Of Roses, Scent And Rain

STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLY: I ABSOLUTELY DON'T own any of the characters from Rurouni Kenshin. And I DON'T make money out of this. This is for entertainment purposes only.


Author's notes:

like to have a twist. Shall I say a fairy tale perhaps?



gomen again for the grammar





Chapter 15







And so she was really tired. Just from the sound of

her sigh, it was likely to be deep. All she knew that she needs a good

rest from everything that she had endured during this week. It was few

hours to go until Friday night. It's a good time to have fun and gimmick

like most of the teenagers - yeah, her age - would like to do. It's in

their nature but to Kokoro, rest is more important that anything else

right now. In a meantime, she had to decline at some of the offers held

by some of her classmates, including her best friend, Kaoru. And with

that, it made a shock on her best friend’s part.







"What happen to the party animal in you, Kokoro-chan? For all I know,

even though you involved yourself on lots of tiresome activities, you

still find time, have left strength to go on our gimmicks. Why is that

so?" Kaoru concernedly asked her friend as she sat near her table. Some

of the girls who had just invited them for a party earlier that had been

turned down by them had bid them both goodbyes. As an act of courtesy,

they paid them the same. They have exited the room, leaving the two

best friends behind.







Kokoro was very much pre-occupied at what she was doing, fixing her

books, so as with her gym clothes. Her friend sitting just right beside

her was waiting for her answer but none was held.







"Hello?" Kaoru, after few seconds of waiting, was eager to know her

side, like on mocking, "Am I the only one in this classroom or what? Am I

only talking with myself?"







Though irritated, Kaoru understood what her friend was going through.

Kokoro had numerous training under her "beloved" sensei during this

week. She had strongly suspected that most of the Kempo exercises that were

given to her where very hard to conjure. It had come to the point that

Kokoro couldn't maintain her eyes open during their study period.

Feeling so sleepy, she unintentionally slumbered at her desk, whole black

out. And sometimes, it was accompanied by a deep snore. Most of the boys

and girls were laughing at her upon hearing her snoring. Their class

teacher had often scolded her because of that and in this week, she had

been twice sent to the office of the principal. For some reasons, the

principal understood her situation and had told the class adviser to

make some exceptions for his student for this month only. He had explained

to him her position, the responsibility that Kokoro had in her hands,

protecting the title of the school as the best in Kempo arts in Japan.

And

now, their teacher had her excuse at some of the study period they

have to ensure what the principal had told him to do – giving time for her

to cope up with everything with less pressure. Kokoro needs support,

and that is what in her best friend’s mind right now.







“Ok,” Kaoru said as she exhaled in disappointment but still in full

understanding.







“W-what?” Kokoro had instantly snapped at what her friend was trying to

say. “Did you say something?”







“No,” she replied, lying for the sake of her best friend. It was much

better to leave it like this. “Well,” she continued, “let me drive you

to your house now, Kokoro-chan.”







“Huh? What for? I can do it with my own, Kaoru-chan. You don’t have to.

I can manage,” her friend responded smilingly. “I can do it and I won’t

get sleep along the way. That’s a promise!” She pledged to her,

winking playfully. “This champion will get home no matter what! Ahaha!”







“No, no. I would like to help you even just by this small effort,

Kokoro. So let me, okay?”







Her thought of helping her was good enough to here. She really had been

the best among her set of her friends. Her true friend. It had made her

laugh a bit.







“Okay! Okay! Enough of the drama! I have to go home and catch some good

sleep,” Kokoro happily said as she was about to pick her stuff on her

table. “Let’s go!”







*******







Walking at the grounds of the school, Kaoru help Kokoro carry some of

her belongings. She let her carry some of them but only the bag with

small books and notebook. She was some kind of shy on giving the heavy

ones to her. Half way towards the black Lexus, Kaoru asked her about her

training how strenuous it was. Kokoro only replied by a sweet smile and

some chortling. Kaoru had noticed that her friend had unintentionally

tightened the grip from her huge book at her left hand; seemingly having

the fiery side of hers was scorching again, awaking her young martial

artist blood. Though the stress was there to see visibly, inside her

friend was the tiger, very eager to continue every “beating” she received

from the practice she was having. As if it was a whole good challenge

for her to have. This is what she dearly needed to live…..and by that,

she doesn’t know why but it didn’t matter to her….oh yes….it did matter

after a snap thought of her sensei. Was it all about her sensei? Did

she

done it all because of her sensei? She didn’t want to answer that.







“Well?” Again, she wasn’t answered by her friend. Kokoro continued to

smile as they where nearing to the black Lexus that was parked by

Kaoru’s driver in front of the school building.







