A/N: I'm keeping track of when I started this chapter, and when I finished it. This might be the only opportunity I get all week cause my mom is talking long distance and I can't go online to do my homework...or worse, get sidetracked by AIM. I'm writing this on Sept. 17, will probably finish it in two weeks, even though I want it to be done by like, next Saturday. TOO MUCH HOMEWORK! But this chpter should be fun to write.
Oh and last chpter, I made Naraku give hints about a "plan". Soon, you shall learn more about it! Mwahahahas!
NONONON! I JUST REALIZED IT! Okay, in chapter 6, I made Naraku say sorry 2TIMES! He isn't suppose to say sorry, so pretend that never happened. You are getting veeerry sleepy, very sleepy, now FORGET!(that's wat Naraku does to Kohaku in the show or book or wat/ev:)
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, and when I finish this chpter, I'll still be Inuyasha-less.
Splurg: Are you in high school too! I hate high school! But don't worry, Kikyo will still go on a date with Muso. Naraku is just hanging out with her before she goes out. Would you rather Kikyo be with Muso, or with Naraku? Cause you know, the whole point of the story is for her to be with Naraku...but atleast she's goign on a date with Muso! Be happy for him!
Like Moths To A Flame
Chapter 7: Plans and Playgrounds
What would you do...if you were Kikyo?
Kikyo had gotten to work on time, dressed in appropriate attire, and even had time to spare to put on flawless makeup. She was ready...as ready as ready can be for the upcoming meeting, but then why did she feel so anxious?
Maybe because yesturday, she had just flirted with her guy friend not once, but TWICE. She had also agreed to go on a date with Muso without thinking of the consequences. Which was very bad for a girl like Kikyo.
And to top it all off with an over-ripe cherry on top, her boss, Onigumo, had just told her to go into the meeting room. Sango and Ayame whispered words of encouragement to her when she walked by, making her way to the big black door in back.
The point of today's meeting was to discuss the next shipment and the commercial details with one of the bosses of a T.V studio.
The meeting wouldn't just be uninteresting, it was also the start of a hell hole of a day.
"The only free days we have are on Wednesday and Friday next week. We will have the camera men over on the day you..."
The voice of the T.V studio man faded to nothing for Kagura. She glanced at the round, white clock on the wall. The bold, black numbers read 15 minutes to 3, and the meeting should be ending soon. It would also signal the end of the work day, and that would mean she would have to meet Sesshomaru soon.
She was still wondering what he needed help in when a familiar voice broke her thoughts.
"Kagura! Pay attention!" Her boss said.
"Huh? Oh sorry. Could you repeat that, please." She said innocently.
Onigumo glared at her as he repeated, "Which day do we have free."
"Um, lemme check." Kagura opened a black, 8 by 12 book that held the schedule of Tokyo Diamonds. This month, they had birthdays, shipment dates, and projects all over the place, and the only non-busy day was on Friday.
"Friday, boss." She said.
"Thank you." Onigumo said impatiently. He turned to the T.V studio man and they started making plans. Once again, Kagura spaced out. She glanced over at Kikyo, who was sitting up straight, if not a little stiff, hands folded in front of her, and staring blankly at a spot behind Onigumo. What was she thinking about?
Unlike Kikyo, Kagura didn't care how other people viewed her. She was slouching in her chair, chin resting on her palm and flipping through the pages of the schedule book boredly.
Should she go home and change before she went to meet Sesshomaru? Or should she just go straight there? She didn't want him to wait for her. He counted on her for whatever he needed help in. But on a second glance at the clock, it read 3:13, and Onigumo was still discussing the commercial with that man.
Kagura sighed. Sesshomaru might get angry. Or not. After all, it was her he needed help in. Why was she even thinking about this so much?
The meeting turned out to end at a quarter to 4, and Kikyo felt guilty. She had thought it was going to end at three, but she didn't know there was so much to discuss about such a simple commercial.
She felt guilty because Naraku was probably waiting downstairs, standing there for more than half an hour. He was the reliable type, and when he said he was going to meet her at three, he was going to meet her at three.
And now it was almost four.
She packed all of the paperwork into a file labeled, "Commercial", said goodbye to Kagura and Onigumo, and hurried out of the office.
Down the elevator and out the revolving doors, she spotted Naraku leaning against a cold stone wall, eyes following anyone that came into his line of vision. His features reflected a slight rise in one corner of his lips, like a small grin.
His eyes was a puddle of cold stares, and if eyes were windows to the soul, Kikyo would say his soul held evil. It was like that first time she had seen him, and she felt jittery all over again. But what was she to judge at such a far distance? She pushed the thought into the back of her head, fogetting it completly.
