Author's note:
A dry chapter. Nothing much is going on except lots of conversation and I would personally call this an 'interlude' chapter, before I start going into the second phase of this story. And this chapter is pretty slow moving as well – kind of reflect the speed and the rust in my brain.
Previously, Enishi took a liking towards Kaoru after the accident in the lab. Enishi turned up unexpectedly during K&K gang's outing and dragged her to a tango. Out of jealousy, Kenshin dragged Kaoru home. At home, Kenshin romantically made it up to Kaoru and subtly express his feeling for her.
Disclamer: I do not own any character in Rurouni Kenshin. I just borrowed them to improve my vocabulary and grammar.
Warning : Not 'beta' and a little limey towards the end.
Kaoru's tale
At the crack of dawn, birds started its dawn chorus and customary air dance under the great blue sky. The air was fresh and smelled of wet grass from the morning dew. A pair of sleepy and heavy eye, against its own will, automatically started peeling up slowly, exposing its irises to the cheerful morning sunlight when brain sent electric impulse across its nervous system. Gradually, other parts of the body began to register consciousness.
His hands were the first few to have woken up to the warmth and the softness of the sheet, pillow and quilt. His right fingers moved a little to feel the bundle under the quilt. His mouth curled into a smile the same time his right hand pulled a body closer to his chest. The contact of her back to his chest had his eyes shut again and his mouth curled further upwards. He moved his face forward, burying his nose deep into her thick hair and took a deep breathe.
'It wasn't just a dream…'
Kenshin was far too contended - wrapping Kaoru in his arms - than to get up although all of him had fully awakened. He held Kaoru's natural form so closely to his own that the bed appeared to be little too large for the both of them. Skin to skin contact was giving him a certain calmness that he could not explain and wanted to indulge in that feeling. He dipped his head lower and planted a kiss on her neck.
She stirred a little and snuggled backward to his warmth.
He smiled again even though smile had never left his face. He felt as though he was the happiest man walking on the face of the earth. Or the happiest man to be lying down by his side on his bed, their bed right that very moment. He vividly recollected all that had happened last night. He remembered every single detail; as subtle as how her fingers distinctively responded against his back whenever he touched her differently to her soft seductive moan when he breached into her innocence.
His hand caressed the surface of the quilt above her stomach. He sighed happily before he carefully but not without resistant, released his hold on her and slowly climbed out of bed.
She stirred and groaned in disappointment when his warmth was no longer wrapping her. Unconsciously and still asleep, she turned on her back and to her other side, searching for his warmth.
He was amused. He climbed back onto the bed on his bended knees and lightly pecked the tip of her nose. She wriggled uncomfortably but did not wake up.
He grinned and climbed out of the bed again. He stood, looking around the room and found it in a state of mess. Clothes were scattered on the floor. He slipped into his sleeping pants and a shirt before he collected the forgotten pieces of clothing across the room. He leisurely picked pieces into his arm until he reached for her bra. Holding it by the strap, he eyed the piece material curiously. He had never been interested in the ladies undergarments as they were just a piece of material. However, her bra had strangely sparked his interest. He observed the contours the cup and then the hook. He wondered how on earth did women managed to fit themselves into it when he remembered the tug-a-war struggle he encountered last night. He supposed it all comes with practice. He flipped the bra and checked on the labels. He grinned devilishly when he knew of her bra size. He had learnt a little more about her that morning.
The sheet made a soft rumbling noise when she moved in her sleep.
He turned his attention to her bare arms. 'Mine..' he smiled, turned and left the room.
He dumped the laundry into the washing machine before he set himself to her room. Since he took away every niche of her clothing in his room, he needed to find her something to wear when she gets up. Though the idea of her walking out of the room, wrapped only in quilt or in his own clothing was compelling, he didn't feel right to embarrass her. Not yet.
As he drew open her wardrobe, his eyes immediately went to the second drawer. He smirked and pulled the drawer out.
XooooooXooooooXoooooooXoooooooXoooooooXooooooooXoooooooooXooooooooX
Subconsciously Kaoru felt that someone was trying to wake her. She tossed to her left before she slowly opened her eyes. She liked the first thing that greeted her sight - Kenshin's smiling face. She slipped an arm under the pillow and moved closer to Kenshin as her body curled into almost a ball. "Morning," she greeted him with a blissful smile.
