Ghost writer
By deanna1600
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.
"Are you alright?"
Aoshi looked down at Misao with inquiring eyes. Peering through her glasses, the girl was sitting on the floor with a stupefied, if not a mortified expression on her face.
For Misao, those few seconds stretched like minutes as they gazed into each other. Despite all of her intellectual verbiage, Misao seemed to have lost all coherent thought. All she could do was stare at Aoshi, and say "Ow!". So much for a good first impression!
It was Aoshi who first broke eye contact. He carefully lifted Misao with an outstretched arm and looked again if she had any bruises from her fall. Again, Aoshi asked if she was alright and if she needed to be brought to the clinic. Still not speaking, Misao could only nod at the query. Aoshi handed Misao her school bag which she took with her head bowed. Without a word of thanks, she quickly grabbed her bag and ran towards the classroom, with Aoshi eyeing Misao's retreating form.
"Argh! Stupid, stupid, stupid!" bemoaned Misao, recalling the events of that early morning. She was trying her best to type Tomoe's lit. paper but all she could think about was what happened that morning. "Ugh! I should have said something… even hello or hi or anything. Anything but 'Ow!' ".
Her cellphone beeped suddenly and she looked at it to find a text message from Tomoe.
Meet me at the Aoiya by 10 p.m. I have another job for you.
Her eyes then darted from the message to her clock on the wall. It was already 8 p.m. She had less than an hour left to write the paper. She had no more time to ponder over what already happened. What had passed is past. Besides, Aoshi wouldn't remember her or anything. With that, Misao smiled and typed swiftly. When she finished, she printed out the paper, locked the door and walked to the Aoiya.
The Aoiya was bursting with energy tonight. Colored lights swirled through the crystal ball hanging from the ceiling. Some of the students were making out on the couches, while others were shouting and carousing. Misao then eased her way through the crowd with a lot of "excuse me" and "sorry" and quietly sat on one of the individual stools in the more well-lighted area of the bar. She then set down the paper on the table and took furtive glances at every other corner in the room.
"You're late."
Looking up, Misao saw that it was none other than Tomoe. Appraising the black-haired beauty, Misao could tell from her appearance that she was drunk. Tomoe's cheeks were flushed as she staggered her way towards a stool next to Misao.
Draping her left arm around Misao, Tomoe whispered to her as if they were co-conspirators in an assassination plot. "Tsk, tsk…Misao. Are you trying to aggravate your situation? You know… you don't want getting me angry, Misao." In a swift motion, her left arm, which was loosely draped over Misao's shoulder now turned torturous as her left hand grabbed Misao's fragile neck in a vice-like grip. Misao panicked and struggled as Tomoe's right hand slowly eased its way towards Misao's right hand, crushing the twitching fingers beneath.
"Misao, I'd hate to crush your fingers, especially now that I need you to type another assignment for me." As if carrying out her threat, Tomoe tightened her grip on Misao's fingers.
"I…I'm so--sorry, Tomo…Tomoe. I promise…I promise… I'll be on time next time."
Tomoe then abruptly let go of Misao and asked the bartender for another hypnotic.
Misao took this time to catch her breath, holding her injured hand close to her heart.
"Calm yourself, Makimachi. I still need you to do another assignment."
The bartender then arrived with her hypnotic and she downed it in one gulp. Smiling sweetly to Misao, she then placed the note in Misao's left hand and staggered her way to the dance floor, carrying the lit. paper.
Misao then quickly exited the Aoiya. Tears streamed down her face as she ran to her apartment. Once inside, she wept loudly. On the floor was the crumpled note from Tomoe:
"I told Aoshi about you. He's interested to give it a try as well. So aside from my lit. paper, you have to work on Aoshi's. Aoshi will get it from you tomorrow morning. Tomoe."