Kenshin woke the next morning to find two blankets wrapped around him. As his vision regained itself, he saw Kaoru sitting at the campfire, boiling eggs. “Oro?! Kaoru-dono!?” She didn’t respond, but continued to hum to herself.
Yahiko sat up, happy to find that he had a blanket to keep warm. “Hey, Kaoru, how did you…?”
“Does it matter? Ohayou, minna!” she said.
Sanosuke was rubbing his eyes, his mass of hair sticking out. “Ohayou, Jou-chan. Thanks for getting breakfast started.” he said sleepily then curled up to go back to sleep again. Everyone was surprised that he wasn’t at all fazed.
Kenshin got up and raced over. “Kaoru-dono,” he started, his voice a little hoarse as he tried to make out the words, “Sessha…”
“You thought you could just leave me.” she uttered, without looking at him, “You thought I would just give up and go home?”
“Ano… actually, that wouldn’t have been in your nature. But Sessha was hoping…”
She crossed her arms and stared at the ground. “I know you don’t want me here.” she said flatly.
‘That’s not true! That’s not true!’ Kenshin cried inwardly. He wanted her presence always… except when her life would be endangered. Kenshin clenched his fists, containing all his conflicting emotions; creating that invisible barrier between them. He could tell that she too was struggling, the way her lip was quivering only meant she was holding back from crying. ‘Kami-sama, please don’t make her cry because me! I hate to see her cry!’
Kaoru forced an awkward smile. “But no matter what you say, I’m staying with you.” Kenshin stepped back, surprised by her response. She then looked past him over to Yahiko. “You want two eggs or three?”
“Two is fine!” he said, walking towards the two. He could tell that Kenshin and Kaoru still hadn’t made up yet. It just didn’t seem right when those two argued. He felt uncomfortable sitting between them as Kaoru peeled the hard-boiled eyes and placed them in a platter. “Kaoru, you don’t have to…” he mumbled, thinking she was babying him.
“I know, Yahiko,” she said, “But I want to. And you know once I make up my mind, there’s no use fighting it. Now here you go and don’t think this treatment will come everyday.”
He smiled in spite of himself. “Arigatou. Sometimes…you’re like a big sister to me.”
“Yahiko…” She blushed. “Does Tsubame-chan know that you’re such a smooth-talker.”
“Not really. I can’t seem to get out of my ‘don’t call me CHAN’ stage. I think it totally turns her off.”
“I’ll say. You know, being called with ‘CHAN’ isn’t such so bad. It calls for a term of endearment. Tsubame-chan just uses it because she likes you, that’s all.”
* * *
Kenshin felt so out of the conversation. ‘She’s doing this on purpose. She doesn’t want to talk to you now. Look what you did! Baka!’ he yelled at himself, ‘But it was a good plan… how on earth did she cross it?’ He stared at the giggling Kaoru who was actually talking nicely with Yahiko. He could just picture her frightened face on the other side of the bridge calling out to him. ‘Baka, that was cruel. How could you do that to her? She needed you and you just abandoned her!’
He sighed and started peeling his own egg. Sanosuke had been up a couple of minutes and was already scarfing down his third. He still wasn’t fazed at all by Kaoru’s sudden appearance. Kenshin looked towards him. “Sano, not even a little?”
Sanosuke shook his head. “I saw her come in sometime during the middle of the night. I pretended to be asleep and watched her tuck each of us in, like she was our den mother. I have to hand it to Jou-chan. Somehow, no matter what you do to her, she keeps persistent.” he said, chuckling, egg on his chin.
Kenshin sighed, “Persistent, eh?”
“Kind of like that weasel girl chasing her Aoshi-sama throughout the countryside. I don’t think he’ll ever be rid of her.” Sanosuke noted, the memory of Misao popping up both in their minds. But there a bit of bitterness mixed with those words. No one was sure that Aoshi would ever return his feelings for the one who had loved him since she was just a child. Misao had grown up loving Aoshi and perhaps would never let go of that love. That was the sad part.
