Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING

Ooooh more background on the situation ;) Sorry for this to be a little short, but I hope you still like it nonetheless ;)

Italicized = flashback/thoughts (this beginning is a flashback)

Anyway,

Enjoy!

"Just leave him Kags!"

A tear slipped.

"He's over here at my house, it's your perfect opportunity to ditch him for good! Please pick up the phone, Kaggy, I know you are there."

She felt like suffocating.

"Just leave Inuyasha, he's killing you! He doesn't love you. You should've known that since the start of his affair! He may have loved you then, but sure as hell not now. Please Kagome, you deserve a better life. A happier life."

The victimised woman stared at her phone as she let the words of her best friend drown in her ears, her heart thumping loudly after every reminder of her unrequited love. She knows she should give up on this relationship, give up on him period. Did she really need a reminder of that? She's been facing that reality for the past five years, one would think she'd have enough of it.

But she keeps hoping.

She's an idiot, right? She keeps hoping that he'd find a way to fix this mess himself. Or, or that he would discard Kikyo and take her to a place far, far away, where they could be happy. She'd keep hoping that he'll turn into Prince Charming, just like in high school, and fly her away on his back, preferably a white horse but his back was the usual.

She is a dreamer, right?

Well it can't be helped, who doesn't wish for that? Wish for reality to be just like a stories? Reality can be either scary or blissful, but the fact of not knowing which is what makes it undesirable. Unlike stories, no, stories are direct. They won't play games like reality. They won't hurt because in the end everyone knows that it'll always be a happy ending. It's like a dream. That's what make novels so good. They tell of a dream that escapes reality. Or even, tell of a better reality. But always, always, reality destroys dreams, doesn't? Because by the end of the day, when she has to put that book down, she has to live in this world again. Dreams...can never break reality.

Is that why she's like this?

Because reality finally sank in? Because she realized that she'll never get her Prince Charming? That the man she's with right now is fine with this chaos? Because reality destroyed the dream inside her?

No...Inuyasha destroyed that dream.

He destroyed her.

"He doesn't love you, Kagome."

Her eyes sharpened.

That's true, isn't it?

But what's also true...is that she loves him.

Kagome smirked faintly as she stared directly at her husband, giggling at the aghast look on his face. What was wrong? She finally started to listen to him. She's eating, she's cleaned up, she would've looked more normal if it weren't for her bony figure. She was even dressed nicely too. She donned those dark jeans that he liked, and even wore his favorite shirt.

"Hello Inuyasha," She smiled toothly. "How are you?"

He was still staring at her incredulously. She frowned as she walked up from her spot on bed, putting her bowl of instant ramen on her nightstand. She walked towards him as she put on her best concerned face. He was still staring at her in that flabbergast way, his mouth flopping as no words came out.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue," She teased, straining a smile. "I'm eating like you said, I look decent now too. And I'm talking to you. You said you missed that, right? You missed hearing my voice, right?" She forced a giggle. "C'mon, Yash, smile a little. You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Who the fuck are you," He rasped out, still not believing what he's seeing. This can't be Kagome, this isn't. Not only is the scent completely different, but the behaviour is as well. She wasn't moping around and isolating herself anymore. She was being normal. As if everything he had done, everything he was trying to fix, never happened. A fresh new start. Except...not with Kagome.

"What are you talking about, silly? I am Kagome." She smiled tensely.

He glared menacingly. "No you are not. You may talk, act, sound like Kagome, but you sure as hell don't smell like her."

Her smile flattered. "And what am I supposed to smell like?"

He scoffed. "Kagome smells like a cat in the rain on a cold day, or in the wind from a winter day." He smirked. "Kagome smelled the exact opposite of you. You smell like sakura blossoms in the middle of spring, very lovely smell. Don't even try to fool me."

Ouch. Kagome thought as she tried her best to mask her hurt as she put on another fake smile. Was he trying to torment her even further? She smelled like a wet cat? And only now, when she's not trying to isolate herself from him, stuck in all the anger, sadness, and grief in her heart, she smells nice? Was he so used to her crying and agony that he mistaken it for her natural scent? She quickly blinked her eyes to keep the moisture out.

Doesn't that speak volumes?

The man that she loves, and regrettably still does, can't even remember how she smelled during their happy days. That the only way he can remember her is the same as these past five years; in misery. She chuckled blandly, turning her back so that she could retrieve her ramen from her nightstand.

"Well, I can assure you, I'm still Kagome." She poised her chopsticks and caught a few noodles, pulling the pasta up to her mouth. "Do I need to prove myself?"

Inuyasha looked at her curiously, still not trusting her entirely. She shrugged.

"Fine, ask me something that the real Kagome could know."

"...what sports did Kagome play."

