A New Leaf by Drayvin

The Almost Wedding

"How can I be doing this to him?" Her reflection was not forthcoming with answers. "I can't marry him, I don't love him, I can hardly even tolerate him. He is a great guy a guy I should adore. He is sweet and gentle and kind... He just doesn't seem to interest me not like this." The reflection's eyes surveyed the dress then sighed mournfully.

"I can't marry you either." The reflection whirled to the door. "I don't love you... I thought I did but I can't... you are too free for me." The man at the door smiled sadly, his chocolate brown eyes showing he spoke the truth but at the same time hated the fact. "You are a free spirit Kagome, all I would do was kill your soul, slowly but surely."

"Hojo..." Kagome said softly, not arguing with him because they both knew it was the truth. "You probably hate me. I said yes after all."

"Not at all, I don't think anyone can hate you. Kagome, when I asked you I knew you would say yes because I knew it was what your mother wanted, at the time I thought it was enough, now I know it isn't. I should be the one apologizing."

"No Hojo, you shouldn't be. You are a wonderful person and you will find love eventually, probably sooner than you think." Kagome smiled at him affectionately, the affection of a friend.

"What about you Kagome?" He asked softly.

"I-I don't think I will ever fall in love Hojo..." Hojo shook his head, knowing that whenever she did fall in love it would be with every fiber of her being.

"You will Kagome, you will." With that said he walked away calling over his shoulder. "I'll explain to the congregation, I think your sister and brother-in-law are waiting for you in the parking lot. Went out and stood by their car as soon as the music started and the aisle remained empty."

Shaking with relief Kagome changed into street cloths and walked out to the waiting car. Her sister Kikyo smiled at her, eyes relieved.

"We were beginning to think you would go through with it." Her brother in law said from the other side of the car.

"Inuyasha's joking, we knew Hojo and you were talking. Come on, we have a long drive to Tokyo." Kikyo said rolling her eyes in her husbands direction.

"What about all of my things..." Kagome argued, she had all of her things moved to the house her and Hojo had planned to inhabit after the wedding.

"We think you should start over, turn a new leaf with the ending of this chapter of your life, leave it." Kikyo said dramatically. Kagome laughed at her sister as she pretended to swoon. "Mother is going to be so angry. " Kikyo said after her dramatics, serious now.

"I know, kami do I know." Kagome groaned. "At least she moved out of Tokyo. How is my class going anyways?"

Inuyasha burst into laughter. "The teacher has half the females in the class drooling, Souta is pissed." He told her as he got into the car. The two women followed. "He is actually a business man who, for some reason, wanted to test teaching out. He is doing a great job too but still the students either hate him or are in love him."

"I hope the University will give me a job. Maybe I'll finally get to teach Photography instead of Business." Kagome said with a small laugh. "Doubtful."

"Come on, be hopeful, we know they will hire you back you are a prodigy after all." Kikyo pointed out, looking at her kindly. "Look at us, the Twin Geniuses. Only twenty and both of us have Ph. D's in several different subjects. We're quadrupled doctors."

"I know you're right but I kind of left without a lot of warning." Kagome said fretfully, remembering the accelerated pace her life had taken after Hojo proposed.

"Trust me the Headmaster and Board want you back badly, though they probably will say no to a genius teaching a subject like Photography. You should join the Theories of Sex division."

"I would be a real guru at that." Kagome said sarcastically then took on a lecturer's tone. "Hello my name is Kagome Higurashi and I am your virgin Sex Ed. teacher."

"Good point." Inuyasha said with a small laugh. "I love my job though; I just wanted to spread the love."

"I'm sure you did." Kikyo said dryly. She did not mind that her husband taught about sex, what she did mind was that as a result of this quiet a few young women were after her beloved husband.

"I'm going to take a nap." Kagome announced, sensing that they were now treading on dangerous ground.

