She sighed slouching back in her chair. A hand slowly reached up to push a stray lock of hair back over her shoulder. Recently Sango had taken to wearing her hair down. Maybe it was because the temperature had just dropped twenty degrees in the past week or perhaps the reason was that a certain perverted man happened to say he liked it better down. Now of course after this comment he was kicked out of the girl's locker room by a mod of angry chicks. One included a towel-covered Sango at the very front with a swift upper cut to his jaw.

-That pervert...bathroom inspector...what an idiot! I don't know one person gullible enough to believe that.-

"Miroku-kun! Miroku-kun wait up!!"

Sango's attention was turned to a scene outside. Miroku was there dressed in dark brown khaki pants that were baggy, but showed off his slim hips. His shirt was a white, short sleeved button down with thin medium blue stripes running vertically down the fabric. Then a white long sleeved cotton shirt was underneath. A gold chain could be seen dangling underneath the button down shirt's collar, but caught beneath the other shirt. There was a girl, younger than him by a few years, reaching and grabbing around his form trying to catch a grip on her scarf he had no doubt taken from her. There was a large smile on her face showing perfect straight white teeth and Sango had to take notice of her very generous curves. She had long hair tied into a floppy bun at the back of her head and Sango raised her eyebrows at the shirt skirt the idiot was wearing in the middle of winter. Sango smirked.

-They're...perfect for each other.-

"Oh Koharu, you break my heart."

-Isn't that a girl in Kagome's building?-

The one now known as Koharu giggled and jumped into his embrace putting her hands on Miroku's chest over his heart. Then she smiled as they walked off together with Miroku's arm over her shoulder. Sango had found out on Friday, three days ago, from Kagome that the two were dating. So Sango was surprised this morning in their techniques class when the dolt touched her ass and hit on her. Sango was beginning to believe it is Miroku's hobby.

Sango sat straight again doodling on her napkin with the pen she always kept in the back pocket of her jeans. Her shirt was a light grey with a holiday advertisement in a charcoal grey that she bought at American Eagle a week ago. Sango had gotten three especially for the Christmas season and all in different colors. The glass door opened to the coffee house with the jingle of the bells tied onto the door with mistletoe. Sango turned seeing as how the door immediately shut meaning it was someone other than a couple pausing to kiss under the mistletoe's influence. The black haired petite woman rushed over to Sango's table.

Kagome plopped into the booth near the window where her friend sat. She was late leaving the office. It was a half-day seeing as how Christmas was tomorrow. When Kagome started her internship her time was therefore focused on her work at Hama Corp. It was a half and half deal where she would go to school for half the year and then work the other half. Well with this month, May, were then spent at her college to finish up the year. Kagome began in late November and has been working hard for the past month, especially the last week. This also meant that she saw Sango very little. Kagome usually wouldn't get home until nine or even ten o'clock then go in again by seven.

It was a long day, but Kagome remained occupied so her mind couldn't wander off about a certain tall, silver haired male. It was bad enough that the few short hours of rest she acquired were filled with visions of him with his weight settled firmly between her thighs. Even if Kagome promised herself that she wouldn't feel this way, that she would keep her dreamworld and reality separate, but every time Kagome caught a glimpse of him...her resolve would waver. Sesshoumaru seemed to be avoiding her as well, which she didn't mind at first. But today Bankotsu had sent her to get Sesshoumaru's signature on a release for something and his secretary wouldn't let her in. Eventually Kagome had stormed into his office to which was a disaster. Inuyasha and Kikyo were there speaking about their wedding plans and the company merger. Except Kagome didn't even notice the two as she walked right between their chairs to slam the papers on his desk and demand him to sign them.

-Flashback-

Kagome stared into his eyes, her blue depths burning with an indignant fire. She slammed the papers onto the desk bracing herself with both hands on his desk. Which unknowingly gave Inuyasha a good view of her rear and Sesshoumaru a nice view of her cleavage in her v-neck tee shirt. Her lips lowered into a scowl and her eyes lidded in anger as she looked down at him.

Sesshoumaru's initial reaction was surprise because he had told his secretary to refuse her entrance at the moment due to his meeting, but more importantly because the meeting was with Inuyasha. It wasn't hard to figure out Kagome had been dumped by his brother. Sesshoumaru was at the sushi restaurant for a meeting with Haruyama Kouga. It was then that he noticed Kagome, though he didn't really know who she was then, with her friend, Kohaku, and Shippou. Kouga had left a few minutes ago when Sesshoumaru watched her leave with a broken look after seeing his brother and Kikyo together. So naturally it was obvious the two had been a couple perhaps recently, but it didn't really matter.

