InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Always ❯ Chapter 16 ( Chapter 16 )

A/N: Once again, it's taken me a while to get this chapter out. This time, the culprit is… a cold. I have been in bed for almost a week straight, barely getting up for anything, so it's limited my time to type. Anyhow, I apologize for how long this took. I think the next chapter will be the last. I hope you all enjoy… Once again, I love all my faithful readers/reviewers. Sayuri-chan16, Jennie555, snow cat demon over at FanFiction - you guys keep me going. And luvtodraw, revolution008, AngelOfDeathEnvy, lottiejeanb - you guys rock - I couldn't do it without you. And thank you guys SO MUCH, for those of you who have begun to read my other story, Choices, Choices… I have heard many good things, and it makes me happy. So Thanks for all the support, guys! ^_^ And I'm really sorry it's so short, but it served its' purpose! Gomen! T-T

 

 

 

 

Always

 

Chapter 16

 

 

 

 

Kagome always thought it was strange that despite the fact that the well whisked her back and forth five centuries, it usually transferred her at the same time of day. So, being that it was after dark in the Feudal Era, so it was in her own time. She left the well house quietly, realizing that everyone had probably gone to sleep. Once inside the main house, Kagome dropped her bag and trudged up the stairs to her room. When she had almost reached her door, she heard her name, very faintly. She turned towards her brothers' room, noticing just his head as he spied her from a distance.

 

“Hey, Souta. You shouldn't be up. Go back to sleep…” she told him, smiling softly.

 

He smiled back, nodding and disappearing behind the frame of his doorway. With that, Kagome entered her room, climbed into bed, and slept a restless sleep.

 

The next morning, Kagome found her way to the breakfast table, exchanging greetings with everyone. She hadn't been away that long, so they hadn't expected anything. Luckily, there was no school that day, so she would be able to relax. They chattered about what had been going on - they never really asked about her adventures in the Feudal Era - and let Kagome know of evens that were coming up, like the cultural festival that would be coming soon. Kagome enjoyed her time with them, playing with Souta, arguing with Grandpa, and helping Mom cook. She washed her laundry, making sure things would be ready for her next trip. But at this point, she was so confused she didn't want to go back. OR stay here. She didn't know where she wanted to be, she just wanted to be there.

 

Souta was outside playing, and Grandpa was taking care of the shrine when Kagome began to help her mother start lunch. They mostly chopped and sliced in silence, unlike the times she cooked with Sango or Kaede. It was almost too silent.

 

“I think the soumen are almost ready,” Kagome said nervously.

 

Her mother nodded, smiling gently.

 

“Um, but the broth isn't…” Kagome continued.

 

There was a pause.

 

“Kagome,” her mother began, “if you wish to talk about things other than soumen and broth, you know I will listen.”

 

Kagome hung her head and tears began to work their way out from their prison.

 

“Mama… I don't know what to do. I… I'm in love. But not with InuYasha…” she mumbled.

 

Kagome noticed that her mother was taken aback, but not judgmental. “So, who is the lucky guy?”

 

“His name is Kouga. He is… a wolf demon. He's very good to me. But… he and InuYasha don't get along. So I can't be with my friends,” Kagome explained.

 

Kagome was taken aback at her mothers' next question.

 

“And… InuYasha… how does he feel?”

 

“I… I think he loved me. He… wants me back. But I think he's beginning to realize…” Kagome said sadly.

 

“Kagome, InuYasha doesn't express his feelings the same way that we do. He shows you how he feels by protecting you, by watching out for you. So you will not know until you ask him. Only then will you know what to do,” Mrs. Higurashi told her daughter.

 

Stunned, Kagome couldn't reply. She hadn't been expecting that. She had wanted an answer, but instead, was placed with yet another task that she didn't want to do. They finished making lunch in silence, but she knew it wasn't because of ill will. They just disagreed on what was important, and there was nothing she could say. But the words continued to run through Kagome's mind, throughout lunch, and even during her shopping trip when her friends from school invited her out. She felt worse than before.

 

The next day didn't go much better, with hardly any talking with her mother. Souta was hardly around; now that he was in middle school, he was a little more popular and was always at someone else's house. Grandpa made it a habit of spending most of his time singing useless chants and trying to sell his many trinkets. And Kagome didn't feel any better around her friends, even though they were trying to cheer her up from her recent bout with `measles'. But she felt like she didn't belong here anymore, and it made her uneasy. Of course, it's not like it was fear of InuYasha's wrath that kept her going back to the Feudal Era - she wanted to be there. So many times she had gotten angry…

 

`What am I… just a jewel shard-detector to you? Well, not anymore! I'm going home!'

 

`No! Kagome! That's not it! It's…'

 

But this only caused her to ache for her friends more. Tomorrow… Tomorrow she would go back. And tell everyone that she would be fighting Naraku with Kouga…

 

Souta burst in her room, a smile on his face. Her thoughts interrupted, Kagome entertained the idea of throwing a tennis shoe at his head. But she held back, only threatening him mildly with a yell.

 

“What's wrong, Kagome?” her brother asked, a worried look on his face. “Did InuYasha piss you off again?” Kagome glared ice crystals his way, but he shook them off.

