Inuyasha paced the back room of the Okami basement. Luckily, the place was large enough to divide into three separate rooms: the first and biggest was used for band practice and parties, the second wasn't actually walled off from the first, but was set up more for a seating and hanging out area, the third was the backroom behind the practice room.

"How many people are coming?" asked Koga.

"Between ten and thirty," I stated, busying myself with ensuring my bass was tuned correctly.

Inuyasha paused to look at us and visibly paled.

"You want a smoke, bro?" offered Koga.

"No! I want to focus!" Inuyasha was growing ever anxious. It was endearing. "Where is Kagome?!"

"Probably helping seat people, as she should be," stated Shippo. "Calm down, dude."

Inuyasha turned and flicked a guitar pick at the teen's direction. "Suck my dick, Shippo!" The pick missed its mark and instead bounced off Koga's guitar.

Koga paused his own tuning ministrations and shot Inuyasha a warning glance. "Make good choices, Inuyasha…"

I could hear the dubstep echo past the wall and vibrate the floor. Sesshomaru volunteered to DJ for the event and act as a warm-up of sorts for us. By his third song, Inuyasha had finally surrendered to Koga's offer of relaxation in the form of a small marijuana joint. I partook, too, fully aware that both Jou and Kagura would be in the small crowd tonight, along with Kagura's best friend, Renkotsu, whom I had only met once in passing. He already liked me enough, though.

Per Kagura's most recent texts, Suikotsu was slightly mad at her that she didn't invite him to the show with or instead of Renkotsu. I was just happy Bankotsu wouldn't be joining us…

"Sango!" I turned around. Ayame stood in the side door. "Someone's here to wish you good luck!" She hurried back out to help assist with guests.

My heart fell a little when Jou popped his head into the room. "Hey!"

"Hey, Jou," I greeted, trying to sound happy to see him. Kagura still hasn't texted me that she's at least on her way…

Jou walked over to me. He was still dressed somewhat professionally, in a black button shirt tucked into his jeans. I was wearing a short plaid skirt and a black tank top that proudly bared the words 'Hail Satan, Eat Pizza,' complete with a pizza pentagram.

"Hey, Jou, whaddya know?" greeted Inuyasha. He smirked as Jou hid a glare from him. Jou never liked Inuyasha's customary greeting tailored just to him.

"What's up, Inuyasha?" Jou replied politely. He turned his attention back to me and took my hands in his. I blushed and glanced briefly to my bandmates for help. When they all but ignored my pleading look, I turned back to Jou. "You look great tonight, Sango."

"Thank you…"

Sesshomaru's last song was ending, thankfully.

"I guess you guys are on soon!" noted Jou. No shit… He pulled me into an embrace and I felt my face go bright red, as red as my skirt and the print on my shirt. "Good luck tonight!" He let go of me and ran right into the tall, brooding figure of Sesshomaru on his way out.

Sesshomaru looked down at him. "Excuse you?"

"Sorry!" Jou darted past him with a wave in my direction.

Sesshomaru looked at each of us, his gaze cold and unamused. He was such a ray of fucking sunshine.

"Who the fuck was that?" asked the elder Taisho brother.

"Sango's love interest," stated Koga.

"Koga!" I glared at him.

Sesshomaru looked from Koga to me, expressionless as always. "That's funny; I heard this little girl talking to some dude in the front row about her."

Kagura's here?!

God. Dammit.

There were a lot more people here than I thought there would be.

The basement was packed. Most of the audience consisted of acquaintances of ours from school, both grad and undergrad. I was honestly a little intimidated as I walked out onto the makeshift 'stage', bass in hand. I followed Inuyasha and Koga with Shippo in tow behind me.

Inuyasha took point at the mic stand, albeit having trouble adjusting it. Bits of feedback echoed off the walls. The moment Koga plugged his guitar into the amp, even worse ear-piercing, drilling feedback floated through the air in a cacophonous symphony of its own. Several audience members covered their ears.

"Motherfucker…" I heard Koga curse to my left as he fiddled with the buttons and knobs on his amplifier.

Shippo tapped the bass drum and hit a single cymbal.

"Uh…" Inuyasha choked. Already.

Kagome and Ayame were in the front row, giving us the thumbs up. Kagome was trashed for once, I could tell.

