“Oro, oro, oro…”
Kenshin took a step at a time. It was difficult holding a full tray with only one arm. "I shouldn’t have insisted on not getting any help.” he muttered, sweat running down his face, “Dakara, Kaoru will be hungry when she wakes up. I hope I wasn’t gone too long.”
Prior, he ran into town, to the post and sent a carrier pigeon with their location. He hoped the Oniiwabanshuu would get it and that it wouldn’t be intercepted. He also hoped that his master was all right. ‘Shisho…’ Although he had to admit Hiko was strong, to fight against Saitou was something he couldn’t finish. Worry for Hiko was strangely in his mind.
When he finally reached their door, he stopped to see it slightly open, lively voices chattering inside. Kenshin peered in; there were a handful of women in there, all looking strangely familiar. ‘MASAKA!’
Apparently, Yuzu ran out and looked for her friends who were on the list. Kenshin nervously held his breath, searching around for Kaoru. She was sitting on the bed, cheerfully talking with them. ‘Oro, I have a bad feeling…’
“You’ve got it all wrong, Kaoru-san,” one woman said, waving her hand, “Ken-sama was totally innocent. The only crime he did was ‘looking too cute'. We’re the ones who took advantage of him. It was the typical – swordsman saves the girl – situation. And of course we each of to show him our ‘gratitude’. Sou nee, girls??”
”Right on, Noriko!” her friends chimed, “He was such a hot lookin’ guy… just had to get a piece of him! Ehihihi!”
Yuzu noted, “Ken-san was much too kind to reject anyone – he didn’t want to appear rude nor did he know what was going to happen. I even heard that someone once drugged his drink and brought him home. Ken-san was so ashamed when he woke, he escaped without a word. That girl even went to the police to look for him, saying he was her husband! Nee, Kyoka?”
Her friend nodded, “I also heard from a friend of a cousin that there was this girl who was trying to get out of an unwanted engagement. So, she tricked Himura-sama into coming to her house. And then she seduced him right in front of her fiancé. Her fiancé was so angry that he made Himura-sama marry the girl. I heard that he finally escaped her house after three weeks.”
“Moreover,” Yuzu said, digging through he piles, “If you read closely – most of these letters don’t belong to Ken-san. I mean, 2/3 of them belong to a ‘Hiko Seijurou’, whoever that may be…”
”Aaaa Hiko-sama!!” three girls sighed, obviously three of Hiko’s women, “He’s soooooo FINE!!”
Kaoru was gazing at the faces around the room, ‘Kenshin… did these things really happened to you? Did I misunderstand?’ She felt confusion, relief, and an ache at the same time. The ache coming from the fact that someone she cared for suffered so much more than she could image, than she could ever understand. ‘It wasn’t enough that you had to live your life on the lonely road, feeling sorry for your crimes… but all these women took advantage of you, hurt your feelings… and not once have you put any blame on anyone other than yourself…’ She lowered her head, emotions on the rise in her face, ‘Kenshin no baka, why do you do this to yourself… why?’
The sound of things crashing caught everyone’s attention. The door slowly flew open, a dazed rurouni on the ground, soaking wet and covered with food as the tray had finally gave way. “Orororororo…”
”KEN-SAMA!” the women all cried, running to him, grabbing at his limps, ready to pull him apart, “HE’S MINE! NO! MINE!!! KEN-SAMAAAA~!”
Kenshin couldn’t do anything, but ”ORO…”
Kaoru came storming over and created a path in her fury. “MOU! DAME YO!” she snapped, reaching Kenshin and helping him up, “Daijoubu ka?” He smiled at her, nodding his bruised face from all the grabbing girls.
“Yaa! You’re all messed up, Ken-sama! We have to clean you up!!” one cried, while a quartet yanked his clothes off, leaving him in his underwear. They all then started fighting over the clothes, and later who was going to give him a bath as the bucket of hot water and soap was produced.
“Actually,” Kenshin interrupted, “Sessha would feel a lot more comfortable if it were Kaoru-dono. Dakara…” He looked over at her stunned face. She had been busy helping Yuzu clean up the mess of food, but now she was frozen, “Iya, maybe not.”
