Chapter 12: Koi wa Miscommunication

Despite their talk last night, Kagome and Kikyo still weren't friends. But at least it had given Kagome a bit of insight on the subject of her and Inuyasha's relationship. Kagome had to admit that she was a bit jealous, but she could always take Inuyasha from Kikyo right?

Wait a minute, she thought, Remind me why I care? I don't want Inuyasha so Kikyo and him can just go ahead and live happily ever after.

You don't honestly want that, do you? Another voice spoke up. Even though you claim you don't, something about Inuyasha has you drawn to him. Like even though it wasn't officially stated, he was your man.

"Argh!" Kagome screamed grabbing at her hair; she didn't want to think anymore on it. Topic closed! If she was lucky the whole thing was just a dream. Kikyo had never come and everything was back to normal. They were still at Tokyo U at the radio station giving advice. Wait a minute. Thinking about it, they'd never been given time off from work although they had been from school. She had to get Inuyasha.

She dashed out of bed, not even bothering to run a comb through her head as she usually did. On the way out, though, she had noticed Kikyo's stuff wasn't in her room anymore. "Inuyasha! Inuyasha!"

"What?" he asked irritatedly. He was busy playing some fighting game with Souta. One in which he was losing.

"Jin Kazama wins," the video game blared.

Inuyasha let out a curse and threw the controller on the ground. "Look what you did, Kagome. Made me lose." Meanwhile, Souta was up doing a victory dance bragging about how he always won.

She rolled her eyes. "We have more important things to worry about, like about Nihongo Studios! For 'Take my Advice' remember?! And today is Saturday! We work today."

"Oh yeah. I forgot."

"Well, you know now. We better leave some time today."

"You look a sight," he said eyeing her up and down. Had he not been listening to a word she'd said?

"I just woke up." She frowned. "Where's Kikyo at?"

"Kikyo?" He'd asked it in such a question that Kagome actually thought that perhaps she had dreamed up the whole thing. When she'd woke up you wouldn't have thought the girl had been there at all. No such luck though. "She went grocery shopping with your momma."

That wasn't what Kagome wanted to hear. And why was she getting so chummy with her mother anyway? Trying to steal her from her too? "What time did they leave?"

"About 10 or something," he said nonchalantly picking a piece of lint of his jacket.

She gazed at the Dragon Ball Z clock Souta had on his wall. 11:30AM Had she slept that long? She usually woke up around 10. Maybe her lateness had something to do with her thinking about the situation with Kikyo and Inuyasha…

"So, Kagome, it's about lunchtime right?"

She looked up. "Yeah. Basically."

He smiled. "Get ready. I'm treating you and Souta out to lunch."

She blinked. Had he really said that? Selfish Inuyasha who wouldn't even offer to buy her a meal from McDonalds and reluctantly did after everyone else had ordered him to.

The look of disbelief in her face and how she stood there as if in awe had already annoyed Inuyasha. "What are you looking at me like that for? Never been asked out to lunch before or something?!"

"No, it's not that. I'm just amazed is all. Mr. Stingy is finally treating somebody out."

"Yeah well," he shoved his hands into his pants pockets, "Don't get used to it. I just feel like it today, but tomorrow I won't."

She sighed. He always had to keep up that "bad guy" reputation. Oh well. He was treating her out none-the-less. She'd question it no further, just hurry up and get ready before the offer expired. And before Kikyo and her mom got back and they ended up coming along…

Kagome fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat of her car. Inuyasha had even gone so far as to offer to drive. It was kind of nice. She couldn't help but think that if Souta wasn't with them, it would have been a little like a date. She'd dressed for the occasion as well: white turtleneck, checkered skirt, jacket with fake fur on the collar and ends of the sleeves, black knee socks, and long boots. She thought it looked casual, not too much for a date, but not more for just eating lunch. Inuyasha hadn't thought so though, the moment she came out of her room he'd asked her why she was so dressed up. But at least after she'd said that she wasn't, he'd left it alone.

"So… Where do you want to go?" He looked toward to Kagome. "Well…?"

She, in turn, looked to Souta. He didn't like too many different fast food restaurants, and if Kagome had said Wendy's or something, he'd have been quick to complain that he didn't like that place. "Souta?"
He just shrugged. "How about the Lovers' Café?" Ever since having a conversation with Kohaku, he'd put the idea in his head to try and play matchmaker to Kagome and Inuyasha up before Inuyasha got with Kikyo again.

