InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Wolf Prince's Love ❯ Omoide ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, and thanks for the recent reminder! ( You know who you are! XD )

Without much further ado, here's the next chapter!

Chapter Eleven:

“Is it buttoned yet?” Kagome's muffled voice asked from behind the changing room door. It had been lucky for her that the changing rooms of the clothing store in the local mall were co-ed. If they hadn't been, she wasn't sure what kind of an excuse she would have to have come up with in order to follow Kouga to the men's changing section to help him put his clothes on.

“I…guess so.” Kouga called to her loud enough so she could hear him through the heavy changing room door.

“Well, did you do everything I told you?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, now all you have to do is pull up on the zipper and you're done.” Kagome cheerily called. Kouga had done better with the modern clothes than she thought he would.

Kouga glared down at the jeans he was now wearing. He assumed the metal clip with the path of jagged teeth running down the only hole left in his pants was the zipper. He tugged on it as Kagome had said, and to his surprise, the metal (which he found out really did make a `zipping' sound) slid up easily and clicked into place.

Kouga smiled, pleased with himself over this great accomplishment.

“Okay, Kagome, I'm finished.”

Kagome eagerly pulled the door open and gasped at what she saw. Kouga, Prince of the youkai wolves in Sengoku Jidai, was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt. Kouga was wearing pants.

“I never thought I'd see the day,” Kagome muttered to herself, shaking her head laughingly.

Kouga raised an eyebrow, not fully appreciating the amused look Kagome was giving him. “What day is that?” he asked.

“The day I see you wearing something other than a skirt,” she said, laughing.

Kouga frowned. “It's a pelt, and I have to wear it. It's much easier to run in a pelt than anything else.”

Kagome grinned and shook her head. “Whatever, Kouga.” Then, glancing at his attire with an appraising look, she said, “You look great by the way.”

While Kouga was fighting to repress the redness in his cheeks, Kagome's mother returned from her own shopping, carrying bags from various other stores.

“Kouga!” She exclaimed. “I hardly recognized you!” she said, circling him for a better view of his new outfit. “You look wonderful!”

“Thank you,” he said, with a polite nod. “But, Kagome, what are we going to do about…?” He trailed off, turning around to show them the mass of fur that was sticking out of his jeans and was clearly not going to be hidden easily under his shirt: his tail.

“Hmm…” Kagome pressed the tip of her finger to her lip while she thought.

“I know!” Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed. “I'll be right back,” she said. A few moments later, she returned carrying a red hoodie. Kouga looked on in confusion (despite Kagome's assured look of realization) as she tied the sleeves around his waist like a belt, making the hood and body of the sweatshirt drape over his tail.

“There, it's perfect,” Mrs. Higurashi announced, looking pleased.

“Try sitting down, Kouga.” Kagome suggested. “Before we assume the problem is solved, we have to make sure you're comfortable enough to endure it for hours at a time.” She led him to a bench just outside of the changing room.

Kouga sat.

And winced.

“It feels…odd. But I can live with it if I must.” He muttered with a pout at the end.

“Good.” Kagome smiled. “Problem solved!”

“Let's buy him a few more shirts before we go,” Mrs. Higurashi said. “He can't show up everyday wearing the same thing.”

“Oh, definitely,” Kagome agreed.

Kouga frowned. “But, don't you wear the same thing everyday, Kagome?” He asked, pointing to the skirt and sailor-style shirt she was wearing.

Kagome shrugged. “Sort of. But, uniforms are different from regular clothes. It's pretty much a rule, a fashion rule, that you can't wear the same clothes everyday, if they're not school uniforms.”

Kouga sighed and shook his head. “I give up. I'm not even going to bother asking you what `fa-shun' means.”

This earned him a giggle from Kagome.

((()))

Dinner that night proved to be uneventful, for the Higurashi's and Kouga, much to Kagome's surprise and, shockingly, disappointment. She had been worrying all day about teaching Kouga how to use chopsticks, (the meals prior to this one had been finger-foods, such as the cheeseburgers from WacDonald's they had had for lunch) and also half-anticipating the lesson.

After Kouga's performance of dressing himself in the future garb with little instruction in the mall, Kagome had been looking forward to witnessing how quickly he could learn to eat with chopsticks.

This, however, proved to be unnecessary when Kouga told her he already knew how to use the eating utensils.

“You can forget whatever dog-boy, er- I mean Inuyasha, told you about wolves, Kagome. We're civilized enough to eat with chopsticks.” He said with a smirk as he took a seat beside her at the kitchen table. “I'm not saying we always use them, but we do teach the young cubs to use them, mainly for when we get together with the other tribes for government purposes. At least they do now,” he added under his breath.

