A What Now?

"I invited a few more guests."

Kahoru thought she would have dinner with just her father. She pouted and looked away from him. Her cold personality was seeping out till the atmosphere in the room became cold.

"K-Kaho don't be so mad." Makoto frowned. Whilst Makoto tried to get back onto her good side, the sliding door opened. The father and daughter both turned to see who had slid the door open. Makoto's frown immediately turned into a smile as his attention was changed over to the people at the door.

He quickly stood up and walked towards a couple that appeared to be his age. He turned to the man and hugged him while giving him tough pats oh the back. Kahoru watched as the elderly men hugged each other. It was a little odd to her, but cute nonetheless. The lady next to them was looking at Kahoru. Kahoru noticed and stood up to bow and greet the lady.

"Good evening. My name is Yukimura Kahoru."

"I know." The woman smiled and turned to Makoto. "Makoto, you have such a polite and nice child."

"Her? Polite? She's a very cold child nowadays."

"Same with my son. He's colder than anyone in this world, I swear. He is so reserved and so quiet."

The elders started laughing. The mood of the room had lightened up again, but Kahoru was left confused. 'Why were they laughing about me and some random guy?' Her right eye twitched. Something did not feel right to her.

"Speaking of your son, where is he?" Makoto looked at the entrance, it showed no signs of anyone but the waitress who was waiting by the door.

"He should be here very soon." The elderly man spoke.

"Okay, that's good then."

'Son? Here?' Kahoru came to a conclusion however she wasn't sure. 'But what else could it be? Did my father set me up?' Kahoru shook her head. 'It can't be.'

"Kahoru. I'm not sure if you remember them, but this man here is Ichinomiya Kenshin and the lovely lady next to him is his wife, Ichinomiya Sayaka."

'Why did their last name sound so familiar?' Kahoru looked back and forth between the elderly couple.

"Nice to meet you." Kahoru simply replied.

"Long time no see Kahoru. You've grown so much." Kenshin slapped Kahoru's back. The impact took the breath out of her. He chuckled loudly. Kahoru's jaw was wide open as she gasped for air.

"I'm so sorry dear. Kenshin doesn't know his limits." Sayaka rubbed Kahoru's back.

"Ah." Kahoru was speechless by how lively the couple were. She slowly moved back to her seat and tried to regain her breath. Whilst the elders were talking, Kahoru took some time out to herself to contemplate her decision.

She watched her father banter with Kenshin as Sayaka joined in on their fun. She realised the dinner would not be peaceful as she thought it would be for the rest of the night.

As they chattered away, Kahoru had tried to recall who the Ichinomiya family were. Soon the door slid open again. The waitress bowed and closed the door after another figure walked in.

The room grew silent and the room became tense yet again. The coldness surpassed Kahoru's. The air felt chilly and everyone had goosebumps running down their back. Kahoru scanned him from head to toe.

She could not get her eyes off him. He was very tall. He wore a black three-piece suit with a black tie and in his blazer pocket was a pink handkerchief folded neatly. His face was well defined and his coffee brown hair was styled in a 4/6 parted hairstyle. It slightly covered his right eye.

There was no denying that he was extremely good looking. 'But where had she seen that face before?' Kahoru's eyes followed him as he walked towards the elderly couple. He sat down in between them. Kahoru's stern eyes stared him down, the man noticed her stare. Noticing how stern and lifeless she was, he decided to stare right back at her. 'Why does he seem familiar?' Kahoru thought.

"Hah, look them stare at each other. It must be love at first sight!" Kenshin once again loudly chuckled as he joked.

"I don't think they're staring because of that. It seems like more of a battle of dominance to me," Makoto looked at the two, " they've always loved to fight, so it makes more sense." Makoto joined Kenshin and the two started to laugh again.

"Let's talk business, then we will have dinner." Kenshin interrupted. The staring contest was ended by Kenshin. They both stopped looking at each other and turned towards Kenshin.

He looked at Kahoru and the man. He looked quite serious and as soon as he started to talk, the atmosphere of the Room become tense. "The reason why we brought you two here today is that we want you two to get married."

'An arranged marriage? Was he out of his mind?' Kahoru cried to herself.

"A what now?" Kahoru cried out.

"An arranged marriage." Makoto said. He nervously smiled at Kahoru. He thought it was a mistake to set up Kahoru because she did not seem too happy.

"But why?"

"Well, We all can be in-laws and you two haven't dated anyone in a long time. It's about time you two get married." Kenshin spoke excitedly.

"But, I'm not interested."

"Me too." The man interrupted. "Why do I have to marry such an unsightly woman?"

"Hey, who are you calling unsightly?" Kahoru yelled. She became furious and death stared the man. He snickered. "HEY, what are you laughing at?"

"You."

"Takahiro! How rude of you. You do this to every woman we set you up with." Sayaka pulled the man's earlobe in.

"Mother, it's true- ow stop!"

"You two were very close when you were little. Kahoru, do you remember Takahiro?" Sayaka sweetly smiled at Kahoru.

"Ichinomiya Takahiro?" Kahoru instantly froze. It had finally clicked in Kahoru's head. The Ichinomiya family and Yukimura family had been close friends for decades. Takahiro was one of Kahoru's childhood friends. Upon hearing his name had made her even more furious.

"YOU-" Kahoru stood up and getting ready to throw a punch at him, but Makoto immediately intervened.

"Kahoru, please calm down!" Makoto cried.

"Kahoru?" Takahiro exclaimed. His eye twitched and then he frowned. "Mother, Why did you and Father set me up with this noisy creature?"

