Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

Chapter 13: Whirlwinds

It was Wednesday afternoon and Kaoru was sitting at the front counter of The Iwasaki's. Oddly, this was one of the times where there were very few customers and she was broadly free. Kaoru stared into space and her thoughts drifted to that of her own life. It seemed to her that everything was a mess. She didn't even know if the decisions that she made without her father behind her back are right or wrong. When he helped her chose the path of medicine after she graduated from highschool, she really didn't know what she was doing. At that time, she kept asking herself, "Is this what I really want?" and until now, she still did not have an answer. She had wanted to please her father, she had wanted to be a good daughter but now, she knew that maybe her father had gone too far in making her decisions. Yet, she doubted if the decisions that she made herself are better than her father's.

Time had past so fast and soon it will be Friday. Kaoru dreaded that day and yet she was excited at the same time. She realized that she had never felt truly happy ever since she came back to Japan, she wondered, would she be much happier if she had listened to her father and given Enishi a chance? After all, she seemed very eager to be with her, unlike the cold indifference of Saitou's. It was true that Saitou had kissed her passionately and his eyes burn with desire whenever he looked at her. But Kaoru couldn't help but feel that Saitou was treating her like the many other women he had, her feelings for him were strong and she knew that she was the only one who was feeling that way. Maybe she should ask Shougo tomorrow about Saitou's past, there must be a reason why Saitou was like that.

"Shougo?" Kaoru said, looking up from the painting she was working on. It was Thursday and they were busy with the paintings that are going to be displayed in the art gallery.

"Hmm?" Shougo grunted, his paint brush moving over the big piece of paper furiously.

"How long have you known Saitou?" Kaoru asked.

Shougo put down his paint brush and turned to look at her. "Why?"

"Well, we've dated and I've known him for quite a while but I can't help it but feel that I don't know him at all."

Shougo chuckled, "I understand what you mean. Saitou is not a very easy person to get close too. But you shouldn't blame him, Kaoru. There are reasons why he is like that."

Kaoru's eyes widened, "Why? What happened?"

"I've known Saitou since we were eight but we only became close friends later. Even though I'm one of his close friends, he still keeps me at a slight distance. There is a part of him that he will not share with others."

Kaoru nodded at Shougo, urging him to go on.

"Saitou's mother is from a very wealthy family while his father isn't so well off. His mother's parents were strongly against their marriage but they got married still. His father was struggling with his own shop and when Saitou was ten, his father died in a car accident and his mother saw no reason to stay anymore. She left, leaving the young Saitou with his grandparents and Saitou was heart broken, he loved his mother very much, despite her many faults."

"What was Saitou like when he is young?" Kaoru asked, she wanted to know more of the powerful, enigmatic man who owned her heart but didn't seem to want it.

Shougo smiled sadly, "He was different then. He still has those amazing amber eyes but they were brighter and warmer. He has always been quiet but now he has turn cynical and hard. For months, he would watch out the window, waiting for her to come back. He couldn't believe that his mother isn't coming back to him, he was so stubborn and he wouldn't give up."

Kaoru's heart ached at hearing about Saitou's past. Images of the younger, smaller Saitou formed in her mind and she could almost feel how heartbroken he must have felt then.

"What happened later? Did she come back?" Kaoru asked.

Shougo shook his head bitterly, "No, she never came back. She went back to her lavish lifestyle and remarried later, it was like she never had a son named Hajime. Saitou went after her when he was twelve but he wouldn't tell me what happened. It was the last blow on him and he turned colder and more distant than ever."

Kaoru looked down at her feet, she didn't know what to say. So that was why Saitou was so cold and unfeeling sometimes. He had learnt at a young age that a woman could never be entrusted with his heart. Kaoru simultaneously wanted to strangle Saitou's mother and to lavish Saitou with her own love whether he want it or not.

"I know that you're in love with him," Shougo said. "And I am not going to stop you." He smiled at Kaoru.

Kaoru finally brought herself to look up at Shougo and confessed, "I'm going with him to a beach party tomorrow."

Shougo sighed and nodded. "Just be careful, Kaoru. Think clearly. Saitou has the ability to bewitch people."

Kaoru laughed weakly at Shougo's attempted humor and nodded back at him. It was true, Saitou did have the ability to bewitch people; being with him was like being in a dream.

