Sweet Seduction
Disclaimer: Inuyasha not mine...
Chapter One – Contest
Kagome Higurashi was beautiful, always, intelligent, always, and admired, always. Despite having inherited nearly a billion dollars after the death of her parents, she was also a professional movie star, violinist, and model. To say she was multitalented was an understatement.
Flipping through the pages of a magazine that featured her on nearly every page, Kagome leaned back in her chair, completely ignoring the banging on her door. Despite popular opinion, she did not have a perfect life; nothing could be further from the truth.
She sighed irritably and threw the issue at the door. The banging ceased for one second before continuing again.
"Come in," she called, rather annoyed.
The door swung open, revealing a harassed-looking reporter holding a battered microphone. "Miss Higurashi, you remember your appointment with us...?"
"If I didn't remember, I do now," she replied, glaring daggers at the man. "Well, do hurry up. My time is rather limited, you know."
"Of course, sorry." Turning to the cameramen, he spoke into the microphone. "And now, for our exclusive interview with the most beloved star in all of Japan, here's the famous celebrity Kagome Higurashi!" The camera focused on Kagome.
Unfortunately for the reporter, Kagome's cell phone rang abruptly. She waited for the answering machine. The prerecorded voice spoke: 'Hello, Kagome's not here right now. Actually, she probably is waiting for you to leave a message so she can ignore you if you're a fan. Please leave a message after the beep.'
The voice speaking was rather familiar, and Kagome snapped open her phone as soon as the familiar "Kagome, open this phone right now!" could be heard.
"Hi, Miroku," she greeted eagerly. "Thank Kami-sama you called. I was about to die of boredom; all these idiot reporters are here again. Well, what's new?"
Miroku laughed softly on the other end of the phone. "You know perfectly well I'm only calling because you asked me to get you out of the interview."
"What's that?" Kagome faked. "Oh, no, your sister's missing, your cat's seriously injured, and you're being threatened by a thief with your own pistol? I'll be there right away." She ignored her friend's hysterical laughter as she pressed 'end'. "Well, I'm sorry, whatever your name is, but a friend needs me, so I'll have to schedule the interview another time. Thanks, the door's that way, goodbye."
"But Miss Higurashi, this was supposed to fill half our hour-long show!" the flustered reporter complained.
"Really? What a tragedy. See you some other time." Kagome grabbed her bag and slammed the door as she left, ushering the news people out as she did so. "What a nuisance."
Miroku was waiting for her in front of his house. "Hey, Kagome. Did I get rid of those reporters for you?" At her affirmative nod, he smiled slyly. "You owe me one. Why don't you –"
"No."
"You didn't even hear what I was going to ask."
Kagome shrugged. "Knowing you, it's something perverted and disgusting. So, found your sister yet?"
He grinned. "Oh, yes. My imaginary sibling is at home petting the imaginary cat and playing with the not-so-imaginary pistol."
"Naughty, naughty Miroku. Ever heard of the phrase 'don't play with fire'?"
Miroku shrugged absently. "Naturally, but I've never heard of the saying 'don't play with firearms'." He grinned crookedly at her. "By the way, what's so bad about being interviewed?"
"Lots." Kagome pushed open her companion's door and barged in.
Miroku sighed, exasperated. "Kagome, what you need is a nice, long vacation, preferably to somewhere where you aren't attacked by snobby fans all the time."
She blinked at him. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Miroku. Unfortunately, it's also impossible."
"Nothing's impossible," her companion replied grandly. "Well, actually, some things are. Hmm." He lapsed into thoughtfulness.
Kagome waited patiently.
"I've got it!" he yelled excitedly. "You are going to have a contest!"
She blinked again. "Um...what?"
"A violin contest," he explained. "You should be a good enough judge at that, right? Well, here's the plan: you are going to find that reporter of yours and announce publicly that you will have a contest to determine the best violin player in the country! Other than you, of course."
"That's great, but where does my vacation come in?" she demanded.
"Here it comes," Miroku replied with a flourish. "Whoever wins gets to trade lives with you for a month! You'll get to live somewhere nice and normal, and meanwhile, you'll make the dreams of a pretty girl come true!"
"If the winner's pretty, I'll be making your dreams come true," Kagome replied sarcastically. "But actually, that's not a bad idea. I think...I'll do it."
Miroku smiled triumphantly. "Perfect. Now...just make sure your judging is biased towards any lovely girls!"
"Miroku, you think anything with a female figure is lovely," Kagome reminded him. "Now, I have to find a random reporter. They're all dying to interview me." She rolled her sapphire eyes. "Well, bye, Miroku, and thanks for the idea!" Waving, she sauntered out of his house.
He watched her go, grinning slightly. "Have fun, Kagome!" he yelled to her retreating back. "I hope she picks someone decent..."
"And here at CNN live, we have the amazing Kagome Higurashi, teenage star!" the TV set blared. Sango Taijiya stared wistfully at the undoubtedly beautiful girl who was flashing her well-known flawless smile at the cameras. How she wished she could be Kagome, if only for a month.
Kagome was speaking into the microphone now, running her hands through her long, silky hair. "Well, I've decided that all this celebrity stuff is getting slightly...repetitive, and besides, Miroku's been telling me I need a vacation. So...I came up with an idea to remedy both problems."
"Miroku's your ex-boyfriend, is he not?" the newsperson asked, eager to add some allure to the interview.
The girl flushed. "He most certainly is not! How dare you! We're practically siblings! I'm going to CNBC! To all viewers, catch me on in half an hour!" She waved and ran out of the building, leaving a flustered anchorwoman behind.
Sango blinked at the TV screen. "That was sudden," she remarked wryly.
The back door swung open, and soon a silver-haired youth sauntered confidently in, holding a soda in one hand. "Hey, Sango, what's wrong with that reporter on TV? She looks a bit confused."
"Kagome Higurashi just ran out of an interview," Sango replied bemusedly. "Inuyasha, that's my soda you're drinking!"
The other took a long slurp. "I'm aware of that. Kagome Higurashi, did you say?"
"Yep." Sango sighed wistfully. "She said she'll be on CNBC in a while...she's holding some sort of contest thing."
"She said she'd be on CNBC before asking them?" Inuyasha growled. "I loathe those cocky rich spoiled brats who get everything they want. Especially her. I mean, you're just as good at the violin as she is, especially with your father's Stradivarius violin."
Sango just laughed at him.