“That is persistence. But Sessha doesn’t think Kaoru-dono has it. She’s just really concerned.” Kenshin said, adding to himself, ‘And stubborn… reckless and stubborn.’ He was sure she did something dangerous to get over that ravine. He just knew. It was something Kaoru would do.
“Sometimes,” Sanosuke said quietly, “I wished I had a girl just as crazy about me.”
Kenshin lifted his head in surprise. ‘Did I just hear that?’ The look in Sanosuke’s face was forlorn, something that was unusual. The normal badass wouldn’t just go out and say that, looking like that. The normal badass would just cuss about women annoying him. Kenshin felt worried that something was terribly off today.
* * *
The Kenshin-gumi regrouped and continued on the trail. However, the sun was beaming over them, the temperature rising to an unusual high. Without the access of shade, but exposure to the heat, they found themselves feverishly battling against the rare discomfort.
“It’s got to be 100 degrees of something!” Yahiko sighed, trailing behind everyone, “I’m all out of water. Does anyone have any left?”
“Here, Yahiko!” Kaoru said, throwing him her canister. “I know how you feel. It’s like we’re in a desert. Mou…” she muttered, fanning the collar of her gi.
Kenshin tried not to look, but was completely unable to do so. He found himself turning all red and tripping over a rock in the road. Sanosuke stopped and pulled him up by the back of his gi. “Distracted, are we?”
“S-Sessha was just thinking how it would have been best if we found a stream or something to refill our canisters.” he stammered.
Sanosuke eyed him suspiciously. “But is it really this heat that’s making you all hot, Kenshin?”
“Sessha doesn’t know what you talking about!”
Kaoru looked over her shoulder towards the two, who were behind. “Hey! Come on, let’s keep moving! It’s much too hot staying in one place. Don’t make me come back there!”
“Don’t worry, Jou-chan. I was just urging Kenshin to keep going. He’s a bit tired today.” Sanosuke said, running up to her, “But you’re right; it sure is hot today.” He then took off his shirt and swung it around his shoulder, “Of course there are ways to keep cool.”
“Easy for you to say.” Kaoru grumbled, trying not to stare. But her eyes were drawn to the muscular exhibit. “S-Sanosuke, check the map. Maybe there’s a river somewhere nearby.” He nodded and took out that map; her glad that his chest was no longer exposed.
“Aa, there’s one this way.” he said, directing her shoulders to the right, “You’ll be able to drink up the entire steam, Jou-chan.”
“Yossha!” she cried with relief, “Minna, this way!” she said, taking Sanosuke by the arm and dragging him through the woods.
Yahiko and Kenshin exchanged looks. “They sure are chummy today.” Yahiko said. Kenshin kept silent. What was Sano thinking?
* * *
“WATER!!” Kaoru ran towards the river. She let go of Sanosuke and her knapsack, kneeling down by the edge and taking a handful to soak her face. She then started to splash about, happily laughing at herself.
Sanosuke watched silently, his hands in his pockets. A smile curved on his lips. ‘Just by the simplest things… she doesn’t need much in the world does she? But still, why…why can’t…’
“Sanosuke,” Kaoru said, looking back at him, “Don’t you want any? There’s plenty to go around!”
He laughed, “I’m still debating whether or not to jump in with my clothes on.”
“Why don’t you?” she asked, getting up and facing the tall fighter with taunting blue eyes.
He grinned at her dare. “Only if you come with me.”
Kaoru blinked. “I don’t know. I’m not a good swimmer.”
Sanosuke took hold of her wrist. “Daijoube, I’ll save you. If you drown, Kenshin would never forgive me.”
‘Kenshin,’ Kaoru thought, ‘Where is he? What’s taking him so long?’ She shook her head, ‘No, I don’t need to wait for him. He’s probably dawdling on purpose. The water is waiting from me…’ She smiled up at Sanosuke. “Okay, let’s go!”
