Aoshi caught himself staring outside of the office window, again! He shook his head to clear any reminder thoughts of Misao and tried focusing back at the papers that were scattered across the table. After a while, he gave up and got out of the chair and paced around the room.

The kiss should never have happened! He knew he love her after two short days but to kiss her was… unthinkable. What was he thinking anyway? But he recalled Misao's words.

Thanks for the ride, dinner and the kiss Aoshi-san.

However he felt bad kissing her. Kissing means that the relationship had progressed to another level, a level that he isn't willing to risk, partly because it means commitment. And commitment means feelings are involved. He shook his head. He loves her. There isn't anything wrong right?

Aoshi stared at the wall. He wasn't cold hearted. But he didn't want to love anyone yet unconditionally for something in his past isn't settled yet. His past still bothers him. The very fact that he was made an orphan after the accident doesn't help. When he reached the age of 21, he hired a Private Investigator to dig for any information regarding that accident. In the end, nothing much was recovered, except two families that were involved in the accident. He never knew the family. But he remembered the name deep in his heart, praying that one day fate would allow their path to cross, and he would be able to deal with his past.

And move on, to the future, with Misao in it.

He heard a knock on his door, causing him to lose focus on his documents. He cursed for he finally managed to settle down and push Misao at the back of his mind. Before he could say anything, the door opened and he saw the familiar red hair peeping at him. "Free?"

Aoshi sighed and nodded his head, gathering the papers and collate them into a pile. He never had the heart to chase Kenshin away from the office, even though he was usually a bearer of bad news. Aoshi chuckled at that thought. Especially when he comes in telling him there was more work for him. But still, he just couldn't shoo Kenshin out of the office like what he usually do for Sano and Yahiko.

He watched Kenshin sitting down opposite him and eyed on him. "How is Misao-dono?"

Aoshi just raised one eyebrow and remarked back. "Fine. She is okay."

"Hung up on your past still?" Aoshi couldn't help at that point of time frowned. That is the problem with Kenshin. He is TOO perceptive. "It's obvious, for it's written all over your face!" Kenshin said, ignoring Aoshi's shocked facial expression. "An advice for you. Don't let the past hold you down. It is a heavy burden that need not be carried."

"Since when are you so philosophical?" Aoshi asked back, avoiding the question all together. If there was anything to avoid, for he guessed Kenshin had his answer.

Kenshin looked at him, and for a moment, Aoshi felt really scared. Kenshin never looked so serious, and downcast before. Well, because for fifteen years, he never saw such an expression from him. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Kenshin shook his head and broke eye contact, staring outside of the office. "I met one of my old childhood mates I shared with you last time."

"Kaoru-chan?" Aoshi said, trying to recall what Kenshin told him, which was by the way, a lot.

He nodded, continuing the story. "It is horrible to see how the past comes between a friendship and a relationship." Kenshin said. "You could learn a lot from the past. But if you are stuck in it and can't move on Aoshi, you not only hurt yourself, but also everyone who is close to you."

"Kenshin…" Aoshi said, clearly worried for him.

The violet eyes met his blue ones for a second before Kenshin started laughing. "Right, and you need to hand in THE report by five today." He delivered the bad news and got out of the chair. "I shouldn't be disrupting your work."

"Kenshin…"

"The report Aoshi, at five! No buts!" Kenshin reinforced the statement once more, clearly ignoring Aoshi as he left the room and shut the door leaving Aoshi wondering what exactly happened to his brother.

However, when he glanced at the clock, he muttered another loud and much vulgar curse compared to the one before. With the hour hand slowly approaching three, Aoshi was so sure if he didn't want to get into trouble with Kenshin, he jolly well forgets everything and focus his attention on the report.

At 1650hr, Aoshi sighed in relief. Everything is done. He e-mailed the report to Kenshin and was free to pursue his own activities until the office closed. With that, he strolled out of the office, only to bump into Yahiko. "Remember, you need to do the housework today!" Aoshi couldn't help rub a little salt into his wound.

"I will be going out. I will be back later on at night. After that, I will do your ironing as well as Kenshin." Yahiko said, obviously not pleased with the arrangement.

"Where are you going?"

"Out." Was all Yahiko said.

"Tsubame-chan?"

"NO!" The answer echoed through the office and Aoshi smirked as he left Yahiko glaring furiously at him as he went to the toilet. When he made his way back to the office, he heard the office phone rang.

"Yes?" He picked up, only to hear the yelling of some hooligan. "Shut up Sano and repeat the whole thing again." He paused for a while and waited for Sano to stop cursing. "HE WHAT!" Aoshi shouted into the phone and Sano replied back with some heated words.

