MISMATCHED
Chapter 7 - The Stupid Things we do for Love
Author's Note: First of, thank you so much for the reviews and feedback. I appreciate them all. I hope you're still with me in this rather, very long, very weird fic of mine. And oh, someone asked (I forgot who, I'm sorry!) who'd be paired with who. I hope the last chapter gave a way a few clues (as did this one, hopefully...) And now, on with the story.
Chapter 7 - The Stupid Things we do for Love
MEGUMI
She stomped her way towards the agreed meeting place, her actions reminiscent of Kaoru's from the other night. Well, she had every reason to be angry. And no, it wasn't because she had been stopped or was held inside the Aioya. No one would bother where she was and why she was going outside on the middle of the night. No, sir. She thought viciously. Not Takani Megumi.
She hoped the other girls were ready for the plan. Because there was no way in hell that she was going to wait any longer. Oh, that Sano had really driven her to it. And now she was really going to punish him. And she was going to enjoy punishing him. Oh yes, she will.
"There you are!" Came Misao's voice as soon as she reached their meeting place. "Thought you had backed down or something." Misao said glancing up at her.
"Not a chance." Megumi said gritting her teeth. She paused and then bent down, picking up something from the ground that held her attention. She smiled and then straightened her back. "In fact, were just about to start it."
"Are you ok Megumi-san?" Misao asked slowly, ever so carefully. As if afraid that Megumi would soon start acting like a crazed lunatic.
Megumi smirked. "I'm fine. You think that just because Sano is being a difficult annoying chicken head, rooster head punk I wouldn't be fine. Of course I'm fine. He does not affect me that much at all!" She began to viciously snap the twig she had picked up from the ground into pieces. Every snap it made actually made her smile.
"Ok, Megumi-san, we we're not late. And we didn't mention that you're late. No need for violence, ne?" Kaoru said raising her eyebrows.
"Yeah." Misao added, "Venting out your anger on that poor, no matter how dead twig it already is, is not helping you at all. Why not try my kunais and practice target shooting with Sano's head." Misao offered.
"Or my bokken. That worked for me." Kaoru added, trying to be helpful.
"Oh, violence. That's a nice idea." Megumi said out lout tilting her head as if in consideration of what she might do with violence and to whom, more importantly. She missed the concerned looks Misao and Kaoru had exchanged.
The two girls could feel the tension the air held. All because of Megumi's anger. They had a fairly good idea on what triggered this seething rage.
"If this is about what happened at dinner," Misao started.
But Megumi cut her off immediately. "Certainly not! No! Not at all." Megumi said shaking her head. She held up her closed fist, motioned for the two girls to come closer and raised her eyebrows. "Pick one." She said finally, revealing what seemed like the ends of the twig she had just finished butchering.
"Why?" Misao asked her brows wrinkled in a frown.
"Megumi, we came here to talk about the plan remember? Would you like to explain what this is all about?" Kaoru asked impatiently.
"No more talk. It's time for action Tanuki-chan." Megumi said finally letting herself smile. "And this, is how we play fair. Now pick."
The two girls sighed in unison.
"As long as this has something about the plan, then good! Because you're right Megumi, this plan might actually work." Misao announced moving forward.
"Good. I know you're a smart girl Misao." Megumi smiled encouragingly and then turned to look at Kaoru. "Don't disappoint me Kaoru." Megumi said archly.
Kaoru gave a long suffering sighed at inched forward. She mimicked Misao and had her arms stretched, her hands just inches away from the three sticks. "Fine. Fine. Fine." She muttered. "If this is what it would take...." she trailed off.
Megumi smiled benevolently. "Now girls, I have decided that to pick which guy we'd be spending the whole week with and to avoid any cat fights...."
Misao smiled and purred like a kitten. Kaoru's lips pulled up into a smirk. They looked at each other and then the three girls bust into laughter. The tension eased. They all visibly relaxed. And Megumi continued on, "We're going to draw lots, or in this case, sticks." She smiled complacently and watched as the two girls look at her closely. She explained, "The length of the sticks corresponds with their...."
"Me-gu-mi...." Kaoru interrupted through her gritted teeth.
"What? Geesh Kaoru, get your mind off the gutter, you're starting to remind me of Sano!" Megumi said shaking her head. "As I was saying, the length of the sticks corresponds with their heights." She said pointedly looking at Kaoru who was blushing to the roots of her hair.
"Oh." Was all she said.
Megumi rolled her eyes. "Ok, now, girls, pick the man of your dreams....er week." She said brightly.
No one moved. Megumi's shoulders tensed. "What? I thought we all agreed to this?" She said eyeing the two reluctant girls.
Misao and Kaoru looked at each other and then back at her. "Why do I have the feeling that I'm going to regret this?" Kaoru asked. "What if the plan doesn't work?"
"Trust me Kaoru, this is going to work." She paused, realizing that the girls needed some convincing. "Look, I already, sort of tried it on Sano and trust me, he's all twisted up with just the thought of me ignoring him."
"But he just brought some geisha..." Misao began.
"Her name's Akiko." Kaoru said glancing at Megumi.
Megumi rolled her eyes. "So?"
"So he reacted differently! Instead of doing what you expected him to do, he brought, Akiko to dinner tonight, here at the Aoiya! And let me tell you, Aoshi-sama's pissed about it." Misao said.
Megumi sighed. She did not want to be reminded of that little scene from dinner. No, she wanted to get on with this stupid plan so that she could teach Sanosuke a lesson. "Sano came home drunk. He didn't even know what's-her-face name was."
