Be patient!

Chapter 28

I don't own Inuyasha

One Month Later...

"Come on in, Ms. Hagurashi" said Ikuto's butler.

"Thank you" she replied happily. When she entered Ikuto's home, there was chaos as Suno was arguing to his wife about one of their workers who had just decided to quit because Suno was too hard on her during their fencing matches. Suno argued that she should be better than that, while Sarah argued that he just was taking Ikuto's illness out on her and worked her too hard. Sarah was right, but it wasn't like Suno was going to admit that he missed fencing with his brother, especially since Suno was a much better sword fighter. Because of that, Suno forgets of how good Ikuto really is. Ikuto's skills with a sword are above average. "Where is Ikuto?"

Before the butler, Suno, or Sarah could answer, Kagome heard Ikuto's voice calling happily from down the long hallway. "Ikuto!" she heard him physically struggling down the hall and rushed to him as fast as possible. "I'm coming, stop moving."

Suno stopped his argument and said to Kagome "If he's getting better, don't discourage him. Rest may heal bones, but only determination will teach someone how to walk again."

"I know, but he's still trying to heal..." Kagome was rendered speechless as she saw Ikuto on crutches. He looked tired, but he was really pushing his luck. "Ikuto, you're..." she started smiling slowly at him and her building excitement lit a flame within him, and he couldn't help but begin to smile as well. "You're amazing." Tears began to form in her eyes and she gave Ikuto a peck on his cheek, even though she really wanted to embrace him with a hug. The only thing stopping her was the fear of hurting him and making him fall over. "Ikuto, you're just amazing. A month ago the doctors thought you would never walk again, and now you're using crutches. It seems like you're getting stronger each day." She wiped her eyes. "I'm just so proud of you, Ikuto."

Ikuto was actually embarrassed from all of the praises. "Kagome, you know those doctors don't know what they're talking about. According to them, I'm dead from years ago." There was a long pause between them and Kagome just stood there, admiring Ikuto's strength. He was truly a miracle. Ikuto waited for her to make the next move, but the longer they stayed standing, the more tired he became. "Uh, Kagome I need to sit down."

Kagome began to laugh gently. "Oh I'm sorry. I totally wasn't thinking. Let's go sit down."

They made their way out to the pool. Their indoor pool was more for athletics, while this one was just a beautiful place to hang out with a built in waterfall. It was now the middle of May and the scenery was beautiful. The flowers had bloomed, the sky was the deepest of blues, and the aroma of the flowers tickled Kagome's nose with sweetness. Kagome helped Ikuto into a chair and placed his crutches to the side of him. She then took a seat next to him and smiled brightly at him, admiring his strength. "Kagome," he said "you know if you ever want to go swimming, then you could. You could go right now if you want."

"I couldn't" she blushed. "I...I just have bad experiences with men and water."

"The monk, eh?" He laughed.

"Inuyasha's peeked a few times as well." She sighed, sounding restless. "I do believe that every time he looked it was an accident. He's such a cold fish." The mention of Inuyasha saddened her. "He hasn't contacted me yet. I'm worried. The last time he tried to keep me here and him in his own time, he ended up coming back really quick. I guess he's serious this time." She turned away from Ikuto. She felt almost guilty talking about Inuyasha so much, since she had already decided to let him go and go into a relationship with Ikuto. "I know I said I was going to let him go, but he didn't know that. I wonder why he left." She turned back to face him, to see if he was upset or curious. "What do you think? Why do you think he left?"

"I don't know Kagome" he sounded a little concerned, but at the same time, he sounded highly annoyed with the topic of Inuyasha. "I wish I knew, but he's obviously not coming back Kagome."

"I suppose not" she said it so quiet, that Ikuto could barely make it out from the breathiness in her voice. She tried not to wonder about it. At first she did, but now she was trying to concentrate on other things, like her life. "Ikuto" when he perked up to give her full attention, Kagome suddenly lost all of her thoughts. "Uh..." she blushed, feeling embarrassed, and then suddenly, something else came to her attention. "Ikuto, you told me that your parents met in a diner. That was all you told me. You said you'd finish the story some day. Why not now?"

"Now?" he asked wearily. "You want to hear about them at this very moment?" He wasn't sure what he wanted to say, but he wasn't exactly hoping to retell the tale of his parent's romance while he was trying to start his own. He would have put it off, but he did rather enjoy the story. "Okay Kagome, you've got your wish." He pushed the palm of his hands on his chair to make himself sit up. He hated to slouch. He cleared his throat, an over dramatic story telling gesture, but he did it every time to he told a story. He didn't usually have an audience. "Like I said, it all started in a little diner in the United States of America."

