An: This story is for those who simply want to have a good read. I decided to write this purely out of enjoyment as it'll take on a more comedic and romantic edge. If you're looking for a deeper storyline, then 'Love thy Neighbor' is probably more your cup of tea. 'The Right Man' is kind of a side project, something refreshing to work on before I start my second main story once 'Love thy Neighbor' is complete. Well before I get overly carried away and end up telling you guys my life story, I'll leave the note here. Hope you guys enjoy the first chapter.
The Right Man
Choc Chip Ice-cream
888
It was 4.44pm. Monday.
His hair was roughly pulled into a low ponytail. Suitcase was closed. Table lamp switched off. Computer incorrectly turned off. Versace pin striped suit still in tact. One person fired and three people running out of his office crying.
It was a normal day.
He peeked through his blinds as he watched the countless people scrambling about doing God knows what while screaming urgently for things beyond him. His muscles tensed as he sucked in a breath of air, this was it. This was always the time of war, where even a step out of line could cost him everything, and a second's loss of concentration would be his downfall. He was ready, just as he had always been ready for the past two and a half weeks. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he prepared himself.
Remember: Head down. No eye contact. Don't stop. Don't smile. Don't reply. Just walk.
Today would be different. He would succeed. With as much dignity as an Executive vice-president could muster, he straightened his back and opened his office door. This was his battle field.
He took a single step out of his office, and it began…
"Mr. Takahashi, your three o'clock has been postponed to eleven Thursday morning, clients Takinji, Mushashi and Jones from Kouga's team have been transferred to our team. Further information remains-"
"-Mr. Takahashi, I have Mrs. Saki on line three, she's says it's urgent and needs to speak to you immediately-"
"-Mr. Takahashi, there's a news reporter waiting outside the building wishing to speak to you, she claims-"
"-Mr. Takahashi, Miss Kikyo's on line one, accept or decline?"
"Sir, Sesshomaru has warned that if you try to sneak out early again, um, you can say good-bye to your position as executive vice-president."
That's right Inuyasha, just keep moving, don't look at them, don't acknowledge them. One slip up and they'll pounce on you like fresh meat amongst ravenous lions!
He could see it, his salvation was less than three meters away from him, his salvation that came in the form of an elevator. His heart leapt in excitement, perhaps today really would be the day where he would succeed, where he wouldn't be harassed by these blood-sucking maniacs his half brother liked to call, workers.
Just a few more steps… a few more steps until freedom at last!
"Mr. Takahashi-"
"ARGH HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!" The almighty Inuyasha roared as the entire floor shook and went dead silent immediately. The typing ceased, printing paused, conversations died and even the phones stopped ringing. Everyone froze and no one dared to breath. The five of his workers that were currently following him hot his heels stared in shock horror at the scene before them.
The petite girl's mouth was slightly agape as she slowly looked up at her boss… with an empty cup of what use to be coffee, "Oh… my… gosh.. I am so sorry Mr. Takahashi!" She all but stumbled in his face, "Here let me get that off you, Gods I am so sorry!"
Immediately, one of his workers that were following him instantly screamed, "Someone pass the tissues-"
"We need a towel, come on people!"
"I'll call Pierre, I'll have him send up a new Versace white shirt, model 317, size-"
"Mr. Takahashi, I have a spare shirt in-"
He rolled his eyes in agitation. He was so damn close as he stood amongst a legion of people scampering around him whilst multiple hands started dabbing at his suit, all trying to get the smoldering hot coffee his oh-so-beloved secretary poured on him. He failed, just like he had failed everyday for the past two and a half weeks.
Grumbling in annoyance and crestfallen, he grudgingly continued the rest of his long journey towards the escalator, even with all the hands wiping towels and tissues against his chest.
Yes. Inuyasha Takahashi was no less than a God to all those who knew of him. At twenty-five years of age, he was the youngest person ever to stabilize himself in a position that was only third to the owner of this entire company. With the great animosity between him and his twenty-eight year old older half-brother, people automatically came to the conclusion that Inuyasha had worked his way up the corporate ladder and earned his position as Executive vice-president… never mind the fact that he was after all the favored child of the damn owner himself.
"Okayy, am I interrupting something?" An amused deep voice interjected.
Inuyasha closed his eyes and prayed a silent prayer as he waited desperately for the lift to rid him of these imbeciles. "Actually you are Kouga, can't you see my workers are trying to cleanse me?" His voice was monotonous, difficult to decipher whether he was being sarcastic or not.
"Relations at work are against regulations."
"Excellent. I'll remember that the next time I see you frenching your secretaries."
