I'm SOOOO sorry I took this long to finish this chapter. I have no excuses, but I made it twelve and a half pages long this time instead of the usual five or six... Let's see... I haven't done a disclaimer in awhile, so here goes: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters/names in this story.
Also, I'm gonna start doing thanks to reviewers (cuz they were so patiently waiting for me to finish):
Gwenivere420 - Thanks for the review... and for reminding me that I've really been slacking off lately > Rya - Thanks for giving me the names, I appreciate the help
KgR-R1/2IC-IyR - Thanks for the review... I know who/what Kirara is, thanks...
elven-girl10 - So you did, and much thanks to that... I need more reviews (ie... pass on your luck to me)
anw - Thanks for the encouragement. I don't plan on quitting anytime soon, in fact, I'm working on a novel right now... although, at only one chapter so far, it isn't going anywhere very fast... but I shouldn't waste space complaining...
Water-Goddess-Inu-Luver1 - Well, I'm updating... not 'soon', but I'm updating... although, if you think of this in the scope of the past fifteen years of my life, it is soon... (I don't have any excuses, can you tell?)
A Heart's Memory New Beginnings
Kagome awoke in the morning with a new hope for a new beginning. It made her sad, just for awhile, when she opened her eyes and saw not one picture reminiscent of the people she had met in the feudal era, but she shook the feeling off and began to get dressed.
Wandering over to the closet, she pulled out a uniform and was just about to slip the blouse over her head, when she saw the faint, just barely visible, pink stain that stretched over most of the white fabric. She stared at it for a moment, swallowing the lump that was rising painfully in her throat and choking back the tears that sprang to her eyes. Then, suddenly, she thrust the blouse into the far back of her closet and slumped against the wall, rubbing her burning eyes. Why must everything bring back memories? she asked herself. Why can't I just forget and move on? Why does my heart stop every time I remember even a little bit of the past?
"Kagome!" Sota pounded on the door, calling his sister's name.
Kagome pulled her housecoat on hurriedly and opened the door. "What do you want, pest?" She demanded of the small figure standing in his pajamas, staring up at her.
"I think ya dropped this," he explained, holding out a small piece of paper. "I found it in the hallway as I was going to the washroom."
"Thanks," Kagome said, hesitantly taking the little slip of paper. Curiously, she flipped it over to reveal a picture of one of Inuyasha's ears. Her eyes widened and she flung the photo back at her brother, slamming the door in his face.
Sota stared at the closed door before him, blinking in surprise. "It's just a photo of Inuyasha," he mused confusedly as he raised an eyebrow at his sister's reaction and shuffled back the way he had come.
Kagome slumped against her door, wide-eyed, and slid to the ground, tears threatening to make an appearance again.
"Kagome!" her mother's voice floated up from the lower floor. "Kagome, hurry up or you'll be late for school!"
Kagome was glad her mother hadn't brought up the ominous word 'again' at the end of that sentence. She sighed and stood up, walking to her closet. She found that she had a clean uniform at the back and, pulling it out, she hurriedly put it on. She was only halfway into her right sock as she hopped down the stairs. Her left sock was on, but it wasn't quite straight. Her mother had breakfast waiting in the kitchen for her and she inhaled it in a record time of one minute and thirty-seven seconds. She looked at the clock and found that it was later than she had assumed. She ran out the door several minutes later, pulling her shoes on as she left.
The school bell rang just as Kagome got into class, red-faced and panting.
As she ran through the doorway, Eri and Yuka looked up from where they sat near the front of the classroom. Kagome slid into a desk next to Yuka, breathing a sigh of relief.
"What happened to you?" Yuka asked, turning towards Kagome and crossing her arms.
"I – lost – track – of – time," Kagome wheezed, still trying to get her breath back.
"You do that a lot lately," Eri remarked, unconvinced, looking at Kagome patronizingly and straightening her headband.
"Where's Ayumi?" Kagome asked, changing the subject and looking around for the fourth member of their group.
"She's sick today," Yuka told her, "but don't think you can change the subject that easily."
"Yeah," Eri jumped in. "What were you doing that made you lose track of time."
"N-nothing!" Kagome exclaimed, feeling her face flush.
Luck was with her however, as the teacher walked into the room and the class fell silent.
