Chapter 9: Month 2, part 4: Girl Talk at Wacdnald's


The next day was almost a repeat of the school day, gossip by Ayumi, pestering questions regarding Inuyasha by Eri and Yuka and finally, a trip to Wacdnalds to have the best afterschool burgers.

They gossiped around and giggled but all I could think about was going home as quickly as possible to raid the last storage room so I was a bit out of tune when Eri asked a question.

"What..?" I asked, once I noticed they were all staring intently at me. I hadn't yet realized that I was the subject of conversation.

"Kagome," Eri began, "We asked you a question, but you're obviously thinking of something much more time consuming."

"What's wrong? Is Hojo bothering you?" Ayumi asked.

I sat there, perplexed by their ability to pinpoint that something was up, but entertained by their guess of my current thoughts.

"Hojo?" I answered, when had I ever talked about him? "Why do you think I'm thinking about him at all?" I was seriously confused.

Ayumi stood up and walked slowly to my side, her eyes never leaving my face and an eyebrow more risen up than normal.

"Well that would be the only other issue you'd have before the dance…"

I forgot that they didn't know about me time travelling through a well in order to save the future of the earth and this modern world. Oh well.

Yuka shocked me by suddenly inclining her face towards me and with the same suspicious glance as Ayumi currently sported.

"That is… Or you're thinking about another person…" She left off the sentence with squinty suspicious eyes.

I stammered a bit. "What makes you think that…?" I couldn't just explain to them, 'Oh yeah. I'm thinking about how I can restore an arm to a powerful daiyoukai that hates my guts. That way, I can have him as my ally to destroy a demon named Naraku and save the future of the earth.' Like… no. That would be impossible.

"You're fidgeting!" Eri pointed fiercely at my face, "Who is it, Kagome?!"

Ayumi bent down next to me and looked in my eyes- which made me even more uncomfortable- and asked, "It isn't about your boyfriend, is it?"

Yuka slammed her hands on the table, earning the looks of the people sitting nearby.

"You're thinking about another guy! I can't believe you!"

Ayumi's eyes opened up, reflecting surprise, "You're cheating on your boyfriend?"

Because of the exclamations coming from our table, many people were now looking at me in a disapproving manner.

People were thinking I was a whore!

I felt the heat rush to my face and I stood up immediately. Putting my hands over my chest in an 'X' I reassured everyone in the store, "I am not cheating on my boyfriend! It's all a misunderstanding!"

People started to look away but they still whispered and stole glances on our table. I rolled my eyes and sat back down, looking fiercely at my friends.

"Thanks a lot guys! Everyone is thinking I'm a whore!" I whispered.

"Well, you aren't denying you're thinking of someone else!" Eri said, following my lead as a whisper.

"Okay, fine. I'm thinking about my boyfriend's older brother… no, step-brother and he-"

Yuka interrupted, "Your boyfriend's brother?!"

"NOT in THAT way! He's sick and I'm trying to help out, so that's why I'm a little out of it these days. I'm worried, you know." I gave my best concerned and saddened face I could muster and waited for their reactions.

Well Sesshomaru was sick… somewhat. I was trying to cure him so it wasn't a complete lie…

The girls reacted like I had hoped, exclaiming, "Poor guy!" and "Your boyfriend must be so worried as well."

Yuka was the only one who kept looking at me with a hint of suspicion.

"And what does he have? Is it a rare disease like what you keep getting?" She raised an eyebrow and awaited my response.

Damn. I hadn't anticipated any questions.

I stuttered. "Well, umm… he-he's had this thing, I mean, disease ever since he's been a kid. It's like umm… a rare condition where he has to remain in like umm… an isolated place and well that's why you've never seen him…" I smiled nervously and began to play with the hem of my school skirt underneath the table.

"That's so sad!" Ayumi said, "I bet he hardly ever goes out with his friends."

"It must be so sad to live in a hospital room," Eri commented.

Yuka seemed much more tranquil regarding my response and held a hint of worry and sadness now in her face as well.

"So I guess you're thinking of what you can do to help?" She asked.

I bowed my head melancholically, "Yeah… although I don't think there's much I can do, you know…"

"Don't worry Kagome!" Ayumi and the girls held a fierce glint in their eyes, "If you need anything, just let us know!"

I giggled nervously.

"Thanks guys, It means a lot…"

Thank god this conversation had gone well. It would have been tough to respond with the complete truth without coming off as a crazy person.


It was getting dark about the time I got home to the shrine. The girls had insisted to go shopping at a plaza nearby and that had taken up most of my time. I held the nice pink gift bag, evidence of my spending for once in a very long time.

It's good to be normal.

We had stopped at a completely new organic perfume store because of the inaugurational "too-good-to-pass-by" prices. I glanced at the pink transparent perfume bottle held in the pink bag and grinned to myself.

I wonder if Inuyasha will like it…

Humming my way up the shrine stairs I thought about the conversation my friends and I had had earlier. I laughed. Well I was thinking of Sesshomaru and not Inuyasha, but not in a romantic way. Ha, ha! Imagine that! Me and Sesshomaru, an item! That would be ridiculous, really.

A sudden feeling of dread came over me and a strange memory stopped me in my tracks.

Me, snuggling… with the great white dog.

I felt my face get hot once again involuntarily, remembering the strange situation.

It was only an innocent accident.

"Like I would do that on purpose, really!" I exclaimed to no one in particular, exasperated. I held my hand to my neck and that night's unpleasant memories came rushing back.

"You were warned, were you not?"

My body trembled at the memory of his voice and the danger held within it. I had helped him with his injuries and he had hurt me in response. My injuries were almost healed but I could still remember the feel of the poison searing my skin and the tightness of his grip.

"What a jerk!" I yelled again as I stomped into my house.