Fanfic by Blueroseulan

AN: RK doesn't belong to me!

In this chapter, we'll really find out what kaoru's sickness is.

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The doctor's reception was a bit too narrow for Kaoru as both she and Tsubame waited patiently for the doctor. Maeba had decided to have her checked up to be able to confirm whatever sickness she may be harboring and she had allowed Tsubame to accompany her.

Kaoru was grateful for that.

Both of them wore thick dark michiyukis to conceal their true identities and as Kaoru sat quietly on the hard wooden seat, she couldn't help but wonder.

What could this be?

Is it dangerous?

What would happen to me? A whore is meant to fuck, not to stay bed ridden, coughing blood.

Before her scattered thoughts could even more wander away, she heard her name being called and went inside, instructing Tsubame to stay behind, though it added much to the teen's disapproval.

If ever Tsubame had any more doubts of the condition of her friend, all of these were dispelled when she saw Kaoru emerging from the doctor's examination room.

She was deathly pale and visibly shaking, eyes close to tears and she could only run to embrace the poor surprised girl, desperately seeking comfort.

"What happened Kaoru-san? What happened?"

A day has passed since Bluerose had talked to any living soul and Tsubame was starting to worry. The older woman had concealed her sickness, hid her ailment from anyone and refused to talk, eat and yes, even perform. No one, not even her gentle coaxings or Maeba's harshly bitten words could convince the prostitute to appear that night.

Gritting her teeth and walking wordlessly at the flight of stairs, Tsubame promised to have an answer when the night approaches.

The door was surprisingly open and the girl pushed the frame with practiced ease. Her eyes roved to the form huddled in the middle of the room shivering and bundled with a blanket. Nearing her, she heard Kaoru cough once, then twice, then in an altogether throwing fit of blood and phlegm.

Kaoru was having a hard time even to breathe and the heaviness in her chest wouldn't lift. It was only when she felt a soft hand run gently on the thin of her back did she finally feel at ease.

"Kaoru-san…"

Looking up towards the direction of her name, the said woman wasn't surprised to see Tsubame looking worried and concerned. She knew that look. The teenager was going to weasel her way towards a steady answer that Kaoru wasn't so sure she would really like to share. But she was also aware that sooner or later, she would have to give in. After all, Tsubame was the only living soul in the teahouse that really cared for her, treating her as a sister and loving her as one, never caring if both oft them were just as lowly as entertainers of the night.

Nodding her head and speaking, her voice coming off as hoarse and raspy, she said,

"I know you really wanted to know what is happening… (The girl nodded fervently.) Very well, I shall tell you… but I beg of you… Please don't tell anyone else… except when that time comes." She added sadly.

Tsubame shook her head, confused and puzzled. "Kaoru-san… I don't understand you…"

The woman expressed an understanding look in her eyes.

"Tsubame, the doctor said that I have tuberculosis. You've heard that haven't you? "

"But Kaoru-san!"

She raised a hand defensively, trying very hard not to cry. "Just please listen to me.. Don't interrupt…." Again, Tsubame nodded and sank back to her seat. Kaoru continued.

"The virus has been inside me for a long time… but… I never realized it… until now…The doctor has declared that the growing cancer is now clearly on going stage 5. The stage where blood is present. He warned me that… I… I just have another six months to live…"

Within hearing that, Tsubame burst into tears, the whole ordeal so unreal to him. She couldn't believe this, Kaoru, her sister, Bluerose, the star of the teahouse… was just going to die that way? No… she didn't deserve that kind of death… lowly as she was in people's standards, dirty as she was, deep inside she had a good kind heart. Always helping, always supporting. Whenever Maeba hits her, Kaoru would come to her rescue, shielding her from the slaps the old witch threatened to give.

But now…

And Kaoru was crying herself, silently, wordlessly, cursing whatever gods decided to bring her fate into an abrupt end. She didn't want to be a prostitute… hell no… But she still wanted to live… yes… in a faraway place with Kenshin.

Kenshin.

She'd only thought of this now.

How was she going to tell him?

Would she be able to tell him?

At that thought, Kaoru rose quickly to her feet; grasping Tsubame's shaking shoulders with cold clammy hands.

"Tsubame… promise me that you won't tell any living soul… Not to Maeba, not to the girls and especially not to him…" She drifted off.

