Shaman King

by The Amazing Sakumachan

For Higurashi Kagome, moving to Tokyo was supposed to be a fresh start. But little did she know that she was walking a similar path that was walked before. A fateful encounter. A promise that transcends time and space. A gift that keeps giving. What path lends a Happy Ending? [SPOILER-IFIC]

58. Bao Buns and Tracings

Authoress' Notes: First update of 2023, woot, woot! I'm pleased to announce that my "Shaman King Collections" folder now has even more content! This is the fanfic-related folder that you can find in the poll on my profile. I've added subfolders for "Manga Pages", "Manga Volume Cover Art", "Soundtrack", and "Misc". As of this chapter, I have a Ren x Kagome scene art in the manga pages folder, and I have Manga Cover art for Volume 1. It's all extremely self-indulgent but don't judge me. It's great inspiration for my creative juices.

Additionally, I have more art content in the works, including more manga covers, and manga pages for pairings like Yoh x Kagome and Hao x Kagome. I will add more content as it becomes available but I'll unable to make announcements about new content until I update the actual story so feel free to check back to the folder from time to time if I don't update the story in a while. The link to the folder can be found in the poll in my profile. With that being said, on to this update.

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Bao Buns and Tracings

Are Messengers of Love

The hoards of humans that scrambled and meandered across the grounds of the airport were blind to the demonic spirits who trailed behind the seemingly ordinary teenager. As her eyes glanced left, right, and all about, Kagome whispered to her companions, "Hey, guys. Let me know if you spot HoroHoro-kun or Kororo-chan around here." His limousine arrived well before hers so he had texted her the spot where he wanted her to meet him before they headed to the boarding area. But even after scouring the airport for the souvenir shop near the anime-themed snack stand, Kagome felt like she was getting nowhere fast.

Her training from this past year not only toned her upper arms and legs, but it greatly enhanced her physical endurance. Because of this, Kagome was able to wander around the vast space effortlessly, tugging her hefty luggage behind her. "Leave it to me, Kagome!" Shippo volunteered with a thump of his chest. The fox ascended to the ceiling for a bird's eyes view of the area. His head oscillated as he scanned the heads and stores.

Meanwhile, Kagome halted her stride to fish her phone out of her woven handbag. Her brows knitted together and her lips pouted as she muttered, "Jeez, I wish he chose a spot closer to the entran—. Ah!"

Her mumbling was interrupted as a force suddenly crashed into her back. Kagome's hands scrambled to reclaim her phone that was knocked out of her hand. Simultaneously, an unfamiliar, male voice barked from behind her, "What the—?! Watch it, brat!"

After Kagome secured her phone, she quickly turned a glare at the person who she immediately deemed as rude. Behind the girl was a quartet of teenage boys who couldn't have been more than a couple of years older than she was. Despite their numbers and how their heights dwarfed her, Kagome's glare didn't falter. "That should be my line," she rebutted with controlled vexation.

She was at a point in her life where petty encounters like these couldn't get under her skin the way they would have a year ago. But that didn't stop Kagome from being irked. 'I forgot how annoying some people can be...' Her inner sigh made the girl miss how the teens' annoyed expressions became appreciative smirks. Kagome sported a white, floral-patterned sundress beneath a cropped denim jacket. She completed the look with a pair of platform sandals.

"Hmph," a brunette, who she presumed to be the one who walked into her, smirked while placing a hand on his hip, "Looks like bumping into you was a good thing. You're a real cutie, missy."

"Looks like you're alone," Another observed aloud, "How old are you, sweetie?"

Kagome couldn't help but feel uneasy. Something about their demeanors and body languages told her that they wouldn't take rejection well. While she was sure that she could defend herself if she had to, the last thing that she wanted was to receive more media attention. If she ended up in a situation where she had to use the techniques that Sango showed her in public, she was sure she would end up with more videos of her circulating online.

"Hormonal pups in heat..." Sesshomaru remarked from nearby, Kagome's brow twitched as she heard a Schadenfreude-fueled tinge of mirth in his voice, "How cumbersome being a female must be."

"Look, I'm not intere—," Kagome's attempt at defusing the situation was quickly drowned out by the groups' outrage.

"What?! You think you're too good for us?!" The one who bumped into her barked, his hand forming a fist.

'I get the feeling this happens to them often,' Kagome inwardly sweat dropped when the other three teens looked equally offended. 'That's not surprising.' She was snapped from her thoughts when a toned arm suddenly separated her from the group. Within seconds, Kagome was suddenly looking at HoroHoro's back as he finished placing himself between the two parties.

"I don't blame you for shooting your shot," HoroHoro sounded chummy and amicable, as if he was going to chuckle. "But you guys need to step away, this one is mine."

"Tch," A third guy sucked his teeth. "Of course she has a boyfriend. Come on, guys." To Kagome's relief, the group begrudgingly side stepped them and went along their way.

With the matter resolved, HoroHoro promptly turned around to face Kagome. He wore a large grin as he scratched the back of his head, "Phew! It's a good thing we happen to be matching today, huh?" Kagome took in her friend's outfit: a stereotypical vacation ensemble including a white tank top beneath a Hawaiian-style shirt and cargo shorts. "As annoying as humans are, I'm not in the business of beating up weaklings."

"I know, right?" Kagome readily agreed as she pouted a bit. "I thought I'd have to cause a scene just to get away!"

HoroHoro aimed his thumb at himself as he declared, "Don't worry, Kagome-chan. I'll pretend to be your boyfriend until we get to China."

"You know, at some point, you were claiming me as your girlfriend," Kagome pointed out casually, her words turned HoroHoro to stone. "Whatever happened to that? You met Sango-chan and forgot all about me."

HoroHoro's cheeks reddened as he rebuked, "As if I stood a chance against Yoh and Ren!"

Kagome chuckled before offering HoroHoro a blinding smile, "Well, I guess you're right~."

Kororo patted her partner's slumped shoulders as he replied, defeated, "Kagome-chan, don't say be so cold while wearing that killer smile..." His eyes that had been squeezed tight to shut out the pain then snapped open. HoroHoro straightened his posture as he faced Kagome. He leaned down a bit and pointed down at her, a smirk playing on his lips, "Wait. You just admitted that Ren has a shot with you."

Kagome's eyes widened as her cheeks burned. She sported a bashful look as her eyes moved to the side, "I didn't say that it those in words..."

Her eye twitched when HoroHoro bellowed, his hands on his hips, "I knew it! Ren is still in the race after all! Ack!" His embarrassing declaration was rewarded by Kagome catching him a flustered headlock.

"HoroHoro-kun, it's complicated right now so don't you dare speak a word of this to anyone!" Kagome commanded, increasing her grip despite the way HoroHoro tapped her upper arm in surrender.

Shippo sweat dropped as he floated next to a concerned looking Kororo, "Despite everything, everyone seems to still be in good spirits, huh?" He sighed as his partner refused to relinquish her hold on HoroHoro as she laid out her behavioral guidelines. "She sure is noisy for someone who wants to remain under the radar too."

A few minutes later, Kagome and HoroHoro regained their composure as the girl glanced down at her phone, "We still have over an hour before boarding," she met HoroHoro's eyes with curiosity, "What do you wanna do until then?"

"Well..." HoroHoro scratched his cheek as he admitted a bit sheepishly, "I've never been to an airport before so I'm not sure what there is to do."

Kagome's eyebrows rose at his confession, "Never?"

"Never," HoroHoro confirmed curtly. He instantly picked up on excited angles of Kagome's eyebrows as her irises sparkled. Her energy electrified him and became his when her smaller hands encompassed his.

"HoroHoro-kun, follow me," Kagome told him dramatically. "I'll show you the way of the vacationer!" She pointed towards nothing in particular.

HoroHoro met her bubbling excitement with a smirk as he nodded, "Bet."

"Hey, don't start the vacation montage without me!" Shippo cried as he flew after Kagome and HoroHoro with Kororo hot on his tail. Sesshomaru opted to retain his role of the silent guardian and phased away as the shamans commenced their activities. Kagome led the way with HoroHoro effortlessly matching her energy.

They started their montage with overpriced fast food from a satellite McRonald's. Kagome's hands remained on her hips, undeterred by the way HoroHoro's jaw dropped at the upcharged menu items. "Is this really a tradition for visiting an airport?" He questioned.

"Of course, it is," Kagome assured him as she dragged him with one hand and her suitcase in another. "I've seen enough American movies with Anna-chan."

HoroHoro conceded as he patted the priestess' shoulder, "Fine, fine. I'm down as long as you're paying." His eyes glanced from Kagome's late generation me-phone to her designer shoes, "I'm sure your lover boy would be happy to send you some money."

Kagome ignored the comment, opting to flash a thin, black card between her fingers, "I can handle anything; being a high priestess has its perks."

After engorging on junk food, the pair ended up inside of a souvenir and convenience store hybrid shop. HoroHoro was surprised to find everything from microwavable meals to snacks to apparel and post cards. He watched as Kagome modeled several types of straw hats, from ones with ribbons to ones decorated with faux flowers and vined berries.

After going their separate ways for a couple of minutes, HoroHoro found himself staring at a postcard printed with a photograph of waterfall. 'San-tan...' His mind whispered as he recapped one of their recent phone calls. He had taken the call from the Asakura's landline and was surprised to discover that it was Sango looking for him. His opportunities to speak with her since the fiasco months ago were few and far in between.

"HoroHoro..." Sango's voice immediately made HoroHoro's heart jump, his posture went rigid. He had almost forgotten how to speak for a moment. The brief silence was enough to damper Sango's already nervous tone, causing it to further softened. Her voice didn't reflect the indifferent tone that she used to give him, "I'm sorry for calling you so suddenly..." She paused for a moment, as if searching for the best words to go forward with, "I just wanted to make sure that you're coming. You're fully prepared with your tickets and—." She released a flustered breath, as if she was mentally berating herself. "everything?"

HoroHoro readily delighted in Sango's interest, his heart pounded as he reassured her, "Of course! I'm all set," he grinned, "Honestly, I can't get there fast enough!"

"And will Pirika-chan be alright staying in Japan while you're gone?" Sango queried, concerned for the younger girl. "She came so far by herself just to see you and help you train, and yet..."

HoroHoro's eyes widened, he immediately realized that Sango was projecting her memories of Kohaku on Pirika. She must have felt conflicted, like she was tearing a protector from a vulnerable child. She must have felt guilty.

"Don't you worry about Pirika, San-tan," he made sure to sound nonchalant, trying to lighten her mood. "The invitation was extended to her too but she chose to stay behind. She's hoping to become closer to Bankotsu over the summer."

He chuckled at the recent memory of the way Pirika pressed Kagome to call Bankotsu on her cellphone, then readily took the device from the priestess and began talking her unsuspecting crush's head off.

"Isn't that more reason to worry?" Sango didn't seem entirely convinced. "If Bankotsu is still anything like he was before, then if he chooses to get serious, he'll become rather bold."

HoroHoro wasn't sure if he wanted to divulge how he had a stern talk with Bankotsu about his boundaries with Pirika. Instead, he quirked an eyebrow, "Eh? It sounds you really don't want me to come."

A curt gasp came from the other end before Sango immediately interjected, with a schoolgirl's shyness, "T-that's not it, HoroHoro..." She shuffled her feet and twisted her side bangs around her finger. "Truthfully...I'm glad that you're coming."

HoroHoro's heart just about stopped when he heard that. He played it off with a flustered chuckle, "Y-Yeah, me too."

"HoroHoro-kun," Kagome's voice brought him back to reality. He turned away from the display of post cards and spotted her. She was smiling while adjusting a pair of oversized, pink-lensed sunglasses. "What do you think of these? Aren't they super cute?"

"They are!" HoroHoro extended his arm and gave her a thumbs-up. "Renny would approve."

Kagome immediately deadpanned with pink cheeks, "As if I'm looking for Ren's approval." A display of chocolate-covered shortbread cookies caught her attention, causing her to turn away from HoroHoro again.

But it mattered not as HoroHoro was content to scan a small section of colorful summer shawls. "Ouch, that's cruel. Isn't he one of the guys you're in love with?" He asked without his eyes leaving the shawls. He was trying to find the price tag subtly.

"Nothing is more cruel than calling someone out in public," Kagome's calm tone didn't match her words as she told herself to refrain from gluttony. "Besides, I've learned that just being in love with someone isn't enough to be happy," she stated while turning to face her friend again. She then extended a pair of sunglasses with dark-blue lenses to HoroHoro, "Here, try these on."

Her friend didn't question her command and accepted her shift in subject. HoroHoro unfolded the glasses and placed them on his face. He then smirked and gripped his chin, "So, how do I look?"

"Super cool," Kagome remarked while crossing her arms and nodding as her vision came to life. Her smile resembled a small smirk as she added, "Sango-chan would approve~." Before Kagome could blink, HoroHoro had suddenly teleported to the cashier, sliding the glasses across the counter.

"I'll take these, please," He told the clerk as Kagome's eye twitched.

After completing their purchases, the pair proceeded to take photos in front of landmarks and objects. They alternated between shots of them wearing their new sunglasses on their face, versus on top of their heads. Time flew by quicker than expected, forcing the teens to run and scramble towards their boarding area. They arrived on time to be boarded with other first-class passengers.

Kagome laughed nervously and waved off the suspicious look that the ticket attendee gave them. The attendee was a middle-aged woman who looked as if she couldn't believe the authenticity of unattended minors flying first-class. Despite the looks that they received, Kagome and HoroHoro passed through and found their seats with ease—if you could even call their accommodations "seats".

Kagome and HoroHoro stared at their area with the awe of commoners. Both had the same mental image of first class: a private booth-like space with plush chairs, ample leg room, and fancy neck-pillows. Instead, their area resembled a small bedroom. The space was complete with completely-made beds that were adjacent to each other; bedside stands; a short table with two bar stools fixed to the floor; and a sliding door for privacy.

It didn't take long for the pair to curl onto their beds with reading material to pass the time. Kagome opted for an encyclopedia for shamanism and lost mystic arts that she borrowed from an aging library. Her tasseled bookmark provided instant access to her previous page. The priestess cozied herself with her back leaning against the wall of springy pillows that lined her bed's headboard. Her legs were crossed at the ankles, 'There's no reason I can't get a little work done while—.'

Her eyes peered from the weathered text over to HoroHoro. He was lying on his stomach with his own piece of literature sprawled out in front of him. "Ahhh," He sighed contently, his lips fixed into a goofy grin, "All of it looks so good. I can't decide."

"You're eating again?" Kagome questioned, her brow raising.

"Look, I appreciate what you were trying to do for me," HoroHoro easily met her eyes while waving one of his hands, "But fast food doesn't cut it. I'm starving." His brows squared as his focus returned to the menu in front of him, "Besides, all of it's going to the Tao's tab so I'm going all out."

Without missing a beat, Kagome responded nonchalantly, "When you make up your mind, order something sweet for me too." She feigned an innocent smile when HoroHoro reminded her that she was just judging him ten seconds earlier.