"Morning," Kenshin responded leisurely. He sat on the floor with his elbow propped up on the bed supporting his head while he watched her sleep. She had moved so constantly in her sleep –when she wasn't in his embrace- that he found it amusing. He intently admired her face as though she was a valuable masterpiece. "Hungry?" he asked in his dreamy expression.
"Hm…" she nodded like a child.
"I've made breakfast. Wanna some?" He asked although it seemed that he did not fully register his question to her. His entire focus went to his eyes.
She nodded again.
Neither one of them move. They just stared longingly at each other for a long moment.
"I am hungry," she finally said.
"I know, you told me that already," Kenshin nodded, failing to catch the underlying message. He continued to fix his eyes on her.
"So…" a taint of pink was beginning to creep up to her cheek, "I need to get up."
He just acknowledge with two nods. He did not move from where he was. He noticed she was slowly turning red and raised his brows.
"I can't get up if you are here. I am still too shy to go all naturel around you although we… we… you know," she explained honestly and bit her lower lips.
"Oh… Oh…" was all he could say in response. "I'm sorry," he laughed lightly, "I was being inconsiderate." He stood up and walked to the door, "I'll wait for you outside." He gave her another heart warming smile before closing the door behind him.
She smiled while still chewing her bottom lips and pulled the quilt over her head, hiding her face underneath. "This is embarrassing!" She pulled down the quilt when she began to feel suffocated. She stared at the ceiling thinking of all that had happened last night. 'Does this mean things have change?' she asked herself. She smiled silly and sat up.
"Ouch…" She whined and sat still, trying not to move too much. All of a sudden she burst out in laughter and her head fell back onto the pillow. When she managed to calm herself down, she gently raised herself up in a sitting position. She bent her knees and hugged it, staring at a spot on the floor. Unknowingly, she smiled till her jaw hurt before she sighed happily and looked around for her clothing. However, all she saw a familiar silky material nicely folded on the edge of the bed.
"Oh god!" She murmured to herself. "That is not what I think it is, is it?"
She cautiously inched toward the material as if it would suddenly come to life and attack her. Her fingers carefully picked up the material and inspected it. A sudden rush of panic swept through her.
"How on earth did he find this?" she asked herself, staring at the silky robe in her hands. She buried her face into the material and whined softly.
"He is not expecting me to go out wearing this, is he?" she mumbled. "No…."
As she pressed her face harder into her hands, she felt something constricting at the ridge of her ring finger. She removed the material from her hands and gazed at the diamond ring on her left hand with her mouth slightly parted. Tears were starting to form at the corner of her eyes. She brought her hands close to her chest, right hand covering her left protectively. She closed her eyes with a smile and a drop of tear fell from her eye.
XooooooXooooooXoooooooXoooooooXoooooooXooooooooXoooooooooXooooooooX
Kenshin was leaning against the back of the sofa looking into the great blue sky, thinking while waiting for Kaoru when he heard the door creaked. He turned to found Kaoru standing outside of his room, unnerved and still holding the door knob. He thoroughly scanned her and almost grinned wickedly before lazily pushed himself up and walked up to her.
She watched him padded slowly towards her, not knowing what to say to him. Her gripped on the door knob tighten, hoping that some of tension she was experiencing would be passed on to the cold hard wooden door.
He saw through her emotion and smirked. When he was closed enough, he encircled her waist with his arm, pulling her close. He dipped his head for a kiss but was quickly put to a stop when she raised her hand and barricaded her mouth. Puzzled, he quirked his head to the side.
"I haven't brush my teeth," she sheepishly mumbled through her palm.
Kenshin smiled a little before he said, "It is alright. I'm not interested in tasting toothpaste." He wrapped his hand around her wrist and moved her hand away from his aim. He held her hand mid air and indulged them both in a longing kiss.
She got a little more lost with every sweep of his tongue. It got to a point where she no longer remembers her own name or feels her own feet. All of her was centered in her mouth.
He pulled back and looked at her flushed and high expression. He released her wrist and the same hand went to tilt her chin, a thumb brushing her red wet lips. "Hungry?" he asked.
It took her a while to process what he was saying under his intense stare. She only nodded like an obedient puppy, unable to form a coherent sentence as a reply.
He laced his fingers in hers and tugged her to walk to the dining table. He pulled out a chair for her to sit before he went to the kitchen. She eyed hungrily at the two sets of continental breakfast serving on the table. She waited for Kenshin to come back with the beverages before she dug into the plate of food.
"Did you sleep well?" he asked as he sliced the sausage into half.
