Nice long chapter for my wonderful readers! This is part one.

(Timeline note: It's monday now, and Kagome's birthday is this Friday. Just so we're clear!)

I liked writing this chapter. I've always wanted to take someone out like this. I love Downtown LA (i'm like twenty minutes from there) and I know it like the back of my freaking hand! Anyone wanna go? I know a really good restaurant in China town!

Mitsuru's is an actual place, so I don't take any credit for the name. I'm just using it as a backdrop.

I may also be posting a few fan art pics that go along with this story, but I'm not sure yet. If I do, they'll be on Mediaminer.org, but again, I haven't decided.

Okay, I'll shut up now.

Ja ne!

~Sabichan~

'She's got a smile that heals me

I don't know why it is

But I have to laugh when she reveals me'

**I POV**

"You are such a lazy ass Kagome." I teased. She huffed and stuck out her bottom lip. I had to smile at how cute she looked. I took a sip of our morning coffee to hide it.

She had come to the bus stop complaining. She didn't want to go to school today. Or to work. Or back home.

"I am not! I just really don't want to go today. I just don't like Mondays! I mean is that so bad? Sometimes you just need a day, you know?"

"No. I don't think I've ever not gone to work just cuz I `needed a day'. I think you're just whining."

"Hey! You take that back, or I'll take this back." She began to pull the coffee cup away from me. I protested by imitating her pout.

"Aww, C'mon!" She dropped her hands in defeat. She watched the cars going by with mild interest.

"Whatever. I don't know why I bother telling you anything. You just get all uptight."

"What? You think I'm uptight?"

"Yeah, Mr. `I never call in'. You're probably too scared to. I bet you wouldn't know what to do with yourself if you had a day off."

"Why are you picking on me all of a sudden. And that's not true! I could think of a lot of things to do with a day to myself."

"Like what?" She looked at me suddenly

I swallowed hard at the glimmer in her eyes. I knew that look well. Mischief.

"Um...like spend time alone, thinking...There's a park near the restaurant. Or walking around downtown I work there, but I've never really seen the city. I would do that. You know, just a casual day."

"Right." She glanced at her fingernails, and a moment of silence passed between us. Then her bright eyes flashed back up to mine, hopeful.

"Call in." She said softly.

I opened my mouth to reply, but found I was too shocked.

"Call. in." She repeated.

"Wha-?"

"Call in to work. Tell them you feel sick." I swallowed hard before asking her.

"Why would I do that?"

"Cuz then we can go and spend a nice `casual' day out. You and Me. How about it?"

I stared at her dumbly, contemplating every meaning of her request. She wanted to spend an entire day with me? Alone? Just the two of us?

"I...um....well, I don't know...."

"What's there to know? I mean it's Monday. Is it really gonna be that busy there?"

"Well, no. But I can't just call in Kagome. These people know me, Faye will know right away that I'm lying. And even if not, then she'll call my mother and ask her."

"What are you, fifteen?" She quipped.

"But-"

"Well then don't lie. Tell her I asked you to come somewhere with me last minute and it's really important, something like that."

She had a point there. I was beyond positive that Faye would have no problem letting me take the day off if she knew I would be spending it with Kagome.

"C'mon Inuyasha. We're friends, right? Well as far as I can recall, friends did stuff with each other. Like spend more than just half and hour a day together. It'll be fun, I promise!"

She looked so excited, so happy just thinking about spending so much time with me. There was no doubt about it then. Nothing was gonna keep me from going.

"Aright then, you`re on.." She jumped up from the bench, and grabbed my hand to pull me along with her

"Great! C'mon, let's run to the thrift store, the lady there will let us use her phone!"

"But the bus is-"

"We're not taking that bus today. Just trust me."

I nodded and followed her across the street; Ok so she pretty much dragged me the entire way.

As we pushed through the door to the thrift shop, a strange new smell assaulted my senses. It was musty, kind of dank...and interesting. She stopped and turned to me when she felt me stop.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Just smells kinda strange in here."

"Ah, so you're a thrifty virgin, are you? I've been in so many of these places, I don't even notice it anymore."

"Well what is it?"

