A/N: So, if you can't tell, I'm going to re-write this story. I hated the cliche idea of the whole CEO position I stuck Takahashi in, so after some thinking and some help from the incredible artistefish, I figured this out! (Go check out her writing, it's so beautiful, I can't.) Also, thanks to velvet-teddies for beta-ing this for me! It means a lot!

So, the first chapter hasn't changed so much that you'd have to re-read the entire thing to understand the plot better, but I'd recommend it, since it's not just some grammar fixed and whatnot. I've decided to write this a little differently, and attack the plot a bit differently, as well.

Heads up: this is not a Kagome/Inu no Taisho fic! Sorry if it comes off that way, it is most certainly not supposed to be. It'll be dominantly an Izayoi and Inu no Taisho fic, I'll get there soon.

Thank you guys for reading, it means a lot!

Kagome pounded the pavement as she rushed to make it home. She had gotten out of school late enough as it was, and waited ten minutes for a bus that was obviously never going to show up.

She checked her wristwatch as she ran down the streets of downtown Tokyo. Five thirty! I promised Inuyasha I'd be back in by sundown! At the rate she was going, she'd be later than she had expected, what with the additional time of taking a much needed bath and packing her enormous yellow backpack.

Stopping at a corner to catch her breath, Kagome panted and looked up at the street sign. She was seven blocks from home. Seven long, grueling blocks of Tokyo torture. Kagome sighed; she was going to be late anyways, why even bother trying to make it on time?

She turned the corner and began making her way home at a slower and more relaxed pace so she could slow her breathing. She stared tiredly at her worn brown loafers. It felt like ages since she had worn any other shoes. The streets were slowly getting less and less crowded as the evening rush hour quieted down. She had reached the outskirts of the main downtown area, the quieter place away from the hub of the city where the shrine rested.

Three birds flew overhead and Kagome looked up to smile at them. So innocent and carefree— something she couldn't be at the moment. It was more difficult to balance schoolwork with hunting down the jewel shards in the past than she had originally thought it to be. Times like these were often the only opportunities she got to fully relax.

Too focused on her thoughts, Kagome failed to notice the fast moving footsteps on the sidewalk behind her.

All she could manage was a weak shout of surprise as a body pinned her own to a wall. A hand covered her mouth, muffling further screams. She stared wide-eyed at her captor— a man many years older than her, obviously drunk, and a great deal stronger than she was.

The stranger laughed cruelly. "Now, now, don't scream or run. Just hold still and everything will be fine, sweetheart." The term of endearment sounded disgusting coming from the stranger's mouth.

Kagome could do nothing but stare helplessly at the man. Aside from the two of them, the street appeared to be completely deserted. Where's Inuyasha coming to yell at me when I need him? It's not as if I can use my miko powers on a human! Granted, she could usually hold her own, and had she noticed him earlier, she would have been able to stop him with a punch like Sango had taught her to do once. Already caught, there was little she could do on her own.

The disgustingly large hand covering her mouth was also cutting off the air supply to her nose now, and all she could smell was the alcohol that the man reeked of. His other hand was slowly making its way to the hem of her shirt.

No, no, please, he can't...!

Had her mouth not been held closed, her jaw would have dropped as a man, clad in casual but attractive clothing, dropped down from the sky and promptly punched out her violator. Kagome's eyes followed the drunk man in awe as he soared twenty feet through the air and crashed on the other side of the street, most likely alive but unconscious.

Then her eyes moved over to her savior. There he stood, with long flowing black hair in a high ponytail, as peculiar as his jump from the roof. The lack of light obscured his face slightly, though Kagome could see well enough to just barely make out his features.

Almost like an afterthought, she remembered that this stranger has just saved her life. "Um, thank you very much sir, I—"

Despite the obvious human appearance and what should have been a rather traumatic experience, the next thing that popped out of Kagome's mouth after her initial view of the man was a panicked, "Sesshomaru?"

The man's dark eyes flickered with curiosity and he took a step closer to her. "What did you just say?"

Realizing her mistake, Kagome quickly tried to cover up. "Oh, um, nothing?"

His eyes narrowed and he took another step forward. "Don't lie, I heard that. How do you know the name Sesshomaru?"

"Well, I..." Kagome fidgeted under the man's unrelenting gaze before starting and meeting it with a heated glare of her own. "Wait a second, how do you know a Sesshomaru?" Though he opened his mouth to respond, Kagome kept plowing ahead. "And you just jumped off a roof! Who are you?"

The man raised his eyebrows a little in surprise. "Takahashi Toga, pleased to make your acquaintance. And you are?"

