InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ I'm Goin' To Miami ❯ Invisible Touch ( Chapter 9 )

Hi everyone! LuClipse85 is back from vacation!

“She’s back from vacation?” Koga thought outloud. “You could’ve fooled me. It’s like you were vacation the whole time you were writing this.”

Ah shut up! I was taking my sweet time writing the rough drafts to four stories, including this one, when I got a notice from one of my reviewers to get off my bum and get to work. Thanks sango92! And thanks for calling me lazy! I have skin as thick as paper, but thanks anyway!

“What?! Who called you that and motivated you to continue this story?!” InuYasha demanded.

Sango92, Inuyasha. I just said her name.

(Inuyasha seethes in rage and curses out my reviewer.)

Dude, why’re you picking on her? Everyone who likes this story practically said the same thing. But I apologize for taking so long, people. College or not. I just got through watching VH1’s “I Love the 90s: Part Deux.” That’s the only other time my TV comes on. The primary time is 1:30A.M. Monday thru Wednesday. For you other InuYasha fanatics, I need not explain why.

Anyway, I’ve assured everyone that I’m still alive and continuing “I’m Goin’ To Miami”. Sooo......

HERE WE GO!!

“Somebody shoot me.” Inuyasha griped.

BANG!!!

(Bullet barely misses Inuyasha’s leg)

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YA DOIN’, WOLF!!!?”

Koga put the gun down!

“He wanted somebody to shoot him! So I’m doin’ him the favor!”

“ARE YOU DEAF!? SHE SAID PUT THE DAMN GUN DOWN!!” Inuyasha shrieked.

“Man, where’s Kagome when you need her.” Koga mumbled.

“Can’t we all just get along?” Miroku whined. “Where is the love?......Hojo moment.”

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“Wait a minute!” Koga spoke up.

Dammit! I almost got away with it! Would you shut up and let me get to work!

“Oh step off! I’m just making sure you do your job and say the damn disclaimer!”

What the hell do I need to say the flippin’ disclaimer for?! If I owned the show then I wouldn’t need to say it!! And every single episode credits Takahashi Rumiko-sama as “InuYasha's” creator!! So given that, it’s obvious I don’t own the show!! THEREFORE I DON’T NEED TO SAY THE DISCLAIMER!!!! (pant, pant)

(Inuyasha and Koga stare at me blankly, hair blown back)

Inuyasha spoke up in irritation, “Just say the disclaimer and get it over with, will you? PLEASE?!!”

.....Inuyasha ain’t mine.

“THANK YOU!!”

You’re welcome....so Miroku, what’re ya doin’ tonight?

POW!!!

“Okay, this is getting a bit long. You guys have seen LuClipse85’s disclaimer comics enough to know that Sango smacks the hell out of her for hitting on Miroku and runs off with him. So now the stupid story that you all moronically want to see more of will start now.” Inuyasha walked off, asking Takahashi-sama how much he was getting paid for this.

(The title “Invisible Touch” applies to the scene with Miroku and Sango.)

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I’m giving you all a heads up: angst and violence. I mean, graphic violence. Just a warning so you’re not too surprised.

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  “ ;I’m Goin’ To Miami” Chapter 9 “Invisible Touch”

Sweet dreams. Miroku. I’m so glad to be with you again......

Sango’s soft whisper played in Miroku’s head again. Last night he had heard her speak to him just before he drifted completely off to sleep.

‘Again’? ‘Again’. What did she mean? We’ve only been co-workers on “InuYasha”. But what she said last night and at the luau.... it’s as if she knew me personally. Maybe that wasn’t just a pick up line when I said I was having a bad memory lapse. Have Sango and I known each other before? I don’t think we have, but I can’t get rid of this feeling that we have. Hmmm...

KLONG!

“OWWW!!!”

Miroku shouted and took a few steps back, rubbing his face and forehead. He opened his eyes and stared blankly at the streetlamp pole he had walked into.

“Pole.” Inuyasha said flatly, looking ahead of him but seeing Miroku from the corner of his eye.

“Yeah, thanks. I just felt it.” Miroku answered sarcastically.

Inuyasha stared at Miroku with his unsurprised half-lidded stare, eating his butter pecan ice cream, waiting for his best friend to speak. Miroku read the hanyou’s face, as well as his mind, and gave a look of disdain.

“Inuyasha!” Miroku finally exclaimed. “You thought I was thinking inappropriately of Sango, didn’t you?”

“‘Inappropriate’ being an understatement.” Inuyasha replied flatly.

Miroku scrunched his lips, wondering why he was often thought of that way. “Contrary to popular belief, I was not thinking about Sango in a string bikini or anything of the like. Yet.”

“Miroku, it’s not like I think of you as a pervert twenty-four seven. I’d say twenty-three seven at minimum. But face it, some of the stuff that goes on in your mind would be too much for Playboy!” Inuyasha joked with a grin, knowing that was indeed an over exaggeration.

Miroku cut his eyes at his grinning friend and smirked in good humor, continuing their afternoon tour of downtown Miami. Earlier at the hotel, Inuyasha had gone to Sango and Kagome’s suite to invite them but found a note saying they had left earlier to catch the good sales before everyone else. Given that, he and Miroku left by themselves, leaving Shippo to catch up on the sleep he lost watching the Anime Network marathons on In Demand last night.

As Inuyasha and Miroku walked further down the street, Miroku shared his thoughts about Sango. It shocked Inuyasha a little that for once the actor wasn’t having perverted thoughts about her. Miroku continued, saying he just couldn’t help feeling he had known Sango somewhere other than on the “InuYasha” series.

Inuyasha’s golden eyes looked up at the cloudy sky in thought. “Hey, you two were in ‘Sayonara, Kanashii Houshi’ together, weren’t you? You probably know her from then.” He suggested.

Miroku thought about it. It was true, but halfway into the movie Sango had quit and moved on to another project. The director had the crew create an amazingly realistic CG image of her and continued with the film. Miroku’s memory couldn’t go any further than that and he figured that was the only other time he had known Sango. They were most likely friends when they worked on the movie.

“Keh! I’m just a little surprised you do remember her.” Inuyasha added as he also remembered working on the movie set with them. “You normally don’t remember every woman you grope, but Sango must’ve made an impression when she beat the living crap outta you for grabbing her ass every twenty seconds.”

“Oh please! I did not stroke her bottom every twenty seconds! It was every ten minutes at least, I think.” Miroku contradicted.

Inuyasha noticed that even though Miroku wasn’t being a pervert when he was thinking about Sango, he was thinking about her nonetheless. Quite often ever since the luau. Trying to think of a topic, he brought it to Miroku’s attention. Pretty soon, Inuyasha started a conversation about how Miroku felt about Sango, from his perception. He noticed he liked Sango quite a bit, but didn’t think he had much of a chance with her.

Miroku gave Inuyasha a soft glare. “Okay humor me, Inuyasha. Why do you think that? What, you think maybe I’m too full of myself or something?”

Inuyasha looked back at him as his ears picked up Miroku’s defensive tone. “Chill, will ya? I wasn’t insulting you or nothin’! I was goin’ somewhere with that: I said I don’t think you have a chance with Sango because you’re too much of a pervert!”

Miroku’s glare faded as he stared at Inuyasha.

“What’re you saying?”

Inuyasha nearly fell over, teardropping.

“Your IQ may be higher than mine, Miroku, but you seriously lack common sense! When I say you’re too much of a pervert, that should be self-explanatory!”

“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about, Inuyasha.” Miroku coolly stated, looking away from him. “I am guilty of no such act.”

A vein bulged on the hanyou’s head. It always aggravated him when the actor put on the “saint” act.

“Since you have a selective memory, here’s the news flash for you,” Inuyasha hollered, tensely, “To you, a ‘buffet’ translates to a room full of hot women! Everytime you walk down the streets and there’s a woman in front of you, you give people the impression you’re looking for spare change! And my personal favorite,” Inuyasha stated that sarcastically, “That damn ‘possessed’ hand of yours, almost all the time your right, ALWAYS ends up on a woman’s ass! And then you have a VERY bad habit of being stupid when you’ve been exposed! ‘Hmm. I wonder how my hand got there? It must have a mind of its own. But I must admit it has very great taste’! If the gods would let me, I’d beat some sense into you, Miroku!!”

Miroku stared blankly at Inuyasha, who tried to catch his breath after refreshing his friend’s memory. Miroku noticed a few people staring at them in curiosity.

Miroku smiled at them and tried to send them on their way, “Uh, my apologies, my friend still hasn’t recovered from his hangover yet.”

The small audience nodded and continued on their way. Miroku turned to Inuyasha with his smile, but the hanyou glared at him a little more tensely than before, his eyebrow twitching fiercely.

“If we just go about our business, and forget this little scenario, Miroku, I won’t kick your ass for that.” Inuyasha bargained in a tense whisper, trying to keep his hands on his sides and not enclosed around Miroku’s neck.

“What scenario? You’re the one who accused me of having an impure mind, Inuyasha.” Miroku calmly pointed out, connivingly.

“Because you DO have an impure mind, idiot! As many times as you chase women’s skirts, I’m surprised you haven’t started a collection of their underwear!”

“Y’know, Inuyasha, all the accusations you made may suggest I’m a pervert now. However, they could prove VERY pleasing in the bedroom on my honeymoon night.” A sly grin appeared on Miroku’s lips as a light chuckle was heard.

Inuyasha looked disgusted. “T.M.I., Miroku.”

“It’s ‘T.M.R.’. Get your acronyms right.” His conniving tone still present as he was enjoying aggravating Inuyasha, who snarled at him.

“Well, let’s move on then, shall we?” Miroku stated as he continued down the street.

Inuyasha make a strangling gesture behind Miroku’s back and caught up with him.

After walking a few blocks, “Say Inuyasha?”

“Mm?” Inuyasha grunted back.

“You mentioned me and Sango earlier, so what about you and Kagome?”

“What about me and Kagome?” Inuyasha inquired, sounding a bit hesitant.

“It’s pretty obvious you like her, Inuyasha. I mean, LIKE like her.” Miroku teased.

“Look Miroku, we went over this in the car when we got to the airport. Kagome is not my girlfriend, we’re only friends, got it?” Inuyasha stated. His voice was defensive, but Miroku heard between the lines.

“And you said Koga sucked at fronting. I only asked if you liked Kagome, Inuyasha. Nothing more.”

Inuyasha glanced at Miroku, who looked back at him waiting for some kind of response to his question.

