Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ To Love Again ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Silent Tears of Agony 
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.30.2004 | Updated On: 12.17.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.5K | Visits: 757 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.30.2004 | Updated On: 12.17.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.5K | Visits: 757 | Status: Completed
My cousin already figured out who 'him' is!! Ahhhhhh!! I can't believe she figured it out already! I always knew she was sharp. That's why I keep her around. lol. Anyway, she's already promised not to tell anyone so don't even bother trying to get it out of her. :)
Love Again, Chap:3
still say you should have been writing down the directions so you can remember how to get here tomorrow."
I still say I'll remember just fine. Besides do you know how hard it is to read directions while your driving a motorcycle?"
didn't get any response.
know they say experience is the best teacher. So if you had really wanted me to remember my way here, maybe you should have let me drive." She grinned innocently up at him.
That did it.' If he had been eating he surely would have choked. As it was he looked pretty flustered.
makes you think I would ever let you drive my car?" There it was again, that lecturing voice.
shrugged. "Just a suggestion." 'I wonder what his wife ever saw in him. Or maybe he was different before she died.' It was obvious he was still in love with his wife. Heck, he was still wearing his wedding ring! 'They must have had a very deep love. The kind of love I was once foolish enough to believe I had.' She gave a weary mental sigh. 'Don't think about it Kaoru. Don't think about it.' She felt she was about to cry so instead she smiled brightly and asked if he was ready to go in. He nodded and she smiled at him again.
mentally cursed. Why did his heart jump every time she smiled? They weren't anything special. Tomoe's had always been special because it was so rare that she smiled. And then she would only smile for three people. Him, her brother, and later, Kenji.
this girl seemed as if she would smile for anybody. Yet, he did notice they were always laced with sadness. 'If her forced smiles are so pretty, surely a real smile from her must be beautiful.' Kenshin wanted to shoot himself for such treacherous thoughts. He loved Tomoe! He still did! He hadn't even looked at another woman since he laid eyes on her all the way up until...now. But if all that was true, why was he thinking about how to make this slip of a girl really smile for him? Kenshin scowled. Maybe hiring her hadn't been such a good idea.
the receptionist, peaked her head around the door. "Mr. Shishio? Mr. Himura is here to see you now."
you Miss Komagata."
stood up to shake their hands. Kenshin never did like the man. He was just a little too creepy to be a principal at a kindergarten. Kenji had once said he might be a reincarnation of a mummy. While Kenshin felt this was unlikely, he had to admit that the resemblance between the two was strong.
Shishio, I wanted to introduce my son's new nanny. She will be picking him up from now on."
Miss Kamiya, it is a pleasure to meet you." He gripped her hand into a firm handshake. "I must say, you're much younger than Kenji's other nannies. He can be quite a handful. Are you sure you're up to the challange?"
course." 'Okay, now I'm starting to get scared. How much trouble can one four-year old be?' (Trust me Kaoru you don't want to know. ;)
school is just about to let out. Why don't I call Kenji in so you two can meet?"
sounds good."
are you coming over to my house today Kenji?" Kozuke asked. Kozuke was his best friend/cousin and a year older than him.
Kenji replied sulkily. "I have to meet my dumb babysitter today."
Well she probably won't last very long anyway. The last one only lasted a week." Kozuke started to laugh. "Remember how you got rid of the last one? You told her that your dad got the guestrooms mixed up and she was actually supposed to stay in his room."
yeah. That was great. He was so mad when he came home from his trip to find her there. And he totally believed me when I said it was all her fault." He frowned. "Of course, it wasn't so much fun when he found out I was lying." He was still grounded over that 'little' incident.
shrimp. I see you have your little bunny with you again today." The boy pointed at a bedraggled stuffed bunny that was hanging out of Kenji's backpack.
stepped in front of Kenji. "Leave him alone Robby."
what? You'll call the teacher again? Mr. Rogers isn't here. You know I don't really appreciate little snitches."
knew what that meant. Robby was going to try and hit him again. He rubbed his bruised cheek. He was big for his age, but Robby was bigger than he was.
he had to protect Kenji, he was so small. Smaller even than most four year olds. Besides, just because Robby could whip Kozuke's butt didn't mean Kozuke couldn't get his few kicks in. He noticed that Robby's eye was still black from when he got him last week. There was a strange sense of pride in the boy in the knowledge that he could hit a second-grader. The biggest second-grader in the whole school too!
don't." Kenji stepped out from behind Kozuke.
are you doing?" Kozuke stared at his friend. Hadn't he learned from his last experince with Robby that he was no match for him?
sighed. "I'm tired of you having to always stick up for me."
laughed. "This is going to be too easy."
know," Kaoru tapped her chin, "a thought just occured to me. If Kenji's only four, why is he in kindergarten?"
is a very gifted child. He can write and knows how to read at a first grade level. He's also learning to do simple math problems. The school board suggested he could skip a grade. His cousin is in kindergarten, so Kenji figured he'd give it a try."
