Categories > Anime/Manga > Inuyasha > Surviving High School
A/N: Guess what? First year of college = INSANELY BUSY!!!!!! I totally love college life, but every time I want to sit down and try to get some writing down, I end up with a ton of homework, or rehearsals, or I have to go practice for a bajillion hours. I'm a music major, you know?
Yeah, yeah, I know. Music major = living with my parents for the rest of my life, shut up. Anyway, I finally have time to just sit in my room without my roommate, though I love her to death, or my crazy friends who drag me off to who knows where every other weekend.
Enjoy the new chapter and thanks to the readers who still stick with me. Kind of nice to know I'm making a rep for myself on this site. 009
Chapter 15
Little known fact, Miroku and Kagome were actually a lot closer than most people thought. True, they hadn't really spent any one-on-one time together in the past year or two, but that didn't change the fact that their relationship went much deeper than many people knew. Kagome wasn't Miroku's friend. She was his little sister; had been for many years.
*******
Flashback
Usually, a first experience was exciting, fun, memorable. It was usually something to look forward to; first time sleeping over at a friend's house, first time riding a bike without the training wheels, first time hitting a home run in little league. But this.....this was not one of those times. It was memorable all right, but there was no fun to be had. This was Miroku's very first funeral and, even at the tender age of nine, already knew that this wouldn't be his last. It was a bone-chilling feeling.
It was the visitation at the funeral home and many friends and family had come throughout the day to say their final goodbyes to the much loved and respected man known as Sano Higurashi, Kagome's father. Mr. Higurashi had been driving home after working late one night and had been struck head on by a drunk driver. Thankfully, the doctors replied that the impact had caused him to die instantly without any pain. However, like a cruel joke, fate had seen it fit to allow the drunkard to survive with only a broken leg and a few cracked ribs. They had done a good job patching Mr. Higurashi up. The viewing was open casket and no one would have been able to tell that his body had been pulled from a car that had been quite literally crushed like a pop can.
The only people who had been at the funeral home the whole day besides the Higurashi's were Miroku's family, Sango's, and of course the Taisho family. Inuyasha and Kagome's parents had always been the best of friends and the premature death of Mr. Higurashi was a hard blow for them all. Inuyasha was somberly standing beside his parents as they talked with Kagome's mother. Sango was sitting besides her brother as they both comforted a teary-eyed Souta who was still trying to comprehend the fact that his daddy would not be coming back to play catch anytime soon. It was then that Miroku realized that there was someone missing.
He walked towards the entrance and quietly slipped out the doors into the bright, noonday sunshine. It was there that he spotted Kagome sitting on the steps of the funeral home, dressed in her little, yellow sun dress, her knees drawn up to her chin. She wasn't even crying, not a whimper, not a tear. She was just sitting, watching the cars fly by as the passed down the street. Miroku didn't say anything, didn't try to usher her back inside, didn't even try to hold her hand. He just sat down beside her and watched the cars.
He knew that Kagome didn't need for people to tell her how sorry they were for her loss. After all, what did they really know? It wasn't their father, it wasn't their husband, it wasn't their best friend. Kagome didn't need apologies. She just needed someone to be there and so, there he was. Five minutes of silence passed. Ten. Twenty. Finally...
"Miroku?" she asked softly, the first time she had spoken all day. He turned to her.
"Yeah, Kagome?"
"Can I tell you something?"
"Anything." She lifted her gaze to his, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
"....I really miss him." She whispered brokenly, a lone tear trailing down her cheek. Miroku didn't hesitate to gather the girl into his arms, rocking back and forth slowly as she buried her face into his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his neck. Miroku just closed his eyes as he continued to rock, one hand rubbing up and down her back comfortingly as he let her cry. Life wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that a low-life bum who never should have set foot in a vehicle was able to get off with only fifteen years in prison while Kagome's father, a hard-working man that loved his wife and his children very dearly, had to lose his life. In that moment, Miroku made a vow, determination brimming inside him.
"Kagome," he said when her sobs quieted, pulling her away slightly so he could see her face. "I know that I can't replace your father. Nobody could and I'm not going to try...." He gently wiped away the remaining tears that slid down her face, trying hard not to shed his own and he continued. "....but I would be honored if I could take the title as your big brother."
Kagome stared at him in surprise as his words echoed through her head. Gradually, a watery, but bright smile lit her face as she nodded, fresh tears beginning to fall. "I would really, really like that." He embraced her tightly again and the two stayed like that for another hour or two before finally returning to their families, both feeling a bit stronger.
