Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Seisou Hen ❯ Stealthy redeemer ( Chapter 12 )

Act 12: Stealthy redeemer

When they returned, she directly went to sit on "their" bed as she decides to rest her tired swollen ankle for a moment. "I'll go get the medications. Wait here." Kaoru nods as Enishi undeviatingly went to the washroom. In a few seconds, Enishi was back holding things in his hand. He sat on the floor with Kaoru dwelling in pain above the bed.

He took her foot and promptly examined her swelled bruise. "See what your clumsiness caused you? You should be always careful Kaoru." He said as he started to apply an ointment on her ankle.

Kaoru pop out from exasperation, "I'm not clumsy! It's that rock's fault why I fell-" she arched in ache as Enishi starts to move her foot. Her teeth tightly nipped her lower lip as she controls herself from screaming. "That hurts!" she quickly took the thick book that Enishi usually reads on the bed heading to strike his head. Fortunately, he saw the upcoming pain and quickly blocks her hand from hitting his head.

"I'm being all considerate here. You should be thanking me because of this."

Kaoru's ire fall back as she crosses her arms giving him that `Humph!' sound. `He's too over confident as always! No wonder why those people were so afraid whenever they encounters him.'

Enishi just kept silent until he finished to tie the last bandage around her ankle, "There." Kaoru turned her head and notice him getting all done with the treatment. She looked away, in no way she let her eyes encounter his. "A- arigatou..."

"Say, haven't Kam taught you about those simple Chugokugo?"

She blushed in embarrassment just as when he reminded her that. She's not good at it and it took few seconds before she could remember how to say thank you in Chinese. "Shi... Shi shi ni...?"

He sighed and chuckled; "It would take forever before you could fully learn each languages here in China. You're too slow..."

Her eyes went all constricted. She was once again, blazing in irritation, "Gee, hope you just could say `Ganbatte ne!' at the end of your sentence." She blurt out, `Mou taku! He's really coarse!'

Enishi chuckled as he watches Kaoru pout on the bed. He won again. Kaoru was no match when it comes to arguing. She could never oppose his vulgar ways. When he turn his eyes again to focus in her grimace, he witnessed her sigh to herself. He wondered what was wrong and instantly sat beside her. "Dôshita?"

She shook her head, "Iie... just reminiscing some memories..."

"What memories?" he fear that it has something to do with battousai. He hates to see her thinking any thoughts about that man.

"Those days when I was in my dojo... training with my only student Yahiko... where I mostly played with Ayame and Suzumi... a place where I usually strike Sanosuke's head... where I commonly initiate an argument with the kitsune lady. The place I regularly do my household chores with the help of..."

He noticed her pause seeing a lone tear came to jerk off down to her cheeks. "Kenshin..." she whispered though it was enough for Enishi to hear. `My guess is right... she's thinking about that man... he's thinking about that filthy assassin...' this thought painfully struck his mind. How much he hated to hear his name, how much he disgust having a conversation about that man. And how much he was jealous just to realize that Kaoru still has his presence in the back of her mind.

Although, this envy were all washed away whenever he was with her and spending time together. Not all the time he had this free moment being with her and he shouldn't waste. It's a perfect instant to get to know her better. As a woman and as a `fraud' wife.

He reached her cheeks and wiped the tears that kept on falling from her eyes. Kaoru was confounded by surprise as her eyes bugged out in shock. She looked up to Enishi, which was strangely all care-worn about her.

"Stop crying. I don't want to see you cry..."

She took a deep breath and nodded. She smiled up to him, reassuring that she was fine. "Thank you..." she said furtively. Enishi motioned for her to come into his arms and Kaoru did so. She lay against his body as Enishi encircle his arms around her. He leans over the wall for support. How many times had they been like this? How many moments did Kaoru need a shoulder to cry on to? How many times did she lay so close like this?

"Kaoru..." he called as his hand started to stroke her back.

"Hai?" she shuts her eyes having that serenity dominate her.

"You knew almost so much about me, right? Would you mind if I ask about your past?"

"There's nothing much about it..."

"It's really unfair knowing that you know about my past while your fraud husband has no knowledge about his fraud wife's life."

Kaoru chuckled in his naive words and nodded, "Alright... I will." She playfully motion off away from his body, sitting quite like a child on the bed as she points a fine finger on her chin while looking up to the ceiling. Putting on airs to recollect some of her memories, "Now... where should I start...?" she snapped her fingers and showed a marvelous beam. "The day where everything started..."

