InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Few Years Left to Live ❯ A Mocha for Here ( Chapter 2 )

A Few Years Left to Live by Firestar385

 

Summary: Party-boy Miroku's signature pick-up line earns him more slaps than dates. Sango is the only girl who can see beyond it to the hurting young man underneath. MirSan, InuKag.

 

Disclaimer: InuYasha and all its characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. This is written for fun and no money is being made from it. All mistakes are mine.

 

Thank you wonderful people who reviewed. I'm glad that other people share my view of Miroku. I'm also very grateful for the encouraging words left to me in regards to my goals for this story.

 

Chapter Two - A Mocha for Here

 

Miroku's classes ended early in the afternoon. He pulled the strap of his messenger bag over his head and tried to refrain from groaning about how heavy it was. He adjusted the strap so it sat more comfortably on his shoulder. After a long day of sometimes boring lectures, Miroku could only think of one place he wanted to go.

 

The local coffee shop.

 

The joint was popular to many of the students at the college and therefore was quite large. Many people came to study or hang out with friends between classes. The coffee wasn't always the greatest, but it was affordable for those on a tight budget. Miroku was one of their best customers. He loved being around his peers, even if the background noise sometimes made it difficult to concentrate on what he was reading.

 

It took him about fifteen minutes to walk from his building to the coffee shop. By the time he arrived, his shirt was sticking to his back, thanks to the heat. He hurried into the crowded shop with its cooled air and made his way to his favorite table, the one right in the middle of things. To his delight, it was unoccupied. He dropped his bag in one chair and pulled out another for himself.

 

While he waited, he pulled out the book he planned to read for the next hour or so. It was a slim book about Buddhism during the Feudal era, but the writing was cramped and the language heavy, so it would take a long time to get through. Miroku didn't think it would be too miserable, however. He liked reading the stories about the monks, especially the ones that traveled a lot.

 

He had read three pages by the time he realized that a waitress still hadn't come to bring him an oshibori and the menu. He looked around to see who was working. He smirked to himself when he recognized the slim young woman who was diligently ignoring him. He stared at her until she couldn't stand it anymore and turned to face him. With a roll of her eyes, she wove between the tables to reach his.

 

She dropped the damp cloth and menu on the table without word. She turned to leave but Miroku caught her wrist. With a glare, she jerked her arm away from him. “What?”

 

“I'm ready to order,” he said sweetly. “I'll have my usual.”

 

“I don't keep track of what you drink, Houshi.”

 

“But I have the same thing every time, Sango.”

 

“And every time you come in here, I erase the visit from my memory. You may call me Miss Tajiya.”

 

“What did I ever do to offend you so?”

 

“Listen, I'm working, okay. So order or leave me alone.”

 

“A medium mocha, please, heavy on the chocolate.”

 

“Fine.” She snatched the menu out of his hand and made her way back to the counter. As she moved away, Miroku turned to watch her beautiful backside. He had seen very few who could hold a candle to Sango's radiance. When he can no longer see her, he looked back down at his book. Even traveling Buddhist monks weren't as interesting as teasing an uptight beauty.

 

It wasn't long before his attention strayed to the woman seated at the table next to his. She had dyed her hair a dark pink and she had a few piercings in unconventional places. Intrigued, Miroku leaned over to address her.

 

“Hi, I'm Miroku.”

 

“Kaminari.”

 

“What are you reading?”

 

“Manga.” She held open her magazine so he could see the series that she was following.

 

“I love that one,” said Miroku once he recognized it.

 

“You do?” Her eyebrows lifted.

 

“Yup.” This started a conversation about the character development in the series and their differing opinions about where the plot was heading. Miroku was surprised at how similarly he and Kaminari thought. He figured that they could spend hours talking about this topic. He found himself wondering what other series she read, and what else she liked to do in her free time. She was interesting.

 

“Kaminari, I have to tell you something.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“You see, I only have a few years left to live and I'm trying to make the most of what time I have left. Would you do me the honor of making this night memorable and sleeping with me?”

