Disclaimer – I'm honored to be seen as the author of Rurouni Kenshin!
Rurouni Kenshin cast – You don't own us!
Hitoezakura – Yes I do! See the contract? (pulls up a contract and shows it to everybody)
A gunshot rings out, and suddenly, the contract is decimated. All heads turn to see a sheepish Alucard. Alucard – I was having a target practice!
Hitoezakura – I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!
Alucard – But I'm already dead!

Hitoezakura – I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, that's property of Watsuki, and the only reason Alucard from Hellsing keeps showing up is because I'm trying to remind myself that I'm supposed to draw a few more pictures of him…(I adore sketching and drawing anime, but I barely get the time for it…weeps)

Ok, my reviewers are starting to make me feel incredibly guilty, because at the end of each review, they ask me to update soon…and I don't ever get the time to! I feel so guilty!

Another thing…I was looking at my stats for fun (I've received over 2000 hits for this story, but I have only 45 reviews…hmmmmm), and to my surprise, on my favorites and alerts list, I found the names of people who I'm confident have not reviewed. I would love to hear from you, so please, please, please review! (also, some of my old reviewers have not been reviewing…where are you?)

On a happier note, my editor has finally agreed to read this fanfiction (after much begging), and she seems to be enjoying it! My editor, by the way, is not a fanfiction writer, she's just my friend since childhood, and she likes romance, so I usually send her all my stories! However, she usually doesn't read them quickly because she has a full schedule, so right now, she has a lot stacked up…including all my original fanfics!

Reviewer Responses!

flaming-amber – Your review made me laugh. I'm not angry at you at all, and if fact, when I finally wrote about that little aoshikaoru moment, I was thinking, "I finally wrote it! I can finally dig deeper into the story!" As for the love triangle, well…keep reading and you'll find out! Thanks for the review, and please keep reviewing!

Crewel – Don't worry, there's about a whole page or two dedicated to Sanosuke and Megumi in this chapter. I'm glad you love the Sano Megumi moments I've created, because I wasn't sure if I was getting it right! Thanks for the review, and I hope you keep reviewing!

blooded wyngs – I'm glad this Kenji issue isn't disturbing you too much (once again, I'm sorry!)…Yes I do feel sorry for Enishi, but with Miyana on his side, I think he'll be trying once again to go after Kaoru. About Kenshin and Kaoru – I will mention how they met and what not, because they really do have a special relationship (not love on Kenshin's part, but a very deep friendship). I just haven't reached that point yet, but it'll come up! I'm thrilled that you like Miyana! She's my special original character, and she actually does star in an eight-part-series I wrote! (As for Yumi and Shishio…well, I liked Yumi when she was arguing with Sano, and I liked Shishio's humor, so in a way, I like them too!). Thanks for reviewing!

xiao – New reviewer! Yay! You hate suspense? Boy, will you end up hating me! I usually do cut off my chapters at the wonderful suspenseful points because I don't have that much time to write (although I try to update at least once a week). I'm so glad you love this story, and I hope you keep reviewing!

Bradybunch4529 – Your reviews always make me feel so thrilled! I'm glad you liked the light Aoshi Kaoru moment, and I'm hoping the clash will be equally as funny. Thanks for reviewing!

Wolf Jade – Another new reviewer! Yay again! Enishi and Miyana a couple? Keep on reading and you'll find out! As for whether Miyana is hiding…well, in this chapter, if you read very deeply into it, you could actually figure it out (of course, it's really cryptic in this chapter). However, in the future, it will be explained! Yes, Saitou is quite harsh towards her, isn't he! Thanks for reviewing, and I hope to hear more from you!

Alright, I really, really, really, want to write about their new mission next chapter, so I decided to wrap up the eventful night. This chapter hit thirteen pages, which means my editor is going to wail in agony (she should, she gets an extra two weeks of summer…). I hope you enjoy this one too! Lots of fluff and issues of the past! And for all of you who are so praying for an ak moment, you finally got one…although I hope you weren't expecting romance in their current hate-hate relationship…

I'll shut up now!

HOW IS THIS LOVE?

Enishi shut his umbrella before unlocking the apartment building door, eager to flop onto his bed and ponder over Miyana's words. He looked longingly at the elevator.

It seems so tempting…but there's a storm, and with my luck, I'll be stuck in the elevator if there's a power outage…

With a groan, he trudged up the stairs and fished through his pockets, searching for his apartment key. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and punched the wall hard, not caring about the huge hole he had just made.

I'm going to kill that bastard Sanosuke when I get my hands on him…stupid idiot has my car keys and my house keys! He's going to be a dead man!

With a sigh, Enishi turned around and made his way downstairs before opening his umbrella again.

