The blue sky was filled with white scattered clouds as the sun beamed brightly providing warmth to the earth. Sakura blossoms scattered the school entry gates as high school students walked in. Green and white colours adorned the high school uniforms. Girls and boys chattered merrily on the campus grounds amidst the light hearted environment.
Murmurs within the crowd of high school students grew the moment a black vehicle drove up to the school gates. Squeals from fan girls erupted the surrounding. His tall and lean figure left fan girls drooling. Straight silky hair reached an inch past his shoulders. Magenta markings collided against his clear skin. A crescent moon on his forehead, clear for all to see his royal bloodline. The squeals became unbearably loud right when Sesshomaru and Inuyasha stepped out of the vehicle.
The silver brothers.
Kagome rolled her eyes while covering both ears with her hand to prevent hearing loss. She got out of the car after them and silently slipped past the crowd that always formed around two of her brothers. Fanning herself with her hand, she tried to block the sunlight with another hand over her face. Unlike the summer uniforms provided to all students, she had the exception to wear long sleeves under her shirt and leggings under her skirt. She was never ashamed of the scars she had all over her body, but it avoided unwanted attention and explanations.
"Kagome, there you are," Sango smiled towards her. Kagome hugged her best friend and said with a giggle, "Managed to escape the crowd yet again."
The school bell rang as Kagome and Sango walked into their homeroom classroom. "It's almost the end of our first year of high school and everyone is still talking about you and your brothers."
Kagome remembered the first day of high school. She had random girls come up to her threatening to hurt her if she stole Inuyasha and Sesshomaru from them. It took quite sometime before they realized she was their sister. No one believed her at first because of how different she looked from her twin brother, Inuyasha. Shrugging her shoulders, she knew she couldn't blame anyone about that mistake. Sometimes she wondered how she was blood related to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. She simply accepted the fact that her genes just didn't accept the beauty both her parents had and gave them all to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. It wasn't long after that people realized she was their sister that she was known as the "ugly duckling".
Kagome rested her cheek against her hand and chuckled at the memory.
Sango asked, "What's so funny?"
"Just remembering the time people started to call me ugly duckling." A distant smile lingered on her lips.
Sango frowned at the memory followed by an evil smirk. "I got to beat up so many people." She frowned again and said with a shiver of fear, "We also got to see Sesshomaru's wrath as well."
She hadn't forgotten.
Her older brother always seemed to come to her rescue.
The classroom door slid open as their homeroom teacher walked in with a pile of paper. He announced, "Okay class. I have permission forms for everyone to take home regarding our entire school's annual retreat."
Cheers and clapping erupted in the classroom causing Kagome's excitement to grow. She had heard of their school's annual retreat. No other high school facilitated it like theirs. She heard that all grades of the school spend days on the trip together. She was most excited to see how Sesshomaru interacted with his grade. She never really got to see him since he was in a different part of the building due to the grade difference.
Sango gasped as she held the permission form. Turning towards Kagome, she said excitedly, "We are going to Kyoto!"
Sango's seat partner turned and interrupted their conversation. "Well, ladies. I would be honoured to accompany you to the famous onsens in Kyoto. Perhaps we can go to the hot springs that are joint?"
"You're such a pervert, Miroku!" Sango exclaimed, though Kagome smirked at the hint of redness spreading throughout Sango's cheeks.
Miroku placed a hand over his heart and said, "I am only for you, Sango."
Kagome chuckled as Sango's blush grew darker red.
"Ah, that reminds me," Miroku suddenly changed the topic and glanced at Kagome, "I heard there is a rumour that someone is going to confess to you today, Kagome."
"What?" Sango and Kagome said at the same time. She had heard many rumours about herself in the past affiliated with her brothers, but never about someone wanting to confess to her.
"Where did you hear this from?" Sango asked him for more details. Miroku shrugged his shoulders and said, "I heard it when I was in the washroom."
Sango glanced at Kagome with concern. "Are you gonna be okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. Don't worry, Sango. It's just a rumour." Kagome said, though she noticed the shake in her own voice.
Miroku looked at the two of them with an expression of confusion. He had just befriended them since the start of high school. He didn't know her in middle school so he wouldn't know why Sango was worried. Sango, who has been her best friend since kindergarten knew everything about her. Even the time she didn't return to school for a year just to heal her wounds.
She looked at Miroku, her new friend whom she trusted and hopefully Sango's future boyfriend. She told him, "In middle school I dated a boy after he confessed to me. It only lasted a few days cause he saw my scars..."
Miroku, who always seemed to joke around, stared at her with a serious expression for once. Sango shook with anger at the memory. Her voice trembled with rage as she said, "He went around telling the entire school about how she was a freak cause of her scars. I hate him. What I would do to beat him up again."
"Again?" Miroku said with a hint of entertainment in his voice.