"Hm," she looked up and nodded, her tongue was still malfunctioned from the kiss.
"I'm glad. I was worrying that you might not be able to sleep well."
"Why would you think so?" she asked out of curiousity.
He merely smiled without giving her an answer and ate.
Her eyes brows came together but she didn't pursue on the matter and continued eating. Her mind wandered while her hands and mouth were busy with breakfast. She had always thought that once her sexual drive had been activated, her body will change and she should feel the difference between before and after. However, she still felt the same as before and it seemed that nothing had change, other than she was feeling a little sore.
Though there wasn't any change in her body, she felt his attitude had changed drastically. No doubt he had always been caring and progressively showing his affection towards her, however, she subtly felt that he was somewhat different after last night. She felt as if he had completely bulldozed the invisible barrier - he had erected between them - flat. She felt that he was no longer holding back his feeling or action like before and she loved it. She finally felt peace, clam and immeasurable happiness flooding inside her. A sudden thought came to mind; how would they go from now? She began to worry a little but immediately kill her thought as there was practically nothing to worry about except that she have to tell him the truth. All of it. More appropriately, she should be thinking of how she is going to break the entire truth to him.
He distinctively noticed that her mind was far and away. He smiled when she smiled and thought that most probable that she did not even notice that she was smiling to her plate. He was a little concerned when her smile started to fade.
She was startled when he, all of a sudden, took hold of her left hand. She looked at him with her eyes widened, surprised.
He absorbedly gazed at her hand; the diamond ring on her finger in particular. His thumb carefully stroked her fingers. A serene look crossed his features as he traced the ring on her fingers. He finally looked up to her and smiled contently before he raised her hand to his lips.
Despite unable to read what was on his mind she smiled back and said nothing. When she gave a further thought, she realized that never knew what was playing in his mind.
Words almost left his lips when his pager beeped. He went to his room and checked for his message.
"Kaoru, I'm sorry. I had to leave for work now." He said, walking out of his room.
"Oh… Okey." Funny that she felt disappointed. And upset.
He noticed and bent his body and pecked her lips. "I'm sorry. I will be back as soon as I can."
She nodded and smiled miserably.
His thumb stroked her cheek before he turned walking back to his room and closed the door behind him. She sighed. First day and he had to go back to work. 'And it is a Saturday!' She got up, collected the dishes and went to the kitchen.
He was about to undress himself when the sight of the bed caught his attention. The quilt was covering three quarter of the bed. She normally liked to fold the quilt into smaller fold so that the quilt will sit one fifth at the end of the bed. Acting on instinct, he went closer to his bed and uncovered it. He grinned when he saw her reason for covering the bed. There was a red blotch on the sheet. He covered back the bed with his quilt, saving her the embarrassment.
As he was coming out of his room he saw her standing in front of the sink, washing the dishes. He carefully padded towards her and stood behind her. Quietly, he wrapped his arm around her waist and rested his chin on the base of her neck.
She jumped slightly at the contact and immediately relaxed her posture. She smiled, holding a plate with her soapy hands. "You are going to be late…" she warned.
"I'm sorry," he said instead.
"It isn't me that you should be apologizing to," she laughed a little. Deep down she wished for him to stay home with her and hold her close.
"Does it still hurt?" he asked.
"Wh…" she paused to figured out what he was referring to, "… no… Not really." It didn't hurt. Just a little sore and she didn't even notice the prick until he reminded her of its existence.
"I'm sorry," he tightened his hold on her and brushed his nose up her neck.
"Don't be. It was… the joy was much greater than the pain," she shyly remarked.
XooooooXooooooXoooooooXoooooooXoooooooXooooooooXoooooooooXooooooooX
Sano was getting worried when Kenshin was running a little late. It wasn't like Kenshin to be late, especially for work. He wondered whether did something unpleasant happen to Kenshin and Kaoru last night after they left the club that threw Kenshin off his balance. Or could it be something pleasant that had happened. He smirked.
Kenshin came through the door looking extremely happy. "Morning."
"Boy, you're bubbly this morning. Did something interesting happen last night?" Sano nudged Kenshin chest.
Kenshin grinned, blushing slightly.
"Something DID happen last night!" Sano was getting excited over the prospect. He grabbed Kenshin by the elbow and whispered, "You slept with her?"
"Shut up!" What was meant to be a scowled turned to a big fat grin on Kenshin's face. He wriggled his arm from Sano's clutch and walked away.
