Author's Notes: Sorry, for the slowness, I've been really sick this week.

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Chapter 6: What a Drag

Kenshin, Sanosuke, Aoshi, and Misao at sat in a circle in their dorm's common room, staring at a closed manilla envelope as if their lives depending on it.

"Where the hell is Saitoh so we can get this started." Misao grumbled as other students sat around anxiously.

All waiting for Saitoh Hajime.

Finally just as suspense got the best of Sanosuke and he went to reach for it, a hand moved and slapped his away.

"Back off ahou, this is the job of the RA." Saitoh murmured, and everyone crowded around him.

Silencing everyone, he opened the envelope.

"Well....looks like our competition is getting creative." Saitoh murmured, setting the list down.

It was time for the annual Ajisai Dare Night between the two halls, and everyone was anxious to keep their title for the third year in a row.

Saitoh grabbed the list again, and quickly read it off, the wheels in his mind turning.

"Alright you pack of morons, this is how we're going to act: we'll break the dares by floors. Items 1-4 will be dealt with by floor 1, 5-8 is floor 2, 9-12 is floor 3, and 13-16 is floor 4. Sort out the dares however you wish at that point. Remember, this is our pride on the line, and mine. Fail me and you'll wish you were never born. Now...go team go." Saitoh said, walking out of the room while all the other students sweat-dropped.

Later, sitting around in Kenshin and Sano's room, Misao looked the list over again.

"Hmmm... this is some clever stuff. Those guys really are getting creative. Okay, I think we can figure out the dares that suit the best. We should really pair this off by rooms. Let me just re-write this....."

They all watched as Misao wrote out the dares.

"Okay. I think I have it. Himura and Sano, I marked on here the dares I think you'd be able to get done, and the ones Aoshi-senpai and I can get done."

Sanosuke read over the list and blinked.

"Figures you'd pick that one to do, Weasel."

"Which one?" Aoshi asked.

" 'Dress in drag, convincingly, and perform at the karaoke competition at the bar.'"

Aoshi blinked and looked to Misao who was blushing.

"Ah...well we should get a start on these! Good luck you two, let's go Aoshi-senpai!!"

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Kenshin and Sanosuke walked into town dressed in normal clothes. Sanosuke looked at the sheet of paper and sighed.

"Put on lingerie and ask a girl to pose for a picture with you."

"It is an embarrassing prospect, de gozaru."

"Well...seeing as I have more sex appeal than you..I can sacrifice some pride for this one."

"Oro?"

"That's right, Kenshin. Just keep 'oro-ing'."

Sanosuke led Kenshin into a small boutique, and looked around, browsing the racks.

"No...no...too ugly...not a good color..."

"Ano..Sano, you're really getting into this."

"I intend on winning, Kenshin! Now help me out here!!"

"Well if you insist...I think this would be...cute."

Sano blinked and looked at the lacy article in Kenshin's hands.

"Perfect!"

Grabbing it, Sanosuke ran into a dressing room and appeared moments later...

Dressed in his white pants and a black lace bra that had red satin shot through it, Sanosuke looked around and ignored the odd stares he received when he spotted a tall woman with dark hair with her back faced to him.

Running over to her, with Kenshin in tow, he stopped.

"Excuse me, Miss. Will you take a picture with me?"

The woman turned around and Sanosuke paled.

"M...Megitsune?"

She took one look at him and laughed.

"Why Sanosuke, I never knew..."

"Save it, it's for Dare Night. Take a photo with me and then you can try on some sexy lingerie for me."

She slapped him upside the head.

"Baka. I'll take a picture though. Ken-san, I get to keep a copy though."

"Um..sure." Kenshin murmured, pulling out the disposable camera they had bought at a drugstore on the way to town.

Sano threw an arm over Megumi and posed giving a 'V' sign and Kenshin snapped the photo.

"Thanks, Megumi-dono." Kenshin murmured, putting the camera back in his pocket.

"Yea, kitsune, you life saver you!" Sano said, grabbing her and dipping her, giving her a big kiss on the mouth.

She stiffened, but before she could respond he stood up and took the bra off, grabbed his white jacket and put it on without buttoning it up.

"This would look good on you, kitsune. Not as good as on me, but still.."

"Ano, Sano...the check out lady is staring. We should go, de gozaru."