The sudden sound of the bell ringing ended their conversation. Sango squeezed Kagome's hand, silently reassuring her that the past would not be repeated ever again. Kagome smiled towards her best friend with gratitude.
##
Inuyasha stared at the clock waiting for the bell to indicate that it was lunch time. Sensing a tap on his shoulder from his seat partner, he tried to ignore her hoping she would stop. She clung to him as if she was his girlfriend. Far from it.
"Inuyasha, I heard a really interesting rumour today," the girl said slyly, completely ignoring his attempt to avoid her.
Heaving out a loud sigh, he didn't respond knowing that she would continue to talk.
"I heard that Arata Watanabe from class 2-8 is gonna confess to your sister, Ka-go-me." The girl giggled at the information.
Inuyasha froze. Abruptly standing up from his desk, he ignored the teacher yelling at him to sit back down. Instead, he ran out of the classroom and headed for class 4-1. Heading towards the different side of the school building, he slid open the classroom door his brother was in. Immediately, a shocked teacher along with the squeals from fan girls erupted at his entrance.
"Ca-can I he-help you?" The timid teacher asked. Ignoring her, Inuyasha nodded towards Sesshomaru who stared at him with a blank expression. Sesshomaru slowly stood from his spot next to the window and left the classroom. The teacher did not bother asking her best students to sit back down.
Within the empty hallways, Sesshomaru folded his arms and said, "Speak."
Inuyasha grumbled, "I heard this girl tell me that a dude called Arata Watanabe from class 2-8 is gonna confess to Kagome today."
Inuyasha caught a slight frown flicker across Sesshomaru's face. "What should we do?"
"I'll handle it." Sesshomaru said curtly before stalking down the empty hallway.
'Asshole,' Inuyasha thought before hearing the lunch bell ring. A smile spread across his face at the thought of lunch time.
A sea of high school students dismissed from their classrooms for lunch. Murmurs spread throughout the hallways as students moved aside for Sesshomaru to pass by. Rarely ever did they see Sesshomaru in the junior class building.
At room 2-8, Sesshomaru slid open the door. A female student who had been right by the door blushed as she stammered out, "Se-senpai."
Not bothering to look at her, he said, "Arata Watanabe."
"Oh, h-he just left t-to go to your sis-sister's classroom, S-senpai."
A low growl escaped his lips as he marched towards her classroom. He wouldn't allow what happened to her in middle school repeat ever again.
His chest tightened at the memory.
"Your sister is a freak."
He lost control on the guy who said that to his face. Clenching his fist, he swore he would silence any guy who ever said she was a freak.
##
Sitting by her friends, she pulled out the bento her mother packed for her.
"Kagome," her classmate called out towards her. Looking up, she saw her classmate standing beside a male at the door. "He wants to talk to you."
She scanned the male who wanted to speak to her. He appeared as tall as Sesshomaru. His jet black hair was cut short on the sides as the top hair was grown out long and combed to the side. Kagome wondered if Arata Watanabe was a mixed blood as her eyes connected with his kind green eyes. She saw a gentle smile on his lips that appeared genuine.
"Arata Watanabe!?" Sango said in a hushed voice, but still held excitement. Miroku leaned back in his chair and said, "Woah."
Cocking her head to the side, she silently wondered about her friend's reaction. Her friend blurted out, "You're being serious Kagome? You don't know Arata Watanabe!?"
Kagome continued to stare at her friend with a blank look. Miroku chuckled as Sango smacked her forehead with her hand. "He's super talented at basketball. There are rumours that even coaches from private basketball teams are trying to scout him."
She took in the information her friend was saying. 'No wonder he is so tall,' she thought.
"He is super cute too," Sango added causing Miroku to almost fall off his chair as he was leaning back. Kagome smiled as she saw Miroku ask Sango if she liked this Arata Watanabe. Not wanting to keep him waiting anymore, Kagome stood up from her seat and walked towards the one standing at the door.
"Hello," she said softly.
"Hello, my name is Arata Watanabe." He said gently with a voice that seemed to soothe her for some unknown reason. "I was wondering if I could speak to you privately somewhere."
Kagome nodded and walked beside Arata towards the courtyard. The sun beamed at the centre of the sky while students walked throughout the school grounds. Students playing soccer and baseball on the field could be seen from the distance. Kagome noticed the stares she was receiving by walking alongside Arata. It felt quite similar to how she felt when walking beside her brothers.
She didn't belong.
Kagome sensed Arata stopping under the Sakura trees. She looked around the courtyard and pointed towards an empty bench out in the sun. "We could sit down you know."
His eyes never left her as he said, "You would be hot under the sun, no?"
She paused.
"I like it under the Sakura tree anyways," he said.
Her heart skipped a beat. Perhaps it was just her imagination.
"I overheard your friend informing you of my name and a little bit about me," Arata said with a chuckle. "It looks like you know nothing about my existence."