The girls started fighting over him again and he stared at her pleadingly. Kaoru finally got up and yanked the girls away. “Leave him alone. He asked me so I guess I better do as asked. Could some of you get us more food and … give us some space.” They nodded and all hurried out the room. Kaoru turned over her shoulder, her face scary, “NE! I CAN STILL SEE YOU!!!”
“Ch! Just because she’s his girlfriend!” someone mumbled as they all finally left.
Kaoru turned to Kenshin. He was blushing towards the floor. “Mou, you shouldn’t feel embarrassed. I’ve already seen you too many times that we both should be used to it.”
”Iya, that’s not it. Sessha was just thinking about how all those girls can remember this unworthy rurouni and yet, Sessha wished he’d forget them all… that’s a terrible thing de gozaru. It’s selfish like you said before.”
”Chigaimasu! I didn’t know all the facts nor what you went through.” she replied, tapping him on the forehead, “Soushite, I should’ve figured you hadn’t a clue on how to properly seduce anyone.”
“Oro…”
“The point is,” she said, rolling up her sleeves and taking the sponge and soaking it in the bucket, “Kenshin, please don’t blame yourself. It wasn’t entirely your fault. I was wrong to think that you were a swindler and to make those other accusations of you. Kenshin, gomen nasai.”
“Kaoru,” he said softly, as she started to wash away some of the sauce from the meal he had dropped on himself, “Suman, Sessha still can’t help but feel bad. You’ve waited all your life for Sessha and…”
”Dame,” she said, raising the soapy sponge to his face, “All I care about is what’s happening right now. And if you call yourself ‘unworthy’ one more time, I’m going to gag you with this, because, Kenshin, you’re more than worthy for me.”
He blushed at her words, not believing she said that. Then she started to scrub his face, which became a bit ticklish. “Oro, oro! Okay! Se-- aa, I mean… I will try not to say that.”
“Demo ne, I’m the one with the great competition. I’m not as smart or pretty as these girls… and there really isn’t anything special about me. You should’ve seen their faces when Yuzu-san said I was your girlfriend. They all laughed.”
”Kaoru, you know how I feel about you.” he said, taking her hand, “I’ve told you so many times on this trip and so many times I’ve tried to show you.” He slowly frowned. “Of course without much success. You’re right – Sessha is not good at seducing.” Kaoru just clobbered him with the sponge. “ORO?”
”Baka, you said ‘sessha’!!” she laughed. He just pulled her over by the hand, her falling into his lap. Lifting her head, she realized what it was he wanted. Without words, she knew. She moved to kiss him, their lips colliding, the feeling of completeness. After a lasting moment, she drew away and whispered, “I wish we could stay here forever…”
”Kaoru?” he uttered, wondering why she looked so sad.
Suddenly, there were loud noises downstairs and yelling. Kaoru ran over to the window and gazed out. The police had arrived.
* * *
“I’m telling you! I haven’t seen the boy in years!” Obaa-chan said, trying to stop the head officers in the lobby, “You’ve came to the wrong place! And plus, we’re closed so you cannot just barge in here like this…!”
The officer wouldn’t back down, “But we specifically heard rumors that Himura Battousai came to this establishment. Are you positive about your testimony? Did you not see a man with red hair and a cross scar today??”
Obaa-chan replied, “Iie, I have not!” But the old woman laughed inwardly, ‘But I did see a man with red hair and a bandage on his cheek. Ohohoho!!’ The cops were still persistent, so she gave a good snaping, “Just go away!! You’ll wake up our resting customers!”
”Chigao, we have right to search the place! Let’s go, men! If we find the Battousai – we can find that woman who’s with him!” With that, they all charged the place, going into every room as possible.
* * *
Yuzu had brought Kenshin and Kaoru into the basement, where the kitchen was. “You can hide in here. There’s a trick board here and a secret hiding place under the floor. Hayaku, I think I hear them coming. I’ll try to make them leave as soon as possible.”