Kagome stuttered. "Higurashi Kagome. Nice to meet you?" she said hesitantly. "Uh, thank you, honestly, for what you just did."

"There is no need, really. What you can do is kindly repay me with some answers." He tapped a finger against his thigh, his eyes never leaving hers. "You know the name Sesshomaru, and my face associates with that name, doesn't it?" He inclined his head, prompting her. She winced, but nodded. "Well, then you're no ordinary schoolgirl, then, are you?" He grinned a little. "Looks like I saved a very important life today, huh?"

Kagome's eyes darted sharply from his face to the ground.

"I can sense it. You, you're a miko, aren't you?"

Kagome's breath hitched in her throat, and she began to cough violently. "A-a miko? What on Earth are you talking about?" She unconsciously began to tiptoe away from Toga, laughing nervously. Just as she was about to bolt, he suddenly appeared beside her and a hand shot out to stop her, hovering by her side.

Panic filled her mind, and she could think of nothing fast enough to get herself out of her situation. "Okay, so maybe I am a miko, just a little bit! I mean, I am from a shrine and all, so it makes sense, right? But you can't tell anybody. You know why!" Fear, along with the nervousness, began to bubble in her stomach. "Wait, you can sense I'm a miko?"

"Of course. Any self-respecting youkai around here can." For the second time that night, Kagome's jaw dropped.

"What…?"

After a quick glance up and down the street, Takahashi Toga winked and held up a finger to ensure her silence as he slipped off the ornate silver ring adorning his left thumb, transforming his appearance and aura immediately.

Kagome visibly flinched at the immensely strong wave of youki that suddenly filled the air, resisting the urge to dramatically choke as it briefly suffocated her with its onslaught. After recovering from the initial shock, she looked up and gasped.

Standing before her was a man she could only describe as an older version of Inuyasha's half brother. The long flowing ponytail was now a luminescent silver, and his dark eyes were now golden. A dark indigo stripe materialized on each cheek, and a fluffy white mokomoko extended from both shoulders and trailed behind him, parting in two.

"And I must answer your previous question with one of my mine." Takahashi grinned. "Tell me, Higurashi-san, do you believe in reincarnation?"

The air was slightly chilly, though the sting didn't register as Takahashi Toga stepped outside and closed the building's doors behind him. It was still far too warm for a coat, and a plain shirt would suffice. The loud masses of people shuffling around him were irksome, though he did his best to ignore them all. A long day at work, and all he wanted was to go home in peace.

He began walking in the usual direction, stopping occasionally to smile at acquaintances or chat with them. It was difficult to try to ignore them and head straight home, but his friendly nature prevented him from doing so.

Finally, he reached the thin space between the two shops on the corner, his usual route of escape, as he liked to call it. Slipping in sideways unnoticed, from there, with one strong leap, he pushed himself off the ground and on to the center of the roof, not visible from the ground below. Rolling his shoulders back, Takahashi began his trek home.

Leaping from roof to roof faster than the eye could follow was his usual way to go. Even if one were looking for him and knew what to look for, the task was impossible unless they had some form of youkai and spiritual powers. Oddly enough, just then, the slightest twinge of spiritual power tickled his senses. He stopped at the edge of the building where it was coming from. There, almost right below him, was a young girl, a miko, from the feel of it, pressed up against the wall by some sort of low-life human.

He narrowed his eyes in disgust and curled his lip, jumping from the roof and landing intentionally hard. The sound startled the attacked momentarily before he swung his fist out and sent the man flying. Both he and the young girl watched in mild satisfaction as he sailed through the air and landed with a painfully loud crash.

He turned back to the girl, fully intent on asking about her miko powers before, through her bumbling thank-you's, something grabbed his attention.

"Sesshomaru?"

"What did you just say?"

She realized her own mistake too late, though he silently thanked her for it. It was too bizarre to be a coincidence. Some semblance of hope sparked within him.

Introductions ensued, and his casual mention of his knowledge of her being a miko put her on edge. Her sad attempt at getting away from him was laughable, but he stopped her all the same, just in case. As expected, she confessed, though he wasn't sure why she was hiding the fact in the first place. He thought he knew all the priestesses in the area already, but it appeared he'd overlooked one.

He revealed himself in his humanoid youkai form, and her surprised reaction was definitely pleasing. Walking around masquerading as a human all the time was rather tedious, and he enjoyed standing out.

Takahashi made sure that the girl knew his revelation was not meant to be a distraction. "And I must answer your previous question with one of my mine. Tell me, Higurashi-san, do you believe in reincarnation?"

