Author's Note: If I did own Rurouni Kenshin then why would I be making a fanfic instead of just making a remake manga?

By the way, I looked at my hits and saw 209. Out of all those, how people reviewed? Hmm… I don't know… maybe 20? 20! Out of 200! That's messed up! You know what, I'm not going to update, until I get at least 23 more reviews!

The Winter of My Assassin Lover

-Previous Chapter

"Here is your new target." The man tossed him a pile of papers and Soujiro's eyes widened for a moment before returning to his emotionless state.

"The only man in the Kamiya family. I trust that you don't have a problem with this, do you, Soujiro?"

"No, father. I will do as you wish." Soujiro headed toward the door to exit until the man stopped him with his voice.

"You will kill any witnesses. Even if one of the witnesses is that Kamiya girl."

"Yes, father," Soujiro obeyed before he made his exit. A knot formed in his stomach at the thought of slashing his sword slashing through his fair Kaoru.

-Chapter 5

Kaoru finally got used to breathing with a corset on. (If you want to know what the dress looks like, go to Google and find a picture of the Phantom of the Opera. It's that white dress that she wore to the masquerade ball.) Her high heels, however, were another story. Kaoru tried walking around her room to get the feel of the shoes, but she keeps on tripping here and there that she just gave up and sat down on the bed.

Misao rushed into the room and slammed the door closed, earning many thumps, knocks, and shouts saying," Let me help Kaoru-sama!" "Whew! That was close!" She turned to her mistress with a hairbrush and a handful of pins in her hand. "Now, Kaoru-sama, let's fix your hair."

"But, Misao!" she whined," I like my hair as it is!"

The handmaid put her hands to her hips. "Let me at least put it in a ponytail."

"Fine," Kaoru huffed," But only in a ponytail."

Misao squealed giddily and jumped onto the spot on the bed behind Kaoru and started to brush her mistress's ebony locks.

---

Soujiro stared at himself in the mirror. He wrinkled his nose in distaste. 'How could the English wear this-this-this tux!' He thought with contempt,' It's so tight and uncomfortable!' A voice in the back of his head said:

But you have to wear it! It's a European-style masquerade ball! You don't want to be the only one there wearing a yukata, do you? Besides, Kaoru-chan might think it looks handsome on us.

With a reluctant sigh, Soujiro submitted to the voice. He put a white carnation in his breast pocket, picked up his mask from his dresser, and headed to the masquerade.

---

Kaoru's stomach was doing flips and her heart was thumping like a rabbit in heat. She was so nervous. Even if she was still waiting for Misao to give her the signal for her entrance, which wasn't for 15 more minutes, Kaoru still felt all anxious inside. She heard from Misao herself that Soujiro was going to come, and she knew that her handmaid wasn't one to lie being the all-honored type of person she was, Kaoru felt doubt creeping up into her head.

She turned her head over to Misao's direction. "Are you sure that he's going to come, Misao?" Kaoru asked fearfully.

A vein popped in the maid's head. "For the last time, Kaoru-sama!" she whispered angrily," He is going to come!"

Kaoru felt he spine shiver and shake. "How do you know? What if he didn't make it!"

Misao's anger quickly diminished at the sight of her mistress being scared. Out of all her years with her, not once has she seen her this scared. She knew what it was like. She felt the same way when Kaoru had told her that Aoshi was going to serve in the war. Kaoru had comforted her the best she can, but she wasn't doing the same for her now.

Misao patted her on the shoulder and rubbed her back soothingly. "It's ok, Kaoru-sama! He will come! He told me himself! You should believe your lover! Don't tell me that you've lost all faith in him already!"

Kaoru immediately regained her disposition, a fiery look in her eyes. "Hell no! I'll wait for him even if it takes the whole night."

"Now that's the Kaoru-sama I know!" Misao glanced at the clock and hurriedly dusted off Kaoru's dress and went to unveil the curtain to the entrance. "Kaoru-sama! It's 7 o'clock! Time for your entrance!"

Kaoru listened to the butler call out the beginning of the party through the thin fabric of the velvet curtain.

