A/N: Usually if I'm able to, I'll post something on my birthday as a treat to my fellow readers. So here you guys go. I hope you enjoy!
Thank you, as always, to my amazing beta!
Inspired by the song I Got the Boy by Jana Kramer.
Yesterday's Promise
.
.
A cup of hot coffee,
A bunch of memory,
A pile of story,
About you and me,
How we used to be…
.
.
The strong, bitter aroma of ground coffee beans drifted in the air, soaking into her clothes as she made her way to a table by the grimy window that looked out into an equally grimy street. The usual gentle murmur of voices could be heard over the harsh churning sound of the coffee machine as it struggled to produce the brew beloved by the customers, and the grating voice of Ayame, the overworked waitress.
Kikyo's eyes drifted to the rain falling outside and she watched passersby open their umbrellas to ward off the storm. She didn't pay much attention as Ayame strolled over with a mug in one hand and the daily paper in the other.
"Good morning, Kikyo," she greeted.
Said woman turned at the sound of her name, pulling her lips into a tight smile at the girl. Ayame was younger than she by a few years, and her fiery red hair complimented her spirited personality. "Good morning," she murmured in return. "Busy day, it seems."
Green eyes rolled with barely concealed annoyance. "That's an understatement. Everyone is trying to warm up from the rain. Hopefully it'll pass over soon."
"Yes," she replied, resting her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand. "That would be nice."
Ayame smiled heartily and set down the mug in front of her. "Hazelnut macchiato and today's paper. Your usual."
Eyes flickered over her face with amusement. "Perfect, as always."
The red-head beamed. "Anything for you. Just flag me down if you need me." And just like that, she was bustling off to another waiting table.
Kikyo's coffee sat prettily in a white china cup, a leaf pattern in delicate milky foam among the pale brown. She wrapped her fingers around it, enjoying the heat that spread through her hands. She took a sip like it was a great luxury, her face relaxing as she savored both the drink and the moment.
Despondency crept into her eyes as her smile became sad, letting her gaze roam to the rest of the small café. Vintage photographs hung on the walls, and dim lights on the nine foot ceilings were bright enough to shine on the chestnut colored floors. There was a student lying on one table with his messy mathematics homework, and a group of family members nearby were whispering to chat with each other.
Kikyo loved walking into the quaint bistro and enjoying the hushed environment It was a place for contemplation, to enjoy the soft murmurs of company that were simply a low hum in her ears. It made her feel a little less… lonely.
Turning her attention to the paper and away from her melancholy thoughts, Kikyo flipped through the pages slowly. She took her time, relishing in every word printed on the page. It was her morning ritual. She enjoyed this moment away from the buzzing of computer screens and the ringing of telephones. Working for a major corporation had its perks, of course, but she still needed to step away from it all and enjoy her silence.
A half-hour passed before she finally reached the Wedding Announcements, and she usually skipped over them, but one gray printed picture drew her attention. She parted her lips to let in a small breath, her eyes skimming over the familiar strong jaw and subtle smirk upon his lips.
It had been years since she had last seen him. He looked so grown up in that black tux, with his hair cropped short and formally styled. She barely recognized him, and yet…
-YP-
"I'll be back shortly," Kikyo called to her coworker, receiving an acknowledging smile as she chatted away on the telephone.
Usually she would wait until lunch time to indulge in something to eat, but she had been running late that morning and hadn't had the time to grab breakfast. Fortunately, her ever reliable coworker had coffee waiting upon her arrival, but it had done little to soothe her growling stomach.
Mumbling a greeting as she stepped on the elevator, she pressed the button for the basement and waited patiently for the car to reach her destination. It was only nine-thirty in the morning, but she knew she couldn't wait until noon without sustenance. She could already feel her patience thinning with each hour that passed.
The elevator, now empty except for her, finally reached her desired floor and dinged, opening the doors to the long, dim corridor. Very rarely did she travel down this far. She had plenty of staff working beneath her to do her bidding and run her errands, but this was something she alone had to do.
Her heels clicked solidly against the cement flooring as she turned a corner and her eyes lit up at her prize. She bit her lower lip to hold back a very unlady-like squeal as she felt relief flood her chest. "Food," she practically moaned.
Even though she worked at a major corporation, there was in fact only one working vending machine in the entire building. She really had meant to fix that particular situation, but her to-do list had become so excruciatingly long as of late, she barely had the time to sleep, often spending late nights in her office to try and catch up.
