Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha… I do not own Inuyasha… I do not—I LOVE YOU, INUYASHA! Gosh, why must life be so cruel to me?
A/N: This story's my second! Yippee! It was supposed to be titled "How to Lose the Best Thing That's Ever Happened to You", but since this site is kind of stupid, well, I couldn't fit all that into the freaking title. WARNING: SOME BAD LANGUAGE AND SEXUAL REFERENCES, THOUGH NOT HORRIFYING! Rated "T" until I maybe add a lemon… *evil smirk and laugh* Anyways, this is going to have a love quote, a meaning of a flower, and a memory from the past after the title. It's from Kagome's POV, though I may have little snips of it from Inuyasha's for a wider view of what's going on, you know? Anyways, here's the story, and I hope you like it, because I have high hopes for it. SO DON'T BREAK MY HEART, YOU HEAR? But make sure to review and favorite and all that good stuff that puts a smile on my face. :)
Summary: Higurashi Kagome's older sister, Kikyou, dumps her boyfriend Takahashi Inuyasha once he decides to go study business and all that good stuff in an American college. When he returns, he sets out to win her heart and get back what they had. Despite his persistence, however, Kikyou is frozen, for he kind of sucks when it comes to romancing women. Kagome, being the kind butterfly she is and also remembering the times she spent with Inuyasha (and Kikyou), decides to help Inuyasha win Kikyou's heart, giving him hints on love and things. But things begin to backfire when Kagome finds herself slowly falling in love with the man who's infatuated with her sister. Will Kagome stick to her promise of helping him, or will she back out, ignore him/possibly try to win his affections? As their mission progresses and the steps become more clear, will Inuyasha realize that maybe Kikyou isn't worth it, and what he's wanted all along has been standing in the sidelines all these years...?
Solid Color Carnation:
Yes.
HOW TO LOSE THE BEST THING THAT EVER CAME TO YOU
Step 1: Agree to Help Him Win Your Sister's Heart
"The love that lasts the longest is the love that is never returned."
—William Somerset Maugham
"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped as she swung open the doorway to reveal the half-demon in a business suit. She swung her arms around his neck, forgetting for about a second that he was her elder sister Kikyou's boyfriend. Then, recalling just where she stood in his life—which probably wasn't "best friend" status like she'd given him long ago in her life—she removed herself from him, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Sorry. I just can't believe you're going to America!"
Inuyasha chuckled a little. "Keh, agreed," he said smugly. "Bastards have good business courses, though, and Fluffy's gotta be beaten, so…"
"Yeah," Kagome concurred awkwardly. She knew Inuyasha wanted to study at one of the best business colleges in the world, though, as preparation for his father Inutaisho's corporation, and he could only inherit most of it if he beat Sesshoumaru's degree. Thus he'd come to the Higurashi Shrine before heading off to America for some alone time with Kikyou, his girlfriend and Kagome's older sister—both were older than the young miko by about three years. "Kikyou's up in her bedroom, expecting you."
He nodded solidly, giving the girl a bright smile before racing up to see the elder miko. But not even ten minutes later, Inuyasha stomped down the stairs, his feet like weights as his face came across as slightly ailing. Kagome assumed she would've been like that, too, at the thought of leaving her home behind. Though she did wonder why Kikyou had not escorted him to the door, at the least…
Hearing him come down, Kagome, who was just about to leave to go to her best friend Sango's house, gave him a bright smile, which quickly faltered when she saw how uneasy and pale he was. Gods, she hated seeing the confident Inuyasha so weak-looking, so sluggish and seemingly depressed. "You okay?" she asked worriedly, bringing up her hand to see if he had a fever. Instead, he felt colder than usual, maybe even tense. What was wrong with him?
Inuyasha's breath seemed to catch as he gulped noticeably. His amber eyes met Kagome's azure orbs, and instead of the usual golden fire she always saw, they were clouded over in a dreary state. It was almost heartbreaking. "I don't know" was his only response, his gaze falling before he added, "You're a good kid, Kagome. When someone falls in love with you, don't break their heart for stupid reasons."
