Chie: Hii, missed me? .
Probably not, you were only missing this chapter, weren't you. :x
In any case, this time 'round I won't be replying to reviews because of the fact that most of them are from when I last updated – at the beginning of May. -- Yes, shame on me. This leads us conveniently as to why I'm updating after a 4-month-long break.
Well… First in May I was going to driving school and studied for my university entrance exams. In June I started working, and I worked 'til the very end of July. In August I desperately tried to find myself an apartment, since it turned out I actually got into the university and would now have to move out to Turku. Then I finally found myself an apartment and the actual moving process could start. And then I had to wait for a few weeks to get an internet connection to my new apartment. So there. Nothing big, just major changes in my life, pretty lame excuses for not updating, don't you think?
Enough sarcasm and explanations. I present to you, chapter 9!
Chapter nine – Let's have a talk
When Kagome finally stirred, a little before 3 AM, it took her quite a while to understand why exactly she was cozily wrapped in a quilt, sleeping on her living room couch. Her last memories were from the little shrine where she had gone with Sesshoumaru-sama and the kids to watch the fireworks. She did not remember, however, coming back home at all. Kagome frowned at the disturbing blank spot in her memory as she sat up on the couch. The quilt fell off her shoulders. "So you're finally awake."
Kagome startled and turned around to see Sesshoumaru leaning to her kitchen doorway, holding a glass of red wine in his hand.
"I hope you don't mind that I helped myself", he said, raising the glass slightly.
She blinked at him in confusion.
"Why are you here in the first place", she blurted out, baffled.
"Rin wanted to have a sleepover and Shippou-kun invited me along. You fell asleep in the middle of watching the fireworks – "
Kagome blushed in embarrassment.
"– and since we couldn't just leave you there and Shippou-kun could not possibly have got home all by himself, I decided to at least drive you two home. But when we got here Rin was already on the brink of falling asleep so I figured we might as well stay."
"I'm sorry to have caused you such trouble", Kagome apologized, bowing her head in shame.
"It was nothing, so don't worry about it."
Kagome got up only to realize she was still wearing her kimono.
"Uhmm.. Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"Didn't I already reproach you for using that formal way of addressing me?"
"I think I need a hand", she confessed, looking adorably helpless.
"I'd be glad to help", he offered, setting down his wine-glass. "What do you want me to do?"
"I'd need to change into something more comfortable but I really cannot take off a kimono all by myself."
"Makes me wonder how you got it on in the first place", he muttered to himself as he walked across the living room to give her a hand.
"Sango-chan helped me to get dressed."
He untied the obi and started to peel off the many layers of the kimono. When the plain white yukata worn under all of those layers was all that was left, Kagome collected the silken garment and excused herself.
Sesshoumaru followed her with his gaze as she was making her way to the stairs.
He had been surprised as he had arrived there with still cheery Shippou-kun and widely yawning Rin. He had expected a more glamorous house from the CEO of Kyoto Records. But thinking over it again, this two-storey house suited Kagome much better. It was something he should have been expecting, not of the CEO, but of Kagome, the person behind that heavy title.
Soft footsteps from the stairs brought him out of his thoughts. Sesshoumaru turned to look at Kagome. She had changed into a blue tank top and comfortable black pants.
She raised her gaze to meet his eyes and nervously fidgeted with the silver chain she was wearing around her neck.
Obviously she still felt uncomfortable in his company.
Sesshoumaru couldn't help but scowl at the injustice of it all. Since the truth had been revealed he could now finally relax in Kagome's company. However, the revelation had affected her in a completely opposite way.
"Don't just stand there", he huffed. "Come over here and make yourself comfortable. Do you want a glass too, perhaps?"
Kagome thought about it and decided that the wine would suit the situation just fine and would probably even help her to relax.
"Yes, please", she replied as she walked over to the living room couch and sat down.
Sesshoumaru disappeared into the kitchen and soon came out with another wine glass, handing it over to Kagome before seating himself on the couch next to her.
"I think we should talk", he said quietly. "Maybe that way you'll stop acting like that around me."