Sano nodded and winked at Megumi as they quickly left, leaving her with the bra in hand.

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Aoshi and Misao walked down the sidewalk, Misao looking at the list. Aoshi was wearing his uniform pants and a black tee-shirt, and Misao wore jeans and a dark navy shirt with a large denim jacket over it.

"Okay, I'll take the karaoke bar and you handle the...hmm....fundoshi dare."

Aoshi grabbed the list from Misao, read it, and narrowed his eyes at her.

- in the middle of a crowd, demonstrate kendo...in ONLY a fundoshi.

"No. I will not do that."

"Aoshi-senpai! No offense, but you're too....manly to pull of the drag thing and I can't pull that off. Che, it's like they really knew what they were thinking on these dares." Misao muttered.

Aoshi sighed.

"Very well. I'll do it and meet you at the bar."

"Ah, why not just meet up back at the dorm, okay? Bye."

Misao ran off, waving.

Aoshi sighed.

He was sure Misao would win the drag karaoke...

Shaking his head from those thoughts, he walked off and frowned.

'Fundoshi..'

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Sanosuke and Kenshin entered the bowling alley and Kenshin sighed.

"Why am I doing this?" Kenshin asked.

"Because you're better at bowling than I am."

Kenshin sighed as they went to the desk and got a lane and a pair of shoes.

Sanosuke reached into his coat pocket and got a can of spray cheese. Taking the shoes from Kenshin, he sprayed them full of cheese.

"Ano, what kind of person writes a dare of bowling a strike with cheese-filled shoes?"

"I dunno, Kenshin. We are weird ones at Ajisai. Here you go."

Kenshin sighed and put on the shoes, wincing at the feeling of the cheese. Getting up he grabbed a ball and slumped to the lane and began to bowl.

It took him a couple of turns but finally Kenshin scored a strike.

"Alright, man, one more down. Okay, let's get to the bathroom." Sano said, walking with Kenshin to the bathroom discreetly so no one would notice the cheese-filled shoes. Getting to the bathroom they quickly took the shoes off and washed off Kenshin's feet, and Kenshin put his sneakers back on as they grabbed the cheesy shoes and ran out of the bathroom, threw them on the counter, and ran out of the bowling alley quickly, hearing the distant yelling of one of the bowling alley employees.

"Sano, what's next?"

Sanosuke looked at the list and grinned.

"Ooh, a fun one! We're going flag-swiping."

"Oro?"

"Steal a Himawari flag. Ehehe, I'm sure Tokio-san will love that." Sano said as they called a cab to Himawari.

"Perhaps we may need the assistance of our rather unpopular RA, de gozaru."

Sanosuke cringed.

"I...ugh...I hate to admit it..you may have a point." Sanosuke groaned.

"Hmm..I'll do the talking. We'd get more accomplished without any arguing."

"I suppose." Sanosuke murmured.

As they arrived back to their dorm, they approached Saitoh's door and knocked.

"State reason or die." Saitoh murmured from behind the door.

"Ah, Saitoh, it's about a dare?"

Saitoh opened the door, wearing navy pants and a navy shirt, a black tee-shirt, cigarette in mouth.

"Well about time one of you worms realized you need my expertise. What do you need, Himura?"

"Well, we need to steal a flag from Himawari. And if I remember correctly Takagi-san is the one in charge of campus patrol tonight..."

Saitoh smirked.

"Leave Tokio to me. Let's proceed to battle."

"Battle?" Sanosuke and Kenshin asked, sweat dropping.

Saitoh led the two of them to the elevator and down, apparent he was in warrior mode. Kenshin and Sanosuke wondered when Saitoh had gotten crazy.

Correction.

More crazy.

Leading them down the path towards the Himawari campus, Saitoh began listing a plan of action.

"I suspect from casual observation that Tokio patrols near the flags around now. I shall distract her while you two quickly grab a flag. I suspect I can buy you five to ten minutes. Synchronize watches."

Saitoh set his watch, Kenshin set his, Sanosuke...held up a bare wrist.

"Fuck it, I'll go by Kenshin's." he muttered as they approached the gates.

"I'll go first, you two hide in the trees. When the opportune time appears, grab the flag." Saitoh said to Kenshin.

"I'm here too. Always telling Kenshin like I'm not important..."

"You aren't."

Sanosuke made 'che' noise and crossed his arms.

