Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews on the previous chapter…well just received a boo boo…(frowns). I felt bad about it and it affected the way I do my story. Well, here's the 17th chapter. Tell you guys, this story is about to end and another fanfic will enter…well…it will take a few months or weeks to post the other story. Still looking for a good title though…even though there is one already!
Disclaimer: I don't own RK and everything is part of the flow of the story! Hope you like it and I'm not comparing my story to the original RK series! Enjoy!
Chapter 17: The Letdown of the So-Called Runaway
A few minutes later, Nataku escorted me back to the house, since Kenshin didn't allow me to go there and he will be made at me if I did go there. I gave him a silent bow as he left. I looked up at the sky, it was noon…time does fly so fast.
Walking towards the entrance of the bungalow, I began to retrace what Nataku said. He told me that some men where looking for me and I was a bit scared on that at first. I finally reached the door, sliding it open and then entered. Kenshin was there, sitting near the lit fireplace, maybe waiting for me. He looked at me with those unexplainable eyes.
I approached him and then sat beside him, I could feel his eyes glued to my image. Glancing on the person I felt I loved, I planted a faint smile on my lips. "What did the kid say?" he asked calmly. I looked at him, eyes trying to catch his. "He said something…bad news." I answered. His facial expression changed, as if he wants to know more about what I am going to say. "The kid said that a few men were looking for me." I breathed out.
He then stood up, slipping his sword on his belt. I didn't look up, I feel that he's mad or something. He then slapped my head, making my head nod. I was astonished, what was that for?
"Hey!" I grumbled, massaging my head as I looked at him. "What was that for?"
"That was for your too much trust to that kid."
"You don't even know him."
"I don't but he knows you."
"Why? Do you know who's searching for me?"
"Let's say…us."
I made a face. What does he mean us? We just stayed here for a few days, did someone plant a grudge against us? He was way so weird. "What do you mean us?" I stood up, looking at him in the eye. "Do you mean...?"
"What I am thinking right now is that…it must be the Shinsen-gumi who was looking for you…or us."
"So what are we going to do?" I asked, feeling a bit scared, "Run away?"
Kenshin paused, he was thinking of what to say to me. Sure it is hard to think of a solution to solve a problem…especially when it is to come….maybe…
"I think we should go." He told me, "Let's go at night."
"Why at night? Why not now?"
"It is safer later on…that now."
I don't understand him. We should go now or else the Shinsen-gumi would arrive in a few minutes or maybe, they are outside…right now. I shook my head and then walked towards then bathroom, to take a bath. I should've gone to the bath early morning when I woke up.
Steam…
The bath reminded me of Kaoru and me talking while taking a bath. She told me everything…every secret she had kept from Kenshin and his comrades.
"Kenshin is always a grumpy person…" she commented.
"Yeah…how come?"
"I don't know but maybe because of the countless dead bodies he's seen…?"
I giggled, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Katsura-san told me that only one thing could take that grump feeling away from him."
I faced her, making a smile. "What is that?"
Pushing her head back, she smiled and then closed her eyes. "He needs someone to love, Tomoe."
I smirked at that…impossible…how could someone love him when he's so grumpy? "Katusra-san told me that maybe I could help him." Kaoru continued, scrubbing her legs, "Do you think I could?"
I pushed my head back, relaxing my whole body with the hot water around me. Closing my eyes, I smiled and then sighed. "Sure you could…if you tried…"
"Honto? Arigatoo…"
Arigatoo…
I felt sorry for her.
I felt guilty at the same time. Making love with the person she loved and stealing his heart wasn't the right thing. I even thought that it will be impossible to let some one love him…but here I am, with him…we even made love. I closed my eyes…I'm such a foolish person. Why did I do these things?
I got up and then took the towel that was hanging on a near by rack. I have to ask Kenshin something…something that might shock the both of us.
He was sitting there, watching the sunset go. How many hours have I spent in the bath by the way?
"Did you sleep in the bath?" he asked as I down beside me. I was wearing my kimono once more…it was supposed to be worn during the wedding of…but…it is needed. "No I wasn't." I told him.
