Don't Make It Hard For The Two Of Us
Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-yasha, First Love by Utada Hikaru…even the idea. R&R. Be nice!
It has been a month ever since the last battle with Naraku was held. Now, everything at Sengoku Jidai is at peace. Kagome has gone back to her own time, leaving Inu-Yasha behind. The dog-demon chose to remain in that time because of his stubborness, but in reality, he wants to stay at her side. After all those trials and battles they have went through, the hanyou realized that he's in love with her – deeply. And he doesn't want her to go. But he didn't stop her. Why?
Shippo cried so much when she was about to leave. Kagome hugged him tight, much like a little brother hug. The hug she used to give her own brother Sota. He would have gone crying forever if she hadn't given him her chocolate as a souvenir. Somehow, it lightened the little kitsune's heart and was able to let go easily. Miroku and Sango were there wishing her the best of luck at the other side of the well. They have already sorted out their feelings for each other and are now stable. Although Miroku's pervertedness didn't went away easily.
"I'm going now," she told the hanyou. "Inu-Yasha."
He said nothing, he just turned his back away from her. "Fine, go on then."
"Inu-Yasha, aren't you going to say a nice 'good-bye', at least?" Miroku questioned him.
"Why should I?"
That statement broke Kagome's heart. "That's it, I guess. Goodbye minna…" and jumped into the well before she'd broke into sobs.
"She's crying," Sango said. "You shouldn't have said that, Inu-Yasha. Looks like you broke the poor girl's heart."
Inu-Yasha said nothing except a slight "Feh." He saw the now complete jewel resting at the edge of the well. "So she's not coming back here," he thought.
"Goodbye, Kagome!" Shippo called at the bottom of the well.
"That was so stupid of me," he mumbled to himself, as he gazed at the jewel in his hand, while resting up on the branches of a tree beside the well. "I shouldn't have said that."
"Kagome honey? Breakfast is ready," her mother called at her door.
She woke up with the morning sun's rays streaming through her window. She got out from bed, stretched her arms and opened her sliding window to breathe in the fresh morning air. "It has been a long time since I went back here," she could not help but think. Her eyes fell on the picture of her and the gang way back at Feudal Japan. She giggled a bit; that was the first time she introduced the magical thing called "camera" to them. And that was their first picture together…Inu-Yasha was beside her, looking pissed, while Shippo's at his head. Miroku was flirting with Sango again, and she wasn't all that smiling. In fact her face was all up into a deaththreat-sort of expression. She looked at Inu-Yasha and her sitting together…
"Kagome? Are you awake yet?"
"Yeah mom, I'll be right down!"
"Good morning, Kagome-chan!" her classmate Rika greeted on the way to school. "How is your back doing?"
Kagome looked confused. "My back?"
"Yeah, your gramps said you're suffering from back pain these past few days. I wonder if it's alright that you got out of bed like that."
"I don't suffer from any back pain!" she cried. Grandpa is not a very good liar…she thought.
"What club are you helping out, Kagome?"
"I don't know…what do you mean?"
"Don't' you know? It's the cultural festival next week! Just right before Christmas! Isn't it romantic?" she said dreamily. "Hojo's been waiting for an opportunity as good as this; he's all excited about it!"
Hojo? Kagome thought. "He still doesn't give up, does he?" she asked herself. "But I don't like him, Rika!"
"Why don't' you teach yourself to like him?" she countered back. "Unless you have somebody else in mind, that is."
Inu-Yasha's stubborn face quickly lit up in her mind. "No way!" she cried. "I wouldn't like –" and stopped before she could blurt out something.
"What's that?"
"Nothing. Now, let's hurry up to the school!"
Kagome chose to help the Cooking Masters Club, since she is very good at cooking. At least, she got her mind off what Rika has started for a while.
"Higurashi, will you pass me that bag of ramen noodle, please?"