She blushed and nodded meekly.
"First of all I want to know since when have you been aware of my true identity."
"Well… I suspected it from the very beginning. Though 'suspect' is probably not the best term to describe it. Umm… It was more like the idea kept popping in my head every now and then. Hikaru-kun reminded me of Sesshoumaru-sama. And the circumstances of your hiring made me doubtful. Why did three most remarkable Board-members decide to hire me an assistant while I was out of the country? That disturbed me greatly. I thought it was silly at first, the whole idea of Hikaru-kun really being Sesshoumaru-sama… Something like that just couldn't happen, right." She smiled wryly to herself.
"The first time I gave it a serious thought was in Hokkaido when you accidentally wiped the make-up off. That was the turning point, it was then when I realized it was true, Hikaru-kun and Sesshoumaru-sama were the same person. However, back then I was not ready to accept that truth. I didn't want it to be true. So I managed to convince myself that I had jumped to the wrong conclusion. But I was forced to face the truth again as it became inevitably clear. Clear to the point I couldn't deny it anymore. That was when you brought Rin-chan to the office."
Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrow.
"When Rin-chan became good friends with my son," Kagome continued, "Ah-san and Un-san came to see me and let me know their carefully protected secret. Besides them I was the first one to learn that Rin-chan was in fact the daughter of Yamasaki Sesshoumaru."
"So that's how it went", he stated, more to himself.
Kagome took a little sip of the wine.
"I can tell that you're still feeling somewhat nervous and uneasy. Why?"
Kagome sipped her wine again while she contemplated her answer to him.
"I think that is because even though I have known the truth for some time I still haven't been able to prepare myself for this situation. I do not know how to adapt to this, how to behave around you. I've been admiring you my whole life without actually ever meeting you face to face and when suddenly brought so close to you in such messy circumstances as these, I've learned to know 'Hikaru-kun'. I don't know 'Yamasaki Sesshoumaru' at all. I simply can't tell how much of that disguise was just that, a disguise, false information. Also I couldn't know how you would react once it would come to light that I know the truth."
"At first", Sesshoumaru began, "I hated your guts. I'm pretty good at reading people but somehow I failed to put you into any category. You kept changing constantly. Also I never could properly read you. I didn't know what was on your mind and it bothered me. It also freaked me out that you knew everyone important to me – my father, my half-brother, my second cousin, my father's oldest friends, my bodyguards… How could a person I had never met be so tangled in the web formed by the people closest to me? But I learned about your admiration towards me. I was surprised how much you cherished my company. As if you were doing your best taking care of Kyoto Records while unconsciously waiting for me to return to claim it."
"Actually, that's exactly what I was thinking", Kagome admitted, blushing a bit in embarrassment.
"I was also impressed by the skills you possessed, for being so young. I envied your people skills for I had never been too social a person. I was amazed by how you – after we had got to know each other better – started to treat me as an equal, even though it was clear that you had a higher position. I suddenly realized that I respected you as well as trusted in you. That is why I decided to follow my brother's advice to tell you the truth. I did not wish to shatter the trust you would feel towards me."
"You caught me off guard with that. I never expected you to actually confess the truth to me."
She met his gaze now for the first time during their conversation. She offered him a small smile. He welcomed it gratefully, the corners of his lips rising slightly.
They kept on talking, moving into just chatting about minor things. Kagome felt relieved and assured now, after he had shared his thoughts and feelings with her. He wanted her to behave towards him the same way she had behaved towards Hikaru-kun. He wanted them to be equals.
The day was already dawning as they finally fell asleep again, after talking for hours.
Around nine o'clock Shippou and Rin started to stir. Shippou got out of his bed and crept to downstairs, only to find his mother sleeping on the living room couch, leaning against the shoulder of Rin's father, where as the head of Rin's father was resting on top of his mother's. Shippou giggled at the sight and proceeded into the kitchen, quietly. A few minutes later Rin came down as well and the two of them had a quick, whispered conversation in the kitchen before preparing whatever they found from the cupboards for breakfast and hurried quietly back to upstairs, leaving one messy kitchen behind.
