Author's Note: I know it has been a while since I've written anything for this story. Life has been quite busy and messy the past year but I'm determined to finish what I've started. This is a longer version of the Prologue. I will be posting the next one on Saturday.

CHAPTER ONE

Kagome Higurashi jogs around the neighborhood every morning before breakfast. For her, there's nothing like the fresh morning air, clear skies and warm sunshine to start her day. It was a friendly neighborhood she grew up in. The place where her grandparents, Jirou and Aiko, started their small restaurant which grew into a chain of restaurants and bakeries today. She usually accompanies her grandmother when she goes shopping for the weekend meal that the whole family always try to be present for. She smiled amusedly as she thought how unique her family is.

Her grandparents used to live in a two-storey home with three bedrooms. The first floor was the restaurant and the second floor was the living area. As the restaurant becomes more popular and with the their first born, Ichirou, and later on their youngest, Miroku, starts helping more and later on expanding the business, they purchased a sizable land that now houses the Higurashi Estate. She considers them the most normal in their household.

Miroku, her uncle, is only eight years older than Kagome. He may have been a ladies man but he mostly use his smooth talk to close business deals and make people agree with him without them realizing. Despite his tarnished reputation on women, Kagome adores him. Miroku isn't only an uncle but also a big brother to her and her brother, Souta.

When it comes to her own family, especially her father, Ichirou, Kagome has a bit of a love-hate relationship. She was ten years old when a woman named Akemi, claimed that her father had a child with her. His father admitted that Akemi was a girlfriend from college but they broke up because her parents doesn't approve of him then. The story goes that when they found out she was pregnant, she was disowned but was told to move overseas to not bring shame to the family. The whole drama seems fabricated but after a series of DNA tests, they had to accept that Kikyo is a Higurashi.

At first, Akemi is satisfied with receiving child support payments but when she found out about Higurashi Restaurants and Bakery, she demanded that Kikyo should be the heir seeing she's the first born of Ichirou. As young as she was at the time, Kagome didn't like the fact that her father could be pushed around by a woman like Akemi. It didn't help that her mother, a shrine maiden in her youth, was such a forgiving person and even lectured Kagome to be kind to her new sister, who isn't at fault in all of the fiasco that has happened. So, to cut the story shorter and to avoid messy and expensive court battles, one of the guest houses in the estate was used to house Akemi and her daughter, Kikyo.

Kikyo, Kagome suspected, might have gotten more of her father's genes with her being all quiet and soft-spoken. She followed the rules and did things that are asked of her but Kikyo takes a while to warm up to people. With only two years between them, they get along well enough that Kikyo would sometimes confide things with her. They could talk about boys and fashion and food. Kagome feels sad for her though whenever Akemi would try to set Kikyo up with sons of businessmen and politician.

On Kikyo's 25th birthday, Akemi invited a few bachelors to introduce to her daughter. One in particular, Senator Onigumo's only son, Naraku, was quite taken with Kikyo that Kagome imagined Akemi salivating at the thought of being part of the social elite again. Naraku has been trying to hoard Kikyo's attention the whole night, much to the birthday girl's chagrin. Luckily, she was saved by Miroku's late attendance and begged her uncle to spare him of the Naraku's conceited presence. Kagome didn't see Kikyo after Miroku whisked him away leaving Akemi to prevent an annoyed Naraku from leaving the party early.

It was during these times that Kagome feels grateful she's not the heiress. Although, if she were, she knows that her parents won't force her to marry someone just to close a business deal or to strengthen the company. Either way, not being the heiress allows her to pursue different things without being encumbered with functions, trainings and internships. She dabbled in photography and works freelance as a food photographer. Her love for food led her to open a café with her best friend, Sango. Kagome also volunteers at the orphanage and helps out her mother with Higurashi Foundation. With that much activity, she wouldn't be able to juggle her schedule without her trusted assistant. Speaking of her assistant...

"Morning Jak!" Kagome greeted him as she jog towards the front of the house.

"Lovely morning, Kaggie!" Jakotsu greeted back.

"What do I have for today?" she asked as they enter the house through the kitchen.

"You have a nine o'clock at the foundation." Jakotsu ran down the schedule for the day while Kagome drinks water. "Last stop would be the café before the party. I'll send yours and Sango's dresses there and have the limo pick you up at seven."

"Great! I'll get ready so we can eat breakfast before we leave." Kagome said before climbing up the stairs to her room.

Tonight is her grandfather's retirement party and it's going to be a big one. There would be a lot of known personalities both from the business and political arena. The media has been abuzz with speculations of who would be the next in line to inherit the business. It's still plenty of years before her father retire but with her grandfather's retirement, the next in line is expected to handle a prominent position as preparation.

Ever since her mother dragged her to barge into this lovely family, Kikyo have been told that she would be the next heir. Although no formal announcement have been made by the elderly Higurashi's, she has been trained in how to handle the company, work with people, how to act formally and cook the family recipes. Unfortunately, Kikyo didn't have much of a talent in the kitchen and although they try to hide it, she can see the look of disappointment in her grandparents' eyes. She tries her best to measure up to their expectation even though her inclination is in fashion and not in food. Her mother didn't give her the option to argue though and have been pushing her to succeed the business she feels she's robbing Kagome off. The kindness of the Higurashi family, even though Kikyo is basically a stranger, made the guilt she's been feeling stronger.

Kikyo might have been primed by her mother for this day but her mind have been thinking of all the possible reasons to get out of her current predicament. She found the strong motive to drop everything and live a normal life on her 25th birthday. She was trying to hide from her mother when a waiter bumped into her and almost showered her with champagne. Strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her away as the glasses wobbled precariously on the tray. She looked up to thank her savior and was met with the most amazing amber eyes she's scene. With a blush on her cheeks and soft murmur of thank you, she bowed to the gorgeous young man.

"Try not to be so clumsy next time." He was gruff but Kikyo was enamored. Unfortunately, her mother came at the same time and pushed her to Naraku's side. It was a few hours later before Miroku saved her and that's when she was introduced to her ruggedly handsome savior.

The few months after that meeting, Kikyo knew that she would not settle to whoever her mother would betroth her too. With that resolve, she took a piece of paper and wrote a letter of apology and explanation to her parents and grandparents.

The meeting for the children's library at the foundation ran longer than expected throwing Kagome's schedule akimbo. After a quick shower and letting Jakotsu work his magic, Kagome arrived at the party just as her grandfather was stepping up the stage. She took a quick survey around the room before turning all her attention to her grandfather's speech.

When Jakotsu informed her that Kikyo is not in the ballroom and that Akemi looks furious, Kagome became worried for her sister. She has been lost in her thoughts trying to figure out what might have happened that she didn't hear the last part of the speech.

"Lastly, since Ichirou would be replacing me, a bit of rearrangement is in order. In preparation to the role of Higurashi Restaurant and Bakery's future CEO, one of my grandchildren will be taking a management position. Let me present her to you, my lovely granddaughter, Kagome Higurashi."

Kagome was absently clapping her hands when it registered that it was her name that was mentioned.

"Wait. What?" Kagome barely muttered the words before the spotlight was on her. Schooling her face and forcing a smile, she bowed in response to the applause she's receiving all the while wondering what the hell happened.