Chapter 6: A Day of Days

Miroku’s POV

The bell rang signaling the end of class. Ms. Brookes rose up from her chair and glaring at some of the students began her parting speech.

“I hope the test was good for you all.” She glared at some of us, particularly me. I gulped when she pushed her glasses along her nose bridge while glancing at me. “Best of luck for the results. And those of you who know, are not securing enough marks better tell your parents to be ready for their visit. The results will be out next Monday. Throughout this week you won’t be having classes. I’ve to see your wonderful answers and for that I’ve taken leave.”

She picked up her books and hugging them close to her chest, she began to walk out of the class. But before she could leave the class, the girl sitting on the desk to my right stood up.

“Umm, Ms. Brookes, I, Uh, came here just on Friday and haven’t even attended a single class so...I was thinking if this--”

“Sango, if you couldn’t come here before, it’s your fault. Not mine. If you fail, your parents will be called. There will be no sanctions for a pretty girl. I can pardon Miroku if he manages to get even 30. But I highly doubt he can get that.” Cutting her off, she said at one go.

Exactly! I hung my head in shame, shame for being written off like that in front of my princess.

“But--”

Sango tried again but she couldn’t complete as Ms. Brooks gave her one of her trademark glares and said, “Do you want your parents called today?”

“If I had parents I would have called them myself.” She muttered under her breath. “Fine,” she said and sat down.

She was an orphan?! She must be lonelier than even I am. I, at least, have Mushin with me but she doesn’t have a single parent. I wonder if that brother of hers is any good at talking. The last time we met, he didn’t even look at me. A frown appeared at my face as a result of that thought. I didn’t let anyone notice though. My head was hanging low with shame for anyone to notice my expressions.

Ms. Brookes walked away without saying a word more and the others started packing their bags and one by one left the room.

I was, as usual a bit lethargic in packing my bags. It wasn’t that I had many books to put inside my bag but it was laziness mixed with the thoughts about Sango being an orphan that lessened my speed.

I could see she was still cursing the blighted devil woman from her mutters and clenching fists. Ms. Brookes had always got the better of me. Making me work hard, calling in my old man more than once a day and also giving me titanic amounts of homework but to be frank I was never angry so much like I was when she spoke like that to Sango. She should have understood her. Somehow these teachers just don’t understand.

“Damn!” I banged my clenched fist against the wooden desk, making someone stare at me.

Only two of us were there in the room and so I was pretty sure it was Sango.

“Miroku?” She looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face.

“Sorry for that one. I just lost my cool that’s all.” I plastered a false smile on my face and looked at her.

“Lost your cool at what?” She asked, giving me a wide eyed, puzzled look.

“She should have understood you. If not that, she could’ve at least given it a thought.” I replied, slinging my bag onto my right shoulder. “You are, after all, a new student.”

“Some people just don’t try hard enough you know.” Wearing her bag, she said. “Never mind that. I lost my cool as well.” She smiled at me.

“Sango, I heard what you said at that time.” I said, changing my smiling face to a more serious one.

“If you’ve heard me telling I don’t have my parents, then you heard it right. I don’t have any parents.” There was disgust clear in her voice when she pronounced the last word.

“You mean you and your brother live alone in this city?” I asked, surprised.

“Yeah.” She replied in as-a-matter-of-fact way. “I have an apartment and a job, enough to secure food and shelter for the two of us. So I don’t have any problems as such.”

By this time we were walking through the corridor. Sango seemed a lot more friendlier than what she was a day back. I thought she would be hyper and clobber me or slap me when I’d approach her but it wasn’t at all like that.

We talked about the exam and the other usual stuffs. I told her that I won’t even manage thirty which was my escape route and she said she wasn’t even expecting ten. We sure had reason to laugh!

It felt nice talking to her, laughing with her and walking by her side. We became friends almost instantly. At least I thought it that way. I didn’t have the slightest of ideas as to what she thought of me but I didn’t want to know that at that moment. Being with her seemed enough.

“So Sango, which way are you going?” I asked as we went out of the school gates.

“I’ll go to the Higurashi shrine now. And from there to KFC.” She replied.

“I’ve to go past these places to reach my home.” I said. “So mind if I walk with you?” I gave her a perverted grin.

“Only if you keep your hands to yourself.” She slapped away my hands which were approaching her shoulders.

“Oh, sure.” I said, still smiling.

*****
Sango’s POV

“Thanks for accompanying me, Miroku.” I smiled at the guy. He deserved it.

“It was my pleasure, dear Sango.” He smiled back.

Dear Sango? When was the last time anyone called me that? I remembered my father calling me that when he was sane. After losing his sanity he lost his love for his daughter as well. From ‘dear Sango’ to ‘damned bitch’ such is the power of alcohol.

“By the way, Sango, you told you were going to KFC, what if I go along with you? I was just planning to have some food. So if you don’t mind may I...?” I could see his hesitation so without letting him complete I agreed. I didn’t know why, but I really wanted him to come along. That made me blush and I think he noticed it.

