Kenshin was staring off into space. It was only a month absence but it looked as though nothing had changed. He was silent on the ride towards the apartment building. They stood outside for a while, taking in the fresh evening breeze. ‘It’s been so long, but I feel as though I never left…’
“Did you try calling Jou-chan?” Sanosuke asked.
“Yeah, but the line was disconnected. I think she forgot to pay her phone bill again.” The light was on in her window. Kenshin bit his lip. He felt so anxious.
Sanosuke chuckled, “I bet the two of you have a lot of things to sort out, so I’m going to take off. See you in the morning.” He tried to walk off, but Kenshin grabbed him by the sleeve. “What? You want me to help you? Look, it’s all up to you!”
“But… what if… she…”
“Kenshin, there are two possible things that may happen. Knowing Jou-chan, she might start yelling and hitting you. On the other hand, she would be happy to see you. The two of you might even…” Sanosuke whispered the rest in his ear. Kenshin turned red. “Now go in there and get her!”
“H-Hai!” Kenshin said, taking a deep breath and heading inside the apartment.
Considering the time of night, it was extra quiet inside. He slowly tiptoed up the stairs, trying not to hit his suitcase against the narrow hallway. Tomoe was going to send the rest of his things in the mail. He felt glad he didn’t have to carry all of them with him now. Finally, he reached his floor and stopped in front of Kaoru’s room.
‘This is it. I wonder if she’s angry with me…will she even talk to me…? No turning back now. Here goes…’ He knocked on the door, and then waited. And waited. And waited. ‘Oro? Is she home?’ He pressed his head against the wall. He could hear loud music inside. ‘She is…hmm…’ He took out the spare key she had given him months ago for emergencies
“I’m home!” he said, walking inside, “Kaoru… ORO???”
“Aaaaaaaa!!!!” some girl screamed.
Kenshin cried, “Gomen! I didn’t mean to…!”
“I’m going to f--king kill you!” yelled the girl, wearing a pink bathrobe with a towel on her head. She started plummeting him with punches. After a while, she paused. “H-Himura??”
He blinked his eyes. “Oro, Misao-dono?”
Misao angrily grabbed him by the collar, “What the hell are you doing back here?!” She stopped to see someone in her window. “Aaaaaa?! Oh Kami-sama!! HELP!”
With bumps on his head, Kenshin asked, “Sano, what are you doing here?!”
Sanosuke shrugged and climbed inside, “I just thought you and Jou-chan would have a ‘nice reunion’ that I couldn’t miss. But what’s this Weasel-girl doing here?!”
Misao socked him in the face. “Bastard! Don’t call me that!! Get the hell out of my apartment!!”
“YOUR apartment?!” Kenshin exclaimed. Kaoru’s old apartment was now filled with Jet Li posters on the wall and Chinese lanterns. There was also a funny smell from the incense burning and the radio was blasting loud. “B-but… that’s my table and my couch! And my refrigerator!”
“Oh… well the landlord said that the stuff left behind in the room next door was free for the taking so… it’s your own fault!”
“At least let me have my couch back so I have a place to sleep to night in my room…”
“Gomen. The landlord already changed that lock and he went to sleep so there’s no way you can get in.”
“Oro…” Kenshin face fell. He knew he wasn’t getting anywhere, but there was still something that he needed to know, “Misao-dono, where’s Kaoru?!”
Misao was now blow-drying her hair. “Why should I tell you?! I mean, after what you did to her! I won’t do such a thing, you hear me, ugly scar face! So you might as well leave!” Kenshin exchanged glances with Sanosuke, then turned back to her, shaking her head. “What?! I said GET OUT!!”
“I’m not going until you tell me what happened to Kaoru!”
“Well, I don’t plan on doing that!!”
“Then I’m staying.”
“FINE!!”
* * *
That night, Kenshin was lying on the couch. Misao had already dozed off in what used to be his bed. She had given him a blanket, but he didn’t feel like using it. Sanosuke was curled up on the floor, too tired to walk home. It was actually nice of Misao to let them stay, but what was she doing here and where was Kaoru?
Kenshin had many dreams with Kaoru in them, many of them were scenes that happened in the past, but he would always wake up. Unable to sleep, he was left only to sulk in his thoughts and the silence. But even the silence was shattered by the wind chime hanging outside. Kenshin stared at the ceiling with tears in his eyes.
‘Good memories may be beautiful and precious…but they aren’t enough. Somehow I have to find her … Kaoru, where are you…?’
* * *
In the morning, Misao was in the kitchen cooking breakfast. She brought the food over to the table and the three of them started to eat. After one bite, Sanosuke chimed, “I have to admit, this Weasel-girl’s cooking is much better than Jou-chan’s.” Misao simply responded by slapping his hand with the ladle. “Oi! What was that for?! I was paying you a compliment!”
“Don’t call me Weasel-girl, you Rooster head!”
