Episode 48

Return to the Place Where We First Met is the forty-eighth episode of the InuYasha anime.

Synopsis

 * 1) Kagome, having just witnessed Inuyasha and Kikyō embrace one another, runs back to the modern era; Inuyasha resolves that he can't see Kagome anymore, because it would be too hard for her, and Kagome reciprocates these feelings, believing that there is no room in Inuyasha's heart for her.
 * 2) Kagome thinks that she must be in love with Inuyasha, when she can't bear the thought of never seeing him again.
 * 3) Kagome finally returns to the Feudal Era, and, even though she tried, she concludes that she cannot forget about him, and asks Inuyasha if he will allow her to stay with him.

Summary
Kagome thinks to herself that Inuyasha is looking straight at her and how can he not avert his eyes. Inuyasha calls out to Kagome. Kagome turns and runs away. Inuyasha stands at the Sacred Tree in silence. The next day in the village, inside Kaede's hut, Kagome gives Miroku and Sango antibiotics and ointment for the pain and also lots of gauze and bandages. Miroku and Sango look at Kagome in confusion as Shippō sleeps. Kagome stands up as she prepares to leave. Sango calls out to Kagome. Miroku asks Kagome is she going back home. Kagome says she just came back to bring some medicine. Sango tells Kagome that she should at least make up with Inuyasha as it was a silly argument.

Kagome thinks to herself that she remembers she had a fight with Inuyasha then remembers Inuyasha's encounter with Kikyō. In a flashback, Inuyasha walks towards Kikyō, he tells her that he doesn't care how she feels about him now but he promises that he won't let Naraku have her either and only he can protect her from him before then hugs her against her will. Traveling in the Bone-Eater's Well to the modern era, Kagome thinks to herself that she forgotten all about the argument she and Inuyasha had. Miroku and Sango are at the Bone-Eater's Well. Sango tells Miroku that Kagome seemed very depressed. Miroku says to Sango he can guess why Kagome's feeling that way as remembers the lights above the forest from last night. Miroku and Sango notice Inuyasha walking out of the forest. Sango calls out to Inuyasha. Miroku stands up. Inuyasha stops as he notices Miroku and Sango. Miroku tells Inuyasha that Kagome went back to her home again. Inuyasha says he sees. Miroku asks Inuyasha if he was seeing Kikyō. Sango becomes confused. Miroku tells Inuyasha that Kagome saw him and Kikyō together. Inuyasha says isn't that so and confirms Kagome saw him and Kikyō. Sango angrily asks Inuyasha how could he sneak around like that. Miroku becomes surprised and walks forward a little bit to be in front of Inuyasha to look at him closely as he says to him his face looks like the Buddha and asks why was his face looking so calm and divine. Inuyasha doesn't answer before he walks away as Miroku and Sango watch.

Back in the Modern Era, Kagome sits in her room on her bed. Kagome thinks to herself that after Kikyō left Inuyasha didn't try to avert his eyes from her and he tried to tell her something but she was afraid to listen and ran away and he had already decided. In a flashback, a fatally wounded Kikyō calls out to him before shooting him with her Sacred Arrow pinning him to the Sacred Tree. Inuyasha reaches out for the Sacred Jewel as it slipped from his hand and falls on the ground. Kagome thinks to herself that Inuyasha and Kikyō hated each other because of Naraku's deception and Kikyō followed Inuyasha and died and Naraku who separated them is now after Kikyō again. In a flashback, Inuyasha hugs Kikyō as he tells her that he doesn't care how she feels about him now but he won't let Naraku have her either and only he can protect her from Naraku. Kagome thinks to herself there's no place for her between Inuyasha and Kikyō. In the Feudal Era, at sunset Inuyasha is standing in a field. Inuyasha thinks to himself that he's tried but can't forget about Kikyō after all so he has decided that he can't see Kagome anymore as he mustn't. In the Modern Era, Kagome thinks to herself that Kikyō gave her very life for Inuyasha's sake and she can't compete with that and she can't return to Inuyasha.

The next morning, Kagome wakes up and looks outside to see her grandfather sweeping. Kagome thinks to herself that Inuyasha won't come for her anymore and asks what will she do as she brought the Sacred Jewel fragments back with her and she should return them. Kagome picks up the jar and thinks to herself after she returns them it'll be the end of it all and she'll return to her normal existence as she gets dressed and ready. At breakfast, Grandpa and Sōta discuss why Kagome probably only spent a few hours in the Feudal Era, of course in such a way that she does not hear it. But when Grandpa wants to talk to her about it, Mama interrupts him and Sōta interrupts the same. Kagome excuses herself and heads to school. After Kagome disappears, the two of them say that Mama is far too ignorant and she proves this by not saying another word about Kagome's lack of words.

On the way to school, Kagome's three friends meet up with her, who are happy that she has finally recovered from her "illness", and they soon talk to her about what about her "jealous boyfriend". Where upon Kagome, wanting to avoid the subject, pauses for a moment and then finally turns to her friends and announces with a beaming, but obviously put on smile, that he has broken up with her. Understanding the signal that Kagome is upset about the "breakup", the three girls decide to stop talking about it. Back in the Feudal Era, in a hut Sango is taking care of Miroku's wounds. Shippō angrily asks Inuyasha how could he as he was so upset because Kagome got friendly with Kōga yet now he wants to think only about Kikyō. Sango tells Inuyasha how shallow his feelings are. Miroku tells Inuyasha to go see Kagome. Inuyasha says to stop it as he's decided not to see Kagome again. Miroku stands up and puts his foot on Inuyasha's head, annoying him. Miroku tells Inuyasha to stop misunderstanding him as takes his foot off of him and kneels down and says Kagome took the Sacred Jewel fragments with her and for him to go get them as only he can pass through the well. Inuyasha becomes surprised. Sango questions just the Sacred Jewel fragments. Shippō asks Miroku doesn't he care about Kagome. Miroku stands up and says it can't be helped as Inuyasha picked Kikyō and it's cruel to ask Kagome to come back.

