Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Time Changes All ❯ Black-haired Relatives ( Chapter 21 )

Author's Notes: ppl, I have started school. . . you must be patient!!!! I'm taking five AP classes and trust me, I'm a bit busy! I barely have enough time to sleep! Give me some slack! Also this person that says "update already!", and you took up about a page just saying that over and over, it was cute the first time but by the third time it was irritating! Did you not notice that the last chapter ended without a cliff hanger?! I never do that! All my chapters end in cliffies! I knew I wouldn't get around to the next chapter for a while so I decided to hold off on it for a while! I'm sleep deprived and am close to a mental melt down because of school and I'm still in the third week! All I ask from you is your patience! This chapter is dedicated to all the OTHER reviewers that KINDLY asked me to update. Can anyone tell I'm not in a very good mood?

Disclaimer: RK doesn't belong to me.

". . ." dialogue

`. . .' thoughts

(. . .) author's useless commentary

Black-haired Relatives

By Hoshi-ni-Onegai

"How about this Jou-chan?" Sano was holding up a CD, indicating it toward Kaoru.

She looked up from where she had been searching and made a distasteful face. "Okazaki Ritsuko? Isn't that a bit too feminine for Kenshin?" (she sings "for fruits basket")

Sano glanced at the CD cover then shrugged, "Well Kenshin does look slightly like a girl, it might let him become in touch with his feminine side."

Kaoru looked at him flatly, "Then maybe you should by it for yourself. You have more testosterone in you pinky then a bull has in his whole body."

It had been three months since that day at the park, and Kenshin was still there. The three brief months were uneventful, except for the whole Takaomi thing. With Kaoru testifying and Kenshin acting as a witness Takaomi was now in a juvenile detention hall, but it was only for a year. Supposedly, attempted rape had less prison time then actual rape, this infuriated Kenshin. However, thanks to Kaoru his nerves calmed, now he was freakishly overprotective of her. She wasn't allowed to walk home alone, talk to strangers, or in Kenshin's exact words "look at another creature with a Y chromosome." Then again who could blame him? With the stuff that goes on around Kaoru and the threat that was posted on her for four years, Kenshin couldn't help but be protective.

The cold Japan days were coming into full swing, their first snow had yet to come but Kaoru was hopeful. Christmas was a short days away, so Kaoru and Sano decided to go Christmas shopping. Kaoru was going to go alone but then Kenshin said she couldn't and kept asking where she was going, so she decided to drag Sano along. She decided it wasn't bad having a male opinion on what to buy for her boyfriend, and it seemed Sano needed some advice too.

"So what are you getting Megumi?" Kaoru asked as she was shuffling through the CDs.

Sano whipped around to look at her, "Why the hell would I get anything for her?!"

Kaoru sighed in exasperation, "Because you like her."

Sano dropped the CD he had been holding, "How did you find out?"

"It was so obvious! She's the only one that doesn't know! You should get her something for Christmas, show her you care."

"I don't know. . ." Sano said as he picked up the fallen CD.

Kaoru now looked at Sano, "You know, she isn't going to wait around forever. Megumi is really pretty and you know that any guy would be happy to have her. So make your move so that she know you're interested."

"Maybe if she's like you she'll wait around for me for ten years." He mumbled as he picked out a CD and threw it to Kaoru.

She looked down out at the CD and read the cover, "Barry White: All Time Greatest Hits? Who's Barry White?" (God rest his soul)

Sano was walking toward another section of the store, "Only one of the greatest American singers of all time."

She looked at it curiously, "I don't know if Kenshin likes American music. . . what kind of songs does he sing? Jazz? Rock? Rap?"

"Make out music." Sano said bluntly. That earned him a CD implanted in his skull as it was thrown at him like a Chinese throwing star. (the Chinese throwing star is actually Japanese. . . yes we made it, not the Chinese. . . it's a ninja thing)

Six department stores later Kaoru and Sano could be seen walking home.

"I'm tired Jou-chan!" He said as he exaggeratingly leaned on her for support.

"I am too Sano. Get off me you're heavy!" She shoved him off to the side, he hid the wall but bounced right back, leaning on Kaoru again.

"If I knew you were going to take this long I wouldn't have agreed to come!"

