Disclaimer: Inu Yasha© belong to Rumiko Takahashi.
Rai: Here's the first chapter please read and review! :)
His Mistress
Chapter One: Going Home
February 2010
London, England
A woman clad in a black office suit stared intently outside the glass wall of the apartment she and her brother owned. She had her raven hair pulled back in a French twist with her bangs hanging above her eyes, a typical corporate look. Her face, pale and was void of any make-up, except for the gloss that coated her small but full lips. She took a sip on the cup of hot espresso on her hands as she kept her gaze outside. She could see from the transparent wall how the chilly winds were blowing the leaves from the tree of their front yard. It was a good thing that the fireplace opposite the glass wall was lit. Setting her cup of espresso on the table beside her she turned and roamed her eyes inside the room. Her sight fixed on the dancing flames coming from the fireplace. It was the only light serving the whole room that it made it look rustic. The light from the flames illuminated her silhouette on the glass, making her shadow dance on the cold, transparent wall.
It's been more than a month since all of London was covered with snow. It was what the British media called the Big Freeze as it was London's coldest January since way back late 1970's. It was the last week of the love month and springtime was on its way, time for a new start.
She sighed and turned back to stare outside. As her blue eyes gazed above she saw the dark starless sky, thus she thought, 'maybe it's going to rain.' A car pulling on the driveway made her look away from the sky and saw that it was her brother's prized toy. As she heard the engine stopped, the door to the driver's side opened and revealed her brother. His coat hanging over his business suit, his silver hair tied behind him in a low ponytail and amber gold eyes that was very much her opposite.
Inuyasha pulled over the driveway that was once covered in snow. Thank goodness that they stored more than enough snow and ice gritters or else, he would not be able to use the red machine.
He went out of his Alfa Romeo and instantly his eyes wandered to her figure, standing behind the glass wall. He made a wave of his hand before he reached inside to get his briefcase containing his present for her. He knew New Year already passed but he thought his sister deserved a gift, spring was coming anyways and he just wanted to give her something after they've surpassed the cold winter. With his things on hand, Inuyasha closed his car door and locked it with his car key. Turning around he made his way to their apartment. He was dead tired from the meeting with the board members of Taisho Corp. Business was rough during the first month of the year because of the situation that London had been through, paper works were stacked high and so many piles had been made on his office. He was not yet through with all of those and all he wanted now was to spend the whole night to rest in his room. As he stood in front of their front door, he fished out his house key from inside his pants pocket and plunged it into the keyhole. Turning the knob, he pushed the door and went inside.
- II -
Kagome turned her head as she heard the sound of the knob clicked. The door opened and entered Inuyasha, clad in identical business attire that she wore. He smiled at the instant that he saw her. Closing the door behind him, he got his coat off and hung it on the hanger beside the door before he proceeded to walk to where she was standing. His platinum, almost silver hair, danced behind his back with his every step as he made his way to her setting his briefcase on the coffee table that he passed by.
''Hey," he went to her side and put an arm around her shoulder. They stood there facing their reflections on the glass wall. She just smiled, looking at his reflection but it didn't reach her eyes. With a frown drawn on his brows he faced his sister. Tipping her chin with his other hand as she now faced him. "It's a new year you should be happy." He intently looked onto her blue orbs. After all it's what the citizens are doing after the big freeze." He shrugged as he joked with his last words.
"I am…" That was the only response Inuyasha got from his sister but her voice didn't even sound like she was. She saw as his brows furrowed deeper but he did let her go and faced the fireplace. Her eyes followed Inuyasha's movements as she turned against the glass wall. She heard his audible sigh before he reached for his briefcase, taking the present he had bought for her before he placed it back on the coffee table.
"Here." He gave her the envelope that contained his present. Kagome gave him a questioning look, but he just shrugged and gestured for her to open the envelope. "It's a gift, from me."
Taking her time, she opened the envelope and revealed what it contained only to be surprised as she saw two pieces of paper with an airline logo in it. She stared at the bold letters printed on that piece of paper. Japan, she read in her mind. Her brows furrowed as she look up to stare intently into her brother's orbs. She could not believe it. Was this the present he told her about? He had given her a pair of plane tickets to Japan.
"What was this for?" She voiced the question that was running through her mind.
