A/N: This is for all the people who are like me...should have been studying for final exams but...didn't...
Disclaimer: I don't own Kagome, Inuyasha, or the song Yes It Is by the Beatles, or Monty Python, but I *do* own copy of Wayne's World...excellent!
To Forget the Unforgettable
Kagome Higurashi had come to a conclusion.
She hated skirts.
Short, medium, long, it no longer mattered.
Kagome especially hated skirts if they prevented her from reaching the next step of moving on with life in her own time. One of the hardest steps of coming back from the Japanese Feuda--
--Kagome coughed and rephrased the thought--
One of the hardest steps of coming back from *there* was trudging through the rest of high school. Thanks to her amazing powers of concentration, Kagome did not *just* graduate from high school on time.
No, she hadn't graduated with honors, courtesy of her horrendous attendance record. What Kagome did do was win a full academic scholarship for the University of Tokyo! She continued to work hard in college, majoring in medicine. Her first major was actually in Japanese history. It made sense at the time, but in the end, it only made her hold onto the past harder...the past in more ways than one for her.
However, Kagome's current next step would definitely be more emotionally trying than buckling down and studying. Her next step was a date. Not just a let's-go-for-ice-cream-after-school-before-we-study, it was a *date* date.
His name was Joho. His father was Japanese and used to be an ambassador. His mother was half Japanese but had grown up in America. The family traveled quite a bit. In fact, Joho was so used to moving back and forth between America and Japan that he was perfectly comfortable with both languages and cultures. His father had retired recently and his family settled down in Tokyo. Joho had yet to finish college, so he attended the University of Tokyo. Coincidentally, he happened to have a course schedule very similar to a certain ex-time traveler...
Kagome smoothed the despised skirt down, one last time. She couldn't understand how she could have so much trouble with it. She never had had these kinds of problems with her old high school uniform, even with all of her adventures there.
It didn't make any sense at all.
The doorbell rang. That would be Joho. Kagome glared the skirt into submission.
Hi, Joho!
Hey there, Kagome! You look nice, Kagome's face flushed slightly.
So do you. It was Joho's turn to blush. Joho, you're blushing more than I do! Kagome laughed, glad to get her revenge.
Let's go...I can't wait to show you the new American restaurant; their food's so good! Joho was eager to divert her attention from his reddened cheeks. He gestured over to his car at the bottom of the steps. The MirthMobile awaits.
About the food...if you say it's yummy, Kagome said slowly, It probably is! I'll beat you to the car!
She did, but probably only because Joho let her. Kagome had seen him really run when he was teaching Souta about American sports. Souta and Joho got along really well, actually, almost like brothers.
Joho held the door open for Kagome. After he slid into the driver's seat, he proceeded to blast Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.
--~--
If you wear red tonight,
Remember what I said tonight.
For red is the color that my baby wore,
And what is more, it's true,
Yes it is.
--~--
Your coat, miss? Joho spoke in his pseudo-British accent as he bowed with a flourish. How he could make Japanese sound British was beyond Kagome, but she was still doubled over in a fit of giggles. She handed him the coat.
Kagome turned to leave, when she saw Joho struggling with his black jacket. He had one arm out, but he was hopelessly tangled in the rest of it. Her giggles turned to highly unladylike snorts as she watched him jump around. Now his leg was caught in the mess too...he had to hop in circles on his free leg...and then that got caught too.
So much for hopping.
None shall pass, Joho mumbled, rolling around on the floor, So you shall die...I move for no man...'tis but a scratch!...come on, you pansy...have at you!
Joho, do you need some help?Kagome was holding her aching sides, doing her best to look concerned.
...just a mere flesh wound...chicken!!...I'm invincible!...The Black Knight always triumphs! Have at you!... Joho continued his furious recitation of Monty Python. Kagome sighed, and extricated Joho's red-sleevèd arms and khaki panted legs from his twisted adversary. ...all right...we'll call it a draw...
You know, you're hardly the Black Knight...you aren't even wearing any black, sir. Kagome took their coats to the coat room. Kagome pushed the other coats on the rack over and reached for two hangers. She hung her coat up first. When she pulled Joho's coat out from under her arm, she stopped. It was a nice coat, and it looked even nicer on Joho. Black and rather fuzzy, it was lined with something smooth and...
Red?
The lioness demon slammed her clawed paw to the ground, only to catch some shreds of her adversary's red shirt. The teenage boy's hands were lashed together with glowing strands--demonic whiskers?--but he had easily evaded the vicious swipe by leaping into the air. He came back down and landed, heavily, on the feline's golden back. She struggled to her feet and slunk into the woods.
