(a/n:
Thanks for pointing out the mistake about Kagome's last name. ^_^. And thanks
to everyone who reviewed! I never expected so many people to be interested in
this fic, since there are so many other good ones out
there. I'm sorry about the long chapter wait, but I had an IB oral and a few
exams, so I was pretty busy. But hey, this chapter is worth the wait!)
^
Chapter Two: Not Possible...But Starting to Be.
^
The Past
" He did what?!" Sango broke
her cool exterior as she leapt up and slammed her hands on the table. Kagome
jumped slightly, but then her heart resumed to its normal, slow pace. She
sighed and nodded, moving her hands dismissively as she spoke.
" It really doesn't matter, Sango.
I've made up my mind." But even as she said the words, they weren't true
to her. The doubt and anxiety continued to scratch her, and she knew soon there
would be nothing left.
" So...You're going to leave?"
"...Yes."
Sango's eyes flickered doubtfully, and she leaned
over the table, frowning.
" Kagome, you are younger than I am. I'm worried about
you. Such a decision shouldn't be put--"
" I'm fine," Kagome said, cutting in. But it was
more to reassure herself then her friend. " My
life isn't here. It was never meant to be. And Inuyasha...he..."
Truth
be told, he had never directly admitted to being in
love with her. That haunting shadow of Kikyo was
always with him. He had told her that she was not his former love, but
sometimes when he looked at her, she couldn't help but to wonder who he was
looking at. Yet yesterday...when he blurted out his supposed feelings
(obviously under the influence of drugs), Kagome realized that Kikyo had left him...and she had taken her place.
She
had been avoiding him since yesterday, feeling confused about her own feelings
regarding him and a bit in shock. The answer to her problems had been so
definite before. Inuyasha didn't really need her...or
so she thought. There was always the possibility of putting her own feelings
aside, but if what Inuyasha felt was true, how could
she leave him?
" Kagome, Inuyasha is in love
with you," Sango broke in as she got up from the
floor. " You may leave him, but you both will be
miserable."
" Whoever said that I'm in love with him?" Kagome
cried out, but she supposed that she had always known she was in love with the hanyou.
" That sounds just like me, when I denied my feelings
toward Miroku." Sango
had been married to the priest for three months, not that it changed his
lecherous ways. And Sango continued to beat him
senselessly.
" A love-hate relationship," Kagome muttered,
getting up as well. She stretched out her arms, remembering how Inuyasha had despised her when they first met. For her, the
feeling was mutual. How had it turned to love? She had to break it, and fast.
Whatever feelings Inuyasha felt had to be destroyed. " Sango, is Miroku around?"
" He should be exorcizing a demon nearby." Sango didn't even look up from the armor she was crafting. " But Kagome...please don't take our advice on
this." Now she lifted her head to reveal worried dark eyes. " Listen to yourself, or you'll deeply regret it."
^
Kagome's Apartment in Ropongi
Hills
For
the first time in weeks, Reika had managed to ensnare
Kagome to listen to her news. But even as she began to speak, Kagome continued
to type in her laptop and give a sad dramatization of listening. It was not
until Reika said that she was leaving that Kagome
stopped nodding.
"You
can't be serious!"
Reika shrugged, but didn't seem nearly as distraught as
Kagome was.
" I got the job overseas. But don't look so sad! I'm
not leaving for a month!"
` "
How am I supposed to find someone decent to room with me in that much
time?" Kagome asked, slamming her laptop shut. She hoped she could
convince Reika to stay, but soon the haunting of
someone trying to do the same to her emerged. "Actually, never mind. There's a
high demand for housing in
"Thanks
Kagome!" Reika hugged her roommate, and it took
everything Kagome had to hug her back. After, Reika
sat back down on the couch next tp Kagome and
grinned.
"What?"
Kagome questioned, not liking the look she was receiving.
"Nakamura."
At
the mentioning of that name, Kagome shuddered. Her boss of two weeks so far had
been nothing but a pest, and that was putting the situation lightly. Everyday
he pestered her on the stories she worked on, and the only articles he felt
that she was fit to write were ads for Sunday Shrines. It was amazing how he
could find over twenty flaws in a 200 word article. That man aggravated Kagome
so much that she couldn't even look at him.
"What
about him?"
Reika winked, and then began to fiddle with the wires on
Kagome's laptop. "He's very good looking. I heard that he's one of
"So?"
To be honest, Kagome had never directly looked at Tsutomu. There was a vague
image in her head of a man in his early twenties, messy hair that fell over his
eyes...basically, a man like every other salary man. Or maybe she was making it
all up. But there was something about him, when she had first met him in the
elevator. That look he had given her almost caused her to cry out, but she
didn't know why.
"Kagome,
you look pale. Are you catching something?"