Saitoh walked on and Sanosuke and Kenshin snuck into the trees near the two flagpoles as they watched the tall RA wait.

"He's either full of himself or a smart bastard." Sanosuke muttered.

"Aa.."

Saitoh stood and waited, knowing his 'prey' would soon appear. He sighed, not sure if he agreed with the plan he was about to embark on.

And then she appeared, walking by with a whistle, not noticing him at first.

"Evening."

She paused, jumping slightly in surprise, and turned to face him.

"Ha..Hajime?"

"Come with me for a moment, I want to talk."

She nodded her head, and followed him, heart thumping. She looked at their hands, since he had taken hers as he led her away.

He led her to the building across from the flagpole, leaning against the wall as she faced him, back to the flagpole.

"What's this all about?"

"Well, I must say...at first I was...annoyed by your letters. I find your fixation on me a bit odd but...lately I've been thinking..."

"Yes?" she asked, her amber eyes searching his.

His gaze flickered over her shoulder to Kenshin and Sanosuke who ran to the flag pole and did their best to quietly lower a flag...

Which meant someone what noisely.

"What is tha..."

Before she could turn her head to see what the noise was, Saitoh grabbed the back of her head and slammed his lips to hers.

She stifled a gasp, and Saitoh watched with one eye open as he 'distracted' Tokio to see Kenshin jump up and un-clip a flag, as Sano grabbed it from him and they ran away, flag in hand.

Saitoh smirked against Tokio's mouth.

For about two seconds.

Because then he found himself slammed hard against the wall as her hands roamed under his shirt, over the plane of his hard chest, and back down to his hips as she lifted her head away from his and grinned.

"Well well, Hajime, never thought you'd finally get the balls to do something about me."

He narrowed his eyes at her, and pushed her way, walking away.

She merely laughed.

"So does this mean we can go out on a date?" she asked.

He ignored her. She sighed and turned, and blinked.

She looked at the flagpole.

Then at his retreating form.

Then back at the flagpole.

"SAITOH HAJIME!!! YOU BASTARDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!"

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Misao looked into the brightly lit mirror as she applied charcoal colored eyeliner in a smudge effect around her eyes, making the blue stand out more.

She looked at the outfit she wore, and grimaced.

A flashy silver dress with feathers at the end and platform sandals.

"Well honey, you're on!" a tall man dressed in a bright lime shirt and pants said, ushering her on stage.

She sighed and muttered a fine.

'Go figure I enter a drag contest. I go from a girl pretending to be a boy to a girl pretending to be a boy pretending to be a girl. Mou! Honestly.'

Walking to the microphone, a spotlight shined on her and she cleared her throat.

"Goo...Good evening everyone! How are y'all doing?! Like my dress?!" she asked, thinking of a certain drag queen whose name began with a 'K', as she did her little performance.

The music began and Misao sweat-dropped for a moment, wishing she hadn't picked that particular song.

Gomen ne sunao o kanakute

yume no naka nara ieru

shikoukai no wa shotto suzen

imasugu aitai yo

Nakitaku naru you na moonlight

denwa mo dekinai midnight

daata juunjo doushiyo

heart wa mangekyo

As Misao performed, she never saw the tall figure that entered the bar and sit, and go slack jawed at her.

Aoshi sat, watching.

Misao looked....

If he didn't know any better he'd have SWORN Misao was a girl.

But that was impossible, right?

Tsuki no hikari ni michibikare

nandomo meguriau

Seiza no mata na kikazore

uranau koi no yufue

onaji kuni ni umaretano

miracle romance

shinjite-iru no?

Miracle romance

Misao took a nervous bow, groaning silently, and then paused, panicky when she saw Aoshi.

Hopping offstage, her heart pounded as Aoshi approached her.

'He knows! He knows! He knows!!!'

Aoshi merely loomed next to Misao, unsure of what to say.

"You...looked convincing."

Misao breathed a sigh of relief.

Then jokingly hit Aoshi on the arm.

"Hey! Don't you start that now too! Anyway, I'm going to change." Misao muttered, quickly running backstage and changing back into her clothes.

She returned to Aoshi's side as the results were being announced.

"And the winner is...Makimachi Misao!!"

Misao jumped up in excitement and went to accept her prize of 2000 yen as Aoshi pulled out a disposable camera and took a picture.