"It's history, Inuyasha. The smell of history." I chuckled at her seriousness as she took a deep breath. A voice called from a room in the back of the store.

"Hello, I'll be just a minute to help you!"

"That's okay, it's only Kagome. I need to ask you a favor."

Suddenly a small figure appeared in the doorway. She was a small woman, and looked vaguely-Wait!

"You own this place!?"

It was the old woman from the bus stop. The same little old Japanese woman with the yellow galoshes, which she wore even when it wasn't raining. She was wearing a light green Kimono, and her gray hair was up in an intricate bun. She looked very traditional. Almost younger...

"Yes I do. Well, my dear it is so good to see you. May I ask what it is you need from me?"

"I was hoping we could use your phone."

"Oh, not a problem. Come back here, it's in the office."

I was still dumbfounded, but Kagome led me along.

Now that I hadn't seen coming. I had been waiting at that bus stop with that same old woman for three days a week for five years. And I had never once actually noticed that this is where she came from each morning.

`I am so oblivious.'

We walked through the doorway and into the back room. There were pictures all over the walls, of the old woman and probably her husband, children and then some more children.

There was a small office at the end of the hallway, most of the room taken up by a huge antique mahogany desk.

"Is every thing here as old as you?" I blurted out as the old woman watched me in amusement.

"Inuyasha! That's rude!"

"Nay, I know this boy well. That's just his way of speaking. And no, many of these items exceed me

in their years."

Kagome shook her head in annoyance as she sat down and picked up the phone.

"Okay, you guys stay out here, I need to make myself sound sick so Bill won't know what `s up. Now be quiet."

We both nodded and she closed the door to her office, leaving me and the old woman alone in the hallway.

"What is the young lady's reason for pretending illness?"

"She doesn't want to go to work. So she talked me into calling in too. Now you tell me something. If you own this place, then why the hell do you take the bus, and where the hell do you go?"

"Oh, are you finally interested in knowing this humble old woman?" She teased.

"No, it just annoys me not knowing."

"I go to see them" She gestured towards the pictures. "These are my adopted grandchildren. I volunteer at the orphanage in the city. My husband watches the store those days. We take turns

going to visit."

"Oh...wow. I had no idea."

"You never asked. We shared the morning for five years and the most you done is called me an old witch."

"Yeah, well you must be pretty excited now, huh. Here I am talking to you finally." I said dryly looking back towards the office.

"In fact yes I am. I must admit, it is hard not to overhear yours and Kagome conversations at the stop. You both have become quite good friends."

"Yeah, yeah, well it's not a show okay. You should mind your own damn business."

"That mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble some day. Inuyasha." She said bluntly, sitting down in the chair next to the door. I stared hard at her. I hadn't been expecting that.

"Sorry." I muttered under my breath. She smiled slightly and nodded. I heard coughing coming from behind the closed door. I almost rushed in there to see if she was okay when I remembered that she was pretending to be sick. A moment later the door opened. She was actually still coughing.

"Uh, that hurts." She muttered, and tried to clear her throat.

"What does?"

"Well I took a sip of water from the glass in there and swallowed it wrong. I'm not good at faking coughs."

I chuckled as she cleared her throat again.

"Did it work?"

"Oh yeah, Psychic Bill my ass!" She waved her hand dismissively. " Your turn. Go on."

I shook my head as I walked into the office.

"I can't believe you talked me into this." Her face fell.

"You never do anything for me! I bring you coffee and breakfast, and my company, and all I ask for

is-"

"Stupid Girl, pipe down, I didn't say I was backing out." I interrupted before she could keep making me feel guilty. Her face lit back up and she nodded.

"I know. Just messing with ya. Go on, we don't have that much time to catch the bus."

"But it already le-"

"Not your bus, jackass. The downtown bus. We've got fifteen minutes to catch it."

She pushed me into the room and shut the door behind me as the old woman cackled in amusement.

I sighed and sat down. I picked up the phone and dialed, hoping with all hope that Faye or even Sango would answer.

"Fukai Mori, This is Shippo, May I-"

"Hey brat, it's me."

"Inu?"

"Yeah. Put your mom on the phone kid, and whatever you do, don't tell Mushin or Miro who it is!"