"Okay," she said, unsure of what was going on at the moment, but knowing it full-well didn't have to do with his saying a simple goodbye and see you later. "I…" She hesitated, wondering what brought upon this, but finished. "I promise not to break anyone's heart, Inuyasha." He nodded solemnly and, with that, trotted out the door, his hair swinging behind him as he ran away from the Higurashi Shrine, making it all the way to America. He probably never took a single glance back, because the only thing he was really worried about leaving was no longer his.
—~*~—~*~—~*~—
Math homework is extremely irritating. Trust me, I am telling no lie when I say this. If I could, I would give the math teacher, Suzuki-sensei, a piece of my mind, but since I have a spotless student record, that just won't settle well. Besides, if Papa were alive, he'd be beyond livid with me for even slipping to a C in my worst class.
I sigh, then toss my pencil at its cup. Instead of making a basket, it bounces off the wall and into the trashcan. And that, my friend, is a sign from the gods. Kagome, don't do your homework! Suzuki won't care! Go out and have fun! It's all good—we'll cover for you!
I let out a breath again, scrunching up my face as I retrieve the accursed writing utensil from the more-than-smelly basket. I want to yell at my little brother Souta for throwing away food in my bedroom again, but instead, lay my head on my desk, bushed from working—both on homework and at the flower shop. Yes, I am bored. Yes, I really don't want to my homework. And yes, my mom and Jii-chan have graciously checked up on me every five minutes to make sure that I am, indeed, doing said homework.
Sometimes, I think jumping off a bridge would be more fun than math homework. Honestly. That's just how much I loathe numbers, calculations, shapes, and equations.
And, yes, I have just ranted on about hating math for the last few paragraphs.
I groan, resisting the urge to bang my head against my desk. Then my door knocks. Ugh, now what? I snap at the door, "What?"
No response. I was really hoping for a distraction from this math homework. Peachy.
Once more, that knock erupts through the crisp, silent air of my quarters. I mildly curse under my breath, finally having enough of this game after Round One. I whip open my door, prepared to go off on the first person I see, only to see all that's in front of me is an empty hallway. No people, no footsteps, nothing. Well, nothing but my older sister Kikyou drawing a new dress design, but you catch my drift.
Another tapping sound. Oh, Gods, this is getting—
Wait, tap? Not knock? Furrowing my eyebrows, I head over to the window, peering outside.
And there, right below me and standing next to one of our shrine's trees, is one of the most beautiful boys I have ever laid eyes on. A sea of silver hair escalading down his slim, muscular back with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, plus tan skin to add to his gorgeous body features. There's two white dog ears resting on top of his mane, and I really want to touch them, but that's kind of impossible from a second story window when he's on the ground. He has honey-colored eyes that are shining with vivid determination as he throws pebbles against my bedroom window, which I am now opening while gaping at him in mystified trance. I'm wondering why he looks so familiar before it finally clicking that only one person I know has dog ears—
"Inuyasha?" I ask in disbelief. Kikyou's ex-boyfriend Inuyasha? The one she broke up with when he decided to go study at a business college in America? The one I haven't seen in two years?
He looks just as taken aback as me. "Ki-Kikyou?" he asks, tilting his head slightly.
My eye twitches in even more shock. Kikyou? Of all people, he mistakes me for KIKYOU? My temper flares slightly as I ball up my hand. "Not Kikyou, dog-boy!" I practically screech. "Kagome! Ka-go-me!" Then, under my breath, I add, "Dummy."
His eyes narrow. "Keh, I heard that, wench!" he shouts, and I roll my eyes. Of course his doggy hearing picks up on it. How could it not? "Wait—Kagome?" Oh, now he recognizes me. "Why are you in… her room?"
I ground my teeth together. "This is my room!" I yell back, pointing to myself to put emphasis on my. "Kikyou's in the one right next to it!" I point angrily towards the front of the house, raising a fierce brow.
He blinks, shifting his feet. "Feh, whatever," he mutters, grabbing all of his pebbles before walking down to her room.
