Chapter Three: Option Two, Option Two!

Author's Note: Here is another chapter done by ShekiahLover, this is the last chapter that she has done for the story. I changed one minor fact in the chapter; I made Kagome's stay in England way loner than before. She spent about five years before coming back to just start the adventure in the Feudal Era. The next will be one that I have written myself. I also want to say that prior to this chapter, I updated all the previous ones. There was no changes apart from the lines that divide it. I didn't even notice that they didn't transfer so I had remedied that. Anyways, on with the show.


"What?"

"Yes Kagome-chan, that's right, you were expelled." Kun-loon sighed. "But fear not, for I've already come up with a solution. Well, two to be precise."

"What are they?" Kagome asked, leaning back into her seat, feeling dismayed and dejected.

"Option one is that you head back to England to live with your father and attend school there," Kun-loon stated. Judging by her mother's expression, it was clear that she didn't want Kagome to leave. She barely saw her daughter due to her 'travels' and when she returned home she was either too tired to talk, or too busy trying to study for an upcoming test or exam.

Kagome jumped to her feet. "No! No way will I leave Japan!" She cried. "I don't want to leave." She crossed her arms over her chest and sat back down, pouting. "I detested living in England with Dad because it was so boring!" During her stay in England, Kagome was still learning English. As a result, her classmates found her accent humorous, and spent much time mocking and teasing her until she mastered it a year later. The torment was one of the main reasons she took up martial arts, an English tutor, and various sports after living with her father for a couple of months. She came back to Japan for the last year of junior high school, at the age of 14, after the home-sickness became too much to bear; despite the numerous activities to she was involved in.

"Alright," Kun-loon said, trying to hide her excitement. "Option two is a bit better and doesn't require you to leave the country." She winked.

"Well, what is it?" Kagome asked, leaning forward. "Tell me already."

"Okay," Kun-loon smiled, liking her daughter's eagerness. "Option two is that you move back in with Kumiko and Shimizu and attend the public high school in their region." Originally, Kagome lived with her aunt and uncle after her parents divorced. At age seven, her parents separated, resulting with her mother to move in with her grandfather and her father to move to England, taking a job in one of his companies English law firms. Kun-loon gained custody of the two children, seven-year-old Kagome and one-year-old Souta. Kagome's father was fine with the decision, but demanded that at least once a year both children come to England and stay with him for a minimum of two weeks.

The other factors however, made the divorce difficult—selling the house, packing and splitting the items. Kun-loon, who noticed the stress of the divorce had affected her daughter, thought it would be best to send her to live with her sister and brother-in-law for some time. Kun-loon expected her daughter to stay with her sister for several months, but it turned out to be almost three years that she stayed with them.

Kagome pursed her lips together. "I like option two, Mama."

"I figured that you would want to go with option two," Kun-loon grinned. "It was sort of a no brainer in a way." Kagome shot her mother a coy-look but chose to say nothing. No brainer idea comment was an understatement, at best.

"Well, since I had both your father and Kumiko fax me the registration papers just in case, I better get the Kaibara High School papers finished." She rose from her seat, about to leave the kitchen. "Kagome-chan, you better study hard for the entrance exam. After all, you'll need to pass it to be able to attend the school."

Entrance exams? I forgot about those! Shit!

"Y-yes Mama, I'll study hard," she stuttered. When she was sure that her mother was far enough away, she banged her head against the table's hard surface and sighed to herself. "Why can't my life ever be easy?" She questioned, whimpering with displeasure. "Why?"


Days passed and Kagome spent hours studying for the Kaibara entrance exam. In the midst of studying and packing however, she fretted over the process of her travels through the well. After all, she needed to return in order to find the shards… again. It was because of her that the Shikon no Tama shattered, and she had a responsibility to return the jewel to its former glory. Talking it over with her mother, the two decided that, if necessary, Kagome would return home on the weekends and on holidays to pass through the well. Moreover, if InuYasha suddenly appeared, Kun-loon would call to inform Kagome. Then, Kagome would return to the shrine.

Kagome knew InuYasha wouldn't be happy with the decision, but she had to do this in order to attend high school. High school was a vital part of her education, and she could not afford let her marks and attendance drop like her junior high school marks.