I kept scanning the crowd for Kagura and Renkotsu. I didn't see them.

Did we suck so bad already that they had left?

Koga finally fixed his amp. I stepped forward and whispered out the side of my mouth to Inuyasha, "Go, dude…" I saw him grip the mic, his hand barely visibly shaking.

I turned around to look at Shippo, then Koga. Koga raised an eyebrow at me.

I looked back to the crowd. Jou was in the front row, on the other side of Kagome. He winked at me and smiled.

"Hello?" called someone from the back of the crowd, breaking the otherwise painfully awkward silence.

"Bakusaiga was better!" another person called out about a minute later.

I plucked a string on my bass. One last look at Shippo and Koga, then I turned to the crowd once more. I could see someone pushing their way to the front.

It was Kagura.

She stood about five feet away from us on the 'stage', Renkotsu at her side, both smiling at me.

I had to win her over.

I stepped forward and grabbed the mic from Inuyasha and leaned in to it, bumping shoulders with him in the process.

"We are Second Heartbeat and we're here to make you feel all sad and think about death and stuff! This is 'Not the American Average'!"

Shippo finally started off with his heavenly drum intro. Inuyasha dropped the ball on the vocal intro. I took over, scared as fuck with an idiotic newfound determination flowing in my veins masking as confidence.

"ONE! TWO! THREE! ALL THE THINGS THAT SHE SAID—WAS IT ALL IN MY HEAD?!"

Inuyasha got his head out his ass and finally took over vocals. I was never happier than when he ripped the mic out of my hands and I could focus on bass once more, as it should be.

I felt such a lightness in my chest as I watched Kagura and Renkotsu bobbing their heads in the crowd. Their enjoyment—Kagura's in particular—was enough bullshit fuel to inspire me to jump off my amp when the breakdown for the current song started. Thankfully, I landed with grace and did not miss a note.

We played "Isolation", "Dark Days," and "Second Heartbeat" next. By the middle of "Dark Days," Kagura had taken it upon herself to try to start a small mosh pit using Renkotsu as the bait. I smiled as I saw her nearly knock him on his ass a few times. The moment she finally did, others joined in on their ridiculousness. Poor Jou got pushed into the mosh pit, too, victim of Kagome and Ayame.

Our set closed with "Valleys" by Close Your Eyes and ultimately ended with "Remember" by Burden of a Day. I was nervous about the last one. It was the only one I ever did solo vocals on, during the chorus. By "Remember"'s slightly shorter breakdown, I noticed Jou had retreated to the safety of the back of the small crowd. I smirked, making eye contact with Kagura as I sang the last chorus.

"…Just move slow and I'll keep you breathing…"

The crowd cheered. The sorority girl from our Counseling courses launched her drink into the air in elation.

"YOU GUYS ARE FUCKING AMAZING!" She cried out.

I looked at Inuyasha and laughed. He smiled back at me and put his arm around my shoulders, hugging me against his side. Koga soon joined me on my other side, Shippo on the other side of Inuyasha.

"I MARRIED THE SINGER!" called out a very drunken Kagome.

"AND I'M MARRYING THE GUITARIST!" Ayame was now equally lit, apparently.

Kagura and I locked eyes and she opened her mouth like she wanted to say something. She paused and clapped instead, whooping and blowing me a kiss.

We bowed and ended our show with Shippo chucking his drumsticks into the crowd. Two preteen girls dove to the ground to fight over them.

"We did it!" cried out Koga. He popped the cork off a bottle of champagne and pointed it at me and Inuyasha. I couldn't move in time and was sprayed with the alcoholic contents.

"We sure as fuck did!" Inuyasha, like me, wasn't even mad at the champagne explosion. I think he welcomed it. I know I did.

"You all are chicken shits." Sesshomaru sat cross-legged on the couch, sipping his own champagne out of a glass unlike us younger savages. I was surprised he hung around.

"Eat my ass, Sesshomaru!" yelled Inuyasha. "All you do is push buttons and spin records! It takes real talent to sing and play actual instruments!"

Sesshomaru got up without a word and reached for Koga's guitar. He flawlessly played the intro and solo from Coheed & Cambria's "Welcome Home", set the instrument back down, and loudly sang the first half of Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon" on his way back to his seat, snapping his fingers in perfect rhythm with the lyrics.

