Misao stood in front of the mirror, looking from herself, to the book in her hand. "Okay, so…" she muttered to herself. "Slightly trip – then against the arm sort of… Right…" She glanced at herself then at the book, then tried to gracefully trip, while dropping down, as if she was steadying herself on someone's shoulder – while also giving them a great view down her top – plus perfume on the side of the neck. Pretty complicated stuff, but Misao was determined to try.
In theory, it would've worked. Instead, she rolled her ankle slightly, dropped the book and fell sideways, heavily onto the floor. "Shit, I hope no-one heard that." She muttered to herself and stood up, rubbing at her leg. "Owww… So – okay – that was wrong. Maybe…" she thought a while. "Not as sharply?" About to try it a again, she got ready, but there was a knock on her door.
She ran to open it, then blushed and quickly hid the book behind her back as she saw who it was. "Oh, hey, Aoshi-sama!"
"I heard something fall."
"Uh… That was…" she winced. "That was me. I fell. But like – on purpose. I'm okay, honestly."
He caught sight of her hiding something behind her back and peered over her shoulder. "…I see." He said. "Studying by application?"
Her laugh was slightly shaky. "Something like that."
"Do not let me disturb you." Aoshi nodded and turned. For a moment, he paused, his hand hovering over the shoji, about to close it. "Allow me to offer some advice. Unlike most things you have studied…" he said. "This… Is not as violent as martial arts. Slamming yourself into the floor will not prove useful – I do not think." Nodding at her, he added – "I… Wish you luck." He cleared his throat and left.
Misao covered her blushing face. Slammed into the floor… What did he think she was doing?! "You've got it absolutely wrong Aoshi-sama!" she yelled, then covered her face. She returned to 'studying' with a red face and an even larger determination. However, as she tried to repeat the falling – cute clumsiness thing (she had laid out a futon so she wouldn't seem as loud) she kept getting distracted by thoughts of Aoshi.
She decided to stop practicing for the time being and get some fresh air in the garden. She sat in the grass, leaning her head back against the fence and drew her knees to her chest. Did Aoshi find clumsiness cute and sexy? (Misao sure didn't think so – didn't he value precision?) Did he find innocence cute and sexy? (By 'innocence' meaning – 'knowing nothing about anything'.) What did he find cute and sexy? What if… What if he only liked tall, mature-looking and acting women that were the opposite of Misao in every way possible?! What if he didn't like all the qualities that she had, like-…
What qualities did she have, exactly? That thought gave her pause.
Misao frowned and sat down, beginning to list on her fingers. "One – martial arts. Two – cheerfulness. Three…" she paused. "My hair? It's long…" she shrugged, holding up the end of her braid and looking at it critically. "Four – I'm flexible?" she blushed as she thought further down that alley. "Uh, okay no – five… Five… I'm kinda strong, I guess?" she looked at her bicep and poked it. "Huh. Six… Six?" She put her hands over her face and leaned backwards with a frustrated sigh and a thump of her head against wood. "Ah - damn it! With this I'm gonna get nowhere!"
"Six – you remain completely unaware of your surroundings – which is oddly endearing."
With a start, she looked up and saw Aoshi standing beside her, leaning against the fence, his arms crossed. "A-Aoshi-sama?"
He glanced down at her. "Seven – you are uncharacteristically modest." She could've sworn, he smiled slightly. "It's rush hour down at the restaurant – your assistance is required." With that, he was gone.
All Misao could think as she shot up from her sitting position with a 'Yup – on it!' was – 'oddly endearing'? What was that supposed to mean?!