Disclaimer: I could only wish I own Kenshin.

Chapter 2

Kenshin nervously sat down next to Megumi's bed. He had been watching her unresponsive form for almost an hour now, in deep hopes that she might hear his pleas and stir to life. She didn't. Earlier that day, the doctors had informed him that there was a great possibility that Megumi would be in a coma for the next few weeks.

With a trembling hand, he took Megumi's in his own and caressed it delicately. She did not respond to his touch; not even a twitch. The only thing that revealed the fact that she was alive was the constant and almost superficial rise and fall of her chest.

He took a heavy, quivering breath.

Just then, Kenshin was rather surprised when he felt a light touch that latched on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw the familiar and much cherished face of his father-in-law, Mr. Genzai. The old man tried to smile despite the situation, but he was unsuccessful in masking the worry and gloom he was truthfully feeling. Kenshin stood up and made way for him as Mr. Genzai approached Megumi and gazed at her face. With a shaky hand, he brushed some of loose strands of hair away and kissed her forehead.

Kenshin looked down and was silent. Megumi was an only child and he was quite certain at the inner torment the father might be feeling at the dreadful fate of her beloved daughter.

After the short gesture, the aged man turned up to him with a resilient face. "You must be tired and hungry," he said in a tone full of concern, "Let's go eat somewhere."

The father and son in-law found a second-rate restaurant along the road. They found their seats and ordered something soothing for the cold weather of the season. They kept their eyes to their own bowl of food and ate without words. Kenshin observed as the old man took small bites of his rations, while he himself had entirely forgotten about his own. Realization hit him and he forced himself to eat. If he wanted to take good care of Megumi, he would have to be strong. Halfway through, Kenshin broke the lonely silence when something clicked in his mind.

"Could you stay here for a day or so?" He asked cautiously, his words slurring. "There are urgent things in the city I left unfinished."

Mr. Genzai looked up expectantly and nodded, his silent countenance comforting.

Kenshin managed a weak smile as a token of his gratitude.

The traffic was unbelievably decongested, something Kenshin had relished. He reached the city in half the time it usually required. Feeling tired and sick, he decided to have a quick bath in an attempt to wash away the despair that clung to his soul.

Kenshin soaked and lingered in the bath. He groaned in appreciation as the warm water relieved his aching muscles and recharged him somewhat. He was almost disinclined to depart from the comforts of the bath when he remembered some things requiring his examination. Kenshin tentatively eased out of the tub and changed into a new set of clothes.

He went over his bag and retrieved some of the things he gathered from the crash site: Megumi's cell phone, wallet, several folders, and other miscellaneous items. Emptying the contents of his wife's small bag, Kenshin was quite surprised when he heard a sound of silver hitting the tiled floor: it was Megumi's wedding band. Gingerly, he picked it up while his eyes narrowed in grave confusion and incertitude: why was she not wearing it? A thousand thoughts raced wildly in his mind; while most of them were out of suspicion, a very few were out of denial. Just as his mind was beginning to overanalyze and a possible answer slowly materialized, Kenshin immediately pushed the thought aside.

He inspected her cell phone. Turning the power button on, Kenshin was rather disappointed when it displayed a note saying the need to enter a six-digit code. He paused for a while and thought of Megumi. Her birth date popped in his mind and tried it on the code, cautiously pressing the keys. To his dismay, the phone chirped and announced it to be incorrect. Kenshin tried their wedding anniversary next. He pressed the keys in haste and yet again he was disappointed.

Kenshin sighed and scurried to his table. He began listing several set of numbers that may possibly be Megumi's lock code. After the list was finished, he immediately tried each one of it, crossing out most of them. Repeatedly, it displayed the same note of incorrect code. Kenshin's patience began to wear thin; he was near the end of the list when the phone repeated the same message that he so hated.

Kenshin felt agitated. With an angry and frustrated yelp, he threw the phone against the cushions of the sofa and muttered a curse. He put his head on the desk, feeling defeated. What could be in this phone that Megumi had to even put a code? Sighing wearily, Kenshin put out the lights and went to bed.

