Disclaimer: I confess I don't own Rurouni Kenshin and its characters for they rightfully belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei. I have issued my affidavit so please don't sue me. I am very poor (and young) and cannot afford a lawyer. I write this kind of stuff for entertainment purposes only.

Author's greetings: When I noted Chapter II, I said I edited Chapter I. Sorry, guys, I wasn't able to do so, so I'm sure those guys that went back and read it once again were confused. Sorry.

A reviewer said that Kaoru's reason of survival was not so believable, so in this chapter, you're gonna find out why Kaoru had to be a prostitute, and work for this Ryu guy. Anyway, I'm not gonna give you any spoilers so if you want to find out, read on… and enjoy.

WARNING: AU and may contain OOCness.

Rating: PG-13 (though ratings may fluctuate as story progress)

Love Me As Who I Really Am

Chapter III: Secrets Now Told

Once the small crowd around them had left and everyone was minding their own business, Ryu motioned them to follow him.

The three girls and Yahiko were quite reluctant to do so, but Soujiro followed Ryu as he crossed the street on a red light. Therefore, the other four walked slowly behind the two men.

*Wait a minute… where heading towards the direction of Oishii Cuisine. * Yahiko thought. He glanced briefly at Kaoru's face to see if she was unsure of what they were doing. She was. Apparently, she had no idea where they were headed. She was just walking beside Misao, clutching her shoulder bag nervously in one hand, and the other was grasping her best friend's hand.

Suddenly, she let go of Misao's hand and stopped walking. She kneeled down beside Tsubame who had stopped walking herself. Ryu and Soujiro turned around.

"Tsubame, darling, I think you should better go back home now." She was telling the little girl.

"But…" Tsubame protested.

Kaoru placed a finger on the girl's lips to silence her. "This is my problem. I solve this on my own." She removed her finger from the girl's lips and stood up. "Besides, your Aunt Tae might be looking for you."

"Oh gosh!" Tsubame exclaimed, both her hands went up to her cheeks. "You're right! Auntie told me to be home by twelve o'clock! Look at the time! It's already half past one! Kaoru, I have to go." She turned around and began to run to the opposite direction. "Bye, Yahiko!"

"Bye." Yahiko said softly.

"Quit the drama." Ryu's gruff voice said as he continued walking. "I shouldn't have left the car back there at the club's parking lot if I knew you were gonna run from me when I saw you walking out of that restaurant, sapphy." He pointed across the street to Oishii Cuisine.

Misao gnashed her teeth in anger. *How dare he call my best friend sapphy! Who does he think he is? Some god who can just make up everybody's name? *

She turned her head to the side and examined her best friend's face. She can see the anger forming in the older girl's face, and she knew that her friend was irritated with the usual endearment of the sturdy man. "Ryu, it would be better if you call me by my real name, which is Kaoru!" Kaoru scowled.

Ryu waved the issue away, completely ignoring it. "Kaoru, Kuaur, Sapphy, whatever."

Kaoru stared at Ryu's back irately, restraining herself from seizing the guy and killing him right there. Misao grabbed Kaoru's hand and held it gently on her own as a form of comfort.

Kaoru gave her a grateful smile. Soujiro and Yahiko had continued walking after Ryu, so the girls ran slowly to catch up with the three males.

Kaoru didn't know what she was doing, but as she rushed after the three guys, her head turned to the left and she saw the auburn-haired man through the restaurant's glass window, looking back at her and following her every move in daze.

@@@

Maybe Fate was just too romantic at the moment, but as Kenshin gazed out of the restaurant's window, a pair of sapphire eyes greeted him. He blinked two times to get used to their dazzling appearances, but when he got used to them, he found out that the owner of those sapphire eyes was none other but the stunning woman he had crashed into earlier that lunch.

She was with her lady friend, the one with the braided hair, a young boy who just might be her brother and the young man who had arrived later during lunch. A muscular man was leading the group, but Kenshin didn't notice him quite that much.

Kenshin had watched her every move ever since he crashed into her for it seemed like… he was heavily attracted to her since then. Minutes after her supposed-to-be younger brother stomped out of the restaurant, a disgusted look plastered on his face, she and her two other friends left.

