Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Oblivion ❯ Chapter 3

Standard disclaimers apply. Me broke… don't sue! @_@x

Oh well, its good to be here again. My Mum's in Pennsylvania that's why I'm presently in my aunt's apartment here in Manhattan with my sister. She left us by ourselves coz she has to go somewhere and won't be back til afternoon so I'm all alone and got nothing to do… ::shrugs::

A friend e-mailed me and reminded me of ONE important thing that's… well, just between the two of us, I think! Hohoho! :: imitates Megumi's chuckle:: I'd like to thank her again for ringing my bell-I was sooo embarrassed so I had to call my cousin right away so he had to re-edit and re-upload everything again… that's why there's a 'bit' revision on the two preceding chaps (if you'd happen to check them out again). Thanks so much. I mailed her back but I guess Yahoo! and Hotmail isn't as 'compatible' as it was before so I really have no idea if she had received my heartfelt thanks. ^_*

Thank you to those who have wished me bon voyage-it was sweet. My cellphone was ringing continuously when I opened it in the afternoon. There were so many people who mailed me and even sent me 'safe trip' greeting cards! ::bows, bows:: It was so friendly of those people… thank you. I'll be returning to Manila after a few days, maybe Thursday, I dunno… I'm still enjoying it here!

Since my cousin e-mailed me this 3rd Chappie that was in my laptop, I decided to post it while I got nothing to do right now.

So? Enough blabbering. Let's get it on…

"Oblivion"

Chapter 3:

Kenshin…

"Huh?"

Kenshin…

"K-kaoru-dono?"

Kenshin…

"Where are you?"

I'm here…

Kenshin turned to where the voice came from. And he was right, Kaoru was there… standing in a distance from him… flashing him her sweetest smile…

He felt to himself the urge of stepping towards her. He wanted to hold her, stay close beside her… feel the warmth of her skin against his…

But the moment he steps forward, her image seems to float away…

He tried to reach for her, "K-kaoru…"

He reached out to touch her again, but to no avail.

'What the-!'

Kenshin seemed confused with what has been happening. Kaoru was there, in front of him-arms opened-wide and graciously welcoming him like as always-but why can't he get near her?

"Kaoru…"

His walking pace gets faster…

"Don't go…"

And faster…

Until he felt himself running after her…

"No…" he hissed.

His feeling of desperation gets more intense by the second.

Why…?

Kaoru closed her eyes and seemed to disappear.

"D-don't…"

Ken…shin…

She was gone.

"Kaoru!"

"No!"

Kenshin screamed from the top of his lungs. Upon opening his eyes, he began to realize that it was only a bad dream-something that he had not gotten for a long time since he left Tokyo. Brushing off some sticky hair from his flushed face, he held his head and tried to remember his dream.

He dreamt of something terrible.

When he came from Shishio's fight, the most dreadful news received him…

That Kaoru was…

That she was…

He shoved the dream away from his mind.

It was only a dream, that it was de gozaru yo.

Kaoru's face was all over his memory. Her voice, her image, her sudden disappearance…

… from which he felt his own desperation and heartache.

Kenshin let out a soft moan. He held together back his hair and tied them impatiently with a tie laid near the futon. Pushing over the thick blankets, he realized he was naked from the waist up, and the only things that covered him was bandages. The bandages were still fresh. Whoever watched over me must've been religiously tending to my wounds… He tried to stand up but felt a sudden spell of nausea rushed over his consciousness. Oro!

When he was about to reach for a robe, he heard hurrying footsteps approaching the room.

Sliding the shoji open, Misao gasped in shock to see him already up.

"Himura! You're awake now!"

"Ken-san!"

Kenshin was prompted to glance at the other person behind Misao. "M-megumi-dono?"

Megumi and Misao were quickly at Kenshin's side before he could even move to reach out for the robe. "Ken-san! You shouldn't be standing up yet!"

"She's right Himura! If you insist getting up, your wounds will break open again!" Misao seconded.

They began tucking under the blankets again the complaining Kenshin.

