-Been sitting at the computer for over a year and getting very frustrated. Suddenly jumps up- Yes! I've done it! I know shame on me for not even putting a chapter up on this story for over a year, I just couldn't think of anything to write, but now I have. I really hope this will be ok with everyone and I am working on the next chapter right now. I'm gonna let ya'll go on and read now.

Disclaimer: Like all the other times, I do not own Inuyasha and don't have any right to them.

Chapter 3: Paths Crossed Once More

As the years passed from that fateful day, Inuyasha always went back year after year to place flowers on his friends' graves and to remember the times that they did share. To him, it felt like time has stopped because of all the sadness and loneliness of losing his friends. He always kept the jewel with him to help remind him about them; as it hung around his neck or in a pocket.

Centuries went by; the world he once knew has changed. He seen many more villages being created around the country and quickly turning into towns.

Because of humans, a hanyou, and a little demon saving the would from the ultimate evil, demons and humans finally decided to set aside their differences and made a pact to work with one another and to be equals, but there were some that wouldn't accept one another.

For years, Inuyasha and Kirara have lived on the outskirts of Tokyo, in a small home, near where their graves were. He worked nights at a local bar for years. Every night he has heard stories from guys that have been left by their girlfriends or wives. For him, the job was quiet depressing because of what he went through twice in his life; first losing Kikyo and then Kagome about 500 to 550 years ago.

When he even listened to the stories, he would try to show no sigh of emotions, but deep inside he was sad and always thought, 'These guys haven't gone through the shit I have.'

One afternoon, Inuyasha decided to bring Kirara into town with him. He had nothing to do that day. They wandered around town trying to find something interesting going on, but there was nothing out of the usual. Inuyasha got hungry and decided to go over to WacDonald's across the street from a high school.

While Inuyasha went in to get some burgers, Kirara waited right outside. At that time, the dismissal bell rang for the high school and in no time, there were groups of teens walking towards the little food joint.

As Inuyasha went out to Kirara, she took off running, as if she was going to someone she knows.

"Kirara, come back here!" He called out to her but she wouldn't stop or turn around. He followed her near a crosswalk to see two girls crouched down, petting her. He stopped and recognized that they looked familiar; they were also with a guy that looked familiar as well. 'Could it be! Has it been 500 years already?'

"Oh, is this your two-tail cat?" A girl with long brown hair placed in a high pony-tail and brown eyes asked as she picked Kirara up.

"Uh, yeah she's mine." He said and receiving Kirara from the girl.

"She's really friendly, but you should really watch her closer." The guy said as he looked down towards one of the girls' butt, placing his hand on it and grabbed it.

"Pervert! Keep your hands off me!" She yelled as she slapped him, leaving a red hand print on his cheek.

"Well that was the first time she did that in years." 'Well, it is them.' He thought.

"What's her name?" Both girls asked.

"It's Kirara."

"That's a cute name." Both girls said.

"I'm Sango." One of the girls said.

"Miroku." The guy said.

"And I'm Kagome. What's your name?"

"I'm Inuyasha." He said as they shook hands one after another.

"That's a nice name, it really suits you." Kagome said referring to his ears. 'I gotta touch his ears!'

"Thanks, I guess."

Without any warning, Kagome got up on her tip-toes and grabbed a hold of Inuyasha's ears and started rubbing them.

"They're so soft. Sango feel them." She said and Sango joined.

"They are soft."

"I guess they like your ears." Miroku stood there laughing a little.

"Do you girls mind!" Inuyasha said annoyed.

"Oh, sorry, we got carried away." Kagome giggled.

"Yeah." Sango giggled as well as the four walked over to an outdoor table and sat down.

"I'm gonna go get you ladies your food." Miroku said as he begun to walk inside.

"Okay." They both said.

"What exactly are you, a hanyou or a youkai?" Sango asked curiously.

"Hanyou, why do you wanna know?"

"Oh, I was just curious; that's all."

"Um, okay."

"He's kind of cute, isn't he?" Kagome whispered in Sango's ear.

'I gave her a good impression this time.' Inuyasha looked at both girls and his ears twitched at what Kagome said.

"I guess so." She whispered back.

"You just say that…" Kagome said low and started to speak a bit louder. "Because you got a thing for Miroku, don't you?"

"Hush."

At the moment, Miroku come back out with the food and heard his name being mentioned.

"Huh, what about me?" He turned to the girls.

"San…" Sango covered Kagome's mouth before she could say any more.

"It's nothing." Sango said as if she was hiding something for him.

"Um, ok. Well here's your food." Miroku sat down next to Inuyasha, placed Sango's and Kagome's food in front of them.

"Thanks Miroku!" The girls started eating.

"Don't mention it." Miroku turned to Inuyasha. "What high school do you go to?"

"I don't." 'Damn it, I've gotta think of something.'

"You look as if you'd be a senior."

"Well, um, I've been out for a while." He lied.

"Oh okay." Miroku said as he began to eat.

As everyone else ate, Inuyasha unwrapped one of the burgers he had and took the patty out giving it to Kirara to eat; while he finished his half-eaten burger.

"Just wondering but what grade are you all in?"

"Well the school year has just started so…" Miroku said before Sango butted in.

"We're seniors."

"Yeah finally."

"Hm, alright." 'So its been a little over 500 years.'

Once everyone finished eating, Sango, Kagome, and Miroku grabbed their backpacks and stood up.

"Well, we better get going." Sango said.

"Yeah, we would stay and chat, but we have a lot of homework due tomorrow." Kagome said dreading it as she threw the trash away.

