Thank you again for all the motivating reviews!
You guys have been great sticking with me, and all. It's nice to have fans ^_^
And now: On with Chapter 7!
Love, Honey Bee
Chapter 7 Newfound Feelings/ A Secret Revealed
A day later. . .
Kagome read over the letter from the publishing company once again. Despite her argument with InuYasha, she was still very excited about her book being published.
She folded the letter back up, a smile of contentment on her lips. She reached for its envelope, and she saw another letter sticking out from its opening.
How had she missed that?
She supposed she hadn't seen it due to her haste in opening the letter. She took it out and unfolded the piece of paper. It was handwritten, and on personal stationary.
At the top of the stationary, neatly printed in dark red ink, was "Tokunawa Sesshoumaru: Cheif Editor."
Kagome let out a tiny gasp. So he was her editor. How totally ironic.
The letter formally requested a meeting for the next Tuesday, at 10:00 a.m.
He wanted to meet with her. Should she go?
She put both letters back in their envelopes, and chewed on her bottom lip. Should she go. . . ?
She sighed. InuYasha would be furious. . .
Wait. Why should he care? After all, they weren't together anymore. He didn't even have to know!
She turned back to her computer she'd been working at and opened her writing program.
At the top of the page she formally typed:
"Tokunawa Sesshoumaru,
I accept your request to meet Tuesday, August the 4th, at 10:00 a.m. . . ."
And at the end of the letter she signed it:
"Sincerely,
Ito Hanyou"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sesshoumaru tapped anxiously on his desk. He checked his watch once again.
Ito Hanyou was 10 minutes late.
He'd wanted to meet the woman so badly he had actually sent her a handwritten letter, and she had ever so formally replied saying she would be here.
So where was she?
Five more minutes passed.
Sesshoumaru hated tardiness.
How could someone so literate be so--
There was a knock at his door.
Finally!
"You may come in." he replied to the other side, trying not to sound too agitated.
"Hi! Sorry I'm late, the traffic was hell- "
"Higurashi?! What the hell are you doing here? I have a very important meeting!"
The girl smiled. What the hell was she doing?
"Yeah," she replied, "with me."
"What do you mean?"
She couldn't possibly mean she was. . .
"I am Ito Hanyou. Are you surprised? I knew you would be. You should have seen how surprised I was when I found out you, of all people, were my editor!" She laughed nervously, cleared her throat, and sat down.
"Well, " Sesshoumaru said, baffled at how small the world was, "I must be honest with you, Higurashi. This is not what I expected." His hands searched for something to do, and he straitened the papers on his desk.
Why was this disrupting him so?
He went on. "I. . . enjoyed your story. . . tremendously. You happen to be a very excellent writer. I asked you here to discuss your biography, that will be at the end of the book- "
"Novel, " she corrected him.
He cleared his throat. "Novel, and ways to promote the novel itself."
Kagome raised her eyebrows. "Promote it?"
"Yes, since you are unknown, people will be hesitant at buying the novel, at first. We need to promote it in order to sell it, obviously. So- "
"So, you mean like, on the Internet, and billboards?"
"Well, not billboards, but yes, on the Internet. And we can even hold a benefit event, um, but that depends on how well the book sells within the first week."
'Um?' Had he just said 'Um?' Why was he so nervous about this?
Was he actually growing respect for Kagome now that he knew who she was? Possibly. . .
"Personally," Sesshoumaru went on, "I think your novel will be very popular. Books have been rather boring nowadays - I should know - and I think a change is just what we were in for. Demons, magic jewels, giant weapons made out of fangs. . . "
Kagome smiled and looked down at her crossed legs. "Yes, I just really wanted to write something different. I've always been interested in the feudal era. It was a big project for me."
"I imagine so. Now, I have some contracts here. . . "
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kagome returned to the shop, and worked her way through the usual "Hey's" and How'd it go's." She joined Sango at their table and started work.
She just sat and smiled, nearly exploding inside, she so badly wanted to tell Sango how the meeting went.
Sango looked at her and raised her eyebrows. "So. . . what happened?!" she laughed. "Did you get to meet your editor? What's he like? How did it go?!"
"Yes, I met my editor! Only. . . you are not going to believe who it is!"
Sango grabbed Kagome's arm and tugged on it. "Who, Kagome-chan, tell me before I burst!"
"It's Sesshoumaru."
"No." Sango gasped. "No! No way! That's too weird!"
"Not really. He's an Editor and I'm a writer, and we both just happen to live in the same city!" Kagome exclaimed. "I couldn't believe it either, but it's very true."
