Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Unexpected ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: deadlydiva 
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.18.2005 | Updated On: 08.06.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 272 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.18.2005 | Updated On: 08.06.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 272 | Status: Work In Progress
Enishi clenched his glass of imported ale. Surely his eyes had deceived him. Anger was rolling off him in white-hot waves. One of Kamatari’s more reserved waitresses tried to engage Enishi in conversation, but his menacing scowl doused any hope of that. She quickly put as much space as she could between herself and the irritated man.
Enishi was never thrilled about Misao working at the Blu Flayme, but she assured him that all that she did was serve drinks. He berated himself for not seeing this coming. First, Misao paraded her naked form for all to see and now she offers her body to some random man. It would not be long before she was selling herself to the highest bidder. Why couldn’t Misao see that he did not want her to end up like Tomoe? Enishi just wanted to protect her from those who would exploit her. He wanted to protect her from herself. Didn’t Misao understand that treacherous and unscrupulous men were lurking to take advantage of her goodness, her kindness? If he were not there to look after for her, she would have fallen prey to their devices long ago.
His glare followed Aoshi’s rapidly retreating form. Seeing his black coat rush through the door, Enishi knew the opportunity to enlighten him had passed, but there was always Misao. Enishi slowly sipped his beer. He knew that confronting Misao now would be inviting Shikijo and Hyottoko to sever his head from his body. Enishi shuddered at the thought of fighting those two. Misao was bound to show up at the apartment sooner than later; he decided to wait until then.
* * * * *
“Head of security? I thought that was Shikijo’s job.” Misao threw back a shot of Black Haus. She could still feel Aoshi all around her, pulling her in. A light trace of his cologne lingered in the air. Misao could not place the scent. It was smooth and calming, yet inviting. It reminded her of a temple in the spring. She inhaled deeply not wanting to forget.
“Shikijo is damn good, but he isn’t capable of doing what this Aoshi can.”
“And what is that Kamatari?” Misao arched an eyebrow. She was more than a little scared for Aoshi.
A most feminine giggle escaped Kamatari’s lips. Thoughts of Aoshi tied to a bed wearing nothing but what he was born with brought a wicked smile to Kamatari’s face. Misao knew that look too well.
“Kamatari! Get you mind out of the gutter and answer my question.”
“Shinomori Aoshi can blend into crowds better than Shikijo. It’s also a plus that he doesn’t drink.” Kamatari looked over Aoshi’s application. He reached over the bar to grab the telephone. After a few seconds, he huffed and slammed the receiver down. Misao gave Kamatari a curious look.
“What’s going on now?”
“I was just calling tall, dark and sexy to tell him to report to work tomorrow. No one answered.”
“Kamatari, he just left. Give him a chance to get home before you start stalking him.”
* * * * *
“Can you check the popcorn? I’ll be out in a second.”
Kaoru was scrambling to find some cute and casual to wear. She didn’t want to look like she was trying to hard, but she didn’t want to look like a bum either. Silently she cursed the fates. Kaoru found herself standing in the middle of her bedroom wearing a white tank top and black low-rise briefs. She was holding a pair of plaid boxers and a pair of pale orange yoga pants. Ninety seconds of internally debating which would be the more alluring choice was interrupted by the doorbell.
“Get that for me.” Kaoru called through the door. She quickly pulled on the yoga pants. The slim cut would show off the results of her kendo lessons while not seeming overtly suggestive. A messy ponytail completed her girl next door look.
Aoshi eyed the man who opened the door. Aoshi wanted to know who in the hell was he and why was he there. One girly man was enough for him. It was quite obvious to Aoshi that he had angered a female deity during one of his research projects. What other reason could there be for the recent barrage of short effeminate men? Utilizing the height difference to avoid eye contact, Aoshi walked past the diminutive red head.
Kaoru walked out of her room and into the great silence that took over her living room. She shook her head. Some things really never change.
“Why are you being so rude? Say hello.” Kaoru walked into the kitchen to get the popcorn.
