All's Well That Ends Well by flori-dono 

Disclaimer: This is a Rurouni Kenshin-inspired fan fiction. The author is not 
making anymoney out of this. The characters of Rurouni Kenshin belong to Watsuki 
Nobuhiro, Shounen Jump, and Sony and others that should be mentioned but were 
not.

CHAPTER 2: Yahiko Plots

Unbeknownst to Kenshin and Sano, Yahiko was standing just outside the dojo gate
eavesdropping. He was about to go to the river to think and to bide time until 
Kaoru's temper cools down. But hearing Sano's voice made him stop and listen. 
They were talking about Kaoru and how she felt about Kenshin. Yahiko could sense 
Sano's frustration as Kenshin poured out his doubts and insecurities. He put a 
hand over his mouth to keep himself from laughing, as he saw the gangster bopped 
the poor rurouni's head with his fist.

Hurriedly, he hid in the corner when Sano began to walk towards the gate. He 
waited until he was out of sight before coming out of his hiding place.

"Sano was right," he thought. "Both Kenshin and Kaoru were in love with each 
other and they were just doing nothing about it. Well, Kaoru was about to do 
SOMETHING but what did I do?  Spoil it!"

Yahiko sighed for the second time that morning. Then suddenly, an idea flashed 
in his mind.

"Why didn't I think of that before?"

But he was going to need some help with what he was planning to do.

With a grin on his face, Yahiko ran towards the direction where Sano was heading 
and yelled, "Hey Sano, wait for me!"
 
Meanwhile...

Kaoru had been pacing her bedroom floor since that horrible incident.

"OOOOH!" she cried out, pulling at her hair.

"Why did I let that kid rile me up like that?" she thought desperately. "Why did 
I do that? I shouldn't have ran. Now I can never face Kenshin again! He must 
think what Yahiko said was true."

"But it is true," a small voice at the back of her mind said. And that was the 
worst part of it. She was embarrassed by the truth.

She sighed. What was done was done and she should better think of something to 
say to Kenshin when she'd see him, and that would be any time soon.

Think fast Kaoru...

"I know!" she exclaimed out loud. 

Then, she faced an imaginary Kenshin and said, "Oh hi, Kenshin! Don't think 
about what Yahiko said. It wasn't true! I just wanted to have lunch and..."

Sweat drop.

No, that wasn't it. It was like admitting it herself. 

What about, "That Yahiko, always making me angry, eh, Kenshin?"

That would be worse, she'd look stupid! Kaoru whimpered and wrung her hands 
nervously. She took a deep breath. She'd better not say anything at all. She 
exhaled. Yes, that was it.  Dead malice was the answer! 

Kaoru gathered all the courage she had. She smoothed her kimono and tucked a 
stray hair behind her ear. 

Now, to try and face her adversary... Kenshin.

Kaoru opened her door slowly, the mask of indifference on her face. She was 
prepared to act like nothing happened but she wasn't prepared to see a piece of 
paper lying on the floor.  It was a note from Kenshin!

Dread filled up Kaoru's heart. What if Kenshin decided to be rurouni again? 
Kami-sama what would she do? He was her life, he was her everything. And now, it 
would be all her fault that he'd be gone!

With trembling fingers, she picked the note up and read...

KAORU-DONO,

I WENT OUT TO MARKET TO BUY SOME TOFU. I'LL BE BACK IN A WHILE.

-KENSHIN

Kaoru stared at the paper in her hand for a few seconds before collapsing on the 
floor in an unconscious heap.
                                                  *** 

"This'd better be good Yahiko," Megumi warned in her sly voice. "I have some 
patients to attend to."

"Yeah," Sano followed. "My hands are itching for the feel of dice.

"Megumi smiled, "That's all you do Rooster-head."

"Nice quip, Fox-lady."

Yahiko rolled his eyes.

"All right, the two of you!" Yahiko said. "How can I get on with both of you 
bickering?"

Sano and Megumi shut up but not without an annoyed "hmmp" from each of them.

Yahiko, Sano and Megumi together with Tsubame and Tae were seated around one of 
the dining tables. Surprisingly, it was slow business for the Akabeko that 
morning, so Tae and Tsubame had time to take part in what Yahiko announced as, 
"THE BIGGEST SCHEME OF ALL TIME"

Yahiko then looked at the faces around him. Making sure he got their attention. 
He cleared his voice before stating, "It's about Kenshin and Kaoru."

He saw Megumi's eyebrow rise and the look of confusion on the other women's 
faces. Only Sano seemed unaffected by what he said. 

"I get it," Sano said lazily. "This is about what happened earlier. And YOU want 
us to help you out of the mess. Clever boy!"

"It's not like that!" Yahiko denied vehemently.

Tae now spoke, "Uh, could you please first fill us in with details? I think I'm 
getting confused!"

Yahiko nodded then proceeded to tell his predicament.

"I'm not worried about Kaoru, I can handle all the punishment I'm sure she'll be 
giving me. I just want to make up for the lost lunch," he ended.

Tsubame looked at him admiringly and said, "That's so sweet of you, Yahiko."

And the poor boy just blushed.

Sano chuckled and thought, "The boy has a heart after all!"

"So what do you want us for?" Megumi asked impatiently with a toss of her head.

At this, Yahiko smiled and in a quiet voice, not quite like Yahiko's, said, "I 
need your help for a DATE!"

Yahiko whistled as he walked home. Now all was set. The whole hour at the 
Akabeko was fruitful. Not only was he able to get the group's cooperation, he 
got some added ideas too.

"A date?" they all said simultaneously.

If not for the gravity of the situation, he could've laughed. The expression on 
their faces was priceless. What with their mouths open and their eyes wide as 
saucers.

He just nodded. "Uh-huh. Kenshin and Kaoru's. I'm planning to set them up on a 
date." 

Sano jumped to his feet and slapped Yahiko on the back so hard, the boy almost 
shoved his nose up the table's edge in the process.

"Didn't think you had it in you, boy!" Sano exclaimed as Yahiko disentangled 
himself from the table's legs. "Should've thought of that myself."

Megumi and Tae were smiling smugly, and Tsubame was gazing at him adoringly.

Yahiko rubbed his nose arrogantly, before settling down again.

After that, everything fell into place.

It was now all in the matter of putting everything to action.

And now was the right time.

On to chapter 3