CHAPTER ONE

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi

Inuyasha couldn't contain his impatience as he stood waiting for Sesshomaru at Los Angeles International Airport. The brothers really didn't like each other and in the past, had come to blows.

Sesshomaru inherited the business after their father died five years ago. He told Inuyasha to either help run the business or become one of the primary stockholders. Inuyasha chose the latter and kept clear of his brother. But Sesshomaru insisted that Inuyasha be present to vote on major decisions concerning the company. So here he was again at his stupid brother's beck and call.

He hated staying at Sesshomaru's place in Brentwood. The only person he could stand there is Rin, the little girl Sesshomaru adopted for some unknown reason. He hated Sesshomaru's staff, especially that toady Jaken who was barely civil to him. And he hated his brother for being the same cold arrogant bastard he'd always been. It was Sesshomaru who told their father to keep Inuyasha on a tight budget in high school and college. After tuition and books, there was little money to cover food and living expenses. Inuyasha worked nights, lived frugally and cursed his brother as often as he could.

While his father's death brought him greater income, Inuyasha chafed at the responsibilities that came with it. Sesshomaru didn't think much of Inuyasha's job writing for a magazine and dropped hints that he should quit soon and take a more active role in the family business. He didn't think he could keep his job much longer either since he kept going to Los Angeles to vote on company matters. This was his fourth trip this year and he was running out of vacation time at the magazine.

Still, there were benefits to his latest trip. I'll finally see Kagome again, he thought.

In all their exchanges, Inuyasha never once mentioned Kikyo. It pained him to think of her fate. While in nursing school, Kikyo was killed by a man named Naraku. The two met while she volunteered at a hospital. He was a burn patient who fixated on the young volunteer. After he was discharged, he started stalking Kikyo who took out a restraining order against him. It didn't help. A man walking his dog found her stabbed to death outside her apartment. Naraku disappeared and the case remained unsolved.

Inuyasha sighed. He couldn't dwell on this again.

Where the hell was Sesshomaru?, he fumed then spotted a familiar tall figure walking slowly toward him. He couldn't understand why Sesshomaru didn't just send a driver to pick him up or allow him to take a taxi or shuttle. The cheap bastard.

Dressed in a natty suit, Sesshomaru kept his long white hair in a ponytail. While his eyes were gold like Inuyasha's, they held no warmth. He looked impassive as always.

''Been waiting long little brother?''

''Took your time picking me up, did you? Please tell me it was because of a girlfriend and not some stupid business deal.''

''I see your attempts at humor still fail to amuse me. Yes, I was late because of business.''

''Well, I plan to have a little fun while I'm here Sesshomaru. I'm seeing an ex-girlfriend tomorrow.''

''Indeed. Who is the unfortunate woman?''

''Kagome Higurashi.''

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow.

''Wasn't she the girl you took up with after Kikyo dumped you? The one you then abandoned when you crawled back to Kikyo?''

Inuyasha wanted to kick himself. In a moment of weakness, the then teenager wrote his half brother about the Kikyo/Kagome situation. He didn't know what to do and felt torn between the two girls. Yes, he left Kagome but he still wanted to be with her. Inuyasha didn't know what possessed him to ask advice from his older brother. But he did anyway. Sesshomaru told him to stop whining and be a man. Pick one girl and be done with it. In the end, Inuyasha decided to stay with Kikyo and made his disastrous speech to Kagome during the prom.

Sesshomaru knew what happened to Kikyo and wondered if Inuyasha was trying to replace his lost love with this Kagome again. Then he banished the thought from his head. It was none of his business, he admonished himself. He and Inuyasha walked out of the sliding glass doors and headed to a parking lot.