'Great,' Kaoru thought sarcastically, 'now I find out I'm babysitting a four year-old genius. Can this day get any better?'
opened his mouth to say something more when Yumi walked in with a bloody Kenji, Kozuke, and Robby in tow.
What happened?!" Kenji's nose was bleeding and he had a black eye.
sniffled. "It wasn't my fault!"
believe you son."
grit his teeth. "Mr. Shishio I willl not tolerate this any longer; as soon as I find a new school for my son I am transfering him. And you can be assured that Kozuke's parents will do the same."
wait just a minute Mr. Himura-"
You wait! This is the third time this has happened in the past month. Twice in the same week!"
ignored the arguing adults and looked up at the woman who was trying to help Yumi clean up Robby, Kozuke and himself. She was smaller than most women he was used to seeing. She was even smaller than his dad! Maybe she was still a kid herself?
old are you?" Kaoru smiled at the boy. It was unnerving how much he looked like his father. He even had the same steel-blue eyes.
twenty-two."
eyes widened. That was old .
moved over to start cleaning up Robby. Kenji stuck out his tongue at him.
the one that started it."
smiled again and looked over at Kenji. "That doesn't matter. He's hurt and he needs help right now."
wasn't sure if he agreed with that. This was still all Robby's fault.
on Kenji, we're leaving now." Kenshin swept past Kenji and picked him up in a huff. "Miss Kamiya, please bring Kozuke along. We'll drop him off at his house."
can't believe they let idiots like that run the school! And then he has the nerve to blame my child!! He said he was too aggressive!! It's all that Robby child's fault!"
sounded just like Kenji. It was fascinating, really, that this twenty-something year old man had the same thinking process as his son.
right here. I need to drop Kozuke off."
unbuckled his belt and then took Kozuke out of the car. A middle-aged woman answered the door when Kenshin knocked on it. Kaoru figured that she was probably his nanny. 'Doesn't anybody watch their own children anymore?'
sighed and decided to take the time to try and get to know Kenji a bit more. It was obvious he didn't like to be babysat. He had been fine with her until he found out she was his babysitter. She had never seen such a look of hate from someone so young.
Kenji, what do you like to do for fun?" No answer.
dad said something about you like to go to the park?" That still didn't get any response.
know, when my brother was your age, he liked to paint. I bet you like to paint, ne?"
was torn between curiosity as to what 'ne' meant and still hating this woman. She was probably just like all the others. They were always talking about how much fun it would be if his father was married to them and how happy they would all be together. Kozuke had said he overheard his father tell his mother that all those women wanted was to share his money and his bed. Kenji still wasn't sure what that meant. One woman had even suggested Kenji call her 'mom' around his father. She said that way his father would now how much Kenji liked her and 'get some ideas' whatever that meant. Like that would ever happen! He already had one mother and she was dead. That was the only reason this woman was asking what he liked to do now. Just so she could impress his father.It hurt knowing no one really cared about him. Not the way his dad cared about him anyway.
do you care?"
care Kenji. I thought maybe if we did some fun things together it might help us get to know each other a little better."
just turned his head away. Kaoru racked her brain for some way to draw him out of his shell. "Okay then why don't I tell you what I like to do and we'll see if we have anything in common."
tapped her chin exaggeratedly. "Hmmm. Let's see, what do I like to do. Well I like to run in the park. I love the beach. I like to go shopping. Oh and I like kendo." Now that perked him up.
know sword-fighting?"
nodded her head. "My dad taught me."
thought about this. Maybe a girl who knew sword-fighting wouldn't be that bad of a babysitter after all.
what am I supposed to call you?"
can call me Kaoru. And what should I call you?"
thought for a moment. No one had ever asked what he wanted to be called before. "Everybody calls me Kenji." He wrinkled his nose. "Except Mrs. Miller. She calls me 'little one'."
laughed. "Kenji-chan. Got it."
chan!"
was taken back at his outburst. 'Sheesh. He's just like my brother.'
mother called me chan." He finshed in a small voice.
understood what he meant. The endearment was special.
well then. I'll just call you Kenji."
