Disclaimer: you know the drill, don't own anything, this includes any Inuyasha-related characters and storylines, and the lyric snippet every pre-chapter (this chapter lyric snippet is property of coldplay). All previous disclaimers apply
Fusillade
Come out upon my seas
Cursed missed opportunities
Am I a part of the cure
Or am I part of the disease?
Chapter 3 - Obstacle
"Have you paid the rent?"
"Yes."
"Textbooks?"
"Not yet."
"Tuition?"
"Almost."
The woman sitting across from Sango in the tiny cafe across the street from her apartment complex sighed exasperatedly. "Sango, you know the agency only agreed to this arrangement if you were able to handle the responsibilities. Even then, I still had to practically beg them!"
Sango looked away. "Karin, I know I agreed that I would take care of the things I couldn't get assistance with...but school just started and ... it's hard to find time. You know, I have to adjust and everything," she said, not meeting the eyes of the social worker.
"It's been almost three weeks Sango! You have to get your act together!"
Sango propped her elbows on the table between them and leaned her face into her hands. "I know," she muttered, her voice muffled.
"Have you found a job yet?"
She paused, remembering her...temporary occupation. "No. I haven't. I'm sorry."
The social worker sighed heavily again, and rifled through a binder she pulled out of her shoulder bag. "This," she announced, pointing to a highlighted number at the bottom of a list of expenses, "is the money you need to come up with. Because of your situation, you haven't been given a deadline." She looked up at Sango seriously. "Not yet, anyway."
Sango's head began to throb as she shook her head and read the bill again, almost willing the number of digits to decrease.
Karin lobbed a newspaper on top of the open binder. "Look through the classified section," she said pointedly. "I want you to circle what jobs may interest you. When you're done, we're going to make you a resume. Then, we're going to apply for those jobs."
Sango stared at her with her jaw hanging slack. "We're going to get all that done right now?"
"We're going to get it all done now."
It was a statement, not a question. Which meant, no arguments.
*
"I'll walk you back to the complex, and then I'm going to type up this resume and deliver them for you, alright Sango?" Karin said to her client, patting her on the shoulder.
Sango nodded. Job hunting had not been that fun. She had mostly picked mundane jobs such as assisting business owners or grocery store work. Creating her resume hadn't been much better either. The person that that paper described sounded like someone completely different.
Of course, Karin, who declared that Sango must be working part-time by the end of the week, had listed all of Sango's clubs and school involvement back in her old neighborhood, jotting them down in point form on a sheet of lined paper.
When Sango had pointed out that some of the listed qualities were a tad misleading, Karin countered by adding proof from Sango's past endeavors to each of the points, which resulted in an emotional breakdown and an immediately regretful social worker.
"Sango, I know that this has been very hard for you, and I'm only forcing this job thing on you because I want you to stay put here in this town."
"I know," Sango replied quietly.
"I know you think that I'm just doing this because it's my job, but you're a good kid Sango. If you don't want me to write these references here, then I won't. You're a great person, a hard worker, and that's what I'm trying to reflect. You deserve a second chance."
"I understand, and thank you, " said the student, bowing her head.
"Besides, I know that you wouldn't last in the foster home anyway. You're way too independent," Karin added with a grin.
"Yes, I realize that. I'm sorry for not living up to my end, you've really been more than lenient."
"If it was up to me San, you wouldn't even have to work to live the way you want. But it's not. I'm just supposed to help you understand the changes and stay on track."
At the scratched apartment door, Karin embraced Sango briefly before bidding her farewell.
"Don't get into trouble now, I'm going to come by and check on you from time to time," Karin laughed over her shoulder as she stepped onto the elevator.
Sango walked into her apartment and flung herself onto her bed. She groaned when she noticed her school bag in her peripheral vision, crammed with textbooks and binders. Reluctantly, she pulled herself away from the mess of sheets and splayed her body on the floor with the jumble of homework.
As she began work on the math assignments that were due, the numbers swam before her eyes and the thought of that bill rose to the surface of her thoughts.
'I'm going to have to come up with more money,' thought Sango, sighing to herself. 'Hopefully I'll get one of those jobs Karin and I picked today. That should take care of the rest of my share of tuition and textbooks. But the fighting still pays the rent'
Sighing, Sango rolled over and lay on her back. 'If there was even anything left after paying off the education bills, would I still have enough for food and clothes?'
Sango closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. 'If I work a little bit harder over the next month or so, I can make enough to live comfortably here. I'll save up from working, and maybe I can fight a bit extra this month to add to that.'
She winced at that suggestion. 'Well, the more matches I fight the faster I can quit," she reasoned aloud with herself. Inside, she didn't really believe it.
*
Sango supposed she should be thankful that neither her family nor her past had been discussed in detail, though that was what she dreaded explaining, once the time came. Usually it was just the basic questions, like what her old school was like, and where she had come from. Those she could answer quickly, quietly, and in a tone that suggested she didn't want to divulge any other related information.
