Chapter Three-Sunday Lunch and Sunday Calls
The ceremony ended, and the people in the church stood and started to chitchat with their friends and neighbors. I stood up, smiling, but trying terribly hard not to look to my left. From the corner of my eye, I saw Sango stand and shake the hands of a few old people, complementing her on her singing.
Should I go talk to her? No way. A young woman stepped up in front of me, taking my thoughts of Sango away from my reach.
"It's so nice to meet you, Mr. Miroku," she said, shaking my hand. "I really hope you help this church."
"That's what I'm here for, ma'am," I said, smiling. She nodded and left, going to talk with some other people. I took a deep breath, and looked to my right. Sota was standing there, his hands crossed across his chest and a sly grin on his face. I shook my head and walked over to him.
"Hey, Sota," I said, shaking his hand, that smile never leaving his face. "It's a great place."
"It really is, isn't it?" He said. "It seems to me like you mean something else than the church."
I frowned, and was about to say something when a young woman came up and hugged Sota. I swallowed, and felt my heart beat faster. It was Sango. She laughed, and let him go. "Sota! Thanks again so much for telling me about this place! The people here are wonderful!"
Sota laughed, "you thanked me on stage, you don't need to thank me again, Sango."
She smiled, "it's just a great thing, I don't know how to repay you for it."
Sota grinned at me. "Well, Sango, do you know my friend Miroku?"
She looked at me, and I smiled. "Hello, you sang wonderfully." I was shocked my voice wasn't in a high pitch voice as I thought it would be.
She smiled, "thank you, and I really hope you do a wonderful job with the church. Good luck."
"Thank you," I said.
"Well, Sango, Miroku and I were just about to leave for lunch, would you like to join us?"
She glanced at him, and smiled back at me. "That would be great, let me get my coat real quick."
We nodded and she went to grab her coat. I turned my head and looked at Sota. "What?" He shrugged. "I thought you would like a little lunch."
"Thanks a lot, Sota." I said.
~*~
The café we ate at was down the street from the church, and two blocks away from my apartment. Sota told Sango and I about his new job firm, and how Kagome and Inuyasha were doing. Sango told us about how she came here, and where she was from. She also told me about how she knew Sota and Kagome.
Apparently Kagome and Sango went to college together, about the time Inuyasha left Kagome for Kikyo. Sango helped Kagome through the whole thing, and they became quick friends. She told us stories about what they used to do around the campus, and how they got in trouble a few times. I laughed here and there, nodded, and asked a few questions, but kept my eyes on her, and every now and then at my food.
"So, Miroku, what about you?" She asked, her elbows on the table and her chin rested on her hands. "Tell us a bit about you."
"Well, more like Sango, I know enough about you," Sota said and we laughed a little.
"Well," I said, playing with the fork in my hand. "I met Inuyasha when I used to work at a mining company. He was young, foolish, and cocky. I was firm, tough, but yet gentle. He worked in the mines. I worked in the office. To be honest, we never knew it was each other before. Then one day I get called into the manager's office, and he said that I was being let go."
"I didn't know why, or how it came to be, but when I was packing my things, I saw Inuyasha, walking into my office with a box in his arms. He was taking my place, but I wasn't mad. I was glad, actually. He deserved a good job. I read his records, heard from other employees that he was a hard worker, and I, well, let's just say I wasn't as hard a worker as I thought I was."
"So, I started looking for a new job, and met up with an old high school friend of mine, Kagome. Turns out, she and Inuyasha had been dating, and that's how I came to meet him. Now, we are best friends, almost brothers if you want to say it that way."
Sango nodded, "that's an interesting story."
I looked at her; her eyes were dreamy, staring at me, watching me with softness. I stared back into those eyes, but then looked at my food. What if I was giving her an evil look? What if it was perverted? What kind of look was I giving her in fact? I didn't want to risk anything so soon, so I stabbed my salad with my fork and took a bite, even though my stomach couldn't handle more.
Sota sighed and leaned back in his seat, throwing his napkin on the table. "Well, that was good. Who's going to pay?"
Should I? Well, it's a custom for the man to pay for the ladies meal on a date. But this isn't a date, is it? No, of course not, it's just a little lunch after church. But, what should I do?
"I'll pay," Sango said, grabbing her purse. She opened it up and pulled out her checkbook.
"Thanks, Sango," Sota said.
"Yeah, thanks." I said, feeling bad that I made her pay. "You don't have to, you know."
"Oh, I want to," she said, writing out the amount on the check. "Don't feel bad, really, I wanted to pay."
Great, she can read my mind. What else does she know? I mentally shook the thought out of my head. She ripped the check out, and put her pen and checkbook back in her purse and grabbed her coat.
We all stood up, grabbed our coats, and pushed our chairs in. "That was wonderful," Sango said as we walked out of the café. "Thanks for having lunch with me."
"Oh, no, thank you," I said.
We stood in the middle of the sidewalk, people walking around us to get by. "Well," I said. "I better get home."
