Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Don't Think Of Me ❯ Don't Think Of Me ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters nor will I ever. I also have no ownership to the song. Don't Think Of Me, the song, is by Dido.

Just a quick note:

Any dialogue not in quotes are thoughts.

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Anything written here is an excerpt from Don't Think Of Me

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A/N- Ok, I don't want to keep you from reading the story so, here it is!

Don't Think Of Me

"Would you like me to carry you across the puddle?" Even though she wasn't wearing any expensive shoes, to him, anything she wore was sacred. It had rained recently and puddles of water still remained. Water glistened off the leaves of trees and shone in the late afternoon sun. They had a wonderful time picking out the perfect kimono for her to wear at the fall festival this year. Everything was going perfectly, nothing could spoil the day.

"You don't need to, Sir Ken. But if you really insist," she said and then giggled. He deserves better than that immature, sweaty, little girl, Kaoru. That little girl could have never brought him this kind of pleasure. And now he's mine. Ha!

"Of course I insist, Miss Megumi, that I do. We wouldn't want your shoes getting wet, now would we?" Having said that, he scooped her up in his arms. She held her hair out of the way while he did so. Kenshin then proceeded to cross the puddle that was hardly more than two feet across in diameter. Each time he stepped, her silky hair brushed against his arm. He smiled at the woman in his arms and she smiled back slyly with a twinkle in her eyes. Once they were safely distanced from the catastrophic puddle, he gently let her down. Instead of releasing Kenshin's neck, she hung on, and gave him a kiss. He kissed back passionately, hands roaming on her back. After what seemed an eternity, they broke their kiss. "That was unexpected," he breathed into her ear.

"I wanted to thank you for carrying me across the puddle which surely would have ruined my shoes had I stepped in it." She smiled at him.

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What are they up to? I know this is wrong to follow them but I have to find out where they are in their relationship!

"Would you like me to carry you across the puddle?" Kenshin offered generously.

What??? Anyone can see that she doesn't need to be carried!

An older couple suddenly walked by and happened to see what Kaoru was doing. "How rude. Young lady, don't you know that it's disrespectful to spy on others? Couldn't you occupy yourself with something else?" When she didn't answer, they rolled their eyes and walked away muttering to one another, "Honestly, they're getting more boorish every generation…"

Once they passed by and decided to start minding their own business, Kaoru stuck her tongue out at their backs. You say to mind my own business but what were you doing watching me??? Hypocrites… Oh! Those two distracted me from watching what Kenshin and Megumi were doing! I hope I didn't miss anything important! She immediately stuck her head back around the corner of the building that she was hiding behind. And what did she see but the two lovebirds kissing each other. Gasp!So it's true, they really are together now. I guess he'll have no more to do with me…

After witnessing such a horrific picture, Kaoru ran. She didn't exactly know where she was running to but so long as it was away from here, it was a perfect place. She began to sob as she ran, sob from the hurt.

Kaoru stopped randomly when she felt that she had placed enough space between herself and the two. The scenery had changed from a bustling market place to an open, deserted meadow. The flowers spread throughout it were already starting to wilt as fall came. They seemed to reflect her downcast thoughts. But hurt turned to anger as she thought about Kenshin and how he had betrayed her. "Well, I guess you really do love her, Kenshin. I just wasn't good enough for you so you decided to go for Megumi instead."

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So you're with her, and not with me

I hope she's sweet, and so pretty

I hear she cooks delightfully

A little angel beside you

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She fell to her knees in frustration and started pounding the ground. "So maybe she is prettier than me. And maybe she can cook better, too, but does that really mean that she's better than me?"

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So you're with her, and not with me

Oh how lucky one man can be

I hear your house is smart and clean

Oh how lovely with your homecoming queen

Oh how lovely it must be

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"Well, you know what Megumi? You can have Kenshin for all I care! If he can't keep his word then he's a liar and a betrayer. I don't need someone like that in my life!" Kaoru screamed to the skies, not caring if anyone heard.

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When you see her sweet smile baby, don't think of me

When she lies in your warm arms, don't think of me

So you're with her, and not with me

I know she spreads sweet honey

In fact your best friend,

I heard he spent last night with her

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"If you ever need me to help you with cleaning and washing I'll never be there again. You can get Megumi to dirty her hands to help you. And when she doesn't want to, you'll see that she doesn't really care that you work so hard. She probably only wants you because you have a lot of power and influence, she doesn't really care much about you. I won't be there anymore to appreciate everything you are."

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Now how do you feel?

How do you feel?

