Ichido (One Time)

Disclaimer: InuYasha, and all of these characters, do not belong to me. They belong to the great manga artist, Rumiko Takahashi, and the publisher people too.

*Author's notes*: ~~~ ** means a change in scene/point of view. Please review!!!!! (Hey, that rhymed)

Chapter 1: Yu'utsu (Depression)

"What?! She's dead?!" Kagome screamed into the phone.

"I'm afraid so, Mrs. Kondo. By the time she got here it was too late. We tried to revive her for over 15 minutes," said a doctor from Owarinai Hospital. "She died after experiencing complications after a severe stroke."

"Mrs. Seido," Kagome whispered, talking more to herself than anyone else. "I can't believe she's gone."

"Do you know if Mrs. Seido had any relations?" the doctor asked. "She told us to call this number right before she went unconscious, but that was it."

"No, she doesn't," said Kagome sadly. "She had no children, and her husband died a few years ago."

"Well, thank you for your time. I'm very sorry for your loss."

"Th-thanks," she choked out, tears already welling up in her eyes.

After she hung up, she picked the phone up again and dialed her boss's office number.

"Yes, Mr. Shiroikami? It's Kagome Kondo. Mrs. Seido died today."

~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~

"I can't believe this!"

Miroku picked up the new file on his desk and looked it over briefly.

"KIKYO!" he yelled, throwing it down onto his desk again.

"Yes, sir?" a woman with long black hair walked in, wearing an extremely ugly, bright red jumpsuit.

"Are you sure this is mine?" he asked, indicating the case file.

"Yes, sir. Mr. Kitsune said specifically to give that to you."

"Did he say why?" he asked, succeeding less in keeping patience.

"No, sir."

"Excuse me," Miroku picked up the file, brushed passed Kikyo, and walked into his boss's office without knocking.

"Shippo, why did I get another case?" he asked.

A middle-aged man looked up from his papers, and looked at Miroku.

"Because, you're the best I've got."

"Why didn't you give it to Mitsuwa, or Watanabe? I heard them this morning in the break room, complaining that they had no cases!" Miroku said, looking bewildered.

"I told you, because you're the best I've got. Mitsuwa and Watanabe couldn't handle this kind of case. I'm depending on these clients, Miroku," answered Shippo Kitsune, head of Kituni-Hi Law Firm.

"I've already got 4 others, Shippo. I can't possibly take another one without having to work even later than usual," Miroku pointed out starting with the puppy-dog eyes.

"Alright, fine. I'll give this to someone else. But I better see you working twice as hard on your other ones!" Shippo yelled, as Miroku threw the folder on the desk and ran out the door.

"Thanks a lot Shippo!" he yelled back, running back to his office.

As soon as he sat at his desk, his phone rang.

"Miroku Kondo," he said.

"It's me," said a female voice at the other end of the line.

"What's wrong?" he asked, becoming concerned.

"It's…Mrs. Seido…she died."

The woman started to cry.

"Kagome…are you still at work?" asked Miroku, already packing his things.

"No. Mr. Shiroikami sent me home."

"I'll be right there," he hung up. "KIKYO!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Tell Shippo I'm going home early. It's an emergency."

"Yes, sir."

~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~

"Uhhh…" groaned InuYasha.

He was in the Yopparau bar, completely hammered. After his recent break-up with Kikyo Nibui, he became an alcoholic again. He was the drunk of his family, while his older brother, Sessho-maru was the president of some big communications company.

"Not that I care'z or notin'," he slurred out, as this thought came to him. "He'z jus' some square with lotsa money. I have lots more fun than him…hasn't had a girlfriend fer…what, 10 years? Ever zince he got that stupid job. More sake!"

"Sorry, but you can't have any more. Your brother told us to limit you," said the bar-tender.

"Tha's no fair! He'z always butting in…tha' bastard!" he stammered.

"Sorry, but he's just bought this bar, in the hopes that he could control your problem."

"Wha's yer name? I'm gonna get ya fired!" InuYasha yelled, trying to stand up and point at the poor man.

"I'm Jaken…sir, are you okay?!" the bartender asked.

InuYasha slumped to the floor, muttering something about "Damned bartenders…look like toads…".

"Damn it! I hate my job," Jaken said under his breath while dragging InuYasha to the break room.

~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~

"Are you ready?"

Sango Kirei turned away from packing her suitcase to face her brother.

"No, Kohaku. I'm still packing."

"Well, hurry up! Dad's already got all your boxes in the car!" her little brother ran out the door and down the stairs.

They don't understand, Sango thought, sighing and turning back to her suitcase. She had spent the past four years here, studying, meeting new people, and…er…maybe partying…but just a little. There were so many memories here at Nobunaga University! So many friends, so many times she remembered wanting to strangle her teachers for all the homework she got…oh, yes, she'd miss it.

But now it was the 22 year-old's time to leave, like so many alumni before her. She had achieved her goal in four years, and now it was time for the school to get rid of her.

"At least I can say I'm a lawyer now!" she sighed again. Her feeble attempt to cheer herself up failed horribly. She was not scared of the challenges ahead, but somehow regretted leaving this "hell," as she so lovingly referred to her college life.

Finally, she finished packing. She carried her suitcase to the door, turned off the living room light after a last look around, and closed the door to her dorm.

As she locked the door, she smiled and realized that she was now, truly an adult.

~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~ ** ~~~

*A/N: How did you like my first chapter? Well, you can express your thoughts by reviewing! Yes, I know that sounded cheesy, but I'm desperate here!

Translations:

Kondo (I just found out that this is an actual Japanese name, but this is what it says in the dictionary)- Confusion

Shiroikami- Whitehair

Kitsune- Fox

Kirei- Pretty

Seido- Bronze

Nibui- Slow

Yopparau (the bar)-Get Drunk

In the Next Chapter

Chapter 2: Kanashimi (Regret)- The married couple, the drunk's brother, and the college-graduate's first job.