Author's Note: Hi everyone! Sorry it took me so long to update this story. I find myself battling with these characters every day. They speak to me, then they go away. My idea for this story keeps changing so that's probably why my characters are not speaking to me that often. But they were during this past week so I whipped up this chapter before they had a chance to protest. Anyways, I hope you guys like it.

Another thing to note... I am not an expert when it comes to knowing all there is to know about a dancer's lifestyle and what it's like to dance for a superstar and all the behind-the-scenes that goes on at a concert. But I will try my best to learn more while the characters have already told me all the hard work that it takes to be in their position.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy. Merry Christmas!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha :) But I still love it after all these years.


The sun began to touch the sky, causing a soft pink and purple against the darkness of the night. It was still early. The birds haven't yet started their morning songs even though cars still drove around with their headlights on.

A figure stirred in the bed, moving the comforter back as she stretched out to grab her phone to check the time. 4:04am.

Kagome groaned. 'Two hours.' She was only asleep for about two hours. Usually when she had to work, she would normally get up around 8am because by the time she got back home and took a bath and was able to settle down in bed, she was usually asleep by 2am. But now she remembered why she was up so early. 'I have a meeting with Kikyo.' That snapped her out of her sleepy haze and Kagome stretched under the covers, feeling she should just get up since she had an important day.

Pushing the comforter back, Kagome slid out of bed, planting her feet on the hardwood floor and began to make her way to the bathroom. Her little apartment was comfortable and homey for her. She loved neutral colors but she also loved blue sapphire. Her queen-sized bed was covered with a sapphire sheet and her comforter was a tri-color blue pattern of sapphire, indigo and sky blue that blended together in transitions. Her pillows were a stark contrast of salmon orange as she wanted her bed to remind her of the sea, the orange being either the sunset on the water or the sand on the shore. Whatever her mood was as she went to bed, it reminded her somehow of the sea.

Kagome yawned and flicked on the light to her small living room. Her apartment was small, smaller than her friends' for sure. Her friends preferred to live in big-upscale homes. Literally, a house with multiple rooms and bathrooms and even pools. But Kagome preferred the smaller, more quieter homes in the sense of space and comfort. Maybe it was because of the way she grew up or maybe it was just that she wanted to save her money for more important reasons. But she always liked where she lived and how she lived. She had no problem when her friends would always comment on how she needed to find a new place, somewhere safer at least. But quite frankly, Kagome had no problems with her neighbors or her neighborhood. Her neighbors were friendly, most of them being the elderly. And for the others, they were middle-aged singles who she rarely saw during the daytime since they were usually off to work by morning. The neighborhood she lived in, in Shinjuku District, Kagome had to say wasn't the best neighborhood to live in in all of Tokyo. But it was a five minute walk from Midnite and Onigumo got her this place nine years ago, so she has had no problems with it.

The walls of her apartment were a grayish-blue, and depending on the time of the day, the colors of the walls will either be more grey or more blue at different times from the sunlight. Her bedroom could be closed off from the living room by a shoji screen. When it was just her, she would leave the shoji open all day long. But when visitors came, she would slide the three panels closed so that her guests wouldn't have to see her private area. Plus, the couch sat opposite of her bedroom and faced the shoji, so everyone would see her room if she kept the shoji opened. Her 24-inch flatscreen TV sat on a small stand in the corner where the shoji panels were pulled back with a few books in the cubbyhole. The couch was indigo to help add color to the living room and the two throw pillows were the same salmon as her bed pillows. There was a glass table in front of the couch that was low enough to eat while sitting on the floor. In the corners of the wall alongside her couch were potted fern plants to help bring a little nature into her apartment. She loved nature.

Kagome yawned as she walked past her kitchen. The kitchen area was small, just enough for her to move around and even dance a little bit while she waited for her meals to cook. The kitchen remained on the other side of the wall of her bedroom. And there was a short extension from the wall that acted like a bar. She had two barstools on the outside of the kitchen where people, and she, would sit and eat or watch her cook and talk story. Ayumi mentioned that she loved watching Kagome cook so she had bought her these two barstools. Of course she had them match her blue theme as they were sky blue, and Ayumi would just sit there watching Kagome cook and the two would catch up on events.

