Disclaimer: I do not own City Hunter or its characters. If I did, there would be no Angel Heart! This fan fiction is purely for entertainment purposes and educational, if there's someone who can squish that out of this. :D

Author's Note: Ollo! This is my first time writing a fan fiction. So, be kind with your reviews or I will cry all night long on my goga bed. Kidding. I appreciate any kind of reviews and response. Feel free to point out any errors you notice. And if you are not done being the grammar cop, PM me. Joke, joke! :D

I love City Hunter! Kaori is my favourite character, followed by Ryo, Hideyuki and then the others. But, I haven't read the manga. So, my work is influenced by the anime only. I will provide a glossary for the non-familiar Japanese words used in the fic for my non-Japanese readers. And I also love Akira Kamiya's portrayal of Ryo. So, there will be a considerable use of onomatopoeia in the future chapters, like 'aarey', 'waaoow', etc. :D

I would like to mention my adoration, appreciation and gratitude towards Roschelle Templar, who has written brilliant and amazingly entertaining fics for City Hunter. If you are an avid City Hunter fan fiction reader and haven't read her fics yet (which is next to impossible), you are missing out. Personally, I am a fan of hers and my work is influenced by her in a lot of ways. But Roschelle's fics are more deep and genuine whereas mine seem like they have been written by drunk hipster bunnies who just smelled pot. No offence, hipster bunnies.

And I apologise for the American slangs in between. I am used to writing that way, but I am working on keeping those away from my City Hunter fics. Also, you will notice that sentences enclosed with ' ' are the character's thoughts while " " denote speech.

I hope that the readers enjoy this fic equal to the magnitude of pain and excitement I endured while writing this. I have tried to keep this fic as light-hearted as possible. Thanks in advance for reading and/or reviewing. :)

Confession Of A Sweeper: Jealousy Always Works

[Chapter:1]

Beams of sunlight crept in through the window. The photo frame on the bedside table sparkled, owing to the sunrays. Kaori opened her eyes and took in the sight of her favourite picture. She smiled tiredly at it, "Good morning, aniki. Beautiful day, isn't it?"
Knowing that she wouldn't get a reply from her brother's image, Kaori yawned and stretched her arms. She mentally went over the things she was supposed to do later that day. After a few minutes and some budget calculations, she got out of bed and headed for a shower.

'There's so much work to do today. Cooking, cleaning, shopping for supplies, checking on the board, meeting Reika-san for that information... Aah. It would be a lot easier if Ryo helped me with these chores. But, he wouldn't prove to be of much help anyway. Hmm. He can't cook anything edible. Whenever I force to him help me with the cleaning, he ends up playing with the stuff he found. If I take him to the general store, the owner throws him out in a few minutes for hitting on the female staff. If he gets to the board before me, he erases job offers from male clients or goes to see the female clients without telling me. He also pesters Reika-san when she is working. Sigh. What am I going to do?!'

This was like an everyday dilemma and Kaori again chose to do it all by herself instead of doubling her stress by having to keep an eye on Ryo all the time. She got out of the shower, dressed into a red blouse and mini skirt and looked at her reflection in the mirror. "Not bad", she thought, "Now, to the kitchen".

After cooking the breakfast, Kaori went up to Ryo's room. She found him hugging a pillow and pervesely rubbing his cheeks against it. Another sigh. "Ryo? Wake up. Breakfast is ready".
Ryo mumbled in his sleep, "Your mokkori bust is so soft, blonde-chan..."
Kaori yelled at him in frustration, "Ryo! Wake up, I said!"
She yanked off the covers and tried to shake him out of his fantasy, "Come on! I don't have all day! Ryo?!"
Ryo didn't budge, holding his pillow tighter. Kaori was getting more and more angry with every second, but she hated using her hammers when Ryo wasn't fully awake. She was about to use one out of desperation though when an old idea struck her. She innocently said aloud, "What?! Why is that mokkori babe running naked in the street?!"
Ryo sprang up to his feet and jumped over to the window. "Where?! Where is the naked mokkori beauty?! Where?!"
He was busy scanning the streets for a vision when Kaori said calmly,
"Now that you're awake...", and slammed him onto the floor with her 'Hammer of Justice', "Get downstairs and eat your food!"
Ryo growled with pain, "Aah... Looks like I got my hammer meal early today".

"I will be back by the evening. Reika-san had some emergency to attend to. So, I will visit her later. You keep an eye on the place and don't go around pestering women, you hear?", Kaori warned Ryo before going out. She walked out of the door when he nodded bemusedly in response. She was well aware that in spite of her instructions, Ryo would go out late in the afternoon to chase skirts on the street. Living with him was like looking after a child. He had to be fed on time. He had to be given space for his own 'activities'. And he had to be kept in line with the use of a disciplinary tool, like The Hammer. Kaori kept walking while continuing on that train of thought,

'I wonder how Ryo managed before I was his partner. Aniki had told me quite a few times about Ryo's careless expenditure. If it weren't for my strict composure, Ryo would spend all the money on drinks and girls. But it is great that he doesn't frequent those bars and cabarets so much nowadays. Has he changed or have I become somewhat lenient?'.

