Insatiable

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi does.

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Chapter 15: Points of View
 
 
Takahashi Mansion…
 
It was such a beautiful day. The sky was a cloudless crystal blue. The birds were happily crooning against the sweet scented breeze. The purest giggles could be heard from Rin, as she dashed through the lawn and chased the equally hyperactive huskies. It was another one of those Kodak moments when you just ought to have a camera in your hands; yet, that was not what Sesshomaru had in mind.
 
“Rin, don't go too far. And don`t run too fast!” Sesshomaru told his daughter, as she scampered away with Dash and Chase.
 
Inuyasha smirked beside him.
 
“Why don't you just let her have fun, Sess. Loosen up a bit, will you? She’s just a kid. You can have all the time to be an ass after 5 or 6 years when she starts noticing boys, wanting to get to know them, accepting gifts from them, going out to the movies with them, dating them, falling in love with them, and sadly, doing everything with them.”

Inuyasha couldn't help but taunt his older brother. The idea held its appeal that Inuyasha enjoyed immensely. There was just a high when it came to taunting Sesshomaru, especially when the goading was doing quite well. And it was, because Sesshomaru was glaring gravely at him. He chuckled. For some reason, the murderous look that Sesshomaru was currently giving him and the gritting noises that the older Takahashi was making with his teeth gave him satisfaction. He had admitted he was quite weird in that way.

“Say one word again about that Inuyasha, or I swear to God, I'll kick your sorry ass so hard, you won't be able to walk for days,” Sesshomaru threatened gravely. He could never live peacefully with the thought of his little Rin leaving him for some worthless, gutless, good-for-nothing piece of crap also known as the boy whom she’d love.

Inuyasha laughed at the pure horror that flashed in Sesshomaru’s face. His brother had only but one weakness, and that was Rin. And Inuyasha would almost always abuse that knowledge.
 
“Unlike you, I prefer to set some rules with my daughter. It’s called discipline, Inuyasha. Too bad you don't know what it means,” Sesshomaru spat.
 
“And you're a stiff ass, Sess. I'm glad you know exactly what that means,” Inuyasha told him and Sesshomaru only snorted in response.
 
“At least I'm not stupid like you, baka. I will not get caught romping around the mansion, or at least I'll make sure that I will not be too obvious about it,” Sesshomaru said. He had tried subtle meddling earlier that morning. He had approached Kagome about it, and he was sure she had taken heed. Inuyasha, however, had only taken it lightly – too lightly that it agitated him. So now, he was trying a more direct approach. Besides, this was also payback.
 
“Nothing happened, Sess.”

If lying get you struck with lightning, then Inuyasha would have been toasted by now.
 
There were many facts about the Takahashis. Aside from the fact that Rin was the cutest thing ever, it was also known by those close to the family that Sesshomaru, for most of the time, gave good advices. Unfortunately, it was also a fact that Inuyasha oftentimes misinterpreted his advices. They called it brotherly communication.
 
“Yeah right… like her shirt had evolved a vertebra, undressed itself off of Kagome and crawled on the hallway on its own. Let's cut the crap, Inu. I know you've slept with her. It's as obvious as daylight. I've seen the looks you two are giving each other all morning. They're ravenous.”
 
“And I told you `It's none of your business. Wasn't `romping around' your very good advice?” Inuyasha retorted and glared at Sesshomaru.
 
“I told you to take your chances, Inuyasha. I did not tell you to fuck her.”
 
“And that's freaking none of your business,” Inuyasha replied heatedly.
 
“Look, whatever you do with your life is maybe not my business, but what happens inside this mansion with my daughter in it is mine. So don`t tell me it`s not my fucking business.”
 
Inuyasha sighed.

“Sorry.” He just didn't want other people meddling when it came to Kagome because their relationship was already complicated. Other people joining in would make it more difficult.
 
Sesshomaru understood where Inuyasha was coming from, but this was too important to ignore. He knew that whatever could happen would certainly change everyone's lives. Before that happen, he just needed to make sure of something.
 
“You were never a patient fellow, were you Inu?”
 
Inuyasha rubbed the back of his neck and nodded in agreement.
 
“Remember that time when Mom was baking the cake?”
 
Inuyasha smirked. Of course, he remembered. He burned the whole kitchen, and was grounded for 2 months. He was waiting for the cake to cook but it was taking so long, so he turned the stove’s fire to maximum. Despite that he still waited. He got bored and went out to play. The next thing he knew the kitchen had already caught fire.
 
“Dad was so mad at you that he wanted you grounded for half a year. Good thing mom was there and made it only two months.”
 
Inuyasha chuckled and then sighed deeply. “All right, I get your point. I know this nostalgic moment has some purpose.”
 
“You should have waited. You know Kagome's situation is not that simple.”
 
“I've tried to wait, but I can't. You know how stubborn and impatient I can get, Sess. You know how much I've hated waiting.” A small smile curved his lips. “Besides, Kagome’s irresistible. You know, I've reminded myself that she’s not mine. But I can't bear with that thought when I know that I can love her more than Shun can ever love her. She's special, Sess, and she deserves more.”
 
“Nevertheless, you should have waited. You share common friends, Inuyasha. This is not just about the two of you, so you cannot afford to play around,” Sesshomaru responded automatically.
 