 

“You pervert!” She slapped him - hard. He nearly toppled out of his chair. In a huff, the girl stood, collected her things, and stormed out of the shop. Miroku worked his jaw a few times to make sure she hadn't damaged anything. Satisfied that he would still be able to enjoy his mocha if it ever came, he smiled softly to himself and reopened his book.

 

%%%

 

Sango Tajiya was conditioned to look up when she heard the door to the coffee shop open. Typically, she was a very attentive waitress and always tried to serve her customers as quickly as possible. It made her a valuable employee and guaranteed that she got as many hours as she wanted. It was great help toward paying for school.

 

When the door opened during the middle of her fourth hour at work, her cheerful smile fell and she immediately turned away, pretending to be busy.

 

It was him.

 

Miroku Houshi, the biggest jerk and pervert she'd ever had the misfortune to meet.

 

She dutifully didn't go over to his table after he'd taken a seat and pulled out his textbook. In fact, she didn't attend to any of the tables near his, either. She cleaned the tables around the outskirts of the main room, refilled cups if a customer signaled to her, and sorted through the small selection of merchandise that was for sale near the back of the shop.

 

She survived about twenty minutes before she felt his eyes land on her. Diligently, she wiped her cleaning cloth over the counter and ground her teeth together. She couldn't stand him. Two minutes later, she couldn't take his gaze burning into her back, so she spun around, grabbed a damp towel from the basket and a menu from the tray, and marched over to his table. She deposited the items and tried to make a fast getaway. She was foiled when he grabbed her wrist.

 

The nerve! How dare he touch me! She ripped her arm out of his grasp. “What?” she asked.

 

“I'm ready to order.” He smiled at her. On any other guy, Sango might have thought it was becoming, but she knew this Houshi character. He was disgusting and so were his smiles. The warmth she was feeling in her face was from fury at having to deal with him. “I'll have my usual.”

 

A mocha with extra chocolate. Idiot orders the same thing every damn time.

 

“I don't keep track of what you drink, Houshi.”

 

“But I have the same thing every time, Sango.”

 

Don't address me with such familiarity, you presumptuous bastard.

 

“And every time you come in here, I erase the visit from my memory. You may call me Miss Tajiya.”

 

You better call me Miss Tajiya.

 

“What did I ever do to offend you so?”

 

How can you ask me that with a straight face?

 

“Listen, I'm working, okay. So order or leave me alone.”

 

“A medium mocha, please, heavy on the chocolate.”

 

I knew it. He's so boring, on top of being a lecher.

 

“Fine.” She snatched the menu out of his hand and made her way back to the counter. She ignored the feeling of his eyes on her rear end. Seriously, guys like him should be locked away.

 

She placed his order with her coworker who was in charge of making the drinks that day. While she waited, she noticed that he had struck up a conversation with the pink-haired girl at the table next to him. The girl showed him her manga magazine and actually responded to whatever it was he was saying. Sango wanted to run over and warn her about what the jerk was really like.

 

“Sango, the drink is ready.”

 

“Thanks.” She didn't pick up the steaming mug of chocolate coffee right away. She watched with narrowed eyes as he leaned in extra close to the girl and went for the kill. The kill of any interest the girl might have had in him. Sango made a silent motion of victory when he was slapped hard enough to nearly send him out of his chair. That made her day.

 

“Sango, the drink?”

 

“Just a second.” Her elation quickly dwindled when she saw him smile smugly to himself and go back to his reading like a girl hadn't just left a red handprint on his right cheek. Her thoughts turned dark as she thought back to when she'd first met the comparative religion major, already three months ago.

 

“Welcome to the coffee shop. Here is our menu and a wet towel for your hands,” said Sango to the cute man who had sat down at the most centralized table in the shop.

 

“Thank you very much, Miss…?”

 

“Tajiya. Er, Sango Tajiya.” He had a gorgeous smile.

 

“It's a pleasure, Miss Tajiya. Do you mind if I call you Sango?”

