Toyfriend
Chapter 4: Crime of Sorts

A frustrate groan left Kagome as she slammed her head against the desk she sat behind. It didn't catch the attention of too many around her in the designated 'group study' area in the library. Around finals, it was common practice for students to show such utter hopelessness. When it came to her calculus final that's exactly what she was - hopeless. No matter how many times dear Houjo explained the way the problem worked it made no sense to her.

And they'd been at it for an hour.

Not to mention she still had that paper to write for her English class, she mentally cursed herself for deciding to continue on with a foreign language. It wasn't required for either of her majors, but she thought it would be a good addition to her resume and she was fairly good at it. She better be, since she'd been studying it since middle school.

Oh, gods … then there was that Marking Services group project was due in only a couple days but one of her group members hadn't finished his part yet which mean none of them could completely finish theirs.

Then there was the final organic chemistry lab, which would be followed the next day by a 150 question multiple choice final. As if that wasn't bad enough she had her own personal project on researching consumer behavior due by the end of the week.

Why was she doing this to herself?

"That's why you don't double major," she heard to her left, knowing full well that her roommate was about to mock her choice once more. "Biology and Marketing? Those two aren't even connected. You can't even overlapclasses to get a credit for each. Then trying to get an English minor? What, do you have a death wish?"

"I think it's great that you are trying so hard, Kagome," Houjo defended, as he always did. She finally lifted he head to smile to him for that.

"It's really hard sometimes," she admitted as she straightened up in her seat.

Already knowing the answer, Ayame asked yet again, "Why'd you do it, then?"

"I told you, it's not a guaranteed thing that I'll get into Tokyo U's medical school. I decided I need a backup plan: marketing. If I do that, then it'll be great if I have an English major, too." It was true, double majoring with a minor - particularly when they were so different - was really difficult at times. She regretted it more often than not but … it made her mother very proud.

It made her family glow with pride whenever they could tell someone that she was at Tokyo U and what she was majoring in. Her parents never got the chance to go to college but they still provided a great life for her. They still paid for her tuition, she felt more than just obligated to do her best because of that.

All of that was ringing around her head so much that she barely noticed her phone go off, until she felt an elbow in her side. Her hazels shifted from Ayame to the phone she had sitting out on the table to be her clock. When she saw the caller ID she picked it up a little annoyed. She really didn't have time for him.

"Something's been bothering me," was the first thing she heard from him. He hardly sounded like he was in a good mood and neither was she. If he didn't watch himself, she'd snap at him.

"And what's that?" Kagome inquired with a sigh. She wasn't aware that they were at that level where they could call each other up to just vent. It wasn't as if they were friends with benefits, they were never friends before they started to fool around and she didn't really consider them that now. They were toyfriends - not boyfriend and girlfriend, but just people that messed around with each other.

No freakin' strings attached, why was it that he seemed not to understand that concept? Would she have to have yet another talk with him? She really, really could not deal with an actual relationship with a class schedule like hers. She hadn't even seen Inuyasha since that mind blowing night a couple days ago.

"Why did it take me a month to get into your pants but my brother only one and a half hours?"

Again, she sighed heavily enough that he could surely hear it through the phone.

"Don't be a dick, Inuyasha, I'm going to hang up on you," she said. Earning Houjo's honest attention since it was rather rare to hear her curse like that.

"I'm not being a dick," he retorted. "I'm asking a real question. I just want to know. I'm not mad."

At least, he wouldn't admit it.

"Why does it matter?"

"Because it does."

"Are you in a fight with him or something, is that it?"

There was a long enough silence that she figure she was absolutely right. She gave her friends a sign with her hands before she got up to walk out of the library, she'd be back after she was done with the phone call. Even in the group study area, it was rude to take a call when it had nothing to do with studying.

When the sun hit her, she smiled, summer was her favorite season. It was warm, there was plenty of sunlight, and summer vacation. The one time of the year when she didn't have to worry about school, and her very last. Next year at that time she'd be … graduating from college and worrying about getting into medical school or getting a real job. Probably both. Just in case one of them ended up failing for her.

Again, her thoughts were far from the phone call, that's why he had to snap her back.

"Hey, you there? I'm talking to you," he almost shouted.

"Oh, yeah, sorry, what?"

It was his turn to sigh. "Just tell me what Sesshomaru's got that I don't."

