Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha . . .

The next few weeks were uneventful compared to the few days since Inuyasha's return from America. Kagome resumed her life as best as she could, returning to school and continuing her miko duties at the shrine. However, life became a little more interesting with a certain hanyou around.

"Inuyasha! It's a pleasure seeing you again!"

Shina's voice drifted to the second floor where Kagome laid sprawled on her bed, surrounded by various textbooks. Hearing muffled voices downstairs, she decided it was time for a break from her tedious studies.

Padding down the stairs, she found them along with the elderly Higurashi in the living room sipping tea. Kagome couldn't help but smile at Inuyasha's relaxed expression as he stared at cup of tea in front of him.

He had stopped by for the first time in six years two weeks ago, coming to fetch Kagome to have lunch at the mansion. Unfortunately, he had forgotten that she had school, and was surprised to find an older version of Kagome throw herself into his arms and hug him tightly, followed by an old man who showered his head with blessings.

"Inuyasha!" She had exclaimed, her eyes twinkling. "It's been such a long time!"

With such a warm welcome, Inuyasha grudgingly allowed them to usher him inside the house, and promptly fed him nearly all the ramen in the house.

"I remember it was your favorite," Shina smiled.

Who was he to deny hospitality and all the ramen he could eat? Besides, these were the same people who took him trick or treating for the first time when he was younger, and allowed him to stay when he was avoiding Myouga and his multiple exams. They didn't deserve his hatred.

He was now a regular at the Higurashi household, coming with invitations for dinner for Kagome and her whole family, or just to lounge around the peaceful shrine.

"Oh there you are, Kagome. I was just about to ask Souta to get you."

The young woman sat on the couch next to her best friend, pouring herself a cup of tea. "I heard voices and knew Inuyasha was here, so I decided to come down." Glancing at the hanyou next to her, she flashed him a brief smile. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," he grunted, his usual greeting for her. She wasn't complaining; it was a change from "keh," "wench," or no answer.

"Inuyasha was telling us of a trip he'll be taking," Satoshi pipped up, reclining into the couch. "A trip to Australia to visit his father."

"Australia?" Kagome felt her stomach tighten. Didn't she just get him back? Why did he have to leave so soon? "When are you going?"

"In a month or so," he answered gruffly, setting his cup down and running a clawed hand through his hair. "That's why I'm here."

"Eh?"

"You're coming."

Kagome gave him a dumbfounded stare. "Nani?"

"You're coming with me, wench."

The young woman heard her mother smother a giggle at the nickname, but she ignored it. "Mou, Inuyasha . . . I'm graduating soon. I can't just get up and leave--"

"I know that," he retorted irritably, rolling his eyes. "That's why I'm here. I asked Higurashi-san when your graduation was so I could plan the trip."

"And I don't have a say if I want to go or not?"

"You really are dense," Inuyasha snorted, fixing his amber gaze on her sorrel pools. "If I go, you have to go."

Kagome felt something click inside her head as he burned a hole through her eye sockets.

Heh . . . stupid me.

"Oh," she blushed, slightly embarrassed. Tearing her eyes away from Inuyasha, she stared into her cup. "Right. Gomen."

"Well now," Shina intervened, breaking the silence, "The day is still young. Do you two have any plans for this evening?" Noting the bewildered look on the hanyou's face, she added, "Kagome, you could use a break from all that studying."

"I sure could," she sighed in relief, "but I really shouldn't."

"Keh," her companion snorted, "with all that studying you're going to fry your brain."

"But I need to pass high school. Besides," she glanced slyly, "I'm not like a certain someone who hardly studied and still got perfect test scores."

Inuyasha felt his cheeks burn at her comment. Did she really remember that?

"Whatever," he grunted in reply, a thought coming to mind. "Hey, you wanna go out to dinner?"

"Eh?" Kagome nearly dropped her cup. Inuyasha? Asking her out to dinner?

"Don't think anything big of it," he added hastily, "Mother's been bugging me to take you out sometime."

The "Mother's-been-bugging-me" excuse again. Oh well, better excuse than no offer at all.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Oh there's a quaint little restaurant that opened up downtown," Shina smiled. "It would be a perfect outing for you two."

Shrugging, the hanyou muttered a "whatever" before sinking deeper into the couch. Sneaking a look at Kagome's clothes, he grumbled, "You should probably change out of that uniform if we're going anywhere."

Kagome gazed down at her ordinary school uniform. Seated next to Inuyasha who was dressed in his usual dress shirt and slacks, she felt like a child. Excusing herself, she rushed upstairs to change.

What to wear, what to wear, what to wear . . .

Keh, my tea is cold.