Souta stopped eating and stared across the table. His mouth popped open, allowing his chewed chicken teriyaki to fall back onto his plate. Unfortunately for him, his mother had been watching.

“Higurashi Souta!” she said in a reprimanding tone. “Close your mouth at once. How many times have I told you to swallow your food before talking?” she demanded.

Souta swallowed the food that had managed to stay in his mouth before defending himself. “But, `kaa-san, I wasn't talking!”

His mother shook her head angrily. “It's the same thing.”

Souta frowned, ready to argue. “No, it's not!”

“Shut up, Souta,” Kagome said, rolling her eyes at her brother's childish behavior. “Anyway, what kind of government things do you talk about?” She asked, turning her attention back to Kouga. “And what do you mean, `now'?”

“Yes, tell us more about your home, Kouga,” said Mrs. Higurashi.

Kouga looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. “When I was a cub, and my father was Leader of the Tribe-“

“'Leader of the Tribe'?!” Notaishita interrupted. “Kagome, you never mentioned he was the Leader of his whole Tribe!”

Kagome rolled her eyes. “Yes, I did. I remember. It was last year, just after I returned from Sengoku Jidai one time. You asked me how my week went, and I told you, `Oh, it was fine. A Wolf Prince just kidnapped me for a few days, but other than that, it was JUST great.'”

Kouga burst out laughing just as Mrs. Higurashi muttered an “Oh, yes, I remember now.”

Souta almost repeated the actions he'd been scolded for a few moments before, but he managed to swallow a mouthful before speaking.

“You mean this is the jerk Inu-nii says causes him so much trouble?” he demanded.

Kouga `hmphed', crossing his arms across his chest. “I cause him trouble? He's the one who always gets in the way when I'm hunting for Naraku. Keh. He's just jealous I have better senses than he does.” He finished with a smirk.

Kagome sighed. “First of all, Souta, you need to stop listening to everything Inuyasha says. He's a terrible role model.”

Souta ignored Kouga's guffawing. “He is not!”

“Whatever, Souta. Anyway, Kouga is not a jerk,” Kagome said, elbowing him in the ribs to make him stop laughing.

“Yes, he is. You said so yourself.” Souta said with a smug look on his face.

Kagome felt her face flush red as she looked at the table in embarrassment. “Well, I was wrong. I was very wrong about him,” she said, her cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red.

Kouga smiled. She was warming up to him more and more every minute, it seemed.

“Well, I was sort of a jerk to you when I first met you.”

Kagome glanced up from the table and raised an eyebrow at him. “Sort of?”

“All right,” he admitted with a laugh. “I was a lot of a jerk. And I'm sorry for that.”

Kagome grinned. “Apology accepted.”

“Ugh. Enough of this mushy stuff.” Souta demanded. “Can't we talk about something else, nee-chan?”

Kouga smirked as Kagome's blush returned.

“Yes, let's get back to talking about your Tribe, Kouga,” said Mrs. Higurashi. Then, looking thoughtful, she added, “How did we stray from that topic, anyway?”

Kagome rolled her eyes while Kouga choked back a laugh.

“That was your fault, `kaa-san!” Souta shouted, pointing his fork at her accusingly.

“Oh, I suppose it was me, wasn't it?” Mrs. Higurashi chuckled. “Anyway, what about your government, Kouga?”

Kouga took a bite of his teriyaki with his chopsticks before continuing.

“Well, when Otou-sama was the Leader of the Tribe, the other Tribes would meet with us to discuss matters such as where certain Tribes were allowed to hunt and the best ways to run the tribe smoothly.”

`Oh. Well, that rules out Sango-chan's and Miroku-sama's theory. They thought he pushed his way to the top, when actually, he inherited it!' Kagome thought.

“ Trivial things.” He paused and sighed, looking at the table.

“If only he were here now. I've wanted to ask him so many times about whether I am doing the right thing…about Naraku.” He said, his voice falling to a whisper at the end.

Kagome sighed and touched his arm lightly.

“You are doing the right thing, Kouga,” she said, looking deeply into his eyes. “I think so, anyway.” She muttered, blushing when she remembered her mother and brother, who were sitting two feet away.

Kouga smiled, his eyes softening as he looked at her.

Souta coughed.

“Anyway,” Kouga began for the third time. “After Otou-sama died, the Tribal Elders had no choice but to appoint me Leader, even at my young age.”

Souta narrowed his eyes. “Just how old are you, anyway?” He asked suspiciously.

Kagome's eyes widened. She'd always wanted to know this information herself, but had never asked.

Kouga blinked. “I'm nineteen.”

Kagome looked shocked. “That's it?”

