Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Meddled Affairs ❯ The Greatest of Gifts ( Chapter 3 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

MEDDLED AFFAIRS
PART THREE - The Greatest of Gifts
A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic

Written by Miyu, Vampire Princess
With helpful editing from Rinnako-chan

Disclaimer: Kenshin is not mine. I wish he was, but he's not. *sigh* None of these characters are mine. *pout* Proper rights go to Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shueisha, Fuji TV, Jump Comics, and their affiliates. Use of these characters is done without permission.




Karou had spent much of the night sitting in the courtyard, waiting for Kenshin
to return. The night turned colder as it dragged on. Her thoughts were so
focused on Kenshin and where he might be that she barely felt the blanket being
wrapped around her shoulders.

Yahiko stayed up with her. After a while Karou tried to send him to bed. He
could barely keep his eyes open. But he insisted on staying with her, even if
he did fall asleep. Karou wanted to yell at him, but couldn't bring herself to
do it.

It had been after midnight till she ushered Yahiko to his room then headed for
her own. She sat in one corner, her sewing supplies strewn all over the floor.
She held the unfinished gi in her hands. She was so close to being finished,
but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead she sat quietly, tears falling
down her cheeks in silent anguish.

It wasn't until she was drifting to sleep that she remembered the letter. It
was well past the allotted time. If the person who sent the letter wanted a
challenge, they'd have to come at another time.

When Karou awoke the next morning, her pillow was still wet with tears. She sat
up slowly, stretching her arms over her head. She stifled a yawn, her mind
still cloudy from sleep. Then suddenly she was awake, eyes widening. Perhaps
Kenshin had returned. Maybe yesterday had all been a bad dream. She smiled
to herself, throwing away the bed covers to stand.

Clutching her robe to her, she slid her door open and walked outside. She
searched the house, hoping for some sign of the rurouni. But everything was as
it was the day before. The laundry still hung on the line, the dishes were
still cleaned and the dojo was still empty.

There was no sign of Kenshin.

Yahiko rounded a corner, spotting Karou just inside the dojo. He didn't think
she'd be up this early. Not that he didn't want to practice, but he too was
concerned with Kenshin. She looked a bit spaced out, a frown on her face. He
was also surprised that she wasn't dressed for practice.

He searched the whole house as well. Nothing. Strange though that Kenshin's
clothing and other belongings were still in his room. He wouldn't just leave
everything behind, would he?

What if he had no choice?

What if...?

"Karou?" the boy asked tentatively.

The young woman was startled, turning to look at the boy with wide eyes. She
quickly wiped away her tears, forcing a smile. She blinked a few times, unsure
what to say. She hadn't expected to be caught outside her room in her
nightclothes.

"I was just...uh...thinking what...t-to make f-for breakfast," she stuttered in
response. Mentally she berated herself for being so silly, but her nerves would
not let up. She started shaking. "If you're hungry that is."

"Karou, you don't...I mean...." Yahiko noticed her shaking hands and began to
worry himself. He knew Karou was worried about Kenshin, but he'd never seen her
this shaken before. He wanted to help her, comfort her, but he didn't know how.

"It's all right. I don't mind." Her forced smile became somewhat genuine.

"Besides, I could use the practice, ne?"

"H-hai," he answered half-heartedly. He was sure eating her cooking wouldn't
lift his spirits. But he cared little for his stomach's judgement at the
moment. He just wondered if he should leave her alone around sharp objects.

He watched her carefully as she stepped into the kitchen. She slowly began to
gather the necessities for preparing the meal. There was just enough left for
today. Someone would probably have to go to market today.

'Probably me,' Yahiko quipped, but he kept his eyes trained on Karou as she
worked.

Karou went through the motions. She knew where everything was without looking.
Her hands and feet moved of their own volition, carrying her around the kitchen
as she gathered the dishes and prepared the food. Her mind, meanwhile, was on a
journey of its own.

