Disclaimer: (see Takahashi Rumiko)

Slay The Music

Scene Thirty-Five: Denial's Victim's

"No."

"No what?"

"I can't believe this," Kôga shook her head, "they want me to give an interview—at a time like this!"

"We haven't been giving the media any publicity since we introduced the other members to the band," Inuyasha said.

"Good news people," Jakotsu marched in and threw down a newspaper, "Sesshômaru-sama is a free man and Myouga's booking our flights back home."

"Already? We only gave the conference last week," Inuyasha said.

"Finally, I thought this would never end," Bankotsu entered.

"I know," Kôga said, taking the article from Jakotsu.

"Then we can get to recording our album—the first with all of us together," Inuyasha said as Miroku walked in.

"What?"

"We're free!" Jakotsu hugged Miroku—Miroku's tired eyes suddenly widened.

"Jakotsu," Bankotsu's tone was threatening.

Jakotsu smiled and let go of Miroku.

"What's wrong with you, Miroku?" Kôga asked as Miroku's eyes went sleepy again.

"Nothing," he gave a smile and waved it off.

"Let's guess," Inuyasha said.

"No more alcohol in the fridge," Jakotsu said.

"No."

"No hot girls in the lobby?" Bankotsu asked.

"No."

"Hot girl turned you down," Kôga said.

"Sorta..."

"Sango-chan?" Inuyasha asked.

"She's ignoring me!" Miroku flailed his arms about as if he were a fish out of water.

"It won't kill you," Jakotsu said.

"But it will—"

"What did you say to her?" Kôga asked.

"Nothing! I said nothing! She's said nothing to me! It's like a stalemate or something. I can't bear this any longer," his eyes were wide from an obvious lack of sleep.

"Just tell her what you feel," Bankotsu said dramatically.

"That didn't work," Miroku frowned.

"There wasn't any hand action involved was there?" Bankotsu lifted a suspicious eyebrow.

"Whadd'ya mean 'hand action'?" Miroku glared.

"Oh you know," Bankotsu made grabbing motions with his right hand.

"I'll show you hand action," Miroku grabbed his prayer beads.

"Sango's a tough girl to crack. You just have to let her know you care in little ways. She acts like she doesn't notice, but she does, and its very obvious," Inuyasha said.

"Since when have you been Mr. Love-Doctor?" Bankotsu asked.

"Can it!" Inuyasha swiped at him, Bankotsu just barely dodged.

"Hey, don't kill our drummer."

"That's two attempts to murder me in under two minutes," Bankotsu brushed his shirt off, "That's gotta be a record."

"What do you mean—are you a good rock star?" Ayame asked.

"It's just that—I dunno," Kagome twirled her hair around her finger, "Thinking about it—I joined a rock band so quickly it's almost as if... I don't know how to explain this. You think people think I'm just some sort of poser?"

"Not necessarily..." Ayame thought about it, "You're working with the hardest rocker in the industry, how could they think you're just some pop-star-trying-to-be-a-rock-star?"

"Everything's just been so fast you know, no warning, I mean," Kagome sighed.

"True, but don't worry about it, you're an awesome vocalist for the band. I would have no one else."

"Really?" Kagome smiled.

"Really, now stop thinking like that."

"But I also get the feeling that I'm doing this just for—attention," Kagome said, putting the subject back to square one.

"Whadd'ya mean?"

"Maybe I'm doing this so that people will like me," Kagome said.

"Ah, Kame, Kame, Kame," Ayame repeated Kagome's stage name, "A lot of us are in this business for the attention. It's either the attention or the music that we do it for—for me, it's both, for guys like Inuyasha and Kôga, it's the music, and for people like Miroku—it's the attention."

"No, I mean—like I wanted Inuyasha's attention."

"Oh, that kind of attention," Ayame sighed.

"Do you think?"

"So let me get this straight, you think you became a rock star because you wanted Inuyasha to like you? Because Inuyasha supposedly hates pop stars?"

Kagome nodded with a guilty sort of puppy face to her face.

"You're insane!"

"But it's right, isn't it?" Kagome asked.

"I don't know—do I look like your conscience?"

"No..." Kagome's childlike face was back.

"Kagome, we all do what we need to do from time to time. Whether or not brick head notices or not doesn't matter."

"Brick head?"

"Oh, don't tell me his idiocy is rubbing off on you!"

"Oh—Inuyasha," Kagome blushed at her late realization.

"Yeah, Inuyasha," Ayame slapped her own forehead.

"Ayame, when we go back home—where do you see me?"

"Where should I see you?"

"I don't know, I was asking you," Kagome said.

"I see you," Ayame closed her eyes, "I see you wherever your heart wants you to be."

Kagome took a deep breath, and then smiled, "I quit."

Ayame's eyes opened faster than the speed of light, "You what!"

"I don't like feeling like I don't belong. I quit," Kagome's smile remained.

"Kagome—"

"No, I've made up my mind, the band will do okay without me, Aya, you have a good singing voice," Kagome said.

"I was kidding when I said 'follow your heart'! I meant follow the leader!" Ayame pointed to herself.

"I'm going to officially resign tomorrow."

"Kagome," Ayame had tears in the corner of her eyes.

"No hard feelings, okay?" Kagome smiled again as she exited the room.

"Kame..." Ayame was left alone.

"What's wrong, Ayame?" Kôga asked as he met her at some rich Korean restaurant later that evening.

"Everything," she rolled her eyes and sat down at the table, lazily throwing her glasses down on her purse.

"Define 'everything,'" Kôga said.

"Kagome-chan quit, I'm probably gonna loose the band, and I don't think anyone wants to hire a washed-up musician like me anymore," Ayame made a pouting face.

"Kagome quit?"

"Something about 'following her heart' and 'feeling left out,'" she answered.

"I thought she wanted to be a musician," Kôga said.

"Me too... I still don't understand what blew over her. Maybe Naraku's getting to her or something."

"On the subject—Sesshômaru got released the other day," Kôga said.

"So you guys can go home now?"

"Yeah, finally, where the fans speak your language."

"You should pick up another language, it helps you make money."

"I can understand written French and a handful of English phrases... I dunno, I'm not one for reading and writing Chinese or Korean—I could barely memorize kanji in grade school."

"That's why we're in this business, ain't it? It's easy for us," Ayame nodded.

"Yeah, I couldn't fail a music test if I tried, I guess," Kôga smiled.

"You're a lucky guy. You've got a career and an awesome band. You couldn't fail if you tried."

"True. You're a very lucky person as well, Ayame."

"Not as much as people would like to think..."

A waiter brought them their meals and the two fell silent as they ate. Minutes later, after their dinner had been consumed, the silence still spread across their table.

"Kôga," Ayame broke the silence, "What do you think of me?"

"In what way?"

"Am I a friend? An acquaintance? A little sister? Just another musician? I want to know..."

"I—" Kôga searched for his words carefully. "Until now, I've never really though of it..."

Ayame glanced down into her lap, "Oh, I see."

"But—I think..." Kôga paused, again choosing his words, "I think—I may be in love with you..."

I'm thinking in less than five chapters this could be over... I hope... I'm loosing it—in fact I never really think I had 'it' in the first place... I guess someone decided that February is National "Make-ever-free-do-everything-she-can't-possibly-fit-into-her-schedule" Month... I happen to be the only dance/set/music choreographer of the Filipino club out here... Peace out—the more reviews I get the faster I'll update (I'm a review hog, shoot me). Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the little moment there. Tell me what you think okay?

Shout out to Dir en Grey's drummer—Shinya on his 28th birthday (February 24).

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