To Be A Writer

Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, but I do own the plot line and the poems that may appear.

AN: None of the characters have spiritual powers. Ie. no hanyous, demons, or mikos.

All I could hear was the faint tapping of the eraser against my pad of paper as it teetered between my fingers. It was irritating me, but it also calmed me at the same time. I reached for my coffee that normally rested on the table in my study, only to find in its place, nothing. Nothing irritated me more than not having my coffee. I sighed, noting that it was getting late, and that I would have to head to the nearest coffee shop. I had become a regular there, always going late at night, needing that black coffee to keep me awake.

Reaching for my coat, I fiddled for the keys to lock my apartment. And I also grabbed my pen and notebook. I always carried paper and a pen, no matter where I went. I was always looking for something to inspire me. Something that would jog my brain and make me think of something great to write. I never got that inspiration, nor did I think I would ever find it. I wanted to be a great writer. I majored in English and I didn't think I would want to go down this path, until my professor spoke to me. He told me that great writers don't even know what to write about. They make hundreds of mistakes and many of their plot lines go awry even after just a few hours of writing.

I took what he said and finally decided to go forth with this idea. Everyday, I would begin to write something but it never worked the way I wanted it to. I found that my stories were typical, and very unoriginal. I wanted something that people would actually read and enjoy reading. I had yet to find a story like this.

I had only managed to write few poems that were going to be published in a couple months. They were a compilation of some I had really liked and I sent them to a publisher. He seemed to like them and I was told they would become a book soon. I was pleased and yet I wasn't happy because I still hadn't written an actual story. After I finished University, I rented an apartment in the city and got a small job at a restaurant. I only needed the job to pay for the place I was staying, until my father decided to pay for it. My father never liked to get invlovled in my life, when he found out that I wouldn't be pursuing his dream of running his company. I told my mother how much I wanted to be a writer and she explained it to him, but I knew my father never saw me the same way.

When he died, my half brother took his place at the company. I went to see my mother often, and many times I found that she helped me write the poems I had written for my book. I decided that since my father was gone, I would move closer to my mother, and I found an apartment only ten minutes away. The first day I moved in I found that coffee shop and I kept going. It was cheap, and they served decent coffee, it was also only a short walk away.

When I went to the shop one day, I saw this couple making a scene as they were ordering. I noticed them and began to laugh, when the girl turned around frustrated I noticed she was an old childhood friend. Her name was Sango. I hadn't talked to her in a long time. When I aksed her about the man she was with I found out they were engaged. I was glad she was happy and I found to become close friends with her fiance, Miroku.

Some days I would stay at their place and write and then I would ask them for their opinion. They normally liked my writing, but I was never happy with it. I wanted to be better.

Every night was much like the last. I would sit in my study with a cup of coffee and stare off into the distance thinking of things, hoping that my mind would form a story. I tried several times and they always failed.

I approached the coffee shop and stood in line. There were several people standing there waiting and I wondered why, considering it was so late into the night. I then looked over the counter to see a girl fiddling with the coffee machine. She seemed to be much slower than the other girls who normally worked there. That's when I also noticed, that no one else was working with her. I eventually got to the cash and flustered, she asked for my order.

"Black coffee please." My order was simple. It was the same every time. She pressed in the order and the total came up to 1035 yen. She then mumbled to herself, which I understood as, "no that can't be right" until she found the right total.

She turned to me and smiled, "252 yen is your total." I gave her three hundred yen and told her to keep the change. I didn't want to make this harder for her. She turned around and made my black coffee, handing it over with a smile. I noticed when she made the coffee that there was no one else in line behind me. She watched as I took a sip and then make a scowl.

"Is there something wrong with the coffee?" She had a worried expression on her face.

"No, it's fine, just a little hot." Her expression then turned into a smile and she turned to walk away when my voice stopped her.

"You're new here aren't you?" Her smile vanished from her face and she walked back toward me.

"See! I told you the coffee was bad!" A low chuckle came from me and a blush rose into her face, tinting her cheeks with a lovely pink.

"It's really not that bad." I proved my words by taking another sip and then laughing, "See?" She stared at me incredulously until her lips turned into a small smile.

"How did you know I was new?" she asked.

