Recap : Sango begins to have feelings for Houjo. Miroku, on the other hand, had resolved that he was not affected by Sango's disappearance in any way. Life is just fine and dandy.

Or at least that is what he wants to believe in.

On the Other Side

A Fiction by Syaoran no Hime

note : I decided to drop the interactive idea to make things easier for me. ^^;;

Chapter 4 : And I Can't Stop Thinking of Her

"Hello there, pretty children of Heaven!" greeted Miroku as a group of girls passed by.

Inu Yasha groaned. "Bouzo, we have no time for this!"

"You don't, but I do," he replied cheerfully as he approached the young women, apparently wanting to acquaint himself with the ladies. "Blessed are thou who rest on a holy man's yoke, for they shall be blessed all throughout their lives!" he cried, to the delight of the girls.

The dog boy smirked. "Holy man? Was he referring to himself?"

The boy fox sighed. "If lying hurts, then Miroku will be in pain all day long!"

Meanwhile, Miroku was just getting ready to pull his favorite hand activity when suddenly he heard a voice.

"You lecherous monk!"

He paused and turned around. "Sango?"

The kitsune and the inu looked back at him, jaws dropped.

He gulped. "I-I thought I heard her voice.."

To this, his companions burst out in merciless fit of laughter.

Sango sneezed. She rubbed her nose. "I wonder who mentioned my name awhile ago.."

"Good morning, Ms.Sango!"

Her eyes widened in delight. "Houjo-kun, good morning!"

He paused from biking. "I hope you still would like to share a ride with me."

She nodded eagerly.

Miroku washed his face with the river's cool water. He shook his head vigorously a couple of times. Damn, why did he suddenly hear Sango's voice?

The whole day, his so-called friends had been mimicking the youkai huntress' voice, calling him, "Miroku dah-ling". He frowned. true, he sometimes dreamed of the fierce exterminator purring him with endearments, but Inu in a poor sultry-Sango voice mode had already ruined his fantasies.

Going back to the original topic, why did he suddenly hear Sango's voice?

She was only gone technically for one whole day only, so it's impossible that he misses her already.

Or was it because he was so used already to Sango's ubiquitousness whenever he tries to be friendly with beautiful women.

Clueless. That's the word.

He looked at his reflection on the water. The young man looking back at him was a picture of a deep longing. "Ah no! My eyes are tricking me!" He dipped his hands in the water again, ruining the reflection.

"Miroku..."

He turned around and saw Sango, dressed in her yukata. He nodded and took his staff. He approached her slowly. The woman waited for him smilingly.

Bang!

"Ouch, what did you do that for?" she cried, rubbing her aching head that he hit with his staff.

"Quit theact already, Shippou. You are not fooling me." He placed his staff down. "She never liked calling me by my name."

"Oh." Shippou transformed back to its original self. "I was just going for an ado before I announce to you something that might interest you."

"Let me guess..Inu yasha decided to try the dog food Kagome gave him."

"No."

"Naraku decided to give everyone a break and commit suicide."

"Hey!"

He sighed. "OK, tell me."

"Kagome's back in our world!" the fox announced brightly, looking at him expectantly.

He blinked. "Uh, ok." He went back to washing his face.

Shippou placed its hands on its hips. "I thought you were going to be excited with the news!"

"I'm excited," he said, his face nonchalant.

Shippou groaned. "Don't you realize that she might be bringing news about Sango?" When the monk didn't reply, it scrurried away.

For a while, Miroku was quietly staring at the river. He then stood up and walked towards their shack.

"Miroku, slow down! I might fall!" Kagome complained as the monk half-pulled, half-dragged her towards the river.

"Ssh! Inu Yasha might hear you!" he hissed.

"Miroku, you're not planning to-" Her face turned beet red. "Please Miroku, I'm too young for what you're thinking. Besides, I'm"

He chuckled. "Kagome, I didn't drag you out here for that!" he turned serious. "I was just going to ask about Sango. How is she?"

"Oh!" She sat down. "Well, she's happy in our world so far. Houjo-kun is treating her so nicely. He's so romantic!"

He cleared his throat. "I was asking about Sango, not her boyfriend." He looked away. "Anyway, when is she coming back?"

"I don't know. Maybe she's going to stay there for good!" said Kagome, silently waiting for his reaction.

Just like an open book, she saw loneliness cross his face. "I see."

She took out a piece of paper from her pocket. "Wanna see her?"

He nodded.

She showed him a picture. "I took this yesterday in school."

He looked at Kagome who was making a v-sign with her hand. Sango was smiling at the camera too, somewhat shyly. His eyes softened. Her hair was done in a braid, making her look so fresh and soft.

His forehead creased when he saw a smiling boy whose arm was draped around Sango's.

Kagome pointed at the lad. "That's Houjo-kun."

His eyes flickered with unknown emotion.

Kagome gently took the photo back, but the monk held a tight hold on it. She looked at him inquisitively.

"Is he really making her happy?" he asked quietly.

She looked down. Miroku's face was that of a puppy who lost its mother. She couldn't bear to continue teasing him anymore, fearing that she might be starting to hurt him, even though he wouldn't say it.

"Is he making her happy?" he repeated, voice louder.

"I'm not in the position to say anything," she said.

He returned the photo to her. "Kagome, do me one favor : Look out for Sango out there. Make sure that no one would dare to hurt her, especially that boy."

"Sure, Miroku-sama."

"And another thing.."

"Yes?"

He smiled at her. "Don't tell Sango about what I asked you to do."

She smiled back. "You've got my word."

Sango stretched lazily.

"Have you finished your homework already, onee-chan?" asked Kohaku, looking up from his notebook.

"No, but I think I'll go out and get some fresh air to refresh my mind." She went out of their cozy house and into the stock room. She sat by the well and stared at the dark gaping hole before her.

"Just a few days ago, I was looking at this hole from the other side, wanting to see what is it like in the other world," she whispered. "I don't even know anymore if it's a dream or what. This is too fantastic."

She rested her chin on her hands. "Life here is perfect, but somehow, I can't find the thing that would complete my happiness."

She remembered the monk.

And at once, it came crashing down on her.

She still misses him.

At the same moment, Miroku was peering at the well, wondering what Sango was doing right now. "Maybe she and that Houjo are taking a walk..just like what Sango and I used to do."

He sighed deeply. "I thought..I thought my life will be perfect, but somehow, the one I thought that was detrimental to my happiness is actually the one that would complete my happines."

He remembered the exterminator once again.

And at once, it came crashing down on him.

He misses her.

tsuzuku