"Akiko." Kaoru repeated.
Megumi whirled to face Kaoru. "Are you trying to annoy me Tanuki-chan? Because if you are, then you're not doing a very good job at it." She said calmly.
It was Kaoru's turn to roll her eyes. "Well what if Kenshin does the same thing? What if he pulls away instead?"
"Well then this isn't exactly our last plan now is it?"
"You have more plans?" Misao asked incredulous.
"Not right now, but we're smart enough. We'd think of something else." She turned at Kaoru again. "Do you honestly think that Kenshin would be capable of brining home a geisha if you start spending time with Sano or Aoshi?"
Kaoru shook her head. She seemed to be taking in things slowly. She took a deep breath. "Ok. Let's do it." She said straightening her back.
"That's the spirit! Enough of the endless talks. I'd say we put the plan into action and take it from there. Come on, seize the day. Let go of your fears. Jump off the goddamn cliff." Megumi ranted. She smiled and added calmly. "And now girls, pick one."
"Seesh fine! What's the big deal anyway? I just hang around with whoever I pick for a whole week right? I certainly don't think Aoshi would hold that against me." Misao reached out and stopped, "What if I picked up Aoshi?" She asked Megumi hopefully.
"It's called fate sweetheart." Megumi said. "But the point is to make Aoshi jealous and he wouldn't be jealous if you start spending the whole week with him, now would he?" Megumi said arching her eyebrows. "Well just have to pick again. The same way we'd have to pick again if Kaoru got Kenshin or if I got Sano." Misao groaned out loud. "Hey, we have to play fair. And now, do I need to make a gold plated invitation for this or are you going to finally pick one?" She asked annoyed.
Misao closed her eyes and uttered what seemed like a silent prayer. She plucked a stick out from Megumi's hand. She didn't look at it though. Instead she had it clenched at her fist. Megumi wondered if the little oni had picked Sano. She shook her head and turned at Kaoru. "Your turn."
Kaoru sighed and shook her head. "I trust Kenshin." she said finally pulling a twig of her own.
Megumi smiled and shook her head at Kaoru's pronouncement. She smiled even brighter as she held the remaining stick on her closed fist. Sano's punishment has now officially began. "Alright girls, who did you get?" Megumi asked opening her own palm.
Megumi, Misao and Kaoru took a moment to inspect the sticks clutched at their hands. In fact they spent a whole minute staring at it. And then with much dread they compared it with each other.
Megumi let out a bright smile.
Misao cursed underneath her breath.
And Kaoru's eyes had turned big and round, her jaws dropping open.
KAORU
"This is going to be a very, very long week." She muttered with disgust, blaming herself on why she had ever agreed to something so massively stupid as this. She hurled the offensive stick with a vengeance and allowed herself a small smile when as she heard it hit the ground. She glanced at Misao who had a better way of showing her dismay. The oni had her stick on the ground and she was viciously stomping on it. Kaoru grimaced. She turned at Megumi and rolled her eyes as soon as she saw the satisfied glint in the lady doctor's smile. Of course. She thought angrily.
She sighed loudly, dejectedly. There couldn't be anything worse than being paired up with...
Megumi's voice broke through her gloomy train of thought. "Ok, now we establish some very important rules." She announced all business like.
Kaoru wished she could be as calm as Megumi was. She gritted her teeth. It was all so very unfair. The plan was that they get themselves a man who would shower them attention and care! The plan was to get Kenshin jealous! Well, fat chance of that happening to her!
"What, try not to kill them?" Misao asked sarcastically, rudely interrupting Kaoru's mental rant.
"Well, that too." Megumi said, the same complacent smile etched permanently on her face. "But that's not really important." she added casually. "First thing first, we keep this thing as a secret. Not a word to anyone." Megumi emphasized this with glares thrown at their direction.
"No problem there." Kaoru said returning the glare. "I'm not planning on sharing this with Yahiko." She added sarcastically. Thinking of the number of ways Yahiko could tease her if he ever found out that she had spent a whole week at the Aoiya trying to seduce... Oh! She seethed once more at the impossibility of her task.
"We take this to our graves." Misao announced solemnly.
Kaoru returned the nod and added a mental vow to boot. Not a word. Secret. A big, ugly secret that she would soon be forgetting, discarded into the darkest nameless void of her mind.
"And the last rule," Megumi was saying. "Physical, um, interaction - is a must."
And for the second time within the hour, Kaoru's jaw dropped. "What?!" She shrieked.
Misao looked like she had swollen something vile and awful. "You've got to be kidding us!"
Megumi rolled her eyes. "I didn't said you finish the weekend naked with them!" The lady doctor threw up her hand and flashed them the famous Kitsune Death Glare, so solely reserved for Sanosuke. "Look, we need to establish a... connection with them. It's not going to happen if we spend the whole week just talking to them. I said physical interaction, it's a whole lotta different with..."
"Ok, stop. I get the picture ok." Kaoru said, trying so very hard not to get all hysterical. The thought of Kenshin getting... physical with someone else... "Holding hands." She said crossing her arms. "That's as far as we can go." She lifted up her chin and crossed her arms, challenging Megumi.
Misao nodded. "No kissing!"
"Fine. But if they try to kiss you..." Megumi began.
"He won't. I'll kill him first!" Misao announced, suddenly brandishing her kunais.
