I have created a Spotify Playlist of the songs used, so you don't have to go hunting for them. The Playlist will be updated as the fic is updated, so there'll be no spoilers about what's coming down the road.
Link is in my profile.
"Kagome! Over here!" Kagome could hear her name being called by Sango in the lobby of the auditorium, just as she and her other classmates had emerged from the backstage area, changed from their formal attire and into more casual wear. They were all eager to greet their friends and family who came to see their performances, as well as potentially collect any business cards from representatives of agencies and orchestras who came to view them. She waved at them before quickly telling Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka that she'll catch up with them later.
As they trio left to find their own families, Kagome was greeted by the group, their compliments already starting.
"Kagome, you were amazing!" Shippo clapped as her face already began to flush a bright red.
"Thanks Shippo! I'm so glad you all could all come! I really appreciated seeing you guys out in the audience," Kagome replied, her voice sincere.
"There's no way we would've missed that performance, not in a million years!" Miroku continued.
Kagome thanked them for the compliments before she looked Inuyasha's way. He was off to the side, as was his way, staying quiet, but comforting in his presence. She smiled at him, not really paying much mind to what the others were saying before she was shaken from her gaze.
"Hey Kagome!"
"Huh?" she turned quickly, and there stood Kouga with a vibrant bouquet of roses, leaving Kagome wondering, 'Kouga? What's he doing here?'
He handed her the flowers, "Congratulations, Kagome! That was a pretty spectacular performance you gave," he cheered as she accepted the bouquet gingerly.
"Oh, thanks Kouga. I gotta be honest, I wasn't expecting to see you here," Kagome replied thankfully.
"Well, when you told me which school you were going to, I may have looked it up and applied for a ticket to the performance as a representative for the studio," he answered, nervously scratching the back of his neck at his admission before he continued to explain, "After our last session, I couldn't miss your official debut."
Kagome's laughed nervously, giving a polite, "Oh, I see. Well, I appreciate your coming to see the performance."
His grin was unmistakable, but Kouga's attention soon turned to look over her shoulder, his stare becoming cold as he and Inuyasha locked onto each other.
"Hey mutt-face," Kouga muttered.
"Hey yourself, ya mangy wolf," Kagome could hear Inuyasha's retort, his voice low and aggressive. She looked over her shoulder, the aggravation clear in his face.
"Um, is everything okay?" Kagome asked, looking back and forth between the two, unsure why the air suddenly felt very tense.
"Don't worry about them," Sango interrupted, pulling Kagome to the side and out of the line of fire, "These two are always at each other's throats. Some kinda alpha-male bullshit."
"You learn to live with it," Shippo shrugged jokingly.
Kouga eventually broke the staring contest between the two, turning his attention back on Kagome and ignoring his half-demon colleague, "Anyways, I just wanted to say how great your performance was, and I'm really looking forward to our session next week."
"Oh right!" Kagome exclaimed, "We're laying those official tracks next week! I almost forgot."
"No worries!" Kouga replied, "You rest up. You've earned a break, and I wanna see you bring that same energy for the session."
Kagome just replied with a nervous giggle, "Sure thing."
"I'll see ya later, and congrats again!" Kouga reiterated before taking his leave, disappearing into the crowd almost as quickly as he appeared.
"What just happened?" Kagome asked, feeling she'd been caught in a momentary whirlwind, "Is he always like that?"
Sango nodded, "Unfortunately. He kinda just comes and goes in the blink of an eye. It's a little annoying, but you get used to it."
Kagome, remembering the flowers in her hands, leaned in to smell the bouquet, feeling that familiar stare crawling up her spine again. She looked over and saw Inuyasha giving her a look that she couldn't quite place before he turned his head to the side in a mild effort to hide his discomfort.
What was his deal? Kagome was genuinely curious about what the situation was with him and Kouga. They worked together, but they seemed to really despise each other. She couldn't imagine it was a terribly great environment to be in constantly, and wondered how Sango and the others dealt with it. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to be around them at the same like that again anytime soon. It was defintiely uncomfortable.
However, before Kagome could give it another thought, Sango shouted over the crowd, "Mrs. Higurashi! Over here!"
