Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Chapter thirty-one: Eight Days a Week
"Hey kids, it's time to wake up– Oh…Touga, hunny come here. Look at this."
"What is it?"
"Shh-shh-shh! Don't be so loud. Look at how the kids slept last night. Oh my gosh, I need to take a picture."
"I don't think the boys would like it if you took a picture of this…"
"This is too adorable to not be documented."
"You know that Inuyasha will find out and he's going to delete the picture from your phone."
"You're right; better email it to myself as well…there. Done. Okay now you may wake them up. I'm going to order some room service."
Inu-Taisho laughed softly at his wife's antics and looked once more at the comical scene of his children slumbering together. The boys were still in their respective spots on either side of the bed, but were both barely hanging onto the edge of the mattress due to the middle child's strange position between them. Kagome had somehow weaseled her way to lay perpendicularly between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru; her legs were splayed all over the younger brother's torso while her head rested on the other's stomach. One arm was resting beside Sesshoumaru's head, her fingers curling in his messy hair, and the other hand was clutching his wrist in a loose grip. Her peaceful, precious face was mimicked by the boys similar slumbering faces; all looking completely vulnerable and calm, as if nothing could hurt them. Inu-Taisho was reminded how quickly time went by and how fast all three of his kids had grown.
"Alright, wake up guys. It's time to start the day." He spoke into the room before walking towards the sleeping trio. Sesshoumaru was the first to stir, and the first to notice the strange position he was in.
"Wha-? Kagome get off of me." He groaned sleepily and rolled her off of him, and directly onto Inuyasha. Kagome blearily opened her eyes and looked around curiously, still delirious from sleep, before sitting up in bed. Her hair was a mess and her striped pajamas were disheveled.
"Dad, why'd you wake us up so early? I've got jet-lag. Can't we sleep some more?" Inuyasha asked while trying to mask a yawn unsuccessfully. It was contagious throughout the entire room, sparking a symphony of yawns from everyone else. As Inu-Taisho recovered from his rather impressive yawn, he looked down at his designer watch and chuckled.
"Well, you were the one who begged we make a stop at the arcade before we all leave for Chichibu…so if you two have changed your minds about that then you can sleep in for another hour or so." At the word 'arcade', both Inuyasha and Kagome lost all signs of fatigue and raced out of bed for their suitcases to pick their outfits for the day.
"I get the shower first!" Kagome yelled as she rushed to the adjoining bathroom. She slammed and locked the door just in time for Inuyasha to barrel into the wooden surface. He bounced off with an angry grunt and punched the door with the side of his fist.
"What?! You take forever in the shower! Let me go first! UGH! Dad can I use your shower?" Inuyasha asked frantically, but almost lost it when Sesshoumaru spoke up.
"No, I'm first." The nonchalant teen spoke up finally, rising up from the bed to stand and stretch his tall frame, causing his t-shirt to lift up and expose his toned stomach. Inu-Taisho sighed and stepped aside to let Sesshoumaru pass through the door, then looked at Inuyasha with a sympathetic eye.
"Sorry, you'll just have to wait your turn. But your mother is ordering breakfast, maybe you can help her?" His attempt at offering comfort to his youngest son had some effect, but Inuyasha was upset about the shower situation nonetheless.
Too see Inuyasha and Kagome's faces as they stood outside the arcade was like seeing someone in the presence of God. Their expressions were ones of joy and rapture, like they had come home after years of being away; this was their homeland. For Izayoi, Inu-Taisho, and Sesshoumaru the experience was far less miraculous. Both Kagome and Inuyasha had been given a considerable amount of money and had been told that an hour was all they had to play before it was time to depart for the train station. But that restricting time limit didn't dampen the excitement of the two children as they ran into the colorful wonderland that was an authentic Japanese arcade.
"Inuyasha, Kagome, be safe! Use the buddy system!" Izayoi called out and hoped that the two children would stick together. Inu-Taisho looked over at Sesshoumaru on his right and gave the teenager a gentle nudge.
"Keep an eye on them while Izayoi and I visit a café just down this block. We'll come get you in about an hour," Sesshoumaru didn't have any time to refute his father's orders and was left standing on the sidewalk outside the arcade with a miffed expression on his otherwise indifferent face. He did not want to be stuck in a loud, neon, crowded place with the responsibility of watching two hyperactive children; but the compulsive need to please Inu-Taisho overruled Sesshoumaru's dissent and he begrudgingly entered the arcade. Instantly, the already disgruntled teen was bombarded by the sounds of electronic games, fast beat Japanese pop-music, and the idle chatter of other teenagers becoming completely engrossed in the alternate realities provided to them. The wide array of colors and lights was somewhat overwhelming, but Sesshoumaru was the king of composure as he weaved in and out of the crowds of gamers looking for two in particular.
Kagome and Inuyasha were already absorbed in a shooter game, both standing in front of the console with plastic guns in hand and pointed at the zombies on the large screen. Even though neither of them knew how to read the Japanese text, they seemed perfectly able to navigate on their own without translation. Sesshoumaru stood off on his own, leaning against the wall where there was less activity, and watched the two kids go crazy. They darted from game to game, sometimes having to wait in line, but he could see by the expressions on their faces that this was probably the most fun they would have on the entire trip. Sadly, their hour of playtime was quickly ticking away and there was just twenty minutes left before their parents would return. Kagome seemed to realize this as well and gently shook Inuyasha's arm to get his attention away from the racing game he was currently losing at.
"What is it? You'll get your turn on it after me." He said in a somewhat annoyed tone and went to look back at the screen in front of him. Kagome groaned and tugged on the boy's sleeve again.
"I played that shooter game with you, so you have to play the dancing game with me. The line is so long and we only have twenty minutes left Inuyasha!" Looking back at the dancing game over her shoulder, Kagome made a nervous sound at the sight of the even longer line. Inuyasha just sighed as he continued his race, eager to finish and not have the title of last place.