Kenshin could be in trouble. He could be wounded somewhere, lying near death.
He wouldn't just leave, she kept telling herself.

She continued to work, oblivious to Yahiko's stare at her back. Her eyes stared
blankly at the table where she was working. Her hands stirred a mixture in a
bowl. All the while, her mind formulated a plan.


**R**K** **R**K** **R**K**


Megumi couldn't stop wringing her hands as she washed them in the sink. There
had only been one patient that morning, and she had brought a bloody mess into
the clinic. Her husband had been chopping firewood and missed the log. The
wound was deep but not serious. Two rolls of bandages later, the man walked out
with his wife's help.

With nothing to concentrate on, her thoughts turned back to Kenshin. Dear Ken
was missing. Still. There had been no word from Sano or Yahiko, so she had to
assume that he hadn't returned.

Her heart sank. This was not a good sign. And their plan was ruined. Karou
had been so worried about Kenshin that she hadn't bothered to show up at the
river, which was a good thing because Megumi too had forgotten the plan.

The plan. That's when this whole mess started. What she thought was a
brilliant idea had turned to something worse than bad. And there was only way
to set it right. Tell Karou the truth.

In truth, it was a bit of relief. Megumi had wanted to confess to the young
woman since she heard Kenshin was missing the day before. But she couldn't
bring herself to do it. She hadn't thought Kenshin would take it this far. And
Karou...well she had to do something. Even if she hadn't intended for it to go
this far, it was her idea. She had to tell the truth.

If Sanosuke hadn't beaten her to it, but she seriously doubted the rooster-head
would even bring it up. He was probably too preoccupied with finding the
rurouni to worry about her silly plan.

With a sigh, Megumi dried her hands. She checked the front of the clinic again.
No new patients. She walked back to Dr. Genzai's office. It was the size of a
closet, but easy to find. She peaked inside. The old man was sitting at his
desk writing some kind of letter.

"I'm going to leave for a while," she told him. "I'll be at the Kamiya dojo if
you need me."

Dr. Genzai waved a hand without looking up, signaling his okay. Megumi smiled.
She grabbed her scarf on the way out the door and headed for the Kamiya dojo.
Town was quiet as she walked. Of course it was the middle of the day. Most
were probably eating. Children were still in school. She walked slowly,
pondering exactly what she would tell Karou when she saw her.

A small twinge of jealous welled up again, but she pushed it down forcefully. Karou may still be young, but she was no longer a child. She needed the push just as much as Kenshin. Perhaps she would have to threaten her into going after him again. But they didn't know where he'd gone.

Sighing, Megumi stopped in front of the Kamiya dojo. She didn't bother to
knock. Reaching out with one hand she stepped forward. The door opened slowly.
She expected a greeting of some kind, from either Yahiko or Karou. Or even Sano
if he were around. But she received nothing.

The place seemed eerily quiet. She closed the door behind her as she entered,
walking towards the main house. Things looked normal. The laundry was hanging
out to dry. The floors were swept.

Then Yahiko's voice caught her attention.

"Karou!"

Megumi blinked. Yahiko sounded desperate. Believing the boy was in trouble,
she hurried to his voice, hoping she wouldn't be too late. When she found Yahiko
he was standing on the back porch, dressed in his usual hakama and gi. His
hands were cupped over his mouth and he was still shouting.

"Karou!"

"Yahiko," Megumi said, breathlessly. She was thankful the boy was all right.
But why was he shouting for Karou? "What's wrong?"

Yahiko looked almost frantic. He jumped off the back porch and hurried over to
Megumi. He grabbed one of her sleeves tightly, his eyes wide.

"It's Karou. She's gone!"

"Karou-san?" Megumi asked. "Did she say she was going anywhere?"

Yahiko shook his head. "Iie. I didn't see her much after breakfast. But we
were supposed to practice before lunch. I haven't been able to find her." He
paused, reaching into his gi and pulling out a letter. "I found this in her
room."

