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Chapter two Can love exist?

"Whatever" I shook my head. "Have fun with your fangirls". As I spoke to him, I really wasn't paying any attention as to exactly where I was going, that's probably why I bumped into him – Kirio Takahara that is. I always liked Kirio… Since before I can remember. He's always been saving me from the weirdest of events, perfect in every way; I someday wished I could be like and with him.

"Gomen- nasai!" I blushed, bowing respectfully before him. "I wasn't paying attention! Forgive me!" I bowed again.

"Don't worry about it" Kirio smiled, "I'm not hurt or damaged in any way."

"Ah… Arigatou" I stuttered, looking up at him with a smile on my face.

"Just be careful next time, I wouldn't want you getting hurt" he winked, waving as he walked past me.

"Sugoi… Kirio – senpai is so chivalrous isn't he? Especially to you" Jun winked, nudging my side.

"Eh? Yamete yo kudasai" I pleaded. "Besides, Kirio – senpai is nice to everyone" I continued, looking over to Bankotsu I muttered, "Unlike some people"…

Bankotsu's eyes narrowed as he approached me. I gulped, what on earth did I do to him this time?

"Kagome" He said, as he breached the seemingly endless sea of fangirls behind him.

"What do you want?" I shot back. "I have to get to history class you know"

So I can get a seat near Kirio…

"We're going to the same class, might as well wait for me" Bankotsu said, grabbing my upper arm as he dragged me away from Jun and up the stairs.

"See you at lunch!" Jun called, smiling widely.

"Ah…Hai…" I called back before drawing my full attention to my captor.

"Don't touch me" I growled, pulling my hand successfully out of his grasp.

"So… Who was that guy back there?" He asked me, looking away from me.

"Who? You mean Kirio – senpai?"

"Your boyfriend?" he pushed, I don't even think he was listening to me.

"No, now if you'll just shut u" – I was cut off yet again.

"Whatever, I don't believe you, you and that baka have something going on"

"Is this some kind of interrogation?"

"So you admit!"

"Oh I wish" I scoffed. It took a few seconds after I had said those initial words for the whole situation to register into my mind. Quickly, I clamped a hand over my mouth – but what was the use? I had already said enough anyways.

"You wish…? You mean you like…." He was truly at a loss of words, from his voice it sounded as if he were choking on something.

"Just leave me alone" I said, pushing past him and rushing into the room. Luck sure wasn't with me today, for situated in that very classroom was Akiya – sensei, the one who established my personal hell on earth. Taking a random seat near the back of the room I silently began cursing silently, asking myself what I had possibly done to deserve this.

"Are you ok, Higurashi-san?" A smooth voice asked from behind me, I turned around to discover Kirio sitting behind me, so every cloud did have its silver lining.

"Hai sou desu" I replied, smiling.

"That's good" He told me, "I think your friend over there is jealous" he laughed gently, his eyes drifted over to Bankotsu who stood just outside the classroom door. I paused for a moment and looked over towards the door; he looked at me and Kirio with a bitter expression on his face.

I watched as he unwillingly stepped to take a seat beside me.

"I need to tell you something – it's important" Bankotsu urged, leaning closer to me.

"What is it?" I asked, noting the seriousness in his voice.

"That boy, stay away from him." He ordered, worry smoldered in his eyes.

"Why should I?" I challenged, no way was I going to let him be the boss of me. His eyes hardened at this.

"Shinjite" he pleaded. "Shinjite".

"Gomen ne Bankotsu – san, I'm not the type of person who forms bonds of trust in such short periods of time" I replied warily. "I've known him for so long, and nothing's happened." I bit my lip, willing this feeling inside me to go away. I felt so deceitful….

"Fine" and with that he averted his eyes from mine and leaned away.

"What was that about?" Kirio frowned turning to face me. "I don't think you should stay near that Bankotsu guy, he doesn't seem safe" Kirio advised. My heart was racing, what to do now?

"He's alright Kirio-senpai, honto ni…" I smiled crookedly, looking at Bankotsu from the corner of my eye. I could see the small smile that had managed to grace his features.