The sound of a doorbell was what finally woke Sesshoumaru and Kagome, around one o'clock in the afternoon. Sesshoumaru was fully awake instantly, whereas Kagome was still yawning and stretching when the doorbell impatiently rang for the second time.
Sesshoumaru huffed to himself. Since Shippou-kun was most likely upstairs and Kagome still hadn't been able to get on her own two feet, answering the door seemed to fall to him. So be it.
Sesshoumaru straightened his shirt while he walked to the door. The doorbell rang again and he rolled his eyes. Whoever was behind that door was certainly impatient.
Kagome finally sat up as he reached for the knob.
The door opened.
For a moment Sesshoumaru blinked at the sight of his younger brother. Then he let his gaze fall on the rest of the people standing on Kagome's doorstep. There was his father and his stepmother, his second cousin and the PR-consultant of his company. A middle-aged woman and a young man, neither of whom Sesshoumaru recognized, were standing at the very back.
Everyone was gawking at Sesshoumaru in surprise.
Soft footsteps indicated that Kagome had finally got up and indeed the woman soon showed up in the doorway next to Sesshoumaru.
She blinked in surprise.
"Huh? What are you guys doing here?"
Inuyasha, who seemingly had been the quickest to recover from the surprise of seeing Sesshoumaru answering Kagome's door, offered an explanation.
"Happy new year, Kagome. Mind if we come in?"
"No I don't mind. But why are all of you – "
"Good."
Inuyasha stepped in.
The rest of the small crowd followed his example.
Soon all of them were sitting comfortably in Kagome's living room.
"We decided to have a little get-together, you know, for the sake of the brand new year", Inuyasha said cheerily. "It was all the old man's idea though."
"I thought you had a fancy new year's party in Tokyo last night, Katsuo-sama."
"So I did", the old man beamed, "but I came back already today and brought your family along as well!"
"Ah, that's right, they haven't yet been properly introduced", Izayoi pointed out.
"Mom, Souta", Kagome started, smiling at her family, "let me introduce to you Ya – " Kagome paled, panicked and bit her tongue.
Sesshoumaru saved the situation.
"My name is Suzuki Hikaru, pleased to make your acquaintance", he smoothly said with a little bow. "I work as Kagome's assistant."
"Ohh, you're the one I've heard so much about. I am Higurashi Kasumi, Kagome's mother. And here is my son, Souta."
"Yo", the young man waved his hand.
"Mom", a child's voice was heard from the top of the staircase, "you finally woke up? What's with all this – "
Shippou's sentence was left unfinished as he realized the living room was full of people.
"Yo, brat. Nice to see you too."
"Uncle Souta", Shippou cried out in amazement.
"Come down now, dear and greet your grandmother and Katsuo-sama and Izayoi-san", Kagome encouraged.
"I'll be there soon", the child promised, "I'll go get Rin-chan first."
"Who is Rin-chan?" asked a curious Katsuo.
"Rin is my daughter", replied Sesshoumaru calmly.
Inuyasha nearly choked on his drink.
"Daughter?! I never knew you had a daughter!" he blurted out after he had got over his bad coughing fit.
Sesshoumaru didn't have time to respond for Shippou-kun returned with Rin and the two of them made their way down the stairs and into the living room.
"Here is Rin-chan", Shippou piped up, "and she is my best friend!"
"Hi", Rin said cheerily and bowed down, as she had been taught to do when meeting strangers.
While Shippou went to greet his grandmother and uncle, Rin walked over to Sesshoumaru who picked her up into his lap.
After a while of just chatting in general, Kagome's mother got up.
"I'm going to prepare a little something to eat for all of us", she smiled.
Izayoi got up as well, offering her help. The two women vanished into the kitchen, carrying the dishes they had brought with them. Kagome looked at the packages quizzically.
"Leftovers from our party yesterday", Katsuo-sama explained.
Shippou dragged Souta and Rin upstairs to play his favorite video-game.
That left only Kagome, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and Katsuo into the living room.
