tempting offer
Mornings After
Three: tempting offer
here's part three...
---
“Let’s get married.” Kenshin repeated.
Kaoru stared dumbfounded at him. It was either she was able to grasped what he said and was shocked or she really wasn’t able to grasp because she was shocked already. Either way, she was shocked.
“Kaoru-”
The alarm clock went off. It made her jump and she quickly stood up, her eyes wide. She was a bit out of herself the moment she turned the alarm off. She had set it before she went to sleep.
Kenshin gazed at her. She sure was stunned with his proposal. He watched her settled back on her seat. “Kaoru?”
Kaoru slowly turned to him and breathing in deep said in a low voice, “Are you crazy?”
Kenshin shook his head. “I think it’s the right thing to do.”
“Right?” she was trying to contain herself. Her shock gave way to anger and now Kenshin’s about to see her wrath.
“Yes.” Kenshin looked at the table and slowly looked back at her. Kaoru looked shaken.
“Right?” Her voice rose suddenly. “You are out of your mind!”
“Kaoru,” he murmured, seeing Kaoru transform. This is what he had been fearing. He steadied himself, lest Kaoru start to hit him again.
“I don’t want to get married!” she shouted, glaring at him. “And especially not to you!”
“But we don’t have any choice,” he said, still trying to be calm. He shouldn’t match Kaoru’s temper.
“Choice?” Kaoru said, standing up, “If you hadn’t raped me then we could have a choice!”
Kenshin tried to look innocent, “I…I didn’t rape you…”
Kaoru frowned, “Don’t try to act like you don’t know anything. I didn’t ask you do it. I never wanted you to do it. So what do you call that?” She placed her hands on her hips, “That’s what you call rape.”
“It’s my fault but please don’t say that. It’s not like I forced you or anything…”
Kaoru laughed dryly, feeling more and more agitated.
“Besides…even I…even I couldn’t remember much…”
Kaoru’s eyebrow arched suddenly, “Stop pretending.” She knew that if she would continue talking to him she might end up clobbering him. She wouldn’t like him going home with bruises. It might make Misao wonder.
---
Kaoru knew she had to start looking for a job. If she continues like this she might end up begging in the streets. She felt sorry for herself.
She had been scanning the newspaper ads for job openings and had been surfing the net for hours looking for any decent online jobs. She wasn’t that old yet, but she wasn’t young either. She was fighting against her age now, especially with a lot of fresh graduates coming in.
It had been a week since she last saw the redhead. She had been avoiding him. At first he was calling everyday but as she made him feel unwelcome he started calling her less and less. The very last time he tried to call was three days ago. And she was feeling much better now.
She knew she wouldn’t get pregnant. She knew her body more than anyone. She had been praying more intensely than ever. Kami had forsaken her once and she believed that Kami wouldn’t do it again.
---
Kenshin poured coffee into his cup. He went to the table and handed another cup to Misao. “Isn’t the semester just starting?”
“Yes, but you know how it is when you are graduating,” Misao said in between bites. “I actually have a class around ten.”
“Really?” Kenshin took a sip. Maybe he should try calling Kaoru today. She hadn’t been answering his calls and whenever she did she always seemed in a hurry. He knew she hasn’t found work yet.
“By the way I hadn’t been seeing much of Kaoru lately.” Misao stood up and washed her hands on the sink.
“Are you done?” Kenshin asked her as he took another sip. “Don’t you know?”
“What?” Misao turned around as she wiped her hands with paper towels.
“She got fired.”
“From the insurance company?”
Kenshin nodded. Kaoru never told her to not tell Misao. He wasn’t doing anything wrong.
“When?”
“A week ago,” he drained his cup. “I think you should call her.”
Misao nodded, “Yeah. I will. Are you going to work now?”
Kenshin nodded, “I could give you a ride.”
“Good, I’ve been thinking about asking you.”
---
Misao called Kaoru the moment her first class ended. Kaoru’s voice sounded hoarse. She agreed to meet Misao at the university cafeteria for lunch.
Kaoru saw Misao sitting near the windows. Misao spotted her and she waved a hand.
