Chapter Eight: Shopping Gifts and Dreams

"Kagome! Kagome!" ten-year-old Koga ran up to her. He held out a little present. "Here, it's for you!"

"Oh, thank you, Koga! You're the nicest friend I ever had!" Kagome chirped, opening the present. It was a photo album of all their times together. "Oh, thank you, Koga! Now I'll treasure this forever and ever!"

They hugged and went to play. At dinnertime, Koga's mother came calling. "Koga! We need to go home now!"

He yelled, "Bye, Kagome!" as he walked off, holding his mother's hand.

The next morning Koga came to her house, and went to play. He stopped in shock when he saw Kagome. She looked so beautiful in that nice blue and green kimono, he was almost blinded.

He took one quivering step towards her. "K-Kagome? Is that really you?" he asked.

She looked surprised. "Oh, hi, Koga. I didn't know you were here. Did you want to play again?"

"That's what I'm here for!" he said proudly, pointing a thumb at his chest.

She giggled, got up, and they went to play. Koga playfully tackled her in the backyard. "Ha! I win!" he said. Kagome pretended to pout.

"That's not fair!" she protested, a twinkle in her eye. "You boys are so much better than us girls!"

"But Kagome," Koga whined, "I'm terrible at archery and such."

"That's cause you're not made for it," Kagome said.

"Oh? So what if I'm not?"

"Well, if you ever grow up to be a man, and you say you still can't do archery, imagine what remarks you'd get!" she said, laughing as she took off.

Kagome woke up. She had just been dreaming of the past…when Koga and her had still been best friends. What was it that changed it so much? Was it because Bankotsu had come and she'd fallen for him? Was it also because Koga had been in love her? Why? Why?

Bankotsu came into the room. "Oh, you're awake, Kagome. You were the one who told Taisho to go away, right?" he asked brightly.

"Yes, what was that nerdy shitbag doing here last night?" she asked.

"Asking where you were," he answered. "You weren't in school yesterday, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," she said quietly. "Did Koga come? Ever?"

"Nah, he has yet to show his sorry face and that freaky wolfish frown around here!" Bankotsu snorted. "I dunno if he's got enough guts to come back to fight you again."

"He has," she said.

"Well, all the better. If you train harder, Kagome, you'll be better than him!" Bankotsu said sternly. "I don't want my girl to lose to some mowed down shackle butt."

Kagome giggled. It was cute that Bankotsu thought she shouldn't lose to Koga. But…

"Is it really necessary to say that, Ban?" she asked. "I mean, even though Koga's my enemy now, he was my friend when we were younger. No need to call him a mowed down shackle butt."

"Well, if you insist," Bankotsu said, shrugging. "But I still don't want you to lose to that scrawny wimp ass."

Kagome sighed as she shook her head. "Oh well, I guess you could call him whatever you think he is," she said, turning to him. "You really do think he's a mowed down shackle butt and a scrawny wimp ass? You're so funny!"

Bankotsu chuckled as he lightly leaned over to kiss her cheek. "I think it's best…if I stay with you."

Kagome nodded. She got off the couch and said, "Bankotsu, I'm well enough to head to that crappy school tomorrow. Thanks for being here with me."

"Anyways, Kagome, what were you dreaming about? You were mumbling something that sounded like, 'Oh, thank you, Koga! You're the nicest friend I ever had!' That ring a bell somewhere?"

"Oh, Ban," Kagome said, looking to the ground. "I was dreaming of my…past. My childhood with Koga. That's before I met you."

"I see," Bankotsu said. When Kagome had said that in her sleep, he felt a pang of envy and betrayal. But when she told him she'd been dreaming of the past, he'd been relieved. Was he that protective?

Kagome said, "It's almost noon. I'd better eat something for lunch. I also want to go shopping for something…some sort of present to give to you and the gang…"

Bankotsu said, "Hey, babe, you don't need to give me a present. You are my present. I'll help you get something for the others."

