The drive to the hospital was smooth and uneventful. Sesshoumaru sat in the backseat of Mrs. Higurashi's car with Souta as they rode in comfortable silence with the demon lord occasionally asking the teenager questions and pointing at things through the window. Soon, the large hospital where Kagome was staying came into view, and the trio exited the vehicle and headed toward the entrance.
Just outside the automatic doors stood a young man holding a balloon and a stuffed animal. When he saw Mrs. Higurashi, he walked towards the group and greeted them. "Good morning, Mrs. Higurashi! My father told me you would be visiting again today, so I thought we could go up together." The man turned to Souta and said, "Long time no see, Souta. You have really grown!" He gave them his signature boyish smile while exchanging greetings.
The teenager responded with a dry look and said, "And you are just as stupid as ever." Slightly turning to the demon to his right Souta explained, "This is Hojo. He is an old high school friend of Kagome's and has been trying to become her boyfriend for a few years now. The moron also forgets I'm deaf every time we meet."
Sesshoumaru wasn't sure what a 'boyfriend' was, but he didn't like the sound of it. He shifted narrow gold eyes to watch as the human male conversed with the older female. Yes, as Souta put it, this man certainly was a moron.
"Hojo dear this is Sesshoumaru. He was the one to help Kagome after her car accident and will be staying at the shrine while she recovers." Mrs. Higurashi explained, sticking to the story she told the doctors. When the young man took a step forward to introduce himself to the deadly demon, she quickly moved to place herself between them. "Why don't we all go inside and see how she's doing?" she suggested.
Tension filled the air as they rode the elevator up to Kagome's floor. However, Hojo seemed oblivious to it all and continued chatting happily with Mrs. Higurashi. Sesshoumaru and Souta stood behind the pair, exchanging knowing glances. They silently agreed that Hojo had to go.
The naive man held an oversized teddy bear and a hot pink balloon that kept bumping into Sesshoumaru's head. As the demon glared at the offending object, he made eye contact with a mutated dog. The words 'Pugs and Kisses! Wish You a Speedy Recovery!' written above the creature. When the balloon swayed towards the irritated demon for a third time, he extended one of his claws and punctured the inflated bubble.
Hojo jumped in fright as a loud popping sound filled the tiny space. While Mrs. Higurashi tried to calm him down, Souta covered his mouth to suppress his laughter. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, looked at the teenager with a devilish grin on his face.
Once the heavy metal doors opened, the group walked into an immaculately white hallway. Kagome's mother led the way and Sesshoumaru was trying to ignore the clamor of unfamiliar sounds and odors that assailed him. Finally, they reached Kagome's room and Sesshoumaru stepped inside, completely unprepared for the sight that greeted him.
As Sesshoumaru entered the hospital room, he saw Kagome lying in an odd bed surrounded by various machines and strange medical devices. Numerous cords and tubes were attached to her body, connecting her to screens beeping and displaying numbers. He stood beside her head and gazed down at her in this unfamiliar setting. Despite her already petite frame, seeing Kagome in such a state made her appear even more fragile and vulnerable.
The demon watched Mrs. Higurashi and Hojo discussing the young woman's condition with her doctor. He noticed the young man place his hand on the older woman's back and give her a sympathetic look. Needing more information on the male's intentions, Sesshoumaru asked Souta, "What is a boyfriend? Why hasn't the male succeeded in obtaining this title?"
Souta's fingers clenched tightly around the metal railing that surrounded his sister's bed as he gazed out of the window. After a moment of consideration, he turned back to the demon and said, "A boyfriend is someone who deeply cares for their partner and always puts their needs and feelings first. They cherish and support them unconditionally, providing love and encouragement through every situation."
Mrs. Higurashi excused herself from the room to speak with another doctor while Sesshoumaru's mind raced to process the new information he had just received. He looked around and realized that he was now alone with the two other males, all of them standing silently around Kagome's hospital bed. The room felt cold and sterile, the only sound being the beeping of the machines monitoring her vital signs.
Hojo carefully placed the teddy bear on Kagome's bedside table. He then reached out to move a stray lock of onyx hair that was covering the priestess's cheek. However, before his fingers could make contact, a much larger hand shot out of nowhere and grabbed his wrist. Hojo's heart raced as he looked up to see a pair of molten gold eyes staring back at him. With an uneasy tone in his voice, he asked, "I'm sorry, but who exactly are you to Kagome?"
The demon flung the boy's hand aside with such force that Hojo nearly fell over. Sesshoumaru then gently moved the wayward curl from the sleeping girl's face and lightly brushed his knuckles along her smooth cheek before answering. "I am Kagome's boyfriend."