Hidden Tears
Summary: Kikyo is the loveable and sophisticated twin, while Kagome is the plain and quiet one. What happens when Kagome gets close to someone unexpected... like Kikyo's boyfriend?
Chapter 5: Sympathy
"Hey, I'm sorry." Inu yasha apologized to Kagome. Kagome shook her head and walked back into her bedroom.
He stepped into her room and saw her take out a notepad and sat down on her desk. She turned on the little lamp on her desk and took out her pencil and began writing in it.
"Oh, uh, I'll let you have your privacy doing your homework. Sorry. Bye," Inu yasha said and hurried out the door.
When he left Kagome turned around and sighed. She continued to write in her notepad until she felt that someone was at her doorway.
She turned around and saw her mother at the doorway. "Um……"
"DON'T YOU KNOW YOU JUST EMBARRASSED ME BACK THERE?" Ms. Higurashi shouted. Kagome winced. "What are you trying to do, get people to be sorry for you? No one notices you, okay? You disgraceful child!"
Kagome slowly looked up to her mother, "I didn't mean to. I'm not trying to um, get attention or anything."
Her mother glared at her and walked up beside her desk. She looked down onto the notepad that she was writing in. "What is this?"
"N-nothing." Kagome quickly pulled the notepad away from her mother. Ms. Higurashi stared at her strangely and grabbed it from Kagome's grasp.
Ms. Higurashi quickly skimmed through the pages. "What is the meaning of this? What are you trying to do, publish your life into a book? How DARE you say you're life is a disaster! I'm giving you a place to stay, I'm giving you education, and I'm giving you the food to eat. What more could you want, you greedy child! What kind of GARBAGE is this! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO WRITE!"
"I'm just writing something for my language arts homework. It's a contest that we had to enter……" Kagome said very softly.
"FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO WRITE ABOUT."
"But I changed the character's names……."
"DON'T ARGUE WITH ME. CHANGE IT."
Kagome winced, "But I have noth—"
"I TOLD YOU TO CHANGE IT. DID YOU NOT HEAR ME!" Ms. Higurashi took the notepad and ripped it up then threw it down onto the floor.
"Please, it's not like peo—"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH! I'VE TOLD YOU SO MANY TIM—"
"MOTHER, I'M BACK!" Kikyo interrupted loudly. She stood at the doorway of Kagome's room and smiled.
Ms. Higurashi rushed to Kikyo and welcomed her. "I thought you were staying for dinner."
"Oh, um, I decided to come back instead." Kikyo said. Ms. Higurashi and Kikyo went down the stairs chattering while Kagome sat in her chair staring at the torn pieces of paper on the floor. She picked it up and stared at it for a while before throwing it into the trash.
She heard the phone ring from downstairs and ignored it. She flopped onto her bed and sighed trying to think of a new topic to write about, but she could think of nothing.
She gave up and decided to go out for a while. Kagome walked down the stairs softly, her mother turned to her and asked, "Where do you think you're going?"
"I just want to go out for a while. Take a small walk." She answered in a tiny voice.
Ms. Higurashi didn't answer and walked past Kagome to get to Kikyo. Kagome took that answer as an 'okay' and opened the door. She saw Kikyo looking at her.
"Hey, Kagome, be sure to get back before dinner." Kikyo said softly to her. Kagome nodded slightly before heading out.
Kagome walked slowly enjoying the cold wind blowing her hair. She looked up into the gray sky and inhaled the rainy scent. She decided to walk to the park and sat down at the same swing she had sat on before when she and Shippo had come here to play. She rocked slightly back and forth on the swing thinking of her mother that she had loved dearly.
FLASHBACK
"Daddy? Can you help me put on my costume?" 4-year-old Kagome said having trouble zipping up her ballet costume. She and Kikyo were about to have a their first performance based on the 'Nutcracker' for ballet.
Her father came to her smiling at her dearly, "You look just like a real ballerina, Kagome." He zipped up her costume and looked at her then smiled again.
"Daddy, Daddy! What about me?" Kikyo came running up to her father showing off her tutu and doing a pirouette.
Mr. Higuashi chuckled, "Of course, beautiful as always."
"Where's mommy?" Kagome asked. "She said she'd be here and help us do our make-up."
"She's coming, don't worry. She's probably on her way right now. Now, your mom is trying her hardest to come here on time, that's a big thing she's doing for you two ballerinas, so when she comes, I want you to give her a big hug, okay?" Mr. Higurashi said.
