Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Back To The Start ❯ Unrequited Love And A Renewed Proposal ( Chapter 20 )

Back To The Start

 

Chapter 20: Unrequited Love And A Renewed Proposal

 

Kenshin and Kaoru blinked blearily at them and asked, “So what?”

 

“So, did you two make up?” Sano snapped.

 

“Aa,” Kenshin simply stated. The crowd whooped and all jumped in to offer their regards.

 

“You know, you two need to stop thinking so much, if you didn't believe these two,” gesturing behind him to Kana and Hatori, “you guys wouldn't be in this fix,” Sano commented flippantly.

 

“Ano…” Kana stepped in, blushing as everyone turned to her, “I'm really sorry. Kenshin, Kaoru-san, I shouldn't have done this. My selfish jealousy got out of hand. Please forgive me.

 

“It's okay, Kana-kun. Actually, you helped us in a way. You showed us that the course of true love never did run smooth,” Kaoru smiled at her.

 

“`Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind, therefore it is winged Cupid painted blind,'” Hatori mused aloud.

 

“Hai, that's true, Hatori,” Kenshin said.

 

“Thank you for understanding. I'm ever so grateful,” Kana gushed.

 

“They may forgive and forget easily, but I don't,” Megumi sneered.

 

“M-Megumi-san. I'm so sorry. I really do regret my actions,” Kana cried, deeply hurt.

 

“Megumi-chan, please. Don't trouble Kana-kun like this. She obviously truly means it. Don't be so hard on her,” Kaoru pleaded for Kana's sake.

 

“Oh, Kaoru-san, thank you so much,” Kana turned saying.

 

“Kaoru! Did you forget what this awful woman did? She sabotaged you and Ken-san's relationship. If you two weren't as dense as a brick, you would've noticed!” Megumi burst out.

 

“Megumi, I'm hurt,” Kaoru frowned and Megumi immediately felt guilty. “I didn't think you would be so unforgiving. Kana-kun has admitted her wrongs and is pleading for our forgiveness. How could you cut her down this way? She has but sincere apologies.” Kaoru's words in Kana's defense were like knives of betrayal to Megumi. Each word stabbed Megumi in the heart one by one.

 

“Kaoru, if you are unable to determine between friend and foe, and would side with your foe who has done wrong, and turn your back on an old friend who is only trying to help you, then we need not be friends,” Megumi retorted frostily.

 

“Megumi, I didn't mean it that way! Anyways, what do you mean `unable to determine between friend and foe?' I see Kana as a friend and you too!” protested Kaoru.

 

“Well, Kaoru, all I wanted was to protect you from he wrath.”

 

“Megumi, please stop. You are one of my most valued friends. Don't let this ruin our friendship.”

 

Megumi stopped, her shoulders sagging upon hearing her heartfelt words. She sighed, “I'm sorry. Out friendship is worth more.” She didn't really want to break off the friendship.

 

“Good,” Kaoru said, smiling.

 

“Anyway, everyone, I truly regret my actions. I hope you all forgive me,” Kana apologized once more.

 

“Kana-dono, please, we all forgive you.”

 

“Thank you so much,” Kana said gratefully looking over to Kenshin and Kaoru. In her heart she'd always known that them two were destined for each other and that she had no place in this. When she looked at them, she felt no sense of jealousy but a feeling of friendship, gratitude, and hope for happiness. When she saw Kenshin, she felt no affection, only a great sense of friendship and pride of having such a wonderful friend. She shocked herself with the discovery of her true feelings. But, one glance at Hatori sent her heart racing. Had she fallen in love with him?

 

Kana's thoughts were scattered upon hearing Hatori speak. “Perhaps, we should let these two recollect what's been broken,” Hatori spoke, hinting at Kenshin's proposal renewal. Kenshin gave a brief nod in agreement, and then his eyes widened, “Oro! This one left something in his room! This one has to go get it!” Kenshin exclaimed, remembering that the ring was in his room. When his friends heard the emphasis on the words “something” and “it,” they stopped trying to stop him from leaving the room. So, with a half smile at everyone, he scurried to his room to grab the ring. Kaoru sat on the futon, frozen in place, puzzled. You could practically see the question marks floating over her head in confusion. The members of the party shared a secret smile and all quietly exited upon seeing Kenshin leave his room. Kenshin smiled at his fiancée-to-be-for-the-second-time, as he walked into her room to propose yet again. Kaoru's response, though, was a tilt of the head quizzically.

At that, Kenshin merely gave a mysterious smile and whispered, “You'll se very soon.”

 

Kaoru frowned but kept her mouth shut. Kenshin nervously fumbled in his sleeve for the ring, only making Kaoru more curious.

 

 

Outside, Hatori wasn't having any easier of a time confessing his love for his angel, Kana. Kana was surprised that Hatori would call her out to talk right now, but curiosity got the better of her and she obliged. As she looked up into Hatori's handsome face, her heart began hammering in her chest and one thing finally became clear to her. She'd fallen in love with this guy. Now, he was the one that sent blood rushing to her cheeks, sent her heart racing, made her go weak at the knees, feel warm and fuzzy inside, brought a smile to her face, and gave her a sense of security whenever she was around him. She unknowingly developed a die-hard crush on this guy that blossomed into a perhaps eternal love between them.

