Authoress' Notes: Whew! I snuck another update in before the holidays! This is my present to you all! I thank working from home and having a slow week for this update!

The Love that You Give Is What's Returned to You

Yoh's smile was gradually fading as he watched the Tao's limo grow smaller and smaller in the distance. Finally, when he was unable to see the vehicle's rear end, his hand that had been held up in a wave retired to his side. It was then that Manta looked at his friend, "Yoh-kun…" His voice was hushed only for the Asakura's ears, "Are you sure you're okay with this…?"

The pensive look on the Asakura's face was softened with a reassuring smile aimed at Manta, "Yeah, I'm sure. I think some time away from here would do her some good."

"If you say so…" The blond boy muttered, unconvinced by Yoh's display of confidence.

"Hmph," Anna drew attention to herself as she placed a hand on her hip. "Alright, enough standing around. Time to get back to training."

Ryu stood at attention and resounded back, "Y-Yes, ma'am!"

Meanwhile, Yoh smiled and responded, "Will do. But before that, let's talk."

Manta gave Yoh one last worried glance before he followed behind Ryu and Tamao, who returned to the inner Asakura property to give the pair some privacy. Yoh gave him a nod that told him that he'd catch up as soon as he could. The remaining two gave the other teens a minute to gain enough distance. Once she was sure that no one was within earshot, the blonde girl questioned, "So, what do you want?"

Yoh's hands buried themselves within his pockets, "You and Kagome…fought."

"We did," Anna confirmed without batting an eyelash. "What's it to you?"

"I'm sure you know," He answered calmly. "I don't approve of unnecessary violence, especially between people who I care about."

"Hmph," The itako huffed. "And who are you to decide that it wasn't necessary?"

Yoh shook his head and told her, "I'm sure Kagome is more than willing to simply talk it out."

"I know what you're getting at," She seemed annoyed. "I'm the one who instigated the fight so I'm the problem, right?"

"I wouldn't call you a problem," The Asakura caught her off guard with a sudden shift in his tone. Like an ocean caught in the whims of a storm, more emotions were roused into his voice. "It's how you chose to express yourself that's the problem."

Anna stiffened, her guarded stance dropping as Yoh took her hand. Her cheeks were flooded with blood as he lifted her hand to his face, "If you need to lash at someone, then lash at me." He told her while closing his eyes in acceptance. "If this is the way that you need to communicate, then I want you to come to me."

The itako pursed her lips. She bit down on the lower one, speechless and stuck. It had been so long since she felt Yoh's skin against hers.

And the last thing that she wanted to do was to use this moment to hurt him.

After a few uneventful moments, Yoh opened his eyes. He lowered and released Anna's hand then gave her a warm smile that made her heart skip a beat. "See?" Yoh grinned. "You don't need to express yourself that way, do yo—ACK!"

Yoh was sent crashing to the ground by Anna's Legendary Left. The blushing blonde scoffed, "You're acting way too cool for a heartbreaker." With a huff, she stormed away, leaving the Asakura with his butt in the air and a mouth full of dirty snow.

'It's okay,' Yoh told himself as he picked himself up. 'We all have some growing to do.' He looked to the white overcast, 'And we will. This time for sure, we'll all grow up.'

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

It was amazing how being surrounded by friends and snacks made a twelve-hour drive seem like a walk in the park. Sure, there was the discomfort of being cooped up and the numbing of her butt. But, the pros heavily outweighed the cons, especially with how Jun readily instructed their duo drivers when to stop for a rest.

During their waking hours, the teens filled the time with non-stop chatter and card games. Back in her original life, Kagome used to somewhat dread talking about relationships with her friends. But she was endlessly entertained by how HoroHoro obviously tried steering the topics towards romance. He was surprisingly opportunistic, slipping in seemingly innocuous questions to Sango. When Kagome spoke about places she visited in Izumo, he'd grin and casually ask the Tao, "Hey, San-tan. If you want to go to something like that, I'll treat you!"

'Poor HoroHoro-kun,' The priestess would chuckle nervously when Sango would easily shoot him down with responses like, "If I wanted to go, I'd take Kagome-chan and treat her."

"Oh, Sango, why do you give your suitors such a hard time?" Jun questioned, hiding a secretive smile behind her fan as her cousin shot her a hot-faced glare. "Oh, I know! There's a wonderful restaurant in Tokyo that you must try. How about you go on a double date?"

Pirika was quick to cup her pretty pink cheeks and sigh dreamily "Onii-chan and Sango-neesan with me and Ban-san?"

"Actually, I was thinking Kagome-chan and Renny could accompany them," Jun responded, sending a wink over to her young brother who sat across from her. Instead of seizing the moment like she hoped, Ren's entire face reddened as his jaw dropped. His voice caught in his throat.

Meanwhile, Kagome who sat to his right sweatdropped, 'Jun-neechan, there was nothing discreet about that at all.'

Sango shook her head and sighed openly at her cousin's attempts at playing matchmaker, "You can't just throw HoroHoro and Ren into my plans like that."

"And why not?" Jun questioned, "Wouldn't a date with boys be more fun?"

"Not really," Sango's reply was blunt but without malice, almost making Jun animefall off the cushion. She raised a hand to her lips and explained, "Honestly, it's not like I'm not attracted to guys or anything like that." All eyes were on the brunette Tao as she admitted, "It's just, with how I've lived my life until now, I've never fallen in love with anyone before."

HoroHoro, Pirika, and Jun were slackjawed.

Only Ren noticed the flash of guilt in Kagome's eyes.

But only Kagome knew of her remorseful thoughts, 'I'm sorry, Sango-chan. You'll get to learn what loving someone is like this time. I promise.'

Over half a day later and Kagome flopped facefirst onto her bed, making Sango and Jun chuckle as Pirika followed suited, kicking her legs excitedly. "It's been so long since we've had a sleepover like this~" the blunette pointed out.

"You're right," Kagome smiled while pushing herself off the mindbending comfort that she was her bed here. "There's nothing quite like girl-time, huh~?" She queried rhetorically as she squatted next to her suitcase.

"You're going to unpack after that long drive?" Jun blinked before chuckling, "How responsible of you, Kagome-chan~."

"Honestly, I kinda don't want to," The priestess admitted as she continued the task of pulling out clothing and sorting them into neat piles on her bed. Not a moment later, she came across a crimson garment that she gingerly pulled out. 'That's right. The Robe of the Firerat…' she stood and held it against her body, mentally comparing its size to her own.

Sango's eyes widened, a jolt of electricity running through her body.

