A/N: Okay, let's see.. on a scale from 1 to 10 on how sorry I am to allto allmy readers...I would be a million-gazillion-billion squared. Soooooooooo sorry. My lack of updates have been because of highschool, homework, WRITER'S BLOCK, and my social life. I'm really sorry. It's been haunting me to update this story and I know I should've months ago. I hate the fact that I haven't finished this story yet. I also hate the fact that I completely forgot the plot to this. But alas! I shall overcome this hatred and bring you all a great story!
Chapter 17 - Beach and Breakfast
After getting dressed, bringing a small basket of food, and a few toys, Sango and Miroku were off towards the beach. Thankfully for them, it was a warm morning and the beach wasn't very crowded.
Sango walked along the beach beside Miroku, feeling a bit embarrassed. It had been a while since she had walked barefoot in the sand. She wore a white and red striped halter top with a layered white skirt that stopped inches above her knees. With her hair up in a tight ponytail, and her hands gripping onto her flip flops, Sango looked down at the sand while she dug in her feet for warmth.
"Well I think this was a good idea, right?" Miroku suddenly said, trying to start a conversation. Sango had become short of words ever since their little "moment" back at the hotel.
Sango just nodded her head listlessly and continued watching the grains of sand slip through her toes. In truth, she couldn't think of anything to say to Miroku. It just wasn't the same being around him. Thoughts roamed around her mind. Did she want him to kiss her? Could that moment have meant something? For her? For him? For both?
"I think this is a good spot." Miroku spoke again as he stopped their trail and laid down a white towel upon the grass. He then unfolded a pink one and attempted to lay it down beside the white one, but he chose to look up at Sango. Her brown eyes watched as he held onto the pink towel, confused and hesitant. He looked away from her and placed the towel a fair distance away from the white one. Sango sighed with, what seemed to be, relief and calmly sat down on the pink cloth.
"The sky looks beautiful this time of the morning." Sango suddenly said as she looked beyond the ocean and at the wandering clouds. She hugged her legs and placed her chin onto her knees. Miroku blinked. That had been the most of words she had said to him since they exited the hotel.
"Ah, yes. But not half as beautiful as you, dear Sango." Miroku said nonchalantly as he stretched out his arms and laid down on his back on the white towel. Sango shifted her head in his direction and stared. Miroku looked at her and winked. A small smile appeared on her lips, but Sango quickly turned away as she felt the hot blush rushing to her cheeks.
'Perhaps it was just on the spur of the moment. Nothing serious. And even if our lips did meet, I doubt I would've enjoyed it. Mr. Houshi's just a momentary co-worker.' she thought to herself. 'There's no use in making a big deal out of something pointless. Come on, Sango! You're a professional. Confusion is not an option.'
"Do you have any grey hairs?" Miroku asked suddenly. Sango shook her head and turned to him. Well, that wasn't a planned out question was it?
"No. Why? Do you?" she asked annoyed. He shrugged his shoulder.
"Nah. I'm surprised you don't though."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sango spat.
"You just always seem stressed." Miroku sat up and brushed off the sand that had flown into his hair. "It's like for you, it's only work and never any play. No fun at all." he finished.
'Is he hinting me that I'm. . .boring?' she thought to herself.
"Well, just because I'm dedicated to my job doesn't mean that I never would like to play or anything." Sango said as she tried to hide the pain in her voice.
"Yes, but there's a difference between being dedicated. . .and obsessed." Miroku replied. Sango gave a small pout, but tried her best not to make it visible. "You would be. . .obsessed." taken aback by his added statement, Sango released her legs and stood up akimbo.
"I beg your pardon! I am not obsessed." she defended herself. Miroku looked up at her, not impressed.
"Oh really?" he said sarcastically. "Then why do you keep clutching your cell phone wondering if you should call Kagome or not?"
Sango opened her mouth to speak, but immediately shut it closed. How had he known? She had tried her best to hide her cell phone under her purse, but how could he have known she was to call Kagome?
"And don't even try to think up of an excuse." he said knowingly, breaking her thoughts. "Thankfully we've at least spent a few minutes of leisure out on this beach. So, if you want to go back to work and visit Kagome, then by all means go on." he gave a swish of his hand and turned away.
Sango stood her, mouth open with shock. Had he just given her the nonchalant flick? How dare he!
