This is going to be short...

By Kagura no Baka

That's where it had all started, you know- With toes.

She had heard once, a long, long time ago, that when your toes curl, you know you're in love. Rin remembered a girl in her old village saying that. Then her friend argued that when your toes curl, you're just attracted to a boy. She hadn't heard the rest of their debate, as they saw Rin peeking and they hit her and told her to go away, but...

Years later, the chocolate-eyed girl had come to a conclusion- her toes never curled involuntarily.

Rin supposed she hasn't met a guy she liked. Sesshoumaru-sama truly is beautiful, the young woman knew, but maybe that's the problem... he's pretty... sure, he's got awful nice shoulders and arms, and probably a great... what-cha-ma-call-it... those same girl's said something about that being important... anyway, but he reminded Rin of a noble lady. Even if the only things she knew about noble ladies were what Jaken had mentioned in lectures...

Perhaps she might go see Kohaku-kun? With the irrational faith of a child, Rin supposed that her friend would certainly be able to tell what was wrong with her toes. She scrawled a hasty 'I'll be back later' (she learned some things from the toadie over the years) on the passed out Jaken's head - she was getting too big to stand on him for too long now- and took off in a sprint.

Somehow, she made her way to the old slayer's village... the journey went by slowly, but Rin found with surprise that when she put her mind to something, she could stubbornly not get lost, and not lose track of what she was doing!

As she slowed to a stop by their hut, which was conveniently placed near the forest, as they probably got a lot of demon and other interesting visitors...

There was a jingling sound.

Holding the jingly-staff and standing outside the hut was an incredibly good-looking man... he had a mature appeal about him, with dark hair pulled into a long-ish ponytail, and complimenting black robes and purple sash. His eyes were the prettiest shade of purple... Her small mouth formed an 'O' of surprise. He was very, very handsome, in a nice, masculine way that made her feel all warm and fuzzy...

Milk chocolate eyes stole down to her bare, dirty feet, and widened with even more surprise.

Her toes were curled...!

"Sango!" yelled the monk who was currently turning her tummy over and over again until it became something mushy. "What about our promise!"

"What about your promise? I never said I would take you!" shrieked a scary lady with weird black and lightning air around her. There were floaty plus-sign-shaped anger marks in the air too. Then she ducked inside the hut again.

Kohaku-kun (She knew it was him because of the annoyingly high ponytail and freckles) came out and assured the man with the staff, "She's just jealous- Come back later and she'll have calmed down. She's just a little insecure right now, Houshi-sama..."

Houshi-sama...

He bowed his head, dark bangs falling in lonely purple eyes. Rin bit her lip. Poor Houshi-sama!

When Houshi-sama spoke, he sounded strained, "She's been 'insecure' for years... I know Naraku is gone, but I still want a family...an heir..."

Wow. Her toes were turning white...!

"...Um, Miss?" Kohaku turned to face her. His face did weird bulgy-eyed-then a squinty and red-cheeked thing that Rin crinkled her nose at. What was wrong with her childhood friend now?

The purple-eyed man lifted an eyebrow, a great ability Rin wished she had! "Do you know this young lady, Kohaku-chaaan?" He said suggestively.

Rin smiled prettily. "Hello, Kohaku-kun, um, I'm Rin..."

Recognition shone on both their faces.

"Hey! Yeah! That little girl that followed Sesshoumaru! How are you?" Houshi-sama paused. "Do you remember me- I'm Miroku!" He jerked a thumb at her old-time friend's direction, where he stood silent, as if struck by dumbness. "This idiot is Kohaku."

"Miroku..." The brunette frowned, the name sounding like it fit him perfectly... oh, and sounded familiar too. That's why she was frowning... because it was the same name as the monk that traveled with Sesshoumaru-sama's "irritating" little brother...

"What are you doing here, little girl?"

"I'm waiting for my lord!"

"Oh?"

"That perverted monk- hitting on young girls now, Houshi-sama?"

"Sango, I'm hurt you would suspect me of such a thing! Miss, in that case, will-"

"Kya!" she squealed, hurling herself at him. "I remember! You asked me if I would bear your child!" Time had done him nothing but good, as he seemed even more confident and strong and handsome!

The young brunette squeaked when the scary slayer-lady pulled her Miroku away, but shrugged, remembering what the nice Kagome girl had said- "That's how they always are" or something along those lines. Rin didn’t mind- she had also remembered that her toes had curled then, too.