The colors and shapes of Kagome's room melted away, taking the other girls with them.

She was suddenly staring at backs that should have been unfamiliar, but weren't.

Long silver hair covered a bold red, antiquated outfit. Kagome's recognizable tresses were accompanied by a green, pleated skirt. The priestess' fox spirit's fluffy tail peeked from over her shoulder. And finally, a stranger in purple robes holding a monk's staff.

Kirara's black mitted paws kneaded her own shoulder.

Sango blinked and gasped when she was suddenly back in Kagome's room. She took a shaky step towards the priestess, who was now folding the red article. "Kagome-chan…" the Tao's breathless voice silenced the small talk. "That garment… Uh," her eyes darted from side to side, realizing how oddly she was behaving. "It seems familiar." In her state of embarrassment, Sango didn't notice Kagome's subtle look of surprise. "Where you did get it?"

"Oh," no one missed the fond smile on Kagome's face as she answered, "I met up with an old friend and he gave it to me." The colorful, sparkling background around the priestess was shattered by Jun's hands gripping her shoulders.

"That thing is huge!" the Tao almost choked on her words. "D-don't tell me you accepted another guy's clothing as a gift?!"

Kagome wanted to shrink away from Jun's crazed, intense expression, but instead, she gave a twitching smile and meek nod, "U-Uh, yeah…" She peered around to Pirika with a pleading look. The priestess' eye twitched when the blunette merely looked away, whistling innocently. 'Pirika-chan, you're useless…!'

As Jun ranted and raved about how Kagome was slipping through their fingers, the priestess pulled away and held out the folded robe to Sango, who accepted it with trembling hands. "Sango-chan, I don't think I'll ever grow into this," she said with a small smile. "So I was hoping that you could modify it into something that I could wear."

Sango looked surprised as she queried, "I see. Is there anything specific that you have in mind?"

"How about something cool like a cape?" Pirika suggested with her pointer raised.

Kagome clapped her hands together, "That's a good idea! Also, there's no rush. I won't need it until phase two."

Sango looked between the bubbly priestess and the mysterious clothing in her hands. She was sure there was a story behind this garment. There was something both otherworldly and but comforting about it. The Tao nodded, drowning out Jun's rampant rant and demands to know how Kagome felt about the gifter. "Alright, I'll do my best," Sango smiled.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Two weeks.

There were only two weeks until Ren's shaman fight against Yoh.

And as someone competing to chase his ambitions, Ren knew that he had needed to be hyper-focused. He knew that he needed to make the most of his time, down to the last second. His brain certainly knew and recognized Yoh as a formidable adversary: one that he would never underestimate again. Through Kagome's chatter, he confirmed that the Asakura had undergone some intense shaman training in preparation. So he knew that the last thing that he should do was be ill-prepared for their fight.

Those were all facts that he knew.

But when it came to Kagome, logic gave way to whims and emotions.

It was three days after they arrived back in the Tao complex in Tokyo. In the weeks leading up to their reunion, Ren foolishly thought that Kagome simply being around again would soothe his ache for her. But he was wrong. The Kagome who returned to them was not the same one who left months ago.

Ren could easily ignore the sudden growth spurt that made the priestess almost five centimeters taller than him. Well, he could when HoroHoro wasn't teasing him about it. Being shorter than her was but a shallow blow to his pride.

More important than that were the subtle changes in her demeanor. To the plain eye, Kagome was still a sunny dispositioned person. Her laughs were genuine and like music to his ears. Her smiles were warm and made his heart flutter when she aimed them at him. But it was her eyes. When she spaced out before, it would be with a dreamy look as she thought about her love for Yoh. Now, when her mind wandered off, her face became wistful. The world that she drifted off to was no longer merry and full of innocent love.

Instead, Kagome ended up in a despondent place where she was content to be alone.

It wasn't only during idle conversation or mundane activities.

She ended up in that place even during training and exercise.

Ren wracked his brain for all of the scenarios that may have occurred and brought her to this point. It wasn't as simple as she gave up on her feelings for Yoh. There was something more than that, a stormy depth that he couldn't fathom. Saying that she was troubled did it no justice.

Kagome was lightly panting as she turned off the treadmill. She offered Ren a smile when she turned her head and caught his eyes on her. "Well, I'm done for now," She announced while making her way towards the doors. "I'll see if Sango-chan needs help with breakfast."

Ren meant to simply nod and continue pumping iron. But without thinking, his body moved on its own. He sat his weights on the rack and trailed behind the priestess. After hearing the door open and close for a second time, Kagome stopped and blinked at him from over his shoulder. "What's up? You usually work out for a lot longer," she pointed out while allowing him to reach her side.

When he did, the two began journeying down the long hallway towards the kitchen. "I've been training a lot lately so it's fine if I take a break every now and then," he answered smoothly.

"Eh?" Kagome briefly placed the back of her hand against Ren's forehead, making him inwardly grimace when he realized how sweaty he was. She seemed unbothered as she asked, "Are you sure you're not sick?"

"Don't be stupid," Ren replied gruffly while removing her hand. "I'm just not worried about losing to Yoh." It was partially the truth. There was no room for Yoh when his head wanted to solve the puzzle that was the girl next to him.

"Heeeeeeeeh…?" Kagome hummed beneath her breath, looking surprised. "You always had an ego about you, but I had no idea that it was this inflated."

The Tao's eye twitched as he questioned, "You think I'm going to lose?"

The priestess scratched her cheek and released an uneasy chuckle, "Eh heh, well… I don't know really. Both of you are really strong shamans with a lot of potential for growth."

"Tsk" Ren tried to mask a snicker as a huff. It was the response that he expected. No one in their mutual friends knew which horse to place their bet on. And for once, he didn't feel insulted by the doubt. He understood and accepted the uncertainty. But, that didn't stop Ren from planning to shatter everyone's dubiousness.

When the pair reached the kitchen, Sango was already in the midst of her prep work. An array of dry and wet ingredients lined the countertops. She stood up from pulling a large pot from beneath the sink. The Tao smiled upon seeing them, "Ah, good morning. I'm running a little behind but I'm going to start breakfast very soon."

"Morning, Sango-chan."/"Morning." Kagome and Ren greeted in unison before the priestess offered, "As soon as I shower and change, I'm going to be your helper so no worries."

"Oh, that's perfect," Sango said while reaching into her apron pocket and pulling out a folded slip of paper. She handed it to Kagome, who opened it and read the contents. "This was my shopping list from last week. Some of the items weren't in stock so I don't have them. Could you run to the market and pick them up for me?"

