Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Flight of the Wounded Dove ❯ Arrangements ( Chapter 11 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Shaeya Sedjet Namir 
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Hentai / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 06.18.2007 | Updated On: 06.21.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 393 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Hentai / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 06.18.2007 | Updated On: 06.21.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 393 | Status: Work In Progress
A Note from Sedjet: Hiya, kids! Here it is! The long awaited eleventh installment of FotWD. I hope ya dig it! And to my reviewers:
Disclaimer: I am in no way claiming to own any sort of right to Rurouni Kenshin! I just like to pretend that I am god and bend the characters to my will. Mwahahaha!!! Ahem. Kenshin and his friends actually belong to Noburhiro Watsuki.
Flight of the Wounded Dove
Chapter Eleven:
Arrangements
“WHAT?!” Takani Megumi screeched as she stared open mouthed across the table at Kaoru.
“Yes, Megumi-san, Kenshin and I are to be wed.”
“Well, it is about time, Tanuki-chan,” The older woman smiled warmly at Kaoru.
Kaoru blushed and looked at her teacup, “Sano said the very same thing.”
Megumi scoffed, “What would that tori-atama know about anything?”
Without looking up from her teacup, Kaoru suggested, “Perhaps now he will take a cue from Kenshin.”
The Megitsune choked on her tea, “WHAT?! You must be joking, Tanuki-chan! That dolt…and me?!”
Kaoru looked up, not bothering to hide her coy smile, “I never said he would propose to you. Do you assume because you secretly hope he will ask for your hand?”
“What?!” The normally composed and graceful doctor spluttered for the third time. “Do you suggest that I would encourage the attentions of that…that…tori-atama?!”
Kaoru grinned from ear to ear, “Why yes, Megumi-san. That is exactly what I am suggesting.”
Megumi’s mouth worked, but no sound came out. “Are you suggesting that I am in love with Sagara Sanosuke?”
“Oh, I think you just admitted it freely, Megumi-san. I never said anything of the like.”
“Do you really think he will propose?” The doctor asked solemnly, looking at her hands.
“I do not know, Megumi-san. I do know that he is very fond of you. I see it in the way he looks at you when you are not paying attention. He softens. I think he just needs to work up the courage. Perhaps you could give him a bit of encouragement. Give him a reason to work up the nerve. He thinks you hate him.”
Megumi huffed, “Men are stupid.”
Kaoru giggled.
“Well, look at Kenshin! You follow him to the ends of the earth and he never suspects how you feel about him. He waits until you have a nervous breakdown and run off to Kami knows where before he realizes what he might lose. And that stupid chicken-head,” she muttered. “He cannot be serious about the smallest thing. He just gambles and drinks his life away.”
“And moons over you.” Kaoru added.
Megumi sighed heavily, “I just thought he was badgering me.”
Kaoru gave her a gentle smile, “It seems we women are no better than the males when it comes to love, ne, Megitsune?”
Megumi just stared into her teacup, turning it round and round between her long, elegant fingers.
Kaoru woke to a frantic pounding on the frame of the main door to the house proper. She grumbled and combed her fingers through her hair in a vain attempt to smooth the snarls as she padded, barefoot, to the door. Kenshin had already donned a yukata and had beaten her out to the hall. His presence surprised Kaoru so that she nearly ran into him. Her eyes widened and she wrapped her yukata tighter around herself. She blushed at her state of dress and bowed her head. She hated for him to see her before she was fully ready to start the day. She didn’t see his soft smile or the way his eyes appraised her mussed features.
“Shall we?” he queried softly in a voice clear and free of the sleep-crusties. Kaoru nodded her acquiescence and, together, they went to the main door.
What the newly engaged couple was not prepared for was a hyperactive and way too awake Tae. The older woman squealed when they answered the door together.
“I knew it!”
“Knew what?” Kaoru asked, perplexed.
