Don't Trust First Appearances

Chapter Eleven

Kagome couldn't help but groan as she woke up one morning. She had been staying at Shippo's so she didn't have to train, and she was going to be staying with her family for the next week. Her housemates, however, were not the problem. What truly grievance Kagome was what particular day it was. February 14—Valentine's Day. And lucky her, she got to go to school.

Kagome prepared herself for the day before heading to the dining area to eat with Shippo. She got there before the fox demon but decided not to wait for him. Instead choosing to start eating the omelet presented before her. Shippo entered the room all cheery, but he paused as he stared at a grumpy Kagome. Usually grumpy Kagome meant keep your distance, but it was a holiday so he thought it best to tease her instead. "Aw~ what's gotten you so upset?" he mocked concerned.

Kagome glared in response as she swallowed. She knew he was teasing her, yet she still replied. "It's Valentine's day," she stated briefly as if it explained everything.

Shippo sat down across from Kagome. "Come on, it will be fun. Everyone thinks you're a guy after all."

Kagome's gaze only further intensified. "That's the problem."

"Why? As part of the Host Club, you'll probably get loads of chocolate. Besides, by having everyone think you are a boy means that no one will have expectations of you giving chocolate." He watched as Kagome diverted her gaze. Her shoulders relaxed and she took interest in the food on her plate. "Ah! Kagome-chan," he wailed moving closer to the miko. "Don't tell me you like someone. Who is it?"

Kagome tilted her head farther down and her grip on her chopsticks increased until her knuckles turned white. "Yes. Maybe. I dunno." Shippo stared confused. Did she? Didn't she? "You know I can express my feelings, but I've always had problems explaining them. I guess I'm still no good at telling the difference. Then there's also the fact that I still have to pretend to be a guy. Must I for the rest of my life? Is there even purpose to my life anymore, or is it all planned for me."

Shippo couldn't blame Kagome's recent melancholic form. It seemed as if all the pressure was finally catching up with her. Not to doubt her strength or will, but he was surprised that she managed this long. Shippo decided to stop teasing her. It wouldn't be nice to do so if she is this conflicted. "You can skip today if that would help."

Kagome looked up with her lost eyes and gave a weak attempt at a smile. "Sesshomaru wouldn't be happy. Besides, you both spent so much money to send me to Ouran. It would be a waste not to go over something a stupid as this." The demon gave a disbelieving look. He knew Kagome wasn't in a good mental stage, and he didn't want to push it. Kagome, predicting his thoughts, gave him a hug reassuring him that she would be fine. "I'll be fine. I promise. Thank you for looking out for me. I'll talk to you when I get things figured out. Happy Valentine's day." She grabbed her school bag and exited through the front door.

Shippo stared at the shut door. He had a bad feeling.

Kagome arrived to class. When she entered there were already a good number of people there, probably to give chocolates, encourage each other, and to gossip. Glancing over to her desk there were already a small pile of chocolates. Probably from people who didn't feel comfortable in a confrontation or had come by class 3-A but she wasn't there. Kagome wondered what she was supposed to do with it all. Even that was too much for one person to eat.

Her complaints would have to resume later because some classmates walked up to her and gave her chocolates before squealing and returning to giggle with some friends. Kagome sighed. This was going to be a long day. The last two years were bad enough, but with her inclusion of the Host Club, more people will be willing to give her chocolates. She didn't want to be mean, but it was a hassle.

Kagome sat down on her seat and glances over to Mori and Honey. They were receiving lots of chocolate to. Morinozuka grunting as a thank you and Haninozuka, well, being cute and giving lots of hugs as a thank you for all the chocolate. He did enjoy sweets a lot.

Kagome watch as Mitsukuni tried to carry a heavy, full bag of chocolate. Of course he had the strength to carry it, but it was all part of the act. It's always part of an act. Takashi picked up the bag, Honey smiled and the crowd went wild. That was when Kagome noticed something fall out. It looked like a medicine bottle. He didn't look ill.

The class emptied in order to mingle with others or go eat lunch, and Kagome moved to pick it up. It was medicine. Kagome looked at the name and searched through her brain for the uses. She recalls hearing about it before. It wasn't like aspirin. She knew it wasn't for pain. It had to be taken daily, and—oh yeah! It stunts growth. Kagome was happy for remembering, when the implication struck her. Was he taking this just for the purpose of suiting a role in the club?

Kagome felt the prickling feeling puncture her eyes, but she held back any tears. How can he be so stupid? She decided that she would question him later. She didn't have the heart to go ask right now, and she just really needed her distance from him.

Kagome had bought her food and sat by herself. She used her fork to play with the westerner food instead of eating it. Her mind distracted.

"Why are you over here by yourself?" Kagome twisted her body to see the younger twin, Kaoru.

"Can't I want to have some alone time?"

"On Valentine's day?"

"Of course, Kaoru-san. I think the girls have than enough spirit for the entire country." Kagome gave a small smile as giddiness was all anyone would hear all day. Even as they spoke, there were exchanges all around them.

"How'd you know I'm Kaoru?"

Kagome gave him a dumbfound look. The meaningless conversation relieving the slightest stress. She rolled her eyes and answered, "As if Hikaru would actually ask someone about their emotions." Kagome finally took a bite of her food with closed eyes. She opened one to peek at Kaoru. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to sit down and eat."

"You're inviting me to eat with you. I thought you took pride in being a loner," Kaoru teased as he sat down next to Kagome. Haruhi had come to the cafeteria on the rare occasion and was sitting with Hikaru. He would allow them to spend some alone time together, though he wondered how much alone time it would be on such an occasion.

