A/N: Another update! Woot! Woot! Oh btw, thanks for those who reviewed so far: Artemys Ichihara, Pinaydilag and ShyGirl2008. XD Your words mean a lot to me! *sobs* I really hope I could finish this fanfic by the end of the summer. It's been almost two years since I started writing this one. I don't want to let it go to waste.

More Than Just A Crush

By: Killua K.

Chapter 10: Numbed

She grabbed the clothes of the guy in front of her and knocked him down in an instant. As soon as she towered over him, a roar of cheer and applause resonated from the crowd. She turned her back then casually walked to the bench where Hiko Seijuro, the Judo Club's adviser, was sitting.

"Not bad, Makimachi-chan," Hiko praised her. He offered her a bottle of oolong tea, and she received it gratefully. "You haven't lost your touch."

"What are you saying, sensei? Don't flatter me too much. You know I get too proud of myself sometimes," she joked as she drank her tea. She picked up the towel on the bench and put it over her head. As she sat beside her sensei, she noticed that two other guys started to practice on the mat.

"Do you think you could get the gold medal this year?" Hiko asked her happily.

She did not reply right away when she heard his question. She was suddenly reminded of the incident where she was kidnapped and threatened by someone from the Judo Club. Her captor clearly told her that she should purposely lose in the semi-finals round of the tournament, or else he would definitely get back at her. She shivered at the mere thought. "I hope so, sensei...I heard there are many excellent students this year. I'm not really expecting anything."

"Eeehhh..." he muttered in wonder. "I don't think I accept that kind of answer, Makimachi-chan. Shouldn't I hear a more positive response from you? With your reaction, something tells me that you have a lot going on right now, am I right?"

She sighed. He was right. Ever since she was abducted, nothing ever became right in her life. She was always constantly running away from something, afraid to face the truth and accept the consequences. She looked at the friendly face of her sensei and smiled widely.

"I'm just tired I guess."

"Hmm..if that's the case, then that's fine with me," Hiko patted her back then stood up from the bench. Just relax and don't overdo yourself. I know you expect me to treat you like a man – like these guys – but I just can't help worrying about you. In the end, you're still a girl, Makimachi-chan."

You're still a girl, Makimachi. It's the exact phrase she heard from her captor back then. She did not really know what that statement meant. She was not trying to become a guy anyway, but why hear that kind of comment? Was there something about her personality that made others think she's trying to be a man?

"Yeah..." she weakly replied as she nodded her head. Hiko smiled back then went to the sparring area. He started reviewing the match and assessing the skills of other Judo members. Misao sat alone on the bench until Soujiro appeared from behind.

"What do you call the cheese that ain't yours!" Soujiro exclaimed as he excitedly sat beside his best friend.

Wrong timing, Sou-kun...Why do you always have to appear at this kind of situation? She thought to herself as she looked at her friend. She shook her head and surrendered.

"Nacho cheese..." she answered back.

"Aye, sir! And the next joke: Two flies are on the porch. Which one is the actor?"

She wanted to put her palm on her face and express her disgust at Soujiro's lame jokes. But since he was exerting effort in trying to make her happy, she did not even bother to do that.

"The one on the screen," she chuckled as soon as she saw Soujiro eating a corn on his hands. "I'm guessing...you're eating a corn because you're telling me these 'CORNY' jokes? How pathetic, Sou-kun! I didn't know you could be this...this lame!" She laughe09uvfd loudly.

He smiled when he saw her like that. He chewed on the corn on his hand then looked at her. "I- I was just trying to...god, there's something stuck in between my teeth, hold on.." He turned back for a moment then faced Misao again as soon as he was able to remove a piece of corn kernel from his teeth. "I was just trying to make you smile, that's all."

"Well, you're successful, kiddo! You made me laugh today!" Misao messed up his hair. Soujiro blushed when her hand touched his head.

"I'm really glad," he muttered happily. "By the way, I think Tsubame from the Student Council wants to see you. She says it's urgent."

"Oh, okay. What time?"

"Maybe after class? I think it's for the Summer Party thing. Are you gonna attend that event?" he anxiously asked her.

"That's after the tournament, right? I guess so. It depends on my mood," she replied.

"Aww..don't hesitate to come, Mi-chan! It's going to be at my place! I'm sure you'll like it there."

