So I am now back from my vacation :-)

Please don't tell me I update too slow. I really try to stay loyal to my stories and my readers so it actually does get a bit hypocritical.

There are so many of you, though, who are, like, supportive beyond belief, making me smile even when I know my updates can only be slow.

One of those people isYuuki-Chan64(Sara) who's been by me ever since I can remember joining the fanfiction family :D Her birthday was on July 20th and she deserves every (belated) birthday wish she can get!

This chapter is dedicated to you, girl ^.^

And PS: chapter 18 has been updated. If you'd like to reread it, please go ahead.

Bitter or Sweet?

Disclaimer: AHAHAHAHA!

Chapter 19: So Over It

How much longer will it take to cure this?
Just to cure it cause I can't ignore it if it's love (love)
Makes me wanna turn around and face me but I don't know nothing 'bout love

Come on, come on
Turn a little faster
Come on, come on
The world will follow after
Come on, come on
Cause everybody's after love

~Counting Crows: Accidentally in Love

INUYASHA'S POV

I remember the first time I encountered Kikyo.

It'd been several days following the 'newspaper incident' involving Kagome. I hadn't been in a particularly good mood (am I ever?) and was grudgingly making my way to first period, debating silently on whether I should just ditch. I decide against it. Kagome would kick my ass.

I'm so whipped.

Someone crashed into me then, slamming into me head on and falling straight on their behind with a thud while the stack of papers and textbooks flew out of her arms and spilled all over the floor around her. Followed by a string of… elaborate cursing, so to speak.

Pleasant.

"The good times just keep on coming, don't they?" she spat, finishing, grabbing a nearby book and hurling it at the wall.

I winced. "And here I thought I was having the rough morning. Having a nice day, Mary Sunshine?"

She froze, as if just realizing that someone else was in her ten mile radius. She raised her head slowly, and when I crouched down, arms crossed, so that we'd be eye-to-eye, she started sniffling, and the stench of raw saltiness slammed into my face like that history textbook hitting the bricks—hard and unexpected.

Oh, crap.

Thus began the waterworks.

At first, the look on her face was the one of utter confusion, eyes round and wide, like a deer caught in headlights. She'd opened her mouth, as if to blurt out an excuse. After all, good girls don't cuss the way she did. They're not violent, don't throw things without good reason. Or maybe that's just what she made of herself. But then, she'd closed her mouth, hands going limp with exhaustion, as if deciding that I wasn't worth it. Or maybe she just didn't have the patience for another lie.

Everyone knew who she was.

She was 'Kikyo': the girl who had everything… the brains, the money, the looks, the heart. Nice to everyone, prettier than beyond average, with enough money to buy the school and grades for at least five scholarships. She was known to be first pick for a lot of the sports teams as well. Class president, might I add?

I was never fooled by it for a minute. No one—and I mean no one—is that fucking perfect.

And though I didn't even know her, I felt of pang—of something. I didn't know what it was. Pity? Sympathy? I didn't do that shit. But I felt sorry nonetheless. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that her make-up was running down her face so it looked like she was crying black blood. Scary.

So I reached into the pocket of my pants and dug for something she could wipe her make-up-streaked face with. I came up with nothing.

"Sorry, but I don't have a tissue. You might wanna stop by the washroom before going into class."

She abruptly stopped crying.

"I…" Her voice shook, so she cleared her throat and tried to laugh, as if she wasn't just bawling seconds ago. "I don't know what came over me!" she said, all cheerful and innocent, rubbing the back of head sheepishly. "You know us girls: we're all drama queens. It is what it is." She started laughing again, and her face looked like it was about to crack, the way she was forcing herself to smile so big.

I just watched her laugh for a while before I began collecting her fallen papers. "You can stop. There's no one else around to judge you. And I, frankly, do not give a flying fuck about whether you're perfect or not. So just stop."

So she did stop, laughter immediately dying. She dropped the smile, and drew her eyes away. For a while, neither of us said anything. Finally, she spoke up. "You're cruel."