"Hey I take offense to that. I'm not a loner." Kagome took her fork and reached across to Kaoru's tray to take a piece of meat. "Mmm, this is good."

Kaoru pushed his tray farther from Kagome when she tried to take another piece. "That's because it's my food." Kagome stared at Kaoru's serious face before giving a light laugh before laughing full-heartedly. "H-hey!" He didn't know why she was laughing.

"You should have seen your face. You seemed so serious about your food." Kagome continued to laugh.

"Then we'll see how you like it if I take your food." He used his hand to reach for some exotic food. Kagome's face was comedic. The most expression he had ever seen on her face and it was so genuine. Kaoru began to laugh too.

"H-hey!" Kagome blushed. She wasn't used being laugh at. "I-I like my food, kay."

Kaoru said, "That proves you're not a zombie." When Kagome repeated the word zombie Kaoru explained, "Yeah, you're usually by yourself and express little emotion aside from apathy or anger. Then there was that one time you were concerned. But really, you're always uptight. We were beginning to think you were some serious freak."

"I am not a freak. So what if I would prefer to be alone at school than be friends with a bunch of idiots who know nothing of the real world. And it's not like I'm stressed because I want to be. I dare you to try and live with Sesshomaru two weeks with early rising to train and return after school in order to be toppled by more lessons. Then don't forget the next two weeks living with Shippo where you would think I would get a break with how relaxed he is; but he is so relaxed, that it is like I have to mother him. Then after a month of living with them, I'm finally 'allowed' to stay with my immediate family for a week. But even that is getting stressful because now all the shrine duties are up to my okaa-san and ototo-san, when he gets a chance because of the recent death of my oji-san. And—"

"Hold on." Kaoru was having problems following. The words were spewed out of her mouth.

Kagome realises her mistake. "Sorry for ranting about all that."

"It's no wonder why you always seem so grumpy. You're life sucks." Kagome was perplexed that she was bluntly insulted.

Kagome crossed her arms. The war was on. "At least I no longer have doppelganger issue. It looks like you're going to be fighting misidentification for quite some time." She was implying the Kaoru-Hikaru mix-ups.

"As if you know what it's like," he replied.

"I'll have you know that while I may not have a twin, there was this person I use to know that looked Identical." It was time to improvise the story because a) Kikyo was a girl's name b) Admitting time travelling is a no no. "We went to the same middle school and I would always be mistaken for Kiku. One day this guy came up to me and threatened me because of something Kiku did. Then even when we became friends, he kept mistaking me for Kiku. It was horrible because there was nothing I could do but yell 'I'm Ka-go-me'."

"At least your parents don't mistake you two."

Kagome stared at Kaoru. Your own parents. She cringed at the thought. "Your own parents. That must be horrible."

"There's a reason why the two of us are always together." An awkward silence finally passed the two as they realized they had just spoken about some very personal things. Kaoru was first to crack a smile. "I guess we're just messed up people who others will never understand."

Kagome raised her glass and Kaoru brought his to hers. "To the misfits," they said simultaneously. They both went back to eating their meals and normal conversations could finally ensue now that the ice was finally broken.

The Host Club was ending for the day. As everyone was leaving, Kagome asked Mitsukuni if she could speak with him for a moment. He blinked in confused but nodded in agreement. When they were finally alone, Kagome finally built up the courage to say, "You dropped this earlier." She handed him the medication. She had considered not giving it back, but he could always access more.

Honey blinked. It was his medicine. He felt guilty. He didn't want the others to know because he knew they would make a commotion.

"Why?" Mitsukuni looked at the solemn boy. "Why would you do such a thing?"

"Kyo-kun suggested it years ago. Being short keeps me cute, ne."

Kagome fell to her knees. "You're taking pills for a stupid club." Kagome repeated as she was in a state of shock. What kind of idiot did that? She didn't even believe Tamaki would be stupid enough to do that. Yet apparently someone with a brain would. Kagome didn't know if her anger should be directed at the third year before her or the Ootori boy who suggested it in the first place. That bastard.

"Why does it matter? Does my height bother you?" Mitsukuni didn't know what to think. He knew that if his friends knew they would freak, but he somehow thought that the majority of Kagome's anger came from the results. He was emotionally hurt at the thought of Kagome hating him because of his height.

"You baka! Why would you think that? I am seriously worried about you and you turn this mess into a superficial problem. Don't you know taking it could have side-effects?"

He replied, "It's nothing dangerous."

"You're dealing with science. Nothing is ever certain."

"Why do you care anyway?" He wasn't trying to insist that Kagome doesn't care for him, but to him it was no big deal. In the end the Host Club was still a happy place and he had been taking the pills safely for years. He reasoned that there was no need for so much worry.

"Why do I care?" Kagome's tears finally leaked from her eyes. Perhaps Shippo was correct that it would have been better to just stay home today. "Because I like you!" Kagome stared up with teary, passionate eyes. Mitsukuni felt his heart beat harder and a bit faster knowing he was the cause of Kagome's current state along with the many interpretation of his words. "I really like you!" Kagome looked back down to the ground. "And I'm confused because I don't if I just really like you like a best friend or a family member or if I like you in a romantic sense! I'm horrible with my emotions, and, and, and I just don't know."

Mitsukuni reached out a hand to place it comfortably on Kagome's shoulder, but pulled away before it reached its target. He dropped his arm back down at his side unable to do anything but watch Kagome breakdown into sobs and tears. He knew there was nothing he could do for her.

Well, this totally turned out different than I originally planned, but I guess I like it. Hope you liked it and was worth me staying up until 3 in the morning to write it.