Um…ok…wow. Wasn't expecting so many reviews. But I'm not complaining! Oh, and I don't like to offend people (that often, tee-hee!), but I had to use this line from 'Pretty Woman'. It's one of my fav lines and…yea…no offense to people who take offense to cuss words. I just happen to have a sailor's mouth…
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. Nor do I own 'Pretty Woman', from whom I borrowed the title of this chapter.
All In The Name Of Cement Shoes: "Cinda-Fuckin-Rella!"
"Are you senile, old man, or are you just naturally crazy?" Misao was on the brink of insanity herself. She had just been asked by the service staff of Aoshi Shinomori to marry their boss. To most, this would seem like an incredible deal – marry a bajillionaire and live happily ever after. Right? Wrong. There were many drawbacks to the entire plan. For instance, it is a known fact to all those who follow Aoshi's mere footsteps, that the man is a famous recluse. He spends most, if not all, of his free time in the office. To the adventure loving Misao, this was pure boredom. Life's too short to spend it all in front of papers. That was her motto and she was sticking to it. Also, there was no guarantee that Aoshi would automatically fall in love with Misao. She could try and try, until it made her blue in the face, and the millionaire could easily reject her. Plus, there was the itty-bitty detail of…THE LIE! Misao didn't know if she could live the rest of her life in a sham marriage.
These factors, plus a few little self-consciousness tidbits, were enough to put Misao's foot down in a distinct 'no'. Both maids were obviously distraught and had let known that they were upset of Misao's decision. Misao could only thank the heavens that all four of them were locked up in a bedroom where the rest of the staff could not hear them. Okina, however, was an entirely different story. The entire time the two girls stood arguing with Misao and trying to persuade her to marry Aoshi, the old man stood in the corner; his eyes thin slits of concentration. He was obviously plotting against the wedding planner, but Misao was too distracted by the salty trails made by Omasu and Okon, that she failed to notice the sly grin etched across his wrinkly features.
"A big check would have been given to you, isn't that right, Misao?" Three separate glares all shot in the same direction. Misao's oceanic orbs met Okina's wise ones. She nodded slowly. "And what exactly were you going to do with that money?" Misao was silent for a long while before Okina inquired again. It was an interrogation from hell itself.
"I was going to make a new life for myself and put a down payment on my dream home." This simple statement alone was enough to gain the servants' attention. Misao lowered her head in shame. She was already on a roll, might as well finish the story. "I thought that if I gained one high-profile couple, then the rest would follow and I could make a name for myself." Okina laid a gentle palm on her shoulder and smiled tenderly.
"If you marry Master Shinomori, you can get that house. You can get practically everything you wanted." Okina was making it difficult for Misao to say no once more. But he had a point. She could still be happy with her little house with its little driveway and its cute little garden. The offer was becoming more and more tempting by the second.
"Why me? There are other girls out there…I'm not…anything special." Omasu and Okon watched the elderly man take a seat beside the wedding planner and grasp her chin. She was still so innocent and Okina half wondered if she was forced to grow up when she didn't want to.
"Child, you're very special. I can feel it deep inside. All we want for Mr. Shinomori is happiness and you bring a certain light to the room." At the last comment, Misao's eyes began to twinkle with unshed tears. No one had told her that before. "And so what if you and Mr. Shinomori don't hit it off right away. You may gain a friendship out of it." Misao nodded in agreement and stuck her hand out towards the servants.
"It's a deal." Omasu and Okon jumped up in girlish glee, they're hands clapping and their voices reaching deafening pitches. Okina simply smiled and allowed the girls to prepare the future Mrs. Aoshi Shinomori for the night's party.
That Night…
It was a dream come true. Outside, a light snow had blanketed the earth in soft blanket. Inside, it was warm and toasty. Misao could hear fancy string instruments echoing downstairs and she sucked in deeply so that Omasu could tie off the corset of the 18th century dress Okina had picked out for the night's grand affair. If the young Misao had known that it was a costume party, she would have never agreed to the stupid thing. While Omasu fixed layer upon layer of material on Misao, Okon worked on her hair. There wasn't a whole lot to be done, for Okon envisioned a braided bun atop Misao's head. But the braid had a mind of its own and within the hour, both maids had completed their tasks.
"Ladies! I don't mean to rush, but our guests have arrived and are inpatient in awaiting the new fiancée of Mr. Shinomori!" Both maids grabbed Misao by an arm and flung her out into the hallway so that Okina could lead her into the extravagant ballroom. As soon as Misao had reached the stairway, she could feel her nerved climb to new peaks. She quickly ducked out of Okina's grip as he announced her presence. It was happening way to fast for Misao. She could only imagine the guest's faces, their smiles slowly fading when they realized that Misao was a simple city girl trying to make a name for herself in the area of weddings. She slowly slid backwards, her rear high up in the air and her instincts taking her towards the attic, where she could be alone and wait out the entire night.
Misao had only made it a few feet when her cushioned rump ran into something large and strong. She stood up to her full height, which wasn't that tall compared to the person behind her. Sucking in a deep gulp of air, the former wedding planner turned to meet the person she ran into. 'How do I introduce myself? Do I say Mrs. Shinomori…Ms. Misao Makimachi? What!' Misao's thoughts suddenly went to a screeching halt as soon as her eyes fell upon the most handsome man she had ever set sights on. He was definitely the Aoshi Shinomori Misao had seen in the tabloids and the numerous magazines. But now that he was face to face with her, he was absolutely…incredible. The length of his hair shadowed his icy eyes but given Misao's height, she could see straight up into them. He was, in one word, gorgeous. Words failed to come from Misao's mouth and she stumbled through her vocabulary to speak to him.
"Uh…um…I…hi. I was just..." He stared at her for a moment before leaning down to ear level. Misao shivered as his warm breath trickled down her neck as he spoke.
"Just because this marriage is arranged doesn't mean you don't have to respect the laws in public." He hastily pulled her by the arm and began a stealthy trip towards the main staircase. How did he know SHE was the new bride to be?
"But…I…what I mean is…wait!" Before she could go any further, the gazes of Aoshi's many guests became plastered upon his new fiancée. 'Oohs' and 'aahs' drifted throughout the room and Misao could feel her cheeks become hot with embarrassment. In the back of her mind, she could fully comprehend the sentences Aoshi was structuring around his new fiancée, but her subconscious had blocked him out completely. Her knees began to wobble like Jell-O and a swift dizziness swept through her entire body. The world was spinning around her yet she wasn't moving.
Okon and Omasu watched from the kitchen door as the guests accepted Misao with open arms. She was stiffer than a corpse, but they still welcomed her. They were smitten over her reddened features and taken aback by her innocent beauty. It was a dream come true. Both maids sighed in relief and smiled to themselves. It was a dream come true. That is, until they watched Misao fall to the floor in a heap of expensive fabric.
Short, yes. But it's setting you up for the big chapter! Yeah! That's it….