Kagome turned in the direction Sango had shouted and spotted her family, the crowd making way for them as they proceeded towards the group. It took Kagome only a second to realize that her father was there; in a wheelchair and covered in a blanket and sweaters, but he was there nonetheless. He made it to the performance. She had been so unsure, but seeing him here, his body frail but his smile wide and bright immediately eliciting excitement from her soul.
"Dad! You made it!" Kagome cried as she approached her family, crouching in front of her father as he took her hands in his.
"My wonderful Kagome, you did beautifully out there," her father complimented, his voice weak in volume, but deep and soothing.
"I'm so glad you were able to make it. I was so worried you wouldn't have come. Mama told me you may not have been up for it the last time we spoke," Kagome said, her voice cracking as she was clearly becoming a little emotional.
"And she nearly had her way, but there was no way I was going to miss my little girl's biggest night," he joked, "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart."
Kagome quickly tried to wipe the tears that began to stream down her cheeks as she spoke, "Thanks, Dad. That means so much to me."
She could feel his hands give her another squeeze before loosening his grip, and asking, gesturing behind her, "Well then, who are all these fine young people? Won't you introduce us, Kagome?"
Kagome looked over her shoulder and saw as Sango and the others approached tentatively, "Oh, these are my friends. You guys already know Sango, and these are her bandmates. I asked them to come to the show as well."
Sango gave a polite smile nod, "It's great to see you again, glad to see you're in good spirits."
"You as well, dear," Mama Higurashi replied, her demure but warm smile present.
Kagome continued to introduce her friends, "This is Sango's boyfriend, Miroku. And these two are their bandmates, Inuyasha and Shippo."
The three men gave polite nods as Kagome introduced them, though Inuyasha seemed nervous. It felt like Kagome's grandfather, the stout older man beside her parents, was staring him and Shippo down. Inuyasha had seen that look many times before. It wasn't anything new to him.
However, before he could make a rude comment, asking what the old-man's deal was, Kagome's brother chimed in, "Nice ta meetcha! I'm Souta!"
After a few moments of polite conversation between them, Kagome turned to her parents, "Are you guys gonna head on home?"
Her mother nodded, "Yes, I'd like to get your father back into bed so he can rest. It's been a hectic day."
"I'll come with you then," Kagome started to say.
Her father interjected, raising his arms feebly in an attempt to flex, "Nonsense! I feel fantastic! Besides, you should enjoy your night and celebrate with your friends, Kagome."
"Are you sure?" Kagome asked, not wanting her father to feel like she was choosing to hang out with her friends instead of her family.
"It's alright, dear. He's right, you should celebrate this milestone with your friends tonight. We'll get your father home safely, and we'll see you tomorrow for your birthday," Mama reassured her.
Kagome's worry soon faded in to a gentle smile, "Alright then. I'll see you all tomorrow then," she replied, placing her hand over her father's, "I promise we'll spend the whole weekend together."
"You've got it. But don't stay out too late, "he chided lightly, trying to still be a stern father, "Just because you're an adult now doesn't mean you get to be irresponsible."
"Hehe, of course not! You know me," she consoled, "I'll see you at home tomorrow then."
Kagome hugged her family members, handing off the flowers Kouga gave her to her Mom to do something with, and thanking them again for coming to the performance. As her family took their leave, she paused a moment, watching their receding forms disappear into the crowd.
Though the interactions were brief, Inuyasha could see just how much this had meant to her; having her Dad and family all there to support her. It was clear as day how Kagome thought the world of them, and who wouldn't? They seemed like nice people; a healthy relationship. Kind of enviable, he had to admit.
To a loner half-demon like him, who barely had any sense of what real family meant, how could it not be?
Before Kagome turned back to them, she quickly swiped at her cheeks, trying to be careful not to smear her makeup.
Was she… crying?
Something hit him in his chest; like striking a drum, a wave of something he hadn't felt in a long time came up. He didn't like seeing her cry. It was painful. She approached the group, but others hadn't seemed to notice her moment of distress, caught up in a conversation and her face free of any indication she was upset.
Inuyasha gently prodded, "Hey… You alright?"
Kagome gave him a weak smile, "Yeah, I'm great."
His eyes narrowed a bit, "You su—?"
