By the vagueness in your eyes.
Hojo found a bench away from the crowd under a cherry tree that was lit up with white lights. He helped her sit, and he stayed standing.
God, she hoped he wouldn't do what her friends said he was going to do.
She would have to break his heart.
Love had once been the only thing on her mind, but then she grew up, got a life, and stopped living in the past.
But now the past was here, and it had glared at her like she had done something wrong.
"It's a perfect night," Hojo said. "Dont you think?"
She looked up as a soft wind blew the tree flowers, and they fell.
"Hia," She whispered. Hojo stepped closer, and then he knelt, and she was freaking out inside. This was too much. Maybe she was dreaming?
"Kagome,"
"Hia?"
"I've liked you for a long time."
Oh no.
He looked down. "But I haven't been very fair to you, have I?"
Her brows went together. "Hu?"
"I've been pushing my feelings on you and ignored yours."
"Hojo,"
He sighed. "I have every intention of asking you to marry me tonight." He pulled out the ring box and opened it, and she looked down at it.
"I wanted to ask you to give me your heart, but It never once dawned on me to ask if it was still yours to give."
The ring really was pretty, and any girl would be thrilled.
"I care about you," She said. "I think, I think im just broken."
"You're not broken; I just have been forward, Kagome. I want to date you and marry you and take care of you."
She looked up; oh, why did she have to love incentive jerks all the time? His words were sweet, and she knew his heart was sorta in the right place.
"You, you love me?" she asked. He could say he loved her, but she knew it could not be true, for she was still a strong believer in only one. She could hear Sesshomaru now in the back of her head, calling her foolish.
Maybe she should just say yes. Maybe this was the way her life was supposed to go, but she was being stubborn.
Maybe she had not left the past in the past like she thought.
"Will you think about it?" He asked,
"Hojo, I dont think I can." Since he was being forward.
"Is it someone else?"
Her eyes met his sweet ones. "No." It was honest, really. That fire she felt in an instant with Sesshomaru was gone.
"No, it's just my heart didnt heal that right way, is all,"
She looked down again. "I'm just not ready to love."
It caused her so much pain.
"It's ok if it's someone else."
She shook her head. "Maybe at one time it was, but this is all me, im sorry."
He smiled. "Dont be sorry," He stood and put the ring up. "I appreciate the honesty, friends?"
"Of course, always," He was too good; some girl was going to be very lucky.
"Do you want me to take you home now?"
"No, I think, I think I want to be alone."
"Well then," He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek, and she returned the favor, and then he was gone. She sat there for a few more minutes before getting up. She turned to look into the crowd but was met with golden eyes.
But even as he stood there, as she stood there, she could not read them
They were vague and cold. She could not tell if he was ready to kill her or happy to see her. She always hated that about him.
She turned her back to him.
"Kagome,"
She froze but didnt look back at him. "It is you." She said,
"Did you doubt?"
"What do you want?" She asked,
"It has been 500 years."
"It's been less than 2 for me."
"Where is the boy?"
"Hojo? he left; where is your date?"
"Somewhere," Was his vague reply. He moved and grabbed her arm. "Hey!"
"Come." He dragged her back through the crowd.
"Let me go. Where are we going?"
"To find my assistant and my date."
"Why do you need me for that!"
"Your date left you, did he not?"
"No, I left him!"
Her hands tingled, and he stopped. "Miko, your power."
"I can't control it, you jerk."
He turned his gold eyes to her. " Perhaps if you didnt kiss him with such a dirty mouth, he would not have left."
She growled and moved her hand to slap him, but this time he caught it.
"I can still feel the burn from your last slap, woman. I am not about to let you do it again."
"Perhaps if you didnt go around kissing innocent girls, they wouldn't slap you!" She snapped back.
"You are still angry that I left you?" His eyes were so void, but his voice was so cocky.
"You didnt leave me, you jerk; I left you."
"Hn remember that."