Aoshi glared at the back of Kaoru’s head incredulously. He didn’t even know who this person was. Why should he speak? If anything, this random redhead owed him an explanation.
“I can feel you glaring Shinomori Aoshi. Say hello to Kenshin!”
Aoshi blinked. This was Kenshin? For some reason, he was expecting someone bigger, more imposing. This man looked like he couldn’t hurt a fly, much less be a student of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Hiko Seijuro was a master of that fighting style, so Aoshi assumed that Kenshin was physically similar to Hiko-san. By the looks of things, Kaoru was obviously the dominant one in that relationship.
Kenshin extended his hand to Aoshi. “So you are the big brother Miss Kaoru speaks so highly of. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Miss…Kaoru?” Aoshi raised an eyebrow as his hand met Kenshin’s.
“Kenshin, how many times have I told you to stop calling me that?” Kaoru emerged from the kitchen holding a bowl of popcorn and a six pack of beer. Actually, it was four beers and two ginger ales. Kenshin dashed to Kaoru’s aid and relieved her of the bowl. After placing it on the table, he discreetly made his way to the bathroom, leaving the dark haired siblings to talk.
“Miss Kaoru?”
“Don’t start Aoshi. He’s a really old soul.” Kaoru pulled a beer from the pack. “How was your interview?”
Aoshi’s eyes narrowed. “You could have told me what I was walking into.”
“What fun would that have been?” Kaoru smirked, much to her big brother’s dismay. “So…how did it go?”
“I got groped by a man dressed as a woman, kissed some waitress I met on the street and got the hell out. By the way, your directions were worthless.”
“Groped!” Kaoru attempted to stop the impulse to laugh, but the thought of a transsexual feeling up her big brother was too much for her to ignore.
Instead of glaring daggers, Aoshi let Kaoru get the laughter out of her system. If it had happened to anyone else, he would have thought the situation was mildly amusing.
Kaoru stopped laughing long enough to ask one important question. “So, did you get the job?”
Aoshi, intentionally dodging the question posed, eyed the couch cautiously. He then eyed his sister. Her hair was wet, like it had just been washed. He circled the couch looking for anything out of the ordinary, a misplaced cushion, discolorations. Seeing none of those, or anything that remotely pointed to extracurricular activity, he sat down.
“Aoshi, did you get the job or not?”
Aoshi grabbed a ginger ale. “My things are in the extra room?”
Before Kaoru could answer her brother, he was walking to her spare bedroom. While making his way to the room, he knocked on the bathroom door.
“Kaoru is waiting for you.”
Kenshin was about to express his gratitude when he realized that Aoshi hadn’t stayed around long enough to receive it.
* * * * *
Walking aimlessly down the street, Misao let her tears falls unabated. A sharp cold wind blew across her cheek. She lifted her hood, attempting to defend herself from the assault of the elements. Stuffing her hands into her pockets, Misao quickened her pace. She only had a few more blocks to go, then she could rest.
How many times had she told herself that it was not going to happen again? How many times has she vowed not to let herself get pulled into his chaos? How many times had she taken this walk, swearing the entire time that she would never go back?
Misao’s head had a plethora of questions that her heart refused to answer. There was no rationalizing staying in a situation that has proven itself to be detrimental. The internal argument continued as she recalled the evening’s earlier events.
“Makimachi-san, what a pleasant surprise.” Azusa saw Misao approaching the building and made sure that he held the door open for her.
A slight smile made its way to Misao’s face as she greeted Azusa. She knew better than to linger in conversation. Enishi was waiting for her, and he had figured out the amount of time it should take her to get from the Blu Flayme to his apartment door.
As she waited for the elevator, Misao’s thoughts drifted to Aoshi. Kamatari seemed adamant about having the devastatingly handsome man as the new head of security. Misao wondered if her boss could pull it off. He had run out of the club like the hounds of hell were at his heels. It would take more than Kamatari’s usual sweet-talk to get this one to come back.