Kouga sputtered in shock as six pairs of eyes instantly turned towards him. With no nearby escape, he opted to dismiss Inuyasha's fanatical posse with a cold hard stare and a flick of his head. They hesitated for while, but seeing that their boss hardly even acknowledged them as his face was plastered with an emotionless bored look, they scampered off, a little disheartened at not gaining the God-like hanyou's attention. Although his guilty secretary remained.
"Hello Margaret." Kouga smiled suavely, walking right in front of the hanyou and kissing the shy girl on the cheek, "Must be a joy working with you." He winked.
Inuyasha refrained from rolling his eyes at Kouga's idiotic behaviour as his patience was fast running low. How long does it take for the damn lift to get to his floor?! Huffing in agitation and leaving the two to flirt, Inuyasha briskly made a beeline for the stairs. Fate must've been against him as he heard two other sets of footsteps following him.
"So Margaret dear, how long have you been working under Inuyasha?"
"Oh no," She laughed politely, "You've mistaken, I work on this floor. I'm the secretary, the floor under ours-"
"-would be my floor." Kouga calmly said as his insides were screaming in hysterics. It was widely known that Margaret was the biggest air-head in the entire company and rumor had it that she was only employed as a challenge for Inuyasha's patience…. or more specifically put, for Sesshomaru's sick enjoyment.
Inuyasha's hurried footsteps echoed loudly in the empty stairway and Kouga couldn't help but smirk at the situation.
"I just love the texture of your hair Margaret, let me guess, Pantene?"
She looked confused for a brief second before answering reluctantly, "Uhh, no, I brush it everyday in the morning… sometimes before I go to sleep as well… but mainly in the morning."
Kouga smiled handsomely at her before slapping Inuyasha on the back, "Ohh Outstanding."
"Is there a reason why you're following me Kouga?"
Completely ignoring his question, the blue eyed wolf demon continued, "So tell me doll, what do you think about the increasing interest rates that's currently hurting homeowners with mortgages to pay off."
"Well," she sounded thoughtful as Inuyasha closed his eyes in dread, "I just think that, if things are meant to be, then things are meant to be, like when humans killed off dinosaurs – it was just meant to be." She smiled.
This time, Kouga did laugh, although kindly, but still he slapped Inuyasha on the back again, "You couldn't be more right Margaret."
Turning around abruptly, Inuyasha glared at Kouga for a brief second before turning kinder eyes on his naïve secretary, "Margaret, go make me some coffee and put it on my table will you?"
Not even questioning the fact that he was in all actuality leaving, she simply nodded enthusiastically and bounced up the stairs. Once she was out of sight, the hanyou immediately turned towards the hysterical wolf, "Just leave her alone." And with that he continued the rest of the way down the two other flights of stairs.
"Oh man, it's like she's fucken five!"
"You're just jealous your secretary is some old hormonal lady you can't make a move on. Why are you following me?"
"Perhaps. Still, even with someone as gorgeous as Margaret is, I'd pass up the opportunity man. She thinks potatoes is some kind of meat!"
Upon reaching the marbled floor lobby, Inuyasha stopped and turned around amongst the midst of countless other men and women in suits walking with purpose to their destination. "I am going to walk out of this lobby, make my way towards my car, enter my car and drive home… are you planning to follow me home?"
Kouga simply smirked and folded his arms across his chest as he pointed a finger at something behind Inuyasha. He cocked an eyebrow upwards but remained emotionless as he slowly turned around.
"Mr. Takahashi, Ikito Namuro from the Daily Herald News, it's an honor to finally meet you!" The lady currently holding onto his hand tighter than normal shook it enthusiastically as she smiled her most radiant smile. Dressed in a beautiful yet professional black dress with a pair of black pointy heels and hair tied loosely in a bun, she was nothing short of a model.
Inuyasha gave her a blank look, only really showing some form of interest when he gave her a vague once over glance. She smiled seductively as she held out a voice recorder.
"I understand that you're a busy man, so I'll make this as quick as possible."
Nodding as though he was really accepting the interview, he walked straight pass her, leaving her a little dumbfounded as Kouga simply smiled and waited for the reporter's next move. Shaking herself from her reverie as Inuyasha's abrupt behaviour left her a little dumbfounded, she turned around and followed the man and started her questioning.
"Firstly, congratulations for your recent promotion to Executive vice-president, it must be a milestone for someone as young as you are."
She stuck the voice recorder in Inuyasha's face, but he paid no attention as he briskly walked towards the underground car park. Kouga walked at a leisurely pace behind them and noticed at once that the beautiful woman was struggling to keep up with the hanyou's long strides.