Inuyasha surrendered, thinking that was all Miroku meant, “Well, I find it impossible not to like her. I mean, next to Mama Takahashi, Kagome’s the only one who saw me as a person first and a half-demon second.”

Miroku smiled in satisfaction. “Ahhh, I see.” His sly tone attracted Inuyasha’s attention. “You’ve fallen head over heels for Kagome.”

“I HAVE NOT!” Inuyasha yelled automatically, freezing in his tracks while glaring at the actor. His wide eyes and pink face gave him away as Miroku continued with his sly smile.

“Come now, Inuyasha. You can’t hide your feelings forever. It’s quite obvious you’ve had THOUGHTS about her yourself.”

Miroku began to wonder if Inuyasha’s eyes could get any wider, or his face any redder, as he looked at his best friend with his sly playful smile.

“Where the hell are you goin’ with this, Miroku?” Inuyasha inquired quietly.

“In the past whenever you and Kagome had your usual two-a-day fights, five-a-day on Fridays, you wouldn’t think of apologizing to her. Now, you actually say ‘I’m sorry’ in your own way. And if that’s not convincing enough, you remember that red rose you gave her at the karaoke bar? And the way you presented it to her? In the language of love, that pretty much seals the deal.” Miroku spoke as if he were an expert on love.

He had Inuyasha in a corner, though. The hanyou held his position trying to think of someway to contradict the truth. He stood up straight and turned to the side away from Miroku, folding his arms across his chest.

Miroku’s smile broadened. “Man, Inuyasha. You’re such a poor sport.” He continued to tease. “Your union with Kagome is so obvious. All you need is the diamond ring to make it official.”

The next thing Miroku knew, he felt pain as Inuyasha slammed his fist into his crown! Inuyasha glared at him, his face ridden with embarrassment as Miroku had said he and Kagome were practically married.

“ITAI! INUYASHA!” Miroku screamed at Inuyasha, rubbing his crown.

“You frickin’ idiot! You don’t know anything!” Inuyasha hollered as he hurried down the street from Miroku.

Damn! He read me like a book!

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“What do you think of this one, Kagome? How does it look?” Sango asked as she stepped out of the dressing room of the J.C. Penney women’s department.

Kagome observed Sango in a long red sleeveless gown, slightly envious of her features. She asked Sango to turn around so she could see the back. Kagome eyes widened in amazement. She looked great in that dress! Sango faced Kagome and inquired again.

“Well, are you just gonna gawk all day?” Sango joked, anxious for an answer.

Kagome giggled. “That one! Get that one, Sango! You look fabulous in red! Especially in a red dress that sparkles!”

Sango smiled, flattered and took a look at herself in the mirror. She found herself striking poses like a supermodel, and laughing at herself. Kagome pretended to take photographs of Sango.

“Work! Turn to the left! Work! Now turn to the right! Work! Saché, chanté! Supermodel!” Kagome sang.

Sango rolled up her eyes to the ceiling, still laughing, having a great time. She went back into her dressing room to change into her other dress. When she got it on, Sango looked in the mirror, turning around to see how it looked at all angles. Despite the dress showing off more of her skin than her curves, Sango liked how it looked on her.

“If Miroku saw me in this, he’d explode. His brain would go though complete meltdown.” Sango quietly spoke to herself, the thought of Miroku making her smile. I haven’t been able to get him out of my mind since last night. Just having him close to me made me so ecstatic. Why didn’t you and Inuyasha stay out for several days, Kagome?

Sango leaned against the wall. Looking up at the ceiling and closing her eyes, she became lost in a daydream. Holding Miroku in my arms, that was heaven. I’ll never forget last night, or yesterday. Sango giggled, happily. Oh Buddha, I don’t know how to act. My heart goes crazy everytime I think about Miroku. He’s so kind, and he truly appreciates me. And his touch is....so gentle. Oh man, when he took my hand and kissed it, I swear all the blood rushed from my head! Even when Miroku goes for my butt, he’s still gentle.

“Miroku.....” Sango sighed dreamily as she placed her still bandaged hand atop her heart, feeling it flutter as she daydreamed about her Miroku.

“Sango? Sango, you got the dress on yet? I wanna see it!” Kagome called from behind the door, wondering why Sango was so quiet.

She didn’t get a response. Kagome was just about to knock again when she heard a sound. It sounded like a sigh. Kagome rose an eyebrow in curiosity.

“San-go? You okay?”

“Hmm....” Sango sighed, blissfully.

Kagome’s eyes widened. What’s going on in there?

Sango was still lost in her fantasy, completely forgetting everything else. Finally, she opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling, seeing Miroku smiling at her.

“Miroku....”

Just then, something flew over Sango’s eyes, bringing her out of her daydream. She blinked and then brought her head down.

Kagome was all in her face with a broad smile, scaring the living daylights out of her!

“Whoa! Where’d you come from?!” Sango exclaimed.

“You were too quiet in here so I thought I’d check on you.” Kagome answered with a giggle.

Sango exhaled, regaining her composure. “Okay, I’m fine. So can I get some privacy?”

Kagome backed up and took a look at the dress Sango was wearing. “That one looks real good too. (Chuckle) I could see Miroku right now if he saw you in that dress, Sango. He'd be drooling all over himself!”

Kagome chuckled as she left the room so Sango could change back into her clothes. As she slipped out of the dress, Sango stared at Kagome through the door, wondering if she had read her mind just now.

“Kagome, you didn’t have to barge in like that just because I was quiet. I was just thinking about someone-something!” Sango hoped Kagome didn’t hear her slip-up.

“It’s just as well, Sango. The way you were staring up at the ceiling, you didn’t notice me anyway.” Kagome said, smiling, knowing who was on her friend’s mind.

Sango paused for a second. Now Kagome was too quiet; making Sango suspicious.

“Kagome?”

“You’re still thinking about last night, aren’t you?” Kagome whispered so no one but Sango would hear her.

Sango’s eyes flew open in surprise. The way Kagome presented the question caught her off guard and made her face turn pink.

“I saw how you held him close, Sango. You had your hand on his head and held him under your chin! Plus you looked like you were in seventh heaven with him!” Kagome was grinning ear to ear. “I haven’t seen you that happy in years, Sango. Now I wish I hadn’t woken Miroku up with my giggling.”

“Oh dry up, Kagome!” Sango growled under her breath, embarrassed.

“Oh come on, Sango. Don’t be bitter.” Kagome chirped. “It’s just obvious.”

“Listen,” Sango started, hoping she could convince Kagome to think otherwise, “Miroku just fell asleep on my shoulder and I tried to move so he could sleep on the pillow. Next thing I knew he slid under my chin.”

Kagome stared at Sango through the door with a half-lidded stare, not buying it. “Then why did you let him stay there?”

Sango froze, her face turning a deep red. “W-what do you think, Kagome? I didn’t want to wake him up! Miroku was really tired, so I just let him sleep.” Sango looked down to the side. “Besides, my feelings for him aren’t the same anymore. So the incident didn’t mean anything.” She lied with a saddened tone, recalling that Miroku didn’t remember her at all.

Kagome heard Sango’s tone, and grew sympathetic. “Sango, you should know better than to try to lie to your best friend. Worse, to yourself. You still feel the same way for him, even if it has been several years. That flame’s still burning brightly, Sango.” Kagome said with a soft smile.

Sango’s eyes brightened. She had sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince Kagome. Sango couldn’t deny it when Kagome was right. “Not a good liar, am I?” Thanks, Kagome.

“So based on what went on at the hotel, do you think you’ll make him your man, Sango?”

“Okay, now you’re crossing the line, Higurashi!” Sango shouted, sounding more embarrassed than defensive as she misinterpreted the question.

Kagome snickered uncontrollably, recalling her question and then Sango’s reaction to it. Sango finally stepped out of the dressing room with her two dresses, too embarrassed to make eye contact with Kagome, who was still grinning. Kagome followed Sango as she quickly stormed off to the cashier’s desk.

The door of the dressing room next to Sango’s slowly opened. A man emerged and locked his eyes on the two women.

Kagome continued to inquire about Sango’s TRUE feelings about Miroku as they waited in line.

“You’re being nosy again, Kagome.” Sango growled, trying to not to shout in irritation, “If you wanna know my true feelings, I think Miroku’s a horny flirt who should be arrested for womanizing. Satisfied?”

“Not really.” Kagome quickly responded, not going into detail about it.

Sango rolled her tense eyes upward, getting the idea Kagome was never going to leave her alone about her and Miroku. Kagome set her joking aside for the moment and calmed down.

“C’mon, Sango be real. I won’t tease you anymore. You do like him, at least, don’t you?”

Sango calmed down and turned behind her to Kagome’s anticipating face as she paid for her dresses. She thought about what to tell her, and a small smile spread across her lips as Miroku crossed her mind again.

“If I said I like him, I’d be lying.” She admitted quietly. “It’s a little more than just ‘I like him’.”

Sango looked away from Kagome as she partially confessed. Kagome smiled, happy to see her friend on cloud nine again.

Then something caught her eye, causing her to quickly turn to the side.

Kagome’s eyes darted cautiously at her surroundings. Something nearby was making her nerves very uneasy.

She saw nothing.

Just as she began to turn back toward the cashier’s desk, thinking it was her imagination, Kagome saw something in the distance stand out among the bright colors of the women’s department in the corner of her eye. She slowly turned to look, every nerve in her body on edge.

Her eyes widened in terror.

“Here you go, Miss.” The cashier stated as he handed Sango the receipt for her credit card purchase. “If you don’t mind me saying, I saw you posing in front of the mirrors outside the dressing rooms and you look fab-u-lous in these dresses! Enjoy them.”

Sango couldn’t help but chuckle at his Christopher Lowell accent as she took the receipt and thanked him. Just then, Sango felt Kagome yank her by the arm out of the store.

“Kagome! What-”

“C’mon Sango! I’m starving! If we hurry, we can beat the rush hour crowd at the food court! Hurry!” Kagome said enthusiastically as she hastily pushed Sango out the store.

The man from the dressing room watched as they had gone to the register and glared at Sango the entire time. He watched as Kagome hurried Sango out of the mall and out of his sight. The man continued looking forward with an intense glare.

So...you finally speak the truth, Sango? He said to her inaudibly.

His eyes stared before him a while longer, then narrowed menacingly as they darkened with fierce malice.

So be it. You shall be punished, you insolent whore.

