Disclaimer on chapter 1
Hey guys! Sorry, again, that it took so long to update... SORRY! but here it is.. i just finished it last night... and thanks again to Mitsuki for helping to beta this for me! I really appreciate it! So here we go.. CHAPTER 4!
Chapter 4: A New Love?
"So Chiri, where'd ya run off to?" Tasuki asked the monk, while pouring himself a glass.
"Well, I went back to Hôkkan region to find some peace after Miaka and Tamahome left. But as soon as I felt Miaka-chan's chi back in Konan I came back as soon as I could. I was wondering why I didn't feel Tamahome's chi as well…" Chichiri glanced over to Tasuki, who was shaking his head as if to say 'Not a good topic'. Chichiri didn't want to talk about a sore topic right then, not when they all met up after so long so he started on another one.
"So Miaka-chan… what brings you back to Konan no da?" he asked while Miaka searched for an answer, one that didn't involve Taka.
"Do I have to have a reason to come back and see you guys?" Miaka said quietly.
Tasuki could feel something building up inside of Miaka. Something he had been trying to get out of here since she first got back to Konan.
"You know what? I bet the two of you have a lot of catching up to do… I think that I'm going to go outside for a little while." Miaka sat up from the table and headed towards the door. Tasuki watched Miaka longingly, wanting her to come back and sit at the table. But he couldn't let Chichiri know that he was falling in love with Miaka.
"What's wrong with Miaka-chan no da?"
"How the hell am I supposed t'know?" Tasuki asked while taking a swig of sake.
Miaka stepped out of Tasuki's house into the fresh air. 'They needed some time to themselves.' Miaka kept saying to herself, but she knew deep down inside she left because they kept reminding her of Taka. She sat down under the nearest tree and watched the breeze move its leaves around. A tear ran down her cheek as she looked back towards the house to see Tasuki and Chichiri laughing together. At last… Miaka thought to herself.
"So Tasuki, when did Miaka-chan arrive no da?"
"Just now Chiri"
"Did Miaka-chan tell you why Tamahome isn't here with her no da?"
"HOW T'HELL SHOULD I KNOW WHY TAMA ISN'T HERE!"
"Okay no da..." Chichiri looked over out the window to see Miaka sitting by herself underneath the tree. Maybe I'll get the chance to talk to her alone later… Chichiri thought to himself.
"I don't know what's wrong with Miaka… Been tryin' to get 'er to talk t'me since she got here." Tasuki, too, looked out the window towards Miaka. It hurt him inside to see her like this. He only wished there was something that he could do.
"I'm gonna talk t'her," Tasuki said, rising from his chair.
"Ah, wait, Tasuki," Chichiri started to object.
"No… Miaka... Miaka is still a dear friend, and I'm not blind. Somethin' happened, and I want t'help her, so I need t'talk with her." Tasuki walked out of his house, leaving Chichiri staring at the seat where Tasuki just was. Miaka noticed Tasuki walking over towards her and began to blush. What could he want…? I thought he was talking to Chichiri… Miaka thought to herself as the redheaded seishi approached her.
"Miaka… I've known ya for ages now. I can see somethin' is up, so tell me and I'll help ya out!"
Miaka looked down at the dirt and said,
"Nothing's wrong Tasuki… I am perfectly fine."
"Like hell ya are!
If ya don't tell me… I'll… I'll…" Tasuki couldn't finish his
sentence.
"You'll what, Tasuki? What are you going to
do?"
"Don't ya understand why I care about ya so much?"
Tasuki said, making sure their eyes made contact.
Miaka remained silent. The truth is that she really had no idea why Tasuki cared about her so much. She always figured out that it was because he was one of her seishi.
"Don't ya realize that since I met ya, I've started to hate girls less?" Miaka shook her head. Tasuki let out a sigh, thinking of another way to make her understand.
"Don't ya realize that… I love ya?" Tasuki held his gaze, unafraid about what he had just said. Miaka, on the other hand, was having trouble holding her gaze… did he just say what she thought he said?
"Ever since ya left Konan with Tama I've missed ya, and now that yer back here… ya can't leave me… not again." Tasuki knew that Miaka was still in shock. Tasuki grabbed her shoulders and drew her into a deep kiss. Tasuki waited for this moment for a long time. Miaka was slow to respond to Tasuki's kiss, but she eventually caved in and kissed Tasuki back.
