Chapter 11: What Lies Beneath


TRIGGER WARNING: this chapter contains several mentions of rape and suicide. Viewer discretion is advised.


Being in school felt foreign as fuck. She had always felt like a bit of an outsider, but Kaede couldn't shake the feeling that everyone was watching her. There was a voice in the back of her head that wouldn't shut up, telling her that everyone around her knew something she didn't.

'One more class.' She thought to herself. The one class she shared with Souta. Just the thought of his name slowed her mind down. She took a deep breath, in through the mouth and out through the nose.

He was already sitting down when she walked in. He gave her a grin and a small wave. She waved back and found herself moving to sit next to him.

"Hey." He said first. It was hard to describe the amount of relief he felt when she walked through the door. Talking to her yesterday had done some good, but it didn't compare to seeing her.

"Hi." She said quietly. Nervously, she tucked some hair behind her ear. It felt like it'd been an eternity since she last saw him. Even after talking with him on the phone, she hadn't realized how much she'd...missed him.

"Do you have time to talk after school?" She gave him a quick nod as the teacher walked in and began to settle everyone down. He gave her one last smile before opening his notebook to take notes.

As the bell rang to dismiss class, Kaede looked down at her empty paper. The hour had come and went and she didn't even write anything down. Her eyes shifted to her companion and they simultaneously began to pack up their things. Words didn't need to exchanged as she followed him from the classroom, down the hall, and out the front doors. Before she knew it they had walked to the park. The one she loved to ditch in because of the patch of wildflowers behind the swings. The winter snow had taken everything green, but she still remembered what the place looked like in the spring.

She remembered laying in the grass and chewing out the boy next to her for taking her picture.

"Alright Higurashi, what do you want?" Kaede started. Her tone was light and joking, though the look Souta gave her was anything but. "What's wrong?" She asked, worry creeping into her tone.

Souta didn't say anything as he handed her a card, with a number on it. She didn't recognize the number and the odd look she gave him said as much.

"When I went to your aunt's house, she gave me this." He stuffed his hands in his pockets, and took a deep breath to continue. "She told me Kikyou gave her that number, so that she could call her, to keep in touch and check in on you. I thought you should have it."

Kaede's hands shook as she folded the note. "Give me your phone." Souta handed the small device to her without a second thought. Kaede dialed the number and put it on speaker when it began to ring. Her hands continued to shake and her breath gradually came out quicker. Souta stepped closer to her, almost touching but not quite.

"Shikon City Rehab, how may I help you?" The two teens looked at each other confused. Kaede handed him the phone with a shake of her head, she didn't know what to say.

"Hello, is someone there?" The person on the phone spoke up, a hint of impatience in their tone.

"Uh, yes, sorry. I was calling to get some information. What kind of rehab place is this?" Souta questioned.

"We're a drug rehab facility, sir. Are you or someone you know in need of treatment?"

"Um...not me, but my sister. I think she may have already signed up. Her name is Kikyou, Kikyou Hayashi."

"Unfortunately I can't disclose any patient information, even to a family member without consent from the patient."

"So she was a patient there?" Souta pressed.

"I'm not at liberty to tell you sir, I'm sorry."

"I understand, thank you." Souta hung up and placed his cell back in his pocket. Kaede looked like she might pass out at any moment.

"What the fuck?" She whispered, the question continuing to ring loudly in her ears. A rehab facility. Had her sister wanted to get better? She remembered Kikyou's problem. At the time, she'd been too young to fully understand. The crowd she ran with served drugs to all kinds of people. From people who looked average and held down jobs to people who were dirty, constantly spouting nonsense, and stumbling about. She remembered her sister slowly changing, loosing weight and staying in her room and always sleeping.

She remembered Kikyou screaming at her, when she found a needle and asked her what it was for. She shook the memory from her thoughts the same way Kikyou had shook her in anger. She remembered being scared of how much her sister had changed. Kaede hugged herself as the memory of Kikyou giving her over to Mrs. Latocki came forward. That moment had felt like such a goodbye, but what if it was only supposed to be see you later?

Kikyou had wanted to get help. How did she go from trying to get to clean to killing herself?

"Let's go to my house, yeah?" Kaede nodded numbly as Souta lead her from the park.


Kagome turned her nose up at the scent of the police department's coffee. It smelled like mud.

"This stinks." She snickered.