Staying up late to study, Kagome awoke the next morning in a daze, trudging down the stairs in her pajamas and fuzzy slippers.

Souta looked up from his cereal and eyed his sister. "Gee, Sis, you don't look so well."

Yawning, she walked towards the fridge and grabbed the carton of orange juice and a cup before taking a seat next to Souta. "I was up late studying," she said, pouring herself some juice. "There's still a lot that I don't know yet."

"But you've been studying for days!" Souta rebutted. "Shouldn't you have learned something by now?"

"Not funny," Kagome hissed, sipping at drink.

"No funny business at the table," Kun-loon chastised as she placed a plate of breakfast before Kagome. "Your sister will be stressed for the next few days, and having her younger brother tease her won't be helping."

"Yes Mama."

Smiling, Kun-loon took a seat beside her daughter and reached for the juice carton. "Kagome-chan, are you all packed?"

"Yes Mama," Kagome yawned, "I have everything ready to be loaded into the car."

"Perfect," Kun-loon smiled. "That's wonderful news."

"Now Kagome, when you arrive at your aunt's house, be sure to be polite and considerate." Her grandfather advised as he looked across the table, bending his newspaper in half. "Be sure to treat your relatives with respect, and don't yell at them like you would with InuYasha."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Thanks Grandpa, I already knew that though."

"And be sure to get some sleep there while you're at it. You look as though you were woken up by the dead." With that, he turned his attention back towards the newspaper.

Kagome cocked a brow. "I can't help it if I'm tired," she argued. "I've been up late studying."

And trying to understand the meaning behind my weird dreams, she added to herself. Even since she returned home, Kagome had still been experiencing the dream-like visions. Still seeing the images of ice cream and that boy, Kagome had no idea what the dreams were about. Maybe my mind is trying to tell me something. She thought, biting her lip. But what could it be?

"Kagome-chan, is something wrong?" Her mother asked causing her to blink.

"Hmm?" she looked up. "Oh, um, no Mama, nothing's wrong. I'm just worried about the entrance exam, that's all." She then started to stuff her breakfast down her throat.

"Be careful and don't choke," her grandfather warned.

"Don't worry so much about them dear, you'll do fine," Kun-loon said and leaned over to place a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "We all know you'll pass those exams with flying colors and will be welcomed into Kaibara High with open arms."

"Thanks Mama," Kagome blushed, smiling. "That makes me feel good."

"You're welcome," Kun-loon said, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Now, don't worry so much. Just finish your breakfast and be sure to double check that you have everything you need. Don't even think about studying today."

"I'll try not to." Kagome said, putting her plate down.

But I won't be able to stop thinking about my dreams, she thought, sighing inwardly, they are much more confusing and stressful than the exams could ever be.


"Kagome-chan, just look at you!" yelled Kumiko as she rushed forward to hug her niece. "You've grown even more since the last time I saw you."

"Oba-chan, you saw me just a few months ago," Kagome said with a laugh. "I couldn't have changed that much."

Kumiko shook her head. "Kagome-chan, you'd be surprised at just how much a few months can change a person."

"And here we go." Shimizu had finished carrying the last of Kagome's bags from her mother's car. In total there were four, including Kagome's backpack she had strapped on. "Goodness dear, how much did you pack? It feels like there are three kitchen sinks and a refrigerator in there." He complained with a hearty laugh.

"I didn't pack that much." Kagome winked, "Just the basics."

"And what are the basics?" He countered, "Three tons worth of stuff?"

"Okay you two break it up," Kumiko said, coming between them. "You're both old enough to not need to argue over something as silly and childish as this."

"Oji-san started it!" Kagome whined.

He raised his hands in defense. "I did nothing wrong."

Kumiko rolled her eyes. "I have two children in the house now rather than one."

"Hey!" the two "children" in question shouted.

With a laugh, Kumiko turned her attention back to the stew she had begun to prepare for dinner. "Kagome-chan, why don't you start to unpack," she suggested. "And Shimizu, help me chop up these vegetables."

"Of course," Shimizu complied and walked towards his wife. "Kagome-chan, will you be able to carry all those suitcases up to your room?" He asked worriedly.

