Words: 200
At dinner, there was an awkward silence, occasionally broken by the efforts of Okon and Omasu. Aoshi tried not to let his gaze wander over to Misao, who stubbornly looked only at her rice and meat. "It was nice weather today?" asked Okon loudly.
"Very nice!" Omasu agreed enthusiastically, glancing around the table at an awkwardly trying to leave Shiro and Kuro, an oblivious Okina, Aoshi and Misao. "Don't you agree?" she asked, rather desperately.
No-one spoke.
Standing up, Aoshi inclined his head. "…If you will excuse me."
The mood immediately lightened. Misao raised her head beginning to talk to Omasu. Outside, Aoshi leaned against the doorframe, listening in, his eyes half-closed. She had avoided him all day again, not even visiting the library, eating before or after mealtimes. But he had finally seen her in the garden.
"How long will you keep avoiding me, Misao?" he had asked.
Misao had looked up with wide sea-green eyes, stumbling back. "A-Aoshi-sama!" she had stuttered. "So uh… What brings you here?" she avoided his question just as she had avoided him.
"I wanted to see you."
"Don't toy with me." She had growled, then walked away, leaving him in the evening-lit garden.