The hefty man leading the four had just caught Kenshin's attention wholly. His eyes narrowed. *That guy looks familiar… where did I see his face and build before? * Kenshin asked himself.

He remembered that when the sapphire-eyed woman pushed the restaurant's door open, she stopped abruptly when she saw that same man cross the street, headed towards the three of them. Specifically, that same man was headed towards HER alone. That guy had a very pleased expression on his face, obviously happy to see her.

The navy-eyed woman whispered something to her two friends, and then made a mad dash to the left with her male friend bumping into several people and the people cursing the three of them. Kenshin had shifted his attention to the hefty guy and he saw anger forming in the man's face as he ran after the three. Kenshin figured that the man probably caught up with the three of them for they never got a good head start, anyway. And for a heavily built person, the man chasing them can run faster than any of the three of them.

Kenshin stood up, interrupting Sano's lively chatter. "Sano, Aoshi. Excuse me. I think I've got somewhere to go to."

Sano looked up at him in surprise. "Why, Kenshin, was the steak overcooked?"

"No, I'm just stuffed. And anyway, we've been here for one and a half hours already. Meet you later." Kenshin began walking towards the door, eyes still fixed on the group across the street that caught his attention. He pushed the door open.

"But Kenshin! We haven't paid yet." Sano said, standing up. Kenshin can clearly hear him because Table V was situated close to the door.

Kenshin exited. "Aoshi will take care of it." He answered coolly.

Aoshi looked up but Kenshin was already running towards the opposite side of the street. So, therefore, Aoshi had no other choice but to pay for what they have eaten.

Kenshin kept his distance from the group he was following, both hands in his pockets. Suddenly, the heavily built man who was leading the group turned and went down a wide staircase. It looked like it would lead to a subway but Kenshin was sure there's no subway in this area. The other four followed him down there.

Once all five had gone down, Kenshin spied on them on top of the stairs. *This is getting weird. * Kenshin thought to himself as the burly man opened two red doors (it looks like this, just imagine it: ][ ) at the end of the stairs and motioned the four to enter. The first one to enter was the jolly young man, then the boy, then the girl with the long braided hair. The raven-haired lady was about to enter but the hefty guy gave her a malicious look so she stared right back, the hatred very visible on her face.

Then he said something to her, probably something nasty because she stared at him in anger before finally entering. The man went in right after her, after looking up the staircase, but Kenshin was quick enough to dodge from his sight.

*That stupid maniac! * Kenshin thought angrily. He went down the staircase and pushed one of the two doors open and was greeted by loud music. He walked in and looked around the dimly lit room. He saw women who had lack of clothing dancing erotically on mini stages which were scattered all over the spacious room and some men were seated on wide tables which were quite close to the mini stages. From a scale of one to ten, Sano would probably rate this place 9.9. It was indeed… first-class… world- class.

Kenshin began searching for the group he was following around the room. He saw the back of that same heavily built man enter a door situated at the other end of the room.

A waiter wearing a tuxedo with a towel on his arm approached Kenshin. "Welcome to the Seduction Hall, sir. Have you reserved a table?" The waiter was asking him.

"No, I haven't. Anyway that's okay." Kenshin responded, not taking his eyes off the door the man entered to.

"Would you like me to get you one? Are you here for some of our women?" The waiter gestured towards the women on the stages.

"No." Kenshin answered him abruptly. "Anyway, I'm leaving." He began to pull one of the doors behind him open. Suddenly, he went numb. "What did you say? What do you call this place again?" Kenshin asked, not facing him.

"The Seduction Hall, sir." The waiter answered.

Kenshin continued on his way. "The Seduction Hall… right." Kenshin climb up the stairs and into the fresh air and sunlight. *Seduction Hall. * He thought, his eyes narrowing to such tiny slits. *I see… *

@@@

"Why don't you little people sit down?" Ryu motioned to a large sofa in front of his desk as he sat down on his chair behind it.

Soujiro sat down with a jolly expression on his face, gesturing the three others to do the same. Yahiko sat down beside him, and Misao sat beside Yahiko. Kaoru was about to sit down when Ryu called her.

