Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ To Love You Again ❯ Teardrops from Heaven ( Chapter 4 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Hi, Minna-san! I'm sorry it took so long! It was a very difficult chapter to write! I got that Seisou Hen depression. *sigh*

But now I'm happy that next week the third season or RK will begin (for South America! Great!) And tomorrow I'll buy a lot of mangas. Yeah, I have the feeling this is going to be a great week!

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Sad, but truth.

To love you again

4. Teardrops from Heaven

Bored. That was exactly how she was feeling. She only had gone out for a few minutes to buy a newspaper. It was Monday already and there was still nothing on the papers about her grandfather, or her cousin. It was strange that no paper had printed a single line about it and for the first time she thought that maybe someone was trying to cover the mess up.

She was feeling annoyed that she didn't do anything the entire morning. 'I hate to hide... I feel like a coward. My father would be disappointed with me.' Kaoru sighed and picked her backpack on the floor. She had already taken her clothes from it, placing them on the night table that Tae had arranged for her. She held her backpack. The last present she got from her father. It was nearly two years old. Her parents were gone for that long.

Kaoru sighed, before placing the backpack under the bed. Then she opened the drawer and looked at the money lying there. She knew that was Sano's doing. But she didn't know how he had got the money. She wondered if it was by gambling, fighting, or the things that she didn't want to know that her cousin did.

She finally reached for the money, keeping it on her pocket. Even though she didn't want it, she still needed it. When Sano had tossed her clothes into the backpack, he didn't choose what he put in there. Kaoru found herself in desperate need of comfortable clothes and undergarments.

Kaoru left the small room. It was Seiji's shift and he seemed very busy. Tae was calculating expenses on the counter.

"Tae-san, I need directions to a department store." Kaoru asked.

"You are going out, Kaoru-san? Could you do me a favor? We have a client that always order coffee from us. Could you deliver it today? Seiji-kun usually does it, but today he is very busy. And there is a department store next to the delivery place. They always give good tips to the delivery person."

"I still could go, Tae-san." Seiji had heard their talk. "The thermos flask is very heavy and Kaoru doesn't know the way."

"But you are too busy, Seiji-kun." Tae said, gesturing towards the customers. "Besides, Kaoru-chan is going to the department store."

"I'm sure I can handle the thermos flask!" Kaoru gave Seiji a reassurance smile.

"Okay, Kaoru-san. But if you get lost, call us." Seiji said.

After Kaoru left, taking the thermos flask, Tae smiled to Seiji.

"I'm glad you agreed so easily, Seiji-kun. I know you need the tips to pay for your tutoring." Tae said.

"One day won't make a difference. Besides, I think Kaoru could use a good tip."

"That's not the only thing that she needs." Tae whispered, before going back to her work.

***

Kaoru followed the directions carefully, but still she couldn't help but to feel lost. She had to take the bus with the heavy thermos flask and be extra careful not to miss her stop, since she didn't know that part of the city.

When she finally found the building that she was supposed to make her delivery, she had the strange feeling that she was in the wrong place. At the front desk she asked for the person Tae had told her to deliver the coffee. The security guard told her to take the elevator to the 22nd floor.

Kaoru felt a chill on her stomach as the elevator started moving. There were a lot of people on the elevator with her. They all were wearing the company's id tag on their clothes. The elevator stopped on practically every floor until the 15th and then she was alone with the lift operator until the 22nd.

When Kaoru got off, she couldn't help but thinking that it was a much quieter floor than the other's. She got in the first door to the right, like the security guard had told her, and she found herself in a room with a woman that was typing something on a computer.

"Excuse me..." Kaoru began, walking closer.

The secretary stopped what she was doing and looked at Kaoru. She opened her mouth to speak, but the phone rang.

"Wait a minute." The secretary said and answered the phone.

From the beginning it seemed pretty obvious that the woman was talking to some friend of hers. Kaoru started getting impatient when five minutes had passed and the secretary was still engaged on her conversation.

"Excuse me." Kaoru tried again.

The woman signaled her to wait.

"Excuse..." Kaoru started raising her voice, when a door opened and a red headed man came out.

"Kamatari, file these for me. And you know you are not supposed to answer private calls on your work hours." His eyes went from the secretary to the young woman standing by her desk.

"Kaoru-san." He said, looking a bit puzzled.

"Hello, Himura-san. I didn't know you work here."

Kenshin smiled.

"Come in, Kaoru-san. Let me take this thermos flask from you. It seems heavy."