Katsuo took an advantage of the situation, steering Kagome a bit to the side and starting to question her as to why had her assistant been the one to answer the door. What was her assistant doing in her house, with his daughter, during holiday?
Since Sango and Miroku seemed to be comfortable in each other's company, Inuyasha seized the golden opportunity.
"My my, brother dear, you sure have been busy."
"I do not know what you are implying."
"You answered Kagome's door. And she nearly screwed up your introduction. I take it that you told her the truth after all?"
"Yes, I did."
"How did she react", Inuyasha asked, leaning curiously closer.
"She told me she was already aware of the true state of affairs."
Surprise took over Inuyaha's features but that seemed to pass quickly.
"Well, it figures. She's too smart for her own good. So, I take it that she still trusts you, if she allows you in her house."
"At first she seemed to be uncomfortable in my company and didn't quite know how to treat me but we had a talk early this morning and I dare to presume all is well now."
"That's good to hear", Inuyasha said, relief. After all he had realized a while back that the two of them were just meant to be. And if Kagome's trust would now have been broken again, who knew what a blow it would have been for the poor girl.
"So, about your daughter. Who is her mother?"
"I do not know. It was after I had received the charges. I went out drinking and I can't remember anything what happened after I got into the bar. I did not even know of her existence until I got out of the prison. It seems she was abandoned behind my door. Ah and Un took care of her. They were the only ones who knew that she existed and who her true father was. Miroku learned of this later, as did Kagome. Rin was actually the reason she was finally forced to realize I wasn't who I had been pretending to be."
"I see. So that is the case. So, anything happened between you and Kagome?" Inuyasha grinned.
"Apart from having a long talk, nothing. Why?"
"I can tell you stayed overnight. Kagome still looked sleepy as she appeared to the doorway."
"I did stay over. But nothing happened. Sometimes I think you're worse than Miroku." Sesshoumaru huffed.
"Oy, don't put me into the same category with that lech", Inuyasha whined.
"Kagome-chan, what is the meaning of this?"
"Meaning of what", blinked the young woman, clueless.
"What is Hikaru-kun doing here? He could not possibly visit you for matters of work for it is holiday and he even brought his daughter along. He even answered your door, such familiarity… I first refused to believe the rumors I heard going around for I thought you would never do such things but this makes me wonder."
Kagome smacked her forehead and let her hand slide down to cover her eyes. Why had she found herself in such a situation? Again?!
And why the hell did the stupid rumor always pop up in unexpected places to haunt her?
"Hikaru-kun was merely visiting me. During these past three months we've worked together we've become pretty close."
"How close", asked Katsuo abruptly, staring at Kagome piercingly.
"Huh?" Kagome blinked in surprise. Katsuo's tone of voice almost seemed unfriendly.
"I asked how close the two of you exactly are", Katsuo repeated impatiently.
"Not like that", Kagome hurried to explain, her cheeks slightly tinted in pink as she finally fully realized what Katsuo-sama had been implying.
"We're… just friends."
"But he even took his daughter with him."
"You heard it when Shippou introduced Rin-chan! They're best friends. They were friends already long before I first met with Hikaru-kun."
Katsuo pondered this for awhile, a frown on his forehead. Then his features brightened.
"I sure am glad to hear that, and a little relieved too. For awhile I was afraid you would have started to date your assistant."
"Oh?" Kagome quirked her eyebrow, her suspicions rising. "And that would have been bad?"
"Well putting the ethical issues about that aside…" a sheepish expression spread on Katsuo's face. "Truth to be told, I've been hoping for a certain kind of an arrangement… In fact, I've already talked about it a bit with your grandfather."
"You WHAT?!"
Kagome's outraged exclamation made all the conversation in the room drop, as heads turned to stare at her in confusion.
"You even spoke with my grandfather?!"
Sesshoumaru frowned. What could his father have said to cause that kind of reaction from Kagome?
Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha now fully turned their attention to the conversation between Kagome and Katsuo – as did Miroku and Sango.
"Yes and he seemed to accept the idea. Of course I still need to consult your mother and all the details must be settled, but – "
"What about consulting me? Or your son? Have you even asked his opinion yet?"