He looked distracted, although he replied nonetheless, "Not really when your father is the owner of the company. It was easier than paying my way in." He shrugged.
The reporter looked slightly taken aback as confusion washed over her expression, "Uh exc-"
Quickly, Kouga laughed forcefully as he hurried his pace and walked next to the reporter on her other side, "Yes, for someone as young as Mr. Takahashi, it really is quite an achievement for himself, and a privilege for all of us to work with such a high achiever and modest persona, as you've just witnessed before."
"Ohh." Miss Namuro smiled in understanding as her eyes once again glazed over on Inuyasha, who paid her no attention whatsoever, as though he was some famous superstar. Kouga breathed out a sigh of relief and glared deathly at his superior. It was no wonder Sesshomaru sent him down to 'greet' the reporter. At the rate that Inuyasha was going, the company would have to file for bankruptcy in a year or less.
"A soaring career, a great sense of humor and a steady love life. How is Miss Kikyo going?"
"Kikyo?" He asked, glancing at her with a questioning frown.
Kouga smiled and as subtly as humanly possible, spoke through gritted teeth, "Your girlfriend."
"Ohh, KikYO." As if saying her name in a different tone made a difference to jog his distracted mind. "Not sure. I haven't seen her in a week. We're really not that serious-"
"-Not that seriously in love yet!" Kouga interrupted desperately as Inuyasha merely shrugged and continued his long trek to his car, "As you know, being the Executive vice-president requires a lot from Mr. Takahashi, so at this point, he really wants to focus on his work."
She frowned questioningly, "But only about a month ago, there were photos captured of you and Miss Kikyo, how should I say this… um, quite intimate as you were entering Suku hotel?"
Inuyasha thought for a while, not quite understanding what she was expecting from him. Technically she hadn't really asked a question, she had merely stated a fact, so what was he to say? "Uh, yes?" he agreed, nodding numbly.
Sputtering on his own saliva, Kouga rephrased, "Yes, he was entering Suku hotel, but what may have looked like intimacy was simply Inuyasha trying to hold Miss Kikyo up against the wall-"
"But you were obviously, quite passionately kissing Miss Kikyo." Ikito Namuro never took her eyes of Inuyasha even though it was Kouga who was answering all the questions.
"-Fixing her earring, Mr Takahashi was fixing her earring. Photos were taken at a bad angle." Kouga frowned, as though disgusted by the photography.
"I see." Although she didn't sound too convinced. "Hmm, well I think a lot of aspiring young people of our generation would love to know what kind of new responsibilities you have taken aboard with this new role."
Fast approaching his black sports car, Inuyasha unlocked it with a simple press of a button and merely answered monotonously, "Well my asshole of a half-brother thought it would be sadistically humorous if he treated me like some kind of demented child, so really, I spend my nine hour day at work pretending to work, but really I'm playing solitaire by myself, either that or I'm surfing the internet for por-"
Kouga all but nearly screamed, "Well! Mr. Takahashi needs to be off now to see one of our biggest clients. It was a pleasure meeting you Miss Namuro, maybe next time our joyful experience can last longer than today's."
The reporter smiled brilliantly as she simultaneously shook Kouga's hand and watched Inuyasha enter his car. "Yes, it was truly lovely meeting you Mr. Takahashi, best of luck for everything."
Inuyasha didn't even glance at her as he waved back like a distracted child. The engine instantly roared into life, and without further ado, Inuyasha sped off, narrowly missing Kouga's feet, most likely on purpose as he caught the hanyou smirking.
It was 5.01pm.
A normal seventeen minutes in the life of Inuyasha Takahashi.
888
Her raven hair blew softly against the cold winds as it was fast growing dark. Being caught in the middle of winter, not only had business dramatically fallen, but it was getting more and more dangerous to close up when the skies were getting dark so quickly and so early. She sighed as she made her way to wipe down the tables, her mind heavy with the events of the past month. She figured with her lazy manager already retired from the day's work, she would rebel a bit and take her cap off, allowing her hair to blow freely in the air.
She glanced towards her friend standing behind the counter, thoughtfully filing her neat nails as she whistled a soft tune. Kagome smiled, thankful that she had at least Eri to keep her company on quiet nights like these. Diverting her attention back to the sticky tables, she subtly glanced at her wrist watch and realized that they would soon need to close up. Listening to the gentle tune of her friend's whistling, she began humming along to it, not realizing that a familiar black car had parked directly across the road from the Ice-cream parlor.
"Look who's back." Eri implied suggestively as she smiled cheekily.