When you see her sweet smile baby, don't think of me

When she lies in your warm arms, don't think of me

And it's too late and it's too bad

Don't think of me

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"This won't work out between you two for long and when you get shot down by Megumi don't think to find any sympathy from me, Kenshin! This path that you have chosen, I cannot sway you from it but I also cannot bring you back. I have no more tears to shed for you." She turned from the empty meadow, prepared to return home. All her tears were gone, and in their place was the resolve to live on without the man who had meant so much to her. She twisted her head around once more to the setting sun. The red light emanating from it reminded her of Kenshin's red hair. She shut her eyes from the light and hardened her heart against it. She resolutely walked away from the sun, away from Kenshin.

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As Kaoru wearily slid open the door to the dojo, she met the faces of a few familiar people. "Dr. Genzai and Ayame and Suzume! What a surprise!"

"Hello Kaoru! I just wanted to see if you could take care of Ayame and Suzume for a little while. I'm going to be taking a trip to a man whose wife has fallen ill."

"Sure. You can just leave them with me. Have a good trip Dr. Genzai," Kaoru said lifelessly as she bade the doctor a good bye.

"Kaoru? Are you all right? You don't look too well. Perhaps I should have a look at you before I leave."

"No, I'm fine. I just feel a bit tired. I'm sure I'll be better after a good night's sleep," she said as she waved off his concern.

"Alright, if you say so." Dr. Genzai began to leave and then said, more to himself than anyone else, "Though I still think you should let me examine you…"

"Bye Grandpa!" Ayame stood in the doorway waving.

"Yeah, bye Grandpa!" Suzume also waved.

Suddenly, Ayame tugged on Kaoru's sleeve, "Kaoru, is Uncle Ken here?"

"Yeah, is Uncle Ken here?" Suzume piped up, also following her sister and tugging on Kaoru's sleeve. When Kenshin left Kaoru for Megumi, Ayame and Suzume weren't there so they don't know what's happened. Dr. Genzai also wasn't present when this happened but he felt that something was wrong when he saw the look in Kaoru's eyes.

Kaoru looked down at the two sisters with a forced smile. "Kenshin won't be here for a while."

"Why not? Why won't Uncle Ken be here?" Ayame asked with a worried look. "Is he fighting again?"

"Yeah, is he fighting again?" asked Suzume and tried to imitate her sister's expression.

"No, Kenshin's not fighting. He took a trip, kind of like what your grandpa did." Kaoru tried to explain in the most vague terms why Kenshin wouldn't be there to play with Ayame and Suzume. It wasn't easy for her to talk about Kenshin when she had just made up her mind to forget everything about him.

"Oh, ok." Ayame looked a bit sad that she wouldn't be able to play with Kenshin. Suzume, as well, looked genuinely sad that she wasn't able to play with Kenshin. Kaoru was at a loss of words at the facial expressions of these two innocent young children.

She sighed. "Come on Ayame and Suzume. It's getting late, why don't we get in to bed?"

"Ok! Will we see Uncle Ken tomorrow then?" Ayame said excitedly.

"Yeah, will we see Uncle Ken tomorrow?" Suzume repeated.

"What?" Kaoru groaned inwardly. Didn't I just tell them that he wouldn't be here for a while? I guess they really are attached to him… Well, it wouldn't be right for me to keep them from seeing Kenshin simply because I don't want to see him. "Alright, I'll take you to see Kenshin tomorrow. But let's go to bed now, ok?"

"Yay! We're going to see Uncle Ken tomorrow!" Ayame shouted happily.

"We're going to see Uncle Ken tomorrow!" Suzume shouted as well.

Kaoru smiled as she led them by the hands to their room. Well, at least he pleases these two…

Once she had them tucked into bed, she walked outside to sit and watch the moonlight. I think I'll just stay here for a while before I go to sleep. The stars are especially beautiful tonight. There isn't a single cloud in the sky. The past few days that Kenshin had been with Megumi I wasn't able to see many stars. It was all clouded up and raining. I wonder why today would be so clear? Kaoru gazed up at the stars, savoring this moment of perfect solitude.

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"Sir Ken! Ah! You're too much!" Megumi screamed.

"I'm just getting started…" Kenshin moved in on her, closing the space between them once more, thrusting himself into her.

"Sir Ken!" His hair was loosed from its usual ponytail and was now cascading down around her face, tickling her whenever it touched her. She kept on screaming his name as he worked in her. When he finally stopped, they were both breathing hard and sweaty from their passionate lovemaking. "You're much better than Sanosuke… He just can't do it right." In this moment, Megumi had lost her bearings and let slip a piece of information. She still had her hands tangled in Kenshin's hair when she said this. She seemed to have lost her senses as someone who drinks too much does.

