I don't own Rurouni Kenshin

Eh, this chapter feels a bit rushy rushy, but oh well. There will be a lot of mistakes since I didn't really looked over it a second time like I usually do, but I hope it isn't too unbearable.

Enjoy

Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter! It made me happy. :D

Since that day
I didn't know what to do about him
for some reason
my heart has rejected him

—Jealous by Dir en grey

Chapter 4

Kiss

Misao was in awe by the older woman, and she was sure that she was the kind of woman Aoshi wanted. If she became a graceful like her than maybe…

"Forget all notions of love," Seikou commanded bluntly. The younger girl stared at the older woman in shock; she never expected that phrase to come out of her lips, at least, not so soon. "To be a convincing geisha, you must train to be a true one. Real geisha's do not love. This is the first thing I must tell you since you are just beginning."

The reaction came immediately after the last word left her lips. "How do you expect me to forget about my Aoshi-sama! There is absolutely no way that I will be able to forget my love for him! There is just no way!" She slammed her fist against the ground in anger, and even Soujiro, who was across the room, could see it shake.

Misao was spared no mercy; Seikou grabbed her face and forced her to get closer, all the while her anger was much more subtle in her words. "You are my apprentice, so you will listen to everything I have to say. If I tell you not to eat, you will not eat. If I tell you to bleed, you will bleed. If I tell you to forget this Aoshi, then you will forget about that man. Do I make myself clear?" Her grip tightened with each word and the glare never left her eyes. Even when she was angry, she managed to make it look beautiful and graceful.

The said apprentice grated her teeth together and clenched her fist. The noise coming from her mouth wasn't one that could be ignored. Her eyes flared, but she kept herself in check. She had to do this, she just had to. She couldn't let anyone down, especially not Aoshi—not the Oniwabanshuu—she would make them proud.

"Perfectly clear, Seikou-sama."

"That will be your first task," she told her, satisfied with the answer, and quickly let go of the girl. "It will be for your own good you know. You will entertain men you do not like, that I can guarantee, but you absolutely must make him feel as if he if the most important man in the world to you. If you love another, you just won't be able to accomplish that task. Geisha's are believed to be mere objects to be looked upon, and because of this, you must act like a perfect doll."

Misao turned away from the woman in defiance, but she didn't say a word. She gripped at the area above her heart with a shaking hand. Would she be able to…? Could she learn to forget? Could she turn herself into a doll?

It was Soujiro who spoke. "How could you force yourself not to love someone?" he wondered out loud. Both women turned to him, and he only smiled sheepishly. "I was merely wondering. It seems that most people aren't able to just control their emotions like that." Even he couldn't keep unbidden emotions from arising even if they were better left forgotten.

"She will merely learn to deal with it," was the answer he was given. "Now, Misao, please come here." The now subdued Misao did as she was ordered, but she whispered something towards the woman as she stood in front of her. The way she held herself and stood all but screamed of obedience, but Misao wasn't able to bite back the defiance in her eyes.

"I will never be able to forget Aoshi-sama."

Seikou frowned, but there were no words spoken against it. She took hold of Misao's face once again, but this time it was much gentler than before. "Hmm," she murmured whilst examining the girl's face.

"Yes, you do have a pretty face," she commented and let go of her. Her hands slid down to feel her body, and she wouldn't allow it when Misao tried to move away from her hands. Misao's body was lithe and strong, but at the same time the childlike appearance made her appear fragile and weak.

"Hey! Who gives you the right to feel me up like that! I'm sorry, but I don't swing that way." Seikou gave an exasperated sigh, but she didn't remove her hands. Instead, they moved even more, feeling, judging her in the most critical of ways.

"I am merely checking your physique. You have a nice slim body, Misao; do not be ashamed of it. It must be because of all the exercise you get from training. You are a ninja correct?" The answer was a sharp nod, and Soujiro got up. "You still look like a young girl, tell me, how old are you?"

"I'm eighteen," she muttered disdainfully.

"Ah, no matter," Seikou replied. "We can use this to our advantage. In many ways, the younger you appear the better." Her hands moved down to Misao's hips and sudden Soujiro felt like this was something he should not see. It was like this was a forbidden scene placed before him. To say the least, it made him uncomfortable, and he gave a small cough with pink brushing his cheeks.

