Disclaimer: Haven't you figured it out yet? I DON'T OWN INUYASHA! WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU PEOPLE?

/commencer/

Ah, Those Summer Nights

Chapter 7: Girl Talk

-

"Oh, how I wish," Inuyasha strummed a few chords on his guitar, "that stupid, stubborn wenches didn't exist on this earth. Yea, life would be so much better without them..."

"I HATE Inuyasha!" Kagome strangled her guitar, imagining it was the hanyou's neck. Sango soothingly patted the girl's back.

"I'm sure the feeling will pass."

"Or can't they at least learn to shut up...those stupid, stubborn wenches..."

"In time, the feeling will pass."

"Thanks, Sango," Kagome replied in a forlorn manner. Nothing about this made any sense. How could she allow a stupid guy get under her skin? And why Inuyasha? Dear God, anyone but Inuyasha. And why did he go after her so much? It was almost like they were a modern-day Kate and Petruchio. Except for the whole falling in love thing at the end.

"Those STUPID, STUBBORN WENCHES! YEA!" Inuyasha wailed out the last few notes and finished with a final chord on the guitar.

"All right, Inu, that's enough guitar for one day," Miroku cautiously took the instrument away.

"Yes, I don't believe my ears will fully recover if you keep on playing."

"Shut up, Naraku."

"I only speak the truth."

While the boys went on sputtering over their dignity, the girls (minus Kikyo) were huddled in their own little corner. Kagura's crimson eyes stared morbidly at the guitar on her lap.

"So, Sango, you didn't happen to become magically adept at playing the guitar, did you?"

"As a matter of fact, no."

"You mean you guys can't play guitar?" Kagome looked in wonderment at the two girls.

Kagura sniffed. "I suppose you do?"

"Well, I have been playing since I was four."

"Oh, well, then I guess you do."

"My father taught me," Kagome continued and fitted the guitar to her form. "My first one was actually handed down through his family and we would sing and play silly little songs, and I learned my alphabet and such. Then, as I got older, I started seriously learning."

"Cool, our very own musician! Play something!" Sango clapped her hands in anticipation. Kagome blushed.

"Oh, I don't know..."

"I would enjoy a song from you," Kikyo's monotone voice suddenly broke through, and the three girls turned to face her. There was a beat, then Kagome nodded her head.

"All right."

Sango and Kagura exchanged an indecipherable look, but said nothing. Kagome adjusted the guitar a bit, then picked at it to make sure it was in tune. She took a deep breath, then sighed. Here goes nothing...

"If only I knew

Way back then

That I would climb the highest mountain for you

Maybe things wouldn't have gone so wrong

Maybe we'd still have a chance

But it's silly to keep hoping, right?

I don't have some fancy time machine

And there's no forgive and forget with us

I only wish

I had been honest

I wouldn't be stuck in this mess I'm in

I only wish

I had been loving

You wouldn't have walked away like that"

Kagome finished the last note, then nervously put the guitar down.

"It was just a little something, a work in progress, nothing good..."

Sango and Kagura's mouths were hanging open, and when they realized Kagome was talking, both mouths instantly snapped shut.

"No, no, that was..."

"Kagome, you were..."

Both girls searched for the right word.

"That was really beautiful," Kikyo supplied effortlessly. Kagome felt a strange happiness at hearing her say that. Her eyes were unreadable, but her words rang true.

"Yeah, what Kikyo said." The name felt weird and awkward on Sango's tongue, but she felt glad to say it. How odd...

"Hey, wench, did you play something?"

Kagome gritted her teeth.

"Yes, and it went a little something like this: Soup looks so pretty on dog-eared, hanyou idiots..."

-

The group filed out of main building, eagerly anticipating the lunch that awaited them, and somewhat hoping for another showdown between Inuyasha and Kagome. No fireworks exploded, however (much to Naraku's disappointment), and after Inuyasha and Kagome had finished their cleaning duties and were getting ready to go back to the clearing for their siesta time, Kagome noticed Kikyo sitting at the edge of the lake.

