IF YOU ARE NOT THE ONE

Chapter Two: Everyone's Got Their Chains To Break

My heart is under arrest again
But I'll break loose
My head is giving me life or death
But I can't choose
I swear I'll never give in
I refuse

Has someone taken your faith?
It's real, the pain you feel
You trust, you must confess
Is someone getting the best
The best, the best, the best of you?

~The Best of You by Foo Fighters~

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A handsome man dressed in an expensive and glamorous opaque suit with a blood-red tie, walked into a mirrored elevator. He pressed the silver button with the number fifty and waited for the enclosed transport cage to move upward. The automatic doors shut instantaneously and the small box-like room gradually began moving upward. This was his private elevator and no low-class employees of his could have the satisfaction of riding in it. Well except a few of his most trustworthy acquaintances of course.

He tossed aside his long silver hair with one of his hands while the other held a black leather briefcase from its golden handle. He then briefly glanced down at his golden wristwatch, which by the way matched his amber orbs, and stared at the time anxiously. His patience was running thin and the goddamn elevator was slower than usual.

"Piece of worthless fucking junk." He muttered under his breath.

Jamming his hand in his pocket, he pulled out a small container with tiny mints and wasted no time in swallowing quite a few. Inuyasha then impatiently inhaled and exhaled, feeling the fresh icy cold air enter and exit his mouth as he proceeded to counting down the seconds.

Honestly, he hated elevators more than he hated people.

He preferred a million times to jog up the large flight of stairs, but always fought against it since his council members and advisors had insisted on building the damn box for his personal use. They disaproved of such behavior in front of other employees, especially coming from none other than the president of the company. They believed that he should never stoop to such common level. Those old baboons always seemed to crawl up his ass. However, and regardless of his issue with elevators, the only reason why he ignored them was because they once worked under his father.

Eventually, after much swearing and mouthing out rude words to himself, the elevator doors opened, finally releasing him out. He practically ran out of the platform and on to the fiftieth level of his father's massive skyscraper.

"Good morning Mr. Takahashi. Can I get you anything?" The woman who happened to be his secretary, asked him politely from her desk as she turned her attention to him from the computer in front of her. She had a golden name tag that was pinned on her clothing; it had the name Yura written on it in fancy letters. Yura wore a woman's black shirt and a red blazer, along with short jet-black hair that curtained her squarish face.

"Yeah, get lost you fucking psychotic bitch." He answered crudely while sucking his teeth sourly like he frequently did every morning as he passed by holding his briefcase. She simply ignored him and promptly got back to work like she was accustomed to. This was a typical morning for Yura who also had a frown carved upon her face. However, she soon realized that usually he would say something along the lines of drop dead you lowlife bitch, a routine she had gotten quite fond of lately, but she figured it was that time of the month when he changed it to something more degrading.

What an asshole... Couldn't he at least try calling her by her name? She wondered but shook herself out of it after a second of wishful thinking. Yura placed aside her thoughts and tried concentrating on her work. Soon enough forgetting the permanent bitterness she no longer could get rid of.

He entered his office as the foggy-appearing glass doors in back of him shut automatically, and he walked towards his large mahogany wooden desk that had his laptop waiting on it and his usual hot cup of cappuccino. His office had red carpeting and the most amazing view any soul who was lucky enough to walk into his Italian designed office would ever have a chance of admiring. But of course, he never had enough time to admire absolutely anything. He sat on his leather armchair and started typing right away some valuable information to be stored into his hard drive.

All of a sudden, his cell phone rang out loud with a ringtone he never got tired of hearing.

"What the hell do you want monk? And make it fast! I'm extremely busy today. That stupid brother of mine decided to catch the next flight to the States before even telling me he would leave me with all the goddamn work for a whole week!" He roared at his best friend, taking his anger on him like always.