"Whoa, wait. No bloodshed, ok..." Kaoru said trying to diffuse the mounting tension. "We want them falling in love with us. Not dying." Misao glared at her, "Ok, minimum bloodshed." She corrected herself. "I guess they can handle a few injuries." Kaoru amended. Kami knows how Sano could have survived Megumi's violence. This seemed to be fine with Misao as she nodded primly, kunais disappearing all at once. Scary. Kaoru thought shaking her head.
"But what if you want to kiss them?" Megumi asked coyly.
Again, Misao's sea colored eyes flared up, "No one's kissing my Aoshi-sama!" She said through her clenched teeth.
Kaoru glared at Megumi who just shrugged her shoulders. "I'm saying it's as an option." Megumi added, "See, there's a thing called 'moment'. It's the music blasting in your ear, choir of angel singing in ecstasy, the heaven opening up and you close your eyes, tilt your head and pucker up. If you experience a 'moment' with them, kissing can be an option."
Option or not, kissing was the farthest thing in Kaoru's mind. "I don't think…" Kaoru began, but Misao cut her off.
"I'd rather kiss the ground than experience a freaking moment and end up puckering up for that Punk!" Misao said.
"Ok, first of all, who said he was going to kiss you?" Megumi said advancing forward.
"You did!" Misao returned, standing on her toes giving Megumi her own version of a death glare.
"Ok, you guys, this is starting to get a little out of had and we haven't even started with the plan yet." Kaoru said trying to squeeze in between the two.
Megumi raised her eyebrows and backed off. "Hey, I'm just trying to lay down the rules here." She said haughtily flipping her raven hair. "I repeat, for the last time, kissing is only an option. No one's gonna force anyone to kiss."
"Fine. The kissing thing, no matter how disgusting and not to mention disturbing it is.. is an option." She turned at Megumi. "If she gets kissed," she pointed at a fuming Misao, who immediately made gagging motion, "You're not gonna do something drastic like say, poison her or whatever the stuff you do with your needles. Agreed?"
"Nothing nasty." Megumi promised. "At least not to her. I could still kill Sano, right?"
Kaoru blinked at the hopeful tone in Megumi's voice. "Well, sure. I think." She frowned and slowly tried to warp her brain on that statement.
"Not if I get to kill him first!" Misao warned.
"That's not fair!" Megumi screeched. "You hurt him or something, but I get to have the final blow."
"Let's all try to compromise. Ok?" Kaoru finally said, if she tried to think about what Megumi meant by getting the final blow on poor Sano, she'd go where her mind had never gone before. "We're all on the same side here." She reminded the two girls.
Megumi and Misao both, "hmmmped."
"Look, I am well aware that we're not exactly the best of friends," Kaoru said pointedly looking at Megumi, "We all have our differences. But we all want the same thing, right?"
"Get back at those moron's who couldn't decided what to do with their lives." Megumi announced. "Those emotionally retarded men who are annoying the hell out of us! Forcing us to stoop to the level of their stupidity and immaturity!"
"Punish them!" Misao piped up just as enthusiastically.
Kaoru raised her eyebrows and smiled, "See! There's something you two both agree on." She said. "So lets all call it a truce and try to be..." she paused, unsure of the word, but then, what the hell. "Friends."
Megumi rolled her eyes. "Fine." She extended her hand.
Misao pouted, "She started it."
"Misao." Kaoru warned.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Misao reached for Megumi's hand. Their eyes locked.
Kaoru uttered a silent prayer. This cannot be what Tae-san had told her on what "Girl bonding" should be. After a moment, with Kaoru almost getting ready to shout for help Misao and Megumi shook their hands as they both muttered, "truce."
Kaoru let out a big sigh. She walked over to them and placed her open palm on the still locked handshake of Misao and Megumi. "Friends?" She asked calmly. The two girls nodded solemnly.
Girl bonding, Kaoru thought with a lopsided grin, of undoubtedly the weirdest kind. But it suited her just fine. "Any more rules you want to add Megumi-san?" She asked turning at the doctor.
Megumi shook her head and dropped her hand. "No. That about covers it up." She announced.
Kaoru smiled and turned to look at Misao, "anything you want to add Misao-chan?"
Misao thought for a while and then a slow smile appeared on her face, "No, I think that's about it." The oni girl stepped back. "So, tomorrow then, we begin this?" She asked, her eyes twinkling merrily.
"Suddenly excited Weasel?" Megumi asked looking at the girl.
"Why yes! Aren't you Kitsune?" The girl returned in the same sweet voice as Megumi's.
Kaoru blinked, Ok, what just happened here? She asked herself, suddenly nervous.
Megumi raised her eyebrows. "Oh, I'm just dying to begin. We'll show them why the should have never messed up with us." The foxy smile appeared on her face as she turned to look at Kaoru, "Ne, Tanuki, I'm wishing you all the luck. And, no hard feelings ok?"
Kaoru stiffened. "Of course." She said nodding slowly.
"Oyasumi girls. Sweet dreams." Megumi said sashaying away from them.
"O-oyasumi Megumi-san." Kaoru called out. She turned at Misao who was regarding her silently, "Ne, everything ok Misao?" Kaoru asked, feeling the sudden warmth on her cheeks.
"No." Misao said shaking her head. She stared up at Kaoru and smiled. "Kissing as an option huh? Can't wait." Misao said with a roll of her eyes. "Should I kiss him before or after I let Megumi have her final blow?"
Kaoru smiled back, "I'd say before. At least he can die a happy man."
