I do not own Bridal Mask or Kenshin. Reviews are highly appreciated :)
Chapter 2: You Two Know Each Other?
Seta arrives at Joseon's Japanese International Hospital after a ten minute ride only to realize, too late, that there is nothing international about it. "What do you mean, you won't help her? You're doctors aren't you?"
Shaking his head, chief of medicine, Dr. Hiroshi states simply, "this facility is for Japanese only. You must have special permission to treat Koreans here." Seta's face falls at the doctor's words.
"Don't you know who I am?" He can hear the desperation in his own voice, "I'm a Japanese man, can't you at least look at her? Tell me she will be alright." The doctor nods his head a negative, and Seta looks over at Kaoru, clothes nearly saturated in blood, bangs clinging to the perspiration on her forehead. She is in rough shape, if she doesn't receive help soon... Her eyes a familiar blue, like he's seen them before. A blue deep enough to become lost in, those eyes...
Ten Years Ago, Near Seta's Home...
Seta's mother passed away when he was only three, but his family allowed the aunt to live with them in his mother's place. In Korean, the term for aunt from the mother's side is "emo". You also can use this word for older women in your life that are like family, but are not necessarily in your blood line. Needless to say, Seta thought of his emo like the mother he lost, he would do anything to keep her here with him.
When the woman suddenly fell ill, with a look of disdain from his father, Seta carried her all the way to the nearest hospital. That's when he saw her, blue eyes so bright, shining, warming his soul. With a gentle smile, the girl approached them, dressed in a junior nurse's outfit with long gray skirt, and gray hood adorning a red cross signifying the hospital.
"Omo, what happened to her?" Kaoru rushes over when she sees the woman slumped in the boy's arms. "Bring her quickly." Following the girl, after they reach a room, Seta places his emo on the hospital bed.
After the examination, an older, gentle looking man turns to the boy, expression grave. "She will need to have surgery."
"Dr. Gensai," a pause, "what will happen if she doesn't have the surgery?" Seta's voice is small. The doctor simply nods a negative, "it is difficult to say. She might survive without it, but her appendix has become inflamed. Her chances are much lower without the surgery." Dr. Gensai looks thoughtfully at the boy before him, "where is your father?"
"It's only me Dr. Gensai." Seta's head hangs low. "Father," a pause, "is busy at the moment."
"Well, she will have to be admitted. What is her name?"
"Yumi Komagata."
After about ten minutes of questioning, the old man leaves the boy with his ailing aunt. Her face is pale, yet her lips still hold a vibrant red. The blankets are pulled up covering her entire body except her head. Seeing his aunt resting peacefully, Seta sets out along the grounds to find the girl that helped him.
He finally spots her at the hospital church with small hands delicately embracing a brown hilt. Closing her eyes, she whispers a silent prayer. It is the same as it is every night, please let the young master be safe, please let him find me soon. Please watch over father, and bring him home safely.
Walking in silently, a young Seta approaches Kaoru, "thank you for helping my emo." His smile a sunny fixture upon his face. Putting her dagger away, Kaoru turns to the young man and nods. "Of course." She smiles as well.
"When is she going in for surgery?" Kaoru asks, but receives a negative nod from Soujiro. "Why aren't you taking her in for surgery? Won't she die?" Kaoru asks.
Head bowed, "my father would never pay for the surgery..." Seta whispers, ashamed, gaining a shocked look from Kaoru.
"What do you mean he would never pay for the surgery? Isn't she your Emo?" Suddenly becoming very serious, "isn't her life worth more than just money? If you care about her like you appear to... My father, and money would never stop me from doing everything I could to save someone I love." Pausing to see Seta's reaction, "don't you think love is something worth fighting for? Is something worth dying for?" Seta takes in Kaoru's words, love is definitely something worth fighting for...
Later that evening, when the night is at its darkest, a young man with short, messy, brown hair, sneaks into his father's bedroom. Tiptoeing with the utmost precision to make sure that neither his father or brother down the hall wake up, Seta makes his way to the mint condition, Japanese katana, hanging above his father's bed. He only hopes it is worth enough to afford Yumi's surgery.
