: BOWS DOWN:
I HOPE I DIDN'T TAKE TOO LONG IN UPDATING THIS CHAPPIE…GOMEN…
STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLIES: BLAH, BLAH, AND BLAH… I WISH I DID
WILL IT HURT TO LOVE AGAIN? by Sutefani-chanCHAPTER 12
THE BEGINNING OF BLOODSHEDShould I do this?
He stared at the scarf lying on his bare hands.
Should I go on with this? I love her, yet I don't want to hurt her. But this is the only way she will ever come back to me. Yet, this is wrong…
The beginning of a new destiny…hmph. I already have one, and this is it. He rose from his seat, taking the scarf and a bundle of rope, placing them all in the sleeve of his gi. He took the letter lying on top of the table. Clutching it in his hand, he made his way out of the eerie hut, ready to fulfill his destiny.
Kaoru stared at her reflection. She smiled to herself. This is better. She was wearing a pink silk kimono with white flower designs, and little pearls embroidered were scattered on some parts of the gown. She wore a red obi, and a white scarf was tied neatly on her low ponytail.
This gown's really beautiful, she thought. It once belonged to her mother, and she only inherited it when her mother died (a/n: duh!). Her father once told her when she was a little girl that her mother wore it when her father first took her mother to the festival on Tanabata day. Yes, she can still remember him tell her. Such a sweet, romantic story.
And now she was wearing it – on their first date – on Tanabata day. It was like deja vou, Kaoru thought, only this time, it was she and Kenshin. At first, she was a bit scared, thinking that everything that she had dreamt of might turn into a disaster. But she assured herself calmly that it was not likely to happen, and that everything would turn out just fine.
She walked out of her room and decided to look for Kenshin. Just as she was passing by the kitchen, Yahiko saw her.
"WHOA! Are you going to a funeral or something?" he snickered.
Kaoru glared at him.
"Yahiko-kun, if it isn't for my hair, I might have killed you by now. What you had just said was too scornful."
Yahiko felt a bit guilty. He lowered his head, "gomen."
Kaoru sighed and asked, "Have you seen Kenshin?"
"Well, he went to town to buy something but he said he will be back by now but he's still not here. I suppose he was a bit delayed or something. Wait a minute," he grinned mischievously.
"What?"
"I know something that you don't know that I know that you know!"
"Say what?"
Yahiko was whistling, trying to look innocent, "Oh, nothing! Just passing by a 'lovely busu', just passing by…" and he went away, galloping.
Kaoru just stared at him as she watched him go away, confused.
Odd.
She went outside and decided to wait in the dojo when she passed by Sanosuke. She found him sitting on the floor, reading a map.
"What have you got there?" she wondered aloud as she tried to take a peek on the curious-looking piece of parchment. Sano hurriedly put it away.
"Oh, nothing! Nothing in particular!"
Kaoru shot him a brow.
"Does Yahiko have something to do with this?"
Sano shook his head, trying hard not to laugh.
Kaoru shook her head, "Whatever. Where's Kenshin?"
"Out there, somewhere that I don't know."
"But Yahiko told me that he was in town, buying something that I don't know and maybe you don't know too," she said while rolling her eyes.
"Probably."
"Are you two hiding something from me?" She was getting suspicious.
"You're saying?"
"You and Yahiko, are you two hiding something from me?"
"Not that I can't remember."
"Oh, really? Then why is it that you don't want me to see that obviously interesting map of yours?"
"Uh, err, it's because, uhm…it's a man's thing."
"A man's thing, really?"
"Yup. It's a man's thing."
Kaoru folded her arms and was still staring at Sano. Sano winced.
"How about you? I know you're hiding something from us, huh? Isn't it right, Miss I-Know-You're-Hiding-Something-But-I'm-Hiding-Something-Too?" Sano shot back, grinning.
"What on earth are you talking about?"
"You hell know what I'm talking about, Jou-chan," he said, still grinning at her.
Wait, could it be…? And she blushed.
Sano gave her a triumphant look.
"Thought you can hide everything from me, eh, Jou-chan?"
Kaoru looked away from him snobbishly. Sano sniggered.
She stared at the road, waiting for a redheaded swordsman walking towards the dojo, smiling sweetly at her. He should be here by now, she worried.
Sano noticed it.
"Don't worry, Jou-chan. He'll show up sooner or later," he assured her.
"I hope so," she sighed.
Just as a pair of blue eyes was searching warily for a redheaded ruruoni, she noticed a raggedly looking man talking to…Yahiko.
Yahiko? She thought as she saw Yahiko converse with him. Then they stopped and Yahiko approached Kaoru.