Which led to the reason as to why she had inadvertently slept through her alarm.
Quickly fishing out her debit card and running it through the card reader, she gazed hungrily at a bag of Cheetos that taunted her through the plexiglass. However, before she could even punch in the numbers that would grant her some relief, the machine read: Card denied.
"Hm," she muttered, her eyes narrowing with confusion. "That can't be right…"
Kikyo clenched the shoulder strap of her bag tighter as she ran her card through again, only to receive the same response. But she knew her card had money on it – more than she knew what to do with. So how could it be coming up as denied?
"Having trouble?" a gruff voice suddenly spoke, causing her to snap her head to attention. A young man around her age with long, startling silver hair appeared from around the corner from the elevators, meeting her at the cursed vending machine.
"I suppose so," was her reply. She had never seen the man before, but the badge hanging from his left shirt pocket identified him as an employee.
"This things been busted for a while now," he continued, luminous amber eyes studying the machine before him. "Only takes coins."
She frowned. "I see…" Well, she supposed she would just have to wait until lunch time. It was her only alternative.
The stranger started noisily digging through his pockets before producing a few silver coins. "Here you go," he offered, quickly slipping them into the dispenser. "What'cha havin'?"
"There's no need for that," she tried to brush off his hospitality. "It's quite all right."
"Keh. Your call if you wanna starve." He ran a hand through his long, messy silver hair, and with her quizzical expression, he continued. "You just looked pretty disappointed not having something to eat."
His observation shocked her. Never in all her years had she met someone who could read her so openly. Was she finally beginning to lose the cold demeanor that everyone told her about? Or did she simply let down her guard for just a minute while in his presence?
"I can wait until lunch time," she assured, giving him a nearly imperceptible smile. "I appreciate the gesture, though."
He shrugged, pressing a few numbers to have a bag of Cheetos, of all things begin unwinding from its compartment. Without warning, he kicked the machine, followed up by a shove with his shoulder, allowing two bags to fall at once. He stooped down to fish out his prize, a satisfied smirk on his lips.
Kikyo raised a brow. "Isn't that stealing?"
"Nah," he denied. "This place already rips off enough of my money. I'm sure they wouldn't miss a few measly dollars."
His words wounded her. Even though she was only nineteen, Kikyo had found herself working high up in the chain of command considering she had been immersed in the company's dealings since she was young. Being the daughter of the man who built the company, she felt her pride flare. "My father is not one to embezzle his employees," she retorted sharply.
Revealing her identity didn't seem to faze him. "Then you've got a lot to learn about your old man." He tossed her one of the bags of Cheetos, which she haphazardly caught before it hit the floor. "I'll see you around, Princess," he called over his shoulder, slipping his hands into the pockets of his trousers and walking away.
Kikyo stood for a moment, glancing down at the bag of chips in her hand, her mind reeling from the encounter with the stranger. She never even got to ask him his name.
-YP-
"Kikyo!"
She snapped out of her reverie, eyes focusing on a petite, young brunette who came barreling through the doors of the coffee shop. Shaking off her dripping umbrella, she slid into the booth across from her.
"Kaede," Kikyo greeted once her sister had situation herself. "This is a surprise."
She shrugged and beamed at her. "Father sent me. Said he needs you in early today."
Concealing the desperate need to roll her eyes, Kikyo reached for her coffee, sipping gingerly from it before giving her full attention. "I see. What does he need this time?"
Kaede waved away her words. "Who knows? Probably has something to do with one of his clients. You know how he is."
"Yes," she mumbled distractedly, gaze turning to the window. "I do."
Brown eyes glanced over the paper in her hands, recognizing the man in the gray-printed picture. "Oh wow! I haven't seen him in a while."
Before Kikyo could protest, Kaede had snatched the Wedding Announcements from her. "I'm all finished, so we can leave now," she tried to divert her sister's attention, but it was to no avail.
"She's pretty," Kaede mumbled, eyes gazing at the woman standing beside him in the picture. "And he sure does look grown up."
Fighting to bury the sting from Kaede's words, Kikyo exhaled deeply. "Yes, he does." She had already noticed his elegant attire and the absence of youth. He no longer resembled the boy she had grown to adore years ago.
"Honeymoon in Jamaica?" Her sister gave a drawn out whistle.
Kikyo smiled gently, feeling a tug on her heartstrings. "She's a lucky girl."
