Konnichiwa, minna! I know it's been FOREVER…and gomen nasai! Can you ever forgive me? I know what I WANT to write for this fic, I just keep getting writer's block on how to go about actually writing it… Anyway, I hope this chapter suffices (I'm sure it doesn't) and I should manage to get more chapters out this summer.

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The next morning, Aoshi arose at dawn, as usual. He stretched a bit and then made his way in the frigid morning air to the temple, prepared to meditate for a few hours before going to the training hall. Aoshi opened the temple door and shut it silently behind him. He slipped his shoes off and then settled down on his mat. He crossed his legs, put his hands on his knees, and closed his eyes.

---

Misao yawned and rolled out of bed at the crack of dawn. Silently slipping downstairs, she put together the simple tray of components required for the daily tea ceremony. Misao boiled the water, put the tea leaves into the tea pot, and poured the boiling water into the pot. The liquid slowly took on a pale and transparent greenish hue as she walked outside and to the temple. Misao balanced the tray in one hand and used her now free left hand to swiftly slide the shoji open. The tray in her right hand shivered precariously, and Misao grabbed it with two hands immediately. Her tray steadied and the door opene, Misao walked in, closing the shoji shut with her foot this time. Smoothly, she walked over to Aoshi and knelt beside him, setting the tray down in front of her knees. Her companion did not move. He did not even acknowledge she had entered. Nothing out of the ordinary. Unperturbed, Misao busied herself with preparing the cups of tea. Minutes later, the smell of successfully brewed tea filled the temple. Only then did Aoshi open his eyes and shift his legs so he faced the young woman. Misao offered both a bright smile and a cup of steaming tea. She picked the second up for herself and sipped it delicately, knowing the drink was still too hot for her tongue. Hot liquids never seemed to burn Aoshi, and he drank it generously. Misao could never understand how his body worked. She doubted meditation yielded burn resistance. With a smile to herself at her own joke, Misao swallowed the tea. She trained her eyes on a spot on the floor, refusing to meet Aoshi's. Misao sighed quietly. She knew Aoshi would not train with her today, and there was no point in reminding him. It would only annoy him at her childish impatient excitement. No, this time, she would show him she was a mature adult now. Throughout her changing expressions and rapid thought successions, Aoshi did not appear to notice her self-absorption, or just chose not to comment on it. Finally, Misao, finished with her musing, looked up and her eyes met Aoshi's calm face. He had been watching her. Again, Misao thought. He had been looking at her quite a bit recently. It was actually very disconcerting, which surprised her. Not days ago, she would have done, and did do, almost anything to make him look at her. Now that he did, she wanted him to stop. It was as if he could see through her and that was disturbing. Misao set her empty cup on the tray and Aoshi followed suit. "Ohayou gozaimesu," she muttered, and stood up with the now much lighter tray.

"Ohayou gozaimesu," Aoshi nodded.

Misao just managed to stop her eyes from widening in pleased surprise. Without a look back, she left the temple. It was easier to open and close the shoji this time because the tray did not have a full pot of boiling tea. Misao nearly skipped back to the Aoiya kitchen, the tray jiggling. It was a miracle the sound did not wake the entire inn. The girl put the tray down next to the sink and bounded upstairs. She yawned and grinned to herself. Aoshi said 'Ohayou gozaimesu'! It was the best morning ever, by far. However, Misao was tired and she wanted to be well-rested in case Aoshi did actually turn up for training. She closed her bedroom shoji behind her and climbed back into bed, fully clothed. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to drift back to sleep.

Misao blinked her eyes open to reveal a sunny room. It was mid-morning already. She smiled and stretched before hopping out of her futon and over to the kitchen to scavenge for some food. Okon was in the kitchen already. "Oyahou, Misao-chan!"

"Ohayou, Okon-san!" Misao chirped back. "Anything for breakfast?"

Okon chuckled, "Kind of late, isn't it? There's some leftovers on the table, there. You can warm them up over the stove if you want." Misao eagerly bounded over and grabbed the plate of food, setting it down on the stove and lighting it. It took at least twenty minutes for the food to finally heat up. When it finished, Misao turned off the stove and skipped over the table. She took a deep breath, brandished her chopsticks, and dug in hungrily. Okon laughed. "Slow down, Misao-chan! You'll give yourself a stomachache!"