=Annals=

Month: Shigatsu (April)

Date: Nijuninichi (22nd day)

Year: 1878

Day: Getsuyobi (Monday)

A day in Meiji Era where I'm mostly seen to be a master of Kamiya Kashin ryu in my Kamiya dojo. I had students merely to learn my technique to protect people. But there was a certain moment that came into my life where almost my entire apprentice quitted my school. It was because of a certain rumor spreading all-over the town. A gossip declaring that my sword skills are made to kill or hurt other people. And these hearsay's were smeared by a certain man named... battousai.

I quickly took action and went to find that certain man who ruins the reputation of my father's technique. I roamed around the city and was able to find a certain man, almost inches taller than me with a red hair. He seems to be suspicious and all because of the sword he was carrying. I attacked him and learned that the man was just a wanderer roving around cities. He was so nice and even helped in fixing my problem with the real man who scattered the bad gossip. And in that very day...is when I first met Himura Kenshin... the so-called battousai in the Tokugawa era.

~**~

Kenshin narrowed his eyes with clenched fist. "So... I've been in this cavern for a month and up until now, I still had no idea that we're all living in the same roof..." he mumbled to himself. `Hontoni, sessha wa baka...'

By then, Kenshin stride a foot to barge in into Enishi and Kaoru's cubicle. His anger was out of scale as an effect of sticking an unequivocal thought of Kaoru was being forced by his bastard brother in-law. He was halfway to his destination when some part of him made him halt from motion.

`Wait... what am I doing?' having that questioning stare in front of the room's door. `I'll perturb to their room then demand to get Kaoru, fight Enishi, with this situation of being inside of his associates sanctuary... that's stupidity.' He thought as he realize what danger he would actually encounter if he ever show his obtuseness. `And Zhao... I just can't leave her like that... Leaving her for a reason that I had found my `supposed to be dead' Kaoru...'

While keeping himself still in his place, two wards were about to course the hall. He immediately hid himself behind the colonnades, keeping himself away from trouble. `I should approach and save Kaoru when everything's clear... when Enishi's gone... I'll really need to plan this thing...' when the wards disappeared, Kenshin instantly run his way to the other side. "I'll be back for you Kaoru... I promise..."

~**~

Meanwhile, inside the room...

=Annals=

Month: Rokugatsu (June)

Date: Yoka (8th day)

Year: 1878

Day: Nichiyobi (Sunday)

Kenshin was sent to kill a lawbreaker named Shishio who was about to establish a new era in Kyoto.

"W-wait... Shishio? Is it MAKOTO Shishio that you have been talking about?" Enishi asked with his eyes bugged out off from their lids.

Kaoru nodded slowly having a bit confusion in his sudden reaction. "Why? Do you know him?" asking with a raised brow in her temples.

Enishi tighten his fist having those uneasy backlashes. He looked away to avoid Kaoru's skeptical eyes. `Makoto Shishio... one of my clients as I remember...' he noticed she was waiting for him for a response and instead, he motioned for her to go on.

As what I have heard, his first attempt was to set Kyoto in fire by using a huge ship loaded with numerous firearms inside.

`That ship...' memories of those days when Shishio started a deal with him, `Are wa takai...' a huge ship having an armored freighter inside. `Nanasen-en... in gold...'

Fortunately, Kenshin successfully terminated the upcoming danger having those ships in shreds. Though, he hadn't stop until Kenshin had this ultimate battle with him while his associates attacked us in Kyoto.

`US? She's included in that attack?' his eyes once again went to its augment stage. `I've been a part of Shishio's scheme in spreading darkness in Japan... in killing Himura Kenshin... in killing his friends... and even Kaoru...?!' he couldn't take the fact of reality and wished to disbelieve it. But, this information's all came out from Kaoru herself. There are no possibilities that she's lying.

As what we expected, Kenshin defeated Shishio and killed him together with his other followers. Their bodies burned into hell. I was so relieved when I saw my friends returned home... I'm so happy to see them safe and unharmed...

`She's relieved because that slasher returned safely... I don't feel any good about this...' he tightens his fist again in jealousy that started to run down to his nerves.

Kaoru seems to feel strange too. Something was unusual and she could tell it by the way her heart tells her. `What is this...? Whenever I remember this memory in my life... I feel some vivacity deep inside me at any moment I'm talking about Kenshin... why so void Kaoru... what's gotten into you...?'

=Annals=

Month: Shichigatsu (July)- Gogatsu (May)

Date: Futsuka (2nd day)- Jushichinichi (17th day)

Year: 1878-1879

There were many adventures that we have encountered in those upcoming days. So many people we had met in those paths we take in each and every battle of Kenshin. From a former assassin to those German regiments who desired to steal a sacred medicine in the depths of Japan. Most of them were from the old Hitokiri's past life in Tokugawa era. We had been in his side through thick and thin... we never left him...

