Hiker…
(Day 2 - Morning)
It was early morning, around 6 o'clock as the sun had risen slightly, trying to warm the cold earth. Reasonable people would still be snuggled in their beds, not waking for at least another hour.
Aoshi and Kenshin walked down a small track, with their packs strapped to their back. Aoshi was silent, glancing around the place, remembering the many adventures he went on when he was at school and last year. Kenshin was leading the way having spoken to Tokio before they left a couple of weeks ago. All this unknown to Aoshi of course. Storm clouds were already building up; Aoshi knowing there would be a downpour by the early afternoon.
"So what are we helping Tokio with?" Aoshi finally spoke looking over at his short friend. Aoshi watched his hand come up to take the dark sunglasses away from his eyes and prop them on top of his head as he spoke.
"The usual, rock climbing, abseiling, rope course, traveling through the river, stuff like that. There is about 30 students and she is the only qualified instructor in the group. She has one of the teachers as well, but he knows nothing, so I thought we could help. We haven't seen Tokio for two years Aoshi; it would be lovely to see her again. I'm actually excited to see how she has been." Aoshi glanced down at his friend and then cast his head away looking over at the scenery.
"Yeah…me too…really thrilled." Aoshi replied dryly. Kenshin began chatting away in his normal gentle voice but Aoshi was only half listening. He could hear the excited shouts of young school students 100 meter's in front of them. Aoshi was scanning the area and stopped walking as he noticed a lone figure standing at the edge of the cliff on a large boulder. Aoshi's eyes traveled over her back looking at the petite young girl. She wore a baseball cap, her long blue-black hair glistening in the morning sun and was placed in a tight braid and falling past her pert bottom. She wore deep blue slacks and a long sleeved top stopping at her hips. Aoshi's eyes widened noticing her feet were bare! The ground had to be freezing and yet she didn't care at all.
"Aoshi?" Aoshi snapped his head around to face his smiling friend. Tokio was walking towards them from a small distance away; Aoshi's eyes having memorized her walk off by heart years ago.
"What have you been staring at?" Kenshin asked once more, while waving at Tokio who was shouting for them to come over. Aoshi turned his head back to where the young girl was standing to find…no one. Had he only been imaging things? Aoshi shook his head and began walking slowly up to Kenshin, who was already hugging Tokio.
"It is so lovely to see you two again." Tokio spoke breaking the hug between her and Kenshin. Her dark eyes turned up to look into guarded blue-green ones.
"How have you been Aoshi?" Tokio spoke in a gentle voice waiting for his one word answer.
"Fine…" Aoshi replied back. Tokio was about to speak once more but was interrupted by a very loud feminine voice.
"GET UP YOU BAKA ROOSTERHEAD!" Aoshi blinked a couple of times his head moving to a far away bivvie tent and watched a young schoolgirl with long black hair falling over her face bend down to place on her socks and sneakers. Other students had stopped packing up their things to listen to her mumble to herself.
"Meg-chan?" Aoshi spoke and began walking off ignoring Tokio and Kenshin. Students stared at him as he walked passed, some with spoons hanging out of their mouths as they quickly ate breakfast. As Aoshi silently moved closer to Megumi he could hear her angry mumbles about stupid roosterhead's. What was she on? Was running through Aoshi's mind and he squatted down his hand moving under her chin to lift up her head as he spoke.
"Still the same Meg-chan I remember." Aoshi watched her eyes widen in surprise and her lips form into a joyous smile.
"AOSHI!" She spoke loudly and happily, throwing her arms around his neck hugging him. She heard a soft quiet chuckle escape his throat as he hugged her back, his right hand patting her back lightly.
"What is all the noise?" Aoshi looked over Megumi's shoulder to see another teenager move out of his sleeping bag and headed towards them. His brown eyes narrowed at Aoshi as he was hugging Megumi. Aoshi felt the anger slowly rise in the young guy behind Megumi knowing he obviously had grown a liking to her. Aoshi watched silently as Megumi pulled away, that bright smile still on her face as she turned to speak to the young guy behind her.