He threw an expressionless look at the older Higurashi woman and her father, wondering what on the world they could be thinking. Ever since Kagome left to change, they had sat in silence.

How long does it take women to change anyway?

"Has Kagome mentioned her surgery to you?"

Surgery? Oh yeah . . . "Uh, she never told me directly, but I heard about it. What's wrong with her?"

"Oh, nothing to worry about," Shina assured, she too taking notice that the tea had run cold. "There seems to be some abnormal growth in her body that they have to remove. It's quite strange, actually. Appears to be a crystal within her."

"A crystal?" Inuyasha's ears twitched. Kagome really needed to hurry up.

"Her surgery is due a week before graduation, that's why she's bombarded with tests," the old man explained. "She wants to finish them early so she has no worries come time for graduation."

"I see."

"I trust you'll keep my granddaughter safe?"

"Keh, if you mean keeping her from opening up her wound or falling down the stairs--"

"Yes, that. But promise us you'll keep her safe while you're in Australia." Ojii-san sighed and pinned the hanyou to his seat. "She's still so young to be caught up into such an ancient prophecy. I'm proud of the woman that she is, but . . ."

"But what?"

"You probably realize by now that Kagome will do anything for you," Shina answered quietly. "My Father and I have accepted the fact that she will face much danger. However, all we ask of you is to keep her from any real harm."

"I . . . I'll do my best," Inuyasha answered slowly, "but I--"

"That's all we expect from you. Arigatou."

Inuyasha was about to add another remark when he heard Kagome's soft footsteps near the doorway. A few moments later she emerged, dressed for a night out on the town.

He couldn't help but take in the beauty that his best friend had become. What was once a short, scrawny girl was now a beautiful woman before him, with midnight black hair that fell to her waist and bright, sorrel eyes. The dress she chose to wear, a cream colored summer dress, was accented with a sheer scarf, and topped off with a genuine smile.

"Ready?"

Rising to his feet, Inuyasha made a short bow before making eye contact with Shina. She smiled her usual smile, but behind it was a look of trust.

"Go on you two," Satoshi cleared his throat. "No need for reservations, but you should beat the crowd."

Saying their goodbyes, the couple left the Shrine and down the long steps, where a red convertible awaited them. Surprised, Kagome glanced at Inuyasha suspiciously.

"You drove? Don't you usually walk?"

"I, uh, went somewhere earlier," he grunted, opening the passenger side door. "It's a rental."

Throwing another suspicious look, Inuyasha knew that she didn't buy his story. What the hell was he suppose to say?

Hey Kagome . . . yeah, I rented this car yesterday because I wanted to take you out for dinner tonight, but I didn't know how to ask you so I used the Australia excuse to get my ass over here and had to ask your mom to suggest we go out when you came downstairs.

Some pathetic idiot he was.

"Wait, you do have your license, right?"

Kagome's skepticism was beginning to unnerve him.

"I'm over 300 years old, wench," he growled low, "I think I would know how to drive by now." Starting the car and pulling into the road, he heard her whisper, "I pray to God that you do."

Dinner had gone surprisingly well, and the restaurant that "Kagome's mother" had suggested was small and quaint, but undoubtedly classy. After the hostess greeted Inuyasha formally, Kagome gave up trying to figure out what Inuyasha was up to and just played along.

"So, how's school?" he asked, cutting into his desert and stuffing it into his mouth.

Kagome smiled and shook her head. "It's fine, just like the past five times you asked me this night."

"Keh, don't blame me, wench. It's not my fault we have nothing to talk about."

Nothing to talk about or nothing that we are willing to talk about?

"So why did you bring me here, Inuyasha?"

His spoon stilled mid-mouth as he gave her a slightly startled look, which soon turned into a smirk. Can't hide anything from this woman, eh?

"Impatient wench," he sighed, laying his desert aside. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out a letter. "I was going to get to this sooner or later, but since you can't wait . . ." he thrust the letter into her surprised hands. "Read it."

Raising an eyebrow, Kagome took the letter and read the words.

Inuyasha,

I am delighted that you have found yourself back into your mother's safe arms. Give her my wishes, for I hope to see all of you soon. I write to you eagerly and urgently, as new developments have been brought to my attention during my stay here, in Australia.

As you should know by now, the prophecy of your birth wasn't complete. There were two other portions of the prophecy that were lost to the world . . . until now. My associates in Japan have uncovered the last two missing pieces of the prophecy, which I will not go into detail in this letter in fear of the information being intercepted.