My mind races. Why is Inuyasha here? Isn't he supposed to be in America? Obviously, he couldn't be talking with Kikyou again, or else he would've found out that we switched rooms last year. Why is he back here? Wait, what does he want with Kikyou? She did break up with him, didn't she? I remember it, him coming here to give his goodbye before he caught a cab to the airport. That was the last time I'd ever saw him. He was totally heartbroken, lost, like he'd just saw a puppy—err, animal killed right before his eyes, yet couldn't muster up the strength to really react to it. Kikyou told me later that she'd broken it off with him, and when I asked how he'd taken it, she said he'd handled it well.
I don't know what drug she was on, but that didn't look "well". Oh, I just realized:
I have a distraction from homework.
Grinning to myself—but still wondering what the heck's going on—I open up my window even further, being careful as I scoot out onto the first floor roof. I begin crawling towards Kikyou's window to see what the drama's about when I hear it: the cry of death.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
You gotta love how polite Kikyou is. Really.
"Ki-Kikyou, I just wanted to talk," Inuyasha insists, his amber orbs trained on her. By now, I'm standing a good eye-distance away from Kikyou's window, where she's hanging out, glaring at Inuyasha.
"TALK, MY ASS!"
So, at least I know he was not invited.
"Kik— Hey, just give me a chance!" Inuyasha insists heatedly, a small growl erupting from his throat. I raise an eyebrow at that, and from that sudden movement, his eyes flash to me, taking in my presence. Then they quickly return to giving silent pleas to Kikyou, as if he'd never saw anything.
It would've hurt if I'd not understood that Kikyou is pissed right now, and does not need to catch on that her little sister's watching her very unladylike behavior.
"GO AWAY, INUYASHA!" she hollers before she whips back inside, her straight black hair waving behind her before the window slams shut. I flinch at the loud sound, but Inuyasha, with his sensitive hearing, covers his ears. Then it's all hushed as Inuyasha stares at the window sadly and I just gaze down at him.
I chew on the inside of my gums. "So…" I can't help saying the horrifyingly discomfited, drawn-out so. This is getting awkward. Just staring at each other, then trying to avoid each other's eyes, then staring at each other while trying to pretend Kikyou didn't just have a total breakdown and female dog moment. Yes, this is not the perfect reunion like one would expect.
Inuyasha blinks, as if just remembering I existed. "Hey, kid," he whispers loud enough for me to hear on the roof. He scratches his neck; I recall the fact that whenever he messed with his head or face, he wasn't feeling at ease. Back in the day, he'd constantly complain about how he needed to stop it.
Shows how much he's changed.
"Hey, dog-boy," I reply, also uncomfortably. Not sure what to do, I begin chewing on my bottom lip. And that is an old habit that I need to stop as well.
Guess we both haven't changed—much.
Inuyasha looks like he did two years ago, when I was fifteen and he and Kikyou were eighteen. He looks like a teenager; he still lacks facial hair, still has that fiery quality to him, and still hasn't gained any of that typical, manly roughness. He has more of a teen coarseness, like the kind he used to have and, evidently, hasn't gotten rid of. Kikyou, however, has adopted an established, elegant aura, despite her recent little outburst. I'm pretty sure that she could pass as a young mother instead of an older sister. Nowadays, she's becoming more—how should I put this?—adult-like; she attends Mama's friends' parties eagerly and goes to many gatherings of the company she's currently interning with. She's more ladylike and fit for a formal, professional workplace. Strange how Fancy Kikyou's in fashion college while Hotheaded Inuyasha's studying business.
Or, was apparently.
"What are you doing here?" I wonder aloud, shifting my weight quietly on the roof. I stare down at him, still taking in details, when I notice he's doing the same thing to me. "Didn't you go off to study in the States?"
Finally, he snaps out of it, blinking a few times. "I came here… I wanted to…" He just gazes at Kikyou's window, as if it were the most heart-rendering thing in the world.
A pang of guilt and pity stabs at my soul. Sigh. Woe is my best friend. "Wanna talk about it?" I offer, my voice coming out more softly than I meant for it to.
He doesn't answer instantly. And then he exhales tiredly, "Yeah. Can we go to the coffee shop down the street?"
"Of course," I insist, not wanting to make him anymore empty-looking than he already is. "But, uh…" I look back at Kikyou's window and my own, which is right around the corner since mine's on the side of the house and hers is in the front. I recall my math homework that's probably eating my desk right now, and shudder. "Could you help me down from here?"
