A Distant Promise – Drabble #18

Bad Hair Day.

That was the only way to describe it. She was having a Bad Hair Day at the worst possible moment. Everything was wrong, from the way her baggy, sleep-deprived looking eyes, to the way she could not decide what to wear. Furthermore, she could not obtain her trademarked, classic looking, wavy hair-style. This style had been a personal point of pride in the past, layers of hair falling around her face in soft, gentle curves. It had been a first line of defense – a sure-fire way to make certain no one mistook her for Kikyou.

But today, for some reason, her hair wouldn't lie flat! She was going to visit Inuyasha, and she had promised Shippo she would be ready by noon. It was exasperating. It was horrible. How was she to make a favorable impression on her old boyfriend, if she didn't look her best?

As it turned out, she needn't have bothered.

When Shippo and Kagome arrived at the restaurant where they were scheduled to meet Inuyasha, they discovered he had not come yet. After waiting for over an hour, the shrine maiden had thrown down her napkin in disgust, sending a withering look toward the innocent kitsune on the other side of the table. "Where is he?" she demanded.

Perplexed by his former guardian's behavior, Shippo responded with confusion. "I don't know. I'm sorry, Kagome."

"Maybe he forgot," mused Kagome, although she did not really believe it. "Why don't you just tell me where he works, and I can go look for him there?"

Now, the kitsune displayed obvious discomfort, shifting uneasily in his chair. "You must understand my position, Kagome," he replied in a pacifying tone uncannily reminiscent of Miroku, "I do not understand why you two fought, but if he has not informed you of his address, then I can only imagine this is because he does not wish to be found by you yet."

Then, seeing her close to tears, Shippo quickly added, "I'm certain that he only needs time. Inuyasha will come around, you'll see."

She nodded agreeably, although he could almost see the frustration and hurt swelling below the surface of her skin. "I don't blame you," said Kagome. "I always hated being stuck as the go-between for my high-school friends too."

For a while, they watched cars drifting by on the sleepy side road of the restaurant Shippo had picked out. Then, they left to enjoy the view along the eastern shore of Lake Biwa. After traveling for hours to reach a suitable half-way point between her shrine and Inuyasha's place of employment, she felt entitled to sightsee a little bit. But eventually, she let Shippo take her home.

Having a Bad Hair Day was always sign of disappointment to come, she thought.