"Sanosuke, this is my cousin Aoshi!" Aoshi watched with a hint of a smile on his face when Sanosuke placed his hand behind his head and chuckled nervous.
"C-Cousin…that's great!" Sano spoke a little too happily and received a strange stare from Megumi.
"What is with you this morning?" Megumi spoke, her eyes narrowing as Sano stood up waving her off and walked away going to get himself some food. She was totally clueless. Aoshi stared down at his cousin, her eyes still watching the teenage boy intently. A ghost of a smile crawled over Aoshi's lips when Megumi turned her face back to him, her cheeks turning a light pink at his intense stare.
"N-Nani?" Megumi stuttered out and received nothing in return as Aoshi stood up, Megumi going with him as she wrapped her arm around his waist and they headed over towards the friends she had made.
"Kaoru-chan, Souzou-kun, this is my cousin Aoshi." Aoshi received a smile from the young girl and a soft 'hello' while Souzou stopped his small bickering with Sano, giving him a two finger salute and then went back to bickering with Sano.
"Kaoru-chan, where did Misao-chan go now?" Megumi spoke looking around the wide span of students, softly talking, eating and packing up their things. Aoshi watched curiously as Kaoru bent her head in sadness; her voice quiet but Aoshi clearly heard her.
"She went for another walk by herself. She is probably thinking of her dad again. I hope she is alright…" Aoshi followed the sight of where Kaoru was looking and found it to be the pathway he and Kenshin had been walking on. Perhaps that young girl was this Misao?
"Does she wear a baseball cap and have really long blue-black hair?" Aoshi spoke in his soft deep voice, his head turning back to face Kaoru watching her eyes widen slightly but she nodded her head affirmatively.
"She is fine… I saw her when Kenshin and I were walking here." Aoshi watched the tension leave Kaoru's shoulders but then her eyes lifted up looking curiously up at him as she spoke once more.
"Kenshin?" Aoshi pointed behind him to the red head talking profusely to Tokio, always with that smile on his face. Aoshi's eyes glanced down at the young girl, her cheeks showing a bit of pink as she continued to stare openly at his best friend.
"I'll introduce you to Kenshin Kaoru-chan! He's so sweet!" Megumi spoke happily and grabbed her hand dragging her over towards Kenshin and Tokio. Aoshi watched along with Souzou and Sano as Megumi dragged Kaoru towards Kenshin, receiving a hug from him and then watched as his violet eyes turned to look down at the meek shy girl in front of him. Her hands where clasped nervously in front of her, her head lifting up as she spoke her greeting to him. A smile crossed Kenshin's lips, making Kaoru blush a bit more in complete embarrassment. Aoshi turned around hearing the loud laughing of Souzou and Sano at the way Kaoru was acting.
"What's so funny?" A soft voice spoke behind Aoshi and he turned around to stare over at deep blue eyes. They weren't staring at him, but rather her two laughing friends. Her long braid swung behind her and Aoshi looked down noticing she had placed on her sneakers. Sano stopped laughing gaining his breath back as he finally spoke.
"Kaoru's got a crush on Tokio-san's friend Kenshin. Look at her!" He spoke loudly, everyone staring over at Kaoru, Tokio and Kenshin. Misao glanced her eyes in the direction of where Sano was pointing but they stopped on a tall figure, her eyes moving further up to stare into semi-hidden blue-green ones. Misao's breath caught in her throat…he was staring silently at her.
"Oh, this is Aoshi, kitsune's cousin." Sano spoke his mouth fall of cereal as he finally decided he'd embarrassed Kaoru enough for the moment.