"It was my turn to go! Our companies in California, New York and Miami are much more pleasantly easy to handle compare to this chaotic hellhole! Besides, knowing Sesshomaru, he'll take some extra days off just to make my life more miserable from far away...Meanwhile, I'm here stuck with nothing more than work he's too lazy to handle himself! I would have gladly gone and come back in half the time it takes him to return!" He bellowed, his face was beat red from the unleased anger and all the panting.

Miroku sighed. The following was actually part of their daily morning routine. "Breath in and breath out, clear your mind, find your happy place and count backwards from ten." He instructed over the phone meanwhile doing the exercise himself, and Inuyasha automatically obeyed, doing the action repeatedly before his friend felt the need to continue.

"Feel any better, bigshot?"

"Just a little..." Inuyasha nonchalantly looked towards the nearest wall after whining like a little boy. "Now just get it over with and tell me what the hell you want, I'm not in the mood to deal with your nonsense or anyone else's for that matter..."

"I see your grumpy again, but is that really a necessary way to greet your best friend?" The person who spoke from the other line said and laughed when he heard his friend snort.

"Okay Miroku, enough with the bullshit, since you always seem to be the first to test my fucking patience, I'm going to be nice by asking you only once more. Now listen clearly because I'm not sure if your little peanut sized brain will be able to comprehend it all at a time...what the fucking hell do you want!" He raised his voice dramatically.

Miroku just rolled his eyes. "To talk to you, Inuyasha. And as always to drive you madly insane, nothing out of the ordinary, I assure you." His voice remained calm and even.

Inuyasha sucked his teeth irritably and muttered. "You don't have to try to do that."

"I'm glad you think so, now listen, Sango wants me to ask you a favor."

Inuyasha rubbed his forehead desperately. "Then why the bloody hell doesn't she come over and ask me herself?" He questioned heatedly.

"Hold on to that thought." And immediately Miroku hanged up on him. Inuyasha hanged up as well and sat back, relaxing on his comfortable chair, waiting for the arrival of his friend.

One…

Two…

And three, he counted in his mind.

And just then his office line rang and he picked it up on the second ring. "Mr. Takahashi, your personal assistant and accountant Mr. Houshi is here to see you." He heard Yura's bitter voice over the receiver.

"Let that crazy bastard in," Inuyasha demanded her. "Alright sir," she responded back and hanged up immediately. The doors opened swiftly, granting the man access to his friend's office. Miroku, a tall and handsome man with deep dark blue eyes and hair tied in a ponytail walked in and sat in one of two leather chairs located right in front of Inuyasha.

"Make this quick or next time make an appointment, I don't have enough time to waste." Inuyasha said and then took a sip of his untouched cappuccino, acting as if they had never had a conversation over the phone just seconds ago.

"Since when do I need an appointment to see you, Yash?"

Inuyasha took another sip of his cappuccino before giving him a killing death glare. "You see, Miroku; I didn't exactly hire my best friend as my personal assistant and accountant so that he can lecture me all he wants. As a matter of fact, I only hired him to do fucking math for me and be there when I bloody well need him."

Miroku rolled his eyes in a bored manner, he had heard this countless times before.

"Guess what though? Sango finally found a new roommate and she was wondering if you could kindly show this girl around town." He lied and poorly at that. Truth of the matter was, Sango had yet to find a roommate. Miroku had actually convinced a friend into going out with him, a friendly girl whom he had dated in the past of course.

"Feh, why the fuck don't you do it, monk? After all, you're probably the biggest womanizer who worked in this building." He concluded with a pretty soured up face.

"Way too busy dedicating my life to your stupid company and besides, you have two days off, starting the day after tomorrow." Miroku reminded him, it was always his best attempt at convince him. Inuyasha did not respond, for what he had said was true. He had the next two days off, but showing the city to some fucking wench wasn't exactly in his agenda.

"Oh come on, did I tell you I heard she's fucking beautiful?"

"Miroku, your standards of beauty are not quite limited." Inuyasha said annoyed.

"If you're so clever, when was the last time I called just any broad, decent looking?" He asked his friend making a point.

