Years have passed since Misaos' confession, four to be exact. Misao is now seventeen and still remains faithfull and loyal to Inu Yasha. Still hoping. Still possessor of unconditional faith in the sleeping man she believes will wake to be with her one day.
Misao sits, staring at Inu Yasha. His eyes have been opened, yet he is not concious. The village boys were jesting at him. She stares into his lifeless eyes, her eyebrows knitted together. She sighs, as she will not speak until they are closed. Yet she cannot build up the courage to shut them herself.
But today she is troubled, and she needs desperately to speak with him. Feeling frustrated, she climbsup to him and closes his eyes by passing her palm over his eyes. She pulls her hand back and away, and grins slightly. She imagines what the lifeless ambers orbs would look like with joy in them, and love.
She sits back into her place, and sighs heavily, abandoning those silly dreams that she knows in the back of her head, in the deepest corners of her heart, and the bottom of her stomach, will never come true.
"Hear me now."
"How I loathe that wretch! O Kikyo!" Misao's hands grasped the material of her kimono on her knees as her eyes squeezed shut. "Why did she do this to you? To you, of all people!" Little tears plopped out the corners of her shut eyes and she pursed her lips into a grim line. She knew she should not speak so rudely of the miko Kikyo. But it was her fault Inu Yasha could not respond to her.
"Gomen," she finally muttered quietly under her breath. She quietly wiped the tears from her cheeks and looked up at him. "I know how the story goes. I should not have said that. I know you once loved the dead miko, Kikyo."
Misao bowed her head, twice. "Forgive my outburst, for that is not what I've come to inquire of you." After a deep breath, she said: "Yakoto has come to court me."
She raised her head to look at him, to find a reaction. To search his face. When she found none, she was dissapointed. She rubbed her arm sullenly as she continued. "He has come to ask me every day for the past seven days. I realize I have not visited you in nine days time, forgive me. I bet you've been lonely. I apologize."
Misao bowed her head. She had been busy.
"My mother has been ill, I must say I'm worried for her health...did you know I've made some actual friends, Inu Yasha?" She changed the topic and smiled up at him."After so many years, I have friends."
She was silent for several moments.
"What be your advice in regards to Yakoto?"
She looked at him expectantly. Silence was her only response, as always. After so many years, things hadn't changed. She sighed and stood up.
"If you're not going to help me Inu Yasha, then I shall take leave of you. Ja matta," she called.
She turned and made her way through the forest.