"But why? Shouldn't you be getting here any minute now?"

"Not today kid. That's why I need to talk to Faye. Go get her."

"Why aren't you coming to work? Are you sick? You don't sound sick. Are you having an aneurysm?"

"What? Do you even know what that is?!"

"No. But it sounds bad. I hope you feel better. Here's Momma."

I could feel my eyebrow twitched as I heard him hand the phone over.

"Inu? What's wrong?"

"Um Faye. I uh I'm not...gonna be coming in um today." I stuttered out nervously.

"Are you okay? You don't sound sick..."

"Well I'm not. I have...other plans, if that's okay with you, I mean, Cuz I'll come in if you really need me to, I don't want to short staff you-"

"What might these other plans be?" She said smoothly, knowing full well what was going on, and who

was involved. I sighed.

"Okay, here it is. Kagome called into work and she wanted me to, too. She said she wants to spend the day with me. So I was just-"

"No honey, we're not open just yet. We will in about an hour, okay?" I heard her cover the phone and say something to someone in the background.

I just barely made out her words.

"No it's not a girl, go help your father Miro! I'll take care of this." She waited a moment and then began to speak again, her voice just above a whisper.

"She really said that?! Oh, Inu, that's wonderful, you go ahead and have fun today. I'll cover for you here."

"Faye, thank you so much. Please don't tell-"

"Miro and Mushin, I know. Just have a good time."

"Thanks. Um...oh Gods, well here I go."

"Good luck, sweetheart. Don't have an aneurysm."

I heard the click of the phone and then the dial tone.

I dialed the number to the mail room, and waited rather impatiently for someone to answer. Finally, after an eternity of ringing, the floor manager picked up. It sounded like I had awoken him from a very nice nap.

"Whaddya want?"

"Did I wake ya, Bob?"

"Hell yes, now answer the damn question. Is that you Shingetsu?"

"Yeah it's me. Just letting you know I can't make it in tonight."

"Why you got some hot date or something?" I bit back the urge to say yes. But telling Bob that would be like calling each of my co-workers individually and telling them.

"Good one Bob. No, someone called out at the restaurant, and I have to pull a double."

"Sounds like a pretty shitty stroke of luck. Well, whatever then. Not too much flow here today anyway. Nothing you can't do tomorrow. Hmm...Says here in the log you requested Friday off too."

I froze. I hadn't expected anyone to question why I would take a day off. I rapidly tried to come up with some excuse.

"Umm, yeah-"

"Oh yeah, didn't you say it was your mother's birthday? Well then you let miss Shiori know I said happy birthday."

"I will, Bob. Bye."

I hung up the phone slowly. I had done it. I had called into work for the first time since I had started either job. Now I was nervous as hell.

'all day alone with her. Just the two of us.'

A knock on the door broke me from my stupor. I opened it and was greeted with Kagome's smiling face.

"Well, how'd it go."

"She said it was fine."

"Great! Come on, we have to hurry now! This is gonna be a great day!"

She grabbed my hand and dragged me out the door shouting back to the old woman as we left.

"Bye Kaede! Thank you for everything. I'll get my bag from you later tonight!"

"Goodbye children. Keep safe."

Before I knew it, we were outside.

"Jeez Kagome, you've got quite a grip there." I said pulling my hand out of hers. She laughed and just kept walking. I followed.

"So what bus are we taking then? Mine goes downtown, and the next one comes in about and hour."

"Well this one goes straight into the Arts district. I told you to trust me. I know where I'm going."

"You know the city pretty well."

She looked to me and winked.

"Like the back of my hand."

We boarded the bus two blocks away from our usual stop, making a beeline for the very back. The ride was comfortable as she told me the things she had told her boss this morning. He had told her not to come in for the entire week.

"I never thought I could lie so well."

"You're a bad influence, you know that. First you try to make me lie, then you make me skip work. You're trying to corrupt me aren't you?"

"I don't have to."

"Bitch."

"Asshole."

"Don't get me started. Our stop is coming up."

"So how do you know the city so well?"

"I used to hang around here a lot. My high school is two blocks from the arts district. This used to be my route."

