The next several days passed in a hectic blur, but it was all worth it: within a week and largely thanks to Mr Sugimura's expertise, Kagome and Sango had found an apartment.
Sure, it was small, in an older building, and a fair walk away from the nearest train station, but they could each have their own room. The apartment was affordable, and most importantly, it was theirs. The two of them had signed a lease just earlier that morning.
Keys in their pockets, huge grins playing on their lips, Kagome's and Sango's steps were light as they headed for the shops. The money Kagome's mother had transferred over to her bank account, to help her settle in, burned like a beacon in her pocket.
They picked up essentials like toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and staple food items. If they happened to see cute curtains or towels in their favourite colour, well… They had an entire apartment to furnish after all!
They'd also had many more chances to talk to one another, to really get to know each other and Kagome's initial impression had been correct: Sango was fast becoming not just a friend, but a very good one. She was only two years older than her but seemed so much more mature and responsible. Kagome was happy to have Sango with her to help navigate the first steps into independence and adulthood. Sango had such a soothing, down-to-earth presence. It washed all of Kagome's worries away.
Well, most of them – exciting as it was to start a new chapter of her life all on her own, there was so much change happening right now that at times it could get overwhelming. A new city. A new apartment. A new friend. And in only ten more days, she would have a whole bunch of other firsts: new school, new people, new classes. She was really looking forward to starting uni – but every now and then nervousness spiked in her belly, setting her insides into a mad flutter. Every once in a while she would be gobsmacked with the realisation that in a few short weeks her entire life had changed.
As much as she appreciated Sango, as excited as Kagome was to be in Osaka, especially during the dark hours of night she missed home. Her mom, her grandpa, Souta and Buyo. She wondered how they were doing and had already called Mama twice in the past couple of days, just wanting to hear her voice and tell her all the news.
That Thursday evening Kagome and Sango spent their first night at the new apartment. After their shopping trip, Sango's few pieces of furniture had arrived – she'd scheduled to have them delivered from the storage locker she'd kept them in while house hunting. The apartment still was mostly empty, and the two of them would have a full weekend ahead going to second-hand stores so they could fill it up.
That part-time job was starting to look more and more important, Kagome mused as she settled down for her first night in her new room. She didn't have a bed yet, so she was actually going to sleep on a thin mattress on the floor, but she didn't mind. Though the floor wasn't tatami, she'd slept on a futon many times in the past so this was nothing new. Sleep proved elusive, however. Homesickness welled deep inside again, in this lonely hour. It was too late to call Mama, and besides, she didn't want to disturb Sango after bidding her good night. But Kagome still reached for her phone, wishing there would be something to take her mind off of how much she missed her family, of how thrilling it was – in both a good way and a bad – to be spending her first night in a place all of her own.
And, as if the universe had heard her, there it was. An email notification. Lord of the West had a new blog entry. Her favourite cell phone novel had been updated!
Kagome's smile bloomed as she tapped the link. She spent the next several minutes in a whole different world; swept away in an epic, historical adventure. The characters were so rich and compelling, the stakes high as they were trapped in the perilous setting of the war-torn Sengoku period. She was so invested in this latest chapter – the end of which left Kagome gasping – that she didn't notice the message notification until she was scrolling down to the comment section to sing praises for Lord of the West. After all, she only had an account on this blogging site so she could stalk – follow Lord of the West and his fantastic stories. She only went on the site to read and to comment. She had never posted anything herself.
Had never received a message.
Curious, Kagome tapped at the message icon and opened her inbox.
"Hello," read the subject line of her one and only unread message. Underneath it was the name of the sender: Lord of the West.
Kagome's heart skipped a beat. Sure, they had talked a lot in the comment sections, their discussions sometimes lively and veering dreadfully off-topic. She felt like she knew what kind of a person he – she was pretty sure he was a he – was. Even considered him a friend of sorts. But neither of them had tried to contact the other in private, before. This was something new. Something different. Something that had the pit of Kagome's stomach aflutter.