"Look, go get in line and I'll catch up with you after I'm done here." Kagome knew that was the best she would get from him and quickly ran to the back of the line behind some boys a few years older than herself. It was obvious that she was the youngest person waiting to play, and a few others did look back to take notice of her and snickered under their breaths. But that totally went unnoticed as Kagome craned her neck and shifted from side to side to see how the current contestants were faring. She also completely forgot the 'buddy system' rule placed on her and Inuyasha; so had he. Sesshoumaru, however, did remember it and took a few long strides to stand next to his half-brother.
"Inuyasha, you're supposed to stay with Kagome." He interrupted quietly, giving the younger sibling a scare and effectively knocking him out of second place and all the way into eighth. Inuyasha let out a frustrated noise and glared up at Sesshoumaru, then glanced back at Kagome.
"She's fine. We're like, five feet away from each other." He said flippantly and put in another few coins to start a new game. His attempt to begin another race was thwarted when Sesshoumaru took hold of his half-brother's arm and dragged him away from the immobilized motorcycle and over to where Kagome stood in line. Others quickly took over the game and Inuyasha groaned sadly, feeling cheated and ripped off by his older brother. "Sesshoumaru, you prick!" But the seventeen-year-old completely ignored the younger boy's protests and forced Inuyasha to stand next to Kagome, who had moved up some in line.
"Stay together," He stated bluntly, getting a curious look from Kagome and glares from boys and girls standing behind her. They objected to Inuyasha's placement in line and the two younger kids looked between Sesshoumaru and the others nervously. Sesshoumaru easily put the complaints to rest by muttering a polite apology in Japanese and pulled himself and Inuyasha to the side.
"What was that about?" Inuyasha questioned.
"They wanted you to go to the end of the line. We'll wait for Kagome to finish her turn and then we're leaving." Sesshoumaru responded boredly, and the two then waited for Kagome to move further and further up the line until it was finally her turn. Standing before the brightly lit platform, she looked up at her opponent with worried eyes. He'd been undefeated ever since he stepped onto his platform and looked a good five years older than her, but that didn't deter Kagome enough to make her run away. Despite not being able to speak or read the language, she stepped up onto the arrowed platform and expertly inserted two coins to commence the game. Before them was a large screen and a list of songs that she could not read, but Kagome knew this game's layout enough to find a song she was familiar with and selected it. Both her and her opponent's difficulty was set to hard and in a few seconds the song began.
From behind, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome's nerves fell away and she easily matched the boy's quick footsteps with her own. Unlike him though, her face was not fixed into one of serious concentration; but one of enjoyment and exhilaration as the arrows scrolled before her blue eyes, triggering her feet to stomp onto the matching arrows on her platform. Inuyasha couldn't tear his gaze away from her movements, not even for a second. Never before had he seen her move with such…maturity, for a lack of better words, and even Sesshoumaru had to wonder where she'd learned to roll her body like that. Everyone in line was surprised to see such a young girl giving the reigning champ a run for his money, and as the song continued her chances of winning increased with her score. There came a part of the song where the two contestants were given the choice of freestyle and Kagome took it; making up impressive dance steps to the beat of the techno song. The older boy watched from the corner of his eye, getting more and more nervous as he tried to work in some freestyle steps of his own, but Kagome's natural inclination for dance gave her an advantage that boost her score up to a much higher number than his.
"Go Kagome! Beat his ass!" Cheered Inuyasha, smiling excitedly as the song began to wrap up and the footwork got even more complex. Kagome didn't miss a single arrow, and at the final note she stomped both of her feet on the two side arrows as she was named winner. There was a big, satisfied smile on her face as she watched the older boy step off of his platform and sulk off to go play a different game. The other people waiting in line gave Kagome a small applause as she left the platform as well and ran over to Inuyasha.
"Did you see me? I won! I didn't think I'd be able to but I did!" She exclaimed happily, getting a similar reaction from him.
"That guy looked so upset over losing to a little girl! He's over there moping about it. HA!" Kagome giggled softly and swatted at Inuyasha's arm.
"Don't be so mean. He was really good too," She reminded him and then looked up at Sesshoumaru with a smile. "Let's go wait for mom and dad." The oldest brother didn't give her much of a response, but didn't pull away from her either when she held onto his arm as they made their way to the exit. Watching from behind, Inuyasha followed the two other's with a slightly hurt look on his face. He was the one who had been playing with her the entire time, so why was Kagome hanging on Sesshoumaru and completely ignoring him? Scoffing at his bothersome feelings, the confused teenager waited outside the arcade with the two others for their parents to arrive.
Kagome sat on the counter of the bathroom sink, waiting patiently for Izayoi to finish styling her hair. She was wearing a simple black dress with white stockings and white dress-shoes, and a black headband with flower accents held back the young girl's wavy bangs. Izayoi was very quiet as she applied some brown blush to her daughter's pale cheeks, and then gave Kagome a small smile when it was all done.
"Okay, you're ready." She said softly and stood up straight to look at her own reflection in the mirror. Izayoi was wearing black as well; a simple, appropriate black dress and black stockings. Her long hair was pulled back and braided loosely, ending just at the small of her back. A strand of white pearls hung around her swan-like neck and dangling from her ears was a pair of matching earrings. Her face was made up prettily with natural colors rather than eye-catching tones. This was a somber event that required stoic humbleness. Kagome slid off of the sink and smoothed out the dress behind her legs, trying to keep the fabric from wrinkling. She and her mother left the bathroom together and navigated through the new, much less opulent, hotel room to find the boys standing around the living area. They all had on black suits and ties, looking similar in their solemn appearance. Izayoi went to stand next to her husband and put a hand on his arm. "Everyone's ready," She said softly and picked up the impressive bouquet of flowers from the coffee table situated nearby.