"I'm sure I will...but, I don't know. I have to see."

"Oh and..." Soujiro paused before asking another question. "Have you seen him ever since you told him your feelings?"

Suddenly, the mood became serious. Misao did not want to remember the day Aoshi cruelly rejected her in front of his classmates. Well, it was partly her fault anyway. She just decided to spill everything to him in the classroom without any warning whatsoever. But now that she knew what he truly felt for her, there was nothing she could do about it.

"Nope, as a matter of fact I haven't!" she pretended that she was okay. "But it's not like I don't want to see him ever again. I guess we're just not crossing paths these days."

"Well, I actually heard he's been dating someone lately."

"What?" the bottle of tea slipped from her hands and fell on the floor. Her eyes widened in shock when she heard the shocking news from Soujiro.

"It's Megumi Takani, a senior student. She's the head of the ballet club in this school."

"Oh."

She stooped down and slowly picked up the bottle from the floor. She twisted the cap then drank some tea to soothe her feelings. As soon as she was finished, she replaced the cap then placed the bottle beside her on the bench. "He has a girl now...What a huge development for such a dumbass like him!" she chaffed.

I'm not going to be beside you forever. So grow up and stop whining over this thing. She suddenly remembered what he told her back in the classroom. She couldn't believe he told her those things. Maybe it was better if he just said nothing at all...if he just said "sorry," perhaps it would be a little bit easier on me. But no. That douchebag had the leisure of lecturing me over what our relationship should be from then on. I'm just disappointed at myself because I wasn't able to say something to him after that. I just ran away from him.

"So, since he's going out with someone now...I was thinking of uhhmm.." Soujiro scratched his head as he shyly looked at her face. "Maybe we could also try to uhmm..like you know, uhhh...have a- a..."

Dammit, Soujiro! What are you doing? This is your time! He scolded himself.

"I was thinking...maybe we could have a, you know, like a..a meeting or something?"

A MEETING! What the fuckkkk? Why are you asking her out for a meeting? Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as soon as he heard himself ask the silly question. He swallowed a lump inside his throat then continued looking at her.

"Sure, Soujiro. Meeting for Judo? I'm in!" Misao excitedly raised her right hand and smiled widely.

She's clearly misunderstanding me, he thought sadly. "Well, it's not exactly about Judo...See, it's a meeting between uhmm..you know, between you and uhh..and me. So that's like, a girl and a boy. So basically, what I'm trying to say is that, perhaps we could meet like a...boy and a girl. Yeah!"

You're a failure, Seta Soujiro..he heard his screaming thoughts.

"A meeting between a boy and a girl..hhmm..Aaah! It's about food right? You're going to treat me to dinner, don't you remember? I'm pretty sure you've told me that before!" Her eyes sparkled in utter happiness as soon as she imagined food in front of her, while the poor guy simply felt defeated by then.

Yeah, yeah..that's almost the same as having a 'date,' so I guess I shouldn't complain. He smiled secretly to himself.

"Then that's settled! How about tomorrow night after our club practice? I'll treat you to dinner at Donburi Restaurant. It's a fancy dining place, so you should bring some extra clothes with you tomorrow, okay?" he asked her.

She nodded her head excitedly. "Of course! This is food, y'know! I ain't backing out this time!"

Seeing Misao smile and laugh like a normal person made Soujiro extremely happy. He would definitely do his best to win her heart, especially now that Aoshi was out of the picture. It should be pretty easy for him to get Misao's approval. As long as she's with me, Aoshi-sempai can never take her away from me again.

"My, oh, my..I feel like I'm the luckiest girl alive, Shinomori-san," Megumi Takani laughed softly as she stared at the man sitting in front of him. She held a glass of water on one hand then brought it to her lips.

She did not expect that the most sought-after guy at Shizuoka Senior High would ask her out. It was so sudden but sweet at the same time. She has heard rumors about Aoshi Shinomori, and how cruel he could be to girls who dared to confess their feelings to this apathetic man. She was not really interested in him at all. Even though she admired his looks, intelligence and athletic capabilities, there was something lacking in him that she could not pinpoint. Oh well...at least, he asked me out. Many students are dying to have this intimate moment with their "Aoshi-sama." I should be grateful.

"So...what made you think I deserve all this attention from you, Shinomori-san? We just met," she teasingly asked him. She wanted to know if there was something else that he wanted from her.