"Kagome," he said as he turned toward the class, "It's good to see that you are on time this morning." He had a wry look on his face as she turned bright red and nodded, feeling the eyes of the entire class on her.
The morning passed completely uneventfully with the usual boring lectures and assignments. As Kagome, Eri and Yuka walked out of class for lunch, all three were yawning widely.
"That was dismal," Yuka commented, the other two nodding in agreement.
"Let's talk about something interesting," Kagome began.
Yuka cut her off before she could continue. "I heard you had a date with Hojo last night. How did that go now that you don't keep 'forgetting' or coming up with something 'more important' to do?"
"It was okay," Kagome shrugged, "we just went to a movie and then out for ice cream. Is it supposed to be 'juicy' and 'exciting'?"
"Oh my Gawd," Eri rolled her eyes, "I can't believe you two haven't kissed yet. I mean, you've been going out for, what, four months now?"
"It's not that kind of relationship," Kagome said, waving her away as they sat down to eat.
"Then what kind of relationship is it?" Yuka asked her, unconvinced. "You can totally tell he wants to."
"Yeah, well, I don't."
"I thought you said you were over that other guy," Eri told her, leaning forward and peering at her with deep scrutiny.
"I am, it's just," Kagome paused and took a bite of food to get some time to think, "it's just that I'm not ready to go to that level yet."
"You are BORING, girl," Yuka shook her head and lay down on the ground. "If I had a boyfriend…" She trailed off with a sigh.
Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Yuka, if you had a boyfriend, the world would be in a state of chaos because the natural balance would be destroyed."
Yuka sat up and stuck her tongue out at her friend. Ripping up a handful of grass from beside her, she threw it defiantly at Kagome. "I'll get a boyfriend."
"Yeah, right."
"Now now, you two," Eri stepped in, giggling, "stop fighting."
Kagome and Yuka looked at Eri and then looked at each other.
"Let's get her," Kagome said.
"Yeah."
They launched themselves at Eri and soon all three of them lay in the grass, giggling uncontrollably.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over Kagome and she looked up, shielding her eyes from the sunlight that filtered around the shape above her.
"Hey Kagome," Hojo said, politely, as usual.
"Hi Hojo," Kagome replied half-heartedly, sitting up and turning around so she could see him.
"It's good to see that you were on time today."
Kagome's countenance fell and she turned red.
"So," he continued awkwardly, changing the subject, "do you want to go to a movie on Thursday with me?"
"It's not Thursday yet?" Kagome looked around blankly. "Why wasn't I informed?"
Yuka giggled. "Didn't you hear the announcement this morning? It was addressed specifically to you. Although," she added as an afterthought, "you were so zoned out that you wouldn't have heard someone shouting in your ear."
"Shut up, Yuka. Well – then – sure."
Hojo smiled. "Okay, see you later."
"Yeah, okay," Kagome smiled as brightly as she could and nodded, waving as Hojo walked away toward where his friends were waiting for him.
"You seem awkward around him," Eri said, turning to Kagome with a betrayed look on her face. "Don't tell me you're STILL not over that other guy. I mean, you've been going out with Hojo for, like, four, five months now. Doesn't he get a little lovin'?"
"I'm over it," Kagome snapped suddenly, her cheerful mask cracking just enough for some negative energy to escape.
"Oh, come on. You've been moping around ever since you started come to school full time," Yuka criticized. "And DON'T think we haven't noticed, Kagome," she added when Kagome opened her mouth to say something.
"I have not," Kagome told her friend, knowing full well that she had been moping.
"Kagome," Eri said, taking Kagome by the shoulders and looking her in the eyes, "you have to get over this guy. You and Hojo make a great couple and if this other guy is forcing himself out of your life, you've just got to accept that he doesn't deserve you."
"He didn't force himself out of my life," Kagome replied miserably, biting her tongue immediately. She'd walked into her friends' trap again.
"Oh?" Yuka suddenly got an interested look on her face. "Then what exactly happened? You obviously aren't together anymore because you wouldn't be this depressed if you were. Come on, Kagome, the guy's a stupid, insensitive, lame nutcase. You as much as said so yourself."
"I don't wanna talk about it, okay?" Kagome felt tears welling up in her eyes as she thought about Inuyasha. Shaking Eri's hands off her shoulders, she stood up angrily and stormed away.
