Chapter 3- Plenty of Fish in the Sea

By: Ochako107

Standard Disclaimer

A/N: Ooooo, man I hope this chapter is okay since I haven't updated in a REALLY long time. Gomen nasi, minna!

It was already Thursday morning and poor Sanosuke was labeled: DATELESS.

That was not in his criteria.

For once, Sano had no idea what he was doing wrong. All these girls in the school liked him, it was a fact. Why then…why couldn't he get around to asking one of them a date? From across the court yard, he spotted Misao.

"H… hey! Misao!" The girl stopped walking and smiled.

Misao stretched her small arms while blowing a huge pink bubble. Sano had to admit, she always looked so carefree and easy going. Still, he had to try and ask her out! Misao waved to Sano, "Lo'."

"Nice morning?" Sano's suave voice was desperately trying to show, but a more distressed tone was coming out unfortunately. 'Keep your cool!' He mentally screamed at himself, 'this could be it!'

Misao gave him a strange look and adjusted her bag over her shoulder slightly while blocking the sun from her eyes. "I guess so. Why?"

"Nothing, I just really like the mornings. You know all poetic and… inspiring and… stuff." He grinned, "so, I was going to ask you, do you want to go with me to the…?"

"Hello, Sagara." Sano's blood froze at that tone. He knew who was behind him. Slowly Sanosuke turned around to see Shinomori Aoshi blocking the sun rays, glaring down at him. If looks could kill, Sano would have been dead four times over. Not only did Aoshi have a cold demure type of personality, but he was known to be the school champ in martial arts. Bad combination—he's like a time bomb waiting to lash out on you.

"H-hello Shinomori."

"…"

"I was just telling Misao what a great morning it is."

"…"

"You know, all poetic and stuff. I hear chicks dig that kind of thing." He nudged the silent teenager but he looked even more bloodcurdling.

Misao's interest was pulled in, "really, Sano?"

He turned around and grinned at Misao, "I think so," he spun around back to Aoshi waving his hands up. "Not that I was trying to make a move on Misao or anything, ehehe."

"…" Aoshi continued to glare.

Sanosuke stared at his face while Misao stood between the two, staring up with her large eyes. Blowing bubbles and continuing to watch the two stare at each other. It was almost frightening. Sano had been staring at Aoshi so long he began to take notice at his faults. "Did you know you have a pimple right there…?"

Aoshi grabbed Sano's finger from pointing, "get the hell out of my face."

"No problem! Bye now!" In a flash, Sano zipped away in a cloud of dust.

Misao stepped to Aoshi and stared at the dust trail, "what is wrong with Sanosuke, Aoshi?"

The cold face softened slightly to Misao, "I have no idea." He took her elbow and began walking, "come, Misao, I'll walk you to your classroom."

Misao's heart was hammering in excitement. "Okay! Oh, did you have a date for the dance?"

His bluish gray eyes traced down to her jade ones. "No."

"Wanna go with me? As friends or whatever," she added quickly. He was silent for a moment before he coughed. Misao didn't know what a cough meant, but just wished it was a good thing. She felt her eyes grow wide and her heart almost explode like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

"Yes."

"Cool!" Misao grabbed his arm happily and hugged it. "Thanks so much!"

A tiny smile cracked upon his features, "anything for you, Misao."

Meanwhile, Sano was hiding behind the stairwell observing Aoshi and Misao. "Damn, Aoshi is the most unemotional man I've ever met yet he still got a freakin' date! That guy was about to kick my ass! What is it? Is there some kind of anti chick repellant on me or something? Why am I doomed as this foolish mortal!"

"Sanosuke?" He cringed and turned around. A few students were staring at him as if he had three heads. They shuffled around him as Megumi's figure appeared in the mist while walking towards him, "why are you hiding behind the stairs?" Megumi asked holding a few books in her hands. She bent to his level as he stared up at her.

He turned around and scanned the ground. "Um, I lost my contacts," he quickly lied.

"You don't wear contacts."

"Yes I do!"

Megumi snorted and rolled her eyes. "Ohoho, yeah—right—you've always been afraid to touch your eyes. You went crazy when I was trying to put drops in."

"You stabbed me in the eye with that death tool!"

"No I didn't and it's called an eye dropper. And anyway, I wouldn't have if you weren't squirming around like a little pansy," she retorted. Suddenly the first bell sounded and Sano picked himself up.

"Fine! Now look, I have to be blind all day because you distracted me," Sano glared, "I won't be able to read my damn biology books and stuff."

Megumi glared right back and threw a small chapter book at him. He promptly caught it with one hand before it hit him right between the eyes.

"Ha, don't make light with me, Meg…" Suddenly a second book traveled after the first one and hit him where no guy would like to be hit with a giant biology book. He collapsed and bent over.

Megumi huffed, "don't make light with me you idiot. First of all, if you were blind you wouldn't have caught that first book and second, you're an idiot because hiding behind the stairwell is the saddest thing I think I've ever seen you do."

"Cram it!" He shot back holding his 'little self' in pain. Megumi laughed and began walking to her class.

"Can you return my book later? Thanks."