"Really?" a male voice asked.
Both girls froze. InuYasha had been standing behind them the entire time. Sango turned to face him while Kagome just stared at the table.
Damn! she thought.
"So, you'll be seeing a lot of my brother, now. How ironic, Kagome. It really is ironic. Can I talk to you alone?"
"No, InuYasha, I have work to do."
"Later, then?"
"I'll be busy later. I have a novel being published, you know- "
"I can take a hint, Kagome. Forget about it." he sighed and walked away.
"Ouch," Sango said. "You guys must've had some fight. You should go talk to him, Kagome."
"No, " she looked at her friend, "he's being too selfish."
"How?"
"Let's not talk about it right now, ne? We really should get our work done."
Sango looked down at the table and continued working at Kagome's suggestion.
Minutes went by, and Kagome spoke again. "I'm happy for you and Miroku. I wanted you two to be together so badly! I'm so glad you got everything settled."
Sango sighed. "Me, too. Things are back to normal, now. . . for *us* anyway." She raised her eyebrows at Kagome. Kagome made a face.
"Come on, Kagome. Talk to me. How is InuYasha being selfish?"
Kouga had suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of them. "I knew you two wouldn't last. " he said, referring Sango's last statement.
"Gah!" Sango yelled, "What is it with you men! Can't we just have a normal conversation without being interrupted?!"
Kouga looked a little taken aback by Sango's outburst and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I'm sorry."
"No, I am." Sango apologized, sighing.
Kagome looked at Kouga. "I'm going to ignore what you said. What do you want?"
"Lunch. Would you like to join me?"
Kagome gave him a We're-Not-Together-Anymore-Stupid look and crossed her own arms in front of her.
"As friends!" he protested, holding his hands up reassuringly.
Kagome looked at Sango, and Sango shrugged. "He said 'as friends'."
Kagome looked back at Kouga and sighed, defeated. "Alright."
"Okay," he smiled honestly, "see you at twelve."
"Bye." she said weakly as she watched him leave for his last few deliveries before lunch.
"Awwwwww. . . " Sango began.
"No, stop it, Sango! There's nothing cute about it!"
"Yes there is! He's so sweet. He wants to be friends with you even after you dumped him. I think it was real nice of you to accept, Kagome."
"Yeah, yeah."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lunchtime came, and Kouga once again found Kagome. "Let's go, I'm hungry!" He said with a friendly lightness.
"Okay, okay! Just two more seconds!" Kagome tied the bow carefully onto her last package before lunch and exclaimed, "Done!"
They climbed into Kouga's truck and he took her to McDonald's, of all places. When they drove up, Kagome pouted playfully. "Aw, no more special treatment?"
"Nope, " Kouga replied, "Kouga's poor today."
Kagome giggled.
They climbed out of the truck and went inside. It was a usual, dusty, grungy McDonald's, but the french fries smelled so good, neither of them cared. When they got to the front of the line and took their orders, Kagome got her money out of her purse. Kouga opened his mouth argue, because he was so used to paying for her. Kagome just gave him a knowing look and repeated, "As friends." He smiled and (amazingly) allowed her to pay for herself.
They got their food and found a small table for two, right behind the stand with condiments.
When Kagome sat down, she looked at her food, rubbed her hands together and said, "Yummy!"
Kouga leaned his chin in his hand and smiled at her.
She looked back, only she didn't smile. Instead, she squinted her eyes suspiciously and asked him seriously, "There aren't any 'ulterior motives' behind inviting me to lunch, are there?"
"Eh?! No! No. . . uh. . . " he picked up his hamburger, "I. . . " Kouga sighed, and put the sloppy hamburger back down. "Yes, there are."
"Kouga!"
"I'm sorry, I just- "
"Kouga, you said 'as friends'; you lied!" A few heads turned to look at them, and they lowered their voices.
"No, that's not it!"
Kagome took a deep breath and tried to relax. "All right. What is it?"
"I'm confused, about why we broke up. I wanted to get your side of the story. I didn't know if it was something I did, or-"
"Oh, Kouga, it was nothing you did!"
"Then what was it?"
"I told you. . . it *was* InuYasha." She emphasized "was" with a little resentment.
"Right; him again."
"Well, there was nothing I could do about it! I couldn't just be unhappy!"
"I know, Kagome, I- I'm sorry." He now looked down at the table and blushed at his next revelation. "Everything was going so great, and. . . well, I actually thought, maybe you loved me, Kagome. I was even *considering* asking you. . ."
