Chapter 4 – Who is behind you now?
They would close in minutes, so she hurried to clean the last table. Touga visit, the day before had shattered what little indifference toward the Taisho family she muster to keep up for all these years.
She had been their little secret, a few month after her father passing, her mother was hired as one of the maids, since she was just a toddler, she managed to sneak into the mansion from time to time and got to play with Inuyahsa, the second son of the great general. Growing up she comes to prefer the aloof and cold company of the elder Sesshoumaru, the first who can actually made her breath itch and her smile waver.
Indeed he was well aware of the little changes in her behavior, but neither of them could go beyond the somewhat exclusive friendship and got to explore new areas of early love.
By the time she managed to finish high school, it was clear that whichever ability she may possessed, it was best to look for a job before focusing on the studies, and since Souta was way more smart and studious then she would ever be, Kagome decided it was her moment to finally grow up and give what she can not to weight on her poor family income.
Then he left for China.
Then her mother retired to take care of a growing Souta and an aging grandpa.
Then whatever e-mails or small messages she and Sesshoumaru shared stopped altogether, a few days before her mother, with big, serious eyes, told her that she should leave the boy alone for the time being, without properly explaining the reason Kagome already know.
Then, a year after Sesshoumaru left, Miroku, her friend's brand new husband, offered her a job in his little, cozy café.
"I don't even understand why the old dog came here, for a chance!" she muttered under her breath, polishing the last table with renewed unrequited strength.
"That table had not raised a single finger on you, young lady" Kagome turned her eyes toward the wise voice of Kaede, the cook, smiling apologetically.
"Inu no Taisho-sama certainly would not come to cause you any kind of sadness or discomfort. This I am sure about." she replied "He had cared for you a big deal when you were younger, and struggled to provide you what little comfort he could when your father meets his early demise. He cares for you now, too, but he knows how matters in this world goes"
She poured them both a cup of steaming herbal tea, patting a chair next to hers for Kagome to sit on
"This is quite unfair if you trust me" mumbled the girl slowly sipping
"It's not that we were going to elope together and so, we were just good friends"
Kaede smiled slowly, wisely
"Back then, did you love him, Kagome?"