Kenshin smiled at his fiancé’s innocence. “Nothing of that nature has happened yet, Tae-san, and shame on you for encouraging sexual relations before marriage.” He scolded, playfully.
The older woman pouted, “I just knew we would have little Kaorus and Kenshins running about.”
For her part, Kaoru was scandalized. She stood next to Kenshin, her mouth gaping like a koi. Tae turned her gaze to the young woman, “Dear, do not gape like that. You’ll catch flies.”
Kenshin chuckled as Kaoru snapped her mouth shut.
“Well, I have come to help Kaoru begin preparations for the wedding,” Tae chirped happily.
Kaoru face-faulted, “Tae, we just came back from a very long trip. I am so tired! The wedding isn’t for another three months.”
“And that is precisely why we must begin now!” Tae said adamantly. “Now, Kenshin, if you could just leave us to our business. We will probably not be done before lunch.”
Kaoru’s eyes widened an impossible amount. “Tae! There cannot be that much to plan! The ceremony is going to be very small. Certainly, it cannot need that much preparation.
“Oh, my dear,” the older woman said placatingly, “There are flowers, and the matter of your kimonos and—“
Kenshin smiled with a measure of pride, remembering what kimono his fiancé had chosen for her wedding attire. “Kaoru already has her kimono.”
Tae’s face fell. “Well, the flowers, then…” Kaoru moaned and turned in the direction of her room. “At least give me a chance to bathe and dress properly, Tae.” She glared over her shoulder at Kenshin. “Why don’t you have to be subjected to this?”
He shrugged and watched the seductive sway of his fiancé’s hips as she walked away.
He heaved a sigh of relief, “I am so glad that Kami did not make me a woman. Follow me, Tae. I will make you some tea. Then, I must go prepare Kaoru’s bath.”
“Oh, how romantic!” She gushed.
After bathing and dressing in one of her older kimonos, Kaoru found herself seated at the low dining table. Tae was chattering on about flowers and invitations and food. Kaoru took several deep, cleansing breaths before venturing to speak, “Tae, as I said before, this will be a very small ceremony. Small and simple. I don’t want anything elaborate. Just an intimate ceremony with friends.” She spoke very slowly in case Tae had some sort of mental defect that rendered her incapable of understanding such a simple concept.
The older woman huffed, “Fine, fine, but you must choose a calligrapher to make your invitations. They must be a work of art. They must—“
“Why can’t they be simple like us?”
Tae gave her a knowing look from the corner of her eye, “If you want something to represent the two of you, you would end up with a very tacky set of invitations. Simple! The two of you are probably the two most complex individuals that I know! It would not have taken normal people over two years to finally share their feelings with one another, and even so, it would not have taken such drastic measures to accomplish it.” She said sagely. “But, if you want simple, I can suggest a few people. Of course, we should look at samples from each calligrapher—“
“I have a thought, Tae, why don’t you pick the best one you can think of? The invitations need only the date and place.”
“What about a romantic poem, Kaoru?”
“No.”
“A nice illustration, perhaps?”
Kaoru took another calming breath, “Tae, this might not take all morning if you would just listen to me.”
The older woman put on her best pout and Kaoru grabbed at her hair.
When the arrangements were made and Tae was sent on her merry way, Kaoru sought out Kenshin in the yard. After four grueling hours of fighting with Tae about what color the calligraphy paper should be, what kind of flowers would go in the arrangements and the menu for reception, Kaoru needed a nap. She found her not-so-rurouni up to his elbows in soapsuds, scrubbing away at the laundry. Kaoru smiled, watching the man she loved labor over a woman’s chore.
“Kenshin,” she called softly, and he looked up at her from his labor. A brilliant smile lit his features, and Kaoru’s heart skipped a beat.
“Hai, koiishi! Tae is gone, I suspect.” It was not a question. He hadn’t seen his fiancé in several hours because of the wedding planning session. Since she had sought him out, the chances were that Tae was gone.