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

Manta sighed as he fanned his flushed face with a Higurashi brand paper-fan. The advent of summer brought random temperature surges. The heat was draining, enough to distract him from his studies. Today was one of the rare occasions when his encyclopedia was closed and sat idly beside him. He was sitting on the bench beneath the Goshinboku, watching Yoh as he powered through a set of squats.

"I'm impressed, Yoh-kun," Manta said to his friend, a playful smile on his lips, "You're actually taking chores and training seriously without Anna or Kagome-chan here."

Proud tears streamed down Amidamaru's cheeks and his fist trembled, "I'd never thought I'd see the day when Yoh-dono trained on his own accord."

Yoh nearly lost his footing but he caught himself. His form was hunched as his hands slapped and gripped his bent knees. "You two..." He panted heavily, "Are so mean..." His voice rasped. The brunette pointed at his chest with his thumb, "H-Haven't I proven myself by now?"

"I'll be convinced when you finish another fifty squats," Manta responded, his smile not faltering when waterfall tears spewed from his friend's eyes.

Yoh looked frazzled as he questioned, "Manta, are you channeling Anna right now?!"

An hour later and Yoh had finished his training. He and Manta ended up resting on the bench, sharing the tray of snacks and iced tea that Higurashi-san brought out to them recently. A passing breeze made a thought strike Manta as it went by.

"Hey, Yoh-kun...?" Manta's voice broached the topic slowly. After Yoh's "Haa?" urged him to continue his line of thought, Manta continued, "...how are things going with Kagome-chan?"

"Hmm?" Yoh hummed lazily. "She's on her way to visit Ren in China so she'll be fine," he explained before bursting into a grin, "I'm sure they'll spoil her rotten."

"Not that," Manta shook his head, his eyes looked up from his lap over to Yoh's face. Instead of catching his friend's eyes, Manta found himself staring at Yoh's jaw line. The brunette's head was tilted back as he stared up at the Goshinboku's swaying leaves. "I mean, how's your relationship going? You're still in love with her, aren't you?"

Yoh didn't initially seemed phased by the question. He calmly turned his head so he could properly face Manta. "Actually..." despite the wide grin across his cheeks, his cheeks pinkened with a faint blush. "It's hard to say," he admitted as he scratched the back of his head.

When Manta's expression soured, Yoh's eyes widened before he raised and flailed his hands, "N-Not how I feel! I meant it's hard to describe our relationship right now!" He clarified.

"I see," Manta face relaxed from its sharp, deadpanned glare. "I'm surprised," The blond started, "I thought you two would be official by now." Yoh's blush gradually deepened as he listened to his friend's confession, "Honestly, part of me always had a feeling that you and Kagome-chan had a special connection..." his smile became reminiscent with fondness, "from the very beginning actually."

Manta remembered the day the three of them became friends...

He never brought it up, but Manta saw the way Yoh brought Kagome back to the present—how he stopped her from sinking into the shadows in her eyes.

And it wasn't just that time...many times, Yoh always knew what to say and what to do to make Kagome's eyes shine. Neither Kagome nor Yoh may have realized it back when they were a trio, but their entire class thought they were the first class couple. Manta also had to ignore the snickers and whispers of how Manta could stand being the clear third wheel.

It was embarrassing but it didn't daunt Manta back then, nor did it now.

In hindsight, Manta could understand why people on the outside judged him.

Yoh and Kagome were naturals at looking like a match made in heaven.

Manta remembered the time when Yoh decided to sneak and eat his lunch during third period.

The way Yoh propped his literature textbook up and open on top of his desk to block the teacher's view of his face wasn't exactly discreet but somehow, the teacher paid the brunette no mind. Manta sweat dropped and chuckled with secondhand embarrassment at the sound of Yoh pulling the plastic wrapper of sandwich open.

Manta then stole a glance at Kagome. That day she was sitting directly behind Yoh because she volunteered to share her textbook with a careless classmate who had forgotten hers at home. Their classmate was giggling behind her hand while Kagome was sweat dropping, looking just as exasperated and embarrassed by their friend.

"Yoh-kun," Kagome poked him in the back with the rubber end of her mechanical pencil, her voice in an admonishing whisper. The girl next to her was still giggling as Yoh already took a large bite of his tamago sando. "Yoh-kun," she repeated, her whisper becoming harsher.

Yoh's "Mmm?" was muffled by the mix of bread, eggs, and mayonnaise behind his lips. With his textbook obscuring part of his visage, he dared to half-turn and meet Kagome's deadpanned expression.

"You're rarely awake for lessons as it is," Kagome told him, her mouth pulled into a pouty scowl. "You could at least wait till lun—. Mmrph!"

Manta felt blood rush to his face at the sight of Yoh pressing the bitten end of his sandwich into Kagome's mouth. The brunette chuckled mischievously with a cheeky grin, "Hehheh, there. Now you're an accomplice." Kagome's brows furrowed as she looked like she wanted to continue scolding him. Yoh then wagged his finger with a cheeky grin, "Ah, ah. Don't talk with your mouth full."

After swallowing a mouthful of the sandwich, Yoh retracted his lunch as Kagome's hand rose to her lips. Her eyes were wide and cheeks bright as she looked as if she realized what she had done. Between Yoh's triumphant grin and their classmate's sparkling eyes, Kagome looked as if she wanted the Earth to swallow her whole. Manta didn't blame her.

Suddenly, the soft smile on Manta's lips faltered, pursing and tightening. He didn't know when it happened but while rummaging through his memories, Manta broke Yoh's gaze. He was suddenly staring down at his hands that were seated in his laps. "Yoh-kun..." Manta's fingers clutched his denim shorts. "No matter what happens...with the Shaman Fights or with your family..." he paused, reluctant but determined to express his desires, "You have to fight. Fight for Kagome-chan."

Yoh's expression stayed steady as he listened to Manta's words. "I know it's not my place to say but..." Finally, he was able to lift his head and offer his friend another smile, "When it comes to Kagome-chan, it has to be you." The blond looked a bit embarrassed as he admitted, "It might sound cocky and I can't explain it but...it feels like I was meant to bring you together. And Yoh-kun..."

Even if Manta didn't remember the truth, he exemplified those parting words...

Manta's feelings were enough.

"...you're meant to set her free."

Yoh closed his eyes and hummed. He thought about the time when Hao called Kagome his "canary" during the Shaman Fight Phase Two orientation. 'Canary, huh...? A miner's canary, perhaps...?' Yoh's eyes opened as he smiled softly, "Manta... Kagome was born to be free."

"My folks and the Tao's are competing for rights to Kagome's hand," Yoh suddenly stated with an easygoing smile that sent Manta crashing to the ground.

With a large, pulsing bump on his head, Manta instantly shot to his feet and retorted, "How can you say something like that so calmly?! Shouldn't you be concerned or at least bothered?!"

"I guess it is kinda troublesome," Yoh stated without the expression of someone who was troubled. "These kinds of formalities aren't my thing but it can't be helped," his shoulders shrugged. "Mom is feigning civility and maturity but she's going all out against Ran-san."

"So what does Kagome-chan think about all of this?" Manta queried curiously. "It must be complicated to be courted by two of your closest friends." He placed a hand to his forehead and shook his head at thought, "I don't blame her for not talking to me about it."

"Mmmm..." Yoh's arms were crossed as he wore a concentrated expression. "Actually...Kagome hasn't officially agreed to it yet."

Manta's jaw dropped as his posture stiffened, "You mean all of these proposals have been thrown around without her consideration?!" He pointed an accusing finger at Yoh, "And if you know everyone's intent then why haven't you brought it up with her yet?!"

"Well...It's been a while since we've talked about stuff like this..." Yoh poked the tips of his pointers bashfully. He remembered how Kagome shot him down earlier that year. Yoh had long healed from that incident. It was now became something that he couldn't recall without feeling a bit of embarrassment about how disappointed he felt on the inside. "And I don't to make her feel pressured for an answer."

Manta sweat dropped at his friend's sudden change in demeanor, "Even after all this time, I still don't understand you."

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

When Ren texted Kagome that he and his family would be waiting for their arrival, she imagined something simple. She pictured the main family members gathered, sharing welcoming smiles with Bailong holding up a large sign with her and HoroHoro's name written on it.

She should have known better.

The moment she and HoroHoro stepped foot off the air bridge, she knew how wrong she was. No one's eyes could miss the blinking neon signs that were arranged to guide them to the meeting spot. From the air bridge to baggage pick-up, Kagome and HoroHoro followed the sequence of glowing arrows plastered to the walls above their flashing names.

"Woah!" HoroHoro ran up the first sign that greeted them. He then looked over at Kagome's deadpanned face, "Yo, Kagome-chan. Is this a normal part of air travel too?!"

"HoroHoro, I don't even think this is normal for royalty..." Kagome told them, sweat dropping.

It took a half hour for the pair to finally find the Tao family. The group didn't initially notice their guests' approach as they were in the middle of near huddle, chatting and murmuring amongst themselves. Ren was the only one who excluded himself from the huddle. With his arms crossed, he opted out and chose to focus his energy on keeping an eye out for Kagome and HoroHoro. However, as time elapsed, his mind began to wander. Naturally, his mind ran through the scenarios that could occur while Kagome was a guest at his home.

Kagome and HoroHoro were the first to spot the other party. "There they are," Kagome announced before her lips formed a grateful smile. She was more than ready to depart from the airport.

"San-tan, yahoo!" HoroHoro called out with a wild wave of his arm. His thunderous voice stole the attention of the Tao's and random passersby alike. He wasn't bothered by the way Sango face palmed and Ren's expression deadpanned as they approached. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" HoroHoro queried chummily as his eyes scanned the group; everyone from Ran, Yúan, Jun, Sango, Ren, Bailong, and Ching awaited them.

"Yes, it's been far too long," Ran responded with a pleasant smile. Her eyes then caught Kagome's, "You know, Kagome-darling, you should come by more often." Kagome was getting ready to agree with a chipper nod but paused when Ran continued speaking, "It was painfully obvious how much our Ren has mis—."

"Nevermind that!" before his mother could finish her sentence, a red-faced Ren accosted Kagome by her forearms and charged her half-way down the hall. He ended up several meters away, panting heavily with a frantic expression, "You don't need to hear the rest of that."

"Huh..." Kagome blinked before stating nonchalantly, "It's not a secret that you missed me, Ren."

"Ah!" Ren's soul almost left his body as he retracted his grip as if her words burned him. "I—...!" His mouth fell open as his lips trembled. His brain was unable to form a response to the blatant truth.

"You don't have to be embarrassed," Kagome decided to not press Ren with more teasing, no matter how cute his reaction was at the moment. She smiled before patting his shoulder, "I missed you too, okay?"

With that said, Kagome righted the angle of her suitcase, positioning it at an angle for convenient rolling. "We should get going," she told him before turning to head back to the group, only for Ren's hand to snap out and grasp her free wrist.

"Hold on..." The volume of Ren's voice did a complete three-sixty, dropping from max to the near lowest.

"Hm? What's up?" Kagome queried curiously. It was only until recently that she noticed how awkward Ren was with expressing his feelings. For what felt like ever, she didn't equate his flushed cheeks and sulking expression to being clumsy with his feelings. She used to think that he was just bad at talking to girls, but...

Kagome knew better now.

Ren wasn't always the best with his delivery, but with his thoughtful gestures and sweet words, he had stumbled through his love and into her heart.

That's why Kagome decided that she'd—.

"Your outfit..." He muttered, the burning in his face intensified. His eyes shifted from Kagome's curious eyes. He silently cursed how oblivious she was. It made taking a step forward all the more difficult. "...it suits you."

"Oh," Kagome instantly understood. He was trying to compliment her. She couldn't suppress her immediate smile before she released her suitcase's handle and decided to further showcase her skirt with a flashy twirl that made Ren's throat go dry. "Why thank you~"

"Okay, okay, you two," HoroHoro cut in, appearing out of no where with Sango and Jun at either side. His grin was large as he told them. "You'll have plenty of time to flirt later."

Ren was ready to pounce on his friend but he was surprised to find that a flustered-looking Kagome beat him to it. Kagome and HoroHoro were suddenly causing a scene on the floor with HoroHoro trapped in the priestess' firm camel clutch.

Sango silently looked at Jun, a question hanging the air.

Jun merely smiled knowing and nodded in response.

Meanwhile, Ren was bewildered at the ferocity of Kagome's reaction.

"I give! I give! I GIVE!" HoroHoro cried out as he tried clawing at the marble floor.

Kagome's giggle was strangely dark and borderline sadistic as she spoke in a saccharine whisper, "I warned you about this hours ago, didn't I, HoroHoro-kun~?"

"Y-Yes, I'm sorry!" He groveled as the girl didn't relent, "I couldn't help it, but I'll never do it again!"

Hours later, Kagome was finally able to flop back into the fluffy comfort that was the arrangement of silky sheets, cozy comforters, and pleasantly plump pillows that made up her bed. If the lavish twelve-course dinner and private bath with floating lotus flowers didn't make her feel like a princess, the oversized, canopy bed sure did. And it was a welcome surprise that the dinner didn't involve the Tao family trying to convince her to formally accept Ren's courtship. They primarily spent the time catching up on what they had been doing over the past few months—like a family would do.

'Family, huh...?' Kagome's expression was impassive as she became consumed in her thoughts. 'That's right. I have so many now...' The image of her father and Kikyo appeared in her mind's eye. They stood hand-in-hand, expressions blank as they drew further and further away, becoming consumed by a void. 'I don't have time to feel sorry for myself, nor do I have the right to, but...'

Upon feeling a familiar hot sting in her eyes, Kagome's forearm shot up to act as a dam against her tears. 'Every now and then, these thoughts pop in and it feels like they'll rip me apart.' She teeth gnawed at her lower lip to prevent any whimpers or blubbers. 'I'm not alone anymore so I don't deserve to be sad. I have more families than I deserve,' she reassured herself, her mind repeating that mantra.

Those thoughts brought her no solace, however.

Tonight's haunting thoughts were of the fates of her father and twin sister.

There used to be whispers that they were spirited away or that there was a nasty marital spat that resulted in her parents separating...

Kagome used to be lost.

She didn't know what to think of their sudden disappearances.

Her last memory of Kikyo was the promise of a spell that would take away all of her tears.

Kagome truly believed her sister back then.

She had so much faith in her sister's powers that she had convinced herself that she was incapable of tears...no matter how sad or painful things became.

That was until Yoh's kindness lifted her from that delusion.

'I'm such an idiot...' Kagome lamented. 'Of course it was me... It's always been me.'

Upon merging with Kagome the Power, Kagome the Absolute had awakened. The parts of her soul that laid dormant awakened. Kagome witnessed all of the worlds that had been. While she couldn't recall the course and fate of every world, Kagome still retained knowledge that she would never had been privy to if she did not merge into her whole self.

A modicum of that knowledge was what became of the Kikyo and her father of this world.

She snuffed out their lights.