"He and Kenshin over there have come to help Tokio-san take us through the rope course today. They'll be here for a few days helping us with the rock climbing, abseiling and walking through the river and making some sort of raft or something." Souzou filled Misao in on what she had missed since she walked off by herself as she always did. Souzou cleared his throat, slightly choking on an apple and stood up dusting some dirt away from his pants and spoke once more.
"Aoshi this is our friend Misao-chan, Misao-chan this is Megumi-chan's cousin Aoshi." Introductions were over with a Souzou went back to a small bickering with Sano as to who was going to eat the last apple. Misao and Aoshi stared at each other for a few seconds, both pairs of eyes scanning the other. Aoshi mentally noted Misao looked pretty good for a school girl and her clothes, although slightly baggy, complimented her figure nicely and made her eyes sparkle brightly. As Aoshi stared silently into Misao's eyes hers left his quickly checking the older man in front of her. He wore all black, trousers, pants and jumper…even his shoes, Misao had noted. His hair was jet-black and shone like silk in the sun, his long bangs falling into his eyes. Them being the only colour he had and she gulped down the lump in her throat as they held her gaze now and were so intense, so many emotions hidden within. Both of them were snapped out of their staring contest when Tokio blew a whistle wanting to gather all the students around.
"Hey Misao-chan, hurry up!" Sano bellowed and Misao hurried off heading towards him as Aoshi walked slowly behind her heading for the front area to stand next to a smiling Kenshin.
"Today we'll be walking further, so please make sure you have packed everything up." There were a couple of groans and small whispers coming from students not wanting to walk anymore. Misao stared over at Kaoru wandering why she hadn't complained yet but found her gaze focused on something…or rather someone else. Misao looked in the direction to see her blue eyes were focused on a short red headed man standing in the middle of Aoshi and Tokio-san. A cunning smile crossed Misao's lips as she jabbed Kaoru in the side and whispered softly in her ear.
"Do I detect this trip has just gotten a lot better for you Kaoru-chan?" Kaoru's eyes stared widely over at Misao's, a blush falling onto her cheeks making Misao giggle. Misao turned her gaze to Souzou who was smiling at her, a plan forming in his head on wanting to make sure wherever Kenshin was, Kaoru was close by.
"These two men, Kenshin and Aoshi, will be helping us for the next 3 days. Today is the rope course as you know and so they'll be giving you and myself a helping hand. Please make them fill welcome and if you have any questions do ask now before we head off."
"Have you been hiking for long?" One of the boys spoke and Kenshin smiled happy to answer any of the questions, as Aoshi stood to the side, his hands in his trouser pockets not saying a word.
"Aoshi and I have been camping up here for about two weeks now, but I became interested when I was 12 thanks to Aoshi, but he has been doing this ever since he was a small child."
"Dou you go to university? How old are you?" Two girls spoke simultaneously. Kenshin gave them his small smile, watching as they blushed lightly, but he kindly answered their questions once more.
"Aoshi and I are both 19 and we do part time university, so we may come hiking every now and then."
"Do you have girlfriends?" Another young girl spoke, all eyes turning to face her, but she stood there waiting for an answer with hands on hips.
"I think its time to go now." Tokio spoke heading off and speaking to various students to tell them to clean and wash up and pack their things away. Aoshi observed as the 30 students split up into their bivvie groups heading for the area they slept in and watched as Misao turned around slowly following behind a fuming Kaoru and a bickering Sano and Megumi. Aoshi's eyes narrowed when Souzou raced up, his arm wrapping around Misao's shoulders as he spoke softly into her ear and Misao responded, an arm wrapping around his waist. Aoshi blinked once and found Kenshin staring up at him, his index finger pointing up and in between his eyes.
"You found someone interesting didn't you?" He spoke, a smile forming on his lips once more. Aoshi's face was totally blank, no emotions coming through as he spoke directly back, his eyes never leaving Kenshin's violet ones as his index finger came down pointing at him.
