The Author in which that is writing this:

Yo! Yep, thank y'all for da reviews. It meant much ta me. Really! I was thinkin' flames instead of good comments. But I was wrong! Not saying dat's a good thing! Anyways, go on 'n read da fanfic.

Ai Kokoro Tamashii

By: Da Person in which dat is Writin' dis Fanfic

Episode Two: Meeting Each Other

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Sunday, the worst day of the week for Misao. Nothing good on T.V. nor anything else to do. To sum it up in one word: Boring. And remembering what happened last night made it more depressing.

Misao was still in her bed. She laid in her bed awake. She did wake up earlier around nine but she didn't feel like getting out of her bed. And so she laid in her bed since then. It was now twelve 'o clock and she was still lying in bed with messy hair, bad breath, and wearing two day old clothes on.

Of course she was still mad from yesterday's news, but she was trying hard to believe that she was just dreaming. She hoped that she dreamt that dinner yesterday, and nothing happened at all and that her family went out to eat. She hoped that there was no arranged marriage for her and that she dreamt it. She hoped that she was right.

Then someone from outside of Misao's room knocked on the door. They knocked three times and waited. Misao didn't answer. She still thinking about her nightmare. Or maybe it wasn't a nightmare? She said in her mind. Did I really experienced those crazy news yesterday? For the love of Buddha, I so hope not.

"MISAO, OPEN THE DOOR ALREADY!" The impatient voice shouted.

Misao raised her head. She knew that voice. "C-come...in..." Her voice was hoarse since she didn't brushed her teeth yet so she had to shout louder. "DOOR'S OPENED! COME IN!"

The door opened and in came Kaoru wearing a light blue blouse and jeans. Kaoru was well dressed unlike Misao. She looked at her friend with an eyebrow arched.

"Whoa there..." Kaoru said staring at Misao. Misao was sitting there with ripped scraps of her 'used to be blanket.' Along with Misao's appearance made Kaoru wondered what Misao did all night. "...What happened to you...? Your bed's a mess... Your eyes are bloodshot red... Basically to sum it all up, you look hell." She said bluntly.

Misao's eyes, half way opened, looked up at Kaoru. She replied, "Yeah," she gave a cough, "I know."

Kaoru gave a sigh. Then Okina walked in the room. He stared at Misao with a serious face. "Hurry and get dressed Misao. Since, ahem, we didn't get further along the topic last night about your marriage so I'll tell you now. We're going up to Shishio's home for a visit. So...get dressed please, we're leaving in 15 minutes."

Hearing the word, 'Marriage,' Kaoru's eyes quickly widen and stared at Misao as Okina left the room.

Misao groaned to herself as she slammed her head into the pillow. It is true! Argh...why is this happening to me? I'm not going!'

Then she felt a thump on her bed. Kaoru was sitting next to her. "Misao! What did your grandfather meant by getting further into the topic of your marriage?! Call me crazy, but aren't you too young to marry?"

Kaoru waited five seconds. Misao didn't answer.

"Misao!" She cried to her friend as she grabbed on Misao shoulders to shake the morning laziness out of her. "Come on! What the hell is going on?!"

Misao still didn't answer. It felt like Kaoru was punching a dead person. "Misao Makimachi! If you answer me right this instance, I'll throw you across the room!"

The lifeless friend didn't really think Kaoru would dare but she did. Kaoru, wasn't the kind of person with big muscles but she able to grab Misao by her sides and gave a might throw which did throw her across the room. Kaoru had practice kendo in her spare time. Fortunately for Misao, Okina had taught her some pointers in the art of Ninjitsu and she did train with when she was little and so she was able to make a back flip and landed on her legs.

With wide eyes Misao narrowed her eyes towards Kaoru. "What the hell?!"

Kaoru laughed. "I never bluff on my words, Misao. But seriously. Misao." Kaoru changed her voice to her serious mode. "I'm your best friend. I deserve to know."

Misao looked down at the floor for a moment and thought about it. She herself needed to know what was going on to before she tells Kaoru. Everything had happened so fast and she didn't want to listen and so she didn't have much information on what was going on herself.

