InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The New Student and Kagome's Secret ❯ Chapter 32: The Proposal ( Chapter 32 )

A/N: Okay, okay! I know I promised fluff for this chapter, but this chapter took a lot longer to write than I thought it was going to take. Thanks to all of my loyal readers! I love you guys! *sheds a tear*

Chapter 32

Sotoru shut the door behind him and Sango as they began walking towards the marketplace. Sango looked around at her environment as they walked noticing that Sotoru had spoken the truth about their buildings and such. None of the buildings around her were architectural masterpieces, and she could see where they wouldn't be very hard to build.

When they arrived at the market, the vendors were set up in wooden kiosks all up and down a single street. Sotoru bent down and picked up a rather large basket as they entered the marketplace. She saw everything from fruit to jewelry to clothes to meat to shoes.

"So what do you think your friends would want for dinner?" Sotoru asked. Sango smiled.

"Well, I guess if they had to choose, probably not any form of wild meat like fish, boar, or deer. Inuyasha kills the animals for us to eat while we travel. Sometimes we come across some eatable berries, so I guess that's out too, and Kagome brought huge boxes of rice to boil all along the way so I would probably puke if I had to eat that again," Sango said with a smile. Sotoru laughed.

"Wow! For travelers, you guys don't eat half bad," Sotoru said with a laugh. Sango smiled.

"It's not what we eat, but the fact that we eat the same thing all of the time," she said.

"How about some chicken or beef for dinner then?" Sotoru suggested. Sango nodded.

"That sounds great!" Sango said.

"I'll pick up both, and your friends can decide between the two when we return. How's that sound?" Sotoru asked. Sango nodded.

"Great!" she said with a smile.

Sotoru and Sango stopped at the butchery and Sotoru ordered a few pounds of each kind of meat.

"So, tell me how you have been all these years," Sotoru said as the meat was being prepared. Sango at first didn't really know how to answer the question.

"Good, I guess," she replied. "I've always known Kagome as you already know, but then Kagome randomly runs into Inuyasha one day at school. He ends up rescuing her from a demon one night and the next thing I know, we are fighting a battle between demons and humans." Sotoru nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "I was a little worried when I found out that Kagome was the prophesized priestess. I knew that you would be involved then. I've prayed for your safety since then." Sango blushed.

"Thank you, Sotoru," Sango said. The butcher handed Sotoru the meat and the two continued to walk down the market.

"How about some fruit?" Sotoru suggested when they came to a fruit stand. Sango nodded.

"As long as it's not berries!" she said with a laugh. He laughed and nodded.

"How about some melons?" he asked holding up honeydew and cantaloupe. Sango nodded.

"Sounds great!" she said. He added the melons to the basket and continued to walk down the market.

Sango had her hands folded in front of her the entire time and half hung her head as she walked with Sotoru through the marketplace. She couldn't help but feel guilty about being with Sotoru…even though she and Miroku were separated.

"You okay?" Sotoru asked Sango when he noticed her disposition.

"Hmm?" she said caught off guard. "Oh, yeah!"

Sotoru looked at her skeptically.

"Are you uncomfortable for some reason?" Sotoru asked her. Sango looked up at him.

"It's not that, it's just…" Sango said.

"I know," Sotoru interrupted. "It's been a long time since we've seen each other and I know you are probably unsure of how to act around me. Trust me. I know how you feel." Sango smiled as they continued to walk.

The two finished gathering the rest of the food for the meal including some corn, potatoes, and a loaf of fresh baked bread. Sango was actually looking forward to her first home cooked meal in a while. She smiled at Sotoru.

"This was really nice of you Sotoru," Sango said. He smiled.

"Don't mention it," he replied. He looked over to where there was a small bench. "Let's sit here for a little while, okay?" Sango looked confused but nodded her head.

Meanwhile, two sets of perceptive ears and eyes peeped over a nearby stack of crates. The little fox and flea watched the two carefully.

"Well, it looks harmless thus far," Myouga said. Shippo nodded.

"Yeah, thus far," Shippo said.

Sotoru set the basket down next to them on the bench giving him an excuse to scoot closer to Sango. He took her hands in his. Sango smiled nervously and blushed.

"Sango, I haven't seen you in years," he began, "but even when I thought you couldn't get any more beautiful, you continued to amaze me by growing even more beautiful."

Sango blushed and looked at him dreamily. `Miroku never said anything like that to me,' Sango thought.

"Sango, I understand that you have a journey ahead of you, but when your journey is complete, I would love for you to return here and become my wife," Sotoru said. Sango gasped.