Kagome's eyes widened. "Asking me what?"
"Now," Kouga explained, "I know we'd only been dating for about two months, but- well, if everything went right, I was going to ask you to. . . marry me."
Marry him?!
"Are you insane?!" Kagome gasped, slapped her hand over her mouth, then silently wished she could take the question back.
Kouga flushed, looked at her irritably and whispered, trying not to cause a scene. "I thought you loved me, Kagome! How would I have known?! Now I'm glad I didn't ask you. . . damn, would that have been embarrassing," he finished to himself.
Kagome covered her mouth with her hand, then wiped tiredly at her eye. "Kouga. I knew you felt - strongly - for me, I just had no clue you were in *love* with me. . . why didn't you tell me?"
"I was giving you - and myself - *time*. I didn't want to rush into anything. I guess I should've swept you off your feet while I had the chance."
He wouldn't look at her.
He was too embarrassed now that everything he'd been planning was out in the open.
Kouga knew he no longer had a chance with Kagome, and he'd been honest when telling her he just wanted to know her side of the story. But he still hurt inside; he wasn't over her yet.
He finally looked at her when she looked away, and now she looked down at the table. "I feel like I should be sorry," she said.
"Are you?"
"I don't know. I'm sorry I had to hurt you; but I don't know if I'm sorry for leaving you."
"Just tell me this?"
Kagome looked up at him curiously. Kouga continued. "Were you at least happy with me? Did I make you happy?"
She smiled. "For a little while, yes. I was very happy. But you just weren't for me, Kouga. Maybe you felt like you were, but I after a while. . . I didn't."
"Because of 'him.'"
"Yes. . . because of InuYasha."
They both felt overwhelmingly relived now that everything was settled between them. They let out their breaths, finally - and nervously - smiled at each other, changed the subject, and ate their lunch.
Kouga knew it would still take some time getting over her, but he had made peace with the fact, and actually started to look forward to being single again.
He would just save the ring he bought for the next lucky girl.
* Ah! So, how was that? Personally, I LOVE this chapter. Everything starts falling into place here. I am *so* excited about writing the rest of the fic., that you fans should be able to excpect another update pretty soon! And don't forget your three R's:
REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! ^_^
You guys have been great sticking with me, and all. It's nice to have fans ^_^
And now: On with Chapter 7!
Love, Honey Bee
Chapter 7 Newfound Feelings/ A Secret Revealed
A day later. . .
Kagome read over the letter from the publishing company once again. Despite her argument with InuYasha, she was still very excited about her book being published.
She folded the letter back up, a smile of contentment on her lips. She reached for its envelope, and she saw another letter sticking out from its opening.
How had she missed that?
She supposed she hadn't seen it due to her haste in opening the letter. She took it out and unfolded the piece of paper. It was handwritten, and on personal stationary.
At the top of the stationary, neatly printed in dark red ink, was "Tokunawa Sesshoumaru: Cheif Editor."
Kagome let out a tiny gasp. So he was her editor. How totally ironic.
The letter formally requested a meeting for the next Tuesday, at 10:00 a.m.
He wanted to meet with her. Should she go?
She put both letters back in their envelopes, and chewed on her bottom lip. Should she go. . . ?
She sighed. InuYasha would be furious. . .
Wait. Why should he care? After all, they weren't together anymore. He didn't even have to know!
She turned back to her computer she'd been working at and opened her writing program.
At the top of the page she formally typed:
"Tokunawa Sesshoumaru,
I accept your request to meet Tuesday, August the 4th, at 10:00 a.m. . . ."
And at the end of the letter she signed it:
"Sincerely,
Ito Hanyou"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sesshoumaru tapped anxiously on his desk. He checked his watch once again.
Ito Hanyou was 10 minutes late.
He'd wanted to meet the woman so badly he had actually sent her a handwritten letter, and she had ever so formally replied saying she would be here.
So where was she?
Five more minutes passed.
Sesshoumaru hated tardiness.
How could someone so literate be so--
There was a knock at his door.
Finally!
"You may come in." he replied to the other side, trying not to sound too agitated.
"Hi! Sorry I'm late, the traffic was hell- "
"Higurashi?! What the hell are you doing here? I have a very important meeting!"
The girl smiled. What the hell was she doing?
"Yeah," she replied, "with me."
"What do you mean?"
She couldn't possibly mean she was. . .
