For the next few
weeks, Hinoko continued to hand out with Kagome and the girls, until
they introduced him to Hojo. They seemed to get a long pretty well,
and Hojo seemed delighted to have a new friend. After that, Hinoko
stopped hanging out with the girls all of the time and only did when
Hojo did.
It grew closer and closer to winter vacation. Timed
seemed to fly by for Kagome since she was no longer traveling back
and forth, from her era to Inuyasha's era. And before she knew it,
it was the day before winter vacation, and she was sitting with
Ayumi, Eri, Yuki, Hojo, and Hinoko at a table during lunch.
"So,
I still can't believe we're almost done with our first year of
high school!" said Ayumi.
Kagome sighed then took a bite of her
lunch. She swallowed it, and started to talk.
"I can't believe
it either," said Kagome and only half aware of what she was saying,
because she was wonder how she was going to spend her vacation. Last
time she was with Inuyasha in his era, and at one point was forced
through the well, and left thinking that she would never see Inuyasha
again. Fortunately, she and Inuyasha found a way against all odds to
communicate with each other and break through the entangled vines in
the well. But this time, this time there would be no return this time
she wouldn't see Inuyasha again.
"So Hinoko," started Eri,
"where are you going for vacation?"
"Oh, uh my family owns a
shrine up north, but I live here during school, so I'm going there
for vacation."
"So you'll be there the whole winter," said
Yuka.
"Yeah I guess so," said Hinoko, "I have to help out at
the shrine."
"So your family owns a shrine too?" asked Eri,
looking from Kagome to Hinoko, "So does Kagome's!"
Hinoko
looked at Kagome, surprised. Kagome still only half there, didn't
notice.
"Really?" asked Hinoko, "That's cool!"
Hojo
coughed, and tipped his drink over accidentally. It poured all over
Kagome's skirt, waking her from her daze.
"Oh my gosh Kagome!"
said Hojo, jumping up and grabbing napkins to help clean it
up.
"Hojo!" said Kagome, trying to talk over Hojo who was
freaking out while helping Kagome clean up the mess, "it's okay!
Calm down!"
Hojo grabbed some more napkins at the same time
Kagome did and their hands touched. Hojo's face became even more
red and he pulled it back instantly. Kagome smiled at him, as he
straightened up.
"Really Hojo," said Kagome, "Its okay!"
She
finished with a smile reassuring him that it was alright. He
scratched his head and picked up his things.
"Ok, I'll see you
guys later, and have a great winter vacation!," said Hojo as he
turned around and started to walk off, "Come on Hinoko."
Hinoko
gathered his stuff and began walking off to Hojo.
"Good Bye you
guys! And Have a good vacation!" said Hinoko as he ran to catch up
to Hojo.
"You too!" Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi Yelled back at
him.
When they were out of sight, they turned right back to
Kagome. They all had a curious look on their faces. Kagome knew what
was going to happen next.
"So," started Yuka, "Inuyasha,
what's up with him?"
Kagome let out a sigh.
"Well, uh, he
had to move and we can't see each other ever again!" said Kagome
trying to sum everything up in one sentence. She shined a fake grin
at them, but as much as she tried to cover it up, they knew she was
in pain. The girls new they had to drop the subject. Then the bell
rang.
Kagome was walking up the steps to her home, when she
reached the top she, walked straight to the Sacred Tree and stopped
right in front of it. A few moments went by, as she stood there and
just stared at the tree, looking at the barren spot, where Inuyasha's
body once lay pinned against it. She walked over the little fence
that surrounded the tree, and placed her hand on the barren spot. She
stroked her hand back and forth over the spot. In that instant a
memory seemed to spark in her mind.
She was back in the feudal
era, the night she had met Inuyasha, and the centipede demon was
after the jewel in her body. She was pinned up to Inuyasha against
the tree. She remembered his voice. She remembered the question of
whether she wanted to live or not. She chose to live. She remembered
everything, pulling out the arrow, and how the centipede demon had
almost crushed her to death, but she was saved by Inuyasha. Then she
was back.
She walked back over the fence and started toward the
well. This was almost a ritual she had done every single day since
she came back from the feudal era. She hadn't even noticed, her
body just seemed to move without her being conscious of it.
She
slid the doors open and walked down to the well. She stared into its
darkness, and before she knew it she jumped. Her feet hit the ground
and legs gave out, only to be followed by her knees slamming into the
cold, damp, and rocky ground. She finally woke up from her daze, and
then the pain hit her. She shook her head and climbed back up the
ladder.
Her family was waiting for her inside with dinner. After
dinner she went up to her room and fell asleep. Thinking of Inuyasha,
like every night.
She closed her eyes. The first image that came
to her head was Inuyasha. Then she was sitting in a cold metal chair,
surrounded by people, all wearing blue and black gowns. She noticed
some of the people. Most of them were from her school. They were all
on a stage. There was a big crowd of people in front facing all of
them. They looked like parents or relatives of the students sitting
next to her. She noticed that it must've been at a graduation. Then
everything went black. She opened her eyes, and squinted. She turned
to look at her alarm clock, it was 6 am. It was the first day of
winter vacation.