She walked through the living room and towards her bathroom. The one thing she thought strange about this apartment is how she had a hollow wall behind her couch, and on the other side of the wall was her bathroom. She opened the bathroom door and walked into the short hallway until the bathroom opens up. She had a tub with a shower and that was one thing she really wanted and would've bought if this place didn't come with it. A tub. She loves to soak in the water with epsom salt and lavender essential oil and relax, especially after working out or long nights at work and she couldn't sleep. It was her favorite thing to do. Kagome yawned and did her business.

She thought about her day ahead. The reason why she woke was because of the meeting that she would have today. Well, first she had to call Miroku to setup the meeting since she had checked her voicemail at 1am and wasn't about to call him back at that time. But she was already super excited and super grateful that she got a callback. Her! Kagome smiled, sitting on the toilet. 'I can't believe I got chosen.' It really was her dream come true. She always wanted to dance, professionally, ever since she was young. Dancing was her way to forget about her present worries and situations. Dancing was her way of shutting out the world and it was just her and the music, as if nothing else mattered. In that moment, while she felt the music like the blood pumping through her veins, nothing else really did matter.

Once she was done with her business, Kagome washed her face and went into her kitchen to make her morning coffee and toast. She always had her morning routine: coffee and toast. She loved to eat something small right in the morning and just sit outside on her small balcony to watch the sun rise above the buildings and skyscrapers in Tokyo. Or on the mornings when she was able to sleep in, she would just watch the occupants of Shinjuku Gyoen walk around in the park grounds.

Speaking of, she also had to meet Ayumi today at 10am. 'So much to do…' she thought with a smile. Today was going to be great.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-

"You know me, girl," Ayumi said, paying the man, "I need my coffee." Ayumi and Kagome both laughed as they left the coffee wagon that sat just at the entrance of Shinjuku Gyoen for any visitors or any passerby who might need a pick-me-up. The two women strolled into the park side by side, following a couple in front of them.

"Yes, I know you," Kagome said with a smile. "You also know me."

"Yup. You need your coffee too."

Kagome nodded. "For some reason though, I got up super early this morning. I only slept for two hours."

Ayumi almost spilled her coffee on herself. "What? What time did you get home? I thought Jinenji walked you home?"

"Yes, he did." Kagome looked ahead as the trees began to surround them. Instead of being surrounded by buildings and noise, they were now a little deeper in the park where there were a few more trees and less noise from the outside world. The land was lush and green, a stark contrast to the tall buildings and skyscrapers that loomed over the trees in the park. It really was like a sore thumb in the city, but a beautiful one at that. "I think I just couldn't sleep because I knew that I got the position."

"What position?" Ayumi asked, taking another sip of her coffee.

Kagome smiled mischievously, making Ayumi eye her down with suspicion. "What position? Wait." Ayumi's eyes widened as she figured it out. "You got the spot?" Kagome nodded her head with a smile and Ayumi screamed, making the couple in front of them jump and turn around to look at them. But the two were too focused on the excitement spilling over from each other. Ayumi grabbed Kagome and hugged her with her free arm while the other tried to stay out of the way so she wouldn't spill her coffee everywhere.

"Oh my gosh, Kagome! I'm so excited for you! Congratulations!"

Kagome giggled. "Thanks, Ayumi. Really… I found out last night while Jinenji was walking me home." The two women released each other, smiling as if they won the lottery, and giggling like they were in high school.

"How? Someone called you?" Ayumi asked, now leading the way since they had stopped walking. "Here," she said, pointing with her hand holding the coffee. "Let's go sit over there. I want to hear all about it."

Kagome giggled and followed Ayumi off the path and onto the grass where they went to sit under a small Sakura tree. It was summertime so the sakura tree was not in bloom but it was a rich, dark green and its shade was enough for the two of them to sit under without getting burned. The two of them sat down and got comfortable, both taking off their purses. Kagome stretched out her legs in front of her, feeling like she should've gone to the gym or something.

"Now spill!" Ayumi said with a smile, really wanting to know more.

Kagome was grateful that Ayumi was happy for her. She was happy for herself. It was really a dream. "Well… Miroku left a message for me last night. I listened to it on my walk home and he basically said that I got the part. They loved the way I moved and my dance style," Ayumi squealed, causing Kagome to laugh. "But he wanted to meet with me today."

Ayumi gasped. "What time?"

Kagome checked her Fitbit. "At 1pm. We got time." Ayumi nodded her agreement and smiled, staring up at the sky.

