AN: Okay, I hadn't really intended to continue this story beyond the first blurb of the first chapter, but I got reviews (yay!) and everyone wanted me to continue it, so…for you guys, Here's Chapter 2!!

After lunch, you gave Gojyo the credit card and told he and I to do the shopping. Are you trying to keep them apart on purpose? Perhaps, are you jealous of how happy Gojyo and Hakkai are, so you try to make them as miserable as you? If that's the case, that's cruel. But maybe you're not doing it on purpose. Maybe you just don't feel like having the two usually noisy youkai around you.

"So, saru. What's on your mind?" Gojyo asks me.

"Nothing, why?"

"Don't lie, monkey-boy. You've never been this quiet, so I'm assuming you're doing a lot of thinking."

"And if I am?"

"Well, for starters, don't hurt yourself. But seriously. You know you can talk to me or Hakkai about it, whatever it is," he tells me, putting his hand gently on my shoulder. Someone once said that we're like brothers, Gojyo and I. It's times like this when I can see where they get it.

I sigh. "I dunno. You'd just make fun of me, and…well…sometimes I don't feel like I can really talk to Hakkai…if I had a mother, I wouldn't want to talk to her about this…and Hakkai's so much like a mother sometimes…it's just weird," I finally tell him.

He blinks at me for a few moments. "Yeah, I guess I can see that. He does tend to be a bit of a mother hen, ne?" he answers with a grin.

I smile and nod.

"So could ya talk to a big brother? One that swears he won't make fun of you?" Gojyo asks me.

I look at him, trying to guess how serious he's being, but I can't really tell. I shrug. "I dunno."

"Well…hmm…"

We walk in silence for a few moments, and Gojyo seems to be looking for something. I raise an eyebrow at him, but he just winks at me.

"Ah-hah!" I guess he found what he was looking for. "I've got an idea, monkey," he tells me. "When I started doing a lot of thinking about what I felt for Hakkai, I started writing it all down in a journal. It actually helped me sort things out a lot." He leads me into the shop and lowers his voice just a bit, as the shop's less crowded and noisy than the streets. "I think it's time you get a journal, and whatever it is that's on your mind, write it down," he tells me with a grin.

"But…how exactly do I do it?" I ask, thinking that maybe it's a good idea, worth trying, at least.

"Well, you can do it however you want. I'd always write in it at the end of every day, and I'd just write about everything that happened and what I thought of it, no matter how random or insignificant it might seem. So go ahead. Pick one out," he tells me, gesturing to the shelves of notebooks. "I'd say it's on me, but-" he flashes the gold card "-it's really on Sanzo," he finishes with a grin.

"Don't you mean the Three Aspects?" I say with a small smile.

"Well, yeah, but it'll be his butt when they get the bill, heh."

I smile and turn to the notebooks, looking for one that catches my eye. I find myself drawn to a simple one, thick with lots of pages, bound in plain brown leather. "I like this one," I say, taking it off the shelf.

He lets out a low whistle. "Thick. You plan on doing that much writing?"

"Well, I figure I'll actually write that much or it'll last me a really long time," I answer.

He nods. "I see your point. You are smarter than we give you credit for, saru," he tells me with a smile. He grabs a pack of pens, takes the journal from me, and heads to the checkout counter. He checks out and hands me the bag, while he stuffs the receipt in his pocket. "Now just remember. Even if someone finds out you've got this thing, no one but you is supposed to read it. I won't say a word about it, kid."

"Not even to Hakkai?"

He pauses. "Well, I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually. After all, the journal I used to have…well, he's the one who gave it to me, so in a way this is his idea. But either way, only you should read it."

I nod. "Alright. Thanks, Gojyo," I tell him, an enormous smile on my face.

He grins, and we exit the shop to finish the grocery shopping.

.

About an hour and a half later, Gojyo and I are back at the inn. I've successfully gotten my new journal past Hakkai's watchful eyes and into my bag, and now we're sitting in Sanzo and Hakkai's room as Hakkai looks over the map.

"Here, bouzo. Here's your card back," Gojyo says, tossing it to Sanzo.

"At least you didn't burn a hole in it," he mutters before tucking it away inside his robes. He picks up his newspaper.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Gojyo asks defensively.

"The saru didn't ask you to buy him extra food?" Sanzo asks, apparently thinking I did.

"Hey, I can control myself, you know," I say in my defense. "Besides, I was still full from lunch," I say with a smile.

"Bet you're hungry now, bakasaru," Gojyo pokes.

"Actually, no. I'm good," I tell him.

Sanzo peeks over his paper at me. "You're…not hungry?" he asks, almost, but not quite, sounding worried.

I laugh. "Nope."

Hakkai comes over and puts his hand on my forehead.

"Ne, Hakkai, I'm not sick," I say, still smiling and laughing. This is too funny! I'm just excited about the journal.

Sanzo looks at Hakkai questioningly.

Hakkai shakes his head. "He doesn't have a fever," he replies softly, returning to his map.

Gojyo laughs and leans over to me. "Yeah, definitely a mother hen," he whispers.

I laugh and nod.

"Ch."

"At least he seems to be almost back to normal," Hakkai says with a smile, eyeing Gojyo suspiciously.

Gojyo just laughs it off, and I smile. They are perfect for each other, really. I turn my gaze to Sanzo.

Would you and I be that perfect together, Sanzo? Would we compliment each other that well? Would our arguments only be playful? Would we be happy together? Inwardly, I sigh. I suppose the only way to find out is to be together. But you always keep yourself so distant from me. You keep everyone out – only Hakkai seems to understand you even a little. I wish you'd let me in, even if only a fraction of the distance you've given Hakkai. I'd be happy with that, for a while, at least.

I wonder if you can hear the things I'm thinking to you. You said when you saved me from the cave that I had been calling to you, but I hadn't verbally said a word to you. Can you hear me now, Sanzo? And if you do, do you hear it all, or only parts?

I sigh and my stomach growls. I glare down at the betraying organ.

"Oh, so the bakasaru is hungry!" Gojyo laughs, kicking me lightly with his shoe.

"Eheh…" I grin sheepishly. Yes, I had lied when I said I wasn't hungry. I just didn't want Sanzo to whap me. "Alright, I'm hungry! I admit it!" I proclaim, throwing my hands up in surrender. "I can't help it," I half-whine.

"Yeah, yeah, you didn't eat for 500 years so you're making up for it. We've all heard that excuse, monkey-boy," Gojyo smirks, almost as though he's trying to draw me out of my thoughts.

"Well, I'd rather have an over-active stomach than an over-active libido, you ero kappa," I shoot back. Hehe. I got him with that one.

"Where the hell'd you learn a word like libido, bakasaru?" he half-yells, his red eyes wide with surprise.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see that Sanzo and Hakkai both seem to wonder the same thing. I grin. "You'd be surprised what my monkey ears hear, Gojyo," I reply, creeping toward him, thoroughly enjoying this.

"Oh yeah? So what else have you heard? That monkey's don't have a libido?"

"How would you know?" I ask, still grinning.

Gojyo is also grinning, seeming to be enjoying the argument as much as I am. He and I haven't had a good fight in a while. "Well, I have to admit, I wouldn't…but considering you're eighteen and still a virgin, I'd just assume-"

"You leave my sex-life out of this!"

"You mean lack of sex life, bakasaru!"

"Whatever! I'd rather be a bakasaru than an ero kappa!"

"URUSAI!!"

The grin on my face stays as I turn and face Sanzo, even as he pulls out his gun and points it at us. Yes, I think having this journal will help me out a lot…and I haven't even written in it yet.