Momijigari.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, and all credit should go to Rumiko Takahashi.
Note: Hello, nice to see you guys again! Allow me to explain a few things about this twisted tale of fate. First off, Kagome is at the tender age 15, she lives with her financially successful older brother at his mansion, her parents are no longer living (sad right?). Her personality is very outgoing, and a lot of people around her admire her dearly, so rest assured there is no love lost for our MC.
Her friend count is only a measly four, as she don't trust people too much. Her hobbies/studies listed include; Cross Country, Gymnastics, Mythology, History, and Science. Her favorite things are candy, tea, and training at her uncle Hiro's dojo from time to time. Her goal is to earn a degree in Phytotherapy/Herbalism.
Her current occupation is a high school student, though she does Cosplay as a female warrior at her best friend's, Uncle's Sengoku Jidai wartime themed restaurant/bar. It's called Daimyo Erito and she's a part time waitress. You're probably wondering, "But Ender, isn't that illegal? Don't you have to be twenty to work in the bar?" My answer is, YES! Though, The Fujiwaras consider her family and I don't see there being a big deal with it. She's not getting hit on or harassed (it's not that type of bar), so I guess her age isn't really a sore factor here.
Oh, and this does not follow all original events of Inuyasha, but does follow some.
Without further ado, let's get on with the story!
Chapter One: Daimyo Erīto.
[Kagome's POV.]
I wouldn't admit this to any of my coworkers, but after a week and a half of working here at Daimyo Erito, I had grown accustomed to the little warrior outfit they had me running around in. The uniform in short was simple, the outer layer was a plain short-sleeved black haori jacket. On the back of my haori there was a large red maple leaf with the name of the bar written across it. Under that I just wore a plain matching kosode tied back with a large ruby bow.
I didn't receive pants as I hoped I would, instead I was provided with a short black skirt by Fujiwara Daki, my boss. When I tried to ask for pants, Daki apologetically refused. He said that the skirt made sense. If I was to dress like a female ninja, the costuming had to be authentic. I gave him a suspicious look, aware that his words were of half-truth. I knew that there were Kinouchi out there who did infact wear pants! The darn thing was just if not more, a fraction shorter than my own pleated green school skirt.
Despite my dislike for the short skirt they gave me, I liked my outfit very much. I didn't mind the thigh-hi black tights that came with the outfit. Around the top of the tights, near mid-thigh could be found the same symbol as the one on the back of my jacket. My chest was completely covered and the small breastplate protected me from unwanted advances of the patrons that had consumed more than their enabled alcohol intake. I was done up with light armor that sat on my shoulders and a metal studded apron that hung around my waist.
The night was wearing on me sooner than I had anticipated it would. I mentally prepped myself as I stepped out of the female dressing room. I hadn't even been in the building twenty minutes yet, and I was already plain exhausted. I realized that trying to keep up with my job, training, and extra curricular activities was starting to take its toll. I bent over to pick up my uniform skirt, tossing it into my locker. I shut it and slipped my tabi covered feet into the pair of thick black modern koppori.
The koppori were a hybrid between the thick willowy wood blocks that made up the bases of a geisha's oboko, and they possessed straps of leather that crossed over the top of the feet from between the thong, and tied around the ankle. The ties of the hybrid-koppori were visually similar in style to a pair of simple waraji.
After assessing my outfit and making sure everything was all tied correctly, I slipped on my black modern haori and walked through a white curtain over the entrance to the kitchen. I inhaled the scent of different spices floating in the air with a choke, the warmth of the busy kitchen enveloped me as I headed towards the front of the front of the kitchen.
Passing the familiar faces of the kitchen crew, I was acknowledged by all. I greeted them back, spotting something from the corner of my eye. I saw him, Head Chef Yanagi Cho Chin, age 23, dressed in his three star cloth knot button jacket and black slacks. He was wearing his usual black toque with the "DE" print in the middle. His dark green eyes glowed fiercely against his tanned skin, his long black hair was braided back and ran the length of his lower back.
Yanagi-san's handsome face was marred with dark lines, a clear sign that he was already agitated. I stopped in my tracks, watching as he listened to a newbie chef named Sasuke, nicknamed Sauce-kun (as per Yanagi) arrogantly explaining something about the pan he held in his hand. Another chef came curiously up behind the pair, he glanced over the shoulder of Yanagi-sama who was busy trying to discussing the sauce that a newbie had whipped up.