Inuyasha gave him a thoughtful smile. “Who says I'm playing around with her? She… I don't know why, but she gets under my skin. Just one look from her and I turn to mush which to me is very corny. But what's worse I don't even mind turning into one cheesy goofball. I don’t know if that is something to be happy about, maybe not, maybe yes, or maybe I've just gone crazy. What do you think Sess?”
 
Sesshomaru only stared at him, yet, his eyes held amusement.

Inuyasha chuckled.
 
“Do you know that her favorite movie is Aladdin?” Inuyasha said fondly. “For someone as feisty as her, she still watches princess movies. Hell, Sess, she has stabbed a poor man's nut for crying out loud and she tells me she still fancies magic carpet rides and fairy tale endings.”
 
Sesshomaru chuckled amusingly. That sounded like Kagome even if he barely knew her.

Inuyasha only smiled. “I’ve never been this sure about a woman my entire life.”

Sesshomaru turned his gaze back to him; yet, he seemed to be thinking of something else.
 
“For everyone else's sake, Inuyasha… you have to be.”
 
“You know me, Sess. You know I don't talk bullshit.”
 
“Of course, you don't. You're just stupid enough to step on dogshit.”
 
Inuyasha immediately jumped. “Shit!”
 
Sesshomaru laughed, as he watched Inuyasha wipe his left slipper.
 
“Stop laughing, ass. These are new,” Inuyasha said angrily.
 
“Baka,” Sesshomaru taunted and started to walk. He was busy taunting his younger brother that he hadn't noticed that he, too, had stepped on shit.
 
“Oh shit! Damn it, mutts!” he shouted. “Inuyasha, potty train your mutts, will you!”
 
Inuyasha laughed.
 
“Oh shut up, baka!” Sesshomaru scolded.
 
“Let me guess. Those are new,” Inuyasha taunted.
 
“Shut up,” Sesshomaru replied as he rolled his eyes.
 
“It's good to know that you're also stupid enough to step on shit, Sess. Or else, I will not love you as much as a brother.”
 
“Yuck! Don’t tell me you love me. That's just gross, Inu,” Sesshomaru replied, yet, smiled back as they both walked to where Rin was, unaware of Kagome's watching gaze.
 
Kagome had been watching the brothers from the sliding glass doors fronting the yard with a fond smile on her face. She had giggled to herself when they both stepped on poo. She sighed deeply, remembering what Sesshomaru had told her. Her life had just turned a lot more complicated, hadn’t it? And she allowed that to happen. She had to leave. She had to go now. She thought, as she grabbed her car keys and walked towards the door. She knew it was rude to leave without saying goodbye, but she knew Inuyasha would understand. She really believed that it would be better for her to be by herself now to think through all the things that had happened and still was happening. Yes, she had reveled that she was quickly falling for Inuyasha, but she had not forgotten that she was still with Shun – technically, of course.
 
She had broken up with him before his flight. That decision had not changed, despite Shun’s insistence that they talk about it seriously. She realized that breaking up was inevitable. She had felt the need to free herself from Shun even before there engagement. She had wanted that for quite a while now, but she didn't have the chance until yesterday. But for some reason, she kept ignoring it.

Since yesterday, she had waited for his phone call. He had promised to call. Until now, she was still waiting. Sometimes, she had wished for him not to call her, never call her anymore. That way it would mean that he wanted nothing out of their relationship, and she was more than willing to end it. She had been trying to for the last couple of weeks. However, what was happening was she was left hanging again. She was being held hostage in exchange for a single conversation with him. She didn’t have to wait for him to say that their relationship was over – that they were no longer a couple. Heck no! He failed to call as he promised. That was more than enough to say that it was over.
 
Right… She thought in agreement, as she drove away from the mansion. She was in for a long drive this afternoon.
 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
Tokyo General Hospital…
 
Miroku briskly marched inside the busy emergency room with a distressed Sango in tow. He was frenzied as hell with every step, and the smell of medicine, the sight of blood and sick people were not doing him any favors at all. It didn’t that he hated the sight of blood either. He had just received the most alarming call from Hiten, who in a hysterical fit had announced that he was going to die very soon because he had caught a grave and rare disease. Hiten had asked him – no – demanded him to go the hospital immediately, as they may not see each other again. Little did Miroku know of what was really wrong with his friend.
 
Utterly anxious, he rushed through all the stretch beds inside the emergency room. Hiten had not disclosed this dreadful disease yet. The uncertainty was killing him. It also didn't help that Sango was murmuring her 100th – no, make that 101st “Oh my God” at the moment.
 
What could possibly cause Hiten's sudden admission in the hospital? Could it be a case of end-stage prostatic cancer due to Hiten's non-stop romping? Maybe Hiten had caught the fatal ebola virus? Or maybe he had caught one of those new and fatal RNA virus strains? He wouldn't know for sure. But it was definite that Miroku had not considered the highest possibility of Hiten having delusions of his untimely demise. But who would think of it as a joke when Hiten had sounded like a handful of shrieking girls out to get Zac Efron on one of his movie premieres. Miroku could only interpret that as something dire, since Hiten was someone who wouldn't even glance at someone who was more handsome than he was. Furthermore, if Hiten's phone call was a faux, then Hiten would have sounded like a hooting maniac out to get Scarlett Johannson in one of her movie premieres because, hey, that was Hiten being Hiten.
 
