Disclaimer: I never ever own Inuyasha. It's belongs to the Great Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 9

Months passed. Each day, Miroku's physical condition worsens. Hikaru have tried everything she learned to heal her father, but no avail. Inuyasha regularly visited them now and then. He wanted to be on Miroku's side once he was in the brink of death.

One heart-rending night, everybody was in their dreamland. Inuyasha was outside, sleeping on a tree. Miroku was in his futon sleeping. Out of the blue, Inuyasha sensitive nose caught a scent. A scent that he does not want to smell. Smell of death. Although it was faint, but he knew it would appalling. He rushed into the hut and in the blink of eyes; he was on Miroku's side.

"Miroku…" Inuyasha called.

"Inuyasha… My time has come." Miroku responded.

"No." Inuyasha did not want to believe it. But he cannot lie to himself to Miroku.

"Shh… I don't want Hikaru to hear us."

Silence consumed the hut. Only the sound of the crickets chirping.

""Inuyasha… I want you to take care of Hikaru. She's the only child that I worried about. All her sisters and brother had led a happy life. I want her to be same. Please Inuyasha, that's all I asked. Please take care of Hikaru."

"You don't have to tell me Miroku. I already told you that I have thought her as my daughter. Her life will lack of nothing as long as I lived; and it will be a long time before that. So don't worry about her."

"Thank you Inuyasha. You are a great friend."

Miroku closed his eyes. His breath was even. His chest was up and down slowly. Until he was breathing no more.

"Goodbye, my friend" Inuyasha whispered.

The next morning

Every villager paid their respects to the monk that have save their life countless of time. The monk that have been watching over them from onis, youkais, bandits and have saying their prayers for years. His noble deed will never been forgotten from the villagers mind, especially his families and friends.

One at a time, the villagers leave to finish their daily routine. By the afternoon, everyone save for Inuyasha and Hikaru have gone.

"Hikaru, I hope that you will comprehend this. I have a discussion about this matter with your father and it's his last wish. He wishes for me to take care of you and it is easier for me to do that if you live in the castle rather than here. I would return tomorrow for the answer. Until then, good day." Inuyasha turns back and return to the village.

After Inuyasha leave, Hikaru went to the hut that she once shared with her father. She swore that she almost call her father before realised that she is alone. She hated coming back in the homes that has been her house since she was born. She hated the loneliness that slowly approaching her life.

She opens the crates that have stored all her father possession. Inside the crates lie his unused sutra, his golden staff, his clothes, his books and everything else. She picked out the golden staff and stood it against the wall. She grabbed her father's clothes and put it on the floor. Underneath the clothes there tons of book that her father either purchased it from towns or trade it with the old Mushin.

She picked a book and opened it. And then something felt from the book. She picked it up and saw a small and strange drawing. It something she never look before. Inside the drawing there are two men, two women, a neko youkai and a child.

The men she recognised as Inuyasha and the other man it looks like her father. She assumed that it was him in his younger self. And the child she recognised it as Shippo, although in the drawing he's like 7 or 8 years old. The neko youkai is Kirara. However the two women she did not recognised. One of them has similar face with her. She wore pink and green yukata and the other woman wore strange clothes.

She scrutinising the drawing. They were below a tree that neared the village. Inuyasha was up the tree and he looks like he does not care what happening below him. Shippo and the woman in strange clothes were playing something. Her father was sitting below the tree and there's a hand mark on his cheeks. The woman that similar to her stroke Kirara's fur and she looked angry.

"Hikaru, are you here?"

"Yes, Shippo-san."

"What are you looking at?"

"This." She handed the strange drawing to Shippo.

Shippo took the strange drawing. He smiled and remembered when the event was occurred.

"This is a picture."

"A picture?"

"Yes. It's a future object. I have no idea that Miroku still keep this."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"Who are these women in this picture?"

"They are your mom, Sango and Inuyasha's mate, Kagome."

"My mom?"

"She's the one who stroke Kirara's fur."

"And where is Kagome?"

"In the future." Hikaru dumbfound. "We never talked about Kagome. It's a soft spot for all of us."

"Oh..."

"I'll tell you. But never ever said her name in front of others. Especially Inuyasha."

"Ok."

Shippo told all their adventure in searching the Shikon no Kakera. Hikaru remembers that her father had told her the same story. But it's vaguer. The story that Shippo told her is more detail. When she hears the story, she knows now why Inuyasha never forget about his mate. She also ashamed what she had thought about Inuyasha's mate. She hoped that Inuyasha will meet his mate someday.

"It's night now."

"Oh..."

After a long silence.

"I came here because Inuyasha told me to come. He worried that you will be lonely. And that's also the reason why he asked you to leave this village and followed us."

"He told you that."

"Of course not. I figured it out. He never told anybody else what he is thinking."

After a long silence.

"So what your decision."

"I'll tell you tomorrow."

"Ok. Well then. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok." He stands up. They bid their farewell and promised to meet again tomorrow.

Hikaru thought over the offer Inuyasha gave her. She thought the pros and cons when she leaved the village and followed Inuaysha. After a thorough thinking, she found her answer.

-Tomorrow morning-

"I'll follow you." Hikaru said when she asked of her decision.

"What?"

"I said, I will follow you both." Hikaru repeated.

"Thanks goodness. I thought that you will not agree to it." Shippo sighed happily.

"I've already packed my belongings. When we will go?" Hikaru asked Inuyasha. She looked determined to him.

"Now." Inuyasha commanded.

Hikaru followed them. She looked over her once-to-be village.

"Farewell." And she continued her journey.

A/N: Wow. Finally, it's DONE! I really need to focus on this story. Sorry if you really waiting for this story.