Innocence8: Thanks for pointing out the spelling error (would you believe I spelled "spelling" wrong right there…*sighs*). And as for the "-chan" thing…*whips out dictionary*

-chan: used after a person's name to express intimacy or affection. Also used as a diminutive for children and pets. (definition courtesy of Random House Japanese- English, English-Japanese Dictionary)

Now, onwards and forwards!

***

"Ohayo, Misao-chan!"

"Jishin, we need to talk."

The rich boy stopped at the tone of Misao's voice. She sounded very serious and her face matched her tone of voice. Her usually bright eyes had frosted over and a deep frown was painted across her face. "What do we need to talk about?"

"I really like you, Jishin." She paused, biting her lip as she tried to decide how to continue, "But I can't keep seeing you, especially since you say you love me."

"Why not?" He furrowed his brow as if trying to understand. This was not part of his plan.

"Because I love Aoshi-sama. I have always loved him." She explained slowly, "The only reason I agreed to go out with you is that I was mad at him. I wanted him to suffer and he did. It's time I stop fooling around. I didn't mean to take advantage of your feelings or anything…" She just sort of trailed off.

"You're kidding, right?" He blinked his wide emerald eyes, "You don't seriously mean any of that."

"I'm sorry…But I do." She looked at the ground, studied her sandals; anything to avoid looking him in the eye.

"But…Misao-chan…I love you!" He sputtered.

"I'm really sorry…This is all my fault. Please try to understand. I was angry and all I wanted was revenge. You came along declaring your love and it was a perfect way to get revenge. But I think I've hurt both of you enough. I'm really, really sorry."

"Misao-chan-"

"Please, don't call me that any more." She finally forced herself to look up at him. He looked stricken, as if he still didn't believe what she had said. "You've been so good to me…I didn't want to do this…"

"Then why…?"

"Because it felt nice, having some one do all those kind things for me. Aoshi-sama never does stuff like that. He's not very good at showing how he feels. I know now that he loves me, but it was nice to do things like that with you."

"You deserve better than that. I can give you everything he can't. I can take you away from the run-down inn and give you a wonderful life. He isn't worthy of a girl like you."

He did not just say that! Her eyes went wide. Saying Aoshi-sama didn't deserve her…He had some nerve! Her hands balled into fists at her side. "Aoshi-sama is the only man I want, whether he deserves me or not. He's brave and strong and twice the man you'll ever be, Jishin!"

A vein throbbed in Jishin's neck. He was angry. Very angry. This was not how things were supposed to go. He needed to get his hands on some money whatever way he could. His mind was racing as he tried to figure out a plan. If Aoshi loved her as she claimed he did, maybe he'd being willing to pay a ransom for her. She was small…He could subdue her…A few mental calculations flitted through his brain. He could take her hostage and make the deed his ransom demand. There was no way those washed out ninjas could have the money to pay off his debt. He'd have to make due with the deed.

"Well, um, I'm going to go home now…" Misao smiled faintly, "Like I said, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He sighed heavily, "But could you do one thing for me?"

"What?"

"Bring my mother's pin back. Since I won't be marrying you, I need it back…"

"Of course. I'll come by tonight with it. And I can't say how sorry I am…"

His shoulders slumped. She was being so nice about it! "Just go…I'll be fine."

She gave him one last look. He looked defeated, as if he didn't have any other way to try and win her over. She felt terrible…First making Aoshi-sama suffer, now this. Can I sink any lower? She wandered away from where he stood, but didn't go home. There was too much on her mind.

She wound up in the market. Her thoughts a jumbled mess, she looked from one face to another. All of these people are so happy…They have their lives on track and they know what they want. And I just make a mess of things…I wait for paradise to come to me…As if I wait long enough, it'll come…A determined look crossed her face. Not any more…

Aoshi was pacing his study once more. I have to work up the courage to talk to her. I need to tell her how I feel. This is torture, seeing her with him…she needs to know, in case she still feels something for me. If she doesn't…

If she didn't, he would be distraught. If she cared for the skunk…If that man had won her heart…He did know what he would do. But he certainly wasn't going to give up that easily. Not after he had spent two years trying to figure out what he felt for her. Not after they had been together all that time. He had forced himself to go on after his fight with Kenshin in Shishio's lair because he needed to go back to her. He had lived for her.