No one in the room was brave enough to further contest him. The elder Taisho brother resumed his champagne with a smirk on his face and a glint in his eyes.

"INUYASHAAAAAAAA!"

Kagome and Ayame came stumbling into the room. Kagome fell against the door frame; Ayame clumsily fell against her right after.

"Kagome!" greeted Inuyasha. He stood up and hurried over to his wife.

She fell into his arms, letting him catch her mid-swoon. "You were amazing tonight!"

"Thank you, hon," smiled Inuyasha. He kissed her passionately on the lips.

Ayame shoved past them and drunkenly leaped into Koga's outstretched arms. "Koga! You were super rad, too!" He twirled her around, laughing and holding her close.

I want that… I looked back to Shippo and Sesshomaru, who were now conversing quietly about music. I wished at least Miroku was here. That bastard was currently at Mei's. I swear she faked whatever ailment she claimed to have tonight on purpose…

"Sango!"

I stood up, Kagura entered the room, following Jou with Renkotsu behind her.

What the hell are the three of them doing together?!

I inwardly fumed and felt my insides forming a knot.

"Kagura!" I wanted to rush up to her and twirl her around as Koga had done to Ayame but knew better.

Jou, you need to leave…

"Jou…" I greeted him, far less enthusiastically than I was with Kagura.

"You guys were great!" said Jou. "Best concert ever! I mean, it's the only one I've ever been to, anyway."

And you pussied out and took refuge at the back…

Kagura smiled at me, her hands clasped together. "Your band is pretty damn good."

Renkotsu nodded in agreement. "Good to see you again, Sango."

"Likewise, Renkotsu." I bowed slightly to him. I liked Renkotsu. He was chill.

My band, the girls, and Sesshomaru observed my conversational circle, their collective interest piqued.

Now I was happy that Miroku was not here.

"Oh, shit, sorry!" I apologized. "Guys, this is Kagura and her best friend, Renkotsu." I gestured toward them. Both bowed their heads in respect. "Kagura, Renkotsu, this is my band, Inuyasha, Koga, and Shippo. And my friends Kagome, Ayame, and Sesshomaru."

"It's nice to meet all of you finally; I've heard so many things," said Kagura.

"Whatever she told you—none of it's true!" defended Koga.

"Except the one about the piñata at her grad party—that one is true!" added Inuyasha. Koga lowered Ayame to the ground and offered a fist bump to Inuyasha as both boys laughed.

Kagura laughed and gave me an interested glance.

"Oh, hey," interrupted Jou. I turned to see him checking his watch. Who the fuck wears a watch anymore? "I've gotta go. Got a lot of studying in the morning."

"Tomorrow is Sunday, you fucking dweeb," commented Sesshomaru from the back.

Jou paled. "Uh.. yeah… I gotta go!" He turned to me and smiled. "As I said before, you were great tonight, Sango. I'll see you at school!" With that said, he left. Thankfully.

"You scared him away, Sesshy!" slurred Kagome.

"I feel that it was a good thing, Kagome," replied Sesshomaru. "That boy looked intimidated as hell." He finished off his champagne. "A clean-cut boy like that has no business at a basement rock show."

"I think I knocked him over a few times in the pit…" Kagura's face reddened and she nervously glanced away, her brows bent in worry.

"Who the hell was that, anyway?" asked Ayame.

I wanted to puke.

"Just some friend of ours from school," answered Inuyasha. He gave me a knowing glance and winked. I could breathe again knowing Inuyasha had my back. "Said he'd never been to a show before so we invited him."

"Well, I think he'll remember this one until the end of his days," laughed Renkotsu. "With that being said… I gotta head out myself. Helping the parentals in the morning."

"Understandable," said Koga. "It was good meeting you, man!"

"Yeah," said Inuyasha, "come back and watch another shit show soon?"

Renkotsu chuckled. "I wouldn't call it a shit show. You guys were pretty good."

"Indeed…" I caught Kagura staring at me.

"Are you leaving, too?" I asked her.

"Nah, we drove separately," said Kagura. "I was actually hoping I could hang out for a bit?"

"Of course!"

