Chapter 4 – Their Families

Inuyasha had just put on his shoes and coat. The teachers locked the classroom's door, greeted Inuyasha and walked away. Inuyasha seemed like he hadn't even heard them. Well, they didn't mind. They had known Inuyasha since first grade. And it seems like he was something like Peter Pan – like he didn't grow up at all, not mentally at least.

Unlike Kagome and Sango, Inuyasha didn't mind walking right through the school's normal yard. He didn't listen to the shouts and insults that filled the air. And when he was far enough from the school, he started running as fast as a car and jumped on the roofs. He wasn't even notified by people on the streets.

When Inuyasha arrived home, he knocked the door. These moments were tough in this house. And why? Because as their father was still at work, the only one who could let Inuyasha in was his 26-year-old big brother, Sesshomaru. They had a very poor relationship. They didn't hate each other, but Sesshomaru was ashamed of having a 'special education idiot' as his little brother. And their big age difference just made things worse.

"You're late", Sesshomaru said with a blank face.

"Fuck you", Inuyasha mumbled. He sure didn't speak much, almost at all, but when he did, the phrase contained at least one swearword. But even Sesshomaru didn't mind it. Just let the idiot act up. After all, he was so young compared to Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha locked up in his room. He never bothered do his homework. First the teachers were frustrated about this, but nowadays they thought it was okay, just as long as he appeared in the class every weekday. He was, no offense, mentally handicapped, but not an imbecile. The teachers had told Inuyasha's father that the boy would never be a normal, independent person. He maybe couldn't be able to live all on his on. Dad was very sad about this.

A few hours later their dad came home. He had visited the grocery store on the way home, because he wanted to cook up something Inuyasha liked – ramen. Sesshomaru had really no food he actually liked, but everything was fine.

"Hello, boys! Daddy's home!" dad shouted from the kitchen, where he emptied the grocery bags. No answer. He wasn't surprised. It was tough to be the father in this family. An ADHD, autistic, disturbed, special needs dog hanyou teen and an extremely impassive full youkai man. They had different mothers. Sesshomaru's mom was a youkai, Inuyasha's a human. Both mothers had died long ago. Sometimes dad felt alone, helpless and depressed.

Well, the ramen was boiling, and dad went off to Inuyasha. He knocked the door and opened it. There Inuyasha was, laying on his bed on his stomach, face against the pillow. Dad sat down on the bed next to the boy's feet.

"Hello young man", dad said and stroked the boy's feet. Inuyasha got up and took his dog sitting pose. Dad laid his muscular arm on his son's still a bit lank shouders and hugged him. Inuyasha let his dog ears droop and leaned against hid dad, closing his eyes. These two had a very, very deep, loving father-son relationship. Dad was the only person in this world he loved and respected. At least after his mother died. That was a horrible shock to him, and just worsened his withdrawal.

"Come for dinner. I made some ramen", dad said and walked out of the room. For a while Inuyasha just looked at the open door like a statue, not moving at all. Then he took a deep breath, got up from the bed and went after his dad.

The differ was, like always, very quiet. Sometimes dad tried to start up a conversation, like almost all other families had. Sometimes a joke, sometimes asking, how was their day, but neither of the boys ever answered.

Dad was so exhausted from this. When Sesshomaru was a few weeks old and dad held him in his arms, he dreamed of sunny days of summer, him and his young son playing soccer together. Playing board games. Watch movies. Bake cakes.

But when the first birthday cake was baked, Sesshomaru, at just two years old, was showing severe nonchalantness and emotionlessness. He has never laughed, not even chuckled. He was afraid of nothing and didn't care. Even the death of his m0ther didn't really shock him.

And then Inuyasha. He was such a sad case. When he was born, in his mother's arms in hospital with dad next to the bed, stroking the infant's amazingly thick hair and dog ears, he and she thought everything would be fine. Now they had a mentally healthy child, who will laugh, hug and play. But, like Sesshomaru, Inuyasha started also to show some symptoms. He didn't talk, which made mom and dad very concerned, being afraid there was a physical reason for this. And there was. At just tree years old he was diagnosed with severe ADHD, autism and learning and concentration difficulties. He did start talking in kindergarten, but only a few words and phrases per week. And when he talked, he used foul language. He was violet every now and then, and had been many times at childrens' psychiatrist and mental hospitals. And all the doctors said Inuyasha was a lost case. He couldn't be helped.

But dad was so happy about how warm and loving the dog boy was towards him. It was actually the only beam of light in his life.

The atmosphere in Kagome's house was somehow the same, somehow different. There was as much love that you could ever imagine. Their mother was like an angel – caring, loving, tender and helpful. Kagome and Souta loved each other. All the family members respected the grand father of this house. And then, of course, Buyo the cat. He was also beloved.

