Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ When Push Comes To Shove ❯ Teeter ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: I will not pull down my already disgraced motherland in more humiliation and dishonor by getting myself involve in any international scandal or whatever blahblah. I have no care about becoming a global sensation by being a juvenile delinquent infringing copyrights. Simply put, RK is not mine and I am only borrowing it so please leave me in my obscure miserable existence alone.

Note: We have no classes today (because of the State of the Nation address, in case you're interested. I think, our school is somewhere in the vicinity of the site of the SONA and they're anticipating trouble ahead, I guess.) so I am able to type this thing. I am hopeful I can get the next chapter encoded as well. Then I can disappear for a while.

Chapter 4

Teeter

Kage no Seiyo restaurant is located on the other side of town. Found along the edge of Tokyo, part of it hanging on bamboo stilts over seawater. Facing the west, it is renowned for its breathtaking sunset views over the great expanse of the Pacific Ocean.

A young lady, for one, a first time costumer, was very impressed of the light show. She watched closely, falling in love with the sight. Her eyes, round with wonder, was flooded red as she followed the slow sinking of the flaming globe, watched as the crimson stained the water. She certainly kept herself amused as they waited for their food. She busied herself on the animated artwork of the vast expanse of the sky, murmuring praises once in a while as the colors shifted dynamically.

Her companion was not watching nature's grandiose gala performance. He was actually gazing at her, mouth slightly opened, hypnotized. The play of emotions of his beloved's face was more than good enough for him. Each astounded smile made his heart quirk, joy rushing through his veins, ecstatic at the knowledge of her happiness. This certainly made up for all he had to go through in preparation. In fact, Sanosuke's barbaric tortures were the last thing on his mind.

Kaoru felt like she was on a raft of flowers floating away on a river of bliss. It is not because she has never seen twilight coming. It is just that considering where she is, and more importantly, who she is with, his is one of the more ravishing dusks she has seen ever. Anyway, she has never been to this part of Tokyo at this time of the day. The site that awaited her when she did come made all the fresh memories of yanking and pulling of hair and long moments of having to keep still disintegrate into thin air.

"Kaoru-dono?" The soft ever-unassuming voice broke into her thoughts.

Reluctantly, she drew away from the outside.

"Yes, Kenshin?" she answered, flashing him a smile.

He grinned back at her shyly. "Sorry to disturb you," he said. "Our food has come."

Kaoru blinked. "That was fast."

"Iie. We've waited for more than half an hour."

"W-we have?"

"Aa. Shall we see if the food is worth the wait?"

"Oh, of course."

Now, a few meters away, two very cramped men shared the limited space of a coracle. Shrouded by night, they watched the couple intently though they themselves were unseen.

"Scoot over!" whispered one furiously.

The other shoved him back, almost making him lose his balance and fall for a good dunking.

"Kisamaaa!" he hissed. "That was not nice, Enishi! If I get sick and the fox gets wind of it I'll be handicapped for the rest of the year!"

"Shut up," muttered Enishi darkly.

"What the hell for?" demanded Sano sulkily. "Nothing's happening. Kenshin has been with her for almost an hour and still no progress. She stares at the sea for 30 minutes while he ogles at her. Che! It's hopeless."

"Silence communicates so much more than words."

"Yeah right. Maybe for you but it sure doesn't work for Jou-chan and that dork up there."

"They are speaking."

Sano leapt (if it was possible in their position), straining his ears to hear. "What are they saying? Damn! If the stupid waves would just stop for a while-"

"If you stuff it long enough, I'd be able to hear."

"Hmph." Silence for about five seconds. "Well?"

"Hn. Pep talk."

"It's pretty exciting to eat from ivory chopsticks, ne Kenshin?"

"Aa."

Another topic for conversation down the drain.

She felt guilty earlier for staring out the open veranda for too long. She and Kenshin have actually exchanged barely a few monosyllabic words since then. For crying out loud, they are supposed to be on a date! Being in an expensive place on top of everything, she felt compelled to start a conversation. Kenshin, of course, would not cooperate and now she is in a loss-for-words situation.

Feeling a little agitated, she found her gaze drifting towards the dark ocean. In the night sky, nothing can be seen but the blemished surface of the earth's satellite. Here and there, blotches of the star-studded sky can be seen through the thick clouds whose presence was hinted by the indigo highlight.

Likewise, there was nothing to see in the water below. A shinning silver path can be discerned from the few ripples touched by the moon's fingers. The faded yellow light from the lanterns cast circular areas of relative brightness in the dark depths of the ocean below.

