Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and its original characters.
Summary: Kagome Higurashi had grown up in the family shrine with her grandfather, mother and little brother. All her life she had thought she would graduate and get a fine job that allowed her to be independent. However, when her mother suddenly died she has to come back home to be her brother's guardian and help her grandfather run the shrine. Her life is dull and she's tired of the draining job that allows her to pay for her brother's school tuition. She finally has her chance when she got an interesting call from her best friend Sango.
Chapter One: Hopeless
"I'm home," Kagome meekly said as soon as she entered the foyer. It was seven in the morning, and she had just finished her night shift at the big convenience store down the street. She usually did the night or afternoon shift because it allowed her to help her grandfather run the shrine now that he was old and they couldn't pay someone else to help him. Since the day her father had died in a car accident when she was a baby, her mother had been the one to help him, and they paid her school fee with her father's inheritance and what they got from the shrine. Her childhood had been good, and she had never felt the absence of a male figure, thanks to her grandfather. She got along with her little brother even if he could be a nuisance sometimes and she dreamt of taking a degree in history - all the legends and myths Grampa had been telling her since she was a baby had rubbed off her after all.
She had just started her third semester at the university and even got good marks at the exams she passed when her mother got ill. She immediately left college to help the family and remain next to her, hoping she would get well soon. However, leukaemia had taken away her mother after only three months. By the time they had discovered the illness, it was already too late. Neither Kagome nor her brother had proved compatible, and a donor hadn't been found. It had been hard for everyone, but Kagome hadn't had time to grieve because there was a shrine to run, hospital fees to pay and a brother that still needed to grow up. The last of her father's inheritance had been gone to pay for her college's tuition, so she had to find a job to get them fed and pay the bills. In the beginning, she had been working more, and Mr. Higurashi tried to supervise the shrine alone. However, when she had finally paid their debts, she had decreased her shifts at work to be able to help her grandfather and comfort Sota, who still had to get back on his feet.
Now, three years later, nothing had changed. Kagome was a twenty-two years old woman who had no current hope, no social life or will. His brother still had to go to school for another four years before he could start helping her at the shrine and with the family's income. She hoped, at least, that he had prepared her breakfast before he went to school; she would eat something and then take a short nap before getting up again to help Grandpa.
"Hey sis, good morning. I made you some miso soup." Sota greeted her while he was washing the last dishes before he headed towards the middle school. His backpack was at the foot of the table, and he already had his uniform on. Grandpa was quietly sipping his tea while he read the newspaper.
"Kagome, you can sleep a little longer today," he informed her, "an old friend of mine is coming to visit me, and he promised he would help me. He's coming to the shrine for a week." Kagome sighed in relief; at least she could sleep more decently the following week before her hellish routine got back to normal. "Ah, before I forget... someone called you yesterday evening after you left," he added.
"Uh? Someone called me? Who?" Kagome asked him as she lazily ate her breakfast; she was always starving every time she came back from a night shift, even if she usually had some snacks at work. Grandpa shrugged and started reading again. "You didn't write down their name, did you?" He feigned innocence for a couple a second, coughed a little and then nodded. Kagome banged her forehead on the kitchen table and sighed, "Gramps..."
"I must have forgotten while I was getting a post-it." he excused himself.
"Sure," she commented. Never mind, it wasn't like people really used to call her at home. Her school friends had given up when they understood that Kagome hadn't really time to go partying and spend time like normal teenagers anymore. The only one who still called her continuously and kept track of her and her family was her best friend; she would call Sango back before she got in bed. Once she finished eating, she wished Sota good luck for his school day and went upstairs to take a shower.
She had just worn her pyjama and had taken her mobile phone in hand to call Sango when the one on her nightstand started ringing. She picked up before Grandpa could cause some other messes.
"Hello?"
"Kagome-chan! Finally, I managed to reach you; I was waiting for a call from you at the end of your shift. Since I didn't receive one and I'm already on my way to work, I presumed Grampa forgot again, did he?"
"You nailed it, Sango-chan; I figured it was you anyway. I had just come out of the shower, and I was going to call you before I went to sleep," she explained. In the background, she could hear cars running, men shouting, honks and everything else that she figured belonged to a perfect Monday morning in the city. "Did you get the car today?" she asked her.