Their hands touched when Kaoru handed him the thermos flask. She blushed slightly at the contact and went into his office.

"Did you order coffee?" He asked Kamatari on a low tone of voice.

"No, I didn't." Kamatari answered.

Kenshin sighed and walked in his office.

"Do you really work here?" Kaoru asked, she was standing by his window. "It's beautiful." His office was huge to Kaoru's standards. It was very nicely decorated, with a few shelves with books and portraits. Kaoru started looking at the photographs. Kenshin just watched her wander around the office. A small smile plastered itself on his face.

Kaoru blushed again when she saw him looking at her.

"Who is this?" She asked, holding a photograph.

"That's my mother."

"Pretty lady." Kaoru smiled. "You look like her." She put down the portrait and found another portrait were she saw Kenshin's mother with what it seemed a very tall and handsome dark haired man. Kaoru thought he was tall because the woman looked very short next to him.

"Is this your father?"

"No. That's my mother's husband."

"Your stepfather."

"I would never call him that... they only got married eight years ago."

Kaoru let out an 'Oh'.

'She is so cute.' He couldn't help thinking that, but then he shook his head. 'I can't hold these kind of thoughts for her. She doesn't need me to make her live even more complicated than it already seems.'

"Himura-san?"

"Sorry. What did you say?"

"Are you okay? You seemed miles away."

"I'm fine, Kaoru-san."

"When you call me Kaoru-san it makes me feel old."

"The same thing happens when you call me Himura-san. I feel like my father is standing behind me. This was his office, you know?"

"Why aren't there any pictures of your father here?" She asked, with an innocent expression.

"There are, aren't there?" Kenshin asked, puzzled.

"No. There is a picture of your mother and your step... I mean, your mother's husband, Yahiko, the pest boy, but not a single picture of your father." Her eyes fell on a picture of Yahiko, Kenshin and a beautiful woman. "Your wife?"

"Yes, that's my ex-wife."

"She is very beautiful."

"Yes, she is."

'Why is he staring me like this? It makes me feel like there is something on my face.' Kaoru's cheeks turned a nice shade of red. That was the third time she blushed that afternoon and Kenshin didn't fail to notice one of those blushings. He smiled to himself, for being able to make her blush. 'She is so shy... it makes her even cuter. Stop thinking about this, Himura.'

"So... Why aren't there any pictures of your father here? Did you fight or something?" Kaoru asked, trying to make her face return to its original color.

"No. My father passed away when I was seventeen."

"Gomen! I shouldn't have asked!" Kaoru looked to the floor.

Kenshin chuckled.

"It's okay. It was a long time ago."

Kaoru kept looking down, avoiding his gaze. It was rather amusing for Kenshin to look at her.

"I feel so stupid..." Kaoru whispered.

"Why would you feel stupid? You couldn't have known."

"I should have guessed... After all, on this building works Himura Electronics. You are Himura... And this was your father's office, so..." Kaoru looked at him. Kenshin was smiling. His smile made her feel more comfortable. "Do you produce TV sets?"

"Among other things."

"Computers?" Kaoru asked innocently.

"It's very recent, but yes."

"My cousin is into computers. So... You are the Big Kahuna around here."

At her statement, Kenshin couldn't help but laughing. She obviously was the kind of person that asks questions when she was nervous.

"You can say that, Kaoru-san. I had to take over the company when my father died."

"But you were so young..." Kaoru mentally slapped herself. Kenshin was her age when his father died and she really didn't feel like she was that young. "For such a responsibility, I mean..."

"It had to be done."

"You are a very brave person..." Kaoru said. 'He didn't run away... I bet that if he was on my shoes he wouldn't run either. I'm a coward.'

Kenshin noticed that Kaoru seemed deep in thought 'She is probably just wondering why you are taking so long to pay her.' Kenshin walked to his desk, opened a drawer and took out his wallet.

"Here. Keep the change." Kenshin handed her the money. Kaoru stared at the money on her hand.

"It's too much." She finally said.

"I don't have change. You may keep it. Buy me coffee again some other day and we are even."

"Thank you." Kaoru said, shyly. "See ya soon, Himura-san."

"Kaoru-san, wait. I just wanted to tell you that I admire your courage."

Kaoru stared at him, puzzled.

"How come?" She asked.

"Because..." Kenshin took a deep breath and mentally kicked himself. "Because you don't seem to be afraid of meeting people and making questions... not everybody would wander around my office and ask me about my family."

"Oh..." Kaoru wasn't quite following what he was saying.

