You Don't Know My Name
Disclaimer: I do not own "Inuyasha" nor this song. It belongs to the lovely ladies, Rumiko Takahasi and Alicia Keys.
Kikyo hated the lunch hour. Drumming her fingers on the serving plate, she looked over her reflection for the fifth time. Her uniform, a "French-maid" outfit, did not suit her at all. While she had always preferred more subdued colors, she could never acclimatize with the black and white. Nor could she stand the rather short hem of the dress. It stopped mid-thigh, exposing far too much of her long legs for the young woman's liking. Moreover, it just made it easier for those rancorous boys to take a peek up her skirt. She had noticed that every time she and Kagome were on their shift, there was a significant increase in spills that required either her or Kagome to bend over and clean with their rags. Kikyo had long since gotten ahead of them and made it a point to wear shorts underneath her skirt. Kagome had merely shrugged when Kikyo recommended she do the same.
"It's annoying yeah," her twin sister had agreed. "But when it happens, they always leave bigger tips."
Kikyo glowered. She passed a hand through her tightly braided pigtails that made her look all the more ridiculous. It all came down to money. She and Kagome had moved to Tokyo to pursue their dreams. Kagome had always wanted to go into medicine while Kikyo longed to be a schoolteacher. Their parents had recommended that they stay in Hokkaido and study there, but the girls had grown tired of the cold and the mountains of the far north. They longed to be in the big city where everyone was on the move; there was always something to do, people to see. And the first month they had done just that. They had made several friends. Or rather…. Kagome did. Kikyo had merely offered a few remarks and the obligatory laugh at her sister's jokes when no one else did. Other than that, Kagome was their social vanguard. She had quickly befriended a girl by the name of Sango who was in Kagome's anatomy class. Sango, who had lived in the big city for nearly all her life, proved to be the key to unlocking life in Tokyo. Sango had taken them everywhere, and introduced them to everyone she knew. Before long their circle of friends had grown from one to at least eleven. That first month had been marvelous.
That is until their first rent was due. Then the realities of living in Tokyo hit them like a wild animal. Their parents had taken the brunt of the first payment during the girls' move-in period, leaving them carefree for the first month. But upon realizing the sheer amount they would need to scrape together at the first of each month, quickly derailed any glamor that remained in city life.
A proper job had been even harder to come by. Once again, Sango was their saving grace. She introduced them to the elderly couple, Kaede and Mushin, who owned a café called "Shikon". According to Sango, they were always on the lookout for new waitresses.
Kikyo gave her uniform another once over and could understand why the turnover rate was so high. In order to stay relevant, Mushin had concocted the idea of a different theme for the waitresses to wear every month. This month was French Maiden. The next month High School Girl.
Kikyo was not looking forward to the next month.
The pay was decent enough. With tips and overtime the girls could afford their apartment. But Kikyo hardly ever got the big the tips Kagome did.
An alarm went off in her phone, signaling the start of her lunch shift and Kikyo took a breath before crossing the threshold into the battlefield.
Already Kagome was doing her rounds, introducing herself with her warm and easy-going smile that never failed to charm people. Kikyo watched as her twin effortlessly carried conversations with her table's occupants, each time she had something new or funny to add. Her section was frequently the most popular. Ever since Kaede and Mushin had hired them, the elderly couple had seen a spike in customers that they never experienced before. Even now during the early hours of the lunch rush, Kagome's section was filled with college students, high school boys skipping class, and retired elderly men. Kagome seemed to fly between each table, leaving a lasting impression at every one.
Kikyo sighed and looked towards her section, near the door. It was only a quarter of the way occupied. It was mainly people unable to get seated in Kagome's territory of cheerfulness. Kikyo approached the first table, it was a business man craning his neck over the booth, trying to get a better view at Kagome.
"Good afternoon, welcome to Shikon Café," Kikyo greeted as warmly as could, though it still sounded stiff.
The businessman continued to shift in his seat, following Kagome's every move.
Kikyo took a few steps closer to the table. Perhaps he didn't hear her. "Are you ready for your order or do you require a few more moments?"
"I'll take green tea," he said simply never wavering from his watch. Kagome's giggle at a college boy's joke about her uniform, encouraged the man to raise himself over the barrier. "Do you think I could move my table to that section?"
Kikyo frowned. "Unfortunately section four is at capacity."
The man's face dropped. "Could you at least tell me the name of that lovely waitress over there?"
"I'll return shortly with your tea," Kikyo replied curtly.
The next table was occupied by four high school boys. They were glued to their smartphones trying to get a proper angle of Kagome moving about. When Kikyo's figure blocked their view they did not hide their aggravation.