"You guys wanna head out? I haven't eaten in hours, and I could really use some food," Kagome interrupted, grabbing the others attention and agreeing on where they should go.
Inuyasha could take the hint. She clearly didn't want to talk about it, at least not right now. He couldn't blame her. Why ruin her big day?
They'd spent the last few hours at the bar, eating a hearty meal and celebrating Kagome's success. As midnight came around, Sango ordered a round of whiskey shots for the table, "As of this moment, Kagome is officially 20, which means you, sweet innocent Kagome, get to join us for your inaugural shot!"
Kagome initially was hesitant to partake, trying to make weak excuses, but after a little goading from the others, she bravely took the shot glass, "Alright. Just this once."
"To Kagome!" Sango cheered, tapping her glass to the table, and the others all following suit.
"To Kagome!" The rest echoed, making Kagome blush with happiness to be surrounded by such wonderful friends who came out to support her. She raised her glass, tapping it against theirs, before they all threw back their shots.
Kagome's initial reaction was hilarious to watch, as she coughed and recoiled quickly from the sharp burn of the whiskey, taking the beer she'd already been nursing and chugging it to help deal with the after taste.
"You get used to the burn," Shippo laughed encouragingly beside her as Kagome placed her beer down, trying to her hardest to not think about the taste that was still fresh on her tongue.
"That is by far, the worst thing I've ever had! Why do I let you talk me into these things?" she asked Sango.
"'Cause it's your birthday, and even if you never have another shot, at least you can say you tried it once," Sango justified playfully, taking a sip from her own beer.
Kagome sighed before joking, "You're such a terrible influence."
"It's what I'm here for," Sango joked back before reaching over and hugging her friend, "I just hope you're happy, Kagome."
"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" she replied, wondering why Sango was getting so suddenly emotional.
"It's just…" Sango hesitated, speaking quietly as the boys continued on to their own conversation on the other side of the table, "I worry sometimes, you know?"
Kagome smiled at that, understanding her friend's concern, "I appreciate that, but really. I'm fine."
Sango nodded, "I guess seeing your Dad there today… Must've been really exciting, knowing he got to see you perform like that?"
There a small pause from Kagome, as she turned her eyes down for a second before she spoke, "I never thought he'd even be alive to see me perform. But knowing he was there… it gives me some peace with it. You know?"
Sango nodded, running her hand over her friend's back, "That's all we can hope for. I'm so glad he got to see you."
'Me too,' Kagome thought as she hugged her friend again, silently telegraphing to her just how much she appreciated her support. Kagome could feel that familiar sensation of her tears trying to break free from behind her lids, so she pinched her eyes tightly closed in a vain attempt to not let them ruin the celebrations.
The walk over from the bar had been pleasant, and the weather was lovely for mid-Spring. They tossed off their coats and jackets as they arrived at the studio, Inuyasha quickly unbuttoning and rolling up the cuffs of his shirt, feeling a bit constrained by the suit he'd been wearing and relieved to finally get out of the stiff material.
He was distracted, talking to Miroku about something, and Kagome had a hard time not watching the action. Maybe it was the alcohol they'd been having all night, but she couldn't look away. It was like she became fixated on them, her mind watching them in slow-motion, and suddenly, it was over in an instant.
Shippo asked her something that she didn't catch due to the distraction that was Inuyasha's arms, "Hm? What'd you say, Shippo?"
"I said, you seemed really excited about your family being there today," he reiterated.
"Oh yeah. They've kinda been my cheerleaders since before I got into the program, so it was great to have them there, now that it's all finished."
"Especially your Dad. Seems like he really didn't want to miss it," Shippo continued.
Before Kagome could respond, Inuyasha interrupted, "Actually, that does remind me of something I've been meaning to ask you about."
Kagome turned towards him, "Yeah?"
"Your family seemed familiar with Sango. I take it you guys have known each other for a while then?"
Sango looked up from her kit towards Kagome, a knowing stare in her eye, though Kagome didn't seem all that upset. Sango tried to deflect though, "No big story there. We've just been friends for a while and her family's invited me over for a few dinners, that's all."
"Oh, so… how'd you two meet then?" Inuyasha continued, thinking he was making light conversation in an effort to distract from talking directly about her Dad. After the hints she'd dropped earlier, and how Sango said to not make a big deal about it, Inuyasha was trying his best to steer into an area he thought was more comfortable.
