All For Love
Disclaimers apply. No offence is intended to anyone.
Misao: Cao, or Xiao Cao
Omasu: Zeng/Ah Zeng
Okon: Jin/Ah Jin
Okina: Lao Die (Old Father)
Megumi: Hui/ Xiao Hui
Kaoru: Xiao Xun/ Xun
Kenshin: Jian Xin
Tsubame: Yan-er
Kanryuu: Guan Liu
Sanosuke: Zuo Zhi Zhu/ Xiangle( Xiangle is 'Sagara' while Zuo Zhi Zhu translates
to 'Sanosuke')
Soujiro: Zong Cilang
Yu Ting Ban Zong: Oniwabanshuu(!)
Chapter 7: The Fiance
Cao looked upward at the number outside the entrance to the shophouse. She double checked it with the address that she had found in Dr. Hui's records, and on confirming that it was indeed the address which she had copied down on the slip of paper, she raised her hand up, hesitating for a moment before knocking tentatively on the wooden door. For a while, she nearly thought that there was nobody in, but there was soon the shuffling sound of footsteps. Then, there was the sound of the door being unlatched, and the door opened a little.
"Who are you?" the owner of the face asked gruffly. His chin was rough with bristly stubble, and there was something unwelcoming about his eyes. His hair was spiky looking, as if he had purposely combed it upwards.
"I-I-I-I'm Juandian Cao and I'm looking for a...Lim Boon Tat..." Cao stammered.
The man opened the door a little wider. "What do you want him for?"
"His teacher... Dr. Gaohe Hui has been imprisoned. She sent me to find him so that he could continue running her clinic."
"Boon Tat has disappeared," the man growled. "Vanished during the mass screening. Don't know what the devils did with him. Told him he shouldn't have hung around with the anti-Japs."
Cao lowered her eyes. "B-but the doctor needs someone to take over."
"Tell you what. I'll help."
Cao was startled. "You?" she exclaimed in astonishment.
The man shrugged. "Why not? Don't look at me like this. I'm also a doctor. Don't believe me? Let me find my certificate."
"Um, it's okay, I'll just take your word for it. You are..." No matter how hard Cao looked at him, he still didn't look like a doctor to her, more like one of the secret society gangsters.
"Zuo Zhi Zhu. Just call me Xiang Le, it's what just about everyone calls me." He swaggered back into the house, before remembering that Cao was still standing at the door.
"Go on home, xiao jie [young miss, Mandarin equivalent to the Cantonese 'siew cheh']. I'll be at the clinic tomorrow early in the morning."
As Cao walked down the street back home, she marveled over how deceiving appearances could be. Though Xiangle had the appearance and manner of a gangster, he turned out to be a qualified doctor. Guan Liu, or Kanryuu, had seemed to be so dignified, but had turned out to be a traitor--a double agent. And Aoshi...he was where appearances were the most deceiving so far. She remembered how frightened she had been the first time she saw him at Bukit Timah, thinking that he was just like what the rumours had said about the Japanese army--ruthless, inhuman, cold-blooded murderers. But as she got to know him better, she had realised that he was a good man, an exception to the stereotypes. He had seemed cold and unemotional the first few times, but now he was starting to warm up to her and open up, and she had seen a side of him she had never guessed he had. Although he was still rather reserved at times, at least it was an improvement...
***
When Cao stepped into the living room, practically the whole family was there, sitting and waiting for her with serious looks on their faces.
"What's the big occasion?" she asked out loud, astonished. It was then that she saw the smiling young man at the corner. His eyes lit up and his grin widened when he caught sight of her.
"This is Zong Cilang," Zeng introduced. "Your fiancé."
Cao stopped in her tracks, halfway to the centre of the room. Her face went a few shades paler, until it was a ghostly white. Fiance?! She opened her mouth several times, but no sound came out.
"You have no idea how hard it was to find a man we thought you'd be happy with!" Lao Die cut in. "Young master Zong here is the closest to your age we could find; he's eighteen this year. And you two seem to have a lot in common."
"Good afternoon, Cao xiao jie. I hope we'll get to know each other well," Cilang spoke. Cao remained where she was, still trying to get over the shock. If this had occurred before she met Aoshi, she would have been delighted, and returned Cilang's smile with one of her own, as well as with blushing cheeks. But it was different now, and she could not imagine being with anyone else but the one in her heart--Aoshi.