I scoffed. "For what? Picking up your papers and listening to you wail? I'll say. Yup. That's totally cruel."

She glared, eyes burning with rage. "I hate you. You can go to hell."

"What did I do?" I demand. "You can't hate someone for no reason, bitch."

"Don't call me a bitch! You know very well what I mean. You're going to fucking tell everyone what just happened. That I swear, that I'm not the person everyone thinks I am. You want to destroy me so that you can become more popular! Don't think I don't know how you people think! You're going to try to get close to me, to use me for your perverted fantasies, so you can dump me and my heart afterwards! Well guess what? I'm not falling for it!"

I put the papers down in front of her and stick my hands in my pockets. "I wasn't going to tell anyone," I say flatly. "And no offense, but I'm not interested in getting in your pants. If you're going to talk about perverts and their fantasies, badmouth Miroku, not me. Seducing you was never in my priorities. Not even on my list, actually." Then I walked away, leaving her in the middle of the ground, the air perfectly still as she soaked up my words.

We didn't talk much after that. She would smile at me upon brief meetings, waving her hand high in the air as she sang a 'good morning!' to me. I never acknowledged her.

This one time, though, after gym, she came up to me with this happy-go-lucky grin and held out a box.

I stared at it, then slowly raised my gaze. "What's this?"

"It's a gift. To say 'thank you' for that day. I don't know what came over me, really. I'm usually more in control of my emotions. So here. Accept my kind gesture of appreciation."

"No, thank you." I tried walking away, but she stepped into my path.

"Why not?" she bit out. "I'm trying to be nice."

"Yeah, that's the thing. You're trying. Not actually are. I hate fake people. A fact that will soon become clear."

The 'fake' part was what sent her hand flying across my face in a whirlwind of frustration.

I just gaped, shocked. "Did you just bitch-slap me?"

Kikyo just put her hands on her hips, shrugging. "You deserved it."

"Bitch."

"Name-call all you want, you big baby," she snapped, stomping a foot on the ground like some angry PMS-ing ogre. "Ooh, you are going to get it," she threatened. "I hate you, hate you, hate you so goddamn much!"

Where have I heard this before?

It's like déjà vu. Except Kagome doesn't go for the whole foot-stomping thing.

She then folded my 'gift' under her arm and stormed away.

That was my last interaction with Kikyo before I pretty much emotionally stabbed her.

The day after my date with Kirara, before the bell for first period rang, that red-headed nutcase with a monster of a temper marched up to me again, which was something I'd unfortunately become accustomed to.

"She loves you," she breathed.

What? "I love me, too," I reply jokingly. No, just stay away. Don't say any more. Just leave it there. Don't go on. Seriously. "Now if you'll excuse me…"

"Please, ask her out!"

I glare at her. "You said you wouldn't push it if I went on that date with Kirara! Don't go back on your word, Ayame. You may be Kagome's friend, but I hate fickle girls. What part of 'I'm not interested' do you not freaking understand? You can't force someone to like someone else! When are you going to fucking get a clue?"

"You kissed her, asshole-douche-bag-scum-sucking-jack-ass," she all-but-hissed. "You can't just do something like steal a girl's first freaking kiss and leave her high and dry!"

"What are you, reality-deprived? As if that 'first kiss' bullshit matters to anyone anymore? I've stolen lots of girls' first kisses. Deal with it!" Well, she doesn't know I'm lying, right? What she doesn't know won't hurt her.

"Yeah, but…" Ayame deflated, looking torn. "Kags always tells us, 'Inuyasha acts all tough and stuff, but deep down, he's a good guy that nobody sees because he doesn't give them a chance to.' She believes in you. And the reason why I'm pushing you isn't because I want to torture you or force happiness on you. You're pulling away from her not because you don't like her but because there's something or someone in your way."

"You're right."

Ayame paused, hesitant. "I am?"

"There is someone in the way. The girl I like. I'm sure Kirara's told you about it, didn't she?"

