AN: Hey everybody!
This story was inspired by my best friend and my class! It all started with one person bringing a Rubik's Cube to school and it slowly turned (back) into a fad. Sadly I can still only solve one side…Anyway, thanks GY and Lil' Sis for inspiring my story! Enjoy and don't forget to review!
It was daylight. Sun beams leaked into the old shack, filling it in an instant. The fire had died out long ago and only a few glowing embers peeked out shyly from beneath the burnt wood. The rain had stopped (which was a good sign) and its remnants cascaded down from the roof to the ground in a random symphony. A pair of eyes flickered open behind a curtain of dark brown locks.
'Another start of yet another soon-to-be uneventful day' she thought while her eyes got used to the light.
And as they focused, brown met violet.
She hadn't realized his presence. She also hadn't realized his particularly close presence.
"Good morning my dearest Sango." Miroku gave her his 'infamous' smile.
Her eyes shot wide open and she blushed at how close his face was to hers. His smile grew wider as he realized this. He cupped her chin in his hand and brought her face closer to his. Her blush got worse as their lips inched closer and closer to each other.
"How about a good morning kiss, huh?" Then, she realized where his other hand was.
SLAP
The sound was so loud that even the old Miko, Kaede, outside could hear it along with Shippo and Kirara who had cringed at how loud it was this time. Sango rolled her eyes and pushed him out of the way as she stood up. Miroku sat there nonchalantly.
'It has happened so many times anyway.' He thought.
This is no different.
"Stupid houshi…" She muttered as she brushed herself off.
Bloody lecherous monk... She thought as she gritted her teeth.
At times like these Sango hoped that his Kazana would suddenly open up and swallow him whole. (Even though she would want it to spit him back out because she would miss him later.)
He sighed and propped himself against the wall. Suddenly, the veil that covered the door opened. Kaede came in with Shippo and Kirara.
"It's too early in the morning for your racket, Miroku…" Shippo sighed. Kirara mewed in agreement.
"It wasn't my fault…" He muttered softly while rubbing his glowing red cheek. This was caught by Shippo who glared daggers at him. (Definitely been around Kagome too much)
"Kagome and Inuyasha are returning today." Kaede said giving a slight cough as she held open the veil, signaling them to go and 'retrieve them' from the well. Her old body was definitely getting too old. Soon enough she wouldn't be able to keep up with these young people.
"We should pack up and meet them at the well." Sango said coldly while Kirara hopped onto her shoulder. Miroku rose and grabbed his staff on his way out but Kaede blocked his way.
"Do you wish to tell me something Kaede sama?" He asked innocently.
"Usually I only give this sort of advice to people who are really blind but I think you need it…" Miroku raised an eyebrow.
"I've only known you two for so long but I know that Sango is a good girl. Try to understand that." And with that the elderly miko left the shack, leaving a befuddled Miroku.
Was it something I said?
-
"Where are they?! They should have been here ten minutes ago!" An angry Inuyasha yelled.
"It's only been a few minutes, give them time." Kagome sighed. 'Same old boorish hanyou…' She thought as she sat on the rim of the well, swinging her slender legs back and forth. The weather was slightly windy but that made the summer morning perfect for traveling.
"At least you have that 'Ruby' Cube or what ever you call it, I'm bored stiff!" He said as he scratched his ear.
"RUBIK'S cube Inuyasha…and like I said, it has only been - -"
"KAGOMEEEEEEE!!" The two quarrelling turned their heads and saw a very excited kitsune running towards Kagome followed by Sango, Miroku and Kirara.
"We've missed you Kagome chan." Sango said with a smile and went over to give her a hug. Kagome was like a sister to her and she really missed her when Kagome returned to her time, leaving her with two extremely pig-headed men (or should I say boys) and they were annoying in different aspects.
"Ah Kagome sama, nice to have you back." Miroku said slyly as he came over to supposedly 'hug' her as well but was stopped by a violent tug on his ear.
"Very funny houshi…very funny." Sango said as she tugged on it harder.
"Hey what's that you have there Kagome sama?" He asked trying desperately to change the subject.
"Oh, this?" Kagome lifted the coloured cube.
"This is a Rubik's cube."
"Rub-y cube?" Shippo asked.
