Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Seisou Hen ❯ Meeting an old friend ( Chapter 16 )

Act 16: Meeting an old friend; The bitterness of jealousy

It was a hot sunny morning and it seems everything was so peaceful at the meantime. Rather to say that being inside a cavern would be really quite a change. Kenshin sat in his bed, having this deep thoughts inside his head. Many hours had passed since he and Kaoru talked in the wealds. He was drifting out in trance, he didn't noticed Zhao who just stood forth him, watching him directly.

"So, you finally returned." She voiced out making Kenshin to look up to her with fiery gaze. He didn't give any damn to answer her and instead, went to flux into his introspection. Being quite annoyed of being ignored, she even advanced her voice to force him to heed on her.

"What's the matter with you? Did I do something for you to act like this?!"

He looked up to her, both temples joined together. He still didn't spoken neither a word, driving her patience to the ground.

"Speak to me Shinta! Say something! I can't stand seeing you-"

"What do you want me to say?" Kenshin grimly asked.

Once again, she saw his usual violet eyes turn to its yellowish ones. No idea of what was happening, she felt herself tremble in fear for the moment.

"I- I know you're angry and how much you wanted to blame me above all of this… but Shinta, I did this all because of you. I don't want you to be in trouble Shinta… please underst-"

"In what? In keeping the fact that Kaoru is still alive and she's here?? You know how much that thing affected me!"

"You have no idea how Enishi wanted to kill you! I kept you here for that I fear he might kill you." Zhao spat out.

"Naze da? You're one of his allies' right? Why would you help me anyway? And why did you took me here in the first place huh? Tell me!" never he had felt so angry like this. He was driven off from his patience and he couldn't help but to yell at her. He might hate himself after this.

Zhao sank in her knees as she started to weep. "It's because… it's because…"

"Tell me the truth Zhao…" Kenshin perilously said.

She tried to held back her tears and went to sat on the bed, still pining out in anguish. "As what you know. I'm one of the foremen here in this organization. I was so-called to be the Lynx, a wild cat with a fierce presence. I'm well known to be the greatest swordwoman here in China because of my fast speed and great attacks. I was kept here when I was ten, when my parents died in the late warfare. For ten years, I have been slaughtering people with my very own hands. I wanted to be strong. I wanted to be powerful and brave for I wanted to kill the person who murdered my parents."

"Killed your parents?" he asked.

Zhao nodded with a painful look in her face, "I was born in a small town named Feh Youh in Hong Kong. I was only eight by then when a bloodshed was initiated by those Japanese mutiny who wanted to surmount our country against to their dominator. I remember my father who was also a distinguished master of Sung thai style trying to protect his land though was slayed brutally by a very skilled swordsman…

<Start of Flash back>

"Lao pe!" I yelled out when I saw my father falling onto the ground, with blood dripping continuously out from his pale, numb body. The man who killed him entered our home with his golden eyes shining through the darkness.

`Golden eyes?'

My mother tried to cover my eyes for me to avoid seeing the slaughter. In spite of the fact that I was so eager to see what was happening around me so I put forth effort to sway my mother's hands.

That manslayer never been satisfied of my father's death and so he tried to kill my uncle, brothers and sisters in one stride of his sword. I heard their cries of pain and the next thing I knew, I was being dragged off from my feet. My mother, recognized as a Japanese kunoichi, helped me escape the upcoming danger. She threw me out from the window of our humble abode and when I peek inside to check on my mother, I also saw her on the floor, dead.

I was shivering… shivering that I couldn't take the feeling… I was frozen back then, I wasn't moving neither running away for my breakout. Fortunately, the slayer hadn't noticed my presence and left our place. I heard the other men calling him battousai and that very word struck in my mind.

`A warfare in Hong Kong… yes… I do remember that… when Meiji wanted to conquer the outskirts of China… the Imperial did send me to vanquish that town… I'm the one who killed her parents…?'

I ran into the woods until the next day, I found the other side of our town. The next moments of my life were so wretched. I became a slave by one of the most powerful family in the village. I stayed there for three years and I hate those painstaking days that I have been there.

My master almost bartered me as a slob though I was too young and no one tried to touch me. My master was so pissed off that he tried to rape me in that unforgettable night. I fought back and unwittingly stab his body with the broken bottle of liquor next to me. I was so frightened that I had loose myself and ran away. By then, I turned out to be a lawbreaker in Hong Kong. I hide myself and traveled through each forest I take until I finally broke out of my feet and fainted out in no where.

Few minutes has passed as I finally stirred out from my reverie. I found myself lying against a tree with a nice blanket covering me from the cold breeze. At first I was completely bewildered, thinking of what had happened to me. I fluttered my eyes and it surprised me to see two person glaring at me from the other side. A man with a youthful boy by his side.

"Are you awake child?" the man asked at me.

Instincts might be when I tried to hurdle away. I was alarmed and terrified in these two strangers who suddenly appeared. The man chuckled and approached me.

"Don't worry. We'll not hurt you." The man said as he hands me a stick with a scorched fish that was so tempting to eat. My stomach grumbled proving how hungry I was, and so I took the food and ate it.

