AN: So, here we are again. I'm giving this a shot, so if you like it please leave a comment or favorite so I know and can continue on! Thanks for your time. :)

Cover picture by NoTickleElmo. Hope you don't mind I borrowed it, I love it!


Sister Sister

August

The shrine was quiet in the morning, as it usually was. Sunlight filtered down through the leaves of the old Sacred Tree and across the cobblestones, warming the ground with the remnants of the heat of summer. Birds chirped and Buyo, a chubby old calico cat, waddled across the courtyard, eyeing them longingly. She stopped at the edge of the Higurashi house, pouncing to claw her way up a wooden post to the overhang of the first floor. Pawing across the roof tiles, she paused in a patch of shade to yawn and wash her ears after yummy tuna breakfast. She was in the middle of this when a commotion from the second floor window behind her startled her, knocking her off the roof to land heavily on the ground.

"Sota!" Kagome hollered inside, pounding on the bathroom door again, "Hurry up and come out!"

"I'm not finished!" Sota's muffled voice responded.

"Ugh! What's taking so long? It's not like you have all that much hair!"

"I got here first, Kagome! It's not my fault you woke up late!"

"Well, I was up late studying!" She pounded on the door one last time in frustration, cursing every form of math she knew. If her math teacher hadn't said there'd be a surprise Algebra test today, she would have been able to sleep on in ignorant bliss like normal.

She was already dressed in the short blue-plaid skirt and white shirt that were part of her high school uniform, but her hair was in complete disarray. After running a hand through her dark tangled hair she turned away, deciding to come back later. Returning to her room she quickly put her books in her bag, setting it by the door so it would be ready whenever she was. After that she hurried down the stairs, the smell of breakfast becoming stronger as she went.

Asako Higurashi stood at the sink, cheerful morning light coming in from the window and lighting on her short curly hair, sparkling on the few grey streaks that were beginning to appear. She turned when she heard Kagome's quick steps and smiled calmly at her daughter, wiping her hands on her yellow apron. "Good morning, dear."

"Morning, mom!" Kagome returned her mother's smile brightly.

"That's an...interesting hairstyle you have today, Kagome."

"Ah, no, mom, I haven't done it yet! Sota's hogging the bathroom."

"Ah, I see."

Kagome sat at the table across from her grandfather, who was preoccupied with the morning paper. Her grandpa was the keeper of the shrine, so he sat in his white kimono and navy pants, reading the paper headlines while absently trying to put egg in his mouth with his chopsticks. Half the time he missed, and bits of it ended up in his gray beard.

"Eh, look at that!" He exclaimed loudly, making Kagome look up from her own breakfast. "Oh this is truly, truly incredible, my goodness, haven't seen that in years, what are the odds..."

"What is it?" Kagome asked, knowing full well he was only making a big deal about it so he could tell her some ridiculous story.

"Just look at this, Kagome!" Grandpa flipped the paper around to show her a picture of an old man holding up some antique looking samurai mask and a sword. "Do you know what those are?"

"Some old junk he found in his attic?"

Grandpa's eyes lit up excitedly. "These are the mask and sword of none other than the great demon lord, the great Dog General who dominated the ancient east and western lands! It's said that he wore that mask into battle with an army from the Chinese continent over five hundred years ago, and that the blood of his enemies infused on the mask, so that whoever wears it now gains their powers. And his sword was created from a great fang—eh? Kagome, are you listening to me?"

Buyo, who had wandered inside, stood on her hind legs and tried to paw the bit of meat that Kagome held just out of reach. "Get it, come on, Buyo!" Kagome chanted playfully.

"Kagome!" Grandpa pounded a fist on the table indignantly, egg falling from his chopsticks to the floor. "Have you no interest in our family's history and legacy? This shrine has been in our family for generations and—"

"And our history determines our destiny." Kagome finished for him with a roll of her eyes. "I know, Grandpa. But save those kinds of stories for the visitors who come, not me. No one believes in that stuff anymore, Grandpa." Kagome picked her dishes up and brought them over to the sink, where her mother moved to let her rinse them.

"Why, you ungrateful grandchild, you..." Her Grandpa sniffed, teary eyed. "You used to love my stories, Kagome. What happened to my little girl?"

"They grow up so fast, don't they?" Asako said gently to her father-in-law, who dramatically tried to choke back tears.

Kagome let the warm water run over her dishes and hands, scrubbing at the porcelain absently. Her attention, however, was focused on the window over the sink. She looked out across the cobblestones to the line of trees at the edge of the shrine's property. She searched the shadows of the trees, and not finding what she wanted she rose up on her tiptoes to see past the glare on the window, forgetting all about the running water.

"He's over by the archway, Kagome." Asako said from the seat she had taken at the table.

Kagome jumped slightly, her cheeks a little flushed, and looked at her mother. "Huh, what?"

Asako smiled coyly behind her hand. "He's over by the archway. He got here about ten minutes ago. I haven't invited him in yet, if you'd like to."

Kagome was already looking back out the window—she had spotted him almost directly after her mother had said where he was. He leaned against a tree trunk, arms crossed, the shade from the tree dancing in the breeze over him. Even in the shadows, though, she could see his his white shirt and long dark hair.

