Car Trouble?

Aoshi had woken early that morning and ventured into the training hall at the back of his parents mansion. Aoshi slipped of his house slippers and made his way inside and stood in the middle of the large training hall. He stood stock still, his head moving around, small voices of laughter floating through his mind as old memories began to filter through him.

Old memories…Aoshi had forgotten most of them, wishing to forget, but when he was in here, they had resurfaced to tell him not to forget. He descended to the polished wooden floorboards and hugged his up-drawn knees to his chest as he stared at a photo of his father...a master of the arts were amongst his most prized things of all.

There were other old portraits of his ancestors on the sidewalls of the training hall, but Aoshi's eyes had not left his fathers serious face. There were only small times when he saw this look of determination and pride on the old mans face. When he was training and when he was running his companies. When work was finished though, he smiled a lot and always had conversations with his staff members, never addressing them as slaves or servants, but as friends and companions. Aoshi sighed lightly, his chin dropping onto his knees, his eyes closing for a moment. His father was only serious when needed…but Aoshi…Aoshi was very different indeed.

A small coughing sound interrupted Aoshi's quiet time and his eyes opened to glance behind him to see Hannya standing in the doorway. Aoshi observed as Hannya slipped off his own house slippers and padded his way silently to stand in front of each portrait of the Shinomori family and bow formerly at them showing his respect for each and everyone. Once he was finished he turned to face his young master sitting quietly on the ground.

"Master Shinomori I came to remind you that the taxi will be picking you up in half an hour." Hannya spoke in his usual emotionless and quiet tone of voice. He stared down at Aoshi, noticing his green-grey eyes stared into the black and white portrait of his father.

"Tell me something Hannya, do you miss my father?" Aoshi questioned, his eyes never roaming over to his standing butler.

"There is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for Master Shinomori's gracious hospitality. He was a very kind and generous man and for that we are all thankful to him for letting us be apart of his life. So in answer to your question, we as employees of the Shinomori family will never forget him…and yes…we do miss him."

"My father is no longer here Hannya, why do you serve me?" Aoshi muttered lightly and turned to face the now sitting Hannya as he sat beside him as though they were friends.

"You are a Shinomori young master and therefore I have vowed my entire existence to serving the Shinomori family. I swore an oath to your father that I would watch over you and help you grow into the man you are becoming. He will be most proud of you when that time comes Master Shinomori."

"The man I'm becoming Hannya? Really you mean I am not one in yours or my fathers standards yet? I'm 26 Hannya, I think that classifies me as being a man." Aoshi spoke while standing up, he brushing invincible dust specks from his black trousers.

"May I speak my mind to you Master Shinomori?" Hannya questioned while standing up and moving towards the shoji that was open.

"I suppose so." Aoshi replied almost intrigued at wanting to know what he was going to say.

"I remember when you were just a small boy, always heading straight for the training hall. You pestered your father so many times to teach you your family's form of martial arts and finally he did. You caught on really fast and everytime you succeeded in completing something different you'd gather Hyotokko, Beshimi, Shikijo and myself all together just to show us. We had sat down for hours watching you preform for us…not knowing that your father too was watching from his study. Time passed and you began to grow into a teenager, still very much interested in the arts, but things started to change and then tragedy struck you hard. In that same year you were 16 your mother had died and months later you watched…and witnessed your father slip away in front of you. Times became tough for you then, as not only were you trying to be strong, you were also still going to school and began running your father's business. You forgot to spare a little time for yourself. To stop and cry for your deceased parents. You should have done so a long time ago, but now, the young boy is no longer here and what stands in front of me is a confused…and very unemotional young man who is still stuck in the period of 10 years ago."

"Stop Hannya!" Aoshi spoke turning to face the butler as he stood at the opened shoji.