"WHAT???" Myouga and Shippo said almost to where Sango and Sotoru could hear them. They immediately covered their mouths and ducked behind the crates.

"Has he lost his mind?" Shippo asked. "What about Miroku?" Myouga shrugged his shoulders.

"I agree, and that's not to mention that he just saw her for the first time in years," Myouga said. It was then that he spotted him…a young monk dressed in purple and black was across the street peeping over a stack of crates at the couple before him. Myouga tapped Shippo on the shoulder and pointed to Miroku.

"Miroku?" Shippo whispered. "What is he doing here?"

"Probably here for the same reason we are…to spy," Myouga said with a laugh. Shippo smiled and turned his attention back to the couple before them.

Sango was beet red. She could hardly catch her breath. His timing was awful and she knew it. She didn't know what to say. Should she tell him about her and Miroku? Should she just not say anything? She was dumbfounded. She couldn't believe it! Even if it was Sotoru, she had just been proposed to!

"Um…Sotoru," she began. "Don't you think that it's a little too soon to be asking something like that?"

"No," he said shaking his head. "I have thought about you since the day I left. I am in love with you Sango and I always have been. I haven't even been able to look at another girl since I moved here. You have always been on my mind, and now that I have you again I just had to ask you that. I had to see if you would promise to come back to me. I won't take no for an answer."

Sango gulped. She wasn't ready for that type of commitment. She had to admit that she was really happy with Sotoru at one point in time, but would she be able to be happy with him like that again?

"Um…why don't you let me think about that?" she replied. Shippo and Myouga did an anime fall behind the crates. "Is that okay?" Sotoru smiled.

"Sure," he said kissing her on her cheek. Miroku cringed. "Take your time. I understand that this is sudden and that it is a really big decision to make. Just follow your heart, okay?"

She nodded. Sotoru stood up and extended his arm to Sango so they could begin walking back towards the house. Myouga and Shippo looked across the street to see Miroku's reaction, but…he was gone. They looked further up the road to see him solemnly walking by himself hanging his head. Shippo and Myouga exchanged glances.

"Poor Miroku," Shippo said. Myouga watched Sango and Sotoru walk away, then grabbed Shippo and took off running towards the house.

"Come on!" Myouga said as he ran, hanging onto Shippo. "We have to beat them back there! We have to tell Lady Kagome and Lord Inuyasha what is going on! We don't Miroku or Sango doing anything stupid!"

Shippo nodded his head and latched onto Myouga. Myouga was a full demon and would make it there twice as fast as Sango and Sotoru.

* * *

"HE DID WHAT???" Inuyasha and Kagome replied in unison.

"That's right my Lord," Myouga said. "Sotoru proposed to Lady Sango." He had just told Kagome and Inuyasha everything he had witnessed. They didn't seem to take the news too well. In fact, Kagome still stood there codmouthed.

"But how can he do that?" Kagome asked. "He just saw her for the first time in like forever!" Myouga nodded.

"I know my Lady," Myouga said. "But he apparently meant what he said and Sango said she would think about it."

"And Miroku witnessed all of this?" Inuyasha asked. Myouga and Shippo nodded.

"Oh God! Poor Sango and Miroku!" Kagome exclaimed.

"What are we gonna do?" Shippo wailed.

"I am not sure," Myouga replied. "But if Sango is truly happy then we don't need to do anything."

"But I know Sango!" Kagome exclaimed. "She loves Miroku! She doesn't love Sotoru! She just got a little carried away earlier when she yelled at him! Oh, man!"

Inuyasha growled and his anger was growing. The more they rambled on, the more he thought he was going to explode.

"Grrrr…ENOUGH!" Inuyasha shouted at everyone. They all quit babbling and looked at him in shock from his sudden outburst. He walked over to them calmly.

"Look, if you really want to help them out, then let Sango make the decision for herself," Inuyasha said. "It's really none of our business."

"Well, that's fine!" Kagome said frowning and placing her hands on her hips. "But what about Miroku? We don't even know where he is! Shouldn't we at least check up on him?" Inuyasha sighed.

"You do what you want," Inuyasha said folding his arms in his haori. "But I am staying out of this. This is not something to be meddled with."

"Fine!" Kagome said walking towards the front door. "I am going to go find Miroku and make sure that he is okay. I don't want him to randomly take off somewhere."

With that, Kagome walked out the door.

"Wait!" Inuyasha said running towards the door. "At least take Kirara with you!" Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Fine!" she said and Kirara scampered out to meet her. Inuyasha shut the front door.

"Stupid girl! Always sticking her nose in everyone else's business!" he said sitting down on the couch. "I guess we will wait here for Sango and Sotoru."