Misao let out a peal of laughter. "I guess that could work." She said brightly. Her face suddenly froze at mid smile and Misao added quietly, "Wake up early tomorrow Kaoru-san, he's usually up before sunrise." She paused and looked away, "And he likes his lunch steaming hot, lots of vegetables, no meat and tea. Don't forget the tea ok?" She said softly. Kaoru nodded, unsure of how to react. Misao didn't gave her the chance to say anything. The oni girl turned and raced back to the house.
Kaoru blinked in surprise, her blue eyes darkening. She sighed as she headed back to her room. Why was she the only one who wasn't excited about this plan? Oh, that's right, because she had known from the very start that this was a big mistake. And after what had just happened between her and Kenshin, things are only bound to get even worse. "I am so looking forward to do this." She muttered, trying desperately to convince herself. It didn't work.
MISAO
Her heart was slamming painfully against her chest. She skidded to a stop and tried to take in deep breaths. They all must think that she did not know the seriousness of this plan. At first she had thought that this was all a silly game. A way to prove to Megumi-san and to herself as well that even though Aoshi had been cold and distant to her, they still belonged to each other. That his heart belonged to her. But what if Megumi-san was right? What if it belong to another girl? Or worse, a woman? Because that was all she was to Aoshi-sama, a little girl. How could she ever compete with someone who is older than her? Ok, forget being graceful and girly, but still...
Oh! She should have never agreed to this!
She slowly opened her shoji door and stepped inside her room. Misao let herself sink down to the floor, her back against the closed door. She hugged her knees and tried not to fall asleep. After all, there was no sense in waking up early tomorrow. She would not be the one greeting him Ohayou. She would not be the one who'd be bringing him his lunch at the temple. She would not be following him like a puppy for a whole week.
Like a love sick puppy.
Maybe that was a good thing.
Maybe not.
She rolled her eyes at how complicated her life was. She clenched her fist and vowed that she was going to prove everyone that they were all wrong. She wasn't a child anymore. She can think like a mature, emotionally sound, mentally balanced adult!
Right and agreeing on Megumi's silly plan is just going to do just that!
Misao growled. Most importantly she was going to show that Megumi-san how wrong, how very wrong she was!
And not about the part of making guys jealous or their ego being bigger than... Misao scrunched up her nose in thought, well, whatever was supposed to be bigger than their egos. Like maybe their swords, or whatever.
But Megumi-san was wrong. They cannot just fall in love with someone because they'd be spending a week with them. She had spent all her life falling in love with her Aoshi-sama. She figured it would take her another half of her life to fall out of love with him.
Well, there was no backing out now. She will have to do go through this plan. And hopefully, she learn something about this. Maybe seeing a jealous Sanosuke would all be worth it. She smiled as a picture of a roasting rooster filled her mind, yellow orange fire licking at his ruffled feathers! Oh, he'd be so pissed. He had said earlier that he'd do something if Megumi was to spend her time with another man. She briefly wondered what that something would be. Hopefully it would be something that Megumi-san would like.
And, oh, what would Himura-san's reaction be? He'd probably do nothing about it! She shook her head and felt sorry for Kaoru-chan. She tilted her head, wondering why Kaoru-chan had agreed with the plan. Misao shrugged. She never knew the whole story about Himura-san and Kaoru-chan.
Megumi and Sano were so easy to read. The love-hate relationship they have was been both amusing and ridiculous. She figured that it would have been so infuriating and frustrating for those two, who weren't exactly known for their patience. She could almost sympathize with Megumi-san. But Kenshin and Kaoru? There seemed to be more than just the usual attraction between those two. It seems as though whatever they feel for each other was something deeper... roots that cannot be probed or seen. And there was always that aura of pain whenever the two were inside the room. What could have happened between them over the past few days?
And then her thoughts drifted back to her and her Aoshi-sama. What she and Aoshi-sama have was also entirely different from Sano and Megumi or Kenshin and Kaoru. What she and Aoshi-sama had was a past together. Something the other two couple, or non-couple that is, do not have.
She both cherished and hated that past. Cherished it because their history together, that was the reason why she had grown to love her Aoshi-sama. And at the same time she loathed it, because in Aoshi-sama's mind, that past, she would always be Misao-chan, the little girl that needed a father, a mentor and nothing more.
She didn't know when her feelings for Aoshi-sama had changed, had intensified. She wished she could change that, because it brought her this weird aching in her chest. If she could love Aoshi-sama as she did before, as a father, an older brother, her mentor, then she would not be feeling this way for him.
So bitter-sweet and needful.
Misao cursed and dropped her head to her knees. Sometimes it sucked to be young and in love.
It makes you do incredibly stupid things.
Really stupid things.
Like tomorrow, she was going to have to try and... what was the word Megumi-san used? Right, connect. She needed to make a desperate connection with someone who annoyed her like crazy, Someone who she could never love. Someone who was not Aoshi-sama.
Oh, the stupid things that she would do for love!
End note:
So um, still there? Please don't hate me... I know this chapter wasn't really much of anything. But I hope you still liked this one. I've re-read this as soon as I finish writing it and I couldn't help but feel there's something... I don't know, wrong, lacking, boring, with this part. I hope you guys can tell me what it is. I am desperate for help. I've been stalling and stalling and all these fics keeps on piling up on me... and the school works... Oh... geez, sorry for the rant. I'll shut up now. Please feel free to tell me what you guys think. I promise, next chapter, the couple swapping would begin.