'Don't think about it, Kagome,' She told herself. 'You have to hold it together. Hold it together.' Kagome could not sink into despair or drown in the guilt. If she did, she would shatter—

—and take the entire world with her.

'Hold it together.'

She had to keep her mind from spiraling.

She had to ignore the whispers of the other Kagome's.

She had to keep the power from rushing to the surface until she could control it.

'Hold it together. Do not sucuumb.'

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

'...hm...?' even in her foggy, freshly awakened state, Kagome noticed that something felt off, but she couldn't place her finger on. Due to the size of the impossibly large bed, Kagome felt like she was crawling for days to reach the edge of the bed.

"Kagome!" Shippo chirped, appearing the moment that she placed a foot on the plush carpet. "Good morning! It felt like you were sleeping forever!" He exclaimed as he trailed behind the girl who was making her way towards her blackout curtains.

"Good morning to you, to—Eep!" Kagome's eyes flinched from the onslaught of blinding light that rushed into the room. "What the—? Why is it so bright?" She questioned, mildly miffed as she quickly padded towards her nightstand.

"Weeeeeelll..." Shippo whisper-sang before trailing off into an toothy grimace.

"It's almost noon?!" Kagome shrieked as she stared at phone in disbelief. "How did I sleep for so long without anyone coming to wake me up?!" The girl began scrambling back and forth through out her expansive bedroom in a frenzied attempt to quick start her day. "MorningSessho!" she gave her primary spirit a rushed, casual greeting as he manifested near her bedside.

Shippo floated until he was hovering next to Sesshomaru, "It's only the first day and she's already all over the place." Their eyes followed the priestess as she went between her dresser drawers and closet, rummaging for her a bath towel and appropriate attire. The fox was unsure of how to translate the demon lord's silent 'Hn' so he opted to say a silent prayer for his friend.

After breaking her own personal shower-time record, Kagome dressed herself in casual clothing before stepping foot outside of her bedroom. She was startled by a synchronized greeting from a pair of young women dressed in French maid uniforms. "Good day to you, Kagome-sama," they spoke in fluent Japanese.

"Eh," Kagome paused, befuddled by their attire. It was unlike any clothing she had seen any Tao wear before. "Good day," She returned cordially. "Are you two..." she briefly trailed off, "...Tao's...?"

"Oh no, Kagome-sama," One raised her hand and shook her head. "We are employed by Tao Ching-sama to be your personal maids through out your stay."

"Yes," the other concurred and added, "It is our duty to give you the VIP treatment so we've been patiently waiting for you since dawn."

"Since da—?" Kagome's eyes widened before she smiled apologetically. "You two really don't have to go through so much trouble."

"Nonsense, my lady," The first maid smiled before placing her hand to chest, "It is a pleasure to be yours, Kagome-sama. My name is Meiling."

"And I am Jing," The other smiled as they moved in sync. The young women gestured towards down the winding hall. "This is way, Kagome-sama. I'm sure you're famished."

Kagome raised a brow but didn't openly question why Meiling suddenly pulled a walkie-talktie from beneath her ruffled skirt and spoke into it, "Precious cargo is en route." The priestess opted to make small talk with her dedicated maids for the duration of her escort to the designated dining room.

Kagome was not surprised that her destination was the same wide, open room that the Tao previously hosted the feast and celebration that followed her friends' raid on the manor months ago. She nodded and waved to her maids after they excused themselves with a promise to return with food.

Kagome then turned her attention towards the table that was already set with a pristine table runner and a set of dinner plates and utensils wrapped in handkerchiefs. It was the very same table that she joined the Tao's and HoroHoro for dinner the night prior. The difference was occupants of the table. Most of the chairs were empty, save for the one occupied by Ren. The Tao heir sat alone, his expression neutral with his elbow propped on the table, cradling his cheek.

Despite the expression of disinterest on his face, Kagome easily saw through his act. A rivulet of sweat was traveling down the side of his face as he breathed heavily through his nose. His tight-lipped scowl failed at masking his heaving chest as Kagome approached.

The priestess wore a twitching smile and a chest that jumped and seized as she tried to fight off a burst of laughter. Similar to how Ren failed at concealing his winded state, Kagome failed at keeping in all of her snickers as she took the seat across from him.

Ren's cheeks instantly went red, knowing that she didn't fall for his ruse. He swallowed his urge to have an outburst and opted to refuse her eyes as he glared at the far wall to his right, "Tch, care to explain what's so funny?"

"S-Sorry, sorry," Kagome managed to wheeze between snickers while waving her hand apologetically. "I tried not to but you were just trying so hard."

"Hmph," Ren deflated, his scowl resembling a moody pout as he grumbled, "So this is the thanks I get for trying to make sure you weren't eating alone."

Kagome lightly clapped her hands together and lowered her head in apology, "Don't be like that. I actually do feel bad." She briefly paused when she spotted Sango and HoroHoro approaching from over Ren's shoulder, the two walking at a casual pace, "You didn't have to rush here to keep me company."

"Duly noted, princess," was Ren's nearly deadpan response.

Despite the sarcastic emphasis on the sudden nickname, Kagome's outer-self put on a wide smile for her friends as her inner self gripped at her chest and whined in a pitchy, breathless voice, 'Okaaaaay. Ren calling me that is way too effective...'

As Sango settled in the seat next to Ren and HoroHoro next to Kagome, the pair immediately picked up on something that went unnoticed by the inwardly sulking Ren. "Kagome-chan," Sango blinked, the concern in her voice snapped Ren from his thoughts, "Are you feeling alright? You woke up pretty late and your face is a bit red."

"Heeeeeeeeeeh?" HoroHoro drawled as a smirk dragged across his face.

Kagome flinched and inwardly swore when Ren's interest was instantly piqued. She could feel more heat rushing to her face when she noticed how his emotions swiftly switched to worry. "Don't worry about it," She assured her friends, mainly aiming her words towards the scion across from her. She used her hands to fan her face in a feeble attempt to return to her normal complexion, "It's nothing. My bedroom was just a bit warm, that's all."

Sango's brow quirked, indicating that she wasn't convinced but wouldn't push the subject. Ren, on the other hand, wore a sour expression as he grumbled, "Tsk, this is my old man's fault. I knew I couldn't trust him to hire the right help."

"Don't worry about it, Meiling and Jing are doing a great job," Kagome offered her best smile, hoping to soothe any issues her lie may cause her maids. The last thing she wanted was for someone's employment to be jeopardized by her sore excuse for a cover-up.

"Not them, there's a different team in charge of your accommodations," Ren stated matter-of-factly.

'Eh...' Kagome inwardly sweatdropped as she wondered, 'How much help do they think I need...?!'

"Anyway," HoroHoro patted Kagome's shoulder in a chummy manner. "I'm glad you're in good health. You've got a big day ahead of you after all."

"Big day...?" the priestess echoed, her brow raising questioningly.

"Yes, but it's not just today," Sango clarified. "Ran-sama and Jun has created a rigorous training schedule for your entire stay here."

"Training...?" Kagome's smile became pinched as her brow twitched. "I don't think I need their help on that. I've already developed a few new techni—"

"Not for the Shaman Fights, dummy," Ren cut it. "You agreed to be my plus one for our autumn gala," he reminded her, but not without a light blush. Kagome nodded, indicating that she remembered the agreement. "So your stay here isn't a vacation. You'll be training on how to ball—."

"They specifically mentioned molding you into the perfect Tao princess," Sango informed Kagome, her intrusion making Ren's eye twitch and Kagome's mouth to fall open.

"Glad my San-tan isn't putting me through the ringer like Kagome-chan here," HoroHoro's huge relieved sigh was accompanied by a wide, teasing grin that the other three teens felt slighted by.

"Who said I'm your San-tan?!" / "Stop exaggerating, dumb ass!" / "I refuse to suffer alone!" Sango, Ren, and Kagome bellowed in unison as all three suddenly surrounded HoroHoro. The blunette had swirly eyes as the two Tao's shook him by his shoulders and Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Fine, fine," HoroHoro conceded with a defeated smile. "I'll help you train. It's only day one so how bad could it be?"

[Day One]

After breakfast, Kagome and HoroHoro were accosted by their personal maids and butlers. An uneasy smile was frozen on Kagome's face as she was dragged away by her maids. Meanwhile, HoroHoro looked blue around the gills as he questioned where he was being taken. "To be suited up for training, of course," the four Tao personnel chorused in unison.

"Do you think they'll be okay...?" Sango asked as she and Ren watched their guests get pulled into nearby unoccupied rooms.

Ren looked at his cousin, raising his brow, wearing disbelief on his face, "Tch, it's the same training I received when I was five. They'll live."

"Good to know," Sango responded as she uncrossed her arms and patted Ren on the shoulder. "Guess I'll get changed too," and with that, she made her way towards the room Kagome was taken to.

Not ten minutes later, Kagome found herself lined up along the wall of an open, vacant room with a shining hardwood floor. She, Ren, Sango, and HoroHoro stood in a line in that order. Kagome and Sango wore white, short-sleeved dresses with knee-length A-line skirts. Their practice gear was complete with clear-colored heels. HoroHoro sported a white, short-sleeved T-Shirt, loose, black slacks, and a pair of brown, leather shoes. Unlike his cohorts, Ren wore his typical fighting attire.

'Oh boy...' Kagome thought as Jun stood apart from the line of teens. Jun tapped a riding crop against her open palm as she stared intently at them. 'What did I get myself into?' the priestess wondered to herself.

Jun was not dressed in her usual, fine cheongsam style. Instead, she wore a black mirror image of the A-line dresses that Kagome and Sango wore. A pair of black heels adored her feet. "Good day, class," She greeted the younger teens. "You're all here for one specific reason..." Jun's demeanor didn't include her typical warm, doting aura. Instead, she approached her line of students with a "strictly business" attitude.

Jun stalked along the line of teens, "It's because you'll be attending the Tao Family's Autumn Gala..." Her steps were methodical and her speech was deliberately slow, "One of the most important events at the gala will be a dance..." She continued to lightly slap her riding crop against her palm as she sized her pupils one by one, "The slow waltz, to be precise. I picked out this dance myself as its the easiest one to learn for inexperienced ballroom dancers," Jun paused at HoroHoro, catching his eye with a piercing looking that made him stiffened and swallow.

The blunette then breathed a sigh of relief as Jun continued her pacing, "Even as plus ones to the Tao family, you will act as Tao representatives, just as much as official family members themselves." Jun skimmed over Ren, who stood with crossed arms and a bored look, "Because you'll be representing the Tao name, you'll have to learn to dance like a true aristocrat."

"Nee-san..." Ren drawled out, "You don't need me from here so I'll be taking my leave."

"Hold it!" HoroHoro's hand snapped out and grasped Ren's wrist, earning a mildly annoyed 'what?' from the Tao heir, "Prince privileges don't extend to your dance lessons."

"Tch," Ren snatched his hand away before responding dryly, "Unlike you lot, I'm no novice."

Only Sango and Jun looked unsurprised at the revelation, Kagome's reaction was milder than HoroHoro's ones as her brows rise, looking surprised but also impressed, "Ehhh? Guess I should have known."

"I definitely wouldn't have guessed that a stuffy, little guy like you would know how to ballroom dance," HoroHoro stated so bluntly that the joking smile that accompanied his words went over Ren's head.

"I know you said that the slow waltz is the easiest for beginners," Kagome began after raising her hand like a student in school. She spoke and didn't bat an eyelash to the chokehold Ren had HoroHoro in the background. "But HoroHoro-kun and I will only be here for eight weeks. Will that be enough time for us?"

"That's a good question," Sango readily concurred. "Jun, as important the gala is, we can't just have them practicing the waltz everyday for eight weeks straight." Without breaking eye contact with Jun, Sango effortlessly peeled HoroHoro and Ren apart. HoroHoro's eyes were sparkling as she pulled him to her side with one hand and ushered Ren away with a light slap on the back with the other. "Also... We all have a prior engagement to attend to while they're here."

"No need to fuss, my lovelies," Jun showed a glimpse of her usual warmth with a reassuring smile. "I trained Renny here and many of other younger Tao's more complex dances in shorter time spans. Now then..." She gave her younger brother a smile and shooed him away with a motion of her hand, "Renny, you're excused for today. We won't be needing you for today's lesson."

"Wait, Ren!" Kagome called out, no one failed to notice how the priestess was not a subject to the vexation that HoroHoro received earlier. Ren merely halted his stride and turned to look at her over his shoulder, curious but unbothered. "Where are you going? Do you have other plans for today?"

"Tch, I'll be training for the shaman fights while you're in your dance lessons," Ren responded before finally making his leave of the dance room.

"Alright, students," Jun gestured towards the middle of the floor. Across the expanse of hardwood were three sets of seemingly color-coded footprint stickers aligned in a sequence. One set of footprints were made of blue stickers while the second was pink and the other one was yellow. Each student noticed how the placement of each footprint series formed the shape of a square. "The first step to learning the waltz is setting your body into the right frame," she explained, "Frame is your posture and how you hold your body. HoroHoro-kun, the blue footprints are for you. Kagome-chan and Sango-dear, you can choose whichever color you'd like.

After Kagome, HoroHoro, and Sango took their places near their own sequences of steps, the training began. Shippo, Kirara, and Kororo swapped between chatting, watching their partners, and playing games amongst themselves as time elapsed.

Over an hour into their lesson, Jun had gotten rid of her riding crop and clapped her hands lightly, she wore a very pleased expression, "You're all doing great with your frame so now we'll move into learning the box step. You'll finally get to use those footprints. What you'll do is follow..."

After running her students through the basics of the box step, Jun pulled out her phone and pressed on her screen a few times. One moment later, a piano instrumental song began to play over unseen speakers. Jun then proceeded with day one's lesson, switching between watching each of her students, pointing out their mistakes and coaching them into proper posture and movements.

"HoroHoro-kun, it's fine for now, but once you start dancing, you cannot look at your feet," Jun pointed out as she watched HoroHoro's eyes follow his line of footprints.

"R-Right!" HoroHoro nodded but continued to fumble with his fluster.

"Kagome-chan, you're a lady so you'll start with stepping back with your right foot."

"Okay..." She panted lightly, "I'll start again."

"Sango-dear, your movements are much too powerful. You look more like a raging stallion than a young lady."

Sango's brow twitched at this comment as she seethed beneath her breath, "I look like a what...?!"

Despite how quickly the two-hour dance lesson blew by, Kagome still felt drained at the end of it. Her heels were aching from the constant wear of her practice slippers. It was only after she and her classmates peeled their hot, sticky shoes off their feet that they trailed behind Jun and exited the dance room.

HoroHoro's posture slumped greatly and he breathed a heavy sigh, "Who'd have known dance lessons were so brutal?" He asked rhetorically, his mouth pulled into a miserable pout. He flinched and stiffened when Kagome shrieked,

"Straighten your back, HoroHoro-kun!"

