Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

"Sango, when is Kagome returning?" Shippo asked Sango. "I am not sure too." Sango replied. She missed her friend and those girl-to-girl talk. "Not to worry, Inuyasha had gone to fetch Kagome. She will be back soon." Miroku reassured them. Actually, Kagome need not return so soon. They have almost collected all the Shikon Shards except those from Naraku and his spawns. So they only need to fight Naraku now in order to complete the Shikon Jewel. Sango closed her eyes and thought. What is she going to do after they fight Naraku and they got back the shards to complete the jewel? How will Kohaku is going to be without the shard in his back? Will Kagome be magnanimous as to let Kohaku have the Shikon Shard so that he can survive? Sango shook her head and looked up to the clear blue sky. Will she have any future being together with Miroku?

"What are you thinking, Sango?" Miroku said as he sat down beside Sango, jolting her from her thoughts. Sango smiled at him and said, "I am just thinking about life after when the Shikon Jewel is completed. I wonder if we will ever be together again." Miroku smiled and said, "Every things that have a beginning will have an end. We will have to break up sooner or later. This is a fact that none of us will be able to change. Then, Inuyasha will become the inu-youkai as he desires, you will get back Kohaku, Kagome will return to the future and the kazaana on my hand will be gone. Isn't this to everyone's benefits?" Sango replied, "Yes. We will still be friends forever right? Despite the fact that we will not be seeing each other?" "Of course. Sango." Miroku said.

Suddenly, Miroku asked Sango, "Why are we talking about our little group being separated?" Sango widened her eyes and said, "I am just being, being worried." Miroku then closed his eyes, smiled and said, "I know you can't bear to see me leave. I will not leave you alone my dear, Sango." Sango got very annoyed then and replied, "I didn't mean it that way. You baka!"

"Aw. Come on. Admit it." Miroku said then held up her hands and looked into her eyes and said, "If you are willing to marry me, we will be together always." Sango narrowed her eyes then let go and said, " No chance!"

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It was mid-afternoon when Kagome entered Kaede's hut angrily. Miroku, Shippo and Kaede nudged Sango to talk to Kagome. Sango was reluctant but in the end, she approached Kagome slowly as she knew that her friend could really get very agitated when she was not in the best of moods.

"Kagome, where's Inuyasha?" Sango asked. Kagome just fold her arm and looked away in another direction. Inuyasha entered the hut with dirt and dust all over his face.

"He must have suffered from Kagome's powerful command. The Osuwari." Shippo whispered to Miroku about it.

Kagome glared sideways to Inuyasha and Inuyasha sensed that and yelled, "It is not my fault that you can't do your History test."

"I could have done it if without you interrupting me!" Kagome yelled back.

"Oh yeah! You promised not to be late in returning this time and in the end, you broke your promise." Inuyasha retorted.

"For God's sake, I am away for a day only." Kagome said to defense herself.

"We could have found many Shikon Shards by that amount of time." Inuyasha shouted back.

"You are so selfish. You only want to complete the jewel and want it to grant your wish of being a full-time youkai." Kagome said, between sobs.

Inuyasha felt a pang of guilt rushed over him. "I am sorry, Kagome." Kagome looked up, not believing that Inuyasha will actually say sorry. "Inuyasha?"

"I only say sorry to comfort you. Don't think of anything else." Inuyasha said.

Kagome got really angry now.

"Osuwari!"

XXXX

As it was getting late, the gang decided to stay over at Kaede's hut for another night. After dinner, Kagome and Sango went up a hill and sat there to talk.

"It has been so long since we sit down and talk like this." Kagome said.

"Yeah." Sango said, silently praying that this peaceful night will not be interrupted.

"The Shikon Shards is almost complete. I wonder what will happen after we defeated Naraku and get back the shards?" Kagome said.

"You are sure that we will be able to defeat Naraku?" Sango asked, not so sure if that they will be able to defeat Naraku.

"I have confidence in you guys. You all will be able to fight Naraku." Kagome said happily.

The two best friends were silent for a while, gazing the stars on the sky.

"Are you going back to the future after this?" Sango asked. She was not sure if she would be alright if Kagome was no longer by her side.

"Maybe. My family belongs to the future." Kagome answered. She did not want to leave her friends. They were just too precious for her. She had to admit. She was not too close with Ayumi, Eri or Yuka just as she was with Sango. She did not want to lose Sango either. "What about you Sango?" Kagome asked.

