The Heart's Desire
Chapter 10: Friendly Concern
Lunch time came and Kagome walked out to the administration building where Yuka told her they would meet. While she awaited her friend's arrival, her thoughts wandered. I wonder what Inuyasha is doing right now. Probably sulking, waiting for me to come back. That is, if I go back. Her mind jerked her back to the present when Yuka shouted her name and ran up besides her.
"Hey, Kagome," she said, stopping in front of her friend. She set down her bag on a nearby table and stashed it with textbooks occupying her arms. Kagome smiled at the short-haire girl.
"So, where do you want to eat?" Yuka asked, knowing they had a full hour before their classes resumed. Kagome shrugged, not really in the mood to fight over what restaurant to visit. A devious smile sat upon the business student's lips. "Oh, I know just the place." She grabbed the young priestess's hand and pulled her in the direction of their old hangout.
They entered WacDonalds; a place Eri, Ayumi, Yuka, and herself had always hung out at through their high school years. A sad smile blessed her visage as memories flooded back to her. Most of them included talks about Inuyasha, which at the time her friends thought he was a rude, obnoxious, two-timing, scoundrel. Kagome silently laughed as she remembered her fury towards the half-demon after one of their little spats.
Yuka grabbed them a table and ordered a couple of drinks and some burgers. "Hey, Kagome, why weren't you at school the last few days? Don't tell me you're starting to get sick again." A worried glance was sent her way.
"No, it's not that," she replied with a distant look in her eyes. "Something just came up, that's all."
Her friend eyed her suspiciously. "Okay, spill. I know when something is troubling you."
Kagome copied the deceased monk's ever knowing innocent smile. Yuka didn't buy it. Figures, considering they never bought Miroku's virtuous expressions after he had done something lecherous. She sighed. "Well, you remember the guy I was going out with back in the beginning of high school and finally broke it off and went out with Hojo?" Kagome hoped Yuka wouldn't be overwhelmed with the information she was to received.
The young woman took a moment to think before her face lit up with recognition. "Oh, you mean the rude, selfish, two-timer?" Kagome nodded her head, her expression solemn. "What about him?" she asked, curiosity imprinted in her eyes.
"Well ... he came back," Kagome stated, trying to be as vague as possible.
"He came back? After all this time? Why? What happened?" Yuka continued to throw questions at her left and right.
Kagome sighed, unsure of how much she should tell her. "He came back and told me that a close friend of ours had died. He needed me to go back with him and console the wife, who had been one of my best friends. I hadn't realized how much it was going to hurt ..."
Yuka studied her for a moment, pondering how to respond. She wanted to comfort her friend, but had little understanding of what Kagome was going through. None the less, she reached her hand across the table and took hold of the dark haired woman's. "What happened, Kagome?"
She dropped her gaze, not wanting to relive the painful memories. "Well, I went to console her. That's it."
Yuka sighed. Kagome was never the best liar and clearly something was troubling her. "I can't help you if you don't open up to me ..." She stopped mid-sentence, rubbing her thumb across Kagome's knuckles. She took her hand off of Kagome's to realize her friend was no longer wearing her engagement ring. "Where's your ring?" the baffled woman asked.
The young priestess pulled her hand away in embarrassment and placed it in her lap. Yuka noticed this and pushed forward. "Did you break it off with Hojo?" Kagome slightly nodded and Yuka's eyes widened with disbelief. "But you two have been together since high school. You guys make the perfect couple!" Her voice rose with each word, worried about her friend's strange behavior. It seemed out of the ordinary for Kagome to act so rash, especially in only a few days time. What had happened during her trip with her ex-boyfriend that made her act this way?
Kagome winced at Yuka's thoughts, waiting for her to calm down. When she became content, Kagome explained her feelings. "When Inuyasha came to get me, it hurt. I still love him, after all these years, and I thought I had moved on. The thing with Hojo, it wasn't real; at least, not for me. I never loved him. It was more of a really good friendship, but I believed it would help me move on, help me love again. I guess he was just oblivious to the fact that I wasn't genuinely interested in the relationship." Kagome paused, allowing the information to sink in. It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, now that she was able to talk to someone about the dark thoughts troubling her for the past few days. "Inuyasha's visit made me realize I had to stop living under false circumstances. So I broke it off, for my sake and Hojo's. It wasn't fair to either of us." She left out the confessions of love her and the half-demon shared, hoping Yuka wouldn't ask about it.
A mix of emotions played across Yuka's face. Anger, hurt, and confusion swirled within each other. She wasn't sure how she should respond to her friend's predicament. Especially during this specific time, right after her ex-boyfriend showed up. "Kagome ... why didn't you break it off sooner? Just because Inuyasha comes to town, you put your life on hold and take a step back? There has to be more to it. Tell me, what happened between you two?"
Kagome winced. She figured it out. She glanced at her watch, hoping the time could save her. When she saw twenty minutes still remained, she deeply sighed. "Well ... I uh ... kind of confessed to him that I still love him." Yuka opened her mouth to say something, but Kagome held up her hand to stop her friend's words. "And then, he confessed his love for me, too."
The woman was in complete shock. She didn't say anything, but her mouth hung open. When Kagome realized Yuka wasn't going to say anything, she continued. "He said the woman he was always seeing ahd died, but he hadn't felt any feelings towards her in a long time. He wanted to come and get me, but from our last departure, he thought I was angry at him. He actually did come a few times, but from a distance, he saw how happy I was and didn't want to ruin it by barging in. But when Miroku died, he felt it was necessary to intervene." Kagome's voice softened at the last sentence.
This had given Yuka time to regain her composure. "So, what does this mean?" she asked, afraid to hear the answer.
"I'm not sure," Kagome mumbled slowly. She glanced down at the half-eaten hamburger and empty glass. "He wants me to stay with him, but it's really far away. I would have to leave school, leave everything behind to be with him and I'm not sure if I'm ready for that kind of commitment."
Yuka watched her friend pour out her heart, clearly frustrated on what to do. Her eyes intensified as she stared at the troubled woman. "You love him, right?" Kagome glanced up and nodded her head slowly. "And he loves you?" She once again nodded. "Then I don't see the problem." She smiled at Kagome, pausing a moment. "Look, I'm not telling you what you should do. This has to be your own decision. I just want you to think through it carefully; about what you'd be gaining, what you'd be losing. I'll support your decision, whatever you choose, because I'm your friend and I'll always be here for you." This earned her a sad smile from the young priestess, silently thanking her for being there.
She stole a glance at her clock, realizing they had ten minutes to return to the campuse. Yuka laid some money on the table to pay for their meals and the women walked otu of the restaurant, their hearts heavy.
A/N: Oh my gosh! You don't understand how sorry I am for making you wait SO long! I've been busy with the holidays (still have yet to finish Christmas shopping) and I've been reconnected with relatives. Its been a fun week so far. Only one more day until winter break and it might be a snow day. lol. Anyways, now that The Darkness in Kagome's Heart is completed, I'll be able to update much quicker. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I think we have two more to go, one being an epilogue. Let me know what you think. Thanks!