"Oh, Kagome," Miyuki called out in a sing-song tone, "Come here, darling, Shiori and I were just talking about you."
The girl in question sighed internally. She loved Miyuki. She really did. She was kind, smart, and honest. She was well-rounded and attentive, but Kagome realized very quickly that when in the company of her sister, Miyuki was loud and a bit intrusive. She now knew this was where Hojo got it from.
Not that Kagome really minded, but lately, she was the star in Miyuki's personal reality show. It only made sense though seeing as Miyuki and Kagome never got to spend time with each other since she was always with Hojo when she visited. In fact, Miyuki told her that she was almost thankful that her husband had work because it meant that they could finally have girl time. Unfortunately for Kagome, 'girl time' with Miyuki was extremely tiring. She wanted to know every single thing about the young miko.
Kagome decided to just succumb to her fate. She walked over to the couch the two women were sitting on only to be pulled and sandwiched between them.
"Now that the boys are out and about this morning," she began.
Shiori shook her head and pointed out that they only went out to buy popcorn and borrow some movies for later.
"Shi," Miyuki whined, "The point is that right now it's just us girls, and I have a bunch of questions that can only be answered in the absence of men."
Kagome laughed, "Okay, okay, what is it?"
"Oh, where to begin," she exclaimed dramatically. Suddenly she turned to Kagome and said, "Tell me about your dead ex-boyfriend. Only if you want to, of course."
Kagome sat stunned. Of all the topics Kagome thought she'd ask, this was one of the last things she expected. She supposed after her outburst two days ago that she would want to know. It wasn't until Shiori spoke up that she came out of her stupor.
"Miyuki! Don't be so insensitive!" She swatted her sister on the arm before turning to a wide-eyed girl and said, "You don't have to answer, Kagome."
The miko thought about it for a moment and replied, "No, it's okay, Shiori. I can talk about him."
And it was true. While thinking about Inuyasha still made her incredibly sad, it would be nice to talk about him, especially with a willing audience. Hojo didn't like the topic and he wasn't the best listener to begin with.
Miyuki quickly moved to sit next to her sister and waited patiently with eager anticipation. Shiori shook her head but gave a smile that told Kagome to start whenever she was ready.
With a breath, Kagome began. "We weren't really dating. Everyone just calls him my boyfriend, now ex-boyfriend. I tried to correct them but what else would I call him?" She paused. She realized this was harder than she thought it would be. What was she supposed to say? That he was a half-dog demon? That he tried to kill her but then became her protector? "What do you want to know?"
"Let's start with his name and the type of person he was," suggested Miyuki.
"His name was Inuyasha. He was...well, he was very rough around the edges. He valued time and always wanted to keep moving. He was very dedicated to his…work and stood for the things that he believed in. He had quite the iron will and his stubbornness showed no bounds. He had a tendency to jump into fights before actually thinking things through. Very much a spur of the moment kind of guy." She giggled a bit.
"He definitely had his faults. He was brash and rude and he was terribly offensive," she recounted with a scoff. "Honestly, I don't think I've ever met a man so crass before. I can't really blame him though. He didn't have the best childhood. He was the bastard son of an important figure. When his parents both died, neither his half-brother nor his father's wife took him in. No one else wanted him because of his blood, so he was alone for many years.
"I didn't realize his situation for a long time. I had thought he was just a terrible person, but the longer I spent with him, the more I saw and the more I understood. He didn't have anybody, and I wanted to be his somebody."
"Is that why you loved him?" She noted the concern in Miyuki's eyes. Ah, it did sound like she had some sort of hero complex. The look lessened when Kagome shook her head.
"I loved him because...because he was earnest. He was very caring even though he had a hard time expressing his emotions. When we got into fights, which was often, he would always come back for me. He was always protecting me when we were together, and he always had me and my well-being in mind albeit it wasn't always obvious.
"He lived in a dangerous neighborhood, but I was never scared because I knew Inuyasha would be there to rescue me. I was his reason for fighting. I was his motive to become a better person just as he was mine. We leaned on each other during our times of need and our trust in each other saved us in more ways than one."
Kagome paused, his voice echoing in her head: "Just shut up and let me protect you." She smiled at the memory.
"I loved him for his heart, his passion, and his faults. I loved him because he was Inuyasha," she finished.
"Kagome," Shiori said a bit hesitantly, "Hojo said he was a two-timer. What did he mean?"
Kagome's eyes dimmed, "There was someone before me. Her name was Kikyo, and she was Inuyasha's first love. Their relationship was sabotaged by a jealous rival, and it resulted in a bad breakup. When she came back to town, Inuyasha couldn't help but go to her. He left me every time she was close by. He loved me, but he never stopped loving her. Every time he looked at me, there was some part of him that saw Kikyo instead. It didn't help that we were painfully similar in appearance.
