, just the way he held her when she slept in his arms, but this time he wanted to hold her in his arms when she was awake. He rose his hand but suddently the last shower of fireworks exploded in the sky and Kaoru exclaimed, "Isn’t this amazing Kenshin? I wish Aki was here to see it."

    He dropped his arm and said with a practiced tone, "Ahhh."

    Akira took Kaoru’s hand, "I need to talk to you alone now." he said urgently.

    Kenshin looked up and saw a small silk pouch clutched in Akira’s other hand. It was hidden behind his back. Kenshin suddently realized what it was inside. A ring. A ring for Kaoru, Akira’s childhood friend and love.

    Kaoru turned to Kenshin questioningly. He suddently covered up his sadness and said with a practiced smile, "It’s all right, Kaoru-dono. I have to go to the market to get some supplies, I also have to find Sano tonight."

    She smiled at him, "Come back tonight, please." she said.

    Kenshin nodded, "Hai." he watched her leave with Akira. Let her tell him she was engaged to Akira. Let her tell him she was no longer free or his. He would smile at her with a practiced face and manner and at night gently slip away from her life the same way he came. He would mysteriously disappear the same way he came. But this time he would leave not as a ruroni, but as a heartbroken man.

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