A/N: Okay, I'm in a good mood today, so I'll comment to the flock of readers that follow my story and review.

Okay, with the Suuichi thing...I actually had that as one of my first ideas. Considering I started this story way back in April...it's a wonder I could still remember it. Your welcome for the warning if you heeded it. If you didn't, it's your own fault. I think that it'd be fun to have another person in your head, if only for the fact that you could annoy them as much as you wanted and never be alone.

As to questions...

Kiss at the end of the date? You'll have to find out. Right now the date is turning out to be completely different from my origional plans. I was planning on the kiss, but it might not happen. Just depends on how it flows.

Will they turn back into a fox? I think that has to be a given. They still have the curse, if you can remember from way back when. As soon as it's broken they won't!

Kags finds out Yuuki is gone...again: I don't think she will. Methinks she'll be too busy on her date to notice anything missing.

Alright, those are the only ones I can really answer right now. Other ones I either don't know the answer itself or I can't answer without spoiling future events. (The ones I have planned, at least...)

To people who suggested stuffs: Thank you! Please keep suggesting things as they come to mind, because I'm sure to use most of them!

Note: This chapter is NOT Beta-ed yet. Please disregard all spelling and gramatical errors for the moment. It also may be revised. I'll let you know in the next chapter.

Kagome and Suuichi both laughed as Himitsu brought her story to a close, ending with a flourish. Himitsu's own date was too busy staring at her to pay attention.

Suuichi took a small, discreet breath to calm himself before finishing off the last bite of his meal. It had been a particularly tasty bit of chicken, and both Suuichi and Youko appreciated the change in meats.

No more steak after we get through with this, Youko commented.

Suuichi put the fork back onto the table and glanced at Kagome, who was still stifling laughter.

I wonder what she gets about that story that we don't.

Suuichi shrugged mentally. I'm sure it's a girl thing.

Youko scoffed. It's never a girl thing.

Kagome finally calmed down, only to begin toying with her food. Himitsu, who never missed a thing but didn't always mention that fact, looked worridly at her friend. "Kagome, you alright?"

Kagome blinked and looked up to find two people staring at her (as Himitsu's date was preoccupied). She had been thinking about what her boss had told her, listing the consequences of her choices if she chose to refuse him. She had just been figuring that she should just quit and keep Himi out of this when she had been interrupted.

"Oh," she said, placing a false smile on her face, "I'm fine. Just thinking."

Himitsu, who had been the first to finish eating, gave her friend a look that told Kagome she didn't believe her. However, she didn't pursue the subject, instead turning to interrogate the red head. "So, Suuichi, tell dear Kags and I what you do for a living."

I hope you have an idea of what to say, 'cause I don't, Youko whispered.

Suuichi's mind began to whirr, thinking up different possibilities. "I, uh, travel."

Himitsu leaned forward, swatting her date's hand away from her. "Travel, huh? I've always loved to travel. Where do you go? What do you do?"

Kagome, too, began to listen intently. Suuichi's mind began to think of different possibilities that he could say without giving anything away about spirit world or his true nature.

"Well, all over. I- sell time shares," he proclaimed.

Nice. Couldn't be more uninteresting, could you? Youko shook his head sadly.

I'd like to see you come up with something better. And why are you so worried about what I say my job is? Last time I checked, you didn't like human women.

Instead of answering, Suuichi felt Youko pull back. He turned to listen to Himitsu, who had been talking about the different places she had visited in her life. He caught Kagome glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. She turned away, blushing somewhat, moments later.

"-and we stayed there for over a week. I missed more school than we had planned to, but it was a great place? Ever been?"

Suuichi cursed his inattentiveness. "Um, I don't think so," he supplied instead.

"Too bad. Rome is the best place to visit." She turned to Kagome, changing the topic so fast that both adults became slightly dizzy. "Kags, you know something?"

Kagome blinked and shook her head. Himitsu leaned over, her arms on the table in between them. "I just may have to steal your date."

Before anyone could say anything, a young voice spoke out in disbelief. "Kagome?"

Kagome looked up and came face to face with an old classmate. His brown hair had been shortened since high school, but that was the only difference. He still had the same baby face, his brown eyes were still as innocent as before.

"Houjo!" she exclaimed. "How are you?"

Houjo smiled and flushed a bit, scratching the back of his head. "I've been okay. What about you? I haven't heard from you in ages."

Kagome laughed slef-conciously. "Yeah, I've been busy."

Himitsu, eyeing the young busboy, kicked her friend. Kagome yelped and glared at her friend. "Kagome, aren't you going to introduce us?"

Kagome kicked her friend back before clearing her throat. "Houjo, that's my friend Himitsu and her date." She then turned to Suuichi. "And this is my date, Suuichi."

Houjo, King of Oblivion, smiled and held out a hand to Suuichi. "Nice to meet you, sir."

Suuichi lifted his hand to grasp Houjo's, keeping his face indifferent.

It was hard. A new feeling had risen up inside him, threatening to take over. He could hear Youko growling in the background. Apparently this beast affected both of them. He held it in check, this creature, and kept his voice even when he said "a pleasure to meet you". He didn't like the way this boy looked at Kagome.