Ryo got out of the house as soon as Kaori left. He was hopping along the streets, singing one of his mokkori songs,

"Cutie butts and mokkori breasts,
what to choose?
It's great that babes don't wear
clothes too loose!"

While goofing around like that, something caught Ryo's eye. It was a cafe. In the cafe, a girl and a guy were chatting over coffee. Nothing unusual. On taking a closer look, Ryo's expression became serious. 'Kaori? And who is that guy?'
He observed them for a while. They were talking and laughing, seemed to be having a good time.

'He is quite a looker. But why is Kaori having a coffee with him? Could he be some guy she dated in college?'
Deciding to find that out, Ryo sneaked around the cafe. But a thought occured to him and he stopped midway, 'It's not right to stalk them like this. I don't have to waste my time around Kaori and the guy who is looking at her so lovingly'.

He looked at Kaori from outside the cafe. She looked happy. But something made Ryo's heart constrict. Maybe the fact that someone else was making her happy. Though he would never accept it, the great City Hunter was well aware that he loved his partner. And the fact that she loved him too made it even more difficult for him. Letting her know of his feelings would complicate everything and somehow that always lead to Kaori's life being laid on the line. Ryo thought it was better to lie to her and the rest of the world than giving her another death letter. Somewhere in his heart, he believed that he wasn't worthy of her love. A merciless killer with a horrible past did not deserve the love of the world's most caring woman... that's what he thought.

'Something has to be done about this. I don't want my feelings to get in her way. It's better to walk away now and pretend that I didn't see them. Stay in control of your emotions, Ryo-chan". He smiled ruefully and decided to go the Cat's Eye cafe.

On reaching the Cat's Eye Cafe, he cheerfully greeted Miki and Kasumi, "Hi, Miki-chan! Hello, Kasumi-chan! You both look even more pretty when that octopus isn't around to block the view".
"Be careful, Saeba-san. Falcon is in the back and might be tempted to teach you a lesson for your stupid remarks", Miki said indifferently.
Ryo flexed his muscles playfully, "That sea monster is no match for me. Isn't that right, Kasumi-chan?"
Kasumi smiled nervously. She changed the topic, "I haven't seen Kaori-san this week, Saeba-san. Is she out of town?".
Ryo said, "I wish. She has gone shopping since afternoon. Said she will be back in the evening. How about we use this opportunity to go on a date, eh? You can come with us too, Miki-chan. It will be fun to not have the two ever-angry demons around"
He ducked right in time to avoid getting hit by a plate Umibozu threw his way. He teased, "Losing your edge, old octopus? You just gave Miki-chan a reason to dump you. Your skills are getting rusty".
Umibozu came out and snarled, "My skills are far better than you! And you are not a teenager either. You are getting older and more shameless!"
"Really?", Ryo pouted, "I don't know what you are talking about. I just turned 20 this year".
A dragon fly passed over Miki and Kasumi's head. Umibozu retorted, "Hmph. You are not getting any younger by lying. And you don't need to come here to bother the customers and ruin the business!"
Ryo said, "I don't have to do my part in scaring the customers. You do that well by standing there like a giant barrista"

Umibozu was about to hit Ryo again when the ringing bell indicated someone's entry in the cafe. It was Saeko. She waved at them,
"Hi. I was just passing by and thought I could have some coffee. Oh. You are here too, Ryo"
Ryo caught her off guard. He sighed heavily, "What is it, Saeko? You are not someone who passes by and gets the mood to have a coffee".
Saeko smiled, "You know me well, Ryo. I went to your appartment but you weren't there. And Kaori-san wasn't there too..."
Ryo mentally recorded, 'So she is still out. Probably with that guy'.

Saeko continued, "Now that we are clear, I need your help with security for an event. It's a classified event but trouble is sure to brew there".
Ryo tried not to think about Kaori. He asked Saeko, "What event?"
"It's an exhibition cum auction of valuables from expeditions at other countries. There is an adventurer who is putting all the stuff he collected on his travels for auction. He has a notorius rival who would like to take him down during the event. So that the event is cancelled and he can take his opponent out"
"If you know all this, then why can't your police force do something about it?"
"Because the information we got was extensive, but it wasn't from reliable sources. It's not strong enough to be a police case"
"Well, I'll do it. If you pay all the favours you owe me before the job!", Ryo leapt towards Saeko but she dodged him. She said with concern, "This time the payment will be in cash, Ryo. The businessman, Yamashita-san, who is hosting the event and venue has agreed to pay you well if you get the job done".
Ryo said warily, "Why are you serving as the middle?"
Saeko flipped her hair a little, "Because Yamashita-san is my father's close friend. It was my father's idea to get your help".