Kagome nodded, signaling that she wanted him to go on. She was very anxious to hear the tale. "I know, I know."

"I know you know. Man Kagome, you're so impatient!" He calmed down and cleared his throat again. "Like I said many times already, it was in a little diner in the U.S. on Christmas Eve. My father had gone to the U.S. in order for business and even though the stereotypical business men skip out on holidays for work, all of my father's business partners decided to spend Christmas with their families. So there my father was, all alone on Christmas Eve, with nothing to do but sit in his very fancy hotel in New York, watching movies all day. Now that sounds like a pretty nice thing to do, but he never was much of a movie person and most of the staff was having a party. Instead of bothering them time and time after again, he decided to be respectful and let them enjoy their holiday, a day that my father really had never experienced."

"You said it's Christmas, right?"

"Yes. Even though it's a holiday based off of Jesus, the son of God's birth, many non believers in America still celebrate the holiday for presents, joy, and love. Oh yeah, and the big fat red guy they call Santa Clause."

"I know what Christmas is" she said impatiently.

"Okay, okay. I thought that you would want some background information, don't be so touchy!" He sighed. "But anyway, he was hungry and decided that he wanted to get out, so he hit the streets and started looking for a place to get something. The only place he found so late at night was this little diner. He ordered a sandwich and some fries, things he didn't usually eat, but he liked. He read this book for a while and then it started to get late..."

"Here you are" said a woman as she placed a plate with a piece of pie in front of a Japanese man, just approaching his 30's. He still looked like he was still in his mid 20's though. My father aged very well, even with all the stress of owning his own company at such a young age. He worked for everything he did. He was a genius. I don't know any other way to put it.

He looked up at her and was in shear awe from her beauty. It was rare that he saw women who looked like her. Her skin was brown, smooth, and not dark at all. It was like warm coco. Her hair was long and black and her eyes were a chocolate brown. My father said when he met my mother; it was like a breath of fresh air. He hadn't felt such a sudden rush of happiness since the last time he kissed Suno's mother. Her figure was shaped like a Coca-cola bottle. She was thin and very tall, much taller than most Japanese women. "I didn't order this."

"I know you didn't, but when I saw you looking all alone here on Christmas Eve, I thought that you needed someone to show you the Christmas spirit, so I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do right now. Merry Christmas."

She started to walk away, but he called her. "But I cannot accept this. I will pay for it."

"No, don't. Don't worry about it. I made the pie anyway. It's sweet potato. Have you had it before?"

"No, but-"

"No buts! I just wanted to extend Christmas joy to a stranger." As she looked at his face, she began to realize how gorgeous he looked. She didn't particularly care for the looks of most Asian men, but there were a few that caught her eye, and his features were beautiful, everything right down to his cheek bones to the darkness in his mysterious eyes. "I hope you enjoy the pie." My mom said that father was a real looker, you know, the kind of guy that sweeps you off his feet, just when he smiles at you.

"I am sure I will." He smiled at her and her heart skipped a beat. She had never met a man that made her feel like everything around her was chaotic, while they were in stillness. She hadn't realized how unhappy she was until he smiled. "Thank you."

She was in awe and couldn't speak any longer. She didn't know what to say. She smiled a quick smile and walked back into the kitchen. There were no waitresses there that night besides my mother. It was a slow night and my mother needed the over time, so she decided to cover for everyone who decided to spend Christmas with their families instead of going to work. In a while, she finally got the nerve to stop looking at my father from a distance every few seconds and went back over to him to talk. "Are you hungry? Do you want some coffee?"

He wanted to say something, but he's so polite. He wouldn't just start hitting on a stranger. "Yes, coffee would be nice." She was almost excited as she walked away to get his coffee, but right before she went into the kitchen, he said "Oh, and I would like another piece of that delicious pie." That pie was my favorite. It's the reason why I was born. Anyway, when she brought the pie back, along with the coffee, she brought herself a piece and sat down with him.

"I hope you don't mind."

"No, go ahead. It would be an honor for you to join me."

"So, what brings you here? You're not from around here, are you?"

"No, I am not. I am from Japan. I am here for business. I was not aware that this Christmas was tomorrow so I cannot conduct business with my partners today." He looked around. "And what is your story?"

"My story?"

"Yes, if you don't mind me asking."

"Oh" she shrugged her shoulders. "I came to New York for two reasons. The first one was to get away from my family, and the other was to make it big. I wanted to apply myself in school and get a big job here, but nothing worked out like it was supposed to. Now as far as my family" she rolled her eyes "they're good people, but I feel so...confined when I'm with them! They're so old fashion. My dad still wants me to be with a..." she looked around and sighed "well, I don't know how to say this, and I hope this doesn't come out the wrong way, but he wants me to marry a black man, instead of marrying someone that I love. I don't have a problem with marrying someone from within my own race, but I just hate that he won't let me experience anything else. Everyone where I'm from wants to stick with what they know. People even talk about me because I don't fit the stereotype."