"I hope you're right" he told me, turning around in his seat.

"Watashi mo", resting my head on my cold desk, I waited for Akiya-sensei to start class.

"Konichi wa minna-san! I hope you had a good summer, please turn to page 85 in your socials textbooks." Akiya sensei smiled, uncapping an expo pen.

"Our unit starts off in Sengoku Jidai. During that time, there had been a group of mercenaries who called themselves the Shichinintai. They killed over thousands of people, but not once did they shed a tear of remorse. This group of mercenaries had been lead by a young man, around the age of seventeen – his name, was Bankotsu". He stopped to turn the other page. Using that moment to my advantage, I turned to face Bankotsu.

'Sure they have the same name… Sure they were around the same age… - I mustn't allow myself to be thinking such foolish thoughts. That Shichinintai member died over 500 years ago'. Lowering my textbook, I proceeded to steal glances at him – I wasn't paying any attention at all.

"Higurashi-san!" Akiya – sensei called. Just then, Bankotsu raised his eyes to meet mine. We were locked in each other's gaze.

"Out of all the members, which one was Bankotsu closest to?" He asked, taking a menacing step towards me.

"Ano…." I was at a loss of words, for the first time in my life I wasn't paying attention – for the first time in my life, so many things out of the ordinary are happening to me. All because of him – All because of Bankotsu….

"Jakotsu" Bankotsu whispered, his lips moving up by a couple degrees to smile.

"Jakotsu" I replied, still in a trance, still locked his icy gaze.

"Correct!" Akiya smiled, turning to walk towards the whiteboard.

"Legend has it that a hanyou named Naraku killed Bankotsu. I leave the rest for you to find out!" Akiya smiled. "I'm going to hand you all a novel called Shikon no tama. Read and be enlightened!" He said in this singsong voice once more.

'Shikon…. No Tama?' I thought. Those were the three words that he had been saying, the ones he kept repeating. Eagerly, I snatched the book out of Akiya – sensei's hand and flipped to the first page.

"You seem pretty eager to read this stuff" Bankotsu observed, placing the book on his desk, he didn't even bother to read it.

"You have to read up to chapter five by tonight you do know that right?" I told him, my eyes still glued to the book.

"I don't need to." He replied.

"Well go ahead and fail – It's not like I'd care" I mumbled, turning around to face Kirio who was already on page 45.

"It is good?" I asked, hopping to somehow start a conversation with him.

"Somewhat." He replied, turning the page. Letting out a sigh, I looked back down at my book. One page after the other, I began to learn more and more about this jewel – the Shikon no Tama.

Lunch

"Kagome-chan!" Jun's voice called. Normally, I would've turned to greet her, but I was much too absorbed into the book to actually pay any attention.

"Kagome-chan!" I could hear her calling me name once more. I reached into my locker and took out my bento. Closing my locker I found that my eyes were still fixed upon the novel.

"Why do you enjoy that novel so much?" Bankotsu asked, popping up behind me. "Is there a particular character you find interest in?" He pressed, following me into the cafeteria.

"Actually there is." I told him. "I like 3 characters in particular." I said, putting a finger to my lips in thought.

"Who?!" He asked, trying hard to mask his excitement.

"Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and Miroku" I told him, turning to the next page in my book.

"Inuyasha?! That damn bastard, I don't even know why you go for him miko" he told me.

" Miko?" I asked. Was he that immersed in the story?

"…" He said nothing, allowing the same eerie silence to come between us.

"I'm busy studying for my English test next block so try no to disturb me." I said, taking a seat at a random table. Opening my binder I flipped through the pages. Looking up from the binder momentarily, I took time to gaze intently upon the man in front of me.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" I said, using my chopsticks to pick up a piece of sushi.

"I already ate." He stated, looking off into the distance.

"Liar." I scoffed, stuffing the piece of sushi into my mouth.

"Hey watch out!" Bankotsu exclaimed as he reached out to grab my arm. By that time it was too late, Kirio's katana had already created a clean cut on the back of my hand.