"I bet nothing scares you. Well... maybe some things do scare you, but you don't let fear rule your life."

"I fear too much, Himura-san."

"No, you don't. I can see it in your eyes. You don't seem the kind of people that runs away from a battle. You seem like you fight until the end."

"Thank you, Himura-san." Kaoru whispered.

"For what?"

"For making me feel brave again. I needed it." Kaoru smiled brightly before turning to leave.

'She is such an interesting person... there is something about her that I quite don't understand, even though she seems so honest.' Kenshin sighed. He looked at the thermos flask. 'Now... what am I going to do with this coffee?'

***

'What the hell am I doing?' She sighed heavily. 'Well... I've already come this far. I just need to go in quick and no one will never know I've been here.' Kaoru looked around to make sure no one was watching, before she approached the dojo's wooden gate. 'Damn... I forgot... I don't have the key with me...' Kaoru leaned on the gate and it moved slightly. 'It's open...' Kaoru froze. 'Oh... I left it open the last time I came here... I didn't have time to close the gate.'

Kaoru walked in. It seemed perfectly calm and in order. She walked to the training room.

'Dad's dojo. This place has a lot of fond memories.' Kaoru smiled to herself, thinking of when her father had taught her to hold a shinai.

"No, Kaoru-chan. Separate your hands. The left hand at the bottom. The right goes just below the hilt. That's it." He had said, giving her an approvingly smile.

'It's strange how I can remember these things. I must have been six years old back then. I guess some things are never really forgotten. At least not the important ones.' She sighed. 'And some things will not be forgotten, even if I wanted to.'

Kaoru thought it was strange how everything seemed on its place. Like everything was normal. Yet, the last thing she felt was the sense of normality. What she felt was that she wasn't supposed to be there. 'I'll just pick up a bokken and leave. I'm already late. Tae-san must be worried. Tae-san! I didn't think about her before! I was supposed to be back at Akabeko hours ago! What will I tell her when I see her? I can't lie. Besides... She will think that it's weird when I come back with a wooden sword, when all I wanted was to buy clothes.' Kaoru frowned. 'I should have thought of that before.'

She picked up a bokken from the racks on the wall. 'Now I already feel safe.' She smiled to herself.

Turning around, Kaoru's eyes flew open and her mouth opened on a silent cry of surprise.

***

'What is taking her so long?' Tae stood at Akabeko's door. 'She should have come back hours ago.'

Seiji had volunteered to look for Kaoru because she was taking too long to come back. Of course, Tae didn't agree at that time. She was sure the girl would come soon. When Seiji's shift ended, he wanted to search for Kaoru, but Tae assured him that Kaoru probably lost track of time and she would arrive soon enough. Seiji went home. Now Tae regretted that she hadn't accepted the young man's offer.

Tae had to stay and cover for Kaoru's absence at the Akabeko and there was nothing else that could be done. Kaoru didn't call and Tae was really worried about her. She didn't know the girl well enough, but she had the impression that Kaoru wasn't the kind of person that would deliberately be late without calling in to inform it.

The evening's customers had already been reduced to a small number. Tae stared concerned at the sky. It looked like it was going to rain. Her eyes wandered around the street in hope of seeing Kaoru coming back. Instead, she saw a man walking towards the Akabeko's entrance.

"Himura-san! Thank Kami-sama you are here!" Tae said.

"What's wrong, Tae-san?" Kenshin stared at the woman with concern.

"It's Kaoru-chan..."

"What happened to Kaoru?" Kenshin felt his heart tighten on his chest.

"Did she deliver the coffee at your company?"

"Yes, she did."

"Did she tell you where she was going?"

"No. Why? Is she missing?"

"She hasn't come back yet. I'm worried about her."

"I'm going to look for her."

"Thank you! She was supposed to go to a department store near your company. I think she might have gotten lost." Tae sighed. She was a little more relieved to have someone looking for Kaoru.

A lightning lit the sky of Tokyo, and before the thunder was heard, Kenshin had already left.

***

A lightning lit the scene for a moment, giving a Kaoru a glance at her opponent. He was dark haired and much taller than her, but then, half of Japan would be taller than her. He looked slightly familiar, but she couldn't exactly pinpoint where she had seen him before. All she knew was that he seemed dangerous and that he was blocking her exit. Outside, the rain started pouring hard.

Kaoru's grip on her bokken tightened and she tried to keep her ki under control. She could feel that it wouldn't be long before the man attacked her. So, she decided to take the initiative.