Arriving the following afternoon with the necessary funds for the procedure, Seta rushes into the hospital to see Dr. Gensai. "Doctor... here," the boy bows his head while holding out the money for the physician.
"Seta, did your father change his mind about the surgery?" The old man strokes his long white beard in contemplation. In honesty, Dr. Gensai would have performed the surgery regardless if Soujiro could come up with the funds anyway, so when Seta nods his head no, Dr. Gensai has no choice but to return the money to the desperate boy.
"I can't accept this money." Seta looks up at the old man. "What do you mean?"
Handing the money back, the doctor talks to a nurse as she enters the room, "prep Miss Komagata for surgery." Seta looks at the won in his hands, and back at the doctor. "Why?"
"Some things are worth more than just money." With that, Dr. Gensai leaves the nurse and Seta alone with a tired Yumi. It isn't until after they take the woman away for the procedure that Seta's father bursts into the hospital room, fury raging from his being. "You think to steal from me boy?!"
Head hanging low, Seta hands his father the money that the Doctor wouldn't take. With black hair pulled back into a high ponytail, his father slaps the bills out of the boy's hands and onto the floor. "You're nothing but a weak boy." The man's brown eyes pierce Seta's reserve. He closes his lids, Soujiro knows what is to come next, and he isn't wrong when he feels the first blow of his father's clenched fists. The cascade seems to be endless for the boy, each strike bringing him closer to the ground, when he hears the voice of an angel.
"Stop! What's going on here?!" Kaoru's sweet voice rushes in next to Seta, concern written all over her expression. "Don't meddle girl," and the father's hand stings Kaoru's cheek, leaving her to fall onto the floor.
"Father!" Seta stands tall, blocking the young woman from the overbearing older man. "Don't touch her," his voice is rough, deeper even as his hands curl into fists by his sides. There's no mistaking the slight grin on the old man's face to see his son finally acting like a man. Without another word, the boy's father leaves the hospital with Seta nearly crumbling to the floor in pain from the previous onslaught of blows.
Ironically, Seta ends up staying in the room next to Yumi's with leg and arm bandaged. He doesn't mind the pain though, he doesn't mind having to stay for a few days, not if it means he can see this girl again, this girl with eyes so blue you could get lost in their endless sea. He could drown in those eyes, but it wouldn't matter as long as she was there.
His heart aches at the closeness of the girl beside him, "my name's Seta Soujiro," he smiles as Kaoru tends to his wounds. "Can you," a pause, "tell me yours?"
Kaoru thinks for a moment, it has been a while since someone has asked her. Nobody seems to care what your name is when there is Joseon blood rushing through your veins. "Amy," her voice is quiet, but her smile is bright enough to melt any heart, especially that of the young man before her.
"Thank you," he pauses, "Amy."
Back at the Shirobeko Hotel...
If looks could kill... Even the cockroaches scurry away as a furious Kenshin Himura barges into the Shirobeko. Intimidating in his pristine, white, police uniform, the small, muscular man grasps the host by the collar, pinning him against the floral wallpaper, "you think to allow fugitives to stay in your hotel?"
"Fu-fu-fugitives?" The man cowers below the policeman even though they are nearly the same height. "There are no fugitives here sir."
With flyer crushed in his palm, Kenshin slams his fist against the wall beside the man's head. He gets a sick thrill of having this power, to cause fear in the hearts of even the strongest men. "Since this is your first offense, we are willing to overlook this treasonous act." Violet eyes burn with specks of gold, "but as punishment, you must remain closed for two weeks." He pauses to see the man's shocked reaction to the news about his business.
"Two weeks! People come in and out of the hotel all the time, how was I supposed to know if this is a fugitive when the flyer was just posted the same day you came in here." Kenshin simply glares at the man, ignoring his complaints. "And, if this woman should happen to return to this hotel..." Kenshin's grin is sly, "inform me immediately. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir," the host grumbles, and Kenshin backs away, leaving the man to clear out the hotel for the next two weeks. This is the perfect opportunity to catch that Joseon woman, if this is where she has been staying, she will definitely return...