That seems to brighten up his mood. He raises an amused eyebrow, and I stutter, "Well, you see… I'm supposed to be doing my math homework right now, but since you oh-so-kindly distracted me"—not, since I was distracted to begin with—"I came out here. Thing is, Mama and Jii-chan are on pretty tight guard with me, so I think I'm gonna just leave a note and sneak out."
He's undoubtedly shocked and not afraid to show it—yes, I know, innocent Kagome breaking her family rules?—but obliges to my commands. I tip-toe back into my room, grab my blasted pencil, and scribble a note saying I finished my homework and went out with Sango before shoving the paper underneath the door. Then I go to my window to see Inuyasha sitting on the roof, crouched like a dog. I want to giggle at the sight, but remember that's how he always sat whenever he was outside Kikyou's window, waiting to pick her up so they could sneak out for dates and parties. And at the thought of Kikyou, my laughter stays on the inside, never escaping my lips, much less my throat.
I swiftly climb onto his back like Kikyou had many times before, and like I had a few times back in the day. I would wrap my legs around him, but that's too intimate, so I just grip onto his shoulders, hoping that'll work.
Unmistakably, it does, because Dog-boy Wonder says, "You ready?" I nod, and he must've sensed it, because he launches off the roof, landing halfway across the shrine grounds. Then he sprints down the steps and along the street, not stopping until we're right outside his favorite coffee shop. As I let go and regain my composure, I get to wondering how I could've ever forgotten how amazing it is to ride on Inuyasha's back with his demonic speed and whatnot. The noises just whiz past you, and your hair dances like wildfire. It's an awesome feeling I'd thought I'd never disregard.
Well, I'm not perfect apparently.
We walk inside and choose a booth in the front or, particularly, a window seat. The waitress comes by and Inuyasha tells me it'll be his treat. I order chocolate milk—yes, I ordered chocolate milk in a coffee shop!—and he orders a few pastries for us both and black coffee for himself. As the lady walks off, I give him a shocked look of incredulity. "What?" he barks.
"Black coffee? Since when have you ever liked black coffee?" I question, raising an eyebrow.
"Feh," he mumbles, suddenly finding the scenery outside interesting. "It's either that or the sissy drinks."
Ah. So this is a matter of manliness. "Hmph. Nice to know my chocolate milk is sissy," I say, crossing my arms, feigning annoyance.
He chortles. "You haven't changed," he tells me, and for some reason, this feels like the biggest insult. Almost like chopping off your Rapunzel hair and someone saying, "You could've had more of a revelation." Gah.
"Well, look in the mirror, hothead, 'cause you haven't either." At his infuriated glare, I smirk, happy with the effects my words have. I've always argued playfully with Inuyasha—well, we did it for real a lot, too, but that's beside the point. It's like a game for us—most of the time—where we can fire things back at each other until the other has nothing left to say.
"Well, your jugs haven't grown a bit," Inuyasha fires back as the waitress sets down our food and drinks. She sends him a shocked look, but it is simply ignored.
Right away, I smolder and bristle. "They were big before you even left, dumbass." Then, taking a sip from my milk, I add, "I bet Tessaiga hasn't grown a bit, either."
He instantly turns red, now really focused on the people passing by outside. The mention of one's anatomy inside a coffee shop isn't so entertaining now, eh, Inuyasha? "Keh, that was one time," he insisted, huffing intolerantly. "Besides, you guys only got a glimpse of it."
"I bet you scarred those kids for life."
"You scarred your mom when she looked at your face for the first time."
"All babies are technically ugly when they're born."
"Feh, not me. Mother nearly fainted because I was so good-looking."
"Are you sure she didn't faint because of the dog ears?" I question, taking another sip of my sweet, chocolaty beverage. "Because, really, Mama almost peed herself when she saw them."
"Shut up!" he finally yells, and gets worried and surprised eyes glued to him. Aggravated, he waves them off, and I begin giggling. Guess who just won? Then again, guess who most often if not always won? "Keh, just tell me what's been going on in your life already, wench."
Wait. Didn't we come here to talk about his issues? I shrug, and just say, "Well, high school's good so far—"
"What year?" he asks.
