*drum roll*

Yes, I bring you another story which had been cooking inside my head for a while now. It's an AU and an Inu/Kag fanfic. The plot is quite dear to me and I have high expectations from this story.

PS- Every character in this fanfic is quite human. So don't expect any fangs peeping, swords swinging or any demons lurking.

So without further ado, I give you….

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine. *sob sob*

Chapter 1

A face to remember

"What news do you bring me this time, Tsu?"

The said male shuddered visibly at the cold, calculated voice. Gulping audibly, he bowed deeply and replied with a tight voice.

"I am afraid I bring you rather unfortunate news, boss. Hakudoshi has...failed."

He waited nervously for what was about to ensue. The other person stayed silent as the tension in the room grew with every passing minute.

After what felt like an eon to the frightened male, his boss enquired passively.

"Has he returned?"

"Y-yes. He is waiting outside the room," Tsu stuttered as he stared at the silhouette of his superior who currently stood behind a translucent curtain, which not only hid his appearance but created an eerie ambience.

"Bring him in."

His command was quickly complied and Hakudoshi soon found himself standing under the spotlight. His milk white hair was ruffled while his worn out clothes were torn and tattered, and stained with his own blood. Hakudoshi winced inwardly each time he put pressure on his right foot absentmindedly… which was bleeding from a bullet shot.

"Explain."

"A security caught me in the act and I had to flee before the cops could get a hold of me."

The mysterious male stepped out of his position from behind the curtain as a single light that dimly lit the room illuminated his eyes.

Hakudoshi watched apathetically as those dark red orbs bore deeply into his form; he did not miss the look of disapproval that momentarily flashed in those abysmal depths.

"You have failed me."

"I want another chance, boss. I promise this time I will not disappoint you," Hakudoshi promised with newfound fortitude. He smiled lightly when he was given a revolver to hold by his superior.

"Thank you for this other chance. You will not be dis-"

"Put it in your mouth."

Hakudoshi stared with wide eyes at the person standing before him. For a second he wondered whether his ears were playing tricks on him. His doubt was quickly clarified when the figure spoke again.

"I will not repeat."

The injured male complied while his hand shook relentlessly. A single bead of sweat rolled down his face and fell on the cold hard floor with a splash. Time stood still and a thick mist of silence enveloped the room, occasionally broken by the arrhythmic breathing of its occupants. Hakudoshi closed his eyes and waited patiently for the inevitable.

"Pull the trigger."

This time he did not have to wait for long as a loud bang sounded instantly in the room, shaking the walls with its amplitude. Hakudoshi's lifeless form fell on the floor with a thud and the mysterious red eyes cherished the sight as the body began to float in a pool of blood.

"I have no room for failures under my wing," the mysterious figure declared with a sinister voice, malice dripping with every word.

Veering his head toward the other occupant in the room, he instructed for the corpse to be quickly disposed of before nonchalantly heading back to his quarters. But before exiting the room, he called over from his shoulder, "Fix an appointment with Red as early as possible."

Meanwhile, Tsu who had witnessed every scene unfolding in that room, stood frozen with a deadpanned face. He had watched helplessly as his beloved brother ended his life before his very eyes. A single bead of tear rolled down his cheek and the male dropped on his knees before letting out a heart wrenching cry.


"Now give me a confident look…yes, now to your right… and perfect!"

After a few more snaps the photographer exclaimed with glee and stood up from his crouched position. Shutting his camera lens, he chirped giddily, "Kagome, you did great! These pictures will escalate our demand. I can already see the sales of our magazine going through the roof!"

The said female giggled and straightened her chic black dress. Straightening an imaginary wrinkle, she replied with a smooth voice, "I can do better, Hiroshi."

Hiroshi slowly shook his head and flashed her a reassuring smile.

"Oh hush! You pulled it out with aplomb."

The raven haired maiden acquiesced and seated herself on a chair that was immediately brought to her by a spot boy.

"Thank you Hojo," she acknowledged her fellow worker with a warm smile.

The said boy blushed profusely and quickly excused himself before he ridiculed himself before the supermodel out of ecstasy.

"Here have a look."

The professional photographer connected his camera to a laptop and began to skim through every single snap, his chest bloating with pride with every slide.

"Each one is a masterpiece, Kagome!"

Despite his verdict, Kagome scrutinized every picture with keen eyes, studying her features, her poses, expressions attentively. In the first few snaps, she was dressed in a white strapless dress that ended just above her knees. As part of her accessories, she was adorned with a shimmering pearl necklace and a Gucci purse. Her ivory hair was let down and curled at the end. Her makeup was light and her lips were painted a light pink. In these pictures, she stared at the camera with an innocent look and her lips stretched in a small smile. A few others had her clothed in a royal blue number where she stared at the lens with a sensuous expression. The last picture had her arrayed in a chic black dress which fell all the way to her ankles. The dress hugged her at all the right places, making her curves clearly visible. To go with the dress, she was given a golden armlet to flaunt. Her lips were painted a loud red and her hair was held up in a messy bun. Kagome stared at the lens with confidence as her abysmal cerulean depths shimmered bright. Overall, she looked angelic. Hiroshi was adept at bringing out the beauty in every person and capturing it in a frame.