"It's not like I could stop him anyway. As I said, we weren't dating so he had no obligation to stay with me. I let him leave and began to go on dates with Hojo. Well, I tried to. Inuyasha would always interrupt and I couldn't ignore him. Eventually, I stopped encouraging Hojo's advances, even when Inuyasha and I decided to stay friends. It just wasn't fair to Hojo when there was someone else in my life, but as you know, Hojo didn't give up."
"How did he die?"
Kagome wasn't sure who spoke and she didn't want to look up. She remembered that toothy smile he gave her right before he followed Kikyo to hell. Just like in her memory, Kagome bit her lip in an attempt to stop the tears from falling. She twiddled her thumbs before speaking, "He made a promise to his old lover and died in the process. Kikyo followed."
More like he followed Kikyo.
Finally, after a few moments of silence, Kagome looked up at the two women sitting next to her. Shiori clutched her chest, sympathy shining in her brown eyes. Miyuki, on the other hand, was leaning against her sister's shoulder with tears in her eyes.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that," Shiori whispered sincerely.
"It's okay. It's all in the past, and I know he died happily. Besides, Inuyasha will always be with me in my heart. He will always be my first love and my best friend."
Miyuki wailed and threw her arms around Kagome, knocking them both down on the couch. "I'm sorry for my son's rudeness and indifference towards Inuyasha! He obviously had many faults, but I can understand why you loved him. He's like a tragic hero from the stories I've read. So tragically romantic!" She pulled away and looked straight into Kagome's eyes. "And I can see how much he meant to you. Anyone with a heart can see such true feelings!"
Shiori came over and hugged her as well. When Kagome looked over to Shiori, she received a nod and a smile. Tears finally escaped from Kagome's eyes. It had been a long time since she talked about Inuyasha and these women were taking it so warmly and openly. She didn't mean to reveal that much, but she found that she couldn't stop talking once she started. She was glad for it though. They made her feel welcome like she was worth listening to and that her feelings were valid.
"Are you really well enough to be dating again? If you still need time to heal, I'm sure Hojo will understand," Shiori said.
No, he won't. Kagome ignored the little voice in her head.
"It's alright," she replied instead, "I think being with Hojo is a good thing for me. I need to move on with my life because I know that's what my friends would have wanted. Hojo helped me assimilate back into society, so I owe him that much."
The sisters frowned and shared a look that Kagome couldn't interpret, but it was gone as quickly as it came. The three sat huddled together for the next hour talking about the people they'd dated in the past and their husbands. They laughed, complained, and reminisced, and Kagome felt their bonds strengthen.
Sometimes Kagome wondered if there was someone in the heavens who had it out for her. It would explain all of the terrible and awkward situations that she often found herself in. Like right now for example.
To her left stood Hojo who was talking animatedly about the medicinal uses of turmeric. To her right was Shuichi, standing silently and serenely. She knew there was agitation between all of them albeit for different reasons.
The demon and Miko clashed while Hojo, filling the role of the clueless boyfriend perfectly, didn't notice the lack of enthusiasm and slight unease of Kagome. However, it turned out that he wasn't ignorant enough to not sense the tension between her and Shuichi, causing Hojo to become wary of his cousin.
And now the three of us are here, at the mall, by ourselves…because Miyuki and Shiori wanted us to bond, she thought with a sigh.
"It will be good for you to get to know each other more," Miyuki had explained. Her real reason, she told Kagome, was to get Hojo and her to become closer. Obviously, there was a rift between them and she wanted to help patch it up now that Kagome assured her that Hojo was a positive thing in her life. Maybe she shouldn't have said that Hojo was a good thing.
When the boys came back home that morning with a movie and popcorn, they found the women cuddling on the couch with no care in the world. As Hojo made his way to put the DVD in, Miyuki suggested that they wait till nighttime and instead have the teens get to know each other in the city. After exchanging contact information with the two older women and Shuichi, they went off.
And so here she was. She knew she should be more attentive to Hojo and express more eagerness since he was her boyfriend after all, but she could not help thinking about Shuichi instead. Kagome itched to talk to him, to understand him, to connect with him even if he frustrated her immensely. This was the first time she had been in contact with a demon in the three years she had been back.
It wasn't like she didn't try to find her friends of the past; she spent the first two years back in the modern era searching and sensing almost obsessively. She spent a lot of time in the library and on the internet just trying to get an idea of where they were or if they were still around at all. They were demons so they must have survived somehow, but she never got any solid leads or found anyone familiar.