"Budget cuts, they took the Keurig." Kouga shot back sarcastically as he poured some into his own mug. You didn't have the energy to be picky about your caffeine when you'd been working two days straight.

"I might have found another girl connected to Naraku." Kagome practically blurted. She'd been dying to get it out. If Hojo hadn't coaxed her to bed last night, she surely would've called Kouga in the dead of night to spill her thoughts. His gentle ministrations had barely been enough to soothe her. Thoughts of Kikyou and Naraku and murder tumbling around in her brain, almost pushing out the thoughts that told her to breathe.

Kouga sat next to her at the table in the interview room, remaining quiet but making eye contact to signal she had his full attention.

"A girl...young woman came into the clinic, almost a week ago now. She had the same kind of cuts on her body, like the ones Kikyou had. I don't think those wounds are self inflicted."

"That's all?" Kagome gave her friend an incredulous look.

"What do you mean that's all?" Her tone icy. Kouga at least had the decency to gulp.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm working around the clock right now and I really don't think this girl can tell us anything we don't know. My attention is on getting the DNA of that fetus, that's what's gonna nail Naraku's ass to the wall."

Kagome sagged in disappointment. She really thought she had been onto something, or maybe she just really wanted to save this girl. Someone had to do something to help her.

"Fine, but you didn't see her Kouga. You didn't see what her body looked like, covered in those cuts. Someone is hurting her and I think it's Naraku." Kouga sighed and placed his hands over Kagome's. He admired her willingness to go the distance for people. He loved her desire to help everyone she could, but not when he hadn't slept in 2 days.

"Then let's gather enough evidence to make sure Naraku never sees daylight again."

Though the words were meant to soothe her, Kagome couldn't get Ayame out of her brain. She thought about her as she left the department and walked to her car. Even as she put the key into the ignition and started her car. That's probably why she was driving down a road known to have prostitutes working its corners.

She drove slowly, trying to get a good look at the girls without drawing unnecessary attention. Then she saw her. Her red hair in the same pigtails the day she'd come into the clinic. Kagome rolled down the window as a few girls, Ayame included, approached her car. They all had been ready to turn around when they spotted another woman, but she called out to the girl she'd been looking for.

"Do I know you or something?"

"I'm a nurse at the clinic you came to, last week. My name is Kagome."

"Listen lady, I appreciate your service, but I don't date women." Kagome blushed at the implication.

"No! No you have it wrong, I just wanted to talk to you. I'm hoping you could help me with something, maybe answer some questions?"

Ayame gave her a weird look. The redhead did a quick check of the backseat, then leaned into the window and opened the door from the inside. Kagome sighed in relief.

"My time isn't free." Ayame stated as she settled into the passenger seat. Kagome nodded to her in understanding and she drove off from the corner with no true destination in mind.


Kagome ended up driving through a Wacdonalds, grabbing some burgers and fries and sitting in the parking lot with the girl she had picked up off the street corner. It all felt surreal for just a moment.

"So how long have you been doing...this." Kagome started, a pregnant pause filling the space while she tried to think of a politically correct word for Ayame's occupation.

"Mmm, a few years now. Started when I was fifteen. When my grandfather died I had nowhere to go, ended up in foster care. Being on the streets was a lot easier than living in some of those homes. At least out here, if someone touches me, they have to pay me." Her tale ending with a bite to her burger.

"Isn't it scary? Being out here all night? Getting into cars with strangers?" Kagome questioned.

"Sure, but what can I do? I didn't finish high school, and the money is better than some 9 to 5 where Uncle Sam has his hand out for his cut. Better to fly solo, and eventually you learn ways to keep yourself as safe as possible."

Kagome took a moment to think about Ayame's words. Another girl who felt like she didn't have any options, that she had to bear the brunt of life on her own. The same reasons why Kikyou found herself working for a sleaze like Naraku. The thought made Kagome burn inside.

"The cuts you got treated for...can you tell me about who gave them to you?" The girl in the passenger seat stiffened and Kagome felt bad for making her uncomfortable. Though the bomb had to be dropped. She needed to learn everything she could about Naraku. She needed to find a way to put him in jail for the things he had done.

"Just some sick bastard really. He gets off on the blood...pays really good though, so I bear the pain." The redhead took a sip of her soda to wash down the bile rising in her throat at the thought of that man. He was sadistic in his desires and she was no masochist by any means. She could never afford to turn down a $5,000 night though. With that kind of money not only could she get her necessities taken care of, but have some extra left over too.