"Rubik's, Shippo. The aim is to make all the sides one solid color by twisting and turning the cube. I kinda got it in school but my friends were there to help me…" She trailed off as she fiddled with the peculiar object.
"That seems simple enough." Said the houshi very confidently.
"Ha! I don't think so! I mean, even Kagome chan is having difficulty doing it and its something from her time." Sango defended.
"It's not that easy Miroku. The formula is really long." Kagome said, eyes transfixed on the cube.
"Come on Kagome! Just - -" Inuyasha, angered at how much attention the cube was getting, grabbed the cube and crushed it in his hands and began arranging it according to color.
"INUYASHAAAA!!! What was that for?!?!?!"
"You all are getting so frustrated over this little thing I thought I'd help you!! It's distracting anyway! We'll never find any shards by - -"
"INUYASHA OSUWARI!!!!" A loud thud resounded through the forest, followed by many more screams and many more loud thuds.
When Kagome finished with him, Inuyasha was almost 3 feet underground, cursing.
"You're lucky I have an extra Inuyasha or you would be BURIED ALIVE!!!" She said angrily and stalked off towards the village.
The day had passed quickly with the group's new-found entertainment. They hadn't found any shards and by night fall they set up camp near a hot spring (Which of course the girls AND Miroku loved…) Inuyasha was getting very annoyed at the cube for making everybody side-track but he didn't dare do anything to it for he feared Kagome's wrath. The mere thought of what she would do made him cringe.
Dinner had been cooked and everyone was eating and watching Kagome's flying fingers as she worked with the cube.
"Yes! I did it again!" Kagome squealed in delight.
"Whoa! Kagome chan is 'on fire'!" Shippo was getting good at modern slang.
"Kagome sama, if you don't mind, could I have a go?" Miroku asked.
"Sure, but just to warn you, it's tricky."
"Not to worry," Miroku said calmly while taking the cube.
"Monks have unusually high IQ and can solve very complicated problems." Miroku stated.
"Yeah and I'm sure they have unusually large EGOS too." Retorted a miffed Sango.
"Well we will just have to see about that."
"Good luck trying to figure out the first side." Sango said.
"I don't require your good luck. And by the way, your harsh remarks hurt me Sango."
"Pay back for this morning!" And with that she stood up.
"You know what? If you think you can solve the puzzle, I'll make a bet with you; If by tomorrow at dusk you solve the cube, I'll…I'll …I'll..."
"You'll what?"
"…give you a kiss!"
Suddenly everyone's, even the ignorant hanyou's, eyes widened.
"I'm going to take a bath." She said plainly and stalked off.
"And don't you follow me you hentai!" She yelled back as she walked deeper into the forest.
"Talk about your irony…" Kagome said still in shock.
After a few (way too) silent pauses passed, Miroku finally got what Sango said and his eyes lit up and a sly smile emerged.
Hahaha! Get ready Sango my love for a kiss you'll never forget!!!
Morning dawned and the group prepared to leave.
"Remember our bet Sango dearest!" Miroku smiled. All of a sudden it dawned on her…
Did I really do what I think I did?!
Flashback
"I'll…give you a kiss!"
End Flashback
'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I've made a deal with the devil! I can't believe how stupid I was last night!!! It was a heat-of-the-moment thing or maybe he poisoned my food…'
As the group trudged along Miroku's eyes and fingers never left the cube and Sango's eyes were constantly glancing over to Miroku to see whether she would actually have to do what she promised. Sadly, by late afternoon, he had only gotten one side.
"Inuyasha lets rest. We haven't even seen a youkai all day. It's pointless!" Kagome complained. The rest agreed and without the hanyou's permission plopped down at a comfortable spot near the river.
"Fine! But I know it's that cube what-cha-ma-call-it's fault. Bad karma Kagome! Imagine if I hadn't crushed the other one yesterday we- - "
"OSUWARI!"
Thump
Everyone (Except Inuyasha who was face-first in the ground) was next to the river already, dangling their feet in its cool water. When Kagome realized that Miroku was no where near to solving the cube and Sango was out of earshot, her mind's gears began turning and she churned up an evil scheme. Kagome scooted closer to the perplexed houshi.
"So Miroku…" She started in a softer than usually voice.