"Why do you everyone call him Saitou even though Hajime is his first name?" Kaoru asked.

Shougo smiled teasingly at her. "Then why do you call him Saitou?"

Kaoru thought about it and replied, "Well, everyone calls him Saitou and so I call him Saitou too. Besides, calling him Hajime would just sound odd."

"Yes, that is our reason to call him Saitou as well." Shougo said, "He never said anything about it, but calling him Hajime will just confuse things. I guess that he got used to it already."

Kaoru laughed and smiled her brightest smile at Shougo. "I don't know why, but just hearing about him makes my heart beat so much faster."

"You love him more after I told you about his misfortunes, right?" asked Shougo, "Well, it's my fault, then."

"Yes!" Kaoru exclaimed, blushing furiously, "I can't believe that I'm telling you this, Shougo!"

Shougo smiled at her. "Don't worry about it. We're friends, right?"

Kaoru nodded distractedly, a smile still on her lips. She was not really listening to Shougo anymore. Now, she just couldn't wait to see Saitou.

On Friday, Kaoru got back earlier from the Art Studio to get ready for her trip with Saitou. She took a long shower and did all the primping she could and pack a change of clothes into a bag. Misao was watching her all the while with a worried look on her face.

When Kaoru was finally ready, she went to stand by the window, watching out for Saitou's car. Misao sighed and so Kaoru went to her, put a hand on Misao's arm and smiled reassuringly at her. Then, Kaoru went to stand next to the window again. She was more excited than she thought she would be. After she had discovered so much about Saitou's past from Shougo, she couldn't stop thinking. She had decided that she was going to be herself around him and to get him to open up to her.

And when she saw his black Mercedes Benz coming down the street, she gave Misao a quick good bye hug and rushed downstairs. Kaoru laughed at herself while she flew down the stairs because she knew that she wasn't being herself and was behaving ridiculously.

She landed on the end of the stairs just as Saitou stopped his car right in front of her. He raised an eyebrow at her, an amused smirk playing on his lips which made Kaoru wonder what she must had looked like after that adrenaline-charged run down the stairs.

Saitou got out from his car and Kaoru widened her eyes. He wasn't wearing his trademark black or dark blue clothes. Instead, he had donned on a shirt with neat brown colour pinstripes and long khaki pants. He looked so different and so handsome that Kaoru's heart went racing like mad again.

Saitou raised an eyebrow at her again and said teasingly, "Mesmerized?"

Kaoru just laughed and got into the passenger's seat without saying another word. She heard Saitou's deep chuckle before getting into the car himself.

He glanced at her and commented, "The yellow dress fits you perfectly."

Kaoru looked down at her yellow sundress and burst out laughing. "Don't ever let anyone tell you that you have a way with flattery, because you don't."

"Is that right?" he mocked, his eyes challenging. "In that case, I'll tell you exactly what I think: I think that you're exquisitely lovely, and that you have the fascinating ability to look like an extremely sexy, sophisticatedly young woman and utterly angelic girl at one and the same time. And you took my breath away the moment I saw you smiling at me in that dress of yours at the bottom of the stairs."

Kaoru's face blushed a deep red and she turn away to avoid Saitou's burning eyes. She was embarrassed and also very happy to hear what Saitou had said; only that from the tone of voice he just used, Kaoru was now even more sure of what Saitou wanted from her tonight.

Saitou chuckled again at Kaoru's reaction and pressed a kiss on her forehead before starting the car engine. He was beginning to think that this trip might turn out to be more than he bargained for.

By the time they reached the seaside, the sun was already setting; splashing a beautiful shock of red and orange across the sky. It was a magnificent sight and Kaoru loved it. It was so nice to ride in the car with Saitou even though they didn't talk much. What they shared was the peaceful silence and the playful glances they gave to each other time to time. Kaoru knew that what she should be doing was to worry about her future and her heart but she couldn't let her woes spoil a perfect time like this. It had been a long time since she had a break and she wanted to enjoy herself.

"We're here," Saitou said, interrupting Kaoru in her thoughts. Kaoru turned her head to look in front of her and saw that they had driven into wonderfully furnished house lit up beautifully by several lights. This must be Saitou's associate's house, Kaoru decided.

