Chapter 3: In Love With Someone Else


Never before had Kagome been as nervous about entering her school as she was that morning. Barely a week had passed since she had first discovered that the well would no longer allow her to pass through, and she'd spent the first three days in the well house, relentlessly climbing up the ladder and jumping back down until even her hanyou body was exhausted. She would be there still if it weren't for the fact that her mother had finally put her foot down and threatened to have sutras put on the well house. In her eyes, Kagome's trips to the past were over and done with, which meant that it was time for Kagome to move on with her future. To say that Kagome didn't agree was a vast understatement; she'd bitten her tongue a lot during the past week.

A strong wind blew, ruffling her skirt and teasing the edges of her hair, which had been strategically and carefully styled beneath a vivid green bandanna that morning. Her grandfather had pulled in a favor with a friend of his who had a son as a doctor, which gave Kagome a medical note stating that she was undergoing treatments which were dangerous to her hair, and that the bandanna was for some form of modesty. The bandanna both hid her puppy ears and ensured that her hair hid the fact that she was missing human ears.

"Nee-san, are you going?" Souta asked, interrupting her thoughts. He fidgeted and sighed, nibbling at a piece of pocky candy. "I'm going to be late."

"If I don't go, you're going to tell Mama, aren't you?"

"I won't. But the school will call eventually."

The kid had a point, and that would only end up causing another fight. Things were strained enough. Kagome sighed and shifted the weight of her backpack. They'd undertaken every possible protection to keep her from being outed as a hanyou. Her claws had been painted a pale shade of pink to help make them look more like long nails, her mother had adjusted the fit of her uniform, and over the weekend the two of them had purchased a lightly scented perfume that Kagome could stand, to help her disguise her scent from anyone who might notice that it was different. As long as she remembered not to show off her fangs when she laughed or talked, she had absolutely no reason to be as nervous as she was.

After all, she was convinced that there had to be other hanyou or youkai out there. There was just no way that all of them had died at some point in the last five hundred years; she refused to believe that. Just because she and Inuyasha had never encountered them in the present, didn't mean that they weren't out there. And if they could survive, then Kagome could, too. Even if she was completely alone. Kagome sighed again.

"Alright, Souta. I'll see you tonight."

"Bye, Nee-san." His job of escorting Kagome to the doorstep of her school complete, Souta took off down the street. Kagome watched him go with a sad smile. He had been a wonderful source of support to her, caught as he was between she and her mother. Souta alone seemed to have some idea of the depths of her pain. But he was still only a child, and she didn't want to come to depend on him too much. It wasn't fair to him.

"Kagome-chan!"

"Kagome-chan! You're here!"

"You made it!"

Three bodies surrounded her. Kagome fought the urge to flinch. "Hey you guys," she said, casually easing her way out of the middle of the group.

"What's up with the bandanna?" Yuka asked, raising an eyebrow. "Won't you get in trouble?"

"Doctor's note."

"Wow, you're so lucky!"

"Yuka-chan!" Ayumi hissed.

"I didn't mean it like that," protested Yuka, innocence written across her face. "I just meant Kagome-chan is lucky to be able to get a doctor's note. Are you sick again, Kagome-chan?"

"Yeah, kind of." Kagome started walking towards the school, realizing that she was actually grateful for the bandanna that covered her ears. It gave her a little protection from the shrillness of her friend's voices, and the piercing school bell that wouldn't stop ringing. She entered the school and looked around doubtfully. Her hanyou senses were nearly overwhelmed by scents and sounds that had never bothered her as a human. "It's the treatments I'm taking. They're bad for your hair."

"Poor Kagome-chan," Eri said sympathetically.

"You know... you do look kind of different," said Yuka, darting around in front of her so that Kagome had to stop walking. "Your eyes are kind of pale... and your hair... are you going gray?" Her voice was filled with horror.

"Yes, I'm going gray," Kagome said, smiling just a little. Yuka made it sound like that was the worst thing in the world, but at least her friend had provided her with a solid explanation for why her hair and eyes looked different. Hopefully her gossipy friends would spread the information around school. She darted around Yuka and kept going, but there was a softer tone to her voice when she added, "I told you. It's the treatments I'm taking."

