Author's Note:: shrugs::

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Chapter 6: Whatever Happens Tomorrow

Misao frowned as the rain fell down on her as she walked to school. It was predicted to rain all week and it just flat out had her depressed. She always wasn't feeling her normal genki self and somehow Aoshi was to blame.

She had never thought she'd miss the brooding senior so much.

But that was all the more reason to not see him, wasn't it? Getting too attached wasn't a good thing.

But still....

"Ah! Get a grip, Makimachi!" she chided to herself as she held the hood to her coat more securely over her head, only to have it blown back.

Misao cried out in frustration when she felt the rain stop over her head.

She blinked and looked up to see Aoshi standing next to her, holding a black umbrella over her head. He was wearing a beige colored trench coat that despite the color, suited him well.

"Ao..Shinomori-senpai."

He merely looked down at her, his expression neutral.

"Forget an umbrella, Makimachi-san?"

Makimachi-san. So formal. He had always called her simply Misao. Even before they had...

"Yes." she muttered, brushed droplets of rain off her face as they walked together towards school.

It was a rather uncomfortable silence they walked in, and Misao was unsure of what to say whereas Aoshi just didn't want to talk.

He should of never walked to her side to help her, but she had looked so miserable in the rain...misery didn't seem to suit her very well.

As they reached the school gates, several students stopped to stare at the sight of Shinomori Aoshi walking with and holding an umbrella for Makimachi Misao. It was a mind-boggling occurrence as to why the two social opposites were together as such.

Misao blinked and looked around, realizing people were staring at them. She quickly stepped away from him, and walked quickly inside. Aoshi merely watched her go, a bit annoyed. She was so worried about appearances. It almost made him sick.

Misao ran into the girls' bathroom and grabbed some paper towels to wipe the rain off her face. She sighed as she brushed her bangs out of her face. She couldn't take the looks so she had ran.

What did that say about her?

'Face it, Misao. You're a prisoner of your social caste.'

"Rough morning, Makimachi-san?"

Misao turned to see Tokio sitting on the bathroom windowsill with earphones on. She was wearing a girl's uniform skirt, but a boy's uniform shirt.

"Uh...yes. I forgot my umbrella."

"Oh?" Tokio asked, cocking her head to the side.

Misao look at her feet nervously.

"So I saw my darling cousin shared his umbrella with you, but noticed you ran."

Misao gulped.

"How did you..."

Tokio tapped at the window glass.

"You think I was wrong to just run." Misao sighed.

"Who I am to judge you? I'm just a deviant."

"Tokio-san..."

Tokio hopped off the window sill and took off her earphones, handing them and the cd player to Misao.

"Watch this for me for a bit, ne?"

Misao nodded, watched Tokio leave the bathroom.

Looking down at the CD player she blinked.

"Why does she want me to hold this for her? Mou...this is too much." she sighed, and then freaked when she heard the bell.

Running towards her homeroom she stormed in, and sweat-dropped as all eyes turned on her.

"Makimachi! You're late!"

"Ah...gomen sensei..." Misao said.

"Out in the hallway now!!!"

Misao sighed as she went out into the hall way and stood.

Hanging her head, she reached into her bag and took out Tokio's CD player. Putting on one of the earphones, she listened.

Dying, don't you worry
It's enough we're growing up in such a hurry
Brings you down and use the sailor
To put in your mind that all man kind is a failure

That nobody knows what's gonna happen tomorrow
We're try not to show how frightened we are
If you love me I'll protect you however I can

You've got to believe it'll be alright in the end

Misao wanted to believe things would be alright, but she couldn't help but feel depressed over Aoshi. She hated it. She hated the strange empty feeling she now felt. It was foolish, they had nothing in common, they rarely spoke....

Fighting, because we're so close
There are times we punish those who we need the most
No, we can't wait for a saviour
Only got ourselves to blame for this behaviour

And nobody knows whats gonna happen tomorrow
We're try not to show how frightened we are
If you love me, if you are the only star in the night

You've got to believe it'll be alright in the end
You've got to believe it'll be alright again

Misao took off the earphone and put the CD player back into her bag.

"Believe? I wish I could." she muttered to herself and sighed. She looked out the window and watched the rain fall and wished it would stop.

It wasn't so much rain she minded, but more so thunder and lightning. Ever since she was a kid she was always terrified of the loud noises. She couldn't really pinpoint when it happened, as she hadn't always been scared.

Something about it just made her feel completely devastated.

She scratched her head. She was supposed to remember something, something Okina and Omasu had mentioned this morning as she was quickly eating her breakfast. She probably should have paid more close attention.

'Ah well. It can wait until this afternoon.'

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Kaoru opened her bento box as she looked around the green room of the theater.

"Say, Megumi-chan, is it really okay to eat in here?" she asked.

"Well seeing as I'm president of the drama club I don't think there will be much objection."

"Ah. So, how was your weekend?" Kaoru asked with a sly grin.

Megumi blushed slightly, carefully swallowing her rice.