"Okay!" Kikyo and Kagome said in unison.
It had already been 30 minutes since they were waiting for Mrs. Higurashi to arrive, but she never did. Mr. Higurashi began to get worried and decided to call her cell.
"Are you sure she's coming, daddy?" Kikyo asked.
Her dad smiled at her and nodded, "I'm going to call her right now and see if anything is wrong."
"THE PERFORMANCE WILL BEGIN IN 15 MINUTES, DANCERS, PLEASE BE READY." An announcer's voice boomed from the intercom.
"Daddy, it's going to start!"
Mr. Higurashi listened to the phone ringing and ringing, but no one picked up. Mr. Higurashi was about to hang up until a man answered the phone, "Hello?"
"Uuh, Hi," Mr. Higurashi said confused. He could hear sirens in the background and loud voices. He could hear people running back and forth in hurry. "Can you get my wife on the phone?"
"This is Mr. Higurashi?" The man asked in a serious voice.
"Yes."
The man sighed, "This is Officer Natsuro, I have some bad news."
Mr. Higurashi's heat pounded. Something had happen, and it was bad. "What do you mean? What are you talking about? Get my wife on the phone."
"We have to talk……" The officer said wearily.
"No, I want to talk to my wife. Please get her on the phone."
"Mr. Higurashi, I can't. She's gone. She was speeding and the road was slippery, her car crashed and fell of the cliff. We found her body an hour ago and she was……"
Kagome saw her father's face turn pale. "Daddy, what's wrong?"
Mr. Higurashi hung up and turned to her daughters, "We have to go."
Kikyo and Kagome started protesting. "Where's mommy? I thought she'd come!"
He turned to his two daughters and sighed, "Girls, mommy's gone."
END OF FLASHBACK
Kagome sighed at the memory. Her mother died, and then soon, a couple of months later, her father married a woman named, Harumi Fuwa. Harumi had always treated Kikyo like her own daughter, but somehow treated Kagome totally different.
At the age of 14, her father had to move to the U.S. in order to continue his job working hard to keep his company in good shape. While coming back from the U.S. to visit Kagome, Kikyo, and Harumi, the plane that Mr. Higurashi was in had crashed. After the tragic accident, all the money that Mr. Higurashi had made was left to Harumi. Kagome never understood why her father had married Harumi; it was obvious she had married him for his money.
When Kikyo came back home with a new boyfriend, Inu yasha, Ms. Higurashi was delighted to know that his father owned a huge company that made lots of money. Ms. Higurashi quickly started talking about how much money they would have if Kikyo married Inu yasha. It disgusted Kagome on how sick her stepmother was.
Kagome stood up and noticed that someone was behind her. She quickly turned around and saw Inu yasha standing there. Her eyes widen.
"Hey," Inu yasha said giving her a grin. "Couldn't stand your mom?"
"No, I couldn't." She said in a really soft voice.
Inu yasha cleared his throat trying to think of something to say. "Oh, you and Kikyo are having a party this Friday aren't you?"
"What do you mean?" Kagome asked confused.
"I saw Kikyo making invitations for your birthday and hers." Inu yasha explained.
"Oh…" Kagome never knew anything about having a party on Friday. She hadn't ever celebrated her birthday in such a long time. But then, what was the point of having a party if she had no friends to invite?
"You walked really far." Inu yasha said.
Kagome looked at him confused, "Huh?"
"One hour walk from your place to this park. It's far." Inu yasha observed.
She hadn't noticed she had walked that much. "Oh no, what time is it?"
"6:49"
"My mom's going to kill me." Kagome quickly bowed to him and walked away quickly.
"You're actually going to walk all the way back? That's going to take another hour." Inu yasha said. Kagome didn't answer. "I'll take you back."
"It's okay. I'm fine." Kagome whispered.
Inu yasha said, "Uh, then you want to come over to my place? I mean, Shippo keeps on asking about you. He's been wanting to talk to you again."
"It's okay."
"Er, but doesn't your mom expect you to be back by 7:00? 'Cause it's 7 right now and by the time you get back it'll be 8."
Kagome sighed. "This is useless."
Inu yasha, who was confused asked, "What is?"
"Me walking back home." Kagome said softly.
"Yeah, that's why I offered you a ride….."
No one said anything for a minute until a little boy shouted out, "KAGOMEEEEEEE!"
Kagome turned in surprised to hear her named called out. Barely anyone did this. Shippo ran up to her with a big goofy smile on his face, "You should come join us for dinner!"
