A.N. This is the final chapter of My Bitter Romance. It's been a fun run, thank you to the few of you who gave this a chance.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Inuyasha.

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(Tsuki)

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My Bitter Romance

Chapter Ten

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(Tsuki)

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Six Months Later

"I know I keep saying this, but thank you for seeing me. I would have understood if you blew me off, though."

A French Bistro.

She still remembered his odd infatuation with fondue….

A dark haired male shrugged, "News got over here about you, Higurashi. Even I could feel sorry for a demon on its last legs." And this place makes the best fondue in the city, his eyes seemed to say as he scanned the menu.

Kagome smiled slightly. It lacked humor and was filled with remorse, "…I've been a pretty awful person haven't I?" Before he could respond the raven haired girl murmured, "I'm really sorry, Jakotsu. You didn't deserve any of the nonsense I threw your way. I'm not asking you to forgive me, but I just want to say that I'm disgusted with myself for some, if not all of the things I've said to you."

His dark eyes looked away from hers, "Bank warned me that you were doing this. Why did you save me for last?"

"Before everything that happened between us, I liked you the most out of everyone on set so I feel like I wronged you the most. I saved you for last because I was having trouble working up the courage to face you," she admitted. She absentmindedly stroked a lock of her hair, "I was jealous of you all the time, you know. You're so talented and you would be the one to shine whenever we were on stage together."

Jakotsu looked at her and scoffed, "Are you serious? Do you know how many times Kagura bitched at me for overacting? I was trying to keep up with you." He shook his head, "Your crush on Bank was just the icing on the cake…"

"Wait…" Kagome raised both brows, "So you and Bankotsu…?" She let her sentence trail off, knowing Jakotsu would understand the implications.

He sighed and put his menu down, "Hardly. That guy's straighter than a board." His eyes lit up, "Now that you're on good terms with him you two should go out. I feel like I owe you for ruining that before and I could settle with living vicariously through you," he joked.

The raven haired girl shook her head lightly with a slight giggle, "Thank you, but I don't think I should date anyone right now. Plus, I'm heading home soon."

"So you're really not trying to get your role reprised? I heard the producers were talking about that. Everyone has…" He looked almost sheepish, "I assumed that's why you were here making nice." He looked at her and said sincerely, "For all the backstage tension, the show was better with you on it. Or not as completely horrible, I guess," he snorted with a roll of his eyes.

"It gets less and less cringe-worthy with each new season." Kagome smiled, "Trust me, though, you guys don't need me there. Besides, my doctor is so strict now. I literally begged her to give me the okay to come here. Living here again would give her a heart attack," she scoffed with a shake of her head.

Being dropped from Sakura Blossoms had turned out to be the best thing that could have ever happened to her. She couldn't go back, but there was no need to tell Jakotsu that.

Jakotsu suddenly raked a hand through his hair and said with an outtake of air, "I forgive you. For the record though, I came here thinking I would finally chew you out. But I can't…" He held out his hand, "No more catfights, okay? Under all my disdain and jealousy, there is some niceness too so I'm willing to call a truce if you are."

The girl laughed a bit and shook the proffered appendage, "Deal."

"Now what are you going to do now that you've apologized to all of LA?"

Kagome simply gave him a coy smile, "Enjoy some fondue with an old co-worker. My treat, of course." She raised her hand to give the okay for a waiter to approach their table.

Jakotsu gave her a genuine smile for the first time since she had known him. "Don't lose my number, Kagome…"

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(Tsuki)

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There would always be one loose string left in her life that a month in California couldn't fix.

As Kagome stepped off the plane, she was struck with a sense of déjà vu. Her family was there to greet her. Had it been spring, it would have been exactly the same scene.

But the winter chill she saw on her way to the airport made it more believable.

"Welcome home, sweetie!" Her mother engulfed her in a hug that she now reveled in, instead of shunned. "Hey mama!"

She had called her mother on the phone every night she was overseas. Something she never would of dreamed of doing, abruptly felt natural and now necessary. This was her second chance at living. Her grandmother's onstage persona was only meant for the stage.

When she had woken up, everything that had happened between the two had disappeared. Apologizes were lost under the relieved sobs of a mother.

But eventually she was able to straighten out things with her mother and about her father.

A man who would have rolled over in his grave had he known that what she believed of him.

And Souta. "Welcome back, sis!" His cheeks flushed and he grumbled embarrassedly, "I missed you."

Kagome slipped her arms around his shorter form, "Hey kiddo! I brought you a few souvenirs from LA that you are going to have a blast with." She ruffled his hair.

She now took pleasure in being an older sister and getting to know her brother. It was something her days of performing couldn't replace.

Jii-chan… Even though he had probably forgotten that afternoon so long ago that she had cruelly snapped at him, she would never. She hugged him tightly as he welcomed her home, "I missed you, jii-chan."

