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WARNING: There is a sex scene in this chapter, if you feel offended reading this sort of scenes. Do not read this chapter.

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Happy Chinese New Year to ALL those who are celebrating!


Chapter 16

She had stood up for Kenshin, believed that he was innocent. Have faith… But she couldn't help but feel insecure. She actually wasn't so sure about what she had defended and believed in…it was true that she loved Kenshin. But Kenshin had not really told her anything about himself, did he? She knew about the rough history about his life. He never told her about his likes or dislikes, his fears or anxieties. She loved his long flaming hair and his amazing eyes that changed colours.

But she was still going to believe in him. Maybe, he was really the bad guy, maybe he was all the things that The Aorta said about him. She knew that they might be true, but she was going to risk whatever she had to trust the man she loved. Even if he really did betray her in the end. She had to trust him. There was no other way.


A nurse came in, a file in her hand. Aoshi looked up at her, "What happened to me?"

"You were hit by a truck, I wondered how you manage to live. The gods must have been on your side. You're really fortunate…" the nurse replied, then she pointed at Misao. "Is this small girl your friend?"

Aoshi nodded. She is more than that… "Yes."

"She was freaking out, totally hysterical when she came into the hospital,"

Aoshi smiled, it sounded just like Misao.

"You're lucky she is here too. We didn't have enough blood supply of your blood type, so she offered immediately to donate her blood to you…donated a lot she did. We wanted her to rest but she just wouldn't live your side," the nurse added.

Something pinched at Aoshi's heart when he heard what had happened. Misao had lost so much blood to him….he wished he could remember more…

Misao…


The bitch had been deceiving him all along. Had been lying to him all the time. He had just realized that the bracelet she was wearing was one of the minor equipment in the The Aorta. He hadn't been sure than when he realized that, and had ran to make sure. And made sure he did. Saw her with Enishi…they went away to this restaurant until he could no longer follow them anymore. Something was weird about those two. It wasn't like as if they were just going for a coffee…like they said.

So he checked up on Enishi and found out that he was an Aorta. Ahhh…so she had been betraying him all long…with Enishi…playing with him. He was used to playing with women…but when it comes to women playing with him, he just couldn't possibly tolerate that. And to think he actually had feelings for her! That bitch! She had been cheating on him all this while. A cruel smile twisted on his lips. I'm going to make you pay…

You're in for a big surprise my little Kaoru…

Fiery amber eyes glowed murderously in the dark.


Kaoru came down the steps dressed in a figure-hugging white dress, she looked exquisite. Her hair was tied up in a lose bun, strands of hair framing her pretty face beautifully. She had pinned some fresh white lilies into her hair, the colour contrasting splendidly with her raven hair. She was an amazing tropical temptress.

A car was there, already waiting for her. The driver had helped her onto the car.

But they didn't drive to the harbor as she had expected and instead, they arrived at a hotel. The driver handed her a key. "Himura-san is expecting you there, just go to the room."

Kaoru took the ring hesitantly, her hands shaking. She roughly could figure out what Kenshin had planned to do with her tonight. And she felt like a whore, coming to a hotel and being told that she was 'expected'. But she just nodded, and went into the hotel. She went straight to where the elevator was located, nervous, frightened and unsure of herself.

The room was on the 21st floor. Room 2177. She inserted the key and turned the knob. The room was dark, like no one had been in there. It was beginning to scare her. Then, she noticed that there was light coming from a lamp and the room was very large. It was dimly lit inside. She walked further in but found no one there.

"Kenshin?" she called out. No one answered.

There was a big, wide mirror on the wall and she could see herself and almost the whole room in the reflection. Where was Kenshin? Why wasn't he here? She was beginning to panic.

Suddenly the whole room was dark. The lamp was switched off. And Kaoru was frightened. Someone was in here with her and that person hasn't shown him/herself ever since she entered. She had felt presence in here, but she could not see that person. It was starting to freak her out.

Then, she felt someone holding her waist, drawing her close to his chest. The person was definitely male. "Kenshin?" she asked again.

Kenshin smiled, not answering her, and begun to nibble at her ear.

