Nine Years
A/N: I'm going to be posting previously halted ideas for fics here on This fic features a sort of modern day Romeo and Juliet type of romance; wherein the two lovers are worlds apart. Inuyasha is a young man raised in the raunchy downtown streets of the city, while Kagome is the daughter of a wealthy businessman and president of the biggest company conglomeration in the metro. The two are so in love with each other, but their different lifestyle backgrounds forced them both to take separate ways. Now, almost a decade has passed and both have moved on with their lives. But will fate work its magic on them and rekindle the flame that was once put out between Inuyasha and Kagome? RnR please!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any mentioned related character in this fanfic. So please, don't sue me for theft.

Higurashi Kagome was sitting in her comfy armchair in her office when the intercom suddenly went on. Kagome sighed and leaned over to her broad mahogany office table. She pressed a button on the intercom and let the person on the other line speak.

"Ms. Higurashi, you have been scheduled to a 10:00 PM plane flight to Japan." Kagome's secretary's voice went through the intercom. Kagome's face lit up slightly. "You will be leaving tonight. Denver took care of everything, just like you requested."

"Good work. Send my regards to Denver." Kagome said gratefully to her secretary. "Thank you, Melanie."

"Don't mention it, Ms. Higurashi." Melanie said before disconnecting from the intercom. Kagome slumped back to her seat and rested her head on the soft leather cushion of her chair. She has waited so long to go back to go back to her native land. She has been gone for almost 10 years now, and has longed to set foot on her motherland once again. Kagome flew to New York right after she graduated from college to take on the family business. She didn't get the chance to go back to Japan since then due to her very busy schedule in running her family's company. This was her first time to go back in years. Kagome smiled at the thought of going back. She flipped her cellphone open and looked for a name in her address book. Kagome pressed the "call" button on her phone and held it to her ear.

"Hello?" Came a strong, but cool voice from the line. "If this has something to do with the Tensaiga-Carsen merge contract, then please do not talk to me. I am not signing that deal. Now, if you've got nothing to say, please hang up. I'm a very busy man." He ended, not even giving the other person a chance to speak.

"Sesshoumaru? This is Kagome." Kagome said, a little annoyed. "Are you so busy that even I can't talk to you?" The man on the other line had a sudden jolt of surprise. He apologized for his rude salutation.

"Oh. I'm sorry Kagome. I though you were one of those crazy Carsen businessmen who just want to suck all of my company's money." Sesshoumaru said calmly. "So, why did you call?" Kagome smiled with excitement and told Sesshoumaru about her flight.

"After almost a decade of staying here in New York, I finally got the chance to free up some time and visit Japan." Kagome chimed happily, reclining on her leather chair. Sesshoumaru's usually stone-cold face now showed a striking smile.

"That's great!" Sesshoumaru asked Kagome, feeling happy for her. "How did you get a flight? It's pretty hard to get one these days…"

"I had my best people on it." Kagome said with a sparkle in her voice. Sesshoumaru let out an amused chuckle.

"So, what are your big plans when you go back to Japan?" Sesshoumaru asked again.

"Well…I just want to see how dad and Souta are doing. Plus, also want to catch up with my old friends and have some fun."

"Hmm, sounds like it's a party." Sesshoumaru quipped. "So, when is your flight?"

"10:00 PM tonight. But I would even love it if you'd come with me." Kagome's voice changed from joyful to provocative. "I'll have Denver arrange another ticket if you would come." Sesshoumaru sighed through the phone. He tucked a stray strand of his silvery hair behind his ear and spoke.

"As much as I love to Kagome, I have to stay here and take care of the company." Sesshoumaru replied regretfully. "None can tell when those Carsen goons will show up and pillage Tensaiga." He finished. Kagome's lips formed a disappointed pout.

"Okay. If that is what you want." Kagome muttered sadly. "I'll just IM you everyday to keep in touch. Always be online!" Kagome directed Sesshoumaru. Just then, a chime-like sound ringed in Kagome's PC. She glided her chair over to her computer nook and saw a message from Sesshoumaru on her Yahoo! Messenger. The message read, "OK. You can count on that!" Beside the message was a smiley flashing a big grin.

"Was that one heck of an assurance or what?" Sesshoumaru spoke through the phone once again. Kagome laughed and was happy that Sesshoumaru was going to keep in touch with her always.

"Well, I hope you have fun there, Kagome." Sesshoumaru wished her, smiling on the other line. Kagome's heart gave a quick beat. "And remember that I'll always be here whenever you need me." The smile on Kagome's face grew brighter.

"Thanks…Sesshoumaru. Thanks." Kagome's voice quivered a bit. She was about to hang up on Sesshoumaru when he stopped her with an abrupt message.

"Wait. There's something I want to ask you…" Sesshoumaru hesitated for a while. "Will…you be coming back before…the special day?" He asked. Kagome fell silent. She looked at her hand and saw a glistening silver ring with a beautiful flawless diamond embellishing it. It was her engagement ring to Sesshoumaru. Kagome's hand shook.

"Of course I will." Kagome answered. "I wouldn't miss it for the world." She added with happiness in her voice. Sesshoumaru's face did not show it, but he felt very happy deep inside. He trusted Kagome with all that he is.

"…I love you, Kagome." Sesshoumaru whispered lovingly. He didn't want any of his nosy employees to overhear his private conversation with Kagome. "Even more than my own life." Upon hearing this, Kagome held her hand with the engagement ring to her chest.