Kenshin froze. What? She was with Sano??? "What do you mean by 'I'm much better than Sanosuke'?"

"Just the other day, I was with him. He doesn't come anything close to you…" Megumi had now started to massage Kenshin's back, still oblivious as to the effect her words were having on him.

"You mean, that you went shopping with him and you didn't have as good of a time as you did with me?" Kenshin was trying to assure himself that Megumi had not, in fact, been sleeping with Sanosuke.

"I didn't mean that, Sir Ken. I'm sure you knew that. You're much better in bed than he is." That awful sentence was like a death proclamation. It was the death sentence to their relationship. Kenshin forcefully removed her hands from his back and got up. "Sir Ken, where are you going?"

"I'm leaving. I don't understand why you would betray me like this." After saying so he stood up and dressed himself. Without allowing Megumi an explanation, he left not saying another word to her.

"Sir Ken! Don't leave me! Please! Come back to me!" She screamed to his fading back. At this point, she finally realized what she had done and was crying uncontrollably.

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A tear dropped from his eye, followed by another, and then another as he walked away. I can't believe I fell for her in the first place. She was a huge flirt and I knew that. Why couldn't I have had the foresight to see that she would be sleeping with someone else? I don't believe that I deserted Kaoru for this wench.

As he approached the Kamiyaa Dojo, he slowed his pace and finally stopped before the entrance to the dojo. How can I expect her to allow me to stay here anymore after what I did to her? She probably hates me right now. But I have to apologize at least, and if she still doesn't forgive me then I'll just have to keep on wandering. I thought I'd found the place to stop my wanderings, but I guess this just wasn't it. Kenshin walked slowly inside the grounds of the dojo. Moonlight shone about him, seemingly following him and pointing him out, not allowing him any obscured lurking. He was glad for the comfort of the shadows when he passed under a tree branch. Each step took him ever closer to the dojo. As he neared he tried to make his steps smaller, so that he wouldn't have to leave so soon.

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I don't think I've ever counted so many stars. Every time I count one it seems that dozens more appear. Kaoru was interrupted in her thoughts by the soft crunch of a footstep. What was that? Another crunch. There it is again. It sounds like it's coming closer to the dojo. Kaoru picked up her shinai (bamboo sword) and stood, prepared to fight off the intruder. She happened to be in the shadows so the mysterious person didn't see her. When the stranger passed through the shadows and stood in the moonlight she finally recognized who it was.

"Kenshin…" Kaoru lowered her shinai until the tip touched the ground. He still didn't seem to see her yet, but when he got close enough, he saw that there was a person standing there. It was Kaoru.

"Miss Kaoru, I'm sorry," Kenshin said in a near whisper.

Kaoru nearly caved in when she heard those softly spoken words. A part of her wanted to throw her arms around him and tell him that she forgave what he did, but another part told her that he was unforgivable. "What are you doing here?" she questioned harshly. "I thought you would be with Megumi." She nearly spat when she said that name.

"I left her. She told me that she'd been sleeping with Sanosuke, she betrayed me. So I left." Kenshin stood, a few feet from Kaoru, not sure whether he should just turn around now and leave before he caused any more trouble or if he should stay and try to mend things between Kaoru and himself.

"Well, Kenshin, now you know how I felt. You betrayed me by going to Megumi. I can never forgive you for that."

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Does it bother you now all the mess I made

Does it bother you now the clothes you told me not to wear?

Does it bother now all the angry games we played

Does it bother you now when I'm not there?

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"Miss Kaoru, I understand your feelings. I won't try to change them. But please, if you do ever think of me again, try to remember all the good times that we had together. Don't remember me like this. That's all I ask of you."

"Kenshin, if you want me to think of you the way you were then tell me, why did you go to Megumi in the first place? Why did you leave me? Your answer now will always be burned into my heart." Kaoru stared him down coldly, daring him to answer her truthfully.

"I don't know how to answer you without hurting you more. I'm sorry, that's all I have to say," Kenshin said quietly and lowered his head to avoid looking into her glaring eyes.

"If that's all you're going to say then you can just leave now. I don't want to hear anything else that you do have to say. Good-bye, Kenshin." Having said that, Kaoru turned to go inside.

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When you see her sweet smile baby, don't think of me

When she lies in your warm arms, don't think of me

Oh it's too late; oh it's too bad

Don't think of me

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"Good-bye, Miss Kaoru…" Kenshin whispered after she slid the door shut. A single pearled tear slid down his cheek.