Inu-Taisho nodded, but said nothing else as he helped his wife into her fur coat at the front entrance of the hotel room. The young boys already had their winter jackets, but Kagome was having some difficulty getting her arm into the sleeve of hers. She glanced up at Inu-Taisho in hopes that he would notice her struggle and help, but was surprised to feel someone else coming to her aid. As the heavy jacket was lifted and her arm easily slid into the sleeve, Kagome looked back over her shoulder to see Inuyasha standing there with a strangely calm expression on his face. As they looked at each other, Kagome felt warmth spreading across her face when she noticed how nice Inuyasha looked in that moment. His face was becoming longer, less babyish, and growing more mature every day it seemed. At the same time, he was noticing how pretty she was when her hair was pulled back like that. She still had a heart-shaped face, and her eyes were as expressive as always, but when did her neck become so graceful? And had her lips always curl up at the ends like that?
"Inuyasha, Kagome, come." Izayoi's soft voice called out to them in their mild haze, spurring both kids to quickly join their mother in the hallway. Neither knew why they'd been staring at each other, but it was too serious of a day to be concerned with trivial things like their uncertain feelings.
The drive was relatively quiet, only the crinkling sounds of the bouquet's plastic-wrap permeating the sad atmosphere inside the car. Inu-Taisho drove while Izayoi sat beside him in the passenger seat, leaving the three children to sit beside each other in the back. Kagome had a window seat this time, and she spent the entire drive looking up at the grey sky thinking about what it would be like to meet Inu-Taisho's parents for the first time. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had similar thoughts going through their minds, but no one would guess such a thing by the unreadable expressions on their faces. It was the first time for all three children, and none knew what to expect. When they finally reached the destination, Kagome looked away from the depressing sky at the surrounds outside the car. When had they entered a rural town? There were tall, barren trees everywhere on either side of the car and not a single sign of human existence could be found. Kagome waited until her door was opened for her and looked up at her mother's pretty face.
"We're here, Kagome," Izayoi whispered softly and held her hand out to help the little girl from the car. Upon stepping on the ground, Kagome shivered at the bitter chill in the air and pulled the coat around her tighter as she and Izayoi waited for the boys to join them. Cradling the bouquet as if it were a precious child, Kagome watched as Inu-Taisho and Izayoi began walking up a hill of dead-grass towards a lightly wooded area. The trees were stripped of all foliage, all their leaves having fallen dead on the ground. Off in the distance the sounds of wild geese could be heard, along with the various sounds one would expect in such a rural place. Moving further into the sparsely packed forest, Kagome wondered how long they would have to walk until she soon noticed signs of their destination.
From the ground, Kagome could see long, thin headstones sprouting upwards of three feet into the air. They all looked old and worn down, almost forgotten with the exception of a few that were decorated with new flowers. Some were overgrown with vines and moss, and most had their inscriptions worn away completely due to nature's erosion. It wasn't a very large cemetery, at least from what Kagome could see, and it was one tucked back in the rural town that Inu-Taisho had grown up in. He led the family to one particular pair of tombstones, both standing tall and strong but with the signs of time and weather on their stony surfaces. Kagome couldn't read the Japanese text written on them, but she knew perfectly well who was buried here as they gathered round.
Inu-Taisho gracefully went down onto his knees and assumed the prayer position with his hands joined and head bowed respectfully. Everyone behind him bowed their heads as well as they listened to the family patriarch quietly speak to his deceased parents in his native tongue, though only Sesshoumaru could understand it. Kagome stood in front of her mother; her back pressed against Izayoi's legs as she watched her father curiously. Never before had he ever appeared so humble, at least not in front of her, and seeing him in such a vulnerable state brought tears to the little girl's eyes. Her small hand lifted to wipe away a fallen tear from her cheek, an action that didn't go unnoticed by Inu-Taisho.
"Kagome," His voice was warm and soft, and she blushed when he turned his head to look at her. "Come meet your grandmother and grandfather. You too Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru." Inu-Taisho stood up from his kneeling position and stepped aside to allow all three children to stand closer to the plot. Kagome approached slowly, the flowers still clutched close to her chest, as she stood in between the two boys. "You can place the flowers now," Very carefully, she stepped forward and laid the bouquet down on the earth near the tombstones, then looked back at Inu-Taisho expectantly.
"What are we supposed to say?" Inuyasha asked quietly, his tone subdued and respectful for once. Izayoi smiled softly and moved to stand behind her son.
"Whatever you want to say," She responded softly, running her hand down the back of his head tenderly. Inu-Taisho nodded and watched as Sesshoumaru acted first. The oldest child bowed at the waist with his hands together in front of his chest, showing an understanding of tradition and respect. Kagome and Inuyasha followed in his example, less confident in the action as they held the position for a few seconds before straightening back up.
"Daddy, how do you say 'Grandma and Grandpa' in Japanese?" Kagome asked curiously, and was happy to see her father smile back at her.
" Grandmother and Grandfather is 'oba-san to oji-san'." Kagome nodded and looked back at the plot in front of her, practicing the words under her breath before daring to say them out loud.
"Konichiwa, oba-san to oji-san," Though it was slow, Kagome's pronunciation was surprisingly accurate and she felt proud for a moment. She didn't care that the two people buried before her weren't biologically her grandparents, in fact it wasn't even a thought in her mind. Kagome smiled to herself and glanced at Inuyasha, who was being oddly quiet. There was a serious expression fixed on his face, confusing the little girl standing next to him. "Aren't you gonna say something, Inuyasha?" Her soft voice seemed to bring Inuyasha out of his thoughts and he looked at her with wide, curious eyes.
"Hm? Oh, yeah…I just don't know what to say is all. Konichiwa, I guess…It's nice to meet you guys. Wish we could have known each other when you were still alive." The sentiment was there, but the blunt delivery made everyone give a sigh of exasperation; though Kagome ended up laughing softly. She knew that Inuyasha wasn't the most eloquent person in the world, but at least he tried.