Kagome nodded affirmatively, "Sure thing. I'll head out as soon as possible." She then swiftly turned to make her way to the door. The girl patted Ren's shoulder along the way, "See ya later, Ren~." She couldn't see how his eyes followed her.

The scion only came to his senses when Sango chuckled. The older Tao shook her head and showed her second-hand embarrassment through a half-smile, "Ren, you look like a lost puppy." His head snapped so he could glare at her. She was sure that he'd tell her to shut up before he could get a word in, she asked, "Do you think you'll ever tell her how you feel?"

A light blush immediately stained his cheeks. Ren averted his eyes, scowling at the idea, "Probably. When the time is right…"

"Yeah, I think waiting is for the best right now," Sango agreed as she fished through the drawers for the cooking utensils. "Kagome-chan is deeply troubled by something. She needs our friendship and support more than anything else."

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Kagome blinked when she stepped outside and was met with Ren. His eyebrows were angled and lips upside down, as if he was sulking. He was leaning against the iron gate with his arms crossed, adding an air of impatience to his posture. "Took you long enough," He grumbled as he straightened himself.

"Well it's not like I knew you were coming with me," Kagome replied nonchalantly. "Let alone waiting for me outside." She stopped to stare down at his face for a moment, unintentionally making it warmer. "Are you sure wanna come? You might be catching a cold already."

"I'll be fine," Ren told her defiantly. "You might need an extra set of hands to carry the bags."

Kagome smiled and nodded, "You're right. Let's get going."

The priestess led the scion down a route that she and Sango discovered during one of their many trips to the markets. The course was tranquil as it was composed primarily of sidestreets that most people avoided on their commutes to work and school. For a while, the only sounds the pair shared were that of the soft crunch of snow beneath their weight. But the silence was comfortable, both able to savor the rare moment of peace.

It was only as they were passing a familiar playground that Kagome smiled and pointed to it, "Hey, Ren. Have you ever been to a place like this before?"

For a moment, his golden eyes took in the slides, swings, teeter-totters, and other amenities before he answered, "Not that I can remember."

"Figures," a frown pulled at her lips for a moment. "Well, I guess I'll just have to drag you here like I did with Sango-chan."

Ren bristled at the mental image. He then regained his composure and muttered, "Yeah, no thanks. I'm not a child."

"Oh, come on, it's not like we're adults yet," Kagome patted his shoulder. "You should live your youth to the fullest while you still can."

The Tao deadpanned at the suggestion, "Don't act all wise just because you're a little taller than me."

"Eh?" The priestess halted in her stride, Ren quickly doing the same. "Where did that come from all of a sudden?" she asked, blinking a little too cutely for his liking. Her mouth then curved into a catty smile that she failed at hiding behind her hand, "Don't tell me you're actually jealous~?"

Ren blushed deeply, "Why would I be jealous?! You're probably going to stay that height for the rest of your life!"

Kagome shrugged it off, "Makes no difference to me. If I ended up an adult at this height, people just might think that I'm cute for a long time."

The Tao shook his head at her before flicking her forehead, making her hands rise to clutch it, "And then you'd need me to help you reach the high shelves everywhere you go."

The priestess hummed while lowering her hands and looking thoughtful, "I don't know, Ren. Who knows if you'll ever be taller than me?"

His eye twitched before his fingers pulled on her cheek, "Of course, I will! Just give me three years!"

And with that, Ren mentally added fresh milk to their shopping list.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Ren's eyes didn't reflect his spike in interest when they finally arrived at the open market. Despite the cold, the strip of street was still lined with stalls of varying sizes. Likewise, stalls and street alike were bustling with patrons, some of which moved with hurried hops and scurrying through the frosty air. Kagome took the lead and hastened her pace. As she was walking by one of the first vendors, an elderly man sitting behind an assortment of live fish, the elder called out in hoarse Chinese, "Princess, it's been a long time! Come browse my selection!"

Ren was surprised when Kagome stopped and bowed, "Sorry, Grandpa. Sango-chan doesn't have any fish on the list today."

"That doesn't mean you can't have a small chat with your Grandpa, does it?" The old man chuckled heartily when the priestess straightened up with pink cheeks. She made her way to the booth with Ren close behind her.

"Sorry about that," The girl scratched her cheek. "I just want to get back as soon as possible. I didn't mean to be rude."

The vendor merely grinned, "Don't fret. I just wanted to say hi, I promise not to keep you long." His eyes then went to Ren, his lips stretched further, "And who is this young man? Your boyfriend?"

"Ah, this is Ren," Kagome introduced while gesturing to the Tao. "He's not my boyfriend," only the vendor saw how the young man looked like he was shot through the chest. "But we're still pretty close. He's Sango-chan's cousin."

"I see…" The man's grin remained as he rubbed his chin, "Since you and Sango are like sisters, it must be like you two are cousins as well." The vendor was silently entertained by Ren's contained outraged seething. If looks could kill, he knew he would have dropped dead twice by now.

"Eh heh," Ren didn't notice Kagome's bashful smile as she admitted, "Actually, I don't really see Ren that way." She looked to the teen next to her and asked, "That would be too weird, right?"

The Tao returned to a neutral expression as he replied coolly, "It makes no difference to me."

The priestess was quick to turn to completely face him. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as one brow raised, "Oh, really?"

Ren's cheeks burned as he stiffened, "D-Duh! What's with that look?!"

He was even more confused when Kagome crossed her arms and showed him her back, "Hmph. Nothing. I guess I was just wrong about you."

"Wrong about what?!" The Tao pressed, ignoring the hint of desperation in his voice.

"Ohhhh, nothing important~" The priestess chimed back, only able to keep up her faux anger facade by suppressing her snickers behind her hand.

"As much as I'd like to be entertained by you two all day, it's about time for you to get going," The vendor suddenly pointed out with a smile. "While you're here, pick out something nice. It's on me."

"Eh?" Kagome blinked as she turned her attention back to the old man. "You don't need to give us anything for free." Ren twitched when her gloved hand planted on his chest, "Ren here has plenty of money." She ignored his grumble of, "Do I look like a damn bank to you?"

"Please, it's close to Christmas," He insisted. "I might not see you again till next year so I'd like to give you and Sango something for being such wonderful girls."

"Awww," The priestess only cooed, making Ren blanch, "That's so sweet." Her eyes then began scanning the various tanks and containers on display. "Let's see…" She pointed at a tank and asked, "How about a butterfish?"

