That night at dinner, Miroku put his plan into motion. With everyone gathered around Kaede's hearth, it was the perfect opportunity.
"Inuyasha, it's getting late. Why don't you go pick up Kagome already?"
Inuyasha, who had already finished his dinner and was lounging nearby, did not even turn around as he responded. "Oh be quiet. It's much more peaceful without someone like that around."
Miroku met Sango's gaze and raised an eyebrow. She took the hint. "Then could you at least stop acting so annoyed all the time?" she asked. "It's rather exhausting, you know."
"Kagome has certainly put up with a lot to be near Inuyasha," he observed, watching sidelong to see if the hanyou would take the bait this time.
"I agree," Sango chimed in.
"And to think, all of this is just due to Kouga's unrequited love for Kagome."
Sango nodded sagely. "Nothing to be worried about there. It's not like she returns his feelings or anything."
The plan seemed to be working, at least if one defined 'working' as 'getting a reaction out of Inuyasha.' The hanyou was all but seething. "Shut up about it already, will ya?"
Looking to Sango, who followed his example, Miroku kept his mouth resolutely shut. If he had read the situation correctly, this was the point where Inuyasha would be realizing just how much he had overreacted to something that was not, in truth, Kagome's fault at all. With luck, he would be reconsidering his own actions.
"Shut up and listen, okay? You all think it's my fault, don't you? Well, I'm not going to apologize!" Having all but snarled these last thoughts on the matter, he slipped out the door and into the night.
"Do you think we pushed him too hard?" Sango asked after a few moments of stunned silence. "It doesn't sound like he wants to make amends with Kagome at all."
"Give him some time. He'll come around," Miroku advised, though he was having a hard time believing his own words. Inuyasha could be such a hothead that he might do exactly as he threatened. And if that happened, they would have no choice but to rely on Kagome's kindness and willingness to forgive. It wasn't a possibility Miroku relished, but since none of the rest of them had the ability to travel through the well, it was the only other option they had.
Still, he wasn't ready to start making alternative plans just yet. He knew that, no matter how much he tried to hide it, their hanyou friend cared very deeply for Kagome. Sooner or later, he would make things right with her and things would go back to normal.
Or so Miroku hoped.