Complete the Circle
Chapter Thirteen: It's Miroku
There was still some time before class started so Sango was trying to help Kagome memorize some of the math formulas.
"Yes, so 'A' squared is equal to 'B' squared plus 'C' squared minus two times 'B' times 'C' times cosine 'A'. It's just a formula," Sango said, "and it's one of the easier ones. It's sort of similar to the Pythagorean Theorem, except not."
"It may be easy for you to say," Kagome said, laying her head on her desk in despair, "but I still can't remember it. It just goes in one ear and out the other."
"Kagome-chan…" Sango said, sighing at her friend's inability with math. Suddenly, she froze in her position, her face turning red.
"Oh, so sorry," someone said, removing their hand from Sango's bottom. "I tripped and fell. I'm terribly sorry."
Kagome looked up at the familiar voice and confirmed her suspicions.
"Miroku," Kagome said under her breath, "I should have known it was you."
"Oh?" the person said, straightening up, "Do you still remember me from elementary school?"
"Eh?" Kagome asked, confused, "Elementary school?"
"Yes. Don't you remember we were in the same class in kindergarten?" Miroku asked. "I was the one who was always helping the teacher pass out the crayons."
"Oh! I remember," Kagome said as realization dawned on her, "You were that little boy who was always pretending to fight youkai with that quiet friend of yours… What was his name?"
"Oh, you must be talking about Inu—" Miroku started, but was interrupted by the teacher.
I can't believe I didn't remember Miroku from elementary school. I should have seen the similarities between that kindergartener Miroku and the Miroku from the Sengoku Jidai. I'm so stupid! She watched as the teacher introduced Miroku as a new student and placed Miroku near the back of the room, next to another empty seat. And was Miroku about to say "Inuyasha?" But that's impossible! I don't remember anyone in our class called "Inuyasha." I don't even remember anyone in our class who had a name that started with "Inu."
Kagome listened half-heartedly to the teachers' lectures the rest of the morning for her mind was preoccupied with hounding Miroku with questions. If Miroku was really going to say "Inuyasha," then that would mean that Inuyasha is here, too! But what would I do if Inuyasha really was here? I can't just run up to him and say "hi." He would probably think I'm a weirdo or something. Ugh! This is so weird! First Sango shows up, then Miroku, and then there's the possibility that Inuyasha is here, too. And then Sango arrives a week after she…um, well, yeah, and then Miroku arrives a week after Sango arrives. Does…does that mean I will see Inuyasha a week from today? But back to business. Why are they all of a sudden converging here? Okay, Miroku used to live here, that's why he was in my kindergarten class. Sango…hmm, I wonder why she moved here. Better ask her. For that matter, why did Miroku suddenly decide to move back? Okay, okay, too many questions. I should be paying attention to the teacher, especially since that stupid test is coming up.
She watched the teacher put up more formulas and inwardly groaned. My math stinks! How am I even supposed to pass a combined test? It was already hard enough to study for one test at a time, and now the teacher decides to combine it? She scowled behind her book. Wherever Inuyasha is, I hope he's worse than me at math. It's all his fault for dragging me back to the Sengoku Jidai and making me miss so many of my classes. If it weren't for Souta and my friends, I'd be failing. Her face softened. But I would rather fail math and see Inuyasha greet me at the well than stay here and pass the test without his presence.
Argh! Pull yourself together! No time to get all weepy, especially in the middle of class. And what about the test! I'm not even listening to the teacher anymore! She looked up at the board again and saw Sango trying to solve a problem. She seemed to be having a difficult time. Oh no! And Sango was the one who was supposed to help me study! If she doesn't get it, how am I supposed to understand it? She looked at her three friends, hoping to see one of them with a face of understanding, or at least boredom because they understood it too well, but all of them looked like they were about to have a headache. She stole a peek at Miroku, and was irritated to see that he had an especially calm face on. I'll die before I ask Miroku to help me. It seems clear to me that even in this life, his groping habits have not been extinguished. The only thing Kagome could do was wait for the end of the class and hope that one of her friends became suddenly enlightened.
Miroku followed the three girls as they headed for a café after school. That girl, Kagome… She has a strange aura around her. Even in kindergarten I knew she was slightly different from others, but now she is so obviously different. She feels like a beacon in a sea of humans, and I have a feeling her true powers have yet to awaken. Could she be a real miko? Her spiritual powers are incredibly high, so it could be possible. Is she the reason why my grandfather sent me here?
He watched them enter the café and order drinks. After he saw that they were all settled, he entered the café and sat down in the empty seat next to them.