"Hey! Move it!" one of them, a rotund boy whose face was plagued by acne, exclaimed.
Kikyo's eyebrow twitched. "Good afternoon…. welcome to-."
"Save the elevator pitch, honey," their leader, a boy with a long ponytail, an emblem tattooed on his forehead, and tanned skin. "We're here for her."
"Maybe you are Bankotsu…." The one on his right, a more feminine looking boy said. "Frankly, I don't see what the fuss is about. Even this one here is just a cheap imitation of the main girl."
Kikyo bit her lips, her eyes turning cold. "If I may take your orders….."
"Make yourself useful and get me that girl's number," the leader, Bankotsu replied. "Otherwise, you're of no use to me."
"Unfortunately, if you wish to remain on the premises, you are required to place an order. Otherwise, you are of no use to me either," Kikyo shot back.
"Fine," Bankotsu groaned. "Give us four rounds of ramen."
"There's a special on ramen today….would you like to sample it?"
"Whatever gets you out of my face faster," the leader replied.
Kikyo's grip on the serving tray tightened. "If you'll excuse me."
"You're such a ladies' man big brother," the final one, an oddly bald boy with narrow eyes, said.
"Did I ask for your commentary, Renkotsu?" Bankotsu growled.
"I suppose not," Renkotsu muttered. "Still, it's a shame Suikotsu had to work today. He would have enjoyed that waitress."
Kikyo returned to the kitchen, her face a boiling red. It took all her composure not to hurl her tray at the nearby wall. From the grill, Sango glanced over at her.
"Kikyo, is something wrong?" she asked, tossing on a large pack of noodles.
The older Higurashi ("Only by five seconds!" As Kagome was always keen to remind her), shook her head. "It's merely a less than ideal start to the shift."
Sango nodded. She had been a waitress for four years before Kaede discovered her talents for cooking. "I know. It can get really irritating out there."
"Kagome never seems to mind it…." Kikyo muttered.
"Kagome's a natural," Sango said. "Give it some time, you'll find your rhythm with the customers soon enough."
Kikyo sighed. "Perhaps."
"Kikyo!" Kaede's voice cried. "You have a new customer, hop to it!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Remember to smile!" the elderly woman said.
"No promises," Kikyo muttered.
She exited the kitchen and reentered her section.
That was when she saw him.
Baby, baby, baby
From the day I saw you
Really, really wanted to catch your eye
He wore a flashy red three piece suit. The cream tie complementing the primary color with its own subdued hue. Even in the dim lighting of the café, his cufflinks shined bright. His long silver hair flowed behind him as he walked, like a cape in the wind. He had a pair of amber eyes that captivated her mahogany brown. Under his arm was an iPad and a thick white book. A Bluetooth was attached to his ear, flashing cerulean, indicating conversation with someone, but the new customer did not seem to pay it any mind. He walked to his seat swiftly and plopped his iPad to the side and flipped through the pages of his book. He pulled out his sword bookmark and finally seemed to respond to his call.
"I'm on my lunch break Myoga!" he said. "Take it up with that toad Jaken. And tell Miroku to quit texting me spoilers! I'm only on chapter 42! This one is even longer than the last four!"
As Kikyo made her way over, she noticed the title "Dance of Dragons" written in gold letters on the cover of the thick tome. The newcomer switched off his Bluetooth and his eyes dove into the book, hungrily. Kikyo held in a giggle as she watched his forehead crease as he became engrossed with the brutality that came in every Song of Ice and Fire novel.
"Damn! With the dogs? That Ramsey is a sick bastard," he muttered to himself as he turned the page.
When she reached his table, Kikyo was reluctant to tear his attention from the book. She knew for a fact how annoying that was.
"Good afternoon, welcome to Shikon café," she said, the warmth in her voice flowing naturally. "May I take your order?"
He glanced up at her and Kikyo, for a moment, froze, lost in his golden amber irises. Far too soon, as the connection was broken and he turned to the sign out front. "I'll have the special on ramen," he said. "With hot chocolate."
Most times she would immediately bow her head and move on, but today she lingered. "Book walker or unsullied?" she asked before she could stop herself.
He looked at her again, surprise and amusement present on his face. "What do you call someone who watched the show and just turned to books to get his fix afterwards?"
Kikyo smiled at him. "A nerd."
He matched her smile with his own. "Well I'm liking this nerd table better than one in high school already."
Warmth spread across her cheeks. "Well, unlike your friend I'll try not ruin your experience with spoilers."
The newcomer shrugged. "He's just being an ass. Half the crap he texts me are just dumb theories anyway. Have you heard that R+L=J theory?"