It was odd how he phrased that, as if he was her boyfriend and begging to find out what the other guy had that he didn't - why she was leaving him for the other. "It wasn't anything," she assured, "I was just horny and he was hot and there. We were so close to doing it the night before but that drunken idiot my roommate brought back ruined the moment. That's all."

"Then you should have called me," he growled, "I would have relieved your honry-self myself."

"Damn it, Inuyasha, why are you being like this? Because he's your brother or because I had sex with someone else? We are not dating. We are not exclusive. You understand that, right?"

"I get that, it's not like I want to date a fucking twenty-some year old college student," he snapped right back. "It's because he's my brother. My fucking dip-shit, jackass, mother fucking brother."

"Can you try and use less vulgar language?"

"You're really starting to piss me off, Kagome," he said before he hung up.

She just shook her head and rolled her eyes as she walked back into the library, hoping she'd finally get the math problem and not fail Calculus. She couldn't deal with Inuyasha and his drama, the whole reason of fooling around with him was to be relationship and drama free. Apparently, that was failing miserably. Eventually, she'd have to fix that or just let him go.

Maybe it wasn't easier to be with someone older than her - someone who was an indefinable amount older, at that.

"I still need to google him," she muttered to herself, maybe she'd be able to figure out how old he was that way.

.oooOoOooo.

It was just about to be finals week, and her uncle was more than willing to give her that week and the one that followed off. She considered taking him up on that offer, and spending the next two weeks cramming completely for them, but she needed the money if she was going to go on vacation to Kyoto to visit Ayame as she planned to. Her finals week she would take off, the week before she'd just juggle classes, work, and writing papers.

The latter was what she was actually doing that slow even, her rough draft over her research into the American Revolution. It wasn't hard finding information on it, there was plenty out there to write a five page paper but … actually finding the right words, the right order for those words, and then grammar - she cringed at the thought of it all.

It did help that she was working at the bookstore, though, since her uncle also had an extensive foreign book section and she was able to find one that had enough information for her to start on the paper. Her professor always preferred her sources being actual books instead of internet sources anyway. Two solid hours had gone by since she started the paper, perhaps twenty minutes of which was consumed with helping customers, before she felt like she was finally getting the hang of it. Finally finding her rhythm.

Another half hour and she was done with it, of course she'd be reviewing it when she got back to her dorm that night to make sure she didn't have any grammar or spelling errors before she started to type it up.

"Excuse me," caught her attention after she slid her English textbook and the paper she had written into her backpack. When she saw finally looked up to see the handsome violet eyed man, she smiled. "You're Kagome, right?"

"That I am," she nodded, "and your Miroku?"

"Yes," he said with a smile, "I'm afraid I have another rather heavy book to pick up."

"What's a young businessman such as yourself doing with all these antiques?" she asked before turning around to find the one that had his name. She couldn't recall his last name until she saw it, Akimoto. It was a fairly common last name, but it seemed like she had heard it in the not too distant past from somewhere else. All the same, she lugged it up onto the counter.

"I'm a collector," he answered, flashing a smile that could make a girl swoon. Since discovering his friendship with Inuyasha, though, she had become immune.

"So, is Inuyasha really VP of Sales or did he just make up that business card he showed me?" she teased, which got him to laugh lightly.

"He is VP, my boss in fact."

"Ah, so you're co-workers, not friends," she said. It would be difficult to actually socialize with your boss.

"He's a friend, not just a co-worker. It's dark out, do you need me to walk you back to your place or the closest station?"

"Just because I'm girl doesn't mean I'm incapable of getting around by myself," she asserted, sweetly, before adding, "but I appreciate the thought."

"I figured as much, you'd have to be able to handle yourself if you're with Inuyasha," he kidded as he picked up his book.

"We aren't dating." She surely hoped he wasn't telling people that.

"I'm aware of that," he replied with a smile before saying goodbye and leaving. She supposed that was her cue to get to the closing chores, like cleaning everything but she closed down the cash register, push the money away in the safe in the back, locked it, and then grabbed her things before locking up the door. It closed at nine every night, which usually meant she was back to her dorm by nine fifteen, give or take a couple of minutes.

She'd probably get done with her English paper by ten twenty and then she'd have time to focus on studying for some of her finals. Probably organic chemistry that night, then calculus in less she was too tired and just wanted to sleep. It probably wasn't the greatest idea not to pay attention, to have her thoughts filled with such planning.