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Kagome didn’t stop nor slow down until she and Sango were in the food court on the other side of the mall. She looked all around, cautiously and then collapsed into a chair, trying to catch her breath. Sango stood beside her with her arms crossed. She just stared, wondering why Kagome dragged her to the food court just for exercise.

“Kagome, what’s with you? Even when you’re hungry you don’t mad dash to the nearest restaurant! Let alone drag me with you!” Sango wasn’t angry, she just couldn’t figure out Kagome’s motive.

“I think you’re safe now.” Kagome panted, slowly regaining her breath.

“Safe? Safe from what? Lunchtime rush hour?” She joked.

Kagome sat up, giving Sango a serious visage.

“Kagome, what is it?”

“Naraku.”

Sango’s eyes flew open. “What?”

“Naraku was in J.C. Penney just now. I saw him just outside the women’s dressing room glaring at you.” Kagome paused. “The thing that scared me was the way Naraku was glaring at you. Like his eyes turned dark with malice.....I can’t really describe it, except.....when I made contact with his eyes, all I saw was evil and my body tensed up and froze. What I saw in his eyes just terrified me as I thought about what he was thinking of doing to you. I panicked and tried to get you out of there as quick as I could.”

Kagome looked down at the floor, somberly as she explained, then looked up at Sango. Her eyes were cast to the side, narrowed with distraught and anguish. They narrowed more, her teeth gnashed and her hand clenched into a tight trembling fist.

“Why won’t that damned stalker stay the hell away from me? He’s already scarred me for life. Why won’t he leave me alone?!” Sango growled under her breath, trying to prevent her other torturous memories from resurfacing.

Kagome’s eyes narrowed as a thought crossed her mind. She shook her head and thought nothing more of it, vowing never to let Naraku hurt Sango again. Kagome stood to her feet.

“Sango, let’s get out of here. If I know that dark bastard, he’s probably left the store looking for you.” Kagome suggested.

Sango nodded her head, trying to calm down. “Yeah. That’s exactly what he’s doing right now.”

Kagome and Sango quickly headed for the exit and practically power walked up the street. Sango looked very somber and saddened as well. As she thought about it, she found it very strange; when Kagome told her Naraku was stalking her again, she wished that Miroku would appear and save her like he had at the beach.

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Miroku stopped to admire the bright sunset as he and Inuyasha walked along a vast railed sidewalk that allowed viewers an awesome view of the ocean, leaning his elbows onto the rail. Inuyasha leaned against it, looking away from the horizon. He didn’t particularly care for sunsets. Though he had gotten over her, they reminded him of Kikyo; she had dumped him during a sunset. When he thought about that, Inuyasha forced himself to glance back in rebellion of his memories.

Miroku stared at the sunset, in deep thought. He had been having deja vu feelings all day and this moment just added to the list. He couldn’t figure out why just about everything he did today had made him think of Sango.

“Yo, Miroku. Why you so quiet?” Inuyasha spoke up.

“Just thinking. I feel like I’m reliving today all over again.” Miroku answered quietly. “What’s your excuse? I haven’t heard a word out of you for a while.”

“Keh. At the moment, trying to get that damned Kikyo out my mind.”

Miroku remembered. “Oh yeah, sunset. Sorry.”

Inuyasha glanced down at Miroku. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just one of those things that jogs my memory is all.” He muttered

Aside from the rushing of the waves, there was silence. Inuyasha’s left ear twitched as he heard familiar sounds nearby. He turned to look and found Sango and Kagome also admiring the sunset a short distance from him and Miroku. Inuyasha looked up at the sky, then brought his eyes down to Kagome. He soon found himself staring at her again, and for some reason, sunset didn’t seem so dark. The minute he saw the sunlight shine on Kagome’s face, everything brightened up.

A small smile spread across his lips. Man. Is there a time when Kagome doesn’t make me smile?

Miroku glanced to the his right after hearing giggling, also finding the two women. He had the perfect view of Sango, who was gazing at the setting sun. Miroku sighed under his breath as he found himself gazing at her again. The sunlight brightened Sango’s brown eyes, making them even more exquisite. The breezy wind gently blew her hair about.

Sango looked like a goddess. In fact, Miroku thought her beauty surpassed that of a goddess. The actor couldn’t restrain a smile as he continued to gaze; however, the smile faded when he observed his goddess’s face.

Something troubled her. There was a sadness that darkened the glow of the sunlight on her face, and it was emphasized in her trembling eyes. Sango’s eyes narrowed slightly, anguish now also evident. Immediately, Miroku wondered what was wrong, wondering if she was in pain of any kind.

Sango stared at the horizon, as if she were in a trance. Kagome brought her eyes from the sunset to Sango; she also noticed her friend’s visage.

But she knew what was bothering her.

Kagome saw Sango’s right hand tentatively reach up her shoulder and rest there. The breeze picked up for a second and blew her long hair gently to the side, revealing a small scar underneath her slender fingers. Her face filled with sorrow and pity as she remembered the incident behind it. Sango noticed Kagome looking at her and turned in her direction.

“Is something wrong, Kagome?” Sango whispered.

“I was just going to ask you that.” Kagome whispered back. “You seemed a little distant right now. You gonna be okay, Sango?” She asked, touching Sango’s hand to comfort her.

Sango looked down to the side away from Kagome and nodded. “I’ll get over it.” She stated a little louder to empower herself. “I’ve done it before, I’m not about to let it get to me again.”

Afterward, there was a silence. The sun was now hovering above the horizon. Kagome glanced back at Sango. She had resumed staring, trying to think of something to get her dilemma off of her mind. Kagome wished Sango would say something. It didn’t matter what. Her silence was so unsettling.

“Kagome?” Sango finally spoke up.

“Yeah, Sango?”

“I was just curious,” She paused for a second, “When you were in Hollywood working on that movie, ‘Kill Bill 3’, what was it like? I’d been wondering about it since you told me several years back.”

Kagome looked up at the sky, all of her memories coming back to her.

“It was something, I’ll tell ya that much. Some days were fun, some days were nerve-wrecking, and some days I wanted to get like Inuyasha and beat the living crap of my co-workers.” She answered, smiling.

Inuyasha chuckled, overhearing her. He didn’t get mad that she made a comment about him; he had days where he wished he tell the other models ‘SIT!’ one hundred times in a row almost every other day.

Kagome continued, “Overall, it was a nice experience. I did an excellent job on the movie, which will be coming to Japan in a few weeks so Inuyasha can finally see it. Everyone was really nice to me. The thing is, I cannot see how anyone could work so hard like that everyday for 8 years! I’d keel over!”

Kagome listed everything she had to, how much the director demanded, all the takes some of the scenes took, how grueling the work was at times and the pressure of the deadlines, complaining about how utterly exhausting it all was.

Sango laughed. “Kagome, you’re lazy compared to Miroku.”

All of them laughed at that one.

That may be true, but at least you know when to take a break. Inuyasha thought as he laughed.

“I enjoyed being on the movie, during the first few days I was really excited.” Kagome’s tone then softened, “After that, I was lonely.”

Inuyasha’s eyes opened and looked into space before him, his ears twitching after hearing that.

She paused, then she smiled happily. “I was going through some of my things and I found a picture Miroku had taken of Inuyasha for me. It was one of the rare times Inuyasha was actually in a good mood, going by my standards. I looked at it for a long while and remembered when we was at the airport. He had actually ran all the way there from his place.”

Sango glanced at Inuyasha in amazement. She didn’t realize he cared about her that much.

“We had finally made up for a fight we had earlier.” Kagome giggled. “Inuyasha was really upset that I was leaving him. When I had told him it was gonna be for four years, he practically went through the roof! And to be honest, I was the same way when the producer told me how long the project would be. Now that I think about it, I really couldn’t blame Inuyasha for being so upset. The producer told me I’d be in America for four years and I started hollering at him.”

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha when she heard him chuckle, “Keh, hypocrite.”

“But when I looked at the picture of him, the thing I remembered most was what he said to me just before I left, ‘You better kick-ass on that movie, or else I’m comin’ over there to kick yours!’.” Kagome went on, that smile never leaving her face.

Miroku cut his eyes in a scolding glare at Inuyasha, thinking that was an inappropriate thing to say to a woman.

“It didn’t bother me at all, Miroku. In fact, that’s what helped me get through the tough times on the set. The way I saw it, Inuyasha just wanted me to do my best and tried to encourage me. Besides, a lot of times no matter what he says, I know when he’s being a jerk and when he’s showing that he cares.” Kagome spoke up, wanting him to hear her. “During those times when I got homesick, I kept telling myself if I could make it until my Christmas vacation, I’d be alright. Then when that time came, I couldn’t hop a plane to Japan fast enough.”

Inuyasha didn’t say anything, but he listened to every word Kagome said.

“It sounds like it wasn’t as bad as you thought it would be, Kagome.” Miroku pointed out.

“Yeah, you had your bad days, but overall I’d say you had a pretty good time on the movie.” Sango added.

“Yeah. I missed being home a lot....”Kagome looked up, wondering whether she should said it or not, then deciding she should. “But I missed Inuyasha the most. I really missed being with him. On several occasions, I gave the director a really hard time because, I guess you could say I was going through withdrawal since he wasn’t anywhere nearby. I remember one night after work, before I left for America, I was feeling depressed about something. Inuyasha didn’t really ask me why I did. He just knew I was depressed. So he pulled me close and just held me in his arms, telling me everything would be alright after I got over it.

“I ended up falling asleep and didn’t wake up until the morning, still in his arms. He was right. I had gotten over whatever I was depressed about and I felt better. Well, one night after working on the movie, I was feeling more depressed than I had then. I was really missing Inuyasha that night. All I wanted was for him to comfort me, but he couldn’t. He was literally on the other side of the world. I laid on my bed and I started feeling worse because Inuyasha wasn’t there, and then....I started crying. I cried until I fell asleep. I had a dream where I opened my eyes and I was in his arms again. He talked to me very softly, asking me what I was depressed about. After I told him it mainly because I missed him so much, Inuyasha held me closer and said, ‘Don’t worry, Kagome. I’ll always be here by your side, so no more tears, okay?’. I looked up and he was smiling at me. A really warm smile. When I woke up, I remembered what he had said and then whenever I got upset like that again, I’d play my dream in my head and I felt so much better.”

Kagome gazed at the darkening horizon during her entire recollection. A second after she stopped talking she snapped out of her daze and found Sango and Miroku looking at her with smiles, causing Kagome to blush.