"Do you know if you're the only girl he sees? Are there others?"

She took another sip of her drink, "yeah, plenty. Sometimes he has more than one of us at a time."

Kagome gulped at the thought of some man cutting up girls for his own pleasure. "Do you know anything about them? The other girls I mean."

Ayame looked away, thinking. Her index finger coming to rest under her chin as she placed her half eaten burger in her lap. She hummed thoughtfully for a moment before turning back to her customer.

"There was one girl that I remember. She seemed to be his favorite, which kind of left her getting the shit end of the stick. It's not easy taking the cuts, but she was always fucked out of her mind. I don't even think she felt it half the time. She was definitely a junkie, but she was still really pretty you know? Young too, maybe only a few years older than me at the time." Ayame took another bite from her burger.

"Do you remember her name?" Kagome tried to say calmly, though it came out in a panicked rush to her ears.

"Mmm...I'm better with faces." Ayame stated, she tilted her head the way a puppy might before adding, "you kind of look like her actually." Quickly Kagome reached into her pocket and retrieved her cell, logging into her social media and swiping until she found what she was looking for.

"Was it this girl?" Holding her phone out so the young woman could see.

Ayame zoomed into the photo, then shook her head affirmatively. "Yeah that's her, a little more put together than I remember, but definitely her."

Kagome sighed, leaning back into her seat and bringing her phone to her chest. The cuts were described as self inflicted in the medical examiners report. Now they knew for sure that they weren't. It blew a nice sized whole in the depression/suicide version of events the medical examiner had tried to paint. Those injuries were a product of Naraku's sick fantasies and the rape, maybe even multiple.

Just as quickly as that hope swelled within Kagome, it came crashing down. Though she seemed to be going in the right direction, the marks still didn't prove the murder. Kikyou still could have "killed herself" in the wake of a traumatic event, such as being raped once or repeatedly. They still needed more evidence.

"You okay?" Ayame's voice brought Kagome from her thoughts and without thinking she reached over the center console to give her a hug.

"Thank you Ayame. I really appreciate you and your help."

"Sure." Ayame said shyly as she awkwardly patted Kagome on the back. She wasn't sure what she had done, but she also knew she couldn't sit with this woman all night. "I'm glad I could help, I should be getting back to work though."

"Right! Of course, here." The dark haired driver placed the money in the younger girl's palm. "Let me get you back."

In less than 10 minutes they were back on the original corner where Ayame conducted her business. After waving and telling the young woman to be safe, Kagome made her way back to the house she shared with Inuyasha. Now that he knew everything she could talk about this with him, and they could go together to talk to Kouga.

Hojo had told her he was going make sure her mother didn't need any help at the shrine. A wad of guilt settled into her belly at thought of being happy that Hojo wouldn't be home. She shouldn't be excited at the thought of being alone with Inuyasha.

'Juggling two guys, when did I become this girl?' She thought to herself, feelings of frustration and disappointment coming to the surface. She had always been the kind of person who followed her heart. She always felt confident in knowing nothing would go wrong as long as she was true to herself. Yet she hadn't been true to herself in the past and she wasn't being true to herself now.

She never wanted to end things with Inuyasha the way she did way back when. She had wanted the conversation to be about starting off fresh and trying again. She remembered that day, in the overheated dorms, how he had opened his mouth to speak and she had cut him off - afraid of what he might say. Too afraid to hear him say he was done, or that choosing her was a mistake.

So she beat him to it. Or so she thought. 'Really, I just ended up breaking my own heart.'

If this was going to work, if they were going to work, she had to start trusting him implicitly. No more letting her insecurities get the better of her, no more keeping secrets and not saying how she felt. It was time to follow her heart.


Souta cursed under his breath as he got sniped unexpectedly in his war zone themed game. Kaede laid belly down on his bed, scrolling through her phone. They had returned to the shrine, almost an hour ago. The silence was comfortable, but Souta could tell that Kaede had a lot on her mind. He couldn't blame her. He wouldn't know what to do if he were in her shoes.

He glanced over his shoulder at her every now and again. She hadn't looked up from her phone once. He wanted to probe, but thought it best to give her some semblance of a moment to herself. She would come to him when she was ready to talk. Which of course came in the middle of his 5 man kill streak.