The bay line, however, was bright and cheery, full of little lights from the various establishments along the shoreline. It was beautiful, too, compensating for the overcast skies. Kaoru has seen a city ablaze with light at night, on a ship in fact, but that was when she and Yahiko went after Kenshin who had left for Kyoto to fight Shishio Makoto. Remembrance of all what they went through prompted her to recall the mission at hand. She nibbled on her lower lip and thought hard.

Darn, she thought. I really can't think of anything to talk about.

"Mou!"

In her annoyance, she pouted, the word slipping from her mouth unconsciously.

Why don't you work with me, Kenshin? Her mind raved. I can't talk by myself like Misao!

She saw herself in a skimpy Oniwabanshu costume prattling beside a spaced out practically engulfed by the off-white trench coat. About to bemoan the picture conjured by her mind, a sound from her date banished the horrible image.

Kenshin is chuckling, thought Kaoru. Why?

"Kenshin," she said. "Douka shitano?" (AN: I couldn't understand my handwriting. :huffs:)

He shook his head, smiling.

"Did I miss a joke? Sorry, I was absent-minded." She knocked the side of her head. "Kaoru-no-baka!"

Kenshin laughed. "No, no," he assured. "I just realized how kawaii you are when you're mad. Without the bamboo sword, of course."

"Oh." Cheeks pinking, Kaoru made a sudden movement. The cup of tea in front of her was swiped of the table. The ceramic rolled away with out breaking on the floor but not without spraying its contents all over the place. "Ooops."

Kenshin immediately rose and helped her to clean up.

"Your kimono is ruined," he said ruefully, searching himself for a handkerchief or something.

"Oh, no." Kaoru tried to assuage the predictable worry he was bound to develop. "I didn't get wet. It just spilled on the floor."

Kenshin helped his partner up and used the bits of paper her found on his sleeves to dry her place. A waiter soon came to tidy up.

Below, Sano slapped his head in frustration, fighting to the ends of his control to keep from bellowing in rage.

"Clumsy," he moaned. "They're both clumsy to hell! They sit for hours in silence and when that imbecile up there finally makes a move, the tanuki ruins the atmosphere. Damn, damn, damn!"

"I take it, she's not used to being complemented," remarked Enishi.

"I suppose that makes sense. We do call her tanuki-girl a lot. Megumi calls her a violent unrefined country tomboy. Yahiko calls her ugly hag everyday."

"Hn. The exact opposite of my sister. The Battousai has eccentric taste."

"Jou-chan has her good points, too."

"I know. And they over shadow her bad ones?"

Sano sweat dropped. "Apparently, Kenshin also loves her wild side."

"And does she know this?"

"Hell, no! Do you realize what we're trying to pull off here? We're watching the densest person alive have a courtship and proposal all in one night! Do they really have to get married tomorrow?"

"Yes. Neesan's order was as soon as possible. In fact, if this goes nowhere, I'll force them to marry before sunrise tomorrow."

"You've been saying that for hours. Do it already!"

" I am not going to do him a favor. He's been lucky with my sister. He'll just have to work harder this time around. "

"What the hell are you saying?! I'm tired, I'm cramped. I'm sick of this. We have his reversed-edge sword anyway. He'll be forced to marry Jou-chan and I would be able to get my good night's sleep. Are you even listening, you crackpot?"

"Shut up! I can't hear them."

"Kenshin's probably apologizing for some idiotic thing or another. Hn. Crappy."

"Gomen nasai de gozaru."

"Kaoru was surprised. "For what is it this time?"

"It seems you didn't like the food de gozaru…"

She raised an eyebrow on all the empty plates before her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded suspiciously.

"Kaoru-dono, you usually eat more de gozaru."

"Why you-!"

"I mean, your metabolism is high because you train everyday and exert yourself more than most people so you need to eat more to obtain more energy."

"Okay." Her fists unclenched and eyebrows separated.

Kenshin relaxed. "So the is food worth it?"

"Hai. I love it!"

"I see."

It did not fool her one bit. "I'm not trying to polite or whatever!" she said in exasperation. "Hmph."

He smiled. "That's my role," he agreed.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Anyway, are you really ok?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah."

"But you ate little."

"I ate a lot the whole afternoon. " Her eyes warned him to drop the subject. Do I have to tell you how nervous I was?

"Aa."

"Demo…."

"Nani?"

"I like your cooking better." She grinned.

Kenshin grinned back. "But you're sure you won't get hungry tonight?"

"Daijoubou, Kenshin." She patted her tummy. "I'm stuffed."

"Then shall we go?"

"What about the tab?"

"All taken care off, Kaoru-dono."