”Arigatou,” Kenshin said, wearing a robe he borrowed. He hoped they could hide the clothes he had been wearing earlier. He first lifted up the board and helped Kaoru down, then went after her. Before closing the board, he looked over to Yuzu who winked at him, telling him to relax. With that, the board when down and he was left in total darkness. “Kaoru-dono?”
”K…Kenshin…” Kaoru uttered, grabbing onto him, “I’m so scared.”
”Ssh, it’s okay. I'll protect you. Just stay close and be as still and quiet as you can.” he said, his arm around her, his lips brushing against her cheek, “I’m with you, I won’t let them take you.”
She seemed calm for the moment. Above, they could hear the cops entering and questioning Yuzu, who made up a story about how she was preparing a snack for some guests upstairs. She also mentioned she hadn’t heard about any man walking around fitting their description. Despite that, they began to search the place, looking in every spot. When they were directly above them, Kenshin held Kaoru tighter, the two of them, closing their eyes, both of them scared.
“Iya, they don’t seem to be here. Let’s go check upstairs again.”
With that, the footsteps all went out the door. “Kenshin,” Kaoru whispered, looking at his strained face, “What’s wrong?” He wouldn’t tell her, but he had hurt his injury by holding her too tightly, making involuntarily sounds of pain. “Kenshin??”
”Daijoubu.” he whispered, “Don’t worry. I’m all right.”
“Uhn... demo, do you think they’re gone?” she asked. She then paused to see something in the dark. Two beady things that looked like eyes. “K…Kenshin… nan de koitsu???”
”Oro?” he asked, turning to what she was looking at. He too saw the spooky thing that was in the dark, evil eyes glaring at them, “Oro, nan de koitsu???” Frightened, he emerged from the floor, screaming. He stopped to see Yuzu and a man interrogating her turn their way, wondering where he had come from. “Oro…Saitou!!”
“Battousai,” Saitou said with a grin, “Just who was looking for. And where is the girl?” Kenshin wouldn’t answer him. Saitou pushed Yuzu aside and walked towards him. “You can’t protect her for long. Hand over her and I will go easy on you. I might not let you die just yet.”
”Death doesn’t scare me as much as living without Kaoru-dono.” he uttered, not even flinching as the blade appeared at his neck, “Saitou, I won’t hand her over no matter what.”
”I will find her anyways! But it’ll be faster if you cooperate!” the mad cop snapped, going to hit him directly on his injury. The attack sent him collapsing to the floor in pain. Again, Saitou attacked the wound, making him cry out.
“KENSHIN!” Kaoru cried, leaping up from their hiding spot. She ran up to Saitou and started hitting him on the chest. “Dame!! I’m the one you want! Leave him alone!!”
Saitou started to laugh, but then strangely found himself coughing up blood. He backed away cautiously from the girl. ‘Sugoi! What power!’ he thought, sheathing his sakabatou. Clearing his throat, he noted, “Kamiya Kaoru, you will come with me now.”
Kenshin quickly got up and stood in front of her, his arm shielding her. “Just let her go.” said a voice. Hiko stood in the doorway, his arm around Yuzu. He had helped her off the floor and sent her off into ‘lovey-dovey’ land. “Baka deshii, you don’t stand a chance in your condition and there’s no point prolonging this drama scene. You and I know she’s innocent – isn’t that what matters?”
”Shisho!” Kenshin cried, “It’s not the principle that only matters… Kaoru’s going to be put to death if the real killer’s not found. And this bastard doesn’t really care who he puts to death as long as the crime is paid for. I’m not going to stand by and have Kaoru be taken away from me!”
Suddenly, more sounds of footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs, a horde of people flooded the room. "WAI WAI WAI!!!" They grabbed the unsuspecting Kaoru and Kenshin and carried them out the room, yelling rebelliously. "WAI WAI WAI!!!" They then disappeared into the street.
”What the hell just happened?” Hiko gasped as Saitou found all his backup passed out. He then smiled. “Ch! The baka lucked out this time, but we’ll find him soon enough.”