July 17th, The previous year, Magnolia City Park, Sunset
The evening air was heavy with humidity, and Kagome's thin green tank top stuck to her sweaty skin. The bench she and Kouga were sitting on was still hot from the day, and not even the spray of the dingy white fountain offered much relief. She finally looked over at him, sitting what felt like miles away from her on the metal park bench.
"So this is it, then," she said. It was more of a statement than a question.
"Of course it isn't!" Kouga said vehemently. His blue eyes sought hers in the fading evening light. He scooted closer, despite the oppressive heat. "How could it be? I love you."
"I love you too, but—" She stopped.
"But?" He looked hurt now.
"But I just don't see how this would work, with you in Russia and me here. There's a whole ocean in between. We would never see each other." She sighed.
"You could come with me."
"How? There's no way I'd be able to find a job there— I don't speak Russian."
"Kagome." He laughed a little to himself, then reached to stroke her damp hair from her forehead. "You wouldn't need to worry about having a job. I would take care of us."
Kagome pulled away from his touch. "You don't get it. I like working."
"But you don't love it, do you? You complain so much about your boss and your coworkers—"
"Doesn't everyone? Sure, people are crappy sometimes, but that doesn't mean I hate my job. I like doing something. I like being productive. I like getting paid."
"Well…I'm worth more than some measly paycheck to you, aren't I?" Kouga was irritated now. Why couldn't she just accept that he wanted to take care of her?
Kagome rolled her eyes, sensing his annoyance. "Kouga, don't be ridiculous. Love is priceless."
"So then why won't you let me cover us both?"
"Because satisfaction with myself and who I am and what I do is priceless too. So is my independence. Maybe if you took three seconds to think about this from my perspective instead of being so self-absorbed, you would understand."
"What? I'm not—"
"Kouga." Kagome glared. "How would you feel if I asked you to move to some other country with me and give up your job and your family and your friends and all of your life you had? How would you feel if you had to depend on just me for all of those things?"
"Well that's absurd," Kouga replied. "Something like that would never happen. Men don't do that kind of thing."
"Right," Kagome snapped. "That's because it's a shitty thing to have to do."
"But if you love the person…"
"Would you, or would you not, do the same for me?"
"I—well…" Kouga looked extremely uncomfortable.
"Okay. Well you think about it. And you had better have an answer for me when your job offer paperwork officially arrives in the mail." She got up from the bench. "I'm going home."
Kagome strode down the concrete path toward the park entrance, electric lights flickering on just as the sun set behind the trees. Kouga sat still in the pool of artificial light, a slight breeze lifting a few sweaty hairs off his neck, saying nothing.