"Don't worry Oji-chan, I'll be able to handle it," Kagome said, bending over to pick up two of the suitcases. "I'll come back down for the other one in a little while."

"Alright then," he nodded.

"Kagome-chan, you remember where your room was, right?" Kumiko called as Kagome started to walk down the hall.

"On the second floor, past the bathroom, the third door on the right," Kagome said, slowly walking up the steps. Walking up them was somewhat hard with the bags, but she was managing.

"That's my girl," Kumiko yelled. "No, don't cut that Shimizu!" There was then a loud whack heard echoing throughout the entire first floor and up into the stairwell.

"Oww! That hurt!"

"Ah." A look of disbelief crossed Kagome's face.

Poor Oji-chan, she thought with a shake of the head. He did something wrong in the kitchen… again. Sighing, Kagome shook her head and continued to walk up the stairs.


After wolfing down a large breakfast while doing some last minute reviewing, Kagome was prepared to do the Kaibara entrance exam. Anxious, she waited outside the testing room, fiddling with her palms. I can't wait for this to be over, she thought with a grimace.

"Higurashi, you may now enter," a man voice, allowing her to enter the vacant classroom. Inside laid a single test, waiting to be completed.

She heaved a sigh before taking her seat. The teacher took his own seat and began to mark a series of tests. "Higurashi, you have ninety minutes to complete the test. Good luck."

Kagome quickly scribbled down her name before flipping the book open. She scanned the sheet before smiling to herself victoriously; she knew most of the answers. Answering them quickly and thoroughly, she flipped to the next page and continued to answer all of the questions to the best of her abilities. Time was not a factor in exam as, for once, she could answer almost everything on her own. Even the mathematics component wasn't too difficult, and she had left those questions for last.

When exactly ninety minutes had passed, she turned in her booklet with a smile and exited the classroom, waiting for the teacher to finish marking her exam.

Shimizu looked up from his newspaper when seeing Kagome exit the classroom. Upon seeing her big smile, he knew she had done well. The two conversed quietly until the door slid open and the teacher exited, carrying the test.

"Please follow me." He directed them down a series of hallways until they arrived at the main office. "I'll be back in a moment. I need to speak to the principal." He informed them before entering another room.

Kagome and Shimizu waited patiently, though both were anxious to learn of the test results. Kagome bit her lip and crossed her fingers for good luck, while Shimizu looked around the office in a daze, lost in thought.

"You both may enter now." The teacher poked his head out the door, ushering them inside. Both took a seat and waited for the principal to speak.

The principal appeared to be an elderly gentleman, who had streaks of grey lining his dark brown hair, and glasses that framed his oval-like face. He offered them both a polite greeting before taking the test from the teacher and flipping through it slowly going over the mistakes. He praised Kagome on her perfect scores on the history and linguists components, but suggested she apply herself a bit more when it comes to mathematics. Kagome blushed at his words, but was more than happy to see that she had passed the mathematics part of the test.

After placing the test down, the principal clasped his hands together, and flashed Kagome a kind smile. "Higurashi-san, we are proud to welcome you into Kaibara High School."


"I made it!" Kagome shouted, jumping up for joy. "I made it!"

"That's wonderful dear," Kun-loon replied through the telephone. "I'm so proud of you." She was more than content for her daughter, but always knew that she would make it. Before her travels down the well, Kagome's grades were always high. Kun-loon knew it only would only take some serious devotion and studying on her daughter's part for her to ace that entrance exam and gain a spot in Kaibara high school.

"So am I." Kagome laughed as she took a seat in the living room. To celebrate the special occasion, Kumiko proposed that she would cook a large dinner, in order to celebrate Kagome's acceptance. However, in order to prepare the meal, Kumiko and Shimizu had to go shopping to the local grocery store. That left Kagome at home alone, who decided to use that time to telephone her mother to inform her of the acceptance.

"See, all of that studying paid off." Kun-loon pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Yes, it did." Kagome giggled. "Say Mama, has anything happened while I was gone?" That was lingo for, had InuYasha arrived, pissed off, demanding she return to the Feudal Era.

"No, nothing has happened," Kun-loon assured her. "And if anything does, I'll phone you right away."

