The teahouse was filled with many customers young and old. Tables were scattered everywhere and sake was over-populating the tables and spilled off. Kids ran to wipe it up but were kicked away by the drunk men. This was owned and ran by Hiko Seijuro's wife Toki. Toki was a wonderful person in general but just couldn't keep up with the work of a teahouse. The women that were employed there weren't really supposed to be geishas but orphans. Just one day a few men had heard that this was a teahouse and men wouldn't stop coming. Toki hated it but she couldn't really do anything about it and didn't want her husband to know or else he'd kill'em all. Toki was very upset when her closest friend, Kaoru Kamiya, was pushed onto a man and harrassed. She was even more upset when Kaoru's friends almost had to injure the men to get them off. Kaoru was not the person to be toying with, Toki knew very well. She traced the scar on her wrist as if it were precious. Yes, Kaoru was very skilled with weapons of all kinds just like her friends.

Kaoru was trying to not listen or to feel their hands for the sake of Toki but it was getting rather aggravating.

"Hey cutie, wanna go in a room? I know you want me!" The big man grabbed her elbow and decided to pull. ' I'm going to make you wish you were never born' she silently promised to her A.D.D. friend. Just when her hand was reaching for her kodachis her friends came up to her and saw her embarrassing position.

Both tutted her and got into stances with their weapons. Toki groaned. Kaoru shook her head no and they both went on as if nothing happened. Kaoru let go of her kodachis and decided to hit a pressure point for Toki's sake. He went limp and almost pinned her body to the ground when a man pushed her out of the way with his body.

"Get off me you perv! Get off!" With her last piece of hope she pushed the muscular man off of her and staggered up to Megumi and Misao. Both gave her the assurance that she needed. Except Megumi. She had different plans.

"How'd you like it Kaoru? I know you liked that man on you. Don't worry I won't tell him unless you really want. How about it?" Megumi winked her way and nodded her head toward the man standing in front of Toki. Toki looked relieved and nodded to him before coming to the front of the teahouse.

"Ladies and gentleman of the orphanage please come with me." She led them to their bedroom hallway and turned abruptly scaring the few in the front. Eyes gleeful she laughed. A true laugh. "Excuse me but I know this isn't the best way to do this but I have an announcement to make. This is Kenshin Himura." She waved to the back and everyone scuttled away to see the man. Red hair, amber eyes everything a woman would fall for. "He is taking over this so called teahouse for me. He's going to make it the way it used to be! So that I can come back and raise my good little kids. He is temporary and only taking over the teahouse, not the orphanage. Now let us go back and not tell they will have a surprise soon." Gleeful gasps, jumping, and a few pats on the back, helped Kenshin feel at home. He wasn't a hero but at least he was welcome. Trying to find the woman that he helped, a hand patted him hard pushing him to the ground. Whispers of, "If he's not as good as Sanosuke then how is he going to help?" went around.

Suddenly a voice shouted, "Do you not want out of this slavery? If you do then why shouldn't we believe this man? Give him a chance!" Everyone cheered. 'I guess that person is their hope' he smiled softly. The man who pummelled him grabbed the guy from the back of his gi and studied the man...out loud.

"You're puny and you look like a girl. Hahahaha! Hmm sorry kid. I see that your not much of a man but I guess you'll do. Wha-hey!" The big man toppled over dropping Kenshin in the process. Kenshin was very surprised. He saw the girl behind his bangs and when she whipped out a small dagger she used the wind to knock the guy down. His mouth hung open and he heard a soft snicker behind him. "So you're already thinking Kaoru is cute? My gosh everyone does!" A few kids nodded their heads when they heard Sano talk of their crush. "She's one of the most gorgeous girls along with that girl Megumi and Misao. But to keep it a secret we call them names as a joke. Kaoru is the tanuki, Megumi is the fox and Misao is the weasel. It's hilarious when you get'em riled up. And hot." Sanosuke said as he got up and dusted off his clothes. His brown unruly hair gave him the look of an unkept man and with the red bandanna it gave him the look of a rooster along with his white clothes. 'Gosh does everyone look like an animal around here?' he asked to himself. He stood up and patted himself down before saying, "My name is Kenshin. I'm guessing that you're Sanosuke Sagara. Pleased to meet you." He bowed before his new friend started laughing.

