Kagome lay on her bed, looking up towards the light. The pain in her chest tightened when she imagined the silver hair and his usual red robe of the fire rat. She looked at the locket that she gave to him, but he dropped it by accident when he had run away. Does he really love me...? It had been 5 years since she had last seen him. She still remembered the day they promised to meet again. She was now fifteen, and was still waiting for her knight in shining armor.

"Kagome?" Her brother Sota walked into the room. "There's some guy here. I think his name's Hojo."

Kagome reluctantly got off her bed and followed Sota downstairs.

"Ah, Kagome!" Hojo grinned and looped an arm around her. "I hope you haven't forgotten the date we had scheduled for today!"
"No, Hojo, you scheduled the date for today. Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi-chan just wanted me to come because they feel bad for me." Kagome shrugged his arm off. "I've already told you I'm not interested, and that we're never going to go steady."

"Kagome, is this about the girl that's been putting love chocolate in my shoe locker? Don't worry, I don't eat them anyway."

Kagome said angrily, "You don't eat the chocolates?! That girl put her heart and soul into those sweets and you just toss them out?! She's probably waiting for you! Do you imagine how much you would break her heart if she found out?!" A tear slid down her cheek.

"K-Kagome," Hojo began.

"Nee-chan..." Sota whispered.

"Get out! And never come here again!" Kagome stomped upstairs yelling, "I can't believe I got up for this!"

"Kagome!" Hojo called.

Kagome ignored him and slammed her door shut. She locked it and sank to the floor. She looked out her window and to the stars. "Where are you? Are you ever going to come to me? Mama and Jii-chan don't want me to think about you anymore. That's why we have to run away together. I still remember your pretty eyes..." Kagome wiped away a tear. "I'm tired of waiting. I've waited for 2,920 days. Maybe you've forgotten you're promise to me. I'm losing my faith in you." She sobbed silently. I remember that day... The day we met... Kagome silently walked to her bed and lay down. We were both young when I first saw you... She closed her eyes and let her past take her.

***FLASHBACK***

"Jii-chan, please can I go collect flowers?" Kagome whined, pulling her grandfather's pants.

"No, Kagome. You have to watch Sota for us, remember? Don't worry, tomorrow you can pick flowers." He smiled and walked out of the house with Kagome's mother.

Kagome plopped onto the floor, sniffling silently. She glanced up at the crib where her brother Sota was sleeping soundly. She got up and walked over to it. She looked down at his peaceful face. "Ya know, I'll be rejoicing the day where you can look after yourself." She grabbed the milk bottle sitting on the table. "Thirsty yet?"

He continued to sleep.

"Well," Kagome said, "since you're sleeping I guess I could leave. I mean, while you're sleeping your body is inactive which means you don't need anything. So, I'll be gone for five minutes, okay? Buyo will watch you. No harm done." Buyo mewed in response and went to sleep next to Sota's crib. Kagome planted a kiss on her brother's forehead and quietly slipped out the door. Once outside, she breathed the morning air and skipped down the stairs. She went to the nearest park and kneeled on the grass to pick flowers. She grabbed all sorts: violets, sunflowers, roses, etc. She was careful with the roses because she didn't want to get pricked. She picked up a dandelion and blew, watching the contents drift away.

Kagome went over to where the grass hadn't been cut in a while, and began picking the long strands of grass. She weaved it into the flowers, creating a makeshift crown. She had to handle it carefully or it would fall apart in seconds. She slowly placed it onto her head, wincing slightly as the roses became slightly tangled in her hair. But she liked it. Walking back to the shrine and her house, she walked up the stairs and stopped when she was about to pass the well house. She looked at the old building and shrugged. She made her way into her house.

"I'm back, Sota," Kagome muttered. Instantly her ears almost popped when she heard Sota's loud screaming and crying combination. She hurried over to his crib and picked him up, which was hard because he kept flailing. "What's wrong, Sota? Do you need milk?"

He kept screaming.

"Hold on." Kagome raced up to her mother's room and grabbed the pacifier that was on the floor. She rinsed it and popped it into Sota's mouth. Immediately, he spit it out and resumed crying. "Hungry?" She grabbed the nearest container of baby food and took a spoon. "Okay, open up." She dropped it into Sota's wailing mouth.

He spit it onto Kagome's overalls.

"Ahh! Sota, this is my favorite outfit!" She sniffed, and as a result her eyes began watering before she started crying. "You ruined it!"

"We're back."

