A/N: I really don't know what else to say...except...here's the next chapter! YAY!

Tsubaki impatiently tapped her fingers against the leather armrest of the chair she was sitting in. Sighing, she checked her watch. Unhappy with the time she crossed her arms and sniffed, turning towards Kaede's desk.

"Will I still be alive by the time Ayame shows up?" Tsubaki impatiently asked.

Kaede felt like replying with a rude comment, but decided not to. Arguing wouldn't improve the situation.

"She's on her way," came the nonchalant answer.

Tsubaki said nothing, allowing a small frown to develop on her usually clear face. She always tried her best to never frown because it caused wrinkles, something that she didn't posses. Nobody at the Shikon Salon actually knew Tsubaki's age. Most speculated that she was in her mid fifties, perhaps early sixties. The only clue to her age was the whiteness of her long hair. But other than that, there was no evidence proving that she was a day over twenty. Her skin was flawless, not a scratch nor a mark. There were no wrinkles anywhere on her youthful face.

Every other week without fail, Tsubaki would arrive at the Shikon Salon for a facial. She was a firm believer in constant therapy for her nearly flawless face. Not only did she receive facials but she also kept herself on a strict diet which included over ten glasses of water a day, to keep her body and face moisturized. She also purchased only the elite face products from Sweden, France, and once she even bought bottles of snow from Alaska, convinced that it would make her face appear even more youthful. Nothing was too expensive for the woman.

"I'm here!" Tsubaki rolled her eyes. Ayame had nearly broken the glass doors as she barged into the salon. Giving her a scrutinizing look Tsubaki commented dryly,

"You look like shit."

Ayame shot daggers at the elder woman and look ready to pounce on her and rip her apart piece by piece. Before she could do any such thing, she noticed Kaede staring at her. Turning so that she could get her boss into full view, Ayame swallowed her anger immediately. Kaede was daring her to do something stupid. Her eyes shot daggers into Ayame's. Instead of invoking the wrath of her boss, she decided it would be better to take out her anger on someone else...someone who wasn't a customer at the Shikon Salon. Someone who she could kill and then hide the lifeless body in a dumpster...

"Are you planning on making me wait any longer?" Tsubaki's impatient voice snapped Ayame out of her fantasy.

"Please, follow me." Ayame gave a forced smile and waited for her client to get up. Instead of allowing herself to be led, Tsubaki gave a small 'hmph' before walking away.

"I know where I'm going girl. I'll be ready in a few minutes. Don't keep me waiting." And with that Tsubaki headed towards Ayame's facial room without a backward glance.

Trying to suppress her rage, Ayame squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists. She tried to focus her mind on something pleasant and wonderful, anything to rid her mind of Tsubaki's leering, yet perfect face. Several seconds went by before Ayam decided to give up.

"I'm going to kill that woman someday," she mumbled heading in the direction where Tsubaki had walked off to.

"Dammit."

"What's wrong?" Sango briefly turned around in her swiveling chair to face Kagome. The girl was staring intently in a mirror, poking her face in various places. She was supposed to be sweeping hair off of the ground. Instead, she was holding the brush idly in one of her hands while peering at her reflection in a mirror. Apparently dissatisfied with her appearance she muttered,

"I got another zit."

"Probably from not showering for a week." Sango retorted before going back to painting her client's nails. She was so busy making sure that she applied the first coat evenly that she didn't notice the somewhat revolted look on her client's face after the comment about Kagome's hygiene

"Ugh. What can I do?"

'Well," Sango squinted as she realized that she'd smudged a bit of the polish onto the woman's finger, "I would ask Sesshomaru."

"Ask him what?" Kagome asked, puzzled.

"To borrow some of his cleanser."

'What? He uses that stuff?" Kagome stopped staring at her reflection to look at Sango.

"Sure. Why do you think he's never had a blemish on his face?"

Kagome nodded her head. That was true; the man never experienced pimples or bad hair days. He had to use some sort of product, there was no way he could be that good looking.

"Okay. I think I will, thanks Sango!"

Sango shrugged and continued working. Unlike Kagome, she had people expecting her to get her work done as quickly as possible. Most people getting their nails done were high maintenance enough to begin with. One small error or being one minute behind schedule was enough to drive almost any of her customers into a frenzy.