“I will not ask you anymore for I already know the answer,” Kaoru said

as she instructed her bodyguard just by an eye contact to open the door

to them. The body guard did his job and helped them carry the loads.







Upon arrival in the residence of the Shiawase’s, Kaoru’s body guard

helped Kokoro to carry the load inside. Kokoro was grateful by the help

she have given to her.







“You will miss the happenings this night, I tell you,” Kaoru teased,

looking through her car window speaking directly to Kokoro.







“How I wish to have my life back but I can’t. I have to face, dance

with the music,” she countered.







“Is it because you enjoy having the training with him, Kokoro-chan?”

The question was somehow very personal for her to answer but Kaoru is her

best friend and nothing is wrong on telling her that. Kokoro wished to

tell her but she doesn’t know to answer if it really is the reason –

the whole reason. Heck no! She enjoyed also all the challenge of course

and that she didn’t know why.







“I – ah…”







“You don’t have to answer that now, Kokoro-chan. You need some rest.

Tell me when you are ready,” she stopped her from telling everything, and

quite in a hurry. “I have to go now. “Ricecake” is waiting for me at

the bar.” She was about to close the rear glass window of the car when

she said that. Rice cake?







“What?” That had caught Kokoro attention full-bloodedly. “Wait! Rice

cake?” She went near to the window of her car and knocked three times

before the driver started the engine. “Who?”







The tinted window glass went down again and showed Kaoru’s face. “I was

supposed to introduce you to my sweet heart – my errr…..boyfriend,” she

murmured at her in order not to let the other two people inside the car

to hear it.







“Oh my! Sorry about that, Kaoru-chan! I never thought that it was

tonight! Oh my! Gomen ne!”







“SHHH!!!!” she hushed her friend with her a signal from her point

finger so that the two other people inside the car wouldn’t know what they

were talking about. She didn’t want them to know yet, or her family. She

was waiting for the right time to tell them but to Kokoro, it will be

always a pleasure. “You don’t have to. Some other time will do, okay? I

have to go now. Ja ne!” She closed the window of the car on her side

and commanded the driver to drove-off to the destination she had earlier

instruct before arriving Kokoro’s house.







That had triggered Kokoro’s senses to be alert. So that is why she was

very eager for me to be with her tonight. She will be introduced to her

very first…..Damn! That was one good shot to the head but to look at

it, there will be next time, she guessed so. She had yawned and went

inside the house. But as she was about to enter their domain, Omasu greeted

her on the front door.







“How are you?” she smilingly greeted while wiping her hands in a clean

white towel from the kitchen.







“I need some rest. Got to go to sleep,” she replied, kind of having the

yawing again.







“But you can’t right now, Kokoro-chan,” Omasu rebuked.







“What? What did I do now?” Kokoro was startled and a bit upset upon

hearing her older sister’s words.







“I know you need your rest right now but,” she stopped for a moment and

continued, pointing her thumb hiding at her chest towards the living

room, “there is someone there waiting for you. And he said that you owe

him a favor.”







“Favor? Him? Who in the world?”







“Just go there and have a talk. Now!” Omasu pushed her towards the

living area. Kokoro had almost lost her balance upon entering the living

area.







“Hello,” the man at the couch stood up and gave her a little wave of

greeting from his right hand.







Kokoro looked at him and in seconds realized that the man at the living

room was none other than Soujiro Seta himself. Just by seeing his smile

from his face, oh my, that is him alright.







“What the? Why now?” she said to herself, smiling blatantly.







“I know it’s rude to come here without telling you first. But please

make this an exception.” He smiled, as he always does, at her worried

face.







“I heard that I owe you a favor from my sister. Huh! What a luck!”

She sat at the nearest love seat on her side. “Have a seat.”







“Well,” Soujiro sat as he was told. Damn. He had missed her so much.

Those words were enough to make him feel good for this special day.

Perhaps…







“What is it now that I owe you a favor, Sou-chan?” Kokoro replied him a

smile also, kind of cynical.







“Well, you see, I would like to invite you,”







“Oh no! Invite me? Oh noh! I need some,” she interrupted him form his

speech.







“to my birthday. It will be a great honor for you to be there while I’m

still here at your city.” Soujiro continued as he was really expecting

that she will come to the party.







“Oh…” That had made Kokoro a bit guilty form what she had said to him

upon hearing those words. “Today’s your birthday? I didn’t know that.”







“So, is it okay for you to come? You are the only friend that I have in

this town so far,” he charmingly pleaded, with those “killer” smiles he

has.







“Oh my,” Kokoro said to herself. She had save this night for her to

sleep after all the hard practices she had received from Sensei Shinomori.

