hehe~~ I'm back~! i dunno how this chapter wil be but~~ pls read and review after reading please~!!! arigato!

Chapter II

Kaoru squinted her eyes as sunlight entered her room…..

She yawned, getting up from her futon.

"Futon!?!??!" I abruptly sat up for I was experiencing sheer shock….

Images of last night's events flashed in my head and the last thing I saw was myself drifting off to sleep while I was leaning on the wall.

I checked the futon and found it clean, and I found this clearly 'not-normal' because I knew it was impossible for it to be so spotless when he bled like crazy.

The bandages were gone and I supposed he bandaged himself; the towels too along with the water-filled container. I ran to the bathroom just in case and as I thought, I saw the container with the washed towels.

It was just creepy to imagine that the damaged man was the same person who laid me on the futon, bandaged himself and washed towels. It was just…. Woah…

…..But since he was able to do all these, I figured out maybe he was recovered sooner. Much much much sooner than expected.

Oh well… I just thanked him inwardly and brushed aside all these odd pictures and I quietly made it to my mom's room.

"Good morning Kaoru~" A familiar voice greeted me.

"Mom, you're awake pretty early!" I beamed at her, and she laughed in response.

"So, how was yesterday?" She asked, looking at me intently.

"Just the usual, helping Megumi ssan treat patients. They are unfortunately increasing in number day by day though." She was now nodding her head understandingly.

"Do your best today also honey, I pray for your safety." She smiled, a façade which she often wore to conceal her inner sadness. I hugged her for what it felt like the hundredth time and I was off to help treat patients.

Kaoru was clouded literally with so much thoughts. She didn't see that she was straying to another route….

"hey there, you lost?" A certain male voice forced Kaoru out from her thoughts.

She noticed her surroundings where new to her…. It was unusually dark and eerie…..

'Kaoru….. calm down….. it's okay…….' I told myself.

"Excuse me, but I perfectly know where I am going." I told the man, with a half confident tone.

"Perfectly know that you are entering a no-return area. This is the Shinsengumi property miss and whoever comes here will never get out…. Ever…." He looked at me with a sick smile.

I was mentally trembling with fear but my body didn't seem to listen; I guess it had a mind of its own?

"Please get out of the way, because Shinsengumi or whatever isn't going to stop me from going back to where I started."

It was this sarcastic, offending tone I hadn't recognized I even I had it.

He laughed roughly. "You think being feisty will keep you alive?"

With this, two more men came into view. One had a ridiculously deformed figure while the other one seemed too malnourished. I laughed inwardly… Never knew the Shinsengumi had such ugly, incompetent looking soldiers….

Suddenly another man burst into the scene. He was panting rapidly. "Saito sama knows. He is coming to……."

I gasped and I knew my eyes were wide with shock, fear, and disgust. The guy had suddenly lost his life as his head was detached from his….. (well… you get the point.)

I covered my mouth, suppressing a scream that was itching to come out through my lips…..

The three disgusting men before, now appeared so pitiful as they cowered in fear in front of, if I guessed correctly, 'Saito sama.' I could see their trembling bodies, knowing what would befall on them.

I winced as this Saito person raised his sword. I could hear their pleas and wails but it had stopped as soon as it started. The three bodies were now lifeless.

"Disgraceful creatures…. How dare they call themselves Shinsengumi soldiers...." The voice sounded so deadly and cold.

I stayed low, still as stone. Fearing what he would do to me if ever he had found me, but deep inside I was trying to reject the truth that he knew where I was.

"Why are you here? Perhaps…. A spy?" I had a long time to register the words as he slammed me unto the ground with his hand constraining my throat. I coughed desperately, needing air.

"N….no…." I managed to blurt out. He loosened his grip and I gasped harshly for air.

He drew his sword, positioning it on my chest. "If you don't tell the truth girl……."

"I… I am…. I am…. Sorry…. I shouldn't have been spacing out." This man was utterly frightening and I had no urge to become ignorant. He raised his sword and out of instincts, I squeezed my eyes shut.

"You should have come sooner." I opened my eyes and saw Saito smiling…. At someone?

"I am your target; not that girl." The other man's voice was even colder, sharper….

"Why do you even care?" Saito stood up and crouched; in an instant I couldn't see him anymore. This was my opportunity.

I heard metal hit against metal, but that didn't stop me from running away. I dashed, escaping from the horrible place.

And in what felt like a million years, I finally made it out to where I think I started day dreaming.

I thanked my good sense of direction and mostly I thanked the unknown man who saved me from a wolf…..