"Yesterday, when you were flirting with that new secretary and Sango saw you and ran away at the verge of tears." For a moment there, Miroku looked a bit guilty but that didn't stop him from insisting on getting what he wanted.

"Inuyasha, don't forget all the times Sango babysat Shippo for you, or how she attended Parents' Day at school last week. Don't forget you definitely owe her for that one, and what better way to make it up to her but with this itsy bitsy little favor among friends, so how 'bout it?"

"Hey, I wanted to pay her but like always she refused to take any money from me." Inuyasha argued back.

"It's not always about the money you know; it's to prove what kind of friend you really are." Miroku kept pushing excuses on him.

"I have work to do…" He told him as he turned back to typing, desperately attempting to ignore him.

"I'll call Sango right away to let her know. We'll all meet at Club Toxic tomorrow night at eight o'clock sharp, it'll be like good ol' times." Miroku said before standing up and fixing his tie.

Inuyaha's attention was drawn back to Miroku once again. "I already don't want to meet the woman, so why the hell would I want to meet her at a club? I'm fucking starting to think this is all just another setup, Miroku. I'm not agreeing into going in another blind date, you hear me! I'm fucking sick and tired of it!" He sighed irritated as he finished updating some cargo files.

"You've chased so many women away that we've practically lost all hope." Miroku said as he smirked suspiciously and Inuyasha scratched his chin for a moment, deep in thought. Why couldn't they just leave him alone and not waste their time setting him up? After all, he was quite capable of getting laid by his lonesome.

Miroku frowned, and suddenly, the conversation took a whole different turn.

"Alright Inuyasha, let me put it this way; you've been mopping around here for two years now. Where did the old times disappear to? When was the last time you, Takahashi Inuyasha the greatest bachelor of all Tokyo and not to mention son of the richest man of all Asia, have gone clubbing with your two best friends? You need to leave this depression once and for all." His words were meaningful, and for a second, the tone caused his boss to flinch as if in pain.

"And what exactly in the seven hells are you implying, Miroku?" Inuyasha asked as he instantly reacted when he heard Kikyou's name.

Miroku stared in those dull eyes that lacked that fire and spark they once possessed. But instead, Inuyasha had dark circles under his eyes that made him appear overworked and lifeless.

He seemed more oblivious each day, perhaps it was time that he began reading between the lines. "All I'm saying is that you are pathetic, you've been using work as a pitiful excuse. Look at you, coming to work late every morning with the most pissed off face ever, not to mention on a very bitchy mood; don't you think that it bothers me? Don't you think it affects all the ones surrounding you, the ones that care deeply about you? Don't take this the wrong way buddy..but it certainly does!" Miroku shot up from the chair and leaned onto the desk.

There was an uneasy pause between the two as they simply gazed into each other's eyes. Miroku hated to always be the one to tell the truth to his face, but it was the only reasonable thing he knew how to do.

Inuyasha studied his expression for a solid minute or two and knew he wasn't lying; he sighed once and for all, shaking his head in defeat. "Alright Miroku, just don't expect me to be nice." Inuyasha finally gave in, after all, there was no other alternative.

"As long as you don't bite her head off." He sighed hopelessly.

"Keh, this is ridiculous..."

There was an uneasy pause, the air thick with the words shared between the two of them.

Miroku eventually whispered as he took his seat once again, this conversation was literally draining the energy out of him. "...with each passing day Kikyou is no longer here, you seem more bitter than the day before. You need to snap out of it, let us help you." He encouraged.

"You can't help me, I'm already dead." He muttered all the while staring motionlessly at the man before him.

Miroku frowned at the sorrow in his tone as Inuyasha continued to gaze at him like a lifeless shell. "Forgive me Inuyasha, but I think it's time you close that chapter in your life and move on."

Inuyasha sat there for what felt like hours, contemplating Miroku's words long after he had exited this office. He found himself misunderstood by his own friends, and yet he was totally unaware of the pain he caused them whenever they saw him devastated, and yet he stubbornly refused to listen to what was explicitly implied. He couldn't listen, there was no will, he no longer obtained the desire to thrive into normality once more; preferring to blend into the background and live without really being seen.