"Right away," The vendor smiled while grabbing the appropriate net. "I'll scoop 'em for you this time since it's so cold out."

Kagome took a step back to bow at her waist, "Thanks so much, Grandpa." A few minutes later, the pair was walking away from the fish vendor. Kagome held a plastic bag with three shimmering fish in one hand. "That man is Fish Grandpa. He's so kind, isn't he?" She asked her companion.

Ren finally noticed the shift. He was prompted to question, "Since when did you know Mandarin?"

"Oh," The priestess chuckled. "I'm definitely not an expert or anything. Sango-chan began teaching me a while ago. I also picked up on some useful stuff just by talking to the people here."

"I see…" He responded, "It actually wasn't bad."

"Thanks, but I know I have to get a lot better if I want to visit you guys in China," Kagome smiled, not knowing how the prospect of her going to his homeland made his heart jump. "Honestly, I didn't know everything Fish Grandpa was saying."

Before Ren could expand on the idea, another vendor waved at them and called out, "Princess, come this way! I have some things I want to give you!"

"Princess…?" The Tao quirked an eyebrow at the title. "You didn't tell these people that you're royalty, did you?"

Kagome blushed lightly as she took offense, "Of course not! Nazuna-chan started a rumor that I'm going to marry into a wealthy family and the nickname just stuck!" Her face then deadpanned as she grumbled, "And Sango-chan doesn't help in clearing up the misunderstanding."

Nearly a half-hour later, Kagome finally said, "One more stall and we're good to go."

Ren smirked as he asked, referring to the bundle of plastic handles that he clenched in each hand, "Aren't you glad that I came along?" The priestess seemed genuinely surprised by the amount of free food she received from the many vendors at the market today.

He wasn't expecting her voice to become sugary as she responded, "I am glad. But it's not because you're helping me carry this stuff."

Ren blushed, unable to think of a witty comeback. The last thing that he could do was admit that he was glad that he came too—happy to be alone with her. He fell silent and followed behind her as she hustled over to a stall attended by a girl around their age.

"Nazuna-chan, long time no see!" Kagome greeted her warmly.

"Kagome-chan, it's good to see you!" Nazuna returned her enthusiasm. Her eyes immediately found Ren. She looked surprised and raised a hand over her mouth, "Has your wealthy fiance finally made an appearance?!"

Ren merely turned his face to the side to hide his blush. After the numerous merchants asked similar questions, he was becoming used to the assumption.

"The only thing you like to do around here is gossip," Kagome huffed with a playful indignance.

"Hmmm?" Nazuna looked between her friend and the teen next to her. "Well, neither of you denied it so I'll have to assume that it's true. I'm kind of jealous, honestly. He's rich and handsome!"

"You realize I'm standing right here, right?" The scion asked without genuine agitation. Normally, he'd dislike someone to point out such shallow qualities. But he'd tolerate such talk since it was Kagome's friend putting him into a somewhat positive light.

"Don't be fooled by how cool he looks," Kagome suddenly said casually while waving a hand. "Ren is actually pretty mean."

"When was I ever mean to you?!" He bellowed, not realizing that he easily bit the bait.

The priestess remained cool as she replied nonchalantly, "Since the very beginning."

It was pretty fun seeing Ren so flustered.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

When they returned, Kagome smiled as they walked through the living room, where HoroHoro and Pirika were competing against each other in a fighting video game. "You know, HoroHoro-kun," The priestess teased, "You'd probably earn Sango-chan's affinity points if you helped her out every now and then. Girls are suckers for things like that."

HoroHoro jumped to his feet, not noticing how Pirika continued throttling his character with his back turned. "Oh yeah? Then how many affinity points did Ren wrack up with you?"

As Kagome blushed, Ren wiped HoroHoro's wide grin by hurling a yam square into his face. The Usui fell flat on his back, prompting Pirika to cheer as she held up her controller victoriously "Onii-chan, you've been KOed irl and in-game!"

"Eh?!" HoroHoro scrambled into an upright position as his eyes widened in horror at Pirika's victory screen. "Pirika, when did you become a little monster?!"

Kagome smiled and shook her head at the siblings. "Come on," She looked at Ren, "Let's get these to the kitchen. Eh—" she turned down the hall, only to find herself looking up at Jun.

The green-haired Tao was surely smiling behind her fan, "I'll let you pass once you answer the question. I need to know how many affinity points Renny has accumulated."

"N-Nee-san!" A blushing Ren called from behind the priestess.

Kagome sweatdropped as she wondered inwardly, 'H-Have they always been this obvious about it…?'

"Get out of the way," The Tao heir commanded, forcing authority into his voice. "And stop asking stupid questions," he added grumpily. It wasn't that he didn't want to know if Kagome liked him any more than she had before. But the last thing that he wanted was for people to make her uncomfortable being around him. They meant well but Ren didn't want her driven away from him out of sheer embarrassment, awkwardness, or anger.

An hour later and Ren had to thwart many attempts at getting Kagome to talk about her feelings for him. The combined efforts of Jun and HoroHoro proved to be beyond troublesome and vexing. While it was easy to subdue HoroHoro with violence like utensils flying with precision to his forehead and kicks from underneath the table, Ren would never resort to such methods with his sister. Knowing this, Jun was more adamant in her questioning and teasing than her accomplice.

Luckily, Kagome took it all in stride. Most of their prying was left unanswered as Ren played interference throughout the meal. Sometimes, he shot Sango looks that silently demanded her assistance. But his cousin opted to be a neutral party who focused more on eating and chatting with Kagome and Pirika.

"You know, I was thinking…" Kagome began between bites. "I know that we're already having a Christmas party at my place, but maybe you should guys should come over for New Year's too."

Pirika's eyes sparkled at the idea, "Since they're so close together, do you think Onii-chan and I could stay there till the new year?!"

The priestess nodded, "I need to ask my family but I'm sure they'd love hosting you two."

"Ehhhh? Sleeping over at Kagome-chan's place…?" HoroHoro broke into a wide grin. "Sounds like fun! I've been wanting to meet your people!" Ren shot HoroHoro a glare from across the table, one that the blunette was more than happy to call out. "Don't give me that look. You have nothing to worry about. My heart belongs to San-tan."

The priestess then giggled, "Yeah, no need to be jealous, Ren. You can visit us some time too."

"W-Who said that I'm jealous?!" The heir barked out, making some shake their heads and sigh.

Kagome tapped her chin, "My cousins will probably be there so there won't be enough rooms, so if we have a huge sleepover, some of us would have to bunker down in the living room."

