First of all, I want to thank Lydia the tygeropean and mysterious person101 who reviewed last chapter. Althought the few reviews I noticed several followers... I think that's good.

I want to take this chance to thank everyone who is reading this story since Chapter one, also the ones that point me my mistakes and help me to improve. I was having some difficulties to modify the chapter after I post it, but I think I finally realize how to do it.

Please feel free to comment and give me your opinions. I love to read your reviews, if they are not offensive in any way, of course. :-)

Chapter 10 - Ways to Deception

Kaoru forced her eyes to open. Her vision was still blurry… it has been so long since the last time she opened her eyes. She was sleeping more than usual… it was probably because of the medicine they gave her in order for her not to feel the pain. She looked at the door and saw a man wearing a white mask. She blinked to realize if what she was seeing was true but as vision cleared he wasn't there anymore. Great! I am imagining things…

What happened to me? – Once again she closed her eyes and forced her mind to remember the last events. There was one she couldn't forget for sure. He sent me away from his house. After that things weren't very clear in her head, but Kaoru could remember there was a man wearing a hat and he tried to kill her... she could remember his voice and his words, but his face was still indistinct… he attacked her several times, she remembered she prayed for Kenshin to be there, she prayed for him to come and save her from this mad man… but no matter how hard she prayed he never show up… and when she thought she was about to die…"I will not harm you…" – he appeared… her rescuer…

She opened her eyes again and he was standing right next to her.

"You're finally awake." – he spoke. His deep blue eyes locked on hers. "My name is Shinomori Aoshi."

"I am sorry for the trouble I caused you. And thank you for taking care of me." – she replied. Then she noticed she hadn't introduced herself yet. – "My name is Kamyia Kaoru."

He nod.

She sighed. "How long did I sleep?"

"Two weeks." –his answer shocked her. For her it seemed it happened just a few minutes ago. Two weeks was much more than what she expected.

"You woke up in the other day, but the doctor decided to put you back to sleep again." – he explained.

Feeling the urgency of solving her situation with the red-haired samurai, and realizing that the clock was ticking against her, she tried to stand in a sitting position but he stopped her. "You must not move. The doctor says you're not allowed to go anywhere until a month passes."

Every news he gave her were terrifying her even more: "A month? No! I can't wait a month!" – she tried to get up again but he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Wait.I need some answers from you." Kaoru obeyed. He had that right, after all he saved her, and if that was the condition for letting her go, she would give him all the answers he wanted.

"Why did Jin-e tried to kill you?" – he asked as she calmed down.

"Jin-Hei?" – Kaoru's mind tried to associate the name to a face. "You're talking about the man who attacked me?" –she assumed and as Aoshi nod as she continued – "I don't really know." – even if she was telling the truth, for him, it would seem as if she was hiding something. She needed to clarify things: "I think they framed me… I don't know why he wanted me dead, but the way he spoke to me made me realize it had something to do with Kenshin."

"Himura Battousai?" – he already knew she was connected to him in anyway but there were some loose ends in that story that he needed to tie.

She bit her bottom lip. Should she disclose that information to him? He saved her but she knew nothing about him. Was he a dangerous man? Could he be Kenshin's enemy?

He could almost read the thoughts on her mind. "You don't have to be apprehensive about me. I have no interest on Battousai as long as he stays out of my way. I am just trying to understand what happened. " – her eyes focused on her, but he was a hard man to read… she couldn't understand if he was being totally honest,- but… she sighed- he saved her life, and the least she could do was to give him an explanation for the situation he found herself into.

"Someone told him lies about me." – she stared at Aoshi and his silence made her understand that she would have to disclose the entire story for him, otherwise he would think she was lying: "I was having dinner with him when Kenshin went to the outside to talk with one of his friends from Ishishinshi. Everything was doing well, but when he came back inside, he accused me of lying to him... of being an imperialist…" – it was hard to bring back all of his accusations, but the one that hurt her more: "He accused me…of betraying him…" – she sighed and looked at him. Aoshi just nod his head, now he understood. "Then, I left his house… after a while that man you call Jin-Hei appeared and his words made me realized that I was framed. I just don't understand… why me?" – she looked up at him but he gave her no answer.

