CHAPTER ONE
The clock sitting high above the teachers mahogany desk ticked the precious seconds away, pure simple minutes held her back from her beloved three month vacation. It's not that Kagome enjoyed summer, she just couldn't wait till she could go home and sleep till Nine.
Kagome hissed the seconds in her mind, ten, nine, eight. Every student sat at the edge of their seat.
"Don't forget to turn in your reports when the bell rings" Informed Sensei.
Seven, six, five. Kagome grabbed her pencil from her desk, scribbling last minute adjustments to her paper; like name and the date, and the assignment was complete. Kagome never understood why teachers loved reports so much, she was ready to question why her math teacher was giving her an English assignment on the 'points of mathematics', when she remembered she lost count.
Glancing back at the clock Kagome continued with her charade, but she was to late as the bell signaled the end of the hectic year. Jumping from her seat Kagome realized she was the last one to leave.
All that waiting, and still in the classroom. Pathetic.
"Ms. Higurashi, may I have a word with you" Kagome's teacher asked from behind the safety of his desk. Whenever teachers addressed you by your last name AKA your mothers name, you are obviously in trouble.
Biting her bottom lip, Kagome dragged her feet towards her teacher. The drama she executed deemed her even more pathetic.
"Is there a problem sensei?" Kagome asked in an innocent tone, forcing a smile she hugged her books tighter to her chest.
Then he said the three most horrifying words, "Have a seat." Thankful for the extra space, yet terrified of what to come, Kagome dropped rather then laid her books on the student desk.
"Kagome" Sensei began, his eyes roaming his students face for some hint of expression, "As you might have noticed your grades in math have slipped, and from here it can only get harder"
Draining in the already known facts Kagome relaxed; Just another lecture. "Yes, I understand" Kagome stated in a common-respectful-yet-I'm-not-caring student tone.
"I fear you don't understand" Rising from his desk, sensei became more serious and firm, "I have spoken with your parents and they agree with me."
Confused, Kagome stared blankly.
"You'll be joining one of the most prestigious corporations in Tokyo, you should feel honored" Sensei pointed out. Kagome would feel more honored if this were a paying job, but no, she'd be offering (as far as that word can go in this situation) for free.
"Sounds great" Kagome lied.
"Wonderful, you start in three days, your parents have already filled out the papers," smiling down at his pupil he knew that smile across her face was forced. Grinning back he hid knowledge she soon would realize; hard work. It wasn't that Kagome couldn't do math, that he already knew, It was her lack of dedication. This, he hoped, would teach her to work for a living, weither it be school or the real world.
Later that day...
"You KNEW about this" Kagome exploded once she got home "And you didn't tell me" she finished, dropping herself helplessly to a kitchen chair. "What happened to trusting your family?"
Kagome's mother exchanged glances with grandfather, "Kagome, this will be good for you" Mrs. Higurashi admitted. Her daughter looked up at her blank faced.
"So you admit you knew?" Kagome rasped stunned. Kagome had expected her mother to know, after all she had signed the papers. But grandfather knew as well, who else knew before she was to be told?
"Mother wouldn't let me tell you" Souta announced, walking up the stairs he answered her unspoken question, "She said it was a suprise, lucky you." Kagome's younger brother announced he was going to do his homework, but everyone knew he was going to play with his game system. Knowing there was to be no debating, they always let it pass.
"What about my summer, my free time, my life?"
Kagome realized the drama she was showing and excused herself, hugging her mother and grandfather she sulked up the stairs to her bedroom. How could a perfect day end so wrong?
Three days later...
"I want those files on my desk by three, no sooner, no later"
All nodded, mouths shut. Nobody dared speak against the word of Sesshomaru, his word governed this corporation.
"Sir, there's a phone call on line two, he says its important" a young secretary announced before leaving. Settling into a large desk chair he switched to line two and answered the phone. And so the work goes on.
Meanwhile...
Kagome eyed the funny looking door, she's never seen one like this. There were many clear doors connecting in a circle. A woman walked through one single spaced glass and ended up within the building.
Slipping between two glass doors Kagome twirled but instead of ending inside the building like the woman before her, Kagome ended up outside. Frowning and irritated Kagome attempted one last time, but this time when the door neared the opening to the building she slipped her foot between the gaps and pushed herself through.
Already late, Kagome walked across the porcelain stone and towards an elevator. A woman, before hidden behind a wall of marble, ducked her head out and called Kagome over. "How can I help you" the woman asked, when she got a better look at Kagome she gaped at her "Your a young one, how old are you?"
Kagome rested her arms atop the polished surface and began answering the question. Peering down at the woman sitting behind the hidden desk, Kagome announced her dilemma, "My name is Kagome Higurashi. I'm sixteen, and here because I was forced"
The woman was taken aback at first, but quickly recovered, "That must mean your our new intern, don't worry, its not that bad" The woman smiled warmly up at Kagome, "Only slightly as boring as watching paint dry."
