Reunion Under the Goshinboku
“Inuyasha,” Kikyo hugged him tighter, “Let’s go find Naraku together. After we kill him, we can live together…forever.”

Inuyasha finally looked down at the dead miko, but he looks like he’s in pain. After several minutes, he finally made a move and was about to push Kikyo away. “Kikyo…”

He’s just about to speak when Kikyo pulled his shoulders close and before he can realize it, Kikyo kissed him.

Kikyo’s eyes are closed, she’s standing on tip-toes. The night wind blows around them, her black hair flows like the ocean waves. Her soul gatherers floated around them, encircling the two.

Inuyasha was shocked at first. Then he relaxed himself. This would be the last time, Kikyo. He told her in his mind. I will avenge you and help you move on. But it’s over between us. It can never be.

Inuyasha was again just about to push her away when three fresh scents caught his attention. The scents are close, very close. How he had not smelled it earlier is a mystery to him. But soon he recognized the scents. They belonged to Kirara, Haruko, and Kagome. And they’re…right above him.

“Kagome!” Inuyasha pushed Kikyo away and looked up to the sky. The second he did that Kikyo also looked up and hissed with disgust. Kikyo turned to Inuyasha, his attention no longer belonged to her. She waved her hand and called her soul gatherers. In a second’s time she was entwined by her minions and floated away.

Haruko sat behind Kagome on Kirara. The scene is disturbingly quiet.

“That girl in miko kimono,” Haruko gasped, “she looks just like you, Kagome-sama!”

Kagome didn’t answer the girl. Her head is spinning, ears are clogged up. Her vision is getting blurry too, only Inuyasha’s figure stands out in the spotlight. She saw them…kissing. It was her worst nightmare come to life.

“Inu…yasha.” Kagome whispered in a barely audible voice. Her nose feel like it was stung by something. Her vision is definitely blurred by now, her cheeks becoming warm. Slowly two drops of tears flowed out of her brown eyes. I’m crying? Why the hell am I crying?

Kagome turned her head so Inuyasha wouldn’t see her. But he already did, because he hasn’t taken his eyes off of her, not even when Kikyo left. He can hear her too.

Kagome’s heart… it’s beating very fast. I can hear her sniffling. I made her cry again.

Haruko’s more confused now than ever. They look like twins. Obviously they know each other. But why was that girl kissing Inuyasha? She looked down at Inuyasha in disbelief. I thought he was with Kagome-sama. Something is definitely up. Damn it, there are too many mysteries about these people.

Kirara, being the smart youkai she is, turned around and started to fly back to the village.

Inuyasha is stunned for a second, but he knows what he has to do. I can’t let her go like this. “Kirara, stop!” Kirara obeyed his command and waited for him. Kagome looked away. She wanted to hear some sort of explanation, but she wasn’t ready to look at the hanyou.

Inuyasha took a big jump toward Kirara and took Kagome into his arms before he went back down. He yelled to Haruko and Kirara, “You two go back. Tell the others not to worry.” At that Kirara turned and ran despite Haruko’s wish to stay.

Inuyasha still had Kagome in his arms while he ran to the Goshinboku. He gently set her down below the sacred tree, taking her bow and set it besides her. Kagome hasn’t looked at him through the whole trip. In fact she hasn’t made a sound, and it seems like she’s stop crying too.

Damn it, I wonder if she hates me now. Inuyasha shivered. What am I thinking? She already hates me after this afternoon.

“Kagome…”

“Nani?”

Shit, how am I suppose to start?

“Inuyasha?”

“Uh…nani?”

Kagome stood up. “I’m really sorry about what I said this afternoon. I should’ve heard your side of the story. It was my fault. Please don’t abandon us. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo really need you.”

They need me? What about you? A chill went up Inuyasha’s spine. Isn’t she gonna ask me about Kikyo?

“Oh…I didn’t intend to leave in the first place.” Of course, that’s a lie.

“Oh…that’s good.” Kagome still hasn’t looked at him. “Inuyasha…”

Is she gonna ask now? “What is it, Kagome?”

“I’m thinking of going back until my midterms are over. They start in three days. I need some time to study.”

Inuyasha is stunned again at that request. Doesn’t she care about that kiss at all? Focusing all his courage, he was able to ask, “Aren’t you going to ask bout Kikyo?”

Never suspecting he would come straight out and ask her that, Kagome stuttered for a few seconds. Then finally she responded: “Oh, Kikyo was there? I didn’t see her.”

WHAT?! Inuyasha is now outraged by her lie.

“Inuyasha, I think we should go back now. The others will get worried.” Kagome’s throat feels clogged up. It was impossible to say another word. She turned and walked away before Inuyasha can ask her anything else. She kept her face down to hide her reddened eyes.

“DON’T YOU CARE AT ALL?!?” Inuyasha finally exploded. He grabbed her right wrist before she ran. In a flash he pulled her to his chest and hugged her so tightly that she wasn’t able to breath. “DON’T YOU TURN AWAY FROM ME!”

Kagome just couldn’t keep it in anymore. She pulled on his yukata and broke down in his arms. Inuyasha kept her close while she cried. He wanted to cry with her, but he knew he had to tell her.

“Kagome, this afternoon, when that bastard wolf took you, and we found out his intentions…I…I was scared.” Inuyasha kept one arm around her waist to support her, the other hand gently stroking her hair. “I thought he was going to take you away, and I wouldn’t be able to save you. When I was paralyzed, and the others tried their all to break the barrier, I thought that if I couldn’t save you, I’d kill myself.”

“Stop, Inuyasha.” Kagome managed to say through her sniffles. “Don’t say stuff like that.”

Inuyasha ignored her comment and went on. “I wanted to kill that bastard, not just for you. Back there, I hated him almost as much as I hate Naraku.”

“I understand.”

“Okay, let’s say you do.” Inuyasha smirked, not wanting to upset her anymore by disagreeing with her. “I had a nightmare, Kagome. That you shot an arrow into my heart.”

Kagome let out a small gasp. And for the first time, she looked into his amber eyes. He looks so sad, and terrified. “Inuyasha…I’m so sorry.”

“Stop apologizing, Kagome.” Inuyasha looked back into her eyes. “About Kikyo…I swear she kissed me first.”

Kagome almost laughed. We almost sound like a teenage couple, except for the killing Kouga part.

“Oi, were you about to smile?” Kagome looked up again at his voice, and this time she saw a little happiness.

Kagome dug herself deeper into Inuyasha’s arms, she can hear his heartbeat. “I wish we can stay like this forever.”

She could swear that Inuyasha’s heart sped up. And that he gulped. “Kagome… so are you still mad about Kikyo?”

“Of course I’m still mad.” Inuyasha’s heart dropped. “But… I guess now we’re even.”

Finally Inuyasha was able to relax, and so he sighed.

The two of them stayed in that position for such a long time that they were about to fall asleep standing there, wrapped around each other’s arms.

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