The soft ding of the elevator announced Misao’s arrival on Enishi’s floor. She apprehensively exited the lift and made her way down the hall. Her mind shouted that there was still time to leave. Enishi hadn’t seen her yet. Escape was still an option.
The fifth door down on the right hand side was her destination. Misao stood in front of it for a few minutes, staring at it. Aoshi’s kiss still lingered on her lips. She dared not face Enishi with such thoughts running through her mind. Looking down at her watch, Misao knew that she only had one more minute before Enishi would throw a fit about her inability to be punctual. She raised her fist to knock on the door, but it opened before she could do so.
Enishi stood in the doorway wearing white drawstring pants with a fitted white ribbed tank top. His white blond hair was damp, as if towel dried after a refreshing shower. Bare feet, coupled with an unobstructed view of his clear green eyes, completed his casually sexy look. Misao felt her heart flutter while her mind reiterated that this man was not to be trusted.
Enishi smiled as he drew Misao into his embrace. His next move, though surprising, was not entirely unexpected. He pulled her hair so hard that her neck snapped back causing her skull to come in contact with her back.
“I see the whore decided to show up…”
* * * * *
The knocking became louder, more insistent. Aoshi approached the door, unsure if he should open it. Thinking it a prank, he hesitated. The knocks became bangs, hard and forceful as if the person on the other side was trying to break down the door. He looked about the living room for any sign that the banging woke Kaoru.
What he saw nearly broke him. She was a slight young woman, petite and thin. Her shoulders were slouched, appearing to have lost all semblance of life and her face was obstructed by sheets of ink colored hair.
“I-I’m sorry. I thought this was my friend’s apartment.” Misao turned slowly, defeat emanating from her every pore.
“Wait.” Aoshi’s voice, though soft, commanded her attention. “This is Kaoru’s apartment. I’m just staying here for a while. Please, come in.”
Misao, with her eyes on the floor, walked into the only solace that she had left. Shuffling her feet, she made her way to the couch. Misao exhaled deeply. She wondered how many times she would have to run to Kaoru’s apartment. Fresh tears fell from her eyes.
“I knew it. I knew I should not have gone there, but I did it anyway. How stupid am I?”
“Misao.”
She looked up to see a concerned, though sleepy, Kaoru. Misao lowered her head into her hands, all the while muttering incoherently. Kaoru knew this routine all too well. She quickly sat beside Misao and wrapped her arms around the distraught young woman.
Aoshi stood in the corner and watched as his sister consoled Misao. Silently, he wondered what could have happened to make her show up at such an indecent hour. He soon had his answer as Kaoru brushed Misao’s hair away from her face.
“What the fuck happened?!” Kaoru, who had been fighting off her sleep, was fully awake and out for blood. Misao gave her a look that spoke volumes. “That bastard. I’ll kill him myself.”
Aoshi was disturbed by the sight before him. Misao’s lips were swollen to what he assumed were twice their normal size. One of her eyes was blackened and swollen shut, as if she just finished a twelve round boxing match. He also didn’t miss the way that she winced when Kaoru hugged her. Someone had worked Misao over real good.
“….that’s all there is to it. You’ll stay here.” Kaoru clamped her hands on Misao’s shoulders, resisting the urge to shake some sense into her.
“Kaoru, I can’t. I just can’t. Besides, you seem to have a full house as it is.” Misao leaned in close to Kaoru’s ear. “I didn’t know you had it in you. Does Kenshin know about Mr. Tall, Dark and Broody.”
“Misao!!! He’s my brother.”
Misao leaned back into the couch. “Figures. You never have anything interesting going on.”
“Such a sordid mind for one so young.” Kaoru crossed her legs Indian style on the couch and turned to face Misao. “Are you going to tell me why his royal psychopath went off this time?” The light in Misao’s eyes dimmed as she readied herself to tale her tale.
