4.11.04...*cough*

Disclaimer: You know the drill.

Author's Notes:So, happy Easter everyone! I'm eating a plastic egg full of jellybeans while I write this, as it's obviously the only way to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.

I really want to work more on this. Company of a Stranger is my more popular fic by far, but I love this one because...um...I don't know. I just do. ^^;; I wrote an American Idol parody for my Creative Writing class, I just like the concept, and being able to make fun of things.

Again, if you know good Japanese artists that you think have songs people would sing for an "Idol" contest, tell me! At the moment I have people like, Ayumi Hamasaki, Utada Hikaru, and Gackt, but that's not nearly enough. Help a girl out, would you?

One more thing. I'm going to stop peppering the story with my idiotic attempts at Japanese. Okay, I might stick in a "-chan" or "baka" here and there, or an "arigatou," but nothing else. Just think of everything someone says or thinks as translated from Japanese.

Chapter 3: Kagome Comes Home.

Kagome hurried into the car, anxious to get away from Miroku, and more importantly, his hands. 'If he acts like that all the time, it's going to make my whole experience on the show very uncomfortable...' she thought, sadly. She wanted to remember her time on "Japanese Idol" as fun, even if she didn't win. 'Which,' she reminded herself, 'I most certainly won't.'

If she wanted people to still see her as, well, her, back home, she had to keep her feet on the ground. She climbed into the car and was greeted by an enthusiastic scream by her mother and...Souta, and her grandpa.

"What are all of you doing here?" she asked, but she was happily surprised all the same.

"Well," Kagome's mother started, somewhat apologetically, "I told Souta I was going to pick you up, and he wanted to come along. He just wouldn't take no for an answer. And your grandpa didn't want to stay in the house alone." She glared at Grandpa, as if to scold him for being so childish.

Kagome laughed. "It's okay. In fact, it's great that you all came to see me."

"And it's great that you're not in tears right now. Congratulations, Kagome! I'm sure Japan will love you."

"Don't be silly, Mom, of course they will! I knew that Kagome would get in all along!" Souta chimed in. Her mom started the car and they were off home. All through town, people were stopping their car to ask whether Kagome had made it or not. When Kagome's friend Chiaki saw the pink paper that showed Kagome had made it through, she went into hysterics. ("Kagome! Wait until I tell everyone! They're all going to be proud of you, you're going to be a star!") Kagome smiled, but this was exactly what she didn't want.

--

The two weeks before she had to go back to Tokyo went by in a blur. Everyone was so proud of her. Her name was mentioned in the morning announcements at school for the first time ever, and everyone in the class clapped.

However, the best part was when Hojo, the cutest boy in school, came up to her and asked, "Kagome, before you leave for Tokyo, do you want to go out for dinner or something? Only if you want to, you know, I mean, you're famous now and you probably don't..." He trailed off, looking nervous.

"Of course!" Kagome answered, blushing wildly. "This Friday then?"

With that to look forward to, Kagome walked home, feeling like the happiest girl in the world.

--

More author's notes: Man, this chapter took me forever to write, and I didn't even right that much. Don't worry, all of the Japanese Idol action will resume next week, and we'll get a peek into Kagome and Hojo's date, since I know that's all what you really want. ;D Don't worry, it's just a date, I won't turn them into long-term boyfriend and girlfriend. After all, like I said at the beginning, I'm not turning this into any heavy romance.