She nodded in unneeded affirmation. “Hai. Let’s have lunch. I’m starving…and I need a nap,” she muttered with a wry smile.
Kenshin smiled, “Hai. I will finish up here and prepare lunch.”
Kaoru smiled gratefully, “Arigato, Kenshin.” She made to leave, but turned back to him, biting her lip. “Um...” she began tentatively. “Maybe we could make lunch together? I mean—well--I've been practicing. And if you were there to guide me, things couldn't go too terribly, ne?”
Kenshin was genuinely touched by her request. She had never asked for his help in the kitchen before. In fact, he could not remember Kaoru ever asking him for anything. His heart swelled with a joy that filled his eyes and shone outward at her. “Hai, koishii. I would enjoy that very much.
Kaoru smiled and ducked her head shyly and took the arm he offered her.
~*~
The couple stood in the kitchen and Kenshin chuckled inwardly as Kaoru cut vegetables with the tiniest tip of her tongue poking from side of her mouth. She was trying her best not to butcher the sweet potatoes , eggplant and shiitake mushrooms she was working on.
“They are only vegetables, koishii. It does not matter what they look like,” he said with a gentle smile.
She turned to him with fire in her eyes, brandishing the knife in his direction. “I WILL get this, Kenshin! They are just vegetables! It can't be that difficult! I teach swordsmanship! I should be able to do this!”
She continued to rant and Kenshin cringed with every gesture she made with the knife. He considered for a moment how scary Kaoru could really be. The Battousai, however, was perversely pleased. Yes, she was definitely made to be our woman. When her tirade was finished, she turned back to the cutting board and once again became engrossed in chopping vegetables. Kenshin had to admit that her tenacity was admirable. She tackled every challenge she met with a fervor three-year olds would envy. It was another of the many things he admired about the woman. He watched her for another moment before he went back to cutting the tofu.
It was not long before Kaoru turned to Kenshin with a grin on her face. “They are done, Kenshin.” She moved out of the way so he could inspect her handiwork.
As he glanced over the vegetables, she peered over his shoulder. “Well?”
Kenshin nodded. “You did a very good job, koishii. My only suggestion is to be careful of the pressure you use in the middle. Do you see how the slices get thinner at the bottom?” She nodded and he continued. “It is because you become unsure of yourself in the middle and, consequently, the pressure you are using becomes uneven and the angle of the knife changes, causing the difference in thickness. Think of it as a kata. When you are doing your kata, you are following through with clean, sharp strokes. When you are cutting vegetables, you need the same confidence you have as you complete the kata.”
Kaoru nodded. Once he put it that way, it seemed so easy. She logged the analogy away in her mind for future use. He smiled at her reaction. It wasn't the criticism she rebelled against, it was the manner in which it was spoken to her. Rather than responding with violence, she considered it thoughtfully. He suspected the comparison to kata helped as well. It was a concept she could easily grasp and apply to the situation.
“Do you think you can handle putting everything together?”
Her chin took that stubborn tilt that he had come to adore. “Do your worst.”
“Do you remember what I said earlier about seasonings?”
She blushed. “Yes: Seasonings should be used sparingly and only to enhance the flavor of the dish.”
Kenshin smiled softly, “Exactly, unless you want to make an extra-spicy dish, but that is a lesson for another day.” She bit her lip and he chuckled. “Now, show me how much ginger you would add to the tempura batter.”
Kaoru bit her lip and scooped a heaping spoonful of grated ginger from a small bowl. Kenshin chuckled and gently lowered her hand back to the bowl. “Close, koishii. If you are using a spoon to measure the amount of a spice you need for a dish, then your spoon should be leveled. Ginger is an especially potent herb, so we will not need to use as much as we would if we were using a different spice.” As he spoke, he emptied her spoon of its contents and gripped her wrist lightly. He guided her and her spoon into the bowl to show her the correct amount of ginger needed. “Do you see?”