"I think I should leave," he spoke before moving out of the room a bit faster than expected. Seikou laughed at his embarrassment and turned back to the other girl. She took a hold of her hands, and the smile was wiped away from her face.

"You're hands are rough," she stated. Misao pulled them out of her own hands and turned away with a scowl. The earlier resentment still there and her own criticism arose without any thought.

"That's what happens when you train with weapons. I do more than dance around and look pretty." Her comment was met with a frown, and Seikou stepped away from the ninja. Her eyes lingered on Misao's form from the door in disappointment.

"Being a geisha is much harder than you would imagine," she sneered. "You shall see once I put you through the process, but if that is what you truly believe, then there is no way you will be able to make it. Think about what I told you today, and we will continue tomorrow." Misao scoffed at her retreating form and got up from her spot.

"I can't— I can never forget." She looked down at the kimono on her body with scorn and suddenly she felt like she was burning, betraying the Oniwabanshuu even. Misao was becoming a girl that she didn't recognize—changing for his sake when she truly wanted him to love her for merely being her.

She never noticed Soujiro standing at the door, watching her in one of her most vulnerable moments.

She quickly stripped herself of the offending clothes; the scorn she felt easing away from her as flesh was revealed. Each layer she took off felt like she was ripping away at the chance of becoming the woman that Aoshi would admire and love. Each piece of clothing felt like a piece of what they wanted her to become. She could never become the woman they wanted if it meant forgetting the one that she loved; if it meant becoming a different person.

Misao was completely bare to Soujiro in more than one way.

"Even if Aoshi-sama doesn't love me back," she let her words dissolve into the air, and with her mind swimming around each thought, she continued quietly. Soujiro struggled to hear her words. "I'm just a child to him…A little girl that he only puts up with because of a promise."

He didn't move from his place at the door—he was seeing what he wanted to, the real Misao Makimachi. Her name came upon his lips unconsciously, almost like a tiny little plea in her moment, but Misao was able to catch it. She turned to him, completely forgetting her nude state, and he could see the sadness that she felt. In her eyes, it looked so miserable, desolate even.

"What do you want?" she asked softly. He moved forward, his footsteps silent, but he never look down at her nude form. He only looked at her face and his hands settled on his own shirt. Her eyes widened in surprise when he slipped it off and draped it over her small shoulders. His hands lingered on her body, and the only thing she could do was stare when he secured it around her.

"You really have grown up, Misao-chan," he grinned. It was the soft touch that shattered the fragile moment; definitely unwanted, but, without a doubt, needed.

Misao couldn't say anything for a second, and it was all she could do but stare at him stupidly. "Wha—? Wait, you pervert!" she screamed, and the volume was more than enough to make up for her silence before. She jumped up and kicked his head as hard as she could, but the only thing Soujiro could do was laugh.

"It's not my fault that you were stripping in front of me for no reason at all." Another scream escaped from her lips, and she swung her fist at him in anger. He ducked and grabbed Misao's arm, easily flipping her over.

A groan of pain left her lips when her back made hard contact with the floor. He didn't allow her time to recover because he immediately dove on top of her; his legs pinned hers, his hands secured her arms above her, and the smile on his face drove her insane.

"Let me go!" she screamed as she tried to struggle out of his grasp. Everything she tried to do was futile, and it only served to amuse the boy on top of her even more.

"That's your greatest weakness, Misao-chan," he added her name in a teasing manner. At the sound of her name, she tried to buck him off, but it only earned her a snicker of amusement. "You allow your emotions control you. Even a novice could predict your movements at that rate. Being angry isn't very pleasant, Misao-chan."

"Anger? I'll show you anger!" She threw Soujiro off of her with much difficulty, and it was only successful because of her sheer determination and rage. "I'm gonna kick your ass!"

Misao threw a punch in his direction, but he was able to dodge it easily. The former Tenken grabbed her arm and flipped her over his shoulder. The younger girl screamed in frustration as she landed on her feet. Her eyes blazed with anger towards the older boy.

She aimed a kick at his head, screaming at the while, but Soujiro just ducked out of the way with a teasing smirk on his face. "I can see everything when you do that," he taunted. "Don't you remember that the only thing that you are wearing is my shirt?"