"I'm going down now! Shut up! I went to the toilet and didn't bring my handphone along! You must be crazy to think I would bring it everyone. You crazy nut!" He said, slamming the phone back into the cradle and grabbed his coat and car keys as he rushed out of the office.

All he thought about as he reversed the car and drove as fast as possible along the free way was that Kenshin would be alright.

Aoshi rushed into the A&E section and headed to the receptionist. "Where is Himura Kenshin?"

The nurse just looked at him, in cold contempt and asked. "How are you related to him?"

"He is my brother!" Aoshi bit back a curse as he mentally swore to murder the cold woman behind the counter. "HOW IS HE?"

All she did was look calmly at the computer screen and looked back at him, with the unbothered look in her face. "He is at the emergency room. You would like to take a seat at the room on the left of the far end of this corridor." She pointed out to him, in case he didn't get her direction.

Aoshi mumbled something not suitable for her hearing under his breath and stomped across the corridor and turned in, only to see a weepy young lady with…

"Misao?" Aoshi stared at her, forgetting his worry, fury and frustration. "What the hell are you doing here?" He smacked his head, knowing she can't hear him, for she was too preoccupied comforting the crying woman to look up.

Fortunately for him, the stranger realized they had an intruder and she looked up. "Aoshi-san?" When he nodded, tears threatened to overflow from her eyes once more. "I am so sorry!"

Aoshi stared at her in puzzlement. "What for?"

"Kenshin… Kenshin…" was all she said before she burst into tears. This was when Misao came in.

"Kenshin was knocked down by the car because he pushed Kaoru-san out of harms way." Misao said softly.

Aoshi's head whirled. No, don't let this happen again. He felt small again, like he was 15 years ago-when he lay in the hospital bed hearing the news that his parents died in an accident that was the result of trying to avoid hitting a little girl. Now his brother was in the operating room, fighting for his life just because he took a place of Kaoru. Kaoru should be in the room now, fighting for her life instead of his brother.

But if Kaoru was the same person who he met and lost long time ago, he understood Kenshin's impulse to protect her. A little voice whispered to him, sparking an old memory that Kenshin shared when they were young adults. He growled in frustration. But it wasn't making it easier. The knowledge isn't making it easier for him to accept the fact that his beloved brother was going to die.

"Shinomori-kun?" A voice cut through his rage and he turned, seeing a female in a white coat wearing a hospital name tag.

"Where is the doctor?" Aoshi demanded.

The lady just smirked. "Why I am the doctor." She tapped her name tag and he read. 'Dr Megumi Takano.' "I am here to update you about your brother Himura Kenshin."

"How is he?" Kaoru stood up and asked in between tears.

"May I know who are you?" Megumi-sensei glanced at her, with arched eyebrows.

Kaoru took in a deep breath. "I am his fiancée." Aoshi took a double take at her and shook his head. Okay, this is definitely his brother long lost sweetheart.

Megumi just nodded and carried on. "He lost a lot of blood and requires a blood transfusion. Unfortunately, there isn't enough of his blood type in the blood bank. We need to know whether anyone of you is blood type AB or O?"

Aoshi's heart stopped. As far as he knew, none of his brothers belongs to the blood type mentioned just now. He shook his head as Misao spoke up.

"I am blood type O." She said.

Megumi looked relived. "Good, do you have any blood deficiency, or any diseases?" Misao shook her head. "Alright, we will just need to do a blood check just in case. Can I have your IC to verify your identity?"

Misao nodded as she took out her wallet and gave the doctor the Identity Card. "Makimachi Misao? Blood group O?" Megumi said, as a procedure demanded as a healthcare professional. "Come along this way." She said before turning and walked out of the room.

Misao felt the room atmosphere had grown considerably cold. She turned to see Aoshi staring at her as his blue eyes hardened with anger and something she feared- hate.

"Makimachi?" He said, as the name echoed in his brain, bringing up every bitter memories he kept for so long. "Makimachi who ran across the road and killed my parents in the process?" He snapped, wanting her to deny, for his sake, for her sake, for their sake.

Misao looked at him straight into his eyes and nodded. "Live with it. Like how I did for 15 years." She said as she walked out of the room, knowing that as soon as she stepped out of it, she would lose Aoshi Shinomori to the past.

I know some of you expected that. And yes, Kaoru and Kenshin are in this story as well. Carry on reading to see how the Aoshi and Misao made up and yes, i will have another story for Kenshin and Kaoru, because i love them to bits! And please, review! Thank you! Cheers and God Bless

Ja-ne

Joyful-x