"Ok, maybe not, but you're damn close," her friend said, flipping the channels until he came to CNBC. "Well, let's see what that wench has to say."
"Don't call her that! I'm sure she's a really nice girl who's merely lucky enough to inherit money from her parents."
Inuyasha shrugged languidly, his golden eyes dark, as Kagome bounced back on the screen.
"Hi to all my fans, friends, and family! This is Kagome Higurashi speaking –" she pointedly ignored the reporter behind her who'd just been interrupted in the middle of a hurricane warning – "and I'm here with a rather important announcement that's not about hurricanes."
"She's so stupid," Inuyasha growled.
"1600 SAT score, went to Yale, and you're calling her stupid? Hypocrite," Sango muttered, listening keenly to the girl on the screen.
"Anyways, I decided that I'm completely bored of being labeled as a cocky, rich, spoiled brat all the time just because I'm famous," Kagome continued into the microphone.
Sango grinned evilly at her companion, who turned defiantly away.
"So my loyal friend, Miroku, gave me the idea of exchanging lives with a person in Japan for an entire month! To win, send in an application for a slot. It's a contest for the best violin player in Japan!" Kagome grinned at the screen. "Just send a letter asking for a slot and I'll be the judge!" Handing back the microphone to the reporter, the girl flounced off the screen again.
"I thought that girl was the best violinist in Japan," Inuyasha remarked sarcastically.
"She is, but she's not arrogant enough to say that," Sango retorted.
Her companion shrugged. "You know, I think you should try out for this contest. I mean, you're really good, and besides, you do need a taste of this royal life that Higurashi girl has."
"Me, compete? You're joking," the girl declared, tossing back her long hair.
Shrugging, Inuyasha smiled. "It was only a suggestion," he replied. "Well, I got to go now. Here's your soda." He handed her the empty can. "Say hi to the brat for me, will you? Thanks."
"Bye, Inuyasha," Sango called, waving. "Me, win the competition?" she mused. "Impossible."
But the thought still lingered in her mind...
Kagome grinned at Miroku. "Well, it's done," she announced proudly. "And, since you were the one who gave me the idea, you will also be in charge of the mail!"
"You...you're kidding, right?" Miroku demanded. "I'm a busy man! I don't have time to sort through heaps of junk!"
She smiled at him.
Few men could resist that smile, and unfortunately for him, Miroku was definitely not one of them.
"Damn you," he muttered, but glanced resignedly at the giant box by the door where Kagome stored her fan mail. "All right, when do I start?"
Kagome gestured to the box, where her employees were unloading the first letters. "Now."
Inuyasha carefully wrote with his left hand, disguising his handwriting. 'Hello,' the letter read, 'my name is Sango Taijiya. I've been studying the violin for twelve years. Please let me have a chance to play for you. Thank you.'
He smirked as he stuffed the paper into an envelope and scribbled his friend's address down on the front. "Who knows," he mused. "Perhaps she really will win, and then she'll thank me."
Miroku slit open another envelope and pulled out the letter. "Hello, I'm Sakura," he read aloud. "Oh, it's a girl." He marked the name 'Sakura' onto a form that had enough slots for a thousand people. He pulled open the next. "This is Akira. Ok, not a girl." That letter went into the paper shredder.
Kagome bounced cheerily in. Her mood had been heightening since she'd announced the contest. "Hi, Miroku, how's it going?"
He waved the chart at her.
She picked it up. "Hmm...Kagura, Kanna, Midoriko, Kikyo, Sakura, Ayame, Amarante, Yuka, Yura, Eri, Ayumi..." She continued scanning the list. "Miroku, why are all these contestants females?"
He looked at her innocently. "Perhaps the males figured there'd be no point in coming here if you were going to be gone the entire month."
"Nice try. I'd better see at least five males on that chart out of the thousand people." Kagome tossed the list back at him and sauntered away.
"You just had to do that, didn't you?" Miroku yelled after her. "What if those five males take the place of five gorgeous, talented females that could have come?"
She merely flashed him a smile and slammed the door behind her.
"Ugh." Miroku picked up the next letter. "Hi, my name is Sango..." He wrote the name on the chart. "Ok, I promise that the next five males I find in this pile will be placed on the list."
However, as luck would have it, he managed to keep forgetting, and by the time the chart was filled, no males had managed to make their way on the list.
Sango picked up the fancily bordered envelope from her front porch and inspected it carefully. She pulled open the top, lifting out the letter within, and froze.
Sango Taijiya: Participant in the Higurashi Violin Competition
Time: 7:45 AM
Date: 9/14
Located at the Higurashi Towers' Auditorium 1
Thank you for your participation, and good luck!
-Kagome Higurashi
She dropped the envelope. Clutching the letter, she ran into her house and grabbed the phone, punching in the numbers hastily. As soon as it was picked up, she screamed, "Inuyasha!"
"Yeah?" the disembodied voice replied grumpily. "I was sleeping."
"Inuyasha, I made it! I was accepted into the contest!"
"Huh? What contest?"
"Don't be silly," she admonished. "You were the one who entered me, weren't you?"
Inuyasha paused. "Oh, you mean the violin contest. You were given an audition time? Well, that's great, Sango. Now, do you mind? Some people sleep at this time."
"Oh, yes, I forgot. I'm not allowed to call you until the sun's directly overhead." She rolled her eyes. "Well, thanks anyways, Inuyasha!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Goodbye." click
Sango rushed up the dilapidated stairs to the master bedroom in the house, where a young boy was staring blankly out the window. "Kohaku," she said softly.
The boy turned, his eyes blank. "Oh, hello. Your name's...um...Sango, right?"
She nodded sadly. "Yes, I'm Sango. How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, thanks," he replied politely, like she were a stranger instead of his sister.
"That's good." She paused. "Kohaku, on Saturday I'm going to be driving down to the Higurashi Towers where I have a violin contest, ok?"
He nodded. "Ok. Good luck. I hope you win." He turned back to the window.
Sango tried not to cry.
"Miroku!" Kagome roared. "How could you have shredded every letter from a male?"
"I don't know," Miroku cowered.
She sighed. "Oh well. So, when to the auditions start?"
He checked the list. "Um...tomorrow."
"Fine. By the way, how's your hand doing? I can't believe you were attacked by a rabid monkey at the zoo."
Miroku grimaced. "Well, other than the fact that there's a hole in the center of my palm, I'm ok, I suppose."
"Always the melodrama," Kagome teased, before slipping out of the room.
