Chapter Two: Riding The Subway
Kagome loved the subway. It was because she had been on it so many times and had seen so many of the same faces, which she had now grown very accustomed to riding the train with. Many people took the place for granted, always hurrying about their busy lives and not bothering to notice all of the other people waiting for their train to stop. But there was just so much to stop and look at- so many people milling about and having conversations, couples holding hands, teenagers satisfied that they were finally able to go out by themselves and only Kagome was able to see it all.
For some people being in a crowd was uncomfortable and restless but Kagome had loved being around people all the time, what she hated was isolation. Many people liked a place where they could have some privacy but she felt as if it were necessary she were around a bunch of people, she kind of felt safer that way. But that wasn't the main reason she had urged her friend Sango to take a subway train either.
"I still can't believe that you've never been in a subway station or even been in a subway train!" She said again with astonishment.
Sango, who was standing with her on the platform where the passengers waited, was looking a bit uneasy.
After both of them had filled their stomachs with Italian food, which Kagome didn't find so bad after all, they were calling up a cab when Sango confessed to Kagome about never having been in the subway.
"Kagome that's the tenth time you've said that." Sango stated flatly peering over the edge of the platform and viewing the tracks with a slight distaste.
"Is that a rat?"
"You sound like you actually don't want to have a ride on this." Kagome said ignoring her friend and grinning.
"That's because really I don't." Sango pointed out once more. "Look we can still go back; I'll just call my mom to come pick us up."
"No way, I am so making you get onto the next train that comes our way." Kagome said with definiteness.
"Great." Sango grumbled. "You're making this sound like a fun roller coaster."
"It's not a roller coaster but I can guarantee that it is fun. Sango, wouldn't you love the feeling of being underground and travelling at such a fast speed? It'd almost be like we're flying…except we'd be underground… and not really flying…" Kagome trailed off uncertainly. "But hey, we'll still get home faster than we would driving."
There was a slow ringing bell to indicate the passengers that the subway train was coming and Kagome quickly squealed in surprise.
Grabbing Sango's arm she said, "It's here, look I can see the lights from the tunnel!"
Sango looked around her at the people who were looking pointedly their way, probably thinking why a teenage girl was so happy about taking a train.
"Kagome, cut it out!" Sango mumbled under her breath so that only her friend would hear. Kagome quickly looked around her, seeing what Sango had seen and blushed red. She smiled sheepishly to Sango who shook her head disdainfully but smiled in good humour.
There was rush of wind, sending Kagome's hair flying and Sango ducking her head. The train soon diminished to a stop and the doors opened to allow the passengers inside. Kagome stepped in the compartment with Sango trailing behind. Kagome took a seat beside a lady with shopping bags talking loudly on her phone, and Sango slid uneasily into her seat beside her.
"You'll love this Sango, I'm telling you." Kagome encouraged her.
"We'll see…" Sango said trailing off. Gradually as the train doors slid closed, the train began moving, slowly at first then faster and faster. Kagome felt giddy and excited, she kept glancing back at Sango to see her expression as well. Sango didn't look as uncomfortable as she did before but she didn't look anywhere near as excited as Kagome was.
"See?" Kagome asked closing her eyes and listening to the droning noise of the train whizzing through the underground tunnel with its incredible speed. "I told you it would be fun." Kagome grinned.
"Okay, I admit it's not that bad but I wouldn't really call it fun." Sango said in a teasing voice.
"Whatever, but it's you that's missing this not me." Kagome reasoned her eyes closing again.
"Oh wait!" Kagome cried startling Sango and earning a rude look from the lady on her phone.
"What? What's wrong?" Sango demanded, seeing the uneasiness on her friend's face.
"No! I can't believe I for got it…It has to be somewhere here." Kagome cried again and opened up her purse tossing things out and unzipping the small pockets.
"Tell me Kag? What'd you forget?" Sango asked cluelessly
"The card!" Kagome whined, "I forgot the stupid card at the restaurant! It's not in my purse…"
"You forgot the card? Are you sure, maybe you accidentally put it mine." Sango said and the two began looking in there. After emptying the whole bag inside out, Kagome was almost left with one thing to do.
Cry.
Putting her face in her hands she began to sob. "I'm the most, stupidest, idiotic person in the world!" Kagome wailed. Sango looked around uncertainly. Maybe right now wasn't a good idea to point out to her friend that 'stupidest' wasn't w word.
Some people were actually turning to view the scene in front of them, other passengers couldn't care less about a teenage girl crying her heart out on the city go train.
"Kagome…" Sango began but was cut off by Kagome's wails.
"Now how in the world am I going to call Yukoto…I have got to be the worlds all time biggest dumb ass!"