"How long has it been?"
"A long time." Her eyes grew distant; memories of a past long buried swirling beneath them. "Seems like another world."
-YP-
"Stop being a prude," he grumbled, shrugging on his leather jacket.
Kikyo felt a blush come to her cheeks. "I am not being a prude," she defended, her arms clasped around her tightly. "I just prefer not to be arrested."
He rolled his eyes. "We're not going to get arrested." He slammed the car door shut and locked it before meeting her by the front of the car. "It'll be fine. Trust me."
A few weeks ago, she had finally tracked down the boy who had gifted her with that bag of Cheetos. He was actually a year younger than she, and had worked for her father's company for a few months. But being a janitor didn't really earn him the right of collaborating with the higher ups. During their first few interactions, he appeared rough around the edges, a bad boy even, which somehow sparked her interest.
He never really cared for table manners (as she found out one day when she invited him to lunch), or what other people thought of him (evident by his lack of a filter when it came to his mouth). It didn't even seem to bother him that they often received strange looks because of his unusual physical appearance.
He just seemed so…free. Uncaged. Answered to no one.
Maybe that was why she had found him so attractive.
"Inuyasha," she hissed as they neared the entrance to the bar. "It's not going to work."
"Look," he said, whirling around to face her, bushy brows furrowed in annoyance. "This is Spring Break. This is when you're supposed to be irresponsible and do things like sneaking into bars. You need to learn to loosen up a little."
Not waiting for a response, he stormed toward the bar entrance and handed the bouncer his fake ID. He smiled easily, as if he had done this before (which Kikyo was sure by this point that he had), and slipped through the entrance without a second glance.
Well, Kaede had always told her that one of her major flaws was her pride, and now she could feel the full fledge of it coming to the surface. Inuyasha was not about to get the best of her! Pulling her shirt down just a little to show off some cleavage like he had instructed back in the car (ignoring the blush rising in her cheeks from looking so promiscuous), she handed the bouncer her ID and flashed him her sweetest smile.
Green eyes glanced between her and the ID, eyeing it suspiciously. She felt her heart skip a beat as panic began rising within her. Damn that Inuyasha, she mentally cursed. She could feel herself teetering on the edge between freedom and jail.
Then the bouncer simply gave her a nod, handed back her ID, and shouted, "Next!" to the customer waiting behind her. Kikyo blinked once, then again, before ushering into the darkness of the bar.
She couldn't believe that worked!
"About time," Inuyasha greeted, sidling up next to her, hand wrapped around her arm as he guided her deeper into the bass-pounding music toward the people crowding the bar.
"I swear my heart was about to leap out of my chest," she huffed in return, annoyed now that the panic had passed.
His chest rumbled as he chuckled. "I told you to trust me. You've got nothin' to worry about, Princess."
Kikyo shot him a glare. "Don't call me that," she shouted over the music, but he didn't seem to have heard her.
They wound their way through the warm bodies to order a drink – a dark whiskey for him, a classic martini for her (which he rolled his eyes at) – and he pulled her onto the dance floor.
Always being a classy lady, brought up in rich mansions and driving around in limousines, Kikyo had never ventured into the dark corners of the streets where music took a person to a whole other world. She had never gone on a date with a boy, let alone kissed one, but suddenly felt an unfamiliar heat churn in the pit of her stomach as the crowd pressed her up against Inuyasha.
His lustrous, warm amber eyes stared down at her and she suddenly found it hard to breathe, as if he had sucked the air right from her lungs. She was suddenly hot, their bodies too close, but knew there was no escaping him.
And deep down, she admitted she never wanted to.
-YP-
The rain still hadn't let up by the time Kikyo had finished her coffee. She was content to stay in the coffee shop for the remainder of the day, but Kaede's insistent tug on her jacket caused her to involuntarily give in. Her father beckoned for her attention, and what her father wanted, her father got.
"Thank you, Ayame,' she said to the waitress as she passed by, slipping the girl an extra bill.
She beamed. "Oh, thank you, Kikyo! I'll see you soon!"
Kaede swiftly opened their umbrellas as they stepped outside, allowing Kikyo a fleeting glance at the grimy street, before slipping into the limousine parked on the curb. Kaede sat down beside her, giving an audible huff as the driver switched gears.
"Are you scheduled at the office today?" Kikyo asked, pulling out a mirror to review her makeup before making a public appearance.