Jun and Sango chuckled as HoroHoro blushed from ear to ear as he made a point of matching Kagome's pace to punish her with a coltish noogie. Neither HoroHoro nor Kagome noticed Ren's widened eyes after he emerged from his training room. "I didn't notice how bratty you can be, Kagome-chan," HoroHoro grinned a toothy smile as gently ground his knuckles on top of the priestess' head.

"Heh," Kagome chuckled, still proud of her jest. "Consider it payback for your shenanigans yesterday."

Jun pulled a paper-fan from nowhere and hid her lower face when she spotted how Sango's expression mirrored Ren's blank, dead one. 'Wuh oh, careful, HoroHoro-Kun...' She thought with a hidden, amused smile.

"And what shenanigans would that be?" Ren queried, sending an especially suspicious look at HoroHoro.

Sango placed her hands on her hips, giving a disapproving scowl, "HoroHoro, you better not be causing problems for Kagome-chan."

Jun noticed how Kagome flinched, her cheeks burning when HoroHoro gave her a sly look. 'I see. Looks like everyone but Renny knows her little secret.' Jun couldn't stop herself from fanning the flames, "Maybe there's no problem at all. Maybe those two are rekindling their relationship from back before they met us."

The eldest teen suppressed her giggles when the four teens stiffened. HoroHoro froze, a tight-toothy grimace on his face as he eyes screamed panic. Kagome had a loose fist to her chest as she looked as if she wanted to die. Meanwhile, Sango was openly brooding with a gloomy, dark blue aura about her as Ren effectively turned to stone.

"Oh, you kids are way too serious," Jun giggled while waving her hand dismissively. "Come now, we all there's no way that's true.

After resting from their dance lessons, Kagome, Sango, and HoroHoro met in the Tao training quarters to collaborate on Shaman Fight training. As the trio were in the middle of stretching to prepare their bodies for their first workout, Ren calmly stepped into the room, a towel around his shoulders. Kagome was the only one unsurprised by his appearance. Sango smiled at the way the girl's eyes lit up as the scion approached them.

"Renny, weren't you just training while we were practicing?" HoroHoro grinned as he scooted over to make space for the glowering Ren to settle between himself and Kagome. He easily resynced with Kagome and Sango's set of toe-reaches out. "Shouldn't you take it easy? Wouldn't want you to stress that little body of yours."

Ren bristled but before he could rebuttal to the teasing, Kagome cut in, "Oh, HoroHoro-kun," and paused in her stretches to wag her finger, "Ren wouldn't be Ren if he didn't push himself to the limit. He always goes above and beyond expectation."

The priestess didn't notice the way Ren's skin was washed with a warm hues as she spoke matter-of-factly, almost like she was gloating about him, "That's why I don't set limits for him."

"Hmph," Ren forced his smile to resemble a smirk, trying to mask his elation with a layer of bravado. "It's only natural—." When he noticed Kagome's eyes focused on his face, he lightly backhanded her forehead. "Same for me. There's no limits on my expectations for you too."

"Ohhhh, that's quite impressive..." Sango remarked, her brows raised in wonder as a hand hovered over her mouth.

HoroHoro nodded, his eyes closed in concentration with his arms crossed, "Mmhm, mmhm. You two make flirting look easy."

"Don't be ridiculous! We're not flirting!" Ren and Kagome rebuked in perfect unison.

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

Jakotsu's spine visibly quivered when Pirika patted his shoulder chummily. She was beaming brilliantly as she pressed, "Are you sure that you don't need anything, Ja-niichan? I don't mind picking anything up for you!"

"Ick! If you're that desperate then you can buy me a can of iced coffee," Jakotsu told her, openly wearing his discomfort and repugnance from his eyes down to his mouth.

"Really?!" To his dismay, the girl's face became luminous as she stood on her tippy-toes to lean closer to his face. It was a miracle that she didn't notice Jakotsu's blatant misery. Bankotsu stifled a snicker from his spot at their home gym's bench pressing machine. Pirika had Jakotsu but backed into a wall as she pressed for clarification, "Any particular flavor that you like?!"

"O-Oreo!" Jakotsu shrieked, blue around the gills as he commanded, "Now hurry up and get going, you putrid creature!"

For a moment, Pirika's shimmer eyes furrowed with a stern but deadpan look, "Hey now, I'm your future sister-in-law so you ought be nice to me." After Jakotsu grimaced, the girl returned to her normal height and removed herself from Jakotsu's bubble as she proceeded to exuding a blinding aura, "Alrighty, I'm gonna ask our other bros if they want anything then I'll head right out!"

"Thanks, I owe you one," Bankotsu stated, his eyes and grin seeing Pirika out the door.

Similarly, Jakotsu's eyes followed Pirika's form as she skipped out of the gym. But unlike Bankotsu's jovial expression, Jakotsu's eyes were narrowed and his lips were pouty. After Pirika's steps began fading, Jakotsu whined out his complaint, "Ban, are you actually going out with that thing?!"

"Jak, don't rude," Bankotsu chided but his grin didn't fade. He returned to a laying position on his bench-pressing bench, "Piririn is a good person. Address her like one from now on." His commanded with the calm, gentle nature that was reserved for private moments.

"Fine!" Jakotsu was audibly sulking as he stomped from the wall where he was previously trapped over to where his brother was lifting. "Why is she staying here?! Are you going out with her?!" He repeated with forced civility.

"Not right now," Bankotsu answered, not batting an eyelash as his brother stood above him. Jakotsu's hands were on his waist as he huffed. "But who knows? If we hit it off this summer, we might start going out."

Jakotsu's face scrunched at the prospect, "Don't you still have a thing for that Higugirl?" His cheeks inflated with air as he announced, "I'd prefer if you got with her over this useless Pirichick." Jakotsu saw the curious raise of Bankotsu's brow and answered, "This one tries way too hard to impress us! It's disgusting!"

"Ah..." Bankotsu confirmed with a sigh and a chuckle. He then rested the weighted bar on the rack before closing his eyes. "Yeah, I get that..." Despite being oddly agreeable, Bankotsu smiled and he stated, "It's because of my feelings for Kagome that Piririn tries so hard."

"Oh, that makes sense," Jakotsu smirked at the realization. With a deliberately faux sympathy, he cooed from behind his head, "To have to measure up to a high priestess of the imperial family... pOoOOoooor thing~."

Jakotsu's giggles and mutterings were lost to Bankotsu's ears. His own thoughts overlaid the sound of his brother's voice. 'Not being good enough for the one you love...' His usual grin had long been wiped from his face as he mulled over how this past year unfolded. 'Damn it... I don't even get to feel sorry for myself.' One by one, kindred spirits' faces popped into his mind.

Pirika... Anna... Ren... Yoh... and even Kagome herself.

'Not when it's not my exclusive pain.'

[Day Eight]

"Great job, everyone," Jun smiled as their practice song faded out to its ending. "We'll stop here for today," her announcement made HoroHoro and Kagome collapse to the floor with heavy sighs. "Since your box steps are coming along so well, we'll begin partnering you up for practice dances tomorrow."

"You'd think we'd get a day off for all of our hard work," Sango commented dryly, openly wearing a wary expression that made Jun smile softly.

'It's great that Sango can express herself so well now...' Jun thought to herself before she shook her head. "Oh no, this is a crash course in getting you all up to speed on being slow waltz professionals so we don't have time to lose."

Kagome too expressed her discontent with a sigh and slump of her shoulders as she sat on the floor, "Yeah, I get it... But still, dance lessons on top of Shaman Fights training day in and day out is pretty exhausting. I thought we'd be able to have a little fun while we're here."

HoroHoro nodded vigorously while gesturing towards Kagome animatedly, "Right, right! Is this any way to treat your precious Tao princess? She's been worked to the bone!"

"Weeeeell..." Kagome twiddled her fingers together, 'Sorry, HoroHoro-kun. I actually do get pampered everyday before bed. He's better off not knowing that, right?'

"Well, if you're all tired then how about we change things up the rest of the day?" Jun raised her pointer finger. "Instead of shaman training, how does shopping sound?" She was not surprised when her Kagome and HoroHoro visibly perked up at the prospect, their eyes sparkling like diamonds. Meanwhile, Sango's delight was more subdued, but her smile was not invisible.

"Alright, let's get changed, troops!" HoroHoro shot to his feet and thrust his fist into the air.

Kagome followed his lead and nodded, "Yeah, I'll go let Ren know so he can be ready."

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

After rounding up Ren, a shower, changing clothes, and resisting Ran's and Yúan's insistence on giving her another credit card, Kagome set out with the Tao's and HoroHoro. Only HoroHoro was shocked to discover a private jet parked outside the manor. "When did you even have time to lay out a runway?!" He questioned, pulling at his icy blue locks as his brain scrambled to comprehend the impossibilities.

Kagome sighed with a cracked smile, "I know you guys spare no expense but don't you think this is a bit much?"

"Of course not, I knew you'd want a break eventually," Jun explained as she led the group towards the aircraft that reflected the sun with a bright sheen. "So I had to make sure to arrange a way to get you from here to the city as quickly as possible."

A bit over an hour later, the party of teenagers arrived in the nearest major metropolitan area. "It feels just like our trips to downtown Tokyo, right?" Kagome smiled as she gently nudged Ren with her elbow.

"It would if that loud mouth over there would act his age," Ren responded while gesturing towards HoroHoro with a motion of his head. The loud blunette was at Sango's side as the pair headed the group, walking a few paces ahead of Kagome and Ren with Jun taking the rear of their brigade.

"You say that but HoroHoro-kun is your bestie, isn't he?" Kagome giggled when Ren blushed deeply and tried denying it.

After a leisurely stroll and checking out some random shops that HoroHoro and Kagome pointed out, they finally arrived at a specialized boutique whose window displays showcased an extravagant ball gown and an elegant tuxedo.

An hour and a half later, the two young men found themselves sitting on a metal waiting bench outside of the ladie's changing room. "I should have known it would end up like this," Ren grumbled, suppressing a sigh that mirrored that one HoroHoro just released. Upon entering the boutique, the group discovered that its sales floor was split down the middle. To the left side of the store were rows upon rows of mannequins showcasing the current stock of tuxedos. To the right side of the store, a similar brigade of headless, posing dummies modeling ball gowns.

Like a mother or kindergarten teacher, Jun gathered the younger teens into a huddle to run over their plan of action. "First we'll have Renny and HoroHoro-kun pick their tuxedos, then I'll take Kagome-chan and Sango to find matching dresses," The eldest Tao explained the game plan as if it would be as easy as pie. And as Ren expected, it took him and HoroHoro about a half hour to choose their tuxes and have their measurements taken as they tried on their usual sizes.

The experience of waiting for their future dates would have been more engaging if it were not for Jun's strict ban on them seeing the chosen gowns. "So unfair..." HoroHoro had been vocalizing his misery since he found out that he wasn't permitted to see Sango's dress till the evening of the gala.

"Just deal with it," Ren drawled, his voice thick with the agitation that began as anticipation. Despite his response, the Tao empathized with the teen next to him. Kagome, Sango, and Jun happily trailed behind them as they browsed the arrangement of tuxedos, providing their feedback on any and every coat that HoroHoro and Ren brushed against. Eventually, Ren decided on an ensemble in his usual family colors: black and gold. Around the same time, HoroHoro narrowed down his choices to a set of composed of black and cobalt.

The orchestral music that was played over the store's speak system was so soft that it did nothing to muffle the sounds of the young ladies' conversations. The bare walls of the changing room carried their voices to Ren's and HoroHoro's ears.

"Wow, Kagome-chan, your thighs are noticeably larger than last year," Jun's voice marveled without an ounce of malice. Ren twitched uncomfortably, trying to maintain his indifferent expression but HoroHoro could feel the heat radiating off his face.

"Eh heh..." Kagome's chuckle was dry in her throat but soaking in embarrassment. "Oh yeah... I guess I've grown a lot."

"It's not just your thighs though," Jun pointed out. "Your legs used to be so skinny but your hips are starting to take shape too."

Sango was quick to cut in, "Don't worry, Kagome-chan." Ren and HoroHoro were soaked into the conversation, Ren with bated breath as his cousin went quiet for a moment before continuing, "Feel that firmness? Growing up aside, some of this is your muscles. It's a good thing."

"I guess so..." Kagome sighed, "I can only hope that I can be as strong and beautiful as Sango-chan. Your figure is honestly perfect."

After ten more minutes of shuffling, rustling, and heart-pounding conversations, Ren clicked his tongue and got to his feet. He stepped right outside of the changing station that all three young women occupied. With his eyes pointed at the floor, he knocked on the door with the back of his hand. "Nee-san," His voice halted the teens mid chat. "How much longer do you need?"

"We're just finishing up in here so you two are free to wait outside," Ren could hear the sun in his sister's voice.

"Outside?" Ren's brow rose. "You mean all the way outside?" He queried.

"Naturally," Jun didn't miss a beat. "I can't risk the chance of you seeing Kagome-chan's dress~."

Ren's eyes lifted, the door receiving the incredulous look intended for his sister. Instead of questioning Jun's judgment, a rare occurrence, Ren settled for allowing his forehead to bump into the door. "It's not like it's our wedding or something..." he grumbled, but not low enough for Kagome's ears to be unable to pick up on it. Jun covered her cat-like, knowing smile behind a paper fan when the priestess stiffened.

"N-No one said it was, baka!" Kagome rebuttaled, huffing as she blushed down to her neck.

"Well neither did I!" Ren barked back to save face, not knowing how HoroHoro was shaking his head and Sango was sweatdropping as she slipped back into her shoes.

[Day Nine]

"As expected, you waltz newbies picked up on the form and basic steps pretty quickly," Jun announced as she stood before the line of ball-dancing pupils along the wall. Unlike day one where she spoke in a rigid, stiff manner, today's Jun was practically glowing as she looked upon the younger teens. And unlike the other days of dance lessons, Ren was amongst the ranks. "Because of your progress, we'll move you to dancing in pairs," she aimed a closed paper fan towards her brother, who was leaning against a wall coolly, "which is why Renny will be joining us from now on."

"Alright, I'm pumped!" HoroHoro declared as his clenched fist pumped at his side.

"It is pretty exciting," Kagome concurred as she aimed a pleasant smile at Ren, "Please take care of me." She suppressed a giggle at the Tao blushed and responded with a tight-lipped, numb nod. 'Why didn't I notice how shy he can be before...?'

"Jun," Sango raised a hand and called attention to herself, "I understand why we need Ren going forward, but—." Her head turned towards the door. Kagome and the others mirrored her action. The door, which was usually completed sealed for privacy and to contain the music, was slightly ajar. HoroHoro grinned while elbowing Ren as he face palmed and Kagome smiled while sweat dropping at the sight of Ching's, Ran's, and Yúan's prying eyes peering at them. "Why do the rest of them need to be here?" She questioned.

"Well, they're the current heads of the Tao family and the ones officially organizing this gala," Jun's pointer finger was aimed upward as she explained, "So it's natural that they'd be invested in your progress." Unbeknownst to the teens in the room, Ran was patting Yúan's shoulder as he dabbed at his eyes with a handky in an attempt to soak up his waterfall tears.

