New Acquaintance

"What d'ya mean nothing!" he yelled indignantly.

Kagome kept her head high, vision straight and muttered absently, "Nothing."

He frowned and cursed under his breath. "You already said that, wench, now, answer me!" He had hoped that the rude name would knock her out of her current attitude.

"Keh," she muttered once again, not even bothering to glance his way once.

The boy was in near panic now. Not only that, but he was irritated to Hell. Quickly, he stepped in front of her with the help of his demon speed and stopped her in her tracks. Placing two hands on her arms, he forced her to look at him and to his surprise, he saw that she was smirking rather victoriously. Confused, he dropped his hands and stared at her.

Kagome laughed at this and smiled normally once more. "Didn't like a taste of your medicine, eh?" she questioned genuinely.

The silver haired boy glanced down ashamedly, and answered rather reluctantly, "No, not really." A gloomy look spread across his handsome features as he rapidly turned around to hide it. Hidden behind the curtain of silvery hair, he hung his head and remained silent.

Kagome smiled kindly and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. The action caused him to turn around in surprise, and he gazed straight into the bright smiles of the girl. Kagome's twinkled as she revealed that lovely smile of hers. The boy couldn't help but feel happier.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm still here, remember?" she reassured him soothingly.

At this, he remembered his stuck up attitude again and snorted. "So?" he asked contemptuously.

But Kagome didn't even flinch at his rude if not hurtful words. She kept on offering that sweet smile of hers as she lifted her hand off his shoulder to be placed at her side once more. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, enjoying the fresh morning air now that she was calm enough to do so. Her whole entire figure was at peace with the surroundings, including him. He was not only puzzled by the girl in front of him, but also intrigued by her gently nature. All of a sudden, he wanted to know more about her, who she was, where she had come from, everything. His heart thudded rapidly in his chest as he stared at the beautiful features of the girl. No one had ever made him feel like this before. It was almost as if a little piece of him was restored somehow.

Kagome turned to walk back towards the direction they came in. He quickly fell in step beside her. She didn't object. Instead, she turned her head to look at him through those warm brown eyes of hers.

"Let's start over again, hm?" she asked with grin.

"Uh, ok, sure," he muttered, his gaze fixed on her beautiful face.

"Great!" she exclaimed excitedly, as if getting to know him was the world's greatest thing. It made him feel kind of warm inside. He smiled one of his rare smiles at her, feeling happy for the first time in a long while. "My name is Kagome Higurashi, what's yours?" she glanced at him expectantly.

"Inuyasha Taisho," he said somewhat shyly. It was a name so many had turned down in disgust and disdain. It was a name so many had spat out with such venom that it made even he cringe. He braced himself for anything mean or spiteful to reach his soft ears.

He was surprised once more.

"Inu-yasha," Kagome sounded out his name slowly, as if savoring it. "That's a nice name, Inuyasha. I'm glad I met you!"

He couldn't answer because he was so surprised and stunned at her different behavior. No one had ever said his name with such kindness before. Well, almost no one, but that was his mother, and it was long in the past that he had almost all but forgotten it.

"Hey, Inuyasha?" she asked hesitantly.

Inuyasha shook his head slightly, trying to rid himself of that sappy, dopey feeling. "Ya, what?"

"Well, I was wondering if you could tell me more…more about that person you are searching for?"

He brushed aside a branch so that she could walk through. He was rewarded with another stunning smile. It made him feel really good inside. The trees offered cooling shade and the birds were chirping cheerfully once more, deciding that the threat of the loud yelling was over. He sighed before answering, "Well, what do you want to know?"

"Everything, I guess. Who that person is, what does that person look like, you know, anything."

"Well," he said again, and then paused, thinking of how to explain. "She was really beautiful, when I remembered her anyway, and she had the sweetest smile. I don't really remember much, just a kind of an instinct, an impression I guess. She was special to me, and I to her. And then one day, she just vanished out of my life, and I never saw her again. I guess it was for some reason, but she didn't even say goodbye. I guess I miss her, I guess…" he trailed off.

Again, Kagome placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "It's okay to feel sad, Inuyasha. We all do. It's nothing to be ashamed of," she soothed.

Inuyasha looked down and nodded obediently. The last person who said that to him was his mother, back when she was still alive. And, somehow, when Kagome said it, it made him feel as if being sad was a good thing again. No longer something to be mocked at as a weakness or a petty emotion. Inuyasha nodded again, not knowing what to say.

Kagome frowned for a moment as she secretly studied his sad profile. He's surrounded by such sadness and sorrow. And…pain. I wonder what happened to him. She thought to herself. In a way, it pained her to see him so sad. "Hey," she called softly, shaking his shoulder. He turned to look at her. "We can look for her together, would you like that?" she offered softly.

Again, her actions compelled him. He didn't know why she was being so kind. He was all but dead rude to her, and she wants nothing but see him happy. It was the strangest effects. "I guess so, but why would you do that?" He paused uncertainly. "Why would you do that for…me?"

Kagome just smiled once more. "Because I think you're lonely, and you need a friend. We all do."

Inuyasha smiled despite himself.

"Plus, I'm looking for someone too, and we can look together, right?"

"Ya, we could," he repeated softly.