Disclaimer: Saiyuki is the creation of the great Minekura Kazuya.

Author's Notes: As I am writing this, I am glaring at my Internet and willing for it to work. Beta by Chaotic Lullaby. Part of the Like a Living Thing series.

LIKE BEFORE

Lirin missed her brother. The person in front of her wasn't her brother. He was just someone who happened to look exactly like him. Except for the barcode tattoo on his bicep. And his earrings.

She answered the question he asked her, trying to look like the responsible grown-up demon princess that she was supposed to be. She stood up straight in her business suit, hair pulled back in a chignon, and met her brother's blank lilac eyes with her bright green ones.

He told her about the underground movement against their rule—His rule, she thought—and handed her a folder, asking her to give it to their new general. Lirin missed Dokugakuji too. She'd probably never see his replacement as competent. She accepted the folder, nodded towards her brother, and left.

On the way to the opposite wing of their castle, she passed by Yaone. The older demon was holding a ledger under her arm and hurrying down the hall. She barely smiled at the redhead before she sped off. She was probably busy on that new biological weapon that she was developing. The pharmacist didn't want to, but Kougaiji's word was law.

After the meeting with the general, Lirin left for a business meeting in one of their multiple companies. She couldn't remember which one she was attending in Kougaiji's place this time. As the car drove towards their destination, her PA recited the details of the day's itinerary. Lirin barely listened.

She looked out the tinted bulletproof window at the demons walking on the sidewalk and remembered days when her people were the ones that had to live in hiding among the humans. Now it was the other way around. She didn't know how they were managing it, but she was sure that there were still humans around.

The princess sighed, glancing at her watch as the car came to a stop at an intersection. There was time left so she probably wouldn't be late. But still…

A brunet with a gold coronet around his head caught her eye.

Lirin opened the door of the car and stepped out, making her way through the crowd that was crossing the street, moving towards the man standing on the sidewalk with huge headphones hiding his ears and making it impossible for her to see if they were pointed or not.

She grabbed his arm, her grip so tight that her nails ripped through the fabric of his jacket sleeve.

"Hey—!" He turned to push her off but froze when their eyes met.

"Monkey," she said in greeting, tone nonchalant, and for a moment, she almost sounded the way she did all those years ago. Her grip was still tight on his arm and she could feel the muscle and strength in the limb.

"Brat," the brunet replied easily, a smile quirking up one side of his mouth. "You've grown up," he said after a while.

"So have you."

Behind her, Lirin heard her PA shouting her name. The princess linked hands with Goku and they ran down the street.

A bit like before but not quite.