"I'm a firm believer in that one as a matter of fact," Kikyo replied, remembering all the hours she spent pouring through the novels for evidence to send to her disbelieving sister. "It ties in perfectly with the theme of the story."
"Well, maybe you can convince me better than my roommate can," he replied.
Kikyo laughed, a rarity while on the job. "I'll try my best."
There's something special 'bout you
I must really like you
Cause not a lotta guys are worth my time
"So what do I call my new teacher?" he asked.
"I'm-."
"Hey! Where's our ramen!" Bankotsu shouted.
Kikyo sighed. "Busy. I'll return with your order."
The red clad customer nodded and reopened the doorstopper novel. As she passed the table with the rowdy boys, Kikyo shot them a glare. By the time the orders were ready, the lunch rush had arrived at full strength, occupying every table in the small café. When she returned to the newcomer's table, he was back on his Bluetooth, trading insults with his friend.
She never had the chance to speak with him again. The lunch hour dragged on and when it finally cleared, he had left, chatting on his Bluetooth all the while. Kikyo could only stare out the window as she watched him leave, unable to make herself known.
His golden eyes remained with her for the rest of the day.
His gruff but charming voice echoed in her ears as she closed.
His smile followed her home.
Ooo baby, baby, baby
It's gettin kind of crazy
Cause you are takin over my mind
And it feels like oooooo
But you don't know my name
And I swear it feels like ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo
You don't know my name
(round and round and round we go, will you ever know)
She didn't seem him again until the following Wednesday at 12:30. He sat in her section, ordered the same ramen special with hot chocolate, and spoke to her again briefly.
"No way," he said. "Why would Ned go through all that crap with Catelyn if Jon wasn't his kid? He'd just tell her the truth."
"Ah, but in the first novel, he said: 'some secrets are safer kept hidden. Some secrets are too dangerous to share with those you love and trust.' Meaning, he felt that keeping Jon Snow's true parentage secret was worth enduring Catelyn's quiet fury," she replied. "You have a point there." She was at ease when she spoke to him. It did not feel forced or awkward, as with many of her conversations with people, outside of Kagome and Sango. Sitting across from him felt more like an evening out rather than work.
Oh baby baby baby
I see us on our first date
You're doin everything that makes me smile
Kikyo imagined herself strolling down the bright lights of Tokyo with him, their hands intertwined. They would talk, not just about novels, but music by Karou Wada maybe and he would take her to see a concert in Shibuya. It would be on a Thursday like her parents' first date and the music would bring them together in a slow dance.
And when we had our first kiss
It happened on a Thursday
Ooooo it set my soul on fire
Their lips would lock together in a subdued passion only they could feel. That passion would take them back to his dwelling.
Ooo baby baby baby
I can't wait for the first time
My imagination's runnin wild
It feels like ooooo
You don't know my name
And I swear it baby, it feels like oooo ooooo ooooo ooooo
You don't know my name
"You might just make a believer outta me yet," he said, their eyes locking together again.
Today, the spell was broken by his phone going off, forcing the attractive stranger to scramble in order to obnoxious ringtone brought Kikyo out of her embarrassing daydream. The reality of the cold February afternoon brushed against her face.
"I'm sayin, he don't even know what he's doin' to me
Got me feelin' all crazy inside
I'm feelin like"
Owww! Ooooo Oooooo
As he became lost in his phone conversation, Kikyo excused herself to return to work. Would she need to be more forward? Did she even know how to be forward? She thought back to her years in high school and the embarrassing attempts, she had made at flirting. Try as she might, she could never flip her hair the right way, laugh sexily, or bring herself to wear the tight clothes that passed for fashion. Kikyo glanced over at her sister, who as always, flowed in between her tables. She remembered the times Kagome had been flirtatious without embarrassing herself in regards to Hojo and Koga.
When she and Kagome went home that night, she asked her twin if she could raid her closet.
The next Wednesday Kikyo, with the enthusiastic support of Mushin, premiered the Schoolgirl uniform early. The outfit wasn't as revealing or as embarrassing as Kikyo expected. The emerald green skirt was still far too short and tight for her liking. She fidgeted with the red scarf on the pure white top more than once. She appreciated the long sleeves and even longer socks than came with it. However, the brown shoes were a size too small for her, making walking rather painful. However, for once, all eyes were on her as she walked about her section. Kagome's usual customers quickly jumped ship to her tables. The air of the café was thick with their lust. But Kikyo kept her focus on the clock, anxiously waiting for the afternoon hour.