"Thank you, Mama." Kagome sighed, feeling even happier upon hearing the news.

"Well, I need to get back to preparing dinner," Kun-loon said. "I love you, Kagome-chan, and I'll pass on the news to grandfather and Souta-kun. Good luck on your first day tomorrow."

"Thank you, Mama, and I love you too."


Fiddling with the hem of her skirt, Kagome stood by the door, waiting for the teacher's approval to enter the classroom. Having arrived moments ago, she politely knocked on the door and informed her homeroom instructor of the year, Hajime-sensei, of her arrival. He looked annoyed, but told her to wait several minutes outside in the hallway before he'd allow her to enter.

Kagome now leaned against the wall and exhaled.

Here we go…

"Higurashi-san, we're ready for you now," Hajime-sensei said, opening the door.

"Hai," Kagome whispered, entering the room. She watched him shut the door before following behind him to the front of the class where she felt many gazes surveying her. She gulped, somewhat frightful, as she listened to the words they whispered about her. Truthfully, the petty gossip didn't bother her too much, for she was far too enthralled over her latest dreams.

Around midnight last night, she had woken from her slumber in a cold sweat when seeing flashes of grey colored eyes along with the usual images. Those gray eyes captivated her from the moment she first saw them, and wouldn't leave her mind no matter how hard she tried.

"Class, settle down, settle down." Hajime-sensei groaned as he tapped the top of his podium with a pointer. Hajime-sensei appeared to be a strict teacher. He looked to be in his mid-forties and sported a crisp, ironed-shirt and matching tie regally. "We have a lot to cover, so please get out your books." Nearly the entire class groaned. Kagome stomached a giggle.

"Now, before we begin, I would like to introduce a new student. She transferred here from Satoshi High School. Her name is Higurashi Kagome." He turned around to write her name on the blackboard.

"I hope that we can all be friends," Kagome smiled, bowing to the class.

This isn't so bad, she realized. Not nearly as stressful as I thought it would be.

"Higurashi-san, please take a seat next to Sohma-san." Hajime-sensei instructed, pointing towards the only empty seat. "Sohma-san, raise your hand."

A boy with white and black raised his hand lightly, his gaze locked on Kagome. Kagome looked back towards him; her eyes wide with disbelief. Her jaw dropped. Those eyes… they're the ones from my dream.


Hatsuharu Sohma sighed as he gazed out the classroom window. It was another Monday, which meant another long week at school, and another boring hour and a half in Hajime-sensei's class. Rolling his eyes, he ignored the looks of lust he felt directed towards him, obviously coming from other girls in the class. Leaning forward, he placed his head onto his shoulders and sighed, shutting his eyes. He was tired and just wanted sleep.

"Class, settle down, settle down." Hajime-sensei's annoying voice droned as he loudly tapped the podium with his pointer. "We have a lot to cover, so please get out your books." Sighing, Haru looked towards his books, having already placed them onto his desk when arriving to class.

"Now, before we begin, I would like to introduce a new student."

A new student? Now this caught his attention. Looking up, he glanced towards the front and noticed a rather nervous looking girl, who kept her gaze to the floor. Haru arched a brow, briefly surveying her. The girl had a nice figure and wore the uniformly correctly—unlike half of the female population. She had mid-waist ebony hair and wore no jewelry.

"She transferred here from Satoshi High School," Hajime-sensei continued, reading off the information from a piece of paper.

Figures, Hatsuharu thought, rolling his eyes.

"Her name is Higurashi Kagome."

What?

His jaw dropped. Just then, she looked up, smiling to the class. When seeing those blue eyes, he knew there was no denying it that was his Kagome.

"I hope that we can all be friends." She bowed to the class. Haru continued to stare, beyond stunned. Wasn't Kagome supposed to be living in England with her father?

"Higurashi-san, please take a seat next to Sohma-san. Sohma-san, raise your hand." Without looking away, Hatsuharu raised his hand, watching as Kagome looked towards him. The two looked gazes and… a flicker of something passed through her eyes. Recognition? Confusion? Surprise? Whatever it was, Hatsuharu knew it was important, for it may have been a signal that Kagome remembered him too.