"Sapphy, why are you sitting there?" He asked her with a sad expression on his face. He patted his lap. "Come sit here."

Kaoru glared at him. Misao clenched her fists and gnashed her teeth in anger. She tugged on Kaoru's black top. "Sit down here beside me." She said softly to the older girl.

Kaoru glared one more time at Ryu before sitting beside her best friend.

Ryu heaved a sigh. "You've changed so much, sapphy. What made you change?"

Yahiko couldn't take it anymore. "Hey! If you can't call my sister by her real name, why don't you just leave her be?!"

"Because she owes me a lot." Ryu said, lighting a cigarette.

Kaoru sneered at him. "Yeah, right."

Soujiro's expression turned serious, much to the surprise of his friends. "She owes you big time? That sounds unbelievable, Ryu Ban." He said, fixing his eyes on the larger man's face.

Ryu exhaled some smoke out of his mouth. "Why would it sound unbelievable… Major Seta?" Ryu looked at Soujiro straight in the eye.

Misao glanced at Soujiro, bewildered. "Major Seta? Wha—what in the world is he talking about, Sou-chan? How in the world did he know your name?"

Soujiro's face remained blank. Kaoru's and Yahiko's faces were pictures of confusion and Misao was peering intently into Soujiro's face.

Ryu smirked. "Did I spill another variety of beans, Seta?"

Kaoru glanced at Ryu, then at Soujiro. *How in the world did he know Sou-chan's name? Have they met before? And what's with the 'Major'? *

Yahiko stood up and yelled at Soujiro. "Why the hell does this guy know you? And what's with the Major Seta thingy?"

Soujiro didn't answer. His blazing eyes were just fixed on Ryu.

"Sou-chan!" Misao yelled uncontrollably.

"Ryu Ban was reported to be the boss of the biggest syndicate in the state, known to smuggle drugs in and outside the country. Some witnesses said that their latest scheme was to recruit women to the Middle East and use them for white slavery." Soujiro finally explained.

The three stared at Soujiro unbelievingly. Kaoru herself went pale. She turned her head and looked at Ryu. She covered her mouth with her left hand. "I had no idea… I was so stupid… I shouldn't have trusted you the first time I met you…" She mumbled through her hand.

But Yahiko couldn't understand. "Maybe that makes sense… but how could you know such things? And why did he call you Major Seta?"

"Ooops. Didn't you tell them you were from the L.A.P.D., Seta?" Ryu said in an innocent tone, then shrugged.

"L.A.P.D.?" Misao stared at Soujiro, the hurt very visible on her face. "Is that why you broke up with me last year, only two months after we got our relationship started? Is that it?"

Soujiro nodded then looked at her. "I don't wanna hurt you. When I asked you to be my girl, I knew I wouldn't be able to spend time with you. I tried to live with running from the station to your house for two months but realized that I've made a mistake. After five years in the police force, I've realized that I cannot spend much time with those I care for so much. So I wanted you to find someone else who can give his time to you."

"Why didn't you tell me you were with the police?" She asked him, searching for the answer on his face.

"Misao, I know you. You never liked the police since we were children because of what they did to your dad when you were five. They put him in prison because of a false accusation, remember? That's why he lost his job and opened his own business." Soujiro tried making her understand.

Misao bowed her head. "I understand."

"And so when Kaoru told us two days ago about her decision to work in this club and mentioned that the guy she'd be working for is called Ryu Ban, I got suspicious." He shifted his attention on Ryu. "Now I've got evidence that you do have illegal dealings in and outside this country."

Ryu placed his cigarette on the ashtray. "Don't think you've got me all figured out, Seta. Five years ago, I met sapphy in a café; she was working there as a waitress. An odd job for someone as young as her." He lit another cigarette. "We talked. That's when I found out that she does not go to school anymore. I offered to help her, but I said I MIGHT ask for something in return." He stared at Kaoru. "I lent her a LOT of money, and all this time she hadn't paid me back yet. Now she had to work for me and pay me with the money she'll be able to earn."