Really. Really? He didn't even bother to remember what grade I should be in? Then again, Jii-chan's the same way, and he lives with me… "Second," I say. "My best friend Sango, if you don't remember her, is on her last, and the infamous Miroku's in his first year of university. Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi are still in the same class as me." Sigh. He snickers since I was always grumbling about them invading my life. "And there's, of course, Hojo…"
"Hojo?" he asks with a raised eyebrow.
Eh, that's right. He doesn't know. "Hojo from Class B," I tell him. "He's in the top thirty, very popular with the girls, and yet won't catch on that I'm not into dating."
"You're not?" Inuyasha echoes, looking a little flabbergasted.
Weird. My promise to him is the reason why I'm not romantically-involved with anyone. I shake my head, confirming the actually new information. "Too much trouble and drama," I lie.
He bites the bait. "All right then," he mutters, grabbing his coffee mug before taking a big sip. I'm pretty sure I'm not seeing things when he starts gagging with each gulp and his face repeatedly scrunches up in disgust. I laugh, and the mug immediately hits the table as he scowls my way. I shrug innocently, and he sighs. "How're the folks doing?"
I wave my hand as if saying eh, they're okay. "Jii-chan's as crazy and demon-obsessed as ever," I mumble, sipping some more milk. I try to focus on the rim of my cup instead of Inuyasha's penetrating, honey pools most people call eyes. "Souta's video-game obsessed, still best friends with Kohaku—Sango's little brother—and still going out with his childhood sweetheart Hitomi. Oh, and he's twelve now, just in case you weren't keeping track of his age as well." We both give each other glares before I continue. "Papa's inheritance money is going to be used for Kikyou's college funds, so Mama and I have been working less at the shrine and have both gotten jobs elsewhere in order to pay for my tuition to university. Souta's not pleased with doing more housework and neither is the forever-busy Kikyou, but they've gotta deal. Family's all about helping each other out, after all, and since they're not really willing to chip in money, they've got to work it off at the house and shrine."
I grin, thinking that'll lighten things up, but it doesn't. Whenever I said her name, Inuyasha flinched. It makes my stomach churn again, seeing those small hints of nostalgia and melancholy in his expressive, so easy-to-read eyes. "Where at?"
Getting that he means our jobs, I say, "Mama's working at a women's clothing store nearby the closest WacDonald's to the shrine. I, on the other hand, have gone to something much classier." I sniff snootily, which makes him raise an eyebrow in questioning. Then I whisper rather seriously, "A flower shop right next to Kinky's Love Shack."
This causes a burst of laughter. "Kinky's—" Cough. "—Love Shack?"
I huff. "Hey, it's quite serious work, organizing flowers while people next door check out vibrators."
More laughter. I think I may just kill him by going on. Finally settling down, he says, "Prove it to me. Tell me the meaning of a flower."
"Okay," I say, trying to think of all the flowers out there. "Well, thornless roses mean 'love at first sight' while your typical red ones mean 'love' or 'I love you' and tea roses mean 'I'll remember always'."
"Feh, that's only one type," he mumbles, taking another disgruntled gulp of his black coffee. The sight of it makes me cringe.
"You only asked for one flower, and I just gave you multiple meanings of the same species," I remind him, lifting my own cup to my lips. I whimper when no milk greets my lips and frown as I stare longingly at the glass. Inuyasha sighs at my antics, then calls the waitress over and orders me more. I squeal and clap my hands, bouncing up and down on my seat like a hyper kid. He rolls his eyes as I grab one of our doughnuts and take a small bite.
He grabs one as well, but shoves it into his mouth like the pig he is. "Are you gonna give me another one or not?" he demands through his full mouth of food. I grimace, so he chews and swallows the dough. "Keh, I can't believe you're still a prick."
"And I can't believe you're still a pig, future-businessman," I remark slyly. That shuts him up, so I go on. "There's a million flowers out there, so do you want to hear about a specific one?" He nods. "Which flower or meaning do you want?"
"A fan of mine gave me geraniums back in the States," he says thoughtfully. "What do those mean?" Oh, gods. I burst into a fit of giggles, which he's not pleased about. "Feh, what's your problem?"