"Just like what you read. We'll leave for Japan." He said. That made her crunch her brows more. "Kagome, don't look at me that way." Inuyasha said as he faced her. "You looked so horrified, as if it was the scariest place in the world." With that said the frown on her face deepened some more forcing her to bring her eyes to look on the floor beneath them. Inuyasha knew he hit home as he saw her stilled for a moment. In Kagome's mind she knew her brother was right. She felt horrified…and scared. He raised his hand to lift her face and erased the frown on her brows with the tip of his fingers. "I've arranged our flight for tomorrow." He added as he cupped her face with his palms.
"Can't we do it in another time?" She tried her luck as she asked him once she found the courage to speak. Her eyes hid a pleading look that she didn't want her brother to see.
"If you wanted to do it another time, why not now Kagome?" he leveled his face to hers before he added, "It will be just the same. We have to go." He shrugged. "Besides, it has been overdue for more than a month since the big freeze closed all the airports and other business establishments." His sister only closed her eyes before he heard her audible, frustrated sigh. He straightened to his full height and went around the couch to have a seat.
"Inuyasha…" she voiced his name without opening her eyes. She was standing behind the couch that her brother was seated at.
He felt her frustration as she said his name. Inuyasha turned from his seat and said in a low authoritative voice, "Father asked us to come home." He made it sound urgent so that she could not complain anymore, but deep inside his heart he was hurting to see his sister in this state. He cleared his throat before he spoke again. "Mom, wanted to see her daughter. I phoned her last night and she said she misses you." His last words brought a smile on his sister's face and it didn't pass his sight. She opened her eyes and went around taking the cushioned armrest as she sat beside Inuyasha. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they both eyed the fireplace. Even as she sat in the armrest, Inuyasha was still taller than she is. Kagome breathed a sigh. She missed her mother too. She missed her family back in Japan so much, but she couldn't let herself to go back. Not when she was not ready ― at least, not yet.
She was hesitant to go back to her family though she wanted to see them too, but Inuyasha said that it was Touga's words that they should come home. And she knew there was nothing neither she nor her brother could do to oppose their father's words. They sat like that for quite some time before she decided to speak. ''I don't think I can do this.'' She sighed as she spoke for the first time.
He frowned at that. His sister was everything a spoiled brat could be, but she, being a coward was not on the list. And for so long she had been one. She hid so far away from the one person that ruined her…her only loved. Life is tragic for her. First her family, and as she grew up her love was taken away from her, her first and only love. And he knew everything about it, for he had been her very first best friend, her pillar of salt, her anchor of strength for years. He knew of what she was feeling now. He also knew that he caught her off guard when he surprised her with the idea of going home. But it was five years since they left the Tokyo manor. And it was also within those years since the incident happened.
Inuyasha was seated behind his office desk doing his routine of signing contracts and paper works when his phone started ringing. He fished it out from the secret pocket of his business suit and answered it without knowing who the caller was. A baritone voice greeted him before he recognized that it was his father who called. He straightened on his seat and dropped the pen he was holding to the table. Touga won't call at this time, knowing that it was still office hours in London, if it is not about important matters or his daughter.
He sighed as he waited to hear his father's voice on the other line. What has got to be reason as to why he called? He was starting to think of the possibilities when he heard his sire's authoritative voice.
"Inuyasha bring your sister home." Touga said without hesitation using his domineering voice to stress the urgency of his order.
"What?" Inuyasha almost stood from his seat at what he heard. Did Touga really wanted Kagome back in Japan so suddenly? He calmed himself before he responded. "Why so sudden father?" he dared to ask.
"Your brother is back from his business tour and I wanted all of you to be home. Tell her not to bring the twins with you. I will be expecting the two of you here on New Year." He heard his father's orders. He wanted to say something but the next thing he heard was a click telling him that his father just hung up and ended their conversation. Touga didn't want him to object or have to say something against what he said.
It was set. They would be heading home on New Year. He breathed a frustrated sigh. His sister won't be happy to hear this.
And he was so right about that.
The call was from last year, technically, because it's been only more than a month since the year changed to 2010. He knew that the Taisho's expected them to be there on New Year's Day but because of the situation that London had been through, all the airports and other transportation stations were closed. He didn't have to tell Touga about that because it was already on the news and he called them only to make sure that they were all safe. And ever since that day Touga repeatedly called him whenever he had the chance just to remind him that they were to go back home after the situation had seized and everything went back to normal, thus this was the perfect time that he chose to go home. Touga wanted them back in Japan. He made himself very clear when he said that Kagome should be with him. But why he wanted them so suddenly beats him. Their father knew of the situation, yet he was blind to recognize it, or ― he never planned to entertain it at all.