Sesshoumaru only wished to spare her the humiliation for some odd reason, but when she walked in, her hands fisted at her sides. Her hair trailing behind her as she walked straight to his desk with her eyes focused on only him, Sesshoumaru realized she wasn't even aware of the occupants in his office. Sesshoumaru after seeing her heated stare and the deep crevice of her cleavage felt his manhood swell slightly in an unusual for him, but natural reaction for those of the male sex in the presence of a beautiful woman. When she spoke her voice was deep and he saw his brother's eyes widen, his uneasiness with the situation obvious. Apparently he didn't think he'd be ignored either. Sesshoumaru smirked at Kikyo's scowl as well. Kikyo, as he also saw at the restaurant, liked to gloat about her victory and power over Inuyasha's heart.

"I will not be pushed aside or listen to that canary you call a secretary." Her voice deeply seductive.

Sesshoumaru heard the snicker from Inuyasha's side of the room. The male had a similar opinion of the woman, but preferred to call her an ostrich. The small noise in the silent atmosphere distracted Kagome enough to acknowledge the other presences in the room. However she merely glanced over her shoulder, her expression lightening slightly.

"Hey Inu..." Then turning her head, "Kikyo-san..." Her tone was more of a sneer.

But she quickly and smoothly returned her attention back to the provocative male behind the wooden desk. His eyes bore into hers and Kagome bared the full weight of his stare. She stilled the shiver desiring to race electrically down her spine as the tiny hairs all over her body rose in response. She was slightly ashamed that Sesshoumaru had such an unconscious affect on her where she had very little besides irritating the hell out of him, which she took great pride in.

"What is it you need of me?"

Kagome was caught off guard by the first question he had actually stated as a question, but also te sultry voice he had used with her. After a few short moments Kagome composed herself then gestured towards the release to which he signed. Then Kagome stiffly bowed, bid him a short goodbye, and left the office without bothering to acknowledge the other two again.

-End Flashback-

"Sorry I'm late." Kagome said quickly.
"Iie, it's cool. As long as you're here. You'd have bigger problems of you stood me up."

Sango shook a fist in the air after which they both laughed. Kagome watched Sango closely. Kagome wasn't around a lot, but that didn't mean she missed the connection between her friend and Miroku. It was thin, but obviously not one-sided. Sango was just too insecure with herself to being able to date that man and believe that she could keep him satisfied. Really it was difficult to see that Miroku would be satisfied with just one person, but Kagome could see the difference in his body language when he was around Sango. He was more careful it seemed and he made semi-unconscious attempts to touch her, and not just her ass. But like accidentally, sort of, putting his arm on the armrest next to hers so that they were touching. They were little and almost...intimate? But not the sexual meaning of the word, more like cherished. They were almost shy sometimes in their approach.

"So, how have you been?"

Kagome tilted her head thinking over the question. Her libido was seriously messed up, but other than that...

"I'm okay."
"Thinking about Sesshoumaru?"

When saying the male's name Sango had leaned forward and whispered like a kid in middle school would be seen doing.

"Nani? Iie!"
"Uh huh..."
"Why would I be thinking of him?"
"Because you were in that same daze like back in the park a few weeks ago after meeting him."
"That's a long comparison...can't think of one more recent? That's what I thought.."
"My, aren't you defensive."
"What about you and Miroku?"
"I would never like that pervert!"
"Whoa...now who's defensive?"

Sango paused there lowering her eyes.

"You should've seen them together. They're perfect for each other."
"Sure."
"Nani- they are."
"Sango-chan...I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you."

Kagome smiled at her friend's light blush, but Sango still waved off her words as the waiter came to take Kagome's order and refill Sango's cup.

(-.-) ( . ) (-.-) ( . )

Sesshoumaru swivelled in his desk chair to face the open window. A light snowfall was just beginning. It was getting late in the day, nearly four o'clock. Normally he would be home by now, but he knew Rin had spent the afternoon with Kohaku and Shippou. They were inside playing Candy land and Twister as she had stated so emphatically over the phone. Then she would bake more cookies with Kaede and finish her mittens by a small gas fire listening to the elder woman read a Christmas Carol while Sesshoumaru was out for the night. There was a party he had to attend out of respect to the host.

All interns and employees were allowed leave at twelve due to the date being Christmas eve, but a few stayed later to tie up ends before the winter vacation. And most if not all would be back tonight for the Christmas Eve gala. It was one of the largest events of the year and not just for the company, but the Tokyo as well. The gala was a gathering of Hamasaki, Takarashi, and even Haruyama employees and executives to celebrate the season. All employees were given invitations to come at their own volition. The event was held at one of the three presidents' homes, a different one every year, and this time it was to be held at the Haruyama estate away from the city and more into the countryside.

Sesshoumaru stood from his desk. He put on his coat and dropped down the elevator to get his car. He drove home to shower, change, and head to the event. It didn't begin until seven, so he had plenty of time and wasn't going to rush. There wouldn't be too much traffic seeing as how most people stayed in the city or if they left, they would travel the other direction. There were only upper class estates in the direction Sesshoumaru would have to travel out of the city. So there wasn't a problem that he could see.

Alert me of any errors, no matter how small. I'm starting ch 29 now, so feel special because again I should be doing chemistry.