He soon reached ER bed number 7, Hiten's possible `death bed,' and roughly pulled the drapes open, as Sango tightly clung on his left arm. Shocked at what was before them, Miroku stood there while Sango instantly sobbed her 102nd “Oh my God.” They found Kouga sulking at the bedside of Hiten's supposedly `dead body.' As a standard procedure for post-mortem care, the body was completely covered by the white top sheet.
 
“Oh my God… Hiten's dead,” Miroku uttered dreadfully and approached the bed.
 
At that moment, a panting Ayame arrived. She walked pass Miroku and Sango, went straight to the bed and roughly took the sheet off Hiten's body. She gasped as soon as she saw Hiten's face, as it was completely void of any emotion or motion at all. But perhaps, her eyes had already been that teary that she had failed to see that Hiten was actually breathing.
 
“Damn it, Ten! Why do you have to die so young?” Ayame wailed and jabbed his chest with her fists angrily. Oh yes, Hiten would soon die all right… out of hemorrhaging, as Ayame's jabs were that of a horse's kick.
 
“Have you done everything, Kouga?” Sango whimpered. However, she heard no response from her friend as Kouga only sat still. Still lost in his grief she guessed. Or so they had thought.
 
Then, Kouga shifted. He had done it with such dramatic ease; it was like watching a clip in slow motion. Sango held her breath preparing herself to hear the cause of her friend's untimely demise. Kouga's form had been so weak, as if he was about to fall off the chair he was sitting on. He, too, had to be in denial right now for his loss, as it had been unbelievable for Hiten, just 26 years old, to die out of… Well, she had not known that yet, but she would any minute now. She could now see the side of Kouga's face coming out of the shadows.
 
He looked so sad…
 
So devastated…
 
So heartbroken…
 
So very much…
 
Wait!
 
Was he sleeping?
 
“Oh yeah, Ayame, shake that ass more,” Kouga whispered in his sleep.
 
What the hell! 
 
“Oh yeah baby, ram that sexy ass harder,” Kouga added blissfully.
 
Suddenly, Miroku moved from Sango's side. His bangs covered his eyes as he approached Kouga slowly and silently. And in one powerful blow…
 
BAM!
 
Kouga found himself kissing the contaminated floor instead of his beautiful Ayame.
 
“Awww! Who the FUCK! Roku, you fucking… You hit like shit! What the heck was that for?” Kouga roared groaning in pain. His face burned like hell. Damn all to hell! He had french-kissed the damn floor for goodness sake!
 
“How could you?” Miroku started. Was he tearing up?
 
“What?” Kouga asked puzzlingly. “What did I do?”
 
“Damn it, Kouga. Do you have any consideration for Hiten's memory?” Miroku told him, as he rubbed his left eye purposely. He was crying. He sniffed, as one lone tear rolled down his left cheek.
  
Miroku had been a lighthearted sort of fellow and he was a crybaby since he was a boy, so it was not surprising to see him cry under these present circumstances. Of course, he would deny all of these accounts if asked. In fact, when he was still 10, he had a dog-named Guppie, who caught a bad case of pneumonia. Eventually, that dog died and Miroku was devastated by it. He had cried buckets -buckets and buckets that his eyes had been swollen for four days straight.
 
“Awww,” Hiten whined as he massaged his bruised chest. He had come around after a couple of minutes of Ayame's torture. Upon waking up, he found a very entertained Kouga, a brooding Miroku, and two women with red and sore eyes. He was even more surprised when he saw several emergency nurses, a couple of resident doctors, and the hospital's security guard in his bedside.
 
“Are you visiting me?” Hiten could only utter meekly to them, which caused Kouga to burst out laughing. Miroku crossed his arms and glowered while Ayame and Sango chuckled in relief, and of course, in amusement to what was happening.
 
“Sango, let's go!” Miroku said suddenly. Damn, he looked angry.
 
“O-okay… But Miroku.”
 
“Now!” Miroku demanded and started to walk briskly.
 
“All right. Bye Ayame…” She turned, gave Hiten a smile, and followed Miroku.
 
“Hey, Roku, wait!” Kouga called laughingly and held Ayame's hand. He bowed politely to his fellow health providers and then, gave Hiten a quick nudge. “Stand up, tetanus butt. We're leaving.”

Hiten instantly scrambled off the bed for his shoes. He cringed at the sudden exertion. His butt still hurt.
 
“Hey wait up, Roku!” Kouga called again laughing, as Miroku walked even more briskly. “Sango, stop him, will you?”
 
“Hey guys, wait up!” Hiten shouted as he jogged his way to his friends. “What's the matter with you Kouga? And what`s with Miroku?” he asked, as Kouga was still laughing and Miroku was still glowering.
 
“We are just happy, Ten,” Kouga answered.
 
“Happy of what?”
 
“Because we're all alive!” Kouga yelled and laughed loudly. “Come on. Let's go out, my treat.”
 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
In a hotel room in London…
 
“I guess you win, Shizu,” Shun whispered as he continued to stare at Shizuru's sleeping face, wishing she could just sleep forever so that she would not leave him. That he wouldn't have to watch her walk away from him again. He had seen her walked away from him so many times that another goodbye would surely break him. If only he knew how to convince her to stay, he would. But the problem was he didn't. Sometimes, life was just unfair.
 
