When

Part I

When they're fifteen, Kagome's friend Yuka gets a crush on a boy in their year. It's all encompassing, the kind of crush that has her blushing when his name is mentioned and stuttering in his presence. Kagome, for her part, is thankful for it. It keeps the heat off her when she's back on Yuka's side of the well, tiring of talking about Inuyasha.

"I'm in love with him," Yuka says softly, when it's just her and Kagome, walking back from milkshakes and burgers with Eri and Ayumi.

"What?" Kagome says.

"I'm in love with Wabisuke," Yuka tells her, a little louder this time.

"Oh."

Kagome smiles and hugs her friend's shoulders, listens to her say all the things she wouldn't in front of the other girls, but all the while a voice whispers inside her head. She can't be in love, Kagome thinks. She's only fifteen; she doesn't even know what love is.

They part ways at the bottom of the shrine steps, and as she waves that's when it hits her: Kagome is only fifteen, too.

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