Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or anything that has to do with it.

Author's note: Part one of the Identity series, the series of one shots about the Kenshin-gumi. Please check out the other oneshots in this series. So far I have Yahiko, Battosai, Megumi, and the Kenshin in between Battosai and rurouni. (Kenshin, Battosai, and the Kenshin between the two count as three separate people.) Well, Please enjoy and review!

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How?

How could this happen?

Yahiko sat, staring at the wall of his room. His face betrayed nothing of his troubles as he thought.

How could Kaoru have died

No matter how many times he rolled this truth over in his head, his mind wouldn't grasp it as fact. Kaoru couldn't be dead. There was no way she could be dead. She had been like a sister to him, and there was no way she could have died while he wasn't there to help.

Yahiko fought back the tears. As the first student of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, I cannot cry! His ten-year-old instincts told him to let his emotions rush forward, but his swordsman discipline wouldn't allow it.

"She would have knocked me over the head for this," Yahiko whispered, a sad smile flitting across his features. "Kaoru never would have permitted this. Not after Kyoto." Sighing, Yahiko drew his knees in close to his chest. He sat there, in his protective ball as these thoughts rushed through his head.

Where's Kenshin when you need him? Yahiko thought bitterly of Kenshin's absence. He had disappeared as soon as he could, according to what Megumi and Sano had told him. He had gone without a single goodbye.

No. He didn't disappear. He ran away. The great Hitokiri Battousai ran from that which he brought on to so many. This angered Yahiko more than he could describe, and he pounded his fist on the ground. "Kenshin!"

And then there was Enishi. The bastard that had taken Kaoru from them. "Enishi!" Yahiko cried, barely able to stop the hot tears from running down his face. Now that Kenshin was gone, who could avenge Kaoru's death?

"I will." The two words hung in the air as Yahiko realized how true they were. Standing, he found his courage. "I will! I will rip you apart with my own two hands, Yukishiro Enishi!" His legs gave out on him, and sobbing, Yahiko fell to his knees.

He knew that Kenshin had fought Enishi with everything he had. Kenshin wouldn't have let Kaoru be murdered so easily. If Kenshin had fought and lost, there was no way Yahiko could win. "I'm sorry, Kaoru. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I can't avenge you. I'm too w-weak."

The image of Kaoru, dressed in white, flashed before Yahiko's eyes. If only her eyes had opened.

If only.

If only.