Shaking her head, the brunette grinned. "No, I have class this afternoon, so Father gave me the day off."
Kikyo smiled, a swell of pride in her chest. "I see. Are you enjoying your classes?"
"Very much!"
Unlike Kikyo, who their father dubbed the heir to the company, Kaede was allowed to attend University with any major she desired. With the business taken care of, there was no need to force her into business classes or marketing management.
However, that also meant that he showed no interest in the younger sibling.
"I'm very happy to hear that," Kikyo regarded, placing a loving hand on her sister's head.
Kaede giggled in response, her laughter child-like, as she turned her attention to ask the driver something about stopping for ice cream afterward.
-YP-
"Are you sure?"
His question was hesitant, his amber eyes curious, as he paused in slipping on his gloves. She knew what he thought of her, always calling her a 'princess' and a 'prude'. She really couldn't blame him. But over the months of spending time with him, she suddenly found him addicting – a need – and found herself doing things the girl from four months ago never would have dreamed of.
"I am," she affirmed with a nod of her head, stealing a glance at the latest trouble he was to partake in.
Inuyasha studied her a moment longer, before shrugging, a sly grin stretched across his face. "All right. Suit yourself."
He slid onto the front of the ATV – meaning an All Terrain Vehicle she would later discover – and revved it to life. She swallowed passed the lump in her throat, a part of her wanting to run in the other direction and forget this ever happened. But another part of her, the larger part of her, loved the adrenaline of the unknown, of something new and exciting.
With a deep breath, she sat down behind him, fitting her boots onto the rungs and wrapping her arms securely around his chest. She squeezed her eyes shut as the engine vibrated beneath her and she sincerely hoped she wouldn't regret this.
His back shook with laughter, causing her to lift her head with confusion. "Loosen up," he instructed over the rumble, casting a humor-filled gaze over his shoulder. As if saying it wasn't enough, he gently ran a hand over hers, causing her skin to tingle. "Relax."
Pressing her face into his mane of silver hair, Kikyo felt the four-wheeler lurch on the dirt path and suddenly they were speeding toward the forest. A scream tore itself from her lips as she was almost thrown backwards by the sheer velocity.
"Inuyasha!" His name flew from her lips in a high-pitched scream as she was nearly bucked from the vehicle, the only savior her arms wrapped tightly around his torso. "Slow down!"
Either he didn't hear her, or he didn't care.
At first, she wanted to tell him to stop, to let her off on solid ground, even if it was in the middle of the forest. She would put up with his teasing comments and barbs for the rest of eternity. She honestly didn't care.
But then…
She felt it.
The wind rushing passed her face.
Her heart racing in her chest.
The damp morning air sticking to her lungs.
And just like all the other times she had agreed to Inuyasha's crazy adventures, she felt freedom fluttering just beneath the surface. A wide smile broke out upon her face as she loosened her hold, the exhilaration of the ride hitting her full force.
She laughed. She wasn't sure why she found herself laughing so hard, but all of a sudden, she couldn't stop. Her breath came in quick gasps and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, although she wasn't sure if it was from the wind or her fits of giggles.
Kikyo was having fun.
And she was completely – irrevocably – okay with it.
-YP-
When Kikyo first entered her father's office, she took notice how weary he looked. Combined with the gray hair and worry lines from the past few years, he appeared all the more fatigued. Stress had taken its toll on him.
"You wanted to see me, Father?" she greeted, rapping lightly on his door.
He pulled his eyes away from his computer screen. "Ah, yes, Kikyo. Please come in." He gestured to the seat across from him, adjusted his glasses, and pulled out a file folder.
Kikyo raised a brow curiously, settling down into the leather armchair and turning her attention fully to the documents he laid out before her. "What is this?"
"Your newest client," he offered. "A medical group wanted to write up a contract with us for our pharmaceutical wing. You'll be taking charge."
She knitted her brows. "Me?" she echoed, confused. "But Father, I've never taken charge of a client before."
"Yes, I know, but you've excelled in all other fields. You're ready to start stepping into your new role as CEO."
I am only twenty-six! she wanted to shout at him, remind him that she still had so much life ahead of her before becoming buried in her work. She wanted to go out with her friends, the few she had, and go on adventures, maybe fall in love again. Was it wrong of her to want such things? Was it wrong for her to loathe the man sitting across from her?
Yes, a voice whispered in the back of her mind.