"Hey busu! Someone's looking for you."
"Don't call me 'busu'! Who's he?"
"Beats me. He doesn't want to tell me his name. He looks like a beggar to me. Maybe he knows you and is like he wants to ask for alms or donations or something."
"Mou! You shouldn't talk of other people like that. Why don't you let him?"
"He said he'll wait," he shrugged.
"Nande?"
"I told you already, I don't know!"
Kaoru sighed and rolled her eyes.
"I don't trust that 'beggar'," muttered Sano with a serious look on his face.
"Why?" Kaoru asked.
"Nothing, it's just that I sense something suspicious about him. I know I've seen him before," he said as he eyed the beggar, who, in turn was hiding his face with his hat.
"Really?"
Sano nodded.
"Don't worry, Sano. And you shouldn't think of other people like that! Well, except if it's Gohei…"
"C'mon, Sanosuke. Let's head to the kitchen for a snack," winked Yahiko.
Sano eyed at him confusingly.
The plan, mouthed Yahiko. Kaoru noticed it but Yahiko just smiled at her, a fake smile, more likely.
Yahiko pulled Sano away by the arm.
"Be careful, Jou-chan! Don't forget!" Sano yelled.
Kaoru smiled at him and made her way out to meet the unexpected guest.
She stepped outside of the doorway.
She saw no one.
Odd.
"Yahiko! There's no one in here – UGH!" she fainted, as she was about to go back. She felt something hard and heavy hit her and knocked her on the back of her head.
Gomen nasai, he muttered as he caught her in time, staring at her peaceful face.
"This should start the night right," he said to himself, clutching safely in his hand a string of jasmines (three jasmines to be exact).
At first, he wasn't sure of taking Kaoru to the festival. Not that he doesn't like Kaoru, but he still wasn't that sure of his feelings for her. He was even surprised that he got the courage to ask her out. That wasn't really me, he thought.
But this was going to be an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him, he thought so. A start of an unlikely friendship, it might be leading to a –. Oro! It's not like that! But deep down, he knew he wanted to.
Though, a part of him doesn't want to. A part of him was afraid that because of Kaoru being so close to him, she'd only get hurt. He knew his enemies would hurt her if they knew, and he doesn't want her to be more involved in that heavy burden of his.
But of course, there was another reason to that.
Battousai.
Though he tried to get rid of him, he was still there, lurking in his heart, trying to free himself from the chains of justice.
He knew Kaoru would never learn to accept Battousai, and she would never let Kenshin come back to being the dreadful Battousai. Those dark days…
And he doesn't want to let history repeat itself. He wouldn't want to. Not anymore…
He finally arrived at the Kamiya residence.
When he entered, he noticed that the grounds were somewhat deserted. It was too quiet. He sensed that something was wrong, really wrong.
"Sano? Yahiko?" he called out as he was searching for them.
"Nani, Kenshin?" Yahiko appeared.
"Oi! Kenshin!" Sano then approached them.
"Where's Kaoru-dono?"
"Maybe she's in her room or somewhere. Last time we'd seen her, she was talking to a beggar who was looking for her?"
"A beggar?" worried Kenshin. He was beginning to sense that something wrong had happened.
"Don't worry, Kenshin. Look, I'll call her and she'll appear looking all dolled-up for your date. Oi! Jou-chan!" yelled Sano.
But there was no Jou-chan marching towards them. There was no Jou-chan, flattering in a pink silk kimono, blushing hard as she says, "Shall we go now, Kenshin?"
No, no Kaoru appeared.
This worried Sano and Yahiko. Yet, it worried Kenshin most.
"Something's wrong, Sano," said Kenshin worriedly.
They decided to look for her. They searched the kitchen, her room, the bathhouse, everywhere yet there was still no sign of Kaoru.
Kaoru-dono, worried Kenshin. His thoughts about Kaoru suddenly vanished when Yahiko yelled, "Kenshin! In here! Quick!"
Upon hearing this, Kenshin hurried to the dojo, where he found Sano already there, and Yahiko too and caught sight of a piece of parchment in Yahiko's grip. A letter?
"I-It's addressed to you," said Yahiko in a low voice.
"Without hesitating, Kenshin quickly grabbed the letter from Yahiko's hand and opened it. Kenshin's fears were confirmed. His worst fear had become truth, a deadly truth.
Battousai,
If you ever want to see Kaoru alive again, bring you sakabatou with you and venture into the deepest part of the forest – ALONE. There you'll find what you seek. If you do not concur to this, I'm afraid we have to send her to Kami-sama soon. I know you don't want that to happen.