Megumi was afraid it was a suicide note or some nonsense. But it wasn't. It
was the letter she had written.

"Oh no," Megumi muttered, fearing the worst.

"Kenshin had a similar one in his room," Yahiko stated.

"This is wrong," Megumi blurted out before thinking.

Yahiko looked at her strangely. "What's wrong?"

Megumi wasn't sure how to explain. "I want you to go down to the river, where
Old Man's bridge crosses, and check for Karou there. I'll check in town.
Perhaps someone saw her or Kenshin in passing."

No sooner had she mentioned Kenshin's name when his voice reverberated through
the courtyard.

"Tadaima!"

Megumi and Yahiko stared at each other. Had they heard right? It wasn't their
imagination was it? Quickly they hurried around the corner. Sure enough, there
was Kenshin. His hair was undone and his pants were dirty, but he looked
otherwise unharmed.

"Kenshin!" Yahiko was the first to respond. He dashed across the courtyard,
enveloping the rurouni in a bear hug. Megumi was quick to follow, her arms
snaking around his neck and hugging him tightly before he could respond.

"Oro?" Kenshin asked, surprised and confused. "Have I worried you?"

"Worried is not the word," Yahiko replied with a happy smile. But it faded
quickly. He looked at Megumi.

"What is the matter?" Kenshin asked, his voice serious. It didn't take him long
to realize something was very wrong.

Megumi sighed, releasing him from the hug. "Karou-san is missing."

"Nani?!"

"We think she went looking for you," Yahiko said. "I found this note in her
room and...."

"I'm afraid the note is a terrible misunderstanding," Megumi stated quickly.

"What note?" Kenshin asked.

"A few days ago Sanosuke delivered two letters. One to you, Ken-san. The other
to Karou-san," Megumi explained. "Neither one had a signature."

Kenshin nodded. "I remember. So the letter was from you, Megumi-dono...."

"Please don't misunderstand," she added quickly. "Sano and I were trying to set
up a rendezvous between you and Karou-san. We figured the bridge by the river
would be perfect." She sighed shaking her head as tears began to fall. "But it
wasn't supposed to be taken like this. Ken-san, you disappeared and now Karou-
san...."

"Where were you anyway?" Yahiko asked, concerned.

Kenshin looked somewhat embarrassed as he explained, "I bought a gift for Karou-
dono. But I was afraid it wouldn't fit, so I needed to have it sized. Kirin's
ill and couldn't do the work. I had to go to another jeweler just down the
road. I spent longer there than I had anticipated.

"I was hurrying home when I ran into Saito. It just happened to be fortunate
because I mentioned that letter you gave me, Megumi-dono. But at the time I
didn't know it was from you. We waited by the bridge, but when no one showed,
we figured it was a hoax. Saito had me stay with at the station, just in case."

"Is that all?" Yahiko said with a smile. "And here we were worried for
nothing."

"But we must find Karou-dono," Kenshin stated, serious again. "I'll check the
river. The two of you look in town. If you run into Sano, tell him I'm all
right and to meet me at the river."

"Hai!"


**R**K** **R**K** **R**K**


The river was flowing gently today. The water level was relatively low for the
time of year, but the clear coolness was still there. It glided over the large
rocks and stones in its bed, rushing towards a future unknown.

Karou sat just under Old Man's bridge. She leaned against one of the wooden
pillars, her head tilted upward. She hugged her knees closer in an attempt to
block out the wind. Her body shivered, but her mind was somewhere else.

She'd left the dojo shortly after breakfast that morning. She was quiet, making
sure Yahiko wouldn't hear her. He was busy in the kitchen washing the dishes.
She heard him cursing under his breath as she walked by. It brought a sad smile
to her lips.

'I'm sorry, Yahiko,' she thought as she walked through the front door and out
onto the street.

From there, she made her way through town. Her eyes were keenly trained on any
little thing. Anything red, anything green or white, anything that had to do
with Kenshin - his hair, his clothes, his posture, his walk, his sword.

