Interlude 12- Lecture


Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi


The following day after Miroku's surgery, Mushin decided to give him the all-clear to leave. It was a relief to the others...well...to some, anyway. Inuyasha was the only one who knew of how serious the predicament was: that Miroku's life would be forfeit sometime within the year.

Inuyasha wasn't really one for sentiment...at least not outwardly. He'd always try and put up a front and act all haughty and brash, trying to make himself seem uncaring, even though deep down, worry and uncertainty roiled in the pit of his gut. He could have told Miroku about this...but the monk was already under so much pressure as is. Besides, he was pretty smart (despite his perverse tendencies). Inuyasha believed that somehow, Miroku knew that he didn't have much time left, anyway.

As of yet, though, Kagome, Sango, and Shippo were the only ones who didn't know...and as far as Inuyasha was concerned, he wasn't going to tell them...at least not for a while. He wanted to at least wait until the time was right to do so.

He just hoped he would find that right time.

As Inuyasha walked into the room where Miroku rested, he saw the monk already packing up his belongings. The half-demon's golden eyes narrowed before he approached him, the floorboards creaking from his footsteps, alerting Miroku to his presence. The monk turned and Inuyasha stood just a few feet away from him, and the moment he saw that scowl, Miroku's smile fell, too.

"You seem upset, Inuyasha," Miroku mused. "Is there something on your mind?"

"You're damn right, there is," Inuyasha growled. "If you pull off some bullcrap like that again, I'll let you have it, and trust me, I can be a hell of a lot scarier than a whole horde of demons."

Miroku scoffed. "Did you come here to lecture me?"

"I mean it!" Inuyasha barked, startling the monk a bit, and it took a lot to startle him. "I don't care if you a slowly dying man! You're not gonna get any special treatment from me! Next time, if you're gonna go somewhere, tell us first, you got it?!"

"All right, all right!" Miroku exclaimed as he raised. "I swear, I learned my lesson. I won't go off on my without telling someone first, I promise."

"Good," Inuyasha said before he turned and walked away. "We'll be waiting outside. Meet us out there when you've got everything."

Miroku sighed and shook his head...and yet, he couldn't help smiling, just a little bit. When he met Inuyasha, he saw him as something as a rival or just someone to poke fun at. However, as time went on and he started to get used to being around him, he saw just how much of a friend he really was, especially after what happened the other night with all those demons.

He knew that even though Inuyasha wasn't one for sentiment, he still valued Miroku as a friend and therefore, he earned his loyalty...not just him, but Kagome, Shippo, and even Sango.

Sango...

She actually hadn't spoken to him since the other morning, after he was recuperating from using his Wind Tunnel. A part of him felt that maybe he did go just a bit too far with groping her when she let her guard down, but it was like the say: old habits die hard.

As Miroku finally packed up the last of his things, he heard another set of footfalls, although these were a bit softer than Inuyasha's.

"...Are you going to lecture me, as well...Sango?" Miroku asked as he turned to face the demon-slayer, who stood in the doorway with her arms crossed while Kirara sat by her feet. If Miroku didn't know any better, the nekomata seemed to have a wary look in her glowing red eyes not too different from her mistress's.

It seemed that she was distrustful of him, as well.

"First of all, I'm still mad at you for what you did the other day," Sango said.

"I understand," Miroku replied as he slung his rucksack over his shoulder.

"Another thing," Sango said as she cast her eyes to the floor. "I just wanted to say...I'm sorry...for how I treated you."

"For how you treated me?" Miroku asked.

"Back when the mantis demon attacked you," answered Sango. "Kagome said she's sorry, as well."

"Ah," Miroku realized. "In that case...there's nothing to forgive. I suppose I did act rather impulsively, didn't I?"

"I'd say you have..." Sango muttered. "But...I was also ignorant of your plight." She looked to Miroku with these...almost sincere eyes. "Kagome told me...about the curse in your hand."

Miroku's eyes went wide before he looked down at his right palm, which was sealed shut.

"I didn't realize your family's involvement with Naraku until the other night," answered Sango. "Why didn't you explain this to me?"

"Well...you didn't ask," answered Miroku.

"Even so," Sango began, "I just wish you'd be...just a little more open with things. After all...we're in this together, aren't we?"

Miroku's eyes went wide while Sango stared at him with a seriousness in her eyes.

"Sango..." Miroku muttered before he looked down at the floor, himself. "I...I'm sorry."

"Huh?" Sango asked.

"Don't get me wrong," Miroku said. "I actually have come to care a great deal about the rest of you...you, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo, too...but..."

"...But what?" Sango inquired.

"...The reason why I left," Miroku explained, "was because in the event that I do lose control of the Wind Tunnel...I didn't want any of you to see me die." He then heaved a quiet sigh. "Just like how I had to watch my Father die..."

"...Your father...?" asked Sango.

"Do you remember that crater where you found me the night you came to save me?" asked Miroku. "That was where my Father perished...and my Grandfather before him died in the same manner." He then looked Sango dead in the eye. "One day...I, too, will share that fate."

"...Miroku..." Sango whispered before she put on a determined expression. "No, you won't."

"Sango?" Miroku asked in perplexity.

"We'll find Naraku and destroy him," Sango declared. "I will avenge my fallen people...and your curse will be lifted. I swear it!"

Miroku's eyes went wide while Sango remained firm.

"Hey!" Inuyasha groused from outside. "Are we hitting the road or what?!"

"Inuyasha, be a little more patient!" Kagome was heard chiding.

"We're coming!" Sango called before she turned to Miroku before she gave him a warm smile. "Well...we better be going, Miroku."

"Indeed," Miroku concurred as he soon followed her and Kirara out. "By the way, Sango..."

"Yes?"

"I noticed the other night that you started to call me by name."

Sango's eyes went wide and her cheeks turned a bit pink, but then she cleared her throat and turned her head up in an attempt to keep her composure.

"Well...I just thought it was about time I started to," she said before she glared at him, "but if you try any funny business, don't expect me to be nice, understand?"

"Why, whatever do you mean?" asked Miroku...his left hand slowly moving behind his back.

"That's what I thought," Sango said before they soon joined up with Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo, who was sitting in the bike basket.

"So, you're off, are you?" Mushin asked as he stood outside on the porch.

"Yes, we are," Miroku replied. "Thank you, Master Mushin."

Mushin only nodded his head. "Remember, Miroku. I only sutured the wound as best I could, but you must take care not to open the Wind Tunnel until the wound has fully healed. You only have a month until you can use it again. Is that understood?"

"Of course," Miroku nodded. "Thanks, again, Master."

"All right, let's hit it," Inuyasha said before they all headed off down the road, continuing on their journey.

"So, where to, now?" Kagome asked while Shippo sat in her basket, just enjoying the ride.

"Wherever there might be another jewel shard," Inuyasha replied.

As they walked, Miroku glanced over at Sango, who glanced up at him before her eyes went forward again. A small smile creased her lips as she kept walking forward, which caused him to smile, too...but then, Sango squeaked as she felt something squeezing her right butt cheek, causing her to growl as she glared at the monk, who grinned sheepishly.

"I said NO FUNNY BUSINESS, YOU PERVERTED MONK!"

WHAP!

"OUCH!"

All Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo could do was sigh while Sango walked ahead of the group, leaving Miroku to rub his stinging jaw.


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