Eventually, Inuyasha stood up frustrated and approached the nearst wall, his fists tightened and instantly turned a ghostly pale. And then, unexpectedly, he pounded his bare hand against it, repeating the action several times as if waiting for the wall to punch back.

It was true; work was the only thing that kept his mind at bay. But deep down, he knew it was all Naraku's fault that Kikyou no longer walked on the face of this earth. Masatoshi Naraku had always been envious of him; he could never even once watch Inuyasha have anything worth more than his. Everyone knew Naraku was secretly in love with Inuyasha's wife since he first laid eyes on her.

Naraku was the bastard son of Onigumo, who also happened to be an entrepreneur and one of the few wealthiest men of all Japan. Onigumo had the second most important exportation companies in Japan and most of Asia. However, the Takahashi Productions Inc.; was in fact a higher success for many years, being it far more superior in foreign countries as well as in Japan. Unfortunately, their powerful father perished three years ago, a year before Kikyou's death, leaving his successful company to be inherited by his two sons equally.

However, the eldest obtained the larger share of the empire after Inuyasha declined his. Needless to say, Inuyasha had never obtained any intentions to even be a part of it in the first place. But Sesshoumaru insisted that it would eventually help him forget if he worked incessantly enough. At first it sounded like a legitamate idea, and so Inuyasha was intrusted as the company's president, while he remained the sole chairman. Deliberately, he plunged in and dove into work like a madman, determined to regain some kind of purpose and control over his life.

For over two years the police and the best detectives searched, but never once found enough evidence that would lead them to the killer of his wife. The killer had managed to make the perfect murder, no trace of evidence, no nothing. All those worthless detectives Sesshomaru had hired hadn't done a single thing to prove who was guilty of her murder. However, Inuyasha was not so stupid when it came to linking two and two together, no one would believe him of course, they all thought he was going insane. They all said the same thing; that she committed suicide.

Inuyasha had never forgotten that day when he had found her lifeless body laying on the floor of their bathroom, bathing in a puddle of her own blood. If only he had gotten to her a little faster, then just maybe..."Damn it," he muttered out loud as his nuckles clenched at his sides.

He punched the wall a third time as the images refused to tear from his mind. For a brief moment, Inuyasha leaned his head against the cool surface with his eyeballs cemented to his eyelids.

"Damn it all to hell!" He bellowed and pounded the wall over and over, panting heavily. He couldn't even remember the last time he had been able to smile freely like everyone else, without a care in the world.

His hands began to ache badly as they trembeled without control and he finally decided to stop...the day he lost her, a big part of himself had died along with her. Inuyasha thought hopelessly, with his forehead once more against the wall. I wish that you could come back to me, Kikyou. I need you with me; I'm no longer the same without you.

Her life was over, or so it felt.

Not a single soul passed her by, nothing but dried up desert plants, a whole lot of dirt, and faraway mountains as she quickly drove by. Her solemn eyes were filled with tears and were only focused on the road before them. Her mouth was dehydrated and her once full rosy pink lips were dried and instead her eyes all watery. Nothing seemed right; everything was going wrong at this stage of her life.

The vast wind on her face caressed her wavy raven locks. The temperature was unbearably hot and the sun above was setting while giving off bright hues of red, yellow, orange, and purple as it mixed with the darkening blue sky. Stars began to appear one at a time as the sun was setting on the horizon and over the mountains.

The silver mustang convertible, with a license plate that read 'KAGS' in big bold letters, was currently her most prized possession. It was probably the only thing besides the suitcase in the trunk of the car that currently belonged to her. Her body was driving nonstop, but her mind and soul where located at a faraway place. Sad memories haunted her mind and visions of the past were played before her blurry eyes. She drove down the long narrowed road.

All she needed was somewhere to hang her head, to break loose from the past and somehow find the will to continue elsewhere. At this point, her destination was out of question, but she was willing to go anywhere far from home. Her present location was almost at a deserted part of the country. However, the endless road was bound to reach a point at where unfortunately civilization was approaching near.

