It had been a month since that day, and still Kagome refused to talk about it.
"I have no idea who or what you're talking about!"
That's what she would say. She wouldn't admit her true feelings about the event. She was worried about Souta though, he seemed to be strangely quiet ever since she had told him about the news.
"Kagome, honey, how has your search for these jewel shards been going?"
Kagome sat down at the table and grabbed a piece of toast.
"Great! We've got over half of the jewel now, and hopefully, soon it will be complete!"
Mrs. Higurashi turned away from the dishes and faced Kagome with a worried look on her face.
"I hope you haven't been getting into too much trouble! Do you think you will be safe enough without Inu-Yasha there to protect you?"
Kagome stiffened at the last comment and dropped her toast. The silence and tenseness in the room was almost unbearable to her mother.
"I don't know who you're talking about. I have to go, I'll be late for school."
With that Kagome stomped out the house with her school stuff. Mrs. Higurashi looked quizzically at the clock. Late? Kagome had two hours until school started!
Kagome fumed silently as she walked to school. How could her Mom bring up that subject when Kagome had told her not to? Kagome spoke to herself out loud.
"That jerk's going to pay big-time if I ever come across him again! That stupid hanyou went and killed himself over a ghost! Idiot!"
But still, she thought that Inu-Yasha had given up on Kikyo... didn't he tell her that she was dead, and that she had changed too much? "Huh! Like I need him anyway!"
When Kagome got home home, she had a surprise waiting for her. "Kagome, honey, I have something to tell you!"
Kagome walked warily into the room. Last time her Mom gave her a surprise, it happened to be a picture of her and Inu-Yasha standing together laughing at Miroku as Sango attempted to drown him. "Er... what kind of surprise is it?"
Her mother's face peaked out from inside the living room. "Sit down in there and I'll bring you some lemonade while I tell you!"
As her Mom busied herself making the drinks Kagome was starting to become a little frantic. Whenever her Mom made lemonade for some news, it usually wasn't very good news.
"There all finished!" As Mrs. Higurashi balanced their drinks on the tray, she started explaining herself.
"I've been worrying about Souta lately. He doesn't seem to be making any new friends."
Kagome looked up at her Mom expectantly- this wasn't really very big news. She had known about it for ages.
"So I've been thinking, why don't we get someone that Souta could be friends with? Yesterday I went down to the orphanage- you know, the one down the street that has too many children- and I decided to shelter one of them until the orphanage has more room!"
Mrs. Higurashi beamed at her daughter. Clearly this was better news than Kagome expected. Kagome sighed with relief. That was fine, one little kid for some time time to cheer Souta up and then send him back.
"Yeah Mom, that sounds great! What's his name?"
At that, her Mom shrugged.
"I don't know. I don't even know how old he is! But I suppose we'll find out when he comes tomorrow."
Kagome could of jumped out of her skin! A little kid most likely her brother's age coming tomorrow? She had to go and hide all of her stuff!
"Thanks for telling me Mom! Gotta' go to my room and prepare it!" With that, Kagome zoomed up the stairs and out of sight.
Kagome ran home from school that day. She wanted to be home as soon as possible so she could help clean the house and make a good impression. When they were finished- which was in a considerably short amount of time- they showered and changed into clean clothes. Even Souta, who was usually gaunt and depressed nowadays, was running about the house shrieking- "It's almost time! It's almost time!"
Kagome was about to make him be quiet, when her mother put a hand on her arm. "Let him be. He hasn't been this happy in a long while." As soon as she said it, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" Said Kagome, almost as excited as her brother. She hurriedly patted down her hair as a last second grooming, and opened the door. Her mouth fell open from surprise, then she said, almost in awe, "Inu-Yasha?"