"But Kagome…"
"There's nothing I can do now Sango! And I wanted to go into that damned school so much!"
Sango rolled her eyes heavenward and took a deep breath. "Kagome you idiot, did you check in your pocket?" Sango cried finally getting Kagome's attention not to mention many other people around them.
Kagome stopped mid-sob, her mouth hanging open, she quickly reached into the front pocket of her jeans and pulled out the white pristine card. Kagome smiled sheepishly at Sango who was giving her a flat look.
"I found it…"
Inuyasha shook his head annoyed with the noises coming from the two teenage girls sitting opposite to him. For the past ten minutes they'd done three things: Make noise, cry, yell and make more noise. He didn't know what in the world they were talking about and he didn't care. He was busy reading the Tokyo Times that he'd bought while walking to the subway station. He was tired now, not from the walk but because he knew of what the next day would bring. A whole lot of fuckin' chaos.
The noise from the two girls in front of him abruptly stopped and he inwardly sighed. But then the noise started up again as the two girls began arguing between each other.
"…I was telling you to look in there, but you just went on crying, Kagome you're darned hilarious!"
"Stop laughing Sango, it wasn't that funny!"
"Oh yes it was!"
"If you keep laughing, I won't talk to you."
"Well, it's not my fault, it's hard not to laugh. You should have seen the look on your face!"
Inuyasha sighed again. "Overly dramatic teenagers…" he muttered to himself going back to his newspaper.
"That's it Sango, I'm not sitting next to you anymore!" came an angry female voice. There was a rustling movement and a 'thump' as someone plopped down into the seat next to his.
Inuyasha glanced at the person beside him; it was the teenager that was sitting in front of him before, though the girl's face was turned the other way.
Inuyasha turned, once again, back to his newspaper. There was actually an article about Kikyo and how she was going to be in the- Inuyasha groaned inwardly. The stupid girl beside him had shut up but now she was fidgeting too damned much. She kept tapping her foot on the ground and laying her head back against the seat, fiddling with the arm rest and what not.
"Do you mind?" He asked in annoyance, putting his newspaper down and facing the girl. The girl turned around and smiled timidly.
"Uh sorry," she said, and then looked at him curiously. "…Are you okay?"
Inuyasha's jaw was hanging open and his eyes were saucers. Regaining his senses with a shake of his head, he got up, his newspaper falling to the ground.
"Kikyo what the hell are you doing here?" he demanded, a look of true bewilderment in his eyes.
"Excuse me?" Kagome said giving him a confused look. Inuyasha looked her up and down then jerked her up so she was standing.
"What the hell are you doing out of the hospital?" Inuyasha repeated. "…And why the hell aren't you in your cast?"
Kagome jerked her arm away from the man's grasp. He was obviously mistaken; she wasn't this Kikyo person he was talking about.
"I'm sorry I don't know what you're talking about, so stop touching me!" Kagome cried and took a step back from him. Sango stood up too but was frozen in her spot, obviously as confused as everyone else was.
"Stop playing games Kikyo and come on!" Inuyasha grabbed hold of her hand again, but Kikyo kept on squirming around. Was it just him or did her voice sound a lot more high-pitched?
"I'm not Kikyo so let me go!" the girl screamed again. By now everyone in their compartment was watching with interest at what was going on in front of them.
"Yes you - wait a second…you're not her…" Inuyasha muttered suddenly realizing his mistake. He'd just grabbed hold of a whole different girl. She was a little shorter than the real Kikyo, her eyes were a lighter shade of brown and her hair was also styled differently. How could he have not noticed…
"Of course, I'm not!" Kagome cried angrily tearing her hand away from the man again. The man took a step back from her a dazed look on his face. Kagome kept staring at him in her own confused way. He'd mistaken her for someone else that much she knew.
"Damn, I think I'm losing it." Inuyasha muttered shaking his head as he lowered himself to his seat. The girl was still standing and peering at him intently but he ignored it and looked away.
"Aren't you going to apologize?" she asked peevishly.
"For what?" He asked looking her way. The girl looked at the seat beside him and after a moment of hesitation, sat down.
"For mistaking me for this Kikyo girl, for causing a big scene on the subway and for scaring me out of my wits for starters." The girl stated pointedly.
"Oh yeah, well sorry." Inuyasha snorted not really meaning it. He frowned at her. "You look awfully a lot like Kikyo, you know, Kikyo Kinto?"
The girl beside him blushed lightly, her anger fading as she fiddled with her hands in her lap. "You think I look like her? She's a model right?"
"Mm." Inuyasha hummed, his attention wasn't on the girl anymore, he was back to reading his paper, totally unfazed by what had just gone down minutes before.
