Chapter 2

Kagome looked around in disbelief, her mind struggling to comprehend the sudden change in her surroundings. It was as if she had stepped through a portal into another world entirely. She turned in all directions, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar landscape around her.

"What on earth...? Where am I...?" Kagome says.

Kagome stumbled forward a few steps, trying to steady herself. She rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was dreaming or hallucinating. This couldn't be real, could it? Was she really transported to feudal Japan of all places?

Kagome's eyes widened as she spotted the sacred tree, recognizing it as the same one she had seen back home.

But what surprised Kagome even more was the boy who was attached to it, tight ropes wrapped around his body, and he had dog ears. He looked peaceful as if he were asleep, but the sight of him gave her an eerie feeling.

"What the... Who... who is that boy...?" Kagome whispered.

Kagome felt a strange mix of curiosity and unease as she approached the tree. She wanted to get a closer look at the boy, to see if he was truly asleep or if there was something more sinister going on here.

Kagome took a few cautious steps toward the boy, her heart pounding in her chest.

As Kagome moved closer, she couldn't help but notice the cuteness of the boy's dog ears. They were so fluffy and soft-looking, it almost made her forget the strange circumstances.

Unable to resist the urge, Kagome reached out her hands, her fingers itching to touch the boy's ears.

As Kagome's hand hovered close to the boy's dog ears, she suddenly paused. Instead of touching them, she decided to check if he was alright first. She looked at him intently, studying his face, trying to determine if he was in any danger.

She then took a step closer and spoke gently, her voice soft and tentative.

"Hello? Are you... okay?" Kagome asks.

The boy's eyes slowly flickered open, and he lifted his head sluggishly off his chest. Confusion clouded his gaze as he was startled by the sudden presence of a new person.

The boy, Inuyasha, looked at the girl in front of him, a mixture of weariness and bewilderment crossing his features.

"Who... Who are you?" InuYasha asked.

Kagome was a bit taken aback herself as the boy, suddenly spoke to her. She hadn't actually expected him to wake up, let alone talk to her.

She blinked a few times, still trying to process her current predicament, then slowly responded.

"I'm... I'm Kagome. Who are you?" Kagome asks.

Inuyasha's initial confusion quickly morphed into annoyance. He was used to being wary of strangers, and the girl in front of him was no exception. He regarded her coolly, a bit of feistiness in his voice.

"Why the hell do you wanna know? What business is it of yours?" InuYasha scoffed.

Kagome frowned at Inuyasha's rude response, her own patience wearing thin. She wasn't used to being treated so dismissively, especially by someone who was so cute and with dog ears.

She put her hands on her hips, a defiant fire in her eyes.

"Hey, don't give me that attitude. I'm just trying to be friendly here. You're the one stuck to a tree, you know." Kagome replied.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the girl's comment. He wasn't in the mood to humor her attempt at being friendly. He's wrapped against the ropes that bound him to the tree, frustration etched on his face.

"Yeah, thanks for pointing that out. As if I wasn't already painfully aware of my current situation." InuYasha voiced.

Kagome couldn't help but scoff at Inuyasha's sarcasm. She studied him for a moment, noting the tautness of the ropes that bound him.

"Those ropes look pretty tight. How long have you been stuck like this?" Kagome asks.

Inuyasha huffed and tugged at the ropes once more, wincing slightly as they bit into his flesh.

"I've been stuck here for years now. These damn ropes are so tight I can barely move. It's driving me nuts!" InuYasha raised his voice.

Kagome's expression softened a bit as she heard the frustration in Inuyasha's voice. She couldn't help but feel some empathy for his situation, stuck in one place and helpless.

"Years? That's... that's terrible. Have you been here alone the whole time?" Kagome said.

Inuyasha grunted and nodded, the movement causing his ears to droop sadly.

"Yeah, I've been here all alone. Nobody has come by to help me or anything. It's been a real blast, let me tell you!" InuYasha says.

Kagome's heart went out to him, his expression of being trapped and alone tugging at her heartstrings. She stepped closer, trying to get a better look at the ropes that bound him.