"I am pleased to announce that the suitor masquerade for the heiress to the Kamiya line has begun!"

A fanfare played and Kaoru could hear the hustle and bustle of people entering the large ballroom.

"Get ready, Kaoru-sama!" Misao whispered to her.

Kaoru instantly put on her mask and straightened her back.

Misao tugged onto the rope and the curtain parted in the middle, revealing Kaoru in all her fame and glory.

Despite her true character, Kaoru stepped regally down the stairs, taking dainty steps with her gold-lined pointy shoes, not once did her posture falter. Her hand gracefully slid across the banister as she made her way to the center of the ballroom.

All eyes were on her, man or woman, taking in her exquisite beauty.

Although everything about her said: elegant, composed, and refined, Kaoru was everything but on the inside. On the inside, she sweating up a storm. 'Stay calm, Kaoru. You can do this!' she thought to herself,' Careful. Take small, petite steps. Don't fall. Keep your back straight. Keep your arms relaxed and graceful… yes, graceful. Like that… So far so good.'

As soon as she stepped down to the tiles floor, all the men came toward her and asked to start a conversation.

"No, I asked her first!"

"No, I did!"

"Well, I'm more handsome than you!"

"How do you know! You're wearing a mask!"

"So are you!"

Even though Kaoru fought the urge to stab them all in the head, she kept her composure. "Now, now, gentlemen, we're all adults here. I'll talk with all of you one at a time. We have the whole night! There is no rush. Now, I want you all to go and talk with other beautiful women out there…" They all motioned to do as she says until Kaoru pointed to one of them. "You. Stay. I'll talk to you first."

The man grinned in victory while the others simply glared at him before going about their own business as she had told them to.

"So… um, Kaoru-sama?" he started.

"Just call me, Kaoru," she corrected.

"Well, I'd like to let you know that I am the head of my father's oil company and we are making the best profit out of all the men here… plus, I've been considered handsome by all the other maids at the other mansions I've been at…"

'Let me guess, the mansions were whore houses?' Kaoru thought to humor herself.

"But, I must say, you do look beautiful tonight," he bowed to kiss her hand. Kaoru merely smiled at his actions, allowing him the privilege to kiss her hand. He gave her a conceited smirk, as if he had already won her heart. "Would you… marry me?"

"Why… sir! We just met! I don't think we are allowed to marry just yet!" Kaoru exclaimed in a ladylike manner, pretending to be ruffled by his statement.

"Don't worry, my darling," he stated coolly, getting up from and putting his arm around her waist. "We'll get more acquainted after the honeymoon."

Kaoru's patience was wearing thin with this man. She fanned herself with a feather fan glittered with jewels to calm her temper down. After all, it would be very rude to hang your guest form the ceiling. She pointed to another man that wanted to talk with her before.

"You, sir, if you would, please rid this man from my presence and I shall acquaint myself with you."

"Gladly," he replied, leaving the woman he was talking with to push the other man out of the way.

"Excuse me, sir! But I was talking to Kaoru first!"

"You are excused. Now, if you would be so kind as to leave Jou-chan here alone, that would be very nice." (Guess who this is.)

"But-"

"Didn't you hear her say for me to get rid of you?"

The man let out his last huff and stomped away with steam coming out of his ears.

"Thank you, sir," Kaoru said, tapping the tall man on the shoulder.

"No need for formalities here, Jou-chan! We're all friends, right? You can call me Sanosuke, or Sano for short." He put his arms around her in a friendly sort of way.

For some reason, Kaoru felt safe around this man. He seemed genuine enough compared to all the other ruffians that occupied this room.

Before she could control herself, Kaoru blurted right out," Do you want to marry me?"

Sano looked at her, as if her statement shocked him. He rubbed the back of his head with his hand and answered," Well… now that you think about it. I don't want to. That foxy maid I was talking to over there caught my eye, but my father implored me to take home a suitable wife. I don't think a maid could cut out to his taste." He slapped his mouth in realization that he spoke more than what was necessary.