"I....I
need to get some sleep." Hastily she got up, not caring that she tipped
over Reika's tea sitting on the table. She needed to
sleep. She needed to dream. She needed to see him again.
^
"This
is absolutely....Well, I don't understand why....alright, fine." Tsutomu
slammed down the phone and hissed, " Bastard."
He was seething worse than ever when a knock interrupted his hateful thoughts.
Kagome didn't wait for him to let her in, and once inside, she threw a manila
folder on his desk.
"It's
done."
They
stared at each other for a few moments before Tsutomu grabbed the folder and
leafed through it. As he read, he muttered comments to himself, accompanied by
the seldom swear.
"Is
my work that bad?" Kagome asked sarcastically when Tsutomu flung her
folder behind him. Papers scattered, some drifted down slowly in a lazy dance.
Meanwhile, Tsutomu was clutching the sides of his desk and appearing slightly crazed.
When Kagome put her hand on his shoulder, he seemed to snap to reality. Dusting
off his suit, he acted as if nothing had happened.
Tsutomu
sat in his desk and began to type on his computer ,
but stopped when he noticed Kagome still standing in his office.
"You
may leave now," he said coldly before continuing to type. Kagome made an
irritated sound.
"What
just happened here?" she asked, pointing to the mayhem of papers around
them. Tsutomu paused and gave Kagome a cold glare that she failed to acknowledge.
"Nothing."
"Liar."
Deciding
to ignore her, Tsutomu resumed working but couldn't help being bothered by her
standing near him with that look on her face. He had managed to type out a
sentence before having to shout at Kagome to leave. But she didn't move.
"The
company is broke, alright?"
Victory
was not the correct word for Kagome to grasp. Instead, she felt like an idiot
having pried into such a tremendous cause. It was a fact that the company was
under Tsutomu entirely, which was strange considering that he was only a few
years older than she was. If the company was sunk, than so
was he.
"Tokyo
Press is the bestselling paper in
Tsutomu
gave a look that could have hardened mercury. Silent, he pointed to the door.
Kagome, though, was not going to give up that easily.
"I
can help you!" she offered. "You just need a story that would grab readers attention."
"I
hardly think I should be taking advice from someone who has been working in
this business for less than a month."
Repressing
the urge to throw a paperweight at him, Kagome gave a tense smile and
continued.
"Why don't you let me do a story on the new
exhibit at the museum?"
Tsutomu
made an odd face, and then seemed to have yet another internal struggle with
himself. Kagome never thought that she was entirely on the side of sanity, but
Tsutomu was starting to seem far off the edge. She decided to wait patiently,
but when ten minutes passed without him saying anything, she slammed her hands
on his desk. Tsutomu jumped and then growled.
"What
the hell do you think you're doing?!" he demanded, trying to push Kagome's
hands off of his desk.
"Just
give me an answer, that's all I want!"
"...Fine.
But on one exception."
"Alright..."
"I'm
coming with you."
Kagome
smiled and stood up straight. "Great." Yet inside, she was screaming and
planning to burn her boss in effigy. Obviously, he never trusted her with this
assignment but she would manage with him following her around constantly. Over
the years, she had learned to work with people she didn't particularly like. A
pang suddenly hit her as the remembrance of her first love emerged.
"Inuyasha..." she whispered, clutching the front of her
blouse.
"What
was that?"
Kagome
stiffened and turned around slowly to see Tsutomu giving her another one of his
demeaning looks.
"N-nothing! Ha ha
ha!"
His
look never faltered. Leaning back in his chair, he gave orders to Kagome to
meet him the next morning at the
" I have a feeling that we'll find something important
there..." Tsutomu muttered, running his hands through his hair. " And I think it'll either ruin me, or put Tokyo Press back at the tops."
^
The Past
"Miroku?"
It
was dark out, and although Kagome tried to be brave, she couldn't help but to wonder
what sort of demon may be lurking nearby. Usually if she was out, she had a
companion with her, but today she had been foolish enough to pretend that she
had no need for anyone. Sango had offered to
accompany her, yet Kagome decided to take everyone's advice to heart and think,
for once.
Nearby,
a creature howled. Kagome failed to tell whether it was demon or animal, but
either way, she had no desire to run into it. Inside, she cursed Inuyasha. If he hadn't blocked the well, then she would
have no need to find Miroku and ask for his help to
remove everything that was piled up.
And
it didn't help that she couldn't see a single thing.
Fumbling
through the blackness, Kagome decided to concentrate on her plan once she had
gotten home. The well would have to be boarded up, with something that would
prevent Inuyasha from coming through. But what? The man was persistent, and his strength had
increased over the years. There was most likely nothing which would prevent his
claws from tearing open the gateway to time, and once more into her life.
Kagome wondered about titanium metal, but doubted she could afford it.
