A/N: Lacking feedback…must do something about it. My goal for this entire story is approx. 350 reviews (only because my Phantom of the Opera fan fiction got 301, and I'm trying to surpass that and reach a higher goal) But don't worry, with the pace I'm going at, I'm sure it's not impossible…

You're all going to hate me… I took a potentially fluffy chapter and completely ruined it whoops… Lol, oh well. By the way, you'd be surprised how many of you offered to take the Punjab lasso and kill Kuronosuke for Miroku. It was actually pretty funny… All most every review said something along the lines of, "Don't worry, Miroku, I'll do it for you!" ((takes the Punjab lasso and snaps Kuronosuke's neck)) … Wow. We're so violent…)

I want reviews because they entertain me to such a full extent!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sango jumped as there was a sound from behind her. For a moment she stared at her reflection, and then Miroku was in the room with her.

It took her a moment to register this, and then her face lit up with a smile. "Miroku! I thought you'd left me, I…" she trailed off when she met his gaze. He was angry… terribly angry.

The color slowly drained from Sango's face. "Miroku? What—"

"Why did you except that boy's invitation to dinner?" he hissed at her.

Sango took a stumbling step backwards. "He's just a friend…I thought it was a nice request…"

"He obviously doesn't view you as 'just a friend'." Miroku crossed the distance between them and moved to grab her arms roughly, then realized what he was doing and jerked back.

They stared at each other for a moment, and the anger slowly melted out of Miroku's eyes. He turned away, already regretting he had come in. "Sango… I'm sorry… I meant to leave you alone…"

He was about to continue, but Sango placed a hand on his shoulder and gently turned him to face her.

"I'm glad that you didn't." she said softly. She only hesitated a moment before reaching up and removing his mask. Miroku immediately wrenched himself from her grasp and tried to cover his face, but she stopped him.

Standing up on her tiptoes, she gently kissed his deformed cheek. It was only a small, chaste, friendly gesture, but it was still more than Miroku was used to.

He immediately turned his face away, shocked and amazed that she had dared to do what even his mother had been afraid of. What she cried over! Sango stepped closer, but Miroku took his mask from her hands and turned away.

"Very well, Sango… go with the Vicomte. Forget I was ever here. I shall try not to upset you further by coming again."

"Miroku…no…wait, don't go—" but she was too late, and Miroku had already disappeared beyond the mirror.

xxxxx

"'ow dare you! Geeving my part 'oo zat leetle—leetle…" Apparently Kikyo couldn't find a word bad enough for Sango, so she wrung her hands and screamed, "Zat leetle toad!"

"Dude, what's up with your voice?" Ginta laughed at her newfound accent. Apparently, since Kikyo is playing the part of Carlotta, she thought it was in the best interest to talk like her as well. It provides comedy relief and a bit of OOCness in such a dramatic story like mine.

"La Kikyo, please try to understand…we had no leading lady! What were we supposed to do?" Ginta pleaded, shaking it off.

"'Oo were zepposed to cancel ze show!"

"But we had a full house!" Hakkaku exclaimed, "We couldn't cancel!"

"Yes, 'oo could." Kikyo turned on her heel and began to march out of the door. Ginta and Hakkaku exchanged glances, before hurrying to catch up with her.

"But you are our Prima Donna! You cannot leave again!" Ginta exclaimed.

"Vatch me!" As the managers looked on, Kikyo made to leave through the door, but her hoop skirt was too wide for the frame. After moments of struggling, she managed to turn the hoop sideways, and fell through with a muffled thud.

Kikyo got up and brushed herself off, then glared at the managers as if it was their fault. "You're doors should bee vider." she informed them huffily. After brushing the wrinkles out their clothes, she straightened up and crossed her arms. There was a moment of silence, and then Kikyo said, "Vell?"

"Well what?" Hakkaku asked, but was only met with a glare.

"Vell, vhat are 'oo goeeng to do?"

Hakkaku blinked. "We'll bring someone in to fix the doorway right away." he assured her.

Kikyo seethed. "I didn't meen zat! I meen about me."

Hakkaru speculated for a moment before saying, "Well, you could go on a diet—" Ginta hit his partner over the head with a bundle of letters.

"Just shut up." he moved over to Kikyo. "Prima Donna…what would we do without you? We need you…your public needs you!"

"Vat about ze toad?" Kikyo demanded.

"No one wants her… she'll go back to being a chorus girl, as she should be. She just doesn't have the voice to be Prima Donna."

Kikyo smiled, and was about to say something, when a suddenly Hakkaku let out a loud moan. Ginta and Kikyo both turned and glared at him, expecting another inappropriate comment.

"What is it?" Ginta asked impatiently.

"Another letter."

Ginta paled considerably. "Let me see it!" He snatched the letter from his partner's hands, ripping it open.