The entire house was silent, waiting for her response. Cao thought she saw her fiance's smile falter for a moment, but she was not sure, for when she looked again it was as broad and attention-grabbing as it had been from the moment she stepped into the house.
I guess I'd better say something before the atmosphere gets too uncomfortable...She quickly regained her composure and made her way towards them. "Good afternoon...I'm pleased to meet you too." She didn't know what else to say, any more words and her opinion of all this would come tumbling out, causing unnecessary embarrassment for both her family and 'Young Master Zong'. Besides, he seemed like such a nice guy, an outright rejection of the engagement could hurt his feelings, especially if the third party involved happened to be, of all the men in the world, a Japanese officer.
"What's wrong, Xiao Cao? You look a little pale." Jin was concerned. Cao took a deep breath.
"I'm okay, it's just that I had a tiring day and I'm kind of...tired," she lied. "And this was kind of unexpected."
"Why don't you rest for a while first? You and Master Zong can have a chat at the same time, I'm sure you won't be too tired for that, right?" Jin asked. "After all, the wedding's going to take place less than a week from now..."
Cao's face turned even paler, somehow taking on the colour of the white walls. She looked down, not wanting the others to see the alarm and panic that manifested themselves in her eyes. Apparently, Lao Die took this as a sign of bashful pleasure.
"Look, our Cao is so pleased with it! Look at her, her eyes are lowered. That settles it then, it will be the next auspicious day--next Monday!"
Cao's fists clenched so hard that her knuckles turned white. Next Monday! It was way too soon! She looked up again. "Lao Die, I'm afraid...I'm not really ready to be married yet..." she protested weakly.
"Don't worry, you'll be more than ready when the time comes," he laughed. "Marriage is a big thing and it's natural for you to be unsure about it. but it's for your own good, and Master Zong here is a good man."
"I'll take care of her, don't you worry, Uncle," Cilang reassured. By then, Cao was beginning to be irritated by his unceasing smile. Doesn't he ever stop smiling? If I can't stand it now how am I supposed to when we're married?
"Good then. I think we'd better leave the two of you alone to get to know each other," Lao die replied, standing up. Jin and Zeng followed. "Have a nice chat."
And at last, Cilang and Cao were alone in the living room, the others having made themselves scarce. Cao felt even more uneasy than ever; all she did was look down at her hands and fidget, partly because she was shy about being alone with him and partly because she thought she would throw up if she saw that smile on his face one more time.
Silence. Neither of them said a word.
"Do you always smile like that?" Cao blurted out, unable to stand it. She regretted it instantly when a hurt look crossed his face for a moment. "I'm sorry..."
"No, don't be. It's about time someone asked." He touched her shoulder reassuringly, before swiftly drawing back. "A lot of people think I'm fake and unnatural because I smile all a time, like a lunatic or something. But I can't help it."
This time, Cao looked up curiously. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know if you'll want to hear it..."
"I do."
"Okay." He looked down at the floor for a while. "I'm an orphan. I lived with my aunt and uncle and their family until I was about eight years old. They weren't...exactly the kindest people. They would hit me and beat me really hard, and punish me for the slightest things. Once, I accidentally spilled a sack of rice--they beat me till I nearly fainted, and made me kneel outside the house, even when it rained...The more I cried, the more they'd get irritated, and the harder they'd beat me.." He paused. Cao was listening intently.
"In order to bear the pain, I tried to ignore it...I'd think of other happier things. And if I smiled, they'd give up and stop beating me, and that would cut down the pain I had to endure. And so, no matter how painfully they beat me, nothing would happen as long as I had a smile on my face." he looked down at his lap.
"So...after some time, you unknowingly did the same whenever you were afraid, or irritated...to hide your feelings?" Cao asked him, realising that he and Aoshi were similar in that sense--they both hid their feelings behind a mask. The only difference was that while Cilang's 'mask' was one with a smile, Aoshi's was plain emotionless.
Cilang nodded. "You can say that. I'm sorry if you find it irritating."
"No, it's ok." He looked up at her. "You seemed quite shocked to hear of our engagement."
"I just...wasn't expecting it." Cao cast her eyes away, wondering if she should just let him know the truth. "It's kind of scary, getting engaged and then married so young..."
"I understand."
"I didn't really want to get married, but I guess I have to some day or other so why not now, then..." But if only it was to the one...Him.
"Cao, I hope you don't mind me asking..."
Cao looked at him questioningly.
"Do you have anyone you love? Just tell me, I'll be able to take it."