We sat in the main portion of the basement, talking amongst ourselves and sharing stories. School, music, travel, pasts, futures, jokes… it was nice. Sesshomaru even stuck around for a bit, mostly observing, but present regardless. His girlfriend, Rin, finally joined us. She helped Mrs. Okami clean up everything before settling in and relaxing with the rest of us once the guests had all dispersed.

"No Miroku tonight?" asked Rin.

"Ugh, no," groaned Ginta. He shifted in Hakakku's lap. "He's off at Mei's for the night."

"She sounds like a real thunder-cunt," observed Rin. Her insults were hilariously creative. I couldn't think of a better way to describe Mei. Rin was so outgoing, warm, and social, the opposite of Sesshomaru. She was also eight years younger than him, a mere twenty-one to his twenty-nine. He was the eldest one in our group, if you could even consider him a member.

Inuyasha rolled a blunt and began passing it around. It was my turn first. I hit it and then turned to Kagura. "Smoke?" Kagura shook her head and politely declined. I passed the smoke to Sesshomaru instead. I was surprised he partook. I was under the impression that he was straight edge.

"Where's Koga?" I asked.

"He went to put the girls to bed," stated Inuyasha. "Kagome and Ayame are pretty wasted."

"Ah, they needed it," said Shippo. "You all work too hard, with grad school and all that."

"It's not too terrible," I said. Inuyasha nodded in agreement.

"It's all just a balance. And will be worth it in the end," stated the silver-haired boy.

Our conversation turned fully toward school. Kagura was contented enough to add her two cents in and tell them about her own educational ambitions, which made me smile. She seemed very comfortable among me and my friends. I was worried for a minute… I knew we were a rougher crowd than hers, from what I could tell. Bankotsu and Suikotsu sounded like they could be sketchy but they were nothing compared to where I came from…

Hoodlums and assholes in pursuit of higher education and greater ambitions. Though, we were harmless, in the grand scheme of things.

By the end of the night, Kagura had fallen asleep against my shoulder. I couldn't help but put my arm around her.

Inuyasha noticed and smiled. By now, it was just me, him, Koga, and Kagura. Everyone else had left for the night.

"What?" I asked. Kagura stirred in her sleep, grabbing my shirt.

"That," Inuyasha nodded toward her.

I smiled and gently brushed her hair out of her eyes, tucking it behind her ear.

"I don't know, man…" I said quietly. It was still hella complicated. She's got a boyfriend anyway…

Koga leaned forward and grinned at me. "It's none of my business, girl," he spoke low as not to wake Kagura, "Just know I'm happy for you, regardless."

"Aaaawwwwwwww, you mean I didn't get to meet her?" whined Miroku.

"Yep," was my curt response.

"Why are you so disappointed about that?" asked Mei. The slight ring of accusation was present in her annoying little voice and I did not care for it.

"I just wanted to meet the object of my best friend's affection, my dear," defended Miroku. He glanced at me as he turned back from leaning over the console to face Mei. I had a feeling he was growing tired of her shit. None of us had really seen him over the past week. Miroku was sad he missed the show and not only because he didn't get to meet Kagura as a result.

"I can't believe we're on our way to get you a lawyer," I noted, veering us around a corner and dropping the speed to 40 kilometers per hour.

We reached the law office sooner than anticipated.

"Is this it?" asked Mei, a hint of disgust in her voice. The law office seemed to be housed in an old run-down, refurbished home.

I stepped out of the car, followed by her and Miroku. "That's what the GPS says…"

"Well, Uncle Mushin says this guy is a god-tier lawyer," said Miroku. He reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet. He soon produced a business card, reading it and comparing it with the fading address on the mailbox. "This is the place…"

"Didn't your uncle go to jail anyway?" quipped Mei.

"Yes," said Miroku, sternly, "for his sixth DUI. Hachiemon got him off scot-free without as much of a ticket for the first five…"

Mei and I hung out in the parking lot while Miroku consulted with this lawyer. We barely conversed. She was trying so hard, too. I was much more interested in trying to perfect my weak ollie on my skateboard.

Mei's phone went off, startling me into wrecking and literally face planting as I landed from my third semi-successful ollie.

"Goddammit!" I pushed myself up on my hands and knees. I could tell my nose was scraped at least a little, along with my right hand, which broke some of the fall.

Thankfully, Miroku joined us shortly after, while Mei walked away to converse with her mother, who was likely not too happy that she was out with Miroku and I on a quest to find a lawyer for him.

