1 Chapter 1: The return

Looking at the night sky, the stars are shining bright and so is his smile. I've seen him smile a lot of times before but this one is different. It is as if, he was the luckiest man in the world right now... I guess, he really is. He was fond of showing his happiness to me and my friends before we knew each other; but this one, right now, I must say that it is of contentment and satisfaction. He brushed my hair and leaned forward, and slowly pressed his lips against mine. I could feel that it's trembling and he hyperventilates at the same time, like it's his first time doing this to me. The thoughts that are playing on my mind about whatever reason he has about his jittering, only makes him funny like he never get used to this kind of romantic act. Silly him.

"Ka-Kagome, I love you." he uttered looking straight to my eyes while twittering.

As I'm about to laugh at his funny actions, I told him the sweeter thing which I suppose highly requires the sweetest retort. "I love you more, Akitoki Hojo." It took quite a moment for him to utter a single word, but I still got the reply that I longed to hear from his lips.

"I love you most, Kagome." said he and started blushing after that.

Looking straight to my eyes, I placed my hand on his face and caressed it while saying how he means so much to me. I grabbed his hand after and did the same thing to my face and placed it on my belly after.

A little bit confused, he asked. "Kagome, what does this mean? Am I going to be a father?"

I smiled from ear to ear and nodded yes. He suddenly leaped and jumped because of too much joy, screaming he's going to be a father. I stood and hugged him tight and we kissed. I wasn't expecting that the scroll that the modern-day Hojo revealed to me was accurate about my name, appearing as one of his ancestors. Nevertheless, after all the battles and quests and of course, sacrifices and failures, my fate and Akitoki Hojo's are finally tangled, bound to be connected forever even in the afterlife.

"Kagome, shall we get inside now?" he asked, beaming with excitement.

I simply replied, "I would love to, but let's just stay here for a little while 'cause I just want to enjoy the nice view and this moment with you. Pretty please?" And I rests my head onto his shoulder and started recalling the past.

I was woken from my sleep due to the loud banging on my door. Rubbing my eyes and trying to gain consciousness, I realized it was Sota by the sound of his voice. He keeps on banging like there's no tomorrow and it just make me irritated.

"Sota, don't you know how to knock? I asked and twisted the doorknob.

"Kagome, are you hilarious?"

He asked with an annoyance on his voice.

"Sota, how could you say that?"

"You really are forgetful, aren't you? You've assigned me to wake you up at 6 in the morning because you have a test. By the way, I gotta go to school, bye sis!"

I was speechless that I also stood frozen on the spot where I was standing. Looking at the wallclock, it is already 7:45 in the morning. There's obviously no chance for me to get to school on time. The tragic part here is, I forgot the lessons that we tackled for the past 2 weeks. I couldn't even imagine how I am going live my life in the future. In short, I am doomed. What shall I do now then? I know I've got a lot of excuses already made-up by grandpa during my absences and whether I like it or not, taking the test will determine my life in the future. As the clock's arms rotate, I rummaged through my closet and quickly dressed for school. I didn't bother to eat breakfast but just brought the prepared sandwich for me and my lunchbox. Surprised with what I saw, I guess I am not alone after all. I just saw one of my classmates entering the campus, running as fast as she could. Judging by her facial expression, I must say that something bad must've happened to her. I followed her right away and before I could call her name, she noticed me running from behind. She stopped for a moment and greeted me good morning and ran as fast as lightning. I guess, she really doesn't want to walk with me. When I got inside the classroom, all of the tables are already occupied except for mine. Thankfully though, the test hasn't started yet and our teacher just began disseminating the test papers.

Out of the blue, my teacher said, "Ms. Higurashi you're late again. Please remain in the classroom after this test." The evil glare that he's giving to me reminds me of Naraku– it was as if, he came back from the dead.

"Ok, sir." I replied.

The whole class especially the bunch of girls behind me, started whispering that I'm so lucky because our teacher invited me for a talk. I don't know why they're acting this weird but it's maybe because our teacher looks like Ryo Sakurai. I guess this people don't even know how to worry about me. I mean, why would even they? I'm always absent though. How stupid of me to think such things. The test made me dizzy after laying my eyes on the paper. Bad news I don't know what I don't know.

After the exam, it was only me and Mr. Yamamoto inside the room. My three girl friends already left me and also, I heard them talking earlier to Hojo outside the room that he need not to be worried about me 'cause I'm going to be fine, and he conceded. I just smiled at the whitelie that they're fabricating even though I am going to reprimanded.

"So, it was a success huh?" Mr. Yamamoto asked me like we've been friends for so long.

"Um... What do you mean sir?" I asked, "Is it the test? To be honest, I quite struggled in answering since I forgot all the formulas." I grinned looking back at him.

"No, you fool!" he said with thousand voices coming from his mouth. "Your killing of Naraku hasn't ended yet! Too bad, you guys celebrated early."