"Yeah, I don't know why I thought it was a good idea. I got stuck in the traffic. I don't know who the hell gave the licenses to certain drivers," she replied, honking at the middle-aged woman in front of her, who was going twenty miles an hour with the green light on. "Bossman is gonna fill me with extra work if I don't get there in time, and if I don't pick up the twins at my mother's before six p.m., they usually get grumpy," she complained. Sango was a twenty-six years old woman; she had married her high school sweetheart Miroku and had given birth to two beautiful daughters just six months ago. They had known each other since they were little, and even when Kagome had moved to the shrine, they still saw each other every day. Sango and Miroku had been there for her for basically everything. She couldn't think what it would have been of her if they hadn't supported Kagome after Kaori's death. She got a degree in Economics and Business and a job in the logistic department in a big Tech Corporation that paid her well enough. She had just gone back from maternity leave, and since Miroku worked in a law office, her mother helped her watch the twins. "Anyway, I need to tell you something important, but I don't want to keep you up for too long after the night shift. When do you start tonight?"
"Uh, at three p.m.; tonight, I should be able to sleep like a normal human being," Kagome answered.
"Perfect. Do you think you'll be able to meet me at my lunch break at the restaurant around the corner where I work? I could take off at 1.30 pm., so you have all the time for your beauty sleep and then reach me," Sango proposed.
Kagome really wanted to sleep a little more, and it took thirty minutes to reach Sango's job place. That way, she would have to set the alarm at noon and directly prepare for her shift, but she hadn't seen Sango in weeks, after all. "Ok, Sango, I can manage," she agreed. "I hope this is important."
"Oh, believe me, it is," she squealed. "After today, you'll love me. Wait... you already love me. I'd say you owe me babysitting duties after this, but you already have Grampa to babysit..." she chuckled.
"Yeah, you got it right. See you later then, Sango-chan," Kagome said just before she closed the call and went to bed to get at least four hours of sleep that were still more than what she usually got when she had to help Grandpa.
"Sugimoto!" a deep voice boomed out as soon as she entered her office on the third floor fifteen minutes after she was supposed to.
Damn, that dog sniffs me out every time.
Sango turned out to see her boss leaning on the doorframe with a menacing glare. He was taller than average men – but then, he was a demon, a dai-youkai at that – slender and well built. He wore his silver hair in a low ponytail, had cold impassive golden eyes, a blue crescent moon on his forehead and slim magenta strips on each of his cheeks. He always dressed impeccably in a grey or darker blue suit, and he never had a hair out of place. Sesshomaru Taisho was one of the two vice presidents of Taisho Tech. the head of the logistics and business department. His father, Toga Taisho, was the owner of the company. Since his two sons had started working too, he usually supervised their work and went to meetings. However, they did the majority of the tasks even if he was still the president.
"Mr. Taisho," she bowed, "I'm terribly sorry, but I got caught in the traffic, and I came here as soon as I could," she explained.
"I warned you last time, we cannot allow ourselves to lose time like this. I already placed the files you'll have to work on today; be sure you finish by the end of the day," Sesshomaru instructed her, his gaze holding her in place. Sango nodded contritely, she loved her job, and the pay was perfect, but she could really use another boss some days. "Before I forget," he added, "inform your acquaintance that by tomorrow at 8.00 a.m. she will start working for my brother. I left a copy of the contract on your desk," he concluded, leaving Sango agape.
Tomorrow? Oh, God! Kagome is gonna kill me because I didn't warn her a couple of days before.
She sat down at her desk, buried by folders and papers, and groaned. She would have to cut short her lunch break with Kagome if she wanted to make sure to be in time to pick up the twins; grumpy daughters weren't something she liked on a Monday or another day of the week for the matter.
She picked up the contract and gazed at it distractedly. If everything went according to her plans, Kagome could finally be back at what she once was. Sango closed it and put it in her purse to assure herself she didn't forget it before she went to lunch. She grabbed a folder, wrote down everything her assistant could do, and then began to work on the more difficult problems.
Kagome looked at herself in the mirror. She had chosen clothes that would allow her to change easily before going to work after her lunch date with Sango: a pair of tight blue jeans, a light pink blouse and white converse. Inside her bag, she had placed her work uniform.
When she went out, Grandpa was amiable talking with an old man that she recognized as Yoshiro. He was a friend of his, who often visited them to offer some help since her mother had died. He always had a smile on his lips and liked to crack up jokes about his and Grandpa's young years.