Misao paused for a moment in thought. After coming to the conclusion that a stomachache would mean cancelling her training hall session with Aoshi, she slowed down enough to satisfy Okon for the time being. "Kami-sama, Misao, what are we going to do with you?" She returned to the kitchen, shaking her head.

Misao ran up to her room and grabbed her belt of kunai from its resting spot beside her futon. She leapt down the stairs again and out into the courtyard, excitedly walking to the training hall. Her traitorous refused to give up the hope that Aoshi would show up, though her much more reasonable mind had already dismissed the notion. Aoshi would never train with her. She would be training alone, just as she should be. Still, Misao could not keep the huge smile off her face. She stepped into the dark, quiet training hall and readied herself to begin her session. It was almost time. Misao sat on a side and waited with baited breath.

Five minutes passed, and then ten. Misao grew fidgety. She stood up, deciding Aoshi had forgotten their arrangement and felt around for her kunai. Finding them exactly where she wanted them, she bent her knees, preparing to jump and begin her solitary training. Misao had barely jumped up when the door opened. She landed smoothly with a surprised look on her face. It was Aoshi. He had not forgotten after all. Misao's face lit up. "Aoshi-sama!" she exclaimed.

Aoshi just looked at her. "Ready?" he asked simply.

Misao nodded emphatically. "Hai!"

Aoshi sighed softly. "Are you sure you want to do this, Misao-chan?"

Misao nodded again. "Hai!" she said more insistently.

Aoshi took a deep breath. "You can have the first move, then."

Misao scowled, "Don't baby me, Aoshi-sama!"

His expression did not change. "I'm not. I'm being courteous. Courtesy is important in martial arts, Misao-chan. Remember that."

It had been so long since she had had the opportunity to learn something from Aoshi in a teaching environment that she relished the advice. "Hai, Aoshi-sama. OK, then I'll go first. Get ready, Aoshi-sama!"

Aoshi crouched into a fighting stance, kodachis still sheathed. Misao frowned. I can't tell if he's babying me again or if he's going to draw his kodachis later. She took a deep breath, pushed her concerns from her mind, and crouched down. She slipped her hands into her thigh guards and subtly pulled out five kunai. She sprung forward and upward, landing directly in front of Aoshi, and stabbed with one of her kunai. He dodged it effortlessly. Misao hopped back and threw one of her kunai. It sailed straight at Aoshi, but he took one step to the side, and the kunai missed him completely. Misao was not to be perturbed. She jumped again, landed behind Aoshi, threw a kunai at his back, then, just as the kunai left her hand, she leapt up again. Aoshi waited and then spun around at the last moment. The kunai whizzed past his earl, dangerously close, but Misao was already gone. Slightly surprised, Aoshi turned again, but Misao was not there. He listened for a sound that would betray her movements, but none came. Suddenly, a kunai rushed at his face again, flying from his blind side. Aoshi evaded it and looked around. Misao stood smugly in the back corner of the training hall, clothed in shadow. He had not thought to look in the back corner, assuming Misao was not advanced enough to think of hiding places. "Good thinking, Misao-chan," he nodded.

Misao's smug smile did not leave her face.

Aoshi disappeared and reappeared next to the young girl. "What do you do now?"

Misao looked confused. She tried to escape, but Aoshi pinned her against the wall with her arms.

"Always have an escape route ready, and then take it as soon as you have attacked. That is the most important rule about hiding places," Aoshi instructed.

Misao nodded. She struggled, but Aoshi's grip was too strong. Finally, she relaxed, her body going limp, and she easily slipped through his grasp, running to the other side of the hall. Spinning on her heel at the other side, she flung a kunai.

Aoshi was surprised that she had thought of an escape route, but as soon as she started running, he expected an attack, so he easily evaded her kunai.

Misao was panting slightly at this point. She caught her breath and ran at Aoshi with a kunai again.

Aoshi dodged all her thrusts, and watched as she jumped back, throwing yet another kunai in the process. This one, because of the proximity, was harder to evade, but Aoshi managed it with a certain amount of ease.

Misao was annoyed at this point. He still refused to draw his kodachis. She hated one-sided spars. She changed her plan of attack. Misao charged at Aoshi, spun, and slammed her kunai into Aoshi's sheath.

Aoshi, taken by surprise, just barely managed to twist so the kunai stabbed empty air. What is she doing?

