Who Said I Would?

by obsequious101

Summary: Four words uttered by one particular girl sends this teenage playboy into a tailspin.

She was serving a particularly difficult customer, he mused.

Her left hand rested on her hip, her middle finger tapping incessantly against her jean-clad thigh. He watched her patient smile dwindle after four minutes of 'um-ing' and 'ah-ing'. By the time five minutes had passed the signs of Kaoru's impatience were blindingly obvious…well at least to him.

She absentmindedly chewed on her lower lip, creating a small dent in the soft, full flesh, as though trying to physically contain her mounting frustration. The result made her look absolutely irresistible…

"Kenshin, you idiot!" Sanosuke yelled, shaking him out of his daze.

Kenshin closed his eyes briefly in annoyance at being interrupted, "What?!" he answered shortly.

Sanosuke hid a smile, "I just asked you, twice, what you were doing in the holidays."

Kenshin sighed, "Oh yeah, Italy. Dad's getting married again."

A large group of teenage girls whom had moments before settled into the booth beside theirs, gasped collectively. Kenshin cocked an eyebrow at them. Blushing and huddling together, they whispered to each other, occasionally stealing glances at him.

"For how long?" Sano asked, stuffing a handful of fries in his mouth

Kenshin leant back in his seat and stretched leisurely, his arms behind his head, "I don't know yet. I was thinking maybe working over there for a year, miss the last year of school…"

The group of girls erupted.

"No!" one of them whimpered, leaning over the partition and throwing herself at him as best she could, "Don't leave us Kenshin-sama!"

He grinned boyishly down at the girl half strewn across his lap and winked at her, "I may need to rethink my plans now."

The girl promptly fainted and her friends hastily pulled her back into their booth, apologizing profusely.

"How can you do that man? It's not normal," Sano grunted, bemused.

Kenshin shook his head and shrugged. Not even Sano knew how much that stuff annoyed him. But they seemed to like it, and if they did then maybe Kaoru…

"Besides Kaoru will go psycho and kill us all if we let you leave."

Kenshin sat up quickly, alert at the mention of her name, "You know I think you're wrong about her."

Sano laughed, "That she's completely in love with you? You're the only one that can't see it man and that's because you're always off romancing some girl."

Kenshin slumped back down onto the table, watching as Kaoru dodged between tables, balancing three full plates.

She didn't look his way once.

…granted she was somewhat busy.

"She doesn't act like them though," and he jerked his head in the direction of another group of girls watching him and fanning themselves.

Sano snorted, "Jou-chans not like that. She's pretty unique in that way but that doesn't mean she doesn't like you."

Kenshin inwardly bristled at the nick name his best friend had for her. Just how close were they?

"She hasn't looked over here once since we came in."

"There's a hundred people in here!" Sano said incredulously, looking down at his friend slouched across the table, who was now watching Kaoru with a dejected expression on his handsome face, "Is it possible the infamous playboy Kenshin Himura has fallen for Jou-chan?"

Kenshin remained silent before muttering, "Does it matter? She hates me."

"No, correction, she SHOULD hate you but she doesn't."

"Why should she hate me?" Kenshin asked, narrowing his eyes at his best friend.

"You act like the ultimate moron whenever you're around her. You act the same way around her that you do around these girls," Sano said gesturing to the giggling fan clubs, "…and you date anything with a skirt…except Jou-chan."

Kenshin glared at him.

Sano ignored the glare and continued thoughtfully, "However I think I know why you date so much."

"Why?" Kenshin asked sarcastically.

"Either you're trying to figure out how to lure her in, in which case you will fail because, like I said, Jou-chans unique – or you are trying to forget her because you think she hates you."

Sano could be amazingly perceptive at times.

"She does hate me."

Sano shook his head in disbelief, "You act so overly confident in every aspect of your life except when it concerns Jou-chan."

"Yeah but that's because everyone else seems to love this stupid act…except her," he said groaning in frustration.