"Gramps, I am leaving for lunch and then I'm off to work. Be sure to check everything before you and Sota go to bed tonight. I'll finish around midnight," she informed him and then addressed Yoshiro, "Mori-san, it's always a pleasure."
"Ah, Kagome-chan, always running, I see," he smiled at her, "You are lucky to have a girl like her, Ichiro," he told Grandpa while she headed towards the shrine's stairs.
It was 12.45 a.m., so she was still in time and could lazily walk towards the train station and wait for the one that brought the nearest possible to Taisho Tech., where Sango worked. The company was one of the most successful in the whole country and made a lot of money, but the pressure was also high. Everyone there worked hard - she understood that through Sango's stories - but at the same time, their pay was good. Kagome sighed; Sango's job was hard, but at least she loved it and was paid well for it. When her friend had told her she got an interview there, she couldn't believe her ears; it wasn't simple to get an interview let alone get hired.
Apparently, Miroku had known one of the founder's sons since he was a child and had managed to pass him her CV. They had contacted her for an interview some days later. She had been tremendously nervous the day of the interview, but, after all, she got the job fresh from college, and they had easily got together the money to get married one year later.
Instead, Kagome was more stressed than Sango, she hated her job, and the pay was the best she could hope for with her resume and needs. She would never get something like that, even when Sota would graduate. She couldn't ask him to make the same sacrifice; at least he could go to college while he got himself a part-time job. Kagome would probably continue working at the convenience store down the road until Grandpa died and she had to relieve the shrine. She would end up like her great-aunt Kaede who had remained a shrine maiden all her life. Twenty-two years old, and she was already hopeless.
She sighed and was about to cross the street when a loud horn made her jump. A silver-haired man was waving at her rudely from his red-shining cabriolet, shouting something she couldn't exactly hear. She had just gotten off the train and was walking towards the restaurant Sango had suggested. Since it was lunch hours, the streets were crammed.
Since she didn't seem to understand, Inuyasha pulled over to the side of the road next to her. The woman had risked causing an incident just five minutes ago because she hadn't checked the light and crossed with the red. He was more angered than usual; today hadn't started with the right foot. He had fought with his girlfriend again, who insisted on moving with him even if he kept repeating to her he wasn't ready and still needed time. Still, she had got a copy of his keys and started bringing everything she owned to his apartment. It had turned the switch of Inuyasha's rage on. Now, he missed the whole morning at work because of her bitching, he still hadn't found a new assistant/secretary and this stupid girl was making him waste more time.
Inuyasha opened the door and reached her; he gazed at her up and down and had to admit the wench was easy on the eyes, even if she wore plain clothes. The tight jeans hugged her well-shaped legs, and he was sure that if he was to bend over, he would find a very round plump ass, just like he liked. Since she was shorter than him and he practically towered above her, plus the neckline of her blouse did a poor job hiding her breast, he could see the edge of her lacy bra. She had long wavy black-blue hair, an oval-shaped face, fair skin and big brown eyes that were currently glaring at him. Apparently, she had noticed the way he was checking her over. Inuyasha smirked.
Oh, I could definitely have my fun riling her up.
"Wench! Do you have a death wish? Because you were crossing the street with red light and almost caused an accident and were run over," Inuyasha shouted as soon as he finished his examination. If looks could kill, now...
Kagome gaped at the man – no, demon if the silver hair and dog ears that were twitching on the top of his head were a sign – who stood there checking her body out. His attire and behaviour, not to mention the expensive car behind him, suggested that he was one of those rich bastard businessmen that thought life owed them everything. His posture was no less; he was leaning against the car door, arms folded and wore a too much cocky grin that made her think that he was enjoying the whole ordeal, even if the tone was rude and angered. He was tall and sturdy, his incredibly long hair was tied back in a high ponytail with a couple of strands dropped down to the sides of his face to cover what she presumed was the absence of human ears. His piercing molten golden eyes showed more that he probably wanted to give away. However, at that moment, the predominant emotions were anger and a little bit of amusement.
If he thought he could intimidate her like that, he had chosen the wrong person. Kagome didn't let pricks like him pass her over only because they believed themselves better because of their full wallets. She'd met plenty of them since she'd started working at the convenience store and always had a ready answer for them. Even if her supervisor repeatedly told her that the customer was always right.
"Who are you calling wench? You may wear an Armani suit but surely your language lack finesse. Dressing good won't help you with that," Kagome shot back. "Besides, with your little stunt, you're creating even a bigger mess," she noted, looking back past his shoulder; he had parked his car without caring who was behind him.
