Sano's voice was angry but at the same time, it was pleading
with her. When Kaoru didn't answer, he got up, punched the wall
and left, cursing all the time.
Relieved that Sano had left, Kaoru opened her eyes, not suprised
to find them brimming with tears. This had happened every time
they tried to talk to her. She was always afraid that they would
notice her tears. It was the same when Yahiko tried. Except that
when he left, he was shouting at her from his frustration.
She clearly remembered when Kenshin tried to talk to her. She
couldn't even bear the thought of breaking down in front of him.
He has already had so much pain and guilt in his life and she
knew that telling him would only add to it. Before he even sat
down, she got up and fled to her room, barely keeping her
composure. When she got there,she tried to swallow her sobs.
* You are so selfish! What happened to you can never be compared
to what he's been through.
Control yourself dammit! Think of Kenshin! Kenshin..she would
have given anything to have him hold her, the same way he did
before he left for Kyoto.. but, allowing him to comfort her would
mean making him worry, she would rather die than give him more to
worry about. Sure, he's worried now but he would be even more so
if he found out the truth. No, I'll never tell him or anyone
else! *
_________________________________________________________________________
Getting Megumi was Yahiko's idea. He was trying to calm Sanosuke,
and was surprised when Kenshin didn't help him, he should have
heard Kenshin's "Maa,Maa's" a while ago. But no,
Kenshin was just leaning against a tree, eyes shut. It was then
that Yahiko decided that
he had to do something. Kaoru wouldn't even look at them, forget
talk with them. The fact that she wouldn't look at even Kenshin
scared him. So he suggested that maybe she wasn't comfortable
talking to guys and needed to talk to another woman. Sano thought
it was a good idea but all Kenshin said was "I'll try
anything" Yahiko exchanged a look with Sano. He had
just realized how hard this must be on Kenshin. He looked
completely devastated. That shouldn't have come as a surprise
because Kenshin, as clueless as he was about women, cared for
Kaoru and it showed. But, Yahiko had never seen Kenshin this
concerned or depressed. So, he went and got Megumi from the
clinic, filling her in on the details on the way to the dojo.
When they arrived, they were suprised to find the house
completely empty. Megumi was not happy.
"Is this some kind of joke, Yahiko-chan?" she demanded.
"Don't call me chan, and no it is not a joke! Do you think I
would make up a story like that just for a laugh!" he yelled
Megumi immediately regretted saying that.
"Gomen, Yahiko, I just can't believe that Kaoru..
"Oi, Yahiko, foxlady, have you two seen Jo-chan!?"
Yahiko and Megumi spun around to see Sanosuke running towards
them. When he reached them, he stopped to catch his breath.
"Where were you and where's Kenshin and Kaoru?" asked
Megumi
"What do you mean where's Kaoru, wasn't she with you?
accused Yahiko at the same time.
Sano finally stopped panting long enough to answer.
"After you left to get Megumi, Kenshin decided to check on
her, but he didn't find her in her room so we look around the
dojo and go to look in the Temple when we don't find her at the
dojo. But
I don't see her anywhere so I ask Kenshin 'what do we do now?'
only to find myself talking to a
tree and that Kenshin is nowhere in sight."
"Where could she have gone? I mean did she take a walk or
did she go practice budo? OH MY GOD!"
What if she went to kill hers....Ouch!, what was that for!"
Yahiko cried angrily, glaring at Sano and
Megumi.
Sano and Megumi were both worried enough without having to listen
to Yahiko's "what ifs"
After getting him to shut up, they agreed to go look for her.
Kenshin was probably doing the same thing. Telling Yahiko to stay
at the dojo in case she came back, they took off.
__________________________________________________________________________
Kaoru looked through the window of Tae's house. She saw Tae fret
over Tsubame-chan.
"Can you remember anything about where you were now?"
she asked worriedly.
"Honestly, Tae-san, I can't remember." Kaoru noted that
Tsubame-chan's voice was lower than usual and was quivering. But,
she was relieved
*It worked, Tsubame doesn't remember anything, that means that no
one will find out* She looked up and uttered a prayer. She was so
happy that the younger girl didn't remember, *it would be too
much for her*
" But Tsubame, you were lost for almost two days, how can
you not remember where you went..." Tae stopped whenn she
saw that her waitress's tiny shoulders were shaking as she
started to cry.
"I can't remember, all I remember is that I was scared and
then someone must have brought me to the restaurant because I
don't remember coming here on my own..I don't remember.."
Kaoru watched as the girl threw herself in Tae's arms.
" It's okay Tsubame, we'll go see doctor Genzai, he'll know
why...
Tae's voice drifted off as Kaoru moved from her hiding place and
entered the woods. She had taken this shortcut before when she
carried Tsubame back home. The reason she took it today was
because she didn't fancy the thought of all of Tokyo seeing her
battered face. The bruises had changed from black to a dark
purple, and the cut on her face was nowhere close to being
healed.
The goose egg was still frighteningly huge.
*At least my clothes cover all the rest* she thought wryly
*people would really scream if they saw...*
Her train of thought was interrupted when she saw long, red hair
move between the close knit trees. * Kenshin? * She squinted to
get a clearer view of him when she lost him. *No! I can't let him
see me. She turned to run the other way as fast as she could, and
bumped into...
"Kenshin..?"
To Part Three