Kenshin munched on his food quietly. ‘It does taste good… it actually has flavor… but I miss Kaoru’s cooking… I miss her…’ In his daze, he reached for his glass of juice, but ended up knocking it over, it spilling over the table.
“NE!” Misao yelled, “Quit making a mess of my apartment, Himura!”
“This is NOT your apartment.” Sanosuke argued, “It’s Jou-chan’s!!”
“Kaoru-san said I could have it!!!”
“SO? You have to get the hell out of here and go back where ever you came from because we don’t want you!!”
“WHY YOU!”
Kenshin separated the two. “Mah, mah. Calm down. We’re not getting anywhere just yelling at each other. Misao-dono, please tell me where is Kaoru!”
“STOP ASKING!!!”
All of a sudden, there was a knock at the door. Sanosuke lifted his head and grinned. “Oi, Tae! How’s going?” he chimed, getting up from the table. He walked towards Tae as she took off her shoes, “Missed me?”
“Sure did, Sanosuke-han. I’m glad you’re back. You didn’t get lost in Kyoto did you? Takani-san said you most definitely would.”
“The Fox did, eh? Heh, I’ll have to tell her otherwise. Sorry I didn’t get you a souvenir.”
“It’s okay. Is Misao-chan here by any chance? I have to talk to her.” Misao got up, waving her hands. “Aa, good. You see, I got a package from Kaoru-chan today.”
“ORO?!” Kenshin jumped up and ran over, “Tae-dono, what is it? Is there a note? What does it say? Is she all right? Where is she??”
Tae was shocked. “Ken-han!? You’re back?”
Misao exclaimed, “Forget about him! Tae-san, what’s in the package?!”
She opened it. “Apples.” Everyone fell over.
“A-apples?! Whaaaat?!” Misao gasped, leaping up and looking inside, “Well, they seem pretty good.” She picked up the box full of apples, “Who wants one? Oh I know! I can make a pie! Hee hee, I love baking!”
As Misao tossed Sanosuke an apple, Kenshin sighed heavily. Tae was looking at him. He looked back. The staring contest continued for a couple of minutes. Finally she smacked him across the face. “That was for Kaoru-chan.” she muttered, as Kenshin fell backwards on the floor. Tae hovered over him with a sweet smile. “But really it’s nice to see you again Ken-han.”
“Ororo…” he uttered, rubbing his sore cheek. He sat up, suddenly seriously. “Tae-dono…the letter please!”
”Oh!” she said, looking it over, “She says she’s fine, that she gives her regards to us all. And she hopes we enjoy the apples.”
Kenshin’s mouth fell open. “Demo… demo! That doesn’t say anything about where she is!”
“You don’t know?” Tae asked. He shook his head fiercely. “Kaoru-chan has been working as a private kendo instructor for that top CEO Tsukiyama. Currently, they’re at his autumn estate in the northern mountains.” Tae explained. Kenshin sat back, remembering when they were talking on the fire escape last spring about their goals. She was finally teaching her own style. She probably had tons of students. It was all that she had wanted.
Sanosuke bit the apple and munched. “They’re ripe. Mmm.” Still chewing, he pointed at Misao. “Okay, so we know where Jou-chan is now. But what are you doing here, Weasel-girl?”
“Um…” she uttered, playing with her braid, “You see…” A look of sadness settled in her face as she finally told them her story.
* * *
After she, Aoshi, and Kaoru had left Tomoe’s house, the three of them walked through the streets of Kyoto. Misao lifted her head and looked towards her friend, who had been keeping her distance. “Kaoru-san… are you okay? Kaoru-san?”
Aoshi put his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t, Misao. Just leave her alone.”
“I think she’s been alone for long enough! I can’t just let her suffer…!”
“I’m not.” Kaoru suddenly said, stopping, “I actually feel a lot better. I don’t have any regrets.”
“Still!” Misao cried, “That jerk, Himura! You told him your honest feelings and he didn’t even say anything!”
Aoshi replied, “It’s all right. There are more important things he has to worry about. She understands this.”
“But…!!” she exclaimed, “Are you telling me that there are more important things than someone’s feelings?! If I told you that I loved you, would you react in the same way, Aoshi-sama?!” He just stood staring at her. “Well? Aoshi-sama! Answer me!”
Kaoru looked at the two with worry. “Ano… please don’t fight, you two. I don’t want to be the cause of an argument…”
“This isn’t about you, Kaoru-san! This is about us! I want to know if…if Aoshi-sama feels the same way. I’m tired of wondering. I want to know!” Misao cried. Aoshi just stared at her, his facial expression not changing. She suddenly burst into tears, “AOSHI-SAMA! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!!”
He nodded quietly and put down her bags. Then he proceeded to walk away. “Misao-chan…?” Kaoru uttered, looking over at her.
“I…I…HATE HIM!!!” Misao exclaimed, clenching her fists, “I hate him so much!”
