Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin and its character.
A/N: Hello! We meet again! Thank you so much for all the Reviews. Really do appreciate them.
I'd like to thank Howard once again for editing this chapter for me. All right. The story format is as usual that is
"SPEECH" & -THOUGHTS-
Couple Crisis
Chapter 17
Sanosuke clapped, dance, whooped and cheer along with all the people that were crowding in the hall. Damn it if this wasn't the best concert he had been to in years. Even Megumi seemed to be enjoying herself. While Misao looked as if she was having some major hysteric fits, causing Aoshi to keep an eye on her most of the time. The cheering in the hall thinned as the singer disappears from the stage.
Tapping his feet, Sano waited patiently for the second half of the show to begin. It was a good thing that they insert a five minutes break or else, most of the girls there would be facing a major sore throat by tomorrow morning. Excited chatters now replace the cheers and screams of earlier. Sanosuke tap his foot again looking around at his friends. For some reason he started to think that it's getting abit too long for a break. Turning around he saw Aoshi who was seated a seat away from him, looking around seriously as well. That second, a person appeared on the stage, but to everyone's disappointment it wasn't their idol.
Sano gaped at the girl who was standing awkwardly on the stage a microphone in her hand.
"What is she doing?" Sano muttered gluing his eye onto her.
Aoshi's brows furrow together iritatingly. While both Megumi and Misao had stopped their conversation to listen as well.
"Um Hello everyone. I'm very sorry to say that er…Himura san is er not well and could not continue with this show. Sorry once again." And she seemed to run off down the stage. A loud murmur of disappointment and complaint filled the air.
Sano glanced at his friends. From the look on everyone's face knew that there's no way that Kenshin would be sick. The guy was always fit.
Aoshi was the first to stand up. "I'm going to the backstage."
The two girls nodded and made after the iceman. Sanosuke also jumped up and followed the group. Something deep inside tells him that this isn't just some type of an accident. Someone had always wanted to ruin Kenshin's life. Sano racked his brain and to his utter dismay a name popped into his head.
-Enishi.- As soon as that thought plagued this mind he quicken his pace to the backstage.
At the VIP box, Shishio was stammering around in fury. "What on earth was that all about?!! Where's Himura?! Someone go get Seta Soujirou. Hurry up. I need to talk to him this instant!!" He practically shouted. Yumi had fervently started to call up all the organizers who were responsible for show. But to no avail. All she got was the annoying automatic answering message.
Most of the VIP guest as soon as they heard Tomoe's speech, had fastly dispersed. Some shaking their head in disappointment. Afew of them look as if they would have patted Shishio's shoulder in sympathy if the guy hadn't look as if he'd bite everyone who dare come near him. The only one left in the room apart from Shishio and Yumi was Hiko. He on the other hand had a bemused expression on his face, which made Shishio fumed.
"What is so funny Hiko san? Your nephew really had ruin everything tonight!"
Hiko shrugged nonchalantly back. "Nothing's funny. But I thought you'd know my stupid nephew's personality by now…"
"Yes. I happen to know that he is very irresponsible." Shishio raged.
"I agree with you on that." Hiko nodded but his eyes burned fiercely at the other guy.
Shishio felt the sudden shift of ki in the room and felt himself tremble slightly. He surely didn't want to get on the wrong side of Hiko, the guy who was known to be quite powerful in the business world.
"But seeing you so upset. How about I pay half of what you put in for this show." The older guy said lightly.
Shishio's expression cleared up instantly. "That would be a very reasonable arrangement, Hiko san. But I think I won't be able to keep Himura as an artist in my company any longer. I hope you'd understand."
Hiko raised an eyebrow amusingly. "Very well. My nephew will no longer be working for your company." A light twinkle appeared into the guy's eyes. "--But if he wishes to continue with his singing career, he will be with my company instead."
Scoffing lightly the older man continue to sit there.
Shishio's face scrunched up hideously and stormed out of the room with Yumi at his heels.
