Chapter 4

"Can I talk to you?"

"Kagome-chan!" shouted Sango cheerfully.

"Hello Kagome –sama" said Miroku with a wave.

"Hi guys" said Kagome quietly. She was trying to act happy, but Inuyasha's comment was still upsetting her. I know it shouldn't be upsetting me, he always says things like that, but it's just really bothering me today, she thought to herself.

Both Inuyasha and Kagome were acting gloomy for the rest of the evening. Sango and Miroku both noticed the change but didn't say anything about it. Inuyasha was thinking about his thoughts at his favorite tree earlier that day, and Kagome was still pondering her question about whether she should tell Inuyasha her true feelings.

Kagome looked up only to find Inuyasha sitting across from her. He was staring back at her. She blushed and looked back down at the ground. Kagome saw a stick next to her foot and picked it up. She began drawing shapes in the sand under her foot.

"How would I do it?" she thought to herself. "How?"

Apparently Kagome had a really strange look on her face because Sango began to stare at her.

"Kagome-chan? Are you all right?" she asked softly. "You seem really upset, did something happen?"

"Oh," Kagome looked up confused, "No, no it's nothing. I'm okay." She smiled at Sango and continued to look at the ground.

"That's it" she said aloud. "I have to do it!" I have to! Or I won't be able to think of anything else!" Kagome dropped the stick she was holding and stood up.

"Inuyasha?" she asked. Inuyasha was a bit startled. He glanced up cautiously.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Can I talk to you for a bit?" she asked quietly. She began to blush. Sango and Miroku both knew something interesting was going to happen but didn't interfere.

"Uh, sure," said Inuyasha in a perplexed tone. Kagome turned and smiled at Miroku and Sango.

"Uh, sorry, can you excuse us for a bit?" she asked kindly. Both Miroku and Sango smiled and began a separate conversation on their own as Kagome began to walk towards the forest.

"Will you come with me Inuyasha?" she asked softly. Inuyasha got up from where he was sitting and walked towards Kagome.

"It's beautiful," said Kagome aloud.

"Okay, what did you want to talk to me about?" he asked questionably. At that time they reached Inuyasha's favorite tree.

"Hmm, where do I begin?" Kagome thought to herself.

"Um, I'm sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to get so upset...It's just..." her sentence was cut off by Inuyasha.

"I don't want to hear any more about it," he said, as he completely brushed off Kagome's apology. He was still remembering who he chose, and what he should do about it.

"Er, well, that's not all I wanted to say, Inuyasha." She was getting somewhat annoyed with his nonchalant attitude.

"Okay..." he said he looked Kagome in the eye. He stared continuously at her, waiting for her to say something, anything. Kagome blushed a little and turned away.

"Well, Inuyasha I know you still have feelings for Kikyou." She said softly but sternly. Inuyasha looked down, he looked a little sad.

"Never the less, I have to tell you what I feel. I want to be near you Inuyasha, you know that. Even thought you have feelings for Kikyou, and that will never change, I..." Here it goes she thought. She was just about to say the words "I love you" to Inuyasha finally after debating about it all day, but then Inuyasha just turned, looked at her and grabbed her shoulders. He brought her into a tight embrace and just held her there without saying a word. Kagome was shocked and stood completely still for a second when she managed to bring her arms around Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha...." She said as her voice trailed off. His embrace loosened a bit as he pulled back a little to see her face. Inuyasha had a calm and serene look on his face.

"Kagome..." he said quietly.

"All day while you were gone I've been thinking about you and about Kikyo..." he paused for a second. Kagome shuddered a little bit when he said "Kikyo"

"And I know that I have to make up my mind, I can't keep swaying back and forth. I thought a lot about the choices that I could make." Inuyasha was still holding Kagome close.

"It was hard, Kikyo is no longer apart of this world, neither are you, you are from the future Kagome." Inuyasha said.

"Even so, I have decided." Kagome was shivering in his embrace. Inuyasha was now looking into the distance.

"What if he decided to go with Kikyo, what will I do?" Kagome thought.

"Wait Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted.

"Before you continue, I want to finish telling you what I was thinking..." Kagome paused and took a deep breath.

"Inuyasha... I...I love you! I can't help these feelings I have towards you, but just like Kikyo, I love you!" Kagome looked into Inuyasha's eyes. He still had the same tranquil expression on his face. He looked at her again. He smiled a little bit.

"I know that Kikyo is dead; there is no way to be with her now, but you Kagome. I ...want" Inuyasha was now blushing.

"I want to be with you." As he said that, he pulled Kagome closer to him and leaned his head near hers. His lips touching hers. Kagome was in shock.

"Did he really choose me over Kikyo?" she was in disbelief but excited at the same time. She closed her eyes and felt Inuyasha's soft embrace. They stood there for a while.

"She's so warm and her scent..." thought Inuyasha to himself.

After their kiss, Inuyasha held onto Kagome. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Inuyasha..." said Kagome softly. Inuyasha looked down at Kagome and smiled back.

"I love you too," he said. Kagome kept a calm composure on the outside but on the inside she couldn't believe what had happened. She was so glad.

"Inuyasha, we should probably go back to Sango and Miroku, they are probably worried about us. We did take a long time." She said smiling.

"Okay," Inuyasha said. He took Kagome's hand and they started walking back to the camp where they left Miroku and Sango.

"HURRY!!" whispered Miroku. He was hiding behind a tree in the clearing where Inuyasha and Kagome were.

"They are heading back!!! They'll get suspicious if we aren't there when they get back!" said Miroku as he stood up brushing off all the stick that had accumulated on him. Sango and Shippo poked up from behind a bush. The three of them ran through the clearing and cut through the forest to beat Inuyasha and Kagome.

"Ha!" said Miroku happily.

"I knew it! I knew it all along!" he was skipping past the trees.

"What are you talking about Miroku? I was the one who said he would choose Kagome, YOU were the one who thought differently!" shouted Sango, she was rather annoyed.

"Oh? Was that how it was?" asked Miroku casually. Sango just rolled her eyes

"Look guys!" shouted Shippo. We made it back to the camp site before Inuyasha or Kagome!"

"Okay guys. Everyone back to their places!" yelled Miroku. They all ran back to the places that they had been sitting at before they snuck off to spy on Inuyasha and Kagome. Just then Inuyasha and Kagome returned to the group, still hand in hand. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo said nothing about it.

"So, did you talk enough?" asked Miroku.

"You were sure gone for a long time!" stated Sango.

Inuyasha and Kagome just smiled and said nothing. They sat back down with the group.