"W-well, it's really his first time to be in a date like this, so he's a little nervous. But I can assure you that he...uuhhh...he's – lemme think of the right word," Sano rubbed his chin as he tried to think. Megumi's left eyebrow rose when Sano spoke. She did not have the slightest idea why a rooster-head like him accompanied Aoshi Shinomori on their first date. But most importantly, she did not understand why Aoshi needed a chaperone at all. She thought he was a lady killer.

"AHA! He's 'interested' in you! Right, Ao-chan?" Sano enthusiastically looked at his friend sitting beside him, at Aoshi who simply nodded his head when forced to answer.

"Excuse me, my dear customers. Here are your orders! Aahh..Caesar's salad? Oh, it's this lady over here. Curry-katsu don? Okay, it's this young gentleman here. Ooohh..he seems really shy, doesn't he? And uhh...teriyaki bowl? Ahh! Indeed, it's for this young punk, right? And how about this bowl of udon noodles? Still yours? Then how about this plate of assorted sushi? Still yours? Man, you sure have a big appetite!" The waiter placed all the food on the table while Sano started to dig in his three dishes.

"Hey...tha's a lil rud of ya!" Sano told the waiter while chewing some sushi in his mouth. As soon as he finished eating four pieces, he took the glass of water on the table and sipped some water. "Uwaahh! I'm refreshed..." he said.

He glanced at the waiter who was standing beside the table and seemingly confused and awed at Sano's table manners.

"You shouldn't be telling customers they have big appetite! Well...I don't really mind anyway. It's a actually a compliment for me to be honest," Sano happily explained. He took three sushis from the plate and shoved them in his mouth.

"Err...I'll keep that in mind, sir," the waiter replied. He did not know if he should apologize to the weird guy chomping on his food. He didn't seem offended anyway, so I'll just leave, he thought to himself. He turned away then went back to the kitchen.

"I can't believe someone could eat like you, Sagara-san," Megumi commented as she ate her salad. She raised her left eyebrow again when she stared at Sano. Weirdo. To think he's a student at Shizuoka Senior High...He doesn't have proper manners at all. Ugghh..I don't understand why Shinomori-san has a friend like this! Heck, I don't even understand why he brought this guy along!

She forced herself to smile when she turned her gaze to Aoshi, who was quietly cutting the pieces of fried pork on his plate. Mmm...now that's a fine, reserved gentleman, Megumi thought as she watched him eat his dish.

"So, Shinomori-san...how many girls have you dated so far? I'm a little curious," she asked Aoshi, gazing at him intently. He stopped eating for a while then looked at the woman in front of him. However, before he could even answer her question, Sano interrupted them.

"How MANY? HAHAHAHA!" Sano burst out laughing. He shook his head as he laughed loudly then drank the soup from his noodles. "You mean, 'has he ever dated anyone in his life?'! That's sick, Megumi-chan. You sure have a good sense of humor! Ahahaha...aaahhhhh...man, these noodles taste good!"

Megumi-chan? So what now? This rooster-head is acting as if we're close? UGH! He's really starting to get on my nerves. Even if he's my classmate, that's not an excuse to call me by my first name! What an idiot! Megumi tried to contain the anger that was starting to boil inside her. She looked at Sano and watched him through fiery eyes.

"W-well..." she instantly shifted her attention to Aoshi, who was still eating his fried pork and rice. "Have you dated anyone, Shinomori-san?"

"No. It's just you," he replied shortly. He looked at her as he drank from the glass of water in his hand. His eyes seemed to pierce through her soul. She quickly blushed when she saw him staring at her like that.

"O-ohhh..." she reacted. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard him say that. It was short and sweet. "Tha-that's...really great. I...uhhh...I'm ho-honored." She drank water then stuffed her mouth with more vegetables. She needed a distraction.

"Megumi-chan is blushing! Megumi-chan is blushing! AHA! What a good development this is, Ao-chan! Man, you're smooth!" Sano chanted happily as he started to eat his third dish. He put the strips of teriyaki in his mouth and chewed on them like a hungry man. Megumi tried to ignore Sano's stupid comment as she prepared another question in her head.

"Tell me then, Shinomori-san...What do you like about me?" Megumi felt herself flushing in red. "I mean, let's face it. I have so many good traits, and I know you know them already. But what is it exactly that made you...uhh...'interested' in me?"

