A/N: OK, Let's clear some things up. First of all, I said I was gonna finish this fic, but I didn't say I would update weekly or monthly, whatever. It'll be when I get around to working on it. *sweatdrops* (ignore the fact it's been about oh, 8 months…) Secondly, this fic is taking place DURING the Kyoto Arc. Soujiro is NOT a rurouni. I don't know how some of you got that idea, but I guess I wasn't clear enough. Other than that, a big thanks for the feedback, comments and critique I received for the prologue! Sorry if I sounded kinda mean, just trying to clear some things up. I'm not mad or irritated with anyone! I'm just…a moody woman. .;;;

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. *shifty eyes, while sitting on her pile of manga with a paper crown and cardboard scepter.*

Kirai ni Narenai

I Cannot Hate You

Presented by: Phoe-chan

Step over the mountains, cross the sea, jump over the guard rail.

Now, the same shadow from before

Is somehow coming to this city.

I don't know disappointment, but something isn't right.

Who is calling to me to come here?

Tokyo nights!

I haven't found it yet,

But I'm looking for real freedom.

It shines!

Tokyo nights!

Love is hard to find.

Keep waiting for your encounter with Fate;

You're still young.

Tokyo Nights by Utada Hikaru

Chapter One: Dancing Around the Problem

"I'll let you live, so we can continue our game another day. Ja mata ne, Makimachi-san…"

Misao shuddered as she replayed the events of a few hours before. Turning onto her side she tried to push the eerie cheerful voice from her mind. However, the voice of Tenken no Soujiro would not let her sleep. She'd been awake most of the night. What short time she fell asleep she was haunted with nightmares of the boy's words.

'I can't tell Jiya and the others about what happened. They'd never let me out of the house again! And they might try to go hunt down that boy and get hurt. Well…I won't run into him again, so no harm is done. Yeah…'

Misao closed her eyes, finally calming herself down for the first time that night when she frowned. Something wasn't right. Opening her eyes, she stared out her window as a large vein grew on her forehead.

It was already dawn.

"Aww, crap."

Just a short time later Misao ran down into the restaurant part of her homestead. Putting on an apron and a smile she grabbed her tray and began to greet the customers in the typical tradition. "Irrashaimase!"

Grabbing empty bowls and bringing out new ones, her mind eventually wandered back to a certain blue gi-clad boy and last night's events. 'He killed that cone head...at least Eiji won't feel so bad. Demo, he was playing with me back then...'

Just a reminder of how he teased her and how inferior she was, a frown flitted across her pretty features. With a "hmph!" she turned and picked up another set of bowls from a neighboring table.

Unbeknownst to her, sitting atop a nearby roof was a boy with a dark blue hakama and lighter blue gi holding a telescope while looking through it.

As Misao turned to serve some patients at the sushi bar she glanced out the window. The two trays she held in each hand almost fell.

Soujiro smiled at this. She had quickly regained her composure without letting the trays fall. He watched as she apologized to some customers and set down their food then promptly went into the kitchen room.

'Kami-sama! What is he doing here?' Misao racked her brain, wondering if she should tell Jiya and the others...but that was useless. That would cause an unwanted scene and the Aoiya needed to keep up its reputation.

'She's not going to tell, is she?' Soujiro raised an eyebrow thinking of what to do. She wouldn't, and even if she did he'd be gone.

'And anyways, who would believe a child?' he smiled widely at this thought. He landed gracefully on the ground from his perch and walked off.

Misao walked out of the kitchen. 'It's best not to think of him now. Besides, we've got customers!'

Just as she predicted Omasu called out to her. "Misao-chan! Could you help that customer over there?"

Misao nodded and began walking to the customer who walked in. "Irrashaimase! Here, I'll get you seated-" and she stopped as she was only a few steps before him.

"Kon'nichiwa," he greeted brightly with a smile on his face.

"You!" Misao's eyes widened, part from shock, part from underlying fear.

He nodded his smile ever present. "Ano…can I get a table for one, please?"

Misao was caught between wanting to fight him and wanting to tell Jiya and the others. However, Soujiro lead her gently but firmly by her arm and sat down at a secluded corner of the Aoiya.

She was still reeling from the unpleasant shock of Soujiro in her home. 'He's dangerous! I have to warn the others...'