"Good, how horrible," Ayumi whispered, patting her on the shoulder as the four of them walked down the hall and entered their classroom. "You have the worst luck."

"That's not how I see it. Look! It's Hojo-kun!" Yuka squealed, setting her backpack down on her desk. She clasped her hands together in front of her chest, looking starry eyed. "He's heard you're back already!"

"Shit," Kagome muttered, spotting the brown-haired boy immediately. His eyes lit up when he caught sight of her, and he began making his way through the classroom towards her. He was holding a package in his hands. Several of the girls in the room turned to watch his progress with wistful looks, and Kagome tried hard not to scowl. Why couldn't he be attracted to one of them instead?

"Higurashi! There you are. Your grandfather told me you were returning today. Here, this is for you." Hojo presented her with the box. "It's a herbal supplement for your hair," he explained. "I heard how you need to keep it covered."

Kagome made a mental note to kill her grandfather with her bare claws and opened the box. The strong, chemical smell that rose from the container made her gag, and her hand flew to her nose to plug it as she shoved the box into Ayumi's hands. "Thank you, Hojo-kun," she said in a nasal, muffled tone of voice. "That's very kind of you."

Hojo blushed a little and looked pleased. "Ah, Higurashi, I was wondering if you... would like to go to the movies with me this weekend."

Startled by the request, Kagome just stared at him, uncertain of how to respond. Technically, she could go. The chances of the well opening up was slim to none, which meant that there wouldn't be an inu hanyou showing up to interrupt her date. Furthermore, she was no longer bound by her choice to stay by Inuyasha's side. There was really no reason for her to say no, and in fact, the prospect of a date with a normal human, especially a popular boy like Hojo, would likely delight her mother to no end. Really, there was just one problem... she didn't want to go out with Hojo. She wanted Inuyasha, and even if she couldn't have him, maybe never again if the well didn't cooperate, that was one thing that would never change.

The door opened again and their teacher stepped into the room, causing the other students to quiet. He was a relatively new teacher; a tall, handsome man with tanned skin and dark hair and eyes, popular with boys and girls alike, who was known for being kind but firm. His curious expression pinned Kagome and Hojo as he placed his briefcase on his desk, and Kagome knew that he was three seconds away from asking Hojo why he was in the classroom. She turned to Hojo, who didn't look like he was going to leave without an answer, and spoke more firmly to him than she ever had before.

"I'm sorry, Hojo-kun, but I can't go out with you."

"Maybe another time?" he asked, still smiling pleasantly. "How about the weekend after?"

"No," Kagome said quietly, wishing that this wasn't happening in front of her classroom. Why did Hojo always have to ask her out in front of other people? "I can't go out with you ever."

"Oh." His happy smile vanished, replaced by confusion. "I thought..."

"I know. I'm sorry. But... I'm in love with someone else." She had never imagined that saying those words out loud could hurt so much. Kagome pressed the tips of her fingers to her mouth and swallowed several times in an effort to hold back tears. All those times Inuyasha had been so jealous... why hadn't she taken the time to set Hojo straight back then, when it really mattered? "So... I wish that you wouldn't ask me out anymore."

"I see. Thank you for your honesty," Hojo said. He wavered, as though he wanted to do something else, but she fixed him with a cold stare and finally he retreated. As the door closed behind him, whispers broke out all over the room.

"You're crazy!" Yuka hissed behind her. "Kagome-chan, how could you turn down Hojo-kun for that violent boyfriend of yours? He's one of the best guys in this school!"

"Wow, Kagome-chan, you're so sweet," Eri said at the same time, sounding kind of envious. "You felt so bad for breaking his heart that you're crying?"

"Kagome-chan... are you okay?" Ayumi asked softly, her dark eyes filled with concern.

Damn it all, she was crying, in spite of her best efforts to keep the tears at bay. Kagome ignored all three of them in favor of stepping over to her desk and sitting down. After a beat of silence, their teacher swiftly called the rest of their class to order, but it did little to stop the curious gazes that were still being directed at Kagome. Not that she cared. At that moment, the world could have fallen apart, and Kagome would have happily drowned in her grief and the looming hatred of a hanyou by the name of Naraku. Her hand closed convulsively around the shard of the shikon no tama while she struggled to contain herself.

