Part two of their day out. Thanks for reading! Still Inu's POV.

Ja ne!

~Sabichan~

We ended up at the park I had mentioned earlier, close to the Fukai Mori. I had come here sometimes after work when I was still in high school. It had been a good place for thinking, as it was always pretty much deserted. As we walked towards the large fountain in the center of the park, she broke the silence.

"It's so quiet here. Where is everyone?"

"Not everyone ditched work today."

"Hey I didn't ditch! I'm just taking a personal day, that's all."

"Whatever....Actually it's always quiet here. Always has been."

"You've been here before?"

"Yeah. The restaurant's just up the street over there. I used to come here sometimes. You know...to think."

"About what?"

"About ...Everything. I really can't remember what exactly everything was at the time, but I know I used to have a lot on my mind."

"And you don't now?" She asked as she sat down on the lip of the fountain, pulling me down beside her.

At first I wasn't sure how to answer her question. I couldn't say `no'. I did have a lot on my mind. It just so happened that most of it had to do with her. And I wasn't too sure if I was ready to tell her that just yet.

"No I do. I've just gotten used to the majority of it."

"You mean like your mom and your brother?"

I nodded as I watched several birds take flight from the trees. They weaved patterns in the air, back and forth, and finally decided on a direction, and followed it.

"Have you ever...just wanted to leave?"

I glanced at her, startled by her sudden question.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean just leaving. Just picking up one day and taking off. Leaving this life, leaving everyone you

know behind."

I noticed her wistful expression as she watched the same birds flying to their destination.

"Kagome?"

She shook her head and laughed softly.

"No, I'd never do it. I couldn't leave. There's too many consequences, too many repercussions. What would my family think? I don't want them to feel abandoned. I can't be selfish like that. It's not in me. But still....the idea is so...tempting."

"What do you have to get away from?"

"It's not so much getting away as it is....going to. Is everyone supposed to be happy with the way their life has turned out so far? I don't think so. If not, then the world would never change. I can't help but wonder if I'm even supposed to be here? I wonder if my life has really started yet? Or is something waiting for me, just out of the city limits, just around that corner, just down that road?"

She looked at me, emotion strong in her eyes. "Is someone waiting for me?"

I was too shocked to look away. I just stared into her eyes and she stared right back. I felt the urge to lean forward and press my lips to hers, to quell the doubts that surrounded her, to hold her.

"Kagome...I .."

Suddenly, the dormant fountain sprung to life in a fury of water and light. We jumped up, both cursing in surprise. Then we looked at each other again. She tried to bite back her smile, but failed,

instead bursting into laughter.

We had been so serious only moments before, and I had been so close to admitting, saying something that would probably change our entire friendship. I had been so close to telling her that there <i>was</i> someone waiting for her. But he wasn't down the road-he was right there sitting next to her.

I wanted to tell her how she had changed my life in mere months, with nothing but a half and hour in the mornings. I wanted her to know how much she had come to mean to me. I wanted to tell her....

But as she brushed off the stray droplets of water from her arms, laughing about how someone was out to get us, that it had been planned "from day one", I didn't feel so pained that I hadn't been able to finish. After all, she was smiling, wasn't she?

After we had walked a good distance from the traitorous fountain, I asked her what she wanted to do next. Our adventure in the city had taken up most of the day, and the sun was already low in the sky.

She responded by giving me a good hard shove. I stumbled sideways, more out of surprise, as she sprinted away.

"Catch me if you can!" She called behind her.

I grinned arrogantly and chuckled to myself as I watched her run. Little did she know, that in high school, I had been the star athlete on the track team, a legacy left by my father and Sesshie before me. Quickness ran in my family.

So I ran.

I was right behind her in seconds, and I reveled in the shock on her face as she glanced back to see where I was. She changed direction, but I easily followed . I let her stay just ahead of me, letting the chase go on. I felt the wind rushing past my face, the blood rushing through my veins. It had been so long since I had last done this. I focused all of my nervous energy and frustrations into our game of cat and mouse.

She glanced back again, and I could see she was enjoying herself as much as I was.

Suddenly she tripped and stumbled forward. I finally let myself reach my full speed as I saw her begin to fall. I caught her just before she hit the ground, grabbing her around her waist and pulling her back against my body as I practically skidded to a stop. I set her down on her feet when I had regained my balance. Panting hard, she turned in my arms, a hand pressed over her heart, as if trying to slow it with her own touch.

"You...caught ..me..."