Oh, I see. Running away, eh? You yellow bastard! Come back here and take what's coming to you. I'll bite your legs off! The boy's ears twitched happily as he yelled after his whimpering enemy. He had no idea he had just said lines from a movie that would that would become famous in several centuries. He also had no intention of following his vanquished foe; he had already swiped the jewels shards in her paws anyway. He needed to enjoy his victory a little bit...
Too bad Joho hadn't quoted the rest of his scene. Kagome knew someone who already had, even before Monty Python existed...
...Argh! I am *not* thinking about Inuyasha! Silly me...
Kagome vehemently jabbed the ends of the hanger into the coat sleeves. Joho was still on the floor outside, mumbling something about laden and unladen African swallows.
--~--
Scarlet were the clothes he wore,
Everybody knows I'm sure.
I would remember all the things we planned,
Understand, it's true,
Yes it is, it's true.
Yes it is.
--~--
So, what do you think, Kagome? Joho asked earnestly. Do you like it? He dabbed his mouth with the napkin, refolded it, and placed it back on his lap.
Kagome's eyes widened, embarrassed. She swallowed her mouthful of steak (medium rare, thank you very much). Great, just great! I guess you *Americans* sort of know what to eat, even if *certain* ones won't touch sushi or sashimi...
Hey, I eat sushi! Joho protested.
California rolls don't count. Raw fish...eh...I don't know...' Kagome lowered her voice in perfect imitation of her companion.
I guess you got me. Joho sighed and diverted the conversation to other people's eating habits. How can you eat your steak so red and bloody? You know what? I'll turn you vegetarian! Bloody meat--raw, dripping, animal flesh...blood...blood...blood...
...Blood flowing from ragged flesh...blood soaking into already red cloth and black hair...
Kagome rushed over to the boy, kneeling by his side. She whispered his name, and his eyelids fluttered slightly.
Kagome...I'm sorry... The boy fell asleep, and Kagome cradled his head in her arms.
He had taken off after a shapeshifter specter and almost lost his life in the process. As a half-demon, Inuyasha guarded almost all of his feelings to a point where he sometimes seemed as distant as Sesshoumaru. He would have ignored a specter's apparitions in his normal form, but in his human form, he was more apt to follow his emotions. It was Inuyasha's time of the month when a specter took on the appearance of a wounded Kagome.
He was easily defeated when the specter threw off its disguise.
Kagome looked at Inuyasha sadly as she wrapped the worst of his wounds. Her mere presence had put Inuyasha in danger.
She knew she couldn't stay. It wasn't like Inuyasha needed his precious jewel shard collector anymore; the jewel in question had recently been completed and returned to Midoriko's body.
Kagome needed to help Inuyasha survive until sunrise. Then, she would leave.
For good.
Kagome blinked.
Kagome? Hello there? Are the warm and furry critters of the world safe from your appalling raw meat eating habits?
Raw meat? What? I'm not sure what you're talking about. You've obviously never seen raw meat before. Kagome had seen more than enough raw meat; she would know if her steak wasn't cooked enough.
But it's not cooked enough, milady!
I guess a steady diet of sushi'd change a person's view on what is or isn't sufficiently cooked,Kagome laughed.
What would a steady diet of instant ramen...ramen? That *was* random...wasn't it?
--~--
I could be happy with you by my side
If I could forget him, but it's my pride.
Yes it is, yes it is.
Oh, yes it is, yeah.
--~--
Hey, Kagome, isn't that that who kept giving you stuff because he thought you really were sick when you were just being a slacker? Joho arched his neck around the trunk of the tree he and Kagome were sitting under.
Oh my gosh, I think it is Hojo! Kami help me! I'll have you know I had more important matters to deal with! Kagome was mock-indignant.
Don't make eye contact-if you can't see him, he can't see--
Higurashi-san! Hi there,Hojo was exuberant, as usual.
--~--
My, he's a persistant one, isn't he? Joho remarked as Hojo skipped off happily.
Don't remind me! Kagome groaned and slumped against a large root.
He must be really gullible. Amazing as you are, it's not like you could survive leukemia, pneumonia, *and* anthrax poisoning, especially not in the space of - what'd you say your grandpa told him that time? - three weeks?
