InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Opposite of Attraction ❯ The Arrival ( Chapter 3 )

The view was endless. From the small, rectangular pane of glass, all that could be seen was ocean, thousands of feet below. It was beautiful, yet at the same time a little unnerving. Sango turned away from the window, leaning back into her seat. She was on her way to Hawaii, and to be honest... A part of her was rather scared. The next day, she would find herself in a strange house with an equally strange man and cameras filming her every move.

 

Then again, any normal person would probably be nervous if they knew they'd be under the scrutiny of millions of people in a few months' time.

 

“What have I gotten myself into?” she muttered, twisting a lock of hair around her fingers and slumping in her chair. Everything had seemed like such a wonderful idea when she had applied for the show, and when she had gotten the call. But now, she was almost tempted to just go up and tell the pilot to turn the plane around that very instant, which was completely crazy. Besides, since when was Sango Musouka one to chicken out of anything?

 

Well, there was a first time for everything, right? Too bad she didn't really have the leverage to demand an emergency landing. Then, there was the fact that there wasn't any land around for miles...

 

“Nervous?” piped Rin, plopping into the seat beside Sango, having just returned from a hushed conversation with Kikyou several rows back. Sango gave the fifteen-year-old a mirthless glower.

 

“Oh, no. Who in the world would be nervous about living, for two whole weeks, with someone they've never met before and know nothing about? Sheer lunacy...” With a sigh, Sango raised her plastic cup of water to her lips.

 

“Exactly! That's why, considering you don't mind sharing a house with Mr. Mystery, you won't mind sharing a bed with him either!”

 

Sango choked.

 

“What?!” she demanded after recovering from a sudden bout of coughing. Rin giggled, a sly expression crossing her features.

 

“Well, it's one of the conditions of the program. You and he only have access to one bed in the house. Yes, there are others in the house, but they're locked off.” She shrugged. “Besides, you'll get used to it.”

 

“Yeah,” Sango agreed, “once I master the art of picking locks.”

 

Rin laughed, wagging a chiding finger at the older woman. “Nuh-uh! Not allowed. Those rooms contain what the owner wants out of the sight of the cameras and whatnot. No lock-picking allowed.”

 

Needless to say, Sango was far less than pleased with this new turn of events.

 

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Rin exclaimed, diverting Sango from her grumbling. “I have a few things for you.”

 

“Like what?”

 

Sango didn't receive an immediate response. Instead, Rin dived into her carry-on, rummaging through the contents. With an “Ah ha!” she reemerged with a small bag, which she unzipped to reveal a wide selection of cosmetics. After a surprised silence, Sango arched an eyebrow.

 

“What... is this?”

 

“Cameras can be pretty unflattering,” Rin explained. “I'm not sure if you're the sort to wear make-up and everything, but Miss Kikyou and I figure you should have this at the very least. It's just in case you don't have your own, or you need more, and so on.”

 

Sango rolled her eyes discreetly and took the bag, sifting though it. “I do wear it sometimes,” she admitted. “Well, oftener than just sometimes, but not in copious amounts.”

 

“Fair enough. Ah... I'll be back in a few minutes. I just remembered...” Rin made a face of disgust. “I have to remind my employer that she has to arrange a tutor for me still, since I'm missing school to come here. Knowing her though, she'll already have it all taken care of.” Throwing a hand up ruefully, Rin unbuckled her seatbelt and was off, leaving Sango to return to her thoughts of what was to come.

 

-

 

Sango felt sick.

 

She had been fine for most of the morning while getting ready and eating breakfast, even though she'd eaten very little at a fairly early hour. However, now that she was in a limo on her way to where Opposites Attract would be filmed, her stomach felt like it was filled with butterflies, or something of the sort- maybe angry wasps. The sad part was, she wasn't sure whether her condition was due to nerves, or to the limousine driver, who seemed to think the road was actually a racetrack and that he was driving a Mustang.

 

Frankly, neither was true.

