Heaven's Intervention

Author's Notes: Gomen-nasai for the long update, minna-san. I have a bad case of writer's block and I also have a lot of things to do in school. Demo, here's the next installment of my Aoshi-Misao fic. This is supposed to be part of one chapter demo I decided that it can stand on its own so, here. =D I think I overdid with the descriptions, though, as I want you to imagine what I was thinking of when I wrote this. ~_^

Disclaimers: All RK characters are Watsuki-sama's creations.

Reports

Four o'clock. And still no report from Sagara.

Aoshi sighed as he turned around to face the windows again. He had finished everything he had to do for the day. Even signing some papers that are yet to be needed for the next day. Omasu had looked at him in surprise when he handed her a stack of papers that he had reviewed, approved, and signed, then asked if there is anything else that he has to read and sign. It must be that some of his angelic abilities remained and that helped in making him work fast. His meetings had all went well, so well in fact, that it only consumed about three-quarters of the allotted time. He does not have anything else to do but wait for the report then pick Misao up if he wanted to do some work for the coming days.

He half-turned his chair to glance at the clock situated on his table when Omasu came in. He turned fully and waited for Omasu to sit.

"Sir, the report from Atty. Sagara just came in," she said as she handed him a folder.

He took it and glanced at the contents inside before asking, "Anything else?"

"Hai," Omasu answered. "Miss Makimachi called and said to give her a ring when you're going to pick her up already."

Aoshi nodded. "Do you have a dress?"

Omasu looked startled before answering, "Iie. Ano, why do you ask, Shinomori-sama?"

"You're going to the party with us," he simply said. "You may go now."

"Hai," she said as she stood up and bowed before closing the door.

Aoshi read the contents of the folder carefully. Even if he knows he won't miss a thing if he read at full speed, he wants to make sure that he would retain important information, clues even, as to why Misao's boutique has been broken in.

No sign of broken window or door.
Surveillance cameras function properly.
Surveillance video showed no disturbance.
Records from the ID scanner showed no one entered after closing at 8:00 PM.
Alarms are functioning properly.
No dresses stolen.
No amount lost.
Drawers thrown open.
Papers lay strewn on the floor.
Filing cabinets hang open.
Folders and envelopes containing designs are empty, contents in disarray on the floor.
No fingerprints detected.
No sign of any weapons used.

He glanced at the clock. Four-thirty. He raked his hand through his hair then stood up, stuffing the folder into his bag. He exited his office and paused at his secretary's table.

"Be ready to leave in five minutes," he said. "Call up Misao and inform her we'll be leaving soon. Then alert Beshimi and Hyottoko."

"Yes, sir," Omasu answered as she picked up the phone.

In his penthouse, Aoshi handed the folder he stuffed in his bag to Hanya, who laid it beneath the clothes he packed for Aoshi earlier. Looking about the room, Aoshi headed to the elevator and pushed the button for the basement as Hanya helped him put on his black trench coat.

Getting out of the elevator, they were met by Omasu and together, they headed to the limousine waiting outside. Hanya opened the door for Omasu and Aoshi then took his place at the passenger seat in front.

Aoshi motioned to the chauffeur, Beshimi, as the car drove into the street, and the divider slid up.

"You might be wondering why I made you come," he started, looking at Omasu across the stretch of the car.

"Hai," she answered.

He nodded. "A lot of my guests are businessmen from all-over and they'll be wanting to talk to me. As I want to discuss little or no business at all, I'll be handing them to you," he said, earning a nod from his secretary. "Ii. I presume you've read the report on Misao?" Omasu nodded. "There are several things that I want you to do regarding the matter and one of them is to watch over her. Observe everything that goes on around."

"Sir?" Omasu said, a frown forming on her face.

"There would be others doing what I just asked you. But all are men," Aoshi explained. "I need someone to look over her that won't be noticeable."

"Meaning?" she asked.

"You're my secretary. You'll be the one dealing with my guests that concern business. You can constantly want to talk to her, as if old friends catching up," he patiently said.

Understanding dawned on Omasu's face just as the car slowed down. Aoshi looked out the window to see that they have arrived at Misao's boutique.

"Come," he told Omasu as Hanya opened the door.

The two got out and walked to the shop. Inside, Omasu looked in fascination at the number of clothes in display. A door closed and she looked up to see a woman quickly drop the papers she's holding and exclaim, "Aoshi-sama!"

"Misao," Aoshi acknowledged as the woman strode to him with a smile on her face and pecked him on his cheek. "Remember Omasu?" he asked her, nodding to Omasu's place.

Misao looked and said, "Hai," smiling to Aoshi's secretary.

"I need a dress for her," Aoshi said, Misao glancing back to him, "for tonight."

Nodding, Misao went to Omasu and gave her an appraising look. She circled the other woman, tugging Omasu's loose blue polo then pulling the skirt towards the legs. She also lifted the secretary's shoulder-length hair, mentally thanking that she wore heels that day, then gazed at her from head to toe. After which, she went to a rack of dresses.

"No black, Misao," Aoshi reminded.

"I know," came her muffled reply.

Omasu shifted her weight from foot to foot as she waited for the designer to pick a dress for her. As she's seen everything that is to be seen from her vantage point of view, she focused her attention to Misao. The woman is wearing loose gray pants topped with a form-fitting white sleeveless knit turtleneck. Her waist-length hair is in a half-ponytail, letting the rest of the waves fall gracefully at her back.

"There," Misao said suddenly, emerging from behind a rack and holding a light-blue dress. It is a spaghetti-strapped slip dress with a sprinkle of beads around the neckline.

"Ano, do I have to fit it?" Omasu asked.

Aoshi looked at Misao in question, then shook his head. Misao just smiled impishly at him.

"You don't have to," she answered. "The material will hug your body," she added.

"Good. Let's go now," Aoshi said, already walking towards the exit.

Omasu took the dress from Misao who quickly walked into her private office. She came out wearing a shawl over her shoulders and was followed by a huge, heavily muscled man, with a T-shaped scar on his face, carrying a paper bag, who she recognized as Shikijou.

"In there," Misao told Omasu, pointing at the dress, who removed it from its hanger, folded it and slipped it into the paper bag. Then, they followed Aoshi out of the boutique and the two women entered the car, as Shikijou turned to enter another.

As they drove towards the dock, Misao and Omasu kept a constant chatter. Aoshi occasionally listened to them, as he busied himself in his thoughts while gazing out the window. The women were laughing heartily when the car slowed down to a stop.

"Sir," Beshimi said as the divider rolled down. "We're here."

Last notes: Explanations on some things. While I'm writing this, I imagine Aoshi's family to be very old, powerful and wealthy, so all his, erm, close assistants/servants are descendants of his ancestor's assistants/servants. Like with Omasu, Hanya, etc.. Do you get it? That's why he talks freely to them because there is already trust between them. Also, every assistant/servant that he has knows some sort of martial arts. The logic of this is, so that whoever is accompanying a Shinomori, he is protected. Get it? I hope so. XD So anyway, arigatou for all you reviewers! Ja!