"Yesterday, when I went home for dinner. Jiya spilled some news on me," Misao sighed at the thought. "He and some guy that's a good friend of his had decided on arranging a marriage for me. Once I'm an adult, I have to marry this guy."

Throughout Misao's explanation Kaoru had listen carefully and now that her friend was finished talking, Kaoru was left with wide eyes. She took what Misao said and along with what Okina said and put it altogether in her mind. Misao is engaged to someone and today she's going to visit him!

"Wow Misao... And you have visit the guy that you're marrying today!" Kaoru reminded Misao.

Misao walked over to her bed and laid down again. She grumbled, "Doesn't matter... I'm not going. I never agreed to this anyways."

Kaoru walked over and sat down on the bed, sitting next to Misao. She patted Misao's back to comfort her. She didn't think this arrangement was fair to Misao either. "It's alright, Misao." She sighed. "I can't believe Okina did this to you. I wonder for what reason."

"It doesn't matter what the reason is." Misao grumped. "I'm...doomed! She cried and turned, lying faced up. "Now I'll never get to marry Aoshi! This is so unfair!"

Kaoru smiled. "Misao... Aoshi is in his twenties. You're sixteen. I don't think Okina would ever let you." Not to mention Aoshi wouldn't want to marry you. Kaoru said in her mind. She didn't want to say it out loud because Misao was already depressed. By the red shot eyes, she could tell that Misao had been crying the previous night. And with the ripped up stripes of Misao's blanket, she could also tell that Misao was also very mad.

"Of course Okina wouldn't let me marry him. I'm already married to some unknown idiot." Misao grumbled again.

"Hey, what is the person's name that you're suppose to marry?" Kaoru asked wondering.

"I dunno... I forgot." Misao said in a voice that meant she didn't care.

Suddenly, Okina came in the room again. He was all ready, wearing actual nice clothes an old man would wear. "MISAO!!! GET UP!" He tried to rush the girl but the only result he go was a, 'go on without me.' He looked at Misao's friend, Kaoru and said, "I'm sorry but Misao has to get ready and leave for a trip. She'll see you tomorrow."

Kaoru stood up and nodded. "Good luck, Misao." She said with a smile to cheer her best friend. Then left the room.

"Okon! Omasu! Get in here!" Okina called for the two sisters. As called, the two came in. They were both dressed and ready unlike Misao. "Get Misao ready, we have to leave in seven minutes!" Okina said as he raged out of the room. He was already nervous about Misao's manners when meeting Shishio and his family. He hoped that Misao would at least help him by getting ready. Okina thought as he walked out.

Okon looked at Misao who didn't move an inch. "Sorry, Misao. But you have to get ready! Your fiancé is waiting for you!"

Misao twitched at hearing the word, 'fiancé.' She lift her head up high, shooting daggers with her bloodshot eyes at the two sisters. "You say that he's a fiancé, I'm gonna kick your ASS!" She screeched at Okon and Omasu.

Omasu had enough of this. She walked over and grabbed her stubborn cousin's braided pigtail and yanked on it hard which resulted Misao to scream loud enough for anyone to hear from a hundred miles away. Okon grabbed a rope and tied Misao's arms together, and her feet together.

"Wha...? WHAT the HELL are you guys DOING to ME?!" roared Misao.

Omasu replied, "I'm sorry Misao. I know you're mad at grandpa's decision. We know that it's not fair for you but it would all help...us if you would just...cooperate, with us." Omasu struggled to say as she held onto the fierce-some Misao, who was trying to get out of the ropes.

"Now you will look your best when you meet Shishio-san's family today." Okon explained. Then after they made sure that Misao couldn't get out of her tied up position, Okon looked up at Omasu. Misao was still complaining and shouting, but the two tried to ignore that. "First, we should brush her teeth." Okon said. Omasu nodded and the two carried the tied up girl into the bathroom.

They brushed her teeth and then went back into Misao's room to look for a reasonable wardrobe. Misao didn't talk at all as they look through her closet. The reason was they duct taped her mouth so all she could do was grunt and grumble.

After searching for a few minutes, Okon and Omasu found the perfect clothes for Misao. It was hard, but they managed to dress her in a nice green stretch button-front dress shirt and a light blue, long silk skirt, while Misao was still in ropes. Don't ask how they did it, they just do. After that, they made her stand in front of a mirror.

