Disclaimer: You just read it. Besides, if I owned InuYasha I wouldn't be typing this.
(This story takes place right after "Temptress in the Mist".)
How Could You Hurt Me So?
The Inu-tachi had just defeated another youkai and were welcomed into the local village to be rewarded with food and shelter. InuYasha made a crack to Miroku about him actually earning his keep, thus saving him the use of the "ominous black cloud" line. Miroku snuck a whap to InuYasha' s head and continued walking toward the village, acting like nothing happened.
Sango admired the beautiful scenery of a nearby stream. Kagome and InuYasha had walked off elsewhere, probably to tour the village. She glanced over her shoulder and found Miroku behind her looking ahead. He brought his eyes over to Sango, sensing she was looking at him and she immediately turned away to the stream. It kinda got on her nerves that she was acting all shy like this, but she couldn't stop!
"It makes me happy that you worry. Your concern for me means more than that of any other woman."
Miroku's words from their battle with the coyote demon replayed in Sango's mind, making her face redden more than it already had. Miroku surely had to have meant every word….
"I suppose his hand confirmed it in a way." Sango said to herself.
Sango peeked back at Miroku, wondering if he was still there. He was, she had caught him looking at her this time. Sango smiled and knelt down, picking select wildflowers for Miroku. She felt so girly doing this. A cheerful smile remained as Miroku's words repeated in her head. Sango stood, finally satisfied with her bouquet, and turned to him, opening her mouth to speak.
The smile left her face.
Miroku was a little farther behind her than where he previously was, and he had his lecherous trademark grin. Knowing that could only mean one thing, Sango searched around him with her eyes.
Sure enough, there she was.
A beautiful young woman stood before him, wearing an exquisite kimono, smiling sweetly at Miroku. She held his cursed hand in hers, looking at him with pleading eyes. Sango guessed she had asked him something and was waiting hopefully for a positive response.
"Surely a monk cannot deny such a beautiful lady company if she so politely requests it." Miroku "humbly" replied, smiling like the lech he was.
"I thank you, but what about your lady friend over yonder?" The young woman implied with concern, glancing over at Sango.
Miroku didn't even look back, "Oh she won't mind. Shall we be off?"
The young woman took Miroku's arm, laughing at his elated grinning, as they walked into the village, leaving Sango to herself.
Sango didn't say a word as she watched them leave. Normally, she'd get angry and frown ferociously, but she didn't.
"Oh she won't mind."
Miroku's response echoed in her mind. It wasn't so much what he said, but how he said it. It was like Miroku didn't think much of her, like Sango was just some woman he knew. Sango couldn't understand, but it hurt her…a lot. In fact, Sango felt the strangest reaction to Miroku's lechery…
Betrayal.
"Why do I feel this way? My heart…my heart feels like…like it's breaking."
Just then, InuYasha stormed up behind Sango, griping and snarling about Shippo always ruining the moment when he was alone with Kagome.
"Damn it all! Can't a guy get a moment alone with his woman without his kit screwing it up?! My kit?! Where the hell did that come from?!!" InuYasha hollered to himself.
Sango stayed where she was. She recognized his voice so she had no reason to turn to see who it was. InuYasha gave Sango a casual greeting when he noticed her alone, "Hey Sango. Where's Miroku? I thought he was with you."
"Beautiful woman came by." Sango flatly answered.
"Keh." InuYasha scoffed his universal response.
That was all the answer he needed.
"That damn lecher! The woman could be an ax-murdered for all he knows and he wouldn't even give a damn!" The hanyou retorted.
"One can only dream." Sango thought bitterly.
"An' you didn't put him in check, Sango? The guy just up and left and you didn't even say nothin'?"
"Why the hell should I care if he walks off like that or not?!" Sango yelled, hurt.
InuYasha shut up as her reaction surprised him. Sango shoved the bouquet of flowers against his chest, beckoning him to take them and give them to Kagome.
"In all honesty, InuYasha, I don't give a damn anymore."
Sango tried her best to hide her breaking voice, though she was sure InuYasha's ears picked it up. She walked off along the stream, deciding to take a short walk along the village border before meeting the others at the house they were staying in.
InuYasha could smell the salt of tears in the air.
Sango's tears.
His heart filled with concern and pity as he wondered what was wrong with her.
"What did Miroku do to make you cry, Sango?"
