CHAPTER 11:

THE REAL REASON OF KOUGA'S PAIN

Kagome still closed her eyes after the kiss. "Kouga…kun…"

Kouga held her hand. "Kagome…"

"Is it true…this isn't some big joke is it…Kouga?"

"Of course not!" Kouga looked away. "I really liked you, but that mutt Inuyasha took you away from me. Next thing you know, Ayame's marrying me…and-" Kouga shook his head. "It's too much to bear!"

Kagome looked deep into Kouga's eyes. "Kouga…"

Suddenly, the two heard something fall. BAM! Kouga ran to the area where he heard it. "Who's there!"

There sat a crying Ayame, rubbing her arm. One of the glass vases had fallen on the floor, cutting Ayame's arm a bit. "Kouga…so…it's true…?"

Kouga gulped. "A-Ayame…I didn't…I didn't know you were here…uh…"

Ayame didn't look at Kouga. "Kouga…tell me. Is it true?"

Kouga kept quiet. What was he supposed to tell his 'fiance?' "Ayame…"

"Wait! Kouga…" Kagome walked up to the two and put her hand on his shoulder. "Please…tell me the whole story."

Kouga looked up at Kagome, then back at Ayame. "Okay…I'll tell you the whole story."

Ayame stayed quiet.

"But let's take care for Ayame's injury first." Kouga said.

Kagome nodded. "Okay."

:X:X:X:X

Ayame kept her head down and kept her eyes on the floor. She didn't dare look at Kouga or Kagome.

"A long time ago, when I was small, about seven years old to be exact, my parents and Ayame made a deal. They wanted our family to be strong so they arranged a marriage." Kouga began to remember his memories when he was small.

memory-

Kouga had his black hair tied in a pony tail. He pulled on his mother's skirt. "Okaa-san…okaa-san. What's happening?"

Kouga's mom looked at him. "Kouga-kun. You're gonna meet someone very cute today!"

Kouga blushed. "Cute?"

Someone knocked on the door. "Kibaku-san? Is Kibaku-san here?" (A/N: Kibaku is Kouga's dad, I made it up)

Kouga's mom opened the door. "Hello? Oh! It's you! Come in! Come in!"

Kouga hid behind a sliding door. He slowly peered. "Ah…!" he said in amazement as he saw two people and a small girl come in the house. The small girl had a beautiful hair, the color of scarlet. She had emerald eyes that looked around the house. She wore a white jacket over a white dress.

"Wow…she really likes white…"

The little girl looked Kouga's way. "Ohayou…" she bowed.

Kouga blushed but bowed down too. "Ohayou."

"Oh, Ayame. Go play with Kouga while mommy and daddy talk with Kouga's mommy and daddy."

Ayame nodded and hesitantly walked to Kouga. Kouga grabbed Ayame's hand. "If you're here to play, let's play!" he said.

Ayame took a breath. "Play? I came here to play? Um, okay." She took off her jacket. "Let's play then."

Kouga thought. Was she the one mommy was talking about? She is cute… The two played for hours until their parents called them in.

"So Kouga, how do you like Ayame."

"She's really cool, but-"

"Kouga…you're going to meet her more everyday." His mom smiled at him."More…of her everyday?"

end memory-

"Ayame and I were supposed to be married…but…" Kouga gave a bitter look. "But it's not fair…why did it have to happen to me! They didn't even ask me if I wanted to marry her! They didn't even ask me!"

"Kouga…don't you love Ayame…?" Kagome asked.

"Love! If love is something that you have a strong feeling for someone, something so strong that you'll sacrifice yourself for then, then no!" Kouga yelled. He had completely forgotten that Ayame was there.

Ayame finally looked up. Her heart was jabbed by a knife even more.

Kouga, realizing how stupid he was of saying that, looked at Ayame. "Ayame…I didn't mean that…but…you see. The truth is I don't want to marry you at all. I want to be friends but-marriage? It's just too much."

Ayame held her breath as she heard the terrible news. "Kouga…then why didn't you tell me earlier? If you could've told me earlier…I could've-I could've-"

Kagome waited for her to finish.

"I could've not fallen in love with you!"

Kouga widened his eyes. He spoke slowly. "A-Ayame…you…" he took a breath. "You love me?"

"Of course I do idiot! But-you always seem to try and run away from my love. Can't you see that I love you as much as my life! Kouga-" Ayame stopped.

Kouga waited. "What?"

"I want to know. Who do you love? Kagome or me?"

Kouga looked at Kagome and then at Ayame. "Kagome, first, let me ask you this. Who do you love? Inuyasha…or…me…"

Kagome gulped. How was this suddenly turned to me! "Uh-uh…" Kagome saw that Ayame too was interested. "Uh-u-uh…"

Kouga focused on Kagome. "Well…" his heart beated fast.