Kouga nodded. “What, did you expect me to secretly be a thousand years old, or something?” he asked, grinning.

Kagome nodded guiltily. Nineteen? Kouga was only two years older than she was! This was much better than Inuyasha's fifty-year age difference, or whatever it was.

Wait.

“How old were you when you first became the Leader of the Tribe?”

Kouga had to think for a moment. “Father passed away four years ago…I was fifteen.”

Kagome raised her eyebrows in shock. Only fifteen? That was how old she had been when she had first been dragged down the well.

Mrs. Higurashi nodded. “So, what do you talk about during your…?”

“Tribal Gatherings.” Kouga finished for her. “We have them every two years. The second meeting that I will lead is going to occur in a few weeks' time.” Kouga sighed. “During the first meeting, none of us had ever even heard of Naraku. Now we must discuss what we are going to do to destroy him.”

Kagome's mouth dropped open. She stood up from her chair in a flash. “Tribal Gathering? In a few weeks?!” She shouted. “What are we going to do?! You're in no condition to…” She trailed off, pointing at Kouga's side, and pacing back and forth.

Kouga chuckled. “Relax, Kagome. I'm completely prepared for it. My wound will be completely healed by then.”

Kagome exhaled in relief, taking her seat again.

Silence filled the table as everyone polished off their dinner.

“Oh,” Kagome glanced at Kouga. “You never told us what you meant when you said the cubs use chopsticks now.”

“Um,” Kouga blushed. “Right.”

Kagome grinned evilly. This was going to be good, she could tell.

Kouga's hesitation caught the interest of Notaishita and Souta, too.

“Yes, tell us about that, too,” Mrs. Higurashi said.

“Oh, all right.” Kouga gave in with a sigh. Kagome put down her chopsticks and gave Kouga her full attention. “Well, when I was a cub, Otou-sama made me sit with the other Leaders during the Tribal Gatherings, since I would one day be the Leader, blah, blah, blah. Well, Okaa-sama never made me eat my meals with chopsticks, and Otou-sama never ate with me, he always ate with the Elders. So, during one of the Tribal Gatherings, I started to eat my dinner with my bare hands, right in front of the Elders and other Leaders.” He paused.

Kagome's eyes were popping out of their sockets.

“Otou-sama was so angry with me that he screamed at me sent me to my den in front of everyone. And I hadn't been sent to my den since I was very small. It was so embarrassing.”

Kagome burst into laughter, along with Souta and Mrs. Higurashi.

“Let me guess,” Kagome began. “When you became Leader, you made all the cubs learn how to use chopsticks so they wouldn't ever be put through the same trauma, right?”

Kouga smiled awkwardly. “Yes.”

Mrs. Higurashi giggled as she stood up and carried her dishes to the sink. “Well, I think that's very thoughtful of you, Kouga,” she said.

“Thank you.”

“Can I have Grandpa's teriyaki since he's not home from golfing yet?” Souta asked.

“No. How would you feel if I gave Grandpa your dinner just because you were out late playing with your friends?” Mrs. Higurashi asked, snatching Grandpa's plate from him before he could do any damage.

Souta sighed, “Fine.”

Mrs. Higurashi hid a smile as she washed the dishes in the sink. “Souta, why don't you teach Kouga how to play Uno, or something?”

“Why?” Souta wanted to know.

Kagome rolled her eyes. “Come on, I'll play too.”

((()))

Kagome, Souta, and Kouga wound up playing Uno for two hours. (Well, Kagome only played for one hour. Kouga turned out to be quite good, and when he beat Souta for the third time, Souta demanded a one-on-one competition. Souta won, but Kagome suspected Kouga of letting him win.)

When Mrs. Higurashi found them, she demanded they go to bed at once. (It was already ten o'clock, and they all had school in the morning.)

Kagome made sure Kouga was comfortable on the couch before going to bed herself. After pulling on her pajamas and turning off her light, Kagome rolled into bed, quietly thinking to herself.

`I know this whole thing started because Kouga found out how I don'tfeel about him, but…All this time, maybe I've been missing out? Kouga's a really great guy. In fact, he's much better than Inuyasha. He still can't choose between me and some dead girl for crying out loud! Kouga genuinely loves me. And I…'

She thought of how worried she'd been when he'd gotten hurt.

Kagome pulled the covers up to her nose and smiled, her eyes softening as she remembered exactly how she had felt when he'd almost kissed her.

A/N: Okay, so they didn't get to school in this chapter, but still, it's an update right? RIGHT?

Ahem.

Anyway, I KNOW teriyaki is Chinese, not Japanese, but it sounded good. LOL.

Well, you know the routine. Leave me a review and tell me what you thought.

Thanks!

Until next time.