Going into her own suite, she lifted her instrument, the most perfectly crafted violin money could buy, and placed the bow gently on the strings.
The familiar famous first notes of Mendelssohn's Concerto in E Minor rolled out.
And standing there, immersed in her music, Kagome didn't notice the bloodred eyes watching her through the windows.
Sitting in an extremely comfortable velvet-upholstered armchair, Kagome smiled politely at the first contestant, a trembling girl holding a rather cheap-looking violin. "What's your name?" she asked.
"My name's Leiko," the girl replied. "Should...should I start playing now?"
"If you like," Kagome answered calmly. However, her serenity soon evaporated in the face of the girl's horrible screeching.
"Stop...Stop, please!...STOP PLAYING!"
The girl subsided. "So, how was it?"
Kagome tried to smile but couldn't quite manage it. "Interesting," she said doubtfully. "Please send the next person in."
The next person who entered was a small, extremely pale slip of a girl, who didn't smile. "What's your name?" Kagome asked curiously.
"Kanna," the girl whispered softly.
"Well, Kanna, you can start playing whenever you like."
Kanna lifted her amazingly polished instrument and played 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'. Granted, her tone was wonderful, but the tune was just a bit simple.
"Thank you. Send the next in."
And so it went. The novelty wore off after a while. Every so often, a decent person would enter, and Kagome would hope that there was some characteristic that would place that person above the others, but there never was.
It stretched on continually.
On Saturday, after terrifying squeaks and complaints from Miroku that his head hurt (which was partially from his being slapped after he tried getting more friendly with the contestants), Kagome was almost ready to give up.
Until the next girl entered.
Kagome's attention was immediately drawn to the violin carried. She peered at it closely, then looked up at the girl. "Sango, did you say your name was? May I examine your instrument?"
Sango, quite nervous, handed it over immediately. She was starting to regret thanking Inuyasha for entering her in this contest. She just wanted to go home and tend to Kohaku. Not that he was missing her, but still...
"Is this a Stradivarius?"
She nodded.
Kagome sighed. "Very well," she said, handing back the exquisite violin. "You may begin."
It'd taken Sango a surprisingly short time to decide which piece to play. She launched into Mendelssohn's Concerto in E, racing vigorously through the runs, her arpeggios in the cadenza flawless. When the ringing of her last note died into the air, she finally put down the instrument.
Kagome was crying.
"What's wrong? Was...was I that bad?" Sango asked worriedly.
The celebrity looked up from her table. "You can dismiss everyone else," she replied, "because I've chosen the winner. I wasn't crying because you were bad. I was crying because you really are better than me."
Sango just stared.
"I've been looking for someone to rise up and push me away," Kagome explained. "I don't want to be the best. You wouldn't understand all the pressure that comes with the title. Always, everyone's striving to defeat you. All you ever hear is 'Oh, I bet I'm better than the Higurashi girl,' and so on."
Sango didn't know what to say.
Kagome looked away. "Well, now I've found you, and I don't know whether I'm happy or sad." She looked up at Sango. "Are you sure you want to spend a month in my life?"
Sango glanced at the glory of the room, the gilden walls, the tapestries, everything. Then she looked past all that, to the sorrow and anger of the trapped Kagome.
She nodded. She wasn't doing this for herself. She was doing this for the girl, trapped within a cage of fame, unable to break free.
As if Kagome had read her thoughts, the other girl smiled. "Thank you," she whispered.
The newpaper headline the next day read, 'Kagome Higurashi to switch lives with Sango Taijiya for a month! The teen queen learns of life from a different perspective! Let's see what will happen!' Underneath was a huge article describing Kagome, Sango, and the contest.
Sango was being interviewed with Kagome. She was amazed at how Kagome kept her poise through the entire recording session, even though the bright lights were shining directly in her eyes.
The reported turned to Sango. "And now, Miss Taijiya, what are your feelings about this whole thing?"
"Um..." Sango stuttered, trying to ignore the clicking of cameras. "Well...I guess it's a great opportunity, and...yeah."
"Could you be a bit more precise?"
"Not really," Sango replied. "Well...I'm really happy to be learning how Kagome lives...I mean, she's so famous, and I want to see how it feels..." She would have said more, but the reporter yanked the microphone away, returning to Kagome.
"As for you, Miss Higurashi, how do you view this exchange?"
Kagome's smile was pure poison. "I'll be delighted to get away from reporters that chase after me all the time," she answered as sweetly as possible. "I wish Sango luck in staying away from fans, too." Though the reporter jerked the microphone away, Kagome, with a devious smile, yanked it right back.
The reporter blinked.
"Also, I hope that Miroku can stop harassing every girl in sight – that's a warning to you, Sango – and I also can keep dreaming of not being assaulted by tabloids when I come back." She tossed the microphone absently out the window and stood. "Now, I really must be going. I need to show Sango around this place."
Sango followed obediently as Kagome dragged her outside.
"I thought your advisor was showing me around," Sango remarked.
Kagome grinned. "Oh, he is. I just wanted to get out of that interview. Now, what was your address again?"
"Fifteen Wasai Lane, Tokyo, Japan," she recited.
The star smiled. "Ok, thanks. I'm leaving in a bit. Actually, I'm going to say goodbye to Miroku, so you'd better come along." She swept Sango with her as she darted out the door towards the large room at the end of the hall.
Knocking, Kagome waited for exactly three seconds before she turned the doorknob and entered. "Miroku!" she called.
A rather disheveled young man emerged from under the blankets. "Don't worry, I was just sleeping...alone..." he assured her, seeing her dubious expression. His gaze turned to Sango. "And who might this lovely young lady be, Kagome?"
"This is Sango Taijiya. You know, the girl that won. Well, I'm leaving now, Miroku, so see you soon. Can you come visit me sometime?"
"Sure," Miroku replied. "Address?"
"Um...fifteen Wasai Lane, Tokyo, Japan. Sango, you come too. By the way, you mentioned that you had a brother. Is he in the house, or do you want him to come over here?"
"He's better off staying in the house," Sango replied softly. "My friend Inuyasha will take care of him. You needn't worry about that. There's a swimming pool in the back of our house where you can relax, too. It might be a bit small..."
"Don't worry about it, I'm sure it's fine," Kagome reassured Sango. "Well, see you guys later!" She brushed a perfunctory kiss on Miroku's cheek, hugged Sango, and whirled out the door.
The doorknob turned slowly. Carefully, Kagome stepped inside. She looked in amazement at the tiny and hardly immaculate rooms.