"Look who's talking! You're the one that took more than half the time looking for the `perfect gift' for Megumi. I never want to see another department store again!"

For the amount of department stores they went to they had very little in tow with them. Specifically they each had one bag and that was it. They never really got into the habit of giving their friends gifts, but this year Kaoru wanted to give one to Kenshin. Kenshin wasn't Christian or anything, but she just couldn't wait for his birthday to give him a gift.

Kaoru looked up at the sky and noticed that it quickly darkening. They were nearing her apartment when she felt a shiver run down her spine. She stopped walking and Sano noticed. Being two meters in front of her he turned around.

"What's wrong Jou-chan?"

The shiver ran down her spine again it felt like someone was staring at her. She felt it coming from the alley to her right when she whipped around to look there was no one there.

"Jou-chan?"

She wrapped her arms around herself and walked up to Sano, "It's nothing, let's go."

__________________________________________________________

The next day at school as Kaoru was walking through the hallways to get to the bathroom she felt the presence again she turned around but again there was no one there. It was making her nervous, even as she slept she felt as if someone was staring at her. She just could shake the feeling. `Maybe I'm going insane. . . but then again I don't think I was ever sane to begin with.'

Again during kendo practice she had the feeling, this time Aoshi noticed.

"Are you okay Kamiya-san?"

Removing her gaze from the gymnasium doors she looked up into Aoshi's blue eyes, much like her own. "You know Aoshi, we could pass as siblings. We have the same colored hair and eyes. The height difference might throw some people off but then again you're a guy and I'm a girl. We should tell people we're long lost siblings!"

"Why would we do that?" Aoshi asked with an amused tone.

"To confuse the hell out of them!" Kaoru answered enthusiastically. Aoshi smiled a slight smile, but it was a smile nonetheless.

"Hmm. . . Shinomori Kaoru. . . it sounds okay, but what about Kamiya Aoshi?"

"Now that sounds terrible. You should take my name, it's only customary."

Kaoru scrunched up her face in contemplation, "I don't know. . . I kind of like my name. . . but if I guess Shinomori Kaoru doesn't sound as bad as Kamiya Aoshi. . ."

Kenshin and Sano had been walking over to the two conversing people when they heard the last fragments of their conversation, mostly from the part of Kaoru saying she would change her name.

"Are you tired of Kenshin already Jou-chan? Damn, and here I thought you were waiting around for him all these years only to go for a guy that's been here the whole time." He turned to face a confused Kenshin, pat him sympathetically on the shoulder. "Sorry man, I didn't think Aoshi even liked her." Soon he turned to look at Aoshi and gave him a pat on the shoulder as well, but this one was more of a `job well done.' "Congratulations Aoshi! Make Jou-chan happy!"

Kaoru smacked Sano upside the head with her shinai, "Stop being a moron Sano. And also EWW! I wouldn't go out with Aoshi! He's my long lost brother I'll have you know."

"Really?" Sano and Kenshin asked in unison.

"Of course. I mean look at us, can't you tell by the hair and eyes? We're practically identical!" Kaoru gestured toward her face then Aoshi's.

Sano and Kenshin observed their faces for a while until Kenshin spoke up, "Sorry Kaoru but I see no similarities besides the hair and eye color. . . but not all siblings need to look alike. . . even though you two are complete opposites in character."

"What are you talking about? We act exactly the same!" Kaoru said throwing her hand up in the air in exasperation.

"No you're not. Aoshi is calm, collected, and sane. While you, Jou-chan, is hyper, weird, and insane."

Kaoru was about to protest when Aoshi spoke, "Sano I don't like what you're saying."

Sano immediately apologized, "Sorry man."

"Thank you, because I don't like it when people don't think I'm hyper. I'm bursting with energy at this very moment."

Silence. Sano and Kenshin didn't know how to react. Kaoru was grinning.

The silence was broken when Misao came running up to them, "Hello everybody~! Wassup?"

"Aoshi and Kaoru are siblings." Sano answered still unbelievingly.

"But I thought we were cousins Kaoru! If Aoshi's your brother that'll mean he's my cousin! We're related! We can't get married!" Misao protested adding into the confusion.

"No worries Misao, cousins are allowed to get married."

"Really?!" Misao whipped her eyes up to Aoshi, "Did you hear that?! We can get married!"

