"I guess now's as good a time as any to go home. Maybe I should find Shippo and tell him I'm going first. He deserves to know - I don't want him to worry..." She's muttering aloud, trying to distract herself from thoughts of InuYasha, but failing miserably. What a perfect word to describe how she feels: miserable.

On second thought, she won't stop to see anyone. She doesn't want to have to explain her decision, especially to Shippo and his big, bubbly eyes. He's just to young to understand the pain of heartbreak; and Kaede would surely give her the look that would convince her to stay, despite her own unhappiness.

She finds her bike sitting right where she left it - next to the well - earlier today, before she destroyed her own little world. She lifts it over the edge and drops it down ahead of her. As she's about to jump in, she hears a voice.

"Kagome!" It's Shippo, of course. "What're you doing?" She turns around to look at the adorable little fox demon staring at her with those terribly innocent eyes of his.

"Oh! Well, I was just...going for a supply run, Shippo. Nothing special, so I'll be back soon."A guilty twinge prickles the back of her neck.

"Ooh," he squeals,"will you bring back that Ramen stuff ?? Preeeeeeeeeetty please?!?" He jumps up and down, ears pricked in anticipation.

Laughter not reaching her eyes, Kagome responds without looking directly at his bouncing form. "Of course I will. Don't I always? Anyway," she quickly shifts the subject away from her imminent departure, "why are you here?"

"Oh." He stops jumping. "Miroku's in the village, being a pig, of course, so I decided to come here and wait for you and InuYasha. Hey, where is he, anyway? Did you two have another fight? Do I need to rough him up for you?"