a/n: Hello again everybody! Moon-chan is back with the second chappie! I thank everyone for the very inspiring reviews that you all have given me! I really appreciated it! This chapter became longer than I expected. It was also hard to write. I revised this two times (though I am still not quite satisfied with the outcome). Anyway, thank you for continued support! Again, I apologize for the misspellings, typographical errors, grammatical errors, and punctuation errors. As I have told you, I am not patient proofreading. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own SDK! If I did own it, Hotaru and I would have gotten married.

Chapter Two: Messenger of Cupid

Confusion. Frustration. Happiness. Sadness. Fear. Yuya could not believe she actually experience five different emotions at the same time. She had no idea what was going on. Yesterday she was having thoughts on possibly leaving Demon Eyes Kyo because he was being his irritating self but again. The next thing she knew she was married to the same person she wanted to get away from. Her feelings for the samurai had been fluctuating from love to hatred magnanimously and frequently. What pissed her, however, was that she could not even remember how she got married. True, she had once or twice pondered on the idea of marrying the fearless samurai. She knows she likes him. The mere thought of them settling down and living together in a small house gave her butterflies in the stomach. However, he was Demon Eyes Kyo, the ruthless and merciless thousand man slayer. Just simply the notion of accompanying him for barely an hour would bring shivers to many brave samurais. Furthermore, it seems that Demon Eyes Kyo couldn't be more irritated about their matrimony. It looks as though he wanted to get out of it more than she did; does he?

However, being the wife of the infamous madman was a fate she had no other choice but to accept. Her only path leads to a hazy and fogy way. Her future was worse than uncertain. She was doomed. She really had only one option; that is to entrust to Kyo her life and her future. He would not let anything bad to happen his property, right?

"Kyo, mate." The young bounty hunter said as she tried catch up with him. She found herself approximately two meters behind him.

Demon Eyes Kyo dare not look behind him. Ever since he had realized he had that some sort of unexplainable attraction towards the unusual woman, he had been putting a lot of effort in thinking his reactions to the girl. He hated himself for that. It had been one of those emotions he knew he had to conquer. Whether it was to let his feelings take control of him and respond to it or put an effort to ignore it and continue doing whatever he was doing; which ever it was he had no idea. He wanted to do something about his feelings for the young woman. Deny it or react to it? He did not know.

For him, the feeling was a lot different from what he was accustomed with. It was much like his desire to spill blood but not quite it. He longs for it yet this uncertain feeling consumes him slowly unlike bloodlust that devours him whole. Bloodlust allows him to return to his senses; the new feeling however does not. It was not entirely anger either. Though it gives him that adrenaline rush, the feeling continues to burn within his heart even after the rush. It was not quite curiosity because he wanted unravel the being of the woman despite knowing almost everything about her. It was not irritation because it was the feeling that ignited the annoyance. It did wasn't quite lust or obsession either because it was beyond it. Despite knowing that she was his and only his, he knew there might come a point he had no other choice but to let her go.

This unwelcome feeling was frustrating yet it brought him satisfaction. It fuelled his anger at the same time gave him serendipity. It was an annoying fuzzy warm feeling that was accompanied by intruding ticklish butterflies in the stomach and unexpected increase in heartbeats; a feeling which the ruthless samurai did not know how to react to.

"Ask the room of the monk." The thousand man slayer ordered the emerald eyed girl behind him.

"Why would I do that?" was the expression her face implied. Kyo knew what she was thinking just by looking at her. In fact, he need not even see his woman's face to know what was in her mind. He laughed at himself. He was losing it, he told himself.

He grunted, "I thought you wanted to know what happened last night?" The Shiina frowned and crossed her arms. She refused to move a muscle. It was not her who took the initiative to investigate the matter. It was that idiot Kyo. Why was she the one who had to ask around people? She pouted and crossed her arms. She forced her eyes to be as frightening as they can possibly be.

"Hey little wife," Kyo said frustrated at the woman's ever stubborn nature. He, however, grinned expecting the exact reaction from the girl. He really did not have any regrets in marrying the woman. "It does not mean that I am your husband you can go bossing around. I am still Demon Eyes Kyo. If anything displeases me, I will finish what I should have done when we first met."

He glared at the woman like he was able to stab her with his eyes, but the young girl replied with her own fierce look not giving into his. They looked at each. Finally Yuya shouted, "Just because I'm your wife doesn't mean I take your orders! Furthermore, I don't remember asking you to spare my life."

"Oh," the red eyed samurai raised an eyebrow and made a half-smile. The enticing look of the woman made his blood rush. He wanted to punish her for giving him again the unexplained adrenaline rush. He took the chin of the woman forcing to look straight into his fiery red eyes. He felt the woman gulp her fear. His eyes trailed down her soft pink lips. Oh, how he wanted to taste them again. He shook the thoughts and teased her, "Maybe you're the one manipulated us to be married and you did want me to find out about it."

