Kaoru walked blindly down the street. Rain poured from the sky and shimmered in the moonlight like sapphires. They were much like the tears that ran down Kaoru's cheeks, causing her eyes to turn red and itch. Trying desperately to erase the memories from her mind, Kaoru vainly wiped her eyes and pinned her sobs deep within her chest. Quickening her pace, Kaoru didn't dare look behind her, knowing who would be there.
"Kaoru!" A man called to her, his voice cutting through the rain like a clear bell that rang on Sunday mornings. She closed her eyes and willed herself to go forward. Kaoru could still see him, in her mind. Standing there, desolate and drenched in the rain. His eyes were red form his tears, his clothes hanging off him like rags. Breathing hard; his chest heaved up and down as he sucked air in between his teeth. He must have been running to catch up to her.
"Leave," Kaoru closed her eyes and walked on, keeping her head downcast. He didn't move; he stood at the mouth of the alley.
"I said leave Kenshin!" Kaoru's voice broke as she shouted, her shoulders hunching over as she struggled to keep the rest of her sobs in. She stopped walking, solely to concentrate on holding in her sorrow, stuffing her fist slightly in her mouth to stop any more sobs.
"Please Kaoru," Kenshin took a few steps toward her, walking like he was a broken man. "It doesn't matter, none of it matters."
"How can you say that?" Kaoru whirled around to finally look at him. His state was no better than hers. Kenshin appeared that he hadn't slept in days, bags hung below his eyes, and his face made him look strained and worried.
"How can you possibly even face me now after what you've done?" Kaoru asked, letting a few sobs break loose in her outburst.
"Because I love you," Kenshin whispered; his voice barely detectible above the patter of the rain, lost and broken.
"Love me?" Kaoru laughed but it turned into a sob. She hunched over and buried her face in her hands. "You used me, you have a wife!"
"Please Kaoru," Kenshin pleaded, lowering himself to his knees. He now rested in a puddle, staring intently at Kaoru with red rimmed eyes. "If I could take it back I would. I just want to help you now."
"How can I trust you?" Kaoru asked, her voice was merely a wheeze. "After all you've done, I could just be some sick toy for you! Now I'm sick, do you hear me Kenshin, sick!" It was getting harder for Kaoru to concentrate; a pain was welling up in her chest.
"You know I don't love Tomoe," Kenshin began to inch his way towards Kaoru, dragging his knees through endless puddles and water. Slowly, Kenshin gained ground on her.
"How could I know?" Kaoru felt the world slip away as she knelt down, allowing her body the small comfort of sitting. "I just found out she was your wife." As soon as Kaoru was on the ground she allowed her sadness to overwhelm her. Placing her face in her hands, Kaoru let everything out. Things had gone so terribly wrong, so wrong. A year ago she wouldn't have even seen this coming, couldn't even imagine this happening to her. She dimly felt Kenshin wrap his arms around her and pulling her close. Too tired and too sick to struggle, Kaoru let Kenshin steer her to rest on his chest. He began to gently rub her back and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
"Kaoru," Kenshin whispered in her ear, his own voice thick with tears. "I'm not afraid to leave Tomoe for you. It'll be hard, but I will do it for you."
"I've completely screwed up your life," Kaoru sobbed. "You're life and mine!"
"Don't say that," Kenshin's voice shook with sorrow, pulling her closer to him, brushing his lips over temple. "Everything will turn out alright."
"You're wife's life is ruined," Kaoru continued, like a broken record. "Our friends, what will my family think?"
"Stop it!" Kenshin squeezed her arms tightly. Kaoru winced, the pain was clearly written on her face as it would on parchment.
"What is it?" Kenshin immediately loosened his grip, his voice laced with panic, fear, and worry. "What's wrong?" Kenshin lifted up the sleeve of Kaoru's ripped and dirtied shirt, revealing two dark bruises that were blossoming on her arm.
"Who did this?" Kenshin's voice turned hard, from lace to steel. Kaoru merely shook; his mood swings always frightened her.
"Answer me!" Kenshin lightly yet forcefully shook her. "Who did this to you?"
"Kenshin-," Kaoru began to cough. They ripped through her body, delivering a crippling affect.
"Kaoru," Kenshin's voice softened, like he was crooning to a baby. "I'm sorry; I'm so sorry my love." Kenshin proceeded to scoop Kaoru up in his arms, cradling her head against his chest like a protective father.
"You're sick," Kenshin noted as he began to walk out of the ally. "You need to see a doctor."
"What about you're guests?" Kaoru asked in a small voice. "They'll see you with me."
"I don't care," Kenshin answered firmly. "I don't care."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
One Year prior
Kaoru fought down the urge to scream.
'You need this job,' Kaoru continued to chant in her head. 'You need to pay off your college debt.' Even with that thought, the job interview wasn't any easier.
"Ms. Kamiya," the man spoke her name slowly, speaking to her as if she was a child. "You're unmarried?"
"That's why I'm a Miss," Kaoru replied somewhat stiffly.
'What a weirdo,' Kaoru thought in her head. The man was running a prestigious construction company and he looked like a hippy. With flaming red hair that was almost as long as her own, the long messy tresses reach past his shoulders. It was more than obvious to Kaoru that he was sexist and was clearly unhappy that she had even applied.
"Not many women go into this field," the red-haired hippy man looked over her résumé carefully.
"It's not a very popular field," Kaoru replied, clenching her fists in her lap. "It involves so much math and that has never been very popular to anyone." Kaoru stressed anyone.
"Yes," Mr. Himura lazily replied. "Your application is well organized, and you've been involved in several internships while in college. Not many people are as qualified as you."
"I've worked very hard," Kaoru kept her voice calm though her insides wriggled with anger.
'Arrogant jerk,' Kaoru cursed in her head.
"Well," Himura leaned forward to look Kaoru in the eye. "Are you interested in the job?"
'Idiot!' Kaoru wanted to scream. 'Why else would I apply?'
"Yes," Kaoru calmly replied.
"Can you start in a week?" Himura sat back in his cushy leather chair.
"Yes," Kaoru nodded.
"Good," Kenshin waved his hand rudely. "If you stop at the front desk my secretary will give you all the necessary information." Kaoru stood from her chair and exited the room.
'What a jerk,' Kaoru muttered to herself. 'He only hired me because Public Relations Services would be all over him if they sensed this kind of discrimination.' Nonetheless, Kaoru needed this job badly. She had no parents to lend her money, her friends were all broke, and no one was there for her to turn to.
"Miss Kamiya?" a woman with long dark hair waved to Kaoru from her seat.
"Yes," Kaoru inwardly sighed and went to the desk. "You must be the secretary."
"Yes," the woman replied with a sly smile. "My name is Megumi. Well Ms. Kamiya, you're going to be the first and only female architect around here."
"I'm not so surprised," Kaoru replied, fighting the urge to roll her eyes.
"Mr. Himura comes across as a jerk at times," Megumi began to rummage through files. "But he's not so bad when you get to know him. Plus, if you get on his good side, you get many perks."
"Something tells me I'm not going to be one of his favorites," Kaoru mumbled as she accepted the forms from Megumi.
"Aren't you called by your last name?" Kaoru asked curiously. "No one calls me Kaoru; they're calling me Miss Kamiya."
"No," Megumi shook her head. "See you next week."
-------------------------------------------------
There's a little foreshadowing at the beginning, I hope it's understandable. Please review and tell me what you think.