"Well?" I looked at Miroku expectantly.

"What happened to you?" he asked. He saw my skateboard leaning against my car. "Nevermind…"

"So is he going to help?" I asked.

"Yes," answered Miroku. I breathed a sigh of relief. "He thinks he can get it dropped from a felony down to a misdemeanor. He says we could probably build a case in self-defense somehow."

"Awesome."

We spent the remainder of our afternoon and evening finding an abandoned hospital to run around in. Miroku had apparently been there many times before with Koga, Ayame, Hakkaku, and Ginta. They went there at night once and supposedly every flashlight they had with them went out as soon as they made it across the courtyard and entered the deeper half of the hospital. We didn't stay that long this time. I wanted to, but Mei was dangerously close to literally bitching out on us and it was a long drive home. Miroku was hellbent on finding the morgue before we left but I talked him out of it, personally preferring to save that adventure for another time (hopefully without Mei…).

We almost made it back to Miroku's neighborhood without having to stop for gas. Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" came on at the gas station.

I fell to my knees and wept.

That was Mother's favorite song.

I laid in the grass, staring at the blue sky above and watching clouds with Kagura. She laid behind me, also on her back, her head resting next to mine. My right arm was bent, my hand above my head. Kagura reached for it and gently intertwined her fingers with mine. Anxious butterflies flew rampant inside me.

"What are you thinking about, Sango?" asked Kagura, her voice soft and soothing, like a gentle summer breeze.

I was quiet for a moment. My mind was surprisingly blank for once, in a good way. I felt so at ease when I was with Kagura, despite my attraction-driven anxiety. I was comfortable around this girl. We'd only known each other for a little over a month now but I felt like I've known her forever.

"I don't know…" I finally answered. For the first time since my mother passed away, I finally felt somewhat okay overall. Kagura still didn't know such a tragedy had befallen me so recently. I had a feeling something similar happened to her, as she mentioned a seemingly loving father and a family vacation courtesy of him yet she lived with her grandparents in high school. I never pried. It was none of my business.

"I really liked the food…" I commented absent-mindedly.

Kagura prepared a small picnic for us and we went straight to a park near our work when our shift ended that afternoon. Kagura brought us each a bento box filled with edamame, hiya-yakko, onigiri, and peaches. She was thoughtful enough to bring us each a bottle of water and she picked out a new energy drink just for me to try. I was honored by her thoughtfulness, even though she was unintentionally enabling my ridiculous caffeine addiction.

Our little picnic was the healthiest food I had eaten in a while. My horrible diet primarily consisted of ramen, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and various mostly American-style fast food items. And alcohol and caffeinated beverages, of course. I blamed it all a combination of graduate school and grief. I didn't have time or money for the healthier meal options I used to treat myself to.

"I'm glad I could prepare a meal for you, Sango," said Kagura. She rolled over and propped herself up on her elbows in a lazy cobra-like pose. "You deserve to be taken care of."

"I don't know about that…" I ran my hand through my long dark hair and redirected my gaze from Kagura's beautiful face to the sky above. If I stand too close, I might fall in…

"What are you doing tomorrow?" she asked.

I just remembered. I was off tomorrow. I was able to secure pre-shift voluntary time off to make sure my homework got done this weekend. The shortened summer semester was drawing to a close and I wanted to continue my streak of straight A's. But I would honestly rather spend my Saturday with Kagura.

"Nothing, actually," I answered. I rolled over and adopted a similar position to Kagura. She reached for my hands.

"You want to hang out?" she asked. The girl nervously glanced to the side momentarily. "Like, for the whole day?" She returned her ruby gaze to meet my eyes. I had come to know her as confident enough in herself but I still loved how somehow I evoked an equal nervousness in her. She found me attractive and openly longed for me to an extent, despite our complicated situation.

I was too stupid to chase her away or let her go willingly. I thoroughly enjoyed whatever the hell we were.

"I would love to," I finally answered her. "It would be nice to spend an entire day with you and not just hang out after work, when we're all tired and ratchet." I chuckled at my own words, a warmth gripping my heart when the music of Kagura's soft giggles met my ears.

"Well then," she said. "I guess it's a date."

I couldn't wait to tell Miroku…