Kagome reached forward and grabbed the popcorn bowl. Throwing several pieces of popcorn into her mouth, she regarded Sango with The Look. You know those looks your friends give you that say, I'll-listen-for-now-but-I-still-think-you're-crazy-about-this-whole-idea-so-I'll-just-pretend-to-pay-attention-so-you-don't-kill-me. Well, that's what Kagome called it at least. And that was the look she was giving Sango.
"Okay," Kagome started. "You're saying I need to get a new boyfriend." That was the idea Sango had. Really. That was it. Sango nodded enthusiastically and Kagome pinned her with a dark glare. "Why?"
Sango blinked and chewed the popcorn in her mouth thoughtfully. "I have my reasons," she concluded after swallowing her popcorn. Translation: I know where all your personal stuff is and I will blackmail you if you don't go along with my idea.
Kagome stared. "...Who are you going to get me to date?" Sango chuckled menacingly. Kagome didn't have a good feeling about this anymore. Dread settled in the pit of her stomach. That was when Miroku bounded into the room. Sango stopped chuckling to glare at him and Kagome was ignoring the both of them, watching the movie her and Sango had put on earlier.
"Ah, fair ladies," he cried, gesturing to them wildly. "I have come to protect you from-!" Sango took it as her duty to hurl the popcorn bowl right at Miroku's head to make him shut up. It hit him right in the middle of his forehead.
Kagome sighed and pointed at the floor. "Sango, did you have to throw the popcorn? It was the last pack left." Now scattering the floor was the buttery yellow popcorn kernels that had been in the bowl only minutes before.
Sango frowned at Miroku's form and said, "Of course I had to, unless you wanted to hear him talk all night." Miroku bounced back up and walked over to Sango. He commented on something, but Kagome didn't catch it since she was paying attention to the movie again. Sango answered back with a smack. Really, one day Kagome was going to have to lock those two in a closet so they would stop fighting so much.
Sango pushed Kagome out the door and slammed it shut. "Really Kagome, you should trust me on this." Kagome turned; a low growl ripping through her.
"Sango, you want to set me up with somebody I don't even know," Kagome deadpanned. Sango just smiled and patted Kagome on the shoulder.
They walked the next floor and they noticed yelling was coming from Kouga's apartment, which was right above Kagome's and Inuyasha's. Suddenly the door flew open and a small kid was thrown out.
"I'm not a raccoon, I'm a-," SLAM! "-fox!" The kid yelled. Sango blinked at him and laughed.
"Shippo," she said, "Kouga's never, ever going to think you're a fox." The kid turned around, squealed, and launched himself at Sango.
The kid turned to Kagome and stared. Kagome, however, was awed at how cute he was. He had bright orange-red hair pulled up into a little ponytail and the largest, greenest eyes she had even seen. This time it was Kagome who squealed. She picked up the boy and hugged him. He hugged back. Sango just laughed hysterically at it all.
With tears in her eyes (from laughing so hard), Sango said, "Kagome this is Shippo. Shippo, Kagome." Shippo suddenly wriggled out of Kagome's arms and hopped to the ground. He turned and gave her a small bow.
"Nice to meet you, Kagome," he said. He then turned to Sango. "Sango, Auntie Kaede wants to see you, she said it was important." Sango raised a dark eyebrow to Shippo. Shippo grinned and shrugged his shoulders.
Sango turned and started walking towards the door that was opposite of Kouga's. Shippo raced past Sango, flung open the door and shot into the apartment. Kagome whispered to Sango, "Who's Kaede?"
Sango smiled and stopped when they were in front of the open door. "Kaede is an old shrine maiden. She used to work for a shrine in Kyoto but came out here when her mother died." Kagome stared at Sango with wide eyes. "Soon, she decided to stay in Tokyo to keep an eye on her-," Sango paused and grimaced, then continued, "-her niece. She found Shippo in an orphanage and adopted him." The smile reappeared. "She's really nice. You and she will probably get along."
Kagome nodded and followed Sango into the apartment. The place was cozy. Pictures and knickknacks covered every available space and it had a homey, lived in feel to it. Her gaze was caught by an old woman walking out from a room and coming up to Sango. "Sango, how are you?"
Sango bent down and hugged the woman, who Kagome assumed was Kaede. "I'm doing fine," Sango said, as she let go of Kaede, "I just wanted to see how your trip to Kyoto was."
"It was wonderful." Kaede smiled and showed Sango a small draw-string bag she was holding. "This is for Kirara." Sango grinned widely and took the bag.
"Thanks Kaede," she said while throwing an arm around the woman.
Kaede brushed several graying strands of hair away from her eyes. "Not a problem." She turned and saw Kagome. A surprised look crossed the old woman's features. "What are you doing here?"
Sango laughed, while Kagome looked at Kaede in confusion. "Kaede…This isn't your niece." Kagome frowned at that statement. Why did people in this apartment building keep mistaking her for someone else? First, it had been Inuyasha. Then, Kouga had called her a look-alike. Also, on the first day Sango met her, Sango had dashed into her and muttered something to herself about how Kagome had looked like 'somebody'. Okay, so that was only three people, but it had been three people she really hadn't known. Was it Kaede's niece that Inuyasha had mistaken her for?
Kagome was suddenly brought out of her inner rambling by Sango shaking her shoulder. Kagome noticed Kaede was staring and a light flush covered her cheeks. "Um…" she stuttered out. "I'm Kagome."
Kaede eyed her warily. "Kaede," she said stiffly.
Sango frowned and gave Kaede's shoulder a light push. "She's nothing like your niece, so don't be mean."
Shippo suddenly popped out nowhere (Kagome jumped in surprise of the sudden appearance, but Sango and Kaede both seemed used to it) and nodded furiously. "Yep. Kagome's nothing like her. Kagome's nice."
Kaede bowed to Kagome. "I am sorry. You just look a lot like my niece."
Kagome smiled politely. "It's okay. I've heard."