"You become so emotional when it comes to the kids," Ran whispered as her husband's shoulders trembled and lips blubbered.

"I-I know... At first I just wanted to see our Ren and Kagome-chan come together," Yuan whimpered as he softly sobbed, "But when our Jun was able to bend the truth on our behalf in the heat of the moment, I felt so moved. So proud."

"Mmm..." Ching hummed his agreement as he nodded, "You've raised both children very well."

Meanwhile, Jun continued with her lesson. She guided the pairs to separate ends of the elongated, expansive room. The green-haired teen's hands were on her hips as she stood in the center of the room. "We'll start you off at these positions," She explained, "You'll naturally end up dancing across this room so this is a great opportunity for you kids to practice dancing without crashing into other couples." Jun aimed a reassuring smile at Kagome and Ren, who were standing side by side. "Kagome-chan, Renny is very experienced so you can relay on him." Kagome nodded before Jun beamed at the other pair, "As for HoroHoro-kun..."

HoroHoro's eyes lit up as his heart swelled with the impending praise.

"Do your best, Sango-dear," Jun giggled as an arrow pierced HoroHoro's chest. "Now then, take your stances..." Despite her collected, warm smile on the outside, Jun's inner self was smirking wide on the inside. 'You children have been far too chaste this past year...' She thought as she watched Kagome and Ren exchange looks. They exchanged some words but Jun's pounding heart drowned them out. 'You think the waltz was chosen because it's elegant? Because it's a ballroom dance? No, it's because the waltz used to be known as the Forbidden Dance...' It was a dance so intimate between partners that it was scandalous to even think of participating!

Jun gave a silent nod after glancing at Sango and HoroHoro's forms. 'Despite Sango still being a bit taller than HoroHoro-kun, he's not shying away from his lead role and that's pretty admirable. A lot of guys would prefer their followers to be shorter,' Jun mentally noted before. 'More importantly, I can't wait to see the sparks that the sinful dance brings to—.

Jun felt something within her soul shatter.

She had been dreaming of this day since her parents announced the gala. Her heart was sent aflutter when she envisioned how Ren could finally show the difference between his superior lineage and upbringing to any of her other suitors. Despite the Asakura family being as ancient and prestigious as the Tao family centuries ago, Jun had learned from her mother how lax Yoh's parents were with his upbringing. The elder Tao sibling was certain that Ren would woo and win Kagome over with his refined leading skills.

To Jun, it was as sure as the sky was blue.

Was.

Now, the only word that could describe the scene playing between the two at this moment was nightmarish and an embarrassment.

The pair had yet to face each other and looked unusually stiff and uncomfortable.

Jun dared to glimpse at the faces of her parents and grandfather. Yúan's jaw was on the floor and his face was as pale as a sheet. Ran was openly sulking and Ching had a scarily, stony look in his eyes.

'No...' Jun's inner voice was defiant and her own eyes hardened. 'I'm Tao Jun. I am the eldest of the Tao main family,' She told herself as she took deliberate, heavy steps towards Kagome and Ren. "Hold on, you two!" Jun called as she magically summoned her riding crop, bending it almost to the breaking point as she arrived before the pair. She didn't spare neither teen her disappointed, perturbed scowl. "What do you think you're doing? I told you two that you're dancing together starting today so act like it!"

"Fine..." Ren sighed as he uncrossed his arms and turned to face Kagome. The girl wore her own embarrassed look as she mimicked his motion and faced him. Jun scrutinized the exchange with critical eyes as Ren muttered, "Here," and raised his hand.

"Un..." Kagome nodded before placing her hand in Ren's.

Jun's eye twitched when Ren's other hand hovered over the small of Kagome's back. It was like his fingers had a mind of their own with their rigid, writhing motions. The sounds of their respective thoughts were louder than Jun's audible seething through her clenched teeth. The lump in Ren's throat and Kagome sucking in her low lip would have been adorable in any other scenario to Jun, but right now—.

"Enough!" Jun bellow made Ren subtly flinch and Kagome nearly jump. "What's with you two?! Are you conspiring to humiliate me?!"

Ren's brow rose as Kagome gave a bewildered, "Hah?/Eh?"

"Ren!" Ren's nervous but cool expression became unnerved as Jun lost her composure. With her riding crop poking the tip of his nose, Jun chided, "For what reason did I do my best to help you ask Kagome-chan to this event in the first place?!" She ignored the way Ren's skin blossomed into a rosy color as he trembled and protested, 'N-Nee-san-!' Kagome was the next recipient of her crop's aim, "And you, Kagome-chan, tell me why you agreed to be his date if you're not taking it seriously?!"

Sango watched with sympathy and HoroHoro with bewilderment as Jun continued her tirade, flames burning in her eyes, "This is issue transcends your hormones and unresolved sexual tension!" She didn't give the blushing pair the chance to deny her claims with fluster as her hands planted on each of their shoulders with an iron grip. Within a split-second, she spun the pair to face each other before pushing them flush together—chest to chest.

The startled pair took a moment finally allow their eyes to meet, but their communication was fleeting as Jun ranted and raved, "Renny, if you're going to lead Kagome-chan, do it with proper frame! Or are you not attracted to her anymore?!"

Ren's breath hitched, "...H-Hah?!" He allowed half-turned his torso, aiming it towards his older sister, throwing her a heated, incredulous look.

Jun didn't allow him the chance to answer as Kagome became her next target, "And you, Kagome-chan! Do you dislike being this close to Renny now?!"

"Of course not!" Kagome's protest made Ren's heart clench, he forced himself to remember who the person she loved was.

"If that's true then get into proper frame, now," Jun's fiery eyes made Kagome and Ren share equally wary, flustered looks.

Despite themselves, they faced each other and came together—closer than before but still distastefully far for the waltz. Jun took it upon herself to grab Ren's hand and placed it over Kagome's shoulder-blade. "Right here," She gave him a reminder that she was sure he didn't need.

The one thing that pleased Jun was the way Kagome gave Ren, who bristled from the position of his hand, a reassuring smile, "It's okay, Ren."

After more pointed observations that straightened the pair's postures and positions, Jun restarted the instrumental music that timed out because of their impromptu intermission. Needless to say, the pairs shattered all of Jun's expectations. She had expected Ren to lead Kagome flawlessly while Sango would find it exceedingly difficult to follow the clumsy but determined HoroHoro's. As Jun predicted, HoroHoro's movements were bullish and eager with his nervous excitement, but Sango compensated for his excessive energy by following his queues exceptionally.

Meanwhile, Jun sighed when Kagome stepped on Ren's foot for the third time. The heir's eyes twitched as he sucked his teeth through the pain. "Uh, my bad," Kagome apologized with an embarrassed smile as Ren kept in time with the music.

Ren's expression was deadpan, almost hopeless and he told her, "Step on me one more time and you're banned from heels for life."

"As if I want to wear them in the first place!" Kagome's cheeks burned, mainly from the humiliation of coming off as clumsy.

Jun was grateful that Kagome's footwork improved over time, sparing her brother a reddened, batter foot. But it was still plain as day that Ren and Kagome were not on the same page. Despite overcoming the physical barrier and becoming closer, Ren was rattled and leading with fluster. His embarrassment led to him using more power and sudden motions than he ever used with a partner.

Meanwhile, Kagome didn't follow him or his signals, not allowing Ren to take the reigns. In Jun's eyes, it was like listening to two people speak in unison without having a coherent conversation.

With a sigh, Jun raised a hand to her forehead. 'Okay...this isn't going to work,' She mentally conceded. With a press on her phone screen, the instrumental music ceased. "Alright, everyone, I've had enough of this," The green-haired teen directly her eyes to Kagome and Ren as they peeled away from each other. "Whatever the problem is, you two just need to talk it out. You're supposed to be close," She scowled before asking, "You should be able to talk about anything. You've already slept together, right?"

"O-Oi!" Ren watched as Kagome paled and her soul left her body. "Get a hold of yourself!" He commanded as he caught the girl when her knees collapsed. After the girl didn't respond to light pats to her cheek, Ren raised his head to glare at his sister, only to suddenly find himself surrounded by his parents, grandfather, and HoroHoro.

Ran's expression was frothy and aura dark, "Ren, after all the work I put into building relations with the Higurashi family and you pull a stunt like this."

Yúan rubbed his hands together like a pleased mastermind, trying to hide his proud smile as he queried, "With this development, it means that Kagome is sure to join the Tao family, no?

Ching hummed as he closed his eyes, "It would not be the first time that a Tao heir fornica—."

"R-Ren, d-does Yoh know about this?!" HoroHoro looked panicked as he tugged at his hair. "Oh hell! I was rooting for you but this is out of hand!"

Angry anime veins were building one by one with each remark from the crowd who had their heads in the gutter. Ren's shoulders shook as he tried to swallow the scorching vexation building in his chest.

Stressing Kagome out further was the last thing that he wanted for her right now.

"Dear, you look suspiciously pleased with this news," Ran's eyes narrowed at her husband. "They are but children. And she is a high priestess."

"NOTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENED, YOU PERVERTS!" Ren finally roared, steam blowing from his ears.

...

...

...

Jun's soft clap cut through the silent, "How about we take a break from all of this dance nonsense?" Ren's brow twitched at the sight of the innocent smile that she wore. His sister knew what buttons to press when she wanted to.

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

Kagome welcomed her vacation away from her vacation: five days away from Tao Manor to unwind and get away. It would be but a small reprieve from training and lessons but she would take any time off that she could get. The night before departing with her party, Kagome found herself in the rare text back-and-forth with Yoh. It started with him checking in with a simple "Yo", a one-word greeting that made her giggle and respond with a "Yo, yourself. What's up?" What began as a simple catch up devolved into longer sentences, more thoughtful responses. In hindsight, Kagome silently cursed Yoh for leading her with seemingly innocuous questions that fished more information that she initially intended to share. Texts like, "You're responding so quickly. Either you really miss me or you're not having that much fun right now," lead to Kagome thoughtlessly replying, "A bit of both, honestly."

Kagome was oblivious to a pout-like scowl on her face as she and the other teens waited for Jun to finish checking them into their hotel. She could effortlessly envision the easygoing smile that he would have been wearing if he had been next to her last night. 'Yoh, that was pretty cunning. You're looking more and more like Hao everyday,' She then sighed inwardly, her shoulders slumping, 'Sorry, that was mean. It's not your fault that you see through me.' She hadn't been aware of it at the time, but Yoh was troubleshooting her through her feelings. She had been torn on a decision for months now...until last night. Yoh guided her to her resolve—to her decision.

The priestess stole a glance at Ren, who was standing nearby, calmly exchanging words with Sango and HoroHoro. As if by instinct, Ren peeked at Kagome from his peripheral. Her cheeks warmed as she offered him a small smile. Ren's neutral expression melted into a satisfied smirk as he gave her a subtle nod.

Not a moment later, Jun finally walked away from the receptionist desk with a set of keycards encased in protective casings. She handed each teen their own card and informed them, "Since we all could use a break, no one will be sharing rooms but we'll all be on the same floor." Her face lit up and she added, "The top one."

"Of course, it is," HoroHoro chuckled with a half-hearted sigh. He was becoming less and less shocked by the Tao's habit of burning their cash.

With a delighted "Follow me~" from Jun, the group began trailing behind their self-appointed chaperon. Before Kagome could take a step, she found Ren's hand gripping her luggage case's handle. Without a word, he began pulling her suitcase with one hand as he gripped his own with his other.

"Wait a sec!" Kagome called as she charged after him, her hand accosting Ren's as she tried to reclaim her luggage. "You don't need to do that," She told him, trying to swallow a feeling of guilt that rose inexplicably. "You already lugged my stuff for me around all day."

"It's a non-issue," Ren replied while continuing towards the elevators to catch up with their group. His obstinate pace forced Kagome to use more power to match his steps but his stride didn't falter. He focused his eyes forward, oblivious to the conflicted expression on the girl's face.

"...but—," She opened her mouth to protest but was silenced by Ren's whisper of, "Let me have this."

'Okay...' Kagome silently conceded as filed into the elevator after Ren. "Thanks, Ren," she whispered to him, offering a smile that made him nod. 'That's right... I can...' She mentally shook her head. 'No. I will.'

After the group unpacked their belongings, they had dinner at a small but esteemed restaurant where Kagome and HoroHoro were treated to the local cuisine. It was after they finished eating that Kagome spotted a magazine rack in the restaurant's foyer where a series of travel magazines and pamphlets rested. "Oh, " Kagome curiosity was piqued, "let's see if we can find any more local activities that we can add into the itinerary," the priestess suggested as she grabbed a pamphlet and unfolded the pages.

"Sounds good. We can probably squeeze another activity in if it's close enough," Jun beamed at the idea while looking at the pages from over Kagome's shoulder.

Ren cracked a smile at the sight of Kagome pointing at a page and looking up at his older sister, searching for her approval with a sweet but curious smile. With the way Jun was raised and trained, she typically would be on a war path if an itinerary that she personally organized and coordinated was usurped by anyone's spontaneous desires. But Kagome was special. From the very beginning, Jun was drawn to her and was devoted to her fantasy of Kagome marrying into their family as his bride.

"That's a wonderful idea~" Jun smiled before wagging her finger at HoroHoro and Ren, "And no peeking, you two!"

Having been caught up in his own thoughts, Ren was lost in the conversation, "No what?"

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

"Of course," Ren whispered now that he found himself soaking in an open-air hot spring at a local bath house. "That girl bathes in a private hot tub with freshly drawn lotus water and she gets excited over an ordinary bath house," he mumbled, his arms crossed as HoroHoro swam towards him. He then sent a mildly annoyed look at his friend, "And would you stop swimming around like a damn child?"

"You can act grumpy all you want, Renny," HoroHoro cheesed wide as he made a point of kicking his legs harder. "You love us, especially Kagome. Everyone knows it."

Ren rolled his eyes as HoroHoro proceeded to swim around in circles, purposely kicking up the largest splashes possible, "Everyone except her."

"Heeeeh?" HoroHoro paused and took the chance to stand upright. "You sure about that, bud?" He asked, a grin on his face and his hands on his hips.

Ren paused with a flinch. He mulled over the prospect. HoroHoro's grin dropped into an incredulous look as a gigantic thought cloud appeared over Ren's head. The Tao flashed through the countless scenarios when Kagome didn't notice his feelings from the time where he urged her to forget the Shaman Fights to the time where he told her that he'd marry if no one else did. "Tch," Ren blew air through his teeth as the thought cloud popped. "Positive," he answered. "But it's fine, because I made up my mind. I'll..."

'What a lovesick puppy...' HoroHoro thought at the sight of Ren flushing and gazing off towards the distant moon. "I don't know, Ren," his voice brought the Tao back to reality. "You and Kagome-chan seem more and more like a couple everyday," He stated nonchalantly, "And from where I'm standing, it definitely seems like Kagome-chan notices you."

"I don't need you trying to make me feel better, you know," Ren deadpanned. "I may be at a disadvantage but I'm not the type who knows what giving up means."

