Obsession

WANRNING: If your quotes and commas (¡§¡¨,) look like ¡¡±,¡¨, you¡¦ll need to change your browser. If you¡¦re using Netscape or M. Internet Explorer, just go into your pull-down menus at the top of the screen and select ¡¥Character Set ¡¦ (Font ). Open it and select ¡¥Chinese Tradition Big5¡¦. That¡¦s the font this story is in. I¡¦m sorry it took you guys so much trouble! If you have any troubles, tell me in the reviews. Arigatou minna-san!!

Standard Disclaimers Apply. Author¡¦s notes are in the end this time.

Chapter four¡Xwho I am

Butterfly stepped towards the stewardess quietly, exhausted after the event in the room. Her once azure eyes faded into plain blue.

¡§Battousai had left, didn¡¦t he?¡¨ she asked softly.

The stewardess glanced at her, ¡§Ever since you entered your room, yes.¡¨

Butterfly¡¦s eyes cast down to the floor.

¡§I could see that the men were very pleased with you, Kamiya. Great job.¡¨ The older woman commented.

Butterfly¡¦s throat went dry, ¡§I¡K¡¨

The stewardess raised her eyebrow.

¡§I¡K¡¨ her voice had simply died down in her throat. She tried again, ¡§I felt tired.¡¨

The stewardess turned to her fully, face distorted into displeasure.

¡§Excuse me?¡¨

She gathered up all the courage she could muster, ¡§I request a break. Onegai, I¡¦m really worn out.¡¨ She said sincerely.

¡§Are you saying that you won¡¦t be coming back to the House in a few days?¡¨ she asked lowly. Butterfly blinked back in surprise and took a step back.

¡§For a break, stewardess. Only a few days.¡¨ She stuttered.

Butterfly could feel anger coming from the older woman as she took another step back, eyes quavering.

¡§Why do you need a break, whores don¡¦t get vacations!¡¨ she practically barked in the deafening room. If not for the noise, her firm voice could certainly be heard by everyone.

Hurt spread across her features, ¡§Onegai, just a few days. I feel stained.¡¨ She pleaded.

The stewardess snorted, ¡§Stained? What a pretty word, Kamiya. I hope you do realize that there are no word such as stained in my dictionary. Whores don¡¦t get stained. It¡¦s their job, including yours, young lady. And you will do as I say.¡¨

Tears threatened to fall. Butterfly boldly fought back them as she said in a clear voice, ¡§I did not come here because I wanted to, I was sent here! No one even gave me a choice!¡¨

¡§Don¡¦t change the subject. I raised you. Without me, you are probably lying dead, rotten in a deserted place.¡¨ She sighed, ¡§What happened Kamiya? You were very obedient in the past times.¡¨ The older woman asked.

¡§Because¡Kbecause¡K¡¨ Butterfly could feel the hot tears stinging her eyes as she put her hands over her mouth.

Because I met him.

¡§Go to your room Kamiya. Come find me after you cleared your mind.¡¨ She stated coldly.

Without a word Butterfly picked up her dress and went upstairs. She flung herself on the bed as the door slammed shut. She buried her face into the pillow and cried. For all her life, she had wanted something so simple.

Gaining back her pride.

Ever since she met him¡Khe had taught her something so valuable. He helped her realized that she had been living in a lie. A lie so great that she even forgot herself.

Over the past years, she sworn to herself that she would forever be Butterfly, prostitute of the Sakura House. She had no hope, no dignity and no right. She was taught to please the men. Her purpose is to serve the men. Nothing else matters.

¡§It is a façade for you at the Sakura House.¡¨

Yes, a façade.

A lie.

What a painful lie that is.

I don¡¦t want to live my life this way anymore¡KI¡¦m tired. Please, I need a rest! She pleaded quietly in her tears.

Droplets of rain became pieces of wet snowflakes, falling outside. The temperature began to decrease, but it was nothing compare to her emptiness inside. She clenched the bed sheets in her fragile hands. At that moment she simply hated the Hitokiri. If she hadn¡¦t met him, then she wouldn¡¦t have second thoughts.

If she hadn¡¦t met him, she wouldn¡¦t suffer so much.

If she hadn¡¦t met him, her life would be content.

If it wasn¡¦t for him¡K

She would murder herself fully.

The name Kaoru would be lost¡Kforever.

Then she wouldn¡¦t have a past.

