Kagome came down stairs slowly, panting by the time she reached the bottom, and sitting heavily in a chair at the table. It had been two weeks since she woke, and progress was depressingly slow, but there was progress. Her family had been so happy, showering her with love. But Kagome just wanted to be in her room, studying was all she did, having last years math and science books. Her tutor was to come today, and Kagome was nervous, would he/she be a good teacher? Would they be patient with her? She wasn't so good at math...

A surprise to Kagome, that made her feel horrible, was that today was also the first day her mother would start her new job, to help pay the extensive medical bills for the year Kagome was in a coma. Her mother refused to tell Kagome how much it was, only saying that it was worth it having her daughter alive and well.

Soon everyone was gone, and Kagome had the house to herself until the tutor came at noon, Kagome decided that she needed a shower and proper clothes to meet her new teacher. Kagome ate her bowl of cereal fast, and then slowly made her way up the stairs and took a shower. It was already noon when she got out, Kagome wasn't sure what to wear, she wasn't in school so she shouldn't wear her uniform, but shouldn't wear her comfortable house clothes because the tutor is a guest. Kagome decided on her jeans, a white tank top, with a comfortable pink sweat shirt. She was pulling her pants on when the door bell rang. Kagome growled yanking the pants on, throwing the sweater over her head and tumbling down the stairs. She grasped the door knob, panting, turned the knob and opened the door, as her knees collapsed, and looking up she met her tutors surprised face. Kagome felt absolute shock!"Miroku!" Kagome gasped.

 The relief was to sudden and complete, tears sprang to her eyes and she threw herself at his legs wrapping her arms around him. The startled man just held still not wanting to hurt the sobbing girl. "I thought I'd never see you guys again, I couldn't bring myself to try the well." Kagome wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up at Miroku. The young man gazed down at her confused. "I'm sorry miss, but I don't know what your talking about. My name is Katsuo. I'm going to be your tutor."Kagome looked at him, really looked at him this time. He was wearing some nice black slacks, and a deep purple button up shirt, his dark brown hair hung around his ears getting in his eyes. He had a little roller backpack behind him, that probably had text books in it. Kagome blushed realizing that this boy was not Miroku and she had flung herself all over him and cried and sobbed at him, she must look crazy, Kagome decided to give him an excuse before it became too awkward.

Kagome backed away from the door a little, enough for him to get inside, while he took off his shoes, she closed the door quietly, and struggled to pull herself up. She shouldn't have run down the stairs, now she was so exhausted she couldn't stand. She shook with the effort  to pull herself up. A hand rested on her shoulder, and she turned to look at Katsuo, he was silently offering to help her up. She grabbed both his forearms, and he hers, together they lifted her up to stand. He was looking at her very intently. "I'm sorry for what happened, I've been really sick lately and I sometimes get confused, please forgive me." She tried to sound calm and rational."There's nothing to forgive, it's fine." They both stared at each other a minute.

Kagome was bewildered that this boy was the exact copy of Miroku. Katsuo had to be his reincarnation, Kagome was sure this wasn't a coincidence, meeting her friends reincarnation from this time. She was suddenly over taken with joy, she would have her friends back! They may not remember her, but that was OK, she would build new relationships with them. Kagome smiled at him, he gave her a little uncertain smile back. Kagome wanted to start on her new friendship right away, the first thing to do was to know everything about him.

 "So how did you become a tutor?" She released his arms and slowly walked towards the living room, flopping down on the couch. Kagome liked doing her homework on the couch, the coffee table used as her desk, and she sometimes got to watch TV while doing it. Katsuo sat down gently beside her. "Well, my parents are paying for my college, but they can't afford to pay for the other things, like food, and my phone, so I signed up for the tutoring program." Kagome nodded, she just couldn't stop smiling. There was an awkward pause... "May I ask, what happened to you?" He didn't want to offend her, Kagome giggled. "It's fine. We have an old well on our property and I guess I fell into it. I was in a coma for one year exactly."