Her grandfather suddenly held her at arm's length, "You've gotten taller, haven't you—I bet it was those herbs I gave you. You ate them every night, like I told you?"

Kagome nodded with a grimace. Whatever she had to do. If she even had to stomach her grandfather's horrendous tasting herbs, she would.

Every part of her genuinely wanted to be better and cast away the shadows she had once lived under.

The life of a child star was never as glamorous as it seemed.

Often times it was scarring.

But perhaps there were ways to heal even something like a scar.

As she talked and chatted with her family, the streets of Japan passed her by.

And her thoughts roved to the man she had met that afternoon.

Sesshoumaru Taisho.

She had never forgotten him or Rin. Even Inuyasha was still someone vivid in her memories. He had been admitted to the hospital the same day she was released from hers.

They had been entire cities apart and her doctor had not advised her to do major driving. So she never visited him. There was no chance to, even if that was the only thing she wanted to do.

Kagome had shifted again to home schooling, ordered of course, by her doctor. But Mirouku, Sango, and Rin visited her daily, from the day she had awoken and after her home school sessions, regardless. One day, Rin ceased her visits.

Mirouku and Sango never spoke a word about the brunette and the brunette never called or made attempts to talk to her.

It was like Rin completely disappeared. The two that always did show up, seemed to be keeping something from her.

And in the depths of her heart Kagome feared it was because something had gone completely wrong. Why else would Rin avoid her like the plague?

It had been her final pushing that made Rin tell her brother about the procedure.

Knowing Sesshoumaru of course he wouldn't object to it. He was just that type of person…

When Kagome got home and had distributed the gifts she had purchased to her family she had gone to her room. A part of her wanted to be alone and the other part of her wanted nothing more than to get her answers from the one person who could give them.

So after alerting her mother that she was going out for a walk, she did. Her feet took her down the familiar path to the Taisho house, her footsteps slowed until she was finally in front of their house. She wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck.

Her bravado dissipated with every heavy pound of her heart. Kagome slunk finally in defeat on the curb.

She wasn't ready for answers…

She didn't want to know.

"I was wondering when you would visit me, Higurashi," drawled a voice. Kagome whirled around. She saw Sesshoumaru standing in the same position he had been when she had met him.

Kagome shakily rose and looked him over. He was dressed in a white sweater and dark pants. But something was off about him. She couldn't figure it out, but in her mind she knew something was wrong as his amber eyes pierced through her.

"Sesshoumaru," she breathed with a slight smile. Her sinuses prickled as she felt the onslaught of tears. "Hey…"

"I wondered what it would be like to see you." Sesshoumaru strode over to her, until he was about a foot away.

Kagome felt awkward under his gaze. She joked weakly, "Am I how you expected?"

He smirked at her, "I thought you would be taller."

The raven haired girl couldn't help but laugh and project herself into his arms, "I'm glad you're alright—I felt so worried!"

His arms after a moment slipped around her in response, "That's rather uncharacteristic of you, Kagome."

The girl snorted, "It's been six months! I'm happy to say I've changed a little. You've stayed the same, though I see. Where are Rin and that hothead brother of yours?"

"They're at a wake."

And suddenly Kagome noticed how unnaturally cold Sesshoumaru was. Unnaturally, inhumanly cold.

Kagome's smile died on her face and she looked into those seeing orbs. Those hauntingly beautiful eyes that looked back at her.

And in his eyes she could see a life for them… She could see their happiness in the depths of his honey colored irises.

The eyes that looked like a sunbathed wheat field.

But this world was not meant for them.

Sesshoumaru abruptly brought his lips to hers in the way she had that night that she now wished she had never ended. However, this kiss was passionate and overwhelming and painfully bittersweet. "I owed you that," he murmured when the kiss ended.

Kagome murmured, flustered, "I was actually hoping you'd have forgotten about that. You didn't owe me anything…"

"Then I did it because I wanted to, Higurashi. You're intriguing," he smirked at her. She laughed, "You're intriguing too, Taisho."

She wasn't sure how much time passed as she stared into his eyes, willing him to stay with her.

But she could see him begin to fade, as she had done so many times before and she knew fate wouldn't allow it.

"I'll never forget you," she murmured and was granted one last touch, a gentle stroke of his cheek, before he completely faded away.

A set of tears rolled down her cheeks and she stood there, smiling, on the corner that they had met.

"Maybe next time," she said softly, her jagged breath visible in the winter air.

As she walked off, she knew deep down, that no matter what she did or where she went, nothing would ever be the same.

But in her heart she knew that there would be a next time.

And that helped her deal.

Everything else… she could tackle that in the morning.

End

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(Tsuki)

A.N. My first dramangstic-ish ending. I was going to go happy-sappy with the ending and make them properly fall in love but then I noticed what I had categorized this as: drama and angst. And I think this is more beautiful and fitting.

Thanks for following this.

-Mika