 

Fortunately, the car soon slowed, and it felt as though it was being driven up an incline. Sango risked a glance out of her window and found that they were heading up a driveway set between two long strips of perfectly manicured lawn.

 

She was there.

 

As the limousine slowed to a stop, Sango took a shaky breath and told herself to be calm while running through the instructions Kikyou had given her that morning. She flicked on the microphone she'd been equipped with, grabbed her bag, and opened the door.

 

The warm air hit her as she stepped out, a welcome, somehow calming, change from the air-conditioned interior of the vehicle. Taking a moment to shift her duffel bag to her shoulder before pulling out her other piece of luggage, Sango used that extra few seconds to look around. There were three cameramen- two already focusing on her- and another two people. Those two, she presumed as she closed the car door, were the ones she was meant to approach. And so, a smile on her face, she did.

 

As she neared the duo, Sango found herself looking at the shorter of the two- a young woman. She reminded herself that Kikyou had told her that the show hostess would be present at the introduction, and Sango figured that this girl was she. The hostess was close to Sango's height, only a bit shorter, with dark, waved hair, bright eyes, and a brilliant smile- and, for some reason, Sango found her somehow familiar...

 

She was only a few feet away when the other woman stepped forward.

 

“Hello, and welcome to Opposites Attract! I'm Kagome Higurashi, the show hostess.”

 

“Thank you,” Sango said, grateful that she hadn't had to speak first. “I'm Sango Musouka.” The bubbly hostess laughed.

 

“You shouldn't be telling me that! Now come on, I'm sure its high past time that you met your opposite, don't you think?” Kagome winked and gestured to the person a few steps behind her encouragingly. Taking the hint, Sango looked in that direction.

 

Needless to say, the guy wasn't a disappointment as far as Reality TV standards went.

 

He was lean, about a head taller than Sango, and undeniably good looking. He was neatly dressed in dark jeans and a button down, short sleeve shirt, and his inky hair was pulled back into a short tail. His posture was completely relaxed, a fact accentuated by the pleasant grin on his face. He met her critical gaze easily as he strolled forward.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Uh... Hi,” was Sango's oh-so intelligent answer when his voice sparked a strange feeling of déja vù. The man's gray eyes glimmered in amusement at her apparent loss of words. From this short distance though, Sango could detect what looked like a lavender tint in their depths when the light hit them just right.

 

“I'm Miroku Itsuwari,” he offered, as though allowing her time to find something to say.

 

“Sango Musouka,” she replied, boldly extending her hand. Miroku chuckled, and took it lightly. “Nice to meet you.”

 

“So I've heard,” he said, raising her hand and pressing his lips to the back of it. “The pleasure is mine.”

 

Oh yeah. This guy was practically radiating sex appeal. And, Sango had to admit, he was suave. The blush on her face was quite the testimony to that. Although, part of her embarrassment was based on the realization that he had probably heard her the first time she had given her name, and she more or less felt a bit silly.

 

“Thanks,” Sango managed, before Kagome reasserted her presence.

 

“So, you two? What do you say we take a tour of the house before you get settled? Follow me!”

 

Kagome led them across the yard, into the house, and through the rooms of the mansion they would be staying at. She chattered idly about this or that, about some of the furnishings in the rooms and what would happen in them. An example was the closet which had been changed into the "private room", in which they could lock themselves and speak to their video journals. The entries, in true TV fashion, would be accessible to viewers everywhere. Much to Sango's chagrin, this was the ONLY private room in the house. Bathroom: Shared. Bedroom: Shared...

 

Who cared about the other rooms? Sango just wanted a lock on the bathroom door!

 

Miroku smiled at her when he saw her shock when Kagome mentioned that small absence. As Kagome raced on, he leaned over and murmured, "Don't worry. I promise I won't use your toothbrush." Sango graced him with a humored glance as they trailed Kagome back down the stairway.

 

“I suppose I'll have to hold you to that then.”

 

“Fair enough- so long as you don't kick me out to the couch.”

