Chapter 21: Fight Fire With Fire
Inuyasha walked in to school rather morose. However, his facial expression didn't betray his mood to anybody. He had a slightly evil smirk on his face. That was because he had already planned out his daily agenda, which involved beating Miroku into a bloody pulp. That task followed apologizing to Kagome, something he knew he had to accomplish before she was completely ensnared by Miroku's devious tactics. He spotted Kagome not to far away, conversing with Sango and unfortunately, Miroku. "Hey, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked reluctantly, not believing he was actually going to apologize. He didn't receive a response.
"You hear something Sango?" Kagome asked.
"Me? I hear nothing. How about you Miroku?"
"I thought I heard something faint, but it was probably just my imagination." Miroku said coolly.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You know it's me. Can I please talk to you?" he asked Kagome.
"Who the bloody hell are you?" Kagome inquired, putting a confuzzled expression on.
"Cut the crap!" Inuyasha commanded sharply. "I really need to talk to you!"
"Do I know you from somewhere?"
"Kagome, will you just let me get a word in edgeways?" Inuyasha pleaded.
"It's clear Kagome doesn't wish to talk with you. Sango, Kagome, let us be on our way." Miroku interjected as the trio walked away leaving poor Inuyasha behind.
"Damn you woman! I'm trying to apologize, stupid wench!" Inuyasha shouted to the retreating three. He slapped his forehead afterwards, realizing his last comment only increased her annoyance if anything. Inuyasha being the ever-so patient fellow he is didn't have the patience for this. He caught up with the posse and seized Kagome by the wrist. "Look, I came here to apologize and damn I'm going to do it whether you choose to listen of not!" he yelled.
"We'll leave you two alone." Sango said, taking her leave along with Miroku.
"I'm listening." Kagome growled giving Inuyasha a scowl.
"I-I'm really sorry about what I said yesterday." Inuyasha mumbled. Kagome just continued to give him her scowl. "What?" Inuyasha asked.
"That's it? That's your apology?" Kagome asked incredulously.
"What's wrong with it?"
"The term 'everything' comes to mind. A little I'm sorry won't fix this dog-boy. This is a grovel-at-my-feet apology kind of situation. I'll admit its pretty impressive coming from you, but I'm not going to forgive you for that flimsy apology."
"Well, what else do you want me to say?" Inuyasha questioned.
"That's for you to figure out." Kagome told him. She turned on her heel and left.
This was rather unfair from Inuyasha's point of view. How was he supposed to figure out what Kagome wanted to hear by himself? He wasn't the type who apologized for every little thing. Hell, he wasn't the type who'd apologize for most anything but seeing Kagome hang all over Miroku like that was more than Inuyasha's eyes could take. He slouched off to first period trying to think of an alternative method to receive Kagome's forgiveness.
"Hey, Sango." Kagome whispered.
"What?" Sango replied, looking up from the essay that was due at the end of their Literature class.
"I need to borrow Miroku again today." Kagome replied.
"WHAT?" Sango yelled back, snapping the pencil in her hand, also receiving a nasty glare from the teacher. "What the bloody hell for?" she hissed. "You said you were only going to keep up that charade for one day!"
"I need him again today. Please?" Kagome begged.
Sango scribbled a few more sentences down before answering. "No! Didn't Inuyasha apologize anyway?"
"Sort of." Kagome snorted. "He said he was sorry."
"That's all? Seems a bit low-key for what he did to you." Sango commented.
"That's why I need to impose some more 'reinforcement'. Come on, one more day!" Kagome continued to plead.
"Can't you find someone else to do it?" Sango asked.
"I don't know who would. What other guy would let me use him to make Inuyasha jealous?" Kagome inquired.
"Koga." Sango told her.
"God no! I'm trying to get Inuyasha to see the consequences of implying something like he did. I don't want him to die, not to mention he'd probably kill Koga in the process as well."
Sango finally gave in and agreed. "Fine, but just one more day."
"But Sango, what if Inuyasha still doesn't get the message?" Kagome whined.
Sango gave her a look. "You like him, don't you?"
"Duh. If I didn't like him why would I be going through all this trouble?" Kagome said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"You like him?" Sango unbelievingly asked.
"Yeah, like I said I wouldn't be doing all this just to force an apology out of him. I would just forgive him flat out, but the things he said were just so…" Sango put a hand over her heart and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Oh, you thought I was talking about Inuyasha." Sango sighed.
"Who else would you be talking about?" Kagome asked.
"I was talking about Miroku." Sango said.
"Miroku? What on earth would give you the impression that I like Miroku?"
"I just don't get why you so desperately need Miroku to make Inuyasha jealous. He'll get the message and apologize eventually." Sango explained.
"Inuyasha? He wouldn't swallow his pride for a million dollars." Kagome objected.
"That's your opinion. You sure you don't like Miroku?" Sango asked again, her suspicion never failing.
"Yes! What makes you so sure I like him? I mean he's an awesome guy and all, but I just don't really go for guys like him."
"You went out with him not too long after you moved here." Sango reminded her.
"That was then, this is now." Kagome assured her.
"If you say so. Remember you only have him for today."
"Okay…" Kagome compromised with a sigh.
It was lunch period but it was ten minutes in and Inuyasha still hadn't showed up. "I wonder where he's at." Kagome said. "I don't see him anywhere."
"Kagome, do we really need to continue our little ploy? Inuyasha's probably planning to kill me twice and throw me off the top of the tallest building he can find." Miroku complained.
"Come on, just for today, then no more, I swear to God." Kagome promised.
"Fine. But I'm only doing this to see Inuyasha pathetically beg for forgiveness." Miroku reluctantly agreed.
At this moment Inuyasha entered the cafeteria. He had his arm around and was talking to a girl who was very tall, almost as tall as he was. Sango, Kagome, Eri and Miroku all knew the girl. Her name was Kikyo. "What the hell is he doing with her?" Kagome asked sharply. Her three friends shrugged.
"Beats me." Eri and Miroku replied in unison.
"Perhaps he's giving up. Maybe he really is that desperate to hold on to his pride." Sango suggested. Inuyasha wasn't by any means giving up though. Unable to find a better alternative to apologizing, he had decided to play Kagome at her own game.
"I didn't know Inuyasha even had the capability to mack a girl. Maybe he's not completely hopeless after all." Miroku remarked. As Inuyasha and Kikyo approached the table, Inuyasha looked up and noticed Kagome was glaring. His smug smirk grew at the satisfaction of knowing his plan was working. Kagome wasn't about to let him win. Out of absolutely nowhere she threw her arms around Miroku's neck and crushed her lips against his. The eyes of all who were watching widened in shock, especially Sango's and Inuyasha's, which grew to the size of dinner plates. After about 10 seconds, Kagome finally broke away from Miroku. Eri and Kikyo continued staring, but Miroku received the same look from Sango and Inuyasha. Good thing looks couldn't kill. Or Miroku would've been as dead as they come.