It wasn't long before Sango and Sotoru arrived. Sotoru walked through the front door with a basket full of food and wearing a huge grin. Sango on the other hand walked in solemnly hanging her hand with her hands clasped in front of her. She closed the door behind her. She looked around.

"Where's Kagome?" Sango asked. "Is she still upset?"

"She's fine," Inuyasha replied. "She's actually out searching for Miroku."

"Miroku?" Sango replied in shock. "Where did he go?"

"He said he was going for a walk so Kagome went to go get him because we knew you guys would be back with dinner soon," Inuyasha replied.

"Oh," Sango said. She looked at the floor and walked towards the kitchen to help Sotoru with dinner.

Inuyasha watched Sotoru and Sango carefully. Sotoru seemed perfectly harmless, but Miroku was his best friend and he wasn't going to allow Sotoru to interfere until he was sure that Sango and Miroku were okay with it being that way. Plus, Sango was like family to him. He would have to approve her suitor just as much as he would Kagome's.

"So, Sango, I assume your exterminator training paid off well," Sotoru said. "Fighting in that huge battle and all."

"That's right," she said. "When you moved away I was still training. That's basically my job now…well, was my job. I don't know what I am going to do now though. With most of the demons gone, I am pretty much out of the job." Sango gasped as soon as she said it.

"Perfect," Sotoru said with a smile.

`Oh no,' she thought. `That just adds to his argument of how I would be a perfect wife for him. I have nothing holding me down back home. But what about Miroku? Maybe I overdid it with him a little bit. I mean, he is my boyfriend. Wait! What am I saying? That's right! I broke up with Miroku! What am I going to do?'

* * *

Meanwhile, Kagome and Kirara searched and searched for Miroku. They finally found him at the edge of the village sitting atop a grassy hill. Kagome smiled and ran up to him. He was sitting Indian-style on the hill staring off into the sky. He smiled when he saw Kagome running up the hill towards him.

"Hi, Kagome," Miroku said.

"Hello, Miroku," Kagome said smoothing her skirt underneath her and sitting down next to him. "Why are you way out here?"

"No reason," he said. "Just needed to be alone."

"Oh," Kagome said. "So, are you going to come back to eat? Dinner should be ready soon."

"I'm not really that hungry," he replied still staring off into the sky. "You guys go on ahead without me. I will eat what's left over." Kagome sighed.

"You okay?" Kagome said. Miroku looked at her suspiciously.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Miroku asked.

"Because of Sango and Sotoru," Kagome said. "And the fact that he just proposed to her and you witnessed it!" Miroku eyed her warily as if trying to figure out how she knew he saw Sango and Sotoru.

"Myouga and Shippo were spying on them as well," Kagome said with a smile. "They just so happened to see you there, too."

"Oh," Miroku said looking towards the sky again.

"How do you feel about all of this?" Kagome asked.

"What do you mean how do I feel?" Miroku asked. "I feel Sango should do whatever makes her happy. If she is happy with Sotoru, then she should promise to marry him. If she decides to do that I would much rather her just stay here now. I can sense danger ahead. I would rather her stay here and be safe and happy, then have to continue along this journey knowing she could be killed at any time."

Kagome stared at Miroku. She had to feel sorry for him. He truly loved Sango. It was obvious. She just didn't know how to make him feel better about it. She sighed and stared off into the sky.

"You know," Kagome said. "People sometimes need to know how others feel about them to understand their own feelings. Take Inuyasha and I for example. He may be rude and down right mean to me, but deep down I know he cares and would never let anything happen to me. Perhaps, Sango needs that reassurance as well."

Miroku stared off into the sky and said nothing. Kagome smiled and stood up.

"Well, I guess I am going to head back," she said. "I am starving. Dinner will be ready shortly if you would like to join us. Don't run off on us now, okay?"

Miroku nodded and smiled at Kagome.

"I will be down shortly," Miroku said. Kagome smiled and waved good-bye and she and Kirara scampered down the hill. Miroku watched Kagome leave.

`Maybe she is right,' Miroku thought. `Maybe I should tell Sango how I feel.'

* * *

It wasn't long before dinner was ready. Kagome hadn't returned from her visit with Miroku yet, and Inuyasha was beginning to get worried.

"Damnit!" he said pacing back and forth in the living room. "Where is that girl?"

"Hi everyone!" Kagome said cheerfully coming through the front door.

"Well, it's about damn time!" Inuyasha said folding his arms across his chest. "I am and starved and…hey…where's Miroku?"

"Oh," Kagome said stopping in her tracks. "He said he wasn't that hungry right now and for us to go ahead and eat."

