I've been planning this chapter since August, and when it finally came time to write it, I was like 'uhh…' another words, stuck. I knew what I wanted to happen for this chapter, but I just didn't know how to get there.

On the 13th, I just turned 16! Whoot! Whoot! Sweet Sixteen!

Disclaimer: As soon as I get enough money, I'll buy Inuyasha from Rumiko Takashi. But for now, it isn't mine.

The Wrong Soul Mate

Chapter 8: Theory

The more she thinks about it, the more she was nervous about it. Today, it's her first day of work, and the thought of Inuyasha didn't cheer her much. With her luck, she might find a time machine and use it to go back in time to correct her errors. She snorted. 'Like that's gonna happen.'

She stared at the floating cheerios in her bowl. They seem to mock her as she twirled her spoon around them.

'Look at the bright side, this mission would be over sooner than you think.' Somehow that thought didn't convinced her much either. After what happen last night, she doubted that her mission would be finishing any time soon. It would be a long way to go, that she knew for sure.

"You're nervous about your new job today?" Miroku looked up from his newspaper and stared at her half full bowl of cheerios. He raised a brow. She didn't finish her first bowl yet.

"Yeah, something like that." She replied absentmindedly.

He chuckled. "Don't worry about it. That jitter will soon fade away when you get use to working there."

Kagome lifted her gaze from her bowl and smiled at him. "You know Miroku, for a pretty nice guy like you, it kind of cheer me up. Thanks."

"If only he works on decreasing all those perverted thoughts in his head." Sango added as she sat down across from Miroku with a strawberry yogurt in her hand.

"Gee, thanks, I guess." He went back reading the newspaper. "God must be really nice to me today to let two beautiful women ganging up on me." He muttered.

Ignoring Miroku, Sango turned to Kagome. "Hey, today is your first day working, how do you feel?" She pointed her spoon towards her, mimicking it like those news microphone seen on TV.

"A bit nervous, but overall, I'm okay I guess." She answered. 'Except for a fact, that a certain hanyou up stair is still mad at me.'

Sango smiled. "Don't worry, if you have any questions or help, you know where to go to okay?" She winked at her. "And I could show you few tips to get an extra free candy bars with the right snack machine."

Kagome smiled. "I'll keep that in mind." She replied. Her face darkened when Inuyasha walked in, resulting her to play with her breakfast again.

The first thing that occurred in his mind when he saw her was that scene from last night flashed before his eyes. Being caught up with the flashback, he failed to notice his cup was already full to the rim with the coffee until the hot liquid flowed from the side onto his hand. And boy was it hot when he felt it. "Sonofthe—"

He immediately went into the sink and washed his burning hand with cold water. "Damn." He muttered. Just another thing to add to his huge piles of misfortunate. Where was Lady Luck when he needed her? She must have run away when she came into the picture. Granted, his luck took a drive downhill when he founded her on a tree. He frowned. He never did get a chance to ask her how she got there in the first place.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked without thinking when she noticed the red swelling on his hand. She quickly mentally berated herself. She was the one who supposed to be sympathize, not the sympathizer. Wait – when did she want people to pity her?

"I'm fine." He grunted as he sat across from her with a wet cloth on top of his abused hand. There goes his morning coffee. Oh well, he could stop by at Starbuck if he got the chance.

"Ouch, that's gotta hurt." Miroku commented as he folded the newspaper together.

"You want to feel what it was like?" He glared at him.

"Nah, I feel comfortable fine being unburned by my coffee."

Sango looked at him. "You mean my coffee? Last I checked I made it on my new coffee maker which you criticized it wasn't coffee-making looking material."

"Hey, don't blame me." He lifted his hands in self-defense. "When I first saw it, I thought it was a new computer device or something. Last I remembered, coffee makers were supposed to be simple and quick to use, not with all those digits and buttons on it. But if you asked me, I kind of prefer green tea."

"And yet you drinking my coffee right now that I just made earlier on my new Mr. Coffee 2004."

Miroku was about to say something back when a grunt was sounded from Inuyasha. "I swear you two should kiss and make up or else the cops will find two dead bodies in a river somewhere." 'And maybe he could pin the culprit to her.'

"But of course, Inuyasha. Sango, we should kiss and make out." Miroku gave a sly grin.

"Pervert!" She tossed a small section of her yogurt to his face which landed perfectly at the corner of his mouth.

"Mmmm…. strawberry." He licked it off with his tongue.

Kagome's eyes secretly followed Inuyasha's movements as she continued to stir the milk. 'Was he going to say anything today?' It was not like she wanted him to say anything at the moment, but she dreaded of what he's going to say to her. Sooner or later he will mention about it. Maybe he will forget about it. 'Likely not.'