I nodded in acknowledgement as I watched the scenery go by out the window. I had been truthful earlier. I did work in the heart of the city, but had yet to actually see much of it. My schedule had never allowed much time for sightseeing.

I was excited. This was such a break from my normal routine of life. This was me living a day for me, and better yet, spending it with Kagome.

I was nervous too. I hoped I didn't run out of things to talk about, or say anything wrong.

"Here we go." I heard her say as she stood. I followed her off the bus and onto the street. We were in front of a large brick building, obviously her old school.

"'St. Mary's school for Girls'." I read the plague on the iron gate that surrounded the small campus. "You went to an all girl's school?"

"That's what it says, doesn't it?"

"How come you never told me that?"

"You never asked. And I didn't think it was a big deal. That is until I learned you were into the whole chick on chick thing."

"I am not!"

"You don't have to pretend for me. I can deal with it. Should we wait until the bell rings? You can see my old uniform."

Just then, a loud buzz sounded and a moment later, the doors opened. Dozens of girls flocked outside, and the sound of their voices filled the air.

"Is this like your dream come true or what?" She quipped.

"More like Miroku's. Told you, this ain't my thing."

"You're no fun..." She pouted, and crossed her arms. I laughed as I studied the school uniform on a short blonde girl close by.

"So that's what you used to have to wear to school everyday? Looks like a sailor uniform."

"Yep. Mine was that green one over there. You have different colors depending on your class standing. I was in the 98th percentile."

"Aww my little sailor Kagome's got the smarts."

"Shut up, you don't have to be an asshole about it."

"Yes I do." I smiled obnoxiously. She turned away annoyed, and we walked on.

"So where are we going now?'

"Well that bus ride made me hungry, how about you? I know a little place just up the street."

I nodded and she took my hand.

My heart nearly stopped.

I mean she'd held my hand before, but only to drag me off somewhere. She was in no hurry now.

We just walked slowly, and she looked at the buildings we passed with a look of nostalgia in her eyes.

I, on the other hand, couldn't stop looking at her. Wondering what was going through her mind right then, what her reason was for holding my hand so casually. And why the hell was she so damn calm, when I was so fucking nervous.

"Do you like Japanese food?" She asked suddenly as we came to a crosswalk.

"Um.. don't know, I've never had it."

"Well then today is your lucky day. You're about to have the very best for the first time."

We crossed the street and stopped in front of the small shopping center on the corner.

"Mitsuru's" I read aloud. She bounced up and down in excitement.

"I haven't been here in years! I'm glad it's still here! C'mon."

"Is that your word of the day or something? `C'mon'?"

"Well if you didn't hesitate so much I wouldn't have to say it so much. Are you afraid or something?" She squeezed my hand, the look on her face serious and questioning. It caught me off guard.

"Uh...no but I mean, well I don't, I haven't...Aww shit, just forget and let's go." I had no way of explaining to her that this was my first time spending so much time alone with a girl without looking like an idiot. It was probably best that I didn't say anything anyway.

She smiled sweetly and nodded. She led me into the small restaurant, and we seated ourselves. It was actually rather full, even with the lack of cars outside.

"Me and Yuri and Ayumi and Eri used to come here after school every Friday. It was like our little ritual. Then we'd talk about the guys from the school across the street."

"What school across the street?" I said looking outside.

"Not here. From St. Mary's. There's an all boys school right across the street. St. Joseph's."

I had to laugh. She shook her head, amusement flashing in her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah I know. What dumb fuck thought to put an all boys and an all girl right across from each other? Not very bright."

"So you were probably pretty boy crazy when you were there, huh? Being around all those chicks all day, then seeing all those guys after school?" I teased. She blushed, something she hadn't done in a while.

"No, actually....My friends were though. When I said we'd sit here and talk about them, I meant I listened while they gossiped. I studied too much to think about boys. Besides, they were all jerks anyway. Bunch of rich Momma's boys."

I was hoping she wouldn't see me wince at her words. But she did.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie, you're bad at it." She took my hand form across the table.

"Well, I guess you could kind of call me a Momma's boy. It's embarrassing."

"No you're not. You just take good care of her. She depends on you, you don't depend on her That's

a big difference."

I had to smile at her words. At least she understood the situation I was in.

