InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Just The Way You Are ❯ Boys Lie ( Chapter 1 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: xbitternessx 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.08.2005 | Updated On: 09.14.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 1.9K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.08.2005 | Updated On: 09.14.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 1.9K | Status: Completed
A/N: Okay, people, I edited this chapter after I was told Kagome was in ninth grade, and not eighth. I didn’t add the responses to the reviews that I’d written, but you read ‘em the first time, so just know I appreciate it! ~bitterness
*******
Inuyasha sat among the leaves of the Go Shimboku, an expression on his face that a fearless person would describe as a pout.
Where was she, anyway?
She was damn lucky he hadn’t gone to get her yet. She’d promised to come back earlier than this. What the hell was going on? Didn’t she know they had to get going? Four days was more than enough time to get her ‘geometry’ done.
Growling, Inuyasha jumped from the tree, landing gracefully before walking to the mouth of the Bone Eater’s Well. He was going to tell her, for the last time, that there were more important things than her stupid school. Well, maybe he’d try to put it nicer, if he didn’t want to get sat. He knew Kagome’s schoolwork was important to her; he just couldn’t fathom why.
Jumping into the well, he waited impatiently to land on the other side, 500 years in the future. He didn’t have to see to know he’d arrived. The smells of Tokyo assaulted his sensitive nose as he walked from the well house. Kagome was home; her scent reached him, more familiar to him than all the others. If she’s home, why in the hell hasn’t she come back yet?
Not bothering with the door, Inuyasha jumped up to the balcony, letting himself into Kagome’s bedroom.
“Inuyasha!” he was greeted, but not kindly. Kagome didn’t seem pleased to see him in the slightest. “What are you doing here?”
“You were supposed to come back yesterday!” He sniffed the air, his brow arching. “What did you roll in?”
Kagome’s mouth dropped open, and Inuyasha shrank back. Somehow, he’d offended her. “I didn’t roll in anything, you moron! It’s perfume!”
He looked her over, smirking at her silk dress. “Don’t tell me you’re planning on wearing that back. We’ve got a long way to walk and--”
She turned to face him, and he recognized the other changes in Kagome’s appearance. Her lips were… darker, and she had strange smudges on her eyelids. “Inuyasha,” she said, “I can’t go back right now. I have plans.”
His left ear twitched as he heard a knock downstairs. The door. He watched as Kagome grabbed a small bag from her bed, throwing the strap over her shoulder. “I’ll see you in the morning,” she told him, going out her bedroom door.
“Kagome.” No use, she was already down the stairs, and he caught an unfamiliar scent from that direction. Who was in her house?
The sound of the door closing drew him to her window, and he watched as Kagome appeared, his mouth falling open to see she was accompanied by a boy. His dark eyebrows drew together when the boy’s arm found its way across Kagome’s bare shoulders as they walked down the steps together.
*
“You seemed in a hurry to get out of there,” Seiji laughed as they reached the street.
Kagome smiled nervously. “Yeah, well, it’s just been a crazy day!”
They walked in silence toward the bus stop, and Kagome’s thoughts turned to Inuyasha. She hadn’t known if telling him about Seiji would be a good idea, since she knew he would have only blown it off like he did everything else. Still, she felt horrible that he’d found out this way.
Things had changed so quickly in the past few weeks, since she’d met Seiji at WacDonald’s after school. He’d been with a group of his tenth-grader friends, who’d all been sending look over to their table. This had sent Kagome’s friends into fits of nervous giggles, which she hadn’t really understood. They were only a year older.
Then, Seiji had come over, saying hello to her. She’d been so shocked, she knew she must have acted stupid. He was very nice looking; tall, with shoulder length brown hair that hung over his gray eyes in a very attractive way. Her friends had absolutely freaked when he’d asked her to the movies.
