Inuyasha (manga and anime) belong to Takahashi-san
The Journey Home – Chapter Thirty Eight
"You seem to be full of energy." Miroku told the boy as they made camp for the night. "Is there a reason why we must go there quickly?"
"Oh…uh—not really," Kohaku answered feeling somewhat timid again, "I just…want to get there as quickly as possible. It's dangerous and all that..." Kohaku knew that it was more dangerous to reveal anything more to the perceptive houshi.
I wonder why you're in such a hurry, thought Miroku. It was indeed getting very intriguing.
"How have you been, anyway?" The houshi asked, changing the subject. "Have you been staying with anyone? I remember you mentioning something about a 'he', do you mind if I ask who?"
"Eh? I did?" Kohaku exclaimed surprisingly, trying to hide his nervousness.
Miroku waved his hands in innocent protest. "Ah, I apologise. I must be thinking of someone else. But I really do want to know… just, how did you end up with Kagome-sama?" He did not know why, but that question bothered him the most.
"Ah…Sesshoumaru-sama brought me to her. Although I don't know why," Kohaku lied. "He said that he was waiting for her, or something."
"Oh— really?" That statement sounded a bit too remarkable for the houshi, and he wasn't sure if Kohaku was lying or not, however he didn't want to question the boy any further, not yet anyway. Perhaps Sango would have better luck with him.
"What are you guys talking about?" Shippou asked curiously as he came back from hunting for fish and edible mushrooms.
"Ah…a man's life is surely a mysterious one," Miroku said wistfully.
Kohaku and Shippou just stared at him in confusion.
"How long have you've known Kohaku, Rin-chan?" Sango asked as the three girls relaxed in the onsen.
"Oh, for a long time, Rin was so happy that Sesshoumaru-sama allowed Kohaku to stay. He has been with us ever since." Rin lied as she flushed, although the other two women weren't sure if it was from the heat of the onsen or something else.
"So…Kohaku hasn't been with anyone else? Did you see him with a miko?" Sango asked.
"Not that Rin knows of." Rin lied again.
"Oh…I see." And yet it was difficult for Sango to see if Rin was lying or not, so she decided to change the subject. "It must be wonderful for you Rin-chan." Sango sighed sadly wishing certain things about a certain houshi.
"What do you mean by that Sango-sama?" Rin asked.
It was Sango's turn to blush, "Oh…uh, nothing for you to worry about."
"Oh…? Kagome replied slyly. "Then why are you blushing?"
Sango turned bright red, as she mumbled, "I-it's nothing." And then she looked at Kagome with questioning eyes. "What I like to know is how and why Rin-chan ended up with you. It was strange that he allowed a human to follow him around and now, all of a sudden she's with you, Kagome-chan."
"Wh-what are you trying to say Sango-chan?" Although Kagome wished that whatever strange idea was on Sango's mind, she did not want to hear it.
She was absolutely right.
Sango edged closer towards her and whispered into her ear. "You know, perhaps Sesshoumaru asked you to look after Rin while he is wherever he is."
"And…?" Kagome asked naively.
Sango sighed in mild frustration as she hazarded a guess, because right now she wanted to know the real reason why Rin was with her.
Ever since Kagome had returned to their time, it was apparent that things had occurred during their absence, things that could be described as 'strange', especially with the unexpected appearance of Rin and Kohaku. And Sango was unsure of what to make of her brother's change in personality.
Sango had to know, she never liked it when people hid secrets from her, and now she had the inkling that that was exactly what the miko was doing.
"Isn't there something going on between you and Sesshoumaru? Sango blurted out.
She waited for the response.
Everything seemed to stop as the words echoed into Kagome's head.
Kagome blinked.
And she blinked again.
It took a while for Sango's words to settle in and then she finally said: "What?"
Behind the bushes, Miroku was listening intently to the whole conversation. Really now…?
"What are you doing Miroku?" Shippou whispered harshly.
"Shh…," he hissed back covering the kitsune's eyes.
The silence painfully lingered on as all three girls did not say anything for a long time.
Rin looked from Kagome to Sango and then sank down into the steaming hot water of the onsen, knowing that somehow her lie had worked all too well. Please forgive me Kagome-sama…
Sango began to laugh nervously as Kagome did not say anything further, but just stared at her with wide eyes and gaping mouth. In truth, it wasn't the kind of reaction she was hoping from the miko.
