Kagome was sprawled out on her bed with an icepack on her jaw. After… after the moment, Kagome and Inuyasha decided that grabbing a snack was the last thing they wanted to do. Inuyasha walked her back to her dorm and, with little warning, pulled her against his torso and closed the distance between their lips. It was a soft butterfly kiss, but it caused the same fire to ignite in Kagome's core as the other kiss did. Kagome couldn't shake the gentle feel of his fingertips tracing the length of her jaw, all the way down the length of her arm before tangling his fingers through hers.

Inuyasha pulled back and pressed his forehead against Kagome's, unaware of the jaws that dropped around them.

"I'll see you later, kanojo."

Kagome's heart skipped a beat. Girlfriend…

Her lips were unable to move, so all she could simply do was nod. Inuyasha stood back and watched her disappear through the gates of her dormitory, his arms crossed and his eyes solely focused and trained on her until she entered the elevator.

Aaaaaand there she was, twenty-some-odd minutes later, lying on her bed and waiting for one of her friends to come home. She couldn't even bring herself to text them—she knew if she did, she'd tell them what happened and this was something she wanted to see their reaction for!

Her phone dinged and, without moving her head (as she was balancing the icepack perfectly on her face), Kagome grabbed her phone.

Inuyasha~
How's your jaw?

Kagome could feel herself start smiling.

Kagome~
You good with battle scars?

Inuyasha~
I think it adds a certain je ne sais quoi?

Kagome~
Too bad I won't have one ;)

Inuyasha~
LOL!
Well look at that, my kanojo has a sense of humour :P

Kagome's heart skipped a beat and she reread that text four times before, shakily, responding.

Kagome~
She does, now doesn't she ;)

Inuyasha~
I think I'll change your name to ōhi-sama on my phone. Seems fitting :P

Kagome~
You're milking this…

But, gods, did that comment make her heart thunder. Inuyasha had a way of making her feel completely at ease and like a schoolgirl experiencing their first love. Everything that he did and said was so unabashedly simple that Kagome couldn't help but wonder if it was possible to simply like somebody… nothing more and nothing less.

Inuyasha~
But of course.

But there he was, doing exactly that… turning Kagome into a believer. Showing her that liking somebody could be a simple feat; whimsical jokes, unadulterated rage at her expense… Simply being with me because he wants to, not because of social constructs or peer pressure. Kagome thumbed out her response after her heart gathered its wits.

Kagome~
Fine, but you're becoming ō-sama.

Inuyasha~
Naturally.

Kagome heard the lock turn on her door.

Kagome~
My friends are back… wish me luck, kareshi?

Kagome couldn't help it. If Inuyasha referred to her as kanojo – girlfriend – then she was going to bite right back and call him what he was: kareshi, boyfriend.

Inuyasha~
May the Force be with you.

Kagome~
STAR WARS FAN?!

Inuyasha~
;)

Kagome~
This conversation isn't over!

Note to self, Kagome thought, change his name to ō-sama.

Inuyasha~
LOL!

Inuyasha scrolled through the many messages he and Kagome exchanged throughout the week. He couldn't explain why he felt butterflies, or why his heart did somersaults, or why he had a high whenever he spoke to Kagome. Maybe she was a black priestess that cursed him, but he wasn't complaining. Being around her was just so different.

Just so right.

Seeing the swelling in her jaw and the courageous look in her eyes set something off within him. Inuyasha knew he wanted her to be only his, to hold, to care for, and to protect. But he also knew that even if he was incapable of doing any of that, she could do it herself. And that drove him to do what he did—ask her out.

It was on a limb. He truly didn't know what she was going to say. He was planning on wooing her for a bit longer before going for the kill but he listened to his heart, and everything worked in his favour. Grunting, he got up off of the study chair in his dorm room and looked around, wondering if he could be considered an alcoholic if he popped open a can of beer before six PM.

I think I deserve a celebratory drink. And while taking his celebratory drink, Inuyasha decided it would be a fan-freaking-tastic time to let his friends know just what happened.

Inuyasha~
Bankotsu, your girlfriend will no longer be the odd-woman out.

It took him a few moments, but Bankotsu finally replied. The other two boys read Inuyasha's message (proven by the 'read' symbol that popped up under Inuyasha's message) but didn't make any effort to respond to him; they figured this conversation wasn't going to require their attention.

Oh, how wrong they were.

Bankotsu~
Well, if you keep bringing our little historian along, ofc Banryu won't be the odd-woman out.

Miroku~
Ōhi-sama!

Inuyasha~
Well…
I don't intend on not taking my girlfriend to our group outings.