"That's a lie! A big fat lie!" Yahiko shouted at Ryu heatedly. *How could I think of my sister as a dirty slut! She never actually wanted to be a dirty slut. This guy is just blackmailing her! *

Ryu completely ignored the young boy. "Of course she had no idea that I run this club, but what the heck? The money I lent her actually went to her schooling, and I deposited the remainder into a bank, which soon went to her brother's schooling."

Yahiko gasped. *My schooling… came from this nut head? *

Misao turned her head and looked at her best friend. Kaoru had her head bent down and her arms were folded across her chest. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell Dad?" Misao asked the older girl.

"I knew Okina had a hard time sending you to school, Misao. What he earned from your pizza house was meager; sending two other kids to school would be too much for him." Kaoru responded softly.

"And so you lied to us? You said that your parents had some money in some unknown bank. Honestly, Kaoru, I got suspicious, and the money you got was a real mystery. You were able to send Yahiko and yourself to school and you were able to buy both of your school supplies all by yourself. How was I supposed to know that you got it from a dirty man?" Misao felt her voice catch a little.

"By the time Okina's pizza house got popular and money began pouring in, it was already too late. Ryu said he needed the money I owe him quick, or else…" Kaoru swallowed the lump that formed in her throat.

"Or else what? What?" Tears welled up in Misao's eyes.

"He threatened that if I don't give him the money after six months… he's gonna… he's gonna have to hurt…" Kaoru looked into Yahiko's direction with an impassive look on her face, but everybody can see the hurt that she was trying to hide.

Yahiko stared at his sister, shaking his head from left to right in disbelief. "That's not true…" Yahiko can't believe this is happening. Now he saw how much sacrifice Kaoru is willing to undergo… just for him. *They're using me as bait. They're using me as bait. *

"Actually, it's true." Ryu said, exhaling a puff of smoke. "So you can't say I'm RECRUITING women, Seta. Sapphy is indebted to me, and she just have to pay me back. It's just pure business." He made it sound like it was no big deal for a woman to become a prostitute.

"What about the women dancing outside? Aren't they enough evidence? Are you gonna recruit them too?" Soujiro asked him.

"What do you mean? Those women came here on their own free will. Most of them weren't able to finish school and have no other means to support themselves." Ryu clarified. "They're just… NASTY."

"How much does Kaoru owe you?" Misao asked him, eyes blazing.

"Not much. Just thousands of dollars." Ryu said knowingly, crushing the cigarette on the ashtray.

"Tell me how much it is!" Misao screamed at him angrily, then stood up with a challenging aura.

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "Misao, quit screaming your lungs out."

Misao glared at her best friend.

Ryu took a piece of paper and a ball pen from his desk drawer and wrote some numbers on it. Then he tossed it at Misao's direction. It flew and landed on the floor in front of her. She stooped down and read the amount.

"You pig… when you lent this amount to Kaoru, you knew it would take her a long time to pay you back. Just admit that you were really targeting to make her one of your sluts!" She shouted angrily, looking at Ryu in disgust. She folded the paper then tore it four times. Then she took a few steps towards Ryu's desk.

Ryu looked at her.

She threw the torn pieces of paper at his face. "You deserved it. I really wondered why my skin crawled the first time I saw you. Now I know the answer." Misao turned around without taking her eyes off the man. "We'll make you pay someday." Then she exited the room.

Yahiko stood up himself and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Didn't your mom teach you how to respect women? I suppose not. You know why? 'Cuz you're a dirty pervert, that's why!" He followed Misao out of the room.

"Right now, I will let you be. But if you do anything to Kaoru, you're in for it." Soujiro stood up and motioned Kaoru to get up herself.

Kaoru and Soujiro were only a few steps from the door when they heard Ryu speaking. "Sapphy, you better be here tonight. If not, I promise you, I'll do what I said before."

Kaoru glared at him. Then she smiled falsely in disgust. "I'll be here, tonight. But after I get the money, either by working here or somewhere else, I swear, I'll make you pay."

"That sounds fine. And by the way, Seta." Ryu addressed Soujiro. "You're not actually that welcomed here in the club, so I suggest that you don't return here any more. You're not even welcomed to come here for my women. You know, those sexy ones outside."