There was one person in front of the Akabeko that, from a distance, resembled
Kenshin. He was speaking kindly with Tae. But upon closer inspection Karou
realized it couldn't be the rurouni. This man was taller. His hair was a dark
brown. And he didn't carry a sword.

Besides, judging from the blush on Tae's cheeks, he was interested in more than
the food.

Karou hurried on, searching everyplace that she thought Kenshin might be. No
one in the market had seen him since the day before. None of the shop owners
had seen him for quite some time. Even the blacksmith had not seen him for
days.

Desperate Karou talked to one of the police officers. He shook his head sadly,
saying that he had not seen Kenshin recently. But he would keep an eye out,
just in case. Karou thanked him, moving onward.

She was determined to find Kenshin, even if she had to travel to the next town
to do so.

Finally she ended up by the river. A small group of children were playing at
the water's edge when she arrived. She watched them with a sad smile, sitting
herself under the bridge. But the children had since left, and her mind was
adrift in thought.

'Where could he be,' she pondered. 'He wasn't in town. Not in any of his usual
places.' She sighed, hugging her knees closer to her as another gust of wind
swept under the bridge. Tears stung her eyes, threatening to fall with the next
gust of wind. She closed her eyes, forcing them to stay put.

'Maybe I should track down Saito and ask him,' she told herself with a note of
sarcasm. 'If anyone would know where Kenshin is, he would.'

"Are you lost, little girl?"

Startled from her thoughts, Karou opened her eyes. She was so caught up in her
pondering that she hadn't heard anyone approach her. There was a young man,
only a few years older than herself she supposed, standing in front of her. He
was smiling kindly.

"Ano...." Karou replied, forcing a smile. "Not really. I was just thinking."
"Thinking, she says," came another, more surly voice.

"And just what were you thinking about, little girl?" asked a third voice.
Karou stared blankly at the man kneeling in front of her, then to her left where
she saw another man, older than the first. He was also bigger, more muscular.
His smile looked more like a leer. Karou had to suppress another shiver.

"Nothing...particular," she replied to the question, but she didn't trust her
voice.

To her right was the third man. He was as tall and as lanky as the first. His
smile was polite, but the light in his eyes said otherwise. He was also the
only one of the three carrying a sword.

As the other two men closed in on her, the first man asked. "Maybe we can help
you."

A noise caught her attention. Standing by the bank of the river were two more
men. Both were tall and muscular, dressed in more Western garb. One held a
sword while the other carried a pistol. They stepped closer, but did not close
in. Apparently they were to stand watch.

Karou did not find that at all comforting.

Nor were the smiles of the three men now surrounding her.

Keeping her wits about her, Karou slowly pushed her way up the pillar until she
was standing. She forced another smile to her face, gripping the pillar behind
her tightly with her hands. Her nerves were twitching. Something was
definitely wrong.

"Perhaps I should be going," she told them, taking a few steps forward.

"What's your hurry," the first man asked, standing. With one hand he reached
out and none-too-gently pushed Karou back against the pillar. "We just want to
talk."

"Yeah," the third guy added. "We just wanna talk."

Karou flinched as she hit the pole, but kept her eyes opened enough to watch the
men around her. Her cheeks flushed, she braced herself against the pillar.

"Perhaps I have nothing to say to you," Karou answered angrily.

"Looks like she's got a bit of fight in her," the second guy announced with a
chuckle.

"I like a little fight," the third guy said, his leer growing.

The first man stepped closer to her. Placing her weight against the pillar, she
kicked her legs forward, knocking the man off balance and forcing his backward.
Karou meanwhile, lost her balance and fell to the ground, landing on her rear.
But she stood quickly, taking the opportunity to run. But the other two closed
in on her before she got far.

"If you don't back away now, I'll scream," she threatened.

The second man laughed. "No one will hear you sweetheart. You're a little ways
from town. And no one travels this bridge anymore."

"Screaming won't help," the third man said, shaking his head. "Nope, won't
help."

