InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ I Do ❯ Chapter 6

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

He could sense her long before he saw her. He knew exactly where she was, without even tracing her scent. Gazing into the window, all prior feelings were forgotten. She looked just as Inu-yasha remembered, though her hair was short now - just above her shoulders - and her bangs seemed very much like Kikyo’s. Although she seemed rather unhappy from his point of view, she was strikingly beautiful in the dim light of the restaurant. Inu-yasha stood, transfixed, for quite some time. Souta stood impatiently beside him.

“Yeah, that would be Kagome.” Souta mumbled, glancing into the window with an annoyed huff. Then, his eyes widened, “And that would be Kagome looking straight at us!” Souta shoved Inu-yasha away from the window, grabbing him by the arm with a backward glance, and beginning to walk at a rather quick pace.

Inu-yasha glared at Souta, and, ripping his arm out of Souta’s grasp, came to a stop further down the sidewalk. “What the hell was that?! Why’d you push me outta the way?” He asked, angrily. Souta rolled his eyes. “Is that really how you wanted the whole reunion to go? Running into her wearing your old rags and a baseball cap?” Souta put on a false smile, and taking an airy tone, continued, “’Oh, how do you do, I’m here to sweep Kagome off her feet. Oh, why yes, lovely to meet you sir. What, you’d like to kick my ass?’” He dropped the impression, and scowled at the hanyou beside him. “Yeah, I don’t think so.” Inu-yasha fell silent at that. He really couldn’t argue, after all.

“I’ve got a better idea anyway,” Souta continued, “Let’s get you in these new clothes, fix that hair of yours, and then we’ll arrange the rendezvous.” The boy winked, and Inu-yasha fought the impulse to laugh. “Whatever you say.” The hanyou replied, his eyes solemn as he looked over his shoulder, in the direction of the restaurant quickly fading into the backdrop of downtown Tokyo.

“So.” Souta said, breaking the silence after a moment, “Why did you come back?” Inu-yasha sighed quietly, glancing out into the street to watch the cars zip past. “I don’t really know.” He replied, finally. Souta didn’t know what sort of answer he had expected, but he certainly knew that the hushed, melancholy tone with which Inu-yasha spoke was not high on the list. Inu-yasha and Souta walked in silence, each caught up in their own thoughts, until, at length - Souta spoke again.

“I do.” He said, quietly. Inu-yasha turned his eyes away from the road, and onto the young boy, a strange look in his amber eyes. After taking a deep breath, Souta smiled. “You love her.” He said simply, and Inu-yasha merely averted his eyes once again. “And without her, you didn’t really see a point anymore.”

The hanyou hadn’t expected Souta to continue, and was startled. “And how would you know anything about that?” Inu-yasha asked, a little too defensively. And Souta’s smile faded slowly. His bright eyes, not unlike to his sisters, seemed suddenly distant - as though he was remembering some far-off past.

“I’m not as young, or as stupid, as you think. I might be fifteen, but that doesn’t make me any less aware of what’s going on between you and Kagome - or what went on between my dad and my mom.” The young boy met Inu-yasha’s eyes, but didn’t seem to see him.

“He died, around this time of year - when I was just a little kid. I never really knew him, you know?” Souta paused, a grim smile darkening his young features. “I once asked my mom what he was like. And of course, she got all teary. ‘He was brilliant.’ and ‘He was a good man.’ It’s all she could seem to say, but there was something about the way she said it, something about the look in her eyes. It was like, all the words were just that - words. And they just weren’t enough to describe him.”

Inu-yasha continued to watch the cars, until they began to thin out. They were coming into the suburbs near the Higurashi Shrine, now. Souta sighed. “It’s the same look that you got, back there.” He said, glancing at Inu-yasha sidelong. “Like you were seeing her, but - you were seeing someone way different from the Kagome that I saw.” Inu-yasha tucked his hands in his sleeves, a pensive look on his face.

“You’re a smart kid, Souta.” He said, a small smile upturning the corners of his mouth, “And hell, maybe you’re right. Maybe I did come back because I love her.” Souta smiled. “Or maybe not.” His smile vanished, and Souta sighed exasperatedly. Inu-yasha grinned. “Don’t want you getting a big head now.” His grin widened and Souta snorted. “Yeah, your head is big enough for the both of us.” With a laugh, the boy dodged Inu-yasha’s slap upside the head.

But somewhere, in the back of Inu-yasha’s mind, he knew without a doubt that Souta was right.

Inu-yasha was relieved to find that Kagome’s mother and grandfather were fast asleep when they arrived at the house. “Mom thinks I’m staying at a friends house, so let‘s keep it down.” Souta whispered as he opened the front door silently. “Looks like someone’s had practice.” Inu-yasha muttered out of the corner of his mouth. Souta grinned mischievously.

The boy left Inu-yasha in Kagome’s room with a hushed, “Goodnight.” Inu-yasha sat on the bed in the darkness, glad to have his hanyou sight back. He sat, motionless, for quite some time - thinking, wondering. Had Kagome seemed happy when he had seen her in the restaurant, would he have stayed? Inu-yasha sighed, leaning his head back against the wall quietly. Imagining Kagome happy with another man made his blood boil, but at the same time - seeing her sitting there, looking so dismal. It wasn’t what he wanted for her.

Ever since he had crossed the well, he had felt certain she had moved on, had forgotten about him - even fallen in love. Had he been wrong? The frustration and overwhelming jealousy seemed to ebb away from him. He could see her profile clearly in his mind, and he wondered if there were moments that she too saw him so clearly in her mind.

Ree: My sincerest apologies for the delay, but my satellite internet has been out for the past few days, and will remain out for a couple more. I’m sorry to say that I will not be able to update any further until my internet is repaired. Again, my apologies. Thank you for your patience, everyone.