Disclaimer: Ok, just so you know… I do not own InuYasha and Co. RATS!!! Big, fat, greasy rats! Oh well, my time will come (evil smile).

Auhor's Notes: I just want those who actually read and enjoy my stories, I am alive. My dad's stupid computer crashed, and thus I lost ALL of my work, literally. And he has this filter thing that prohibits me from accessing this site. But now I'm using my mom's computer. And one more thing here… when I'm at school (three months, then a break of a month) I can't access fanfiction. But I will write the stories and then put them up asap. Now, enough of my blabbing! Enjoy! And PLEASE PLEASE review! I need feedback!

Chapter 1: Many Meetings

"Dang it! I'm late!" The young woman rushed around her two-room apartment trying to locate her Pentax camera. It was twelve-thirty, and she had to be at the church at one, and it took forty-five minutes to an hour to get there. Combing her hair back into a neat twist, she took one last check at her make-up and dress. Once she was pleased with what she saw, she grabbed her camera bag, purse, and car keys and flew out the door and down the stairs to the lobby. Once she got down to the parking lot, she located her black Toyota Ipsum, shoved the key into the ignition and sped out into Sunday afternoon traffic.

Higurashi Kagome wasn't your average twenty-one-year-old woman. Her long raven black hair was almost always pulled back into a twist, her chocolate brown eyes always sparkling with love and joy, and her fair skin always clean and flawless, she looked like a perfectionist. This was only partly true. When it came to her job, she was meticulous about details and impressions, but outside work, well, that was a completely different story.

Kagome had, like every other Japanese girl, gone through school with good grades, and was now attending a top-notch university there in Tokyo with full scholarships. But her life hadn't always been so privileged. When she was only seven, her father had been killed in a brutal car accident, which had left her mother to take care of two small children completely alone. Mrs. Higurashi was forced to take two jobs just to put Kagome and her younger brother Souta, through school, keep food on the table, and a roof over their heads. Once Kagome had turned sixteen, she started selling pictures that she took with the Pentax camera that her father had given her for her seventh birthday. It had been a hard life, but it taught Kagome to manage her money, and independence.

And now she sped her way through Tokyo traffic to take pictures at her best friend's wedding. On average, she could earn two thousand dollars for photographing weddings or taking pictures at school dances. She certainly didn't lack for money, or work. For that she thanked the gods for that.

"Maybe I will be able to make it on time." She said hopefully as she gazed at the busy thoroughfare.

Just then, her cell phone started singing loudly the latest ring tone. Scrambling to drive the car and find her phone, she knocked her purse and all its contents onto the floor of the passenger's side. Kagome cursed her clumsiness and hurriedly picked up her phone and flipped it open.

"Higurashi Kagome speaking." She said cordially into the phone.

"Kagome! Where the fricking heck are you!?"

"Hello to you too, Sango," Kagome replied sarcastically to her best friend.

"You're late, Higurashi! For your best friend's wedding no less!" Taijiya Sango shouted into the phone.

Kagome winced at the volume of her friend's voice, and looked down her watch. "It's only 12:55, Sango. I'm technically not late until 1:01."

"Ah, but I know you! You're either very early, or very late!"

"Thanks for your vote of confidence."

"No problem. Now get your butt over here! Hayaku!"

"Don't worry, I'm turning down Setsuna Drive now." Kagome heard the click, and smiled to herself.

She and Sango had been best friends since kindergarten. Each had comforted the other when things had gone wrong. Sango had let Kagome cry on her shoulder when her father had died, and Kagome had been there to help Sango through her parent's nasty divorce. In all meanings on the phrase, they had been there for each other though thick and thin. Now Sango was getting married. To a lech. And his name was Houshi Miroku.

xXx

Kagome put the car into park and climbed out. A handsome young man in a tuxedo came running out of the sanctuary towards her waving happily.

"Konnichiwa!" He said as he pulled Kagome into a warm hug.

"Konnichiwa, Houshi." She replied, hugging him right back.

Kagome looked Miroku up and down, from his jet-black ponytail to his patent leather shoes. He was a looker for sure, with his blue eyes and well built frame. He had been a monk for many years, but aside from his monk training he had done a lot of impromptu bike racing with a local biking gang. It was said that he was a best friend to one of the fastest bike racers ever known. Kagome of course had no idea who that was. She tried not to pry into other people's lives.