I was going to write more, but I wanted to get this chapter out so...yeah. I want to thank all my reviewers. You guys are so great! :) 10 reviews on a slow chapter!!
the next chapter has angst. (At least I think it will.) And the identity of 'him' is revealed. (Again, I think).
like to thank my brother for helping me with this chapter. I'd couldn't get the kids to act their age. (Just like real kids!)
MY REVIEWERS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ;>>>>>>>>
-- Thanks. :)
-- =Blush= Really? I'm so glad you think so! :)
of The Deceased -- lol. Yes, double reviews are =always= welcome. And I'm glad you like it. Don't worry soon you won't have to keep the secret any longer. And you're in good company. My brother figured out who he was too. :)
evil witch -- I'm glad you think its different. I was worried it might seem to normal. :)
-- AHHH!!! How embarassing. Thanks for letting me know. I'll fix it post haste. :)
-- Sorry about that. Must be a default setting. Anyway I fixed it now so you can leave an anonymous review. Although I do like it when authors leave signed reviews so that I can check out their work. =Slaps hand on forehead= Saito!! Now why didn't I think of that? Poor Sano! Everybody thinks he's 'him'. (I'm not saying he is or he isn't. I'm just saying.....Poor Sano!! ;) Oh, and thank you (and everybody else) who added me to your author alert list. It was sweet of you. (It also helped me find out what author alert was for. I was scared. I thought it was something bad, and I had broke some rule. lol. I'm such a ditz. :)
-- Better efforts?! Okay I'll try. (But I can't promise anything. :)
-- I'm glad you liked my last chapter too. As you can see Kenji is a bit of a brat. But he warms up to Kaoru eventually. So does his dad, only =ahem= in a different way. ;)
Maxwell -- I'm glad you like it. :) I meant for this fic to be more serious actually, but as I was writing the first chapter I kept adding these little funny jibes. I decided I like it and I'm going to try really hard to keep the story that way.
(hyatt -- I'm glad you do. You know, I think you've read and reviewed almost all of my stories. I want to thank you for that. It means alot to me! :)
that's everybody. Before I go; might I suggest a good K/K story for your reading pleasure? They are: "Flight of The Wounded Dove " by Shaeya Sedjet and "Our Love is Powerful" by KenshinandKaoru both of which happen to be conveniently located on my favorite stories list. (And no complaining if you don't like them!;P )
next time. ~STA~ :)
Love Again, Chap:3
still say you should have been writing down the directions so you can remember how to get here tomorrow."
I still say I'll remember just fine. Besides do you know how hard it is to read directions while your driving a motorcycle?"
didn't get any response.
know they say experience is the best teacher. So if you had really wanted me to remember my way here, maybe you should have let me drive." She grinned innocently up at him.
That did it.' If he had been eating he surely would have choked. As it was he looked pretty flustered.
makes you think I would ever let you drive my car?" There it was again, that lecturing voice.
shrugged. "Just a suggestion." 'I wonder what his wife ever saw in him. Or maybe he was different before she died.' It was obvious he was still in love with his wife. Heck, he was still wearing his wedding ring! 'They must have had a very deep love. The kind of love I was once foolish enough to believe I had.' She gave a weary mental sigh. 'Don't think about it Kaoru. Don't think about it.' She felt she was about to cry so instead she smiled brightly and asked if he was ready to go in. He nodded and she smiled at him again.
mentally cursed. Why did his heart jump every time she smiled? They weren't anything special. Tomoe's had always been special because it was so rare that she smiled. And then she would only smile for three people. Him, her brother, and later, Kenji.
this girl seemed as if she would smile for anybody. Yet, he did notice they were always laced with sadness. 'If her forced smiles are so pretty, surely a real smile from her must be beautiful.' Kenshin wanted to shoot himself for such treacherous thoughts. He loved Tomoe! He still did! He hadn't even looked at another woman since he laid eyes on her all the way up until...now. But if all that was true, why was he thinking about how to make this slip of a girl really smile for him? Kenshin scowled. Maybe hiring her hadn't been such a good idea.
the receptionist, peaked her head around the door. "Mr. Shishio? Mr. Himura is here to see you now."
you Miss Komagata."
stood up to shake their hands. Kenshin never did like the man. He was just a little too creepy to be a principal at a kindergarten. Kenji had once said he might be a reincarnation of a mummy. While Kenshin felt this was unlikely, he had to admit that the resemblance between the two was strong.
