Chapter 1

Kagome sat quietly on the lush grassy hilltop. She couldn't seem to pay attention to any one of

her books lately, not since she broke up with Inuyasha… at least she thought they had broken up.

She was still a little confused about what exactly had happened. She had been so upset that he had

been so captivated with Kikyo that a village was nearly destroyed, and she had nearly died… she

only needed to vent! She had been back for only a month, a long, excruciating month of loneliness

and anguish. She missed Miroku's lecherousness, Sango's strength, and Shippo's naivety. But, she

mostly missed Inuyasha. Whether he made her feel safe and loved or angry enough to make her

want to pull her own hair out, he made her feel alive.

"Why do I feel so empty?" she cried out loud. She had always been a firm believer in a person

being able to complete oneself, but she felt dead inside. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks!

"Before Inuyasha, I merely watched life. I wasn't really apart of it." The feeling in her gut

deepened a little more now that she could find a name for it. She slid her book off of her lap and

stood up and shouted, "I will be apart of life instead of watching it!"

The knot in her stomach finally loosened a little for the first time since she first arrived home.

"Do you normally talk to yourself like that?" a voice called out behind her.

Kagome froze in her stance. Reality sank in. She was still in her school uniform and the sun was

now an hour away from setting. It was early autumn and the leaves were just starting to change to a

lovely golden-brown color. The neighborhood that surrounded the hill had become populated with

people going about their day-to-day lives in the evening hours. Had that much time past since she

decided to attempt to study?

Kagome swallowed hard and gave an embarrassed giggle, "No, not usually. Today called for an

exception."

"Well, don't let me stop you. I was looking for the ideal spot to take a picture of the sunset," he

chuckled softly as he brushed his auburn hair away from his silvery eyes. He caught her gaze and

held it for a second before bashfully looking away to study his camera.

Kagome self-consciously looked toward her book bag. They stood in comfortable silence for a

half a second before the stranger spoke again.

"You look so familiar. You wouldn't happen to go to the Hoshii high school?" he smiled.

"Yes, I'm a senior there. I can't wait to get my university test results back." She half-smiled.

"A senior? Why haven't I had any classes with you?" he inquired timidly.

"I don't know," she looked around everywhere but him. She looked at the sky and realized what

time it was.

"Aii, I'm late! I have to go home. Nice meeting you!" she cried as she scooped up her books and

headed home.

Once she was out of eyesight his perfect posture slackened, "Kasumi!"

From behind a tree a little man appeared. He was five ft. two in. if so much. He was pudgy, and

had ghost-like features. His hair and eyebrows were so blonde they were white. His skin was

almost translucent. He waddled to the young man's side.

"Yes sir."

"I want you to find out all you can about that girl. She is average height, and has raven hair and

milky skin." the new arrival whispered.

"There are many girls in this city that match that description. I will never be able to find her!"

Kasumi griped.

"She goes to school at Hoshii. Start there, and Kasumi… don't disappoint me!" he called out.

(A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated like I should have, but I needed the hiatus. I know this chapter is a little blah, but you might need this for later on. wink! Review and get a cookie! I can't eat this tray by myself!)