Ryo thought for a moment. "I will think about it and give you a call tomorrow"
Saeko said, "Very well. Call me after Kaori-san gives her..."
"Why is everyone talking about her today?!", Ryo cut Saeko off in the middle of her sentence and stormed out of the cafe. Everyone was surprised by this sudden outburst.
"What was that about?", Miki said. Saeko and Kasumi looked confused too. Umibozu smiled to himself,
'The pervert is probably having trouble hiding his feelings towards Kaori again. What a loser'

Ryo was sitting on a park bench, regretting that sudden explosion of emotions he had displayed at the Cat's Eye Cafe a while ago. This wasn't the first time Ryo had become jealous of someone else's proximity to Kaori. He remembered all those clients who had made advances towards her. Ryo's goofy exterior and sincerity towards his work never revealed his true feelings about complex matters like this one. But behind that cold demeanour was a man envious of those who could tell Kaori how they felt about her. To the world, Kaori was just Ryo's partner in work. But to Ryo, she was his saviour. Before she walked into his life, he truly was a heartless killer when the situation called for it. Slowly and steadily, Kaori's loving nature and her inability to hurt people on purpose affected Ryo as well. She managed his house, his work and pretty much all the important aspects of his life. Everything about her was so genuine and true that Ryo fell in love with her before he could stop himself. But he considered his love for her wrong on so many levels. She was his best friend's sister and he was supposed to take care of her. She was his partner and getting involved with her romantically would put her higher on his opponents' list who wanted to strike at his weak point. Little did they know that Kaori was more of a strength to him than an Achilles' heel. She was the only refuge for Ryo when he needed that warmth and the strength to go on. He wasn't just a survivor anymore. He was living life and trying to make the most out of everyday, with his beloved partner by his side.
'Time to drown my feelings in alcohol and focus my thoughts on the club dancers' bodies. This Kaori drives me crazy'

Previously that day, Kaori was walking along a not-so-crowded street. She had read an advertisement about a sale at the 21 store in another part of town. She was heading towards that store when some hillbillies whistled at her. She ignored them but one of them commented aloud, "Look at the ass on that babe! And her long sexy legs!"
The other one added, "Did you see her bust? She is quite something. Hey, baby! Care to join us for a ride?"
Kaori controlled her temptation to slap those bullies shut. She kept walking, 'I am almost there. Once there are enough people around, these morons will retreat'.
But one of them caught her by the arm, "What's the hurry, girl? Where you off to?"
The other one passed his hand over her sleeve, "Yeah. Let's have some..."
He was cut off with a kick to his jewels. Kaori hit the other one with her bag and started to walk away. But the jerks caught up with her and took hold of her.
"Let go off me, you creeps!"
"You think you can just waltz off after insulting us like that?! You have to pay, redhead", they tried to pull her in an alley.

Out of nowhere, a guy put a hand on the goon's shoulder, "Now, now. Is that the way to treat a lady? Hm. I don't think so". He was well dressed. He was holding his coat over his shoulder with one hand. He loosened his shirt's cuffs and rolled up his sleeves very calmly. Kaori looked at the guy while trying to get out of the mugger's hold. He was good-looking. His glasses seemed to sparkle in the afternoon sunlight. He had a little smile on his face. He was well built and had an air of gallantry around him. Overall, very charming. He looked at Kaori through the corner of his eyes and winked. Kaori blushed.

"Stay out of it, scu...", the bums tried to take the guy down. But he ducked and landed a swift blow to the fat one and a kick to the other one. He made one of them trip over and threw the other guy headlong into his partner. He wasn't done with them yet. Punches, knee jerks, slamming their heads into walls... the muggers finally gave up and took to their heels. The guy eased his sleeves and turned around to look at Kaori.
Kaori smiled gratefully and was about to thank him when he smiled at her,
"We meet again, Kaori-san".

*****BANTER TIME!*****

Ryo: So, your fic aims at making me confess what I feel for Kaori?
Me: Exactly.
Ryo: (nods seriously) Hmm. What kind of feelings are we talking about here?
Me: Love?
Ryo: (rolling on the floor and laughing hysterically) Bahahahaha! Why would I love that hammer swinging redhead?! That is hilarious!
Me: The act's over, Saeba-san. The curtains are up. Everyone knows that you love Kaori-san.
Ryo: (defensively) I don't.
Me: You do. And you are too scared to admit that you love her!
Ryo: (vehemently) What do you know about love?!
Me: (offended) How can you say that?! I have been loving you and Kaori-san for years!
Ryo: (crying fake tears of joy) You love me, writer-chan? I am deeply touched...
Me: I meant you and Ka... AAAAH! Don't touch me!
Ryo: (pervert mode on) We're lovers, right? Come to Ryo-chan, eh!
Me: AAAAARGHHHH! TASUKETE!