Forbidden Indulgence
Author: Massao-na-Mizu
Plot: BelleDayNight
Disclaimer: it's posted in Fan fiction. Net, need I say more?
Summary: Are they supposed to disregard the fact that their parents are married to each other? Is it forbidden to fall in love with your step brother? Kaoru is now starting college, and so far things have been… okay. But one day, she finds a man in her apartment! A burglar? No. A kidnapper? No. A Step-Brother!
M/N: Okie, I accepted this challenge a long time ago, but I kept on changing my mind if I should make it into Aoshi's perspective or Kaoru's, resulting in many failed chapters which I deleted. So I hope you like it! Better chapters to come! (Hopefully.)
Chapter 1- I Have A What?
"Okay, so tell me again why you have a duplicate of my apartment key?" Kaoru Kamiya massaged her temples, closing her eyes and sighing before she patted her cheeks, hoping the blush was gone by now as she interrogated the intruder.
Flashback
Kaoru waved goodbye to her best friend, Misao Makimachi as she walked towards her new apartment. Her father bought it for her, as a graduation present. Normal wealthy girls would have received cars, or jewelry, but Akihiru Kamiya had raised his only daughter well. She grew up a simple, modest girl, and slightly tomboyish. Her mother was not really around while she was growing up, for the reason that she died when Kaoru was younger. As a result, Akihiru raised his daughter by himself.
When Kaoru got older, he remarried and his wife gave birth to a boy, named Yahiko, the half-brother of Kaoru. Sadly, his wife died of childbirth, and for years, he remained without a wife. Kaoru cheered up her father most of the time, but her father was mostly out of time because of his business, so she also takes care of her younger half-brother, Yahiko.
They became close, but due to Yahiko's frequent watching of bad TV, he was prone to cursing, and calling Kaoru a busu, but intelligently not in front of their father. Despite this, Yahiko and Kaoru were close, loving each other very much. It was them against the world, so Yahiko took it hard when Kaoru said she was leaving for college. But then, as a high school student, Yahiko was more mature now ad he understood his sister's need for independence, so bidding her goodbye and making her promise to contact him regularly, he let her go.
Their father returned to them, announcing that he was to be married to a 'wonderful creature'. He didn't even bother to tell his children how long he had been in an affair or relationship unbeknownst to them. A few weeks later, he introduced his wife-to-be and they pretty liked the beautiful woman. She was kind to them, even though their father was not around, and seeing the happiness in their father's face was enough to also make them happy.
The apartment was only a few blocks away from the Tokyo University, and it was big enough to fit three, delighting because it has 4 bathrooms; one on each room and one on the first floor for the guests. It actually looked more like a bachelorette's apartment than a college freshman's.
Kaoru inserted her key inside and opened the door nonchalantly as she always did. She didn't expect any company, and so she put her shoes on the shoe rack and trudged upstairs to her bedroom.
She opened held on the knob, about to turn it, when with a slight push, the door opened, and she peered inside cautiously to see a man, of about maybe her age taking off his shirt!
Sensing company, Aoshi turned to look at the girl, raising his eyebrows, but not saying anything, fully under the impression his step-father had told his daughter of Aoshi's arrival.
So imagine his surprised when Kaoru gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, before she released her mouth and started shouting for the world to hear, "STRIPPER! INTRUDER! STRIPPER!"
End of Flashback
The Intruder looked at her coldly, his cobalt blue eyes like ice. His raven-black bangs covered most of his forehead as he sat in Kaoru's couch in an aloof manner as if Kaoru did not chance upon him undressing in HER room. "Your father gave it to me," he answered coolly.
Kaoru almost fell from her favorite couch because of what he said; she was only saved by her hands instinctive gripping on the couch's arms. "I'm sorry, w-what?" she stammered.
He gave her a contemptuous look before repeating his answer in a bored tone, "Your father gave it to me."
Kaoru laughed nervously. Why would she believe this man? As if her father would pay someone to get in Kaoru's apartment and undress! He knows about Kenshin, and the deep affection Kaoru feels for the man, even though she would never admit it to the red-haired guy. "You really expect me to believe my father gave you a duplicate key to MY house to undress in MY room?" she emphasized the possessive nouns.