Her finger was a little bit unsteady as she tapped her phone screen to open the message.
"Hello, ShrineMaiden," it began. "I hope you don't think this too forward of me. As of late, I've really come to appreciate the thoughtful comments you always leave and the many conversations we've had in the past year. Friends have always been in short supply to me, but I'd like to think you're one of them."
Kagome had to stop reading at that point and take in a shaky breath, bite down on her lip. Warmth pooled in her chest and she felt utterly, absurdly touched. Once she had her swell of emotions back in control again, Kagome went back to reading the message.
"I wish we could talk with each other more often, and in a better setting than the public comment section of a blog. That's why I thought I'd extend you this invitation – though you are free not to accept it, if that's what you wish. But I hope you will. I'd really like to hear from you. My mail address is Lord_of_the_west. I hope you'll make use of it. I'm looking forward to hearing from you. Yours, Lord of the West."
Kagome's breath had caught in her throat. She quickly read through the message again and when the words remained unchanged, she gave her forearm a hefty pinch for a good measure. It stung so much she let out a vicious hiss and tears sprang into her eyes, but despite her now-blurred vision, the message remained unchanged. It was too late in the evening now to message him, but Kagome saved Lord of the West's email address in her phone. The invitation and the inherent trust behind it were overwhelming and she had the silliest grin on her face as she read through the message yet again – slowly, this time, savouring each word. She was still smiling sometime later when she finally drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.
DS
On a Friday evening, after a long, mind-numbing day at work, Sesshoumaru would have loved nothing better than retreat into his room at home, enjoy some peace, quiet and solitude. He glowered into his glass of whisky, then took a long sip, letting the alcohol burn down his throat. It didn't soothe him as much as he'd wished it to – probably because he was still stuck here, with his father and his precious clients, in the last place on Earth he'd wish to be.
They were in the Umeda district, but the part of the town Club Suiren was located in was far from the towering skyscrapers, business areas, the luxury hotels. Club Suiren was in the middle of the party town, surrounded by bars, izakayas, massage parlours and other less than reputable businesses.
This club, thankfully, was a high-end one. Nishida Takeshi would not be caught dead slumming. Still, the atmosphere grated on Sesshoumaru's nerves. He scowled across the small table at his father, who was engaged in a merry conversation with his Very Important Clients – and the women. There were three of them, sitting in their group. Faces carefully made-up with painted lips curved in smiles, heads dipping as they listened attentively, making their jewelled earrings glisten in the low light. Their hair was carefully made, their jewellery tasteful but prominent, and each of them was wearing an evening gown. Pretty little flowers, existing for the enjoyment and viewing pleasure of the men at the table. There to serve their alcohol, to listen to their woes, to flirt and banter. Making their living by propping up all those fragile male egos. A modern-day mockery of the geiko of old.
One of them had tried to come to sit next to Sesshoumaru, early on. His icy glare had quickly taken care of that problem and he'd been thankfully left alone. He did not need their deceitful attention, wished to have no part in this whole sorry charade.
Sesshoumaru was taking another sip of whisky – nothing but the best for the Nishida – when his phone buzzed. Eager and grateful for the distraction, he dug it out of his pocket, ignoring the frown his father shot his way.
There was a notification on his lock screen for a new mail. The sender wasn't one of his saved contacts, but the address caught his eye. ShrineMaiden.
And for the first time that whole wretched day, a smile touched Sesshoumaru's lips.
He tapped the message open and was greeted first thing with a sticker of a waving cartoon cat. A rumbling chuckle nearly escaped him, but Sesshoumaru managed to rein it back. He could already feel the weight of his father's stare and knew even without looking up that Nishida Takeshi would be displeased by his apparent inattention. Bursting into laughter and drawing the clients' attention to him, too, would only fan the flames of his father's ire.
He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but the mail was very cute. Not quite up to par with the colourful Line messages he got from his younger half-sister who was eleven years old, though ShrineMaiden seemed to share Rin's habit of liberal emoticon usage.
