Disclaimer: I do not hold rights to the song "Someone to Watch Over Me". I just freakin' adore the song, that's why!
Question: would you guys like more chapters in this story? One reviewer, Dark Magic asked how many chaps I should do. Everything here is already planned and mapped out. So… it all depends on you guys how you would like this fic to progress.
Enjoy!
Chapter 9: Dinner and a Song
There was always something magical in staring at the darkening sky with a blanket of stars. It was mesmerizing. It soothed the troubled nerves of a person. For Sango, it was a moment's peace – something she and her father used to do when she was little. It was a ritual almost every night. After dinner, her father would go out to the porch to sit quietly. Sango would join him, sitting beside him and waiting for whatever her father would say. Usually he would sing Sango a song he and her mother shared.
"Ane-ue," Kohaku smiled at her as he joined his elder sister. "Okay if I join you?"
Sango rolled her eyes in amusement. She ruffled her brother's thick brown hair as he sat down beside her, just what she used to do when her father was alive. God, how she missed her father! The two siblings sat in silence for a moment; digesting the beauty the sky offered them.
"Ane-ue, sing the song Dad used to sing to you," he suddenly requested.
"Dad and Mom's love song?" Sango beamed. She wrapped an arm around Kohaku, drawing him closer to her. "Alright, if you really want me to disturb such a peaceful night." She cleared her throat. " 'There's a saying old. Says that love is blind. Yet we're often told. Seek and ye shall find. So I'm goin' to seek a certain lad. I have…in mind'" her soft voice filtered the night breeze. "Join me in singing the chorus," she beckoned. Kohaku nodded. He loved to sing to.
" 'There's a somebody, I'm longing to see. I hope that he turns out to be. Someone to watch over me'" Sango stood up, pulled Kohaku with her. "Dance with me, little brother."
" 'Although he may not, be the man, some girls think of,'" she poked Kohaku on the chest. " 'As handsome, to my heart he carries the key. Someone to watch…over me.'"
"And I will watch over you, ane-ue," Kohaku whispered, as he and Sango slow danced in their front yard, uncaring if passer-bys would see them.
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It was a sight that touched his heart. A smile was carved on his lips as he watched them danced. Her singing voice gently massaged his hearing as the words were carried by the humming wind to his direction. He would have stayed where he was, simply enjoying the scene ahead. Unfortunately, Kohaku caught his presence. The boy brightened up, and waved to his direction.
"Hi Inuyasha!" he called out to him.
Inuyasha laughed at the child's enthusiasm. Kids rarely paid attention to him. They saw him as a stuck-up, snobby, immature adult who loved to bicker even to the younger ones. Certainly that was how Shippou, Kagome's younger brother, perceived him. That was why he wondered why Kohaku could not only stand being around him; he actually enjoyed Inuyasha's presence.
Maybe because he was actually decent and civilized around Kohaku, compared to his grumpy, childish attitude towards Shippou? It was a question only Inuyasha could answer.
"Look what I've got!" Inuyasha held up another box of donuts. Kohaku walked toward him. "It's for you, kid."
Sango smiled at him. "You always bring donuts whenever you visit," she raised a brow. "You're spoiling my brother with donuts!" Inuyasha shrugged as he hand the box over to the boy. He brought them inside the house upon Sango's request. "Have you had dinner?" she asked, knowing full well what the answer was.
Evening visits at Sango's had become an occurrence. Inuyasha found himself driving to the direction of her house after work. Coincidentally, his mother had become a little lenient on him. She rarely questioned why Inuyasha seemed to go home at a late hour; although she still refused his younger son to move in back to his own apartment. Inuyasha didn't mind though spending time at his parents' house.
"Are you just gonna stand there or do you wanna eat dinner?" Sango brought him back to reality.
"Uh, yeah. Sure," he replied sheepishly. That was one of the usual occurrences: him being lost in thoughts whenever around Sango. Inuyasha just seemed to drift away, almost enter a dream where it only involved him and his newfound friend, none other than Sango Meiyou.
"I've been eating dinner here a lot, huh?" he threw a sideway glance at her as they entered the house.
Sango half-snorted. "Yeah? I didn't notice," she joked. Funny how she easily got used to his company in so little time they had known each other.
"Tomorrow I swear I'll arrive early and even cook dinner for you," he said half-heartedly, amusement resonating in his tone.
Sango knew that but she decided to put him up to the challenge. "Very well, Mr. Yuukan. I'll tell Ms. Kaede not to tire herself out tomorrow, cause we'll be expecting dinner from you."
Inuyasha stopped dead in his tracks. He was a decent cook - when it came to re-heating leftovers or popping something in the microwave. "Nah, I don't think you're prepared for such exotic recipes," he chuckled.
The lady in front of him turned to face him, hands crossed. Her eyes were challenging him. "No, I think we'll manage whatever you'll prepare tomorrow. Kohaku will be excited to know his 'idol'," she raised her fingers in quotations, "will be preparing dinner tomorrow."
There was nothing he really could do. He was a 'man' of his word. "Fine, Sango. Just don't blame me of food poisoning."
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Cooking. How long ago had he done the particular task? Well, he certainly remembered when he was in grade ten he was forced to take up a hospitality course just because it was either the Family Studies class involving research, writing essays and long boring discussions; or the Hospitality course where it involved learning how to cook. Inuyasha took the easy way out for a credit. He barely passed. He hated to cook.
But why couldn't he wipe off the huge, silly grin on his face when he arrived at the Meiyou's residence about five hours before dinnertime?