It's been hell for him this past week to receive overseas calls from their father, pestering and constantly reminding them to come home. And now that he had told his sister about it, it seemed that she hadn't decided yet. No. She had already decided on that, only, he would NOT listen to her plea. He was intrigued by what their sire was up to, asking him constantly to the point of annoying him just to get the response he wanted. Surely there's a reason behind all this, but his sister really didn't want to leave and he knew the reasons why.
Inuyasha eyed the door next to Kagome's room. Her reasons for not leaving England lies behind that door ― sleeping soundly, oblivious of the situation outside the room.
Kagome lifted her head from her brother's shoulder and followed his line of sight. Her lips formed a sad smile. She felt her brother stood from his seat beside her and started pacing in front of her with his hands on either side of his pants pockets.
A full minute had passed before he stopped from his pacing and faced her. Boring a confusing look, he asked her, ''What are you talking about?'' He ran his free hand on his silver mane, pushing his bangs back with the action. She couldn't back out on him. Even if he just decided this one on his own, there is no way his sister would back out on him. It never happened before, and he won't let it this time. ''You can't stay here. Father asked for us to come back home together. They will be expecting us. I can't leave you behind.'' He put the emphasis of his voice on the word 'together'. He could not come to Japan without her. He would never hear the end of Touga's ranting when he found out that Kagome would not be with him. And he never wanted that to happen, not on his sensitive ears.
''But I don't want to go back.'' Her voice was stern. She stood from her position on the couch and faced her brother. ''You, of all people, know I can't just decide on this like that.'' She emphasized on her last word and snapping her fingers, gesturing what he wanted her to do ― decide in an instant. They both eyed the door to the twins' room once again.
He sighed. ''I know how you feel about leaving them behind." He tore his eyes away from the door to the twins' room. "But, that is why we asked Kikyou to look for them while we were away for a while.'' He said. He was trying to persuade his sister about going back. He let his hands out from his pockets and rested them on either of his side. Facing her again, he intently looked at the side of her face.
He asked his fiancée beforehand, if she could take care of the twins while they were away. He had it all planned before he told her about it. He wanted the twins to be as far as possible from the hurt that would eventually greet them if they were to go with them to Japan. And he was certain that they won't be staying there for long ― a week to a month maximum. He lifted his hand to caress her cheek. ''Don't worry we will be back to get them. They're going to be fine here, my fiancée will take care of them.'' He knew she was worrying about the twins. She never left them to anyone ever since.
He took his hand away from her face when she turned to look at him and opened her mouth to say something, but none came out of it.
''No more buts, we will go back to Japan together.'' She closed her mouth and stared at the face of the man beside her. She allowed her eyes to feast on his long silver hair and amber-gold eyes. Her brother always reminded her of someone, someone she didn't want to remember at all. Someone so similar yet so different, though this man had a pair of doggie ears above that silver mane she was very fond of since she was a child, a strong contrast to the elfin ears she used to adore so much.
''Don't stare at me like that. I'm not him.'' He snickered. Her brother knew of it, from the very start and she didn't denied it from him even before. But not this time, it was enough. She had enough. She roughly tore her eyes away from his face and focused over his shoulder, sapphire eyes mirrored the blue flame that was dancing behind him. It was stupid of her to even think of that man, stupid of her to even compare him to her brother who had done everything for her. There was a long pause before she turned on her heels. She crossed the living room with her Manolo heels ticking on the hardwood floor of their apartment, taking the now warm cup of her espresso on her palms. She took the liberty of feeling the much bigger couch that faced the fireplace, running her free hand on its soft material.
''I'm in no mood for this Inuyasha, so don't start with it.'' She placed her cup on the coffee table beside his briefcase and freed herself from her business coat, revealing her white square necked top, where he could visibly see her neck and a portion of her shoulders. She dropped herself to the couch opposite the fireplace. As her body hit the soft cushion she sighed. Her feet were relieved of pain from the long time that she was standing. The couch felt comfortable on her body that she shifted her position to relax her aching back. Leaning her nape on the backrest, she stared at the blank wall above the fireplace.
He turned to look at her, the light from the fireplace illuminating her form as she comfortably sat on the couch. ''I'm just stating what I saw in your eyes.'' He sighed. ''You stare at my face like I'm that―'' his words were cut by the snap of her head to his direction.
''Stop it. Let's drop this conversation.'' She was getting pissed by the moment. Really, they're talking nonsense here if someone may ask her.