"Why don't you just act the same way around her that you do around Megumi and Aoshi and Misao and me!"

Kenshin shook his head, "All girls seem to like it when you shower them with compliments, and I want her to…"

Sano thumped his fist on the table hard, "You really are stupid! Do you like Jou-chan?"

"Like her?! I'm bloody obsessed!" Kenshin glared at him again, "And why do you call her Jou-chan?"

Sano ignored him, "Then stop acting like a man-whore!"

Kenshin clenched his jaw, "I don't act like a man whore."

"Yes you-"

"Thanks," Kenshin grinned winking at the waitress, who blushed as she handed him his fries.

"Look! There! You did it!"

Kenshin grimaced, "Well yeah but it worked didn't it? If it worked on her then it should work on Kaoru…"

Sano sighed, "I've told you a million times, she's…not…like…that. Look, are you serious about her because if you end up hurting her…"

Kenshin growled.

It only took a small squeal from a passing waitress for him to realize that his eyes had changed colour. Quickly he shook his head until his long red bangs hid his amber eyes from view.

Sano nodded seriously, "Well ok then, lets do this. Hey Jou-chan! Over here a sec!"

Kenshin looked up, his eyes returning to their normal violet colour. The familiar gnawing nervousness claimed his stomach as always whenever she was near him.

He drew in a deep breath to calm his racing heart beat and instead caught her intoxicating jasmine scent, which did nothing but keep him inhaling.

"Hi Sano…Kenshin."

Was it just his imagination or did she hesitate before his name?

He looked up at her and grinned, albeit a little nervously, his heart skipping a beat at how close she was. Her long, silky black hair tied back, twinkling blue eyes, full red lips…

"What are you doing for the summer?" Sano asked casually.

Kaoru sighed, "Probably working here all holidays, I need the money. What about you two?"

"Martial arts tournament," Sano grinned flexing his sizeable biceps, "and Kenshin's going to Italy."

Kaoru's eyes widened and Kenshin fought the urge to jump over the table and kiss her passionately.

"Wow, Italy?"

She was looking at him now, a faint pink blushing staining her cheeks. If he had thought she looked irresistible before, she looked utterly delectable right now.

Maybe Sano was right, maybe she didn't hate him. His usual air of confidence returned.

"Yep," Kenshin grinned, grabbing her hand and pulling her gently down so he could whisper in her ear, "Don't worry ill hurry back for you, you won't miss me for long."

She pulled away too fast and when their eyes met, he winced at how annoyed she looked.

"Who said I would?" she said coldly.

Kenshin watched her storm away, his expression crest fallen. It had worked on numerous other girls. And now, the one time it had actually mattered, not only hadn't it worked but it had confirmed his suspicions that she hated his guts.

He thrust his fist down onto the table, nearly splintering it, "Shit!"

Sano groaned in frustration, "I told you it wouldn't work you idiot."

Kenshin buried his head in his hands, "I know! I can't help it! Whenever I talk to her I go into jack-ass mode, trying to impress her or seduce her or…I dunno…I just…" he broke off with a curse.

'Who said I would?' Did she know just how much those four words cut into him?

"Yeah well it looks like you've just pushed her to another guy," Sano said looking over his shoulder.

Kenshin whipped around and zeroed in on the male customer Kaoru was waiting on. He was about the same age as them, with blue eyes lighter than Kaoru, and a wide, beaming smile. Something the teenage boy said made her laugh and Sano shook his head at him.

"Don't kill the guy Kenshin; I'm sure they're just friends-"

The guy leaned close to Kaoru, and pulled her down to his level much the same way he had done moments before, and kissed her.

On the lips.

The soft, full lips that belonged to him…

Kenshin was out of his seat in a second. The man was going to die.

Sano grinned and Megumi slid into the seat beside him, appearing from the back room, "This should be good, let's just hope Soujiro as good as he thinks he is."

"Trust me," Megumi mused, kissing her boyfriend on the cheek, "He is. And by the end of it both Kenshin and Kaoru will be thanking us."