He must have read the look on her face, because he grasped her hand firmly in his, quietly saying "If you tell anyone who I am, Misao-san, I will be forced to remove any witnesses in this restaurant. I am here because I want a good meal, so please don't trouble yourself by giving away my identity."

Misao hissed back quietly, "Then go to some other restaurant! Why did you come here?"

Soujiro smiled. "I told you, I just want a good meal. And where better than to go than the Aoiya? Preferably, since I know someone here who is serving the patrons."

Misao was about to ask who but stopped short, clamping her mouth down. "So, you're my waitress, ne, Misao-san? Please don't tell your family who I am. I don't want to have to eat in the middle of a blood bath."

Misao clenched her fists at this. 'Kisama...! How dare he!' She was about to take a tray and smash it down on his head when Omasu intervened saying "Misao-chan! No losing your temper like that on a customer!"

"That's right, Misao-chan" chirped Soujiro, mimicking Omasu. "It's bad to lose your temper like that..."

Misao seethed inside. "What would you like?" she asked, gritting her teeth.

"A bento box lunch, please, with some sauce," he replied, smile still present.

"I'll be back with your order soon," she replied curtly, still gritting her teeth. Turning, she marched briskly away from his table and into the kitchen. She returned a few minutes later.

Misao put down the bento special with the sauce. Smiling deviously, she took the sauce and began pouring it in Soujiro's lunch. "Here, have some sauce!"

Soujiro blinked as she put the sauce down before him. "Have a nice lunch!" She couldn't help the smirk in her tone.

Soujirou looked down and nearly balked at how she put the sauce on his food. The kanji saying "If you ruin things for me, I'll kill you!" written neatly over his bento with an exclamation mark at the bottom.

Sweatdrops appeared plentiful in Soujiro's features as he began to pick at his food with his chopsticks. He chuckled at her feistiness and creativity, shaking his head. 'You're so funny, Misao-chan...'

Misao did her best to stay within the kitchen, only coming out when Omasu or Okon would tell her that her customers needed service. When she came out again she found that Soujiro, much to her delight, had left.

"Wow, Misao-chan…" Omasu started. Misao blinked and turned to her. "That boy who just left gave you a hearty tip. Just what did you do to get such a generous amount?"

Misao turned and her eyes almost bulged at the amount he had left for her. "I…dunno."

"Well, whatever you did, it was apparently to his liking!"

Misao nodded numbly, her mind elsewhere. 'He's got me in a tight bind. He can show up all he wants and do whatever he wants because I can't give away his identity without someone getting hurt. Damn him!'

Just outside looking in, the Tenken's smile widened before he merrily left the Aoiya with a little bounce in his pace. "Let's see…I've finished eating. Now, I need to go report to Shishio-san."

Misao sat during her lunch break at a corner table, scribbling on a piece of paper. Her scribbles consisted of a little chibified head with a big smile. A giant X was crossed over his face and written all around it was "DIE!"

A passing patron glanced down at her drawing, paled, and quickly moved to pay for his meal.

Misao's face was a brilliant shade of red, her jaw clenched as her drawing utensil dug into the paper. If only the paper was that man. If only.

He had not only made a fool of her, but dared to greet her in the open! And threaten her! And smile the whole time! And leave her a huge tip that would pay for that new set of kunai that she had her eyes on and—ARGH!

Misao finally exploded, grabbing the paper and tearing it up into a few dozen pieces, throwing them into the air with a strangled cry and then turned to sulking, arms crossed over her chest while the customers stared at her like she was crazy.

Sighing, she walked into the back of the Aoiya and sat down in the corner. Resorting to one of her childhood habits, she grabbed the end of her braid and began chewing on it, as her mind came up with her first idea for a book. "1001 Creative Ways to Kill a Smiling Bastard."

"Shishio-san?" Soujiro knocked lightly on the door and waited for permission to enter. He received it and stepped into the dimly lit room, where the scent of tobacco and smoke filled his nostrils. He trotted to where Shishio sat, reading a book. Smiling, the boy put his hands behind his back. "Na, I'm here to report!"

"Yes, I know. How was your lunch in the enemy territory?" Shishio inquired, exhaling a puff of smoke and looking up from his novel.