The man's name was Vincenzo, a blue-eyed blond haired handsome Italian in his early twenties. He was the sous chef of Daimyo Erito. Vincenzo-sama was a nice guy, flirty, but sweet and great at cooking. I felt my mouth watering at the thought of tasting one of his dishes. Sous Chef Vincenzo glanced down at Sauce-kun with a white smile, and Sauce-kun returned the nice gesture. Sauce-kun saw Vincenzo-sama reach under Yanagi's arm.
Vincenzo-sama dipped his finger into the saucepan the boy was holding and brought it to his lips. Sauce-kun held his breath watching Vincenzo-sama taste the sauce. He stood there, continuously smacking his lips a few times, eyes flickering left and right. Yanagi tasted it also, he didn't say a word as Vincenzo-sama took a few steps back from the pair. Yanagi snatched the saucepan from Sauce-kun's hand, and flung it down into the sink behind him. Metal collided with metal inducing a loud clang, causing all the other chefs to cease all movement.
A guy near me who was chopping leaks, nickname Leak-kun, jumped.
A chubby chef in front of me named Hajari Goku didn't turn around like everyone else did. Goku-san stood rooted to the spot in front of his stove. His eyes were closed, and his round lips pursed. He cringed just as I did upon hearing Yanagi begin to throw things around. Goku-san, Leak-kun, and Soy Sauce-chan (I'll explain later.) who was in the corner taking inventory on the sock, were all trembling. Goku-san turned the stove down inconspicuously as to not burn the beef in it, lest he fear Yanagi's wrath.
"You cockamamie bastard! This, it's just...Terrible! Disgusting! You dare to call this hazardous waste, duck sauce? You city filth! My cat who's missing a leg could make better sauce, compared to this regurgitated infant vomit and anal puke! GET OUT! GO HOME! Don't you bother stepping a foot in damned MY kitchen ever again! You better pray that I don't see your ass on the street or else!" Yanagi-sama barked as Vincenzo stepped between him and Sauce-kun.
"Yanagi-san! That's enough!" Vincenzo barked in the man's face.
"The HELL it is! That little shit's always talking big! He's been here for three weeks and can't make a simple duck sauce!" Roared Yanagi.
At that moment as I glanced over at Sauce-kun, I pitied him. He looked like his soul had been taken from him, his pale skin and blank white eyes chilled me. Vincenzo moved Yangai way, hauling him away into the back office and slamming the door shut, just as Sauce-kun slipped down onto the floor with his head hanging in defeat. Soy Sauce-chan and Leak-kun quickly ran over to him, kneeling on each side of him. I felt a hand press down on my shoulder and turned my head to the side, I looked up to see Goku-san smiling down at me.
"Don't worry about the kid, he'll be fine. Who hasn't suffered one of Yanagi's fits and lived through it?"
I blinked in surprise, then giggled.
"Me, that's who."
Goku-san laughed, his meaty hand patting my head fondly.
"That's because he has a soft spot for you, Kags."
"Ja he does! Jou're so cute, and jou always rave about how muy deliciosa his food is, no wonder jou get special treatment from Ricky-sama." Mused a chef standing behind me. She was a tall slim woman with beautiful sun kissed skin, and her features hailed of Spanish descent. Her long kinky strawberry hair was braided in tails that hung down her shoulders. Her name was Luciana, but we always called her "Lucy" after Lucille Ball, because she teased Yanagi by referring to him as "Ricky". Trust me, nobody could roll their R's better than Luciana could.
"Lucy's right Kagi-chan. Ricky-sama always makes something a little extra for you, and he knows that you love sweets. You're definitely his luz de diamante (diamond light)! You're also Vinny's dia di stomaco (goddess of stomach)!" Goku-san teased, his chubby cheeks coated with a pervy blush.
"I will not stand here and be teased like this! You guys know he only makes me stuff because he knows my stomach is honest. Besides, his desserts are way better than Vincenzo's." I said truthfully, then slapped my hands to my mouth. Both chefs gasped, before erupting into full blown laughter.
"Mama mia! Vincenzo-sama's magnifico angelo has turned her taste buds to another chef's plates!" Goku-san cried with laughter.
"Oh, jou did not just say that! I'm telling!" Lucy howled, slapping her knee in amusement.
