"Otousan, how can you do this to me?" Kagome yelled, jumping out of her seat and sending it crashing back.

InuYasha just stared. She had really nice long, lean legs. Her shorts, despite the semi-professional look, just barely covered her perfect, firm ass and tailored itself so no one could see it when she walked. Marrying her wouldn't be that bad.

"We thought it'd be better for you two and the company than--" Takehiko started.

"Than what? What could possibly be worse than this? I have a boyfriend, Otousan. What am I going to say to him?" she demanded, clenching her jaw. Just because she was a geek, didn't mean she didn't have boyfriends.

"Oh? And who would that be? Another demon? Kagome, it's arranged. You have to," Takehiko retorted, eyes slitting. "How can you stand--"

InuYasha buzzed him out. So, Kagome already had a mate? Strange, he didn't smell one on her. Not even a human-mate. She did, though, smell like a guy was in her life. Not the same thing.

Controlling a scream and merely letting out a menacing growl that impressed the inuyoukai, Kagome glared at her father with tears welling in her eyes. "If I didn't know better and that Jiichan was Okaasan's father, I'd swear you took after him. What is it with you two and demons?"

That made InuYasha focus. Someone didn't like demons and he was business partners with one? That's dumb. Takehiko would have to be an idiot to do that, or planning something for later.

Takehiko sighed. "Kagome, isn't enough that I don't trust any but the Taisho? I've grown up with Yasha. I trust him with my life. I know he's a good man--"

She cut him off. "So what's wrong with my friends? I'd trust any of the Ookami with my life--hell, I've let Ayame have my life. But I'm still here."

"Language! You were such a nice girl before you started hanging out with those filthy wolf-demons!" Takehiko warned. "Where's my Kagome gotten off to?"

"Hell? You're yelling at me for hell?" Kagome asked, saddening. "I don't know where the daughter you're thinking of went, but maybe you should go back and find her.

"I've known the Ookami since I was a kid. Before that--Okaasan and Hiromi-kaasan were partners since they were kids. To say I changed when I started hanging out with wolf-demons? That's like saying the alligator egg became a snake."

Sesshomaru looked at Kagome with a scrunched nose. Kagome was a brilliant girl, he knew well enough. She even skipped a grade. But if her metaphors were really as deep as everyone said, then it was too deep for him.

What did alligators and snakes have to do with this?

Yasha smiled faintly. She was a good kid. And the more he thought of it, he wasn't sure either son deserved someone like her. Besides, she wasn't that old. Sixteen, he thought.

"Really? You didn't grow up with that he-wolf," Takehiko replied.

"Kouga? Kouga? Otousan, you left when I was three. Souta wasn't even a year old yet. As soon as Okaasan and Otokooya-san were together, I met Kouga. We were three. I was three when I started growing up with him. But you wouldn't know. The first time I even got to see you was when I started high school."

Did he really not know his daughter that well? But how could he? Takehiko was afraid of Masahiko! It was because of him that he hated dog-demons--he had always loved them, and now only trusted the Taisho.

"Masahiko's a better dad than you. Did you know?" Kagome went on, crossing her arms over her chest as she started to let out silent tears. InuYasha just looked numbly between the parent and child. Something was wrong between them. They didn't trust each other, and they grew up with different lifestyles.

"Okaasan offered to have me and Souta come live with you, and he said that he loved us. But if we wanted to live with you and know you, he'd let us. Or if Okaasan didn't want us. You didn't. You divorced Okaasan right after Souta was born. He never even knew you."

"Kagome, that doesn't change the fact you're not marrying that demon!" he yelled, getting up.

InuYasha smelt the spike in anger and worried for the girl. This was getting ugly, and he needed to protect her. It wasn't a matter of whether he wanted to or not, he had to. He wasn't questioning why he wanted to, or if he liked the girl.

Freezing as she stood and looked at her father, Kagome just shook her head at him. "I'm seventeen and a quarter for cryin' out loud! You don't even know how old I am! Forcing me to marry him is illegal!" As she started to storm away, she flung back towards them. "And my boyfriend? He's a human named Hojo."

For a minute Takehiko just looked at Kagome. "You're not seventeen. We bought the Spyder for your eighteenth--"

Hold on. He got his daughter a spider for her birthday? InuYasha started to think he may be insane. What child wanted a spider?