Then, the lamp was switched on again. And Kaoru could see that it was Kenshin holding her against him in the mirror. "Kenshin!" she exclaimed, relieved that it was just him. "You scared me!"

Kenshin just smiled again and didn't reply. Kaoru stared at his complexion in the mirror. There was something different about him. Something was missing. She could sense some kind of change in him. There was this predatory feel about him and his eyes were completely amber, almost golden. It startled her. They used to be violet with sparks of amber…not all amber. And those golden eyes were not looking at her gently like they used to. They were looking at her hungrily, almost menacingly…and there was a wicked smile plastered on his lips.

"Kenshin?" she whispered, scared. "What's wrong?"

Kenshin's smile broadened but he did not answer, instead he begun kissing her neck, his hands reaching down to her breast, cupping over them possessively, rubbing her nipples roughly. Kaoru gasped…moaned. What was he doing? She was used to his touches and kisses but they were never like this, so rough…so fierce. Like as if he was punishing her.

Then, he tugged at her zip, letting the dress fall down to her feet. Kaoru's instinctive reaction was to pick it up.

"Don't." he said, his voice was hoarse, thick with desire. So Kaoru let the dress fall, and to her alarm, Kenshin begun taking off his own clothes, stripping off his shirt and pants. Kaoru stared in embarrassment, she couldn't help herself. He was so beautiful, his body lean and hard, his legs long and muscled. Then, when he was completely naked, he came towards her, like a prowling cat. No, he was more like a tiger. His eyes were on her, glaring at her intensively. He reached out for her and tore at her undergarments. Kaoru was surprised, had he gone crazy with lust? He threw her onto the bed and crawled on top of her, caging her in. For a long time, he just looked at her. His eyes roamed all over her body, a smile still plastered on his lips.

Then, he reached down, kissing her roughly on the lips, his tongue probing furiously. His hands were all over her body, touching her roughly. He was like a wild man, like fire…burning her with all his touches and kisses. It was hurting and pleasing at the same time. His kisses traveled to her neck then, to her belly. He was going so fast and Kaoru could barely pick up. Suddenly, he grabbed her hips and position for his entry.

"Wait!" Kaoru cried. But it was too late.

Kenshin slammed into her. He plunged in roughly and drove into her deeply. And all Kaoru could do was hold on to him, her nails clawing into Kenshin's back. Kenshin thrust in again and again until the both of them reached the peak. And he groaned aloud. Kaoru was breathless and out of words. She had bit her own tongue to keep herself from screaming from the pain. She was a virgin.

Kenshin was slumped on top of her, his head buried in her head. Suddenly he got up and left the bed without even looking at her.

"Kenshin?"

He did not answered, he just picked up his clothes and begun to dress.

"Kenshin, where are you going?"

Silence.

"Answer me, Kenshin. What's wrong?"

He just continued dressing like as if she was not there. Kaoru's heart broke into pieces. Was what was happening now…like what had happened several times he was with other women? She should have known, she was just like any other woman to him. What made her think that she was special? Tears begun to form in her eyes. So he was going to toss her aside just like how he had done many times to so many woman. How pathetic.

"What's wrong?" she asked again, forcing her voice to be firmer.

Kenshin finally faced her. His eyes were cold with indifference, a smug smile on his lips.

"That, you have to answer yourself, my sweet Kaoru."

He was mocking her. The fucking bastard.

"Don't mock me! I don't understand anything that you've done ever since I entered this room!"

"Yeah, I know that. But you've chose to come into this room, sweet Kaoru…no one force you to."

"Don't call me 'sweet Kaoru'! I don't know what's wrong with you! I know that you discard women as often as you change clothes, I know that! But, you don't have to end it this way. You could have just tell me that you don't want me anymore, that you have no desire for me anymore…it would have hurt much less…..not like this Kenshin, not like this…."

"Battousai…"

"Excuse me?"

"I'm Battousai, not Kenshin."

"What ? Now you're telling me to call you Battousai?"