They both rose and headed out of the restaurant. There the carriage stood waiting for them.

"Shall we be going home now, Kenshin?"

"Aa. Shikashi, I don't want the night to end just yet." He gripped her hand more tightly.

"Kenshin…" Her cheeks flushed mildly. "Neither do I. It's such a lovely evening and all. Arigatou gozaimasu."

"It's not over yet."

"Nani?" Kaoru tried to hide the excited gleam in her eyes.

"Why don't we take a walk along beach?"

"But Yahiko-"

"I asked Tae-dono to keep him for the night." The corner of his eyes crinkled as he smiled. She could have sworn he winked at her.

This time Kaoru's shade zoomed to a very intense red as all the educational chats she has had with Megumi invaded her system. That was probably the most suggestive thing the rurouni has ever said or done.

Mou, she thought. I'm making a fool of myself.

"Okay," she said aloud.

Kenshin grinned at her. "Yatta!" He offered an arm to her and led the way.

Elsewhere, two suspicious looking figures alighted from the tiny vessel.

"Land ahoy!"

The spiky haired brunette stretched, kicking up sand gleefully.

"Ahh! Freedom," he said. "Oi, Enishi. Let's go."

The other man, also with a pointed hairstyle, though color white, stepped out next. He bent over the supposed-to-be one-man boa, taking out what appeared to be a sword. Dusting off his clothes, he headed inland.

Sano soon realized that his co-conspirator was heading the wrong direction.

"Oi, Mister-neesan's-word-is-my-law!" he yelled. "They went that way."

Enishi turned an exhausted look at him.

"Sagara," he said. "Preoccupied as she is, the Kamiya girl is not deaf."

"Che." All the same, he lowered his voice. "Where d'you think you're going?"

"None of your concern."

"Hey! You are not going to desert me on this!"

Enishi cocked his head at him curiously. "You do not trust the Battousai and the woman alone."

"Damn right."

"And you want to watch."

"Yep." Sano followed the couple's trail on the sand. "Move your feet, man."

The other merely crossed his arms, motionless on his spot. "Voyeurism?"

Sanosuke stopped dead on his tracks. He spun around all red in the face. "That was not what I meant!"

"Aa sou ka. It's dark, anyway. No one will see them. And I shan't compromise anyone's honor, including mine, by engaging in such dastardly profligacy."

"B-b-baka!" sputtered Sano. "Himura's way to spineless to do what you're thinking!"

"He has balls," retorted the alleged psychopath levelly.

Sano ignored him. "We have to make sure he proposes, remember? Does the word "plan" ring any bell or have you permanently damaged that brain of your that winter day?"

Enishi walked with slow intent to his partner's side. Brushing past the tall lanky brawler, he murmured coolly.

"I am often labeled a madman and I am used to it. However, I shall not allow to pass an ahou like you to insult me repeatedly. By my sister's grave, if the Battousai fails to keep his part of the bargain I shall kill you as well."

Sano fidgeted uneasily but brought up his façade of bravado automatically. "That's why we monitor him, to make sure he does. Now come on."

The mentally unstable man merely continued padding in silence a few paces before the ex-gangster.

"Besides," added Sano to further strengthen his arguments. "We have the sakabatou. Kenshin won't be able to defend Jou-chan and himself in case another lunatic appears to sail along from some distant part of the world."

Silence.

"Kuso! You're a dull companion." Sano shrugged. "Better you than Aoshi. Or Yahiko. Or that weasel girl."

To be continued….

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Will Kenshin finally pop the question now that the two of them are alone?

Will there be another revenge-crazed creature come from the rim of the world?

Is Enishi going to revert to lunatic mode and turn them all into minced meat?

Will they consummate their relationship like Enishi suspected?

Is Sanosuke really a voyeuristic roué?

Find out!

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Aurgh!!! I messed up. Hmm… I hope I'm not being that much of a disappointment.

For all the description, I relied solely on imagination. I don't know anything about Tokyo now or then.

And about the time of the setting, I'm confused. I live between the Tropic of Cancer and the equator. The time of dusk remain fairly the same through out the year. I understand in the temperate region the sunsets are later in summer…. Can somebody please clarify this? Please…. I was to lazy to research it then, I'm too busy to do it now, and I can't remember how it was when we stayed in the US cause that was years ago.

This time I'm reeallyyy begging for criticism. I have poor background onmush. I only started reading romance when I got hooked into anime and therefore got hooked on fanfiction. Ho-hum…

Suggestions, complaints, everything! You can tell me. Honesty and openness, please! ^_^ I don't mind. (I think I should prepare my armor…)