Fatum
by: Enchanted Kagome
Author's Note: "Fatum" means fate in latin. Also, I realized that takes out the percentage signs when stories are uploaded, so it's 72 percent and 19 percent, when Sesshoumaru and Seiko talk, ok?
Chapter Three--Fate's Joke
"Mr. InuTaisho. Allow me to introduce my colleague, co-owner and co-founder of Kakera Corporation, Ms. Higurashi," Seiko stated calmly, stepping aside to allow everyone clear and unhindered view of Kagome, who was still silent from shock.
The owner of that cool, calm voice was none other than Sesshoumaru…or his evil twin clone in the 21st century. Kagome could only stare at him. The markings on his face were absent but his eyes were still the same amber and his hair was still that hue of silver. There was still that same indifference in his eyes as he spoke, "Ms…Higurashi, pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm…Sesshoumaru InuTaisho." A hand was extended towards her.
Like I wouldn't know your name. You only tried to kill three or four times during the Warring States Era, Kagome thought sardonically, reaching out to shake his hand. What a joke this is. Getting introduced to the same person who she met 500 years ago. She wondered how people would react if she were to say, right now, "No need to introduce yourself InuTaisho-san. I already knew you 500 years ago. Only, then you were planning on killing me and your half-brother, along with all the humans on this Earth, which you considered filth, instead of discussing a merging deal with me. Oh, and you had this really annoying toad-minion and you obsessed over a sword." Oh, yeah, they would send her to the psychiatrist, the merging would crash and burn, in Hell, and Seiko would probably change the locks to their apartment door in fear of her insane roommate. Oh, but then her lawyer could sue Sesshoumaru for money…after all, she didn't snap and fall over the edge of insanity until after meeting him. Seiko would testify for that…wouldn't she?
"Ms. Higurashi?" a voice cut through her mind. She looked around to see Seiko and Sesshoumaru staring at her. She'd been zoning out, hadn't she?
"Uh…yes?" she asked, trying to stop the raising heat in her face.
"As I was saying, Ms. Yumeno and Ms. Higurashi, these are the other founders of Taisho Corporation," Sesshoumaru said, gesturing to the other members of this room, standing around the long oval table of the Conference Room.
"Ms. Tajiya," he mentioned politely, starting at the closest end of the table with a woman who looked about her mid-twenties. She had chocolate brown eyes and long black hair. Kagome's breathe caught in her throat. Sango?
Seiko moved forward to shake hands with the woman and nudged Kagome along. She didn't know what was wrong with her. Her usually cheerful friend looked like she was struck dumb…or seen a ghost. Granted, business deals usually made her nervous, but never to the point where she forgets how to walk.
"Ms. Tajiya," Seiko offered her hand with a polite smile, "Your success in the clothing company is quite impressive. You must be quite the businesswoman…and designer, might I add? Higurashi-san and I had always wanted to get some for ourselves. Sadly, they're a bit too expensive here in Japan." Ms. Tajiya laughed at that comment.
"Ms. Yumeno, you are quite the comedian," the woman said. "Everyone knows that your company is nearly monopolizing the Asian market. I doubt that any of my clothing would be too expensive."
"You're right," Seiko said laughingly, "I'm just too lazy to shop." It may look to others like Seiko was getting too much into conversation-mode, but the fact was she was getting very anxious inside. She's tried to make small talk to give Kagome enough time to recover from whatever shocked her, but it would definitely be pushing it if she keeps standing there and joke. She felt Kagome slowly move of her own accord and extended her hand again to the other woman, mentally thanking kami as she moved out of the way to let her colleague introduce herself.
"Ms…Tajiya," Kagome said softly, holding out her hand, not quite sure what to say to this friend that she lost 500 years ago.
"Ms…Higurashi," Ms. Tajiya held out her hand for as long as it was necessary to be 'polite,' before swiftly retrieving her hand. Kagome looked up after this gesture, locking gazes with the other woman. It wasn't the indifference and ignorance of their encounters that she had feared. Far from that. In fact, it was quite obvious that 'Ms. Tajiya' remembers every single thing of their encounter. Her eyes showed recognition—and also a bitterness and anger that her words and façade had masked. A sort of disbelief towards Kagome that plainly said, if it weren't for this merging deal, there was no way in Hell that she'd be here. She felt a small tug on her sleeve and looked over to find a confused Seiko gesturing for her to move on. She forced a smile in Sango's direction and followed Seiko.
Sesshoumaru cleared his throat before continuing, "Mr. Houshi." As Seiko moved forward to talk to him, Kagome's eyes sweeped across the room, registering her surroundings for the first time. She froze as she processed all the faces she saw. They were all here…even—
WHAM! "Mr. Houshi, I doubt you want me to," Seiko said jokingly, "Ms. Tajiya seems very opposed to the idea."
"But she refuses to bear me a child," Miroku said, before quickly ducking and crawling behind Seiko to use her for a shield, "Don't kill me, Sango." Kagome looked at the scene unfolding before her, and subconsciously smiled for the first time since she entered the room at the familiarity of these sounds and actions.