"Oh, I couldn't. I have homework and I have to help my mom with chores." Kagome said quietly.
Shippo gave her a pout, "But Inu yasha is going to be mean to me!"
"No he won't. He's a nice guy." Kagome said. Her cheeks began to flush.
Shippo grabbed her hand and dragged her to Inu yasha's mansion. "No, Shippo, I really don't think this is a good idea. My mom is going to be very angry at me."
"So then call her." Shippo said gleefully. He plopped down into one of the seats with stacks of books onto in order for him to reach the table. Kagome stood near by staring at the dinning room. It was huge; the table was so long. There was a huge crystal chandelier above that was lit.
"Um, I-I really shouldn't stay here." Kagome said a little bit more loudly. She saw Inu yasha coming into the dinning room with a cordless phone in his hands.
She watched him as he dialed her home phone number, "Hello?" She heard him say. "Hey Kikyo, can you tell your mom that Kagome's going to be eating at my place for a while. Shippo wanted her here."
"Kagome's at your place?" Kikyo said from the other line, surprised.
"Yeah, I ran into her at the park. Shippo came and saw her, decided to invite her to dinner."
"Okay, sure, but I'm not sure my mom would be that pleased. I'll make up some excuse. Anyway, when I came back from your house, my mom and Kagome were arguing about something. Wasn't that pretty. Is she okay?"
Inu yasha looked at Kagome and said, "Yeah."
"Alright, make sure she comes back safely. Oh, can you please get her a ride home? I don't think it's safe for her to walk alone in the dark." Kikyo said worried.
"You won't have any trouble being a mother," Inu yasha joked. He heard Kikyo laugh at the other line. 'God, it was nice to hear her laugh. It was always so cheerful.' They said bye to each other and hung up.
Inu yasha turned to Kagome, "Um, Kikyo said she'd take care of your mom. Sit." He pulled out a chair for Kagome as she hesitantly sat down.
Kagome saw three maids carrying out big matching plates of luxurious food. One of the maids placed the plate in front of Kagome. The aroma smelled delicious. She noticed that she hadn't really eaten anything ever since yesterday's small sandwich for dinner.
She watched as Shippo hungrily dig into his dinner plate and lick his fingers to get the sauce off his fingertips.
"Shippo, learn to eat more politely." Inu yasha growled.
"So? It's not like you don't eat like this. Why should I be polite when you eat like this too?" Shippo responded.
Inu yasha glared at him, "I do not eat like a pig."
"You looked like a pig yesterday when you were eating ramen." Shippo commented.
Kagome heard the doorbell rang and saw maids rushing to open the door. To her surprise, she saw Miroku coming in. "HELLO, INU YASHA!"
"Coming for food, I see." Inu yasha said giving him a smirk, "Too poor to get your own?"
"What do you mean? I have plenty of money. I just come here to eat the delicious food your wonderful cook makes. I'm too lazy to cook for myself. Can't blame me for not having cooks." Miroku explained plopping down into a seat next to Inu yasha.
"You can't even cook, you moron." Inu yasha grumbled.
One of the same maids from before came in the dinning room again holding another plate for Miroku. He thanked her and looked at Kagome, "Oh! Uh, hey Kagome."
Kagome nodded to Miroku in reply. She saw Miroku giving Inu yasha a strange look.
"When did you two become such close friends?" Miroku said in a low voice.
Inu yasha lowered his voice, "Kikyo." Miroku's eyebrows rose and nodded with acknowledgment.
"Yes, well, Kagome, how are you doing today?" Miroku asked politely giving her one of his most 'flirtiest' grin. Inu yasha started pretending to barf. Shippo looked at Miroku in a strange look.
"Hey, Miroku, why is your smile so weird?" Shippo asked confused. Miroku immediately stopped his 'flirty' grin and frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind, it's gone." Shippo said. He suddenly perked up, "Oh! What are you two getting Kikyo for her birthday?"
"Well, I'm giving her this wonderful face product. Foundation. It actually works beautifully." Miroku said nodding.
"What the hell is foundation..……." Inu yasha asked staring at Miroku.
"Make up." Miroku replied simply.
Inu yasha cleared his throat, "Tell me, Miroku, how do you know this 'foundation' works 'beautifully? Don't tell me you actually wear all these girl make up junk, 'cause if you do, I will seriously beat the crap out of you."