Walking over to Naraku was hard. It was like there was some invisible force telling her not to go any further, but when Naraku saw her, his face turned the complete opposite of what it was before. His smile was kind, and the red of his eyes turned a shade brighter.
The invisible barrier had dissappeared, and Kikyo felt happy all of a sudden. She smiled when she approached Naraku. "Sorry to keep you waiting." She said.
"That's okay. I kept myself interested." He told her. "What do you want to do?"
"Are you hungry? We could get lunch. Or...well you've never been to my house." She told him. "I could make you lunch or something."
"Yeah, hey. Don't you still owe me a soda?" He asked her. "And a meal, remember?"
"Oh yeah." The soda was for thanking him for the umbrella, and the meal was because he paid for hers the other day.
"I'll make something good. Promise." She told him. They had started walking down the block, where Kikyo realized was where she had parked her car. "Did you park this way, too?" She asked him curiously.
"You too?" He smiled. "You can follow my car then, back to my house right?" Kikyo asked.
"As you wish."
Risks of inviting a guy into your house, especially one that you met recently:
Rape
Robbery
Murder
Kidnap
Anything could be possible. But she knew he was a kind person. She could tell by that smile of his that he won't try anything. And if he did, her phone was nearby.
"So, how was work?" Kikyo asked him. "Not bad." He told her. They continued walking down the block, which had suddenly become really crowded.
"Sorry, sorry." Kikyo said as she bumped into people along the streets. Was this block always that crowded? She glanced over at Naraku, to see if he was having the same problem. He, too was knocking into people, or people knocking into him. But his eyes were looking straight, a cold expression painted his features, and he just kept on knocking into people without an apology.
"Don't you say sorry? Your bumping into people and hurting them." She asked out of curiosity.
He looked down at her with the same cold stare, something Kikyo had never seen. And finally, he spoke. "I don't apologize."
"Why?" She asked.
"Because it's never my fault." Naraku answered, a stream of words that sent shivers down Kikyo's back.
"Oh. But what if it is?" She asked.
He gave her that hard look again. "It's never my fault." He repeated with surprising clarity. Was it just her or did his voice get deeper?
They had finally made it to their cars in awkward silence. Naraku was silently cursing at himself. How could I have been so stupid? It was all going so well...I'll have to be careful what I say from now on. Even if it means saying that dreaded word.
Kikyo went into her car as Naraku went into his across the street. She pulled out of her spot first, and from the side mirror in the drivers seat, she could see Naraku sitting in his silver Lexus. He smiled at her, but she could tell his mind was on something else. She smiled back.
He was always such a polite person, that the fact he had acted so strange before was unexpected. But other than that, he knew how to make Kikyo happy, and that came in handy sometimes when all her friends were out with their guys.
I wake up in the morning, Put on my face.
The one that's gonna get me, Through another day.
Doesn't really matter, How I feel inside.
This life is like a game sometimes...
Naraku followed Kikyo through a series of roads and streets and on a highway that he recognized was the same one he took to work and back. Kikyo stopped in front of the entrance of a building. The security guard went up to her window with a smile. Moments later, the black iron gate opened up, allowing the two cars to go through.
After they parked, Kikyo walked over to Naraku, the thought of his strange confession erased from her memory. If he doesn't like apologizing, he doesn't have to. I'll adjust. Kikyo thought.
"I've always wanted to be a scientist." Naraku spoke first as they entered the building.
Kikyo looked up at him with a questioning look.
Naraku laughed. "Like, the kind that experiments for the good of humanity. Cures, ways to make life easier, cleaner."
"A better world?" Kikyo commented on Naraku's cheesy statement.
Naraku knew it was all fake. He could tell Kikyo knew it was all fake, too. He was disgusted by the words he had just said. Being a scientist, that was a fact. But he wanted to experiment with weapons, atomic bombs, poisonous gases. The equipment used in wars to kill people with, not help them... There was a big difference between the two.
The elevator reached the 16th floor, and the two stepped out. They were greeted by a big, wide hallway with walls of marble. Doors of black stood within 5 yards of each other, meaning the interior must be HUGE.
And it was. Once Kikyo opened the door to her apartment, the first thing Naraku saw was the giant bay window, with the Tokyo skyline far away. The sun shone through the glass, landing on the burgundy red sofa right in front of the window. A flat screen television hung from the wall all the way on the opposite end, leaving a big, empty gap between the two.