"You know I've been thinking about something your sister told me." Kaede spoke. Eyes still glued to her phone as she scrolled. Souta made a sound that closely resembled a grunt. His way of trying to maintain his streak while also giving her some of his attention.

"She told me to let my truth shine. I'm still not really sure what to do with that advice, but what if the truth is my sister didn't kill herself?"

At this, Souta allowed himself to be shot and taken out of the game. Turning to face her as she finally lifted her eyes from the screen in her hand and make contact with his gaze.

"Well if it wasn't suicide then what happened?" Souta dared to ask. He watched as Kaede took a deep breath and ran a nervous hand over her low ponytail.

"I think...Naraku hurt her." She started cautiously. "Growing up my sister and I only had each other. She took care of me, us, by working for him. I found out she used to run with his crew pretty tight, selling drugs and doing whatever he asked. I have this feeling, deep in my gut, that he did something bad to her." Kaede's arm came around her midsection to fight off the oncoming shivers.

"Why do you think that?" He probed.

"My dreams started the night Kikyou took me to Mrs. Latocki's house, the night that she died. At first my dreams were about the monster with red eyes trying to get me. He would chase me and I would be running as fast as I could because I knew if he caught me I'd be dead." Souta nodded his head, this sounded familiar from their talk on the bleachers.

"One night I saw him, Naraku, at a party and it all clicked for me. The red eyes from my nightmares belonged to him, and ever since my dreams have shifted. Now I see him killing my sister every time I close my eyes and I can't do anything to stop it. I feel powerless and trapped - like if I make even the slightest sound, if he finds me or turns in my direction, I'll be dead too."

Kaede shifted and brought her knees to her chest, using her arms to hug them to herself as she continued her tale. "What if my dreams are trying to tell me something? Lead me to the truth?"

She looked up and found Souta watching her. His expression confused, but thoughtful.

"What if it's less like a dream and more of a memory?" Souta said after a moment. It was Kaede's turn to look confused.

"A memory?" She repeated.

"Yeah, you know, like a repressed memory. It's like your brain is trying to protect you by taking something traumatic that happened to you, and making it feel like a dream. You're reliving the experience every time you have a nightmare."

Kaede didn't say a word as she picked up her phone and began to vigorously type. Moving onto the bed beside her, Souta watched as her tiny fingers flew across the screen. She typed three words into the search engine:

hypnotherapist near me

"Hypnosis? Like close your eyes and act like a dog type shit?" He was quick to nurse his sore arm after Kaede gave it a decent smack.

"Idiot, you're not exactly wrong but I'm not looking for some rinky-dink magician. When I refused to go to traditional therapy, Mrs. Latocki suggested hypnotherapy. She called it a deep state of relaxation, thought it would help me sleep. I refused to go."

"Click this one." Souta pointed. Soon a website opened for Sengoku Spiritual Healing Center. Eyes scanning swiftly the teen soon found the services tab where a description of services and cost was outlined.

Do you or someone you know have a bad habit they can't kick? Trouble sleeping at night and letting the day go? Do you have recurring dreams or just feel like something is missing from your life? Come see any of our licensed and well training practitioners today!

Two more button clicks and Kaede's phone began to make an outgoing call.


Miroku felt like he was in the worst spy movie ever. He sat in the cafe, his table facing the door and adjacent to the window so that he could see, and be seen from every direction. His fingers drummed impatiently on the wood before wrapping themselves around his steaming cup of coffee.

He resisted the urge to check his watch again. The guy was late. The guy, who could've passed a million times because he didn't even know who he was looking for, was late. By 20 minutes to be exact, but Miroku told himself 5 minutes ago he was going to stop counting.

His fingeres went back to drumming on the wood.

Miroku had never willingly walked into a police station before. He didn't really know what to expect or where to go. Luckily he had past by the front desk before he could even think to go farther.

"Hello Sir, what can I do for you today?" Miroku gulped, more nervous than he had been a moment ago. The young cadet was giving him a weird look, so he cleared his throat and straightened his collar.

"I was hoping to talk to Kouga, Kouga Lang. He's a detective here."

"Give me just a second."

The memory faded as the chime on the cafe door rang. He looked up at the sound, and pair of red eyes zeroed in on him. He gulped at the intensity, straightening his collar out habit and nerves.