Misao tried again, kicking Aoshi first and then attempting to slice off the hilt of his kodachi. Aoshi blocked her kick with his forearm, but did not have enough time to twist. He did the only thing he could think of: he drew his kodachi to save its hilt. Misao stumbled forward and Aoshi brought his kodachi over her body so she would not accidentally cut herself. Misao caught her balance, still on one leg, and stepped backward. Aoshi brought his kodachi safely to his side, but Misao was not about to let him sheath his sword again. She kicked up at Aoshi's arm and swung her arm back. Aoshi shifted his arm to safety but saw too late Misao's hand about to release her kunai. His quick thinking brought the kodachi in a swing upwards to protect his face. Misao, however, never released the kunai, instead slashing the kunai upwards to parry Aoshi's unintentional swing. The blades clashed and rang: the first metal-on-metal contact since the spar began. Misao grinned triumphantly. Aoshi frowned. He had not wanted to pull his sword out. He moved to replace it, but Misao beat him to it, slashing at his blade again with her kunai. Aoshi parried her blows effortlessly, almost boredly. Misao jumped back and threw her last kunai at his face. It flew straight and true, bouncing off the blade he had strategically placed in front of his face. Misao slid her hands into her thigh guard again and pulled out five more kunai. Aoshi sighed. Misao jumped up, spun once in the air, and used the momentum to fling a kunai at his face. Aoshi blocked it, but with more effort this time; the power behind the kunai was stronger from her midair turn. Misao landed in a crouch, stuffed the three other kunai in her hand back into the belt at her thigh, and ran at Aoshi, a kunai in her free hand. Aoshi dodged all her thrusts without lifting his blade again. Misao swung at his legs, but he jumped back in time. She had not landed a single hit on him yet. Misao jerked her kunai in an upward slash, catching Aoshi off guard enough to hit his blade again with a ringing sound that echoed throughout the hall. She grinned and pushed against his blade. Aoshi, still confused as to what she was thinking, did not budge. His strength far outmatched Misao's, and she pressed his kodachi in vain. Realizing she could not win with brute strength alone, Misao used her free hand to subtly pull out another kunai. He's not trying to fight me! He's just defending himself! Determined not to be treated so gently, Misao slashed at Aoshi's unprotected stomach. Thinking quickly as only he could, Aoshi used his own free hand to draw his second kodachi and blocked the kunai from reaching his skin. Misao's grin widened. Finally! Both his kodachi are out! She stepped back, letting her hands fall to her sides and slashed out with her two kunai again, as if they were tiny swords. Aoshi parried both daggers with one kunai. The ring of metal hitting metal echoed constantly throughout the hall now, and it was music to Misao's ears. She aimed a powerful kick at Aoshi's face and threw a kunai underneath her leg. Aoshi blocked her kick with his forearm, carefully maneuvering the sword out of reach of her body, and just managed to protect himself from the kunai with his other kodachi.

"You have improved greatly, Misao-chan," he acknowledged solemnly.

"Arigatou, Aoshi-sama!" Though she was panting hard and sweat riddled her blue outfit, Misao had not felt so alive and energized in a long time. Misao pushed off the floor, threw a roundhouse kick at Aoshi's head in midair, which he dodged, and landed to his right. She dropped to the floor and swung her leg out to trip him, but Aoshi hopped out of danger. From the floor, she flung a kunai up at Aoshi's shoulder. As he was busy bending forward to avoid it, Misao slid along the floor and threw another kunai up at his exposed chest. Caught off guard, Aoshi bend backwards just in time, but the kunai left a long rip in his shirt. Misao jumped up off the floor. "Yatta! I hit you, Aoshi-sama!"

Aoshi swiftly brought his blade to her neck. "Good job, Misao-chan. But you should never let yourself be distracted in battle. Your head would be gone by now had you paused to celebrate." A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, but he fought the urge.

Misao hung her head. "Hai. Gomen nasai, Aoshi-sama."

He patted her head in an unusual display of affection. "You did well. You have improved much more than I expected. Good job. Come here tomorrow again at the same time." Aoshi started for the door.

Misao face lit up and she nodded. "Arigatou, Aoshi-sama. Arigatou gozaimesu for practicing with me."

He did not turn around, but paused for a moment to acknowledge he heard her before continuing out the training hall.