Oh well, I suppose this works out for the best…at least I'll find out what Miyana meant…

Enishi stepped outside into the storm once again, walking down the streets toward his destination.

"Why did you rope me into this?" asked Aoshi quietly, as he stared at Yui's apartment, slightly disturbed by his surroundings.

"Obaasan would like to thank us, and it would be rude to not accept her thanks!" answered Kaoru in a whisper, smiling at Yui before examining her surroundings, just as disturbed as Aoshi.

The apartment was dark and musty, and it appeared as if the woman had lived in the apartment for seventy years and had never once bothered to wipe the dust off her furniture and appliances. Incense and candles burned on every surface, and to make it worse, paper lanterns hung from the ceiling.

Not only does this woman not realize she has dust everywhere, she's also going to burn down her apartment someday! If I die here due to a fire, Kamiya's going to have a lot of explaining to do!

"I'm sorry, my apartment's a little messy," replied Yui with a small grin.

Little! This place is like a trashcan, a garbage jungle, a…a…

Kaoru stepped on Aoshi's foot hurriedly before he could actually voice his thoughts, causing him to scowl at the young woman next to him. She scowled back, but the moment Yui turned around she was all smiles again.

"Obaasan, if it's too much trouble, Shinomori-san and I can leave" said Kaoru gently, trying to say she wanted to leave in the politest way she could.

Please, say yes!

Unfortunately, Aoshi's pleas went unanswered as Yui waved her hand with a grin. "It's no trouble at all!" she replied with a grin. "See? Here's my fortune telling table!"

Aoshi simply stared. The dust and candles seem to have multiplied as they reached the table, and to his dismay, cobwebs adorned every corner of the table.

"Just out of curiosity, how many customers come by here everyday?" asked Aoshi quietly.

"Not that many, in all actuality" replied Yui, confusion etched on her face. "I actually love to tell children their fortunes, but I not may children come by here. I wonder why…"
Maybe it's because this place is practically a haunted house!

Yui motioned for them to sit down on two extremely dusty chairs. Aoshi groaned internally; this meant that he would have to shove his monstrous trench coat in a washing machine once again. However, he and Kaoru politely sat down without a single complaint.

"Alright children" whispered Yui mysteriously, not realizing how Aoshi bristled upon being called a child. "Please place out your hands in front of me."

Aoshi reluctantly pulled his hand out in front of him. He had never been one for fortunes and fate; he had always felt that a man could carve out his own life. However, he was always surrounded by people who seemed to think that fortune-tellers often spoke the truth, so he usually kept his opinions to himself.

And this is how every fortuneteller makes money – charge a few thousand yen for a simple fortune and people flock towards them as if they are Gods. All these fortunetellers are doing are making random guesses; doesn't anyone but me realize that?

"Is there anything between you two?" asked Yui softly, staring at the hands in front of her, very intrigued.

"You have got to be kidding" muttered Aoshi in disbelief. "Kamiya and I?"

"Obaasan, I assure you with the utmost confidence, that there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING between Shinomori-san and I!" exclaimed Kaoru, shooting a glare at Aoshi.

"Place your hands side by side" said Yui calmly, removing a single strand of beads from her neck.

"What?" asked Kaoru and Aoshi in unison.

"Place your hands side by side" Yui repeated, stretching the strand of beads to its full length. Kaoru and Aoshi reluctantly placed their hands side by side, and Yui quickly wrapped the beads around their wrists to keep the hands in place.

"What is going on?" asked Aoshi in measured voice.

"I just need to see something" replied Yui with a smile as she carefully traced the lines along their palms.

"Well, couldn't you see it without binding our wrists together?" pleaded Kaoru, not happy with this arrangement. Yui did not answer, just continued to trace the lines on their palms. She suddenly gasped, and a smile spread across her face as she unwound the beads gently.

"I have seen into your future" whispered Yui with a grin. "Both of you shall become extremely happy in the future, but you will not find your happiness alone, you shall find it in each other. You two suffering souls shall finally find your happiness when you open up to each other and fall in love."

Kaoru and Aoshi both glanced at Yui, then at each other, and suddenly broke out into hysterical and unstoppable laughter.

Misao crept inside the Aoiya as she glanced at her wristwatch. It read twelve forty-five. Misao grimaced and quickly made sure that there was no evidence of her and Soujirou running around in the rain, She smoothed out her clothes to make sure that she didn't look like she was dancing, and she tried to make it look as though she hadn't received that dazzling kiss from Soujirou.

Aoshi-sama said to be back by midnight…but then wouldn't he be waiting for me by the door by now? It's a quarter to one, I would've figured that he'd still be awake, waiting to scold me for being so irresponsible…

"SHE'S HERE!"