"You mean YOU found someone interesting. Kaoru is quite pretty for a high school girl." Aoshi picked up his pack and turned around walking off, a hint of a smirk on his lips at the flushed look on his best friends cheeks.
Aoshi placed his pack on the ground beside him once more and leaned against a large tree. His arms were folded over his chest; one ankle crossed lightly over the other as he observed the students shouting to their friends making sure they had everything. A cool breeze picked up swirling Aoshi's black hair around, making his long bangs lift away from his eyes.
"Why take so much?" Aoshi mumbled out watching one of the young girls try to lift her pack onto her back nearly toppling over if it weren't for Tokio who was standing by with Kenshin to catch her.
"You can't talk." Aoshi's head snapped up hearing that voice once more. He stood from the tree trunk and peered around the tree to see Misao sitting on the ground, her pack beside her and she seemed to be twirling some necklace between her fingers as she stared down the road. How had he not sensed her presence? He was obviously not paying attention.
"At least I have the strength to carry mine." Aoshi spoke moving around the tree and squatting near Misao, but not close enough to make her feel uncomfortable. His fingers picked up a small stone, rolling it around in his skilled hands. His eyes glanced over to see Misao was staring at him.
"Besides, I still have another two weeks out here." Aoshi watched the side of Misao's lips curve up into a lob-sided grin at what he said. He watched her fingers stop toying with the necklace as she placed the silver locket and chain back into her front pocket. Misao's eyes turned to look at Aoshi once more as he lifted her pack with a couple of fingers testing its weight.
"Very smart girl." Aoshi spoke to himself but had voiced it out loud. He watched in surprise, although it never appeared on his face as Misao stood up, snatching her pack from him, her finger pointing down at him as she spoke once more before walking off.
"Don't think of me as some small child or idiot who doesn't know about camping or hiking. I have been doing this every since I were a child and don't need anyone's help." Aoshi stood up watching Misao walk away, a small smile crossing his lips at her determined strides. He watched as she stopped, half turning around to look back at him and Aoshi gave her a quick salute as though silently obeying her request that she can take care of herself. Misao's cheeks turned pink at what Aoshi did and she could see that small smirk on his lips, which got her heart pounding in her chest. Misao turned hurriedly back around running off towards her friends, Aoshi's smile growing a little knowing he truly did have an effect on Misao.
* * * *
"Oh my…" Kaoru spoke as she, Megumi, Souzou and Sano finally reached the area where the ropes course was being held. Students mumbled to themselves and to their friends as their eyes stared up at the rope course in sets of trees. It wasn't rope that hung from them, but very strong wire about an inch thick. Misao turned her head away from the course as she began listening to Tokio, as did everyone else. She moved to the beginning of the course climbing rocks to get to the first tree. She had a harness around her waist making sure she was safe and clipped herself onto the strong climbing rope, which was over the wire, she would grab onto to take her across the next tree. As Tokio spoke while she was demonstrating what to do as she fairly cruised through the first section, which was about 6 meters long. Kenshin was her spotter, as he too was attached to the rope, him being there because if Tokio slipped she wouldn't go far because Kenshin was attached to her even though he was on the ground.
"Now once you reach the second tree, lean against it and unclip yourself so you may clip onto the next rope and then continue moving across." Every student listened; the guys becoming more and more excited while some girls started freaking out because of the height distance between them and the ground.
"Now when you get half way, you must turn around…like so or else you'll get stuck and can't go to the next tree. This tree is where you may lean against and have a small rest like I am doing right now." Tokio spoke once more, unclipping herself watching as Kenshin did the same moving to the rope securing his harness to it and looking up watching Tokio do the same. Her right leg was placed on the wires she had just come from while her left was on the one she get to come to the end. All students followed as Tokio spoke some more telling them there was no need to rush through it and the best was coming to the end.
"Wow…" Misao heard her classmates mumble as Tokio climbed up the tree a little further and sat crouched in a 'Y' section and unclipped herself from Kenshin making sure she was secure and harnessed to what looked like a huge flying fox.