"Wow, Kagome… this is awesome news. Good for you, girl," she said, looking at her with a genuine smile. "I know how much you really wanted this."

Kagome smiled, "Yes. It was you and Midoriko who kept pushing me to audition. Remember?" she said with a glare. Ayumi smiled with a nod, not taking any offense by that glare. Kagome sighed with a shake of her head. "But if it wasn't for you two pushing me to train and apply, I probably would've talked myself out of it and missed my opportunity."

Kagome looked at Ayumi and the woman just smiled, her white eyes gleaming with triumph. Kagome giggled. "Thanks, Ayumi." Ayumi reached over to pat her bare thigh. She wore black jeans shorts with a white short-sleeve shirt. Something simple. Ayumi had chose a blush summer dress that went to her knees and flared around her to help with the heat during this time of the year. Kagome placed her hand on Ayumi's and gave it a squeeze.

"So tell me about the audition," Ayumi said as she brought her hand back and rearranged her seating.

Kagome sighed and crossed one ankle over the other. "Well…"

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-

Ayumi and Kagome both made their way back out of Shinjuku Gyoen. It was a little after noon and Kagome had to get going. The train ride was about 20mins and she didn't want there to be any lost time while she walked. She wanted to be early or at the latest, on time.

"Oh, tell me about Sai," Ayumi said quickly, remembering the client Kagome had last night. "He showed up again after the club closed, right? Did you see him on your way home?"

Kagome shook her head. That was the whole reason why Jinenji had to walk home with her last night. "No. I don't know why he showed up again last night. I think he really thought that we had a connection, which was why he wanted to see me again," she said with a shrug.

"Well… did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Did you think you two had a connection?"

The gates of the park came closer and the sounds of the streets came clearer the more they walked. Kagome thought about it for a moment. Although she thought he was really cute, very rich, very well-built and very attentive to her, she also knew that she wasn't right for him. He was too good for her. She shook her head. Maybe in another life. "No. I mean… don't get me wrong, he was very handsome, hot as hell, and what I liked about him the most is how he made me feel."

"He made you feel…" Ayumi said. "Period."

Kagome nodded. They both knew what it was like to be a gentlemen's girl, moving around between men and working only to please them with whatever they needed to be fulfilled. Even to the point of sex if that was what the man and woman wanted, but it always had to be up to her. He only paid her for what she was willing to do for him. But everything was strictly business for the women. Sex meant nothing. Their bodies wasn't their own during those several minutes. Their bodies and their time were not their own as they were bought to accompany these men in Midnite. They didn't belong to themselves in Midnite but to the men who wanted them, and most importantly to Onigumo who ran the whole show. But Kagome and the girls had no problem with that. They were used to it. It was what they signed up for, it made good money which was what they needed, and quite frankly many of them enjoyed their job. They crave that attention from a man. To just feel wanted.

"I felt like he got me."

"Hmmm… did you two talk?"

And by 'talk' Ayumi meant if she talked. About herself. "No. We only talked about his problems. But I felt like I got him. And… I think maybe he saw me."

Ayumi stopped walking, catching Kagome by the arm to stop her too. "Kagome… what do you mean?" She was now worried. For one, they were women who were highly secretive. They lived their lives outside of Midnite on the down-low in fear of people stalking them or trying to rob them. One of their girls had that happen. She was followed from the club and some bastard raped her and left her on the streets. That was why they were so secretive about using their stage names in the club and, of course, never giving out personal information like phone numbers.

"Don't worry, Ayumi," Kagome said, smiling reassuringly at her. "I didn't tell him anything about me. I just feel like he saw past my walls. Like he was understanding me and I let him get to me." Kagome shrugged as she looked away from Ayumi. "I think I just wanted that someone to connect with. Just for a minute."

Ayumi nodded. "I know." And she did. "But that's why he came back. You have to be more careful, Kagome."

Kagome nodded, and as soon as she felt Ayumi release her arm, she began to walk again. They were closer now to the entrance so she could drop this subject. "Oh!" She just remembered. "He also said something that really shocked me." She had forgotten. When he said it, she remembered the punch to her gut, like someone had slapped her across her face. And for that split second, she felt like crying.

"What?" Ayumi asked, now worried and curious as to what it was about this guy that got to Kagome.

They were at the entrance now and Kagome checked the time. It was nearly 12:15pm.

