Disclaimer:  None of the characters belong to me.  I am not making any money
out of this.  This story/plot is purely fiction.  All regular characters
belong to Nobuhiro Watsume.
Note:   Since I'm kinda new to the intriguing world and vast story of
Rurouni Kenshin, some of the minor characters may be out of their
personality, since I've only watched up to episode 12 (groan).  If you find
some characters out of place or personality, gomen nasai.
 

Rurouni Kenshin:  "Kaoru's Future..."

  fanfic by:  Ms. _Anime_
**************************
Dr. Genzai looked seriously at Kaoru...  he knew this was hard on her.
"Kaoru... please understand... you must do this, for the sake of the dojo..."
"..."
"Kaoru?"
Kaoru said nothing and lifted her head to face the man who had supported her
since her parents' deaths.  Dr. Genzai smiled inwardly as he saw the
familiar determined look on the young woman's face.  Kaoru nodded.
"Hai."
The doctor took Kaoru's hands and smiled reassuringly.
"You won't regret this..." he let go, "...you've grown up so fast...  your
father would be proud."
Kaoru forced a thin smile and got up.  The sliding door opened and closed.
Dr. Genzai stared at the floor.
*...Is this right?  ...Will she not regret this?*
He sighed sadly.  He knew she loved him.
******************
Kaoru took in a deep breath and leaned heavily on the door.  She closed her
eyes and saw Kenshin.  She blushed and immediately shook her head vigorously
and opened her eyes.
*No!  --Musn't think of him!*
She patted her cheeks sharply with her hands to clear her head.  She had to
think about the future of the dojo.  Without Kenshin;  and suddenly, her
heart ached.
She knew this was coming, sooner or later;  she saw how the doctor was
eyeing her, saw how he watched if men looked at her or not.  She knew he
wanted her married.
Kaoru sighed.  She turns nineteen next month.
She knew the doctor wanted her married before she turns twenty.
Kaoru began walking silently to her room.
********************
Yahiko looked up from his sweeping.  He saw Kaoru walk towards her room with
an odd look on her face.
"Eh?"
*Why does she look so sad?*
Yahiko's eyes back-tracked to where Kaoru went out from.  He saw Dr. Genzai
exit the room, also looking oddly deppressed.  Yahiko dropped his broom.
"Oi!  --Doctor!  Wait up!"
"Huh?"
The doctor smiled as he watched the youth come toward him.
"Hey, doc... why's Kaoru so sad?"
Some light left the doctor's eyes.
"Ah... that's because she's finally encountered that part of reality.  She
has always been spoiled by her father..."
"EHH???"
Yahiko was clueless.  The doctor offered no more explanation and simply kept
walking through the corridor.  Yahiko began towards his broom.
"Hm... what's that supposed to mean? --Hey!  Sano!  Over here!!"
*******************
"Eh?"
Sano raised an eyebrow and headed at Yahiko's direction.
"What's up?"
"Have you seen Kaoru?"
"Jo-chan? --Nope, can't say I have... I just arrived here.  She isn't
cooking, is she?"
Yahiko sweat-beaded as a wooden pail connected with Sano's head.
"I heard that, baka!!"
Kaoru's voice could be heard coming closer.
"As I've told you thousands of times, WE NEVER INVITED YOU!!! --You're the
one who always shows up, sending us to the poor house with your appetite!!"
Kaoru did an akimbo (putting her hands on her hips) from the corridor,
huffed angrily and continued walking.  Kaoru called over her shoulder.
"Yahiko!  --I'll be out for a while, make sure Sano doesn't wind up eating
all our food!"
"HAAII!!"
Yahiko called back, taking his eyes off the impaled Sano on the ground and
watching curiously as Kaoru went out the main gate.
"Oowww~~"
Yahiko turned back his attention to where Sano was picking up himself from
the ground;  he made an indignant sound.
"Ne, Sano... when will you ever learn?  --Even I don't have that thick a
skull... you shouldn't have insulted Kaoru in the open... you deserved it. Heh."
Sano looked at Yahiko who was smirking and rubbing his nose with his hand,
as he usually does;  his eyes turned sarcastic and he got up on his feet.
"I'm not going to stay here being lectured by a LITTLE BOY... I got better
things to do, Yahiko-CHAN."
Sano smirked and cocked his head sharply to one side and was immediately
bitten by Yahiko on the head.  Yahiko was still attached to Sano's head when
he turned to greet Kenshin who had just arrived in the scene from the house.
*********************
"Ohayo... Sano, Yahiko.  It's a beautiful day isn't it?"