"Hey, Inuyasha, tell Sango and them I'm exploring the place," Kagome called as she raced to where Kikyo was.

"Hmph, whatever, stupid wench..."

-

"Hey, Kikyo, am I disturbing you?"

Kikyo looked up in surprise at the girl standing over her. It took a moment for the reply to come.

"No, please, sit down."

Kagome sat next to Kikyo and made herself comfortable on the grass. She would like to think the lake was reflecting the rays of the sun, but the sun doesn't shine at Camp Kumori. An awkward silence stretched between the two, awkward for Kagome at least. She spent a few minutes shuffling around in place.

"There's something on your mind."

Not a question, and Kagome knew Kikyo was expecting an answer.

"Well, yes, now that you mention it."

Kikyo raised an eyebrow.

"And?"

"You see, the thing is...," Kagome took a deep breath and plunged on, "I've been wondering why everyone acts like you don't exist, and when they do acknowledge you, it's always in a hateful manner. It's obvious you guys were friends once, and I know it's none of my business, but...what happened?" Kagome quickly covered her mouth. "I'm sorry, it just all spilled out."

Kikyo's eyes drifted over the surface of the lake. It was a good question, and it needed an honest answer.

"If it should come from anyone, it shouldn't come from me. But, I am the only one who will talk to you about it."

"Really, Kikyo, I'm sorry, you don't..."

"But I want to."

Kagome shut her mouth and put her listening cap on.

"I suppose it's actually kind of silly, in retrospect, very high school soap opera. But, it did happen. You see, last August, Inuyasha and I started dating. We had known one another for a few years, and as our hormones started kicking in, we became attracted to each other. So, it seemed logical that we should date. He was happy, I was happy, everyone was happy. But, in April, I did something very stupid. I doubted what we had built together, and I ran away from it. Inuyasha...was really hurt. I had taken his heart out, stomped on it, and fed it to the wolves. We had the same friends, and once they found out what I had done...they abandoned me and stuck by Inuyasha. I couldn't stop seeing them, our lives were built around one another. Everyday, I had to see the mistake I made. The knife kept being twisted over and over again...," Kikyo stopped and stared at her folded hands in contemplation. "It's odd, baring my soul to someone, when it's usually the other way around. And to you, of all people. A stranger who's becoming friends with them. This isn't like me."

"Kikyo," Kagome reached out and placed her hand atop of Kikyo's, "you should let it all out. But not to me, to Sango and Kagura and Miroku and everyone. And especially Inuyasha. Maybe they don't understand now, but I'm sure once things have settled, they'd be willing to talk."

"Things have been settling, Kagome. They'll never talk to me again. But I've learned to rise above them. I don't need them." Kikyo abruptly took her hands away and stood up. "Thanks for listening, Kagome, and attempting to help the situation, but nothing needs to be helped. Everyone is perfectly happy now. Change is not needed."

"Kikyo!" As Kikyo began to wander away, Kagome called after her, but the hardened-teen didn't even think to glance back.

-

"So, Sango, what do you think about the whole Inuyasha/Kagome thing?" Sango and Miroku were sitting at one of the tables in the little cooking station in their clearing, a plate of brownies between them. Miroku tapped a brownie piece to his mouth.

"I believe the question is, when are they going to stop fighting and admit their feelings?" The Hentai King chomped down on the brownie. Sango looked at him in surprise.

"You really think they're attracted to each other?"

"Of course," Miroku said, mouth full of chocolately goodness.

"Don't talk with you mouth full. But, I mean, they seem to have a total hatred between them. I can't honestly believe they secretly harbor nice feelings for each other."

Miroku licked his fingertips and grinned. "It's just like you and me, Sango darling. I know you desire me, deep down inside."

"I know I would like you to remove your hand from my thigh."

"Now, what was that doing there? Bad hand," Miroku mockingly patted his hand. Sango merely rolled her eyes.

"You'll never change..."

/fin/

A/N: Well, that MirSan moment was supposed to be longer and sweeter, but it just seemed better to end it there. Anyway, for anyone who has remained with this story, thank you so much! Life. Don't talk to me about life. It sucks, that's what.