"Really? Thanks," Kagome said cheerily.

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In the mall, Kagome looked all over the place for something, dragging Bankotsu with her. "Even a girl needs to go shopping sometime!" she said. "I don't care if I'm a gang leader, I still need to shop!"

"I shouldn't have agreed…" Bankotsu mumbled.

Kagome didn't seem to hear that. She went to a feudal shop, where she found a beautiful purple rosary necklace. "Oh, Ban! Look at this! Wouldn't it be a perfect fit for that stupid Taisho's brother?" she laughed.

Bankotsu joined in. "Yeah! I can imagine it now!" he chuckled.

"Hmm…oh, wouldn't this be perfect for Jakotsu?" she asked, showing her boy friend a snake bone sword.

"Holy…yeah, he loves those things!" Bankotsu said excitedly.

"Uh…what about this for Sango?" she asked uncertainly, holding up a giant boomerang bone.

"Wow! Hey, Kagome, I betcha you and I could get something real nice in here!" Bankotsu said. "That perfectly suits Sango, too!"

"I hope I have enough money for this stuff…" Kagome said, looking at her purse.

Bankotsu said, "I'll be right back, Kagome. I'll find out the price for this." He went to the register, where he asked the lady, "Hey, what's the price for these old things?"

"Oh, those? Only 500 yen each. There really old, so they're cheaper than the other newer products," she said, blushing at him.

He strode back to Kagome. "Lady said that they're only 500 yen each," he told her.

"Oh, they're that cheap? Kami, that's good news!" Kagome said. "I don't have that much money."

XXXXXXXXXX

The next day, when Kagome went to school, voices shouted, "Hey, it's the Higurashi girl! She's back!"

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha heard this. They went outside to see and it was really true. He spat out, "Why weren't you here yesterday or the day before that, wench?"

"Why do you care, Taisho butt brain?" she spat back. She actually spit on the ground at his feet.

Everyone was shocked. The only person in the world who'd ever dare to do that would be his father. And now, there was a girl who actually spit at his feet. Did she despise him?

"You! Higurashi! I challenge you to a rematch!" he shouted angrily.

"You stupid fool, get it into your equally thick skull that you are a loser who can't hold his own against a girl!" she shouted in his face. She slapped him on the cheek, leaving a red handprint that stung.

Sesshomaru was so shocked. This wench really slapped me! Oh, she's gonna pay…

Kagome stalked away, steam puffing from her ears. That sonnova…that pompous ass…that arrogant jerk! I'm glad Ban's nothing like him, she thought.

XXXXXXXXXX

That night, Kagome had another dream, but this was much more different…

Kagome was staring at a tall, handsome braided boy. She blushed when he looked her way.

Koga noticed this, and said, "Hey, you! Whatever your name is, don't steal my girl!"

Kagome said exasperatedly, "Koga! How many times have I told you that I'm not your girl? I'm just a friend! Get it?"

"No, you're not, Kagome!" Koga said hastily.

The braided boy said, "Well, my name's Bankotsu. Nice to meet you." He shook hands with Kagome, but Koga glared at his hand.

"I don't trust you," he muttered.

Bankotsu shrugged. He withdrew his hand. "Well, nice meeting ya." He walked away.

Kagome stared after him. She turned to Koga. "How could you drive him away? We could've become friends with him!" she shouted.

"Kagome, he looked like he was gonna steal you from me!" Koga whined.

"Oh, you…you silly men and your stupid obsessiveness! You're too overprotective of me," she sighed.

Koga's heart shattered when Kagome said, "Koga, I don't love you. You're just my best friend."

Kagome shot up. She'd just been dreaming of the time she first met Bankotsu. She'd broken Koga's heart right then and there. He'd been in love with her.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why am I dreaming…of my past?"

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Okay, I'm stopping. That's the end of chappie 8! I hope ya'll like it! And I'll try to update soon!

MH15