She sighed. Of course it was wrong of her. How could she be so selfish? Her father was sick, her mother was gone, and her sister was free from the tainted darkness of the world. How could she refuse this and leave waste to all her father had built? How could she deny an opportunity others would kill to have?
"Of course," she finally agreed, reaching out and taking the file from him. "When will they be here?"
-YP-
"Inuyasha, where are we going?"
She was answered by a subtle smile and the same words he had been repeating since he showed up at her house thirty minutes ago. "You'll see."
Kikyo pulled her lips into a frown, puzzled by his strange behavior. Over the past several months of knowing him, she had discovered that Inuyasha was brash, blunt, and tactless. So being secretive and discreet was totally new.
He never ceased to surprise her.
Exhaling deeply, she turned her gaze to the orange hues of dusk. They were currently speeding along a road located a few miles north that turned and twisted around a steep hill. She had little experience outside of the city limits, so she had no clue where he was taking her.
After another twenty minutes of mindless driving, Inuyasha finally began to slow his rusted red pickup and reversed into a small lookout clearing that branched off the edge of the mountain. "We're here," he announced, shutting off the engine and climbing out.
Kikyo stepped out of his truck and surveyed the area. No other cars were in sight. "We're in the middle of nowhere," she pointed out.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes – and was that a blush? – as he opened his back compartment and pulled out a blanket and a few pillows. "Keh, give me a minute," he grumbled.
Doing as he asked, and still fairly confused as to what he could be up to, Kikyo took a step back and watched him work. He spread out the blanket in the bed of his pickup, throwing the pillows near the top end as well, before grabbing a cooler he had stored behind the driver's seat and adding it to the bed. He finished with folding a second blanket over his arm.
"Princess," he said, sweeping his arm out in a grand gesture. "Your throne awaits."
Wide-eyed, Kikyo glanced between him and the make-shift bed he prepared. "E-Excuse me?"
Dark brows furrowed and even in the dim light of the sunset she could tell a deep blush had come to his cheeks. "Uh, y-you heard me," he stuttered, running a hand nervously over the back of his neck. "Get in the truck."
Not at all convinced by his strange behavior, Kikyo folded her arms over her chest. "Inuyasha, I don't think—"
"C'mon," he grumbled, hands clenching as he refused to meet her eyes. "Don't make this more difficult than it already is."
A perfectly shaped brow rose behind dark bangs. "I don't see how anything about this is difficult—"
Her words were cut short as he dropped the blanket on the back of the truck, and proceeded to throw her over his shoulder – earning an alarming squeal – and plopped her in the center of the bed. Kikyo, thoroughly surprised by what had just occurred, sat for a moment stunned as he climbed in after her.
"You have trouble trusting people, don't you?" Inuyasha chastised as he scooted up beside her, laying the second blanket over their laps.
"And you have trouble knowing how to treat a lady," Kikyo snipped in response, finally recovered from his barbaric behavior. She folded her arms over her chest and fixed him with a stern glare. "Never in my life have I—"
"Would you shut up for five minutes?" he interrupted her again, leaning back against the pillows and giving her a discerning look. "Sit back, relax, and have a beer."
Not used to taking orders from someone other than her father, Kikyo was at a loss of words. So she simply did as he instructed and leaned back in the truck beside him, getting comfortable under the blanket. He dug around in the cooler for a moment before producing two lagers, popping off the tops and handing one to her.
He knew she wasn't a beer person.
But she knew he didn't care.
Kikyo sipped on the beer gingerly, not a fan of the taste, but rather enjoyed the cool sensation down her throat. As she turned her eyes forward to where the edge of the truck met the cliff, her breath halted in her chest. The stars were just beginning to shine in the midst of twilight as the city lights far below the mountain flickered on.
She had never seen anything more beautiful.
"Inuyasha…" she breathed, words lost to her as she soaked in the moment.
He ran a hand through his long, messy silver hair. "Yeah, I figured you might like it. I come out here to think sometimes."
Brown eyes peered at him curiously. He's nervous… "What do you think about?" she asked, her voice quiet with a hint of curiosity. She couldn't remember him every truly opening up to her before.
He shrugged. "Lots of things." He took a sip from his beer as she waited expectantly, giving him time to sort out his thoughts. "Mostly about the future."
"The future?" She hummed, turning her gaze toward the sunset again. "That seems silly."
"Silly?" he echoed defensively with a scowl. "How is that silly?"