Chapter 7 - The Stupid Things we do for Love
Author's Note: First of, thank you so much for the reviews and feedback. I appreciate them all. I hope you're still with me in this rather, very long, very weird fic of mine. And oh, someone asked (I forgot who, I'm sorry!) who'd be paired with who. I hope the last chapter gave a way a few clues (as did this one, hopefully...) And now, on with the story.
Chapter 7 - The Stupid Things we do for Love
MEGUMI
She stomped her way towards the agreed meeting place, her actions reminiscent of Kaoru's from the other night. Well, she had every reason to be angry. And no, it wasn't because she had been stopped or was held inside the Aioya. No one would bother where she was and why she was going outside on the middle of the night. No, sir. She thought viciously. Not Takani Megumi.
She hoped the other girls were ready for the plan. Because there was no way in hell that she was going to wait any longer. Oh, that Sano had really driven her to it. And now she was really going to punish him. And she was going to enjoy punishing him. Oh yes, she will.
"There you are!" Came Misao's voice as soon as she reached their meeting place. "Thought you had backed down or something." Misao said glancing up at her.
"Not a chance." Megumi said gritting her teeth. She paused and then bent down, picking up something from the ground that held her attention. She smiled and then straightened her back. "In fact, were just about to start it."
"Are you ok Megumi-san?" Misao asked slowly, ever so carefully. As if afraid that Megumi would soon start acting like a crazed lunatic.
Megumi smirked. "I'm fine. You think that just because Sano is being a difficult annoying chicken head, rooster head punk I wouldn't be fine. Of course I'm fine. He does not affect me that much at all!" She began to viciously snap the twig she had picked up from the ground into pieces. Every snap it made actually made her smile.
"Ok, Megumi-san, we we're not late. And we didn't mention that you're late. No need for violence, ne?" Kaoru said raising her eyebrows.
"Yeah." Misao added, "Venting out your anger on that poor, no matter how dead twig it already is, is not helping you at all. Why not try my kunais and practice target shooting with Sano's head." Misao offered.
"Or my bokken. That worked for me." Kaoru added, trying to be helpful.
"Oh, violence. That's a nice idea." Megumi said out lout tilting her head as if in consideration of what she might do with violence and to whom, more importantly. She missed the concerned looks Misao and Kaoru had exchanged.
The two girls could feel the tension the air held. All because of Megumi's anger. They had a fairly good idea on what triggered this seething rage.
"If this is about what happened at dinner," Misao started.
But Megumi cut her off immediately. "Certainly not! No! Not at all." Megumi said shaking her head. She held up her closed fist, motioned for the two girls to come closer and raised her eyebrows. "Pick one." She said finally, revealing what seemed like the ends of the twig she had just finished butchering.
"Why?" Misao asked her brows wrinkled in a frown.
"Megumi, we came here to talk about the plan remember? Would you like to explain what this is all about?" Kaoru asked impatiently.
"No more talk. It's time for action Tanuki-chan." Megumi said finally letting herself smile. "And this, is how we play fair. Now pick."
The two girls sighed in unison.
"As long as this has something about the plan, then good! Because you're right Megumi, this plan might actually work." Misao announced moving forward.
"Good. I know you're a smart girl Misao." Megumi smiled encouragingly and then turned to look at Kaoru. "Don't disappoint me Kaoru." Megumi said archly.
Kaoru gave a long suffering sighed at inched forward. She mimicked Misao and had her arms stretched, her hands just inches away from the three sticks. "Fine. Fine. Fine." She muttered. "If this is what it would take...." she trailed off.
Megumi smiled benevolently. "Now girls, I have decided that to pick which guy we'd be spending the whole week with and to avoid any cat fights...."
Misao smiled and purred like a kitten. Kaoru's lips pulled up into a smirk. They looked at each other and then the three girls bust into laughter. The tension eased. They all visibly relaxed. And Megumi continued on, "We're going to draw lots, or in this case, sticks." She smiled complacently and watched as the two girls look at her closely. She explained, "The length of the sticks corresponds with their...."
"Me-gu-mi...." Kaoru interrupted through her gritted teeth.
"What? Geesh Kaoru, get your mind off the gutter, you're starting to remind me of Sano!" Megumi said shaking her head. "As I was saying, the length of the sticks corresponds with their heights." She said pointedly looking at Kaoru who was blushing to the roots of her hair.
"Oh." Was all she said.
Megumi rolled her eyes. "Ok, now, girls, pick the man of your dreams....er week." She said brightly.
No one moved. Megumi's shoulders tensed. "What? I thought we all agreed to this?" She said eyeing the two reluctant girls.
Misao and Kaoru looked at each other and then back at her. "Why do I have the feeling that I'm going to regret this?" Kaoru asked. "What if the plan doesn't work?"
"Trust me Kaoru, this is going to work." She paused, realizing that the girls needed some convincing. "Look, I already, sort of tried it on Sano and trust me, he's all twisted up with just the thought of me ignoring him."
"But he just brought some geisha..." Misao began.
"Her name's Akiko." Kaoru said glancing at Megumi.
Megumi rolled her eyes. "So?"
"So he reacted differently! Instead of doing what you expected him to do, he brought, Akiko to dinner tonight, here at the Aoiya! And let me tell you, Aoshi-sama's pissed about it." Misao said.
Megumi sighed. She did not want to be reminded of that little scene from dinner. No, she wanted to get on with this stupid plan so that she could teach Sanosuke a lesson. "Sano came home drunk. He didn't even know what's-her-face name was."