"We've been expecting you! Do you need some help with your equipment?" Miroku gestured toward the trunk of the car.

"Sure do. Would you mind grabbing the tripod… and my bag of lenses?" She smiled.

"No problem."

Arms full of camera equipment, the two made their way into the large church. Once she stepped though the doors, Kagome was enraptured by the set up. Each of the one hundred and fifty pews had its own candle stand wrapped with pink and white lily garlands. The air was filled with the sweet smell of sakura, rose, and lily. The podium was draped with white satin and white roses. But the most breath taking part of it all were two-dozen potted sakura trees that were lined up around the auditorium.

"My gosh! She certainly has a way of making things look pretty!" Kagome whistled.

"Yeah. We're gonna be paying for this for months." Miroku wiped his brow, and then excused himself to talk to his future in-laws.

Kagome laughed quietly and shook her head, then quickly set about setting up her things. Once that was done, she decided that she might as well take her free time to drink in the delicate scenery.

By that point, most everyone that had been invited was there and sitting in the pews awaiting the ceremony. Most of the guests that were there Kagome knew, but there were a few that she couldn't seem to place, most of those being from Miroku's side of the family. One in particular was a man sitting near the back. He looked like a fish out of water with his long silver hair and cute dog-ears. Must be an inu youkai, I'll bet. Kagome thought to herself. Youkai, though not wide spread, were not a novelty.

"Isn't he hot?" Someone whispered into Kagome's ear, causing the young woman to jump a mile high. The owner of the voice was a tall woman about Kagome's height. Strangely enough, this lady looked just like Kagome, with longer hair though, paler skin, and duller eyes.

"Sorry about that, did mean to scare you. Hamaya Kikyou. Friend of the groom. Anata wa?" The lady offered her hand to Kagome.

"Higurashi Kagome. The bride is my best friend." Kikyou looked pointedly down at the bag of equipment at Kagome's feet. "Oh, and I'm the photographer. So, who did you say he was?" Kagome motioned toward the mystery man.

"That would be Tessaiga InuYasha. His brother owns half of Tokyo. And I own him." Kikyou gave a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Ah… Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to speak to the bride." Kagome excused herself politely, and as soon as her back was turned, she rolled her eyes. Some girls got so possessive of their men. She, of course, had only had one boyfriend, which had been a total mistake. It had been in her sophomore year of high school, and he had been way too possessive of her. It had ended fast and hard. She hadn't seen the guy since they had graduated, not that she wanted to see him again even if she could have.

"Kagome! I'm glad you finally got here!" Sango's voice snapped Kagome out of her daydream.

"Been here for about a half an hour. When is this thing supposed to start, anyway?" Kagome said as she pulled her best friend into a tight hug.

"In about five minutes. How do I look?" Sango asked as she spun around, her white gown flowing out around her.

"Like an angel. I'm so happy for you… I really am. I am a little jealous though." Kagome admitted as she focused her camera on the jittery bride.

"Don't worry. I'm sure there's someone here that you would like. Like maybe that Tessaiga guy." Sango laughed as she struck a dashing pose.

"No thanks, he's already 'taken'. Besides, he didn't look like my type."

"Whatever you say." Sango sighed. "You better get ready, sounds like the organs are starting to play."

With that, Sango disappeared into a small room to grab her bouquet and Kagome hurried off to get into place for the procession.

xXx

The wedding went perfectly, like a faery tale. The couple looked happy together. The reception was superbly catered, with a live band and happy couples dancing along to love songs and jazz. Kagome had contented herself sitting on the side snapping cameos of people dancing. She was changing the film out in her camera when shadow fell over her work.

"Wanna dance?" Came a deep voice from above her.

Kagome's head shot up to see who was bothering to ask her to dance. To her surprise Tessaiga InuYasha stood offering his hand to her, with a smile on his face! It took Kagome several seconds before she could find the words to answer, her mouth working the air like a fish.

"Sure, but don't you have a girlfriend that would be wanting to dance with you right now?" Kagome said, finally finding her voice.

"You mean Kikyou? Nah." He shrugged noncommittally. "We broke up a long time ago, but she doesn't seem to want to accept that."

"I know exactly how the feels." With that Kagome closed the back panel of her camera and took InuYasha's offered hand.

