Karma - Cinco de Mayo Fiasco - Is Fiasco Spanish?

[Chibi Reli]

Italics with no quotes are internal monologues by Kaoru

Karma

Cinco de Mayo Fiasco ? Is Fiasco Spanish?

-*-*-

The three best party holidays don?t even come from Japan. St. Patrick?s Day, Mardi Gras, and Cinco de Mayo. I think out of all of them, Cinco de Mayo is the best. Hey, a lot of the great holidays are in the spring time. What?s up with that?

Anyways, what usually happens is Sano, Misao, Kenshin and I get trashed and wind up doing things we can?t remember doing and only do because Megumi tells us about it the day after.

This year though, I?m not sure what?s going to happen. Megumi made Sano give up alcohol for the year ? pretty crappy resolution if you ask me. Misao has vowed to get into better shape ? I don?t know why since she?s like my built and works out as well. She thinks that any kind of alcohol gets you fat. Well, I don?t think so. Anyways, give her a month and she?ll give up on it. Kenshin well, I haven?t seen him drink once while around Tomoe or at least not how he used to. I mean, why do women need to change men? You should fall in love with them with how they are. I have.

So then there?s just me. But I can?t get drunk if no one else is ? I mean, no one of my friends since of course most of the place will gladly be taking tequila shots. But if I?m going to be able to function as the seventh wheel ? oh god that sounds so sad ? I?m going to need something to keep me from going insane. What is a girl to do?

-*-*-

?Yello?? I slur as I answer my cell.

?Hey Kaoru. Where are you??

?At The Mexican Pub. Sharing a round of tequila shots with some guys from work. Why aren?t you here yet?

?Aoshi and I are leaving not. The others should be there in a second.?

Gah! The others! That means Tomoe is coming. Wait. No negative thoughts Kaoru. Don?t let her ruin your day of fun. Remember karma.

?I see them! I see them! Bye.? I put away my phone and get up from my seat, putting on my spiffy pink sombrero and meeting my group of not relationship challenged friends at the entrance. ?You guys are here! You need hats. Cinco de Mayo is nothing without tequila and hats.?

?It?s quite loud in here,? Tomoe observes, looking around.

Hah! Welcome to my territory now girl. ?Of course it?s loud. It?s a day to party,? Kaoru says, spinning around once and heading towards an empty table. At least I think it?s empty.

?How long have you been drinking Kaoru?? Megumi asks, going into doctor mode. Man, she can be just a kill joy sometimes.

?Some of the guys left at around 4 pm, I think.? I have finally arrived at the table. Good. It is empty after all. Kaoru places her hands on the back of two chairs. IF I sit, I?m going to miss all the fun.

?It?s seven now. Maybe we should go find you a seat to sober up,? she says again.

?But I am, see??

?Does she do this often?? Tomoe asks Kenshin.

?Only on the big days,? Kenshin answers.

?You should see her during Mardi Gras. It?s insane,? Sano responds, taking a drink out of a passing tray, only to be taken back by Megumi.

?Isn?t she a bit too old?? Tomoe asks again.

Too old? I?m only 25 years old. That?s not old. I don?t need to be here.

?She?s just celebrating that she?s still single. When she finds someone, I?m sure she?ll change,? Kenshin says. They look at the menu placed in front of them, only for Megumi to look up at the bar to see Kaoru and another guy holding a sombrero each upside down, over their mouths, standing on the counter.

?Oh dear lord. She?s going for the hat challenge. I think it?s about time we leave.?

Let me explain the hate challenge. Basically, one takes a giant sombrero and fills it with margaritas. The first one to finish and not chuck it all up is the winner. Sano and I used to do it every year, but as soon as Megumi caught wind, we were dragged out. Not before actually drinking it of course. This time around, I was going against this cute guy from work. We?ve gone out for drinks before but nothing big. Oops. Looks like I gotta start chugging.

?The winner, the little missy,? the bartender says as Kaoru put down the hat and raises her arm in the air. Oh yeah, I still got it. Wait a minute, did he says little?

?Hey. I?m not little, I?m petite. Woah, what are you doing?? Kaoru ask Sano as she is being dragged down off the counter.

