Her tears had dried, but her heart was still broken. Kouga was being a great friend, and being there for her every step of the way. But Kagome couldn't move forward. Her mind couldn't wrap itself around the horror that the Sesshomaru would fall. Her love, the one she had envisioned to be damn near invincible. Her mind was full of crap. Life had continued on around her, no one understood her suffering. How could they? They didn't know she was in love with the great Lord of the West back in the warring states era. No one knew of her adventures to the past. No one in the future, besides her family, knew anything of her time-traveling.
Kagome's entire life was a lie.
She missed her adopted family. Kouga had told her the life her sister had lead. Sango and Miroku lived a long and prosperous life with twin girls and a son to carry on Miroku's family name. Inuyasha never mated, and he was roaming the Earth for new adventures. He and Kouga had crossed paths every so often. Ginta, and Hakkaku were paired together working normal, well as normal as can be, jobs in Kyoto. Jaken had passed from his old age, and the old Flea Myoga had also died within the ages. Rin and Kohaku had married and had many children. As for her kit, Kouga didn't know what had come to pass for the little kitsune.
She missed her adopted son. A lump formed in her throat. She had only hoped the young kit had survived the dramatic changes, and that he was living well in disguise. A fox was always clever to hide amongst the devils that wished them harm.
Kagome's eyes strayed to the pile of homework she had been neglecting. Her excuses were becoming worn out on why she was absent from school. She didn't have anyone to write doctors notes for her, or anything else of the sort. Her entire career she had planned was going down the drain. Her life had ended the moment Sesshomaru's did. Sadly, the young miko didn't know of his death until her friend had confided the information to her.
“You're going to have to go back to school, Kagome.” her mother scolded her as she stood in the doorway of her daughter's apartment.”You can't hide away from the world. It won't bring him back.” Oh how wise her mother was, it was great advice to take, but Kagome didn't have the heart.
“I know...” she whispered.
“I know you know, but you can't stay swallowed up in your apartment like a gollum in his cave. What would Sesshomaru-sama say if he saw you like this?”
God, she hated when her mother pulled the Sesshomaru card on her.”He would be disappointed...” Kagome replied.
“Exactly, he would want you to live your life. I can admit... I holed myself up to when we lost your father, but I moved on. I may never love another like I loved your father, but I am able to live knowing I am carrying on his memories. That I have raised our two beautiful children to be strong, independent adults.”
The more sense her mother was making, the more guilt Kagome had felt. The miko closed her eyes, she could feel the tears welling up to the surface. It was funny, she thought she had cried all the tears she could, but there they were.”I miss him so much, mama.” Kagome sobbed, her voice cracking as she covered her face.
“I know sweetie,” the older woman walked over to her daughter, wrapping her arms around her comfortingly.”He would want you to live, he needs you to live. He needs his memory to never die.”
Kagome only cry away her sorrows. But in the end she knew her mother was right. After all, mother knows best. She always does.
* * *
Kagome sucked in a deep breath as she looked upon her school. She didn't want to go, but her fee carried her away. She chewed on her bottom lip as she headed to her first class. It had been almost two months since she had stepped inside her college courses. Her grades were dangling off the edge of failure, and passing by the skin of her teeth. She placed her bag down on her desk as she pulled out her books. The room looked the same, the same familiar faces greeted her. Well, the early birds at least.
The blue-eyed miko could only hope she had studied enough to where she was up to par with the rest of her classmates. Her eyes skimmed the text just in case, but her ears perked as she felt a familiar presence enter the classroom. She lifted her eyes as she cast a glance. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at the strange man. She had never seen him in class before, he must have recently transferred while she was away. He was tall, slender and yet slightly built. His face held sharp features, almost like someone from a royal breed. His eyes were what astonished her, they were a glowing topaz. They were too vibrant to be contacts, or at least she thought them to be real. They were surreal, amber hues mixed with a honey glaze. His dark hair contrasted against his pale skin, and his eyes added to his ethereal beauty.
The stranger looked up, his eyes meeting her. They were boring into her soul almost quizzically. Kagome gave him a small smile, but he only returned a stoic face that could rival Sesshomaru's.
Her heart lurched at the thought of her fallen mate, and she pushed him aside. She needed to be calm, not upset. But the man's aura just brushed her with familiarity. Who was he? She had to learn his name.
The professor entered the room, the older man only smiled when he saw Kagome."Welcome back Higurashi-san, I am glad you could rejoin us." The history professor always liked her, she was his best student after all.
"Glad to be back sir," she said softly, trying to keep her eyes from straying to the handsome stranger.
The bell rang, signaling the beginning of class, and Kagome pulled out her notepad and a pen and waited for the professor to finish roll."Yamamoto, Takeshi," the last name on his list burned her ears, but it was his melodic voice that caused her to shiver.
"Present,"
It was a deep baritone, very similar to her former mate's. She cursed herself for the comparison once again. But the nagging voice in the back of her mind, and the constant stares from the newly named Yamamoto-san that held her back from pouring her heart and soul into her studies.
Visions of Sesshomaru danced in her head as she compared the inu youkai to the ningen man that was in her class. There were so many similarities it scared and excited her. But Kagome knew it was her heart giving her hope. Sesshomaru is dead, her mind argued. Her heart had differed of course.
The time slipped by quickly, and Kagome rose from her seat. She packed her things then walked out of the class. She wanted to catch up to Takeshi. She wanted to know him, her soul, her heart urged her to know him.
"Yamamoto-san!" she shouted, running up to the man."Hi! I'm Higurashi, Kagome. Pleasure to meet you," she smiled brightly and bowed.
His aura brushed against her's almost like it was nuzzling her energy."Hn." He responded before walking away.
Kagome just stared, blinking in shock.
"Sesshomaru..." she whispered.
A/N: Alright here is the finale of this two-sho series. This is a song inspired fic. The lyrics are a translated form of the song Returner by Gackt. And this is also for the Lyrical Muse/Song fic challenge by Cakeiton and Fallen Tenchi