Of course, she had sensed some weaker auras in passing before but never had she had the chance to interact with one. Eventually, Kagome started to lose hope. Hojo was right: she couldn't spend her life looking at the past. She had to get up and move on, so she finally heeded his words, put her searching aside, and tried to live mundanely once more.
She realized that even if the opportunity presented itself, it was unlikely that the demon would want to be around her because of her status as a miko. They would run away from her, and she wasn't about to force one to stay. In the end, she would only be hurt.
But Shuichi was different. He couldn't run away from his family. She may be using her situation to her advantage, but this was the closest she has ever gotten. She had hoped that they could be friends by the end of the trip, but so far, it seemed less than probable.
Kagome regretted the flare of her spiritual powers during their first encounter. Perhaps if they met in a more peaceful way, they would not be in each other's faces as they were now. She was too shocked to control her powers at dinner, but before she could reel them in, he lashed back in challenge.
And of course, Kagome being Kagome, she just had to accept the challenge. Being in control of her anger was never her strong suit and all he did was insult her and taunt her. He asked for it.
And he continues to ask for it, she growled in her head.
As it was, Shuichi's arua kept teasing her, the tendrils of his demonic energy prodding at her as they tried to get her to retaliate. It took all her self-control not to make a scene in public, at least not in front of Hojo.
"-ome?"
The girl blinked and looked up only to find the two young men looking at her, one worriedly and the other curiously.
"Kagome," Hojo said again, "Are you alright? I've called you a few times already."
Kagome laughed sheepishly, "I'm alright. Sorry. I was lost in thought. What did you ask?"
"I was wondering if you were hungry. We could go get some food if you'd like," Hojo repeated.
"Oh, yes please. I would like that very much, Hojo," Kagome said. She quickly glanced at Shuichi before saying, "Hojo, I'm really tired, so I think I'll find a table and sit for a while."
"But you'll be alone," he replied with a frown.
"No I won't," Kagome began casually, "Shuichi will accompany me."
"What? No, he can go get the food, and I-"
Kagome put on an innocent face. "But Hojo," she said, "I don't really know what kind of food to get, so I want you to choose for me. You know me best, after all."
Hojo seemed to puff his chest at this, almost making Kagome cringe. She knew Hojo was easy to fool, but this was too easy. It was obvious that he would not last in the real world. While she did feel guilty for using her boyfriend like that, Kagome had a goal in mind, and she was set on completing it. She would never admit it out loud, but she also just wanted to take a break from Hojo for a while.
"Alright, I'll be back, Kagome!" Hojo said smugly. "And Shuichi-"
"Don't worry," his cousin replied, "I'll take care of her."
Kagome couldn't believe her luck. This was a perfect time to question Shuichi Minamino. Deciding it would be best to focus on the task at hand first, she quickly scouted the busy food court for an open table. After a few minutes of making rounds, the duo found a spot to eat.
Much to her surprise, Shuichi pulled a chair out for her. With wide eyes, she tilted her head as a silent question.
"Is it wrong of me to be a gentleman? I did say I'd take care of you," Shuichi smiled, waiting for her to either respond or sit down, whichever came first.
Kagome only nodded and took a seat. Her eyes never left his form as he made his way around the table to sit across from her. She was confused. All she felt from him at dinner was pride and borderline hostility. Now she could only sense ease and a familiar type of mischief coming from him.
Then he flinched. It was barely there; any normal human would have missed it, but Kagome was certain that Shuichi was in pain. Without thinking twice, she got up out of her seat and sat next to him instead, effectively surprising the redhead. She brought her hands up to reach out to him but fell short when she realized how improper her actions were.
"Shuichi," she asked instead, "Are you hurt?"
She didn't think his eyebrows could go any higher, but it did. It only took a second for him to recollect himself back to a polite smile.
"No, Kagome. Why do you ask?"
"I saw you flinch. I guess I was worried."
"Thank you for your concern, but you must be imagining things. I am fi-"
Shuichi hissed in pain as Kagome jabbed a finger at his chest. Screw propriety. She wanted answers. Kagome knew it was a bit mean, but it was the quickest way to 1) prove that he was indeed hurt, 2) prove that she wasn't ignorant or a fool, and 3) shut him up. It was an unfortunate habit she adopted from Sango. Kagome was sure that her sister would be proud.
"Look, Shuichi," she began, "I am not stupid, and I don't think you are either. I was trained to pay attention to details to help me survive just like you, so don't pretend like we are normal." She softened her look. "You are hurt. Let me help you."
