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?
A/n: Okay, as promised I have written this epilogue!
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own "Best of Me" by The Staring line.
Epilogue: Where Our Paths Have Lead Us
Here
we lay again
On two separate beds
Riding phone lines
to
meet a familiar voice
And pictures drawn from memory
We
reflect on miscommunications
And misunderstandings
And
missing each other too
Much to have had to let go
Turn
our music down
And we whisper
"Say what you're
thinking right now"
Tell
me what you thought about when you were gone
And so alone
The
worst is over
You can have the best of me
We
got older
But we're still young
We never grew out of this
feeling that we wont give up
(Not all the song)
------------------Story-------------------
May, 11, 2012 – 1:57 PM-- 8 years later
"How is Tokyo?" He asked the person on the otehr end of the phone line; while checking his E-mail. He smiled as he clicked on a link to a friend's email.
Dear Aoshi,
Hey! We are having a great time here in Hawaii. I miss you a lot, but somehow I think you're missing someone else more than me. How is she? I hope her trip to Tokyo went alright. Oh Sano just came back so I have to go. I love you Aoshi and I hope that you're having a fun time alone! ; ) Joking.
Your Friend
-Megumi Sagara
Aoshi let out a small chuckle before typing his reply.
"Tokyo is wonderful! I'm having such fun with Kaoru. I went shopping yesterday and we spent so much money that her hubby made her return half of it. I know he is just worrying about his income but come on she is pregnant! So yeah Tokyo is fine and it is raining."
On the other end of the line Misao Makimachi was watched a red head run after his very active pregnant wife. Kaoru was trying to cook dinner again and Kenshin was having trouble stopping her. Misao was glad that the two had met after Kaoru moved to Tokyo.
"It is sunny in Kyoto. When are you coming back?" Aoshi was worried that she would stay there. He knew that there was nothing keeping her in Kyoto since Okina died.
Aoshi and Misao had stayed friends after the "Café incident" as they referred to it. He had graduated two years earlier than Misao and moved back to Kyoto. && Okay they both went to college for 6 years and Aoshi was two years ahead of Misao in college so graduated two years earlier&& Misao had followed two years later and they had continued to be friends. He had wanted to be more to her, but he never let on that he was slowly falling back in love with his Misao. She never showed signs of wanting to think about him as a boyfriend even if she loved him. So he had settled on being her friend.
For the last two years in Kyoto they had been in constant contact. They had lunch every other day and dinner twice a week. Most of their collogues thought they were dating. Aoshi was content with seeing her everyday and biding his time. They both had dated various people but no serious relationships had come to be. At twenty-seven had Aoshi felt his life was where it should be. Until two months ago. Two months ago a rapid succession of events had turned his life upside down. Okina had died of a stroke and Misao had been devastated. Okina had been the last member of her family alive, and now she was all alone. Then Misao had taken a three week vacation to Tokyo. So far she had been there for four weeks and counting. Misao had said she was coming home soon, but each time she made up an excuse. Aoshi was afraid he was losing her.
Aoshi heard her take a deep breath and then let it out. "I'm getting on a plane tomorrow and I'm coming home. I needed this time to…to just relax. Don't worry Aoshi I'm not leaving you. I know you would never admit it, but I know you're worrying about me. "Aoshi let out a silent sigh and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"What are you talking about? I just want to know when I have to pick you up from the airport." He kept his cool and didn't let any emotion slip into his voice. As always Aoshi would hide his heart from her. Long past were the days when he would blame Misao and openly hate her. Long past was that hatred, for the better he supposed.
"No you can't fool me Aoshi Shinormori. I know you're worrying that I'm staying here. But you're wrong. I'll be at home at 3:04 tomorrow and I expect you to pick me up. No pressure of course." Aoshi could hear the smile playing on her lips. He glanced up at his clock. It was almost time for him to go out to lunch with his boss.
"I have to go but I promise to be at the airport at 3:00 tomorrow ok?"
"Okay! See you then." Then there was only the dial tone. Once again silence filled his apartment and mind. It was so loud he just couldn't stand it. Aoshi stood and walked out of his apartment without grabbing his coat.
May, 12, 2012 – 3:00 PM- Air plane
Misao was fidgeting, she knew she was. Every five minutes she would tug her braid and then check her face in her compact. Normally she wasn't a very vain person but for some reason going back to Kyoto was making her mind warp. Misao finally got out her newspaper and tried to focus on the country of Zimbabwe. It wasn't working. Her mind was minutes away. She was thinking about her meeting with Aoshi. She had not seen him for four weeks, and the suspense was killing her. Had he changed? Had she changed in a mere four weeks?