“Long time no see,” Misao said.
Kaoru smiled, “I think you’ve grown taller.”
Misao frowned at her, “I’ll treat you don’t worry.”
“That’s good to know, especially after not seeing you for a long time…well two weeks is a long time isn’t it?”
Misao laughed, “Two weeks did seem such a long time.”
---
Kenshin knew Kaoru wouldn’t want to see him. But he couldn’t tolerate that, given what had happened. He drove past the U-turn and stopped as the traffic light turned red.
---
“Is it true?” Misao asked finishing her plate.
“What?” Kaoru frowned at her.
“Is it true that you got fired?”
Kaoru arched a brow. Misao was saying it like it’s something very trivial. People get fired, as if she was the very first person to get fired. “Yes. Who told you that?”
“My brother.”
Kaoru cringed at the name, “So your blabbermouth brother did? He’s such a gossiper.”
“He is,” Misao laughed, “How did he know by the way? I forgot to ask him that. Besides why didn’t you tell me first.”
Kaoru was quite taken aback. She hadn’t thought of it. What would she say? She took a sip from her lemonade and slowly looked back at Misao. She has to think of something to say or else Misao might wonder.
“So?” Misao urged.
“Misao.” A voice came from behind Kaoru.
Kaoru looked behind as Misao suddenly stood up. It was the blabbermouth brother. She glared at him.
“Kaoru,” Kenshin greeted him. He took a seat beside her sister.
“Why are you here?” she asked him sourly.
“I called him,” Misao said cheerily. She looked at her watch and said, “Oh, I forgot I have a class. I have to go now.” She stood up and kissed her brother’s cheek.
“But I just got here.” Kenshin pouted.
Misao grinned, “Don’t worry Kaoru would entertain you.” Misao winked at Kaoru and made Kaoru frown deeper. “I’d call you later when I get home.”
Kaoru feigned a smile and waved as Misao disappeared into a hallway. Now she was left alone with the redhead. “You’re such a gossiper.”
“What?” Kenshin asked.
“Why did you have to tell Misao I got fired?”
“What’s wrong with that? Didn’t that happen?”
“You could’ve told her I quitted.”
“But that would be lying.” Kenshin grinned.
Kaoru made a face and stood up.
“Where are you going?” Kenshin stood up too and followed her as she got out of the cafeteria.
“Job hunting,” she said curtly. She crossed the parking lot.
“I thought I could treat you dessert,” he said as he followed her.
That made Kaoru halt. She turned around, “What dessert?”
“Whatever you want,” Kenshin smiled to himself. Kaoru was very easy to lure.
“Okay, how about ice cream?” she asked, her face lightening up.
“Sure,” Kenshin smiled. So now he could talk to her.
---
Kenshin smiled to himself. He watched as Kaoru put a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.
“Hmm,” she giggled, “It’s been a long time since I had ice cream.”
“I could always treat you if you want,” Kenshin suggested. He took a spoonful from his bowl.
“Good,” she said as she looked at him. “What’s the catch?”
“Catch?” Kenshin shook his head, “I’m not doing this for anything in return.”
She arched a brow, “Really?”
“Really.”
“Then that’s really good.”
Kenshin cleared his throat. Kaoru was suspicious. Nevertheless he took courage and asked, “How is your job hunting going?”
Kaoru took another spoonful and closed her eyes to savor the taste, “I’m still waiting for the reply mails. They’d be coming at the end of the week.”
“What if by the end of the month you are still jobless?”
“Don’t worry. I know how to take care of myself,” she said. “Besides, I could still eat three times a day.”
“Why don’t you just work for the company? I could give you a job.”
Kaoru opened her eyes, “You know me, I don’t accept charity work.”
“It’s not charity.”
“If I’m going to be hired I want it to be because I have the talent, the abilities…not just because I have connections.”
“I know. But I know your talent and your abilities and I’ll hire you because of those. Don’t think like that. Your pride couldn’t feed you.” Kenshin took a gulp from his glass of water.
Kaoru rolled her eyes in annoyance, “You give me free food so you could insist on what you want? That’s the reason why I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”
He shook his head, “I’m just worried about you.”