Seta's Residence...
Thankful for the extra won he was carrying in his wallet, Seta was able to bribe Dr. Hiroshi to have a look at Kaoru, and supply the much needed salve and bandages for her wounds. The young man couldn't help the knot forming in his throat, or the water building around his brown eyes when the Doctor explained the extent and cause of her injuries. So she was whipped...
Placing Kaoru's unconscious form on the futon in his spare bedroom as gently as possible, Seta gathers the much needed supplies to tend to the woman's injuries. With warm water basin and bandages ready, the young man can feel perspiration forming on his forehead at the thought of the woman lying on the floor. She looks so peaceful, but in reality he knows she must be suffering greatly.
Silky black hair forms a halo around Kaoru's head as Seta whispers, "miss?" A little louder, but not so much as to frighten her, "miss?" There is still no response. May as well... "Amy?" His voice is tentative, but he can see her lids begin to flutter, opening to reveal those bright blue eyes he has longed for for the past ten years.
"Amy, please forgive me," Kaoru looks at the man standing over her, contemplating how he might know her false name. "I must tend to your wounds..." a pause before his calloused fingers brush against her once pale blue button down, but now it is more like a deep purple because of the various blood stains scattered throughout. Kaoru nods slightly, closing her eyes to allow this man to care for her. She can't seem to stop the tears from cascading down her porcelain cheeks, the eyes of a demon burning in her memory.
Seeing her tears, Seta stops undressing Kaoru for a moment, "are you in a lot of pain? I have some medicine that will help," Kaoru nods a simple affirmative, and with Seta's help, sits up to drink down the herbal tonic that will mend her broken body. "Thank you..."
"Seta Soujiro," his smile is so big, Kaoru can't help the one forming on her own lips. Her throat is dry, but she is able to ask, "have we... met before?" Thinking back on her life, she tries to think of ever meeting a man named Seta Soujiro, and after a few minutes a light goes off, and Kaoru remembers the young boy bringing his sick aunt into the hospital she was residing at for a short time.
Soujiro is sitting beside the raven haired beauty when she places a knowing hand atop his, "thank you for helping me." A pause, "it seems like our roles have been reversed," Kaoru blushes and smiles, removing her cold hand from Seta's much to his chagrin.
"I should wash your soiled clothes." Handing Kaoru a soft, oversized, navy blue, sleeping yukata, "I have this robe for you to wear instead..." She finds herself unable not to trust this kind man next to her, his expression sincere when he tentatively asks, "who did this to you?"
Kaoru doesn't say anything at first, should I tell him it was the imperial police? "It doesn't matter now."
"Of course it matters." Seta can feel his skin flushing with anger thinking of who could torture a woman like this. "I want to protect you, Amy."
Kaoru can feel her cheeks heat slightly, but says, "thank you for your kindness, but I can't let you get involved. I will leave once my clothes are dry." Thinking it over, she decides to tell him, "it's Kaoru, Kaoru Kamiya. Amy was a name I used when I was young." She doesn't elaborate beyond that, giving no clues as to why she was using a fake name to begin with. Kamiya...?
"At least stay for dinner, your clothes should be dry by then." Kaoru agrees, and Seta walks out of the room to let the young woman change.
Meanwhile at Kenshin's Residence...
Needless to say, his day has been draining. All Kenshin wanted to do was slip into a hot bath, and go to bed, but of course that wouldn't happen tonight. Not with both his parents waiting up for him. Not with that look of disappointment on his father's face as the younger man walks through the entrance.
With an expression as hard as stone, Hiko's voice is icey, "are you proud of yourself?" He's intimidating even sitting in his wheelchair, and Kenshin can't help the sweat drop forming on his brow.
"Are you that desperate to catch battousai that you would sacrifice the life of that girl?" Hiko's words are like daggers, piercing Kenshin's heart, face paling as he remembers the look on Kaoru's distraught features as the whip came down. Taking in a deep breath, he closes his eyes to be engulfed in a sea of blue. "Don't you remember the teachings of Hiten Mitsurugi?" Hiko pauses, "I should never have wasted my time teaching you if you are going to use your skills to beat up women. What a waste." Kenshin's eyes snap open.