Then, because I had nothing else to say, I turned around and took off, trying my hardest not to sprint. That would be awfully suspicious.

I planned to go home right after that, but on my way to the gates, I bumped into Kikyo. Oh, splendid. Spectacular.

"Whoa, what's the hurry, Inuyasha?" she said with that shiny, everybody-loves-me smile. She wasn't surrounded by a crowd, which was rare. I never saw her without her adoring fans nearby to gaze at her with awe.

Seeing her gave me an out: Kikyo would be the answer to all of my problems!

"Kikyo, go out with me."

She paused. "Excuse me?"

"Be my girlfriend. Temporary girlfriend."

Kikyo burst out laughing. "You wish, buddy. I'm not easy. I don't spread my legs for attention and though I'm flattered, you're not my type."

I rolled my eyes. Figured. Didn't I already make it clear that I didn't want to go 'between her legs?' "You have a type. Isn't that a bit mean? You're narrowing down your options, you know. Just say yes. A chance like this—an extremely good looking and perfect-in-every-aspect guy asking you out single handedly—is one of a lifetime. Grasp it. Embrace it."

She wasn't amused. "Oh, get lost, Inuyasha. You're such a little, whiny, conceited bitch. I don't need it."

I threw her a glance. "And this is coming from…?"

I admit the whole 'I'm so amazing and you'd be lucky to have me' thing was a bit too much, but whatever it takes. Whatever it takes. I don't care if that means making myself look like a narcissistic asshole. It wouldn't be the first time, right? Don't answer that.

"Whatever. So I'm cocky. So what? I have every right to be. I work for it—I deserve it. I work for my grades, my reputation, my appearance. You think it all comes easy, like a snap of the fingers, don't you? I've trudged through my entire life to get me to where I am today. So don't think for one flipping second that I've been pigging off my parents' money. Because even that takes effort."

I pretended to wave it off with a flick of my hand. "Yeah, yeah, that's all very nice, but save the sob story for someone who cares. So, will you go out with me?"

She let out a breath of exasperation. "Did you hear anything I just said?" she snapped.

Nodding, I quickly revolved my head, looking around, making sure Kagome was far from sight. She was. Good.

Kagome is going to get over me, whether she likes it or not. I mean, I don't understand why Ayame was so determined. What's so fucking special about me anyway, that she thought that it was either me for Kagome or no one? I don't get it. Women. The whole 'first love' concept is so disgustingly overrated."So what is your type, then?" I bit out impatiently.

She hesitated, then her eyes softened, a smile slowing tilting her lips. Oh boy. "Someone kind," she said finally, voice light. "Someone who'll take care of me, who'll know my flaws—know that I'm imperfect—yet will love me anyways. Someone who won't let the prejudices of others affect his feelings for me. I need a man like that."

"Look, I'm not typically the nice guy (here, she mumbled, 'no kidding' but I chose to ignore that, therefore proving my point). But I know your imperfections, right? I know you're an insensitive, moody liar. Yet I'm still standing here asking you out, aren't I?"

Kikyo stares at me for some seconds, taking it all in. "Have a nice day, Inuyasha," she told me impassively, and turned to leave.

And what I was about to do next was probably one of the worst, most disgusting things a guy could ever do.

But desperate situations called for desperate measures. Seriously.

"Kikyo," I called, "if you don't go out with me, I'll let the entire school population know who you really are."

Yup. I blackmailed Kikyo so I could use her for my scheme. Smooth.

I know, I know. If anyone knew, they'd want to kill me (except, maybe, my mom). Oh well. I'll just have to attempt to make up for my sin by treating Kikyo with as much respect as I can possibly manage without vomiting.

She froze, and spun around to gape at me, at a loss for words. There were flames burning in her eyes, murderously. "You wouldn't. I don't believe you. You, yourself, said you wouldn't!"