Somehow… a weird something caught her attention, an odd sensation that caused her to check her surroundings and notice someone not too far away from her waking in the very same direction. That someone with the red eyes, pale skin, and dark, long, hair… it couldn't be. It just couldn't be the same man… it wasn't like she was stalker worthy.

Then again, stalkers hardly had to have great reasons so she slipped into the first opened place she found, which happened to be a coffee shop. She ordered herself a tea and sat down close to the counter where there were plenty of workers that could watch what she was doing.

This just couldn't be happening… not only did it make no sense but she really did not have the time. She had to finish her paper and study.

Regardless, she pulled out her phone and made the call to a certain man. Hoping he'd answer and wasn't still 'annoyed' with her from earlier. She was rather bothered by him, herself, but under this circumstance she was willing to put his childish behavior beside. It was a bit possessive, really, and she hated it when people that she was theirs.

It took two tries before he finally answered. Grudgingly he grunted, "What, Kagome? I'm busy."

"Remember how you said to call you if I see that guy again?" she questioned as her eyes turned to the window, she almost jumped into her seat when she saw him - the creeper with the crimson eyes - just standing outsidewatching her. That was enough to get her heart pounding with fear. Should she call the police instead of Inuyasha…?

"Did you just see him or is he standing outside your dorm again? There's a lot of people in there, Kagome, he could be an ex of someone else or somethin'," he answered. She did take note that the annoyed edge to his tone had faded considerably.

"Uh…" she barely began as she turned her eyes away from that man. "He started to follow me home from work so I entered the first opened place I could find. It's a coffee shop, and now he's just standing outside the window … staring at me. Inuyasha, this is really freaking me out. Should I call the police or something?"

"Where are you? Right now?"

"The place is called Cup of Delight and it's near where I work, it's one -"

"I'll find it, give me fifteen minutes, don't leave that place and get a worker if he comes in, a'right? Do you understand?"

"I get it but … should I just call the police?"

"Has he talked to you, has he tried to assault you, has he done anything that's illegal? If not, they won't do a damn thing about it. I'll be there soon."

"Do you have to hang up?"

He was quite for a while. "I think I'd get there quicker if I did."

Reluctantly, she said goodbye before he ended the call. If he was at work or his place it'd take him at least a half hour to get to this side of Tokyo. More if he was at work. That's why she couldn't help but continue to fidget in her chair as she looked over her untouched tea. Praying and hoping that when she looked up, that man would be gone.

Yet… each time she did, there he was, just staring.

.oooOoOooo.

Ten minutes. Exactly ten minutes, give or take a couple of seconds, at least that's what her phone told her once she saw Inuyasha coming in through a different door than she had. She'd look from her tea, to her clock, to the window every fifteen seconds or so, and when she finally noticed the familiar man enter - in his suit, no less - she was shocked. Even he had said it would take him longer.

He pulled out a seat next to her and sat down, ever so close, before his attention shifted outside the window to see the problem.

"Thank you," she whispered as she grasped one of his hands with both of hers. That seemed to gain his attention, rather quickly, his puzzled auburn eyes shifted to her. "I really, really, appreciate this. He's freaking me out."

He was silent for a second or two before he asked, "You've never seen this guy before? I mean, other than him outside your dorm and stuff, never talked to him? Never helped him at your work? Nothing?"

"I've been thinking about it this whole time, and other than outside my dorm and near the station that night you came over, I really can't think of a damn thing. I don't know who he is … what do we do?" she questioned with a pout.

"Don't worry, you're not going to do anything, I'll take care of this," he said. He pulled his hand away from hers and started towards the door she had came in thru - the one that the creeper stood out of.

"Inuyasha," she whined, trying to get his attention back. What if that guy was dangerous? What if he tried to hurt him? Was he really thinking this through well enough? She highly doubted it, all the same he just waved his had back at her - essentially telling her to shove it - before he walked out the door. The creeper recognized his presence instantly before Inuyasha pulled him out of view.

The entire five minutes that Inuyasha was gone, Kagome was fairly certain she was holding her breath. The longer she did, the more she was certain she could feel her own heartbeat, hear it pounding in her head, then there was that stuffy suffocating feeling that consumed her chest.

It all faded once she saw him return to her sight, unharmed, not even dirt on his suit as he walked back in and sat down next to her.

