|
Kagome
pulled a floppy khaki hat out of her bag and put large dark sunglasses on her face. She hoped that this would at least keep
the fans from noticing her on the street. It seemed that the public wanted a replacement for Kikyo and no one was really ready
to accept that Kagome wasn’t her. They still followed her around wherever she went. It was as though she could never
get away.
Despite being thoroughly crushed and infuriated by her miserable grade in Calculus, she was eager to
get to the hospital. No matter what seemed to happen in her “real” life, she could slip into a world where she
was always welcome and her bright and cheerful nature was a godsend. Volunteering made her feel like she was actually doing
good in the world. It made her feel like she was actually helping people.
When she’d been a kid, she always wanted to be a real doctor, but in the first week of college
when they slapped a picture of some kind of tumor on the overhead, she knew she’d never make it. She’s switched
her major to teaching shortly after. It was better to inspire future doctors and great minds than to be a failed attempt at
one. Once she’d gotten into it though, she realized that she’d found her calling.
If it hadn’t been for Calculus, then she’d never have thought she would fail at it.
In fact, everything seemed to be crumbling recently. Sango, so focused on saving the world, was becoming
disillusioned by the cruel reality she saw everyday. She was finding herself running from people intent on destroying her,
rather Kikyo. “No,” she said, reminding herself that it must have been an accident. She took off her glasses and
began rubbing at an annoying fleck of fuzz stuck to the lense.
She tilted her head back, looking up at the sky through the glasses, trying to see if she’d removed
the offending dirt. At that moment, there was a shrill shriek; the sound of many running feet and then the flashes of cameras
surrounded her. Kagome yelped and raced away, one hand on her head to keep her hat from falling off as she darted toward the
hospital. Surely they wouldn’t follow her in there!
* * * * * * * *
“Man,
she’s really late. They’re going to fire her if she doesn’t start showing up on time!” Miroku said
with a frown, glancing up at the clock.
Naomi
nodded in agreement. “But then again, she doesn’t get paid . . .” She commented and Miroku shrugged and
continued making notes about his last patient on his clipboard.
“She’s been acting strangely recently anyway. She’s seeing that Kimadora guy, you
know.” He commented, once again distracted from the work he should have been doing.
“Well listen to you, you gossip. Tell me, are you planning to have a knitting party at your house
on Sunday afternoon with all the other old ladies?” Naomi smirked.
“Shut up.” Miroku laughed good-naturedly. “I just think it’s odd. I mean now,
she says that people chase her because she looks like Kikyo Himoda.”
“Really?”
“I
think she’s exaggerating. I mean people-“
His
sentence was cut short, because at that moment, Kagome raced by and dove under the reception desk, squeaking. “Hide
me, oh god, here they come!”
“Wha-“
Naomi began but found herself not finishing the statement as a hoard of fifteen or so people with cameras appeared.
A voice cried out over top of the roar, “Where’s Himoda?”
Miroku stood glaring at them, “This is a hospital! You can’t just block the hallways like
that! Get out of here!” The crowd did not respond, instead it seemed that they were intent on continuing through the
hospital until they found Kagome. “I’m calling security!” He called over the din, hitting the small red
security alert button. The people didn’t seem to hear him, and soon a group of men in blue-black uniforms came and escorted
them out.
Several minutes later, a somewhat shaken Kagome emerged from behind the desk and sat wearily into the
rolling chair and put her head on her hand. Miroku and Naomi could only stare at her. “You mind telling me what THAT
was?” she demanded.
“I can’t get away from them. How do they keep finding me? I mean, they have to know that
I’m NOT Kikyo! They have to know by now! But they chase me! I don’t have any idea what I’m going to do!
They just keep chasing me!” Kagome rambled.
“Kagome,
stop it!” Miroku commanded suddenly. “You’re just rambling!” She nodded and didn’t say anymore.
At that moment, the tall, burly form of Dr. Hayami came into sight. He was a thick man with broad shoulders
and a large, bristly black moustache under his nose. His hands were massive, but Kagome had seen first hand, how exact they
were in an operation. His dark eyes, the color of mahogany wood made him seem powerful and competent, yet any could see that
he was a good and caring doctor. He inspired awe and respect in his peers as well as in his interns and all who worked in
the hospital.
“Higurashi.” He said slowly. She looked up at him, already knowing what he was going to
say. “What was that?”
She
stuttered out some incoherent answer about a dead actress and photographs, but Dr. Hayami just frowned. “I’m sorry.”
She said.
“Higurashi, this is a medical facility. People are seeking healing and quiet here. That sort
of activity is highly detrimental to our hospital!” He told her in a quiet, but strong voice.
“I’m so sorry. They just follow me everywhere!” she told him.
He shook his head and frowned. “You are one of our finest volunteers here, Higurashi. You do
your job well. However, if this is going to be a regular occurrence, you cannot be drawing the attention here!” he told
her.
“I know, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to! I didn’t think they’d come here!”
she moaned.
Dr. Hayami lowered his gaze and peered down the hall curiously. “I’m sorry, too. I have
to ask you not to come back until you won’t be drawing such problems. Once it is resolved, of course, I hope you’ll
come back.”
Kagome froze and looked up at him very intensely. “You’re firing me.” She said. It
wasn’t a questin.
“No, I’m giving you an extended vacation. Contact me when this, whatever it is, is over.”
He told her.
He sighed and walked down the hall, back the way he’d come.
Kagome could not believe what had just happened. It was all because of Kikyo! No, she corrected herself,
it was because of Inuyasha! If he had just let her alone this never would have happened. They wouldn’t have been looking
for her! Somehow, she managed to squash the knowledge that she likely would have been raped or even killed without his help.
He was such a menace! Always showing up at the most inconvenient moment! She turned and raced out of the hospital, heading
toward home. The sky rumbled as steely-blue clouds rolled in.
<<<Back>>>
|