Miroku stared at Inu yasha surprise, "Uh, no I don't use it. Do you think I look like the type of guy to wear 'make up'?" Miroku let out a little squeaky laugh.
"Actually you do." Inu yasha said. Kagome listened to their conversation quietly, using her fork and playing with the green broccoli in front of her.
Shippo stared at the two strangely and said, "What are you getting Kikyo then, Inu yasha?"
"Why should I tell you?" Inu yasha said stubbornly.
"I won't tell her! I promise!" Shippo said pleadingly.
"I'm so sure you won't. You're the type of person who can keep their mouth shut in order to keep a tiny, tiny secret. Of COURSE I can tell you." Inu yasha said sarcastically to Shippo. Shippo glared at Inu yasha.
Shippo turned to Kagome, "What are YOU getting her?"
"I-I don't know………yet." Kagome said looking down at her untouched plate.
"You should give her candy, like I did." Shippo said proudly. She looked at him and gave him a very tight smile.
Kagome stared down at her plate again and thought, 'everyone remembers Kikyo's birthday, and not mine. Typical, who would remember MINE? Not that I really care……'
"Hey, Inu yasha," Miroku said chewing on his dinner, "do you guys have dessert?"
"You're so rude." Inu yasha glared.
Miroku raised one of his eyebrows, "And you aren't?"
Kagome stood up from her seat, quietly. Inu yasha turned to her and asked, "You're done?" He looked at her untouched plate. Kagome nodded and thanked him quietly. She began walking out the dinning room. Opening the big heavy door from the dinning room, she looked out and saw that she had no idea how to get to the entrance.
Inu yasha came up to her and said, "Kikyo told me to take you home."
"Oh, that won't be necessary." Kagome said. "But thank you."
"Uh, but it's late right now, and dark, it's not safe for you to walk back alone in the dark." Inu yasha said slowly.
"No………it's not really that dangerous. Um, can you tell me how I can get to the front door?" Kagome asked looking around. Inu yasha sighed and told her to follow her. They reached the front door and one of Inu yasha's maid hurried up to them to open the door.
Inu yasha and Kagome stepped out as he closed the door behind them. Kagome turned Inu yasha and said, "Um, you don't need to stay out here, you should get back in, it's cold."
"Nah, I'm walking you home."
"You really don't have to trouble yourself…"
"Nope, I'm walking you home. It's not safe alone."
Kagome sighed and gave up.
"Sooo…….two more days until your party." Inu yasha said breaking the silence.
Kagome nodded. "I guess. I didn't even know Kikyo was going to let me celebrate my birthday with her. I never had a big one before."
Inu yasha stared at her. "You've never had a birthday party with friends before……..then who did you celebrate it with?"
Kagome noticed she was saying too much and just shook her head. Inu yasha noticed this and said, "You don't have to tell me, but if you do, I wouldn't tell anyone about it or anything."
Kagome nodded, "Why are you even speaking to me?"
"What?" Inu yasha said confused.
"No one ever speaks to me, other then Sango and Kikyo. Everyone else acts as if I'm not visible. So why is someone as popular as you are speaking to me? Are you just talking to me just because you pity me like Kikyo?" Kagome said in a hushed tone.
Inu yasha's eyebrows rose. "Uh, no. I don't pity you. I just want to get to know each other more and you know, uh, be friends."
"Did Kikyo tell you to try to make friends with me?"
"No……" Inu yasha said slowly. He hated lying to her like this. If he had told her the truth, she'd feel as bad as she felt right now. It was true that he DID pity her a little, but not entirely.
"Oh." Kagome said softly not believing one word Inu yasha had said.
Minutes past as the two showed up at the front porch of Kagome's house. Kagome politely bowed to Inu yasha and said, "Thanks……."
She opened the front door and saw her mother sitting on the living room couch reading a book.
"I'm home."
Ms. Higurashi grunted as a response. Kagome sighed and quietly went up the stairs to go into her room.
"Welcome back," Kikyo said. Kagome nodded at her. "Um, did you eat well?"
Again, Kagome nodded. Kagome walked into her room and shut the door quietly and began unpacking her things to start her homework.
Kagome envied Kikyo, but never let it show. She was jealous that she had somebody to care for her and love her for who she was. But Kagome didn't have any of that. She would never be loved by anyone.
"Why do all the men nowadays only care for someone's looks other than their personalities?" Kagome said aloud softly. "Why do we have to be pretty and cheerful to have someone to love you? Why do all the considerate men who actually look past someone's beauty and loves someone for who they are only exist in fairy tales?"