Inuyasha knew her eyes were on him, but he pretended he didn't notice as he tended his left hand. As for Miroku, he silently drank the cup of coffee while Sango was finishing her breakfast.

No one didn't mention anything. It was dead silence, except the water drippings from the faucet which to Kagome's dismay started to annoy her. She glanced up from her bowl, expecting a response from them, heck even another grunt from Inuyasha, but nothing came out of their mouths. They didn't seem to say anything about what happen last night. She gazed back down. 'I guess it's better that way.' At the moment, she was glad that no one didn't mention about it. She didn't feel like talking about it right now, especially to him.

Inuyasha quickly glanced at the three of them. Talked about silence. "Miroku, pass me the Sport Section." He broke the quietness as Miroku passed a section of the newspaper towards him.

"The New York Giants lost again." Miroku stated before taking another sip of coffee.

"Keh." Inuyasha frowned at the title 'America's Mariners Lost to—' He starting to think that maybe she's bad luck after all, even a country that is a separated from Japan by sea also shared his bad luck too.

Meanwhile, Miroku and Sango exchanged each other looks, knowing for a fact that no one has forgotten last night's event. Kagome playing with her cheerios while Inuyasha reading the newspaper, or maybe he was pretending reading it who knows.

"Sesshoumaru wants me to drive you and introduce you to the staff member working with you." Inuyasha responded, not looking up from the sport section. They both knew he was directing it to her. "So hurry up eating. I'll be waiting in the car." He folded the section together before standing up and exited the dining room.

Kagome sighed as she stopped fiddling with her spoon. "See you guys at work." She got up and put the bowl in the sink.

"Rin."

"Yeah Sango?" Kagome stopped before making her way towards the front door.

Sango smiled before affirming, "I know you will do a great job working there. See you at break time okay?"

She nodded before walking off.

- . - . - . -

Maybe driving her to work wasn't a good idea after all, especially with that theory about her in his head. He just hoped that along the road there won't be some accidents happening to his car. 'Damn Sesshoumaru for that lecture about taking her of all people to work today. IF I die, he will be the first person on my list that I will haunt, next to Rin that is.'

It was back to silence again as Inuyasha drove the car towards Sakamoto's Water Amusement Park. After what she had done, he wouldn't offer to give her a ride to work. But of course, Sesshoumaru has to call him at 6:00 in the morning, telling him he must take her to meet Hojo. Furthermore, his stubborn brother won't even take a 'no' for an answer or a suggestion for either Miroku or Sango to do it instead. And now he stuck in a situation where he doesn't want to be in. The ride from his home to his work place wasn't that far, but somehow it felt like an eternity for the building to show up along the driveway.

He quickly glanced at her from the corner of his eyes and frowned a bit. She was staring at the passing sceneries outside the window, with an unreadable expression in her eyes.

His frown deepened. He hated to admit this, but her silence started to unnerve him somewhat. She shouldn't be upset over this, on the contrary, it was him that was suppose to be offended—scratch that—pissed off. Beside, he should be happy that she wasn't annoying him with her meaningless chatter, and yet he was still disturbed by her silence.

As the building came into his view, he quickly turned into the parking lot section, saying "Hello" to Greg along the way.

Kagome blinked, coming back to reality when the sound of the engine stopped. She quickly unbelted her belt and was about to get out of the car when Inuyasha spoke.

"Don't try anything fishy like last time. I had enough of all your lies and all of your mischief. If anything goes wrong…" He quickly glanced at her before getting out of his car.

She stared at his back, wounded by his words yet angry at the same time. If Kagome didn't felt guilty right now, she would have turned him into a very, very small dog by now. Or maybe she could dump him somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. The latter sounds more enjoyable to do than the former.

As she got of the car, she stuck her tongue at him before following him into the building.

"I saw that!" He accused without turning around.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know that?"

"There's a mirror right there." He pointed to a round convex mirror that was hanging on a pole.

"Oh." Her face became bigger on the mirror and then smaller when she passed it.

This time when they entered the main building, Kagome didn't play the jumping-and-back-game with the sliding doors; instead she followed him, passing the excavator hallway into another hallway with a huge glass door at the end.

"So…" Kagome tried to strike a conversation when the silence starting to stretch again as they stepped again into the cool morning air.

"You will be working outside with Hojo." He replied as they turned a corner (the exact corner where Inuyasha and Kikyou first met) and walked straight towards another small building.

Kagome frowned for a moment. She was hoping she might work inside the main building so she can examined Inuyasha and Kikyou together. Now how can she make them fall in love if she worked far below where they worked? This was getting complicated and harder each minute.

