Crossover: A Different Inuyasha.

Chapter 97 Late Lolita Stage, Half-Step into Girlhood, So Cute!

In the corridor outside the restaurant.

Kagome's mother peeked halfway out of the window and glanced into the restaurant.

Inside the house, a black-haired boy sat quietly at a table laden with home-cooked dishes.

Kagome's mother turned around, placed one hand on the crook of her other elbow, and looked worried.

"dad."

She lowered her voice and glanced at Kagome's grandfather, who was still sulking. "That boy looks about fifteen or sixteen years old, not much different from our Kagome."

"But no matter what, they are still too young. Even if they are high school students who are married, it will still take three or four years."

""

Grandpa Kagome's face, which hadn't fully recovered from its redness, was furious upon hearing this. His white eyebrows furrowed into a tight knot, and his voice rose a half-degree, barely containing his anger.

"Did I agree to this?! How did this get dragged into a high school girl/married woman?!"

He took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress his anger before saying anything more, but he couldn't suppress it and instead made the rest of his speech even more impulsive.

"What I mean is—go and find out what that kid's got to do with it! He just shows up out of nowhere, asking to marry Kagome. I think he's got something wrong with his head!"

Kagome's mother blinked, as if thinking for a moment, then tilted her head slightly and said softly, "Ah, I think that young man is not bad at all."

She reached up and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "He seems quiet and easygoing, not like a hot-tempered child. If he could grow up with Kagome, the two of them would know each other inside and out—"

"No!"

"Absolutely not!"

Grandpa Kagome's face turned red with anxiety. "My dear granddaughter, you can't let her get involved with this kind of unknown brat!"

He got angrier and angrier as he spoke, "It's school time now, and look at him! He's obviously a troublemaker who hangs around all the time, always talking about getting married. Who knows where he came from?"

Upon hearing this, Kagome's mother sighed, raised her hand to touch her cheek, and revealed a helpless yet smiling expression.

"But... isn't it a bit inappropriate to pry into the background of a newcomer?"

"He said something as nonsensical as coming to propose marriage! What's wrong with that!"

Grandpa Kagome's voice was low and urgent, as if he was afraid that the people in the restaurant would hear him, and also afraid that he wouldn't be imposing enough, so he suddenly waved his hand.

"Ask him!"

"Find out where he lives, who his parents are, what his family does, what his future plans are—and who his grandparents are! Find out everything!"

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, shouting, "Ask! Ask! Ask! Ask!"

"Isn't this interrogating the son-in-law?" Kagome's mother's retort made the old man stamp his foot, puff out his beard, and glare. "What son-in-law? That's a wild boy!"

Kagome's mother nodded, narrowed her eyes slightly, and smiled, "Alright."

Grandpa Kagome was almost exhausted. "It's not 'okay,' it's a must!"

After they finished discussing, Kagome's mother and grandfather walked in. The former had a gentle smile on her face, while the latter had his hands behind his back, a stern face, and sat down opposite Inuyasha, radiating aggression with his eyes.

"The Kagome siblings eat lunch at school, so we can eat now."

Kagome's mother sat down next to Inuyasha, served him rice, and put a piece of grilled fish in his bowl. "Now is the time for you to grow, young people should eat more."

Kagome's grandfather said sarcastically, "It's not enough to just grow a body; you also need to grow a brain."

Inuyasha remained silent.

But he wasn't one to suffer a loss alone; he had already prepared a plan.

Kagome's mother glared at Kagome's grandfather, signaling him to say less.

The old man took a couple of bites of rice, then couldn't resist putting down his chopsticks. "Inuyasha, right? You haven't told me about your family yet. Now's the perfect time, tell me."

"dad--

'

Kagome's mother gave her father-in-law, who couldn't hold back any longer, a reproachful look. "Couldn't you have waited until after you finished eating to say those things?"

She then turned to Inuyasha, her smile gentle, "Right, Inuyasha?"

