Moi-Moi: Hello everyone. I got some not-so-pleasing news. I'm giving this story up. I've completely lost direction/interest in it. I'm not going to leave it up on , nor will I let anyone else finish it. I'm really sorry guys. Maybe you can imagine what you think should happen next on your own…

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Chapter 10

Kiyomi pulled her knees up to her chin before hiding her face. Finally, she let the tears fall. How could she be so stupid? How could she have fallen for his tricks? Did she actually believe that she had fallen in love with him? Sniffling, Kiyomi wiped her watery eyes. She tried not to cry, but sometimes it just leaked out.

"Kiyomi!" Itaru yelled from the bottom of the tree. He looked up at his sister before jumping up to join her. "Kiyomi?"

"What do you want? Did you come to rub it in?" Kiyomi mumbled into her knees.

"No. I just came to let you know that we're leaving tomorrow. You should get some rest."

Kiyomi looked up at him with a surprised face. 'I thought he would want to rub this in.' Itaru felt his anger boil when he saw her face. This was his little sister. And she was hurt. It took everything he had not to go after Mitsuko. Who did that asshole think he was?

"Thanks. Night," Kiyomi says quietly. Itaru sighed before pulling his sister to him. She struggled at first, but he just held her close. Eventually, she stopped fussing and allowed him to hold her. Her sniffles died out before she became completely silent. "I love you, Itaru."

"I love you too, imouto. I'm sorry this had to happen to you. I was kind of looking forward to you putting that ass in his place," Itaru says forlornly. Kiyomi let out a small giggle before sitting up.

"Let's go back. I want to get some sleep now and I don't plan on doing it in a tree," Kiyomi said and jumped down.

"Good. Kiyomi, I'll race you back," Itaru says before taking off. Kiyomi was shocked for a while before yelling after him. She started to run after him with a small smile. Who cares about Mitsuko?

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The next day, Inuyasha and his family were saying their goodbyes. No matter how much she hurt, Kiyomi still put on her best face towards Ayame and Kouga. Some were unhappy to see them leave…

"Sato-chan, please stay! I'll miss you!" Shinko says and latches onto the small boy. Sato felt slightly nervous and embarrassed about being held so tightly in front of his family.

"I-I'll miss you too, Shinko-chan. You can come play by my house if you want," Sao says happily.

"Really!" Shinko asks as her happiness bubbles over.

"That's cute," Shaya says. She looks over to Itaru standing next to her with a small smile.

"Keh, kids. What do you expect?" he replied and looked over at her. Itaru felt something nagging at the back of his mind. Shaya looked away from him then and the nagging feeling increased.

"Aw, look at you two love birds. It's adorable," Kiyomi teases from behind both of them.

"Shut up Kiyomi!" Itaru yells and glares at his sister. He was thankful for the distraction, though. He watched as she smirked at him and appeared to be the picture of happiness, but he knew better. She was just hiding her pain. Leave it to his sister to push her pain down and ignore it. She was growing more like their father every day.

"That's enough. Let's get going," Inuyasha says and kneels before Kagome. Kagome said goodbye once more before climbing onto her mate's back. The family took off then, waving goodbye as they headed back home. Kagome peeked back at her children with a sad look. Her heart went out to her daughter. She knew what it felt like to see the one you care about with another. "You alright Kagome?"

"I guess. I just feel bad for Kiyomi," Kagome says and turns back around.

"You shouldn't have to mother. I'm fine. Really," Kiyomi says and appears next to them. Kagome looks at her daughter and sighs.

"You're getting more and more like our father than I would like," Kagome mumbles to herself.

"What does that mean!" Kiyomi and Inuyasha asked at the same time. They looked at each other before scoffing and looking away. Kagome rolled her eyes.

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"You're leaving again? You can't leave! You just got here!" Kiyomi yells at her older brother. Itaru, however, continued to pack his clothes and other supplies he might need. "Don't ignore me Itaru!" Kiyomi yelled again. When Itaru kept moving about, not paying her any mind, Kiyomi growled and stomped downstairs. She found her parent sitting in the kitchen peacefully. Both looked up from whatever trance they were in with each other and stared at their daughter questioningly.

"What is it Kiyomi?" Kagome asked with caring eyes.

"You guys aren't letting Itaru leave now are you! He just got here!" Kiyomi yelled. Sato put his hands on his ears and whined at the loud noise. Kagome pulled him to her and rubbed his side in comfort. Now soothed, Sato went back to his coloring.

"He's been here for over a week. He usually doesn't stay that long. I'm glad he did," Kagome said.

"But he can't leave now. I just got to see him," Kiyomi finished quietly. Kagome felt her heart break then. Kiyomi and Itaru had been together since they were babies. But why would Kiyomi miss him now most of all?

"Then… You can…" Kagome started and looked at her mate. She looked back at Kiyomi before saying, "Why don't you go with him?"

"Nani!" Itaru's voice yelled from upstairs. Fast footsteps were heard before Itaru appeared a second later. "She can't come with me!"

"You mean it Mama! I'm gonna go pack!" Kiyomi yelled and ran upstairs. Itaru watched her leave before looking at his mother. Kagome avoided his gaze and focused on Sato's picture. Itaru turned to his father.

"The less of you runts in this house the better. Take her with you. You might need someone to watch out for you," Inuyasha said nonchalantly. Sato started laughing at his brother's facial expression. Apparently, pure terror was funny to the young boy. Rushing back upstairs, Itaru went to talk his sister out of this insane idea.

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"Where are we going first nii-san?" Kiyomi asked her brother with a smile. Itaru ignored her and picked up his speed. Kiyomi increased hers easily and continued to look at him expectantly.

"I'm going wherever I please. But, you are going home," Itaru said. Kiyomi pouted before scoffing.

"I don't want me to travel with you?" Kiyomi asks.

"Not really."

"Fine," Kiyomi says and sniffs the air for any indications of a village nearby. Not smelling anything, she started off in a random direction. Itaru looked back at his sister and his stomach twisted. He knew it was a bad idea to let her go off o her own. Kiyomi hadn't spent much time around humans other than the ones in their home village. What if she encountered something she didn't like? "Don't even think about following me Itaru!"

Shrugging his shoulders, Itaru went the other way.

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