Disclaimer: I do not own Saiyuki, I only own my Ocs, Shihang and Musashi/Masashi

Chapter 18: Best Friends?

Shihang talked with the bartender in a low tone. Goku sat besides her in the swivel chair listening on her conversation. When the bartender nodded and left, Goku turned to her after spinning in the chair. “Why are you looking for Musashi?” The monkey asked. The Sanzo replacement turned to him with an uncertain look. She was debating whether to tell him the truth or not since it had to do with Sanzo, and she knew that Goku would tell Gojyo and the handicap sprite would be angry with her.

Nonetheless, Goku still waited for her answer. “Well…” She began until Hakkai walked into the bar with Gojyo behind him. The crimson haired man sat on the other side of her still feeling the pain from a week ago. He asked for a beer until Shihang interrupted asking for a soda. “You need to get better.” She said.

“Shi…” Goku whined. “Tell me why you’re-”

The blonde stuffed a root beer in his mouth. “I don’t have to tell you anything. It’s nothing.”

Goku removed the can from his mouth and spit the contents on the ground. “It worries me that you’re looking for the enemy.”

Gojyo grabbed Shihang by the collar making her face him. “Why are you looking for Musashi?” Hakkai asked. Shihang didn’t hear any words coming from Hakkai’s lips. She stared at the man holding her close. They both looked into each other’s eyes. Shi could feel her ears grow in heat to about a million degrees. The cockroach smirked at the sight of her red ears and pulled her towards him. “Tell us best friend,” He whispered in her ear.

Shihang’s face evolved into a shade of red. “He told me something. I mean I’m not looking for him so that I can get revenge on Masashi for attacking Gojyo or anything. It’s just that he told me that S-” She didn’t want to say his name. She sort of felt angry that Gojyo would stand up and try to find him. He was Gojyo’s closest friend in the group before she came. Hakkai told her of how Sanzo cared for Goku, but was always watching out for the idiot at the same time. It wasn’t only Gojyo. It was everyone else. They would soon forget her. She wouldn’t have a way back home, so she had to be stuck somewhere. She hoped that she could stay with Hakkai and visit Gojyo and Goku every once in a while. She imagined their faces and their words telling her how much they miss her. Shi totally forgot about the reality in her hopeful daydreams.

“What’s wrong?” Goku asked her.

She stood up and walked to her room. What’s this feeling? She asked herself. Shi remembered the words she told Gojyo. She cared for him, she didn’t want him to die, and she couldn’t go on without him. She even yelled at her ex-boyfriend to save his life. “Why do I think of him more than Masashi?” The girl opened her door and found an orange airplane on her bed. She blinked and grabbed it. Characters were written on the plane, so she opened it up.

Shihang read the note, which had been from Musashi. He had written directions to his hideout and asked her to come over with the other three promising the return of Sanzo. She was about to rip up the letter until they had burst into her room. Hakkai sensed the uncertainty in the air as Gojyo grabbed the letter in hand. “Sanzo’s alive?!” The idiot yelled.

“What? Really?” Goku asked grabbing the letter in Gojyo hand.

As Gojyo and Goku wrestled for the letter, Hakkai noticed the sadness on her face. He was about to ask her of something until Gojyo turned to him. “Let’s go Hakkai. We can finally smack that worldly priest in the head for scaring us. Let’s get ready monkey.”

Goku and Gojyo walked out of Shihang’s room in excitement. She turned away to the open window hoping to hide from Hakkai. He knew better. The black haired man walked up to her placing an arm on her shoulder. “Are you upset at the fact that you knew Gojyo was going to get excited over Sanzo?” Shihang was silent. “Or is it just everyone else? You aren’t a toy that we can just use and throw away Shihang. We aren’t going to forget you.” Shi turned to him feeling a tiny bit better until. “Plus, there’s also the fact that Gojyo’s in love with you.”

Her eyes widened as her face turned red. “No! That can’t be! We’re only best friends!”

Hakkai smiled. “Why do you stare at Gojyo in the jeep?” Her eyes blinked. She didn’t realize that someone would notice. Hakkai ruffled Shihang’s hair. “You don’t have to worry about anything.”

A/N: Hola readers!! It’s been a while since I uploaded! I hope you didn’t just skip the last chapter because you thought I was going to kill off Gojyo. I would never do that!! Well at least you know that Gojyo didn’t die off. :D I hope you enjoyed this chapter though.. we’re only three or four chapters away from the ending! So stay tuned!