Kagome's POV. :

I woke up in the middle of the night with loud bangs against my apartment door; groaning, I turned around and agonizingly opened my eyes to be saluted by the big, flashy, red numbers of my alarm clock.

2:04:10…

2:04:11…

2:04:12…

'What the hell?', I thought, '2 a.m.? I must be dreaming or something…'

A few seconds after I fell asleep again, the same bangs echoed through my apartment, reaching my ears. "Great! I'm not freaking sleepy anymore!" I fumed, kicking the blankets out of my legs and got up; my socked feet sliding on the floor, barely making a sound as I walked. I didn't bother turning the lights on or looking in the mirror before answering the door, but I was pretty sure my hair was a mess and it was damn cold outside the bed to walk around in my short pj's. I could care less, though; I would just tell the person to fuck off and return to my precious, fluffy dreamland… If I could manage to sleep after, that is.

Spiked bleached hair and a pair of piercing black eyes greeted me when I opened the door.

"…Nobu?" I asked, rolling my eyes. Those late visits sounded like him.

"…"

"What the fuck, man? Do you know what time is it?" Sighing, I leaned against the doorframe, the coldness in the air surrounding my bare legs.

"No, I do not."

"…Do you know I'll kick your ass when I'm fully awake?"

"Yes, I do, Kagome."

I raised my eyebrows with the lack of enthusiasm in his voice and only then I noticed how sad his face was: eyes puffed and red and sticky cheeks, like he was crying for a while.

Immediately, I felt a sharp numbness across my chest; crap… I was definitely fully awake by now.

"… Oh my, are you alright?" I brushed a hand against his arm and he gave me a crackled laughter and a fading smile.

"No, I am not."

Without giving him more time to speak, I threw my arms around him with a pained expression and dug my chin on his shoulder. "I'm sorry… Is it about Hachiko?"

Hachiko… How I envied that damn woman for not knowing how freaking lucky she was to have him looking at her as a woman instead of as a friend…

The muscles on his back stiffened under my fingertips and slowly I felt his arms making their way around my waist, a soft breath tickling my neck and the wetness of his cheeks plastering my hair on his face.

I knew I was right just by his body reactions; he was absurdly readable because of them, or so I thought.

Nobu said nothing and I wasn't feeling cold anymore.

"Am I ugly, Kagome? Do girls stay with me out of pity? Am I a bad person?" He asked after a good minute of silence. I undid the embrace carefully, brushing his tears away with the palm of my hands.

"…"

"…Because I can't understand what's so good about guys like Takumi! I just can't!" And he punched the corridor wall; his tone rising with each word.

"Of course you're not any of that, Nobu."

"Then tell me why, Kagome!? Why does this always happen to me!?" He looked back at me, eyes filled with hurt and anger, "I was replaced again! Betrayed again!"

I pressed my lips into a thin line and shook my head; my eyes never leaving his; my thumbs brushing lightly against his cheeks.

"… I don't know, Nobu. I honestly don't know…"

Suddenly, the door across the corridor flung open, filling the darkness with light. My vision blurred for I was used with the pitchy blackness already.

"Hey, shut up! I'm trying to sleep here! If you don't have to work in the morning I DO!!!" The neighbor scolded at us, giving a death glare, especially at the sight of a half naked girl and a punk in the middle of the corridor, before closing the door again.

Nobu's face disappeared before my retreated pupils and I quickly brought him closer to make sure I was there. I was still there for him.

"… Can I stay here tonight? I don't want to stand Shin asking me if I cried or bestowing me with his smartass love advices."

"You don't even have to ask that. Come in, you're shivering. I'll get a cup of coffee and then we'll talk better about it." I hugged him by his shoulders, giving a small impulse with my body so he'd start walking.

"Thank you…" He brushed his lips on my forehead and smiled again, "I don't know how to ever repay you…"

"Just smile."

He gave me a puzzled look, falling tired on the couch while I rushed to the kitchen to grab two mugs full of coffee.

Keep smiling and move on, Nobu. That's all I need.