Chapter 9: Far Too Much

A/N: I'm extremely sorry for being so late in updating. I've been busy lately. No more excuses. Please read the whole thing if you so wish. I'll try to update faster next time! Till then Adios! Sayonara! Bye!

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Miroku’s POV

I have a job now and...Six months. Yeah, that’s the time I’ve got to pay up all my father’s debts.

I was stunned when I first came to know that my old man had been taking money from the company for his personal use. The amount had piled up to a huge number. Now it was on me to clear his debts or else I’d have to give up living in this house of mine. All that I ever possessed and knew of as my own would be taken away from me. Everything would go under the hammer.

But I’m not so naïve that I’ll let them take these away from me; and thanks to Inuyasha I know exactly how I have to fight for what is, or rather was my own.

The job at the record company didn’t pay much. I needed to get another job and maybe do both one after the other. That was the only thing left for me to do.

And so here I was...the Wacdonalds. The meaty shop owner had taken me aboard the first day I visited his shop. I can remain grateful to him forever for that.

My body was aching after a whole day of struggling to keep up with the class and taking down notes from Sango, I must say she has been rather kind to me, and another hectic job at the record company.

My job at Wacdonalds was simple. I was a waiter and had to serve food.

Combining the two jobs and after some subtractions, for my personal expenditures, from the total amount I earned, I would have a decent amount by the end of every month which I’d save for the payback at the end of 6 months.

But would my body cope?

“Oi, Miroku, you’re too slow! Look the customers are all getting restless. Don’t come whining to me if the boss fires you!”

It was Mr. Shizukawa, the manager of this shop. He was a fine gentleman. He’d show his affection by paying you a bit more than usual or make your life hell by forcing you to work overtime.

Life of hard-work isn’t easy; I came to know that now.

“Move your butt, baka!”

It was one of the customers, I had the least clue who. I looked about and finally got Shizukawa’s signal. He pointed towards the window by the door and I didn’t have to ask for more.

Life won’t be easy for me anymore, there’s only one way where my life can go and that’s downhill. Which means hardships will be frequent and more in magnitude.

But I’ll live nevertheless and fight along till the very end.

*****

Sango’s POV

“Sango, please check on that table, the customer came in a long time ago but he hasn’t ordered anything yet.”

“Okay, Ms. Noriko.”

This is just another grueling day of my life. There’s been no end to these ever since I’d decided to stand on my own. But I’ve been living through this from the past 1 year and hopefully I’ll live through this as long as my little brother can’t see the daylight.

Kohaku is blind through no fault of his. I can’t say it was my fault either. But partially it was my fault but the majority of the blame can go to my father.

I went to the table. A man probably in his late 20s sat on the chair with his hands on the table, fingers tapping on the glass to an unheard tune. He looked up at me, grinning.

“Wow!” he made a pass at my dress.

I was sure of it and knowingly or unknowingly he got me pissed.

“Excuse me,” I tried to avoid entering in any kind of conversation with him, “would you like to order something?”

“Mm, pretty, can you get me those meat balls?”

I couldn’t believe he’d say that at my face, looking at my chest. My tempers flared. For a moment I forgot where I was and how I should behave.

I slapped him right across his face. It pained him a great deal. I could assume so from his mutterings.

“Miss Taijiya!” it was Noriko. I realized where I was; and also that I won’t be here for long.

“He- It’s okay, you don’t have to say it. I’m leaving.”

It’s better to walk away with your self-pride than without it.

I went to the changing room and got myself changed into casual clothes and walked out of the place which had given me money and hope to cope with life.

I didn’t know what I’d do after that. But something or the other had to be done. I couldn’t have stayed on the streets.

It wasn’t time yet to pay my apartment rents and that gave me solace. At least, there’s a roof under which I can put my brother and myself in. But there wasn’t much of a guarantee when it came to time.

As long as my brother is fine and has a hope for the future, I’ll manage.

Somehow or the other I will.

*****

Miroku's POV

The street lights are glowing dimmer, some are already out. And without a moon in the sky, or stars, it was probably the darkest night in a long time.

“Who would be there in this dead of the night?” I thought to myself as I walked past the dark buildings, gloomy, one might say.

Some mews and barks could be heard in the alleys, but no other noise.

I sighed. “I guess only dogs and cats are there to give me company huh?”

There was a flash of thunder followed by a rumbling noise. This was a sudden change. The day was pretty clear and sun pretty much held the sway. But the night, I think, won’t be the same...Much like my life. It was different before...and now it’s something else.

