シャットアウト (shattoauto) - keep out, exclude, shut

Kagome Higurashi didn't ask for many things in life. Maybe a bit more sleep, and less time in school to do math, but generally she was a very happy person, content with her life.

So why did she keep wishing she could get into Inuyasha Takahashi's head?

Math was one of the three subjects Kagome had with Inuyasha - without his best friend. In the one other class she had him in it, he was always with his best friend. So she was always watching him in those classes, wondering what was going on in his mind. She would die to know, to be completely honest.

Inuyasha Takahashi, the half demon son of Inutaisho Takahashi, the CEO of the biggest company in Japan. Inuyasha Takahashi, the one that has always been hated just because he had been born. Inuyasha Takahashi, the one who scowls at anyone who approaches him. Inuyasha Takahashi, the one who only had one friend. A friend he didn't scowl at, and in rare moments, Kagome had seen him smile at that friend. A friend who Kagome was pretty convinced that he was dating.

Kagome wasn't ashamed to admit - at least, to herself - that she probably had the biggest crush on the half demon Takahashi. It was the ears, I tell you! The adorable dog ears covered in white fur was what attracted her to him in the first place. Then those gold, gold eyes…

"Kagome, snap out of it! The bell rung!" Eri shook her friend. Kagome blinked, shaking her head as she began to get her things together. "Sorry, Eri, I was…distracted," she said off-handedly, looking at Inuyasha through the corner of her eye. The half demon was still packing up his things.

Kagome hadn't told her friends about her crush on him and didn't plan to do so anytime soon. Ayumi, she knew, wouldn't mind - she was always on the side of Kagome's happiness. But Ayumi was a blabbermouth and she was sure to tell Eri and Yuka, the two people that Kagome didn't want knowing about her crush on Inuyasha. They disliked his demon blood and thought he was too gangster, so obviously they wouldn't approve. Miroku, well…she'd be better off if he didn't know. He'd tease her until the day she died about it.

Besides…it's not like I have a chance with him, or anything. Kagome straightened up and grabbed her back, glancing at Inuyasha again. He was looking up at the girl approaching him from the doorway. Not when clearly he only cares for one person.

Sango Taijiya.

Sango Taijiya came from a long line of demon slayers, all the way back from the feudal era. Some from her bloodline, like herself, still practiced the art, most of them were in the military or police officers of some sorts. It was a surprise to everyone when they found this out, early middle school, because ever since the beginning of seventh grade Sango and Inuyasha have been friends. They were as close as they could be and they retained their friendship up until now. The rumor was that she and Inuyasha were dating, but it was up to debate - Inuyasha had an ex girlfriend from ninth grade, Kikyo Miya, and the rumor was much older than that.

Watching from the corner of her eye the way that Inuyasha casually asked Sango something, and smirking at her dry response and dodged her swat aimed for the back of his head. He stood up and they left the math room together.

Kagome sighed, following Eri out of the room to eat lunch in silence.

###

Ever since seventh grade, Inuyasha Takahashi and Sango Taijiya have been inseparable. No one knew how they met, or how they even became friends. They were the two people most unlikely to be friends - Inuyasha the half demon with attitude, Sango the demon slayer with temper - but their friendship seemed to be going strong. A bit too strongly, in my opinion.

Do not misunderstand, Miroku Houshi did not dislike the fact that Inuyasha and Sango were great friends as they obviously were. It was more so the fact that out of all the girls he endlessly pursued that went to the school, Sango was the only one he hadn't yet been able to work his charms on.

It was part respect, part fear. Miroku respected Sango - she belonged to a respectable family and deserved to be treated the very best by any man who had her. But he also feared for his life, not because he was afraid of Sango, but of Inuyasha - every time Miroku's hand would get close to the wonderful behind of the beautiful demon slayer, Inuyasha would catch him and the dark look he gave the monk send shivers up his spine. The look was too possessive, which got Miroku wondering if the rumors of Inuyasha and Sango dating were true.

Needless to say, Miroku was curious about Sango and Inuyasha. It did not hurt that Sango was beautiful, talented, and smarter than a lot of people he knew. He wanted to know her better, to actually call her his friend. But how to do that?

Miroku caught sight of his closest friend, Kagome, and suddenly got possibly the greatest idea of the century. Despite her never saying so, he knew that she had a crush on Inuyasha and she was, by nature, a very curious girl. Now if she'd just agree to it, everything would work out perfectly.

Mind made up, Miroku waved Kagome over. He normally sat with the four girls, but he much preferred Kagome over those three chatty girls. Possibly because Kagome was a priestess while he was a priest. Nevertheless, they got along well.

Kagome raised an eyebrow, gesturing to the normal spot under a tree where they normally had lunch, but Miroku shook his head and waved her over again. Nodding, Kagome told something to the other three and ran over to Miroku. "What's wrong, Miroku?"

"I need to talk to you. Sit, sit." Waiting for her to sit down, Miroku went back to staring at Sango, who was taking her normal spot under a tree next to Inuyasha and taking out her lunch.

"…Any reason why you made me come here claiming you want to talk and then stare off into space," Kagome grumbled, her head still pounding from her math class. She had tried to pay attention, after all, before she gave up and stared at Inuyasha. So. Many. Numbers.

"I haven't been staring off into space, I've been waiting for you to look at what I'm looking at," Miroku answered flippantly, his eyes not even wavering from where they were locked on. Kagome sighed but turned her back, following Miroku's gaze.

Her eyes landed towards the tree where Inuyasha and Sango were seated, who looked like they were in a deep discussion. Sango was using her hands to express herself, her dark brown hair in a high ponytail that swished as she moved her head, while Inuyasha just snorted and pushed his hair back in an annoyed fashion as he talked back with his arms crossed.

"…any reason you're staring at Sango and Inuyasha?" Kagome finally asked, tearing her eyes away from Inuyasha for a second to look back at Miroku.

"I know you have a crush on Inuyasha, Kagome-" Miroku started, ignoring Kagome's furious blush and her exclamations of "I do not!" "-and I wouldn't mind getting to know Sango better. Problem is, those two are a package deal. I can't start anything with Sango unless Inuyasha approves, and girls go through Sango before getting to Inuyasha, so why not work together?"

"Miroku, this is crazy. They're best friends, sure, but you've heard the rumors. It's a great possibility that they are dating. I'm not going to break them up just because I have a crush on Inuyasha." Ignoring the fact that she had just told Miroku about her crush on the Takahashi, she continued on. "Besides, I've talked to Sango before, we get along and I didn't have to go through Inuyasha." True, it had only been a short discussion over an essay due for their history class, but she ignored that small fact.

"We won't know for sure until we actually meet them, dear Kagome. Please, Sango is a mystery to me and I'd really like to know her. You getting to know Inuyasha will be good, too!" Miroku pleaded, his hands clasped together. "I swear I won't grope you or the girls anymore if you do!"

"…fine," Kagome relented. "But only because you won't grope us anymore!" She wasn't fooling anyone. Truth is, Kagome really did want to know Inuyasha better. She could only imagine what he had gone through being a half demon, and she was curious about his life and his friendship with Sango.

Maybe, if I get to know him well enough, my wish to understand what goes on his mind might come true!