“Because he didn’t say he loved you back? That’s not a good enough reason to hate him.” Kaoru said, cupping her face gently, “Misao-chan, even if Kenshin never told me his feelings or if he didn’t even feel anything towards me, I still can’t hate him for it.”
Misao was now angry at her. “WHY!? Why, Kaoru-san, do you do this to yourself?! How can you forgive that bastard?! I don’t understand! I’ll never get it! It hurts all too much!!!”
Kaoru took her by the shoulders and shook her for a moment, much to Misao’s surprise. “Let it out, Misao-chan! Go ahead and cry!” She then pulled her into a hug and said softly, “Cry out all your sorrow now… then come back stronger than ever.”
“You’re right.” Misao uttered into her shoulder, “I’m much stronger than this. I won’t let this get me down! Aoshi-sama will be sorry for hurting me.”
“Actually revenge isn’t what I had in mind. But maybe some time apart will help you realize how much you mean to each other. Please, Misao-chan, don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m sure Aoshi’s feelings will reach you somehow… someday. Just keep hoping. There’s nothing wrong with that, ne?”
“Are you going to keep hoping and waiting for Himura?” she sniffled, wiping her eyes. Kaoru smiled and nodded her head. “Kaoru-san…”
* * *
Misao sighed, “And that’s what happened. Kaoru left on the train with those business people. She said she’ll be all right and I should stay cheerful. So that’s what I’m going to do… Genki! Genki!”
Tae noted, “You’re always cheerful despite the situation, aren’t you Misao-chan?”
She slowly smiled. “I guess you can say it’s one of my good qualities.”
Sanosuke cleared his throat. “You mean ‘your only good quality,’ Weasel-girl.” Misao hammered him on the head and the two got into another quarrel.
Tae suddenly saw that there was writing on the back of the letter. “Oh? What’s this?” She read, “Also, there will be a martial arts tournament held on the Tsukiyama estate. I would be honored if everyone came, especially Yahiko and Tsubame. It will be the last I will see all of you before we leave for overseas in one week…”
“A WEEK?!” Misao and Sanosuke exclaimed. They both looked over to Kenshin, who didn’t say anything. All of a sudden, he just got up and left the room. “EH?!”
* * *
Two days passed and Kenshin still hadn’t said if he was going to see Kaoru off. Yahiko and Tsubame met at the park to talk about it. “The dumbass… he’s going to miss his chance.” Yahiko muttered, “She’s going to leave the country and he doesn’t care!”
Tsubame explained, “There must be something Kenshin-san feels he needs to do before he go. Something is troubling him and keeping him from confronting Kaoru-san.”
“Honto? What do you think that would that be, Tsubame?”
“Where did Misao-san say he was going to for the past few days?”
Yahiko rubbed his chin. “That Weasel-girl said he’s been hanging out at the library and then at the Juku. He comes home late and then reads his books all the while.”
Tsubame lifted her head. “Just as I thought! The college entrance exams are coming up this Friday! Perhaps Kenshin-san is going to take the test after all.”
“But isn’t he way behind in his studies?”
“Yahiko-kun, it doesn’t matter! This might just be the thing that brings his confidence up!”
“You’re right. It was his original goal to get into college. And the tournament is this Saturday. He might just make it.” Yahiko replied. He suddenly turned around. “Ja ne…”
“Where are you going?” Tsubame asked.
“I’m going to go train some more. When we go see Kaoru, I don’t want her to think that I’ve been slacking. She’ll get really pissed off. I’m her #1 student after all!”
She smiled. “Can I come too?” He blushed, and then nodded. The two of them walked off together down the pathway, a sea of red and orange leaves.
* * *
Kenshin walked up the steps of the apartment slowly. It was late already and his test was early the next morning. ‘Will I succeed?’ he thought as he reached his floor. Up ahead he saw a man standing in the hallway. “Aoshii?”
Shinomori Aoshi stood like a statue, right in front of Misao’s door. He turned to see Kenshin. “You’re here too, Battousai?”
“Well, I’ve been staying here for a bit. What may I ask are you doing here?”
Aoshi crossed his arms. “I’m not sure.”
“Have you come to apologize to Misao-dono?” Kenshin asked. He shook his head. “Oro? But you caused her so much pain!”
“All I did was say nothing.”
Kenshin clenched his fists. “Not saying your feelings hurt her very much! It hurts not knowing…”
Aoshi looked him over, and then closed his eyes in meditation. “Still, you could never know what the other is thinking, no matter what you try. There will always be ‘uncertainty’.”
“That is true, but…” Kenshin was all so confused.
“She might not take me back but…” He suddenly smiled. “Guess I better try.”
Aoshi went towards the door and knocked. Kenshin turned around, walking back down the hall. Behind him, he heard the door open and Misao’s happy cry. “Aoshi-sama!” The two of them hugged.
Kenshin closed his eyes for a moment. ‘It’s better to try… Kaoru… please wait for me…’