"I will take Kohaku back to our village to pay our respect there and… and…" Sango stuttered. She was, too, not sure of their future. Where can I go from there? Things wouldn't be the same again, would it? Sango sighed. "Why must time pass so fast? I mean I can still remember the first time I joined your group and the times we went on collecting the Shikon Shards. Our times of fighting demons together. The happy times we shared after collecting each shard. The funny times when you sit Inuyasha." Sango smiled at the memories she treasured so much. Her friends were like a second family to her. She was torn away from her family and now soon, she will be torn away from her second family. Why must fate be so cruel to her?

Kagome smiled as she heard Sango's words, "Yes. Those memories are refreshed in my mind just then. They were just too precious to be forgotten. For happy times, we used to get uplifted when I picked up the shard embedded in the demon and purified it. For funny moments, is too getting see you whamming down your Hiraikotsu hard on Miroku whenever he said something wrong. Ah. Memories. Speaking of Miroku. How have you two advance?"

Sango blushed and said, "What do you mean?" Kagome then said, "Has he taken any action yet?" Sango then relate the conversation between her and Miroku that afternoon to Kagome.

"Oh my God. You did not say that?" Kagome said. "I did say No Chance." Sango said. "He is definitely proposing to you." Kagome smiled. She was very happy for her best friend. "I do not know how to answer back then. So I just have to say what popped up in my mind then." Sango said. "That is so sweet, Sango. Why don't you just agree to marry to him?" Kagome said. "I am not sure if he is ready to make such a commitment. I don't even think that I am ready." Sango said.

Kagome thought for a moment and said to Sango, "You know in my era, there's this thing called engagement. The couple will be engaged but not really married to become husband and wife. Which means, the couple will be able to trust each other and sometimes, it means that they will be married to each other sooner or later. I am not sure if this method will work out here. In the feudal era."

Sango looked up. It was a magnificent idea. She questioned, "How does it works?" Kagome thought and said, "Well, you two need to exchange rings. You know, the thing you put on your fingers. You need people to witness the event that you two are formally engaged." Sango thought for a moment and said, "Will Miroku agrees to the idea?" Kagome smiled happily, "If he loves you, he will be more than happy to agree to it." Sango smiled and decided to change the subject, "What you and Inuyasha? Are you two getting engaged?" Kagome blushed and said, "I am still young and I will suffered if I ever get engaged with him."

The two best friends laughed happily under the blanket of the stars.

XXXX

Inuyasha was sitting on of the tree, grumbling, "Where have those two women gone to? It is getting late." Miroku sat under the tree, "They will return soon. I know you want to see Kagome much as I will want to see Sango." Inuyasha nearly fell out of his position, "Who says I want to see her?" Miroku chuckled, "Then why are you grumbling?" Inuyasha then kept quiet, he got nothing to say.

Then from afar, two figures were coming back. "There they are, finally coming back." Inuyasha said.

They soon arrived, Kagome dragging Sango. "Miroku! Sango has got something to say to you!" Kagome shouted. Inuyasha climbed down from the tree and stood beside Miroku with a questioning doubt on their faces.

Kagome then said, "Miroku, Sango has got something to tell you. So Inuyasha and I will excuse you." Kagome then leave Miroku and Sango together and dragged Inuyasha away.

"What's going to happen?" Inuyasha asked Kagome.

"Something good is going to happen soon. Trust me." Kagome said smiling.

XXXX

Miroku and Sango walked along the trail of the forest. "Eh, Sango you have something to tell me?" Miroku asked.

"Yeah. Remember what you asked me this afternoon?" Sango said, lowering her head.

"What is the thing I asked you?" Miroku said, thinking hardly.

"The thing?" Sango said.

"That I asked you to marry me." Miroku said and then smiled, "Have you agreed?"

"Well, I am not ready to get married yet so why not we get engaged first?" Sango suggested.

"Engaged?" Miroku was confused with the term.

Sango quickly explained what engagement was and Miroku smiled, "It's perfect so it will be like we are married but in fact not."

"Something like that, I guess." Sango said. "This is so great, thanks Sango for giving me this chance." Miroku said.

"However, it does not give you the right to touch me." Sango said, better to state things right first.

"Why of course." Miroku agreed. He finally got Sango to agree to be with him. He isn't going to let go it. Miroku then bring Sango into his arms. The night turned out to be good after all.

XXXX

Aw. What a sweet chapter. Miroku and Sango are going to get engaged. Let us not forget that Kikyo is still in the story. Boo!