Really I had no intention of getting everybody so worked up about it! Really! Gomen! Anyway, your gonna kill me when you know. And congratulations Hotaru–san, you guessed! Here goes.

Chapter 7

"Well… go get her Kenshin." said Sanosuke to the nervous man in front of him.

Kenshin nodded and took a deep breath.

"You better take good care of her, and like I said don’t do anything stupid." Sano advised him.

Kenshin smiled and made his way to the door. Then stopped.

"Sanosuke…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember that favor I asked of you in the morning?"

Sanosuke’s eye twitched.

"You do have it don’t you?" asked Kenshin

"Yes I have it. But I’ll let you know you owe me big because of this! And I only did it for Jou-chan! So she had better come back happy from this date! And you had better---!"

"Sanosuke…" Kenshin interrupted holding out his hand.

Sanosuke’s eye twitched again but he sighed in resignation. He reached into his pocket and pulled out some yen. Never in his life had he lend anybody some money. But he loved Jou-chan like a sister and she deserved this. Besides, it was kind of a little pay back for all the money she had lent him in the past two years. Kenshin smiled at his friend and reached out to take the money, which Sanosuke held onto firmly.

"Sanosuke…"

He growled and let go of the money. Kenshin gave him his best smile and exited the room, leaving a very surprised Yahiko and a very miserable Sano.

"Kaoru will be out in a second." Megumi said to Kenshin

"Arigatou Megumi-dono."

Kenshin waited not so patiently outside her room. He could hear slight whispering from inside.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I guess, I’m so nervous! What am I supposed to say? What am I supposed to do?"

"relax Tanuki, just pretend your strolling through the market with him like everyday."

"Yeah, I guess…"

"Well hurry up! He’s already waiting for you outside."

"He’s there already?!"

"Yes! Now get out there and make me proud! Give that baka rurouni something to smile about! … if you know what I mean…"

"Mou! Megumi!"

‘<hmmmmm, I like that idea…>

<oro!>’

Kenshin lifted his head when he saw the door slide open. His eyes danced at the sight of her. She was like a goddess. The simple hair and make up, the sweet look on her face. The lovely deep purple kimono decorated with silver lining at the bottom and matching sakura petals close to the edges.

‘<woah!!!! Is she real?!>’

there was a very odd silence between them. Kaoru was just in the same state as Kenshin, she had never seen him like this before. The blue gi he was wearing made his hair look even more intense, he looked hot!

‘<Say something you moron! You’ve been staring at her for like 3 minutes!>

<orororo! What do I say! I can’t speak damn you! Nothing will work in my body! I can barely breath!>

<the reason is right in front of you, you know…>

<Help!>

"Kaoru… you look very…" Kenshin started

‘<hot? Sexy? Provocative? Desiring?>’ Battousai offered.

<*sweat drop*>’

"You look beautiful de gozaru yo…" he managed to finish off.

‘<that’ll do I guess…>

Blushing of course, Kaoru suddenly found her feet very interesting.

"Arigatou Kenshin, you look very nice too."

"So are you two just going to drool at each other all night or are you actually going to have dinner?" Said Sanosuke stepping into the scene.

Yahiko snickered at the matching red couple…

"Sanosuke’s right, off you go now." Said Megumi shooing them off.

‘<help her you moron!>’

Kenshin did as he was told and extended his hand over to Kaoru to help her to the ground level. He was surprised to feel her hand was just as cold as his. Well at least he wasn’t alone in being nervous. Kenshin opened the dojo gate so she could step out. When he himself got out he heard Megumi say something like "kawaii" which of course made him blush.

"Where will we be going Kenshin?" asked Kaoru

"It’s a surprise de gozaru. I hope you don’t mind walking." He said and waited for her reply.

"Not at all, it’s a warm, lovely night." She said looking at the stars

"Just like you…"

‘Mou!’ Kaoru thought to herself her face turning crimson.

‘<smoooooooth! Didn’t know you had it in you!>

<that was dumb! I wish I hadn’t said that!>

<what the hell are you talking about! That’s the smartest thing you’ve done all day! Look look! You even got her to blush!>

<I got myself to blush…!>

<What are you going to do now?>

<what do you mean de gozaru ka?>

<I told you before. This date is not going to finish without physical contact!>

<Oro!!>

<We’ll take one step at a time, first the basics… hold her hand.>

<but… but… *blush*>’

"Kenshin are you ok?" Kaoru asked looking back at him

"huh? What? Oh um, hai de gozaru. Er, why do you ask?"

