It was nighttime in Kyoto. Crickets chirped, somewhere a far away, a dog barked, and everybody at the Aoiya, save for one, snored. Shinomori Aoshi did not snore. Something as undignified as a snore would never even pass his lips. He was a silent sleeper, he did not move, and he woke at the slightest sound; the essence of a sleeping ninja.

Misao, on the other hand, was completely the opposite. She snored, flailed about in her sleep and could sleep through the end of the world. Makimachi Misao was far from quiet. At times, she would speak in her sleep, and Aoshi woke many times to her nonsensical mumblings. "No… Don't want udon… Bastard… Son of a bitch… Kick your ass…" a snort, and she rolled over onto her right side. "Mwah! Mmm… Eheheh… Aoshi-sama…" she kicked the blankets off herself and lay on her stomach.

And among all these things, Misao's greatest problem was sleepwalking. Most of the time she woke before she opened the door to her room, or did something else. But at times, Aoshi would find her curled up on the tatami outside his door, and wonder why in the world she would ever want to sleep there.

But on this particular night, Misao's sleepwalking had progressed. She had slid the door to Aoshi's room open, and stood in the doorway, swaying.

Aoshi woke up with a start, reaching for a weapon, and was relieved to find that it was only Misao. He settled back with a sigh. Wait. Only Misao? Why is she here? Aoshi thought quickly. Then it hit him. She is sleepwalking again. I should-

But whatever Aoshi should have done at that moment was interrupted by Misao sliding into bed with him. She gave a small snore, settling with her back against his chest and a small smile appearing on her lips.

Aoshi was slightly shocked, but he relaxed against her warmth and wrapped his arms around her, his chin resting on the top of her head. Misao mumbled something unintelligible, and for the first time in a long while, Shinomori Aoshi smiled and fell into a deep sleep.

Misao was about to wake up; somewhere between vague consciousness and lethargy. She didn't want to wake up or anything, but she knew she had to. But it's so comfortable and warm in Aoshi-sama's arms… Wait a second… What?! Aoshi-sama- Misao's eyes snapped open and she gasped. "What-?!" she started.

But Aoshi's soft voice next to her ear made her lose her train of thought, the blue-eyed man always having that effect on her. "You're awake."

"Yeah!" squeaked Misao. "Really awake! Like awake-er than I'll ever be! That was one hell of an awakening!" she yelped in surprise.

"Hm."

Misao didn't move, trying to formulate her next question. "So…" she said as nonchalantly as she could, willing her heart to beat at least a bit slower than 00mph. "Why I am I here?"

"As in, the entirety of humanity, how you came into the world, or your location as of this moment?" asked Aoshi, teasing her a little, his tone as blank as usual.

She rolled her eyes. "Aoshi-sama. You know what I mean."

"I must confess, I do not." Now, Misao could almost hear the slight smirk in Aoshi's voice.

Then, she could hear something else. A knock at the door next to Aoshi's room. Her room. "Misao-chan! Misao-chan!" Omasu called. "Wake up, already! We need to prepare breakfast." The woman waited, then sighed. "I'll give you two seconds to come out or there's no leftover oshiruko from last night-"

Misao disengaged herself from Aoshi's grip and jumped up, sliding the door open with a crash and leaping across the hallway. "Whaddaya mean, no oshiruko?!" she exclaimed in outrage, putting her hands on her hips.

Omasu raised her eyebrows. She looked at the room out of which Misao had come. Then she examined Misao, in her sleep yukata, her hair ruffled and unbraided. "Well!" said Omasu, with false cheerfulness and more than a little awkwardness. "I must have been knocking on the wrong door!" the woman looked up at the ceiling, adjusting her hair, clearing her throat a few times.

Misao realized what it had looked like, her face going red. "Omasu! That's not what-"

Aoshi stepped out of his room, holding a book. "I apologize if I have kept her for too long, but she had left this book in my room the other day, and I was curious to know her opinion of it." He handed the book to Misao and went back into his room, shutting the door.

Omasu let out a breath. "Oh. Is that what it was? I had thought… Never mind." She smiled at Misao. "Nevertheless, Misao-chan, you really should wear something other than your sleep yukata when you-" Then Omasu noticed the title of the book. "Haiiro no Gojuu Yashoku…" She shrugged. "Never heard of it. Can I borrow it, Misao-chan?"

Misao shrugged. "Ask Aoshi-sama." she set the book down on an empty shelf in her room, and called to Omasu. "I'll dress, and then oshiruko!"

Omasu was puzzled. "I thought it was her book…"