"Akiko." Kaoru repeated.
Megumi whirled to face Kaoru. "Are you trying to annoy me Tanuki-chan? Because if you are, then you're not doing a very good job at it." She said calmly.
It was Kaoru's turn to roll her eyes. "Well what if Kenshin does the same thing? What if he pulls away instead?"
"Well then this isn't exactly our last plan now is it?"
"You have more plans?" Misao asked incredulous.
"Not right now, but we're smart enough. We'd think of something else." She turned at Kaoru again. "Do you honestly think that Kenshin would be capable of brining home a geisha if you start spending time with Sano or Aoshi?"
Kaoru shook her head. She seemed to be taking in things slowly. She took a deep breath. "Ok. Let's do it." She said straightening her back.
"That's the spirit! Enough of the endless talks. I'd say we put the plan into action and take it from there. Come on, seize the day. Let go of your fears. Jump off the goddamn cliff." Megumi ranted. She smiled and added calmly. "And now girls, pick one."
"Seesh fine! What's the big deal anyway? I just hang around with whoever I pick for a whole week right? I certainly don't think Aoshi would hold that against me." Misao reached out and stopped, "What if I picked up Aoshi?" She asked Megumi hopefully.
"It's called fate sweetheart." Megumi said. "But the point is to make Aoshi jealous and he wouldn't be jealous if you start spending the whole week with him, now would he?" Megumi said arching her eyebrows. "Well just have to pick again. The same way we'd have to pick again if Kaoru got Kenshin or if I got Sano." Misao groaned out loud. "Hey, we have to play fair. And now, do I need to make a gold plated invitation for this or are you going to finally pick one?" She asked annoyed.
Misao closed her eyes and uttered what seemed like a silent prayer. She plucked a stick out from Megumi's hand. She didn't look at it though. Instead she had it clenched at her fist. Megumi wondered if the little oni had picked Sano. She shook her head and turned at Kaoru. "Your turn."
Kaoru sighed and shook her head. "I trust Kenshin." she said finally pulling a twig of her own.
Megumi smiled and shook her head at Kaoru's pronouncement. She smiled even brighter as she held the remaining stick on her closed fist. Sano's punishment has now officially began. "Alright girls, who did you get?" Megumi asked opening her own palm.
Megumi, Misao and Kaoru took a moment to inspect the sticks clutched at their hands. In fact they spent a whole minute staring at it. And then with much dread they compared it with each other.
Megumi let out a bright smile.
Misao cursed underneath her breath.
And Kaoru's eyes had turned big and round, her jaws dropping open.
KAORU
"This is going to be a very, very long week." She muttered with disgust, blaming herself on why she had ever agreed to something so massively stupid as this. She hurled the offensive stick with a vengeance and allowed herself a small smile when as she heard it hit the ground. She glanced at Misao who had a better way of showing her dismay. The oni had her stick on the ground and she was viciously stomping on it. Kaoru grimaced. She turned at Megumi and rolled her eyes as soon as she saw the satisfied glint in the lady doctor's smile. Of course. She thought angrily.
She sighed loudly, dejectedly. There couldn't be anything worse than being paired up with...
Megumi's voice broke through her gloomy train of thought. "Ok, now we establish some very important rules." She announced all business like.
Kaoru wished she could be as calm as Megumi was. She gritted her teeth. It was all so very unfair. The plan was that they get themselves a man who would shower them attention and care! The plan was to get Kenshin jealous! Well, fat chance of that happening to her!
"What, try not to kill them?" Misao asked sarcastically, rudely interrupting Kaoru's mental rant.
"Well, that too." Megumi said, the same complacent smile etched permanently on her face. "But that's not really important." she added casually. "First thing first, we keep this thing as a secret. Not a word to anyone." Megumi emphasized this with glares thrown at their direction.
"No problem there." Kaoru said returning the glare. "I'm not planning on sharing this with Yahiko." She added sarcastically. Thinking of the number of ways Yahiko could tease her if he ever found out that she had spent a whole week at the Aoiya trying to seduce... Oh! She seethed once more at the impossibility of her task.
"We take this to our graves." Misao announced solemnly.
Kaoru returned the nod and added a mental vow to boot. Not a word. Secret. A big, ugly secret that she would soon be forgetting, discarded into the darkest nameless void of her mind.
"And the last rule," Megumi was saying. "Physical, um, interaction - is a must."
And for the second time within the hour, Kaoru's jaw dropped. "What?!" She shrieked.
Misao looked like she had swollen something vile and awful. "You've got to be kidding us!"
Megumi rolled her eyes. "I didn't said you finish the weekend naked with them!" The lady doctor threw up her hand and flashed them the famous Kitsune Death Glare, so solely reserved for Sanosuke. "Look, we need to establish a... connection with them. It's not going to happen if we spend the whole week just talking to them. I said physical interaction, it's a whole lotta different with..."
"Ok, stop. I get the picture ok." Kaoru said, trying so very hard not to get all hysterical. The thought of Kenshin getting... physical with someone else... "Holding hands." She said crossing her arms. "That's as far as we can go." She lifted up her chin and crossed her arms, challenging Megumi.
Misao nodded. "No kissing!"
"Fine. But if they try to kiss you..." Megumi began.
"He won't. I'll kill him first!" Misao announced, suddenly brandishing her kunais.