"Oh I don't care. Tell him if you guys want, but I'm not sticking around to hear it! Idioti (idiots)!" I mumbled in embarrassment and ran out of the kitchen.
I knelt by the curtain near the entrance to the main bar of where I worked. It took me awhile but I eventually combed the rest of my hair and wound it intricately in a high bun style on the top of my head. I tied it off with a decorated gold string and a small comb my brother, Seji had given me. It was made of bone, with a tora (tiger) and red carnations painted on it.
[Norm.]
"Kami only knows what Jin's uncle, Daki was thinking when he made this outfit for me." Kagome fussed with her lips pursed.
Her cheeks puffed out in annoyance as she tried to pull the skirt lower over her bottom. She quickly turned her ice-grey eyes toward the sudden presence of a male teen, close to her in age. When he knelt next to her, her face immediately brightened.
He was one of her bestest friends, Fujiwara Jin, Daki's nephew. Daki was the one who introduced them when they were children, and he's the one who begged her to join the staff since they had a shortage of cute girls running around the place. Jin disagreed, but was stumped when Kagome accepted. Jin, within his role felt that he wasn't to play her comrade, but a challenger when it came to getting customers.
His outfit was similar to her own, except he actually wore a jinbaori (sleeveless samurai jacket), and short hakama (formally known as bakama) that ballooned at the knees and thinned, sinking down into the black tabi (socks) he wore. Jin's fire-phoenix red hair was brushed back into a spiky style (think Kenpachi-sama from Bleach but not as cray with the bells and shit), since it was too short to put into a topknot. She noticed how his charcoal vambraces were tied flawlessly, and the armored apron skirt around his waist was polished and freshly stocked with pens, utensils, notepads, and green tea mints.
Jin-kun is always so amazing, but I'm prepared too! I think... Kagome thought as she pinched her delicate little brows together.
She pulled her apron-pouch open with her fingers and stared with determination down into the abyss. No sooner had she done that, did a defeated expression covered her face. Her eyes viewed the graveyard of ichigo (strawberry) custard bunny candies, and individually wrapped cinnamon chai mints that lived there. The light above them from a socket in the ceiling illuminated the glittery pink Jelly Roll pen, the pen stuck out of the mass grave of shiny milky pink candy wrappers like a crooked tether.
Kagome blushed lightly in embarrassment at the mess within her apron, while Jin snorted.
Why can I never be as prepared as Jin Jin-kun is! She internally pouted.
When she started here at the bar, she learned that all the floor employees were to act in a very specific manner to their customers, memorize the menu backwards and forwards, and lastly to never get out of character. So in this Sengoku Jidai themed Restaurant/Bar, the goal was to achieve a certain bond when it came to the customer. Whoever he or she was.
Jin didn't look too pleased as he stared impatiently at the fluttering black curtain before Kagome and himself. Forever it seemed they had been waiting. Normally on a Friday like this, waiting for a customer didn't take long in this bar but the night seem to stretch painfully long. A lingering sigh fell from Jin's lips as he knelt there with a bored expression.
"Sorry," He began out of nowhere catching the gumdrop brained girl next to him by surprise. Kagome leaned her head to the side with a joyous expression. Stars shined in her grayish blue jelly filled eyes. "Hm?" She smiled at him in question.
"I know that there are more productive things you could do with your weekend evenings, Kagi-chan. I know working in a bar isn't exactly glamorous, and there are so many things I feel you could be doing, other than working here with me."
Kagome suddenly snapped out of her daze as she turned her eyes up to Jin's with a start. She simply gave him a serious pout that melted him, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. She nuzzled him affectionately sending a ripple of nervousness through him at her touch, followed by bright burning blotches of red staining his cheeks.
"No way idiot! I'm always happy to spend some time with you Jin Jin-kun, you're my best friend after all. We help each other out, it's just what besties do. Right?" Kagome grinned cutely up at him.
Jin reacted by chuckling lightly, for he could not help but to adore that stupidly cute expression of hers as he patted her on the head. He stopped laughing as he stared down at the girl leaning on him, his burnt umber eyes fell over her soft grey eyes, so sweet like molten starlight.
He loved how thick her webbed lashes were, and how plump those strawberry lips of hers were. Suddenly he didn't want to think about work anymore, and the only thought that drove his mind was to kiss her. Just the idea of kissing his long time crush, the cute little warrior girl next to him was enough to make his heart pound loudly like a war drum. He knew his infatuation with her had started when she defended him from being picked on by bullies as children. His love for her only progressed through the years, she was his angel, and his life line.
