Kyoko yawned as she sat in front of the fire between Inu Yasha and Kouga. She smiled as she saw Sango, Miroku, and Kagome returning from the forest. "Kagome-chan, you're back early!"
Kagome smiled as she approached the fire and sat next to Inu Yasha. "I couldn't sleep." Kagome grinned widely as she rummaged through her backpack and pulled out a pair of metallic bracelets. "Kyoko-san, I know it isn't much, but I found these bracelets on sale at home and I thought that maybe you'd like to have one. See? They're friendship bracelets."
Kyoko took one of the bracelets from Kagome and examined it. She held it up in the light of the fire and saw that it was a fairly simple piece of jewelry, with a silver band and a solitary black onyx jewel in the very center of the bracelet. She flipped it over to see the underside of the bracelet and saw that it had the words 'Friends Forever' engraved underneath where the jewel was. "Wow… it beautiful, Kagome-chan… I don't know that I deserve something like this…"
"Don't worry about it, Kyoko. You've saved my life several times now. A bracelet is nothing to what you've done for me." Kagome smiled as she noticed Kouga as he stood and began to walk away. "Kouga-kun, what's the matter?"
Kouga glanced back at Kagome, shook his head, and then continued on.
Kagome set her backpack down as she stood and followed Kouga. Inu Yasha began to grab her hand to stop her, but Kyoko reached out to him and shook her head. "She's the only one he'll listen to right now. Don't worry about it, Inu Yasha, I can tell, she loves you, not him."
"Then why is she going to him now?"
"Why do you go to Kikyo?"
Inu Yasha's face reddened slightly as he quietly answered, "It's because she's alone in the world and, as far as I know, I'm the only person she trusts."
"Yes, and Kagome feels the need to go to Kouga now because she knows that someone must comfort him, and she's the only one here that can properly do such."
"Feh, I still don't like it."
Miroku smiled as he lightly patted Inu Yasha on the shoulder. "Whether or not you realize, we all need Kagome-chan. If she didn't get here when she did, Kyoko would not have been the only one whose soul was stolen tonight. Kagome-chan saved my life."
"That's right. Inu Yasha, please, don't be cross with Kagome-chan for this now… There's no reason to get jealous. This is no different than if she was helping me or Miroku-san."
"Except that Miroku isn't madly in love with her."
Kyoko paused a few moments as she searched her mind for a reply to Inu Yasha's comment. "Yes, but she has no feelings for Kouga. It's just like this morning when you hugged me to comfort me—I have no feelings for you as anything more than a valued friend, and I believe that I can freely state that such is a mutual feeling, correct?"
"Of course."
"Then why is it that you are so worried about Kagome?"
"Because she—"
Kyoko groaned as she pointed her finger at Inu Yasha's face. "Inu Yasha, don't you understand? She would never betray you, and yet you still get mad at her every time when Kouga comes, whether it's her fault or not."
"I—How'd you know that?"
Kyoko smiled as she leaned back and looked at the night sky as it began to give way to the morning sun. "I have my ways."
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Kouga stretched as he and Kagome approached where the others sat around the campfire. He bit his lip in anxiety as he placed his hand on Kyoko's shoulder. "Kyoko-san, may I speak with you privately?"
Kyoko turned around and looked deeply into Kouga's eyes as though trying to see what it was that he was thinking, but in vain, as his expression was empty, void of all emotion. "Kouga-kun?"
Kouga did not even look at Kyoko as he turned away and began walking. "Are you coming or not?"
"H-Hai." Kyoko scrambled to her feet as she silently followed behind Kouga. She nervously looked around herself and acted as though she was looking over the forest in the morning light.
Kouga sat upon a boulder in a clearing within the forest and sighed as he looked upon Kyoko. "Kyoko-san, tell me, are you sure about how you feel about Sesshoumaru?"
Kyoko nodded, a smile upon her face. "Kouga-kun, I've never felt this way about anyone, not even Satoru. I couldn't stand being away from him when I went to my homeland and as it is, I cannot stand being away from him now. I've always said that I'd do anything to help any of my comrades, but… I wouldn't even hesitate to come to Sesshoumaru's aid. I would do anything and give anything, just for him. Kouga-kun… I feel regret that I have to tell you this, but I never knew of your feelings and could never have loved you in this way…"
Kouga sighed as he nodded. "It's just as well… Just as long as he never hurts you as Satoru did, I suppose that I will be content knowing that you are happy."
"Kouga-kun…"
Kouga smiled brightly, stood, and embraced Kyoko. "Don't worry about it, Kyoko-san. It's my foolishness. You… I want you to live your life as you wish, not as someone else tells you to. As a friend, I wish of your utmost happiness."
Kyoko nodded slowly as she pulled herself away from Kouga, but still held his hand in her right hand. "I'm glad that you could understand…"
Kouga smiled, his eyes reflected happiness as he chuckled lightly. "Besides, I wouldn't have any reason to fight with that sorry excuse of a mutt if I didn't choose this way."
Kyoko grinned as she let go of Kouga's hand and lightly ran her hand over the hilt of her sword. "Come on, let's go back."
Kouga nodded. "It's about time, I should be on my way though…"
Kyoko smiled as she turned away and began heading back towards the dying fire in front of Inu Yasha and the rest of their friends.
Kouga ran up to Kagome and wrapped his arms around her. "Kagome-san… Will you wait for me the same way Kyoko-san is waiting for Sesshoumaru?"
Kagome felt a bead of sweat running down her face as she heard Inu Yasha leap from his spot next to her on the ground.
"Baka okami!!! Kagome is mine!"
Kouga let loose of Kagome's hands as he went into a full-out argument with Inu Yasha.
Kyoko snickered and exchanged glances with Kagome. It was not long before the two burst into fits of laughter that caused the bickering to end.
~ ~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~ ~
Kyoko stood next to Kagome, smiling and waving 'goodbye' as Kouga disappeared into the horizon. "You know, Kagome-san, those two got along just fine until you showed up."
"Really?"
Inu Yasha crossed his arms and turned away as he added, "Feh! Did not."