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  Katsuo was a great tutor, they covered a lot of material, even while laughing and talking too. When it was time for him to leave neither wanted him to. Kagome walked him to the door. They said their goodbyes and their nice meeting yous. Kagome watched him walk away, hope blooming in her heart.That night at dinner Kagome could not stop talking about her charming tutor, Souta and Gramps teased her, and her mother had a twinkle in her eye, which meant she was plotting grandchildren. Kagome felt happy for the first time since she woke up. She didn't know if she would find her other friends reincarnations, but Miroku was a sign, it was possible. Kagome slept well that night knowing that tomorrow she would do it all again. Kagome also started to make plans, where would she find her other friends? 

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The next day he was over, he was scheduled to tutor her five days a week. They covered three days worth of material she would have done in school. Kagome decided she needed to do something other than just school work with her new friend. Kagome turned to Katsuo faking seriousness, "Katsuo I've been thinking, we need a break, we've covered an entire weeks study in two days. How about we have a little fun?" Kagome grinned impishly at him, if he was anything like Miroku they could get in lots of trouble together. Katsuo flushed red and looked down at his lap, all he could do was stutter. Kagome's smile wilted, why was he so nervous? "You don't want to?" She asked confused, Miroku was always up for a fun time. Katsuo looked up, eyes large, he was very nervous. "Yeah, yeah I want to, I just... it's kind of fast you know... usually there's like dates and stuff..." Kagome frowned at him, what was he talking about? Dates...oh! Kagome burst out laughing, he really was still a pervert. Kagome shook her head vigorously. "No! No, I meant go out and do something, like go to lunch or a movie or something!" Katsuo recovered quickly, and smiled silently at her until she stopped laughing. "I'm sorry for misunderstanding you." But he didn't look apologetic at all, he seemed to be thinking about how it would have gone if she did mean that. Kagome blushed it was her turn to look down at her lap. She had never had a boy flirt with her like this, Miroku would grope her, Inuyasha didn't flirt, and Hojo was just too nice to flirt with. Katsuo on the other hand, was an older college boy, and he definitely was flirting with her, Kagome liked it.

 They went to the WacDonalds around the corner, sitting in a booth chatting and eating their burgers and fries. Kagome found out that he had four siblings, two sisters and two brothers, all younger than him. She told him about the shrine, and she found out he was a Buddhist. There was a lull in the conversation, they were munching on their hamburgers. Kagome then had a thought. She took a drink, cleared her throat, and took the chance. "Could I see yours hands?" He jumped in surprise, and looked at her oddly. Silently he slid his hands palms down onto the table. Kagome felt the tension, and guessed she was right, she softly put her hands over his and turned them over. There on his left hand was a mark, in the center of his palm was a dark red patch, a birth mark. Kagome took his marked hand and put his palm to her face, large tears slowly slid down her face. They really had succeeded, the curse had been lifted, Miroku must have lived his life normally, like everything was supposed to. Miroku would have grown up at his shrine, happily with his father, probably take a wife and have lots of babies, Sango would have grown up to be a great slayer team with her brother, Inuyasha would have married Kikyo...She felt so relieved. The proof was on his palm. Katsuo broke her day dreaming by speaking, his face was stony. "How did you know about my birth mark?"

Kagome looked at him, she grabbed a napkin and wiped the tears off her face, she gave him melancholy eyes, the shadows of the feudal era behind her eyes. "You would think I'm crazy if I told you." He looked at her deeply, and seemed to find something he could accept. "Try me."Kagome made him wait until they got back to her house. She took him upstairs to her room, and grabbed the box of tissue on the way there. "It's a touchy thing for me, I hope you don't mind." She went up the stairs ahead of him, today she felt stronger. Half way up the stairs she lost balance, because something had grabbed her butt. She back pedaled, fear laced through her, she did not want to fall down the stairs! Then hands grabbed her butt again and helped support her. When she had her balance she whirled around with an angry blush on her cheeks. "Miroku you pervert! You nearly killed me!" Kagome frowned at herself, she had called him the wrong name again. Katsuo returned her frown and moved to the stair directly below hers, he was still head taller than her. He was angry, "Is this Miroku guy an ex or something?" Kagome calmed. But then smiled and wrapped her arms around him, burying her head in his shoulder. Muffled but still understandable, "No, it's you!" Kagome looked up at him, and realized they were way too close. Kagome whipped around and ran up the stairs, and into her room.Katsuo came in looking very confused, Kagome sat on her bed looking expectantly at him.