Kagome turned back to the curtain with a look of revamped determination. She was ready to rock this place, so ready in fact, that she didn't notice the flushed look on Jin's face, nor the longing gaze cast to her. His dark eyes reflected her image within them, his burgundy brows pulling down in adoration, his cheeks were flushed with desire.
Kagome didn't know how to react when his hand suddenly cupped her cheek. She felt his thumb caressing the side of her cheek, the pressure of his fingers pressing into the underside of her chin softly. He turned her face toward his as he leaned down.
"Jin Jin-kun?" Kagome questioned through pursed lips with a blush. She felt her eyelids weighing down as the tension between them grew heavier and his lips drew closer to her own.
"I want to..." He began with pant as he brushed his top lip lightly against her own.
"I want to kiss you, Kagome-chan."
It was then that her girlish expertise came in. A moment like this was what she had waited for, for so long. All the Shoujo manga's she had under her belt had prepared her for a moment such as this one. In her best interest she decided it was best to go with the flow, and allow Jin to kiss her.
Kagome nodded her head with a nimble flush and allowed her eyelids to flutter closed. Her lips pulled timidly tight as she waited for Jin's lips to cover her own, shaking slightly, she was nervous. Jin blushed harder, surprised that she'd give in so easily. Perhaps she too, wanted to kiss him just as much as he desired to kiss her.
Jin leaned closer, inching closer and closer to her with his hands on her shoulders. His lips twitched awkwardly toward the plump petals of the girl in front of them. His nostrils flared disgustingly, and his burgundy brows scrunched horrifically (internally screaming).
This is it. He thought joyously with MANLY tears sprouting in the corners of his eyes. He was about to take the first step into manhood.
I'll finally have my first kiss.
Their lips were just about to meet, when someone pulled back the curtain.
"Hey! Are you guys ready? We finally got customers out here!" Came the voice of Asami, one of the supervisors of the bar who was working the front desk tonight, and she just happened to be Jin's twin sister. She held the guest list/ attendance scroll in one hand and held the curtain open a sliver with the other.
Asami blinked her chocolate eyes at the two, wondering why Kagome's face was completely firecracker red. The pair were spread abnormally far apart from each other also, which was weird since they were always together, hugging or cuddling. She silently came to an assumption as she stared at her brother. Jin's eyes didn't meet her gaze, she sharply noticed the sweat dripping down the side of his face and into the collar of his uniform.
"Is everything okay, you two?" She purred.
"Hai Asami-Tono!" They said in unison, trying to appear completely ready.
"Uhuh... okay? Well, here we go!" She smiled with a devious smirk.
"Hai!" They replied again in unison.
They seemed to notice it this time, and stole a look at one another through the corners of their eyes with a shared blush. The curtain suddenly flew back, exposing the two of them to the surprised faces of four customers. Two of the customers Jin noticed, were returning customers. They all looked like they had just come from a club scene, guys with glowing bracelets and the girls wearing heavy makeup.
"Evening my most admiral lords and ladies, welcome to Daimyo Erito! My name is Asami! Allow me to present you one these fine warriors with whom of your choice, might serve you on such a tranquil moonlit night as this one?" Asami addressed to the party.
Kagome admired Jin's sister as well, she had the most solid form. Asami's hand was pressed against her chest, head lowered respectively. Her brown ponytail hung over her shoulder and her bangs dangled over her green eyes.
"Welcome back my lords Saito-Tono, Murata-Tono, my name is Jin." Jin announced boldly making Kagome nervous, and Asami silently curse.
"Please grant me the honor of serving your lordships and ladies again tonight." Smoothed Jin as he bowed deeply to the people in front of them. Asami resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her brother, he was always trying to be a show off.
"Oh my! I've never been here before! So handsome! This is fun Saito!" Exclaimed the date with the blond hair to her boyfriend.
"Yeah, but Mura-kun the Ninja-girl looks too cute!" Added the brunette woman as she clung tightly to her boyfriend's arm in excitement. The man, Murata's face flushed as his date's breasts rubbed against his arm.
"My most honorably handsome lords and lovely ladies, won't you please allow me, Kagome, the grandest honor of being your most humble servant on such a night as glorious as this one?" She asked sweetly, bowing her head respectively allowing her the top bun on her head to wobble cutely back and forth.
