A young girl was walking down the street with other children her age. She was the only one not smiling or laughing. She was never happy. There were a few women with them to keep them in line. The girl's shoulder length black hair moved in the light breeze. Her brown eyes seemed a bit lifeless. "So, Kagome,what do you want to do when we get home?," a girl next her asked. The girl had long shiny blonde hair and bright green eyes. Her name was Ai. "Nothing, Ai.," Kagome said. Ai looked a bit disappointed but nodded and went to talk to someone else. Kagome didn't understand how she could call that place home. It was not a home. It more like a prison.
The women lead the group into a building. Kagome snuck away from her group and went down a hall and stopped outside a door. She peeked through the window and looked for a certain child. This was an orphanage. They divided everyone up into different age groups. The only time all the age groups were put together was on every Saturday, the big adoption day. Anyone came in any day they wanted to adopt a child but it was mostly on Saturdays. Kagome found a boy with short black hair and brown eyes. She watched for a few seconds as he played with a toy truck, boredly. Kagome smiled at him. 'Souta.,' Kagome thought lovingly. The boy she was watching looked up at her and smiled. 'Kagome!,' She heard someone scream in her head. The boy was her younger brother, Souta. 'How was your day?,' Kagome asked him mentally. They're parents were a priest and priestess. Their parents died in a car crash 3 years ago. 'It's been so boring without you.,' Souta told her. Kagome was about to say something when she noticed her brother's panicked face. 'Kagome! Watch out!,' Souta screamed in her head. Kagome was confused. What was he talking about?
Suddenly, Kagome was yanked away from the door and out of Souta's sight. She was whipped around to face a man. He was Naraku, the owner and caretaker of the orphanage. He was the only male worker here. "You, girl! What do you think you were doing?!," Naraku screamed at Kagome. "I was checking on my brother.," Kagome said nervously. Kagome never liked Naraku. He always looked at her strangely. "Who is your brother?," Naraku asked. "His name is Souta.," Kagome said. "How old is he?," Naraku asked. Kagome was getting confused. Why did he want to know all this? "He's 8.," Kagome asked. "How old are you?," Naraku asked. There was a strange look in his eyes. "I'm 11.," Kagome said getting nervous. Naraku seemed happy to hear this. "Your brother is old enough to take care of himself. Now, get back to your group. Adoption Day is tomorrow.," Naraku said pushing Kagome down the hall. Kagome ran from him to get to her group. He gave her the creeps. The women washed her up and sent her to her room. Kagome walked into her room and sat on the bottom bunk of the bunk bed to her left. There was another bunk bed across from her. She waited for her room mates to come to the room.
The orphanage was actually a very large building. The main floor had the front desk and meeting rooms for adoptions and record storage. The 2nd floor had the class rooms. The 3rd room had the different rooms for for each age group to play or hang out in. The 4th floor was just one large room used for Adoption Day. The 5th floor was the bathrooms and showers. The 6th and 7th floors were the bedrooms for the children. The 8th floor was the rooms for the workers and caretaker.
Kagome looked up as the door was opened and Souta was pushed in. "Kagome!," Souta exclaimed jumping onto his sister. Kagome smiled and hugged Souta. "Naraku didn't hurt you, did he?," Souta asked worriedly. "No he didn't.," Kagome said soothingly as 3 other kids came into the room. They were 2 boys and a girl. They didn't talk, they were mute. Well, that's what Kagome and Souta were told. They never said a word. Kagome and Souta got into the bottom bunk Kagome was sitting on as the other 3 took the other 3 bunks. Kagome and Souta were always bunked together. "I love you, Souta.," Kagome said. She was on her side facing was on his side facing Kagome. They each on an arm bent between them. They grasped each other's hand tightly. "I love you too, Kagome.," Souta said. They slowly closed their eyes and fell asleep. "She's next.," one of the boys said lowly. "What are you talking about, Nashi?," the other boy asked quietly. "Kagome's next on Naraku's list, Notisho. It's the truth. He's been watching her for the passed week.," Nashi whispered. The girl sat up in her bed. "There's nothing we can do about it. Just let it go.," the girl said glaring at them. "You're just saying that because we couldn't stop it from happening to you, Taisha. If we would of known that's what he wanted with you in the middle of the night, we would of never let it happen.," Notisho said. Taisha snorted and laid back down in her bed to sleep.
-Morning-
Kagome and Souta were seperated as they were being prepared for Adoption Day. Kagome was being pulled around by a woman known as Sakina. "Kagome, are you excited about today?," Sakina asked. "No, I hate today. You of all people should know that.," Kagome said dully. Sakina handed Kagome a green kimono. "I still don't understand why, though.," Sakina said halping Kagome tie the kimono. Kagome slapped her hands away. "I told you I don't need help with kimonos.," Kagome said tieing the kimon dress herself. Kagome looked in the mirror as Sakina started to brush her hair. "I don't like Adoption Day because Souta is always remaining here. He will never be adopted because of me. Whenever someone wants to adopt Souta, they think there's no catch. Once they find out that I have to be adopted with him, they forget all about him and adopt a different child. It was requested by my grandfather that me and Souta be adopted together. When I turn 18, I have the choice of taking Souta with me or leaving him here. I'm his only chance out of here because by then he will be 15.," Kagome explained. "Why don't your grandfather take you?," Sakina asked. Kagome snorted. "He can barely run the family shrine let alone take care of 2 children.," Kagome said. Kagome watched Sakina place her hair in twin high pigtails. "You've never done my hair like this before.," Kagome said looking over her shoulder at Sakina. "I thought we'd try something different.," Sakina said smiling at her. A woman poked her head in the door. "Kagome, your brother is ready. Please report to the 4th floor.," the woman said before leaving. Kagome bid Sakina good bye and walked out of the room. She walked down the hall and met up with Souta at the elevator. They rode the elevator down to the 4th floor and stuck to each other's side.