(Chapter 21)
She approached his house, and saw a figure shifting outside the gates pretty uncomfortably. Kagome came up and stood next to him, the two of them looked out over the hill, watching the lights across the city.
"Alright, I'm out here. So what are we going to do?" He glanced down at her, and she couldn't help the smile in knowing that they unwittingly matched each other with gray hoodies and layers of pants. You could see the frump in his legs to know that he had at least two pair on, while she had two pair of leggings under her jeans.
"You don't get out a lot from your high society life, do you?"
"Hardly." He shifted again, and the light bounced off his glasses. "Why did you even ask me? I'm sure Mitsukuni-senpai would've enjoyed this- or even Tamaki. That bumbling fool is infatuated with Commoners."
Kagome shrugged, "You were the one I was talking to at the time and I wanted to go out, besides you're the one who lives closest to me." Kagome winked at him. She grabbed his hand and started dragging him down the hill towards her bicycle.
"If you think Commoner's during the day are something, wait till you see what we do at night!"
"Kagome!" He called, holding his glasses in place as he stumbled clumsily after her.
The bike ride down the hill was much easier than walking the bike up it, and the two glided into town easily with Kyoya standing on the back pegs and had a grip on her shoulders. She cruised around alleyways behind homes, around corners, and then she looked up at him.
"Are you hungry at all?"
"Well not really," he answered, glancing around.
"Too bad, I am." She slowed the bike down and stopped it. Kyoya jumped off and she parked it in a slot, locking it in place as she looked at their surroundings. They were near a waterfront with the rainbow bridge nearby. They glanced around and then down at their attire after seeing some other people dressed to the nine's.
"I think we're a little under dressed to eat at places like this- don't you?" He pointed out, Kagome stuck her tongue out at him, walking down the side street to find a mini market that could still be open.
"You didn't have to come you know." She pointed out, stuffing her hands in her pockets. Kyoya gave a noise from the back of his throat that reminded Kagome of Sesshoumaru.
"I wasn't just going to let you roam around Tokyo in the middle of the night by yourself. Besides you didn't exactly give me a choice." He grumbled, fishing around in his pocket for his wallet.
Kagome blushed, scratching at her cheek as she looked away. It was true she wasn't quite sure what came over her, she just knew she couldn't sleep and staying at home wasn't going to help (studying sure wasn't going to help either), and she wanted to go out. To explore.
Kyoya just happened to be the one she was talking to, seeing as he was still up and couldn't sleep either… It just clicked together.
"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry about my abrasive behavior. I just knew that staying around the house wouldn't help me sleep. I'm anxious, riled up." She jumped from side to side, rolling her neck. "I wanted to go on an adventure." She looked up at him with such big eyes and an excited smile
Kyoya turned his head slightly and fixed his glasses, a hint of a blush starting.
"Well… Either way, thank you. I suppose." Kagome grinned at him, grabbing his arm and dragging him down the street once again.
They were able to find a market, and Kagome bought them a small grocery bag of snacks and other foods as they wandered around the waterfront. They saw a preforming artist that was still out and drawing a crowd, the small woman smiled, against her violin as another sang a song Kagome was vaguely familiar with.
"We are, that's right, we are
taking a detour, simply gazing at the night sky.
At the place when you go
down the long hillside path.
There's a scenery called 'memories',
It's like a strange folklore,
And a filled out fiction.
It's our unexpected scenario,
Without stopping, time simply engraved memories.
Hey Sadness is, that's right, sadness is
Not in the same direction-"
Kagome smiled up at Kyoya, she blinked when she realized his attention was captured fully on the two preforming women.
"Do you enjoy music, Kyoya?" Kagome asked him, tilting her head to the side as she looked up at him. Kyoya blinked a few times before looking down at her.
"Well quite a few people enjoy music."
Kagome smiled, leading Kyoya away from the performers.
"A few years ago I learned how to play the shakuhachi, I'm more than likely a bit rusty, but I would be happy to show you- a-and the other club members as well." Kagome berated herself, wondering why she would even offer to show them such a sacred instrument. Kyoya blinked down at her, before giving her a soft (and real) smile.