"That guy, really. Does he think we bite?" Kagome sighed, shaking her head. "Can't be helped; I'll go get him." She turned the water off and dried her hands on a towel before heading out of the kitchen.

She didn't hear her mom giggle behind her and say to her grandfather, "We may have a bit of a love triangle on our hands. Could be trouble."

"Eh?" Grandpa responded. "Love triangle? What's that?" Asako just smiled.

Kagome headed to the front entry way, where the front door sat, undisturbed still at such an early hour. She slipped her shoes on and reached for the doorknob, only to immediately stop and hurry back down the hall to a small mirror that hung among all the family photos. She smoothed back her black hair the best she could, until she realized how ridiculous she was and gave up. She "humphed!" in determination and stalked straight back to the door, swinging it open and letting morning air spill in.

After blinking for a second to get the sunspots out of her eyes, she stepped across the cobblestones toward the trees on the other side. When she was close enough she called out, "Hey, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha turned in her direction, surprised, and straightened a little as she approached. He unfolded his arms and placed his hands in the pockets of his navy blue pants, his long hair ruffled slightly by the breeze. He was the only boy she knew who could wear such long hair and still give off the air of a tough-guy with a lot of attitude. She thought it was quite beautiful, actually, and sometimes she felt the urge to touch it. She had once, though he wouldn't remember—that had been the first time she had seen him. He'd been here at the shrine, asleep beneath the Sacred Tree, where he probably thought no one would see him. Kagome had walked by only by chance, chasing after Buyo when Sota asked her to help him find the cat, and had been surprised to see a stranger sleeping on her property. She had neared, completely intending to give the trespasser a piece of her mind, only to stop when she saw how peaceful he was—his hands resting behind his head, his eyebrows, which she discovered later were usually down in a frown, relaxed. She had crouched down next to him, wondering who on earth he was, suddenly feeling guilty for wanting to wake him. Was he a boy from school? A tourist at the shrine? What was he doing, sleeping here of all places? His dark bangs were nearly in his eyes and the rest of his long hair was tucked behind him, but for some reason it had looked so soft and shiny that before she had realized it she had reached out and stroked it. Feeling completely embarrassed after that she had quickly backed away before he had woken up. It wasn't long afterwards when Kagome learned who he was and who he had been there waiting for. Just as he now waited, almost six months later, standing beneath a different tree and watching Kagome come with intense golden brown eyes.

"What's taking so long?" He demanded. "Is Kikyo done yet?"

Kagome shrugged. "I haven't seen her yet this morning. She'll probably be out in a minute."

He scoffed. "Geeze." He looked annoyed, but Kagome knew he wasn't. He was never annoyed with Kikyo.

Kagome looked at his face. It had become familiar to her in the past couple months, so she had begun to notice when it was different. He seemed tired and a bit tense. She wondered if something was bothering him, but didn't dare ask. That wasn't her place. So she only gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'm sure she's about ready. You know what an early bird she is."

He gave her a sidelong look and smirked. "Yeah, unlike some people. What happened? You lose a fight with the hairbrush this morning?"

Kagome started, a sudden heat flaming across her cheeks. "Uh! Well, excuuuse me for not wanting to get up at the crack of dawn just so I can brush my hair in time to come sit under a stupid tree, waiting for Kikyo and looking like a stalker outside my house!"

That bothered him, like she knew it would. He was a "tough-guy", after all, and he hated being embarrassed. His aloof demeanor dropped (which was a total act, anyway, and she knew it) and a light blush crossed his cheeks when he snapped back, "Shut up! I don't need to be yelled at by a kid like you!"

"Kid! Who are you calling a kid? You're only a year older than me! Besides, mentally you're just a two year old with tantrum problems."

"Look who's talking, Jr., you're the one always getting snappy and bothering me!"

"Quit calling me Jr.! You know my name so use it, you idiot!"

"Who are you calling an idiot, you idiot?"

"You, obviously!"

They had gotten quite close in their argument, nearly nose to nose, and now each tried to give the other their best glare, as if whoever gave in first would win the argument. It was Kagome who caved, as she usually did, ending it by spinning sharply on her heel. "Well, I came out here to invite you in for breakfast, but maybe I don't want such a big jerk like you at my table!"

"I'd rather starve out here than have to sit by you, anyways." Inuyasha huffed, crossing his arms again.

"Fine, then starve!"

"Fine, I will!"

Kagome stalked all the way back to the house, grumbling angrily under her breath. She slammed the door open, kicked off her shoes, and stomped back into the kitchen, only to nearly run straight into her older sister. She stood at the counter, doing the last strap on her school bag. She was dressed in the same blue plaid skirt and white shirt as Kagome, as well as a navy blazer. Her long black hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, leaving her dark eyes and porcelain skin exposed. Her eyes focused on Kagome, who had stopped just short of her.

"Ah, good morning, Kagome," Kikyo said.

"Kikyo, I don't know how you date that guy! He is such a jerk!"

Kikyo raised her eyebrows slightly, taken aback. Kikyo had inherited the calm demeanor of their mother, and most of her reactions were subtle and composed. She blinked calmly at her younger sister, who shook with irritation and whose face had become a complete scowl. "You mean Inuyasha?"

