Chapter Text
"Sensei, who's heart is this?" Megumi asked, standing at their display at the front of the classroom.
Kagome frowned, unable to see which one she was pointing to from across the room. "Whose name is on it?" she asked, reminding the small group of girls she'd just left to put their names on their papers.
"I can't read it," Megumi said, going up on tiptoe. "Someone hid it behind another heart, but I've never seen that kanji before."
Kagome moved closer, noticing the dark blue paper for the first time. That colour hadn't been one of the options she'd given her students when they'd first started, so someone must've added it after the fact. She distinctly remembered disposing of any scraps from their other art projects as well, and while it was still part of the display, whoever had written the note had clearly tried to hide it on purpose.
She raised a hand to tear it away, especially if it was a prank and contained something inappropriate, but paused as she recognized the writing. Leaning closer, she flushed when she read the name at the bottom.
"Who wrote it, sensei?"
"No one important, Megumi-chan," she replied, reaching again to remove it, but the girl got in the way, holding onto her hand.
"It must be someone important! It says they love 'sensei'!" she said. The heat in her face increased. He must've added his own heart after she'd explained what it meant but hidden it enough for her to walk by it several times each day and not notice.
Kagome had a feeling this had something to do with why Inuyasha still refused to divulge anything about how he'd convinced Sesshoumaru to pretend to be her boyfriend, along with why the brothers got along so well in the first place. But they were staying very tight-lipped, even after her name had been added to the council's registry of couples planning on mating that year.
It was fine. Once they were bonded, Sesshoumaru wouldn't be able to keep anything from her. And she planned on tearing every little scrap of information on why he'd found it so easy to pretend to be her boyfriend in the first place.
She'd eventually gotten around to apologizing to Kimiko, along with Inuyasha and Shiori, for missing the banquet. However, none of them seemed surprised that she'd been absent in the first place. She'd hounded Sesshoumaru for more information, trying to fill in the blanks as best she could, but keeping her guessing had turned into his favourite pastime.
It was fine. Whenever he got exceptionally haughty, she threatened never to cook for him again. And considering she now lived with him, he found it very difficult to resist—especially when she made something for herself and paraded it under his nose.
She patted the girl's head. "You're right. We'll leave it up there. Why don't we find some extra paper and add a few more since you've finished your work?" Megumi perked up at that, releasing her hand in favour of grabbing her lucky pencil, and Kagome retrieved her phone from her desk drawer, sending a quick message.
Found your heart, she said.
You will have to be more specific, came his reply.
Kagome rolled her eyes. Your message on my board.
Took you long enough.
She scowled at her screen. Did you write more than one? Why did I have to be specific? she asked. The three dots signalling his response were still bouncing when Megumi returned, and they cut out some hearts together, the girl suggesting they do enough for everyone in the class. Once she left to hand them out to the other students, Kagome snuck a look at her phone.
You are my heart, Kagome. I have been without it for a very long time. I was wondering if you would ever find it.
She groaned softly, dragging a hand down her face. Not 'get it back' but 'find it', as if he'd planned on giving it to her from the start. Megumi, along with a few of the other students, asked if she was feeling alright, and Kagome waved them off, redirecting their attention to the new hearts.
No wonder the stories about him falling for her had come so easily at the family reunion. It hadn't been an act at all.
Art by JulytheArtist