"So if Kikyo Kinto was really here, you'd treat her like that?" Kagome went on. He guy turned to look quizzically at her again. "I mean, pulling her arm out of her socket like you were doing with me…" she explained sarcastically.
Kagome had no idea why she was talking to some complete stranger, not to mention a stranger who had just mistaken her for a famous model. Maybe he just some big whacked up fan of Kikyo's…or something…
Inuyasha gave the girl a look then nodded. "Actually I would."
Kagome smiled. "And I suppose that's because you're her boyfriend." She said. More sarcasm.
"No…I'm her agent…and she's my client and…why are you talking to me anyway?"
Kagome shrugged innocently and decided to ignore his question. "You're not her agent." She stated.
Inuyasha turned a peevish look on her. "Oh yeah, why is that?" he asked with a fake smile plastered over his face.
"You wouldn't be riding in the city subway train, you'd be going home in a limo." She said as if that was obvious.
"I wish! Us agents don't get paid that much you know." The man groused, carelessly flipping through the newspaper again. "Just because the stinking models are rich pricks with giant wallets doesn't mean we are too, God knows how crappy my car is and-
"Do you really think I look like her?" Kagome interrupted suddenly.
"Like who?"
"You know, um Kikyo…"
"Oh her, yeah…" Inuyasha nodded. "You're a bit shorter I guess and your eye colour is different but other than that if you replaced her, not one damn person would know."
Kagome blushed red and played with her fingers again. "Thanks, I mean I've never really received a compliment like that." She said earnestly. Kagome looked up to see that the man (she didn't even know his name) wasn't even paying attention to her, in fact, he looked as if he were deep in thought.
"Um, hello?" Kagome asked tentatively. She peered curiously at the absent-minded boy. "Are you okay Mr. Agent Man?"
"…not one person would know…" he breathed out.
Kagome scrunched up her eyebrows. "Not one person would know what?"
Inuyasha shook his head snapping out of his reverie and looked seriously at the girl next to him. She was going to be the ticket to his next paycheck.
"Are you free tomorrow afternoon?" he blurted.
"What?" Kagome asked bluntly. It sounded like he wanted to ask her out!
"Look, my name is Inuyasha I'm Kikyo Kinto's agent and I want to offer you a chance that could change your life." He declared in a flash.
"What?" Kagome repeated dumbfounded.
"Here's my card, you can call me anytime, and the address of my office is on the card too." He looked down at her, suddenly realizing she was still confused.
"Look, I know you don't really believe that I'm Kikyo's agent but call me, this is very important...what's your name by the way?"
"Uh…Kagome…Higurashi, but what does that have to do with anything?"
Just then the ringing of the train signaled for a stop and the man named Inuyasha looked towards the train doors.
"That's my stop and I have to get home, just call me and I'll explain everything to you but look…uh…
"Kagome." She supplied for him
"Yes, Kagome, just remember that this could be the chance of a lifetime for you and you don't want to miss out on this okay?"
Kagome nodded dumbly still not catching on to what was going on.
Inuyasha gave a small wave then quickly strode down the train's aisle and out the two sliding doors nearly making it before the doors swished close, leaving Kagome sitting on her seat with a thousand questions running in her mind.
She looked down at the card in her hands then across her to where Sango was sitting, with her eyebrows raised in curiosity.
A chance of a life time, huh?
"Do you think I should call?" Kagome asked curiously. She was swinging her legs back and forth from her seat on the park bench. It was her lunch break and Sango had come to visit.
"Of course you should call!" Sango replied enthusiastically. "Yukoto did say that you should call her as soon as you could."
"No, not about the dance school, I meant to ask if should I call the guy we met on the train."
"You're more worried about that than you are about Yukoto's offer?" Sango asked incredulously.
"No, it's just that I'm curious…the guy did say he wanted to talk to me. What if it's about something important?"
"You've got a point," Sango said taking a big bite of her cheese burger. "but what if he's just some messed up freak who thinks he's some big time agent? I don't think you should want to get involved in that."
"But he didn't seem like he was lying…he seemed a bit weird I have to admit, but I don't think he was lying. Plus, he gave me his card…this can't be fake right?"
"Kagome, people make fake cards all the time, so that doesn't mean this guy didn't fake a card."
"But I really want to call him…" Kagome whined.
"Fine then, go ahead I'm not really stopping you. But when this guy starts following you and stalking you and knows where you live and what you eat and who your friends are and what you wear and what color your PJ's are and even your cat's name and then turns out to be a part time kidnapper and a part time killer …don't come running back to me."
There was a moment of silence as Kagome stared peculiarly at Sango.
Sango laughed nervously.
"Joke Kagome, just a joke…"
Reviews would be awesome! ;)