"I come here often actually. Black coffee is my favourite. Helps keep me awake to write. I've never seen you work here before, so I assumed you were new." I explained this to her and then noticed that the coffee shop was very empty. There were only a few customers left, and they were heading for the door. It was almost closing time. "Do you want to sit down with me?" I asked her thinking she could use a break and I truthfully didn't think she wanted to be alone.

"Yes. Thank you for asking." She smiled at me and took of her apron as she rounded the corner that divided the back of the store to the front. We slipped into a booth in the front and I slowly sipped my coffee.

"So what brings you here so late?" She asked with a smile.

" I was in the need of a cup of coffee. I was trying to write, and I didn't want to fall asleep. Coffee also helps me think." I took another sip.

"What were you trying to write?" She was walking away to the back to make herself a cup of coffee but we could still hear each other.

"I'm a writer, or at least I'm trying to be. I'm just trying to think of an idea for a story. I can't seem to think about anything without my coffee." I joked around with the last part and she laughed. She sat back down and took a sip of her coffee.

"So does this writer have a name?" She looked down and I could notice the small blush tinting her cheeks.

"Yes he does." I answered slyly. I noticed her smile falter and she took another sip of coffee. "It's Inuyasha. Inuyasha Takahashi." Her smile slowly made itself back onto her face and she leaned forward on her elbows.

"So what has this Inuyasha been doing today?" When I heard my name fall from her lips, something inside me clicked. When she looked at me again, I also noticed that her eyes were bright blue, and not the normal brown. They were lovely in contrast to her pale skin.

"Well, this morning he went to see his friend for lunch only to find out that his friend is getting married. He also found out that the wedding is in a week and that he has to find a date for it. He then went home and tried to write down ideas for a story and that lead him to a coffee shop to talk to a beautiful lady who just starting working there, and whom he doesn't know her name." When he finished he slowly looked back at her face only to see it bright red and then chuckled. Her face turned to the side in embarrassment.

"It's Kagome." She said in a quiet voice. I motioned for her to continue. "Kagome Higurashi."

"Well it's very nice to meet you Kagome. How have you been today?" I had finished my coffee a long time ago and was silently playing with the cup.

"It started horribly this morning when my plumbing was turned off during my shower and I had to use my neighbours shower, who happens to be this young perverted boy. Then I got to work only to realize that no one else had showed up and that I had to work all alone for the whole day. Then I met this handsome man whose name is Inuyasha and slipped him my number on a napkin." I didn't expect the last part, but when I looked down, I indeed saw a napkin with her number scribbled on it. I slowly reached for it and shoved it into my pocket. I noticed the time on my watch and thought that I should let her get back to work.

"I guess it's time for you to close up, but I'll give you a call and maybe we can do this again?" I asked her with uncertainty and then saw her smile.

"Ok. I'll see you tomorrow anyway right? I'm working that night too, and you did say you'll be needing coffee." She walked back behind the counter, putting her apron back on and left me standing there. Her question went unanswered.

I guess she already knew without a doubt that I would be there tomorrow night. I was hoping I would get to talk to her tomorrow night as well. I wondered how old she was. With myself being 23 I figured she could only be a few years younger at the most. She was indeed beautiful. Even after working in a small café, she was gorgeous. She had long raven black hair, which looked even darker against the pale shade of her skin. Her blue eyes were what shocked me the most. They were stunning. Many people said I had unique eyes because they were a dark shade of violet. She had a great form with her shapely body.

When she had called me handsome, I'd seen her blush. Her blush made her look even more beautiful. After I'd seen her smile I knew I had to keep her happy to keep it on her face. I had arrived at my apartment and looked into the mirror at the front entrance. Staring at myself I looked at my long black hair and my lean body. 'Handsome eh?' I thought.

When I sat on the couch I slowly pulled out her number and laid it out on the table. I noticed she had drawn little hearts next to her name. I chuckled at this and looked over at the empty pad of paper laying on my coffee table.

One thing my professor taught me that I would never forget was this. "To be a writer, you must be able to inspire and be inspired." I never understood that phrase until now. I slowly reached for the pad of paper and I wrote, 'Kagome Higurashi.'

I dropped the pad of paper down, and closed the notebook. She would definitely make a great story.

R&R