A/N: This should make some people happy?
Standard disclaimers apply.
22: Encounter
"Hello?"
"I e-mailed you my measurements – make sure it's done for tomorrow night," Kaoru tells Megumi before hanging up on her.
Why the hell not – why shouldn't she go to this stupid benefit? It's for charity, after all. Also, she kind of wants to see Yumi's look of surprise at her showing up.
It'll be her last scheme, so to speak.
"Dad called," Sano says when Kaoru enters the kitchen on Saturday morning.
She groans. "What did you tell him."
"Well, I couldn't hide that his ex-mother-in-law died and you're now crashing here. He says it's cool, though."
"Oh great. Like I need his fucking permission to come home."
"Hey, at least he's on your side. I'm trying to mediate this whole fucking situation, so calm down."
"You? Mediate? Are you kidding me right now?"
"Dad's pretty much flipping a shit right now and Mom's trying to backpedal. It's a mess. You're lucky you're not in the crossfire."
She groans again. "I'm automatically in the middle of it – it's about me."
"For once, it actually is." He sighs. "I know you don't want to go back there…"
"I don't. But I am."
He freezes. "What?"
She shrugs as she finds a box of cereal. "I have to finish out the year."
"Okay…well…good. Because you can't transfer. It's basically impossible with credits and shit. Dad's tried."
"Well that's sweet of him. But no. I know."
"Done running away?"
She rolls her eyes. "Yeah, sure."
Kaoru is in Megumi's loft, admiring the printed silk chiffon dress she's wearing in front of the wall-length mirror. "Why the hell did you give me this to wear? Red's your color," Kaoru asks.
Megumi hums as she adjusts the cross-strap of her navy dress. "I thought it would be a visual statement of our friendship. You wear my color and I wear yours."
"We're friends now?"
Megumi smiles a little. "I think for the sake of simplicity…yes." Then she laughs. "Aw, am I your first friend?"
Kaoru snorts as she turns to look at the back of her dress. "You wish."
From Misao Makimachi to Kaoru Kamiya:
OMFG HI KAORU! I can't believe you found me on FACEBOOK! I know that's the point of the whole website, but HOLY SHIT. That's just awesome. How are you doing? Still living in NYC?
I'm living with my grandpa and have been for the last ten or so years – I haven't seen my parents in just as long, but we talk sometimes. They send me a lot of money, so whatever! LOL.
Do you know where you're going to college yet? I'm taking a year off to bop around wherever! I was going to be in Europe the entire time, but I think I might play groupie and tag along with Aoshi, my amazing boyfriend since he's joining a band.
WE SHOULD MEET UP DURING THE SUMMER! I could come to you! I love visiting the Big Apple!
I hope you're doing well!
xoxoxox,
Misao
This girl is a weirdo, but Kaoru is reminded of why she loves her so much. She clicks the reply link and begins typing.
At least judging by her profile picture, Misao has a sense of style that Kaoru definitely appreciates; can't take the elitism out of the girl, she supposes.
"So, how are you going about this?" Sano asks Kaoru as he escorts her and Megumi to the hall where the benefit is being held.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean how are you going to let everyone know about what Shishio and Yumi planned? Are you just going to have Megumi send a mass text? Or are you just –"
"I'm not doing anything. It's enough that I own the trump card. They'll never know when I might play it," Kaoru interrupts Sano.
"So, technically, you're never really done scheming, since the ball is always going to be on your court," Megumi points out, the corner of her mouth twitching.
Kaoru shrugs. "Old habits die hard. I think it's an excellent way to end it all."
"But you are going to tell people eventually, right?"
She smiles mysteriously. "Maybe one day when I'm really bored."
"I'm going out for a smoke," Sano announces before speed walking out.
Kaoru and Megumi stare at each other. "Okay…"
Kaoru is forcibly reminded how awful these people are; Yumi makes her job to shoot her death glares and Shishio always seems to be around her, as if keeping a close eye.
Her former classmates are confused by her presence, not sure how they're supposed to behave.