"It was just fine."

"Sanosuke was walking around with such a grin today. I guess you made him really happy."

"Oh? Want some advice, Tanuki?"

Kaoru clutched her chopsticks tightly.

"No thank you, Kitsune! Kenshin's perfectly happy with me as is."

"Oh? Well I suppose it's Ken-san's tastes....."

Kaoru shot her a death glare and angry gulped her tea.

"Anou...where's Misao-chan?" Megumi asked.

Kaoru blinked.

"Hmmm...good question. She's probably moping somewhere."

They didn't notice the door to the room creak open.

"Well, I suppose she's been glum lately. And what was with her and Shinomori-senpai this morning? They looked pretty chummy." Megumi commented.

"Hmmmm....she's going to have people talking about her if she keeps things like that up."

"Hm, that's true. I mean Shinomori-senpai is so....well odd. I don't understand what Misao-chan is doing?"

Kaoru sighed loudly.

"Mou...it's social suicide."

Misao closed the door quietly and leaned against it, the pale light of the hallway blurred by her teary vision.

"So....that's how it'll be, is it? Social suicide? So...will everyone abandon me?"

She smiled a pained smile.

It was so complicated, the social system.

So strict.

So....stupid.

And for the first time, her peers made her feel....extremely pissed.

Because along with them...she too had been acting stupidly and keeping in line.

She walked away, bag in hand as she headed for the stairwell to the roof and sat on the stairs and opened her lunch.

And for the first time in years, Misao ate alone.

"Maybe I am becoming a deviant." she lamented, sluggishly eating.

"Hmm, you've got a long way to go, Makimachi-san."

Misao jumped in surprise and looked up to see Tokio leaning over from the stair case above, hair hanging in the air.

"Takagi-san! You scared me!"

Tokio smiled.

"I scare a lot of people. Why are you eating alone?"

"I....felt like it."

Tokio shook her head and disappeared, and Misao heard footsteps. She watched Tokio approach and sit next to her and open her bento.

They ate in silence for a while until both had finished and set their chopsticks down.

"Makimachi-san?"

"Yeah?"

"You're a moron."

Misao blinked, surprised at the blunt statement.

"I...what?"

"You're a moron, and so is Aoshi-kun. I try helping you two but no! No one listens to Tokio! Honestly!"

"Takagi...san..."

"You two can say it was just nothing more than simple attraction but the truth is that no one in this place from your class would associate with someone like Aoshi-kun if it was simple attraction. Tell me Makimachi-san, even as children did you ignore Aoshi-kun? Have you always never really thought of him up until now?"

Misao opened her mouth, but closed as it as she couldn't find words.

He always made her heart pound and her nerves jump...

He had walked ahead of her always on the way to grade school and she always stared at his back...

When they were kids he was always invited to neighborhood parties and was the one who had managed to keep her out of trouble...

When they'd walk home from school she'd always watch him walk into that empty house and wondered if he was really lonely...

And when he had kissed her...when she was in his arms...

Something in her felt complete.

And when they had ended their fling, she had only then realized something was missing to begin with.

"I..." Misao began but was interrupted by the lunch bell.

"Makimachi-san, good luck."

Misao watched as Tokio walked away.

"Takagi-san.....you're always so cool. Maybe...."

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As the rain falled more fiercely, Misao ran to her doorstep, gasping for air. She wished she hadn't stopped at the bookstore after school, but the allure of a cup of peppermint mocha and new manga....

It wasn't until she had heard the rumble of thunder that she departed and ran straight home, her coat doing little to help as she was drenched with rain.

She tried opening the door, only to feel it was locked.

Trying the knob again, it was still locked.

She hadn't grabbed her house key because she was in a hurry and someone was always home anyway at that time.......

'Misao-chan, don't forget that myself and Okon and Omasu are going out of town for the night on business.'

That was what she was trying to remember.

They were all out of town....leaving her all alone.

And she had no key.

She was locked out.

Sinking to her knees she dropped her school bag, sitting on the wet pavement and shivering. She looked out onto the street, tensing when she heard thunder.

Aoshi sat before his computer typing up homework and listening to a CD in his basement room, only half paying attention to his actions. His mind was wandering and he found it hard to concentrate.

He was surprised to hear the doorbell ring as he got up from his computer chair and walked up the stairs and into the living room, opening the door.

His eyes widened as he saw Misao standing there, shivering and completely drenched and looking up at him with a sadness that should never be the eyes of someone like her.

Taking her hand, he led her inside and shut and locked the door, leading her down to his room.

She didn't say anything and neither did he. He took her coat and led her into the bathroom connected to his room, and handed her a towel.

"Take a shower so you don't catch a cold. I'll dry your clothes for you."

Misao nodded, and walked into the bathroom and shut the door. When she removed her wet clothes, she wrapped herself in a towel and opened the door and handed him her clothes to dry. He took them, looking at her briefly in just a towel and with her hair now down.

She was beautiful.

As the door closed he sighed and went across the hall to the laundry room and put her clothes in the washing machine.