"Women are scary…" He began waddling to the clinic. "I think I'm going to need some ice…"

Later that day, Sanosuke turned his charms on again. A girl he knew was drinking from the water fountain. She was new to this school, from some Western country since she has an odd accent. She was always nice to Sanosuke and all. She allowed him to borrow money for lunch sometimes even though he didn't always pay her back. He was forgetful after all. He cleared his throat and made his way next to her. 'Okay, all the other times you were not assertive enough! Be more aggressive!' he mentally chanted. 'Speak clear and low, it'll totally get her attention…'

"HELLO, TAE!" He virtually screamed right behind her. The brunette jumped in surprise and spewed water out all of her water in his face. "Ew…"

"I'm so sorry!" The girl took out a napkin and handed it to Sanosuke. He wiped his face of the spit mixed with water, "but you really shouldn't be sneaking up on people when they're drinking, stupid!" She pushed him offensively away from her. "Why, where I come from men know how to treat women with respect!" Tae stomped away muttering something Sano couldn't understand..

Sano wiped his face. "Stupid hygiene…" He walked away and threw the napkin in the garbage. Sano pushed his hands into his pockets and walked down the outside hallway enjoying the balmy day. 'I wonder what Megumi's doing… she's probably helping out in the office again that smarty pants.' He looked down at the chapter book he was to return, 'I should probably give this back to her after school then.' Suddenly he accidentally ran smack into a raven haired beauty. "Whoa, sorry missy."

"Oh! Hi, Sano." He smiled down at the girl. Kaoru shifted her bag from one shoulder to the other and pushed her bangs up so get a clear view of Sano. "I really need to cut my bangs…What's up?"

"Um, nothing…" He grinned. "Can I walk you to class?"

"Um, okay. But it's across the whole campus." She pointed across the school.

"It's no problem. My class is near there." 'You're really turning into a liar Sanosuke.' He thought

"Well… okay then." She began walking, Sano close in step. Before Sano could say anything she began asking questions. "How have you been?"

He snapped his jaw closed and gave the question a thought, "O-okay."

"Good." He opened his mouth again to speak, "talk to Megumi lately?"

He closed it again and answered her question, "yeah. She threw her stupid book at me. But…"

"Did you ask her to the dance?"

The impulsive thought never did cross his mind. Ask Megumi to the dance? Psh, like a high class girl like her would go out with a ruffian like him. Sure… Not in a million years. Friends, maybe. Dates? He shook his head.

"No, I didn't ask her."

"Then I think you deserve to get hit with a book." Kaoru turned a corner and put a little extra kick in her step cutting off Sano as she suddenly changed direction.

"What is that suppose to mean?" He asked catching up to Kaoru who was busy looking in her bag.

"Nothing." She fell quiet. "So you were saying something?" She muttered while checking her cell phone for any text messages.

Sano shook the thought of Megumi out of his head and began turning on the Sano charms again. He didn't notice Kaoru typing away on her cell phone. "Ya, I was just commenting on how pretty you look today, I mean, us guys never get the privilege of seeing the kendo princess in a skirt very often."

Kaoru blushed and snapped her cell phone closed, "well, the dance is coming up and I'm trying to catch SOMEONE'S attention. Megumi said I'm too much of a tomboy and this would help… but don't get used to it buddy." She laughed.

After a while he got a few giggles out of her and effortlessly led her to her portable. "Thanks for walking me." Kaoru bowed.

"Sure, hey I was asking do you have a da…"

"Hi, Kaoru!"

"Soujiro!" Kaoru scampered to the other boy leaving Sano with his mouth in the middle of the word date. Kaoru eagerly hugged the other black haired boy, "this is my cousin! He's taking me to the dance tomorrow so I can meet this 'guy' he claims to be perfect for me!" She nudged her cousin, "I hate it when you keep secrets, Sou!"

Sano stepped back a little disappointed. "Oh… okay…"

'A little? Ha, I'm pissed off! This one was going to well too! Damn it! Why why why!' A miniature Sano was banging her head on a tree in his mind. "I'll see you later. I got to go to my class now," Sano waved.

Kaoru lifted her arm to glance at her watch, "better hurry up; you've got about a minute before the bell rings."

"SHIT!" Sano took off again towards the other side of the school. He ran with all his strength and was about to reach his science class. He skid around the corner and suddenly the bell rung when he was about to reach for the handle. A hand shot out in front of Sano's face and Sano's face widened.

"Another detention, Sanosuke?" Saitou asked, his eyes almost laughing at him.

"WHY?"

"You had better get to class on time. Why, what on earth were you doing? Scouting girls by the portables?" Saitou laughed. Sano just gave him a look and Saitou stopped. "Oh. You're serious."

"The hell I am. I hate you all." He grabbed the ticket from Saitou's hand and slammed the door of the science room open. "I HATE YOU ALL!"

"That's the spirit!" The science teacher exclaimed while the entire class just stared at their tardy classmate. "We must hate those awful germs for they are the root of all evil!"

"I thought money was the root of all evil…"

"Be quiet Chou."

Sano rolled his eyes and slumped down into his assigned seat. As the teacher continued her lecture Sano just zoned out. 'Plenty of fish in the sea but I'm not using the right bait… or something like that. I bet Megumi would know what to do. She's good at all this romantic stuff. I'll ask her about all this.'

R&R? Please?