Note: THIS IS NOT A SONG FICTION. I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO THIS SONG!

Title: "1o Different Ways to Say I'm Sorry"

Summary: Au. AxM If High school is filled with heart-ache, imagine collage. Going to college means facing Aoshi Shinomori again. Can Misao really face her past sins? I'm not good at summaries, but this is pretty good.

A/n: Hey its another Aoshi and Misao story. I know they're bad, but bear with me. This is, me, expressing what I think, and getting stories out of my mind. Read on. This is kind of depressing in the beginning, but it will get better. Thie song Counting Stars by Sugarcult reminds me of AxM so I wrote a fic with this in mind. You should listen to it. It's a great song.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sugarcult's Lyrics or rights to the song Counting Stars. I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. All I own is my car.

Hey, I wanna crawl out of my skin
Apologize for all my sins
All the things I should have said to you
Hey, I can't make it go away
Over and over in my brain again
All the things I should have said to you

(Chorus)
Counting stars wishing I was okay
Crashing down was my biggest mistake
I never ever ever meant to hurt you
I only did what I had to
Counting stars again

(there is more lyrics to the song)

STORY-------------------

May 23,2004

Outside the sun was shining, it was an omen for the day. The last day of Kyoto High School was about to start. People were saying their goodbyes. Life was great. Yet a figure could be seen walked down the hallways, all alone. No smile could be seen on her face as she pasted her peers. She was a senior. College life was about to open a new road before her. She had full scholarship to Tokyo University under her belt, who could want more? Yet Misao Makimachi was depressed.

As she stared at the ground she felt as if life could end right there. She could just be sucked up into the ground. She could not believe that she would have to face him again. How could she have done the things she had done? How could she have betrayed him like that? The most important question, how could she face Aoshi Shinomori?

She walked into her first class of the day. Seven hours and thirteen minutes before real life began, until college. She glanced around the room. She unemotionally looked at her friends, enemies, rivals, and past crushes. She doubted that she would see most of them again. College meant a new crowd of people. Just as she fell back into self pity she heard the voice of her best friend ring loud and clear over all the other voices.

"Misao are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." Kaoru asked he customary smile only slightly dimmed.

"Maybe I have seen a ghost." Misao muttered as she sat. Kaoru frowned when she looked at her friend, but didn't ask. She didn't need too. Kaoru knew that Misao was dreading college. No that wasn't it, Misao was dreading seeing Aoshi. She was dreading having to face his cold demeanor. His judgment.

Misao realized that people were staring at her. She wasn't being her normal cheerful self. Misao didn't want to bring down anyone else's day, so she put on her mask of cheerfulness and smiled at the worried looking people. Her inner mantra repeated in her head. "Get through the day."

"Hello class and congratulations for making it to the last day of high school. I know that most of you probably hated me, but I hope that we can leave here on a good foot. You all are very smart and dedicated students, and I hope that you will succeed all you do in life. Since I have no lesson planned you may have a free day. Goodbye and good luck." With this the teacher strode to his desk and sat down. His roll that year was over. He had taught them all he could. To them he was no longer needed. They had surpassed him. This was the way of things. This was life.

In a Graveyard in Kyoto------------

A tall man stood by four grave stones. His black hair fell into his cold green/blue eyes. He stared intently at the four stones, as if staring could bring them back. They were simple gave markers, with only the deceased name, birth date and death date.

Hannya

January 17, 1985-April 10, 2003

Shikijo

May 17, 1985- April 10, 2003

Beshimi

June 22, 1986- April 10, 2003

Hyottoko

October 30, 1985- April 10, 2003

The man narrowed his eyes as the memory of that horrible day flashed through his mind. The day of their deaths. He had lived one long year without them. He had gone to Tokyo University without his four best friends. He would never forget them, and he could never forgive her. Not yet at least. Sometimes sins were too great to forgive. When he could look at the grave stones no longer he turned and with a final glance back, left the graveyard.

The sky wept the tears that he could not.

End of chapter one.

a/n: In the begining it was Misao's last day of HIGH SCHOOL not first day of college. To clear things up.Did you like it? I did, but I'm biased. I want four reviews before I update. Four isn't much. It will get happier. Oh and could you guess who the man was? Why does he hate the girl. How did Misao betray Aoshi? All will be answered in a few chapters. READ AND REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!