Everyone still sucks, so it seems; not that she could expect anything different.
"Hey, your boy toy is here," Sano informs Kaoru after she finishes a conversation with her former English teacher, whom she used to kind of like.
She narrows her eyes at him. "What? Whom are you talking about?"
"Who else? Kenshin! He's here!"
"Okay, first of all, you don't know what he looks like."
"Kinda scrawny kid with long red hair? Yep, he's here. Right over there, actually," Sano quips, pointing to the middle of the room where, yes, Kenshin Himura is standing in a suit, texting.
Her jaw almost drops, but she clenches her teeth to prevent such an unsightly reaction. "How the fuck did he get in?"
"I may or may not have helped him in."
"B-But…"
"Just go over there," Sano interrupts her, grabbing her arm and pushing her forward.
Kaoru gives him a glare before facing ahead, taking a large breath. She can do this. She's Kaoru Kamiya – she will confront this head-on like an adult.
As she closes the distance between them, he finally locks his eyes with hers, causing her to feel lightheaded and…maybe just a little giddy.
When they're about a foot apart, he smirks, stuffing his hands into his trousers. "You look nice," he says, eyeing her dress.
"It's not my usual style, but I like it," she responds, her voice not as strong as she would like it to be. She sneaks a glance at the people around her, but no one seems to be paying attention. Yet. "How…?"
Kenshin shrugs. "I may or may not have drove home with severe road rage and bitched out at your mom?"
Her jaw drops because how can she not?
"You didn't," she breathes out.
"Not my finest moment, but I think she needed someone to metaphorically slap her in the face."
She can't argue with that.
"Okay…that still doesn't explain everything."
"Your brother has been keeping us updated since you left your phone in my car," he explains, slipping one hand out of his pocket to reveal her cell phone. "I took the liberty of purchasing a new battery for you."
She carefully plucks her phone from his grasp. "Thank you." She opens her clutch. "I'm going to kill him," she mutters when she puts her phone away and snaps her clutch shut. "I should've realized something was wrong when he somehow remembered your name even though I only said it when we were piss drunk…"
He grins. "I have to say, I'm impressed how hard you all went."
"It's definitely not for the faint of heart."
"Indubitably."
Her breath catches in her throat because this boy is just…
"I hope you're not running away and staying here," he says, his eyes jumping from her eyes to her collarbone, to his feet, to her forehead and back again.
Oh.
"I can't. Credits won't be able to transfer and it's too much work. I was planning on coming back tomorrow anyway," she answers slowly, her head cocked to the side. Did he seriously come down here to convince her to go back?
His cheeks actually turn just a little pink, confirming her thoughts. "Stupid. Of course. I just…"
"I'm sorry," she blurts, her knuckles turning white as she tightens her hold on her clutch. "I'm so sorry."
He shakes his head, but he's smiling softly. "What am I going to do with you, Kamiya?"
Oh fuck, tears are filling her eyes and there's no way she can cry now, even though she's ready to squeal and jump up and down like a crazy person.
"So…what now?" he asks. He looks around the room and Kaoru does as well, not surprised at how many people are now watching them.
"Well, we could have an epic kiss and give the people what they want," she suggests mischievously.
"We very well could."
"But…I don't know," she stutters, embarrassed that she can't properly word her emotions.
"Go slow?" he supplies.
"What the hell does that even mean?"
"It means whatever the fuck we want it to be. We'll figure it out tomorrow," he answers with a dismissive hand gesture. "So, are we going to make out now?"
"You want to?"
"Sort of. I liked it when we did."
"I did too."
"Okay, so let's go for it."
"How do you want to do it? Do you want me to jump into your arms? Or do you want to lean in and take me by surprise? Or maybe –"
His mouth on hers interrupts her rambling. Okay then, that settles it.
A/N: One more chapter and then we're finished! Thank you guys for putting up with me. Oh! I have a tumblr now, in case you're interested - it's linked on my profile page; it's the same as my username here :)
Please review!
MissGoalie