"Are you all right?" Aoshi asked, grasping the woman's arm to help her up.
She straightened, dusting her cotton pants off. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you..." She gave her hair a pat, glancing at him, her eyes widening in recognition. "Commander Shinomori, how nice to see you..."
"Likewise..." he responded politely.
"I'm really sorry about that," Misao spoke up.
The older woman gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry...You must be Misao..." She held out her hand. "I'm Desiree Atkinson."
Misao shook her hand. "Misao Makimachi."
The cleanup crew arrived to pick up the fallen fruit.
"I just want you to know, Commander, I think what you're doing is wonderful," Desiree raved as the three stepped aside. "It's so refreshing to find a single father these days...it shows that men are willing to do what they can to make a difference and help our youth..."
"Thank you," Aoshi replied sincerely.
She glanced at her watch. "I'm sorry, I have to get going...I have to prepare Robert's dinner..."
Aoshi and Misao watched as she retrieved her cart and walked away.
"Who was she?" Misao asked as Aoshi took the bag of apples from her. Apparently, she had forgotten about her anger.
"Captain Robert Atkinson's wife. Captain Atkinson is the commanding officer of Pearl Harbor," Aoshi responded.
"Oh. Which means be nice," Misao added.
Nodding, Aoshi turned to her. "What's wrong, Misao?" He was concerned. It wasn't like her to be frustrated and angry. She was always so cheerful growing up.
"What do you mean?" Misao asked, a blank expression on her face as they made their way down the produce section.
He sighed. His ward could be very stubborn at times. He decided to stay quiet and not press the issue.
It had only taken them an hour to retrieve the necessary food items. Once they got to the parking lot, they were slightly surprised to see a familiar feminine figure leaning against a white Lexus, arms crossed, her eyes narrowed as she dialed a number on her cellular phone.
The woman's long black hair was left blowing in the wind, and she wore a sleeveless sundress made of clingy lavendar cotton.
"Why can't I get any reception here?" she muttered, holding the phone up, apparently checking for reception bars.
"Dr. Takani, hi!" Misao called out to the civilian physician who worked at the naval facility on Pearl Harbor. Occasionally, she had seen Dr. Takani for routine exams.
The doctor looked up and gave Misao a smile. "Hello." When her gaze reached Aoshi, the light in her eyes disappeared.
Aoshi merely opened the trunk of his car to load the groceries.
"Something wrong?" Misao asked, peering at her car.
The doctor slapped her car door. "It's silly...I left my keys in my car, and-"
She was interrupted when a jeep full of sailors in blue drove by, whistling. Misao's eyes widened. But Dr. Megumi Takani appeared annoyed.
"And I'm trying to get help out here...but no reception on my cell phone..." Megumi wrinkled her nose, shaking the little device.
"I can unlock your car," Aoshi spoke up after he finished loading the groceries.
The doctor's eyes widened slightly. "Oh?"
Aoshi reached into a compartment in his trunk, pulling out a small kit. He glanced at her lock. "I'm surprised you don't have keyless entry..."
"I'm working on getting that," Megumi responded coolly.
He pulled out several picks and walked over to her car. He crouched and began to work on her door.
"Oh, by the way, Misao..." Megumi reached into the small purse slung over her shoulder. "My aunt owns the Royal Hawaiian Hotel...Every other Saturday they have a luau for tourists...I have some extra tickets that I need to get rid of..."
"Cool!" Misao eagerly moved forward to retrieve the tickets. "I haven't been to a luau in FOREVER!"
The young doctor smiled in return. "You'll like this, then. You can bring your friends and...him...if you want..." Megumi handed Misao five tickets.
Aoshi tried to ignore being addressed so rudely. He knew she couldn't stand being around him. Considering how they first met, he couldn't blame her. But he had only been trying to do his job at the time. The lock popped open.
"Done." He rose to his full height.
"Trust a spy to know how to pick a lock," Megumi said dryly.
He arched a brow. Once he opened the door for her, she reached inside to retrieve her keys from the seat.
"Thank you," she said politely.
"I..." he paused, uncertain on how to proceed. He had been meaning to ask her the minute he saw her glaring at her cell phone. Just say it, he told himself. "Doctor, as you know, the annual Navy ball is coming up in a month, and-"
"No," she responded immediately.
She's certainly quick to answer, he thought bitterly. She didn't even let me finish my sentence. He caught sight of Misao's shocked expression.
He decided to try again. "I was wondering if-"
"Commander, I'm flattered that you thought of asking me, but to be really honest, I don't date Navy men," she said flippantly. Ignoring Misao's shocked gasp, she started in the direction of the commissary. "Thank you for unlocking my car. Have fun at the hotel, Misao."
"Uh...yeah...I...I will..." the teenager stammered. When the doctor disappeared, Misao turned to her guardian. "I didn't know you were interested in Dr. Takani."