Inuyasha’s eyes narrowed in thought. She had a dream like that about me? I had a dream several years ago where I was holding her in my arms to make her stop crying. We must’ve had the same dream......Kagome missed me so much she cried? And she went through withdrawal too? Inuyasha put on a light smile, Kagome’s confession made him very happy. His heart fluttered.

“Okay, you guys can stop staring now.” Kagome said embarrassed.

Miroku figured Kagome had had enough teasing and turned back to the horizon. Sango held her position.

“I think that was a very sweet dream, Kagome. I never knew Inuyasha could be that nice.”

What the hell’s that supposed to mean?! Inuyasha’s narrowed glaring eyes shot at Sango, thinking she was mocking him.

“Inuyasha’s like that a lot. He’s a very sweet man.” Kagome sighed, staring at the horizon in a daze.

A very sweet man? Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha thought simultaneously, glancing at her. Can she really say she just likes me (him) after saying that?

Sango’s smile broadened as she watched Kagome stare, daydreaming about Inuyasha. Then an idea came to her.

“So is it safe to say that you just ‘like’ him, Kagome?” Sango inquired with a conniving tone.

Kagome snapped out of her daydream and brought her wide eyes to Sango. “Where are you going with that, Sango?”

“Oh come on, don’t try to hide it. You’ve fallen for Inuyasha! You just said so!” Sango exclaimed, happy for Kagome.

Kagome’s jaw dropped. “I-I only stated something that he did! That’s it! That doesn’t mean I fell for him!”

“So you think after that night, you’d make him your man?”

As if they were in sync with each other, Kagome and Inuyasha’s eyes were as wide as the moon, but Inuyasha’s jaw didn’t drop.

Kagome straightened up and drew back from Sango in shock. “What in the world are you saying, Sango?! You think I’d date an insensitive guy like him?! He almost never called me while I was in America!!”

“You wouldn’t either if you saw the bill!” Inuyasha retaliated. “And why’re you calling me insensitive?! I sent you an e-mail or a letter practically everyday!”

“Oh so now you’re being cheap!? Did you ever think it’d be nice if you called just to say ‘hi’?!” Kagome hollered.

“Does it make any damn sense to call you on the other side of the frickin’ planet just to say something I could send through Instant Messaging, Kagome?!” Inuyasha screamed back.

“THAT’S why I called you insensitive, Inuyasha! BECAUSE YOU ARE INSENSITIVE!!”

“AND YOU’RE AN IDIOT!! WHO’S GOT THE DAMN PROBLEM HERE?!!”

“YOU ARE SUCH A JERK!!”

Sango held her lowered head in her palm, a huge teardrop on her head. Her plan to get Kagome to say her true feelings to Inuyasha TOTALLY backfired. (A/N: Well, she should’ve known better.)

“Ya just had to get them started, didn’t ya Sango?” Miroku stated half-jokingly, staring at the horizon with a half-lidded visage, also teardropping.

Sango groaned, wishing she’d gone with her instincts and just said nothing.

The war continued.

“YOU KNOW WHAT?! YOU AIN’T NEVER GON’ CHANGE!!” They screamed simultaneously, staring at each other for one second when they realized it.

“I’M GETTING THE LAST WORD!!”

“OH NO YOU NOT!!”

“OH YES I AM!!”

“DAMN!!”

Inuyasha and Kagome turned away from each other, huffing, scowling and pouting, wondering why the other had to be that way.

Miroku bit his lip, trying to not let his snickering be heard. He hadn’t shifted at all since the fight started, but he could just imagine how childish Kagome and Inuyasha looked. If only Yura could see them right now. He thought with a smile.

The sun was halfway down the horizon. Miroku just noticed how quickly it was starting to get dark. He turned toward Sango to say they should start heading back to the hotel.

His smiled washed away.

Sango’s troubled anguished visage had returned.

She was just smiling a minute ago. Now she’s upset again. Sango, what’s wrong? Miroku pondered in deep concern. He started anguishing himself trying to figure out what was bothering her.

Miroku cleared his throat and announced they should start heading to the hotel. Inuyasha’s eyes popped open when he realized something. He turned to the horizon, the sun was now a little less than halfway down.

“Yeah, I’ll see you guys at the hotel!” He said hastily.

Inuyasha ran like Marion Jones back to the hotel! At first Kagome wondered why he was in such a hurry, then she remembered.

“He can never get enough Rurouni Kenshin, can he?”

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::

It was a beautiful clear night as Miroku sat outside on the balcony of his and Inuyasha’s suite. He read some of the graphic novels he had brought with him should he happen to have been awake during his vacation; his favorites being “D.N.Angel” and “Maison Ikkoku”. He had closed the glass slide door to drown out the noise Inuyasha and Shippo were making as they played video games in the living room. It was mainly coming from Shippo since he was losing, but then Inuyasha was gloating pretty loudly himself.

Then Shippo made a comeback and Inuyasha acted like a very sore loser.

“Cheating! That’s an illegal hundred-hand slap! HEY REF! The fox is cheating!” Inuyasha hollered at Miroku.

“Sorry, can’t hear ya.” Miroku replied, not taking his eyes on his manga.

“Inuyasha, stop acting like a baby! It’s not my fault you couldn’t move fast enough!” Shippo yelled back, trying not to laugh at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha took notice of Shippo’s actions. “Knock it off, kit! You’ve been snickering like that since I got back!”

Shippo’s grin only broadened, finding Inuyasha’s moodiness very amusing. “It’s not my fault it’s that time of the month either. You got cramps to go with the mood swings?”

Shippo cracked up at his joke, thinking it was very clever of him. Inuyasha didn’t find it amusing at all.

“WHY YOU LITTLE....!!!” Inuyasha yelled as he lunged at the fox and wrapped his hands around his throat, squeezing tightly.

Shippo gagged and tried to pry Inuyasha’s hands away. “HELP! MIROKU! CHILD ABUSE!!”

“You’re not a child, Shippo! So this ain’t child abuse!”

A thick book flew through the opened slide door and into Inuyasha’s head, knocking him off of Shippo. The fox sat up rubbing his throat and gasping for air.

“Thanks, Miroku. Ranma over here went totally mental on me.”

“I warned you not to say that joke around him, Shippo.” Miroku stated, looking up at him from his Maison Ikkoku manga.

“I know, but I couldn’t help it! It’s funny!” Shippo smiled, thinking it really was.

Miroku stared at Shippo, then went back to his reading. “Okay, but if you say that joke again, you’re on your own.”

“What’s the deal labeling me that damned idiot Ranma, Shippo?!” Inuyasha hollered, slightly offended.

Shippo cut his eyes at Inuyasha, observing his appearance and silently answering the hanyou’s question. “Good grief, Inuyasha. Do you still have your demon strength? I thought you were weak on night’s like these.”

Inuyasha rose his fist at Shippo. “Just ‘cuz I’m human don’t mean I’m completely weak, Shippo! Remember that!”

Shippo gave Inuyasha a skeptical lopsided smirk. “You should be telling Miroku that, Inuyasha. I’m a kid so you don’t really get bragging rights.”

Several veins popped onto Inuyasha’s head as he growled, his fist shaking. “You don’t know when to shut up do you!?”

“I’m sorry, Inuyasha. I didn’t mean to get you worked up again. Can I get you some Midol to ease your pain?” Shippo grinned impishly, getting a kick out of making fun of Inuyasha in his current state.

“THAT’S IT, FOX!! YOU’RE DEAD!!!” Inuyasha screamed, lunging at Shippo.

Shippo yelped and shot away from Inuyasha just as he was about to pounce on him. The two ran all around the living room, Shippo pleading for mercy and saying he was only joking. Inuyasha hollered Shippo shouldn’t have been so hard headed and listened to Miroku.

Miroku watched as Inuyasha and Shippo ran around the living room like children, smirking. And for some reason, since he technically told them to behave, he felt like their mother.

“I told him.” Miroku said flatly, going back to his novel.

He hadn’t even read the whole page of the Maison Ikkoku manga when he saw Kyoko looking sad and Yusaku couldn’t figure out why; immediately reminding him of Sango.

The minute Sango entered his mind, Miroku closed the book and set it aside. He knew perfectly well by now that it was impossible for him to think about anything else when he thought of her. Miroku sighed and looked up at the moonless night sky, seeing Sango’s face and recalling the anguished look she had.

Miroku narrowed his eyes in concern, wondering what was wrong. “She looked as though she were in pain, emotional pain. I wish I had asked her what was upsetting her; I wanted to, but something strongly told me not to.” He quietly thought aloud to himself.

The image of Sango looking saddened caused Miroku to feel sad himself. Ever since that evening, it bothered him to see her like that and he badly wanted to make her smile again. If it would make her happy, Miroku would put on that act he did at the karaoke bar again. Exhausted or not. All he wanted was to see her happy.

Miroku blinked in surprise, his mind ceased wandering. What was that feeling in his heart he had just now? When Sango was happy, he was happy. But when he saw her saddened, he felt miserable. It practically agonized Miroku that Sango wasn’t happy and he couldn’t do anything for her. Based on how distant Sango seemed when they all caught a taxi back to the hotel, she really didn’t want to talk about it and Miroku respected her privacy.

“Sango,” Miroku whispered, looking up at the stars, “Why are you so troubled? Has someone hurt you?”

As he lowered his eyes back to eye level, something entered the corner of Miroku’s left eye, causing him to look.

It was a young woman walking from the other side of the hotel across the pavement towards the pool. Miroku started to turn away, then he looked again and found it was Sango. She was wearing a baby pink t-shirt, exposing much of her shoulders and her flat stomach, short blue jean shorts....and that anguished look from earlier that evening. Sango had a small smile on her lips, but her lowered brown eyes showed her true feelings. She continued walking until she stopped at the edge of the pool, staring down at her reflection.

The lamp lights shone brightly on her delicate pale skin as she stood. The lights shone brightly on her, but her face was still darkened. Miroku stared helplessly at Sango, unable to take his eyes off of her beautiful body. He started from her perfect bare feet, up her long gorgeous legs, her round bottom, her slim waist, her curves and stopped at her heavenly face. Miroku still saw Sango as a goddess, though it wasn’t her physical beauty that made him think so. Sango’s strong and gentle inner beauty only enhanced that of the outside.

Sango continued to stare down at her reflection, depressed. Tentatively, her hand trailed up her left arm to her neck. Her fingers stopped and caressed a spot near her shoulderblade. They touched a scar that was hidden under her dark brown hair. Sango’s face showed an expression of sorrow as she remembered that was only the upper region of the scar. All across the center of her back, along the right side of her spine and across her right shoulderblade was a large terrible scar that plagued Sango almost to point of insanity of many occasions.