The waiter came and bowed to us. Kagome ordered for the both of us, since I had no idea what I was doing there. After he had brought us some tea, she began to talk again.

"Well like I said, all of those guys were such assholes. I begged Mom to take Souta out of there. Now he goes to the public high school near the shrine."

"That's were I went." I said, then blew on the tea to cool it before I took a sip.

"So what were you like in high school?" I nearly chocked on the tea.

"Huh?"

"What were you like?" I struggled to answer her question.

"Um. Well I...I wasn't really all that different from now. I wasn't really popular, but not really a loner. I was just there. I was quiet though. Really quiet."

"How come?"

"That's when my brother had left. My freshmen year. It had a big effect on me, you know. Everybody knew Sess, and everyone asked me how he was. All I could say was I didn't know." I took another sip of tea. It was really good...

"That's when Mom really lost it too. And then I was stuck with her alone, taking care of her, going to school, and working for Faye. I supported the both of us. I still do."

A comfortable silence fell over our table.

"You're so responsible. I feel kinda lazy compared to you, bitching just because I don't feel like working when you don't really have a choice." I shrugged dismissively.

"Hey, it's just the way my life is. I don't mind working. It gives me something to do. Otherwise, I'd just be sitting at home, listening to my mother cry. In fact, I like working. Besides, you have to go to school too. No one I likes going to school. That's something you don't get paid for, but you have to work hard for. That's one of the reasons I never went to college. Why work so hard for something that really isn't gonna change my life for the better. I don't even know what I would have studied."

I realized just how much I was actually talking. I hadn't even noticed until she had cocked her head to the side, and had that thoughtful look on her face.

"What are you looking at?"

"I just like how you're opening up to me. Sometimes I feel like I'm doing all the talking, and you're

just my therapist. I like being the listener."

"Keh. You make it sound like I'm whining or something."

"No you're not. I just like learning more about you. I wanted to know what your life was like past the half hour we spend together in the mornings."

I immediately thought back to Miroku's words not so long ago. So the fucker was right-she did want to know more about me. I was at a loss for words.

"Wow...I um.."

"What's the matter?"

"I'm just used to talking to Miroku or Sango about everything. And even then I'm not usually this fucking chatty."

"Well I like it! C'mon tell me more about you. What's your favorite color?"

"Um...Red."

"Mine's blue. What' your favorite time of the year?"

"Fall"

"I love winter. Nice and cold."

"You like being cold?"

"No, but I don't like being hot, like in the summer. I mean in the heat, there's only so much you can do or take off to try to get cool. But in the winter, You can put on as much as you want, and then you can snuggle up in front of the heater or a fireplace."

"So you'd rather wear more clothes than take them off, huh?"

"I know what you're thinking, and I already told you I'm not secretly a stripper."

I laughed aloud. Yeah, she had caught me.

"I'm just saying..."

"Hentai" She said pointing at me as the waiter approached our table. He laughed and looked at me. He placed two small bowls on the table and walked away still chuckling.

"What was that about? What did you say?"

"I just told him you were a Hentai." She said, putting some soy sauce into one of the bowls.

"What does that mean?"

"That you're a pervert." She picked up the bowl and took a small sip from it.

"Kagome!"

She ignored me and added a little more soy sauce. I just stared at her. Finally she looked up.

"Oh right, you don't know what this is, do you? Well it's miso soup. You should put a little soy sauce in it, it tastes even better."

"Kagome, you didn't really say that did you?"

"Yeah. That's what hentai means."

My face was probably bright red, because she laughed lightly.

"Oh Inuyasha, calm down. He knows I was joking! Besides, if anyone here is a pervert, it's him. He loved waiting on our table. A little too much." She tapped her nose and winked. " If you know what I mean."

"No."

"He used to `drop' things so he could look up our skirts."

"He what?!" I said a little too loudly. I was a bit surprised with my own reaction. Just hearing that he

had tried to peek at Kagome had made me...well pretty angry.

"Oh, not me. I knew better. But poor Eri. I told her to wear shorts under that skirt." She shook her head and took another sip of soup.

I followed her example, and tried the soup. It wasn't all that bad.

"What's this white stuff?"

"Tofu."