Now it was time for dinner. Kagome set up the table and sat down like all others. They all blessed their meals, and started eating. Unlike in Inuyasha's family dinners, here they all discussed about random things, but nowadays Kagome didn't join the conversation. But all others understood why, and didn't comment about it.

Shippo wasn't having it easy. He lived in a children's home for special needs children. He had lived there since four years old. Now he was eight. Like in his school class, there were pretty little children – only 10. And Shippo was the only youkai. He shared his room with a boy with cerebral palsy, and they got along pretty well. But every now and then, Shippo threw tantrums, and the nurses needed to use medicine injections on him. Shippo had feelings. He was actually often happy, playful and cheerful, but when he lost it, he really did.

Koga had no siblings, but parents. There wasn't really anything really out of ordinary family, except of course the fact that they were youkais. The parents were shocked when Koga was diagnosed with ADHD as a little kid, and sometimes when Koga shouts at them and sometimes even tries to attack them, the parents are really disappointed in him.

Koga joined his parents at the dining table. He took a big portion of rice and started eating with a great appetite.

"So, Koga", dad asked", how was your school day?"

"The new gal in our class seems really interesting", Koga muttered with mouth full of rice. He swallowed and continued: "She's nice and behaves like a lil' princess. Yea, she also looks like a frikkin' princess."

"Isn't that a good thing?" mom asked.

"Hell yeah. Oh, and she has been in the same mental hospital where I was this summer break. Just the wimp-ward."

"It seems like you are actually proud of being in EY-unit and not the normal youth ward", dad said.

"I am. Just like I'm proud of being in the special class. We are better than others."

Like in the Kagome's house, Sango had a loving and caring family. There were mom an dad, and her beloved little brother, Kohaku. And a small, yellow youkai cat with red eyes, called Kirara.

Sango was doing her best to do her homework. But just like Inuyasha, she almost never succeeded in it. But she at least tried.

"You need help, Sango?" her mother, who peeked from the room door. Sango nodded, and so mom came to her and took a look of what was the problem.

Like with Inuyasha, Sango's parents were sad about Sango's fate. She was diagnosed with ADHD at three, but she was still sent to a normal class. It didn't work out, and she needed to be transferred to the special education. She was such a cute little girl, and now, as a teen, beautiful like an angel.

"Sango, what does this kanji mean?" mom asked and pointed one of the marks on the book's page. Sango sat quiet without saying a word.

"Sango, dear. Can you tell me what this kanji means?"

Sango shook her head with small tears in her eyes. She hated herself. She had let her family down by being mentally handicapped and sick. She started sobbing. Mom took her gently in her arms and rocked slowly.

"I know why you are crying. Don't worry. We are all very proud of you, no matter if you are in special education or not. You are part of our family. You will always be our little angel"

Sango sighed and gave another look at her open textbooks on the table. She pushed her mother back a bit gently and got closer at the desk. She wiped her tears and said:

"Let's carry on."

Mom seemed a bit surprised at first, but smiled and sat on a chair next to Sango.

The only adult caring of Miroku was his grandpa. He was getting old fast, and was in very bad condition for someone his age. It was just about a month ago when Miroku had to call the ambulance when his grandpa had fallen down and not waking up. There was something wrong with his brain. Grandpa was in hospital for more than a week.

He got a diagnosis: brain tumor. A big one. The doctors said he will live five years at max.

Miroku was so afraid of the day he would be sitting on the church bench in his grandpa's funeral. Maybe in just a few years. He would be just about 20. And all alone. There were no others.

In this house, Miroku had to do all the laborious house work like the laundry, which meant putting them in the washer, hanging, and ironing them. And the dishes. But gramps did the cooking, because Miroku just couldn't concentrate, and, after all, he couldn't read the cookbook.

And what did gramps think of his grandson being mentally handicapped? He understood what it meant, but didn't mind. He wanted to show Miroku that he is just as good than everyone else. Miroku, Inuyasha and Koga were the ones who didn't really mind to hear someone say a few insulting words. Miroku and Koga were both very carefree persons. They could just walk through the normal yard and whistle while other stared at them. Maybe it was better than worry to no avail, like the girls did.

It was time to go to bed. Miroku helped grandpa up the stairs and to his room. He made sure everything was fine, that grandpa made it to the bed. Miroku closed the room's door and went to his own. But he wouldn't go to bed. Not yet. The homework had to be done. But Miroku just couldn't. At school there was always someone to help him. But at home there was no-one. Sometimes Miroku got something right, but usually he just guessed and wished his hands crossed they'd be right. Usually not.

Time went by. Miroku turned his head at his alarm clock...

10 'o clock... I should get to sleep... And so the boy changed to his pajamas and turned off the lights, falling asleep.