Perfect. Beautiful. Supermodel. Celebrity. These were the only words around which Kagome's world revolved. She was born into high society. Her mother was a renowned international actress while her father dominated the business world. Yes, attending high class parties and mingling with celebrities were quotidian occasions for her. Smiling before cameras and waving before her fans fell in her everyday schedule. But she was tired, tired of the plasticity, the outer glamour of the showbiz.

A wise person had once said: The grass is always greener on the other side. Kagome could not have concurred more. Hundreds of people craved to be a part of this society, desired to bask themselves in the fame and glamour that it offered but little did they know that this industry run deep and hid many revolting secrets behind its artificial grandeur.

Her azure eyes fogged when she thought how alone she was in this precarious world, surrounded by pretence and fakery. How she craved for a supporting hand which would accompany her through thick and thin, protect her from all sinister being, drag her out in the open each time she found herself slipping away in this claustrophobic ambience. She sighed in defeat for she knew that only disappointment was what awaited her.

Little did she know how wrong she was…


"Kagome, how did your photo shoot go?"

The said female turned her head to look at the source of the voice and found herself giving a soft warm smile at the familiar face of her childhood friend cum manager.

"As usual, Sango," she replied exhaustingly.

"So I take it Hiroshi was ecstatic about his snaps?" Sango enquired, plopping down on the empty spot next to her friend on the couch.

A silence from the other female affirmed her hunch. Laying a hand on Kagome's stiff shoulder, Sango spoke with a soft voice.

"Is something bothering you, Kagome?"

"I am tired, Sango!" she cried into her hands as her words came out in muffled huffs. "Everything here is so artificial, so fake. I feel like I am losing my true self in this abyss with every passing day."

She wept silently while Sango brushed her hair with soft gentle strokes, trying to allay her distressed friend.

"It has been only a year since your advent to this society, Kagome, and since then you have shaken its grounds with your immense talent. You have given this industry a top class model and an actor. I feel it's just a matter of time before you truly get accustomed to its environment."

"But that is not me, Sango!" Kagome retorted in a sad tone. "Kagome Higurashi is anything but a dolled up face with tonnes of makeup plastered on it. Honestly, sometimes I stare at my own pictures and ask myself, who is she?"

"That is the price you have to pay to be a part of this glamour world. Some do it willingly while few others are destined to be pushed into this quicksand the moment they are born."

Kagome fell on the latter case. Since her mother was so successful in this industry, when Kagome was born the industry rejoiced to celebrate the birth of the next Sakura Higurashi.

"So I just have to accept my fate, won't I?"

Sango chose not to reply to her rhetorical question. To liven up the situation, she decided to change the subject.

"Guess what, Kagome!"

The raven haired maiden perked up at the excitement of her companion.

"What?"

Sango flashed her a cheeky grin before cooing, "You will be getting a new bodyguard."

The response she received was a frustrated groan from the other female.


A pair of feet arrayed in sleek leather boots came to a halt before a huge mahogany door. Two ash grey orbs studied calmly the extravagant design of the wooden ingress before raising a hand to knock on it. The figure gently pushed open the door when a soft "come in" was heard from behind it. Stepping inside the ostentatious chamber, it patiently waited at the doorstep for the single occupant in the room to acknowledge its presence.

It did not have to wait for long.

"About time you had showed up," Naraku jeered from his exorbitant armchair. "Have a seat," he finished and signaled at the vacant chair opposite to him.

The mysterious figure walked toward it with long steady strides, as the heels of its boots clicked against the hard marbled floor.

The red eyed male continued once the person was seated comfortably in his spot.

"I am in dire need of your assistance yet again."

"I hope it will be worth my time."

This was the first time the other individual spoke.

"You are the best I have in my squad. I assure you it is totally worth it," Naraku promised as his eyes lit up with an evil gleam.

"What is it in for me?"

"Something that you crave for earnestly."

Naraku waited patiently with a satisfied smirk on his face. He knew he had already won the battle. Any speck of doubt was quickly vanquished when the figure spoke again.

"What is my job?"

"I hate to beat around the bush so I would like to get straight down to business," Naraku began, sitting up straight in his chair as an unreadable expression masked his devilish handsome face. Handing out a photograph, he continued in a deep voice, "Engrave this face deep in your memory, Red. This is your target."

...

First chapter done! What do you think? Like it? Don't like it? (T_T)

Please let me know in your reviews.

If I get a bunch of positive reviews then you can expect the next update in two or three days. If I don't then … well… I will be busy weeping in a dark corner.