"You do realize you're going to have to start all over again, don't you?" The woman in front of her said offhandedly. Sango had just completed the last pinky, and looked up somewhat confused.

"What are you talking about, ma'am?"

"I mean," she commented with a great amount of arrogance, "that I clearly stated that I wanted Lovely Lavender nail polish to be used."

Looking down, Sango frowned at the woman's hands. Each nail was covered in shining, wet lavender paint.

"But this is Lovely Lavender."

"No." The woman reached over and grabbed a bottle on the table. It was right next to the empty space where the bottle Sango had used once sat. "This is Lovely Lavender. That was Lightly Lavender."

Sango took the bottle out of the woman's hand and inspected it carefully. There was absolutely no difference between the shade on her nails and the shade in the bottle.

"And you just realized it now?" Sango questioned as she grabbed the bottle of nail polish remover.

"No. I just figured you knew." The woman replied in a bored sort of way, extending one of her hands, whilst reading a gossip magazine.

"Um. Sesshomaru?" Kagome meekly approached the male hair dresser. He was patiently awaiting his next client, who was busy getting her hair washed. The stoic man did not acknowledge that he had heard her, but somehow Kagome knew he had his attention...somewhat.

"Uh, yeah I was wondering if you had any, um, stuff that you used for your face."

Still no response from the silver haired man, he was busy laying out his scissors in a neat row.

"You know, um cleanser or something?"

Sesshomaru remained quiet. Not even his breathing could be heard.

"Yeah well I was wondering if I could borrow some, um if that's okay."

The man reached into a drawer next to his chair and produced a small bottle. Extending it towards Kagome, he kept it in his hand, allowing her to take it. She hesitated before gently lifting it from the man's outstretched palm. As her hand came into contact with the man's, she suddenly became aware of how soft his hands felt. It was obvious he moisturized them a great deal.

"Thanks, um I'll see you around, I guess."

Without the slightest nod of his head or even shrug of his shoulder, Sesshomaru continued laying out his tools, ignoring the girl walking past him. He simply continued organizing.

"Hello Sesshomaru." A woman whose name he had never bothered to learn headed towards him. He nodded slightly and waited for her to seat herself in his hairstyling chair. Without saying a word, he grabbed one of his many scissors and held it over her head.

"I'd like my bangs trimmed a little more than we usually do. Is that alright?"

Sesshomaru gave another small nod before beginning to cut the woman's hair.

"So you remember that woman I told you about last time? You know the one with the frizzy hair and the stupid glasses. Well I heard from my boss's secretary that she actually..."

Sesshomaru ignored the chattering and continued to trim the woman's bangs. Sneaking a glance at a clock hanging on the wall, he shuddered slightly. In less than an hour...he would be cutting Sara's hair.

"Hello ladies!" Instantly Kaede had forgotten about the telephone conversation she was having.

"Please hold." She curtly demanded to the person on the other line. As quickly as she could, Kaede hobbled out of her chair and towards where the voice was coming from. Wondering how she could have possibly allowed the entrance of such a nuisance into the salon without her knowing.

"Ahhh!" The shrill scream only made Kaede move faster. If she didn't get to that boy soon he was liable to have harassed every customer and employee in the building.

Sure enough, she followed the sounds of the screams of females and quickly found herself face to face with a young man.

"Heh. Hello Kaede." He cocked his head and smiled at the elder woman. "What brings you here?"

"Miroku, what part of 'restraining order' do you not seem to understand?"

"I haven't gotten one here yet...have I?"

Kaede sighed and began rubbing her temples. The young man ignored the exasperated actions of the salon's boss.

"Let's see, last week it was the Village Salon. Tuesday...the salon next to that ice cream place...yesterday was the ice cream place..."

"Unfortunately I haven't issued a restraining order here, yet. Although I should."

"And that is why you are my favorite elderly woman...er...wait." Miroku tried fumbling around for some complimenting words to say to Kaede, but she cut him off.

"Must you come here everyday, harassing my employees and their customers?"

"Well, I wouldn't call it harassment..."

"Then what would you call it?" A new voice chimed in.

"Ho boy." Miroku rubbed the back of his neck with a hand and gave a weak grin. "Hello Sango."