His words struck through her, and she dared not look at him, for fear that he would see through her. She wasn't sure if she should tell him, after all, it wasn't exactly mutual love between her and Aoshi. True, she did have someone else in her heart, but her mind had told her over and over again that it wouldn't work out, that she and Aoshi would never be. However, there still was a meagre hope...a tiny ray, which probably would not amount to much...Even so, she still wanted to treasure that little precious ray.
Yet...the hopelessness she felt, together with that little nagging voice they called common sense, told her that she should not be wasting her time longing for the near impossible, and that she should be a filial, obliging granddaughter and marry the one her family had chosen for her.
He noticed her uneasiness, and decided not to pursue the subject further. "Never mind, it's just a question. I just don't want you to force yourself to marry me or anything. Anyway, your sisters tell me you help out at a clinic. Are you training to be a nurse or something?"
She was visibly relieved at the change of subject. "Not really, I just help clean wounds and apply bandages. What about you?"
"I'm a photographer's apprentice." He didn't say any more, and she decided not to prod further. The both of them sat together awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.
"Zong xiansheng, it's getting dark. I think you'd better get home before the curfew," Lao Die interrupted, walking into the hall. Cilang looked out of the window. "
"Yes, it's getting dark." He turned to Cao. "It's been a pleasure meeting you. I guess I'd better make a move now."
"How was he?" Zeng asked Cao after Cilang had left. Cao didn't reply.
"Cao? Are you okay?" Zeng noticed that she was staring aimlessly out of the window, and waved a hand in front of her. The younger girl snapped back into attention.
"Huh? Oh, he's okay...nice." Cao looked down at her hands. "But...it's just that..."
"Just that what?"
"Nothing." Her heart felt empty, and she somehow just wanted to cry. Aoshi, I'm sorry...but I can't possibly go against the wishes of my family, if it's what they want...
"You're still thinking of him, aren't you?" Zeng asked, sitting beside Cao on her bed. "About your officer savior..."
Cao nodded.
"I'm not trying to force you to stay away from him, but you've known him for...just a little over a month! You don't really know him..."
"Well, at least I've known him for much longer than I've known Master Zong."
"Cao, I know you don't want to marry Master Zong. But being with him is better than being the kept woman of a Japanese soldier! At least we know Master Zong's background, and it can be verified; but Aoshi's background is a mystery, he can tell you anything and there's no way to tell if it's true!" She sighed. " I know I can't make you listen, but I--we just don't want you to get hurt. If you and Aoshi do...get together...and one day it fails, then ultimately you're the one who suffers the most."
"I know that," Cao told her, "But I don't care, as long as Aoshi and I have a chance to be together, I don't care what happens. I know he's a good man, I just feel it."
"Feelings can be wrong sometimes." Zeng stood up. "I'm not going to stop you; you know what's right. I just think you'd be better off with Master Zong." Her face was sad. "Think it over, but if you do choose to be with Aoshi, please be careful."
And she walked out of the room, leaving Cao to ponder over her words.
---
A knock on the door.
Aoshi looked up, closing the folder in front of him. "Haitte."
The door opened and a dark, lanky man walked in.
"Detective...I've been waiting for information from you," Aoshi crossed his arms. The man bowed, and handed him some papers before informing him of something in a low voice.
Aoshi scanned the papers, a grim look on his face. His teeth gritted. Finally, a loophole...
"You say he'll be transporting the weapons to a hut in the north?" he asked. The detective nodded. "Then he's made a huge mistake this time, trusting whom he shouldn't."
He scanned through the new documents again. "You've done a good job this time. Continue keeping tabs." The man bowed.
"Arigatou Shinomori-sama."
Aoshi nodded and waved him out, still trying to fit together the bits and pieces of information which he had gathered.
"Takeda Kanryuu...I've got you this time!" He clenched his fists. Soon, the traitor would be brought to justice--and he, Shinomori Aoshi, would see to that.
tbc...
Sorry to keep everyone waiting! Guess i can't update as often
as I thought (bows) Gomen nasai again! the first few weeks of school are always
busy, and I can't seem to find the time or inspiration to update:( I'll try to
put up the next chappie in another fortnight or earlier if possible. Somehow I
feel that this chapter has no substance...
The fic is reaching its turning point--stay tuned for more action in the next
chapter! Just about every character in this fic has a part in how everything
turns out.
As a note to those who asked...I'm not revealing who Boon Tat is at the moment...