Everyone looked to the slightly blushing yet stoic Aoshi expecting him to say something, when he was saved by Soujiro.

"What's everyone talking about?"

"God-brother!" Kaoru exclaimed throwing her arms around Soujiro.

"Yes, yes Kao-chan I am your God-brother. . . but what about it?"

Kaoru straightened and gestured towards Aoshi, "Sou-chan I would like for you to meet my long lost brother Aoshi. You know my cousin Misao."

"I've known them for awhile Kao-chan, you mustn't forget grandfather."

"Grandfather?" This was said in unison by not just Sano and Aoshi but also by Misao and Aoshi.

The gym doors suddenly slammed open revealing their Shihan, Saitou.

"What is everyone standing around for?! Two hundred strokes!"

Kaoru whirled around and spread her arms out as if waiting for a hug from Saitou, "Ojii-chan!" (translation: Grandpa!)

After a very confusing kendo practice and finding out that Kaoru was related to all the black-haired people there, they were packing up to head home. Since no one had anything afterwards they decided to all head out and eat at the closest McD's. They were all talking when they were leaving, they almost missed the tall beautiful girl standing at the school's gate entrance. Kaoru noticed her first and waved frantically and yelling, "Onee-chan!"

The girl waved back a bit confused but smiled anyways. She made her way towards the now waiting group and smiled, "Hey tanuki. Why are you calling me `Onee-chan?' We're in the same grade you know." (tanuki=raccoon)

"You have black hair." Aoshi said.

Megumi looked at him quizzically, "Thank you for the information Aoshi, but that doesn't really answer my question."

"Never mind the questions in life, think about the answers." Kaoru said with much poise.

"Who said that?" Megumi asked raising an eyebrow.

"I did, didn't you just hear me? Are you getting senile?" Kaoru logic was sometimes hard to follow.

"Hey kitsune." (kitsune=fox)

Hearing Sano speak she turned to face him, "Hey rooster head? Getting hurt lately?" Her voice was taunting, the way she always talked to him.

"Nope, haven't really got around to selling fights these days." Sano said as he cracked the knuckles in his right bandaged hand.

"What are you talking about, I fought with you just this morning!" Misao spoke up.

"Are you alive?" Sano asked.

"Yeah. . ." Misao said gesturing for him to continue.

"Then, that means that we didn't really fight for real." He finished smugly.

"Whatever." Misao said rolling her eyes.

Then everyone turned to Kenshin as he spoke, "Hello Takani-san, it has been a long time."

Megumi's eyes widened, "Hitok-"

Megumi's words were cut off when suddenly Kaoru said, "WA!" (`wa' is like a `boo' in Japanese. . . the scaring kind not the kind you use at a Brittany Spears concert)

Everyone backed up a little startled looking at Kaoru as if she lost her mind, again. Megumi and Kenshin understood what she was doing, but everyone else didn't.

"Kenshin's my brother!"

Silence.

". . ."

Even more silence.

". . ."

The silence was broken when everyone except Aoshi and Kaoru exclaimed, "WHAT?!"

Kaoru scratched the back of her head, "Ha. . . ha? . . . um. . . uh. . . I'm just kidding?"

"Good, because that would be just wrong." Sano said as he shook his head.

Misao and Megumi were breathing easier, Kenshin had yet to take in a breath.

"So Kenshin, where do you know Megumi?" Misao asked as she was reaching for another French fry to pop into her mouth.

Everyone was situated around a booth, that amazingly sat six people. Megumi had decided to join them as she had nothing to do.

"I met her once, a couple of years ago when I was visiting someone in Matsudo-shi." Kenshin replied smiling.

"So Megumi was your friend's friend?"

"I guess you could say that."

"And you still remembered her?" Misao asked skeptically.

"I'm like an elephant, I never forget." Kenshin subtly reached under the table to grasp Kaoru's hand as she was sitting next to him.

Noticing his hand she looked up at him, smiled, and gave his hand a light squeeze.

"Oh. . ." Misao glanced down at her watch, when she noticed the time she started panicking. "Oh my God! We have to go! The Aoiya is really packed tonight and we have to help out." She tugged at Aoshi from the back of his shirt collar and made her way towards the door. Just before leaving she waved, "Sorry! I'll see you guys tomorrow."

