Author's Note: Alright, alright, I UPDATED, okay? Just don't kill me…it's way too early in the morning right now…do you know HOW I know that? Well, here I was, thinking that I had uploaded chapter 8 for you people to read, when I realized 'oops, I uploaded my report on Guatemala for Spanish class.' Luckily, I had checked to make sure I uploaded the right thing before I posted . I bet y'all would have LOVED to read my report on Guatemala, no?

QUESTION: who is 'you SUCK'? if that person is you, please email me, telling me exactly WHY my fic is crappy…

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Rurouni Kenshin? I thought not…(sighs)

Chapter 8

A light breeze swept through the leaves of the trees, and the last rays of the dying sun lingered, giving just enough light so that two lone figures could be seen underneath a sakura tree.

The leaves rustled together forming a sound, which was a song to Misao's ears. Ever since she was a little girl, she had always loved the sound of rustling leaves and loved the feeling of cool breezes caressing her face. And she loved it even more as she looked into the eyes of Aoshi.

They were silent for a moment, though it was not an uncomfortable silence.

Aoshi looked intently into Misao's eyes and then broke the silence. "I…I have something to tell you, Misao."

Misao gazed up at Aoshi. "Yes, Aoshi-sama?" She failed to see that there was a different kind of urgency in his tone, since she was too preoccupied with her own thoughts at the moment. I have something to tell you too, Aoshi-sama. Misao wanted to scream, scream that she had loved Aoshi all her life…but first, she had to hear what Aoshi had to say.

"I…" Aoshi's voice cracked. Did he have the guts to do it? To tell her how he felt? He knew that he had to get it over with at least some time today…but…but did it have to be NOW? Well, he might as well get it over with.

"Misao, I – "

"AAAOOOSHIIIIII!!!! MIIISAAOOOOO!!!!!! OKOOOOOOOOON!!!!! OMAAAAAAAASUUUUUUUUUU!!!!! SHIIIIIROOOOO!!! KUUUUUROOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! EVERYBODY!!! I'M HOOOOOOOOOME!!!!!!!!!" Okina's happy voice rang out.

Misao sighed and yelled, "HI JIYA!!!!!"

Aoshi looked down at his feet. So much for getting it over with…

"So, what was it that you wanted to tell me?" Misao asked.

"I was just…wondering if I could—er borrow…some of that er…SUGAR for my, um…TEA." Aoshi said uncertainly.

"Oh…OH…" Misao said, looking down at her feet, feeling hurt. "Um, okay then…I'll see what I can do…" Misao smiled uncomfortably up at Aoshi before skipping off to find Okina.

Aoshi wanted to hit himself. Why did he have to say THAT !? And thinking up such a STUPID excuse too. Why would he want sugar? He NEVER had sugar in his tea!!!! He wanted to go back to the temple and begin banging his head against the wall, but this time he had little excuse to, since he already HAD his tea, and plus, he figured that he had scared the poor monks enough.

Okon and Omasu were secretly spying on Aoshi and Misao, and when they heard Okina's loud voice interrupt the 'moment', they wanted to MURDER him.

How could he have…done something that stupid? True, they were being a little unfair, but the fact that Okina wasn't there and didn't know that Aoshi was about to confess was the furthest thing from their minds.

They were intent on killing him, or at least YELLING at him.

"Okina, you IDIOT!!!! Did you know what Aoshi was about to do!?" Omasu hissed. She wanted to hit him, but held herself back, as Okina WAS an old man.

Okina looked innocently bewildered. "What was Aoshi about to do?"

"He was ABOUT to tell Misao that he loves her, until YOU ruined it all!!!" Okon screamed, making Okina wince.

"B-but…I didn't mean to…well I didn't know…I just…hang ON, how would YOU know what they were about to do? Were you SPYING on them?" Okina asked.

"W-we…we weren't erm…exactly, um spying on them…we were just…um…well…that's NONE of your business what we were doing!!! The point is that – "

"YOU WERE SPYING ON THEM??!" Okina asked incredulously.

"Yes, but that's not the point – " Okon began impatiently.

"HELLO JIYA!!!!" Misao said loudly and happily, as Okon and Omasu jumped, looking very annoyed and very guilty.

"Hello, my pretty Misao!!! Come see the cake I got for you!!!" Okina said, indicating the large white box he held in his arms. Misao walked over to him, relieved that the smell from earlier was NOT her birthday cake.

Okon and Omasu quietly slipped out of the room.

Aoshi felt like a coward, and he HATED that feeling. It made him feel like he was stupid and useless.

He was supposed to tell Misao how he felt, but instead, all he had said was "Nothing." He had realized that they were not alone in the garden. In fact, he had sensed TWO other people there with them. And he knew who they were. Okon and Omasu. It figures…

Maybe it was a GOOD thing that Misao didn't know yet. He would have liked to tell her when they were alone.