She nodded brightly. “The amount of ginger is level with the bowl of the spoon.”
Kenshin grinned and kissed the tip of her nose.
It went on like that, Kenshin quizzing Kaoru and gently correcting her when she was wrong, which was less often that he would have originally thought. As they battered the shrimp and vegetables for the tempura, placing them into the hot oil, Kenshin explained how to tell when the tempura was thoroughly cooked. To illustrate, he purposely burned one of the battered vegetables and proceeded to undercook one. Then, he placed his examples on a cloth and turned to Kaoru. He pointed to the overcooked vegetable. “What do you see here?”
Kaoru looked at him as if he had grown two heads. “It looks like my cooking.”
Kenshin struggled to keep a straight face and lost miserably. He poked at the darkened sweet potato. “Do you see how it has become soft and mushy?” She nodded. “And you have already pointed out that it is slightly overcooked.”
“Burnt to a crisp, you mean,” she muttered wryly.
“Iie, Kaoru. This is not a lesson about what you are doing wrong. It is a lesson about learning how to perfect your skill. Think of this part as the meditation after your kata. You must give it the same concentration you would give to your meditation.” She nodded and he pointed to the undercooked slice of mushroom. “Do you see how, on this piece, the batter isn't quite cooked thoroughly. It lacks the crispy shell that we are looking for. If anyone were to bite into it, it may still be cool in the middle.” He reached into the bowl of shrimp and dipped one into the tempura batter. He then placed it gently into the oil. “Now, I will show you what tempura is supposed to look like when cooked properly.” He waited a moment until the coated shrimp began to brown. “Do you see how it changes color as it cooks? Depending on how hot your fire is, it could be quicker or slower. However, we are looking for the batter to solidify and turn a golden brown.” He reached out with a pair of chopsticks to snatch the shrimp out of the pan. “Like this.” He held it up for her inspection. “It does not have to be exactly this color. We just want it to be somewhere between my two earlier examples. Do you understand?”
Kaoru nodded slowly, “I think so...but I'm sure I would trust my own judgment.”
“You will be hesitant your first few times. That's why I am here.” He reached up to wipe a bit of tempura batter from her cheek. “You can ask my opinion if you are feeling unsure of yourself, but your gut should tell you when it is finished. If you would listen to your instincts as easily in cooking as you did in martial arts, you would have no problem at all. Your problem with cooking is in your self doubt.”
Kaoru considered his words for a moment and picked out a piece of shrimp to batter. She placed it into the pan and watched it sizzle for a moment. She prodded around at it as she had seen Kenshin do and watched as it slowly began to change color. When it was ready, she instinctively looked to Kenshin for approval. He smiled softly and nodded his assent. She grinned and picked it out with her chopsticks.
“Very good, koishii.”
“This isn't so tough,” she grumbled. “I just needed to someone to show me how to do it.”
And so it went, Kaoru battering vegetables and shrimp (even being so adventurous as to try frying three or four at a time) and checking Kenshin for his opinion.
~*~
After a lunch, the newly engaged couple stood doing dishes side by side. When Kenshin had dried the last dish and put it in its proper place, he turned to Kaoru. “Are you ready for that nap?”
Kaoru nodded, a relieved smile playing across her lips. Kenshin seemed to hesitate for a moment and Kaoru prompted him, “What is it, Kenshin?”
“Would you mind if I joined you for that nap?”
Kaoru blushed, a slow smile spreading across her features. “Iie,” she whispered.
Taking her hand in his, Kenshin smiled and led the way to Kaoru’s room. He pulled back the bedding on her futon and sank gracefully onto the soft pallet. He situated himself before beckoning to her to join him. She sank down onto the softness of the mattress, more than a little unsure of herself. Kenshin took note of her shy behavior and helped her find the most comfortable position. With her head nestled into the hollow of his shoulder, the last thing Kaoru remembered was the feeling of Kenshin pressing a kiss against the crown of her head.