Aoshi’s eyes widened slightly. Someone they knew did this to Misao? Why was it allowed to go on? He intended to have a long conversation with his baby sister about the moral and ethical responsibilities involved with being a friend.
“He was upset that I was kissing some guy, but that’s not what happened. I was standing at the bar, waiting for Chou to make my drink orders, when some guy that Kamatari molested kissed me. I didn’t initiate it.”
Kaoru could see the rationalization forming in Misao’s mind.
“I tried to explain that to him,” Misao continued, “but he would not listen. He started calling me a whore and then…”
“You don’t have to say anymore.” Kaoru didn’t have the stomach for a blow by blow account of Enishi’s rage. The evidence of his madness was literally written all over Misao’s face. “I’m going to grab you some nightclothes.”
Kaoru stood up slowly and walked towards her bedroom. After taking a few steps, she looked back at Misao. She had turned on the TV and was bouncing to some cheesy music playing in an infomercial. That damn cheerful mask was back up, as if that was going to fool her. She was in pain, and not just from the beating. Kaori sighed as continued walking. Enishi was going to kill Misao one of these days, unless someone stepped in.
Aoshi fell back against the wall as he process all that he had seen and heard. Bar. Chou. Molestation by the hands of one named Kamatari. An unplanned kiss. Aoshi nearly threw up as he realized that he was the reason that this young woman was severely beaten. One reckless move nearly cost the girl her life. Aoshi’s mind was now reeling, trying to recall what she looked like before that Enishi fellow got his hands on her. As he recalled his short visit to the Blu Flayme, Aoshi remembered the waitress that he used to prove a point. He had been watching her the entire time he was there. She seemed so much taller at the club. It was then that he noticed that she was wearing a simple pair of canvas sneaker and not the five inch platforms he had seen her in prior. How could anyone think of beating such a small woman? She was a threat to no one. His conscience screamed for him to protect her. His mind screamed for him not to get involved. Aoshi sighed. He didn’t know what to do.
Kaoru reentered the living room holding a pair of boxers and an oversized t-shirt. “Here Misao. Put these on.”
Aoshi took that as he cue to leave. Walking away, he tripped. As he looked down to see the offending object, Aoshi got the answer he was looking for before - his copy of the classifieds with Kamatari’s ad circled.
Enishi was never thrilled about Misao working at the Blu Flayme, but she assured him that all that she did was serve drinks. He berated himself for not seeing this coming. First, Misao paraded her naked form for all to see and now she offers her body to some random man. It would not be long before she was selling herself to the highest bidder. Why couldn’t Misao see that he did not want her to end up like Tomoe? Enishi just wanted to protect her from those who would exploit her. He wanted to protect her from herself. Didn’t Misao understand that treacherous and unscrupulous men were lurking to take advantage of her goodness, her kindness? If he were not there to look after for her, she would have fallen prey to their devices long ago.
His glare followed Aoshi’s rapidly retreating form. Seeing his black coat rush through the door, Enishi knew the opportunity to enlighten him had passed, but there was always Misao. Enishi slowly sipped his beer. He knew that confronting Misao now would be inviting Shikijo and Hyottoko to sever his head from his body. Enishi shuddered at the thought of fighting those two. Misao was bound to show up at the apartment sooner than later; he decided to wait until then.
* * * * *
“Head of security? I thought that was Shikijo’s job.” Misao threw back a shot of Black Haus. She could still feel Aoshi all around her, pulling her in. A light trace of his cologne lingered in the air. Misao could not place the scent. It was smooth and calming, yet inviting. It reminded her of a temple in the spring. She inhaled deeply not wanting to forget.
“Shikijo is damn good, but he isn’t capable of doing what this Aoshi can.”
“And what is that Kamatari?” Misao arched an eyebrow. She was more than a little scared for Aoshi.
A most feminine giggle escaped Kamatari’s lips. Thoughts of Aoshi tied to a bed wearing nothing but what he was born with brought a wicked smile to Kamatari’s face. Misao knew that look too well.