"Me too, no telling what trouble Kagome is into already," Sota said with a smile. He said good-bye and left. Leaving me alone with Sango.
"Where's your apartment?" She asked.
"It's two blocks down," I answered.
"So is mine, we can walk together."
"Alright," I said, and we started to walk down the sidewalk back to the apartment building.
It was a quiet walk. I was afraid to say something, and I think she was, too. I didn't want to say anything stupid, there was a huge risk that I would do that. I was known in high school for the worst date ever. Ask any of the other students, female students that is, and they'll tell you that I was.
I sighed, seeing my apartment building to my left. "Well, this is my stop."
"Really?" She asked. "It's mine, too."
I smiled, "well, I guess we can still keep going then."
She smiled, and we walked up the stairs. I unlocked the door and opened it for her. She stepped inside and we walked to the elevator after I shut and locked the door behind me. The elevator opened and we stepped inside.
"What floor?" She asked.
"Five," I said.
"Same as me," she smiled and pressed number five.
It moved up, past floor two, three, four... and... ding, five. The doors opened and we stepped out. We walked down the same hallway, and this time I was sure to keep count on the door numbers.
"This is mine," I said, seeing my door.
"Well, alright, good-bye Miroku, it was nice to meet you." She said, shaking my hand.
"You too, Sango," I said and I watched her walk down the hallway.
I shook my head, and pulled the keys out of my coat pocket. I unlocked my door, and shut it behind me as I walked inside. Man, was I tired. I threw my coat on the floor, missing the coat rack completely, and walked to my answer machine. Two messages, I guess I could handle it.
I pressed it.
"Hey, Miroku, it's Inuyasha," Inuyasha's voice boomed. "How'd you like your new job? Sota called on his cell phone and told us you took a liking. And he said he didn't mean the church. So, what's her name? Do I know her? Well, call me when you get back. I'm at Kagome's, call there. I'm sure she won't mind. Well, bye."
"Sunday, 1:24 pm," the answer machine said.
Beep.
"Hello, I am trying to reach a Mr. Miroku," said a female voice. "This is Kohina, remember? Well, I'm in town and I thought I would see you. If you want me to come by, that is. Well, let me know. You should still have my cell phone number. Bye."
"Sunday, 1:35 pm," the answer machine said and it beeped again.
I walked to my couch and fell back. "Kohina... why are you here? I thought you left me? What are you doing back here?"
I closed my eyes, seeing Kohina's face in my mind. I shook my head to get it clear, then sighed. I fell asleep, dreaming of Kohina... my ex-love.
The ceremony ended, and the people in the church stood and started to chitchat with their friends and neighbors. I stood up, smiling, but trying terribly hard not to look to my left. From the corner of my eye, I saw Sango stand and shake the hands of a few old people, complementing her on her singing.
Should I go talk to her? No way. A young woman stepped up in front of me, taking my thoughts of Sango away from my reach.
"It's so nice to meet you, Mr. Miroku," she said, shaking my hand. "I really hope you help this church."
"That's what I'm here for, ma'am," I said, smiling. She nodded and left, going to talk with some other people. I took a deep breath, and looked to my right. Sota was standing there, his hands crossed across his chest and a sly grin on his face. I shook my head and walked over to him.
"Hey, Sota," I said, shaking his hand, that smile never leaving his face. "It's a great place."
"It really is, isn't it?" He said. "It seems to me like you mean something else than the church."
I frowned, and was about to say something when a young woman came up and hugged Sota. I swallowed, and felt my heart beat faster. It was Sango. She laughed, and let him go. "Sota! Thanks again so much for telling me about this place! The people here are wonderful!"
Sota laughed, "you thanked me on stage, you don't need to thank me again, Sango."
She smiled, "it's just a great thing, I don't know how to repay you for it."
Sota grinned at me. "Well, Sango, do you know my friend Miroku?"
She looked at me, and I smiled. "Hello, you sang wonderfully." I was shocked my voice wasn't in a high pitch voice as I thought it would be.
She smiled, "thank you, and I really hope you do a wonderful job with the church. Good luck."
"Thank you," I said.
"Well, Sango, Miroku and I were just about to leave for lunch, would you like to join us?"
She glanced at him, and smiled back at me. "That would be great, let me get my coat real quick."
We nodded and she went to grab her coat. I turned my head and looked at Sota. "What?" He shrugged. "I thought you would like a little lunch."
"Thanks a lot, Sota." I said.
~*~
The café we ate at was down the street from the church, and two blocks away from my apartment. Sota told Sango and I about his new job firm, and how Kagome and Inuyasha were doing. Sango told us about how she came here, and where she was from. She also told me about how she knew Sota and Kagome.
Apparently Kagome and Sango went to college together, about the time Inuyasha left Kagome for Kikyo. Sango helped Kagome through the whole thing, and they became quick friends. She told us stories about what they used to do around the campus, and how they got in trouble a few times. I laughed here and there, nodded, and asked a few questions, but kept my eyes on her, and every now and then at my food.
