Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin and its characters. They rightfully belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei. Please don't sue or condemn me. I write this kind of stuff for entertainment purposes only.

Author's greetings: Hello. Have you reviewed Chapter I? Hope you did. Thanks for all those guys who reviewed. Anyway, this fic has something to do with white slavery. And… uh... I changed the summary cuz it actually leads some readers off the course. Now, please read on and enjoy.

WARNING: AU and may contain some OOCness.

Rating: PG (though ratings may fluctuate as story unfolds)

Love Me As Who I Really Am

Chapter II: Unpredictable Measures

"KAORU!" Somebody called from across the room. The caller began approaching Table XI. "MISAO!"

Misao stood up happily. "Sou-chan!" She waited for Soujiro to reach their table.

"How are you guys?" Soujiro greeted them as Misao wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick peck on his right cheek.

"Feelin' great!" Yahiko responded, then shoved a french-fry into his mouth.

"Hi, Sou-chan. We're having lunch. Join us…" Kaoru motioned him to sit on the empty chair beside Misao. "So, what we're you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood." He answered, sitting beside Misao and grabbing a handful of french-fries from Misao's plate, munching happily.

"Hey! Misao, if you won't eat your fries, give 'em to me!" Yahiko grabbed Misao's plate of french-fries, sliding her plate beside his own. Soujiro chuckled in amusement.

"Give that back to me!" Misao screeched at him, taking her plate away from him. "Be contented with your own french-fries."

Yahiko glared at her, shoving french-fry after french-fry into his mouth in succession.

Finally, Soujiro faced Kaoru. He jerked his head to Yahiko's direction. "Did you tell him?"

Yahiko looked up. "Tell me what?"

"Not yet." Kaoru sighed sadly.

Yahiko looked around the table, his face a total picture of confusion. "What are you guys talking about? Kaoru, what are you talking about? What are you supposed to tell me?"

Kaoru smiled at him falsely. "Nothing… I just wanted to tell you I'd be continuing college…"

Yahiko stared at her. "That's not it… tell me what it REALLY is!"

"Yahiko, it's nothing, really…"

"Tell me what it is!" Yahiko watched her face angrily, trying to read her mind.

Misao and Soujiro looked down helplessly. Kaoru sighed weakly. "I… I was hired at a nightclub as a…" Kaoru let her voice trail, knowing that Yahiko had understood clearly what she's going to say.

Yahiko shook his head. He chuckled softly. "You're playing, right? Okay, game's over. Quit playing. What were you really supposed to tell me?" He looked expectantly at his sister.

He saw her look down to her lap. That's when he realized that what she had said was entirely the truth. He stood up from his chair angrily and stomped out of the restaurant, leaving the threesome behind feeling very guilty.

"Thanks a lot for spilling the beans, Sou-chan." Kaoru said to Soujiro sarcastically. She frowned at him.

Soujiro looked up. "So sorry, Kaoru. I didn't mean to. I thought you had filled him in already…"

Kaoru sighed helplessly. "Yahiko definitely doesn't want me to do what I had decided on doing. What do you think should I do?" She rested her chin on the back of her hands.

"Just tell the club's boss who hired you that you quit." Soujiro suggested, throwing his hands up in exaggeration.

"What a great idea!" Misao said, perking up.

"How am I supposed to survive here in Los Angeles if I don't have a job?" Kaoru asked them, right eyebrow raised.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of that…" Soujiro said mysteriously, plopping his elbows on the table.

The two girls stared at him. "Just assure me you can help me." Kaoru said.

Finally, Misao stood up. "Well, I suppose we must get going now. Now the only problem, however, is how to make Yahiko understand the situation. Let's go. Hey, waiter! Check please!"

@@@

"What is she thinking?!" Yahiko kicked the empty soda can in front of him as he walked towards their apartment. He had his skateboard tucked under his arm and he was looking down the boardwalk. Literally, he wasn't looking where he was going. Strangely, he just wasn't in the mood to skateboard. *My sister… wants to be a prostitute. *

"Yahiko…" A sweet voice called out to him.

He turned around and smiled. "Hi, Tsubame. What's up?"

