A/N: OMG, I'M SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY! T.T I know, I know, shame on me! Everyone can just come over and smack me on the head now.. -.- Thank you to all those that reviewed! You don't know how much they mean to me. SO ANYWAYS..! MY WRITING IS EXTREMELY RUSTY, SO PLEASE EXCUSE MY BAD CHAPTER! Thaaaaaaaank you!

Disclaimer: I don't own the anime/manga of "InuYasha", it belongs to a great person named Rumiko Takahashi.

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Chapter 12: Reluctance

"Er, Hojo-kun arigato.. for inviting me."

The brown-haired boy blushed and rubbed the back of his head, a smile spreading over his features. The teenage girl couldn't help but grin back at his adorable expression.

'Hojo-kun is always so shy it seems like. It's kind of cute actually.' Kagome tilted her head and studied the classmate's face a little longer. 'He's always so optimistic and full of energy.. He's almost perfect, but.. I don't know.. I kind of feel bad for not returning his feelings…'

"Nothing to thank me for," he replied. He handed her the strawberry smoothie that she had ordered. "I should be thanking you for accepting."

He led her to an empty table that was in front of the window and sat down. Kagome lifted her purse from her shoulders and sat it comfortably on the seat before sliding in beside it. She took in a deep breath of air and relaxed, letting the quiet chatter and music in the background take her away. It almost felt as if the last time she was able to get out and relax completely had been years ago.

'It's because ninety-eight percent of the time Inuyasha always dragged me back to look for more Shikon shards..' She thought a bit amusedly.

As Kagome stared out the window with melancholy eyes and drifting mind, Hojo had his coffee colored eyes fixated on the girl in front of him; her wavy ebony hair was falling gracefully down to her back, framing her slender face and making her large gentle eyes stand out even more. She was wearing a quarter sleeve shirt- the sleeves being a pale gray color and the shirt white and a claret colored skirt that fell a little past her knees, the shirt hugging her slim figure and the skirt simple but flowing in an elegant way.

'Does Kagome even realize how breath taking she looks?'

"It's been too long, Higurashi." Hojo said quietly, breaking the silence.

"Eh?" Kagome asked, she shook her head from her daydream and turned her attention back to him, puzzled at the sudden comment.

"I've never really got a real chance to speak with you." He replied. Kagome nodded. It was true, Hojo-kun and her never really talked except when she needed help with her schoolwork. "I.. I wanted to tell you something for the longest time…" His sentence drifted off, and he blushed furiously while rubbing the back of his head nervously.

Kagome looked away and fidgeted in her seat uncomfortably. She could already tell what he was going to say. For the past two years that they've known each other, he's made it all but obvious that he liked her. Did he think that none of her classmates, friends, or herself would notice?

"…I think I li - "

"When does the movie start?" Kagome quickly interrupted. She flinched at her abrupt rudeness. For some reason, something inside her didn't want to hear the words that he was about to say.

"Oh." Hojo-kun blinked, distracted for the moment. He looked down at his watch and stood up. "We should get going now."

Kagome nodded, retrieved her purse and drink before following behind.

The journey to the nearby movie theater was quiet- Hojo was evidently preoccupied with his own thoughts and made no attempt to talk on the way. Kagome was somewhat relieved, for she was in no mood to chat. All she wanted was to relax and have a decent day without having to think about her problems.

They paid and entered #15 and gaped at the amount of people that was already inside. The movie was called "Owari nai Yume" and it seemed like it was an awfully popular movie.. Because there were too many couples in there for Kagome's taste.

The movie was very good, it was a romance/comedy/fantasy/action kind of thing. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and Kagome found herself being drawn deeper and deeper into the movie- and for some reason, the more she watched, the more it seemed that she could relate herself to the main character.

Halfway through the movie, when Kagome was practically going to fall off the edge of her seat, she felt something warm settle itself hesitantly across the shoulders. She immediately tensed and lost her concentration.

'Wait… what just happened?'

Suddenly, as quick as a switch, scene after scene filed themselves once after another in Kagome's mind:

A room with books.

A beautiful sunset.

Happiness.

A warm embrace.

Heart-breaking sorrow.

Comforting words.

Please stop crying An unfathomable voice.

A kiss.

Confusion.

Kagome blinked and appeared back in reality. Her eyes prickled with unshed tears and Hojo was looking back at her with worried, bewildered eyes.

"Higurashi? Are you alright?" He asked her quietly. He quickly withdrew his hand from her shoulders. "I'm sorry if I - "

"No! No, it's not you." She cried out. Nearby couples turned their stares onto them. She blushed and lowered her voice. "It's me. Hojo-kun.. I'm really sorry.. But.. I just can't do this anymore." She fixated her gaze onto his and held his hands gently. "Please understand." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and ran out of the theater.

'I know what I must do.'

She ran as quickly as her skirt would allow her until she was at home. She slammed open the doors and leapt over the stairs, and then… she froze at the edge of the well.

Sweat trickled down her brow and her breathing came in quick gasps. The damp wood beneath her fingers was cold compared to her hot skin and it was then that Kagome realized how much she missed her friends.

It had been two months since she had left the Sengoku Jidai, and Inuyasha had not once came and retrieved her.