"Who else?"

"Ah, I'm glad he's here already. I had something to talk to him about."

"Good luck talking to that idiot!"

"Have you two gotten in a fight again?" Kikyo gave her a reprimanding look. "Why does that always seem to happen with you two?"

Kagome sputtered defensively, "He started it! I was just trying to be nice, but no! He had to be a jerk!"

Kikyo shook her head, her hair swinging just above her hips. "Kagome, really. Try to get along with him."

"I do try! I try all the time! He's just so hardheaded and stubborn!"

Kikyo didn't bother mentioning that maybe it was also because Kagome was equally as hardheaded and stubborn, but instead picked up her school bag, straightening the skirt of her uniform as she walked away.

"Kikyo, dear, I haven't made a lunch for you yet." Asako said to her eldest daughter with some worry.

"That's all right, mother, I made one this morning. I left one for Kagome and Sota as well."

"Oh, how thoughtful! Well in that case, have a good day, dear. Tell Inuyasha we say hello."

"I will. Have a good day, everyone." Kikyo gave them a last calm smile and headed away, her Grandpa yelling blessings to ward off evil after her.

Kagome exhaled loudly as she heard the distant sound of the front door shutting. Her shoulders sagged and she avoided looking out the kitchen window as her sister walked toward the trees and the archway at the front of the shrine.

Just then her little brother Sota skipped down the stairs, calling out, "Good morning, everyone!"

Kagome rounded on him angrily. "This is all your fault, Sota!"

Sota jumped at her glare. "What, me, what did I do?"

"You took too long in the bathroom!"

"Well, sorry, it's free now! Geeze, I hope you don't get this mad every time you have a math test."

Kagome gasped. "Oh my gosh! I completely forgot!" She pushed past him and disappeared up the stairs.

"What's with her?" Sota asked.

"Don't mind her, dear," Asako said. "She's just a little tense."

"Are high school tests really that hard?" Sota asked nervously, knowing he was only a year out of junior high himself.

"High school may be that hard, but not because of the tests."

"What's that mean?"

Asako just smiled. Sota sat at the table, giving her a strange look. Grandpa said excitedly, "Sota, look at this, do you know what these are? These are the mask and sword of none other than the great demon lord, the great Dog General who dominated the east and western lands! It's said that he—Sota, are you listening? You ungrateful grandchild!"

Buyo sat on the kitchen windowsill, glancing at the boy and girl outside who were descending the shrine stairs towards the street before she began washing her paws.


The high school wasn't far from the Higurashi shrine, so biking there in the mornings was simple. In Kagome's first year of high school she had walked to school together with Kikyo, but eventually Kikyo became more busy and wanted to leave earlier, and eventually the sisters had decided to go at their own speeds. Kikyo was now in her third year, so she was quite occupied being class representative, a teacher's assistant, president of the archery club, and a volunteer for service whenever extra help was needed. On top of that she was studying for the college entrance exams which were coming up, aiming for the medical program at Tokyo University. How she found time to relax (if she ever did) or have a boyfriend was a mystery to everyone.

So Kagome biked to school by herself, enjoying the wind that whipped through her freshly brushed and done hair. She had made it in plenty of time, locking up her bike and catching up to her friends Eri and Yuka just as they were disappearing into the front doors.

"Gooood morning, Kagome!" Yuka greeted loudly, her softball duffle bag jerking around as she waved. "Ready for the Algebra test today? I hope you studied up!"

"Ugh, don't remind me..." Kagome slumped as though her backpack had suddenly become twenty pounds heavier. "I was up so late studying, but I still don't think I get it. Kikyo tried explaining it to me but I swear she was speaking a different language."

"Some people are just gifted," Eri said.

"Too bad it's not genetic. The gift of math skipped right over me."

They followed the stream of high school students down the hall, the girls in their navy blazers and skirts, the boys in white shirts, gray jackets, and blue ties. Blithe morning chatter between friends was accompanied by yawns and groans at being back to school after the weekend.

The high school itself was large, growing up rather than out, like so many buildings did in Tokyo. Outside, a large grass field surrounded the building, with several areas designated for various sports. Trees were planted along the edge of the grass, and a stone wall circled the school compound, with wide open gates on the North and South sides. Inside, the building was organized into rooms and sections; happy blue banners hung in the halls alongside the occasional poster with warnings about the approach of exams or announcing the school play or displaying the desperate plea for an English tutor. Most of the classrooms were on the higher floors, with the first years on the lower floors and the third years on the highest. The stairs that lead from floor to floor, therefore, were a mixture of students who used the staircase as a rendezvous point to see their friends from other grades and avoid the teachers who were in the halls.

Kagome and her companions climbed the stairs as they did every morning, avoiding a couple who was kissing goodbye as though they would never see each other again, and stepping around a group of guys that were tossing a soccer ball back and forth. They were halfway up the second flight of stairs when they heard someone calling out to them from behind. She hurried up the stairs after them, her thick brown hair pulled back in a low ponytail.

"Good morning!" Sango said as she caught up to them. "How is everyone?"

"Hey, sempai!" Yuka said happily. "So ready to practice for our game against the Northside school this Friday, how about you?"

