A/N: hey! here's a little one-shot i wrote... hope u enjoy it! don't forget to review it!
Mr. Right, Thy Name Is?
Aoshi-Sama's weaselgirl
"No... Kenshin, you can't do this to me!"
"I'm sorry, Kaoru, I'm just not interested anymore..."
"Kenshin, darling, are you ready to leave?"
"Why, yes, Tomoe, I do believe my business is done here."
"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried.
But he was already gone.
"Kaoru?"
"Misao!"
"Kao, hun, what happened!"
"Kenshin left me..." she whined.
"What!"
"For Tomoe..."
"I can't believe this! Did you know that Aoshi dumped me today, too? For that tramp, Misanagi! And Sano! He ditched Megumi for that Sayo chick!" Misao
told her.
"Well, we all just suck at picking men, don't we?" Kaoru said.
"There you are!" Megumi came in, her face flushed red in anger. "I hear that Ken-san left you and Itachi here got dumped!"
"It's all true," Kaoru said quietly.
"Well, we aren't going to mope about it!" Megumi said.
"Kenshin was my FIANCEE. Do you really expect me to get over this quickly? I loved this man! I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him!" Kaoru
protested.
"Wanted to. That's past tense! Time to show these men that we can hold our own!" Misao added.
"Well... maybe you're right."
"Yeah! Now we just have to find really hot dates to take to that masquerade ball that Tae's having. I mean, we were all invited, right? And so were our exes? So we just have to show them that we can live without them!" Megumi planned.
"Oh, the possibilities..." Kaoru rubbed her hands together evilly.
"Hmmm, Kaoru, I know that Shigure-san was looking at you the other day... why don't you give him a call?" Misao suggested.
"I'll do that." She flipped her phone up and dialed the number.
"Shigure," she started sweetly. "By any chance would you want to have dinner with me tonight?"
"Of course, Kaoru-san! I'd love too!"
"Can you pick me up around seven?"
"I'll be there!"
"Great, see you then."
"Sounds like it's a go," Megumi observed.
"Sure is!"
"Great, now, Misao..." she paused, thinking. "How about Shiro-kun?"
"Oh, wouldn't that piss Aoshi off?"
"Give him a call," Megumi said. "Here, use my phone."
Five minutes later...
"Yatta! He says he'll pick me up at seven," Misao announced.
"Now, Megumi..." Kaoru said. "Okita. He's been flirting with you every chance he gets. Call him on it."
Another five minutes later...
"Around seven," Megumi stated calmly.
"Should we all go to the same place, since we're all getting picked up the same time?"
"Yeah, Akabeko?"
"Sure thing."
"I just happen to know that Kenshin and Tomoe like to go there," Kaoru said wickedly.
"The rooster wouldn't miss a free meal and Tae always provides."
"Aoshi likes his green tea, and he said that Tae makes it almost as good as I do."
"Akabeko it is then," Kaoru said, a smile playing on her face.
Somewhere around seven that night...
All three ladies walked into Akabeko with their dates. They had asked the owner, Tae, to make sure that they were all seated near each other, but not too far from there ex-boyfriends. Soon after Kaoru had started a flirtatious conversation with Shigure, Kenshin walked in with Tomoe. Noticing this, Kaoru made sure that she would cause a scene for him.
"Oh, Shigure..." She reached over and kissed him.
"Kenshin!" Tomoe called, looking at him. He was back by the previous table, glued to the floor as he watched Kaoru as she kissed Shigure.
"K-Kaoru?" he wondered aloud.
"K-Kaoru, that was... amazing. I'm so glad you finally accepted my offer to take you out," Shigure said as she broke the kiss.
"Hmm, glad to see SOMEONE appreciates me," she said, knowing that Kenshin was right behind her.
Misao sat at the table with Shiro, giggling at something he'd said. Aoshi and Misanagi were sitting at the table across from them.
"Shiro, I don't think I've ever heard anything so funny," she told him, wiping her eyes.
"Well, you just haven't gotten to know me as well as you could have," he told her in a heated whisper.
"I am now."
"Hmm, so you are."
He took her chin in his hands and gently kissed her.
"Aoshi!" Misanagi said to her date. "I think you've paid more attention to that table over there than you have to me or dinner all night!"
"I... ah, gomen nasai."
"Now, I said..."
"Misao, you should drink some water; you're breathing rather fast."
"I will. Thank you for caring. I'm glad to know that SOMEONE cares about me," she said loudly, knowing full what the seating arrangements were.
"Megumi, it is a pleasure to be dining with you," Okita said politely as he kissed her hand.