"The future hasn't yet come to pass," she explained. "Why worry about something that hasn't happened yet?"
"Because some of us don't have a luxurious mansion to fall back on if the future fails."
In the process of lifting her beer to her lips, Kikyo suddenly paused. She lowered her hand and gave Inuyasha a stern gaze. "What is that supposed to mean?"
He groaned, running a hand through his messy hair – again – and averted his gaze. "Ah, that's not what I meant."
"Then please, explain," she prodded, swirling her beer and raising a brow.
He huffed, fumbling for words for a moment, before continuing. "Your father hates me."
His words startled her, and she felt a flicker of a smile come to her lips. "Why do you say that?"
Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders, turning his attention to the darkening sky. "'Cause I'll never be good enough for you."
They had known each other for almost a year, and in that time they had never truly defined what they were. There were no labels to their relationship. They had simply found companionship in each other, and were drawn together like moths to a flame.
She frowned. "That's not true."
"Keh," he scoffed. The waning pink sky faded to purple as the last bits of sunlight faded over the horizon. "Who are you trying to kid?"
Kikyo turned, curling her legs beneath her, as she set down her alcohol on the framework. "Inuyasha," she spoke, her voice laced with deep concern. "Where is this coming from?"
"One day, you're going to be the CEO of a major corporation who's bringing in six figures easy, and I'll still be working at some job that barely covers my rent." He gave her a sideways glance. "You do the math."
She drew her brows together. "My father has never had an issue with your financial situation," she defended. "He only cares for my happiness."
"That's a load of crap and you know it."
Kikyo's mother had always been a kind, doting woman who wanted nothing but the best for her children. Thinking back, however, Kikyo could recall the crass, bull-headed man who raised her and knew Inuyasha's worries were somewhat valid.
She shook her head, granting him an easy smile. "Inuyasha, you two simply need time to get to know one another," she reasoned. "After all, you've only met my father on a few occasions."
"And each one he was looking down his nose at me," he bit back in response. "Face it. A year from now, maybe two, I'll be long gone. Far away from here."
Silence lay before them for a moment as she studied him. It was true they were from different worlds (he had a rip in his jeans) and she far exceeded him when it came to financial stability (and he had a smudge of dirt on his cheek from working on his truck), but she also knew that none of this bothered her. It never had. She only wished he could see that.
The thought of Inuyasha gone, out of her life, suddenly frightened her. Before him, she had felt caged, ruled by the world around her, and never felt like a normal girl. But with him…she had experienced freedom she had only dreamed of.
She didn't want him to go.
"Then let's leave."
Amber eyes widened, as Inuyasha paused mid-sip to give her an incredulous expression. "That's real cute, Kikyo," he jeered, shaking his head with a humorless smile.
She balled her hands into fists. "I'm serious," she assured, her voice steeled with determination. "Let's leave this place. Just the two of us."
"Is your brain broken?" he asked, pointing to his head.
"Why not?" Her eyes turned fierce. "Is there something wrong with running away with me?"
"You have your whole life here," he reminded. "Your parents, your little sister, your billionaire company. What more could you want?"
She frowned, twirling her finger through her long, obsidian hair. "Freedom," she whispered quietly. "I'm tired of living with his expectations thrust upon me. He wants me to be some princess who takes over the business one day."
"You don't want that?"
"No," she mused, her gaze distant as she watched the last of the pink sky fade. "I want to be free to make my own decisions. I just want to be a normal girl."
He studied her for a long moment, eyes contemplating. "You…You really mean it? You'd leave everything behind; your fancy dresses, and luxurious mansion, and limousines…You'd leave it all and come with me?"
Heart racing in her chest, Kikyo felt a blush come to her cheeks as she nodded meekly at his question. She didn't give it a second thought. "Yes, Inuyasha. I will come with you."
"Promise me."
She startled at his command.
"Promise me," he spoke again, his voice demanding – needy – and God, how could she say no to that?
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. "I promise," she spoke, her voice a breathy whisper.
And suddenly, he was beside her, one arm curled around her shoulders, the other snaking around her waist, pulling her close. She could feel his breath along her skin, the rapid beat of his heart against her chest, and see the million shades of gold in his eyes.
"Kikyo…"
The way he spoke her name made her quiver and her stomach pool with that unfamiliar warmth. He came closer, his nose brushing against hers, and her mouth ran dry. The poised and proper young woman who always held confidence in every step was suddenly scared. "I-I never—" she stuttered.
