Adjusting back to the present was hard than ever before. The first few weeks Kagome felt like she was on autopilot. Her friends welcomed her back with hugs and big smiles trying to catch her up on what she missed at school. Kagome was only half listening to things. "You were gone for so long this time we thought your family was going to pull you out of school," Yuka stated.

"Oh look, here comes Hojo," Eri grinned. "Hojo!" The tall boy turned at the call of his name across the schoolyard, smiling over at the group of friends with a wave. But upon seeing Kagome his facial features brighten further. Kagome smiled in greeting. However, unlike in the past where the sight of him would cause her heart to flutter or cheeks to flush from her crush on him, she felt neither. That just further proved how much she had changed in the last year alone. The older teen wasn't stumbling over her words talking with him and upon sitting in the classroom she discovered just how far behind she was.

It was a struggle keeping up with exams just a few months away, but her friends were more than enthusiastic to help out. Every day they would go back to the Higurashi household to do their homework and tutor Kagome in various subjects. Her mom would come up every now and then with snacks and drinks to help them along. Even Sota joined them some days with his homework before rushing off to play videogames. There were some nights the high school student didn't sleep to be sure she met deadlines.

"Hey, Kagome, where's your cousin, Akiko?" Ayumi asked one day. They were hard at work with exams being next week and the question seemed to shift the mood in the air. Though none of the girls had met the college student, they had heard about her through Kagome on the few chances she came to school. The older teen couldn't help but brag about the young woman's achievements. They were all hoping to meet her one-day, but Ayumi began to realize that Akiko never seemed to be around anymore. And Kagome hadn't talked about her in a while.

"Akiko... was offered a study abroad program in the states," Kagome finally managed out. That was the story they were telling anyone that asked. "We think she will be offered a full time position at a university when she's done."

"That's amazing!" Eri exclaimed. "You must be so happy for her."

"I am."

But Ayumi didn't fully believe her. "Then why do you look so sad?" The older teen's smile faltered at that. "You miss her, don't you?"

"Very much."

Kagome didn't pass with flying colors in her exams, but she did do well enough to move on to the next term without having to repeat the year. She was just relieved that she could keep being in classes with her friends.

Seasons came and went, birthdays passed, holidays were celebrated and before Kagome realized it two years had gone by since the well had been sealed. It was rarely even a thought in her mind anymore as she prepared to enter the final year of school. But August 18thalways made her think back for a day or so. Akiko's birthday. Looking into the now empty guest room there were only a few items that remained behind to show that the young woman had lived with them at one point in time. Tobi's bed still sat in a corner. There was a picture of Akiko and her mother framed on a shelf, along with one of Kagome and her as kids during a summer the families had spent together. Though Akiko could never see them, she liked the thought of family mementoes in the room. The high school student never went inside though. It was too difficult.

Pushing off the doorway, Kagome made her way silently through the household and outside. Her eyes lingered on the shrine in the back corner of the property before turning down the wrap around porch and making her way towards the storage room filled with artifacts. Feeling around the back wall of a compartment, she finally found the loose panel and pushed it open. Kagome searched blindly for the scroll of interest, yet was surprised to find that the area was empty. Pulling out the arm she squinted her eyes trying to see if it was tucked away somewhere without success. Where had it gone?

"It's not there anymore." Kagome jumped at the sudden voice, turning to find that her grandfather was standing in the doorway. "I knew you would go looking for it."

The older teen felt a bit bashful at being caught. "I just wanted to check in on her." They never celebrated Akiko's birthday anymore, this day was always hard on them.

"I know, which is why I moved it." Kagome didn't quite understand. "Akiko is doing just fine. The day she's not I will be sure to let everyone know. But if you read the scroll, will it make you happy?" Maybe for a moment knowing that her cousin was doing all right. Yet deep down Kagome knew she might have felt a longing to be back there with her and everyone she cared about. "The well still hasn't opened up. You would just be unhappy and I don't want to see you depressed again." He gave her an encouraging hug. "Your first year back was so hard, and I don't want to see you suffering. You deserve to be happy until you figure things out. Longing for something you can't have won't make you feel any better."

Kagome couldn't help but start crying, burying her face into the older man's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she managed out. He spoke the truth.

"We all miss her that will never change. There's nothing to be sorry for."