CHAPTER 9
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi
Kagome looked at the bouquet of roses on her desk. The flowers arrived every day and bore a card saying it was from Inuyasha. She didn't know Sesshomaru sent them.
It had been three weeks since Inuyasha left but Kagome didn't have time to brood. Her job kept her busy and Sesshomaru took her to museums on weekends. Who would have thought the cold businessman would have a sensitive artistic side?, she thought. She got mad when Inuyasha didn't call after arriving in Japan. Then the roses showed up. But the fact he never even called all this time alarmed and upset her.
As if on cue, her phone rang.
"Inuyasha! What have you been doing!? Why haven't you called before?''
''Kagome. Gomen for not calling sooner. Things have been hectic over here.''
That was an understatement. He told her he quit his job, was trying to get out of his apartment lease, visited Totosai every other day and was giving away or packing his stuff.
But he could never really tell her the reason behind his long silence. After visiting Kikyo's grave, Inuyasha was consumed with guilt. Kikyo was his first love; the woman he failed to protect. Didn't he make a promise to find her killer? What was he doing trying to start a new life with another woman?
Then Totosai gave him his father's sword, Tetsusaiga, and said the sword was made as a tribute to Inuyasha's mother when she died. She was Inutaisho's second wife and he often told Totosai it was because of her that he was able to live again after his first wife's death. When he was dying, Inutaisho sent the sword to Totosai for safekeeping. He gave his other sword to his older son but Sesshomaru locked away the Tenseiga in a cabinet where it gathered dust. Sesshomaru wanted Tetsusaiga simply because it was meant for his younger brother and he hassled Totosai about it.
Inuyasha realized what the old swordsmith meant when he handed him the sword. He had a right to live again after Kikyo died. And his future lay with Kagome.
''I'm sorry again for not calling earlier ... I ... I.. miss you.''
Kagome could hear the longing in his voice. She forgave him and adopted a cheerful tone.
''Me too! I'm up to my neck in work here as always. But on the weekends, Sesshomaru and I go to museums. Your brother is so well versed in art.''
''WHAT! Why is that bastard taking you out?''
''Inu-ya-sha. Your brother is just being nice to me.''
Since Sesshomaru acted like he never kissed her, Kagome tried to forget the incident in her kitchen. She tried to soothe the now irritated Inuyasha.
"Thank you for the roses Inuyasha. It must cost a fortune sending a bouquet every day. That's really very sweet of you.''
Inuyasha was perplexed. Roses? Then he remembered what he told Sesshomaru at the airport.
''Kagome, you don't have to thank me. It's nothing.''
She really didn't have to thank him. Sesshomaru probably sent the flowers and footed the bill, he thought angrily. The bastard. Now he was really pissed.
"I didn't want to bother you at work. I just wanted to hear your voice.''
He sounded mad, Kagome thought.
"What's wrong Inuyasha?''
''Nothing. I'll call you later this week. Bye.''
Inuyasha put down the phone and punched a wall. What was Sesshomaru up to? Yes, he told him to take care of Kagome but he didn't mean to date her!
''Bastard. I'll kill him!,'' he snarled.
The object of his hate was currently having lunch with another businessman.
''So Mr. Musso. Our companies would benefit greatly if this product takes off with the public. But since I'm not willing to take that big of a risk on something new, Taiyoukai Enterprises is willing to have one of its subsidiaries front thirty five percent of the production costs.''
Onigumo Musso, the CEO of Musso Company, looked coldly at Sesshomaru and nodded slightly.
"Fine. I accept your terms. My lawyer will send you the contract later this week.''
''We will announce the venture at a gathering at my residence in two weeks,'' Sesshomaru said.
Onigumo really didn't need to partner with Sesshomaru's company in his latest venture. He just needed to get close to the Taiko family because of her. And Sesshomaru was his key.
Kikyo. He didn't care if she now called herself Kagome Higurashi. Names could be changed. He discarded his name and face a long time ago. Years of plastic surgery gave him a new identity. But he was still Naraku as she was still Kikyo.
He smiled. She would be his again.
Sesshomaru tried not to think of Kagome as he drove home. But it was hard not to. Jealousy surged within him when he remembered who she belonged to. That fool didn't deserve her. An irate Inuyasha called the office demanding why he was taking out Kagome. It took awhile before Sesshomaru calmed him down.
The museum trips were to keep Kagome occupied so she wouldn't dwell too much on Inuyasha's absence and he sent the roses under his younger brother's name, Sesshomaru explained. Then he asked why Inuyasha didn't call Kagome for weeks. There was silence on the line for a long time.
Sesshomaru already knew the answer. Kikyo. Even in death, she kept her hold over that baka brother of his. Kagome deserved better than the ungrateful whelp, he thought.
Sesshomaru secretly enjoyed his museum trips because it meant being alone with Kagome. And he could pretend she was his.