He hadn't answered her question, for they both knew that she had already won the bet. They had slept together, hadn't they? Shun had always believed in chances. With Shizuru, he had taken so many of them, yet, every single one ended up wrongly. He loved and hated her at the same time. He hated her for leaving him but he loved her regardless. Maybe, love was blind after all. His friends had told him that his love for her was just stupid. Kouga even said his love for Shizuru was like a disease because it was killing him slowly. He hadn't understood that fact. But how could he when it was only with her that he had always felt alive?
 
What about Kagome? Did he ever love her? Somehow, he did, but not as much. Shame filled his gut.
 
“What are you thinking, Shun?” he heard Shizuru say suddenly. She still had her eyes closed.
 
Shun smiled. “Things….”
 
“What things?” she continued to probe.
 
“Just things, Shizu.” He sighed. “Look, don't mind me, okay. It's just nothing.”
 
She chuckled and opened her eyes. “You know you can't lie to me, Shun. I know you. You've never been a good liar in front of me.”
 
Shun continued to stare at her, twirling her hair in his fingertips. He had been thinking about this the whole time. He had been willing to ask her even before.
 
“Why did you choose that guy over me?”
 
She only smiled, laid on her back, stared up at the ceiling. “Because he offered me the world and everything in it… while you… you offered me a house in the countryside with white fences, 3 kids and a dog.”
 
“But wasn't that what you wanted?”
 
“I said I would want that, but it was not what I needed, Shun. I needed someone to give me the world as my home, the pleasures of the world in my fingertips. Kentaro gave me that. I would have wanted to settle in Japan, but I knew that I could never settle in one place, and you knew this too. I was never the type to linger.”
 
“If you told me, I could have given that to you,” Shun said immediately, causing Shizuru to chuckle.
 
“Come on, Shun. Don't joke around, okay? Even if you say you will allow me all my liberties, I know you can't give me that… because you won’t. And you know that’s true.”
 
Shun gave her a hard look and then sighed deeply. She was right. He would always want to have her by his side. But was that so wrong?
 
“What is so wrong of wanting to keep you, Shizu? What is so wrong of wanting a life with you?” Shun whispered.
 
“Nothing.”
 
Shun snorted. He was frustrated. She had been his dream ever since he had realized that he loved her. And a couple of times, he had come so close to a dream come true; yet, failed.
 
“Then why did you leave?” he asked exasperatingly, and stared at her as he waited for her answer.

Nothing came as she had only stared back at him.
 
“Have you ever even loved me?” he said firmly.
 
“I had,” she whispered.
 
“You had.” He nodded stiffly, pursing his lips in an angry line. “And what about that guy? Do you love him?”
 
“I`m getting there,” she replied, which immediately caused Shun to outburst.
 
“Then why are you here with me fucking naked in my bed? What? Is whoring one of your fucking list of liberties right now? Do you need any money from me? If you do, then tell me how much do I fucking owe you for your services,” he shouted and quickly stood up.


Shizuru immediately caught his hand and stopped him from walking away.
 
“Will you let me finish?” Her voice trembled.
 
“I've heard enough,” he replied firmly, tugging his hand free.

But she had held it tightly.
 
“I've missed you, Shun. I've missed you so much,” she whispered as she hugged him from behind.
 
“Stop doing this to me, Shizu,” Shun said and sighed.
 
“No,” she said as she moved to face him. “I may have the world but it gets lonely most of the time. I miss you because you've always been there. You never leave me.”
 
“You have your husband.”
 
“I have no one,” she whispered sadly. “My husband, he doesn't see me, anymore. And when he does, he doesn't look at me as you do. I’m lonely, Shun. So please don’t push me away.” She captured his lips for a lingering kiss. He kissed her back and slipped his tongue inside her mouth. He lifted her impaling her to him. She moaned as she was filled to the hilt. And they moved. He pushed forward. She rode him. He laid her down the bed and moved on top of her moaning her name, as she cried his in passion. His sex drive was fueled by his frustration, while hers out of deprivation of such blissful act. They were pathetic souls.
 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
Some club in Tokyo…
 
Shake it, shake it
Shake your booty
Shake your booty
Yeah Yeah
Show them what you doin' now
 
The 1970s dance hit by Earth, Wind and Fire blasted through the pub, as Kouga shook his booty while he taunted Hiten to dance. Hiten, on the other hand, scowled as his mind envisioned himself mutilating his dancing doctor-friend.
 
“Come on, Ten. Just chill out and have fun!” Kouga shouted as he sang along to the disco classic, wriggling his eyebrows and shaking his bum.
 
“Fuck off, Kouga!” Hiten spat and scowled at him some more.
 
Insensitive jerk. Hiten cussed in his thoughts, as his temples throbbed from hearing the “booty” word continuously. His ass still hurt. He was sitting in only one butt cheek, since it was painful to sit on two. He had no idea whether he could still get an erection or not. He swore he had seen several sexy and almost naked women inside the pub but he didn't get any reaction from little Hiten. Fuck! And Kouga wanted him to come on, chill out and have fun?
 
And what the fuck is wrong with this song? It just goes on and on. Hiten scorned in his thoughts and groaned, as his mind flashbacked to the events earlier in the day.
 
“Hiten, what the hell are you doing there? Come on and dance! Let’s celebrate life!” Ayame hollered at him.
 
Celebrate life? Hiten scoffed in his thoughts. How could he possibly celebrate life when his penis-life was probably dead?
 
“I don't see the satisfaction in just sitting down there, Ten,” Miroku had commented as soon as he had sat down on their table.
 