They were greeted by the housekeeper who told them that the party had already moved out onto the beach and that most of the guests had arrived. So they moved through the silent house towards the far away laughter and to join the rest of the party. When they reached the beach, Saitou was greeted by hugs from the men there; he seemed very popular among them. Kaoru liked the party better than the last one because everyone here appeared much more relaxed here. It was not one of those formal, glittering parties which made her uptight.

After the men were done with the greets and hugs, they turned their gazes to Kaoru and Kaoru thought she might freeze up. Amazingly, she managed to smile at them warmly and greeted them with a friendly, "Hello."

Saitou put his hand gently onto the small of her back and ushered her closer to the group and introduced her.

"This is Kamiya Kaoru," he said, "She is a Medical student at Tokyo University."

The men grinned at her and the only odd one out; a tall handsome Caucasian man held his hand out to her. Kaoru grabbed his hand and shook it happily. They were very nice to her indeed. But why did Saitou even bother to mention that she was a Medical student?

"I'm Henrik Schneider," the blond man said, speaking in perfect Japanese, smiling at her mischievously, "your host for this evening. And I suppose that you are Saitou's date?"

"Yes," Kaoru replied, smiling back at him, "thank you so much for holding such a magnificent party, Henrik."

"You are welcomed, my dear," he said warmly, "now, why don't I show you to the refreshment stands? I made all the food myself!" He held his had out to her again.

Kaoru hesitated before taking his hand, she turned to look at Saitou but found him to be dragged away by the other men, engaged in a conversation. He was definitely too occupied to bother with her now. Plus, she didn't want to appear too dependent on him; like a small puppy following its owner around.

Kaoru put her hand firmly into Henrik's and said, "Okay, show me all the wonders that you made for tonight."

Saitou watched Kaoru being led away by Henrik and suddenly he couldn't concentrate in the conversation anymore. But he really shouldn't worry because he knew Henrik for a very long time and he also knew that Henrik was a serial flirt with impeccable charms. And now, Henrik was just doing what he always does, unleashing the full force of the Schneider charisma onto the beautiful Kaoru while he showed to her the delicious delights and urging her gesticulatingly to try all of them. Saitou smirked; or maybe Henrik was just trying to show off his manly, culinary skills.

"What do you find so amusing, Saitou?" came a low, familiar female voice.

Saitou turned around to see Tokio standing behind him, her long brown hair let down loosely around her shoulders and a hand placed confidently on her hip. She was wearing a dark purple mini-dress, holding a tropical drink in her other hand. Her hazel eyes were locked onto his and Saitou could still see the bitterness within them. The men who were previously talking to Saitou stopped their conversations awkwardly and disappeared quickly. They knew that it was time to move away.

"What are you doing here?" Saitou asked once all of them were gone.

Tokio ignored his question and turned her eyes to Kaoru and Schneider before remarking caustically, "So that is your new toy for now? She has barely reached puberty. It seems to me that your standards have lowered Saitou, dear."

"Don't call me 'dear'," Saitou said in a cold voice, his eyes turning hard, "and you keep your comments about Kaoru to yourself."

"So her name is Kaoru?" asked Tokio, walking closer to Saitou her hips swaying seductively. "It suits her perfectly. A girly name for a girly girl like her."

Saitou turned his angry eyes on Tokio before growling, "I told you to keep your comments to yourself because I obviously think differently."

"What!" exclaimed Tokio, "You…"

Saitou raised his hand to silence her. "Don't make a scene here. If you want to talk, let's go somewhere else."

Saitou took Tokio's elbow and moved away from the party. Some people looked their way and began to whisper but others couldn't care less.

Kaoru watched Saitou walked away with a beautiful brunette and now she couldn't see them anywhere. Where had they gone to and what are they doing? Kaoru began to panic.

Then, someone touched her back lightly and Kaoru turned around to see Henrik smiling at her.

"Don't worry, Kaoru." He said. "He'll be back soon."

Kaoru turned her attention back to Henrik reluctantly and asked, "Who is that woman with him? She looks familiar."

"That is his ex-girlfriend, Tokio." Henrik replied, "I'm sure that you must have seen her somewhere, she is a famous singer here in Japan."