"You don't." He saw that she was offended, so he asked for her forgiveness and explained that he was sorry. "Oh, I didn't mean to offend you. I have been introduced to African Americans a different way then how you appear to be." He blushed. "I am very sorry, Miss. I know how you feel. I believe that every culture would like to stick to their own kind. It is also this way in Japan."

"But American isn't supposed to be like that. It's supposed to be the place where many people come together to make a nation. My father or any of my relatives can't see that."

"Is this the only reason...why you wanted to leave your family?"

She sighed. "No, they want to be Baptist, and I wanted to be Pentecostal."

"Pentecostal?" he asked confused. "I am sorry. I do not know this type. I am highly educated in different forms of religion, but this one I'm not certain of."

"Oh, well I'm still a Christian. It's just different from some others. I believe you can lose your salvation, and they don't." My mother always became restless once she started talking about her family. They really didn't believe in her. They didn't believe she would make it big, and some of the family members were upset once they found out she was marrying a man from Japan, but once they found out who, they changed their mind. My mother didn't really pass out money to her family. She gave some to her parents, and what their parents did with the sum that they got, was their business.

They kept talking for a while. I'm not sure about all the details either. They just talked and had a good time. By the time they were done, it was already Christmas.

He finished off his pie. "I really do enjoy this food. I thank you for all you have done, but I will pay for this piece."

She got up quickly and ran back into the kitchen, when she came back out; she sat a pan with three fourths of a pie on the table and sat back down. "Listen, I want you to take this and enjoy it. You seem like a nice man and that's hard to find, whether it be in America or any other place in this world."

He reached out his hand towards hers and touched her. Her skin was so soft. "I don't need any favors."

"It's not a favor, it's a gift. You gave me some company on this Christmas Eve and I thank you for that. I just hope you have a nice time here in America."

"I think I will, Miss, merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas" she said. My mother pulled her hand away from him blushing and placed the bill for his meal earlier. As she walked away into the kitchen once more, my father got an idea. The day after Christmas, my mother came home to her apartment and when she opened the door, she found a card, a dozen white roses, and a black velvet box. She was speechless, but too curious not to do anything. She opened the black box, and found a diamond necklace. "Oh my goodness!"

The next day she rushed over to work and wasn't surprised to find my father in the diner with a newspaper in his hand and a smile on his face. "How did you like my gift?" he asked.

"Your gift? It was wonderful, but I can't accept it." She handed the black box back to him. "I'm sorry, but this is too much. I gave you a pie! You gave me a necklace worth thousands of dollars."

"Half a million."

She felt light headed and sat down next to him. "Oh my!" She forced it into his hand. "I can't accept it. I've been raised not to take anything from a man, especially one that I don't know. I'm sorry, but I can't."

He forced it back into her hands. "I want you to have this. You gave what you had and I have much. You are a very kind woman. You are very gentle, and very...beautiful." People in the diner began to look around and notice them talking in such a romantic way. "I wanted to give you something beautiful and expensive, because you gave me something very priceless last night."

My mother was touched by his words that she began to get chocked up. She had never felt that way before. "The pie was only seven dollars!"

"I'm not talking about the pie. I'm talking about" he took her hands. "I...I was very happy Christmas Eve. I have never been so...so entranced by someone's beauty. I've seen beautiful women before, but you've...you've...captured me, completely and totally."

She wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks. "I can't believe you. I mean, I don't even know your name."

"It's Iryoku, Iryoku Kazasami."

"Kazasami?" Her eyes bucked at the realization. "Kazasami? You're Mr. Kazasami, the one that's been in the news about that contract worth millions of dollars!" Everyone in the diner really started to stare at them now. Iryoku took some money out of his wallet and paid the bill. "Uh, we should go somewhere private."

"Like where?"

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven. We'll go somewhere nice."

"I don't even know you."

"I feel like I already do know you. I really do." He stood up. "Tomorrow at seven."

She nodded hesitantly. "...Yes, I'll be there."

Before he left, he asked "And what is your name?"

"Isabelle."

"Isabelle? I like it. It's beautiful. I will see you tomorrow Isabelle."

"Alright."

"Good." He smiled. "I think you're wonderful." My mother said when she looked into his eyes; she just knew he was the one. She knew it before she found out about all of the money, and my father respected her for not accepting his gift at first. They saw each other the next night, and everything began to come together, piece by piece. My mother was uncomfortable being in the new surroundings, but the more she was around my father; the more she wanted to adjust.