"You bet!" Sango held up her fist. "We'll clobber 'em, just like we did Westside last week!" She turned to Kagome and Eri. "Are you guys coming to watch? I made a bet with my brother I could knock another ball out of the park."

"Sure, our drama preliminaries will be done by then, so I'll be free," Eri said.

Kagome sighed. "Depends on how badly I do on my math test. I might have to spend this whole weekend going over the test material again."

Sango patted her on the back. "Oh, come on, Kagome, you'll do alright. You usually manage to get by just fine. You haven't failed a class yet."

"I suppose so. And just so long as I pass, that's enough. Junior colleges don't need any kind of prodigies, right?"

"Right!" Sango returned her smile.

Kagome had known Sango for several years now. They had met through their younger brothers, who were friends in the elementary school, and after a short time the girls had become friends themselves. They had grown very close over the years, despite Sango being a grade older, and had agreed to attend the same junior college in Tokyo once they had both graduated.

Eri shook her head. "I don't get you two. Why not try a university? Everyone else is studying for the exams and you two would both be a shoe in."

"Well, I don't need a university degree to help run the shrine, and that's what I'm planning on doing. All I need is a few history classes and maybe some management, and I can get those at a junior college. And those are subjects I'm good at, so I'll do just fine." Kagome said.

Sango nodded. "And I'm planning on taking over my father's dojo, so I don't need a university degree, either."

"I'm kind of jealous you two already have your whole future figured out," Yuka said. "You have no idea how stressful it is when the teacher's breathing down your neck, telling you to pick a career."

"Hardly! Where's your sense of adventure and opportunity, Yuka?" Eri grabbed Yuka by the shoulders, a fire lighting in her eyes, her short hair falling from behind her yellow headband in excitement. "Can't you see all the possibilities in front you, stretching on into the horizon, just waiting for you to venture forth and claim them?"

"Uh, I dunno Eri, all I want to do is play softball. Can't I just do that?"

Sango and Kagome chuckled as Eri wrapped an arm tightly around Yuka and went on to dramatically describe all of Yuka's possible careers in her best theater voice. Kagome and Sango moved up the stairs ahead of them, ignoring Yuka's gestures for help as the other students stepped around the two girls, giving them strange looks.

"Eri, she always gets so fired up about the funniest things," Sango chuckled.

Kagome smiled. "I think it's great she sees the future like that. We need more people like her."

"You're probably right."

They reached the top of the second flight of stairs and turned to ascend the third. As they did so a couple of first year girls spotted them and said with some quiet excitement, "Good morning, Kikyo."

Kagome blinked for a moment before she realized they were talking to her. She smiled at them. "Good morning, girls."

Sango watched the girls continue down the stairs, giggling to each other that Kikyo had said hello to them, before she turned to Kagome, irritated. "Seriously, people are still doing that?"

"It's ok, Sango. It's not their fault."

"Come on, it's been almost two years! They should know the difference by now."

"Those girls looked young—I'm sure they have no idea I exist. It's just an honest mistake. And most of the second and third years don't mix us up anymore."

Sango raised an eyebrow at her. "It really doesn't bother you?"

"Nope."

Sango shook her head in appreciation. "Well, then, you're a better person than me. I think it'd drive me crazy to be stuck in my sibling's shadow all the time."

Kikyo's shadow. That was where she was. Where she had been for a long time, she supposed. It seemed funny to her, though, since she had never once felt that way growing up. Kikyo was just Kikyo, her sister who cared for her, and Kagome was Kagome. They had always looked alike, and it didn't help that they were only a little over a year apart—they had often been mistaken for twins. It wasn't until she had entered high school that she realized just what a large shadow Kikyo cast. Kikyo's calm and accepting personality, not to mention all of her great achievements and incredible beauty, had won the attention and admiration of practically the whole school. No one disliked her, and those who did only did so without reason. When Kagome had been a first year, she had been mistaken for Kikyo daily, and more than once someone thought she was joking when she said she wasn't her. After a while she'd gained the nickname "Kikyo Jr." from most of the upperclassmen. All in all, Kagome supposed she should take it as a compliment, and eventually she had given up trying to explain who she was every time. She just let them think she was Kikyo, or let them call her "Kikyo's little sister" or "Kikyo Jr.", and knew that the people who really mattered knew who she was. And Kagome agreed that Kikyo was amazing, and she was always proud of her older sister's hard work. So most of the time it never bothered her.

It did, however, bother Sango greatly. Sango and Kikyo were friendly, but they had never clicked enough to reach the close relationship Sango and Kagome shared. Kagome held the firm affirmation that Sango was the single greatest woman in Japan and could accomplish anything and Sango saw Kagome for who she really was, and thought that she didn't deserve to be in anyone's shadow.

"Speaking of Kikyo, how's the club hunt going? Anything strike your fancy yet?" Sango asked.

"Erm, well...I'm still looking."

"What happened with the Astronomy club?"

"Decided it wasn't for me. I like the stars, but getting up at three in the morning all the time was probably the last thing I wanted to do. Honestly, those people are crazy."

"No kidding. What about the photography club?"