With that, the two climbed up a small ledge and linked hands. Kaoru closed her eyes, she didn’t like the height, but the way Sanosuke was holding her hand relaxed her. She didn’t know why, but she felt safe. Like how she felt when Kenshin was with her. If only Kenshin would have come with her, held her hand like this. ‘No, you’re dreaming. Kenshin wouldn’t do something like that spontaneously. You’d have to be in tears or near-death. No, Kenshin would never…’ She let out a heavy sigh and tightened her grip.
‘What is she thinking?’ Sanosuke asked himself, ‘Probably about Kenshin. That baka, doesn’t he see what he’s got.’ He focused his eyes on the water below. “Let’s go!” he chimed, leaping from the ledge, taking Kaoru with him. With a giant splash, the two landed into the river, their heads bobbing up to the surface. “Dou?” he asked, as she was recovering from the rush.
“It felt so good!” she cried, “Let’s go again!”
Sanosuke shook his head. “It’s better we stay here and enjoy the currents. I don’t want to leave yet.” he said, his hand still holding hers. He suddenly whispered, “I’m having a lot of fun, Kaoru…”
Kaoru blinked. It was the first he actually had used her name. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. She stared at Sanosuke’s face; it didn’t appear to be smug or joking. Just sincere. Confused, she pried her hand away and used it to rake through her hair, which was now plastered to her head.
By now, Kenshin and Yahiko had reached the river and were looking out to them. “You two crazy?!” Yahiko yelled, “You’re going to get sick if you soak in there too long! This isn’t an onsen!”
“Maa maa, they’re just cooling off.” Kenshin said, his brow darkening, his blood boiling. He didn’t like the way Sanosuke was so close to Kaoru, the way he was looking at her. ‘Why are you being so so…possessive?!’ he yelled at himself, ‘Stop it right now! You’ll upset everyone if you lose your temper.’ For Kenshin, losing his temper meant ‘turning Battousai’. It was hardly reasonable to turn into him outside of battle, let alone ever.
Yahiko had thrown his head entire head into the water, drinking like some animal. He then started to refill all of the canisters. “Now’s not the time to fool around. The enemy could be watching us from anywhere. We have to keep moving!” he grumbled.
Kenshin nodded his head. He turned to see Sanosuke and Kaoru coming out of the water. Kaoru was huddled against him, shivering, very embarrassed at her state. Her clothes were stuck to her body and a little too much was left for imagination. Sanosuke took two blankets from her knapsack and put one around her then himself. “Brrr, I’m freezing my ass off, but it was sure worth it.” he chuckled.
Kaoru sneezed. “Yeah, it was. Arigatou, Sanosuke.” she said, smiling.
He silently nodded, a smile on his face too. ‘That’s how it should be… smiling always…’
* * *
They traveled deeper into the forest until darkness had come, then decided to stop and have dinner. “Would you believe it’s been already three days and no sign of those Reisen-gumi? I’m getting worried that they don’t even exist.” Yahiko muttered, gnawing on the fish they caught from the river.
“They’re here somewhere.” Sanosuke said, his clothes slightly still damp. “I’m sure we’ll be running into them soon, so don’t get your hakama all knotted into a wad.”
Kenshin nodded. They had come so close to the mountain, surely the Reisen-gumi had spies in the area. Their presence must be known by now. ‘It only means we have to be more cautious.’ All of a sudden, Kaoru got up, turning for the bushes. “Kaoru-dono, where are you going?!” he uttered, trying not to sound anxious, but he was.
“Do I really have to tell you?” she asked, her eyes narrow. He nodded, despite the warnings all around, “I…I have to go to the bathroom…” she uttered, her face a shade of red. Sanosuke and Yahiko broke out into laughter while Kenshin felt regret for putting her on the spot. “MOU! YOU JERKS!!!!” she yelled, pounding each of them on the head then storming off into the darkness.
“Nice going, Kenshin.” Yahiko chuckled, “You sure know how piss her off. Ahahahahaha!!”
“That was a corny joke.” Kenshin muttered, worriedly looking off in the direction Kaoru had gone, “What if something…”
“Daijoube.” Sanosuke said, his voice sounding all-knowing, “She’s a big girl. She can handle some tree hoodlums.” Kenshin’s eyes shifted to his friend. Or who he thought was his friend. Sanosuke was very aware how he felt about Kaoru, why was he doing this? “Kenshin, I’ll go look for her if you want and make she’s all right.” Sanosuke then disappeared into the woods also.