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi
Kagome looked at the bouquet of roses on her desk. The flowers arrived every day and bore a card saying it was from Inuyasha. She didn't know Sesshomaru sent them.
It had been three weeks since Inuyasha left but Kagome didn't have time to brood. Her job kept her busy and Sesshomaru took her to museums on weekends. Who would have thought the cold businessman would have a sensitive artistic side?, she thought. She got mad when Inuyasha didn't call after arriving in Japan. Then the roses showed up. But the fact he never even called all this time alarmed and upset her.
As if on cue, her phone rang.
"Inuyasha! What have you been doing!? Why haven't you called before?''
''Kagome. Gomen for not calling sooner. Things have been hectic over here.''
That was an understatement. He told her he quit his job, was trying to get out of his apartment lease, visited Totosai every other day and was giving away or packing his stuff.
But he could never really tell her the reason behind his long silence. After visiting Kikyo's grave, Inuyasha was consumed with guilt. Kikyo was his first love; the woman he failed to protect. Didn't he make a promise to find her killer? What was he doing trying to start a new life with another woman?
Then Totosai gave him his father's sword, Tetsusaiga, and said the sword was made as a tribute to Inuyasha's mother when she died. She was Inutaisho's second wife and he often told Totosai it was because of her that he was able to live again after his first wife's death. When he was dying, Inutaisho sent the sword to Totosai for safekeeping. He gave his other sword to his older son but Sesshomaru locked away the Tenseiga in a cabinet where it gathered dust. Sesshomaru wanted Tetsusaiga simply because it was meant for his younger brother and he hassled Totosai about it.
Inuyasha realized what the old swordsmith meant when he handed him the sword. He had a right to live again after Kikyo died. And his future lay with Kagome.
''I'm sorry again for not calling earlier ... I ... I.. miss you.''
Kagome could hear the longing in his voice. She forgave him and adopted a cheerful tone.
''Me too! I'm up to my neck in work here as always. But on the weekends, Sesshomaru and I go to museums. Your brother is so well versed in art.''
''WHAT! Why is that bastard taking you out?''
''Inu-ya-sha. Your brother is just being nice to me.''
Since Sesshomaru acted like he never kissed her, Kagome tried to forget the incident in her kitchen. She tried to soothe the now irritated Inuyasha.
"Thank you for the roses Inuyasha. It must cost a fortune sending a bouquet every day. That's really very sweet of you.''
Inuyasha was perplexed. Roses? Then he remembered what he told Sesshomaru at the airport.
''Kagome, you don't have to thank me. It's nothing.''
She really didn't have to thank him. Sesshomaru probably sent the flowers and footed the bill, he thought angrily. The bastard. Now he was really pissed.
"I didn't want to bother you at work. I just wanted to hear your voice.''
He sounded mad, Kagome thought.
"What's wrong Inuyasha?''
''Nothing. I'll call you later this week. Bye.''
Inuyasha put down the phone and punched a wall. What was Sesshomaru up to? Yes, he told him to take care of Kagome but he didn't mean to date her!
''Bastard. I'll kill him!,'' he snarled.
The object of his hate was currently having lunch with another businessman.
''So Mr. Musso. Our companies would benefit greatly if this product takes off with the public. But since I'm not willing to take that big of a risk on something new, Taiyoukai Enterprises is willing to have one of its subsidiaries front thirty five percent of the production costs.''
Onigumo Musso, the CEO of Musso Company, looked coldly at Sesshomaru and nodded slightly.
"Fine. I accept your terms. My lawyer will send you the contract later this week.''
''We will announce the venture at a gathering at my residence in two weeks,'' Sesshomaru said.
Onigumo really didn't need to partner with Sesshomaru's company in his latest venture. He just needed to get close to the Taiko family because of her. And Sesshomaru was his key.
Kikyo. He didn't care if she now called herself Kagome Higurashi. Names could be changed. He discarded his name and face a long time ago. Years of plastic surgery gave him a new identity. But he was still Naraku as she was still Kikyo.
He smiled. She would be his again.
Sesshomaru tried not to think of Kagome as he drove home. But it was hard not to. Jealousy surged within him when he remembered who she belonged to. That fool didn't deserve her. An irate Inuyasha called the office demanding why he was taking out Kagome. It took awhile before Sesshomaru calmed him down.
The museum trips were to keep Kagome occupied so she wouldn't dwell too much on Inuyasha's absence and he sent the roses under his younger brother's name, Sesshomaru explained. Then he asked why Inuyasha didn't call Kagome for weeks. There was silence on the line for a long time.
Sesshomaru already knew the answer. Kikyo. Even in death, she kept her hold over that baka brother of his. Kagome deserved better than the ungrateful whelp, he thought.
Sesshomaru secretly enjoyed his museum trips because it meant being alone with Kagome. And he could pretend she was his.