"Geraniums mean 'stupidity' and 'folly'," I tell him, still cracking up. By now, we're getting really weird looks. "She was technically telling you through flowers that you're a total idiot, and you're calling her a fan? Inuyasha…" Oh, the irony!
He groans, head lowering to the table. "Why?" he snivels.
"Shush, it's okay…" I jokingly comfort him by petting his head—or, more specifically, his dog ears. He purrs a little and I snigger, which makes him growl as a way to cover up his embarrassment. After all, purring is not a manly thing to do. But since he's too manly to blush—unless it's something big—he looks out the window, avoiding most eye contact with me. I say, "So…" Yes, it's the only thing one such as myself can say in an awkward situation. "What's going on with you?"
Obviously, I have skipped Kikyou in my update on the Higurashi bloodline. Inuyasha seems to grudgingly notice and his ears droop slightly as his eyes sadden again. "I flunked out of business school."
Well, that could've been the cause for his bad mood, too.
Crap. "I'm so sorry, Inuyasha," I console. I consider placing my hand over his reassuringly, but decide against it, since I'm not even sure if he thought of me as a close friend before he left. Why would he after two years of no contact? "But, how? I mean, when you left, you had pretty good grades—"
"That obviously weren't so beneficial in America," he snorted. "Eh, fuck it all!" He slams his hands on the table, making some bystanders jump. "That heartless bastard's gonna get rich while I live on the streets, begging for money." Okay, he's exaggerating on that one. The Takahashis would give Inuyasha his inheritance whether he was top dog at their company or not. But he's down in the dumps right now, so I don't argue. Gods forbid I accidentally say something wrong and end up in tears.
Trust me. It's happened before.
"Besides your, um, situation…" I get a glower and frown for that one, but avoid them. "How're things? Did you make any friends?"
He shrugged, finally sitting upright as he rubs his face, exasperated. "Did, but they're not really worth missing." Ouch. "Besides not only failing at life—" Does he really need to be so hard on himself? "—I came back here to see if Kik—" He sighs. "If she wanted to get back together."
I just noticed. He won't say her name. Are the memories, the heartache, so painful, he can't even say her name without feeling pain? Then, finally processing his words, I say softly, "Oh."
"Yeah," he whispers gruffly, turning away. Obviously, that's why Kikyou wasn't expecting him. He was trying to win her heart, thus didn't make a call ahead. It also explains Kikyou's anger towards him. I don't know why they broke up, but apparently, she's not so willing to get back together.
"I'm sorry," I say before taking a bite out of a tartlet. He pretends he doesn't hear me, probably because he hates it when someone apologizes for nothing. "So." I clear my throat as the waitress refills my glass with chocolate milk. It's not an awkward so this time, but more of a "I'm about to break the ice" so. "Maybe you could ask a friend for some help, like your mom or Sesshoumaru's girlfriend."
"Wife," Inuyasha corrects blankly.
"Yeah, wife— Wait, wife?" I almost didn't catch onto that. "You mean he—" He nods. "—and Rin—?" Another nod. "Oh, Kami, I'm very slow. I think they put that in the newspaper not too long ago and I completely overlooked it."
"Knowing you, yeah. You probably did," he mumbles, earning a hard glare from me. "But I'll look into having a partner in crime." Then, I see it. A mischievous little glint in his eyes. He smirks down at me, and asks, "Hey, Kagome."
Oh, crud. He never uses my first name unless he needs me on his good side or, like earlier, is completely stunned. "Yes?" I hum, trying to hide my sudden anxiety.
His eyes shine with portions of hope that I'd thought I'd never see again. "Could you help me…?"
Great. I saw this coming, I really did. But, when it comes out there like that, with that very optimistic look from such a negative Nancy, how can I say no?
I narrow my eyes at his sneakiness. "Fine." He beams, almost radiating off sunshine. It's such a great sight, I almost faint with relief. I sigh,
"I'll help you win my sister's heart."
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the first step to losing the best thing that ever came to you.
A/N: Please review about anything! The story so far, the plot, the set-up/layout, should I change something…? THANKS FOR READING! Next chapter will be out today, and if not that, tomorrow.