At the sound of Kenshin's usual cheery voice, Yahiko stopped biting.
"Oi, Kenshin... did you happen to meet Kaoru this morning?"
Sano shook his head sharply and Yahiko fell from his hair.  Kenshin remained
smiling.
"No, I didn't meet her.  Why do you ask?"
"Well, she looked kind of weird a little while ago."
Sano grinned sarcastically.
"What are you talkin' about?!  She's always been weird!"
Yahiko rubbed his head and glared at Sano.
"I knew that!  --I meant she looked kind of sad this morning, before you
arrived."
"Well, she sure don't show it."
Sano rubbed a bump on his head from the pail and Kenshin's cheery face lost
it's smile.  His voice lowered when he spoke.
"Sad?  --Has something happened to her?"
Goosebumps ran through both Yahiko and Sano's spines and they both
sweat-beaded at Kenshin's obvious change in tone of voice.  Yahiko hurriedly
shook his head and smiled stupidly (y'know the kind!  --Teeth and all...).
"N- no!  --I mean she kinda looked, uh, --serious!  --Yeah, that's it,
serious!  --After a talk with Dr. Genzai this morning.  I'm sure it was
nothing!  Hehe..."
Sano spoke up, also with a stupid smile.
"Yeah, it's probably nothing... y'know how women always make a big deal out
of every little thing!  --For all we know it's because something this baka
here did!"
Yahiko huffed angrily and glared at Sano.
"Probably something YOU did..."
Kenshin's face relaxed and his familiar smile returned as he watched the two
argue as they always do.  But the smile was just a farce, he noticed that
Kaoru was nowhere to be seen.
"Yahiko... where IS Kaoru?"
"Oh, she went out just a while ago, Kenshin... probably on some errands."
Yahiko replied from Sano's head.  After some vain attempts to get Yahiko off
of his hair, Sano resorted to insulting him;  the two began their usual
brawl.  They didn't notice Kenshin silently walk away.
*Something must be up...*
*************************************
*Something must be up...*
Tae-san looked over her shoulder while preparing some tea to where Kaoru was
sitting quietly on a floor mat;  she was moderately surprised when Kaoru
knocked at her door so early in the morning, before Shabu-Shabu opened.  She
sighed... it must be Kenshin again...  She delivered Kaoru's tea.
"So, Kaoru-san... why are you here so early in the morning?"
Kaoru stopped sipping her tea for a moment and began to fidget in her position.
"Well, you see..."  Kaoru began, blushing slightly.
"Hm?"
Tae-san raised her eyes slightly to see Kaoru's face.
"Well, you see, Tae-san... I'm turning nineteen next month, and...  well,
Dr. Genzai... He said...  uh..."
She took a deep breath and decided to hell with it;  might as well say it
out loud.
"Dr. Genzai said he wanted me... uhh... marriedbeforeIturntwenty."
Kaoru blushed a deep red and Tae-san's eyes widened and was immediately
filled with understanding... She knew that Kaoru was never forced to do
anything in her whole life.  She sighed quietly all the while looking at
Kaoru's bowed head.
*Only children are always spoiled...  She's never had a thing like marriage
bother her before...*
Tae-san smiled sweetly and Kaoru raised he head a bit to look at her.
"So, Kaoru, do you have anyone in mind?"
***********************
Kaoru's anger flared a bit at that question... Tae-san knew very well who
she had in mind.  Her eyes darkened visibly as she realized that he was the
only person that she can't have.
*...Would he, settle down with me, for me?  ---No;  marrying him was just a
childish, selfish dream...*
She raised her head and looked at Tae-san squarely in the face, hoping that
she wouldn't notice the way her eyes had become teary.
"No, I don't."
Kaoru winced as she heard her voice sound without the conviction she hoped
it would have.  She saw Tae-san raise an eyebrow, unconviced.  She sighed
sadly as she let tears rim her eyes.
"You know he won't marry me..."
Kaoru's voice was barely a whisper.  Tae-san didn't lose her smile.
"Well, there are other fish in the sea...  I'm sure an attractive and
talented woman like you will have no problem finding a husband."
Kaoru smiled a little and wiped her eyes with her sleeve, she knew that
Tae-san would help her.
"You really think so?  --I can't cook very well..."
Tae-san's smile broadened.
"That may be true, but you have beauty, spirit, talent, wit, and most
importantly, conviction.  Any man worth his salt would never pass up a woman
like you."
Kaoru's face brightened.  Tae-san put her tea down and continued.
"So, Kaoru... do you have a blue or lavender kimono?"
"Eh?"