"Wait, before we do this clear one thing up for me and Inuyasha." Kikyo waited for her sister's nod. "Why didn't you go through with it in the end?"

"I just...couldn't. I didn't love him and I know that if we had gotten married he would have killed a part of me with his reserved nature. I am not an exebitionist but neither am I closed in. I just couldn't do that to him or myself in the end."

"Oh. Sweet dreams Kagome." Kikyo said softly. Kagome smiled at her sister then closed her eyes, sleep claimed her almost instantly.

In Tokyo

The mall was thriving with life, hundreds of people walking from store to store, laughing with one another and arguing, crying and kissing. So many different forms of life in one place and yet all of them were...human. It was still fairly early as the wedding they had abandoned had been taking place very early in the morning. Inuyasha sat sulkily in a chair as the twins went through the cloths, finding a new wardrobe for Kagome. Both of them were reminded of their father's demise as they did this, he was the only reason they had money and a business between all four of them; Kagome, Kikyo Souta and Kaede. It was one of the most successful companies in the world and as a result they found themselves with billions at their disposal. Kagome was using this fortune to start a new life.

"Hurry up." Inuyasha complained from where he sat, trying to force his eyes to stay open.

"Go and buy lingerie with the poor man Kikyo, I'll be fine on my own." Kikyo sighed and walked to her husband talking to him quietly, her perked up immediately and practically ran out of the room, dragging his wife behind him.

Laughing softly Kagome strategically put all the cloths she had been about to buy with Kikyo away. All of them belonged women in their mid forties. Her and Kikyo had never learned how to be young, Kikyo learned when she met Inuyasha but not Kagome. Now she knew it was time to act her own age. She walked out of the store and traveled down between the stores, stopping into one every so often and returning with a bag of something in her hands. When she was done she went to the store she knew her sister and her husband were still at. Inuyasha was just coming out looking pleased with himself. Kikyo followed, her face bright red from embarrassment, a bag clutched in her hands.

"I hate you Kagome." Kikyo said when she saw her sister waiting for them. Kagome ignored her comment. "Come on you guys, we need to find me an apartment." She said, walking out of the mall with a steady stride, her two companions tagging behind.

"So what did you get Kagome?" Kikyo said softly, thinking her sister still dressed like a woman twice her age. She was pleasantly disappointed when her sister handed her one of her bags and inside lay rather new, hip cloths. "I'm so proud of you." She told her sister who laughed.

"Oh thanks so much. I figured my new leaf should be a real...person, not someone I've been trained to be by my mother." Kagome laughed as both her sister and her husband applauded the small monologue.

"About damn time." Inuyasha said, smiling affectionately at the girl he thought of as a sister.

"Why thank you for your educated input Inuyasha." Was the sarcastic reply.

"You're welcome." He said cheerfully, completely unfazed.

"Kikyo I wish you hadn't taught him how to deal with his temper; he was so much more fun then." Kagome told her sister matter of factly.

"Fun for you maybe, you didn't have to live with him." Inuyasha had the grace to blush, Kikyo gained her revenge for the lingerie he had made her buy. "So do you want a house or an apartment?"

"I was thinking that pent house apartment where you two live if it is still open." Kagome suggested looking hopeful.

"You're lucky, it is. Come one we'll go straight there." Inuyasha said. Kagome ran ahead to the car, giving the couple some more time alone.

"Inuyasha, why didn't you tell her about the new teacher?" Kikyo asked softly.

"She would just get angry, to know that Kouga, of all people, took her job. The guy is a complete ass, he still calls her his woman you know. I just hope they hardly see each other, Kagome might kill him." Inuyasha looked up at the cloudy sky, rain was on the way. "I was thinking, maybe Kagome should go to the mountains for a bit, relax a little."

"That is the last thing she needs. Right now the best thing for her is to have a lot to do, she is angry with herself and we don't want her dwelling on it, believe me."

"You know best." Inuyasha sighed.