The man seems to be nice though the boy beside him looks disdained. He was just staring at me like a fool. "By the way, I'm Lin Piao and this boy beside me is Yukishiro Enishi. We're travelers from the China." I looked at the boy though he just snubbed as if he never cared to look at me.

"And may I know your name if you don't mind child."

"Z-Zhao…"

Lin smiled at me, a very bright smile that I hadn't seen for years. He reminded me so much about my father and by that I know how good and nice this man is. After that, he asked me to join him in his journey and I did agree with that. We traveled through the seas until we reached Shanghai.

I learned who truly Lin Piao was and he's organizing a Mafia underworld in his hands. I was trained and became a warrior. Soon, I was partnered with Yukishiro Enishi and was called to be the invulnerable dyad. We had conquered the blitz by our powerful pairing and been feared by everybody.

Soon, I fell in love with Enishi though he never returned my feelings towards me. When he learned about this, he asked Lin to separate me away from him. I tried many reasons though he never heeded in any of it. He said he had this task that he had been planning for all his life in his country, Japan and I wasn't included in any of his schemes. Lin sent me to Persia as Enishi leaves the organization for his revenge.

I was so persistent and followed my heart so I quickly completed my task in Persia and headed back here in Shanghai. I learned that Enishi went to Japan to hunt his archenemy and that person is you Himura, Kenshin. I traveled and reached the country to find you. I did located you though I failed to see my beloved.

<End of Flash back>

"I wanted to use you as a revenge against him although-" she broke out from her talking and went to look straightly in Kenshin's eyes. "I had fallen for you Shinta…"

"You had been calling me Shinta… how did you know my real name?" he asked.

"You mentioned it back in Rakuninmura."

`Guess I was really out of my mind back then.' He thought.

"Please forgive me Shinta. I beg you… I just… I just really don't want you to leave me… I love you!" she cried out and started to burst into tears again. Kenshin couldn't stand seeing women cry and so he motioned out from his position and went to embrace her in his arms, caressing her in ease. Add to that, the fact that he's the one who killed her family.

`Another person that I had caused agony. She lost her family in a very young age. I killed them… and she's all-alone because of me… just what I did with Tomoe…' he shut his eyes painfully as he strained her between his arms. `Enishi is right… I was born to cause misery into people's lives… I do deserve to die…'

He took a sight at Zhao who was still sobbing continuously. `How can I ever release myself to you Zhao? How can I bear to leave you?'

~**~

Interloping inside the room, he found Kaoru and Kam on the study table, reading different reference works about Ancient China. He could hear them saying "Pu Chien Tung Shah Chiu" with Kaoru mistaking the words as "Po Chen Tun Shah Chu" which completely drives Kam's usual blithe face into a vexed one.

When Kam took a sight of Enishi walking in, he excused himself and left the couple inside. She did noticed him too though she feigned she never did. She just sat on her stool, ruminating in the thick treatise in her hands.

"Having a hard time there?" he asked. An answer was most likely expected though Kaoru preferred not speaking to him after what he just did this morning.

He elevated a perplexed stare on her, wondering in her abrupt shun. He approached her and when he had gotten closer enough, he reached out her hand for her attention. "What's wrong with you?"

Still, Kaoru never spoken a word and in stead, she flinch her hand away from his tenaciously.

"Kaoru?" Enishi called in annoyance. She spring out from her position and walked to sit at the couch near the door. Enishi just watched her in bewilderment. He had no idea why she was acting so puerile all of a sudden. He had thought the childish acts would be eliminated once he declares his affection towards her. Seems like things will never change.

Enishi took a few steps forward howbeit he didn't walked too close to her. He was getting tired of following her around and being so affable in her nasty perspective. `What's wrong with this woman? First we were just having sex this morning. And now, she's behaving like a five year old, overacting without any reason. Did I do something wrong to her to make her so upset like that?' he tried to ask himself.

He sighed, as a defeat in Kaoru's foolishness. "Pha-ra wants you to be at the auction house with me. Get dressed, we have no time to spare." He coldly said.

Kaoru flamed in anger, she was so angry she could just grab a thing and throw it straight to him. `Why the hell is he so cool with it?! Maybe this man had erased the word `reconcile' in his vocabulary.' She glared daggers on him and instantly stood up from the couch and directly stride her foot inside the bathroom. All he could do was to watch her, shaking his head with a sigh.

`Damn… never would I understand women…'

~**~

They walked aversion directly across the crowd. They were so quiet, not talking to each other nor saying ne'er a single word. Kaoru was so annoyed at him while Enishi still keeps on pondering on what he did actually done to make her so upset like this. They stayed so unclouded until they reached the other officials of the Mafia.

"Ah! Finally, a new couple to join us." Pha-ra greeted from the other side of the table. Most of the men beside him took a sight of the two. Kaoru felt this uneasiness to know that this group of men ahead of her were most well known all over the world. She had never been introduced like this, so prim.

