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The Tale of A Proper Marriage : Chapter 16
by white seraph
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sorry dudes, I didn't know what went wong…I resaved it again, hopefully it

ll work this time! :D

WARNING: NOT FOR TK FANS (sorry dudettes don't' flame me, I tried my best .)

Kenshin walked boldly across the garden, to the backyard where the carriages were parked, and ordered the couch to take him to the city centre. The poor man was caught in the dilemma of listening to his young master, or carry out the orders his mistress previously made. Finally, he decided, that since the lady had only give him the orders quite a while ago, he thought the validity of his master's current order outweighed the mistress'.

Once the carriage got to the main street, it slowed down as usual, since people often crowded the streets at this time of the day. Looking through the window, he swept his gaze across the streets, and sighed. It's going to take forever for the carriage to get through that crowd.

"Actually, hey, just drop me off here, I'll probably get there sooner by my own feet" Kenshin told the coachman at the front, and without waiting for his response, he hopped off the carriage.

Wanting to get himself away from the busy crowd of people, he went into the nearest tea house that was on the main street, and just opposite to where he got off.

As soon as he entered, the effusive ladies came to serve him, it was a rather busy day, and the house was quite full. "I'm sorry sir, but the house is full, you will have to wait here for a moment." The lady returned after circling around the house came back and told him.

And of course, Kenshin being Kenshin, was not the type who would stand there like a nobody waiting for people to finish. "Alright then." He turned, and was about to leave when suddenly he heard a voice calling his name.

How very unfortunate. It was Kaoru's brother.

"Hey come take a seat with us, you seem quite lonely standing over there all by yourself!" Sanosuke beckoned for him to go over to him.

Well. Kenshin did want to decline his offer, but then again, he was, kind of bored, and didn't really want to go back out to the crowded streets wandering, so why not join them? Because he's annoying and you don't know his friends….

He stood there thinking of the reasons why he should or shouldn't stay, and finally after a while, he decided it was best to stay, after all, he had nothing else better to do.

Sanosuke gave him a wide grin, "My future brother in law" He told his friends as Kenshin took a seat. There were three men whom he did not know sitting with him. They haven't called for any women yet.

"So, how's everything going?" Sanosuke asked casually. He hadn't known the man for long, but being the socialable, out going sanosuke he is, quickly, he formed acted as if he's known him for years. "You're marrying my sister in a month and you still come to these places? Man I feel sorry for her" He laughed and grabbed some food on the table.

"I feel sorry for myself for having to put up with her" He retorted ignoring the other men who nodded, acknowledging his presence when he first came, but resumed to their own conversations already.

Sanosuke laughed more at Kenshin's crude comment. "That's true, that's true, but don't' worry, you won't die, I've been living with her for seventeen years, and you can too". The young man obviously didn't seem to understand Kenshin's meaning, and took it as a light joke.

"So, why aren't there any women serving us here?" Kenshin asked naturally, dismissing the previous subject completely.

"Don't you care if I'll tell my sister about your 'outings'?" the taller man asked, smiling. It was fun to tease this man about Kaoru, the more uncomfortable he felt about it, the more Sanosuke said.

"I would care more about my neighbor's western dog than that wench" He replied bitterly as the scene where Kaoru was embracing his cousin replayed in his head.

"Ouch" Sanosuke snickered. "So did she do to earn herself that? Unwilling in bed?" He tried to smooth the conversation out, after all, Kaoru was, his sister, and no matter how annoying, nasty or bitchy she can be, she was his sister, and he felt it was his duty to defend her.

Kenshin snorted, unwilling in bed? In bed at all? Dude, where did this come from? "I don't even want to bed with her" His lips seemed to be working against his mind, but when was it a forbidden to lie? How many times during the nights she stayed, within hand reach in his room had he denied himself of her? Every night. If she wasn't such a spunk, such an obnoxious, fake bitch, he was sure she'd make a perfect wife. For him at least.

"Who did you bed with?!" Another of Sanosuke's friends suddenly butt in to their conversation, suddenly very interested in what they were talking about.

"My sister" Sanosuke told his friend briefly, before turning his attention back to Kenshin, eager to win her sister back some dignity.

"Which sister? Old one, fat one, or pretty one?" His friend asked cryptically before Sanosuke could open his mouth to speak. Obviously they had had a conversation about his sister before.

Sanosuke rolled his eyes, slightly annoyed. "Pretty one" He replied, not caring to elaborate, and turned back to kenshin. "Kaoru isn't really as-" He never got to finish his sentence, thanks to his friend, who very rudely, spoke his mind again."

"Whoa, you slept with Sano's pretty sister?!" The man seemed very impressed, but he didn't know his words were only fueling Kenshin's ego more.

Although Kaoru may be obnoxious, fake, and stupid, and ignorant….but the fact that people thought she was pretty did make him feel a little proud to have her as his fiancé. "No, she is my fiancé, but we have not done anything close to intimate yet" He replied rather politely, after all, he was a stranger, and he felt it was best to maintain the distance.

"Ooh." The man nodded understandingly. "What a shame" He added finally, before turning himself back to the other group, leaving the two men alone in a rather awkward position.

"So why are you here anyway?" Sanosuke asked, not wanting to dwell on the previous subject.

"To be honest," Or maybe not so honest he thought inwardly, "I only came because I was bored" Of course he wouldn't dare to tell him he was jealous because his fiancé is having an affair with his cousin, for the sake of his reputation and pride. "Well, aren't you going to call for some women?" He asked expectantly.

"Oh, no, I just came for lunch" Sanosuke said, stretching his neck to see the scene outside the windows. "Actually, I think it's getting rather late, I've been sitting here longer than I have expected, and should be going now." He pulled himself up, grabbed his jacket, ready too go.