"Oh nice work, Okon!" Omasu complimented.

"Oh it was nothing, you did a lot to so I have to say the same for you." Okon replied.

Misao rolled her eyes. While they were complimenting on each other's works, she stood there in ropes. Now she knows how fashion dummies felt, but her situation was worse. The ropes were really getting uncomfortable.

"Now, we need to do her hair," Omasu stated to her sister.

HAIR?! Misao panicked hearing that. No one touches her hair but her. She was already shuddering, thinking of the horrible hair dos they would do to her hair. Even though Misao was taped in the mouth, she could scream with tape on and which, she did.

"Misao, stop being a baby. We're not going to do anything bad." Omasu said as she brushed Misao's hair. Okon giggled. Misao's eyes widen with fear.

Five minutes later...

"There!" Okon and Omasu turned Misao around to face the mirror and took the duct tape off. Misao was relief to have it off. Under the duct tape was sweat and such and Misao's mouth started to itch. Then suddenly, the reflection in the mirror caught her attention.

Misao's hair actually looked...pretty. Okon and Omasu didn't try one of their odd hairdo, they just took out her braid and brushed it and left her hair straight and down.

"What do you think?" Okon and Omasu asked in unison.

Misao liked it but she didn't want to say it. "It looks what Jiya would wear." She said bluntly.

Okon put her hands on her hips and gave a sigh. "Misao, you may have a change of look but you still have your rotten attitude."

"Whatever," one of the ropes scratched Misao's hips, "Can you guys please get me out of these. It's really a torture and...I promise I won't do anything bad. I'll cooperate if you guys get me out of this! I mean, this is extreme torture!"

From downstairs, Okina shouted to the girls, "You guys have to be in the car in one minute!"

Okon took the ropes off of Misao. "We should be going, let's get in the car." Omasu said.

All three of them walked down the stairs. Misao sighed and stared at the steps while she walked down the stairs next to her cousins. She still wasn't comfortable with this.

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Soujiro, stood in his training grounds, practicing his Kenjitsu. Having no idea, what today was. He was focus on working harder and getting his moves to be perfect as Shishio would want it to be. He was too focused that he did not remember that his fiancée was coming in five minutes.

"SOUJIRO!" A voice from behind him hollered.

Wondering who is was, Soujiro gave a stop to his practice and turned around, facing a very angry woman. "Have you forgotten who's coming within a few minutes boyo?" It was Yumi, Soujiro's mother, bickering at him.

Soujiro looked at her with a clueless face. He smiled at her with a sweat drop, which practically saying, 'I don't know, who is coming within a few minutes?'

Yumi rubbed her forehead. "Oi...boyo! Your father's friend, Okina! And his granddaughter, Misao Makimachi! The girl you're engaged to!"

Then he remembered. "Oh." He said smiling. He gave a small chuckle. "I forgot."

Yumi gave a sweat drop. Then she took a look at her watch. "Boyo! You have to get ready before they come! KAMATARI!"

Hearing her, or his name, Kamatari popped out from behind Yumi's back. "I heard my name a callin'!" He said cheerfully.

"Please get Soujiro in good clothes for when Okina's family comes. I have to do some businesses so if you excuse me." Yumi commanded and then she walked away. "Make sure he looks good for his fiancée!" With that final word she left.

Kamatari rubbed his chin. "Ok Souji-chan! We have work to do!" He shouted happily. As he pushed Soujiro into the dressing room. Soujiro didn't say anything but followed along.

One minute later upstairs in the dressing room...

"Oh lovely! I've done it again!" Kamatari cheered, looking at a huge mirror with Soujiro's reflection in it. His hair was combed to be neater. He wore a red plaid shirt unbutton in front with a white T-Shirt inside and jeans below. Soujiro could only smile and sweat drop. He didn't know why everyone was running around getting ready for. He wasn't as hyper and excited as most people around his home were.

DING! DING!

"Oh that must be Okina-san and his family! Let's go Soujiro!" Kamatari said as he hurried the boy down the stairs. "Your fiancée awaits you." Kamatari smiled cheerfully at Soujiro. All Soujiro could do was sigh.