Soujiro's smile never faltered but he inwardly winced. He should have known the man would find out. "Wonderful. The Aoiya has excellent cuisine!"

"And interesting workers, mm?" Shishio added, arching a scarred brow.

Soujiro laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Ee, Makimachi-san amuses me so. So genki!"

"Hnn…" Shishio mused, taking a whiff of his pipe. "Just don't let her weaken you."

"Of course not! It really is sad though, she could be a much better ninja if she were properly trained." Soujiro added sighed, although smiling.

"Ee. That can be hindering—not having a proper trainer." Shishio agreed, looking back down to his book.

"Naa, Shishio-san?" Soujiro began, teetering some.

"Yes?"

"When will we start gathering of our elite forces?" Soujiro inquired, tilting his head.

"Soon. But not yet, it is not the right time. As long as that bakayaro was taken care of and no evidence has escaped to our adversaries then we can wait patiently."

"Hai, Senkaku-san is enjoying his stay in hell and there is no evidence that is relevant to our operation." Soujiro confirmed, nodding.

"Then you are dismissed for now." Shishio replied, returning to his novel. Soujiro bowed and then walked out, only to be greeted by Yumi.

"Bouya! Look at you, you have sauce on your shirt! Must you always make a mess when you eat?" Yumi scolded, wagging a finger in front of the youth's face.

"Gomen, gomen, Yumi-san!" Soujiro giggled, waving his hands. "I'll get it off tonight, I promise!"

"You'd better, or I'll have your head, boy!" Yumi growled, pursing her full lips into the firmest line she could muster.

Soujiro nodded then excused himself, bounding off toward his room. He needed to come up with a way to 'accidentally' run into Makimachi-san. He hadn't had that much fun with someone since the time Kamatari-san dragged him into his scheme to dye Yumi's hair pink two years ago.

Entering his room, he sat down in the floor, grabbed a handful of sweets from his secret stash and began to plot, giggling the entire time.

About the time of the Aoiya closing for the day, Okon and Omasu cornered Misao. "Misao-chan… you've been acting quite odd today since that young man came in. Is something wrong?"

Misao opened her mouth, her braid end falling out as she blinked. "Uh, no! Nothing at all. Just uh, ahah… you know, plotting ways for Aoshi-sama to marry me!"

Both women sighed and shook their heads. "You know what I think Omasu?"

"What, Okon?"

"I think Misao has a crush on that boy that came in."

"NANI?" Misao screeched, jumping into the air. "How could I like such a pig-headed, immature kisama like that?"

The women exchanged looks. "Yup."

"NO! You cannot believe-! C'mon! Aoshi-sama is my one and only! That boy doesn't compare to Aoshi-sama!" Misao defended, following after the two. Both ignored her, continuing to gossip about the handsome youth who had left her such a handsome tip.

Misao sighed, hanging her head dejectedly. Things were definitely getting worse for her where Seta Soujiro was concerned.

Tsuzukeru…

AN: O.o Don't kill me because it's short…but that works well to end right there. Since it's been so long since I've worked on this, the last half of this chapter may be off. And I'm doing by best to try to fit this into the cannon timeline but there will be discrepancies so please try to overlook them. ^^; I didn't have anyone really proof this chapter, so if there's anything off, then well uh, it's cuz uh... JEN WASN'T ONLINE! *shoes blame from herself*

Oh, and thanks to all whom left critical reviews. They're much appreciated. And, no, they're not flames to me. :D

I cannot do individual thanks because there are over 50 reviews (O_O Wow, the most I've ever had for one chapter. *dies*) and many were lost to me when was down for a great deal of time last year… I'm terribly sorry but I read and appreciated every review. These few I have saved that had asked questions:

Alexia, Aiko_chan: Thanks for your critiques! And I didn't know how/when Senkaku was killed, but for sake of the fic let's say it was in the jailhouse ;)

Goku-chan: This takes place during the Kyoto Arc, so Sou has not become a rurouni yet ;)

Sen-chan: The technique Soujiro uses for speed is called Shukuchi. It's that which surasses Godspeed. Fast, ne? :P

I will be updating my other fics, I'm just a very slow writer. So just a note to let you know I plan on updating and finishing all my fics. :P

**Ignore the grammar, I do…unless I get someone to proof for me ^^;**

Phoe-chan :P