 

“Sure, whatever.” She wanted to be cool about it, but it was difficult when he looked up at her with huge violet eyes.

 

“Sango, then. My name is Miroku Houshi. I'm a regular here but I haven't seen you before. I'd remember someone as beautiful as you.” She should have been alerted by the smooth line but she was willing to overlook it.

 

“I just started working here three days ago.”

 

“That explains it.”

 

“What would you like to drink, Mr. Houshi?”

 

“A medium mocha please, with extra chocolate. And it's Miroku.”

 

“Medium mocha, extra chocolate.”

 

“Thank you.” Sango hurried away from his table, doing her best not to smile goofily as she reported his order to the guy working the coffee machines. She delivered the drink as soon as it was ready, not wanting one ounce of heat to escape.

 

“It's perfect, Sango,” said Miroku after he had taken a sip of the hot drink. She smiled and met his eyes, where something flickered briefly but was gone before she could pay it any mind. “Can I tell you something, Sango?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You've been so nice to me and we've just met, so I feel like I should be honest with you.” She nodded encouragingly. “I have an illness and I only have a few years left to live.”

 

“That's terrible!”

 

“It's sad, but I'm determined to make the most of what time I have left. I will live life to its fullest.”

 

“That's so great that you can have a positive attitude about something so tragic.”

 

“Does it really sadden you that much, Sango?”

 

“I guess.”

 

“Then help make my life memorable. Will you sleep with me tonight, Sango?” As he asked, his right hand strayed out of her sight and landed on her rear end. Instantly, Sango realized that she'd been had. Humiliated, she cocked her arm back and hit him as hard as she could. As she stormed back to the counter, her humiliation turned to anger. She vowed to hate him for the rest of her life.

 

“Sango, the customer's drink!”

 

“Fine, I'm going.” She picked up the drink hastily and some of it spilled over onto the counter she had just cleaned. She made her way to Miroku's table and dropped the cup in front of him. “I hope it's cold,” she said. She turned and got away as quickly as possible.

 

Miroku went back to reading. Sango re-cleaned the counter, shooting surreptitious glances his way every so often. One time, she found him looking at her and their eyes made contact by accident. He winked as if he knew something she didn't. She immediately scowled and looked back away.

 

He really needed a new pick-up line. She couldn't think of anyone who looked more healthy than Miroku Houshi. Who did he think he was kidding?

 

%%%

 

Two days later…

 

Miroku lovingly ran his polishing cloth along the wood trimmings of the control panel on the bridge of the yacht. This was his favorite yacht to work on, half because it belonged to Inuyasha's father and half because it was a beautiful boat. Miroku could easily imagine himself navigating the seas and oceans in such a vessel. In a few short weeks he would be joining the Taisho family on a cruise to their private island. He hoped he could convince Toga to let him steer for a while. The head of the dog demon family liked to steer as well, so Miroku would be in for a battle to gain control of the yacht.

 

It wouldn't be long until Miroku was the captain of his own vessel. He had a tiny little boat, no more than a fishing dinghy really, that he worked on in his spare time. His boss let him borrow supplies to paint, polish, and repair the little boat, understanding how one could be drawn to the open sea. It was nowhere near as grand as the yacht he was currently cleaning, but it was his.

 

Due to his daydreaming, Miroku failed to notice that his reach had exceeded the length of the control panel. His rag flopped to the floor. With a shake of his head at himself, Miroku bent over to retrieve the cloth. As he stood, the bridge suddenly tilted woozily around him and his vision narrowed rapidly. Miroku sat down heavily, hoping to avoid fainting completely. He stayed conscious, but didn't avoid cracking his head on the captain's chair that was bolted to the floor in front of the control panel.

 

Clutching the offended area of his skull, Miroku grimaced and waited for the world to stop spinning around him. Gradually, his peripheral vision returned and his nausea subsided. Thinking that something sugary to drink would help, he pulled himself to his feet and slowly made his way off the bridge and down into the bowels of the ship, heading for the fully stocked wet bar he had cleaned earlier in the afternoon.

