Disclaimer: I own it not. It owns me. Join me in the bliss of obsession. ^_^

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Diary of a Manslayer

Akai Kitsune

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Chapter 1) Ai shiteru

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Often he thought: My life was empty before I met her.

Kenshin couldn't quite explain to her the true meaning of these words, a simple statement that seemed to define his entire existence. His wife was a simple creature for the most part - the world was wonderful, life was wonderful, their family was wonderful, he was wonderful. He wanted to let her know that everything was fine for him because of how wonderful she was, but it was all a matter of how to say such things. Kaoru had learned the bliss of being a wife, and sometimes he feared that if he said anything - anything at all - it would ruin her happiness and shatter the picture of domesticity he had formed with her over the years. Words were not really necessary for them, after being together for so long.

So it remained a game for them both, a secret play of words, the silence or simple conversation that was deeper only in their minds. Who knew the true meaning of a homecoming, a touch of hands, a sidelong glance, a whisper in the ear of a beloved?

'Love is a secret,' he liked to think, 'Never truly known except between those who share it.'

Three children they had, two boys and a girl Kaoru always wanted, and all of them managed to surprise him most times. They all earned his love by simply existing - much like his wife, he mused, though it was more than just an inheritance.

It was a father's duty to love and care for his family, wasn't it?

'Even if it isn't... I'll proudly do it wrong all my life.'

'I'll love this family with all my soul.'

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Apologies for the length. Some of the chapters in the source novel are about the same size (even shorter!) and it depends on the inspiration. This is simply an introduction after all, so it doesn't need to be huge.

And now I shall explain the fic itself. I was inspired to write this fic while reading Evan S. Connell's "Mr. Bridge". The source doesn't really matter, since it's a basic guideline for chapter titles. There are no similarities between characters, the plots don't match well... most of the chapters have nothing to do with each other either. Pretty strange, ne?

However, credit goes to where it's due. "Mr. Bridge" was not written by me, and because of that, this fic is not completely original in it's concepts.