"I have to go Ayumi," she said, turning to give her friend a hug. She hoped that Ayumi wouldn't try to prevent her from going. She really didn't want to talk about it. Not here. Not ever. It wasn't something that she shared with anyone.

Ayumi huffed, and just as she was about to hug Kagome back, the girl turned around and took off, walking briskly into the sidewalk of people. She glared at Kagome's back, but deep down she could feel that Kagome didn't want to share whatever it was that had bothered her last night. And for that, Ayumi had to respect that. There were things that many of them in the club didn't want to share with each other. They all had their secrets and they all understood not to pry. It was none of their business. Ayumi sighed and went to throw her empty coffee away, then made her way through the streets of people.

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-

This time it was quiet in Tokyo Academy like it normally is when there are no auditions. Kagome was greeted by the cool air of the building as she walked in the double glass doors and made her way to the counter. She noticed it was the same woman who had been there during the auditions. 'Hmmm, she probably works for the academy and not Kikyo.'

The woman glanced up and greeted her with a smile. "Good afternoon. Do you have an appointment?"

Kagome nodded with a smile. "Yes. I'm meeting… ummm, Kikyo Hayashi." She didn't know what to say since she thought she was meeting Miroku since he was the one who setup the meeting. And maybe the rest of the dance crew. Honestly, she had no idea who was here.

The woman smiled with a nod. "Right through the door. On your first left."

"Thank you." She smiled and turned to open the door. It felt like deja vu but only this time, she got the job and would be going in for a personal interview. 'Hmmm… I wonder if I really got the job.' Miroku's call did make it seem like she got the part. He wanted her to come in and meet the crew and to fill out some paperwork, so it seemed like the part was hers.

Kagome stood in front of the door and steeled her nerves. 'Alright. Keep it together.' She hadn't applied for a job in all her life. Onigumo had found her on the streets when she was only eighteen. He had offered her a job at Midnite then, among other things he had done for her that fateful night. She remembered it like it was yesterday. And she would always be indebted to Onigumo. He saved her life.

But now, she would be applying for a real job, one where she would get a paycheck and she would have to sign all sorts of papers to verify who she was. Plus, the references. Onigumo covered her on that. He covered her entire life. He knew what her dreams were, they've known each other for so long. He knew that she always wanted to be a dancer, something greater than just the club, and so he had agreed to allow her to work somewhere else if that made her happy. But he had also warned her that he wouldn't allow her to leave him. That was one thing he made clear when she was eighteen.

She opened the door and was greet by the sight of people sitting around a table in the center of the dance studio. It looked the same as it did yesterday with the mirror walls but this time there was only a table in the center. She noticed that everyone stopped talking and looked her way, giving her a chance to take in who was here.

'Kikyo!' The singer Kikyo Hayashi was actually here! 'Oh my gosh!' Kagome felt like she would buckle and drop to her knees. Kikyo was a huge star here in Japan and for Kagome to be meeting her, like this and so unexpected, she was shocked and taken aback. 'I should've worn something nicer.' She berated herself, although she thought that what she wore was still appropriate for this meeting. She had on the same black shorts and white top she had this morning.

"Kagome! Come in," Miroku called from the table. She must've been standing there a little too long for him to have to call her. She blushed and hurriedly closed the door behind her.

When Kagome made her way to the table she was able to take everyone in. There were a total of five people. She sat at the one chair across of the five and took in the faces from her left to her right. Inuyasha sat furthest on the left, his body language showing his boredom as he leaned back with his arms crossed, staring at her intently. She quickly looked away from him to view a new man who she hadn't met yesterday. He was dressed in a black and white suit with short black hair and purple eyes. 'Hmmm… a demon.' Kikyo sat in the middle, next to the man in the suit. She was gorgeous up close. She had makeup on but it only complimented her features. She had beautiful light brown eyes and her hair spilled over her shoulders. She wore a form-fitting green dress that showed her cleavage above the table. Kagome then looked next to Kikyo where Sango sat. Sango wore a simple black t-shirt and she smiled warmly at Kagome, making her smile back in thanks. Miroku sat at the farthest right next to Sango, one arm lying on the back of her chair as he sat back comfortably in his, a knowing smile on his face. She smiled at him and then looked back at Kikyo.

"It's an honor to meet you, Kikyo," she said, not really knowing what else to say to a celebrity. It was her first time meeting one.