"Whoa, wait. No bloodshed, ok..." Kaoru said trying to diffuse the mounting tension. "We want them falling in love with us. Not dying." Misao glared at her, "Ok, minimum bloodshed." She corrected herself. "I guess they can handle a few injuries." Kaoru amended. Kami knows how Sano could have survived Megumi's violence. This seemed to be fine with Misao as she nodded primly, kunais disappearing all at once. Scary. Kaoru thought shaking her head.
"But what if you want to kiss them?" Megumi asked coyly.
Again, Misao's sea colored eyes flared up, "No one's kissing my Aoshi-sama!" She said through her clenched teeth.
Kaoru glared at Megumi who just shrugged her shoulders. "I'm saying it's as an option." Megumi added, "See, there's a thing called 'moment'. It's the music blasting in your ear, choir of angel singing in ecstasy, the heaven opening up and you close your eyes, tilt your head and pucker up. If you experience a 'moment' with them, kissing can be an option."
Option or not, kissing was the farthest thing in Kaoru's mind. "I don't think…" Kaoru began, but Misao cut her off.
"I'd rather kiss the ground than experience a freaking moment and end up puckering up for that Punk!" Misao said.
"Ok, first of all, who said he was going to kiss you?" Megumi said advancing forward.
"You did!" Misao returned, standing on her toes giving Megumi her own version of a death glare.
"Ok, you guys, this is starting to get a little out of had and we haven't even started with the plan yet." Kaoru said trying to squeeze in between the two.
Megumi raised her eyebrows and backed off. "Hey, I'm just trying to lay down the rules here." She said haughtily flipping her raven hair. "I repeat, for the last time, kissing is only an option. No one's gonna force anyone to kiss."
"Fine. The kissing thing, no matter how disgusting and not to mention disturbing it is.. is an option." She turned at Megumi. "If she gets kissed," she pointed at a fuming Misao, who immediately made gagging motion, "You're not gonna do something drastic like say, poison her or whatever the stuff you do with your needles. Agreed?"
"Nothing nasty." Megumi promised. "At least not to her. I could still kill Sano, right?"
Kaoru blinked at the hopeful tone in Megumi's voice. "Well, sure. I think." She frowned and slowly tried to warp her brain on that statement.
"Not if I get to kill him first!" Misao warned.
"That's not fair!" Megumi screeched. "You hurt him or something, but I get to have the final blow."
"Let's all try to compromise. Ok?" Kaoru finally said, if she tried to think about what Megumi meant by getting the final blow on poor Sano, she'd go where her mind had never gone before. "We're all on the same side here." She reminded the two girls.
Megumi and Misao both, "hmmmped."
"Look, I am well aware that we're not exactly the best of friends," Kaoru said pointedly looking at Megumi, "We all have our differences. But we all want the same thing, right?"
"Get back at those moron's who couldn't decided what to do with their lives." Megumi announced. "Those emotionally retarded men who are annoying the hell out of us! Forcing us to stoop to the level of their stupidity and immaturity!"
"Punish them!" Misao piped up just as enthusiastically.
Kaoru raised her eyebrows and smiled, "See! There's something you two both agree on." She said. "So lets all call it a truce and try to be..." she paused, unsure of the word, but then, what the hell. "Friends."
Megumi rolled her eyes. "Fine." She extended her hand.
Misao pouted, "She started it."
"Misao." Kaoru warned.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Misao reached for Megumi's hand. Their eyes locked.
Kaoru uttered a silent prayer. This cannot be what Tae-san had told her on what "Girl bonding" should be. After a moment, with Kaoru almost getting ready to shout for help Misao and Megumi shook their hands as they both muttered, "truce."
Kaoru let out a big sigh. She walked over to them and placed her open palm on the still locked handshake of Misao and Megumi. "Friends?" She asked calmly. The two girls nodded solemnly.
Girl bonding, Kaoru thought with a lopsided grin, of undoubtedly the weirdest kind. But it suited her just fine. "Any more rules you want to add Megumi-san?" She asked turning at the doctor.
Megumi shook her head and dropped her hand. "No. That about covers it up." She announced.
Kaoru smiled and turned to look at Misao, "anything you want to add Misao-chan?"
Misao thought for a while and then a slow smile appeared on her face, "No, I think that's about it." The oni girl stepped back. "So, tomorrow then, we begin this?" She asked, her eyes twinkling merrily.
"Suddenly excited Weasel?" Megumi asked looking at the girl.
"Why yes! Aren't you Kitsune?" The girl returned in the same sweet voice as Megumi's.
Kaoru blinked, Ok, what just happened here? She asked herself, suddenly nervous.
Megumi raised her eyebrows. "Oh, I'm just dying to begin. We'll show them why the should have never messed up with us." The foxy smile appeared on her face as she turned to look at Kaoru, "Ne, Tanuki, I'm wishing you all the luck. And, no hard feelings ok?"
Kaoru stiffened. "Of course." She said nodding slowly.
"Oyasumi girls. Sweet dreams." Megumi said sashaying away from them.
"O-oyasumi Megumi-san." Kaoru called out. She turned at Misao who was regarding her silently, "Ne, everything ok Misao?" Kaoru asked, feeling the sudden warmth on her cheeks.
"No." Misao said shaking her head. She stared up at Kaoru and smiled. "Kissing as an option huh? Can't wait." Misao said with a roll of her eyes. "Should I kiss him before or after I let Megumi have her final blow?"
Kaoru smiled back, "I'd say before. At least he can die a happy man."
