Panel 3
The two look in through the door of Koinu’s room, which is in the same shape as at the opening of book 4 and in book 9.
Koinu: It’s...a little messy.
Panel 4
Kagome looks around in surprise. Behind her, Koinu has just realized he’s got those pictures of girls taped to the wall.
Kagome: It’s…it’s just a regular boy’s room…I mean, not that I’ve ever been in a boy’s room…you know…except my brother’s.
Panel 5
While Kagome is distracted, Koinu quickly removes the girl in the thong bikini from the wall.
Kagome: Wow. You have your own computer.
Koinu:Um, yeah…yeah…you should take a look at it.
Panel 6
In the background, Kagome looks happily at something out of our line of sight. Koinu adds the picture from the wall to a stack of pictures in a drawer; we see a set of bare tits on a picture in the drawer.
Kagome: I see it!
Panel 7
Kagome is holding Tetsusaiga and smiling, wide-eyed.In the background, a startled-looking Koinu slams the dresser drawer shut.
Koinu: What? Oh, yeah. Tetsusaiga.
Kagome: It still has the same aura!
Panel 8
The two face to face, Koinu looking surprised.
Koinu: Aura? You can still see auras?
Kagome: Yes, of course! So—I can tell whether a person is human or youkai.
Koinu: Cool! Is that still…useful?
Panel 9
Close-up of Kagome; she has one eyebrow raised.
Kagome: … I guess it might keep people from lying to me. Where on earth did you find Tetsusaiga?
Page 19
Panel 1
View of Kagome, holding Tetsusaiga, and Koinu, with his bookshelves behind him.
Koinu: I bought it at an antique shop. I spent all my money on it. You have to do that, when you’re buying something magic. I was saving for a Playstation. I kind of wish I’d bought the Playstation first and then gone to the antique shop, but it never works that way.
Panel 2
Close-up of the two, face to face.
Koinu: Kagome? I…I figured out your plan. Why you were starving yourself. And …it worked. You were dying, and I came to rescue you.
Kagome: Ah.
Panel 3
Close-up of the Koinu, looking rather sad.
Koinu: But you still wouldn’t eat today, and I guess…Kagome, if you’re trying to get the "real" Inuyasha to find you, he’s—I’m . . . I’m it. I’m sorry. I’m all that’s left.
Panel 4
Close-up of the two.
Kagome: No! No, it’s not that! It’s . . .I was finally doing something! Making you alive again! And now…it’s just hard to go back to being…nothing special.
Panel 5
Close-up of the two, face to face. Koinu is emphatic.
Koinu: Kagome, you’re the most special person in the world! There’s nobody like you! It’s me that’s not special anymore! I’m sorry! I tried to be what you wanted! It’s just…I just…started reading and…then I couldn’t stop…
Panel 6
Close-up of the two, face to face. Koinu is sad and earnest, Kagome is breaking into a smile.
Kagome: . . .
Panel 7
Close-up of the two, face to face.
Kagome: You’re different, but I still love you. And I think I like you a lot. I just need to get used to you. Let me look at your books.
Panel 8
Kagome stands, hands behind her back, looking at the book shelves. Next to her Koinu is seated on the floor, with Tetsusaiga just visible on the floor next to him.
Kagome: Oh, my! You have a lot of them.
Koinu: You… always had a lot of books. I thought I should have them, too. I used to be able to read a little bit on the other side. I taught myself here.
Kagome: Lots of them in English, and—is that German?
Koinu: Um…yeah. We used to live in Switzerland for awhile.
Panel 9
Kagome reaches on tiptoe for Obi-Wan Kenobi; as she does so, her skirt rides up, revealing her panties right in front of Koinu’s very wide bespectacled eyes.
Kagome: In Switzerland? What were you doing in Switzerland?
Koinu: Me? Talking a lot of bad German and eating a lot of good chocolate. My dad was at the embassy in Bern.
Kagome: That’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, isn’t it?
Koinu: Yeah.
Page 20
Panel 1
Kagome, still standing, has turned to face Koinu, who looks away.
Kagome: Wow . . . you’ve lived all over the world. I’ve never even been on an airplane.
Koinu: You haven’t missed much. I hate airplanes. I hate being confined like that.
Kagome: Ah.
Panel 2
Kagome kneels next to Koinu.