She reached out to touch him, but he leaned away. Though he regarded her suspiciously, his tone was polite, "And how would you help me, miko? As you said, I am not stupid, and I don't think you are either. Mikos and demons are opposites. We are meant to destroy each other."
"Perhaps traditional mikos," she responded, not offended in the least. This happened to her often back in the feudal era, so she was used to it. "But I am far from traditional. I am rather fond of demons." Kagome ignored his skeptical look and continued, "I can heal you. Only if you let me, that is."
Kurama opened his mouth when he was interrupted by a woman's chirpy voice, "Kurama! I didn't expect to see you here. Listen, I need you to go to the Spirit World becau- Oh!"
The blue haired woman gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Kagome studied her. On the outside, she looked like a regular high school student. However, Kagome knew she wasn't human. She wasn't a demon either. She felt lighter, like she was a spirit despite her physical body. It was completely foreign to Kagome.
And exciting.
Shuichi turned in his seat and looked up at the woman. "Botan, what can I do for you?"
"I, uh, I need you to...to go to the arcade to...play that one game. You know, the one where you go to a place called the Spirit World to meet the boss named Koenma? Yeah, we are going to have a game get-together. Not today, but a few days from now. Hope you can come. Bye, Kurama," she said in almost one breath before dashing off into the crowd, leaving the two to sit in silence for a moment.
"So…'Kurama' huh?"
"I guess there is no point in hiding it now," he started, "That is what other people call me, the ones who are aware of demons and the like. Everyone else who is not involved calls me Shuichi since that is my given human name."
"And the Spirit World?"
"The place in charge of the dead and keeping humanity safe. Oftentimes, they also deal with demonic issues. I-..." He paused for a moment, "Work with them so to say."
Kagome took a moment to digest this information. "People call me Kagome and occasionally 'Kags' I suppose," she replied, wanting to give back some knowledge, "Though some people annoyingly call me 'human,' 'girl,' 'miko,' and occasionally 'wench.' It's as if they have trouble saying my name. Really, it's not that hard. It's just Kagome," she said in a lame attempt to lighten up the mood. Her small effort was not in vain because she saw his lips tilt up slightly. That was a win in her book.
"Well, Just Kagome, if the offer still stands, I would like to see your alleged holy healing powers," was his response.
Immediately perking up, Kagome grinned and earnestly asked, "Alright, where does it hurt?"
She did not expect Shuichi - no, Kurama, actually - to laugh. It was the first time she heard him laugh and so genuinely too. Up until now, she had only heard him chuckle at best. It stunned her for a second.
He laughed again when he saw her confused face to which he said, "Not now. I am not too fond of being shirtless in public. Come to my room tonight instead. We will have a lot more privacy there." He looked at her with a gleam in his eyes and asked, "By the way, Kagome, why do you want to help me? I thought you said that I was 'frustrating' and that I 'got on your nerves'."
To say Kagome was embarrassed was an understatement. She forgot that he had superhuman hearing. That means he heard everything she said yesterday.
And why did he have to say it like that? A simple 'not here, but later,' would have sufficed. Well, even if he said that, the tone of his voice would have still made that phrase sound suggestive. If anyone heard them, they would've gotten the wrong idea. If Hojo heard them…Now, that would be mortifying.
Kurama was enjoying her reaction immensely. The look in his eyes told her that he was amused at this whole thing and was very much aware of how he sounded. He was once again teasing her, and as much as Kagome wanted to retaliate, all she could do was gape.
Before she could get her vocal cords working, Hojo came back with food. He looked at his cousin's amused expression and Kagome's blushing face which intensified when he caught her eye. He blinked twice before placing the food down.
"You should have texted me where you guys were. I was wandering around for so long," Hojo said lightly.
"Sorry, we got distracted," replied Shuichi, "Let's eat then we can walk around the mall some more. It's a good plan, don't you think, Kagome?"
Why does he keep using that teasing tone? It's so aggravating," she thought annoyedly. Stupid demon.
With a sigh, Kagome nodded and took her food. At least Hojo got something she actually liked this time. This wasn't the conversation she wanted to have with the demon. Initially, she was going to interrogate him, not offer him her help. She supposed this was a better result since she got a private meeting with him.
Absently, she wondered if further interaction with Shuichi 'Kurama' Minamino was a good idea. Then again, if Kagome was being honest with herself, would she really stay away even if it wasn't?
No. She really wouldn't.
A/N: How do I have only three chapters posted? Guys, I'm on chapter seven of this fic and I seriously thought that I posted up to chapter six or at least five. I was here like "Oh, I have to go back and repost these chapters because I'm not vibing with the way it's paced only to find out that I haven't posted them at all. I am so sorry. I'll get them out as soon as I can!