"A man does not become a man by aging Master Shinomori, he becomes one when he finds love, when he finds something or someone to live for. Your father told me that and before he died I promised to help you become one. Your father wishes for you to be free of him, of old memories keeping your emotions hidden deep within. This isn't the Aoshi Shinomori we know…nor do we wish for you to stay like this either. If you open yourself up, just a little Master Shinomori then maybe, just maybe you'll find something or someone to live for…like you father found with your mother." Hannya stopped there not wishing to go any further lest his masters temper flare up and then that would be the end of him for sure.

"Perhaps I suggest you make an appointment with Kamiya-san Master Shinomori. You haven't seen her in many months and perhaps it is time for you to speak with her once more." Aoshi watched Hannya walk back towards the mansion and then turned to face his father's portrait again.

"Is that true father? Is this an Aoshi Shinomori I am not supposed to be?" Aoshi mumbled to the picture but shook his head, as he received no answers. He exited the training hall and silently slid the shoji shut and placed on his house slippers heading for the mansion. His fingers lifted up to press against his right temple as he was beginning to get another headache. Aoshi was happy the way he was and no one was going to tell him otherwise. This Aoshi was the way he was…the way he is now and the way he'll stay until he dies.

* * * *

(Kamatari's Exotic Cars)

Aoshi had only been walking around for about five minutes when a short man sauntered up to his side, he taking off the expensive label blue glasses he wore and placed them in his pocket while speaking.

"Aoshi darling it has been a long time since you've been back to the store. I was fearing that you forgot all about me."

"Unfortunately no one could forget you Kamatari." Aoshi replied dryly and was ready to walk off when the shorter man grabbed his hand and pat it lightly while laughing femininely.

"Oh Aoshi! You compliment me so…" Aoshi slipped his hand away from the 'man' and placed it into his trench coat pocket and began walking around looking as bored as ever. That's when he stopped, his eyes taking in the colour of one of the exotic cars…metallic purple.

"I'll take this one." Aoshi spoke pointing at the car, not knowing what it was…and not even caring for that matter…or about the price either. Aoshi watched as Kamatari snapped his fingers and certain employees moved around to get all the paperwork together.

"Oh that reminds me Aoshi darling, your BMW has arrived. Would you like it to be delivered this afternoon along with this one?" Kamatari spoke while walking with Aoshi to the main doors.

"I want them delivered before 11am and place them on my account. Ring Hannya around 2pm and he'll give you the payment details. Good day to you Kamatari." Aoshi responded back and left, he walking back to the parked taxi, Aoshi telling the driver to wait for him.

"You may take me back to were you picked me up from driver." Aoshi responded while staring out the window and not listening to the driver as he began talking about soccer. Aoshi was never a fan of that type of sport.

* * * *

(Back at Shinomori Mansion's)

"Welcome home Master Shinomori, did you find anything to your liking?" Hannya questioned as he paid the driver and then closed the door after Aoshi got out.

"Kamatari will be dropping off the cars later on this morning." Aoshi responded while heading for the front door, Hannya beside him ready to open it for him as well.

"Miss Misao's grandfather rang while you were out Master Shinomori."

"What for Hannya?" Aoshi asked as he entered the mansion and headed upstairs, Hannya following him all the way.

"His name is Okina and he is the owner of the company and Miss Misao's boss. He said she would be late in starting work since she had to go to an important university class. She had to complete a practice exam."

"That's fine Hannya." Aoshi responded while stepping into his study and sat down in the leather chair and turned on his laptop.

"Yes Sir…if you need anything just give me a call. I'll be downstairs in the living room." Aoshi nodded his head silently and watched Hannya bow and then close the door silently behind him. Aoshi sighed lightly, leaning back in his chair and placed his feet on the desk. He placed his laptop in his lap and began typing away.

Only minutes had passed by when the shrill ringing of the cordless phone on his desk interrupted his fast typing. Not many people had this private number but Aoshi sat up properly and then he picked up the phone.

"Shinomori Aoshi… Tomoe dear, how lovely it is to hear your voice." Aoshi responded and stood up moving around the large study.