It was utterly endearing.
"Hello! This is ShrineMaiden." The email began, followed by a bowing emoticon. "Thank you so much for your message, I'm so happy you reached out to me! I really enjoy our conversations too and of course I'm fascinated by your mind, I love your stories so much! It'd be great to be able to talk to you more often and exchanging emails is such a lovely idea, so thanks for bringing it up! Hope you won't come to regret it lol"
Sesshoumaru's lips quirked up. He was only halfway through her first message and it had already saved his evening, perked up his mood and warmed him on the inside more than an hour's worth of basking in the sunlight. This was one decision he would definitely never regret.
"I hope you've been doing well! And I hope you've been able to write, I'm eagerly awaiting the next update. But please take your time! Honestly, your message came at such a great time because I'm probably going to be needing a friend, too. There's a lot going on in my life right now, some pretty big changes happening and it's nice to know there's someone I can talk to if I need to. Do you have any plans for the weekend? I'm probably going to go shopping, I'm really excited. How is the story coming along? What do ypu do for fun other than writing? Let me know! -SM"
Sesshoumaru tapped the reply icon and started writing his response, his fingers flying furiously on the phone's small keyboard.
"Hello, ShrineMaiden. Thank you for your email, it's cheered up my evening considerably. I'm definitely not going to regret reaching out to you, of that I'm already sure. Thank you so much for your well wishes. I've been doing well and managed to get some writing done yesterday. The problem isn't in writing itself but finding the right time for it. I'm nearly finished with the next chapter so an update should be coming soon. I appreciate your patience."
His father cleared his throat, a clear sign of rebuke. Irritation flashed inside Sesshoumaru, and he tapped away all the more swiftly to reply to ShrineMaiden.
"If you need a friend I am more than happy to step into the role. What kind of changes are you going through, if you don't mind me asking? Shopping sounds like a fun way to spend your weekend. I don't have anything big planned, though I might visit my mother for a Sunday brunch. The story is coming along nicely, thanks for asking. It's going precisely as I wish it to and I'm sure you'll be pleased with the developments in the next chapter. Writing is my main hobby at the moment, but I also enjoy reading and classical music. I used to play the piano but I don't really have the time for it anymore. How about you? What do you enjoy doing? Looking forward to hearing from you again. - LoW"
Sesshoumaru tapped send, turned off his phone screen and slipped it back into his pocket. Much as he would wish to stare at his phone, waiting for ShrineMaiden to reply to him, he'd tried his father's patience enough. He took a long sip of his whisky and met his father's steely gaze. Setting down his glass, Sesshoumaru shrugged and spoke a single word of explanation - an outright lie: "Work."
His father shook his head but soon had a smile plastered on his face again as he joked with his clients and basked in the titters of the women for whose attention he was paying ridiculous sums of money. Sesshoumaru hid his grimace behind the rim of his glass and wished he could leave.
DS
In the course of the next few weeks, Kagome's and Sango's apartment slowly started to become a home. They also found a routine together. Sango would wake up early and go out for a jog. She worked out every day, a lifelong habit she'd got because her father had run a dojo. Kagome had been in the kyuudou club in middle school and high school, but that was as far as her sportiness stretched. She found it really admirable that Sango could stick to it, how naturally athletic she was. Sango had even invited Kagome out for a jog, but so far, she'd refused. She'd leave working out to Sango, she had other things to focus on right now.
Mostly, Kagome had the apartment to herself. Something else that she would have to get used to. Before, in Tokyo, there'd always been a full house with Mama, Souta and grandpa. For now, the solitude and independence were exciting. But she also appreciated Sango's company, though she was out most days. As soon as they had settled in, Sango had started looking for a job. She'd sit in internet cafés filling out applications, walk around looking for help wanted signs, or visit job agencies that might help her find something.