Yuya could not react to what Kyo said. Why and how in the world would she marry a pig like him? Falling for Kyo's little mind tricks again, she found herself stomping towards the innkeeper's table. The demon smirked. He heard his woman mumble something about being for falling for his tricks again. He really had no second thoughts in being married to her.

"Sumimasen." She called the attention of the innkeeper. "May I know the room of the matchmaker, please?"

"Gomenasai." The innkeeper apologized. "I cannot give you that information for the security of the clients."

Dissatisfied with the answer, Demon Eyes Kyo interrupted the conversation before Yuya could apologize. "The woman asked the room of the monk. The least you can do is answer her question." The samurai glared at the small light built innkeeper. His fiery red eyes shot the middle-aged man, almost making him stumble. Yuya, unaware that her companion was threatening the innkeeper, look a bit puzzled at the innkeeper's reaction. She sighed out of irritation having found out that Kyo was the doing the talking to the terrified man.

"It's down the hall." The owner said in a voice very shaky, "Fifth door to the left." The sword wielder let go of his look from the man. Kyo had not gone far when the keeper yelp in the same trembling voice, "but he's not there!"

"You could have told me that a bit earlier." Kyo's tone angered, forcing the scared man to the corner of his counter.

"Gomenasai! I'm sorry! God, please forgive me!" The innkeeper knelt many times. His face was sweaty and his entire body was worse than his trembling voice.

"Aren't you going to me where he is now?" Kyo smirked. The innkeeper was about to cry.

"He is in the garden for a wedding ceremony." He knelt down as low as the ground. "Please don't hurt me. I love my wife and kids!"

The samurai walked away appearing to dismiss the man.

"Sir," the innkeeper squeaked maintaining his bowed position. "The garden is this way." He pointed to the opposite direction where the samurai was going.

"Woman, let's go." The samurai grunted and continued walking. The samurai's companion bowed at the innkeeper and glided behind the demanding warrior. The innkeeper has seen them late last night wondering around the halls looking for something. Though he did not pay much attention to them, he believed that the couple was an odd pairing. The innkeeper thought. The woman looked kind and pleasant. The man was worse than frightening and heartless. Her eyed sparkled with hopefulness and cheerfulness. His eyes reflected death and discouragement. Opposites do attract, the man thought.

As he guided himself in the hallways of the inn, the warrior took stolen glimpses of the woman behind him during turns in the corridors. He felt Yuya's presence follow him. His breathed it in calming his temper. It intoxicated him. He felt his spine shiver. He really needed to get those responses out of his system.

"Kyo?" Yuya broke into his thoughts. They were about to enter the vicinity of the garden. "Do you think that the matchmaker was the one responsible for this?" It was stupid question; Kyo mumbled it under his breath. Why would he go through all the trouble threatening the innkeeper if monk had nothing to do with it? He didn't bother answering. He just stepped outside the inn.

It was spring time. Cherry blossoms in the garden bloomed beautifully. The cool breeze of zephyr danced with the falling petals. The sweet romantic scent of the sakura blossoms tickled their nostrils. The garden was engulfed by the splendour of the delicate buds of sakuras; far beautiful than she could ever imagine.

A bald man approached them. He wore a yellow robe and red beads. He had a weak built. He was a monk, Kyo knew. "May I help you?" the young apprentice asked.

"Where's the monk?" Kyo asked.

"I'm sorry." The monk apologized. "Kashira-sama cannot attend to you at this moment. He is meditating for the ceremony."

Kyo was about to ignore the bald man continue his business when he saw his companion. He just glared at the monk. He tried calmed himself down. He sat and ordered the woman to sit as well. Yuya did not react. She sat down as she was told and continued gazing at the beautiful sight. Kyo was a bit troubled by his woman response. The unknown feeling took over him again. He had never seen the girl like that before. There was an apparent sadness in her smile. Her sparkling green eyes hinted a look of sadness, happiness, and envy. Her smile was a smile of 'it would have-been-nice-if-". Kyo dare not continue his train of thought. He decided to watch the woman secretly pretending to look at the ceremony on going.

Though the ceremonies observed during marriages were various, it is a dream of every woman to be able to take the lead role in such a ceremony. As early as the age of ten, Yuya had been dreaming of being part of this. She looked at the area, carefully examining the details of every corner and every person attending the ceremony.

Matting was spread before the entrance door where bride and bridegroom would come out. Near the entrance door, a fire is lighted on the two torches. After a short while, two men and two women appeared from the entrance carrying a mortal and pestle. They sat in front of the doors and began pounding rice. The blending of the rice-meal, Yuya concluded. Then, groom and his bride came out the doors. Two candles were lighted after the couple passed.