'I bet Kagome-chan would melt if she heard that,' HoroHoro snickered inwardly. He considered being blunt and telling Ren that his feelings were reciprocated but after thinking of Kagome's disapproving look and killer headlock, he decided against it. 'Yeeeeeah... I'll just let him find out for himself.'

Meanwhile, on the other side of a tall, wooden wall that separated the men's and women's bath, Kagome found herself backed into a wall. She chose to unwind in the bath house because she was curious about how it would compare to the ones she experienced in Japan so she expected to spend the time unwinding. Contrary to her plans, the moment that she settled in a nice spot in the spring and raised a hand to call to Sango and Jun over, the pair's neutral expressions changed.

Kagome froze at the sight of Jun's deathly serious expression and Sango's calculated one.

The pair charged from the entrance to the open bath, leaving a trail of dust then hot water behind them as they zoomed across cement then spring water.

The priestess raised her hands defensively and shrunk against the wall the older teens trapped her against.

"W...What's up, you two...?" Kagome asked with a nervous smile.

"That should be my question to you, missy," Jun retorted, an unusual sharpness in her voice.

Sango nodded in agreement, something that didn't usual occur between the two, "Yeah, even I'm curious about what's going on with you."

"What do you mean?" the youngest asked, her brows furrowing. "I've just been a bit tired with everything that's been happening this year. I became a high priestess and the shrine became popular and now there's these dance lessons—."

Sango's hand rose to a "halt" pose, "Not that." She gripped her chin and added, "I can tell there's something bothering you and it definitely has to do with Ren."

With her arms crossed over her chest, Jun nodded twice, "Mmhm. And as a loving big sister, it's my job to support you both in every way possible."

"Oh, thank—" the moment Kagome tried to offer an appeasing smile, Jun's eyes sharpened as she cut in.

"So be honest, you've finally fallen in love with Ren, right?" Jun questioned, leaving no room for ambiguous answers. Sango's eyes widened and unconsciously took a step back, surprised that her typically calculated, tactical cousin would take the direct approach. Sango herself shared the same suspicion as Jun, but her suspicion began months ago when Kagome and their other friends stormed the Tao main house.

Kagome knew there was no denying it when she felt steam blowing out of her ears. "Uh..." Her eyes shifted from Jun's no-nonsense expression to Sango's inquisitive one, "Well..." The priestess pushed her fingers together as her gaze averted to the side. While she knew that her feelings would be supported by both Jun and Sango, Kagome found it exceptionally embarrassing to admit them after being blind to Ren's affections for so long. "If you want the whole truth, it's not so much that I've recently fallen for him, but rather..."

Kagome's eyes squeezed shut as she reluctantly confessed, "I've become aware. Eh?!" Her eyes snapped open at the sudden iron grip on her forearms. "Eh..." the priestess sweat dropped when she discovered the twinkling in Jun's eyes.

"I knew it. I knew you two were made for each other," Jun's voice became breathy and dreamy. "I believed in your love before anyone else, even before either of you realized it..." A dazed smile spread across her lips, "At last..."

Sango stepped forward, catching Jun in her arms as her cousin collapsed from the overwhelming emotional roller coaster. "Jun, get a hold of yourself," Despite her words, Sango's tone didn't portray genuine concern. The Tao warrior easily supported Jun's limp weight with one arm as she returned her attention to Kagome, "But that still doesn't explain the way you've been acting. You definitely have something you want to talk to Ren about, right?"

"Huh?" Kagome was so surprised by Sango's question that she forgot her embarrassment. "Sango-chan, you're so perceptive," her voice was in awe as she lightly applauded her friend, an act that made Sango bristle.

"Don't tell me you're actually surprised by that?" The Tao queried with a deadpan face.

A few minutes later, the heart racing excitement was subdued into a milder conversation. "So basically, you want to confess your feelings to Ren but there's something important holding you back," Sango summarized Kagome's explanation.

Kagome nodded with a small, miserable whine, "Yeah... that's the gist of it."

"More importantly," Jun finally regained her composure. "This important thing has become an inhibition and it's made you unsure of if you should confess at all."

"Yeah... that's pretty much the gist of it," Kagome repeated with a small, unnerved smile. While it was small relief to tell them about her troubles, she hoped they wouldn't continue pushing the topic further. The last thing that she was prepared for was telling the full story behind her doubts—her guilt. Being caught in an endless loop of worlds and reliving birth to adolescences hundreds of times didn't exact fall under the "girl talk" category.

"Well, whatever it is, just tell him," Jun told her straightforwardly, her casual tone and calm expression making Kagome falter. The older teen stifled a chuckle at Kagome's unimpressed expression. "It really is that simple, Kagome-chan," she explained, closing her eyes while raising a finger, "After I confronted my father, I learned something..."

Kagome's eyes widen, sparkling in wonder as Jun told her, "The things that you're afraid of doing the most are the things that you want to do the most."

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

Kagome was sure that the next day would be the highlight of their vacation away from their vacation. Despite wanting to get away from everything, there was something charming and refreshing about being part of the hoards of tourists and visitors drawn to Anshun. The city wasn't the silver, sleek metropolis that was downtown Tokyo, but it did not shy away from being hospitable and making travel and sightseeing as seamless as possible. With the Tao's lavish budget, Jun initially planned to arrange her party to be privately escorted to their destinations. It was through the pamphlet that she picked up the night prior that Kagome discovered Anshun's special tourist bus line. Not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to participate in all that Anshun had to offer, Kagome used her pretty eyelashes and large eyes to convince Jun to join the masses on the bus.

Ren felt no sympathy when he saw his sister's face scrunch as she tried resisting the temptation of Kagome's cupped hands and puppy-dog eyes. Normally, he would fall in line with older sister's desires out of his respect and adoration for her. But he was painfully aware of the way Jun and Pirika coached Kagome to weaponize her appeal on him. While the priestess rarely resorted to using those shimmer, pleading eyes on him, the fact that she used it once or twice (successfully) was enough for Ren to feel a vindictive indifference to Jun's current plight, even when she tossed an unspoken cry for help with her eyes at him.

It was only until the next day when they were squished in the crowds of people on the tourist bus line that Ren felt a twinge of regret for not assisting Jun. It was not the proximity with and careless shoving of strangers that inherently bothered him. It was actually the repugnant stench of a select few people whose hygiene practice that didn't hold against the summer sun and humidity that made Ren scrunch his nose. Additionally, there was nothing worse than a drove of overstimulated humans in a small, enclosed area. Despite being a mixture of all age demographics with the majority being adults, the crowd was restless and ill-mannered. They didn't have the composure or discipline to form an orderly line. No. The moment that the bus pulled up to the stop across the street from their hotel, the crowd used their bodies to force others forward.

Regretfully, Ren had yet to experience the growth spurts that he had been promised for these past couple of years. Because of this, the majority of the crowd towered above him and obscured his sight of his party as unruly humans cut between him and his group. Ren took a breath through clenched teeth as he stepped onto the bus and flashed his pass. It was only the first stop for tourist bus and it was already nearly filled to brim with people. "Ren, over here!" Kagome called to him from over the overlapping laughter, murmur, and chatter of the other tourists.

The Tao didn't have time to pinpoint the source of Kagome's voice as the people behind him gave no time for thinking. "Oh, dammit," he hissed as he was forced further onto the bus. Had he been the same person who he was one year ago, he would not have tolerated this behavior. Thinking about who he no longer was almost made Ren crack a smile. It was all thanks to—.

"Ren, can you see me?!" Kagome called out again. Ren stifled a chuckle when he spotted Kagome's hands frantically trying to flag him down from the confines of the inner crowd. With the height of the adults, the Tao could only imagine that the petite priestess was jumping and crossing her arms over head in an attempt to capture his attention. After finally reuniting, the group of teens rode the special tourist bus line through the sights of Anshun from the farms to the stone village to the Dragon's Palace and finally...

The party and crowd of tourists arrived at the Waterfall viewing Pavilion where they could take in splendor of Huangguoshu Waterfall from the perfect distance. The pavilion was a wooden walkway constructed along the canopy-shaded river that led from the falls.

Their current spot amongst towering trees gave them a spectacular view of the ever-rushing curtain of mist. The falls were as wide as they were ashen and were accompanied by lush forestry on either side. The group was left breathless as their sparkling eyes followed the flow of the gravity-gripped rapids. Even after its great fall, the deluge didn't end at the base of the incline. The waters continued on flowing and flowing into miniature falls that fed into shimmering, sea-green pools. The sodden boulders that were once mountain did not deter the ever-enduring current.

Sango was stunned at the picturesque scene.

The pictures that she once fawned over as a child did the live wonders no justice.

Words could not describe the flawless myriad of colors and symphony of sounds that surrounded her.

From the shushing waterfall to the songbirds that expressed their praises for life—it was so magnificent that Sango doubted her worthiness to stand where she stood.

Kagome was the first to break the silence of her group with an appreciative, exuberant breath.

"Careful, dummy," Ren warned as the priestess scurried to the edge of the walkway, shouldering her way to gaining access to the railway aligned with awestruck humans. She didn't need her eyes to know that her friends were following her example and gathering around the edge for a better view of the falls.

"So this is Huangguoshu..." Kagome whispered, her voice breathy before her mouth melted into a smile, "It's...so beautiful. Even though I know that I'm awake, this feels like something out of a dream."

"According to the guidebook, there are a few more good viewing spots for tourists," Jun informed them as she scanned over the printed literature. "There's one that'll give us a bird's eye view and one from almost directly below, at the base of the falls." She then smiled at Sango and added, "We can even visit Shuiliandong if you'd like."

HoroHoro, the one most unfamiliar with Chinese, tilted his head with his arms crossed. His face fixed with a stupefied expression, "Shu..." He paused, "Shui..." His short-circuiting brain emitted a plume of smoke as he gave up and questioned in Japanese, "Shuwhatsit?"

"Shuiliandong, HoroHoro," Sango shook her head with a smile before flicking his forehead, "It's a cave that naturally formed behind Huangguoshu." The others listened intently as she explained, "According to Journey to the West, this is the cave where Sun Wukong resides."

"Oh, that dude that Son Goku is based on!" HoroHoro grinned, having read Sota's Dragon Ball mangas while staying at the Higurashi shrine. "Awesome, we should definitely hit up that cave!" He pumped an excited fist.

"Just you so know, Sun Wukong is a terrible villain in the original story," Ren told him flatly. "He's the last legend that you'd want to meet." Sango joined Jun and Kagome in chuckling at HoroHoro striking a cheesy, faux-karate pose and declared that he feared no beast.

At their own leisure pace, the group continued on to the other viewing sights. They felt refreshed and rejuvenated from the heat at their spot near the base of the falls. The summer wind spritzed their warm, flushed skin with cool, mountain mist. Kagome reached out to the falls, allowing the water to beat against her hand. The repelled droplets bounced off her skin and pelted Ren, who stood a hair's length from her.

"Careful," He warned, his voice cool and indifferent despite the way he raised a hand and lightly flicked Kagome between the eyes.

HoroHoro took a page from Kagome's book and gathered as much water as possible before tossing it towards Sango's face.

"Oop—," Kagome covered her lips with her hand to muffle a giggle at Sango's face. Her tiny giggle earned her a light, admonishing bonk on the head and words from Ren.

Meanwhile, Sango's face was tight, stuck in the expression of shock and frustration as water dripped down her face. Her eyes were squeezed shut as her lips were pursed and fixed into a grimace. After being frozen for a few seconds to process what happened, Sango wiped her face by dragging her palm from her forehead to her chin. When she finally opened her eyes, there were blazing fireballs in place of her violet irises.

Jun looked on with a fond smile as HoroHoro hummed thoughtfully, gripping his chin as he looked Sango up and down while circling her, "You know, San-tan, angry and wet is a good look for you."

Of course, he ended up being chased around the area by a red-faced, steaming Sango, having to dodge and weave around other tourists.

"HoroHoro-kun no ecchi," Kagome muttered with amusement from behind her hand.

The group continued their exploration of the area, taking time to walk the karst caves. Kagome was awe of how the people of Anshun took the time to illuminate the limestone tunnels with lights of varying hues: pinks, blues, and yellows. It certainly wasn't what she expected but she was in awe of the rock formations and passages all the same. They spent a considerable amount of time searching for Sun Wukong. Their search began with HoroHoro cupping his hands around his mouth near the entrance and calling for the Monkey King.

Ren wasn't bothered by the strange looks that humans gave them but he still raised a brow and questioned, "You realize he's a fictional character, right?"

"You never know, Ren," Kagome smiled while patting his shoulder. "Humans think people like us are fictional too so you never know which legends are true~!" She told him before skipping after HoroHoro as he charged into the cave, continuing to call for the Sun Wukong. "HoroHoro-kun, let's check every nook and cranny," Ren heard the girl say as she caught up to the Usui.

"Those two really do take things at their own pace, don't they?" Jun asked before urging Sango and Ren to catch up. "Come now. Let's not get left behind."

Their final destination was the landing constructed to provide a view from the great falls from the sky. They had the option to ascend to the deck via a weathered, stone staircase or via a modern escalator that seemed out of place amongst the surrounding, natural beauty. The shamans were unsurprised that the humans flocked to the escalator, crowding and clogging the thin, automated passage.

"Well?" Jun clicked her mirror compact shut after she finished fixing her bangs. She aimed her gaze at Kagome, "Which route shall we take, Tao Princess?"

Kagome smiled and cupped her hands behind her back. With light-hearted skips, she made her way over to the staircase then twirled around to face her friends. "It's not the most convenient path but it reminds me of home."

It wasn't much later that they arrived at the highlight of Sango's day. Years ago, she wanted to visit this magical place with Kohaku. When she was a child, she wanted to share this scene with him. She wanted to witness the falls, the dense forest, the steep peaks, the deep gorges, the racing rivers, and the pooling lakes with him. 'Kohaku, this is it. The promised land beyond the walls of the branch house...'

Kagome spotted the way Sango clutched the small sack that she had tied around her waist. The priestess took Sango's hand and led her closer to the guard rail. After the priestess released her hand, the pair was joined by Ren, who stood at Kagome's left, and HoroHoro, who stood to Sango's direct right. Jun joined them by standing directly behind Sango. Jun offered her support by placing her hands on Sango's shoulder, a gesture that made them slump for just a moment.

'Kohaku...' Sango thought back to what she had to do to stop Yura and save HoroHoro. 'You understand why I had to stop you, right?' She thought as she unfastened the sack at her waist. Her fingers worked to unwind the threads that keep its contents secure. 'Kohaku, I know that it's not how we imagined, but we made it here, together.'

Sango's vision became obscured by burning moisture that gathered in her eyelids.

'After they killed you back then, my world was shattered, along with my kindness.'

The Tao shook her head negatively, not wanting to cry here—not or this occasion.

She had to change her way of thinking. She had to believe this was a celebration.

'Or so I thought. I met someone special—.' Sango remembered Kagome jumping from a swing to prove that she cared for someone. 'And she made me realize that my kindness never died—that my heart shattered but it still lived.'