He protected the innocent and punishes the evil... that's why... that's why...

"I've had enough of this!" Enishi at once stood out from the bed in annoyance of hearing each pleasant remark on the person he truly hates. Kaoru was more like surprised in how he reacted yet remembered how he much hated the person she was talking about.

"Kenshin was good enough to repay his sins to those people he had tormented before. He's paying for his misdeeds Enishi. Wasn't that enough?"

"No!" he was raising his tone upon her, which was more likely withdrawn since they left his fortress. He was so mad and noticed it to grow even more. He instantly controlled himself from bursting and shouting at Kaoru again. He took one last breath and looked away. "I don't care in any of those... none of it would change my beliefs!"

"He loves your sister as much as you do Enishi! He mourned over her death."

"You're saying that because you love that man, don't you?! You love him that's why you're convincing me not to kill him!"

Kaoru was held back in his words, `Love...? Is he jealous?'

"I curse the day when my sister met that man! He's a burden that cannot be erased if I wouldn't lay my hands in his body and kill him!"

"Can't you ever forgive Kenshin? Can't you even forgive him by my plea...?" she shyly asked in the act of not looking in his eyes. Enishi stared at her. He knew she's starting something with her words though her imploring request wasn't too appealing. He saw her eyes shine to release it's painful tears to run down in her cheeks again. "I don't even know if this would ever end... I had no idea what future would behold me... I'm not sure if Kenshin would ever find and retrieve me..."

"I don't care," he said under his breath. `I don't want you to go... I don't care whether that bastard would come or not... as long as you're here with me...'

Kaoru looked up to him with a dubious glare; "Did you say something?"

"Nothing!" he took his coat and stride off heading to the door. "I don't want to have this argument with you."

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere where I wouldn't have to listen to that idiot's life."

"You're the one who asked about my past!"

"You could have told something more like noted memories aside from your experiences with that man!"

"Uh? My wretched life started to have it's colors when he came into my life!"

"Then you're saying that this man is important to you, more than just an acquainted friend!"

"What's wrong with you? Are you jealous?"

Enishi froze, at which moment; he tried not to flush in unease. "Why would I be?!"

"Because you're acting so strange! You could have been angry because I was telling how virtuous Kenshin was though in stead, you reacted so different. You're not like that..."

"I don't want to hear anymore of you..."

"Fine, then go! I don't care!" Kaoru pouted on the bed with crossed arms. Enishi saw her ruminates over to the other side, he crooned and directly went out of the room as he shuts the door as hard as he could. He was annoyed, angry, and jealous. He hate to admit it but he was driven out in enviousness reason why he was so incensed.

~**~

Few hours had passed, Enishi never thought the time was getting too slow. He believed he was staying in this ho-hum auction for months. Only for a short moment since he left the cavern in pique. After that argumentation with Kaoru, he felt some guiltiness starting to bury his mind. He had been cursing himself for initiating a fight with her. They had never been like this since they left the island. And he blames his f*ck*ng mouth for opposing her words. He shouldn't have done that in the first place. He asked her and she had the right to answer it even if it has to involve something about Kenshin. But what can he do? He's completely jealous on that guy and no matter what the consequence maybe, Kaoru loves Kenshin than him. The pain-sticking fact scoped in his heart and mind.

Taking a shot of liquor, he took the strong beverage in just one strike. "This is so pathetic... I hate myself... I shouldn't have done that to her..." he took his large palm and buried his face to its depths. `That woman drives me so crazy...'

Soon enough, Kam saw him from the corner of his eye and instantly excused himself from the affluent gentlemen around him. He walks towards Enishi's direction and took a seat next to his. "Hey."

Enishi took off his hand and looked at the person beside him. As what was expected, a bright smile ended up welcoming him. "Hey."

"You okay?"

"Why'd you ask?"

"I know what happened." He answered moreover, he received Enishi's `what are you talking about?' look. "Those wards heard you two. I bet it's a terrible fight."

"Damn bastards..."

"What happened? Is there something I can do?"

"No one can help me in my current position Kam."

Kam sighed with a smirk formed in his lips, "A tiger never ask any support from his common foe, the wolf am I right?"

"I'm not getting anything of this. You sounded more like Lei."

Kam chuckled in his words, "Lei's a buffoon. He never meant anything of what he have said. I'm more like the serious type y'know."

"You done with the business thing?"

Kam nod and snickered, "Those British people are way too easy to hook up in such a silly price. They bought an ordinary revolver in 10,000 gold's which is you could easily buy in stores 75% less." He said while snapping a finger for the barkeeper to hand him a drink.