At the time, it had seemed like a great way to get her mind off Inuyasha, who was never going to return the feelings she felt for him. But Seiji really was a nice guy. Not overwhelmingly nice like Houjo, but he showed a genuine interest in her, and was always introducing her to new things. He had a great liking of American films, and she’d watched quite a few with him. He didn’t even care to go shopping with her, and had actually suggested a few items for her to buy. They weren’t her usual style, but once he’d told her how beautiful she looked, she’d bought them right away. The green silk dress she wore was one of those purchases. She felt a little exposed, but every time he smiled at her, it made her swell with pride. Inuyasha would just have to get over the fact that she wanted a life besides the one she spent searching for jewel shards.
*
Mrs. Higurashi stepped outside, trying to find Souta for dinner, when she spotted something red from the corner of her eye. Looking over to the Go Shimboku, she smiled to herself. Inuyasha stood there, his palm flat on the trunk of the sacred tree, looking lost in thought. “Inuyasha?” she called, walking over to him. He jumped, startled, before regaining his composure and looking suspiciously at her, his arms folding within the sleeves of his haori.
“Yeah?”
“What are you still doing here?”
Thinking about tracking Kagome, he mentally answered. “I ain’t got nothing better to do.”
“I’m sorry Kagome didn’t tell you about her date.”
“Keh,” he replied, trying to feign indifference. “Who was that, anyway?”
“His name’s Seiji. Kagome’s gone out with him several times now.”
Several? “Well, I hope she’s not thinking she can just slack off,” he said sullenly.
Mrs. Higurashi suppressed a smile. She could tell the hanyou was upset at this news. “Well, if you’d like, you can stay for dinner.”
“I don’t have time,” Inuyasha told her. “Unlike some other people, I have important things to do, besides waste my time with some idiot, and wear hardly any clothes!” With that said, Inuyasha stalked off to the well house.
“All you do is waste time, Inuyasha,” Mrs. Higurashi said softly.
*
The next morning…
“Kagome!”
“Shippou!” Kagome neatly caught the kitsune as he jumped into her arms.
“Did you bring me any candy?” he asked excitedly.
“Hmm, I don’t know…” she mused, walking towards the village.
“Oh, come on! I can smell it, you know!”
Kagome laughed. “Yeah, I brought it. I also brought a new coloring book.”
The two of them chatted happily as they entered Kaede’s hut, where Kagome was greeted by Sango and Miroku. “Where’s Inuyasha?” she asked, setting her quite heavy backpack on the floor.
Miroku rolled his eyes. “Somewhere sulking is my guess.”
“He’s been in a horrible mood ever since he came back yesterday,” Sango added.
Kagome’s face fell. It was her fault, she knew.
“I’m assuming the two of you had an argument?” Miroku asked.
“No, not really,” she sighed. “It’s just, when he showed up, I was on my way out with Seiji.”
“Who’s that?” Shippou asked innocently.
“Well, he’s a boy that I know,” Kagome ventured, not liking the shocked looks the other two gave her. “What? Can’t I spend time with someone besides Inuyasha?”
“W-Well, of course, Kagome,” Sango replied. I just never thought you would.
“I think it’s wonderful that you’ve realized there are other opportunities,” Miroku commented. This day is going to be hell.
“I do, too,” Kagome agreed. “Seiji’s a very nice guy, and not at all afraid to show his emotions.”
Inuyasha listened to the conversation from the roof of Kaede’s hut, seething. Afraid to show his emotions, huh? What kind of emotions was the Seiji jerk showing Kagome, anyway? He’d keep his hands off her if he knew what was good for him!
Soon after, the five of them left Kaede’s hut, shouting their good-byes, and found Inuyasha waiting at the edge of the village. As Kirara transformed, Kagome went to climb on, and was grabbed at the wrist by Inuyasha. If she wasn’t going to tell him about this boy to his face, he was going to make things very awkward for her, indeed. Saying nothing, Inuyasha hoisted Kagome onto his back, not waiting for the others as he took into the trees.
Kagome sighed as she held onto Inuyasha’s haori. He didn’t seem upset about Seiji. He didn’t seem to care at all, which is why she hadn’t told him in the first place. He was running awfully fast, though, and Kagome cried out when they flew to the earth at a frightening speed, clinging to Inuyasha’s back in terror, her legs tightening around his waist.