TBC...
Author’s Note: HA!! I kicked my writer’s block in the ass!!!!! Woohoo!!! It’s not as intense as past chapters, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway!
Disclaimer: I am in no way claiming to own any sort of right to Rurouni Kenshin! I just like to pretend that I am god and bend the characters to my will. Mwahahaha!!! Ahem. Kenshin and his friends actually belong to Noburhiro Watsuki.
Flight of the Wounded Dove
Chapter Eleven:
Arrangements
“WHAT?!” Takani Megumi screeched as she stared open mouthed across the table at Kaoru.
“Yes, Megumi-san, Kenshin and I are to be wed.”
“Well, it is about time, Tanuki-chan,” The older woman smiled warmly at Kaoru.
Kaoru blushed and looked at her teacup, “Sano said the very same thing.”
Megumi scoffed, “What would that tori-atama know about anything?”
Without looking up from her teacup, Kaoru suggested, “Perhaps now he will take a cue from Kenshin.”
The Megitsune choked on her tea, “WHAT?! You must be joking, Tanuki-chan! That dolt…and me?!”
Kaoru looked up, not bothering to hide her coy smile, “I never said he would propose to you. Do you assume because you secretly hope he will ask for your hand?”
“What?!” The normally composed and graceful doctor spluttered for the third time. “Do you suggest that I would encourage the attentions of that…that…tori-atama?!”
Kaoru grinned from ear to ear, “Why yes, Megumi-san. That is exactly what I am suggesting.”
Megumi’s mouth worked, but no sound came out. “Are you suggesting that I am in love with Sagara Sanosuke?”
“Oh, I think you just admitted it freely, Megumi-san. I never said anything of the like.”
“Do you really think he will propose?” The doctor asked solemnly, looking at her hands.
“I do not know, Megumi-san. I do know that he is very fond of you. I see it in the way he looks at you when you are not paying attention. He softens. I think he just needs to work up the courage. Perhaps you could give him a bit of encouragement. Give him a reason to work up the nerve. He thinks you hate him.”
Megumi huffed, “Men are stupid.”
Kaoru giggled.
“Well, look at Kenshin! You follow him to the ends of the earth and he never suspects how you feel about him. He waits until you have a nervous breakdown and run off to Kami knows where before he realizes what he might lose. And that stupid chicken-head,” she muttered. “He cannot be serious about the smallest thing. He just gambles and drinks his life away.”
“And moons over you.” Kaoru added.
Megumi sighed heavily, “I just thought he was badgering me.”
Kaoru gave her a gentle smile, “It seems we women are no better than the males when it comes to love, ne, Megitsune?”
Megumi just stared into her teacup, turning it round and round between her long, elegant fingers.
Kaoru woke to a frantic pounding on the frame of the main door to the house proper. She grumbled and combed her fingers through her hair in a vain attempt to smooth the snarls as she padded, barefoot, to the door. Kenshin had already donned a yukata and had beaten her out to the hall. His presence surprised Kaoru so that she nearly ran into him. Her eyes widened and she wrapped her yukata tighter around herself. She blushed at her state of dress and bowed her head. She hated for him to see her before she was fully ready to start the day. She didn’t see his soft smile or the way his eyes appraised her mussed features.
“Shall we?” he queried softly in a voice clear and free of the sleep-crusties. Kaoru nodded her acquiescence and, together, they went to the main door.
What the newly engaged couple was not prepared for was a hyperactive and way too awake Tae. The older woman squealed when they answered the door together.
“I knew it!”
“Knew what?” Kaoru asked, perplexed.
Kenshin smiled at his fiancé’s innocence. “Nothing of that nature has happened yet, Tae-san, and shame on you for encouraging sexual relations before marriage.” He scolded, playfully.
The older woman pouted, “I just knew we would have little Kaorus and Kenshins running about.”