Koinu: Kagome, I mean it. You don’t have to stay.
Kagome: Don’t you want me with you?
Koinu: I do! I . . . you . . .
Panel 3
Koinu looks overwhelmed as he holds his head in his hand.
Koinu: You’re here! You’re real! You’re in my room! I didn’t just make you up . . .
Panel 4
Kagome kneels next to Koinu, who has head in hand and looks close to tears.
Kagome: Are you OK? What time did you get to sleep last night?
Koinu: I don’t know. I didn’t yet.
Kagome: See, we both were ready to go to bed.
Koinu: Huh?
Panel 5
Close-up of the two, face to face. Kagome is calm, Koinu is blushing a bit.
Kagome: Last night. You said I needed sleep. So did you!
Koinu: Oh.
Kagome: You were sleeping a little in the nurse’s office. I could tell by how you sounded.
Koinu: I was snoring?
Kagome: No, you just breathe differently when you sleep.
Panel 6
Close-up of the two. Kagome is calm, but Koinu is even more flustered.
Kagome: Didn’t you think I could tell? After all the nights we slept together.
Koinu: Slept together? …Um…yeah…
Page 21
Panel 1
View of the two face to face. Kagome reaches her hands up tentatively; Koinu pulls back, looking a bit apprehensive.
Kagome: You’re different, but the same, too. Your eyes—the expression—and the eyebrows. Your feet are the same and you still have those long fingers. You’re a very nice-looking boy. Am I allowed to touch your hair?
Koinu: My . . . my hair?
Panel 2
View of the two face to face. Kagome has a hand ready to reach out. Koinu is blushing.
Koinu: Sure, you can touch anything you want to. I—I mean, any part of me you feel like touching is…I…whatever you…you want to…my hair. Sure. Touch…put your hand right on it.
Panel 3
View of the two face to face. Kagome is touching Koinu’s hair. Koinu is blushing.
Kagome: It’s growing, isn’t it?
Koinu: What?
Kagome: It looks like it’s getting longer.
Koinu: I—what?
Kagome: Your hair. Are you letting your hair grow?
Koinu: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I—I thought you might like it long. My hair. Long.
Panel 4
Close-up of the two face to face. Kagome is smiling. Koinu is pleased and embarrassed.
Kagome: The glasses are OK. They just make you look a little less bishounen.
Koinu: Bishounen? Me? I don’t think so.
Kagome: Let me see them.
Panel 5
Close up of the two face to face. Kagome is trying on Koinu’s glasses. Koinu looks shy and embarrassed at the attention.
Kagome: Wow. You really need these!
Koinu: What? Did you think I was making it up?
Kagome: Can you see me at all now?
Koinu: Sure. I can see you when you’re close to me.
Panel 6
Kagome is leaning in close to Koinu, holding his glasses, their noses almost touching. Koinu looks pleased but a little surprised and shy.
Kagome: "Close to you" is definitely good.
Panel 7
Kagome and Koinu are kissing, arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders.
Panel 8
The kiss continues, though one of Kagome’s hands has slipped to Koinu’s back, and one of his has slipped to her back.
Panel 9
The kiss is deeper now, and the hands that were previously on each other’s backs have now slipped lower to cradle each other’s buttocks.
Haruka: Koinu-Chan?!
Page 22
Panel 1
Kagome and Koinu are sitting back, cheeks flushed, and staring at each other.
Koinu: Yeah. I’m not surprised that one set off her radar.(shouting) What do you need, Mom?
Panel 2
Kagome and Koinu are seated on the floor, a respectable distance between them. Haruka is peering around the door to Koinu’ s room, looking slightly suspicious. Koinu is holding the Tetsusaiga.
Haruka: Just wanted to see what you children are up to.
Koinu: Nothing much. Just sitting and talking. Higurashi was interested in my sword.
Panel 3
Close-up profile of Haruka, looking around the doorframe of Koinu’s room. Koinu and Kagome are sitting on the floor looking as innocent as possible.
Haruka: Well, those things are dangerous. Keep it sheathed. Higurashi-san, are you warm enough? I worry about you girls with your bare legs.
Panel 4
Close-up of Haruka and Koinu facing off in the foreground, Tetsusaiga between them. Kagome looks on in the background, curious and a little worried.