As Inuyasha expected, there was a very long pause. He kept seeing 'Kouga is typing' pop on and off his screen; he could only assume Kouga typed something, deleted it, typed something else, and deleted that as well. After a hilariously long ten seconds, Kouga did reply.

Kouga~
… it IS Kagome right?

Inuyasha~
WTF…?! Are you kidding me?

Miroku~
Did you actually?!

Inuyasha~
Today, yep.

Inuyasha was amused that he and his friends were engaged in quasi-gossip, as if they were old married women getting their hair done at the salon. Inuyasha wasn't going to wait for them to come back to let them know simply because that wasn't his style. He didn't, however, want to hide it from them for too long either. Banryu frequented the forums and she would be bound to find out sooner rather than later.

Inuyasha would rather his friends hear it from him and not from a half-truthful blog post.

Bankotsu~
Damn, bro! Congrats. About time too.
And we like this one!

At that comment, Inuyasha rolled his eyes. There weren't anybody else for you to dislike, so you have no choice was what he wanted to reply with, but restrained himself.

Inuyasha~
Thanks, I may have to introduce her to you all one day.

Kouga~
The man has a sense of humour! Kagome seems to be already changing him from the better.

At the quip, Inuyasha sent a middle finger emoji.

"What happened?!" Sango rushed in, followed closely by Rin. Ayame wasn't with the two, and Kagome could only assume that she was a little preoccupied until their alleged dinner plans. Plans that, knowing Sango, would be soon cancelled because of the bomb Kagome was about to drop.

No matter.

Sango was the queen of take-out anyway.

"I was brutally attacked by a wild Kikyo." Kagome muttered. "If only I had a Pikachu in my back pocket." I do have an Inuyasha, though. But the last thought she kept to herself. For now.

Sango scowled, ignoring Kagome's Pokémon reference and jumped back to what she said before that. "Kikyo attacked you?! I thought she was the nice, pretty, popular princess of the school—clearly not!" Sango stalked over to Kagome's bed and stared angrily at the icepack. Rin knelt beside the bed and propped her head on her left palm.

"What the heck happened?"

Kagome sighed and sat up. It was time to take the ice off, anyway, as her jaw was beginning to get numb from the cold. Kagome began her story of how she was minding her own business in the library when Kikyo approached her and said all those nasty things about Inuyasha. She could see Sango's plethora of expressions, but Rin remained respectfully neutral. Sango fisted her hand when Kagome got to the part where Kikyo punched her for not listening to a word she had to say.

"Well, probably because I implied she was shitty in the hay." Kagome thought, ruefully. Rin let out a morphed cough-laugh but Sango nodded, appreciatively.

"That's my girl. Then?"

Then? "Then I called her bluff, called Inuyasha and asked him on speaker if he knew her. He said no, she left in a huff, I told him she punched me and he was there in less than a minute." It was finally Rin's turn to squeal. Sango was gleaming; unable to hide the wide smile that grew on her face. Rin was all-out bouncing on her knees. Her excitement was palpable and Kagome was getting more and more excited about telling them the juicy details.

"Ō-sama is so perfect and dreamy and… ugh! Kagome, what did you do to deserve his attention? I want an ō-sama myself!" Sango and Kagome laughed at Rin's whining, and Kagome couldn't help but give her a nonchalant shrug. She decided it was time to casually drop the news, in utter Kagome fashion.

"I have no idea. I ran in to his bike and next thing I know, he's kissing me between the faculty buildings and asking me to be his girlfriend."

Rin was giggling, unaware of what Kagome said but Sango zeroed in on her. Kagome let out a cheeky giggle. "Yes, best friend?"

"YOU'RE HIS GIRLFRIEND?!"

Rin paused. "Wait, what did I miss?"

"As of an hour and a half ago? Yes, I am his girlfriend."

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" Sango sat up straight and shoved Kagome's shoulder. "Why didn't you start with that?! How did it happen? Give me a freaking play-by-play dammit, or I'm shipping your liver back to your mother in a metal box!"

"WHAT DID I MISS?!" Rin stood up, her hands shaking. "Did I hear right?! Sango!" Rin whirled onto Sango with a wild look in her eyes. "Did I hear right?!" She whisper-yelled.

Sango confirmed what Rin was dying to hear: "KAGOME IS DATING Ō-SAMA!" And Kagome's best friend was less strategic with the volume of her voice.

Sango got up off of the bed and clasped Rin's hands, both of them jumping up and down in circles, unable to contain their squealing. It's as if they're the ones dating Inuyasha and not me. Kagome, as stealthily as possibly, picked up her phone and snapped a picture of her friends to quickly send to Inuyasha.

Kagome~
And they took it better than I expected.

He replied to her text with a screenshot of his conversation with his friends.