Inuyasha flushed at the sensation of Kagome’s legs around him, but shook it off. “Have I ever dropped you?” he yelled back at her.
“N-no,” was her meek reply.
“Then, calm down!” Up they went again, Kirara barely able to keep the pace the hanyou was setting.
Inuyasha’s mind race as they traveled. They’d be entering the Western Lands by nightfall, and he’d probably have to deal with Sesshomaru sooner or later. The last thing he needed was to be distracted by Kagome.
So, she’d found someone. Some pretty boy with a stupid name that she painted her face for. What did he care? If that’s what she wanted, fine. It wasn’t like he himself did anything for her. Like protect her, or feed her, or find places she’d like to camp, or soothe her when she cried out in her sleep from nightmares that let him know that her bravery in battle was sometimes only a front. That idiot could have Kagome for all he cared. She’d probably already kissed him.
Kagome felt a vibration against her thighs, her eyebrows spiking, until she realized it was only Inuyasha growling. “What’s wrong?” she asked. She didn’t sense anything demonic nearby.
“Nothing!” he snapped.
“Well, you don’t have to get mad; I was just wondering!”
Inuyasha glowered. He hoped they found a shard, and soon, so Kagome could go back to her own time. She obviously preferred it there.
*
That night, Sango and Miroku stared solemnly at the campfire. There wasn’t a village for miles, so Miroku hadn’t been able to swindle free shelter for them. He wished there was a wall or two to separate him from the drama that was Kagome and Inuyasha.
All day the two had snipped at each other. Kagome would speak, and Inuyasha would find something wrong with what she’d said, causing Kagome to yell at him. Surprisingly enough, though, she hadn’t used her magic word all day. Miroku suspected Inuyasha was surprised as well. He’d looked like he’d been expecting it more than once.
Now was a brief reprieve, as Kagome had gone to bathe in a stream nearby. Sango had opted not to go; she didn’t want any part of this argument. She’d also made sure that Shippou stayed at camp. Kagome probably needed the time alone, anyway.
At the same time, Inuyasha was tramping through the forest, set on killing something. And once he did, Kagome would probably yell at him for hurting the ‘poor thing.’ She’d eat, though, wouldn’t she? “Stupid wench,” he muttered, kicking at a suspicious looking pile of leaves. As they drifted back to the ground, though, he heard something, perking his ears to listen. A soft sound, like a sigh, but different. Silently, he crept closer to the sound, coming to the edge of the trees, where the bank declined sharply toward the stream.
It was Kagome; she was crying! Was she hurt? He sped toward the edge, looking down. Once he spied the girl, though, his eyes quickly looked away. She was nude, standing in the water that came up just under her hips. He didn’t smell blood, and she wasn’t scared. She just looked… very sad.
He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but she’d get embarrassed that she didn’t have anything on, and she’d probably sit him, making things worse between them than they already were. Instead, he just looked at her longingly from his hiding place between the trees. What was upsetting her? Had he said something?
Or was it that boy?
There was something Kagome wasn’t telling him, of that he was sure.
He’d just have to find out on his own.
*
Four days later…
Kagome looked in the mirror, examining her new hairstyle. It wasn’t a big deal; Seiji had just suggested she pull it back for their date. He was taking her to a very nice restaurant, and he’d bought her a pair of earrings to wear with her silk dress. She would’ve had to pull her hair back anyway to show them off. Unlike the ponytail she sometimes wore, however, this sat lower, at the nape of her neck, and her mother had twisted it under, making her look very elegant, and much older than she was.
“How long are you staying home this time, Kagome?” her mother had asked as she’d fixed her hair.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a few days. We found two jewel shards the last time, so I’m hoping Inuyasha will give me a break.” Actually, Inuyasha hadn’t griped at all when she’d told him she needed to go home. After her first night back, he hadn’t said much of anything to her, not even arguing with her when he obviously didn’t agree. It was unsettling.
Deciding she looked alright, Kagome grabbed her purse, heading downstairs. Seiji would be there any minute. “Mama, do I look okay?” she asked Mrs. Higruashi, who was washing dishes.