Her hand shook as her face grimaced slightly in anguish, her memories were coming back and she couldn’t stop them. Sango lowered her head more, a black mask covering her eyes as she struggled to keep herself from whimpering, or crying. No matter what she wore to cover it, no matter how much make-up she put on it to hide it when she wore tank tops in the summer, it was still there. It was still there and would remain there for the rest of her life.

As would her memories of how it came to be.

(Flashback: Sango’s Memories. Three Years Ago)

Sango had just finished her last concert in Nagasaki during her tour across Japan late that evening and was ready for some shopping. Kagome and three of her friends had begged Sango to take them with her, and she agreed. After the concert, the five of them had their own tour of downtown Nagasaki, checking out almost all of the stores.

Sango peeked at a store next door that had caught her interest as she waited for the others outside. After looking inside, decided to go in, thinking she’d only take a few minutes. She ended up looking around the store for an hour and upon leaving, discovered Kagome and the others were gone.

Sango walked along that street, thinking they had gone to one of the stores nearby. She didn’t find them. She tried to call Kagome on her cell phone, but couldn’t get through. She tried again, and again she couldn’t reach her. Sango walked around looking for Kagome, but could not find her.

She sat inside a coffee shop that was still open. Sango was beginning to get worried. It was getting late and many of the stores were closing. As the stores closed, the neon lights became scarce, making the streets quite dark. Sango looked at her watch, it was almost ten. She then remembered a store that Kagome’s friend, Yuka, had mentioned wanting to go to after they had looked at all the others first and thought they might be waiting for her there. Sango asked her waiter for directions to the store and headed for it.

Sango walked so fast she was practically jogging there. She was a strong woman and could take care of herself, but she wasn’t overconfident about her strength. As she continued power walking, Sango suddenly felt a shiver shoot down her spine. She spun around and looked behind her down the street.

There was nothing but the light of the streetlights.

Sango resumed her walk. Then she felt it again but with greater intensity. She kept walking, glancing behind her.

Still she saw nothing.

Her eyes narrowed with caution. That hiraikotsu would be good about now. She thought. Sango continued again. The waiter had told her the store stayed open until 2 in the morning and was about six blocks away from the coffee shop, to him it wasn’t far. Sango frowned when she realized he had failed to tell her the blocks were pretty long.

A distant sound entered Sango’s ears, making her blood run frigid.

Footsteps.

Her body now on edge, Sango stopped, her eyes darting all around her surroundings. She still couldn’t see anyone else on the isolated street, but the footsteps could be heard perfectly.

Her heart raced. There’s someone else here! Damn it! Why’d I go in that damn store?!

Sango tried to figure out which direction the person was coming.

From behind her.

Immediately, Sango took off and ran up the street as fast she could. She was approaching a crosswalk when she listened and heard the footsteps picking up.

She was being chased!

At the rate they were going, whoever it was would catch up to her. Sango turned and ran down an alley between two buildings.

A dead end.

“Damn..!” Sango hissed as she stared at the wall, beginning to panic.

“My, my, what luck I’ve had tonight. A beautiful woman in an alley waiting for me.” Said an ominous voice belonging to a man.

Sango’s body froze, her wide eyes looking behind her. She quickly pulled out a dagger from her purse and spun around in a fighting stance, ready to fight.

“Don’t think I’m helpless! If you wish to live, leave me!” Sango held the dagger in one hand to back up her threat.

Sango couldn’t see her opponent as he stood in the shadows of the alley’s entrance. A sinister chuckle came from him.

“Shall we dance?”

Just as Sango thought she recognized the man’s voice, he came at her with incredible speed. Sango evaded his fist as it flew toward her face. She send a fierce roundhouse kick into his back, slamming him into the ground. He made a quick recovery and moved out of the way back into the shadows just she sent the dagger at his back.

An intense fight followed. Fists flew at each other, Sango’s dagger sliced the man’s black coat, they both exchanged martial arts moves. The man came at Sango again and threw his fist at her. She evaded him, grabbed his arm and flung him over her shoulder. He did a mid-aerial flip and landed gracefully on his feet. The man stood before Sango calmly. He didn’t seem to be phased at all that if he screwed up Sango would kill him. In fact, it looked like he didn’t care.

“Very good. Very good, indeed.” The man complimented her, an ominous tone still in his voice. “But you are at a disadvantage, you are growing weary from exerting so much energy. Once you’ve slowed down, it’ll be easy to subdue you.”

Sango stood her ground, breathing heavily. Traces of blood and occasional bruises on her.

“It’s unwise to underestimate your opponent. I won’t lose to the likes of you.” Sango declared, boldly.

The man grinned and laughed. “You wear a mask to try to deceive your opponent. You try put on such a brave front, but you are only fooling yourself. Tonight, I shall finally get what I desire.”

Sango felt even more uneasy. “And just what would that be?” She snarled.

“Only what rightfully belongs to me, darling.”

“Don’t play with me! What is it you want from me?!”

Slowly, the man approached the moonlight and stopped just in front of it.

“All I desire...is you, dearest Sango.”

Sango’s eyes flew open as she lost her breath, almost losing her grip on her weapon.

The man had long black hair, pale skin and stared at her with blazing red eyes.

“Na-Naraku.....” Sango gasped in a whisper.

He sensed her fear, fear she had tried to hide from him. Before Sango could move, Naraku lunged at her. In one fell swoop, he knocked the dagger from her hand, punched her in her jaw sending her spinning and slammed her body into the ground on her stomach.

Naraku glared down at her as Sango lay dazed. She glanced up and tried to get on her feet. Naraku moved quicker than she could and sat on her lower back, grabbing her arms and with one hand, held them against her back.

Sango screamed and cursed Naraku, ordering him to release her.

“GET THE HELL OFF ME, YOU SON A BITCH!! GET OFF ME!!”

“Did you think you could escape me if you became a pop star and went on tour, Sango? Did you really?” He inquired, knowing she wouldn’t answer. Naraku pulled on Sango’s hair, pulling her ear close to him. “I thought you’d have the sense to know you could never get away from me.” He hissed in her ear. “It appears I gave you too much credit, you stupid bitch.”

He shoved her head into the ground away from his face. Sango glared up at him, fiercely, gnashing her teeth.

Naraku looked down at her in disgust, then spit in her eye. “Revolting. You make me sick.”

Sango strained from under Naraku’s grip, “I don’t get a kick out of looking at your ugly face either, Naraku!”

Naraku narrowed his glaring eyes. He released her hair and send an iron hard fist into her upper back, making Sango yell in pain.

“What did you say to me?” Naraku hissed in a threatening whisper.

Sango glared into Naraku’s eyes with burning hatred and hissed, “You sicken me!”

Naraku grabbed Sango’s hair in a tight fist and drew her head up. She strained in agony as she could feel her scalp throb and begin to bleed.

“What did you say to me, bitch?” Naraku growled a bit louder.

Getting pissed off, Sango let herself go, “You sicken me, you fucking asshole!!”

Naraku stared at her with an emotionless face, then slammed her head into the ground again. Sango could feel the pavement scrape her skin. She thrashed about underneath Naraku, screaming and yelling vicious curses, threatening to kill him once she got free.

Naraku tightened his grip on Sango’s wrists, moved her long hair to the side and ripped her white shirt off of her back. She tried with every ounce of strength she had to break free of his grip, then suddenly froze, her eyes widened and trembled.

Naraku had taken hold of Sango’s dagger and slowly dragged the tip against her skin going in a path all around her back. He stopped and gently pressed the tip into her back, drawing a tiny bead of blood. Naraku held it there as he released Sango’s wrists, tightly gripped her left shoulder and leaned onto her, pinning her firmly to the ground.

Sango laid perfectly still, her heart pounding like mad and her breathing heavy but quiet. Naraku resumed dragging the tip of the dagger along her back, his red eyes calmly following it. Not a word escaped from his lips.

Naraku put Sango through that torture for a solid minute.

Dear Buddha, what is he going to do to me?

“It seems you have forgotten, Sango.” Naraku finally spoke up, quietly. “When I wanted to make love to you, you pushed me away. Simply put, you rejected me.”

“Make love, nothing, Naraku!” Sango snapped. “You tried to rape me! There was no way I’d let you abuse me like that! Ahh!”

Sango winced as Naraku applied slight pressure to the dagger, cutting into her skin, telling her to be silent without saying a word. He assumed she understood when she said nothing more.

“That was a minor offense. One of which I could easily let go of.” He slowly continued. “But then you broke off our engagement to each other....”

Sango cried out in pain, gnashing her teeth. Naraku’s face was still emotionless. He applied slight pressure to the dagger as he dragged in against her back, cutting into her skin and watching her blood run off her sides.

“You severed a sacred bond like it was nothing. I can never allow such an abominable act to go unpunished, Sango.”

Sango grimaced as her cuts were now burning as a breeze blew on them. “You damn heathen. It’s only a sacred bond when you get married! And even if we had, I’d have done the same! I refuse to marry someone who’d only live to give me hell!”

Naraku’s emotionless face never changed. He removed the blade from Sango’s flesh.

“A heathen, am I?”

His tone sent a fierce chill down Sango’s spine.

“Heathen or not, it doesn’t change a thing.”

Sango felt Naraku move and looked up at him. Her eyes widened in terror. Naraku had the dagger in his hand, raised in the air.

Her heart beat even faster as she guessed what he had planned.

“You have forgotten your place, Sango.” Naraku stated coldly as he rose the blade higher in the air and glared into Sango’s terrified eyes. “I will remind you of who you are.”

He said nothing else and savagely slashed deep into Sango’s pale flesh. Sango’s blood-curdling shrieks echoed throughout the area. Her blood splattered all over Naraku, who only delighted in seeing her scream and writhe in agony. When he had gotten his fill, Naraku stopped and looked at his handiwork.

Sango’s back was mutilated, the flesh in parts of her back either in ribbons or missing. Blood poured heavily from the lacerations. He brought his eyes up and looked at his victim’s expression. Sango’s eyes were shut tight, her teeth gnashing hard, her harsh groans as she lay there in agony were music to his ears.

Naraku smiled sadistically in satisfaction. He then bent down and placed his lips on Sango’s wounded back, drinking a significant amount of her blood. Sango yelled as his lips added to the intense burning she was already feeling.