"Yes." Kaoru agreed distractedly, numbed. She remembered the face that she saw on the CD case Misao showed her. Tokio… The wonderful evening turned sour with Saitou going off with his former girlfriend and she was stuck here with a man she barely knew, surrounded by all the other wealthy strangers.

Henrik took her hand and squeezed it tightly, trying to comfort her. "I'll introduce you to some of my friends and let's forget about Saitou for now."

Kaoru nodded, forcing a fake smile to form on her lips and allowed him to pull her away to meet his friends but inside, she was crumbling.

Henrik smiled all too cheerfully and hoped that Saitou don't do anything silly because he knew that the woman beside him was hurting.

They were in a secluded area, away from any spectators. Saitou was growing impatient. If he knew that Tokio was going to be here, he would have never brought Kaoru. Tokio had always been trouble; when they were in a relationship, she was so clingy and possessive, always getting jealous so easily but yet she was the one who put an end to the relationship. She had tried to get Saitou jealous by messing around with one of his clients. Then, Saitou took the chance and broke up with her.

And, now this. Saitou sighed.

"Who is she?" demanded Tokio, "Some teenager you found on the way here?"

"I don't see why we are having this conversation." Saitou said. "I thought I made it very clear, we are over and who I see now is not your concern."

Tokio scoffed. "Right. I can tell that she is different, you know. And you've never defended anyone like this before. You are obviously besotted, Saitou."

Saitou looked at the woman standing in front of him, measuring her words, was what she said, true? Was he really besotted? He did not want to get attach to anyone again but it was true that he enjoyed Kaoru's company and her warm, innocent smiles affected him more than he liked. But he didn't want anyone to get close to him anymore.

Saitou took a deep breath. "I am not besotted with her, whatever you may think. I like her, that's all."

Tokio's smile curled up in asly smile. "That's all?"

Saitou remained silent but noticed that Tokio was coming closer and closer to him with the same sly smile on her face.

Henrik was laughing at one of the jokes that one of his friends had just told to the whole crowd of them. Then, he turned around to see Kaoru's reaction to the joke but didn't see her at where she was standing a moment ago.

"Kaoru?"

She was no where in sight.

It all happened so fast that Saitou was caught off guard. All of a sudden, Tokio's arms were around him, her body pressed into his and she was kissing him passionately. It was all a shock and when Saitou came to his senses and pushed her off, he noticed that she was laughing. She had just been shoved off roughly onto sand and she was laughing?

That was when Saitou realized that there was an extra shadow on the ground other than Tokio and his own.

He raised his eyes slowly to the owner of the new shadow and found a stricken Kaoru standing there, shaking and her eyes wide with…sadness.

"Kaoru…" he murmured.

And before he could say anything else, Kaoru shook her hand, turned around and ran away quickly.

Saitou looked down Tokio, who was still smiling. He glared at her and ran after Kaoru.

I am not besotted wit her…I like her, that's all.

Those words kept echoing in Kaoru's head as she ran, the tears in her eyes blinding her. She didn't care where she was going or what was going to happen. Or the fact that everything

happening around her was so dramatic and surreal. All she wanted to do now was to get away from Saitou and his gorgeous ex-girlfriend. She was kissing him and he didn't push her off immediately.

In her distress, Kaoru didn't notice that she had run all the way from the beach, through Henrik's house to where Saitou had parked his Mercedes Benz. How could he do this to her? How could he say that he liked and that is all? How could he make her feel so small and so pathetic?

Kaoru let the gathering tears in eyes pour out and she sobbed, her whole body shaking, her legs giving her away beneath and she slumped to the ground.

"Kaoru…"

Kaoru stopped crying and looked up to see Saitou standing in front of her, his dark shadow hovering over her. Kaoru looked into his eyes defiantly and sniffed, trying very hard to calm her own angry, roving mind. She refused to speak and she looked down again. A long moment of silence passed through them and Saitou just remained standing there. Neither of them uttering a word.

Finally, Kaoru gathered her skirts and got up quietly, her back straight and her chin held up high. She leveled her eyes with Saitou's before speaking in an equally calm voice, "I would like you to take me home now."