He remained silent as he unlocked the driver and passenger doors.
The nerve of that man! Megumi fumed silently. Being escorted to the Navy ball by him, of all people. Did he actually think I'd say yes? Considering our history together?
"He needs to have his head examined," Megumi murmured. While she'd never call Lt. Commander Aoshi Shinomori arrogant, he could certainly be inconsiderate.
Honestly...after the way he treated me...he thinks I'd actually go with him to the ball? Megumi sighed as she glumly examined several cheeses.
The worst part of everything was that she knew that going with him would actually benefit her. He was EXACTLY the kind of man her father would approve of. And her father ALWAYS went to the Navy balls. Aoshi Shinomori was born and raised a Naval officer. When she had first met him, she had made several inquiries about him. She wanted to know who she was up against.
A year ago, the hospital where she was performing her residency, was being investigated. Apparently, one of the staff members was selling prescription medicine on the streets of Honolulu. She had been Aoshi's primary suspect. Which made no sense. Her father was the commanding officer of all the medical facilities on Pearl Harbor, a longtime resident of Hawaii, part-time instructor at University of Honolulu, contributor to the community, and longtime friend of Captain Atkinson, the man in charge of the entire Pearl Harbor base. Aoshi had made it very clear that he'd get to the bottom of the case. As it turned out, one of Megumi's coworkers had been selling the drugs to pay his student loans. She had been more fortunate...with her father's salary and the government donation due to her mother's passing, she had been able to get through medical school just fine.
From what she knew, Aoshi Shinomori lost his parents at a young age but was raised by a man with sharp instincts and a strategic mind. His guardian had been a veteran of several wars. And he was still serving the Navy. Aoshi had been in junior Navy ROTC throughout his high school life, skilled in riflery. He was also an expert in kempo, graduated top of his class at US Naval Academy, Annapolis. After graduation, he was immediately sent to Naval Intelligence School, where he learned everything from submarine to aerial warfare, and international law. Not too long ago, he quit his duties in counterintelligence overseas and joined Naval Investigative Services, a small division of Naval Intelligence. It was to her understanding that he quit his duties because he had become a father.
"Just the type of man Father would want me to see," Megumi said quietly, tossing a tub of sour cream into her cart.
Determined. Dedicated. Loyal. A leader. A Naval officer.
She had partially lied to Aoshi when she said she didn't date Navy men. She had...a long time ago. Sanosuke Sagara was a ship mechanic. He had been her first love and first lover. But at the time, she had just started her residency, and the hours had been too difficult. They hadn't been able to nurture their relationship. It hadn't helped that he wasn't what her father wanted.
To go against his wishes was disrespectful... So she did everything she could to make him proud of her. Deep down, she wondered if she'd ever be good enough. Her two older brothers held prestigious jobs in the Navy. One worked at Bethesda, Maryland, in medical research, the other was a cardiologist in San Diego, California. She was just a Navy contractor, a general practitoner.
"Dr. Megumi, hi!" a voice called out, interrupting her thoughts.
She looked up and smiled in greeting at the young woman. "Hi, Kaoru."
Kaoru Himura pushed her cart alongside hers. "It's been a while...how are you?"
"Good," Megumi answered. "You?"
"Been busy, but you know how that is..."
Kaoru Himura's husband had retired a year ago. He had been fed up with Navy life, being away from his wife for so long. The couple were saving up to buy a house so they could start a family.
"Oh..." Megumi reached into her purse to give Kaoru two tickets to the Royal Hawaiian.
"More luau tickets?" the young kenjitsu (?) instructor laughed good-naturedly.
"There's plenty. Do you have any students who might want to go?"
"I can find some..."
Dinner had been extremely quiet. That was usually normal. But she sensed an eerie silence...as if he had held a part of himself back. She shook her head. She really did know him. Better than most, probably.
She quietly made her way across the hardwood floor and half-lit hallway in blue fuzzy slippers. The house they lived in had been her grandfather's vacation home. She really did have to remember how lucky she was. The night air was comfortable and breezy. She didn't even shiver in her navy blue pajama top and shorts with cats decorated on them.
She stopped abruptly once she reached his room. A backpack was thrown over the white and navy blue sheets. From her vantage point, she could see rations, and water canteen just peeking out of the bag. Aoshi was standing by his closet, dressed in nothing but gray pajama pants, a white towel slung around his neck, his hair damp from his recent shower. She could faintly smell soap in the air.
Misao glumly watched as he swiftly dialed a combination into the closet safe. The safe opened with a rusty groan and Aoshi pulled the safe contents out, a small box containing his pistol.
"You're leaving?" she asked suddenly.
He glanced over his shoulder and placed the box back in the safe. Then he turned to face her.
"It's only for a day or two," he said softly.
