A/N: Hey everyone. Okay, I still haven't posted the story yet when I am writing this so I don't have much to say. If you can, just give me some ideas, "constructive criticism", and tell me what you think about the story. It would REALLY help if you gave me some good quotes to use for future chapters. I might use them if I think they fit with the story's outline. Thanx! Have fun!

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing. This quote I might've came up with myself but if it already belongs to someone...then damn.

Surreal Reality

Chapter 3: The Plague

Rumors spread like a plague, and it's just as deadly.

Kikyo

I'm going to make this quick...I finally know how it feels like to be the subject of one of the most humiliating rumors in history. If only I can tell them the truth.

Friday morning...wasn't a good day. There were rain clouds gathering, blocking out the sun and making the sky dark. The Tokyo skyline looked bleaker than usual, and there were flocks of birds flying to avoid the wind and thunder that would be coming their way soon. The very responsible Miroku was late to work, this was a first. Inuyasha, as promised, had arrived at work right on time, a rare event. Naraku was running out of ideas for designs and Kikyo couldn't help, also a rare first. Juromaru was falling asleep on his job which was, yes, a first. Kagura had locked herself in her room ever since she stepped into the office this morning. She didn't even say hello to her new friends.

After an hour of strange happenings, Miroku decided to show up. "Hey! How are my favorite people doing on such a lovely day!" Miroku skipped over to his desk. "Good morning, Lady Sango." Miroku said to Sango. "And the lovely Kagome." Miroku said to Sango's friend. The two women just rolled their eyes at him. "Good morning, Miroku. You're late." Kagura, who had suddenly walked out of her office, said in a stern tone, much different to her mood of voice yesturday at the restaurant. "How's my favorite girl?"Miroku said while draping an arm around her shoulder. "Fine, Miroku." She said as she shrugged his arm off. "Miroku! You of all people are late!" Onigumo's voice is heard from near his office.

Heads turn to look at the 43 year old boss. "I will personally give him a morning letter, Onigumo." Kagura reaches in her portfolio to retrieve a sealed white envelope. "Take it." She handed the envelope to the confused Miroku. "B-But Kagura!" He whined." I thought we were friends!" "Yes, we are." She answered in a monotone. "Then why are you getting me into trouble?" Miroku asked, still refusing to take the envelope. "I like to keep my personal life and my business life seperate." Kagura answered in a deadpan voice. She forced Miroku to take the envelope and walked back to her office calmly. The whole office stared at her disappear into her room. They didn't expect this out of their new friend after the way she treated them yesturday.

Ayame

Kagura is one strange person. She was so nice to us yesturday at the restaurant. She was always smiling at us, with us. We thought we had broke the shell and finally exposed the REAL Kagura...but we thought wrong. Now she wants to seperate her personal life with her business life? But we ARE her business...technically...kind of...not really...whatever! All we know is that she considers herself our friend, but yet she gives Miroku a morning letter. Man she must really care about her work. Maybe she needs the money for something, like a heart surgery. I doubt it.

Anyways, the point is...if she wants to be our friend, she has to start treating us like her friend. Let's hope she gave Miroku the morning letter because Onigumo was there and she didn't want to get fired. But it didn't look like it! She willingly gave Miroku the letter and sauntered away like she was the queen or something. Maybe we haven't cracked her shell all the way...maybe tomorrow at the shopping trip,. we can REALLY help break her wall. Then she'll be forced to mush personal and business into one. Speaking of Onigumo, we think he got himself a new girlfriend. Rumor has it that she works in KPF Inc. Could be any of the girls.

There was still an hour to go till lunch break and everyone was already starving. The group, minus Onigumo, Yura, Kagura, and Kikyo were in the back room of the office where the office. There were wooden cupboards lining the walls, now opened to reveal snacks and ramen. There was a counter underneath the cupboards where a white microwave and a Mr. Coffee coffee maker were lined next to each other. A white refrigerator was located in a corner of the room. In the middle was a wooden square table with four matching chairs. The group was desperate to eat anything since they were so hungry. They didn't feel like going out to lunch for fear that Kagura might want to come, too. Her split personalities were scaring about three quarters of the workers.

Right now, the group was huddled over the wooden table probaly exchanging gossip. Naraku was waiting by the microwave for his cup noodles to be done. He didn't want to look like he was interested, but yet, he was curious of what they were saying. He angled himself so that three quarters of his body was facing the employees. At this angle, he looked like he was making his noodles, but could still hear bits of the whispers the group were passing to each other.

"Do you really think so?" Someone said.

"Yeah it has to be her. I saw her kissing him." He heard another part.

"On the lips!" Naraku heard Inuyasha yell. The group shushed him, then looked around to make sure no one heard. Naraku quickly turned his head to look at the cup of noodles. No one knew he had heard.

"On the lips!" Inuyasha said softly this time.

