Panel 9
Close-up of the two.
Koinu: No, I think I was always there, I just—broke through.
Kagome: So all your life, all the time you were a little boy, you were…you had…
Koinu: My 18 year-old self watching me be a kid again. Yeah, basically.
Page 12
Panel 1
Koinu and Kagome are face-to-face, looking serious.
Kagome: That must have been so…weird.
Koinu: Yeah, it was strange. Before I was four, I have two sets of memories. I mean, I don’t remember a lot about being really little. But I’ve always had—the other. But far away, you know?
Panel 2
Close-up of Koinu.
Koinu: After the accident I kind of carried on with life, but it was…both lives. I kept looking for you, but I just enjoyed getting to be loved and…wanted. Having somebody else keep everybody safe for a change.
Panel 3
The two face to face; Kagome drinks tea, Koinu is serious.
Koinu: I figured this was my chance to do it over again, to try to do it right this time. I did so many things wrong…
Panel 4
Close-up of Koinu, smiling.
Koinu: I’ve been talking too much. It’s your turn. Tell me about Kagome.
Panel 5
Close-up of Kagome, who looks dismayed.
Kagome: About me? There’s, there’s nothing much to tell . . .
Panel 6
The two face to face; Kagome looks sad, Koinu smiles encouragingly.
Koinu: Sure there is! Who is Kagome when she’s not fighting bad guys, exterminating demons, and bandaging up her friends?
Kagome: I…I don’t know.
Panel 7
Kagome looks sad. Koinu has his hands on her shoulders and is looking her in the eyes with a gentle, worried expression.
Koinu: Kagome?
Kagome: Inuyasha . . . Before I met you I was…a kid, a brat. I went to school. I teased my brother. I hung out with my friends.
Panel 8
Close-up of Kagome, looking sad.
Kagome: Since I got back I’ve been…the girl who used to be Lady Kagome. The girl who was a companion of Inuyasha. I don’t know—ask me questions, I’ll answer.
Panel 9
Close-up of Koinu, serious.
Koinu: Ok, I’ll ask you a bad one, and it’s none of my business, so you don’t have to answer. What happened to your father?
Page 13
Panel 1
Close-up of Kagome; she is looking upward, fighting tears.
Kagome: He…he died. When I was nine. He had Hodgkin’s disease. It’s like a cancer. Most people who have it the way he did get better. He was the ten percent.
Panel 2
Close-up of Kagome, looking sad.
Kagome: They kept doing things they said would help and he just got…sicker and sicker. And then he died.
Panel 3
Close-up of Kagome, looking sad.
Kagome: My father loved the shrine. He prayed. He believed he would get well. We all did. Afterward I was tired of believing. I didn’t want any more magic.
Panel 4
Flashback: Inuyasha is asleep on the tree, arrow through the chest, and Kagome, in her middle-school uniform, is touching his ear.
Kagome (offscreen): And then…the magic came to me…and I thought it would never leave me.
Panel 5
Flashback: Kagome cradles the dying Inuyasha in her arms.
Kagome (offscreen): But everything went…bad…and I had to…
Panel 6
Close-up of Koinu, making a fist and looking angry.
Koinu: Dammit! What did I do wrong? I mean—okay, I shouldn’t have caught the jewel, but why didn’t I just die? Why did you…
Kagome(off screen): You gave Kikyou your human life.
Panel 7
The two face to face; Kagome is serious, Koinu has a look of surprise and disbelief.
Koinu: No…what? I did what?
Kagome: You said you had sworn to live out your human life with Kikyou. And then you told the jewel to give that life to her.
Koinu: No! I didn’t! I…
Panel 8
Close-up of Koinu, looking regretful.
Koinu: Shit. Yes, I did. I blew the wish, just like in the stories. I said it wrong and I turned myself into a monster. I gave away my human half and but not the youkai part. And you…
Panel 9
Close-up of Kagome, looking sad; overlaid is a full-length view of Kagome, serious, aiming her bow and arrow.
Koinu (off screen): …had to do what Kikyou did…
Page 14
Panel 1
Kagome has her head down and eyes closed. Koinu holds her hands and looks into her face.
Koinu: Oh, Kagome. Kagome, thank you! I never wanted to be a monster. And your arrow purified the Shikon no Tama—and me, too! I got to be human, just like you…
Panel 2
Koinu hugs Kagome.
Kagome: You died! And I was supposed to save you! But I…I…couldn’t…
Panel 3
Close-up of Kagome; she looks very sad.
Kagome: And then…we were so far from home we couldn’t …we had to…
Koinu (off screen): To cremate me. I understand.
Kagome: Then we went back and I carried…carried you…in my bicycle basket…
Panel 4
Close-up of Kagome; she has her eyes closed.
Kagome: And then I gave Kaede the urn and I had to go home alone, and when I got to the other side nobody was home and I…Couldn’t…Get…My…B-B-Bike Out Of The Well…
Panel 5
Kagome and Koinu are forehead to forehead. She has her eyes closed in anguish.
Koinu: Oh, Kagome, you should have called me! I would have come over and helped you!
Panel 6
The two have separated; Kagome looks into Koinu’s eyes; she is wide-eyed and almost smiling.
Kagome: Ah. Ah-ha
Panel 7
The two face-to-face; Kagome is laughing a bit, Koinu is calm, almost smiling.
Kagome: Ah ha ha ha! Both of us trying to pretend there was nothing strange about a bike being stuck in a well…
Panel 8
Koinu hugs Kagome.
Koinu: Kagome, it’s all right. I’m okay now. I didn’t even know I was dead. And it was worth dying—that year with you was so much fun—that was the best year of my life!