"You might have, but thanks for it five months in advance. My birthday's in December. De-cem-ber. Okaasan and Otokooya-san played it off. Their cards said 'Happy Graduation Early' because guess who's graduating. Which was good, since I got a kick-ass car. I'm going. See you later."

And with that, she left.

Lying on her bed with her pajamas, Sango and a tub of ice-cream, Kagome had her speakerphone on and was on a three-way chat with her other best friends.

"I don't get it, Kags. You're dad seems so cool," Sango said, spooning out ice-cream and shaking her head as she swallowed. What was it with them and ice-cream when they were depressed?

"He's never liked me," Ayame replied, signing for Kouga to zip his lip. He was always staying over, but nothing serious. Their parents would be able to tell if they did. It was great to have parents like their other. "I don't feel too bad."

"Well he's always mean," Rin complained, looking at herself in the new Demon Property business suit she got from her parents. White, with silver pinstripes and the signature silver kanji on the hem of the blazer, and right waist of the trousers. To perfect it there was a scoop-necked, white, lacy camisole. "By the way, Masahiko rocks. Tell him thank you."

"Rin, focus!" the girls all yelled.

As they started to talk incessantly about hundreds of things, Sango and Kagome delved through the ice-cream, not noticing the shadows entering Kagome's room.

"Ah! Miro-kun," Asuka greeted, smiling as she hugged the monk like a long-lost son--which to her he might as well be. "I haven't seen you in awhile. How's life in college been?"

"Demanding, but rewarding," he replied, smiling as she let go. "It's nice to see you, Asuka-kaasan. May I introduce my friend InuYasha?" He motioned toward the half-demon, then turning back to Asuka. "I can't wait until Kagome comes to Toudai as well."

InuYasha bent his head. That's her mother? Damn she was friendly! And how did they even know the monk? He was like cancer, infecting everyone around him and not telling the others. Hell, she acted like a stay-at-home mother that made everyone milk and cookies to do their homework.

But Asuka scowled. "We'll see where she goes. Her father got her very upset, and right now I think she may be leaning towards that college I wanted her to go to in the first place."

Letting out a gasp, Miroku's eyes bulged. "But that's all the way in America! How will it help her for Japanese business? I'm sorry, but Kagome should go to Toudai with all of her friends. MAC is too far away."

Now the hanyou was interested. His fiancée was going to America? Where was MAC, anyways? He was planning on a college in America that his father certainly didn't approve of.

Ironic her parents approved of a college she didn't want.

Feeling left out, InuYasha looked back at the doorway where Kagome's mother was standing and now inviting them in. She gave him a hug and shut the door behind him. "Miro, it's MIT, not MAC."

Freezing, InuYasha looked at her. She wanted her daughter to go to his dream school? That was so unfair! And why wouldn't she go? Hell, he'd cut off a testicle to get the chance to go.

"We are, we are" the boys heard Kagome and Sango sing out. Neither was the best of singers, but that didn't make them bad. "The youth of the nation. We are, we are...the youth of the nation."

Masahiko buzzed in laughing. "Asuka-chan. Don't you have a meeting with Takara and Ookami?" he asked, zipping towards a side room and coming out with a big sketch book, looking at Miroku. "Miro! Good to see you! How's your dad doing?"

"Very well, sir," he replied, smiling.

"All right. I have to go. Miro, can I trust you two with Kagome and Sango alone?" Asuka asked as she went and gathered up charts and papers. "Masa, don't you have a deadline to make? Where's Souta at?" she asked.

"He's over at Kohaku's house, having a party. Don't worry, he's fine. If he needs anything, we're right next door. And I want one or two more sketches before I see Makoto and Kouga with the new designs. Though I bet he's over that girl's house too. Ayame and Kouga are very close."

"Mm. Too close for Tousan's comfort. How is it even the four of you stay on top of DP?" Asuka replied, grabbing a coat.

InuYasha looked at the couple in awe. They were moving about so fast he was shocked they even saw each other. And this was the creator of Demon Property! No wonder why his fiancée was always plastered in the phrase. Well, it served its purpose.

The elder inuyoukai sighed. "They don't do anything--we'd be able to tell. And we do so well because Little Kagome helps when she can. By the way, here are some memos she wanted me to give you. And the divorcement papers."