Morning rolled in and Kenshin blinked as the sunlight passing through the windowpane hit him directly on the face. He rolled over, trying to elude the shafts of sunlight, but to no avail. With an incoherent grumble, he kicked off the blankets and prepared for work.

He stepped off right in front of the small building and with a quick, resolute pace, he headed directly to his boss' office. His boss, a fat, balding man, regarded him with a curt nod and motioned for him to sit down. Kenshin immediately explained what had currently happened and presented a letter asking for his temporary leave.

After finishing some paperwork, Kenshin at once headed back to the hospital, stopping at home to pack several things he and Megumi would need. He collected several sets of clothes, a considerable amount of money, certain utensils, toiletries, and other miscellaneous items.

Kenshin had been informed earlier by the considerate nurses about the hotel just adjacent the hospital. It would be a convenient place to settle for a while, not only because of its close proximity to the hospital but also because of the low room rates they offered. He unloaded the suitcases and bags from the boot of the car. Kenshin slowly approached the reception desk and asked for his room keys. The receptionist gave him a warm welcome with a smile, to which he duly responded.

As he walked cautiously through the lobby, he saw someone and stopped in his tracks. Mrs. Sagara was locking the door of her room that was opposite his own. Looking up, her gaze collided with his and an indifferent silence descended upon them. Kaoru frantically broke the eye contact. She did not know why but she wanted to be out of his presence as quickly as possible. Kenshin also went on unlocking his room door and just did not notice when Kaoru shot him somewhat of a wry glance.

Kenshin busied himself in his room. He unloaded the suitcases and put the clothes tidily inside the cabinet. After his handiwork, he surveyed the space and felt satisfied at his effort.

Feeling tired, he sat on the bed and pondered. He could not forget what the officer may be hinting in stating that Megumi and Sanosuke Sagara seemed as if the they were not really on a business trip. Was it possible that the two were having something clandestine and personal? Something they were attempting to conceal from the rest of the world? These questions had been circling quite maliciously in his mind and he did not like the thought. He knew Megumi so well and was quite sure she would not do anything so detestable. But he wanted to be so sure, he wanted to know everything and be reassured that definitely Megumi did not have anything private with Sanosuke Sagara.

The memory of Megumi's cell phone briefly flashed before his eyes. At once, he retrieved it and again made a list of possible codes, painstakingly remembering dates and names that were closely associated to her. Kenshin tried each of the codes carefully. After the eight attempt, the phone accepted the code and it flashed a welcome note.

Finally, Kenshin thought. Gingerly, he pressed the shortcut key for Messages and then chose 'Inbox.' Kenshin felt a sinking feeling in his stomach when the inbox displayed numerous messages from Sanosuke. He scrolled down and down, and all he saw was a never-ending series of Sanosuke's name. With a sigh, he opened a particular message. In that moment, all the trust in the world he'd had in Megumi was shattered to pieces.

Oye, you were wonderful last night.

Kenshin went on, ignoring the dull throbbing in his heart. With a shaky hand, he opened another random message.

I hope. I've been eyeing this vacation offer. I heard of its great beaches and sunsets. Mind taking a leave? Work here has been getting unbelievably unexciting.

I don't think so. She's mighty clueless, poor woman. And yeah, bring the camera.

My hair looks great, what the hell are you talking about. I'll be there around four in the afternoon. See you there, FOX. Take care.

After the fourth message, Kenshin stopped. He suddenly felt weak and reclined on the bed for support. It was all clear now, he thought. It was foolish of him to try to contradict the bitter truth. It was smothering his senses, crashing upon his mind with force, and screaming with clearness so loud and revealing.

Kaoru sat beside Sanosuke and realized that her water bottle was much lighter than it used to be. Realizing the need to refill it, she took the bottle and walked to the water station at the far end of the long ward. She passed through the other patients in the ward and avoided looking at their pitiful forms. After refilling her bottle, Kaoru turned around to return, but her eyes caught sight of a woman subject of her curious interest.

