The door suddenly opened and a guy with red hair dressed only in his boxers came into view. It was obvious that she had just wakened the guy from his sleep. She froze wide-eyed as he began to speak, "Who the heck are you and what do you want?"
Chapter 2Kaoru's eyes expanded a little bit wider and her jaw almost hung. The man standing before her wasn't an ugly chap in the forties with a hairy mustache and tall, masculine features. As a matter of fact, there is still 10 within herself doubting if the man was really a he.
"Excuse me, miss…can you please answer my question now?" the red-headed guy spoke again, his brows tangling in appraisal. She wasn't really of a sexy goddess to be scrutinized the I-want-to-sleep-with-you way.
Kaoru shook her head, snapping herself out of the reverie, not even noticing his eyes rake through her wet, drenched body. Her white halter stuck to her chest, revealing some part of her breasts, which, others note, not so huge. Her tight Karimadon skirt stuck to her as well, illuminating that even without very huge boobs, she had vivacious curves and looked so naturally sexy. "Oh, I'm Kaoru…" and she extended her hand to him with a big goofy smile on her wet face.
The guy just scoffed and glowered at her hand as if something big had dawned on him. He pointed at her, "You…you're one of them aren't you?"
She arched her eyebrows and slapped the finger that was pointed at her. "First of all, don't ever point at me. Second, I'm all wet from the rain so I think you better let me in. Oh and third, I don't have the slightest idea what you are talking about"
The man scoffed again and erupted in a mocking laugh. "You have got some really big nerves to say that, whoever you are…"
"It's Kaoru, remember?" she supplied, tone pissed.
"Kaoru…First, you woke me up in the middle of the night. Second, you came bursting and yelling things at me and third, I haven't got the slightest idea who you are and why you are here"
"You see, I was…"
"Just tell it to me straight, Kaoru. My uncle sent you to be my wife, didn't he?"
Kaoru gasped, "Of course not!"
"Your reaction tells me otherwise" his tone was final. "Go back and tell him I don't want fat women as wives and especially not women who disturb me in my sleep, got it?"
She gasped harder, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets. The word fat dangled inside Kaoru's head, the three letters mocking every bit of her persona. Once in her life, nobody ever called her fat and how dare he insult her by saying she was sent to be his wife? Did she look that deprived? Did she look that insipid?
"Excuse me, Mr., mr…"
"Oh, I'm Kenshin, Kenshin Himura if you please" he supplied, voice derisive.
"Whatever!" she snapped, "For your information, I wasn't sent here to be your fking wife! And even if I was, I'd die first before I'd agree to being so pathetic as to be your wife! And if you would just give me a spare minute to tell you my purpose, we'd understand each other and you would stop bickering like a goddamned child!"
Kenshin stopped. Boy, she had a goddamned mouth. He stared at her for a while before opening the door widely. His hand gestured for her to come in, "Get in"
Kaoru glared at him before entering the house, the door closing after her entrance. She tried to dust-off the water off her clothes and then was about to sit down when Kenshin interrupted her. "The thing is… you're wet and my chairs are important to me. It is where my important guests sit"
She huffed her chest and shot him a dagger, "Am I not a guest?"
He smiled and bit his thumb, appraising her the second time as his brows took on a swift arch, "No" he shook his head, "You're a beggar"
"I'm a what?"
"A beggar" he repeated, standing up. He neared her and began circling her. "You came knocking on my front door, disturbed my good night's sleep, yelled at me and ordered me to take you in. The people I consider guests are those who appear like one, act like one and are one. Since you are neither, you're just a scrawny beggar begging for shelter"
Kaoru gritted her teeth, her nails digging in her skin as her hands balled into a tight fist. First, he called her fat, second, a whore and now a beggar! How dare he? She is, for all information, a decent citizen of Japan, educated and successful. If it weren't for him and his wretched, freaking uncle, she would have evolved to the next stage of success…she didn't have to do this anyway but money was also important to her. If she refuses, she'd loose her big amount of inheritance…and to…and to…Seijuro Hiko.
That was far more than she could take…!
"Okay" she said, her head down and her voice the most miserable Kenshin had ever heard "I know I'm ugly and I'm fat because I look like a beggar and you're right. I…I'm so pathetic. I'm really sorry for disturbing you…I'll…I'll just…leave"
She turned around and picked up her small bag. She just hoped he'd buy the whole guilt-trip scheme. Kaoru then began counting in her mind while taking steps towards the door. Considering the fact that Kenshin was the nephew of Hiko, she already expected he wouldn't stop her and let her sleep outside in the rain but being a person with a heart, she still had hopes he would be at least kind enough to let her stay for the night.
3….
2….
1…
Okay, he was a monster. He was just like his uncle; he had no heart, no soul. He wasn't a person, he was….