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No wonder why Jiya chose this guy to be my husband! Misao yelled in her mind. Once the car drove up and park in front of the mansion. Yes, mansion! Everything Misao saw probably cost fifty thousand yen or higher. This Shishio guy had a gate in front, gardeners gardening gardens, wide space to park, and a beautiful Japanese style mansion. Misao couldn't believe her eyes and wished that she had a home like this.

She was now standing at the door, with Okina, Okon, and Omasu, waiting for someone to open the door. While they wait, Okon and Omasu was gasping and saying how the mansion was so beautiful. Misao didn't disagree at all. It was lovely beyond words to describe it. Then a man opened the door, probably one of the servants. He greeted everyone and led them inside.

If Misao thought the outside was lovely, she could say the same for the inside, but even better. There were sculptures and Japanese ink paintings as decorations and the floor was made out of marble.

Then a woman came out, she looked very beautiful in Misao's opinion. The woman had maroon hair in a neat bun and she was wearing a very expensive silk kimono. She had jewelry in her hair, ears, neck, and wrist.

She smiled and bowed. "Thank you for visiting us Okina-san."

Okina bowed back and replied, "No no, thank you Yumi-san. Visiting you is our pleasure." Okon and Omasu started to bow too so Misao followed along. So her name is Yumi... Probably Shishio's wife. Misao thought.

Yumi smiled at Misao. "And you are Misao. You're a very lovely girl," Yumi complimented her, "Soujiro will come down soon."

Oh, now I know. The guy name's Soujiro. I better keep that in mind.

Yumi then led them to living room. The space was triple the size of Misao's living room and the couches were actually comfortable to sit on. Yumi invited them to sit down.

Misao looked around the place, viewing the lovely features as Okina and Yumi talked to each other. I think the only joy in marrying this guy is the money. Misao laughed in her mind. But I still rather marry Aoshi.

"Oh, here comes Soujiro!" Yumi said cheerfully as she stood up looked from behind Misao's back. Misao turned around to see who this Soujiro looks like.

.::::.

The girl turned around and Soujiro could see her face. He had to admit, this girl called Misao was pretty he didn't know about marrying her. But he had to so no use wondering. He looked at her green eyes and smiled. "Hello."

.::::.

"Hi..." Misao looked at the guy called Soujiro. Well, now I know what he looks like. Blue eyes and brown hair. He wasn't bad looking, she had to admit. He was...cute but not as hot as her Aoshi. Misao didn't know why she was suppose to marry him when she didn't know anything about Soujiro.

"Wow, Soujiro is a 'hot-looking guy,' huh Misao? Hahaha! And Soujiro! Misao's quite the 'babe,' huh? Hahaha!" Okina laughed, trying to talk like a teenager. The two soon to be couple looked away blushing. Okina was embarrassing both of them.

Then Yumi announced, "I'll show Okina and the girls to Shishio to talk. Go show Misao around the garden, Soujiro. You two should get to know each other better."

Soujiro nodded. He looked at her and smiled. "Right this way Misao-san." He said as he turned around to show Misao where the garden is.

Misao frowned behind Soujiro's back. Oh great, I have to be alone with him... Eh... This will be awkward... Then she ran to catch up with him.

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The Author in which that is writing this:

Yay! Finished! Sweat falls down from forehead It's summertime 'n I'm inside on my computer with no air conditionin'! Yesh, it's torture! Please review ta let meh know that I didn't waste my time writing dis!

Thank you's

MSN-chan - Lol! I'm a weird person calling myself baka XD but don't worry, this fanfic is Misao and Sou straight out!

reuka - Hey, thanks for telling me that ;;; but I changed it!

The Evil Witch - Thank you and yes I did update soon! Heheh

Aikawarazu Ai - I'm glad you like. Don't worry! I will continue!

seri-chan - Thank you. Yes, Misao's a bit OOC in this fanfic but she'll go some changes. lol

Chii - Arigatou!

Garnet Hime - Thank you for adding my story to your favorite!

JMeg - Lol, here's this next chapter you're expecting!

xT-Zealot - Hey read your bio! And I absolutely agree! Misao and Sou all the way! Aoshi too old for the girl! Lol

azncandigrl - Thank you, thank you, thank you!

- Call Me Baka, signin' out!