?We are going somewhere else to eat, before we have to pump out your stomach,? Megumi says, taking my face in between her hands and starring into my eyes. Man, she really is a spoiled sport. And so after being looked at for what seemed like an hour ? wait, what time is it? Anyways, I soon find myself being dragged out of the building, my fellow coworkers screaming bye to me from behind. Then I hear the noise of more shots being tossed around. Man, I don?t want to miss another round. So I turn myself out of Megumi?s grip and walk towards them, only to be caught by?duh duh duh?Kenshin.

?Come on Kaoru. Let?s go,? Kenshin says, tugging Kaoru towards the exit.

?You know what Kenshin, you?re no fun anymore. We used to have a blast drinking and talking all night. What happened to you?? The answer that he gave me sent me off the deep end. Completely not expected.

?Things change Kaoru.?

-*-*-

So here we are. At some sushi place that one of our college friends own. Everyone got these complex platters, while all I was able to get was rice. But it was good none the less. I wonder why?

?Kaoru, what city do we live in?? Megumi asks the girl who is happily rocking side to side with a bowl of rice in her hands.

?Japan.?

After every drinking party, Megumi decides that I am in her care. The way she knows when I?m sober enough to function normally is whether or not I can answer a question correctly. It?s a lot of fun when drunk, but when I start sobering up, it just gets annoying.

?No Kaoru. City. What city??

?Toe-Key-Oh.?

?She?s getting better. That was her second try,? Sano comments.

After that comment, I suddenly become aware of my surroundings. Around me were three happy couples, then me. My only companion a bowl of rice. Very good rice. But rice still. What is going on with my life? I look towards Kenshin and Tomoe and watch as she feeds him something. Eel? I like eel. Not sure. Anyways, the smile that he gave her, was one that I had never seen before. Could it be that he really is in love with her? Oh god, I don?t think I can take it. I need to get outta here.

?Where are you going Kao?? Misao asks. She and Aoshi joined us later on.

?Just to the bathroom.? Kaoru picks up her bag and starts walking away, slightly swaying.

?Should we come too?? Misao asks again.

?No no. I?m fine. I?ve been worse.? So I wasn?t exactly going to the bathroom, but to go find Tae. Now where would be the best place to find the head chef of the restaurant? The kitchen. Duh. I finally open the doors and look around, looking for the familiar brown hair. I never knew a kitchen could be so hot?

?Kaoru, what are you doing back here??

?Tae! I?ve been looking for. I was wondering if you could call me a cab? I need to get out of here, but I have no ride.?

?But I thought?? she started, looking out towards the table I was sitting at.

?They?re better off without me.?

-*-*-

The last thing I remember was getting into a cab and Tae telling the driver my address. The next thing I remember was waking up on my bed to see Sano sleeping, leaning against my night stand. As soon as I sat up ? with no hangover in sight. Go me! ? he woke up and asked if I was okay, then explained what happened after I had left to go to the bathroom.

Supposedly, they continued eating until Megumi tried to ask what city I lived in again. When I didn?t answer, they had realized that I had not come back in almost 30 minutes. That?s when the phones came out. 30 minutes. 30 minutes! How could you realize
someone missing for 30 minutes when they were at the same table as you?!

Anyways, at the moment the phones came out, Tae passed by with the bill, telling them that I has already paid my part before leaving. That started a whole new type of panic. Drunk girl home by herself with a stranger? Not usually a good thing. As soon as the bill was paid, they all left and drove to my place. Once entering my place ? Megumi has a copy of my key since on occasion she has had to bring me home when drunk and also water my plants when I?m on my business trips ? they found me sleeping on my couch. They guessed I had passed out and after a quick check with Megumi to make sure I was okay and still alive, they decided to leave, except her and Sano, just in case something happened later on during the night.

What hurt more than the hangover that should have been, was the fact that Kenshin didn?t even volunteer to stay with me. Instead, he said he had to head home to catch up on some work. There were so many times in the past were one of us got completely trashed and the other would take care, without being asked.

After telling me the story and making sure I was sobered up, Sano got up and left to find Megumi I would think. I?m really starting to think that this karma thing is not for me. Maybe I should just try to break them up with strategically placed incidents. No, I can?t do that. I mean for the longest time I did things that I thought would show him I love him, including the times where I said I love you. But he thought it was just a friend love. This karma thing has worked so far for everyone else. Maybe I just need to rack up more points with karma since this is kinda a big job.

-*-*-

Misao called later in the day, saying that she was heading over with some dinner. Supposedly Aoshi had to go out for the night and she was all alone, so she thought she would play catch up with me. Not complaining here though ? home cooked food is better than takeout.