"I don't think I've ever had such a lovely time, Okita. It's nice not having to pay for dinner for once," she said, a little louder than needed.
Sano stopped eating his dinner and turned his head to see Megumi and Okita talking quietly, sometimes pausing to drink. Sayo observed.
"Sanosuke?"
"Hmmm?" he turned and looked at her.
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah..."
"Megumi, you're so beautiful..." Okita then engaged her in a sweet kiss.
"Mmmm, I'm happy to know SOMEONE here thinks so..." she said, licking her lips.
"Well ladies?"
"Shigure talks too much."
"Shiro doesn't talk enough."
"Okita doesn't know when to stop complimenting a girl."
"Then these men aren't going to work..." Kaoru said.
"It looks that way," Misao added.
"New boyfriend time," Megumi supplied.
"But who?"
"How about we just wait around? I mean, they saw us last night, already..." Misao suggested.
"Sure, that'll work..."
"Kamiya here."
"Kaoru-san! I realize that you're now single and I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me sometime?"
"Who's calling?"
"It's me. Enishi."
"Oh! I'd love to go out sometime. When?'
"How about a movie tonight?"
"Great!"
"I'll pick you up at eight."
"See you then."
"Bye."
"Misao."
"Sou! Where you been? It's been too long since I've last seen you!"
"Oh, well, I had some stuff to take care of, but I hear that you and Shinomori-san
have split up and I was wondering if you'd consider going to a movie with me," Soujiro asked hopefully.
"Of course! I'd love to Sou! How about tomorrow? I'm free around seven-thirty."
"Sure, I'll pick you up."
"Oh, and Sou?"
He turned around just as he was about to leave the little shop she worked at.
"Yes?"
And she pecked him on the cheek just as Aoshi walked by outside. "Don't be late," she said.
"I won't..."
"Megumi-san, your order's in," Shouzo said.
"Great," she said before handing it to the technician.
"Um, Megumi?" he asked a little cautiously.
"Yes?" she asked as she rang up the prescription for the patient.
"Would you like to go out with me sometime?"
"Ohohohoho! Shouzo, I'd love to."
"Umm, would tonight be okay?"
"Wonderful."
"Movie?"
"Around seven if you would."
"Great, Megumi, see you then."
Two days later...
"I think I have my date for the ball," Kaoru announced over lunch with her girlfriends.
"Me too!" Misao and Megumi said simultaneously.
"Great! You ready to knock 'em dead?" Megumi said.
"I know I am!" Misao said enthusiastically.
"Then let's do it!"
"Dresses, we still need to go shopping," Kaoru pointed out.
"She's right you know."
"All right! We all need new kimono's for this party, right?"
"Hai," they said.
"How about we just go get them now?"
"Good idea, let's do that," Misao said, standing up from her seat in the little coffee shop.
"Okay, coffee to go and kimono's for the ball!" Kaoru said, ordering their cappuccino.
Two hours, many kimono's, many dressing rooms, many makeup aisles later...
"My feet hurt!" Misao complained.
"Look, we only have to finish picking out nail polish to match our kimono's then we're set for the big day!" Megumi informed her.
"Great, now let's do it before I die of exhaustion," Misao said.
"I don't see how you can be complaining," Kaoru said. "We got our kimono's makeup and now our nail polish. The day was a total success."
"Okay, now let's go sit down before my feet fall off," Misao whined.
"Sure thing," Megumi said, distractedly. Sano was with Sayo in a dress shop not to far away...
"Sayo, which one do you want?"
"I don't know, they're all so beautiful," she spoke. "Which do you like?"
"That red one over there." He pointed to the one in the window.
Megumi saw red. That was the one she had wanted to get, but it had been too expensive for her wallet to stomach. She didn't get paid until next week.
"Then that's the one I want."
"I'll get it for you."
"Girls, we have our things, I think it's time to head back to Kaoru's to try everything on and paint our nails," Megumi said primly. Kaoru followed her gaze and understood at once.
"Yeah, let's go," she added.
"Okay," Misao agreed.
The Night Of Tae's Grand Ball
"Coming!" Kaoru called pleasantly, as she heard the doorbell ring.
She opened the door to see Enishi all ready to go. She smiled at him and invited him in.
"I'm almost ready! I just have to finish my hair," she told him.
"Take your time."
She ran into the bathroom and did a once over of her appearance. Royal blue kimono and light blue obi. She nodded her head in approval. Now what to do with her hair... She ended up leaving half of it down to hang down the length of her back, and pulled the other half up with a blue ribbon that matched her dress. Smiling at her finished image, she came out of the bathroom to inform Enishi that she was ready.
