Disclaimer: Me own nothing. o

Chapter 1: Surprise

Arranged marriages aren't as common as they used to be, but they're not that unusual either. They've evolved from the whole mysticism thing. Most aren't even really arranged marriages anymore; you actually get to put in your two cents. They are more like speed dating. It's simple really; you or a meddling family member contracts a nakodo. She finds a match. Families meet. You get your own meeting with the candidate husband, decide if you're suited for one another, and voilà: you're set for life or so it's supposed to go. Not so primitive right?

Well, I thought so when my mother and grandfather announced that they had taken the mater of finding me a husband in their own hands since I wasn't looking hard enough. Even thought the prospect of being married at age twenty did not exactly appeal to me, they managed to harass me enough that I finally gave in to their scheming. After all I could always meet the guy and say no. Right?

Or so I thought. Things didn't exactly go as I had planned.

To tell the truth I completely forgot about my family's crazy plan the very next day, after all I had a busy schedule to keep with. As a full-time art student and a part-time waitress/caterer and store helper, I didn't have any time or brainpower to spare for trivial things like marriage. Meaning that I forgot about the family meeting and didn't go, which turned out to be a minor mistake on my part.

Okay, more like a colossal one seeing as how I am officially engaged to a man I've never laid eyes on, to be married in a few hours.

When the shit hits the fan, it hits hard.

I viewed the news with calm skepticism at first; I mean you have to admit that it is hard to give much credence to something like that. Who would have agreed to marry me before seeing me? Not that I'm not attractive or anything, I'm just not the type to catch a man's eye. Let me explain: I come from a long line of extraordinarily beautiful women and well I guess it was bound to happen, but I failed the line, I am completely ordinary looking.

If anyone was going to be noticed or hitched without much ado, it was my twin sister Kikyo. She's beautiful and better yet, she's sexy. That tends to score high with the testosterone-laden crowd, which of course, makes me pale in comparison. A fact I've learned to live with.

I was still mulling over the idea that it was probably time to send my relatives to a professional psychiatrist to make sure they were still sane when the doorbell rang and my mother got up to get it. "Grandpa, come on let's be serious here. I'm only twenty…"

"Soon to be twenty-one with no prospects in sight," he interrupted.

"Yes," I agreed, it was the truth after all, "soon to be twenty-one and no boyfriend. But grandpa, this is the twenty first century, no one gets married this young anymore. Besides it's not like I need a man to provide for me or anything. And as for kids, a one-night stand should take care of it or I could even go to a sperm bank."

My grandfather looked at me like I was the one who needed the psychiatrist. "What do they teach you at school these days? You get MARRIED if you want kids. I'm not getting any younger Kagome; I want to see some of my great-grandchildren before I die. I tried to get Souta to have kids, but he gave me some nonsense about being sixteen. I even tried Kikyo, but you know how she is…frolicking around…doesn't want to settle down…"

He was muttering by this time, never a good sign. Although I hated to let him rant, there usually wasn't much anyone could do once it started. I was sipping tea by the time my mother came back in.

"Kagome your dress has arrived!" she exclaimed excited.

My gut reaction was to spit out the tea I'd just drunk, but I somehow managed to stop myself in time and swallowed it instead, which left me choking as I looked over my shoulder at my mother who had come to rub my back. "What?"

"Your dress honey, or rather your dress makers are here to take measurements. You can't have a wedding without a dress," she explained calmly as if this were the most natural situation in the world. "Or were you planning on wearing your high school prom dress to your wedding?"

My mouth was open and my nose was clean, but the air wasn't reaching my lungs, or my brain as a matter of fact. I started hyperventilating and looked around helplessly for someone to say it was all a bad joke. It didn't happen, which left me with one option: faint. Which I promptly did a few second later.

I woke up in my old room with the sun shining on my eyes. I felt like I was in high school again and buried myself more deeply in the covers. And it hit me; I was back at the shrine because I'd missed the meeting with the nakodo and the possible in-laws. I quickly sat up and ran down to the living room.

It was empty.

Had I dreamt the whole episode? Maybe I did need to see a psychiatrist. Naw, just an extended vacation. I turned around to go search for my mom when I collided with a wall and fell down. I clutched my nose, tears gathering behind my eyes, it had taken most of the impact and hurt like hell. Walls didn't move…or wear shoes, I though as I took in the Gucci shoes before me.

My head snapped up, only to let have my jaw drop back down and not because of gravity.

Hello mister tall and gorgeous.

I stared and he stared right back. What was this unnaturally beautiful, and I mean beautiful, guy doing in my home pretending to be a wall?

Although I was pretty happy just staring at him, it didn't sit right with me. I finally managed to get out a little "hi" as I started to get up, before my mother appeared from behind the stranger.

"Kagome, you're finally awake. We were starting to wonder if you'd miss your own wedding. Have you been working late again? The dress has been taken care off, they used that dress you wore to Sango's recital…"

Miss your own wedding…

I'm sure my mother was still speaking, but nothing was registering. My brain went numb as the words kept echoing in my mind. It was really happening. How could they have done such a thing? The world started spinning…again and I reached a hand out hoping to catch onto something before I went down.

A warm hand gripped mine and helped steady me. I looked at the hand, then at the arm that was attached to it, and finally at the face. Life is such a bitch, I thought, mourning the fact that I was standing in the presence of this beautiful man and was engaged, even if unwillingly so, to another. He was probably one of Kikyo's boyfriends…she always did love beautiful things.

My mother's happy chatter abruptly stopped as she noticed that I wasn't feeling too well. "Mr. Taisho I don't know if it's such a good idea to proceed with the wedding today. My daughter seems to be unwell…"

Was my 'fiancé' behind the silver-haired man?

"I understand," a deep voice sounded. "I think it would be wiser if we waited until tomorrow," that same voice said from close to me. I opened my eyes to see who it was, but I could only see my mother and the man who had helped to steady me.

Mom must have seen the confusion on me face because she smiled broadly at me before introducing me to the stranger: "Kagome, this is Taisho Sesshoumaru. He's your fiancé."

A/N: hehehe I've always wanted to write this, but it didn't seem right until now. I know it's short, but more should be coming along soon. Comments, want to point out mistakes, or rant about the OOCness which I have a big problem with, feedback is always welcome. To those who have read my other fanfic, Boyfriends, Brothers, and Wedding Cakes, I have to admit that my mused has gone on vacation, and doesn't seem likely to come back for a while. So please bear with me.