Her mother smiled, but to Kagome, it didn’t seem very genuine. “You look lovely, dear. Aren’t those shoes uncomfortable, though?”
Kagome looked down at the stacked sandals she wore. “Well, they’re not tennis shoes. Seiji saw them when we were at the mall. They really compliment the dress, don’t you think?”
“Do you like them?”
Kagome gave her mother a strange look. “Well, yeah. They match, right?”
“I suppose they do.”
Mrs. Higurashi thought of speaking to her daughter about Seiji when there was a knock on the door. Kagome ran over and gave her mother a peck on the cheek. “I’ll be back in an hour or two,” she said, going out the door.
Inuyasha watched from his perch on the roof as Kagome left with her stupid boyfriend. Once they were a good distance away, he jumped down, following them. He stuck to the rooftops whenever possible, not wanting anyone to see him. He didn’t have the baseball cap Kagome always made sure he wore.
Kagome looked so different. If he hadn’t had his great sense of smell, he barely would’ve recognized her. She looked like some sort of ornamental statue, her back stiff as she struggled to walk in what he guessed were shoes, but they looked like large, flat rocks. And what was with her hair? Kagome’s hair was beautiful; seeing it held back so severely reminded him of a caged animal.
Kagome mumbled a thank you as Seiji held the door on the way inside the restaurant. Looking around, she smiled softly. She didn’t think she’d ever been in a place so nice. They were seated quickly, and she couldn’t keep her eyes from wandering as he ordered their drinks. She was glad she’d followed Seiji’s advice; she still didn’t think she looked quite as nice as the other women in the room.
“So, how do you like it?” Seiji asked.
“It’s wonderful!” she exclaimed. “Do you come here often?”
He nodded. “My family comes here a lot. Actually, my parents are at their regular table right now.”
“Where?” Kagome asked, looking around.
Seiji smiled a bit. “Oh, don’t worry about them. It’s probably a dinner business dinner, anyway. You can meet them some other time.”
“They must be very busy people, with their own company, and all.”
“Yeah, they’re always running some place or another.” Kagome felt a little strange; she’d been seeing Seiji for a little while now, and had yet to meet his parents. If they were in the same restaurant, couldn’t he at least introduce her? It made her uncomfortable that he came from such a wealthy family. What if his parents didn’t approve of her? Was he worried about that?
The two of them sat through a nice dinner, which was silent on Kagome’s half. Seiji filled the conversation with details from his trip to Ireland the summer before. Kagome half listened, barely touching her food. Why did she feel like she didn’t belong here? Didn’t every girl deserve something like this once in awhile?
“Kagome, are you alright?”
She jumped a little, plastering a grin on her face. “Of course, I’m fine! Please, go ahead with your story.”
“Oh, there isn’t really much more to tell. I was wondering, though. My friend Ken is having a party next month. I was wondering if you’d go with me.”
“Isn‘t that a little far off?”
“Well, his parents will be out of town. It’s just that it will be on a Wednesday.”
A school night? She‘d probably be in the Sengoku Jidai. “I don’t know… My mom would never let me.”
“Then, sneak out,” he said with a sly grin. “I’ve heard you’re hardly ever in school, anyway.”
Kagome blushed. Sneak out? She’d never even thought of such a thing. Of course, if her mother thought she was with Inuyasha. Then, it would only be a matter of getting ready in her room without her mother noticing. “Well, I’ll think about it.”
“Good. There should be lots of girls there. Maybe you can make some friends before you start high school.”
“Maybe.”
“But enough about that. I thought we’d stop by the mall on our way back. Get you a nice necklace to match those earrings.” He smiled sweetly at her. “Your hair looks very nice like that, by the way.”
“You think so?”
“Mm-hm. You look very sophisticated.”
“Thanks.”