Kaoru hesitated for a moment but her mind pleaded for a quick detour. Cautiously, she walked over to the bed and looked at the unconscious woman. She observed her features- typical physique, very fair skin, long, silky black hair, pert nose, and thin lips. Almost immediately, Kaoru felt jealous. She was fine-looking, Kaoru thought; Megumi Himura truly was an epitome of a physically remarkable woman.

Maybe Kaoru was too busy enviously studying the woman that she did not notice when someone walked over.

"What are you doing?"

Kaoru was startled. She turned around and saw Kenshin standing some feet from her with sort of a vexed look on his face. Immediately and without any other word, Kaoru brushed past him and went out of his presence, back to Sanosuke's bed.

Kenshin watched Kaoru's beeline and contemplated. Maybe she, too, already knew about Sanosuke and Megumi's true relation. Kenshin debated with himself, he wanted to know Sanosuke too, to see what this man looked like or how appalling the injuries he sustained were. Making up his mind in a split of a second, Kenshin slowly walked to where Sanosuke Sagara's bed was.

Kaoru was surprised; Kenshin's presence rendered her speechless. She looked up and their gazes locked together and both looked away uneasily. Kenshin shifted his critical gaze to Sanosuke's impassive form, and almost instantly, he lost interest.

Turning to leave, Kenshin paused and looked over his shoulder.

"I guess we both know the truth now."

The night rolled by and was accompanied by a gush of rain. Kaoru huddled deeper and tighter inside her sheets. She shut her eyes tightly and tried hard to gain that much-relished sleep, but she failed for the hundredth time. Kaoru sat up, quite annoyed, and blamed the searing headache she had for the lost sleep. With a huff, she stood up, got dressed, and dashed out of the room.

Kaoru headed to the nearest pharmacy, somewhere along the vicinity of the hospital. Urgency apparent in her movements, Kaoru walked with firm, rushed steps. She reached the pharmacy and hurriedly asked the salesperson for tablets with quick relief for headache and the man duly responded. Kaoru waited, quickly surveying some items in the shop as the cashier punched in the purchase she made. Retrieving the package, she then turned to leave when the glass door opened to reveal a recognizable face, Kenshin Himura. He watched her face impassively and Kaoru eluded the eye contact. She ducked her head and immediately exited the store.

Kaoru started back to the hotel, hastily. She did not know what it was but there was something in that man's presence that made her quite uneasy. Perhaps it was his close association with Megumi, the woman she had come to hate, or perhaps it was the little coldness she believed saw in his amber eyes. In addition, that man told her bluntly that he knew the reality of the affair between their respective spouses. That incident had clarified and emphasized the truth that was distinctly hurtful to Kaoru.

Sighing, Kaoru came to realize that maybe tonight was the right time to clear things up. It would be, after all, a very stupid choice to let pass the chance in knowing the full truth.

Standing at the entrance of the hotel, Kaoru waited for him. She watched as the rain fell steadily around her in a soft drizzle. After a minute or so, Kenshin's figure materialized through the rain. He looked up to her; his bangs were a little wild with soft drips of water.

"How...," Kaoru started nervously, "How did you find out?"

Kenshin removed the hood of his jacket from his head and forced his gaze away from her face. He did not want to answer such hurtful and delicate question. This was however, the very first time Kaoru ever had taken the initiative to talk to him and it would be utterly rude disappointing her.

"I read through her phone messages," he answered uninterestedly with a sigh, "You?"

"I read his, too. And…," Kaoru hesitated for a second; she stooped her head low and continued. "I was able to retrieve a camera in Sano's portfolio though I don't think it is his," Kaoru said in a rather apologetic tone. "It belongs to Megumi. I'm sorry, I'll return it to you now."