''I thought you've already moved on?'' He sighed and pushed on with it as he followed her to the couch and dropped himself by her side.
She sighed heavily. It's been five years, what's the point of having this kind of conversation? ''I have.'' She rested her head on the backrest of the couch and closed her eyes.
He looked at her face. How a person could change so easily in a span of time. They practically grew together. They became very close because they only had a two-year age gap. They had practically shared everything. He was then her hero. He once thought he knew her the most, but it seemed not at all. How situations could change the life of a person ― from cheerful lass to a very sophisticated woman. From a very sociable little girl, she turned to be an unsociable lady. She had changed, a lot. And it was the work of the only person she loved. That man turned his only sister into an anti-social, sad woman ― the effect of her heart being broken.
He lifted his hand and brushed her bangs from her face. Lovely, very beautiful, yet she didn't even believe in her own assets. He knew that there were men who wanted to court her. Only she wouldn't let them. She instantly refused any signs of friendship coming from the opposite sex. She focused her life on work, her family and most especially, the twins. Though they wanted her to have a life and enjoy her years, when she was the one refusing, they could not do something about it.
And then he made a thought. Maybe what their father wanted was for her to face the person who broke her once, to redeem her life and to bring back the old Kagome that they loved and missed. He was beginning to understand his reason. And he prayed that this would work.
He let his eyes trailed down her slender neck and into the junction of its base and her shoulder. He saw that thing, though it fainted throughout the years but still, she was scarred for life. He gritted his teeth. That bastard had ruined her life forever for doing this to her, but she didn't even knew of it. And they had never told her about it either. NO. She would be hurt if she ever knew of it, they all knew that. And it was a good thing she had never known of their customs, or she was just not entertaining the feelings she had felt from that thing. One could never really know.
''Then why do you still bear that sadness in your eyes?'' He asked instead, pulling his eyes away from her shoulder to stare back at her face. Tension could be seen on her lovely face. He knew the story behind that sadness in her eyes, their story.
She didn't respond to her brother's question.
Was she still that obvious? She mentally asked herself. It's a good thing that her eyes were closed. Inuyasha won't be seeing the tension in her eyes, but she doubt if he could not feel it. Maybe she was that obvious,because she had with her the very proof of her emotions, two of them.
They went silent for a couple of minutes. Only the sound of their breathing could be heard inside the whole living room. What's the use of this talk? They both knew they would gain nothing from it except for hurtful and sad memories. It would only make them tired and devoid of energy.
''I'm tired...'' she breathed, her eyes were still closed. Yes, she felt tired, both physically and mentally, and she really wanted to rest, with both her mind and heart.
She just had a meeting with the operations department late in the afternoon. They had been working at the Taisho Hotel International London branch for a year now, one of Taisho Corporation's financial resources, their father's empire of hotel chains, resorts and Textile Company. When she was still in college, after school she was to go on her training at the hotel under her father's people. His executives would then train her about the business bit by bit. Inuyasha was also doing the same, only he was a bit ahead of her. She had done this for four years and now she was the appointed manager of the London branch, an achievement.
She heard a sigh coming from the man beside her.
A moment passed and she felt that he stood from beside her before she felt her body left the confines of the comfortable couch. She was being carried now to her bedroom. She leaned her head on his chest as he walked to where her room was.
He carried her to one of the rooms in their three-bedroom apartment, their very expensive apartment. Their father bought it for the two of them, a good five years ago, taking all the expenses of their high standard of living, after all he didn't want his children to settle for anything less.
His sister didn't want to stay in the manor the family owned, she insisted on living near her school. She said that it would be of convenience to her if she was living near the institution, but he knew better. The Taisho manor in London was a replica from the one they had in Japan, reminding her of someone from her past, which she didn't want to remember at all. He didn't want her to live on her own so he decided to accompany his sister, thus they had lived in this apartment downtown.
He gently placed her on the bed and freed her feet from her expensive pair of black Manolo's.
''Inuyasha...'' she groaned, she was so tired that she was already half asleep. He pulled the pins from her French bun to free her hair from the pressure that it made on her head and ran his fingers on the strands to take the tangles away. When he was sure that his sister was all comfortable he pulled the sheets up to her chin. Seeing his sister like this made him despise someone, that one person who was responsible for all of his sister's suffering.
''Sleep now sister,'' he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and went to the door. Her eyelids were closed as he watched her intently, ''tomorrow we'll be going home.'' He said above whisper as he switched off the lights on her bedroom and pulled the door close.