'It's not just Kagome-chan either. All of my friends...' Sango looked to her left and received nods from Kagome and Ren. She then shared a smile with HoroHoro. Hers was searching, and his was supportive.

'They've set me free, and so—.' She glanced down at the contents of her sack for the last time. 'I'll do the same for you!' With a powerful swing of her arm, she released her grip on the sack. Initially, all eyes were on the sack that soared through the air, but it was then the contents that stole the show. A cloud of dark particles plumed outward, blooming like a firework in the sky.

'Kohaku,' Sango's lip quivered despite herself. Today was a celebration. She was supposed to send him off with a smile. 'This is goodbye.'

Were celebrations supposed to be so painful?

Sango allowed her fingers to intertwine with HoroHoro's after he took her hand.

Together, the party watched as Kohaku was taken by the wind.

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

There was one day left for their vacation. It was during another trip to a bath house that Jun asked Kagome where she wanted to go for their final day off dance lessons and training. Kagome brought her fingers to her lips in a thoughtful pose.

"We should go somewhere that can be fun and relaxing..." Kagome whispered, considering the diverse personalities in her friend group. She then lifted her head and beamed, "How about a trip to the beach?"

Sango nodded and opened her mouth to vocalize her agreement but Jun was quicker on the draw. Her green eyes sparkled at the idea, "That's perfect. Shall we purchase a private beach~?"

"No need!" Kagome quickly dissented. "A public one will work just fine!"

"I don't know, Kagome-chan," Jun looked unconvinced. "I think we've had enough of moving amongst the masses," she turned her attention to her cousin, "Right, Sango?"

Sango didn't hesitate to voice her nonchalance, "It makes no difference to me. I'm fine with whatever the majority wants."

"Sango-dear, you're sure easy to please," Jun responded with mild surprise. She then paused for a moment as she considered her cousin's upbringing until now. Yes, it made sense. Jun turned her attention back to Kagome and flinched upon discovering the priestess' cupped hands and glittering eyes. "K-Kagome-chan, I have an adorable younger brother. Stuff like that won't work on me..."

Jun did not sound convincing.

Kagome's puppydog eyes didn't waver, "Please, Onee-chan."

Jun squealed as she shot through the chest with an arrow, its head shaped like a heart, "Ahn~!" The elder Tao doubled over at the shock of her heart skipping a beat. "Sure, let's look into the best public beach around."

Sango sweat dropped when Kagome's face returned to normal, 'Jun didn't stand a chance.'

After a long, hot soak, the young women met up with Ren and HoroHoro as they were emerging from the men's changing room. With their totes and bags over their shoulders, the teens headed towards the foyer of the bath house. "Kagome-chan, you know what would have been perfect after that bath?" HoroHoro queried with a content smile.

"A bottle of cold milk~?" Kagome asked back with a confirming tone.

"You betcha. Next time, the bathhouse needs to be Japanese," He stated while raising his fist to the priestess, he grinned when she bumped it with her own.

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

Kagome awoke to the dark silence of her hotel room. Having turned all light sources off hours ago, she couldn't even make out the pristine whiteness of the ceiling. Annoyingly, it was a full bladder that roused her from her comfortable sleep. The girl sighed and sat up at the edge of her bed. She slid her feet into her pink, fuzzy kitten slippers before standing up. It took but a few minutes to pad her way from her bed to the bathroom and receive relief. It was after she clicked the bathroom light off that she realized that bladder drainage was not the only need that required fulfilling.

Kagome immediately sprung into action to execute the plan that her brain hatched. With her pajamas including a matching short-sleeved top and capri lounge pants aligned with ruffles, Kagome slipped into a light jacket to complete her ensemble. She then grabbed her petite coin-purse by its strap and exited her room. With the door being heavy and powered by a springing mechanism, Kagome was sure to guide the door into closing as gently and softly as possible to not disturb her friends in their nearby rooms. Once the door was secured, she turned around and was not surprised to find the hall and entire building to be quiet and dim.

Without hesitation, Kagome took a few steps forward so that she stood in front of the door directly across from hers. Instead of knocking, she pulled her phone from her purse and tapped on the proper buttons to call her would-be partner in crime. Despite the call going to voice mail, she remained faithfully at the door, waiting patiently for a response from within. Not a minute later, she heard the sound of the door unlocking and opening.

Ren's face was deadpanned as he stood in his doorway, "Don't tell me..."

"Hungry," He and Kagome stated in unison.

Golden eyes scanned Kagome's pajama clad form, "You're going out dressed like that?"

Kagome nodded as she clasped her hands behind her back and made a point of mimicking Ren, looking him up and down. His pajamas consisted of a silky but light long-sleeve top, full-length lounge pants, and blue monkey slippers. "And so are you~" She told him with a smile that he couldn't argue with.

Being a smaller city, Anshun was almost desolate at 3:00 AM. The majority of businesses and establishments that aligned the streets were dark and closed for business. It was unlike Tokyo where one could walk only a few blocks and find various businesses with illuminated lobbies that called you in for a late night transaction. It was different, but it was still nice. Kagome clutched her coin purse as she and Ren walked the noiseless neighborhood almost aimlessly. "Thanks for coming out with me, Ren," she smiled softly.

Despite having a goal of finding a place to purchase snacks and quick-eats, the pair was not in a hurry.

If they were, they would have used their phones to Google the closest, open convenient store or restaurant.

"Like I had a choice," He countered with a small smirk and huffed chuckle.

Kagome followed his energy and closed her eyes, sticking her nose in the air, "You always have a choice, Ren, and you chose correctly."

'I chose you,' the Tao didn't dare voice that thought. Instead he rolled his eyes, "Tch, yeah, yeah. If I said no, you wouldn't stop till you got your way."

"Hey, I resent that!" Kagome huffed before skipping a few strides ahead of him. She then turned away and faced Ren while walking backwards, "Besides, how could a lowly peasant like me force the mighty Tao heir to do what she wants?"

Ren looked amused as he told her, "Knowing you, you'd bat those pretty eye lashes of your—." When Kagome's eyes widened and cheeks were aflame, Ren instantly felt his own face burning upon realizing his slip up, "Oh, shut up!"

Kagome didn't have the chance to melt as she halted her stride to bark back, "I didn't say anything!"

"You don't need to," Ren didn't bother stopping as he passed her by. He merely grabbed her hand as he glared ahead, "I saw your head inflating with my own eyes."

"Yeah, right," Kagome huffed but allowed him to pull her down the street and towards a source of light in the distance. The soft light up ahead illuminated the flushness of Ren's ears and profile. Unbeknownst to the Tao, her eyes and smiled were directed at him. She allowed him to lead her down the street and towards the one store open at this hour: a 24-hour convenient store. Ren only released Kagome to open the door and allow her inside.

The sole store attendant tried to hide her shock to greet such young (pajama clad) customers but her concern didn't bother neither Kagome nor Ren. The former readily offered a warm greeting before following the latter down the first aisle to browse the goods. The pair sauntered the length of the entire store, chatting amongst themselves as their eyes scanned over the variety of products that ranged from chips to first-aid and liquor. Ren was particularly interested in the buffet-style station aligned with hot food under heating lamps.

After about fifteen minutes, their spread of goodies was being scanned and bagged by the cashier. As the college-age young woman nearly finished her task, Kagome placed her purse on the counter and unsnapped it. Before she could ask for the total, Ren placed his card on the counter, "I've got it."

"Uh, no," Kagome interjected with moderate sass. "You're always treating me, Ren. Let me pay for something for once," she swiped his card and placed it back in his hand.

Ren's neutral expression soured into a scowl, his eyes narrowing. "It's a non-issue," He insisted as he extended the card towards the cashier, who was watching their exchange with wide eyes and an awkward smile. "I'm paying," He told the young woman.

"Sure," The cashier agreed, trying to keep a customer service smile as she reached for the card, pausing when Kagome looked displeased.

"I'm the one who dragged you out here," The girl was almost pouting. "It's the least I could do."

"Hmph," Ren smirked when the cashier opted to resume the transaction with his card. "I always have a choice," he told her, relishing in the way Kagome's mouth fell open. He ignored the way the priestess shook his shoulder and told him not to use her own ammo against her.

A while later, the pair settled down on a bench near a streetlight that they passed along the way from the hotel to the store. "Here you go," Kagome handed Ren a warm package of food before peering down into the plastic bag to choose something for herself.

"You grabbed nothing but junk," Ren stated as he opened his package and pulled out a steaming bao.

Kagome looked as if she took offense to his observation, "So?" She challenged.

"So none of that crap will actually fill you up," He explained before sinking his teeth into his umami bun.

"That's where you're wrong," Kagome smiled as she pulled her own warm package from the bag. She pulled out a golden, check-patterned piece of bread within. "A pineapple bun," she sounded proud before she explained, "This one caught my eye because I've only tried pineapple once. You don't see it very often in Japan." She didn't catch Ren's mirthful smirk as she went for a bite.

...

...

Kagome's once glowing expression damped into disappointed bemusement as she thoroughly masticated her bread snack. She swallowed the first bite before scowling a bit, "What a ripoff. I don't taste any pineapple."

"That's because there's no pineapple," Ren sounded a bit too pleased to tell her. "It's named after the pattern on top," He explained, not hiding his delight in her surprise. "The crumble topping looks like pineapple skin."

"Oh, come on!" Kagome whined and huffed. "You were just waiting for me to get let down, weren't you?"

"Your ignorance isn't my problem, but to make it up to you—" Ren countered before extending his bao towards Kagome. "You can have a few bites." He didn't intend for the offer to be a romantic gesture but the way Kagome paused and stared at his bite mark made him blush. Without answering, the girl leaned over and accepted the offering, taking a generous bite out of the bao.

When she straightened up, Kagome found herself smiling as she covered her mouth with modesty.

She definitely tasted well-seasoned beef and aromatic vegetables to complement it.

Kagome was about to regret not grabbing a bao for herself when—.

"MMRPH!" Her eyes doubled in size as capsaicin surged from her tongue to her mouth. "Ho! Hoooo!" Kagome panted as she fanned her mouth. The sound of Ren's snickering earned him a teary-eyed glare and cry of, "Tao Ren, you are an actual devil!"

"Don't be such a baby," Ren smirked while handing her a can of chilled milk tea. "Just chase it down with this and be quiet."

Kagome hastily pulled the tab and lifted the can to her lips to chug down the beverage. Normally she would have met Ren with a sassy remark but relieving the searing discomfort in her mouth was top priority. It was only after she emptied the can that she took a deep breath and double forward. "Ah, I thought I was going to die," she sighed.

"It wasn't that bad," The teen next to her stated as he casually polished off the remainder of the bun. He then pulled a bag of potato chips from the bag that was nestled between them, "Here. I'll give you half of these."

"No way," Kagome glared at him, "The brand name is printed in a flame font!"

The two only headed back to the hotel after they finished their remaining snacks. Once again, Kagome and Ren walked side by side on their small journey. Kagome was smiling while staring up at the starry-night sky above them. This trip was reminiscent of the late-night snack runs she, Yoh, and Manta would go on last year.

"So..." Ren broached, his voice almost in a whisper. "You ready to talk yet?"

"Tomorrow," Kagome answered simply, her smile widening a bit.

"Tomorrow," Ren echoed as if he was confirming an appointment or a deal.

"Tomorrow," Kagome's final whisper settled it.

The next day, Ren and HoroHoro found themselves waiting on a bench outside of the changing public changing rooms. "Why does this keep happening?" Ren questioned while propping his cheek onto his cheek boredly.

"A man like you has nothing to complain about," HoroHoro told him. "Anyone would be grateful that a girl like Kagome-chan is prettying herself up for them."

"Kagome doesn't need to pretty herself up," Ren countered. When it to came the priestess, there were plenty of times that her groggy face and bedhead made him blush. "Besides, I doubt that she's doing that for me."

"You really need to get with the program, brother," HoroHoro sighed before crossing his arms. "I know Kagome-chan didn't notice you before, but things can change. So when you see her, make sure you make her efforts feel appreciated."

The Tao raised a brow at his friend and queried flatly, "Since when were you the relationship expert?"

"I don't know what you mean," the blunette grinned. "It doesn't take an expert to know the basics."

Not a moment later, the young women emerged from the changing room. "Sorry for the wait," Jun's voice caught the young men's attention and prompted both to turn to face them fully.

[Badump!]

Jun's smile became knowingly and cat-like. She was pleased knowing that the swimsuits and hairstyles that she picked were a huge success.

HoroHoro was surrounded by a sparkly background as his mouth became a dopey, open-mouthed grin.

Sango was shyly stroking her loose, flowing locks that was usually kept up in a bun or ponytail. She shuffled her feet, feeling unusually exposed in her pink swimsuit. Her swimwear was a two-piece and was qipao inspired with a traditional qipao collar at the top and a short, hip-hugging skirt as the bottoms. Normally she wouldn't tolerate lecherous advances but something about the rivulet of drool dribbling down HoroHoro's chin made Sango feel oddly warm, satisfied.

Ren's cheeks were warm-colored as he wore a flustered scowl. He knew that his sister had to be behind Kagome's ensemble. She wore a matching white bikini set with pink Ren flowers printed across the material. The girl's beachwear was complete with an asymmetrical wrap around her waist, tied off at her side to show off her right thigh like a slitted dress. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail at the side of her head.

"Enough drooling, boys," Jun purposely spoke aloud, earning chuckles from passersby and blushes from Ren and HoroHoro. "Let's find a good spot to spread our blanket."

As usual, the younger teens fell in line behind Jun as she led them. Kagome and Ren walked immediately behind Jun with HoroHoro and Sango behind them. Ren stole few a glances at Kagome from his peripheral.

Peek.

Blush. Avert.

Peek. Blush. Avert. Inwardly sulk.

"Kagome..." He finally stole her attention away from the glittering waters. His blush deepened at her curious, innocent, 'Hm?' and head tilt. "Your hair—." She blinked. "I-I mean your ponytail..." He muttered while lowering his head and stuffing his hands into his hoodie pockets. "It looks good."

"You've complimented my hair in a ponytail before," Kagome pointed out before asking without batting an eyelash, "Do you have a thing for them?"

Ren's head rose as he bellowed, "Don't be ridiculous!" He blushed intensely from the insinuation. "It's not the ponytail, it's—...!" Ren had to stop himself when he saw the way Kagome seemed so collected despite their topic of conversation.

His lack of effect on her reminded Ren of his resolve—what he needed to do, and what he should have done long ago.

As the group of teens were searching for a suitable spot to claim in the sand, Jun pointed towards a vendor stand that was selling flavored, shaved ice, "Renny, HoroHoro-kun, how about you two get some snacks for us?"

"I'll go too," Sango offered with an easygoing smile. "I'm pretty sure it'll be easier to carry with six hands instead of four."

"Sure, I think I see a spot with plenty of space over there," Jun gestured towards the sandy embankment. "Come on, Kagome-chan," she slung an arm around Kagome's shoulder guided her away, "Let's set up our spot, shall we~?"