Eri sighed and shook her head. "Poor girl's still has feelings for the jerkface," she said sadly.
Yuka nodded dismally. Suddenly, she looked at Eri mischievously. "Didn't she say something before about not being able to get in contact with him?"
Eri frowned in concentration and tugged thoughtfully on a strand of hair. "Yeah, you're right," she agreed, grinning. "Maybe we can work this to our advantage, huh?"
Kagome sat down angrily just out of sight of her friends. I will get over Inuyasha, she told herself, because I can't see him anymore and my friends all think I'm lame because I can't get over some guy who I've been badmouthing for the past few months. She sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest. She had told herself that before, so many times, but she still couldn't find the right way to make it come true. People had often told her long-distance relationships never worked. She'd never believed them, and had often tried to reconcile her feelings for the egotistical half-demon through this simple statement. Now, however, it was over. It was over before anything had even begun, so why did she feel as though her heart was being wrenched out of her chest? She stared at the ground, watching the little ants scurry around her feet as they rushed to and fro, completely content at their work. Oh, to live a simple life.
"There you are, Kagome," Eri poked her head around the corner and grinned. "We were just kidding. You didn't have to get so defensive."
"I know," Kagome said grudgingly, pushing aside her pride and acknowledging that everything was in her head, and no where else.
"Geez, girl," Yuka rounded the corner too and sat down beside her, "get a grip. Hojo likes you a lot. I thought you liked him back. Give him a try at least. That other guy, didn't you say you couldn't contact him anyway?"
Kagome nodded and sighed. "I can't contact him, and I know Hojo's a great guy. I'll try, I guess. You just don't understand the exact circumstances."
"We'd understood if you told us, Kagome," Yuka told her, fixing her with a pleading look.
"I can't tell you, that's the thing. And please don't ask why, because it's complicated and kinda personal."
Kagome needn't have worried because her friends were already off on a tangent.
"I bet he's with the Mafia."
"Yeah, or some gang."
"He's not with a gang!" Kagome exclaimed defensively. "He's just – he's just – he's not around…" she trailed off lamely, staring at the ground.
"Oh, come ON, Kagome," Eri told her, rolling her eyes. "Hojo's so much better for you. Plus, you're going on a date on Thursday. Focus on that."
"Yeah, yeah, you're right," Kagome smiled brightly and they started walking back toward the school, where the bell was preparing to ring, announcing the start of the afternoon.
The afternoon was just as uneventful as the morning had been, although it wasn't quite as boring. They had English, and one of the other girls mistranslated 'They are my friends' to 'that's my cheese'. Other than that, however, nothing happened of great notability.
Thursday came much too quickly for Kagome and she soon found herself staring into a mirror at someone who wasn't quite herself. She was wearing a dress and her hair was up. In other words, she felt like she didn't know this other her and consequently, felt quite insecure. Then, before she had time to rethink her hairstyle, she opened the door to find Hojo waiting on her doorstep with yet another medicinal gift.
I don't suppose he could have just brought flowers, Kagome sighed inwardly. But then again, Hojo bearing flowers seemed even more alien than Kagome with her hair up and wearing a fancy dress.
"You look beautiful," Hojo said kindly, albeit a bit awkwardly, as he took her hand.
"Th- thank you," Kagome replied, just as awkwardly.
"Oh," Kagome's mother said, coming around the corner. "Hello, Hojo. I suppose you two are leaving now, are you?"
"Yes," Kagome nodded, giving her best smile with the words of her friends in her mind.
"Well, have fun." Mrs. Higurashi smiled warmly and disappeared into the kitchen.
"Shall we?" Hojo asked, pulling her ever so slightly out the door.
"Sure," Kagome replied, not sure at all.
As they walked down the sidewalk toward the front gate, Hojo began talked in a rather rapid, nervous manner. Kagome unconsciously tuned him out for the first little bit, but then realized that sound actually was coming out of his mouth.
"…and then we could go out for dessert," he was saying. "So… how does that sound?"
"Er- ah – that is – what?" Kagome felt herself flush in embarrassment.
"We could go to a movie and then go get ice cream or something," Hojo repeated. "Are you okay?" he asked then, looking at her concernedly. "You seem a little distracted."
