Hiker…

(Day 4 - Morning, 5:30am)

Misao sat quietly at the small burning fire silently looking into the flames. She hadn't slept that well last night; Aoshi's words kept rolling around in her mind. Tokio and Aoshi had history and the words Aoshi spoke meant he still carried that history with him, a third sadness, a third anger and another third was still love.

Misao knew there was tension between them, she had watched Aoshi walk stiffly passed her the first time they met up with her class group. She'd watched him stare silently at her numerous times as she talked and laughed with Kenshin. How his long bangs hid the loneliness in his green-blue eyes. Misao sighed out loud her head turning to watch several students leave their bivvie tent and stretch slightly and yawning loudly. Others either stayed in their sleeping bags a few more minutes while a group of girls headed off in the direction of the temporary toilet that was dug last night.

Misao hugged her legs closer to her body turning to look into the dying flames of the fire but blinked as a log was placed on it making sure it wouldn't die down just yet. Misao stared up into violet eyes as Kenshin smiled down at her and then moved closer and sat on the same log as her.

"You are up awfully early Misao. Did you not sleep well?" Kenshin spoke softly as not to disturb many students who were still sleeping and didn't have to get up until Kaoru, whom was also still sleeping, began yelling at them at about 6:30 in the morning.

"I've had about 4 hours sleep. I've been sitting here for about 2 and a half hours now, but I'm okay." Misao replied softly resting her chin on her knees.

"I'm not that convinced Misao. No one has ever gotten passed me if there was something wrong with them…well perhaps Aoshi is an exception." Kenshin turned to watch Misao close her eyes hearing his best friend's name.

"Aa, I have found the source of your burden. Anything I can do to help?" Kenshin asked placing a hand on Misao's shoulder in comfort.

"Not unless you can change the past…" Misao mumbled out and then turned her head to look up into confused violet eyes.

"Never mind…I'm going for a walk…" Misao sighed once more and got up, folding her arms under her breasts to try and keep a little bit of warmth with her as she began walking off.

"Breakfast will be in an hour Misao. I will see you here right?" Kenshin questioned her sternly making sure she knew she had to come back and eat something before the day's activities.

"Hai, hai…" Misao mumbled softly and waved her hand back at Kenshin over her shoulder and kept walking till she got to the thick foliage of the forest and raced into it wanting to get away for awhile. Kenshin stood up his eyes softening in worry for the young girl.

Sneezing however, snapped Kenshin out of his thoughts as he turned his head to watch Aoshi crawl out of the bivvie tent they shared and stand up waving silently at him and then walking off in another direction, obviously to relieve himself. Yep, Misao's problem definitely had something to do with his best friend. Perhaps Aoshi told Misao something…something Misao thought she couldn't get through…

Kenshin snapped his finger finally understanding Misao's problem…it had to be Tokio; he could feel it now.

"What are you so happy about?" Kenshin looked up at Aoshi who began to boil some water to make himself some tea.

"N-Nothing…" Kenshin stuttered pathetically, his eyes wide trying to look innocent but Aoshi's eyes narrowed slightly seeing straight through his friend. Kenshin sighed knowing he'd have to say something or else Aoshi would beat it out of him and Kenshin really didn't want that so early in the morning.

"Misao has been up for many hours now, not being able to sleep. She seems…disturbed and unable to let something leave her mind." Kenshin violet eyes scanned Aoshi's still form as his green-blue ones stared at his reflection in the water.

"Its me…" Aoshi mumbled lightly and sat down on the log with Kenshin pouring the hot water into his mug and pouring the left over water into Kenshin's.

"You?" Kenshin questioned hoping he didn't sound too intrigued or obvious.

"Not me…well maybe…but something I said last night…" Aoshi turned to stare at Kenshin's confused face and shook his head mumbling once more.