For her part, Kaoru was scandalized. She stood next to Kenshin, her mouth gaping like a koi. Tae turned her gaze to the young woman, “Dear, do not gape like that. You’ll catch flies.”
Kenshin chuckled as Kaoru snapped her mouth shut.
“Well, I have come to help Kaoru begin preparations for the wedding,” Tae chirped happily.
Kaoru face-faulted, “Tae, we just came back from a very long trip. I am so tired! The wedding isn’t for another three months.”
“And that is precisely why we must begin now!” Tae said adamantly. “Now, Kenshin, if you could just leave us to our business. We will probably not be done before lunch.”
Kaoru’s eyes widened an impossible amount. “Tae! There cannot be that much to plan! The ceremony is going to be very small. Certainly, it cannot need that much preparation.
“Oh, my dear,” the older woman said placatingly, “There are flowers, and the matter of your kimonos and—“
Kenshin smiled with a measure of pride, remembering what kimono his fiancé had chosen for her wedding attire. “Kaoru already has her kimono.”
Tae’s face fell. “Well, the flowers, then…” Kaoru moaned and turned in the direction of her room. “At least give me a chance to bathe and dress properly, Tae.” She glared over her shoulder at Kenshin. “Why don’t you have to be subjected to this?”
He shrugged and watched the seductive sway of his fiancé’s hips as she walked away.
He heaved a sigh of relief, “I am so glad that Kami did not make me a woman. Follow me, Tae. I will make you some tea. Then, I must go prepare Kaoru’s bath.”
“Oh, how romantic!” She gushed.
After bathing and dressing in one of her older kimonos, Kaoru found herself seated at the low dining table. Tae was chattering on about flowers and invitations and food. Kaoru took several deep, cleansing breaths before venturing to speak, “Tae, as I said before, this will be a very small ceremony. Small and simple. I don’t want anything elaborate. Just an intimate ceremony with friends.” She spoke very slowly in case Tae had some sort of mental defect that rendered her incapable of understanding such a simple concept.
The older woman huffed, “Fine, fine, but you must choose a calligrapher to make your invitations. They must be a work of art. They must—“
“Why can’t they be simple like us?”
Tae gave her a knowing look from the corner of her eye, “If you want something to represent the two of you, you would end up with a very tacky set of invitations. Simple! The two of you are probably the two most complex individuals that I know! It would not have taken normal people over two years to finally share their feelings with one another, and even so, it would not have taken such drastic measures to accomplish it.” She said sagely. “But, if you want simple, I can suggest a few people. Of course, we should look at samples from each calligrapher—“
“I have a thought, Tae, why don’t you pick the best one you can think of? The invitations need only the date and place.”
“What about a romantic poem, Kaoru?”
“No.”
“A nice illustration, perhaps?”
Kaoru took another calming breath, “Tae, this might not take all morning if you would just listen to me.”
The older woman put on her best pout and Kaoru grabbed at her hair.
When the arrangements were made and Tae was sent on her merry way, Kaoru sought out Kenshin in the yard. After four grueling hours of fighting with Tae about what color the calligraphy paper should be, what kind of flowers would go in the arrangements and the menu for reception, Kaoru needed a nap. She found her not-so-rurouni up to his elbows in soapsuds, scrubbing away at the laundry. Kaoru smiled, watching the man she loved labor over a woman’s chore.
“Kenshin,” she called softly, and he looked up at her from his labor. A brilliant smile lit his features, and Kaoru’s heart skipped a beat.
“Hai, koiishi! Tae is gone, I suspect.” It was not a question. He hadn’t seen his fiancé in several hours because of the wedding planning session. Since she had sought him out, the chances were that Tae was gone.
She nodded in unneeded affirmation. “Hai. Let’s have lunch. I’m starving…and I need a nap,” she muttered with a wry smile.
Kenshin smiled, “Hai. I will finish up here and prepare lunch.”