“Kamatari! Get you mind out of the gutter and answer my question.”
“Shinomori Aoshi can blend into crowds better than Shikijo. It’s also a plus that he doesn’t drink.” Kamatari looked over Aoshi’s application. He reached over the bar to grab the telephone. After a few seconds, he huffed and slammed the receiver down. Misao gave Kamatari a curious look.
“What’s going on now?”
“I was just calling tall, dark and sexy to tell him to report to work tomorrow. No one answered.”
“Kamatari, he just left. Give him a chance to get home before you start stalking him.”
* * * * *
“Can you check the popcorn? I’ll be out in a second.”
Kaoru was scrambling to find some cute and casual to wear. She didn’t want to look like she was trying to hard, but she didn’t want to look like a bum either. Silently she cursed the fates. Kaoru found herself standing in the middle of her bedroom wearing a white tank top and black low-rise briefs. She was holding a pair of plaid boxers and a pair of pale orange yoga pants. Ninety seconds of internally debating which would be the more alluring choice was interrupted by the doorbell.
“Get that for me.” Kaoru called through the door. She quickly pulled on the yoga pants. The slim cut would show off the results of her kendo lessons while not seeming overtly suggestive. A messy ponytail completed her girl next door look.
Aoshi eyed the man who opened the door. Aoshi wanted to know who in the hell was he and why was he there. One girly man was enough for him. It was quite obvious to Aoshi that he had angered a female deity during one of his research projects. What other reason could there be for the recent barrage of short effeminate men? Utilizing the height difference to avoid eye contact, Aoshi walked past the diminutive red head.
Kaoru walked out of her room and into the great silence that took over her living room. She shook her head. Some things really never change.
“Why are you being so rude? Say hello.” Kaoru walked into the kitchen to get the popcorn.
Aoshi glared at the back of Kaoru’s head incredulously. He didn’t even know who this person was. Why should he speak? If anything, this random redhead owed him an explanation.
“I can feel you glaring Shinomori Aoshi. Say hello to Kenshin!”
Aoshi blinked. This was Kenshin? For some reason, he was expecting someone bigger, more imposing. This man looked like he couldn’t hurt a fly, much less be a student of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Hiko Seijuro was a master of that fighting style, so Aoshi assumed that Kenshin was physically similar to Hiko-san. By the looks of things, Kaoru was obviously the dominant one in that relationship.
Kenshin extended his hand to Aoshi. “So you are the big brother Miss Kaoru speaks so highly of. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Miss…Kaoru?” Aoshi raised an eyebrow as his hand met Kenshin’s.
“Kenshin, how many times have I told you to stop calling me that?” Kaoru emerged from the kitchen holding a bowl of popcorn and a six pack of beer. Actually, it was four beers and two ginger ales. Kenshin dashed to Kaoru’s aid and relieved her of the bowl. After placing it on the table, he discreetly made his way to the bathroom, leaving the dark haired siblings to talk.
“Miss Kaoru?”
“Don’t start Aoshi. He’s a really old soul.” Kaoru pulled a beer from the pack. “How was your interview?”
Aoshi’s eyes narrowed. “You could have told me what I was walking into.”
“What fun would that have been?” Kaoru smirked, much to her big brother’s dismay. “So…how did it go?”
“I got groped by a man dressed as a woman, kissed some waitress I met on the street and got the hell out. By the way, your directions were worthless.”
“Groped!” Kaoru attempted to stop the impulse to laugh, but the thought of a transsexual feeling up her big brother was too much for her to ignore.
Instead of glaring daggers, Aoshi let Kaoru get the laughter out of her system. If it had happened to anyone else, he would have thought the situation was mildly amusing.
Kaoru stopped laughing long enough to ask one important question. “So, did you get the job?”
Aoshi, intentionally dodging the question posed, eyed the couch cautiously. He then eyed his sister. Her hair was wet, like it had just been washed. He circled the couch looking for anything out of the ordinary, a misplaced cushion, discolorations. Seeing none of those, or anything that remotely pointed to extracurricular activity, he sat down.
