D/C: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

Hello! Thank you all so much for the reviews you've sent me; I seriously didn't expect to get many reviews on this one!! And about what some of you said, I know this wasn't as good as my last fic, but I liked the idea, so...and anyway, there's another SxM fic on my mind, and the plotline is really cool! Erm...sorry if I sounded full of myself or something, but I really like the plotline!! Ah, well, anyway, I'll stop babbling now and let you get on with the chapter, okie? Enjoy!!

Chapter 2:

'Wow! Erm...I could honestly say that this was the most amazing dinner I've ever had!'

Megumi looked around at the table, and blushed when she realized that she had nearly cleaned out all the dishes...and pretty expensive dishes at that, especially since Sano had insisted they order the most expensive meals on the menu, saying that they usually taste the best-except when it comes to sea food, of course. This was the most fancy dinner she'd ever been taken out to, and somehow, that left her with a sinking feeling of guilt...considering that she was only using Sano to perform out her dare. Megumi looked up and caught his eye, and he grinned at her. Dammit, Sano! Why the hell'd you have to be so nice? It makes things so much difficult for me!! They had had a really nice conversation over dinner, and Megumi had to admit that there was more to Sano that meets the eye. It made her learn that she shouldn't be too judgmental when it came to people. Sano was quite the gentleman...which didn't make the situation any better for her.

Sano folded his arms before him on the table. 'I'm really glad you liked it,' he said earnestly. 'But I do hope you've got room left for dessert.'

'Dessert? Really? You're still going to order dessert after...' she squeaked, and gestured at the table. '...all this?'

Sano laughed. 'Of course!' he exclaimed. 'Every good dinner has to end with dessert. So...what will it be? I heard the chocolate mousse is really good here.'

Sano called the waiter, asked him to clear the table, and then he ordered dessert for two. Megumi had told herself that she won't have more than two spoonfuls of dessert, but that before the dessert was lying on the table in front of her. Megumi had never tasted anything like it. All the chocolates and the caramels and the mousses...she could only say that she had never eaten this much ever since elementary school, when she had been quite...full. But by time she was finished, she had ended up feeling more guilty than before. This wasn't fair at all; here she was, having the fanciest dinner in her life, just for the sake of a stupid dare, and who was the victim in this? Sanosuke.

She was determined to tell him everything, even if it meant her losing the dare and the respect of this guy, when he stood up and held out his hand for her. Megumi stared blankly at it, and Sano smiled. 'Will you dance with me?' he asked, politely.

It was a few moments before she finally nodded and took his hand. Sano led her to the dance floor, where the dancers were dancing to soft, slow music. They stood before each other, and Sano placed a hand around her waist and took her hand with the other one. Megumi awkwardly placed her free hand on Sano's shoulder. Somehow, in the middle of this date, the tables seemed to have turned and Megumi had become the awkward one and Sano the confident one. They danced slowly to the music. Megumi only dared to look into Sano's eyes every once in a while, which seemed to irritate him because he placed a hand underneath her chin and lifted up her face. He smiled at her, and she found herself blushing furiously.

'Sano...' she murmured, as she felt the guilt consume her again.

'What?' he asked, concerned at her expression.

'Um...well...' she mumbled, lowering her gaze. She had to tell him. She knew he'd probably hate her for what she was doing, but at least she'd be guilt-free. She looked up at him again and smiled weakly. 'I...you dance pretty well!'

Sano grinned. 'Thanks!' he exclaimed. 'But this is nothing. Mom forced me to take dancing lessons with her; we've learned every possible dance there is.'

Dammit! I couldn't do it! I couldn't tell him! Megumi laughed. 'Really, that's very nice,' she told him. 'I wish my mom did the same with me.'

'No you don't,' he replied. 'It wasn't fun at all...especially since there wasn't a single guy in the class. I've had to dance with every single female there.'

'Must've been a ball for you,' Megumi teased him.

Sano's expression had hardened slightly. 'You think I'm some sort of playboy, don't you? You really think that,' he said sharply, and she flinched. She shook her head vigorously, but she was actually half-lying; she really did think that. 'I don't believe you. But still, thanks for telling me otherwise.'

Megumi fell silent. 'Sorry,' she said softly.

Sano gave her nose a slight tap with his finger. 'Kidding,' he said, smiling at her. 'Don't worry about it.'

The music had become a bit fast-paced, and the dancers were all whirling and spinning around the dance floor. Megumi and Sano followed suit. Sano twirled Megumi around, and she did it gracefully. She had expected him to gracefully hold her and lead her into the dance again, except that...

'Ow!!'

Sano bent down anxiously to peer into Megumi's face, while she held her hands up to her nose, where his elbow had hit her. It hurt like anything, and to Sano's horror, her eyes had started to water with pain. Couples had stopped dancing and were now standing, watching them. Sano tugged at Megumi's hand but she solely refused to move them away.