"No. On the cheeks!" Eyes widen, jaws drop. Naraku held back a laugh. They looked like high school kids sharing some juicy gossip for points.

"But her of all people! They hardly talk to each other."

"I saw her get into his car yesturday after work. They probaly drove to his place."

"Why wouldn't she tell us though? We're her friends."

"Maybe she's embarrassed."

"Maybe he's embarrassed, too. I mean, she is like 20 years younger than him."

"But I still don't understand, why her!"

"I don't know...she's a really pretty girl. She's smart, funny, great hair. I bet she can attract tons of guys her age without much effort."

"Maybe she's shy...unless..."

"Ohmigod! She's dating Onigumo for his money!" Once again, it was Inuyasha to shout.

"Shut the hell up Inuyasha!" Sango yelled. Kagome punched him in the arm. Once again, Naraku had to hold back his laugh. They really did look like high school kids. Ayame stuck her head out of the huddle to see if there was anyone listening. Naraku didn't have time to turn his head away. Ayame saw him and narrowed her eyes. "Hey Naraku, did you hear anything?" She raised one eyebrow.

"Not if you didn't want me to." He said. He started walking out of the room but was stopped by Ayame."I said..."

"Yes, I heard. Now can I please go. I have work to do." He said coolly.

"Really?" Kagome asked. "Really what?" Naraku turned around. "Really that you heard. So do you know anything about this? Tell us everything you know." The group had forced him back into the room and had crowded around him. "Everything about what? Onigumo's new girlfriend?" He got it right when he saw everyone nod their heads. Naraku rolled his eyes. "I don't even know who she is. Now for the last time, don't bother me anymore." He finally succeeded in walking out of the room and to his desk without being pulled back. Great, he was going to be bothered the rest of the day with curiousity. He tried to concentrate on his drawing, but thoughts of what he had heard started to fog his brain.

Words from before swarmed around his mind. "I saw her getting into his car yesturday after work." That might mean she worked in KPF Inc. "We're her friends." That would prove his first guess correct. He tried to think of all the girls that worked in KPF Inc. It wouldn't be Kagome, Sango, or Ayame. They were at the "meeting". The only girls left were Kikyo, Kagura, and Yura.

Yura was out of the question even though she could be a possible suspect. She was always hanging around Onigumo, but that was because she was his secretary. So that would leave Kikyo and Kagura. What else did the group say at the meeting. "She is like 20 years younger than him." That wouldn't help narrow the answer since both of the women were 20 years younger than him. And then he figured out who they were talking about with that one last sentence. It was all so obvious now.

Naraku

So that was who they were talking about! The clues were right there and I didn't even realize it. "She's really pretty." That can mean both Kagura and Kikyo although Kagura isn't really my type. "She's smart," that can still mean Kikyo and Kagura since they both have similair educational backgrounds and have the same job in KPF Inc. But then they said she's funny. Only Kikyo can be funny since Kagura always walking around with this serious look on her face. I can't imagine her making a joke , but Kikyo I can. And then, that one last clue made Kikyo THE one. "great hair." It HAS to be Kikyo. Kagura I can hardly see her hair. It is always tied in a bun and when she does let it down, it's just... hair. No shine, nothing special. But Kikyo on the other hand. When she lets her hair down, it falls to her waist and it shines in the light. It has to be Kikyo.

Now that I have figured out it is Kikyo, there is just one more question I have to ask myself...why is she dating Onigumo?

The gang had skipped their lunch break and stayed in the office to help around. To there luck, Kagura didn't ask them about having another lunch. Onigumo was especially happy to have his workers stay and help him. If only he knew how this was torturing them. They had to miss lunch just because they didn't want to hang around Kagura. Now they were forced into hard labor, typing and filing on an empty stomach wasn't how they had planned their day. Atleast work was over in about three hours. They just had to keep focused.

Inuyasha found this situation hardest to adjust to. He wasn't the type to skip a meal, even though it was for the good of him and his friends. Koga also had the same problem. He was staring out his window dreaming about food when he was supposed to be organizing a stack of folders Ayame had left on his desk. Naraku, however, was too busy still thinking about the morning gossip to feel the growling echo in his stomach. Juromaru, the exact opposite of Inuyasha and Koga, didn't have a big such a big appetite. He was busy typing something on his computer, even though he was supposed to be making copies of a paper Onigumo had asked for.

Onigumo walked out of his room to greet his starving slaves. "How's the work going?" He asked. Everyone mumbled a 'great'. "Good." He grinned. "Kikyo, can I see you for a second?" He looked at Kikyo. With that comment, the office snapped to life, remembering the conversation in the back room this morning. Kikyo looked up from her work and said, "Sure." She got up and walked into Onigumo's office. The rest of the office stared at her walking into their boss's office. Once the click of the closed door was heard, the employees gathered around each other and started whispering and wondering what was happening in the room.