The kitchen was big, too. It came complete with a black marble island, with dim, colored lights hanging above it. Everything else was black marble to match. There was a hallway leading to three other rooms. But what stood out most was how empty the whole apartment was...just like his.
"I'm not very big on decorating." Kikyo said, noticing Naraku's take in of the room.
"Neither am I." He said, looking out the window. "Your apartment is almost as empty as mine." He told her.
"Make yourself comfortable. I'll start looking for something to eat."
As Naraku sat down on the sofa, Kikyo walked to the kitchen. She glanced at the clock. It was five already. The setting sun was the only light in her house, and the black in the kitchen only dimmed it down. She reached over for the light switch, to find that the light won't turn on. She flipped it a couple of times more, but it still won't turn on.
"Anything wrong?" Naraku said from the living room.
"The light won't turn on." Kikyo said, demonstrating by flipping the light switch a few times. Naraku went to the kitchen to try to help her fix the problem. He stared at the light in the ceiling, a dome of white with black designs decorating the edges. "Do you happen to have a ladder? Or a chair maybe?" He asked still staring at the light. "I have a stool, here." Kikyo pulled a white chair about 3 feet high over for Naraku.
Placing it right under the light, he stood on it. "Careful." Kikyo told him. "I will." He smiled down at her. Turning his attention back to the light, he told Kikyo to bring her a screwdriver. Screwdriver in hand, he began to unscrew the white dome. He handed it to Kikyo. "Careful." He said. "I will." She answered. "I meant the cover, not you." He smiled a teasing one.
Then you came around me The walls just disappeared.
Nothing to surround me To keep me from my fears
I'm unprotected See how I've opened up
You've made me trust
After inspection of the lightbulb, he concluded the fuse was burnt. "Do you happen to have another lightbulb?" He asked her while kneeling on the stool. "I'll try to find one. Wait here." She told him.
Kikyo went into the hallway and into the door at the end. This was her bedroom, and it was just as empty as the rest of the house save for the queen sized bed, a vanity table, and a desk with a black laptop resting on its surface. She opened the black and white door of her built-in-closet. Hidden behind all her clothes, neatly hung, were cardboard boxes of all sizes. Pulling a few random ones out, she started searching through them.
Naraku waited outside, walking around the living room. Unlike other homes, Kikyo didn't have any pictures. The only object that even remotely showed her interests was a sketch pad lying on the dinner table. If this home was so empty, Naraku had just one question.
Where was the jewel?
One box held old jewelry that Kikyo hardly wore anymore. Another held important documents. There was one that caught Kikyo's attention. It was brown, like all the other ones, but it had a big red X across the top and all over the box. She didn't remember this one. She reached over for the box, fingers hesitating over the lid. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to embrace for what was hidden inside, she pryed the lid away.
Staring back at her were picutres. Piles of photos. Some ripped, some torn, some cut. Some drawn on, some with holes in it, and a few rare ones that were whole. Staring back at her was anger. Hatred for what she once had. Piles of memories. Staring back at her was the once upon a time fairy tale life she had with Inuyasha.
With trembling hands, she reached into the box and took out a photo. Surprising how it had to be a whole. Smiling brightly was herself, her ex's arm draped over her shoulders in a loving embrace. In the background was a park, trees, birds, even people walking their dogs.
She dared to look at it a second longer. This was one of their early dates, when they were both young. How naive she was, how inexperienced.
"Kikyo?" A voice sliced through her thoughts.
"HUH?" She dropped the photo and quickly covered the box. She threw it back into the closet, but it must've hit the wall cause before she knew it, pictures destroyed by her anger were lying all over the floor. Her eyes widened.
Naraku knelt down to help her pile the photos back together. But it was impossible to not look at the pictures. Pictures of Kikyo and Inuyasha's four years together. Pictures of young love and happiness. Pictures that Naraku couldn't take his eyes away from.
When Kikyo realized what had happened, she quickly crawled over to Naraku and took the pictures he had piled away from him. He was holding a picture in his hand, eyes wide with longing and shame. Kikyo tried to take the picture away from him, but he was holding it too tight. He slowly looked up and into her eyes.
What was that look in his eyes? She thought. It looks almost like pity. She quickly looked away from him, taking the picture with her. Quietly putting back in the box, she said. "Please don't ask."
"Tell me." Naraku urged with eager eyes.
Kikyo bit her lips. It was so quiet in her apartment. The silence wasn't awkward, but it wasn't completely comfortable either. She felt the sun sinking from the window behind her. The two stayed there on the floor, boxes cluttered the area around them.
"I found a lighbulb." Kikyo finally said. She reached in for another box labeled "Batteries" and took a white bulb out.