"Don't forget your mask, babe," he reminded her. "I brought one for you in the color you requested." He handed her a light blue mask and put another on his own face.
Ding-dong
"Oh, Sou, you have a key, come in!" Misao called as she pulled her hair up into aloose bun.
There was nothing she could do with her jagged bangs, so she let them stay around her face to serve as a sort of frame. Looking at her hair in the mirror, she pulled it out. Instead she put it in it's usual braid, and then pulled it back up into a make-shift bun.
"Sou? The masks are on the coffee table if you wanna grab those."
She pulled her jade colored obi tighter and walked out to finally see him.
"You look lovely, Misao," he told her.
"Thank you." She smiled.
"Here." He handed her the teal mask.
"I got a blue one for you, Sou," she said, handing it to him.
"Thank you."
"Shouzo, you're early," Megumi chided. "I still have to do my hair. I got your mask, did you get mine?"
"Yes." He took out the violet mask.
"Thank you." And then she turned around to go finish her hair.
'Hmmm,' she thought. 'How can I do this?' She always left her hair down and managed to look good so she decided to let it be. She had a gorgeous violet kimono on with a lavender obi. Perfect.
"Okay, are you ready to go, Shouzo?"
"You bet!"
"Then let's not leave everyone waiting!"
"Tomoe, how about we sit over there?" Kenshin suggested, pointing to a table.
"Sure."
"Enishi," Kaoru giggled as he spun her onto the dance floor. "I'm a lousy dancer!"
"So am I!"
Kenshin watched, completely un-amused as his ex-girlfriend had fun with his new girlfriend's brother. He turned to Tomoe and nudged her.
"Isn't that your brother?"
"Hmm? Oh, that is Enishi, isn't it?"
"Hey, Kenshin!" Sano called, Sayo in tow. "How's it going?"
"Fine."
"Hey, where's Jou-chan? I thought you two were still together."
"We're not," he said bluntly, his eyes taking an amber hue.
"Damn, shoulda told me before I started dating Sayo. I'd have gone out with her," he said before his girlfriend arrived.
"Sorry," he said icily. "But you were still going out with Megumi."
"Oh... Hey, look it's Ice Man... and the Itachi's no where to be seen."
"Sou, I'm gonna smack you if you do that again." They all turned to see Misao and Soujiro sitting together on a bench watching Kaoru and Enishi.
"Megumi, why don't we join Misao-san and her date?"
"Good idea. Itachi-chan looks a little bored with Soujiro and she's probably talking his ear off." Again they turned and saw Megumi this time.
"Wow... looks like our girls take no time finding new men," Sano observed.
"No," Kenshin agreed, watching as Enishi took hold of Kaoru's waist as he escorted her off the dance floor.
"Kenshin, dear, your eyes are changing color again," Tomoe told him.
"Really?" he snapped, looking at her.
"Yes."
"Hey, Kaoru, I want you to meet my sister."
"I believe we've already met," Kaoru said coldly. "She's dating my ex-fiancée."
"Youch," he said, wincing. "Then maybe we should just go dance some more."
"I think that's a great idea," she said, turning away while Kenshin gaped at her back.
"Oh, Ken-san, I didn't know you had a new girlfriend yet! I mean Kaoru was so broken up in those short thirty seconds before she started dating Shigure, I figured you'd be in the same state, only longer," Megumi said, managing to sound surprised.
"I was the one who broke the engagement, Megumi-dono," he said, his eyes flaring. "What about you and Sano?"
"Hmm? Oh, actually when he broke up with me, I had been planning on breaking up with him, and that made me so mad... Anyway, I'm dating Shouzo now. He knows how to treat a lady."
"Really...?" Sayo said in amazement.
"Yes, when we went to dinner, he either put it on his tab, or made me pay. Same with movies, plays, bowling, or just ordering pizza," she said acidly, her eyes flying to Sano.
"Aoshi." Misanagi arrived on the scene.
"Hai?"
"Can we go say hello to my friend, Yumi, over there." She pointed over to the bench where Misao was conversing with Soujiro and his friends, Shishio and his date who looked suspiciously like...
"Yumi?"
"Yes."
"All right..."
"Yumi! Hey!"
"Oh, Misanagi! Come over here! Have you met Makoto yet?" Yumi greeted enthusiastically.
"No, but you've talked about him so much..."
"And Sou-chan, and his date, Misao-san," Yumi introduced.