"You were." He smiled. I watched him smile. I then rested my head on his shoulder, watching the sunset with him. He noticed that I fell silent, maybe he realized that I am going to tell him something. "Kenshin." I began. I'm trying to pronounce everything calmly as I could. "Did…did you fell inlove with me?"
He didn't make a move…
Not even a remark…or even batter of eyelashes…
"Gomen." I apologized, "It was just because of-"
"Forget it, Tomoe." He cut off my sentence. So I did, trying to put it off my mind but somehow, I feel some pain inside. It's like something's telling me that he doesn't love me and that he loves Kaoru…I don't understand my self quite clearly. Taking his hand, I opened it and then planted a few circles in his palm. "I'm sorry, Kenshin." I said again.
He didn't growl or tell me to shut up. He just sat there quietly, maybe something was in his mind that time. I could hear him breathe…smelling his sweet manly scent and the soft skin. How I wish that I could feel that feeling again…I began to feel hunger…hunger for him and his body…
But I couldn't let it out…things came in my mind when I just took a bath. First thing is that about what I said to Kaoru and what I kept on thinking that day. Another is…Akira. I feel that I have betrayed him and that I'm committing sin on his grave…toppling on it day by day. I then stood up; the feelings kept on haunting me. It's like I want to commit suicide and that they are telling me that I am guilty. But I am guilty…for stealing a loved one…
For making love to a man who is going to be a father in a few months…
For forgetting Akira months after he died…
For betraying Kaoru…
For lying on my tongue and that I kept on telling myself that what a jerk this man is…but then…I feel that I love him.
Kenshin looked at me, his purple eyes resting on my face…it was like snow flakes on my head. "What?" I asked. He then too stood up, dusting his hakama and then entered the house. "We must go now." He told me, his back was facing me. His features began to be serious after he said that sentence.
The bald headed kid walked his way home, entering the woods and looking at everything he stepped on. He kept on stepping with caution…increasing it as he took every step. The village was a few meters away, and he has to go home fast or else the moon would catch up on him.
Nataku was a bit worried…he was worried that the new friend would be hurt in someway or that maybe those guys he saw the other day would kill her. In a few words, he was scared.
He then heard a few footsteps…
The boy paused…
Looking around, fear rose to his head and he was pushed to go forward and run. So he did…
Taking every route he could so that he could go home…quick. But every step he took, the more rapid footsteps he heard. He could feel eyes everywhere, following him. Nataku then spotted a tree, it could be enough for him to hide, so there he hid himself. As he settled there in his hideout, he kept on panting, eyes wide open as if fear had already conquered his heart. He hugged his whole body, giving warmth and also comfort as he closed his eyes shut.
Silence filled the woods, it made an eerie noise that rang in his ears. He kept on thinking, where could that person be? Who could be following him? Uttering a small prayer, he started to cry. Tear after tears flowed down to his cheeks as he clenched his teeth in fear.
"So there you are…I kept on looking for you everywhere."
His eyes opened wide, staring at the forest floor. The voice came from above him, could it be possible that this person was the men that…? No! He shook his head in anger, no way that this person saw him in his hideout. The place was perfect, there was no way he could've seen the kid!
His heart beat went on faster as he slowly looked up. Tears and sweat was on his face, appeared as water drops on his skin. His eyes opened wider as he saw who was standing in front of him. "P-p-please…d-don't k-kill me-e…" he stuttered, his eyes looking straight at the smile of the boy on front of him. His stalker smiled, crouching to reach Nataku's eyes. "Don't worry I won't do harm." He said, "I just want to know something."
The sunset had turned night and we were off to go. I don't know where we will go but I hope it's someplace safer. We walked, towards the woods. I took Kenshin's hand and happily, he didn't make another mocking or curt remark. He made my hand stay just there…maybe because of our appearances as couple? I don't know and I wish to forget it…as in…really.
Walking in the woods, silence was in the forest. I began to feel a bit scared. I wasn't that used to the dark actually…not all the time. The silence irritated me so I decided to break it intentionally.
"Where are we going?" I asked, trying to catch a topic to create a few noise. But he didn't go on with the fun I was planning, he just ignored me and then kept on pulling me close to him. Weird…
Suddenly, we heard a scream, which sounds familiar to me. It caught both our attention and it hauled Kenshin to run towards the scream. I couldn't catch up with Kenshin's fast footsteps so I tripped. Moaning in pain, he ignored my newly grazed knee and instead just lifted me as he continued his run. What a nice person he could be…only when in a hurry.