Misao shut her eyes to escape the glare of the lights as they were suddenly turned on, and felt herself being tugged to the ground. She opened her eyes to see Okina, Okon, and Omasu waiting for her to speak expectantly.

"What are you guys doing?" asked Misao.

"We're waiting for you to tell us about your date!" exclaimed Okon with a grin. "You've been gone for so long, there have to be some details!"

"Come on Misao, you can't hide secrets from us!" said Omasu with a smile.

"We're the Oniwaban Inquisitorial Group!" yelled Okina joyfully. "You have to answer to us!"

Misao laughed upon hearing the name 'Oniwaban'. She had called her little family the Oniwabanshuu when she was a little girl, and for some reason, the name had stuck for all those years.

"No way Gramps!" said Misao with a grin. "I'm definitely not telling you guys about my date until I talk to Kaoru, Megumi, and Kaya!"

"Misao!" wailed Omasu and Okon disappointedly. "You have to tell us what happened! You can't keep it all to yourself!"

"If Misao doesn't want to answer, then she doesn't have to" said Okina calmly. "Her not answering is just proof that nothing happened, and that she managed to scare yet another boy away from her!"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" yelled Misao angrily. "Sou-kun and I had a wonderful dinner, danced around in the rain, and shared a steamy kiss!"

Misao suddenly clapped her hands to her mouth as Okina cheered.

"See, I knew that would get the truth out of her!" yelled Okina victoriously. Misao's eyes narrowed in anger as she quickly pulled out her kunai.

"YOU'RE GONNA GET IT GRAMPS!" yelled Misao angrily, chasing Okina around the room with the sharp kunai as he desperately dodged each one. Omasu and Okon simply stared at the two of them as they sweat dropped.

"Doesn't it seem like every situation ends with Misao chasing Okina with kunai?" asked Omasu with a small smile.

"Some things never change" replied Okon with a grin. "Which one are you rooting for?"

"I'll never root for a womanizing and perverted old man!" exclaimed Omasu with a scowl. "Go Misao!"

"Kaya, do I really need to meet your family today?" asked Okita, slightly nervous, although the smile never really left his face. "It would be nice if I could meet them in the morning or afternoon, but I really don't think that I should interrupt their sleep when it's only one o'clock!"

"Soushi, don't worry!" replied Kaya with a laugh. "Obaasan is nocturnal during the summers, and because of that, Aika's become nocturnal too! I shudder to think about what might happen when school starts!"

"I thought I heard your laughter Kaya-kun."

Both Okita and Kaya whirled around to see Kaya's grandmother, Hitomi Ryoko, standing behind them, the door wide open behind the women's smiling face. Kaya's eyes filled with tears as she hugged her Ryoko tightly.

"I missed you Obaasan! I'm so happy to see you again!" whispered Kaya softly, causing Ryoko to chuckle ever so slightly. She carefully eased Kaya off her shoulders and then turned to look at Okita. After scanning him completely, she turned to Kaya again.

"And who's this young man?" asked Ryoko with a smile. "No doubt that he's Okita Soushi, the boy you kept talking about before you left for your film!"

"This is Okita Soushi, my former boyfriend…and now…" Kaya could not say the words, so she silently lifted her hand for her grandmother to inspect.

"Oh sweetheart, you got engaged!" shrieked Ryoko happily, hugging Kaya once again. "Oh, Aika-kun would love to see you again, and she'll be so happy for you when she sees that you're engaged. Both of you, come in, why are we all standing on the doorsteps?" Ryoko rushed both of them in and suddenly, Okita heard a shriek as a miniature Kaya appeared in doorway and hurtled herself at the actual Kaya.

"Oneesan!" shrieked the miniature Kaya with a grin.

"Aika!" exclaimed Kaya with a laugh. "You've grown so much! I can't believe you're eight now!"

Aika flashed a huge smile and then hugged Kaya tightly again. "I'm glad you're back Oneesan" she whispered softly. Kaya smiled softly and stroked Aika's hair gently.

"I'm glad I'm back too…" whispered Kaya. Aika's eyes suddenly widened, and she yanked Kaya's hand in front of her eyes, her gaze locking upon the diamond ring Okita had proposed with earlier. Aika glanced at Kaya, then Okita, and then Kaya again before she began to shriek.

"He proposed?" she asked excitedly. Kaya nodded, and suddenly, both sisters were locked in an embrace, while Okita simply began to count how many times they had embraced in five minutes.

"Just so you know" said Ryoko in a low whisper. "They hug each other a lot. It really starts to make you feel left out, doesn't it?"

Okita simply smiled as he stared at Kaya and Aika's cheerful faces.

Kaya…your smile…that's enough to make my day…

"So, how did you and Miyana first meet?"