"You're hot?" Sano made another comment. Unable to contain her disgust, Megumi kicked Sano under the table. "AW! HEY, YOU! WHAT'S THAT FOR!" Sano screamed in pain.

"What?" Megumi asked indifferently, pretending she did not know anything. Suddenly, Aoshi chuckled slightly when he saw her reaction. Megumi was surprised to see Aoshi in such a good mood that she started to feel good about herself. Ehh...so this is the real Aoshi? She mused. He has a good smile...

"Argghh..you just kicked me!" Sano complained. "And why are you laughing, Ao-chan? Shouldn't you be on my side? That's so unfair!"

"I'm on your side, Sano," Aoshi said. He glanced at Megumi and slightly smiled at her. For some reason, he thought that it was a good idea that Sano came along after all. He did not want his friend to join them at first, but because Sano insisted, he gave up. Now he realized that if not for Sano, the mood would not lighten, and he would not be having a good conversation with Megumi.

I'm glad she's having a good time...he thought to himself. He was slightly nervous that Megumi would not enjoy herself tonight. After all, it was his first time to have a formal date like this.

Suddenly, Aoshi stood up from his seat. "Excuse me, but I have to use the bathroom," he said. He walked away from the table and made his way to the place.

"Now, you listen to me, rooster-head," Megumi suddenly told Sano. She looked at him intently, knowing that Aoshi was not there to witness the scene.

"What now, fox lady?" he finished his food then gulped the water from the glass.

"I don't know why you have to be here. But just so you know, I won't tolerate the kind of behavior you have."

Sano brought his face closer to hers then raised his eyebrows. "Mah kind o' behavior? Hey, hey...what are you insinuating here, foxy?"

"I'm saying that you're an uncivilized man ruining the moment of my life. Look at you! You ate three dishes, while Aoshi and I just had one. You even had to come here to accompany your friend! Don't you feel shameful?"

"Ohoho! So this is what it is all about? You're complaining like a bitch because I get to eat three dishes and you only get to eat one? Maannn, I can't believe it! Shouldn't you be much more concerned with your figure, lady?"

"Arggh! That's not the point! You're clearly misunderstanding me!"

"Hey, you started this. I'm not the one to blame!"

"I'm saying that you shouldn't be here in the first place! This is a date between Aoshi and me. Why should you stay here and eat along with us?"

"That's none of your business. Why don't you just finish your vegetables and order a cup of coffee to calm your nerves? Sheesh...what's your problem?" Sano got a toothpick from the table and started to clean his teeth in front of Megumi. This annoyed the girl even more.

"Don't you even know how to cover your mouth?" she grumbled.

"I. DON'T. FUCKING. CARE." Sano took his eyes off the lady in front of him. He did not know that Megumi has temper problems. He always thought she was nice and reserved. But seeing her true colors now, he definitely thought that he's not an ordinary girl-next-door.

"You know what? Maybe you have a crush on me."

Sano almost spilled the glass of water on the table. He was completely shocked when he heard Megumi whining like a brat. "WHAT? Are you fucking serious?"

"Well, YEAH. Because if not, then why would you be here? I mean, c'mon...I'm pretty and sexy. And I'm a good dancer. Even the great Aoshi Shinomori fell for me! So what makes it impossible for you not to like me?"

"AS IF? I'm not attracted to bitches like you!"

"Ohohohoho! Not attracted? Well then, why are you here? Don't tell me you're just concerned about your friend?" she mockingly asked him.

"Of course I'm here because of him!"

"That's just stupid!"

"Well if you don't believe me, then FINE, foxy."

Megumi did not answer back after that. She knitted her eyebrows as she glared at Sano. She was disgusted at the sight. If not for Aoshi, I would've left this place earlier.

On the other hand, Sano ignored her. His hands were folded across his chest. He frowned as he remembered his conversation with Megumi. And all along, I thought she's a good-mannered girl. Looks like she's going to be a handful for Aoshi. He frowned even more when he remembered Megumi's questioning of his intention to join them for dinner. He was really telling her the truth as he was only concerned that Aoshi would ruin his first date. Since he knew Aoshi very well when it came to handling women, he did not want this date to turn out ugly, especially this time that Aoshi has found the girl for himself. I was just concerned. What's wrong about that? It was just a bonus that I got to eat free dinner. Big deal! He continued scowling.