“The satisfaction's for me to sulk on and for you to find out, Roku,” he answered flatly.
 
“What's up your ass, Ten? You look sore,” Sango asked while she sat down next to Miroku.
 
“That's because I am sore! My chest's bruised out of Ayame's jabs. My ass gets raped by some gainormous needle in the hospital. And even now, it still stings if I sit on my ass, and worst I don't even know if I am capable of fucking the brains out of somebody, as I haven't even felt one single tingle or twitch from my penis!” Hiten shouted.
 
“Keep it down, Ten. You don't want all those sexy ladies to know about your `little' problem, don't you?” Kouga mocked.
 
Hiten scoffed. “Yeah right, Wolf. That's all thanks to you, you life ruiner!”
 
“Life ruiner?” Kouga laughingly responded.
 
“Ten, do you need viagra? I can get you a box full of it,” Miroku playfully asked. He had gotten over the whole Hiten-is-dead thing.
 
Hiten glared at him and hissed. “Accomplice…”
 
“Shut up. I cried for you, asshole,” Miroku told him and hit Hiten's head.
 
“Awww!” Hiten yelled. “You did?”
 
“Like a baby…” Kouga said, sniggering.
 
“Shut up, Wolf. I thought he was dead!” Miroku retorted.
 
“I wish I am dead,” Hiten said.
 
“You were not dead,” Kouga told Hiten.
 
“But I wish for it… as does my dick, Kouga,” Hiten retorted.
 
Kouga laughed. “Bullshit!”
 
“Double bullshit,” Miroku said.
 
Sango and Ayame rolled their eyes.
 
“Would you three stop all the bullshitting?” Sango said. “Don't you think we have other pleasant topics to talk about aside from all this `dick' conversation?”
 
“Your boyfriend started it, Sango.” Hiten replied. He seemed to have a quick tongue tonight.
 
“That's because you've encouraged him, Ten,” she retorted while Miroku stayed smug beside her.
 
Hiten scoffed at them and uttered, “Girlfriends…”
 
“Why so bitter, Ten? You seem to… hate the world,” Ayame asked suddenly.
 
“I don't.”
 
“Then why?”
 
“Because I just do, Ayame,” Hiten responded.
 
“You're not making sense.”
 
“No, you just don't get me.”
 
“And that's just it. Because you're not making sense,” Ayame retorted.
 
“Oh please… Will you two stop?” Sango scolded.
 
“Ayame started it, Sango,” Hiten told her.
 
“Shush,” Sango said glaring at him.
 
Hiten only shrugged.
 
“Have you two set a date yet?” Sango asked Ayame and Kouga to change the subject.
 
“Yeah, 2 months from now,” Ayame answered.
 
“Why so soon?” Hiten asked.
 
“Why wait?” Kouga answered.
 
Hiten shrugged. “Don't you think it daunting being tied to someone for all eternity? Because it is… for me.”
 
“That's because you don't believe in commitments, Ten,” Miroku told him.
 
“On the contrary, Roku, I do believe in commitments. My work is my commitment. While women, well, they are beautiful and pleasurable. However, they are just too beautiful and pleasurable enough to be tied to just one of them,” Hiten replied causing eyebrows to rise.
 
“I think using commitment to describe romantic relationships is just plain euphemism. Obligation is the right term for long term endeavors with a woman… or even a prison,” Hiten added.
 
“You're demeaning our worth, Ten. It just makes me wonder if you have ever fallen in love before,” Sango asked irritatingly.
 
“Oh please, Sango. Don't start with me on that. Of course, I have loved. I have loved all the women that I've been with.”
 
“And how many women would that be, Ten?”
 
“325 tops,” Hiten replied smugly.
 
“Exactly my point. You’re what? 26? And you’ve fallen in love with 325 women already? What are you? An earthworm? You have what? 50 hearts or something?” Sango told him, while his other friends sniggered.
 
“Sometimes I love half a dozen at a time, any more questions? Look, Sango, all I'm saying is why commit yourself to only one person for the rest of your life when you know that one day it will just end just like that,” Hiten said as he clicked his fingers loudly.
 
“And why do you have to compel yourself to one person when you can have as many as you want now? Plus, it saves you the trouble of buying a new house, an expensive ring and the rest of the crap that comes with it.”
 
“Are you telling us that marrying Kouga is a mistake?” Ayame asked heatedly.
 
“No, of course not. You're my friends Ayame, and your happiness comes first of course,” Hiten replied and smiled at her.
 
“You have messed up principles, Ten.” Sango nursed her beer.
 
“But still it's mine, Sango. So thoughts off my principles, okay?” Hiten replied. He really had a quick tongue tonight.
 
“You seem smarter tonight, Ten,” Miroku smirked.
 
“That's because I am smart, Roku,” Hiten answered.
 
“Did I mention pompous too?” Sango added.
 
“Bite me, Sango,” Hiten spat back.
 
“I wonder what has caused such change though.” Miroku pondered mockingly.
 
“It must be the tetanus shot in the ass, Roku. It must have stirred some thinking cells and a lot of smug-looking cells I don't know of into action, not to mention it has paralyzed the libido cells as well,” Kouga answered smirking at Hiten.

Sango and Ayame rolled their eyes.
 
“Haha, very funny, Kouga.” Hiten scowled and gulped down his pint.

An upbeat tune started playing. Much to Hiten`s disgust, Kouga stood up.
 