"So, Miroku, what about you?" She asked, her elbows on the table and her chin rested on her hands. "Tell us a bit about you."
"Well, more like Sango, I know enough about you," Sota said and we laughed a little.
"Well," I said, playing with the fork in my hand. "I met Inuyasha when I used to work at a mining company. He was young, foolish, and cocky. I was firm, tough, but yet gentle. He worked in the mines. I worked in the office. To be honest, we never knew it was each other before. Then one day I get called into the manager's office, and he said that I was being let go."
"I didn't know why, or how it came to be, but when I was packing my things, I saw Inuyasha, walking into my office with a box in his arms. He was taking my place, but I wasn't mad. I was glad, actually. He deserved a good job. I read his records, heard from other employees that he was a hard worker, and I, well, let's just say I wasn't as hard a worker as I thought I was."
"So, I started looking for a new job, and met up with an old high school friend of mine, Kagome. Turns out, she and Inuyasha had been dating, and that's how I came to meet him. Now, we are best friends, almost brothers if you want to say it that way."
Sango nodded, "that's an interesting story."
I looked at her; her eyes were dreamy, staring at me, watching me with softness. I stared back into those eyes, but then looked at my food. What if I was giving her an evil look? What if it was perverted? What kind of look was I giving her in fact? I didn't want to risk anything so soon, so I stabbed my salad with my fork and took a bite, even though my stomach couldn't handle more.
Sota sighed and leaned back in his seat, throwing his napkin on the table. "Well, that was good. Who's going to pay?"
Should I? Well, it's a custom for the man to pay for the ladies meal on a date. But this isn't a date, is it? No, of course not, it's just a little lunch after church. But, what should I do?
"I'll pay," Sango said, grabbing her purse. She opened it up and pulled out her checkbook.
"Thanks, Sango," Sota said.
"Yeah, thanks." I said, feeling bad that I made her pay. "You don't have to, you know."
"Oh, I want to," she said, writing out the amount on the check. "Don't feel bad, really, I wanted to pay."
Great, she can read my mind. What else does she know? I mentally shook the thought out of my head. She ripped the check out, and put her pen and checkbook back in her purse and grabbed her coat.
We all stood up, grabbed our coats, and pushed our chairs in. "That was wonderful," Sango said as we walked out of the café. "Thanks for having lunch with me."
"Oh, no, thank you," I said.
We stood in the middle of the sidewalk, people walking around us to get by. "Well," I said. "I better get home."
"Me too, no telling what trouble Kagome is into already," Sota said with a smile. He said good-bye and left. Leaving me alone with Sango.
"Where's your apartment?" She asked.
"It's two blocks down," I answered.
"So is mine, we can walk together."
"Alright," I said, and we started to walk down the sidewalk back to the apartment building.
It was a quiet walk. I was afraid to say something, and I think she was, too. I didn't want to say anything stupid, there was a huge risk that I would do that. I was known in high school for the worst date ever. Ask any of the other students, female students that is, and they'll tell you that I was.
I sighed, seeing my apartment building to my left. "Well, this is my stop."
"Really?" She asked. "It's mine, too."
I smiled, "well, I guess we can still keep going then."
She smiled, and we walked up the stairs. I unlocked the door and opened it for her. She stepped inside and we walked to the elevator after I shut and locked the door behind me. The elevator opened and we stepped inside.
"What floor?" She asked.
"Five," I said.
"Same as me," she smiled and pressed number five.
It moved up, past floor two, three, four... and... ding, five. The doors opened and we stepped out. We walked down the same hallway, and this time I was sure to keep count on the door numbers.
"This is mine," I said, seeing my door.
"Well, alright, good-bye Miroku, it was nice to meet you." She said, shaking my hand.
"You too, Sango," I said and I watched her walk down the hallway.
I shook my head, and pulled the keys out of my coat pocket. I unlocked my door, and shut it behind me as I walked inside. Man, was I tired. I threw my coat on the floor, missing the coat rack completely, and walked to my answer machine. Two messages, I guess I could handle it.
I pressed it.
"Hey, Miroku, it's Inuyasha," Inuyasha's voice boomed. "How'd you like your new job? Sota called on his cell phone and told us you took a liking. And he said he didn't mean the church. So, what's her name? Do I know her? Well, call me when you get back. I'm at Kagome's, call there. I'm sure she won't mind. Well, bye."
"Sunday, 1:24 pm," the answer machine said.
Beep.
"Hello, I am trying to reach a Mr. Miroku," said a female voice. "This is Kohina, remember? Well, I'm in town and I thought I would see you. If you want me to come by, that is. Well, let me know. You should still have my cell phone number. Bye."
"Sunday, 1:35 pm," the answer machine said and it beeped again.
I walked to my couch and fell back. "Kohina... why are you here? I thought you left me? What are you doing back here?"
I closed my eyes, seeing Kohina's face in my mind. I shook my head to get it clear, then sighed. I fell asleep, dreaming of Kohina... my ex-love.