"Jakotsu-san, there's a visitor from Takarashi Technologies."

Jakotsu looked up from his paperwork. When the familiar face of a certain lecher appeared at the doorway, Jakotsu offered a charming smile as he waved the man into his office. Miroku shut the door behind him then walked in with his hands in his pockets. The man didn't sit in either of the two chairs facing his desk. Instead he chose to lean against the wall near his window, which was perpendicular to his desk. Jakotsu studied the fair-looking man with a curious eye.

"I suppose you are wondering where Kagome is."

Miroku looked stunned as he stepped away from the wall. He glanced down at the floor for a moment before turning back to the window. His eyebrows creased as he pursed his lips. Miroku wasn't wearing his normal suit. Usually the jacket would be slung over one shoulder and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, but today the attire was almost too casual. Even still, Miroku looked good. It seemed in his nature to always be dressed well. It wouldn't matter if they were Hawaiian beach trunks and a tattered muscle shirt, the man would be gorgeous. Jakotsu sighed after seeing Miroku's pensive stature and serious face. Jakotsu preferred the jovial male over this one.

The pressed khaki pants were torn and ripped at the back due to the fact that the legs were too long. The fabric was darkened near the bottom from being drug on the ground and scuffed under Miroku's shoes as he walked. A simple black belt hugged the waistband close to his hips, but they were still loose. A plain, cotton dress shirt was tucked into the slacks and bulged in some areas over the belt. The sleeves of the collared shirt were once again rolled up to the elbows revealing his black leather banded watch with its simple silver face. Miroku wore no tie and no jacket. A black Jansport backpack was slung over his right shoulder, which remained on its perch.

"She isn't one to abandon work. Kagome would come even if she was falling over sick and she isn't answering her phone. Something doesn't seem right to me."

"You called her apartment? That borders on stalker, don't you think?"

"Be serious for once."

Miroku approached the desk leaning over on both hands. His bag slipped off his shoulder and tumbled down to the middle of his forearm where it was intercepted with the desk. Miroku set it on the floor in front of the furniture and began pacing. Jakotsu sat back in his chair releasing a sigh.

"I went to see if she was okay, but no one even answered the door."

Miroku lidded his eyes at the guy. His mouth gaped open.

And he said I was a stalker…at least I didn't go to her house.-

"Fact is- it's like she disappeared. Kagome didn't notify her absence, so maybe it was an emergency and she couldn't give us that…Still, there is something fishy about this."

"What can we do?"

"Well, nothing really since we have no idea where she could be. What about friends or relatives?"

Miroku cleared his throat and scratched the back on his head. Jakotsu eyed him strangely wondering why the apprentice was so nervous all if a sudden. Miroku was always calm and collected, so…what was up?

"I'm sort of dating her best friend, but even she was clueless."

"Clueless, huh? That seems to suit you." Jak rested his chin on his clasped hands.

Miroku slouched into one of the chairs in front of the desk. He rolled his eyes as he tightened the band holding back his hair. It was his day off today, he shouldn't have come in. Miroku knew that Kagome was probably just out of town or something, maybe back at her home. Still, it wasn't like her to just disappear without giving a call. It was more like Jak to just walk out and not come back for a few days. And even then, Sango would know. What about Shippou?

Miroku stood and said his goodbyes with a bow. He then turned and left the office. Sango wasn't pleased to know of Kagome's so-called disappearance. Sango had a spare key to the girl's apartment. Miroku and Sango had gone to check it out, but there was no sight of Kagome. In fact, it seems as if she'd been gone for some time, at least a day if not two. Also, Sango seemed very nervous, nearing panic. What was so special about this time of year?

"I'll have to talk to Shippou, maybe there's something he can tell me."

Sesshoumaru's Office

"You're progress is not improving."

"Hai, Takarashi-san."

"Our reputation requires a swift resolution for any of the cases that are taken on. This is aunacceptable."

"Hai, Takarashi-san. Our reputation is indeed a heavy burden to bear, but regardless this epidemic shall be categorized."

"Hn. That is an unrealistic assumption."

Bankotsu stood straight with his hands clasped behind his back as he took the lecturing disappointment of his superior. His hair was still in its high pony tail, but was set loose from its braid. His hair hung long and wavy down his back complementing the grey suit he was currently wearing. His boss, the president of Taka Tech., wore all black with a white shirt underneath. This was the customary attire that Sesshoumaru always wore.