"Kagome dear, there's no need to work yourself up like this over such a minor – "
"There is nothing minor in trying to make me to marry a guy I don't even love!"
At this point Inuyasha finally caught the hang of things. He paled and sprang up.
"Dad! Don't tell me you're still going on with that stupid plan of me marrying Kags?"
This made Sango gasp and Miroku gag. Sesshoumaru sighed. This would be ugly.
"There is nothing stupid about that plan", Katsuo childishly defended himself.
"Oh yes there is! Both of us oppose the idea", Kagome stated.
"Now is not probably the best time to break the news, but…" Inuyasha braced himself and caught his father's stare. "Dad, I'm already seeing someone else."
"What?!"
"It's true. Inuyasha has been dating with Yuuki Kikyo for already a month and half."
"You shall break it off", Katsuo stubbornly insisted. "I'm serious about this."
"Look, Dad, Kags and I already dated back in high school and it ended up in a disaster. It would never work out."
"Please, Katsuo-sama", Kagome begged. "Couldn't you just forget – "
"Never!"
A new voice drawled into the conversation.
"It would seem that you're purposefully ignoring the feelings of these two just for your own selfish purposes."
That efficiently silenced Katsuo and he looked up, locking his eyes with Sesshoumaru who had spoken those words.
"Besides, I heard that your own marriage had been arranged by your parents and how did that end up?"
Katsuo paled.
Mercilessly Sesshoumaru kept going.
"You never learned to love your wife and you ended up cheating on her – with your elder son's nurse. When your wife learned of this, she packed her things and left. And when the divorce-business was settled you went and married the said nurse – this time out of love."
Everyone in the room was shocked to hear this story but none of them were as shocked as Inuyasha. This was the first time of him hearing of this. He had known that his mother had been his brother's nurse, but he had always just assumed that Sesshoumaru's mother had died.
"How do you know about that", a startled Katsuo managed to ask.
"I once happened to hear Myoga-san and Toutousai-san discussing it", Sesshoumaru lied.
"However the point I wanted to make is this: If you go along with this plan and force Inuyasha and Kagome to marry each other, it will cost you their happiness. So please, let them decide their futures themselves."
A heavy, uneasy silence filled the room after Sesshoumaru finished talking. And this atmosphere didn't change until Izayoi, completely unaware of all that had just been going on, came in to announce that the dinner was ready.
Katsuo, Inuyasha and Kagome were unusually quiet during the dinner. Inuyasha and Kagome were furious and deeply hurt by Katsuo's thoughtlessness. Then again Katsuo… He was brooding. Brooding because although he hated to admit it, Hikaru-kun had been right. He had been illogical not to even mention inequitable and was already starting to feel very much ashamed. He knew he had to apologize to the children – but he had no idea as to how.
Sensing the weird mood, Izayoi and Kasumi tried their best to keep the conversation on but they only got stuck talking with each other.
Sesshoumaru heaved a sigh and leaned towards Miroku who was sitting on his left.
"You and Iwajima-san came here together, now that's a surprise. I wouldn't have thought Iwajima-san to be such a person to associate with perverts like you."
"Why, that's mean, Hikaru-kun", Miroku said, a feigned hurt expression on his face.
"We've been going out for some time now", Iwajima Sango calmly stated. "We kind of synched since we met."
"Yeah as you know I'm the Supervisor of recording in Kyoto Records. Since we tend to time all recordings for the first two weeks of the month, I'm balancing another job for the last two weeks of the month. I work in a little shop, selling records."
"Sounds interesting", said Sesshoumaru, who already was aware of this. After all, he was Miroku's roommate. "So I take it you two met due some project in Kyoto records?"
"That's correct", grinned Miroku.
"Actually we only met a few months ago. Back when Ayame-san's and Kikyo-san's recordings took place…"
-Flashback-
As the Supervisor of recording, Miroku really did not have much to do in Kyoto Records. He was usually only asked to be there in the most important projects.
But now there were two projects he was working on, as assigned by Jaken.
"Please, the studio is this way."
