Another Love by Archdoug
It's been 12 years since Inuyasha broke Kagome's heart in high school. They meet again in another country but will love bloom once more? Inuyasha isn't the only one interested in Kagome this time. An evil from the past also returns.
Alternate Universe, Inu/Kag, Sess/Kag.
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and the characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi.
PROLOGUEKagome was surfing the Internet when an ad for one of those reunion sites caught her eye. She clicked on the site and amazingly enough found her alma mater. She hadn't seen nor heard from any of her high school classmates since she went to live in America 12 years ago. She recognized a name on the alumni list. Inuyasha Taiko. She hadn't thought of him lately. She wondered how he looked now and whether he ended up marrying Kikyo.
He was one of the cutest boys in high school and most of the girls had a crush on him. Kagome was no exception. Sure he could be moody, but he was strong, fearless and sometimes sweet. He looked unique, too. He was half- Japanese, half something else. She couldn't remember what nationality exactly but whoever his father was gifted him with white hair and golden eyes.
And for one brief moment, he was hers. It came as a surprise to her too. She'd been in love with him since freshman year but didn't think he even knew she existed. But things changed in their junior year.
As she walked to school one day, he suddenly appeared beside her. He started waiting for her at the bus stop and insisted on walking her to and from school. Before she knew it, walking to the bus stop turned to hanging around each other then to dating. He got annoyed when other boys tried to get her attention, particularly Koga who had been under the delusion since grade school that Kagome was ''his woman.'' She only liked Koga as a friend but he was too dense to get it.
She and Inuyasha didn't have much money so going to the movies was a rare treat. They spent their free time at friends' houses, the local park or the school grounds. He liked to play with her long hair while they chatted or lounged under one of the school trees. He also insisted she join the archery club. She would later learn why.
It didn't last long. Six months into the relationship, he dumped her. He didn't even do it himself but sent one of his friends to tell her. She was so shocked, she didn't say a thing but stared at the blackboard she'd been cleaning.
Then she heard that he got back with his ex. She saw them at the bus stop one day and was surprised at how much she resembled Kikyo down to the long hair. Inuyasha spotted her, and to his credit, looked embarassed. Kikyo just smirked. Someone told her Kikyo was also a whiz at archery.
Kagome felt used. She went home, had a good cry then told her mother to give her the shortest haircut possible. Losing the long locks he loved so much seemed like a good first step to her.
She still loved him so it hurt to run into him and Kikyo. He only added insult to injury when he cornered her during the prom and tried to explain himself. A friend of his had seen Kagome and mentioned how she looked like his ex. So Inuyasha sought Kagome out. She did have fun while it lasted, didn't she?
Kagome didn't know whether to throw her drink in his face or slap him. In the end, she just turned her back on him and walked away.
Her only refuge in those days was the school library where she lost herself in books like "Jane Eyre'' and poured her heart out to the sympathetic librarian. Two weeks after graduation, she left for Los Angeles. But she couldn't forget him and carried a torch for him for years. She blamed it on the countless gothic romance books she devoured as a teen. He became her doomed love and she cast herself in the role of the tragic heroine.
The thought made her laugh now. Years covering crime in the newspaper business made her jaded. She didn't need love, thank you very much.
But it would be nice to say hi to her old friends again. She found a handful of them on the site and e-mailed a greeting. What the heck, she even sent an e-mail to Inuyasha.
Kagome. Her name still made Inuyasha feel guilty after all these years. He treated her badly so he was surprised to get a friendly e-mail from her. If she could do it, he certainly could be pleasant too.
Kagome and Inuyasha e-mailed each other regularly after that. Mostly they chatted about former classmates. But his last e-mail surprised her. His half brother, Sesshomaru, needed to discuss the family business with him so Inuyasha was coming to America in a month. He wanted to see her as well.