The man, right now, was scolding Bankotsu for his lack of progress with the recent uprising epidemic sickening Tokyo's children. Bankotsu didn't bow his head in shame though; instead he took the grunt of the weighty gaze and returned it with his determined one. Normally something like this sickness would have been dealt with in a matter of weeks, but this was almost like a plague. Everyday it spread faster and the range was growing. First it was just Tokyo and a few from other prefectures, but now children were being transported from all over Japan. The irritating part was that there were only few changes or variations in the disease. There were very few clues to go off of. Each patient was in similar conditions and no new knowledge could be perceived.

Kagome though was very open-minded and perceptive. Another unique quality was her eccentricity and working along with Miroku became a conductive situation for both. They worked well together and many of the new discoveries had come from their heads. Along with Miroku, who had more personal experience, he used a good sense of logic most of the times. Miroku worked at several hospitals during the summer since he was fifteen. He was either an involved volunteer or towards his later years, like his senior year in high school, he was upgraded to an intern for his local facility. However, without Kagome's random thoughts, Miroku's well of knowledge was gradually drying up. Kagome was inexperienced, but she was the tributary that fed the main stream of its resources.

Bankotsu despised admitting his weaknesses, but before his superior he would if it came to that. Instead of appearing weak perhaps his strength would be his honesty. Only a coward hides his faults, but a man will use them to his advantage and catch his opponent off guard. Seriously, Bankotsu had looked over the symptoms and searched for possible causes. However, all the significant and possible reasons he could find did not correlate or were even similar to another.

"After judging your accomplishments, though few they are mildly intuitive, I find no reason for you to make such a statement."

"Hai." Bankotsu lifted his head wondering at Sesshoumaru's silence.

"There is a problem here you are negating to tell me."

"Hai, it seems that one of the interns, Higurashi Kagome, has not been showing up for work. She gave no notification for her absence."

"Hn. One simple college student has never restricted our success."

Now is the time. Kagome and Miroku deserve their due credit.-

"Sir, that one college student and her partner were the ones to make any leeway in this case. Her return is essential."

Bankotsu stood up straighter pinning his eyes to his superiors. It was true that this epidemic stumped him and to admit that could mean losing his job, but withholding such information would only inflict damage on the ill children.

Sesshoumaru watched his employee carefully. He was consciously showing weakness and accepting any consequences for his ineptitude. Bankotsu could very well lose his job. After all, a useless employee is worthless to a president, despite their potential. However, in the past Bankotsu had been irreplaceable on several occasions. Sesshoumaru decided to ignore this one instance for the sake of future problems. Bankotsu's presence often resulted in fewer headaches for Sesshoumaru.

"You have all the resources you require. My suggestion is to use them."

Sesshoumaru stood, signaling the end of the encounter. Bankotsu bowed low at the waist and made his exit. Sesshoumaru sat back down, running a hand through his bangs. Then he prepared to leave. After this last meeting, he was going home to take care of Rin. She'd stayed home sick today with Kaede as her caretaker. The old woman would normally have gone to assist Sango with her shop while the girl was at school, but instead made her neighbor take over her shift. Sesshoumaru could not describe his irritability for having such dependence on another. He would have to find someone suitable other than the elderly woman to watch over his ward.

With Inuyasha

He sat slouched on the barstool. The coated cover was ripped exposing the foam of the seat's heart beneath. The metal rim was cold as it touched his calves. A half empty glass of alcohol hung loosely in his grasp. His long hair was let loose per usual and crowed his hunched shoulders creating a veil of silver over his biceps. Loud music, of some sort of concoction from the techno persuasion, beat in the background. The bass pulsed in his eardrums and the flashing colored lights played across his back. The only thing Inuyasha saw was the yellowish brown color of his drink and internal images of Kikyo playing across his memory.

He'd gone back to their apartment today after work to find everything of hers missing. It was as if they were never there. Her clothes, her pictures, all the belongings that screamed Kikyo were gone. Inuyasha had searched for some sort of note, but found nothing. In his raged despair, he tore the framed paintings from the walls reveling in the loud crashes they made against the floors and other furniture. He had only paused at the last one in their living room. A memory was recalled in his mind.