*********
No one else knew about that day on the steps of the funeral home. Nobody needed to. It was a memory that would forever stay between Kagome and himself, it was nobody else's business. And from that day on, they shared a bond that nobody else could take away. He was Kagome's big brother and he took that role as seriously as if it was his from birth. Many years after Mr. Higurashi's death, Miroku accompanied Kagome on one final task she had to complete before she could completely let go. He was sixteen and she was only fifteen when they drove the forty miles to the nearest prison.
For the first time, she confronted the man that had stolen her father's life away. Miroku and Kagome were escorted into a room with a table and two chair at either end while one of the guard's went to retrieve a Mr. Gira. Miroku held Kagome's hand comfortingly as a middle-aged man in a bright orange jumpsuit was led into the room, cuffs around his hand and feet, two security guards on either side of him.
For a few minutes, there was silence, Kagome just stared at him. Mr. Gira had looked extremely weary and not the kind that came from running a marathon or going without sleep for several nights. He looked life-weary. Finally, Kagome broke the tension, telling him her name, who her father was, and how it was his accident that had cost her father's life. She didn't yell at him or curse or any of that. She just ended the brief meeting with three words, "I forgive you", and walked out. She never saw the look of awe on the guards faces or the tears that welled in Gira's eyes. She didn't need to. She had done what she needed to do and she was finally able to let go of all the hate. Miroku had never been more proud of her.
No one knew about that day either. No one needed to know. It was nobody else's business. It was something between Kagome and himself. That was why Miroku knew exactly where to go when he stepped out of Sango's house. There was only one place she would go. He got in his car and drove the few short blocks to his destination. He pulled into the driveway and parked next to the convertible Kagome had been borrowing from Inuyasha while the hanyou drove his new motorcycle. There was Kagome, sitting on the swing on the porch of his house. He walked up the steps and sat down next to her, leaning back and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"We need to talk," he said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. Kagome sighed and nodded.
"Yeah, we do."
No one knew that it was him that she would come running to when she needed somebody besides Inuyasha or her family. Nobody else needed to know. It was nobody else's business. This was just between Kagome and her big brother.
A/N: I know, it was really short considering how long it took me to update, but it ended so well that I couldn't keep going. But I promise, I'm definitely working on the next chapter as we speak. Thanks to all my faithful readers, I promise this story is not dead!!!! See you soon 009
Yeah, yeah, I know. Music major = living with my parents for the rest of my life, shut up. Anyway, I finally have time to just sit in my room without my roommate, though I love her to death, or my crazy friends who drag me off to who knows where every other weekend.
Enjoy the new chapter and thanks to the readers who still stick with me. Kind of nice to know I'm making a rep for myself on this site. 009
Chapter 15
Little known fact, Miroku and Kagome were actually a lot closer than most people thought. True, they hadn't really spent any one-on-one time together in the past year or two, but that didn't change the fact that their relationship went much deeper than many people knew. Kagome wasn't Miroku's friend. She was his little sister; had been for many years.
*******
Flashback
Usually, a first experience was exciting, fun, memorable. It was usually something to look forward to; first time sleeping over at a friend's house, first time riding a bike without the training wheels, first time hitting a home run in little league. But this.....this was not one of those times. It was memorable all right, but there was no fun to be had. This was Miroku's very first funeral and, even at the tender age of nine, already knew that this wouldn't be his last. It was a bone-chilling feeling.
It was the visitation at the funeral home and many friends and family had come throughout the day to say their final goodbyes to the much loved and respected man known as Sano Higurashi, Kagome's father. Mr. Higurashi had been driving home after working late one night and had been struck head on by a drunk driver. Thankfully, the doctors replied that the impact had caused him to die instantly without any pain. However, like a cruel joke, fate had seen it fit to allow the drunkard to survive with only a broken leg and a few cracked ribs. They had done a good job patching Mr. Higurashi up. The viewing was open casket and no one would have been able to tell that his body had been pulled from a car that had been quite literally crushed like a pop can.
The only people who had been at the funeral home the whole day besides the Higurashi's were Miroku's family, Sango's, and of course the Taisho family. Inuyasha and Kagome's parents had always been the best of friends and the premature death of Mr. Higurashi was a hard blow for them all. Inuyasha was somberly standing beside his parents as they talked with Kagome's mother. Sango was sitting besides her brother as they both comforted a teary-eyed Souta who was still trying to comprehend the fact that his daddy would not be coming back to play catch anytime soon. It was then that Miroku realized that there was someone missing.