"Oh here you go," and she handed the student the bag. Not another memory of him, she thought. She knew very well that ramen was Inu-Yasha's favorite food, he'd been raiding her bag for ramen months before. They always argue about how he'd finish 6 bowls of instant ramen in just one sitting. He used to call her " worthless wench" for no reason at all. Somehow, she missed those annoying words of his…
"Uh, Higurashi," the moderator said gently and tapped her on the shoulder. When he got her attention, he pointed to the dish Kagome's cooking, it's already burning!
"AAAHHHHHH!!" she shrieked, while holding the pan currently on fire, not knowing what to do. Panic has conquered her mind. She heard someone say to her, "Throw it out the window before it starts a big fire inside!" And so she did. Unfortunately, it landed on somebody else's head: Hojo's head to be exact. He was about to go to the shower room just beneath the HE room when the pan hit him right in the bull's eye.
BOING!
"Eeek! Hojo-kun!" she shrieked again. The others laughed at her misfortune. Somebody had called the school doctor to attend to his condition. Full of shame, Kagome left the room before she could stir up any fuss inside.
"Did you hear the latest news? Hojo was rushed to the clinic a few minutes ago."
"Really? Why?"
"Higurashi-san's blooper, I heard. She threw a flaming frying pan out the window while in Cooking Club session and it landed on poor Hojo-kun's head," a student explained, with matching puppy-dog eyes.
"And he's been courting her for a long time now, right? Poor Hojo! How could Higurashi do this to him?"
"She doesn't like him, I guess. Poor Hojo!"
"Hojo-kun?" Kagome called worriedly as she looked at the poor boy, his head wrapped in bandages. She was told by the school nurse that he suffered from a very severe bump on the head. "Is he going to be okay?" she asked.
"He's fine now, Higurashi-san, you don't have to worry. However, he might experience slight headaches by the time he wakes up," she answered. With that, she left the room.
"It's all my fault," Kagome whispered. "I'm sorry, Hojo."
It looks like he's gaining back consciousness, she observed. Hojo was already waking up.
"Ow…Oh, Kagome."
"I'm sorry Hojo-kun," she immediately said. "I didn't mean it. You see, because um…"
"It's alright, I know you didn't mean it also," he calmly answered and held her hands. "Now lighten up. A long face doesn't suit your beauty."
Kagome smiled. Why she didn't give him a chance a long time ago? Hojo's sweet and kind and considerate. Much sweeter than Inu-Yasha. Not to mention the fact that he was throwing himself at her feet, asking for just those three sweet words. "Why don't you teach yourself to like him?" she remembered Rika's advice. "Why don't I give it a try?" she thought, and smiled.
Back at Feudal Japan, Inu-Yasha was still thinking about Kagome when Miroku came from the village. "Hey Inu-kun," he called. "Kaede wants you back at the village. She asked me to fetch you."
"What does that old hag want now?" he growled.
"Rather than wasting your time looking at the middle of nowhere, why don't you go there yourself and ask her?" When he still didn't move, he smiled. "You're thinking about Kagome-sama, right?"
That statement made him react. He jumped down from the tree and faced Miroku. "Why would I think of her?!"
"Don't play dumb, dog-boy, it's very obvious. And why are you holding the jewel like that if you're not thinking of her? Isn't that in her possession when she was still here?" he pointed at the jewel held by him very carefully in his hands.
"Feh!" he exclaimed. "Bug-off, ecchi!"
"The whole village knows about your feelings towards Kikyo, Inu-Yasha. And she isn't here anymore so you can't prove it to her. What more if the one you deeply love is just nearer than you expected?"
"What are you trying to paw?"
"It's very clear…the village people knew very well that you have feelings towards Kagome-sama." Miroku casually blurted. "You can't deny it anymore, cause a lot of people have seen it in you, by the way you act after she left."
"Let them think that way – I don't care a bit!" he stubbornly said.
"Why do you keep playing blind, Inu-Yasha? Can't you just accept it? C'mon – it's natural to feel that way. You have already felt that in Kikyo before right?"