Sesshoumaru cleared his throat to remind Miroku and Sango just what they were doing, in contrast to what they were supposed to doing here. Sango stomped back to her seat and Miroku jumped up and apologized to Seiko, who took it in a laugh and moved out of the way so her friend could introduce herself.
"Mr. Hou…shi," Kagome said, choking out the familiar name, remembering all too well how Miroku's nickname had been Houshi-sama in the feudal era. She felt his gaze boring into her but could not bring herself to meet his eye, fearing the sight of the same blame and rejection she had seen in Sango's gaze, mirrored in his eyes.
"Ms. Higurashi," he said politely, but ultimately without any feeling or sign that there was ever anything between them even remotely close to friendship. They shook hands and left all unsaid questions and words at that.
"Mr. and Mrs. Ookami," Sesshoumaru announced, indicating two very surprised faces—Kouga and Ayame. The tension dissipated a little in the introduction but the confusion multiplied ten-folds. After politely shaking hands with the duo, Kagome and Seiko moved on. Before Sesshoumaru could announce the next person, she already came up and introduced herself.
"Kagura Kaze," the confident woman said, throwing a subtle glance at Sesshoumaru's face that clearly stated her amusement at having defied his 'orderly' introductions. "Ms. Yumeno. Ms. Higurashi." Said women both shook hands with their new acquaintance.
"You guys are quite the match," Seiko said, "the husband works on publishing and technology industries, while the wife's in charge of the advertising business." Kagome look up again at Kagura before swiftly glancing back and worth between the wind demoness and Sesshoumaru. Husband and wife? She had not seen that coming. But then again, maybe she should've. Didn't Sesshoumaru try to save her with the Tenseiga—probably the only one that he had really wanted to save. But…that brings her to another point—if Kagura had indeed dissipated in the wind as they saw…then why's she alive and standing here? "So, mind telling me something, Mrs. InuTaisho? Have you ever locked you husband out of your bedroom over some disagreement at work?"
"Countless times," Kagura replied with a smirk, making the whole room erupt in laughter, with only a few exceptions, and lightening the mood, if only slightly.
"And finally," Sesshoumaru began again, after the laughter died down, "co-owner of Taisho Tech, my half-brother InuYasha InuTaisho." Kagome's heart nearly stopped working at the sound of that name—one that she had been convinced she would never hear again in her life.
"Can't tell you how happy I am to meet the other owner of Taisho Tech," Seiko said with a dramatic sigh, "talking the deal out with your half-brother gave me so much stress it has to be against the law. I'm convinced it shaved 50 years off my life." InuYasha cracked a grin and shot an amused glance at Sesshoumaru who would be scowling if it weren't for the fact that he shows no emotions. Seiko smiled at this. "I'm sure that we have a lot in common." She then stepped aside. Sesshoumaru, though interested to see his brother's interactions with Kagome, was struck by Seiko's words, and the same suspicions that he had crushed after their first encounter, rose again. She couldn't be…could she?
Kagome stepped forward cautiously and slowly extended her hand. For the first time since her encounter with Sango, she ventured to lift her eyes a bit, afraid of meeting his eyes but wanting to as well. He took her hand, gave it one quick shake before dropping it like it burned him.
"Ms. Higurashi," he bit out with no emotion whatsoever, as if her name wasn't even worth his time. Kagome couldn't help but feel like her heart's been stabbed and managed only a nod in response. Seiko took the scene in with some confusion but subtly pulled Kagome away from the younger InuTaisho and steered her friend to their seats, purposely placing herself in between the two of them who, in her opinion, were bombs that will explode if any more pressure was put on them.
Seiko motioned to Kohana to give each person a copy of the merging contracts that she had spent 20 minutes in the copying room, wrestling with the only working Xerox, and managed to put together that morning.
"Mr. InuTaisho, I made some minor changes that I saw fit to the contract," Seiko started, "which have been bracketed. We're willing to reduce our advertising and production departments by 1/10, each, but no more. And we keep our company name, a liberty that can be taken by the bigger of any two merging companies."
"True. But, let us not forget, you are only bigger here in the Asian market," Sesshoumaru calmly stated, "however, your prestige lessens in the western hemisphere, where we may be judged as equals in this industry. Under these circumstances, such liberties are not as legitimate. As for the departments, a quarter is the lowest we are willing to offer, especially in the advertising department. As you are aware, through this merging, you will become part of Taisho Corporation, and we have an advertising branch, which Ms. Kaze is in charge of." Kagome mentally noted how little Sesshoumaru changed. Just like him to say Ms. Kaze, instead of Kagura, or 'my wife.'
"Perhaps. But, you must also realize that a great part of people's willingness to depend on Taisho Tech's products is based on the fact it is part of Taisho Corporation—the real name that people trust of the two. Our company builds its prestige based on nothing more than ourselves, and no bigger, more dependable names are needed in backing ours. While your prestige is half-based on that of Taisho Corp, ours is solely based on ourselves. As we will become part of Taisho Corp through this merging, then the keeping of our company name will also be more beneficial to the entire company. People's trust in Kakera's name is doubled by the fact that we are now part of Taisho Corp," Seiko countered.
