Chapter 13

After the hecticness with the twins, the club had been roped into another one of Tamaki's schemes. Not that Kagome could call it much of a scheme when all Tamaki wanted to do was help an elementary student. It was nice to see another side of Tamaki, he was prone to self-sacrifice, but his intentions were always honest and pure. And things worked out in the end.

Although it was interesting to be labeled the Mysterious type by Renge.

It seemed everyone in the club filled a role and had a color scheme to match.

Where Kagome was the "Mysterious type." Her rose color was a pale green that symbolized balance and renewal.

Haruhi was the "Natural type." Her rose color was red, the symbol in multiple cultures for love and romance.

Tamaki was the "Prince Charming type." His rose was white, meaning innocence and love.

Kyoya was the "Cool/Dark Prince type." His rose was a soft lavender that symbolized wealth.

Mitsukuni was the "Loli-Shota type". His rose is a pale pink, signifying that he is joyous and trustworthy.

Takashi was the "Strong Silent type." His color rose was a deep blue that signified loyalty and his "unattainability," as Renge had put it.

Hikaru and Kaoru were the "Little Devil types," They had different roses. Hikaru's is a pale blue symbolizing his loyalty to his brother. Whereas Kaoru's is orange, which signifies happiness and enthusiasm.

And as nice as it was for the fighting and chaos to be over, Kagome was suspicious. The club activities had been canceled for the day, and she and Haruhi had been encouraged to go straight home after class let out.

The two were walking when they were grabbed from behind. Her scream was covered by Kaoru's hand. She glared but didn't bother fighting, instead choosing to sag into his hold and allow him to move her. Having dealt with her fair share of kidnappings, it was easier this way. It allowed her to stay calm and more aware of their surroundings. That and she trusted the twins despite her better judgment.

In minutes, the girls were moved from a limo to a large building, to a changing room. In the room were dozens of different styles of swimsuits, ranging in color and style. And waiting for them were two maids dressed in matching traditional black and white maid attire; from the looks of it, they were human twins.

"Do what you've got to do!" The twins shouted from the other side of the door with a mischievous laugh.

The maids grinned before descending upon the two protesting girls.

Several minutes later, they were finally allowed to leave the changing room.

Haruhi was dressed in a pink one-piece with a ruffled skirt and matching swim cap with a sheer white swimsuit cover dress that fell mid-thigh. Kagome was dressed in a lilac two-piece with a yellow-orange rose on the top, whereas the bottoms were held together by a knot at the hip, and her cover-up was a sheer tie-on skirt that was decorated in yellow-orange roses.

Stepping out, they were greeted by Tamaki. And the moment he saw Haruhi, his face went instantly red. Kagome grinned mischievously. She'd had an inkling that Tamaki liked Haruhi, but this pretty much confirmed it for her. He could barely look at her, no doubt unsure as to where to look. For a guy who enjoyed getting girls flustered, it was amusing to see him speechless for once.

He quickly held out what looked to be his pullover, a bright yellow sleeveless hoodie.

"Senpai?" Haruhi asked, looking between him and the hoodie. But Tamaki couldn't even look at her.

"Just hurry up and put it on."

"Excuse you?" Kagome asked, astonished at Tamaki's audacity.

"A proper woman shouldn't show that much skin until she's married." He coughed into his hand.

Kagome took the hoodie before Haruhi could and glared at Tamaki. "And what about me, Senpai?" Tamaki took one look at her, and his face was glowing twice as hot.

"You should cover up as well." He explained, holding out what looked to be a spare green shirt.

She rolled her eyes, shoving the clothes roughly into his gut. He groaned, making her smile before taking Haruhi by the hand.

"Come on, Haruhi, let's go enjoy ourselves." Kagome smiled.

"Oh, okay." Haruhi allowed Kagome to drag her away with a disinterested look.

They made their way to the main pool where the others had gathered.

Kyoya was the first one to greet them. "So what do you think?" He grinned. "This place is a brand new theme park that my family, the Ootori group runs. It's called Tropical Aqua Garden." He explained.