"I-It's okay," he mumbled in return, pink dusting the bridge of his nose. "Neither have I."
And then his lips were upon hers, and all the fears she had about not knowing what to do during her first kiss – how it would feel or if she would be any good – melted away. Her lips began moving on their own accord as she kissed him in return, feeling a sensual heat fill her being from the tips of her ears to the tips of her toes.
For his first kiss, he wasn't half bad.
Not as if she had anything to compare it to.
But still. If his first kiss made her feel like this…
Breathless, she pulled away, resting her forehead against his, her eyes closed as she tried to regain her composure. Everything felt so dazed. She could only concentrate on the erratic breathing sharing the space between them.
Finally, he pulled back, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. She wanted more, and yet, the rational part of her mind told her to slow down. This was only their first kiss. Their first date, if you could call it that. And being a classy lady such as she, Kikyo knew she was not yet ready to take it further.
He lay back and gently pulled her to his chest, and they looked up into the starry night sky. "A-Are you sure?" he finally spoke hesitantly. "I mean, I'm not exactly high-class."
"Which is why I want to be with you." She pulled away to look down at him, brushing her fingers through his slick silver bangs. He sweats when he's nervous… "You make me feel like an ordinary girl. I can't imagine this ever going away."
Inuyasha granted her a rare, genuine smile, running the pad of his thumb over her skin, and searching her gaze with his. "Well then, where to first, Princess?"
She shot him a playful glare before snuggling up in the crook of his arm, intertwining her fingers with his. "Anywhere but here."
He pressed a kiss to her head, mumbling, "Anything for you, Kikyo."
-YP-
"She isn't that pretty," her coworker assured her for the seventh time that hour as Kikyo's gaze drifted to the newspaper on her desk. "Really. He definitely down-graded."
Kikyo hid her smile, knowing her coworker was only trying to cheer her up. "Did you retrieve those files for me?"
She handed her a folder filled with the information on this new company wanting to partake in their pharmaceutical wing. "Honestly, you shouldn't even waste your time over him," her nosey coworker continued, brown hair bouncing along her shoulders as she settled herself on the edge of Kikyo's desk. "I have this friend who's really cute. You two could totally hit it off! He works in finance, but I promise he's not that much of a bore."
Kikyo wrinkled her nose. "I'm not really looking for anyone at the moment," she deferred. Catching a glimpse of the red blinker on her coworker's desk phone, she followed up with, "You have a line on hold."
"Oh!" And just like that, her coworker had vacated Kikyo's desk for her own, and began prattling away on the telephone.
Chuckling, Kikyo turned back to her paper work. But only seconds later did she find her eyes straying to that black and white picture in the paper, tracing her gaze over Inuyasha's matured figure. He really did look grown up, nothing like that boy with a baseball cap and a rusted old truck.
They had been so naïve – fearless and young – that reality had no grasp on them. They were free from the chains of society and damned the world for all of its rules.
Perhaps it was the freedom, and not the boy, she had fallen in love with.
-YP-
Betrayal
His eyes practically screamed the word at her as she tried to justify her actions.
"Inuyasha, please," she begged, her cheeks flushed and eyes wet. "Just let me explain."
He shrugged off her hand, shunning her. "Keh, what is there to explain, Kikyo?"
"My-My mom is gone," she sputtered through her tears. "Kaede is all alone. A-And my father—"
"Stop." His tone was deliberate – sharp. "You don't need to spell it out. I knew it was too good to be true."
She held steadfast to his arm, as if to keep him there for another minute. "You have to understand. I-I can't leave them. Not now. Not after my mother's passing."
He still didn't look at her. "I get it, Kikyo. Really, I do. Family obligations and all that."
"Then why won't you look at me?" she demanded. "Do I disgust you that much?"
Inuyasha turned then, grasping her hand in his. "It's—It's not like that." He exhaled deeply, adjusting his baseball cap as he ran a hand through his damp hair. "I just can't stand the thought of not being with you."
"W-What do you mean?" she gasped, eyes wide. "We-We can still be—"
"No, we can't."
"Why not?"
"Because."
"Because why?" she practically wailed, all thoughts of her proper upbringing thrown out the window as she sobbed.
"Because I'm leaving." His words fell flat to her ears, defeated almost. He wore a somber expression. "Just because you're choosing to stay doesn't mean my plans have changed."