"Now this is how you get down." Students watched with excitement, as did Misao when Tokio wrapped her arms in a strap and flew down the rope heading for the ground. At the force she swung back going a quarter way back up but slowed down once more and hung from the air. Kenshin brought over a ladder which had been brought just for this course and everyone watched Tokio take her hands away and unclip herself getting back down to the ground.
"If you let go of the strap at the force of being pulled back, don't panic, you won't fall okay? Once you are finished, please head back over towards the tree so the next person behind you may have it." She watched as the grade 10 class nodded their heads.
"If you are scared, myself or Kenshin will walk beside you, encouraging you to continue on. Now who wants to go?" Tokio smiled as there were a lot of shouts of 'me, me, me'. She laughed lightly and spoke once more.
"Please divide yourself up, pairing with someone who can hold your weight." Aoshi, Kenshin and Sano watched as the guys offered the females their weight knowing they could hold them…or hoped they could. Out of the corner of Aoshi's right eye Misao's little group got together working out who was going to take whom.
"Sano I can hold your weight and the girls as can you, so I think we're right." Souzou spoke giving his friends a cocky grin. Misao stood a bit behind them a smile crossing her lips, her excitement rising at what they were about to do. She watched as Soujiro got up first, Tokio walking with him as he was tied to her. She encouraged him on as he blasted through the first section and changed to the next lot. Kenshin walked with another pair of male students who could go across since Soujiro was finished with the first rope course section.
* * * *
An hour had passed, storm clouds rolling in faster and finally it was time for Megumi to go across with Sano being her "spotter". Misao and Souzou had pretended they would be next making Sano take Megumi. So it was a small lie, but they smiled proudly at each other when they heard Sano say he wouldn't let her fall.
"Hey Misao you want to be my anchor?" Souzou spoke looking down at Misao. She blinked up at him and replied to his question.
"You know I can't hold your weight…but what the hell, lets go." Misao spoke and watched as Souzou made his way up the rocks heading for the first tree.
"If you fall Souzou, don't expect me to save you cause you'll be down here while I'm up there." Misao joked lightly and he saluted down to her and headed across the first wire. Aoshi was just finished with one of the female girls and made his way over towards Kenshin who was watching Sano and Megumi have a little bicker while she was walking across the last wire to get to the flying fox. She was doing pretty well for living in the city for her entire life.
"Aoshi…that doesn't look good." Kenshin spoke his hand pointing over towards Misao and Souzou. Aoshi eyes squinted slightly, knowing something was wrong and something was going to happen. Souzou wasn't concentrating hard enough and Misao was struggling as she kept saying 'I need more slack from the rope' as she was already on her tiptoes. In a blink of an eye, Aoshi was over there his left arm wrapping around Misao's waist as she lifted off the ground, Souzou slipping off the wire. Misao's head snapped down looking at blue-green eyes and watched as Aoshi's right hand came up twisting around the rope and he spoke once to Misao.
"Unclasp yourself." Misao did just that watching Aoshi's face tighten as he held Souzou's weight with his right wrist. He let go of Misao, watching her land silently on the ground and he grabbed the clip, clasping it to his harness.
"Get up Souzou, its okay now." Aoshi spoke untying his wrist from around the rope and placing it to his side, red and raw from rope burn, some of the skin coming off.
"That was very stupid of the both of you." Aoshi was waiting for some comment from Misao or Souzou but received none as they bowed their heads in shame. Souzou kept moving going through the rest of the course silently. Aoshi turned his head around to face a very silent Misao.
"Kaoru will be going up next. Kenshin is her anchor, but you should encourage her to keep going from afar."
"Hai…" Misao mumbled walking away and Aoshi kept walking when he felt a tug, Souzou indicating he wanted to continue on. The students that had finished where sitting or leaning against their packs and talking amongst themselves and watching Souzou cruise towards the flying fox. Aoshi walked off letting Souzou do the rest and heard his "WOOHOO" as he jumped from the tree going faster down the flying fox.