"Gosh you must be rich only rich people talk like that. Hey by the by do you have say...a ten million yen-"

"What-"

"I owe this guy because he cheated. Stupid gambler." Sano said crossing his arms and sticking his nose up. Remembering Kenshin he smiled sheepishly and scratched his head. "Eh, guess not. Oh well I'll get it myself."

"Yeah right. When you get money by yourself I will be a chicken." A girl, no more than 18, walked up to the roosterhead. "And don't think you'll be getting of mine. I'm trying to buy myself a new kimono!" Raven hair, vivid blue eyes, and a mouth that could scare anyone if used properly. "You big, bully...roosterhead." Snickering as the big, tall man angrily spitted out, "I am not a roosterhead!" Kenshin knew this to be the girl he saved and that hit Sano. "So are you going to stare like a frog or what? I just wanted to say thanks for what you did...It was nice." With that she waltzed away.

Sano said, "Doesn't she just look so cute? You wouldn't think a nobody like her would be so hot, but she is. Even the richies think she's hot and want a piece of her. But I still don't want anyone to touch her. She's mine you might say. Well not really. I hear that Megumi likes me, you know the one called fox? Yeah, Kaoru's like my little sister. I know she's hot and everything but I wouldn't want to ruin the relationship, you know?"

Kenshin nodded, "Well I must be off. I must start getting these men out of here. It's just not safe for you to have to wait on these evil men."

Sano got up, "Just remember, the Phantom is watching you. It really wasn't the best idea to say that out loud. Toki wasn't all that smart when she brought us in here to announce that. Nope, the Phantom has ears all over. No one really knows what he looks like. They say that he lived here before Toki even bought it and she had to agree to give him an annual fee of two million yen. Just watch out okay? I want some hope to live. It's necessary to have hope when there's no hope at all." Leaving he put his hands in his pockets.

Kenshin just nodded his condolences to the back of Sano's head and stepped forward in the direction of his old friend, Kaoru.

"I know this isn't good... What?" Very well ma'am you're neck is on the line. "Yes ma'am." He finished the message and turned back to the stage where the men were boo'ing the singer on stage. "Hold your ugly comments I have something new for you, my gentlemen! Tomoe-san must leave the stage, doesn't she?" A rain of praise rose in the room.

Tomoe wouldn't have it. "I am the best singer! You guys love me! I am your number one! If you don't keep me as singer then I will not be staying here." Another roar of applause. With a 'hmph' and a glare Tomoe bowed and left the stage.

The man said, "I'd like you to meet the new singer as Kaoru Kamiya." A roar of applause broke out along with a few 'hot!'s and 'I want her's.

When Kaoru heard her name as lead she froze. Butterflies filled her stomach and legs. It was as if she couldn't move. Those men out there were drunk and could do anything to her. It wasn't as if her honor would be wounded, because she already lost that and a few other things. The only thing that really got her moving was a hand on her shoulder. She stepped away and looked to see the man that she rescued from gossip. She knew him from somewhere. But where? Let me see...Oh kami...Kenshin and Shinta look so similar...it can't be. "Shinta?" His eyes held sadness but you could see the familiar eyes of Shinta. He nodded and pushed her to the stage.

"You must sing. Don't let them touch you and if they do you scream. I won't let anything happen to you Kaoru. I promise." She smiled and walked gracefully to the stage, singing a beautiful song her mentor had taught her. She enchanted them with her voice, the melody gave the peace and reassurance. It was all that they wanted. At the end, men were applauding like crazy. She bowed and walked out. As she opened her shoji door she sighed contently. As she was opening the door she let her ribbon drop. Shaking her hair free she gasped and dropped the ribbon.