Shake ya ass, but watch yourself
Shake ya ass, show me what you workin with
Shake ya ass, but watch yourself
Shake ya ass, show me what you workin with

“For the love of all asses… What's with the booty songs?” Hiten could not help but complain, much to everyone's amusement.
 
“Inuyasha would love to dance to this song,” Kouga said. “Hey Roku! Remember this?”
 
Miroku laughed, as Kouga did his chicken dance, John Travolta style.
 
“I can't believe you still remember that! I remember Inuyasha only agreeing to do that dance because he'll get exempted from the history final exam,” Miroku said.
 
“He looked hideous,” Hiten uttered.
 
“We all looked hideous when we danced that stupid dance. But Inuyasha was the only one who got the exemption.”
 
“That's because Ms. Furyuki had a crush on him,” Hiten answered. “That dirty old woman.”
 
“Do you remember our pact?” Kouga asked.
 
“Yeah,” Miroku and Hiten said.
 
With their beer bottles raised, they chorused. “On my honor, I swear to never like girls as they are aliens from outer space sent here to earth only to rip our hearts out, eat our livers and spread cooties around the planet. Girls are gross, not cute.”
 
Sango and Ayame laughed as the three drank their beers.
 
“That's original. `Girls are gross, not cute.' It's pretty hard to believe that coming from you guys,” Sango said.
 
“We were just 10. And boys are stupid when they're 10,” Kouga replied.
 
“Hey guys, check this out,” Miroku pointed at some woman sitting in the other table.
 
“Wait! Is that Kikyo? Damn, she looks fat,” Hiten said, as he watched Kikyo treat herself with a double scotch.
 
“I hate that bitch!” Kouga added.
 
“Honey, please don't cuss. It’s not good for you,” Ayame told him.
 
“There's nothing wrong with telling the truth, Ayame,” Hiten told her.
 
“I heard she divorced an old businessman from Osaka after only a month of marriage. It was a sensationalized divorce case since she was an infamous actress back then. She had demanded millions from her ex-husband,” Sango said. “I wonder how she is now though.”
 
“She's still a nobody. I'm sure,” Miroku replied.
 
“She's as thick as ever,” Kouga uttered darkly.
 
“Honey,” Ayame scolded.
 
“But Honey, it's true,” Kouga whined.
 
“I know another bitch that's thicker than her,” Miroku said.
 
“Damn it, Roku. Why do you have to bring up that other bitch? I hate that bitch even more,” Kouga hollered. Ayame only sighed deeply. She did not want to badmouth other people, and she had only met Shizuru once because she had joined their group only later so she had not known her well enough. The same could be said about Kikyo. Thus, she had nothing good or bad to say about them.
 
“Shizuru is a leech. She sucks the life out of people. See what has happened to Shun years ago? She thinks she's too good for anybody and all that when actually she's not. She's a life ruiner. I'm glad she's finally out of Shun's life. He’s better off without her, as is everyone else.” It was clear that Sango had some bad blood with Shizuru.
 
“True,” Kouga agreed.
 
“I disagree. She's not at all that evil as what you've thought of her Sango. I won't consider someone who has been part of our circle in the category of a life ruiner. She's above that. She has to be,” Hiten said.
 
“You've got to be kidding me,” Miroku told him.
 
“You cannot think that, Ten. Please tell me you don't sympathize with that bitch, or I might have to strangle you,” Kouga added.
 
“I am not giving her any favors, Kouga. I am merely looking at it from another perspective,” Hiten started.
 
“Humor me, Hiten,” Sango challenged him.
 
“Look, just think of it this way. We have been friends for so long and our circle is so tight we have kept our friendship exclusively only to those very close to us. We have been selective when it comes to people `joining in.' I just don't want to think that we have allowed some `bitch' join our group just to destroy that closeness because that’s just dumb. Besides, Shizuru can't be that bad if she has made Shun that much in love with her.”
 
“Love is blind, Ten,” Ayame told him.
 
“Point taken, but I still say `love sees through all that's evil,'” Hiten replied.
 
“What the hell does that mean?” Kouga asked.
 
“It simply means loving the person for his/her good qualities and ignoring the bad. Am I right?” Miroku answered and looked at Hiten who gave him a nod.
 
“Well, that's just silly. Shizuru has never had those good qualities. I wonder what Shun has seen in her,” Kouga answered, as Sango stood up to answer a phone call. “And she hadn't even loved Shun. She just used him to fish Inuyasha, and of course, let's not forget that she had also lusted for Sess.”
 
“Oh, come on, Kouga. You had seen how Shizuru and Shun acted back then. They were really close. They had loved each other. You couldn’t just ignore the fact that Shizuru knew Shun even before we did. She was already his best friend before we got to be his friends. I would say that of all the people who knew Shun, she would be the person who knew him best, and that would also be true vice versa. So it would be unfair to judge what they had in the past.”
 
“It's hard not to judge when we all know what she's done to him in the past, Hiten. You can't take it away from us how we've felt and thought when we've also been involved.” Unlike Kouga and Sango, Miroku took Hiten’s opinion rather calmly. He knew that they needed a level head in this conversation.
 
“Everything happens with a reason and everyone does something for a reason, even Shizuru. And I'll stick to that,” Hiten said, much to Kouga's annoyance.
 