Enishi signed something upon Pha-ra and quickly did he call the others attention. He saw her from the corner of his eyes, sighing at ease. He verge near her ear which was quite surprising, "You go wander around. I'll take care of something for a while." He whispered, despite of the fact he started to realize that that was the very reason why she's so upset on him.

She never heeded on it and just stood there until Enishi left and asked Kam to look over her. Kam could see Kaoru's dilemma and so he went next to her. She and Kam had been quite understanding each other despite of Kam's poor Nihongo and her poor Chugokugo. Maybe because they're too humane to be bonded together.

"What's wrong? Something happened to you two?" asked by Kam.

It took some time before Kaoru could pop out some mandarin language out from her vocabulary. "Not so… I'm fine Kam. Cho pa qua shi-shi ni…" she responded. Kam never believed ne'er a single word though he wouldn't wish to bother her or her love life. He smiled and excused him self. "Bu bu chi. I have to go now. You just stay here and enjoy the auction house."

Kaoru returned his smile and likewise took a route to explore the entire space. The whole place was pretty crowded as always. Full of aristocratic Americans, Canadians, Russians, Colombians, Europeans, Holland people…

`Wait a minute… HOLLAND people??' she sarcastically thought when a certain figure came to spark in her deep blue eyes. A man in white vesture of tight tank top and black sweat pants to match his attire. His long mahogany locks rested against his shoulders having a single glass of wine in his hands while talking with a colleague forth him.

"Hey… Isn't that…"

The person turned away from the man he was speaking to and in a flash, he captured Kaoru in his sight. He was quite startled at first and soon showed a happy smile through his façade.

"Kaoru? Is that really you?!"

"Amakusa… Shogo…"

She couldn't help to feel the deep happiness she was feeling just to see a dear friend so sudden. She jumped off from her feet and went to run her way near him.

"Shogo! What are you doing here?!" she most likely questioned.

"Same to you… this is a surprise…" his melodious voice retorted.

Kaoru giggled, "You wouldn't wanna know… it's a long story." She said while her eyes started to observe him from head to foot. "You've changed."

Shogo nodded, chuckling as what was expected, "Neither do you. You're… smashing…" he said in a bewitched manner. His eyes showing how truly he adored the way she looks tonight. Her long cerise Chinese dress completely elucidated her fascinating figure. She was truly beautiful as ever. Just like Sayo when she was still alive…

Kaoru blushed revealingly in front of him. There was no chance of hiding it away from his sight. "So… umm…" she choked.

"I know. You're wondering why in blazes am I here, aren't you?"

She nodded while smiling wryly, "If you don't mind…"

~~~~~

Meanwhile,

"What the-??" just from the veer of his range of vision, he caught a sight of Kaoru talking to this unknown, tall guy who was much starting a conversation with his woman. "Hey Kam!" he called and Kam did affirmatively came next to him.

"What is it?" he asked. It didn't take long until Enishi motioned his head to watch Kaoru talking with Amakusa. He saw that very sight and it seems this cause a little bit of rage within his companion. Enishi started to clench his hand and gotten all indignant.

"Do you happen to know who the hell that guy is??" Enishi rasped out.

Kam crossed his arms and tried to observe the guy, "No idea… although I do see him often here." He answered.

"Often?"

He nodded and placed a finger in his chin, "That was about some time ago… never knew he had came back. He is a Christian with a pure blood of Japanese. As what I have heard, he was completely beaten by a man called battousai way back in Tokyo and was forced to take all his associates to dwell in Holland."

"A Japanese Christian?" he asked as he spins his delirious eyes to examine the two from afar. `Defeated by battousai…??' he thought. "Why the hell is she talking with him?"

"I don't know Enishi. Better fix that or you'll regret it… now that she's so upset with you." For those last words, he stride off and went to join the crowd. Enishi glared at him in incredulity. "What was that supposed to mean?" he cantankerously queried. `So… he did also noticed how aggravated that woman is…'

When he saw Kam was completely out of sight, he turned his attention to Kaoru once again. `Son of a- why the hell is he holding my woman's hand??'

The very sight of Amakusa holding one of Kaoru's finesse hands send hot flaming lava's of fury and jealousy within his veins. His hands clenched in a tight grip with her teeth gritted in shock. `That's it! No one's aloud to touch her nor lay a finger on her body! I have to end this guy's life!' he stomped angrily in his strides and instantly squeezed through the mob to approach Kaoru.

~~~~~

"I would love to see you again someday…" he said as he grips her hand tightly though benevolently as possible.

Kaoru smiled up to him and nodded. "I hope we could talk a little longer. I'm glad that I bumped into you this evening. At least it did ease up my mood." She jested while taking her hand off from his impishly.

"I have to leave. Thank you for giving such a time in having this wonderful conversation with me." He said.

Kaoru shook her head furiously, "Iie! I should be the one to thank you…"

"No need." And then he move his heels, turning his back to walk away. "See you again, Kaoru."

"You too… take care!" she sighed as she watches him move through the crowd. It's been a long time since she associated like this with a friend. `I wonder… how the other's are doing right now…'

"Kaoru"

~**~