KOTODAMA
"The soul that resides within words"
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Chapter XVIII
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Bibliographic registry
Scroll Nº 44
Discovery 8828, Sengoku
We've spent some time by the river this afternoon. It has been a warm day, and Kagome appeared to be sparkling before the sunlight reflecting on the water's surface. She has recalled one of the many afternoons we spent here, in years past, which brought countless smiles to her face. For a moment, I got the feeling the line between the past and the present was blurring in her mind.
Now she is resting, and I guard her sleep, like I do every night.
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Kabukicho was a district a tad particular, where one could find everything and anything, including a hint of decadence that reminded Kagome of the mood people have after a long party… only that, in Kabukicho, it was a constant.
"Could we go somewhere less crowded?" Her friend asked, seemingly sharing her thoughts.
After meeting a while ago, at the metro station, Kagome had led them to the district where, even if she held a secret wish of finding InuYasha by some sort of guided chance, she had to admit that what was being offered there didn't exactly fit her concept of 'fun'.
"Sure," she accepted, trying to hide as best as she could the guilt she was feeling; she had been the one who suggested they come here, after all. It had been a selfish act, and not what she would have wanted for a reunion with an old friend. In that moment, Kaede came to her mind, "actually, I know of a place where I believe you'll be more comfortable." Her own idea cheered her up.
Sango smiled at her, to then proceed to explain her annoyance, "there are some practices in these places, that even though they are not considered illegal… they are close to it, and when you are in the line of work I'm in, that fact can be exhausting," she commented.
Kagome observed her for a moment; Sango wasn't much older than her, yet she had the feeling that, even if she tried, she would not be able to imagine what she has gone through. Kagome also noted how her friend seemed to want to keep her gaze fixed at one point ahead of them, trying to close her mind to what was happening around them.
"I'm sorry," Kagome apologized, fully aware of her responsibility, "truly."
There, she felt Sango's hand on her arm, and her warm touch; a familiar feeling, which took her back to their time they were but a couple of young girls, playing together. It was just a memory, but one with enough force to change a moment in the present, a fact Kagome couldn't help realizing.
"Oh, don't worry; we'll be fine." Sango attempted to cheer her up, the same way she would do in the past, back when they were little, as they left the most crowded streets of Kabukicho.
Kagome strode forward, finding her path through what she could remember of her past visits with InuYasha, and her own sense of direction. She led them to one of the narrow alleys, which her mind seemed to recall could take them to Miroku's hotel; and from there, they'd be only a couple of streets away from Kaede's izakaya.
"Do you frequent this place?" Was Sango's question, which lingered in the air in a way that Kagome, allegorically, could see it bounce between the walls. Clearly, her friend wore her uniform when it was back at home.
"I've been here a couple of times," she admitted, in spite of the sensation of being currently judged by Sango; she knew what her friend wanted to find out, "and I've made some commercial transactions at a few establishments, one of them a few streets away, if you were wondering." Subtlety wasn't her thing, that's for sure, yet Kagome was having her fun by playing with the ambiguity of her answer.
Sometimes, she had the feeling she had experienced far too many painful moments, despite not being able to link any of them with something she could actually remember. There were times when she couldn't help but wonder if the character inside her head didn't have far too much influence on her, even more given how sometimes, she would dream of so vivid instants she could swear to have lived them.
"I'm sorry," Sango said in a hurry, "I didn't pretend to make you uncomfortable. I guess I just can't get rid of the criminal-huntress that lives in me."
"And now you treat me like a criminal," Kagome smiled, jokingly, to lighten the mood her friend seemed to be immersing herself into.
A smile curled her lips then, one so different from her usual formal attitude that it looked as if she had become younger. Kagome, however, could not entertain the thought long before she noted a man approaching them. She stopped in her tracks, and Sango, who was still taking her arm, squeezed it, lightly, to ease her nerves.
"Two pretty girls looking for some fun?" The question was charged by an intention Kagome recognized immediately… yet she had no time to answer.
"I think you've got enough material for one night." She heard InuYasha's voice, and she would have thought it was all her imagination if it weren't because of the very real red hoodie in front of her.
"Probably, yeah." The man answered. Only then did she note InuYasha had placed his hand on the man's chest, a gesture that veiled a threat.
