Chapter Seven: Love is in the Air

He wanted to pass her by quietly, but he stepped on a branch and blew his cover. He instinctively hid behind a tree.

Kagome whipped her head around. "Who's there?" she yelled out a little shakily.

Kouga came out. "Relax. It's just me."

"Oh, Kouga…" Kagome slowly turned her head away from him.

Kouga began to inch away from her, trying not to be noticed.

"Um, Kouga…"

He stopped dead in his tracks. He didn't take another step, nor did he move. "Y-Yes..?"

"Can I talk to you about something?"

"S-Sure." Kouga couldn't keep himself from stuttering. He always acted like this when he was around Kagome.

'I guess I should really just come out now… But I… My reputation… I-Should I? Baka Kagome… Why did you have to call out to him?'

Kouga stood over Kagome. "What is it?" He seemed to have regained his confidence, for a short while anyway. 'Could this be what I've been waiting for?'

"Hey, um, did anyone see where Kagome went off to?" Sango looked back at the spot where Kagome was standing, but there was no trace of her friend anywhere.

"I don't know," Kikyou commented. "And frankly, I don't care."

"Oh, come on, don't say things like that. We're all friends."

"Well, that may be so, but in light of recent events, I'm sorry. Whatever happens to her is completely her own fault. And she'll get whatever she deserves." Kikyou stated. Her view was made clear.

"Don't you think that's a little harsh?" Inuyasha asked. "Even for you?" he added with a playful smile.

Kikyou smacked Inuyasha on the head lightly.

"Seriously guys," Sango cut in. "What if something's happened to her?"

"I'm sure she's fine." Miroku gave Sango a small nudge. "Don't worry about her. She's a tough girl."

"Look, here comes Ayame now." Kohaku spotted Ayame coming around the corner. She had a smile on her face.

"I don't like that look on your face, Ayame," Kikyou stared at her. "What happened? Did Kouga propose to you?"

"Hah, I wish!" Ayame said. "No, he ran off."

"He ran off?" Inuyasha perked up.

Ayame nodded.

"Why are you smiling!" Sango screamed. "H-He ran off… He could be anywhere… What if something happens to him? What if—"

"Calm down, Sango… Breathe. He's fine." Ayame kept the same smile on her face.

"H-How can he be fine if he's somewhere where we don't know?"

"He ran in that direction," Ayame pointed towards the trees. "That's where Kagome was, am I not mistaken?"

Sango slowly nodded.

"And Kagome's gone now right?"

Again, Sango nodded.

"Well…?"

Suddenly a smirk spread across Sango's face. "I gotcha…"

"Why do you care so much about Kouga anyway?" Miroku whispered in Sango's ear.

"Well, he's our friend."

Miroku was silent.

Kohaku and Rin, finding themselves extremely bored, snuck away while no one had noticed. They found a nice open lawn where they plopped themselves on. The two of them lay on their backs and stared at the clouds floating by.

"This is more like it…" Kohaku said aloud.

"Yep," Rin agreed. 'I'm all alone with him. What should I do?'

'This girl… She's different from the other girls that I've met…' Kohaku found his face a little warm. He was blushing as he thought about Rin. 'Oh no. I can't let her see me like this.'

He pretended to look over at something to the side of him so that he could turn his face away from Rin.

"What's wrong?" Rin asked. She sat up.

"N-Nothing," Kohaku stammered. "Nothing's wrong…"

"Then why are you on your side like that?"

"I... There's something to see over here…" He was horrible under pressure.

"What, really?" Rin, too, gazed over in the direction where Kohaku's eyes supposedly were. "I don't see anything…"

"Well, I—" Kohaku felt a hand on his forehead.

"Are you feeling okay?" It was Rin's hand. "You don't have a fever or anything do you?" Rin was better at hiding her affection. Her stomach was turning over and over, and her heart was beating fast. Even her hand shook a little before she placed it on Kohaku's forehead.

"The little rugrats seem to be enjoying themselves nicely." The others were still sitting in front of the house. Ayame had seen Kohaku and Rin sitting in the middle of the lawn.

"So that's where Kohaku went…" Sango muttered.

"I'm hungry…" Inuyasha whined.

"Again!" Kikyou scolded. "You just had something to eat!"

"But now I'm hungry again. Do we have anymore ramen?" He had an innocent smile on his face.

Kikyou sighed. "Yes… I'll go get some for you."

"Thank you! You're the best!" He sounded like a child who had been given candy.

Kikyou walked back into the house. Her back was turned to all of them, so they couldn't see that she concealed a grin.

The door shut, then Inuyasha stood up. "Wait, maybe I should come in with you! You don't know which ones I don't like!"

And just like that, Miroku and Sango were the only ones left in front of the house.

Sango: Again, I'm left like that? -sighs-

Kyo-chan: It creates more suspense! XD

Kagome: What's the deal with leaving me like that with Kouga?

Kikyou: Hey, I'm happy. I get to cook ramen with Inuyasha! -giggles-

Rin: Aww...I get a guy too! -smiles-

Ayame: Am I the only girl who doesn't get a guy?

Kyo-chan: Unfortunately, yes. I'm sorry, Ayame-san.

Ayame: Oh, no worries here. This way I can snoop around and spread gossip -snickers-. But I do wish that Kouga had chosen me instead of Kagome...

Kagome: Hey, he hasn't chosen anyone yet!

Ayame: Wow, you really ARE naive...