"Maa, maa… Misao-dono-Megumi-dono… I think I can get up now…"

"No!" They both said at once.

"Oro!" he squeaked.

Kenshin was startled. Boy, they sure care for me a lot!

"Uhm Megumi-dono…? When did you arrived here in Kyoto?"

Megumi sighed while checking his temperature. "This has been the second week since I left Tokyo. And it was just now you regained consciousness, Ken-san. I rushed here as soon as I received the letter from…" she suddenly stopped, covering her mouth. She glanced over at Misao, who was now changing Kenshin's tabi under the covers. Misao worriedly took back her look from Megumi and busied herself with what she has been doing.

Kenshin arched a brow upon seeing their unusual reactions. "Neh? You received a letter from who, Megumi-dono?"

Megumi smiled at him instantaneously. "Its nothing Ken-san! Really!" she stammered. Getting up quickly, she excused herself. "I'll come back, I'll just get you s-some water."

Doubt from Megumi's actions played inside Kenshin's mind. What's happening here?

"Misao-dono, how is Sanosuke and Aoshi? Had they recovered already?"

Misao smiled at him sheepishly. "Yes, they have. Megumi-san eyes Sanosuke very carefully actually. His hand was badly damaged and that she makes sure he doesn't use it for the meantime it heals," she said thoughtfully. "As for Aoshi-sama, he's at the temple right now… meditating."

Kenshin nodded. "I see. I think he has a lot of things to ponder about by himself," he smiled at Misao. "And you should help him."

"I know Himura, I know."

"There," Misao softly patted his foot upon finishing putting on his tabi. "And don't try to get up, Kenshin. It's the least we could do, so please understand."

Kenshin couldn't do but flash his ruruoni smile at her.

"… and one more thing. I'll be bringing you your lunch so don't sleep, 'kay? I'll be back."

"Uh, Misao-dono…?"

"…"

"Can you please tell Kaoru to see me here? Please tell her I'm up now. You see I have to tell her something…" He saw shock in her eyes, then melancholy. It made him stop.

"… Misao-dono?"

"H-himura…" she whispered.

Kenshin paused. "If its not of a big bother Misao, I'd really like to see Kaoru right now…"

"You can't…" Her voice was very low.

"Is Kaoru busy? I guess she has been helping you with the chores here at the Aoiya, I suppose?"

"N-no…"

"Then I'll be the one to see her," he said standing up.

"No!" Misao was stunned. "W-what I-I mean is, she doesn't want to be disturbed at the m-moment… and that you should rest Himura. She wouldn't like it if she'd happen to see you in that kind of condition, w-would you?"

Kenshin looked suspiciously at Misao. He began to think of Megumi's attitude in front of them a while ago. He stared at her directly. "Are you hiding me something, Misao?"

Misao felt her heart flutter with sudden fright. She looked at Kenshin and saw the seriousness in his aura.

She did not budge.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed. "I guess I'll be taking that as a yes," he said putting on a clean robe. He reached for his sakkabatou and went out of the room straightly. He heard Misao's voice stopping him but he went on.

"Himura!"

He treaded down the hallways and walked directly to the receiving room where he saw a surprised Okina and Sanosuke sipping tea.

Misao followed closely behind him, worry evident in her face.

"Kenshin," Sano greeted him. "Y-you're awake."

Without further hesitation, he asked them straightforwardly. "Sano… Okina-san," he said without batting an eyelash. "Where's Kaoru? I want to see her."

Sano, Okina and Misao were taken aback by the edginess of his tone. "H-himura… you should be going back to bed…"

"Where's Miss Kaoru?" he asked with a threatening glare.

Okina stood. I think Himura has every right to know what happened to her. God save us from his wrath…

"You really want to know?"

Kenshin acquiesced.

Sano interrupted. "Kenshin! Now is not the right time to see Jou-chan. You see…"

Kenshin only casted Sano a warning glare before motioning Okina to take him to Kaoru's room.

"Follow me then, Himura."

The ex-hitokiri trailed along Okina to Kaoru's room. Misao and Sano followed.

