-Vol 3: Enemies in The dark-

-Their Past(1)-

Suguro felt like he was seeing an illusion. The woman who was renown among all the upper echelons as ‘the witch’ was openly crying in front of a man! Had it not been happening in front of his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed it.

He rubbed his eyes and looked again, but the scene didn’t change. The woman was still crying openly.

‘What a rare sight. But, good job Kenshin, you sly dog!’ Suguro mocked after seeing everything. He couldn’t wait to share it within his circle of friends, he had even recorded it with his phone secretly.

“It will surely sell a lot among the circle.” Suguro was already counting the money. He was sure that everyone among the upper echelons would pay a lot to see the witch crying for once.

XXX

Unaware of the plot Suguro cooking, both Kenshin and the woman were looking at each other. Their eyes were glazed over as they both remembered those days.

*Cough* ”You look all the more beautiful than before.” Kenshin tried to break the awkward situation.

“Is that all you are going to say?” the lady demanded.

“Ah! Well, I am sorry?”

“Why are you apologizing? Have you committed some mistake?” the lady asked inquisitively, her eyes were glaring daggers at Kenshin.

“Ah…eto…I…I am really sorry!” Kenshin made a perfect 90-degree bow and apologized to her. It was a long overdue apology that he had to do.

*Sigh* “Ken, you really, haven’t changed a bit” the lady sighed while wiping away her tears. Then a stern look surfaced on her face as she threw a withering glare at Kenshin.

“I want a detailed explanation of what happened that day. Don’t think that I couldn’t see through your dumb acting. That day, you were really bad at it.”

“I should have known. You ar…” just as Kenshin was about to say something, the lady cut him off midway.

“I said, do you understand?”

“Yes mam”

“Good. Now was the not the time for such discussions. After all, this was over, we are going to have a chat, face to face. Now follow me” saying so, the lady grabbed his hand and walked towards a shifty-eyed Suguro, who was trying to look normal but the smug look on his face was leaking out.

“Okay then, Director Suguro, now that everything over. I should be taking my leave. And since we met Mr. Kenshin here, I suppose we are going to have a meeting. There is no problem if I borrow him for some time right?” the lady didn’t ask. She rather commanded.

Suguro looked at Kenshin stealthily and found a resigned look plastered on his face. As if understanding something, he nodded in his heart.

“Yes, of course, mam. How can I stop important government affairs? Kenshin, you should have a good chat with Miss Yuki” after that Suguro instantly fled the place, throwing an excuse of looking around for the survivors.

“So, now we go!?” The lady, now named Yuki, grabbed hold of Kenshin’s hand and looked at him in the eye.

Kenshin felt like he was inside a mouse trap. He could only nod in response, allowing her to drag him to god knows where.

XXX

Yuki pulled Kenshin halfway through the Mito to a place very familiar to them. It was a flower garden that had been abandoned for many years. Not too far away was a school. Since it was too early, the school was still closed.

“This place!” Kenshin muttered as he looked around. It was an all too familiar place for him. Even now, he comes here sometimes.

“Oh! You remember this place! I thought you would have forgotten about it already.” The sarcasm was practically visible. She was literally spouting sarcasm.

“I said I am sorry already. Why are repeatedly pulling my leg?” Kenshin asked feeling helpless at her continuous pokes.

“Did you forget about what you have done to me that day? And you have the gall to ask why I am pulling your leg? Have some shame!” Yuki yelled angrily. She had many questions regarding that day, and she wants answers to all of them now.

That day was a real heartbreaking day for her. Things happened that she had never expected to happen. That day, she would probably remember it until the end of her life. A day, although she had achieved her dream, but lost a very important person in her life.

She had lost Kenshin.

“What happened that day?” Yuki asked again, this time she didn’t have any anger in her voice, rather desperation.

Yuki wasn’t a desperate woman. As someone who works as a direct agent for the prime minister, she was very headstrong and patient woman. In some cases a little coldhearted and unfeeling. But the way she acts in front of Kenshin was totally the opposite of her usual self.

She was behaving way too out of character. If anyone of the usual people she deals with has to see this, they couldn’t believe their eyes. The woman, nicknamed ‘The Witch’ acts like a normal woman! That’s a very frightening and inconceivable thought.

Thankfully nobody was here to see this. Although Suguro had a video evidence, whether he was going to share it within the circle was another matter.

Kenshin looked at her desperate face as sadness filled his eyes. This was the woman he once loved. Although they had never officially confirmed it, both parties were agreed upon it in their hearts.

Then one day when both decided to come clean with their feelings, their relationship broke apart like a bunch of cards.

Why?

Yuki was trying to come up with this answer for the past four years. That day was so traumatic to her that she had closed off her heart to others, even to her parents. It was one of the main reasons why she was able to climb the social ladder so fast.

Due to her closed-off heart, she saw the things logically, allowing her to take appropriate decisions. It would have remained the same way forever, had she not encountered Kenshin by accident.

When she heard about the rising star of DCB in Mito, she thought it was someone else with the same name, because the Kenshin she knew didn’t have a magic skill. Even if he had one, there was no way he had this much influence among the circle.

But from the look of it, it was indeed the Kenshin she knew. But if so, then what was all that drama for? That’s why she had pulled him here, she wanted her answers as soon as possible.

Her love for Kenshin hadn’t diminished even a little, and that was why she was so anxious.