Koinu: She’s fine, Mom. If she starts to freeze to death I’ll throw a sweater over her.
Haruka: I’m just being concerned. You don’t have to be sarcastic.
Koinu: Yes, I do. It’s the only thing that works.
Haruka: Keh.
Panel 5
Close-up of Kagome and Koinu, looking sideways at each other. Haruka has left the room.
Koinu: Sorry about that. She’s…
Kagome: "Outspoken."
Koinu: She likes to run things. My life, in particular. We fight a lot. She’s still a lot better to live with than Sesshoumaru.
Page 23
Panel 1
Close-up of Koinu and Kagome, looking a little melancholy.
Kagome:Yeah. I suppose that would be true. What do you suppose ever happened to Sesshoumaru?
Koinu: I don’t know. I saw him in Monte Carlo about three years ago, but I haven’t heard anything of him since.
Panel 2
Close-up of Kagome, looking very startled.
Kagome: You…Sesshoumaru…where?
Panel 3
Close-up of Kagome looking at Koinu, face to face. Kagome looks a little angry.
Koinu: Monte Carlo. In Monaco. In Europe. It’s a big gambling resort. You always see it in the spy movies.
Kagome: I know what Monte Carlo is. What happened? What were you doing there?
Panel 4
Still face to face. Kagome definitely looks angry now, while Koinu looks a little apprehensive.
Koinu: Hiding behind a potted palm.
Kagome: You went all the way to Monte Carlo to hide behind a potted palm?
Koinu: It wasn’t that far. We were in Switzerland.
Panel 5
Kagome is now staring hard at Koinu, while Koinu is looking steadily more apprehensive, and a bit guilty.
Kagome: How did you end up in Monte Carlo?
Koinu: My Dad drove.
Kagome: Your parents drove you to Monte Carlo to see Sesshoumaru?
Koinu: No! My parents don’t even believe in Sesshoumaru.
Panel 6
Kagome is looking annoyed and put upon, glaring directly at Koinu’s eyes. Koinu can’t seem to meet her eyes, and looks a bit flustered.
Kagome: So what were you doing in Monte Carlo?
Koinu: I dunno. Just looking at people. I was only fourteen. I couldn’t gamble. The people are really thin and wear nice clothes like in the movies, but they’re not young and beautiful.
Panel 7
Kagome has a very sarcastic look on her face, while Koinu is looking down guiltily.
Kagome: Sigh. Just tell me the story from the beginning.
Koinu: Well…my Dad said wouldn’t it be fun to go to Monte Carlo. And my Mom said not if we’re going to spend a month’s salary gambling. And my Dad said he knew a guy in Monte Carlo who was selling off some really good wine, and he thought we could make a family holiday of it and he could get some nice wine and we could just look at the casinos. And Mom said fine, let’s see if Noriko would like to come.
Panel 8
Kagome is extremely angry now, brows raised, and is raising her voice. Koinu is looking her full in the face, but seems very confused.
Kagome: Not that far in the beginning.
Koinu: Okay! Don’t get mad! What do you…
Kagome: You were in a casino and you saw Sesshoumaru.
Koinu: Not in a casino. In the hotel lobby. But there’s a casino attached to the…
Kagome: What was he doing? How do you know it was him?
Koinu: Who?
Panel 9
Kagome is still angry, voice raised, while Koinu looks confused, and a little frightened.
Kagome: Sesshoumaru!
Koinu: …Kagome, Sesshoumaru has white hair down to his knees, stripes on his face, a crescent moon on his forehead, and Spock ears. He’s pretty easy to spot in a crowd. Plus, he’s my brother. I’ve seen him a zillion times.
Page 24
Panel 1
Kagome has calmed down somewhat, and is now looking at Koinu in a more gentle manner. Koinu still looks slightly dazed and confused.
Kagome: Okay. So what was he doing?
Koinu: Nothing. He got out of the elevator with some humans. They walked into the casino.
Kagome: What did you do?
Koinu: Stood still and hoped he wouldn’t notice me, then I went and told my Mom and my Aunt, but they didn’t believe me. Auntie Barbra said she’d go beat him up, but I think she was humoring me.
Panel 2
Kagome is looking exasperated at Koinu, who has a sad and confused look on his face and isn’t meeting her eyes.
