Chapter Four

Homesickness

"Your home is truly beautiful Kagome." Akemi remarked as both girls sat below the shrine tree. They had just finished Kagome's tour of her families home. Having gotten over the initial awkwardness of their first introductions, both seemed more relaxed with one another.

Akemi had found that she may not hate Japan as much as she thought she would. It was, after all, where her father was born, where his whole family came from. And because of him, she supposed, I'm now a part of here as well.

Akemi suddenly felt a very strong wave of homesickness for her father. She missed him terribly. He should be here with me. Her father had never left her side before now, and she felt almost lost without him at times. He hadn't seemed like himself when she had left either, he never would have sent her away needlessly.

"Akemi?" Kagome asked after a moment. Akemi seemed upset about something, and though Kagome didn't know her well yet, she still felt an overwhelming urge to help any way she could.

"Oh, yeah...sorry." Akemi snapped out of her thoughts. "Guess I'm just a little homesick. I've never been out of America before, it's taking some adjustment on my part."

Kagome smiled warmly as she tucked her feet under her knees. "Tell me about your home." She suggested, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Well," Akemi began, her eyebrow raised slightly. "I live with my dad in Seattle. Besides school and stuff I hung out at his work a lot, he's a detective with the police department." Akemi paused for a moment, her storm colored eyes soft with the memory of home. "We lived just outside the city, right next to the ocean. From my room I could see a perfect view of the sunset every evening. I used to sit next to my window for hours." Her eyes swirled in dark grey, as if there might be a rain storm at any moment. "My dad said he bought that house just because I loved that room so much." Something seemed to have lodged in Akemi's throat and she found she was unable to continue.

"What about your mom?" Kagome asked, trying to change the subject for Akemi's sake.

"Never had one." Akemi replied with a ghost of a smile on her lips.

Kagome flushed with embarrassment. "Oh..."

Akemi cocked her head to one side, reflecting on Kagome's reaction. "My father adopted me when I was four." She smirked slightly. "Well, he found me first actually. He was on patrol one night and found me alone in a park. I was so young, I had no idea what had happened to me. He waited six months, but, no one came to claim me. So, he decided to keep me himself, and here I am."

It was a lot for Kagome to process at once. What do I say to a story like that? Kagome was at a loss. Akemi eyes stormed far away for a moment. Then, sighing a little, she shook her head and smiled.

"What about you Kagome? What's your life like?" Akemi asked.

Kagome's cheeks flushed again, "uh, it's pretty normal I guess. I go to school and hang out with friends." And fight horrible demons with the mystical powers of a Miko Kagome felt it was better to leave that thought in the back of her mind where it belonged. "And then I spend time with Mama, Souta, and grandpa." When I'm not searching for shikon shards five hundred years in the past. "Pretty usual I guess." Liar.

"Well," Akemi suddenly stood, slapping the dirt off her clothing. "I suppose I should probably unpack my things, since it looks like I'll be here for quite some time." She turned to Kagome and offered her hand to assist her up. "Would you like to show me where exactly you want me to put everything?"

"Of course." Kagome agreed, glad to finish their earlier conversation. It's still firmly in the back of my mind. Kagome cast a quick glance towards the sacred well as they walked back to the house.

Despite the length of her trip, Akemi had packed surprisingly little. She had two suitcases, a large duffle bag and her backpack.

"I can just keep my clothes in those." Akemi remarked as Kagome had started to open the first of the two suitcases.

"Don't be silly, I have plenty of room for you to put your clothes in my closet." Kagome opened the suitcase the rest of the way. It was filled with various styles and colors of jeans and cargo pants on side, and on the other, Akemi had a few t-shirts, some tank tops, and a couple of plain sweatshirts, one black and one grey.

"You don't have to do that." Akemi watched as Kagome put her clothes on hangers and placed them in the empty side of the closet.

"I don't mind." Kagome smiled as she continued to put away Akemi's clothes.

Akemi sighed and grabbed her duffle bag. She had packed her army boots, just in case. It seemed silly now that she was here, but while she was packing for this trip, her fathers voice floated through her mind. You can never be too prepared. An influence on her even when he wasn't there.

Pulling them out of her bag, Akemi placed them in the empty corner of Kagome's closet and returned to her duffle bag. Checking to see that Kagome was occupied, Akemi pulled out a rolled towel and silently laid it out on the bed. A flash of silver told her everything she needed to know and she quickly rolled the towel back up and put it back in her bag. I knew it would get past customs alright. She thought to herself as she continued to unpack.

Kagome had finished with the first suitcase and moved to open the second. It was filled with undergarments. Flushing slightly, Kagome quickly put them on the top shelf of the closet.

She had expected to find the other side filled similarly, but to her surprise it was filled partly with socks, and partly with arm sleeves of various colors. I wonder why she has all of these for? Kagome figured that it must be a style in America, but she wasn't entirely convinced. Deciding the push that thought, like some many others recently, to the back of her mind, Kagome finished off the last suitcase and turned to find Akemi placing her whole duffle bag on the bottom of the closet.

"To many things to worry about right now." Akemi stated offhandedly, turning to pick up her backpack and ending the discussion. "I think I'll just leave this one as it is as well." She added, throwing it on top of her duffle bag.

Souta popped his head into the door and momentarily stared at Akemi.

"What is it Souta?" Kagome asked, fairly annoyed by her brothers rudeness.

Souta blinked and flushed slightly. "Mama says it's time for dinner and to come get you two." Souta looked over at Akemi again. "Is that really the color of you hair?" He blurted suddenly, unable to look away.

Akemi's eyebrow rose incredulously "Last time I checked." She answered. "Is that your real hair color?" She asked with a half smile.

Souta flushed even deeper. "Uh, sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." He said after a moment, looking over at the mortified face of his sister.

"Don't worry about it. Souta, right?" Akemi chuckled as he nodded. "I appreciate your inquisitive nature." Smirking at her choice of words she brushed a blood red strand out of her eyes.

"Shall we eat?" Kagome spoke suddenly as she stood, frightening both Akemi and Souta with her abruptness.

Exhausted, Akemi had gone to bed almost as soon as she had finished eating. Saying her goodnights to the people who had taken her in, Akemi dressed in her pajamas and burrowed underneath her blankets, waiting for the morning to come.

Kagome stayed awake a little longer, craving the feeling of normality she felt when she spent time with her family. I wonder what Inuyasha and the others are doing. Kagome was half tempted to jump through the well for a quick visit, but knew that it would probably just cause even more problems if she did.

I don't feel like fighting with him right now. That will come soon enough anyways. Feeling suddenly as if she were jet-lagged as well, Kagome bid her family goodnight and headed up to her room.