“Will you stop speaking for that bitch? She doesn't deserve your good gesture, because she's what she is… a bitch, with or without reasons behind it.” Damn. Shizuru had pissed off Kouga. He was livid.
 
“Calm down, Kouga. I think Hiten has a point though even if we all disagree with him. I think he just understands Shizuru because they are similar in several ways. Aside from both loving promiscuity, they both value their freedom and liberties more than anything else,” Miroku uttered. “Ain't I right, Ten?”
 
Hiten only raised his glass in agreement.
 
“I wonder what Kagome thinks of all this though,” Ayame asked unexpectedly, which caught her friends' attention immediately. Yeah, what were Kagome's thoughts about her fiancé's relationship with Shizuru.
 
“Did Kagome know about Shizuru when she got back with him?” Hiten inquired, much to Ayame's bewilderment. She didn't know.
 
“Yeah,” Miroku answered.
 
“I guess so,” Kouga said.
 
“Then why did she get back with him?” Hiten asked heatedly.
 
No one seemed to answer such a heated question. Perhaps, no one within the circle knew the answer, so Hiten continued.
 
“If I were Kagome, I wouldn’t fall for Shun given the fact that Shun had been on the rebound. Furthermore, I wouldn’t take him back after indefinitely leaving me for his ex, which happened to be his ex-everything because that would be a moronic thing to do. And finally, I wouldn’t agree to marry him. Or I would at least think twice about it because it would be a stupid thing to do. I would be degrading myself if I do.” Hiten had somehow insulted Kagome with that rant. But it was true, nonetheless. Perhaps, it was the alcohol. He had been jugging his glass more than anyone in their table.
 
“That's the thing, Ten. You're not Kagome. Everything happens for a reason, right? Then give Kagome a break will you?” Ayame said annoyingly. What Hiten said about Kagome didn't suit well with her. Good thing Sango was away for a while, or else, Hiten would have to endure Sango's rampage.
 
That was the scene when Sango had arrived.
 
“What did I miss?” she asked, as she sat down beside Miroku.
 
“You missed Hiten being a complete ass,” Kouga answered. Ayame consoled him by patting his shoulder.

His two friends chuckled.
 
“I wasn’t,” Hiten spat back. “Well, you're back, Sango. Might as well ask you then.”
 
“Ask me about what?”
 
“Stop, Ten,” Miroku warned.

Hiten gave a shrug. “Sango, you're Kagome's best friend. What do you think is Kagome's reason for getting back with Shun?”
 
Sango caught her breath. She had been willing to ask Kagome that, but she didn't really get a straight answer from her. There were just things that Kagome only kept to herself, and Sango wouldn't force her best friend to spill, because there was always a right time for everything.
 
“Because she wanted to give it another chance,” Sango replied. That was true.
 
“That's it?” Kouga said. He was expecting a rather tangible reason. Like what? Like because she loved Shun, for instance.
 
“Kouga!” Ayame exclaimed slapping Kouga's shoulder.
 
“It just slipped,” Kouga answered and drank his beer.
 
“Don't you think she wants to prove something that's why she has gotten back with him?” Hiten said.
 
“Like what?” Ayame asked.
 
“You know that she is not someone to be dumped just like that. Maybe this is her payback for what Shun has done to her,” Hiten told them.
 
“I doubt that, Ten,” Miroku countered. “Kagome is not the type for silly vengeance. She does not get satisfaction from that. She's above all that.”
 
“Perhaps she's unconsciously doing it?” Hiten said, and Sango immediately fumed.
 
“Shut the fuck up, Ten. Don't talk about Kagome like that ever. Don’t you ever compare her to the likes of that bitch you’ve been speaking for all this time, because she’s far better than Shizuru,” Sango said angrily.
 
“Sango,” Ayame called comfortingly.

Sango was getting teary-eyed out of her outburst.
 
“God, damn it, Hiten,” Sango cussed.
 
“Look Sango, I'm sorry if it has come out that way. I am not badmouthing Kagome. I am just stating the possibilities. You may think what I've said is insensitive and unfair to Kagome but I am just looking at the picture from another perspective. I like Kagome. She's a sweet and special girl,” Hiten said.
 
“All right, let's just stop this conversation and just dance, okay?” Kouga offered to lighten up the mood, which everyone agreed without doubt.
 
 Over all, they had a good time. Much of the heated conversation had been forgotten, as they had danced the night and the awkwardness between Hiten and Sango away. Hiten had convinced himself to dance, as not to dampen the mood further. He had realized that he had gone overboard with his opinions about Kagome. Sango had not talked to him for the remainder of the evening and it really bothered him. But who wouldn't?
 
Now, they were walking towards their cars. Miroku had been curious as to who had called Sango earlier.
 
“That was Inuyasha,” Sango answered him, as everyone went on with their business.

The others were eavesdropping, of course.
 
“What did he want?” Miroku inquired.
 
“He was looking for Kagome. He was frantic. He said Kagome had gone without even telling anyone in the mansion. He had called her phone but it was out.”
 
“What did you tell him?” Ayame asked suddenly.
 
“I scolded him. I told him he was responsible of her and he lost her. Then, I told him to not worry because she could take care of herself. And that maybe, she had a good reason for leaving without saying goodbye. I was in a hurry to get back here so I just told him off.” She chuckled a little and then continued, “He was so worried.”
 