Kagome knelt lower, almost kowtowing as she addressed the customers. Asami opened her mouth in shock at Kagome's actions. She tried to move forward in order to correct the girl, but she figured it was the most interesting thing that was going to happen tonight, so she closed her lips and continued to watch.
Jin sat unphased by her performance. He cast a glance down at Kagome from the corner of his eye, he stiffened with a blush when he realized that her short skirt was almost slipping above her butt. A vibrant red color filled his cheeks as he stared at the peak of her panties from under the skirt.
"Damn you Uncle Daki! Damn you to hell you perverted bastard!" Jin screeched mentally like a pterodactyl as he felt the blood rushing to somewhere, somewhere that it probably shouldn't have gone to at that moment. Kagome quickly turned her head toward him and discreetly stuck her tongue out with a cheeky smile.
"Gotcha, idiot!" She smirked triumphantly at Jin.
"Uwaaaa! So cute!" Gasped the ladies in unison, they fawned over how adorable she was.
The two male patrons looked at each other with sly smiles.
"Yeah, I want Ninja-chan!" Demanded Saito.
"Alright! Give us the girl," asked Murata.
Asami bowed her head and assigned Kagome the duty of handling their patrons. Kagome cast a triumphant smile over her shoulder at Jin. He simply stared at her with a pervy grin as he pointed to his lips. Kagome tripped over her own feat with a blush. Asami closed her eyes, bracing for the noise of a crash. She waited, but it didn't happen.
Kagome thoughtlessly recovered with some sort of a perfectly executed somersault. She stood hastily, bowing apologetically to her customers, all while internally berating herself and cursing Jin. The group seemed to enjoy her little stunt as they clapped and cheered. Jin folded his arms and shook his head at the idiot. Asami breathed a sigh of relief, then she folded her lips in with a pervy smile. She slithered over toward Jin, who blushed.
"Say, just now. You saw Kagome-chan's panties. Didn't cha, pervert?" She grinned deviously up at him.
Jin flushed red like a cherry and stuttered as he tried to explain that he wasn't looking that hard.
"Bahaha! You're a bad liar Onii-chan, I know you saw them. That thing between your legs proves it! Now you disgusting pervert, if you don't go and help Chef Yanagi with the orders, I'm gonna tell Uncle Daki on you! I wonder, who could afford to keep a guy that gets hard-ons in front of customers!" Asami threatened with a cackle.
Jin looked at his sister with a glare and smacked her guest scroll right out of her hands.
"Devil Bitch." He murmured as he walked stiffly away.
Asami glared back at her brother as she bent down to collect her list. Her eyes watched fondly as he stalked off toward the kitchen trying to adjust the new friend within his hakamaa to a more comfortable position.
"One for Kagome, zero for Jin. Haha! This is super super fun!" Asami thought as she stood back at the entrance podium with a grin. She suddenly remembered that he had his hands in his pants, and she had just sent him to the kitchen. She swiftly sent out a polite text from her phone, telling Jin to wash his hands before he touches anything.
(AN: Short After story.)
The Text.
Jin was sitting on top of a crate full of potatoes minding his own damned business, because Yanagi didn't trust him with his precious dishes. He called Jin a disgusting pig. Jin had started to doze off when his phone began buzzing in his pocket. He snapped himself awake and lazily reached into his pocket, flipping his phone open with his thumb. His eyes peered at the tiny screen.
Text received at 10:15 PM.
From: Devil Bitch Asami.
The text was read aloud by Jin himself.
"Jin you f***ng perv, you touched your d**k! Go wash your d**m hands before you touch anything in there or I will F***ing fire your a**!"
"How annoying." Jin mused as he snapped a picture of his middle finger and sent it off to her.
Author:｡(*￣m￣)｡ Aww imagining a ninja Kagome with her hair piled up in a bun on her head is too cute.
Small note: Tono/Dono-means master, or more like milord/milady. It's what was used by swordsman and other honorable figures you'd want to address with respect. I'd think of it similarly somewhere between "san" and "sama", but with more respect for the time period the bar is trying to replicate. Thanks for reading my new story! Hopefully you like it!
Please Read and Review, I love feedback from you guys!
(づ￣ ³￣)づ~Muah!
I'll be updating ASAP. (｡･ω･)ﾉﾞTill next time! Bye!