Inuyasha couldn’t hear their conversation from where he stood at the bus stop, but he could tell Kagome wasn’t very comfortable. What was that loser saying to her? And why was Kagome acting differently for him? He’d never seen her so tense, not even in the face of a drooling youkai. How was that stupid guy a bigger threat? Confused, Inuyasha decided to leave before he was caught. He’d do better at analyzing Kagome’s strange behavior on his home turf.
*******
Inuyasha sat among the leaves of the Go Shimboku, an expression on his face that a fearless person would describe as a pout.
Where was she, anyway?
She was damn lucky he hadn’t gone to get her yet. She’d promised to come back earlier than this. What the hell was going on? Didn’t she know they had to get going? Four days was more than enough time to get her ‘geometry’ done.
Growling, Inuyasha jumped from the tree, landing gracefully before walking to the mouth of the Bone Eater’s Well. He was going to tell her, for the last time, that there were more important things than her stupid school. Well, maybe he’d try to put it nicer, if he didn’t want to get sat. He knew Kagome’s schoolwork was important to her; he just couldn’t fathom why.
Jumping into the well, he waited impatiently to land on the other side, 500 years in the future. He didn’t have to see to know he’d arrived. The smells of Tokyo assaulted his sensitive nose as he walked from the well house. Kagome was home; her scent reached him, more familiar to him than all the others. If she’s home, why in the hell hasn’t she come back yet?
Not bothering with the door, Inuyasha jumped up to the balcony, letting himself into Kagome’s bedroom.
“Inuyasha!” he was greeted, but not kindly. Kagome didn’t seem pleased to see him in the slightest. “What are you doing here?”
“You were supposed to come back yesterday!” He sniffed the air, his brow arching. “What did you roll in?”
Kagome’s mouth dropped open, and Inuyasha shrank back. Somehow, he’d offended her. “I didn’t roll in anything, you moron! It’s perfume!”
He looked her over, smirking at her silk dress. “Don’t tell me you’re planning on wearing that back. We’ve got a long way to walk and--”
She turned to face him, and he recognized the other changes in Kagome’s appearance. Her lips were… darker, and she had strange smudges on her eyelids. “Inuyasha,” she said, “I can’t go back right now. I have plans.”
His left ear twitched as he heard a knock downstairs. The door. He watched as Kagome grabbed a small bag from her bed, throwing the strap over her shoulder. “I’ll see you in the morning,” she told him, going out her bedroom door.
“Kagome.” No use, she was already down the stairs, and he caught an unfamiliar scent from that direction. Who was in her house?
The sound of the door closing drew him to her window, and he watched as Kagome appeared, his mouth falling open to see she was accompanied by a boy. His dark eyebrows drew together when the boy’s arm found its way across Kagome’s bare shoulders as they walked down the steps together.
*
“You seemed in a hurry to get out of there,” Seiji laughed as they reached the street.
Kagome smiled nervously. “Yeah, well, it’s just been a crazy day!”
They walked in silence toward the bus stop, and Kagome’s thoughts turned to Inuyasha. She hadn’t known if telling him about Seiji would be a good idea, since she knew he would have only blown it off like he did everything else. Still, she felt horrible that he’d found out this way.
Things had changed so quickly in the past few weeks, since she’d met Seiji at WacDonald’s after school. He’d been with a group of his tenth-grader friends, who’d all been sending look over to their table. This had sent Kagome’s friends into fits of nervous giggles, which she hadn’t really understood. They were only a year older.
Then, Seiji had come over, saying hello to her. She’d been so shocked, she knew she must have acted stupid. He was very nice looking; tall, with shoulder length brown hair that hung over his gray eyes in a very attractive way. Her friends had absolutely freaked when he’d asked her to the movies.
At the time, it had seemed like a great way to get her mind off Inuyasha, who was never going to return the feelings she felt for him. But Seiji really was a nice guy. Not overwhelmingly nice like Houjo, but he showed a genuine interest in her, and was always introducing her to new things. He had a great liking of American films, and she’d watched quite a few with him. He didn’t even care to go shopping with her, and had actually suggested a few items for her to buy. They weren’t her usual style, but once he’d told her how beautiful she looked, she’d bought them right away. The green silk dress she wore was one of those purchases. She felt a little exposed, but every time he smiled at her, it made her swell with pride. Inuyasha would just have to get over the fact that she wanted a life besides the one she spent searching for jewel shards.