"Hey, don't you run away from me. Tell me, what happened last night!" Sano said as he went running after Kenshin.
XooooooXooooooXoooooooXoooooooXoooooooXooooooooXoooooooooXooooooooX
Kaoru sat in front of her dressing table looking admiringly at her left hand. She had her fingers spread out and position her hand at a distance so that she could see how the diamond glitters as she moved her hands.
She grinned broadly.
She laid her left hand on her lap and momentarily looked at her reflection in the mirror. 'It was all worth the cause...' She looked away from the mirror and pulled open the first drawer. She took out a few items before her hands went further into the drawer for a large rectangular jewelry box. She placed the red silk embroidery box on her dressing. She traced the outline at the top of the box, admiring the delicate craft on the jewelry box. The box was handmade by Sou Chan for her wedding gift.
She flipped up the latch and carefully pushed open the box. Inside the box, there were many jewelry of various type, however, there was only particular item that she sought after – a ring with sapphire stone embedded on the band. She slipped the ring on her right ring finger and raised both hands to level with her eyes, comparing both hand side by side.
She loved both the rings.
The ringing of her mobile phone startled her. She glanced at the screen before she pushed the button to answer. "Good morning."
"Kaoru, what happen last night?" Misao asked immediately.
Kaoru chuckled.
"So, something good happen last night…" Misao drew her own conclusion. "Tell me! Tell me!"
"…" Kaoru remained quiet, uncertain of she should tell Misao of what had happened the night before.
"Is he around you?" Misao asked when she considered that it was probably inconvenient for Kaoru to talk.
"No, he has gone to work." Kaoru shook her head although Misao could not see it. There was a note of disappointment laced in her voice.
"On a Saturday?"
"His line of work does not know the meaning of weekend."
"How sad…"
"Where are you?" Kaoru asked when there was a constant echo noted from Misao's voice.
"Ah… Hm… Well, I'm talking to you in the closet. Aoshi is hanging around the suite," Misao explained.
"Oh…" Kaoru immediately caught on. Aoshi would most definitely over react like previously if he suspect something was happening, be it good or bad.
"Anyway, I am coming over your place now. With Aoshi and Kenshin out of the way, you can tell exactly what happened. Every single detail." Misao voice was firm.
"Ok, I'll tell you everything." 'It is about time..'
XooooooXooooooXoooooooXoooooooXoooooooXooooooooXoooooooooXooooooooX
Kaoru opened the door when the door bell rang.
"Sorry, it took me so long to come. I told Aoshi that we are going shopping together and I have to take my time to get ready. Otherwise he will suspect that something is wrong." Misao explained apologetically as she walked herself into the apartment.
"It is alright." Kaoru assured, closing the door behind her.
Thud! Misao dropped her heavy bottom on the sofa and slumped into it.
"What do you like to drink, Misao?"
"Whatever."
Kaoru served iced tea and sat herself next to Misao. Kaoru handed Misao a glass.
"Oh my god!" Misao's eyes widened and it wasn't the glass that caught her interest but the glittering stone on Kaoru's finger. She removed the glass from Kaoru's grip and placed the glass on the coffee table. "What is this?" She asked eagerly, catching hold of Kaoru's hand and examining it with great deal of interest. She looked up, "He proposed?" Her eyes twinkled in excitement.
Kaoru blushed and grinned sheepishly. She didn't know how to answer Misao's question.
"I got to tell Aoshi this." Misoa dug into her bag. "I'm calling him now. We are preparing for a wedding!" She almost jumped in her seat.
"No!" Kaoru stopped Misao before Misao could dial. "Don't call Aoshi."
The expression on Kaoru's face puzzled Misao. "Why not? What's wrong?" She put down her phone and listened carefully to Kaoru.
"Misao, try not to get too excited of what I am about to tell you," Kaoru took a deep breathe before she continued, "I'm already married."
"Wh-what!" Misao was utterly shocked. "When? You mean you got married last night?"
"No, not last night but three months ago," Kaoru clarified.
"Huh? Three months ago!" Misao was confused. "How? When? How come I don't know about this?" Misao wore a disconcerted look. "I don't understand."
Kaoru sighed. Before Misao arrive, she had planned out, in her head, on how to break the news to Misao. However it proved harder than she thought it would be. "Do you know who Kai Sung Shek is?" Nevertheless she started from the beginning when it all happened, as planned.
Misao shook her head. She was getting worried when Kaoru mentioned a name that she could not relate to.