"That's awful. It must be excruciating being stuck like that for so long. Have you tried to break free or anything?" Kagome says.

Inuyasha sighed heavily, his expression weary. He flexed his muscles, attempting to break free once more, but the ropes didn't even budge a fraction.

"Of course, I've tried to break free! I've been tugging and pulling on these ropes for hours, but they won't budge. It's like they've been enchanted or something." InuYasha spoke.

Kagome watched as Inuyasha strained against the ropes, his struggles appearing futile. She furrowed her brow in thought, an idea forming in her mind.

"Enchanted, eh? That might explain why you can't break free. Maybe the person who did this to you put a spell on the rope, making it too strong for you to break." Kagome's eyes widen.

Inuyasha's ears flattened with annoyance at the mention of magic. He wasn't a fan of sorcery in the slightest, especially when it was used against him.

"Yeah, I figured it was some sort of magic. But who would do this to me? And why?" InuYasha said.

Kagome shrugged, feeling just as clueless as Inuyasha. She racked her brain, trying to figure out who could have done this to him and why.

"I don't know. Maybe it was someone who has something against you? Or maybe it was a cruel prank? It's hard to say without more information.." Kagome says.

Inuyasha snorted, his expression hardening. He had plenty of enemies who would love to see him suffer, but he couldn't think of any who would go to such lengths to humiliate him.

"I have my fair share of people who hate me, but I can't imagine any of them going to this much trouble. If it was a prank, it was a pretty damn elaborate one." InuYasha smirked.

Kagome nodded in agreement, her expression becoming more serious.

"That's true, it does seem pretty elaborate. Which makes me wonder if whoever did this has some specific grudge against you or just really wanted to cause you trouble." Kagome says.

Inuyasha's thoughts darkened as he pondered the identity of his tormentor. He recalled his previous relationships, and one person came to mind – Kikyo.

He sneered at the thought of her, his expression turning sour

"Kikyo. That damn priestess. It wouldn't surprise me if she was involved in this somehow." InuYasha said.

Kagome could sense the disgust in Inuyasha's voice when he mentioned a girl named Kikyo. She tilted her head, her curiosity piqued.

"Kikyo.. who is she? Is she an ex-girlfriend of yours or something?" Kagome asks.

Inuyasha's expression turned cold as he spoke about Kikyo. He huffed heavily, his dislike for her evident in every word.

"Yeah, you could say she was an ex-girlfriend. But that's putting it lightly. She's a goddamn priestess. Someone who can use powerful spells and curses. And she's been a thorn in my side for years!" InuYasha says.

Kagome couldn't help but ask the question – His demeanor and bitter tone towards her made her curious if there was more to the story.

"Did... did you cheat on Kikyo? Is that why she hates you?" Kagome asks.

Inuyasha let out a sharp bark of laughter, his expression turning incredulous. The idea that he would cheat on anyone, let alone Kikyo, was absurd to him.

"Cheat? Me? Seriously? Hell no! That woman is strong-willed and stubborn as a mule. Trust me, if I had tried to cheat on her, she would've slapped me all the way to the next continent. Besides, I may be a lot of things, but I ain't a cheater!" InuYasha confirmed.

Kagome listened intently as Inuyasha vehemently denied cheating on Kikyo. His certainty and confidence in his response made her believe him.

"I see... So, if you didn't cheat on her, then why does she hate you so much? What happened between you two?" Kagome was curious to know.

Inuyasha studied Kagome more closely, a realization slowly dawning on his features. Her resemblance to Kikyo was uncanny. The same raven hair, the same fair skin and delicate features, it was almost uncanny. He narrowed his eyes, suspicion creeping into his voice.

"Wait a minute... You look almost exactly like Kikyo. Is there any chance you're related to her or something?" InuYasha said.

Kagome felt a bit uncomfortable under Inuyasha's intense gaze, but she brushed it off, chalking it up to the fact that he was stuck in a vulnerable position.

"Related to Kikyo? No, I don't think so..." Kagome says.

Kagome realized that she hadn't actually learned the name of the boy she was talking to yet.

"Hey, I just realized, I never got your name. What's your name?" Kagome asks politely.