"Well, I might have had some nice pictures, but I opened up the back of the camera and over-exposed all the film. It's a shame though, I had some good pictures of you at practice, and this adorable one of Sota and Buyo asleep together." She sighed. "They probably would have still let me in the club, but I opened the door to the darkroom by accident when they told me not to, and destroyed all their prints...they weren't too happy about that."

"Oh, Kagome. You sure you're not just being picky?"

"Maybe a little. But if I'm going to do something then I want to do something I like. I just haven't found anything yet."

"Yeah, guess I can't argue with that. You know the softball team's still an option, if you want it!"

"Thanks, Sango, but Michiko still gives me a dirty look whenever she sees me in the hall. I think she's still holding a grudge from when I hit that foul ball right into her face."

Sango winced. "Yeah, that looked painful. So what's your next option?"

Kagome started counting on her fingers. "Well, I've tried the dance team, but that only lasted a day; most of the sports teams aren't really for me, plus they're not having tryouts anymore; the volleyball team asked me to stay, but I think I'm still sore from all that jogging they had me do; pottery was a disaster; I don't need to remind you about the incident with the cooking club; and the chess club wouldn't even let me in the door. They said I didn't look 'strategic enough'."

"Those stingy nerds."

"So excluding all the Math and science clubs that leaves only a handful of clubs that are plausible, one of which is the archery club."

"And that would defeat the whole purpose of doing this."

They both sighed.

Then Sango straightened, slapping a hand down on Kagome's shoulder. "All right, then the only thing left to do is to try all of those clubs! And not so wishy washy this time, Kagome, put some 'umph' into it! This was your idea, after all."

It was. It had been a few months ago, after one of Kikyo's archery matches that Kagome had gone to with her family. Inuyasha had been there, and after some hemming and hawing on his part Kagome and her mother had managed to force him to sit with them. Kikyo had been amazing, of course, and Kagome had watched along with the others as the judges shook her sister's hand when she won the tournament. It was then that for the first time Kagome had felt a small twinge of something she never had before. Kikyo had and did so much. Kagome didn't want to take what was Kikyo's, and she was sure she couldn't do it as well as her sister, anyway. She wanted to find something that was her own, something that she could accomplish, something that would set her apart from her sister. But what?

She had expressed this to Sango and the others, who all eagerly decided the only way to find out was to try everything. Thus had begun the talent hunt among the clubs. So far all she had to show for it was a string of clubs she wasn't interested in, and unfortunately she was running out of new ones to try. But she wasn't done yet.

"You're right," Kagome said, squaring her shoulders. "I'm Kagome Higurashi, after all, and I've never let anything beat me yet!"

"Right!" Sango grinned. "You'll ace this, just like everything else!"

"Ace?" Kagome blinked at her, then gasped. "The math test! Sorry, Sango, I have to go, I've got fifteen minutes before my English class and I should use them to study!"

"Uh, ok," Sango waved goodbye but Kagome was already turning to leave the stairwell in a hurry. She got a few steps into the hall only to scream when Ayumi came out of nowhere and grabbed her.

"Kagome, there you are!" Ayumi said breathlessly, her uniform slightly disheveled. "Where have you been! Glee club practice started half an hour ago!"

"Er, sorry, Ayumi, I forgot."

"Well, come on, there's still time before class! We're all trying to practice the new Bonjovi piece for the club meet next week!"

"I can't really right now I have to study for—wait, Ayumi!"

But Ayumi had already grabbed Kagome by the hand and was dragging her back into the stairwell and down the stairs, running past Sango who called after them, "That's the spirit, Kagome!"


Kagome gazed out across the sunny field, enjoying her place in the shade of the high school building. After being dragged away by Ayumi to practice Born To Be My Baby, she managed to get back to the fourth floor just in time for her English class to start. After making it through her first three classes, she now sat against the outer wall of the school, eating the lunch Kikyo had made her. Ayumi sat next to her, pushing her curly hair out of her face as she ate her own lunch and flipped through her math notes. Kagome was also looking at Ayumi's notes in another attempt at studying, but for the most part she kept getting distracted by anything that wasn't math.

Across the lawn students sat in groups or pairs, enjoying the weather that was the turn of hot summer into a cooler fall. A group of boys, some in uniform, some in t-shirts and jeans, playing soccer on the field. It seemed that it was everyone against Koga, captain of the soccer team, who kept ahead of all of them, his ponytail flying behind him. Kagome watched them with little interest, just glad math had nothing to do with it. At the edge of the soccer field a boy with dark hair caught her eye. He was walking quickly to wherever it was he was going, which Kagome assumed was to where Kikyo was, since it was rare to see Inuyasha without her. Wherever Kikyo went he could usually be seen following after. Kagome thought he looked distracted as he cut across one end of the soccer field, and her suspicions were proven when he didn't notice Koga and the ball headed straight for him. Both boys collided, and Kagome winced as they fell to the ground. It was only seconds before they were both on their feet and in each others faces. If she had been closer, she would have easily heard the insults being thrown around. She became a bit anxious when some shoves started being passed back and forth, but the soccer coach ran over before it got too physical and Inuyasha was sent on his way. Kagome sighed and shook her head. "That Inuyasha."

"Hmm?" Ayumi looked up. "Did you say something?"

"No."