*
Mrs. Higurashi stepped outside, trying to find Souta for dinner, when she spotted something red from the corner of her eye. Looking over to the Go Shimboku, she smiled to herself. Inuyasha stood there, his palm flat on the trunk of the sacred tree, looking lost in thought. “Inuyasha?” she called, walking over to him. He jumped, startled, before regaining his composure and looking suspiciously at her, his arms folding within the sleeves of his haori.
“Yeah?”
“What are you still doing here?”
Thinking about tracking Kagome, he mentally answered. “I ain’t got nothing better to do.”
“I’m sorry Kagome didn’t tell you about her date.”
“Keh,” he replied, trying to feign indifference. “Who was that, anyway?”
“His name’s Seiji. Kagome’s gone out with him several times now.”
Several? “Well, I hope she’s not thinking she can just slack off,” he said sullenly.
Mrs. Higurashi suppressed a smile. She could tell the hanyou was upset at this news. “Well, if you’d like, you can stay for dinner.”
“I don’t have time,” Inuyasha told her. “Unlike some other people, I have important things to do, besides waste my time with some idiot, and wear hardly any clothes!” With that said, Inuyasha stalked off to the well house.
“All you do is waste time, Inuyasha,” Mrs. Higurashi said softly.
*
The next morning…
“Kagome!”
“Shippou!” Kagome neatly caught the kitsune as he jumped into her arms.
“Did you bring me any candy?” he asked excitedly.
“Hmm, I don’t know…” she mused, walking towards the village.
“Oh, come on! I can smell it, you know!”
Kagome laughed. “Yeah, I brought it. I also brought a new coloring book.”
The two of them chatted happily as they entered Kaede’s hut, where Kagome was greeted by Sango and Miroku. “Where’s Inuyasha?” she asked, setting her quite heavy backpack on the floor.
Miroku rolled his eyes. “Somewhere sulking is my guess.”
“He’s been in a horrible mood ever since he came back yesterday,” Sango added.
Kagome’s face fell. It was her fault, she knew.
“I’m assuming the two of you had an argument?” Miroku asked.
“No, not really,” she sighed. “It’s just, when he showed up, I was on my way out with Seiji.”
“Who’s that?” Shippou asked innocently.
“Well, he’s a boy that I know,” Kagome ventured, not liking the shocked looks the other two gave her. “What? Can’t I spend time with someone besides Inuyasha?”
“W-Well, of course, Kagome,” Sango replied. I just never thought you would.
“I think it’s wonderful that you’ve realized there are other opportunities,” Miroku commented. This day is going to be hell.
“I do, too,” Kagome agreed. “Seiji’s a very nice guy, and not at all afraid to show his emotions.”
Inuyasha listened to the conversation from the roof of Kaede’s hut, seething. Afraid to show his emotions, huh? What kind of emotions was the Seiji jerk showing Kagome, anyway? He’d keep his hands off her if he knew what was good for him!
Soon after, the five of them left Kaede’s hut, shouting their good-byes, and found Inuyasha waiting at the edge of the village. As Kirara transformed, Kagome went to climb on, and was grabbed at the wrist by Inuyasha. If she wasn’t going to tell him about this boy to his face, he was going to make things very awkward for her, indeed. Saying nothing, Inuyasha hoisted Kagome onto his back, not waiting for the others as he took into the trees.
Kagome sighed as she held onto Inuyasha’s haori. He didn’t seem upset about Seiji. He didn’t seem to care at all, which is why she hadn’t told him in the first place. He was running awfully fast, though, and Kagome cried out when they flew to the earth at a frightening speed, clinging to Inuyasha’s back in terror, her legs tightening around his waist.
Inuyasha flushed at the sensation of Kagome’s legs around him, but shook it off. “Have I ever dropped you?” he yelled back at her.
“N-no,” was her meek reply.