The sound of a female voice floated to Miroku's ears from around a corner. Soon a company of three came into his sight. The first of them, the woman who had talked before, immediately caught Miroku's attention. She had long blackish-brown hair on a high tail. She was wearing a knee-length black skirt with a simple white blouse. She was nearly the same height as Miroku and her figure was exceptionally pleasing to his eye.
As he was further exploring her features, she cleared her throat.
"And what might you be doing here", she asked coldly, tilting her head slightly.
Miroku grinned.
"Yamasaki Miroku. Supervisor of Recording. Pleased to meet you, miss…?"
"Iwajima Sango, PR-consultant. Here are Ayame-san and Kouga-san."
"Ah, you must be the princess I've heard so much about", Miroku said, walking up to Ayame and grasping her hands.
"Pleased to meet you." he supported his words with a deep bow.
"We're tight on the clock", Sango barked out, slapping Miroku over his head.
"Why Iwajima-san, that was mean." Miroku feigned a pout.
Kouga took advantage of the situation and hurriedly escorted Ayame into the studio where she would be safe from the pervert.
Sango quirked her brow.
"Well, aren't you going to follow?"
"Why should I?"
"Isn't that your job."
"My job is to supervise. I can do it from over here too."
Sango huffed.
"You're just lazy."
Miroku chuckled to himself.
"Well, at least I have done my job."
Sango turned to leave, and that was her crucial mistake.
Of course, Miroku would blame his "cursed hand" for that later.
Her swift slap made his head ache for the rest of the day but it surely had been worth it.
"Watch it, pervert!"
Miroku shook his head in order to clear it up.
The woman was glaring at him. He couldn't help but to smile.
Sango watched in amazement as the guy just shot her another dazzling smile. Then he clasped her hands in his own.
"My beautiful lady… Would you want to bear my child?"
Sango blinked at him for awhile.
Then she burst out laughing.
"That must be the worst pick up line I've ever heard!"
She was still laughing, and Miroku put up his hurt face.
"I'm not going to bear any children to men I do not know."
Her eyes were still twinkling in amusement. To Miroku, that sight was breathtaking.
"However, I think I wouldn't mind having a dinner with certain pervert."
"Oh? So you'll go out with me after all?"
"Only if you're treating."
"It's settled then. Tonight, 7 PM?"
"Fine."
"May I get your address? I'll come to pick you up."
"Ohh, fancy."
"I can't help being my chivalrous self."
"Oh, I'm sure of that."
Then Sango smirked all of sudden.
A moment later he felt a slender hand giving his butt a firm grope.
Miroku chuckled again.
He knew right away that this would be the perfect woman for him.
Sesshoumaru stared at Sango for awhile. Then he snorted. A few seconds later he was laughing aloud.
"You seriously did that?"
"I thought it was a good way of getting back at him", Sango replied, sipping water.
"Oh, it was a very good way of getting back", Miroku said with almost a purr.
"Behave yourself, pervert", Sango said, smacking lightly on his arm.
Sesshoumaru chuckled. It would seem that Miroku had finally found his match.
"Putting that aside", Sango said briskly, purposefully ignoring Sesshoumaru's obvious amusement. She set down her glass and locked her eyes with his.
"What about you and Kagome-chan? Any progress?" she asked, her voice lowered down.
Her eyes twinkled. He had seen that same look also in Inuyasha's and Myoga's eyes, and it was starting to annoy him.
"Why does everyone keep talking about me and Kagome in the same sentence with that stupid gleam in their eyes? You people have got too much time."
Sango chuckled. "We do that because we know something you two don't."
Without bothering to explain herself, Sango resumed her eating, leaving a very much puzzled as well as irritated Sesshoumaru behind.