"Him? Who?" Tsubame mouthed off? Forgetting her tears and becoming curious with this' him' person in the Bluerose's life. She knew whores could never share love lives just like a normal female can do. They must forget love for the sake of money and she knew that Maeba made sure her girls stayed pure and abstained from that thing called love. But Kaoru?

The older woman could see the clear look of confusion written in the girl's face.

"He is the famous Hitokiri Battousai…

Upon hearing those words, Tsubame's eyes widened. Lips forming into a big 'o'.

"Battousai? The hitokiri Battousai? You're having an affair with him?"

"Ssshhh!" And Tsubame found her lips pursed with the palm of the woman. "Yes… not exactly… but … oh! You wouldn't understand… just please don't tell him…" She pleaded.

Before she could receive an answer, Tsubame heard her name being called and quickly stood up, intending to leave. But upon on the foot of the door, she turned again, faced Kaoru, her lips forming the words 'I promise.' And then was gone.

It seemed to Kaoru that her worries on battousai's reaction were unfounded. A week had passed and still, she hadn't seen him. Another week did pass and she decided that they never shared an affair. Battousai still saw her as a prostitute no matter what lip service he had given her and never took her seriously.

Unfortunately, she took him seriously.

But she did not let that fact control her. Instead, she willed herself to perform, to help… she refused to be bedridden until she died. No she wanted to leave this world with a thought that up to the end, she had never been a pain in the ass. So she danced and sang in the stage. Knowing very well it really has become her life in the short period of existence. She danced with grace she never knew she had before and she even received a good comment from Maeba. It made her wonder if dying people were always like this. But, aside from the fact that she did perform, she never allowed herself to bed another man explaining to Maeba that her body was still too weak to accomplish an activity they call sex.

Was it her primary reason? Or she just didn't want to break her promise to Kenshin and herself? That she'd stay pure and let no man… except him… touch her?

Kaoru groaned inwardly. Sillystupidsillystupidsilly voice! She must learn how to forget him. After all, he had already forgotten about her. No more reason in trying to believe in him right?

Wrong.

She had seen him one Saturday night as she performed, hidden in the dark edges of the bar. Since then, she had tried to avoid him, hide from him, and never permitted herself to see him, using all kinds of alibis she knew and even switching rooms with Tsubame so he couldn't trace her.

She had been successful in dodging him, til this time…. How long must this act last?

Only for a short time.

To say she was surprised when she heard a gentle thud on her floor would be an understatement. She was surprised, alarmed, panicked, perplexed and puzzled when she saw him. How could he get in when there's only a thin wall in between her window?

"Wha—what are you doing here?"

He didn't reply, just continued to near her and Kaoru found herself backing away until her back reached the hard wall.

She was cornered,

She didn't feel frightened. Of course Kenshin wouldn't hit her. The idea was totally absurd! She only felt panicked because she knew he would question her behavior.

And he did.

Pinning her against the walls, his strong muscled arms well at the both sides of her head, he asked, his face in a dangerous distance form hers.

"Why… why are you doing this to me?"

Again she didn't know what to do… what to say… denial was her best option. Or was it?

"I don't know what you're talking about…" she whispered, not being able to look at him straight in the eye.

"Oh yes you do…" he whispered, his voice dripping with venom and amber eyes ablaze. Kaoru knew that madness would belittle the fury he felt inside. His face, always impassive showed vehemence and wrath and his tone was raged.

"Kenshin… just please leave me alone…" murmured, trying to fight the maelstrom that was building inside her chest. She certainly didn't want to hurt him with the news of her upcoming death. It would leave him a deathblow… it would certainly hurt him.

Or would it?

She knew little about what he felt and uncertainty was a natural thing. They haven't slept together, or even shared a bed so she couldn't reason out that it was purely lust on his part. If it was, then, he'd have marked her as his a long time ago, given the circumstances.

"You did not answer my question." He hissed. "Why are you doing this to me? What is happening to you?"

His voice held an underlying tone of rage and betrayal and Kaoru was shocked with how much an effect she had on him. Had he thought that she didn't love him anymore? Did he ever think that she would abandon him… what they have shared so abruptly? Kenshin deserved the right to know whatever was happening to here… the big question was how? How do you tell a man of your supposed death? Kaoru reasoned that even a genius couldn't answer that.

