Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Back To The Start ❯ Memories and the Date ( Chapter 16 )

Back To The Start

 

Chapter 16: Memories and the Date

 

In his room, Kenshin sat against the wall and turned the engagement ring over repeatedly in his hands and Kaoru's smiling face floated before his eyes. He smiled a sad smile and whispered to the imaginary Kaoru, “Kaoru, why did you leave me? I love you more than anything.”

 

Finally, he knew what to do. Kenshin got up and started toward Sano's. Kana watched him leave from the deck sadly, noting his dejected posture. She sighed.

 

When Kenshin got to Sano's, he knocked and Sano slid the door open. “Hey, Buddy! What's up? Missy throw ya out?”

 

“Iie,” Kenshin gave a hollow one-word response.

 

Sano could see that something was wrong. He carefully noted his friend's posture. When he got to his eyes, Sano drew in a breath thinking, `His eyes look like they did in Rakuninmura.'

 

“Kenshin. Come in, what happened?”

 

“Kaoru broke the engagement.”

 

“WHAT??!!! You're kidding!”

 

“Iie. She gave this one the ring back. This one thought she loved this one,” Kenshin said handing Sano the ring.

 

“D-Demo, she loves you,” Sano stuttered looking at the ring in his hands. “What happened?”

 

“She cheated on this one.”

 

“WHAT??!! Iie, not the Missy. She couldn't have.” Kenshin didn't respond.

 

“This one is having dinner with Kana-dono tomorrow night. She offered.”

 

“You can't. You still love Kaoru. If you go out with her, she'll never come back to you,” Sano said tactlessly. “And, why, did you agree to this date?! Are you crazy? You know, she should never have offered!” `What are they up to?' Sano thought, narrowing his eyes, deep in thought.

 

“This one has already lost her,” came Kenshin's response, ignoring Sano's protests.

 

“Let's have some sake. It'll make you forget.”

 

So, with that, Sano and Kenshin drank the night away. Kenshin woke with a bad hangover, and left before Sano woke up, hastily scribbling a note. Kenshin trudged along home and began to get dressed for his dinner just before 7. But, before he went home, he was in a slight reverie. So, he relied on his feet to take him home. When he woke, he realized where he was.

 

“This is where Kaoru and I first met,” Kenshin whispered, dumbfounded, and walked to the still scattered crates that he'd jumped on to avoid Kaoru's bokken. It looked as if no one had passed through here since.

 

He glanced around and the memories of that night suddenly flooded back into his head in tidal waves. He remembered hearing the name “Hitokiri Battousai!” yelled by a feminine voice, and his chest tightened upon hearing those words. He feared that he'd been found out. When he turned, he saw a young girl leaping at him, armed with merely a bokken. She wouldn't stand a chance against a guy with a real sword. So to feign innocence, Kenshin jumped toward a pile of crates to “avoid” her blow, not realizing that they would collapse. Now, he lay in a heap on the ground and Kaoru came over with a curious look on her face. So, Kenshin showed her the sakabatou and Kaoru believed him willingly. Who would expect Hitokiri Battousai to carry a sakabatou? When the police whistle came, Kaoru ran off and Kenshin followed out of curiosity.

 

At this, Kenshin smiled slightly, fingering the fallen crates of long ago. Now, diving back into the realm of memories, Kenshin remembered himself saving a woman he'd just met, not realizing how significant this was, years later. So, he brought Kaoru home and wondered about her.

 

Now in the present, the rurouni gave a sad smile and left for home, unknowing that in a far off corner, Kaoru was watching. She'd come to think today and was watching him for a few minutes until he left. She thought, 'Oh, Kenshin. How I miss you.' This is where it all began for us.' Finally, she as well, turned away to Megumi's.

 

Back home, Kana busied herself in her room with her outfit. She finally settled on a purple kimono with a silver obi. Her outfit wasn't intricate, but she felt satisfied.

 

“Kenshin, shall we go?” Kaoru asked.

 

“Hai.”

 

They set off toward Akabeko, and when they got there, Hatori and Kaoru had just arrived as well. Seeing Kaoru brought memories back to Kenshin, making him look away. But, before he did so, he had to admit that she looked beautiful. Kaoru wore a sapphire blue kimono that accented her eyes and a purple kimono. Apple green blossoms were scattered over her kimono. Kana felt childish next to Kaoru, but said nothing. She noticed that Kenshin stared at Kaoru with a sad longing in his eyes for a minute before turning away. After sitting, they made small talk, but said little. Everyone could see the way Kenshin and Kaoru avoided each other's gaze. Although neither said a word they both thought, `So that's the guy/girl she/he dumped me for.' When they left, they walked toward the dojo in silence. But, suddenly, a man jumped out of an alleyway and snatched Kaoru. He ran in the opposite direction as fast as he could.

 

Author's Notes: Hi! Here I am with chapter 16. Yes, Kaoru gets kidnapped, and maybe she seems a little like a damsel in distress, but this does have a significant part in the story. Hope you all don't think Kaoru is too damsel in distress-y, but more of this will come in the next chapter. Kaoru's not exactly on guard right now, so she is kinda prone to this kind of thing. See you all next chappie!