"You leaving so early?" The same friend before asked Sanosuke.

He turned his head to the walls briefly, indicating the large menu hung there. "It's not early, look, even the afternoon tea menu is up" He turned to the redhead. "Hey, you staying here?"

Kenshin scanned across the table, there really wasn't a point in staying when he didn't know anyone there. "No, where are you going?" He asked, putting his sandals on.

The tall man smiled, as if hiding some unknown secret. "My shrine" He said metaphorically, giving Kenshin a wink. "Would you like to come with me?"

Now, he obviously thought Sanosuke was like him, and enjoyed the company of women as much as he did, despite how he denies it. "Ah, I think I know what you mean," He smiled knowingly "You didn't seem like the kind, but I guess we're all like that deep down under."

"Yeah, but there's no fun unless you're good at it." Sanosuke sighed, shaking his head, he obviously was not good at whatever he was talking about. He walked down the street that seemed less empty now, eager to get to the place.

Kenshin quickly caught up with him "I understand what you mean, gladly, I'm very good at it" He replied with an arrogant smile, still believing they were talking about women.

So it's not hard to imagine the surprise and, may I say, disappointment on his face, when Sanosuke stopped at the large place, with a big board on the top saying "The Gamble Club" "Wait, you mean…this is your so called shrine?" Kenshin stared at the board blankly.

"Why, yes of course, what else could it be?" Sanosuke replied as if his comment was absolutely absurd and weird.

Kenshin rolled his eyes and was about to tell him he wanted too leave, when he was suddenly pulled into the shop. "Oh no, I don't gamble" He tried to tell Sanosuke, but it was too late.

"Don't worry, just sit and watch me play" He said reassuringly, the game had started, two die was thrown into a white porcelain bowl, and quickly flipped so it was facing down, covering the number on the top. [I think this game was in  the RK series….:x]

Everyone started to put their money on the numbers they thought would be on the die, and Sanosuke, like the others, made a random guess, and put his five yen bill on the 3&4 box.

"It's a double five" Kenshin said blankly, this was not a place for him, and he was really bored.

"What?" Sanosuke took his five yen bill back, "double five?" He asked, and put the bill on the 5/5 box. There was fat chance that he'd guess right anyway, why not let him try? Perhaps he'd learn to love gambling as much as he did!

Once everybody put their bets down, the person took the white bowl away, and underneath, the two die were indeed, 5/5. "Whoa yeah!" Sanosuke cried happily, as he claimed all the money on the table. "How did you know?" He silently whispered into Kenshin's ears, wanting to learn the trick so he'd win the next time too.

"It's something you'll never learn" Kenshin replied arrogantly, before taking is seat, ready for the second round. There wasn't much to do here, the games were all too childish and easy for him.

* * * * * *

Sanosuke was very grateful to his future brother in law, with his unknown tricks, he had helped him win nearly every round there, and it wasn't until the owner of the shop had them pushed aggressively out of the club that they were willing to leave, and to thank Kenshin, Sanosuke took him to a very prestigious restaurant nearby for an extra late dinner, however, not long after wards, it was proved disastrous.

A man that Sanosuke did not recognize the man, but he had the strangest white hair, and the weirdest accent had barged into the restaurant, and as soon as his eyes met Kenshin's he rushed up to him like he just saw his worst enemy, and punched the young man right in the face. Obviously, they had some grudge against each other that Sanosuke did not understand, so he only stood up and prepared to defend his friend.

But before he even managed to get around the table to Kenshin's side, he already returned the hit, with a punch straight into the man's stomach. Sanosuke was rather surprised at the strength this man possessed, he was quite clearly, stronger than he looked. Much stronger. He felt rather vulnerable at the fact that he once thought he was a weak feminine looking womanizer. Apparently he thought wrong.

"You lied to my sister." The white haired man said, pinning him against the floor, he didn't care if anyone saw them, his anger was unleashed at the sight of this man, this man, who toyed, and then tore his sister's heart like some worthless good.

Kenshin wriggled out of his grip, and kicked him away from him. "I didn't lie, she was the one willing to sleep with me" He explained calmly, knowing in a situation like such, it was always best to act calm and mature.

"She was willing because you promised you'd marry her!" He yelled aggressively, and then wiped the blood form his forehead. "You promised… "

"I never promised anything! Tomoe only assumed so. From the very beginning, I already made it clear that the relationship will not get any further than the illicit affair it was." Kenshin breathed hard, feeling blood trickle down his temple.

The man remained silent, weather he was recovering from the blows, or had nothing to say was unknown, but Kenshin took it the latter, and continued "Next time, make sure you get things clear before you deal with me" He said dangerously, and without another word, left the resturant, with everyone staring at the remaining scene.

* * * * * *

By the time he got home, Kenshin was so tired, the pains felt more like numbness, and the wet blood dried, staining his skin like thick paint mixed with sweat, but no one was awake to look to him, or at least, he tried not to wake anyone.

Slipping in quietly from the backdoor, he made the guards would miss him, after entering the house safely, he tip toed to his study room and slumped on the floor, staring at the ceiling. Breathing hard, he tried to relieve his splitting headache by closing his eyes. Perhaps he was too tired , Kenshin was unaware that he had not closed the door, and it wasn't until he heard a soft whisper from the doorway that he regret his laziness.

Shit, he thought inwardly. It was Kaoru.

Continue? Nah sorry I didn't know it would take so long . nvm we'll get to more K/K next chapter I promise!! And I'm already starting to write it now! See how diligent I am!

A/N!!: I have made this mailing list, which applies for all my stories. If ou wanan join, drop me a mail in a review aiight? :D mwah