"Stop comparing Kikyo and that wench! If you have nothing else to say, then just leave me alone!"
Miroku was taken aback. "Alright," he said and took his staff. "I'm going, I'm going…"
"Good! Now get out of my sight before I tear you in half!"
Miroku left the hanyou alone with a smile on his face. "No matter how you deny the facts dog-boy…you still love her."
After he left, Inu-Yasha gave out a deathglare at Miroku. "Feh," he told himself. "I would never like her anyway, monk…she's just a kid."
On the days that followed, Kagome had always taken care of Hojo while he's still recovering. Day by day, her feelings towards him are starting to grow…but still, whenever she sees something that reminds her of her past, she would stop and think about Inu-Yasha. Days passed by and she learned to forget the hanyou…bit by bit. Strange though, that oftentimes, she would catch herself crying for no reason, whenever somebody mentions about a well. It seemed that the place had already made a mark in her heart.
That night, she was listening to a tape of Utada Hikaru's First Love…
Saigo no kisu wa
Tabako no flavor ga shita
Nigakute setsunai kaori
Ashita no imagoro ni wa
Anata wa doko ni iru n' darou
Dare wo omotte 'ru n' darou
You are always gonna be my love
Itsu ka dare ka to mata koi ni ochite mo
I'll remember to love
You taught me how
You are always gonna be the one
Ima wa mada kanashii love song
Atarashii uta utaeru made
Tachidomaru jikan ga
Ugoki-dasou to shite 'ru
Wasuretaku nai koto bakari
Ashita no imagoro ni wa
Watashi wa kitto naite 'ru
Anata wo omotte 'ru n' darou
You will always be inside my heart
Itsu mo anata dake no basho ga aru kara
I hope that I have a place in your heart too
Now and forever you are still the one
Ima wa mada kanashii love song
Atarashii uta utaeru made
You are always gonna be my love
Itsu ka dare ka to mata koi ni ochite mo
I'll remember to love
You taught me how
You are always gonna be the one
Ima wa mada kanashii love song
Atarashii uta utaeru made
"It reminded me so much of him," she thought. "Geez Inu-Yasha…what are you afraid of? Can't you see? I loved you all this time…" she whispered, looking at the ceiling of her room. "Maybe he won't understand…there's always Kikyo, right?" A tear fell from her eyes and slid down her cheeks. "Why are you making this hard on me? Why won't you just…tell me…You're making things so complicated, you know. Kikyo's already dead. She is already…" She cried softly; she expected to hear his stern words, "Quit crying!" but no, he wasn't there…he wasn't there at all. The thought of that made her cry even more.
Inu-Yasha felt a strange pain surge thru his heart. He hear someone crying…Kagome's tears…he can feel all the pain she is through. He cursed himself for he can't do anything to help her at all, she's back at her own time and he can't make her come back. Well, if he does, that would take a miracle to do. He cursed himself for being so insensitive. Kagome will remember him forever as the one who broke her heart…and she will erase his memory as time passes by. "Kuso!!!" he scowled, that echoed in the dark moonlit forests of the village. "How can I do such a thing? Kagome…I'm sorry…I'm really sorry…" he cried. But no matter how he scowl or curse, his feelings will never reach her, they are a long distance apart…and he was upset about that.
It's the day of the festival. Loud booms are heard at the very start of the day. Thousands of people flock to the school where the main events were held. Kagome was as nervous as ever. Since the flaming pan incident, she find it hard to go to school, maybe because of the fact that a lot of girls got mad at what she had done to Hojo. "Geez," she thought, "Why they can't just leave me alone? I don't like Hojo…or do I?"
"Kagome-chan, it's finally here!" Rika exclaimed. "It's the day of the festival! I'm so excited!"
"I'm happy for you, Rika!" she greeted. "Why the excitement?"
"Haven't you heard? It's the special day today for lovers of the school! Oh my gosh…my Masanori-kun…" she said dreamily. "It's been said that if a boy confesses his undying love to you before the night hits twelve, you are sure to be together forever! I hope he confesses…geez…I'm so excited!"
