Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ To Love You Again ❯ Shopping trip ( Chapter 10 )

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

This chapter is for Jo-chan (I hope you are doing well, girl)

Disclaimer: Kenshin and the rest of the cast are sitting in the set. Kaoru arrives, she is a little late for shooting.
Kaoru: "Gomen, everybody... I overslept."
Sano: "Kenshin, you dog. I told you to not keep Jou-chan awake again... You know she can't act well when she's sleepy."
Kenshin just oroed, before turning to Kaoru: "It's okay, Kaoru-dono. We didn't get the script yet."
Kaoru: "Mou! Are we going to shoot without rehearsal again?"
Asiyah: "Yeah, probably. I wish it was Firuze writing this fanfiction... She never made us wait for the script."
Kaoru: "Kenshin, do you think Hana-san is questioning her writing skills again?"
Kenshin: "I don't think so. Hana-dono is inside her trailer, eyes on the computer. I think she said she is waiting a special review."
Yahiko: "So, she has a crush on one of her reviewers..."
Kenshin (ignoring Yahiko): "I think it might have something to do with why she began writing this fanfiction."
KayJuli: "Totally."
The cast stares at her. KayJuli sweat-drops.
KayJuli: "The good thing about being the editor of this fanfiction - besides the fact that I read it before everybody - is that Hana-chan tells me these kind of things."
Kaoru: "So, tell us why she is writing this!"
KayJuli: "Sorry... No can do. I promised I wouldn't say a word. If you want to know, you ask her! Or try to find out by yourselves."
Hana-chan gets out of the trailer: "We can start shooting today's scenes now!"
Kaoru: "But we didn't rehearsal!"
Hana-chan: "You are a good actress, I'm sure you can improvise a bit."
Kaoru, mumbling: "Good thing Hana-san doesn't own us... I'd hate if I had to improvise the entire series."
Kenshin: "That would be a nightmare. I need time to prepare, since I do my own stunts."
Sano glares at him.
Kenshin: "I DO!"
Kaoru just point at a skinny guy wearing a red wig and pink gi, holding a sign saying 'stuntman'. Kenshin sweat-drops.