“Then, calm down!” Up they went again, Kirara barely able to keep the pace the hanyou was setting.
Inuyasha’s mind race as they traveled. They’d be entering the Western Lands by nightfall, and he’d probably have to deal with Sesshomaru sooner or later. The last thing he needed was to be distracted by Kagome.
So, she’d found someone. Some pretty boy with a stupid name that she painted her face for. What did he care? If that’s what she wanted, fine. It wasn’t like he himself did anything for her. Like protect her, or feed her, or find places she’d like to camp, or soothe her when she cried out in her sleep from nightmares that let him know that her bravery in battle was sometimes only a front. That idiot could have Kagome for all he cared. She’d probably already kissed him.
Kagome felt a vibration against her thighs, her eyebrows spiking, until she realized it was only Inuyasha growling. “What’s wrong?” she asked. She didn’t sense anything demonic nearby.
“Nothing!” he snapped.
“Well, you don’t have to get mad; I was just wondering!”
Inuyasha glowered. He hoped they found a shard, and soon, so Kagome could go back to her own time. She obviously preferred it there.
*
That night, Sango and Miroku stared solemnly at the campfire. There wasn’t a village for miles, so Miroku hadn’t been able to swindle free shelter for them. He wished there was a wall or two to separate him from the drama that was Kagome and Inuyasha.
All day the two had snipped at each other. Kagome would speak, and Inuyasha would find something wrong with what she’d said, causing Kagome to yell at him. Surprisingly enough, though, she hadn’t used her magic word all day. Miroku suspected Inuyasha was surprised as well. He’d looked like he’d been expecting it more than once.
Now was a brief reprieve, as Kagome had gone to bathe in a stream nearby. Sango had opted not to go; she didn’t want any part of this argument. She’d also made sure that Shippou stayed at camp. Kagome probably needed the time alone, anyway.
At the same time, Inuyasha was tramping through the forest, set on killing something. And once he did, Kagome would probably yell at him for hurting the ‘poor thing.’ She’d eat, though, wouldn’t she? “Stupid wench,” he muttered, kicking at a suspicious looking pile of leaves. As they drifted back to the ground, though, he heard something, perking his ears to listen. A soft sound, like a sigh, but different. Silently, he crept closer to the sound, coming to the edge of the trees, where the bank declined sharply toward the stream.
It was Kagome; she was crying! Was she hurt? He sped toward the edge, looking down. Once he spied the girl, though, his eyes quickly looked away. She was nude, standing in the water that came up just under her hips. He didn’t smell blood, and she wasn’t scared. She just looked… very sad.
He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but she’d get embarrassed that she didn’t have anything on, and she’d probably sit him, making things worse between them than they already were. Instead, he just looked at her longingly from his hiding place between the trees. What was upsetting her? Had he said something?
Or was it that boy?
There was something Kagome wasn’t telling him, of that he was sure.
He’d just have to find out on his own.
*
Four days later…
Kagome looked in the mirror, examining her new hairstyle. It wasn’t a big deal; Seiji had just suggested she pull it back for their date. He was taking her to a very nice restaurant, and he’d bought her a pair of earrings to wear with her silk dress. She would’ve had to pull her hair back anyway to show them off. Unlike the ponytail she sometimes wore, however, this sat lower, at the nape of her neck, and her mother had twisted it under, making her look very elegant, and much older than she was.
“How long are you staying home this time, Kagome?” her mother had asked as she’d fixed her hair.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a few days. We found two jewel shards the last time, so I’m hoping Inuyasha will give me a break.” Actually, Inuyasha hadn’t griped at all when she’d told him she needed to go home. After her first night back, he hadn’t said much of anything to her, not even arguing with her when he obviously didn’t agree. It was unsettling.
Deciding she looked alright, Kagome grabbed her purse, heading downstairs. Seiji would be there any minute. “Mama, do I look okay?” she asked Mrs. Higruashi, who was washing dishes.
Her mother smiled, but to Kagome, it didn’t seem very genuine. “You look lovely, dear. Aren’t those shoes uncomfortable, though?”