"So what do ya do for a livin', besides take pictures at weddings?" InuYasha asked as they swayed to some little known Japanese love song.

"Sell more pictures. That's been my life since I was sixteen. Oh yeah, I'm studying at the university downtown too."

"I race motorcycles."

It was such a short statement, but it was said with such force, it seemed to hold a lot of weight. It seemed only fitting that this man dancing with Kagome should be a biker too. His left ear was pierced with a small silver hoop, and he had a small tattoo in kanji that read "fire" on his neck. Kagome nodded politely and left it that. She was content just looking at his gorgeous golden eyes. Once the song had ended InuYasha walked Kagome back to her seat, even though it seemed a little too soon to both of them.

"Nice meetin' ya." He said as he pulled her chair out for her.

"You too."

Kagome sat down and went back to snapping cameos, the whole while her mind going over this InuYasha she had just danced with. Now that she looked at him from further away, it did seem fitting for him to be a biker. He was wearing a loose black shirt with a red and blue fire pattern on the chest, dark jeans, and heavy combat boots. She also noticed several chains hanging here and there from his personage, probably mostly for show.

"For not being your type, you too looked pretty fine together!" Sango plopped herself down opposite of Kagome and propped her head up on her hands to stare at her best friend mischievously.

"He asked to dance! I wasn't going to say no." Kagome said in her defense.

"Ok, whatever you say. But he is pretty hot, isn't he?"

"Yeah. Is he a friend of Miroku's?" Kagome asked as she peered over a vase of flowers at the smiling groom.

"Yep, apparently they've been best friends since birth. InuYasha's quite a character though. You know he's been in jail twice?" Kagome turned wide eyes to Sango. "Yeah, for disturbing the peace and armed assault!" Sango stated as she watched InuYasha find his way to Miroku and start talking.

"Gosh. That's quite a record." Kagome sighed. "Oh yeah! What can you tell me about this Kikyou girl?"

"Oh, that slut! She was one of Miroku's ex-girlfriends. And come to think of it, she was InuYasha's girlfriend too. But that woman just can't seem to keep her sights on just one guy. Real player, if you know what I mean." Sango rolled her eyes disgustedly.

Kagome nodded her head in understanding. She had met many girls like that in high school, and even more now that she was in college. There seemed to be a never-ending supply. They'd find a hot guy, sleep with him a few times, dump him like a hot coal, and then move on to new meat. But they could also be pretty clingy too, how ironic.

"Oh well. I have no need for a guy right now." Kagome declared resolutely. Sango eyed her with a one-sided smile, and rolled her eyes again.

xXx

Miroku and Sango left the reception soon after for their honeymoon off in Fiji somewhere, leaving Kagome to pack up her equipment and head home alone. She drove through the city to her apartment complex and parked the car in her parking space, right in the shadows of the biggest, most beautiful sakura tree in Tokyo. For a moment she stood in the parking gazing up at the sky and its multitude of stars. A light breeze blew through the lot and lifted many pink petals into the air, as well as Kagome's dark green linen sundress.

"Hey papa. How you doing tonight?" Kagome often addressed the sky this way. It had become standard procedure after her father's death.

"Well, I should get upstairs to my apartment. I love you papa. And I miss you too. Oyasuminasai."

With that, Kagome walked up to the double glass doors and headed up to her third floor apartment. Once she reached the door, she fumbled for the keys for a moment, found them at the bottom of her purse, and unlocked the door.

One wouldn't have been able to tell that Kagome had come from a poor background. Her apartment displayed dozens of framed black and white photos and everything was neat, clean, and well placed, the work of an artist. Her kitchen décor was cool yellow and white; the living room was pale green and light brown. Her room was done in a black and white art deco style, as any rich noble might do. Of all the rooms, the guest room was the dullest. Off white walls, cream coloured lace curtains, and simple white comforters. This was Kagome's world. Anyone that challenged it would regret it.

After a long shower and light supper Kagome settled into her bed and flipped off the light. A good end to a productive day. She thought to herself. She whispered a prayer that Sango and Miroku would be happy together and promptly fell into a deep sleep.

End of Chapter

Phrase Translations:

Hayaku: Quick

Sakura: Japanese cherry tree

Youkai: Demon

Inu Youkai: Dog demon

Konnichiwa: Good Afternoon

Oyasuminasai: Good Night