"Who are you to talk old man? Who's wasting their life?" Kenshin hears a rustling from inside the house, but the words keep flowing. "You're the reason I have to put on this uniform! Why didn't you just tell them the truth!" He can't help the lump forming in his throat, "how could you let them do this to you? Look at you! You can hardly even walk! Don't you know I'm doing all of this for you!"
Akane rushes outside to the two fighting men, "what's all this about?"
Ignoring his mother, Kenshin continues his rant. Even though he tries to hide it, he can't help the tears flowing down his cheeks, "I worked like a slave carting those people around to put Katsura through university, and look where that's gotten me. He was supposed to bring us out of this hell, and where is he now? Right, he's dead, and my father's a cripple. What do you expect me to do?! We can never win against them, don't you get it?"
"Shinta, please." Akane begs, "don't talk to your father that way."
"You told me to join them, or did that slip your mind too?" Kenshin points to his gelled black hair. "Forget it." Turning in the direction he came, Kenshin walks towards the gate.
"If you leave now..." Shinta... "Forget you were ever my son." Closing his brown eyes, Hiko senses his son stopping.
"Don't be rediculous." Kenshin laughs, and smiles when he sees the relief in his ailing father. "We can talk more later."
This was nearly a daily fight between the two. Kenshin never takes Hiko seriously when he says things like that. Family is the only thing that matters in this crazy world he lives in. No amount of fighting could ever keep Kenshin from his family.
Hiko simply opens his eyes to see his son heading into the lion's den, disguised in an expensive suit.
Glancing at his watch, Kenshin grins, "it's still early." He pulls into a familiar driveway, "he's home," Kenshin sees the lights on upstairs.
"Kaoru?" Seta returns to the spare room to see Kaoru sleeping on the futon, dressed in his old sleeping yukata. Grabbing the salve provided by the doctor, he blushes as he gently applies the cream to the open areas along her abdomen and chest. His heart aches as soft tears fall from her eyes, "I'm sorry," she cries, "I can't help it."
"I think that will do it," Seta puts on the brightest smile he can, and covers her torso once again with bandages, and his sleeping yukata. "Kaoru?" Blue eyes meet brown, "Please stay until your wounds heal at least. You are not steady enough to walk just yet."
Nodding, Kaoru is dozing, the pain medicine taking effect, "I will stay until I feel I can walk on my own." He covers her gently with the comforter, turns the light off, and walks from the room just as he hears a light knocking on his front door.
"Sou-kun," Kenshin calls, glancing through the window nearby and grins when he sees movement inside. Hearing the clicking of the locks, Seta opens the door to his long time friend. "Hai Kenshin," Seta's smile is genuine.
"Let's have a match." Kenshin tosses the younger man's katana, and Seta catches it easily. Glancing behind him to Kaoru's room, he decides to humor his friend, she is asleep anyway.
"I really thought you wanted to have a death match when you tossed that blade at me," Seta jokes, placing the katana to the side.
Both men face eachother, bokkens in hands. "This means we don't have to hold back," Kenshin laughs, and charges the other man with nearly blinding speed. Seta always seems to have difficulty winning against Kenshin. No matter how hard he tries, he always loses, that's why he's been trying to master a new move.
"Three steps below shukuchi." Seta states, gaining a raised eyebrow from his friend.
Kenshin counters his strike easily with battoujutsu, knocking the younger man down. The officer plops down on the ground next to Seta, both looking up at the sky. "Thanks for that," Kenshin looks over, panting and smiling at the same time. "I needed to vent a little."
"Of course," Seta laughs and sees a shadow move around on the second floor, and a light goes off as he bolts upright out of reflex.
"What's wrong?" Kenshin asks, looking in the direction that spooked his friend. "Someone's inside," he rushes up, running into the house without looking back or waiting for a response for Seta.
"Wait!"