Kagome nodded and remarked in a sunny voice, "Yeah. And I'm impressed that you're taking vacationing like an average kid so well." With her eyes on the vast body of water, she didn't the way Jun's brows rose and lips pursed in an awkward, guilty expression.

"Yes..." the Tao's slow, reluctant answer set off no alarms with Kagome because the priestess had spotted the perfect spot to set up their supplies. Jun trailed behind her, preparing to cancel the same-day delivery and installment of her personalized cabana once they settled in. "Let me help you."

The pair then got to work in rolling out their set of beach blankets and planting stands to hold their wide, shady umbrellas. "So Kagome-chan, today is the last day of this little get away of ours," Jun spoke casually as she smoothed out some lumps and wrinkles from a blanket. "Starting tomorrow, it's back to dance lessons for you." The Tao scowled at a particular lump that was oddly not malleable like the other sandy lumps beneath the blanket. "Have you gotten the chance to clear the air with Renny yet?"

"Mmm..." Kagome's reluctant hum told Jun all that she needed to know, but the priestess continued speaking, "Not yet but we'll definitely talk."

"I'm not just saying this because he's my brother, Kagome-chan," Jun stated as she climbed onto a blanket and beneath an umbrella, allowing only her lower legs to be exposed to the sun. "But whatever it is, Ren won't turn his back on you. You know that, right?"

Kagome spotted Ren, HoroHoro, and Sango making their way from the sidewalk where the vendor set up and down the stairs that led to the beach. Ren was exchanging words with Sango, both looking content and comfortable—nothing like how they used to be. "I know," Kagome whispered.

By the time the other three teens joined them at their spot, Kagome and Jun successfully set out a spread of blankets, umbrellas, along with their totebags.

'Poff, poff'! Kagome patted a spot next to her, "Sango-chan, I saved you the best seat on the beach."

Sango giggled as she handed a snow cone topped with strawberry syrup to Kagome, "It's only the best because it's next to you~" then she gingerly parked herself next to her best friend.

Kagome gripped her cheek with a coy smile, "Oh, stop. You're making me blush."

Waterfall tears streamed down HoroHoro's cheeks as he and Ren sat down, the latter handing a cone to his grateful sister. "Wah, Kagome-chan is really stealing my thunder," His aura was gloomy as he observed the brilliant, colorful background surrounding the girls. "She's a natural at flirting with San-tan."

"With you here, she doesn't have much competition," Ren quipped with a smirk that made HoroHoro's tears gush out.

After sharing their frozen treats and relaxing with the moist air, the beach activities began with a volleyball game. Another group of teenagers, compromised of three young men and two young women, passed by, carrying a disassembled and ball. Ren noticed the way Kagome, Sango, and Jun caught the young men's eyes, prompting them to pause and introduce themselves.

HoroHoro seemed to be the only one besides Ren who picked up on the young mens' overtly friendly attitudes and flushed cheeks as they invited all of them to join their volleyball game. The teen girls in the other group didn't seem bothered.

Regardless of how wary HoroHoro and Ren felt, they stood no chance against Kagome the social butterfly. She readily accepted the invitation, prompting the rest of her group to accompany her. Sango and Jun went for the experience while HoroHoro and Ren accompanied for the sake of preventing any hankypanky.

Their beach court setup was not a chore with the amount of participants. They easily decided to have a Boys versus Girls game. With Sango and Jun backing up the challenging words that Kagome aimed at Ren and HoroHoro, auras were flaring before the game even began.

Ren had no intention on taking it easy on Kagome—

—and he didn't need to because the game ended in an overwhelming victory for the girls.

Between Sango's physical prowess, Kagome's aptitude for volleyball, Ren's and HoroHoro's inability to cooperate without bickering over their formation, and the random guy's noses bleeding and being dazed by the bouncing, bikini-clad bosoms, the boy's team stood no chance.

Moreover, the lovestruck acquaintances failed tremendously at scoring a date with Kagome, Sango, and Jun. Ren and HoroHoro "happened" to appear with a way to redirect the girls' attention every time they were approached for their numbers.

Later that day, Kagome found herself assisting a pair of toddlers in building a sand castle near the shore. Initially, the priestess hurried to one of the children's sides when the small child tripped and fell. Kagome quickly looked left and right after she helped the child into a standing position. With no sign of an adult in sight, Kagome made quick work of using her powers to heal the abrasion on the girl's knee. Afterwards, the little girl introduced herself and invited Kagome to join her and her brother in building their castle.

At that time, Sango, HoroHoro, and Jun returned to their blankets to cool off and unwind from their intense game. But Ren remained nearby, undoubtedly to keep an eye out for Kagome. As the priestess listened to the toddler's plan for their castle, Ren approached and silently assessed the situation. He was unsurprised when Kagome accepted a plastic shovel from the children. Kagome looked up at him and smiled, "Hey, Ren. Wanna help us build the world's largest sand castle? I promise to grant you honorary citizenship if you do~!"

"And I wanna pwetty shwell on the taaalllleest tower~!" The little girl added while standing on her tippy-toes and stretching her arms.

"Hmph," Ren's expression was inscrutable as he crossed his arms and listened to the children's desires and aspirations. A few minutes later, with no words, the Tao turned heel and proceeded to walk away.

Kagome paused in her bailing of moist sand into her plastic pale, "Wait, Ren! Where are you going?!" Without pausing or facing her, Ren responded something about having an important task with a wave of his hand that bid them 'adieu'.

"There's consequences for being no fun, you know!" The priestess called out after him, huffing a bit. While building a sand castle didn't seem like Ren's first choice for a beach activity, she still couldn't help but find the idea of building one with him to be exciting.

A while later when Ren returned, he discovered that Kagome and the children's construction was well underway. They build a distinct wall around their kingdom and was currently filling the space with pale-shaped structures. When Kagome noticed Ren's approached, she jumped to her feet with a twig in hand. "Hold it right there," She commanded while aiming the end of the twig at Ren.

The Tao's brows furrowed but he obeyed the priestess, halting in his steps while allowing her to approach him with powerful strides. "Tao Ren, you deserted the royal family in their time of need," She told him firmly. "Because of your cowardice and treason, you are not permitted within the bounds of our territory." Ren's eyes followed her movements as she moved around him. She dragged her twig along the moist sand until she formed a square around Ren.

"There," Kagome was satisfied with her handiwork so she tossed the twig inside the square and clapped excess sand off her hands, "You're not allowed outside of this box. Everything else is my territory."

Ren didn't flinch or falter when Kagome faced him with a smug look, her arms crossed her over chest.

"Fine," His shoulders shrugged a bit, "then you're not allowed inside of my territory," Ren then lifted his arm. Kagome's eyes widened at the ombre, white and pink shell that he held daintily between his fingers, "Not even for this."

"Leave it to Tao Ren, the deserter, to play this dirty," Kagome muttered while using her foot to destroy one of the lines, allowing Ren access to her make-believe territory. With their agreement, the pair proceeded to help the toddlers build their dream castle. Ren offered his assistance intermittently, merely obeying the orders that Kagome and the children gave them.

At one point, Ren was absently dragging his finger through the wet sand. His eyes were focused on the result of his wandering mind. Between the Shaman Fights and the upcoming gala, there were so many important events approaching sooner than later. He needed to focus, but the wild card known as Kagome was intricately involved in all of his plans.

"Ren, wha'cha doin'?" Kagome's sudden appearance behind him made the Tao scramble to erase his tracing in the sand. He used the upcoming tide to smear more sand on top of his tracing, erasing his sand carving from her prying eyes. "Oooookay..." she sweat dropped at how strange he was acting. Ren was relieved, her bewilderment meant that she didn't spot her own name on the mushy shore.

Many of the beach-goers were beginning to wrap up their festivities as dusk approached. The group of shamans, however, were not prepared to depart just yet. HoroHoro was too busy impressing Sango and Jun by creating snow cones using Kororo's abilities.

It was at the first sign of day's end that Kagome rose from her blanket and announced that she was going to take one last walk along the beach. Ren's eyes shifted from Kagome's back to Jun, who nodded silently to him. There was an unspoken agreement to allow the two this time to themselves.

The sinking sun was casting warm colors on the horizon. The golden waves wavered as they came to the shore. Kagome welcomed the evening breeze with a smile as she released her hair from her scrunchie. Ren followed close behind her, his hands tucked within his hoodie pockets. They walked in silence for a while, meandering along the shoreline until beach umbrellas were out of sight. Eventually, Ren tailed Kagome to a dock that extended from the shore many meters out to the lake.

Kagome and Ren walked the expanse in comfortable silence, the Tao still acting as her shadow as they moved. Once she arrived at the edge, Kagome stopped and turned to Ren, an orange glow traced her profile. "Okay, this seems like a good spot for a chat, right?"

"Hmph, I was wondering how far out you'd take me," Ren replied, a small smirk on his lips. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were planning some sort of ambush."

"Nothing gets past you, Tao Ren," Kagome chuckled before carefully sitting at the edge of the dock, allowing her legs to dangle over. Her smile remained as he settled next to her. Her brows furrowed subtly as the upturn of her lips became strained. "So..." she breathed her words. "Here we go."

"Don't make it weird. All we have to do is talk," Ren told her flatly. He then aimed his gaze for the retiring sun. "We both obviously have something to say but I don't mind you going first." With how long this ordeal had been dragged out, he expected Kagome to take her time in responding. But she threw him off when she answered immediately.

"I've heard that your family and the Asakura family proposed a dual courtship," Kagome struck swiftly and boldly. Her abruptness made Ren stiffen and redden. "You and Yoh..." the girl's hands cupped her lap and felt her temperature rising, "...both courting me."

Ren swallowed, his throat sudden arid.

With the seclusion of this spot and the romantic mosaic of colors, this was not how he pictured the topic on his mind coming up.

But alas, Kagome played by her own rules when she had an agenda.

"So you already know about that..." The Tao wanted to pivot from his shock but with this the curve ball, he ended up unsure of how to proceed. His original plan was to hear out what was weighing on Kagome's mind, comfort her, then bring up the elephant that had been in the room for months. It had been apparent that no one, even that damn Yoh who got to spend the most time with her, officially broke the news of the proposal to her after all this time. So Ren presumed that the mothers were leaving the task to him and Yoh.

Ren ran his hand through his bangs then sighed, "Damn it. You always have to give me a hard time, huh?"

Kagome finally lifted her eyes and tilted her head for a peek at Ren's face. Despite his embarrassment and nearly tongue-tied state, Ren met her gaze. "Honestly..." she offered an apologetic smile. "I knew about it for a while, but I..." She scratched her warm cheek, "...didn't want to answer until I was certain of how I wanted to go forward."

"Since you're saying all of this, I guess you finally have an answer," Ren surmised while trying to keep a cool demeanor. However, past his collected tone, Kagome saw traces of trepidation in his eyes. He was restless and perturbed, and for that—Kagome felt a twang of guilt.

It was all because of her—because she took so long to notice his feelings...and her own.

"I do," She confirmed, her voice becoming softer as the traces of the sun faded to dark hues of blue. "But before I answer that, there's something I want to tell you," she explained with a rising undertone of gravity, "There's something important that you need to know before you make any decisions about me and the future."

Ren's next breath was accompanied by a modicum of relief, "So you're finally ready to tell me," he then made himself comfortable by leaning back with his arms supporting his torso.

"Mmhm..." Kagome nodded before admitting with a bittersweet chuckle, "I'd ready to tell you, but... Even now, I'm terrified and unsure." She lifted her eyes to the sky to observe the final transformation from dusk to evening. "The truth is, even now, I don't know if telling you is in anyone's best interest. Once you know the truth, it'll change everything."

That's right.

Kagome the Absolute was the Kagome with access to all of the power that she accumulated over countless timelines.

The memories and feelings of all the Kagome's had ever been were swimming beneath her skin.

Despite all of this, she was still just Kagome.

She was not omniscient.

There was no guarantee that she was on the right path to the Happy Ending.

A passing breeze swept by, caressing and rustling their hair. While Ren found the wind refreshing, he noted Kagome trembled like an autumn leaf. The girl unconsciously pulled her knees to her chest to conserve her body heat.

"Kagome..." Her name was a whisper on his tongue as he slid his hoodie around her shoulders. Ren cracked a smile when she willingly adorned the garment and buried herself into his heat. "No one can tell the future for certain, and it's true that every action has a consequence. But know this—."

"No matter how many years pass by and even if the entire world turns on you," Ren was emboldened when Kagome's vulnerable eyes met his. To emphasize his words, his hands raised hers from her lap. Just as he did when he told her to rely on him to make her wish come true, Ren clasped Kagome's hands firmly. "I'll always be on your side. That's something that will never change."

Kagome eyes widened.

Her chest felt overwhelmingly full.

It was like tiny pieces of her soul were whispering to her heart.

They were telling her about a man who loved her soul.

They were telling her about a man who loved her when she was lost.

"Thing is..." Kagome's voice was just audible above the sloshing of the tides against the dock. "This kind of truth..." She wanted to tell him.

'Oh, Ren... I don't need protecting. I'm not weak, but I want to depend on you.'

But was it the right decision? Would sharing this secret steer the wheels of fate in the right direction?

Another Kagome showed her the image of Ren's lifeless body followed by the image of her soul collapsing.

Mind break.

"...could shatter you," Kagome murmured beneath her breath, more to herself than to Ren.

"Just shatter me then," Ren answered without delay. When Kagome's eyes widened, he nodded and kept his grip on her hands, "It's nothing you haven't done before."

He almost chuckled when Kagome's surprised expression dropped into confusion, "What?"

"The moment you walked into my life, you shattered everything I thought that I knew," Ren told her without a hint of malice in his voice. Finally, he released his hold on Kagome's hand, not knowing how she immediately missed his warmth and strength. "Besides, there'll be no reason for anyone to be crushed, because—"

Kagome's heart skipped a beat at Ren's soothing smile.

"—we'll be sharing that weight, won't we? Eh—." Ren bristled and immediately leaned close to cup Kagome's cheeks as tears slid down them. "What are you doing?" he quirked a brow, "I'm telling you that everything will work out, crybaby."

Kagome hiccuped and couldn't help her cry-giggles as Ren proceeded to squish her cheeks while spewing insincere insults at her, all resulting in more chuckles.

The open water reflected the sea of stars in the heavens as Kagome told Ren everything—from the beginning.

All the while, Yoh and Manta was on the engawa at his house in Funbari Hill, bathing in the same starlight as Kagome.

Next to Yoh sat his cellphone.

It was just the night before that he receive that fateful text message from Kagome.

"I'm going to tell Ren."

---

Authoress' Notes: And there's my first update of 2023, I intend to update more frequently. The keyword is intend. I can't plan for writer's block and life. I intended for this chapter to be out by the new year and here we are. Oh well, better late than never, hopefully! My birthday was yesterday (May 28th for people who don't read this until afterward), so if you have any thoughts please drop them in a comment or review. It would be a great belated present to yours truly!