Xtreme Dating Challenge

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Seabreeze

A/N: Hum de hum de hum. You guys'll enjoy this baby. Heh. Heh heh heh heh.

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own anything.

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The next day, after making sure that Kaoru was perfectly fine, the producers informed her that she three dates to complete. To save time, they did not tape the moment when Kaoru learned who she would meet today. Misao, as she had the first day, picked and read her the names, and was less than excited when she learned that Shinomori, Aoshi was the last date for the day.

"Don't worry, Misao," Kaoru said, worried her friend would be mad at her. "Remember? I'm not interested in any of these guys- Aoshi included." She touched Misao's shoulder for emphasis, and Misao grabbed her hand and pulled Kaoru off to a separate balcony.

"I'm not worried about you, Kaoru, I'm worried about him! What if he falls for you? That would be awful! I don't even know if I can handle the thought of him dating anyone. . ." Misao bit her nail nervously, and Kaoru realized that she had never seen Misao like this before.

"You really like him, don't you?" she asked softly. Misao raised her big green eyes to Kaoru and nodded.

"I don't know why, Kaoru! I haven't even really met the guy yet, but he's so. . . so. . ."

"Was it love at first sight?" Kaoru asked, spellbound. Misao turned to the balcony railing and looked out, surveying the lush gardens.

"Not exactly," Misao replied, voice far away. "I just feel. . . like there's something there. Its hard to explain."

"Have you tried talking to him?"

"I haven't had a chance! You know I'd love to, but I can't ever seem to find him. Even if he's not interested now, I could win him over! Don't you think?" Misao turned to Kaoru. Kaoru couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Misao, if anyone can win over a block of ice, its you."

"Hey, he's not a block of ice! He's just. . . mysterious. There's more to him than you can see!"

"I'd love to talk about this more, but I'm due in make-up." Kaoru said, feeling guilty for abandoning her friend. Misao watched her for a moment.

"Screw make-up. I'll do it."

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Misao dragged Kaoru into make-up and chased all the hair and make-up artists out of the room so she and Kaoru could discuss alone. As she applied base, concealer, blush, lip gloss, eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara to Kaoru, Misao tried in vain to put her feelings towards Aoshi into words.

"its like-" Misao began as she pulled Kaoru's blow-dried hair into a high ponytail, "-its like that feeling you get right before the drop in a rollercoaster. Like you're partially scared, but mostly you're excited and you're blood's rushing around in your veins."

"Wow, Misao, that's. . . intense." Kaoru said, slightly awed.

"I know," Misao agreed, tying a wide blue ribbon around the ponytail. "But its so crazy, Kaoru!" she sighed. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do with myself." Kaoru giggled.

"I've never heard anyone as passionate about anything as you are about Aoshi." She said teasingly. Misao only sighed in response. Then, after she was satisfied with Kaoru's hair and makeup, she tugged her friend out the chair once again.

"Come on, Kaoru! Wardrobe!" Misao dragged Kaoru quickly into another room, one filled with wracks of clothes, only to find- a guy. Misao stopped in her tracks so that Kaoru accidentally ran into her.

"Ouch! What'd you stop for, Misao?" but she only had to look over Misao's shoulder to get her answer. One of the bachelors, Amano Tokashi, was waiting for them, holding a bouquet of light blue roses in his hands. His eyes brightened and his ears turned red as he saw Kaoru.

"Miss Kamiya," he said, bowing. Kaoru and Misao bowed back, Misao slightly irked that he had not addressed her.

"Good morning, Tokashi-san," Kaoru said, unsure of what was going on.

"Oh, I- I just wanted to give you these before we talk today." He handed her the roses awkwardly as Kaoru remembered that Tokashi was her second date for the day.

"Thank you," she said, dumbfounded. Amano stepped forward and kissed Kaoru on the cheek, bowing, and leaving the room. Kaoru turned bright red as she and Misao stared at eachother.

"Woww," Misao said. "Seems I'm not the only one who's completely in love with someone I'll never get." She said smugly.

"He's not in love with me, he's just being courteous." Kaoru retorted. "Plus, Aoshi's not out of your reach."

"No," Misao said thoughtfully as she wrapped herself in a furcoat hanging from one of the wracks of clothes. "I'm just gonna have to work a little harder for him," with a coy wink to Kaoru, she spun and began shifting through the clothes. Kaoru giggled as Misao began again; "Now how do you feel today, Miss Kamiya?"

"Like I'd rather not go on three dates with complete strangers," Kaoru said, nose wrinkled. Misao rolled her eyes and held up a black ruffled mini skirt.