"Thanks." Naraku reached for the bulb. "I'll go finish fixing the light." He got up and offered a hand to help Kikyo up. Kikyo looked up at him and into his eyes of crimson red. A smile crossed her face as one appeared on his. She stretched her hand out, and Naraku held it in his. Pulling her up, he asked, "So, do I still get food?"
Cuz I've never felt like this before I'm naked... around you
Does it show? You see right through me
And I can't hide I'm naked... around you
And it feels so right...
"I fixed the light.." Naraku told Kikyo, climbing down from the stool.
"And I made food." Kikyo told him. The earlier event had died down, and they were both hungry.
"Heey, this doesn't taste half bad!" Naraku said as he bit into the sandwich Kikyo had placed in front of him.
Kikyo sat down to eat her lunch. "And it's healthy, too. Wheat grain bread, tomatos, lettuce, low fat mayo."
"It sounds like you want me to go on a diet. Am I that out of shape?" Naraku asked teasingly.
"Never!" Kikyo laughed.
"You're right. You're the one that's out of shape." Naraku told her as he drank from his cup.
But all the contents he had just drank came spitting out as Kikyo slapped him in the arm.
"Ew!" Kikyo cried. "You're cleaning that up."
"But I'm a guest!"
And they laughed all the way through lunch, with Naraku choking a few more times.
I'm trying to remember Why I was afraid
To be myself
And let the... covers fall away
Guess I never had Someone like you
To help me fit In my skin
As soon as Kagura stepped out of the office, she had rushed to her car and started driving towards the designated meeting spot. She was so deep in thought that she almost crossed the red light.
"Shit." Kagura cursed as she realized that she had almost gotten run over. It was almost an hour past their meeting time.
"My boss sucks."
"There was a traffic jam."
"I'm so sorry, Sesshomaru, I'll make it up to you."
She was making mental excuses, trying to tell Sesshomaru that she hadn't meant to be late. She almost missed the park that they were suppose to meet at. Parking her car, she started searching for the playground.
It was painted red and blue, complete with jungle gyms and slides and swings. Kagua spotted the long white hair of Sesshomaru, standing in front of the foot of a metal slide. A little girl around 7 or 8 slid down and into his arms. She was wearing an orange short sleeve dress with white polka dots decorating its fabric. Her long black hair trailed down her back.
"Hey." Kagura said when she reached him. He turned around, the little girl in his arms. "Hi." He said back. The girl in his arms smiled at her. "I'm Rin!" She said happily. "Hi, Rin." Kagura smiled at her. One thought crossed her mind that made her heart clench. Was this his daughter?
"She's not my daughter." Sesshomaru said, as if reading her thoughts. Kagura was surprised at how he knew what she was thinking. "Then who is she?" She asked.
"My friend's daughter." He told her. "But he's not here. He passed away a year ago."
"Oh. Sorry." She apologized.
"Don't be. He left her for me when he found out he was dying. No harm will come to her when she's with me, and he knew that." He told her.
Why did Kagura wish that it was her he was talking about?
Rin was playing with his hair, making a small braid on the side of his head. (A/N: I'm sry to interrupt, but that braid is hilarious!)
"Rin." He said sternly, looking her in the eye like a father would.
Rin giggled, but started unbraiding it. Kagura couldn't help but smile.
"Go play with your friends." He let her go and she ran towards a bunch of girls about her age.
"Come on." Sesshomaru led Kagura to a bench. They sat under the trees, watching Rin play tag with her friends.
"I need to go away for awhile. It's for my job." He told her out of nowhere.
"For your job? What do you do?"
"I work for a travel magazine. I gather information about places. Most of the time, I take Rin with me because the place isn't very far. But this time I'm going to the Middle East." He explained to her.
"Why did you call me out today?" She asked her, getting straight to the point.
"I want to ask if Rin can stay with you for atleast two weeks. If you have an extra room that is."
"Um, do I have to take her to school?" She asked.
"That's already taken care of." He said without any explanation.
"I think I can fit her in my schedule."
"She's a really good girl. She won't bother you and her needs are not extreme." He told her.
He must be really desperate to find someplace for Rin to stay. Kagura thought.
"Kagura, I trust you enough to leave Rin with you." Sesshomaru said, looking out into the playground.
That was all it took for Kagura to agree.
Cuz I've never felt like this before I'm naked
Around you Does it show?
You see right through me And I can't hide
I'm naked Around you
And it feels so right
"I'll send her to you tomorrow after dinner." Sesshomaru told her. Rin was standing next to him, getting ready to go home.