Kagome looked up and watched as the ever serious silver-haired handsome man suavely stepped out of his car and walked leisurely across the road after having vaguely checked both ways. Kagome swallowed a lump in her throat as she felt the heat rushing towards her face.
It was undeniable that he was insanely good-looking, with his intense amber orbs and neat suits. As she continued to simultaneously wipe the table and watch him cross the road, she recalled the big deal everyone made when they first laid eyes on him. It was a comical scenario really. The girls kept fanning their faces as they all watched him from inside, squealing that perhaps it was like a fairytale, that he would pick one of them to become his beloved girlfriend.
Soon the joke died out as one by one, they gradually realized that he only starting coming by every time a particular raven-haired girl worked. At first, Kagome blushed a deep red, profusely disagreeing to their assumptions, after all, she never saw herself as anything special. But even she couldn't deny the butterflies fluttering in her stomach for the past two and half weeks that he had visited everyday at 5.15pm on the dot.
She immediately looked down the moment he caught her gaze and began scrubbing vigorously at the table. The soft 'dinging' noise from the doorbell rang as he entered casually, still keeping his gaze on her.
Upon approaching the counter, Eri welcomed him with the generic greeting before his deep voice reverberated off the walls of the small parlor.
"A choc chip cone please."
"Coming right up!" Eri replied cheerfully.
Even with his back facing her, he was extremely aware of her presence, his hanyou senses focusing on nothing but her every movement. Her scent invaded his sense of smell and he reveled in it for a brief moment before Eri interrupted him by sticking the ice-cream cone in his face.
He was reaching for his wallet in the inside of his suit, but Eri stopped him, "On the house." She winked, "Courtesy of.." Eri looked up at him with a cheeky look and pointed quietly at the girl scrubbing at the tables. He turned on reflex to look and couldn't help the growing little smirk on his face.
Still he reached for his wallet and simply replied, "Consider it a tip then." And put the five dollar note on the counter and walked out… a grown man in a Versace suit with a choc chip ice-cream cone in his left hand.
Finally Kagome let out a sigh of relief, glad she didn't make a fool of herself.
Her friend sighed loudly as she watched him walk back towards his car, but instead of getting in, he sat on the edge of the water fountain, like usual, and watched as the two girls began closing up.
"Wow he is so sexy.." Eri breathed in envy.
"Mm." Kagome hummed distractedly, walking out to stack up the chairs and bring in the tables.
He watched intently as he occasionally licked at his ice-cream. He noted how she would bite her lower lip every time she stacked the chairs and how she would blow out some air when she was done. He smiled every time his favorite part came up, and that was when she would stumble through the door with those weak arms of hers carrying three stacked up metal chairs. He never failed to wonder how it would feel like having someone as gentle as she was in his arms.
For the two and a half weeks since he had started visiting, he hardly ever heard her speak. She was always so reserved, so shy yet so beautiful with her long black wavy hair, white porcelain skin and deep bluish-black eyes. He wasn't sure what compelled him to continually return to this ice-cream parlor, but he had a good idea that this mysterious girl had something to do with it.
He smirked every time he caught her sneaking a look at him before quickly turning away with a bright crimson blush on her cheeks. He knew he had that effect on people, but this girl was the epitome of shy.
888
Kagome felt his heavy penetrating stare watching her all the way across the street and she couldn't help but continually sneak shy glances at him. At first, she really did think that it was ludicrous of the girls to so much as think that someone like him would be interested in someone like her. But when time came to defend herself and prove them wrong, they would simply roll their eyes and mumble that she never gave herself enough credit for her looks. And that would be the end of it.
She recalled clearly the first time ever seeing him. He had captured her attention instantly… along with every passing car or bystander. She couldn't help but giggle softly to herself at the memory. From the looks of it, she remembered, his car had broken down for a reason beyond her, and he had sworn so loudly and so colorfully that Kagome was sure that some of the cusses were made up on the spot by him. Nonetheless, people steered away from him as he huffed like a child and sat on the hood of his car.
For some reason, choc-chip ice-cream was never quite popular amongst the residents of Tokyo, the children found it boring and the adults found it bland, so without a doubt, it was always the most left-overed flavor. She smiled when the image of him pulling out a cigarette flashed in her mind. Not that she condoned smoking, but the reaction he unknowingly got from the girls working that day would've had him running in the opposite direction had he heard of the things they claimed they would do with a stud like him. So anyways, having after watched him go through his forth cigarette, Kagome decided that perhaps he simply needed something to calm his stressed out nerves.