"Mr. Ishida?" He nodded in confirmation of his identity, still shocked to see a woman sat across from him. "Hi, I'm Abi. Detective Lang said a friend of his needed some help and lucky for you I owe him some favors."

"Are you a private investigator?"

She smiled at him and winked, it took some of the edge off his nerves. "When I need to be." He chuckled.

"So let's go to business shall we?" As she spoke she reached into her tote bag to grab a manila folder, which totally confirmed that he was in a spy movie right now.

"A first and last name was all I was given to work with. In my line work that can be a lot of info and I was able to track down a Mushin Houshi to this last known address." She slid a picture of a run down old house across the table to him.

"This was a drug house that was raided several years ago. When the police arrived to bust up the operation, things didn't go well." The next photo was of an older man, laying naked and pale on a metal table, only covered by the black coroner's bag.

"Mushin was one of the victims pronounced dead at the scene of the shootout. I didn't find any recent court records, so no evidence that he had any ties to the operation inside. Maybe it was a wrong place at the wrong time kind of situation."

Miroku processed the information slowly. Mushin was dead. Killed in a police shootout while trying to buy drugs. It wasn't funny, but Miroku couldn't help but laugh. He didn't want to call it hope, yet there was something within him that had wished he would find Mushin alive. He just had so many questions, why did you treat me that way - being the biggest. Now it seemed he would never know.

"Thank you." Abi slid a small white card across the table.

"I only give that card to people I like. If you need anything else you know how to find me." Miroku nodded and Abi was gone as quick as she came.


Inuyasha sighs as he enters the foyer of his childhood home. He hangs his jacket, toes off his shoes, and almost shits himself when he walks into the kitchen.

"Jesus Christ! If I had gun I woulda shot ya." Hojo looks at him, releases a puff of air meant to be a chuckle and takes a sip of the drink in front of him. There's another glass on the table and Hojo offers it to him. The hairs on the back of Inuyasha's neck rise, like a cat with it's heckles up.

Inuyasha grabs ice from the freezer before sitting across from Hojo. The brown haired man pours him a drink and Inuyasha sips while peering at him over the rim of his glass. There's barely any eye contact and strangely, Inuyasha realizes this is the longest they've spent in each other's company since they met. Inuyasha never hesitates to leave the room when Hojo enters and he's especially scarce when Kagome is around. If he ever heard their sex noises again he wouldn't think twice about putting a bullet in his brain.

"I'm heading out first thing in the morning." Inuyasha throws a non-committal grunt his way, because he truly couldn't give a fuck about Hojo's itinerary. He idly wonders why the fool is even telling him while he takes another sip of the bourbon Hojo poured. He was a fucking a pansy but a least he drank like a man.

"You're heading back to..." the question hangs in the air because, once again, he doesn't give a fuck about Hojo and damn sure never cared to learn anything about him like where he lived.

"New Hampshire, back to the university where I'm studying medicine."

"Right, forgot you were gonna be a doctor. Kagome sure did move up when she got with you, huh?" Inuyasha drowned his bitter tone with more bourbon.

Hojo chuckled and this time was genuine. He also took a large swallow of his drink, pursing his lips against the burn before stunning Inuyasha into shock, "I thought so, but it seems your pull on her is stronger than the buckets of money I'll be making soon."

Inuyasha had the decency to cover his mouth before his drink could be splattered over Hojo's face. "W-what the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm a patient man Inuyasha not a stupid one. I know everything about you two, about your past with each other. I see the way you both look at each other when you think no one is watching, like you're star crossed lovers who can't be together."

"I don't-"

"Know what I'm talking about? I heard you both, in the kitchen." Inuyasha still refused to give anything away and Hojo glared "I didn't know he was coming, you can't be mad at me about this, ringing any bells?"

Inuyasha swallowed thickly and downed his drink. He knew he looked guilty as fuck - he felt like a fucking teenager getting grilled his by dad.

"Did you sleep with her?"

"No." He tone was firm, his response quick. Hobo could think what he wanted about him, but he wouldn't let him trash Kagome.

"Are you in love with her?"

Now Inuyasha just felt awkward. He wanted to lash out and tell the y to fuck off, but maybe he owed just a little for lusting after his fiancee.

"Yes."

"Are you going to take care of her? Protect her? Fight for her? If you're going to destroy her like before, I won't give her to you. I'll take second place in her heart if it means I know she'll always be loved and respected."