Kagome looked around, there were live tropical plants everywhere, and for being an indoor waterpark, it lacked the strong scent of chlorine. The ceiling was dome-shaped, the panels creating their own bright blue cloudless sky. It was beautiful but a bit over the top.

"I thought the Ootori group ran hospitals?" Haruhi mussed. "And that they're focused on the medical business? Why a waterpark, Kyoya-Senpai?"

Kyoya took a moment before answering thoughtfully. "Yes, but my family likes to diversify and try new things. Besides, this place could be classified as a healing facility."

"I don't see how?" Kagome offered, also curious about the thought process that went into this facility.

"It's therapeutic. Think of all the people who are overworked that would love a vacation in the south tropics. However, they may not be able to get the time off, or they may not be able to afford it. Those people can now seek refuge here at this theme park and reduce their stress levels. The Ootori group's primary concern has always been for the good health and well-being of the general public." He grinned.

"I suppose so, but when you look at it, this place still might be too expensive or extravagant for the common man, who seems to be the target demographic." Kagome explained. "Plus, how will your family ensure this will remain affordable without taking a loss in profit? It seems only the upper class or upper middle class would be able to afford a "health spa" of this magnitude, and what would be the draw as they can already afford to travel for pleasure."

He jotted down a quick note in his black book. "Thank you, Kagome."

Kagome blinked in surprise. "You're welcome, Kyoya-Senpai," she muttered softly, if not a little confused. Neither of them had come forward to apologize, and Kagome didn't really feel comfortable being the one to apologize first.

"So, how come no one is here?" Haruhi asked, her eyes conveying her suspicion.

"The park doesn't officially open until next month, but the host club was given a special advance invitation."

Kagome nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense. That way, you can grab consumer data and see if any necessary changes need to be made between then and now."

Kyoya responded with a slight nod.

"Hey, guys!" Hani exclaimed excitedly from atop Mori's shoulders.

Tamaki hummed loudly from his shaded lounge chair, rambling mostly to himself about this being a: "Relaxing holiday for handsome young soldiers" or something along that line of self-deluded and nonsensical gibberish.

Hani jumped down from Mori and skipped up to Kagome with a charming smile. "K'gome-chan! Wanna have some coconut juice with me? Or do you wanna try the mango cake?" He bounced around excitedly, his eyes bright.

She smiled back. "Coconut juice sounds perfect!"

"Yay!" He spun her around before taking off in a run to get the juice from the concessions stand.

Mitsukuni always had a way of making Kagome smile and feel at ease. It could be because, in some ways, he reminded her of Shippo, but she also felt safe with him. And despite his cutesy personality, he was incredibly smart with a sharp intuition and always considerate of her.

The juice was cool and refreshing, helping to fight off the fatigue brought on by the heated air of the theme park. Kyoya wasn't kidding about being authentic. The air was humid, with tropical birds flying overhead, and animals lingered within the jungle forest.

"Ready to go swimming in the current pool?" Hani grinned.

It was hard not to smile back. "Sure, but why do you need the inner tube?"

He twirls on his heel, showing off the bright magenta inner tube with pink bunnies around his waist. "Just looks cuter this way, y'know!" He exclaimed before taking off towards the water. "Prancing, prancing~!"

"Yeah, those bunnies are pretty cute," Haruhi hummed.

"He's so innocent." The twins cooed.

A snort-like laugh came from Kagome. She looked at them with a shake of her head as she removed her swimsuit cover. "You got it all wrong. That's not what he meant."

"Huh?"

"Try using the word 'I' at the beginning of that sentence." Kyoya chimed in.

"Just looks cuter this way, y'know!" = "I look cute!"

Everyone looked at Mitsukuni as if seeing him for the first time.

"Hani-Senpai is a lot smarter than many give him credit for," Kagome explained. "He is always underestimated because of his boyish looks, but he's a strategist at heart." She quickly followed after the teen, jumping into the current pool alongside him. The water was cool and clear, with a surprisingly strong current.

It was fun; Tamaki and the twins were running around with water guns, and Kyoya was observing quietly. And Mori had followed suit, joining Hani and her in the pool.