Doin' more than I've ever done for anyone's attention
Take notice of what's in front of you
Cause did I mention you're 'bout to miss a good thing
He came in at 12:30 like he usually did. He took his same seat and prepared to order the same Wednesday special. Kikyo took a breath and noticed Kagome shooting her a thumbs-up for luck.
Kikyo approached his table, attempting to add "extra sway" in her hips as Kagome had told her the previous night. She only succeeded in knocking her hips into his table, spilling water all over his lap and a portion of his flashy red suit.
"Aw, dammit!" he exclaimed.
Kikyo's face turned beet red. Immediately she grabbed a napkin and began to brush down the dark spot as quickly as she could. From the corner of her eye, she saw Kagome slap her forehead.
"I'm sorry!" Kikyo exclaimed, hastily scrubbing on his suit. "I'm sorry! I'm so terribly sorry!"
His hand grabbed hers, ceasing her frantic flailing. "Take it easy. I'll just dump it at the cleaners."
She lingered on their intertwined hands and imagined them walking down the streets in the same manner. She would snuggle close to him and whisper a loving secret in his ear.
And you'll never know how good it feels to have all of my affection
And you'll never get a chance to experience my lovin'
Cause my lovin' feels like ooooooo
"A-are you sure?" she asked.
He shrugged. "Yeah. Old Totosai is one of the best. He's also a pretty good tailor. He can mend that skirt you got to make it fit you better. Not that I don't mind the show," he added with a smirk.
Kikyo flushed. "I-It's the café's newest uniform."
"Really?" he said, looking around. "I don't see anyone else wearing it."
Kikyo gaped at him, the mind that had carried her to a 4.0 GPA failed to come up with a response that didn't sound ridiculous. "My manger….or rather I….thought it would be prudent to wear it early to….attract new customers." She shifted her feet a bit. "D-do you like it?"
"Keep wearing that and you'll have a very satisfied customer on your hands," he said with a smirk.
Kikyo returned his smirk, a feeling of bravado and confidence overtaking her initial reservations. "Customer satisfaction is my specialty," she replied, a layer of desire coating her words.
Their eyes locked as he reached into his coat-pocket for his wallet. He fished out a silver business card that seemed to shine as much as his cufflinks. "If that's the case, give me a call. I'd like to experience this specialty of yours first hand."
"If you're so lucky," Kikyo said with a sly coyness. Her stomach however was doing flips as she rose to resume her duties.
She felt his eyes on her for the rest of her shift.
She traced the name that was engraved on the card.
"Inuyasha….."
You don't know my name
(round and round and round we go, will you ever know
And I swear it feels like oooo ooooo ooooo ooooo
You don't know my name
(round and round and round we go, will you ever know)
Ohhh
Will you ever know it, no no no no no
Will you ever know it?
"I'm gonna have to just go ahead and call this boy."
Kikyo stood in the kitchen of her merger apartment staring at her phone. His number was already punched into the dialpad, her thumb only needed to hit the green telephone icon and she would hear his voice again.
If only it were that easy.
Her phone locked itself. She unlocked it. She dialed the number again and froze over the icon. She tried to summon her previous bravado and found she had none in reserve. She was back to being high-school Kikyo. The one who struggled to be seen.
Her phone locked again.
"Kikyo!" Kagome called from the living room. "Do you think you could help me with this biology assignment?"
Her twin's voice seemed to be miles away.
Why bother with calling? She knew how it would go. She would dial and he would have no recollection her. Probably thinking it was a wrong number, and that would be what she would go with. She would apologize for the mix-up and go on with her life. The intense embarrassment associated with this incident becoming a funny anecdote shared between Kagome, Sango and their other friends.
But maybe it wouldn't go that way…..?
Of course it would! What other path was there?
"Kikyo?"
Perhaps he would remember?
"Kikyo!"
There was only one way to find out. But still her thumb refused to dial.
A shadow passed over her phone. Kikyo glanced up to see Kagome glowering at her, annoyance etched all over her face. "I know you're having an episode right now, but I could really use my smart sister right now."
"Sorry, I'll be right there," Kikyo said with a sigh. She was ready to set aside her phone when Kagome spotted it.
"You still haven't called?"
"Well I was in the process of-."
"Becoming a statue. Gimme that."
Kagome's hand moved like a snake, snatching the device before Kikyo realized it. Effortlessly her twin dialed the number on the card and pushed the icon. She tossed it to Kikyo who nearly went pale when she heard the dial tone.
"Kagome!" she exclaimed.
"You're welcome!" her sister replied, turning on her heel.
Kikyo's heart raced as the dial tone continued. After two tones she was ready to hang up before anyone responded. But then:
"Hello?"
Her heart skipped a beat and her stomach jumped all in the same instant.
"Hello?" the voice said again.