"It's understandable." Inuyasha said getting up not caring if they did have homework or not.

"If you want Inuyasha, we could catch up later to night at the theater about 7 o'clock." Miroku offered since it was the groups' original plan for the night.

"Okay that sounds good."

"Cool we'll see later then." The three started to walk off.

"Later." Inuyasha picked up Kirara to keep her from going after them. "I know how you feel Kirara…but things are different now." He said walking off in the other direction.

As the three walked down the street, Miroku remembered something the girls probably forgot to do.

"Hm… weren't you two supposed to pick up your brothers from school today?" He questioned as Sango and Kagome stopped and looked at each other.

"Uh-oh…" Both said.

"Oh man I totally forgot!"

"Hopefully it's not too late." Sango said as she and Kagome took off down to the elementary school; leaving Miroku behind.

He shook his head a little and ran after them. "Hey wait up!"

They arrived at the school, shortly after most of the crowd has left, to see their brothers waiting for them. They ran up to them and stopped to catch their breaths.

"We're sorry...for being late…" Sango said.

"Souta, please don't tell mom…"

"It's ok sister." Kohaku said.

"Hmm, I won't, but only on one thing."

"And what would that condition be?"

"To buy us an ice cream cone."

"Yeah, we talked about it just incase you two were gonna be late."

"Oh alright…" Both girls sighed as Miroku came up behind Sango and placed his hand on her rear.

"…Miroku! You pervert! Stop doing that!" She quickly turned around and smacked him good, as everyone else laughed a little.

"Ow. Why must you be so harsh, Sango?" He said rubbing his sore cheek.

"Then why do you always have to touch me especially there!" She glared at him.

"Well if you must know…" He was cut off.

"I rather not want to! Just stop doing it!"

"Oh well, then you will never know."

"Okay, you two stop it. Not in front of them." Kagome said.

"Well then, lets go get your ice creams and get home quickly." Sango said.

"Okay." Souta and Kohaku said as everyone walked off to the ice cream parlor.

They were only a few blocks away from the shrine as they came upon Miroku's home, all stopping in the drive way.

"I'll come by and pick you two up later for the movie, so just call and tell me where you'll be waiting." Miroku said slowly walking up towards the front door.

"Alright, we'll call you when were ready." Sango said.

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'll see ya later." He said as he walked inside.

"So how much homework do the both of you two have?" Sango asked Kohaku and Souta as they all started walking again.

"Not very much." Kohaku said.

"But it's very easy."

"Lucky… I'll trade you, you could do mine and I'll do yours?" Kagome said.

"Hmmm… nope, sorry sis." Souta said as Kagome sighed also getting a light laugh from Sango and Kohaku.

"Oh well…"

"Nice try." Sango said.

"It was worth a shot. Sango, would your father let you come over to do homework?" Kagome said as they came up to Sango's home as Kagome and Souta stopped.

"I don't know, maybe. I'll go see." Sango hurried up into the house with Kohaku fallowing behind.

"Okay."

"Father, we're home." She announced as she placed her bag down at the front door also kicking off her shoes and walked into the living room.

"Welcome home you two."

"Hey father, is it okay if I could go over to Kagome's to do my homework?"

"Well Sango…"He was about to reject her request.

"Please, please could I? I'll be able to get it done a lot quicker if I do." She pleaded.

"Well, oh alright, you can."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." She gave her father a hug.

"I'll be expecting it done."

"It will be." She released him and hurried up to her room, pulling out of her drawer a light pink shirt and blue jeans, quickly changing out of her school uniform, also taking her hair out of the high pony-tail and letting it fall down to her back. She rushed back down the stairs and slipped a different pair of shoes on and grabbed her bag. "Bye father, bye Kohaku."

"Have some fun tonight Sango."

"I will." She opened the door and rushed out.

"Oh good you could." Kagome said seeing Sango run back out.

"Yeah, by close." The three continued towards the shrine.

"Oh."

As soon as they got to Kagome's house, her grandpa was at the top of the stairs sweeping the dirt away.

"Hi grandpa." Kagome and Souta said.

"Hello Mr. Higurashi."

"Hello kids, good to see you again Sango."

"Yeah, you too."

"Well I have a story for you all. Many years ago…" The old man started to ramble on with one of his boring tales.

"We'd like to listen, gramps, but we all have homework to get to." Kagome said rushing off into the house to avoid the story.

Once inside, they made a small trip into the kitchen, to see Mrs. Higurashi making some fresh rice crispy treats and already had some made.

"Hi mom." Kagome and Souta said as the three grabbed a few treats.

"Hello dears, hello Sango."

"Hi Mrs. Higurashi."

Souta went right to the kitchen table and started getting onto his homework. Kagome opened the fridge and grabbed some soda fore Sango and her.

"How are you and your family doing, Sango?" Mrs. Higurashi said as she washed her hands.

"We're all doing well."

"That's good to hear. Are the two of you going up to the room to work on your homework?"

"Yes we are mom."

"Then here, take this plate of treats with you, incase you both get hungry." She gave the plate to Sango, seeing that Kagome already had her hands full.

"Um thanks."

"No problem."

Kagome and Sango left the room and went up to Kagome's room, shutting the door behind them. Sango placed the plate on the desk as Kagome gave a soda to her.

"I still can't believe how generous you mom is." Sango said as they placed their bags down and pulled out their books.

"Neither can I, but it's easy to get use to."

Once again I'm very sorry that I haven't done anything to this story since the end of '04. But I do hope that you liked the chapter. Ja ne.