Eventually, she stopped to eat lunch at some diner next to a gasoline station in the middle of nowhere, she had decided it was about time to make an important phone call before she would eventually regret doing so. Leaning against the side of her car, Kagome took a cigarette from the front pocket of her jeans and a lighter to flicker it to life. She took a long drag of the cigarette held between two slender fingers, allowing the smoke to escape her lungs. She would never consider herself an addict, but this was definitely what calmed her down and placed her into the correct state of mind.

She had needed a smoke so badly.

Determined, Kagome eventually dropped the cigarette and marched to a public phone booth just outside the diner. Picking up the phone, she incerted a few coins before desperately dialing a familiar phone number, secretly hoping no one would bother to answer. She listened carefully as the phone that she was contacting rang loudly in her eardrum. Her breathing began to pace and she held the phone to her right ear impatiently, her hand sweating meanwhile anxiously waiting for someone to pick up the phone that she was eagerly trying to reach.

When she heard a teenage voice on the other line say a hello twice she quickly hanged up, too afraid of a bad confrontation. She sighed and took a deep breath, she had to get this over with as soon as possible. Her hand was shaky but she gathered her strength and decided to try it once more.

She picked up the phone and waited. "Hello, is anyone there?" An eighteen-year-old's voice was heard, he sounded a bit bothered. "This isn't funny, is anyone there?" He asked once again, the teenage boy sounded too grown up for prank calls.

"Souta," Kagome muttered out softly. Honestly, she just couldn't help herself, he sounded more like a man everyday; Kagomee hadn't heard from her family in a long time and listening to Souta's voice made her want to respond to him without really meaning to.

"Ka-Kagome?" She heard him stutter her name. "Kagome? Is this really you?" He questioned with sudden skepticism.

"Yeah, it's...me." She finally summed up the courage to tell him. Her fears of her mom picking up the phone had vanished without a trace and her anxiety eased a bit.

"God how we've missed you so much, please tell me you are coming home. It's been days and mom is devastated, she's so depressed and worried that something bad has happened to you. Just tell me you're coming home sis, you have to." He pleaded.

"Breathe for a second will ya. I've missed you too kiddo, I love you so much, mom and even grandpa. But you have got to understand that there is no way and absolutely so point in going back…I'm trying to move on and I can't exactly find self-awareness in a Kyoto hounted by the shadow of my ghosts."

"We should be more than a good enough excuse for you to come home, Kagome. Think about mom and grandpa. They both haven't been the same since you left, especially mom." He tried to convince her.

She absolutely hated it when her little brother begged. "Just listen for a minute, okay? I am coming home…I'm not sure when, but not just yet. You guys have to give me some time; you have to understand that what happened has made a huge impact on me and I have to find time to get over it somehow. I have to move on, but in the meantime, I want you to promise me that you will be mom's devoted support and unconditional love for me. Please take good care of her and old grandpa Higurashi too."

"But you can't just—" He wasn't able to finish his sentence as Kagome quickly cut him off.

"Souta, please promise me."

"Kag, he hasn't come back in days! He hasn't looked around or asked for you...But-but when I do see him again, I'll kill him so you can come back!" She felt her hand tremble slightly at who her brother was referring to, she had always known that Souta looked up to him. And even now, when he sounded mad and hurt, his broken words of revenge were still not convincing her that he had lost complete faith in him.

"Just promise me!" Kagome pleaded as she raised her voice, shakily cradling the phone and banging her fist against the glass booth to her left. "Please…just promise me that you'll look after them." She whispered, trying to gain self-some control.

"Alright…I…I promise. But where exactly are you? Are you okay? How come you disconnected your cell phone? Why are you calling from an unknown number? "

Kagome ignored all of his questions. "It doesn't matter, I'm fine and the rest doesn't matter. Listen, I better get going. Tell mom that I called and that I'm alright, tell her not to worry. And that when I find a place to establish myself, I will call her. Am I clear, bro?"