"That's what this auction is famous for. We're too good in deceiving people."

"I know."

After that, silence came to engulf the conversation as the bartender passed Kam's moonshine. "I heard your men in Japan were all assaulted."

Enishi turned his eyes to him, "All of them?"

"Well, Heishin is in custody in Tokyo. Four of them are dead."

"Sô..."

"What now Enishi? Aren't you afraid or something?"

"Why?"

"Heishin is held in by the law. Do you expect that he could keep everything when the officers starts to ask him?"

"So what? Japanese officers have no power to take us down. The organization is located here in China."

"The Mafia wouldn't have to worry about that. It's you that I have been talking about. What would you do Enishi? Now that you're one of those lawbreakers in Japan."

"They would know the truth even without squeezing any information from Heishin. That's my plan anyway."

"A plan? You're planning to let the authorities find this auction house?"

"As if those bastards has the power to bring us down. We have a large influence in Law enforcement's. We don't have to worry `bout a thing."

He just stared at him with unbelievable gesture. Through the news he had said, Enishi still kept that coolness in him. He sighed and smiled as he lays the glass on the table. "Never would I understand you..." he stood out from his stool and went to walk off. "Another thing."

Enishi turned his head to glance on him, "Don't be late. The meeting will start this evening."

"This evening? How long this meeting would last anyway?"

"By the end of the day."

"What? Don't you think that's too-"

"We've got bigger problems now Enishi. We just can't ignore those."

"End of the day..."

"I hope to see you there." By then, kam left having a nice wave for his goodbye. On the other hand, Enishi just scorned in disappointment and went to concentrate in his own bathtub gin. `I'll be staying here much longer as what I can see...'

~**~

Kaoru heads her way out of the room through the corridors. It's been a while since Enishi left and she couldn't help but to worry.

"What's wrong with you? Are you jealous?"

"Why would I be?!"

"Because you're acting so strange! You could have been angry because I was telling how virtuous Kenshin was though instead, you reacted so different. You're not like that..."

"I don't want to hear anymore of you..."

"Fine, then go! I don't care!"

She sighed in vexation, "I didn't know he would take it seriously... I didn't meant to sway him away..." she chunters softly to herself until she end up feeling so upbeat once again, "Hmp! He deserves it anyway! His brusqueness took him to the edge this time..." she went all soften when she realized something she never wanted to actualize. "He's gone for such a short time though... I don't feel any good about this..." she halted from her pace having a hand placed in her chest. Feeling her heart beat in each second while shutting her eyes in despair. "I miss him..."

Through her stupor, she didn't realize that someone or something had been watching her from afar. She flicks her lids open when she heard some footsteps around her. In her surprise, she saw men, five or so surrounding her. They had these sharp blades in their hands having an evil stare upon her.

She gasps in the shock she felt and quickly took a single step back. "Da- Dare no kimi?!" she yelled out, more like a shriek in dread. She wasn't ready for this assault. She had no weapon and definitely has no match against five thugs.

"You're that boastful Yukishiro's wife, am I right?" the one on the center asked out loud and fortunately, she understood him by reason of he was speaking Japanese.

"W-what... what do you want from me?" she asked as she feels her knees tremors, almost failing her to stood up from her composure.

"Your life in exchange of the vainglory of your husband, woman!" the man next to the person on the center said.

"Why do I have to pay for that? I have nothing to do with Enishi's egotism's!"

"Enough! It's only you why were here woman and we'll complete our task as soon as we can!" he raised his hand as a signal for the attack and by then, the five of them ran to attack her. Kaoru took her hands to cover her eyes in such a way that she had no chance of escaping. Five blades were about to end her life and there's no other way to accept that. `MOU TAKU! I can't let myself die in a slaughter! I still have plans for my future!!!' she thought as she awaits the pain and blood drip off from her skin.

Yet, she had been covering herself from seeing herself being killed though she still hadn't felt the blade to cut her skin out. She just heard slashes of metal together with the clamors and cries of men through out. When she was fully convinced that the assault was too slow to be initiated, she slowly took her hands off from her eyes and tried to view the scenario in front of her.

All five men were down on the ground most likely half dead in their plight. If they were dead, they should have been taking a bath with their own blood. Although, she couldn't see any sign of blood around. There, a figure came to form deep in the shadows. She looked closer to the frame she was beholding. "Who are you...?" a question that she had finally choked out.

"It's been a long time..."

Her eyes splay out just perceiving that she recognized the voice she just heard. `Ma- masaka...!'

~**~