I need to leave and ask for Yumi's help, she probably knows someone who can help me . I need to understand why they pushed me away from Kenshin and as soon as I realize the motive… sooner I can show him how wrong he is…

Aoshi on the other hand was wondering the same thing but in different perspectives. The whole scenario appeared to be a plot… but surely against Battousai not her… If they framed her, then that means she is an important piece of the game, even if she doesn't realize it. I need to go deeper into this story. "I don't understand…"

Kaoru looked up at him. If he was asking for more explanations… she … he wouldn't hear anything more from her since she knew nothing besides what she already told him.

His hand rubbed his chin as he seemed to be thinking for a while, then he looked at her: "So he didn't believe in you."

Kaoru looked down. Painful but true. He should have talked to me first, before jumping into rash conclusions. But no. He decided to believe his "friend" instead of me, and didn't give me the chance to explain and prove him they were lying to him. His lack of trust and disrespected for her feelings was what hurt her more.

Aoshi could see clearly how that matter affected her. So he decided to give her a break. She was fully awake for the first time since the attack and he was asking her too many questions. He didn't want her to collapse, so he decided to slow down. And probably leave her alone, so that she could settle down her thoughts. "You can stay here as long as you want. But as soon as you get better I advice you to get away from the city."

"I can't leave this city." – that was her immediate her answer. "Not now."

"Off course you can't. You're too injured and must stay here until you get better." – he answered but he felt she had something to say about that too.

"I can't stay here neither." – she made an effort to get up but felt a sharp pain on her back that made her fall back on the futon again. She flinched as it seemed her flesh was being slashed again.

Aoshi approached her and helped her to lay down. Whatever her reasons were, they were strong enough for her to almost ruin the doctor's work. "Why?" – he stared skeptically at her. Kaoru winced again in pain. Her back was seriously injured, she assumed, since her every move caused her different kinds of pain. "I need to prove…" – she stopped talking to breath for a while… "I Need to prove they're lying…"

"You will not prove a thing if you decide to behave like this. You will end up dead instead." – his tone was harsh and cold. The girl shivered as she looked at him. Kaoru felt like crying but fought hard against it. She needed to be strong. "I know you don't understand! But I need to tell Kenshin that he is in danger!" – Kaoru craved her elbows on the futon forcing her upper body to stay up.

The Okashira stared at her in disbelief. She was dumped by him, she was in pain partly because of him and yet she was still worrying about him. What could lead her to act like this around a man? An Obsession maybe?

"He left to Otsu." – it was a test… telling her the truth in exchange of knowing what she really felt around Battousai. Kaoru stares at him blankly: "Who?"

"Battousai. He left to Otsu." – he confirmed. She hid her face away from him, she was pretending to be strong, pretending that information didn't affected her but he noticed she was gloomy. She cares about him after all.

"Do you know the reason he left?" – she asked.

He shook his head negatively. Then, he got up and walked to the chest of drawers and took a paper from one of the drawers and started writing something on it : "I am going to tell the doctor that you're awake. Plus, I will make sure you stay here enough time for your wounds to heal properly. It would be a waste of my time to save you only to let you die because of your stubbornness."

Saying that, he went away, leaving a very confused Kaoru behind.

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As the sunlight warmed her skin Yumi slowly woke up. As she regain her conscience she immediately searched for her last night companion… but the right side of her futon was empty. He wasn't there.

She sighed wondering if he was just a dream hence she thought a man like him wouldn't just exist. She got up and stopped in front of her mirror, gazing at herself. The white skin of her shoulders contrast with the black fabric of her robe. Their conversation came to her mind and he became the owner of her thoughts. Last night, he made her feel like no man before. He made her want more, crave for more. He was no ordinary man. No ordinary man at all.