And what better way to do that than with ice-cream!
She had walked behind the counter, easily scooped two large balls of choc-chip ice-cream and squashed it into a kid's cone… but then she paused. What was she going to do now? As if someone with her confidence level would have the gall to approach him… so she did the next best thing.
"Eri.." she had called hesitantly, "Um, do you think you could go give this to the man."
All the girls working had paused and gave her a questioning if not sleazy look. Immediately she jumped to defend herself, "It just doesn't' sit well with me that he's smoking so much… err… it's hurting the environment."
Even now, two and a half weeks later, Kagome still cringed at her pathetic excuse as the last of the table was wiped clean.
888
His kid's cone ice-cream had long been finished, but he opted to simply sit there and watch until his beautiful stranger was completely out of sight. He crossed his arms against his chest and watched lazily as she began packing up at the register. He smiled, that was the first place he had ever laid eyes on her.
He wasn't even sure how many cigarettes he had actually ended up smoking, but he recalled the moment when he was reaching for another one that some hyperactive girl had shoved some white blob of crap right under his nose. He had flinched back slightly before the girl just kept babbling on about God knows what. With his foul mood and his desperate need for another smoke, he let his eyes droop uninterestingly as if to imply to the girl that he didn't give a shit. But for some reason, the girl just kept going, completely unfazed.
"Yeah, so I'm sorry about the car – but here, hope this cheers you up!"
Her over-friendliness had in all seriousness scared the living shit out of him as he had numbly took the cone from her hand. "Uh, thanks?" He had replied, planning to dump the ice-cream as soon as the girl had her back turned.
"No problem! This cone is actually courtesy of that girl over there."
And that was when he had saw her, standing behind the counter watching on with eager eyes before instantly turning away from him the moment his hard stare caught her gaze.
The lights one by one switched off and without any other movement, Inuyasha decided that this girl had safely retired for home. Smiling to himself as he walked around to his car, he got in with a single reoccurring thought in his mind.
He had developed an obsession with choc-chip ice-cream in a kid's cone.
888
His heart nearly jumped out of his body when the peaceful silence in his car was interrupted by the shrill ringing of his cell phone. Retrieving the phone with his left hand and keeping his right hand casually on the steering wheel, he flipped his phone open with ease. "Takahashi." He said tiredly.
"Hello Mr. Takahashi! It's Margaret," and continued as an afterthought, "your secretary…. from work"
He took a deep breath and pinched the area between this eyes and nose, momentarily tearing the phone away from his ear. "Yes Margaret?" He tried saying without revealing any of his annoyance, although he was sure it was hardly working… though he was even more sure that Margaret wouldn't notice.
"Oh nothing, there were just a few messages I forgot to pass onto you at the office."
He swerved sharply at a corner turn and refrained from barking at her, "Go onnn."
"Okay!" She chirped.
"Message received at 11.45am from Mr. Jin – We look forward to working with you, your brother seems less flexible with negotiations."
"Message received at 12.06pm from Mr. Takahashi Sesshomaru – Since my proposal of disowning you to father has, for reasons beyond me, failed, I would simply wish to remind you that you are in all actuality twenty-five, not eight, do act your age."
Inuyasha snarled, his right hand gripping tightly at the steering wheel.
"Message received at 12.11pm from Bankotsu – Hey dawg! Just kidding! Hiten's back from wherever the fuck he went and we're drinking up at Saki's tomorrow night, coz you know that place is the shit man! Damn fucken straight you heard me right, it's the flyest shit in this fucked up hole! Just kidding, I love Toyko man! We are getting so fucken smashed tomorrow night WHOOOO!"
"Message received at 12.12pm from Mr. Kouga - Hi Margaret, just popping in to say that your shirt looks h-."
"Margaret!" He interrupted, "How many more messages are left?"
"Umm." She hummed for a while before brightly answering, "eighty-seven!"
He really did groan aloud as he wiped a hand down his face, unknowingly applying more pressure on the accelerator, "Okayy." He tried patiently, "Of the eighty-seven, just give me the most important message."
"But sir, eighty-one of them are from clients-"
"Just one Margaret." He warned deathly.
There was a moment's of silence before a clicking of fingers was heard, "Okay, message received at 2.54pm from Mrs Takahashi – Hello dear, how's work treating you? Just wanted to tell you that your father and I want you to cancel any plans you have for tomorrow night. Sesshomaru's bringing his fiancé home for dinner. Isn't it just so exciting?!"
The car came to a screeching halt just outside his modest abode... what the wider population would call a mansion. Fucking great.
888
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha etc.
Doll secret