"May I join you, ladies?" he asked politely, putting on his best face for them. I have to find out if this girl has met anything out of the ordinary. There's no way someone's spiritual power can reach as high as hers without some sort of irritation to jar it awake.
"You're already in the seat, so why are you asking?" Kagome asked, stirring her drink. She seemed to be looking at him funny.
"Oh!" he gasped, as if suddenly realizing his mistake. "I apologize. If you wish for me to leave, just say the word and I'll be gone." To his relief, none of the girls chased him away. "So, what were you discussing before I arrived?"
"I was about to ask Sango-chan why she moved here, but I never got the chance to," Kagome said, turning to Sango.
"I moved here because of my parents. They run an exterminating business, as you know, and they wanted to start a new branch here," Sango replied, sipping her drink carefully.
"Oh. Well then, I hope your parents succeed," Kagome said, smiling, but Miroku could feel a sort of unease rise within her.
"You're sort of a new student here, Miroku," Kagome's friend stated, "Why did you move back?"
"Ah, well, my parents moved to live in my grandfather's shrine a few years ago because he was sick and somebody needed to take care of the shrine while he recovered, and since my father was supposed to work there before he pursued another career, my grandfather forced him to go and help him," Miroku said, smiling pleasantly.
"Hey! Kagome lives at a shrine, too," Kagome's friend remarked.
"Really?" Miroku asked, truly curious.
"You didn't explain why you moved here," Kagome said, ignoring Miroku's inquiry. Why is she so anxious to know why I moved here? This girl has to be what my grandfather was talking about, but I have to make sure. I don't want my grandfather to be worried about nothing.
"Well, my parents sort of got into a fight with my grandfather for his, erm, generosity to women," Miroku said, laughing embarrassedly. He hoped no one at the table knew what he meant, but he had a feeling that Kagome already knew for she was giving him very shrewd looks. "Anyway, my father got fed up with my grandfather and decided to move back into our old house."
"Really?" Kagome asked, her gaze sharp on him. "Your old house was just sitting there for years, gathering dust until you came home?"
"No, we rented it out," Miroku stated. What is up with this girl? It's as if she's trying to pick apart everything I say! He looked at her carefully as she sipped her drink. She was frowning slightly with a worried look on her face.
"I think I should go," Kagome said, pushing the empty drink away from her.
"Why? Are you feeling sick again?" her friend asked worriedly.
"N-no! Of course not," Kagome replied, a bit embarrassed Miroku noted.
"You know, Sango, I think you must be a good luck charm or something, because ever since you've arrived, Kagome has attended every day of school," her friend said, also pushing the empty drink away from her.
"What do you mean?" asked Sango, taking the question right out of Miroku's mouth. Yes, Kagome, do tell us what your friend means. He looked at Kagome sharply and saw that she was playing with the tablecloth in embarrassment.
"Didn't you know? Up until you came, Kagome kept on having to stay home because of all sorts of diseases. I don't even remember the names of most of them!" Kagome's friend said.
"Diseases?" Miroku asked, this time questioning Kagome as she had questioned him.
"Yes, it all started a few months back—by the way, Kagome, what happened to that guy that you liked?" her friend asked. Miroku saw a flash of pain cross her face before it was replaced with a sad smile.
"Oh, it didn't work out," she said, her eyes downcast.
"Oh," her friend said, for lack of a better response.
"I have to go," Kagome said, standing up.
"I'll go with you," Sango said, looking at her new friend worriedly, "I'm headed the same direction you are, remember?" He saw Kagome smile her thanks at Sango and the two left the café together. He saw the third girl leave after them, heading a different direction, and he too left the café shortly.
He headed towards his home, wondering about the information he had gathered, if indeed it was information at all. That girl…she's hiding something. And what was that about diseases? And how about her expression when her friend mentioned her old boyfriend? And the strange way she looked at me when she was asking her questions. It was as if she suspected I came to this town for a reason. Damn! What am I going to do? All I have are suspicions, nothing to tell my grandfather. Maybe I can ask…nah. He probably wouldn't know. After all, he was in a coma these last few months, and unless he had some strange visions in his coma, he wouldn't have anything to tell me.
He stopped in his tracks. Maybe he did have visions in his coma. I mean, how many people have a coma for no apparent reason? He started walking towards his friend's house. Then again, that guy can feel practically no spiritual activity at all, which is weird, considering his heritage. Miroku slowed down again. Even if he knew something, I can't talk to him now. His mom would probably bite my head off for interrupting his rest, literally. He started for his own house again. I'll just have to ask him this Saturday. I hope his mom will let me. Miroku felt his skin prickle suddenly, but it was so brief, he thought he had imagined it.