She fumbled through her thoughts. When she had first come to the decision that she would have to stay for the sake of her grieving family, she hadn't thought of Inuyasha not staying with her. The thought itself was just too unbelievable in her reality.
"Wh-What? Why…Why not?"
"There's nothing left for me, Kikyo," he explained gently, pulling her arms free from his. "My parents are dead, my brother gone, and Miroku is moving out of state to live at the dorms. I don't have anyone left to stick around for."
You have me! she wanted to scream, pull him back to the safety of his pick up under the night stars all those weeks ago. But then she realized, why should she have to remind him? Why should she have to beg for his affection? Shouldn't he want to stay with her regardless?
Was…
Was she not good enough?
Swallowing thickly, Kikyo reeled in her emotions, erecting the façade he had long ago broken through. "I see." She wiped the tears from her cheeks and ran her fingers through her hair. "I understand why you can't stay, Inuyasha. You have to do what's best for you."
Immediately, he knew what she was doing. He had come to know almost every part of her over the past year. "Kikyo…Don't do this."
"It's all right," she assured him, forcing a smile. "I suppose our paths were only meant to cross for a brief moment."
He studied her – longingly? – in which she knew he never would again. His amber eyes ghosted over her expression, dark brows furrowed, and then his shoulders finally slackened as he came to a decision. "Yeah," he muttered, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. "I guess so."
"Well, Inuyasha," she regarded, her arms folded around her as if to protect her from the oncoming heartache. "I shall say my farewell now. No need to drag out a goodbye—"
Her words were cut off as he pulled her to his chest, her face smothered by the fabric of his shirt (it was his favorite) and scent of his cologne (she had bought it for him months ago). Silver hair shielded her from the outside world and she suddenly felt her walls collapsing – he always knew how to make her world shake – and his breath tickled her ear.
His breath hitched as if he was about to say something, but then he exhaled, deciding against it, and pulled away. He held her at arm's length, before finally stepping back, allowing space between them.
He suddenly felt so far away – out of her reach.
"If you're ever back in town, you know where to find me," she offered, her words formal and mechanical.
"Yeah," he replied, slipping his hands in his slacks. "I'll see you."
And he turned and walked away, out of her life.
-YP-
"Oh, he's a cutie."
Kikyo lifted her eyes from where she had been scanning some paperwork at the swooning voice of her coworker. She wasn't sure who the brunette was speaking of at first, until her eyes landed on a gentleman who looked completely lost.
His strong jaw and dark, curly locks left little to be desired.
"May I help you?" her coworker greeted sweetly, waving to grab his attention.
He smiled – her heart fluttered – relieved to finally find someone to help him.
"Hello, yes," he greeted, flustered. "I actually have an appointment with a Miss Hinata."
The air seemed to instantly deflate from her coworker as she pouted and hooked a thumb in Kikyo's direction. "Right there."
Dark eyes locked with hers as his expression visibly brightened. "Ah, Miss Hinata."
"Yes, can I help you?" Kikyo greeted, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach as he came closer.
"My name is Dr. Kotsu. But please, call me Sui." His handshake was firm, but gentle – and warm.
Flustered (she had absolutely no idea why), Kikyo moved the papers about her desk, haphazardly pushing the newspaper into the trash as she opened his file. "Uh, yes, Doctor. I've been expecting you. Please, take a seat."
He did as she instructed, opening his briefcase in front of him. "I apologize for being a tad bit unorganized," he said, flashing a sheepish grin. "I'm honestly new to all of this, so I may be bothersome to work with."
With his words, she felt her heart ease. "That is quite all right," she assured, granting him a smile. "To be fair, I'm new at this as well. I suppose we shall be learning this together."
Sui's smile widened as he laughed – music to her ears. "Well, isn't that a relief? I was sure I would be made a fool of."
"That will not be a concern," she said. "I promise to go easy on you."
His dark, onyx eyes seemed to shine. "In that case, I have some things I wanted to discuss in relation to partnering with your business. Would you mind?"
"Not at all," she replied, folding her arms on her desk as he laid out some documents before her.
It was well into the meeting, and another two hours after while she was taken to lunch by a very handsome doctor, that she realized she had forgotten all about the newspaper article sitting in her office trash bin.
And it was even later still, well into the night when she fell asleep with a smile on her face, that she had forgotten to retrieve it.