Sanosuke grunted in thought for a moment while Megumi patiently waited for his answer. He and Megumi had parked the car in a parking lot next to the forest and had climbed into the back of the car. They had folded the backseat down, covered the whole trunk area and backseat with a thick blanket, and then lay on blanket, staring up at the roof of the car.

"Captain Sagara, the leader of the Sekihotai Agency, had a habit of picking up homeless children on his mission. Before Miyana came, he had found three children and had trained them for the agency – Nagasaki Kayo, Tsukioka Katsuhiro, and I."

"How had you ended up homeless?" whispered Megumi softly. Sanosuke's eyes suddenly shined with tears, but he didn't shed even one.

"When I was young, about nine" said Sanosuke thickly. "My parents sent me out to gather firewood. We lived in a village, and that year, it was extremely chilly in the summer. I left, was gone for the whole day, and when I returned…the whole village had been burned to crisp. There was no sign of anyone alive…all I stumbled upon were the charred bodies I could not recognize…"

Megumi's eyes widened in shock. "How did that happen?" whispered Megumi.

"A man named Makoto Shishio burned down the village when the villagers protested against his rule" growled Sanosuke. "That was why when Captain Sagara found me wandering in the forests a few weeks later, I begged him to train me so that I could become an agent in the Sekihotai Agency. So that I could avenge my parents…

Anyways, when he took me to the Sekihotai Agency, I met the other two children he had saved – Nagasaki Kayo and Tsukioka Katsuhiro. I became good friends with Katsu, but I never really spoke to Kayo that much. He seemed to be an introvert, and Katsu and I were just really loud."

Megumi laughed softly. "So when did you end up meeting Miyana?" she asked curiously.

"I was thirteen when Captain Sagara informed us that a girl was arriving at the Sekihotai. Katsu and I were curious about her, while Kayo was just indifferent. Captain said that her name was Miyana, although we had no clue about her last name, so we gave her the last name Sagara, just like mine, because I too, had no last name. My parents were poor farmers and didn't have a last name. Anyways, he told us that she had lived with his good friend Hiko Seijuurou for almost five years, and was well trained in swordsmanship. She was ten years old when she arrived, and as soon as she stepped into the building, the whole atmosphere changed."

"For the better, or for the worse?" asked Megumi with a smile.

"For the better. Miyana was a cheerful girl, and managed to make everyone around her smile, even the withdrawn Nagasaki Kayo. She was the first girl I was close too, and when I turned eighteen, I bought her an expensive bracelet with my first paycheck…but the next year…Captain was murdered, and the whole agency fell apart. Kayo, Katsu, and I fled the agency so that we didn't have to see its downfall, but I had no clue that Miyana would try her best to keep the agency together…"

"So that's how you ended up meeting Miyana…" whispered Megumi softly. " And she was that cheerful? What happened to her?"

"I don't know!" muttered Sanosuke in frustration. "I really wish that she'd tell me, but I know she won't! In the past, she was always smiling, always singing, always dancing around, but now…she's just so quiet and unsmiling that it just makes me want to yell…"
Megumi kissed Sanosuke gently on the cheek. "Someday Sanosuke, she will reveal the truth to you…I have no doubt about that…"

"In the mean time, why don't you tell me the truth about yourself?" asked Sanosuke. "I revealed my whole past to you, so why don't you reveal your whole past to me?"

Megumi curled up next to Sanosuke and kissed him softly on the lips. "Alright then. I was with my parents until I turned eight. Then…" A tear streamed down Megumi's cheek before she began to speak again. "Then, a fire broke out in our house…my parents were upstairs, I was downstairs, and I hid in the kitchen cupboard to get away from the fire…When the fire department came, they found me, and then told me that my parents were dead.

I would've been completely lost had it not been for Sakura-obasan. She was Kaoru's aunt, and she took me in, despite the fact that she had two one-year-olds and Kaoru to take care of. She raised us until we were sixteen, and then she died of food poisoning. Dr. Gensai immediately offered to take care of us, and Kaoru worked while I worked as an apprentice for Dr. Gensai. When we were eighteen, we paid Dr. Gensai for all our troubles so that he could help his granddaughters, and then we moved out to an apartment in his building. And then we met you…"

Both Megumi and Sanosuke sat in the car, letting silence cloak them for several minutes, but it was a comfortable silence. Finally, Sanosuke quickly sat up and pulled Megumi towards him, kissing her gently.

"Have we grown closer?" asked Sanosuke with a cheeky grin.

"I think we have" whispered Megumi, returning his kiss passionately. He wrapped his arms around her waist and carefully lowered her onto the car seat as they kissed, unaware that the rain outside had stopped a long time ago.

Miyana dug around her cupboard for some hot chocolate when someone suddenly knocked on her door. She shut the cupboard, slightly annoyed that she hadn't yet managed to find the hot chocolate, and opened her apartment door, only to narrow her eyes and shut it once again.

