InuYasha's father, InuTashio, piped up.
"It would be a way for you to have full control of your father's business as well as us still benefiting from it."
Turning her attention to the silent hanyou, Kagome arched her brow at him "you agreed to this, InuYasha?"
Reddening a little, he nodded, still not looking at her. Kagome stood up and bowed respectfully, "I will consider your offer and get back to you."
Kiori jumped up and spoke before her daughter was halfway up the stairs, "you have until tomorrow night, then I have to sell the business to the Takahashi's."
Stopping, Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and gave a curt nod.
When InuYasha told his parents to find a solution, he had no idea this was what they would come up with. Standing up, he bowed towards her mother, "Mrs. Higurashi, I should have been truthful with Kagome when I found out where she worked."
Smiling at him, Kiori shook her head, "Kagome would have reacted the same way, but I just think it's a lot to take in. She knows the struggles we're in financially and there aren't many options for us. If your family hadn't moved here and given me this offer, we would've lost everything."
InuYasha looked up to the stairs Kagome was on just a few moments ago and sighed. He wanted to get close to her and maybe even start dating her, but engaged?
Kagome watched out her window as they left and couldn't stop the sinking feeling in her gut. There was a light knocking on her door and she told her mom to come in. Sitting on the bed, Kiori smiled sadly at her daughter, "Kagome, do you understand the bind that we are in?"
Taking a seat next to her mom, she shook her head, "you've told me a little."
Kiori held her daughter's hands and gave her a letter, "this is the letter from the lawyer's office. In it states how much we are in debt for."
Unfolding the paper, Kagome read through it, until tears started blurring her vision, "there's no way we could come up with that much money, Mom."
"I know, dear, and I showed the Takahashi's as well. If you and InuYasha become engaged, they will pay all of our debts off, including what we still owe on the house."
"Why? Why are they so willing to help us?"
Shrugging, her mom took the letter back, "I don't know. They came over this morning and we got to know each other, then they told me what the options could be, either we sell the company and have no ties to it, or you agree to marry their son and have full control of what happens to it. Kagome, the Takahashi's are very kind and thoughtful to even give us an opportunity to live without money problems."
Nodding, Kagome gave her mom a small smile, "okay, let me think and then I'll have an answer by tomorrow night."
Kiori stood up and kissed her daughter on the forehead, "goodnight sweetheart, I love you."
"Love you too, Mom."
At school the next day, InuYasha tried to act nonchalant, but inside he was nervous about seeing Kagome. What would her answer be?
Just then, she strolled in looking as beautiful as ever. Spotting each other, she couldn't stop her cheeks from flushing, but she found it difficult to figure out if it was out of anger or because he was devilishly handsome…maybe a bit of both. He smiled, waved, and she rolled her eyes as she took her seat. Turning around, he was thankful she would still look at him at all.
"Kagome, I'm sorry, I had no idea my parents were going to do that."
"I'm thankful to them for wanting to help us out."
Okay, her comment didn't confirm or deny the engagement, "so are you going to take the offer?"
Wow, screw small talk and let's get down to business.
"I, um, I don't know yet. I still have until tonight to make my decision."
"Yeah, of course."
He turned back around and class finally started.
The rest of the day, InuYasha was getting irritated as Kagome seemed to ignore him on purpose! Well, guess he got his answer.
After work, Kagome had deja vu as she walked into the living room and saw everyone sitting exactly where they were the other night. Taking a seat, she smiled and clasped her mom's hand.
InuYasha held his breath for what seemed like forever, then she finally spoke, "I've given it a lot of thought and I have decided to…accept the engagement."
The Takahashi's, and her mom, seemed delighted as Kagome and InuYasha signed the engagement contract. InuTashio glanced at his cellphone, "look at the time, we need to get InuYasha home so he can pack. Mrs. Higurashi, you'll make sure Kagome is ready to go as well?"
Kiori nodded her head and ushered Kagome out the door, "you go with them and I'll meet you at the hotel in a little while."
Before she could retort, Kagome was trapped in the back seat with her new fiancé, "what's this about a hotel?"
Izayoi spoke first, "you and InuYasha will be living together for now on, that way you get to spend a lot of time with each other. It may be a long shot, but wouldn't it be wonderful if you two wanted to be together someday? I rather like the thought of that."
Not knowing what to say, Kagome chose to stay silent and stared out the window.
When they arrived at InuYasha's house, Kagome followed them inside and was asked by his mother to help him get his things together. InuYasha tried to say no, but Kagome was already up the stairs, "are you coming?"
He followed and showed her where his room was. Sitting down on the bed, Kagome looked around with a little smirk, "so, is it safe to say you may be a bit of a geek?"
Looking around his room, he shrugged, "just anime, manga, and videogames."
She was pleasantly surprised to not find hot chick posters or dirty magazines as she cleared off the tops of his dresser and table.
"This is different from what I thought a teenage boy's room would look like."
He peered out from his bathroom to see her taking his manga off the shelf, making sure they stayed in chronological order, which made him grin.
"So, how is it different?"
She caught an empty duffle bag InuYasha tossed her, "I don't know, I guess I thought all boys were sex-crazed lunatics."
"That's stereotyping."
"Okay, okay, I just know they think about sex a lot."
"That's true."
"Then where are the dirty mags, creepy sexy anime girl sculptures, the videos you don't let anyone know you have?"
Chuckling, InuYasha pushed on his suitcase to make his clothes fit, "I don't have any of that. As demons, we try to avoid things that make us think about sex."
"Oh, I get it! Because dog-demons mate for life, so if you have sex, then it's a done deal…you're screwed for life."
"You go it."
Squinting her eyes, she tilted her head and thought for a second, "so, living together won't be tempting for you?"
Turning his back to her, he gulped and grabbed his stuff from the nightstand, "nah, I've got amazing self-control, so your virtue is safe…for now."
Blushing, Kagome had forgotten what usually happens on a wedding night, "well, what if I wasn't a virgin? Would that matter to you?"
Rolling his eyes, he sat on the bed with her, "that's a moot point, since you are. We demons can tell that kind of thing."
"That's a little creepy."
"Only because you know now."
Standing up, she slung the duffle bag over her shoulder, "well, let's get to our new home."
Grabbing the suitcase, he followed her down the stairs and to the car, placing the luggage in the trunk.
His parents locked up and drove them to the hotel where they were escorted to their penthouse suite. The bellhop put down InuYasha's and Kagome's luggage, which was taken their earlier. Kiori hugged her daughter, giving her a gentle squeeze, "I'm so proud of you, and I know that you'll be happy."
"Thank you, Mom."
Once everyone left, they glanced over at each other before looking around their new home. Kagome walked to the living room and sat on the couch, "so what do you want to do now?"
Sitting down next to her, he turned the TV on, "we could watch a movie; what are you in the mood for?"
Jumping up Kagome rifled through her bags, "yes! She packed it!"
He seemed confused, but also amused at her happiness, until she came back with a game, "what did you grab?"
"It's a card game of sorts. My friend that moved away, Sango, and I played it to see how well we knew each other, but it's true purpose, is to help get to know someone."
Now, he was anxious to play, after all, he did want to know her better.
"Okay, let's do it."
The two stayed up most of the night, talking and laughing at each other. Both fell asleep with joyful thoughts of their future together.