Karou knew she should stand up for herself. But there was little she could do
against the four remaining men, all twice her size and half of them armed. She
might be able to outrun them, but the terrain around the riverbank was hilly,
grassy and rough. What if she fell? Would she even stand a chance of getting
away?

They had already told her that screaming wouldn't work, but she didn't care.
Backing away from them, she took in a deep breath. At the top of her lungs she
screamed the only thing she could think of.

"KENSHIN!"




"Arigato gozaimasu."

Kenshin ran along the bank of the river. An old fisherman had told him that
he'd seen a young girl by the bridge. He didn't stop to ask her name, he said.
She looked very deep in thought.

The sound of the running water rushed through Kenshin's ears. His sense were
finely tuned to his surroundings. He quickly reconsidered his rash actions.
Perhaps he should've consulted Saito, or waited for Sano. But either option
would've taken time.

And there was little time to waste.

Old Man's bridge had just come into sight. It was still far enough away, but
Kenshin knew trouble when he saw it. There was a group of people standing under
the bridge. Squinting his eyes, the rurouni couldn't make out who they were or
what they were doing. Instead he picked up speed, hoping that Karou was not
caught up in the mess.

Then he stopped dead.

There, over the din of the running water and chirping birds did he hear the one
voice he'd recognize in his sleep.

"KENSHIN"

Kenshin's feet moved before he could tell them to. Running at a speed greater
than a normal pace, the young man hurried towards the bridge. One hand had
already settled on the hilt of his sword. If there was trouble, he would be
ready.

He jumped the bank of the river, running along the hillside. His vantage point
was better there and the ground was harder, drier. He could move faster without
threat of slipping or falling. Eyes narrowed, his ears trained for any more
yelling, the swordsman pushed onward.

One of the men standing by the river saw him first. He wasn't sure how to
react. The man was moving at a much faster speed than he'd ever seen before.
Was it even possible? After regaining himself, the man pulled his gun and fired
off two warning shots.

Whatever arguing, fighting or nonsense that was going on halted at the sound of
the gunfire. The other four men looked to their compatriot, then to the man
closing in on them. Karou saw him too, her eyes widening in recognition and
surprise.

"Kenshin!" she called again.

The swordsman easily dodged the two bullets, both flying past his scarred cheek
without scratching his flesh. With the ruckus stopped, he could see Karou now.
She was on the ground, her hair unbound and her clothing dirty. She was
clutching the top of her kimono, the fabric tattered and one sleeve ripped from
its stitches.

Anger filled Kenshin from head to toe. His eyes flashed gold as he quickly
approached. His free hand grabbed the scabbard of his sword and he slowly drew
it forth as he ran.

'No one hurts, Karou,' his mind shouted. 'No one!'

The man with the gun fired the last four bullets. Not a single one hit their
mark. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled a second pistol. The second man drew
his sword, moving to block the rurouni as he descended. They moved quickly,
their eyes following Kenshin's movements.

But the rurouni was quicker.

Kenshin jumped from the hillside, springing high into the air. His silhouette
covered much of the sun, and slowly grew larger as he descended to the bridge.
His sword was drawn and he swung it downward as he fell.

There was a bright flash of light, causing the others to cover their eyes.
Kenshin's shout could be heard along the riverbank, shadowed by the sound of
metal on metal and a sound similar to that of thunder.

Karou uncovered her eyes first. She blinked several times, her eyes adjusting
as the light faded. She crawled to her knees, her eyes wide.

There, by the riverbank was a large crater. Inside, bruised but still
breathing, were the two Western men. The whites of their eyes were turned
upward, consciousness slipping away.

"Nani?!" the other three men asked, surprised.

Karou took the opportunity to try and escape. She clambered to her feet, still
holding the ripped part of her kimono. With as mush speed and strength as she
could muster, she rammed headfirst into the back of the biggest man left
standing. The muscled man gave a shout of surprise, but barely budged
otherwise. He turned on Karou and smiled.