Soujiro's jolly smile came back. "Thanks, but I'm not interested anyway."

Kaoru turned around and exited the room with Soujiro behind her.

The last thing she heard from Ryu before Soujiro closed the door behind him was, "You better look sexy tonight, sapphy!"

Kaoru heaved a heavy sigh, trying to restrain herself from entering the room once again and kill the guy. Soujiro patted her shoulder. "Don't mind him. I'm sorry. I thought I could help you. But half of what he said was right. You need to pay him back. But don't worry. We'll find enough evidence against him. But you've got to help me prove that he's doing something against the law here. And you'll be free. I promise you that. "

Kaoru just nodded. "I hope so. I just hope so."

Soujiro chuckled. "Let's go out. I better escort you and Yahiko home now. Then I'll bring Misao to her house. I also need to get back to the work anyway."

They began walking towards the exit.

"Pretty woman, walking down the aisle, pretty woman…" Some men in one table were singing. They held their glasses of wine up to Kaoru, smiling at her.

Kaoru growled at them, irritated.

Soujiro's smile widened. "Stupid drunkards, sitting on a table, retarded perverts…" Soujiro began singing, beating his arms like a maestro as Kaoru and him continued walking.

Kaoru giggled.

The youngest of the men stood up, challenging Soujiro. His cheeks were red from too much alcohol and his white shirt was already stained. He hated being humiliated, especially in front of women. "Hey! Watch your mouth, kid!" He was saying, trying to let everyone hear.

The loud music stopped. The women stopped dancing erotically on the mini stages. Every one looked into their direction, excited of what will happen next.

"We're not here to quarrel, gentlemen." Soujiro said, closing his eyes in amusement. He opened one of the exit doors for Kaoru and motioned her to step out. The challenging man sat down once again on his chair with some encouragement from his companions to just let it pass.

Kaoru walked up the stairs as Soujiro followed close behind her after letting the door close by itself.

They found Misao and Yahiko at the top. "Man! What took you so long?" Yahiko asked the two of them, folding his arms across his chest.

"We had some… simple misunderstandings inside." Soujiro explained smilingly.

"Simple is right." Kaoru muttered, flipping her long black hair behind her back.

Misao had her back on the three of them and was standing two feet away from them. Kaoru approached her and placed a hand on her best friend's shoulder.

Then she gasped. Misao's shoulders were moving up and down unnoticeably; you can only feel it if you touched her shoulders. Misao's hair covered her face.

"Misao, are you okay?" Kaoru asked, peering intently into the younger girl's face.

Misao looked up into the older girl with a tear-stricken face. Kaoru's expression softened. She pulled the younger girl close to her and hugged her.

Passers-by began looking at them with this unusual look on their faces, probably wondering what family tragedy happened and if they'll be hearing about it in the TV.

"I can't… I don't want you to be… try not to be…" Tears were streaming down her cheeks slowly.

Yahiko looked down. Soujiro placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll try not to be. I won't go with dirty-looking men, Misao. I promise you that." Kaoru told her.

Misao broke away from her and wiped her tears away. "Really?"

"Yeah!" Kaoru responded energetically. "You know, I'm a good judge of character!"

Misao sighed heavily. "That's what I'm afraid about."

Kaoru frowned at her then laughed heartily.

Soujiro stepped forward. "Well, I better escort Kaoru and Yahiko back to their flat now. And after that I'll take you home, Misao. And then I'm gonna run to the station and finish some unfinished work." Then he froze. *Oops… bad choice of words… *

He turned his head slowly and looked at Misao. He smiled weakly. "Mi… sao…"

Misao was looking at him with this mischievous look on her face. "I just can't believe that I'd find out secrets that have been kept from me today. Don't you think so, Sou-chan?" She looked at him, eyes twinkling. "YOU'RE BUSTED! GET READY TO BE POUNCED UPON!"

"Oh boy!" Soujiro began running.

"Hey, come back here, Sou-chan! I won't eat you!" Misao ran after him.