"Oh." I made a face.

"I'll take yours if you don't want it." She picked up the set of chopsticks from the table and began to pick the little white cubes from my soup.

"You're pretty good with those things."

"You get used to them. My Dad loved Japanese food, so I learned how to use these when I was

little."

"Well they're beyond me." I said picking up my own and examining them.

"It's easy, just look how I'm doing it."

I watched her hands as she demonstrated, and tried it myself. But to no avail. Finally she got up and sat next to me.

"Here, give me your hand." She took my hand and positioned it. I tried to concentrate, but she was so close to me, I could feel her thigh rubbing against mine. The soft scent of strawberries tickled my nose as she leaned even closer to my face.

"See. It's easy!" She let go of my hand.

They fell out of my limp fingers and clattered on the table. She giggled and shook her head.

"Try again!" She took my hand in hers once more.

I smirked inwardly. She had no idea I had done it on purpose. I just didn't want her to move away form me. It felt so good to have her so close to me, so comfortable.

I eventually let her go back to her side of the table before she caught on to my rouse. Her delicate scent still hung in the air. It was heavenly.

Just the waiter brought our food. Chicken Teriyaki.

I caught him staring at Kagome and gave him an icy stare. He smiled and walked away quickly.

It turned out that not only could Kagome cook, but she sure as hell knew good food.

"I'll have to tell Faye about his place."

"I'm sure she'd love it!"

"She'd probably ask them for all the recipes." I muttered.

"Tell me about them..."

"My `Family'?"

"Yeah."

"I already have. They're all crazy."

"Yeah I know, but tell me more. You said you and Miroku were really close."

"Like brothers. We've been best friends since before we were born. He's only two days younger than

me."

"Really?! That's funny. So his mom and your mom were good friends too, huh?"

"Yep. Same thing as me and Miro. And their mother's were the same. And their grandmothers. and then a couple more generations back."

"Wow. So your families have been close for a really long time. Has anyone intermarried?"

"Nope. Funny enough, that never happened. I think it's a good thing. You never know when a marriage won't last, and if one between our families went sour, there'd be big consequences. A lot of hurt feelings. Plus really ugly kids."

"InuYasha, you don't mean that!"

"Yeah. I mean You'd have bunch of white haired, little pervert boys, and black haired, wannabe singer girls. That's what would come from us. Thank god we never mixed!"

She laughed melodically. I'm sure she was picturing it.

"So if you have a boy, he's gonna have your hair?"

"And my eyes. It's never failed, every Shingetsu male's had it."

"Wow. That would be so cute! I bet you were adorable when you were little!" She cooed.

"Not everyone thought so." I muttered. I thought back to my childhood. Shudder.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You got teased a lot, huh?"

"How'd you know?"I asked sarcastically.

"Cause kids are mean. They probably didn't understand why you were so special, and they had to bring you down because they couldn't be like you."

I stared at her for a moment, trying to understand what the hell she was talking about. Special?

"What do you mean I was special?"

"You have such a distinctive look. You're so different and that makes you special without even having to try. Other kids got jealous that they had to try so hard to be special, when you had it so much easier."

"Easy? It wasn't easy at all. It was hell!"

"I know. But that's what happens to all great people. Someone else is always trying to bring them down out of jealousy. It's a vicious cycle you know. Really sad."

"Why would they be jealous of looking like a freak?"

"You're not a freak. You're just unique. And no one ever forgets unique. Are you telling me no one's gonna remember going to high school with that really cute guy with the white hair and the gold eyes?"

She must not have realized what she had just said, because she just continued to smile at me, waiting for a response. She had said I was cute. Not little kid, Shippo cute, but attractive.

"Well no. But-"

"Well there you go. You were probably more popular than you realized. I bet everyone knew your name."

"Yeah. But that was because of Sess. He was...well, everyone knew Sess."

"Still, they knew you for you. Do you two look alike?"

"Yeah. He looks more like my mother though. I have a picture." I reached in my pocket and pulled out my wallet. I slipped Sess's picture from the plastic cover and handed it to her.

"Wow! His hair is so long!"

"Yeah. He was such a chick about it, he took really good care of it."

"What about you?"

"I brush it don't I?"