Kagome felt a slight shiver of excitement also. Then confusion. She isn't so sure about her feelings towards Hojo…nor towards Inu-Yasha…what would she do? I can live without both of them, she thought. Surely I can…
"Kago-chan? Is something wrong?"
"Rika-chan…what about, if the girl is the one who confesses? Would they be together forever also?" she asked.
"I don't know…maybe! It doesn't matter who makes the first move, what the matters is that you love each other right? And if the girl is the one who confesses, nothing must change in their relationship – on second thought, why do you ask? Do you already like Hojo-kun, Kagome?"
"No! I mean – I just thought about it, and what if it's vice versa, and…"
Rika eyed her suspiciously. "Okay, okay…suit yourself, Kagome. Let's hurry up now! We're going to be late for the festivities!" She promptly grabbled Kagome's hand. "Let's go!"
"Inu-Yasha! Where are you going?" Kaede asked him the very same day back there. The hanyou cannot take the pain anymore – Kagome needs him. So he's going to be there.
"It's none of your business! Now leave me alone!" and sped off.
Kaede was left there wondering. Miroku came up from behind her with Sango and tapped her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Kaede-sama, he can take care of himself. I hope that he can manage himself on the other side of the well."
"'Other side'? You mean, Inu-Yasha's going to Kagome's world?"
"Looks like it," Sango replied, "I guess he can't live without her." Miroku smiled, so as Kaede.
"Inu-Yasha loves Kagome," the old priestess thought.
"I'm going to tell her this time," he thought. "And I'm not going to fail. I'll tell her what I really feel."
"AND NOW, IT'S TIME FOR THE DANCE AROUND THE CAMPFIRE! ALL PAIRS, PLEASE GO DOWNSTAIRS TO THE SCHOOLYARD!"
That was the announcement that boomed through the intercom of the school. It was nearing night now. Almost all of the pairs are downstairs and ready to dance. Among them was Rika and her boyfriend Masanori. Meanwhile, Kagome was watching at the rooftop of the school, thinking about what if she and Inu-Yasha were down there dancing together. Just as when she was deep in thoughts, Hojo came up from behind her.
"Kagome?" he asked.
Kagome snapped out of her dreams and faced reality. "Hojo-kun, what are you doing here?"
"Kagome-chan, I want to tell you something." Gently, he held her hands together, making her face to face with him.
*thump thump thump thump…*
"I'll be right there, Kagome!" Inu-Yasha said to himself. "Wait for me!" He was at the dimension connecting Sengoku Jidai & Kagome's time. "Right now, I can smell you…you're near, just near here…"
"Hojo-kun…"
"I love you, right from the very start. And I kept on waiting that you will give me the same feelings…I know it's bad to expect but I can't help it…I'm crazy over you."
Kagome was speechless. Someone is actually confessing his feelings towards her!
"It's been said that if a boy confesses his undying love to you before the night hits twelve, you are sure to be together forever!"
And the school clock is just an hour before twelve…
"Hojo, I…" *shock*
Hojo kissed her, making her stop speaking. The warmth of his kiss is gentle, it carries her away. Though she's unsure of her feelings, because of the kiss, she is tempted to kiss him back…
Inu-Yasha jumped his way towards the school building. His heart was thumping with excitement; he can finally confess his feelings! He cursed himself for being so slow, he's wishing that it's not too late yet. His hopes are endless…and then it happened…
He saw them together at the rooftop alone…
Inu-Yasha stopped in his tracks. Kagome looked so happy in Hojo's kiss. How long have they been kissing? he asked himself. Kagome…am I too late? Why you…
"WENCH!" he scowled so loud, that the other dancers down below were curious where it came from. At least, Kagome and Hojo were separated. Her eyes searched for that oh so familiar voice. "Inu-Yasha!!!" she cried. It felt that the whole world was against her. She felt so small. Inu-Yasha saw her kissing Hojo and yet…she doesn't love him at all. Terrified, she thought of the perfect explanation, but it seemed the hanyou is in no mood for hearing any of her words. He dashed off, feeling angry and regretful at the same time. Kagome tried to call him back, but no words came out from her mouth. "What have I done?" she told herself. Startled, she ran after him, never minding the fact that she left Hojo there alone, shocked.