"It figures." Kaoru sighed, "He is a Chinese triad leader in Shanghai and he is commonly known among the underground world as Old Man Kai."
"Y-you are married to this old man?" Misao's eyes almost popped out.
"Of course not, you silly," Kaoru laughed. "He is my grandfather."
"What? How could it be? You're Japanese and h-he is Chinese, I think." Misao was baffled.
Kaoru could see the confusion written all over Misao's face. "My grandfather is indeed a Chinese man and he is in Shanghai." She paused and took a deep breath. "Misao, I know that you are confused right now but please, hear me out. I will explain." Kaoru looked at Misao earnestly. "Will you listen?"
Misao nodded twice.
"My grandfather, Kai, was an orphan born into poverty dump but he was strong willed." Kaoru looked looked away from Misao into the far away distance as she told a tale. "He didn't believe in fate and believed in writing his own destiny. He came to this world with nothing to lose and so he gamble with his only chip on hand, his life. Where he came from, the only means of making good living was to control as many turf as possible – profitable ones." She sighed.
"So, he kills and fights with his bare hands, conquering turfs belonging to other triads. He was small man and had no influential figure backing him but a hungry man is an angry man. He destroyed everything that stood in his way, earning him countless enemies. He was a cruel dispassionate man who thought of nothing but his quest for wealth. In a short span of three years, he became the most notorious triad leaders in Shanghai. Foe turned allied and bowed to him because of their fear. Within seven years he owned Shanghai Port and had the majority underground control over the city of Shanghai." Kaoru looked at Misao, trying to read her expression before she continued further.
"Being a typical Chinese man, he wanted lots of children to share his abundance. So, he had two wives who bored him thirteen children."
"Thirteen?" Misao couldn't help but asked.
"Yes… Thirteen. Unbelievable, isn't it?" Kaoru couldn't help rolling her eyes.
"You should have many relatives then?"
"I should…."
"I'm sorry. I interrupted. Please, carry on…" Misao apologized.
"Anyway, he had this ideal that his descendants would succeed after him and his influence would live forever. And so he trained his sons to be strong like him."
"Thirteen sons!" Misao interrupted again. Her eyes were wide.
"No, not all thirteen of them. His youngest was a girl, whom he loved and pampered to no end. Can you imagine how proud he was with his family? He is darn rich and had twelve sons!"
'Had?' Misao carefully considered Kaoru's choice of word but said nothing.
"Typical as he is, he does not see the need for a girl to participate in the politics of the underworld. His only expectation of her was that she marries a man of her class and lived happily ever after without having to worry about life. But it was funny how things turned out because she detested being lady like and wanted to be like her brothers - learning to fight with her fist and holding guns."
Misao had wanted to say something - and Kaoru noticed it- but closed her mouth before words could come out.
Kaoru continued, "Kai gave her everything that she ever wanted but the only one thing that he never granted her was learning to fight or the rules of the triads. He was strongly against it. Because she was so used to getting things her way, not giving her what she wanted would only cause her passion for martial art burnt deeper. Once, there was a inter competition between wu shu and kendo at her school and it was at his sword fighting or bokken fighting, I guessed, that drawn her to a Japanese man."
Misao folded her legs underneath her and listened absorbedly.
"No one knows how they managed but they fell in love despite their language barrier. She wanted to be with him and wanted to follow him back to Japan. Of course, it would be over Kai and her twelve brothers' dead body. Opportunity somewhat came knocking on the door when Kai found about the Japanese man. Kai was furious with the Japanese man. Trying to distract her from what he thought was an infatuation; he organized a vacation to the States for his family. He knows she loved traveling off shore but he never allow her to leave his side and he didn't like traveling. To him, all that was important was to sustain his power and wealth. The rest can be put aside. Besides, he always thought that no country is better than China." Kaoru rolled her eyes.
Kaoru continued, "She saw this as an opportunity and absconded with the Japanese man while she was supposed to be in an airplane to the States."
"How?" Misao was puzzled.
"Apparently she pretended to be sulking and wrapped herself up from head to toes a few days before the departure. She told him that she was not going to enjoy herself and gave everyone a silent treatment. Kai didn't really care what she did as long as she boarded the plane. He believed that her mood will brighten upon landing at a foreign land. Just before boarding, she had one of her servant girl to dress like her and swapped places. A simple plan, isn't it?"
"And no one knew?" Misao asked unbelievably.