Kagome stopped crying and looked up to see her mother and grandfather looking at her and her brother. "Mommy!" she bawled and jumped into her mother's arms.

"Kagome, what happened here?" Mrs. Higurashi asked gently. She noticed the crown. "Kagome, didn't we tell you not to leave the house?"

"I'm sorry, Mama, but watching Sota is so boring! He never does anything!"
Mrs. Higurashi sighed and said, "What's the problem now?"

"Sota keeps crying and I don't know how to fix it! Look, he ruined my favorite pair of overalls!" Kagome pointed to stain while sniffing uncontrollably.

"It just has to be washed out," Kagome's mother laughed softly. "Go change and I'll take care of it. And as for you, my little troublemaker," she added to the still crying Sota sprawled out on the floor. She let Kagome down and scooped Sota up. "We're going to change your diaper." Suddenly, Sota stopped crying and giggled. Mrs. Higurashi smiled and walked upstairs to go to the bathroom.

Kagome looked up at the person remaining in the room, her Jii-chan. "Hey, Jii-chan?"

"Yes, Kagome?" he answered.

She grinned sweetly; her missing teeth making her look quite adorable. "Next time... HIRE A BABYSITTER!" She stomped upstairs and slammed her door shut.

"Kagome!" her grandfather called.

"Yes, Jii-chan?" Kagome walked downstairs, now wearing a navy blue and white striped dress and white flats.

"Can you please get that old medicine I keep in the well house? Sota's been sneezing."

"I'm on it, Jii-chan." Kagome walked out the house and into the well house. She looked around for the dusty glass jar and grabbed it when she found it. She turned to meet a pair of green eyes. Shrieking, she took a step back. Once her eyes focused, she sighed. "Oh it's you, Buyo. You scared me----AHHHHH!"

Falling back over the railing, Kagome's arms flailed and the jar of medicine cracked into a million pieces when it hit the ground in front of Buyo. She shivered in fear as she fell to the bottom of the well and faced darkness.

Kagome whimpered and propped herself up on her elbows. Dust floated in front of her and she sneezed. She looked up. The sky...? She observed the many vines covering the well's walls and decided to climb to get to the top. It took effort, since her small chubby arms were not used to this. Panting slightly, she finally reached the top of the well and jumped out. Dusting herself off, she took in her surroundings.

"Where am I?" she wondered aloud, taking a step forward. Her face lit up when she noticed flowers in the distance. She suddenly remembered her crown. Feeling the top of her head, she gasped. "It's not there!" Turning and looking back into the well, she saw it at the bottom. "There it is!" she climbed down a vine and carefully picked it up. Kagome put it back on her head and climbed back up, never once touching the floor of the well. Deciding to venture further, Kagome kept walking and frowned when she came upon several huts and people. They milled around, talking and laughing, never once glancing in her direction. She quietly walked into the village, not noticing the cool brown gaze staring at her.

"Stop. You are not a resident of this village," a soft childlike voice said.

Kagome turned around to see a girl about the same age as her, with dark hair and narrowed brown eyes. Her pale skin shone in the sunlight and she was dressed in traditional clothes. Her mouth was curved into a frown.

"Oh, hi. My name is---" Kagome began.

"I do not care. You must leave this village at once." The girl's eyebrow twitched.

"Kagome," Kagome continued, ignoring her completely. "You see, I've come here through the well over there. And I would like to know where I am."

"You are to leave here at once!" The girl repeated more forcefully. "Or I'll call my father to get rid of you!"

Kagome realized that the girl in front of her was not joking. "Okay, okay. I'm leaving," Kagome said downcast, walking away. Glancing back, she saw that the girl was watching her depart. Sighing, Kagome continued walking. She stopped walking about five minutes after when trees towered above her and a breeze stirred her hair. She pressed her back against a tree and slid down. She sat like that for a few minutes, when a ball came up to her.

Confused, Kagome reached out and picked it up. "Whose ball is this?" she asked herself.

"Um, excuse me..." a timid voice called out.

Kagome looked up. "Oh, is this your ball? I'm sorry." She gave it to him, smiling brightly.

He nodded and took the ball back. He stood there, staring at the ball. Finally he said, "Hey, do you wanna join me?"

Kagome answered, "That's fine with me."

His eyes widened and he grinned. "Let's go then."

Kagome got up and walked side by side with him. "Who are you playing with?"

"My mom."

"Oh! She must be a really nice mother if she has time to play with you. Mama and Jii-chan are usually going out to places, and I also get stuck watching after my little brother, Sota. So I can never go out and hang with friends. As a result, I usually sneak out and collect flowers."