A step from upstairs alerted her to another presence. "That's probably Sango's brother," Kagome murmured, walking up the steps.
Someone barreled into her, pinning her at the landing. "You're not Sango," a voice hissed.
'A talking guarddog?' Kagome wondered mentally.
"Who are you? Speak up!"
"Er...are you Sango's brother?" she inquired nervously.
"No, I'm not," her assailant replied. "Now, what's your name? I could report you to the police!"
"My name's Kagome Higurashi, and I basically own the police," Kagome replied sarcastically. "Now, could you get off me?"
"You're Kagome?" Her attacker stood up. "You mean, Sango won?"
"Yes, she did, as a matter of fact. Who the hell are you? I'm supposed to be taking care of her house, you know."
He looked away, mildly embarrassed. "Feh. My name's Inuyasha, and Sango asked me to watch over Kohaku whenever she was gone."
"Oh. Is Kohaku her brother?" Kagome tried asking random questions while studying the boy carefully.
Inuyasha's silvery hair fell just past his shoulders. Brilliant golden eyes flashed with fire one minute, but dulled the next. His ears were strangely pointed, almost triangular, and his nose was rather pointed as well. His fingernails were also uncommonly long.
"I'm leaving now," Inuyasha informed her. "I happen not to enjoy the company of snobby rich girls. Kohaku's in there, if you want to see him." He stormed down the stairs, and she heard the door slam.
Kagome glared after him, then entered the room. In the corner, a boy was curled under a blanket, drinking what looked like soup. She moved closer.
The boy glanced up. "Hello," he said softly. "I think my name's Kohaku. Are you Sango?"
She shivered at the blank confusion in the boy's eyes. "No, I'm not Sango."
"Oh, I forgot! Sango told me she was going to a contest."
"That's right." Kagome sat down on the edge of his bed. "She won."
"Good, she deserves to win. She tries to make me remember myself." Kohaku shrugged. "I usually can't remember anything, but it's really nice of her to try, especially since she's just a stranger."
"She's your sister," Kagome whispered.
"She's told me that before, but I forgot that, too." Kohaku sighed. "Well, who are you?"
"My name's Kagome Higurashi," she replied. "I'm...a friend of Sango's."
"Oh, you are? That's good," Kohaku answered fretfully. "I think I've seen you before. You're not my sister, are you?"
"No..." Kagome said, puzzled.
Kohaku peered more closely at her. "I know! You're that pretty lady who's always on when Sango lets me watch TV."
Kagome blushed slightly. "Yes, I suppose so. Now, Sango told me to make sure you got some rest, so put down your soup and go to sleep."
"Soup?" Kohaku blinked. "This is hot chocolate."
She stared at the little lumps floating in it. "Well, put that down and go to sleep. I'm going to relax in the pool."
Kohaku nodded and relaxed against the pillow, his breathing shallow.
"I really need to teach that friend of Sango's how to cook," Kagome muttered to herself as she pulled on her two-piece bathing suit and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Walking out into the backyard, she smiled at the blue-green waters.
She carefully climbed up to the diving board and bounced on her heels three times before diving in, her body arcing in a smooth curve.
Slipping into the water with barely a splash, Kagome swam underneath until her lungs were burning. She resurfaced reluctantly, gasping for air. The temperature was pleasant, even if the pool was rather tiny compared to her usual one...
No. If she was going to enjoy this vacation, she needed to forget about her normal life.
She floated on her back and watched the clouds drift peacefully by. Their stark whiteness against the blue sky contrasted splendidly. Watching their shapes shift, she giggled as she spotted a dog, an elephant, and...an Inuyasha?
Shrieking, she righted herself and glared indignantly at the youth. "What are you doing here?" she sputtered.
He glared at her. "I'm swimming," he replied. "Sango gave me permission."
Kagome shrugged. "You could at least warn me," she muttered, spitting out water. "Oh well, I'm getting out anyways." She pulled herself out of the pool.
"You don't really have to," Inuyasha replied mulishly.
"This pool's a bit small, and since you were given the right by Sango, you can go ahead," Kagome answered, slightly apologetically.
Inuyasha glowered. "I forgot, you're so famous you're used only to huge, rich, expensive things," he snapped. "Well, get over it, because we're not quite as amazingly famous as you, and you'd better stop hoping for the best."
She whirled, and he recoiled; her eyes were snapping fire. "You narrow- minded jerk!" she snarled venomously. "You think that just because I'm famous for being a model and movie star, I'm exactly like the other stereotypical famous losers who sit around all day and enjoy receiving hundreds of fan letters each day. Well, here's news to you: I hate it all!"
Inuyasha tried saying something, but she continued with her tirade.
"Why do you think I arranged this vacation in the first place? I needed to get away from all the flashing lights and the catwalks! Also, I was hoping that whoever took my place would be disillusioned, that I would save another girl from aspiring to become famous!"
She paused for a second before continuing with her rant.
"So, I came here, into this nice, pretty street in Tokyo, hoping that I could find peace, and here you are! An egotistical, hypocritical loser who just has to spoil my outing! For Kami-sama's sake, do you think I actually like being a star? I'm trapped, ok? I can't get out of it, because everywhere I go, people follow me!"
She turned and stormed away, slamming the porch door hard behind her.
Inuyasha stared after her, his ears drooping ever so slightly.
Kagome sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter. 'Perhaps this contest wasn't such a good idea after all...'
Sango was quite pissed.
It wasn't that there was anything wrong with Kagome's huge complex. The place was undeniably beautiful, exotic flowers blooming eternally, nightingales singing even in broad daylight.
No, she adored the towers. The only problem with the tour was her tour guide.
Namely, Miroku.
At first, the neverending attention he lavished upon her was pleasing. She'd never been treated like that before, and she found she enjoyed it immensely.
However, his wandering hands began to be somewhat of a nuisance, and after Sango slapped him for the seventh time in a row, she whirled on him.
"Could you possibly STOP THAT?" she roared.
Miroku stared at her. "It's not me," he explained smoothly. "It's my cursed hand."
"Nice try," she retorted. "From now on, you can walk in front of me instead of next to me."
"Ah, I'm wounded," Miroku gasped melodramatically. "But I shall do as you ask, fair lady." He lead the way towards a pool. Peering in, Sango saw a group of young children, laughing and playing together, and she suddenly felt a stab of pain in her heart as she remembered Kohaku.
'Perhaps this contest wasn't such a good idea after all...'