The person outside carefully opened the door and took a seat at one of her couches. "You need to learn some manners" he replied coolly. He reached into his pocket, withdrew a cigarette, and immediately started to smoke.

Miyana deftly pulled the cigarette out of his hand and threw it in the trashcan. "No smoking in this apartment, and why are you here Saitou-san? If it is to tell me once again that I'm a murderer, I can assure you that I will remember it."

"It was not my choice to allow you into the Hiten Agency. My wife and comrades have no clue who they are allowing to join. I came here to warn you" replied Saitou evenly.

"Warn me about what?" asked Miyana quietly.

"If any harm comes to any person of the Hiten Agency, and if you are responsible for that harm, then I will kill you" said Saitou, his voice harsh and cold against the silence. Miyana didn't answer, she just simply turned away and rummaged for the hot chocolate again.

"Remember that" said Saitou quietly, before rising to his feet and letting himself out the door. She locked the door behind him, and then gave it a hard punch, shattering one of the stars on her bracelet, one with a letter 'K'. She kneeled down to pick it up, and threw it in the trash before collapsing onto one of her couches.

Why did I fall in love with you? You made my life miserable! You shamed me in front of the whole Agency and the whole police station! And now, the one time I can start my life over again, I end up working with a police officer who is sure that I'm not innocent because of your tactics!

Then why can't I forget you and everything you've done to me?

Enishi walked up the stairs before reaching the apartment number that he had read off the mailbox. He knocked on it gently, hoping that he wasn't waking her up.

The door opened to reveal a surprised Miyana.

"Enishi-san?" she whispered. "What are you doing here?"
"Rooster-head has my keys, so I can't get into my apartment, and I think no one else has reached their homes yet, so is it alright for me to stay here for a few hours? Then I can go over to Kaoru's and get my spare key from her" said Enishi sheepishly.

"Come in" said Miyana softly, motioning for him to come in. Enishi took one step inside and his nose crinkled in distaste.

"Why does it smell of smoke?" he asked, slightly confused. Miyana simply shook her head.

"Don't ask" she answered, pulling out a can of air freshener and spraying the room with a sweet scent that Enishi recognized as cinnamon. He shrugged off his coat and sat down on one of the couches as Miyana made some hot chocolate (after finding out that it had somehow made its way to the bathroom, in the drawer where she kept her comb). She poured it into two cups, offered one to Enishi, who accepted it gratefully after his crusade in the rain, and then sat down in front of him quietly.

"I meant to ask you something" said Enishi, breaking the silence as he silently hoped that she would not take his words in the wrong way.

"Go ahead" said Miyana softly.

"When I asked you whether it was better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, you answered 'sometimes, only sometimes'. Was there a specific reason for that answer, or…" Enishi trailed off, but he knew that she understood the meaning behind his words.

Miyana set down her cup quietly and sighed softly.

"I'm not ready to talk about that, and I probably never will be Enishi-san. I'm sorry, but that is one question I will never be able to answer" whispered Miyana, her eyes looking downcast.

"Okay, so let's skip that!" said Enishi hurriedly, plastering a wide grin on his face. "I have another question. Why are there letters hanging from your bracelet?"

To his surprise, Miyana almost smiled.

"Sanosuke gave me this bracelet as a present when I was fifteen" said Miyana softly. "The letters represent the people I love…"

"Oh! ' M' stands for Miyana, but what do the others stand for?" asked Enishi curiously.

"One 'S' stands for Sanosuke, while the other stands for Souzou Sagara, my captain. The 'K' stands for Katsu, and the 'H' stands for Shishou!" said Miyana.

"What's your Shishou's name?" asked Enishi.

"Hiko Seijuurou" replied Miyana. "I learned swordsmanship from him when I was five, and when I was ten, he sent me to Sagara-san to train as a secret agent."

"So he did have a second pupil" murmured Enishi. "I always thought he was making it up so that Himura wouldn't seem like a complete failure."

"You really hate Himura-san so much because he stole Kamiya-san and your sister from you?" asked Miyana softly.

"I loved my sister; she was like a mother to me. I didn't like the fact that she was marrying a murder, but what really enraged me was the fact that he enraptured Kaoru. It almost seemed like he was stealing her away from me just to make me miserable…" Enishi trailed off, his fists clenched in anger.

"You know the truth behind this Enishi-san" said Miyana pointedly. Enishi gave a sigh.

"I know, I know, it's not his fault. But I lost Kaoru ever since he met her, and it just seems like it's easier to blame it all on him" said Enishi, draining the last of his hot chocolate and setting the cup down.

"That's not good" whispered Miyana.