Inuyasha~
So did they, kanojo.

Kagome smiled and put her phone down, returning her attention to her ecstatic friends. Not wanting to have the floor-monitor come and yell at them for making unnecessarily ruckus, Kagome cut their celebration short.

"Okay, okay! I get it, you're happy we're dating! Can we relax now?"

Sango and Rin stopped and turned to Kagome, their eyes lit with excitement. It was contagious, and Kagome couldn't help but laugh. Leaning back, she pressed the icepack back to her face and nodded at her friends to take a seat, lest they begin their celebration once again. Reluctantly, Sango and Rin let go of each other's hands and sat down, one on either side of Kagome, sandwiching her between their bodies.

"How was the kiss?" Rin asked in wonder. Kagome blushed and Sango bit her tongue to stop from squealing.

"She's speechless, Rin! She's speechless!"

Rin nodded, trying her damned hardest to not explode. It was at that very moment Kagome realized that it was a goddamned mistake to tell them at their dormitory. Being in public may have been the better option; they were less likely to make idiots of themselves.

Then again, I don't think they would've cared…

But to have a support system like the girls was more than Kagome could ask for.

"Hogo-sha." Kagome playfully curtseyed bright and early Monday morning. After Inuyasha's friends found out about Kagome, they insisted on getting her number so that they can protect her as they do Banryu. The pack mentality ran deep with his friends, and Inuyasha appreciated that. Just as he would be willing to beat up for Banryu, he was glad his friends were willing to do the same for Kagome.

A huge group chat – aptly named His & Her Highness + Royal Minions – suddenly appeared just hours after the news broke. Banryu was the mastermind behind it, inviting Inuyasha, Kagome, and the three boys. It was in that very group chat (that Kagome shortened to 3hRM) that Miroku offered to walk Kagome to the canteen for breakfast before accompanying her to the new history building. Kouga, not long after, asked Banryu if they were still up for their morning routine: a jog, followed by grabbing smoothies before heading back to their respective dorms.

Bankotsu~
Inuyasha, how is it that the boys spend more time with our girlfriends than we do?

Ō-sama~
Bankotsu, not complaining.

And just as Kagome intended, she changed Inuyasha's name on her phone to his title. She knew that he probably changed her name on his phone to match her newfound title: Ōhi-sama.

On that note, Kagome thought while grinning at Miroku, I might as well change this one's name to his newfound title: Hogo-sha!

"Ōhi-sama." Miroku bowed before extending his arm so Kagome could loop hers through his. "How is day one of being the girlfriend?" Miroku tried, but failed, to sound ominous. Kagome giggled, liking Miroku more and more every time she spent time with him.

"I don't feel any different." Kagome murmured.

"Sure, until it blows up all over the forum." Miroku wiggled his eyebrows. "Then you'll feel different."

"You sure know how to calm down a girl's nerves." Kagome muttered dryly which drew heartfelt laughter from Miroku. As Kagome anticipated, eyes turned to follow them as they made their way to the canteen. Kagome was betting against herself that her and Miroku's faces would be all over the forum before the end of the night—and considering that I was just on the forum with Bankotsu the other day, I look like your average ol' floozy.

Though Kagome felt like she should've been bothered by it, she didn't. She was getting caught all over campus with Inuyasha's friends, which actually warmed her heart. It was proof to her above all else that they cared for her, or were putting in an effort to get to know her enough to care about her. If the forum wanted to spread lies then so be it. All that mattered was that Inuyasha believed her.

His opinion was the only one that mattered.

"INCOMING!"

Kagome and Miroku leapt apart as Banryu ran past them. She turned around, grinned and blew a raspberry at the duo before turning back around and continuing her run. Kagome glanced at Miroku before they both looked behind them to see Kouga languidly bring up the rear. Unlike Banryu, he stopped and scooped Kagome into his arms and twirled her around a few times.

"Welcome to the family!"

Kagome couldn't help but laugh. After Kouga was sure Kagome's feet were firmly planted on the ground, he tore after Banryu.

"OY! WAIT THE HELL UP!"

"Are they always so…" Kagome couldn't find the words but Miroku was able to fill in appropriately.

"Energetic? Psychotic? Insane? Yes. Yes they are."

Kagome laughed, her head thrown back and her arms gripping her centre. She had never laughed so much with anybody other than her own group of friends. It was a sensational feeling. Kagome woke up that morning anticipating girls from all corners of the campus to approach her, but nothing of that sort happened. Other than the fact that nobody probably knew about her dating Inuyasha yet, Kagome was almost positive Miroku wanted to walk her to class for the sole purpose of keeping an eye on wayward bitches (ie: Kikyo).