The morning passed by quickly, probably because she didn't hear a single word that was spoken and her gaze never wandered in the direction of the blackboard once. Yuka and Eri tried to get her attention a few times, but even with her superior hearing, Kagome didn't hear them. She was looking out the window, searching aimlessly for that flash of red that she used to hate seeing when she was in school. What would she have given to see Inuyasha outside her window? The thought was almost frightening.

When their teacher finally called for a short break, Yuka, Ayumi and Eri scooched their chairs up to Kagome's desk immediately, obviously planning to discuss Hojo's rejection. Kagome ignored them all and stood up, walking out of the room without her things. Yuka called her name, sounding bewildered and a little angry, but Kagome didn't answer. She felt like a zombie. Nothing made sense anymore.

"Higurashi? Where are you going?" The voice of her teacher came from behind her, and a hand fell on her shoulder. "Higurashi? Are you not feeling well?"

Kagome turned around slowly and looked at him blankly. If she had explained just how not well she was feeling, it probably would have terrified the man out of his wits. The knowledge of everything and everyone she had loved and lost was suffocating. Visions of her family – Inuyasha, Sango-chan, Miroku-sama, Shippou-chan, Kirara, Grandmother Kaede – and her friends – Myoga, Kouga-kun, Ayame-chan, Rin-chan, even Sesshoumaru-sama and Kikyou – swam before her eyes. She couldn't even breathe. It just hurt too much, and her heart and will to live were slowly being crushed.

"I have to go," she rasped, struggling for air. "I... have... to..."

"Kagome, wait!"

"I can't. I'm sorry," Kagome whispered, heedless of the fact that her teacher had just called her by her first name. She yanked free of his grip and ran, putting her hanyou speed to the test. He called after her, his voice filled with urgency, but Kagome tore down the staircase and lunged for the doors to the exit of the school. Immediately, she turned in the direction of the shrine, leaving the school and her present life as far behind as she could.

IKIKIKIK

Inside the school, the teacher known as Kobayashi Katsuo swore softly under his breath as he watched Kagome flee the schoolyards through an open window. He regretted allowing his young student to leave, and he knew he should have done more to stop her. Her state of depression had been obvious all morning, but he had seriously underestimated just how badly she was feeling. This was much more than just a reaction to rejecting that boy. The depths of despair in her golden brown eyes had floored him. Higurashi Kagome was only days, possibly hours, away from falling apart completely.

"I won't let that happen," he whispered to himself. Ignoring the students that milled in the halls, he set off for the office that he shared with his wife, who worked as the guidance counsellor. She glanced up, looking surprised, as he barged into the room and slammed the door. A quick sniff told him that they were alone, allowing him to tear the concealment charm from his neck.

"Kouga, what are you doing?" she asked in amazement. "You know that the principal usually doesn't bother to knock."

"I'm going to kill that fucking hanyou," Kouga snarled, his deep blue eyes flashing with rage. He ignored her question, instead pacing back and forth in front of her desk. "I just saw Kagome, Ayame. She thinks he's dead and it's killing her."

Unidentifiable emotions flooded Ayame's face, and she sighed, setting her pencil down. She looked tired. "You know why he didn't want to approach her. Inuyasha wants to keep Kagome out of the war."

"Out of the war? She is the fucking war!" he practically shouted. "I want to protect her, too, but letting her think that her whole family is dead is not the way to go about doing it."

Ayame frowned slightly. She liked Kagome, and the passing centuries had allowed her to develop a certain fondness for the miko that she had never been able to maintain in her youth. But even now, watching her mate rage around, she felt a flicker of jealousy. In spite of everything that the two of them had together, Kouga had never seemed to be able to quite forget his feelings for the girl. He'd readily taken the teaching job at her school to watch over her, and she hadn't seen him this angry for years. It was an effort to make herself think objectively about the situation.

"Kagome-chan belongs to Inuyasha," she said carefully. "I know you don't like him, but maybe you should try to respect his wishes. You don't know, there might be something going on that you're not aware of. We couldn't pinpoint the exact date that the well closed. Maybe she... just had a fight with him. Kami-sama knows the two of them used to argue like crazy."

