Chapter 3: The Wall Starts to Break Down
/ I kinda forgot to place the disclaimer again so here it is /
/ I don't own them /
Morning sunlight greeted the whole compound. The clouds were white and the sky was blue. The wind whispered cool air to the surroundings. The birds chirped while their wings rested on the roof. Everything was calm and peaceful.
Misao's guest rose early. He intended to do breakfast as well as other chores. He didn't have enough sleep but his face carried not a frown but a smile and hidden happiness. After all, he was the one who insisted on taking good care of the Oniwabanshu's Okashira.
The kitchen had a variety of choices to cook. The restaurant was closed hence there were a lot of food stocked there. Soujiro really didn't know what to cook for Misao. Aside from the fact that he doesn't know what she likes, he also doesn't know a lot of recipes.
"…hmmm, she's injured, and with that she can't move her head much. I should patch her something easy to eat…," He thought while he tossed firewood into the furnace. "Well…soup and tofu should be fine I guess," He said to himself as he started to burn the wood and place the wok on top of it. "I should save some boiled water also for some tea. It'll do her well besides its best in the morning," He smiled thinking what Misao's reaction will be.
While Soujiro was busy cooking in the kitchen, the host of the house was still fast sound asleep. Her mind still dreamt of him. "Aoshi-sama…where are you…," She uttered her body shifted. "Why, why did you leave me…all alone…why…,"
Back at the kitchen Soujiro just finished cooking breakfast and covered it for awhile. "That should do it, hope she'll like it!" Smiling, he decided to check on Misao. "She must be still asleep but it's better to check her just to be sure she's just fine…,"
Without hesitation, he went to her room, and slowly opened the door. "…she's alright…I'm glad she slept soundly…," He concluded seeing her still fast asleep. Then he chuckled as he saw a drool on her mouth. "Ha-ha she's like a kid…,"
All of a sudden his body moved on its own and sat beside the sleeping maiden but he didn't know why. Nevertheless, he reached for her mouth and wiped the drool with his sleeve. Silence encompassed the whole room.
"So…beautiful,"
He whispered as his gaze when from her legs, to her hips, her bosom, from her bosom to her face then finally…to her lips. Soujiro's chest suddenly felt weird as it pounded hard all of a sudden. Every beat seemed to last for seconds. His eyes still focused on her lips and unknowingly, his face…was drawing near hers. "What…am…I…doing…," Soujiro felt numb as he drew nearer and nearer and when his lips were about to touch hers, Misao moved. This immediately restored Soujiro to his senses and pulled back from his position which was only a breath away from her.
"What were you thinking Soujiro! Don't ever do that again," Soujiro said as he shook his head. "Must get out of here now…before she really wakes up," He stood up slowly and was about to step out of the room when he felt someone grab his left ankle.
"Uh-oh…," He immediately froze and looked at the girl behind him. Fortunately, she was still sound asleep but unfortunately she somehow unconsciously grabbed Soujiro's left ankle and worse when he looked at his ankle it wasn't just one hand that grabbed him, but both.
"Aoshi…don't leave…," Misao mumbled in her sleep as she tightened her grip more. Soujiro, who was trying to remove her hands, sighed as the situation wasn't going along his side. "How did I end up in this…," Slowly but surely he removed each finger Misao had on his ankle. Each finger came along with the big risk of her waking up and meant trouble. But with luck, he successfully removed her hands without waking her. "…whew…, better get out of here now before she grabs me again,"
"Aoshi…don't leave…me," Soujiro looked at the girl in front of her and felt sadness. "Misao…," He whispered before standing up. He was about to leave but for the second time, bad luck seemed to have followed him as the sleeping beauty had awoken behind him.
"Gulp!"
"Hmmm…Aoshi? Is that you?" Seated at her futon, Misao, with her eyes still fresh from sleep couldn't see clearly the person in front of her. So she rubbed her eyes slightly in order to clear the blurry image but when her sight cleared up, there was no one inside the room. "…probably just my imagination," Bowing down to the floor, she brushed her hair upwards but then she noticed that the door was open and for this she was surprised.
"Aoshi!"
Soujiro sighed as he got out of the room in the nick of time. "Whew…good thing I have quic-," But when he thought he was really out of trouble, Misao suddenly ran out of the room and ran towards him.
"Eh?" Soujiro was shocked as he looked back only to see a closed eyed Misao jumping to hug him.
"AOSHI!" She said as she pinned down "Aoshi" with her arms and hugged him tight. "Don't ever leave me again, Aoshi-sama I-I," She slowly opened her eyes and looked at whom should Shinomori but wasn't.
"err…Ohayo! Makimachi-san…," The young swordsman smiled as he saw her eyes in disbelief.
Misao's face burned with embarrassment as she her mind turned blank and couldn't utter a word. She released him immediately, got off and both stood up. The young boy fixed his kimono as Misao just stood in silence like a stone. "….ahh….what have I just done, this is really a big mistake, he saw that, that side of me…the side of me which I don't want him to see…but if it wasn't Aoshi whom did I saw in my room then…"
"Soujiro! Did you enter my room? Huh?" From the motionless figure, Misao quickly changed to a furious lion so that she could change the impending subject. Soujiro couldn't answer for he was really in her room moments ago. The trouble that he escaped from didn't really let him to.