She took another spoonful, “I’d find work either by the end of this month or the next.”
“What if you don’t?”
“You are such a pessimist.” She glared at him. Kenshin was vexing her now.
“What if you don’t?” He insisted the question, “Okay, I’ll leave you to whatever you want to do but if by the end of next month you are still jobless you will accept my offer.”
Kaoru stared at him, looked down at her bowl and thought for a while. The offer is tempting. He was actually right, in a few weeks time she wouldn’t be able to survive. If she wouldn’t have a job by the end of next month she would be literally begging the streets to live. Well actually right now she was living off charity.
“So?”
“Oh alright,” she succumbed. She finished her bowl and said, “Okay. If I wouldn’t find work by the end of next month I’d accept your offer.”
Kenshin cheered inwardly. So the first step was a success. “Do you want another bowl? Let me order-”
“I am actually full,” she said, standing up.
“Where are you going?”
“I still have places to go. I’m job hunting remember. I am doing an all day search,” she said and went to the door.
Kenshin stood up too and followed her, “Do you have bus or cab fare? Do you have money?”
“I have, don’t worry,” she said. She felt so poor. “Thank you for the treat.”
“Kaoru,” he suddenly caught her arm.
Kaoru frowned at him. he really is very persistent, “What?”
“If you need anything…give me a call…”
She rolled her eyes and said, “Sure.” She released her arm from his hold and continued walking.
---
So the foot in the door approach was effective. Kenshin grinned to himself. She had accepted his offer, maybe next time it is marriage she would be accepting.
---
Kaoru had actually tried forgetting about him after he went to the prom with somebody else in junior high. She knew it has nothing to do with love, nor any kind of affection for that matter. It was simply because she was always with him that she thought she had something for him.
Honestly, she felt it was good that he didn’t accompany her to the dance. She had forgotten her weird feelings for him and had a good relationship with him in high school. Weird feelings could get in the way of their friendship, especially since she was best friends with his younger sister.
She felt that his kindness was rather weird lately. She found it annoying actually.
---
TBC
Three: tempting offer
here's part three...
---
“Let’s get married.” Kenshin repeated.
Kaoru stared dumbfounded at him. It was either she was able to grasped what he said and was shocked or she really wasn’t able to grasp because she was shocked already. Either way, she was shocked.
“Kaoru-”
The alarm clock went off. It made her jump and she quickly stood up, her eyes wide. She was a bit out of herself the moment she turned the alarm off. She had set it before she went to sleep.
Kenshin gazed at her. She sure was stunned with his proposal. He watched her settled back on her seat. “Kaoru?”
Kaoru slowly turned to him and breathing in deep said in a low voice, “Are you crazy?”
Kenshin shook his head. “I think it’s the right thing to do.”
“Right?” she was trying to contain herself. Her shock gave way to anger and now Kenshin’s about to see her wrath.
“Yes.” Kenshin looked at the table and slowly looked back at her. Kaoru looked shaken.
“Right?” Her voice rose suddenly. “You are out of your mind!”
“Kaoru,” he murmured, seeing Kaoru transform. This is what he had been fearing. He steadied himself, lest Kaoru start to hit him again.
“I don’t want to get married!” she shouted, glaring at him. “And especially not to you!”
“But we don’t have any choice,” he said, still trying to be calm. He shouldn’t match Kaoru’s temper.
“Choice?” Kaoru said, standing up, “If you hadn’t raped me then we could have a choice!”
Kenshin tried to look innocent, “I…I didn’t rape you…”
Kaoru frowned, “Don’t try to act like you don’t know anything. I didn’t ask you do it. I never wanted you to do it. So what do you call that?” She placed her hands on her hips, “That’s what you call rape.”
“It’s my fault but please don’t say that. It’s not like I forced you or anything…”
Kaoru laughed dryly, feeling more and more agitated.
“Besides…even I…even I couldn’t remember much…”
Kaoru’s eyebrow arched suddenly, “Stop pretending.” She knew that if she would continue talking to him she might end up clobbering him. She wouldn’t like him going home with bruises. It might make Misao wonder.