Nearly every inch of Kaoru's body aches as she opens her eyes to the surrounding blackness. Frightened for a moment that she really did die, she forces herself to sit up, hand reflexively reaching for her wounds. Wincing, she moves the curtains beside her to glance outside.
Her stomach nearly sinks to the floor when she sees her favorite police officer standing over her companion. "Seta," her throat is raw, heart racing as she can see the violet of the man's eyes below, staring into curulean. It seems a mere blink and the leuitenent is gone with Seta rushing behind.
Mustering all her strength, Kaoru manages to slide her way into the closet. With back facing the door, she tries to minimize her breathing. She can only hope the demon can't hear the beating of her heart. Her hands seem to move on their own, loosening her hair to fall in black, silk, waves along her back. I hope this works, Kaoru unbuttons the top few clasps of her sleeping attire, letting the material fall seductively over her shoulders. "Wait, Kenshin!" Kaoru freezes at Seta's voice. Do they know eachother?
The footsteps are light as she can hear them coming towards her hiding spot. Gulping, she can feel the goosebumps forming along her exposed flesh. Please just go.
"You may as well come out," Kenshin's voice is deep, tickling her ears with the proximity, almost like they are lovers playing a game of cat and mouse.
The closet door begins to rattle, "Kenshin, just stop!" Seta screams at last, right as his friend is about to open the door.
"I saw someone up here." Kenshin sees the blush form on Seta's cheeks, and can't stop the knowing smile from appearing on his lips. "What is it, do you have a girl hiding in here?" Kaoru can feel the sweat on her brow, ear twitching at the sound of the handle once again.
Her heart nearly stops as the cold breeze from the doors sliding open brushes against her skin. The last thing Kenshin expected was to see the exposed back of a woman staring at him. Caught a little off guard, he turns to his friend grinning like a school boy, "you should have told me you had a girl over." He pats the mans shoulder, "Tsk, I can't believe you came and sparred when you have someone like her waiting up here for you."
Kaoru's body stills, shoulders scrunching as she feels a warm, calloused hand touch her skin. "I apologize miss, if I scared you." She is almost taken away by the gentleness in his voice, but not before silent tears begin to fall, remembering the length of this man's brutality.
Kaoru doesn't look back, but relaxes when Kenshin's hand leaves an imprint on her flesh. "I'll come by later then," Kenshin leaves the room, waving casually to Seta as he goes. It is almost instant when the man rushes over beside Kaoru, "Kaoru, are you alright? I'm sorry if he scared you. He acts tough, but he's harmless really." No response. "Kaoru?" He prods, placing a blanket around her shoulders, and glancing at the tears running down her cheeks.
"Come, I made that dinner I promised." Still no movement. "Kaoru?"
It seems as if a lifetime goes by before Kaoru finally turns to face him, eyes glistening. "Are you," a pause, "friends with that man?" She doesn't need to hear the answer to know it's an affirmative.
"I," Kaoru's heart aches, "have to go." She winces as she tries to stand up, nearly balling at the pain it caused.
"Please," Seta looks to the woman before him, "don't try to move too much. please just stay for dinner, at least." Kaoru has no choice really but to agree.
Kaoru nearly forgets the earlier incident when she sees all the delicious looking food prepared. Rice, soup, meat, all carried in on a tray by this sweet man. Nodding slightly, "thank you," Kaoru states as he places the wooden tray on her lap.
After a few minutes of eating, Soujiro asks "Why did you leave so suddenly? Dr. Gensai mentioned that you might be going to America."
"Dr. Gensai wanted me to go, but," she gasps as her hand reaches for her necklace, realizing that she doesn't have it. She looks to see if Seta saw her expression.
"Does it have to do with that dagger you always have with you?" He can tell that she's surprised that he would remember a thing like that, "when I came to thank you for helping my emo, you were in the church holding that dagger and praying. It must mean a lot to you."
Kaoru nods, "it does," mumbling, "I left it at the inn." She mentally kicks herself. There's no way I can go tonight...
"Thank you so much for tonight." She smiles.
"You don't have to go," he blushes. "I mean, I have an extra room..."