'Oh, God! I'm so sorry, Megumi!! I'm really sorry!' he was saying. 'Doest it hurt? Yes? Oh, crap! Does it feel like it's broken? That's it! We're going to the hospital!'

Before she could protest, Sano had scooped her up into his arms and hurried her towards the exit. A man followed them shouting, "Sir! The bill! Your coats!", but Sano ignored him and ran out the door. He hurried to the parking lot, opened the car and placed her on the passenger's seat. Then he sat in the driver's seat and sped out of the parking lot. He kept stealing glances at her and apologizing all the way to the hospital. When they reached the hospital building, he hastily parked the car, and again, scooped her up in his arms and hurried her in through the emergency entrance.

'Emergency! This girl broke her nose!' he yelled as he pushed through the double doors. People in the lobby stared at them, and Megumi felt herself blushing; a broken nose hardly counted as an emergency. Sano seemed to blush too. 'Um...I mean, could we have someone look at her nose, please?'

Later on, after an x-ray shot had been taken of her nose, she was sitting on a bed in a room, and Sano was sitting on a chair next to the bed, watching her anxiously, which really unnerved her.

'Sano! For God's sake! Stop looking at me as if I'm dying or something!' she exclaimed.

Sano laughed. 'You're right; I'm sorry,' he said. 'And don't worry about anything; I'll pay the expenses of your plastic surgery.'

Megumi blushed and her hand shot up to her nose. 'I do not need plastic surgery!' she protested. 'My nose doesn't look that bad! With a bit of bandaging, I'm sure it'll return back to normal!'

Sano laughed again, but he stopped and watched sullenly as a doctor stepped into the room. 'Miss Takani...is that right?' he said, looking over the x-ray picture he was holding at Megumi, and she nodded. They were both watching him anxiously now. He smiled at them. 'Don't look so stressed out. It's nothing serious. Nothing that can't be fixed with a week-worth of bandages. It's just a small fracture.'

Megumi shot a snide look at Sano. 'See? There's no need for plastic surgery,' she told him.

'I was just kidding!' he protested. 'Your nose is perfect! People get plastic surgeries so that they could have a nose like yours!'

The doctor was smiling at them. 'A nurse will be with you in a short while,' he told her before leaving the room.

Megumi let out a breath of relief. 'I'm really glad it's only a small fracture,' she said. She grinned at Sano. 'But what a way to end our date, eh?'

Sano had sobered up. 'Yeah, I'm sorry about that,' he mumbled. He looked cautiously up at her. 'I was really hoping this date would turn out well but I guess I just blew away that chance you gave me, didn't I?'

Megumi stared at him for a moment, and then she burst out laughing, which took Sano by surprise. 'You idiot!' she exclaimed, which set an indignant look on his face. 'You did not blow your chance away! This is the most amazing night...excluding the nose par, of course...I've ever had in ages! If anything...' She studied her nails. '...I might actually let you take me out on a second date.'

Sano blinked, and then he chuckled. 'Well, aren't you generous?' he teased her, as he slowly leaned towards her. Megumi held her breath as his face approached closer...and then they kissed. Megumi had to give Sano credit for being such an amazing kisser; no one had ever kissed her like this before. But, as quickly as it started, it ended. Sano grinned sheepishly at her. 'Meg...you're really something else.'

Megumi smiled. 'You too...God, when I think that a dare is what started all of this...' she said, and froze right after the words had left her mouth. The look on Sano's face told her that that was the wrong thing to say. 'S-Sano, I didn't mean...I'm really sorry!'

Sano looked at her in an odd sort of way. 'You only went out with me...because of a dare?' he said quietly.

'Yes...I mean, no!' she said quickly, and looked away when he looked angrily at her. 'I mean...yes, I did. My friends dared me to go out with you, and I couldn't back out from it, so...but I want you to know that whatever happened today, it wasn't me pretending at all!! I swear, Sanosuke! It was real! All of it! I really enjoyed my time today! Honest! Sano, I really like you! I mean it! I do! I'm sorry about the dare thing, but I don't give a damn about it anymore, so please...'

Sano was silent for a moment, and then he rose up from his chair. 'Send me the medical bill later,' he said in a flat tone. She started to open her mouth, but he turned away and walked to the door. He stopped and turned to look at her. 'You know, Megumi...I really thought you were better than the rest...turns out you are just like them.'

Megumi looked helplessly as Sano left and closed the door after him, leaving her alone in the room, which had seemed so much more cheerful and bright when he was here. Now it was just dreary and drab. She felt tears sting her eyes; she was missing him already. Through her window, she saw him walk away without a second glance back at her. She had totally blown it.

-

A/N: There! Done! Let's see, just one more chapter left to go...see? Told you this was going to be extremely short, after all, it was supposed to be a one-shot! Hehe. I've already started on that new story, by the way, and I should be updating it as soon as I get chapters 1 and 2 written, at the very least. Anyway, until the next chapter, could you please review? Thanks!!

- S. N. B.