"What, gulping down hot chocolate?" asked Enishi confusedly. "You're damn right it's not good, I think I burned my throat, and I'm certain I burnt my tongue!"

"I didn't mean that" said Miyana quickly. "It's not right to blame Himura-san for everything you know. Yes, his personality attracted Kaoru and pulled her away from dating you, but don't you realize that it has been two years now, and perhaps now if you asked, she wouldn't mind dating you?"

Enishi fell silent as the clock ticked away in the silence.

Aoshi touched his head gingerly, confident that there was going to be large lump there tomorrow. Kaoru too, was gently massaging the back of her head.

"I am never listening to you again Kamiya" muttered Aoshi angrily, following Kaoru to her apartment.

"It's not my fault! I had no clue she'd react that way!" insisted Kaoru, climbing up the stairs away from Yui's apartment. "I never thought Obaasan could be so scary…"

"You two suffering souls shall finally find your happiness when you open up to each other and fall in love."

Kaoru and Aoshi both glanced at Yui, then at each other, and suddenly broke out into hysterical and unstoppable laughter.

"You have got to be kidding me!" exclaimed Kaoru through her fit of laughter.

"Me? Love Kamiya? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of!" agreed Aoshi. "Anyways, I'm never going to fall in love, since love is just another form of betrayal coated in honey…"

"I'm telling you, you two are going to fall in love!" said Yui, smiling mysteriously.

Her prediction was greeted with even more laughter, and finally Yui just lost her temper.

"THAT'S IT!" she yelled, rising to her feet and grabbing the crystal balls from under her table. "GET OUT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE ME!"

She heaved the crystal balls toward Aoshi and Kaoru, who promptly stopped laughing and raced towards the door, frantically dodging the crystal balls at the same time.

"It just goes to show you that women, even old women, can be extremely heartless and scary" commented Aoshi, earning himself another glare from Kaoru, who had stopped in front of her apartment door.

"Well, thanks for helping me with Obaasan" said Kaoru quietly. Aoshi nodded and turned around, when suddenly, Kaoru's face lit up with a slightly mischievous smile.

"Actually, Shinomori-san, I would like to thank you for your help by making you a cup of tea. Why don't you come inside?" she asked, feigning innocence as she smiled sweetly.

Aoshi looked at her with a wary glance.

She's never smiled at me that way before…she usually just glares at me…

p>She unlocked the door and suddenly dropped her keys.

"I hate being clumsy!" muttered Kaoru, dropping to her knees to search for the keys. "Shinomori-san, why don't you go inside and make yourself comfortable?"

Aoshi simply nodded and opened the door.

SPLASH!

Kaoru shot up to see Aoshi drenched with water and laughingly pulled off the bucket from the floor.

"Kamiya…" growled Aoshi angrily. " This is your doing, isn't it?"

"As much as I'd like to take credit for it, it wasn't my doing" said Kaoru with a laugh. "Yahiko-chan, you got the wrong person!"

"Oh shit! Megumi, I'm so sorry!" yelled Yahiko from the room, rushing out to apologize. His eyes widened as he saw a not-so-happy Aoshi glaring daggers at him.

"Oh shit…" repeated Yahiko. Kaoru laughed before introducing them to each other.

"Yahiko, this is Shinomori Aoshi, a comrade of mine. Shinomori-san, this is my little brother Yahiko."

Misao collapsed onto her bed, a big smile on her face as she crawled underneath her covers and frantically searched under her pillows. She let out a triumphant chirp as she retrieved her diary, flashlight, and pen from underneath the pillow. She flicked the flashlight on and immediately began to write.

'Today was the most wonderful, exciting, passionate date I have ever had! For three years straight, I have dated guys who were absolute jerks, but today, I finally found the perfect guy for me! Seta Soujirou…I could say his name for hours and not get tired…

He's amazingly handsome too! I always thought that Aoshi-sama was the most handsome guy around, but for some reason, Sou-chan not only has the handsome looks, but he also has that sweetness, that cuteness that Aoshi-sama never likes to reveal. Those slightly messy black locks, those vibrant blue eyes, that amazing smile…I can't believe my luck that I've found such a cute guy!

Now if only I don't scare him away…Omasu and Okon always say that I should try to tone it down, but if the guy doesn't like me for who I am, then what's the point of going out with him? He needs to like me for myself! I'm not going to change just to be more likeable!'

Misao shut her diary as she heard footsteps echo from outside her room and she snapped the flashlight off before stuffing the diary and flashlight under her pillow. She waited until the footsteps grew softer, and then she slipped out of bed and stared out of her window with a sigh. A sudden flash of light caught her eye.

"A shooting star!" she whispered excitedly. She closed her eyes tightly and made her wish.