Kagome laughed for the first time in three days.
"I'm Sango; front desk." The woman informed. Flipping through paper's Sango slid her fingers down alphabetically arranged names. "Higurashi, Kagome. Yes, your our new intern. However..." Sango trailed off.
The smiled vanished from Sango's face, the sudden silence didn't seem good. The woman know known as Sango picked up a phone and dialed a number, after much debate she finally hung up, "I'm sorry, but you weren't appointed a position," Sango almost looked sorry (but why)?
"That's alright, I'll just just go home and-" Kagome began, but was quickly hushed.
"No, no, don't worry. Go to the elevator and you'll reach the top floor, when you get there go to the door marked 'Head'" Sango handed Kagome a map of the building, the map wasn't of much help seeing as how it was an inch thick.
Heading for the elevator Kagome sighed and pressed the up button, once inside she glanced at the numbered buttons, pressing the highest number she guessed that to be the top floor. Flipping through the book, Kagome searched for floor 33.
All the while...
Jaken huddled at his lord's door, debating upon entering, he'd rather not be bashed on the head then given the silent treatment. His lord didn't talk much, and when he did, it was in a cold calm tone. This was all that woman Sango's fault, she is the who's supposed to deal with situations like this. Thinking about it further he realized she was also supposed to stop things like this from happening.
"Lord Sesshomaru" Jaken knocked on the door, opening it slightly ajar the short man entered with caution.
"What is it Jaken" Sesshomaru asked without care, staring down at his keyboard Sesshomaru kept typing.
Fiddling with his fingers Jaken was about to explain about the intern when suddenly a young woman entered unannounced. Sesshomaru didn't pay either occupants mind, typing without care Sesshomaru asked once again what the dilemma was.
"Is this a bad time, because if it is I can-" Kagome began, but just as before she was cut off, but this time by a small, slightly smelly, little man.
"Hush woman, lord Sesshomaru hasn't spoken to you"
Kagome's eyes bulged slightly, but ignored the smelly man rude comment. "Like I was trying to say in the first place, I'm here because-"
Sesshomaru Glanced up at the young woman, the sparkle in his eye brought a weird feeling; Fear. He didn't smile, he didn't grin, and he definitely didn't greet his staff with hugs and chocolate.
"Jaken, why was I not informed about this-" Sesshomaru glanced over at Kagome blankly before turning back to Jaken "-inconvenience"
Frowning Kagome became uncomfortable and offended, her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Out of respect for her boss, she kept her feelings to herself, but nothing could mask her discomfort.
"I'm your new intern, but I wasn't given a position, so Sango from front desk sent me up here to-"
"-To be assigned a job, my lord" Jaken interrupted. Both toad and school girl glared at one another, secretly Kagome swore to keep away from Jaken. (and if not, just bop him across the head a couple of times)
After much deliberation...
Kagome walked into the nursery proud, she could handle a bunch of kids, after all, kids are pure and on her level. How wrong she was. Three sets of dark orbs burned into her, each face the innocence (ha!) of a child.
All three children wore suits resembling those worn by staff. "Im here to-" Kagome had begun to speak, but realized she was talking to thin air, (That was happening a lot lately) The children had departed to the other side of the room to glue their faces with play phones along with a lap top supposedly used for ABC's.
A tap on her hip alerted Kagome of a fourth child, surprisingly this one wore a cute blue sundress. "I'm Rin, what's your name?" the child asked. Kneeling to the child's level Kagome soon found herself engrossed in a game of 'house.'
"Why are the rest of the kids so...strange?"
Rin looked up from her plastic eggs, "They think they are Sesshomaru" Was all the child said before plopping the eggs on Kagome's plastic plate. "Over easy," she chimed.
Kagome pretended to feed the eggs to an imaginary dog, she wasn't about to loose her dignity by pretending to eat them. Rin giggled, leaning on her heels she plopped to the floor.
"Why would they want to be like Mr.Taikou, from what I've learned he's like ice" Kagome declared. The ice prince isn't someone children should want to be like.
Rin stared into space dreamily, "Sesshomaru-sama is the best" She advised. Kagome was unmoved, she still thought her boss stuck up, and stubborn. "I pick flowers for Sesshomaru-sama every Monday morning, that way I give them to him fresh. He never says anything but I know he loves them."
Rin suddenly perked up, "Maybe you should give Sesshomaru-sama flowers, then he'd like you and it would be easier to work with him."
Grunting Kagome was unbelieving, it would only make things more uncomfortable. Although, to make the child happy, Kagome agreed.
The lunch bell rang, casting relief over Kagome. If she had to spend one more minute talking about the head she'd turn green, within time however she did turn green. The rest of the kids were missing.