They entered the canteen and all eyes whipped to them. The whispers began and Kagome caught the tail ends of a few: dating… the king…

Or I could be wrong and the student body did find out but couldn't approach me because Miroku's been attached to my hip all morning. "I suppose they found out?" Kagome glanced over at Miroku who nodded once.

"I suppose they did. Any idea how? Nobody was there when he asked you, right?"

Kagome bit her lower lip. "Nobody was but… he did kiss me outside of my dorm?"

"Ahhh, marking his territory." Miroku nodded with faux-seriousness and Kagome thwapped his arm before crossing her own in an attempt to mentally protect herself. The stares were beginning to chew at her resolve and Kagome was seconds away from tearing out of the canteen. She had dated Hojo in high school—that wasn't exactly grounds for popularity. They were both neutral students, able to hang out with kids from both ends of the spectrum.

"Don't pay them any heed, Kagome." Miroku whispered in her ear as they stood in the canteen line. "Inuyasha's been the object of everyone's affection since our first year. You're the first girl he's ever dated— consider this normal."

"Why am I the only one?" Kagome asked, grasping at straws.

Miroku smiled, knowingly. "That isn't my story to tell. But just know you're one special woman for him to want to be with you. Inuyasha doesn't easily care for anybody, but one he does… man is it something fierce."

Kagome's heart fluttered. He cares something fierce… she repeated in her head. The two of them found a seat in a corner and began eating their breakfast. Miroku was filling Kagome in on all of his failed relationships in the past, and she quietly listened, picking up on a glaring obvious theme.

"Hogo-sha, you can't ask a girl to be with you by demanding they bear you a child."

Miroku frowned. "But… that's how it worked with my parents."

"Good for them. But that isn't going to fly with this generation." Kagome laughed. "Try romancing them… ask Bankotsu and Inuyasha!"

"Oh forget that! I'd never hear the end of it." Miroku leaned back in his seat. "You tell me what our famous campus king did."

"Find your own methods to get a girlfriend and leave mine alone."

Kagome and Miroku looked over to see Inuyasha standing two steps away from their table, arms crossed with half a smirk on his face. Kagome immediately felt her blush begin to expand, starting right at her core. Miroku sighed dejectedly and allowed his shoulders to sag.

"Why can't you consider this research and let me be?"

"Afraid not." Inuyasha closed the distance between them and, effortlessly, placed a gentle kiss on Kagome's forehead. "Keep my wooing strategy a secret, will you, kanojo?"

Kagome's blush was at full force. She could feel the heat radiating off of her. Miroku was oblivious.

"Endearing pet names that make the people around you cringe and want to bash their heads in with a cinderblock? Check."

"Fuck off." Inuyasha grinned, standing up straight and turning to face Miroku. The two friends laughed and Kagome busied herself with drinking her coffee.

"Are you stealing my morning company to class?"

"Afraid so." Inuyasha nodded. "Will you be okay manning the masses of women on your own?"

"I'll start throwing out cheesy pet names. I'll be fine." Miroku stood up, winking at Kagome. At that, the retort that sat on her tongue bubbled out.

"I doubt that'll keep the girls away, Mr. Bear-Me-An-Heir."

Inuyasha snorted at the term of endearment. Miroku placed a hand over his chest and pretended to look wounded. "Your tongue is as sharp as Inuyasha's. Match made in heaven." Without waiting for either two of the royal couple to respond, Miroku made his way away from the table and towards the exit. Kagome saw that he stopped at a particularly cute freshman. The way that her face darkened confirmed Kagome's suspicions that he probably asked her to bear him an heir.

"He's as tactful as a jellyfish." Inuyasha slid in to the seat Miroku was in. "How was your night?"

Kagome smiled. "Eventful. Yours?"

"Probably the same… what're you doing tonight?"

Calm down, stupid heart!

"Archery tryouts are tonight." Kagome informed him. Inuyasha's eyebrows shot up, a clear look of admiration reflecting in his eyes.

"Archery?"

Kagome nodded, trying to look calm but knowing she was failing. "Yep. I've been doing it since I was a kid…"

"Do you mind if I come watch?"

Kagome's eyes locked with his. He was nothing but sincere—nobody had wanted to watch her in the past. In fact, Hojo tried to do everything in his power not to watch her practice. It wasn't exactly a lively sport.

"If you want…"

Inuyasha grinned. "I want. When do I meet you?"

"Six? On the target field? Tryouts start at seven." Kagome was gripping her coffee cup in an attempt to hide her shaking appendages.

"How about five forty-five, at your dorm, and we grab some bubble tea before walking together to the target field?"

His lips tugged and Kagome couldn't help but smile back at him. "You, kareshi, have yourself a date."