Misao growled and reached for her kunai, but she was only reminded of the fact that they were in the kimono that she had taken off. "I hate you!" she screamed. She didn't think as she ran up to him. She couldn't think as another punch was aimed at his chest. This time, Soujiro didn't try to dodge it. He didn't even wince at the impact, and she knew that he was showing her, just as Kenshin did.

"You're weak, Misao-chan," he stated emotionlessly. The smile only widened on his face, and his hand clutched onto her fist. "You let your emotions take over you. You don't even know how to attack or when to attack. You underestimate your opponent, and you overestimate your own skills."

A scream of pain left her lips once Soujiro's hand tightened against her wrist. His eyes flashed dangerously with the smile on his face, and the only word to describe him was maniacal. He twisted her arm and forced it behind her back; the single action Misao could take was to fall onto the ground when his knee forced itself onto her back.

"You lose," he whispered into her ear. Misao's tired panting was loud in the air, and he could feel the slickness of her skin.

Soujiro released her after a few moments of silence and walked out of the room without another word. "Don't walk away, you smiling freak! I'm going to kick you ass!" she screamed. Her legs wouldn't move as she commanded. She couldn't get up and go after him because he was right, she was weak. He didn't even break a sweat, and here she was, on the ground with sweat pooling out of every pore of her body, and unable to get up.

"Dammit!" she shrieked. Tears upon tears rolled down her face, and her fist pounded against the wooden floor. "Dammnit, dammnit, dmannit!" she chanted in frustration. Why did she have to be so weak?

She gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand. Her fist clenched themselves so hard that blood dripped down from her enclosed hand. With heavy steps, she made her way towards her clothes, cursing the smiling boy all the way. Misao's body felt so heavy, as if everything up until now were standing on her shoulders: the wasted years of her life for one man, the words he had spoken before he left, the mission she would have to complete, forgetting everything that she was, and, of course, the boy she had to work with.

He came back, watching her struggle on her feet. Soujiro never realized that the impact was really that hard. A towel was clutched in his hand, and the same cheerful smile never left his lips. He watched as Misao picked up her clothes, her hands rummaging for something inside them, and a flash caught his eye. "Even after you've lost, you still want to fight, huh? You definitely have determination," he chuckled.

The towel laid innocently on the ground beneath his feet, and in his hand was one of Misao's kunai. She looked at him with the said determination in her eyes, but it he wasn't the person she saw; in his place was a tall, blue eyed man.

She ran forward, her left kicking out towards him, and in her mind, she didn't care what he was able to see. He caught her foot and pushed her back, but it didn't do much to her. She only jumped away from him, and Soujiro laughed as he propelled himself forward. A stream of knives followed in his wake from above him.

She had to prove herself to be worthy. Misao Makimachi wasn't weak!

She landed on the floor with a loud thump, but she didn't have time to contemplate her next action because he was on her immediately. His fist lashed out at her, and she was barely able to move out of the way. Each movement she made was sloppy and predictable. Misao was only barely able to dodge or block his attacks. Soujiro's taunting blue eyes transformed to icy blue eyes, and unbidden tears wanted to make its way to her eyes, but she wouldn't allow them.

She tackled him, sent him to the ground with her sprawled over him; the image still fresh in her mind, haunting her, devouring her mentality even. The tears fell, for him, for herself, wishing, wanting, the old him back. Her mind and heart screamed out at her; Misao's fist raised, ready to attack, but she couldn't.

They came down in waves, the tears at least, seeing nothing but his emotionless eyes staring up at her. He didn't make a move, only stared at the grief-stricken face; the years all coming back to her, searching and waiting, and it was now all for nothing.

She had to forget. She needed to forget.

Soujiro leaned forward and brushed his hand against his cheek; the touch was softer than she imagined it to be. The tears, the forgotten attack, the anger, the sadness, the fight, the talk, the lack of clothing: it all got to him. He couldn't control his actions when he leaned forward and pressed his lips gently against her.

Misao didn't respond. Her body was frozen, and her eyes closed. Soujiro wasn't who she saw, and instead, Aoshi took his place. Her heart clenched in her chest, and her hands moved up to smooth across his shirt.

The kiss was nothing. It was merely just their lips lightly pressing against each other. There was no experience, no love, no passion, no emotion, nothing but sadness. Soujiro because he felt that he had to do it, and Misao because she saw a different man.