Koshikawa Taka
Sano caught sight of the name and went berserk.
"I knew it! I knew I've seen that face before. That beggar is none other than that punk Taka! I knew it! Oh, why didn't I go with her? I could've prevented it from happening! Oh, this is my entire fault. Darn it!" yelled Sano and punched the wall hard.
"Kaoru…" muttered Yahiko sadly. "C'mon, guys. Let's save Kaoru and show that bakeru Taka a lesson he'll never forget!"
Yahiko was about to get his bokken but Kenshin stopped him.
"No," he whispered, "I don't want to involve you guys anymore in this bloodshed."
"But, Kenshin, it's only that punk. It's not like Jin'e coming back from the grave or something."
"I have the feeling it's not only him. This is much darker."
"Kenshin let us come with you. Somehow I feel that it's our fault that Kaoru was kidnapped. We shouldn't have abandoned her with that sly, good for nothing baka," said Sano.
"No, Sano. You two should stay here and check if she ever managed to escape."
But Sano wasn't the one who would easily quit.
"Kenshin, this is Jou-chan! I know you care more for her than you think we ever do but we care for her more too! We're not going to just stand here and do nothing! We want to save her too! And besides, we're not the ones who will let you only have the fun. You can't stop us. We're coming with you!"
Kenshin sighed. This is a bit hard.
"Tell you what, Sano," he offered, "if we're still not back by midnight the that's your cue to come and attack. But be careful though, alright?"
Sano was grinning with satisfaction, "I knew you would eventually give in!"
"Uh, Kenshin?"
"Nani, Yahiko?"
"That letter wasn't the only thing he left here, he left also…this," he muttered as he lifted a white scarf in his hands.
Kenshin took it and quickly noticed it. Kaoru-dono's ribbon! He brought it to his nose and inhaled its essence. Jasmine.
Clutching the sakabatou in his hand, he ventured into the forest, hoping to see a friendly face, safe and sound, alive. He knew this might take on forever, but he prayed silently that the plague would just hopefully pass away, and that everything would be back to the way it was, happy and peaceful…
: WIPES SWEAT OFF THE FOREHEAD:
AT LAST, I'VE FINISHED TYPING THIS CHAPTER! IT REALLY WAS KIND OF HARD FOR ME TO FIND TIME TO TYPE THIS CHAPTER, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY. I WAS IN A RUSH WHEN I WAS TYPING THIS CHAPPIE BECAUSE I WANTED TO POST IT RIGHT NOW, AND I DID.
PHEW!
ANYWAY, I THINK THAT KENSHIN SHOULD BECOME A THERAPIST, DON'T YOU THINK? I MEAN, HE'S ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE WITH THEIR PROBLEMS AND LIKES GIVING ADVICES EVEN TO THOSE HE BARELY KNEW, TO THOSE HE HAD JUST MET. HE'S REALLY GOOD AT THAT.
AND SO TO GO ON WITH OUR REVIEWER NOTES…
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO BRING THE FISRT ONE UP…
TSUMESGIRL05: THANKS FOR TAKING TIME TO READ MY STORY. I KNOW, CHAPTER 4 INVOVLES A LOT OF DIALOGUE BUT AS THE STORY GOES ON A LOT OF ACTION IS PRESENT. SORRY, BUT THIS STORY DOESN'T END IN CHAPTER FOUR ONLY, AFTER CHAPTER FOUR ANOTHER STORY TAKES PLACE AND A LOT OF ACTION IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE AFTER CHAPTER 12. I'M SORRY IF CHAPTER 4 BORED YOU…PEACE OUT.
ETERNAL LIGHT/ FIRE DRAGON: THANKS FOR READING AND REVIEWING MY STORY! I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER TOO! I'M REALLY HAPPY, YOU ALWAYS REVIEW WHEN A NEW CHAPTER'S POSTED, AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE MY FIRST REVIEWER IN EVERY NEW CHAPTER! ARIGATO!
KITSUNE: AWW, THANK YOU! I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU LIKE THIS FIC. I HOPE IT'S NOT THAT DISAPPOINTING, ANYWAYS I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS CHAPPIE TOO!
AND GUYS, JUST WANNA ASK, UHM, WHAT'S THE NAME OF TAE'S SISTER MANAGING IN AOIYA? AND, WHO'S WHO BETWEEN OMASU AND OCHIKA? IS OMASU THE ONE WITH THE LONGER HAIR OR IS OCHIKA THE SHORT PONY-TAILED ONE?
ARIGATO : SMILING FROM EAR TO EAR:
CIAO!
p.s. i'm starting to hate quickedit... p