Naraku pulled away when he felt himself grow full. “The blood of such a gorgeous thing is truly delicious.” He moved up and whispered in her ear with a demonic smile. “You belong to me, Sango. You are eternally marked as mine.”

Sango lay still on the ground, then her body began to tremble.

She gnashed her teeth harder, growling. Her left hand balled into a fist.

“Get...the hell...OFF OF ME!!!!”

Sango propped herself up, and forcefully knocked Naraku off of her into the wall! She fought off her agony and stood on her feet, covering her exposed breasts, glaring down at Naraku and seething in rage.

“I AM NOT YOUR PROPERTY, YOU SICK BASTARD!!”

Sango’s pain quickly overtook her and she began to sway as she grew weak from loss of blood. Naraku took advantage of her distraction and lunged at her. He drew out an iron pipe that had hung from the belt under his black coat like a sword and fiercely struck Sango’s right thigh and then slammed it into her lower ribcage!

She screamed as the pipe shattered her bones! The excruciation that shot through her leg caused her to fall onto her back. Naraku fell on top of Sango and pinned her arms to the ground, watching her strain. Sango opened her eyes and found him staring down at her, hungrily.

Naraku’s lips broadened into a malicious grin. “I’ve marked your flesh as mine. I will claim your body as mine as well!”

Immediately, Sango realized the real point of Naraku’s attack. Completely frightened, she screamed as loud as she could for help, still struggling to escape. Naraku did nothing to stop her. Gazing at her terrified expression and listening to her turned him on more. Sango grew weaker and weaker as she continued struggling; her body grew weary from her injuries and a small puddle of blood was forming around her back.

Naraku saw that Sango was beginning to lose consciousness. He increased his grip in one of his hands and removed the other to draw down his pants. Then he drew down Sango’s, torturing her more as he took his time removing her underwear.

Naraku paused to watch Sango. She had completely stopped struggling, breathing heavily as she had exerted the remainder of her strength. He chuckled loudly at her condition, separating Sango’s legs and situating himself between them.

“Now Sango, you will become one with me.”

At that moment, Sango broke down in tears, desperately begging for help. “Help, please.....Miroku....Miroku, save me please....”

Naraku froze and lost his drive. His red eyes glowed fiercely with rage when Miroku’s name entered his ears.

“You dare say that name in my presence, you whore!?”

Naraku was just about to strike Sango to death when a bullet shot through his shoulder! He screamed and moved away from Sango as another bullet shot into his arm. Naraku looked up to see who dared to stop him.

His eyes narrowed as he snarled viciously.

It was Kagome! She and her friends heard Sango screaming and came to her rescue before Naraku could rape her. She stood at the entrance to the alley, aiming her .44 automatic magnum at Naraku, looking very pissed off.

“Damn you to hell, Kagome...!” Naraku cursed and leapt up through the shadows to the top of the buildings and ran off.

Kagome shot at Naraku trying to kill him, but he was too swift for her. She cursed him under her breath, swearing he was like the devil. She heard Sango groan and brought her eyes down.

“Oh God....SANGO!!”

Kagome screamed and ran to Sango’s side, her friends following her. Kagome held Sango in her arms, crying out for her to hang on. Thankfully, Ayumi always carried a first aid kit in her purse wherever she went in case of an emergency. She, Kagome, and Yuka quickly tended to Sango’s wounds while Eri called an ambulance.

(End flashback)

Sango stood by the edge of the pool, curled up in fetal position as she held onto herself. Her hands shook fiercely.

The entire memory replayed in her mind down to the last detail. She remembered seeing Kagome’s face, crying in happiness that she had been spared from Naraku defiling her and then passing out. She had woken up in the hospital several days later and saw Kagome and her friends sitting beside her bed. Unable to hold it any longer, she broke down in sobs while Kagome hugged her. Sango even remembered the specific choice of words Kagome labeled Naraku as she tried to comfort her.

Sango remembered everything and wondered to herself why she hadn’t gone insane yet.

Her breathing grew ragged as she recalled all the agony she underwent and how she had never been so terrified in all her life. What enraged her most was that he had tried to take away her humanity and practically branded her like an animal.

To Naraku, Sango was nothing. Not even human.

“Damn you, Naraku.” Sango whispered inaudibly.

Sango got a grip on herself to stop her trembling hands. She just wanted to forget about him. Even if it was for a short while, she just wanted to erase Naraku from her mind. Sango closed her eyes, took a deep breath and released him from her mind, then lifted her head to the sky, her mind at peace. Sango opened her eyes and admired the stars, putting on a small smile.

Miroku never once took his eyes off of Sango as she stood by the pool. He was spellbound at how her beautiful brown eyes sparkled brighter than the stars. He was so mesmerized he didn’t recall if he had been breathing. The longer Miroku gazed at her, the more he felt his heart flutter. However, he was immediately brought back to reality when she watched Sango’s expressions during her horrid recollection. There was severe anguish all over her face and she had been holding herself in fetal position looking frightened. Several times, Miroku saw her grimace her face like she was in pain. At one point, he thought he heard her whimper.

Sango took a seat and let her legs soak in the water. Listening to the sound as she swished her legs through the water calmed her down more. She looked up at the stars again, noticing how a few of them twinkled. Sango sighed, feeling at peace when she saw something out the corner of her eye. She turned and found the balcony, and Miroku gazing down at her.

Her eyes locked onto his. Sango stared deep into Miroku’s handsome indigo eyes, recalling her memories of him made her smile. She remembered his “first-aid” treatment when she had cut her hand yesterday, making her smile broaden.

Miroku saw Sango gazing at him with her smile and he gazed even deeper at her, her smile just making him melt.

Sango caught herself and realized she was staring at Miroku. She turned a bright pink, looking embarrassed, and shyly waved at him. Miroku blinked, his senses telling him Sango had just waved at him; he smiled and waved back at her. Sango smiled and went back to looking at her reflection in the water, looking a little forlorn.

Miroku saw Sango looked a bit lonely. He glanced at the books laying in his lap and sighed. smiling. “Well, I won’t be finishing these any time tonight.”

Sango continued swishing her legs through the water, then started splashing them about. She smiled in amusement as water droplets flew in the air and sparkled in the light. Sango paused then used both of her legs simultaneously to throw the water higher into the air, leaning further back to watch it fly.

“Looks like you’re having fun, Sango.”

Hearing a familiar voice, she leaned a little further and found Miroku in a dark violet Nike tank top and black swimming trunks standing over her. He smiled warmly as some the water fell onto his head. Feeling a bit childish, Sango just smiled back at him and sat up.

Miroku asked if she would like company, then sat down beside Sango after she nodded. He glanced at her from the side, she had gone back to staring at her reflection with that saddened face.

“Is everything alright, Sango? You seem a little upset.” Miroku asked softly, not wanting to force the truth out of her.

She glanced up at him and found Miroku looking at her, his eyes filled with worry and concern. Sango gazed into his eyes, then turned away.

“No, I’m fine.” She lied.

Sango wanted to tell Miroku, but then had a feeling of helplessness. She decided not to as he couldn’t help her with this type of problem.

Miroku could see the sadness in Sango’s eyes. She says she’s fine, but I can tell by looking in her eyes that she’s not. He brought his eyes up to the moonless night sky, thinking. I can’t force it out of her, so I’ll wait until she’s ready to talk.

Miroku’s eyes searched the stars and pointed upward, moving his index finger around in various patterns. Sango looked at him and the sky; when she couldn’t figure out what he was doing, she finally asked. Miroku replied he was just playing connect the dots with the stars, making various pictures. Sango rose an eyebrow, not quite understanding. Miroku had her follow his finger as he made a picture of a swan and the kanji character “chikara”(power). After that, she got it and did a few herself. She connected a large group of stars and then sat back, smiling proudly at her work.

Miroku looked up at Sango’s “picture”, “So what’s that one supposed to be, Sango?”

“My best work of art yet. I call it, ‘The Surly Half-Demon’.” Sango explained with a smile as she said it was a face Inuyasha had once made when his favorite store ran out of ramen.

They both got a good laugh, enjoying themselves.

Miroku continued connected the stars as Sango sat back quietly and watched him. She glanced up at the sky and back at him several times. Miroku glanced at her and saw her looking at the water again, then caught her as she looked up at him. He smiled in amusement as Sango looked surprised. She turned her eyes away, trying to think of something to say.

“A-Am I annoying you, Miroku?” Sango asked tentatively.

“No, I just have a feeling there’s something on your mind.” He answered softly.

Sango looked at him. “If you feel that way, why don’t you have me tell you?”

“I’ve noticed you’ve been like that ever since this evening during the sunset, but I didn’t say anything because you looked like you didn’t want to talk about it.” Miroku responded, still smiling. “I can’t force you to talk about anything if you don’t want to, Sango. But whenever you’re ready, I’ll listen.”

Sango looked into Miroku’s smiling face and felt a little more comfortable. Sango brought her legs out of the pool, hugging them close and resting her chin on her knees and she again looked away from Miroku.

“Miroku, how do you see me?” Sango asked, not knowing to start the conversation.

Miroku looked a bit confused, wondering where to start. But instead of answering, he asked why she would ask him that.

She hesitated for a second, then spoke quietly. “It’s not like I go by other people’s opinions of me, but....I don’t think I think much of myself.”

Now Miroku looked really confused. “How do you mean, Sango?”

“I feel because I’m a woman, I’m weak by nature. I hear that a lot from other people. In fact, since I am a woman, they actually expect it. I try not to be that way. I like people to think of me as a strong woman and not a weakling.”

Sango paused, trying to gather the nerve to just say how she really felt. “Lately, I feel like I’ve been wearing a mask all of my life. Like I’ve only been pretending to be strong, but inside, I really am just a weakling.” Sango unconsciously hugged her knees closer. “Based on certain incidents that happened in my life, I feel like I’m not worth anything. It aggravates me when I feel that way, because that’s not the way I was raised, and it’s just my nature to act strong. But I can’t help feel like I’m worthless. And because I try to act strong, I often question my worth as a woman.”

Sango looked up at Miroku, finding him looking at her sympathetically. He had given her his undivided attention like he had promised. He was quite surprised to find Sango suffered from low self-esteem, seeing how she carried herself and how she behaved.

He smiled and looked into Sango’s eyes. “If someone told you that, Sango, they’re lying. When I see you, I always admire the way you carry yourself, like royalty. I’ve seen quite a few of your concerts and with all that energy you display, you’re up there with T.M. Revolution. And if your friends were in trouble, you wouldn’t waste one second to help them. You are not a weakling. You are indeed a strong woman, Sango.”