"H-hello…." Kikyo mumbled. "Can I speak to…..Inuyasha Takahashi?"
"Yeah this is Inuyasha."
"Oh yes…! How are you this evening?"
"Fine…." Inuyasha said, confusion filling his tone. "Who's this?"
Kikyo gulped. "Um….I feel rather….silly doing this. But….this is the waitress from the Shikon Café. You know, the one with the braids and the schoolgirl uniform?"
"Oh right! Sorry!"
"It's no problem. Anyway, I see you on Wednesdays all the time. You come in every Wednesday, on your lunch break, I believe. And you always order the special, with the hot chocolate. And my manager always makes it a point to limit the amount of noodles in the ramen, but I always make sure to add an extra helping for you because….well…..like I said, I enjoy customer satisfaction."
She could almost see his smirk. "Oh yeah? Well I definitely appreciate that."
Kikyo didn't hide her smile. "You always have on this flashy red suit and your cufflinks shine so bright. I'm just wondering what do you do to afford such an appearance?"
"I'm an account manager for my brother's company. Ain't nothing special, pays my rent and everything."
"Oh truly? That's interesting."
From the living room, Kagome waved around her biology book.
"Wrap-it-up!" Her twin mouthed.
Kikyo squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't delay any longer.
"Look, I don't wish to waste your time. And I know it's rather….unusual for girls to usually do this, but I was wondering if you wanted to see each other, outside of the café? You will find that I look much different outside my uniform. We could meet by the Hachikō statue and spend an hour in the park. Would that work for you?"
A garbled messed of static was his response. Panic shot up Kikyo's spine. "My phone is breaking up, hold on." Kikyo moved about the kitchen, trying to find a stronger signal, her heart pounding all the while. What if he hung up in that time? Finally the reception strengthened again.
"Can you hear me now?" she asked.
"Yep."
Relief washed over her. "So what day did you say?"
"I said, we could mix it up for once and meet on Thursday."
An intense warmth spread over her body. "Thursday is perfect."
And it feels like oooo
You don't know my name
(round and round and round we go, will you ever know)
Baby Baby I swear it's like oooooo
You don't know my name, no no no
(round and round and round we go, will you ever know)
And it feels like oooo
You don't know my name
(round and round and round we go, will you ever know)
Kikyo stood near the famous statue. Her hands clasped in her front of her. She wore a pristine white dress with a hem that reached her knees and red pants underneath. Today she wore her hair down. Her raven black hair cascaded down to her lower back. Ruby-red lipstick, eyeliner, and mascara adorned her face. With aid from Kagome and Sango, she managed to apply them in such a way that it wasn't overwhelming. She recalled the last time had attempted to wear make-up sophomore year of high school and the fiasco that ensued. Kikyo resisted the urge to lick her lips for fear of smudging it. This time wouldn't be like in high school.
She hoped.
"Hey, there you are!" she heard from across the street.
Her dread was swallowed by the joy in her chest. Inuyasha jogged across the street. He wore a plaid red button down shirt that he did not bother to button, showcasing the tight undershirt he had underneath. The closer he got, the easier Kikyo could his pectoral muscles and abs poke through the fabric. A purple beaded necklace was slung around his neck and blue sneakers carried him across the street to her.
"Sorry, I'm late, those Uber drivers can be a pain," he said, rubbing his neck.
"It's fine," Kikyo said with a smile. "I'm just glad you could make it."
"Likewise," he said. His golden eyes looked over her for a second before letting out a soft chuckle. "I just realized, I never got your name before."
Kikyo's smile widened. "Kikyo. My name is Kikyo Higurashi."
He offered his arm. "Well, Kikyo, shall we?"
She gladly took it. "Of course."
And I swear on my mother and father it feels like
Oooo ooo oooo ooo ooo ooo
Oooo ooo oooo ooo ooo ooo
Oooo ooo oooo ooo ooo ooo
You don't know my name
(round and round and round we go, will you ever know?)
AN: And so completes my very first AU modern romance one-shot songfic. It was originally just a writing exercise to get back in the swing of things after having some trouble with the next chapter of my other Inuyasha fic. But the more I worked on it the more I wanted to share it. The main character was Kagome at first, but then as I worked with the story and listened to the lyrics more, it seemed to fit Kikyo better.
As you can probably tell, there was a lot more to the story than what you see. I had to really learn to cut certain things that made the fic too long. Already this is probably one of the longer song fics. I'm far more used to traditional prose so I most likely had more material in the fic than was needed. I may come back and edit it down more but maybe not.
Might also do a follow-up with "Teenage Love Affair" but who knows.
Anyways thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!