Yahiko exhaled deeply. "Here we go! Wild goose chase, coming right up!" Yahiko hopped on his skateboard and skated after the cat and the mouse.

Kaoru chuckled. She began taking a few steps forward. Suddenly, she looked across the street.

She saw that same auburn-haired guy from the restaurant. He was leaning on a cement post, with one leg in front of the other one. He had his arms folded across his chest and he was looking at her intently.

Kaoru smiled at him. He smiled back. *What an adoring smile! * Kaoru thought. Her smile widened. Suddenly, the guy crossed the street. In a minute, he was right beside her. Kaoru's heart gave a leap. It began beating furiously.

The first thing she saw, aside from the red hair, was a cross-scar on his left cheek. She wanted to reach out and caress it. But she was just too embarrassed to do that… yet. This is, after all, just their second meeting.

"Hi." He greeted her.

"Hi." She responded.

"You have a friend in there?" He jerked his head down the stairs.

Kaoru looked down the stairs and stared at the red doors at the bottom. Then she looked at him. Her heart sank. "Excuse me?"

The man looked away. "Never mind… I was so insensitive to ask."

"I work in there." She answered abruptly… and bravely.

The man looked at her, eyes wide… with shock? He recovered quickly. "You still remember me?"

Kaoru chuckled. "Of course! I crashed into you at the restaurant." She replied, smiling at the thought.

"By the way, I'm Kenshin Himura." He reached his hand out to her.

"Kaoru Kamiya's my name." She answered, taking his hand and shaking it. Suddenly, the temperature became ninety-five degrees hot.

@@@

Electric jolts shot throughout Kenshin's body. He let go of her hand.

"Nice meeting you." He told her, grinning.

"Same here." She answered, smiling prettily.

His expression became serious. "So, who runs this place?" He asked casually.

*For a first formal meeting, he's quite straightforward; he makes known what really interests him. * Kaoru thought.

She smiled at him. "He's called Ryu Ban."

"Ryu Ban…" His eyes blazed with fury, just the way Sou-chan's eyes did when he saw Ryu. Then his expression softened. "Did you enter this club of your own free will, Ms. Kamiya?" He asked her, hoping that she won't think that he's prying into her private life… and getting a hold of her secrets.

Kaoru laughed pleasantly. "Well, I owe him a lot so I have to pay him back." She answered. She can't believe she was actually talking to this guy easily about everything. It's as if she had known him for… forever.

"I see…"

"Hey, Kaoru! Are you coming?" Yahiko shouted out to her. Soujiro, Misao and Yahiko were several feet away from her; with Misao suffocating Soujiro with both her arms around his neck and Yahiko was beating Soujiro with his skateboard.

"Coming!" She shouted back. "Mr. Himura, I've got to go now. Nice meeting you!"

He nodded at her.

Kaoru ran to catch up with her friends and they began walking slowly back home.

"Kaoru… Kamiya." He smiled gradually. *Hey wait a minute! That young man she's with! I think he's from the L.A.P.D.! * Kenshin turned around and began walking towards the police department. *I saw his picture once on some files I was looking into when we had background investigations on police officers in this area. * Kenshin furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. *Kaoru Kamiya… who are you really? *



TBC

Author's notes: Whew… *wipes sweat from forehead* Chapter III is finished. I had a very hard time typing this fic, you guys. I'm trying to please all of you; side; and I'm trying to make you guys understand the… er… plot. Anyway, thanks for those guys who reviewed. Tell me if you now understand what I'm writing about.

I think Kenshin knew lots of things in this fic… oh yeah! It's cuz he's from the FBI, stupid me! And I placed the first name first and last name last. I'm not using the Japanese way. They're in L.A., after all, ne?

Hey! I saw a close-up picture of Enishi the other day, and well, as I've read from Ms. Midori's bio, I agree with her that Enishi's kinda, well… gorgeous. Still… Kenshin rulez! Please review. Tell me what you think. School just started three days ago, so my stress level is still as high like before, no… double high as before. So because it's already school time, I won't be able to update as often as possible. Every other week, I guess. Anyway, aishiteru! Ganbarimasu!

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

lieveit1 '^-^'