Kikyo chuckled and brought her hands to rest on the table. "Please, Kagome. No formalities. You'll be working for me so I like to keep my coworkers on a friendship basis." Kagome nodded her understanding and waited for someone to start the meeting.

The man in the suit moved first. "Kagome, my name is Naraku Igarashi. I am Kikyo's manager." Kagome turned to look at him with a smile and nodded. "It seems like you hit the jackpot, hm?"

Kagome bit her lip to contain her excitement. "It seems I have."

"I was told all three of our choreographers chose you once they saw you perform."

Kagome blushed and looked down at the table, unsure of what to say. She didn't know they chose her then and there. If that was the case, why did Miroku call her so late last night? Whatever his reason, she was just grateful and lucky that he did.

"You're making her uncomfortable, Naraku," Inuyasha said, noticing Kagome's reaction.

Sango nodded and tapped the table. "Sorry, Kagome. We don't mean to brag about you, but you are really good." Kagome looked up at Sango so as not to be rude, but inside she was trembling at all the compliments. She's not used to being put in the spotlight and complimented on. "After your audition, we decided to cancel the rest of the day. That was when we had an answer."

Miroku nodded. "I called it," he bragged. "I remember when I first saw you in the waiting room and knew you would be the one." Inuyasha, at the other end, blew air through his lips and shook his head at Miroku's comment. "What?!" he said, leaning forward to look down the table. "I did come in and tell you guys about her."

Kikyo put her hands up and glanced back and forth at the two men. "Alright guys. Enough. I think she really is getting embarrassed."

Kagome nodded, her face flushed. "Sorry… I'm not… used to this."

Kikyo tilted her head in wonder. "You haven't auditioned for any dance auditions before?" Kagome shook her head and that made Kikyo shock, which showed. "Really?"

"May I ask why?" Naraku asked.

Kagome shrugged, not wanting to lie but also not going to tell them the entire truth. "I just never felt up to it, honestly. I never really saw myself auditioning for a part in a huge dance group."

"Not even for a smaller part?" Naraku asked.

Kagome shook her head. "No."

"Why is that?"

She wondered where all the questions were coming from but she understood that this was another 'audition'. Even though she got the job, as Miroku said via voicemail, she knew that this was still part of the hiring process. They would've looked into her background- knew her name, number, address, occupation, hobbies and interests- to find out more about this woman who wanted to be given this job. It was an understanding process, but one that Onigumo would help to cover up for her.

"I just never really saw myself in doing that," she said, the truth but not entirely. "I'm always a little shy of the spotlight." That wasn't the truth in whole.

"Hmmm…" Naraku said, looking down at the envelope in his hand.

"But you came here to audition for a part that would put you in the spotlight and even on television?" Inuyasha asked, now interested in who this woman was and why she was even here. She didn't seem like the kind of woman who would throw herself at this opportunity and start gushing at the seems to be hired. In fact, she was the opposite. She was quiet and reserved, just sitting there and letting them scrutinize her.

Kagome nodded. "I'm assuming we're going to go over a contract."

Naraku then looked up, bringing the said contract out of the manila envelope. "Yes. You did get the part but we still have to go over the fine print and then you are officially hired."

Kagome nodded her understanding. "I understand. I have a few fine print myself."

Sango's eyes widened, as did the others. "Oh?"

Kagome nodded and looked apologetically at Kikyo. "I'm sorry. I understand that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and that I should be throwing myself at your feet for offering it to me" Kikyo smiled and shook her head. "But if you want me to agree to your terms, you have to agree to mine as well." Inuyasha leaned back in his chair and intently watched Kagome. 'Her terms? She came to a hiring with terms?' Now he was really interested. She seemed like a woman full of secrets.

Kikyo took a deep breath and looked next to her at Naraku. The two of them exchanged a look and then focused back on her.

"Let's talk," Naraku said. Kagome smiled and nodded. She watched as he handed her what was in his hands. It was a stack full of papers stapled together with the front page bearing a headshot of her. Naraku handed out the rest of the stacks to each person at the table so that everyone had a copy and could follow along.

"Alright… do you want to start Kagome, or should we just go through the contract?" Naraku asked.

Kagome shook her head. "Let's go through it first," she said with a smile, not wanting to be rude.

Naraku nodded and looked down at the first page.

"Is everything on this page correct?"

Kagome scanned the page from top to bottom. Aside from having her picture on it, there was general information about her: gender, birthdate, sex, height, weight. They had sent out an email with a link to this contract when they were doing the auditions so all the applicants were able to fill out the form online without having to print it out and bring it with them.

"Yes."

Naraku nodded and turned to the next page, folding the paper back as everyone did the same. "How about this page?"

Kagome noticed page two was about her hobbies and interests. They asked a lot of information about hobbies and interests, from the times she normally did a hobby to what she was interested in doing. They also asked for elaboration on each hobby and interest such as if it was a solo activity or one with a group of people, if it was at home or had to be driven to.

"Yes."

"I see you like to swim," Sango commented, looking up at Kagome.

Kagome nodded with a smile. "I love the ocean. I have a SCUBA certification too."

Sango's eyes widened as did everyone else's at the table, even though it was in her resume. "Wow! I remember seeing something like that. I must've forgot. That's cool!"

"That's ironic," Inuyasha said, making Kagome turn to look at him. He had a smirk as he looked at her, his golden eyes so beautiful. 'Oh geez, Kagome…' She hate to admit it, but they were beautiful.

"What is?" she asked.

"That you SCUBA."

"Why?"

Naraku waved his hand. "We'll get to it in a bit." He dismissed Inuyasha and went right back to the contract. "Let's head to the next page."

Kagome flipped it over to see it was the credentials and references page. 'Here we go.' She would have to answer their questions about that.

"So… I had a few questions about this."

Kagome nodded. 'Thought you might.'

Naraku pointed to one of the lines. "It says here that you received a certificate for completing compulsory school." Kagome nodded. "Please explain that."

Kagome nodded again. "I was homeschooled since I was young so I never went to any form of public schooling. I never went to compulsory school or to junior high. But I did take the examination to get a certificate that allows me to enter college if I desired." Part of that was a complete lie.

"Hmmm," Naraku said, looking questioningly down at her record. "I've never heard of such a thing."

Miroku interrupted him. "I think it became a thing just in this past decade. It was for students in junior high who didn't finish school but still wanted to go onto college. It was usually because they were bullied or couldn't handle going to a public school."

Kagome smiled at Miroku, thanking him without him even knowing that he was helping to bail her out of lying even more.

Naraku shrugged. "It matters little. We were just curious as to your schooling."

"Understandable."

Naraku then pointed down at another line. "It also says that you are now working at Starlite?"

Kagome nodded. Kikyo made a sound. "Mmmm… I love that restaurant!" Kagome chuckled with a smile.

"Yes, it's very good."

"Very good? It's a five-star restaurant," Inuyasha said.

Kagome nodded. "Yes. I'm a hostess there and sometimes fill in as a waitress." Another lie. "I normally work there from three in the afternoon to two in the morning, depending on the day and my schedule."

"Wow. Is it an eight hour shift?" Sango asked.

"Yes. But my hours usually range within that time period. I never do the lunch service."

Naraku nodded. "What days do you work there?"

"Thursday through Sunday."

"That's it?" Sango asked.

Kagome shrugged. "They pay well and so do the customers." Sango made a face that agreed with Kagome's statement thinking of all the people who save a whole paycheck's worth just to eat there.

Starlite was a five-star restaurant located at the top of Tokyo Star. Tokyo Star is the tallest building in Japan. It had fifty floors with different businesses in each section of the building. The first three floors was Tokyo Star Bank. The fourth to thirtieth floors belonged to Tokyo Star Hotel. Then, from the thirtieth up to the forty-seventh floor was nothing. Starlite owned the last three upper levels with each floor being a different dining theme with different menus and dress attire. Starlite also is a rotating restaurant, which makes it even more popular and expensive, so it gives a beautiful panoramic view of Tokyo as the diners eat.

"Well, I would think they pay well. I went there once and it was hella expensive," Miroku said with a shake of his head. "But the view was damn worth it." Sango giggled and slapped his thigh.

Kagome nodded. "I don't have to work much to earn enough to pay my rent," she commented.

Naraku nodded his understanding, looking around to see if anyone else had anymore questions before he moved on.

"So… will you be able to dedicate time here and still work there? Or will you quit that job?" Inuyasha asked. Naraku smiled to himself, waiting for someone to ask that.

Kagome shrugged and looked over at him. "I love my job there. I want to keep that job, if it's possible. I think I'll try it for some time, to do both, and if I get worn out then I'll leave that one for this one. That is… if my position is permanent."