"I knew you'd come. Please, I must ask you to sing for me. Will you sing for your Angel of Singing?" She smiled and nodded beginning a new song. The angel was a story unfolding. His whole body was covered with bandages and the only thing that sounded wonderful was his voice. His voice held a richness that she could not explain. He wore a black cape and black trousers and a black vest. His eyes were brown and the whole pupil was red. He wasn't a good looking angel but his physical appearance didn't matter, just his voice. "You have made it very far, my little Kaoru. You will become big. I can always see what will happen for you. I can make you bigger than your wildest dreams if you wanted. Will you come with me?"

"Hello? Kaoru! Hello!" Kaoru turned towards the door when she heard Misao. '5,4,3,2.' "Kaoru there you are. Everyone's looking for you. You're the greatest singer in the world. How'd you learn to sing like that?" Kaoru looked at her room but she couldn't see him. "Will you not laugh if I told you something?" Misao shook her head. "My father told me that there is an Angel of Singing that will come to me in time. Well one time while I was singing a man came in my mirror. I was about to get my dagger out when he told me that he wanted to help me sing. I listened. He said that he was the Angel of Singing and that if I give him what he wants then he'll make me big. So I shook on it. Now look at me. I'm not big but I'm getting there. I guess I just wanted to be able to get myself a home. A dojo to be in fact. And you, Megumi, Sano and I could all live there. Do you think that possible? I wanted Megumi to become a doctor. She's always curing us when were finished. You could go back to being a ninja. I might be a sensei but I don't know. I'm not sure my technique shoould be known." Misao's eyes watered. Kaoru always thought of them before her and this was one of those times. She made a deal with an angel for their freedom and her demise. She hugged Kaoru and thanked her so much.

"Kaoru you are the beautifullest person inside and out." And before Kaoru could deny it she was already out the door. She felt another aura while she was talking so she suspected it to be the angel. She was surprised when it was Kenshin.

"Hello, how are you?" Kenshin asked. He was worried. When he pushed her out to the stage he felt bad for what he did. Plus he got even more worried when Sano's words came to him. 'The Phantom has ears.' Who was the phantom? Why do people believe he's a restless spirit? And why is he so feared? He needed to get to the bottom of this.

"I'm fine. Did you hear the applause? It felt so great my heart is still pounding against my ribs." She studied him intently. Why did you change your name? Why have your eyes changed? Why do I have the feeling that sadness surrounds you? "Kenshin. What happened to you? To make you change yourself?" He lowered his eyes and hugged her,resting his head against hers.

"My parents died about a year ago. Natural causes you could say. I didn't have anywhere to go though. No wills, no nothing so I had to start on my own. I didn't know if they were poisoned so I had to change my whole name. Himura Kenshin. Heart of Sword. Perfect name. I started wandering from place to place never once having peace. Finally I came upon this teahouse. I am not one for sexual desires but I happened to hear that it wasn't really supposed to be a teahouse. I came to find that this was an orphanage. I was really upset. Using kids for sexual desires? That's disgusting. I had heard that the owner of the orphanage was wanting help but didn't know who to turn to. That's when I heard you were here. Oh Kami, Kaoru when I heard that I was so joyful that I found you. I was upset that you were being used as a geisha and it turned my eyes this way. I no longer am Shinta but Kenshin Himura, former student of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu and in love with Kaoru Kamiya. That is what I am." Kaoru had a crush on him since he had became a student but it wasn't until now that she found it to be true love.

"Kenshin? I see that you now know me as a geisha. So I have a question. Does it repulse you that I have bedded many?" Her eyes curious and sad. She hadn't wanted to but it was either Megumi or her. The man was Kanryuu Taneko and he had used Kaoru many times, as a geisha and as an opium dealer. Others had come in trying to ruin her little family by accussing them as geishas and trying to use them. To avoid bloodshed, she'd let them take her honor. It was the only sensible thing to do.

Kenshin looked upset. He had known she must've given her body as a defense tactic to save her friends but when she said it it hurt him. The pang within his heart reverbrated through his whole body. 'Someone has tainted her. I want that person's neck in my hands.'