Aoshi made his way over to help Sano go through the course but stopped when he heard a small sob from above. Kaoru was on the third tree, heading for the last wire but she was shaking her head profusely and screaming she couldn't go any further. It appeared her feet had grown like lead weights, Kaoru's fear of heights finally making itself known.
"Kaoru you can continue, nothing will happen, I won't let you fall." Kenshin tried reasoning with the stubborn and rather scared girl in the trees. Aoshi stepped a little closer noticing her hands were deathly pale as she gripped the wires thinking she was going to fall off and die. Out of the corner of Aoshi's eye he could see Misao standing a little further back, her eyes wide and filled with worry for her friend. To Aoshi's utter amazement his eyes opened wider as Misao fisted her hands yelling Kaoru's name and running straight for Kenshin's back!
"MISAO DON'T!" Aoshi yelled and watched as Kenshin turned slightly around to see Misao running straight for him. He knew she was going to jump up and bent his knee letting her jump on it and then onto his shoulder. She headed straight for the tree trunk, to kick it to try and give herself more leverage but she only just reached the foot wire grabbing onto it with both hands and dangling about 10 to 12 meters from the ground.
"Misao what are you doing?" Kaoru spoke through her tears watching her best friend hang from the wire with no ropes.
"Kaoru…Kaoru you can do it! I know you can! You can do anything…" Misao puffed slightly as she tried gripping more tightly, the wire cutting into her skin. Her face cringed slightly at the pain in her hands but she still kept gripping it and spoke desperately once more.
"Your strong Kaoru…you can get through anything! Especially something as simple as this!" A squeal left Misao's lips as her hands slipped away from the wire as she fell towards the ground.
"MISAOOOOOOO!" Kaoru yelled, but blinked in surprise as a flash of black leapt into the air catching Misao and landing softly on the ground in a crouch position. Misao's hands were fisted tightly in her lap and her eyes opened to stare up into worried blue-green eyes. She was cradled against Aoshi's broad chest. He had saved her…
"Misao! Are you okay?" Misao's head lifted up, Kaoru looking down at her and she smiled making Kaoru's shoulders loose a little tension. Misao's head turned back around watching the wind blow Aoshi's long bangs around letting her see his entire handsome face. Misao snapped away from his gaze her hands pushing on his shoulders getting out of his embrace. Aoshi not expecting this, fell on his butt, his elbows holding himself up as he watched Misao race off heading for the rocks. Souzou was there being her anchor as Misao cruised through the first section of the wire and was now standing in front of Kaoru; her legs spread one on each wire as she spoke to Kaoru, her hands too gripping the wire, but bloody from being cut.
"Kaoru…I'll follow you okay? I'll make sure you get across. You saw the flying fox didn't you? You're nearly there and it will be heaps fun I promise." Misao spoke and watched a red eyed Kaoru nod her head. Aoshi was still lying on the ground watching this but finally got up when Tokio moved over, her eyes wide not believing that so many things were going wrong. Aoshi dusted himself off watching along with all the students as Kaoru began walking across the last wire with encouragement coming from Kenshin and Misao. Misao watched as Kaoru was literally shaking the wire at being so frightened and Misao unclasped herself from Souzou and began going across the wire heading for Kaoru and leaving a small trail of blood as she went.