I nodded and smirked.

"I...sure did..."

She swallowed and tried again to slow down her breathing. She shook her head and looked up at me, looking curious and shocked at the same time.

"No...I mean....You caught.. me...H-how..." She swallowed again. I realized I hadn't released her yet.

"I...umm.. just did." I took a step away as I let her go. I wasn't exactly sure how I'd managed to catch her before she fell. She had been a good ten feet in front of me. She plopped down onto the grass then, tugging me down with her. I laid back, and looked up into to the sky. I felt weight on my stomach just then.

I looked down to see Kagome laying on me, also watching the now darkening sky.

"You run pretty fast." She commented.

"I was in track."

"Really? I was on the swim team."

"That explains why you run so slow then."

"Hey! If we were in the water, I would have kicked your ass, you know!"

"We can always go to back to the fountain, you know." I teased. She reached up and smacked my leg.

"Hey." She said, her voice softening a little. I looked down to meet her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"What for?"

"For everything. For coming with me today...and for saving me from a good face full of grass."

"No problem. It was fun. I never do shit like this. My first time."

She furrowed her brow.

"So then what do you do on your day off?"

"What day off? I work all the time."

"Well then what do you do when you're not working? I mean like you and your friends? Don't you guys go out at all?"

"Well...No. We don't usually see Sango outside of the restaurant, just once in a while. And me and Miroku hang out sometimes. But we don't do things like this though."

"Oh. Wow...I guess I thought you all did more together. I remember my friends and I used to go out a lot."

"You guys didn't have two jobs or a family owned business. It's different. It takes up all your time, and after a while, you don't really know what to do without it. It's so routine, it's like breathing. That's how all of our lives have been since my father...died."

I almost chocked on the last word. I had never once referred aloud to my father being dead. I never wanted to actually say it, to admit that he wasn't going to come back like my mother so desperately hoped. She nodded, and we laid in silence for a few moments. She absently played with strands of my hair, comparing mine to hers. Before I knew what I was doing, I was running my fingers through her ebony locks, reveling in the softness, and even more so the reaction it drew from her.

"ohhh.. that feels good...keep doing that...." The tips of my fingers massaged her scalp softly and she leaned up into my touch. I tried to stop the dumb smile that made itself apparent on my face, but to no avail.

Just picture this. There's a beautiful, vibrant young woman lying on you in the middle of a deserted park, the sun is setting in the distance. You're touching her, and she's telling you she likes it, telling you not to stop. Did I mention she's beautiful? Did I mention this is your first time touching a woman like this?

Suddenly she sat up straight and yawned. I sighed softly in disappointment, but never took my eyes from her figure as she stretched. The curves of her body fluctuated as she tensed and relaxed each muscle. It was hypnotizing to watch. I just barely snapped out of my stupor as she turned back to look at me.

"I don't know about you, but I'm kinda tired."

"Yeah. I'll admit you wore me out."

"See! I won!" she raised her arms in triumph. I was graced with a view of her firm, toned stomach. I struggled to tear my eyes away. She didn't notice...

"So should we head home? Are you that tired?" I asked, clearing my throat. I needed to stop looking at her. I was getting a little too...interested.

"Um... Well I guess so. I do actually have a big test that I haven't even tried studying for. But I mean, I already know I'm gonna fail. Seems kinda stupid to even bother. It is my worst subject."

"Really? What in?"

"Math."

If life were like a cartoon, there would have been a huge exclamation point over my head.

"You know..." I said, picking a blade of grass out of her hair. "I could probably help you."

"Well. No offense, Inuyasha....But this math is kinda different from the stuff they teach in high school. It's Pre-calculus."

"Oh... Well I...took advanced calculus when I was a junior..." I stated flatly, smirking inside. I stood and stretched as well. "Yeah...but you're right...that's college math..."

If life were like a cartoon, Kagome would have exploded.

Before I could register what was happening, she had tackled me to the ground. Her face was alive with excitement.

"Why didn't you tell me you were a math genius!? Do you know what I've had to do to get help in Math?! I had to become friends with that bozo at school! Now he visits me everyday! This is your fault! It's only right that you help me now!"

There is no way I could have formed any kind of coherent answer.

She was on top of me. Her face was mere inches from mine. I could practically taste her.

So I just stared.

She cocked her head and stared back.

"You're lying aren't you? You're not really a math genius, you were just teasing, weren't you?"

"N-no, I. I a-am" I managed to stutter out. Her face lit up again and she got off of me.