"I'm sure we would all enjoy that."
Kami, this was ridiculous. The shakuhachi she had was Miroku's (she took it after he died), it wasn't as good looking as some of the shakuhachi of today- but in her opinion it sounded much better.
Kagome carried the case with her like it was chained to her wrist.
She approached the music room full of nerves, there was no club today so she could do this specifically for them. Kagome sighed, pushing the doors open and a bathtub full of rose petals showered upon her entry (not literally but there was a lot of rose petals).
"Welcome," Tamaki winked at her as the Hosts were standing in a small group facing the door. Like they would for- a customer.
She frowned at them, and immediately they dropped the act but continued to stand in their little group. She sat her case down and sighed, bowing to them.
"I'm a little out of practice. It's been about a year since I last played."
"Please, our darling little bird~" Tamaki said charmingly to her, winking at her again. Kagome frowned at him but he wouldn't stop with his endearing words. "Take all the time you need to prepare yourself, a woman like you deserves all the time in the world- but I'm sure that any beautiful note you play will sound marvelous either way."
Kagome's brow ticked as she sighed again, annoying either way the words did help soothe her nerves, she decided begrudgingly.
She took a deep breath, opening the case up and bringing the old flute looking instrument out, she stroked it gently, holding it in her palms. Hikaru and Kaoru glanced at each other out of boredom, Hunny stared at the object in awe and even Mori looked rather impressed by it, Tamaki was unfamiliar with the instrument, and Kyoya looked mildly interested in it.
She took a steadying breath, then she blew and started off on a high note.
The notes Miroku were playing as the small group waited out the rain were putting Kagome and Sango to sleep as they laid against a larger Kirara, with her head in her paws. Shippo laid on the wooden floor of the shrine they stopped in to color in a book Kagome had brought back for him. InuYasha sat at the opening of the Shrine, on the steps, meditating. His ears flicking back and forth for danger.
Kagome rolled over on her side and watched him. She knew they were close to finding the last few shards of the scared jewel, and then Naraku. Everyone had been so tense, so on edge, that this rare moment of peace was… restless.
"What is that called?" Kagome asked rather sleepily. She sat up and looked around at the others, noticing that Sango and Shippo had both fallen asleep. She glanced out the door but InuYasha was gone.
Chasing one of Kikyo's soul collector's, probably.
"It's a shakuhachi."
"Shakuhachi? I heard those were only for certain Buddhist monks."
"It is, it was given to me by my guardian Mushin when I was a young boy. He even taught me how to play."
"It's beautiful." Kagome got up and sat down next to him, he scooted over a little bit more to give her room, and she smiled gratefully at him for doing so.
"Would you like to learn?"
"I- I don't know, I'm not a Buddhist."
"I'll be truly honored if I taught the next Shikon Miko how to play the shakuhachi."
"You'll be honored if Sango accepts your proposal." Kagome pointed out, Miroku chuckled and nodded, looking fondly over at their sleeping companion.
"I would be the luckiest man on earth to have her as my wife for even one day."
Kagome smiled fondly down at the floor, rubbing her legs to keep them warm.
"I could teach you, if you wanted me too." He said again, leaning over and looking at her. She looked up at him, before giving a soft smile and nodding.
"Alright, if you'll be so honored to teach the next Shikon Miko… I guess I can't disappoint."
Miroku laughed, scooting closer to her and holding the instrument out and explaining the holes and where to breathe.
Kagome removed the shakuhachi from her lips, opening her eyes and looking over to her friends- her new friends.
And they all looked star struck and truly surprised.
"Kago-chan! That was so pretty!" Hunny wailed, a hanky in his hands and Usa-chan in his arm. Mori wiped his own tear away. The twins held each other sobbing, Tamaki had his head down in his hand, and Kyoya- Kyoya... Had a single tear dropping off at his chin.
She looked away from them, putting the shakuhachi back in the case she brought it in.
A/N: The song is from the Myself; Yourself anime ending theme. The shakuhachi song I was listening to is on youtube and it's played by Rodrigo Rodriguez and by the youtube channel gabriel unevisual. Review please!