Author's Note: Hey everyone, I hope you enjoy this fanfic, please let me know what you think, thanks! And no, of course I don't own Inuyasha. Enjoy!

Side note: "Normal parenthesis" means that someone is talking; parentheses italicized means that it's a message/email and italicized and underlined is Kagome's thoughts during that moment or her reflecting back on that scene. As always, enjoy!

Update: bottom of the story is in bold for song lyrics- try guessing the song before coming to the end!

Part 26: Graduation

May 7th, 2016

"Kagome! Oh my god! Are you ready yet?" Yura yelled from the dorm room.

"Yeah! I'm almost done! Give me a few minutes!"

"We're gonna be late! We can't miss the bus! We need good seats!"

I twirled my long hair around, which Yura had spent the time to curl every stand, making sure every inch had enough hair spray to hold until I was satisfied. Then putting on lip gloss I smacked my lips in front of the mirror and grabbed my graduation cap and put it on my head. Last night was definitely a night I wouldn't forget.

"Kagome!"

"All right! I'm out!" I rushed back into the room, turning in a circle with my arms out. "How do I look?"

"Perfect. You look great. Zip me up?"

She turned around to which I noticed her zipper was done up halfway. Yura had spent the better half of the morning helping me get ready with hair and makeup that she was barely finished and we were cutting it too close. I pulled her zipper all the way up and moved out of the way as she frantically pulled on her graduation gown and slipped into her matching high heels. She looked amazing and far more beautiful for this special day, I just hoped I matched up to her. Closing the door behind me, we both flew down the hall and toward the college gymnasium where they had told all students to wait until the bus came but it was more likely to get a head count on everyone before leaving the campus.

I looked behind me, noticing we were just in time as we were rushed into the pile of other students in the gym. It gradually became louder and pretty soon, it was selfies and group pictures as students ran to find their friends. I joined the chaos with Yura as we posed for pictures with other people and took selfies of ourselves on our cell phones. Ayame and Sesshomaru were not in the gym as they were not seniors and most likely were waiting for us at the commencement building, a nearby outdoor stadium the college had rented for this special day.

As soon as everyone was ready, we all got in single file and climbed into the buses that were ready to pick us up. Yura reached over, fixing my tassel and making sure nothing was out of place for either one of us. I leaned back in my seat as the rowdy crowd made cheering noises and started chanting

"Class of 2016! Whoop Whoop Whoop!"

Finally. We were finally all heading to graduation. We made it.

"I can't get cell reception here," Yura frowned at her phone "stupid phone."

"Relax, I'm sure you'll get it once we arrive," I said while opening up my phone and seeing the same no signal symbol on the top. "See? It's the same for me."

The bus finally pulled up next to the stadium and parked nearby a building in which we were to wait until we heard the graduation ceremony music start. I pulled out my phone, checking again for signal.

Nothing.

Too bad... I wanted to be near him again. What was he doing right now? Was he still in bed? Was he up now?

A smile crossed my lips as I tapped the phone against my chin. If he could be here for me… I walked over to the huge glass windows, placing my other hand against the glass… If he could be here for me at this time, would he be over there in the stadium waiting for me? Would he be scanning for me as I would for him? Would he be holding a bouquet of roses, my favorite flower, ready to greet me with a kiss?

Some time later…

"Ten minutes left! All students please gather around, line yourselves up alphabetically" a voice said over the internal speakers in the building.

I turned away from the window, walking back to my line where students were now starting to organize themselves alphabetically by last name. H… H… H's… Ah. Found it! I quickly got in line, fixing my gown and making sure my tassel was on the right side of my face. Ok… All set. I looked around for Yura but she was nowhere in sight. Too many people… I hope she is ok?

The line started moving forward as the graduation walking march began over the external speakers.

As we entered into the stadium, I looked around the stands at the family and friends that had rose from their seats when we walked in. Mom… Souta… Grandpa... They should be in the stands. Would Inuyasha have joined them if he was here? Or would he have chosen to sit solo?

"Looking for your family?" A sudden voice jolted me from my searching. I looked to the male behind me and sheepishly nodded my head.

"How about you? Did you find yours yet?"

"Well my brother texted me what row they're in. I've been roughly looking over there." He gestured to the left.

"I see, but it is understandable with so many people."

The music suddenly stopped and the dean stepped forward to give his speech. The rest of the ceremony went without problems and by the end of the graduation, everyone threw their caps into the air and then rejoined their loved ones.

"Kagome! Over here!" Souta's voice shouted from behind me and I turned around to hug my mother first and then my grandpa.

"Congratulations Kagome" Mom said while passing the graduation flowers to me and kissing my cheek.

"Thank you, and thank you for being here" I took the flowers from her and ruffled Souta's hair.

"Kagome!" Ayame's voice cried out from behind me as she and Sesshomaru ran to my side.

"There you are! Thank you both for coming!" I hugged them both and introduced them to my family.

"I only have a few minutes here, I need to get back to my girl" Sesshomaru pulled out his cell phone and handed it over to Souta "take a group picture of us please?"

"Cheese!" We smiled for the camera then momentarily blinded by the flash, Sesshomaru patted my head and headed off in search for Kaguya.

After graduation…

Closing the door to my bedroom I sunk exhausted onto my bed. I had finished moving all my luggage and unpacked everything into my room. What… A… Long… Day.

Checking my phone I let out a long sigh. And it gets longer. Great. Where is he anyways? No replies since… Well since last night... Early morning..

I typed "Hey."