 

At that, Sango relaxed a little. Upon entering the master bedroom, she had felt pretty uncomfortable with the entire arrangement. But since Miroku had brought up couches... Well, they were security. A back up- just in case. With that in mind, she flashed her new companion as grin. “We'll see.”

 

Kagome was waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs, a cheery smile set on her face. “And that's about everything important here! I'm sure you'll explore more as you see fit. There's a spa and pool in the back, as well as private access to the beach. The two of you will have a day or two to get comfortable and settle in, so enjoy your stay! I'll be seeing you around.” That said, the hostess turned with a wave and left, the front door clicking behind her a few moments later.

 

With the exception of a few mute cameramen, Sango and Miroku were alone.

 

Much to her annoyance, Sango found she didn't know what to do or what to say. Essentially, she was a woman of action, and she didn't like standing around passively. To find that her initiative was so nonexistent was frustrating. Thankfully, Miroku didn't seem to be having the same problem.

 

“So, I know it's a bit early,” he started, glancing at his watch, “but what do you say we grab something to eat?” Suddenly realizing that she was fairly hungry, Sango quickly agreed.

 

-

 

Kagome grinned as she slipped into the front seat of the limo, earning her a look from the driver.

 

“Aren't you supposed to be sitting in back?” he asked her, righting his chair from its reclined position. The hostess shrugged.

 

“Oh, like it matters, Inuyasha! Besides, today is the start of an adventure! Why should I have to sit all alone?”

 

“Feh,” Inuyasha replied, turning on the engine. “I'm guessing it went well.”

 

Kagome smiled in satisfaction as she pulled on her seatbelt.

 

“It's perfect.”

 

-

 

“So, how did you find out about this show?” Sango inquired as she dug through the contents of the refrigerator, hunting for sandwich ingredients. Miroku, who was watching her from where he leaned against a marble counter, smiled.

 

“Oh, you know. They've got some pretty good advertising, and the idea just appealed to me for some reason. And you?” Sango turned halfway to toss him a loaf of bread, which he easily caught and set down, before she brought the rest of her findings over.

 

“Internet advertisement,” she explained, beginning to search through the cabinets and drawers in order to find dishes and silverware. “My brother basically told me I didn't have a life, so I decided to send in the application on a lark. I haven't got a clue as to why they chose me for this though. I can't say I'm too fond of reality programs as it is, and I'm not the sort they usually seem to cast. Ah! Here are the dishes.”

 

“And the silverware is in here,” Miroku said, after opening a drawer. He pulled out a pair of butter knives, and the two set to work on conjuring up a lunch. “As for why you got chosen...” He stopped what he was doing to look her over and grinned. “Well, I can tell.”

 

“Flirt,” Sango accused, growing flustered. Quickly, she finished her sandwich and headed back to the fridge. “Do you want anything to drink?” He didn't answer promptly, and she was about to turn and repeat her question when a warm hand touched the middle of her back. Surprised, Sango found that he was beside her, peering into the fridge as well. And he was close. “What are you doing?”

 

“Just checking out the selection.”

 

That's when she felt it.

 

His hand, all in the span of a few seconds, had moved. It was no longer on her back. Oh no. It was somewhere else entirely. And suffice to say, that somewhere was a bit too low for Sango's liking.

 

“Pervert!” She shoved him away before sending a ringing slap across his cheek. “How dare you!” Snatching a soda and her sandwich, she marched out of the room. She pounded up the stairs and into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her in the trailing cameraman's face.

 

And fortunately, that door did have a lock.

 

-

 

`My... Isn't this boring?' Miroku thought as he flipped through the television channels. And boring it was. After all, the one other person in the house had locked herself into the bedroom almost five hours ago, and refused to come out. When he had tried to go in and provide her with some company, she had adamantly refused to open the door. There were a few other things that she had said as well, but Miroku didn't care to remember those...

 

“What to do, what to do?” he mused, finally turning off the TV. He needed a way to get back into Sango's good graces. Otherwise, he'd be stuck in a nice little Hell for two weeks straight, not to mention on the couch. That wasn't exactly his idea of fun.

 

However, he did have an idea.

