A/N: Read or not, reviewed or not, I am determined to complete this challenge! YEEEEEAAAAAAH xDDDD
Another AU story. To tell you the truth, I love reading AU stories which adapt the original idea / concept / storyline / anything from the original manga / anime so they suit the AU. I am trying to do the same in order to limit OOC-ness if any. I tried to change everything as little as possible, so that's why the basic concept in this story is actually the same: Kenshin was once an assassin, Koshijiro died in the midst of war, Kaoru took care of her dojo (I replaced the dojo with a company here).
I do hope that I did not betray the sole ideal and point of the RuroKen universe, yes indeed I do (oh wow, Kenshin's way of speech is viral xD).
The challenge is my priority right now, so I think I am going to complete this 100 themes challenge first before writing the next chapter for my Saitou x Tokio AU fanfict which is titled The Art of War.
Lastly thank you again, Saihei... 100 themes = 100 times saying thank you, lol.
Challenge #5:
Seeking Solace
She found him sitting in a table near the window.
As a shaft of moonlight peeked in, she could see how beautiful he really was. He wore his hair rather different tonight—he tied his hair in a high ponytail. Streaks of hair were gleaming fiercely as a sword in a tight grip of a legendary warrior. He raised his lean but muscular right arm which was holding a glass of red wine, and oh, how she wanted to take the glass' place!
He took the glass in a classy manner that he himself would not realize. As his inviting lips touched the mouth of the glass, she could not help but swallowed hard.
He was as enchanting as ever.
She eyed his long neck moved as he savored the drink. Heaving a sigh, he put down his glass. His eyes reflected satisfaction, yet he could not hide a glimpse of sadness as his finger traced a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek.
She wanted to reach him so much.
He was her patient forever. Amazed by the strength he possessed, she was also worried about his health. He was smaller and shorter than average men, but that delicate body had been forged by hard blows since God knew when. The only thing she could do was treating his wounds and injuries. His companion told her how he longed for leaving the underworld; a not-so little secret he had been hiding from anyone who knew him.
How ironic knowing his blade could be as violent as a raging dragon while the wielder was actually a man of peace. He was actually someone who appreciated little things in life, and only his close friends knew how he detested taking people's lives.
"I am sorry for coming late!" a cheerful feminine voice startled her… and him. She saw him lifted his gaze to meet the blue eyes of a raven-haired maiden, flashing a comforting smile as if saying that it was actually really nothing. The gold radiance which previously shown when he finished his wine was gone, replaced by gentle violet orbs that meant nothing but gallantry.
"I've just arrived myself," he answered politely. "Miss Kaoru. There is something I want to discuss…"
"What is it, Kenshin? You said that you wanted to discuss something couple times on the phone, but in the end you hung up saying nothing…"
"Ah. It's because… very well, let me put it like this. It has been about a year since we knew each other…"
"Yes. And?" the raven-haired girl nodded impatiently. She watched the scene from afar and silently cursed the girl for being so unladylike.
Oh gosh, that lass… does she know that he rarely opens himself to people like that?
"… and I can say that I have got nothing to hide from you anymore."
The raven-haired girl nodded. "You were the assassin for the Ishin Clan."
"Yes, I was. And I cannot thank you and your father enough for willing to employ me as a butler at Kamiya Mansion. Never once in my life I thought of working for…"
"Civilians?" Kaoru interrupted him.
"No…" he turned away his gaze from her to the view outside the window. "… Innocent people."
"And why do you wear your hair like that?" she playfully pulled a handful of red streaks.
"And what about you too, Miss Kaoru, you let your hair loose today," he replied gently. She let go of his hair and quickly turned away, but he chuckled. "I am sorry to be so abrupt, that I am. It is just… I realized that I was a part of that world, too, and tonight I decided to tell you everything. This is who I am, Miss Kaoru."
"S-so…" she cleared her throat, "what do you want to talk about?"
"Although my—the yakuza clan has been disbanded following Boss Katsura's death, I am sure some people are still after me. They will not stop until I agree to come back to the underground business," he answered seriously. "And they are ruthless people, Miss Kaoru. There is no way they would appreciate kindness—your kindness. Miss Kaoru… I am sorry, but believing the best of other people… is a sweet and innocent talk, that it is."
"But Kenshin…"
"Some things will never change. You are not suitable for this, Miss Kaoru. Did you remember how your father was murdered a month ago? They are now targeting Kamiya Enterprises."
Murdered. Her father. How could she forget? It was a usual day for her, Kenshin and her father. Koshijiro Kamiya did not say anything at the morning—he even promised Yahiko to watch the sixth grader's kendo match. He dropped Kaoru at her college as always, he told Kenshin to pick her up on five, and from there they could go to watch Yahiko.
Everything happened so fast. Kenshin arrived at her college on time with her father. Koshijiro told Kenshin to wait for her at the gate then returned to the car because he forgot his phone. Kaoru rushed to the gate when she saw her father's car.
