"I don't wanna goooo!" Kagome whined.
"You have to," Inuyasha responded. "I don't want you going through that again."
Mrs. Higurashi giggled. "You guys are so cute together."
Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other before blushing and looking away.
(A.N.: just gonna skip this whole therapy concept because I'm honestly just too lazy. I know, i know, i'm terrible smh)
Mrs. Higurashi had made sure Inuyasha was taking good care of Kagome while she went out looking for Kikyo Sanada.
"Found it," she murmured, and knocked on the door.
A man around his late 40s, maybe early 50s opened the door. "Yes? How may we help you?"
"Hello, are you Mr. Sanada?" Mrs. H asked.
"Why, yes, I am," Mr. Sanada replied. "Who's asking?"
The casual comment slightly irked Kagome's mother - she didn't even know this guy - but she responded politely anyway. "I am the mother of Kagome Higurashi. I'm not sure if you've been aware of what's happening on Shikon, but did your daughter, Kikyo Sanada, set up a fake profile?"
"I heard my name," a new voice announced.
Mrs. H saw a girl around Kagome's age, face caked with makeup. Immediately she knew who this girl was.
"Kikyo Sanada," Mrs. H said. "Did you create a fake profile used to harass my daughter on Shikon?"
"Whaaat?" Kikyo giggled nervously. "No!"
"Kikyo, dear," her father said, "go into the living room. We can talk later."
He faced Kagome's mother. "Now, I don't know what you're talking about, but-"
Mrs. H got straight to the point, her patience running thin. "Your daughter was harassing my daughter online, and she just tried to kill herself! And you're defending the culprit? What kind of father are you?"
"Listen," he said firmly. "I'll have you know that I am an attorney. And if Kikyo had said something online that stated her opinion, so be it. It's your daughter's fault for letting the comments affect her so. And it's your fault for letting her be so vulnerable to the online society."
"T-that's not-"
She was not given a chance to finish, as Mr. Sanada slammed the door in her face.
She spluttered indignantly before snorting. "Like father, like daughter."
"I hope my mom finds her," Kagome sighed.
"Me, too," Inuyasha agreed. "She can't get away with something like this."
Kagome could only nod. Suddenly, Inuyasha faced her, fear and desperation in his eyes.
"I almost lost you."
Those four words were all Kagome needed to burst into tears.
Inuyasha pressed his forehead against her collarbone, bringing her into his arms.
"I-I-I'm sorry," Kagome sobbed. "I didn't know what to do… I didn't… I couldn't…"
"Shh," Inuyasha whispered, ears flattening at her cries. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry…"
"N-no," Kagome said. "It's okay."
Suddenly, her phone made a ding sound. Panic shot through her like a needle.
"No, no, no, no, no!" Kagome screamed, burying her face into Inuyasha's chest.
Inuyasha felt a growl rumbling in his chest as he picked up her phone and read the text, relaxing slightly to see that it was from Sango.
"It's okay," he said. "It's just Sango."
"Sango?" she said. "What does it say?"
"'Come outside, please. I really need to talk to you. Preferably alone,'" Inuyasha read.
"O-okay, I'll go. I'll be right back, okay?"
"Are you sure?"
"It's okay, it's only Sango. She wouldn't… she wouldn't hurt me."
Inuyasha reluctantly let Kagome pull herself out of his arms.
He followed her to the door, letting her step outside and close it. But he didn't step away. He pressed an ear to the door, listening.
"Hi, Sango," Kagome said slowly.
"H-hi," Sango said shakily.
"Come on in - it's cold outside," Kagome offered.
"No, I-I can't."
"What? Why not?"
"Because… because you'll hate me after I say this," Sango said softly.
Kagome stared at her friend. "Okay… you're scaring me."
Sango sniffed and got straight to the point. "I… I'm the one who set up the Naraku profile."
Kagome blinked. "W-what?"
"I'm the one who set up the Naraku profile!" Sango repeated, tears flowing freely now.
Silence.
And then...
"...Why?"
Kagome's voice sounded so hurt, so betrayed, so… broken.
"I-I'm sorry!" Sango cried. "I didn't…"
Kagome waited, desperately pleading in her mind that this was all a dream.
But it wasn't.
It was very, very real.
Almost too real.
Sango didn't finish her sentence. She only looked down at the ground, avoiding Kagome's eyes.
Finally, after another long silence, Kagome spoke.
"I thought you were my friend." The accusation alone made Sango flinch.
"I-" she began, but Kagome didn't give her a chance to finish.
"Oh, that's right. How could I have forgotten?" Kagome said, laughing humorlessly. "You and Ayame both left me when you two were hopelessly bullied. You know what's funny though? You were only bullied once! ONCE! And when you walked away, deciding it would be better for you two if you weren't seen with me, it stopped. But did it leave me alone? No. And without you guys there for me, who was I to turn to?"
"Kagome! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll do anything to make it up to yo-"
"No," Kagome replied coldly. "You've done quite enough."
And with that, she walked back into her house.
Sango turned and ran, guilt devouring her from the inside out.