Kagome nearly passed out. Had Souta really said that? Suggested a place like the Lovers' Café? It was only the place most notorious for teens and couples in their early twenties to go. Sure they sold food there, but it was a dimly light restaurant and nobody really came there to dine out unless it was their first time and they didn't know any better.

Inuyasha laughed. "What would you know about a café for lovers?"

"Not much," he admitted, "Just that you and Kagome should go there."

"We aren't lovers," Kagome managed to choke out. She was somewhat embarrassed that Souta had said that and right in front of Inuyasha.

Souta shrugged. "You could get to be. It wouldn't hurt anybody. Go ahead, you two could drop me off at McDonalds."

It amazed Kagome at how Inuyasha just agreed to it. He didn't even try to argue with Souta that they weren't a couple, just simply said 'okay'. Guess he was in one of those moods again where he felt like it…

Kagome nervously followed Inuyasha inside of the Lovers' Café already feeling she didn't belong. They weren't lovers and Inuyasha probably wasn't going in here for any other reason than that he was trying to be nice and humor her.

She was busy staring down at her cup of Coca Cola, spinning her ice around with her straw in an attempt not to make eye contact with him, "Look, Inuyasha, we don't have to sit in here and pretend to enjoy ourselves just because my kid brother suggested it, you know." He didn't answer for a while and Kagome had to look at him to see what he was looking at.

It was her. Her breasts to be exact. He had some nerve. "INUYASHA!"

"Huh?" That snapped him out of it. He scowled. "What's your problem?"

"What's yours? You're the one staring where you have no business to be."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Excuse me for noticing you'd worn that necklace I'd bought for you."

"Oh?" She placed a hand on the necklace; she'd forgotten she had put it on. Well, it had become her favorite piece of jewelry lately. "Well, did you hear anything I said?"

"No. What'd you say?"

"Never mind. It's not important."  In a way, she kind of didn't want to leave. It was a little nice to pretend they were lovers, "Well, I was just saying… But there are more important things to worry about—"

"I know," he interrupted. "The thing about the radio talk show thing. I know. And it's cool, we can go on back to Tokyo and do it, and then we'll have to stay back in Tokyo right since we do it two days in a row. So we can go back to the dorms at Tokyo U."

She nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Outside, peering through the window, Souta frowned. The romantic setting was set but their mood wasn't. What could he do to push them in the right direction? Suddenly an idea popped into his mind…

"Hello, are things going all right?"

"Huh?" Kagome looked up to see a short waiter that was evidently speaking to them. "Oh yes. Thanks for asking, sir."

"You're welcome, but may I suggest something for you two?" He pulled out a menu. "Koi wa ala mode. It's the latest special here consisting of—"

Inuyasha held up his hand. "That's all right. We're not interested."

The waiter frowned. "Are you sure, sir? I could give it to you free since you two are such a cute couple."

Kagome laughed. "We're not a couple."

"Then what are you doing at such a place?" the waiter asked nosily.

"Mind yours," Inuyasha said, annoyed as he always was.

"Inuyasha!" she turned to the waiter. "Please excuse him, he's lacking in manners. And yes, I'd like that ala mode thing you suggested. If it's free."

"Sure, ma'am. Be right back."

As soon as he'd walked off--as Inuyasha did every time--he chose to talk about the waiter. "That guy sure was funny looking. And short too. I swear his mustache was about to fall off. And don't get me started on his voice…"

Souta sighed as he rushed into the men's bathroom. That had been a tough one. He was sure that Kagome or Inuyasha was going to figure out who he was. And evidently his plan of trying to hook them up wasn't working. He'd have to come up with something else… He peered out the bathroom door and as soon as he saw a waiter walk by pulling a dinner cart, he jumped underneath it, covered by the white sheet that was draped over the cart. As soon as it'd passed by Kagome and Inuyasha's table, he'd jumped off, making sure not to touch any of their feet in the process.

"And he was so damn nosy," Inuyasha said, still talking about the man. "I could swear he was trying to set us up."

"I suppose so, but he was nice, especially to give us that food free."

He grunted. "Yeah. Food that's taking forever to get here. And what is a Koi ala mode anyway?"

She shrugged. "Check the menu." They both picked up the menus and went searching for it.

Now, Souta thought. Now's the time to take action, while they're silent.

Kagome gasped. Was it her or had Inuyasha just rubbed her leg with his foot? She looked over at him, but his face was buried inside of the menu, evidently still searching. Or maybe it's just your imagination, she thought. Yes. That's it. She sighed and went back looking for it. But Inuyasha didn't stop it. He was moving higher and higher. "INUYASHA!"