"That's what I thought," were InuYasha's words. Soon after, his gaze was on hers, almost as if seeking to soothe her. She felt the heat creeping up her cheeks and was lucky he didn't notice, for his attention returned to the man.
"We'll talk later," was the last thing that man said, before turning around and walking away.
Kagome was still trying to put some order to her thoughts when Sango spoke.
"Do you know him?" Her tone was far more tense than a simple question, although soft enough to not appear hostile.
InuYasha's eyes darted to Sango, briefly, before focusing on Kagome.
"I know who he is," he answered, then changed the topic, "where you going somewhere?" He wondered, almost ignoring they weren't alone.
"Yes, to Kaede's izakaya." She replied immediately, noticing a conflict arising, "do you remember Sango?" She inquired then.
InuYasha smiled. If there was something he admired of Kagome, was that ability to place honesty above all else, and take control of a situation.
"Yes, of course. Your police friend," he replied, looking at Sango again, giving her a short and soft bow.
She saw her friend's shoulders relax, one of the many gestures she had learn to read in people, no matter how subtle.
"I remember you too," Sango greeted him back, with a light bow just as polite.
Kagome had the feeling of being witness to a sort of dispute between two parties, not really understanding what could be between them, having seen each other only once before, and without really holding a long conversation either. She did remember, however, that Sango thought InuYasha familiar somehow.
"I'll escort you two to the izakaya," InuYasha offered; he didn't think it a good idea to let her wander around those parts, much less after Zanyo saw her with him.
He tried to dismiss Kagome's friend's initial roughness, although it wasn't beyond him to imagine just what kind of things she may be thinking of him. He hoped to be wrong, but Sango seemed to be the kind of person whose morals where like a sword everyone was put to, cutting heads and ideas that may be different from hers.
"If you don't mind," he heard Kagome say, which brought him out of that dark thought.
InuYasha shook his head in disbelief, wondering how could she even consider, or want, his company. He was certain she must be perceiving him as erratic and unreliable.
"I want to see her, and introduce Sango to her," Kagome added, to which he smiled softly.
"Kaede will be happy to see you; in fact, she told me to say hello whenever I saw you again," he explained, and almost immediately realized his mistake.
"And that… when were you planning on doing that?" Kagome voiced the question, and InuYasha knew she was subtly reproaching him, and that he deserved it.
"Soon, or that's what I was expecting, at least." He admitted, with a low tone of voice so that only Kagome could hear her, and that hopefully her friend ignored.
They began to walk then, and after a few steps, InuYasha chose a new topic to discuss.
"How is Ayumi doing?" He though that speaking of Kagome's roommate was relatively neutral ground.
"Oh, quite alright. Today she is leaving to stay at her parents' for a few days." She commented with a carefree tone.
Sango stared at her, seemingly wanting to say something, yet a sound coming from her phone distracted her.
"You shouldn't say that so lightly." InuYasha warned her.
"I'm of the same opinion," Sango intervened, before stepping away for a moment to answer the call.
InuYasha could not deny he liked how Kagome trusted him so much, yet he had the feeling it just was that she trusted people far too easily. He just needed to recall their first meeting, and how she invited him to dinner without even knowing him, on top of him carrying the bag Shippo had stolen from her.
"Oh well, there is only you two around me now," Kagome expressed with a certain indignation, "and I'm not about to hang a sign around my neck, saying 'Hi, I'm alone at home, follow me please!'"
Her exaggerated gestures, as she replied, lightened his mood and the events burdening for the past few days. He had to hold back a wide smile, curling his lips, to try and not look to obvious… for he liked Kagome far more than he'd be willing to admit.
"Are you sure you won't invite a stranger for dinner?" InuYasha couldn't help his joke, finding an excuse to smile, his lips widening before the surprise he saw on her features.
He felt happy, an emotion he could recall only at a few points in his life, like when his mother would lecture him, or some mischief he committed as a child.
"I've only done that once," she pointed out.
InuYasha's smile became just a playful one.
"And I have to take you on your word." For some reason, he felt at ease with her in a way only Kagome could achieve, even if she were now furrowing her brow as if she still couldn't decide if to be angry or not.