He frowned. "Why flowers?"

"Because flowers are pretty, silly," she giggled. "I made this flower crown this morning." She pointed to her creation.

"It's nice," he commented, glancing at the crown. He stopped and said, "We're here."

"You're back!" a woman smiled. "I was afraid you had gotten lost."

He grinned. "Nope. I found someone to play with us."

"Y-you did?" his mother questioned in disbelief before her brown eyes landed on Kagome. She smiled. "Konnichiwa. What's your name?"

"Kagome."

"Kagome..." Izayoi repeated. "That's such a nice name. Are you going to play with InuYasha?"

She nodded. "Yep!"

"Have fun," Izayoi said. "I have to buy something."

"Mom, are you sure you want to go alone?" InuYasha asked worriedly.

"I'll be fine, my big bad bodyguard," Izayoi laughed and ruffled InuYasha's hair. "Have fun with Kagome, okay?"

He nodded and hugged his mother before she left. He turned to Kagome. "What do you want to play?"

Kagome thought for a minute. She clapped her hands in glee. "Hide and seek, pretty please?"

InuYasha smiled. "Okay. I'll count."

As InuYasha began counting, Kagome looked around. Not knowing the area well, she had no idea where to hide. But then again, she was surrounded by trees. Taking that as an advantage, she climbed up on not far from her and InuYasha and settled on a branch hidden by leaves.

"33...34...35," InuYasha finished. "Okay, ready or not here I come!" He sniffed out Kagome's scent. Walking to the tree, he leaped up and stared in amusement as Kagome squealed and fell off the branch, landing on a hill of leaves.

"H-how did you?" Kagome asked in wonder. "Out of all the trees...!"

InuYasha smirked and jumped down from the tree. "It's a talent."

Kagome walked up to him and peered closely at his face. Blushing slightly, InuYasha turned away and crossed his arms.

"What? Is there something on my face?" he grumbled.

"No. It's just that I noticed that you have really pretty eyes," Kagome complimented.

InuYasha blushed and said, "So?"

"And your hair is so long and silky," Kagome whispered, stroking InuYasha's hair. She looked up, finally noticing his ears. "Oh Kami, these are so cute!" She brought her hands up and began rubbing his furry appendages.

InuYasha almost succumbed to her rhythmic rubs. He turned and said, "W-whatever! Come on, you're counting and I'm hiding!" Without waiting for an answer, he dashed away.

Kagome closed her eyes and began counting. Once she finished, she spotted something red behind a boulder. "You're really horrible at this, you know?" she informed, tugging at InuYasha's clothes.

"I didn't know where to hide, okay?!" he defended hotly, looking away.

Kagome giggled. "Hey, I'll be back in a few minutes, okay? Don't move!" She smiled and ran off.

InuYasha looked after her. Just as he was about to get up and go after her, Kagome reappeared and was holding something behind her back.

"Close your eyes," she demanded.

InuYasha closed his eyes and felt something being placed on his head. Opening his eyes, he looked up to see a flower crown atop his silver hair.

"It matches your pretty eyes, see?" she said, rather pleased with herself.

"Y-yeah it does."

Kagome's stomach rumbled. "Ah, I'm hungry. And I bet it's lunchtime now. I have to go back to Mama."

"Oh, you have to leave now?" InuYasha pouted.

"Yeah." Kagome looked at her feet. An awkward silence stretched.

"W-will you come back?" InuYasha asked hesitantly.

Kagome stared into his golden depths. "Do you want me to?"

InuYasha nodded. Kagome grinned. "Then of course I will!" She hugged him with great force, which sent him tumbling back. "Let's meet here, okay?" She got off of him. "I'll see you tomorrow!" Waving, she ran back to the well.

InuYasha stared after her, not even realizing it when his mother came back.

"Oh, did Kagome-chan leave already?" Izayoi asked.

"Yeah, but she'll be back tomorrow."

Izayoi kneeled and opened up her arms. InuYasha instinctively ran to her and they hugged. "InuYasha, you've finally found a friend, right?"

InuYasha nodded. "Yeah..."

"Good. I'm proud of you." Now I can sleep peacefully...

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, InuYasha."

"KAGOME, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

"Playing," she replied simply, playing with her rice.

"You didn't even tell us! We were worried sick!" Mrs. Higurashi said angrily. "Look at me, Kagome!"

Kagome looked up.

"You can't just disappear for hours! We thought that you had been kidnapped, or something along those lines. Do you know how much that scared me? I don't want to lose another family member!"