"Never mind…I'm going for a walk…"

"I seem to be hearing that a lot lately." Kenshin spoke to himself and watched Aoshi walk off in the exact direction Misao had gone. There was no way he was telling Aoshi that Misao ended up going off in that direction as well. Perhaps they'd run into each other and sort things out. Well that's what Kenshin hoped for anyway. Tonight they would be meeting up with the other Grade 10 class and Aoshi and Hajime would meet again. Kenshin gulped down the lump in his throat not too sure how this night would end. He hoped to the gods it would be a nice one…not like the last meeting they all shared together, both Hajime and Aoshi ending up with numerous bruises and scars from their fight.

* * * *

Misao stood at the cliff edge obviously coming to the conclusion that she couldn't go any further less she jump off and commit suicide. As Misao stared over at the horizon and then down at the long drop she realised she would have fallen amongst lots of trees truly injuring herself if she did so, perhaps even dying as well.

"Who would do something that stupid…" Misao mumbled before turning around, her eyes growing wide at seeing the one person she did not want to so early in the morning…Aoshi. Misao's hand fisted as she cast her head to the side and then took a deep breath muttering softly to him and moved around him practically ready to run back to camp.

"Excuse me…"

"I'm sorry…" Misao froze in her footsteps hearing those two words and turned around to watch Aoshi walk to the edge his hands placed behind his back clasped together trying to find some warmth.

"About what I said last night…"

"You needn't apologise for the truth Aoshi." Misao interrupted him and watched as he turned around to stare silently at her.

"I am not blind or stupid Aoshi. I've seen the way you stare at Tokio-san and know there is deep history between you."

"You don't know anything, you're just a kid!" Aoshi blurted out watching as Misao's eyes saddened at hearing him say that to her. Right then and there he wanted to take those harsh words back, but his stubborn pride would not let him. Why was it that this young girl knew so much about him? Could she truly read between his lines? Could she see the loneliness he had within him and maybe even wanted to take that loneliness away?

"It's hard isn't it? To love someone who doesn't know you love them and then to have those feelings rejected once you finally have the courage to say them. I'm not blind like the others I can see the loss in your eyes, I can feel the pain you have had to bare for many years. I know Kenshin and Tokio-san feel it too but no one can make you better but yourself."

"Your insane…" Aoshi mumbled turning around to walk passed Misao but she caught the back of his jacket holding him in place until she spoke what she needed to get out of her system.

"People I care for never leave my mind either. I could hate them for the rest of my life but never will I forget the love I once had for them. My love for the people I have in my life may be different from yours because I am younger but I know what love is and I know that is what you feel for Tokio-san. That saying you said last night is wrong too, no one will ever heal over the pain they feel inside for someone. It's not right to forget, but its right to move on and let them be happy as well. Do you think Tokio-san likes seeing you this way? Do you think she's actually happy at the way you avoid her and feel uncomfortable in front of her? She was your friend was she not? Why can't you let it go? Why can't you move on? I can see the sadness in Tokio-san's eyes about what had happened between you, but that won't stop her from loving her husband. He is her life now and you must accept that!" Misao watched as Aoshi slapped her hands away from his jacket and he walked silently back to the camping ground not saying anything. Misao's vision began to blur as she watched Aoshi's retreating back walk away from her, not even registering the fact that she had spoken part of her heart to him.

"BREAKFAST!" Misao could hear the echo of Kaoru yelling for everyone to come and eat and Misao quickly wiped away the tears that ran freely down her cheeks and began walking back to camp.

* * * *

Students sat around the campfire eating breakfast while others were eating and packing up their equipment. Kenshin watched as Aoshi sat down beside him not saying anything and took the bowl Kenshin offered him and ate the cereal in silence.

About five minutes later Misao showed up and Kenshin watched as she sat in the middle of Souzou and Sano grabbing the offered bowl and looked into the fire not eating the food. Kenshin's trained eyes narrowed slightly at seeing the redness in Misao's eyes…she had been crying.

"Misao, is everything alright?" Kenshin turned to look at Tokio who spoke that, she too knowing something was not quite right. Students stopped eating and turned to look at Misao who gave off a small blush in embarrassment but mumbled out a weak reply.

"Just had trouble sleeping last night, but I'm sure once we start doing the activities I'll become more energetic." Kenshin wasn't convinced about her weak reply and neither was Tokio but she shrugged it off and began eating the cereal once more, her dark eyes casting a glance over at Aoshi every now and then who sat next to Kenshin not even touching his breakfast either.