Hiko shook his head and heaved a sigh. After awhile the door of the room creaked open once again. The man didn't need to turn around to know who it was. A man walked slowly to him and bend down to whisper something into his ear. Hiko turn to take a closer look at his assistant, an interested expression on his face. "Really?…Hmm This is getting interesting. See if you can find out anymore." He ordered and sat back on his chair. –This sure is interesting.-
-""-
Kenshin gripped harder onto the steering wheel. He knew he had left halfway through his own show. But how could he possibly care, when he had more important thing to think about. He was angry, no he was furious. Not at anyone but at himself. He had always thought that Kaoru would always be there waiting for him. So in the past few weeks he had completely thrown himself to work. But from all that he had given Enishi the chance to step in and meddle with his life. One look at Kaoru's face and he knew that Enishi had force that ring onto her. Her eyes had always tell him what he wanted to know. And one look into those amazing orbs of her's told him everything he needed to know.
It still shown so much love, unselfish love that he had been searching for all his life.
Kenshin swear to himself that moment, he would never let this girl go, even if it meant his life. He would get her back from Enishi, no matter what. He knew what Enishi had been threatening Kaoru with…him..his life. And that angers him more. For now he needed to get away. As far away as possible to think of a way to get back at that insane guy. He drove faster in order to get back to his apartment as fast as possible.
-""-
Soujirou swore lightly as he swerved his own car into the now familiar parking space of Kenshin's apartment building. Surely he was just a step behind Kenshin, or atleast he thought so. But once he was on the road…well it wasn't very hard to tell who was the better driver. For a brief moment he had caught sight of the redheaded idol's car but with another blink it was already gone.
Soujirou didn't know why he had to come after his boss/friend. But it seemed the only action that made sense to him at the moment. Praying that Kenshin had returned to the apartment, Soujirou hurriedly ran into the building at a startling speed causing the people in the lobby to stare at him in total disapprovement. Silently he thanked the elevator as it slides open invitingly for him as soon as soon as he reaches it. The young manager felt like an every minute snailed by when the elevator finally open up again to reveal the door to Kenshin's room stood ajar only afew metres away. Soujirou leapt out of the elevator and prance into the room that seemed to be hidden in total darkness.
For someone who wasn't accustomed to darkness, Soujirou's eyesight adjusted itself exceptionally well. He had no trouble wandering around in the dimness of the room. His sensitive ears picked up some rummaging sound coming from somewhere to his left, without hesitation he let his legs move towards the direction of the sound.
He found Kenshin busily rummaging through the wardrobe in total darkness. Sighing in relieve that finally caught up with the redhead, he turn and threw on the light. Blinking at the now warmly lit room. As soon as his eyes get used to the light, he had to gasp at what he saw.
It looked like he had stepped into the middle of a hurricane or something similar. Clothes were strewn all over the place. Taking another sweeping glance at the surrounding, Soujirou asked confusedly. "What happen here? Kenshin, what are you doing..?"
The younger man watched dumbfounded as his friend continues to rummage through the overflowing wardrobe completely ignoring him.
Kenshin stuff some more clothes into a bag, before zipping it. Soujirou stared transfixed at his friend's action, before his eyes finally landed on the thing that was laid next to the bag. He let out another gasp at the recognition of it. His eyes widened in alarm at the same moment
Kenshin hurled the bag over his shoulder and picked up the thing.
"What are you doing…?" He repeated this time abit more urgently only to be ignored once again. Before he knew it Kenshin was already walking towards the front door. With his own amazing speed he caught Kenshin by the arm.
"Where are you going? And why are you taking your Sakabatou?" He asked his voice full of concern and confusion.
Kenshin turned slowly to meet Soujirou's eyes with startling amber colored orbs that glimmers dangerously. "Let go of my arm, Seta." His voice coming out no more than a deadly whisper.
"I won't, until you tell me where you're going with that Sakabatou." Soujirou replied firmly.
Kenshin's eyes narrowed but then a smirk crept onto his face. "Says who that I'm taking the Sakabatou?"
Soujirou felt the chill of Kenshin's voice creeping down to the marrow of his bone but he still had his hand firmly clasp onto the idol's upper arm. He continues to look straight into his friend's eyes without fear. Ofcourse he had known about Kenshin's reputation about all the sword skill but he too was also skilled in that field.
Kenshin jerked his arm out of Soujirou's clutch only to be snatch back into another tighter clutch.
With another swift movement Kenshin got himself out of his manager's grasp and using his god like speed he unsheathed his katana and point it straight at Soujirou's throat. "No more nonsense, Seta. Another step and you're dead."
Soujirou sighed deeply and took a step back his brows furrowed with frustration. "Fine..Do whatever you want."
