"Hey Misao."

Misao stopped in the middle of the university's foyer. She turned around to see Aoshi come walking up to her.

"Oh hey Shinomori. What's up?"

Aoshi put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "I dunno, I just thought since I couldn't join you and Soujiro at the movies earlier today I might take you to one now."

Misao raised an eyebrow but couldn't help the smirk across her face. "You want to take me to a movie? Now?"

He shrugged again, and slightly raised the corner of his mouth.

"I don't know Shinomori," she said slowly. "Soujiro might…"

Aoshi rolled his eyes, "Yeah okay. Whatever, I'll take to you later." He turned on his heel and started walking back to the dorms. One…Two…Three…

"Wait!"

Aoshi mentally smiled sinisterly pleased that his little reverse psychology worked. Misao came running up in front of him.

"Okay, we'll go the movies," said Misao. "But you have to have me back her by nine."

"Let's go then," said Aoshi as he led they way to his car.

I knew you couldn't resist Shinomori, thought Misao smugly.

Aoshi though, was feeling just as pleased. You must think you're so smart Misao. Well just wait I'll make you fall head over heels in love with me all over again…

It was a quick drive to the theatre, traffic was unusually light this evening and Aoshi and Misao made it just in time for the seven o'clock show. They bought tickets, popcorn and drinks for some new Kung Fu flick that Misao was curious about. They sat in one of the middle rows and soon the movie was well underway. It started with a son of a wealthy Chinese magistrate falling in love with a woman who was part of a group of rebels that were trying to bring an end to his father's corrupt rule.

During the movie Aoshi shifted his eyes from the screen to Misao who was mechanically putting pop after pop of popcorn in her mouth with an odd drink of soda every now and then. Her eyes were wide watching the story unfold.

If she weren't such a dope…she'd almost be cute.

Misao hiccuped and quickly covered her mouth. She looked to Aoshi and smiled in embarrassment. Aoshi playfully ruffled her hair and Misao batted his large palm away. He left his arm over the back of her chair, no even realizing he'd done so.

As movie soon came to a close a good two hours later after the gory fight between the magistrate's guards and the rebels. The son finally chose love over his loyal to his corrupt father and ended up slaying his father to protect his loved one. And as cliché as it is, he and the rebel woman took over rule of the land and brought peace and prosperity to all.

"Oh that was such a great movie," declared Misao as they were coming out of the theatre. "It was action and romance, all the qualities of a excellent film"

Aoshi was happy to see her happy, that is until he remembered that she was trying to get him to be jealous and he was there to make her jealous instead. I can't forget what I'm supposed to do or I'll just be doing what she wants me to.

They got into his car and started their drive home and passed the nightlife in the streets.

"Wow, is that the new club? Oh my gosh it looks great! And look at all those people! Shinomori, you wanna drop by for a bit?" said Misao enthusiastically.

But Aoshi drove past the club, "Like you said Misao, it wouldn't be proper for us. Besides Soujiro is probably wondering where you are." Even though he said this he knew very well that Soujiro wasn't waiting up for anybody, least of all her.

Misao opened her mouth to speak but said nothing. She leaned back into her seat and pouted. It would have been nice to go, even with Shinomori. The perfect setting for him to crack and finally admit that he still had feelings for her, but…maybe it would have been just nice to go innocently.

They arrived at the university and were walking toward their rooms until they had to take separate ways.

"Well goodnight Shinomori. I had fun," said Misao smiling.

"Yeah it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. But next time I'm picking the movie."

Misao laughed and practically threw herself at Aoshi in efforts to get him back for saying her movie sucked. "You take that back Shinomori!"

But Aoshi being as tall as he was had little trouble subduing the petite girl. He snickered at her attempts to throw a fist in his face. But Misao being typical competitive Misao did a sweeping kick and since Aoshi was holding onto Misao's fists, both went toppling to the floor.

Both we laughing as started to recover from their fall, but as soon as Misao sat up straight the laughter suddenly came to halt. There in the middle of the deserted hall was Misao mounted atop of Aoshi who was on his back. It would of have been the oddest thing because you'd wonder how two people who were frozen staring at each other would ever get into such a position.