"N-no," Kagome stammered in reply, "it's nothing."
"Are you sure?"
When Kagome nodded, he smiled. "So I was thinking that there's that new movie…"
The movie wasn't bad, although Kagome thought that Hojo was finally getting up the courage to make his move because she did see the little motion his hand made toward hers. Luckily, the popcorn had distracted it long enough for Kagome to get her hand safely into her lap. As for the actual movie, it had been okay; its plot needed a little less melodramatics and cheesy computer generated effects.
They were currently headed for an ice cream shop and Kagome couldn't help but glance at her watch and wince at the blatant evidence that they had officially spent enough time together to consider their outing a 'date'. The man in the moon laughed down at her and she found it impossible to resist the urge to stick her tongue out at it when Hojo wasn't looking.
"Kagome, this is the place," Hojo said suddenly beside her. He pushed open the shop's door and Kagome walked in first, before the little chime had finished ringing. She was starting to get impatient and wanted the date to finish soon.
Hojo nudged her gently up to the front counter and politely asked her what she wanted. She deliberated for several minutes before deciding on a chocolate fudge sundae. She suddenly had the feeling that her subconscious was whispering to her, 'if you eat fattening foods, you'll gain weight and Hojo won't like you anymore'. Somehow, she didn't have much trouble believing that that was, in fact, what she was thinking.
A little while later, she found herself sitting across from Hojo and poking at her sundae with a little plastic spoon. She was trying to distract herself from the rather dreamy look that had come into Hojo's eyes.
"Kagome," he said, and she felt his hand slip over top of hers. She felt a blush rise in her cheeks and her eyes darted frantically around. "Kagome," he said again, "I – I really like you, Kagome."
"Um," she said uncomfortably, "yeah. I like you too Hojo."
She accidentally made eye contact as she said this – most insincerely, mind you – and found that he was smiling at her in a sort of adoring manner.
"I- uh," she tried to pull away from him, knocking her sundae onto the floor with her other hand.
"Is something wrong?" he asked her, tightening his grip.
"I – I just remembered that I have to be home in ten minutes," she forced out, jerking her hand away from his and standing up.
"Ka-"
She didn't wait for him to finish and dashed from the restaurant, her eyes stinging and her hand still feeling disturbingly warm from Hojo's grasp.
Kagome didn't stop running until she reached the shrine – luckily only a few blocks away – and collapsed underneath the Goshinboku tree, tears starting to drip down her face and off her chin.
Why am I behaving like this? she wondered silently. I – I can't be with Inuyasha anymore and Hojo will be there for me. Why can't I just be happy with what I have?
There was a rustle so soft that it could have been her imagination. She looked up and blinked away her tears. Inuyasha? She moved her lips, but no sound came out. Then she realized that it was Souta who stood before her, and not the one whom she had wanted to see.
"What's wrong, sis?" Souta asked. "Aren't you s'posed to be on a date with that Hojo guy?"
She nodded sadly, and then, in a motion that surprised both brother and sister, she grabbed Souta in a hug and pulled him down, clinging to him and crying.
"Um, sis?" Souta asked tentatively as he felt a wet spot grow on his shoulder.
Finally, she let him go and he sat back, staring warily at her.
"Sorry," she said, rubbing her eyes on her sleeve to stem the flow of the tears. "I don't know what's wrong with me."
"Uh huh…" Souta began to back away slowly.
Kagome shook her head and pushed herself off the ground.
"Let's go inside," she said and began to walk toward the house.
Souta trailed dutifully behind her, sending a suspicious glance at the well just before he stepped in the door.
"Kagome!" Yuka ground out the next day when Kagome stepped in the classroom door.
"Hi," replied Kagome, rather cautiously.
"How COULD you?" Ayumi wailed, as she and Eri attacked Kagome from both sides.
"How could I what? I don't understand," Kagome said, looking around wildly for an explanation.
"You," Eri replied in an accusatory tone, "ran out on Hojo again, didn't you?"
Kagome panicked for a moment. How could they have known?
"Hojo's face this morning told all," said Yuka.
"Okay, fine, I did," Kagome began. "I'm still trying to get all my feelings straight, okay?"
"Get them straight faster," Ayumi complained. "Eri and Yuka get annoying after awhile when they're mad."
