This story was inspired by one piano piece, "Claudine". You've gotta hear it. It's so beautiful! If you have it play it while you read the chapters, it makes a lot of difference. Also inspired by my very own ghost of the past. Be happy.

He took a whiff of fresh air. This is the life. The redheaded man thought to himself as he moved his gaze first, to the boy in front of him then hiding his eyes beneath his bangs he stole a gaze at the woman walking beside him. This way, life would be so happy. His mind brought him to places he could only explore through his imagination. How he would love to share his thoughts with her.

He was swept away from his thought once again by the mere sight of her. The wind was moving against her soft ebony hair. Her creamy white hands tacking the lose strands away beneath her ear. After which would be a small piece of heaven. Her lips curve upward and a smile grazed her features. How he wished for the moment to last where she would serenely walk beside him as she, herself, away drifted away with her thought.

Thoughts of him? He wished. If he were the one bringing those smiles, those sighs, the brief glowing of the face, he would willingly oblige. How he wished those sighs were for him. That she would look his way whenever she smiled that way. But then again, he was always too afraid to look. He has to face his fear before he could see the happiness.

For this man, who thought that all his worse fears were over, another tiny bit of problem has still yet to be solved. In order to move on the future, one must look back at the past. It's not about Kenshin's past. This time, it's about Kaoru. How she survived the ordeal she went through before she met any of her friends.

Kenshin was so caught up with the serene picture he was gazing upon when all of a sudden; he felt a sudden rush of cold air pass by. It happened too quickly that he wasn't able to distinguish whether it was really the wind or a real live person. He looked back at the object of his affection and was surprised to see a most extraordinary vision. Kaoru had stopped on her tracks and beside her was a man. This wouldn't have angered Kenshin at all if only the man wasn't leaning on to Kaoru and his face was inching closer and closer to Kaoru's cheek.

He wondered why Kaoru wasn't doing anything, seeing that she was about to be harassed. The man beside Kaoru leaned ever so close that his lips were already upon Kaoru's cheek. Kaoru was still not doing anything about it. Why? Was all he could ask. Why wasn't Kaoru doing anything? Why is she letting this man kiss her, and in a public place, no less. Jealousy surged through him as he came nearer intending to put a stop to the happenings. He hasn't even advanced one foot when someone bumped into him and he painfully stood up with a feeling of daze.

Kaoru looked at him with a confused look. Didn't she notice?

"Kenshin, what in the world is happening to you?" she dusted off his gi. and said in a worried tone, "Are you alright?" Kenshin only gaped at her as she touched her left cheek, the one kissed by that man, he thought angrily.

Did she know?

How's that for a comeback story? I hope I didn't upset everyone by that cliffie. The new chapter for my other story, "Waves" is coming up soon!