"That tickled," he told her. "Do it again."

Karou stepped back. She was trapped again as the other two men surrounded her.
She narrowed her eyes in determination. She readied herself, thinking she'd try
the same trick again. She shouted, rushing forward.

Then stopped.

The muscled man fell to his knees. He mumbled something incoherent, reaching
out to his friends for support. But they backed away, letting the man drop to
the ground face first. The slash on the muscled man's back indicated that he'd
been struck a great blow, but his labored breathing indicated that he was still
alive.

Kenshin stood behind the man, his sword drawn and held at the ready. He glared
at the two remaining men, his eyes flashing gold. It became ominously quiet as
the three men stared at each other.

Kenshin held out a free hand to Karou, silently beckoning her to his side. She
hurried to him without hesitation. She looked into his angry eyes, then at the
two remaining men.

"Kenshin?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

The two remaining men took off running. Kenshin stepped forward, wanting to go
after them but Karou's hand on his shoulder made him pause. There was no need
to go after them now, he told himself. He would report them to Saito and let
the police take care of it.

"Kenshin?"

"Oro?" he replied, barely getting the word out before he felt arms wrap around
his neck.

Karou hugged him tightly. She had to make sure he was real. That it was really
him. Her arms closed around solid mass, pulling warm skin closer, and she knew
she wasn't dreaming. Relieved, the tears she'd been holding back started to
fall.

"Karou?" Kenshin asked. He was surprised at first, but then relaxed. One arm
snaked around her waist and hugged her in return. He felt her warm tears as
they began to soak through is gi. He hugged her tighter, whispering in her ear.

"Let's go home."



**R**K** **R**K** **R**K**


The day finally came. The day everyone had waited for.

The party was in full swing just before sundown. Dr. Genzai and his
granddaughters were the first to arrive. Sanosuke was second, followed by Tae
and Tsubume-chan. Megumi was the last to show since it was her evening to work
at the clinic.

Sano and the good doctor had already downed half a jug of sake before dinner was
served. Karou had spent most of the day preparing it. Yahiko and Kenshin had
been leery, but she insisted on doing it herself. Unbeknownst to them, she had
gotten Megumi to help her out a bit. The other woman was only more than happy
to help, but she told Karou to keep it their little secret.

Yahiko sniffed at the trays of food as Karou and Megumi brought them outside.
His eyes widened in surprise. Then smell was quite pleasant. And not a single
thing looked burnt. He sat back, scratching his head in wonderment.

"This actually smells good, Jo-chan," Sanosuke spoke for Yahiko. He too had
been amazed, and he wasted no time in tasting some of the goods. "And it tastes
good too!" He looked over at Karou as she seated herself at the table.

"Did Tae bring this from the restaurant?" Yahiko asked.

"I would do no such thing," Tae admonished the young man. "Karou cooked it all
herself."

"Hai," the young woman said proudly. "Well don't let it go to waste. Eat up!"

The group ate until they were full...and then some! The plates were cleared
quickly, thanks to Sau and Tsubume-chan. The men engaged in several drinking
bouts while the women chatted. Ayame and Suzume grew bored with the
conversation and began playing. They dragged Tsubume away from the conversation
to play as well. Yahiko joined them too, seeing as how he couldn't be included
in either the conversation or the drinking.

Things slowly began to quiet as the night went on. Dr. Genzai left with his
granddaughters, who had fallen asleep. Yahiko and Tsubume-chan said their good-
byes, the crowd cheering them along. Tae followed behind Tsubume. Just before
the midnight hour Megumi said her good-byes, offering a hug to Karou. Sanosuke
mumbled something about her walking home alone and said farewell as well.

Once everyone had left, the dojo became deathly silent.

"Well, I think I'm turning in as well," Yahiko told Karou and Kenshin.

"Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi," Kenshin replied, smiling at the young man. It still amazed him how
much he'd grown.

"Oyasumi, Yahiko," Karou said. She was walking back to the house from the front
door.