 He took a seat in her desk chair and swivelled closer to her bed that she sat criss cross on. "I can't tell you the whole story now, if you don't run screaming away from me maybe I will tell you all of it eventually." She paused, Kagome thought about it. She really didn't know this guy, and wasn't sure if she should trust him. Would he be able to take it? Would he call the loony bin and have her taken away? Would he leave and never come back?Kagome reached over and took his left hand again, she held it palm up, caressing the mark with her thumb. "First I will tell you about Miroku. Then if you don't think I'm totally crazy I will tell you the rest. I'm taking a huge chance telling you this, because in the order of the universe now, a year of my life never happened." Katsuo looked at her calmly, waiting. "Over 500 years ago there was an evil hanyou named Naraku, he traveled Japan wrecking havoc on people's lives. Miroku's grand father was unfortunate enough to happen across Naraku and they battled many times, Naraku always taking the form of a different human. But in the last battle Naraku took the form of a beautiful woman, and when they fought Naraku pierced Miroku's grandfathers hand and cursed him. Saying that the abyssal hole would pass down the generations slowly killing each one, until there was no one left. The hole in his hand was called a wind tunnel, kind of like a black hole to us, everything it sucked in never to come out. Every year the hole in his hand would get bigger until finally it would take over and suck in its bearer. I once visited the site where Miroku's father died, it was a giant crater. When I met Miroku the tunnel in his hand was small, but as he was forced to use it, and time went by, it grew larger and larger. He feared every time he used it he would be sucked in, and always cautioned us to stay away not wanting anyone to die with him. He was searching for Naraku too, and joined our little group. Miroku came from a family of monks, and was one himself. He had great spiritual powers, although he was also a lecher! He was always grabbing Sango's and my butt all the time! Not one day went by he didn't!"Kagome got excited while telling the story, gesturing and raising her voice. But she quieted down. Kagome looked Katsuo in the eyes, showing the hope she had in hers. "Miroku was a very dear friend of mine, he was wise and brave, and put his friends above himself. He was smart, charming, and devious. He kept secrets, but always had great advice. He was thoughtful and very caring, he wanted a family very much." Kagome sighed and looked down. "The last day I saw him we were in the battle against Naraku, he was dying because he used his wind tunnel to suck up Naraku's poisonous demon bees."Kagome slid off her bed and stood in front of Katsuo. "When I saw you at the door, I thought you were him. I know that you are not your reincarnation, I understand that better than most." Kagome brushed the hair away from his eyes. "You are Katsuo, but you look very much like Miroku. So please forgive me if I have a little trouble. I want to know you, and become friends with you, I want to see you smile-"

 Kagome suddenly didn't want to see him smile, she wanted to see him in pain. "Get your hands Off me!" Kagome pushed away from Katsuo and out of his lecherous hands and flopped down on her bed. He was up and right in front of her, standing between her knees, laughing his ass off! Kagome fumed on the bed, glaring up at him, maybe he wasn't nice after all.Katsuo slowly stopped laughing, a twinkle in his eye, he bent down close to Kagome, eye to eye. "How can I? When your beautiful body is so temptingly close to mine?" Then he kissed her. But not like Kagome ever had before. Inuyasha had kissed her innocently, softly. She'd had had a kiss stolen rough and foul breathed. But this... Katsuo was urgent, forceful,l but delicate,and he wasn't hurting her, or grabbing her. After a second Kagome returned the kiss, moving her lips against his. It only lasted a minute, he pulled away and flopped onto the bed beside her. She turned to him bewildered, and slightly swooning, if that was a real kiss she wanted more! He just stared back at her a huge grin plastered on his face. "I believe you. Every word. Because every time I see you I get this odd feeling in the back of my head, like I've seen you before, but I know I haven't. And I feel very comfortable around you, and you do seem to know me well. I would like to hear more about all this."