Panel 9
The two are face to face.
Koinu: And it didn’t hurt me to have to go through life again. I think I’m a much better person for it. My temper’s much better. And I learned a lot of things I wish I’d known then. I found out how to build a fire, and I know a lot more about going on quests. Next time I get hold of something like the Shikon no Tama I’ll do a better job of using it.
Panel 10
Looks embarrassed; he’s caught himself.
Koinu: Um…except I wouldn’t have to, because I’d let you get the jewel. If the situation came up again.
Panel 11
The two are face to face. Kagome looks annoyed; Koinu looks away from her, flustered.
Kagome: So you were saying you finally learned how to build a fire.
Koinu: Um—yeah. I never could get the hang of it before.
Page 15
Panel 1
Koinu looks shamefaced.
Koinu: Um…do you remember that lighter you gave me? The disposable one? It was red, to match my kimono. I…I really liked it. I’m sorry I made fun of you about it. I was embarrassed. I couldn’t start a fire, and Miroku was good at it. I didn’t really throw it away. I kept it in my kimono. I just never told you. It always reminded me of you. I used it when you weren’t looking.
Panel 2
Kagome looks serious.
Kagome: …Yeah. I know.
Panel 3
Close-up of Kagome reaching into her pocket and withdrawing something, which she keeps closed inside her hand.
Panel 4
Close-up of Kagome and Koinu. Kagome passes the still hidden object from her hand to Koinu’s, as Koinu looks on confusedly.
Panel 6
Close-up of Koinu looking down into his hand with a look of amazement on his face. There is a small object in his hand.
Panel 7
Close-up of Koinu’s hand holding a disposable lighter.
Panel 8
Close-up of Koinu’s face, with his palm held just beneath his chin, the lighter still gently held in it. Koinu looks wide-eyed, and a little bit touched. He is still staring at the lighter in his palm.
Koinu: This…this is…the same one?
Panel 9
Close-up profile of Koinu and Kagome facing each other, the now-lit lighter held in Koinu’s hand between them. Koinu is staring at the flame of the lighter with a surprised, joyful look on his face, while Kagome’s eyes take in the look on Koinu’s face.
Koinu: This is it! This is my lighter! It still works! Oh, Kagome…
Page 16
Panel 1
Close-up profile of Kagome.
Kagome: I…found it in your kimono. I’ve been carrying it around every day, because it reminded me of you. I—Inuyasha? I’m sorry. I lost Tetsusaiga.
Panel 2
Close-up of Kagome, who looks sad and a bit guilty.
Kagome: We let Shippou have your kimono…so he had something…and I took the sword. But…at the funeral…suddenly…it was gone. I don’t know what happened.
Panel 3
Close-up of Kagome, who clasps her hands to ask for forgiveness.
Kagome: Can you ever forgive me?
Panel 4
Koinu stands, holding out a hand to Kagome, who looks apprehensive.
Panel 5
Koinu holds Kagome’s hands to pull her to her feet. He looks serious.
Panel 6
The two stand, holding hands. Kagome looks surprised; Koinu is smiling.
Panel 7
Close-up of the two. Kagome looks abashed; Koinu is smiling gently.
Koinu: Come on upstairs. I’ve got it in my room.
Page 17
Panel 1
Close-up of the two. Koinu holds Kagome’s hand. She looks surprised; he is smiling more broadly now.
Kagome: What?…
Koinu: Come on! I’ll show you my books, too!
Kagome: Oh…Okay.
Panel 2
Close-up of the two. Kagome is listening; Koinu rolls his eyes.
Haruka (offscreen): Koinu-chan!? What are you doing?
Koinu: Nothing, Mom. I’m going to show Higurashi my room.
Panel 3
Suddenly Haruka is almost nose-to-nose with Koinu.
Haruka: Keep the door open.
Koinu: …I’ll keep the door open.
Panel 4
Haruka faces down Kagome, while Koinu looks on impatiently.
Haruka: Ah. Higurashi-san. Your given name is Kagome? How unusual.
Panel 5
Kagome covers her mouth with her hand and bats her eyes with exaggerated girlishness.
Kagome: Oh. Inuyasha-Houjou-san! Koinu-kun told me about his imaginary Musashi Domain…and his imaginary friend Kagome, in Musashi’s Domain. I hope that wasn’t just a pickup line!
Panel 6
Haruka faces down Kagome, who smiles innocently; Koinu looks on in surprise.
Haruka: My son has a very creative imagination. But that story is quite true. I hope he has not behaved so dishonorably that you cannot trust him.
Panel 7
Haruka looks a bit dubious; Kagome looks down, very shy and girlish, fluttering her eyelashes. Koinu has a "give me a break" look.
Kagome: Oh, no, ma’am. Koinu-kun is a real gentleman!
Haruka: …Well, that’s good to hear. Koinu-chan, you’ll continue to behave yourself.
Kagome: Oh, I know he will, ma’am. He’s the sweetest, kindest, most polite boy in school…
Panel 8
Haruka is gone; Kagome looks at the innocent Koinu out of the corner of her eye, a devilish smile on her face.
Panel 9
Kagome looks at Koinu for his reaction. It’s a good one; he is wide-eyed with shock.
Kagome: …And his butt looks really sweet in those tight jeans he wears.
Page 18
Panel 1
Kagome and Koinu stand before a stairway; Koinu gestures toward the stairs.
Koinu: Um…My room is upstairs. Maybe you should go first. Kagome? You’ve…changed, too, haven’t you?
Panel 2
Kagome, with a determined expression, is on the stairs. Behind her, Koinu looks a bit shocked.
Kagome:…I’ve been through a lot.