Disclaimer: I do NOT own RK, although I wish I do... Rurouni Kenshin is copyrighted to Nobuhiro Watsuki, Sony, Shuiesha Jump.

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"Oh please!" Megumi rolled her eyes. "Don't make me laugh."

"What?! You don't think I can do it, kitsune-onna?!"

"With a brain like yours, I doubt it!" Megumi sneered, fox ears appearing on her head.

"Wanna bet?"

Yahiko started laughing. "This is gonna be good!"

"Ano... Yahiko-kun..." Tsubame admonished.

"If I win," Sano smirked. "You'll have to go out with me for a week."

"And if Megumi wins?" Yahiko piped up.

"I'll be her slave for a month."

"Ohohohoho!" Megumi laughed. "It's a deal, slave."

Sano scowled. "The deal ain't over yet!"

"I don't have to know when it's over. It's obvious you'll lose."

"Oh yeah? Sez who?"

Yahiko shouted with laughter. "I'm with Megumi. With someone as baka as Kenshin, it'll take him years to get Busu to marry him."

Sano flashed a cocky smile. "Ha! You don't know who you're betting against, Yahiko-chan!"

"DON'T CALL ME CHAN!!!" And the head-gnawing began.

"Kowai..." Tsubame trembled.

Oro... tomorrow is Tanabata... Kenshin thought to himself. Last year's Tanabata was terrible for Kaoru-dono... Should I make it up to her?

"Oi! Kenshin!"

"Orooooooooo?!" Kenshin tripped over the basket of clean linen and got himself tangled in the clothesline.

"What are you planning for Tanabata?"

"A-ano... sessha..."

"Aww! Come on! Better ask Jou-chan out before Yahiko gets his great-grandkids!" he scowled as his hands began to close around Kenshin's neck, without Sano knowing it.

"Oro?! Sano... s-sessha..."

"Or do you think Kaoru'll be the one to make the move? She's not gonna wait forever," Sano continued, again cutting Kenshin off.

"Sano...! *choke*..."

"Well?! What are you going to do about it?"

"Sano! What are you doing to Kenshin?!" Kaoru cried, her hands on her hips.

Kenshin and Sano's gaze swung to her, and Kenshin's eyes widened and he sucked in his breath... well, what's left of it.

Kaoru had a beautiful red kimono on, with soft white flowers embroidered with gold threads. Her hair was free from the ties of her ribbon, flowing down her back like a dark curtain. Her lips had a soft rose color, and Kenshin had to fight down the urge to run to her, grab her by the head and kiss her. His gaze fell to her kimono, and his eyes bulged at the sight of the slightly opened collar.

"O...ro..." he choked out.

"Who? Me? I'm... ahhh... I..." Sano asked, panicked. She mustn't know! Then an idea hit him. "I'm making him a kimono for Tanabata!"

Sanosuke no baka! Kenshin thought, clawing at the hands on his neck. That was idiotic!! Help! Need air!!!

Kaoru's eyebrow went up. "A kimono?"

"Tasu... kete.. *choke* de... gozaru..."

"Then why are you choking him?!"

"The... uh... collar!" Sano said, tightening the gi around Kenshin's neck. "So his chest won't show."

Kenshin's face was turning blue. "O... *choke* ro..."

Kaoru rolled her eyes and threw the bokken leaning on the shoji, slamming it against Sano's head.

"OWW!!!" he released Kenshin.

"Baka! You're hurting him!"

"Geez, Jou-chan! Lay off the bokken for a day, will ya?"

Kaoru began to fuss over the red-haired swordsman, who was taking in great gulps of air. "You were hurting him! So why should I lay off the bokken?!"

Kenshin raised his eyes to find Kaoru's bosom at his eye level. He blushed and coughed. "Oro....."

"He didn't say I was hurting him! How should I know?!" Sano rushed over and knocked the rurouni down. "Not now, Kenshin..." he muttered. "Hentai..."

"Ororororo......"

Kaoru huffed. "You two sure are acting strange."

Sano left Kenshin to tend to his injured pride and marched to the Akabeko. He was going to win this bet even if it killed him. No way he's going to be Megumi's slave for a month!

So he went to see the person who wanted to get Kenshin and Kaoru together from the beginning.

Sekihara Tae.

"Ne, Sano-kun. I heard about the bet," she greeted him.

"Yeah..."

"Well, how did it go?"

Sano shrugged. "Jou-chan was there. I couldn't get Kenshin to propose just yet."

"Any bright ideas?"

"Nothing my mind could cook up."

Tae smirked. "So much for being a rooster, huh?"

"Oi!"

"Shhh...!!! Yahiko and Tsubame are outside! They'll hear you!"

"Sorry... So, could you help me out?"

"Well... I do have a trick..."

"Cool! What is it?" Sano asked eagerly.

Tae reached from behind her and revealed a timepiece. She dropped it on Sano's hand.

"Heh?" Sano asked, looking at the timepiece. "What's this?"

"Try hypnotizing him."

"Great! Uhh... how?"

Tae sighed impatiently. "I'll ask someone who MIGHT know."

"Who?"

"Megumi-san."

"NANI?!?!?!"

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A/N: Funny enough? I hope so. I have to thank Liv and Bluejay for helping me out with the comic factor.

I... hope it's not corny.

WAAAAAH!!!

Thanks to chibi-angel, and Gochan for the encouragement!

Chapters 3-5 have pretty much been planned and outlined, and I was laughing while Liv and I were working the outline. LOL!!!

And Allied Special Forces is looking lonely! Review!!! Please!!! Onegai!!! And this fic too!!!