“That's really sweet of Inuyasha. I can see that he really cares for Kagome. That's just too cute, and they look cute together too. Don’t you think so? If only he has met Kagome first. I can tell they will make a cute couple,” Ayame uttered unexpectedly. She continued to walk; unaware that everyone had stopped walking and was staring at her in shock.
 
She turned around with a puzzled look. “What did I say?” 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Earlier in the evening… somewhere in a bay-walk…

The sun was setting, painting the sky with red, orange and blue hues. Kagome stood there – treacherously at the edge of the concrete dividing that which of dangerously wild ocean from the safety the seawall. She watched the wild ocean… staring intently at the enormous waves rolling swiftly to shore. It smashed against the concrete barrier she now stood upon, breaking into huge splashes. It was a turbulent scene – a dangerous one. Yet, she seemed unfazed with such violent display, or even with the fact that if a giant wave would have hit her, she could fall into its depths and it would be the end of her. On the contrary, it calmed her. It was lightening seeing her feelings mirrored by nature. It allowed her to… think.
 
A frenzied mess… that was her mind – as was her heart. Upon leaving the Takahashi mansion, she drove randomly the entire afternoon around Tokyo only to discover she was already standing on the edge of the concrete seawall facing a horizon of raging waves. How she had come to stand there, she didn't know. She shut her eyes when the cold salty breeze blew passed her, spilling her silken black hair from the careless bun she had hastily put up. It glided gracefully in the wind.

It had been the start of the summer's rainy season and right now, it was starting to bristle. The gentlest and obscurest of raindrops were hitting her face. Her dark azure eyes reflected the stormiest of oceans that she was currently gazing upon. Her pale skin appeared paler than usual making her look ethereal, as if a sea goddess surfacing out of the sea – only that the sea goddess was wearing a plain white shirt and a pair of slim-fitting jeans. Sighing to herself, she welcomed the gentlest of showers.
 
Her weakness… after all, it was her weakness that brought her here. At ten years old, her father had always told her she was one of the bravest persons he had ever encountered. Kagome had accepted that as true, never doubted it was otherwise. For a child who idolized her father in every way – his words were equivalent to God. But why was she feeling everything but courage right now? Why was she plagued with inexplicable fear? She had appeared brave and headstrong when she faced Inuyasha's unexpected admission of his desire for her. He had done so without care and consideration for what others may think of the romance between them. She had kissed him, and then put up a brave face after. But it was pretense because she had wanted to cower and shrink at the moment.
 
But what a lover Inuyasha turned out to be. He was very intense, so very hot. Up to now, she still felt his touches and caresses. The way his amber gaze heated up with lust and hunger, as he touched her made her think of only one thing, and that was she wanted to be devoured by him. Oh God… and those kisses. His kisses had the ability to make a woman forget about everything except making love with him. They were designed to make a woman’s knees weak, to send sweet tingles all over her, causing her to lose her self-control. And he did all that to her. She had given herself so willingly. She had chosen him to take her virginity. That circumstance spoke volumes because she was never the type to engage in such intimate exercise with just anybody. Hell, she hadn’t even let Shun do half the things that Inuyasha had done to her. Before all these had happened, she had promised herself that she would choose exactly who, when and where she was to be taken the first time.

She had chosen.

But why wasn’t it her chocolate-haired fiancé? Why had she chosen Inuyasha? She had known him in less than a month, as opposed to the two years she had known Shun. The circumstances that brought her and Inuyasha together were unexpected. But they were romantic – fairy tale like even. She dreamed of fairy tales. Perhaps that was what appealed him to her.

No.

She was certain fairy tales had nothing to do with it. Did fairy tales inspire intense lust for a man? She doubted they did. She had always desired Inuyasha. From the very beginning, she had already lusted for him. She had not known the extent of it, until last night when she had lost her control and had given herself to him. However… did she love him? Probably, it was premature to ask such question.

Perhaps, a more practical query…
 
When was she going to call Shun? Earlier as she drove around Tokyo, she had decided that waiting for Shun to call was wasted time. So she would call him instead. When? Well, after she had rehearsed what she was about to say.
 
Make a clean break and never turn back. She encouraged herself, as she took her mobile phone from her pocket. She turned it on. She had kept it off all this time because she didn't want to receive any calls. The welcome text appeared. It said, “Follow your heart.” She smiled. What pure coincidence. Her mobile phone just gave her the best advice. Sucking in her breath, she dialled Shun's number… and waited.

It rang.
 
“Shun, it’s Kago-” She was rendered speechless – out of words by what answered her. By what she was hearing now. She had expected Shun to answer the phone, not this. She was hearing moans – a lot of them. She felt blood rushing to her face out of anger, out of embarrassment. She felt more than embarrassed. She was mortified. She gripped the phone more tightly when she heard one guttural moan. Had she just heard Shizuru's name in blissful throes? This was so disgusting – in a very nauseating kind of way.
 
She brought her mobile phone down, and sighed angrily.
 
“Bastard,” she whispered gritting her teeth. Quite surprisingly, she chuckled mocking herself. She shook her head. “I'm so stupid. I can’t believe I’ve even rehearsed my lines.”
 
It was now time to go. She thought feeling the wind rushed strongly, unmercifully against her body. The bristles of rain turned to heavy droplets. The sea became rougher, wilder. Kagome could see the makings of a storm in the horizon. She welcomed the turn of events, appreciating the fact that her surrounding was not all bubbly and happy… because right now, she felt rather insignificant.

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R&R!