I hope you have reunited with Kagome, because she in fact plays a bigger role in this than initially thought. I have bought you, your mother, Sesshoumaru, his wife, and Kagome plane tickets to Australia so that we might be able to look into this matter more in depth. It is far too dangerous to meet in the country where Ryukotsusei's associates may still lurk, so I wish to be reunited with all of you before we return to Japan.

We have much to discuss, my son.

Inu no Taisho

"Did you know about the other parts of the prophecy?"

"Izayoi-sama mentioned it before," Kagome mused, handing him back the letter. "But I forgot up till now. Do you know what could be on them?"

"I wish," he sighed, stuffing the letter back into his pocket. "All I know is that it concerned me and the Tesssaiga. But apparently, you're involved as well."

"Mmm." Kagome gazed out the window at the shimmering lights of Tokyo. Everything seemed to be moving so fast ever since Inuyasha returned.

Seems like fate bound us tighter together than we thought.

Inuyasha took a swig of his champagne, taking the opportunity to sneak a glance at his companion. The lighting was perfect, and with the color of her dress she looked like an angel that fell from heaven.

He ground his teeth in irritation. He wasn't suppose to be falling for Kagome. For one, she was his best friend, nothing more.

Besides, she was already too much involved with him and his life. He couldn't let things get more complicated between them. All of this was strictly business.

Then why was he feeling this way?

The more he spent with the young woman, the more the hatred he gained over the years began to disappear. There was something about the way she accepted him back so easily that he couldn't understand. Every smile was genuine, every word was honest. No one had ever treated him like that ever since . . .

. . . ever since she did when they were kids.

He cared for her then, and he still cared about her now. What he told Sesshoumaru all those years ago wasn't a lie.

She cared for him then, and she still cared about him now.

He never changed.

She never changed.

Perhaps six years did nothing in reality, but help them age.

"Is something wrong, Inuyasha?"

Her voice brought him out of his reverie. Blinking stupidly, he grunted some incoherent words. "We should get you home, it's getting late."

After paying the bill, Kagome spotted a park across the street and, tugging Inuyasha, decided it was a beautiful night to take a walk. The park was quiet, save for the soft rustling of leaves as the cool air danced around the couple.

"It's nice out, isn't it?" she sighed, gazing up at the stars. "Were the stars this big in America?"

Inuyasha snorted, but glanced up anyway. "Some. Some were bigger, like in California. New York had too many lights."

He felt at ease as she smiled in content. "Do you remember when we were younger? And we use to sit on your roof and watch the stars?"

"Keh, I never watched stars, wench." He bit his lip. Of course he remembered. He use to dream about memories like those when he was in America.

"I don't believe you."

He twisted his head to look at her, and took a step back at the sight of her frown. "What's wrong with you?"

"Remember? We had a special star that you said would watch both of us no matter where we were," she insisted, tugging on his arm. "Watch, I'll prove it."

"You're one crazy bitch."

"I am not! And take that back!"

"Keh, you talk too much."

"Baka!"

"Wench!"

"Insensitive jerk!" Inuyasha shut his mouth as he heard her sniffle. Kagome turned away, mumbling something about stars and idiots.

Clenching his teeth he pulled her towards the awaiting car. "C'mon, it's getting late."

The ride home was silent as Inuyasha drove a fuming miko home. She was furious at him.

Did a little star really mean that much to her?

He walked her up the stairs, the silence between them deafening. Kagome kept her fists clenched, determined not to speak on word to him.

How could he forget? He's the one who chose the star . . . I don't believe him! We weren't even that young anymore!

They reached the dimly lighted house, where they stood on the front porch awkwardly. Neither wanted to leave the other's side, but neither wanted to say a word.

"Well, goodnight then," Kagome greeted stiffly, opening the front door.

"I'll come get you after school."

"I can walk home, thanks," she replied cooly, giving him a look that made the hanyou step back.

"Fine." He turned to leave, before glancing up at the dark sky. "Hey, wench."

She didn't respond, but her hand stilled over the doorknob.

"It's that bright one. Next to that cluster of four."

Confused at his meeting, Kagome watched his retreating figure disappear over the stairs.

The bright one?

Staring up at the night sky, she saw a star burning bright against the dark background, outshining the cluster of four it gleamed next to.

The brightest star that night.

Their star.

"Oh, Inuyasha . . ." she whispered, smiling to herself. "You did remember, baka."

Tonight, they would both sleep in peace knowing they were underneath the same watchful star.

AN: sorry for the long wait . . . I had midterms in college, plus volleyball and studying got in the way. i'm happy to report that i just had a birthday ) whooo! i'm legal!

anyways, i hope you all liked the slight fluff in this chapter . . . can't go full yet, they're not ready. heh. and Sango and Miroku will meet soon!

till next time! R&R!