"Well then let's go! I hope you can teach me, cuz Gods do I need help!"

She began to walk away, towards the direction on the Fukai Mori. I overcame my shock, and went after her.

"Hey, why are you going this way? The stop is back over there." pointing abck at the way we had come.

"Let's just take the one you take home. It'll be faster than walking all the way back. Plus you said your work is just down the street. Maybe we could stop in? Um...Is something wrong?"

In all honesty, nothing was wrong. Her plan was logical and reasonable in every way. But for some reason, having her anywhere near the restaurant today seemed absolutely out of the question. I shook my head and she continued walking as I tried to understand my own actions.

I looked up at the now blazing sunset when she stopped and commented on it. We watched it in sheer fascination, her arm once again laced with mine. I stole a glance at her and had to bite back a gasp.

She looked ethereal, unearthly. The glowing colors seemed to radiate from her face instead of the heavenly body now dipping below the horizon.

I finally realized why I didn't want her to meet the Hoshi's tonight.

All day, it had been just Me and Kagome, Kagome and Me. And all day, her attention had been focused on me, and I was the only one she talked to.

If I took her to see the family, she would be so concentrated on meeting them; Miroku would flirt with her, Faye would chat endlessly with her, and Shippo's cuteness would demand her attention whether he wanted it to or not.

We would probably end up staying there late, her test forgotten. And I would watch the whole time, certainly not ignored, but still on the sidelines.

I didn't want to share her. I didn't want her attention to be taken away from me.

I was being selfish, and childish, and I didn't really give a shit.

Today, she was mine.

I recognized a different stop, on the same route as mine a few blocks before we reached the restaurant. I took my chance.

"Actually, it's probably a bit of a rush right now...How about we save our introductions for Friday?"

"Oh, that's fine. I wouldn't want to be a bother if it's busy." She said, smiling cheerfully and blissfully unaware of my lie. Truth was there was probably one person in the whole restaurant. `Score one for me...'

We got on the bus, and I pointed out the restaurant as we passed it by. We didn't really talk on the way back, just rode together in a comfortable silence.

We reached our morning stop, and crossed the street to the old hag's thrift shop. She welcomed us, asking to here the story of our day. I did my best to be an asshole, saying it could wait, because I had to teach Kagome how to count.

After I'd gotten a nice sized bruise from an oversized book being hurled at me, we made our way back to her home.

She resumed her normal chattiness as we walked, sometimes skipping ahead of me. She looked so playful, so innocent.

She had so many sides to her.

Sometimes she could be so cute, old women would want to pinch her cheeks. Sometimes she could be a total girl, and gab endlessly about this and that and him and her. Other times, she was fiery and feisty, and totally sexy without even intending to be.

And then there were those times when her entire soul seemed to be at peace, and just her smile seemed to make everything right in the world. When she would look at me, and it would feel like she could see right inside me.

I liked those times the best. She was so honest then, so open and reflective. Almost mysterious. It was times like those when I found it hardest not to kiss her.

"So how did you get so damn good at math anyway? Exactly what else runs in your family?"

"Aside from the freakish good looks? Oh lots of things. Like stubbornness."

"Well that I can believe!"

"We all run pretty fast. Got good legs I guess. Great for keeping us out of trouble."

"Kinda funny that you can be so stubborn, but be so good at running away from things. Doesn't make too much sense does it?"

"Nope, then again, nothing in my family makes sense. We're all around strange people. We look strange, we act strange-"

"Stop saying that." She said suddenly. I turned to look at her.

"What?"

"That you look strange. Or freakish. You don't." I huffed and did my best to explain things to her.

"You have to understand where I'm coming from on this Kagome. I've been this way my whole life, not just since you've known me. I'm glad you can tolerate it and all, but not everyone I've met in my life is like you. Some people are just assholes who have to point out the fact that I'm different."

"I don't 'tolerate' the way you look, Inuyasha. I like it."

I stopped dead in my tracks at her words. She looked at me curiously.

"What, did I say something wrong?"

"No...Just ...nothing. This thing is just really fucking heavy." I shifted the giant bag on my shoulders and she giggled.

"You don't have to carry it if it's too heavy."

"Don't start, I'm not giving it to you."

"Such a gentlemen..." She muttered.

I smiled softly to myself as she continued to walk, thinking about what she had just said.

I had no doubts now. Kagome was definitely attracted to me. Just like I was attracted to her....

and it continues....