 

Snapping his fingers at his own ingenuity, Miroku practically dived for the phone.

 

Half an hour later, he was headed back up to the bedroom, armed with several plastic bags, a pack of drinks, and most importantly, a hairpin he had somehow managed to find. Within a few minutes, he had unlocked the door, and all but skipped into the room.

 

Sango, who seemed to have been lounging on the bed while reading a book, sat up straight and glared. “What do you think you're doing in here?!” she demanded.

 

Miroku held up the bags he held. “I come with offerings of peace.”

 

Sango almost hesitated before she said anything else. “Do I really want to see this?” she asked skeptically, causing a wounded expression to cross Miroku's features.

 

“Sango, just what do you think I am?”

 

“I think I told you that earlier,” she sniffed. He laughed nervously.

 

“Oh yeah...”

 

Sango rolled her eyes before scooting over, gesturing for him to sit. She didn't know why she was allowing him to join her after what he had done. She had no love for the lecherous sort, but she'd have to live with him. Literally. If she regretted it later, then so be it. “What'd you bring?”

 

Instead of telling her, Miroku simply opened the bags and pulled out a Styrofoam container. He handed it to her, and Sango opened it curiously. She blinked and looked up at him. “Chinese food?”

 

“Yes. Here,” he handed her a pair of chopsticks, which she took with no further encouragement. He pulled out another container for himself, glancing at her. “I see you like Chinese?”

 

Sango swallowed the bite she had taken. “Asian food in general.”

 

Miroku nodded, eating a little before he spoke again. “Say, Sango?” She quirked an eyebrow at him as she opened a new box. “Mind if I ask you a question or two?”

 

“You just did.”

 

He laughed, setting his food down beside him and propping his head on his arm. “So I did, but that's not what I meant.”

 

“Fine,” Sango agreed. “As long as I can ask you questions, too. Since we're stuck here together, we'd might as well be able to find out about each other.”

 

“You don't have to say that like it's a bad thing!”

 

“It's the cameras. If they weren't here, I'd be fine.” Miroku grinned, picking up a napkin and reaching over to wipe off some soy sauce that had dripped onto her chin, managing to startle her again.

 

“Ignore the cameras then. You only have to focus on me.”

 

Sango's cheeks darkened. “Ah... You were going to ask me a question?”

 

“Oh yes!” Miroku said, “And after that, you can ask me whatever you want, all right? Who knows, after that I may have another, and we may have to continue on from there.”

 

“As long as it's nothing inappropriate, then that's fine,” Sango said, receiving a nod of assent.

 

“Deal. Now, do tell me, what do you really think of me? I know you can't just consider me a lecherous idiot and have nothing else on your mind,” said Miroku, picking his own chopsticks back up.

 

His companion sighed, eyeing him thoughtfully. “Well... You're not that bad. You've got a decent sense of humor, even though you are a pervert.”

 

“That's all?”

 

“All that I've figured out. Now, my turn.” She tapped her chin. “Well, same, I suppose.”

 

Miroku shook his head. “Well, I see you're not very original-” She glared. “-but anyway... You're nice enough when you're in a good mood, and very pleasant company, I might add. You seem a bit shy, but you're also quite steadfast in what you think. From what I can tell, you also depend on action rather than words, hence the slapping and the door locking.”

 

“All of that from just a few hours?”

 

“I'm observant. Now, do tell me, what's your favorite color?”

 

“What were you saying about originality?”

 

Miroku held up a hand. “No, you have to answer my question first!”

 

“Eh... Fine. Black, for the most part. Now, my real question.” Sango bit her lip, tilting her head to the side slightly as she remembered her earlier feelings of déja vù. “Why is that you seem so familiar? I think I've met you before.” He paused, sparing a moment to glance at the cameras before he looked back at her.

 

“I don't know. Maybe we passed each other on a street before and bumped into one another? Or maybe you're imagining things,” he teased, which Sango laughed off.

 

She knew why she had thought he was familiar. They had bumped into each other on that elevator a few weeks back.

 

Wasn't that ironic?