"Aoshi, didn't you know a Misao?" she whispered to him. Aoshi stood frozen as he watched Misao interact with Soujiro.
"Aoshi!"
"I don't believe we've met," Yumi said, standing up. "Nor do I think you've met Makoto, Sou, or Misao-san."
"I've met Aoshi," Misao interrupted. "Come on Sou, let's go before the boyfriend stealing bitch strikes again."
"Boyfriend stealing... oh!" Misanagi put two and two together. "That's the Misao you were dating?"
"Hai," he said quietly. "I'm going to go talk to Himura for a while. Wait here, will you?" She nodded her assent and he was on his way.
"Himura," he greeted.
"Aoshi."
"Sagara."
"Ice Man."
"Your women are here, too," Aoshi said.
"Ex-women," Kenshin corrected.
"Not in my book," Sano said. "I like Sayo, but her profession says no sex, and well... let's just the kitsune's a little more enthusiastic about that topic."
"How's it fairing with Misanagi?"
"She... dresses rather provocatively," he said. "What about Tomoe?"
"She's quiet. Reserved. Beautiful," Kenshin answered, watching Kaoru as he did so.
"She isn't as good looking as Jou-chan, if you ask me," Sano said.
"I know," Kenshin sighed.
"We shouldn't have dumped them. They knew how to play that game, and their kicking ass," Sano chuckled.
"No, really?" Aoshi asked, rolling his eyes.
"Should we... dump the ones we have now and ask if they'd consider taking us back?" Kenshin suggested.
"Umm, I don't know if Jou-chan would do it. Maybe if you're a really good kisser, because you'd have to beat that..." he pointed to Enishi and Kaoru who were trapped in a heated lip lock. Kenshin stared.
"Okay, I really hope that works out for you, I'm gonna go get my fox lady back," Sano said.
"Misao looks like she could use a kiss to cool down," Aoshi said.
"R-right..."
"Sayo?"
"Oh, Sanosuke, there's something I have to tell you."
"Me too. I, uh, can't see you anymore."
"You read my mind. I found my friend Shouzo here, and he has asked me out. Perhaps you should go find Megumi-san. He said she didn't take the news well," Sayo told him.
"Yeah."
"Megumi?"
"S-Sano!"
"I know I've been a little... stupid and... cheap, but would you consider taking me
back?"
"How could I? After I watched you treat her so much better than me. Paid for her dinners. Bought her things. Did you just not like me?" she asked, her eyes filling with tears.
"No! I just saw the error of my ways and decided to fix it..."
"So you dumped me to do it?"
"Oh, kit, I didn't deserve you. I thought you figured that out, but your the only one I could ever love..."
"Oh Sano!" She threw herself into his arms and plastered her lips to his.
"Misao?"
"Aoshi," she said clipped.
"I'd like to apologize."
"For what! Making a public spectacle of our break up! For breaking my heart in front of millions of people! For cheating on me? What on Earth would there be to apologize for!" she screamed.
"For everything. I never wanted to hurt you."
"But you did! Why don't you just go back to your girlfriend."
"She's met someone. Someone she likes better than me."
"Then we have something in common," she said coldly.
"Misao," he pleaded. "Hear me out. I still love you. I still want to be with you. It was stupid of me to break up with you."
"I... Aoshi, how can I? After all that's happened? Soujiro won't ever hurt me the way you did."
"Because you don't love him. Not the way you love me."
"I... Aoshi, how could I ever turn you down? I love you so much." She jumped into his arms.
"Kaoru, could I talk to you for a minute?"
"Kenshin? Shouldn't you be with Tomoe? I mean you had to be with her so bad you broke off a year and a half of engagement to," Kaoru pointed out coolly.
"Just for a moment? Please, I want to straighten things up," he pleaded.
"Straighten what up? You made it pretty clear the second after you ditched me, you were walking out with another woman."
Kenshin winced. 'She got me there...'
"Kaoru," he took a deep breath. "I broke up with Tomoe."
"Whaaat?"
"I... I realized too late that it wasn't her that I wanted at all. It was you I wanted all along, please..."
"Kenshin... I don't know if I can. You pretty much rubbed it in my face that you didn't want me at all. She's everything I'm not. Or did you forget that it was her you left me for!" she shouted.
"But I don't love her!" he yelled back. "I love you!"
"K-Kenshin..."
"Please... I'm begging you now. Please," he said. "Please."
"Oh Kenshin," she sighed. "How could I say no to you?"
Kenshin sighed in relief and pulled her into a tight hug before capturing her lips with his.
And They All Lived Happily Ever After