"Likewise, Sesshoumaru." Kagome uttered, responding to her fiancé's affection. "Likewise." With that, Kagome and Sesshoumaru both hung up on each other. Kagome folded her cellphone close. She pressed the button on the intercom once again and happily asked her secretary a favor.

"Melanie, could you please fix me an ice cold glass of latté?"

Later that day, Kagome was getting ready for her flight. She has packed most of her things that she will taking to Japan. Several baggages sat neatly on her suite's Persian-carpeted floor near her bed. This was where she stayed. Kagome lived in a penthouse that overlooked the bustling metropolis of the Big Apple. From there, she could see the busy streets and the great mass of people crossing Times Square. The people always looked like a colony of ants swarming all over the concrete roads of the city. Kagome bought the penthouse 6 years ago. She had to live with her cousin for the first 4 years of her stay in New York until she could buy a place of her own to live in. Kagome carefully placed her laptop PC in its black carry case and made sure it was secured. The laptop computer was the last of her baggage to be packed.

"Well…that's the last of the lot. I'm all set!" Kagome said, stretching her arms up in the air. Just then, her cellphone rang. A polyphonic tune of Switchfoot's "Stars" filled the room. Kagome looked for her ringing phone, but didn't find it.

"Now where did I put it?" Kagome worriedly asked herself. She could hear the sound coming from beneath her bed. Kagome bent down and reached for the ringing phone under her bed. I must've misplaced it while I was packing. She thought, getting her phone from the dusty floor. But there was something else that caught Kagome's attention. The phone's rhythmic lights intermittently shed light in the darkened underside of the bed. Kagome squinted her eyes to get a clearer view of what else was underneath her bed. The phone's lights are being reflected by some kind of glossy object. Kagome got both the glossy object and her phone. The glossy object turned out to be a piece of paper. She tossed it aside for a moment and answered her ringing phone.

"Hello? Higurashi Kagome speaking." She greeted through the phone.

"Hey Kagome. I'm picking you up around seven, is that OK?" Sesshoumaru's calm voice went through the line. "I still need to sort out things in the office, so I'll be running a bit late."

"It's alright, Sesshoumaru. Don't worry." Kagome said, assuring Sesshoumaru that there's no harm done.

"Thanks for understanding." Sesshoumaru replied. "So, are you all set for flying?" He had his cellphone latched between his ear and shoulder. He classified different paperwork filed in by his employees in different folders and envelopes while talking to Kagome. Kagome sat on the bed and got the glossy paper. She noticed that it was a picture. She was seeing the back of it, and there was something written on it.

Hearts bound, love forever resound
Have my heart, never be apart
Truth so clear, whisper into my ear
That I'm your one and only dear

Kagome was dumbfounded. She didn't answer Sesshoumaru when she read the back of the photo. It was nostalgic. The rhymes at the back of the photo somehow reminded Kagome of something in the past. Kagome's mind picked up something that was buried deep within her memories. Something that she tried so hard to forget…and it was brought back to the surface. Unable to speak, she fidgeted while slowly turning the photo around. Kagome held her phone to her ear with her left hand and the photo with the other. The picture was almost faded, but one could still make out the people in it. Kagome doesn't seem to hear Sesshoumaru's voice coming from her phone. She was now more focused on the old photo than on the conversation with her fiancé.

"Kagome, is there something wrong?" Sesshoumaru asked, now holding his phone in his hand.

No answer.

Kagome was preoccupied with the picture and has blocked out her external world. On the picture was a pretty young girl- about 16 years of age, and a raucous-looking young boy with ashen hair like Sesshoumaru's. They appear to be smiling, but Kagome somehow felt the sadness in the photo. The boy's fiery golden eyes burned holes through Kagome. The picture was taken many years ago, but the memories flooded Kagome's mind in an instant. Memories of a dead devotion. Kagome was haunted by her past at that very moment.

"…Inuyasha." Kagome muttered wistfully, not any louder than a whisper. Sesshoumaru heard her mutter, but didn't make out the word.

"Did you say something?" He questioned, sitting down in his office chair. Kagome shook her head and snapped out of her trance-like state and answered Sesshoumaru, flustered.

"No! I didn't say anything!" Kagome snarled defensively. Sesshoumaru was taken slightly aback.

"Whoa…easy there. I was just asking." He said, raising his free hand up in the air, pretending to surrender. "I guess this is just brought by a bad case of the jitters. You'd better get a bit of sleep before your flight, Kagome."

"…Yes. I guess I'd better." Kagome muttered absentmindedly. Sesshoumaru nodded.

"I'll come by around seven. 'Till then, rest well." Sesshoumaru said. "Sweet dreams, Kagome. Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Kagome then hung up. She folded her phone closed and placed it on her bedside table. Kagome rested her body on the soft comfort of her bed and stared at the old picture. She remembered every single detail like it happened just yesterday. She remembered how she cried when she found out that she will be going to New York and will be living there for good. It was not because she didn't want to live in New York. It was because she had to leave too many things- and a very special person- behind. Kagome felt her eyes well with hot tears. She immediately got one of her huge pillows and dumped it on her face. Kagome felt how her tears spread across her face; hot and salty. And it didn't take long before she found herself getting heavy and numb. Kagome unconsciously let go of the old photo from her hand. And slowly, Kagome drifted off to an unsettled slumber…pensive and confused of whether she should now go back to Japan or not.

Because going back means facing the past. And Inuyasha.