Kenshin did not reply, he just made his way to the door. Kaoru wrapped the blanks about her body and rushed towards him. "Please, tell me what is wrong…"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He warned softly.

"Do- do what?" Kaoru said shakily.

"Get any nearer to me."

She stopped cold, her mind registering the physical threat in his voice, refusing to believe it, her eyes searched his icy face.

"Kenshin…" she begun. "Please, don't end it this way. I love you…"

His voice cracked like a whiplash. "Shut up!"

"What did I do wrong to deserve this kind of treatment from you? Tell me…what did I do!" she cried, tears running down her face. Her heart was aching, she didn't know that there could be so much pain…her whole body was shaking violently.

"Don't play games with me, Kaoru. I know what you are doing…you thought I wouldn't find out? Whatever the Aorta had said to convince you to do this, I don't care. You underestimated the great Battousai, my sweet Kaoru. For that you'll pay. This is just the beginning."

Kaoru froze at her spot. So he knew. He knew all along…but she was not at fault was she? She didn't try to pry into his business or report back to the Aorta like they had told her to. The only reason she did not tell him about it was because The Aorta had threatened to kill everyone.

"I am not playing games with you Kenshin, "she pleaded desperately, the tears blurring her vision, she could barely see him properly. "I love you Kenshin, I never meant to deceive you…I never believe them. I've always trusted you…"

"Shut up!"

"I love you…"

"I'm warning you, if you say another word or come any closer, I'll kill you with my own hands."

Kaoru stared at him, stunned. She was dying inside. It wasn't her fault! She wanted to explain to him, but he wasn't listening, he was not in the state to listen to anything right now.

"Get out."he said

"Kenshin…"

"Get out!"

Kaoru grabbed her dress and slid it on clumsily. Then she tore off one of the pillow cases to act as a scarf to cover her chest. Her bra had been too damaged to wear.

Then she walked out, closing the door quietly behind her. Her hair was in a mess, it was no longer in a bun and the white lilies were lost behind in the room.


Kaoru walked into her room back at the villa. Numb. She was no longer crying. So it had all been some sort of revenge, some sort of punishment. Whatever that happened between them in the room just now was a 'get-back' at her. All the way hatred…all the way anger.

She had to leave as soon as she takes a bath, then, she is out of here. Strangely, her mind was not responding to the hurt, the sadness. Her eyes just stared blankly into space…her body too tired and numb to cry even more. She knew that a part of it was her fault, she should have told him, but she had no choice did she? He didn't even bother to listen to her. If loving someone means hurting this much and being so vulnerable…if this was what they call love…she didn't want to love again. Never again.

She washed her body thoroughly, running the hot water over her ravaged body. Then, after she finished her bath and dressed, she begun packing.

Kaoru mind was dead; all she wanted was to get away from here as soon as possible. But first she must first pay a visit to The Aorta. She called the number that Enishi had given to her in case of emergencies.

"Hello?" Enishi's voice said from the other side.

"Send someone to pick me up."

"Kaoru is that you?"

"Just send someone. Take me to your headquarters I had something to say."

"Are you sure? What's wrong?"

"Be quick." She said curtly and hung up.


Misao yawned and looked about, and saw Aoshi watching her. His eyes were on hers, calm and gentle. His gaze was making her uneasy.

"Aoshi-sama, how are you feeling?" Misao asked, standing up and walking to his side.

Aoshi smiled and Misao looked surprised.

"I'm fine, thanks to you." Aoshi replied.

Misao smiled. "Thank god you made it through…"

"Yeah…"

Misao sat down on a chair next to the bed.

For a while they just stared at each other in silence. And Aoshi reached out to hold her hand. Misao looked at his hand and back at him.

"Misao…" he said softly.

"Hmm?"

"Is there something you didn't tell me about my past?"

"Why? Do you remember now?"

Aoshi nodded solemnly. "Parts of it, actually most of it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes and not all my past memories are gone. I still remember who I am, where I grew up…how I come to work with The Aorta…it's was like as if everything was in place, just that you were erased from my memory and someone replaced you with a false memory."

"Oh."

"But I saw things last night…I remembered things that I was suppose to remember."