"I," she corrected, "did archery and soccer. That was an easy question, Yash, honestly." She rolled her diamond-like eyes.

His golden wells sharpened. "Right, that was easy...how many times did Kagome break her left arm?"

"Never did."

His eyes sparkled. "Lies. Kagome broke her arm once, keeping her-"

"From competing in the championship finals in archery in high school. I'm right-handed, I broke my right arm. Not my left."

He stayed silent, still having an unreadable look on his face. "Last question...True or false...Kagome and I married out of love."

Her oceanic eyes widened slightly, stunned by his question. Married out of love? Does she even have an answer for that? She knows that she married him out of love. No doubt about it. Did Inuyasha marry her out of love? He proposed to her, right? He created his own vows, said I do, and cut the cake with her, right? Yeah...he did marry her. But he also met Kikyo. She smiled grimly, pulling her arms behind her back as she rocked back and forth on her feet.

"That's no fair. It's a trick question." She felt the tears coming back as she took in a shaky breath. "I married you out of love," She started, trying to control the tremble in her voice. "But Inuyasha...Inuyasha married me." She heard him whine.

Isn't this funny? It has to be. Here she is, talking normally to the man who ruined her life, the man who made her feel one step away from the edge yet already falling. The man whom she still loves. The man she thought she knew. Inuyasha Taisho, the name she should be proud to call her husband but was never once given the chance. And despite...despite all the hardships, envy, and heart-break being with Inuyasha caused, she still remained by his side like an obedient dog. It's funny...how this man shattered, crushed, and ran over her heart thousands of times...can pulverize it once more now.

"I did-"

"No...you didn't." She felt her bottom lip tremble as she stared glossy eyes at him. "You just didn't want to be alone." She took in a deep breath as the familiar sound of a car pulling in reached her ears. "And me, being hopeless in pleasing you," She laughed as she brought a hand to cup her face, turning the other way. "Never left your side." She heard her front door unlock. "But you can have Kikyo for that, can't you? She'll keep you happy..."

His eyes widened. She should know that isn't the case. That will never be the case. While on the way driving back from Miroku's, he realized that he had developed some feelings towards Kikyo (feelings that he isn't even clear about) and how he seeks her out was what hurt Kagome; what made her heartbroken. But she should be smart enough to understand that he always comes back to her in the end. That he always wakes up, not to Kikyo's face, not to Kikyo's presence, but Kagome's.

"But Kagome I can't be happy if you're-"

"Inuyasha~" A familiar voice called, making him wince. What timing she had.

Kagome smiled wistfully as she turned front to her room, giving him a (forced) reassuring smile. "I want you to be happy, Inuyasha. That's why I never left your side." She grabbed her door, gesturing for him to pick it up. He quickly lined it with her doorframe. "And I figured out," She heard footsteps coming up the stairs. "That'll only happen if you have both of us." And with that, she closed the door.

She heard her sister's giggling through her door as she tried to choke back a cry, putting a hand over her mouth as she blinked away her tears. She's not being selfish like Inuyasha said. She's taking into account the situation, seeing things from his point of view. He's confused, hurt, sorry, and...hold feelings for another woman. She shook her head as she forced her body to move towards her bed, trying to reach her half-finished meal. She's eating like he said too. She looked to her closet as she stared at the full-length mirror mounted on it, staring at her reflection. And she looks more presentable too.

Everything he wanted.

He's happy that she's better off now, right? More taken care of. He should be happy about that.

And of course...he had Kikyo too. She slowly got up from her bed and walked towards her mirror, making eye contact with her reflection. Who wouldn't blame him? Despite Kagome's appearance now, she never was as bodily gifted as Kikyo. Kikyo always had a slimmer waist than her...and perfect, straight, black hair, unllike her own unruly curly hair...and Kikyo was just so beautiful. She couldn't remember a day that Kikyo never looked stunning. Kikyo was like a living, porcelain doll.

Her eyes scanned down her own body as she gripped the loose t-shirt on her body, throwing the fabric over heard head and to the side. She was disgusted by her own image. Her body hands trailed down her chest, the bra she's wearing quite loose. Then it was down her torso, causing her to wince. Her ribs were poking out repulsingly, making her hands tremble from touching them. And look...her hip bones were noticeable too.

She bit her bottom lip as she looked away from the image, grabbing her t-shirt and quickly putting it on. She was horrified with what she just saw. was that why Inuyasha never dared to do more than kiss her? Because he was too repulsed by her body? She felt her insecurities creep back, her heart squeezing. That's probably the reason. Who would love her body? She felt a tension in her throat as she quickly made her way towards her built-in bathroom.

Her hands shot towards the medicine cabinet as she grabbed at various pill bottles, trying to find her anxiety medication. Once finding it, she stared at the label helplessly as she went back into her room to pick up a bottle of water. Her heart felt heavy as she took two pills out, her face creasing as she frowned at the two tablets. Throwing her head back, she put the two pills in her mouth and washed them down with her water.

