The next few weeks were a blur as Kagome settled into the new chapters in her life as an entrepreneur and a mother-to-be, juggling responsibilities between taking care of her flourishing business and herself during the early weeks of her pregnancy. As the Prince had told her, the constant lethargy, exhaustion, and morning sickness gradually abated, leaving her with more and more energy each day.
Sesshōmaru still hovered, albeit less, as Kagome had gently but firmly explained to him that she was completely capable of performing her duties while at the same time taking care of herself. She loved to remain active – whether it was with overseeing the production of her bath products, curating new scents, or experimenting with fresh ingredients.
But, the plan that took up the most room in her mind was the upcoming dinner at Inuyasha's and Kikyō's house. It had been scheduled twice and postponed twice for one reason or another. After the second time that Inuyasha called Sesshōmaru to reschedule, Kagome almost threw in the towel and cancelled the whole thing.
"Perhaps he isn't serious about wanting to meet," she fumed after Sesshōmaru ended the call. She did not like the idea that she and Sesshōmaru were begging for a meeting with Inuyasha and Kikyō, while Inuyasha was the one to suggest the visit in the first place.
She marched back and forth across the room, pausing every few steps to clench her fists. Sesshōmaru sat motionless on the couch, his eyes following her. "Then I suppose there's no need for us to meet," she said, her voice cold and distant.
Her husband stepped forward and softly touched her shoulders, rubbing them in slow circles. His voice was deep, calm, and reassuring. "It will be a difficult meeting for both of you. Maybe Inuyasha needs more time to prepare."
Kagome's mouth dropped open in disbelief. She shook her head, her brow furrowing. "He said that? After five hundred and five years, he still needs more time to get ready to meet me?"
Sesshōmaru's face softened, realizing what he had said. He cleared his throat. "No… He said that he has some make-up classes for a few students."
She harrumphed and peered out the window, her eyes immediately drawn to the majestic magnolia tree in the distance. Its frothy, pale-pink petals cascaded from the branches that starkly contrasted the consistently grey sky. She watched as the tree leaves gently swayed in the breeze, and the comforting sensation she felt from it caused her inner turmoil to ebb away.
Sesshōmaru sighed and asked, "Is it... wrong of me to feel relieved he postponed again?"
Kagome lifted her eyes to meet his on the reflection of the windowpane. "You don't want to go?" she asked.
He ran a hand through his silver mane and shifted his stance. "Not that I do not wish to go," he clarified. "Awkward, possibly tense dinner is not usually how I'd like to spend my evening."
She rolled her eyes in agreement, her frustration evident in her groan. "It will be an awkward evening, won't it?"
Sesshōmaru's hand travelled slowly up and down her back as he sighed. His fingers lightly pressed hard into her tight muscles, coaxing out the knots of tension that had built up. His magical touch eased the stiffness in her body, and her muscles slowly relaxed.
His voice was low, hypnotic, and soothing. "Take this extra time to ready yourself for what lies ahead." He leaned in closer and pressed a chaste kiss against her forehead.
Kagome did not do well with waiting. The longer she did, the more anxious she became, letting her imagination work overtime. She did not like feeling out of control and wished she could skip to the end, like ripping off the band-aid. Moreover, the constant rescheduling started to wreak havoc on her state of mind, making her doubt every decision. She considered telling them to forget it and move on, but instead, she obsessed over what she already had planned.
Like her gift for them.
Even though they had had no contact since she returned to the modern era, it was only proper etiquette that she and Sesshōmaru brought a gift, as they would be visiting Inuyasha and Kikyō's home. So Kagome thought long and hard about what to bring, and in the end, she decided on what she did best: she prepared handmade bath products. But she did not want to appear trying too hard either, so she created a set of only two bath salts: one for Inuyasha and one for Kikyō.
Kikyō's name meant Chinese bellflower, named for its distinctive puffed-out buds that looked like balloons. They could be found in various colours - vibrant blues, light purples, delicate pinks, and white like freshly fallen snow.
Kagome wanted to pay homage to Kikyō's namesake, but the bellflower had no distinguishable scent. She thought of Japan's Seven Flowers of Autumn — aki no nanakusa — a part of Japanese culture for many centuries and was written about frequently in haikus. The bellflower was one of the flowers, along with bush clover, pampas grass, arrowroot, golden lace, dianthus, and thoroughwort.
Out of the various herbs, only fujibakama, or thoroughwort, had a beautiful smell. Although not used for fragrances often, its soft and floral aroma was pleasing. Incorporating its oil with the bath salt could give Kikyō a relaxing and soothing bath experience — or so she hoped.
She was meticulous with the dyeing process, pouring each colour into its own bowl to blend together flawlessly. The bath salts' pink, purple and white hues were soft and beautiful. Once complete, she carefully folded in the dried petals of the Chinese bellflowers and finally transferred the entire mixture into a delicate glass jar.