One! I know, I know; I just finished pre-med, remember?Kagome sighed. I know he means well, but...I mean, I hate being so mean, but sometimes I wish he would realize I'm not interested and leave. She looked down realized she was picking at her skirt hem.
Why am I so nervous?
You don't want *me* to leave, do you? Joho was slowly peeling the bark off of a twig, the wind ruffling his brown hair.
No, of course not! Why do you ask? Kagome leaned forward and looked at Joho, shocked.
My father wanted me to go to his old college, you know how that is, Joho spoke slowly. Kagome nodded. We meant to stay here in Tokyo for good, but my mother really misses her family in the United States.
I don't want to separated from them, but- Joho took a deep breath, butIdon'twantto leaveyouwillyoumarryme?
I'm sorry Joho, I didn't catch that. What'd you say?
Will you-
Kagome gasped.
-marry me? The black haired boy sat up in his nest in the tree roots, very much awake. He was still too weak from the specter's attack to jump to his perch in the branches.
Inuyasha, I...I don't know what to say... Kagome was astonished. She looked up guiltily from her backpack. She had been packing to leave Feudal Japan for good while he was asleep. I don't think I can.
What do you mean? Inuyasha's dismay was quite apparent, the color draining from his already pale face.
It wouldn't work. No, not because you're a hanyou, Kagome added quickly, before Inuyasha attempted to stand up. It's because I put you in danger--don't deny it, you know I'm why you almost died tonight.
No, Kagome, but doesn't mean you have to- Inuyasha's voice was beginning to rise in distress, but Kagome cut him off.
That's not the only reason. Now that all of the shards have been collected, my job here is done. If I stay, I'll just get in the way of things. I need to go where I belong so I can help. I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I love you, and that is why I can't stay.
-marry me? Kagome realized that Joho was holding was holding her hands. At least she couldn't fiddle with her skirt anymore...
Say yes; you can finally move on with your life! thought the cold, calculating voice in her brain. He's perfect for you, smart, funny, nice....exactly what you wanted in high school without being over-the-top!
Kagome was about to say yes, when another mental voice cut her off.
Don't do it, it wouldn't be fair for either of you. Look, you *knew* he would propose to you tonight, but guess who you kept thinking about...yes, Inuyasha! thought the voice Kagome had been fighting for years to supress.
So? It'll be an exercise in forgetting. The voices started to argue. Kagome's head whirled.
Why do an exercise for something you don't want? If she had never fallen down that well, *then* this would have worked!
If she forgets Inuyasha, she might as well have never met him!
She can't forget him! Have you been paying any attention to who she's been thinking about all evening?!!
I'm sorry Joho...
--~--
Please don't wear red tonight.
This is what I said tonight.
For red is the color that will make me blue,
In spite of you, it's true,
Yes it is, it's true.
Yes it is, it's true.
--~--
Kagome murmured. She stood in the doorway quietly for a while after Joho drove away.
--~--
Kagome pulled herself up over the lip of the well, a small smile on her face.
Her brown eyes widened when they met golden ones. Kagome couldn't find her voice, so she whispered.
I'm home.
Author's Note: How'd you like it?!! I can't believe I just wrote and posted a romance songfic of sorts...I think I'm going to be sick...
I need all the encouragement I can get...If if wasn't for Reynamangga's incessant nagging, I wouldn't have posted this...heck, it probably would never have been finished...I originally meant to write this as part of another story, but it just became its own thing after a while.
This is sort of the first story I've posted on fanfiction.net...only sort of because I'm co-writing one called Airline Escapades with my sister, Reynamangga. I think it's really funny (and *not* just because of my inevitable bias...) and I also think you shouldREAD IT ^_^
Joho's name...I didn't feel like choosing a name, so I took Hojo and flipped it-he's sort of the opposite of Hojo and Inuyasha. Hojo is *too* perfect, if he can be perfect without actually being perfect....and Kagome said her person would be the opposite of Inuyasha...Voilà, enter Joho! I feel bad for him, but, oh well...
Please review and tell me what you thought about the story ^_^
Added June 6: I reposted because maybe more people will review now since I originally posted right before final exams...I guess that was a bad idea...You people must actually be studying or something... ^_^
...or maybe my summary just sucks...A special thanks to Blue*Faerie and del_kaidin for reviewing! *hands over two large loads of chocolate*
Oh yeah, del_kaidin, I know I won't ever make a sequel to this story...The ending just isn't sequal-friendly...I might expand it into a longer story over the summer, though. We'll see...
Please review, it'll make my summer!