Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ One Mind, Two Hearts ❯ On Mind ( Chapter 1 )

[ A - All Readers ]

gazed upon her, training a group of her students. The cool breeze gently tossed her tied raven hair around in the air surrounding her. Her face was set in determination as she swiftly struck her bokken in many vertical slashes. A thin layer of perspiration was quickly covering her face, but that only added to her youthful beauty.
His mind was fully aware that she was too pure for him, and that he was unworthy. His heart however put up a different defense.
“She is beautiful as she is pure. Too pure for us to taint with our bloodstained hands.”
‘But you know she has feelings for us, we can see it every time she looks at us.’
She noticed him watching her from afar, so she turned to him and gave a heart warming smile.
He seemed to melt with that simple gesture. It was as if a flood of scalding water was rushing over him, scalding yet not hot enough to burn. In his daze he finally realized that she was still looking at him, as if she was expecting something more from him. More than his undivided attention, more than his heart and soul.
‘Of course she expects more, she does not know of the feelings we carelessly hide.’
“…”
‘Her face explains it all, she does have feelings for us. And she is wishing for us to return them too her.’
“We cannot stain her. She is naïve and does not yet know of the hardships that life can bring. We are unworthy and tainted, why can she not understand that we do not deserve her?”
‘She misunderstands because she knows that she already told us many times that she does not care about our past. She-’
“Exactly, she does not care, that is what the problem is! In many ways she is only still a child and does not realize that we cannot forget about the past. No matter how much we love her, we cannot have her.”
She returned to her practicing, more determined than before. Now that she knew that he was watching her.
Released momentarily from the battle raging in his mind he whispered the only words that he wished to say for the rest of his life…
“Kaoru, aishiteru…”

As she noticed his gaze fall towards the sakura trees in the distance she took this moment to look at him. He was sitting perfectly still against the wall of the dojo, with his sword resting against his chest. For once he looked like he was at peace, she smiled at him in spite of that.
Then he turned and looked at her, and when he saw her smiling at him his face turned from peaceful to a look of shock.
‘Why does he not smile at me?…’
“You know why. He thinks of you as a friend and doesn’t return your feelings that you seem to hold for him.”
‘That’s not true! He thinks of me as more than a friend.’
“Really? Then what about his first wife? She was perfect for him and you know it.”
‘I know that he will never forget her… I just…’
“You realize why he does not want you? You’re ten years younger than him, you are a loud, sweaty little girl just like people say you are. When he could have a ‘real’ woman why would he want you?”
‘If that’s true, then why does he stay here?’
“Because, perhaps he feels pity for you since you are alone.”
‘No he doesn’t! He would not have come for me all of those times that I was in danger if he didn’t care. He thinks that he does not deserve me… But, I think it is I who do not deserve him. But-’
She turned back to her students and continued training. However much she wished to keep what she uttered quiet, a part of her would die if he somehow did not hear it.
“Aishiteru mo, Kenshin…”

He dared to look back at her, just one last time. She was like a drug, a highly addictive drug. And he knew that he was far too hooked for him to leave now.

She turned back at him and found that he was looking at her. She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. He was her life now, whether he wanted her or not.

“Kaoru…”

“Kenshin…R 21;

Then they both, at the exact same moment whispered, “I will wait for you always…”

And they could only hope, that someday those words would be heard to each other.




-Fin-