I wish…I wish that Sou-chan will be the one I'm destined to be with…

Elsewhere, a pair of bright blue eyes stared up at the shooting star.

I wish that this time, our plan shall be successful…

Okita watched Kaya as she walked up the stairs with her little sister in tow. Aika almost fell asleep on the floor, so Kaya decided that she would tuck her in. As soon as Kaya disappeared, Ryoko's eyes fell on Okita.

"You're a secret agent too, aren't you?" asked Ryoko softly. Okita nodded, and Ryoko stood up with a sigh.

"Has Kaya ever told you much about her family?" asked Ryoko.

"Kaya told me about you and Aika, but she never told me the details about her parents' death" replied Okita. "She doesn't like to talk about that topic much, and I really didn't want to push her…"

Ryoko stood up and picked up a photo from a nearby ledge. Okita looked at it to see a man with shoulder length black hair and light grey eyes standing next to a woman who was the spitting image of Kaya.

"Kaya-kun's mother and father" whispered Ryoko softly. "Mina-kun died while giving birth to Aika; she was always a frail young woman, and had a very fragile health. But she lived for her children, so she insisted on giving birth to Aika. Then Moshi-kun brought both his daughters to me so that they would have a woman figure in their life. But when Kaya-kun was twenty, he died."

A tear slipped down Ryoko's cheek as she looked at Okita.

"He was a secret agent for the Sekihotai Agency."

Sekihotai…did Miyana know him?

"After his death, money was very tight, and Kaya was still in college. The Agency sent money, even after the assassin of their captain, but it was never enough for me to raise two children, one in college, and one just a child. Kaya immediately joined the Hiten Agency and became a secret agent to support us and to support her education. Just as well, the Sekihotai Agency sent us the last payment and said that they couldn't send anymore a week ago" said Ryoko bitterly.

"Ryoko-san, the Sekihotai Agency dissipated" said Okita gently.

"It did?" whispered Ryoko. "I wonder what happened…"

"Miyana said it was employment issues or something like that…" murmured Okita.

"Miyana? As in Sagara Miyana, Sagara Souzou's child?" asked Ryoko.

"Yeah!" said Okita with a grin.

"How does she know?" asked Ryoko in confusion.

"She was the head. She's been the head since Captain Sagara died" said Okita, just as confused as Ryoko.

"You've got to be kidding me" said Ryoko in shock. "She was fourth in line to become head! And when Sagara-san died, she must have just been sixteen!"

"She was fourth in line?" asked Okita, confused again.

"If something were to happen to the Captain, first, Nagasaki Kayo was supposed to be the head of the Agency, then Sagara Sanosuke, then Tsukioka Katsuhiro, and then Sagara Miyana…" Ryoko trailed off. "I never knew that she ended up becoming head when she was just sixteen, the poor girl…"

She never told us that! She must have hid it so that Sanosuke wouldn't feel guilty!

"Anyways, I wanted to let you know that I want Kaya to be happy" whispered Ryoko softly. "I don't want her to or her husband to end up like her father…can you promise that you will protect her?"

"When I proposed, I said I would spend my whole life with her. I'll stand next to her every minute Ryoko-san" said Okita quietly.

"I'll protect her."

"Soushi? Obaasan?" Kaya walked down the stairs with a smile on her face. "What are you two talking about?"

"We were just sharing embarrassing stories about you" said Ryoko with a grin. "Okita-chan, when Kaya was a little girl, do you know that she was scared of the cupboards in the kitchen? She was afraid demons would jump out from the pots and pans!"

Okita laughed as Kaya blushed furiously.

"Ryoko-san, that's a great story" said Okita with a grin. "But unfortunately, I do have to leave now. It was great meeting you!" He stood up and shook hands with Ryoko and then turned to Kaya and kissed her on the cheek. "See you later Kaya. Love you" he whispered before giving her a wave and walking out the door.

"He's a good boy" said Ryoko softly. Kaya hugged her grandmother tightly.

"I'm glad you like him as much as I do" said Kaya quietly.

I love you too Soushi…I love you too…

"Sano no baka!"

Sanosuke awoke to see a very angry doctor in the making staring down at him.

"I don't wanna take my shots" he muttered, flipping to his side.

"I'm not your doctor, I'm your girlfriend!"

Sanosuke shot up and promptly hit his head on the roof of the car. "Ouch" he muttered, rubbing his head before turning to look at an incensed Megumi.

"What's wrong Kitsune?" he asked sleepily, trying to hide a yawn.

"You idiot! Enishi's apartment key is on this key chain! He's locked out thanks to us!" yelled Megumi.

"OH SHIT!" yelled Sanosuke, clambering into the front seat while Megumi elegantly slipped out of the backseat through the door and opened the front door to enter her seat. He immediately shoved the keys into the ignition and drove off towards his apartments.