Just when she and Kenshin headed back to the car, the black sedan exploded. Kenshin successfully took her to escape the explosion but her father was trapped inside. What happened next? Blurry—the sounds of ambulance and police cars' sirens, news reporters asking her some questions, cameramen taking her pictures—it was Kenshin who told the cameramen not to take any picture of her. Threatened by a deep, menacing voice the red-headed butler had, the cameramen excused themselves and Kenshin calmly answered all the questions both the police and the reporters asked her—while holding her body in his strong arm. She wet his white shirt with her tears, but collecting all the courage she had in heart, she swept her tears with her palm and gracefully answered the police's questions—an insufferable wolfish cop who was addressed as Assistant Inspector Fujita.
She did not have time to ask Kenshin why he called him 'Saitou', and she was too tired to punch the assistant inspector in the face because the man did not stop smirking at her. The death of Kamiya Enterprises' president director made a great newspaper headline. Kaoru, 17 years old, was then busy talking about her father's inheritance with his lawyer—and trying her best to tell Yahiko that Koshijiro had a sudden important meeting so he could not make it to the arena. Yahiko won the match but was thrown into abyss when he learned the truth later.
"Miss Kaoru…" Kenshin's light baritone voice pierced her eyes. As if a samurai getting ready for a duel, he was being extra careful and alert for talking about this thing again with her.
"What are you saying, Kenshin? Are you telling me to quit now? The company was established by my father who believed that being rich is a way to save people from hunger. I cannot abandon my position now; if I surrender the company, then… then what about the orphanage that we routinely donate our income to? What about the hospital, what about the cancer research that the Kamiya Enterprises supports? What about…"
"Miss Kaoru," the red-haired bewitching man interrupted.
"My father believes rich people can do something great to end the poverty," her voice was trembling now. "Is this the end? He did everything he could for the sake of other people, so why… why Kenshin, why…?"
"Miss Kaoru, I do not want to cause you more trouble," the red head responded. "Therefore I…"
"No…" she suddenly clasped his hand with her own palm. "Are you saying that you are going to wander again? Coming back to the underworld, settling this once and for all? Becoming an assassin once again? Kenshin, I… I cannot take it anymore. That night when you went off with Inspector Fujita to subdue Shishio and his infamous money laundering to Kyoto... took away… my…"
"Miss Kaoru, you don't mean—"
"… soul. Half of it."
"Miss Kaoru…"
"Do not bear the world on your shoulders, Kenshin. You are a good man; this isn't your fault! Oh—" she covered her mouth, surprised by the things she had just said. Kenshin's eyes widened.
"Miss Kaoru," he called her so gently, "Miss Kaoru, please look at me. What this one is trying to say was… I wanted to protect you, Miss Kaoru, that I did. Miss Kaoru is a very kind person and I cannot let people take advantage of your kindness. Miss Kaoru… you said it, did not you? A sword was meant to protect. And I recall that I do hope your ideal become real someday. I do not know anything but this—this thing called fighting…"
"K… Kenshin?"
"There's so much you and your father can do for others," said the red head. "While me—"
"You did much!" Kaoru protested.
"… really?"
"You did much, that you did," she mocked his way of speech, but her voice was soft and soothing. "That's why, Kenshin… you have to stay, that you do. At least I have to return all the good deeds you have done for us all, that I have."
She almost choked herself upon hearing the couple's conversation. She knew eavesdropping was not the right thing to do, but this was something new and surprising. Hospital? Cancer research? She was one of them. She was a doctor at the aforementioned hospital, and she was definitely one of the researchers. And did her ears deceive her?
Hmmm… this lassie. Some extraordinary warrior princess, eh… now I understand.
"I am wasting my time," she held her sobs as hard as she could. Waving her hand to pay her bills, she hastened her pace to the door. She did not want them to see her. She did not want to force herself to converse with them…
And she met him on at the threshold. Unexpectedly as always. Bandages wrapped around his jaw. When he waved his hand to greet her, she could see some bruises around his bare arms. "Hi there, Megumi."
"I have no time to talk to you, Sanosuke."
"Whoa, Foxy. What happened? You look troubled."
"As if you are not," she hissed.
He casually shrugged his shoulders. "I can still walk you home, you know. This is really nothing… I cannot let Kenshin fight alone, can't I? If he wanted to be a sword, I could be a shield then."
"If you are looking for him, he is at the table number two—"
"I was looking for him," Sanosuke shook his head. "But seeing him so determined, what can I do? He sure knows how to get everything under control… eventhough that means shedding his own blood."
She glanced at the red-haired man and his lady once again. Her lips cracked a bitter smile. "We love them too much, I suppose."
"Do you?" he replied playfully. "And you said 'them'?"
"… I am tired," she put her arms on her waist, trying to look intimidating as always, but this time it did not work. The rooster head was still standing in front of her, as if mocking her for trying so hard to lie, for trying to look scary when actually her shattered emotion and confidence was clearly shown across her face. "Now what?" this one worked, though—the rooster head flinched.
"… broken heart?"
"What?"
"Hey, I am asking you, Foxy. Broken heart? Yes or no?"
"You—"
"Yes or no?"
She looked at him again, this time her red lips quirked a soft smile. "Broken jaw?"
"Huh?" the rooster head responded foolishly.
"Tch. Never mind… say, Sanosuke, would you like a drink?"