Inuyasha pressed his ears against the door to try to hear parts of the conversation.

Sango and Kagome tried to peer through the window even though the blinds were closed.

Koga pushed Inuyasha aside so he could press his ears to the door. They finally found a way where they could both listen, even though nothing was heard.

Naraku stayed behind, but poked his head out to try to see some of the action. He quietly got up and quietly walked up to the office door. When he reached the door, voices were heard getting closer. He noticed the brass doorknob start to turn slowly. Naraku's reflexes took place and he quietly slipped back to his desk without anyone noticing he was gone.

The door opened, allowing Inuyasha and Koga to fall on the floor and meet Kikyo and Onigumo's feet.

The pair was laughing and stopped when they noticed the two young men scrambling to get up.

The girls had quickly ran back to their spots when they had the chance. Kikyo and Onigumo eyed Koga and Inuyasha suspiciously.

"Heh...sorry?" Inuyasha said nervously.

"Whoa!" Koga yelled as he nearly slipped getting up. "I''m okay!" He grinned and gave a thumbs up sign. Koga walked over to his desk like nothing had happened, passing Ayame who rolled her eyes at him. Inuyasha gave another nervous chuckle, got up, and walked over to his desk.

So the day went on without anyone talking about Kikyo and Onigumo.

Kikyo was starting to suspect something going on between her co-workers, but wasn't sure what.

Onigumo was oblivious to the world inside the office, and everyone else just didn't have any fresh gossip to share.

They couldn't hear or see a thing when Kikyo went into Onigumo's room. Their only guess was that the two of them really were dating and Kikyo went in there to talk about their unconditional love for each other.

There was only an hour or two left until work was over, and everyone was eager to get home, take a hot shower, and go to bed.

The two hours passed away and everyone was packing up. Kikyo had once again walked into Onigumo's office with a suspicious glance at the group. She came out with Onigumo.

By that time, most of the people in the office had already left, leaving Kagura, Naraku, Sango, and Kagome.

Naraku was in Kagura's room making last minute adjustments to a new design.

Kagome and Sango were in the back room making a cup of coffee before they left. Sango and Kagome were the only people who saw Onigumo come out of his room, followed by Kikyo. They peeked out of the corner of the wall to see if they can catch any action.

Kikyo and Onigumo looked around as if to see if anyone was looking at them. They looked at each other with an accomplished look in their eyes, linked arms, and walked out the door.

Kagome and Sango released a breath they had been holding so they wouldn't be spotted and looked at each other wide eyed.

They saw Kikyo and Onigumo link arms! The two girls ran to the window by Naraku's desk that overlooked the streets below.

Six floors below them, a girl with long black hair and a not so young man with dark brown hair catches their attention. They watch as the couple walk to a car. The man opens the front passenger door and the girl slides in. He closes the door and goes around to the driver's side. A minute later, the car drives off, leaving Kagome and Sango standing there with a stunned expression.

They had just claimed the gossip of the morning true, that Onigumo and Kikyo were dating each other. They hurried out of the office, wishing Monday was here so they can tell their friends what they had witnessed.

Back in Kagura's room, Naraku was about to leave when he had the sudden urge to ask Kagura something. He knew Kagura didn't really like him. They had some...past experiences together.

"Kagura?" He said, stopping at the closed door.

"Yes, Naraku?" She said with a hint of frustration without looking up from the stack of papers she was flipping through.

"I need to ask you something." He said, moving away from the door and closer to her desk.

Kagura sighed, but still didn't look up. "Did you hear the rumors? About Kikyo and Onigumo?" He finally asked.

Kagura finally looked up at him, her eyebrows raised as if she was saying, 'Are-You-Kidding-Me?'

"How could I not?" She said. She sat down at her chair with only a table seperating them. Naraku sat down at one of the two guest chairs. "I was just wondering, do you think it's true?"

"Well, let's see." She said. "They hang around each other a lot, he called her into his room two times today, I've seen her get into his car, I've also seen them holding hands." Kagura said, counting on her fingers.

Naraku stared at her with a pondering look written all over his face. "So, you think it's true?" He asked.

"Yeah, the rumors are pretty believable. They seem happy together, I guess." She flipped through a few papers that had just caught her eye, silently wishing Naraku would get out of her room. Suddenly she stopped with one question on her mind.

"Why do you care? Doesn't seem like you care for anybody in this office except for your drawings." She gestured towards a portfolio.

Naraku stared at her. For a moment, it seemed like he was confused with her question, but that mood was quickly replaced with a mischievious grin. He chuckled and walked out of the room. Kagura watched as he left the room, relieved that he was finally out of her sight.

He had changed a lot.

But he still hadn't answered her question. He could be keeping her guessing, or he could just not know the answer but wanted it to look like he knows.

The first one seemed more likely.