“Aoshi, did you get the job or not?”
Aoshi grabbed a ginger ale. “My things are in the extra room?”
Before Kaoru could answer her brother, he was walking to her spare bedroom. While making his way to the room, he knocked on the bathroom door.
“Kaoru is waiting for you.”
Kenshin was about to express his gratitude when he realized that Aoshi hadn’t stayed around long enough to receive it.
* * * * *
Walking aimlessly down the street, Misao let her tears falls unabated. A sharp cold wind blew across her cheek. She lifted her hood, attempting to defend herself from the assault of the elements. Stuffing her hands into her pockets, Misao quickened her pace. She only had a few more blocks to go, then she could rest.
How many times had she told herself that it was not going to happen again? How many times has she vowed not to let herself get pulled into his chaos? How many times had she taken this walk, swearing the entire time that she would never go back?
Misao’s head had a plethora of questions that her heart refused to answer. There was no rationalizing staying in a situation that has proven itself to be detrimental. The internal argument continued as she recalled the evening’s earlier events.
“Makimachi-san, what a pleasant surprise.” Azusa saw Misao approaching the building and made sure that he held the door open for her.
A slight smile made its way to Misao’s face as she greeted Azusa. She knew better than to linger in conversation. Enishi was waiting for her, and he had figured out the amount of time it should take her to get from the Blu Flayme to his apartment door.
As she waited for the elevator, Misao’s thoughts drifted to Aoshi. Kamatari seemed adamant about having the devastatingly handsome man as the new head of security. Misao wondered if her boss could pull it off. He had run out of the club like the hounds of hell were at his heels. It would take more than Kamatari’s usual sweet-talk to get this one to come back.
The soft ding of the elevator announced Misao’s arrival on Enishi’s floor. She apprehensively exited the lift and made her way down the hall. Her mind shouted that there was still time to leave. Enishi hadn’t seen her yet. Escape was still an option.
The fifth door down on the right hand side was her destination. Misao stood in front of it for a few minutes, staring at it. Aoshi’s kiss still lingered on her lips. She dared not face Enishi with such thoughts running through her mind. Looking down at her watch, Misao knew that she only had one more minute before Enishi would throw a fit about her inability to be punctual. She raised her fist to knock on the door, but it opened before she could do so.
Enishi stood in the doorway wearing white drawstring pants with a fitted white ribbed tank top. His white blond hair was damp, as if towel dried after a refreshing shower. Bare feet, coupled with an unobstructed view of his clear green eyes, completed his casually sexy look. Misao felt her heart flutter while her mind reiterated that this man was not to be trusted.
Enishi smiled as he drew Misao into his embrace. His next move, though surprising, was not entirely unexpected. He pulled her hair so hard that her neck snapped back causing her skull to come in contact with her back.
“I see the whore decided to show up…”
* * * * *
The knocking became louder, more insistent. Aoshi approached the door, unsure if he should open it. Thinking it a prank, he hesitated. The knocks became bangs, hard and forceful as if the person on the other side was trying to break down the door. He looked about the living room for any sign that the banging woke Kaoru.
What he saw nearly broke him. She was a slight young woman, petite and thin. Her shoulders were slouched, appearing to have lost all semblance of life and her face was obstructed by sheets of ink colored hair.
“I-I’m sorry. I thought this was my friend’s apartment.” Misao turned slowly, defeat emanating from her every pore.
“Wait.” Aoshi’s voice, though soft, commanded her attention. “This is Kaoru’s apartment. I’m just staying here for a while. Please, come in.”
Misao, with her eyes on the floor, walked into the only solace that she had left. Shuffling her feet, she made her way to the couch. Misao exhaled deeply. She wondered how many times she would have to run to Kaoru’s apartment. Fresh tears fell from her eyes.
“I knew it. I knew I should not have gone there, but I did it anyway. How stupid am I?”