Inuyasha wasn't one to be lost for words. Saying the wrong words at the wrong time was more his style, but regardless he always had something to say. Right now he was utterly speechless. Hojo was the butt of all his jokes and the bane of his existence, someone Inuyasha never thought about giving his respect to because he was jealous and angry that Hojo that got to marry the girl he was in love with.

Now sitting across from him, nothing but bourbon and the truth between them, Inuyasha could see Hojo was an honorable man. More honorable than him, and more deserving of Kagome's love. If Inuyasha was even half the man Hojo presented himself to be at this moment, then maybe he'd be worthy of Kagome too.

"Yes. I'll care of her, fight for her, protect her. I...I'm going to be a better man for her, if she'll have me."

Hojo looked satisfied as he sipped the last of his drink, the sound of the front door opening mixing with his glass hitting the counter. Unaware of all the tension Kagome, waltzed into the kitchen and straight to the fridge. She dug around for a few minutes, ignoring her companions and sighing when nothing appetizing to eat jumped out at her. For now she would settle on beer and think over what she could order for delivery.

She twisted the cap and took a generous swing as she finally gave the two men at the counter some attention.

"You guys okay?" She watched as Inuyasha's eyes fluttered nervously to her finacee who hadn't even made eye contact with her yet.

"Okay, seriously? Inuyasha looks like he got caught with his hand a cookie jar and I've never seen you look this nonchalant in my life." Making her way across the room Kagome placed a gentle hand on Hojo's shoulder. The tears in his eyes took her aback.

"Hojo?"

"I love you, Kagome. I love you so much that I'm willing to let you go because I know you'd be happier without me." She placed her beer on the counter. Any playfulness in her eyes or tone gone.

"What are you talking about Hojo?"

He held his hand out to her, "I need the ring."

She clutched her hand to her chest, a distraught look coming over her face. Inuyasha sat in the background with bated breath. What if everything had been a lie? What if Kagome was stringing him along, and now that she might lose Hojo she wouldn't choose him. Watching Kagome become Hojo's wife would be a fate worse than death.

"Can we talk about this in private?" Though she tried to speak in a low tone, she couldn't help the way her eyes cut to Inuyasha, and she couldn't help the pit that opened up in her stomach at his dejected posture.

"There's no need. I know, he knows, you know, we all know. Just..give me the ring please."

Maybe it was the stubborn streak in her, but she didn't want to. She didn't want to give Hojo the ring, she didn't want him to give up. Here he was, giving her the easy out she hadn't thought was possible. It was a conflicting, feeling the one swirling inside her.

"Please...let me - can I walk with you outside?" She amended, sheepish. Hojo sighed and acquiesced. He spared a quick glance to Inuyasha before heading towards the closet to grab his jacket. He'd packed the rest of his things in his rental car already. He'd rather spend the rest of the night in the airport than spend another minute in either Inuyasha or Kagome's company.

"I was gonna tell you. I know that's what everyone says, but I was going to tell you. I'm sorry I was too much of a coward to do it sooner." Kagome cried though she had no right to be upset. She was the monster, the horrible person who betrayed the perfect guy because some asshole broke her heart when she was 19. The asshole who still had every piece of her heart even now that they were 25.

Hojo's gentle touch only served to make her cry harder. She didn't deserve for him to still be so kind, so caring.

"I do wish you had said something sooner. I heard you in the kitchen and ever since I've been waiting. Your heart can't help who it wants, and neither can mine."

His hand came to rest under her chin and her toes lifted to meet him halfway. Her arms came around his neck and she poured the genuine love she had for this man into their final kiss. He had supported her and rebuilt her during a time she thought she would never be whole again. He saw her at her darkest and still only pointed out the light he saw in her.

Hojo's love was one of a kind, and while he didn't complete her like Inuyasha did, she would never deny how special he was to her.

"I love you Hojo, I truly do." He rested his forehead against hers as she continued to cry. Maybe it was all so painful because he believed her. He did feel Kagome's love, it just hurt that his wasn't enough for her.

"I know." It was all he had the energy to say. His hand was suddenly heavy with the feel of her engagement ring in his hand. "Goodbye Kagome."

"Goodbye Hojo."


Happy new year, I hope 2023 is better for you than 2022. See you next time.