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and leaned over her slightly in an intimidating manner. The wench wanted to play then, fine. "I don't need to be nice or shit like this, wench. Having both looks and money helps in life; I can assure you that mine lacks nothing." He smirked and decided to rile her up a little more. " I couldn't say the same about you instead," he said, looking down at her on purpose, his gaze once again resting on the clothes she was wearing.
Kagome's body trembled in rage. How dares he? Figures this one is another one playing with daddy's money. "I might not be a rich bastard, but at least I know what it's like to actually work to make a living. I don't go around waving daddy's bills around," she spat back. She turned her back on him disdainfully, without giving him the possibility to retort and angered her more.
Inuyasha suddenly felt a bigger surge of anger; that girl didn't even know what she was talking about. Just because his father was rich and famous didn't mean he hadn't had his share of problems, especially if you were a half-demon in a long line of full strong demons. Not finding the perfect comeback, Inuyasha shot at her the first thing that popped into his head as he watched her scurry away. "Great ass, by the way, wench, even better than your tits, and you gave me an eyeful before!" he grinned like a fool when she stopped and turned her head stunned, not believing at what she had just heard.
"JERK!" Kagome answered, refraining from going back to him and kicking him in the balls.
"Look who finally decided to show up..." an icily stern voice welcomed Inuyasha as soon as he set foot on his floor. He rolled his eyes; he didn't need to deal with the ice king right now. He had already a day full of surprises. He only wanted to enter his office, lock the door and forget the world while he sipped a cup of black coffee; he hadn't even had the time to drink one yet.
He took a deep breath and looked up at the bastard, ready for another lecture that he would promptly ignore. Sesshomaru believed that because he was the eldest and a full-fledged demon, he could talk over him and boss him around. Their positions at the company were actually equal. "What do you want, Sesshomaru? I had a bunch of crap to deal with already. I don't need you to add yours right now," he replied, already on his way to the office, not really heeding him.
"I presume you do not want to know that your new assistant is starting tomorrow morning, then," Sesshomaru told him from behind. He was used to his uncouth behaviour.
Inuyasha turned over immediately, his gaze blazing and his body stiffening. "My what? I don't remember hiring one. Whoever showed up for the interview wasn't up to the task, and I still haven't set up any others," he remarked. What did the asshole do now?
"I know, little brother," Sesshomaru replied coolly, "I am aware of how everyone that entered your office for the interview came out crying because of your rudeness." Usually, of the two, he was the one who made people cry, so it amazed him that his brother's interviews had gone so badly. "However, Mrs. Sugimoto graciously suggested to me one that would be perfect for you. You do not need a frail little woman unable to stand up for herself like the last one," he continued. Sango had assured him that the girl was tough and used to deal with rough people; it didn't matter if she didn't have as much experience as the other. She would eventually learn, but Sesshomaru was actually exhausted. Every assistant Inuyasha had hired had lasted no more than a couple of months, and every time they were back at square one. Everyone was highly qualified but couldn't stand his brother ill-mannered behaviour. He really hoped this one could resist a little more before they had to set up more interviews; both his father and he were tired of this charade.
"You had no right to hire one without my consent," Inuyasha bellowed, "I didn't even read her resume!" Once again, the bastard had meddled in his affairs and made decisions that affected him without his permission. He clenched his fist in another fit of rage.
"Weren't you who was complaining about the lack of an assistant? You should thank me, Inuyasha; I've saved you the trouble of setting up more useless interviews. Besides, this is my company too, and if you're too slow to do your job, even my department is affected," he calmly told him before he left him and got back at his floor. "Tomorrow at 8.00 a.m. sharp. Do not forget, little brother. I left a copy of the contract she would have to sign on your desk," he added before disappearing from his sight.
Damn prick, Inuyasha thought as he slammed his office's door and scared some of his employers nearby.
Kagome had just entered the restaurant, and a waiter had escorted her to a table for two. From afar, she saw Sango looking around for her. She waved at her best friend and waited for her to reach the table. The young girl was still a little peeved about her prior encounter. The jerk had dared to comment out loud on her body. She had never felt so humiliated; people had even given her the wide berth after that, with disapproving looks too. As if she had wanted to have something to do with an ass like that one. She almost felt like crying out of anger.
Sango immediately noticed her indignant look and approached her tentatively. This definitely wasn't the best start; she didn't know how Kagome would have reacted to her news. She sat down and told a waiter to bring her a menu before she started speaking. "Kagome-chan, I'm so happy we had time to meet today. Between your hellish shifts and me going back to work after my maternity leave, we really didn't get a chance to see each other. I missed you. How are Sota and grandpa doing? And why are you so in a bad mood?" she asked.
Kagome sighed, shoulder slumped and a dejected expression. Not for the first time, Sango felt sorry for her. She didn't look a bit like the lively girl she had been friendly with all her life. The last years had tapered off her spirit and forced her to appear older than she actually was. At twenty-two years old, Kagome had more responsibilities than Sango, who was married and had children. "As usual, Sango, nothing new. Sota is doing fine at school; Gramps is still living and kicking, but we got little larger offers at the shrine the last month, and Yoshiro-san is visiting us this week. This means that I could either take a longer shift to earn something more or sleep a couple of hours more. But I think I'll choose the first; after all, we could always use the money for Sota's tuition," she explained. "I met a rich bastard while I was getting here. Unbelievable, he got off of his expensive car just to brag about how rich and good-looking he was. He called me wench and even had the guts to shout out loud, much to everyone's amusement, may I add, that I had a great ass that was even better than my tits! I would have loved to bite off those cute ears of his, chew on them and then return them to him," she added, waving her fist threateningly. "How are you, instead? I'd like to see the twins again, but unfortunately, night shifts don't allow me so much time."
Sango burst out in laughter; leave to Kagome to meet guys like this. She shook her head and proceeded to answer, "Oh, Kagome, if only you should see them. They have gotten bigger day after day and are always giggling and smiling. But we don't have time to talk about that; I have to cut short the lunch break, I'm sorry. Bossman caught me entering fifteen minutes later and gave me more work to do by the end of my shift. I have no intentions to work overtime," she told her contritely. "I need to tell you something important."
"Oh, yeah, you told me I'll love you more by the end of the day. I really could use some good news right now," Kagome resumed excitedly.
Sango chuckled nervously and scratched the back of her neck, "Well, something changed while I was coming here; I don't know how you'll react. Let's order, and then I'll explain everything."
"Tomorrow morning? And you tell me this just now?" Kagome shouted back; some patron shot her disapproving glances, and she glared back at them before addressing Sango again. "How long have you known this? I mean Sango, it's huge! Your company doesn't hire so easily, especially not someone who had worked in a convenience store all her life and whose only experience as secretary is a part-time job in a dentist office when in high school!"
"Let me explain, Kagome-chan," Sango started, "I talked to my boss on Friday, and he told me he would have to think about it. You'd actually work for his brother, he's the head of the Development and Test Team department, but you don't need an engineering degree to do this job. You'll be his assistant, he'll explain better your tasks. For the most, you'll have to organize his schedule, make sure he has everything he needs, accompany him to meetings and things like this. When I arrived this morning, Bossman told me you would have to start at 8.00 a.m. sharp and even gave me a copy of the contract for you to read..." she added while showing her the file.
Kagome grabbed it and started reading it meticulously. When she read the amount of money they offered for an assistant/secretary job, she gawked. There was no way Taisho Tech could really want to hire her and give all this money for a job like that. There had to be an explanation. "Where's the catch?" she promptly asked.
"The c-catch?" Sango stuttered.
"You heard me, Sango-chan. You talked of me to your boss, who kindly decided to accept your offer when I didn't even go for an interview or send my resume. Then, they are willing to pay so much without even looking at me. We are talking about one of the most successful companies in the whole country, Sango, not a start-up," she pointed out.
"Well..."
"Spit it out, Sango. I wanna know everything," Kagome interrupted her before she could feed her some lies.
"The brother is far too demanding, has a crappy temper, and his use of language is even worse. Usually, his assistants run away after a couple of months or he fires them even sooner because they are too soft. He is forced to set up new interviews every time. However, this time, around he still can't find a new one. The last ones who showed up burst into tears once they left his office. Both bossman and his father are tired of this charade. When I said I knew the perfect person to stand up to him, Mr. Taisho agreed because he had no other choice," she said quickly without taking a breath of air.
Kagome narrowed her eyes at her suspiciously, "And why, pray tell, do you think I would be perfect for this job? I've had my share of assholes, and I don't need to deal with something like him too. He doesn't seem likeable from your descriptions, and he would likely fire me by tomorrow evening," she replied.
