Dilemma Chapter 4: Truth During The Bath

Shin had sighted Kenshin's disappearance into the bath from a fair distance, though knowing it would not be unbeknownst to the shorter man. Shin sighed. Now was the time, before any courage or impetus was lost. He made his way to Kaoru's room.

"Kamiya-san. May I come in?" It was said with complete calmness.

Unheard was a questioning pause from the opposite side of the shoji. A moment later however, the wood and paper door was timidly pushed aside by the young woman's hands.

"Shin-san, what is it?"

"May I talk to you about something?"

"Not if it's another discussion about Kenshin." Kaoru's tone was almost acetic; it surprised even herself a little.

Shin ignored the reply and virtually forced his path into the room. Kaoru stood aside and stared, a trifle offended by his actions. Shin took seat, his back closely facing the shoji. With rising anger as well as curiosity, Kaoru followed suit, facing Shin a few feet away. She did not bother to inquire about the subject matter on this occasion; she waited expectantly for Shin to introduce her to it.

"Kamiya-san." Shin began after a few moments. "Do you know how your father died?"

Well, she wasn't expecting that.

"He was killed in the Bakumatsu. Aren't you the one who told us?" Kaoru was puzzled now; she hadn't a clue where this was leading.

"Yes... But do you know *how* he died?" It was supposedly a different question this time around.

"No. Should I want to know? Did you come in here to tell me how my father died, in step-by-step, scene-by-scene detail?" This conversation was fast becoming as distasteful as the previous one that day.

"He was murdered by Battousai."

Silence.

To Kaoru, seemingly forever passed after those few words were spoken so abruptly, hastily and breathlessly by Shin.

"Iya..."

"I'm sorry, Kaoru-san." Shin said, his face downcast.

"...You lie..." It was a wonder Kaoru managed even those few words. "You don't like Kenshin... You lie!"

Seeing Kaoru's tormented expression made Shin almost wish he could say he was lying. But she had to know. There was no going back now.

"Kaoru-san. Do you really think I'm a person who'd lie about something like this?" Shin reasoned.

The words were barely registering to Kaoru. Her world was coming crashing down on her, for even if Shin didn't ask, she knew subconsciously that Shin would never lie about such a thing. Blackness was consuming all her consciousness, and Kaoru wished this was simply not happening.

And then, hasty footsteps, rapidly approaching, were heard from outside the room. Both knew what, or rather who, was coming, and Kaoru desperately wished that Kenshin would not enter through the door; yet, she wished so, so much for him to prove it all false to her right then and there.

Regardless, Kenshin burst into the room after muttering something Kaoru did not have the clear head to interpret. Kaoru looked up, her sapphire eyes piercing Kenshin's wide violet.

Never in his life had Kenshin envisaged such a perplexed, perplexing, hurt, hurting, utterly heartbroken and heartbreaking gaze Kaoru pierced him with.

- - Author's Note: For those that don't know, this chapter was added afterwards - so before, it was supposed to go straight from the now-chapter 3 to 5. That's why this chapter is so short, but I believe this little backtracking was necessary. If you had read up to chapter 5 already before I wrote this, please leave another review to tell me if this chapter sufficiently filled the gap!