The boy passed her with a small wave of his hand then disappeared.

Karou sat down next to Kenshin on the porch. The rurouni was staring up at the
stars, a smile on his face. He didn't move or blink as Karou sat next to him.

"Kenshin, can you believe it's been four years?"

The young man shook his head. "It is hard to believe, that it is. But it has
indeed been that long."

They sat in silence, starring up at the stars. Both of them relaxed, the events
of the evening wearing them down. The cool night air swept over them, offering
a bit of encouragement.

"Oh I almost forgot," Karou said, standing. "I have something for you,
Kenshin."

"Oro?" he asked in surprise, watching he walk away.

Karou entered her room, then reappeared holding a medium sized box. It was
plain, the box, except for a small bow in one of the corners. She held it out
to Kenshin as she approached.

"Here."

"Arigato," Kenshin said, accepting the box with a smile. He shook it slightly,
his hearing trained for any noise. Then he tested its weight. It wasn't heavy,
but it wasn't very light either. Curiously he opened the box.

Karou sat next to him again as he opened the gift. She watched him carefully,
wanting to gauge his reaction. She was hoping he'd be surprised. Or would that
be horrified, her mind questioned. She smiled reassuring as he looked at her,
eyes wide with delight.

Kenshin reached into the box and pulled out a dark blue gi. It was beautifully
crafted and stitched. And it looked to be the right size too. Also in the box
was a pair of cream colored hakama pants. They were as neatly done as the gi
and in the same type of fabric. He looked at Karou, amazed.

"Did you make these?"

Karou nodded emphatically. It explained why she had remained in her room over the past few weeks. A weight felt like it had been lifted from his heart.
And he had thought that she was upset....

"I...I have something...for you as well, Karou."

The young woman blinked. Surprised that he had a gift for her. She was also
surprised that he'd called her by her first name...no miss...just her name. And
he'd done so several times in the past two days. She hadn't paid much attention
to it before now.

From inside his gi, Kenshin produced a small box. He had not wrapped it as
originally planned. In fact, because he'd thought Karou was angry with him, he
had thought to return it. But something inside him told him not to, and he was
glad for it.

He smiled, handing her the box.

Karou's heart leapt to her throat. She'd never seen a box so small. What could
it possibly be, she wondered. Silly girl you already know, her mind replied.
Just open it already! With a shaky hand and an uncertain smile, she accepted
the box from Kenshin.

The young man blushed a light shade of pink. He knew there was something more
he should say, but words escaped him as Karou carefully lifted the lid of the
box. Instead, he watched in anticipation of her reaction.

"K-kensh-shin," she stuttered, in awe of the box's contents. "Is this...is
this...?"

"Hai," he answered quietly, chuckling. "No tricks this time, I promise."

A ring, prettier than any Karou could've possibly imagined, lay snuggled in the
box. She touched it with one finger, making sure it didn't crumble or disappear
when she did so. She smiled happily, fresh tears falling down her cheeks. She
looked up from the ring to Kenshin, at a loss for words.

"You're supposed to wear it," he told her. He leaned over, carefully taking the
ring out of the box. Then he picked up Karou's left hand, placing the ring on
her ring finger. "Like this."

"Kenshin..." Karou said, unsure of what to say. The tears continued to fall,
her hand shaking in his. Then she smiled brightly, knowing exactly what to say.
"Aishitaru."

Kenshin leaned over, closing the foot or so of space between them. Softly his
lips covered hers. The kiss was light, sweet, and full of promise. It was the
best reply he think to give her.

When he pulled away he smiled at her. "Aishitaru, Karou."

From around the corner, Yahiko smiled. So this is what the whole
misunderstanding had really been about. A pair of gifts. He shook his head,
smiling as he turned to go back to his room. The announcement would come in the
morning, he was certain. And if they didn't say anything, he was going to. He
opened the door to his room quietly, sparing one last glance backward.

It was about time.


~~FIN~~