Misao wiped the sweat from her forehead and fell to her hands and knees. Keeping a façade of stamina took a lot out of her. Now that Aoshi could no longer see her, Misao was able to reveal her weakness. That was so much fun! I'm exhausted! she thought happily.

---

Aoshi sat down in the temple and took long deep breaths to calm his wildly beating heart. He was glad to have the opportunity to spar with somebody, however much weaker Misao was than him, and seeing how much Misao had improved made him very happy. Her presence was enough to send his emotions spinning, and sparring with her gave him the feeling of being an older brother watching his sibling bloom. Older brother…be the older brother… he instructed. He could not afford to be anything else to her, and already his heart was leaning towards other positions in her life. Aoshi took another deep breath and cleared his mind, preparing for a few more hours of quiet meditation.

---

Misao went inside the Aoiya and got a quick drink of cold water. Okon was in the kitchen, preparing dinner. "Oh Misao-chan!" she said upon noticing the young ninja. "We're out of onions. Would you go to town and buy some for me?"

Misao nodded, "Sure. When do you need them?"

Okon smiled, "Arigatou. Anytime, just as long as I get them in time for dinner."

"Ok." She waved to Okon before leaving and made her way over to the dojo on the other side of town. As she opened the door tentatively, shouts of boys sparring filled her ears. Misao let herself in, calling out, "Konnichiwa, minna!"

The two boys stopped fighting and the third boy on the bench looked up to see who the visitor was. "Oh! Konnichiwa, Misao-san!" Sasuke waved from the bench.

"Konnichiwa, Misao-san!" Akira smiled.

Ryo greeted her with a curt nod, and she returned it before joining Sasuke. "You look bored. Wanna spar?"

Sasuke reddened slightly. "Ano…"

Misao chuckled, "Just a suggestion. You don't have to. So, what have you been doing lately?"

Sasuke shrugged, "Practicing a lot with Ryo and Akira."

"Where's your sensei?" Misao asked curiously.

Ryo spoke up this time. "He broke his leg, so he's been resting at home. We practice everyday so when he's better, we'll have improved a lot."

Misao nodded, "Sou ka. I hope he gets better soon."

"What about your sensei, Misao-san?" Akira asked.

Misao chuckled nervously to stop her face from falling. "You can call me Misao, Akira-san."

"Ok. Then, you should call me Akira."

Misao smiled, "Ok, Akira."

"So…where is he?" Sasuke repeated.

Misao sighed. "He's…busy with other things, so he's taking a break from teaching me. But like you, I practice everyday on my own so when he comes back, I'll be even better than before." If he ever comes back, Misao thought darkly.

"Oh," the boys replied at the same time.

"Ryo-san!" Misao stood up cheerfully, "Wanna spar?"

Ryo's eyes narrowed. "Iie."

Misao looked down. "Ok. I was gonna show you what my weapon is."

Ryo looked at Akira, who nodded. "Fine, I'll fight you. What's your weapon?"

Misao gave a mysterious smile. "I'll tell you when we finish."

"Fine." Ryo turned around and faced Misao, his bokken at the ready.

Misao crouched down low, and Sasuke moved out of the way. Ryo charged at Misao, swinging his bokken. Misao blocked his bokken with her forearms, sending wild kicks at Ryo's face. He blocked her legs with his bokken, trying hard to match her strength. Ryo stepped back, pausing for a moment, and then lunged unexpectedly at Misao, swinging his bokken sideways. It caught Misao in the side, and she jumped out of the way, rubbing the spot where the bokken had smashed into her. "Itai!" She blocked Ryo's next few attacks, and then crouched very low and swung her leg out across the ground, effectively tripping Ryo onto his face. "Ha!"

Ryo jumped up with a scowl and lunged again, trying to hit Misao in the side again, but she knew what was coming this time and hopped away. Ryo ran after her, swinging his bokken at her face.

"Hey! Watch where you swing that thing!" Misao admonished sternly. "You could hurt someone." She made a silly face and ducked under his bokken. "Can't catch me!" she called, twisting and dodging all of Ryo's attacks.

Sasuke and Akira looked on in wonder. "She's like a monkey! She's amazing!"

"What'd you say?" Misao yelled angrily, turning to face Akira.

"Ano…nothing," he giggled nervously under her glare. "Look out!" he warned, but it was too late; Misao had already slipped over to the side. Ryo slashed down on empty air and stumbled in surprise.