"Misao get back to the tree!" Kaoru yelled hysterically watching Misao's pained face grow as she kept walking across getting closer to Kaoru. Tokio stepped forward ready to yell a request as well but stopped when Aoshi placed a hand on her shoulder silently telling her not to do it. Students had gotten up; racing over, helping Kaoru to keep going and she smiled down at them and decided to continue. Misao followed as well and helped Kaoru get into the 'Y' section of the tree and placing her hands on the strap letting her go to the ground.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Kaoru yelled all the way down and Aoshi jogged over, as did Kenshin as he climbed the ladder getting her down to the ground. Kenshin got off the ladder and watched as Kaoru divided into the comforting arms of Megumi. She was sniffling lightly but her head snapped up as she was receiving claps from her fellow classmates, Tokio and Kenshin for being so brave. She blushed embarrassed, wiping her eyes and looking over at the tree. Misao was crouched there, her arms raised as she held onto the now bloody straps of the flying fox as Souzou had raced over and dragged it back up to the tree. Misao jumped away from the tree, her face scrunched as she clenched her teeth not wanting to scream.
"MISAO!" Kaoru yelled watching Misao face cringe and the blood seep from her hands onto the beige strap. The flying fox jerked her back up, her hand loosing their grip and so she dangled from her wrists gaining rope burn. Everybody watched as Misao finally came to a stop, her head bowed and her body slack. Aoshi moved forward, grabbing the ladder and climbing it to look at Misao. Her eyes were tightly closed, the blood from her cuts drifting past her wrists and staining her blue long sleeved top as she hung there like a rag doll. Misao's eyes opened when she felt a hand move around her waist holding her and another taking her injured hands out of the straps. Her blurry image made out a figure dressed in all black. Aoshi's hands went under Misao's armpits to place her weak feet on the top step of the ladder.
"Is Kaoru-chan okay?" Misao mumbled softly, her hands dropping over Aoshi's shoulders and her head falling on his right shoulder as she whispered that into his ear. Aoshi picked Misao up and jumped softly to the ground heading for his pack to get his first aid package.
"She'll be fine Misao." Aoshi set her down under a tree, opening his pack up and unzipping his first aid kit grabbing some gloves and placing them on. Aoshi examined Misao's hands with profession and began cleaning them with some water Tokio had brought over. Students stood behind him, but Kenshin made them move back a little. Aoshi's eyes glanced up at Misao every now and then to see her face cringed, the disinfectant really stinging her cuts.
"Itai…" Aoshi heard Misao whisper through clenched teeth. Aoshi finished dressing Misao's wounds and wrapping them up.
"They'll heal quickly." Aoshi spoke softly taking off his gloves and throwing them in a plastic bag. He could feel Misao staring silently at him, peering over her bandaged hands as she looked between him and them.
"They…feel numb…" Misao spoke softly and a little sleepy too. Aoshi's head turned her way speaking once more.
"Good…it is working then." Aoshi got up, Misao following him but stumbling slightly on her weak legs. Aoshi's arms caught her shoulders, her face turning up to stare into his eyes, her cheeks colouring ever so slightly at being so close to him. Misao stepped away becoming embarrassed herself, since everyone was watching her and spoke her question.
"What is it?" She watched Aoshi give her a small smirk and he replied back.
"Family secret… Tokio you should be walking now to get to the next camping area. It will begin to rain soon." Aoshi had spoken turning to face Tokio. She nodded her head and walked off with the students to grab their packs and place on their rain coats just in case Aoshi was right in thinking it was going to rain.
"Misao-chan…gomen nasai…" Kaoru spoke softly walking over to Misao, her hands clasped together in front of her.
"Iie Kaoru-chan, I'll do that for any of you." Misao spoke her eyes sparkling as she stared around her group of friends. Aoshi watched her friends race up to her asking her how she was and if she needed any help.
"Didn't know you could jump so high weasel." Sano spoke and Aoshi watched, a small chuckle escaping his lips as Megumi smacked him over the head yelling a loud 'BAKA!' Aoshi began walking off heading for Kenshin who was placing his pack on a talking to Tokio.
"Aoshi-san?" Aoshi turned around hearing Misao call him so formally. She had a right smile on her face, her friends standing around her smiling happily as well and she spoke once more.