"I didn't say you should leave, Kaoru" he said, "And besides, it's cold outside. A spoiled brat like you couldn't take that much of cold and discomfort, could you? After all, you are the daughter of the infamous criminal lawyer Tetsuro Kamiya."
Kaoru pivoted to look at him. He knew? "You knew?"
"Of course" he chimed, "Your stepfather, who just happens to be my uncle sent you to be my wife, didn't he? But let me tell you this, Kaoru. Seriously, I'm not the type of guy who would settle down with only one woman. Variety would always be the best. I'm really sorry to break your hopes up but I'm really not interested in you, not even in the least…"
Kaoru blinked, feeling some sting in her eyes. Was she about to cry? No. She wouldn't let herself cry in front of an arrogant and polygamous bastard. His words hurt her more than anything. But, she needed the money. For her patients, for herself…
She laughed, forced herself to laugh. "Quite right, Himura"
"Quite?" his voice unsure he got what she meant.
"I was sent here by your uncle all right but mind you, NOT to be your wife" she divulged, forcing to sound jovial.
Kenshin's brows entwined, "Really?" I mean, really, what could she be doing in the middle of the night, disturbing his sleep if she wasn't sent to be his wife.
Kaoru nodded and put her bag down. "I was sent here" she declared, "to find you a wife"
He paused for a while in his chair, as if digesting her disclosure. Would he believe her? Moments later, he erupted in immense laughter that he had to clutch his stomach to pin himself up from rolling down on the floor.
"That wasn't supposed to be funny" Kaoru hissed, her hands on her waists.
"Oh, yes it was" Kenshin countered, wiping off little tears from his eyes with his finger. "He" laugh "sent" laugh "YOU" laugh "to find me a wife?" laugh again. Then he frowned. "Get out"
"What the…?"
"Get out!" he repeated.
"Are you kidding me?"
"No"
"But...Hiko said…"
"I don't care about Hiko and I don't care about you either. You can die alone in the rain!" he snarled as he slammed the door shut.
Kaoru's mouth hung low as she stood shocked outside the house. No one has ever treated her so harshly. She clicked her tongue and balled her fists in anger. "That loathsome son of a bitch! I'll show him who's the boss!"
Kaoru then treaded heavily towards the backdoor and turned the doorknob. Surprisingly, it was open. "Only God knows why thieves haven't killed him yet but I'll make the most out of the situation. If I have to sneak myself in, then so be it!"
She quietly opened the door and went inside. She bit her lip, after hearing the sound of a door closing down. She gulped hard and sighed after a few minutes. She took a look around and realized she was hungry. She was in front of a big refrigerator. She fought the urge for some few seconds and with trembling hands, slowly opened the fridge. Her eyes widened at the sight before her. Long before she knew it, she was helping herself with all the food. After eating, she looked for something to drink and found a plastic bottled filled with some sort of purple liquid up to the brim.
"Hmmm…" she chimed, checking the bottle. There were no inscriptions whatsoever. "It wouldn't hurt…." She shrugged some shoulders and with both hands on the bottle, she drank it all until she felt dizzy.
"Where am I…" she asked herself in between hiccups. Poor Kaoru was so out of the clouds, she forgot where she was. "Got to go to my room…got to sleep…"
Her room was always at the end of the hallway so she proceeded that way, completely putting all the discrepancies and the thought that she was inside a different house in complete oblivion. She hazily opened the door, went inside and threw herself at the bed. After some a few moans…she feel in a deep, deep slumber.
Kenshin fluttered his eyes open and yawned to greet the new day. He wiped some saliva near his mouth and rolled to the other side of the bed. His eyes expanded at what he saw. He didn't remember sleeping with a girl last night. If that is so, who is the woman sleeping right next to him? He blinked a few times and swallowed hard as the girl groaned.
Boy was he so flabbergasted when she turned and came face to face with him. It was Kaoru. Sleeping sweetly, Kenshin couldn't help but stare openly. She had a beautiful complexion, quite seductive hair that tangled against her face and had intriguing lips. He smiled and was about to touch her when she flickered her eyes open. Those blue serene sapphires widening the moment they reached his mischievous face.
"I didn't know sleeping with me was part of your job" Kenshin whispered hotly onto her face.
Author's Notes:
A very BIG thank you to all those who reviewed and I'm sorry if I got you a little confused with the 'stepmom' part. Well, yes, Kyoko is Kaoru's stepmother. She married Kaoru's father when she was very young. Hiko was the assistant of her father and his very trusted friend. When Tetsuro (Kaoru's father) died, he entrusted Hiko with all his property, telling him to give little Kaoru her share when she was old enough. However, I will go as far as that only 'cause then the story won't be as much exciting. You'll know the rest of it when you continue reading this. I'm sooo glad you read this. Please don't hesitate to tell me ANYTHING you want about the story by clicking the review button. Thanks.