Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ May The Sun Shine Forever ❯ The Music Box's Song ( Chapter 3 )

.:*May The Sun Shine Forever*:.

*Author's Note: WHEEE!!!!! This is fun! Peeps at my school are starting to give me funny looks, but hey! I'm used to it! (I wonder why..) On..we..go! P.S. wasn't that past chapter CrEePy? This is funky. I wrote it, but I'm scared of it. R&R! (Read and Review)*

Chapter Three

Later that day, the setting of the sun found Kenshin picking at his dinner, with the Kenshin -gumi staring anxiously at him. Megumi tended to Yahiko and Sano, both who were throwing hade -laden glances at Kaoru.

"Aren't you going to eat more, Kenshin," asked Kaoru worriedly when he announced he was going to bed.

"I'm fine, Kaoru -dono," he replied, smiling, "I have to leave first thing tomorrow morning, so I think I should get my rest now, that I should."

The whole household seemed to pause. Then,

"Will you need someone to take you to the train station?"

"No. I'll be fine by myself. Goodnight."

Everyone went back to their tasks with false cheeriness. All except Kaoru. She stared down at her hands folded neatly in her lap, eyes unfocused. He had rejected her. He had rejected her. She felt the loneliness gnawing at her heart.

May the sun shine forever,

May we live long together,

May there always be joy,

May there always be life.

Ears perking up, Yahiko followed the twinkling melody to Kenshin's room. His feet padded softly down the hallway. Morning's first light cast it's shine onto the floor. His gaze fell on the music box, then to the piece of paper on the neatly folded bed.

I'll be back on the 15th.

-Kenshin

So he was gone. Today was the eighth. Pocketing the note, Yahiko rose to examine the music box, but froze. The tune played on, but the box was gone!

The train's rattling disturbed Kenshin from his thoughts. He was going back to Her. He tore his gaze away from the butterflies dancing outside his window and started humming to take his mind off things.

May the sun shine forever,

May we always meet new strangers,

May there always be friendship,

May there always be time.

His humming turned into a song, and as he song faded off, he heard the sweet melody yet again. Surprised, he fished about in his knapsack. His fingers brushed against the cold surface of the box and out he pulled.

"Hmm," he wondered out loud. " I thought I left this at home with Kaoru -dono." He shrugged. "Oh well. You can keep me company." He examined the small cube meticulously.

The small box was carved from a heavy metal, and had ornate carvings of loops and spirals all around the sides. The front of the box had a smooth rectangle as through the maker had wanted to put a small plaque there, but decided against it. The lid folded over the front, and was closed by a small lock that was heart -shaped. Tiny semi -precious stones had been set in pattern along the sides of the box. A crank sprouted out from the left side of the box, black with silver marks where the box had been scratched. Winding the crank would bring it to life. Otherwise, it was pretty, but quite dead and lifeless. Or so it seemed.