Inuyasha's gift was proving incredibly challenging. Kagome had to consider if his tastes had changed since they were last together. What were his hobbies and preferences now? Did he still love cheap instant ramen? She thought of the times they had shared bowls of instant ramen and wondered if that was still his favourite indulgence.
After much deliberation, she finally settled on a bath salt blend with sandalwood infused with subtle hints of cypress, seaweed, and rosemary. Next, she carefully stirred in red clay and brown kelp before adding the crowning touch: freeze-dried rosemary leaves she had harvested from her greenhouse.
After stirring everything together, it gave off a generic masculine scent, not as personalized as she had wanted, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
On the day of the dinner, as Kagome put on the finishing touch on the gift box, her fingers shook so terribly that the gleaming satin ribbon slipped out of her grasp four times before she finally managed to tie a decent bow.
The hour-long drive in Sesshōmaru's car made her even more anxious. Kagome felt her mate's knowing gaze and finally looked up, peering into his golden eyes. He reached out in the darkness and squeezed Kagome's hand, providing a silent reassurance. She returned the gesture, her lips twitching into a nervous smile.
When Sesshōmaru parked the car in front of their destination, they both heaved a deep sigh.
"Are you ready?" Sesshōmaru asked.
Kagome took a long, steadying breath and nodded determinedly. "Let's do this."
They got out of the car and rang the doorbell. They stood before the heavy wooden gate, waiting for a response. Moments later, they heard footsteps coming from inside.
The door opened to reveal Inuyasha's familiar face, but it was nothing like how Kagome remembered it. There was no sign of his yōkai heritage - his hair and eyes were jet black, and there was no sign of yōki. He had aged considerably since their last meeting, with soft wrinkles around his eyes and a furrowed brow that was not there before. If she had passed him on the street, she would have kept walking, not knowing she had crossed paths with someone who used to be so dear to him.
They stared at each other in silence. Kagome felt her heart sink further as she looked into Inuyasha's black eyes. She wanted more than anything to greet him with a hug and tell him how much she missed him, but the nervousness inside her chest was difficult to ignore. A greeting sat at the tip of her tongue, but somehow the words refused to come out.
Inuyasha stepped forward, his strong arms wrapping Kagome in a tight hug. She stiffened in his embrace, trying to remember the last time he held her like this. When he released her, she looked at him with wide eyes; her lips twitched into an awkward smile. She took a deep breath and forced herself to greet him as she would any other acquaintance.
"How are you, Inuyasha?" she said, her voice strained with effort. Her gaze fell to the floor and shifted to the woman behind him. "Kikyō."
The air felt heavy and tense between them, making her heart beat faster as she waited for what would happen next.
"Kagome," Inuyasha said, a trace of disbelief in his voice. "It's been so long."
She bit back a bitter remark and forced herself to nod in agreement. Inuyasha turned to greet Sesshōmaru with a clap on his shoulder while Kagome greeted Kikyō and handed over the gift with similar stiff politeness she used with her hanyō former friend.
"Thank you for having us," she heard Sesshōmaru say, sounding much more natural than she felt at this moment.
"It's been a while," Inuyasha said again as he ushered them to cross the threshold of the gate and into the courtyard, obviously trying to make a conversation. "Tell me, what's new?"
Sesshōmaru's eyes met Kagome's as though searching for permission to share their latest news. When she nodded, he wrapped his arm around her waist, slightly pulling her in to press against his side.
"Kagome is with child," Sesshōmaru said, his voice filled with pride and warmth as he gazed at her. She smiled back at her mate and husband, taking a few seconds to lean against him, savouring his strength as his arm tightened around her.
"You are?" Inuyasha said, turning to glance at his brother with surprise. "I didn't even notice."
It was strange to Kagome that Inuyasha, a hanyō with a sense of smell meant to be superior to the average person, couldn't detect the change in her scent due to her pregnancy, but she kept herself silent.
"It's early weeks yet," Sesshōmaru said, keeping a sensible tone. "Kagome is only six weeks along."
Inuyasha looked touched, which surprised Kagome since they had not seen each other for five hundred years and had not been in contact since her return to the modern era. She did not think he would care. Kikyō's initial expression was one of shock, though she quickly erased it and hid her true emotions behind a bland mask. But her eyes shone with something Kagome thought looked like… concern.
"Well, congratulations, you two," Inuyasha said, looking pleased. "That's amazing news! We need to celebrate tonight, then. I'll open up a bottle of saké."
The couple ushered her and Sesshōmaru into their home. Their house was a classic example of Japanese architecture. It had characters etched in every wood beam and rafter and looked lovingly cared for. Carefully polished floorboards creaked and groaned underfoot as they moved through the spacious house, a testament to their success with their kendo school.
