Author's note : Hi! After a comedy chapter last time, I guess it's time to get more serious.. only two chapters to go after this one! Somehow I am sad to end this story, but I am glad to finish it after all. Hope u like it, lol.


Summary : Attack! From who? You know who.


Both Goku and Gojyo receive punishments from Sanzo. Goku is supposed to help Hakkai with cooking for a week, and Sanzo makes sure that the youth doesn't have any chance to steal the tiniest bit of food while working. Gojyo has to guard the south area for a week, 24 hours a day. No guard-exchange. That's why Shi Wei, sighing uncomfortably, came the day before to Hakkai's tent, asking if he could take care of Goku for a while. She and Gojyo were going to build a temporary tent around the guarding area. Hakkai surely agreed.

It has been three days since the rumour first takes its move, and people are now much calmer. Perhaps it also has something to do with Sanzo's scary looks each time he meets anyone.
Goku likes to be with Hakkai, even if he hates to peel the carrots and potatoes. He groans all the time, telling Hakkai that his sister never asks him to do household chores like that. "That's no men work," he adds, there is pride in his voice.
Hakkai smiles. "Ah, Goku, please taste some of the soup. Is it salty enough or shall I add more salt?"
Goku takes one spoon of the soup and comments,"It would be great when we add some pinches of salt; and besides you have forgotten the cinnamon here."
Hakkai grins. "Thanks, Goku."

"Apart from what Gojyo has talked about that night, Hakkai..." Goku stops to take a breath. "Is there really anything between you and Sanzo?"
Hakkai is startled to hear this unexpected question. And Goku doesn't seem like he will forget the whole matter easily.
"No," Hakkai answers. "There is nothing. We only have a chat. That's all."
Goku's face turns bright. "I knew it! I knew it!" He says with joy. "I have wanted to ask you about it but when Sanzo's around, he will definitely hit me again. I am relieved."
Hakkai can feel something hitting him in the chest.
"Goku, you..."
"Nani?" asks Goku with a cute expression.
Hakkai just smiles and winks with his free hand. "No, forget it."


At the other side, Kougaiji stands on a big rock, eyeing the "Sanzo-troops". He spots Gojyo easily, standing about 30 miles from his position, evidently-bad mooded.
"How are you, Dokugakuji? Are you ready for another fight?" he asks the man who sits beside the rock.
"Sure. It will be boring when I only sit around."
"Yay, a fight, a fight!" Lirin yells around energetically.
"This time, I will make sure to return with the sutra in my hands. Say goodbye, Sanzo..."

Gojyo stands alone, every muscle of his body screams out the same thing : boredom.
"Don't act like that," scolds his wife. "You should thank Sanzo that he didn't give you any other punishment. Besides, it is only for a week."
Gojyo scowls at his wife, but he doesn't say anything. The problem to discuss with a woman is that you will never win. And it will never end.

"Gojyo, take another look with the telescope," says his wife. Gojyo sighs and grabs the telescope.
"It is nothing. See? I don't understand why you are commanding me around."
"I just want to be safe. I want a peaceful living with you and Goku. I hate it to take care of your wounds every time you go back home from a fight. You don't know how scared I am everytime you come back with so many blood loss."
Gojyo's expression becomes mild.
"Shi Wei..." he turns at his wife.
"Take another look, you idiot! We are alone here, you must be aware of anything!" reprimands his wife.
Gojyo sighs again and takes another look.
"Again, there is nothing... ehhh!"
Shi Wei stands up quickly, her face is all pale.
"Shi Wei! A group of people is coming toward us, go and warn the people!"
"Hai!" answers Shi Wei, turns on her heels, runs some steps forward and runs back toward Gojyo.

She gives Gojyo a kiss on his right cheek.
"Be safe," she says softly before she runs with ultimate speed to warn the rest of the people. Gojyo touches his right cheek, grinning.
"Okay, now let's see who is stronger between us, whoever you are!" he shouts.


Hakkai streches his body. It feels good to have a nice rest after cooking the whole time. Hakkai is sure that Goku can replace him anytime after he disappears from this place, even though he hides some suspicion regarding Goku, since the amount of the meat buns gets less and less each time Hakkai pays a look at them. Or is it only his imagination? Besides, the guards who are supposed to watch over Goku repeatedly ensure him that Goku isn't taking anything from the foods, while they themselves are quite busy munching something the whole time.

Hakkai walks around the tents, watching the people doing their activities. It is so peaceful here, he says to himself. Then he suddenly realizes that he is quite used to this place, now. He barely forgets that this place is not where he is supposed to be. Sanzo...

Hakkai continues walking past the crowd and as he looks around, he is no longer among the tents. He is about to turn around as he sees smoke rises from behind a big rock. Out of curiosity he goes toward the rock just to see where the smoke comes from, and meets Sanzo eye in eye. The latter looks quite annoyed to see Hakkai.
"Oh, Sanzo. Nice to see you out here." Hakkai says with his typical smile, asking himself if it is the right time to end his pause.
"I thought you were staying in the kitchen?" Sanzo asks, frowning.
"Oh, Goku is replacing me. He insists that I have my rest. So I take a little pause. Sorry to bother you."
"Aa," Sanzo mutters, turning away from Hakkai.
Hakkai asks himself if he shall go now or not. Otherwise... "It is okay when you want to leave," Sanzo concentrates himself back to his pipe of tobacco. "I am not going to hold you back."

Hakkai smiles to himself, then takes a seat next to Sanzo.

"What are you doing here, actually? Your guards must be quite worried when they don't find their chief around." Says Hakkai.
"No bother. They already know where I am. They just don't dare to disturb me here."

A silence.

Hakkai is already used to such silence when he is alone with Sanzo. He himself doesn't find any appropriate topic to talk about. Neither with the Sanzo in his world, nor this Sanzo. Both are alike in the way which Hakkai never understands. There is so much parts of Sanzo, which will always be mysteries for Hakkai. And that's the fun of having a relationship with someone. Our struggle to find, to understand and to accept.

"Last time," Sanzo begins. "we were talking about why I am letting you stay here."
Hakkai nods.

"I said that I didn't trust you. That won't change, I guess. But I have been thinking about the reason why I let you stay here despite my lack of trust to you. Perhaps, the most logical answer is that, I know you can't harm me."

Hakkai chuckles. Well, it is true. He has nothing to destroy Sanzo with his clans.
"Otherwise, that doesn't make any sense. People don't accept others in their home just because the guests are not dangerous, surely." Sanzo adds.

He turns to face Hakkai. "I am not lying as I said that I felt like I knew you for a long time. Can it be that you hide something from us? I guess you are the one who knows the most about this matter."
He smirks.

"Yes, that's right. Didn't you suspect me as a spy?" Hakkai laughs heartily.
Sanzo lights up another pipe of tobacco, he looks quite pissed off. "Well, shall I talk about nonsense like you coming from the future or sort of!" he answered in wrath.

Hakkai chuckles.
"None of them is right. I don't know many things, but I do know you guys. Even if we have quite different relationships to each other."

Sanzo raises one eyebrow.

"But we are related no matter where you are, isn't it? Even with different kind of relationships."

Hakkai nods.

"The bond that puts us together..." Sanzo whispers as he looks down his pipe of tobacco.

"Sanzo-sama! Sanzo-sama!"
Both Sanzo and Hakkai stands up quickly and faces a boy who has just screamed after Sanzo.
"Please help! There is an attack!"