"Oh, good for you…" Misao mumbled.

"Misao…"

"Hmm?"

"Where was home? You said that 'it was boring at home without me around'…I saw you say that in my memory…"

"Home…that was a long time ago. A long , long time ago."

"Why didn't you tell me about all that?"

"I was afraid that I might make things harder for you…it was not good to make things too confusing."

"Oh…but where was home?"

"You and your friends used to take care of me ever since I was a baby. You guys taught me how to fight…we were all living together in New York. One day, Hannya died and you went away. The rest send me to Jiya…I didn't know he was my father then, but I continued to try to find out where you were…and sneaked into The Aorta to search for you…"

"I think things weren't as simple as you tell me Misao."

"What do you remember, Aoshi-sama?"

"I remembered you sneaking into the Aorta…and what happened between us."

"Oh…" Misao murmured, looking down at her hands. "Yeah, many awful things happened and you let me go when I weren't supposed to…I guess the Aorta must have erased me from your memories…so that you would stay loyal to them…or maybe it was in exchange for my release…"

"That I do not know…." Aoshi said, his fingers rubbing Misao's hands in circles. "How old are you, Misao?"

"I'm 18, turning 19 soon…why?"

"When I saw you in my memories, you were 15…"

Misao smiled sadly. "Yeah…that was a long time ago…sometimes some things are just not meant to be."


No one had seen him eversince he entered…they were not so smart afterall…it took him less than 10 minutes to look up where the files are. And he was reading rather interesting things about these women. It was true that they were all linked with Himura when they supposedly lost their powers. But on the days those women lost their powers, Kamiya-san's location…the assignments he was doing were near to where the women were living. On all the different dates those women lost their powers, Kamiya-san was always near by…not Kenshin. Something very fishy was going on….


They were sitting in an enclosed room.

"What's wrong, Kaoru?" Enishi asked. He sensed that something was different about her when she entered the room. Her eyes were cold, her movements rigid and her face was pale. Something had died in her.

"I slept with Himura and my powers are still intact. I don't want to do this anymore," she said coldly, her voice strangely calm.

Enishi was taken aback by her frankness. "You slept with him?"

"Yes, now get off my back and take off this bracelet before I destroy you."

"Sure, I'll take it off and I'm sure Kamiya-san will agree to let you go if Battousai is innocent."

"He is."

"He is what?"

"Innocent."

"Right, then what's wrong with you? Aren't you suppose to be relieved?"

Kaoru ignored his comment. "Where is Misao? I tried to locate her but she was too far away for my mind to strain…"

"She is with Aoshi."

"What kind of games are you playing with us now?"

"Nothing, Kaoru. I'm doing him a favor okay? The elders do not know that he is with her…they said that he was to have no contact with her at all. Aoshi asked me to cover up for him so that he can go."

"Right. And why is that so?"

"The Aorta had erased Misao from Aoshi's memories…so that is why he doesn't remember her. But ever since Misao claimed to know him when we brought her here, Aoshi had been restless…"

Kaoru nodded. "Now take off this bracelet."

Enishi sighed, "How could you be so sure that he is innocent?"

Kaoru put down her hand and walked towards him. She was nearer and nearer…her presence and iced eyes frightening him.

"He is just heartless , that's all. But he didn't do what you guys suspect of him…" she said softly, her face close to his…her voice still and sharp.

"What's wrong, Kaoru? Did something happen?"

"Of course something happened…he figured out somehow about me and about The Aorta around him. He is after me now, and he just threw me aside…like I was rubbish…all because of you all…all because of you all….my life is ruined!"

The last three words came out as a scream, and Kaoru's eyes lit up. She was no longer Kaoru…

"Kaoru…." Enishi said, trying to bring her back to her senses. "Don't…"

But Kaoru couldn't hear him…her mind was too far away…she couldn't hear anything. All she could hear was her own heart beat, all she could see was her forgotten smiles, Kenshin's smiles….their walks together…and his fury when they were last together….and her heartbreak. Everything was lost. She was dead inside…she had nothing to live for now.


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