"Well fine then!" she pulled out her cell phone and flipped open the top. Sango stared angrily at the number's buttons. "I think I will go call Kagome. I'd rather spend my morning with her other than a perverted director as yourself!"
"Go ahead and do that. It's not like you'd know what a morning with someone other than Kagome feels like. What with you being to absorbed in your work and all." Miroku said carelessly, a small smirk on his face. "Ah yes, go ahead and call. Your life seems to be like one giant agenda. Day after day, duty after duty." he turned his head away from her.
Sango's eyes narrowed as she gave Miroku a death glare. She flipped the top of the cell phone off and tossed it onto the pink blanket. Folding her arms across her chest, Sango gave Miroku one last glare before turning around and walking off.
"So, when shall you be leaving?" Miroku said slyly as he turned his head to face Sango. The only mistake was, she had already walked away! Miroku immediately looked around and saw that Sango was already far away from their resting spot.
"Sango! Sango! What are you doing?" he called out to her. The brown-haired girl turned around and placed her hands on her hips.
"Breaking the agenda!" was her reply as she turned and stomped away. Miroku sighed with grief as he stood up from his spot and ran to follow her.
"So what is it with you and long hair?" Kagome questioned as Inuyasha gulped down a noodle. She had been asking several random questions all morning.
Taking a sip of his water, Inuyasha sighed with annoyance as he rolled his eyes and stared hard at his "wife".
"I like it. Got a problem?" he said plainly. Kagome shook her head 'no', but continued to stare. Inuyasha chose to ignore it, and tried to continue eating. Unfortunately for him, Kagome remained in a constant stare, causing him to feel a very uncomfortable.
"What is it! Do you have a staring problem or are you just obsessing over how lucky you are to be married to me!" he snapped, causing a noodle to fly out of his mouth. Kagome looked at the soggy substance as it landed on the side of her plate. Silence.
Suddenly, Kagome broke into a moment of girlish laughter. Inuyasha stared at her hard, not realizing that his embarrassment was causing him to blush.
"What would give me a reason to obsess? That I'm married to a man that can't keep his food in his own mouth?" she said mockingly and broke into another moment of laughter. Inuyasha looked away from her with his lips in a small pout.
"Shut-up!" he yelled, almost causing everybody in the restaurant to stare. Kagome's laughing seized as she realized their public mistake. She looked around for a moment, but then placed her hand on Inuyasha's cheek and caressed it lovingly. It caused Inuyasha's cheek to blush with embarrassment even more.
"Oh Inuyasha. You really should be careful with your outbursts, honey." Kagome placed on a smile, it twitched as she tried to hold back her laughing mode. Inuyasha rolled his eyes as she removed her hand from his face. He brought his hands to hers and held them lovingly on top of their table.
"As should you with your laughing, dearest. You really should be careful not to annoy the people around you." he smirked. ". . .or in front." he muttered under his breath, causing Kagome to slightly kick him under the table.
Paparazzi "secretly" took photos of the couple's intertwined hands. The clicks of their cameras were echoed throughout the two's ears. Kagome sighed to herself as she took back her hands.
"What're you trying to do anyhow, wench." he muttered towards her while placing a fork of ramen into his mouth. Kagome shrugged as she bent her head down to speak with him discreetly.
"Is it so wrong that I'm trying to get to know the man I'm married to?" she said nonchalantly. Inuyasha huffed.
"We weren't married by choice, you know."
"Yeah, but since I've never been this far with a guy, I want to make the most of it."
"Feh. I don't understand why being married is such a big deal."
"It's a huge deal, Inuyasha!"
"And what makes it so special, huh?"
"Well, it's the next step towards a real life." Kagome sighed to herself again. Her eyes shifted towards the paparazzi and then back to Inuyasha. Thankfully, they couldn't hear the two's conversation. "It's funny though. I always dreamed about getting married when I was younger. But I never would've thought that it would've been like this..."
"Like what?"
"A mistake." Kagome whispered sadly. Inuyasha paused for a moment as he stared at the brown-eyed girl. Her eyes wandered the white table as she sat down. Somehow, he couldn't help but feel sad about her disappointment. "But anyway, how about you?"
"What about me?"
"Did you ever want to get, you know, hitched."
"Feh! Marriage is for the weak." Inuyasha looked up at Kagome for a moment, but then back at his meal. "But there was this one time I did."