It took her asking what happened for him to start talking. "Don't worry about it, I took care of it."

"How?"

"I just did."

"How?"

"I did, what else matters?" He rubbed his brow as she staunchly stared at him. Apparently, she thought that that look would get him to spill, instead he changed the subject completely. "Your major is…?"

She cocked a brow. "What's that matter?"

"It just dose, what are you majoring in again? Something related to business, right?" He was fairly certain she mentioned that to him, and that was the general idea, he just couldn't remember specifics.

"Marketing," she drew out, "is one of them, biology is the other."

"Your double majoring?" he questioned with a lifted brow of his own. "Why?"

"In case I don't get into medical school, I'll get a job in marketing." It wasn't weird for people to double major, granted they usually had two related fields of study, but she didn't think it was that odd. The way people always reacted when she told them proved her wrong. Inuyasha was no different.

But he let it go and shrugged. "And your school's finishing up for the summer sometime soon, right? Are you from Tokyo? Or somewhere else?"

"Born and raised here." Why had their conversation turned to this? Why did he suddenly care to learn things about her? She was about to ask just that, but he spoke again.

"Good. There's an internship at Gami, Inc., and I think you should apply. It's for college students that are going from their third year to their fourth. Applications are due in two days."

For a moment, she was speechless, then she found her voice again. "Why do you say that…? Why are you asking all these question?"

"Gami is a highly respected company, if you have an internship with us on your resume you'll find a better job, it probably would even help with getting into medical school. We donate a lot of money to Tokyo U. I'm sorry I thought of you when I heard about this," he gripped the end, apparently he simply annoyed her with his kind suggestion.

He had a point … and again she reached out to take one of his hands into both of hers, squeezing them tightly. "Thank you for helping me, Inuyasha. I'll apply."

After all, what was the worst thing that could happen?

.oooOoOooo.

She had her English book with her and Inuyasha's laptop apparently had the ability to type in English, so she eagerly went back with him to his apartment. The very last thing she wanted to do was be in the dorms by herself that night. Ayame wasn't really a comfort to have there. She also didn't want to worry his friend with the situation. Maybe she wouldn't believe it, because she barely believed it herself … why someone was stalking her. Someone she's never met before? It was a bit unbelievable.

Once she got there, he got his laptop and gave it to her so she could write her paper. Then he went to his desk to yank a couple folders out to look over and walked into his living room, closing the door, to make a call. He seemed to like to bring his work home with him.

It oddly soothing to know that Inuyasha was just outside the door if she needed him, that and the fact that his complex actually had security. There were two guards and a couple clerks that one had to get by to get upstairs. If you didn't live there then they'd check to see if you were on the guest list, or if someone had called ahead. Since she was actually with Inuyasha all the times she came back to his, they never bothered her.

He must have been paying a lot for his place for service like that.

It took her about an hour to complete the paper, she hadn't the brain power to do any more studying so she sent the paper to her school e-mail address and walked out into the living room to hand him back his computer. He was still preoccupied on his mobile, though.

"Yeah… uh-huh… I understand… I do. I'm not trying to start an argument," he stopped midway through a sentence once he noticed her. "I've got to go. I'll contact you soon."

"Sorry to interrupt," she started then handed him back his laptop. He putted it down on the coffee table.

"Not a problem. I really wanted to get off of that call," he grumbled as he rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. "Are you going to stay the night?"

"It's already past eleven," she said, "might as well. My first class isn't until ten tomorrow, I could be back to campus in plenty of time."

More importantly, it'd be light outside by then and she'd feel far better about walking home then.

"I'm guess from the general drained look on your face that grateful, thank you, sex is off the table tonight?"

To that, he only got a dull stare. He supposed that meant 'yes.'

"I'm not even in the mood," he said. He hadn't planned on contacting her that day anyway.

"I'm going to sleep now."

"I've got some more work to do. I've got to be at work by eight tomorrow so you'll be alright walking to your class yourself?"

"Yeah, do you think that guy will be annoying me again?"

He shook his head.

"Will you tell me what he wanted … or what you did to make him go away?"

Again, he just shook his head.

With a huff of annoyance and a shake of her head turned around and stomped back into his bedroom to go to bed in his nice, large, king sized bed. The one he never even bothered to join her in that night.

.oooOoOooo.