HoroHoro then shot Ren a thumbs-up, 'See, buddy? I got your back!'

'No, don't take credit for this,' the Tao deadpanned mentally.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Kagome was a lot of things.

But a boxer wasn't one of them.

The look on Sango's face when Kagome requested to be shown some "punch techniques" validated how Ren felt on the matter. His older cousin even gave him a "This is weird…" expression from across the training room before agreeing. The brunette led her over to the punching bags and demonstrated a stance before commanding, "Here. Show me your stance."

Sango then nodded her approval after Kagome perfectly mimicked the pose.

"Now make a fist for me," She said. Kagome complied. Sango then grabbed her wrist and held it higher. "See how you've got your thumb tucked into your fist?" The priestess nodded with an "Un". "That's a no-go when it comes to fighting. You can break your thumb if you strike something with this fist." The older teen then showed the priestess a proper fist and instructed, "Always have your thumb outside of the fist, like this."

Kagome nodded again and began striking the punching bag on Sango's command. Ren watched as her eyes remained hyper-focused on her target all the while. Even when Sango would stop her to give feedback and further instruction, those blue eyes stared straight ahead. Even well after Sango completed her own workout and training, the priestess continued jabbing the bag, unaware of how Ren's eyes never left her.

More time flew by that night.

The room was full of the muted sound of Kagome's punches and Ren's low grunts as he worked on his triceps. The Tao had long finished all of his reps, but he refused to leave the room until he knew that Kagome was going to rest.

But even more time flew by.

Ren's entire upper body was dripped in sweat when he gave up on the waiting game. He chugged one of the water bottles sitting along the wall and then snatched the unopened one. "Hey, dumbass," He greeted gruffly. "It's getting late. You need to take a break," when he was shy of a meter away, he tossed the bottle towards the girl.

Kagome had to turn away from the bag to catch it, but she did so with ease. She smiled, "Sorry, I guess I lost track of time." She then untwisted the cap and proceeded to down the bottle's contents. It was warm but the moisture was welcomed by the throat that she neglected. She gave a content sigh as she twisted the cap back on, "Thanks a lot. You saved me." She thanked him while reaching up and pulling the scrunchie out of her hair, letting the strands loose as she approached him.

Her eyes were closed as she shook her head to whip her tresses about.

It was only when she reopened her eyes that she noticed the look on Ren's face.

It halted her in her tracks, just shy of where he stood. "Ren…" Kagome whispered, her brows furrowing with concern. She took a couple of steps forward so that she stood right in front of him. "Are you alright…?"

It was the first time that Kagome saw a look of disquiet on his face.

For a moment, she just stood there, waiting for a response. And while she did, Kagome received the brunt of his gaze.

The priestess gasped when suddenly Ren's hands were gripping her shoulders. "How could you ask that?!" He slightly shook her to the roar of his outburst. His face now distorted into an expression that fell somewhere in the realm of infuriation and indignance.

Startled, her eyes were wide as she whispered, "R-Ren…"

"How could you ask that…?" He repeated in a softer cadence as he redirected his eyes to the side. "When you're the one who's suffering in silence…?!"

Ren's grips on her shoulders loosened, allowing Kagome to take a step back. "What do you mean…?" She asked, struggling to hold her bemused smile.

"I know that it's not just Yoh," He confirmed while using a single step to reclose the distance between them. "Sometimes, there are these looks in your eyes. Sometimes," Kagome tried to make herself smaller as Ren continued, "You look like something is haunting you. And other times, you look like the entire world is on your shoulders."

Ren wanted to say more.

He wanted to tell her how he felt—how his heart would stop beating if Kagome went over the edge.

But that would be an additional burden on her heart, and he couldn't do that to her.

Especially with the way her twinkling droplets splashed against the floor.

"I-I…" Kagome's cheeks flushed.

[Plop.]

[Plop.]

Ren didn't have to say anything else. The moment Kagome moved, his arms opened up and welcomed her form as her arms wrapped around him. Her heart came undone in his arms. But she couldn't bring herself to unload what was on her mind.

She couldn't burden Ren and his heart with such things.

[I put on a brave face in front of Yoh, but… In reality, my feelings remain but there's no place for them.]

The pelting of her downpour was muted as the droplets married Ren's sweat.

[How—? Where can I discard my feelings? I can't devote myself to the world with them, can I?]

Everything that she tried not thinking about kept finding their way back to the forefront of her mind.

Back at Asakura manor, Kagome couldn't let these feelings flow, not with the way Yoh continued sitting on the other side of her door almost every night. She knew that he was waiting there, ready to be at her side if she needed him, if she cried. But she couldn't let him know how miserable she was. So the times that she wanted to weep into her futon, Kagome forced herself to stay awake until her body gave out.

But now, everything was hitting her all at once.

Yoh.

Hao.

Ren.

The promises.

The world.

It was like fate placed a mountain of food on her plate and expected her to finish it all, with room for more. She knew that she could share bites with Yoh, but...

'I'm sorry, Ren…' She thought through her endless tears. 'I can't do this to you too.'

Time felt non-existent.

But still, even Kagome's flood of sniffles and whimpers softened as her grip around Ren's back weakened. "You're tired…" He told her, his voice just above a whisper. She nodded as she released the Tao. When she peeled herself from the slight stickiness that connected them, he could see the sleepy haze in her eyes. With a sigh, he turned around and squatted down. "Get on."

Kagome grumbled her gratitude and climbed onto his back. When she was in position, Ren slowly stood, lifting her weight with his knees. He listened to her shallow breaths as he carried the girl back to her room. It reminded him of when she first met Hao and realized that she was in love with Yoh.

So much time had elapsed since then.

Ren wanted to think that they became even closer since then, but—.

Even now, he could envision the way her eyes cried for help, but Kagome didn't say a word.

'Kagome, whatever it is…' He thought, 'You can tell whenever you're ready.' He was grateful that the others retired to bed at this hour. The last thing that he wanted was for someone to engage him in conversation and possibly rouse her from her slumber. When they arrived at her bedroom door, Ren twisted the knob and used his foot to gently push the door open.

'She'll probably hate waking up and realizing how smelly she is,' Ren thought after putting the priestess down for the night. 'Oh well.' It was then that his feet began to carry him through the complex. He padded as quietly as he could pass each bedroom door, and was even more cautious when his eyes spotted the collapsed silhouettes of the Usui siblings slumped in front of the TV. Unbeknownst to the scion, there was an especially light sleeper who he did disturb.