"Where are you going?" Misao asked, knowing that it was pointless to ask because he couldn't give her an answer. The joys of being a Navy brat. Especially if your parent dealt with highly classified information.
"One of the nearby islands," he said finally. "I have some reconnaissance work to do..."
It was the most he could tell her. It was the vaguest answer he had ever given her.
"Dangerous work," Misao murmured.
"You of all people should know that I'm very careful."
Misao nodded. Not once did she ever worry about him getting caught. He was just too good at what he did. And while that one quality about her foster father made her sleep easier at night regarding his safety...it was the one quality he had over many others which took him away from home.
"Are you going to the luau?" Misao asked.
Aoshi paused as he rolled a white T-shirt. "I should be back before then. I didn't plan on going...but maybe I should..." He put the article of clothing away. Glancing at the clock, he zipped up his backpack. "You should be asleep...you have school tomorrow..."
"Yeah, yeah," Misao grumbled turning away.
"Misao."
She turned back, her ocean blue eyes meeting a pair of stern blue-gray.
"It's for your own good. I don't want you tired in school...you won't learn that way."
She wanted to scream in frustration. School...again! Would he ever learn?! Clenching her fists tightly, she muttered, "Sometimes you swear that you know everything, Aoshi...and it really pisses me off..."
His eyes widened slightly at her retort.
"Misao-"
She stomped away. "Forget it...I'm going to sleep."
She angrily brushed her teeth and washed her face before going to bed. Once she yanked the covers up to her chin, she heard her bedroom door open. Misao rolled her eyes, remembering that she forgot to lock it. Not that'd it matter...he'd just pick the lock open.
He flicked the overhead light on in her room. Misao blinked and used the covers to shield her eyes.
"Misao." His quiet, yet assertive voice cut through the tension.
"What?" she grumbled.
"What's wrong?" he asked softly.
She bit her lip. He wasn't in his 'commanding I'm going to order you around mode'. Not anymore. Still, she wasn't going to talk anymore. "Nothing."
Silence. She felt one edge of the bed sink under his weight as he sat down.
"Do you remember your first day of kindergarten?" Aoshi asked suddenly. "When you came home you were really quiet. Your grandfather, Okina, and myself wondered how to get you to talk about your first day. Okina tried to make you laugh...and I tried bribing you with candy..."
Misao felt her eyes fill with hot tears. She had every single memory of her grandfather, Okina, and Aoshi stored away in a safe place. She didn't think Aoshi remembered what it was like in the old days.
"But your grandfather suggested that I leave you alone...because he knew that eventually, you'll be able to tell us what happened." He sighed. "I know that our life hasn't been easy since we moved here...but I'm only trying to do what's best for you. Ever since your grandfather passed away, that's all Okina and I have ever been concerned with." He paused, considering his words. "Can you understand that?"
Which in Aoshi language meant don't argue with me. Why did he have to sugarcoat everything?
"Yes," she muttered.
"I don't want either of us to be sitting in your counselor's office anymore," Aoshi continued.
"Okay..." she responded. Anything just to get him out of the room.
"And if you have trouble understanding anything, you can always ask your teacher...me...your friends...or...you can always attend a tutoring session if needed." At her tsking sound, he added, "If needed, I said."
"I heard you the first time," Misao responded.
He remained quiet for several moments. Then he stood up. "Good night, Misao."
No response from her, she chose to ignore him. He probably thought she fell asleep.
Good.
She breathed a sigh of relief after he turned off her light and closed her door.
In his room, Aoshi sat on the bed before running his fingers through his regulation cut black hair.
Misao, he thought.
He didn't ever remember their relationship being so tense. He couldn't even recall when all of it started. What had gone wrong? He and Misao shared a lot of happy memories. She had grown so much...she was becoming a young lady now...and he didn't know how to handle it. He didn't know the first thing about teenage girls. Aoshi sighed, glancing at the photograph of Misao that he kept by his bedside. It was given to him for his birthday three years ago.
When Misao was born, her grandfather asked Aoshi to always look after her. And he had taken that promise seriously. Misao's well-being and successful future had always been he and Okina's concern.
She was spirited and stubborn. Aoshi stared at the wall across his bed. What had happened? Had he failed his old friend? Had he failed as a father? Was that why she was acting like this? Where was the young, energetic girl he had known for the last sixteen years? He just didn't know anymore...
The next morning, Misao spotted a note propped against her breakfast of eggs and bacon:
Misao,
I left for work early. I should be back Friday afternoon. If not, you know who to call, the numbers are on the fridge. I understand you have a quiz on Thursday. Take care and good luck.
-Aoshi
How the hell did he know? Was he going through her planner again? Of all the nosy, sneaky, little...! Chomping down on her slice of bacon, Misao crumpled up the note and tossed it into the kitchen wastebasket.