The family remained at the burial site for a while, speaking with the deceased couple as if they were actually amongst them. Izayoi remained by her husband's side the entire time, even when he asked all three children to return to the car so that he could have a private moment with his parents. Kagome watched from over her shoulder as Izayoi and Inu-Taisho stood before the tombstones, and wondered what they could be saying. The three children congregated near the classy car they'd arrived in, hands in their pockets and serious expressions etched into their faces; though Kagome's expression was also mixed with one of irritation and discomfort. Her bottom jaw trembled, causing her teeth to chatter incessantly, and soon it was joined by random shivers of her little body. It wasn't a secret that Kagome didn't do well in cold settings, and it had been the cause of many colds and flues over the years. The boys didn't mind it one bit, feeling right at home in their thick jackets, but they couldn't ignore Kagome's worsening symptoms for very much longer.
"I-I'm so c-cold." She mumbled pitifully while trying to conserve as much body heat as possible by hunching her shoulders up to her ears and bouncing in place. Inuyasha, who was contently leaning against the door of the car, looked at Kagome as if he'd been waiting for her to finally mention it. He opened his mouth to tell her to suck it up, but was cut short when Sesshoumaru, in classic Sesshoumaru style, simply opened his jacket as if to welcome Kagome into a hug. Her pained face quickly turned into one of appreciation and excitement, and the twelve-year-old gladly ran into her older brother's open arms and soaked up all his extra body heat. Sesshoumaru didn't have much of a reaction to it as he wrapped the loose folds of his jacket around her small body, blocking as much cold weather out as possible.
Staring at his older brother with a look of shock and betrayal, Inuyasha had no idea that was what his face was conveying until he got the most bizarre look back from Sesshoumaru. Both remained silent, as to not upset or excite the young girl, and Sesshoumaru sent his half-brother a seething look that was returned ten-fold.
"Where are we going now?" It was a question on everyone's minds, but only Inuyasha felt the need to actually bring it up. The family was back in the car, driving down an old road through Inu-Taisho's humble hometown. Touga smiled to himself and looked out at the familiar surroundings, somewhat saddened to see it looking so deserted and forgotten by time. There were mostly elderly citizens residing here, and he could only hope that the two he was driving to see still lived in the same house.
"There is a couple that I would like to see again. They were good friends with my parents and I just want to see how they are fairing in their old-age." He said simply, turning a corner down a street lined with small houses that all looked the same. The car came to a gentle stop in front of one of the houses on the left, and Inu-Taisho opened his door to step out. "Stay here," He stated and left the car running and the family awaiting his call to join him. They watched Inu-Taisho walk up the short path to the dreary, grey and brown home and knock on the door. It wasn't but five or so seconds before an elderly man, who looked to be in his late eighties, appeared behind that door. He and Inu-Taisho exchanged a few words, their faces blank until recognition hit and they were bowing at each other and smiling from ear to ear. Izayoi cut off the engine when she saw her husband motion for them to come over and opened her door to get out. The three children all piled out of the car and followed Izayoi, who was already smiling beautifully as she stepped up next to Inu-Taisho.
Inu-Taisho introduced each family member to the elderly man, who was now joined by his wife. She was a pretty woman, despite how advanced she was in age, and her grey hair almost glowed in the dim lighting of their humble home. Her face had deeply etched wrinkles, all seeming to generate from the corners of her eyes and nose, alluding to how much she had smiled throughout her life. The old man, however, had a very stern and hard look to him; even when he smiled. As they spoke back and forth with Inu-Taisho, Kagome found her interest waning as she listened to the foreign language being spoken, but did offer a smile to them when Inu-Taisho gestured towards her. Suddenly, they were all moving inside the house and removing their shoes in the small foyer where some were already lined up neatly. Though the custom was strange to them, Kagome and Inuyasha did as everyone else and followed the rest through the small house into the living room.
There was a low-standing table in the center, a small box TV set to the right corner along with a space heater and some short drawers with various knick-knacks arranged atop them. Light bled into the room through the nearly translucent shoji screens, making the mood very calm and serene. Everyone gathered around the shallow table, Kagome and Inuyasha having to squeeze in next to Izayoi while Inu-Taisho and Sesshoumaru got their own sides of the table. Hana, the elderly woman, appeared from the kitchen with a tray laden with a tea pot and numerous small, ceramic cups and set it on the wooden table before taking a seat next to her husband, Chousen. Kagome watched as the seemingly feeble old woman easily poured everyone a cup of steaming tea, her once trembling hands steady as the cups were passed around. Izayoi smiled prettily and bowed her head for a moment before thanking the kind woman.
"Arigatou, Hana-san." She said confidently, proud of her minimal grasp of the Japanese language. Kagome and Inuyasha both took large sips of the hot tea, but instantly regretted it when the liquid burned their lips and tongues and their eyes began to water. He was better at hiding his pain, having to only shut his eyes and clench his fist tightly under the table, but Kagome let out a sudden yelp and her little face scrunched up as she tried to ride out the waves of pain. Chousen and Inu-Taisho paused in their conversation to see what the matter was, but Hana was already on the job and quickly went to fetch some ice to help the little girl. Kagome had no idea that was the woman's intent until she had returned with a cup full of small ice-cubes and was extended said cup to her. Blushing nervously, Kagome looked up at the old woman with a curious expression on her face and hesitantly took the cup with a smile on her face.
"Arigatou," Izayoi thanked Hana for Kagome, who had shared some of the ice with Inuyasha and had her mouth full with the frozen cubes. Sesshoumaru noticed this from across the table and had to roll his eyes at the silly spectacle. Everything settled once more as Inu-Taisho and his elderly companion continued with their talk, going through various topics and emotions that were a mystery to three of the present company, and it seemed as if this visit would never come to an end. Inuyasha and Kagome had to resort to playing hand games with each other under the table to keep themselves entertained. They were content in their oblivious state, but then the atmosphere of the room changed and everything went silent. It was Kagome who noticed the shift first, and when she looked up almost all eyes were on her with a strange look in them. The elderly couple seemed shameful and regretful, while Inu-Taisho and Sesshoumaru watched the young girl with nervousness and hesitation. Izayoi seemed as confused as Kagome was, and leaned over towards Inu-Taisho to find out what the issue was.