Kagome tried her best to keep up with them but ended up sitting on the pool ledge and watching. Even Mori hopped out after a while to get a drink.

A loud pitched horn went off, and as it did, the floor shook, the waves of the current pool slowing and pulling in the opposite direction. The huge wave that happened next took Hani and Kagome by surprise. Without thinking, Kagome had jumped toward Hani, thinking to grab him while holding onto the ledge of the current pool, but the force that hit her was far stronger. She went under, losing her grip on the edge but not onto the inner tube Hani had been wearing.

His smaller hands held onto hers, keeping her close as they were both wept under and away.

~o.O~O.o~

To say what happened next was chaotic would be an understatement.

Maori was the first to respond, a shout tearing from his throat and alerting the others to the current pool. Even though he knew Haruhi and Kagome were watching, he pushed himself to go faster than he normally would, using his youkai-enhanced speed, but he slipped on a discarded banana peel. The others were too far, and he was forced to watch in stunned silence as Mitsukuni and Kagome were swept under by a twenty-foot wall of water.

He could only watch his heart plummeting and settling like a stone in his gut. A cold sweat covered his body, suddenly becoming stiff and cold despite the heated air.

It took him a moment before he understood the strange feeling was fear. He was afraid.

Mitsukuni and Kagome were gone, both had disappeared before his very eyes. Guilt gnawed at his mind, fueling his already dimensioning self-worth.

Mori had been raised to serve and protect Mitsukuni. He accepted the responsibility with honor and great pride, working tirelessly to hone his body for whatever situation. And yet, Mitsukuni didn't need him. Mitsukuni was more than capable of handling any situation; he had the prowess and strategic fortitude to combat any crisis. Mori had become a playmate in place of a dutiful soldier, and yet he always strove to be Mitsukuni's shield, hopeful that one day he would be able to fulfill his life's purpose. Yet he had failed; he could have saved Mitsukuni.

The guilt and self-hatred piled onto his shoulders, his body moving despite himself. He was numb to everything, his only purpose being to return to Mitsukuni where he would beg for forgiveness.

He was only half listening as the others began talking amongst themselves, speaking in soft tones as if not to offend him. He knew their families were old-fashioned, most clans with a history that stretched back more than a Millennia were. And he wasn't ashamed; the Morinozuka clan had been serving the Haninozuko clan for generations, faithfully devoting themselves to the prosparite of their family and even still when the two were joined by the unlikely union between his great-great-grandfather and great-great grandmother fell in love changing the dynamic of the clans. Many still fell into those same roles, forever grateful to serve the Haninozuko family.

A small hand pulled him from his thoughts, his dark eyes falling to Haruhi's doe eyes filled with concern and compassion, none of which he felt he deserved. "Hey Mori-Senpai, it's going to be alright. I'm sure that Huni-Senpai is safe, he's a lot tougher than you might think he is, and if he gets hungry, the trees are full of bananas."

To his surprise, a breathless chuckle was pulled from his chest, falling from his lips with a gentle, barely-there smile. He patted her head. "You're right."

The rain slowed, a breeze sweeping through the trees, and with it, Hani and Kagome's scent drifted toward his nose. Their scents were faint, mingled together, and muted by the rain, but he could still smell it, and imidiately raced off to find them, Haruhi on his heels.

~o.O~O.o~

Kagome came to with a start, her eyes flashing open and body jolting forward. She doubled over, her body violently shaking as she proceeded to empty her stomach and lungs of all the water that had found its way there due to being half-drowned.

Her wet hair was pulled back from her face, and a hand on her back rubbed a soothing circle. When the heaving subsided Kagome fell back into the hand, leaning into the warmth that it offered. She looked up to see Mitsukini offering her a gentle smile.

She swallowed, grimacing at the pain from her now raw throat.

"K'gome-chan, are you alright?" He smiled back.

Kagome nodded. "Are you?" A part of her was jealous as he beamed at her, proof that he was perfectly fine despite them having been washed away. There were definitely perks that came with being a youkai.

