Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

A Little Hard to Get

Chapter Two

She wasn't at all like other women, Misao was very aware of this fact. She didn't wear kimonos, or make-up, and she certainly didn't behave with the proper decorum that she ought to.

But who am I exactly, Misao asked herself, if not a ninja? She was a girl who knew how to defend herself, a headstrong girl who would never allow herself to be bullied. There was nothing wrong with that. If anything, she was a modern woman.

It's all I've ever known… all I ever will be. To change would be…

Misao sighed as she pushed the pin into her hair as a final touch. The blue-eyed girl who stared back at her through the mirror was unrecognizable. Her dark hair was pulled into a neat bun and her messy bangs had been pushed back, revealing clear bright eyes. As she stood up, she straightened out her kimono. Taking one last look into the mirror, she shook her head. This girl, she looked like a doll… it was nothing like her at all. But it was all part of Okina's plan.

She slid open the door of her room, only to find Omasu and Shiro outside. It was as if they knew what she was doing inside and had been waiting outside expectantly for the outcome.

"Whoa! What's this?" Shiro exclaimed. He looked so surprised, but then after the feeling died down, he found himself smiling at what he saw.

"Misao, you're all grown-up and..." Omasu's voice trailed off, the word was too obvious for her to say. It might turn out to be the understatement of the century.

"Beautiful." Shiro chimed in.

The two older ninjas exchanged glances and giggled. They were thinking the exact same thing.

"Right." Misao said, feeling a well of discomfort building up inside her. "If you'll both excuse me, I'll be going now."

"Hold on, little missy." Shiro called after her.

"What?" Misao snapped and then remembered what Okina had said about acting demure. She sighed and corrected herself. "Sorry, can I help you with anything?"

"What's this all about?" Omasu asked.

"What is?"

"Your… well, what is apparent." She gave a little wave at her outfit.

"It's nothing. You and Okon dress like this all the time. It's just casual wear…for unimportant occasions like today." Misao answered with a shrug.

"Yes, we see you wearing a casual kimono. A casual kimono that you will never be caught dead in but is still being worn at the moment. Explain."

"I can't, I'm late. I'm supposed to meet Okina."

"You can't be serious! What has Okina got you doing now?"

"I really can't say. It's supposed to be a secret."

"What secret? Since when do you not tell us stuff?"

Misao looked at them, furrowing her eyebrows. What was their problem? Couldn't a girl have some secrets? Then she said in a hushed voice.

"You know this silence, when none of us are saying anything?"

"Yeah?" Omasu and Shiro asked in unison. Misao seemed to be letting them into her little confidential issue. For a moment, none of them said anything, only the sound of their breathing could be heard. Then the girl said finally.

"This is when I don't tell you anything."

The two watched as Misao walked away from them, almost as if she were basking in the light of her wonderful statement.

"Shocking." Shiro said.

"I know. Did you see that comeback? So unlike her."

"Still, this must be some pretty serious stuff Okina's pulling off. He's got her wearing a kimono."

"Tell me, is this really, really, absolutely necessary? I don't want to regret any of this." Misao asked doubtfully. She was beginning to think that all of this was some kind of mistake.

"Misao." Okina said seriously.

"Fine. Let's do this."

Misao gave a nod, a sort of reassurance to herself. She walked into the restaurant area of the Aoiya and greeted the customers. According to Okina, she was supposed to give especially big smiles to the male customers.

The first two customers were a male and female. Misao assumed they were a married couple and decided not to be flirtatious. It wouldn't have been a nice thing to do, after all.

Okina watched the girl's performance and when he decided that she was doing exceptionally well, he attended to phase two of their plan.

The old man went to find Aoshi in his room but he wasn't there. This was not good. Where could he be? He proceeded to the library but Aoshi wasn't there either. Was he in the temple? But he didn't see him leave the Aoiya that day. If the plan didn't go through, Misao would be so mad at him. He resigned himself to returning to the restaurant, thinking of what to say to Misao because he couldn't find Aoshi.

When Okina came back, he was surprised to see that Aoshi was seated at one of the tables. He walked over to the younger man and asked.

"What are you doing here, Aoshi?"

"You said Misao was different. After much thought, I decided to check on her myself." Aoshi answered, seemingly unmoved, a contradiction to his very words.

Still, Okina was delighted by Aoshi's little display concern. It didn't matter that his face didn't show his emotions, as long as his actions did. And the fact that he was actually out of his room, sitting in the restaurant was such a big help to the plan.

"Oh, and?" Okina prodded, trying to get Aoshi to confess his awe of Misao's wonderful self discovery.

Aoshi created a little motion that would have been a shrug if he were any other normal person.

"She seems fine to me. In fact, she looks very well." He said as he glanced over at Misao who smiled at him when she saw him looking in her direction. Then he turned back to Okina.

"Would you like to sit down?" He asked the old man.

Okina opened his mouth in shock. What was this suppose to mean? Was Aoshi blind? Misao was obviously the most beautiful woman in the room and he was behaving like she was wallpaper, and not just any wallpaper- white colored ones!

"How can I help you two?" Misao asked as she waited on their table. She felt a little odd doing so because she knew them. Okina hardly ate in the restaurant itself and Aoshi never ever did. And to see the two most important men in her life sitting at the same table after such a long time…the moment would forever be documented in her mind.

"What would you like, Okina?" Aoshi asked.

"Excuse me?" Okina mouthed, still in disbelief.

"To eat?"

"Not-nothing."

"All right then. I'll have the soba."

"Tea?" Misao asked as she took down the orders.

"Yes, please." Aoshi replied politely. The girl smiled to herself as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Aoshi." Okina said, trying to gather himself.

"Yes?"

"Are you… feeling all right?"

"Yes, why?"

"You seem…ah, nevermind, I'm just going to say it. Are you blind?"

"How do you mean?" Aoshi asked, looking almost confused.

"Misao is obviously a changed person. Don't you see?" Okina pointed out, sounding as though he were about to explode in the midst of losing his patience.

"You mean the kimono?"

"Yes! Oh good, so you have noticed! Why aren't you reacting in any way to this?"

"This is me reacting." Aoshi answered, fiddling with his chopsticks and looking as if he wasn't really paying attention to what Okina was saying. "I am happy for her."

"What are you saying?"

"I am saying that Misao is who she is supposed to be. I thought I might have ruined her by bringing her up as though she were a boy. But it seems she's blossoming on her own."

"You are not serious!"

"Do I look like someone who jokes?"

"True that."

Okina pressed his lips together in frustration. He should have known. He should have known it wasn't so easy to predict Aoshi's reactions. His plan was too simplistic. It needed to change. But what to do…

The old man looked over at Misao. She was indeed a beautiful girl now and oh, how people can't seem to take their eyes off her! Okina smiledat thethought ofa little detour he would take in his plan.

Maybe it is just that simple.

End of Chapter Two
Plasmolysed Cell Membrane: Hi. I hope the wait wasn't too long for you guys but I'm trying hard not to screw this up. Anyway, enjoy!