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Seize The Day: Carpe Diem
by vexatively
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Higurashi Kagome let out a soft, contented sigh as the spray of hot water soothed the tense muscles of her upper back. I hate deadlines, she complained furiously, gathering up her hair to one side so it didn't interrupt the relentless bliss. They're so… illusory. You think they're far away at first— you have all the time you need. Then weeks fly by and the deadlines bite you in the ass. Hard. And you figure that you'll have to work overtime just to finish it in time. And you get stressed. And wrinkles. And gray hair. Almost languorously, she opened her eyes and inspected her wet masses of hair. Nope. No gray. Yet, she added rebelliously.
Inwardly groaning at the fact that, yes, it was long enough for a 'small break' and she really needed to get back to work, a hand blindly groped for the handle. It was hard to see through the delicious steam.
It doesn't help that I'm such a fantastic procrastinator. I draw up half-assed schedules that I never stick to and manage to get by with the skin on my teeth. I just thank all my lucky stars that the place I work for has a swimming pool—and a hot shower. Mmm… Gods, these towels are soft.
Looking around and finding no one around, she slipped on the spare set of clothes she brought. Her breaks, where she almost always took a scalding, if-your-skin's-not-melting-off-it's-not-e nough shower, became longer and increasingly frequent with every day that passed. And Kobayashi-sama isn't the most patient employer when it comes to tardiness. Or procrastination. Or sloppiness. Or anything, really. Ack! What have you gotten into, Higurashi!
… I wonder if I can sneak out some of those towels?
… Focus!
She tiptoed around the corner and made a beeline for her desk. I probably look like an idiot, thoughtKagome, an ear-to-ear grin spread on her face. While her blouse and skirt ensemble might just about pass off as acceptable, her hair, wrapped in a towel at the top of her head, and her bare feet were certainly not. But honestly, she really couldn't care less. There was nobody hanging around the office except for the workaholics and the suck-ups. And the procrastinators. Like me.
She was about to finally get started on her work when she got distracted by something shiny… figuratively. Kagome just couldn't get that damn swivel chair out of her head. Or rather, the activities she wanted to do in regards to said chair. Just one spin. Ten minutes and eighty-two spins later (counting the four-minute coffee-and-doughnut break three minutes into the activity), she was banging her head on her desk in annoyance.
"At this rate, I'll never finish," Kagome groaned in annoyance. "Ack! Stupid deadlines! Stupid procrastinating! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"
"You should really manage your time better." It was a voice she didn't know. More importantly, it was a man's voice. She thought she knew most of the people who worked in her office—she had 'borrowed' pens 'without permission' from just about everybody. Kagome swiveled around to face him. Eighty-three…
"Huh?" Smooth, Higurashi, she silently berated herself for the answer, fighting a rising blush. Did the hanyou see her spectacularly graceful fall on her twenty-first swivel? It was just about then that she went for a steaming mug of coffee. But she didn't notice anyone particularly good-looking around. And this guy was cute.
"Time management," he repeated, his gaze intent on her calendar. Kagome cursed her weakness for anything cute and/or oden. This particular calendar was definitely not full of pictures that a sexy, sophisticated woman would have. Well that's good, an inner voice remarked snidely. Since you're neither sexy nor sophisticated. "Do you have a day planner?"
"H-huh… oh yeah." She handed him her planner, nervously looking at him. Handsome or not, this guy was virtually a stranger, albeit one that could possibly help her get her work done on time.
The man grabbed a pen lying inoffensively on her mahogany desk. His amber eyes met hers and she found herself frozen under his intense scrutiny. "I don't bite you know," he teased with a smirk, flashing his pointed fangs. White… the color of death. With a skittish smile, Kagome moved over beside him, looking over his shoulders. "The basis of time management is the concept of 'balance'. Success in managing—"
Kagome looked at her carefully planned out two months with a growing beam. "You're a genius!" she crowed, brandishing the small pink book triumphantly. "At this rate, I'll probably have time left over. Heck, if I follow this schedule for the rest of my life, I'll never be late again!"
"Only if your coffee breaks don't take fifteen minutes each," the silver-haired man warned jokingly. Laughing, she flipped through the pages and stopped at one, her face betraying her confusion. "What is it?"
