Youkai Academy

Chapter 11

Things were awkward around the club for a few weeks. Kagome returned to her hosting duties, but she wasn't the same. She was kind and courteous to her guests but found herself unable to participate with the others and their antics. It was a struggle to act normal when it felt as if her world had fallen apart around her.

There was also the fact that she could not bring herself to face Sesshomaru. He might not blame her, but she did, it was her fault, and now she was faced with fixing that problem again. But who was to say she would be able to make the right choice the second time around. She had already been through this, and her decision had been proven wrong. How would she ever be able to trust her instincts again? It was confusing. And it tormented her at every turn.

Walking into the Host club, Kagome was welcomed by what appeared to be an ordinary day. Guests were seated with their desired host, whereas she was lacking in guests, which meant she needed to help other hosts get refreshments and so on. It was a far more relaxing day than most, and one she honestly needed. There was always something going on, so it was nice to have a relaxing club day.

Making her rounds, Kagome was stopped by the twins. They had a game they often played with their guest: "Which one is Hikaru Game." They would regularly change their hairstyle or wear a hat to prevent the guest from telling them apart from their usual hairstyles. She, on the other hand, didn't need their hairstyle to tell which was which.

Shippo liked to play pranks; his favorite had been making clones of himself to see if Kagome could find the "real" him. And she did, every time. It was the same thing with the twins. Many would argue that it would take a master of aura manipulation to tell apart twins, as they were identical in every way, but she could do so with a mere glance. There were minuscule differences between the twins. Hikaru was the more outgoing and bold of the two, whereas Kaoru was more quiet and thoughtful, and that subtle difference could be seen and felt in their auras.

The two spoke in perfect syncrasy, hiding the slight differences in their pitch. Their movements also mirrored the other. They moved with such ease and grace; it was bewitching to watch. "So, can you tell which one of us is Hikaru!?" They grinned at their guest. Each girl smiled back excitedly.

"It's hard to say!" One guest started.

"You two are identical!" Another girl giggled her face flush, no doubt flustered by the twins.

The twins moved as one, a victorious smirk mirrored on their faces. "Many ladies have tried telling us apart, but so far, none have succeeded."

Kagome found herself laughing in tune with the twin's guests.

"What's so funny, Kagome?" The twins turned, moving in unison towards her.

She smiled. "I'd like to try."

Kaoru wasn't one to get nervous; in fact, he'd near met a girl that could make him remotely flustered. And yet, his heart raced, his palms grew sweaty, and his stomach felt like it was doing summersaults.

Despite the new feelings, he maintained his smile, matching his brother's every move with practiced ease. They leaned forward as Kagome approached, making them eye level. Her eyes sparkled as they peered into his, their sapphire hue rivaling that of an actual jewel. It had been weeks since Kaoru had seen even the hint of a genuine smile. She smiled at her guests and acted the part of a perfect host, but something had been missing for the last three weeks.

It was like Kagome was finally returning to him- to the club.

He fought against the blush that threatened to rise in his face. Kaoru prided himself on his acting skill; he and his brother could charm anyone without any lingering attachments- to them, it had always been a game. But being so close to her made him nervous, his heart was pounding in his ears, and he feared that she'd be able to hear it.