He would die for her.

Now that he was certain of this, he had to act upon the feelings. I'm sorry, Misao. I didn't mean to ruin your birthday and upset you. I wanted to tell you…but I didn't know how. It doesn't make what I did to you right, but I hope you forgive me. I even bought you a gift…

That sounded okay, didn't it? He pondered over what he should say to her. Should he say he was sorry first? Or tell her what he felt first? Give her the gift…then see what she says? There were too many things he could do. How would he decide which was the best course of action?

First things first. He went over to his desk and pulled the present out of the drawer. If only she knew…He'd had the intention of giving her that gift for three weeks. But couldn't summon the audacity to do it. Some warrior I am…

I still need to figure out just what to say to her. He sat down at the desk, his hands folded on the smooth oak. A million different ways to tell her he loved her were marching through his mind. Which way to use?

Where is it? Where is it?! Misao was rummaging through her things for the unwanted hair pin. She couldn't remember where she had put it. She hadn't wanted to face the idea that he wanted to marry her, so she'd hid it away where she wouldn't need to look at it. But where had she put it?

She fairly tore her room apart looking for the flat box. It had to be there somewhere. It didn't just disappear. Where was it? Where was it? She rustled through a drawer in her bureau, tossing clothes here and there. In the closet…She pushed things around on the closet floor.

Then she caught sight of the violet haori where it lay on the floor in a corner. That's right…I never took it out of my pocket…She rose from the floor and dusted herself off. Going over to the corner, she picked the jacket up and stuck her hand in the pocket. Her fingers closed around the box. Got it!

It still annoyed her that he had given that to her in the first place. He had been her first companion outside of the Oniwabanshu and they had played together nearly every day. How could he know so little about her still? Aoshi-sama would scoff at the emerald. If it had been from him, it would have been a sapphire…

She knew what she wanted and she knew what needed to be done. There would never be another doubt. Whether or not Aoshi wanted her, he was stuck with her. She'd never stray from him again. He is my heart's desire. She smiled at this thought, And he always will be…

Thundering down the stairs, she stopped briefly on the way out the door. "Hey, Gramps, I'm going to Jishin's for a little while. I have something to return to him. I'll be back soon."

"Misao, when are you going to patch things up with Aoshi?" Okina called after her as she departed.

"When I come back!" She called over her shoulder as the door closed behind her.

The old man smiled to himself. She seemed a lot happier than before. That was good. Perhaps this whole fiasco would turn out okay in the end after all.

About an hour later, Aoshi appeared in the doorway. "Okina, where's Misao?"

He looked up from a cup of tea. This could get interesting. "So the two of you are talking to one another again?" Aoshi's face had remained noncommittal as usual, but his eyes…they were different. He looked very peaceful, as if his mind was clear, and he had made a huge decision.

"Not exactly. But I plan on changing that. Where is she?"

"She," He paused, drinking another mouthful of tea, "Had to return something to that Kanemochi boy. Said she would be right back. That was about an hour ago." He set the cup in the saucer, "She wanted to talk to you when she got back."

Aoshi's eyebrows went up. "Talk to me? About what? Isn't she angry at me still?" His heart was pounding. This was the moment of truth…

"She didn't appear to be. But she also didn't tell me what she wanted to talk about."

"She's been gone over an hour already?" He frowned, "If she was just returning something to him, she should have been back long ago." His thoughts drifted to the skunk's current money problem. Surely he wouldn't…"Misao is in trouble!" He turned and dashed out the door, his trench coat flapping around his ankles as he ran.