Forgetting her lunch break, Sango angrily made her way towards the man. Kagome had been washing hair at a nearby sink and talking with the nail stylist. Now she watched intently as Sango approached the lecherous young man.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She demanded angrily.

"Uh, just visiting my good friends at the Shikon Salon."

Kagome snorted at the preposterous comment while Sango rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh yeah, like who?"

"Um, well...Sesstomaru."

"You mean Sesshomaru?" Sango corrected.

"Yeah! Exactly."

"Uh huh. And why would you need to talk to him?"

"Because...I have very manly things to discuss with him."

"Yup, okay. Run along then."

"What?"

"You heard me, go talk to him." Sango prodded.

"Of course." Nervously smiling Miroku made his way towards the silver haired

man. Throughout the entire conversation, Sesshomaru had not done anything to show that he was aware of what was going on around him.

"Ouch! That hurts!" Kagome realized that the water was much to hot for the young child whose hair she was washing. She had been so interested in the scene unfolding before her that she had stopped paying attention to the young boy.

"I'm sorry," Kagome apologized, turning down the water's temperature, "is that better?"

"Yes, thanks."

Kagome continued washing the child's mop of messy red hair, doing her best not to get her fingers caught in the tangles. It amazed her that a boy could get his hair so tousled within the span of a few weeks. She was sure that if she tried, she could bury a fork in the sea of red.

Once she was sure that every bit of soap was out of his hair, Kagome gently lifted his head out of the sink and began rubbing it with a towel.

"You're very good at that, Kagome." The child commented.

"At what?" She replied absently, trying to hear what Miroku was saying to Sesshomaru while doing her best not to hurt the small boy's ears as she dried them.

"When my foster mom does this, she always rubs too hard. My ears always turn bright red, and it hurts."

"Well, I try my best, Shippo." Kagome gave the boy a quick smile, waiting for him to head off to get his hair cut. Before toddling off he beamed up at Kagome, flashing a giant grin. As he walked off, Kagome grabbed a nearby broom and began to sweep. Trying her best not to be too obvious, she began slowly sweeping her way towards where Sesshomaru and Miroku were talking.

"I can't believe I missed it." Ayame complained.

"Don't worry, it really wasn't that big a deal." Kagome assured her.

"So what happened?"

"Basically, Miroku gave a few pathetic attempts to get Sesshomaru talking..."

"And let me guess, our little chatterbox just wasn't in the mood? That's shocking." Ayame sarcastically replied.

"I know, right?" Kagome sighed and reclined slightly on the comfortable leather couch. The Shikon Salon's furniture was much better than her own. She was sure if she slept on one of their couches she wouldn't have so many back aches. Just as she was about to fall asleep, an annoyingly perky voice was booming in her ear.

"Rise and shine sleeping beauty!"

"Ugh. Jakotsu...go away." Kagome grabbed one of the soft pillows and buried her head into it. She was not in the mood to deal with the salon's cross dresser hairdresser. It wasn't as though she was a homophobe, it was more like today she didn't feel like being subject to the ever energized attitude of Jakotsu.

"Oh come on. Up up up!" He encouraged, tugging on Kagome's arm. She attempted to swat him away with her other hand, but failed.

"What's up Jakotsu?" Ayame asked.

"Well, you gals are going to have to brace yourselves when I tell you the news."

"What news?" Kagome asked, her face still smothered in the pillow.

"We all have to stay late because Kaede is holding a very important meeting! Isn't that great?"

"No." Kagome mumbled her voice still muffled by the pillow.

"Optimism Kagome. Optimism!" And with that Jakotsu headed off, leaving the girls alone once again.

"What do you suppose that's all about?" Ayame wondered aloud. "Why would Kaede hold us after for a special meeting?"

Kagome's response sounded went something like "Nyah nyah nyah."

Ayame grabbed a fistful of Kagome's hair and yanked her upwards.

"I'm sorry what was that?"

"I said, 'I have no idea.'"

"Oh. Well, I better get back to work. I think an oatmeal mask would have hardened by now, don't you think?"

"Sure."

Ayame got up from the couch and headed back to her facial room. Watching her go, Kagome could not muster the strength to get up. It was only after she saw Jakotsu coming towards again her that she decided to get up and get back to work.