"Well your face just got red suddenly." She said

"Oh… uh… I’m fine Kaoru… I just… I’m fine." He stuttered

Kaoru looked him over again, but shrugged it off. Kenshin sighed.

‘<moron…>

<well I couldn’t help it!>

<anyway… what are you waiting for?>

<to do what?>

<to hold her hand you baka!>

<but I can’t just reach down and grab her hand. I need something to happen…>

<like what?>

<you know, she trips and I catch her or something.>

<oh, well that can be arranged, don’t you know a rougher route to ‘The Place’?>

<well sort of… in the next street to the left, actually it’s a short cut but the street is terrible… full of bumps and holes.>

<well then what are you waiting for?!>

<ok, ok, che!>’

"This way Kaoru." Said Kenshin signalling to the left. She nodded and followed

‘<ok, now you have to be ready for when she falls so stay attent to her every movement.>

<ok.>

<don’t get distracted with anything, just focus on her body.>

<ok>

<let her get a little bit in front of you so you can see better>

<all right! jeez! I know how to do this I’m not that baka you know! After all-->

<BAKA!!!>

Kaoru tripped with a hole she had not seem. But caught herself with her other foot just in time.

"Mou! What a terrible road." She said to Kenshin. He smiled nervously and nodded.

‘<Baka! Baka! Baka baka!!! "I know how to do this you know! I’m not that baka you know!">

<well I was arguing with you! How could you expect me to pay attention?!>

<baka, baka baka…>

<well then shut up and let me pay attention!>

Kenshin concentrated everything he had in Kaoru’s slim figure. Closing out the world around him.

<Don’t loose her movement, Pay attention. Concentrate…>

he waited. The bad thing about closing out your world completely is that…

"ORO!!!!!"

"Kenshin!"

Kaoru extended her hand in an effort to catch the rurouni before he hit the ground. He reached for it and held it. But instead of Kaoru pulling Kenshin up, he pulled her down. They landed on the floor with and uff. Kenshin hitting the floor first and Kaoru on top of him. Nothing would have happened to Kaoru if Kenshin hadn’t lifted his head to see if she was ok. Their foreheads connected with a konk noise.

"Itai…" whined Kaoru bringing her right hand up to the growing bump.

"Orororo! Gomen nasai de gozaru Kaoru!!!! Sessha did not mean to hurt you de gozaru!!! Daijoubu?" he asked worriedly.

Kaoru lay her head over his chest and Kenshin could feel a slight shake coming from her body. He gasped and put his hand over her shoulder to see what was wrong.

<You moron! You got her to start crying!!! Are you happy?!>’

Kenshin panicked. Oh God this was just awful!

"Kaoru?" he asked cautiously

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!" laughed Kaoru lifting up her head.

"ORO?!"

Kaoru could not stop laughing. Her whole body shook from head to toe. And tears came out of her eyes. She set her head against Kenshin’s chest again not being able to hold herself up. Kenshin also began to giggle, then he too started to laugh. His nerves and the previous situation had him laughing as hard as Kaoru in no time.

The people passing by tried to get as far away from the strange, crazy, hysterical (etc.) couple as they could. Finally both exhausted they stood, well lay, one on top of the other giggling occasionally.

"I think we should get up now." Said a smiling Kaoru, sprawled all over Kenshin now. And speaking between breaths.

"Hai…" Kenshin said in the same state.

For a while nobody moved. The truth was, they were both very comfortable the way they were. But eventually Kenshin stood up picking Kaoru up with him. On their feet again the looked at each other with the same warm smile. Kaoru giggled one last time before beginning to walk again. Something tugged on Kenshin’s left hand and something on Kaoru’s right pulled her back. Both looking down, found their hands had never separated since they fell. Not knowing what to do for a moment they both looked up at each other again, looking for the reaction of one another. Kenshin was the first to smile, walking up to Kaoru and pulling her along the road. She smiled back at him and walked by his side.

"Mou, Kenshin?"

"Hai?

"You still haven’t told me where we are going."

"I told you, it’s a surprise, be patient Kaoru, we’re almost there…"

to which she answered with a smile "Mou…"

~~~~~~~~°*°~~~~~~~~

A/N: ok, this was written in a fit of hyperness cuz it’s my first day of school and I missed my friends and my inspiration and stuff… too bad we had exams… -_-‘ anyway I hoped you liked it! And The Place… well just wait, I won’t be long in posting the next chapter… ^^