"So it's just naturally that soft?"

I blushed and nodded. She handed me the picture back, but took my wallet instead.

"Hey!"

"I'm just looking! I'm not gonna steal form ya."

She began to flip through the few pictures I had there.

"Who is this?"

"Who?" She stood and came back to sit next to me again.`'Thank the God's she's so curious'

"That's Faye. This is Mushin, and Miroku. That little brat is Shippo. "

"Oh! He's so cute!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Is this Sango?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"She looks mad."

"She is. I think Miroku had just been groping her again. Hard to remember."

She laughed and flipped to the next picture. She leaned against me, and I wondered if she was doing it consciously. I wondered a lot of things now, since she had let that comment slip a few minutes ago.

Was Kagome attracted to me? At all?

"Who's this girl? Is she an old girlfriend of yours?"

I looked down to see what she was talking about.

"No that's my mom. She was about my age here."

"Huh?! But that's you!" She said pointing the other person next to her.

"No that's my father."

She scooted away and looked at me incredulously, holding the picture beside my face. I smiled as she looked back and forth.

"No fucking way!" She whispered..

"Yeah. I look just like him, huh? Faye says we're carbon copies."

"Fucking clones is more like it! That's kinda scary."

She moved back and continued to stare at the picture.

"They look so happy here. They were really in love weren't they?"

"Yeah. Soul mates I guess." I gazed at the picture as well. And I couldn't help but notice how my young mother looked... a little like Kagome. The same black hair...the shape of their faces...

`Weird'

"So I guess that you know what you'll look like when you get older, huh?"

"Well not all that much older. Don't know what he would look like now. Though probably the same..."

"I wonder sometimes what my dad would have looked like. Sometimes I can't really remember his face. But I always remember his voice. That never leaves me."

"Yeah me too. All his stories."

"All his advice, his training."

She looked through the rest of my wallet, trying to find something else of interest.

"You don't really carry much on you do ya?"

"Just money, ID and pictures."

"I have so much crap in my wallet. I don't think I've cleaned it out for at least a couple of years."

"Let me see?"

"No! It's a girly wallet! You should never ask to see a girls things."

"I let you look through mine and I didn't complain. C'mon."

"Maybe. Well let's get out of here though, We've got lots more to do today!"

We fought for a few minutes over which of us was going to pick up the check, and I finally won. I told her it was part of her birthday present. She just pouted.

After we left the restaurant, she gave me a tour of the Art district of downtown. There were small theatres, galleries, a couple museums. There was a farmer's market going on in the middle of the street and she stopped at almost every table there. I just followed, amused by her constant curiosity. I also didn't have much of a choice anyway, since she had laced her arm with mine since our meal.

At one point, we walked past a glass building, which she told me was the main library. I vaguely nodded, instead concentrating on our reflection. The two of us, arm in arm, side by side. It looked so....right.

She caught my gaze after a moment and stopped. I wasn't sure what to say, not knowing what she was thinking.

She cocked her head thoughtfully, staring at our reflections.

"I never realized how short I look compared to you!"

She stood on her tiptoes, trying to tower over me. I just did the same.

"Hey! Stop that!"

"No way, small fry."

"Don't call me that! I can still take you!"

"I'd like to see you try."

She pouted at her reflection. Then cocked her head again as she noticed something.

"Isn't that funny?"

"What?"

"How opposite we look? Black and White? Big and Small?"

I nodded thoughtfully as I studied what she had pointed out. There was quite a difference.

"You're not that small you know."

"Well compared to you I am."

"Well you've got really long legs." I wanted to kick myself the moment I said it.

"Hey, stop looking at my legs, you hentai!"

"Don't call me that!"

"Call `em like I see `em" I blushed and she giggled. "There we go again! White and Red!"

"You're such a bitch." I pulled her as I started walking again, eager to get away from my reflection.

"Oh don't be so sour about it. I was just joking."

"I was just trying to give you a compliment, and you turn it into an insult."

"I was just being playful and you turned that into and insult."

I shook my head and continued walking. I couldn't help but smile though as I glanced once more at the glass building beside us.

`So right....'

tbc…

don't worry, more of the day to come!

Hope you liked.