Chapter One: Unknown Affections

Knees were brought down to the earth as the wind shifting around them had disappeared completely, leaving them all in silence. Birds had no place for singing, nor did the forest life have no place for making any sound whatsoever. The silence here was only doomed by the concealing clouds; hiding the sun's rays to be gilded across Japan's grounds. The gloominess seemed to be too dark for this moment, though…it was pretty saddening considering what had just happened.

Two figures in a lily white feather were disappearing with each second as a certain young woman had her knees brought to the earth beneath her. The soft ground cushioned her knees as she tried to hold back tears; refraining herself from speaking to avoid the risk of her voice cracking and her breaths to become uneven.

She cupped her face into both her hands as she tried to hide the fact of tears releasing from her dark hues. The glassy image of her eyes was what she didn't want her friends to see. Not like this, for she feared she appeared weak to them by letting a departure break her down.

A gasp escapes her thin lips as pressure was lightly bestowed upon her right shoulder. She removed her hands from her face as she looked to the side; witnessing a hand with a dark violet cloth wrapped around the palm along with light blue beads—prayer beads—to conceal a curse. The girl looked back down to the grass blades which had softly cushioned her seat as she placed both her hands onto her knees. The many dark strands of her hair had curtained her eyes to be seen from the world.

"Don't worry, Miroku…I'll be alright," she had said softly; careful not to let her voice crack under pressure. It was hard enough to speak to the monk, let alone her other friends that stood silently around her.

The monk continued to rest his palm upon her shoulder as he stood silent as well as the others. There was a long and discomfited pause as he remained silent. When that pause ended, Miroku whispered, "Sango…you know I'm always here for you. We all are."

As soon as those comforting words slipped from the monk's very lips, the forming pools of tears around her eyes had gently spilled over her pallid cheeks as she let them fall to the surface of her hands. She compressed her lips to hide away the sobs she held in for so long since her and her brother's last meeting. It was painful: this departure.

Noticing the tears dropping from her eyes, a young girl with dark hair which lingered to the midsection of her back quickly knelt by the female demon slayer; wrapping her arms around her. Repeatedly, she would comfort her good friend.

"Thank you, Kagome," Sango had cried as she held onto the arm in front of her as she sobbed; her tears soaking with each spill onto Kagome's sleeve. It was hard to feel to see her brother take leave along with Kagura: The Wind Sorceress whom was incarnated from Naraku. It was times like these she wanted to slaughter them both so much to having Kohaku emotionally too far away for her heart to reach him.

As she sobbed into Kagome's arm—cushioning her face into the warmth, Kirara appeared at her knees after reverting back into her kitten form. The little cat brushed herself against Sango's leg: her own little way of comforting her master.

As for the others: InuYasha and Shippo, the young fox demon was there right beside Kagome as she had hugged Sango. InuYasha kept his distance as his hands wee clenched in fists; watching Kagura get away. Though he felt sorry for Sango, he didn't really show any physical sympathy towards her. As of all this time, the half-demon male punished himself for not killing Kagura this time around. It would have been possible for Sango to retrieve Kohaku back into her life and make attempts to replenish his memory. It somewhat pained him for witnessing Sango's pain.

InuYasha looked away as he walked towards Sango.

"I'm sorry," he murmured under his breath as he brushed past the others waiting afar for them to finish.

Sango lets out a gasp as she raised her head from Kagome's sleeve and turned her gaze towards InuYasha as he walked away. She compressed her lips, feeling rather silly while her heart had skipped a beat there. Pushing that to the back of her mind, a small smile is caressed upon her soft lips as she wiped her tears away from her eyes.

Her hand reaches for her weapon as she lifts herself up after Kagome releases her from her comforting embrace. Sango looks to Miroku as she smiled towards him then bowing her head in 'thanks' for his comforting words as she brushed past him; Kirara transforming into a sabre tooth-like cat as fire surrounded her feet.

Sango reached over her companion's shoulder as she turned over to Miroku, Shippo and Kagome. "We better get moving," she said with a smile on her face.

The others smiled back, happy they had comforted her enough. Soon, Kagome approached InuYasha with the little fox demon upon her shoulder. She was lifted into his back and InuYasha began running. Kirara lifted herself into the air with Miroku behind Sango.

As they took flight, Sango looked behind herself towards InuYasha as she smiled. It was hard to say about her feelings for the male half-demon, but only confusion came to her mind whenever she thought of it. It was then when InuYasha had returned her gaze when Sango's cheeks flamed cherry red as she pulled her gaze from his as quick as she can.

Silly of me, she thought. My heart skipped a beat there for a moment…