Kagome and Inuyasha watched their parents exchange silent words, wondering the entire time what had happened to make the mood shift so completely. Once Izayoi had been filled in, her expression was exactly as Inu-Taisho's, and she seemed on the verge of saying something.
"Um…did I do something wrong?" Kagome asked in a meek voice, getting red in the face. Inu-Taisho quickly dismissed the notion with a shake of his head. Clearing his throat, the older man glanced at Chousen for a moment, and then looked back at his daughter with a regretful look.
"No, Kagome you didn't do anything. It's just, well…" His voice trailed off for a bit as Inu-Taisho seemed to have difficulty finding the right words. "Chousen and Hana asked about you, and when I mentioned your full name, they recognized Higurashi. Apparently, you had family in a small fishing village about thirty miles from here. Hana is from there and knew your grandmother very well when they were growing up." The shock of this moment for Kagome was substantial. Her eyes were as big as saucers and face void of all emotion besides surprise. Her blue eyes shifted between everyone's faces until they ended up on Hana's. There was a strange, sympathetic look in the old woman's wise eyes that confused the young girl even more. She had grandparents that Hana was familiar with? Did that mean she knew her mother as well?
"Daddy, did she know my mom too?" Kagome asked hopefully, missing the mild hurt look on Izayoi's face. She knew there was no reason to be jealous or upset over Kagome's natural curiosity over her birth mother, but the brain did not always coincide with what the heart wanted. Inu-Taisho turned to Hana and politely asked her to speak more about what she knew of the Kagome's family and the elderly woman seemed very eager to relay her memories to the young girl. As she looked at Kagome and began to speak, Inu-Taisho quietly interpreted.
"Hana says that she did know your mother; that she and your grandmother were friends and lived near each other until it was her time to leave the village once she got married. When Hana left, your grandmother had just told her that your mother was being sent to America for school. She was 16 and came back two years later, but was married and had changed her name to Higurashi." There was a pause in his translation as Hana seemed to gather her thoughts and calm whatever emotions might be surfacing under her normally serene appearance. Her light, wavering voice began to speak again and Inu-Taisho continued conveying the words to Kagome. "She and your father met in America and got married so that she could stay there with him. It caused a lot of trouble for your grandparents and they rejected your mother when she invited them to return to America with her. Your grandmother sent a letter to Hana telling her and before she could convince her otherwise, your mother was already gone back to America. About seven years ago, your grandfather passed away and soon after your grandmother passed."
There seemed to be a silence that settled on the room, leaving everyone quiet and respectful as Kagome took some time to grasp what had just been said. There was sadness in her eyes, but no tears yet. She already knew the fate that both her parents had succumbed to, but hearing that her mother had once been rejected by her parents was disappointing to say the least. Sighing softly, Kagome nodded and looked up at Hana. She was surprised to see a smile on the woman's face, and even more so when Hana stood up and made her way to the short cabinets in the corner of the room. Everyone seemed curious and confused as well, wondering what could be so important that Hana got up from the table to retrieve. She returned to her place with a thick book held close to her body, and gently set it on the table for everyone to see.
"A photo album?" Izayoi commented out loud. She and the others all leaned in as Hana carefully went through the pages, each one making soft cracking noises as it was turned. There were various sepia-toned images inside the book, and a nostalgic smile appeared on both Hana and Chousen's faces as they looked at the pictures with fondness. Finally, Hana came to the page she'd been searching for and pushed the book towards Kagome. On either page was a single image; on the left a photo of three figures and on the right a picture with just two peopled standing together. Pointing to the picture on the left, Hana indicated that the two women standing behind a young girl were her and Kagome's grandmother. They were both dressed in traditional kimonos, looking as if they'd just stepped out for a special occasion, and similar smiles stretched across their young faces. Hana's aged and arthritic finger then touched the image pointing towards a young girl's head. She couldn't have been more than ten or eleven, and she looked eerily similar to Kagome. The old woman spoke a few Japanese words, to which Inu-Taisho interpreted.
"Kagome, that young girl is your mother, and the two women behind her are Hana and your grandmother." He said softly, and then Izayoi chimed in as she leaned in closer to see better.
"Kagome, you look just like your mother when she was your age." Her voice was soft and laced with a happy tone, and slowly a smile began to appear on Kagome's once saddened face. She reached out and stroked the picture with a touch as delicate and soft as a feather. Then, Hana pointed at the image on the right side, where it was a closer-up picture of just Shima and her mother together. The young girl was standing in front of her mother with the woman's long arms wrapped around her daughter's shoulders in a sweet and warm pose. Upon closer inspection, Kagome agreed that she and her mother looked very similar. It was a comfort to the young girl, and she couldn't help but look up at Hana and give a respectful bow of her head in gratitude. The gesture pleased the elderly couple, and brought a sense of pride to Inu-Taisho at seeing his daughter being so respectful. It seemed as if the once depressing side-trip had finally become satisfying and comforting.
"Mom, can you hold onto my picture until we get back home? I don't want anything to happen to it by accident."
Kagome held out the old picture to Izayoi as the woman sat on the edge of the bed to put on her socks. Izayoi and Kagome were both dressed in lovely winter kimonos, each a different theme, and preparing for the festival that night. Smiling softly, the older woman took the picture and placed it on the mattress next to her.
"Yes, I will. Wasn't it nice of Hana to give you the picture?" She asked and stood up gracefully to go over to the bathroom sink where all her jewelry was. Kagome nodded and followed after her mother, already dressed and ready for the first night of the festival. Her hair was pulled back into adorable twin buns on either side of her head, with a few stray tendrils escaping in a surprisingly attractive way. Her face was powdered with a soft layer of white and on her lips and cheeks was a light shade of pink. Her blue eyes stood out vibrantly in contrast with her dark hair and the richness of the white kimono she wore; the obi being a lovely shade of royal blue and in the sleeves were pretty pink sakura petals sewn into the fabric. As Kagome waited for Izayoi to finish putting on the last decorations she needed, she stood in front of the tall mirror to admire how the sleeves fanned out and extended to her fingertips. This was the first time Kagome had ever worn a kimono, and she hoped it wouldn't be the last.