It had been nearly a month and a half since Sango had moved, and she knew that her friends (most likely Kagome) would feel as though they were close enough to not let any more secrets be hidden between their foursome. At least, not between Kagome and Sango.
So of course, Sango should have anticipated the questions that Kagome asked her at lunch, shaded by the long branches of a tree. Miroku had disappeared, probably skirt chasing, and Inuyasha had stalked off muttering a string of curse words, clutching a baseball and sporting a bump on his head. He had told them that he was going to teach the younger brats what to do with a baseball bat, and cackled.
"Say Sango-chan, you never told me that much about your life before," Kagome brought up with a grin. Sango winced inwardly. "Ah, I don't like to talk about it that much," she replied. Kagome looked thoughtful. "I see Sango-chan," she responded, then dropped her voice to nearly a whisper. "Miroku and Inuyasha don't like talking about their personal lives either."
Sango raised an eyebrow in curiosity. When Kagome opened her mouth to speak again, Sango interrupted. "Forgive me, Kagome-chan. You don't have to tell me anything about them that's too personal."
Kagome reflected on these words. "Perhaps Miroku would mind, but Inuyasha wouldn't give a damn, as long as you didn't mention it too often, or not at all." She cast a furtive glance around them before she leaned in closer to Sango. "His parents are both dead, and he lives with his older half brother. He really hates him and they don't get along at all."
Was that really enough to explain Inuyasha's bad attitude all of the time though? Kagome seemed to read her thoughts. "No, I think his extreme personality is just a natural part of him," Kagome shrugged, and looked off at the subject of their conversation, who was swinging a baseball bat in the air above his head laughing maniacally while the freshmen cowered.
"Anyway Sango-chan, lunch is going to end soon, we'd better pack up," Kagome declared, standing up and pulling on her bag. " I have math next, and I just passed by a hair on the last test," she sighed. "You're quite good at it. Maybe you can come over and help me study for the next one."
As Sango was brushing the loose grass off of her socks she saw Miroku, who had just been floored by another of his female targets. "Hey, Kagome-chan, " Sango said before she could stop herself, "What about Houshi-san?"
Kagome stopped walking, and looked at Sango with an odd gleam in her eye. "Ah, I am not at liberty to say, Sango-chan."
Sango rushed forward and fell into step beside Kagome. There was a lapse of silence. "Hey, I'm sorry Kagome, I promise I will tell all of you much more about me soon. I'll help you with the math as well," Sango said quietly.
"Oh, don't worry Sango-chan! I'm not upset at all!" Kagome said with a grin.
"Is it just the math then?" Sango inquired.
"Yeah, I guess I'm really not in the math mood today," said Kagome unconvincingly.
"You're lying."
"What makes you think I'm lying Sango-chan?" Kagome asked. "I'm not upset or anything. I had just thought of something I had to do, is all."
As the pair reached the doors of the school, Kagome turned to Sango again. "I'm sure if you asked Miroku-san yourself, he'd be willing to tell you."
Before Sango could reply, her friend had disappeared down the hallway.
*
"You don't have to wait for me every day, Houshi-san," Sango remarked as she slammed the locker door.
"Why not?" Miroku said with a grin. "Accompanied home with a beautiful lady, how can I resist?" His gaze drifted downwards. "Of course, there are other benefits..."
And there it was, his hand, somewhere it shouldn't be.
She slapped him.
"Don't you ever learn Houshi-san," Sango fumed, walking angrily away from him. "Girls don't appreciate being touched there. And I don't accompany you home. You follow me, because it's on the way, and then try to grab me again before you go into your stupid complex!"
He ran up besides her, rubbing his cheek. "Forgive me Taijiya-san. I just cannot resist around such tempting scenery."
"It's not going to work anymore," Sango muttered. "The first few times, maybe, but now I think I've grown immune to your twisted version of charm."
Miroku suddenly paused, and Sango had to backtrack a couple of steps. "Are you alright?" she asked him, subtle worry flashing in her eyes. Abruptly, he began walking again.
"Let's keep going, Taijiya-san. I don't want you to be walking home alone in the dark."
Sango's mind strained to comprehend how this boy's mind worked. He would constantly grab her in inappropriate places, use sexual innuendo as part of everyday speech, and yet do a complete personality rotation at the most random times. Such as right now.
There was a stretch of silence.
"Excuse me, Houshi-san, can I ask you something?" Sango began, making it a point not to look at his face.
"Yes?" Miroku asked curiously.
Sango gestured to his right hand. "You see, your hand. Why is it-" She paused as his lips pursed together tightly. "It's alright. Forget I ever asked."
"No, no Taijiya-san, it's quite alright with me. I'll tell you."
He drew in a deep breath, and Sango looked up at his profile. He gazed ahead resolutely.