She sat in front of her dresser and stared at the gifts she just received from all of her old costumers… it was odd, she could remember their names and faces and connected them to their gifts, but she couldn't feel anything about them. They were just… men…

But Last night she felt… something different, she felt a flame burning inside her, like… she shook her head:Don't get your hopes too high… he is a man after all. And he is out of the town since you've never seem him here before, so, now he is probably on his way back home and worrying about his own business, not even giving you a second thought…

Yumi learnt that if you depend on your hopes and dreams you will get disappointed. So now she is a woman with her both feet on the ground. Dependably independent of others. And she would never put her trust on a man… not again.

Time to wake...

There was other issues that demand her attention and she needed to take care of them as soon as possible. She dressed herself ready for another day… It didn't matter what Aoshi said, she wanted to see Kaoru, or at least send her some clothes, she doubted they would have clothes on that castle... She would have to askYahiko to deliver him a message.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Kenshin stared at the outside. It is snowing again and the ground was dressed in white. He sees the kids playing with the snowflakes and their laughter made him smile. Feeling nostalgic, he steps outside just to touch the snow… so white and clean. Kenshin kneels down but as one of the children bursts in laugh he looks up at them again. Their happiness is so genuine, so pure… As his right hand touches the snow he feels the freezing cold that comes attached to it… What? Kenshin was startled as he look at his hand and instead of the white pure snow, he only sees vivid red blood dripping to the ground…

Red as his sins.

How did I end up here? – he remembered the day he joined Ishinshishi, Although anyone in the group believed him to be an advantage, Katsura on the other hand was impressed with his skills. And it was probably because he knew Kenshin was so young that he asked: "Are you aware than to protect the people of Japan and bring the new era, you will have to use your sword to kill?" as young Kenshin answered affirmatively he gave him permission to become a member of the group.

I can't blame anyone… I made my own choices. No one hide the truth from me. I was so blind for my need to protect people that failed to notice that, slowly I end up turning myself a tool for their suffer …I must pay for my sins alone.

Tomoe sits beside him and as no word came from his mouth she decided to talk: "Dinner is ready."

Kenshin nod but remains as frozen as before. She notice the water from the snow on his hands: "You seem thoughtful, is something bothering you?...Do you miss the action?"

She thought he wouldn't answer, since his mind seemed to be so far away from there, but he replied immediately, and his voice had a touch of surprise, as if she was asking something obvious: "No. I like peace." - he glanced at her and then sighed understanding that his reactions made her feel confuse.

Tomoe stood quiet for a while, but then something came to her mind: "So… then… you must miss her!" – also she needed to know what happened to the girl. Kaoru seemed to be a good person and Tomoe's conscience was bogging her as she was afraid of what Iizuka could have done to her… "…I don't understand why she didn't came with you instead of me."

"That's a closed matter." – Kenshin got up as if the simple mention of Kaoru woke him from his inactive state.

If he cared for the girl… then what she was doing was even worse than what he did to her… "Her name was Kaoru, wasn't it?... I think she was a go…"

"Please!" – he stopped walking and looked back at her. His eyes hold a sadness she had never seen in a man before. "Don't say her name…"

Tomoe nod. Her chest was in a turmoil. She was part of a plot that caused someone else's death. An innocent's death. She was no better than Battousai anyway.

:::::::::::

"You must give up of that idea." – Yumi insisted again, she needed to make Kaoru understand that it was a waste of her time to even think of such thing.

Kaoru shook her head negatively. She was determined: "I must do this."

"Do you even know who you're dealing with?" – she was angry with Kaoru. How could she, that was barely recovering from an attack, thinking about getting into more troubles? "This people are dangerous, and you are at risk only for being alive… I am telling you something Kaoru, if you start digging too deep, is as sure as the sun rises every day as you will end up dead in the end of this story!"