Sango swore she saw Miroku’s eyes twinkle as he spoke to her. She smiled, encouraged.

“And just because you’re a woman doesn’t mean you’re weak by nature,” Miroku continued, “Men are weak sometimes too. Even I’ve had days where I felt worthless.”

Sango sat up and stared in incredulity at Miroku’s confession. “YOU? Of all people, you have days like that?”

Miroku chuckled at her reaction. “Yes. I suppose most people would be surprised by that. There were many times during some of my movie projects where I’d get depressed because I didn’t do so well on the set that day. That would lead me to think I was worthless as I didn’t live up to my reputation as an actor. I even remember once when I had low self-esteem about how I looked.”

Sango couldn’t believe this. Houshi Miroku, Japan’s Hottest Actor once had low self-esteem about that? “This one I gotta hear.”

Miroku found Sango’s reaction funny. “This happened with a girl I had a crush on quite a while ago.”

A while ago? Sango pondered, hopefully. “Was this a couple years ago, Miroku?”

“No, I was thirteen at the time.”

“Oh.” Sango said, disappointedly. That meant he still didn’t remember her. “Sorry, go on.”

“Well, I had a crush on her and I asked her if she’d be my girlfriend. Really crushed me when she said no.” Sango wished she had known Miroku at that time. That way she could beat the little hussy to the ground! “I asked her why, and she said guys like me weren’t her type.”

Sango glared, thinking the girl needed a CAT scan. That or a good slap in the face.

“I looked in the mirror in the boys’ bathroom and wondered what was wrong with me. Was it my uniform? My hair? Nah, it couldn’t have been my hair, it’s perfect. Then I looked harder, and figured it was probably because I was ugly.”

Now Sango was shocked! Miroku stared when he saw her eyes fly open and stare at him like he had lost his mind. She placed her hand over his forehead. Miroku laughed, understanding the joke.

“Maybe it’s you who needs the CAT scan.” Sango said as she removed her hand.

“Ha. Well, I thought that was it. But then I took a really good look at myself and I thought I was very handsome. I still didn’t know why she dumped me until I saw her drooling over one of the delinquents of our school. Then I figured it out: bad boys were more her type. I was one of the brainy kids so she saw me as a nerd. I was pretty upset, but I got over it and figured she just wasn’t the one for me.”

Sango thanked the girl for dumping him, leaving the door open for her. “So you went around looking for the one for you, right Miroku?” She asked jokingly.

“Funny.” He replied, catching onto the joke. “My point is, everyone has moments were they feel worthless or like they’re wearing a mask sometimes. But you shouldn’t let it get to you, nor should you let anyone make you feel like less of a person because of their own insecurities.”

Miroku noticed Sango looking at him, her eyes sparkling as she was amazed and encouraged by his words.

She chuckled, “You ever thought about being a motivational speaker, Miroku? You’d do pretty well.”

He smiled as he took her compliment. “Thank you, but I think I’m too busy as an actor to take a second job.”

Sango chuckled as she stood to her feet. “Thank you so much for listening, Miroku. It really took a load of my shoulders. I hope I didn’t bother you.”

Miroku smiled as he got up too. “You’re very welcome, Sango. It’s no trouble at all.”

Sango smiled at him again, then turned away when she found herself blushing. She stood facing away from Miroku, trying to think of something else to say to him.

Then suddenly her face went blank.

Sango had turned away from Miroku; his eyes went south and his right hand followed. Sango couldn’t see it, but in addition to having his hand on her soft butt, Miroku also had a very satisfied grin on his face.

She couldn’t see it, but she knew it was there. Veins bulged on her forehead and she rose her fist in the air, growling.

“Once, JUST once, I wish you’d get your mind out of the gutter, YA FRICKIN’ H!!”

SLAP!!!

“AAACK!!” Miroku screamed. “AHH! WHOA!”

The force from Sango’s hand sent Miroku back a little. He moved his arms all about as he struggled to stay balanced and keep himself from falling over the edge and into the pool.

Sango smiled in proud amusement with her arms crossed.

“Sango! Don’t just stand there laughing! Do something!” He hollered for help.

Well, he said do something.

Sango took two steps toward Miroku and stood there looking at him, her smile broadened into an impish grin. She leaned forward slightly, pointed her index finger at him, and gently, very gently, touched Miroku’s forehead.

Miroku glanced behind him as he started to feel himself slowly start to head toward the water. He turned back to Sango.

Giving her more of an impish grin.

Just as gravity kicked in and forced Miroku over, he grabbed Sango’s arms and took her with him into the pool!

SPLASH!!!!

They disappeared under the surface. Sango resurfaced, gasping for air in bewilderment and grabbing onto the edge, panting. Miroku resurfaced after her.

“AHH! THAT’S COLD! HAHAHAHA!”

He started laughing at his stunt. “You didn’t think I was gonna let you get away with that, did you Sango? Sango?”

She didn’t answer him. Sango only looked back at him, a vengeful glint in her eyes.

Miroku’s face went blank.

“Uh-oh”

Sango then bolted toward Miroku, who bolted off in the opposite direction. He was just one second too slow as Sango caught him and dunked him underwater. He resurfaced and gave her a playful glare as he splashed water at her and she laughed and splashed back at him. They then chased each other in the pool, having races to see who could escape who and avoid getting dunked again.

Sango swam to the edge and got out the pool, running from Miroku who chased her and followed her out the pool. He caught her from behind and spun her around, listening to her laughter. He tripped and fell onto the ground, allowing Sango to fall on him to shield her. He then got an idea and started tickling her sides. Sango laughed her head off as Miroku set her on the ground and just went crazy around her middle, grinning uncontrollably.

“Say it, Sango!” Miroku demanded playfully.

“HAHAHA! HAHA! Sto-stop, Miroku! HAHAHAHA!!!” Sango said between her laughing.

“Only when you say!” He said, Sango’s laughing becoming contagious.

“HAHA!HAHAA! Uncle! UNCLE!!!”

Miroku slowed to halt once Sango surrendered. She lay on the ground, her laughing slowing down as she tried to catch her breath, wiping the tears from her eyes. Miroku sat down beside her, unable to erase his grin. Sango quickly recovered and sat up, then cut her eyes at him with that impish smile again. By the time Miroku caught on, Sango pounced on him and pinned him to ground and started tickling the life out of him!

She easily made Miroku laugh to tears, refusing to stop until he surrendered to her, laughing with him.

“Say it, Miroku!!” Sango demanded playfully.

“AUNT! AHAHAHAA! AUNT!” Since Sango said ‘uncle’.

“Say it! Then I’ll stop!” Sango demanded as that wasn’t what she was looking for.

“AHAHAHA! O-HA-OK-AHAHA-OKAY! YOU WIN! YOU WIN, SANGO!AHAHAHA!!”

Sango stopped and watched as Miroku caught his breath.

He looked up at her with a playful glint in his eye, but Sango caught him and forcefully pinned him down, smiling down at him.

“Okay, you win for real, Sango.” Miroku surrendered as he lay on the ground.

Sango gave Miroku a lopsided grin. “This’ll teach you to think twice before pulling a stunt like that, Miroku.”

Miroku smiled warmly at Sango. “Au contraire, it’ll only encourage me, Sango.”

Sango blinked, surprised. Then noticed Miroku kept his hands down on the ground as he said that.

“You’ll just never get enough punishment, will you Miroku?” Sango wondered with a laugh.

Miroku gazed softly into her eyes and gave her a sincere answer, “From you, never. Especially it allows me to hear your angelic laughter, Sango.”

Sango blinked. She felt her heart melt as Miroku gazed up at her with a warm smile. “You really mean that, Miroku?” She asked softly.

“Yes, I do, Sango.” He replied with the same tone.

Sango smiled back at him. Miroku looked into her eyes, as he lay on the ground he noticed this scene he was in felt very familiar.

A flirty smile stretched from ear to ear when he remembered. “Feeling aggressive again, are we, Sango?”

Sango looked down at him, dominantly, raising an eyebrow. “That’s not a complaint, is it, Miroku?”

Her response surprised him, as his smile broadened. “Of course not, dear Sango.” He flirted, “But what if we should we have an audience this time?” He inquired, jokingly.

Sango stared at Miroku with a half-lidded visage and a dominant smile. She leaned closer to his face and answered, “Let ‘em look.” ,purring to him in a deep sexy tone.

Miroku’s eyebrows shot up as he stared up at Sango in total surprise at her response.

As Sango leaned over him, the right sleeve of her shirt hung completely over her shoulder, exposing a bit of cleavage to Miroku. His focus on her eyes intensified as he saw it from the corner of his eye but tried very hard not to look.

He couldn’t stand it; his eyes wandered to Sango’s chest and lingered. He then caught himself and quickly brought his eyes back to hers, stupidly hoping she didn’t notice.

Sango did, but didn’t do anything. She just moved her left hand from Miroku’s arm and brought it to her shirt.....and lowered the sleeve, showing off a bit more to him.

Miroku felt his heartbeat accelerate. He tried to control his breathing as Sango was seriously turning him on. Miroku just prayed he didn’t get so turned on that she’d notice. (A/N: !!)

Sango gazed deeply into Miroku’s indigo eyes, her eyes half-lidded, and slowly brought her left hand to his face. Her soft touch made his eyes flutter shut. As Sango gently caressed his smooth skin, he sighed quietly, feeling himself melt.

Miroku placed his hand over Sango’s, nuzzling his cheek against her palm. He opened his half-lidded eyes and looked up into hers, his right hand stroking Sango’s bare arm. Sango smiled happily at Miroku, then unconsciously, slowly leaned in to kiss his lips. Miroku’s half-lidded eyes narrowed a bit more as he awaited her sweet lips to touch his.

“Miroku....” Sango whispered to him.

“Sango......” Miroku answered.

Being taken in an exotic location under the stars with the woman of his dreams; this Miroku’s most desired fantasy come true!

I don’t....I don’t know why....but...but....Miroku had trouble thinking straight as he awaited Sango’s kiss. But this feels so familiar too......

“Hey, if you two are gonna do it, hurry up! We ain’t got all night!!”

Sango and Miroku’s eyes popped open when they realized someone was watching them.

“Shippo, you pervert! Hey! Take it inside, you two! Ya got children watching here!”

They both looked up at where the voice came from.

Miroku’s eyes widened more and Sango’s jaw dropped.