"I really have to get back. I will heal the fastest when I'm home I think." Seta nods, smiling. "Okay, let me drive you."
I've been sitting outside this damn hotel for a week and still no sign of that wench... Something that Kenshin never dreamed crossed his mind for the first time since he last saw Kaoru, did I really kill her? His heart sinks at the thought, he never really meant to kill her, in reality, a day hasn't gone by where he hasn't wished he could take back what he did. Hiko was right, he was not proud at all.
Glancing at his watch, 9 o'clock, I'll just be a minute. He thinks as he walks towards his car, passing a slim, effeminate, man in a dark suit, and top hat. Kaoru's nostrils twitch at the hairs of the fake mustache under her nose, instantly paling when she sees the black haired lieutenant coming her way. Please don't recognize me, her head tilts to the opposite side of the man, eyes closing instinctively.
Way to play it cool Kaoru, when have I become such a coward? I am Kamiya Kaoru of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, act like it! As if on cue, her back straightens and she walks a little faster to the hotel.
Something just didn't sit right with Kenshin as he passed that man, there was something familiar about him. The vision of the man with a mustache just didn't look right, there was something very very wrong about that. Brows furrowing, he lets out a low grunt when he reaches his black car. The girl. At the thought, he races towards the Shirobeko once again.
"Lieutenant Himura, I thought you left for the night?" Sae, the owner's frightened voice chimes in as the officer runs by.
"Where did she go?" He growls.
"I don't know." Sae states, "nobody's been to the inn since you closed us down a week ago. So who is it you are talking about?"
Without paying attention to the innkeeper, Kenshin runs upstairs, slowing to a hault at the top. Listening for any kind of noise, Kenshin presses his ear against the nearest door. Shit, nothing...
Kaoru's heart pounds against her rib cage as she closes the door to the bath just as the officer reaches the peak of the stairs. Looking around, she props a chair against the door.
One more once over, and her eyes light up when she remembers where she placed her precious weapon. Tossing the leather necklace on, she rushes to the window.
Unlocking it, she tugs with all her strength, straining, damnit! She screams to herself as the window clangs, the old machinery not working with her at all. She knows he has found her when she hears banging on the door. "Open the door!" Kenshin screams, "Open!" The window opens all the way just as the desperate man barges in. His godlike speed gets him to the window in an instant, grabbing Kaoru by the back of her suit jacket.
Automatically, Kaoru ducks down, spinning, hands coming together to release the blade from the sheath. Swipe one to the front, Kenshin dodges easily, swipe two to the top of the head, Kenshin blocks with his wrist. He twists his hand while holding Kaoru's slim wrist, prying the knife from her delicate fingers.
Holding one arm against the wall, he presses his forearm against Kaoru's chest. With knife in hand, his finger flicks the light on. At the close proximity, Kenshin can clearly see the details of Kaoru's features, and there is nothing manly about them.
Grabbing her top hat, Kenshin pulls it off, raven locks cascading over her shoulder. As for that atrocity on her face, Kenshin peels the fake mustache, revealing the woman he's been searching for. Sighing in relief, "Who is he?"
"I don't know." Kaoru states simply.
"What, are you scared?" Kenshin leans closer, and Kaoru turns her face to the side. Whispering almost, "scared that battousai might die?"
Locking eyes with Kenshin, he is nearly taken aback by the aura surrounding this woman. Glancing to the arm pinned against her chest, "that knife," a pause, "I just came back for my dagger."
Grabbing the knife by the blade, "are you jok-?" Looking at the hilt, Kenshin's breath hitches. Why do you have this? I gave this... Lifting Kaoru's hair quickly away from her ear, his world around him crumbles as he sees the small crescent shaped birthmark he wished wasn't there. Kao-dono...
Taking the opportunity, Kaoru pushes Kenshin to the ground, blade clattering to the floor. Kenshin doesn't seem to notice Kaoru as she leaves with the dagger through the open window.
In a daze, Kenshin sits on the floor of the bath, Kao-dono, closing his eyes, he sighs with relief, all of his hostility disappearing to be replaced with an ache in his heart that can never be relieved. "Kao-dono."