"Approximately half the company and, as you said, half the prestige, comes from our side in this merging, so we should get at least half the say in the new company name. Besides, the name Kakera is…quite unbefitting of a technology company," Sesshoumaru replied. He clearly struck a nerve as Seiko stood up at that and slammed her hands on the table before proceeding with her reply.
"Oh, don't give me that crap, Sesshoumaru. The name serves well enough if our foothold in the Asian market is any sign. We chose that name for our company and we have reasons for that. Always like this. Time hasn't changed you at all. You think you can just trample on me because I'm a human," Seiko noticed her own slip just in time to change it, "woman? We're the bigger of the two companies here, no matter how the world views us. And you know it. Don't think that I don't know your reasons for merging. You see us as competition—serious competition if you are willing to merge. We can each go our separate ways and we'll see how your 19 percent will do against our 72 percent hold on the market. I guess we'll just see which one of our companies goes bankrupt first, shall we?" Most of the people present were a struck by Seiko's vehement speech, thinking that that was probably the end of the deal. Some were afraid of Seiko turning that same glowering glance on them…most, except the one person to whom that glance was directed. Sesshoumaru made no move to show that he had even heard what had been said. Seiko made a move as if to leave and Kagome was unsure when she should stand up. This had never happened in a merging deal before. Seiko was beginning to doubt her own tactic…maybe she pushed too far today? Certainly, the tension that had appeared with Kagome's introduction had thrown her careful calculations somewhat off balance. If she had known Kagome's relationship with Sesshoumaru, things would have been more certain for her, but—
"A fifth," Sesshoumaru's clear voice cut across the room when it was least expected and the words it pronounced succeeded in confusing most of those who were present. Kagome looked up to see her partner stop and abruptly turn back.
"A ninth," Seiko replied firmly, moving back towards her seat, but still remaining in her standing position.
"A sixth for advertising and an eighth for production," Sesshoumaru continued, still unaffected. Seiko sat down without a word, which others took to be silent acceptance.
"The name—" Sesshoumaru was cut off by Seiko.
"Kakera," she said firmly.
"—TaiTech," Sesshoumaru added. Seiko glanced at Kagome who shrugged her shoulders and then at Sesshoumaru.
"You've got yourself a deal," Seiko said calmly, extending her hand. The two owners shook hands as if the outburst that had only happened 2 minutes ago did not exist. That's what succeeded in scaring the rest of the group.
"I'll just have to give this contract to one more person to look at before we sign," Sesshoumaru said.
"What? Who?" Seiko asked. "You couldn't have had the person look at it before? I thought all owners were present…well, except the younger ones, but we agreed on that already."
"He's in charge of any deals made by any of Taisho Corp's companies," Sesshoumaru replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"And he did not get to see this contract before, because…?" Seiko asked, genuinely working up a rage now.
"No need to bother him with a contract I would not sign," Sesshoumaru explained. "He should've been here today—" The silver-haired corporate owner was interrupted by the loud bang of the Conference Room door hitting the wall on it's opening, as something resembling a human slid in.
"Miroku…Inuyasha," the voice sent shivers down Kagome's body; it warned the aforementioned persons of great retribution. The figure straightened himself and his tie, before giving Sesshoumaru and the rest of the occupants an apologetic glance, "Sorry I'm late." Then, he turned towards Miroku, who was smiling innocently, all the while looking like a cornered mouse.
"Hehe…Ta…keru…-kun," Miroku said, eyes darting for an escape route.
"Sango-chan, sorry if I make you widow," the newcomer said, turning to Sango, "Oh…wait! You didn't marry him yet! Look, after he's dead, I'm sure to offer you a great price on that ring he got you. I hope that compensates for his dea—" Sesshoumaru cleared his throat again. Takeru got the picture.
"Hello! I'm Takeru Konoto, CEO of Taisho Corporation," he explained, facing the two owners of Kakera. Kagome was surprised that this man was the CEO of Taisho Corp. She fully expected Sesshoumaru to be the boss of everything…but then again, he had two businesses to handle, so maybe not. Next to her, she heard Seiko putting all the pages of the contract, now with the all the correct changes made, back into a folder. Both of them stood up at the same time and Kagome shook hands with Takeru first.
"Kagome Higurashi," she said, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Konoto." Here was one person who she did not know before and had no fear of looking in the eye.
"'Kagome'…?" he glanced around the room, confusion clearly written on his face. When no one said anything, he went on, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Higurashi. I'm sure we'll work very well together in the future." Kagome had the uncomfortable feeling that he knew a lot more than he let on. She nodded politely and stepped out of the way to let her colleague introduce herself.
However, when Seiko took in Takeru's countenance, she had trouble letting out her words. Kagome watched as Mr. Konoto's gaze bore holes through her friend, who did not even look him in the eye. And for the first time, in all the years she's known her, Kagome realized that Seiko was speechless. For the first time, she had let her torrent of emotions show through her face, which was almost matching the papers she was holding…dead white.
How'd you guys like that? REALLY LONG chapter for me!
I'll update soon...and some other stories of mine, too!
PLEASE REVIEW!
--Enchanted Kagome