"I am Ito Hanyou. Are you surprised? I knew you would be. You should have seen how surprised I was when I found out you, of all people, were my editor!" She laughed nervously, cleared her throat, and sat down.
"Well, " Sesshoumaru said, baffled at how small the world was, "I must be honest with you, Higurashi. This is not what I expected." His hands searched for something to do, and he straitened the papers on his desk.
Why was this disrupting him so?
He went on. "I. . . enjoyed your story. . . tremendously. You happen to be a very excellent writer. I asked you here to discuss your biography, that will be at the end of the book- "
"Novel, " she corrected him.
He cleared his throat. "Novel, and ways to promote the novel itself."
Kagome raised her eyebrows. "Promote it?"
"Yes, since you are unknown, people will be hesitant at buying the novel, at first. We need to promote it in order to sell it, obviously. So- "
"So, you mean like, on the Internet, and billboards?"
"Well, not billboards, but yes, on the Internet. And we can even hold a benefit event, um, but that depends on how well the book sells within the first week."
'Um?' Had he just said 'Um?' Why was he so nervous about this?
Was he actually growing respect for Kagome now that he knew who she was? Possibly. . .
"Personally," Sesshoumaru went on, "I think your novel will be very popular. Books have been rather boring nowadays - I should know - and I think a change is just what we were in for. Demons, magic jewels, giant weapons made out of fangs. . . "
Kagome smiled and looked down at her crossed legs. "Yes, I just really wanted to write something different. I've always been interested in the feudal era. It was a big project for me."
"I imagine so. Now, I have some contracts here. . . "
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kagome returned to the shop, and worked her way through the usual "Hey's" and How'd it go's." She joined Sango at their table and started work.
She just sat and smiled, nearly exploding inside, she so badly wanted to tell Sango how the meeting went.
Sango looked at her and raised her eyebrows. "So. . . what happened?!" she laughed. "Did you get to meet your editor? What's he like? How did it go?!"
"Yes, I met my editor! Only. . . you are not going to believe who it is!"
Sango grabbed Kagome's arm and tugged on it. "Who, Kagome-chan, tell me before I burst!"
"It's Sesshoumaru."
"No." Sango gasped. "No! No way! That's too weird!"
"Not really. He's an Editor and I'm a writer, and we both just happen to live in the same city!" Kagome exclaimed. "I couldn't believe it either, but it's very true."
"Really?" a male voice asked.
Both girls froze. InuYasha had been standing behind them the entire time. Sango turned to face him while Kagome just stared at the table.
Damn! she thought.
"So, you'll be seeing a lot of my brother, now. How ironic, Kagome. It really is ironic. Can I talk to you alone?"
"No, InuYasha, I have work to do."
"Later, then?"
"I'll be busy later. I have a novel being published, you know- "
"I can take a hint, Kagome. Forget about it." he sighed and walked away.
"Ouch," Sango said. "You guys must've had some fight. You should go talk to him, Kagome."
"No, " she looked at her friend, "he's being too selfish."
"How?"
"Let's not talk about it right now, ne? We really should get our work done."
Sango looked down at the table and continued working at Kagome's suggestion.
Minutes went by, and Kagome spoke again. "I'm happy for you and Miroku. I wanted you two to be together so badly! I'm so glad you got everything settled."
Sango sighed. "Me, too. Things are back to normal, now. . . for *us* anyway." She raised her eyebrows at Kagome. Kagome made a face.
"Come on, Kagome. Talk to me. How is InuYasha being selfish?"
Kouga had suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of them. "I knew you two wouldn't last. " he said, referring Sango's last statement.
"Gah!" Sango yelled, "What is it with you men! Can't we just have a normal conversation without being interrupted?!"
Kouga looked a little taken aback by Sango's outburst and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I'm sorry."
"No, I am." Sango apologized, sighing.
Kagome looked at Kouga. "I'm going to ignore what you said. What do you want?"
"Lunch. Would you like to join me?"
Kagome gave him a We're-Not-Together-Anymore-Stupid look and crossed her own arms in front of her.
"As friends!" he protested, holding his hands up reassuringly.
Kagome looked at Sango, and Sango shrugged. "He said 'as friends'."
Kagome looked back at Kouga and sighed, defeated. "Alright."
"Okay," he smiled honestly, "see you at twelve."
"Bye." she said weakly as she watched him leave for his last few deliveries before lunch.
"Awwwwww. . . " Sango began.
"No, stop it, Sango! There's nothing cute about it!"
"Yes there is! He's so sweet. He wants to be friends with you even after you dumped him. I think it was real nice of you to accept, Kagome."