"Really?" Kagome asked in shock. It never occurred to her how passionate Inuyasha could be on and off set. "When?"
"About a year ago. She was the one, I knew it. I knew that we were perfect for each other." Inuyasha began, playing with his noodles with his fork. Kagome looked at him in concern. "I thought she knew it too." Kagome's mouth slightly opened and it took her a while to close it before the paparazzi would notice.
"You mean?. . ."
"Yeah, she left me before I could say 'I do'." Inuyasha said simply. For a while he just sat there staring at his meal, his eyes not blinking once. Kagome looked at him sadly, her eyes sympathized the man that was her enemy not so long ago. Now she hadn't known what to see him as. An enemy? A husband? A friend?
"But don't go on and feel sorry for me all of a sudden!" he added quickly, finally blinking. "Over time I found out I didn't need her! Her leaving me was one of the best things to ever happen!" he spat, not looking into Kagome's eyes. Though his words were precise, she knew. She knew he didn't mean one word of it. She also knew who the woman was. The woman that ran away from Inuyasha. . .
"Thank you, Inuyasha." Kagome finally said softly. He looked up at her as she smiled.
"For what?" he said irritated.
"For opening up. You know, it's not every day you tell me something this deep. It felt. . .well it made me feel that though it's against our own will, this marriage won't possibly be as bad as I thought it would have." He looked into her brown eyes, confused. Kagome smiled again as she caught Inuyasha's lavender eyes into hers. They both opened their mouths to speak until an arm tugged onto her sleeve.
"Excuse me, Miss Higurashi. Hi, my name is Koharu and I just wanted to say that I'm a big fan of yours!" a frail girl said while cluthing a notebook towards her chest. Kagome looked away form Inuyasha and at the nervous fan. She gave a small smile.
"Well hello, Koharu. It's nice to meet you." she said. The girl released a small squeal, making Kagome stare at her oddly, but giving a small laugh. Koharu placed her hand over her mouth and blushed.
"Would it be all right if I were to have an autograph? Please, Miss Higurashi?" Koharu asked. Kagome nodded her head.
"Yeah! That would be great. Oh, and you can just call me Kagome." she winked, causing the fan to squeal again. Then, 4 other girls from a table near by ran up towards Kagome.
"She said yes?" they all asked in unison. Koharu turned to them and nodded her head feverishly. All of the girls began to squeal, causing Inuyasha to roll his eyes and look away. Kagome stood up from the table and turned her head towards the black-haired actor.
"I'll be back. This will only take a while." she smiled before walking away to another area with the girls.
Inuyasha watched as she signed autographs and mingled with her teenage fans. Her words echoed throughout his brain. That was the first time he ever spoke freely about his lost marriage. Only Miroku knew about it! Still, telling Kagome made him feel no regrets. She had handled it so well. Knowing when and what questions were able to be asked. Something just made him feel so. . .understood.
Looking at her, he sighed. She was sad about her dream becoming a mistake. And on the other hand, he was sad about a mistake becoming a dream. Inuyasha watched as Kagome took pictures with the fans and paparazzi. It was inevitable to him that this looked like what his life could've been if he wasn't stood up. Kagome looked just like her. . .The one that left him. . .
. . .Just like Kikyo.
"Sango! Sango!" Miroku exclaimed as he looked around the beach. He looked left, right, and even up. Still, there was no Sango.
"Where could she be?" he asked himself stressfully. "I hope she knows that I was only teasing!"
Miroku walked around the sand in his dark violet swim trucks. He almost tripped a couple of times, but chose to ignore the embarrassment. Finding Sango seemed to be more important. There was no telling what kind of jerks were at the beach! What kind of perverts! What kind of dirty-minded sick men that only want to flirt with other wome–. . .
"Hello there." Miroku said as he passed by a woman in a yellow two-piece. She smiled at him as she waved shyly.
"My name is Miroku. Miroku Houshi. I'm a director. . .perhaps you have seen one of my movies?"
"Oh, yeah. I think I have." the girl twirled her hair in her fingers. Miroku eyed her body temptingly.
"Well, you look like a young beautiful woman. Perhaps even good enough for one of my movies." he said slyly. The girl looked at him and smiled.
"You really think so? You know, I've been thinking about acting. But the problem is that there are so many steps to take. The paperwork, rehearsing, photo shoots. . ."
