A/N: since I'm going hiking today I'd be too tired to come and update this at night so I'd figured I'll update a new chappy now. Plus, I'm procrastinating my homework LA LA LA haha oh well. Thank you so much for the response last time! It made my yesterday, today AND tomorrow. Enjoy this chapter :) Oh, and I did promise you guys a Miroku and Sango story so yeah, just remember that ;)

Someone Out There
Chapter Nine: Metaphorically Speaking

Sango nodded and closed her cell phone. Ice cream in 20 minutes with Miroku. She can probably walk there in 10 minutes so she didn't need to hurry. He sounded kind of mysterious about things on the phone. "What could he be talking about?" muttered Sango. "What's that you said?" asked the girl beside her. "Oh sorry, nothing." she replied slightly embarrassed. She pulled the knot at her tie and with a fumble she undid the tie to relieve herself from choking. Slinging her backpack over her back she started walking slowly to the parlor.

The streets were busy from the after work rush. The dim street lamps lit the hazy green streets smothered in pollution. It was getting dark early since it was mid October already. She looked at her black boots as she kicked some leaves on the street. Walking alone sucks, it left her too much time to think: something she didn't feel like doing anymore. It made her overanalyze everything.

Looking up ahead she saw a couple tittering, bantering in a way you know they were in love. A stone dropped in her stomach as she saw the male turn slightly around. Oh. It was Miroku. His warm brown eyes was fixed on Kagome as he nuzzled her hair, lightly covering her neck with small feather kisses. Feeling slightly awkward (and disappointed) that Kagome was going to be there, she hesitantly ran up to them. Forcing a grin she ran up to them and pushed the two, surprising (and in Kagome's case, scaring and annoying) the heck out of them. "Hey lovebirds," she teased.

"There you are!" Miroku exclaimed pulling her into a gigantic smothering hug. "Let's go, it's your dream house remember?"

Of course she remembered. She wanted to marry a fat Italian man with a curly mustache, a nice round belly wearing a white apron that sells ice cream and can bellow out 'GELATO' every time he sees her. And of course, their house would be at a quaint shop selling unique flavors of ice cream. That was her 'romantic dream' when she was small. Of course, she started chasing other things as she grew up. Sango was surprised that he remembered.

They went inside to the ice cream parlor. It was big with two levels. The bottom level was basically where people purchased the treat. There were a few tables near the window for them to eat. The white and pink tiled floor was clean as usual with no trace of dust. A circular counter filled half the room as visitors walk into the arc to look at the different flavors.

Sango eyed each flavor but her mind elsewhere. Miroku laughed, misinterpreting it for seriousness. "Sango is always like that with ice cream," he informed Kagome. "Fu-reak" she muttered under her breath, loud enough that only Sango heard. Sango mindlessly pointed to the bucket in front of her. Napoleon. How terrific, 3 colors, third wheel. "I'll be upstairs, just come up when you've ordered okay?" she said.

The upper level was like a balcony above the circular arc counter. She chose a circle table near the railing where she can look down below. Sango poked at her ice cream, mixing the brown with vanilla, leaving the strawberry aside. She hated strawberry. It looked cute, but inside was mixed with sweetness or sourness, you can never tell what's coming. A berry may look sweet but then taint your tongue with a sour note. She was accustomed to chocolate all her life, and the bland vanilla tasted good with chocolate. A twist.

She casually looked down and watched Miroku. He was waiting patiently for Kagome to choose, offering bits and pieces of advice about each flavor. "He never waited for me like that," she grumbled. I guess vanilla was too lackluster beside the bright pink strawberry for anyone to take a second look. She slumped back in her chair, making a small screeching sound against the tiled floor. She crossed her legs and sat there watching the chocolate trickle over to the strawberry ice cream. Her tie was messy around her neck and the top two buttons of her 'uniform' was open. Screw manners, it was still too hot being stuffed up in a shirt like that.

"Interesting outfit," commented Miroku. He pulled up a chair at her table and sat down across from her. "What, you don't like it?" she sniffed. Kagome looked at Sango. The high school attire was 'so last year'…it made her look she was part of the sorority cult. Even I look better in that battered uniform I wore the first day of school, Kagome thought dryly. "It's cute," chipped in Kagome. Sango made a sour face and went back to poke at her ice cream. She felt bad for being such a bitch about things. But still, she heard the freak comment earlier.

Kagome looked dejected and settled down beside Miroku. Miroku looked helplessly between the two girls. What's going on with Sango? Kagome was just totally nice to her! thought Miroku angrily. He tried to calm himself down. Maybe you're overreacting? offered the voice in his head. Maybe, he answered back.

The whole time there was awkward. Miroku tried making conversation, but both girls were reluctant to talk. Sango halfheartedly try to follow along in the conversation, but it's hard when you see your own crush cuddling another girl. The way tears prickle at your eye and threaten to fall any minute doesn't help either. Sango watched Miroku lick the ice cream off the tip of her nose. It was a sweet gesture that Sango couldn't bare to keep watching. It made her brim with jealousy and made her want to puke. She stood up abruptly, "See you later Miroku."

Miroku looked up at Sango, his eyes burned with confusion. "What's wrong now?"

Tearing her eyes from his searing gaze Sango replied, "Nothing, I'll call you later."

"No," said Miroku just a bit more loudly, "Something is bothering you, tell me…now." Miroku grabbed her by her sleeve.

"Who the fuck do you think you are," replied Sango hotly tearing away from his grip but he held tighter. Miroku's eyes widen as her words hit him. Did she just swear at him? What did he do?

"What did I do wrong?" asked Miroku quietly. He shouldn't ask here, not in front of Kagome and the crowd they drew around them. People pretended not to look, yet their ears were open, eager for more venom to be spat out.

"I'm not a toddler Miroku." snapped Sango, and with each sentence adding on volume, "I do not need your sudden empathy." Miroku stared, eyes crestfallen. "Not everything in my life is about you," she added for good measure. What a lie. Hot tears burned at the corner of her eyes but they did not fall. Miroku saw them and let go, dumbfounded. Sango grabbed her backpack, slammed down her change for the ice cream and left.

Miroku never lifted his eyes off her as he watched her run down the stairs, tore the door open and leapt into the cold dark street. Why was she so mad? Kagome wasn't bitchy, she didn't even do anything wrong! Sango was being unreasonable. Miroku gritted angrily as he turned back to sit down. Kagome sat there wisely saying nothing.