She was silenced by a glare from the two girls mentioned.
"I'm sorry. I just-"
"We know already, Kagome," Yuka told her irritably, sending her a variation of a death-glare. "Why don't you tell Hojo that? He really likes you, you know."
I really like you, Kagome; his words rang in her ears. "I know," she said in a small voice.
"Then GO," Ayumi urged her, pushing her gently toward the door where Hojo had just appeared.
And so, Kagome found herself stumbling forward to meet Hojo. He looked surprised as she approached him and forced herself to meet his eyes.
"H-hey, Hojo," she said nervously.
"Hi Kagome," he replied, and she sensed a nervous tension in his words.
"Look, Hojo," Kagome began, and once the first words were out, the rest seemed to tumble unstoppably after, "I'm really, really sorry for ditching you yesterday. I just – I just panicked I guess. I wasn't completely in my right zone. Can we make it up sometime? I heard that there's a dance on Saturday night. S-so, d'you want to go? I mean I know it's kinda weird, a girl asking a guy out, but…" She trailed off and was saved the embarrassment of having to say something to wrap it up by Hojo's smile.
"I'd love to go to the dance with you, Kagome," Hojo said.
At that moment, the teacher walked in and the pupils were forced to rush to their seats and greet him.
The day dragged on from that point and Kagome was unbelievably relieved when the bell that signified the end of the day rang and the class dissipated. Shortly thereafter, Kagome and her three friends were walking along on the sidewalk on their way to get an ice cream sundae.
"So, Kagome," Yuka said, rather diabolically. Kagome instantly sensed incoming 'girl talk', or discussion about Kagome's love life.
"Yeah, what?" she replied conversationally, albeit a little belligerently.
"I heard that you asked Hojo out," Yuka replied, narrowing her eyes manipulatively.
"So what if I did?"
"Does this mean you actually like the guy and are finally giving up on that other creeper?"
Kagome had never thought about it this way, but no matter how she tried to justify herself, she found herself in an unbreakable labyrinth of reason. Was she really getting over Inuyasha? There was a little flutter of hope in her mind, instantly followed by a sharp twinge of regret.
"Um… maybe," she said softly.
"Well," Ayumi ventured, "Saturday is tomorrow. I think we should help Kagome get ready for her date."
"Oh, you mean so she doesn't screw up again?" Eri asked.
"Exactly," Yuka confirmed, giving Kagome her 'I-have-a-plan-and-you-have-to-do-exactly-as-I-say' look.
Needless to say, Kagome felt over-prepared and completely under-confident when Saturday night arrived and Hojo showed up on her doorstep.
"Hey, Kagome," he said, smiling brightly when she opened the door.
"Hi," she responded, already feeling completely foolish.
She didn't quite heed her mother's farewell as she and Hojo promenaded down the front walk.
"I was worried," Hojo began, in a chatty, conversational tone, "when you ran out of the ice cream shop, but I'm glad you're okay now."
"Yeah," Kagome smiled, wondering how dense Hojo could be, and why her face had flushed when he took her hand. She knew what her friends would say, and she had to say that she wasn't sure whether she agreed with them. Thus, she decided that she'd just try to enjoy the night and figure out her feelings when she had time alone.
As Kagome and Hojo stepped into the dance, she felt suddenly as though something was wrong. The feeling passed so quickly, she didn't quite register it, but she knew something had been there. Going against all her better judgement, she decided to stay out the night with Hojo, and, for once, not run out on him. And, even having gone against her better judgement, she was sure she'd had a good time when it was all over – too bad most of the night escaped her when she tried to recall it the next day.
Hojo smiled as he and Kagome flittered around the dance floor. She seemed to be having a good time, so he didn't worry too much. They stopped dancing after a few songs and Hojo left Kagome for a moment beside the dance floor as he went to get drinks.
During this period of time, Kagome's friends took the liberty of approaching her.
"Hey, Kagome!" Yuka said in a conspiratorial tone, sidling up to her friend. "How's it going with Hojo?"
"I'm having a good time," Kagome chirruped, smiling brightly at her.
"Wow," Eri drawled, wandering over to stand beside Yuka, "she's in a good mood for once."
"I know, it's kinda creepy," Yuka looked at Kagome suspiciously.