"Kagome…she loves someone else?"
Inu-Yasha's feet and emotions led him back to the well, jumping down below and back to the moonlit forests of Feudal Japan. Meanwhile, Kagome pursued the heartbroken hanyou in a taxi. She motioned the cab to stop in front of the stairs leading to the temple. Never minding the driver's shout that she had some extra change, she climbed the stairs so fast, just so she wouldn't be left behind by him.
"I hope he listens to me…" she prayed. Sensing that he went back to the Sengoku Jidai, she made no hesitation and jumped into the well as well. Unfortunately, she doesn't have the thing needed to go through the well…the Shikon jewel…it's in Inu-Yasha's hands.
"Stupid well! Let me through! I need to see Inu-Yasha! I need to explain all that he saw wasn't true…please…" she cried. "Let me go to the other side…please." A tear slid from her cheek and dropped at the bottom of the well.
Magically, the dimension opened up, and there she was, she floated into it and landed on the bottom well of Sengoku Jidai. Quickly, she climbed the well, in a desperate attempt to talk to Inu-kun. After pushing herself out, she dashed ahead, hoping the dog-demon hadn't gone too far…she needs to clarify things…
Inu-Yasha dashed through the woods, trying to forget what he saw that night at the rooftop. But it was no use; every time he looked at the trees, there seemed to be a similar mark of how Kagome and Hojo looked. Everywhere, he saw them kissing. Furious, he slashed all the trees that bear the sighting, while forcing his heart to erase the pain and just accept that Kagome – no, Kikyo's reincarnation – loved somebody else.
And it was not him.
Is that why you always want to go back all those time, Kagome? he thought. Is that why?! Why didn't you even tell me the main reason!? You made me look stupid! All those "school tests" of yours are just meaningless lies! And that thought of mine that you'd love me as much as I loved you…are just childish dreams…I should have never dreamt about them from the beginning!
He was so mad, he didn't noticed that there was a trailing branch scattered on the way. He tripped on it and fell face flat. At that time, he felt he hasn't had the strength to get up and move on. He just lay there, thinking about how he acted so dumb that he hadn't told her his true feelings when he actually had the chance. Thoughts of them raced in his brain, and he never got up, until dark clouds came and rained all over the place…
"Darn, I wish I brought my umbrella," Kagome thought. She was getting all soaked up and shivering from head to toe. She had been looking for him in the forests for hours, and yet there was no sign of him anywhere. When suddenly, she saw a pinch of red in the darkness of the rain…his gi? Could it be him? "Inu-Yasha? Is that you?" she asked aloud. Kagome ran up beside him and helped him get up. But to her surprise, the hanyou won't get up.
"Leave me alone. Go back to your time. Your love is waiting for you," he stubbornly said.
"Hey, I can't just leave you here all alone now, right? Come on and get up, before you catch a cold!"
He rose to his feet. "And why the hell do you care?!"
"Are you nuts! It's going to be my conscience's load if something bad happens to you! Now don't be such a stubborn guy and seek some shelter!"
Inu-Yasha pushed her away. "Leave me alone! Go back to your koi, you hear me? You have no business left here in this place. Now, GET LOST YOU WENCH!"
"Wench?! Who're you calling wench!?" she yelled back. Inu-Yasha said nothing, he just turned his back and when he was about to make the first step, she grabbed his hand, pulled him, making him face to face with him. She was shocked at what she saw on his face. There was mud, blood and – tears? Kagome saw heartbreak written on his eyes. For one thing, she felt guilty at the pain she had caused to him.
"Wait a minute Inu-Yasha…are you jealous of Hojo?"