"I need to prove him that I am innocent!" Kaoru yelled tired of explaining the same thing over and over. She covered her mouth regretfully. "I am sorry Yumi. I shouldn't have talked to you that way."

Her employer forced Aoshi to let her see her and was trying to help her in every way she could. She also asked Aoshi to let her stay in Aka so that she could help her from there, but he denied. It wasn't fair to treat someone who was trying to help her, in such an arrogant way.

But Yumi didn't seem to mind, instead she continued talking:"Listen to yourself! That's the point! You want to prove HIM, Kaoru. You're just worried about him, but he already made his choice." – she stopped talking for a while, wondering of how she would disclose that information to her without destroying her from the inside out…

Thinking twice… there was no beautiful way to say those things, and maybe if Kaoru felt the hurt of betrayal, she would give up from her idiotic plan and save herself from more troubles: "Listen, I don't wanna broke your heart in pieces but… I need to do it…"

Kaoru stared at her as if she already knew what Yumi was about to say: "I know he left to Otsu."

"With Iizuka's cousin - Tomoe." – Yumi added.

That last sentence caught Kaoru completely out of hand. At first she was about to ask her to repeat, but then she realized she was unable to speak. Her face paled and her mouth dried. Yumi placed her hand on hers sympathetic with her feelings… after all, she knew too well the hurt that came from betrayal… It could tear your soul apart… "This is a men's world Kaoru… and there's no chances for us… and all men are the same… not even one is different."

He got over me so fast…. Was It because he thinks I betrayed him? Whatever his reasons were Kaoru felt tempted to agree with Yumi. She had no value to him. She couldn't think of anything else rather than the hurt his actions were causing her, Physically and mentally.

First the attack, then, when she thought she could turn the situation around by proving him her innocence,Aoshi told her he was out of the town… Anyway she was ready to wait for him to come back and then show him the truth and maybe then, things could be just like before… but knowing he went away with another woman… that changed the entire situation…. Adding that to the fact that Tomoe was no ordinary woman… she was elegant and beautiful… more than what she could ever be. She felt like a knife was slashing her heart. How could you, Kenshin?

Yumi was reading the signs. Kaoru was trying to control herself not to fall apart in front of her, but she was failing miserably. Jealousy and hurt were written all over her face. "Sometimes we need to let it go…"

She raised her eyes to look at her. There was a part of her, that was so tired of this mess, that wanted to follow Yumi's advice, but the other half was stubbornly thinking of reasons to understand Kenshin's actions…

"Kaoru, you look exhausted. You need to rest." – Yumi was caring for her as if they were close friends. Maybe it was just feminine solidarity. "Do you feel pain?"

"Just in my back." – and in my heart. she added mentally. "Thank you so much for the clothes and for the advises." – Kaoru made her best smile, she didn't wanted Yumi to worry about her, she would be fine.

"I ask Aoshi to take you to Aka, so we could take care of you but he forbid me." – she talked as she was irritated with his actions – "He seems a little overprotective around you."

Kaoru eyebrows knitted together. "I rarely talk to him… and every time I do… our conversations are very short and only about the essentials…" – If Yumi was insinuating he had an interest on her, that would be totally untrue… although he saved her and gave her all the medical cares she needed… Kaoru was sure that he had no second intentions around her.

"I see." – Yumi nod – "Don't let your guard down. We never know what will happen when it comes to men."- she got up.

"Why do always act suspiciously around men?" – Kaoru asked. Yumi seemed to have a grudge against the masculine type, what is strange due to her kind of life.

She got up and get herself ready to leave: "That's a story I will tell you at another day… Do you need anything else?"

Kaoru shook her head: "No, thank you Yumi, you were kind enough by bringing me these clothes and give me your advises. That is all I need, for now."