She was completely right, of course. Even if someone paid me a million bucks, I never would've been able to do what I just claimed to. I wasn't that heartless; I couldn't ruin someone's life like that. But Kikyo didn't know I was bluffing. "Oh, I so would, though. Do you really want to try me? Would you really want to take that risk? I know I wouldn't, not when my flawless life is on the line."

Her eyes morphed from fury to despair, which made my insides swim with guilt. I mean, Kikyo was exceptionally devious, but she was still a girl.

"Inuyasha, please…" she begged, tiredly, not knowing what else to say.

Darn it all. Why do I always have to be the bad guy? Like honestly, it's all just a huge fucking cycle that never stops! "I swear I'm not that horrible. I wouldn't hit you, I wouldn't touch you. I won't even hold your fucking hand if that'd make you uncomfortable. I just have to be not—available right now."

"You stupid, stupid jock. You just want me as your girlfriend so you can show me off like some shiny toy to all your stupid jock friends so you can be the 'it' guy."

I didn't have anything to say to that. After all, wasn't that, in fact, what I needed her for? So that people (Kagome and her annoying friends who don't know when to LET GO) would hear about 'us' as a couple? "Please" was all I could force out. The word that everyone seems to be using lately.

And just like that, Kikyo gave up, shoulders slumping with defeat. "Fine. You fucking win, you fucking bastard."

Thanks for that, Kikyo. Thank you for making me feel even better about myself than I already do. You sure know how to make a guy feel special.

For a while after that, my 'relationship' with Kikyo was… difficult.

Why? Very simple: she acted as if simply being near be made her nauseous. She introduced to her friends, dubbing me as her boyfriend, and played the part of the perfect girlfriend in front of company. She acted so well that I almost even believed her myself. Almost, but not quite. Because I knew her better than she knew herself. Or maybe that was just what I thought. I mean, who was I to say I understood the feelings and complex emotions of others when I couldn't even sort out my own?

But Kikyo was… different. She wasn't all-too-loving, an open book, or a pushover like Kagome was. She wasn't driven, freakishly stable, and naturally athletic like Sango was. She wasn't hardheaded, enthusiastic, and overly exaggerated as Ayame was. Kikyo was right: in time, it became clear that everything she did, she did with great effort. A week after dating, she told me that she didn't have anything she was particularly good at, that because she was sure there was nothing special she was gifted with, she had to work hard at everything, hoping she would eventually find what it was she wanted to spend her life doing. And that in itself was admirable in its own way. Maybe enough to earn my genuine respect.

I guess Kikyo realized I'd meant what I'd said: that I wouldn't humiliate or corrupt her. Soon—in public, of course—she started linking her arm with mine, or leaning against me, and even wrapped her arm around my waist.

Each time she did, I glanced at her with an expression that read: what the hell are you doing? And then she'd smile arrogantly at me, batting her eyelashes, playing coy and ignoring my silent questions. It became slightly easier being around her. It was unbelievably annoying how big of a deal people made it, but because we both had mutual understandings of the other person to a certain extent, our 'friendliness' (so to speak) wasn't so strained anymore.

In fact, it was ALMOST as if we'd become… friends?

On that note, dealing with Kagome afterwards was surprisingly easy as well. She would smile or give me a nod upon accidental stumbling upons in the corridors. In fact, she didn't even bring up the subject of Kikyo, or my dating her, even when we saw each other outside of school, too, due to the whole 'moms' issue. Kagome didn't look bothered by me or Kikyo in the slightest… almost relaxed. As if me being out of the romantic picture was just what she needed to get her life back on track.

And maybe it was, because soon after, she joined the swim team.

I'd been initially surprised, but Miroku (who heard from Sango) told me that because Kagome had surprisingly outstanding times despite lack of much experience and wanted to heighten the chances of a scholarship, the coach agreed to put her on the team. She'd been placed in the second string, but was promised that if she worked hard and was consistent with her times, there was a good chance that she could move her way up to first.

I remember flipping through my elementary yearbook, finding her profile. 'Swimming/splashing' had been listed under Hobbies.

There was also that time when she'd gotten drunk and I had to force her into the passenger seat of my precious car. She'd been commenting on my breath and pushing the issue of a kiss, but then suddenly, she'd blurted out: Pool. "When my dad was alive, we loved to splash around in a pool together in the summer time. I always had fun—we always had fun. In the yearbook for when I was younger, I wrote that as one of my hobbies. But the truth is I hate the water. I have ever since Dad died," was what she'd said subsequently.

Then she threw up.

... not my favorite memory.

But that was not the point. The point was, she'd made it clear she gave up on water in general, due to the traumatic loss of her father. What had made her change her mind? Or rather, who? Was it that easy to just… overcome your fear and hatred for something that lingered with the memory of someone deceased you'd been close to? Was that even possible?

Apparently it was, because shortly after, Kagome joined the Band as well, her instrument being the flute. The injury with her hand no longer fazed her, I suppose. All that ice-cream and sappy rom-com films the next day all contributed, in the end.

I never did end up beating up Koharu, who was the student Kagome's friends said was responsible for Kagome's incident. I'd recently discovered that Koharu is one of Kikyo's 'best friends' and hangs around us all the time, so while I can't show my distaste for her openly, I still occasionally throw her the stink eye.

Life was getting surprisingly better from the confusing, guilt-tripping, hateful place that it was only weeks ago:

1: my girlfriend isn't totally stuck-up, bitchy, and irritating. Maybe.

2: Kagome and I are back to being friends. Kind of. Okay, probably not. But she doesn't want to kill me…?

3: Kagome's friends don't look like they want to kill me every time I catch them glaring at me.

4: Well… actually, I can't think of a fourth one at the moment.

The only crappy thing going on right now is the fact that Miroku is PMSing like a bitch (he should get to know Kikyo- they'd get along just fine), constantly whining and complaining to me. Both he and Koga were wary when I told them of Kikyo, but otherwise than feeling a bit sorry for Kagome, they seemed fine with it.

Until Miroku showed up the next morning, looking completely ticked off; Sango had broken up with him right after school.

Miroku was always in a bad mood when his relationship with Sango is 'off' rather than 'on' but I figure they'll work it out somehow. They always do, don't they?

As for Koga… after one 'not-really-date-just-hanging-out' he had with Ayame at some street fair when Kagome had gotten 'cancer' (or so Sango thought) or whatever, they hadn't talked. In fact, I overhead Ayame telling Kagome about some guy in her fourth period that she was semi-interested in.

Maybe the peace I was so sure was mine will be harder to keep after all.

AN: I know there was barely any romance or any sort whatsoever besides mild Inu/Kik (don't kill me), but this chapter was mandatory and not a filler, so although I know there may be some disappointment that Inu and Kags aren't making up just yet, I hope you enjoyed this chapter anyway :) I thought I would have a very difficult time writing it since it is a Kikyo oriented chapter, but it was surprisingly fun. I'm still not sure why, though, actually.

I mentioned in some previous chapter that Kikyo was not a villain in my story. I'm sure you guys are beginning to see what I meant by that.

Daichi's stories are well on their way as well. Want to see what I mean? Go find out yourselves!

REMEMBER: my profile will be somewhat constantly updated involving when I can update so please check there whenever you have questions about a late chapter.

THANK YOU for being… you! Cheesiness FTW ^.^

See you soon,

Nyony :D

Daichi: Ok, so I am a little frustrated because there was nothing "shell-shocking" except for Inuyasha using Kikyo and me wanting to beat him up 'cause he's being SUPER-STUPID but I know that Nyony must have something for the next chapter. I believe in her and in Inuyasha and Kagome! Review you guys and tell her you love it when she updates!

Nyony: You guys will have to be a little patient :) Inuyasha and Kagome are both stubborn egg-heads, so... yeah. And I also want to try to include the other pairings in my future chapters. We haven't seen Rin in a while, have we? She's coming up xD