We finally reached a spot that shows the full moon. Maybe a circle in the center of the woods made by moon's light. Kenshin settled me down to the floor, making me stand up. I was about to ask him something but then he silence me with a finger to my lips. I shook that finger off me and then searched for anything that looked suspicious. Suddenly, a man stepped out of the darkness, carrying a kid in his arms. I recognized the kid quickly…
"Nataku!" I shouted. The man smirked, I gave him a death glare…but there was no effect in there. The man was wearing like some kind of uniform and his hair was in a high ponytail, just like Kenshin's. Kenshin blocked my way, he knew that I was to go forward and approach the man to get the boy. I looked at him and saw his eyes…back to his deadly eyes…I want that off him.
"Shinsen Gumi, Hajime Saitoh." He spoke. I was a bit shocked, how come he knows this guy? Enemy…
"Ah, the great Hitokiri Battousai." The man smirked. Settling the unconscious Nataku down on the forest floor, I wish to go forward but Kenshin's arm was still in the way. "If you don't want to get hurt then go back." Kenshin told me seriously. I feel somewhat different towards him, like there was something evil inside him that has come back.
I did as told, keeping an eye on Nataku as I took a few steps backwards. Kenshin was still standing there, placing his arm on his side as the man stepped forward. The two stroke a pose, getting ready for battle. The first to attack was that Hajime guy, attacking with sword in front of him. Kenshin evaded that attack easily and with the rest of the scene, I didn't look. They are both like wolves attacking each other so fast. Something entered my mind…Nataku.
I looked at his sleeping figure and then tried to approach him, without disturbing the two's fight. As I went nearer, my sight changed Nataku' image…Enishi.
A few step closer, Nataku's head was on my foot, then I bended to take his head and craddle it on my arms. By the looks of it, he was punched in the stomach since he was clutching the painful part as he slept. I stroked his forehead, wishing it was Enishi who was there. How I missed my dear brother so much…
I then heard a moan.
It wasn't from Nataku or from somewhere in the woods. Looking behind me, I saw Kenshin was on the floor, trying to stop his bleeding shoulder. That Hajime Saitoh must be a good swordsman. I settled Nataku's head back to the forest floor, then I stood up, facing all the fears I received from the picture I could see right now. "Hey!" I shouted, "You think you're so good?"
Saitoh looked at me, his eyes were yellow…just like Kenshin's. The differences from their glares are that this man's glare is like a wolf…unlike Kenshin's…which I see as a samurai or something like that.
He took a step forward, he thinks he could scare me! But I really do feel scared, I just don't want him to see the that I really am. I didn't step backward, showing him that I have no fear to face him. "You have the most ignoring features and your smirk is disgusting!" I commented once more.
Before I could batter an eyelash, his figure came close to me in an instant, which made me fall to the floor. He glared at me, fists a bit balled up and his scary image howling over me. My eyes stared at him, there, wide opened and felt scared. He did not make a comment nor did he lift me up by my clothes. He just stood there, maybe hoping to scare me to death.
"Shit."
I heard those words…Kenshin! Looking ahead of Saitoh, I see him trying to stand. He's keeping his balance on his sword and he looks fine and well…hurt. "Don't you dare hurt her…" he groaned, finally standing up. Saitoh looked back , glaring at Kenshin like Jason X or something.
"Really?" Saitoh smirked, raising an arm. "Don't worry, I won't hurt her…I'll do it on someone else."
"Kenshin! Don't listen to that pervert!" the voice was feminine. "Oneisan!" and that…was so familiar.
"Kamiya-san!" Kenshin shouted, one of his eye was bruised. He was peeping with only one eye, searching for Kaoru. I stood up, and then searched for Kaoru and the familiar voice…
Then finally, someone stepped out of the darkness. My eyes widened on what I saw..
There, standing, two person who gave me happiness…but different from what Kenshin gave. Everything went into slow motion…tears flowed down from my eyes as I reached for the person I've always wanted to see after those days…
"Enishi!"
to be continued! Hehe! Two more chapter maybe and this is finished!