Her chest fell, filling with guilt. Mitsukini likely would have been perfectly fine and probably back with the group had she not interfered. She could have easily died if he hadn't saved her. "Thank you for saving me, Hani-Senpai."

"Of course." The hot air was heavy with humidity; even with the heat, Kagome shiver. Her muscles and bones ached, her insides quivering and cramping. Her eyes were pinched tight, desperately willing down the pain as she was reluctant to use her powers.

"It's okay, K'gome-chan, use your powers."

Kagome was startled, looking up at Mitsukuni with wide eyes, and he stared back, but he did not look the same. The child-like demeanor that he wore fell. He was reserved and mature, nothing like the boy she'd come to know. She used whatever strength she could to pull away, backing up until her back hit a large tree root.

"I saw what you did." Kagome bristled, stiffening under Mitsukuni's curious gaze. "To the cursed doll."

"I don't know what you mean, Hani-senpai." Kagome mumbled, her eyes dropping and head tucked down; she couldn't meet his gaze and see the hurt that lingered there.

"At first, I thought you were another human, but then you started acting like one of us like you are right now." Mitsukuni pointed, eyes hardened and pinned to her exposed neck. "There are things about you that don't add up. You're not a normal human; for goodness sake, you know the infamous Inu Taisho. Who are you really, Higurashi?" She flinched at her name; Mitsukuni had always referred to her by the nickname he'd picked for her. And now he looked at her as if deciding if she were friend or foe.

Kagome looked at her hands, picking at her nails nervously when Mitsukuni reached out. He cupped her face, his thumb gently wiping at her cheeks.

"Why are you crying?" Those honey-colored eyes that had moments ago looked at her as a possible enemy were now brimming with concern.

Her eyes widened. Was she crying?

He wiped at her cheeks, gently wiping at the tears. "We're friends, please, Kagome. Who are you?" He gently urged.

She pulled away; her eyes pinched tight. A part of her was terrified of Mitsukuni's possible reaction, yet the other part was relieved. Kagome had been trying desperately to hide her miko origins, afraid of possibly being targeted despite Chairmen Suoh's reassurance regarding her safety. But now she feared that her reluctance to tell the club members would ruin their friendships.

"I'm a miko." It came out as a whisper, and the world went silent.

.

.

.

"And?"

Kagome's head snapped up, and looking back at her was an indifferent Mitsukuni.

"I already guessed as much; what I want to know is if you're in danger or if you'll put the others in danger." He explained. "Not just anyone knows the Inu Taisho, and how you act makes it seem like you've been raised around youkai."

She blinked before laughing, her shoulders shaking as all the tension left her body. "Sesshomaru is my friend." Kagome's smile is bittersweet. "He wouldn't hurt me."

Hani looked at her with wide eyes. Kagome had just called the ruling Daiyoukai of Japan by his name and her friend.

Who was Kagome Higurashi?

~o.O~O.o~

"Hey, Mori-senpai." The large teen turned to her, his steely eyes peering gently into her doe brown. "Hani-senpai will be okay; besides, Kagome-chan is with him."

He gave a small sound of agreement but remained diligent in his mission, the two having already ventured deep into the jungle and away from the marked paths and walkways. His eyes scoured the depths of the jungle, searching the dark shadows for a glimpse of their missing friends. It was as if his mind were elsewhere, a deep level of concern etched into his face. Haruhi had never seen this side of him before.

It was both terrifying and refreshing; she just wished their friends hadn't gone missing for her to have seen it.

wolfYLady: Well, that was a long chapter and an even longer wait between chapters. I hope you all have enjoyed this new chapter, as it was surprisingly hard to write; for whatever reason, I couldn't figure out how the conversation should go as I knew I wanted Hani to be the first person Kagome told about being a miko. Now slowly, everyone else is going to find out and have their moments with Kagome.

I wanted Hani to be the first because he was also the first to release Haruhi as a girl, so I tried to follow that logic.

I hope you all enjoyed it, and please review; I truly love reading all the comments, even if it's a simple "I like it."

Thanks for reading, and until next time-

Please Review!