"This is getting boring," Misao yawned and ran forward as Ryo turned around. She jumped up pretending to aim for the top of his head. Ryo held his bokken horizontally over his head, ready to block her blow, but Misao never struck. Instead, she flipped over his head, landed softly behind him, and grabbed his outstretched arms, pulling and twisting them behind his back so he was unable to move. "Gotcha! I win."

Ryo growled and struggled against her grip. Misao let go and he stumbled forward again. "Fine," he muttered, looking away. She grinned triumphantly. "Now, show us your weapon. I wanna see it and then fight you when you use it," Ryo demanded.

Misao smiled, "Ok." She reached hand down her thigh, and pulled out three kunai from her belt. "These are my weapons: kunai. I have twenty of them."

Sasuke fingered one of the small daggers. "How do you use them? They look too small to use in close combat."

Misao smiled smugly. "They're not daggers; they're kunai. Watch," she commanded and pulled out two more from her belt. "I hold them like this," she said as she placed one kunai between each of her fingers, and clenched the handles, giving the impression that she had claws protruding from her knuckles. "Give me a target."

Ryo smirked and pointed to the wooden beam that made one of the back corners of the hall. "Hit that beam."

Misao gave Ryo an arrogant smile, "A harder target, onegai, Ryo-san."

Ryo scowled. "You couldn't hit that beam. Why do you want a harder target?"

Sasuke put a hand on Ryo's arm to quiet him down and then walked to the back of the dojo. He put his finger under a dark knot in the wooden wall. "Is this good, Misao-san?"

Misao blushed slightly, "Onegai, call me Misao." She looked at the knot and nodded. "Sure. Ano, could you move, Sasuke-san?"

Sasuke smiled at her and moved out of the way. "Call me Sasuke."

Misao turned pink again and nodded, "Ok, Sasuke." Her face returned to normal color and she focused on the dark knot. Her hand clenched the kunai and she crouched. Spinning on her heel slightly, she stood sideways and took a deep breath. Misao jumped up, spinning on her heel again, and used the momentum of the spin to propel herself both into the air and to send the kunai flying straight at the dark knot. All five hit the knot on target, quivering in the wood, their points creating a ring along the outside edge of the small knot. Misao grinned. "Bulls-eye!"

The three boys' mouths fell open in amazement. "Sugoi!" Sasuke and Akira exclaimed.

"Wow," Ryo added.

"And you have twenty of those?" Akira asked.

Misao nodded, "Yep!" She walked to the back wall and pulled each kunai out one at a time and stuffed them back in her belt.

"If you can do that, your sensei must be unbelievable!" Akira realized.

Misao looked down. "Iie. My sensei taught me how to fight and how to do kenpo. He used to spar with me a lot, but he didn't teach me how to use kunai. Someone else did, but I'm much better than her now with kunai."

"Better than your sensei?" Sasuke gasped.

Misao shook her head, "Iie. She's not my sensei. She can do a little bit of kunai, but she usually uses a different weapon, so I improved myself after learning the basics."

The boys nodded. "Sou ka," Sasuke said.

Misao smiled and stood next to the boys. Sasuke handed her his bokken. "Hold this." Misao took it, confused, and held it for Sasuke. He walked over to the back corner and picked up another bokken. Walking back, he handed it to Misao and took his own back. "This should work for you."

Misao tested the weight. "It's so light!" she noticed, surprised. "I always thought they were heavy."

Sasuke laughed, "Nope, it's just bamboo. Now, do what I do."

Misao's face lit up, "Yatta! I'm gonna learn swordsmanship!"

Sasuke grinned at her, "Hai. Now, hold it above your head. Keep your back straight and your arms slightly bent. You want the end of the handle to be even with your forehead. Now, slash it downward in a straight line and stop it when it's parallel with the floor." He demonstrated first and then nodded at Misao.

Misao tried it, but her swing went diagonal and when she tried to stop the bokken, she ended up jerking it upwards again. She frowned.

Ryo laughed from the sidelines. "You're really bad!"

Sasuke glared at Ryo. "Don't laugh at her! You were worse when you first started, Ryo."

Misao felt a strange feeling of warmth when Sasuke scolded Ryo. No boy had ever stood up for her before. She positioned the bokken above her head again.