He walked towards the entrance and quietly slipped out the doors into the bright, noonday sunshine. It was there that he spotted Kagome sitting on the steps of the funeral home, dressed in her little, yellow sun dress, her knees drawn up to her chin. She wasn't even crying, not a whimper, not a tear. She was just sitting, watching the cars fly by as the passed down the street. Miroku didn't say anything, didn't try to usher her back inside, didn't even try to hold her hand. He just sat down beside her and watched the cars.
He knew that Kagome didn't need for people to tell her how sorry they were for her loss. After all, what did they really know? It wasn't their father, it wasn't their husband, it wasn't their best friend. Kagome didn't need apologies. She just needed someone to be there and so, there he was. Five minutes of silence passed. Ten. Twenty. Finally...
"Miroku?" she asked softly, the first time she had spoken all day. He turned to her.
"Yeah, Kagome?"
"Can I tell you something?"
"Anything." She lifted her gaze to his, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
"....I really miss him." She whispered brokenly, a lone tear trailing down her cheek. Miroku didn't hesitate to gather the girl into his arms, rocking back and forth slowly as she buried her face into his shoulder, her arms wrapped around his neck. Miroku just closed his eyes as he continued to rock, one hand rubbing up and down her back comfortingly as he let her cry. Life wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that a low-life bum who never should have set foot in a vehicle was able to get off with only fifteen years in prison while Kagome's father, a hard-working man that loved his wife and his children very dearly, had to lose his life. In that moment, Miroku made a vow, determination brimming inside him.
"Kagome," he said when her sobs quieted, pulling her away slightly so he could see her face. "I know that I can't replace your father. Nobody could and I'm not going to try...." He gently wiped away the remaining tears that slid down her face, trying hard not to shed his own and he continued. "....but I would be honored if I could take the title as your big brother."
Kagome stared at him in surprise as his words echoed through her head. Gradually, a watery, but bright smile lit her face as she nodded, fresh tears beginning to fall. "I would really, really like that." He embraced her tightly again and the two stayed like that for another hour or two before finally returning to their families, both feeling a bit stronger.
*********
No one else knew about that day on the steps of the funeral home. Nobody needed to. It was a memory that would forever stay between Kagome and himself, it was nobody else's business. And from that day on, they shared a bond that nobody else could take away. He was Kagome's big brother and he took that role as seriously as if it was his from birth. Many years after Mr. Higurashi's death, Miroku accompanied Kagome on one final task she had to complete before she could completely let go. He was sixteen and she was only fifteen when they drove the forty miles to the nearest prison.
For the first time, she confronted the man that had stolen her father's life away. Miroku and Kagome were escorted into a room with a table and two chair at either end while one of the guard's went to retrieve a Mr. Gira. Miroku held Kagome's hand comfortingly as a middle-aged man in a bright orange jumpsuit was led into the room, cuffs around his hand and feet, two security guards on either side of him.
For a few minutes, there was silence, Kagome just stared at him. Mr. Gira had looked extremely weary and not the kind that came from running a marathon or going without sleep for several nights. He looked life-weary. Finally, Kagome broke the tension, telling him her name, who her father was, and how it was his accident that had cost her father's life. She didn't yell at him or curse or any of that. She just ended the brief meeting with three words, "I forgive you", and walked out. She never saw the look of awe on the guards faces or the tears that welled in Gira's eyes. She didn't need to. She had done what she needed to do and she was finally able to let go of all the hate. Miroku had never been more proud of her.
No one knew about that day either. No one needed to know. It was nobody else's business. It was something between Kagome and himself. That was why Miroku knew exactly where to go when he stepped out of Sango's house. There was only one place she would go. He got in his car and drove the few short blocks to his destination. He pulled into the driveway and parked next to the convertible Kagome had been borrowing from Inuyasha while the hanyou drove his new motorcycle. There was Kagome, sitting on the swing on the porch of his house. He walked up the steps and sat down next to her, leaning back and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"We need to talk," he said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. Kagome sighed and nodded.
"Yeah, we do."
No one knew that it was him that she would come running to when she needed somebody besides Inuyasha or her family. Nobody else needed to know. It was nobody else's business. This was just between Kagome and her big brother.
A/N: I know, it was really short considering how long it took me to update, but it ended so well that I couldn't keep going. But I promise, I'm definitely working on the next chapter as we speak. Thanks to all my faithful readers, I promise this story is not dead!!!! See you soon 009
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