"By any chance, do I get to help work upstairs too?" She crossed her finger, hoping the answer might be a 'yes.'

"No."

Kagome made an ugly face at his back. 'I will find a way.'

Inuyasha glanced back as Kagome quickly changed her face back to her usual innocent face with a smile on it.

Inuyasha gave her a suspicious glance again before making another turn to a spacious place that contained a fairly large amount of water at the side with a figure kneeling next to it. As they got closer, the figure turned out to be a young brunette man around the early twenties. Kagome squinted. It was Hojo.

"Ahem." Inuyasha coughed as Hojo turned his head.

"Oh, Inuyasha-sama!" He quickly stood up. "I didn't see you there!"

"Feh. Whatever. Here's your new assistant Rin Kinokami, Sango's cousin from Osaka." Inuyasha introduced.

Hojo smiled. "It's nice to meet you again Miss Kinokami."

"Likewise," She smiled back. "But please call me, Rin." 'At least he's friendlier than Inuyasha.'

"Okay, Rin. I want to start off by explaining my field is. We specialized in—" Hojo started explaining, but was interrupted by no other than Inuyasha.

"Well, I'll get going now, I let you guys start to know each other more then." He slowly back walked towards the main building. "Rin, if you need anything, well…" He paused. "Well, go ask Hojo, okay? Bye." He turned around and walked away.

"He seems delighted to leave." Kagome muttered before giving her full attention back to Hojo.

A few hours later…

Inuyasha could hear Sango's voice droning on in the background as he twirled his pen on his notebook. The total amount. The tax. The price. All those numbers combined. He shuddered to think.

Luckily, he was not specialized in the company's finance. He wasn't great with all those numbers. If he hadn't met Sango in high school, he doesn't know which person would be the right person for the job. Inwardly, he snorted. He seriously doubted Sesshoumaru would give the job to him. Heck, even Miroku won't be the best guy to do them unless of course, if it included counting beautiful women that is.

He sighed. The meeting was long—too long for his taste, especially when his stomach persisted to make that grumble sound. Did one hour passed away? Or was it two? He'd lost counting the minutes and seconds already. If only he had time to grab a quick bite to eat, but of course, his dear brother wanted to talk to him.

Today was one of those days.

He quickly glanced at Kikyou as she listened patiently at Sango's explaining of the cost. At least someone was attentive in this meeting beside Sesshoumaru. He went back twirling his pen.

"Do you think we are able to pay all the possible glitches during the first month of the grand opening?" Sesshoumaru asked before glancing at his brother who seems to be bored out of his mind.

"It'll depend on the state of our finances at the end of the month, but overall, I would think, we would have enough money to fix the possible glitches after the making of the Kyoto Amusement Project." Sango answered.

"I see…" Sesshoumaru turned to Kikyou. "Do you have any further question, Miss Kikyou?"

Kikyou gazed at the graphing board at the end of the table for a moment before averting her gaze back to him. "No. I think Sango has covered up most of the questions I was about to ask."

Sesshoumaru then averted his gaze toward Inuyasha. "And what about you, Inuyasha?"

The pen dropped. Inuyasha looked at him for a moment before shaking his head. "Um, no, not really."

Deep down, Sesshoumaru just wanted to hit his brother with that pen. He always wondered how Inuyasha could survive in the industrial business world with the lack of enthusiasm like today. "Fine. The meeting is dismissed."

"Wait!" Kikyou urged.

Sesshoumaru gave her a sideway glance. "Hmmm?"

"I just want to inform you that if there's going to be another meeting about the Project around next week or so, I won't be here in Japan. I'll be going on a business trip to Hong Kong for about a week."

Mentally, Inuyasha was jumping for joy.

Sesshoumaru nodded, noting the happy expression on Inuyasha's face. "Don't worry. I don't think there will be another meeting yet until the blueprints is done." He stood up. "Oh and by the way, send my regards to Mr. Kuruma for me." He added before walking out of the room.

She nodded as she gathered her supplies.

If there were such things as more awkward than awkward, then right now this was it.

Inuyasha quickly picked up his notebook and pen, avoiding looking and talking at Kikyou at all cost as he made his way towards the exit, but of course, God decided to play tricks on him again. At the same time, he and Kikyou accidentally bumped each other on the shoulder when they both tried to exit the room.

"Wench, watched where you're going?!" He barked.

Kikyou narrowed her eyes. "Unlike someone, I have eyes." Oh he was lucky alright, if this happen somewhere like for example, outside the building, she would have kick his ball by now.

Miroku cleared his throat before speaking. "Ahem. Unlike some people, Sango and I would like to go to our offices now."