Now everyone was focused. InuYasha could smell the two were mates. To leave your mate was certain death. What the hell? Miro was shocked. The Kazuki were the best-shaped couple he ever met--how would Kagome and Souta take their parents breaking up?

Again, Masahiko sighed when he realized everyone was staring at him like he was mad. "Not mine. Kagome's. She's divorcing us for agreeing to letting her get married off. I told you that was a bad idea."

Kagome's mother shrugged. "She needs it. I can't stand that boy! Besides, how else is she going to learn sacrificing happiness for business? She'll like the boy, and we have to remember she's not just ours. He said it's important for his business, and Kagome wants to do the aerospace work with her dad."

InuYasha felt bad for Kagome. She was innocent, and getting forced into things. It wasn't okay, and he felt like he should do something for her.

Hell, even his family wasn't so screwed up.

"This is more about her knowing her father again, isn't it?" Masahiko asked as Asuka grabbed the memos and threw the other papers in the trash. "She has a right to live her life. She's young. We treat her like she's ancient."

"Masa, her father thought she was turning eighteen! That man left her for years and I think it'd be good for her...crap, I'm late! Bye sweetie. Miro...be good. Masa will know if you touch either of the girls. As if you would." She rolled her eyes. "InuYasha, nice meeting you," Asuka replied, kissing each of the men, but only Masahiko on the lips.

"So...the sketches!" he moaned, running upstairs, yelling over blasting music. "Kagome! Sango! I have a job for you!"

"Masahiko-tousan, we're busy being pissed off!" Sango replied, laughing. Then she looked over to Kagome, sitting at her desk taking business calls for her stepfather. "All right. Rin, your turn. Favorite color and why?"

"White, because hello? Obvious."

"Rin, he has a girlfriend," Kagome told her, writing something out and flipping through several business papers. "His dad said so when he was telling me I was marrying his little brother."

"But people don't date for life!" Rin protested. "Okay, Kagome. Why you like the color blue, but the majority of your clothes are red?"

The girl sighed as someone knocked on her door, waiting for someone to answer a phone somewhere. "Enter."

Masahiko came in with his sketch book and sat the two girls next to each other while Kagome spoke to someone in Russian. That was the hardest part. Kagome was in fact stuck to her parents' businesses, even when she was mad.

Miroku and InuYasha snuck in and watched. It impressed the hanyou that she was speaking complicated words, in Russian, and knowing what she was talking about. He knew Russian because of the aerospace, but didn't mean he actually knew what the stuff was. But Kagome did.

Finally, Masahiko finished. Kissing Kagome's head and ruffling her hair, he spoke to the speakerphone system. "Kouga. You've got ten minutes to get to the meeting. If you want I can pick you up and bring you back to Ayame's."

"Do svidaniya!" Kagome said in her phone, ending the conversation. Sighing, she rubbed her temples and turned to Masahiko. "Tousan, do you need any help? Oh, I have some memos. I called some foreign stock-holders and a few of your consumer-companies. Here."

"Kags, sweetie, slow down," he told her, laughing as he took the papers. "Come on. Sango and Rin and Ayame want to talk to you. They should be more important to you at this age. Stop," he warned her as she started to reach for the phone she was using. "I'm going out to a meeting, and when I come back I expect this place to be a mess."

"Why? That's more work for the maids," Kagome replied, pouting. "Tousan, just one more call. Please? No...three? After I call the Meilin, I have to call GoJo to see about the contract, then--"

"Kags, I'm disconnecting your business-line and if you don't start enjoying being young I may have to take college away from you."

That scared the shit out of her. No college, no business? How would she be able to function without them? No work? Getting money for doing nothing would be a fate worse than death!

Personally, InuYasha would have kissed his father if he said that. Why the hell should he be stuck acting like he was an forty-year old fart? He was eighteen, not ancient.

"But, Tousan!" Kagome choked out, started to tear up.

That freaked InuYasha out a bit. She was getting sad all she'd have to do was spend money? Hell, he was putting Sesshomaru in his father's shoes when Yasha died, and Sesshomaru was hiring some guy to do it.