Flashback

"A little higher…tilt to the left…oh- now to the right again."

"Would you just hurry up already! I'm not going to stand here all day!"

"Okay, okay. Tilt to the left. There! It's perfect!"

Inuyasha turned, dusting his hands. He glanced down at his watch and scowled.

"Fifteen minutes to hand a worthless painting?"

"You don't like it?"

Kikyo walked over and watched Inuyasha closely. His face paled and he threw up his hands. Inuyasha turned from her and crossed him arms.

"I just don't get it. Art isn't my thing."

Kikyo walked over with a small smile on her lips. She wrapped her arms around him, clasping her hands at his stomach. Her head rested against his shoulder. She nuzzled gently. Inuyasha leaned into the embrace, relaxing a little.

"It's all interpretation. I think it represents us. The blooming buds on a warm summer day. The ancient trees near a farming village. I would be the priestess on the shrine steps and you the young man lying beneath the tree in the shade. You pretend not to notice me, yet you know I'm there, smiling at you. It would be so peaceful, unlike modern day. I kind of wish I was born back in the Sengoku Jidai sometimes."

"Kikyo…"

Her arms tightened around him then, "But I wouldn't have met you, Inuyasha. I can't help, but think that something will always rip us apart."

"We're together now. I won't let anything break us apart, I promise. I will always…"

End Flashback

He hadn't said he loved her. The words were so foreign to him, yet he thought them every single time he saw Kikyo. Inuyasha would always love her forever, even though once again he wasn't good enough for her. Kikyo was the dream. She was perfect. Kikyo was intelligent, kind, yet disciplined, graceful, beautiful, and was the eldest heir to the Hamasaki line. Kikyo, most importantly, treated him as an equal and a person. To everyone around him, he was either the second and less important son of Inutaisho or just some rich guy. Kikyo saw through everything and only shook her head. Inuyasha had secretly always felt inferior, but still the two had so many things in common despite their vast differences. They complemented each other well. Kagome had down the same thing, saw the true him, except she would laugh benignly at him. Her laugh was beautiful, so innocent; he would always love her for that. Still, Kikyo meant so much more, Inuyasha would love Kagome, but as the sister he never had.

The only thing that she left was her pillow. After coming down from his clouded rise of rare emotion, depression had set in. Inuyasha had collapsed on the bed before seconds later shooting up once again. He turned onto his side and stared at his pillow. It wasn't his, but Kikyo's. They each had a side of the bed and their own pillow. She must have taken his instead. Kikyo must have been in a rush because her pillow case was lavender colored and his was plain white. The color could be mistaken, but only if the person glanced quickly. Inuyasha had then coveted that thing as precious as he breathed in her still present scent.

Inuyasha downed the rest of his drink and set the glass down on the counter. The bartender quickly replenished the liquid at Inuyasha's nod. His golden eyes turned from the liquid to his hands then the counter. Inuyasha could only wonder when her scent would fade, replaced by his own. It would happen eventually since Kikyo's surviving scent was the only thing that gave him enough tranquility to sleep. Her body next to his used to the reason Inuyasha could sleep, but this was the next best thing he supposed. Inuyasha sighed and began sipping slowly. In his boggled mind he tried to think of how he was going to get a ride home.

Home…iie. It isn't home anymore, not without her.-

"Well, well. If it isn't Inuyasha."

Okay…in chapter 32, I made a major blunder. It was about Kagome's kimono and the fact that she was dancing. I didn't even think about how hard it would be to move in them. I've worn yukatas before, so I have some idea of how to wear them, but I do admit that I have no clue as to what the different parts are called. I looked it up online at a website where you could order clothes and used the names I thought were right. (Guess not…) A reviewer pointed it out and I'm afraid I may have offended this person somehow. So I went back and 'tried' to fix it without making major changes. This person also said that Kagome crossed her legs…I couldn't find that anywhere in that chapter…because I mentioned that once, but the crossing was a remembrance of Sess's about past occasions where the two met up. I hope the dancing is a little better and I will try to remember those comments for future chapters. (The 'comments' hurt . I can't believe I made such stupid errors…) Well anyways, I want to apologize for my stupidity.