"Uh… well, "Sango struggled to answer, but Kagome soon piped up.
"It's okay, Sango. No use in trying to avoid the subject."
Normally, Kagome would have dreaded talking about this, because it was so directly impacted by her Dad… and one of the darker moments she'd had in her life. She'd always gone quiet or steered conversation away from it if possible, if only because it meant not being open about something she herself wasn't fully out of yet.
But after today… After giving the performance of her life; her friends, her family, all there to support her… she felt strong enough to finally talk about it. She realized she trusted them, enough to be honest with them.
The room got eerily quiet, the three men looking over between their female counterparts, wondering why this seemed to be a sensitive subject.
Inuyasha's ears lowered, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."
"No, it's alright, Inuyasha," Kagome eased, waving her hand to gesture that it was fine. His ears lifted a little at that, hearing her say his name in a forgiving tone.
Sango sighed, "You sure, Kagome? You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
She nodded before sitting on the piano bench, facing the others, "It's okay. I've been wanting to get this off my chest for a while now."
Sango came over and sat beside her friend while the others sat on chairs or the couch, intently listening.
Kagome's gaze stayed lowered, but she could feel the ever-present heat of Inuyasha's stare, "When I was in my last year of high school, my Dad got sick, and was in and out of the hospital for about a year. After some testing, he was diagnosed with leukemia."
A notable pause came over them, letting the weight of the situation hit the three men.
'Shit…' Inuyasha swore to himself.
They stayed quiet, letting Kagome take her time to say whatever it was she needed to, "At the time, we thought they'd caught it early enough to be able to help. But after about six months of treatments, the doctors realized he only had maybe 3-5 years left, and that what they were doing would likely only extend his life by a few months at best.
"You guys saw him at the theatre; his health has been declining for a while now, and he's been nearly bed ridden for the last six months."
She paused, taking a shaky breath, "My Dad was my world growing up, and it hit me and my brother hard at first; to think that one day soon, he wouldn't be there anymore. We both became distant, and my Mom was worried. So… she signed us up for counseling. The counseling itself didn't help all that much, and it only reminded me that I was gonna lose my Dad soon. I didn't want to deal with it, and I ran out of a session crying my eyes out."
Sango rested a hand on her friend's back, offering her silent support, "I was sitting at the front steps of the building, just waiting for my Mom to come pick me up as I kept crying. But then, out of nowhere, Sango came up to me and asked me if I was okay."
The guys suddenly realized why they'd kind of hidden the circumstances of their meeting. This was clearly a difficult situation, and something Kagome was still working through.
Sango continued, "I'd just come out of a group session for people who'd lost a parent. It wasn't long after my father died in that accident, so I was still a little raw myself. But I saw her on the steps, and I figured she was new and was having a hard time in a session."
Kagome turned and held Sango's hand, "You sat with me, listened to me, understood what I was going through. And then… you were able to distract me from it by making me laugh about something completely unrelated and stupid. I don't think I ever thanked you for how much you did for me that day, Sango."
"Nonsense. You would have done the same for me," she replied, hugging Kagome, "You never need to thank me. We're… we're family, Kagome."
She hugged Sango back, fighting to stop the tears she could feel wanting to break through. As they let go of each other, Sango wiped her own tears away, "You're like my sister, Kagome. I'll always be there for you."
"Thank you, Sango," Kagome's voice was weak, but her smile was there.
"I'm so sorry, Kagome," Miroku said quietly, "We had no idea you were going through so much."
"Yeah. I didn't mean to upset you," Shippo continued.
"No, please… You don't need to apologize," she replied, "You guys are my friends, and I think you outta know. I was… cut off from the rest of the world for a while, and I mainly focused on school, trying to distract myself from what was going on with my Dad. I don't have many friends, but the last few weeks we've spent together… I don't think you know how much it's helped me to just be able to have fun with friends again. To make music and talk and just do whatever… because we can."
Inuyasha couldn't bring himself to speak, afraid he'd say something stupid. However, once Kagome turned her eyes on him, he could see in her deep blue eyes just how much she seemed to be coming to peace with this.