She looked to Soujiro and saw the smile he always painted on his face.

It was like he was really into much convincing on letting her be at the

party he was having. And somehow, the guilt part was there again.

Earlier, she had refused her classmates offer to go to a certain school

mate’s party but she declined it. Next was on Kaoru. That really hit big.

Then, now this!







“But you have Misanagi, right? She is your friend, right?” still trying

to find her excuse.







“I did invite her and she was already there,” he told.







“That’s good!”







“But, it will be much better if you will be there also. Well…..please.

It’s my birthday and it might be the last one I’m going to celebrate,”

he somehow tried to make a good convincing tact.







“Why? Are you going to die next year? I was just joking,” she was

trying to lighten everything up and still finding the great excuse turn down

his offer. “Well, so you are going away. Such great news you have

there,” she derided.







“Yeah, and it is important for you to be there at my birthday. Will you

come with me? Tonight? Promise it won’t take too long and I will return

you here before 12,” he pleaded, striking his killer smile again.



Eerie as it might be, she kind of resembling the whole “pleading” thing

as there was someone dying right next to her – and that was him. Kind

of pleading to visit his burial. And does it have to be her anyway? Why

her? And why in all the girls from this city he had to invite her to

his special night? Does he still have special feelings to her? She had

already made it clear to him that she loved somebody else – but that

wasn’t directly which makes him still….Yet also she had seen his sincerity

from his face – even though only a smile from his face was only seen

every time. Why her? And by that, no matter what refusal she gives, guilt

always comes over.







“I have refused others offers of having a time-out like partying,” she

sadly said and paused.







“Okay,” he interfered. “I see from your reactions that you really don’t

want to come with me tonight and I understand that.” Silence came over

them. The atmosphere between them became more intense. “I never thought

that someone will turn me down to this very special night of mine. Oh

well. I can’t have my ways always. And so this town is so lonely for me

to live with. I guess, people hear are not so accommodating.”







Oh not now! Those words were screaming to her head. Those words likely

might have her push on saying yes out of guilt. She had plenty of guilt

today and this was the worst of them all. She had to say her answer or

else…







“Okay! Okay! Okay! I’m going! I’m going!!! You have me there, Sou-chan!

How I wish I could have you beheaded,” she screamed it as if on joking

but half of it was true.







“So my drama worked too well,”







“Huh? I didn’t like what you have just said there, Sou-chan.”







“Okay! Let’s go to the mansion and you will be one of my guest of

honour,” Soujiro told her as he was about to stand up again from his seat.







Walking away from the living area, Kokoro headed for the stair

reluctantly. “Let me have myself fixed. I don’t want to have myself seen in

that birthday party of yours as an old hag,” trying to maintain her

composure not to be angry, going like crazy because she very lacked on sleep.







“Okay. I will wait for you here,” Soujiro agreed and glad upon her

actions.







Kokoro left the room and was about to climb up the stairs when Soujiro

remembered something. He stood up and yelled to her something.







“Ah! I forgot! The theme of my birthday was masquerade and you need to,

you know,”







“Oh my. That is not part of our agreement here, Soujiro. I thought,”

she got alarmed upon hearing what her acquaintance had told her. A

masquerade bowl? She didn’t have anything in her closet that would be fit to

the occasion.







“Don’t worry. I have a costume for you to wear,” he assured it to her.

He pointed the costume lying near the coffee table, near the border

between the living room and the foyer. “There.”







“You have thought of these before, do you?” With a frown, she had asked

him boldly.







“Half, maybe,” he answered. “It had to be special.”







“It pissed me off, you know that? You just disturbed my

soon-to-be-special-rest just all of this! Damn!” she shouted it out, her feelings

about it but she had instantly thought Soujiro’s special night instead

before she can make more damage between their new friendship and she didn’t

want that to happen. How she wished that Kaoru will not know about

this. “And I just wish that I could make a great difference to your party,

Sou-chan,” she rebuked to him as she was about to picked the costume on

the coffee table.







“And you will. I promise you that,” He smiled as he usually does. But

this time, it was kind of different.







She went upstairs. About half an hour inside bathroom, she took a warm

fresh bath. Back to her bedroom, she looked at her mirror near her

closet with only a pink towel wrapped on her slender moist body. She was

about to come into a masquerade bowl tonight, all of a sudden. It was

somehow a shock form her part but she stopped on thinking about it.