Disclaimer: Inuyasha not mine...
Chapter One – Contest
Kagome Higurashi was beautiful, always, intelligent, always, and admired, always. Despite having inherited nearly a billion dollars after the death of her parents, she was also a professional movie star, violinist, and model. To say she was multitalented was an understatement.
Flipping through the pages of a magazine that featured her on nearly every page, Kagome leaned back in her chair, completely ignoring the banging on her door. Despite popular opinion, she did not have a perfect life; nothing could be further from the truth.
She sighed irritably and threw the issue at the door. The banging ceased for one second before continuing again.
"Come in," she called, rather annoyed.
The door swung open, revealing a harassed-looking reporter holding a battered microphone. "Miss Higurashi, you remember your appointment with us...?"
"If I didn't remember, I do now," she replied, glaring daggers at the man. "Well, do hurry up. My time is rather limited, you know."
"Of course, sorry." Turning to the cameramen, he spoke into the microphone. "And now, for our exclusive interview with the most beloved star in all of Japan, here's the famous celebrity Kagome Higurashi!" The camera focused on Kagome.
Unfortunately for the reporter, Kagome's cell phone rang abruptly. She waited for the answering machine. The prerecorded voice spoke: 'Hello, Kagome's not here right now. Actually, she probably is waiting for you to leave a message so she can ignore you if you're a fan. Please leave a message after the beep.'
The voice speaking was rather familiar, and Kagome snapped open her phone as soon as the familiar "Kagome, open this phone right now!" could be heard.
"Hi, Miroku," she greeted eagerly. "Thank Kami-sama you called. I was about to die of boredom; all these idiot reporters are here again. Well, what's new?"
Miroku laughed softly on the other end of the phone. "You know perfectly well I'm only calling because you asked me to get you out of the interview."
"What's that?" Kagome faked. "Oh, no, your sister's missing, your cat's seriously injured, and you're being threatened by a thief with your own pistol? I'll be there right away." She ignored her friend's hysterical laughter as she pressed 'end'. "Well, I'm sorry, whatever your name is, but a friend needs me, so I'll have to schedule the interview another time. Thanks, the door's that way, goodbye."
"But Miss Higurashi, this was supposed to fill half our hour-long show!" the flustered reporter complained.
"Really? What a tragedy. See you some other time." Kagome grabbed her bag and slammed the door as she left, ushering the news people out as she did so. "What a nuisance."
Miroku was waiting for her in front of his house. "Hey, Kagome. Did I get rid of those reporters for you?" At her affirmative nod, he smiled slyly. "You owe me one. Why don't you –"
"No."
"You didn't even hear what I was going to ask."
Kagome shrugged. "Knowing you, it's something perverted and disgusting. So, found your sister yet?"
He grinned. "Oh, yes. My imaginary sibling is at home petting the imaginary cat and playing with the not-so-imaginary pistol."
"Naughty, naughty Miroku. Ever heard of the phrase 'don't play with fire'?"
Miroku shrugged absently. "Naturally, but I've never heard of the saying 'don't play with firearms'." He grinned crookedly at her. "By the way, what's so bad about being interviewed?"
"Lots." Kagome pushed open her companion's door and barged in.
Miroku sighed, exasperated. "Kagome, what you need is a nice, long vacation, preferably to somewhere where you aren't attacked by snobby fans all the time."
She blinked at him. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Miroku. Unfortunately, it's also impossible."
"Nothing's impossible," her companion replied grandly. "Well, actually, some things are. Hmm." He lapsed into thoughtfulness.
Kagome waited patiently.
"I've got it!" he yelled excitedly. "You are going to have a contest!"
She blinked again. "Um...what?"
"A violin contest," he explained. "You should be a good enough judge at that, right? Well, here's the plan: you are going to find that reporter of yours and announce publicly that you will have a contest to determine the best violin player in the country! Other than you, of course."
"That's great, but where does my vacation come in?" she demanded.
"Here it comes," Miroku replied with a flourish. "Whoever wins gets to trade lives with you for a month! You'll get to live somewhere nice and normal, and meanwhile, you'll make the dreams of a pretty girl come true!"
"If the winner's pretty, I'll be making your dreams come true," Kagome replied sarcastically. "But actually, that's not a bad idea. I think...I'll do it."
Miroku smiled triumphantly. "Perfect. Now...just make sure your judging is biased towards any lovely girls!"
"Miroku, you think anything with a female figure is lovely," Kagome reminded him. "Now, I have to find a random reporter. They're all dying to interview me." She rolled her sapphire eyes. "Well, bye, Miroku, and thanks for the idea!" Waving, she sauntered out of his house.
He watched her go, grinning slightly. "Have fun, Kagome!" he yelled to her retreating back. "I hope she picks someone decent..."
"And here at CNN live, we have the amazing Kagome Higurashi, teenage star!" the TV set blared. Sango Taijiya stared wistfully at the undoubtedly beautiful girl who was flashing her well-known flawless smile at the cameras. How she wished she could be Kagome, if only for a month.
Kagome was speaking into the microphone now, running her hands through her long, silky hair. "Well, I've decided that all this celebrity stuff is getting slightly...repetitive, and besides, Miroku's been telling me I need a vacation. So...I came up with an idea to remedy both problems."
"Miroku's your ex-boyfriend, is he not?" the newsperson asked, eager to add some allure to the interview.
The girl flushed. "He most certainly is not! How dare you! We're practically siblings! I'm going to CNBC! To all viewers, catch me on in half an hour!" She waved and ran out of the building, leaving a flustered anchorwoman behind.
Sango blinked at the TV screen. "That was sudden," she remarked wryly.
The back door swung open, and soon a silver-haired youth sauntered confidently in, holding a soda in one hand. "Hey, Sango, what's wrong with that reporter on TV? She looks a bit confused."
"Kagome Higurashi just ran out of an interview," Sango replied bemusedly. "Inuyasha, that's my soda you're drinking!"
The other took a long slurp. "I'm aware of that. Kagome Higurashi, did you say?"
"Yep." Sango sighed wistfully. "She said she'll be on CNBC in a while...she's holding some sort of contest thing."
"She said she'd be on CNBC before asking them?" Inuyasha growled. "I loathe those cocky rich spoiled brats who get everything they want. Especially her. I mean, you're just as good at the violin as she is, especially with your father's Stradivarius violin."
Sango just laughed at him.
