What if? 
What if Miaka had chosen Hotohori and not Tamahome?
~Author Unknown~


Miaka couldn't believe that Tamahome didn't love her! She had confessed her feelings to him, and yet he refused her and left her in the pouring rain. It was a miracle that she hadn't caught a fever, only a slight case of the sniffles. Miaka wondered how much of her sniffles was actually sadness, and not the cold.  Even Nuriko had ceased to harass her, as if she understood. 

Miaka wandered through the palace gardens until she arrived at the lake that was  at the center of it all. She stripped off her socks and shoes and waded out until the warm water was up to her knees. For the first time Miaka felt almost normal again, as she felt the water run around her legs, reaching her hands down to splash in the water. Forgetting her worries, Miaka splashed until she was soaked, sending the clear water into crystal-like waves.  Suddenly sensing someone behind her, Miaka turned suddenly. "Hotohori-Sama! I didn't see you there!"

"Gomen, for a second thereÉFor a second there you looked like a water fairy playing in the sunlight." Hotohori's face resembled that of a longing child as he watched her. "Don't let me interrupt you, please continue if you wish."

"Me, a fairy? You've got to be joking!" Miaka started to get out of the water, but stumbled on one of the rocks on the bottom of the pool. Hotohori started to laugh and walked over and offered his hand to her. Miaka was almost out of the pool when she stumbled yet again, and pulled him in with her. "Gomen!!" She quickly got out of the pool, falling onto the grass. "I'm sorry Hotohori! I didn't mean to pull you in also!" 

"That's all right Miaka, I know you didn't. But still, I can't go back into court looking like this, so lets both stay out here until our clothes are somewhat dry." Hotohori reached up to the top of his head and took off his royal crown. Luckily, it was mostly dry, but his hair was still pretty wet as it tumbled down his head and over his shoulders. Miaka watched, entranced. Hotohori noticed her staring, to which Miaka quickly turned and started to wring out her school jacket.

'Why is my heart fluttering so over Hotohori? And why so soon after confessing my love to Tamahome? Do I love him as well?' She pulled her hair down out of it's soggy buns. "Hotohori, you look so different without your royal crown!" Hotohori ran his hands over her hair. Miaka started to pull away, but an overwhelming feeling of warmth ran over her. She closed her eyes as she felt herself move closer to Hotohori. 

The mood was promptly ruined by the gurgling of her stomach. "I-I guess I better go eat something!" Miaka ran off in the direction of her room, leaving a confused Hotohori behind her.  When she reached her room Miaka closed the doors behind her and sunk down to the floor. "What is going on? Why is this all happening to me now, when I'm in this other world? Am I more attractive here?" Miaka shed her wet clothes, adorning herself with a dry kimono. She brushed her wet hair back until it was dry, trying not to think about what had just occurred. Miaka went to check on her clothes. She noticed that she had left her jacket at the lake with Hotohori. Slipping on a pair of sandals, she walked out to see if it was still there.

Nuriko watched Miaka leave her room silently. 'Miaka has been so sad since that day I watched Tamahome turn her down! Yet todayÉtoday she is radiant!" Nuriko feared that Hotohori had something to do with it. She HAD to talk some sense into Tamahome! She just had to! 'I don't want to lose all hope of being wed to Hotohori!'

Miaka walked to the pool, but found her jacket missing. It was of no surprise to her, since she had already been sure that Hotohori would have taken it with him. Miaka sat in the place where she had occupied earlier and closed her eyes. She went over in her mind what had occurred up until her stomach grumbled. Miaka ignored her hunger pangs and made her mind go on further, so she could see what she had wanted to happen. 

Miaka felt herself be pulled towards Hotohori. "Miaka, I've loved you for so long, even before you arrived in Konan. However, now that you are here, and not just a legend, I love you even more for your spirit and your kindness. When I first met you I admit that I was a little surprised that an always hungry, clumsy girl could be the Suzaku no Miko, but then I grew to know and love the you that has always been. Not just because you're the Miko. I've been so lonely in the past. Please say that I will never have to be lonely anymore!" 

He laid soft, gentle kisses on her neck, which rivaled the summer breeze itself for it's warmth.  Miaka looked into his eyes, in which she seemed to lose herself in their depth. "Hotohori. I-"

Miaka was disrupted by the approach of footsteps and yet another grumble in her stomach. She rose to her feet hastily, trying to rid herself of the blush that had crept over her body. Tamahome came forward. "Miaka, everyone has been looking for you. It's not like you to skip a meal. Everyone is currently in the dining room." Miaka felt the cold curtness of his voice, yet it didn't seem to affect her this time. She walked past him, thanking him. Tamahome looked after her in confused amazement.

The meal, or what was left of it, was spent mostly in silence. Miaka tried to get a conversation going several times, but everyone, including her, had other things on their mind. "Nuriko, today I got so wet! I fell in the water-several times!" Nuriko only smiled and nodded. 

After dinner, Miaka started to walk back towards her room in a daze. 'Tamahome's words don't have any effect on me anymore. What is happening to me?'  When Miaka returned to her room, she found Hotohori waiting for her. "Hotohori-You were just in the dining room! Are you that fast?"

Hotohori shook his head in amusement. "Miaka, you've been walking around for quite some time now! I brought your jacket to you. I let it dry in my quarters." Miaka took the jacket from him. She could smell his scent on it, not overpowering, but pleasant. "Miaka. TodayÉIÉ" He stopped, unable to say another word.

Miaka decided to determine if she really had fallen for Hotohori. She leaned forward and gently pressed her lips to his. Hotohori's eyes widened in surprise, but closed as he slowly put his arms around her. Miaka felt Hotohori return the kiss, and realized that she was enjoying it! She never wanted it to end. Miaka wished that time would cease and let her spend infinity with Hotohori at this moment forever.

The kiss finally broke, however, and Miaka felt herself breathing into Hotohori's ear, the words, "I love you." Hotohori tightened his arms around her. She could feel the joy in his body at her saying that. Hotohori looked into her eyes, questioning. Without speaking, Miaka knew what question he was asking, and nodded. She would become his wife. Hotohori slid a ring from off his finger and placed it onto hers. The two of them then lay down upon her bed beside one another, just holding each other.

When morning came the two of them emerged from the room together. As expected, Nuriko was furious, burst into tears and ran off. Tamahome never said a word. He just left his breakfast where it was and walked off. Tamahome and Nuriko wouldn't leave, since they knew how important summoning Suzaku was to Konan, but the sense of adventure had dimmed a little in their eyes. 

"Hotohori, is what we're doing wrong? Nuriko and Tamahome seem so hurt!" Hotohori shook his head sadly. 

"It's only surprise, darling. They will cope somehow, hopefully. I hope they will. They are just as precious to me as you are." Hotohori held Miaka close to him as they watched the directions in which Nuriko and Tamahome left in. "I only hope they'll understand."

The End?

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