Standing up suddenly, she pointed an accusing finger at Rin while speaking to Kagome, "Well, Rin-chan is with you, and you did say that you had just arrived at Kaede-sama's village. So Sesshoumaru was probably waiting for you to arrive. I find it strange that he was waiting for you. Am I right Rin-chan?" She looked at the younger girl, but Rin just ducked further down into the water.
"Leave Rin out of this," she replied timidly, forming bubbles in the water as she spoke.
Sango was starting to feel a little uncomfortable as the miko still had not answered her about her accusations. She opened her mouth to apologise when; her quick eyes flickered to the bushes, and it was then she realised, as she went red with rage, that she was standing up and giving quite the spectacle for the now endangered houshi.
The leaves moved and the exterminator reached with her hand for the conveniently placed boulder.
"Houshi-sama, haven't I told you before?!! Never teach Shippou your bad habits!!"
"At least you know some restraint Kohaku." Sango grumbled, as the girls dragged an unconscious Miroku and Shippou back to the campsite.
Kohaku looked at Kagome and she shrugged her shoulders in response. He looked at the unconscious bodies again and shook his head. Now I know why Inuyasha-san warned me about girls and the onsen.
He continued to nibble at his fish.
While everyone was assumingly asleep, Kagome snuck out to be by herself for a while, knowing that the cool fresh air would somehow ease her mind of entangled thoughts. And there were many entangled thoughts, more than she would have liked.
She noticed that the moon had nearly become full. Its colour and eerie illuminance had reminded her of Inuyasha and his pure white hair, rising and falling against the gentle winds. She reached inside of her side pocket and pulled out the dark blue ribbon that Inuyasha gave to her. Feeling the soft silk, she wished that he was here with her right now.
Baka…where are you?
Kohaku had not told her anything and didn't look like he was going to any time soon, but the fact that he wanted to get to the village as quickly as possible, only meant that it was a bad sign.
She sighed.
"They say when a young woman sighs; it means that she is in love." Miroku told her quietly.
"I-it does?" Kagome replied, not liking how the houshi had the ability to materialise from out of nowhere.
He nodded and continued. "I hope that what Sango has said is not true. Sesshoumaru seems to be a very…unlikely person." He finished off rather slowly, trying to make sense of the thought, but couldn't.
"Oh…so I wasn't hearing things was I?" Kagome groaned.
"Well, it is the only logical explanation we could come up with. You did say that you were at Kaede-dono's village not long ago. And when we came, Rin and Kohaku were already there and quite comfortable to be with you." He said carefully. "Sesshoumaru was waiting for you, I suppose? Kohaku did say that they were brought to you by him."
"You don't think that too, do you Miroku-sama?" Kagome asked, not wanting to know his answer.
"Well, perhaps you can enlighten me, with your story Kagome-sama."
Kagome had heard that tone of voice before from the houshi, and this was not good. It was obvious that he was waiting until she slipped something up.
"No. Of course not," she replied firmly while crossing her arms in front of her.
Miroku sighed, "But if you told me, we could clear this misunderstanding, or…," he began slowly. "If there is something going on between you and Sesshoumaru, we can clear up on that matter too."
"Look Miroku-sama, I don't know where you get your logical explanations, but if I hear something stupid like that again…" And even though she left the rest of the sentence hanging, Miroku took the hint as he found himself gulping with fear from the sudden mysterious drop in temperature.
"Yes, of course Kagome-sama, this matter will not be brought up again." He replied, bowing his head in apology, although he was glad that matter was cleared up. It sounded ridiculous, even to him. "Although it would help us if you told us what exactly was going on." He mumbled incoherently, although the miko did not manage to hear it, or choose not to.
Miroku then found himself unconsciously observing the hand that once held the kazaana, the deadly void that had been passed down from father to son for generations.
"I've noticed that you don't have the kazaana anymore." Kagome said quietly.
"Yes. I haven't had it for a long time. Although it is a mystery of how it suddenly disappeared," he then looked at the miko with a twinkle in his blue eyes. "Do you know how it disappeared?"
It was then that Kagome began to get nervous from the very perceptive houshi, and she tried her best to hide it. "I-I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Ah, I must be thinking about something else." Miroku innocently replied as he watched the miko hurry back into the camp. You are a very bad liar Kagome. Whatever you are not saying, I will surely find out what it is...
At last an update!! I'm so sorry about being late. I'm on my break from uni and now I'm working on different shifts so I'm tired and can't think straight...anyway, I hope you are enjoying the story so far...
Ah! The crime of misunderstandings...
Until next time...