"Stop it," Kagome said, sticking out her tongue jokingly. "I'm allowed to be happy once in awhile."
"Oh, hey, we should go," Eri tugged at Yuka's sleeve, "Hojo's coming back."
"Have a good time," Yuka chuckled as she and Eri walked away.
Kagome shook her head, as she saw Hojo walking toward her through the crowd.
As he reached her, he held out a plastic cup of punch to her. She noticed he had none for himself.
"Don't you want any?" she asked, puzzled.
"No, I'm fine," he replied, smiling.
She tipped back the contents of the glass, grateful for the refreshment. She thought it tasted a little off, but thought nothing of it as Hojo asked her if she wanted more. She said she would and off he went to get her a refill. As she watched him disappear into the crowd, she could have sworn her vision was a little blurry, and she almost felt thirstier than before she'd drunk the punch.
Hojo came back shortly with another glass and she drank that one a little slower. Again, he had nothing. After she'd finished her punch, they went out onto the dance floor again. Kagome found herself tripping more than she had been before.
When they stopped, they wandered over to the refreshments table and Kagome poured herself another glass of punch. Then another. And another. By the fourth one, she felt quite unsteady on her feet, and she and Hojo went to find a place to sit down.
Hojo found, after they'd been sitting for awhile, that Kagome was acting rather out of character. She'd been leaning on his shoulder, for one thing, and that didn't seem like a very Kagome-like mannerism. Then, before he had time to register what was going on, she looked up at him, a funny look in her eyes.
"Hojo," she whispered, "I really like you." Then she kissed him.
He didn't really know what to think, but somehow felt kind-of-sort-of-really happy – even though this really wasn't a Kagome-like thing to do. However, before he had time to do or say anything about it, she was passed out across his lap.
"Kagome?" he shook her gently. "Um… Kagome?"
'What do I do?' he frantically asked himself. 'Is she drunk? How did she get drunk? Was there something in that punch? What do I do?'
Luckily for Hojo, Yuka walked by. She saw him, gave an acknowledging nod –, and then did a double take.
"Oh my Gawd!" she exclaimed, seeing Kagome's state. "What happened to her?"
"I don't know!" he replied, and Yuka was surprised to hear a note of panic in Hojo's voice. "I think – I think she's drunk," Hojo told her, rather sheepishly.
"How did she get drunk?" Yuka demanded of him, sounding rather like his mother.
"Um… I think there was something in the punch. She had several glasses and then she said she felt kind of dizzy."
"Well, we can't take her home like this," Yuka said thoughtfully. "I'll phone her mother and tell her that Kagome is staying over at my house."
"Will that work?" Hojo asked cautiously.
"Of course it will," she replied, sounding as though she thought her idea foolproof. "Not much fazes her mom – although Kagome being passed out and drunk would – and besides, she really will be at my house. My parents are away for the weekend, so it'll be okay."
"Ah. Okay then," Hojo sounded relieved – that was good, meant he cared about Kagome (Yuka hoped).
Kagome woke up in an unfamiliar bed with a killer headache – not helped by the sun streaming in through a window right above her head.
"Are you awake?" a voice thundered in her ears.
"Don't shout," Kagome whimpered, pressing her hands over her ears.
"I'm not shouting," the voice replied, quieter this time.
"Then why does it sound like you are?"
"Because you are hung over and I, being the good friend that I am, let you stay at my house and sleep in my bed. You really shouldn't be complaining," the voice that Kagome had begun to recognize as Yuka's reprimanded.
"Sorry," Kagome muttered irritably, sitting up and looking around, blinking furiously against the bright light. "Wait – did you just say I have a hangover?"
"Yes."
"Um… what exactly happened at the dance?"
"Someone spiked the punch – Eri heard some of the guys talking outside last night – and you happened to have six glasses of it, I think Hojo said."
"Oh," Kagome replied in a small voice. And then, as an afterthought, "Can I have an Aspirin or something?"
Yuka snorted and got up from where she was sitting on the floor next to the bed. Kagome heard her rustling in the bathroom next door, and then her friend reappeared with a small tablet and a glass of water.
"Um… Yuka?" Kagome asked after she'd swallowed the pill.
"Yes?"
"Did I do anything embarrassing last night?"
