Chapter Nine: Innocence in Love

While Sango sat on her bed staring at the ground, Miroku made his way slowly back towards the balcony. Sango heard him going back down, and she leaped off of her bed and rushed towards him. She grabbed his hand just as he was about to leave.

"Please, don't leave me…"

Miroku was shocked and slightly taken aback. 'S-Sango…' He stopped as soon as he had felt her touch his hand. "I-I'll stay if you want me to," he said softly.

"Aren't the clouds pretty?" Rin lay on the grass next to Kohaku staring up at the sky.

"Yep…" Kohaku said.

"Hey, that one looks like a turtle!" Rin pointed and giggled.

Kohaku looked in the direction that Rin pointed. "Hey, it does," he laughed.

'So, Rin, what are you going to do now? Are you going to tell him?' Strange thoughts went in and out of Rin's mind.

'So, Kohaku, are you going to let this girl get away?' Kohaku seemed to be in the same situation.

"Umm…" Both of them started to say something at the same time. They stopped as soon as they heard one another's voice and merely stared at each other before turning their heads away.

Rin sighed. 'Why are things like this always so… complicated!'

"What's wrong?" Kohaku heard Rin sighing.

"Oh, um, nothing…" Rin lied.

"No, there's something wrong. Tell me what it is. I'll try to help," Kohaku urged Rin on.

"Honestly, there's absolutely noth—"

"Come on, Rin." Kohaku cut her statement off. "I can tell when there's something wrong. My sister Sango is always like this."

"Sango?"

Kohaku nodded. "But that's a different matter. Just tell me what's wrong with you right now."

"Well, I… I…" Rin wanted to tell Kohaku how she felt about him, but she couldn't bring herself to say the words.

Kohaku could tell that Rin was nervous. He decided to back down. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pressured you so much. If you don't want to tell me, really, that's fine. How you feel isn't any of my business anyway. I'm sorry, Rin…."

"No, it… It's really not your fault. Don't feel bad…" Rin said softly. 'I shouldn't have done that… Now I'll never get another chance to tell him…'

Kohaku lay on his back again staring up at the clouds, trying to get his mind off of what had just happened. 'I shouldn't have been so tough. If she doesn't want to tell me, it's her own choice. I shouldn't have pushed her so hard.'

Rin remained sitting up, while Kohaku lay on his back. The two of them sat in awkward silence for a few minutes before Rin couldn't stand it any longer.

"Kohaku, I need to tell you something. I—"

"You don't need to. I shouldn't have tried to force it out of you in the first place."

"No, I really want to. I need to or I'm going to blow up. Just listen for a few minutes. Please?"

Kohaku nodded and sat up. He looked at Rin.

"Kohaku I… I like you."

Kohaku smiled. "I like you too, Rin."

"No, you don't understand. I like you as more… as more than a friend."

Kohaku felt himself blushing. "Well, I like you that way too."

Rin wasn't prepared for this. "Wha… You… Really?" she stammered.

Kohaku nodded. "Yep. We may not have known each other for very long, but you've got that kind of personality that I've never seen in anyone before."

Now Rin blushed. Not just a little either. Her face felt like it was burning.

"Rin, are you okay?"

Rin didn't say anything, but only flew into Kohaku's arms. He hugged her.

"I guess everything does happen for a reason," Rin giggled. "If Sesshoumaru hadn't left me here, I wouldn't have met you."

Kyo-chan: Short and sweet n.n

Rin: -giggles-

Kohaku: I believe that's the shortest chapter you've written in a while, Kyo-chan.

Kyo-chan: Yes I'm sorry-.-I don't have as much time on my hands nowadays. I didn't mean to neglect you two.

Rin: It's alright, Kyo-chan. At least you put us in, and better yet, you put us together! XD