Kagome sat huddled in the corner of the couch with her legs propped up before her, resting her chin on the top of her knees. This was the quiet moment she had been so desperately waiting for all day long. A quiet moment she was going to dedicate to herself only. For there were many things on her mind that she wished to think upon in peace and quiet. The scandalous revelation of truth didn't weigh on her mind anymore. The talk she had had with Sesshoumaru last night had really got to her. She now was starting to realize that Hikaru-kun and Sesshoumaru indeed were the same person. His attitude towards her didn't change at all. And she was grateful for that. Sesshoumaru expected her to treat him the same as she had treated him before knowing his true identity. With this knowledge, their relationship could somewhat return to what it used to be – though of course it could never again be exactly the way it had used to been.
The matter requiring her attention the most however, was Katsuo-sama's outrageous behavior. He had never treated her like that before. They had never before had a fight and even though Kagome still was angry at him, she also was a little worried. It was a possibility that he would not want to see her face ever again. And what should she do then? Katsuo-sama, during the time they had known each other, had been more of a father to her than her own had ever been. And Kagome didn't want to lose that special relationship, she did not wish to lose her father-figure.
Myoga walked over to the table and nodded to everyone who was sitting at it before seating himself.
It was the New Year-celebration dinner of the Kyoto Record's Board of management.
"I apologize for being late", Myoga said.
"Do not worry about it", Kaede assured him.
Saiya waved a waiter over to take their orders.
Quite a while later they were all eating while casually chatting with each other.
"Kyoto Records has thrived yet another year", Toutousai commented.
"We ought to toast for that", laughed Goshinki.
And so they did. The glasses met each other with a merry clink.
"The future looks very promising as well. TOP Records proposing a merge, who had ever dared to even think about such a thing."
"I need
"And even to admit I didn't at first think Kagome-san would have it in her", confessed Kagewaki Hitomi.
"Looks like Kaede was right after all", said Saiya. He looked at Kaede, inclining his head in appreciation. She answered the gesture with a smile.
"There is still something about Kagome that keeps bothering me", Toutousai said quietly.
His statement met surprised and curious expressions.
"Her relationship to Suzuki Hikaru, her assistant", Toutousai cleared out.
"Indeed, the explanation they offered only made me feel like investigating it further", Goshinki said, frowning. If it were a mere rumor, we can't have the whole office speaking about it. God forbids if it were to spread to public." Kaede sighed, shaking her head.
"They're already paying us attention due to the release of Yamasaki-sama", muttered Saiya. "There is still no news of him though. They have figured nothing out of his current whereabouts."
Myoga swallowed at that point, feeling a bit nervous. Among the Board of management he was the only one to know the carefully protected secret. He didn't make a big deal about Kagome's assumed relationship with her assistant, well, for two reasons. For one, if the others were to learn about the true state of affairs, they would most probably not criticize Kagome's and her assistant's relationship so hardly. If they found out about "Hikaru-kun's" true identity, his status would suddenly rise and he'd become an equal with Kagome in their eyes, if not gaining a rank even higher than hers.
And his second reason was… Well, one of the reasons he had made Sesshoumaru work at Kyoto Records at the first place was because he had hoped something like this would happen. Of course he couldn't know for sure if there really was anything deeper than friendship between the two of them but… Maybe…
Myoga was brought out of his thoughts as his mind registered Kagewaki's slowly spoken words.
"Should we put those two under inspection then?"
Myoga started.
"I don't think that is necessary", he quietly opposed. "I think sending spies after them would be unethical. Besides, I do believe in their word."
"Kagome-chan isn't one to tell lies", Kaede agreed.
"I guess just keeping a little closer eye on the two of them from now on will do", Toutousai said, and the discussion was finished with that.
Lying comfortably on a white velvety divan was a woman with a queen-like posture. She had pale skin and long, wavy golden hair. She was only wearing a rosy pink silken dressing gown as she lazily folded the old newspaper, before flicking it across the marble floor.
Lost in her thoughts, one finger ending in a perfectly manicured long nail rose to brush over her full lower lip. Her hand reached to grasp the porcelain tea-cup from the tall glass table next to her.
"Yamasaki Sesshoumaru…" these words were spoken slowly, her red lips carefully forming every syllable. Then those red lips twitched and after a moment they were twisted into a smile so evil it completely distorted her beautiful features.