Kaoru smiled gratefully, “Arigato, Kenshin.” She made to leave, but turned back to him, biting her lip. “Um...” she began tentatively. “Maybe we could make lunch together? I mean—well--I've been practicing. And if you were there to guide me, things couldn't go too terribly, ne?”
Kenshin was genuinely touched by her request. She had never asked for his help in the kitchen before. In fact, he could not remember Kaoru ever asking him for anything. His heart swelled with a joy that filled his eyes and shone outward at her. “Hai, koishii. I would enjoy that very much.
Kaoru smiled and ducked her head shyly and took the arm he offered her.
~*~
The couple stood in the kitchen and Kenshin chuckled inwardly as Kaoru cut vegetables with the tiniest tip of her tongue poking from side of her mouth. She was trying her best not to butcher the sweet potatoes , eggplant and shiitake mushrooms she was working on.
“They are only vegetables, koishii. It does not matter what they look like,” he said with a gentle smile.
She turned to him with fire in her eyes, brandishing the knife in his direction. “I WILL get this, Kenshin! They are just vegetables! It can't be that difficult! I teach swordsmanship! I should be able to do this!”
She continued to rant and Kenshin cringed with every gesture she made with the knife. He considered for a moment how scary Kaoru could really be. The Battousai, however, was perversely pleased. Yes, she was definitely made to be our woman. When her tirade was finished, she turned back to the cutting board and once again became engrossed in chopping vegetables. Kenshin had to admit that her tenacity was admirable. She tackled every challenge she met with a fervor three-year olds would envy. It was another of the many things he admired about the woman. He watched her for another moment before he went back to cutting the tofu.
It was not long before Kaoru turned to Kenshin with a grin on her face. “They are done, Kenshin.” She moved out of the way so he could inspect her handiwork.
As he glanced over the vegetables, she peered over his shoulder. “Well?”
Kenshin nodded. “You did a very good job, koishii. My only suggestion is to be careful of the pressure you use in the middle. Do you see how the slices get thinner at the bottom?” She nodded and he continued. “It is because you become unsure of yourself in the middle and, consequently, the pressure you are using becomes uneven and the angle of the knife changes, causing the difference in thickness. Think of it as a kata. When you are doing your kata, you are following through with clean, sharp strokes. When you are cutting vegetables, you need the same confidence you have as you complete the kata.”
Kaoru nodded. Once he put it that way, it seemed so easy. She logged the analogy away in her mind for future use. He smiled at her reaction. It wasn't the criticism she rebelled against, it was the manner in which it was spoken to her. Rather than responding with violence, she considered it thoughtfully. He suspected the comparison to kata helped as well. It was a concept she could easily grasp and apply to the situation.
“Do you think you can handle putting everything together?”
Her chin took that stubborn tilt that he had come to adore. “Do your worst.”
“Do you remember what I said earlier about seasonings?”
She blushed. “Yes: Seasonings should be used sparingly and only to enhance the flavor of the dish.”
Kenshin smiled softly, “Exactly, unless you want to make an extra-spicy dish, but that is a lesson for another day.” She bit her lip and he chuckled. “Now, show me how much ginger you would add to the tempura batter.”
Kaoru bit her lip and scooped a heaping spoonful of grated ginger from a small bowl. Kenshin chuckled and gently lowered her hand back to the bowl. “Close, koishii. If you are using a spoon to measure the amount of a spice you need for a dish, then your spoon should be leveled. Ginger is an especially potent herb, so we will not need to use as much as we would if we were using a different spice.” As he spoke, he emptied her spoon of its contents and gripped her wrist lightly. He guided her and her spoon into the bowl to show her the correct amount of ginger needed. “Do you see?”
She nodded brightly. “The amount of ginger is level with the bowl of the spoon.”
Kenshin grinned and kissed the tip of her nose.
