"
Hold her
tighter Ken-san! All this moving around will cause her wounds to reopen!"
Kenshin already knew that. He knew that since Kaoru’s wounds started to close
without any medical help, there was no need to stitch them. But, her sudden
movements will cause the fragile skin to tear open again. If that happens, then
she might bleed to death. The only quick, effective way to close the wounds and
stop the bleeding was to apply direct heat. The two ways to do this was to
either spread gunpowder on her skin and light it up, the explosion forcing the
skin to close, or, by heating a metal rod till it was red-hot and pressing it
to the wounds. He cringed at the thought of using those procedures on Kaoru,
especially since she had already been through enough pain. While holding on to
Kaoru’s arms, gently but firmly, he cursed the man who was responsible for
Kaoru’s torment. Suddenly, he felt her go limp in his arms. Her breathing
slowed down, and she sagged onto the bed. He slowly let go of her. "Is she
okay now?" he whispered to Megumi, his eyes never leaving Kaoru.
" I don’t
know…"
Sano ran as
fast as he could, a bag of ice in his hand. He was almost at the dojo. As he
turned a corner, he thought I swear! When I get my hands on that dam-"
Before he could finish the thought, a long leg appeared out of nowhere and
tripped him. Sano was pissed. Who would be out this late at night? This was a very
bad time for someone to pick a fight with him. "Che! What the hell do you
think you’re doing?! You-" Sano felt his jaw drop almost to the ground.
"YOU!!!" You’re alive!! He got up and stood face to face with Saitoh,
who had a very amused grin on his face. "Careful, a fly might get into
your mouth," he said in that annoying superior tone. Sano shook his head,
he can fight the ghost later. First, he had to get to the dojo. Throwing the
"Wolf" an icy look, he brushed past him and ran on. Saitoh looked at
him thoughtfully. Looks like I’m too late*
Five hours
later, Kaoru woke up. The first thing she saw was Kenshin, who, sat against the
wall next to her and appeared to be asleep. Then, she took in Sano and Megumi’s
appearance. The two were leaning against the wall across from her. Megumi’s
head rested on Sano’s shoulder. She sat up slowly and quietly. She wondered why
everyone was in her room. Her confusion didn’t stay with her for long as she
kept staring at the pair in front of her. Her heart began to ache. They looked
so natural together. Sano’s hand covered Megumi’s own hand protectively, and
possessively. Sano really loves Megumi. Although he shows it in a childish
manner, arguing and fighting with her all the time, he really does love her.
It’s obvious to everyone, except himself. Thoughts of a certain swordsman and
the impossible feelings she wished him to have for herself ran through her
mind. She smoothed at the blanket on her futon, trying to smooth away her
fantasies. She suddenly felt the midnight chill on her bare skin. Thinking
that her Kimono must have gotten loose, she moved her hands to pull it tighter
around her, when she saw herself. Saw the deliberately parted Kimono, hastily
tied back by hands other than her own. Saw the raised sleeves, she saw
everything.
Kenshin gazed
at Kaoru from under his hair. She seemed okay. He averted his eyes when he saw
her reach into her kimono. She must be checking her injuries. He then heard a
suspicious sound. It sounded like something sliding. Like a knife being
unsheathed. He raised his head up just in time to see Kaoru plunge a knife into
her heart.
"Kaoru-donno!
Don’t!" Using the speed that allowed him to defeat Soujiro, Kenshin
grabbed Kaoru’s arm. And not a second too early. The razor sharp end of the knife
entered the folds of Kaoru’s kimono, but did not go any further.
Sano and
Megumi, who were woken up by Kenshin's cry, were staring hard at both of them,
their mouths open in shock. Kenshin gaped at Kaoru, who glared back at him. He
was horrified at what almost happened. Kaoru looked at him in cold
fury.
"You were
awake," it was a statement, not a question, and though it came from
Kaoru’s lips, it was not said in her voice, it was said in voice that Kenshin
did not recognize, one that did not match Kaoru. Or maybe it did, the way Kaoru
was now. Kenshin realized that Kaoru did this on purpose. That her goal wasn't
suicide but.. what are her intentions? She wanted to test him, but, why?
What did she expect from him? Kaoru smirked at him.
"Don’t
look so shocked, Kenshin." Shaking her head, she yanked her arm from him,
sheathed the knife, and returned it inside her Kimono. She then glared at Sano,
Kenshin and Megumi, each at a time.
"You just
can’t take a hint can you? Why do you have to get involved with something that
has NOTHING to do with you!!!!
"Demo
Kaoru, we just wanted to help.." Megumi started.
"And did
you, Megumi-san? No! You can’t help me..no one can. Instead, you drugged me,
exposed me, while I was asleep, just to satisfy your curiosity!
"That was
low, even for you Batthou-Sai," the person who said that had a low, self
assured voice that came from the corner of the room. Everyone looked that way
to see Saitoh, standing against the wall.
"You are
alive! I was starting to think I had imagined you back there!"
"Ahou.
I’m too important to die so easily," Saitoh answered calmly.
"Saitoh,
how long were you standing there, and why are you here?" Kenshin demanded.
" Long
enough," he answered with a smug grin "I came to warn you that someone
might be after the girl. I guess you already know. Anyway, I have to go
question her."
"Wha..,
who’s after Kaoru?" Sano asked.