"Grandpa, if you want to ask, there's nothing you can't say." Inuyasha swallowed a mouthful of fish. The initial excitement of arriving here had passed, and he could now speak human language.

The half-demon placed his chopsticks on the rim of his bowl, lowered his eyes, and said, "My parents are gone, I only have my half-brother and stepmother."

0

"illegitimate child!?"

Kagome's grandfather blurted out, and then felt Kagome's mother's stern gaze.

The old man shrank back when she looked at him, silently shoveled another mouthful of rice into his mouth, and didn't say anything more, but he was muttering to himself.

No wonder this kid is dressed so elegantly and has such an extraordinary air about him—could it be that he was kicked out because his parents weren't home?

Is it really that bad?

"Let's not talk about family matters."

Kagome's mother turned back to her, her tone becoming cheerful again, and placed a piece of meat into Inuyasha's bowl.

"Come on, eat more vegetables. Make yourself at home here, don't be shy."

Inuyasha looked down at the mountain of food piled up in his bowl, and a smile curved his lips.

He wasn't lying.

Grandpa Kagome chewed his food, feeling increasingly uneasy. His eyes never left Inuyasha; he couldn't rest easy until he found out the truth.

Who knows if the other party is a scammer?

After a while, the old man put down his chopsticks and changed his question, "Judging from your age, you should still be in school, right? Now that you're out here—what difficulties are you facing?"

"dad!"

Kagome's mother was genuinely displeased this time, raising her voice slightly, "When it's time to eat, just eat properly."

"It's alright, Auntie."

Inuyasha looked up. "Grandpa, I'll answer whatever you want to ask."

Seeing how decisive the boy was, Grandpa Kagome also rolled up his sleeves and didn't hesitate.

As evening fell, Kagome Higurashi stepped onto the last stone step, carrying her schoolbag, her bangs fluttering slightly in the evening breeze.

Her still-developing face was bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her eyes shone brightly in the sunlight, making her look like a beautiful girl straight out of an anime.

"I'm back--!"

A clear, crisp voice echoed from the entrance hallway through the corridor and into the house.

Strangely, there was no response from Mom inside the house as usual.

There was no sound of Grandpa slowly peeking out from the back room.

Kagome tilted her head and looked at her younger brother, who had just started first grade and was going to and from school with her. "Souta, put your schoolbag down."

------

"It's me again!"

"Do you have any objections?"

"Sister, I didn't."

"That's good."

Kagome took off her little leather boots, put on slippers, and walked a few steps along the corridor. Suddenly, she heard a series of intermittent sobs, as if someone was covering their face with their sleeve.

She tiptoed and followed the sound to the living room door. Just as she was about to listen carefully, the paper door was pulled open from the inside.

Grandpa stood inside the door, his eyes red-rimmed, his white beard still stained with tear stains that hadn't been wiped away.

He held onto the door frame with one hand and put the other on Kagome's shoulder, his voice hoarse and excited.

"Kagome—you're back."

"Grandpa, why are you crying?"

Before Kagome could finish her question, her grandfather pressed his large hand down on her shoulder.

Grandpa turned his head to look into the house, tears welling up in his eyes and he shouted in a choked voice, "You brat—!"

"Old man, I'm entrusting Kagome to you!"

Kagome was pushed into the house without a word, and the paper door behind her was immediately pulled shut.

Kagome blinked blankly, completely bewildered, not understanding what had happened.

"What the hell is going on?"

She muttered something, looked up, and her gaze fell on the opposite side of the coffee table.

A boy was sitting there.

The twilight slanted in through the windowpane, illuminating his handsome, angular face and flowing black hair, making him look like a beautiful boy straight out of an anime.

Kagome paused, looking at him curiously. "—Who are you?"

Those who can be guests at home are probably not strange people.

"Your fiancé."

Inuyasha replied without hesitation.

Kagome's mind went blank for a second.

"————???"

The sound was so high and straight that the last note almost lifted the roof off.

Her eyes widened suddenly, her cheeks flushing red at a visible speed. "Are you kidding me?! I don't even know you!"

"It's okay."

Inuyasha smiled, looking at Kagome, who was in the late stages of loli development and almost a young girl, "It's not too late to get to know her now."

0

He bowed slightly. "I am Inuyasha. I look forward to your guidance in the future."

Kagome's brain hadn't fully rebooted, but her body reacted first.

She nodded slightly as usual, then muttered, "My name is Kagome Higurashi, and from now on—no, wait!"

"This isn't the time for introductions!" Kagome shouted as she flung open the paper door behind her and ran off.

"Mom—! Grandpa brought a strange person to our house!!!"

Dinner at the Higurashi family's house was exceptionally lavish tonight.

The table was covered with plates and bowls, including grilled fish, simmered dishes, pickled vegetables, miso soup, and a plate of neatly cut tamagoyaki, steaming with warm white vapor. It was clear that Kagome's mother had specially added these dishes.

Lights streamed down from the ceiling, bathing the table full of dishes in a soft, orange glow.

Grandpa Kagome had barely eaten a few bites of rice when he launched into a long tirade—either praising Inuyasha for having "the spirit of the Showa era" or rambling on about how "young people should have this kind of ambition."

Kagome's mother sat on the other side, putting food into Inuyasha's bowl while asking him questions like, "Do you live far away?", "Are you cold at night?", and "Do you want to stay a little longer?" Her tone was so familiar, as if she were talking to her own child, showing concern and care that it was almost excessive.

Kagome sat down next to Inuyasha with her bowl in hand, her chopsticks flicking at the rim of the bowl, but she couldn't manage to pick up a single piece of food properly.

She glanced sideways at the dark-haired boy beside her out of the corner of her eye—what had happened at home in just one day?

What kind of spell did this uninvited guest cast on Mom and Grandpa?

They actually found me a fiancé?

If—if it's true, then tonight—he won't want me to be with him—no, no!

Kagome abruptly looked away, her ears burning slightly. She quickly lowered her head, shoveled a mouthful of rice into her mouth, and swallowed the inappropriate thought as she chewed.

Grandpa is unreliable, to say the least; he's caused trouble every single time since I was a child.

But Mom is different.

My mother has always been the most reliable person, so why is she joining in the commotion?

Kagome set a goal for herself: she must find an opportunity to find out the whole story.

We can't let the bad guys get away with it!

Just then, a pair of chopsticks reached out and placed a piece of her favorite tamagoyaki into her bowl.

"Kagome, you should eat something too."

Inuyasha did it naturally, without any deliberate effort.

Kagome paused for a moment, then looked up and met his smiling lips—his eyes looked exceptionally clear under the light.

She suddenly felt her cheeks burning, quickly lowered her head, and mumbled a reply, "—Thank you."

No way, thank him my foot! This is my home!

Kagome angrily shoveled a mouthful of rice into her mouth, her gaze involuntarily drifting towards Inuyasha.

The boy sat upright, responding to his mother's every word with a smile, his manners impeccable.

hateful.

What's the point of being so good-looking? She's all smooth talk and doesn't seem like a good person at all!

Kagome muttered to herself, secretly observing the situation on the table—her grandfather and mother were both acting strangely, so who else could help her?

Is he my younger brother?

She glanced around and saw that Sota was gnawing on a chicken leg, his mouth glistening with oil. She couldn't count on her silly younger brother for any advice.

Kagome gripped her chopsticks tightly, her gaze refocusing on Inuyasha's profile, her eyes revealing a resolute determination to fight alone.

Okay, even if the whole world is on your side, I will not admit defeat!

I will expose your true colors and show Mom and Grandpa what you're really like! Just you wait and see, Inuyasha!

As night deepened, the lights in the Higurashi family home went out one by one at the end of the corridor, leaving only a warm glow in the direction of the bathroom.

Inuyasha pushed open the bathroom door, wearing a loose bathrobe, his long, dark hair hanging wetly over his shoulders.

He had only taken a few steps when a figure suddenly darted out from around the corner.

Kagome, who had been waiting for a long time, was not about to miss the opportunity to have Inuyasha alone. She suddenly jumped out and, without saying a word, pushed his shoulder and pulled him to the corner.

Inuyasha didn't dare to exert any force, wanting to see what this little girl was up to.

Kagome put her hands on her hips, took a step forward, tilted her head back, and struck a bossy pose, her eyebrows furrowed tightly. "Who are you? Why did Mom and Grandpa treat you like that?"

She stopped speaking halfway through her sentence.

The light from the corridor shone from the side, clearly illuminating her face, which was damp with moisture.

Her long, black hair was still dripping wet, with a few strands clinging to her forehead and neck, disappearing into the open neckline of her bathrobe along her collarbone.

Kagome's gaze involuntarily stopped, and then her ears began to burn.

Tick.

A drop of water slid down Inuyasha's hair, leaving a small water stain on the floor.

Kagome snapped back to reality, cleared her throat, and raised her voice even higher, trying to mask her racing heartbeat with volume, "Quick, tell me!"

Inuyasha leaned against the wall, his eyes lowered, taking in the thin blush that spread from her ears to her cheeks.

He smirked, reached out, and slowly, very slowly, pulled at the collar of his bathrobe, creating a small opening on either side.

Kagome's pupils dilated suddenly.

"————!"

A short scream escaped her throat, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She bounced back half a meter, turned and ran, her slippers making a series of frantic thuds on the wooden floor.

"rogue--!!!"

The shout echoed down the corridor, and before the sound had even faded, the person had already turned the corner and disappeared.

Inuyasha leaned against the wall, his hand still clutching the collar of his yukata, gazing in the direction she had disappeared, and chuckled slowly.

"—How cute."

In the living room, the warm yellow light cast long shadows of the people.

Kagome sat on one side of the low table, her hands resting on her knees, explaining to her mother what had just happened.

She spoke very quickly, and her finger would occasionally point towards the corridor, as if she were trying to recreate the crime scene in great detail.

"—And then he just did that, he just pulled his bathrobe open like that! It was on purpose!"

She became more and more excited as she spoke, her cheeks flushed, and she gestured with her hands in the air.

"He definitely did it on purpose! What normal person would do something like that?"

Just as they were getting into the conversation, Kagome's gaze inadvertently swept across the other side.

Inuyasha sat there quietly, his posture upright, with an innocent smile on his lips, like a well-behaved child who had been wronged.

But the instant Kagome looked over, he blinked and his black hair turned silver-white in the blink of an eye. A pair of fluffy, slightly trembling dog ears also appeared among the fluffy, soft hair.

It looks so cute that you just want to pinch it.

"What is this!?"

Kagome sprang up from the cushion, pointing her finger straight at Inuyasha.

"Mom! Look at him!"

"Um?"

The mother looked in the direction she was pointing, then looked away, tilting her head in confusion. "—Is something the matter?"

Kagome turned her head anxiously to look—Inuyasha had returned to normal.

Her black hair was as usual, her head was bald, her eyes were innocent, and she had a well-behaved look that said, "I didn't do anything."

He even picked up his teacup and took a sip, looking as composed as if he were enjoying a good show.

Mom frowned slightly, her tone carrying a hint of serious reproach.

"The fiancé thing was just a joke Grandpa made in a moment of excitement. But Inuyasha is a guest in the house, and we can't behave rudely towards a guest."

"No—! I..."

Kagome opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but before she could speak, she caught a glimpse of Inuyasha's hair turning white again, and his furry ears twitched slightly at her.

His mouth opened and closed, silently mouthing as if to say, "Go on, keep talking."

Kagome clenched her fists at her sides.

I'm so angry!

She gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, suppressed her raging anger, and forced a big, forceful smile as she nodded to her mother.

"Yes, I understand, Mom."

After saying that, she turned and glared at Inuyasha, giving him a fierce look.

He's putting on airs; you can tell at a glance he's a jerk who likes to tattle on others in front of the teacher. This isn't over yet!

>