He wanted to prove to Sango he was a man of his word; and he also wanted to surprise her with a cooked dinner once she arrived. He just got off his car when Kohaku's face appeared from the huge window above. The kid seemed to detect his presence every time he visited. That was why he had something for him.
"Hey, kid!" he fondly called out to him. "I've got something for you!"
Kohaku waved his hand to him. "I'll come down," he said in his youthful exuberance.
Inuyasha couldn't help but be excited. He was usually a selfish person, in terms of never really caring of other people's happiness. But right now, he felt responsible in making Sango's little brother a bit happy. Few minutes later, Kohaku was slowly walking toward him. His steps were slower and his body movements were weaker. Inuyasha felt something inside ache. He could not grasp the idea of why such a young, kind-hearted child like Kohaku should be subjected to such pain and trials.
"Look," he opened the door to the passenger's seat, beckoning Kohaku to take a peek. On the seat was a basket wrapped in a red blanket. There was purring coming from the inside. "I dunno who else to give her to."
Kohaku's eyes had widened in excitement. Inside the basket was a white kitten with black stripes on her tail and a somewhat black, diamond-shaped spot on the centre of her forehead. He looked at Inuyasha in question. "Is she yours?"
"She's yours, now. If you want her. She's a stray. My mom's allergicto cats and I'm actually a dog-person. So… I thought you and Sango would be best to have her."
"What's her name?" Kohaku picked up the kitten lovingly in his arms.
"You can name her if you want. I often call her 'cat'," Inuyasha snorted. He started gathering grocery bags from the back seat. "Let's get inside so I can start preparing dinner," he said, adding a little grumble in his tone.
Kohaku followed him inside. He was very much used to Inuyasha's presence now. He actually enjoyed his company. "Isn't it too early to cook dinner?"
"Nah. I need all the time I can have. I'm not much of a cook. Have you finished your studying?" he inquired, putting the grocery bags on the top counter inside the kitchen. Kaede had greeted him with a smile upon entering the doorway.
"Miroku will not be coming in today. He said he had a date," Kohaku shrugged. "So, I really have no school today," he chimed in excitement.
Inuyasha laughed. Kohaku still possessed what boys his age typically had. "Tell me about it. I hate school," he snickered. "So, why don't you help me out here?"
Kohaku wrinkled his nose, knowing full well he turn out to be a nuisance rather than being a big help. He scratched the back of the kitten's ears. "Kirara," he said out of nowhere.
"Hn?" Inuyasha turned to him.
"That'd be her name. Kirara."
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow as he fixed his gaze on the delicately beautiful white kitten in the little boy's arms. "Kirara, it is."
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The preparation of dinner went relatively well. Inuyasha managed to follow the directions of the recipe he stole from his mother's kitchen. With the help of Kaede, he was able to do some mincing, chopping and boiling.
Spaghetti with prepared meatballs was served.
Sango came home about an hour early just to anticipate Inuyasha's visit. Imagine her surprise when she found Inuyasha with Kohaku playing with a small kitten in the front yard.
"Have you just arrived?" Sango asked Inuyasha as she set her bike just outside the doorway.
"Nope. I've been here hours ago. Dinner's ready," he said, looking only once to Sango before returning his gaze on Kohaku and Kirara
Sango allowed the smile to linger on her face. Watching Inuyasha watching over her brother was heart-warming. He looked as if it was a natural thing for him to do. How long had they known each other? A month now? Somehow, Inuyasha had become a part of Sango's family.
"Really, now. So you did keep up with your promise of dinner?" she mused as she sat beside him on the front porch. "Is that your cat?"
"Nope. It's Kohaku's," Inuyasha answered.
"Her name's Kirara, ane-ue. And I don't think Kirara will like it if we call her 'cat' one more time," Kohaku interjected.
Inuyasha nodded like a little boy. "Yup, yup. That's my name for her before Kohaku named her Kirara. When I called her 'cat' once more, 'bout five minutes ago, she tackled me like some wild cat demon!" Sango laughed picturing what Inuyasha had just described.
They all stayed outside until Kaede called them in. When they finished eating, Inuyasha even helped with the clearing of the table and with the washing of the dishes. Sango would simply stare at him, whenever he wasn't looking, simply observing Inuyasha.
"So… Sango," Inuyasha turned to her, a sly smile on his face. "Since I did my part in making dinner for you, why don't you do your part in keeping your promise."
"Promise?"
"Yeah. You told me once you'll show me the flower farm where you get all those flowers you sell."
Sango tapped her chin. "I did? Why not." she shrugged her shoulders.
Inuyasha gave her a genuine smile. "It's a date, then."
A/N: Sango seemed like the type of woman who possessed a sweet, soft voice. Not the huge, diva-like voice. Something like a Mandy Moore-ish voice (not a big fan of Mandy but I like her voice).
Anyway, my reason for mentioning Tezuka from the previous chapter is that when I'm writing my SessKagu fic, I imagine Tezuka instead of Sesshoumaru. Call me crazy.
Also, can anyone tell me why there are so many Sesshoumaru/Kagome fics out there? I mean, come on… I hate to offend the SesshKago fanbase but I really see no 'hope' in this pairing. I mean, I don't think Sessh would stoop so low… heehee. I'm just not a Kagome fan! I just don't get the reason for this pairing. Okay… shoot me now!
Thanks to those who really took time in reviewing. The more reviews, the faster the update right? Wink, wink. Heh.