"Hey!! I'm not noisy or a creature!"

The parents desperately tried to calm down both of their children. Once they started to fight, there was no way to stop them until they blew off all their steam at each other. They could not leave them in the same room.

"Enough!" Sayaka yelled at everyone. Her voice silenced the whole room, everyone immediately went back to their spots. Sometimes a mother's stern voice is what you need to get everyone's attention again.

"So, we want both of you to discuss the marriage. Takahiro, I am not going to stop until you find a wife. You are twenty-eight years old, you should be married by now." Kenshin smiled and slapped Takahiro's back.

"Ow, You do this every time, please stop."

"Never." Kenshin turned away at his now furious son.

"Tsk." Takahiro crossed his arms.

"Did you just click your tongue at me?" Kenshin was losing his patience with his son.

Takahiro gave his father the silent treatment. He did not want his father to set him up anymore. Kahoru was the twentieth woman he had been set up with over the past two years. He could not handle any of his father's antics anymore. He felt like he was going insane.

The elders stood up, forgetting that they shouldn't leave them in the same room. Kenshin smiled to them, "You better discuss between each other, we already have the marriage certificate signed." He then left the room.

"What did he mean, that the marriage certificate has already been signed?" Kahoru was puzzled. She looked at Takahiro. Takahiro was also confused. He shrugged and the room became silent as the two sat there silently.

Takahiro then took the initiative to talk first. "I will accept the marriage. Will you?"

"Huh?" Kahoru was confused. "Didn't you decline earlier?"

"After what my father said, I do not want to be set up anymore. It's a pain, so might aswell settle it here and now." Takahiro facepalmed. He then looked at Kahoru' "So will you?"

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"I'm not ready, plus how could I marry you after you insulted me?"

"I-"

"No. I won't marry someone so rude and someone I don't love." Kahoru was stern. It would be strange to marry her childhood friend, especially when they fought so often throughout their childhood.

Takahiro was stunned. Every woman he had been set up with, were always attracted for his looks. For Kahoru to decline made him quite interested in her.

He lightly chuckled.

"I'm a little interested now. Let's see how much you've changed in the last sixteen years."

Takahiro stood up and walked to the other side of the table where Kahoru sat. Suddenly, Takahiro pushed Kahoru's back to the ground. Takahiro's body was hovering over her, his nose almost brushing against hers.

Takahiro stared icicles into Kahoru's eyes. "You shouldn't say that so carelessly. Who knows, I'll make you fall in love with me. I'll make you mine." He said whispered to her sternly.

Kahoru was stunned and had realised the situation she was in. "I-I am not your toy, you stupid idiot!" When Kahoru had the chance, she kneed Takahiro's stomach as hard as she could. He groaned in pain and immediately clutched his stomach.

"Take that you pervert! This is for Ikuto." As Kahoru was about to punch Takahiro in the face, Takahiro grabbed Kahoru's arm.

"You're going to punch me over a mere toy?"

"T-that teddy bear was my favourite and you destroyed him."

"You could always get another one."

"He isn't replaceable, My mother made him for me."

The two began to fight each other and the door slid open. The elders were in shock, as they watched their children battle, they immediately ran in to stop the fight. Makoto tried to drag Kahoru away from Takahiro, as Takahiro's parents did the same.

As they parted, Kahoru released herself from her father's clutches and roundhouse kicked Takahiro right in the face. He was knocked down and was in a complete daze. He rubbed his cheek. 'How was she so strong? This is not the Kahoru I expected her to be.' He thought to himself.

"Ikuto, I have avenged you." Kahoru panted and tirelessly walked out. She turned to the elderly couple and stared at them apologetically and bowed, then walked out with her father apologising to them and following after her. When they went outside, Makoto punched Kahoru's arm. "Kahoru what have you done?"

"Ow-I just wanted to avenge Ikuto."

"But Ikuto was just a toy."

"To you he is, but mother made him for me. It was a precious gift."

"Can't you just sew him back up?"

"No. I can't look at that bear anymore, It reminds me of mother." Kahoru gripped her hands, If she looked at that bear again, she would not be able to hold her emotions in anymore since her mother was gone, the bear that had been destroyed reminded her of her mother's death. Her bear was placed somewhere in a storage box at her family residence.

"I'll take you home tonight." Makoto offered. Kahoru looked at her father.

"No need. I can walk home, It isn't far."

"But it's so late, it's not safe."

Kahoru sighed. "If you insist."

Ito-San opened the doors to the BMW and Makoto and Kahoru climbed in. They drove to Kahoru's home first and dropped her off. She walked inside exhausted from the fight, her stomach growled.

"I never got to eat dinner." She sighed to herself. Kahoru changed into some comfortable clothes and quickly made her way down to the convenience store. She picked up some egg sandwiches and a bento box.

As she walked around the store, Kahoru decided to get a few beers and some snacks. She made her way to the counter and ordered her usual hot chocolate. After buying her meal for the evening, she headed home and ate her dinner. She turned on the television and watched a movie. She sighed to herself as she comtemplated everything.

"Takahiro..." The boy she knew had become a man, but he was still the same from when he was younger. Mean.

Ever since they were children, They would fight whenever they saw the opportunity. It was hard leaving them in the same room and their friends and family often had to break up their fights.

When Takahiro turned twelve, he was sent to study abroad and no one had seen him since. Although Takahiro and Kahoru often fought, Takahiro would sometimes feel guilty and treat Kahoru to Ice-cream. They were truly a strange pair.

It was hard to see them as a couple. They seemed very incompatible.