It went on like that, Kenshin quizzing Kaoru and gently correcting her when she was wrong, which was less often that he would have originally thought. As they battered the shrimp and vegetables for the tempura, placing them into the hot oil, Kenshin explained how to tell when the tempura was thoroughly cooked. To illustrate, he purposely burned one of the battered vegetables and proceeded to undercook one. Then, he placed his examples on a cloth and turned to Kaoru. He pointed to the overcooked vegetable. “What do you see here?”
Kaoru looked at him as if he had grown two heads. “It looks like my cooking.”
Kenshin struggled to keep a straight face and lost miserably. He poked at the darkened sweet potato. “Do you see how it has become soft and mushy?” She nodded. “And you have already pointed out that it is slightly overcooked.”
“Burnt to a crisp, you mean,” she muttered wryly.
“Iie, Kaoru. This is not a lesson about what you are doing wrong. It is a lesson about learning how to perfect your skill. Think of this part as the meditation after your kata. You must give it the same concentration you would give to your meditation.” She nodded and he pointed to the undercooked slice of mushroom. “Do you see how, on this piece, the batter isn't quite cooked thoroughly. It lacks the crispy shell that we are looking for. If anyone were to bite into it, it may still be cool in the middle.” He reached into the bowl of shrimp and dipped one into the tempura batter. He then placed it gently into the oil. “Now, I will show you what tempura is supposed to look like when cooked properly.” He waited a moment until the coated shrimp began to brown. “Do you see how it changes color as it cooks? Depending on how hot your fire is, it could be quicker or slower. However, we are looking for the batter to solidify and turn a golden brown.” He reached out with a pair of chopsticks to snatch the shrimp out of the pan. “Like this.” He held it up for her inspection. “It does not have to be exactly this color. We just want it to be somewhere between my two earlier examples. Do you understand?”
Kaoru nodded slowly, “I think so...but I'm sure I would trust my own judgment.”
“You will be hesitant your first few times. That's why I am here.” He reached up to wipe a bit of tempura batter from her cheek. “You can ask my opinion if you are feeling unsure of yourself, but your gut should tell you when it is finished. If you would listen to your instincts as easily in cooking as you did in martial arts, you would have no problem at all. Your problem with cooking is in your self doubt.”
Kaoru considered his words for a moment and picked out a piece of shrimp to batter. She placed it into the pan and watched it sizzle for a moment. She prodded around at it as she had seen Kenshin do and watched as it slowly began to change color. When it was ready, she instinctively looked to Kenshin for approval. He smiled softly and nodded his assent. She grinned and picked it out with her chopsticks.
“Very good, koishii.”
“This isn't so tough,” she grumbled. “I just needed to someone to show me how to do it.”
And so it went, Kaoru battering vegetables and shrimp (even being so adventurous as to try frying three or four at a time) and checking Kenshin for his opinion.
~*~
After a lunch, the newly engaged couple stood doing dishes side by side. When Kenshin had dried the last dish and put it in its proper place, he turned to Kaoru. “Are you ready for that nap?”
Kaoru nodded, a relieved smile playing across her lips. Kenshin seemed to hesitate for a moment and Kaoru prompted him, “What is it, Kenshin?”
“Would you mind if I joined you for that nap?”
Kaoru blushed, a slow smile spreading across her features. “Iie,” she whispered.
Taking her hand in his, Kenshin smiled and led the way to Kaoru’s room. He pulled back the bedding on her futon and sank gracefully onto the soft pallet. He situated himself before beckoning to her to join him. She sank down onto the softness of the mattress, more than a little unsure of herself. Kenshin took note of her shy behavior and helped her find the most comfortable position. With her head nestled into the hollow of his shoulder, the last thing Kaoru remembered was the feeling of Kenshin pressing a kiss against the crown of her head.
TBC...
Author’s Note: HA!! I kicked my writer’s block in the ass!!!!! Woohoo!!! It’s not as intense as past chapters, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway!