Bright and early, Kagome was leaving her apartment for work. Correction: her new work. When she got to the metro station she had to mentally check herself. Her instinct was to go to the station nearest Taisho Inc. but today she would be starting work ten blocks away at Kumo Corp.

So with her box of personal effects in tow, she got off the train two stops later and slogged her way out of the station.

This would be great, she had decided. Sure she only really knew Mr. Nara and his irresponsible secretary, but she had never been shy when it came to making friends. Before long she would have people to talk to again. This would be a new chapter in her career, hell her life, and she was excited to get going.

Since she had announced her departure from Taisho Inc. her grandfather had called her repeatedly and even shown up at her home, begging her to reconsider.

"Kagome. You need to go back to Taisho Inc."

"Gramps," she had whined, exhausted with this conversation sitting in her kitchen over tea. "I sorry, I can't work there anymore. It's not a good environment. He's getting mean. Not just sullen, not just demanding and not just temperamental; out and out mean."

"I know Kagome, but there is more going on than you know. Let me reach out to Sesshomaru and see if he can put you in another department."

"Gramps, this is a better opportunity!" She exclaimed, aghast that this needed to be said more than 20 times. "Sesshomaru would never put me in such a position, even if you asked him. This is my chance to not just be a secretary. I can make a difference and I don't have to go home exhausted or feeling terrible."

Her grandfather was clearly upset, judging by the pained expression on his face and the fact his tea was growing cold before him, but he persisted. "I know Kagome, I'm so sorry this has fallen to you, but you need to go back to Taisho Inc."

Turning to face him directly, she insisted, "I can't."

"Please don't take that job, Kagome. There is something not right about Nara that everyone has noticed."

"Oh, is it the fact that he's nice? That he listens or seems to care about the happiness of friends and employees? That he wants to give me a better job?"

"I understand Kagome, but think for a moment; why does he want to give you a better job?"

After a sullen pause, "Now you are just being mean,"

"That's not what I-"

"I know I'm not perfect, but I have good ideas too, and despite what everyone thinks about me I am capable, I can do a good job at work – at the right place."

"No one is saying you couldn't dear, just think for a moment about his motives."

"His motive was to give me, a hard working good person, a better opportunity where I can shine and make his company better."

"Kagome, you have no idea…"

"No Gramps, I know more than you think," she responded with a knowing smile, "I've been the recipient of Sesshomaru's frustrations every day for the last few months. His numbers are still terrible, he's still mean and he still can't take clients without attacking them. He's been shutting himself up in his office and he's downright lost it. No matter what is going on in his head, we are no good for each other. Now grandpa, if you love me at all, you will leave now. You've been really very rude tonight and I need to get up early to break in my replacement."

Since their last conversation she had cut him off. The last things she needed was him whispering messages of doom and gloom in her ear on her first day of work. Sadly for her, several others also voiced their concerns.

Where's there's smoke there's fire, she thought, before shaking her head, entering the lobby of the Kumo corp. building and heading for the elevator. Mr. Nara's business owned the top six floors and he had insisted that she have an office on the top floor next to his. With healthy quantities of trepidation and excitement be she hit the button for the top floor and headed up with several others.

In light of her friends and family all trying to dissuade her from the opportunity she had cut them off. She would no longer listen to the naysayers and had ceased taking calls from her mother, grandfather, Miroku, and even Inuyasha. Had Inutaisho or Izayoi called she probably would have ignored the call. Had Sesshomaru called…

He never would.

Once the elevator let off the last passengers, she was alone in the elevator for a few floors and took that time to centre herself. This was a great opportunity that she would never get elsewhere. She didn't have a community behind her at the moment, but she would find one here. She would make a difference in his business and improve Kumo Corp. She would be a big hitter and this was the first big step toward doing so.

The door dinged open and Mr. Nara was already standing by the elevator, waiting to greet her with a smile.

A few weeks later and Kagome was loving her life. She had already spearheaded several major initiatives to improve the company's profile and saw to it that they made some very generous contributions towards Pact charities.

As she predicted, Mr. Nara was a lovely employer. He had given her a beautiful office with a view right next to his, a great health supplement package and a real say in the company.

He had even arranged for her to have daily meetings with him, whether he was in the office or not which led her to the conclusion that while he was a great boss, he was a real taskmaster. He had high demands for her, but she took to the position with gusto and thus far had completed (and well, or so he said) every one of his requests. And there had been a lot in her few short weeks.

But she loved it. The work was great and though more challenging she couldn't be happier. The best part was that though she was his designated holy person, he had never had an episode. Not once.

When she hadn't believed him, he set up a lunch date for her and his former miko partner.

Kikyo had been very sombre and elegant when they met for coffee on her second day, but assured her in her raspy voice that in all the years she had been Nara's miko she had never filled out an incident report.

Not. Once.

Eager at the thought that she may never have an incident report nightmare (where they all floated around her head and taunted her) again, Kagome was cautiously optimistic. To be sure, there had to be some demons and hanyou who didn't lose control as easily as Sesshomaru, but to never lose control? She hardly thought that was possible.

But here she was, two weeks in and no incidents.

Returning from her coffee meeting with a charity contact, she went by and knocked on Mr. Nara's office door. His secretary Kagura, who she still thought was incredibly blasé, was out, but he had asked for a report after the meeting so she would indulge.

Before long, the door opened on a beaming Mr. Nara. "Kagome! How did it go?"

"Really well. The organization is really excited at our contribution goals or their next benefit dinner. I think we might even be getting a plaque at their headquarters…"

"Fantastic! Fantastic! Come on in! I want to hear everything," At this he swung open the door, bowed slightly and waited her to enter his office.

Though Mr. Nara was lovely there was one thing she did not like about the man. The décor of his office. It wasn't just an aesthetics thing, it was a personal preference thing.

The room was painted a nice enough off-white colour, made use of long lines and geometric shapes, and was always well lit, but the décor that hung on the walls disturbed her. Instead of having bookshelves or paintings, he collected shadowboxes and put them on display. Ranging from tiny to the size of your face, there were specimens laid out in frames of every insect she had ever seen, and many she hadn't.

Striding into the room, she resolutely avoided looking at the pitiful creatures skewered in their cases on the walls and sat down in her usual seat in the more comfortable chatting area, waiting for him to sit before she explained what else the meeting had achieved.

"I must say Kagome, you are doing some very nice work." He praised, after she had caught him up, "I have heard only good things about my company in the press, and that is because of you."

"It's not me, Mr. Nara, it's the time you're willing to invest in the public image of your company. Really, I'm just the mouthpiece."

"You flatter me, my dear." He said with a gentle smile. Getting up, he stretched before asking, "Would you like some tea?"

"Yes please, Mr. Nara." She eagerly responded getting up and following him down the hall to the mini kitchen on their floor.

"Do you have a new variety?" She asked as he went to the cupboard. Ever since she had started working for him, Mr. Nara had brought in new varieties of Japanese green tea from all over for them to enjoy. He was one of the few she was ever able to find that was as interested in trying all the green teas their country had to offer.

"Do I ever!" He gleefully responded, "This," he said as he filled the kettle with boiling water, "is a green I found a while ago from north of Kyoto. The plantation this came from is the same one the Emperors of the Kyoto got their teas from."

Taking her usual position, Kagome brewed the tea in silence, enjoying the moment of calm.

Once the tea was brewed, she handed Mr. Nara his cup, before breathing in the aroma above hers and sighing. It was delightful.

Taking a sip, her mid strayed from the moment to Sesshomaru. While she had been his secretary she had brought all kinds of green teas in and while at no point did he compliment or ask for the same tea again, she wondered if he, with his superior senses even noticed the different varieties.

She didn't think of him often anymore, however in these tranquil moments with Mr. Nara and little else to bother her, her mind strayed to the enigma that was Sesshomaru, often leaving her slightly sad. Sure her new job was great and she was really enjoying working here under Nara, but a part of her felt… off. Without her friends by her side life outside work wasn't as much fun and though she knew what Sesshomaru thought of her, she could now admit to herself in retrospect she had been drawn to his imposing figure and would have liked to see where it could have gone.

If he had reciprocated, but she knew he didn't like her, or more specifically he didn't want to like her. Which seemed a lot stronger.

Breathing deeply with her eyes closed before her last sip, Kagome was unaware of Nara's keen eyes on her.