"Sure. Make sure she packs everything she needs." Kagura said. She looked down at Rin and smiled. This could be fun.
She waved goodbye and made her way to where she had parked.
"Kagura!" Sesshomaru's voice called from behind her. "Yeah?" She asked, turning around.
"Thanks. Thanks agian. I really appreaciate it." He told her. She could tell from his voice that he meant it.
Kagura nodded with a happy smile. "You're welcome." She told her. "See you tomorrow, Rin." She waved to Rin, who waved back.
That wasn't that bad. Kagura thought. But she was going to miss Sesshomaru. Two weeks!
"Am I staying at her house?" Rin looked up at Sesshomaru as they walked to his car.
"Yes. Be nice." He told her, opening the door for her.
"She looks nice. I bet she's going to be really fun!" Rin said excitedly.
"Yes. Yeah. Yeah I guess." Sesshomaru said to himself.
"Oh crap!" Kikyo got up from the couch where she and Naraku were watching T.V.
"What happeend?" Naraku asked with worry.
"Um, I sorta have a date today. He's coming in half an hour." Kikyo said looking at the clock.
"Oh? A date? You didn't tell me. Who is it?" Naraku grinned. But deep down, he was saying something else.
Someone got in my way...This wasn't suppose to happen. I've gone too far, and he can't ruin this.
"Someone from work." She told him. She was already rushing into her room and had locked the door behind her. "Sorry Naraku, I'm changing." She told him through the closed door.
"Hey, I think the doorbell just rang." Naraku said, walking towards the front door.
On the other side was a man about his height, with messy dark brown hair. He was wearing a dark blue and red t-shirt with jeans, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand. Surprised to see another man in the house of his date's, he asked, "Who are you?"
"Naraku..." Naraku answered. He let the other man in.
"I'm Muso." The man said.
"Nice to meet you." Naraku said. They didn't bother with hand shakes.
"Hi, Muso! You came early." Kikyo said. She was in a black skirt that went right above her knees and a red, long sleeved shirt with a black ribbon that went around the middle of her rib cage and ended with a bow on her side. Her hair was down and brushed and her eyes held a trace of glitter eyeshadow.
Naraku looked at her as if she was a painted masterpiece. She looks pretty...
But Muso took his line and said it aloud. "You look really pretty, Kikyo. Wanna get going now?"
Naraku was the only one who saw her take a deep, shaky breath. She doesn't want to go with him. She's only pity dating him... Naraku smiled. He didn't have to go through with Plan B after all...
"Thanks for keeping me company, Naraku. Sorry I have to run off on you like this. I promise I'll make it up, or I'll feel really bad."
"Thank you for the lunch. I'll see you tomorrow?" Naraku said. He was already out the door and walking to the elevator.
"Bye." Kikyo locked the door behind her. When she turned around, Naraku was gone. He had probably went in the elevator already.
"Who is he?" Muso asked curiously.
"A friend." Kikyo said, linking her arm in his and pressing the button on the elevator.
"Oh." Muso replied.
Throughout her entire date, she let Muso do the talking. She was too busy thinking about her other guy friend. Too busy composing a nice outfit to wear next time she saw him. Too busy thinking up dialouges in her head. She couldn't wait until she saw him again. Couldn't wait until their next lunch together.
I'm so naked around you
And I can't hide
You're gonna, you're gonna see right through...
Your gonna see right through...
Oh yeah
For the first time since she broke up with Inuyasha, she had a crush.
A crush on one very attractive man.
A/N: Yes! Another chapter down! WOOT!WOOT! Sorry Splurg, I didn't write about Kikyo and Muso's date...I was too lazy, brain dead, and have lots of hw to finish. But, atleast she went on a date. That's what counts right?
Okay, so I started this story on the 17th of September...and finished it on the 10th of October...I hope it won't take me thaaaaaat long to write the next chp...this sucks...high school sucks...I hate Midwood!
Today's song was...take a guess...do any of you know it? It's Naked by Avril Lavigne! Yea, I used one of her songs in the begginning, but screw that.
I'm running out of songs and have absolutely NO CLUE what song I should use for one of the most important chapters in this story. The third to last chapter...tht'll be far from this one ofcourse. You don't think it's possible to fall in love that fast do you? I was thnking of writing my own song, but as you can tell, if i do that it'll take me atleast 2 months to write one chapter! Be glad I finished this one!
I also have no clue as to what I should write for the next chapter...maybe they'll start liking each other...this sucks! I have no experience in dating and I'm writing a romance! I hate MIDWOOD!