Disclaimer: You can have everything but the fluffy ears...those are MINE!!!!

Oblivious

Chapter 1: Meet Jean

By: Eartha

Oblivious, that's what everybody is. I watch as my brother gives Mrs. Higurashi yet another gift for that girl, Kagome. They say she is so sick that she can't come out of the house...yet when we are almost assured by her grandfather of her impending doom she comes to school the next day bright eyed and cheery. It's as if she was never sick in the first place...

Hojo says I'm cynical. That I can't believe that anybody tells the truth. No matter what he says, so be it. There are always lies and always liars to tell them.

You know, what really annoys me about this girl, Kagome, is that she leads my brother on. Okay...I know he's a little dense, but still, a simple "I'm not interested, Hojo" would work wonders on everybody's life. Maybe then he wouldn't spend ALL of his money on phony folk-tale remedies. Or ask me to check on her when he has practice after school. Or talk about her every chance he has at the dinner table. It's really getting on my nerves.

"Um...Jean?" my brother tentatively asks.

"What Hojo."

"Would you check on her today..." I raised my left eyebrow giving him The look.

"Well, you see..., I have soccer practice after school and its going to last till around nine and I won't be able to come till around ten and then she'll be asleep and I don't want to disturb her and you have nothing to do and you know she's really sick and- "

"Okay, I'll Do IT!!" Just stop talking, I told him in my head.

"Thank you so much!!! I know she'll be happy to see you and you know she hardly gets to see her friends anymore and she's always bed-ridden and... "

He just kept talking...even as I stopped and turned down a different street to head to my own school – Tokyo U.

Yes, my brother is really, really dense.

Oh well...

So, you must be wondering who I really am.

Yeah, I'm Hojo's sister...but you wouldn't be able to tell if you knew us. We're on complete opposite sides of Humanity's spectrum. He's happy, caring, giving, and full of life. I'm cynical.

That explains it all.

Yet, no matter how much I complain, I really do love my family and caring for others doesn't come THAT hard for me. It's just that, once you've had your pretty markers stolen for a third time after graciously lending them out to classmates who in turn won't let you use theirs...you tend to stop caring about others and focus more on yourself.

Egotistical, I know.

Oh well.

My two o'clock class about ancient Japan was finally over and all I wanted to do was shuffle over to that cute little artsy coffee shop and enjoy a nice cold frapaccino.

But noooo, I'd promised Hojo to see Her after school.

I'm too nice.

Well, at least the shrine is a soothing place. It should calm my frazzled nerves as well as any cold coffee drink.

Sure it will...

Despite my grumbling I actually do like the Higurashis. They've always been this beautiful family...together throughout all their hardships. I knew Mr. Higurashi. He was my science teacher when I was in 8th grade. He was the kind of man who enjoyed everything he did, down to dissecting those earthworms in our biology unit. He was the kind of man you never thought would die because he was so full of life.

But...he died.

End of story.

Walking by a street vendor I spy a pair of familiar tiger earrings. I smile to myself because the tiger has always been my favorite animal. Strong and independent. That's what I love about them.

I buy them. Yeah, I know I already have a pair but...Kagome probably doesn't.

Okay...so I'm more like my brother than I want to admit.

Sigh.

Mrs. Higurashi always greets me so sweetly that I feel like I'm four feet tall and still back in 3rd grade. I know she's just trying to be motherly and nice and all. But really...does she really have to act that way to me?

I'm 22 for goodness sakes!!

So, I ask if I can see Kagome. She always has the funniest expression when I ask that question. It's as if she trying to come up with a reason why I can't see her daughter.

Mrs. Higurashi wasn't made to lie.

The old man does it a lot better.

I just nod my head at her explanation about her daughter's contagious infirmary and give her the earrings.

"Tell Kagome when she gets back that I'd like to talk to her."

"Oh, she should be back by this afternoon. Inuyasha has already kept her a long time this week." She smiled at me and waved, closing the door behind her.

I stood in confusion and triumph.

Confusion because I didn't know what the heck she was talking about.

Triumph because I was just given evidence that Kagome wasn't sick in bed, dying.

Will wonders never cease? I was right.

I headed back towards the long, long, long, looooonnnnnggg staircase, ready to go home and fix supper. I'd already told myself I wouldn't tell Hojo. He would have to find out on his own.

He wouldn't believe me otherwise.

Too bad I'm as oblivious as the rest of humanity.

Maybe then I would have seen that I wasn't headed to the right set of stairs. That the bright day had turned dark and musty.

When I finally did realize my mistake (having finally figured what groceries I needed to buy for our two-person meal) I was tripping over an old box-like structure.

I hit my head.

Then I was truly oblivious.