"Inuyasha..." Another onlooker's voice came from the tree-a girl's icy voice.
Inuyasha looked up, only then noticing the girl standing high in the tree. With one hand against the trunk, she silently gazed down at him. He felt as though he had been condemned without a word, and an inexplicable guilt rose in his heart.
Han leaped down from the tree and glanced sidelong at Kagome, who was getting up from the ground. Kagome's heart jolted, and she hurried to Inuyasha's side, hiding behind him. I haven't done anything wrong, so why do I feel so guilty...?
"Inuyasha..." Han slowly walked toward him, her usually gentle, smiling face now as cold as frost.
"Han..." Inuyasha looked at Kagome's hand clutching the hem of his clothes, hardly daring to meet Han's eyes.
"I'm sorry," Han said, her face expressionless.
"What?" Inuyasha raised his head in surprise, his eyes widening as he looked at her in confusion.
Smack! A crisp, decisive slap struck Inuyasha's face without the slightest hesitation.
Inuyasha froze where he stood, a faint red handprint slowly rising on his cheek. "Han!"
Inuyasha looked at Han in astonishment. That degree of pain was insignificant to a demon, but what the slap meant...
"Hey! What are you doing?" Kagome clutched the back of Inuyasha's clothes and glared at the girl.
Han cast Kagome a cold glance. Kagome immediately shrank back behind Inuyasha, and Han looked away.
"I'm sorry..." The girl apologized again, her voice catching slightly. She knew perfectly well that she had no right to reproach Inuyasha, but...
"Wait!" Inuyasha caught Han's hand as she raised it high again. Behind him, Kagome quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Inuyasha..." Han lowered her head, letting him hold her right hand tightly, refusing to look at the way he and Kagome stood