"Ok, maybe not, but you're damn close," her friend said, flipping the channels until he came to CNBC. "Well, let's see what that wench has to say."
"Don't call her that! I'm sure she's a really nice girl who's merely lucky enough to inherit money from her parents."
Inuyasha shrugged languidly, his golden eyes dark, as Kagome bounced back on the screen.
"Hi to all my fans, friends, and family! This is Kagome Higurashi speaking –" she pointedly ignored the reporter behind her who'd just been interrupted in the middle of a hurricane warning – "and I'm here with a rather important announcement that's not about hurricanes."
"She's so stupid," Inuyasha growled.
"1600 SAT score, went to Yale, and you're calling her stupid? Hypocrite," Sango muttered, listening keenly to the girl on the screen.
"Anyways, I decided that I'm completely bored of being labeled as a cocky, rich, spoiled brat all the time just because I'm famous," Kagome continued into the microphone.
Sango grinned evilly at her companion, who turned defiantly away.
"So my loyal friend, Miroku, gave me the idea of exchanging lives with a person in Japan for an entire month! To win, send in an application for a slot. It's a contest for the best violin player in Japan!" Kagome grinned at the screen. "Just send a letter asking for a slot and I'll be the judge!" Handing back the microphone to the reporter, the girl flounced off the screen again.
"I thought that girl was the best violinist in Japan," Inuyasha remarked sarcastically.
"She is, but she's not arrogant enough to say that," Sango retorted.
Her companion shrugged. "You know, I think you should try out for this contest. I mean, you're really good, and besides, you do need a taste of this royal life that Higurashi girl has."
"Me, compete? You're joking," the girl declared, tossing back her long hair.
Shrugging, Inuyasha smiled. "It was only a suggestion," he replied. "Well, I got to go now. Here's your soda." He handed her the empty can. "Say hi to the brat for me, will you? Thanks."
"Bye, Inuyasha," Sango called, waving. "Me, win the competition?" she mused. "Impossible."
But the thought still lingered in her mind...
Kagome grinned at Miroku. "Well, it's done," she announced proudly. "And, since you were the one who gave me the idea, you will also be in charge of the mail!"
"You...you're kidding, right?" Miroku demanded. "I'm a busy man! I don't have time to sort through heaps of junk!"
She smiled at him.
Few men could resist that smile, and unfortunately for him, Miroku was definitely not one of them.
"Damn you," he muttered, but glanced resignedly at the giant box by the door where Kagome stored her fan mail. "All right, when do I start?"
Kagome gestured to the box, where her employees were unloading the first letters. "Now."
Inuyasha carefully wrote with his left hand, disguising his handwriting. 'Hello,' the letter read, 'my name is Sango Taijiya. I've been studying the violin for twelve years. Please let me have a chance to play for you. Thank you.'
He smirked as he stuffed the paper into an envelope and scribbled his friend's address down on the front. "Who knows," he mused. "Perhaps she really will win, and then she'll thank me."
Miroku slit open another envelope and pulled out the letter. "Hello, I'm Sakura," he read aloud. "Oh, it's a girl." He marked the name 'Sakura' onto a form that had enough slots for a thousand people. He pulled open the next. "This is Akira. Ok, not a girl." That letter went into the paper shredder.
Kagome bounced cheerily in. Her mood had been heightening since she'd announced the contest. "Hi, Miroku, how's it going?"
He waved the chart at her.
She picked it up. "Hmm...Kagura, Kanna, Midoriko, Kikyo, Sakura, Ayame, Amarante, Yuka, Yura, Eri, Ayumi..." She continued scanning the list. "Miroku, why are all these contestants females?"
He looked at her innocently. "Perhaps the males figured there'd be no point in coming here if you were going to be gone the entire month."
"Nice try. I'd better see at least five males on that chart out of the thousand people." Kagome tossed the list back at him and sauntered away.
"You just had to do that, didn't you?" Miroku yelled after her. "What if those five males take the place of five gorgeous, talented females that could have come?"
She merely flashed him a smile and slammed the door behind her.
"Ugh." Miroku picked up the next letter. "Hi, my name is Sango..." He wrote the name on the chart. "Ok, I promise that the next five males I find in this pile will be placed on the list."
However, as luck would have it, he managed to keep forgetting, and by the time the chart was filled, no males had managed to make their way on the list.
Sango picked up the fancily bordered envelope from her front porch and inspected it carefully. She pulled open the top, lifting out the letter within, and froze.
Sango Taijiya: Participant in the Higurashi Violin Competition
Time: 7:45 AM
Date: 9/14
Located at the Higurashi Towers' Auditorium 1
Thank you for your participation, and good luck!
-Kagome Higurashi
She dropped the envelope. Clutching the letter, she ran into her house and grabbed the phone, punching in the numbers hastily. As soon as it was picked up, she screamed, "Inuyasha!"
"Yeah?" the disembodied voice replied grumpily. "I was sleeping."
"Inuyasha, I made it! I was accepted into the contest!"
"Huh? What contest?"
"Don't be silly," she admonished. "You were the one who entered me, weren't you?"
Inuyasha paused. "Oh, you mean the violin contest. You were given an audition time? Well, that's great, Sango. Now, do you mind? Some people sleep at this time."
"Oh, yes, I forgot. I'm not allowed to call you until the sun's directly overhead." She rolled her eyes. "Well, thanks anyways, Inuyasha!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Goodbye." click
Sango rushed up the dilapidated stairs to the master bedroom in the house, where a young boy was staring blankly out the window. "Kohaku," she said softly.
The boy turned, his eyes blank. "Oh, hello. Your name's...um...Sango, right?"
She nodded sadly. "Yes, I'm Sango. How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, thanks," he replied politely, like she were a stranger instead of his sister.
"That's good." She paused. "Kohaku, on Saturday I'm going to be driving down to the Higurashi Towers where I have a violin contest, ok?"
He nodded. "Ok. Good luck. I hope you win." He turned back to the window.
Sango tried not to cry.
"Miroku!" Kagome roared. "How could you have shredded every letter from a male?"
"I don't know," Miroku cowered.
She sighed. "Oh well. So, when to the auditions start?"
He checked the list. "Um...tomorrow."
"Fine. By the way, how's your hand doing? I can't believe you were attacked by a rabid monkey at the zoo."
Miroku grimaced. "Well, other than the fact that there's a hole in the center of my palm, I'm ok, I suppose."
"Always the melodrama," Kagome teased, before slipping out of the room.
