A/N (Calum the Angel) Now, I know it's Kagome/Inuyasha all they way, but... Geez, if you don't want Hojo, I'll gladly take him off your hands! I think all of you Hojo-haters out there are losing sight of the fact that in real life, most people would kill for a guy like Hojo. Please, let me kill for you, Hojo... =mysterious murders start occurring=

Kagome sat in her chair, staring at the clock on the wall.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

It was nearly seven. Kagome had been sitting in that chair all evening. She had a stack of books next to her to read, but she was not in the mood for reading.

After Naraku's defeat, Inuyasha had used the completed Shikon Jewel to transform himself into a human. Kikyo had chosen that moment to intervene, and without any of his old demonic stubbornness, he willingly followed her into the bowels of hell.

So Kagome had bid farewell to all her old friends, come back through the well and started dating her true love, Hojo!

She glanced over at her gorgeous brunette hunk. He turned the page of his newspaper, and seemed to notice Kagome's eyes on him. He peered at her over his half-moon spectacles and shot her a handsome, purely chaste grin. Kagome smiled back. Hojo returned to his newspaper.

Kagome stifled a sigh. Her friends had been pressuring her for so long to date a normal guy like Hojo. They were quite convinced that she was seeing Inuyasha, but little did they know that Kagome had never thought of Inuyasha as anything more than a friend. While her heart may have played tricks on her from time to time, deep within her soul, she had always known that she and Hojo were meant to be.

So a month ago, the big day had come. Kagome, 22 years old and married to Hojo, was...

...bored out of her mind.

As dangerous as Feudal Japan had been, searching for shards of the Shikon Jewel, she actually missed the adventure, the intrigue, the mystery, the romance, the humour, the angst, the good times, the bad times, and the distinct lack of indoor plumbing.

"Um, Hojo..."

"Yes, dear?" Hojo said, pulling the newspaper down from in front of his perfect, super-sexy face.

"Do you want to do something tonight?"

"Do something? Why would you want to do something?"

"Well... Sometimes, something can be fun."

Hojo waggled his index finger. "Too much fun can lead to bad habits."

Kagome paused for a moment. "But... We haven't done anything fun for the full month we've been together. We haven't the marriage..."

Hojo nearly choked. "Kagome! Language!"

"Oookay..." Kagome said slowly. "Why don't we go out?"

"Where would you like to go?"

Kagome thought about this for a moment. "We could go...to a club."

"A club?!" Hojo exclaimed. "That's where all the loose women prowl! I would never dream of going into a place like that!"

"A bar?"

"And consume alcohol? You must be joking! What example would I be setting for the underage gentlemen there?"

"A show?"

"I looked at all the movies playing. All of them rated PG and up. Movies these days... Can't they make something for the whole family to enjoy?"

"Dinner?"

Hojo laughed. "But Kagome, we've already had dinner! Don't be silly!"

Kagome was running out of ideas. She sighed and slumped back in her chair. Her eyes wandered around the room, searching desperately for something to occupy herself with. Then, she spotted it... There was a spider on the ceiling!

"Hojo! Watch out!" Kagome shouted, jumping to her feet and pointed at the spider heroically. "There's a spider on the ceiling! You have to destroy it!"

"And kill another living creature?" Hojo said. "Shame on you, Kagome. That little spider has just as much right to live as you or me. He just wants some company."

Kagome, still pointing up at the spider heroically, deflated. Her arm dropped back to her side and she slumped back down into her chair. Then, she spotted something else...

"Hojo!" Kagome shouted, sitting at the edge of her chair and pointing at the site of disturbance. "Look at the coffee table! Some of those papers are slightly askew!"

Hojo gasped. "Oh, my goodness, gracious me!"

He dropped his newspaper and dove for the coffee table. He arranged the pile of papers neatly until they were perfectly stacked.

"Thanks, Kagome," he sighed in relief. He got back into his chair and picked up his newspaper. "If you hadn't told me about that, who knows what kind of mess could have been made?"

Kagome nodded and smiled happily. That was the most exciting thing that had happened all day! ... Was this really what it had come down to? Papers gone slightly askew was her greatest adventure in life now?

"Hojo..." she mumbled.

"Yes, apple-peach?"

"I'm... I'm..." she stammered. Finally, she mustered up all the courage she had and blurted out, "I'M BORED!"

"Use your indoor voice," Hojo hushed.

Kagome curled up in her chair indignantly and crossed her arms. She began to think that maybe she should have secured Inuyasha as more than just a good friend. He had pretty silver hair and adorable doggy ears; slaughtered big evil demons with a giant sword and wicked claws; vowed to protect her, though reluctantly; had a sweet disposition when he wasn't yelling at her constantly; cheated on her with Kikyo; tried to kill her on a few occasions when they first met.

And what did Hojo do? He brought her gifts with nothing else in mind than her well-being; invited her out to lunch or to the movies; was understanding about her responsibilities in the Feudal Era; visited her when she was ill; was generally a sweet, caring, all-round nice guy, and not bad-looking either.

Clearly, Inuyasha was--!

...

Wait a minute...

What could Kagome have possibly been thinking? Sure, Inuyasha was okay sometimes... But Hojo was great twenty-four seven!

DING!

"My apple-peach muffins are ready!" Hojo exclaimed. He dropped his newspaper on the floor, placed his spectacles on the table next to his chair and made for the kitchen.

"I'll help you!!!" Kagome shrieked. She leapt out of her chair and linked arms with the incredibly sexy Hojo, and they walked to the kitchen to prepare muffins; together!