To Love you Again
10. Shopping trip

Kaoru had to keep herself from laughing, when she remembered every single conversation Asiyah had with Kenshin. She was simply impossible and Kenshin had a hard time with her.
The breakfast at Akabeko the previous day was an example of it. By the end of the meal, Asiyah had insisted that she wanted to see Yahiko as soon as possible. Kenshin had to say that the kid was at school. By the looks of it, if Kenshin hadn't told her she couldn't go there, she would take the kid to spend the day with her. Then she changed her mind. She wanted to go shopping and buy the kid something.
Kenshin talked her into accompany Kaoru shopping, but when they got back to the apartment, Asiyah went to Yahiko's room and slept all day.
The next day they were finally able to go on their shopping trip. Kaoru only complied in having Kenshin paying for her dress because she didn't want to look bad at Tomoe's wedding.
"All has changed a lot." Asiyah said, looking by the window of the taxi. "I haven't been to Japan in two years."
"Really? Why not?" Kaoru asked, sincerely interested.
"Onii-san didn't need me in the meanwhile." Asiyah looked at Kaoru and smiled. "It's very far to keep coming without a real good reason... And last time I stayed too long."
"To see your brother isn't reason enough?"
Asiyah looked back to the window and didn't say a thing for a while. "I come to see him from time to time. Usually it happens when he has a problem... But then, Kenshin was always a magnet for problems. First he decided to get married in a hurry. Then it was the situation at the tournament. Finally the whole Akira thing began. The only time I really came to help him was when he and Tomoe got divorced. In fact, I decorated his apartment."
"Opposing to Kenshin, you have a pretty good taste."
"Don't I? That's why he asked me to pick your dress. That and the fact that he hates to go shopping." Asiyah sighed. "Men... You can't live with them, can't take them shopping. But you know... Kenshin usually has a pretty good taste in one subject: women."
Kaoru didn't know why, but her cheeks felt like burning. Why did the word 'Kenshin' had that effect on her?
"Did you meet Tomoe?" Asiyah asked, without noticing Kaoru's blush.
"Hai..."
"My brother is a handsome guy. Any woman would love to win his heart. But he's the kind of person who doesn't get over his first love... Or so I thought so, because he told me he has an eye on a woman."
"Who?" Kaoru nearly shouted, her cheeks turning redder than before.
"He didn't say who. But I won't let someone come out of the blue have him like that. He already had a hard time getting over Tomoe. I don't want him to be in such pain again. So, whoever he has in mind must be someone really special, or I'll make her regret coming near my brother."
Kaoru got quiet and looked to the window. Asiyah was quite interesting, but she could be scary. But why did Kaoru mind what she would think of Kenshin's love interest? 'Stop this, Kaoru. It's not like I like the guy or something. I mean, I do like him. He's my friend, he helps me...'
Asiyah looked at Kaoru with interest. The girl was obviously in love with her brother. It was even more obvious than the fact that her brother was in love with the girl too. Asiyah made a mental note to never take Kaoru gambling. She would never be able to bluff. So, what did she knew about her brother's new love? She couldn't cook - Kenshin had mentioned that earlier that day. She couldn't lie. And she probably was too naïve to try to seduce Asiyah's brother. 'At least I know she would never be able to fool him.'
"Do you have any idea in mind for your dress?" Asiyah asked.
"Not a clue... As a matter of fact, Asiyah... I think you should accompany Kenshin to this wedding."
Asiyah raised an eyebrow. What was that girl trying to say?
"What?"
"Well... You don't have a date, do you? I'm sure you would like to accompany your brother and keep all those woman away from Kenshin." Kaoru said, trying to sound as if it was a joke, but failing.
'Is she concerned about being introduced to Kenshin's friends? Well, she should be...' Asiyah thought. 'They will probably eat her alive. Besides, she'll be going with the bride's former husband... Isn't that something to drive someone crazy? I mean... They will all be staring at Kenshin... Probably wondering if he still has feelings for Tomoe. There will probably be a lot of gossip. Hell! I don't want to accompany Kenshin! They will think he's too depressed to get a date! I can't let them think that about my brother. So, Kaoru is exactly what Kenshin needs right now. A cute young woman. I'll just have to dress her up and hope she'll behave like a lady."
"Oh, no, missy! You are going to this party! I don't want to go in your place and have Kenshin looking like he went to a funeral. Besides, he'd be mad with me for allowing you to stay."
Kaoru blushed. Did Asiyah mean that Kenshin really wanted to go with her? Why?
"You are so cute when you blush!" Asiyah said, as if she was talking to a little girl.
"I'm not blushing!" Kaoru's cheeks got redder than before.
"No, you aren't... maybe, you are related to a tomato."
Kaoru felt her face's temperature rise even more. Asiyah felt like laughing, and looked out the taxi window. 'I like this girl.'
'Why is she teasing me?' Kaoru asked herself, opening the window a bit.

***

Asiyah stopped in front of the shop's window. Kaoru stood beside her, looking at the magnificent dresses and thinking about how silly she would look in any of those. Kenshin's sister looked at Kaoru with her corner of her eyes.

Kenshin could be her 'nii-san, but he certainly was very vulnerable and sometimes, naïve. He always had that weakness for defending or helping those in need, and though it was a very commendable part of his character, some people abused of his tender heart in more than one opportunity since they were small.

Asiyah almost had fainted when he told her how the girl had ended living under his roof, but she had covered her concern behind her cheerful comments. It always worked with him: as long as she managed to keep him embarrassed enough, he would not detect her 'inquisition' on his 'guest'. He would be certainly very pissed off if he found about it, but she preferred him in rage than in pain.

"How old are you, Kaoru?"

"Eighteen." Kaoru replied, absentmindedly.