I was stunned and couldn't move for a second. This can't be. We defeated Naraku as well as his reincarnations. Does this mean, he's here to avenge him? If that's the case, I've got to find a way.

"Who are you? Are you one of his reincarnations?" I asked hastily.

"It's up to you to figure it out." The whole room was filled with his boisterous laughter and I am surprised that no one even notice it outside.

"Well, quit yapping 'cause I'm going to put an end to your life here!" I quickly grabbed the sutra that Miroku had given to me as a remembrance, and chanted the incantation about incenerating demons that I've learned from old Kaede. I casted the sutra as quick as I could and a ghastly phantom is escaping from Mr. Yamamoto's body. I can't believe that he's been possessed by a demon from Sengoku period but how on earth did it get here?

"And now, be prepared to meet Naraku and send him my regards as I'm going to purify you!" I said and as I am about to finalize the process, he released a huge amount of demonic energy in order to escape but I failed to handle it and I fainted due to lack of training. He left our teacher's body and showed me his true form.

"I guess it's not yet my time. Prepare to die you brat!" He charged but his attempt in killing me with his claws failed, when a barrier prevented him from doing so. He screamed in pain as a sacred light burns his body. "You'll pay for this! You'll regret this!" he said and suddenly vanished.

I scurried at the teacher's table and Mr. Yamamoto is still unconscious. I began reciting a short prayer and he slowly opened his eyes.

"Ms. Higurashi, what happened to me?" he asked faintly.

I thought to myself, so he can't recall a single thing? Since I'm in a rush already, I just told him that he passed out while asking about my walking late into the class and he seemed to believe. I run as fast as I could in order to get home so that I can ask my family if they saw a demon coming out from the bone-eater's well. When I got there, my mother and grandfather are crying, holding a lifeless body of Sota laying in front of our house.

My legs trembled and my eyes started shedding tears. I stepped forward and grandpa looked at me. His eyes were red from crying and he looked so pale. I could sense that he's scared but just keeping it from himself.

"He gr-grab Sota, Kagome. He to-took his soul like a theif." He said and started sobbing.

"Kagome, Sota's fine right? Tell me, he's fine right?" mother said looking puzzled. "I can't believe this happened to my one and only son. I shouldn't have left the house to buy some goods at the market. How negligent of me. I could've saved him."

"No, it is my fault." grandpa spoke, "Sota, please forgive me. If I hadn't ran away outside the house, I could have protected you from that demon."

They were crying so loud that I can't even stop myself from crying as well.

"Mom, grandpa. Please quit blaming yourselves! This is all my fault. If I hadn't let the demon escaped earlier, this shouldn't have happened. I am the one to blame. I can't forgive myself for this!"

I started sobbing so loud and kneeled in front of my brother's lifeless body. I held his cold hands and hugged him so tight and I was surprised when I could still feel his heart beating. If that's the case, the demon might have failed to steal his whole soul since it was badly weakened.

"Grandpa, Sota is still alive. You said earlier that the demon stole his soul, right?"

Grandpa wiped his tears while in shock. "How do you say so?"

"I could still feel his heart beating. Perhaps the demon failed and only managed to take half of his soul."

"We should bring him to the hospital then. The doctors might have some ways to save your brother." mom said.

"There's no way a doctor could save him. Since it is caused by a demon, only a spiritual practice could do that." I explained looking at mom and grandpa. "I guess I have to travel back in Sengoku period. I have to."

"But Kagome, the well is already preventing you from coming back to that era. Anyway, I have some friends who are good healers whose skills were inherited from their ancient exorcist ancestors." Grandpa suggested.

"I know grandpa but I have to retrieve Sota's soul or else, he'll be stuck like that forever. Because this demon that we've dealt earlier is some kind of soul-eating demon." I said giving them an assurance that everything will be fine and go as planned.

I prepared the things that I'll be needing in Sengoku period especially the bow that I've got from Mt. Azusa and thankfully, I still got some arrows. I sometimes wonder what my friends are doing there right now after I was shut from going back there three weeks ago. As soon as I finished preparing, we placed Sota in his room decorated with sutras and grandpa also attached some amulets on his body I performed an incantation to casts and prevent all evil from getting close to him. While mom was left guarding Sota in his room, grandpa accompanied me to the sacred well.

A little worried grandpa started crying again. "Kagome, are you really sure that you'll be able to get back there?"

"Yes, grandpa. I promise I'll fix everything. Just trust me." I smiled, waved goodbye and closed my eyes.

I wished on the well to grant my request to go back and I jumped. Instead of transporting me to the other world, I just fell at the bottom. I screamed due to pain and grandpa is now calling me, reassuring if I made it. I didn't make any noise despite the pain 'cause I don't want dissapoint my family at times like this, especially when Sota's life is in grave danger.