"There's a blank spot," Kagome pointed out. Normally, every block of her 'work' time was set aside and labeled. She didn't have a minute that wasn't managed. But every Saturday afternoon, there was a blank white spot. It wasn't even a break— those were colored light green.
"It's so that you can have lunch with me," he said with a fanged grin, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You owe me, don't ya?"
She was panicking; Kagome really didn't have the best luck with men. "W-well… yes. But, you see, I don't go out with coworkers." Her first excuse. She had mixed feelings when he dismissed her words with a chuckle.
"You thought I was working here? Shit, you can't get me to work in a place like this with a ten-foot pole. I'm picking a friend up. He's a workaholic, so he wanted me to be here at around one." He leaned forward ever so slightly, imperceptibly; it suddenly became too much and he seemed too close. He smiled in that arrogant way that made her heart flop.
Kagome had nothing to say about that as her hand nervously unwove the towel that kept her hair secure in a turban. So she tried her second tactic. "Did you just imply that I'm a workaholic?"
His brows furrowed, perplexed, immediately taking a defensive stance. "Where the hell did you get that idea?"
"You said that workaholics only stay at work past midnight!"
"I never said that!" he argued, his hands crossed over in front of his chest. It would have looked menacing if the dog ears on his head weren't flat on his head in aggravation. He seemed almost… adorable, vulnerable even.
"But you don't deny that you implied it!" she pressed on.
"I didn't even say anything, much less imply it. Besides, it's not even midnight yet," he said, his hand gesturing to the clock, indicating that it was quarter past eleven.
"Oh." Half of her wanted him to go away, so that her life can go back to normal. This was the most 'excitement' she had this year. Sad, but at least a monotonous life could ensure that she wouldn't suffer the emotional turmoil that one of her best friends Ayame endured with her fickle boyfriend, Kouga. But he was still fascinating and gorgeous.
"So… now that I've passed the Inquisition, what do you say to a very late dinner with me?" He offered her a hand in a chivalrous manner, pink coloring the bridge of his nose.
Kagome looked at him hesitantly. Take a chance, Higurashi. Live for once. Grow a backbone… "Why not?" She shrugged, accepting the proffered hand with a smile of her own. She quickly grabbed a comb and ran it through her wet locks. "Shall we?"
Instead of leaving, he smiled wryly. "I don't think any place will let you in without shoes," he taunted her good-naturedly. It took her five minutes to locate her shoes and another two to put them on— damn these heels! Finally, organized and semi-presentable, they made their way through the winding corridors and to the hallway lined with elevators.
"What about your friend?" Kagome asked nervously, throwing a glance behind her, as if afraid to see a glowering face peeking through the cubicles.
"Hm?" The golden-eyed man seemed distracted, slipping an arm around her waist. She fought her lifelong bane— the tendency to flush scarlet. "Oh… that friend. Damn bouzu can find his own way home. It's only about midnight, though," he added at her distressed look, "I'm sure we can pick him up after if you really want. It's not like he's utterly helpless."
"Then why'd you agree to pick him up?" She pressed the 'down' button before leaning further into his (surprisingly) comfortable embrace. "And why come so early? I wouldn't do that even for my best friend."
"I might tell you someday," he said, lowering his face to hers so that their noses almost touched. "But only if you're very good." He laughed outright at the indignant expression. Her face turned pensive. "What's wrong?"
"What makes you say something's wrong?" She knew she was being evasive, but he had tightened his possessive grasp on her waist and she couldn't think.
"When you shut up and look somewhat thoughtful, I know something's wrong."
"Well, it's just… you must think I'm such a ditz," she confessed, eyes focused on a small bit of hair her fingers were playing with. "I'm on a date and we don't even know each other's names."
"Is that all?" he chuckled, releasing his hold and spinning her around to face him. "Name's Inuyasha," the hanyou introduced himself, holding out a hand Western-style.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Higura—"
"Higurashi Kagome. I know."
She just stood there, her face probably looking like a tomato with a stupid grin on her face, for all of about two minutes.
"Oi… you coming? The elevator won't stay open forever."
Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim Inuyasha. The rights of claiming this little slice of genius goes to Rumiko Takahashi-sama alone. But, I do enjoy playing with the odd character to satisfy my possums.
E/N: Originally posted for the firsttweak's 'Calendar' theme challenge on February 27, 2008.