Kagome got up. "Excuse me." She turned and walked upstairs.

"Kagome Higurashi! I'm not finished yet!"

Kagome continued walking upstairs and silently closed her door. She sank onto her small bed, her face in her pillow. She wasn't surprised when moments later she heard her door being pushed open.

"Kagome," her grandfather said, letting himself in. He closed the door and walked over to her, sitting on the edge of her bed. "You do remember how your father died, right?"

"Don't remind me," Kagome said, her voice muffled.

"See? Don't you remember the anxiety, the fear, the countless amounts of thoughts and questions racing in your head and you had no idea which ones you could answer? That was your father who you loved and you were worried about. Now, your mother's love for you is 10 times greater than your love for your father. Imagine that worry you had felt 10 times worse. Do you understand now why your mother was so angry?"

Kagome was silent for a few moments. She whispered, "Yes."

"I suggest you apologize profusely if you want to earn her respect again. You put her through a lot these past hours." Her grandfather got up and patted her head. "I'll walk you over if you'd like. And maybe when you're done, you can finish your lunch." He held out his hand and Kagome lifted her head. Sighing inwardly, she accepted her Jii's gesture and followed him out of the room. They walked across the hall and stopped in front of Mrs. Higurashi's room. "In you go," he nudged his granddaughter. "I'll be downstairs."

Kagome took a deep breath and knocked politely before opening the door up a bit. She slipped her head in. "Mama?"

Mrs. Higurashi was buried under her covers. She didn't look up. "Yes, Kagome?"

"I-I'm sorry, Mama. Can I tell you what happened?" Kagome asked hopefully. "Then you'll understand."

Mrs. Higurashi lifted the covers off her body. Sitting up, she said, "Okay, what happened?"

Kagome began her story of how she went in the well and she was in another "dimension" as she referred to it. "Mama, there was this boy and his mother! The boy's name is InuYasha. InuYasha wanted me to play with him so I said yes. I guess we just forgot about the time."

"Well, I feel better now since an adult was watching over you two," Mrs. Higurashi sighed and Kagome decided not to tell her mother that InuYasha's mom had gone shopping.

Mrs. Higurashi drew Kagome into a hug. "Don't worry me like that, okay? Be careful on the other side of the well."

"I will, Mama. I promised InuYasha that I'd go back tomorrow. Please can I?" Kagome pleaded.

Mrs. Higurashi hesitated. "Only if his mother is watching over you two."

"Thanks, Mama!" Kagome kissed her mother on her cheek and went downstairs to finish her lunch.

"You're late," InuYasha huffed, crossing his arms.

"I'm sorry, did we schedule a time?" Kagome snapped, throwing the ball at him.

He threw it back. "No, but I've been waiting this whole day."

"Well, I'm sorry; you should've played with your mother while you were waiting." Kagome drop-kicked the ball.

InuYasha hit it back to her with his head. "She was sleeping."

The ball went soaring over her head and she ran to catch it. She froze when she saw a couple staring at her and whispering.

"That girl's playing with InuYasha!"

"Is she out of her mind? She'll get tainted with that half-breed filth!"

"Dear, maybe you should tell her. Look how little she is, she must not know."

Kagome picked up the ball, her head spinning. She walked up to InuYasha. "Hey, can we talk?"

Confused, InuYasha answered, "Sure, I guess."

Kagome led him to a shaded part of the forest and they sat down facing each other.

"InuYasha, what's a half-breed?" Kagome asked.

InuYasha froze and his eyes widened in fear. "Where'd you hear that from?"

"When I went to get the ball, these people said..."

"Kagome," InuYasha interrupted, grabbing her hands, ignoring when the ball rolled away. "Please don't listen to them," he pleaded. "They're wrong."

"InuYasha, what's a half-breed?"

"It doesn't matter; they must've had the wrong person."

"But they said ‘InuYasha.' Is there another InuYasha?" She shook him gently. "Tell me what's going on, I won't laugh at you."

"You won't laugh, but I guarantee you'll run away screaming," he muttered, looking away. Snarling, he said, "It's not fair! I didn't ask to be born this way! It was dumb father falling in love with a human!"

"I don't understand," Kagome said. "InuYasha, you're not a human?"

InuYasha remained silent.

"If you say your dad married a human that must mean that he was an alien of some sort..." Demon. The word popped into her head. "If a demon marries a human then that means their child will be a..." her eyes widened as realization dawned on her and she shivered slightly. "Hanyou."