"Not that I saw, but I guess you'd have to ask Hojo."
Something gnawed at her, something she thought she should remember, but she ignored it. After all, if Yuka hadn't seen anything, it must not have been too bad.
Yuka and Kagome walked to the shrine later that day, Kagome's head still feeling rather tender, although not as bad as it had been that morning. Yuka left her at the front gate, and Kagome wandered up the walk alone.
She found her grandfather alone, her mother and younger brother having gone out shopping. He was seemingly oblivious to everything, in the middle of some complicated prayer/ritual thing, waving vaguely in her direction when she greeted him. She took his inattentiveness as a product of his old age, and a sign that he wouldn't notice her properly if she yelled in his ear, and wandered up to her room. There, she collapsed dizzily on her bed, clasping a hand to her forehead as her headache returned, throbbing madly.
She wondered briefly what her mother would say if she found out Kagome had become inebriated at a dance that was supposedly 'chaperoned'. Although, somehow, she doubted that it would faze her mother much, as nothing much to date – for example, the whole 'visiting the feudal era and befriending/making enemies of demonic creatures' thing – had succeeded in doing so. On her better judgement, however, Kagome decided to keep the whole matter silent. She also decided to ask Hojo what had happened the night before – as soon as her headache subsided and the haze that still lingered in Kagome's mind had dissipated.
She lay back on her bed and was asleep before she had time to think any more about the issues at hand.
When Kagome's mother came home, she found her daughter fast asleep, her bedroom door wide open, and her belongings strewn thoughtlessly over the floor. She noted that this was rather unlike Kagome. However, she decided to dismiss this as a case of lost sleep, due to inevitable sleepover disorder.
When Kagome awoke, the sun was setting, and her headache seemed to be following. At least, she could focus on an object across the room without having to endure a fierce jab of pain just behind her eyes. She made her way downstairs to find her family patiently waiting at the dinner table with supper cooking on the stove.
"Oh, there you are, sweetie," her mother said, smiling gently at her daughter. "You must have been really tired, but I figured you'd wake up if I put supper on."
"Um… yeah," Kagome replied weakly, trying and failing to keep a smile on her face as her headache worsened slightly.
"Oh, by the way," her mother continued, walking over to a little gift basket on the counter, "Hojo dropped by earlier and asked me to give this to you."
"Oh, okay," Kagome wandered over to where the gift basket was and picked it up, rejoicing, for once, over what was inside. She espied a variety of headache remedies, and immediately resolved to thank Hojo as profusely as she could upon their next meeting. She would have gone upstairs right then and there to see if she could fix her headache, if only her mother hadn't remarked that supper was ready. So, instead, she slid wearily into her chair at the table and hoped that the ingestion of food would help to hasten her recovery.
The next morning, Kagome awoke at the proper time, feeling refreshed and, joyfully, headache-free (thanks to the gift basket from Hojo). She wandered down to the kitchen and found Souta sitting at the kitchen table with his breakfast, plus another plate.
"Ish fo yao," he mumbled, his mouth full.
"Pardon?" Kagome asked jokingly, sitting down next to her younger brother.
He swallowed. "It's for you. I made too much for just myself."
"Thanks, Souta," she beamed. She liked it when he wasn't a little pest.
Thanks to Souta making her breakfast, whether on purpose or by accident, Kagome actually made it to school on time. Then, her good feeling vanished mysteriously when she found Hojo waiting for her in the corner of the classroom. He had a rather odd look on his face as she approached him.
"Hey, Kagome," he said, rather awkwardly, his face flushing slightly.
"Hey, Hojo," she replied, wondering why his reaction was as such.
"Um, Kagome…"
"Yeah?"
"What you said on Saturday night, did you mean it?"
She suddenly felt a gripping fear take hold. Her mouth dry, she asked, "Which thing that I said?"
"Um, you said that – you said that you really liked me and then – then you – er…" he trailed off helplessly.
Kagome felt she could guess what she did, and felt rather cornered as she made a split second decision.
"Although I was a little drunk at the dance, I can say that I meant what I said. I really do like you, Hojo." And in spite of herself, she smiled, and a flush rose in her cheeks. That was when she felt a sense of real hope, and real accomplishment – perhaps she was finally moving on.