"When I was young, I was out with my father. I believe he had taken me downtown to the amusement park. As we were leaving in the early evening, we encountered a few drunken young men. Soon, they were brawling near the entrance gates. They took out their guns, and I got this."
He tugged his black glove upward to uncover the horribly scarred skin on his palm. It was sunken in the middle, with remnant scars of stitches decorating the edges.
Sango sucked in a breath as her eyes absorbed the sight. He quickly covered it up again.
"Your father," Sango began, not wanting to finish the sentence.
"He's gone," Miroku finished shortly. He wouldn't look at her. " I live with a foster father. They used to work together."
Sango looked away from him. He was keeping a neutral face, but she could see his hands balled into fists and the way his eyes were filled with sadness.
"We're here," he said to Sango, indicating the building before them.
"I'll walk you to the door, " Sango blurted out before she could stop herself. He stared at her, somewhat dumbfounded.
"Let's go. Remember, it might get dark soon," Sango chided. Reluctantly, she wrapped her hand around his hurt one, and gently gripped his fingers. He let himself be led away.
When they reached the doors Sango dropped his hand, she hoped he didn't notice her palms were sweating.
"I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow morning, Houshi-san," she said quietly, looking at her feet.
He looked down at her with a warm expression. She was trying hard not to blush too much under his scrutinizing gaze.
"I want you to know that our walks are what I look forward to every day, Sango."
She stood up straight, snapping her face up to look at him.
He had already gone through the doors and onto the elevator.
*
This week was going to be very busy week indeed.
When she had gotten home from school, Sango was positively elated at having learned she had gotten a job at the grocery store about a block away. Sure, the job entailed pushing buttons on a keypad and memorizing produce codes, but it would also mean she would have a second source of income.
Kagome had taken Sango up on her offer of a study date, which would be sometime either Thursday or Friday.
She had just paid the month's rent, a week early as well, thanks to a match she had covered the past weekend, though she was now sporting a purple bruise on her shoulder. All in all, Sango was in a pleasant mood come Monday.
Until those phone calls came.
The first one had been Kagome, confirming their session for Thursday night instead of Friday. Sango was more than happy to oblige. Then the second call came.
"We have you scheduled for this Thursday night."
After that call finished, Sango frantically tried to convince Kagome to change the study date, but that damned busy girl had too many activities to co-ordinate into one schedule. In the end, nothing changed, except that Sango had to concoct an excuse to leave Kagome's home early and head to the league, which was a good walk away from Kagome's area. She settled on taking the bus.
Still, anxious thoughts consumed her mind for most of the day, and she found herself unable to focus on school.
"Sango? Sango-san?" Miroku said a few times. Sango kept staring forwards as she walked, periodically sighing. He grinned. He knew a way to get her back on earth.
A forceful slap sent a light rush of air over the grass.
"I only did it so that you wouldn't walk into a car or something!" Miroku whined, as his face glowed red.
"Why thank you for your consideration, Houshi-san, although I think you should be more concerned for your own safety," Sango said dryly. She brought a hand to her shoulder, which had begun to ache when she had brought her arm back to slap him.
He noticed this, but did not comment.
"Really Sango, I saw you in class today. You were completely out of it. Is something on your mind?"
Sango thought to herself for a minute. 'Other than trying to keep myself from being sent away, working day and night, and being alone all the time, no.'
She kicked herself mentally for the reminder of her family. She hated when she thought about them when she was around other people. It would give her this grave look that wouldn't go away, and after that, she would fall into a dark mood that was so hard to get out of. She pinched her arm. The brief pain caused her to flinch, and Miroku searched her expression.
"I'm fine Houshi-san."
They said a goodbye as he left for his building, and Sango continued down the main road to the grocery store, pulling a green apron and a white shirt out of her bag. She opted not to think about how late she would be arriving home that night, or whether there would be enough time to finish the pile of homework set for her that day.
It was time for work, and time is money.
And here ends the third chapter. I swear something will happen in the next. I guarantee it. Seeds HAVE been planted. A bunch of crap found its way into this chapter that wasn't on my chapter outline, so I have to double check the happenings in this chapter and alter the future ones accordingly. (Yes I DO plan my plots out roughly before writing them) Anyway, since I will be going away for the March break soon I am releasing this chapter and the first chapter of my second IY story, which is titled "To Fill the Void." Please check it out. A few more things to clear up. Yes, I did do research on the school system in Japan, everyone is high school age, which is typically from 16 to 18, I believe, I don't remember the exact age. If I placed them according to their stated ages, Miroku would be in the university, or somewhere else but not in the high school. Also, I am aware that they should be wearing different uniforms, but I thought that it would provide a sense of 'continuity' if they were wearing Kagome's junior high outfit. I think that's all that I had on my mind.
Bah, no one cares anyway.
Fusillade Chapter 3, written March 10th, revised and uploaded March 14th