Once Izayoi had clasped the lock of her finest necklace behind her neck, she deemed herself presentable for the evening and smiled at her reflection. Her kimono was a pretty red color with accents of gold silk woven into the patterns of multi-colored koi fish. She looked as lovely as always, and Kagome only hoped she could grow up to be so graceful and pretty. The two nicely dressed girls left the hotel bedroom to join the men in the common area of their hotel room. They were all watching some silly game show on the small television provided and it was presumable that only Inu-Taisho and Sesshoumaru had an inkling of what was really going on. They were all dressed nicely, though none wore any traditional garb like Kagome and Izayoi did. Not one of them noticed that their lady companions were dressed and ready, but once Izayoi cleared her throat, they finally became aware. Each of their heads turned in perfect synchronization and yet their reactions were all very different.
"Oh wow," Inu-Taisho was at a loss for words as he rose up from the chair to approach his wife. There was an appreciative and pleased smile on his face, to which Izayoi grinned mischievously and pulled out a silk fan from her sleeve that matched her kimono. Opening it gracefully, she placed the fan between her cheek and his lips just as Inu-Taisho went in for a kiss. A playful laugh slipped from the woman's red lips at his dejected sigh and she tapped her fan against his chest.
"Ah-ah, you'll ruin my makeup," She said teasingly, laughing again when Inu-Taisho settled for giving a chaste kiss to the dainty knuckles on the back of his wife's hand.
"You look radiant. And you," Turning to Kagome now, Inu-Taisho grinned handsomely and pulled the young girl into his body for a quick hug. Her arms naturally went around Inu-Taisho's waist, though they could not reach all the way around it. "I don't think you've ever looked so grown up. It's very pretty, Kagome." He said sweetly and bent down to give Kagome's dimpled cheek a kiss. Glancing back up at Izayoi, the strangely playful Inu-Taisho let go of his hold on Kagome and leaned in close to his wife. "See? She'll let me give her a kiss." As the two adults chatted back and forth for a moment, Kagome took the chance to join Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha a few feet away. Both had a look on their face that did little to hide their feelings about what she was wearing. On Inuyasha's face was an awestruck expression that left him speechless as Kagome gave a friendly smile to both boys. The smile on Sesshoumaru's handsome face did little to hide his approval of her wardrobe and he was also the first to comment.
"What do you think guys?" Kagome asked as she gave a little twirl, sending the sleeves of her kimono flaring out from her sides as she did so. Sesshoumaru stepped forward and gave Kagome a friendly pat on the back, gently taking her into one-armed hug, and then his deep voice let out a soft chuckle that was sounding more and more like Inu-Taisho. Its effect trickled down into Kagome, who gazed up at her adoptive brother with the utmost adoration in her bright blue eyes. At that moment, as Sesshoumaru was sending her appraising looks and encouraging words, there was nothing to make her feel sad for the events that had took place earlier.
"You look very nice." He said softly, earning a sideways glance from his father who was getting his tie straightened by Izayoi. Smiling from ear to ear, she leaned into her big brother's side while also looking back at Inuyasha expectantly. She noticed a weird expression on his face, but so much was already floating around Kagome's mind that she couldn't spend much time thinking on the matter.
"Do you like my kimono, Inuyasha?" She asked hopefully, and silently fumed when he scoffed and blew off her question with a dismissive answer. What else was to be expected though? It wasn't as if Inuyasha was the changed one after all these years? Sure, he'd gone from being her enemy to being…well, not her enemy. Were they friends? That question was quickly answered with a definitive no, seeing as they still avoided each other like the plague at school and he continued to denounce any affiliation with her. No one outside of their immediate circle of friends, and the school administration, knew that Kagome was an adoptive daughter to the Taisho family; and that was how Inuyasha wanted it to stay. Sure, he heard rumors people made up about Kagome and her 'mysterious past', but they were only circulated because neither of them did anything to correct the false information. There were some who believed Kagome to come from a secret mafia family or that she was some sort of vampire like out of Twilight. It was all stupid and made up, but that only made it easier to maintain their ruse.
"It's okay. Can we go now dad? I'm bored just sitting around here and it's already nine o'clock." Inuyasha's voice rang out in the thus-far calm room with a complaining tone. Brushing past Kagome and Sesshoumaru to interrupt their parent's intimate conversations, he tried not to dry heave at the sight of them whispering and flirting with each other as if they were a young pair of lovers. Izayoi and Inu-Taisho indulged their youngest son and began to ready themselves to leave. The festival was already underway most likely, but with it being so cold and the fireworks not starting until midnight, the parents didn't want to keep Kagome out that long. Once everyone had on their shoes and warm clothes, the family piled out of the room and made their way to the festival down the street.
The streets were more hectic and crowded than those of New York on this cold December evening. It was the first night of the festival and the entirety of Japan seemed to be in attendance, all dressed in their best and looking exotic and beautiful in Kagome's eyes. She'd never expected that this was the world that she came from, since New York had only ever been the area she knew of and having something so mysterious and rich in tradition was a comfort. As the various, ornate floats marched through the streets, being met with cheers from everyone gathered round, Kagome couldn't help but be mesmerized by the lights and decorations all around. It was as if she was experiencing all of Japan in one moment, and she couldn't get enough of it. Even though she could not speak or read the language and knew very little about customs and practices, Kagome felt herself becoming part of a culture that she could really belong to and associate with. She liked the idea of having a heritage, especially one that was so bright, colorful, and exciting.
As the family stood together in the crowd, for once not being set apart by their social status or economic level, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru got a taste for civilian life in their home country and what it must be like for others in America who were of a lower station in life. They weren't accustomed to the tight spacing or being pushed and jostled about; but if it wasn't upsetting their father, the boys wouldn't let it upset them either. The only person who was at all bothered was short, frustrated Kagome. She could only make out the very tops of the floats that went by, and it was getting to be very annoying. The wool scarf that had been wrapped around her neck was thick and bundled up around the lower-half of her face, making it difficult to call out to her parents and have them actually notice.