Kenshin looked at her curiously. Now there was another revelation he was yet to find out about his dishonest wife. Kaoru looked at him and without a word, she started walking to the general direction of the elevators.

Kaoru reached her room, with Kenshin in tow, and began rummaging through her bureau for the little black camera. She found it almost instantly. She stuck her head out through the door and found Kenshin leaning on the opposite wall. She gave him the item unceremoniously and devoid of remark. She was about to shut the door when Kenshin halted the movement. Kaoru looked up at him.

"This might seem forward," Kenshin spoke cautiously, his mind searching for the apt words to say, "But would you allow me to read Sanosuke's messages?"

Kaoru agreed and now they found themselves sitting quietly in a nearby, middling café. Kenshin had forthwith begun reading through Sanosuke's phone messages. Furrowing his brows and taking deep breaths in unfathomable disappointment and frustration as he read exchanged messages further confirming his wife's deception. The messages generally contained arrangements of their secret rendezvous and little glimpses to their adulterous romance.

Kaoru had been long finished, or more specifically, had long given up reading. She slid the phone cautiously across the table and waited for him. She could not take it- seeing that video was enough torment for her. She did not need any more pain than she had already felt. Instead, she busied herself blankly staring at raindrops falling and dripping on the glass window of the café.

After a few minutes, Kenshin was finished. He looked lost; he could not focus his mind on anything but the dreary sore in his heart. He looked up and met Kaoru's same and expectant daze. With a sigh, Kenshin managed a weak smile and a bow, before retrieving Megumi's phone and camera and returning to his room.

Kenshin sat at the edge of his bed and turned the power button of the camera on. The video then played on, breaking his heart carefully into pieces. He forcefully tore his gaze away from it, and his eyes started to mist. He suddenly felt weak, as if all the energy had been drained from his body, as he heard Megumi's shrill laughter from the video.

Seeing the actual, physical evidences of Megumi's betrayal, Kenshin now was wallowing in the depths of misery. It was very much clearer: whatever qualms, or denials, or uncertainties about his wife's infidelity he had before were now solidified into an unmistakable and painful truth.

A single question viciously consumed him. Why? He kept muttering to himself. He explored the deepest recesses of his memory for the possible answers, but desisted when he realized that he would not succeed in finding even one, because the answers were all in Megumi's locked world.

With a shaky sigh, he walked away and exited his hotel room.

Time passed softly and with very little presence. The next night, Kenshin had not been able to stay any longer by Megumi's bedside and found himself pointlessly wandering the streets of the minute town. Thinking that perhaps a good, hard drink was the best way to reduce not just the cold sensation of the winter season but also the defeat he was feeling, Kenshin found a drinking tent alongside a road. He settled in a particular corner and ordered several bottles of strong liquor.

He drank more than what he knew he could handle. His vision was starting to blur and wobble, and he was already feeling a searing headache. In spite of this, Kenshin continued to gulp and take swigs out of his bottle. With a slurring voice, he sang vociferously to himself of songs that he could barely remember.

He sang a certain line shakily and out-of-tune, swaying in his place as he did so. Kenshin began shouting, emptying the bitter contents of his heart. It was enough to catch the attention of some people in the place. Kenshin did not mind, the alcohol already taking full effect on him.

With watery eyes, Kenshin continued quenching his feelings of betrayal, alone with liquor and sad songs. He earned many curious stares and remarks for his coarse behavior. While others were out of curiosity or annoyance, a very few were out of pity. But he did not care, no, he would not. All he knew was he was hurting; and no one could interrupt his own descent into hell.

After an unidentifiable amount of time, Kenshin paid for his bills and went out, much to the vendor's relief. As he stumbled and groped his way back to the hotel, the snow began to fall in greater quantities.

Despite the effects of the liquor he had consumed, Kenshin felt cold.

