It seemed to Kagome, that while she had spent time in the Feudal Era, finding jewel shards and exterminating demons, her brother had grown into a couch potato, not the vibrant, active youth he once was.
Tapping her chin with her pencil, thinking, she realized now how obvious the fact had been.
On one of hew previous ventures back into her own time to resupply, her mom had mentioned something to her of Souta quitting the soccer team he'd been on. At the time, Kagome had shgugged the fact off, but know she wondered why would Souta quit something he loved.
'Or at least..he used to love it...' Kagome thought absently, chewing the eraser on her pencil.
Another time, where Inuyasha had grasciously allowed her a few days hime to spend with her family and get caught up in school, it had been a saturday, and she had left early, around 9:00 a.m. for an all day shopping trip with her friends, who, of course, wouldn' take no for an answer.
As she had left, she had noticed Souta still in his pajamas ans eyes glued to the television screen,sprawled on the couch and munching on a donuts for breakfast.
It had been a shock to her that when she returned, at almost five in the afternoon, to see Souta STILL in his pajamas and this time pigging out at the table on some of their mom's cooking. Looking at the sofa she also noticed the remains of many junkfood containers: A half-eaten bag of chips, a partially eaten box of donuts, several soda cans....the list went on and on.
Of course, at the time, she's been too tired to notice and decided to skip dinner entirely that evening in favor of a hot bath and a good night's sleep.
All of this had been a few months ago as well. She'd spent her last months n the Feudal Era with Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, and Shippou. She'd immediately went to bed upon arrival in her time, and had to rush to school today to avoid being late.
In fact, she'd barely seen her family at all since she'd gotten here. Though...from the few glances she got of Souta, he did seem a bit...pudgey.
Rising from her desk, Kagome left her room and decided to confirm her suspicions, heading for Souta's room, but instead of finding her brother, Kagome found her mom tidying up her Souta's quarters.
"Mom, where's Souta?" Kagome asked as she stepped into her brother's room.
It had changed since she'd last seen it as well. Hooked up to his television (which he had gotten half a year ago for his birthday, and which, do to an attack by Naraku, Kagome had missed, appeasing her brother for it only by bringing him a demon tooth from the Feudal Era.) was a new gaming system of some sorts and the soccer trophies Souta had once been so proud of had been shoved into a corner and appeared to be oozing with dust. Kagome also noticed the various junk food wrappers littered around the room that Kagome's mom had been picking up.
"Hmm? Oh, Kagome. I believe he's in the kitchen, eating a snack." KAgome's mom responded before returning to her task.
'Of course. I should have known...' Kagome thought sarcastically.
Kagome left silently, quickly coming down the stairs and into the kitchen to find her brother sitting at the kitchen table and digging into a bowl of chocolate ice cream, some of the chocolate confection dried to his face.
As she came in, Souta looked up briefly, but soon went back to devouring his frozen treat.
"Hey, sis." he responded blandly.
"Hello Souta!" Kagome said with false cheerfulness and coming up to lean on the table, the fakest of smiles on her face.
Already she could see he indeed put on at least a few pounds. As he bent down to eat his ice cream, fat around his neck doubled over to form a double chin.
Being Kagome's brother, however, he caught the tone in her voice instantaneously and squinted his eyes at her.
"You're acting weird." he accused.
"Me? Really? Why would I be acting weird? If anyone is acting weird, its you, Souta!" Kagome accused right back as she pranced around to the side of the table, where she could get a full profile view of her brother.
it was worse than she thought.
Not only had her brother developed a double chin, but he now had quite the beginner's belly as well. it spilled onyto his lap and was quite visible with the medium sized shirt her brother had on.
He was definately a large now. He'd put on at least fifteen, if not twenty, pounds.
"What are you talking about?" Souta questioned, still eating his ice cream.
"Well, you quit the soccer team. You constantly laze around the house. And look at yourself? You're almost the size of the junior sumo wrestlers!" Kagome shouted, poiting to Souta's stomach.
Souta blinked innocently at her a few moments.
"...what?" he asked just as innocently.
Kagome sighed and massaged her temples.
This was almost like talking to Inuyasha...
"Souta." Kagome saif firmly. "You, my brother ar egetting fat."
"Fat? Hah, you really have gone crazy sis. I'm not fat." Souta denied.
"Then what is all this?" Kagome asked, lifting up her brother's shirt and grabbing quite a good amount in her hands and shaking it.
At this, Souta got up and glared at her, but his glare soon faded to a sad look. it looked like Souta HAD known he'd been putting on weight.
"I...I can't help it." he told her.
"Wh..what?" Kagome replied, dumbfounded.
"I can't help it, gaining weight." her brother replied.
"Waht do you mean? You quit the soccer team. If you had stayed on it, you probably wouldn't have gained weight." Kagome countered.
Souta laughed.
"Don't you knwo WHy I quit the soccer team?" he asked.
Kagome started to reply, but hesitated. She DIDN'T know why her brother had quit the soccer team.
"I quit because...well, I couldn't keep up with the others. Kagome...even with soccer, I'd already started to put on weight. So I quit." Souta admitted.
"What?! You were already gaining weight even then?" Kagome asked, flabbergasted.
"Yeah...but don't worry! I'm going to start exercising! Soon! I promise!" Souta said, grabbed his ice cream, and left the kitchen quickly and mysteriously.
"Well...he seems a bit odd today." Kagome trailed off, not hearing the kitchen door behing her open.
She realized she wasn't alone when she heard a familair voice....