"Yo! Wyd?"

Took the words right out of my mouth.

"I just graduated today!"

"Wonderful!"

"What about you? How's your day?" More like why did it take you so long to reply…?

"Rough."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

So… Back to this again. He's pushing away again. "Ok.. Are you ok though?"

"No. But I know this is a special day for you."

I frowned. I know I told him I wouldn't nag him but… "So? You're important to me, you know?"

"You're more important today. Don't worry bout me."

Bullshit. Those fluffy words were there to throw me off the track on how he's really feeling right now.. What really happened..? "Can't not worry about you; cause I always do."

"Its ok. Hey, I do like your profile picture, it's very happy and gives off that vibe."

He was referring to my Facebook profile picture.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Whatcha up to?"

He's being so formal with me again.. Not telling me what's really wrong. "Just relaxing."

"Oh? Well, I have to go now."

"Go? Where to? Can't you stay?" He's heading off so fast? No I don't want that… Couldn't he stay by my side..?

"I'm going to the studio babe."

That was a statement. Perhaps he had already planned this. "Will I see you tonight then?"

"Of course. *kisses your forehead*"

I sighed, laying my phone down. I needed sleep. Rubbing my eyes, I dozed off.

Hair swishing from side to side, I walked briskly ahead of him.

He reached out, lightly pulling on my hair.

Smiling wide, I turned around and slowed my pace as he caught me in his arms. His left hand held my waist while his right hand cupped my cheek. He leaned down to kiss me, parting my lips with his...

Moaning, I reached out to touch him…

"Ah!"

I opened my eyes. What? A dream? What time was it? 6:00 AM.

6? It can't be so late! Or early rather.. Did I oversleep?

Looking down, I noticed I had gotten my legs tangled up within my blanket and fallen out of bed. I grabbed my phone but only to kick off my blanket and run to my desk for the charger. My phone is completely dead. Oh no… What if he couldn't get hold of me? Was he waiting for me? How long had he waited then? Was he still up?

I sighed sitting down on my chair. A few minutes later, the screen lit up and I was able to input my password. I opened my messages.

Nothing. Was he still in the studio?

"Oppa? Did you get off yet?"

I waited but there was no more reply for the rest of the night.

Some months later…

"I mean can you believe that? One moment he's promising to be with me then the next moment he doesn't show up until the afternoon of the next day."

Mother's email came back fast.

"You mean to say that he left you alone that day?"

Mother had been busy for some time but he was now on vacation from work. Actually instead of relaxing like a normal person, he was outside in the summer's heat fixing his car.

"Well… He probably didn't mean to… I mean it's what happened after he came back that made me mad.."

I want to hold you when I'm not supposed to.

"And what happened?"

"Well, I asked him what it was like being in the studio alone for so long and if he made it home ok. However, he replied that he never said he was going alone. Rather, he ended up going to the studio with this other girl. He said she was just his "friend". But they usually go there together."

"Are you jealous?"

When I'm lying close to someone else.

I swallowed hard, furrowing my brows.

"No. Who would be jealous? He said that people usually mistaken them and that his uncle who owns the studio once mistook them as a couple but that she is just a friend."

"You certainly sound jealous my dear *wipes my forehead*."

"Well I'm not." How come she got to be so close to him when I hadn't even seen the studio? Much less walked into the studio or met his uncle… Or any of his family.

You're stuck in my head and I can't get you out of it.

"What I think is this: love is special and cannot be broken by anyone. If he loves you as much as he says he does and if you're the only one for him like he is for you then I wouldn't worry about it so much. But if it were me. If I were the one to love you. I just wouldn't leave you alone."

"...I guess you're right."

So much had happened since the day I graduated.

"He just keeps coming and going like whenever he wants… you know? It's like he's not taking my feelings into consideration."

"You mean ghosting?"

If I could do it all again.

"Ghosting?"

"Ghosting is a term to describe someone who is there one moment then disappears like a ghost. Have you seen American Horror Story? The ghosts in the first season of Murder House are trapped to the house and can be seen if they want to be but then they can disappear when they don't want to be."

"Ok I get it. I didn't know there was a term for it... You know, I wanted to ask him to see me face to face... Like over video chatting?"

"And what did he say?"

"I don't know... I don't think he was interested. He just said "isn't that the goal?" so I ended up dropping the topic."

Inuyasha's old message came back to mind, haunting me. "I just want us to be able to meet some day.. I know I said I'd take it slow, but you just don't seem to have any interest in us meeting. Our physical selves meeting."

And now? Who wasn't wanting to meet who? Like our roles completely reversed...

I returned to my word document putting the final touches on it. There. All done.

"What are you doing now anyway?" Mother's next email read.

I know I'd go back to you.

Lowering the volume on my muse Selena Gomez's Back to You, I typed back.

"Ending the last chapter of this story I'm writing."

"Really? What's it called?"

"The Secret Love Affair."

Sending the email, my phone suddenly lit up "Bzzzz".

The End

Author's Note: Thank you all again so much for following this story. It's been an honor to go on this journey with all of you. I love you guys, you have been a wonderful audience. I will miss writing this story and I will miss all of you! Please do submit your reviews on the story because I would love to hear from all of you on what you thought of the story. By the way, I do have to note: the number 3 seems to be a recurring number in this series and I did not intentionally make it so but it has been about 3 years since this story was originally published, they were friends for about 3 years before dating, and maybe have been dating now for another 3 years more? Anyway, Happy Late New Year (like 6 days late), but here's to 2019!