“Just give me a sec okay? I’ll just check up on my brother and return.” I wanted to get away as fast as I could. I didn’t want him to know I was blushing.

“Okay. I’ll be waiting here.” he said.

I could see his wide smile but didn’t have the courage to see his deep blue eyes. Who could tell what his mischievous eyes could perceive from my face?

Was there really anything worth noticing? I asked myself while walking, no running back to the building centrally located in the Higurashi shrine. I’m really gonna pay this time. Out of all people I had to fall for this pervert?

“No, of course not!” I mentally chided myself. I won’t fall for Miroku!

*****

After two knocks on the door, Kagome opened the door. She was her usual cheerful self. And in her short indigo skirt and light pink full sleeved shirt she was looking gorgeous. Her raven hair was being fanned by the wind that blew from the Goshinboku tree towards the door, giving her a more stunning appearance.

“Hey, Sango, how’re you? I missed you so much!” she flung herself in my arms.

“I’m alright.” I answered. “How’re you and how’s Kohaku doing?”

“Oh he’s absolutely fine! He’s playing with Souta and Shippo. Why don’t you come in and see for yourself?”

“I’ll come at night to take him home. I’ve to go now. I’m getting late.”

“It’s okay, Sango. I can understand.”

I didn’t call Kagome my best friend for nothing. Sure she can be annoying with her questions at times but that’s that about it. She can be as caring as a mother. And in the past when we were small she showed that side of her often. And I loved her cheerfulness. Sometimes I envied her for that but more often than not her contagious cheerfulness affected me and made me laugh and smile along with her.

“Who is that guy?” those words brought back my mind from past to present.

I turned around to look at the direction she was pointing at, and immediately pink color appeared on my cheeks.

“He, um, uh... He’s Miroku!” stammering I answered.

“Your boyfriend?” she asked, her eyes filled with curiosity and happiness.

“No, no, no, not at all!” I could feel my cheeks going red and ears going hot.

The next thing I knew was Kagome calling Miroku by his name. I was embarrassed so much so that I couldn’t turn to face him when he came to us.

“Oh, lovely lady! I think I’ve seen you before. You’re Kagome, right?” he asked.

Thank god he didn’t look at me! I heaved a sigh of relief.

Miroku and Kagome chatted for some time. Miroku admired her beauty and didn’t forget to make flattering comments about that. He also asked if she was single or not. Kagome had answered in the positive. And apart from his flirtatious comments he didn’t show much affection for her. I didn’t want him to either.

“We better go now, Kagome.” I said. “Say bye to Kohaku and the rest for me.”

Waving at her, Miroku and I began to walk away.

“Why are you so tensed, Sango?” he asked while we walked past the old Goshinboku tree.

“I’m not tensed.” I protested.

“You are tensed, dear one.” He gave his usual lecherous grin.

Just then I felt a warm hand on my bum. I knew it was Miroku and without any warning I struck him at his head.

“Aw, that hurt!” He shrieked in pain and I suppressed a giggle.

This guy sure knows how to make me smile. I don’t like that touch of his but somehow feel happy while beating him like that.

“I told you to mind your hands, didn’t I?” I glared at him.

“What can I do if my hands act on their own?” he protested like a baby.

Oh Miroku! At this rate I’ll get fired from this job. You’re making me late on my very first day of work.

*****

Miroku’s POV

Apart from the exam everything went fine today. No, it was actually one of the best days of my life. I could steal a date without even asking her properly to go out with me. How lucky I am!

My mobile started to ring and forced me out of my thoughts.

“Yeah Inu, what’s the matter?” I asked Inuyasha over the phone.

“That damned Kikyo left me for Naraku!” he barked at me over phone.

“Calm down. She wasn’t your type to begin with. Leave her be. And to speak of girlfriend, I think I found one for you.”

“It was you who had found me Kikyo and now she’s fucking ditched me! I ain’t falling for any wench again.” He spat.

“Okay, okay as you say, Inu.”

“I just called you up to ask about your exams...”

I told him how my test went and how my entire day went. He was bored throughout but when I told him about Kagome his interest grew. It was quite apparent from the change of his tone.

After five-ten minutes Inuyasha finally hung up and I got a chance to plunge in my soft, comfy bed.

Some night I’m gonna have! A smirk appeared on my face and I could feel it from the change in position of my lips.

To ruin it all, the phone began to ring again and this time it was the house phone not the mobile. I went downstairs listlessly and picked up the phone and mouthed off a weak hello.

“You’re Miroku Houshi, son of Mushin Houshi?” a man from the other side spoke.

“Yeah,” I replied lazily.

“Your father has been hospitalized. He was severely injured in a car crash. It appears he was drunk.”

“What?!” I was dumb founded, shocked. The receiver slipped out of the hand without me having to do a thing about it.

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A/N: Pardon the author for the lame chapter and the lame chapter's name. Bear with him because he was and is having a writer's block. :(