Shishio, I wanted to introduce my son's new nanny. She will be picking him up from now on."
Miss Kamiya, it is a pleasure to meet you." He gripped her hand into a firm handshake. "I must say, you're much younger than Kenji's other nannies. He can be quite a handful. Are you sure you're up to the challange?"
course." 'Okay, now I'm starting to get scared. How much trouble can one four-year old be?' (Trust me Kaoru you don't want to know. ;)
school is just about to let out. Why don't I call Kenji in so you two can meet?"
sounds good."
are you coming over to my house today Kenji?" Kozuke asked. Kozuke was his best friend/cousin and a year older than him.
Kenji replied sulkily. "I have to meet my dumb babysitter today."
Well she probably won't last very long anyway. The last one only lasted a week." Kozuke started to laugh. "Remember how you got rid of the last one? You told her that your dad got the guestrooms mixed up and she was actually supposed to stay in his room."
yeah. That was great. He was so mad when he came home from his trip to find her there. And he totally believed me when I said it was all her fault." He frowned. "Of course, it wasn't so much fun when he found out I was lying." He was still grounded over that 'little' incident.
shrimp. I see you have your little bunny with you again today." The boy pointed at a bedraggled stuffed bunny that was hanging out of Kenji's backpack.
stepped in front of Kenji. "Leave him alone Robby."
what? You'll call the teacher again? Mr. Rogers isn't here. You know I don't really appreciate little snitches."
knew what that meant. Robby was going to try and hit him again. He rubbed his bruised cheek. He was big for his age, but Robby was bigger than he was.
he had to protect Kenji, he was so small. Smaller even than most four year olds. Besides, just because Robby could whip Kozuke's butt didn't mean Kozuke couldn't get his few kicks in. He noticed that Robby's eye was still black from when he got him last week. There was a strange sense of pride in the boy in the knowledge that he could hit a second-grader. The biggest second-grader in the whole school too!
don't." Kenji stepped out from behind Kozuke.
are you doing?" Kozuke stared at his friend. Hadn't he learned from his last experince with Robby that he was no match for him?
sighed. "I'm tired of you having to always stick up for me."
laughed. "This is going to be too easy."
know," Kaoru tapped her chin, "a thought just occured to me. If Kenji's only four, why is he in kindergarten?"
is a very gifted child. He can write and knows how to read at a first grade level. He's also learning to do simple math problems. The school board suggested he could skip a grade. His cousin is in kindergarten, so Kenji figured he'd give it a try."
'Great,' Kaoru thought sarcastically, 'now I find out I'm babysitting a four year-old genius. Can this day get any better?'
opened his mouth to say something more when Yumi walked in with a bloody Kenji, Kozuke, and Robby in tow.
What happened?!" Kenji's nose was bleeding and he had a black eye.
sniffled. "It wasn't my fault!"
believe you son."
grit his teeth. "Mr. Shishio I willl not tolerate this any longer; as soon as I find a new school for my son I am transfering him. And you can be assured that Kozuke's parents will do the same."
wait just a minute Mr. Himura-"
You wait! This is the third time this has happened in the past month. Twice in the same week!"
ignored the arguing adults and looked up at the woman who was trying to help Yumi clean up Robby, Kozuke and himself. She was smaller than most women he was used to seeing. She was even smaller than his dad! Maybe she was still a kid herself?
old are you?" Kaoru smiled at the boy. It was unnerving how much he looked like his father. He even had the same steel-blue eyes.
twenty-two."
eyes widened. That was old .
moved over to start cleaning up Robby. Kenji stuck out his tongue at him.
the one that started it."
smiled again and looked over at Kenji. "That doesn't matter. He's hurt and he needs help right now."
wasn't sure if he agreed with that. This was still all Robby's fault.
on Kenji, we're leaving now." Kenshin swept past Kenji and picked him up in a huff. "Miss Kamiya, please bring Kozuke along. We'll drop him off at his house."
can't believe they let idiots like that run the school! And then he has the nerve to blame my child!! He said he was too aggressive!! It's all that Robby child's fault!"
sounded just like Kenji. It was fascinating, really, that this twenty-something year old man had the same thinking process as his son.
right here. I need to drop Kozuke off."
unbuckled his belt and then took Kozuke out of the car. A middle-aged woman answered the door when Kenshin knocked on it. Kaoru figured that she was probably his nanny. 'Doesn't anybody watch their own children anymore?'
sighed and decided to take the time to try and get to know Kenji a bit more. It was obvious he didn't like to be babysat. He had been fine with her until he found out she was his babysitter. She had never seen such a look of hate from someone so young.