Kagome scoffed and blew her bangs out of her face. "Do I ever."

"Hm?"

"Eh, it's just that I've been told I strongly resemble someone from somebody's past, and that I'm their reincarnation." Kagome scratched the back of her head. "I mean, I am their reincarnation, no doubt, so I do believe in it, I guess. Why?"

"Thank goodness. I was worried you might not believe my story otherwise." Takahashi rocked back onto his heels. "Would you believe me saying that I'm someone's reincarnation?"

"It's pretty likely, yes," Kagome deadpanned. Takahashi grinned. "Can I take a guess?"

"Absolutely."

"Assuming we're both talking about the same Sesshomaru.. you wouldn't happen to be the reincarnation of his father?"

His eyes glinted. "I'm rather surprised you didn't say of Sesshomaru. How could you tell?"

"Inu— um, someone mentioned that your past self had the stripes," she pointed to her cheeks, "and that they would always wear their hair up." She shrugged. "I just guessed."

He snorted. "Why are you referring to my past life and myself like we're different people?"

Kagome looked startled. "Well, aren't you?" She shook her head. "Wait, do you mind if we, ah," she gestured to the area around them. "Could we perhaps talk elsewhere, and not on the side of the street? Or another time, if you don't mind." He waved a hand.

"Don't apologize, I should. You look like you're on your way home, and I'm holding you up." He glanced up at the sky and the receding sun. "It'd be in both of our best interests to talk another day, wouldn't it?" With that, he slipped the ring back on and the bright, eye-catching colors, typical of many youkai, receded to the typical dark brown shade they were before. "Allow me to walk you home, Higurashi-san?"

"Ah, I'll be okay on my own." Kagome gave him a smile.

"I'll have to insist. I imagine you're a little shaken up by what occurred before I came." Takahashi held both his hands up, as though defending himself. "I assure you that I have no ill harm or intent."

Kagome blinked. "Alright, then." She gestured up towards the street, in the direction where Takahashi had kicked the criminal. "Thank you, Takahashi-sama."

Takahashi wrinkled his nose. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone use the 'sama' suffix for my name."

Kagome appeared perplexed. "Why not? I mean, it's only fitting. You were— or are— a daiyoukai." She hesitated. "Are you a daiyoukai?"

He looked at her curiously. "Naturally. Not much has changed between lives, you know?" He shrugged. "Also, most people obviously don't know about that little fact, so I find that I'm usually Takahashi-san. Use whichever you prefer."

The last two sentences seemed to go over Kagome's head. As they walked, they passed the drunk and unconscious man on the sidewalk, and she scooted unconsciously closer to Takahashi, as though the drunkard would shoot up any second like a zombie and attack. "What do you mean, not much has changed?"

Takahashi eyed her like she had just said something incredibly peculiar, which to him, she certainly had. "I think we'd better have this talk soon. For mutual benefit. I hope you don't have school tomorrow? Or anything important?"

Kagome bit her lip. She wasn't about to tell him about her adventures just yet. "I have school tomorrow, but I can cut."

"You don't seem too worried about that. Do you cut often?"

Kagome waved her hands. "No! No, it's just that, uh, I get sick a lot, so I'm used to not being in school!"

Takahashi eyed her skeptically. "Sure. Either way, I can get you out for the day. Will a doctor's note suffice?"

"You're a doctor?"

"A therapist, to be exact. Tomorrow isn't a busy day. Can I expect to see you tomorrow?" They had arrived at the block Kagome's shrine rested on, the tall stairs just a few paces away.

"Ah..." Kagome's thoughts jumped back to Inuyasha and how he'd be waiting for her, like he always was, and ready to yell, just as always. "Definitely. Sometime in the afternoon?"

He flashed her a friendly smile. "Certainly." The hand he had stuffed into a pocket swept out and patted her shoulder. "See you then, Higurashi-san." Before she could raise her hand to wave goodbye, he had disappeared, vanished as though into thin air.

Kagome blinked hard, then exhaled, her breath coming out in a slow and visible puff of air in the cold wind. The entire meeting and exchange seemed to go by too fast.

Brushing aside her discomfort, Kagome turned and ascended the stairs.

A/N: So, I hope you enjoyed reading that. The exchange between the two of them isn't as smooth as I'd like it to be. It seems a little shaky and unrealistic, in terms of how Kagome would figure out exactly who Takahashi is. ANy suggestions on this, or on my writing overall, I'll be glad to hear them!

As always, thanks for reading!