Chapter 37

Even though he stole the love of my life from me, Hojo is actually good for something. Several people I asked on the way upstairs told me that she was indeed up there. Kudos Hojo. I moved through the halls, noting at how many people were in the entertainment room instead. In fact, no one but me was upstairs in this anymore. It was just dead. At least I thought it was, until a soft piano melody reached my ears. It was very quiet so I had to stop moving completely to think about where it was coming from. Straight down the hall. I slowly walked down the long narrow hall, each step making the melody grow louder. Finally I reached the end and found myself standing in front of a white old worn out door. The tune was coming from inside of it. It was a beautiful song, yet the tune of it broke your heart. Whoever was playing it was putting a hell lot of emotion into it. I opened the door.

Utterly, completely and totally shocked would be the best words to describe how I was feeling. The room was empty and dirty, the floorboards were worn out and the walls were an off white that could only be that way from time. The wall that I was facing was covered in a large mirror, one that started the floor and ended at the ceiling. A single thing was in the room, which was a black grand piano, resting against the mirror wall.

A gorgeous girl was sitting down at the piano, playing the sad song. She had on a metallic blue coloured dress, which glinted in the light. It reminded me of a ballerina dress, the way it was strapless, short and how it puffed out at the bottom. Black lace trimming stuck out from the bottom of the dress and a black lace bow was in the back of the dress, at the waist. Her deep brown hair was down, it's soft curls resting on her back.

The music stopped and the girl looked up in the mirror at my reflection. My breath caught in my throat.

"Kagome?"

Her lips parted in surprise and I knew at that moment that it was the right choice to come tonight and that seeing her there, I would never be the same without her.

"InuYasha…"

She breathed, turning around in her seat to look at me. I closed the door behind me and took slow steps towards her, my heart about to burst with each step. Kagome stayed put, her eyes locking onto mine. I was finally right in front of her, the closest I've been to her in weeks. Carefully and still slowly, I reached my hand out and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Her eyes flashed with something I couldn't place. Something I wanted to see more of.

"Happy birthday InuYasha."

She whispered, not taking her big beautiful eyes off of mine. My lips squeezed shut as I was afraid I wouldn't be able to control what I'd say or do with them around her. My hands dropped to hers, raising her up so she was standing in front of me, her nose the height of my heart.

"I didn't buy you a present. I'm sorry."

"Don't you understand Kagome?"

I whispered back to her, my hands sliding down her arms. She gave me a questioning look.

"You are all I want for my birthday."

"But you can't have a person InuYasha."

"Then I want the closest thing to having you."

Her breath hitched as I rested my hand gingerly on the nape of her neck, pulling her face closer to mine. I stopped just as our lips were near touching.

"I'm still crazy about you Kagome."

"Do you love me?"

"More then anyone."

She oh so gently pushed herself back a bit, resting her fist over her heart as if to protect it.

"Then you must let me go."

I smiled at her. A genuine smile that showed no remorse or pain.

"I came her tonight to be with you. That's what I plan on doing. So there's no chance in hell that I'm going to let you out of my sight. I tried that already, but I'd rather just be dead because without you in my life…"

I let out a small chuckle and smiled more at her.

"Then there's no point in living at all."

"Why me?"

She asked me quietly, her eyes searching mine.

"Why did you choose me out of everyone?"

"Because out of all the girls, I know that you're the one that loves me for me."

Her eyes then widened with shock, as if someone had read her diary to a crowd of spectators.

"What do you mean? I never said I loved you."

"Oh Kagome,"

My hand went back to the nape of her neck and as I pulled her forward I finished what I was saying.

"You don't need to say anything."

And then our lips met, but I refused to make this kiss as innocent as the last one. Pulling her body tightly against mine, I poured my heart out with all of its passion into the kiss. When we finally parted, her eyes fluttered open and her breath hitched a bit.

"Wow."

She breathed, looking like she was in a daze.

"Don't you see Kagome? I don't care if you don't love me. I love you. I need you. And no matter what happens, I'm going to be by your side to help you and to give you a shoulder to lean on. No one else matters when I'm with you. Nothing else in this world is important when I see your face. I know you don't love Hojo, and being with him isn't doing you any good. But I'll wait for you forever, if that's how long it'll take."

Her eyes glistened with tears and she gripped the sides of her dress.

"What have I done to you InuYasha?"

"You showed me how to love."

A single tear escaped, but I rubbed it off with my finger.

"You say I don't love you so many times InuYasha, but when in reality…"

Another tear fell.

"I'm afraid I love you more then you could ever love me."

My heart thumped extra loudly, as if it had just woken up from a long slumber.

"All this time I have been pushing you away because I was afraid I'd get hurt. But in the end, I just hurt you."

As hard as it was to think, I forced my mouth to speak.

"Then why would you push me so far away from you?"

"Because InuYasha! Think of it in my position. I thought I was in love with Kouga, but he just hurt me so much. You and Kouga had the same reputations so when I first met you…when I first noticed how easily I was going to fall for you, I tried to protect myself. I couldn't bear to have my heart broken again. But I didn't notice that you might have actually loved me. I was being selfish…I'm so sorry. How will you ever forgive me?"

"Kiss me."

The words flew out naturally, as if it were the most common thing to do at that moment. So she did. And this time, the kiss lasted as if forever.