"Crystal." He agreed.

"Okay, good. Don't forget I love you, Souta. Bye, take good care of mom and grandpa. And remember not to get yourself in too much trouble, God knows I won't be there to bail you out! You got that, squirt?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got your back, sis." And then he eagerly warned. "But you be careful too! Watchout for wirdos trying to stick their winnies where they don't belong!"

"Right, kid." She smiled, he sounded so concerned it was too cute hearing him ramble on.

He continued his lecture."-And I better not find ya missing a finger when I see ya again!"

She rolled her eyes.

"Okay, dad, I'll see ya later..." And with a smile that had long evaded her lips, she hung up immediately. There was no point in making any long goodbyes, she always hated goodbyes. And to her relief, it was something her younger brother knew perfectly well.

Kagome decelerated the vehicle to a more reasonable speed as she read a sign that had, Welcome to Tokyo, in big bold letters. She had never been in Tokyo before but she had heard stories about the crimes that went on the streets and the kind of people that lived there. But then again, never judge a book by its cover right?

"Home sweet home," she sang the words as the adrenaline returned to her system with one quick slam on the gas.

The city was incredibly immense; the buildings were staggering by the taunting look of them. Lights shone everywhere, billions of distance faces rapidly paced by, packs of crowds scurring in a bustle towards their waiting destinations. There were shopping stores in every single corner, restaurants here and there, gigantic malls, bars every few blocks, and not to mention clubs. It was truly heaven for those few who thirsted for adventure.

She began to chew her bottom lip anxiously as she remained stuck in traffic. As she analyzed her surroundings, she realized Kyoto was absolutely nothing compared to Tokyo. Not even the people dressed the same, here style apparently meant everything.

However, while waiting impatiently for traffic to ease up, a ginourmous skyscraper made entirely out of glass caught her attention. Gaping, since it was unmistakably hard to miss, she found herself captured by its modern features. It looked as if the constructors had taken decades to build it; she had never seen a high-rise so huge and advanced. Speculating, she guessed it was perhaps owned by the richest man in the whole city or even of the entire country. The building itself was standing out amongst all the rest like a sore thumb; it even towered over Tokyo Tower which stood in front of it just as proud. She could only imagine how insanely luxurious the inside probably looked like, perhaps she would even be lucky enough to step foot inside one day.

Twenty-five minutes later, Kagome sat with both legs crossed on a motel bed and sighing heavily.

Unsure what to do next, her eyes desperately scanned round the cheap motel room, staring with a yearn at the emptyness that occupied the other side of the bed.

She had become so used to having her ex by her side; telling her how much he loved her and wrapping her into his warm arms like he had done so nights before. But only this night, she wasn't only alone but also in an unfamiliar place with no acquaintances whatsoever. Therefore, sleeping in a hotel all alone was unlikely. At this very moment, she was supposed to be in Hawaii swimming in a white sand beach drinking a cold margarita.

In an instant, she felt warm tears rush in through the back of her eye lids.

Currently, she wasn't sure if what she had done was a mistake, nor did she really care of the consequences that may lie ahead. The way she was feeling, the way she looked, the way she was acting…was entirely his fault, he drove her nearly to the brink of insanity. Because of him, she thought of herself worthless, nothing mattered anymore, nothing made sense.

After all, he had done to her, she still fervently loved him with every microscopic molecule in her being. He may have been the cause of her life's destruction, but also the happiness she once possessed so dear. They had been inseparable; he had always relieved her from sorrow and showed love that no other man had ever showed her. Unfortunately, she loved him still and felt utterly foolish for thinking otherwise.

Kagome sighed, however, he no longer could dictate and take control of her life.

No, I have to stay strong. She tried desperately to convince herself.

She inhaled deeply and exhaled, hoping to feel better and leave aside all her dilemmas and sadness. She cooed herself in order to somehow make it seem all better before breaking down again. "Come on Higurashi, you can't continue living in cheap motel rooms for the rest of your miserable life." Kagome said in a sarcastic tone, pointing out the obvious; she had enough money to rent an apartment for a couple months meanwhile she searched for a new job.