Sango was half awake when she stepped out of her room. "Ren…?" She muttered in a half yawn. Her eyes blinked as she absently wondered why he was headed in that direction, away from both his room and the kitchen. Spurred by curiosity, she traced his steps at a leisure pace. The fog of sleep in her mind only lifted when she realized that just a minute before she arrived at the elevator, Ren had boarded the lift. 'Where's he going at this hour…?'

For a moment, she debated if she should press on.

But when she realized what was once curiosity turned into concern, her hand pressed the elevator button. Not a minute later, the empty car arrived and she stepped inside, pressing the ground floor button. The descent was as noiseless and smooth as usual, leaving her to only her thoughts. Her mind imagined her chibi form catching chibi Ren in various embarrassing situations, from performing love charms to eating snow from the ground Kagome walked on.

But her mental illustrations were interrupted by the ding that signaled the end of her journey. The warm car was flooded with a rush of chilly air when the doors parted. Sango stepped out into the darkness of their front courtyard and blinked. Straight ahead, there was nothing but the iron fence and wordless flakes falling to the ground. She looked down at the thin layer of snow on the ground and spotted the imprint of Ren's house shoes. Her eyes followed the trail, prompting her to turn to the right and spot her cousin standing against their complex's east wall.

"Ren…" Sango whispered, his shirtless state told her that he came out here on a whim. His head was lowered, his bangs obscuring his upper face. He didn't respond to the sounds of her padded footsteps. It was only when she was closer that she noticed them: the subtle shivering of his bare shoulders.

She almost mistook the trembles as his body's reaction to the cold—if it weren't for the glassy beads that poured from beneath his bangs. The overhead lamp cast a light that made them glimmer before they made tiny craters in the snow.

"...Ren," Sango spoke louder, but didn't know what to say beyond his name. She has never seen him in such a state before. The last time that she consoled someone was back when her younger brother was alive. And even then, Kohaku was known to be a soft, emotional child.

But this was Tao Ren—one of the people who turned a blind eye to her suffering for so long.

Sango forced those thoughts away as Ren lifted his head to greet her face. His forced glare made him look even more fragile. "What are you doing out here?" He asked somewhat harshly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, the sound of someone sneaking around is more alarming to me than someone walking around normally," Sango replied before joining him and leaning against the brick wall.

The snow continued falling as the two stood there, their slippers and hair accumulating their own drifts.

'What would Kagome-chan do if she were in this situation…?' Sango wondered to herself. It wasn't that she didn't care for Ren. She just found herself feeling lost on how to approach something so delicate. "...do you…" Sango began somewhat clumsily, "...want to talk about it?"

She wasn't surprised by his curt, "Not really."

"Are you sure?" His cousin pressed lightly, "I've never seen you cry before."

"There isn't much to say," Ren told her, "It's simple. If Kagome isn't happy, then I can't be happy." He thought back to the advice HoroHoro gave him weeks ago. "Kagome's heart is broken so I can't think 'This is my chance'. If she's hurting, I'm hurting…"

Sango nodded solemnly, "I understand how you feel. I can't stand to see her that way either." She thought back to the looks in Kagome's eyes and her faux bubbliness. "But, this is beyond our help."

"I know that!" Ren seethed through his teeth as his fist banged against the bricks. "That's why I'm so frustrated!" Sango remained composed, even with his outburst. "The person that I am now…" he raised his bloodied hand and observed the scrapes.

["I don't care about the Tao family. Right in front of me…Ren is all that I see."]

"The strength that I have now—Kagome gave it to me, so I want to use it for her," the open palm closed into a fist. He wanted it to be strong, but it shook like a leaf in the wind. "But, it's useless."

Eyes downcast, Sango raised her hand, reaching for Ren's shoulder, but it froze.

"My love can't do anything for her," Ren remarked bitterly. "That's why I feel so helpless."

Sango's eyes hardened as her hand landed on his shoulder, gently. "That isn't true," She firmly denied. His eyes moved from her hand to her face, so she smiled, like she thought Kagome would do. "I've been hopeless before. Before I met Kagome-chan, my misery felt like an endless tunnel of darkness, a labyrinth where there's no escape." Her smile softened.

[ "And that's why I want to be friends with someone like you. Isn't that reason enough?" ]

"But…there is an exit, it just takes time to find it," Sango told him. "And when she does find it, you need to be waiting there at the end. You need to be the light at the end of the tunnel."

Finally, Ren's body stilled.

The scion smirked, "You doing your best Kagome impression?"

Sango chuckled and queried, "Yeah, how'd I do?"

"You're alright, kid," Ren replied, lightly punching Sango in the arm.

"Kid?" She raised an eyebrow. "You're the one shorter than Kagome-chan."

This time, Ren's brow twitched, "I didn't know you came out here with a death wish."

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Kagome didn't attend breakfast that morning. After the girl skipped early morning training and was unusually late to the table, Sango encouraged the others to begin eating while she went to check on her. Her knocks were answered by the priestess' muffled voice, "...yes?"

"It's me, Sango," The Tao called back. "I'm coming in." As her hand twisted the handle, she ignored the sound of Kagome scrambling and squeaking back, "O-Oh! One second, don't—!"

But it was too late, Sango opened the door and froze on the spot.

She was stunned at the sight of Kagome sitting in the middle of the floor. Her fingers gripping a pair of scissors and her hair spilling across the carpet like an oversized rug.

The door clicked with the mechanism before Sango asked, "I-Is this another sudden growth spurt?"

Kagome blushed as she nodded nervously, "Sort of… But it's just my hair this time."

"Well," Sango was almost daunted by the amount of work ahead. Still, she placed her hands on her hips, "This'll be quite the task. Let me bring our food in here, we'll eat, and I'll get to work."

The younger girl gave a small, appreciative smile, "Thanks, Sango-chan."

"Anytime," The Tao told her before making good on her plan. When she arrived back in the dining room, she was met with curious and surprised expressions.

"Eh? Is Kagome-neechan not coming? Pirika asked with a blink.

"Kagome-chan isn't feeling very well right now," Sango answered as she hurried between the kitchen and dining room. She placed a carrying tray on the table and began gathering portions of dishes to share with the priestess. "I'm going to eat with her in her room today."

"The poor thing," Jun frowned, "Maybe we should run into town later and get her that one strawberry shortcake that she likes so much."

Pirika nodded excitedly, "Yeah, it's not Christmas but I'm sure it'll make her feel better!"

HoroHoro then nudged Ren in the ribs, wearing a large grin, "And Ren here can stay behind to monitor her."