Misao jumped when the seat belt sign appeared in front of her. Misao closed her eyes and prepared herself for the landing. Aoshi would be there and everything would go back to normal. Luncheons and dinners. That was her life with him, and she wanted so much more. But how much of a chance was she willing to take for him? Enough to give up her heart once more to a man that had broken it in the first place?
May, 12, 2012 – 3:07 PM- Kyoto International Airport
Aoshi was sitting in the café just outside Misao's gate. He couldn't bring himself to go and stand by the gate like a lost little puppy. Aoshi was about to try Misao's cell again when he saw a small female in jeans tugging a huge carry on move slowly past the plate glass window. She tugged at her braid and pulled the bag a bit more before giving up and settling her self on the floor back against the glass window.
"Misao." Aoshi said before getting up. He slowly and purposefully made his way to the trash can and threw away his cup of coffee. He turned and looked out the glass window and was shocked when he didn't see Misao nestled next to her large carry on. Where had she gone? Kidnapped? Would he have to dig up his old kempo moves to save her? His mind was running away with him and he was going to let it. What else could he do?
"Stop panicking. You are so easy to read Icicle." Aoshi slowly turned and faced…well after he looked down….a smiling Misao. He gave her a nod and then he began to walk towards her luggage. He was surprised when he felt her grab his hand. He turned back to face her and instead found himself looking at the back of her head. Misao had jumped into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Misao?" Aoshi asked. Since the "café incident" when Misao hugged Aoshi; had they touched like this. No hugs no kisses on the cheek and defiantly no bodies squished together. Aoshi was in a state of shock.
"I missed you Icicle." Misao said smiling up at him.
"I missed you also." Aoshi said. Misao pulled back and went to go get her bags. Aoshi followed her subdued. When he saw her struggling with her bag he reached down and picked it up easily.
"I hate you." Misao said with a smug look. She hated to be outdone. They began to walk out of the airport.
"So I'm back and you have yet to say hello. That's a wonderful first impression Mr. Shinomori." Aoshi frowned at her and then dropped her suitcase. He moved so quickly that Misao could not even take a breath when he scooped her up and said hello. She smiled and hugged him back.
"Much better." Misao said when he set her on the floor once more. They walked to his black car in a comfortable silence.
"Aoshi?" Aoshi looked over to his small friend as he started the car.
"Yes Misao?"
"I have decided to take you out to lunch." Aoshi looked at the road as he drove out of the airport. His mind thought nothing of her proposal. They had lunch quite often before what was different about it now?
"Alright where shall we go?"
"Aoshi, I'm asking you out on a date not as a friend." Misao giggled at the wide eyed Aoshi. Then she let out a scream as Aoshi nearly plowed into the back of another car. He managed to stop on time.
"A date? I thought we were friends?" Aoshi slowed his speed and began to drive safely. Misao was praying to Kami-sama that she survived this.
"No Aoshi I want to date you so what do you say?"
"Aa." Aoshi stated not looking at Misao. He had lost his cool one too many times for his own liking. He was going to be very icy this day. Misao was content with her one word answer. It meant the Aoshi she loved then and still was the same person. That was all she could ask for.
"Oh by the way I'm not going to let you order tea. You need to experience other beverages." This time they really did crash into the car in front of them.
'Yes back to normal' thought Misao as the police questioned a stoic Aoshi on what happened. Misao laughed as they got one word answers out of him. Then she looked up into the blue sky.
It was going to be a beautiful day. Then the first rain drops fell on Misao's nose. She laughed. Maybe not a perfect day, but hey she was going to get to see Aoshi wet now. What can be better than that?
As the spring rain fell on Kyoto the sounds of a smug officer and a cold man were washed away with the rain drops. A beautiful day indeed.
a/n: Okay there is the epilouge as I said I would give you. I rewrote this about five times before I found a situation I liked. I hoep you enjoyed thsi whole story beacuse I enjoyed writing it. I'm sad that it is really done. Okay I want you to REVIEW okay? I wrote this for you so; I expect reviews. I hope the ending made sense. Imagined the police offier as Saitou, and it made me laugh. The thought of aoshi crashing a car is a funny one. I love his imprefections.
LOVE YOU ALL AND THANK YOU FOR READING
-Mandella-sama