Moments later, Aoshi arrived. He sat on his seat and noticed the awkward atmosphere. He looked at Sano then at Megumi. Looks like somebody got into a fight, he thought. "Do you want some dessert, Takani-san?" he asked Megumi. She looked at him sweetly then smiled.

"Actually I'm good. Why don't you ask your friend, Shinomori-san? I bet he would care to eat some sweet food?" she sarcastically said as she shot a glance at Sano.

Sano glared back at her. "I lost my appetite, Ao-chan. I think it's best if we head home," he said.

"Well, okay. Fine by me," he replied shortly. "I...I also lost my appetite."

For a moment there, Sano thought he saw Aoshi's facial expression change. He thought he saw Aoshi frown. But when he saw how his friend looked at Megumi and smiled, Sano realized that maybe he was just seeing things. After all, why would Aoshi be sad? Now that he's with the woman he liked?

Then, the night ended as they left the fancy restaurant. Even though he had a small quarrel with Megumi, Sano was glad that mostly everything went smoothly for his friend, Aoshi. I'm happy for you, dude, he thought as soon as they parted ways.

Her cell phone rang.

She picked it up from the table and answered it. As she pressed the phone on her ear, she heard an enthusiastic 'hello' on the other end of the line. She smiled when she heard the voice. Even if they ate dinner together, she was somewhat excited that she could hear his voice again. It was very reassuring.

"I just want to know if you're okay...after what happened."

She sighed then sat on the bed. She suddenly remembered the scene at the restaurant. Of all the places they should meet, she wondered why it had to be in that restaurant. She tried to suppress the memory but she could not.

"I'm just concerned..." the person on the other end of the line spoke.

"I'm fine, Sou-kun," she replied. She tried to sound happy but it was obvious that she was faking it.

"You know, I feel bad that I picked this day to have dinner with you."

"Don't say that. I loved the food."

"But you saw him..."

She was not able to reply right away.

"He did not see me, Sou-kun. It's fine. Really."

"You sound so sad."

"No, I don't! Hahaha...I'm just tired."

"Well...if you say so."

Misao put her head on the pillow. She remembered when she saw Aoshi having dinner with another girl at Donburi restaurant. Sano was also there. But it was clearly obvious that they were having a good time. "I'm grateful for the sushi, Sou-kun. You don't know how much they meant to me," she spoke happily. "Oh and don't forget your promise! You told me you're going to treat me again!"

"Of course not, silly!" Soujiro exclaimed.

"Well, then that's good! I'm going to break your neck at our Judo practice if you break your promise. Watch out!"

They laughed immediately after. Then after a while, Soujiro said goodbye to Misao.

She placed her cellphone on the table then looked out the window. She noticed that the sky was clear tonight. The stars twinkled beautifully that she could not get her eyes off them.

Until the magnificent view suddenly became blurred through her eyes. She was startled when she noticed the change. When she lifted her hand and touched her cheeks, she realized that she had started crying.

You're so stupid, Mi-chan...

"I have your three finalists, Tsubame," Yahiko excitedly brought in the good news as soon as he entered the classroom. Tsubame was reviewing the videotapes which contained the interviews.

"Good job, Yahiko-kun! Have you researched well enough?" Tsubame smiled. She paused the video that she was watching then went to the table where Yahiko placed all the files in his hands.

"Three girls for our contest. Misao Makimachi, Aoshi's best friend. Harumi Imai, the most popular girl in our school who was cruelly rejected by Aoshi-sempai. And, Megumi Takani, the president of the ballet club," Yahiko explained.

Tsubame flipped through the pages and looked at the pictures of the girls. "Interesting. And why is Megumi-sempai included? What's her relationship to Aoshi-sempai?"

"Apparently, they've been dating. I don't know when it all started but at least we have some scoop here," he explained.

"They're dating? Then what's the point of having a contest! Are you sure that's true?" Tsubame reacted. Yahiko nodded his head then pointed to Megumi's picture.

"Well...the contest is just for fun anyway. It's not like it would determine Aoshi-sempai's fate as a man."

Tsubame thought for a while then nodded her head. "All right then. I want you to gather these three girls here. We'll start the interview right away!"