"So young. Do you study? Work? Oh, yes... You work at the Akabeko. Where is your family?"

"I don't have any." Kaoru suddenly got aware of the course of the conversation. Of course, her reply wasn't exactly the truth, but she didn't know where her cousin was. She knew he was alive, because Misao had said so. It was easier to let Asiyah think she didn't have any family than say: 'I don't know where my cousin is... You see, the yakuza is after us and we have to hide. She'd tell Kenshin. I wouldn't know how I'd look at him, then... Why do I care so much how he sees me? If he knew what happened, what would he do? How would he treat me? With disgust? With rage? Would he be angry? If I'm staying with him, I put his life in danger. He'd be angry. I just know it.'

"Once I had a dress like that." Asiyah said, pointing at a very daring model in the display. "I only wore it once, though."

"Why? Didn't you like it?"

"I liked it very much, but he cut it... He was in a hurry. We were in a concert, you know. There was piano player from Austria, but it was so fucking boring... I had met him in someone's house, in one of those parties everybody is invited. So, we were at the concert. And I was yawning the whole time. It turned out he was just as bored as I was... I started playing with him, following the music's rhythm. Now that I think about it, he might be cousin of yours! He also seemed related to a tomato. By the time the musician had finished the play we had already left the place long ago. But he was too impatient to wait, so we stopped the car... and well, when he tried to take the dress off... But you know how unskillful men are with dresses... I came home in his suit. When 'daddy' saw me wearing nothing but the guy's suit, he went in pursue of the poor bastard with his katana in hand. And my 'friend' ended up swimming in the frozen lake. In a nutshell... He was too frighten to take me out again."

Kaoru looked like she was about to faint. Her face seemed like it had reached fusion temperature. She didn't know she should fan herself or simply fall unconscious.

"Maybe you should try that dress... It would look good on you... Except in the top... You are a bit flat. But don't worry! You are still developing!" Asiyah said, pulling a shocked Kaoru inside the dress shop. Of course, she knew Kaoru couldn't wear that to the wedding. But it didn't hurt to try it on.

***

After shopping, Asiyah wanted to go see her nephew. Though Kaoru wasn't particularly fond of seeing Kenshin's son, she just couldn't walk away, when Asiyah insisted. It seemed that there was no way anyone could deny her a thing.

Kaoru moved uncomfortably on the taxi's seat. They had brought the dress to the wedding, and Asiyah insisted on buying her another dress. Something that Kaoru would probably be too shy to wear.

The cab arrived at the enormous house. Kaoru's mouth hanged open. She didn't know there could be such a big house in Tokyo. Asiyah didn't seemed interested in the house. She was obviously used to it. She paid that taxi and they got out.

"Tomoe-san lives here...?" Kaoru said, but it somehow sounded like a question.

"Hai. But the house belongs to our family. Kenshin was living here when they got married. He thought it was best if Tomoe and Yahiko kept living here after they got divorced. Since mom, Hiko and I live abroad, we didn't object." Asiyah said, as she moved to ring the doorbell.

After a few moments, a woman dressed as a maid opened the door.

"Is Yahiko there?" Asiyah asked.

"Please come in ma'am. I'll call him."

"Thank you. We'll wait in the living room. You may go." Asiyah said, as she pulled Kaoru towards the living room.

Kaoru was stunned. She never thought she would be inside such a beautiful mansion. The decoration seemed to be Tomoe-san's doing. It was perfectly classic, just like the woman. Asiyah twisted her nose.

"I can't believe she redecorated it again."

"It was two years ago, auntie." Yahiko stood in the doorway, before ran to hug his aunt.

"Oh, my... You look so big! A young man! And handsome! I bet you must have at your feet all girls in school."

Yahiko beamed at her comment, as Asiyah took a step back to look at him. The boy finally spotted Kaoru, on the other side of the room.

"Great... You've met busu."

Kaoru gritted her teeth.