Kenshin scoffed sheathing his katana and turn swiftly away towards the elevator. But the younger man's voice filled the air once again. "But Kenshin. I'm still your friend..atleast keep that in mind."
Kenshin turned once again to meet his manager's face. His eyes soften at those words. "If you're really my friend…take care of Miss Kaoru for me." Was all he said before he disappeared into the elevator.
Soujirou heaved a sigh, knowing that it was no use following the idol any further. There's only so little he could do. He took another glance into the apartment and rolled his eyes. "Well looks like I'm the one left to clean up the mess again." He muttered lightly making his way back into the turned over apartment.
-""-
Misao shift uncomfortably on her seat. They have been on the road for some times now and all she got from her boyfriend was total silence. "I really wonder where Kenshin went. Do you think Seta san will catch up with him?" She tried to come up with some kind of a conversation. The way he kept quiet and look deep in thought made Misao felt nervous somehow. As if he's angry with her for some reason. "Aoshi..are you angry at me?" She whispers a slight quiver in her voice.
Piercing blue eyes instantly turn to focus on the young girl's face. "No…I'm not angry at you, Misao."
Misao studied his face and nodded. "Okay. Then why do you look so troubled?"
Heaving a sigh he stare out into the darkness outside. "I didn't like how things turned out. There's just something amiss. But I couldn't make out what it is."
The young girl fumed up silently. "The whole trouble came from that Enishi guy. I can just tell that. What does he have against Himura all that much."
Aoshi heaved another sigh and turn to look sympathetically at his girlfriend. "You don't know Enishi the way I do. The Enishi I know is…well..he's not the type to…" He trailed.
"He's not the type to what?" Misao asked fully interested.
"Nothing…just forget it." And the car was plunged into total silence once again.
-""-
Tomoe stepped out from one of the guest bedroom and silently close the door. All the way home, things had been very awkward. With Enishi sitting like a statue and Kaoru gazing blankly off into nowhere. Once they had reached home she had escorted Kaoru to a guest bedroom and had tried to ask her what it is all about but to no avail. The girl just shook her head and stares blankly into space.
Tomoe shook her head and strode down the stairs. She found her brother lounging on his usual chair in the living room. "Enishi! You tell me now! What is all this. You and Kaoru, engaged? How did that happen?!"
Enishi shrugged lightly. "We're meant to be. Mother arranged it. Don't you remember?"
"What? Mother but…" Tomoe look suspiciously at her brother and then it hitted her. Never once had she thought that Kaoru would be the same girl that her mother had been so fond of.
She clapped her hand to her forehead in sheer annoyance. "But still! She's going out with
Kenshin!"
Enishi just stare back at his sister blankly and smile lightly. "Well…I guess, girls are…hard to understand. One minute she's going out with Himura and the next she thought being engage to me is better." He answered chuckling.
But his sister found it anything but funny. She gave him another skeptical look, which he immediately returns.
"Hey..don't look at me like that…I'm as sane as anyone can be."
Tomoe look at her brother's smiling face and shook her head. "There's something behind all this. You wait until I know what it is. And then..!" She trailed as she stalked away leaving her brother to laugh mirthly in triumph.
-""-
Kaoru sat on the edge of the bed staring into the emptiness of the room. Her eyes still swollen from crying earlier. Her mind kept spinning uncontrollably. It simply refuses to concentrate on any particular subject. The scene from earlier that evening, keeps replaying over and over in her head. One moment she was still standing beside Enishi, staring into the burning amber orbs of Kenshin. And the next moment she found herself in his warm embrace. What stunned her even more, were the words that he had whispered into her ear. Soothing and calm it might be but it was also tinged with a deadly tone she was so unaccustomed with. 'I promise, I'll never let you go.'
Those words somehow gave her a strange chill down her spine. As if the person who had uttered that sentence wasn't the Kenshin she had known. He was darker, and more dangerous than the easy- going, kind and gentle Kenshin she had grown to love so dearly. And that scared her. To see that sudden change in his personality and all of that plainly because of her…
Kaoru sighed darkly and rake away the hair that was covering her eyes. Her mind repeating
Kenshin's word. Even through all this, there's one thing she cannot deny..she was his and he would never let her go… and to that extent she could be sure of. But what is she suppose to do next….?
A/N: Hehehe…what do you think? Good? Bad? So-so? Do leave your comments please! And if there's any question…don't hesitate to ask! Goodluck see you in the next chapter!!