"How are you doing?" She asked with a peculiar evil glint in her eye.
"It's hopeless Kagome sama…I have only solved the white side and if I want to solve the others, the white one gets messed up!!" He said getting more and more frustrated.
"Well…"
"Well what?"
"You know…I could always…'help' you to do it." Kagome said casually.
"What? That would be cheating Kagome sama! I am a monk and we do have morals."
"Morals schmorals! It's not like you are a saint or anything. Groping every woman you see…"
"Only the pretty ones my dear miko…"
"She said you had to solve it by dusk. She never said anything about people helping you!" She stated matter-of-factly. However the monk still shook his head lightly.
"You finally get a chance to kiss Sango and you're going to let your NON-EXISTENT morals get in your way?!?!" The match-maker in Kagome fumed at the monk's attitude and all of a sudden, Sango was next to them.
"What are you two doing??" She asked. Her eyes looked like they could burn a hole right through your soul. The pair froze.
"Ahahaa…nothing Sango chan! Ahahaa…Nothing at all! Hey look! Someone's trying to steal Hiraikotsu!!" Kagome said thinking fast pointing randomly into the distance.
"Where?!" Sango ran off. (Can't believe she fell for that.)
"Hurry up Miroku and give me the goddamn cube so I can help you!!!"
"Okay! Take it!" Miroku said as he smiled inwardly.
"Make sure it's back before—"
"Sundown, I know!"
Ooooh Kagome Higurashi you've outdone yourself this time girl!!!
Sango sat on top of a hill near the river as she stared at the sun between the peaks of two mountains in the distance. She was so mesmerized by the sunset that she hadn't even thought of what it symbolized: The end of the bet.
The summer wind casually licked at her form as it blew at the long grass on the hill as well. Sango slowly lay on the grass and closed her eyes as she listened to the harmony the whistle of the wind and the rustling of the grass made.
So much like home…
The saddening thought of her home made a stray tear roll down her delicately wind-whipped face. Her mind filled with thoughts of Kohaku and her slain brethren. The music was cut short by a shout that was all too familiar.
"SANGO!!!" Miroku cried as he raced up the hill. When he finally reached her, he was out of breath.
"Here…see…I…did…it…look…" He said in between gulps of air. Sango stared at the completed cube. One word to describe it: priceless.
"How did you--? No you couldn't - -did you ask Inuyasha to 'rearrange' it for you?!"
"No my dear I would never cheat for your love." Behind a tree near the hill, Kagome sneezed.
"Are…are you sure you did it by yourself?" Sango's heart was now thumping hard.
Real hard.
"Now Sango, you doubt my integrity?" He said. As if on cue, his eye twitched.
"Yes I do."
"I guess I cannot hide the truth from you my beloved." Miroku sighed. Then, Kagome popped up from behind the tree.
"What do you think you're doing Miroku?!? You'll blow it!" Then she realized what she had done and her hands flew up to cover her mouth.
"Oh so I get it! You two are ganging up on me huh?" Sango fumed.
"No I had nothing to do with it!" Kagome said meekly as she scuttled away from the hill. The only thing worse than a mad Kagome was an even madder Sango.
"N-Now Sango, Kagome had nothing to do with this…"
"Can I ever trust you houshi?" She asked softly but angrily as well. Her eyes were hidden behind her bangs but he knew exactly what she was trying to hide.
You idiot, now you made her cry! His conscience screamed.
"Sango…" He started.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." He tried comforting her.
You hurt her all the time. All those women…she's always been mad at you for that!
It struck him in that instant that he had been very unfair to her. For so long, and yet she had always forgiven him.
"I forgive you…" She sighed in defeat.
Again
She started to walk down the hill.
"Sango wait!" Miroku grabbed her arm just in the nick of time and pulled her into him. Sango blushed at the monk's sudden gesture.
"What happens if I don't finish the cube by sundown?" He asked sincerely. His eyes gazed down into hers and he gave her a genuine smile.
"Sango…" He pressed his lips against hers. Sango's eyes widened but subsequently closed.
'Finally' both their minds said in unison.
Sango responded and draped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. The wind returned and played with both of them this time. Finally, he pulled away from her and she buried her face into his robes.
"Stupid houshi…"