Meanwhile, Kagome explored their neighbourhood and the city. She spent one whole day admiring the Osaka castle, enjoying the atmosphere in the surrounding park with the cherry blossoms still in bloom. Naturally, she also went out to visit some of Osaka's historic shrines and told her grandfather all about it when she called home. She still talked with her mother on the phone several times a week and now she was also emailing regularly with Lord of the West. That little development was almost as exciting as starting her classes next week.
She and Sango were growing closer as well. Though they spent more time apart than together, they always met every evening at the apartment, and most evenings they would cook together in their little kitchen or at least sit down to eat dinner together and talk about their days.
The time slipped by quickly and soon enough the month had turned into April. Kagome woke up bright and early on that particular Monday. Though waking up didn't feel quite the right word for it. She'd spent most of the night awake, her busy brain riding a rollercoaster between anticipation and nervousness. She supposed she had managed to catch short snippets of elusive sleep in between all her tossing and turning, but she wasn't feeling rested. Still, she got up full of cheer, a bright smile playing on her lips as she got ready for the day. Her outfit was already laid out. Her bag had been carefully packed the night before.
And though she was up early, Sango had beaten her to the punch again. The apartment was silent when Kagome padded from her bedroom to the shared bathroom. She put care into her morning routine, going over every step carefully as she washed her face and brushed her hair. Still in her pyjamas, Kagome wandered next into the kitchen, where breakfast was already laid out on the dining table. Miso soup that was still steaming, a rolled omelette, a bowl of steamed vegetables, and three slightly lumpy onigiri were waiting for her, together with a note from Sango, leaning against an empty mug.
"Good luck! Hope today is excellent! Ganbatte!"
Kagome smiled and set the note aside. She poured herself some tea and picked up her chopsticks, giving thanks to Sango before she began to eat. It was tasty and filling and full of familiar, comforting flavours – just what she needed this morning. Sango was the best roommate ever. She'd have to cook something delicious tonight for dinner. After all, they'd have a cause to celebrate.
After breakfast, Kagome snuck a glance at the clock and then quickly did the dishes. She rushed into her bedroom and changed out of her pyjamas. Kagome spent more time than usual in front of the mirror that morning, fretting about her clothes, finger-combing her hair, even putting on a bit of makeup. Her phone beeped with a notification, drawing Kagome away from the mirror.
She grabbed her phone and her heart leapt in her chest as she saw Lord of the West on her lock screen. Kagome's fingers tapped furiously to open the message.
"Good morning! You will do great today so don't be nervous! I want to hear all about your first day so make sure to email me later. - LoW."
And below the brief message, there sparkled a sticker. Bold, pink letters wishing her good luck. Despite all their frequent emails these past few weeks, he'd never sent her a sticker before. Kagome grinned and typed up a quick reply.
"Thanks so much! I'll try to keep that in mind and keep the nerves under control. I'll talk to you later! Have a happy Monday! - SM"
She pocketed her phone. Took one last good look in the mirror. Then she picked up her bag and left her bedroom. She grabbed her jacket, wound a scarf around her neck, and pulled on her shoes.
At the door, Kagome turned back towards the empty apartment.
"I'm off!" she declared and then she was gone. Off to walk to the train station. Off to board the train. Off to travel to Kansai University's campus for the first time to attend the entrance ceremony. Off to begin her life as a university student.
A/N: As previously mentioned, this story idea is from over a decade ago. Therefore I've had to make some adjustments from my original plans to better fit this fic into the current day – but I've also chosen to use some artistic licence. First of all, emails in this story are going to be closer to text messages. SMS never really took off in Japan, instead, they would send emails. These days, of course, both forms of communication have been surpassed by instant messaging, such as Line, but given Sesshoumaru's and Kagome's relationship in this story, I feel they would have been more comfortable exchanging email addresses than phone numbers, preserving a layer of anonymity. Stickers and emoticons are really used in Line and instant messaging and they're not really compatible with email, but I'm going to ask you to stretch your imagination a little bit there.