Soujiro had been quite a shock for her as a new friend, she thought. He is

new in this city yet she felt that he had been their on her life as

always have been. Like what she shared with Kaoru. Boys didn’t dictate her;

she dictated them! That is why boys at school were afraid of courting

her even they have strong feelings high-up on her. She never had had an

experienced on matters like Soujiro had done. It proved to be that

despite her boyish attitude, a young lady still lurking inside waiting to

endure, to be enhanced by the opposite sex. Kokoro took the costume

lying in her bed and removed it from the plastic cover. This is a special

night, with a special someone. She just wished that that someone will

be…..







After battling with her thoughts about this night, she wore other

necessities on her costume for it to complete. Ready as she was, she had to

do it for she had already given her word to him. She had to go with

him. Soujiro heard the door upstairs was opened and then locked. Footsteps

followed which made him alerted his attention to the coming lady. He

came near the stairs, waiting below while checking the time in his Rolex

watch. A shadow appeared from the corner of hallway above, near the

stair, signaling her presence. Soujiro looked up as she was about to show

herself like a….He got mesmerized upon seeing the girl, no, a woman

coming out of those shadows. She shined like a priceless gem in the midst

of chaos like this night, like he hadn’t ever seen from his life.







“Let’s go. And I want to be here before 10, not 12,” she strongly

reminded him.







Soujiro went silenced and smiled sweetly at her.







“What?! Quit staring me like that!” she gruffly spoke,

crossing her arms below her breast. Even dressed like a princess, she

still had her funkiness, gruff attitude towards others when she felt

embarrassed. Well, there were certain things that can’t be change in this

world.







“Aa,” he replied, nodding. He then raised his arm, his

hand towards her, signaling her to come down for it was time to go.







They have already asked permission from Kokoro’s older

sisters about this night. It’s time to get into to the magical carriage

– Soujiro’s black Limousine.







*******











The silent night sky was disturbed by huge beam of

lights from the ground, specifically coming from the bulky grand lights at

the garden maze of the Great Victorian Mansion. Other spectacular

scenes were seen at the site. There had been giant inflatable balloons tied

at its designated steel posts along the sides of the garden maze at

front of the mansion, like they were all soaring high up to the heavens.

There had been also bizarre circus characters along the entrance gate to

greet the incoming guests from their cars, entertaining them with

miming. At the main gates also, 4 flame throwers were showing their

brilliant talents that will surely amaze the visitors. Acrobats and jugglers

were also there, near the front of the main gigantic door, also

entertaining the guests upon entering. Trees were decorated in great glamour,

enlightened with lights like stars of the night. The whole villa, the

mansion was filled also with crawling vines, projecting like an awesome

mystified castle lurking just outside the borders of the busy modern

city. It was like a circus out there at the mansion of Soujiro Seta.

Though kind of weary, Kokoro still managed to appreciate the wonders she

sees from the tinted glass window of Sou-chan's black limousine. It was

all new to her eyes and Soujiro had simply seen what lies beneath those

eyes of hers, those reactions. For him, that was enough birthday gift

from him tonight – to see her happy.







"Ever regretted coming in here with me, Kokoro-chan?" Soujiro asked her

calmly as he shifted his position near to her. He was sitting right in

front of her, face to face like in the arrangement of seats on an

English carriage.







Kokoro hadn't been herself lately. Her attention was on all the

spectacular scenes that were held right outside the main road towards the

mansion. "Whoa! So you are a rich boy, Sou-chan. I never thought that you

belong to the upper-class. Why didn’t you tell me you belong in here?

Pretty neat, huh?"







"I guess so. If you put it that way," he loosely responded with a deep

sigh.







"What? Is there something wrong?" Kokoro's concerning voice was heard.







"If I were as happy as this - like this craziness you see right now

from our street - everything would be perfect for me to live. But that

isn't the reality. We all live in our own set of sorrowful paths," he

impassively said but still smiling.







It had been awkward to see the contrast between Soujiro's smiling face

to what he had just said. That smile of his was completely the opposite

from what he was trying to blurt out in his feelings. He is lonely;

that's for sure. Kokoro remained quiet, looking at him and waiting for

Soujiro's next words.







"People see and need only the material things nowadays. It had blinded

men for all ages, leaving the one true essence of life at one of the

corner shadows of humanity. Can't blame them, actually. It's nature," he

continued. "Am I boring you now, Kokoro-chan?" He viewed his beautiful

acquaintance to his left, worrying that he had might bored her to death

upon telling her his insights of his hidden views in life.







"Oh no! Please! I don't mind. I kind of understand what we are trying

to say, Sou-chan," she truly comforted the other party. "I never knew

that you have this side of perspective in life."







"And you find it cute?"







"Oh my, kind of," she joked at him. The tiresome girl was becoming more

active than before upon sharing some good moments to him, her newly

found friend. “I never thought that we would be this close - as a friend

of course - she cleared that out, "in such a small time."







Soujiro remained silent at first and then replied, "So do I."







“Do that again and I’ll have you kick in your….” she playfully warned.







Soujiro just gave her, again, his sweet smile and tuned his view to the

gates of the Great Mansion.







They were warmly welcomed by the maids of the mansion and every people

on the front garden can’t simply take off their heads, their look to

the beautiful couple who had just arrived. Some were whispering, tackling

whether the two had current “intense” relationship. And by that,

capturing their mischievous looks to them, Kokoro knew what they were talking

about and that wasn’t good. It had made her irritated fully but still

maintained her dignity as a formal girl Soujiro acquainted with.







“I am about to enter this world of yours. I just wish I am right on

coming with you tonight,” she murmured but Soujiro had heard that. “I am

easily intimidated.”







“I am here. Just stay with me and let’s enjoy this night together,” he

assured to her in a melodic tune.







He had made his move again. Doesn’t he ever give up on doing this

thing? But still, Sou-chan is right. They have to enjoy the whole thing or

her sacrifice is wasted. Sacrifice. That isn’t supposed the right term

for that. She knew she has heart on things like these. As they entered

the grand foyer, everyone was still looking at them. They can’t simply

leave them alone, still gossiping at each other. Faces covered by mask,

they all speared their assumed rumors. So the prince of the mansion has

a princess after all. And with that, one person on the area had been

boiling inside. This wasn’t good. The Mistress saw and heard everything.







“How beautiful that girl is,” a woman in rich velvet dress, projecting

like a maiden from a far away fairy tale castle, came across the

Mistress in the upper grand stairs happily gossiping to one of the three

socialite females.







“Yeah, I like the wings she wore at her back. She’s like an angel. And

boy, oh boy that Seta-san looks hot in his red tuxedo – like a baron’s

outfit.” Another girl agreed and praised.







“She had done the glitters and make-up on her body perfectly that made

her glow from the rest of the young girls in this area,”







“Yes, yes, she has the charm of everybody,” another girl added as they

all drank their champagne still continuing their little gossiping.







“Yeah, I agree to that. That white, slender dress had a great effect on

her. It was so charming of her. The cut of the dress from her knees and

below….oh she got great legs. Small, smooth and pearly white – My kind

of woman…” a man just popped out on their behinds.







It had frightened the socialite women upon the man’s dark voice. He had

appeared out of nowhere, without any signs of his coming. That man was

dressed in his yukata….YUKATA? What the? He was half way nude beneath

those clothes! But it didn’t matter to him whether he is naked under

that. He likes to tease people, especially the weak ones. And he is

also…..like to bang on innocent girls…..just like the girl who is dressed in

a sexy white dress with angel wings in her back….KOKORO.







“Well, perhaps, Soujiro wouldn’t mind lending her to me tonight, would

he?” with sharp stare in his eyes towards the girl, he surely has

something bad to do. Kokoro had to be more careful this time.







“Chou!” someone shouted at the back. It was the angry Mistress.







“What now?” Chou didn’t turn his back to her. He was still looking,

stalking at Kokoro who was still kind of confused of everything. “I’m busy

right now.”







“Show some respect you bastard, or I’ll have you killed this very

instant - right in front of everybody. You should address me as your leader

in this house.” The woman came near to Chou, with a glass of red,

bloody wine in her right hand. She was also frowning while looking at

Soujiro and Kokoro.







Chou didn’t respond immediately. He just turned his head towards her

and took his special sword, one of his collections, arranging it to his

waist. “I only bow to the true leader of this organization, Yume. Not

just from a perfect whore of this mansion. Kindly bury that to your

brain. And besides, I don’t like old meat at my dining table,” He left

laughing as soon as he had finished his rude speech to Yume.







“Damn you fool,” she whispered. “I’ll get you on this.” She then turned

her attention toward the lovely couple below. “And about you,

Soujiro…..so….that’s the other girl….”







*******







“I’m nervous, Sou-chan,” Kokoro had unintentionally tighten her grip

from Soujiro’s arm. She has afraid upon seeing other people’s look to

them.







“They were just happy to see us, Kokoro-chan. All you have to do is to

project your true confidence.” He then smiled at her, taking away her

hand from his arm to the hand. “Be calm and be yourself.”







“Sure, sure. You can’t blame me for this because I haven’t worn

something a daring as this in my whole life.”







“Just relax. Let’s go to the main party hall, shall we?” Soujiro led

her towards the main artery room of the party. Kokoro still tried her

best to do what Soujiro told her to do – be confident.







Upon entering the grand hall, it was tremendously decorated with

priceless ornaments coming from France and Germany. Half of it was given by

the masters of the house’s “close friends”. The Victorian style had

shimmered magnificently at the ground of their granite floor. Huge velvet

draperies were seen, stretching up to 3 floors of the house. Old yet

sophisticated glass chandeliers were lit in great enticements for the

honorable guests of this evening. Chairs and tables with red rose colored

cloth covering it were distributed evenly through out the room, with

enough space to accommodate people to dance in the middle of the hall.

Bouquet of fresh orchids were attached from people figurines at each of

the tables were being crafted and set by the Flower arrangers hired by

Iwasu, Soujiro’s most trusted man in the mansion. A renowned orchestra

coming from London, England was currently playing the love songs to

entice the moods of the people at the big hall. It had given the sootiness

they

were searching after all the people crashing to socialize. There had

been plenty of high social status people walking, chatting, and enjoying

the evening with each other like what the untouchable upper class

always does in their daily lives – boasting and lying some about how happy

they are in their current status. Kokoro suddenly could feel that she

was somehow not needed in this party for she doesn’t belong to this rich

status. Only Soujiro had insisted on her coming with him in the first

place. And she hated this scene for lots of people were a bunch of

fakes. But does that include Sou-chan in the line? She certainly hopes not.

He isn’t. Kokoro had also notice the ramp walk that was installed just

in front of them – about 14 to 15 meters away from where they were

standing. There was also a stage behind it, as she might say. From the

looks of it, not only social dances will just going to be held in here; but

a fashion show. All the people in the room were talking about it as she

had heard. Famous fashion designers all across Europe and United

States will be at this very night to show their works upon the social upper

classes – at Soujiro’s birthday night. So that makes him something in

this party.







“You got one hell of a party, Sou-chan,” she said in great amazement as

they continued their walked towards the center of the room. “You also

got lots of friends here.”







“They don’t belong to me, actually. They were all under my father’s.

Shall I call them his “important associates” from his business?” he said

calmly, finding a good seat for them to hang.







“So, what business does your father into? He sure hits big time I’m

sure. Just by looking at these stuff you have here in this room, man, he

sure really are blessed,” she pointed out the lavish scenery that she

was seeing – the whole party itself.







“Blessed in some other ways, I guess,” Soujiro muttered.







“What?” Kokoro asked him what she just said because she haven’t heard

him right. The smooth music from the orchestra had made through their

ears, wanting more from it.







“I love this music,” Soujiro changed the topic instead.







“Oh, me too,” she humbly replied.







“We should find our seats,”







“Ok”







“There. That’s my table.” He pointed out the empty reserved table at

the front, just near the rim of the circle of the dance area. “My father

will join us later and I would like you to meet him.”







“Well, I’m kind of shy. Maybe some other time, perhaps,” she nervously

refused, not wanting to meet his big time dad for she has only a kid

from the ordinary class and that does it.







“You don’t have to be shy. And besides, it will be the best gift you’ll

ever give to me.” Then he smiled, melting – or should she say making

her even guiltier than before.







She gave him a sigh, a loud one. “Okay. This is your night anyway. So

have it your way.” She had clenched her teeth involuntarily as they

passed through to some of the tables on their way towards the front seat.







Soujiro escorted her well by assisting her at her seat like a gentleman

to his lady. That was so charming of him to be. She sat at it. Soujiro

was about to sat at his sit, beside his young maiden when Misanagi

appeared in the scene.







“Happy Birthday, Sou-chan,” Misanagi held a glass of white wine from

her hand. She had noticed also Kokoro seating beside of him. That was

very nerve–wrecking on her side. How this twerp got the right of being

invited to this so lavished place, anyway? “Why are you here? You

shouldn’t be here in the first place.”







“I---ah…” Soujiro was about to tell the side of that story but Misanagi

still like bullying the small mouse in front of her.







“Haven’t you hear anything, girl? I am asking you. What are you doing

in this place? Who invited you here?” Her eyes narrowed, seemingly

projecting her predatory attitude.







“It was very nice to know that you are here too, Misanagi. And about

that question of yours, I am gladly to answer that. I was invited by

Soujiro, the birthday man himself, to his party. Got that! If you have

anything there that might want me to get kick your butt out of this place,

show it now while the night is still young.” Kokoro threatened her as

she was again bullied by her competitor from the Kempo competition – not

because of Soujiro’s behalf. Her pride was stepped on and she was to

fight with it.







“Such a princess-like-angel costume will not be going well with a girl

like you – a warfreak. You got great nerves on wearing them here.” She

was about to start a feisty fight.