She charged against him, aiming for his shoulder. The man managed to hold Kaoru's bokken with both hands and thrusted it against her ribs. Kaoru bent in pain, but was able to keep from falling down and loosing her bokken.

Something shone on the man's hand. 'Great... A knife... Wasn't it too bad already?' Kaoru tried to remain calm. Her ribs hurt, but she forced herself not to think about the pain. 'I can't stay here... If I don't escape, I'm dead.'

The man moved forward and Kaoru stepped aside to the left. She felt a sharp pain on her arm, but ignored it, swiftly hitting the man in the back with her bokken. Both the opponent and her wooden sword fell on the ground after the impact. Kaoru ran away from the dojo, disappearing into the rain.

***

'I hope she is back.' Kenshin thought as he parked his car in front of Akabeko. It was raining hard. The distance to Akabeko's door seemed the longest distance that he ever had to walk in his entire life. He saw Tae getting up from a table when the door was opened. She still had an anguished look on her face, specially after seeing that Kenshin was alone.

"Nothing yet?" Kenshin asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"Maybe we should call the police." Tae said.

"They won't do a thing. She is not missing long enough." Kenshin sighed, letting himself fall on a chair. "Were could she be? It's way past midnight. What if something happened to her?"

"You are wet, Himura-san. You'll catch a cold."Tae deliberately changed the subject.

"It's nothing much." Kenshin said and looked at his wet clothes. Some of his hair was pasted to his face. He ran a hand through his hair, making it messier than it already was.

"This is my fault..." Tae said, hiding her face on her hands. "I shouldn't asked her to go. She didn't have to go so far away. If something happened to her, it's all my fault. I try to help, but things always turn out of hand."

"Try to help?" 'Help what?' "Does this have something to do with the coffee?"

"I'm sorry, Himura-san!" A tear streamed down Tae's face.

'This is not making any sense. What was she trying to help? This talk is getting me even more worried about Kaoru. I hate to just sit here and do nothing. I have to do something.'

"Tae-san, we should call the hospitals." Kenshin said. 'Just to make sure. I don't know what's worse, if she is hurt and being taken care of in a hospital, or not knowing at all.'

"You are right, Himura-san." Tae said, moving to the phone.

***

Kaoru held her arm. It was stinging. 'Baka, baka, baka... Kaoru no baka. You should have known that someone would be watching the dojo! If you were a little smarter you wouldn't have gone there on the first place.'

She was sitting on a dark corner. The rain was pouring over her, making her wet and cold. Involuntary tears streamed down her face. It was the last thing she expected to happen to her. 'Just when I thought my luck was going to change, I had to do something as stupid as this. I'll get killed over a bokken. I shouldn't have gone there. If I don't get smarter, I'm going to die. I'm already sitting here for a long time.

'I think it's time I try to make my way back to the Akabeko. Tae will go berserk on me... I'll be fired...' Kaoru sobbed. 'Weak. I'm weak. I shouldn't cry. Strong people do not cry.'

'But what can I do? My past is all messed up and I have no future! I just blew my last chance to have people caring for me... Tae-san won't forgive me for this. I have nothing... No friends, no family. The only one I can really rely on is myself...'

***

'Is it dawn already?' Kenshin moved to Akabeko's door and peered outside.

Tae mumbled something on her sleep, what caused him to look at her. 'I'm over concerned for that girl. But I'm not the only one.' Kenshin opened the door and walked outside.

The rain had already stopped falling. Kenshin took a deep breath. 'Where is she? What happened to her? She didn't check in on any hospital. And why am I so worried about her? Maybe it's because she is all alone in the world. No one should have to go through this in life. Everybody needs someone.'

His eyes caught the sight of something moving. Someone was walking on the sidewalk. Kenshin looked to see a very pale young woman, holding her left arm. Her clothes were dirty with an unmistakable hue of red - blood. Kenshin rushed to her.

'Himura-san? What is he doing in front of Akabeko?' Kaoru asked herself. 'He looks so worried.'

Kenshin embraced her. 'What? I feel so tired... Can I rest now? Will you take care of me?' Kaoru mentally asked.

"Tadaima." She whispered, before falling unconscious on Kenshin's arms.

"Kaoru-dono..." Kenshin muttered.

================

Hi, Minna-san! I'm very happy that there is people enjoying this story. It makes me feel like I'm doing something right! *blushing* Thanks for the compliments.

Please do review. Feedback is really important. It keeps the story going. =^x^=