Having been caught, Kagome blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry, Arata. I sort of live under a rock."
"I know. You have two popular brothers. If you didn't live under a rock, you'd probably hear all kinds of stuff that you don't want." His straightforwardness caught her off guard. Her eyes flew to meet his in surprise at how well he understood.
"I...don't want to sound creepy.. but I have noticed you since the beginning of school." Arata scratched the bottom of his chin shyly. He continued, "It was the smallest things at first that drew my attention to you. I wondered why you covered your skin no matter how hot the day got and why you came to school in the same car as the two silver brothers who don't resemble you at all."
Kagome bit the bottom of her lip. A small part of her wondered if he was in a bet with friends to see her reaction.
"I saw how the girls treated you when they didn't know who you were. I tried to come save you one time, but in the end you didn't need saving." Arata smiled fondly at the memory. A group of girls surrounded her with a knife pointed at her, threatening Kagome to stay away from the silver brothers. He thought she would break down crying and prepared to save her. Instead, she did the opposite and started to laugh stating that they were her biological brothers and it would be impossible not the be around them.
Her cheeks grew hotter at the embarrassment that he had seen so much of her life without her knowing.
"And then before I knew it, my eyes kept searching for you..." his voice revealed his nervousness. His gaze met her's with a hesitation as a light flush stained his cheeks. "I like you, Kagome. Will you go out with me?"
If this was a prank... no...
Her eyes remained locked in with his. He was earnest.
Taking a deep breath, she broke the temporary silence. "Thank you, Arata. If you've been watching me since the beginning, you know why I hide my skin all year round, right?"
Kagome watched as Arata avoided her eyes and said, "I just heard that you had many scars."
Lowering her gaze, she chose the worst scar and lifted her uniform shirt to show her stomach. Kagome watched as Arata stared at her exposed skin with widened eyes. Deep gashes protruded along her stomach that remained as scars but told a story of how bad the wound had been.
"If you can still say you like me after..."
Slowly watching the lines of his face contorted with a painful expression, her words trailed off. She didn't need to bother finishing her sentence.
Suddenly, she felt strong hands holding her's and lowering her uniform shirt she had lifted up. A low growl entered her ear, allowing her to recognize who stood behind her without seeing him. Closing her eyes, she tried to ignore the disappointment and hurt at Arata's expression. She told herself that it wasn't his fault and that it was hard for someone to love her.
"Don't appear before her ever again," A dangerous snarl warned the silent confessor. Sesshomaru pulled Kagome away from under the Sakura tree. He made a phone call and ordered their chauffeur to pick them up immediately.
"I'm okay, Sesshomaru." She said quietly.
"We are going home."
She gently squeezed his hand that held her's. "Okay."
Stab.
His chest tightened to the point he couldn't breath.
From afar, even he could see the scars he inflicted on her in the past. It was a hideous crime he committed. The guilt he bore whenever he saw her scars pained him. He knew that Kagome realized this and only wore clothing that covered them.
Regret.
All he could do now was make sure no one else hurt her as he had.
She sent him another squeeze through the hand they were connected by. Coming out of his thoughts, he heard her whisper, "I'm okay, Sesshomaru. Don't worry."
Those words that were meant to ease him only caused more worry. He knew what the night had in store for her. She knew of it as well...
The nightmares that would haunt her whenever she was triggered.
##
Screams echoed from every corner of the large house.
House staff awoke and prepared the items that were needed to soothe their lady, knowing what to do as if it was the hundredth time.
Inuyasha stepped outside his room door, but remained still knowing that he was not able to do anything. Touga lay a hand on Inuyahsa's shoulder as he too could do nothing but wait.
It was a nightmare.
Screams that reached the top of her throat exploded in pure fear.
Izayoi rushed to Kagome's side and learned not to wake her from her nightmare in fear of the damage it may cause. Staff held down their lady's arms and legs as she struggled. Tears fell from her eyes as she watched helplessly at the tortured expression her daughter struggled with.
Her nightmare.
The engrained trauma of her brother ripping apart every inch of her skin... No, it wasn't her brother. It was someone who possessed him. Red eyes that looked at her with a dangerous blood thirst. That was the creature who haunted her.
Screams continued to echo from her already worn out throat. The terror she felt that day returned to her in the rawest form. The nightmare never allowed her to forget the pain she felt on that very day.
His nightmare.
Paralysed where he stood, anger tore through his mind at his own helplessness.
He remained in his room, knowing if he stepped out he would be of no help. He remembered the first time she had the nightmare, he ran to her room to attack the intruder that caused her to scream. Instead, she stared at him and went hysterical to the point that she was emitted once again to the hospital for a seizure.
His face appeared to her in those nightmares.
His claws were the ones ripping her inch by inch in that dream.
He was the one who caused her suffering in reality and in her dreams.
Her screams continued to torture his heart.
##
Author's Note: Thank you for reading.