---
Kaoru knew she had to start looking for a job. If she continues like this she might end up begging in the streets. She felt sorry for herself.
She had been scanning the newspaper ads for job openings and had been surfing the net for hours looking for any decent online jobs. She wasn’t that old yet, but she wasn’t young either. She was fighting against her age now, especially with a lot of fresh graduates coming in.
It had been a week since she last saw the redhead. She had been avoiding him. At first he was calling everyday but as she made him feel unwelcome he started calling her less and less. The very last time he tried to call was three days ago. And she was feeling much better now.
She knew she wouldn’t get pregnant. She knew her body more than anyone. She had been praying more intensely than ever. Kami had forsaken her once and she believed that Kami wouldn’t do it again.
---
Kenshin poured coffee into his cup. He went to the table and handed another cup to Misao. “Isn’t the semester just starting?”
“Yes, but you know how it is when you are graduating,” Misao said in between bites. “I actually have a class around ten.”
“Really?” Kenshin took a sip. Maybe he should try calling Kaoru today. She hadn’t been answering his calls and whenever she did she always seemed in a hurry. He knew she hasn’t found work yet.
“By the way I hadn’t been seeing much of Kaoru lately.” Misao stood up and washed her hands on the sink.
“Are you done?” Kenshin asked her as he took another sip. “Don’t you know?”
“What?” Misao turned around as she wiped her hands with paper towels.
“She got fired.”
“From the insurance company?”
Kenshin nodded. Kaoru never told her to not tell Misao. He wasn’t doing anything wrong.
“When?”
“A week ago,” he drained his cup. “I think you should call her.”
Misao nodded, “Yeah. I will. Are you going to work now?”
Kenshin nodded, “I could give you a ride.”
“Good, I’ve been thinking about asking you.”
---
Misao called Kaoru the moment her first class ended. Kaoru’s voice sounded hoarse. She agreed to meet Misao at the university cafeteria for lunch.
Kaoru saw Misao sitting near the windows. Misao spotted her and she waved a hand.
“Long time no see,” Misao said.
Kaoru smiled, “I think you’ve grown taller.”
Misao frowned at her, “I’ll treat you don’t worry.”
“That’s good to know, especially after not seeing you for a long time…well two weeks is a long time isn’t it?”
Misao laughed, “Two weeks did seem such a long time.”
---
Kenshin knew Kaoru wouldn’t want to see him. But he couldn’t tolerate that, given what had happened. He drove past the U-turn and stopped as the traffic light turned red.
---
“Is it true?” Misao asked finishing her plate.
“What?” Kaoru frowned at her.
“Is it true that you got fired?”
Kaoru arched a brow. Misao was saying it like it’s something very trivial. People get fired, as if she was the very first person to get fired. “Yes. Who told you that?”
“My brother.”
Kaoru cringed at the name, “So your blabbermouth brother did? He’s such a gossiper.”
“He is,” Misao laughed, “How did he know by the way? I forgot to ask him that. Besides why didn’t you tell me first.”
Kaoru was quite taken aback. She hadn’t thought of it. What would she say? She took a sip from her lemonade and slowly looked back at Misao. She has to think of something to say or else Misao might wonder.
“So?” Misao urged.
“Misao.” A voice came from behind Kaoru.
Kaoru looked behind as Misao suddenly stood up. It was the blabbermouth brother. She glared at him.
“Kaoru,” Kenshin greeted him. He took a seat beside her sister.
“Why are you here?” she asked him sourly.
“I called him,” Misao said cheerily. She looked at her watch and said, “Oh, I forgot I have a class. I have to go now.” She stood up and kissed her brother’s cheek.
“But I just got here.” Kenshin pouted.
Misao grinned, “Don’t worry Kaoru would entertain you.” Misao winked at Kaoru and made Kaoru frown deeper. “I’d call you later when I get home.”
Kaoru feigned a smile and waved as Misao disappeared into a hallway. Now she was left alone with the redhead. “You’re such a gossiper.”
“What?” Kenshin asked.
“Why did you have to tell Misao I got fired?”