"You'll be fine. You act like you're my age. You're seventeen. Enjoy life while you can. And you can enjoy it forever. I have to go, but tomorrow are you and your friends free?" he asked, checking his watch. "I want to take you and Souta to an amusement park--Souta's bringing Kohaku and Satoshi and Kamio. You can bring your friends too if you want. Your new clothes are in the closet, and I'll see you when I get back."

Kagome sighed. There was no use even fighting with Masahiko. She kissed him goodbye and went back to her friends, not noticing the presence of the two men.

Rin squealed. "Kagome! Your dad is so nice! And he's always there for you. Tell him I love him. Masahiko made me the coolest suit. Anyways, so why do you wear red if your favorite color's blue?"

The girl clad in short purple sleep shorts and a tight, tiny, purple tummy-top sighed at Rin's antics. "Rin-chan, little less sugar, okay?"

"I just like red. Simple. Besides, Ayame's got the blue covered. What would it look like if the two of us showed up in blue? And red is, like, the power-color, isn't it? I have to impress people, and exuberating power helps," Kagome replied, looking at herself in a mirror.

Green silk short-shorts plastered to her legs and a tight red shirt that ended above her navel with the top of her back cut out with string criss-crossed to hold it up the front with it's deep v-cut. The strings were probably half a centimeter, and sparkled.

Why she had green shorts, she didn't know. But they were cute, and she liked them well enough. Then she noticed Miroku and...

He froze, catching her eye in the mirror. How would she react to seeing him? Most likely she'd kill him. Well, he'd take his chances. InuYasha's thoughts were previously occupied still.

Hell, she couldn't just HAPPEN to like his favorite color that no one was allowed to wear around him without his permission. Red was the color for his mate, and no one else was allowed to wear it.

"Hey, what are you telling Hojo about you getting married?" Rin asked. "I mean, you two were serious! And he's so hot. Man, I'd kill to have a guy like him all to myself. Well, you know. Someone BETTER than him, but--"

Ayame snorted. "Hojo to herself? That guy is out for anyone! Last week, I caught him banging with Kikyou in the park. The kid's park! I mean really. And I smell girls on him all the time."

"And you never told me?" Kagome shrieked, bouncing onto her bed. "I mean, I just told him things wouldn't work before Sango got here. My cousin screwed with him when we were steady? Why did no one ever tell me?"

"Kags, I have, and you've answered me. And I quote, 'No, Ayame. He'd never cheat on me. Hojo is a good, honest guy.' Yeah, well apparently not. And get this, I even smell that Naraku guy on him."

The girls screamed, making Miroku move his hand far away from Sango's butt and cover his ears while InuYasha's bent towards his head.

"He was bisexual?" Sango screamed, tears of mirth falling down her eyes. "No wonder I thought Kagome was too good for him. Miroku said the same thing."

"Well, I smelt Kikyou on Hojo for years. Like, when she was in freshman year. Wasn't that when she dated the demon-superjock?" Ayame said.

"Ugh. Please stop. Now's it's just getting really sick. Kikyou--hello," Kagome said, getting a call on her iPhone..."Guys, it's Kikyou now. Why is she calling so late? That's really scary. We summoned her."

"Answer it!" Rin squealed.

InuYasha's heart stopped beating. Kikyou was trying to get back together with him for years. What was she doing calling Kagome?

The girl hesitated, not wanting to answer. Then, the ringing finally stopped. Sighing, Kagome got up from her bed and walked to the door. "I'll be back. I'm getting more ice-cream. Miro, you and him want anything? Sango, what flavor?"

The girl jumped, seeing two guys in Kagome's room. Then she screamed at the monk when he tried to comfort her, slapping his face as reflex. InuYasha stifled a laugh and Sango stared at him.

He was hot--wait! She went to school with him! It was that guy Kikyou went with.

"InuYasha?" she asked, snapping back. "I'll just have chocolate, Kagome. Then we can start talking about your fiancé."

"Chocolate for me too!" Miroku replied.

"Eh. Caramel's good," InuYasha replied, making Kagome's jaw drop. "You have it, right?"

"That's not fair! Caramel's my favorite!" she yelled, slamming the door and yelling. "Evil parents set me up with a demon that likes MY ice-cream!" Then she opened the door nicely. "Oh, Sango? We don't need to talk about my fiancé. You can talk to him yourself. It's InuYasha."

As the door shut, silence pursued before the girls squealed again.