"Fine, then you get no say. You'll wear this, and-" Misao reached in and pulled out a purple tank top with a slight turtle neck. The tank was textured and had the outline of a giant purple rose on the bottom right corner. Kaoru shrugged after looking over it.

"Whatever." she said, obviously bored. She took the clothes behind the small, old-fashioned, wooden partician that served as a dressing room.

"Oooh, you'll wear boots, too!" Misao said, excitedly tossing knee-high black stilleto boots to her friend. One hit her squarely on the head.

"Owwww, Misao!!!!" she whined, already feeling 100% apprehensive. She rubbed her head and zipped up the skirt. "I don't want to do this," she stated mournfully. Misao sighed.

"I don't want you to either, Kaoru, but we're tied. God knows I'd rather go on a date with Aoshi-sama than let anyone else-"

Kaoru stepped out of the makeshift dressing room, wearing the outfit Misao had chosen and an un-Kaoru-like smirk.

"Would you," she said coolly, walking over to the dressing wracks and shifting through them herself. "You know, I never thought about it much, Misao, but we look a lot alike." she grinned over the wrack, hardly containing her excitement. Misao stared at her friend in confusion until it dawned on her.

"What do you-? Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Misao's eyes got huge and she yanked her friend over. "Do you MEAN it, Kaoru? Do you think we could really pull it off?"

"Well, why not? I'll make you look like I always do, and you make me look like you always do. . . you go on my dates for today and get to talk to Aoshi. . . I act like a TV host and get out of my dates-" Misao cut her off by squealing and throwing her arms around her friends neck.

"I love you FOREVER, Kaoru! You are SO one of the coolest people I've ever met! But hurry, we don't have time for this! MAKE-UP!"

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In thirty minutes, Kaoru and Misao had completely transformed. Kaoru wore the same outfit as before, and Misao wore a light pink, flowered summer dress with platform sandles to boost her height. Kaoru had straightened Misao's long hair and gathered it into a high ponytail, arrangering her friends bangs as she did her own. Nude lipgloss, pink blush, and loads of mascara finished the deal. Kaoru stared at her creation in wonder; it was almost like looking in a mirror. Except for there was no mirror, and she was looking at Misao.

They didn't have much time to gawk, so Misao went to work immediately on Kaoru.

She first took down her friends' hair and braided it quickly and precisely. She mussed up Kaoru's bangs and added a slight bit of bright green eyeshadow to her eyelids, hoping it would make them seem greener. She applied light mascara and peach blush next, and Kaoru was (physically, at least) Misao.

"Oh, my gosh." Misao said as the two stood side by side in front of a mirror. "This is creepy." Kaoru nodded in agreement.

"Creepy but convenient," she said. "Remember we have to try and copy each other's manerisms and voice and all that, ok?"

"Got it," Misao said, looking eager and ready.

"And don't look too interested in any of them, especially Aoshi, because I know you'll have trouble with that," she added, tugging at the end of her braid.

"Got it. And you, Kaoru, keep the energy up! You're a host, you gotta have energy! Act like-"

"-like I've just had 47 cups of coffee?" Kaoru asked with a grin. Misao scowled.

"I was GOING to say 'like me'."

"What's the difference?"

"If I didn't love you right now, I'd totally kick your butt."

"You could try," Kaoru teased, grinning. "Oh, I'm sorry, Misao, I'm just so excited!"

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Kaoru hosted the show with as much enthusiasm she could muster, convincingly portraying her small, green-eyed friend. She felt such great relief at not having to perform her dates that showing such enthusiasm was not difficult. Misao, it seemed, was a born actress, and Kaoru was almost frightened by how well Misao played the part of herself. She moved, talked, and looked exactly like Kaoru. The dates were flawless; better, even, then when Kaoru was on them, and Kaoru only wished that Misao could fall in love with all the men she was supposed to be dating.

She had, as predicted, a little trouble curbing her utter joy when Aoshi walked on camera, but would always seem to get herself in check. She asked him endless questions about himself- what he liked to do, what he liked in a girl, what he thought of himself.

At the end of the day, both girls, Misao in particular, were extremely glad that they had conceived such an ingenius scheme.

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A/N: Meheheheheheheheheheh, my evil plot arises!!!!! I'm overly excited about this particular aspect of the story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do

The next chapter is not overly action-packed, but what's this? Sanosuke hits on Megumi????

It simply cannot be :D

Anyway, thanks to my lovely reviewer:

Human Chew Toy- haha, I hate reality tv too. Its NOT real, they set up situations... But I'm glad you like my story! Thanks so much for reading it and leaving such an energetic review.