Yuya was amazed and a bit envious of the bride. It has been one of Yuya's dreams to be able to wear the bridal kimono. The dress was of white silk patterned with delicately embroidered lozenge. She wore it over a white under robe still made of white silk. Over her head, she wore a veil of pearl white silk that when she sat down fell about her as a mantle. It was definitely a beautiful sight for Yuya.

The bride and groom sat down on small table prepared with three sake cups. The couple sat down at the end while an old bald man sat down the other. The bride takes her seat diagonally from her husband-to-be avoiding his glance. The man poured sake in the two cups. The woman stacked the three cups and poured over them as soon as the groom drank from the two cups. The groom filled one cup and the bride drank it. They repeated it three times before the monk stood up.

"Good day." The monk approached the samurai and the bounty hunter. "My student told that my presence was needed."

Yuya snapped out of her reverie of her own wedding. She shifted her seat and bowed in respect for the matchmaker. The matchmaker was an old man, as Yuya had observed. He much like any other monk is thin on top. Either from old age or simple maintenance, Yuya had no idea. The man wore a yellow robe a white undergarment. He adorned his neck with deep red beads similar to Kyo eyes. The man wore a smile much like Benitora's. The matchmaker sat down opposite Kyo and her.

"Finally the old geezer arrived." Kyo said hiding his spacing out. He barely watched the marriage ceremony. He was preoccupied by watch the girl's actions. It brought him a bit of sadness seeing his woman that way. He shook those thoughts and told himself he would deal with it later.

"I apologize for his behaviour." Yuya bowed down to apologize.

"So, tell me what brings the newly wed here?" the monk smiled gleefully.

Yuya was surprised to hear what the monk said. Nevertheless, she waited for Kyo to respond. However, he remained silent. The monk continued talking. "I know very well why this couple is here. It seems that you can here thinking that your marriage is a misunderstanding." The monk coughed and resumed his talk. "It is you who misunderstood."

The bounty hunter was just shocked at the words of the monk. Kyo however maintained his emotionless face. "I studied the stars carefully." The monk continued. "And I have been more than surprised. The star of the young man and the star of the young woman were so perfectly aligned that I could not refuse myself to wed such a destined couple. Furthermore, when I asked the tea leaves for advice they had given me the seal of Takasago."

Kyo raised a brow apparently not seeing the monk's point.

"In the island of Takasago, in the province of Harima, stands a pine-tree called the pine of mutual old age." The monk glanced at the pair who did not seem to understand what he meant. He carried on. "At the root, the tree is single, but towards the centre it springs into to stems. It foresees that the happy couple shall reach old age together."

"Is that so?" the emerald eyed woman's jaw almost dropped.

"Can this lousy marriage be untied?" Kyo asked hiding an emotion Yuya could interpret.

"No." The monk smiled gleefully. "The contract has been sent to the census and bind of marriage cannot be undone, not even by the gods; not even anyone's death can separate you. It is destiny that you were brought together."

"I thank you for your time." The bounty hunter bowed down to the matchmaker. She stood up. She felt something sting her ever joyful heart. She felt that it would probably take a long time to be able to truly smile again. She believed her hopes and dreams crumbled to dust when she realized she was married to the man slayer. She trembled. She felt tears forming behind her eyes. She took a deep sigh in an effort for back the teardrops.

"Kyo," she prevented a shaky tone. "I'm going to the bath." She walked solemnly. She did her best not to show her troubled face to him. She had a lot of thinking to do.

Demon Eyes Kyo watched his woman vanish in the hallway. He felt disturbed about the woman's despair. Not only because it was uncommon for him to see her like that, it was because he was the ultimate cause of her sadness. Kyo ruined her future, he knew that. Can he put it back together? He did not know. Can the unexplainable feeling make Kyo do that for her? That was not a question. Kyo knew, though unwillingly, he will do anything and everything his woman.

He had reclaimed his body and he had defeated his mortal enemy, Kyoshiro Mibu. There was one thing he knew he had yet accomplished. He has however came a step closer to it. Still, will he be able to pull through it? Just a little more. He just needed a convincing factor. What? How can he prove that he can be that kind of person? What thing can it be that he can do so that he can promise he is not the demon he seems to be?

He took a deep breath and followed the path of the troubled bounty hunter. He scratched the back of his neck. He just confidently told himself that the thing he needed would eventually come to him. He smiled at himself. He remembered last night.

It was the best idea he had so far.

a/n: That was the second chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! Was it too long? Was boring? Was Kyo and/or Yuya OOC? Same questions… Please tell me! I want to know so that I can improve my writing. It may be comments, suggestions, or violent reactions. Please leave a review! Oh, do you guys know where I can download English translated manga chapters of SDK from chapter 100 onwards!!! Thank you again! 'til next chapter!

And I thank also 'The Tales from Old Japan' for the Wedding Ceremony(Appendix B) and the other information included there. Domo arigatougozaimasu!