 

“K-Kana,” Hatori stuttered out nervously. `Oh my god, what if she rejects me? She fell in love with Kenshin, so could she still be in love with him? Oh, but I can offer her so much more. Like my forever lasting love for her. Either way, I have to tell her how I truly feel about her.'

 

“Yes, Hatori? Did you have something to tell me?” Kana asked sweetly, looking up at Hatori with such an adorable face that made him think, `Oh, god, is she for real?'

 

“Ye-Yeah. I had something to tell you.”

 

“Go on, Hatori. What is it?” Kana probed.

 

“It's-It's… Kana, promise me you won't get mad or anything,” Hatori babbled.

 

“Sure, of course, anything,” Kana answered, waving her hand distractedly.

 

Hatori took a deep breath and confessed, “Well, Kana, to put it simply, I-I love you.”

 

 

“K-Kaoru, this one still loves you so much…” Kenshin began.

 

“I love you too, Kenshin,” Kaoru replied warmly.

 

“Then,” Kenshin started, pulling the ring out of his sleeve again, he held it out before his beloved and finished, “as this one has stated previously, you are my world and love you, so Kamiya Kaoru, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

 

“Oh, Kenshin!” Kaoru whispered, tears filling her eyes, “of course I will! I'm so happy you asked me again!” Kaoru cried, throwing herself into her new fiancée's arms.

 

“Good. This one is glad too,” Kenshin murmured into her hair. When they broke apart, Kenshin took Kaoru's left hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. Once again, Kaoru glomped him. Kenshin laughed happily, hugging her back.

 

“This one is glad we're together again, Kaoru.” Kenshin's only answer was Kaoru's face burrowing deeper into his chest. Kenshin smiled and held her all the tighter.

 

 

Meanwhile, Kana was standing dumbstruck. `He said that he loves me! Oh my god! Kami, he loves me! Before I would have brushed him off right away, but now, but now… I've fallen for him. I love him too. Oh stupid throat, you had to dry up now! I have to tell Hatori that I feel the same way before he leaves. Oh no, he's disappointed! No, Hatori, give me a chance to speak!'

 

Hatori turned to leave, heaving a big sigh until he heard Kana's melodic voice call out, “Hatori! Please stop! Wait one moment! I have something to say!” Hatori's heart leapt in joy.

 

“Hatori, I've been denying this, even to myself, I-I, I love you too. I fell in love with you long ago, but I couldn't admit it. I was too caught up in my Kenshin fantasy to see anything else. But, Hatori… Hatori you've been there all this time. Right under my nose, and I couldn't see what we can share. Now, I do though. You've loved me all this time, haven't you, Hatori?” Kana blurted out, but finished softly, each word falling out of her mouth like a soft marshmallow, smiling at her suitor.

 

“Hai, I have. I've always loved you, since I first laid eyes on you. But, I just wanted you to be happy, so… I went along with your scheme. I figured, if you were happy, that was all I could hope for. So, I helped you. I'm so glad you love me too, though. I've always loved you. All this time,” Hatori responded, his heart soaring. Kana had tears in her eyes upon hearing Hatori's heartfelt words. She'd been blind to who had loved her all along.

 

“Oh, Hatori,” with each word, the two were swaying towards each other, and finally they closed the distance between their lips and their lips met in a long overdue kiss. When they broke apart, everyone was cheering.

 

“About time you two got your act together!” Sano shouted, causing both Kana and Hatori to blush vigorously.

 

Finally, Kana's gaze drifted to Kenshin and Kaoru holding hands, and she caught sight of the ring on Kaoru's finger once again.

 

“Kaoru-san! I'm happy for you! For real this time.”

 

Kaoru laughed and said simply, “Thank you, Kana-kun.” Kana gave a happy smile in return. All was well again, what was left? Oh, right, the wedding.

 

Kaoru and the other women were frantic on the wedding day. The bride and groom had run about correcting last minute details the day before and not to mention half forgot about their own rehearsal dinner. The couple decided on a western styled wedding, with Japanese styled dress. But, nonetheless, since it was their wedding, something had to go wrong. Half their guests canceled on them at the last minute and the wedding was half late because of the idiocy of the two people. But, finally, the moment came; the moment to say, “I do,” that, at least, passed without incident. Now the newlyweds set off on their honeymoon together, forever.

 

Author's Notes: Hey, minna-san. This is not the last chapter, no matter how much it seems so. There is one more chapter, the Epilogue. So, this fic is really almost over. All is well now. Kenshin and Kaoru are married, and Kana and Hatori are together. The Epilogue just wraps up the end. I think that the characters were a little OOC'ed this chapter, do you? This I believe is my longest chapter yet. Ja!