"Well, for you, I'll make an exception. Only under one condition." he said slyly. The girl jumped with delight as she walked closer.
"Really! Anything! What?" Then, grabbing both of the woman's hands, Miroku looked at her passionately.
"Will you consider bearing my child?"
CLONK!
A rock suddenly hit Miroku smack-dab in the back of his head, causing him to fall down onto the hot sand. The girl looked at him on the ground, and ran away. Miroku's hearing wasn't very clear by the hit, but he could tell that someone was muzzling words towards his two-piece beauty.
After a few minutes, Miroku finally found the strength to sit up. Holding his new found bump, he looked left, right, and even up for the culprit.
"That's three times in a row you've failed to look behind." a voice said from the back. Turning around, Miroku saw Sango standing near him with her arms folded across her chest.
"Sango! I've found you!" Miroku said while getting up. The temporary manager stifled a laughed.
"I think it's more like I found you."
"Right. How long have you been behind me anyhow?"
"Oh, not long. . ." Sango shrugged her shoulder as she walked along the sand. She smirked as she looked at Miroku from the corner of her eye. "Oh, Sango! Sango! Where could she be!" she mimicked him dramatically. A second later she sat in the sand laughing.
"Hey! I was worried!" he defended. Sango stopped laughing as she stood up and dusted the sand off of her skirt.
"Oh yeah, you were really worried." she said sarcastically. Sango then began walking towards the ocean. Miroku watched her and began to follow.
"I was. And I don't appreciate you mocking me." he finally said. Sango huffed as she shook her head. "There are a number of things dangerous men would do to a beautiful girl like yourself, Sango. I was concerned."
"Oh, right. Like what you did to that two-piece girl? Telling her you would get her into a movie if she would bear your child! Oh, yes. Real concern. I'm so impressed."
"You know, Sango. . .if I didn't know any better I'd say that you're jealous. . ." Miroku stopped in his tracks as he scratched his chin. Sango paused as she walked and her eyes widened.
"I am not jealous." she said sharply as she turned around. "And especially not of her!"
"Ehhh, no. I'd say you were jealous. . ." Miroku pushed. Sango walked closer to him, her face scrunching with confusion.
"I was not jealous, Miroku!" she exclaimed.
"Really? Then why are you so heated up?"
"Because I don't think it's fair for you to say that you were concerned over my existence when you were busy oogling some pretty face!"
"Would you have been more pleased if it were you I were oogling?"
"Yes!" she exclaimed, causing Miroku to grow a perverted grin. She smacked her head with her palm and hissed to herself. "No, wait! I mean no!"
"Well, if you wanted a piece of the action then I suppose. . ." Miroku said as he placed a wandering hand, in it's regular wandering area.
SMACK!
"You're really pushing it, Miroku." Sango sneered as she turned her back and began to make her way to their original area. She stopped her tracks as she heard a small laugh release Miroku's body. "What's so funny?" she hissed.
Getting up and dusting off the sand off of his shorts, Miroku shook his head. He looked up over at Sango and smiled. Shifting her eyes left and right, Sango raised an eyebrow at his reaction.
"Well?" she asked once again.
"It's just something that I've realized. . ." Miroku began as he released a small chuckle. "Funny thing, we've both found our own realizations today, eh?" Sango's cheeks began to blush. How nice of him to bring up that moment not so long ago. . .
"Look, okay. . .if you're going to tease me then do it on your own time. It's not worth it if you're going to bring up petty memories." Sango shrugged her shoulders and turned to leave.
"No, it's not that." Miroku called from behind her as he gently took her arm so that she would face him. As Sango turned around, Miroku's eyes were directly into hers. Sigh. How many times was this going to happen?
"It's just that. . ." he began again. This time, Miroku licked his lips as he looked away and released Sango's arm. "You only address me by my first name whenever you're mad. And I suppose it gives me much more consolation if I were to mistakenly irritate a nerve."
Sango was speechless. It had been true. As she stood and recalled back how many times she had said his first name, it had been because she was angry. Angry? Or hurt?
The two stood on the sand in silence for a few minutes. Miroku looked over at the ocean as Sango stood silently on the side with her hand on her elbow. Finally she cleared her throat and spoke.
"Don't tell me this means you're going to go all out on getting me angry?" she said jokingly. Miroku looked at her and a small grin appeared on his face.