Koinu: …Is that all right? Why are you mad at me?
Kagome: …I’m not mad, I’m…Are we going to have conversations like this for the rest of our lives?
Panel 3
Close-up of Koinu, looking crestfallen and sad, eyes to the side.
Koinu: I don’t know. I…I hope so.
Panel 4
Close-up of Kagome throwing her arms around Koinu, who looks stunned.
Kagome: You’re such an idiot.
Panel 5
Close-up of Koinu looking down at the handle of the Tetsusaiga, seeming sad and uncomfortable.
Koinu: Kagome? I have to ask you a question you don’t want to answer. But you have to tell me. What were you going to do yesterday?
Panel 6
Close-up of Koinu and Kagome, with Kagome looking a little withdrawn while Koinu looks down at Tetsusaiga’s handle as if shy.
Kagome: Yesterday? What…
Koinu: When I saw you in the cemetery. What were you about to do?
Kagome: I don’t…
Panel 7
Close-up of just Koinu, looking concerned and earnest.
Koinu: Kagome, up until yesterday I couldn’t call you by your name. I mean, I could say your name to other people, but to you—I always felt like something terrible would happen if I called you ‘Kagome.’
Panel 8
Flashback to Kagome and Koinu, Kagome looking despairingly downward while Koinu looks after her with a devastated look on his face.
Koinu (offscreen): And then yesterday…when I saw you near Miroku’s grave…all of a sudden I felt like I had to say your name. Like it was the most important thing in the world…
Panel 9
Close-up of Koinu, sprawled back on his hands and buttocks, looking upward in shock and surprise.
Koinu: And when you hit me…there was…power in it. And suddenly, I…broke through the rest of the way…
Panel 10
Profile of Koinu, looking introspective.
Koinu: I’ll bet I’ve been to your house a hundred times in the past couple of years, and I’d always think, "Well, this sort of looks like where Kagome lived." But yesterday—I just—knew it. Like, "Of course this is Kagome’s house."
Page 25
Panel 1
Close-up of Kagome looking down sadly while Koinu speaks to her, looking sad but earnest.
Koinu: Something brought me through the rest of the way. I think you got tired of waiting. I think you were going to..do something. I think you were in danger. What…?
Kagome: I…I had a knife.
Panel 2
Close-up of Koinu looking sad, angry, and worried.
Koinu: Oh, shit. Kagome!
Panel 3
Close-up of Kagome looking sad, shocked, and worried.
Kagome: I…wasn’t even trying to force you to come to me anymore. I thought…I thought…you must have forgotten about me. I thought you were…happy with Kikyou.
Panel 4
Close-up of Kagome looking down sadly while Koinu stares at her, a little angrily.
Koinu: Kagome.
Kagome: It was so hard to be alone and just be…normal. I was just so tired. After I ran away from you yesterday, I went home and did my homework and wrote a note to my family. I had just finished it when you got there.
Panel 5
Kagome is still looking down, but now she is facing Koinu, who is looking angry.
Koinu: Idiot! Do you know what a terrible thing that would have been? Did you think Miroku would thank you for killing yourself on his grave?!
Kagome: Not…not…Miroku’s grave.
Panel 6
Close-up on Koinu, looking sad and stunned.
Panel 7
Close-up of Kagome, who looks regretful.
Panel 8
Close-up of Koinu, looking sad but resolute.
Koinu:…Show me.
Page 26
Panel 1
A shot of a graveyard, some graves very old, some newer. Overlay of Koinu and Kagome, who are holding each other and looking down at a very old grave. It has no flowers, but has been carefully tended. There are two unopened ramen cups by the grave.
Koinu: That’s…that’s my name.
Panel 2
Profile of Koinu and Kagome, still holding each other, hands clasped together. The graveyard is visible in the background.
Koinu: I mean, that’s exactly my name. Those are the kanji I use to write it. My mom’s family—they don’t use kanji. They just write it out in hiragana…The fortune teller who chose my name said that is the way they should write it. Kagome…that ramen…you should have been eating it yourself. How…how did you find this? They told me in the monastery where to find Miroku…
Page 27
Panel 1
Close-up of Kagome, looking sad and wind-swept, hair blowing.