"Teme! What the hell do you think you're doing walking around with that damn sword?" Bankotsu glared, looking up at Kirio who displayed an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm captain of the kendo team." Kirio replied with as much composure as ever. "Kagome, forgive me."

"It's alright" I smiled, biting my lip, trying not to scream out in pain. Blood was leaving my body – flowing at this rate. He must have hit a major artery.

"I'll take you to the nurse's office." Bankotsu told me coolly, grabbing my free hand and pulling my along with him. Holding my hand out, I attempted not to stain my expensive uniform with blood.

Behind us, a neat trail of blood was forming, causing people behind us to grimace.

"Itai…" I growled, my hand felt like it was on fire. How could such a small cut cause so much pain?

"It's that room." I told him. Turning into the room I was disappointed to find no one was there.

"How does the wound feel?" He asked, motioning for me to take a seat on one of the beds.

"It feels like it's on fire." I bit out, bringing my hand closer so I could see the cut. Within the red liquid, there was what seemed to be black crystals. Small as they were, they seemed to be evenly dispersed throughout the pool of blood.

"Nani kore?" I muttered, what in the world was this stuff? Bankotsu gingerly brought his hand and placed it upon mine. Upon contact, the color in which his skin had lacked magically started to appear.

Bankotsu's hand jerked away from mine, he looked at his blood covered hand in awe, bringing it up to touch his face.

"Sorry for taking so long!" The school nurse exclaimed, running into the room. I lay down on the bed, my hand hanging off the side.

"I feel… Dizzy…" I whispered, my consciousness fading as my eyes fluttered shut.

Writer's POV

'Why did it have to be her?' Bankotsu thought angrily, looking the unconscious girl that lay before him.

"Until her blood reaches my lips, coats my throat– until her heart stops beating. When she is finally like me… That is when and only when I can exist in this world." He whispered, using his right hand to brush some stray strands away from her face.

"She seems so peaceful when she's asleep." He observed, letting a smile grace his features. "If only she could be like that more often."

"I'm afraid the Shikon no Tama has merged with her completely, she has become the Shikon jewel has she not?" A voice called from the room's entrance.

"Bastard!" Bankotsu yelled, lunging viciously towards him. "You cut her on purpose didn't you?" He breathed, gripping Kirio's collar and shaking him.

"Naturally, but she wouldn't know that now would she? Even if you do tell her, she wouldn't believe you. I don't think she even knows you." He smirked, his lips curved upwards to form a smile.

"She will eventually be mine. You know that don't you, Bankotsu?" Kirio smirked, staggering away from Bankotsu's grip; he made his way towards Kagome. "Such a pretty face."

"Don't touch her." Bankotsu ordered.

"You speak as if you hold possible feelings of love towards this girl. Could it be that the killer of a thousand men – the merciless leader of the band of seven – has fallen in love?" Kirio laughed. "This game is truly proving to be amusing."

"Love is the one and only thing I am not capable of doing." Bankotsu answered. "What did love ever do to make people happy?"

Bankotsu frowned, running his fingers shakily through his black hair.

"Oh really now? So, if you don't love her that makes it alright to make her mine right?" Kirio smirked, placing a hand on Kagome's pale cheek.

"If I make her love me, what would you do?" He continued, caressing her face. Bankotsu winced at the sight. Something wasn't right, he was feeling pain… Not physical pain… What was this feeling?

"That is a good question." Bankotsu said, facing away from him.

"I'll let you off the hook – for now. I'll win this game, her heart, and her life." Kirio slipped out of the door silently.

Letting out an exhausted sigh, Bankotsu fell onto the bed beside Kagome. Gazing at her face intently, he found himself embracing the girl. She was so warm. His arms constricted around her. In his distant memory, times where he had felt this warmth seemed so distant.

He imagined her dead for one instance, cold, hard. While he stood at her coffin, warm and full of life.

This was what he wanted wasn't it? To live once more. But to what extent? What would be the purpose of his new life?

"For now, I don't want this warmth to leave me. Stay." He whispered.

"In a world filled with so much hate, is it possible for love to even exist?"