The cold man merely raised a fine brow. "I wasn't undressing for your benefit," he sneered in disgust as he said it. "I was changing my clothes." That made Kaoru blush more if that was ever possible.
"Okay, you were undressing for your benefit. But WHY are you here?" Can't you pick another apartment to change your clothes in? She thought desperately. The man sat up straighter to look Kaoru in the eye. He was easily taller than she was, and very intimidating.
"Akihiru Kamiya—your father told me I could stay here while I attend college. He gave me a spare key to your apartment. You ARE Kaoru Kamiya, are you not?" he asked her now, looking her down. She blinked. Of course I am! She wanted to shout, but clenched her jaw instead before she composed herself to reply.
"Yes, I am. I'm wondering why my father would be so gracious to give his daughter's key to someone not related to us," she answered, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at the man.
The man raised his brows in faint surprise, and then smirked. That smirk should be illegal! Kaoru thought, as she looked at the striking man in front of her. It would be a lie to deny he was gorgeous, and that smirk gave him a devilish edge. He was devilishly handsome when he smirked, what more if he smiled? As in pleasantly smiled, that is. He must look like an angel!
"You don't know me do you?" his voice was low, almost taunting. Her cheeks colored again and she huffed, inwardly berating herself for blushing just because of the tone he used.
"I wouldn't be interrogating you if I do know you, now would I?" She snapped at him, crossing her arms over her chest. The intruder's smirk widened, and he let himself fall into the couch as he was before, his arms also crossed over his broad chest.
"I, Kaoru Kamiya," he indicated her, "am your step-brother, Aoshi Shinomori." Her eyes widened.
"Michiko Shinomori…" she murmured under her breath, looking idly at the picture frame at the mantle on her right which portrayed a picture of her, Yahiko, her father and her step-mother on their wedding day only about 2 months ago, more or less.
"Has a son," Aoshi nodded, as she said his mother's name. Kaoru looked at him sharply, then to Michiko's face. Sure enough, Michiko had the same shade of blue eyes as this Aoshi Shinomori she was looking at presently. Also, they had identical raven-black hair.
She cocked her head to the side, confused. "But why didn't Michiko-san tell me she had a son? And why weren't you present at their wedding?" she inquired, her own sapphire blue eyes boring into his.
He looked at her squarely before a reply formed on his lips, "I was studying abroad," he said as if that explained everything.
Kaoru's eyes hardened as she processed this information in her brain. Studying abroad? Studying abroad! This is no excuse to miss the most important day in your mother's life! "Just because you're studying abroad, doesn't mean you have to absent yourself from your mother's wedding."
What does she know about the most important day in his mother's life? He glared at her. "What I do is of no concern of yours, Kamiya-san," he said her name as mockery.
"Well, your barging in my apartment without notice is a concern of mine," she smiled at him. He silently glared at her, and she no longer liked to contemplate the emotions playing on his flashing eyes. She sighed in resignation.
"Okay, we definitely started out at the wrong foot, or however they call it," she waved that off dismissively and offered her right hand for a handshake, smiling brightly as she did so. "I'm Kaoru Kamiya, pleased to meet you."
Aoshi looked at her momentarily before grasping her smaller hand with his. "Aoshi Shinomori, same to you too," he said, his voice loosing its iceberg coldness, although he couldn't bring himself to say that he was pleased to meet her, after how she had shrieked when she chanced upon him changing his shirt and then frantically pointing to him saying, 'Stripper! Stripper!' He had never been accused of anything more humiliating than that before.
"So…" she awkwardly paused, trying to make polite conversation. "I'm a freshman at Tokyo University. How about you?"
He blinked before answering. "I transferred schools, I used to study in France, but mother saw it fit for me to stay in Japan. I'm a junior in Tokyo University, assuming she already took the liberty to enroll Me." he had said all of this monotonously.
She nodded her head, taking this all in. "If you want, I'll take you to the registrar's office to see if you're enrolled. I'm free the whole morning anyway."
Aoshi nodded his head. "That would be nice." He added monotonously. It was a signal he tires of the lame conversation and would like it to end.
"Well, I'll be in my room. You can use any of the two rooms." Kaoru said, biding him goodbye. Aoshi nodded his head in acknowledgement, staying in his seat.
Kaoru went to her room and locked the door behind her, before letting her self fall to the ground.
What the hell is happening?
End of Chapter 1