It was too bad that nothing had been heard of Yamasaki Sesshoumaru after he had got out of prison. No one knew where he was, what he was doing… It was as if he had disappeared. Some people claimed he had run out of the country.
But she didn't think so. She had the feeling that he was still in Japan, lurking in the shadows, trying to desperately keep himself hidden from the public eye. And why shouldn't he, when his life had been so horribly ruined after all.
Poor, poor man.
A dark laugh escaped from those rich red lips of hers.
Even though she knew it would blow her cover, she still couldn't help but wish she could learn of his whereabouts. She wanted to have a talk with him. She wanted to see his face now that it would be stripped of all his pride. She wanted to ask him how it felt, desperately holding onto the remnants of his devastated life.
She laughed again. Then she banished such thoughts from her mind.
Lazily she took out her mobile phone and dialed a number, waiting for him to pick up.
"Kagewaki."
"Onigumo-dear", she purred into the phone. Her voice was rich and soft. "It is terribly boring and I feel so lonely. Could you please come over and play with me?"
She heard his chuckle and knew he wouldn't refuse.
"Sure thing, darling. I'll be right over."
With a smirk she ended the call.
Sesshoumaru fell onto his bed with a sigh. He seriously needed a moment with himself, to get himself in an order.
It was shocking to realize his actual behavior when she was around. And he wasn't talking about his occasional mental hentai suggestions.
His whole life he had been holding onto his pride, hard enough to be arrogant. He had only been social enough to cover the necessities. He had always had dozens of acquaintances but he had never let anyone close to him. He had never had a person in his life he would have shown himself, openly. Other people did not matter to him, unless they could be of use to him. His years in prison had rid him of his arrogance but they had molded his already unsocial nature into being cold and reserved. He had become calculating, sarcastic and bitter.
But he had learned a valuable lesson.
He had learned to appreciate the importance of having someone to show kindness to you. He had learned to appreciate loyalty. He had learned to appreciate having someone he could rely on.
He had learned that if the whole world turned its back on you, it was impossible to survive through it on your own.
That's why he could now open up more, to those persons who had showed kindness and loyalty to him. He was grateful to Myoga, to his younger half-brother and even to – God forgive him – his hentai second cousin.
And then there was her. The intriguing woman who seemed to bring out sides of him he had not even been aware he possessed. At first she had been able to make him fume with anger within seconds, although Sesshoumaru had always been proud of his ability to keep his calm, to keep his temper in check. She had treated him with sarcasm and suspicion, deep enough to match his! And gradually he had learned to know her better. She had then gained his respect, first reluctantly, but later on he was willing to give his respect to her with all of his heart. Her kindness and loyalty were endearing and Sesshoumaru found it very hard not to respond to them with equal emotions. Although, it seemed to be a bit too late for that.
He had noticed that he had a soft spot for her. He could not tell how long it had been there but regardless, there it was. Some things he would strongly criticize others about he was ready to just shrug off if it applied to her. He listened to her opinions more than to others. He was more open in her presence. Kinder. Softer. Tender.
He feared the change. He couldn't name the emotions she made him feel. He felt uncertain of how he should react to these new confusing feelings. Should he ignore them? There had never been anyone in his life that would have made him feel so damn confused.
Kami, he felt like an idiot.
Heaving a sigh he rolled over to his side and pulled the covers over him, trying to get some sleep.
Chie: I feel a need to explain (even though no one has pointed this out in a review) why they are celebrating the western New year instead of the Chinese one. At Chinese New Year there will be more celebrating for them, properly visiting a shrine and what not. Anyway.
Inuyasha – quite obvious does this out of habit since he spent last five years in the USA
Katsuo – as a minister of foreign affairs he's partly forced to celebrate a western new year – even hold a party for e.g. all the ambassadors and what not.
Kagome – does not celebrate as much as the rest but has generally accepted it, even made it the company holiday due a piece of advice from Myoga and Kaede. Since Kyoto Records is growing and has been trying to gain international acknowledgement it is required to pay attention to the western parties also.
The rest of them are not actually celebrating it that much but kind of just using it as an excuse to meet up with your family and close ones.
So there.
