"So who're we playing tomorrow?" I asked him, rubbing my still-sore cheek. Sango and I had played our little game again earlier that day. I didn't understand, really, though at the same time I knew exactly why she had been upset. Inuyasha had dropped tickets on my desk, grumbling about the fact that Kagome had no interest in baseball. I was so overjoyed to have the opportunity to see a home game that I didn't bother to see who we were up against. Instead I swept her into my arms, looked into her eyes, and asked her to the game.

It was a valid question. We'd been dodging around actually getting together for some time now, and I was getting tired of it. In retrospect, though, perhaps grabbing her had been the wrong move – especially after what had happened at lunch that day. So now it was Inuyasha accompanying me to the game, as a 'guy's night'. Not exactly what I'd had in mind.

"Hanshin," Inuyasha told me, and I laughed.

"It's a guaranteed win, then, I suppose."

Being the number one team playing against the number two team gives you that sort of cockiness. I don't know if Inuyasha said anything after that, because a fuzzy, female voice staggered over the line, quickly followed by another.

"…at the…you know?"

"So? That doesn't…ight to do someth…that!"

Voice recognition is not my best area, but her voice is one I'd know in a crowded concert hall, next to the speaker, during the loudest song. Not that she cares about that. I'm not in her good books right now, if I ever was. The other voice was easy to guess after that, especially when Inuyasha blurted out her name. I couldn't figure out what the issue was, why we could hear their voices, until I reminded myself that we both spoke on cordless phones. This wasn't an everyday occurrence, but it was possible.

"I think it's Kagome-sama, all right," I said. "And Sango."

Even Inuyasha didn't need to be told to shut up, we both went silent so we could hear the girls as best we could.

"…abbed my ass! And hers… same ti…believe Miroku's nerve?"

"Yes."

"I'm rea…makes m…anna scream!"

"…ecause you care abo…even though he's…?"

"What did you do?" Inuyasha asked, clueless to the importance of Sango's answer. "You must've really pissed her off this time."

"Shut up!" I growled, listening carefully. I had the gist of the conversation. This was probably immoral and wrong on some level in some way, but I didn't care. I needed to hear what she said. My phone beeped warningly, reminding me that it had been a long time since it sat on the charger. I willed it to hold on a little longer.

"…ear something?" she said, which wasn't what I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear her say yes! Or no! Anything would do, so long as it was an answer! We'd been playing cat-and-mouse for some time now, and I wasn't sure if I was the hunter, or the hunted. I was always a little off my game with her, and I wanted desperately to know what she thought of me.

"don't avo…stion, Sango-chan."

Kagome's voice was still light and teasing, though I think she knew the importance of what she asked. She was a smart young woman, after all. A long silence followed, and I feared we had been cut off from them, until a single, quiet syllable filtered through our crossed wires.

"…es."

My world tilted. The phone in my hand beeped a little two-note swan song and died, but I hardly noticed. Something – pride, a little, and joy, swelled in me, and I smiled. No more games.

---

I tugged down the hem of my skirt, giving a little shiver. It was cold that morning, and I was getting tired of waiting for Kagome. I wasn't overjoyed about our conversation that night, and I was worried that she might try to put me together with Miroku in some odd, 'accidental' sort of way now that she knew.

I hated caring about him. I hated it so damn much. After all, if I didn't care, then it wouldn't sting every time he flirted with Hayazaka-san from class D. I don't think he'd be half as bad if he didn't know it bothered me. At the same time, he can't help it, really. It's part of his natural charm.

Kagome wasn't even there that day, actually. She was home sick, or so I heard. Personally, I think it might've had something to do with Inuyasha going to the hospital for stitches after he pulled some dumbass stunt during a motorcycle race with Sesshoumaru. But that's not important. Nothing is so important as that morning, when Miroku walked onto school grounds and made a beeline for me.

Too much to hope, I supposed, that he was coming to apologize for being such a jerk the day before. Didn't have time for much more, though, before he was right there in front of me.

Gently, he rubbed my cheek with his thumb, before he leaned down and kissed me. His lips were a little chapped, but all the same it was soft and sweet, and utterly honest.

Suddenly, I wasn't cold anymore.

That didn't change the fact that he had just kissed me. I won't lie, I did like it. In fact, I probably wouldn't have minded if he hadn't pulled away quite so quickly. But still, to all of a sudden lean in and try something like…that was a little much, and I slapped him. He hit the ground none too gently, and I glared at him until I saw the hurt in his eyes. He was smiling, same as always, but he had put all his cards out on the table and I had walked away from the game. Our game.

I knelt down, offering a hand to help him up. He grabbed my hand and stood, but before he could say anything I leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek.

There. I'd done it. My cheeks flaming, I fled into the school.

Miroku stood there for a moment as Sango rushed towards the building before he followed her with a smile. Maybe he'd buy a few more phones, if this was what would happen when they crossed wires.

---

Short, sweet, mostly to satisfy my need to write, since Tatterdemalion is being evil. . Oh and by the way, the Tigers won the game (because underdogs rock XD).