 

“Perfect,” Miroku mumbled to himself as he pulled a small can of orange juice out of the mini fridge. He popped the top and drank half of it in one gulp. With his juice and the cool air of the interior of the boat, Miroku quickly started to feel better. “From now on, eat lunch, idiot.” He promised to get himself something to tide him over until dinner as soon as he finished. He returned to the bridge to resume his polishing. He resisted the urge to daydream, determined to finish as quickly as possible.

 

The sound of footstep on the gangway alerted him to the presence of visitors. He glanced down to the deck to see familiar faces coming aboard. It was Inuyasha, Kagome, Inuyasha's brother, and Rin, the small child Inuyasha's brother had adopted. The keen senses of the two youkai quickly located Miroku. Inuyasha waved up at him. Miroku decided the bridge was clean enough and went to join his friends.

 

“Hi, Miroku,” said Kagome. “I knew you'd be working here today, and Rin wanted to see the boat.”

 

“You were right,” said Miroku. “I'm pretty much finished though.” He felt the weight of a curious stare on the side of his face so he turned to look at the offender. He fought the urge to fold in on himself under Sesshomaru's penetrating gaze. He always felt like the inuyoukai could see through him, to things Miroku didn't really want anyone else to know.

 

Fortunately, the youkai seemed to sense his unease and looked away, instead focusing his intense golden gaze on the yacht. “It looks good,” he said.

 

“Of course it does. Miroku does have a thing for boats, after all,” said Inuyasha. He slung his arm around his best friend's shoulders. “If only he had as much luck with the ladies.”

 

“Come, come now, Inuyasha. I simply have not met the right girl yet.”

 

“Keh, at the rate you're going…”

 

“The yacht does look very nice, Miroku,” said Kagome, interrupting her boyfriend. “It sparkles.”

 

“I do my best,” said Miroku. He smiled widely. “The great Lord Taisho deserves no less.”

 

“What're you sucking up for?” asked Inuyasha.

 

“I am simply stating the facts, `Yash. Your father is a great man.”

 

“Liar. You want something.”

 

Miroku sighed at his best friend's lack of trust for his motives. He turned to the older brother. “Sesshomaru, what are the chances of the esteemed Lord Taisho allowing me to guide this grand lady during our trip?”

 

“Not likely,” said Sesshomaru with a hint of amusement. Miroku wilted dramatically and Inuyasha swatted him playfully.

 

“Miss Kagome told me that you have a boat, too,” said Rin. She bounced back over to the adults from where she had been peering over the rail into the muddy dock water.

 

“I do,” said Miroku. “She is a beauty, though not quite as grand as this.”

 

“Can I see her?” Rin's eyes were wide with hope. She turned from Miroku to tug on Sesshomaru's hand. “Can we, please, Sess-papa?” Inuyasha snorted, earning himself a cold look from his older brother.

 

Sesshomaru refocused on his eight-year-old. “I believe the dinghy is on our way out.”

 

“Yes! Let's go, Miss Kagome.” Rin abandoned her guardian to latch onto the older girl whom she idolized. She tugged on Kagome's arm.

 

“Alright, alright. You did say you were finished, didn't you?” Kagome looked at Miroku.

 

“Yeah. Let me just collect my cleaning supplies.” Miroku left the group and returned to the bridge. It didn't take him long to collect the various cleaners and polishes. He wasn't truly put off by Sesshomaru's lack of faith in Miroku's sailing the yacht. Miroku leaned heavily on the idea that hope floats.

 

He rejoined those waiting and the group debarked. They made their way along the wooden dock, half listening to Rin read off the names of all the boats and half making small talk. Occasionally Sesshomaru would have to call Rin back to them when she ran too far ahead or skipped too close to the edge of the dock.

 

“Here she is,” said Miroku. He couldn't help but smile as his little boat came into view. She was nothing compared to the towering yachts and powerful speedboats, but to Miroku she had her own charm.

 

“What's her name?” asked Rin.

 

“She doesn't have one yet. The perfect name hasn't come to me.”