 

“No, Souta. I have stuff to… think about. Actually, InuYasha and I are… over. I'm sorry, Souta. I don't think he'll be coming here anymore.” She watched as his face fell with disappointment.

 

“But are you still going over there? Through the well?”

 

Kagome nodded. “Yeah. You see, there's someone else. Kouga… is also a demon. A full demon. He's part of a wolf tribe. And we're together, officially.”

 

“So why do you look so sad?” Souta asked, a half-confused, half-shocked look on his face.

 

“Well, I have other friends too. The whole group that InuYasha and I travel with. I'll… miss them,” she told him, her eyes traveling to her feet under the desk.

 

Souta moved to her bed, sitting on it. He had not heard much about the group she traveled with - it was usually InuYasha she spoke of - but if she was this upset, then they must be close…

 

“Well, sis, you gotta pick your groceries with the little money you have…”

 

Kagome looked at him like he had grown a foot on his forehead.

 

He laughed his boyish laugh, and tried to explain.

 

“OK. If you're in the market, and you only have a limited amount of yen, you have to think of what you need more. Do you get the milk, or the noodles? Soumen is great, especially with broth. And it's really satisfying. But milk… you can cook with, drink it, use it with cereal, or dunk cookies in it…” he told her, rubbing his hands together greedily when he got to the cookie part.

 

Kagome did throw her shoe at him this time, nailing him right in the temple. “Did you just compare Kouga to soumen?” she shouted, waving her fist at him angrily.

 

“Ow!!! Okay, okay! I'm leaving!” he yelled, protecting the back of his head with his hands as he retreated into the hallway and going downstairs.

 

Kagome sat and stewed for a moment. Noodles… Kouga is nothing like noodles. Although he is yummy… She giggled a bit, blushing at her own innuendo.

 

Houjou had brought her a lot of the assignments she had missed, and she had worked hard in her spare time to finish them. She somehow felt relieved after speaking to her brother, and returned to her studies. It was dinnertime before she was finished, and she closed the last Math book with a satisfied sigh, leaning back in her chair. She would go to school tomorrow - after all, it was good to make an appearance every now and then - and then head back through the well, to her other life.

 

The next day, Kagome went through the typical school day… Houjou bringing her presents, her three friends pestering her about her love life, and learning just how much work it would take to catch up. She told the girls she felt a fever coming on, and they all watched worriedly - yet suspiciously - as she waved goodbye, jogging towards her home. Inside the safety of her room, she sat at her desk, eager to take on the assignments she still had to make up, and the new ones she had been given. She had already let her mother know that she would be going back tonight, and Kagome would start packing before dinner. Now, tapping a pencil on her notebook, Kagome found herself echoing her brothers' words through her head. But why Souta? Usually, I take mama's advice… Shaking her head, Kagome found herself unable to concentrate, the boy's words nagging at her to understand.

 

Ohmygosh! That's it! Of course! Kouga is like soumen because even though he's great and I love him, there aren't as many reasons for me to stay with him as there are to go with InuYasha! So… what do I do?

 

Kagome found herself pacing in her room. She sat on her bed, trying to keep herself from fidgeting as she thought.

 

“Onee-chan! Mama says it's dinner time!”

 

Kagome's eyes grew wide in disbelief.

 

“Wha-?”

 

He entered her room, only he had to duck behind the entry to avoid one of his sisters' shoes.

 

“Onee-chan! I only said dinner!” he said, poking his head out from behind the doorway.

 

“It's all your fault!” she yelled at him, picking up another shoe.

 

“I - I didn't do anything!” he cried, running downstairs.

 

“If it wasn't for you and your magical grocery list, I would be done with my homework and wouldn't be so confused!” she yelled down the hallway at his retreating body.

 

Sighing, Kagome quickly picked out a few things that she would put in her backpack later.

 

After dinner, Kagome said goodbye to her family, running upstairs to pack her things. She ran downstairs and was surprised to find her mother waiting.

 

“Mama?” she asked in an uncertain voice.

 

“Kagome, I just wanted to tell you… I know you'll make the right decision. And please be careful,” she told her daughter, placing a light kiss on her forehead and retreating to her own bedroom.

 

Kagome thought about her words for a moment, then quietly left, walking to the well house. Without hesitation, she jumped into the gaping mouth of the well, inviting the cold darkness as she closed her eyes and awaited the feel of earth beneath her feet.

 

Climbing the walls of the well, Kagome pulled herself out, plopping her backpack on the ground before heaving herself over the rim. She was surprised to see that InuYasha was there, sitting against the well.

 

“Inu… Yasha…” she said, his name coming out as a gasp on her breath.

 

He didn't look up, but acknowledged her the same. “Hai…”

 

She thought he looked so sad there, but couldn't help to feel happy to be back… back where she felt she had some use. She was surprised when he took the initiative to speak.

 

“You're back early. I figured you'd be gone longer…” he said, still not looking at her.

 

“I… I missed everyone,” she told him.

 

She didn't miss the way his eyes sparkled so suddenly. The look in his eyes… it was hope.

 

“InuYasha…” she said, so quietly it was almost a whisper.

 

“Hai,” was all he could respond with, his eyes dancing with optimism.

 

“I have to tell you something…” she said, noticing that he suddenly looked confused, and her own heartbeat was thumping very loudly.