Miaka felt Tasuki's tongue asking for entrance against her lips. Miaka granted him his wish and let him explore her mouth. Tasuki kissed differently than Taka did. Tasuki had the passion that Tamahome once had. Taka's kiss had lost its passion… probably because his kiss belonged to someone else.
Miaka let herself relax against the tree she was leaning on. She couldn't believe how different Tasuki was acting. He never led Miaka to believe that he had any interest in her before. Why all of a sudden?
Miaka was the first to pull away. She opened her eyes slowly and looked at Tasuki. His face was a faint shade of red, but he held Miaka's gaze, locking it into his own. She found it hard to look away. Tasuki was impatiently waiting for a response from Miaka… but she wasn't moving. After about five minutes of waiting he finally gave up. He let go of Miaka's shoulders and stood up. Without a word, he walked away, finally giving up.
Miaka sat with her back to the tree, completely speechless. She touched her fingertips to her lips gently, wondering why he had just done that and why had he walked away. Miaka finally stood up from her spot at the tree, knowing that Tasuki wasn't going to come back to her right then… he had just kissed her, and she hadn't even given him a smile.
She walked slowly into Tasuki's house to find Chichiri no longer at the table but in
Tasuki's room. He was rummaging through Tasuki's stuff like it was his own. He
heard Miaka open the door, but pretended like he hadn't.
Miaka walked over next to Chichiri but didn't say a word.
"Can you tell me the real reason about why you're back in Konan no da?" Chichiri
asked.
"Why is it so hard to believe that I came back here to see you guys?" Miaka replied.
"Because your connection into the Universe of the Four Gods was cut off… either something terrible is about to happen, or you needed to get away from something back home no da." Miaka stared at him as if she had no idea what he was talking about. How could he possibly know that something isn't right?
"I will listen if you're ready to tell me… where is Tamahome no da?" Miaka kept on staring at Chichiri not knowing what to say to him. Tears began to fill her eyes once again as she embraced her monk seishi. Chichiri, not knowing what to do, hugged her back.
"It was horrible!" Miaka said between sobs.
"It's okay no da."
"No it's not! He-"
Miaka paused to take a deep breath. Chichiri listened closely.
"I was waiting for Taka- I mean Tamahome to come home… we were supposed to go out
to the movies with Yui…" Miaka looked up at Chichiri.
"Yui is the one that became the priestess of Seiryu right no da?"
"Yeah… well he called me and said that I should go on to the movies with Yui and that I shouldn't wait for him to get home. Well I decided not to go to the movies because I really wanted to see Tamahome. So I waited home for him, and when he came home… he was with-" Miaka started to cry again.
"What did he come home with no da?"
"This girl…I've never even seen her before. He must've met her when he was at his
job." Chichiri's expression went from confusion to a mixed emotion of
anger and sadness.
"And then I got upset and I told him it was over, and ran out of the house… that's when I wished upon this star, so I can come back to Konan and see you two. But when I found out that the two of you separated after we left, I got even more upset… but it doesn't matter… Tamahome and I are no longer together. I didn't even see it coming…" Miaka's voice trailed off. Chichiri's hug tightened as Miaka told her story.
I can't believe it… their love was able to pass through different dimensions… this isn't right no da. Chichiri thought to himself.
Miaka's crying slowly came to an end, her tears had made Chichiri's kesa damp.
"Does Tasuki know about this no da?" Chichiri asked.
"No… I didn't tell him yet…" Miaka felt a little guilty about it now, "But don't tell him… I'll do it. Just not now… maybe a little later." Chichiri agreed and Miaka finally let go.
"I'm sorry Miaka…"
"No… it's okay… I think I'll be fine." Miaka gave Chichiri a smile of gratitude as she wiped the tears away from her eyes.
She went to look for Tasuki, leaving Chichiri alone in Tasuki's room. Chichiri
stared at Miaka as she left him alone in Tasuki's room once again.
Tasuki walked about the forest near his house aimlessly, thinking about what had happened only minutes before. That kiss… He had never kissed a girl like that before and probably wouldn't ever if it hadn't been for Miaka.
She had a special way of making his stomach jump whenever their eyes met. He wasn't sure if what he had done would change things between them… but there was no turning back. What he did was done, and nothing could change that.
A/N: so there it was... i hope it was worth the wait! Well, please let me know what you think... it means a lot... i will try to get the next chapter up sooner... i will try.. no promises though. We just had our first snowfall last Wednesday... it's really pretty. But anyway... please R&R!
bubbles078 xoxox