 

“She's small.”

 

“Rin,” chided Sesshomaru.

 

“No, she is small,” said Miroku. “However, since it's just going to be me sailing her, I don't need a big boat. What do you think I would do all by myself on the Taishos' huge boat, Miss Rin?”

 

“You'd be lonely,” said Rin seriously.

 

“Exactly. That is why my boat is the perfect size for me.”

 

“When will she be seaworthy?” asked Kagome as she ran her fingertips along the edge of the boat. Inuyasha was poking at the outboard motor attached to the rear.

 

“Hopefully by the end of summer. I'd like to use the last bit of the break to sail for a while.”

 

“How far could you go in this thing?” asked Inuyasha, looking skeptical.

 

“As far as I want.”

 

“Keh, you'd probably sink before you made it out of the port.”

 

“You are so supportive,” said Miroku blandly.

 

“Someone has to keep you grounded.”

 

“Inuyasha, be nice,” said Kagome. “Don't you think it's dangerous to sail around by yourself?” Her huge chocolate eyes were worried for her friend.

 

“Dad wouldn't let him, anyway,” said Inuyasha. Miroku wanted to argue that Inuyasha's father had no say over what he did, but in truth, he knew that the youkai was quite capable of preventing Miroku's dream voyage. What a bother. Still, it was nice to have someone care and look out for him in the absence of his own parents.

 

“Perhaps we should leave before you say anything else idiotic,” said Sesshomaru. Inuyasha bristled.

 

“Oh, can we get chocolate milk, Sess-papa?” Rin danced around her guardian.

 

“Yeah, bugger off, Sess-papa,” said Inuyasha. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed.

 

“Stop it, you two,” said Kagome. She didn't want to witness another infamous fight between the brothers.

 

“Chocolate milk?”

 

Sesshomaru reigned in his temper at the sound of his child's voice. “You may get chocolate milk.”

 

“Oops.” Rin giggled. “I always say can instead of may.”

 

“Would the rest of you care to join us? We can go to that coffee joint near your school. It will be my treat,” said Sesshomaru.

 

“That sounds like a wonderful idea, don't you think, Inuyasha?” Inuyasha frowned at his girlfriend but didn't argue.

 

“I could use some coffee,” said Miroku. He was feeling tired, likely due to his long day working outside. He also wanted to leave the dock. He knew that Inuyasha didn't know how much his comments hurt. Miroku always laughed them off, just like he joked about everything else in his life. It was his own fault that no one ever took him seriously, and most of the time, he liked it that way.

 

%%%

 

The door to the coffee shop opened and Sango immediately looked toward it. It was a large group of people, but her eyes still gravitated to the young man with the violet eyes. She scowled.

 

“Chocolate milk, chocolate milk,” sing-songed the little girl with one pigtail who lead the group.

 

“Rin, enough,” said a tall, handsome youkai. Sango had never seen those two before, though she recognized the other two people in Miroku's group. She had a class with Kagome and she'd seen Inuyasha around campus.

 

Miroku's favorite table was too small for the group of five, so they took seats around a larger one near the counter. Sango pretended to be busy cleaning the espresso machine. She hoped they wouldn't notice her.

 

“Doesn't this shop have waitresses?” asked Inuyasha, who wasn't a regular.

 

“Don't worry, it'll be a while before we are served,” said Miroku. “Sango is working today and she hates me.” Sango colored and ducked down a bit more behind the machine.

 

“Let me guess… you asked her to sleep with you,” said Inuyasha.

 

“Oh, did you use the `I only have a few years left to live' line, Miroku?” asked Kagome.

 

“Do you even have to ask?” Inuyasha rolled his eyes. His keen nose immediately caught the scent of the hiding waitress. “Yo, some menus, please?”

 

“Inuyasha, show some decorum,” scolded the handsome youkai. Sango straightened her posture and walked over to pick up a few menus and the damp cloths as if she hadn't been hiding from the group. She distributed the items professionally and retreated to the far side of the shop so she wouldn't have to overhear anymore of their conversation. To her annoyance, she kept glancing toward the table. One time she caught Miroku's eye. She instantly scowled and turned away. She picked up her check pad before marching bravely toward the table to take their orders.