Sasuke walked over to her and helped her fix her posture, bending her arms more and straightening her back. Misao blushed at his touch. "Try it again," he commanded. Misao did so, and her slash was straight this time, but not straight down. She put her bokken over her head again. Sasuke fixed her posture again, earning another blush from Misao, and stepped in front of her. "Don't put so much energy into your arms to stop the bokken. Use your whole body." Misao tried again and this time managed to stop the bokken effectively by stiffening her body, not pulling up like she had been doing before. She and Sasuke smiled. "Now, swing slowly downward this time. I'll guide your arm." She slashed down slowly, and Sasuke stood behind her, putting his hands over Misao's and guiding the bokken down in a straight line and stopping it at exactly the right point. They did this ten more times before Sasuke stepped back and ordered Misao to try once on her own. She had the feel of the direction now and slashed down almost perfectly straight.

Misao grinned, "Yatta! I did it!"

Sasuke smiled back, "Hai! Sugoi! Now, do it fifty more times."

Misao groaned, but did so. Halfway through, she grew lazy and her swing became sloppier and sloppier. By her thirtieth swing, Sasuke had stopped her and ordered her to do the last twenty perfectly. Misao took a deep breath and focused on each and every swing, making the last twenty nearly perfect.

"Good job!" Sasuke nodded. "You learn fast!"

Misao smiled under his praise, "Arigatou." She looked outside to find it was late afternoon. "Oh! I have to go! I need to buy some onions for Okon-san! Gomen, minna. Sayonara!" She walked over and put the bokken back in place.

"Sayonara, Misao!" Akira waved. Ryo said nothing, but looked away with a grunt.

Sasuke put his own bokken back. "Matte, Misao! I'll come with you. My mother wanted some daikon radishes."

Misao smiled, "Ok. Let's go."

---

They walked away from the dojo and into town. The market was quieting down as the end of the day slowly approached. The late afternoon light was still bright, and there was still much left to buy in the market. Misao and Sasuke walked slowly side by side. "You learn really quickly, Misao-chan," Sasuke spoke up happily.

Misao looked over at Sasuke, surprised. "Ano…arigatou, Sasuke." She looked away for a second. "I'm gonna be so good at swordsmanship, and then I'll beat Ryo at his own weapon style!" she decided with determination.

Sasuke laughed, "Alright, then we'll have to work very hard, won't we?"

Misao nodded with a smile, "I'll be the best deshi you've ever had!"

They walked in silence for some time, looking for a stall selling daikon radishes or onions. Finally, they found a grocer offering a selection of vegetables, inclusing the two they were searching for. "Onegai, can I have some onions?" Misao asked at once. The grocer handed over a bag of onions and Misao gave him a couple coins.

"Some daikon radishes," Sasuke requested politely. The grocer gave him a bag of daikon radishes and Sasuke handed him some coins of his own. The man waved them off with a smile, and the pair started off.

"I should get going home," they said at the same time. They laughed together and nodded at each other, preparing to go their separate ways home.

"Ano," Sasuke began, and Misao stopped. "Misao-chan…would you like to-to go out to lunch with me tomorrow? We can train for a bit and then get some lunch and the train a bit more if you want."

Misao looked him curiously. "Are you asking me on a…date?" she asked slowly.

Sasuke blushed bright red, "A-ano…hai…if that's ok…"

Misao squealed, "Hai!"

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief. "Tomorrow then. Sayonara!"

"Sayonara!" Misao waved cheerfully. I can't believe Sasuke asked me on a date!

---

Misao walked into the Aoiya with a huge grin splitting her face. "Tadaima!" she called out. She walked into the kitchen and dropped the back of onions on the table. "Here you go, Okon-san!"

Okon and Omasu looked at each other. "Why are you so happy, Misao-chan?" they asked.

Misao grinned even more widely. "Sasuke asked me on a date!"

The squeals of Okon and Omasu could be heard all the way in the temple behind the Aoiya.

"He asked on you on a date?" Okon repeated.

"Our little Misao-chan is going on a date!" Okon sang, dancing around the kitchen with Omasu.

Misao sweatdropped. "Ano, shouldn't I be the one celebrating?"

Okon and Omasu paused for a moment and then each grabbed one of Misao's hands, pulling her into their dancing circle. Misao laughed and hopped along with them.

---

At dinner that night, everybody in the Aoiya sat down for dinner. Okon and Omasu made sure they were sitting on either side of Misao. Misao gulped and looked nervously from one woman to the other. "Ano…n-nani?"