"Yeah, yeah."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lunchtime came, and Kouga once again found Kagome. "Let's go, I'm hungry!" He said with a friendly lightness.
"Okay, okay! Just two more seconds!" Kagome tied the bow carefully onto her last package before lunch and exclaimed, "Done!"
They climbed into Kouga's truck and he took her to McDonald's, of all places. When they drove up, Kagome pouted playfully. "Aw, no more special treatment?"
"Nope, " Kouga replied, "Kouga's poor today."
Kagome giggled.
They climbed out of the truck and went inside. It was a usual, dusty, grungy McDonald's, but the french fries smelled so good, neither of them cared. When they got to the front of the line and took their orders, Kagome got her money out of her purse. Kouga opened his mouth argue, because he was so used to paying for her. Kagome just gave him a knowing look and repeated, "As friends." He smiled and (amazingly) allowed her to pay for herself.
They got their food and found a small table for two, right behind the stand with condiments.
When Kagome sat down, she looked at her food, rubbed her hands together and said, "Yummy!"
Kouga leaned his chin in his hand and smiled at her.
She looked back, only she didn't smile. Instead, she squinted her eyes suspiciously and asked him seriously, "There aren't any 'ulterior motives' behind inviting me to lunch, are there?"
"Eh?! No! No. . . uh. . . " he picked up his hamburger, "I. . . " Kouga sighed, and put the sloppy hamburger back down. "Yes, there are."
"Kouga!"
"I'm sorry, I just- "
"Kouga, you said 'as friends'; you lied!" A few heads turned to look at them, and they lowered their voices.
"No, that's not it!"
Kagome took a deep breath and tried to relax. "All right. What is it?"
"I'm confused, about why we broke up. I wanted to get your side of the story. I didn't know if it was something I did, or-"
"Oh, Kouga, it was nothing you did!"
"Then what was it?"
"I told you. . . it *was* InuYasha." She emphasized "was" with a little resentment.
"Right; him again."
"Well, there was nothing I could do about it! I couldn't just be unhappy!"
"I know, Kagome, I- I'm sorry." He now looked down at the table and blushed at his next revelation. "Everything was going so great, and. . . well, I actually thought, maybe you loved me, Kagome. I was even *considering* asking you. . ."
Kagome's eyes widened. "Asking me what?"
"Now," Kouga explained, "I know we'd only been dating for about two months, but- well, if everything went right, I was going to ask you to. . . marry me."
Marry him?!
"Are you insane?!" Kagome gasped, slapped her hand over her mouth, then silently wished she could take the question back.
Kouga flushed, looked at her irritably and whispered, trying not to cause a scene. "I thought you loved me, Kagome! How would I have known?! Now I'm glad I didn't ask you. . . damn, would that have been embarrassing," he finished to himself.
Kagome covered her mouth with her hand, then wiped tiredly at her eye. "Kouga. I knew you felt - strongly - for me, I just had no clue you were in *love* with me. . . why didn't you tell me?"
"I was giving you - and myself - *time*. I didn't want to rush into anything. I guess I should've swept you off your feet while I had the chance."
He wouldn't look at her.
He was too embarrassed now that everything he'd been planning was out in the open.
Kouga knew he no longer had a chance with Kagome, and he'd been honest when telling her he just wanted to know her side of the story. But he still hurt inside; he wasn't over her yet.
He finally looked at her when she looked away, and now she looked down at the table. "I feel like I should be sorry," she said.
"Are you?"
"I don't know. I'm sorry I had to hurt you; but I don't know if I'm sorry for leaving you."
"Just tell me this?"
Kagome looked up at him curiously. Kouga continued. "Were you at least happy with me? Did I make you happy?"
She smiled. "For a little while, yes. I was very happy. But you just weren't for me, Kouga. Maybe you felt like you were, but I after a while. . . I didn't."
"Because of 'him.'"
"Yes. . . because of InuYasha."
They both felt overwhelmingly relived now that everything was settled between them. They let out their breaths, finally - and nervously - smiled at each other, changed the subject, and ate their lunch.
Kouga knew it would still take some time getting over her, but he had made peace with the fact, and actually started to look forward to being single again.
He would just save the ring he bought for the next lucky girl.
* Ah! So, how was that? Personally, I LOVE this chapter. Everything starts falling into place here. I am *so* excited about writing the rest of the fic., that you fans should be able to excpect another update pretty soon! And don't forget your three R's:
REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! ^_^