Kagome reeled aside as if she’d been struck. She staggered a few steps into the grass, clapping a hand to her mouth. Her shoulders hunched. Her guts twisted, her stomach roiled. She thought she might throw up. Her eyes watered and burned. Her throat was parched, constricted. Blood rushed pounding in her ears. At her chest, Shin whimpered. She placed a trembling hand to him, unthinking.
She was revolted at herself. What she’d done. What she’d said.
Through bleared eyes she saw Miroku’s dark figure moving slowly away. Her heart lurched after him, as if it could tear itself free of her and go with him instead. She wanted nothing more than to crawl out of her own skin, to shed her sinful flesh and start over as a better woman. A better friend, a better wife. A better mother.
She didn’t realize she’d started running until she found herself kneeling in the dirt path ahead of him. She bowed low to him, so low that her face touched the earth. His sandals crunched to a stop just before her.
“Forgive me,” she rasped. Underneath her dripping eyes, the dirt was fast turning to mud. “W-what I said—Miroku-sama, please…please just know that I would n-never—I would never tell Sango-chan—”
“I know.”
There was a swish of robes as he knelt beside her. Kagome raised herself up slightly. Her grimy tear tracks pricked in the open air. Miroku sighed.
“You must forgive me, too, Kagome-sama. You weren’t the only one making idle threats.” With the dark hem of his sleeve, Miroku blotted at her tacky face. “It isn’t my place to tell Inuyasha. Just as a man, I—” His jaw tightened as he shook his head, his features etched with the visceral pain of betrayal. “I was stricken, grieved for him. But I shouldn’t have spoken to you so harshly.”
“N-no,” Kagome said miserably, sniffing, “I lashed out at you first. I’m just s-scared, Miroku-sama. N-not for me, but for him. I t-thought I could bear it. I t-told myself it’d be selfish not to. F-for him I t-told myself I could bear it, forever.” She hiccupped as her eyes spilled over again. “But it’s just been s-so—so much. I f-feel like my heart is b-breaking…”
As she devolved into choking sobs, Miroku pulled her to him. Burying her face in his shoulder, she shuddered and wept. A soft cry at her breast cut through the sounds of her own grief. She pulled back from Miroku and looked down at her son, whose round face was crinkled and wet with tears for the first time that she could recall. She hugged him to her. She kissed his dark downy head and spoke softly to him until he calmed.
When she looked back up at Miroku, she saw that he’d been looking down at Shin, too. His expression was shadowed, troubled.
“Perhaps,” he said gruffly, “I was hasty with my words.”
Kagome shook her head. “No, what you said was right. How can the truth be wrong?”
Miroku frowned. “Still—”
“I’ve deceived my husband. I’ve kept trying to justify it to myself, to bury it. I’ve kept telling myself it’ll be worth it in the long run. That if I can just carry on in the right way, the past won’t matter. But it does matter. It does. It keeps rearing up on me, coloring everything. It’s affecting him too, and he doesn’t even know it. That’s not fair.” Shakily, Kagome stood. “I have to tell him, and I will. I’ll tell him tonight.”
Miroku stood along with her. “You don’t have to do this alone, Kagome-sama. In fact, I think it would be best if—”
“Thank you, Miroku-sama,” Kagome said, touching his arm. “Really, thank you. But this is the way it has to be. I did this on my own, and so I should face him on my own. I owe him that much.”
She felt Miroku’s concerned gaze follow after her as she turned from the path back into the woods. There was a flicker of white in her periphery—maybe real, maybe imagined. Bowing her head, Kagome resumed her dismal trek homeward.
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
Revised 11/7/23
Finally!!!!! I’m glad Kagome is coming clean. Maybe this can be the start of healing for her and everyone around her. She will suffer at 1st, but she will be okay eventually.
There is nothing like peace of mind and a clean conscience.
“There is nothing like peace of mind and a clean conscience.” – agreed 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Katherine! <3
Yup, about time to set things straight… however she really could use Sesshomaru’s back up… which is what I bet Miroku was going to say.
Certainly could be 😉
Thanks for sharing, Celes!! <3
Ahhhhhhh I had a weird feeling you uploaded and you did!! It’s finally happening holy hell I’m so anxious for how this will turn out 😬
Yay happy coincidence on the update! 🙂
Hope you enjoy how things turn out! <3
Aw I’m glad their reconciliation came swiftly! I’m ready for the drama tho😜👀
Hahah I feel ya!
Thanks for sharing, mim! <3
I was actually so so glad that they both walked back some of what they said and had empathy for one another despite the circumstances. I wanted to cry for both of them last chapter! Don’t hurt me like that! 😭
But I’m with Miroku on this. It’s unsafe for Kagome to tell Inuyasha on her own. There’s no telling what he’ll do. Just because he loves her doesn’t mean he won’t do something he’ll later regret.
Yep knee-jerk responses on both their parts – glad you enjoyed their reconciliation here!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the scene, M-Yan, and hope you enjoy the next chapter! <3
Will Inuyasha kill her?
Lol guess we’ll see
<3
I think he knows that ain’t his son and pretending just as much as she is both of them are insane at this point or MAYBE inuyasha has some secrets to that’s the reason for the alcohol use 🙄🤷🏽♀️ idk at this point I’m just trying to figure it out 🤣🤣🤣 this is like the soap opera show BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL I loveee it
Hahaha it really is a soap opera for sure XD
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on their dynamics, Nooch! Hope you enjoy the next update <3
Ahhh finally this girl will come clean but how will he react? What will happen to shin and the dynamic there? I can’t wait for the next chapter! The suspense is killer!
Yep those are good questions!!
Thanks for sharing, SilverMoon – I’ll try not to leave you in suspense too long! <3
Ome more foolish choice before its all better.
I’m glad she is going to tell.him, but to do so without someone close by to help incase something goes wrong is probably the stupidest thing she’s will do so far.
Maybe not the wisest move on her part, that’s fair…
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the scene! Hope you enjoy how things play out from here <3
I’m hoping Inuyasha kills her and Sess brings her back, kinda like a weird, sadistic baptism 🖤😈 I’m totally kidding…. Kind of lol at least that way there would be no doubt in Kagome’s mind to whom she belongs with eh…? Anybody? 😬
Hahaha true that Sess could certainly revive her if it came to that…!
Thanks for sharing your take, Mecca! Hope you enjoy the next update <3