?I wish I could cook like you Misao. Actually, I wish I could cook period,? Kaoru says, stuffing her face full of noodles.

?I?m sure we can try to teach you again.?

?Sorry, but the last time we tried, I almost burnt down the house trying to boil water for pasta.? True story.

?That is true. So, you didn?t wake up with a hangover I see. I?m amazed.?

?There have only been very few occasions where I don?t have hangovers. And I haven?t puked since the first time we drank. My size can be misleading.? And I am very proud of this fact.

?You know you really scared us when you went missing,? Misao says, staring into her plate.

?You didn?t realize I was gone for a long time.?

?Yeah. Why did you go anyways if you were feeling okay??

?It?s just that this is the first real occasion where everything is completely different, and I?m the only one that seems to be keeping it a tradition. Usually you and Sano drink with me and it?s fun. Also, it?s the first major time where I was the only person, alone.?

?I didn?t even think about that. We all know how much you love him, but you know there are going to be a lot of times like this, right? Until he realizes,? she says, getting up from her seat and standing behind her, giving her a much deserved hug.

?I know. But I?m hoping that karma will help me out, like it did with you and Megumi.? God I hope it will help me out.

-*-*-

Kenshin didn?t call until Monday. Cinco de Mayo was on Friday. I was on my way to that under-privledged program I was talking to you about by my apartment when I felt my phone vibrate.

?Kaoru?? What a great opening.

?Hey Kenshin.?

?How are you doing?? You?re asking me this 3 days later. I am talking to you, so that has to be a good sign.

?I?m fine. Just heading over for some volunteer work.?

?Oh yeah. I?ve been so busy I haven?t done that in a while. I?m surprised that you still are.? What is that supposed to mean?

?Well, the kids are nice and all, except for a few, but I can handle them.? Wait for a small chuckle. Nothing. Okay then. ?Yahiko is asking about you.? YAhiko is one the boys that we used to teach. Able to pick up on things quickly. Has the possibility to be an excellent kendoist. He has an issue taking orders from females though. Calling me ugly all the time. Just wait until he gets a really girlfriend, then things are gonna change.

?Maybe I?ll try to go one day.?

?You should.? Wow this is a stimulating conversation.

?Well, I should go now. Tomoe?s cooking tonight.? And I care why?

?Alright. Bye,? Kaoru says before hanging up, not letting him respond back. I am so glad I?m going somewhere to fight. Maybe if Yahiko?s there, I?ll take out some rage that has been building up. And that really wouldn?t be going against karma though, because if I?m tough on him, I?m just making him a stronger person, right?

-*-*-

?One more set you guys and then we can call it a day.?

?Hai Kamiya-sensei,? the kids announce before starting into their last set. Kaoru turns towards them, watching each one carefully. These kids are just so cute. There?s this little one, Tsubame, who used to be so shy and would always stay in the back. She is such a girly girl. But now, she always the first one ready and always obeys. I think she has a thing for YAhiko too. I hope if I ever had a little girl, she would turn out like her. That?s if I ever have kids, because at the rate I?m going at, I?m going to be one of those creepy old ladies who live by herself except for her 20 cats named Percy, Fluffy ? uh ? Percy 2. My god. I work in marketing and can?t even come up with three pet names. What is wrong with me?

?Kamiya-sensei? KAmiya-sensei??

?Huh? What?? Kaoru says, looking in front to see the kids done. ?Sorry, I must have zoned out. I?ll see you guys next Monday. Same time. And next time, remember to make sure your shoes are tied tightly.?

?Hai Kamiya-sensei.? As the kids scatter about, Kaoru starts to gather up all the equipment, first taking a look at her watch. ?6:30. Time for dinner I guess.?

?Yo missy! Need help??

?Sano, what are you doing here??

?I thought maybe after a hard day of work and teaching, you would want some good eatings. What do you say??

?Megumi?s on call tonight isn?t she and you lost your wallet again, didn?t you?? I gotta say, Sano is almost as bad as I am when it comes to cook and remembering where I put stuff.

?Yeah. I drive. You pay?? Sano asks, scratching the back of his head in embaressment.

?Fine.? Why am I always the one to pick chosen only when the partner isn?t around? This has to be good karma right?

[TAMY]

Hi, Fiasco is in spanish and it means a "Fraud"