"You loved the bracelet? Well I am most pleased to here that." Aoshi responded once more and listened as Tomoe began rambling on about her day and that she missed him and was a little upset about he not making their dinner and so on.

Aoshi's attention had wandered slightly when the distinctive sound of a motorcycle could be heard heading up the driveway of his home. Aoshi moved towards the window and looked down watching as Misao got off the motorcycle, having parked it under a large cherry tree and had a small chat with Shikijo and Hyotokko before heading for the garage to begin working on his cars.

"I'm sorry I must cut our conversation short Tomoe dear. The mechanic has just shown up to fix the cars and I have to be there to make sure they don't mess anything up." Aoshi spoke while heading for his desk to save his document and then turn off his laptop. Was he truly doing this? Did he really wish to be in the presence of that woman again?

"No Tomoe dear I won't be in Kyoto for quite some time so it is probably best for this to not go on any longer. You shall upset your brother and you do not wish for that do you?" Aoshi questioned in his usual soft but masculine tone of voice.

"I know Tomoe dear, but it is for the best. Don't even think about returning my gifts, they are yours to keep because I bought them for you. Yes Tomoe dear, it was lovely to hear from you… Good day to you as well." Aoshi placed the phone down and headed down the stairs and out the main doors to make his way towards the garage.

* * * *

Misao hummed along to the tune on the radio as she grabbed some more tools from their boxes and did a small dance on her way back towards the stretch limousine.

"Are you having fun?" Misao shrieked in surprise a screwdriver flying from her arms and clanking on the ground with a small chiming noise. She abruptly turned her head to the figure in the doorway and watched her 'employer' casually walk over towards her and pick it up placing it back into her full arms.

"Do you always scare your employees like this?" Misao questioned dryly and placed the tools on the floor near the silver limousine.

"How long will it be before the limousine is completed?" Aoshi questioned while staring down at the young woman as she crouched near the tools deciding which ones she needed to use today.

"Well good morning to you too. It shouldn't be too much longer before its back in action so maybe about…OH MY GOD!" Misao yelled and Aoshi turned abruptly to see why she yelled. The large garage doors were opened and the both of the watched as his new metallic purple car and the black BMW drove in. Aoshi observed the drivers get out, one walking towards him as he held a folder and a pen.

"Please sign here Mr Shinomori." The man spoke and Aoshi did just that watching as they left and closed the large garage door behind them. Aoshi turned to look at Misao to see she was now standing and staring wide-eyed at the two cars, her mouth slightly parted open in shock.

"Miss Misao they are just cars." Aoshi responded casually as though he bought cars like people bought groceries.

"How can you say that? These are exotic and very expensive pieces of machinery. Not to mention the fact that they are like chick magnets!" Misao bellowed loudly as she slowly stepped closer to them, her pale hand moving up the bonnet on the BMW as though fearing it would disappear. Aoshi silently observed as Misao poked her head into the driver's window gazing over the black leather seats and what not.

"You really don't know much do you Mr Shinomori. These cars…I mean people kill for cars like this. Look this is a 2002 BMW 3 Series Luxury Coupe and this here happens to be a Lamborghini Diablo SE30. I mean these cars are to die for and metallic purple is like one of the hottest colours around!" Misao spoke pointing to Aoshi's two new cars. His eyes followed her as she made her way towards his other three cars in the garage and told him what they were.

"This is a Ferrari F50, like the hottest sports car rich people drive around in. You've got a Jaguar XK8 as well. It happens to be my all time favourite car. It is one beautiful piece of machinery and the colour is just gorgeous, not to mention the sound of the engine and the speed it goes. Look at your Rolls-Royce Mr Shinomori, it's a 2002 Rolls-Royce Corniche Exotic Convertible. How many people can say they travel to work or to the airport in a convertible Rolls-Royce?" Aoshi stayed silent listening and watching Misao zip around his garage as she described how fast each car could go without even looking at the maximum speed inside the actual car. Aoshi would have thought that if he asked the woman, she could give him a complete history on each type of the car he owned.