Kagome: After I came home, after…I finally let my grandpa tell me the stories. In the shrine office it says…Miroku moved your grave from the shrine to this place…So his family could protect it…
Panel 2
Close-up of Kagome and Koinu, both looking mournful, hair blowing.
Koinu: The shrine office? Why does the shrine office have stuff about me?
Kagome: Because you’re…Lord Inuyasha is…
Panel 3
Close-up of Koinu, looking shocked.
Kagome:…our Kami-sama…The guardian spirit of our shrine.
Panel 4
Close-up of Koinu, who is looking wildly down a Kagome, holding onto her shoulders.
Koinu: No! No! Kagome, why didn’t you ever tell me?
Kagome: I never knew! I couldn’t stand to know!
Panel 5
Close-up of Koinu with one hand to his throat, looking scared and upset.
Koinu: But then you don’t have anybody to watch over the shrine! Your father died because there was no kami-sama to protect him!
Panel 6
Close-up of Koinu and Kagome, who is holding onto his shoulder now and looking determinedly into his face.
Koinu: When my mother went to all the shrines—she—she hijacked your kami-saa! I’m not supposed to be here! I’m a—a ghost!
Kagome: No. No! You belong here! This was supposed to happen!
Koinu: All those people—your grandpa, your father, your mother—thought I was taking care of them!
Kagome: They knew the stories. They knew you were supposed to find me! They named me for the stories. They knew I might be the one!
Panel 7
Close-up of the two from the front, Koinu with a scared look on his face, Kagome with an angry and determined one.
Koinu: I’ve been coming to this cemetery since I was ten years old! I never…how did you…
Kagome: I could see it. I can see…when the Shikon no Tama exploded the molecules must have…
Panel 8
Image of Koinu sitting astonished before the grave, while Kagome stand behind him, with only her legs and loose socks visible.
Kagome: Permeated your whole body…
Koinu: You mean—we’re not rid of it? You mean it’s still lurking there? In me?!?
Page 28
Panel 1
Kagome and Koinu are on their knees, clinging to each other. Koinu looks terrified.
Koinu: Kagome, I can’t take this right now!
Kagome: It’s okay! It’s changed! It’s different! It’s…inert!
Panel 2
Close-up of Koinu, who is looking wildly at the grave.
Koinu: I…Kagome, that’s me in there! That’s the person I used to be! The person I thought I still was! That’s my body! My dead body! These aren’t even my hands!
Panel 3
Close-up of Kagome, who is now holding Koinu forcefully by the shoulders and talking right into his face.
Koinu: Kagome, I’m nothing! I’m ashes! I’m dust! And the jewel’s got me!
Kagome: Shut up! You’re you! This is who you are! You’re Inuyasha! And we’re together again! It’s all right!
Panel 4
Kagome and Koinu are on their knees, clinging to each other, eyes closed, expressions of grief on their faces.
Kagome: Kagome? Kagome, let’s grow up, okay? Everytime I get close to having something I want, something terrible happens. Just once I want to live like other people, I want to get through high school, I want to be an adult. Okay?
Panel 5
Kagome and Koinu rest forehead to forehead, both looking somber.
Kagome: It’s all right now. Everything’s going to be all right now. Let’s say hello to Miroku and get out of here.
Panel 6
Close-up of Kagome’s hand, in which she holds some sticks of incense.
Kagome: Here’s your chance to use that lighter.
Panel 7
Close-up of Kagome and Koinu, who is holding the sleeve of his coat over his nose as Kagome lights the incense.
Koinu: I’m sorry…The incense is always rough for me…
Kagome: We’ll make it quick. Just long enough to tell him we’re okay.
Panel 8
Shot of Koinu and Kagome’s backs as they look at the gravestone, which is just visible between the two of them.
Kagome: …Miroku? It’s me again. You helped me, didn’t you? It’s okay now.
Koinu: Miroku? It’s me, Inuyasha. It worked. I’m with Kagome. She’s okay!
Thank you.
Panel 9
Kagome and Koinu are standing, holding each other.
Koinu: Now what?
Kagome: Now we do something normal. What’s the most normal thing you can think of?
Koinu: Um…Wack Donald’s?
Panel 10
Close-up of Kagome and Koinu’s faces. Koinu is still looking at the grave while Kagome is looking away.
Kagome: Wack Donald’s sounds wonderful. I’m starving to death.