Kagome looked down at the stacked sandals she wore. “Well, they’re not tennis shoes. Seiji saw them when we were at the mall. They really compliment the dress, don’t you think?”
“Do you like them?”
Kagome gave her mother a strange look. “Well, yeah. They match, right?”
“I suppose they do.”
Mrs. Higurashi thought of speaking to her daughter about Seiji when there was a knock on the door. Kagome ran over and gave her mother a peck on the cheek. “I’ll be back in an hour or two,” she said, going out the door.
Inuyasha watched from his perch on the roof as Kagome left with her stupid boyfriend. Once they were a good distance away, he jumped down, following them. He stuck to the rooftops whenever possible, not wanting anyone to see him. He didn’t have the baseball cap Kagome always made sure he wore.
Kagome looked so different. If he hadn’t had his great sense of smell, he barely would’ve recognized her. She looked like some sort of ornamental statue, her back stiff as she struggled to walk in what he guessed were shoes, but they looked like large, flat rocks. And what was with her hair? Kagome’s hair was beautiful; seeing it held back so severely reminded him of a caged animal.
Kagome mumbled a thank you as Seiji held the door on the way inside the restaurant. Looking around, she smiled softly. She didn’t think she’d ever been in a place so nice. They were seated quickly, and she couldn’t keep her eyes from wandering as he ordered their drinks. She was glad she’d followed Seiji’s advice; she still didn’t think she looked quite as nice as the other women in the room.
“So, how do you like it?” Seiji asked.
“It’s wonderful!” she exclaimed. “Do you come here often?”
He nodded. “My family comes here a lot. Actually, my parents are at their regular table right now.”
“Where?” Kagome asked, looking around.
Seiji smiled a bit. “Oh, don’t worry about them. It’s probably a dinner business dinner, anyway. You can meet them some other time.”
“They must be very busy people, with their own company, and all.”
“Yeah, they’re always running some place or another.” Kagome felt a little strange; she’d been seeing Seiji for a little while now, and had yet to meet his parents. If they were in the same restaurant, couldn’t he at least introduce her? It made her uncomfortable that he came from such a wealthy family. What if his parents didn’t approve of her? Was he worried about that?
The two of them sat through a nice dinner, which was silent on Kagome’s half. Seiji filled the conversation with details from his trip to Ireland the summer before. Kagome half listened, barely touching her food. Why did she feel like she didn’t belong here? Didn’t every girl deserve something like this once in awhile?
“Kagome, are you alright?”
She jumped a little, plastering a grin on her face. “Of course, I’m fine! Please, go ahead with your story.”
“Oh, there isn’t really much more to tell. I was wondering, though. My friend Ken is having a party next month. I was wondering if you’d go with me.”
“Isn‘t that a little far off?”
“Well, his parents will be out of town. It’s just that it will be on a Wednesday.”
A school night? She‘d probably be in the Sengoku Jidai. “I don’t know… My mom would never let me.”
“Then, sneak out,” he said with a sly grin. “I’ve heard you’re hardly ever in school, anyway.”
Kagome blushed. Sneak out? She’d never even thought of such a thing. Of course, if her mother thought she was with Inuyasha. Then, it would only be a matter of getting ready in her room without her mother noticing. “Well, I’ll think about it.”
“Good. There should be lots of girls there. Maybe you can make some friends before you start high school.”
“Maybe.”
“But enough about that. I thought we’d stop by the mall on our way back. Get you a nice necklace to match those earrings.” He smiled sweetly at her. “Your hair looks very nice like that, by the way.”
“You think so?”
“Mm-hm. You look very sophisticated.”
“Thanks.”
Inuyasha couldn’t hear their conversation from where he stood at the bus stop, but he could tell Kagome wasn’t very comfortable. What was that loser saying to her? And why was Kagome acting differently for him? He’d never seen her so tense, not even in the face of a drooling youkai. How was that stupid guy a bigger threat? Confused, Inuyasha decided to leave before he was caught. He’d do better at analyzing Kagome’s strange behavior on his home turf.