“What’s wrong with that? Didn’t that happen?”
“You could’ve told her I quitted.”
“But that would be lying.” Kenshin grinned.
Kaoru made a face and stood up.
“Where are you going?” Kenshin stood up too and followed her as she got out of the cafeteria.
“Job hunting,” she said curtly. She crossed the parking lot.
“I thought I could treat you dessert,” he said as he followed her.
That made Kaoru halt. She turned around, “What dessert?”
“Whatever you want,” Kenshin smiled to himself. Kaoru was very easy to lure.
“Okay, how about ice cream?” she asked, her face lightening up.
“Sure,” Kenshin smiled. So now he could talk to her.
---
Kenshin smiled to himself. He watched as Kaoru put a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.
“Hmm,” she giggled, “It’s been a long time since I had ice cream.”
“I could always treat you if you want,” Kenshin suggested. He took a spoonful from his bowl.
“Good,” she said as she looked at him. “What’s the catch?”
“Catch?” Kenshin shook his head, “I’m not doing this for anything in return.”
She arched a brow, “Really?”
“Really.”
“Then that’s really good.”
Kenshin cleared his throat. Kaoru was suspicious. Nevertheless he took courage and asked, “How is your job hunting going?”
Kaoru took another spoonful and closed her eyes to savor the taste, “I’m still waiting for the reply mails. They’d be coming at the end of the week.”
“What if by the end of the month you are still jobless?”
“Don’t worry. I know how to take care of myself,” she said. “Besides, I could still eat three times a day.”
“Why don’t you just work for the company? I could give you a job.”
Kaoru opened her eyes, “You know me, I don’t accept charity work.”
“It’s not charity.”
“If I’m going to be hired I want it to be because I have the talent, the abilities…not just because I have connections.”
“I know. But I know your talent and your abilities and I’ll hire you because of those. Don’t think like that. Your pride couldn’t feed you.” Kenshin took a gulp from his glass of water.
Kaoru rolled her eyes in annoyance, “You give me free food so you could insist on what you want? That’s the reason why I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”
He shook his head, “I’m just worried about you.”
She took another spoonful, “I’d find work either by the end of this month or the next.”
“What if you don’t?”
“You are such a pessimist.” She glared at him. Kenshin was vexing her now.
“What if you don’t?” He insisted the question, “Okay, I’ll leave you to whatever you want to do but if by the end of next month you are still jobless you will accept my offer.”
Kaoru stared at him, looked down at her bowl and thought for a while. The offer is tempting. He was actually right, in a few weeks time she wouldn’t be able to survive. If she wouldn’t have a job by the end of next month she would be literally begging the streets to live. Well actually right now she was living off charity.
“So?”
“Oh alright,” she succumbed. She finished her bowl and said, “Okay. If I wouldn’t find work by the end of next month I’d accept your offer.”
Kenshin cheered inwardly. So the first step was a success. “Do you want another bowl? Let me order-”
“I am actually full,” she said, standing up.
“Where are you going?”
“I still have places to go. I’m job hunting remember. I am doing an all day search,” she said and went to the door.
Kenshin stood up too and followed her, “Do you have bus or cab fare? Do you have money?”
“I have, don’t worry,” she said. She felt so poor. “Thank you for the treat.”
“Kaoru,” he suddenly caught her arm.
Kaoru frowned at him. he really is very persistent, “What?”
“If you need anything…give me a call…”
She rolled her eyes and said, “Sure.” She released her arm from his hold and continued walking.
---
So the foot in the door approach was effective. Kenshin grinned to himself. She had accepted his offer, maybe next time it is marriage she would be accepting.
---
Kaoru had actually tried forgetting about him after he went to the prom with somebody else in junior high. She knew it has nothing to do with love, nor any kind of affection for that matter. It was simply because she was always with him that she thought she had something for him.
Honestly, she felt it was good that he didn’t accompany her to the dance. She had forgotten her weird feelings for him and had a good relationship with him in high school. Weird feelings could get in the way of their friendship, especially since she was best friends with his younger sister.
She felt that his kindness was rather weird lately. She found it annoying actually.
---
TBC