Going into her own suite, she lifted her instrument, the most perfectly crafted violin money could buy, and placed the bow gently on the strings.
The familiar famous first notes of Mendelssohn's Concerto in E Minor rolled out.
And standing there, immersed in her music, Kagome didn't notice the bloodred eyes watching her through the windows.
Sitting in an extremely comfortable velvet-upholstered armchair, Kagome smiled politely at the first contestant, a trembling girl holding a rather cheap-looking violin. "What's your name?" she asked.
"My name's Leiko," the girl replied. "Should...should I start playing now?"
"If you like," Kagome answered calmly. However, her serenity soon evaporated in the face of the girl's horrible screeching.
"Stop...Stop, please!...STOP PLAYING!"
The girl subsided. "So, how was it?"
Kagome tried to smile but couldn't quite manage it. "Interesting," she said doubtfully. "Please send the next person in."
The next person who entered was a small, extremely pale slip of a girl, who didn't smile. "What's your name?" Kagome asked curiously.
"Kanna," the girl whispered softly.
"Well, Kanna, you can start playing whenever you like."
Kanna lifted her amazingly polished instrument and played 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'. Granted, her tone was wonderful, but the tune was just a bit simple.
"Thank you. Send the next in."
And so it went. The novelty wore off after a while. Every so often, a decent person would enter, and Kagome would hope that there was some characteristic that would place that person above the others, but there never was.
It stretched on continually.
On Saturday, after terrifying squeaks and complaints from Miroku that his head hurt (which was partially from his being slapped after he tried getting more friendly with the contestants), Kagome was almost ready to give up.
Until the next girl entered.
Kagome's attention was immediately drawn to the violin carried. She peered at it closely, then looked up at the girl. "Sango, did you say your name was? May I examine your instrument?"
Sango, quite nervous, handed it over immediately. She was starting to regret thanking Inuyasha for entering her in this contest. She just wanted to go home and tend to Kohaku. Not that he was missing her, but still...
"Is this a Stradivarius?"
She nodded.
Kagome sighed. "Very well," she said, handing back the exquisite violin. "You may begin."
It'd taken Sango a surprisingly short time to decide which piece to play. She launched into Mendelssohn's Concerto in E, racing vigorously through the runs, her arpeggios in the cadenza flawless. When the ringing of her last note died into the air, she finally put down the instrument.
Kagome was crying.
"What's wrong? Was...was I that bad?" Sango asked worriedly.
The celebrity looked up from her table. "You can dismiss everyone else," she replied, "because I've chosen the winner. I wasn't crying because you were bad. I was crying because you really are better than me."
Sango just stared.
"I've been looking for someone to rise up and push me away," Kagome explained. "I don't want to be the best. You wouldn't understand all the pressure that comes with the title. Always, everyone's striving to defeat you. All you ever hear is 'Oh, I bet I'm better than the Higurashi girl,' and so on."
Sango didn't know what to say.
Kagome looked away. "Well, now I've found you, and I don't know whether I'm happy or sad." She looked up at Sango. "Are you sure you want to spend a month in my life?"
Sango glanced at the glory of the room, the gilden walls, the tapestries, everything. Then she looked past all that, to the sorrow and anger of the trapped Kagome.
She nodded. She wasn't doing this for herself. She was doing this for the girl, trapped within a cage of fame, unable to break free.
As if Kagome had read her thoughts, the other girl smiled. "Thank you," she whispered.
The newpaper headline the next day read, 'Kagome Higurashi to switch lives with Sango Taijiya for a month! The teen queen learns of life from a different perspective! Let's see what will happen!' Underneath was a huge article describing Kagome, Sango, and the contest.
Sango was being interviewed with Kagome. She was amazed at how Kagome kept her poise through the entire recording session, even though the bright lights were shining directly in her eyes.
The reported turned to Sango. "And now, Miss Taijiya, what are your feelings about this whole thing?"
"Um..." Sango stuttered, trying to ignore the clicking of cameras. "Well...I guess it's a great opportunity, and...yeah."
"Could you be a bit more precise?"
"Not really," Sango replied. "Well...I'm really happy to be learning how Kagome lives...I mean, she's so famous, and I want to see how it feels..." She would have said more, but the reporter yanked the microphone away, returning to Kagome.
"As for you, Miss Higurashi, how do you view this exchange?"
Kagome's smile was pure poison. "I'll be delighted to get away from reporters that chase after me all the time," she answered as sweetly as possible. "I wish Sango luck in staying away from fans, too." Though the reporter jerked the microphone away, Kagome, with a devious smile, yanked it right back.
The reporter blinked.
"Also, I hope that Miroku can stop harassing every girl in sight – that's a warning to you, Sango – and I also can keep dreaming of not being assaulted by tabloids when I come back." She tossed the microphone absently out the window and stood. "Now, I really must be going. I need to show Sango around this place."
Sango followed obediently as Kagome dragged her outside.
"I thought your advisor was showing me around," Sango remarked.
Kagome grinned. "Oh, he is. I just wanted to get out of that interview. Now, what was your address again?"
"Fifteen Wasai Lane, Tokyo, Japan," she recited.
The star smiled. "Ok, thanks. I'm leaving in a bit. Actually, I'm going to say goodbye to Miroku, so you'd better come along." She swept Sango with her as she darted out the door towards the large room at the end of the hall.
Knocking, Kagome waited for exactly three seconds before she turned the doorknob and entered. "Miroku!" she called.
A rather disheveled young man emerged from under the blankets. "Don't worry, I was just sleeping...alone..." he assured her, seeing her dubious expression. His gaze turned to Sango. "And who might this lovely young lady be, Kagome?"
"This is Sango Taijiya. You know, the girl that won. Well, I'm leaving now, Miroku, so see you soon. Can you come visit me sometime?"
"Sure," Miroku replied. "Address?"
"Um...fifteen Wasai Lane, Tokyo, Japan. Sango, you come too. By the way, you mentioned that you had a brother. Is he in the house, or do you want him to come over here?"
"He's better off staying in the house," Sango replied softly. "My friend Inuyasha will take care of him. You needn't worry about that. There's a swimming pool in the back of our house where you can relax, too. It might be a bit small..."
"Don't worry about it, I'm sure it's fine," Kagome reassured Sango. "Well, see you guys later!" She brushed a perfunctory kiss on Miroku's cheek, hugged Sango, and whirled out the door.
The doorknob turned slowly. Carefully, Kagome stepped inside. She looked in amazement at the tiny and hardly immaculate rooms.