Kagome couldn't take it anymore. "L-Let me think about it!"

Ayame gave a pitiful smirk. "Heh."

"Hey!" Kagome yelled. "That wasn't very nice!"

"You're so stupid. 'Let me think about it' Stupidity! If you really loved Inuyasha or Kouga, you'd be able to tell right here, right now, right in our faces!"

Kagome bit her bottom lip. Ayame-chan's right…oh great…

Kouga grabbed her hand. Kagome could tell he was angry. But she couldn't tell if he was angry at her or Ayame. "Ayame! I don't think we need you here! Kagome, follow me!"

Kagome, dragged by Kouga, looked back at Ayame. Her face was awfully hurt, sad…broken. "Kouga-" she began.

"Quiet!" he yelled. Kagome widened her eyes. Geez…what's up with Kouga-kun…?

"Kagome!" Kouga yelled as the two approached outside.

Kagome got angry. She poked a finger at Kouga. "Kouga! You are so mean to Ayame-chan! Don't you know that she's hurt right now?"

"Kagome…" Kouga softened his voice.

"Don't Kagome me! Kouga, you better go apologize to Ayame right now!"

Kouga gave her a look. "Do I really have to…?"

Kagome gulped. "Yes…!"

Kouga sighed. "Geez…"

Kagome realized how awful she must sound. "Wait-Kouga. First, I guess I should tell you my answer first, huh…?"

Kouga looked back. "Yeah…" he could feel his heart throb once more.

"Well…" Kagome looked at the dark sky. "Inuyasha is really cool and he's…well, I always had a crush on him. But, when I saw him with Kikyo, of course I got jealous, he was so happy. I had never seen him smile so happily in my whole life. I soon began to feel my love for him disappear. I no longer…liked him. But-Kouga…uh…well. I really like you but-well…I-" Kagome took a breath. She looked at Kouga. "I don't love you the way I-I loved Inuyasha…" her eyes wandered to the ground.

The two were silent for a while. "I'm going now…" Kouga said. "To apologize…well…that was all I needed to hear. But-Kagome, before you go, I just wanted to tell you that You were always my number one, even when Ayame and I were supposed to get married."

Kagome widened her eyes. "I said what I wanted to say…but why do I feel so awful…" she said.

"Ayame…"

Ayame stood up. "Kouga! You meanie! I've thought about what you said-and-and…"

"Gomenasai."

"Nani?"

Kouga looked away and hesitantly hugged Ayame. "Gomenasai. I shouldn't have scolded at you. I shouldn't have said we don't need you here."

Ayame bit her lip. "Kouga…I know you're lying."

"I'm not okay!" his eyes were painful. "I-I just can't love anymore…well, yet."

Ayame sighed. "Okay…but-but I really love you."

Kouga looked down. Is this what I am destined to? To marry the one I don't even love! Kagome…

BAM! The door flung open.

"Kouga!"

Kouga turned. "Ka…go…me…" Kagome had tears falling down her cheeks.

Kagome ran to him and hugged him. "You made me realize that-that…" she took a breath and wiped her tears.

"Uh…?"

"The one I love is…you Kouga…"

Kouga closed his eyes and rested his head on Kagome's head. "Kagome.."

Ayame sighed. This just isn't working… Ayame walked upstairs to her room. "Kouga…be happy. I love you, remember that."

Kouga looked at Ayame. Her eyes were near tears but she fought to keep them back. "Good night." He said.

Ayame weakly smiled. "G-Good night…"

"Kouga…I have to go. I came here to say that I'm leaving to Okinawa."

"WHAT!"

"I also wanted to say that…I always thought I loved Inuyasha. But I soon realized that I could never do anything for him. That's when I also realized that I had feelings for you."

Kouga hugged Kagome tighter. "Kagome…"

"I have to go." Kagome broke the hug. Then slowly walked out.

"I'll call you on your cell phone everyday and write and email. Kagome…I love you."

Kagome nodded. Kouga fought himself to not run to Kagome and hug her again. At last, he finally went to his room.

The next morning, when Kouga went to check on Ayame there was a note. It read: Dear Kouga,

I love you but…it seems I can't please you like Kagome. Please be happy. I'm going back to my grandpa and going to explain that I can't marry you.

-Ayame

Kouga closed his eyes. Ayame-chan…

A/N: Okay, TigerFantasy, I'll answer your questions. First: No, I'm not Japanese. Second: yeah, my cuzin's girlfriend is Japanese so I just learn it from her.