"And what
do you mean go?" Megumi added. "Kaoru is right
her-" She turned to where Kaoru was. No one was there. She turned back,
Kenshin and Saitoh were gone. She and Sano looked at each other, bewildered.
Kenshin looked
at Kaoru. He had followed her until she stopped and sat in front of a tree in
the dojo’s yard. Because he had kept a safe distance away, she didn’t notice
him. He looked at her, sitting there. Thinking again about what she had done,
her conversation with Megumi, and her attempted suicide. He now knew that she
didn't really try to kill herself she was just challenging him. But why? Why
don’t you just ask her? A voice in his head suggested. He pondered the
thought for awhile. Maybe I will. Kaoru and I have always been able to talk
about anything before. Well, almost..? They had certainly never
talked about their feelings for each other, or why he didn’t say anything to
her when she first came to him in Kyoto. Who was he kidding? The only thing
they did talk about was Yahiko’s training or his newest enemy. Well, there’s a
first time for everything. I will talk to her and I will find out what’s going
on. With his mind made up, he headed toward! s her. When he arrived, he stood
in front of her. She raised her head and looked at him with determined eyes.
Before he could say anything to her, she said something that made him forget
everything he had wanted to ask her.
"Kenshin,"
she started out, her voice strong and clear, "I love you."
Kenshin
blinked. Did she just say…Kenshins mind froze. How was he supposed to answer her? What could he
possibly say? As if she could read his thoughts, she continued, "You don’t
need to say anything Kenshin, but, I do. I need to say this. I
meant what I said." As she continued talking, her voice became weaker, as
if it was tired from the strain of saying the first words out loud.
"Kaoru-donno....quot; Kenshin's voice was low.
Why was she telling him this now of all times? She looked up at him,
her eyes earnest, as if she thought he wouldn’t believe her. She raised her
right hand, closed it into a fist, and held it to her chest.
"It
hurts." Kenshin looked at her. Aside from the cuts and bruises on her
face, she looked lovely. Her night-blue eyes, full of tears, looked like stars.
"It hurts
Kenshin, here more than anywhere else…that’s why."
Kenshin finally
started to register what she was saying. He used to think that her attachment
to him was her way of dealing with her loneliness; clearly, that was not the
case. But, he was confused. If she meant what she had said, then why did she say what she did Megumi? This is not the time Kaoru was in front of him.
Clearly waiting for an answer. But what could he say? She looked very
vulnerable; he wanted to comfort her, to draw her close. But what if she took
his behavior the wrong way? What if she thought it meant he returned her
feelings? Did he? Not really He did to some extent
but not that way, not the way she wanted him to. He knew what he had to
do. Knowing that what he was going to say would cause her even more pain, not bearing the thought of seeing the effect of his words on her face, he
looked away.
"Gomen,
Kaoru-donno, I can’t say that I have the same feelings for you." Kaoru
drew in a sharp, shaky breath.
"Why,
Kenshin," she asked, her voice quivering. He didn’t answer her.
"Gomenasai,"
he said looking back at her, and regretted it instantly. She looked absolutely
devastated, shattered.
Che, I’m gonna
kill him, thought Sano who was looking at the pair from behind a tree. He
decided to hear Kaoru’s reply, before doing anything drastic.
"I-I
understand." she answered, her voice thick with the strain of keeping herself together. " I’m sorry I put you in an awkward position." Kuso! I’m
definately gonna kill him, Sano decided. He saw Kaoru turn away from Kenshin.
"If you don’t mind, I would like to be alone." Then, she waited for
him to leave.
Does she
really expect me to leave her after what just happened? Kenshin thought.
Go Kenshin,
just go away. Kaoru thought. She needed some time to sort things out, pull herself together. She
couldn’t do that with him here so close to her. Kenshin just stood there. He
didn’t seem to understand what was going on. Not that I blame him. I don’t
understand what is happening. Suddenly, her hurt turned to anger. Other than
the fact that he, Megumi and Sano sneaked in to my room and… The mere thought
made Kaoru feel so angry it scared her. The change of emotions was so sudden. It was a bursting anger, and was going
to explode in Kenshin’s face if he didn’t leave now.
"Kenshin,"
she said through clenched teeth, "please leave. Now." Kenshin started
walking, but towards her, and not away. As he came closer, Kaoru panicked. She
backed away from him, but he didn’t stop. She didn’t need to blow up in his
face again. Things were bad as they were. As he walked towards her, she felt
something else. She was afraid, afraid of him, of herself, of everything. She
turned around and ran into the dojo without a second glance at him.
"What’s
wrong with your woman, Battou-Sai, she seems to be trying to get away from
you." Saitoh taunted, coming out of nowhere, looking back at Kaoru.
Kenshin shut his eyes tight. He had been so focused on Kaoru that he didn’t
notice Saitoh’s presence.
"This is
very interesting, looks like instead of being a cold-blooded killer, you’ve
become a cold-blooded heartbreaker." Saitoh continued, enjoying himself.
It took all of Kenshin’s willpower, but he let Saitoh’s comment pass.
"Why did
you come here Saitoh?"
"Actually,
I would have come sooner if I knew your life was becoming this
interesting," It was clear that Saitoh was not gonna drop the matter
easily. "As I told your gangster friend and the Takani, I came to talk
with the Kamiya girl, about something that happened to her recently,"
Saitoh paused, then smiled as he continued, "something that I feel might interest
you....."
To be
contiuned...