"But that's exactly why you have to accept it, Kagome-chan! Don't you understand? He really needs someone who will answer him back and won't be intimidated by him like the previous assistants. You have experience with guys like him; you would be perfect. Trust me, I know him; as soon as he sees the way you pose, he will be intrigued. He won't fire you. He likes a challenge." Sango continued undeterred.
"I don't know, Sango-chan, I mean, I don't need more stress in my life. I already have to deal with difficult men in my life."
"And this is just the chance you were looking for! Think about it. When will you ever earn that much money again and be hired by a company like this? Finally, you could get back to normal life, and you won't have to worry about bills anymore. With a salary like that, you could even put money aside for Sota's college tuition. And if in a few years you decide you don't want to work there, you'll still have some experience to add to your curriculum," her friend reasoned. "Please, Kagome, think about it. I am tired of seeing you wasting your life away like that. I want my friend back, and if you fear your family would have something to say against it, I can tell you that Sota told me the same thing. He is feeling guilty because you practically gave up everything for him; they worry about you too."
"Why do I feel like I am going to regret this by tomorrow morning?" Kagome groaned.
"YES!" Sango squealed and stood up to hug her tightly. "You're not gonna regret it, Kagome-chan; you'll see it will be great. Besides, if he is too much an ass with you, I'm gonna exchange two words with him. He's that Miroku's friend," she winked and started eating her bowl of oden that the waiter just brought.
That evening, when she went to work, she explained the situation to the owner of the convenience store, an old woman who had known her since she was a kid. Living all her life in the same neighbourhood helped sometimes. The woman knew too well Kagome's situation and was actually happy about the news. Even if Kagome hadn't notified her earlier – for obvious reasons –, she told her she could go home earlier and celebrate with her family. Kagome had been feeling guilty because she was abandoning her out of the blue, so when Aiko-san gave her the free night, she squealed and hugged her. The woman had chuckled and patted her back before she sent her away, wishing Kagome good luck. "Don't be a stranger, Kagome-chan," she had said, "I always expect you to come to see me every time you need to do grocery shopping!"
Grandpa and Sota had been surprised to see her back so soon and so joyful. The truth was that even if the whole ordeal scared her a little bit, she was so excited to have her possibility. Even if it was just an assistant position, it still allowed her to have a regular life again and save some money. If she was lucky, she could even resume her university career when Sota graduated and get that history degree she had always dreamt of. When the men of the house asked her the reason behind her happiness, she said that they had to celebrate and she was cooking something special.
At dinner, she finally explained everything. While Sota was even more excited than her, Grandpa appeared a little bit suspicious.
"Sis, this is great! You won't have to work at night anymore," her little brother told her.
"Yes, I can't believe I'll be able to get an eight-hour sleep every night," she giggled, "What are you thinking, Gramps? Aren't you happy? I'll be able to earn a lot more, and I can save money for both Sota and me if I want to go back to college when he graduated."
"I think it's a great opportunity, Kagome-chan," Yoshiro, who had stayed for dinner, offered. "You had been working hard since Kaori's death, and you deserve it; you really have a great friend," he said, referring to Sango, then addressed his friend. "You should be happy, Ichiro. They don't hire so easily in that company, you know?"
"I'm happy granddaughter," he told Kagome, "But how will you manage to help me run the shrine?"
Kagome frowned; that wasn't actually what she had been expecting from him. Did he prefer her to work night so she could be free to help him in the morning? She maintained her calm facade and answered, "I'm aware that being away during the day, I won't be able to help in the morning. However, this way, I'll get more money to bring here and actually maintain the shrine. I don't think it's little, Gramps."
"I can help you as soon as I come back from school and finish my homework at dinner. It's not a big deal, Grandpa. Kagome was tiring herself out working both at night at the convenience store and in the morning with you; she needs a break. You'll be alone only in the morning," Sota offered, wanting to avoid some disaster tonight that they should celebrate.
"Don't be such a grumpy, Ichiro," Yoshiro interjected. "If you're afraid to feel alone without the company of this beautiful girl here, then I'll come to visit more often," he winked. Everyone cracked up, and Gramps huffed. He then calmed down and finally congratulated Kagome. The rest of the evening went smoothly, and she went to bed early for the first time in what seemed like years. She smiled when she picked up the outfit for her first day and then went to bed. She really hoped her new boss wouldn't be such an ass as Sango had said.
