She had never been to Shinobu's house, though she knew where it was, had never been invited over, had never had need to go over. In fact it had recently occurred to her that he'd actively avoided even mentioning his family in passing.
I am beginning to understand why he does so. She couldn't help the mean thought that entered her mind as the older woman once more blew smoke in her face.
She was young, perhaps in her early thirties which alluded to the fact that she had been young when she had conceived Shinobu, though obvious chain smoking had aged her greatly. Her black hair was damaged from an over abundance of chemical processing, and her eyes…
For all she is a hard woman…
There is such sorrow and pain in her eyes.
"So you're Kagome, huh?" Her voice was raspy, in the way only a smokers could be. "And here I'd thought you'd be one of my sons little imaginary friends. And yet here you are in the flesh." Her eyes skimmed over her, and Kagome felt herself tense. "A lot of flesh."
She couldn't decide whether to be embarrassed or enraged.
Her reaction had obviously been what the older woman had been hoping for, as she threw her head back and laughed before abruptly stopping. "So tell me kiddo do you see monster everywhere too?" She asked sneeringly.
"Mother, that's enough." Kagome had never seen Shinobu look so cold and withdrawn.
No one should feel like this home.
That's not what home is about.
He brushed past his mother before grabbing her elbow and leading her away from his house, letting go only when the house was no longer visible, relaxing immediately after. "Kagome I'm-"
"Don't Shinobu, don't you even think about apologizing." He stopped walking a few paces ahead of her, and they stood in silence for a few moments.
"So what did you come over for anyway?" He asked finally, and she knew he was studying her as she shifted nervously from foot to foot. "Something happened while you were there didn't it?" She shrugged noncommittally. "Something bad?"
"No precisely, just something curious. Mostly though I just grew tired of stewing in my thoughts, and thought you might want to go for a walk with me." He studied her for a long moment before tilting his head consenting.
"Then lead the way."
They simply basked in one another's presence for a time before curiosity overwhelmed her. "Shinobu where was your father?"
"Gone. Simply up and left one day a few months ago." He shrugged uncaring when she gasped.
"Oh, oh Shinobu I'm so sorry, why –"
"Higurashi!" Dread quickly overrode sympathy.