“Oi! Jou-chan!”
“Eh?” Kaoru mumbled as she turned around. She found herself face to face with a man’s chest.
She looked up to see a man with spiky-brown hair with a bandana around his forehead.
“I’m Sanosuke, nice to meet you,” the man greeted with a smile.
“Watashi wa Kaoru,” the girl replied, bowing.
“So you’re Kenshin’s girl,” the man murmured eyeing her. “He has good taste.”
Sanosuke was immediately hit in the head. Turning around he found Megumi standing behind him. “Baka…” she muttered before walking off.
“Kitsune!” The spiky-haired man pleaded as he chased after her, like a puppy to its owner.
Giggling was heard on the other side of the room. “Don’t mind the rooster-head, he’s really a baka, and always flirting to piss off Megumi. Any ways, I’m Misao!” a girl with a long braid said.
“I’m Kaoru.”
“So you’re here for good?”
“I guess,” the girl replied.
“Busu,” Yahiko muttered as he brushed past Kaoru.
“Yahiko-chan!” Kaoru shot back, nearly pummelling the boy again.
“You little brat, treat your elders nicely!” Misao snapped at the younger boy.
“All I see is a weasel girl and an ugly old hag!” the boy shouted back.
“Don’t call me a weasel girl!” Misao yelled back as she suddenly produced two kunai from within her kimono.
“Misao-chan,” a soft voice murmured.
“AOSHI-SAMA!” the genki-girl half-squealed before bounding into someone’s arms.
Kaoru turned around and she found her eyes riveted towards Misao snuggled in a tall man’s arms. This “Aoshi-sama” of Misao’s was the absolute definition of tall, dark, and handsome. Like Kenshin, this man was a sight to behold. He had raven black hair, with ice blue eyes that peaked out from underneath his bangs. The slight gap of from the black kimono showed off a hint of a finely toned chest underneath. He and Kenshin shared the same dangerous and mysterious air. Misao seemed quite the opposite when compared to Aoshi, so genki and filled with energy as opposed to his calm and collective behaviour. But somehow the way they were locked in each other’s arms made them seem so perfect together.
Misao was content in Aoshi’s arms, as always. Lifting her head she looked at Kaoru with a smile. “This is Aoshi-sama. Aoshi-sama, this is Kaoru-chan.”
“Kaoru-san, welcome to our family,” Aoshi greeted, his voice a deep soothing rumble.
“Arigatou,” the other girl replied with a small bow.
“So Battousai, you have finally chosen a woman,” Aoshi commented towards Kenshin, who was silently standing behind Kaoru.
Surprised, the girl turned around to see the red-head standing there with a half smile. “It took you long enough to admit your feelings to a certain genki-girl as well, ne?”
“…”
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Kaoru silently walked into her bedroom, occupied with her own thoughts. Dinner was delicious and quite…loud. Sanosuke and Misao argued at any moment when they did not have any food to occupy themselves. Yahiko made side comments at them here and there, prompting Sano to smack him. Hiko had just sat there, at the end of the table ignoring the whole fiasco and sipping his sake. She wondered how many cups he had taken during the entire meal. His cup always seemed to be full. Aoshi was calm as ever, occasionally whispering something to Misao, quieting her down. Kenshin had sat there as calm as Aoshi, conversing with him in quiet tones every once in a while.
She saw Kenshin sitting on a mat leaning against the wall, playing with a spinning top when she walked in. His fire red hair was let out of its usual low pony and cascaded down his shoulders, shielding his eyes. Kaoru was originally planning to look over the collection of books in their study downstairs, however the day had worn her out. She quietly went to a drawer to pull out a clean yukata, getting readying for a bath.
“Ano…Kenshin?” she whispered, not wanting to disturb him too much.
“Hai?” his voice a husky alto.
“Where’s the bathroom?”
Kenshin stopped the spinning top, and placed it on a nearby table. Kaoru noticed all his movements were graceful and smooth, yet underlined with quiet strength. She watched him get up and walk out of the bedroom, and then hearing him call her name to beckon her to follow. She walked behind him to the end of the hallway, and he opened the door. “This is a Western style bathroom with indoor plumbing.” Kaoru listened intently as he demonstrated the different facilities in the room.
“Arigatou,” she murmured.
“Aa. I will take my bath after you,” he replied before walking out the room, closing the door behind him.
Kaoru let herself soak in the tub, her hair piled on top of her head wrapped in a thin towel. The water was hot and relaxing against her body. She wondered what she did to have Kami-sama to allow her to live in such luxury. As far as she knew it, her luck just happened to be higher than usual these days. Finishing her bath, she let out the water and dressed in her yukata, tying the sash around here waist. Her kimono and her obi were slung over one arm as she walked quietly back into her room. Finding her comb on the small table she began to comb out her long black hair. It had been a ritual for her every since she could remember, to brush out her hair every night.
With that finished Kaoru pulled a shawl over her shoulders, and went outside into the balcony. Her bedroom overlooked the garden, and if she looked further, she could see the distant light of the lamps in the town. She heard the sound of running water coming from the far corner of the garden. Squinting slightly she made out a small waterfall, and quite a large pool of water at the end with steam coming out – a hot spring waterfall. She could also make out two people in the water as well. Kaoru yawned once, and turned back towards the room, sliding the wooden door shut. She blew out one of the two lamps in the room, leaving the other one on for Kenshin.
Sliding underneath the thick blanket on top of futon, she laid her head on the white fluffy pillows. “Megumi was right, these are comfortable.” Curling up underneath, she pulled the blanket around herself closer. Her first day in the Hiko household had been quite interesting, and active. <i>“That little brat,”</I> she thought to herself. Letting out another yawn, she slowly let herself drift off to sleep.
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“Baka deshi, I hope you’re treating her all right,” Hiko Seijuro said sitting on a chair in his own room, sipping sake.
“Does she know I am to marry her?” Kenshin asked.
“Not yet, but she’ll know sooner or later.”
The red-head sighed and folded his arms across his chest. “What if I don’t want to marry her?”
“You chose her baka deshi, can’t back out of it now.”
“Nani?” Kenshin questioned.
Hiko set his sake cup down. “You chose the girl.”
“No I didn’t.”
“Yes you did, do not argue with me baka deshi. You chose the girl, you’ll love her, and then you will marry her.”
“But I don’t even know her! I don’t even love her! And how in the living hell did I choose her?” the red-head exclaimed.
“You’ll figure it out baka deshi…eventually.”
Kenshin left his Shishou’s room muttering some profanity to himself. He did not understand his Shishou at times, well, at most times. And how was he supposed to love a woman chosen by his master? By the time he had snapped out of his thoughts, he was already in the bath. Sighing once, he thought over everything again. His Shishou had chosen the girl for him, he did not do the choosing himself.
Or did he?
His mind went over the thoughts of what happened yesterday morning. Then it hit him and he bit back a growl. He hated his Shishou, mostly at time like these. Kenshin remembered seeing Kaoru in the other room, she was not paraded around like the rest. He had called Kaoru in himself. His Shishou then loudly declaring he would pay even more for her. She was probably deliberately left out there, forcing Kenshin to choose her and have her brought in. That was probably the reason why she was a virgin as well. It was odd, as Sano had thought, for any girl in a brothel to be virgin. It was a common Shishou set-up to force him into something, now that Kenshin thought about it for a while. Just another one of his master’s cunning plans that he fell for every since he began training and living with the man. He wondered to himself how long this had been planned for. The owner of the brothel, Yuna-san, did seem to be quite familiar with his Shishou.
The water had gone tepid by the time he had finished piecing everything together. Turning on some more hot water, he let himself sit for a few minutes longer before getting up.
Walking into his room, he saw one small lamp on, left on by Kaoru for him. She was already curled up in the middle of the bed sound a sleep. This proved to be a dilemma, how to get into bed without disturbing her. He had also noticed she had pulled most of the blanket in towards her so she could curl up. Gently un-tucking one side he slid himself in, trying not to touch her. Turning over so his back faced her front, he pulled the cover over himself. However, he found that the blanket refused to completely cover him. He realized most of the blanket was on her side. Turning over again this time to face her, he found himself smiling at her adorable face. She looked so young and peaceful when she slept, her long black hair strewn everywhere. He brushed a piece of hair away from her eye.
Kaoru woke up from the feeling of someone touch her cheek. She opened her eyes sleepily and saw herself gazing into a pair of violet eyes. “Mmm…”
“Gomen Kaoru, I woke you up,” he whispered. “Go back to bed.”
She mumbled something and curled up again. Bringing the covers further away from Kenshin. “Kaoru, you’re going to freeze me if you keep on doing this,” he murmured into her ear.
“Mmmm…” in her sleepy state she ignored him.
Seeing no way out of this problem, he scooped her up and spooned her body against his. Automatically Kaoru wrapped one arm around his waist, keeping herself secure against him. In this drowsy state all she cared about was finding her warmth and comfort that had been stolen away from her when he slipped into bed. Kenshin stiffened slightly at her action, but soon relaxed, allowing himself to enjoy the feel of her body against his. He needed to get use to this after all, didn’t he? Bringing one arm over, he tugged the blankets back, and tucked himself along with Kaoru snugly in.
She whimpered slightly in her dream, tucking her face into the crook of Kenshin’s neck. Gradually the two seemed to weave their limbs together. His first love had never been like this before, never this intimate. He had wrapped an arm around her waist by now, the other pillowing her head. Finally Kenshin began to succumb to the dream world. Lulled to sleep by the cocoon of warmth created by him and Kaoru, her gentle scent, and the closeness of her soft body.
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Misao purred, soaked in the hot spring water, contently wrapped in Aoshi’s arms. She tilted her face up to kiss his lips gently. She was rewarded by a flick of his tongue and his arms holding her tighter. “I like the hot springs…” she murmured.
“You are a naughty one koibito,” the man chuckled kissing the top of her head. She moved out of his arms to swim to the warm waterfall. She stood on one of the many rock platforms in the water, loving the way the water felt coming down on her skin. The corners of Aoshi’s mouth turned up as he gazed at the upper half of Misao’s body, now exposed out of the water for him to see. The water created a seductive effect as it came down, caressing her every curve. She smiled at him, noticing his blue eyes changing into a darker hue, signalling his want for her. She tilted her head slightly, beckoning him.
Aoshi rose from his spot and came towards Misao, taking her into his arms, bringing them behind the waterfall. The fall now becoming a curtain, hiding the two lovers. “You tempt me too much koibito,” he murmured before kissing her, taking them both into the land of pleasure again.
Chapter3