"No, Kai noticed once they broad the plane and immediately got off the plane. He didn't want to disappoint his family and insisted that they to go without them. But it was his most regretful decision because the plane exploded when it was about to take off. He watched the flames snatching his family, his pride, his joy, away from him. And there was nothing he, the most powerful and riches man of his time, can do. He just kneeled and watched." There was sadness in Kaoru eyes as she could just pictured her grandfather looking helplessly.
"What about her? Did he found her?" Misao was curious.
"No, he never did look for her." Kaoru shook her head.
"Why not?"
"He suspected that the plane incident wasn't just an accident. It was a foul play. Someone, his nemesis was trying to wipe him and his entire family. He didn't look for her because he wanted everyone to think that no one survived except him. Until he found the mastermind behind his tragedy, she would be safer with the Japanese man than him. So, he let her go."
"So, your mother left Shanghai with your father to Japan..." Misao thoughtfully concluded.
"Yes."
"What happen then? Did Kai found out who it was?" Misao asked, folding her legs on sofa.
"No, he didn't. But what he did afterwards was even more dreadful. He wasn't a kind man to begin with, except to his family and that incident made him even … worst. He killed just anyone that he thought might be a threat without giving any that person any benefit of doubt. He wanted protected his only daughter, his family by being formidable, untouchable. But no matter how much he believed in writing his own destiny, no man can fight what fate had in hand for them because my mother died of natural caused."
"He found her before she… die?"
Kaoru shook her head. "No, he never did look. He was too afraid to look for her. He didn't know whether those close to him were loyal or betrayer. When my mother died, my father brought her urn back to Shanghai, asking for my grandfather's forgiveness. My grandfather was devastated by the news of her death - the last of his descendant. But he had little hope left when my father told him that he has a grandchild…"
"You…" Misao completed Kaoru's sentences.
"Yes, me…"
"He told my father to take care of me and when the time is right, I will assume the Kai's fortune. But my father died three years later, leaving me." Kaoru voice softened in a sorrow manner. "My grandfather left me in the care of the Shinomori because he was too scared to take me in. I am not sure why but he trusted the Shinomori."
"And Sou Chan…?" Misao suddenly thought.
"She was sent to look after me by my grandfather."
"So, all the while when Sou Chan took you along back to her hometown, you were indeed visiting your grandfather?" Misao began to piece the jigsaw puzzle together.
"Yes." Kaoru confirmed.
"And everybody in the Shinomori household knew about this except me?"
"No, only Aoshi and Okina knows about it."
"I can't believe this! Aoshi and Okina knew but I don't? And I'm supposedly your best friend?" She lashed the air in anger. "Do I even know you?" She whispered to herself and dropped her head. "Are you really who I think you are? Can I still call myself your best friend…your family?"
Kaoru saw the hurt on Misao's face. She couldn't blame her. If she was in Misao's shoe, she would feel a little betrayed. Perhaps more than just a little. Just when you thought you knew someone from the inside out, sharing most of your life with someone, you found that you in fact knew nothing much about that person.
"Misao, please understand that it wasn't my intention to hide it from you. I…" Kaoru can't really think of any reason to give Misao other than Sou Chan had somehow managed threatened her with some mystic folks tale should she tell anyone about her grandfather or her background.
Misao showed no response.
"Misao," Kaoru placed her warm hand over Misao's, "Misao, please look at me…"
Kaoru was about to tears when Misao looked up with a pair of heartbroken eyes. "Misao, I am sorry. I am what you see. You see me laugh, see me cry, witness how I embarrassed myself with my cooking and made a fool a total because of Kenshin. These are all real. These are me and you saw it. No one knows me better than you, not even Aoshi. You helped shaped me. You are my family, my treasured family. Please don't think otherwise. I never intend…."
Kaoru was cut short when Misao gave her a warm long hug. When they broke apart, Misao wiped her tears and asked, "So, is there anything else that I need to know about you?"
Kaoru smiled. "Will you forgive me?"
"Only if you tell me everything now. No more secret." Misao warned.
Kaoru nodded, "I intend to," and smiled.
Misao finally smiled and gave some thought before she said, "I don't get it. What does this have to do you getting married to… to whoever it is that you are married to? Who are you married to!" Misao demanded the right to know.
"I am the sole heir to his empire that he built with his blood but unfortunately I am also a girl. As I said, he a typical Chinese man and he can only pass down his empire to a man. So my husband will inherit his business, not me. So he picked me a husband, a man who he wanted to succeed after him. I only get his money and the mansion." Koaru rolled her eyes upwards.