"Sorry about that," Sango said, approaching them, "it was Kohaku, telling me a friend is coming over."
The interruption stole from him the chance to find out the limit of Kagome's patience; one he could guess it wasn't large.
"It's alright," Kagome smiled at her friend, as she tried to focus her thoughts again.
She felt the urge of stealing a glance of InuYasha then, yet she held back. Between them, a certain aura was being born, one that made her restless in that way only the unknown things, that truly matter, can.
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Kaede's izakaya was full when they arrived, and Kagome feared they would not be able to find a table before InuYasha stepped in, and talked to one of the people tending to customers and got them to lead the group to a table by the kitchen, the one Kaede reserved for her acquaintances.
Kagome was just in the middle of taking off her jacket when the woman herself appeared through the noren separating the kitchen from the rest of the place; she neared them, her in particular, as she dried her hands with a white towel. Kagome greeted her with a deep bow, one that to her felt right, despite there being no reason in her life to feel such respect for her; it was just due, and she didn't stop to think about it either.
"This is my friend Sango," she introduced her after greeting her, then watched how the two women bowed to each other, respectfully.
"Kagome has spoken really well of your cooking," her friend commented, and the woman gave her that usual polite, and concise gesture of thanks of hers.
"It can't be bad if it has managed to raise the dog-boy," Kaede added, nudging InuYasha's shoulder with hers, who was by her side.
Kagome laughed, as if in the know, despite not having heard the history behind that nickname. Sango, on her part, seemed to be feeling at ease, a hint of that sweetness of when she was a child seeping into her smile. That thought, however, made Kagome wonder if she herself was just as different as her friend, from her childhood days. It seemed… that's what age did to people; it made them more rigid, leaving them almost no room for trust.
After that small and casual conversation, Kaede invited them to sit and order what they wanted, yet InuYasha didn't sit with them, something that caught Kagome's attention, who moved aside to leave him room on the bench.
"Don't worry, I'm leaving," he clarified, gesturing her with a hand to stop. Kagome seemed to want to retort, and InuYasha noted the joy such an intention filled him with, again," this is a reunion between two friends, "he pointed out, a fact he realized from the beginning.
"I don't mind," Sango intervened, "we have a table thanks to you, and besides, that way I get to investigate you."
InuYasha had not noticed until then just how glaring Sango's gaze could be.
"Thank you very much," he replied, giving them a soft bow, just like the one he gave them before, when he chanced upon them, "I'd rather keep my anonymity," he added, completely honest.
"What am I seeing?" He heard then, from behind, recognizing the voice immediately.
"Miroku," he named him, surprised; it wasn't normal to find him outside his hotel. "What are you doing here?"
"Why don't you greet me first? I'm impressed by your lack of manners," he bumped his shoulder with a fist, and kept the hand there for an instant," you should know my friend, that I too need to eat, and there is no better dish that what's cooked by Kaede's hands," he took his hand off his shoulder, InuYasha seemingly uncomfortable with the familiarity of the whole situation, "good night, miss Kagome," Miroku greeted her with a polite bow, as soft as the smile he wielded.
"I'm glad to see you too, Miroku," she replied, and looked at InuYasha involuntarily, noting how that sensation of familiarity was growing.
"And the lady here is…" Miroku sought to know.
"Sango," she answered herself, not giving Kagome time to introduce them.
"A beautiful name," Miroku said, simply, with an envy-inspiring cordiality.
Sango received the compliment coyly, in a way Kagome had only seen a couple of times, back when her friend was a teenager, and had seen her crush waving at her.
It could not be that, right?
She sought InuYasha's gaze, and found it readily, as if they were communicating without words and somehow, they understood each other.
"Can I sit?" Miroku asked.
"Of course," Sango moved on the bench, leaving room for the new customer by her side.
"InuYasha," Kagome invited him again, and he accepted without uttering a word this time.
It seemed that, somehow, something was happening.
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To be continued.
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A/N
Here I am, bringing you a new chapter with which I'm quite content. Throughout a good part of it I was absurdly stuck, and couldn't quite get it to flow like I wanted to. Once I solved that, though, the rest just came in by itself.
Thank you for reading and leaving comments,
Anyara
This text is possible thanks to the translation of: Dezart