Still at her seat, trying to be calm, Kokoro spoke again to her, “While

you madam is best fit on your costume. Do you know why? Because it

suits your personality you she devil!”







Misanagi was wearing a costume of an enchantress, an evil one from the

medieval times – more like on time of Merlin. She had been greatly

insulted by her and she didn’t want to be stepped on either. As the fight

was about to start on physical terms, Soujiro meddled in.







“Girls, girls! This is my night. Beautiful and charming ladies

shouldn’t waste time on having arguments like this. We should be all having a

time of our lives.” He smiled at them and went close to Misangi.







“What made you think of inviting that girl in here?” Misanagi asked

Soujiro in full intent.







“She’s my friend, like you. You two are my only friends in this city. I

just have to invite her in.” That wasn’t a good reason to be told by

him. Such a lousy one, actually….







“Does your father know about this, inviting a poor girl here in this

party?”







Hey! Wait a minute! Those words had shouted, banged on her mind. Kokoro

had felt that she was intimidated, insulted by the Ninja Hag. What’s

with it if she was known, introduced to his father as a normal

middle-class kid? This insulting had to end here, right this instant. She stood

up and walked away from the table, leaving the two behind. She had to

somehow end this nonsense argument to get away from this crowd or she

will end up being more of a laughing stuff of Misanagi. “You two have your

conversation first while I tour myself in this mansion.”







“Wait, Kokoro-chan!” Soujiro called Kokoro as he was about to run after

her.







Misanagi stopped him from moving from that spot. “You invited and told

me that you were accompanying me at your party. But you were out of my

sight in an hour, leaving me all alone in this party. I thought you are

my friend. We have known each other since kids and you prefer that

weasel over me?”







Soujiro didn’t speak. Still a smile from his face was there to see.







“Don’t give me that damn smile on me, Sou-chan. I’m serious,” Misanagi

warned him as her heart began to melt from it.







A man wearing a Black Americana suit had popped out from their

conversation. He gave Soujiro a message from his father, the Master of this

mansion and he had to go with them. He invited Misanagi to go with him at

the special room upstairs while the party hadn’t begin yet. So they

went on. Soujiro had to follow what was told him to do; even it was his

special night.







*******







Kokoro went outside the mansion to ease her tension that she had

endured a while ago. She had forgotten about the stress she obtained on Kempo

training with her sensei but now it’s back. And it was all because of

that Ninja Hag, Misanagi. Why would Soujiro befriend with someone

terrible like the very much conceited Misanagi Sanada? Hadn’t he seen her

true color through all these years? He had been blinded by his taste of

friendship on her. Suddenly, she had thought of herself. Why would

Soujiro have to befriend on her? She got no big money like he does. She isn’t

beautiful like Misanagi radiates to the people around her. Well, on the

side, about beauty, it was more of the physical attributes. She

loosened her tension from her muscles and lungs a bit, breathing with the

fresh air surrounding the villa. She was at the emptied big veranda of the

on the mansion just outside the grand ball, paved with adobe stones.

She felt like she was a princess in this castle and all she sees from her

spot below were her minions. Playing her thoughts as a royalty, it had

helped her to sooth things out. And that was good but that moment

didn’t last. As she was leaning on the edge of the balustrade in the

veranda, a man appeared behind her and touched her lasciviously at her

buttocks. Kokoro got alarmed and turned around.







“What the?!”







“Hey baby! What are you doing in here all alone? Where is Soujiro?” the

man asked her acting that they knew each other for a long time.







But that doesn’t fool her. He is a pervert that needs to learn a lesson

for touching a woman at that delicate part.







“Damn You!” Kokoro forgot about her costume as an angel princess of the

party as she gave him a flash kick to his left limb.







But the man abruptly dodged her strike easily. This man is no ordinary

enemy to deal with.







“Why you!”







“Hey! Hey! I am just asking you where your prince Soujiro is and now

you want to have a fight with me,” the man mocked, “you little sexy

tramp.” Then he winked mischievously at her, with tongue playing at the

corners of his mouth. He liked to play along with Kokoro for a while like a

beast fooling around his food before eating. He always does that to the

women, especially girls, he knew that were very innocent to the world

of lust. For him, all these were his deed to be done, as his nature

called it. “As you see I have already prepared,” he added. He was

referring to his Yukata costume.. Very bare inside…







And by that, it made her irritated. One arrogant bullying is enough for

one night. Another one will be too much for her to handle. So she had

to fight this pervert off and show him how angry she was after she got

from those unclean hands of his. She made a great strike and was about

to aim to his head with her white, slender legs that that man lustfully

strived for a while ago. Chou, the sword hunter, would like to have

those at his bed tonight. He had captured her legs in the air but Kokoro

had maneuvered herself up, using her other leg to free herself from his

dirty hands.