BANG!

Miyana and Enishi had been chatting when a sudden knocked jerked them out of their seats. Miyana immediately opened the door to see a sheepish Sanosuke and Megumi.

"Sanosuke? Takani-san? What are you doing here?" asked Miyana in surprise.

"Ok, if you get a call from Enishi, tell him that our car broke down, and that's why we took a long time, alright?" said Sanosuke breathlessly. "Don't let him know that we had a romantic evening! He'll kill me!"

"Sanosuke" whispered Miyana.

"Yes?"

"Did it ever occur to you to look around a room before you spoke?"

"No, why?"

Miyana shook her head and moved away from the door to reveal an incensed Enishi.

"Hey Enishi" said Sanosuke weakly.

"You…are…dead…rooster…" muttered Enishi angrily, snatching his keys out of Sanosuke's hands.

"We better go" said Megumi hurriedly, pushing Sanosuke out the door. "I need some time to arrange my boyfriend's funeral."

They rushed out the door just as Miyana closed the door shut, her eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Yahiko, you can talk to Shinomori-san while I get Tsubame from Dr. Gensai, okay?" asked Kaoru with a smile. She slipped out the door, leaving a sopping wet Aoshi with a guilty Yahiko.

"Who's Tsubame?" asked Aoshi, wiping the water from his eyes.

"Sakura obasan's niece. When Obasan died, Megumi and Kaoru took Tsubame and I and rented this apartment. They used to let Tsubame and I live together all the time, but when I started dating her, they immediately decided that Tsubame couldn't stay in the house with me unless one of them was with me. Stupid girls always think about hormones and stuff like that" muttered Yahiko. "Anyways, why did busu bring you here?"

"Tea" said Aoshi, squeezing his trench coat over the sink.

"Wow, busu must not really like you!" said Yahiko with a laugh. Aoshi looked at Yahiko with a perplexed expression.

"What do you mean?" asked Aoshi confusedly.

"You don't know a thing about busu, do you?" asked Yahiko.

Aoshi shook his head.

"Busu cannot cook to save her life! Everything she makes is poison, and her tea could kill you in one second! That's why she invited you in for tea!" said Yahiko with a grin.

"We're here!" sang out Kaoru, bringing Tsubame inside. "Shinomori-san, this is Sanjou Tsubame, my cousin. Tsubame, this is Shinomori Aoshi."

"Hello" said Tsubame shyly, earning herself a nod from Aoshi.

"Anyways Aoshi, I'll make you that tea" said Kaoru with a grin.

"Kaoru-san, are you sure?" asked Tsubame uncertainly. "I could make it…"

"No thanks!" said Kaoru cheerfully. Aoshi looked over to see Yahiko draw a line over his neck and make choking noises while Tsubame simply nodded, agreeing with Yahiko.

"Kamiya, I'm not drinking your tea, and I'm going to go now" said Aoshi quickly.

"No need! Here's your tea!" said Kaoru cheerfully, handing it to him in a coffee cup with a lid. Aoshi looked at it warily.

"Well come on, drink a sip!" said Kaoru quietly. Aoshi took one tiny sip.

"Botulism, botulism!" yelled out Yahiko.

"Shinomori-san, you shouldn't have!"

"You guys!" wailed Kaoru. "I'm an excellent cook!"

"Quiet."

All three heads turned to Aoshi.

"Yahiko, if I get water on my head again, I'll force feed you this tea, and if I get botulism Kamiya, you are going to pay for my medical bills, because this tea is abysmal and abominable" said Aoshi coldly, tossing the tea into the trashcan and walking out of the apartment. Kaoru immediately ran out after him.

"Well!" she yelled out into the stairwell. "That was revenge for shoving me into your car, you heartless jerk!"

"You know what this means Kamiya?"

"What?"

"This means war!"

"Bring it on!"

WAR! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing! (that's from a song I heard on the Rush Hour Soundtrack...it's not mine!)

So, Aoshi and Kaoru are at war! Haha! You also find out a bit about Miyana, Sanosuke, Megumi, Kaoru, and Kaya, so I'm happy!

Note: Enishi's comment about Kenshin - I don't believe that myself (I think Kenshin's cool!) but since it's Enishi speaking, it had to sound spiteful

Second Note: I know Aoshi doesn't laugh, but come on! Someone just told him that he'll fall in love with his enemy! Do you think he's going to just sit there and nod?

Next Chapter - A new mission awaits - and Miyana, Sanosuke, and Kaya are the three people who are most determined to succeed at the new mission. Any guesses why?

Anyways, please review PLEASE, especially those of you on my favorites/alerts list and my older reviewers, because I'd love to hear from you! Ja ne till next week, hopefully!