"Tokio-san do you think its wrong to be angry at people you love?" Misao blurted out looking directly at Tokio for an answer. Kenshin's eyes had grown wide in shook and felt Aoshi stiffen beside him but he did not say a single word. All eyes shifted from Misao to Tokio whom did nothing but blink at the young girl.

"Misao, may I ask why you are asking such a question?" Tokio spoke softly and watched as Misao's eyes widened nearly to saucers as she finally registered what she had spoken out loud and with such an audience too.

"When Misao was little she went camping with her father and brothers all the time, but then her father stopped and Misao hated that very much. She loved spending time with Makimachi-san very much, but then one day he disappeared and never came back. I guess Misao-chan is trying to understand the love and hate she has for her father and wanted to know whether it was okay to love and hate someone at the same time." Misao turned to stare incredulously at Sano who had spoken those words in between eating his second bowl of cereal.

"What?" Sano questioned as all pairs of eyes stared at him but he seemed unfazed by this at all. Kenshin dared to glance at Aoshi whom was actually staring openly at Misao whom was looking up at Sano. Everyone watched as Misao took Sano's hand in hers and whispered a thank you to him, but didn't let go. Kenshin's violet eyes had not left Aoshi's watching as his eyes shrunk annoyingly at the scene Sano and Misao seemed to make in his mind.

"Well no I don't really think it is wrong to love and hate someone Misao. There are many good reasons why you should and could love a person, but then if something happens, which automatically sticks in your heart forever then I guess it isn't wrong to hate them as well. You must remember though, this person could be feeling pain too at being loved and hated at the same time. I was a student of your fathers and he spoke often of his family, which he loved very much, but it also annoyed us that he would be away from them for so long. That was something we did not understand at all. It hurts to choose someone you love and know that someone else will be hurt in the process but that's the way life goes and unfortunately someone will always get hurt." Misao nodded her head, her blue eyes lifting to stare over at Aoshi hoping to the gods he'd get it through his thick head that it wasn't the end of the world if Tokio-san didn't love him like he'd hoped for. There was more to life then feeling angry and sorry for yourself.

"Misao is that what you wanted to know?" Tokio questioned to the young student and watched as Misao nodded her head.

"I'm not hungry, I'm going to pack up my things…" Misao stood and walked away, her arms wrapping around herself to hold in the warmth she just left from sitting between her two best male friends. Her cheeks were red in embarrassment but it was all she could think of to try and get Aoshi to understand that he'd find someone else in the world that would love him. Sure it wouldn't be Tokio-san, but she was trying to point out that everyone was special and he'd find his special love one-day.

Misao crawled into the bivvie tent and moved over a still sleeping Megumi landing heavily on her cold sleeping bag and began sniffling softly, not being able to handle it anymore.

"Misao-chan? What's the matter?" Megumi spoke softly having woken up at Misao's rustling and then hearing her soft sniffles was just awful. Megumi leaned over the shorter girl seeing as she tried brushing the tears away, but failed as more spilled down her cheeks.

"Misao-chan, tell me what's the matter?" Megumi spoke softly as she sat up, her own dark eyes glistening at the heart wrenching sounds her friend made as she cried silently to herself. Megumi watched astonished as the usually strong and spirited Misao turned over and lay her head in her lap, her arms wrapping around her waist and cried a little harder. Megumi placed on a small smile, knowing Misao needed to get this out of her system and brushed her hands through her blue-black messy hair.

"You'll be okay Misao-chan…everything will be okay…I promise…" Megumi whispered to her friend and kept brushing her fingers through her hair hoping this would help settle her down. Megumi's eyes caught a shadow on the bivvie tent and looked up to see her cousin squatted at the entrance to the bivvie tent staring at a crying Misao. Megumi could see the confusion and sadness racing over Aoshi's eyes at seeing Misao cry because of their last encounters. Megumi shook her head waving him off, telling him this was something that he couldn't fix at the moment. Right now Misao needed a female to cry on and Megumi was just the right person for the job…

* * * *

To be continued…

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