Broken sobs came from her shaken body, trying so desperately to stop.

¡§I¡¦ll¡KI¡¦ll have to be strong,¡¨ she choked. Raising herself up from the bed, she supported herself all the way in front of the large mirror, and stared at her reflection. Dried tears were visible on her pale cheeks, and her eyes did not have depths¡Kbut rather plain. Her black hair fell over her shoulders gracefully, like a blanket of night. Gently, she raised her wrist up, gazing at the stained butterfly. She traced the wound with her fingertips, whispering croakily at the same time.

¡§I¡¦m going to trace a picture; I¡¦ll trace it with a knife, I¡¦ll trace it on my wrist. As I trace that picture, a river will appear. As that river flows, all my troubles will disappear¡K¡¨

She spoke softly as if it was a slogan. Slowly, it became natural. She didn¡¦t know what she was speaking of anymore; the meaning just didn¡¦t sink in.

¡§My name¡KButterfly.¡¨ She murmured. ¡§Butterfly¡K¡¨ she lifted her head up to see her reflection again, ¡§My name is Butterfly.¡¨ She stated calmly.

Suddenly for the first time, seeing her true self, without the all the makeup¡Kshe wasn¡¦t so sure anymore.

¡§Look Yamato-kun! A butterfly!¡¨ a young girl called out cheerfully, pointing towards the fluttering butterfly. Her companion smiled, ¡§Wow a real one!¡¨

Battousai strode along the riverbank and ended up heading towards a village. Hearing the cheerful shouts he sighed frustratingly, ¡§Why couldn¡¦t she leave me alone?¡¨ he hissed under his breath. Everywhere he went, the word ¡¥butterfly¡¦ or a real one would always appear. He sworn it must have been a plague. A curse even.

He glared towards their direction.

Two children, laughing and holding hands, burst into flowers of happiness as they talked. The Hitokiri only thought them as imprudent. Why would someone need a companion, or a friend? Being alone is the best of all solutions. You didn¡¦t mind their business, and assume they wouldn¡¦t mind yours. Friends were a burden. He didn¡¦t need one. He would never need one. He certainly wouldn¡¦t count his colleagues, either. Despite that one of them went screwing with Butterf-

¡§Like hell,¡¨ he muttered. He was NOT thinking of her!

Sighing, he continued deeper towards the woods. The temperature around decreased; it looked like it would rain.

¡§A thief!! Oh kami-sama, thief! Someone help!!¡¨

Alarmed, he cast a glance towards the source of the noise, and saw two shadows running in the direction of no one but him. Beads of rain fell from the dark sky as the Hitokiri stood, static. The rain had soaked his flamed red hair, his gi and his mind.

¡§Move it!!¡¨ one of them shouted.

Before the thief could draw his dagger, a reverberation like metal against flesh sounded throughout the raining atmosphere. Two bodies lying motionlessly on the earth, red poured from their gashes, both in crimson pools of blood. Battousai flicked his sword and sheathed in swiftly, as if nothing had happened. Later, a young woman came, running with her dirtied kimono. Worry and fear crossed her features as she ran. But she stopped when she saw the scene before her.

The woman gasped when she saw the Hitokiri, raising his hand to brush off the bloodstains on his cheek. Then she screamed.

¡§Murder!!¡¨ she yelled, ¡§D-don¡¦t come any closer!¡¨

Battousai stayed emotionless as the woman stumbled, and took several steps back. He made a gesture to grab the hilt of his katana, when she stumbled away hastily, shortly turned to a quick pace. She ran off, in fear and in tears.

Slowly, the wetness became dry. Rain became soggy snow. He stared up at the grey sky, eyes glistening. The soft snowflakes melted once they hit his skin, which was burning with heat. Breathing in harshly, he understood the truth.

Two souls died under his sword tonight, two escaping thieves.

For how many times? He asked himself.

Gradually, he lowered his head, staring at the fallen bodies as blood seeped towards his feet.

Why couldn¡¦t I feel anything when I killed them¡K?

¡§Am I blinded by the flash of my own sword?¡¨ he hissed out his thought.

Exasperated, he pulled out his sword and left out a growl when it hit aside the tree trunk, stopped by the solidity through the middle. His hands stayed on the hilt of his katana as he panted, with vehemence leaking through his mind.