Yes...who would love her?

"Kikyo isn't on anxiety or anti-depressants...she doesn't have such a bony figure."

She clenched her fists as she stared out her window, trying to relax.

"Any man would take her...a beautiful woman with no baggage."

Her mind went back to what she saw in her mirror.

"I just can't fit those qualifications..."

This is what she hated most about herself. Her insecurities. She used to be so sure, open, and had no fear to speak her mind. Her friends envied her on her sureness and how well she's carried herself. And to think that they thought she wouldn't change once a man came into her life. To be honest, she didn't think she would either. She was always the type to scold her friends if they ever think of changing for a man. Such a hypocrite.

This is why Inuyasha always chases after Kikyo, she thought grimly as she heard the banging of various objects against the walls once more. Why'd I ever meet him? If I knew it was gonna hurt this much I'd never lay eyes on him. But...I want him. She felt her lip curl in distaste in her self-pity.

"What's wrong, Inu? What do you mean you're busy?"

Kagome flicked her head up in surprise. Didn't she hear them going at it a few minutes ago?

"I can't be with you like this anymore, Kikyo."

Kagome felt her breath catch in her throat.

"What do you mean? You don't want to be with me anymore?"

She heard him sigh.

"We were never together in the first place, Kikyo."

Kagome bit her lip in worry. What the hell was he doing?

"W-Why this all of a sudden?"

She was astounded by his reply.

"It isn't all of a sudden...I'm married...to your sister. I should have never started this to begin with."

A ghost of a smile made its way to the corners of her mouth as she placed a gentle hand over her chest, trying to calm her raging heartbeat. Is she not imagining this? Is this really happening? She froze, brushing the thought aside. No, she shouldn't get her hopes up high. She was enduring for his happiness (but will hopefully stop once he makes a decision).

"Saying you're married...that never stopped you."

True.

"Well I'm stopping now."

She couldn't help but wonder, was he doing this for her? Trying to convince her to act normal again? Wasn't she doing that already? Doing whatever he said and not "moping around" like he said. Was...she not good enough again? She felt her pride wince as it took another killer blow. What standards he has.

"I'm serious, Kikyo. Kagome is making progress now. Did you know she's talking to me again? We could hold a complete conversation again. I let her slip because of what she did before, but I'm not letting her slip now,"

She furrowed her eyebrows. What did she do?

"I'm pretty sure if I talk to her she'll explain to me why she-"

"Come on, Inuyasha! I'm here right now and Kagome is still behind that door. I don't see her talking right now."

"She was until you came knocking on the door!"

"Why are you surprised? I always come by around this time! It's nearly 6, Inuyasha! You should know that."

"You're not even concerned that she disappeared because you appeared?!"

"She didn't disappear! She's in that room!"

She heard him growl in irritation.

"Ever thought she's isolated herself because of what we're doing?"

Silence.

Kagome quirked her eyebrow. So he was now deciding to open his eyes? He decided now to be apart of her life again. She kept silent as she awaited her sister's reply, a bit unsettled by how quiet she was. She fumbled with her fingers. She knew her sister very well, ever since she was a middle schooler. Kikyo went to different schools for her sake. In every past school, whenever she and Kikyo were placed in the same school everyone would compare the two and ultimately leave Kagome feeling like the lesser of the two. Kikyo noticed that and requested for their mother to enroll her into a different school farther away from Kagome's.

Kikyo always looked after her.

Guess that's why she couldn't find herself to get angry at her sister.

"...I knew that a long time ago."

Even if she did betray her.

"W-What?"

"Honestly, Inuyasha."

She blinked back her tears as she urged her hands to cover her ears.

"I knew what I was doing was hurting Kagome,"

Please stop it.

"But I'm much better than her!"

Stop.

"For her to have you I can't tolerate it."

She stood up.

"I am much more suitable than her,"

She walked towards her medicine cabinet.

"It's been that way ever since we met."

She gazed at the bottle of pills in her hand. Sleeping pills.

"It's such an eyesore to deal with. You're better off with me, Inu."

She wonders...if she wakes up, will she be in a better place? Will Kami take pity on her? She closed her eyes, getting ready to end this. End this never-ending nightmare. Kikyo was right. She was an eyesore for someone like Inuyasha. He's such a beautiful specimen, compared to her. Kikyo is gorgeous. Gorgeous people should be with other gorgeous people, right? She just didn't belong. She was just getting in-between the two of them.

She leaned her head back.

"You..."

She downed the entire container.

"I-Inu what are you-"

She brought the water to her lips.

"What are you-!"

She heard her door collapse.

"KAGOME DON'T-"

She swallowed.