"Arigatoo gozaimasu." Aoshi closed his eyes, bowing his head slightly in recognition at her thanks and turned around walking off not saying a single thing. All students gathered around and walked between Tokio, who was leading the way, Kenshin who was in the middle politely speaking to the male students and Aoshi, whom, offered to be at the back making sure no one strayed behind. Aoshi was walking casually behind Souzou and Misao as they softly chatted away to themselves, Aoshi's ears picking something up about Sano and Megumi ever now and then. Somehow in the walking Megumi and Sano had broken off to walk further ahead and Kaoru broke off to walk in the middle and to have a huge conversation with Kenshin.
"SOUZOU WAIT FOR ME!" Aoshi snapped out of his thoughts as he watched Misao's friend high tail it away from her, heading for the front. She had taken her pack off and was taking a sip of water.
"I can keep you company Misao." Aoshi spoke walking up to her. Her eyes tuned up to look at him, her cheeks pink from trying to keep up with the rest of the class. They tablets she had taken were making her feel drowsy but she stubbornly kept walking, wanting to stay with everyone.
"I know where we are headed, so you can walk at your own pace." Aoshi spoke once more, picking up Misao's pack and placing it over her shoulders. She gave him a small smile, reaching into his heart, but Misao not realising this and they both kept walking, lightning and thunder rolling though the darkened sky.
A few minutes passed, both Misao and Aoshi drenched from the downpour as both had not bothered to place on a raincoat. Aoshi glanced down, an eyebrow raising up as Misao was fiddling with the end of her braided hair. Aoshi heard Misao clear her throat as though ready to say something.
"So…do you have a girlfriend Aoshi?" That was definitely not what Aoshi was thinking she was going to ask. Her cheeks were pinker having blurted out such a private question but Aoshi kept walking, his hand reaching up to brush his wet bangs away as he mumbled out…
"Iie…" Unknown to him though as he stared in the opposite direction, a secretive smile crossed Misao's lips, her shoulders relaxing t hearing him say that. He blue eyes glanced up at him through her wet bangs to get a profile look of him. Her heartbeat sped up, she had been wrong. He wasn't handsome…he was down right gorgeous! Misao's eyes glanced down once more and noticed the redness of Aoshi's right wrist. Misao remembering this from when her and Souzou weren't thinking properly and this is what had happened. Small blood marks where around his wrist, the thin skin being ripped off by the rope. Misao brought out her left hand, her fingers brushing over his wrist, Aoshi stopping in his walking to look down at her, his own heart speeding up at her soft caress.
"I'm sorry we acted so stupidly and this happened." Aoshi let out a shuddering breath as Misao's small hand clasped his larger one. Although she was blushing brightly now, her eyes never lifting up to met his she kept walking, her hand never letting go of his.
"I've had worse Misao…it is okay…and thank you…" Aoshi mumbled back, his face turning away in embarrassment. His jaw tightened when Misao's hand closed his more firmly now, making sure she wouldn't loose his. Both of them kept walking in silence now, both not knowing what to say. Misao becoming shy, still shocked at the way she openly clutched his hand to hers and as for Aoshi he was silently relishing the small touch from the young woman beside him.
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To be continued…
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Author's Notes: I hope everyone got the general idea on what was happening… I think there will be a lot more chapters coming up, I haven't done the evening of day 2 yet…this was already long enough. Sometimes there will be two chapters for each day, or maybe just one, it depends on how long I want them.
Aoshi and Misao are soooooooooooo kawaii! *coughs* Anyway, thank you for the reviews it so lovely to receive them so a big ARIGATOO to everyone out there!
I'm trying to finish my next chapter of Lonely Widow…its getting to hard… *whines loudly* I'm doing the next chapter on my newest Inu-yasha ficcie as well, oh too many things to do and no more writing this weekend. I'm going to a Ball…you all should laugh, it is a very rare sight and well…I'll sleep all Sunday for drinking too much! Ja Ne…wish me fun for tonight…