He didn't know when he could muster up the courage to tell her again, but somehow, he knew that he had to.

He had even promised to do so, and breaking that promise seemed like such a cowardly thing to do, and he didn't want to be classified as a coward.

Maybe…maybe he would tell her after the birthday celebration. Yes, that was it. Aoshi had finally decided. He would tell her after the party.

Okon and Omasu were seething. Okina had RUINED the 'moment' Aoshi had with Misao. He was ACTUALLY going to confess!!! And then that stupid old man had to barge in.

Okon sighed. "I don't know if Aoshi will ever get the courage to confess again…" She hoped that he would.

"Oh, don't worry Okon, I think Aoshi still will confess…it's just that it won't be NOW…" Omasu said. As a matter of fact, Omasu was almost CERTAIN that Aoshi would confess today…she just kind of…knew it. And plus, when Aoshi set his mind to something, he usually carried it out.

If he didn't, they would have to think of a plan that would FORCE Aoshi to say something. Hopefully, they didn't have to, since when Okon and Omasu got to playing matchmaker, things normally wouldn't be too comfortable for the victims.

Misao stared at the cake before her, open-mouthed. Okina looked at her face, wondering what thing ON the cake required such a face. He soon realized what was amiss. And his facial expression was much like Misao's. They both stood there, gaping at the cake and not saying anything for about an hour.

"J-Jiya? I-is this…some kind of…joke?" Misao asked finally, breaking the uncomfortable silence. The cake was a beautiful cake, with the icing spread delicately on it, and the script of the words written elegantly in icing. It wasn't so much how wrong the cake looked, but more of what it said.

On the cake, the words 'Happy Birthday, Sexy Mama' were written clearly with many unnecessary flourishes directly in the center of the cake.

Okina looked again, hoping for the first time that what he saw was only what appeared to be there due to his old age. Unfortunately, it was not. He looked anxiously at Misao's face, which held the same expression as before. Wow…Misao is sure taking this well…Okina tugged at the pink bow which he always had tied to his beard. He always found some sort of comfort in that little action…like there was a friend that was going to always be with him.

"It seems that the bakery has made a…er minor mistake…um should I take it back?" What Okina really was wondering how the bakery…had the girl behind the counter actually hear what he said? Maybe he scared her so badly that she was a bit confused when he gave what really should have been on the cake.

"N-no…Jiya…it's…erm…okay…but what I really want to know is how…" Misao began.

"Oh, never mind that!!!" Okina said, interrupting Misao before she could ask any questions. Okina picked up a single chopstick, and used it to scrape off the 'sexy mama' part. He was relieved that Misao didn't have one of her…tantrums over this…maybe Misao really WAS growing up…

So now the cake read 'Happy Birthday', which wasn't bad.

"So, um…how do like the cake?" Okina asked.

Misao smiled uncertainly, but said with confidence, "I LOVE it, Jiya. Thank you SO much!!!" And she scrambled up to hug him.

Okina smiled happily, while getting squished in Misao's embrace. This was what he liked. Maybe Misao had grown up, but part of her would always be the little girl that he loved so much.

He hoped that Misao would have the best, since she was the best. He wanted her to have Aoshi to be with her for the rest of her life. True, he did interrupt Aoshi's confession, but it was not like he did it on PURPOSE, whatever Okon and Omasu thought…in fact, that had truly been an ACCIDENT, which made him feel pretty bad too.

Somehow, he knew that Aoshi would tell her today. Aoshi had even said that he was going to do it, and Aoshi didn't take spoken promises very lightly. Realizing that he was going to have to breathe soon, he broke the embrace.

"Misao?" Okina said gently.

"Hmmm?"

"Happy Birthday."

Author's Note: I am SO sorry…I know you people were expecting a nice, fluffy, mushy chapter, but I really HAD to stall…TT…will you forgive me? I have a PERFECT excuse!!! I swear!!! I do!!!!! I still couldn't think of a freaking gift for Aoshi to give Misao!!! THAT'S why!!! Anyways, writing this chapter has just made more work for myself…this probably means that this fic will have to drag out longer…sorry about that…

And I blame Anubis-Shinigami!!!! She was the one who suggested to end the fic at chapter 7!!! Kill her!!! NOT me!!! (just kidding Tai-chan, I would NEVER let people kill you over a fic. )

TO ALL THE READERS:

I think I'll probably be a bit slow with the ninth chapter (that is unless someone helps me think of a gift—and FAST…) because I have to think of that gift thingy…so don't think that I'm dumping this fic or anything, because I'm not…maybe you people can help me think of one? Then I'll probably get it up sooner. Aoshi's confession is definitely coming in the ninth chapter (I PROMISE this time…) so…I guess that's it for now…

Thanks to all who reviewed!!!