Kagome took a deep breath and tried calm her nerves.

'Do I really want to go back and face Inuyasha…?'

A quick flash of silver hair and intense impassive eyes flickered across Kagome's eyes.

'And Sesshoumaru?'

Fingers clenched themselves in a fist as copious feelings threatened to overflow.

'I've been running away long enough..' She decided finally. And with a final sharp intake of breath, she leapt over the edge and into swirling diaphanous infinite of blue.

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"What is that?"

Aurous eyes turned and glared at the place that was questioned. Far beyond, near the horizon, a hideous purple aura was visible. Dark storm clouds were gathered over there, and acute eyes could see millions of youkai making their way in that direction.

"Do you suppose it's Naraku?" Rasped the toad, Jaken.

"Most likely," replied a smooth voice. We find that our Taiyoukai was standing beside the window within his library, looking out over the distance. The minion had found that his master seemed to like visiting the library more often after the ningen female had left.

"What are you planning to do, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

The Lord of the West remained silent. Sesshoumaru's sensitive nose suddenly picked up a scent that he had missed so much, but would never admit it. Roses and jasmine.

"Meep! Kagome-oneesama!" A squeal of delight came from below.

"KAGOME!" A kitsune's voice joined in.

Jaken turned and faced the doorway.

"It seems like the ningen has returned… ARGH!" The crony was unexpectedly shoved aside by somebody's foot, and when he was finally able to get up again, he found that his master was gone.

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Sesshoumaru arrived outside just in time to see Sango leap off of the transformed fire Neko and turn around to help a certain young miko off. Rin and Shippo ran forward and leapt into her open arms.

The air hitched in his throat. Kagome looked stunning as ever.

Red suddenly caught the corner of his eye and he spied Inuyasha approaching the teenage girl as she was setting the younglings down. They exchanged greetings and a bright smiled spread across Kagome's features. But that didn't prepare the taiyoukai for what would happen next.

They embraced each other.

It was tentative, but a hug none the less.

An unwanted guttural growl came from the Inu youkai and he turned his back to the scene and went back inside his castle..

-

"Eh!" Kagome exclaimed. Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha all nodded in unison. Rin cocked her head in confusion.

"Pretty lady is leaving Rin?" Asked Rin.

"Apparently so." Kagome answered regretfully.

"But why?"

Kagome knelt down until she and Rin were eye-to-eye.

"Onee-san has to go fight some bad guys." She tried to explain.

"Not only that, Sesshoumaru's kicking us out." Inuyasha added. Miroku nudged Inuyasha playfully on the shoulder.

"Not exactly. He just finds you too annoying to deal with." He teased.

"Keh."

"We should start going now." Sango commented. Kagome nodded and took her bow and quiver of arrows from Inuyasha's hand.

"Do we have to?" Shippo complained loudly.

"Shippo-chan, come back and play with Rin soon, okay?" The little girl grinned toothily.

Shippo smiled back and left an acorn in her hand. "Yeah, I will."

"Common!" Inuyasha called. Kagome turned to see that the others were already ahead. Kagome gave Rin another hug and caught up with the others.

As they walked further and further away from the castle, Kagome felt more and more depressed.

"What's wrong?" The Tajiya asked from beside her.

"Nothing.. But I didn't even get the chance to say bye to Sesshoumaru." She said softly. Miroku gave Inuyasha a side glance. The hanyou was staring straight ahead, his arms crossed, a grim expression set on his face.

"But he didn't come out to say bye-bye to us." Shippo chirped from Kirara's back. Kagome remained silent.

But as the group continued over a grassy hill, Kagome stayed behind for a minute and looked back to the castle, topaz eyes searching.

-

Sesshoumaru was standing on the veranda outside of the room that Kagome had stayed in, watching as the group almost disappeared over the hill. The wind tousled the lord's long silver hair behind him and made the white gossamer curtains behind him dance.

A recognizable figure abruptly stopped on top of the hill. Sesshoumaru drew in a sharp breath. It was Kagome.

Topaz and gold clashed over the distance, and Sesshoumaru felt a strange longing to run over and convince her to stay.

'I'm a powerful Taiyoukai. I will not be wavered by this mere human.' The usual emotionless side of him pushed at his mind, rebelling against the unfamiliar feelings that stirred within him.

"Farewell Kagome. Until we meet again." Sesshoumaru uttered. The soft words fell onto the breeze that carried them away.

The miko smiled sadly from across the expanse that separated them and raised a hand in goodbye before vanishing from Sesshoumaru's sight...

'Sayonara Sesshoumaru.'

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YAYS! I hope that chapter was long enough for you. If not.. I'm sorry! Once again, I'm extremely sorry for my bad writing for this chapter and for not updating in like EVER. Oh yea! Just a side note, personally I'm really for Kagome/Inuyasha pairing, but I just wanted to experiment a bit for those Kagome/Sesshoumaru fans. If you like Kag/Inu, please check out my other fanfic "Will I Ever"!

Please review! But I understand if you don't want to, it's understandable. It'll be a punishment for me not updating. -sweat drop-

THANKS FOR READING EVERYONE!

-SingleGlassRose