"Kenshin… I … I don't want to hurt you…" she whispered, head bowing in defeat and tears falling freely from her face.

"BUT YOU ARE!" he almost roared, half scaring her and half saddening her.

"I didn't mean to…I'm sorry…"

With this, his hand flew in the air as a sign of his exasperation. His body drew away from her as he started pacing back and forth in the room, trying unsuccessfully to calm himself and finding himself standing against one far corner of the room. What the hell was going on? Intelligent creature as he was; the Hitokiri Battousai could not and never can decipher women's emotions.

"Kaoru would you fucking stop apologizing and instead explain this fucking things? I don't need a goddamned apology… what I need is a fucking reason! And it better be good" he added, curse words completing his slurred speech.

But even with this, Kaoru didn't… couldn't say anything. Her breath was labored as her tears ran freely in her cheeks and her sobs constricting at her throat. I couldn't tell you… you're hurt so much already… and I don't want to cause you pain… having me is pain enough… but my death?

His rage was uncontrollable and the man felt the need to hurt everything or even anything save except her. Damnit Kaoru! Where the hell did I go wrong?

Seeing the murderous glint in his molten amber eyes, Kaoru knew she had to stop him. Even though he was gentle and loving to her, Kaoru knew that Kenshin still held a demonic and dangerous side. Attacking whoever willed to hurt or even touch him.

In a loud grunt, he pulled his katana in a god-speed motion and in a blink of an eye, her cabinet cracked open and crashed bitterly against the floor in the form of dust awing Kaoru in an instant.

But awed as she was, she knew she had to put a stop on this. The noise would cause a commotion and she was sure Maeba would cause a scene. No thank you. Having Battousai in her room was headache enough. She made a move to run to his form, to try and stop the damage he wanted to instill. To her, he was so distant and yet so near, his presence so far from her arms, the corner of her room where she stayed seeming like lengths of miles to hard to travel. Her eyes tricked her and her mind fogged; yet Kaoru willed herself to stay at her feet and reach him. She wanted to touch him, caress him and tell him how much he loved him but before she could take another step nearer to the man, her mind blurred, her vision spun and everything went black.

TBC…

Dodges flying tomatoes Hey hey! Ok, I'm sorry for the way things had turned out for our Kaoru-chan. Tuberculosis is a deadly disease and it still is. I'm sorry but she really has to die… bear with me peepz! Please! Don't worry, I'll make up with mush and lime though. (Now you guys don't get surprised to find KnK doing some 'limey' things even though Kaoru's sick ok? It's all I can do to make up for Kaoru's death.

I hope you continue reading this fic and don't just abandon reading this just because of Kaoru's fate. I swear, there's still so much more to happen… Really! The drama and romance doesn't stop here… there's so much more.. so please continue reading this fic!

Here's a short preview of what's going to happen in the next chappie…

He was gentle, always holding her, always asking if everything was all right even if the couple knew that each one wasn't so inexperienced in the terms of sex. He even went to leagues as of restraining himself when he felt that she wanted him to wait, so both of them could relish the feeling of rapture. His words were soft, soothing, his movements less wild, less volatile and although his eyes still held the amber shade that promised death to whoever wished to interfere with their little tryst, it wore a soft glow, like a dying ember in a fire. It was his first time to touch her, to hold her even with the given long time of their acquaintance, yet Kaoru was almost certain he knew every part of her body. Where she was sensitive the most, where she wanted to be touched, how she wanted to be touched…

AN:

OKAY OKAY! Dodges flying buckets I'm so sorry Kaoru has to die within six months… DODGES A TOMATO I'M SORRY! It's all part of this fic you know but trust me… there's a lot more that's going to happen ( and a lot lot more of waff) that's going to be in the story… Please don't just stop reading this fic just because you read that Kaoru can only live up to 6 mo…There's a lot of things that can happen between that period of time yah know… o0: Don't worry… I'll put lots of waff and romance and even a lemon to compensate and if I get a lot of reviews… who knows? Maybe Kaoru could survive after all… it all depends on your reaction guys…But rest assured… this story is going to be a lot waffier!

Don't forget to review… I know we all love Kaoru to be alive! Please bear with me though!

See yah! And don't forget to review!

JA!

Bluerose