:::::::::::

::::::

::::::

When Yumi arrived at Aka, soaked from the rain, she was far from imagining that the first thing Haruka would tell her was that someone sent her a gift. "A gift?" – she raised her eyebrow in awe.

"Are you getting deaf?" – the other woman asked playfully – "Yes, a gift, a souvenir… " – she threw her a towel.

Yumi smiled at her friend's mood: "You seem very happy today, what happened?"

The other asked: "Nothing special. It's just that…" – as her eyes filled with proud and contentment Yumi was sure little Yahiko had something to do with it. "Yahiko got his first official job."

"Really? That's really nice." – Yumi knew Haruka's difficulties since her husband's death. Being a widow in this country wasn't easy… She was still young and beautiful, she could remarry and have a new life. But no proud-Japanese man would take a woman with a child that wasn't his own. "What is he doing?"

"Errands, deliveries, everything they ask him to." – she answered – "It's not the best job in the world but it's already a beginning."

"Of course it is. I am happy for you Haruka, you raised your son alone and he is becoming a responsible adult." – The image of the young Yahiko appeared on her mind and she smiled at the idea of seeing that boy becoming a man. "Yahiko-chan will make you proud someday."

"I hope he doesn't hear you call him that." – Haruka glanced at Yumi – "He says that now that he works he is already a man, and we must call him Yahiko-san!"

Both woman burst into laugh. "He really is full of himself!"

"And he is only twelve, imagine what I will have to put up with when he reaches the twentie's!" – Haruka replied. "He sure gets that from his father."

Yumi stop laughing and nod. Yahiko's father was a well-known samurai, as far as she heard, he was a good husband for Haruka and loving father to the boy. He died doing his job and as honorable as that was, it didn't erase the fact that his wife was left alone with a child to raise. Haruka never worked in her life before, and became desperate when she found herself in that situation…. She came to Aka looking for a job…That's when they met. Ten years passed since that day and Haruka learn how to be independent, self-sustainer. But Yumi could tell, by the sad look she had on her eyes sometimes, that she missed her husband now as much as she did ten years ago.

"Yes, because anything else, he has from you." – Yumi end up the conversation – "I will be leaving to my room." I need a warm bath. Winter came in full-strength. If is still raining like this he will have to get ready for the floods…

As she entered her room to get her yukata, she found the gift Haruka had mentioned. A red bottle with the symbol of one of the most expensive sake's and a letter. She opened the envelope and read the short message. Her fingers slip through the letters of his name…

Keep it for the next night we will spend together. A luxurious drink for someone who is much more than just a stunning woman.

Makoto Shishio

::::

Two weeks later

He stared at his face. Iizuka was hoping to find a very distressed man, but he seemed calm."How are you doing around here?"

"Fine, it's peaceful in here. Everyone thinks we are farmers." – Kenshin wasn't missing the battle field like he was expecting him to do.

"Things are getting better back home. I think that soon you will be back." – Iizuka wanted to know more about his life in Otsu, but Kenshin wasn't a very talkative person, and, since that day on his house, when he told him about the Kamyia girl, he seemed even less talkative than before.

"Good."

But he needed to know if he was still caring for her. He needed to kill whatever feelings he had for the girl, so he decided to spread some of his poison into the Hitokiri's heart. "Do you know? That Kamyia girl? she is living in Shinomori Aoshi's castle… She surely likes influential man…"

"Do you have anything else for me?" – Kenshin's answer was immediate. Iizuka couldn't tell if he was running from the subject because he didn't cared or because it affected him too much..

"No." – he replied.

"Then, I shall go. This is a small village and strangers are noticed immediately. You should leave so that I can keep up with the disguise." – he walked away with no more words.

Kenshin was pretending Iizuka's words about Kaoru doesn't hurt him but they sure had an effect on him.What kind of relationship can she have with Aoshi? He saved her. Something inside him remembered. Could she be developing feelings about the Okashira leader? He never thought about Kaoru falling in love with another man after he left, and it had a bitter taste this felling he was experiencing. If that's so, then she was forgetting him too easy. Maybe everything is true… maybe she didn't love me; maybe, I was just someone she fooled.