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you, Mr. Kazasami."

"Call me by my first name, Iryoku."

"Alright, Iryoku." My mother was like a fish out of water on their first date. It was a party held by one of his business partners to celebrate. My father was about to supply the company with many goods for their factories and such. It was from his American business friends that he picked up his competitive spirit of business. Suno got it from my father, and I learned it mostly from Suno. I guess we owe a lot to his trip. But anyway, the party was wonderful. There was live music with harps and violins and everything. There was fancy food from real famous chiefs and all of the women brought their best pair of diamonds and black dresses, but my father said none of them looked as beautiful as my mother. She was wearing his necklace and she felt slightly uncomfortable about that.

"Who's the beautiful woman?" asked one of Iryoku's business partners. Many people kept asking who she was. She was beautiful and it's not everyday that you see a black women with a Japanese man. Even though it seemed odd, they made a cute couple.

One thing about my mother was that she loved to dance. When my father asked her, she was ecstatic. As they waltzed together, they began to fall in love, on step after the other. "So, do you think your parents would mind, Isabelle?"

"Yes."

"They're against" he laughed a little "a little cream in coffee."

"I can't believe you know that saying." She burst into laughter, and when she started to get stared at, she calmed herself down. "Oh, I'm sorry Iryoku, it's just that you say that term when it's a white person with a black person. You're not exactly cream."

"Well…" he considered it for a moment. "Well, would you like to be the sow sauce on my rice?"

She tried to hold in her laughter, but she couldn't, and he laughed as well. They had to be the happiest couple there. Everyone started to talk about how nice it would be. People are always looking for something unusual, and it was clear that if they were to become a couple, she wouldn't be a trophy wife. As my parents continued dancing, it wasn't long until my mother got comfortable enough to place her head on his chest. From that day forward, they just knew. "So" she asked sadly "when are you going back?"

"Two weeks."

"Two weeks?" She started to tremble. "You're only going to be here for two weeks, and I suppose all of that will be for business."

"We can make time."

She blushed. "If you're too busy, then you don't have to."

"For you, I'll make time."

She smiled. "Is there anything else I should know about you?"

"I have a nine year old named Suno." She was shocked and surprised by that information. "His mother and I divorced and I didn't know why for a long time. She wouldn't tell me why she wanted one, but I didn't want to argue on the matter even though I didn't want one. I tried to fix whatever problems that we had, but nothing changed her mind. I found out two months later that she was dying. She told me that she didn't want me to waste my time and precious money taking care of her. She said she wanted me to be happier than that. I told her she was foolish and it wouldn't have mattered to me or my son. She passed away one month later."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. That was three years ago, and I haven't been with anyone since. You remind me so much of her, but you're so different. What I'm feeling is familiar, but it's different. I…I haven't felt this way for a long time."

"I haven't ever felt this way. I'm glad you came into that little diner."

"I am as well."

"They kept seeing each other and two weeks easily became two months until he had neglected his life in Japan long enough. He eventually went back and handled a few things that needed to be done, but he came back with Suno so he could meet her. He of course did not share the same love that my mother shared for him, but my father didn't let it bother him. Kids usually have a hard time adjusting to step mothers or step fathers anyway. They had decided to get married, even when they had only known each other for four months. She quickly got pregnant. My father didn't like dealing with protection and things like that. They hadn't touched each other until they were wedded. After I was born, my mother started using birth control and stuff like that. She got pregnant on her wedding night. To make a long story short, or shorter, as soon as I was born, they all moved back to Japan and-"

"Wait a second" Kagome said. "You were born in the U.S.?"

"Yeah, why is that important?"

"You mean you're a naturalized born citizen of the United States?"

"Yeah, I mean I didn't apply to get citizenship rights here or anything…"

"So you're not a Japanese citizen?"

"No, I'm not. My mother wanted me to be born in the U.S. just in case I…wanted to live their one day. My father didn't object really." Ikuto smiled and said sarcastically "Just another one of the many reasons why people hate me."

"But you've been over here since you were a baby. I mean, how come you haven't been deported and if you go to the U.S. then how do you know your citizenship still stands?"

"Calm down Kagome, it's not a big deal. My father handled everything for me. I'm not some illegal alien Kagome and when I go back to American, I'll handle whatever problems there might be."

"What do you mean when? You're going to live there?" Kagome turned her head away. 'He's going to leave Japan one day? I can't…I couldn't follow him. I couldn't leave Japan.' She tried to put on a smile. "Wow, that's really something." 'What about me?'

To Be Continued…

What about Kagome? Will Ikuto one day leave her all alone? And is Inuyasha coming back? Check it out next time! Review!