Yuka and Sango approached then, joining her and Ayumi against the wall.

"Did something happen?" Kagome asked as Sango angrily yanked the lid off her bento and began devouring it with vigor.

"Nothing at all," Sango snapped before popping the lid off her juice and downing the whole thing. Kagome and Ayumi watched her toss the empty bottle over her shoulder before they turned to Yuka.

Yuka sighed. "Just that idiot Miroku bothering her again."

Kagome asked, "What did he do this time?"

"He just came up behind her in the cafeteria and gave her this huge hug, you know, like he normally does—"

"The lecher!" Sango interrupted.

"—and went on about how he'd missed her all weekend and when was her next game because he wanted to come watch—"

"Such a pervert!"

"—and asked if she was free Saturday because apparently there's this dance club in town that he, and I quote, 'Would love to take Sango to, because she is the kind of beauty that demands to be danced with'. Then he, well, kind of—"

Sango all but shouted, "He touched my butt! Totally stroked it! In front of everyone!"

Kagome dropped her chopsticks and Ayumi covered her mouth with an, "Oh, my!"

"The nerve of that guy, just who does he think he is, going around harassing women! Honestly!" Sango stuffed a large piece of beef into her mouth and chewed it ferociously, her face red.

"Yikes, what a creep," Kagome said.

"Right?" Yuka agreed, crossing her arms. "No worries, though, our sempai here acted in fine form. She smacked him so hard I think her hand print might be permanently embedded in his face."

"Serves him right," Kagome said, and Sango nodded curtly in agreement. Sango was indeed beautiful—a classic sort of beauty, one that Kagome imagined would have been in Grandpa's old fairytales, with bright eyes and thick chestnut hair. But unlike in Grandpa's stories, Sango was no damsel in distress. She wasn't the best player on the softball team for nothing, and she had grown up doing martial arts with her father at their family dojo. Kagome certainly wouldn't want to be on the opposite end of a hit from her. Miroku, unfortunately for him, was a high school player who loved bothering Sango in the name of "romance" and had yet to take "no" for an answer, even the painful kind of "no".

"Seriously, the moron." Sango said, replacing the lid on her bento.

"Oh, I think you're all too harsh on him," Ayumi said in her sweet voice, clasping her hands together. "I think it's kind of romantic, don't you? He's always trying so hard to get your attention, Sango. He must really care for you."

Sango and the others gave Ayumi a dry look.

"What, you guys don't think so?"

"Seriously, Ayumi?" Sango said.

"Sometimes I worry about you, Ayumi." Kagome added.

Yuka hit her fist to her palm. "Ah, but speaking of poor saps in love, Hojo was asking about you today, Kagome."

"Eh, about me?"

"Yep! He wanted to know if you had a date for the festival yet, but I've got your back, girl, and I told him you were definitely free! He said he was going to ask you to be his date, Kagome."

Ayumi put a delicate hand to her cheek. "Oh, wow, he must really like you, Kagome. The festival's not for a month."

"Oh, come on, I'm sure he just means it as friends." Kagome waved her hand at them. "Besides, I have to help out at the shrine every year, you guys know that."

"I'm sure your family can handle it by themselves!" Yuka said, grabbing Kagome's shoulder in fire-up excitement. "Just tell them the nicest, smartest, cutest guy in our grade asked you out and you can't miss this opportunity!"

"She may be right, Kagome," Sango said, having finally calmed down. "Besides, what's the harm in going on a fun date?"

"Yeah, you're right. But he hasn't even asked yet, so I'll just worry about it if he does." Kagome said, taking another bite of food.

Yuka blinked at her. "Well, you're sure reacting a lot more calmly than I expected. This is Hojo, remember? Your old friend that you've only just been crushing on since all of junior high?"

"Yeah, I remember." Kagome replied casually.

"What is it, Kagome? You don't like him anymore?" Sango asked.

"What!" Yuka exclaimed. "Don't tell me you've gotten over him? What horrible timing! Everyone's just been waiting for you two to get together for ages! We thought for sure it'd happen when we got to high school! And when you two were all cozy at the Christmas party last year we thought it was all moving along so nicely!"

"Cozy? You think so? We just did some karaoke together, is all."

"Poor sap just took too long, I guess," Sango shook her head in sympathy.

"No, it's not like that! I mean, it's not that I wouldn't go out with him, it's just—"

Ayumi cut in, "It must be because you like someone else, right, Kagome?"

Kagome jumped and Yuka gasped, "What? You like someone else? Why haven't you told us, Kagome?"

"No, I never said that!" Kagome retorted.

"Well, you didn't have to," Sango said. "It's written all over your face."

"Eh!" Kagome put her hands to her betraying face.

"It's true! Come on, Kagome, who is it?" Yuka demanded.

"You can tell us, Kagome, really," Ayumi added, gently but eagerly, "Is he in one of your classes? Do we know him?"

"There is someone else, right, Kagome?" Sango said. "You've been a little spacey lately, haven't you?"

Kagome put her hands up in defense. "Come on, can't I stop liking one guy without automatically having to like someone else? Really! There's no one else! Besides, he's a stupid jerk, anyway, so there's no way I'd want to date him, and he's...not available."

"So there is someone!" Yuka said.