“Alas! I have touched one of those creamy legs of ours,” he then

laughed hard, more like a lunatic.







The bastard continued to intimidate her, licking his hand that had

touched her legs a while ago. Kokoro promised herself that this time, she

will be able to knock this guy out for she is her own person and no one

has the right on doing this to her. She has to fight, and this Kempo

expert will teach his arrogance this very instant.







Jumping towards the wall of a mansion, she gained more force to make

him stumble, knocking the guy out but that wasn’t enough. He was hit on

the neck but it didn’t affect his lust for her. He continued mocking

her, blabbered whatever that might insult her pride. Another maneuver was

made by her at his foot to enable him to stumble at the rough adobe

floor. Kokoro chortled about her short victory at him but that didn’t also

affect him. He just laughed, enjoying what she was doing upon him.







“You are good in martial arts, my lady but what if I gave you my true

nature in fighting this time?” Chou instantly stood up from the floor

and took his sword out.







Kokoro forgot about the sword he was carrying. She thought that it was

just part of his so-called “erotic” costume. “What the?”







“Come, my love, and feel what this sword has to offer to you,” Chou

teased as his blood pressure was getting higher after what he received

from her. It had rocked him a lot.







“A grown man needed a weapon just to beat a helpless girl. How

pathetic!” she taunted him as he swung his sword upright.







“Let’s just see about that!” His eyes narrowed, licking his lips again

like readying himself to have his food for the table.







As they were about to strike at each other’s attack, another man from

the shadows had appeared. He jumped right then from a near tent of the

veranda and landed between them. Before the two collide, the mysterious

man had sprung his left fist to Chou, leaving him banged at the adobe

floor again. This time, it had knocked him out to an instant sleep. And

about Kokoro, she was captured into the embrace of this man. She was

about to kick Chou at his neck and face for the last time but was held in

the nick of time by the mysterious man dressed in tuxedo like Soujiro

but in black color and with cape on his back. He wore a mask in his

eyes, a white one just to hide his identity. It was the theme code of the

party wasn’t? Somehow, he knew what do counteract her attack and

successfully dodged it. In his chest and arms, she was entrapped on it,

seemingly in shock of how fast everything it was. It was like he was hugging

her in this quiet veranda like…..lovers, perhaps.







“Let go of me!” she shouted at his chest. “You ruined my fight!” She

was struggling to be free from his warm embrace.







“If I do, you would be get harmed,” the man explained to her calmly.







“LET ME GO!!!” she screamed, trying her best to be out of this awkward

situation. She was very upset and mad about what he did to her fight to

Chou. She was really pissed-off.







But the man continued to embrace her to his chest and arms, waiting for

her to calm down. Moments after, Kokoro returned to herself again –

silent and calm. She was tired on struggling from his sturdy arms.







“I was about to be raped by that man…..damn fool….”







“And we knocked him down. You don’t have to worry about that.”







“You were the one who knocked him down and I was supposed to do that! I

want to beat the hell out of him!” she angrily said but she didn’t made

anything violent moves while she’s still on his chest and arms, still

holding.







“A woman in such a beautiful angelic dress shouldn’t have gone into

fighting,” he explained to her and continued, “And that man you had just

gone fighting with was one of the most wanted criminals by the police.

He is an assassin and if he’s serious, he can kill you in an instant.”







That had widened Kokoro’s eyes. Is that the truth? If it is, she was

saved from being raped and killed by that beast. But she didn’t believe

completely to him. Why would she trust everything that he says?







“You are lying.”







“No,” the man hissed, “I am not.”







Kokoro had thought it out so hard. She was still being held captive

into his arms long enough for her to become shy of the situation. Her face

became reddened. “How am I supposed to believe you when all you do is

hugging me? You are no different from the man who tried of raping me.”







Such accusation wasn’t true. She had taken this everything into a whole

of confusion. The man released her from his tight squeeze slowly. But

as the hands and arms fled away from the back of Kokoro, she still

hugged him. She somehow felt this before…..and the scent…..she knew this

scent long ago….the strawberry mist scent…..The warm feeling she was

enduring from this stranger was very familiar to her cherished memories. And

that, she loved it too well…..







“Go home and never return to this place,” he warned at her.







Chou was still in the floor, lying half dead sleeping from the blow he

had just received from the mysterious man’s iron fist.







“But, but….”







The mysterious man walked out on her, leaving her very astounded. After

a few second, she snapped at her trance and followed him but he

disappeared from the thickness of the darkness.









tbc....





yeah....I know it's lame.