The dining room was arranged so seven people could dine comfortably; the long wooden table was covered in intricately patterned cloths.
Inuyasha and Kikyō introduced their there sons. Ichirō, the eldest, was about fourteen years old in human measures and looked like the carbon copy of Inuyasha in his human form. The brothers, Kenjiro and Saburo, were younger — about ten and six years old, respectively. They were all polite and well-mannered, although when they stared up at Kagome and Sesshōmaru, their eyes were wide with curiosity.
She was the aunt they had never met, while he was the uncle they seldom met, and thus the children's interest was understandable.
"It is very nice to meet all of you," Kagome said, smiling at them. She had bought each of them a toy and made them animal-shaped key charms imbued with good-luck spells, which were very popular with children and students.
Kagome gingerly sat at the table, her eyes resting on Inuyasha. He had changed so much over the years. His once wild silver hair was now well-groomed and peppered with grey, and his face, which at one time held playful youthfulness, now seemed softer and more mature. Kagome tried to sense the yōki that had once surrounded him, but none could be found.
Truth be told, she felt like she was meeting a stranger for the first time, like meeting the father of a distant friend or an acquaintance. He bore so little resemblance to the Inuyasha she had known in the feudal era, both in appearance and demeanour, that she hardly recognized him. He appeared… older than he should have looked. He looked much older than Sesshōmaru despite her husband being born centuries before Inuyasha. He looked older than her, and she was a full human.
Kagome's eyes fell on the bracelet made from round black beads that he wore on his left wrist. She saw all the children wearing the same bracelet and could only surmise they were the yōki suppression beads Sesshōmaru had discussed. She could not help but wonder: was Inuyasha's premature aging a result of wearing them for so long?
A feast of familiar yet iconic Japanese home-style cooking filled the table: succulent beef and potato stew in sweet soy broth, grilled fish that left a spicy coating on the tongue, lettuce tossed with richly salted and vinegar-brightened dressing, bowls of steaming white rice with one small piece of pickled daikon, and thin slices of crisp pickled radish.
As platters of steaming, fragrant dishes were passed around the table, conversations slowly began, as if each person was hesitant to break the heavy silence. Inuyasha started first, looking at Kagome as his cheeks dimpled with a smile.
"So, tell me, Kags. What have you been up to since you came back from Sengoku Jidai?" He sat back in his chair, arms crossed and eyes twinkling with curiosity.
Kagome sat frozen, a fragile dish in her hands, its porcelain surface quivering as her knuckles whitened from her grip. Inuyasha's words had set off a firework of painful memories in her mind, and she could not imagine how to start the story of what had happened to her over the past few years.
In the brief pause that followed, she glanced up into the face she'd once thought of as a dear friend and lover, and saw the steady anticipation in his gaze. She was deeply aware of how little he knew of what had become of her life since they'd parted.
What had she been up to?
The shards of her heart began to harden, and she imagined herself telling Inuyasha:
'My family died in a freak car crash the year after I returned. Then, I lost Higurashi Shrine and my childhood home because I could not keep up with the maintenance and the debt payments. I was in a relationship with a few substandard men afterwards because I was so lonely and so starved for affection I'd have taken anyone who came my way.
I met a terrible man, and I was foolish enough to fall in love with him. I got pregnant, but he didn't want the baby. I would've had a daughter, but one terrible night, he decided he could make the problem disappear if he kicked my stomach hard enough.
And you know what? He did. He did. He did—'
There was a high-pitched screaming in her ear; Kagome thought it had come from her. She thought she had screamed her head off in front of these people who had not known anything about her life for the past five years. Icy relief washed over her when she realized the deafening screech was all in her head.
Sesshōmaru's grip on the porcelain platter was firm and gentle as he placed it aside. He then reached for Kagome's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. His bright eyes scanned the room as he spoke, his calm voice carried pride as he spoke of Kagome's success.
"She created her own business of handcrafted bath products, and it's off to a great start," he said. "Just three months after launching, she landed her first big client."
The warmth emanating from Sesshōmaru's clasp around Kagome's fingers was strangely comforting, and she felt her head slowly clear of its tormenting thoughts. She smiled faintly when Inuyasha and Kikyō praised her bravery, silently pushing away the memories that sought to surface. As the dinner conversations resumed, Kagome was mindful to remain polite and well-mannered, doing her best to put on a pleasant face for the couple hosting the evening. She observed her hosts' reactions, noting the relieved smiles on their faces as the evening continued peacefully.
The children, oblivious to any tension, were lively and talkative, which immensely helped the atmosphere. Kagome was most interested in the conversations all three had with their uncle. The young ones asked the questions one might expect smaller children to be curious about: 'Does yōkai have superpowers? What are your powers, Uncle Sessh? Can you fly? Why do you drive a car now instead of flying? Wouldn't flying be faster, though? Iiiiisn't it thoooughh?'