Inuyasha nodded with a smile. "It is. But you don't have it completely yet."

This time, everyone looked down the table at him. "What?" Naraku asked, wondering what Inuyasha was up to.

"Yeah," Inuyasha said, bringing his hands onto the table to tap the table a few times. "I want to see how good you are before I let you into my dance crew. Like Kikyo said… we're like family most of us. We need you for this concert only since we lost one of our dancers because she got pregnant. But if you are good enough, then we'll keep you for good. How's that?"

Kikyo sighed and shook her head. It really wasn't her decision to make. Even though Kagome would be dancing for her, Inuyasha was the leader of her dance crew and she trusted him entirely with that. He would make the final decision, along with Sango and Miroku, on whether or not Kagome stays permanently as a crew or if they didn't need one at all after the concert was over.

Kagome nodded her head, feeling the challenge from Inuyasha like an inspiration. "Okay. Even more reason to keep my job then."

Inuyasha arched his eyebrow. "But you'll dedicate your time to us?"

"Of course," she nodded. "I'll do my best."

"Good. Because we start practice early in the morning."

"How early?"

Inuyasha shrugged and placed his head in his hand as he propped up his elbow. "Around 7 o'clock."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Wow. That's early. For how long?"

"The whole morning sometimes," Miroku said, catching her attention.

"It depends really," Sango said. "In the morning we usually come here to exercise. Then after that we start our practice for a couple hours. Depending on if we're learning a new number or just rehearsing one, we can be done quickly or at noon. There is a cafeteria in here and some vending machines so we make do with breakfast here, or just bring our own. But after that, the afternoon is all yours."

"So there is no nighttime practice?" Kagome asked.

"Sometimes," Inuyasha said.

"I can only give Monday through Wednesday for nighttime practices. I can't ask for off unless it's something really important." She knew Onigumo would not stand for it if every week she would ask for some weekends off. He needed her on the weekends and that's all he asked her to work for.

"So… your boss… Taylor Brady. He owns Starlite?" Naraku said, changing the subject since she brought up her work.

"No. He's just the manager. Well, one of the managers." Now she had to switch her thinking again.

"And I see you list him as your reference, along with Onigumo Matsumoto and Ayumi Yamamoto."

"Yes."

"We'll call them after this interview to follow up with them."

Kagome nodded, having full confidence that the three of them would back her up. They all knew about her getting this job as they were all warned beforehand that she would put them down as her references.

"Ok. I think that's all the questions I had about your profile. Does anyone else have any questions before we get to the contract?"

Kikyo moved and Kagome focused her attention on the singer. "I have one. Kagome, why did you want this job to begin with?"

Kagome smiled, waiting for them to get personal with her. "I love to dance," she looked around the room, "as I'm sure most of you do as well. But it has been my passion since I can remember. When I was young, there used to be maiko near where I lived who would practice some of her numbers on the streets under this maple tree. I would sneak out and watch her and ever since then, I fell in love with how people can express themselves through their body and through dancing. I began to look at other forms of art like breakdancing and hiphop and I just watched and learned routines on my own."

"So, you're good at learning a routine by watching?" Sango asked, now very intrigued.

Kagome nodded her head. "That's how I would learn. I would watch and then mimic the routine. Practice it, of course, but I usually catch on pretty quickly. Sometimes, I would just make up my own routines based on what I already know and how I feel at the moment."

Sango nodded, turning to look over her shoulder at Miroku to give him a huge smile. She really liked Kagome. She turned back to Kagome and nodded her understanding. "Another reason why we needed this interview was because there is another factor we have to address before we can hire you. Something more important than just your audition."

"Oh?" Kagome asked, now interested. If something else was more important than her resume and her audition then it must be something that they cannot modify or change, even if she couldn't go with it. Which reminded her. "Can we first talk about my terms before we get to yours?"

Inuyasha chuckled. "I like her style," he said, leaning back and crossing one ankle on top of his knee under the table. He liked her spunk and the fact that she had terms at a job interview, terms that he was sure she wouldn't cross if she was so adamant about bringing them up now. He liked this woman. There was something about her, besides her good looks and her scent that still got to him, but he really did like her spirit.

Kagome smiled apologetically at Inuyasha and then looked at Kikyo, all serious. "I'm sorry. But this I will not give in to. They are my only terms and then I'm all yours."