Aoshi swallowed as he looked up at Misao, then end of her long braid hanging over her shoulder tickling his cheek. What am I doing, I should get up…Why am I sweating…How come I never noticed her eyes were so…beautiful…

For Misao, holding her breath wasn't as difficult as looking away from Aoshi's piercing gaze. She felt like he was peering into her very soul seeing everything that she was. It made her felt exposed and naked, but she almost…liked it. NO!

Misao instantly pushed off Aoshi and sat on the floor with her back to the wall. She was breathing heavily through her nose watching him. Aoshi used his elbows to prop himself up and eventually sat up against the wall as well. He didn't look at Misao, but down at the floor not blinking. A few minutes passed before the awful silence was broken.

"Aoshi? Misao? What are you guys doing here? In the middle of the hall?" The pair looked up and saw Soujiro staring down at them with a strange look.

Almost immediately Misao recovered her self and took on the role of the 'girlfriend', even if she didn't want to.

"Oh Soujiro, I was wondering where you were!" said Misao in fluster as she got up, wrapping her arm around his. "I was just clumsy and tripped and took Shinomori down with me."

"Yeah…whatever," said Soujiro.

Aoshi just remained sitting on the floor his elbows resting on his bent knees looking up with little interest. He knew Misao was just playing the part for him now that they were back to reality.

"Well we should be going Sou," Misao tugged on Soujiro's arm. "Goodnight Shinomori."

With just a brief rise of his hand, Aoshi bid the 'couple' goodnight and in a second Misao had already dragged Soujiro around the corner, leaving him to his lonesome. He took his time getting up from the floor and trekked back to his room. Almost in trance he instinctively flipped on the lights from the switch beside the door, trudge to the bedroom and changed into his plaid pajama pants and white t-shirt. He pulled down the sheets of his bed and slid in between the covers and pulled them up to his chest. Staring up at the white ceiling with the soft light from the lamp in the entrance barely illuminating his bedroom, did little to ease the strange feeling stirring inside him. Aoshi recalled with clarity Misao's blank face looking down at him and he missed the tickle of her braid on his cheek. Never had he felt this way before, it was difficult to explain but he wanted her and it perturbed him that he couldn't have her. The inability to rid his thoughts of her was unnerving and all he could ask himself was why. But in his heart of hearts, and yes even icemen have hearts hidden beneath the frost, he knew why…

Just as Misao and Soujiro turned the corner out of Aoshi's sight, Misao wrenched her arm free from Soujiro and ran off to her room. Leaving Soujiro stupefied. By the time she closed her door and collapsed onto her bed her heart was beating a million miles a minute and her stomach felt like butterflies were trying to escape from it.

Misao flopped onto her back and like Aoshi, doors and halls and doors away from her, stared up at the bland white ceiling. "What just happened?" she whispered to herself. Taking a moment to account her strange bodily behaviour and she knew exactly what was the problem. Don't do it…Don't fall for it all again! Misao pleaded with herself, pleading for her heart to finally relinquish any feeling for the one she held dearest, Shinomori Aoshi.

No! No, not again. Misao's eyes suddenly flooded with tears. He hurt me once and never again…now it's my turn to pay him back. She recalled the moment Aoshi dropped the unbearably heart wrenching advice the she forget about the spark between them and move on…it was all a mistake. But then memories of him taking her to the movies, laughing, his mesmerizing blue eyes looking up at her, they all made payback seem less then worth it. That is if she could have more moments like that with him. But the chances that he'd come around for me and take back his words are slim to none. Don't be taken for a fool! But how could she tell her heart to stop jumping every time he was in the same room as her? How could she tell her head to stop dreaming of him at night? How could she forget…

A/N: So everyone hope you liked the chapter dispite the fact it was a little fluffy. Remember proper manners! Umm okay the next chapter is going to be purely Kenshin and Kaoru and Gohei and they're going to find out who was the student responsible for ruining the girls' team. Next chapter will be out soon at least by the beginning of the weekend, but probably sooner.