"What? Don't yell my name like that, woman! What do you want?"

"I want you to stop," she said calmly trying not to lose her temper.

He rolled his eyes. What was she talking about? Stop looking in the menu? "You found it?"

"No. That's not what I mean. You know what I'm talking about, stop it, this is the last time I'm going to tell you." And she returned back to the menu.

It was soon though, that Inuyasha felt "Kagome"'s foot going up his pants leg. He looked over at Kagome who looked innocent enough. He laughed. "Kagome, you devil."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"You. Don't think I didn't feel your little foot touching my leg."

"What are you talking about?!"

Uh-oh, Souta thought. I better try and get out while they're arguing at each other before they notice me. He crawled out from under their table, but not easily enough not to be seen.

"Hey, you," Inuyasha said grabbing him by the collar. "What were you doing under our table, you pervert?! Looking in Kagome's skirt?!"

"No, no," Souta said turning his face away from Inuyasha.

"And hey, you're that waiter guy. Trying to matchmake, huh? What's it any of your business?"

"I don't know. I'm really sorry, sir, now please just let me down." Just as Souta said that, his mustache fell off and maintenance had figured out that he'd stolen his uniform.

"That's the thief," a man yelled pointing at Souta.

"Souta?!" Kagome questioned when his face came into view. "You were the pushy waiter?!"

"Heh heh," he laughed weakly. "Great disguise, huh?"

"Hope you're satisfied," Inuyasha said, back at the wheel of Kagome's Malibu. He was talking to Souta who had not only gotten himself, but also Inuyasha and Kagome kicked out of the restaurant. They were never to return, and as if that wasn't bad enough, they'd had to pay a small fine for Souta's matchmaking foolishness of stealing that uniform.

Souta sighed. "No, not really." He knew getting smart with Inuyasha wasn't going to help, but he hadn't meant for it to end up this way. He'd thought they'd fall in love, as stupid and 5th grade as it sounded. Oh well. There were other ways to get them together.

"What were you thinking when you did that anyway?" Kagome asked, somewhat angry.

"Just thought I could hook you two up," he admitted.

Kagome expected Inuyasha to be mad but he only smiled, "Try harder next time." Kagome gasped. Could that possibly mean that he'd wanted it to work? Or was he just playing again? Inuyasha and his different personalities were a mystery to her.

"Where did you guys go off to?" Mrs. Higurashi asked as they'd arrived home.

"Lunch."

"Have a nice time?"

"Yeah. It was all right," Inuyasha answered simply, causing Souta to smile. So he wasn't going to tell his Mom. That was the last thing he needed, then she might think he was getting too involved and thinking in the idea that Inuyasha could be his brother-in-law someday. It was something Souta had always wanted though; he'd found it in Inuyasha. He looked up to him even if Inuyasha was a little moody and obnoxious sometimes. Souta thought it was cool.

"Aw… I can't believe you two went out to lunch without me," Kikyo said in a mock hurt voice. She smiled at Inuyasha. "But you could make it up to me by taking me out to dinner tonight. Remember you're supposed to trying to spend all the time you can with me, Inuyasha. I have only a while before I have to go back to Harvard."

"Yeah," he said looking down at the floor. "Kikyo, I'm going to have to cancel dinner though. You see me and Kagome have to go back to Tokyo for our job. Remember that little radio advice thing I was telling you about?" She nodded. "Well, it's that thing. We work tonight and tomorrow so we'll be staying in Tokyo and coming back on Monday."

She nodded. "Not a problem. I could come with you two."

"But what would you do while we're on the radio?"

A mischievous smile formed her face. "I'm sure your employers wouldn't mind if I hung around. Maybe I could give a hand in lending advice. I did a little advice column for our college paper and was pretty good at that."

There was just no escaping Kikyo. She had been hoping that by going to Tokyo to work that Kikyo would go on back to the United States or find a dumpy hotel to stay at. She still wasn't too keen on her staying with her family. Actually seemed like her mother was talking a liking to her.

Kagome sighed and walked up the stairs up to her room. Jumped on her bed, buried her face in her pillow and screamed.

I know, minna-san, that wasn't much, but at least I've started getting back into the writing spirit. I know that chapter wasn't all that good either but I hope you've enjoyed it anyway. Next chapter will be posted (most hopefully) tomorrow. Megu-chan ^.~