"ha-ha-ha, well, errr…Yes, I thought I could wake you up since I already finished cooking breakfast so we could eat already," It was not the best alibi but it was enough since he was telling part truth and part lie. The Okashira wasn't convinced but she too forced to change the subject, so she accepted his explanation together with another scolding.
"Fine I still don't believe you but don't do that again or else…and also I told you yesterday to stop calling me Misao-san or Makimachi-san! Just call me Misao,"
"Err, Gomen I forgot, Misao-sa…," Misao looked at him again with a grumpy face. "…I mean Misao, well, shall we have breakfast then?" Misao nodded and the two went to the kitchen; Soujiro prepared everything and served the soup, tea and tofu.
Misao proceeded to the table and sat across him. "Make sure this won't make my stomach go upside-down or else…,"
"Don't worry, I didn't stay here to harm but instead to take good care of you," Soujiro replied while he adjusted his sleeves and offered tea. "Tea?" Misao just nodded for her mouth was still full with tofu. "So did the tofu tasted poison?" The Tenken chuckled. "It tastes good and that makes it more suspicious…," Misao argued but ate a lot while Soujiro just sighed and smiled inside.
She tells me doesn't like it but her stomach doesn't…
He told himself as he watched Misao finish her soup and drink all of her tea. "What?" She said as she stared back. "Nothing! I was just happy that you ate all of it," He smiled. "I didn't know you have such an appetite,"
"Huh? Ha-ha, me, well err it's none of your business hmph," Misao closed her eyes and crossed her arms with her eyes brows raised. "Hai hai, gomen but at least you could thank me for the breakfast," Soujiro said. "Why should I? You sneaked into my room this morning, besides it's really your duty to take care of me right?"
"I guess, you're right…," The Tenken just smiled and stood up and took all of the dishes to the kitchen.
Misao felt she offended him and that she really should thank him for the breakfast, so she called him back. "Umm Soujiro…," The young former swordsman just stopped at middle to hear her.
"Thank you…,"
Soujiro looked back calmly with a smile before he continued on.
"Does it still hurt that bad?" The hands of Soujiro massaged Misao's nape with the ointment the doctor gave. "Ow…do it slowly," "Gomen!" The young former assassin adjusted his speed and slowly and gently continued.
"Yes, it still does but it's improving. It's not like yesterday anymore where I couldn't really stand the pain," Misao said as she relaxed herself while seated on the balcony. "That's good maybe because you had a good night's sleep," The question made both uncomfortable.
Misao in her mind agreed she really had good night's sleep but it was a sleep where in made her heart ache more than her nape. Soujiro on the other hand felt uncomfortable because the incident that happened earlier and the up close encounter of her beauty.
"Ah," "um," Both hesitated to say something but Soujiro broke the silence and asked her to go first.
"…Soujiro about what happened earlier, gomen, I just really thought that you were…Aoshi-sama. Maybe I really just miss him so much…I miss him that I…I…," Misao slouched into sadness as her guest stopped massaging her nape. "…I'm sorry to let you see me like this…,"
"No it's alright…"
I have been like that in the past but in a different way
"It's really good to let your feelings flow,"
Which I have not been doing 'til now...but I am trying
"If you don't let it out, it'll consume you inside…,"
It has consumed me so much if it wasn't for Himura-san…my hatred would have destroyed me...
"…and don't hide your feelings for Shinomori-san anymore, it's alright…,"
I can't explain why but I think I am falling for you
" Don't worry about being alone, until he comes back…I'll be right here for you…,"
I'll be right here, secretly falling….for you
Misao looked at her friend and saw sincerity in his eyes. His words felt warm in her heart. She smiled. Teary eyed she moved forward to seek his comfort and hugged him.
"Areagato Soujiro..kun,"
Soujiro also hugged her in return.
"No problem…,"
She broke the hug and sat beside him. She slowly looked up the skies and then shifted her eyes to his.
"You have saved me twice already,"
And now you saved me again…
"I really don't know how to repay you but…,"
I don't know what's with you and your presence that makes me calm
"Make this house yours and I, your true friend,"
Somehow something makes me feel we're more than friends
"So, my dear friend, I officially welcome you to my heart and of course mine should be with yours…,"
Though I have opened myself, yours is difficult to see…you are still scared yet you tell others not to be…maybe now I can help…now that a part of our walls have been broken down
"Hai!" Soujiro agreed. "Yours to mine and mine to yours,".
Misao smiled and made a fake angry face. "Well, shall we continue what we left behind?" "Left behind?" He asked. "The massage…it still aches okay, so you better do a good job so it will heal soon,"
"Hai! Misao,"
to be continued
CoA: Sorry minna…I got lazy again, I hate myself really. Anyway thanks for everyone who's been reading my re-written work, you guys are the ones making me continue further. Thanks again, anyway this was a short chapter but I hope you like it. The chapter itself seemed incomplete but I found it hard to further change it any further so tell me what you think okay? I hope to make it better the next chapter. Well then, God Bless…