Tugging at Inu-Taisho's sleeve, the young girl tried to get her father's attention but he was far too enamored and distracted by the festival that he experienced in his youth. Even yelling at him had no effect, as everyone else was speaking at the tops of their lungs and making more noise than any parade that she'd ever been to. Finally giving up, Kagome decided to put up with her terrible vantage point until the parade went by. There was time in between this and the fireworks to play some fun games and see other things, so the night wouldn't be a total loss. Little did she know that the night would become unpredictable and life-changing.
"The fireworks are starting soon," Inu-Taisho had to speak a little louder than normal for all his family to hear over the busy crowd. They had just finished playing a few of the festival games available, and though Kagome wished to continue having Sesshoumaru win things for her, she also knew from past experience that it was better to leave early to pick a decent place to watch the fireworks from. As she left the goldfish scooping game, her place quickly being taken by another eager child, Kagome ran to catch up with her family when someone shouted out a name that caught her by surprise. Her blue eyes widened for a moment as the words seemed to echo in her ears as all other noises ceased to exist.
"Shima, Doko ni iru no? Shima?" A concerned voice called out the name of Kagome's mother, and it stopped the young girl in her tracks as she looked for the source. More calls came from somewhere in the crowd, and soon a woman dressed in a green kimono appeared with a worried expression on her face. As she scanned the area for her Shima, Kagome's mind couldn't help but think about her mother. Her blue eyes followed the woman, eager to see what was to become of the situation. Would this woman be reunited with her Shima? For some reason, Kagome felt a deep desire to see the two find each other, though she could not explain it to anyone else why it was so important. Her family a few yards away watched in confusion, as they had no idea what had Kagome's attention so fixed, but it was concerning to say the least. Once the woman got lost in the crowd as she sought out her Shima, Kagome's heart skipped and she moved through the throngs of people to find her again. There was no consideration for her family or her own safety; all the young girl could think about was if the two strangers would be reunited. It was at this time that Izayoi and Inu-Taisho decided to intervene when Kagome left their sights.
"Kagome!" Izayoi called out and made her way towards the girl's direction, weaving and gently pushing her way towards her daughter. Her protective nature was already heightened by being in a foreign country, and the craziness of the parade didn't help. Anyone could easily pick such a small girl up and carry her away forever. "Kagome, come back please," Trying to maintain a calm and patient attitude, Izayoi continue after her daughter with the rest of the family following. Thankfully though, they came upon Kagome not a minute later. As the men took a moment to all collect their composure and return to a calmed state, Izayoi wasted no time in getting to Kagome's side with the intent of chastising the girl. Kagome stood at a part of the crowd where it was less heavily packed, and all she was doing was staring at the same woman in green; only this time there was a young girl in her arms. Shima had been found by her mother, and as Kagome watched with a mixture of relief and sadness, Izayoi came up behind her with a serious expression on her face. "Kagome, we told you not to run off like that. What if something happened to you?"
Turning Kagome away from the reunited mother and child, Izayoi made sure that her daughter saw the severity of the situation that was evident in her angry face. Kagome looked up at her mother with sad eyes, sad for the longing she felt for her real mother and the guilt for having those feelings; but all Izayoi saw was remorse and blindly forgave Kagome with a hug. "It's okay; nothing happened so no reason for tears. Come on, we're all going to go find a good place to watch the fireworks." Not having the heart to tell Izayoi the truth behind her sad expression, Kagome numbly walked beside her mother back to their family; but not without sending one last look over her shoulder at the mother and daughter. Unfortunately, they'd already left. Tears stung her eyes and her chest shuddered painfully from holding back a sob, but Kagome never let it out. How could she when everyone else was so happy?
Remaining quiet, Kagome never said a word as the family walked up the bank of the river to find a good place to sit and watch the fireworks. Others were doing the same as well, and had even thought to bring blankets and chairs to sit on instead of the wet grass. The dark sky, spotted and splattered with stars, looked beautiful against the still surface of the river and many anticipated the spectacle of fireworks playing across the reflective water as well. It was difficult to see though without aid of street lights or even building's interior light to illuminate the path. All the light the family had to walk by were lanterns and flashlights held by others. Hanging onto her husband's arm, Izayoi managed not to fall or trip over herself as she marveled at the river and how lovely the night was.
On her free hand was Kagome, holding onto it for warmth and guidance as she stumbled numbly along the gravely path. Her eyes were fixed on nothing as they walked as a group, the boys behind following behind dutifully. No one seemed to notice the internal conflict going on inside Kagome, and for that she was grateful. It was too dark to see the tears gathering in her eyes or the rapid shivering of her bottom lip that dared to let slip a cry. It was impossible to keep herself from sniffling though, but Izayoi was quickly assured that it was just a runny nose due to the chill in wind. Yes, everyone was fooled.
"Here's a good place." Finding a dry piece of grass near the river, the Taisho clan readied themselves for the light show that would soon begin. Being the gentleman he was, Inu-Taisho took his warm jacket off and laid it on the ground for Izayoi to sit on. There was a chilling nip in the air, but looking good for his wife was always the forerunner in his mind (after business, of course). Smiling prettily, Izayoi gave her husband a peck on the cheek as he helped her to kneel down on the silky interior fabric of his jacket. Once she was settled comfortably, the chivalrous husband awkwardly managed to sit next to her on the cold grass. Sesshoumaru joined his father, and being more flexible, had little difficulty finding a comfortable position on the ground. His excitement for the fireworks was significantly less intense than his family's, but Sesshoumaru was glad to experience it with the one person on the trip who could actually make it fun. The seventeen-year-old looked over towards Kagome, who was still standing stiffly a few feet away, and called out to her softly.