I want you¡K

¡§Damn this¡K¡¨ he cursed sharply. He gave away on his knees as he fell onto the bloodied snow beneath, leaving his sword inserted into the wood. He clutched onto his gi on his chest and exhaled, blowing a foggy breath into the cold.

¡§Damn this,¡¨ his eyes wavered. ¡§Damn this all¡Kdamn her.¡¨ He whispered. ¡§I hate you.¡¨

Few mesmerizing encounters could lead to the road of sanity; Butterfly just earned a particular place in his frozen heart.

¡§Butterfly?¡¨

The young prostitute turned her head, and saw Tsubame, who was fidgeting with her fingers in anxiety.

¡§Nani Tsubame-chan?¡¨

¡§Ano¡K¡¨ she started, ¡§Earlier today¡KI saw the Legendary Hitokiri.¡¨ Se confessed. ¡§While I was cleaning up the tables.¡¨

The name hit her as she froze. She quickly regained her composure and answered lightly, ¡§Yes?¡¨

¡§Do you like him?¡¨ she asked, tilting her head.

Butterfly closed her eyes and stayed silent.

¡§Kao- iie, Butterly. Do you like him?¡¨ she repeated the question innocently. Little did she know, the simple question had caused turmoil in Butterfly¡¦s mind.

Slowly, Butterfly opened her eyes; a soft smile touched her lips. Tsubame gasped.

How could anyone have so much¡Ksadness in their eyes?

¡§He helped me understood something important,¡¨ she replied quietly. Gazing at Tsubame in the eyes, she offered the truth. ¡§Yes, I do like him.¡¨

Silence overtook them for a while, until Butterfly spoke again.

¡§But I knew¡Kthat it could never continue.¡¨

¡§¡KWhy?¡¨

¡§Because,¡¨ her gaze softened as she turned to look past the window at the fallen snow. ¡§Because if I don¡¦t stop¡Kmy care for him would turn into something more. I cannot let that happen. I¡¦ll have to keep on reassuring myself that I only wanted to seduce him, for the House.¡¨

Tsubame looked at her quizzically.

Butterfly noticed the look on her face and laughed lightly, ¡§It¡¦s quite complicated. You¡¦ll understand¡Ksomeday.¡¨ She straightened herself and looked around, ¡§Alright, I think that¡¦s enough fo-¡§

¡§He cares about you, Kaoru-san.¡¨ The girl suddenly cut in. Startled, Butterfly went numb when she heard her supposed, forgotten name.

¡§I knew. I saw his eyes. He was jealous.¡¨ Tsubame said boldly.

Butterfly blinked. ¡§Jealous?¡¨

¡§He was jealous because you were with other men!¡¨ she blurted. After a moment, Tsubame covered her mouth with her hand and stuttered, ¡§G-gomen nasai!¡¨

Butterfly continued to stare at her. Jealous?

¡§I-I shouldn¡¦t have said that. It¡¦s just that he looked quite mad at that time, it scared me. Gomen ne.¡¨ Tsubame apologized again. But Butterfly didn¡¦t move a soul.

Jealous. Battousai was jealous. The Legendary Hitokiri was jealous of a whore. He was jealous because of a lost young prostitute¡Ka girl with a dark past.

He was jealous.

The next moment Tsubame wasn¡¦t sure what happened. Butterfly was on her knees in a flash and grabbing her shoulders. Her azure eyes declared clearly that she was worried.

¡§Are you sure? What did you see?¡¨ she asked in a hurry.

Tsubame was dumbstruck. It took a moment for her to open her mouth.

¡§A-after you went upstairs, I went to him. I told him that¡¦s how things are in the House.¡¨ She gulped nervously, ¡§He seemed hurt. I could see it in his eyes.¡¨

¡§Did he say anything?¡¨ her blue eyes searched for answers in her chocolate ones.

She thought for a moment, surveying for any hints in her muddled mind.

¡§Fucking whores.¡¨

A glimpse of amber, angry eyes.

¡§She lied.¡¨

¡§He said¡Khe said that you lied,¡¨ Hurt written over Butterfly¡¦s face briefly. But she had concealed it well. ¡§And¡Khe mentioned something about having you the next time he comes.¡¨ Tsubame added unsurely. ¡§I think.¡¨

Her eyes widened.

No more he was coming because of prying, but of desire.

Butterfly laid her cards on the table. In other words, Battousai wanted her. He got jealous. That¡¦s what the stewardess wanted- to let him revolve the world for her. Money. But, there was always a but. She didn¡¦t want to. Simple.

