Disclaimer: Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Kikyo etc. are not my property. I claim nothing but the plot I put them in.

Secret Letters : Comfort and Support

Inuyasha walked into the school, angry and hurt. It seemed like his world was ending. He violently kicked at a garbage can as though it was the garbage can's fault his mother had cancer. He headed over to his shoe-cubby and was surprised to see a pink heart sitting over top of his school shoes. He blinked before pulling it off.

Don't worry Inuyasha-kun, your mother will definitely make it through. So until then, continue to be a son she'll definitely be proud of.

Sincerely, Kikyo-chan

Inuyasha blinked and looked around. There wasn't any Kikyos in his class. He couldn't seem to spot her though, he could just see a mass of third graders; Ayumi, Yuka, Eri, Yura, Hiten and Manten...he couldn't see a single girl he didn't recognize.

He sighed and put the letter back. "Whatever." He seemed to miss one girl hiding in the corner, smiling to herself.

...

"Lately, I've seen you smiling whenever you change your shoes," Kagome declared one day as Inuyasha was on his way to his shoe cubby.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "And?"

"What's up? Do you love your shoes that much?" Kagome teased as her friends giggled.

"Hey, Kagome, don't you have anything better to do? Or a life or something?" Inuyasha challenged.

Kagome's face heated up. "Shut up! And it's Higurashi-san to you!"

"Whatever, Kagome," Inuyasha snorted.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed in frustration but Inuyasha's mind was already somewhere else.

Inuyasha tried wringing the water of his hair with a sigh. It was raining today which meant gym indoors or no gym at all. "It's just not fair, I was so looking forward to gym." He sighed and headed for his shoe cubby.

When Inuyasha looked in his shoe-cubby and sure enough, there was another one. These secret letters from this strange Kikyo girl had been popping up for a week now. Telling him things like never give up, keep smiling and work hard. Despite how stupid they were, Inuyasha couldn't help the little lift these letters gave his eight year old heart.

Hey, Inuyasha-kun! Don't let the rain get you down. There's light in every situation.

Sincerely, Kikyo-chan

Inuyasha smiled a little before putting it back. "Thank you, Kikyo-chan."

The girl smiled to herself again, her short dark hair rustling slightly. "You're welcome, Inuyasha-kun."

...

Inuyasha was so angry, so upset. How could this be happening? He punched the wall in anguish. Why is his mother dead? The tears spilled out of his eyes without restraint as he finally thought the unthinkable. He tilted his head back, looking at the heavens. "Why? Why me? Why did you do this to me? To her? My mommy was the greatest person on the planet? How could take her away from me? How could you take them both away from me?!"

Inuyasha didn't feel like going to school. Why would he? How could he go to school like everything was normal? But staying at home where every nook and cranny held a memory of a dead woman was impossible. So with much hesitation, Inuyasha headed out of his house depressed. He walked past Kagome whose expression was not important enough to take notice of.

"Inuyasha-kun?" she called.

He whirled around, "Shut up!"

Her eyes widened, hurt. Her gaze fell. "I'm sorry."

Sorry? She's sorry? For what? For what?! Inuyasha for a split second wanted to hit her, hit her with all his might. But reason overcame him, he sighed, "It's not your fault." He turned around and continued on his way to class.

Inuyasha stared at the pink heart lying on top of his shoes. Suddenly, Kikyo's letters seemed stupid. "You said she'd definitely make it through and I believed you!" he hissed and grabbed the heart violently. He held it, ready to tear it up when the words caught his attention.

Do you need a hug?

Inuyasha blinked for a moment before the tears spilled over. He nodded, "Yes, I need a hug." He nearly crushed the heart with his tight grip as he cried there for several minutes before changing his shoes and heading to class.

There the whole class stood with open arms, even the boys.

"Wanna hug Taisho-kun?" the class chorused.

Inuyasha's eyes widened before he nodded. He was completely enveloped in the group hug. "Thank you, Kikyo-chan," he whispered. He was starting to feel better already. The words from Kikyo's first letter floated into his mind.

So until then, continue to be a son she'll definitely be proud of.

Sincerely, Kikyo-chan

...

Since the day his mother died, Kikyo's letters became an even more important part of Inuyasha's life. They were the pillar that kept him going.

Don't listen to the boys, you're fine the way you are. The way you were born.

A child of love.

Sincerely, Kikyo-chan

Inuyasha smiled, "Thank you, Kikyo-chan." But Inuyasha wanted to know who Kikyo-chan was more and more. He looked around but still, he couldn't seem to spot her. She must be the one who organized the group hug from the class, right? So she must be someone from his class but when he asked whose idea it was, no one knew. They all said it was written on the chalk board when they walked in. Even class rep, Kagome, was of no use.

"What's that?" Speaking of Kagome...

Inuyasha quickly hid the paper behind his back. "What's what?" he replied innocently.

"What's the piece of paper you're holding," Kagome asked authoritatively.

"What piece of paper, Higurashi-chan?" Inuyasha answered, sounding genuinely oblivious.

Kagome moved to try and peer behind his back but he was quick. He moved accordingly each and every time.

"I know you're hiding something!" Kagome snapped.

"Don't you have a life to go have?" Inuyasha retorted, "Somewhere else? Oh wait, I forgot. You don't."

Kagome's eyes narrowed, "Jerk!"

"Old lady!" Inuyasha snapped in return.

"Baby!" Kagome returned.

Inuyasha's eyes became angry slits. "Bitch."

Kagome's eyes widened and her hands fell right over her mouth.

Inuyasha smirked, "And I'll say it again, if you want. Bitch. B-I-T-"

So until then, continue to be a son she'll definitely be proud of.

"Um...sorry, never mind," Inuyasha quickly tried to correct himself, "I shouldn't be using those kinds of words. Sorry, Kagome. I didn't mean it. I was just angry."

Kagome blinked in surprise. "What's with you?"

"Nothing," Inuyasha answered and headed for class.

Kagome smiled.

And thus ends part one of the two-part Valentine's Day Special. Who is this Kikyo-chan? I wonder....