Kagome spoke quietly, but assuredly, "I'm starting to get to a place where I value every day I have with him, because I know it won't be long before he's gone. I don't want to waste my time on being upset anymore, and I just… want to embrace what life we have left, you know?"
Inuyasha couldn't help but let his expression soften at that before he nodded, "Yeah…"
Miroku soon broke the quiet, "We're always here for you, Kagome. Whatever you need to help you get through this."
"Ditto!" Shippo agreed, bringing back some joyful tones to the room.
Kagome softly giggled before saying, "Thanks, you guys. Really… I'm so grateful to have you all in my life."
That sentiment rang deep for all of them, but especially for Inuyasha. He wasn't sure he'd ever heard some say that about him, maybe except for his mother. It was odd; to think that someone actually valued his presence?
But he could sense it. If there's one thing he'd quickly learned about Kagome, she wasn't a liar. Especially at that moment, she was likely a little tipsy. She wasn't in a position to be making up lies just to placate them. She was genuine. Inuyasha had learned a long time ago to trust his instincts and his senses. And right now, he had no reason not to believe her. It was immensely comforting to him.
"Alright! That's enough of that! We came here to have some fun!" Kagome exclaimed, trying to rinse away the somber tone, and get back to celebrating in a way that made them all happy.
After a while of some playing and a few more drinks, it was well after 2am when they decided to call it a night.
Sango gave Kagome a long hug, making sure she had what she needed to get home safe.
"We'll see you for your move in a few days," Sango said reassuringly.
"Sure thing! Thanks again!" Kagome confirmed before Sango and Miroku took a cab together while Shippo headed off on foot.
Soon, it was just her and Inuyasha again, pulling on their jackets as they got ready to leave so he could take her home again. There was a moment of quiet between them before Inuyasha dared to speak, his hands fisted in his pockets as he said, "Hey…"
Kagome turned to look up at him, her face happy and content at the amazing day they'd all had together, "Yeah?"
He hesitated for a second, tightening his fist before continuing, "You did great today. You're a natural performer."
Kagome's heart skipped a moment. While she'd been complimented and praised for her voice and talent so many times, for some reason, hearing it from him, after today… Something about it just struck her differently.
Was it because she admired him? As a performer himself, sure. She thought he was insanely talented, and to hear him compliment her… It felt like it meant more. Her hand tightened on her purse strap, feeling unsure how to respond. But after a moment, her heart beat evened out and she smiled at him, a faint warmth on her cheeks as she replied, "Thank you, that means a lot… coming from you."
While Inuyasha wasn't sure what he'd expected from his outburst, what he didn't expect was the sudden shift in her scent. At first, she'd grown nervous; the smell of salt becoming pronounced initially, but after she thanked him, it turned spicy. Like a hint of cinnamon or ginger. He'd smelt it before, but it was usually directed towards others; never himself. It wasn't something he came across all the time, but he knew what it possibly meant.
Did she… like him?
'There's no way,' he thought, reassuring himself that he must be misunderstanding his instincts. But he knew he should trust his instincts, and right now, they practically screamed at him that this beautiful and talented woman, who'd so far never shown any sign of dishonesty toward him, was… attracted to him.
In a flash, as he looked back at Kagome and those deep ocean eyes, her expression nothing but sincere and pleased, he was somehow reminded of Kikyo again. It was bizarre. That hadn't happened since he'd first met Kagome and actually mistook her for the ghost that still haunted him. How had this vibrant woman's 'thank you' somehow reminded him of the woman who broke his heart?
His guilt crept its way back up into his consciousness, and stopped him from taking some joy in knowing that someone in this world actually seemed to like him.
Inuyasha shook himself from the stupor, and with no idea what to do with this new information, he nodded towards her casually, insinuating that they make their way back to his truck, which Kagome happily agreed. Inuyasha figured it must just be a fluke, or maybe because it was her first time getting properly drunk that night, it was having an effect on her emotions. In any case, he pushed those thoughts down until he could come back to them with a clearer mind.
But in the meantime, he'd had a sudden bout of inspiration, and he needed to get his notebook.
This one also took too long to write, but the next few chapters I'm hoping will come out sooner than this did.
I hope you guys are enjoying this fic!
Until Next Time…