A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! I love hearing from you! I do, however, have one little pet-peeve I'd like to address. I truly appreciate every review I receive, but if you do decide to leave a review, please don't type one word like "More" or "Update". Naturally I will try my best to update as often as possible, but it's rather disappointing for an author when they see they have a new review and that's all it amounts to. It honestly feels like, as I saw one author put it, "Wow that was really cool. Now do it again!" It's depressing, actually, because if you consider it from an author's POV it's like all the work you just did means nothing. I enjoy reading what you guys think. I do not enjoy rude demands. Please keep this in mind.

I hope you like this chapter! Please excuse my brief rant :D

Kagome's POV

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Chapter Four:Melancholy

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"You seem distressed."

I wrenched my attention from the book in my lap and tried at a smile. "Not at all, Sesshoumaru-dono. I am perfectly at ease."

He didn't appear to believe me, which wasn't surprising. I was an awful liar.

He quirked a brow at me. "You are a terrible liar."

Frowning, I turned from him and looked out the window of my living quarters. "I am aware," I replied.

I still wasn't used to the unnatural splendor of my new home. Every living thing here shone with an innate brightness and vitality you would never find anywhere else. Even now, just glancing out the window, I was overcome with the foreignness of my surroundings.

I felt so out of place, and decided to say so. "I do not belong here, Sesshoumaru-dono."

A gentle hand rested on my shoulder, and my eyes flickered up to his.

His face was filled with such sureness, such certainty, that all my doubts started to slip away before I could tighten my grasp on them.

"You belong with me."

I was startled. How could he say that? "I . . . don't think I quite understand."

"You will," he answered, "in time. For now, join me in the gardens. We should not let an afternoon such as this be wasted."

He took my hand, and all doubts were left for another day.

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A/N: Hope you liked it! Please review!