Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is copyright of it's own respected owners. I am merely a fan.
The Fire within Ice
Chapter 3: Sad Confession
The moon had a tint of red to it's usual bright glow. Everything seemed quiet for almost all were asleep. Inside a small little room near a broken down dojo, three men held their own conversations. All of them seemed young, probably in their mid to early 20's. "They even have that silly little mark on their hands." Saitou whispered to himself, watching with no doubt some of the lower class fighters of Ginta Osada. "Nothing but fools." He sighed and listened to their conversation.
"...maybe. At first I thought the leader of the group was dead."
"The Oniwaban group are not so easy to get rid of you idiot. I doubt any of them would get themselves killed."
"I don't know if the former leader is dead, but I do know that they have a new leader." The man gave a slight chuckle, amusing himself with his plain knowledge. "I heard the master say it himself. The leader of the Oniwaban group is just a young girl."
"So that's who the master Osada wants Jin's group to capture, right?"
"Yeah, I guess so. I don't get why he wants Jin to do it. We can fight just as good as that bastard!" Taking a cup of Saki, he poured the drink down his throat.
"But why would Osada want an Oniwaban bitch anyway. Who cares if she's the leader, why doesn't he just kill her? I'm pretty sure there are no shortage of whores in Tokyo."
"How should I know? We should go anyway." The man slowly got up, but within a moment he fell back down, blood pouring on the ground. The other men gasped, getting up from ground quickly. The second man was killed before he could take out his sword.
"who-who are you?" The third man mumbled in fright.
"Just the wolf of Mibuu." Saitou said, cutting the man neck and walking away. "These fools are no use. So Osada is interested in the Oniwaban? And I wonder who is this Jin... Should I other to inform them? No, off course not. I don't want to loose all my amusing fun." With that last though, he took out a small piece of fabric and wiped the blood from his sword.
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Misao grabbed the tray of tea for Aoshi and started heading for temple. It seemed like she had been doing this for years daily rather than few weeks. And she had noticed, every time after their 'shared' training session, he had avoided her more. She wasn't sure what was wrong, but she was determined to ask. Her sprit slightly lifter, she stopped behind the temple door, putting down the tray to knock before entering. She heard him say come in, so she did. Giving him a small cup, she gave her traditional smile.
He nodded his head for thank you. He looked up at her face, feeling better seeing her smile. He loved her smile. "How are you Misao?" He said in his usual clam tone, looking into her blue eyes.
"Arigato Aoshi-sama, I'm fine."
He noticed there was something bothering her. She seemed hesitated and her cheeks a little red. She kept playing with the sleeve of her light yellow kimono with her eyes looking on the ground. "Is there something you want to ask me Misao?"
"Hai" How could he read her so easily and yet she could never tell what was going on under that calm facade of his? "I wanted to ask you why you have been avoiding me lately."
Aoshi was suddenly shocked, so much so that even Misao noticed, making her wonder what had happened to the invisible mask. He wasn't sure how to answer her. What could he possibly tell her? How could he tell her she was taking over his mind with every action? He couldn't manage one work, so he kept silent. He kept his secret.
"Is it because I didn't listen to your wish to marry?" She said, shaking slightly.
"No Misao. It wasn't my wish for you to marry. Don't be so foolish."
"Oh yes, it was my fathers then. But it doesn't matter. i don't care whose wish it was because I will never marry." She paused, blinking and letting the trapped tears leave her eyes like falling pearls. She would never marry, for how could she marry...how could she when she loved him. "So please, please tell me why? Because I feel like I'm never doing anything right." She took his hand, feeling him shiver at the contact. "why...what is wrong with me?" She whispered the last words.
Aoshi felt like his guard was broken. He felt like he was being taken in by her gravity. Why did she have to cry? She didn't deserve her love. Bringing his hand to her face, he wiped the tears gently from her beautiful face. She was like a delicate flower, and he felt like he was hurting her roots...and he hated himself for it. "I'm sorry Misao. When I came back and saw you, I had to tell you your fathers wish. The idea of your marriage was never really in my thoughts since you were always like a young flower to me."
"You don't understand!" She shook her head, letting the warm feeling of his hand against her face leave even though she enjoyed it. "I am not a child anymore Aoshi-sama. Is that why my marriage seems wrong to you? because I am some child. Well I am not some little flower. The reason I will not marry has nothing to do with me being some child, it is because I am a grown woman who can make her own decisions." She brought her hands to her face, trying to cover her crying face, not wanting him to see her so vulnerable.
"I do not think of you as a child Misao." He had raised his voice, taking her wrist in his hand and pulling her to himself. Their faces were merely inches apart as he whispered to her. "I might have at a time, but I do not. So do not misunderstand me."
"oh Aoshi" She whispered, leaving the formality behind as more tears went down her face. She looked into his ice blue eyes, and at that moment she wanted to throw herself at him and beg him to understand her. She wanted him to hold her and never let her go. She wanted him to love her in return. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, for woman or child, I love you, and it hurts so much when you don't realize it at all." And with that, she ran out of the the temple before he could even comprehend her words completely.
She loved him. He had always known she cared for him as a child would her guardian. He knew she respected him as a former leader. H even knew she looked up to him as a mentor. But did she really love him in that way? In that intimate sense a woman loved a man? I love you, and it hurts so much when you don't realize it at all. Had he been blind for so long...so long that he didn't notice her feeling. And now he had hurt her, hurt her by not avoiding her, lieing to her...and it was because he had been too scared to tell her the complete news of her fathers message...because he was in denial of his emotions towards her.
Love. The word was like a strange mystery that scared him. It was unfamiliar. And yet he felt like he had been acquainted with it for eternity the moment he though of Misao. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to explain everything. But she had ran out of the door, broken hearted, and all because of him. Him and his foolish restraints.
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"Soon Jin. Just send out a few of your amatures to check things out. I want to know how well protected these Oniwaban are."
"Yes Master Osada." Jin said in understanding. "My men are already ready, i will make the command immediately."
"Good.I have to deal with this family debt after all. You can just call it vengeance. I'm sure my dear brother will turn in his grave." Osada started laughing as he waved his hand for Jin to leave. "yes, lets see what these Oniwaban group can do. After all, Aoshi Shinimori was once their leader."
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****Sorry for taking a long time to update, but I had a lot of things going on. I hope you all enjoyed chapter 3. Thanks again and again for all the great reviews. I'll try to get chapter 4 out within a week.. ~Lia (lostheart)