Up on the balcony, the two had an audience of four: Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, and Satsuki on Inuyasha’s cell phone/video camera (A/N: Pardon me if I got the wrong term, but I forgot what you call the cell phones that also double as video cameras. Mainly because I don’t have one.).

Inuyasha stood leaning over the rail in anticipation, Kagome’s eyes were wide as her face blushed bright red and her right palm covered Shippo’s eyes. Not that it helped any, he just ducked under her palm and stared with wide eyes, rubbing the lump Inuyasha gave him on the head and held out the cell phone with the other so that Satsuki could watch too. Kagome was into watching Sango and Miroku she didn’t even notice Shippo.

“How long have you all been there?!” Sango and Miroku asked, embarrassed.

Inuyasha just smirked, “Through the whole show. Starting from ‘connect the dot’ until right now.”

Kagome’s ability to speak returned. “Man, Sango! I knew eventually you were gonna make Miroku your man, but I didn’t think you’d literally do it! Let alone tonight.”

“Shut up....!” Sango growled under her breath at Kagome.

“I’ve seen a lot of women slap you around, Miroku, but this is the first time I’ve seen you land on your back instead of your face!” Inuyasha intentionally commented, trying to embarrass him.

Sango looked down and realized she was sitting down on Miroku! As dignified as she could, she stood up, looking away from Miroku and pulling her sleeve over her bare shoulder.

He still lay on the ground, letting his hands fall onto the pavement and glared up at Inuyasha, very irritated.

You owe me BIG for this, Hanyou. My fantasy was almost a reality. Miroku growled at him in thought, then got up and looked at Sango, who was still red with embarrassment.

Desperate to change the subject, she thanked Miroku for listening to her and for his advice. He calmly smiled back.

“You’re welcome again, Sango. Thank you for the fun time. I mean, when you pushed me in the pool.”

Sango chuckled nervously, her vocal chords paralyzed. Miroku wouldn’t admit it to Sango outloud, but he loved it when she got aggressive with him. And he was eternally grateful to her for giving him his fantasy, even if it got interrupted.

Miroku moved in to sneak a kiss to Sango’s cheek when she turned to face him and their lips touched!

Both their eyes flew open in surprise. Sango turned crimson as she turned away shyly, looking down at the pavement.

Miroku chuckled lightly and whispered in her ear, “Don’t ever think badly of yourself.”

Sango turned to face him and found him smiling, his indigo eyes sparkling like the stars.

“You’re wonderful just as you are, Sango. Please don’t ever change.” He continued.

Sango’s blush faded and she gave him that smile that just made him melt. She gently placed her hand on Miroku’s cheek and placed a light lingering kiss on his lips. She saw the surprise on his face as well as the light pink gracing his cheeks.

“Likewise.” She purred as she removed her hand and walked toward the hotel door under the balcony, looking back and giving him a wink before going inside.

Miroku stares stunned, his fingertips touching his kissed lips.

The audience gawked; they were just as stunned as him.

“ALRIGHT, MIROKU! YEAH!!” Inuyasha cheered loudly for his best friend.

“Way to go Miroku!” Kagome added, smiling happily while Inuyasha whistled.

“Yeah! You go, boy!” Shippo shouted.

“Hey Shippo! Are you recording this? This is the best reality-romance show I’ve seen in my life!” Satsuki said over the phone.

“Yeah, I got every minute, Satsuki!” Shippo confirmed, all a grin.

“See? I told you, Houshi-sama had a girlfriend already and you didn’t believe me!”

“Nuh-uh! I told you first and you didn’t believe me! I showed you a picture and you broke down crying!” Shippo contradicted. “You even said you wished you were older, then you could bear his child.” He added in a jealous mutter.

As Miroku entered the hotel, he leaned against the wall beside the door staring up in daze as he recalled everything that had happened in the last two days between him and Sango. Also, he added his feelings to his recollection and started to wonder if he was......

Miroku rolled his eyes up in slight irritation. “Man, there’s that deja vu feeling. But this time, it feels a lot different. I don’t know remember when it happened exactly, but I definitely know that wasn’t my first kiss. And that moment with Sango.....”

Miroku went through his memory, his eyes narrowing as he tried harder to remember.

“Argh. I’m getting the idea that it’s just deja vu, but I feel like that really happened in the past and I didn’t just fantasize it.”

He tried once again to see if he could remember, but gave up as he couldn’t. “It’s no use. I just don’t remember.” Miroku closed his eyes, remembering his intimate moments with Sango, yesterday and just a few minutes ago. He smiled, opening his half-lidded eyes.

“Maybe I am. I gotta be, the way I’m feeling.”

Miroku thought about it before deciding to come to the conclusion.

And decided,

“It seems I’ve fallen for you, Sango.”

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

On top of one of the lights surrounding the pool rested an large ugly yellow insect with red and purple eyes that had been sitting there ever since Sango had came to the pool.

The insect looked up and saw Miroku sitting back in his chair, gazing up at the stars. It focused on him and blinked its eyes twice. The insect fluttered its wings and flew off into the night.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 < p>In the outskirts of Miami Beach was a Japanese-style summer home. A dark ominous cloud settled all around the premises.

Outside his room, a man stood looking at the night sky in his black yukata. Then in the distance saw the yellow insect fly toward him. He held out his hand and the insect perched on his finger.

“So, have you any information for me?” The man asked the insect.

“Yes, Master Naraku, though I fear you’ll be greatly displeased with her.” The insect replied in a robotic voice.

The insect’s master seemed curious. “As to what reason would I be greatly displeased, samishou?”

“Please view information, Master Naraku.” The insect replied.

He took the insect inside to his room and had a seat before his television.

“Alright, show me, samishou.” Naraku commanded.

“Yes, Master Naraku.”

The insect flew toward the TV and landed beside it. It’s abdomen separated from its thorax, a black video cord extended from it’s body and plugged into the TV, which instantly came on.

The TV screen showed the hotel pool and Sango walking toward it and stopping at the edge.

Naraku fixed his red eyes on Sango’s body, licking his lips slowly with lust. He still remembered how delicious her blood tasted. He watched as she was silent, but could tell what she was thinking about as she held herself and by reading her anguished face.

Then Naraku saw Miroku appear on the screen, smiling kindly at Sango.

HIS Sango.

And she smiled back at him!

Naraku’s eyes narrowed in jealousy but continued to watch the rest. He ordered the insect to fast forward as they were talking nonsense to each other. It did as ordered until it was ordered to stop and rewind to a certain point. Miroku had just stroked Sango’s butt and got slapped, making Naraku laugh spitefully and call the actor an idiot. He watched as Sango ‘pushed’ Miroku and then how he took he in the pool with it.

Naraku unsheathed his gnashed teeth, cursing Miroku out for trespassing on his property. His anger grew as he watched the two play in the pool and then on the pavement. When the recording got to where Sango and Miroku had their intimate moment, the bug had flown close to them but distant to where it couldn’t be seen and zoomed in on them.

“Feeling aggressive again, are we, Sango?”

“That’s not a complaint, is it, Miroku?”

Naraku’s eyes widened as he listened to Sango’s purring tone.

“Of course not, dear Sango. But what if we should have an audience this time?”

“This time?!!” Naraku’s voice rose as he just imagined what that meant.

“Let ‘em look.”

The insect teardropped as it observed it’s master’s reaction to the recording, deciding ‘greatly displeased’ was no where near ‘severely pissed off’. The recording played the entire scene of Sango’s moment with Miroku. Strange, when Sango lowered her already lowered sleeve, the camera zoomed in closer, still managing to catch Miroku’s reaction.

“Miroku.....”

“Sango.....”

When the recording played Sango moving in to kiss Miroku, Naraku roared and flung his armchair straight into the TV, destroying it and the insect.

“Bzzzt! Bzzt! Yeah, shoot the messenger! Zzzt!!”

Naraku snarled viciously in a jealous rage! Cursing Miroku for daring to flirt with Sango.

Naraku froze and thought about it. She had pounced on him, flirted with him, touched him, called his name, and offered herself to him!

His eyes blazed with fierce wrath as he gnashed his teeth so much his canines extended into fangs.

“How dare she...! How dare she defy me!”

Just as selected objects surrounding Naraku began to explode due to his tremendous wrath. He calmed down and regained his composure.

Miroku is simply an obstacle, just like that damned Kagome. They can be disposed of easily, so they are of no concern to me.

Sango, however, is the main attraction here.

At first, she was guilty of breaking our engagement without my approval. She was punished for that. I forever marked her as mine, therefore no man is to touch her and live. Nor is she allowed to have any man but me. And yet she deliberately defies me and commits adultery right before me. Her confession in the J.C. Penney dressing room adds evidence to this trial and condemns her. It doesn’t matter whether she gave her body to that actor or not. She has given her heart to him.

Naraku looked into the night sky with a malicious grin, his lusting eyes glowing an ominous bright red.

Enjoy your vacation, Taijiya Sango. For when I pass judgment for your infidelity,

Miami Beach, America shall be where you die.

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Finall y!! I am through with this chapter! I gave you all a nice long chapter, 34 pages to be exact, after slacking off for almost two months, and I stayed up until 4 o’clock this morning (1.31.05) writing this for you guys! And I started at about 9:30 yesterday morning!! And you all know I only took one break the WHOLE time? If I don’t get a LOT of reviews for this chapter, I don’t know about the next one.

Okay, lose the crankiness. You don’t wanna hear any of your reviews curse you out again. Seriously, that happened once. Luckily, they put themselves in check before I got physical. Or since I’m on a fanfiction website, verbal.

So how’d you guys like this one? Not too graphic I hope. If someone thought so, keep in mind there are some people out there who probably have gone through something like or similar and lived to tell about it. So I’m just capturing reality here.

And the romance scene: Gotcha! You thought I was gonna put a lemon in here, didn’t ya? Didn’t ya?

“Don’t tease the readers, LuClipse85.” Inuyasha stated flatly.

Sorry, I haven’t got to sleep yet and I’ll probably be crashing in a few hours. Well, there’s no lemon in this story. I find them distracting and pointless....unless they add a certain edge to the story.

Anyway, I know this chapter was not only long, but pretty dark as well. Well, I’m finally bringing out the real plot of the story.

“Hey wait. I thought you said me and Miroku were on vacation!” Inuyasha complained.

Technically, the vacation ended in the last chapter. Wait...yeah, ended previously. Now this story takes a turn. LuClipse85 style!

Okay, I’ve paid my dues and I am through for right now! Plus I gotta go, I got homework due in four and a half hours.

Good morning.....

ZZZzzzzzzzz.........