Kagome could not help but chuckle, thoroughly enjoying their inquisitiveness and innocent questions. And, despite Kikyō's not-so-subtle attempts to shut the Q&A session down and get her children to focus on eating in silence, those questions kept coming, and Sesshōmaru kept answering them. She watched him with a genuine smile, pleased that one could be as taciturn as Sesshōmaru and yet so gentle and patient with the young ones. It made Kagome feel warm inside, knowing her mate would be such a wonderful and loving father to their pups.
The younger kids were abuzz with questions about yōkai's strengths and abilities, but Ichirō, the oldest of the siblings, was interested in the more profound matters. He asked about the origins of their supernatural powers and the culture that surrounded them. There was an almost desperate curiosity in his voice as he probed for information about their place in the greater political climate of Japan.
Sesshōmaru was regaling Ichirō with tales of the heroic exploits of Inu no Taisho, how he rose to become one of the most celebrated yōkai generals in history and was bestowed the title 'the Lord of the Western Lands' by the reigning king of the inuyōkai.
Kikyō, who had been silently observing, stepped in before Sesshōmaru could continue, her voice strained. "Let's not discuss that figure here," she said through pursed lips, her forced smile stiffening.
"That figure?" Sesshōmaru repeated, surprise and confusion registering on his face. "That figure is my father. Inuyasha's father, and the grandfather of these children."
Kikyō quirked an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. "He was a yōkai warlord and part of yōkai history," she reminded him. "We do not teach it in this house."
Kagome interjected before Sesshōmaru could reply, her voice calm and steady. "Sesshōmaru is not teaching yōkai history," she said. "The children are curious about Inu no Taisho and asked some questions. Sesshōmaru is simply sharing stories about their grandfather so they may know a little about him. He is part of their history."
Kikyō asked back, "And what is there to know about him, other than he was a yōkai lord who waged wars and most likely killed countless humans in his quests for greatness? My children do not need to know such tall tales."
Kagome was stunned by Kikyō's intense tone. "Be that as it may," Kagome said, flustered but trying to keep calm. "History is something we can all learn from, even if it's to ensure it does not repeat itself."
"I highly doubt that," Kikyō quipped. "It's not as though they will likely become yōkai lords or generals."
Kagome pursed her lips. Apparently, Inutaisho was a touchy subject in this house, as he often was anywhere. Still, she did not know if she should be surprised that Inuyasha offered no opinions. Instead, he stared at his food and continued eating as though he had been accustomed to closing his eyes and ears to the things said and done at the dinner table.
She wanted to throw herself across the dinner table and shake him. What happened to you, Inuyasha?
Sesshōmaru pursed his lips as well, and Kagome could feel the tension radiating from her mate's body. But they both knew this was Inuyasha's and Kikyō's home, and this was their dinner, so they relented — leaving the host to shift to another conversation of her choice.
Kikyō shifted the conversation to work, inquiring about Kagome's job. She was genuinely curious to find out more about her venture, and it almost made Kagome forget the disagreement that had taken place moments before. Kagome figured out that the best way to avoid further arguments was by steering the conversation toward kendo and letting them talk about their school. She did that, and dinner ended without another clash of opinions.
After eating, Kagome offered Kikyō her help with the dirty dishes, which the other woman accepted. They gathered the plates and stacks of cutlery and carried the still-steaming platters of food into the kitchen. The air was rife with an odd tension Kagome could not quite understand, and as she stepped through the doorway, Kikyō gently shut the door behind them.
The woman's dark brown eyes held a curious glint as she studied Kagome intently. "I am very pleased to hear of your pregnancy," she said. "How are you faring?"
Kagome smiled. "Better than expected. I've been tired, but I've been sleeping a lot, and I'm feeling much better lately."
Kikyō nodded, looking satisfied. "I'd like to show you something that might be useful," she said, crossing the room to a cupboard. She opened the door, and after shuffling through a few things, pulled out a thin folded piece of paper, which she presented to Kagome.
Kagome's face scrunched in confusion as her eyes roved over the brightly coloured pamphlet in her hand. A glossy, black-haired woman was posed in the center of the page, wearing a broad smile and seemingly carefree; a baby squirmed in her arms, beaming up at her mother with a toothless grin.
"What is this?" Kagome asked.
"It is an informational pamphlet for a workshop I run with a colleague," Kikyō explained. "To help human women who are carrying babies with yōkai blood."
"Oh." Kagome paused, eyeing the paper curiously. "Help them… in what way?"
A pleased and proud smile spread across Kikyō's face.
"We have developed a way to use reiki energy to neutralize the demonic traits in the fetus' blood before the baby is even born," she said, her smile widening with satisfaction. "That way, all babies can be born as humans — or as close to humans as possible."