Chapter 1 The Hardest Good-Bye
Miroku gently wrapped the body of Kohaku in a linen cloth. Sango sat in the grass petting Kirara. "You ready, Sango?" Miroku asked soflty as he walked over to her. His heart ached to see her in such pain. "Yea." She replied wiping tears from her cheeks. "Okay, Let's get going." He said gently as he helped her to her feet. The two rode rather slowly towards the place where Sango and Kohaku were raised.]
She took her time and found her brother a beautiful spot not to far from the river. "Kohaku, I am so sorry that this has happened. Not only were you my brother, but you were my best friend." Sango spoke as Miroku covered her brother. "It's gonna be hard without you here. I love you so much, Kohaku." She spoke as tears fell down her cheeks. Miroku put the last bit of soil on top of Sango's brother, Kohaku. "Miroku, thank you. Thank you so much for helping me." She said thgrough her tears as she hugged him. "If you ever need me all you have to do is let me know that. I will be there for you as much as you need me to be. Don't ever be afraid to tell me." Miroku said as he whispered against her ear. His words touched her heart and made it harder for her to stop crying. "Oh Sango. Please, don't cry. Please stop crying, please." He said holding her close to him to try and comfort her some.
After some tears shed the two rode back to the nearest town. "Let me buy you dinner, Miroku. It's the least I can do." Sango said as the two entered the nearest restaraunt. "Sango, you don't have to do that." Miroku replied softly. "Miroku, please. Let me do this for you." She pleaded with him. "Alright, Sango. If it makes you happy then I will allow you to buy a meal for me." Miroku said with a smile, giving in to her. A beautiful young woman walked up to the two of them. "Good Evening, you two." She smiled as she pulled two menus out to give them at their table. "Oh. We are doing well, thank you. How are you?" Miroku said as he and Sango followed her to their table. "That is wonderful to hear, sir. I am good, thank you." The woman said as she placed two menus on a table with silverware.
"Is there a drink that I can get you?" The waitress asked with a smile. "Could I get some Sake?" Sango asked trying to hide the fact that she had cried some that day. "I agree. Sake would be nice." Miroku nodded in agreement. "Awesome. Would you like a bottle of Sake or just two cups?" The waitress asked making notations on her note pad. "The bottle, if you will." Sango said flipping through the menu. The waitress smiled. "Of course" The waitress walked away as the two flipped through the menu some more. Within a few moments the waitress brought two empty glasses and a bottle. "Here you go." She said as she set a glass in front of each of them and poured Sake in each. "Do you need a little more time or are you ready to order?" The waitress asked standing straight and pulling out her note pad. "I want the Oyakodon, please." Sango said folding her menu up and handing it to their waitress. "Good, good. It is one of our more favored dishes." She smiled. "I want the Negitoro Sushi, please." Miroku said handing the waitress the menu.
"A good choice." The waitress smiled as she jotted everything down. "Is there anything else that I can get you?" Miroku and Sango looked at each other and shook their heads no. "Alright, I will go and put this order in and have it back to you as soon as it is done." She smiled as she walked off to put the order in. Sango downed her first glass of Sake. "Mmm." She sighed pouring another glass of Sake. "Sango, go easy. You don't want to end up drunk." Miroku said as he sipped on his glass of Sake. "I know, Miroku. I just need to feel something. We just buried my brother outside of my old village." Sango sighed sadly as she sipped on her second glass. "I know that it is going to be hard, Sango. I will miss him too." He smiled taking another sip of his Sake.
The waitress walked over to their table with two plates of food and set the dishes in front of them repectivly. "Here you go. Is there anything else that I can get you?" She asked with a wink at Miroku. Deep color filled Sango's cheeks seeing that the waitress was trying to be flirtatious. "No. We are fine thank you." Sango said rather irritated as she downed her second glass. "Of course. Let me know if you need anything." The waitress smiled as she walked off. "Sorry, Miroku." She murmured as she poured yet another glass of Sake. "Why are you sorry, Sango?" He asked with a raised eyebrow as he picked up a piece of his sushi with his chop sticks. "I don't know really, but for some reason she really got me mad." Sango said with a sigh. "Sango, are you trying to tell me something?" He asked calmly. Miroku noticed that she had been drinking a bit heavily as she ate. She was drinking more than she ever did.
"Well, I think there is something that I need to tell you. Then again I can't tell if it is the Sake that is doing this to me." She began. "I feelings for you." Her face filled with color as she finished her dish. "Sango, I am glad that you said it. Sake or not." He grinned as he put his hand on top of hers. "Really?" She looked up at him in slight disbelief. "Yes, Sango. I am glad you said something." He smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her. Her cheeks flushed with color as she kissed him back. She smiled as she left the money for their meal and went on to find a place to get some sleep.
"Miroku," Sango began as they entered their room inside of the inn across the street. "Thanks again for helping me." Her speech was starting to sound slurred. Kirara made herself comfortable on the ottoman in front of the chair as Sango fell on the first bed. Miroku chuckled, realizing that she was okay just deunk. "I am glad to have been able to help you, Sango." He smiled as the two began preparations for bed. He said his final prayer for the evening before sliding under the covers of the second bed. Sango flopped on the bed on top of the covers with her eyes closed. "I love you, Miroku." She yawned before passing out.
Miroku smiled to himself. "Perhaps you do, but perhaps not. I only hope that it is not the Sake talking." He thought to himself as he closed his eyes for a good night's rest.