"Then go." Inuyasha retorted although he and Kikyou didn't moved an inch as they both sent each other death glares.

"We would like to Inuyasha, but you two are in the way." Sango commented.

"Oh." They replied in unison as they moved sideway.

"Thanks, now go back ogling each other." Miroku added before walking away swiftly, avoiding an injury from a certain hanyou.

"There's nothing to ogle at." Inuyasha muttered as he walked away, leaving a fuming Kikyou behind.

- . - . - . -

"How many times do we feed them?" Kagome asked while tossing another fish in the air as it swiftly fell into the water where the dolphins awaited.

"Well, about twice a day." Hojo casually answered as he brought another large bucket full of fishes, except this time, he walked towards the killer whales tank.

"Only TWICE?" She turned around, baffled by it. "I eat more than that!"

He chuckled. "We have to keep them in a good healthy shape. Beside, they also have a bit snack during the show."

"Oh." She went back to the feeding. "Luckily, I'm not a sea animal in this park or else you guys be spending a lot of money on food."

He smiled and then frowned when he can't seem to find something in a bag.

"What is it?"

"I can't seem to find the checkup kit." He answered, still digging through the bag. "I must have left it in the building."

"It's okay. I'll go get it." She wiped her hands in the cloth.

"No that's okay, I'll—"

She interrupted. "No, stay here. The killer whales look hungry already, and beside, I'm done feeding the dolphins." She gestured to the dolphins behind her. "Now which building was it in?"

"It's in Building 2A in the coffee room on the table. Thanks Rin."

"No problem." Kagome skipped happily towards a small building at the distance, but then stopped when she spotted Kikyou walking out from the main building.

Kikyou didn't seem to notice someone following her until later when she started to have this slightest feeling that someone was watching her, in addition, goose bumps started to form on her arms. Her pace quickened. 'This was supposed to be a safe place… unless…' She narrowed her eyes when a certain silver hair hanyou appeared in her head.

She quickly turned around and faced her stalker. "Inu—"

But it wasn't Inuyasha. It was that strange girl that started the mess in the first place.

"Hi Kikyou." Kagome replied awkwardly.

With only just a mere glance, Kikyou turned around and started to walk away.

"Wait!" Kagome shouted, but Kikyou continued walking. "I don't blame you for being mad at me, but at least, please listen to what I have to say."

She stopped which to Kagome's relief, and turned around. "Okay, you have five minutes. Go."

"Okay…" 'Wow this is harder than I thought. I should have planned this out earlier.' "Well, I want to say I'm sorry for all the mess I had did the other day. The only reasons why I mixed yours and Inuyasha's words around were because… I wanted you guys to be friends or at least be civil to each other." Not exactly the whole truth, but Kagome wasn't about to tell her she wanted Inuyasha and her to fall for each other. That would totally ruin the plan.

She paused to take a breath, realizing that Kikyou was still listening to her. "You see, Sango is my cousin, and Miroku is my friend, including… Inuyasha," Deep down, she wondered if Inuyasha thought of her the same way. "They worked so hard for this new project, and it pains me to see if the project fails at the end just because two people hated each other. I know I'm being dramatic about it, but—"

"I don't hate him." Kikyou interrupted. "I dislike him. If I hate someone, they would be dead by now."

"Oh…" Kagome wasn't sure if she was joking or not about the 'dead' thing.

"But I understand what you were trying to say. Not that I would forgive you easily though… but I appreciate your love and loyalty to your friends and family."

"So, does that mean everything is alright now?" Silence. "Oh I understand about the trustworthy thing, heck, if I was in your shoes, I would be mad too." 'What are you doing?!' She mentally berated herself.

"I remembered someone once told me that not everybody is perfect, so you should give people a chance, and then a second chance, but never risk yourself for someone a third time, for then you is a fool." She replied. "However, it would take awhile to gain that trust again."

Kagome nodded.

"Well, I see you later again." Kikyou said. "Good night."

She smiled. "Good night."

Kikyou gave her another glance before turning around and walked away. Something about her that she can't quite pinpoint exactly what it was when she looked into the girl's eyes seem… pure and honest… although she did lied a day ago, but she did that for the sake of the company.

She sighed. She was getting too soft these days.

Kagome smiled although it didn't reached the corner of her eyes. Kikyou was willingly to give her a second chance, but as for Inuyasha, that was a different story.

She sighed. 'I think about that later… this is getting harder than I thought.' She turned around and walked toward her destination, not knowing that a pair of golden stoic eyes followed her movements from a window above.

AN: Happy New Year everybody! 2005!

Next chapter: "Muffin"