^.-

Dinner

*Kaoru's POV*

My first glimpse of Sano's mysterious friend was a striking sea of scarlet hair that danced from the crown of his head, far past his shoulders and out of sight. His posture was straight, yet his shoulders were relaxed, and though he was facing slightly away from us, I could see the soft curve of his right cheek being pushed upward by a wide smile. As Misao and I approached, he laughed at something Sano said, and its sound sang through my veins.

"We've arrived, darlings," Misao uttered dramatically once we got close enough, causing everyone to look over to us.

Sano rolled his eyes as he clapped a hand over his friend's shoulder, turning him slightly to face us. "Kenshin, my man- this is the insane weasel girl I've been telling you about-"

"Hi! I'm Misao!" she interrupted animatedly before darting over to her beloved's side and latching onto his arm.

Sano didn't skip a beat. "And this," he said, gesturing over to me, "is the Missy." He gave his friend a significant look, as if he had better hold his tongue or otherwise watch his privates.

His friend, however, had already locked his gaze with mine. Instead of meeting the typical chocolate or russet iris that was customary of nearly any other person I'd ever met, I was shocked to find a dark pupil surrounded by the color of ripe eggplant. That alone was enough to enrapture me, but then he bowed slightly, causing a mane of fire and embers to cascade around his shoulders. His eyes never left mine, and as he righted himself, he smiled sincerely. "I'm Kenshin," he greeted. His voice was low and warm, and its timbre washed over me, leaving behind a feeling akin to silk grazing over my arms and neck. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Swallowing, I bowed to him and grinned in return. "I'm Kaoru. It's nice to finally meet you, too."

One of the hostesses, having noticed that our party was now complete, bounced over to us and led us over to our reserved room. Kenshin's spell on me was immediately broken, and I was overcome with giddiness as my eyes roved over the restaurant. The best part was that each of the tables was either sectioned off by artfully placed screens or pieces of art, or were otherwise tucked away in private rooms. The atmosphere allowed for a bit more intimacy, and that was a good thing when a hyper Misao was involved.

The room was small, but seated us all comfortably. Dark walls, low lighting, and elegant paintings all contributed to the opulent ambience, yet the menu prices somehow managed to stay within reason. It was my favorite restaurant for special occasions, and I'd been mentally squealing ever since Megumi told me she had made the reservations.

The two couples sat beside each other easily, and without much hesitation, I smiled at Sano's childhood friend and plopped down next to him, turning slightly just to hook my purse's strap around the back of my chair.

"Sorry we're late," I explained, mostly to Megumi, who had been the first to lock eyes with me when I looked back up. Silently, I gestured toward Misao dramatically and earned myself two laughs and a grin.

"What?" Misao asked, pulling herself away from Aoshi.

"Nothing, darling," I told her. She merely shrugged, reached across to the center of the table, and locked onto a sugar packet with speed that I could never hope to match.

"Great!" she exclaimed as she tore open the packet, threw the sugar crystals down her throat, and eyed the jug that had been placed neatly off to the side on a low ledge. "Megs, you're a genius for preordering the sake. Whaddaya say we get on with some drinking games, eh?"

"THE TRUE GENIOUS!" Sano shouted, throwing his arms upward in glee. "Gettin' right down to business!"

Casting a sideward gaze at the newcomer, I muttered a warning under my breath. "She proclaims drinking games all the time, mostly to see how long it takes for Sano to become belligerent."

"I look forward to it," Kenshin said, almost like a challenge and a threat at the same time. His eyes gleamed and a smile crested his lips, causing me to grin despite myself.

"Alright!" Misao called out. "For starters, anyone to say the name of anyone else seated at this table has to drink!"

I snorted in response. "Rooster head, Fox, Weasel, and Glacier," I helpfully whispered to the newbie, gesturing to each of them. "Good luck, Red."

His laugh was warm and as it curled deep within my chest, I knew that we would become good friends.