Later, Inuyasha is sitting on a fence as Kaede is picking herbs. Kaede calls out to Inuyasha as she asks is he really sure about this. Inuyasha asks Kaede not her too. Kaede tells Inuyasha that the present Kikyō is made from earth and bones and she's not of this world. Inuyasha thinks to himself that Kikyō's body maybe different but her spirit still remains. Kaede asks Inuyasha does he understand as he and Kikyō can never be together in this world as her older sister's wish is for the 2 of them to die together. Inuyasha says that's fine as he is prepared to leap into hell with Kikyō if that is her wish. Inuyasha looks up into the sky as he thinks to himself if that's his destiny with Kikyō then he'll embrace it without a second thought.

Back in the Modern Era, in the wellhouse Kagome is in front of the well and holding the jar with the Sacred Jewel fragments. Kagome thinks to herself she must go to return the Sacred Jewel fragments and prepares to leave but stops as she doesn't want to as she's afraid as once she gives them back she won't be able to see Inuyasha again. In Kagome's mind, Inuyasha tells her 'sorry' as he decided to go with Kikyō. Kagome becomes angry as she thinks to herself for Inuyasha to not tell her that she remembers Inuyasha and Kikyō hugging then she wishes Kikyō would just disappear then becomes surprised. Kagome thinks to herself has she turned into such a horrible woman then leaves the well house then thinks she probably have a horrible look on her face right now and she can't see Inuyasha looking like this.

On the way back to the house, Kagome walks in front of the Sacred Tree and the shards of the Sacred Jewel starts to glow. Kagome remembers that's the place where she first met Inuyasha 500 years in the past. In the shadows, she remembers her and Inuyasha's first encounter, the confusion because of the resemblance to Kikyō. She says that maybe she'd better never have met him in order not to have to live with this pain. She starts to cry and realizes and admits to herself that she loves Inuyasha and wants to see him again.

Then Ms. Higurashi comes home through the gate and Kagome can no longer hold back her tears as she runs and cries out at her mother and the two sit on a bench in the shade of the sacred tree. Ms. Higurashi says that the sacred tree is a very special one. She tells how she had quarreled with her husband before the marriage and did not know what to do next, but under the tree everything became clear to her and she found the right words and finally she got her marriage proposal here. Then she says that she doesn't need to know what happened to help her daughter, because she will come up with the right words on her own, for which Kagome thanks.

In the Feudal Era, Shippō tells Inuyasha again that he should go to Kagome, but Kagome is afraid to tell Kagome that they cannot stay together. Miroku and Sango join in and say that Inuyasha shouldn't line up like that and that Kagome is probably much worse off because she is completely in the dark. They are also in favor of initiating a conversation and Inuyasha wants to explain himself, but the three go away and give up because Inuyasha simply does not want to do anything. Inuyasha eventually decides to go say goodbye to Kagome. When Inuyasha later goes to the well to tell Kagome that she can no longer stay with him, but when he arrives at the clearing, he is surprised to see Kagome already sitting on the edge of the well. Kagome stands up and tells Inuyasha that she has thought a lot and also says that she can understand Inuyasha well and that she came to the conclusion that she shouldn't stay in the Feudal Era. Inuyasha says first of all that Kagome was the first he could trust and that she was always loyal to his side, which he values ​​very much and he likes her very much. But he also says that he will never be happy because he has to bear the burden of Kikyō's death. Kagome says that Kikyō's sacrifice is probably above all her achievements for Inuyasha, but she is not undead after all. The only resemblance she sees between herself and Kikyō is that they both love Inuyasha and that this has given her the courage to walk through the well again. Last but not least, she adds that she will never forget him and asks if she might be allowed to stay with him after all. Inuyasha is surprised that she wants to stay because of him, but he agrees, even if he doesn't have to say so openly. Kagome now thinks that it is meant for Inuyasha and that he will probably figure it out on his own at some point. Then they make their way back to the village hand in hand, Kagome tells Inuyasha with her thoughts that she will be by his side always.

Differences from the manga

 * The scene of Kagome at home eating breakfast with her family and the later scene of Kagome's mother comforting her under the Goshinboku are anime original.
 * In the manga, following her encounter with Inuyasha, Kikyō confronts Naraku at his castle. An Unnamed incarnation attacks Kikyō, but, having covered her body in dirt from Onigumo's cave, the incarnation is instantly destroyed upon touching her. None of this is present in the anime.
 * In the manga Miroku, Sango, and Hachiemon tell Inuyasha that they heard that a castle had recently vanished, and poisonous insects were seen flying away from it, leading them to believe that it was Naraku's castle and that they planned to investigate the following day. In the anime, Miroku and Sango approach Inuyasha and tell him to make a clean break with Kagome, and make no mention of Naraku's castle.