They passed by several rooms before stopping in front of a room. Okina looked at Kenshin. "She's inside."

Kenshin slid the door open.

"Kaoru…?"

No answer.

He went inside and adjusted his eyesight to the dimness of the room. A lantern was lit in one corner of the room. There, he saw a form laying in a futon huddled beneath the thick mattresses. He could see the rise and fall of the blanket, indicating that the person within it must have been peacefully sleeping.

By the futon's end, he saw Yahiko dozing off lightly. He saw the sling in his arm. Yahiko… brave Yahiko.

Kenshin walked carefully towards the boy and stroked his back.

Yahiko was surprised by this gesture. He automatically opened his eyes and reached for his shinai. "What the-!"

"Maa, maa… Yahiko. Its only me, Kenshin," he smiled at the boy.

"K-kenshin?" he said unbelievingly. "What are you-?" he said looking at the others. He looked questioningly at Sanosuke, who only looked back at him wordlessly.

"I just want to see Kaoru and see if she's well," glancing over her sleeping form. "I see she's still sleeping, that she is."

"Kenshin," Yahiko still looks as if he was dreaming. "I-I still can't believe you're here…" he said almost inaudibly.

Kenshin chuckled. "Of course, Yahiko. I would always come back for all of you. Did you do the favor I asked you?"

Yahiko felt his grip from shinai tightened. "The 'favor'…?"

Kenshin smiled brightly. "Yeah. I asked you to take care of Kaoru while I'm away. And you did a great job, Yahiko. I thank you wholeheartedly for that… huh?"

In a flash, Yahiko was already at Kenshin's feet, wailing uncontrollably.

"K-kkenshinnnn…"

Kenshin looked confused. "Why are you crying, Yahiko?"

"I… I f-failed yyouu…," Yahiko said in between sobs. "I failed you, K-kenshin."

"What do you mean?"

"I-I was not s-strong enough to protect K-kkaoru…"

"I don't understand, Yahiko. Kaoru IS alright, here neh? So how could you say…"

Yahiko lifted his gaze to meet Kenshin's look man-to-man. I should accept any punishment Kenshin will give me with what has happened to Kaoru … "Huh?"

Kenshin saw the expression in Yahiko's face. He turned around to see what have startled him. "What is it, Yahi…"

And SHE was up. Kaoru was up and staring blankly at them. She looked back and forth to every face she could see. The boy who has been guarding her day and night has been crying, causing her sleep to be disturbed. The tall man who's hair sticks out at any direction sighs continuously, as well as the kind girl with a weird costume and probably the old man beside her is her grandfather.

All of them are familiar faces to her for they always see to it that they check her food and condition everyday, though she doesn't feel anything bad actually. They are all kind and caring to her, assisting and helping her for about weeks now…

She feels at ease with them, as if they were long-time friends. They would tell her some stories she thinks are too complicated to happen but they say it DID happen in real life.

She doesn't know, she feels close to the stories they have been telling her. She could remember Miss Megumi would just cry suddenly while telling her a story about a woman who felt devastated when her loved one left her to fulfill an important duty. And a friend knocked some sense out of that woman by convincing her to follow the man she loves and bring him back home…

How she felt 'related' to that story in some ways she just could not explain…

She knows them all… except for the red-haired man.

Kenshin could help himself no more. Upon seeing Kaoru's beautiful face, after longing to see her face for a long time… here she is, alive and well.

"K-kaoru…"

He also calls me by the name the others call me…

"I will never leave your side ever again…"

You left me?

Kenshin came near her and embraced her tightly.

He's crying…?

She could feel the warm teardrops from his cheek against hers. His embrace was too tight-as if he doesn't want to let go, ever.

Misao was about to approach him when Okina stopped her, shaking his head.

"Let him discover it himself."

Cupping her face with his palms, he stared directly at her blue pools and began kissing the lid of her eyes.

Wait… this is going a little too far!

She suddenly pulled away from his embrace.

Looking at the others, then to the 'stranger', she asked the inevitable…

"Gomen, ne? But… do I know you?"

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