Inuyasha eyed her warily and Kagome nodded. He took that to mean that Miroku was pretty upset about the whole Sango and Sotoru thing. Inuyasha sat down at the table. Kagome sat beside him, Myouga beside her, Shippo beside Myouga, and then Sango and Sotoru seated themselves next to them. They all said grace and then began eating. Kagome watched Inuyasha eat out of the corner of her eye. She knew that he was deep in thought.

`Probably thinking about Miroku,' she thought. `I can't say as I blame him. I am worried about the little pervert too.'

Kagome looked over at Sango who ate her meal in silence. She ate slowly, almost as if she was forcing herself to eat. She was deep in thought, and Kagome could tell that Sango wasn't the least bit happy.

`Sango looks so unhappy,' Kagome said. `Poor girl. I wish there was something I could do for her. She has to be confused out of her mind.'

The group soon finished eating. Myouga and Shippo sprawled out on the floor rubbing their full bellies.

"Wow!" Shippo stated. "That was great!"

"Thank you!" Sotoru said smiling.

"Excuse me," Kagome said and pushed herself from the table. Inuyasha watched her walk to the window next to the front door. She peeped out the window to see if there was any sign of Miroku. She sighed when she didn't see him.

"Don't worry about him, Kagome," Inuyasha said from behind her, startling her. She turned around to look at him. He had a stern look on his face and his arms were folded in his haori.

"Yeah, but you didn't see him the way I did," Kagome said.

"Kagome," Sango said interrupting Inuyasha and Kagome's conversation. "Can I speak with you for a minute?"

"Sure!" Kagome said with a smile as Sango led her into the back bedroom.

Kagome walked in and shut the door behind her. Sango walked over to the window and stared dreamily out it.

"So," Sango began. "Inuyasha told me that you went to find Miroku."

"Yeah, I did," Kagome said.

"What did he say?" Sango asked.

"Well, first, in case you didn't know it, we all know Sotoru proposed to you," Kagome said. Sango gasped. "Even Miroku knows."

"What'd he say about it?" Sango asked.

"Nothing really," Kagome replied. "He just basically said that he wanted you to be happy…even if that was with Sotoru."

Sango clenched her fists at her side. Her anger was boiling. How could he even suggest that she would think of doing something like that?

"Sango?" Kagome questioned. Sango said nothing to her and just stared straight at the ground angrily. "Sango, I really think that you should go talk to Miroku. Sango, he loves you." Sango's expression softened.

"Did he tell you that?" Sango asked.

"No," Kagome replied. "But I could just tell with the way he was acting. He is only concerned about your safety, he wants your happiness, and you should have seen the look on his face when I mentioned you and Sotoru. Sango, I think this is really killing him."

Sango looked sadly out the window.

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen," she said. "I didn't think that I would run into Sotoru right after I broke up with Miroku. I didn't even mean to break up with Miroku."

Tears filled Sango's eyes as she began crying. Kagome jumped up and walked over to her friend. She placed a comforting arm around her shoulder in an effort to console her.

"There, there," Kagome said. "It's alright. Everything's going to be okay. I think you and Miroku just need to sit down and have a heart to heart is all. If he doesn't take this opportunity to tell you how he truly feels, then I say forget about him! Going for Sotoru is entirely up to you, but I do agree that if he doesn't take this opportunity to tell you how he feels, then he doesn't deserve you."

"You're right," Sango said drying up her face and looking at Kagome. "I will talk to him and see what he has to say. I will give him this one chance to tell me how he truly feels."

Kagome nodded and hugged her friend.

"I think that's a great idea," Kagome said.

In the living room, Inuyasha sighed. He had heard the girls' entire conversation. He just hoped Miroku pulled through on this one because it didn't sound like he was going to get a second chance.

Just then, Miroku walked through the door.

"Miroku," Inuyasha said. "You finally decided to come back?"

Miroku didn't even acknowledge Inuyasha's comment and just looked around the room.

"Where's Sango?" he asked.

"Right here," Sango said coming around the corner. The two looked at each other for a couple of seconds. Sotoru eyed the scene before him as well. Inuyasha eyed Sotoru. Miroku grabbed Sango's hand and led her towards the front door.

"May I talk with you?" he asked her while he led her away. Sango nodded her head.

Sotoru jumped up to protest, but Inuyasha stood in front of him with his arms folded in his haori.

"I'd sit down if I were you," Inuyasha warned Sotoru. Sotoru watched his precious Sango disappear out the front door.

"Where is he taking her?" Sotoru demanded. "I do not like Sango being left alone with strange men!"

Kagome was now standing by the front door, peeking out the window at Sango and Miroku until she couldn't see them any more.