"Arrange marriage?" Misao looked horrified.
"Yes. My grandfather told me about it when I was fourteen. You have no idea how furious I was at the point of time. I was prepared to kill myself, then." Kaoru started smiling when she reminiscent the tantrum fit that she threw.
Misao could not understand why Kaoru was smiling. "Who was it?"
"I never met him," Kaoru continued with no intention of answering Misao's question just yet, " and I don't know who he was. Only that he was the best and only candidate. No matter how much I protested against my grandfather's decision, I was doomed. After much persuasions and suicide threats Sou Chan showed me the photograph of the young man that I was supposed to marry,." Kaoru laughed lightly. "I hate to admit it but he was very good looking that after looking at his photo, I wasn't angry anymore. But of course, my grandfather doesn't have to know about it."
"And you met him?"
"No, I didn't meet him until I was eighteen. Sou Chan found out which university he was attending and I attended the same." Kaoru blushed slightly.
"So, the reason why I had to leave Kyoto and stuck in Tokyo-U because you went after a man?" Misao questioned unbelievably.
"I didn't force you to go to Tokyo with me."
"No, you didn't force me but you were practically begging like hell and telling me how well the university fare and all!"
Kaoru chuckled.
Misao rolled her eyes and said, "So you managed…" Words died on her lips, enabling her to complete her sentence when a thought struck her mind. "Kenshin… You met Kenshin!"
Kaoru smiled broadly. "Yes, I finally met him and I married him after I graduated."
"What? I don't understand. How could you have married him? I am very confused." Misoa rubbed her temple.
"Remember when Sou Chan wanted to retire back to China and I went with her? I got married then."
Misoa was looking a bit lost. When she was done digesting the information that Kaoru had fed her, she said, "I don't understand. If both of you are married then, why don't both of you look like husband and wife? He doesn't seem to think that he is your husband. I don't understand…" Misao shook her head.
"I don't think he knows who I am, or who he is married to in China?"
"What!" Misao had the strangest look on her face. "Kenshin agreed to marry someone that he didn't even know the face?"
"My grandfather wanted to protect me and so he concealed my identity. Nobody was to know who I am or what's my relation to the Kai. At least not until the time is right. Anyway, I knew who I was going to marry but I don't think he knew because of that. A traditional Chinese wedding involved a covering the bride's entire head with a veil. And the groom only gets to lift the veil on the wedding bed which Kenshin didn't get to it because he ran away right after the tea ceremony."
"He did what!"
"He ran away." Kaoru repeated and sighed heavily.
Misao stopped to think of all Kaoru had said and tried to make some sense out of it. "Kenshin was into an arrange marriage in which he has never meet his bride and went ahead with marriage when it was so obvious that he likes you. And then he ran away on his wedding day…" She surmised. "Is there something that you are not telling me?"
Kaoru laughed before she said, "Sometimes, I think he knows who I am but more often than not, I don't think he knows. I mean, if he knows who I am, he wouldn't be running away on our wedding night, would he? And if he doesn't know, why did he agree to marry a stranger when he likes me? And then he ran away."
"Hang on, is that the reason why Aoshi dislike Kenshin? Because he ran away like a wimp on the wedding night?" Misao asked.
"Yes… that is the reasom."
"I don't know what is in Kenshin's mind but what I really don't understand is… why the hell didn't you tell him who you are in the first place - when you first met him in uni?" Misao scolded. In her own opinion, the situation would be made much simpler and less complicated if Kaoru had just tell Kenshin the truth.
"… I wanted to know him as a person and not someone that I am going to be married to…"
Misao cut Kaoru off, "You were going to marry him regardless you know him or not. You should have told him that you are the girl that he was going to marry from the start."
Kaoru thought deeply before she said, "I guessed I wanted him to fall in love with me and not someone that he had been arranged to."
Misao considered Kaoru's answer and understood where Kaoru was getting at. "So, what are you going to do now?"
"I am going to tell him that I am his wife, if he doesn't already know. Which I think he doesn't… or maybe he does…" Kaoru was rambling and mumbling away.
"Wait, you still have told me what happen last night?"
Kaoru blushed furiously. She leaned forward and whispered into Misao's ear.
As Misao intently listened to Kaoru, her eyes widened, mouth agape and a broad grin slowly made up to her face.