His eyes scanned the note, and then he let out a derisive snort. "It's nothing. Just stupid stuff." With that, he tore the letter in half and dropped it into a basket of old mail beside their desk. Then he turned back to Kikyo.

"Please my lady, be our Prima Donna once more! We are nothing without you."

"Vell…" Kikyo seemed to consider for a moment, then announced, "Zince 'oo obfiouslee need mee… af course I vill!"

Ginta looked relieved. "Great! Now, let's talk about your new role…" as they headed down the hallway and out of sight, Hakkaku peered over into the mail basket. He could just make out the blood red handwriting…

If these demands are not met, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur!

Hakkaku went white, and hurried after the other two. In his haste and distractedness, he ran straight into the door frame. Hakkaku cursed and rubbed his nose, then glared at the offending piece of wood.

"They really do need to make the doors bigger." He sidestepped, and then ran down the hallway to catch up with his colleague.

xxxxx

Miroku collapsed in the darkness, his head in his hands. Why did he always have to ruin everything? He remembered Sango's hurt expression as he vanished into the darkness, and sighed. It was better this way, anyway.

"Miroku?" Sango's voice echoed through the passageway, and Miroku sat up with a curse. Why couldn't she just let him let her go?

He got up and stealthily moved through the shadows. When Sango didn't find him, she'd turn back, he was sure. As he began to walk down the shadowy hallway, he suddenly heard something that made him stop dead in his tracks.

Kikyo…

xxxxx

Sango felt her way through the darkness, trying to find where Miroku had gone. She knew she didn't have much chance of finding him… It was impossible to see in the complete blackness, and she didn't know where she was going. She couldn't go too far, or she would get lost.

As she stumbled through the darkness, she nearly ran straight into him. She could see his cobalt eyes narrowed to almost slits, and he was holding something in his hands. Sango crept closer, accidentally knocking a stone loose from the passageway. She looked up quickly, but Miroku hadn't noticed. He was staring in the opposite direction, concentrating.

"Miroku..." she felt the color in her face leave as the light from a small vent in the wall shed light on the object in Miroku's hands. She stepped closer, hoping that she was wrong...but she quickly realized she wasn't. In his hands, he held some kind of noose...

"Miroku! Miroku, what are you doing?" Sango ran up and touched his arm, and he turned to look at her, as if he had noticed her for the first time. His eyes burned with emotions that scared her, and she backed away slightly.

"Miroku?"

His eyes closed for a moment, then reopened. The rage that had been in them a moment ago had vanished completely, as if it had never been there in the first place. When she looked down at his hands, she noticed that the noose was gone as well. Perhaps that had never been there either?

She brought her eyes up to meet his, and then asked the question that she knew she might regret. "What was that?"

xxxxx

Miroku hadn't even seen Sango, he was so lost in his rage. In fact, he hadn't even realized that he had brought the Punjab lasso out from its hiding place. What had possessed him? His eyes darkened slightly as he remembered Kikyo. The nerve she had to return!

"Miroku? What was that?"

Miroku frowned, before realizing that Sango wanted to know what the Punjab lasso was. He couldn't tell her the truth. When he looked back up at her, however, he realized he couldn't lie. To compromise, he decided to say nothing.

Sango was persistent though, and wouldn't let it drop. "Miroku…Miroku, look at me. What were you doing? What was that?" She stepped closer and gently took his arm, turning him back to face her when he tried to pull away.

"It was nothing, Sango. Forget about it." he finally said softly.

"But Miroku—"

"Go back to your room. Kagome will be worried if she comes back during lunch to check on you, and finds you missing. Go back."

"Miroku…" Sango reached up and touched his unmasked cheek. "If I do, promise me that you'll come back."

"Seemingly, I cannot stay away."

That brought a smile to her face. Gently, almost shyly, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face closer to hers.

Miroku's eyes closed, and he let her get closer. Finally, her lips met his. They just barely brushed, like the wings of a butterfly. Then she got bolder, and pressed them harder against his.

To his amazement, he let her. He couldn't seem to pull away. It was as if he had suddenly lost his ability to move.

Sango took advantage of his helplessness, and closed all space between them, so that her body was resting against his. Her fingers entwined in his hair as she kept his lips down to hers.

To Miroku, it was bliss and agony. He knew that he should stop her… that he should push her away, but he couldn't. He tried at the very least not to react to the kiss, but found himself kissing her back.

Moving as if in a dream, he carefully placed his arms around Sango and held her to him. She was so soft… Miroku moaned quietly as he kissed her, and this seemed to encourage her.

When he felt her tongue meet the seam of his lips, he panicked. His mind shouted, 'What are you doing? Leave now, while you still can!' But his body wouldn't listen. Instead of pushing her away, as he should have, he found himself parting his lips for her.