Kaoru, in her dark room, took a gulp from her mug of beer and gazed into its endless amber pool. She burped loudly and smiled crazily to herself. Hah, she had been cheated. She had asked herself the questions 'Why?' and 'What have I done wrong?' for an unidentifiable time now and still her search for reasons was so futile. Thinking that perhaps the answers were to be found somewhere along the past, Kaoru willed her mind to wander back to the four years they shared as a couple.

It was perfect, Kaoru thought. She could only remember good memories that she thought would last forever. Out-of-town vacations, birthday celebrations, wedding anniversaries, and even every ordinary day was a day to remember for both of them. She had always been contented in Sano's mere presence and she had never even once questioned or doubted his devotion to her. To her standards, he was sweet and gentle in very unusual manners and could easily pass as the most wonderful man she had ever met.

But now, Kaoru was not so sure.

She buried her face into her knees and sighed. Why? Where did she go wrong? She had given him anything she thought he'd needed and he had seemed perfectly pleased with it. What happened to the sweet and soothing words he used to tell her so often? What happened to the joyful faces they wore in every photo they had shared? What happened to the steadfast vows he uttered the day they tied the knot? What happened to the tender kisses and protective embraces that he often gave her when she was disheartened?

Kaoru had no idea.

All she was now only aware of was the bitter detestation she was feeling towards him. She had been toyed with so foolishly. Kaoru's blue eyes turned hard as steel.

"Bastard," she whispered bitterly, voice laced with acid.

Finding her mug empty, she was about to stand up to get another can of beer when she heard a loud, uneven banging on her door. Curiously, she went and opened it, only to find a drenched and drunk Kenshin sitting childishly on the floor in the hall.

Kenshin looked up at her, his features tainted with weariness, and he stood up with lack of balance. Unaware of himself and the things around him, Kenshin tilted his head and stared at her critically. He let out a forced chuckle.

"We are the losers," Kenshin stated absurdly, his words slurring and his breath reeking with alcohol. "You…are a loser," he said, daringly pointing a finger in Kaoru's face.

Kaoru looked up at him defiantly, taking in the pained look in his eyes and the wretched appearance he wore. For the first time, she looked directly into his golden eyes and found the same emotions she had, swirling within them. They were mirrored so alike and so perfectly, that she could almost tell they were one and the same. Kenshin repeated the sentence over and over in a singsong tune and Kaoru winced at the truth of his statement.

Then Kenshin became strident, and she suddenly became annoyed. There were few people sticking their heads out to see what the commotion was all about and she hated being involved. Before she could pointedly excuse herself, Kenshin walked away and started towards his room.

Kenshin closed the door behind him and he stumbled to the floor. He hugged his knees and buried his face. The night was deep and cold. The room was soundless and still. Everything seemed at peace. Yet inside him, it was chaotic, as if the world was crumbling rapidly to pieces.

With a quivering breath, Kenshin broke down.

The sun was high in the sky. Kenshin had woken much earlier out of trained habit. Kenshin hesitated going to the hospital that day but he knew had to go. But Kenshin was not returning to her side with the same reasons that he had the first time. He would still give his wife support and care but not out of compassion or intimacy. Instead, it was out of theneed to be there because she was his wife, she was carrying his name. That was it- nothing more special or cherished.

Sitting beside Megumi's bed, he watched her unmoving form and felt out of place. He could not breathe; he wanted to be out of her presence, to be as far from her as possible.

At first, he just considered it as Megumi's unwanted mistake, unintentional. He wanted her to come to consciousness so they could discuss things over, settle with a decision, forget everything, and live in peace again. He felt as if he could easily pardon Megumi the moment she would cry and ask for his forgiveness.

Now, he felt the absolute opposite.

After watching that explicit video, which was the single, most defining evidence of her and Sanosuke's adulterous affair, Kenshin felt wildly mad. His heart became filled with irrepressible anger and spite that forgiveness, he thought, was just impossible. Kenshin felt as if the love he had harbored for her over the years they were married seeped out of his being as fast as anger took over him.

His hands fisted into firm grasps. His eyes narrowed and flashed hues of amber and flecks of gold.

"You should have just died."