XooooooXooooooXoooooooXoooooooXoooooooXooooooooXoooooooooXooooooooX
Although they had slept together, Kaoru honestly did not feel any changes to their daily routine together. Other than Kenshin had been extremely attentive and loving, they still ate the dinner in the same manner, talk about the same subject as of any other day and take the same route for their evening walk. What kind of changes to their daily live she was expecting, she heard herself asking quietly. Sitting closely besides Kenshin on the bench, she looked up to the dark blue sky and sighed contently. 'I'm happy as it is…'
"What is it?" Kenshin asked, squeezing her hand when he noted that she was smiling silly to the sky.
"Nothing," Kaoru assured him with a peck on his cheek and smiled.
Kenshin momentarily watched Kaoru before he leaned forward and kissed her. When he broke the kiss, he suggested, "Let's have lunch with Hiko tomorrow."
Kaoru nodded.
They sat on the bench for a little while longer, enjoying the cool evening breeze before they retreat home. Like any other Saturday night, they usually just stayed home and watch a movie together. When the movie ended, Kenshin got up from the sofa and walked to towards the television set.
Kaoru stood up and stretched her body the same time she commented, "Boy, that was good." With her body posture relaxed, she yawned. "I am ready to go to bed," she declared.
"Ok," Kenshin noted as he took the disc from the player.
Kaoru turned around, took a step and stopped. It suddenly occurred to Kaoru which room she should be sleeping – hers or his room? She fiddled for a while and Kenshin noticed it. As if reading her unspoken thoughts, he gently tugged her to walk to her room.
"I'll be back," he said, lightly kissing her forehead and left her in her room.
She guessed that it has been decided that they will be sleeping together in her room. All of a sudden her heart beat fluttered. Unlike last night, everything happened before she could even give any thought to it. Being left alone in her room was giving her brain some idle time, musing on the fact she will be sharing a bed with Kenshin. And she was nervous about it.
"What am I supposed to do?" She asked her panic stricken self.
'Should be wearing some a little more sexy?' she asked inwardly as she changed into her pajamas. She looked herself in the mirror and thought 'Is he expecting me in something more revealing than this?' 'Or I should just strip myself and wait for him under the blanket?' She immediately turned bashful at her last thought.
She turned to look at the clock. 'Why is he taking to long?' She sighed. The longer she had to wait for him, she got even more anxious and all sort ridiculous thoughts cross her mind. She climbed onto her bed and pulled the cover over her body. She turned on her side observing the door. Thinking of when it will be opened. After a long stare, she gave out a loud yawn. 'Is he coming or not?'
She quickly turned on her other side with her back facing the door when she heard the door knob being twisted. Her heart was thumping very loudly to her own ears. Carefully the door swung opened and she heard him coming in. There was a moment of silent and she was resisting the urge to turn around and see what he was doing.
Click! Lights were turned off and she was about to break cold sweat.
She felt the bed moved behind her and she closed her eyes. He settled himself comfortably next to her. Her heart almost dislocated itself when he pulled her into his arms. His chest was pressing hard onto her back. Being wrapped in his embrace mellowed the beating of her heart and she started relaxed. She squirmed backwards a little.
"Kaoru, are you asleep?" he whispered softly into her hair.
"Not yet," she answered and turned to her other side facing him. With little moonlight illuminating the room, she could see his face clearly. She can't believed how good looking he was even in the dark. She raised her hand to his face and began to trace his jaw line.
He caught her hand and held it on his cheek. He gazed at her before he asked, "Would like to go on a vacation with me?"
"I loved to…" she answered with a smile.
"Where would you like to go?" he asked.
And she simply answered, "Anywhere you take me."
He moved his hand and kissed her palm.
She leaned and kissed him on the lips. Her hand slipped away from his hold and went to his well chiseled chest. Her touch was light but very tempting. He grabbed her hand away from his chest.
"Don't. I-I might lose it." He gently warned her.
She blinked.
"You… you have not recover," he explained further.
And she blinked again. She momentarily stared at him before she called him. "You silly man," and went for his lips. Her hands secretly slipped under the covers.
He gasped and moaned briefly. He immediately reached out for her nape and deepened the kiss.
XooooooXooooooXoooooooXoooooooXoooooooXooooooooXoooooooooXooooooooX
Author's note:
Really wanted this chapter to go out from my system and so didn't spend much time looking through the chapter for error. Sorry… Have to get this chapter out of my system!
Note: Sou Chan had been mentioned in Chapter 1
Anyway, thanks for reading and taking time to leave a review.