InuYasha landed lightly on the outskirts of the village, his golden eyes scanning the familiar surroundings. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the fields and huts. It had been over a year since he had left, feeling the need to wander and find answers to
questions that had haunted him for so long. Now, he felt ready to return, to see Kagome again.
His steps quickened as he made his way towards her hut, anticipation and a hint of nervousness bubbling within him. However, when he arrived, the small dwelling was empty, the door slightly ajar. A frown creased his brow as he peered inside, but there was no sign of Kagome.
Confusion turned to frustration as he headed towards Kaede's hut. He pushed the door open without knocking, startling the occupants inside.
"Where's Kagome?" he demanded, his voice rougher than he intended.
Kaede, seated by the fire, looked up calmly. Miroku and Sango, who were tending to their children, exchanged wary glances.
"She left with Kouga," Kaede said, her tone steady.
InuYasha's eyes widened, and a growl rumbled in his chest. "What do you mean she left with Kouga? She can't just leave without my say so!"
Miroku stepped forward, his expression calm but firm. "InuYasha, Kagome is not your possession. She can make her own choices."
"Yeah, and she chose to go with that mangy wolf?" InuYasha snarled, his anger barely contained. "I leave for a little while, and you all let her run off with him?"
Sango, holding her youngest child, looked at InuYasha with a mixture of pity and frustration.
"You left for over a year without a word, InuYasha. Kagome moved on with her life. She found companionship with Kouga, and she seemed happy."
InuYasha's hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms. "I don't care! She belongs here, with me. Not with that wolf."
Kaede rose to her feet, her old eyes stern. "Ye are being selfish, InuYasha. Kagome has the right to find happiness where she sees fit. Ye cannot control her life."
The half-demon glared at her, his anger boiling over. "You don't understand! She's supposed to be with me!"
Miroku stepped closer, placing a calming hand on InuYasha's shoulder. "InuYasha, Kagome deserves to make her own decisions. You need to respect that."
InuYasha shook him off, his frustration palpable. "You don't get it! I can't lose her to him. I won't."
"Then perhaps you should have thought of that before you left without a word," Sango said quietly, her voice laced with disappointment.
InuYasha stared at them, his anger slowly giving way to a painful realization. He had taken Kagome's presence for granted, and now, faced with the possibility of losing her, he didn't know how to handle it.
With a final glare, he turned and stormed out of the hut, his mind in turmoil. He had to find Kagome, to make her understand that she belonged with him. But deep down, he feared that he might be too late.