"Happy birthday, Kikyo!" A girl from Kagome's class greeted Kikyo and gave her a
huge present as she came in the house. Their house was filled with students that Kagome didn't recognize.
"Thank you, Azumi!" Kikyo said with a cheerful smile. Today was Kikyo and Kagome's party that Kikyo had planned. Even though it was their party, Kagome didn't receive any presents other than one from Sango, who Kagome invited. Music blasted loudly in the house as Kagome sat quietly in the corner watching Sango and Miroku dance.
"Kagome!" Shippo shouted loudly trying to get over to where Kagome was.
Kagome turned and waited for Shippo to reach her. "Yeah?"
"This is so boring! There's no candy for me to eat, and also, these people are so scary. There was this one boy who pushed me off my chair! Big people are mean, just like Inu yasha!" Shippo complained.
Kagome looked at him. "I see, you're right, it is boring. Want to go find Kikyo?" Shippo nodded eagerly. Kagome stood up from her seat and went to find Kikyo with Shippo.
"Kagome!" Sango called. Kagme and Shippo turned and saw Sango coming. "Why aren't you dancing?"
"Dance?" Kagome asked.
Sango frowned, "What's wrong, Kagome? You're supposed to be having fun right now. It's your birthday for heaven's sake!"
"You're birthday? Kagome! You and Kikyo have the same birthday! Wow! I never knew that! How come you never told me?" Shippo asked. "I would've bought more yummy candy for you too!"
"Oh, thanks, but it's okay. Sango, do you know where Kikyo is?" Kagome asked searching the crowd. Someone had changed the upbeat music into a slow tempo. People paired up and started dancing.
Sango shrugged. "Come on, dance!" Sango took Shippo and set him onto the floor, "Shippo, go ask someone to get you candy. I'm taking Kagome for a second."
"Sango, it's really okay, I don't want to dance." Kagome said silently.
"Kagome, are you sure you're okay?" Sango was about to ask Kagome another question when Mirkou tapped her on the shoulder.
"Would you like to dance with me, Sango?" Mirkou said grinning.
"If you don't touch my ass again, sure. Kagome, be right back." Sango said as Mirkou pulled her away.
Kagome sighed and walked away from the crowd once again sitting in the far corner where she was sitting before. She saw Inu yasha and Kikyo dancing happily. Something made Kagome's heart sink.
"Happy birthday, Kikyo." Inu yasha said kissing her lightly on the lips.
Kikyo giggled, "You've been saying that for the past few minutes!"
Inu yasha grinned, "I can't help it."
"I'm so lucky to have you, Inu yasha." Kikyo said softly leaning her head against his chest as they slowly moved with the music.
"And I'm lucky to have you." Inu yasha said. He looked behind and saw Kagome sitting in the corner alone watching everyone dancing. No one had asked her to dance even if it was her birthday. Actually, most of the people had forgotten it was her birthday.
"Inu yasha? What are you looking at?" Kikyo asked and turned her head to see what he was staring at. Kagome had stood up and left the room into the kitchen.
Kikyo frowned. This wasn't supposed to happen. Kagome was supposed to be having a good time. She sighed; no one was going to ask her to dance. "Do you mind dancing with Kagome for a little bit?"
Inu yasha's head snapped back to Kikyo. "What?"
"Kagome's not having any fun. This is like her everyday birthday party she has every year. I mean, she's not dancing, she's not eating, and she's not talking to anyone. I feel so bad!"
"And so you're going to make me dance with her…are you sure about this?"
"Please? Who else would dance with her? You're the only one." Kikyo said.
Inu yasha sighed. "Fine, but I'm doing this for you because you're my birthday girl."
Kikyo smiled and gave him another kiss.
Kagome sat down at the counter and put her head down. This was stupid; there was nothing to do. She got up and got herself a glass of water and sat back down onto the counter. She stared at the kitchen clock: 1:30. There was another three hours of nothing to do but sitting around alone.
A couple minutes passed as Kagome heard another slow song being played. She decided to close her eyes for a bit until someone tapped her on the shoulders.
Kagome's head slowly turned and saw Inu yasha standing there.
"Want to dance with me?"
A/N: I am SOO sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time. Like I said, school started and I have barely anytime to write anymore. But I'm trying! Thanks to all the wonderful reviewers! Oh yeah, since fanfic wouldn't let us put up author note chapter things, I've put little notes about updates in my profile. Okay, I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait!