Crossover: A Different Inuyasha

The dog stepped aside, saying, "Sir, you're so old, don't get angry."

"Stop right there!"

"If you can catch up, I'll stop."

The two circled the sacred tree in the courtyard twice. Kagome's grandfather's pursuit, which started with great momentum, gradually became less and less powerful. His breathing became shorter and shorter, and the range of his bamboo broom swings became smaller and smaller. His vigorous chopping turned into weak and feeble poking.

Inuyasha maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far, so that he wouldn't touch him, nor lose him, as if he were taking a walk in his own backyard.

Sunlight fell between the two, casting their chasing figures into two shadowy trails that leaped and darted about.

Just as Kagome's grandfather bent over, panting with his hands on his knees, too exhausted even to curse, a gentle voice came from the two-story hut next to the shrine.

"Dinner's ready!"

Grandpa Kagome straightened up, still holding the bamboo broom in his hand, panting as he glared at Inuyasha, snorted, and put the broom down on the veranda. "Consider yourself lucky, kid."

He turned and walked into the house, tossing a sentence behind him without looking back: "Come in and explain yourself!"

The old man was also very knowledgeable. After a short period of interaction, he realized that the black-haired boy did not seem to be there to cause trouble.

Grandpa Kagome wouldn't feel at ease if he didn't find out more about the fact that he had feelings for a twelve-year-old girl.

Chapter 96 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 the topic of a high school girl being married?!"

He took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress his anger before saying anything more, but he couldn't suppress it; instead, the rest of his speech became 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 and immediately asks to marry Kagome. I think he's got something wrong with his head!"

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

She reached up and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "She seems quiet and easygoing, not like a hot-tempered child. If she could grow up with Kagome, they 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 doesn’t study and just wanders around aimlessly. He keeps 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 child who has just arrived?"

"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 excited as he spoke, shouting, "Ask! Ask! Ask! Ask!"

"Isn't this interrogating the son-in-law?" Gogome's mother's retort made the old man stomp his feet, 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."

Kagome's grandfather 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 for how to deal with it.

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 help but put 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 at all, a reproachful look and said, "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 worn off, and he could now speak human language.

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

"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... is there some kind of difficulty?"

"father!"

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. "I'll answer whatever Grandpa wants 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. "Sōta, put your schoolbag down."

"Hey, it's me again!"

Do you have any opinions?

"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—it sounded like 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 he hadn't 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 to look into the house, tears welling in his eyes as he choked out, "You brat—! This old man is 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 was happening.

"...What's 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.

"...Huh???"

The "eh" was raised high and straight, and 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 know you at all!"

"It's ok."

Inuyasha smiled and looked at Kagome, who was in the late stage of loli and halfway to girlhood, "It's not too late to get to know her now."

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, and muttered, "My name is Kagome Higurashi, and from now on... no!"

"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?", "Is it 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 to an excessive degree.