"Hey! That's no way to treat a lady!" Asiyah stomped her foot. "If I knew you'd be like this, I wouldn't have bought you a gift..."

"Gift?" Yahiko's eyes shone with excitement.

"But I'm not sure I should give it to you... I mean, I haven't got a kiss from my favorite nephew yet..." Asiyah said, offering her face to Yahiko.

The boy quickly pecked her on the cheek.

"Isn't your mother home?" Asiyah, asked, while she looked for the gift inside the shopping bags.

"No. She's busy with the wedding stuff." Yahiko replied, without taking his eyes from the bags Asiyah was looking into.

"Pity. I wanted to say hi. You'll tell her that for me, won't you?"

"Sure."

Asiyah took from the bags a small wrapped box.

"I hope you doesn't have this one yet... Knowing your mom, you don't. Or has she changed her mind about you playing horror games?"

"No, she hasn't changed her mind. Is it ...?"

"You sent me an e-mail about this game. It was a little while ago, but if you don't have it yet..."

Yahiko ripped the wrapping, unable to control his excitement.

"Silent Hill 2! Cool!" He yelled.

"Hide it well."

"I will, auntie Asiyah."

***

"What's with the face, Kaoru-chan?" Tae asked. Kaoru had arrived early for work and was just sitting by the counter, looking deep in thought.

"Just thinking..." Kaoru said, without moving.

"She's probably thinking about the prince charming." Seiji suggested, stopping by Tae's side.

"No!" Kaoru almost yelled, her cheeks turning pink instantly. "Mou! Mou! Mou! Why do you people are so fond of teasing me today! Mou!"

"I was just teasing, Kaoru-chan. Don't take it seriously." Seiji smiled.

Kaoru sighed. She was thinking about Kenshin and the upcoming wedding. Asiyah suggested there would be a lot of Kenshin's friends there and Kaoru was actually worried about it. But what kept Kaoru thinking wasn't the fact that she would be introduced to Kenshin's friends. It was that she would be his date.

"I not even know how to dance..." Kaoru sighed.

"What did you say?" Tae asked, looking at the girl.

"I'm going to a wedding party with Kenshin... And I don't know how to dance."

"Maybe Seiji-kun could teach you." Tae asked, looking at the young man.

"No way, Tae-san. I'm a musician, not a dancer."

"I didn't know you were a musician..." Kaoru said, curiously. "What instrument do you play?"

"I'm a pianist. That's why I have to work here at Akabeko... To pay for my lessons, while I can't get enough places to play." Seiji sighed. It was hard to live with that dream.

Kaoru became suddenly red at the word 'pianist' , remembering the tale Asiyah had told her before.

"Well... When you get some place to play, tell me and I'll go hear you play." Kaoru said, trying to cover up her embarrassment.

"Aa... I'll get something soon, Kaoru-chan. So that you can hear me play."

Kaoru gave a little smile.

***

"She vanished in thin air..." Sano sighed in defeat. "I never knew she could be so smart and so difficult to find."

He let himself fall on the bed of the cheap hotel room he and Tsunan had moved. Tsunan was still trying to restore the computer Saitou had break during his attack. The computer, was pretty much gone, but there was still some useful information in the hard drive.

"At least you know they won't her easily..." Tsunan said.

"As long as they don't find us too, she is a little safer. After all, they don't know exactly how Jou-chan looks like... And I haven't seen the cop in a while... Since we moved here, actually."

"Maybe we lost him." Tsunan said.

"I hope so. The week he gave me already finished long ago and he hasn't come."

"Maybe he found something more profitable elsewhere."

"Yeah. Maybe that's it."

"You should go to Kaoru's friend again. Maybe she heard something. Kaoru could have contacted her. And since we moved, she couldn't find us." Tsunan suggested.

"I'll go to her later... I have to go to the hospital."

Sano crossed his arms under his head and stared at the ceiling. He was getting pretty tired of the whole thing, but nothing could be done until everything was solved.

"How is he?"