Kouga dropped into the chair in front of her desk and sighed. "You didn't see her, Ayame," he said quietly. "It would be like if you thought I was dead."

The mere thought made her chest tighten. Ayame sat back in her chair and removed her own concealment charm, allowing her dark hair and eyes to brighten into fiery red and green. She was comforted by the way that Kouga's eyes lit upon seeing her true self. "Even if you're right, what can we do about it? You'll never get Inuyasha to reconsider. He's the most stubborn inu hanyou I've ever met, especially when it comes to Kagome-chan, and he really thinks that he's doing the right thing."

"Moron," Kouga muttered. "I should kick his ass and drag him down to see her for just two minutes."

"Kouga," Ayame admonished, rolling her eyes fondly. "Violence won't solve this."

"I don't know what to do," the wolf youkai admitted. "I just can't leave Kagome to suffer like this. It's not right. We owe her more than that." He looked up, his blue eyes glittering. "And besides, I'm not sure that we can win this war if she's not around to participate. Maybe that's why we've been at a fucking stalemate for the past five hundred years."

The idea had merit, she had to admit. Everyone knew that Inuyasha never fought better than when Kagome was present. "You're suggesting we just tell her so that Inuyasha can't do anything about it?

"It had occurred to me."

"He'll be furious. You did give your word when you took the job here that you wouldn't give yourself or any of us away to her," she pointed out.

Kouga smirked. "Yeah, but you didn't."

Ayame groaned. "I knew that was coming," she complained with fond exasperation. "Give me a day or two to think it over, okay? I don't want to do anything too rash. It's bad enough Naraku stalks us at every opportunity. I hardly think having a second hanyou breathing down our necks is really the way to go."

"Don't leave it too long," Kouga advised, looking unusually serious. "I'm... really worried about her, Ayame."

"I won't," she said softly. "But please consider that Kagome-chan is stronger than you give her credit for, Kouga. She might think she's lost Inuyasha, but this is her time, where she has always belonged, and as far as I know her human family is perfectly healthy still. Her grades aren't that great, but she could be in a position far worse, and her schoolyard friends still enjoy her company. Not everything is that bad. Maybe after a little while, she'll get over him and move on."

"Maybe," he said doubtfully. "I don't think so. You have to see her. There's... something different about her."

"If she doesn't come to school tomorrow, I'll visit her at the shrine after we're done if you'll distract Inuyasha," Ayame said agreeably. She couldn't help thinking how ironic it was that she, the least closest to Kagome out of them all, would be the one making that kind of decision. "If she is really as lost as you believe she is, I'll think about telling her the truth... okay? I just don't want to drag her into this unnecessarily."

"Okay. I guess I should get back to my class, huh?" He stood up and stretched, rolling kinks out of his back. "Mark Kagome as having gone home sick, would you?"

For the first time during the conversation, Ayame felt a bit of a chill. "She went home?"

"Tore out of here like Naraku himself was standing behind her," Kouga sighed. "I don't think I've ever seen Kagome move that fast. This morning, that boy Hojo asked her out on a date, and she told him that she couldn't accept because she was in love with someone else." A troubled look passed over his features. "She practically burst into tears when she said, and then she didn't pay attention to a word I said all morning. Just stared out the window and held onto the shard around her neck."

"And she's still wearing a part of the shard?" Ayame looked shocked and worried. "I'll definitely visit her tomorrow. I'd even consider going tonight, but I have that meeting and I swore I'd be there."

Kouga nodded and shot her a grateful look, which was received with a wink from Ayame. Even though he had long since grown out of his feelings for her, he still felt a certain sense of duty to Higurashi Kagome for how kind she had always been in the fact of his unwanted (and likely annoying) advances, and everyone knew it. Because of his promise, he couldn't really say anything to her, but no one had ever thought to make Ayame take the same vow – and that would be his trump card. Smiling triumphantly, he dropped a kiss onto his wife's lips, put his concealment charm back on, and headed out the door to return to his unruly class. He could only hope that Ayame would see sense and tell the miko before it was too late.


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