He felt he was truly deceived by her.

:::::::::::::::::::::::

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Kaoru found a diary among the things Yumi brought her, maybe the woman understood how frustrated she was and decided to give her something to help her to relieve the stress, and althoughKaoru had nothing special to write, she decided to give him a proper use.

Since no one understood her, she would put on the paper her feelings. Unlike people around her, the paper wouldn't mind if her feelings were contradictory or irrational… This book would be her witness and secret keeper.
But to write her feelings she needed to understand them first. What was she feeling? A bunch of words came to her mind but the one that described better her real situation was….

Deception…

It's gonna rain…
"That's good for me…"
I force myself to believe.
To make me forget,
To wash away my full of emptiness memories,
Of that moment… the moment you let me go.

The raindrops,
I hear them fall,
Hitting hard on these walls
In which I find myself willingly trapped.

But,
I feel them so close
Almost wetting my body
Almost making me freeze,
Almost…

Yes, just and only almost,

I should know,
It must end,
My childish dream is over

It's just as if
All the doors are shut down,
and all the curtains closed not allowing me to see any light.
I found myself alone.

And Is still raining on the outside,
Steadily, Persistently,
Suddenly… a cold wind freezes my once heated up heart…

And I wish to walk outside in the middle of the storm
I wish to soak my hair,
To feel my body trembling

I want to forget all the things that I once promised never left behind.
I want to run away and never found myself again
I want to know which way I should go to get lost

I wanna be exhausted,
So I can finally forgive myself for giving up.

I spent my strengths,
All of them, looking for someone
Who was impossible to reach.

I gave myself,
For a dream,
An illusion,
A lost childish fantasy
A lie…

Hate wasn't the word to describe her feelings, since she knew she could never hate him. But all she could remember of him now were the last moments they share and his words of accusation.

Did the news of her almost death reach the samurai's ears? Kaoru preferred to believe that he knew nothing, than to think he knew and never came to see how she was doing. She thought about all the things she wanted to say, no… say no, shout to him, she wouldn't give him a chance to say a word!

She closed the book as tears rolled down her face. Her words were acid like the flavor of the medicine she had on her throat… The medicine that meant to take her pain away, but let this horrible taste that reminded her of current state, that reminded her of him.

Then again...

Deception

:::

After his journey from Otsu to Edo, Iizuka was hoping to ear news about Katsura's death, but as he meet them he got disappointed. "I put Battousai away from you and still you weren't able to kill Katsura!" - Iizuka was really on the edge, since Katsura was not a fool and sooner or later he would realize that the excuse he used to put Kenshin away from him was a fake. Kenshin was a trust worthy man and since he went away his brother Saigo was killed, what wouldn't probably happen if the red-haired samurai were there.

"He is well guarded. This new bodyguard… he is as strong as Battousai or even stronger." – the man in front of him replied – "Also it was difficult to find where Katsura and Okubo were." – Kojiro added.

"Don't waste my efforts! You have to kill them as soon as possible. He is thinking about calling Himura back, and if he does that you will never be able to finish the job. Also, if he meets that Kamyia girl he must discover the truth and that will end up bad for me..." – There was still a chance of him to believe her story."Maybe you should kill her once and for all." – that was the only way to totally get rid of the problem. Kojiro rolled his eyes, this fear about the girl was irrational, she was only a woman, what harm could she do?

"I will take care of that. I just need her to leave Aoshi's wing…." – The other man took his sword from the sheath and stared at the blade. " He saved her from Jin-Hei…. But if I caught her alone…. She is as good as dead. She can't be that lucky anyway…"

:::::

Who is Katsura's new bodyguard? Guess?

I want to hear it from you.