"Aye, aye, captain!" Yahiko enthusiastically shouted. "I'll get the cameras ready and bring these people here."

Tsubame grinned when she heard Yahiko. At last, she thought, we're nearing completion.

Enishi held each of the ten-pound weights on both of his hands. He was sweating profusely as he exercised alone in the room.

Suddenly, Misao came in.

"Oh, hey there, Enishi-kun," Misao greeted as she saw Enishi. He shot a glance at her and was slightly surprised.

"Makimachi...what are you doing here?" Enishi replied in between breaths. He put down the weights on the ground then started to do some pull-ups.

"Same reason as yours. Get some big muscles," she smirked. She grabbed two dumbbells and started her workout. She needed to exercise regularly to boost her Judo skills.

"Well...good luck with that," he replied then ignored Misao for the rest of the time.

After an hour of exercise, Enishi was about to leave. He looked at Misao who was still running on the treadmill. He approached her and decided to start a conversation.

"You know what. I'll win the gold in the tournament, so you don't really have to work your ass off," he said sarcastically.

Misao noticed the sarcasm in his voice then stopped running. "Are you picking on me?" she asked him.

He smirked. "Just saying...After all, it's clearly obvious that something's holding you back these days. Remember our practice match the other day? I defeated you."

"Well shouldn't you be happy because you won? I thought that's what you want."

"You were toying with me back then. How could I be satisfied with that kind of victory?"

"I don't know. Find out for yourself," she retorted. She put back her earphones and started to run again.

Enishi felt disgusted after she ignored him. He only wanted to know why she was not giving her best. She's clearly up to something...

Then, he grabbed his gym bag and left.

The day has finally come.

Kaoru looked at all the members of the Student Council and smiled widely. How long has she waited for this day?

The students looked at her, waiting for her presentation for the Summer Party event. They were anxious about their progress so far. Since they were working in committees, they did not really know what was happening overall. Kaoru cleared her throat then began her report.

"First of all, I want to commend everyone for his input and hard work so far. I am very grateful that the Student Council is doing their best to make this Summer Party event successful. Next, I want to review all the committees' performance. Let's start with the Refreshments Committee..."

Kaoru flipped the pages in her hands as she related to everyone in the room how each committee was doing for the past weeks. There was no sign of anxiety in her voice as she reported their activities. She was brimming with confidence and optimism, a far cry from the girl who broke down and slapped the Student Council's Vice President a week ago. It was her chance to redeem herself after all. She disappeared for one week and neglected to perform her responsibilities as a president. It was partly her fault because she let her personal feelings get in the way. But now that she's standing in front of everyone, she had to show them how much capable she was of leading the entire organization.

The student members were surprisingly awed at Kaoru's eloquence and confidence. Not only were they pleased at the contents of the report, they also admired how she carried herself the entire time. It seemed as if a different person stood before them, as if the always-stressed-out president has been instantly replaced by a calm, optimistic leader who managed to inspire them through words.

The members were glad that Kaoru has undergone this change, especially now that they really needed someone to effectively guide the Student Council. For a while, they thought that Kenshin would assume the position of president because of Kaoru's one-week absence from the council. They were glad, however, that such an event did not happen. Although Kenshin definitely had the abilities to run the whole organization, they knew that changing people's designations and responsibilities was the last thing they wanted before the actual Summer Party and Inter-High School Athletic Competitions.

"Summer break will start next week. Inter-high will commence a month after, and our ambitious Summer Party event will take place at Soujiro Seta's private beach three days after the competitions. I just want to remind everyone that this summer will particularly mean hard work for everyone at the Student Council. It is also a test of one's dedication to the school and entire student body. But although a million tasks await us from here on, I want you to keep in mind that as long as we maintain our focus and enthusiasm, we will accomplish our projects and responsibilities no matter what. Do not let stress and fatigue wear you out and obscure your judgment. And most importantly, when working with other members of your committee, don't forget to be objective at all times," Kaoru paused for a moment and quickly glanced at the young red-haired man sitting across the long table.

"We...we will need all the help we can get from one another," Kaoru continued as she looked back at the students. "Good luck, everyone."

As she bowed her head, all the members of the Student Council clapped their hands in admiration. They were touched and inspired by her report. They thought that for the first time, Kaoru has truly demonstrated her leadership skills.