"I didn't say that!"

"You just did!"

"Oh, how romantic," Ayumi sighed dreamily, "Forbidden love."

"There's nothing forbidden about it, it just doesn't exist!" Kagome slammed her lid on her lunch and stood up. "I'm done, how about the rest of you? Besides, where's Eri? I'm going to go find her." She stood up and stalked a few meters away to the garbage can to throw away her trash. She could still feel the heat on her face, and wished that she wouldn't blush so easily.

She didn't like him. He was a total jerk. And an idiot. And he never even called her by her name. And it's not like she talked to him all that often, really, and even then they ended up bickering. He didn't seem to talk to a lot of people, actually. He was kind of a loner. Probably because he had such a rotten attitude, the jerk. He loved picking fights with anyone and everyone. She'd heard it had something to do with his family, but she didn't know much and her sister didn't tell her much, either. She wondered if it really was because of his family. Sometimes, when he thought no one was looking, she saw him look up at the sky with an expression that made her heart sad. She remembered him looking tired and stressed that morning and she felt worried. Maybe he did have a hard life. Maybe that was why he was such a jerk. Well, he wasn't such a jerk. He was never mean to Kikyo. And once he had given Kagome his jacket when he'd run into her in town and it was raining. He probably didn't even remember that. If he did, he'd probably just thought he was helping "Jr.", Kikyo's little sister. He didn't know how she had carefully washed the jacket and gotten to school early, even before Kikyo, to put it on his desk with a small "Thank you" note so no one knew. If he did know, he'd never said. He was such a jerk.

"Kagome?"

Kagome jumped, not noticing that Sango had come up beside her. "Sango! What is it?"

"You all right, Kagome? You were staring into the garbage can with a really serious face."

"Yeah, I'm alright, no problems here!" She chuckled. "I just suddenly remembered that I've got that Algebra test and I guess I must have panicked. Haha..."

"If you say so." Sango threw her trash away and dusted her hands off. "Kagome."

"Hmm?"

"Is it Inuyasha?"

Kagome just looked at her. Sango looked back steadily, her brown eyes unwavering but unjudging.

Kagome smiled. "No, of course not. That hot headed idiot? He's not really my type. Besides, he's Kikyo's."

"That's what worries me."

Kagome didn't feel the need to say anything more, and neither did Sango. They just looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them, and after a minute Kagome turned away and smiled. "Weren't we going to go find Eri?"

Sango smiled as well, putting a comforting arm around Kagome's shoulders as they left the garbage can. "I believe we were." They went a few steps, just appreciating the presence of each other, when Sango whispered quietly, "Kagome, don't look just yet, but there's a man standing at the wall over there."

Kagome raised her eyebrows at Sango's suddenly serious tone. Slowly she looked over her shoulder at the wall around the school. It was nearly fifty yards away, past the soccer field, but she could still see the figure of a man standing outside the wall. The wall only came up to his chest, so she could see he was wearing something dark that might have been a suit, and had shoulder length dark hair. She was too far to see his face, but his eyes were dark so she thought he must be in sunglasses. She turned back to Sango and although he was too far to overhear she whispered back, "What about him?"

"Do you know him?"

"I don't think so. Why? Do you?"

Sango shook her head. "But he's been watching you for the last little while."

"What? Me?" She peeked over her shoulder again. He was angled in their direction, that was true, but he could have been looking at anyone. "What makes you say that?"

"I spotted him earlier. He's just been standing over there for a while. But when you got up to go to the garbage can, he definitely looked like he was watching you." It was just like Sango to notice that kind of thing—she was always very perceptive of everything.

Kagome was curious of the man, but was sure Sango was being paranoid. "Come on, that's probably not true. He's probably on the school board or something, and is just out here inspecting the school."

But before either of the girls could look over their shoulders again to see if he was still watching, Eri pounced on them from the side, making them both jump and cry out.

"There, wheez, you are, huff, what are you, huff, doing?" Eri said, resting her hands on her knees as she caught her breath.

"Oh, Eri, there you are!" Kagome said. "I thought we all agreed to study for the test during lunch. What have you been up to?"

"I've been doing what you're supposed to have been doing!" She said pointedly at Kagome.

"Eh? What's that—"

"Did you forget that the drama club has their preliminary competition this week? And you said you wanted to be a part of it?"

"Oh, heh, did I say that? But the test—" She didn't get to finish as Eri grabbed her by the arm and took off towards the school, Kagome stumbling behind her.

Sango watched them go before looking back at the man behind the wall. He had turned slightly, in the direction where Kagome and Eri were disappearing into the school.


Lunch ended with Kagome in the drama club room, wearing a hat with antlers on it and standing on a chair while the other members chanted in a circle around her until the evil demon king showed up in a black cape made from a bed sheet and broke up the party. Afterwards Kagome and Eri rushed to class, taking their seats just as their Math teacher was straightening the test papers on his desk in preparation of passing them out.