"Kagome," Usually just having her name be called was enough to send Kagome running to Sesshoumaru, but this time it didn't even elect a response from the suddenly serious young girl. Her eyes were trained on the river; it was all she could do to keep herself from breaking down. One look at Sesshoumaru or her parents and the waterworks would begin. Sesshoumaru let it slide, sensing that Kagome didn't want to be bothered, and turned his attention to Inu-Taisho. The young girl let out a shuddering breath when she felt Sesshoumaru's attention leave her, but was suddenly surprised by a cold hand on her wrist.
"Mom, dad, we're gonna go get a better look on that hill." Inuyasha's voice cut through the haze of Kagome's sad thoughts and she had no time to protest before she was being pulled towards a small hill not too far away. Blinking back her tears, Kagome finally spoke up as she looked at the back of Inuyasha's head in confusion.
"What are you doing?" Her voice was cracked and pitiful sounding, and at once Kagome's face lit up with embarrassment. Her awkward and fast steps tried to keep up with Inuyasha's long strides, but her geta made it difficult to ascend the grassy hill without slipping once or twice. "Inuyasha, why couldn't we just stay with them?" She questioned again, this time her voice a little bit stronger. Still, Inuyasha remained quiet as they climbed the hill with the rest of the other children who had the same idea as them. There were twenty or others gathered at the top of the hill, some finding joy in rolling down the sides of it and chasing each other around with sparklers in hand. Kagome noticed how happy they all seemed to be as she and Inuyasha made their way to the top, and yet she couldn't bring herself to feel the same level of excitement. As Inuyasha pulled Kagome to the very top of the hill, he finally took the time to look her in the eye and the expression in his golden orbs set her back for a moment.
"Stop faking." He commanded firmly, giving no indication as to the meaning behind his words. Kagome blinked once in confusion, but being the clever she was, she knew what he was referring to. Looking down shamefully, new tears welled up in Kagome's eyes and she had to bite down on her bottom lip to stop herself from sobbing. Knowing Inuyasha, he would hate to see her cry only because it was foolish and spoiled to do so; at least that's how Kagome felt he would take it as.
"I'm sorry, I just feel so bad. I don't want to cry but I can't –" She was cut short by the surprising act of Inuyasha grabbing her cold hand in his larger, strangely pleasant warm one. Her blue eyes widened for a moment as she looked down at their joined hands before glancing up at his face, which was fixed in an expression she couldn't quite read. He seemed sad, but comforting at the same time. "Inuyasha?" Everything around them seemed to fade away, becoming phantom-like sounds and sights that blurred into their surroundings as her focus was only on the boy in front of her. Kagome's heart began to pound in her chest as the silence between the two of them became overwhelming. Something in the way Inuyasha's eyes stayed connected with hers both scared and excited the younger girl.
"Don't be sorry either. It's okay to be sad right now, and it's okay to cry. Just, stop pretending to be happy to please everyone else." It was weird hearing these words coming from Inuyasha, but it was strangely comforting the distraught young girl. Kagome's face was stuck in an expression of heartbreak and happiness, more leaning towards heartbreak as she tried to think of something to say. As if he knew it was coming already, Inuyasha sent Kagome a warm smile and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You can cry now, I won't tell anyone." That was all Kagome needed to hear and the tears began to fall with a sudden release of a sob. A boy running past them took notice of Kagome's distraught state, and stopped to intervene only to be thwarted with a dangerous glare from Inuyasha that was quickly followed with a threatening jerk of his body and the reeling back of his fist; promising a swift and painful punch if the boy came any closer. It scared the younger kid off successfully, and Inuyasha was happy to let Kagome alone as she continued to cry out all her confusing and trapped emotions without interruption.
It was at that moment that the fireworks commenced in a beautiful display of colors and lights that illuminated the sky, river, and faces of everyone watching. Kagome and Inuyasha turned their gazes away from each other to watch, though her vision was slightly blurred by the flood of tears in her eyes. Thankfully though, her sobs were concealed by the sounds of explosions and the darkness of night kept anyone from seeing the real emotions rolling down the sides of her face. As the fireworks continued and a hushed calm came over the area, everyone seemed to settle in a comfortable position to watch the beautiful lightshow. Many of the children around them chose to sit on the grass to let their tired legs rest, but Kagome and Inuyasha remained standing side-by-side with their hands firmly clasped together.
Inuyasha felt a strange emotion welling inside his chest, and it only intensified every time he felt Kagome's hand shift or when his eyes would cut across to glance at her. Tears were still rolling down her eyes, but the sobbing had subsided thankfully. As her face remained looking up at the decorated sky, being lit up with vibrant colors each time a firework went off, Inuyasha couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked this evening; even with the tears she was nice to look at. He liked it when her wild hair was pulled back, finding that her face was prettier without bangs and waves surrounding it. Besides that, he was starting to realize how much fun Kagome could be as well. This trip had been wonderfully less stressful than their home life, with only a small tiff here and there since the departure of their plane. Without the fear of everyone else finding out about their true affiliation, Inuyasha found himself enjoying Kagome's company more than he ever had in New York. As he took a few moments to ponder all of this, Inuyasha hadn't realized that he'd also been staring at Kagome the entire time. She noticed this out of the corner of her eye and turned her head to face him as well, eyes bright and watery; though they were no longer sad.
"Inuyasha? Is everything okay?" She asked curiously, taking a moment to wipe away a few tears from her face with the sleeve of her kimono. Snapped out of his inner-ramblings, a bright shade of red took over Inuyasha's sheepish face and he quickly nodded his head.
"Y-yeah! I'm okay…I was just thinking. Kagome?" His heart was pounding loudly in his ears as the question began to form in the back of his mind. The young girl next to him tilted her head curiously, waiting for Inuyasha to finish his train of thought. "Do you want to be friends?" He asked nervously, the words coming out faster than he intended and his voice cracking more than it normally did. For a few seconds, Kagome seemed surprised by the question, but that quickly melted away as a dazzling smile tugged at the ends of her pink lips.