A step from upstairs alerted her to another presence. "That's probably Sango's brother," Kagome murmured, walking up the steps.
Someone barreled into her, pinning her at the landing. "You're not Sango," a voice hissed.
'A talking guarddog?' Kagome wondered mentally.
"Who are you? Speak up!"
"Er...are you Sango's brother?" she inquired nervously.
"No, I'm not," her assailant replied. "Now, what's your name? I could report you to the police!"
"My name's Kagome Higurashi, and I basically own the police," Kagome replied sarcastically. "Now, could you get off me?"
"You're Kagome?" Her attacker stood up. "You mean, Sango won?"
"Yes, she did, as a matter of fact. Who the hell are you? I'm supposed to be taking care of her house, you know."
He looked away, mildly embarrassed. "Feh. My name's Inuyasha, and Sango asked me to watch over Kohaku whenever she was gone."
"Oh. Is Kohaku her brother?" Kagome tried asking random questions while studying the boy carefully.
Inuyasha's silvery hair fell just past his shoulders. Brilliant golden eyes flashed with fire one minute, but dulled the next. His ears were strangely pointed, almost triangular, and his nose was rather pointed as well. His fingernails were also uncommonly long.
"I'm leaving now," Inuyasha informed her. "I happen not to enjoy the company of snobby rich girls. Kohaku's in there, if you want to see him." He stormed down the stairs, and she heard the door slam.
Kagome glared after him, then entered the room. In the corner, a boy was curled under a blanket, drinking what looked like soup. She moved closer.
The boy glanced up. "Hello," he said softly. "I think my name's Kohaku. Are you Sango?"
She shivered at the blank confusion in the boy's eyes. "No, I'm not Sango."
"Oh, I forgot! Sango told me she was going to a contest."
"That's right." Kagome sat down on the edge of his bed. "She won."
"Good, she deserves to win. She tries to make me remember myself." Kohaku shrugged. "I usually can't remember anything, but it's really nice of her to try, especially since she's just a stranger."
"She's your sister," Kagome whispered.
"She's told me that before, but I forgot that, too." Kohaku sighed. "Well, who are you?"
"My name's Kagome Higurashi," she replied. "I'm...a friend of Sango's."
"Oh, you are? That's good," Kohaku answered fretfully. "I think I've seen you before. You're not my sister, are you?"
"No..." Kagome said, puzzled.
Kohaku peered more closely at her. "I know! You're that pretty lady who's always on when Sango lets me watch TV."
Kagome blushed slightly. "Yes, I suppose so. Now, Sango told me to make sure you got some rest, so put down your soup and go to sleep."
"Soup?" Kohaku blinked. "This is hot chocolate."
She stared at the little lumps floating in it. "Well, put that down and go to sleep. I'm going to relax in the pool."
Kohaku nodded and relaxed against the pillow, his breathing shallow.
"I really need to teach that friend of Sango's how to cook," Kagome muttered to herself as she pulled on her two-piece bathing suit and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Walking out into the backyard, she smiled at the blue-green waters.
She carefully climbed up to the diving board and bounced on her heels three times before diving in, her body arcing in a smooth curve.
Slipping into the water with barely a splash, Kagome swam underneath until her lungs were burning. She resurfaced reluctantly, gasping for air. The temperature was pleasant, even if the pool was rather tiny compared to her usual one...
No. If she was going to enjoy this vacation, she needed to forget about her normal life.
She floated on her back and watched the clouds drift peacefully by. Their stark whiteness against the blue sky contrasted splendidly. Watching their shapes shift, she giggled as she spotted a dog, an elephant, and...an Inuyasha?
Shrieking, she righted herself and glared indignantly at the youth. "What are you doing here?" she sputtered.
He glared at her. "I'm swimming," he replied. "Sango gave me permission."
Kagome shrugged. "You could at least warn me," she muttered, spitting out water. "Oh well, I'm getting out anyways." She pulled herself out of the pool.
"You don't really have to," Inuyasha replied mulishly.
"This pool's a bit small, and since you were given the right by Sango, you can go ahead," Kagome answered, slightly apologetically.
Inuyasha glowered. "I forgot, you're so famous you're used only to huge, rich, expensive things," he snapped. "Well, get over it, because we're not quite as amazingly famous as you, and you'd better stop hoping for the best."
She whirled, and he recoiled; her eyes were snapping fire. "You narrow- minded jerk!" she snarled venomously. "You think that just because I'm famous for being a model and movie star, I'm exactly like the other stereotypical famous losers who sit around all day and enjoy receiving hundreds of fan letters each day. Well, here's news to you: I hate it all!"
Inuyasha tried saying something, but she continued with her tirade.
"Why do you think I arranged this vacation in the first place? I needed to get away from all the flashing lights and the catwalks! Also, I was hoping that whoever took my place would be disillusioned, that I would save another girl from aspiring to become famous!"
She paused for a second before continuing with her rant.
"So, I came here, into this nice, pretty street in Tokyo, hoping that I could find peace, and here you are! An egotistical, hypocritical loser who just has to spoil my outing! For Kami-sama's sake, do you think I actually like being a star? I'm trapped, ok? I can't get out of it, because everywhere I go, people follow me!"
She turned and stormed away, slamming the porch door hard behind her.
Inuyasha stared after her, his ears drooping ever so slightly.
Kagome sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter. 'Perhaps this contest wasn't such a good idea after all...'
Sango was quite pissed.
It wasn't that there was anything wrong with Kagome's huge complex. The place was undeniably beautiful, exotic flowers blooming eternally, nightingales singing even in broad daylight.
No, she adored the towers. The only problem with the tour was her tour guide.
Namely, Miroku.
At first, the neverending attention he lavished upon her was pleasing. She'd never been treated like that before, and she found she enjoyed it immensely.
However, his wandering hands began to be somewhat of a nuisance, and after Sango slapped him for the seventh time in a row, she whirled on him.
"Could you possibly STOP THAT?" she roared.
Miroku stared at her. "It's not me," he explained smoothly. "It's my cursed hand."
"Nice try," she retorted. "From now on, you can walk in front of me instead of next to me."
"Ah, I'm wounded," Miroku gasped melodramatically. "But I shall do as you ask, fair lady." He lead the way towards a pool. Peering in, Sango saw a group of young children, laughing and playing together, and she suddenly felt a stab of pain in her heart as she remembered Kohaku.
'Perhaps this contest wasn't such a good idea after all...'