That in itself should have been disturbing. A pet falling for it's master? It was unheard of. Suuichi quickly squashed the feeling and forced himself to believe that he was just doing her a favor. Freeing her from her friend's nagging about not having a boyfriend. Right.

Kagome, getting increasingly annoyed at Houjo's conversation choice about when she used to miss classes a lot in junior high, decided that they were ready to leave. The only good thing about this was that Suuichi seemed too deep into thought to really pay attention.

"Houjo, it was lovely talking to you again, but we have to get going," she said at the first break in his speech she could find. Throwing down enough money to pay for all of them, she added "It was really good to see you."

Suuichi felt Kagome prod him in the side and turned to her. She motioned for him to get out, and he complied shortly. Himitsu, looking slightly put out, and her date, glaring at Houjo with murder written all over his face, stood also. They began heading towards the doorway.

Kagome smiled and said to Houjo, "We should get together sometime." Then she ignored all types of mannerisms and pulled Suuichi out of the restaurant.

Himitsu attacked her friend as soon as they had walked a block. "Kagome, why didn't you tell me that the Houjo you always spoke about worked there? And was that good looking?"

Kagome shrugged. "You never asked. Besides, I found him annoying then, I find him annoying now."

Himitsu looked as if her friend had just condemned him to the darkest depths of hell. Kagome shook her head and sped up, leaving Himitsu with her not-so-bright date.

Suuichi, not wanting to be left with a crazed girl and her perverted date, matched strides with Kagome.

Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin when Suuichi spoke. He moved so silently that Kagome hadn't heard him.

"Is your friend always like that?" he asked, his hands in his pockets.

Kagome sighed. "Just about. Why?"

Suuichi shrugged. "Curious."

They were silent for a moment before Kagome continued. "What I don't get, is why most women act that way. It was the same with two of my other girlfriends."

Suuichi glanced at Kagome before looking ahead. "I guess it's a sort of game. I know it is for most men."

Kagome shook her head. "Don't get me started on that. All of my guy friends were like that before they settled down."

"Really?"

Kagome nodded. "It annoyed me so much, because two of them had been asking me out, too."

"When people act like that, it puts a label on the rest of us."

"Exactly. And then the rest of us have our chances ruined. Or we get taken advantage of!" Kagome threw her hands up in exhasperation.

"You've delt with this kind of thing a lot, then?"

Kagome took a sidelong glance at her companion. "All the time. No doubt you have, too."

Suuichi dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Naturally. It doesn't mean I like it."

"Nobody in their right mind does."

"Of course."

Silence fell over the two. For some reason, Kagome started to blush. She was just walking with her date, it wasn't like she hadn't been in this situation more than once. It was odd, though, that she would act this way towards a total stranger. Granted, he was charming, polite, good looking...

The night crept around her vision momentarily before it brightened again. Looking up, she noticed that they had both waked to the park.

"This might sound a little stupid, but would you like to swing?" Kagome asked, slightly uneasy but having no other ideas of things to do. She was halfway across town from the club her and Himitsu were going to go to, in a somewhat secluded area where the park was really the only thing around.

Suuichi smiled softly and nodded. "It's not a stupid idea. The swings were my favorite thing when I was younger."

Kagome blinked. "Me, too. Fancy that," she laughed as they approached the swing structure.

Suuichi, feeling impulsive and a little idiotic at the moment, sped up and grabbed one of the swings. Pulling it back slightly, he bowed and swept a hand out in front of him. "My lady?"

Kagome giggled, deciding to play along. "Why, thank you, good sir. I shall." She sat daintly, and lifted her feet as Suuichi released the swing. Wrapping an arm around the chain, she looked up at the sky. It was clouded with black clouds, threatening rain later.

Another bit of silence fell on the two, both left to their own thoughts as they swung with the breeze. Kagome's eyes glazed over as she remembered going to a park similar to this with her brother.

"So, Kagome," Suuichi said softly. "What do you do for a living?"

Kagome blinked and turned her head to face Suuichi. "I'm a physical therapist. I specifically work with children and adolescents."

"Really? Do you like your job?"

Kagome nodded. "I wouldn't do anything else. I like working with the children that come in. Most of the time their afraid or a bit traumatized when they meet me, so it makes me happy when they leave feeling braver or more like their old selves."

"Are there any times where you wish it had been you rather than your patients?"

"Of course. I think about it all the time. They're so young when things happen, they can adapt easily. However, most of them loose the chance to have a normal childhood. It makes you sad, if you think about it."

"I'm sure. I know that I would probably be bitter and resentful if I had lost the use of a limb or two. I couldn't imagine doing my work, the way it is now, without all of my limbs functioning."

"I wouldn't, either." Thunder growled overhead and lightening lit the shadowed area. "Looks like it's going to rain."

"We had better find somewhere dry soon, then."

Kagome stood, the swing protesting slightly. "Would you like to come over to my house for a bit? It's still pretty early."

Suuichi lifted one of his eyebrows gracefully while nodding. "As long as you don't mind, I'd love to."

End Chapter
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