"Please don't tell, Jou-chan! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it that way! If the guys down at the pub were to hear this they would-"

Kaoru interrupted him with her laughter. She patted him on the shoulder happily. "No worries, Sano-kun! Oh, that was so funny! Hold on! Let me catch m brea-" She took in a huge gulp of air and exhaled it. "Ok, ok. I'm calm now."

"So… you mean you're not surprised that I like a maid?"

Kaoru looked at him with a "Whatchu talkin' 'bout boy?" kind of look on her face. "Surprised? Why would I be surprised?"

"Well, I mean, uh," he stuttered," Aren't all noble girls like that? They all cry when they get rejected or something…"

"Rejected?" Kaoru laughed out," Oh, man, you're funny, Sano-kun! You know that?"

"I am?"

"I'm sorry. You obviously have no interest in me, and I have no interest in you. It just feels so refreshing to be with someone as genuine as you! It feels kind of good actually!"

Sano merely nodded at the girl's strange actions. He grinned, knowing that his night won't be such a waste of time after all.

---

Soujiro got past the guards easily. Even if he didn't have his mask on, getting into the masquerade would have been a cinch. His heart fluttered as he walked pass the door to enter the ballroom.

He couldn't get Kamatari's words out of his head.

-Flashback

"Kamatari-san?" Soujiro asked as his butler groomed his hair.

"Mm?" Kamatari answered absentmindedly, his hands going about on their own.

"What if Kaoru-chan doesn't see me?" A loud bonk was heard. "Ow! What'd you do that for, Kamatari-san!" Soujiro exclaimed, clutching the area of his head where Kamatari hit him with the brush.

"Don't be so pessimistic, Sou-chan," he scolded," You and Kaoru-chan are lovers now, yes?" Soujiro nodded his head hesitantly. He was sure that Kaoru considered him as a lover, right? "Good, then she will most definitely recognize you even with your mask on."

"How do you know?" This time, Soujiro ducked from the brush that was swung at him, but the it him anyway because it came back for the second time. "Ow!"

"Sou-chan, don't be so stupid! Have you lost all faith in your woman, already? That's not supposed to happen until 2 years after the wedding!"

"I have faith in her, it's just that-"

"No buts, Soujiro. Have faith. That is what love is about after all. You must devote yourself wholly and unconditionally."

Soujiro didn't reply. He knew that he shouldn't say anymore when Kamatari calls him by his whole name. He knew that Kamatari was talking about what he did for Shishio, what he did even after he died.

He nodded and said," Thank you, Kamatari-san."

His butler looked at him disbelievingly before he continued brushing his master's hair with a satisfied smile on his face. "No probs, Sou-chan. I'm just doing what best for my Sou-chan and Kaoru-chan." With that, Kamatari pulled at both of Soujiro's cheeks to make a smile. "Now look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

"I see an idiot pulling at my reddening cheeks," he replied while Kamatari kept his hold on Soujiro's face.

"Good," he giggled, letting go of his cheeks and patting them affectionately," Now get a move on! Don't want your damsel in distress to be waiting for you, now do you?"

-End Flashback

Soujiro saw her, the one that he sought on finding this whole time. He motioned to greet her… that is, until he saw someone beat him to it and grabbed his Kaoru to kiss her deeply. His eyes widened and his heart wrenched. He walked away, not seeing the desperate look Kaoru was giving him.

----

thundersister: That's it! I'm sorry for making a cliffhanger! (No I'm not!) I can't believe that I made this chapter on the same day as chapter 4! That's really amazing! (For me, that is.) And I didn't want to post it because I wouldn't get more reviews now would I? (Hahaha, I'm so evil.) And I won't be posting chapter 6 (I haven't done it yet) until next week, after I go to San Diego yet again. (See Chapter 4 Ending Author's Note)

Is there any of you out there that know the Japanese pop sensation, Gackt? If you do, and if you're a hardcore fan or just a friendly reviewer, I'd like to let you know that his birthday was on July 4th! Happy Belated Birthday, Gackt-sama!

Now, for review replies!

"Oro" Object: Oro? Oreo? As in the cookie?

Another Baka: Hey… what's the huge grin for?