"Unconscious. The doctors don't know if he'll ever wake up. They think it's a miracle he survived this long."

"I'm sorry..." Tsunan said, getting up from his chair. "I need to buy a few computer supplies. Maybe I can have this thing up and running soon..."

"You said that last week."

"You never know when soon will be." Tsunan put on his jacket. "Sano... I shouldn't have brought you into this. I'm sorry."

"I got in on my own free will. It's Jou-chan we should apologize to. Jou-chan and ojii-san. They had nothing to do with and were dragged in. I was irresponsible. If I could just find Jou-chan, I'd take her out of the country in a blink. To think that I caused her to be so unhappy. She won't ever forgive me."

"She will. Kaoru has a wonderful and kind heart."

"It sounds like you still have a crush on Jou-chan."

"Can you blame me? She's a beauty." Tsunan laughed. "I doubt she will ever go out on a date with me again."

***

"Tadaima!" Kenshin called when he got home.

"Okaeri." It was Asiyah who replied.

Kenshin sighed. Kaoru was at work and he was home alone with his worst nightmare. It would be a long evening, he was sure.

"How was your shopping?" Kenshin asked, going into the living room.

Asiyah was lying in the couch, a popcorn bowl over her stomach.

"Okay." She replied, looking at the TV.

"Did you find Kaoru's dress?"

"Oh, yeah. You don't mind going to the wedding with a femme fatale, do you?"

"Oro! Asiyah!" Kenshin almost shouted. He wondered what kind of dress they had bought.

"Just kidding! I found something adorable for her. She liked it quite much. She said she never wore something as pretty as that."

"Can I see it?"

"No. You'll see it at the wedding."

Kenshin glared at her.

"What? Don't you trust your sister's good taste?" Asiyah laughed. "Don't worry about it! I wouldn't let Kaoru go into the snake's pit wearing something that wouldn't be suitable for the occasion. Believe it or not, I like her. I understand now why you love her so much."

"Asiyah!"

"Oro?" She said, pretending to be clueless.

"Stop teasing." Kenshin warned.

"I'm not teasing! Deny that if you can!"

"We are not having this conversation..."

"Yes, we are... And by not denying it, you just admitted that you love her!" Asiyah said in triumph.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear you." Kenshin said, playing it cool. "I'll take a bath now."

"Then I won't tell you that she loves you too."

Kenshin stopped dead on his tracks. He turned around slowly. She didn't say what he thought she said, did she?

"Did she tell you that?"

"No, but it's pretty obvious. She blushed every time I said your name." Asiyah said, matter-of-factly.

"You were talking about me?"

"Don't worry... I didn't tell her your embarrassing stories... Like when mom and dad went out and you drank a whole bottle of wine. You weren't used to alcohol and got drunk pretty fast. When they got home, you were lying naked in the front yard... The neighbors were throwing a party and all the guests were shocked when you were running naked on the street. Thank goodness you passed out in our front yard and not someone else's!"

"That never happened, Asiyah! You are making this up!"

"Am I? They took pictures! I asked the neighbors to give me one, so that I could blackmail you... It's a pity I forgot it at home."

"Oh... My... God... You are serious..."

Asiyah smiled sweetly. "Don't worry, I won't tell her that. You already paid for my silence."

"Oro... What did I buy you?"

"A nice dress for the wedding... "

"And?"

"A gift for Yahiko. And another dress for your pretty girlfriend."

'At least it wasn't that bad...' Kenshin sighed. 'A dress for Kaoru... Maybe the two of them got along fine. Could that mean... Less teasing?'

"Hey, lover boy! You are grinning like an idiot."

'Guess not...'

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TBC...
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Hello, minna-san. Next chapter will be very difficult for me to write, so I appreciate encouragement. Please review.
And for those of you who want to be notified about the updates, just leave your e-mail address in a review.

By the way, the same of my other fanfictions: English is not my first language, so there will be a lot of mistakes. Please don't let my mistakes bother you.