¡§I¡KI need to think.¡¨ Butterfly stuttered.

¡§Oh¡Kare you going out again?¡¨ Tsubame asked.

Butterfly smiled wearily, ¡§How¡¦d you know?¡¨

¡§You always do that. I think it must¡¦ve been hard for you too, to stay in this kind of place. I found it hard myself.¡¨ She said quietly.

¡§You¡¦re a good girl, Tsubame-chan. I really do hope you can get out of this place soon.¡¨

She only smiled.

Her legs were numb.

Her hands were freezing.

Her mind was twisting.

And her heart was aching.

She didn¡¦t know how long she had walked in the woods. Snow had fallen into white pools between the branches. It looked bitter. It felt bitter.

The butterflies were gone, probably flew to somewhere warm.

Oh kami-sama, who was she fooling? No matter how hard she tried to interrupt herself, her focus would always draw back the where it started.

Battousai.

The Legendary Hitokiri. An assassin.

She still remembered when they first met; it was still fresh new to her as if it was yesterday. His amber eyes, his flamed red hair¡Keven his cold attitude attracted her. Everything about him attracted her.

But¡K

She vowed to herself that she should love no one.

Love, a foolish and dangerous thing.

Love could let one lose themselves; even the most powerful men could fall easily.

Stop dreaming Kamiya. You¡¦re a caged whore. You could never have happiness. She reassured herself once again. Unknown tears rolled in her eyes helplessly as she lifted her hand up to wipe them away. Tormenting herself, she got used to it. It even helped, sometimes.

Faint foot trails left behind her as she walked in silence.

Whenever she felt bad or hurt, she would always wind up in the woods. She didn¡¦t know why. Perhaps it was the vague memory where she remembered the sunshine; or maybe it was the place that she met Battousai.

She was so concentrated in her thoughts that a new set of faded footsteps creaked in the soft snow, without her realizing it. She didn¡¦t notice when a pair of amber eyes watched her. She didn¡¦t notice when he had stopped in his tracks. She didn¡¦t notice when they were meters away.

His katana dropped onto the snow with a small thump.

Startled, she raised her eyes.

For the first time, he was showing so much pain, anger, and compassion.

She stiffened her breathing.

The words still clung onto the air, repeating forever in her mind.

¡§You still haven¡¦t told me your name.¡¨

Tears were spilling over now, so much.

The redhead lost his voice.

Her hands were to the point of deadening, but she had forgotten that at the moment.

¡§¡KButterfly¡K¡¨ he finally said.

His voice was so husky.

The pain, suffering, care, affection all washed over her mind like a fever.

All of a sudden, a new feeling rose within her. An unfamiliar strength.

She found herself opening her mouth.

¡§My name¡K¡¨ she croaked.

She found herself walking towards him, faster and faster.

He felt his muscle tighten as he too, began to advance towards her slowly.

She whammed into his arms and cried. Battousai wrapped his arms around her, throwing away the anger. Feeling her shaking, he tightened his embrace and leaned in closer.

She felt so warm.

¡§My name¡K¡¨ she sobbed into his chest.

¡§Don¡¦t talk,¡¨ he told her quietly.

She pulled away from him to see his eyes. She couldn¡¦t help but smile.

She realized at that moment, who she was. And who she wanted to be.

In a clear, loud voice. She stated.

¡§My name is Kaoru. Kaoru Kamiya.¡¨

Not just a Butterfly¡K

Okay! Is this a bit fast for you guys? Because this is only the beginning¡Ko yea. And for the previous chapter I must explain that Tsubame was NOT jealous of Battousai. I repeat, she was NOT jealous! For that part, I wrote:

A pair of chocolate brown eyes stared at him from aside, realizing the look in the assassin¡¦s eyes.

Jealousy.

The eyes belong to no one but the fifteen year old.

Tsubame.

She smiled vaguely as she cleaned the empty cups on the table nearby.

It was BATTOUSAI who was jealous. Sorry if it was kinda blurry!! I tried my best! Anyways, how do you all like this chapter?! School started¡KI¡¦m going to be very buzy, so that¡¦s why I posted up sooner than expected. Almost Valentine¡¦s Day btw, I would like to wish you all a HAPPY VALENTINE! The next chapter would be the key point to this whole story, at least¡Kpart of it. Ahem. REAND AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!