* * *
Kaoru was wandering back, trying to retrace her steps. ‘It’s so dark…’ she uttered, flinching at a noise that came from the woods. ‘Calm down, Kaoru. It’s just some creature. It isn’t one of those Reisen-gumi! Mou, I wished I brought my shinai. But it'd be unusual to bring that along when you said you were going to the bathroom. KENSHIN NO BAKA! Why’d you put me on the spot like that?!’
“Jou-chan!” Sanosuke found his way to her with a lantern. “Next time, bring this along. Kenshin was worried so he sent me.”
“If he was so worried, why didn’t he come himself?”
“Come now, you don’t think he wanted everything to be so obvious.”
Her face was despondent. “Nothing is obvious with him. Sometimes…I think he doesn’t even… well not the way I feel about him…”
“You and me both.” he uttered quietly. Kaoru lifted her head. He hung the lantern on a branch, and then shoved his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, I know how it is. Sometimes, I feel like Megumi sure hates my guts. She could care more about Kenshin having a paper cut than if I had blood gushing all over. It sucks, I really hate that feeling.”
“But… Megumi-san loves you.” she uttered, “I’m sure of it.” Her mind drifted to her other doubts. “Then again…”
Sanosuke nodded, “Haven’t you realized how she treats the two of us differently than everyone else. She hacks away at us as if we were nothings. Then she turns to Kenshin, all respectful and gracious. Still, I love her. I can’t stop loving that damn Fox.”
Kaoru smiled, relieved that Sanosuke was admitting his feelings. “And I love Kenshin.” she uttered, with new found courage in using those words, “So much it hurts every time he rejects me or leaves me behind. He never protests when Megumi-san or Yahiko put me down. Never. It hurts, Sanosuke. It hurts so much.”
“Despite it all, you still love him right?” he asked.
“Always.”
“Yoshi. Everything is as it should be.” he said, “I was getting worried about you. Kenshin really has been cruel towards you during the whole trip, even though I’m sure he didn’t mean to. If you were to give up on him, I don’t know what I would have done.”
“Sanosuke?”
He smiled. “Then the inspiration I’ve found to keep on Megumi would have been gone. If you quit, then how could I possibly think about winning Megumi from Kenshin.” he said, crossing his arms, “Kenshin is such a dumbass. He constantly has women after him and he doesn’t give an answer to any of them. He’s so selfish; can’t he share the wealth every once in a while?”
Kaoru laughed and elbowed him playfully, “Ne, we better head back. They might be starting to get worried if we went off and eloped.”
“Oh? You think Kenshin misunderstood?” Sanosuke asked, “Well, I hope he did. I was just trying to cheer you up, but if makes him realize what he’s missing, it’ll be more than worth it.”
“Arigatou, Sanosuke!” she cried, leaping up with her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. Over his shoulder, she could see Kenshin walking towards them, then stopping, a stunned look on his face. Kaoru smiled slyly and pressed a kiss on Sanosuke’s cheek. “Arigatou…” she whispered.
He chuckled, somehow aware that Kenshin was behind him. He lifted her up in the air and spun her around, until she was dizzy and laughing so hard, tears were coming out. He then handed her over to Kenshin. She clung to him, trying to get the world to stop spinning. “Take care of her.” he said to his friend, taking the lantern and walking back to camp.
‘What was all that about?’ Kenshin thought, looking down at Kaoru. She looked so content, resting against him. Her face shimmered as if she held a secret that she wasn’t going to tell him. This only made him more worried. “Kaoru-dono, are you and…”
She smiled into his shoulder. 'Baka. Kenshin no baka.'
“It’s late.” he uttered, trying to sort his thoughts. He finally pried Kaoru off of him and held her firmly by the hand. “Let’s get some rest, okay?” She nodded, feeling safety and warmth from the one she loved. Always.