Don’t know if anyone else’s life changed the way mine did.

*****

“Get away from him, you bitch! Hell, if I don’t break his neck today!”

“Have you lost control of yourself?! Don’t you see who I am? Don’t you see who he is? Do you only see that whore of yours and that damned bottle which you keep holding with that damned hand of yours? Can’t you just leave us alone!?”

“I care for you too much to leave you two alone.”

“Damn you...”

“Only after I’m done with him”

The blurred images of a man, tall and slim, holding a bottle of alcohol in his strong fist, gripping it tightly to almost the limit of its tenacity, flashed in her mind.

She had been walking all evening. The knowledge of her destination eluded her. Almost detached from her surroundings she walked, but surprisingly enough she didn’t get hit by any of the cars which she came past while crossing the road.

The bottle which the hand held came crashing down on a boy, when it was meant for someone else. The boy landed with a thud, unconscious, bleeding. The girl beside him shielded him from someone – a man. He was getting closer to strike again. She sprang up, thrashed him, pushed him away, so that he fell down, and then dragged the young boy out of the colorless room, red blood trailing their path.

Everything seemed like a never ending nightmare. Relentlessly it rained down bitter memories on her. She didn’t even realize the rain that had started in drops first and then turned to a downpour.

She was soaking wet. She needed a refuge...but she didn’t feel it. Sometimes it’s too hard to keep track of the present. Especially when you have a past which you’d gladly lose track of.

But, she just couldn’t manage to do that.

The invisible hand that worked up so many bitter memories seemed to have a firm grip on her; by the second she was being dragged to the colorless room from which she had fled once.

“Sango?”

She snapped out of her nightmare. A familiar figure stood beside her – a boy – his hand on her shoulder. But she couldn’t see his face clearly, it was too blurry.

Realizing she’d been crying all along, she quickly wiped her eyes. Now she could clearly see who the figure was.

“Miroku?” a questioning look on her face.

“I saw you walking in the rain...shouldn’t you be at home by now? Speaking of which, isn’t this the opposite direction from your home?”

“I...I think I lost track...”

He frowned, perhaps because he was thinking. “You can come at my place, if you don’t mind. My house is only some steps away. Don’t worry I promise I won’t cause any harm.”

“I think I’ll have to give in...But no perverted-” she sneezed, “God, I didn’t want this now!”

“There’s some medicine at my place, you can have them. Now c’mon, let me take you there.” he seized her by the arm and almost dragged her to his house; she went with him without any protests.

*****

He slowly opened the door, slow enough to cause no sound. He could see her figure by the window, staring blankly at the ceaseless downpour outside, occasional lightning lighting up her face.

He stayed at the door, she didn’t notice his presence. He couldn’t think of what to do. Should he go in and ask her what was bothering her? It sure seemed something serious. Would she accept his curiosity? She accepted him as her friend and therefore he had some right to know what bothered her. But wouldn’t it be unfriendly to violate her personal space? She might think he’s taking advantage of her because she is staying at his house.

He gently closed the door and walked away.

“I better not speak with her about what bothers her... It might hurt her more if I bring up the issue – whatever it is – in front of her again. I’m not sure what to do. I can’t hurt her more while trying to ease her pain...She has to fight it herself, at least for now...Please forgive me if I’m wrong, Sango...I’m just too unsure...” hanging his head low, as if hiding from the shadows cast on the walls, he walked away, thoughts wandering in and out of his mind, pulling him towards her once and pushing him away the other.

He walked down the stairs and walking past the dining space he reached Mushin’s room; saying nothing, he opened the door and shut it silently as he entered; only the sound of a sigh came from inside.

*****

“It’s better that he didn’t come here. I would've broken down completely if he had. I know he cares for me...he wouldn’t have taken me in otherwise. He has far too much to worry about. Far too many things are weighing on him. I can’t weigh him down further...I can’t get him worried about me...”

Without her notice tears fell down her cheeks. She cursed, angrily wiped off the tears and lied down on the bed. The day was so much tiring for her that she didn’t even notice when she fell asleep.

The rain grew harder as the night grew darker. The insiders didn’t have to worry about that, they had other things to worry about.

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A/N: Baka means idiot/stupid or similar terms.
Now bye before the author goes crazy! Ku ku ku... see!!! the evil laughter!! GAWD!! Bye folks!!