Kagome persevered through the test, glad to know that she actually did remember something from what Kikyo had taught her last night. She ran out of time at the end and had to guess on the last three questions, but even so she felt like she would probably pass. She was so relieved she dozed off during her next class, and Hojo, who sat next to her, just let her be, taking extra notes for her. After class he had given her the notes and asked with an adorable nervous blush if Kagome would spend the festival with him. With a smile Kagome had told him she'd do her best to make it. The next couple classes passed uneventfully, and school ended to the joy of the student body. Kagome herself was packing her school bag to go when Eri appeared again, asking if Kagome could stay for another quick practice. With a sigh she had agreed, and after another couple rounds of antler girl on a chair, Kagome was finally set free. She left the drama room and wandered back towards her homeroom class to fetch her bag. The halls were mostly empty, except for a few students going home late and a teacher or two. Looking out the windows Kagome could see the sports teams on the field wrapping up their own practices. In one corner of the school compound was the baseball diamond, where Sango and Yuka would be finishing up and heading home. On the other side of the school, Kikyo would be done with the other archers. If Kagome hurried, she'd make it in time to walk home with her and Inuyasha. She didn't hurry.

Kagome slid the door aside to her classroom and entered the empty room. The sun was lower in the late summer sky, and shed soft light into the room and across all the empty desks. Kagome's bag sat in her chair, the only sign that students had occupied the room earlier that day. She headed toward her desk, rubbing her shoulder and saying to herself, "I dunno, I think all these clubs are going to wear me out. I should probably pick one quick." She reached for her bag and paused when she saw a white envelope sitting in the middle of her desk. On the front was neatly written the name "Kikyo Higurashi".

Kagome gave a small groan of pity. No doubt it was a love letter of some kind. The poor sap had no idea that he had confused the younger sister for the elder. She shouldered her bag and picked up the envelope, leaving the classroom for the hall once again.

As she walked down the stairs to the first floor she examined the letter, as if the handwriting would somehow give away the suitor. It wasn't the first time Kagome had received such a letter, and she would always pass them on to Kikyo who would read them and then kindly reject whoever it was from. Kagome had never read them, but sometimes she wondered what they said. What did people write in love letters? Did they go on and on about Kikyo's beauty and accomplishments? How they admired her from afar? Or did they actually know her, maybe were friends with her, and thought they could be a better boyfriend than her current one?

Kagome chuckled to herself as she reached the first floor and continued toward the front doors. It was true, Kikyo and Inuyasha were certainly not the conventional couple—Kikyo was the admired and intelligent beauty of the school, quiet and demure; Inuyasha was the washed up loner with a fuse shorter and more dangerous than a stick of dynamite. They seemed for all the world like a teenage drama TV show. But Kagome thought that they must work out in their own way. Which way that was, she wasn't sure—neither of them talked to her much about how their relationship worked. Still, Kagome thought it must be a beautiful thing to find someone who cared for you so much.

"Oh, speak of the devils." Just as Kagome was exiting the school's front doors, she saw ahead of her Kikyo and Inuyasha. She slowed her steps, debating whether or not to catch up to them. But as she neared she noticed that the two of them weren't walking but were deep in a conversation. Her steps slowed even more until she came to a stop, watching the two go back and forth. It seemed...heated. Inuyasha was visibly upset, his hands in fists, his shoulders tense as he looked down at the girl in front of him. Kikyo stood tall and poised, as always, holding her school bag in front of her like a lady. But even she seemed less settled than usual, her jaw set and eyebrows furrowed as she spoke in between Inuyasha's louder voice.

Were they fighting? Kagome had never seen them fight. She'd assumed that Kikyo was the one person Inuyasha never fought with. What could they possibly be fighting about?

Kagome shifted uncomfortably, not sure what to do. Then she suddenly had the fear that they would turn and see her, and that just seemed way too awkward, so instead she turned and hurried back into the school. She walked through to the opposite side and exited there, headed toward the South gate instead. It was a little bit longer home this way, but only by a couple blocks, and with her bike it wouldn't be too bad. Then she remembered her bike was still locked up on the North side and smacked herself in the forehead. She didn't dare go back for it, though.

What had they been fighting about? Even the best of couples fought sometimes, so Kagome assumed it was nothing too serious. Still, though, she was curious. Perhaps they'd both just had a bad day—she thought back to Inuyasha's weary face that morning, and his quarrel with Koga at lunch. No doubt he was just uptight and had probably snapped at Kikyo, and Kikyo, despite her calmness, wasn't one to back down easily. They'd probably hash it out together and forgive each other all before they even got home.

As Kagome left the school compound and headed around the block, she remembered the letter in her hand. She looked at it, wondering if perhaps giving it to Kikyo wasn't the best idea. Why should Kikyo have to bother with it? She had to do the rejecting all the time. And Inuyasha didn't need the extra stress, either.

Kagome flipped it over and began opening it. Well, the least she could do for them was figure out who the letter was from. Then maybe tomorrow she could find the poor guy and give it back to him, explaining the misunderstanding of putting it on the wrong desk, and telling him politely that Kikyo was unavailable so would he kindly back-off. She began reading, a thrill of curiosity going through her at the thought of discovering what went on in love letters. The thrill, however, slowly began to ebb to confusion, and then a creeping feeling of dread crawled up Kagome's spine and made her stomach churn.

This was no love letter. This was a threat.


A/N: La. Chapter one. Thanks for your time. Leeeeeeave comments. :)