Misao let out a peal of laughter. "I guess that could work." She said brightly. Her face suddenly froze at mid smile and Misao added quietly, "Wake up early tomorrow Kaoru-san, he's usually up before sunrise." She paused and looked away, "And he likes his lunch steaming hot, lots of vegetables, no meat and tea. Don't forget the tea ok?" She said softly. Kaoru nodded, unsure of how to react. Misao didn't gave her the chance to say anything. The oni girl turned and raced back to the house.
Kaoru blinked in surprise, her blue eyes darkening. She sighed as she headed back to her room. Why was she the only one who wasn't excited about this plan? Oh, that's right, because she had known from the very start that this was a big mistake. And after what had just happened between her and Kenshin, things are only bound to get even worse. "I am so looking forward to do this." She muttered, trying desperately to convince herself. It didn't work.
MISAO
Her heart was slamming painfully against her chest. She skidded to a stop and tried to take in deep breaths. They all must think that she did not know the seriousness of this plan. At first she had thought that this was all a silly game. A way to prove to Megumi-san and to herself as well that even though Aoshi had been cold and distant to her, they still belonged to each other. That his heart belonged to her. But what if Megumi-san was right? What if it belong to another girl? Or worse, a woman? Because that was all she was to Aoshi-sama, a little girl. How could she ever compete with someone who is older than her? Ok, forget being graceful and girly, but still...
Oh! She should have never agreed to this!
She slowly opened her shoji door and stepped inside her room. Misao let herself sink down to the floor, her back against the closed door. She hugged her knees and tried not to fall asleep. After all, there was no sense in waking up early tomorrow. She would not be the one greeting him Ohayou. She would not be the one who'd be bringing him his lunch at the temple. She would not be following him like a puppy for a whole week.
Like a love sick puppy.
Maybe that was a good thing.
Maybe not.
She rolled her eyes at how complicated her life was. She clenched her fist and vowed that she was going to prove everyone that they were all wrong. She wasn't a child anymore. She can think like a mature, emotionally sound, mentally balanced adult!
Right and agreeing on Megumi's silly plan is just going to do just that!
Misao growled. Most importantly she was going to show that Megumi-san how wrong, how very wrong she was!
And not about the part of making guys jealous or their ego being bigger than... Misao scrunched up her nose in thought, well, whatever was supposed to be bigger than their egos. Like maybe their swords, or whatever.
But Megumi-san was wrong. They cannot just fall in love with someone because they'd be spending a week with them. She had spent all her life falling in love with her Aoshi-sama. She figured it would take her another half of her life to fall out of love with him.
Well, there was no backing out now. She will have to do go through this plan. And hopefully, she learn something about this. Maybe seeing a jealous Sanosuke would all be worth it. She smiled as a picture of a roasting rooster filled her mind, yellow orange fire licking at his ruffled feathers! Oh, he'd be so pissed. He had said earlier that he'd do something if Megumi was to spend her time with another man. She briefly wondered what that something would be. Hopefully it would be something that Megumi-san would like.
And, oh, what would Himura-san's reaction be? He'd probably do nothing about it! She shook her head and felt sorry for Kaoru-chan. She tilted her head, wondering why Kaoru-chan had agreed with the plan. Misao shrugged. She never knew the whole story about Himura-san and Kaoru-chan.
Megumi and Sano were so easy to read. The love-hate relationship they have was been both amusing and ridiculous. She figured that it would have been so infuriating and frustrating for those two, who weren't exactly known for their patience. She could almost sympathize with Megumi-san. But Kenshin and Kaoru? There seemed to be more than just the usual attraction between those two. It seems as though whatever they feel for each other was something deeper... roots that cannot be probed or seen. And there was always that aura of pain whenever the two were inside the room. What could have happened between them over the past few days?
And then her thoughts drifted back to her and her Aoshi-sama. What she and Aoshi-sama have was also entirely different from Sano and Megumi or Kenshin and Kaoru. What she and Aoshi-sama had was a past together. Something the other two couple, or non-couple that is, do not have.
She both cherished and hated that past. Cherished it because their history together, that was the reason why she had grown to love her Aoshi-sama. And at the same time she loathed it, because in Aoshi-sama's mind, that past, she would always be Misao-chan, the little girl that needed a father, a mentor and nothing more.
She didn't know when her feelings for Aoshi-sama had changed, had intensified. She wished she could change that, because it brought her this weird aching in her chest. If she could love Aoshi-sama as she did before, as a father, an older brother, her mentor, then she would not be feeling this way for him.
So bitter-sweet and needful.
Misao cursed and dropped her head to her knees. Sometimes it sucked to be young and in love.
It makes you do incredibly stupid things.
Really stupid things.
Like tomorrow, she was going to have to try and... what was the word Megumi-san used? Right, connect. She needed to make a desperate connection with someone who annoyed her like crazy, Someone who she could never love. Someone who was not Aoshi-sama.
Oh, the stupid things that she would do for love!
End note:
So um, still there? Please don't hate me... I know this chapter wasn't really much of anything. But I hope you still liked this one. I've re-read this as soon as I finish writing it and I couldn't help but feel there's something... I don't know, wrong, lacking, boring, with this part. I hope you guys can tell me what it is. I am desperate for help. I've been stalling and stalling and all these fics keeps on piling up on me... and the school works... Oh... geez, sorry for the rant. I'll shut up now. Please feel free to tell me what you guys think. I promise, next chapter, the couple swapping would begin.