Chapter 9: Guttermouth, Part II
The group was back at school on Monday, 5th period, the only period of the day when all six were together. So far today however, they were two short. "I wonder where Miroku and Kuranosuke are at." Hojo idly commented.
"Feh. My guess is they found each other and are currently at each others throats." Inuyasha replied.
"Just because that's what you'd do in this situation doesn't mean those two are as barbaric as you are dog-boy." Kagome replied. "I'm sure Miroku and Kuranosuke can resolve their conflict without resorting to violence."
"Wanna bet?" Inuyasha challenged.
"Name your stakes."
"Twenty-four hundred, same as before."
"Gladly." Kagome replied, shaking his hand to affirm the bet.
"You two really need to stop betting on this. Especially you Inuyasha. At this rate you'll be broke by the end of the week." Hojo advised his half-breed friend.
"Hey, she's only won once so far. You just wait." Inuyasha said confidently.
"Yo." greeted Miroku as he sat himself down on Sango's right, noticing Kuranosuke didn't occupy his normal seat.
"Where've you been?" Sango asked.
"Guess, and just so you know, it's not from what you think." Miroku said, turning his head to reveal the lovely red handprint he was sporting.
"Did you break up with Koharu?" Kagome asked.
"Yeah." Miroku admitted.
"It looks like she took it pretty well." Inuyasha snidely remarked.
"Well, she was but then we got into the reason why I-"
Before Miroku could finish his sentence, Kagome cut in. "Oh Inuyasha, aren't we forgetting a little something?" Kagome asked in her sweet tone. Inuyasha just muttered his famous 'feh' and handed Kagome her money. Kagome counted it to make sure he hadn't tried to jip her, which he hadn't. "You're such a good boy!" she said.
"I'm not a dog!" Inuyasha yelled back at Kagome.
"Are you sure?" Kagome asked teasingly as she began to scratch behind his ears.
"I don't have to answer that." Inuyasha responded as his expression relaxed, though he was silently cursing his weakness. Hojo finally spoke up. Kagome had told him that Sango and Miroku were getting together (so much for keeping it a secret) but he hadn't really believed her until Miroku had admitted to breaking up with his latest.
"So Sango, you're seriously going to dump poor Kuranosuke for our favorite lech here?" Sango nodded. "Good luck with that!" Hojo laughed.
"Thank you! That's what I've been saying!" Inuyasha said, grateful someone finally saw it the same way he did.
"What's that supposed to mean? If I want your opinion I'll ask for it Hobo." Miroku shot back, using Hojo's unfortunate nickname. Koga, who happened to be passing their table, gave Miroku a clap on the back.
"Hey buddy. I heard about last Friday night. Way to go!" Koga congratulated him and continued on his way.
"How did he know? Did you-" Sango began to ask Miroku.
"No!" he responded before she could finish. "I swear I didn't tell a soul!"
"I'm sure. Like you'd keep something like that secret for more than ten minutes you perv!" Inuyasha commented.
"Dude, why do you always have it in for Miroku? Sure, he's bad, but not that bad." Hojo said.
"Hey, remember you were agreeing with me not too long ago. But you do have a point. Besides, Sango probably has him whipped already." Inuyasha was so nice to mention. Miroku decided to ignore him and keep his focus on the issue at present.
"Did you tell anyone?" Miroku asked Sango.
"No, apart from Kagome. She told Inuyasha and Hojo. Did you tell anyone else?" Sango interrogated. Kagome laughed nervously.
"Heh heh. Well I might have told a few…dozen…dozen…people." She finished quietly. Miroku and Sango both buried their heads in their hands.
"Please tell me you math is as horrible as you say it is." Sango pleaded.
"Would it help if I said I'm sorry?" Kagome asked.
"I can't believe you told so many people! And you said you'd keep it quiet! Now everyone will think I'm a nymphomaniac!" Sango wailed in despair.
"Good thing everyone thinks I'm a pervert already. I really dogged a bullet this time." Miroku said, for once relived people already knew of his 'habits'.
"Look, maybe it's really not that bad." Kagome said in a lame attempt to comfort her friend, who looked liable to have a nervous break down at any given second. "Besides it's not like you two actually did anything."
"Did you include that when you blabbed it to everybody?" Sango asked.
"Er, no." Kagome ashamedly admitted.
"Great, just great. God, kill me now."
"Calm down Sango. You just do what I do." Inuyasha said.
"What do you do?" Sango asked, a hint of hope in her voice.
"Let them think! I don't care what other people think about me. You don't see me having a heart attack because people think I'm a filthy half-breed." Inuyasha answered as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I guess I can deal with it. It'll probably be forgotten in a few weeks anyhow." Sango conceded.
"Thatta girl! Just don't mind the rumors. So am I off the hook?" Kagome asked hopefully.
"I guess so. I just hope I get a chance to talk to Kuranosuke before this rumor of yours reaches his ears. Sango said. "For both our sakes." she added.
"Sweet Buddha." Miroku said upon hearing Sango's previous sentence. He realized a whole new problem had arisen on his side of the scale. "Oh God, Kuranosuke is going to kill me!"
"What makes you say that?" Inuyasha, the master of density, asked.
"Oh gee, I dunno, why would Kuranosuke want to tear me limb from limb when he learns the reason why he lost his girlfriend? I just can't imagine!" Miroku said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
After a few seconds of silence, Inuyasha finally came to realization. "Oh, I get it! Do you think you can take him?" Inuyasha asked.
"I don't know. I'd never really considered the possibility." Miroku said.
"Speaking of Kuranosuke, where has he been?" Hojo asked. As if on cue Kuranosuke came over and put his arm over Miroku's shoulders in a chummy manner.
"Hey buddy, can I talk to you for a second?" he said, his voice laced with anger.
"Look, Kur-" Sango began to say, but Miroku gestured for her to stop.
"Sure." Miroku replied to Kuranosuke's question. "Don't worry, I think I can handle this." he whispered to Sango before he got up. Kuranosuke led Miroku out of the cafeteria into the hall.
"You won't believe what I just heard." Kuranosuke said.
"Don't screw around. I know what the rumor is, I know you heard it, and it's not true, I swear to God." Miroku said in return.
"Good, but tell me, what would give anyone the impression that you and Sango did it?"
"I spent the night at Sango's last Friday, and me being well, how I am sometimes I guess they just assumed." Miroku said, avoiding the truth for obvious reasons.
"Okay. Sorry I assumed it was true, you wouldn't do something like that. Would you?" Kuranosuke asked, to shed the last of his suspicion.
"No." Miroku replied. He hoped Kuranosuke wouldn't assume he was lying when Sango broke it to him.