“Misao.”
She looked up to see a concerned, though sleepy, Kaoru. Misao lowered her head into her hands, all the while muttering incoherently. Kaoru knew this routine all too well. She quickly sat beside Misao and wrapped her arms around the distraught young woman.
Aoshi stood in the corner and watched as his sister consoled Misao. Silently, he wondered what could have happened to make her show up at such an indecent hour. He soon had his answer as Kaoru brushed Misao’s hair away from her face.
“What the fuck happened?!” Kaoru, who had been fighting off her sleep, was fully awake and out for blood. Misao gave her a look that spoke volumes. “That bastard. I’ll kill him myself.”
Aoshi was disturbed by the sight before him. Misao’s lips were swollen to what he assumed were twice their normal size. One of her eyes was blackened and swollen shut, as if she just finished a twelve round boxing match. He also didn’t miss the way that she winced when Kaoru hugged her. Someone had worked Misao over real good.
“….that’s all there is to it. You’ll stay here.” Kaoru clamped her hands on Misao’s shoulders, resisting the urge to shake some sense into her.
“Kaoru, I can’t. I just can’t. Besides, you seem to have a full house as it is.” Misao leaned in close to Kaoru’s ear. “I didn’t know you had it in you. Does Kenshin know about Mr. Tall, Dark and Broody.”
“Misao!!! He’s my brother.”
Misao leaned back into the couch. “Figures. You never have anything interesting going on.”
“Such a sordid mind for one so young.” Kaoru crossed her legs Indian style on the couch and turned to face Misao. “Are you going to tell me why his royal psychopath went off this time?” The light in Misao’s eyes dimmed as she readied herself to tale her tale.
Aoshi’s eyes widened slightly. Someone they knew did this to Misao? Why was it allowed to go on? He intended to have a long conversation with his baby sister about the moral and ethical responsibilities involved with being a friend.
“He was upset that I was kissing some guy, but that’s not what happened. I was standing at the bar, waiting for Chou to make my drink orders, when some guy that Kamatari molested kissed me. I didn’t initiate it.”
Kaoru could see the rationalization forming in Misao’s mind.
“I tried to explain that to him,” Misao continued, “but he would not listen. He started calling me a whore and then…”
“You don’t have to say anymore.” Kaoru didn’t have the stomach for a blow by blow account of Enishi’s rage. The evidence of his madness was literally written all over Misao’s face. “I’m going to grab you some nightclothes.”
Kaoru stood up slowly and walked towards her bedroom. After taking a few steps, she looked back at Misao. She had turned on the TV and was bouncing to some cheesy music playing in an infomercial. That damn cheerful mask was back up, as if that was going to fool her. She was in pain, and not just from the beating. Kaori sighed as continued walking. Enishi was going to kill Misao one of these days, unless someone stepped in.
Aoshi fell back against the wall as he process all that he had seen and heard. Bar. Chou. Molestation by the hands of one named Kamatari. An unplanned kiss. Aoshi nearly threw up as he realized that he was the reason that this young woman was severely beaten. One reckless move nearly cost the girl her life. Aoshi’s mind was now reeling, trying to recall what she looked like before that Enishi fellow got his hands on her. As he recalled his short visit to the Blu Flayme, Aoshi remembered the waitress that he used to prove a point. He had been watching her the entire time he was there. She seemed so much taller at the club. It was then that he noticed that she was wearing a simple pair of canvas sneaker and not the five inch platforms he had seen her in prior. How could anyone think of beating such a small woman? She was a threat to no one. His conscience screamed for him to protect her. His mind screamed for him not to get involved. Aoshi sighed. He didn’t know what to do.
Kaoru reentered the living room holding a pair of boxers and an oversized t-shirt. “Here Misao. Put these on.”
Aoshi took that as he cue to leave. Walking away, he tripped. As he looked down to see the offending object, Aoshi got the answer he was looking for before - his copy of the classifieds with Kamatari’s ad circled.