"Nothing. I just saw spiky hair when I turned the corner and so I was sure it was you." She told him, falling into a step beside him.

"So, I had a trademark." Yahiko said, rolling his eyes. "Is that how you recognize me when I have my back on you?" He asked her.

She laughed, covering her mouth. "Sometimes…"

Yahiko fell silent all of a sudden. He began walking faster. Tsubame had to jog beside him to catch up. "Any problem, Yahiko?" She asked him.

"Huh? No problem at all. Why should I have any problem?" He said, quickening his pace.

Now, Tsubame had to really run to catch up with him. "Tell me, Yahiko." She said, panting.

Yahiko suddenly stopped on his tracks. He looked like he saw a ghost. Tsubame stopped running and peered into his face.

"Yahiko, what suddenly caught your eye?" She followed his gaze, then gasped at what she saw.

@@@

"TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF ME!" Kaoru yelled at the guy grasping her wrist. "Don't you understand? I said I QUIT!"

The burly man tightened his grasp on Kaoru's right wrist. "But you haven't started working yet! Come on, my precious sapphire, when my frequent customers see you, they'll be stunned!" The man pulled Kaoru close to his chest.

"Hey!" Somebody shouted. Yahiko and Tsubame ran towards the guy and Kaoru. "Let my sister go!" Yahiko shouted one more time.

"Didn't you hear the lady and her brother?" Soujiro asked him calmly, a smile forming on his lips. "They were asking you to take your hands off her." Soujiro ran towards him and punched him hard on the nose.

Venous blood surged out of the man's nose. He released his hold on Kaoru as his hand jerked up to cover his nose. Kaoru ran towards Misao and hugged the younger girl in dread. Yahiko stepped in front of the three girls like as if he's protecting them.

"Damn you… " The man was saying, looking up at Soujiro in visible anger. His look shifted on Kaoru.

"Please, Ryu. I'm quitting." Kaoru looked at him pleadingly.

Ryu stood up straight and stared at her, annoyed. "What made you want to quit, sapphy?"

"Sapphy?!" Misao asked unbelievingly, loosening her embrace on Kaoru. "You call this girl sapphy?" She looked at Kaoru. "Hey! In case you don't know, this girl's name is KAORU, and not SAPPHY!"

Ryu glared at Misao. "You have no business in this, woman." Blood was still running down his nose.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Yahiko cut in. "Who are you, anyway?!" He gave the burly man a challenging stare.

Ryu smirked at Yahiko. "For a little boy, you're quite cocky." He crossed his arms across his chest, looking at Yahiko in a sickening way.

Yahiko had an urge to punch the guy right in the nose once again but he just can't bear to add any more problems. "Yeah? Well, you've got an attitude problem. Your mom needs to straighten it up." He said, sticking his chin out at Ryu.

Soujiro smiled down at the young boy. "Good for you."

Ryu sighed mockingly, throwing his hands up in mock exhaustion. "Fine. You guys win. My name's Ryu Ban, but people call me Ryu." He looked around the small crowd that had gathered around them. "I suggest we enter my domain to talk about… things."

"Hey! What's going on here? Are you having a fight or what? You better stop now or else someone's gonna call the police." One man said from the crowd.

Soujiro laughed nervously. "It's really nothing! We'll just talk about some things with this guy." He motioned towards Ryu as he walked towards him.

The people began whispering to each other that nothing's wrong and began to leave one by one.

Once everyone around them had left, Ryu motioned them to follow him.



TBC



Author's notes: Hi. Sorry about Chapter I. Once again, I wanna remind you I edited it especially the grammar… I think. It's because when I typed it, my stress-level was unusually high. I think some other author had a character named Ryu but I added the Ban to make it more original. Tell me if what I think is right. And tell me if someone had a similar fic.

Thanks for the guys who reviewed:

MARSTANUKI: I have changed the summary. And if I let Kaoru have anyone touch her body, then she won't be as chaste as some people prefer her to be.

I hoped you enjoyed this fic. Tell me what you think. Please review. Thanks. Aishiteru.

REMINDER: PLEASE REVIEW, I'D BE LOOKIN' FORWARD TO IT.

lieveit1 '^-^'