Good job, President Kamiya...

Kenshin smiled after witnessing Kaoru's presentation.

He felt good. He was happy that she managed to make a good comeback.

He was definitely looking forward to working with her again.

She flexed her toes and bent her petite body on the dance floor.

As music resonated in the hall, she synchronized her movements with each beat and expressed different kinds of emotions. Sadness, happiness, hurt, comfort, pain, joy...

And he silently watched her across the stage. He sat there alone. The only member of her audience.

Her flexible upper body allowed her to do several turns on the floor while both of her hands held her left foot to her head. She looked like a ballerina doll that was usually found in musical boxes. Her flawless figure and moves took his breath away.

Megumi... he thought lovingly as he watched the woman dancing ballet on stage. She had long silky black hair tied in a ponytail. At last, I've met you... he silently admired her beauty and grace as she continued moving on the stage. Until...

She vanished in mid-air.

And a familiar person popped before his eyes.

A girl with the long braid stood at the center and suddenly chuckled.

"Aoshi-sempai! I have to tell you something!" she cheerfully shouted.

No.

She walked closer. He tried to ignore her but he could not.

"I've been wanting to tell you this for a long time!" the girl's long braid swayed behind her back. She was now walking towards him.

Stop it.

"I like you...and I feel like this is more than just a crush," she revealed. Her face was now right in front of him. He could actually feel her breath. He slightly shivered at her proximity.

Then even before he could touch her, she also vanished before his eyes. A new scene appeared before him – a very familiar scene.

The same girl, whose long braid has now been replaced by short hair, tearfully clung to another man. He was watching them silently. No...he thought for a moment. He was feeling something else as he witnessed her finding comfort in the man's arms.

"Thank you..." she barely made out the words. Her right hand touched the man's cheeks and her fingers gingerly brushed away the bangs that slightly covered his eyes. Seeing her reaction, the man hugged her more tightly than ever.

And Aoshi just stood there, watching.

Silently.

Indifferently.

Yet something was twitching inside his chest.

The scene changed once more, and this time it was at the restaurant where he took Megumi for dinner.

He just left the table to go the bathroom. From afar, he could hear Megumi's and Sano's voices arguing; he dismissed them as he already figured out that such a possibility could happen.

But what he saw next defied his expectations.

The same girl was also at the restaurant. She was sitting at a table, laughing like a mad person. He wondered why. At the same time, he felt that he hasn't really heard that kind of laugh for a very long time. He missed it. He missed her.

He wanted to go to her, and perhaps talk. But something prevented him from doing it. His heart was beating fast inside his chest. He was nervous.

"You're so funny, Sou-kun!" she exclaimed. Her hand tapped on the table several times. Suddenly, a pair of chopsticks stuck a piece of sushi inside her wide-open mouth. She was caught off-guard for a second, but when she realized what just happened, she continued to laugh. She chewed the food inside her mouth then, using her own chopsticks, took two pieces of sushi from her plate and stuck them to the mouth of the person in front of her.

They both laughed hysterically.

Aoshi sighed at what he saw.

Then something twitched inside his chest again.

After standing there for a couple of minutes, he headed to the bathroom and washed his face.

He looked at the mirror on the wall as he turned off the faucet. His eyes looked tired.

Suddenly, he was back in the auditorium where he first saw the ballerina. This time, however, he was completely alone.

"I'm sorry," a voice uttered.

And then a tear-stricken face emerged right before him. Her ocean blue eyes lost the sparkle that they used to have. Her sweet smile was gone. Her laugh was suppressed forever.

He lifted his fingers to dry her tears.

But instead of comforting her, he muttered words that belied what he was feeling right at that moment.

"I'm not going to be beside you forever. So grow up and stop whining over this thing," he harshly stated.

The girl's eyes widened in shock when she heard his painful rejection. More tears rushed down her cheeks.

Then she just vanished right before his eyes.

At the same time, Aoshi woke up in the middle of the night.

He was sweating profusely and panting like a dog. After he looked around his dark room, he realized that he merely had a dream – a particularly awful dream.

"Misao..." he barely uttered.

For the third time, something twitched inside his chest.

A/N: YAY! Another chapter! So what do you think of this one? It's longer than usual because I wanted to add more details and plot development. Let me know what you think! Don't be shy, and please leave a review! Thankssss! XD