Stopping,
Kagome tried not to acknowledge the plan which had been slithering through her
mind like a wraith. Yet now, it seemed the only choice. The emotions that Inuyasha had not felt in five hundred years would -no, must-
be destroyed. Fingers grasping a chain around her neck, she
attempted to prevent tears from overcoming her destination. But the darkness
and now a blurred vision left her venerable, and weak. The thought of him
coming to protect her suddenly emerged, and she shook her head free of all
negative thoughts. He had done enough for her; it was time for the both of them
to forget and move on.
Now
continuing at her vivid pace, Kagome found herself in the heart of the woods.
Unable to discern how she had arrived there, Kagome turned to go back, but was
surprised when a figure blocked her path. In the dim moonlight, the only thing
she could distinguish was snowy hair.
" Inuyasha....is that
you?" Kagome asked, taking a nervous step backward. Something told her to
run, but she couldn't. She was immobilized. The darkness remained silent and as if consuming her. Then,
a soft voice. She knew this voice. In a moment, it could become malevolent and make
one feel as if blood was trickling down their back.
"...No."
And
from the black, he stepped out.
Sesshoumaru.
^
November 17
National
"Late."
Tsutomu
tapped his watch impatiently and glared at Kagome. She glared at him with equal
viciousness and they remained like that for a few minutes before the museum
coordinator cleared his throat.
"Mr.
Nakamura and Ms..."
"Higurashi."
"Yes,
the museum will be closed today so you will be able to work in peace. I must
say that it's an honor to work for you, Mr. Nakamura," stuttered the man before
giving a deep bow. Kagome thought that if he bowed any lower, his back would
break. Tsutomu, though, barely acknowledged this respect and waved his hand
dismissively.
"Thank
you, you may leave now."
Once
the man was out of site, Kagome, acting entirely on reflex, kicked Tsutomu in
the leg. When he shouted out, she nearly shouted herself, now coming to the
realization that she had kicked her boss.
"What
the hell is wrong with you?!" Tsutomu shouted before letting out a series of
swears. Kagome could feel her anger begin to rise and she started to shout at
him herself.
"How
could you be so inconsiderate to that man? If he had bowed any lower, he could
have been hurt!"
Ignoring her complaints, Tsutomu rubbed his
leg one last time and began to walk into the museum. Kagome's eyes burned holes
into his back, but he failed to notice.
"Of
all the stupid..." she muttered before following him.
The
museum truly was isolated; the only two souls wandering through the vacant
halls were them. Tsutomu paused at some artifacts, but shook his head almost
mournfully. Kagome offered some fabrics from
"What
are you looking for?" she demanded, taking a break near some dinosaur
skeletons. "We've circled this place countless times!"
Tsutomu,
tired himself, leaned against a model triceratops and sighed deeply.
"I
don't know...I act purely on instinct. When I see it, I'll know."
As he remained brooding against the
prehistoric animal, Kagome wondered whether Reika was
right about him being handsome. His face seemed to have a permanent scowl, and
his hair was messy, as she had remembered. Tilting over, Kagome tried to see
his eyes, but failed. Instead, Tsutomu looked up and frowned.
"What
are you doing?"
"Stretching?"
He
shook his head in pity, and began to walk out of the dinosaur exhibit. Kagome
sighed before following, all the while wondering how she always managed to make
a fool out of herself when she was with him. Maybe because he
was her boss. Or maybe because he could never learn to
lighten up. If he wasn't so uptight, arrogant, and mean then she would
have no reason to...
Kagome
suddenly stopped, her heart beating too rapidly for her to take another step.
It couldn't be...could it? The way he acted, the way he spoke...exactly like him. But souls...they were the same, but the
person was completely different. It wasn't possible. Kagome was nothing like Kikyo. So Tsutomu couldn't be...
"Hurry
up, will you? I think I found something!"
Forcing
herself to move out of curiosity, Kagome made her way toward Tsutomu. His
appearance as well was akin to him. How could she have not noticed it before?
He was a splitting duplicate of Inuyasha when he was
human during the full moon. That messy hair, scowling lips...and eyes...That
was one thing she was unsure of. Now running, Kagome directly smashed against
Tsutomu.
"What
is with you?" he asked. Not waiting for an answer, he pointed to a
painting of a priestess holding a crystal. "That is the Shikon Shard. It's exactly what I've been looking
for!"
In
watching his excited state, Kagome could feel her head spinning. This was
becoming too strange, too coincidental. Everything was happening too fast,
adding up at an incredible pace. First his attitude, then his
appearance, now this bizarre infatuation with the Shikon
Shard? There was only one last thing that could confirm her suspicions.
"Tsutomu."
When
he looked at her, she suddenly felt her legs grow weak. Those
eyes. Sharp, defiant...violet. No one she knew
in
^
(a/n: Reviews? If
you would like me to email you an update for every chapter, just put *yes* in
your review. Thanks!)