Ren blushed when his sister clapped her hands together, "Good idea, HoroHoro-kun! Renny, make sure you take good care of her. And don't do anything naughty~" She winked and made him blanch.

"A-As if I'd do something like that!" Ren barked aloud, only to freeze when Kagome's voice suddenly came from behind him.

"What? You don't like me, Ren?!" The priestess' indignant, hurt question made him twist around in his chair.

"T-That's not the point, dumbass!" He shouted despite the deep red of his skin.

"Eh?" Sango blinked at the priestess' sudden appearance. Pirika's gasp and blushed, Jun cooed and eyes sparkled, and HoroHoro's jaw dropped to the table when Kagome suddenly slid onto Ren's lap.

"But it is, silly~" Kagome purred while caressing his burning cheek with her fingers. "I need to know. Do you like me or…?" Her eyes shimmered as her lips poked out into a precious pout, "...hate me…?"

At this point, Ren was stunned, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "Gah… K-K-Ka…!"

Sango's eyes narrowed as she walked around the table to the pair. It was there that she grabbed the poofy, blond tail sticking out of Kagome's backside.

[POP!]

When the cloud of smoke cleared, Kagome disappeared and was replaced with Shippo flailing around in Sango's grasp. "S-Sango, not so rough!" He cried, "I'm just a kid, you know!"

The Tao casually released the fox child, "Yeah, but that's quite the prank you pulled." Sango then looked at the occupants of the table. Pirika was blushing and twiddling her fingers, looking guilty. HoroHoro sighed heavily with disappointment. Jun's forehead was on the table as she muttered incoherent words.

Ren then grabbed the fox by the back of his head, his expression darkened, "Hey kid, I'm going to let this slide this once because you're Kagome's spirit."

Sango ignored the slew of hushed threats the Tao heir whispered to the sweating Shippo and carried the tray of food back to Kagome's room. With another knock and announcement of her presence, Sango entered, finding Kagome sitting at her dresser this time. Even with the girl sitting in a chair, her hair trailed along the floor behind her. "Alright, let's do this," Sango smiled warmly.

And as Sango and Kagome ate in the privacy of her bedroom, the others continued eating in the dining room. While Sango worked on the most tedious haircut of her life, Ren pulled HoroHoro aside. As Kagome closed her eyes and basked in the comfort that was the soft strokes of the hairbrush, Ren told HoroHoro, "Give me a way to contact Yoh."

"I bet Jun is going to love dressing you up like a Tao when you come to visit us," Sango commented as she weaved and worked Kagome's hair with her fingers.

Kagome chuckled at that, "I think she already enjoys dressing me up like a Tao."

"True, but this is nothing," The older girl told her. "I'm sure the spirit of our home country will make her more adamant about making you look like a Tao princess."

"Well, honestly, I can't complain too much," the priestess admitted. "Who doesn't love getting dolled up?"

Sango grabbed the hand mirror on the dresser and held it before the larger vanity. Kagome looked at the waterfall braid on the back of her head and beamed. "Oh, wow. It's so pretty!" the priestess sparkled. "Thank you!"

"You're very welcome," the brunette responded sweetly. She glanced at the clock on Kagome's nightstand and hummed, "It's already past noon. I need to get going."

Kagome blinked and half turned in her chair to ask, "Eh? Where to?"

"We're going out to run some errands," Sango told her, "You just relax and we'll be back as soon as we can."

"Uh… O…kay…" the priestess replied lamely as the older teen made her way out the door, toting heavy-duty bags full of hair in her hands. Kagome then stretched and looked at her bed, "Guess I'll take a short nap since I didn't sleep so well."

Meanwhile, Ren was straightening the apron that he pulled over his head. It was Sango's and it annoyed him how the hem fell below his knees. He scowled and glared at the sheet of paper sitting on the countertop. The glare was soon redirected at HoroHoro as the blunette cackled when he stepped into the kitchen. He zipped up his winter coat and grinned, "I knew you were dedicated, but dude, I didn't know you were this ambitious. Do you even know how to cook?"

"Shut up!" Ren spouted, brandishing a chopping knife at his friend. "I know how to read and that's all I need!"

Pirika then filed into the room, she slapped her brother's shoulder and gave him an admonishing look, "You need to believe in Ren-san! He's going to cook with the power of love!"

The Tao's cheeks burned but his demeanor cooled as he muttered, "You don't have to put it like that."

It was then that Jun waved to him from the doorway, smiling behind her hand, "Well, that dish of yours is going to take a while so we're going to buy you some alone time~. Don't worry! Leave it to your big sister."

Ren deadpanned at them, "Would you just leave already?" He ignored the giggles and coos as he moved to pick up the paper. Their chatter and footsteps faded as his eyes skimmed the upper half of the paper, "Ingredients… soy sauce…sake… sugar…"

Two and a half hours of trying to figure out how kitchen appliances worked and chopping later and Ren was satisfied. He removed the lid from the pot and flinched from the burst of steam that scalded his face. It was soon followed by an odor that made him wonder, 'Is it supposed to smell like this…?' His only experience in the kitchen was being forced to cook breakfast for Sango months ago. And Kagome called that simple Western food so he couldn't say that he had the slightest clue how Japanese food worked.

Regardless, Ren hung up Sango's apron and proceeded with setting the dining room table: a meal for one. After he was satisfied with the bowl, cup, and utensils in place, he headed for Kagome's room. The more he walked, the more he felt an uncomfortable weight settling into his stomach. When he finally stopped in front of her door, he swallowed a lump in his throat. 'Stop being pathetic. It's just Kagome,' He told himself before knocking.

A few moments of quiet went by.

'This girl…' Ren scowled and knocked harder, louder.

"Coming…" He heard her faint voice through the door. Not a minute later, Kagome appeared, looking rather groggy as she rubbed her eyes. "Oh, Ren… What's up?"

Ren ignored how cute she was in that state. He merely grabbed her wrist and began dragging her along, "Come with me."

The sudden force made her eyes widen, "Woah! Wait a minute! I can walk by myself, thank you!"

"You look like you'd be dragging your feet if I let you," The Tao replied.

"Not fair," Kagome huffed as their pace remained steady. "I just got up from a nap."

"Well now, you're going to eat," Ren told her, ignoring her confused follow-up questions. When they entered the dining room, where he led her to her chair. "Sit."

Kagome blinked then gave him a questioning look, "Where's everyone else's stuff…?"

"They're not here," He answered before pointing at the chair, "Now sit."