Exiting the bar, Aoshi looked at Misao as she pocketed the yen bills.

"You really do though, look like a girl." he muttered.

Misao's face flushed.

"Well then, guess I'll be a successful J-rocker one day. They all look like women anyway. Except for Hyde. Hyde is eternally the perfect looking man."

Aoshi's steps faltered.

He knew he shouldn't ask but...

"Misao, do you like boys?"

Misao made a choking noise and stopped.

"Aoshi-senpai...what..."

"I'm sorry. It's not my business."

Misao smirked.

"Well, I can say this: I like you...And Himura and Sano. And Tokio-san..."

Aoshi sighed.

"Right."

"And you Aoshi-senpai?"

He didn't reply and Misao laughed.

"Don't worry, Aoshi-senpai. I'm straight. Believe me." Misao said, sighing internally.

'But that DOES mean I like boys.'

The two walked back towards the campus and Aoshi sighed.

"I hate Dare Night."

"Yea. It's only fun until someone wears a dress."

Aoshi stifled a chuckle at that.

"You do realize you're still wearing make-up, right?"

"Of course. Might as well shake up the boyos as is."

"As long as you don't wear make-up to kendo practice."

Misao laughed at that, then sighed.

If things were different, if she could tell Aoshi the truth, this would be...something more, wouldn't it? Her mind wondered.

She looked up at his profile, the tan skin of his neck, the strong line of his jaw, those mysterious blue eyes...

She could almost cry at the irony.

She slept four feet from him, shared a room with him, spent more time with him than anyone...she loved him...

But to everyone she was a boy.

'Maybe I should have gone to a normal college, but then I wouldn't have met Aoshi...well I might have and then I could've met him as myself...ugh......'

"Misao, watch out for that.."

"What? OoF!" Misao cried out as she walked into door.

"Door...." Aoshi finished, opening the door for Misao, who walked into the dorm with an even redder face.

As they walked to the common room, Kenshin and Sano were hanging up the Himawari flag with pride while Saitoh appeared to be downing drinks of...mouth wash?

"Weasel. Shinomori. Did you complete your assignments?"

"Done and done. Drag karaoke and fundoshi-kendo fun." Misao said, tossing the list down at Saitoh.

Saitoh looked at the list then back at them.

"You didn't complete the last dare."

"What?"

"The last dare."

He handed the list back to Misao and she read it over, blinked, then threw it down.

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"No!"

"Misao-dono, what does it say?"

Saitoh took the list and read it off.

"Kiss a fellow roommate for five seconds."

Kenshin and Sanosuke blinked.

"Count us out."

Saitoh smirked.

"Well Weasel. Shinomori. It's up to you."

Misao stiffened in discomfort.

He couldn't ask that of her...of Aoshi. It was too cruel, it was too much, it was too..

Before Misao could think Aoshi simply grabbed her and pressed his cool lips against hers, simply pressed.

It was too..nice.

The flash of a camera startled her and Misao pushed away and ran out of the common room to the elevator.

She didn't want to cry, as she got into the elevator and made her way to her room.

She didn't want to cry, as she burst into their dorm room and into the bathroom to wash her face.

She didn't want to admit it was tears that were mixing with the warm water.

Aoshi had kissed her. For her a dare. It had felt good. But meant nothing.

And that stung.

"Misao?"

She looked up from the sink, water dripping from her face as Aoshi stood in the door way.

"I should have asked."

Misao sighed, putting on a false smile.

"It's fine. It was for a dare, right?" she said, walking past him and to her bed. She sat down and grabbed a book, half paying attention to it as Aoshi sat on his bed across from her and began removing his socks.

"You seem upset."

"I'm fine, Aoshi-senpai. Really."

"I see." he murmured, but Aoshi kept watching her.

Misao, having enough of it, set her book down.

"You should have asked." she said crossing her arms.

"Again, I'm sorry. Tonight's been...the semester's been weird." Aoshi said, losing himself in his train of thought as Misao snuck up on him and pinned him onto his back.

"Misao, what are you....."

She leaned down and pressed her lips against his.

"See, next time ask." she said, hopping off of him as he actually blushed.

"There won't be a next time."

"Ah...right..." Misao said with a laugh, picking her book back up.

And thus the strange tension between the two grew.

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It's kinda lame, but I've been sick. T.T