"Only if you agree to start calling me by my first name." he replied innocently. Sango looked at him intently. She opened her mouth to speak, but was suddenly cut off as someone tapped her arm.
"Taijiya?" a raspy voice asked curiously. Sango turned towards the speaker. Her eyes widened and a large smile appeared on her lips.
"Kuranosuke!" she exclaimed while jumping into the arms of a brown-haired man. He was tall with light brown hair tied back into a frizzy tail.
"It is you! Sango Taijiya. It's been a while." Kuranosuke said as he wrapped his arms around the excited woman. Miroku stood on the side, staring at the two. He folded his arms across his chest.
"It's been so long since I've last seen you. How've you been?" Sango asked as she finally let go of the random man. A smile was still on her face. Miroku's lips made a small pout at her expression. She never smiled that way with him...
"I've been good. Doing good. The Shikon hasn't been the same without you though." Kuranosuke laughed as he nudged her shoulder. Sango gave a small chuckle. "Still haven't found somebody to replace you yet."
"Oh please, Kuranosuke. Don't joke." Sango said modestly. Her face turned pink slightly. Miroku's pout increased. Only he ever made her blush like that...
Miroku cleared his throat to acknowledge his presence. Sango suddenly turned around and held a forgetful expression on her face.
"Oh! Mr. Houshi, this is Kuranosuke. Kuranosuke, this is Mr. Houshi." she introduced. Kuranosuke held out his hand towards Miroku. Taking it, the two men nodded in acceptance.
"Mr. Houshi, eh? I take it you have a first name? Or have I overlooked your first name to be Mister?" Kuranosuke joked.
"Ah, no. It's Miroku. I'm afraid Sango and I aren't on the first name basis yet." Miroku joked as he looked over at Sango. She rolled her eyes. "And how do you know Sango, may I ask?"
"Oh, we're partners." Kuranosuke said nonchalantly. Miroku's eyebrow twitched.
"Parters, you say?" Miroku repeated. Kuranosuke nodded his head.
"Actually, we'd be former partners." Sango corrected as she smiled at Kuranosuke. He nodded his head and laughed.
"Yes. She left me a long time ago and I still haven't gotten over the loss." His eyes focused onto Sango. "Nobody has."
"Ah, well that's a shame." Miroku said carelessly as he placed his hand on Sango's waist. He brought her closer to him and grinned proudly. "If that's the case, I'm never letting her go."
Sango's face blushed at the closeness towards Miroku. His warm hand lay gently placed upon her waist as her body is pressed up against his. Kuranosuke looked at the two, confused. Sango rolled her eyes at the action and roughly removed Miroku's hand from her waist. Taking a step away, she glared at the director. He laughed nervously.
"Well it was nice to see you again, Sango. I hope to run into many more times." Kuranosuke said as he began to leave. "You should call me sometime. Maybe we could go out for dinner and reminisce on some things."
"Definitely." Sango called out as she waved.
"It was nice meeting you, Miroku Houshi!" Kuranosuke waved to the two and began his journey across the sand.
Sango waved and turned back towards their blanket site. She began folding the towels they had brought back into the basket.
"What were you thinking!" Sango hissed as she jammed the blankets into the woven basket. "Embarrassing me like that."
"I don't understand how the conversation was at all embarrassing." Miroku shrugged as he sat down on the sand. "If you ask me, it was more flattering."
"Flattering?" Sango exclaimed in disbelief. "Flattering. Holding me like that is flattering?"
"Well it can't be embarrassing." Miroku grinned. Sango sighed. She sat down beside him on the sand.
"Just..." she said slowly. "Don't do it again. Please."
"What's so bad about it, Sango? It's just a little fun. And it's not like he thought too much into it." Miroku laughed as he asked with concern.
"The fact is, I'm not like that. I'm not all touchy-feely. I know what I am and what is expected of me." She shrugged her shoulder. "And I don't want people to think otherwise."
Miroku sighed, but nodded his head. He always appreciated when Sango spoke so serenely.
"Let's get going, Mr. Houshi. I've had enough off-the-schedule moments for one day." Sango turned around and walked her way over to the towels. Miroku watched as she walked. Then, pacing a bit, he caught up to Sango and as she looked over, he smiled. She smiled back. So the two walked along the beach side by side with the sweetest of smiles across their faces.