The two sisters grinned evilly. "Tell us exactly what happened, Misao-chan."

Misao withered under their intense stares. "Ano…"

Aoshi, who was sitting placidly at the head of the table, allowed his ears to tune into their conversation.

"He walked with me to buy the onions because he had to get some daikon radishes, and as we were leaving, he just asked me," Misao shrugged.

"His exact words!" Okon demanded.

Omasu sighed, "Not very romantic, is he?"

Misao glared. "Does it really matter? The point is that he asked me at all. I'm happy enough with that. I don't need fancy words and romantic settings."

Okon and Omasu looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Defending him already, Misao-chan?"

Misao glared at them each and began eating her food, ignoring the two women next to her.

---

Aoshi closed his eyes. That boy…what was his name? Sasuke. He asked Misao out on a date? This stirred an emotion in him that Aoshi desperately fought to push down. He knew the feeling, but did not ever want to admit to it. I won't allow Misao to go. She…needs to…train. Hai, she needs to train.

---

Misao smiled at the thought that maybe she was actually enough of a girl for a boy to want to ask her on a date. I didn't think anyone ever would. Misao looked over at Aoshi. If only Aoshi-sama would…but that's not ever gonna happen. She giggled out loud at the thought of Aoshi getting nervous like Sasuke and asking a girl on a date. I don't think Aoshi-sama's ever even stuttered before, she snickered. Aoshi, Okon, and Omasu looked at her in confusion. He wouldn't want to spend time with me anyway, she thought, sobering up. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. Oh no! Aoshi-sama was going to train with me tomorrow! She jumped up. What should I do? I don't know where Sasuke lives!

Omasu tugged on Misao's hand and pulled her back down into a sitting position. "Misao-chan, daijoubo?"

Misao sighed dejectedly. "I was going to practice with Aoshi-sama tomorrow. I don't know where Sasuke lives, so how am I supposed to tell him that I'm gonna be late tomorrow?"

"What do you mean?" Okon asked.

"I was going to go see Sasuke and Akira and Ryo tomorrow morning and then Sasuke and I were going to get some lunch, demo I forgot that I was going to train with Aoshi-sama tomorrow morning! I've been looking forward to training with Aoshi-sama for forever! What should I do?"

Omasu patted Misao's arm. "Go tell Sasuke that you forgot you were going to do some training, and you'd be back for lunch."

Misao sighed, "Ok. I hope he'll be there in the morning. I can't believe I forgot about training with Aoshi-sama! I've been waiting for tomorrow morning for ages and ages."

Okon smiled at Misao. "True, demo it isn't everyday that a boy asks you on a date, Misao-chan, ne?"

Misao nodded, "Hai."

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So…any good? Hehe Misao/Sasuke is creeping into my heart…they're cute together! Puppy love! But Misao/Aoshi is still NUMBAH ONE! Hahaha

Personal Reviews:

RurouniMarionu Yatta! I was looking forward to getting a review from you! So, was this chapter just as good? I'm so so sorry I took this long to get a chapter out, but I have an idea of how I want the next at least one or two chapters to be…Unfortunately, I won't be able to write them anytime soon because I must tend to my jello-y intestines –wink-

TaintedDarkInuShemeeko Don't you find Misao/Sasuke the cutest puppy love? Haha. Am I doing Aoshi in character enough? Does he seem dark and troubled enough?

assassinatorgrl Hehe reviews like yours really make me want to write! Thank you so much! I hope this chapter is just as good as the first.

The Notorious Cat Are you suggesting you didn't get my other stories? -glares- Just kidding, hehe. I'm glad it's easy to understand haha. Well, it'll be kind of like me reading your Nick/Sara! Now you know how I feel! Yay! I think Aoshi/Misao is one of my favorite couples, I hope it gets to be one of yours too! -tries to convert you to fangirl cult of Aoshi/Misao-ness-

Miss Daydream Hehe yea "soul-searching"…I thought it had a cool touch to it. Yea, the names, I'll admit, I was being lazy about them. Sasuke from Naruto (though I didn't realize it was overused…oops!), Akira is just a name I always use. It's in my other RK story as well (Battles of the Heart) and Ryo from Shaman King. And you shouldn't be sorry for getting them wrong! -smiles-