"Strange men?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha growled.

"Miroku is no stranger to Sango!" Inuyasha stated clenching his fists towards Sotoru. "He was her boyfriend just a few hours ago before dumping him because he was such a lecher!"

"Inuyasha?" Kagome said under her breath. `I didn't think you wanted to get involved with this,' she thought.

"Her boyfriend? Lecher?" Sotoru said. "Then I definitely don't want her alone with him!"

Sotoru jumped passed Inuyasha and ran towards the door. Inuyasha growled and turned around to chase after him only to see Sotoru land face first on the floor. Inuyasha looked around in confusion only to see Kagome standing there with a guilty look on her face.

"What?" Kagome said guiltily. "My foot just happened to be in the way! Sotoru, you should be more careful."

Inuyasha folded his arms, but smiled skeptically at Kagome. She blushed and shrugged her shoulders. She giggled and then scurried into the kitchen to start cleaning up. Inuyasha shook his head and watched as Sotoru tried to get up. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and grabbed Sotoru by the back of his shirt. He dragged him to the couch and sat him down. Inuyasha sat in the easy chair across the way. Sotoru looked at Inuyasha evilly. Inuyasha laughed and rolled his eyes.

`Oh God!' Inuyasha thought. `Is this kid actually threatening me? Wow! A new one is born every day!'

"I demand for you to go and retrieve Sango this instant!" Sotoru demanded. Kagome stopped what she was doing in the kitchen to watch the scene before her. Even Myouga and Shippo rolled over and looked up at the two. Inuyasha acted preoccupied examining his claws.

"Inuyasha!" Sotoru said.

"You know kid," Inuyasha finally said. "I don't take too kindly to people bossing me around. Leave them alone for a bit. Your precious Sango will return shortly!"

Sotoru stood and said, "I most certainly will not. Retrieve them at once!"

"Just who the hell do you think you are kid?" Inuyasha smirked standing to his feet. "I appreciate the hospitality you have shown us. That is the only reason I am having patience with you right now. I would sit down if I were you."

Sotoru puffed his chest towards Inuyasha in a threatening manner.

"I am not afraid of you! I will do what I can to protect my fiancé!" he said.

"Fiancé?" Inuyasha said with a laugh. "I don't remember Sango ever agreeing to become your fiancé! Oh, and by the way, you will give her her space and leave her alone to settle things with Miroku! Should she ever agree to be your fiancé, you will answer to me if you ever harm a hair on her head!"

"Inuyasha," Kagome mused with a smile. She was glad that Inuyasha was being protective over Sango. It made her feel better to know that the hanyou had a heart.

`Well, I guess she is the closest thing to a sister he has,' Kagome thought.

Sotoru sat down on the couch pouting and threw a pillow at Inuyasha. Kagome gasped when she saw him throw the pillow. Inuyasha reacted quickly and in one effortless swipe of his right hand, the pillow was shredded into a million pieces. Sotoru sat there on the couch shocked and dismayed. His mouth had dropped open and his lap was now covered in pieces of the pillow he had thrown.

"Don't press your luck, kid!" Inuyasha growled flexing his claws. "I am in a very bad mood! We got a long way to go and we keep having these stupid delays! So, do us a favor! Sit down and shut the fuck up!"

Kagome ran over to Inuyasha and Sotoru. She stood in front of Inuyasha blocking his view of Sotoru.

"Easy Inuyasha," Kagome said trying to calm him. She turned around to face Sotoru. "Look, I know you are eager to get Sango back, but give her her time. You want her to be happy don't you?"

Sotoru nodded.

"Then let her do this," Kagome said. "Just try to not to take it out on Inuyasha. It's not his fault all of this is happening. You're lucky he has been as patient as he has with you thus far. Most people would be dead by now…literally!"

Sotoru gulped, then frowned and looked away. He folded his arms across his chest. He didn't like the fact that Sango was out with her old boyfriend, but he knew that he had no choice but to sit there patiently. He looked at Inuyasha. If he didn't, Inuyasha would probably rip him to shreds!

A/N: Yay! Yay! Another chappie is done! I feel sorry for those who may have given up on my story or something…lol…cause I am on a roll and I don't know if they will be able to catch up with me! LOL! Okay, sorry I didn't get into the Sango and Miroku fluff in the chappie, but it took a lot longer to write than I thought it would. There is definitely Sango and Miroku SERIOUS FLUFF in the next chapter so keep a lookout! It might even be before tonight! If not, look for it tomorrow! Chao!

Oh…READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! I WANT YOUR INPUT! REMEMBER: YOU CAN HELP MAKE THE STORY!!!