Kenji, what do you like to do for fun?" No answer.
dad said something about you like to go to the park?" That still didn't get any response.
know, when my brother was your age, he liked to paint. I bet you like to paint, ne?"
was torn between curiosity as to what 'ne' meant and still hating this woman. She was probably just like all the others. They were always talking about how much fun it would be if his father was married to them and how happy they would all be together. Kozuke had said he overheard his father tell his mother that all those women wanted was to share his money and his bed. Kenji still wasn't sure what that meant. One woman had even suggested Kenji call her 'mom' around his father. She said that way his father would now how much Kenji liked her and 'get some ideas' whatever that meant. Like that would ever happen! He already had one mother and she was dead. That was the only reason this woman was asking what he liked to do now. Just so she could impress his father.It hurt knowing no one really cared about him. Not the way his dad cared about him anyway.
do you care?"
care Kenji. I thought maybe if we did some fun things together it might help us get to know each other a little better."
just turned his head away. Kaoru racked her brain for some way to draw him out of his shell. "Okay then why don't I tell you what I like to do and we'll see if we have anything in common."
tapped her chin exaggeratedly. "Hmmm. Let's see, what do I like to do. Well I like to run in the park. I love the beach. I like to go shopping. Oh and I like kendo." Now that perked him up.
know sword-fighting?"
nodded her head. "My dad taught me."
thought about this. Maybe a girl who knew sword-fighting wouldn't be that bad of a babysitter after all.
what am I supposed to call you?"
can call me Kaoru. And what should I call you?"
thought for a moment. No one had ever asked what he wanted to be called before. "Everybody calls me Kenji." He wrinkled his nose. "Except Mrs. Miller. She calls me 'little one'."
laughed. "Kenji-chan. Got it."
chan!"
was taken back at his outburst. 'Sheesh. He's just like my brother.'
mother called me chan." He finshed in a small voice.
understood what he meant. The endearment was special.
well then. I'll just call you Kenji."
I was going to write more, but I wanted to get this chapter out so...yeah. I want to thank all my reviewers. You guys are so great! :) 10 reviews on a slow chapter!!
the next chapter has angst. (At least I think it will.) And the identity of 'him' is revealed. (Again, I think).
like to thank my brother for helping me with this chapter. I'd couldn't get the kids to act their age. (Just like real kids!)
MY REVIEWERS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ;>>>>>>>>
-- Thanks. :)
-- =Blush= Really? I'm so glad you think so! :)
of The Deceased -- lol. Yes, double reviews are =always= welcome. And I'm glad you like it. Don't worry soon you won't have to keep the secret any longer. And you're in good company. My brother figured out who he was too. :)
evil witch -- I'm glad you think its different. I was worried it might seem to normal. :)
-- AHHH!!! How embarassing. Thanks for letting me know. I'll fix it post haste. :)
-- Sorry about that. Must be a default setting. Anyway I fixed it now so you can leave an anonymous review. Although I do like it when authors leave signed reviews so that I can check out their work. =Slaps hand on forehead= Saito!! Now why didn't I think of that? Poor Sano! Everybody thinks he's 'him'. (I'm not saying he is or he isn't. I'm just saying.....Poor Sano!! ;) Oh, and thank you (and everybody else) who added me to your author alert list. It was sweet of you. (It also helped me find out what author alert was for. I was scared. I thought it was something bad, and I had broke some rule. lol. I'm such a ditz. :)
-- Better efforts?! Okay I'll try. (But I can't promise anything. :)
-- I'm glad you liked my last chapter too. As you can see Kenji is a bit of a brat. But he warms up to Kaoru eventually. So does his dad, only =ahem= in a different way. ;)
Maxwell -- I'm glad you like it. :) I meant for this fic to be more serious actually, but as I was writing the first chapter I kept adding these little funny jibes. I decided I like it and I'm going to try really hard to keep the story that way.
(hyatt -- I'm glad you do. You know, I think you've read and reviewed almost all of my stories. I want to thank you for that. It means alot to me! :)
that's everybody. Before I go; might I suggest a good K/K story for your reading pleasure? They are: "Flight of The Wounded Dove " by Shaeya Sedjet and "Our Love is Powerful" by KenshinandKaoru both of which happen to be conveniently located on my favorite stories list. (And no complaining if you don't like them!;P )
next time. ~STA~ :)