She took out some magazines and newspapers of mortgages, apartments, townhouses, and just about anything available to live in. Hell, she was so desperate at the moment that she didn't mind renting a room with a stranger. She roamed through all the pages and circled all the addresses of the places that she thought sounded suitable.

She took a closer look at the addresses and noticed that they were all located miles faraway from where she was currently at, only wishing to have stolen Souta's iPhone like she had intended to do in the first place. Frowning, Kagome placed her things away, swallowed a few pills, gulped from a water bottle, and turned off the lights. Desolately, she continued to gaze out the window of the motel room while resisting the sudden urge to smoke a pack or two, meanwhile waiting silently until sleep claimed her and the void in her heart finally disappeared.

The next morning, the sun announced itself knocking on the window of room number twenty-three. Carefully, blue orbs blinked opened only to shut them back again from keeping in any more sunlight. She got up from the bed and quickly she placed a hand on her head. God, what's with the headache? Kagome wondered as she walked to the bathroom and decided to take a quick shower before departing.

Eventually, when her fingertips were all wrinkly and her hair all frizzy, Kagome turned off the hot water from the steamy shower and wrapped a green towel arround her petite body. Next thing she knew, she stood awkwardly in front of the sink as if expecting to be pulled from behind into strong arms at any given second, just as she had been embraced so many times before, and then she sighed profoundly as reality once again gave a blow at her wounded heart.

Her brows furrowed and she frowned as she realized this was not her old bathroom and that there was no one else around; the mirror was entirely fogged up and so she ended up grabbing a handful of toilet paper and wiping the mirror clean. She looked at her reflection in the mirror; the woman staring back at her was a totally different person from the one who had stared at her on the day of her wedding. The woman staring at her now, was a much more confident and sure of not making the same mistake of fallen in love with the wrong person ever again.

Kagome changed into an outfit in no time; she wore a white tank top and a comfortable pair of jeans that showed off the round shape of her hips. Quickly, she ran in her room and grabbed her handbag that was on top of her bed, taking out a plastic bag in which she contained a necessary item. She walked back into the bathroom and frowned as she studied herself in the mirror.

Searching within the bag, she took out a pair of scissors before once again observing herself in the oval shaped bathroom mirror. If she was going to look different, she would definitely have to get rid of some hair. Her mom had always insisted on never cutting her hair but mommy dearest wasn't there now and Kagome wasn't holding back.

The long raven hair which was below her mid back was soon cut to shoulder length to be exact. She gazed longingly as strands of wavy stresses fell onto the cold bathroom floor.

She had to admit it though; she did look different in a way, appearing somewhat younger. Shorter hair made her feel much more comfortable than before, carefree actually. However, she certainly did not look different enough to not be Higurashi Kagome altogether.

Regardless, it was a small progress, and so Kagome smiled at her reflection. Now all that was left for her to do was to get a different name, a whole new identity.

Shit, this is harder than I though...she thought looking at her reflection on the mirror to see what name matched her rosy round face.

"Got it…" She whispered thoughtfully.

"Sakura..." The new name fit her perfectly…

Cherry blossom was what her father used to called her when she was just a puny kid. It was official and Kagome was more determined than ever; all she needed now was to erase her real identity from the rest of humanity, which she would start by making a few phone calls to a few lawyer friends.

Little did Kagome know the change of identity would come back to hunt her in the most unexpected way possible. However, and regardless of the risky future consequences, this new beginning was actually a blessing in disguise.

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Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND CO. I REPEAT...THEY DO NOT BELONG TO ME WHATSOEVER, HOWEVER ONLY TO THE VERY TALENTED MISS RUMIKO TAKAHASHI.

A/N: Boring, I know...but please just bear with me people...By chapter 4 and 5 I promise things start to lighten up a bit and get really exciting. PLEASE R/R...

Your friendly author,

IYlover4ever.