 

“Have you selected your drinks?” She looked at Kagome, who sat to the right of Miroku.

 

“Yes,” said Kagome. She smiled brightly at her classmate. Sango took each drink order, starting with Kagome and working her way counterclockwise around the table until she stopped on Rin, to the left of Miroku. The little girl gleefully ordered her chocolate milk. Sango smiled softly at her, wrote down the request, and departed to pass the orders on to her co-worker.

 

“She didn't take your order,” said Inuyasha to his best friend, who was left with his mouth open, about to order.

 

Miroku snapped his mouth shut and grimaced. “She really doesn't like me.”

 

“That kind of behavior is unprofessional,” said the handsome youkai.

 

Sango cringed slightly. She hoped she was the only one to have overheard that comment. Her boss would be quite upset with her. She was still working up the courage to return to the table and apologize when she noticed Kagome leave the table and walk to the condiments stand to retrieve extra napkins. Sango had chosen that as her refuge and therefore couldn't run before her classmate reached her.

 

“Hi,” said Kagome. “You seem a bit flustered. Has it been busy today?”

 

“He always orders the same damn thing anyway!” Sango slapped her hands over her mouth when she realized what she'd just blurted out. Stupid conscience making her feel guilty. Kagome grinned at her and magnanimously ignored her slip.

 

“Are you ready for that test on Wednesday? I didn't think advanced biochemistry could be that… advanced.”

 

“Oh, I'm sure I'll be fine after a few hours of studying,” said Sango, trying to focus on what Kagome was talking about and not on the table she had just slighted. “Biology is my major, so it usually comes to me pretty easily.”

 

“Really? I just don't get it at all. I can see how it's required for nursing, but it's still hard.”

 

“Maybe I could help you study,” Sango offered. She really didn't want Kagome to think she was a snob and her conscience was still eating at her.

 

“That would be wonderful.”

 

“Kagome, how can you be friends with Mir… Mr. Houshi?”

 

Kagome didn't miss her slip. She smiled secretly to herself. “Miroku? He's actually a sweetie once you get past his horrible pickup lines.”

 

“Horrible is an understatement. How can he be so insulting? Is that really all he thinks of m… of girls?” Sango didn't like the way Kagome was smirking at her.

 

“I'm still trying to figure out why he clings to that line,” said Kagome. “Sometimes I think he wants to be rejected.”

 

“What?”

 

“I know, it sounds crazy.” Kagome laughed. “He's a mystery, and a hopeless romantic. He has this idea that somewhere out there is the girl who was born for him and they'll fall madly in love and have dozens of children before growing old together.”

 

“He'll never find her if he keeps using that line.”

 

“Believe me, I've told him that numerous times. There must be some method to his madness.”

 

Sango `hmm'ed. She was pulled out of the conversation when her coworker indicated that the drinks were ready.

 

“Can I help you? There are many drinks,” said Kagome.

 

“Oh, I can get it. Thank you, though.” Sango walked to the counter while Kagome made her way back to the table with the napkins she had collected. Several curious looks greeted her, each wanting to know what she had spent so long talking to the waitress about. She just shook her head and said their drinks were on their way.

 

Sango demurely distributed the drinks, including Miroku's medium mocha with extra chocolate. She had too much pride to apologize in front of the group but she vowed to do so the next time he came in alone. The handsome youkai was right… that had been unprofessional.

 

“See, you do remember my order,” said Miroku with a wide grin.

 

“My coworker remembered,” said Sango. She hurried away and didn't approach the table again until it was time to deliver the bill. In the meantime, she snuck covert glances at the table, trying to equate Kagome's description of Miroku with her perception of him.

 

%%%

 

To be continued in Chapter Three: Getting to Know You… coffee shop discussions between Sango and Miroku.

 

Please let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome.