Myoujin Yahiko stood in front of the crying girl. It was a cold October night and the wind was extremely strong. The shinai tied around his shoulder kept swooping down to his elbow and he had to pull it up every once in a while. His black hair hid his eyes as he turned and walked away, his blue gi and hakama wavering in the breeze. Tsubame fell on her knees, her hands covering her face; tearing drops falling onto her pink kimono.

"Ya...hi...ko...kun..."

* * *
"He did what?!" Kamiya Kaoru exclaimed. It was the very next morning and she was at the Akebeko. She and Tae were trying to comfort the poor Tsubame, who hadn't slept since that incident last night. Kaoru, her hair up in a pink ribbon and wearing a blue kimono, restrained herself from another outburst. "That kid...I'm gonna..." she grumbled.

Tae, in her red kimono uniform and her hair up in a hankerchief, patted Tsubame on the back. "Tsubame-chan, did he give you a reason why he broke up with you?" she asked earnestly. Tsubame and Yahiko had been a couple for the longest time; no one had actually thought that they would call a quits.

"No, he didn't really..." Tsubame sniffed, dark circles around her eyes, "He just said that 'it was over.'"

"Over? Nothing is over!" Kaoru yelled, slamming her fist on the table. All the customers in the restaurant turned their way. Kaoru's face went red. "Aa, gomen, gomen!!" she uttered, waving her hands. She turned to the weary Tsubame, "Don't worry, I'll talk to Yahiko myself. So, don't cry anymore." she said, giving her a hug.

"Arigatou, Kaoru-san."

* * *
Back at Kamiya Dojo, Yahiko poured a bucket of cold water on himself. "Brrr!" he uttered, shaking a bit. He then went inside and dried off, putting on a fresh gi. Before leaving, he paused to fix (or try to fix) his spikes, but it wasn't successful. Shrugging, he picked up his shinai and walked out again.

Himura Kenshin waved towards him. "Ohayou de gozaru, Yahiko! Did you sleep well de gozaru ka? It was a bit cold last night de gozaru yo." Yahiko nodded and silently sat next to him on the edge of the walkway. The redheaded rurouni was wearing a red gi, his sakaba sword leaning against a post. He was sipping his green tea contently in the sunshine. Yahiko kept staring at him with slant eyes. Kenshin eventually turned towards him. "Is there something you want to ask Sessha?"

"Eto...actually I do!" Yahiko blurted out. Kenshin smiled, seeing that he could be at some help. Yahiko turned extremely red. "Do you...do you ever have strange dreams..." he started, then stopped. Kenshin urged him to continue. "...w-with Kaoru in them?"

Kenshin fell from the walkway and landed in the dirt below. Yahiko jumped down to check if he was okay. "Oroooo..." Kenshin uttered, rubbing his head. His nose had started bleeding for some reason. "Uh, Yahiko, why do you ask???"

"B-bezuni!" he exclaimed, waving his hands, "I just wanted to know. Anyway, forget about it!" Yahiko then quickly ran back inside the house.

Kenshin wearily climbed back onto the walkway. 'What was that all about?' he asked himself. He lifted his eyes to see Kaoru walking through the gate. "Aa, Kaoru-dono! Okaeri de gozaru!"

"Yeah, but where's that Yahiko?" Kaoru mumbled, walking past him. She threw down her purse and peered inside the house. "YAHIKO! YOU'RE DEAD!!!" she exclaimed, grabbing him by the collar.

"Kaoru, okaeri nasai!" he said enthusiastically, "Eto, would you like a snack or some tea? I can go get it for you!"

Kaoru stared at him in a fit of confusion. Yahiko was actually being nice to her. She figured that he was just toying with her. "Anata nee..." she uttered, letting go of his collar, "Don't think you can get away with breaking up with Tsubame-chan."

Yahiko replied rather solemnly, "Things have to end for other things to begin." He then winked at her and turned for the door. "I'll be waiting in the dojo. Can't wait to today's lesson. Jaa!"

Kaoru's mouth dropped open. She wasn't quite sure what was going on. Before she could give it any thought, Kenshin had tapped her on the shoulder. "Kaoru-dono, Sessha is going to go fishing for tonight's dinner de gozaru yo." he said, fishing pole on his shoulder. She nodded, still unable to speak. "Daijoubu de gozaru ka, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked, looking a bit concerned.

"Maa, I'm not sure." she uttered, "The strangest thing happened..."

"Oro? Strange? Nothing's strange de gozaru!" Kenshin blurted out, becoming all flustered. Kaoru eyed him over suspiciously. "Sessha...sessha have to go now, Kaoru-dono! Iitekimasu!" Kenshin cried and rushed out the gate.

"Mou..." she sighed heavily and shook her head. Everyone was acting weird today. She went inside to go change into her training hakama.

* * *
In the dojo, Yahiko was staring at the wall. The few name tags were lined up next to each other. Other than Yutaro's name, Yahiko's was the only one up there with Kaoru's. A smile curled on his face.

'It only makes sense. We both use Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. Since I'm her only student, besides what's his face, I'd be the rightful inheritor. Then I would be master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, therefore I should have to change my name to 'Kamiya'. I might as well marry her!' he thought to himself, 'It's strange though...before I had thought she was 'an ugly hag' but the more you think about someone, the more beautiful they become. Aa, my sweet Kaoru!'

He was now pacing the room, twirling his shinai. He let it go flying up, but it came crashing down on his head. Lying on the wood floor, he blinked his eyes. Something had come to mind. 'Oh yeah...that guy, Kenshin...' A look of boiling scorn came onto his face, 'Well, it doesn't look like their relationship is going anywhere. Also, I'm closer to Kaoru's age than he is! Plus, he doesn't seem to have a claim on her so I guess there's nothing to worry about. Still... she really likes him. Hmm, what does one do when there is a rival...'

Yahiko held out his shinai in fighting stance. "Challenge him to a dual! Loser backs down, winner take all! Yatta!" he chimed triumphantly. Suddenly, reality came crashing down on him. 'But Kenshin is a much better swordsman than me...Hiten Mitsurugi versus Kamiya Kasshin Ryu?? No way I could win... but I have to! I am a samauri in love!'

Kaoru was standing in the doorway. "What the heck are you doing, Yahiko?" He was kneeling on the floor, his hands in the air. "I sure hope that what you're doing is some new type of meditation."

"Aa, gomen, Kaoru. I was just stretching a bit so I wouldn't pull any muscles during practice." he said innocently, "Shall we begin?"

* * *
After training, Kaoru and Yahiko walked outside. "Aa, that was a good work-out." Kaoru uttered, wiping away the sweat on her forehead with a towel, "You did well today, Yahiko."

"It's all thanks to you, Kaoru. Do you want anything to drink? I'll go get you some water." he replied, eagarly. She stared at him suspiciously. Yakiko just smiled. "Nan de? It looks like someone has hit you on the head..."

"I-it's nothing..." she uttered. Blinking her eyes, she looked over his shoulder. "Aa! Kenshin! Okaeri!"

Yahiko turned around and glared at the rurouni. 'Oh, that guy...' he thought.

Kenshin rubbed his head shyly. "Suman de gozaru, Kaoru-dono. Sessha wasn't able to catch any fish de gozaru." he said, frowning and putting the fishing pole down, "Sessha is really sorry for letting you down de gozaru."

"Kenshin," Kaoru replied, walking towards him, "Daijoubu. All we have to do is send someone to the market and buy some ingredients to make dinner."

"Kenshin and I will go!" Yahiko blurted out. The other two just stared at him. "Don't worry about it. Just leave it to us guys!" he said very very convincingly.

"Since when is going to the market a man's job?" Kaoru muttered. After thinking about it, she shrugged. "Maa, I suppose you two can do it. I think I'll go take a nice long bath. Don't take too long, okay." she said, walking towards the house.

Both Yahiko and Kenshin fell into a pile. Yahiko's eyes were hearts. "That woman is playing so hard to get! Aaaaa..."

"Oroooo....this is too much...Kaoru-dono..."

Yahiko sat up and pointed at Kenshin. "TEME! Get ready because I'm gonna kick your ass!" he spat at him.

Kenshin blinked his eyes. "Oro?"

* * *
Yahiko dragged Kenshin out to the forest, so nobody could disturb their dual. Kenshin, still ignorant of what was going on, watched Yahiko pep talk himself. "You can do this...he's only the best swordsman in Japan...wah, that's not gonna help! Yahiko, concentrate!" He slapped himself in the face. "Yosshi! I'm ready!"

"Eto...Yahiko, what is this all about de gozaru?"

"Don't you play innocent with me! This is about Kaoru!" he snapped, pointing his shinai. Kenshin's eyes widened. "Now draw your sword or I'll make you draw your sword!!"

"Y-Yahiko!" Kenshin gasped, ducking a swing. Yahiko hammered him good with a kick in the knee. Kenshin fell in the grass, lifting his head to see Yahiko leaping at him from above. "Oro, oro..." he uttered, rolling out of the way. He finally got up on his feet, in defense stance, "Yahiko! Dame de gozaru!"

Yahiko glared at him. "No way! Kaoru's mine! I'll only let you go if you stay away from her!" he yelled, swinging at him and missing. He crashed into the bushes and got up just as quickly, "Even if you're better than me, I absolutely won't lose to you!"

"You're very determined to win de gozaru yo. That's why Sessha has great expectations in you de gozaru." Kenshin uttered, his purple eyes hidden in his red hair, "However, what you're asking me to do, Sessha cannot de gozaru." Yahiko lifted his head in surprise as Kenshin gripped the handle of his sword, "Looks like Sessha will have to fight you."

"Teme..." Yahiko uttered, throwing his shinai aside and running towards him, "I won't lose to you!" He tackled Kenshin down, but the two of them rolled off a steep hill and were falling. They crashed into the grass below, and everything went black.

* * *
Yahiko opened his eyes to find himself in his own room. He was lying down in his futon, bandages on his arms and legs. Sitting up, his head was very sore. The bruises around his temple stung as he blinked his eyes to focus to the light. 'What happened?' he thought as he pulled himself up on his feet, 'I didn't die afterall.' He stopped to hear voices coming from outside. He went up to his door and peered out from the crack.

"Nee, what were the two of you doing?" Kaoru cried. She was circling Kenshin's head with bandages. The two of them were sitting on the walkway with the dim lantern lighting. It was already evening.

Kenshin replied, "It's all my fault. I wanted to secretly teach Yahiko my 'Ryu Tsui Sen'."

"Nani? You know teaching Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu will corrupt his learning!" she exclaimed, "Besides that boy isn't ready for that kind of kenjutsu, nor a real sword!"

"Suman, Kaoru-dono."

"Iie, daijoubu..." she uttered, now staring at her feet, "When you guys didn't come back, I thought something had happened to you...I was so worried."

"The truth is, Kaoru-dono, just before Sessha passed out, you were on my mind de gozaru."

Kaoru lifted her head. "Kenshin..." she gasped as he put his arm around her.

Yahiko's eyes filled with tears. 'I guess I lose after all. Still, he's more worthy for her. At any rate, I'll have to somehow get over her...somehow...'

Kenshin pulled her closer and started whispering sweet phrases in her ear. She just responded with bashful giggling, "Nee, Kenshin, you're so bad.... cut it out... dame...I SAID DAME!!!" she cried, all red, smacking him away.

Kenshin painfully landed on the ground below. "Oro..."

Yahiko moved away from the door. 'WHAT THE HELL DID I SEE IN THAT BUSU?!' he thought, storming back to his futon.

Kaoru jumped down below and was shaking the 'oro-ing' rurouni. "Don't die! Kenshiiiin!!" Just another a evening at Kamiya dojo...

fin

What happened with Tsubame-chan you may wonder? Oh, the very next day, Yahiko went to the Akebeko begging for her back, but she wasn't gonna go so easily. He now has to work an extra 50 hours waitressing before he's totally forgiven. Eheheheh, oh well.