"Okay, okay," She conceded light-heartedly while complying with his demands. "So, what's on the menu? She asked as he headed to the kitchen. A few moments later, Ren returned, his oven-mitted hands clutching a large pot's handles.

The Tao's cheeks burned hotter and hotter with each cautious step. "Yoh told me it's your favorite," he disclaimed as he sat the pot in the center of the table.

"...is that…?" Kagome gaped for a moment. The ingredients weren't as polished as she was used to but it still visually represented the dish. "Oden?"

Ren scowled, knowing that he was blushing down to his inflamed ears. "It won't be as good as your Mom's or anything, but yeah," He told her nervously, almost unable to watch as the priestess scooped a few ladles full of broth, fish balls, and the like into her bowl.

Kagome smiled softly and asked teasingly, "Are you trying to replace her or something?"

"No, that's stupid," Ren scoffed at the idea while crossing his arms.

The priestess tilted her head a bit, "Why is it that? It's a sweet sentiment."

"Tch, parents eventually have to stop taking care of their children," Ren told her but left no room on the topic as he quickly followed up, "Now shut up and eat it."

'I really wish I could smell and taste right now…' She thought while staring down into the contents of her bowl. Unbeknownst to her, Ren was unnerved by the way she seemingly scrutinized his technique.

The Tao pulled out a chair on the opposite side of the table and slumped into it, tired but somewhat relieved that he completed the task. All that was left was for her to taste the soup of his labor.

Kagome was silent, lost in thought as she lifted up a fish ball with her chopsticks.

Hundreds of thoughts ran through Ren's head at the same time. He sat sideways in the chair, subconsciously too anxious to watch Kagome's reactions to his cuisine. The peripheral view of her face was enough for him.

Even just a fleeting moment of being the one who made her happy was good enough for him.

'When did I turn into such a sap…?' Ren absently wondered as Kagome's lips collapsed around the food. There was no way of knowing when he became smitten, but he did know that she deserved this, and so much more. His mind wandered back to the one of the first moments that her voice truly reached him. "...the love that you give is what's returned to you…" he mumbled to himself, not knowing how the silence carried it to her ears.

For a second, Kagome's heart forgot its rhythm—first skipping a beat before accelerating and pushing a fluttering feeling into her belly.

'I'm not sad…' Her inner voice wondered as her vision became blurry, 'So why do I feel like I'm going to cry…?'

His peripheral didn't grant Ren the ability to recognize the glossy layer in her eyes.

Kagome's gaze raised from her bowl to the person sitting across from her. The tint around his cheeks and ears was fading, but an uneasy scowl still tugged at his mouth.

When he noticed that Kagome's jaw and arms weren't moving, Ren turned to face her, only to panic at the sight of her flushed face and glistening tears, "O-Oi, is that bad?!" He jumped to his feet, ready to quickly discard the entire pot if it wasn't to her liking.

"Mm mm," Kagome hummed negatively while shaking her head. "Not at all," her smile could be seen from space, "I love it, really."

Ren's relieved sigh was inaudible as the priestess continued partaking in her meal. But before he could relish in the triumph, he recognized the bounding footsteps of HoroHoro. "Yahoooooo! We're back!" He called, his footfalls accompanied by many more. The Tao heir's small smile was wiped clean from his face.

Ren's expression soured when the others poured into the dining room, as if they sensed that's where he and Kagome were. HoroHoro looked between Ren's annoyed scowl and Kagome's watery eyes. He pointed at the other shaman and accused, "Oi, Ren! What did you do to Kagome-chan?!"

Kagome was quick to stand up and clarify, "Nothing at all! Ren made some Oren!"

"Oren…?" The others echoed with equal amounts of confusion.

"Ren made this oden so it's Oren," The priestess specified as if it was obvious as the sky's color.

"And…?" Jun stepped forward, looking a bit nervous, "How is it…?" She and the others shared more shock from her response.

"I love it!" Kagome's voice was bubbly as she gave it a thumbs-up that made Ren blush and almost squirm.

Jun and Pirika's eyes sparkled as the elder Tao cooed, "Renny's first successful dish! I'm going to have some too~!"

"Oh, oh, me too!" Pirika chimed with her arm raised.

"Guess I'll get some more eating ware," Sango said. As she passed by her cousin, she whispered, "Good job."

HoroHoro wrapped his arm around Ren's shoulder and grinned, "You did it, buddy. I knew you had it in you!" HoroHoro glanced at Kagome, who was smiling as she continued dining on her Oren.

"Tch," Ren huffed, "Of course. There's nothing that Tao heir can't do," he boasted with a smirk.

But the pride was short-lived as two crashes and thuds nearly started the two out of their skin. They turned and were shocked to see Kagome with her hand over her mouth, and their sisters collapsed on the floor. The priestess knelt beside them and looked worried, "No way! They're out cold!"

Sango looked from the tasting cups and spilled broth to Kagome, horrified, "Kagome-chan, you said you loved it!"

"But I do!" The priestess protested while gently patting Jun's cheek. Her cheeks flushed. No matter how it tasted, there was no way that she couldn't love it. "It's the first meal that Ren made for me!" She exclaimed.

Jun's eyes slowly, her lids half-lidded as she raised a shaking hand, "K-Kagome-chan...is that...you...?"

Kagome gasped and grasped her hand desperately, "Onee-chan! It is me! I'm here!"

Pirika then sat up quickly and scratched behind her head, "Just kidding. It was terrible but not enough to kill us."

"...you ruined it," Jun peeked an eye at Pirika then sat up, only to be chastised by Ren and Sango for the stunt.

'It's one of the things I've been trying not to think about…' Kagome stole a glance at Ren's grumpy face. 'It took me a long time, a journey to past worlds to realize…'

There was a magical type of solace that she felt when she was with Ren.

It was so gentle and natural, as unnoticeable as breathing.

It explained why she did and said the things that she did with and around him.

Why it was so easy to sleep by his side.

Why she was sure that a confession from him would make her happy.

Why part of her was grateful to hear that she might marry him someday.

'Before I was even born into this world… Ren, I've loved you for a long time.'

Authoress' Notes: Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am. For you Ren x Kag fans, the song for when Ren quotes Kagome and moves her o tears is called "The love that you give me" in the soundtrack folder. Similarly, the song entitled "The love that you give is what's returned to you" is for the hinted Ren x Kag moment waaaaaay back in Chapter 14. I just adore this song series and think its gentle melody suits this pairing. Anyways, this chapter wasn't the happiest but I still enjoyed writing it so hopefully, you guys enjoyed reading it too~. Happy Holidays, everyone! Look forward to my 2022 updates!