"Inuyasha," Izayoi sat on the stone bench with a slight frown on her lips. "Why're you so late? It's nearly time to eat!"

"But mum," the silver-haired boy rushed in with a fist full of flowers. "I picked you these!"

His small dirty face and fist full of flowers as well as the pride in his eyes made her know she couldn't get mad. She just couldn't get mad at him now. A gentle smile graced her lips as she took the flowers with a slender hand. She picked the leaves and grass out of his hair as he sat down next to her.

"So how was your day?" Izayoi asked him tugging a twig from his hair.

"It was great!" Inuyasha grinned. "I met a friend today!"

"You did?" Izayoi blinked a few times. This was some news. "What...what's he like?"

"No mum!" Inuyasha shook his head. "My friend is a girl!"

"Oh?" A girl? What girl?

"Her name is Higoorashi Kagome," he furrowed his brow in concentration as he tried to pronounce her name.

"Higurashi?" The name seemed to ring a bell...ah. Those Higurashi's.

"Yep," he looked at his hands as he tried to brush himself off. "She's really nice and pretty and wants to see me again. Can I mum? Can I? Please? I'll be really good!"

"Of course," Izayoi let it all sink in slowly. So Inuyasha had a new friend and her name was Higurashi Kagome, huh? How cute. "Of course you can, I only want your happiness."

"Thanks, mum!" Inuyasha suddenly became quiet. He looked at his mom with wide eyes. "I want you to meet..." a girl stepped out from behind the flower bushes, "Kagome."

She fidgeted with her kimono nervously, smiling politely at the woman. Izayoi gasped slightly. This girl...was a mortal! A mortal girl at that. But her childish smile and sparkling eyes only spoke honest bashfulness and complete curiosity. Izayoi smiled back.

"Come on and meet my mum," Inuyasha said eagerly slipping off the bench and running over to his friend. "Are you coming or not?"

"Yeah," she let herself be pulled along with him. Izayoi greeted her with a welcome. Kagome smiled bashfully and put her hand behind her back. "H-hi."

"Inuyasha has told me so many things about you already," Izayoi raised her eyes at the girl. "And he's right; you are pretty."

"Hehe," Kagome giggled, looking at Inuyasha who blushed in return. "Well, he's really awesome. Can I play with him again?"

"Of...of course," Izayoi still couldn't believe it. This girl wanted to play with Inuyasha. It's not like she was mad but this was really shocking. "Inuyasha wanted to play with you too."

"Really?" Kagome looked at him for confirmation.

He nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! I wanna show you something really cool but you hafta wait a long time."

"Okay!" Kagome grinned. "What should we do?"

"Mum, can Kagome eat with us?"

Izayoi nodded. "Why, of course she can."

"Awesome!" Inuyasha grabbed her hand. "I'm going to show her our garden before we eat, okay mum? Then we'll go inside."

"Alright," she sighed happily. "Have fun you two."