As Aoshi was being dragged out he gave a slight not in farewell.

"Itachi always had so much energy!" Sano exclaimed as he leaned back in his chair. (itachi=weasel)

"But that is what makes her Misao." Soujiro said giving his ever-present smile.

"Speaking of Misao. . . Sou-chan, do you know where my homongi is?" (homongi is a semi-formal kimono worn on New Year's Day or for a formal visit)

"My mother has it stored away. Would you like to come by and pick it up?"

"That would be great."

Kenshin looked at Kaoru confused, as always, "Why is that `speaking of Misao'?"

"Kenshin, no." Sano said as he shook his head. "Don't even question Jou-chan's logic when connecting one subject to another. She sometimes keeps talking in her head and suddenly starts talking out loud, then she expects us to know what she's talking about."

"That's not true!" Kaoru puffed, "I just said `speaking of Misao' because I needed a good transition phrase to start the next topic."

"The operative word being `good.'" Megumi said as she calmly sipped at her drink.

Kaoru looked flatly at her, "Forget you all." She stood up and grabbed Soujiro's hand, "Let's go Sou-chan! We don't need them!"

"Hai hai Kao-chan." They left through the doors, Sano, Megumi, and Kenshin didn't move or say anything. That was until Koaru's voice could be heard booming from out side.

"Are you coming or not Kenshin?!"

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A/N: sorry about the rant up there. . . it's just that I really am under a lot of stress, this being my junior year. Being the most important year in an American High School. I know I probably confused ppl by saying I'm taking AP classes, but I go to a school in the US. I used to live in Japan but I moved here. Then again no one is interested in my slightly long, complicated, and boring story of me moving so many times in my life. I tried to make this chapter slightly more up beat. . . it's break from all the drama that's been occurring. Oh, to not add oil to fire, I would like to say that all the relations Kaoru claimed up there is not true. It's a game she plays. . . err. . . I play, with my friends. . . haha? Ok. . . I'll see you guys at the next chappie! Tchau!

To the reviewers:

Update already!: enough said with all that was said in the first A/N at the top.

Ariel: Thank you so much! I personally think this plot is bad because I didn't plan it, but I plan to not do that stupid mistake for my fics from now on.

Kels: The other story (yes singular) I wrote is an Inuyasha fic and you can find it in my bio page. Just go to the top of this page and click on the blue letters that say "hoshi-ni-onegai"

~sTrAwBeRry~: I seem to have scared a lot of ppl with my ending in the last chapter, everyone though he was going to leave. . .

Heart of Night: you also thought he was going to leave. . . was I all that convincing?

Kurai Mori: Hey! Thanks for taking time out and reviewing this fic too! I know, those two are so freakishly insecure. . . then again so am I, and since I'm the author I might be projecting that into the fic. . . I'm not sure.

Chiki: You have no reason to apologize! A review is not an obligation but a gift. Even if you had never reviewed I would have appreciated you as a reader! I'm sorry you didn't make it into Tokyo University, but U of Toronto isn't a bad school either! I have a friend going there and he seems to like it a lot! Oh! And I looked on you website where there was a picture of you in your yukata, kimono, and uniform. U look really nice! I personally don't own a kimono b/c I'm living outside of Japan right now but I do own a yukata. . . anyways. . . oh, and the reason why Kaoru was used as `collateral' is because Kenshin had no one else that was important enough to him that could be used, because Hiko can defend himself. Well I hope that answers your question. . . c ya!

Aryanne: Thank you for reviewing once again! Ppl say that I'm funny. . . I think they're just laughing at me and not with me. . . oh well. . . hope to see ya next time!

XP-DarkAngel: I have no idea how many chapters are left but I know how it is going to end.

Inu-chan11: "Shinja dame" means "you can't die"

Thanks to the following ppl for reviewing: Serene Faerie, BillabongBob, Angel Kitty2, omochi, chris37, ixchen, Ryoko.Kilala, beriath, hiei is mine forever, Angie, flyinangel777, The Girl Who Cried Oro, Azura Dea, and SVZ.

Love ya all!

Oh! And QUESTION! I'm curious, can everyone tell me their a/s/l? (age/sex(as in gender)/location) drop it off in my review, I'm just wondering how many guys, Americans, etc. are reading this.