"How long have you been around cars Miss Misao?" Aoshi questioned as she finally stopped chatting about the cars and made her way back to the stretch limousine.

"Ever since I was a kid Mr Shinomori. Probably ever since I was born actually. My father was fascinated in them and I was always with him…he teaching me what everything was from a young age. I still remember the times when I was about four when I used to grab him his screwdrivers and what nots for him as he lay under the car fixing them up. Of course my mother wasn't to pleased with seeing her daughter covered in grease and oil like her father, but that's just who I was…and in the end I knew she was proud of me." Aoshi actually felt fascinated in hearing about someone else's life…someone who was very different from him. Someone who didn't have an upbringing like he did.

"So Mr Shinomori tell me about yourself." Misao spoke as she looked up at him and gave him one of her sunny smiles that made Aoshi's heartbeat speed up. Aoshi looked over at Misao giving her a blank stare and she sighed lightly as she waved a screwdriver in front of his face as she stood up looking over at him, her eyes never leaving his.

"Don't make me beat it out of you Mr Shinomori." Aoshi crossed his arms over his chest, his dark grey button down shirt crinkling under the pressure as he replied back to Misao.

"I thought you would tell me about subsystems in car engines?" He watched Misao's eyebrow raise as though astonished he'd actually remembered and listened to her.

"Well, we shall see about that, but for now you can keep me company so start talking." Aoshi's lips parted ready to give her one of his sarcastic remarks but Misao was already under the car.

"And don't tell me about the companies you run either. I hear about them on the news and in the newspapers as well. Tell me about growing up…about that training hall in your backyard." Aoshi was slightly intrigued as to know how the hell she knew there was a training hall in the mansion grounds but finally sighed and sat on the stool near the engine. She was one pushy mechanic that was for sure…but…she was very different…and very pleasant to be around.

Perhaps this is what Kamiya-san meant in all his sessions with her. She had always told him to go for someone that was completely different from him. She stated that opposites attract…and that there was nothing wrong with being so different from each other. In the end each person would always compliment the other in some way, but Aoshi wasn't sure of that. She had only been here for just over a day and already she was wrecking havoc on his emotions. Emotion's he didn't know he had within him and yet Hannya knew he had them. What else did dear old Hannya know about him?

Aoshi's eyes widened slightly as millions of thoughts began roaming his mind. Did Hannya know of his growing fascination for the woman who was currently humming under his limousine? What was it with the elder man anyway? He seemed to know everything that went on around the Shinomori mansion, but then he had been here for many years after all.

"Mr Shinomori are you there?" Aoshi snapped out of his thoughts and cleared his throat indicating that yes he was still there and was about to begin a small ramble on his life. Aoshi couldn't believe he was actually doing this. Here he was sitting and having a conversation with the mechanic fixing his car…and the odd part was that he didn't even care that he was sharing a couple of memories with the young woman. She had already told him something about her family, so why shouldn't he respect her wish to know more about him and tell her something of himself? After all, wasn't the good part that she wished to know more about him anyway?

* * * *

To be continued…

* * * *

Authors Notes: Hi Minna! Again I place another chapter out. I don't think it really entails much except all the models of Aoshi delicious cars. *Noa hugs the Lamborghini and Jaguar* Ah, they are my babies!

Okay…now it may seem Aoshi is mellowing out quite fast, but on the contrary he's just trying to impress Misao. ^__^ Oh and another thing in coming chapters Misao and Aoshi begin to "hang around" with each other more. Misao taking Aoshi to places on her 'side of the world' while Aoshi actually thrusts her into the 'rich world' of money, power and business.

Poor stupid Aoshi…he thinks he can buy love…what a dummy…

Well that's it for me now…

JA!