Without warning, Saitou grabbed her shoulders and crushed her against him, his hand smoothing down her back comfortingly. Kaoru stiffened and remained completely still in his embrace, then, firmly she pushed him away. "Please, just take me home."

Saitou looked at her, his amber eyes staring into her blue ones searchingly. His hand slide down to her waist and shifted her closer to him, his other hand cupped her face tenderly, his thumb brushing her tears away gently.

"I know that you are angry with me." Saitou said, never breaking their eye contact. "And I am sorry. The woman you saw just now is my ex-girlfriend. Her name is Tokio."

Kaoru could feel the anger in her melting away and she fought to stay angry at him, she looked back deeply into his eyes, forcing herself not to look away after what she heard him said. If she looked away now, she would appear more vulnerable than ever.

"I didn't kiss her-"

"But!" Kaoru exclaimed, interrupting him.

Saitou touched her lips to silence her, then, he said seriously, "I didn't. She just grabbed me and kissed me all of a sudden. I don't have any feelings for her and I am not with her. I am with you now."

Kaoru could feel her eyes watering again, her heart was betraying herself. She wanted so much to accept Saitou's explanation and to throw herself at him. She gathered her last vestiges of self control and spoke.

"But you said that you like me and that is all."

Saitou chuckled and bend down to burry his face at the base of her neck, breathing in her intoxicating jasmine fragrance. Then, he pressed soft kisses along her collar bone before murmuring, "I like you, Kaoru. But I want you, too."

Kaoru gave into him and turned fully into his embrace, pressing her body against his eagerly but she couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks. She couldn't believe that she was really doing this; she had succumbed to his enchantment, not caring about being careful or protecting herself. All she knew now was to be with the man she loved. She wanted to hold him close and to never let him go.

Then, she let out a small yelp when Saitou bit the top of her breast playfully. He then tilted her chin and kissed her hungrily, his arms tightly around her, his tongue playing with hers adroitly, drugging her completely with the passion of his kiss.

When he finally lifted his mouth from hers, she looked up at him dazedly and he was smiling roguishly at her.

"Come," he said, taking her hand and leading her to his car.

Kaoru just followed him and didn't ask any questions. She had no doubt in where they were going.

The moment the front door closed, they were kissing each other again. Saitou had scooped her up in his arms, pressing her back against her wall. He was kissing and touching her everywhere and for the first time Kaoru didn't mind. She liked his feverish kisses and touches and she found herself wanting more. It was when Saitou carried her to the bedroom that Kaoru begin to doubt what she was doing.

She moved away from Saitou, catching her breath after all the breathtaking kisses.

"Saitou," she said, "I don't think I know…"

Saitou stopped her from continuing by kissing her lightly on the lips. "Don't worry, I'll guide you."

Kaoru widened her eyes. Saitou obviously didn't know that she have not done this before. Then, she watched Saitou take her wrist and placed her hand onto the front of his shirt gently.

"Saitou," Kaoru said again, "I was trying to tell you that I'm not all that tired yet."

"Good," he whispered, pulling her onto his lap and began to sensually trace the folds of her ear with his tongue. "Because I'm not going to let you go to sleep just yet."

"What I meant was-" Kaoru gasped as his tongue traveled down her neck. Weakly, she leaned into him and felt the bold evidence of his rising passion pressing against her. "What I meant," she said again in a tremulous voice, "was that I'm ready for…for bed yet."

Saitou turned his head up and whispered into her ear. "I've waited an eternity for you, Kaoru. Don't ask me to wait any longer."

These words banished any thoughts of the rightness of what she was doing in Kaoru's mind and she didn't protest when Saitou pulled on her wrist again, placing her hand on the front of his shirt once more.

"Look at me," he coaxed gently and Kaoru lifted her shining blue eyes to his. "We are going to do this together. Unbutton my shirt."

Kaoru looked at her hand on his shirt and in a moment, all her fears disappeared. She touched her trembling hands to the first button. It seemed like forever for the button to be freed and before she knew it she was working on the second button. Everything was in a daze.

Then, she unbuttoned the third one.

Then another button….

And another...

A/N: There, another completed chapter. I'm sorry it took a while but I work on this with all that I've got, I just really want to write a good romance. Do review and let me know what you think about this chapter or the characters or whatever you have to say.