On to my third chapter:

            Aoshi and Megumi got into Kaoru's car while Misao went with Enishi and Tomoe.

            "Misao!" Kaoru's whining voice could be heard throughout the whole parking lot, "You can't be serious?"

            Exasperated, Misao merely gave her a look and clammed up.

            Smirking Enishi answered for Misao, "Of course she is. She's coming with me." And all the while Enishi's arms were still tightly wrapped in Misao's waist.

            Kaoru's shoot fire into Enishi's eyes. Balling her fist again, "Get out of this. I want to know what happened and I need an explanation."
            "Calm down, Kamiya. I'm sure this bastard has a 'fantastic' explanation." Came Aoshi's arctic though sarcastic comment.

            Still trembling with anger, Kaoru just shoot Enishi with a hard gaze.

            And off they went.

            "Misao, I can't believe you would do that to me, to us! What the hell entered your mind?"

            Misao just took her hands off her ears after Kaoru finished. "Are you through?"

            "Just shut up. I'm not yet finished pouring my heart out."

            "Fine. But while you pour your heart out, I'll pour us juice." And then Misao went to the kitchen to get the drinks.

            They were at Misao's condominium, which she bought at her 17th birthday. This was the place they went when they want to be alone or to talk.

            And right now, believe me, they need to talk.

            Kaoru came right after she drove Aoshi and Megumi at their new apartment. She had to wait for a while for Misao was treated to lunch. Thankfully, she had an extra key.

When Misao got home, she cornered her and hence the conversation we just witnessed. 

Misao was biting her lip. She didn't know how to tell Kaoru the whole situation. If she just played cool and really, as in really pray a lot, maybe she could get through this unscathed.

'Okay, Misao, you can do this. Ready? One, two, three…' And with that our heroine finished pouring the drinks. She handed one to Kaoru and sat down on one of the sofa seats. Looking at Kaoru directly, she felt sweat breaking out at her forehead.

Kaoru just sat down on the opposite chair and regarded her seriously. "Misao…"

"Fine!"

"Yes? I'm waiting…"

Misao just couldn't take it anymore. She got off the chair and started pacing. She didn't even notice her surroundings. She didn't notice how blue the skyline or how walls of her condominium seemed to blend in. That my dear friends was how lost she was to her thoughts. She was thinking hard on how to break to Kaoru the news.

            Kaoru just sighed and then spoke up. " You know, Misao, I'm your best friend, since… well… since forever. Just tell me how the hell Enishi became your boyfriend when I thought he was chasing me. I thought he and his sister," Kaoru's voice just broke at this but she managed to continue as though it was nothing, "weren't going to come near us. What… what the is going on?"

            She went to hug Kaoru. Speaking quietly, she mumbled, "I'm sorry, I couldn't tell you earlier. I was so afraid. Please don't hate me." And then her arms tightened a bit.

            "You know that I'd never hate you. Just tell me."

            She looked at Kaoru in the eye and said, "Do you remember when we were in high school and I was crying in your lap because of an arranged marriage? And then two years, after that, on the night of our prom, I was so happy because it wasn't going to come true although I was sad for my betrothed. Do you remember?"

            Kaoru just nodded.

            She shakily continued her story, "We all thought that my betrothed's family was killed in a plane crash. There was a crash two years back. It landed partly on the sea and then was wiped ashore at some kind of tropical forest. It wiped out a total of five towns within the area and then out of about five hundred passengers only twenty three survived, and these were mostly injured. The deceased bodies couldn't be identified. Some were lost out to the sea and some were so badly burned or scarred by the fire from the crash. Enishi  and his family were one of those passengers. Tomoe stayed behind in London-"

Kaoru laughed shakily while there were tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "Tomoe stayed behind in London? And this happened two years ago, you say?"

Misao was confused. She had her eyebrows knitted in some sort of quizzical frown. Hesitantly she answered, "Yes. But Kaoru…?"

  Kaoru just regarded her with lost eyes, "Kenshin and Tomoe got married two years ago in London." She bitterly smiled. "Maybe, that's the reason why she stayed behind. And look where they are now. Anyways, enough about me, let's just get back to the story." She wiped away her tears and then gave Misao the hand signal to continue.

Misao was still wearing her frown but she continued her story, "Well, it turns out that Enishi's family didn't survived but he was lucky. However, he wasn't told of the engagement that was why he was chasing after you after his sister and Kenshin broke up. He knew you and Kenshin were close-"

"But not close enough."

Misao just looked at her quietly and continued, "Anyway, his lawyer found out about the binding papers after Kenshin threatened him. You know Enishi. He would still fight and the more that you threaten him, the more he gets fired up. He wouldn't have stopped if it weren't for the papers. So anyways, six months ago he contacted jiya and made his intentions known. Jiya was surprised to say the least. He never expected my bethroded to be alive, much less be Enishi. You have to understand, we only knew of Enishi's Japanese family name, not his English one. And after the crash, he used his mother's maiden name. That was why we never knew."

Kaoru looked away and stood up. She turned her back at Misao and stared at the skyline in the window. She smiled ironically, "So what am I suppose to think? That the man who is the ex-brother-in-law of the man I love was after me because he thought Kenshin and I were an item. And then he chased after me this past year and the only reason why he stopped is because he is bethroded to some other girl. And that other girl just happened to be my best friend. Who," she looked back at Misao and pointed accursedly, "didn't even tell me the truth when she has known it for six months even before Aoshi's wedding. Just great, don't you think? I get to see Enishi and then Tomeoe at the same time. Add to that that my best friend has been lying to me all this time."

Misao just had to jump at this. "That's not true!"

Kaoru just looked at her challengingly, "Isn't it?"

"Yes! I knew about the betrothal just this week."

"And you expect me to believe that?"

"Dammit…yes!"

"Give me one good reason why."

"Maybe because of the fact that you and I go a long way back and the only lies I've ever told you were white lies. Kaoru, I love you like a sister and actually, more than that. Can't we just forgive and forget?"

Silence.

"Please?"

 Kaoru sighed, defeated. "Fine, but tell me the whole story of what really happened. In detail. And then we'll see. Deal?"

Misao smiled a bit. " Okay, but it has to be tomorrow night."

"What? Why?"

"Because I have an engagement to attend to with Enishi tomorrow."

"That wouldn't happen to involve Aoshi and Megumi, would it?"

"We'll see. But for now, let's just get you to bed."

They finished their refreshments and then changed and prepared to go to bed. As they were moments away from oblivion, Misao just had to ask.

"Kaoru?"

            "Yes?"

            "When…when Enishi chased after you and I…I saw in the end that you didn't fight him if it weren't for Kenshin's interference, did you…I mean…did you have feelings for him?"

            She just looked up at the ceiling and thought of how to phrase her answer, " Misao, can we talk about this tomorrow?"

            "No. Please?"

            "I don't know if you could call it love but I guess, it was just…just that I needed somebody at that time. In a way, I used him as he used me. He needed someone to avenge Tomoe with and I needed someone to show me that I was not unlovable as I felt when Kenshin didn't seem to reciprocate my feeling. If Kenshin didn't interfere, I don't know what would have happen, but as for now… I'm confused at my feelings for him. I don't want to see him but I do. But in the whole, I think this is not love. Just…I…I don't know. But one thing is for sure, I fear his sister. I don't know whether I could stand it if she gets back with Kenshin." And a tear sped down her cheeks unnoticed.

            Misao just closed the distance between their beds and held her hand.