Texts were sent between them from that night to the next week, but she didn't have time to see him with finals and he apparently hadn't the motivation to see her either. Still, after all he did for her, she felt obligated to check on him every other day to make sure he was still alive. And to show interest, of course.

Their texts never went too far, just some half-hearted 'how are you today?' and quick 'fines' as a reply. For some fleeting times, she pondered whether he was bored with her, she had suddenly become more of a hassle to him than she had meant. Any worries she had in him thinking their relationship was something more than a fling faded, since he was seemingly fine with not seeing her all that time.

Still … she often wondered what he did to make that creeper go away. She was on an heighten alert since that event, always watching out, always trying to avoid walking alone at night or even being off campus at that time.

That didn't stop her from going partying with her roommate and a set of friends when she was done with her last final. They were all so good, no drinking, no dancing, no fun all finals week in order to study, study, and study some more. The second they got the chance they were hitting apartment parties of friends or going to bars with some boys.

One shot, a cosmo, two shots, a martin, three shots, another cosmo, and then another shot … and Higurashi Kagome was utterly wasted and willing to make a series of stupid choices. All year she had been drinking but in moderation. She hated the side effects of getting drunk. But she had plenty of reasons to drink that night. Celebration and concern being the leading two.

Both Hiro and Houjo were at the last party she hit that night and it was well into the night, one might even say morning but the sky was still coated black. One minute one boy was trying to get her attention, trying to get her to dance with him, the next it'd be the other. Neither of them got along back in high school, so when they finally figured out that they were both making a move on her they got into a little tiff and she was so sick of boys doing that.

First Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, no Hiro and Houjo? She wasn't going to deal with that. It wasn't as if Hiro, Houjo, Sesshomaru, or even Inuyasha cared about her. They just wanted to have sex with her and she was not in the mood for that.

So she did something stupid … she left.

All be herself to find her way to a station and back to campus. Unintentionally, she did something smart, too. On her unstable stroll to find a place to hop onto a train, she decided that drunk dial Inuyasha at three on that Thursday night was just a brilliant idea. He didn't answer at first, which only sparked her to leave a voicemail.

"Inuyasha!" She chimed, laughing lightly as she stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk. "Why don't you have your own voicemail message? Why is that stupid robot voice all there is? Inuyasha, why didn't you answer my call, huh? So rude! Why haven't I seen you lately? School sucks! I'm so glad I'm almost done with it. Unless I go to medical school … ugh, but that's what my mom wants me to do but my grandpa wants me to be a businesswoman. It's so hard to please everyone. Blah! So annoying!"

It was a pointless rant, and even drunk she was fairly certain Inuyasha didn't care to hear most of that. He'd probably just delete it when he realized it wasn't a naughty midnight call. She got a beep, telling her that she ran out of time and then got hung up on. Infuriated, she just called him again.

That time he bothered to answer the phone, groggily. "Goddamn it … Kagome it's late. It's the first night I've gotten to bed at a reasonable time in ages. So what do ya' want? I don't want to fuck you right now."

"Psh!" She grunted in response. "You're being an ass, as always."

"… Are you drunk?"

"Maybe," she dragged out, giggling slightly in the end.

He sighed heavily. "Do you need me to pick you up? That seems like more of a thing friends do. Last time I checked, I was just your toyfriend."

"That's not what this is!" She asserted giddily.

"Ah, is this a booty call? 'Cause I told ya', I ain't in the mood."

"Fine," she grumbled but that was the last thing she'd say to him that night. A hand covered her mouth and yanked her away, forcing her to drop her phone before she felt herself slammed against the brick building she had been walking by. When her hazels finally caught sight of who was in front of her they widened.

Crimson gaze … pale skin, long silky black hair. She tried to struggle, she tried to scream, but nothing could e heard but the scuffle of her clothes against the wall.

The next thing she knew there was a piercing pain panged through her abdomen, unlike any she had ever felt.

Then there he spoke, it was the first time she heard his voice … yet it was strangely familiar. In that haze of hurt and alcohol, there was no way she'd realize that. All she knew was that his words made no sense.

"You'd thank me for this, if only you knew."


A/N: You have no idea how happy it made me to see all those reviews for the last chapter. I really hope that you continue to review and enjoy the story. There was pretty much an even number of people that wanted a preview and who didn't. So I'll compromise. I'll give the chapter title as a preview. That way no spoilers and it's a bit of a tease.

Next chapter: Bloods Shown to Come Undone

Please review!