"I am not jealous! You're thinking wrong Kagome!"
"I am not stupid you know! Then why are you acting that way?" she threw back at him. At this time, he can't reply. He saw tears already forming in her eyes, even though it was hidden by the rain pouring hard on both of them. "You're so stupid…why are you making things so complicated?! Can't you see? I love you…I love you all this time, and I haven't forgotten you every single day since I went back home…" there, I finally said it, now he can just push me away or accept it…
She started to walk back to the direction of the well, when a rush in the air announced Inu-Yasha's presence. He jumped in front of her, rose from his crouching position and faced her, who was looking at the ground. She doesn't want him to see her cry.
"You love me?"
"Didn't you hear what I said earlier?"
"Answer me Kagome: do you really loved me? Yes or no?"
She looked at him straight in the eye. "Yes I do."
"But the boy back there…"
"Hojo is just a friend of mine," she explained. "That time, he confessed his feelings for me, when I told him long ago that I already loved somebody else." She looked deeper into his eyes. "You."
For once, he was absolutely flattered, but remembering how she kissed the boy, he couldn't help but tell her…"Even though, you don't have to kiss him like that," he said with a slight tone of jealousy.
Kagome smiled. "My my, you really are innocent, Inu-Yasha." How am I going to explain this without stirring up anything? The feeling that surges through you when you kiss…"You'll find out sooner or later, my dear hanyou."
He looked somehow impatient. "I want to know now why," he sternly answered her. To his surprise, she reached up to him, caressed his face and kissed him. Before he could utter a word, he was completely taken away by her. They stayed that way for a long time…
Now I know why, he thought. I know why now…
When they separated and finally got their breath back, both were having pink radiance on their cheeks. After a moment, they held each other in a tight embrace. Slowly, the rain had stopped and a bright full moon soon made its way into the darkness…
"Why did it took you so long to tell me this, you wench?"
"I should ask you the same question, you crazy hanyou…if you've told me earlier, you could have saved me a couple of trips from 1997 and back."
"Feh, and now it's my fault?!"
"Well, whose to blame? It's none other than you!"
Irritated, he let go of the embrace. "Why you?!"
"Why, it's true, isn't it? Don't tell me it isn't!"
"SHUT UP!"
"YOU SHUT UP!"
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU HUMANS! SOMEONE ALREADY TOLD YOU HIS FEELINGS AND THIS IS THE THANKS WE GET?!"
"YOU EXPECTED ME TO THANK YOU, YOU AIR-HEADED DEMON!"
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!"
"YOU HAVE EARS NOW, RIGHT?!"
"YOU WENCH!!!"
The argument lasted for a long time. Nearby, Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kaede were watching how the two brawl like they always do…
"Is that a lover's quarrel, Sango?" Shippo asked her, tugging at her skirt.
"You'll understand these sort of things well when you grow up, Shippo."
"Geez, after all that heart moving confession of his, this is how he's going to treat Kagome-sama? I don't really understand him…" Miroku said, shaking his head.
Kaede said nothing. She looked at the bright night sky with only one thought in her mind. "Kikyo – my dear sister – please watch over us always, especially those two, including the man that you loved…"
Hojo looked at the now nearly empty schoolyard as the school clock just finished it's 12 'o clock chime. Somehow, he felt so happy, as well as guilty, that he made her feelings mixed up between the man he saw earlier and him. At that moment, he knew he already lost.
"Take care of Kagome, whoever you are," he wished silently.
The school festival has ended with enchanting results…Kagome and Inu-Yasha have finally confessed their feelings to one another…and it seems that all is well…
"It's been said that if a boy confesses his undying love to you before the night hits twelve, you are sure to be together forever!"
…or is it?
"Why don't you just grow up, wench?! So that you can be of much use to us!"
"How dare you talk to me like that?!"
"Oh dear…" Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kaede said at the same time…
"SIT!!!"
CRASSSHHHH!
"Owww…."
…hehe, we'll never know…
***THE END***