Reality had to settle into the two, and it was Soujiro who parted from the inexperienced girl. She didn't open her eyes; she simply held onto his shirt lightly, unwilling to let go. His voice came out softy, but she didn't hear his words. She could only hear his voice as it rumbled softy in her ear.

It wasn't the voice she wanted to hear.

Misao's eye opened, wishing to see the haunting blue eyes, but instead she was met with fake smiling ones. Her grip loosened against his shirt, her mind not comprehending that this was Soujiro and not Aoshi. His image was melting away and showing a face she didn't want to see.

She jumped away from her like she was burned. Her hands moved to her lips and remember that he was the one that stole her first kiss; the kiss that she was saving for Aoshi. The kiss that she though she was giving to Aoshi.

She never realized that she put no love in that kiss.

"Y-you kissed me!" she shouted, astounded by that simple fact. It felt like nothing when it did happened, but now, afterwards, her lips tingled pleasantly.

"I couldn't help it, Misao-chan," he answered cheerfully. The expression on his face didn't show how he felt. For the past two years of wondering, he found nothing that could answer his questions. Yes, he saw things in a different light, but he didn't feel anything. But now that she was there, in front of him, doing things that confused him… He could feel again, and he wasn't sure whether they were wanted or not.

"Don't call me that! We aren't friends, and how dare you kiss me! You stole my first kiss! I was saving that for Aoshi-sama!" she fumed. Misao tried not to led on how she was effected, and she didn't want to show just how shaken up she was by the fight and the kiss.

"I didn't see you complaining." Soujiro didn't seem to be able to learn when it came to Misao, but then again, she was never really able to do anything about what he would say.

"You— I… ARG!" she screamed, stomping out of the room and grabbed her bad along the way. Soujiro just chuckled and stood up himself. Unlike Misao, it wasn't just his lips that tingled, it was his entire body from the contact she had from him.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Misao stumbled down the road with a grumble. It was easy to move now that she was back into her ninja uniform. Everyone steered clear of her because of the red staining her face from anger—and of course, from the memory of that kiss, but that would just ruin the whole mood of this scene.

She didn't stop her grumblings until she was in front of the dojo, and she didn't even bother to make herself known; she just waltzed right in, red face and everything. "Misao! What are you doing here? I didn't know that you were going to come to visit," Kaoru said when she saw the ninja girl enter.

Misao forced a smile onto her face. "That's 'cause I'm on a mission! Though, right now I'm here to warn Kenshin about something. Where is he?" Kaoru shoot her a look that clearly stated, "You're not telling me everything," and pointed Misao into the direction she should go in, the dojo.

"Kenshin! Hey, Kenshin!" she screamed. Just as she opened the door and was ready to blurt out a warning about Soujiro, her eyes nearly flew out of her sockets. Right in front of her stood the boy that kissed her only an hour before.

"You!" she screamed, pointing at the smiling boy talking to Kenshin cheerfully. They both could see her face turning an even brighter shade of red by the memory of what they both had done.

"Hello, Misao-chan!" he chirped. Kenshin gave a similar greeting but was taken back by the anger shimmering in her eyes.

"What are you doing here you smiling freak?" she demanded. "Are you here to kill Kenshin? Huh? Are you trying to finish the job?"

"Oro?" the older man stated confusingly. In the mean time, Soujiro only gave her an amused glance.

"Actually, Misao-chan," he teased lightly, "I come to visit often." Misao's mighty glare proved that she didn't particularly believe him.

"Don't call me Misao-chan, dammit! And stop lying already! I know your plan," she growled up, stomping up to him like it would be more threatening. It didn't help, considering the fact that she was shorter than him.

"Oh?" he asked, snaking out a hand to stroke her cheek lovingly. She reeled back in shock and stumbled backwards. "The plan that you knew about before I did myself?"

"Oh! Why you… ARG!" she screamed for the lack of a better word.

"Ah, it's true Misao-dono," Kenshin reassured. "Soujiro just came to visit a few months ago. I'm surprised he came by again so soon." Misao's eye twitched, not in a "I'm only slightly annoyed" twitch, but a full out "I'M GOING TO KILL SOMEONE" twitch.

It's certain to say that Misao was not pleased.

To be Continued