The morning after, the alarm went off at six a.m. Kagome woke up completely refreshed and ready to start the day. She took a shower while singing, wore a black pencil skirt with matching 4-inches heels, a cream coloured blouse on the top and put on light make-up. While she was going through her closet the evening before, she had been surprised to find that outfit. Her mother had bought it for it when she started going to college, saying that it was for a good omen; she would get her degree and then find the perfect job for her. After the accident, it had gone to the back of her closet, and she had completely forgotten about it.
She had been lucky to find it. She actually didn't have anything she could call professional in her closet and had been afraid of making a bad impression on the first day. Worst case scenario, she would have asked Sango to lend her something. Anyway, her friend had promised to take her shopping at the end of the first day. When she had tried to refuse because she couldn't afford much, Sango had replied that since she had never allowed her to help her financially during the past years, the least she could do was to assure that Kagome could show up at work properly dressed.
She had breakfast with her family and then left early to take the train and be punctual. When she arrived at the Taisho building, Sango was already waiting for her in the hall; she had taken the train to avoid the traffic again.
"Kagome-chan, good morning," Sango greeted her with a hug and then, they headed towards the elevator. She pushed the number three and then spoke up, "We are going to meet bossman first, so we are stopping at my floor. Sesshomaru Taisho wanted to meet you personally before introducing you to his brother. I warn you, he is a very stern and, mmm, cold person, but don't let that intimidate you. Be polite and nod every time and you'll do fine," she explained.
"So, let me get straight, between the two, one is a rude and grumpy person, the other is cold and has zero empathy?" Kagome summed up.
"More or less, I heard that Toga-san is totally different, but we rarely see him, even if he is still the president of the company. He mostly limits himself to supervising his sons' work and no longer comes to the office every day as he did when he was the only one handling it all."
Kagome nodded; they stopped in front of a big desk where a short old greenish demon sat in a big chair. He looked at them suspiciously, and Sango inclined her head in greeting. "Kagome, this is Jaken, Mr. Taisho's personal assistant. Jaken, we are to meet Bossman; he is expecting us," she said.
"Hmmph, let me check that," was the toadish-like demon answer. Before he could do anything, a deep voice was clearly heard on the whole floor. "JAKEN! Send them in."
"Yes, my Lord, no problem, my Lord," Jaken hastily answered.
"And bring my morning tea. I'm still waiting," Sesshomaru added. Kagome looked at Sango wide-eyed; she shrugged in response. She was used to that, after all.
Sango headed towards his office with Kagome in tow and knocked lightly before a soft "Come in" was heard from inside. They entered and slightly bowed before Sesshomaru waved at them to encourage them to take a seat in front of him. Kagome noticed right away that Bossman was a demon, one with pointed ears, facial markings, golden eyes and silver hair. Suddenly Kagome became nervous- Where had she seen these traits before? What were the chances that this all neat and dignified man was related to yesterday's asshole? She had a bad feeling about that.
"Mr. Taisho, this is the friend I told you about, Kagome Higurashi," Sango introduced.
"Hn, Miss Higurashi," Sesshomaru drummed a clawed hand on his desk, "Mrs. Sugimoto told me about your experience. I am sure you will be able to keep my brother in line for once," he said as if he expected her to discipline his brother. Probably he did.
"I will do my best, sir." Kagome nodded, struck by the grace of his bearing but also by the coldness that his tone exuded.
"We accept nothing less, Miss Higurashi," Sesshomaru added, then stood up. "Come, it's time we meet my little brother."
They went up two floors and stopped in front of a door much similar to the one of Sesshomaru's office. The long mahogany desk situated in the large area just before the office was currently empty, Kagome figured it was to be her future place of work. Sesshomaru knocked on the door, and a loud and grumpy "COME IN" was heard.
When Kagome entered the office the first thing she saw was the smirking face she had met the day before. The demon leant back in his chair and crossed his arms behind his head. He grinned wider – if that was even possible – and gazed at her body thoroughly, again. Kagome paled, and before Sesshomaru could say anything, Inuyasha spoke up, "Well, well, what do we have here?" eyes never wandering off from Kagome's body. Golden met brown, and he continued, "I think I'm really gonna enjoy this." Amusement was dripping off his tone.
"I told Sango I was going to regret my decision," Kagome thought, sighing inwardly.