He heard the sound of his shower running and decided to wait until she was out to start the wash.

He wondered why she was at his door in the rain...why she looked so sad...why he let her in...

Misao tilted her face upwards as the warm water streamed over her, making the chill she felt go away. She wondered what had led her to Aoshi's doorstep. He was part of the reason she felt so down, and yet she had gone across the street, to his doorstep...

She hadn't said anything, because she had begun to feel embarrassed that she had just shown up and completely soaked from the rain. She had bit her lip as she followed him down to what was his room, watching his black tee-shirt clad back.

Turning the shower off she stepped out and seeing the towel rack, grabbed another towel for her hair and wrapped it up, then covered her body with a towel. She noticed some clothes resting next to the sink.

A pair of black boxers and a blue shirt.

Slipping them on, she blushed at the thought of wearing Aoshi's clothing.

The tee-shirt was quite big on her, but they were warm and comfortable clothes. Looking through the cabinets she found his blow-dryer and proceeded to dry her long hair.

Walking out of the bathroom forty minutes later, she finally had a chance to take a good look at his room.

The walls were painted indigo and covered with various rock and movie posters, and there was a mahogany bookshelf set against the wall with the door, two small night-stands on each side of his bed which was a king sized bed with black and blue sheets and comforter.

He had a computer desk across from his bed which he was currently seated at as she walked to his bed and sat at the edge.

"Um...thank you, Shinomori-senpai."

He continued typing and didn't look back at her.

"It's fine, Misao. Why aren't you home?"

"I...forgot my key. Jiya and Omasu-chan and Okon-chan are out of town for the night."

"So you're all alone?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you go to Kamiya-san's or Takani-san's?" he asked, turning his computer off and spinning around to face her.

She looked at him, and closed her eyes.

"Because...my feet just led me here and I...I hate thunder and it scares me and I....I wanted to see you."

His eyes widened slightly at her confession.

"I see. You're still scared of storms then."

She blinked.

"You...know that?"

He nodded.

"Ever since you were seven, that summer...you were playing down near the river...a bunch of kids had ridden their bikes there...it started raining and bit but you wouldn't leave just yet even when everyone else did. It started raining harder and so you apparently hid under a pine tree to try to wait it out....and then lightening had struck and apparently had hit the tree you were under. A branch had fallen and pinned you down....I was coming to find you since Okina was worried and saw the lightning hit the tree and you get pinned. I ran and pushed the branch off of you. You had already passed out by then and so I carried home."

"I...That's right. I was so scared. I thought I was going to be trapped under there forever. I can't believe I had forgotten. I couldn't remember that when I woke up."

"Ever since then, you've been terrified of storms but I didn't know you couldn't remember why. I always wondered why you never mentioned it."

"I..." she blinked and then gasped.

"I never thanked you! Ah! You were probably really annoyed at me!" she said, worried.

"It was fine, Misao. You only talked to me a bit at that age. We only ever talked at picnics or parties."

He stood up and sat next to her.

"But Aoshi-san, you saved me! You always.......you always kept me out of trouble back then."

Aoshi sighed.

"I suppose it became my job in those days to watch over you."

Misao flopped back on the bed, laying down.

"And then I just ended up pretending you didn't exist....but I couldn't completely forget I guess. You must've hated me."

"I...never hated you, Misao."

She opened her eyes and looked at his sitting form and smiled.

"But still...we became so different...and distant. I hate it. I hate the way things are. I can't believe I never realized it before. Everyone's so..."

"Shallow?"

Misao laughed.

"You're so blunt, Aoshi-san."

Aoshi fell back into the laying position next to her, causing her bounce with the mattress. She laughed.

"You're heavy."

He looked at her and frowned.

"No, you're just too light."

Misao crossed her arms.

"You make that sound like an insult." she huffed.

Aoshi turned to his side facing her, resting on his elbow as he leaned slightly over her and kissed her forehead softly.

"Misao...you're fine as you are." he murmured, his blue gaze intense as she stared back at him with her large ocean blue eyes.

He sat up and pulled the covers back, causing her to lift herself up so he could get them out from under the two of them and covered them both.

"It's almost ten-thirty...I didn't realize it was so late. We should get some sleep soon." he murmured, and Misao just watched him.

He was so close....it felt so nice....

When he turned to cover her more with his comforter he was surprised when she threw her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him, kissing him desperately.

He soon wrapped an arm around her waist as his other splayed across her back so his hand could hold the back of her head.

They broke apart, still close.

"I thought...you wanted to end this..." he murmured, his eyes searching hers.

"I thought I could...I thought it would be...alright but I...I couldn't get you off my mind. You're always there."

He closed his eyes, thinking his next words...his confession.

"I've always been there, Misao."

He kissed her once more and held her, as soon she drifted off to sleep.

She was so warm....

For the first time since he was young, he wasn't alone in that house.

He wasn't alone.

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THERE! I updated!!!!

I've been busy since I work a lot now. ::cries::