Her tongue explored his mouth, and he was powerless to stop her. Almost against his will, he felt the fingers of one hand fumble with the laces on her dress, the other buried deeply in her hair.

xxxxx

Sango didn't think twice about what she was doing. If she did, she might stop, and she didn't want to. She was vaguely surprised that Miroku hadn't shoved her away by now, and yet thrilled that he hadn't.

Her heart skipped a beat when she felt him undo the ties on the back of her dress. His arms clutched her against him, and she didn't protest. Instead she dove deeper into his mouth with her tongue, urging him on.

"Sango?" Kuronosuke's voice echoed from her dressing room.

For a moment, Sango paused and listened to it, but she couldn't identify it. She brushed it out of her mind.

"SANGO!"

xxxxx

Miroku gasped and jerked away, stumbling back into the darkness. What had come over him? He looked back at Sango, who was now gazing in the opposite direction. Her eyes were wide in fear and panic.

"Miroku! Oh, Miroku, it's Kuronosuke! What will he think? He'll call the police this time for sure…"

Miroku held a finger to her lips, then delicately took her hand and led her down a side passageway. When they reached the end, he opened the trap door, and let Sango out into the hallway not a hundred feet away from her room. "Go back. Tell him you had just taken a walk, and that there's nothing to worry about."

Sango smiled in relief. "Thank you, my trap door lover…"

Miroku he turned to go, blushing at the nickname. But she continued, "Will you still come for my voice lesson this evening?"

He looked away. "You have other…engagements." His voice was sour as he spoke of her dinner with Kuronosuke.

She paused, and then said softly. "I'm suddenly not feeling well, and will be unable to make it."

He was glad that his face was turned away, so that she couldn't see the small smile that graced it. "Then I will be there." He closed the trapdoor behind him.

xxxxx

Sango hurried down the hallway to her room, hoping and praying that she would catch Kuronosuke in time. As she ran, her thoughts wandered back to when she had first run into Miroku in the tunnel. Whatever he was holding, she reassured herself, it couldn't have been a noose. I must have been imagining things.

She nearly ran straight into Kuronosuke as he left her room, a frantic look on his face. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Kuronosuke ran and embraced her, a cry of relief escaping his lips.

"Sango! I didn't know what happened to you! Where did you go?"

Sango gently pushed him away. "I was just out for a walk, Kuronosuke. There really isn't much to do in my dressing room."

He smiled and brushed a disheveled brown curl away from her face, then suddenly frowned.

"The laces to your dress are undone."

Sango could feel a hot blush forming on her cheeks. "Oh, I…well I must have…I must have forgotten to tie them." she stuttered, not meeting his eyes. Her cheeks were getting hotter by the second. "I hope no one saw that on my walk, at least it was short." She hated lying to him.

Kuronosuke chuckled amusedly. "I'm glad that I'm the one who noticed, then. Here, let me tie them for you."

Sango hesitated, then obligingly turned and lifted her hair out of the way. In a matter of seconds, Kuronosuke had it tied back up, and she turned around to face him again.

His eyes were twinkling merrily, and there was a smile on his face. "I can't wait until dinner tonight. Did you pick out what you're going to wear?"

Sango's heart sank. She hadn't been looking forward to this. "Oh, Kuronosuke… I'm sorry, I can't."

His face fell. "Why ever not?"

"I'm not feeling well after the trip. After all, I did only get back early this morning. I was hoping I would start to feel better during the day, but it's only gotten worse. That's why I was heading back to my room. I'm so sorry, Kuronosuke."

Kuronosuke looked heartbroken. She could tell he had been really looking forward to this dinner.

He looked so upset that she couldn't stop herself from saying, "Perhaps tomorrow night?" As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. Miroku had been upset that she had been going to dinner with Kuronosuke tonight…simply moving it to tomorrow night wouldn't make anything better.

Kuronosuke, however, looked as if Christmas had come early. "Of course! I should have been more understanding, Sango." He kissed her gently on the forehead. "Tomorrow night, then."

Sango could only nod, and he backed up. "I have a meeting to go to with my brother. I'll see you soon!" Kuronosuke quickly kissed her lips, and then left.

Sango walked back into her dressing room, and shut the door. Perhaps Miroku hadn't heard the arrangement for tomorrow night. She could find out if he had or not this evening.

If he hadn't heard… well, what he didn't know couldn't hurt him, right?

xxxxx

A/N: DON'T YOU JUST HATE KURONOSUKE? RUINING MY POTENTIAL LEMON! ((laughs)) HOW DARE HE?

Miroku and Erik: You're too innocent to write such things!

Christine: Oh, am I?

Erik: ((to Miroku)) She's been hanging around you for far too long.

Christine: Review, my friends! I want millions of reviews all explaining exactly how you're going to kill Kuronosuke! No one likes a debtor, its better if my orders are obeyed! ((Slightly darker tone)) Or else a disaster beyond your imagination will occur…

Miroku: ((to Erik, wide eyed)) She got that from you…

Erik: And how happy it's made me!