Kikyo thought of it for a moment. She had to admit, she did like this girl's audacity to bring her own terms to the table, but then again, this was an interview and like a business deal. The only reason why they needed her was to fill a spot, and right now she didn't have the job yet until she proved that she could learn all the numbers in the amount of time they had left. So there was no deal yet with this girl. But Kikyo had to give it to her.

"If these three want you then I want you," she said, trusting her dancers. "What's your terms, Kagome?"

"I will not appear on music videos or do any PR or any sort of television marketing." Kagome looked at everyone while she spoke so they knew that she meant it.

Naraku snickered and crossed his arms, his whole demeanor changing now. He went from a nice, professional businessman to someone who was irritated and disappointed. "What's the point of hiring you then?"

Sango held up her hand, trying to understand the woman's terms. "Wait, so what about concerts?" Naraku did have a point there.

Kagome nodded. "I will consent to concerts. Of course, I know what you are hiring me for. I'm a dancer. This is a dance position. I applied to dance for a huge pop-star that is making it to the top charts in the past couple of years. Your fame has soared, Kikyo," she said admiringly, now looking at the star at the middle of table. "Trust me. I fully understand what I'm signing up for and what I could be losing if you don't agree to what I'm asking for. But I won't give in. Not to this. I don't want my face on any billboards or television commercials or posters or CDs, none of it. It's personal for me and my privacy is my biggest concern."

Inuyasha smirked, closing his eyes as he listened to her words. It was obvious that Kagome thought about this. Why would she have gone through all this trouble to sign up for this part if she really didn't understand what she was signing up for. Then again, she was only a waitress and knew nothing about the spotlight and how hard it was to protect one's privacy once they stepped into the spotlight.

"You do understand what you're asking for?" Inuyasha said, speaking up for the rest of them. Kagome turned to look at him, his golden eyes fasten on her, making her freeze at the intensity of them. "You do know how hard it is for someone to keep their life private once they gain fame? We're constantly bombarded by reporters or fans who want our signatures. It's not just being on TV or in music videos that makes us 'famous'. It's also concerts, posters, social media… there's other ways for people to get your picture out into the world. Once you're in the spotlight it's hard to get out. How are you going to stop social media?"

Kagome frowned, understanding his point. She had thought about it as well and knew how millennials loved their social media. Everything was captured on cell phones nowadays. And of course, she was sure that people would capture a photo or more of her once she gets into the spotlight at a concert. And that… she couldn't help. But at least she could prevent herself from being on the news or a big media platform where many people watch. 'Especially him…'

"I know," Kagome said with a nod. "I know there are many ways that my photo would get out there. But if there is something that I can control so that I don't deliberately put myself out there onto a huge media platform, then I will." She turned her attention back to Kikyo. "I'm sorry, but I want to try and protect myself before I lose myself."

'Hmm,' Inuyasha thought. 'Lose herself?' He wondered what she meant about that.

Kikyo took a deep breath and waited for anyone else to speak up. When no one did, she made up her mind. "Fine. That's fine with me."

Naraku chuckled. "If you think you can protect your privacy this way… you're insane. But… whatever. If that's your only condition then let's get to the contract."

Kagome nodded her head.

Naraku looked back down at the contract. "I will add your terms to the new contract and then we can sign it once I print out a new one with the added conditions." Naraku then looked up at her. "Now… onto our terms." Kagome nodded.

"You said that you could learn routines just by watching," he said. Kagome nodded.

"Good." Miroku moved forward, leaning his head onto his hand as he propped his elbow on the table, like Inuyasha had. "We need you to learn fifteen numbers in three months."

Kagome's eyes widened and if she had been drinking something she would have spit it out of her mouth. "What?!"

Miroku smiled and laughed. "Yes. Fifteen numbers in three months."

"If you can't do it," Naraku said, interrupting Miroku, "Then we have no reason to hire you. We really need someone to cover for the dancer we lost because we have a concert in Hawai'i in three months."

'Oh my goodness… what?!' Kagome thought, feeling numb all of a sudden. 'Hawai'i? She was going to be able to go there for a concert? So soon? But then she had to learn 15 numbers?'

Kikyo smiled apologetically as she noticed Kagome's stunned face. "Sorry. I know it's a lot to ask but we had no other choice. I had Inuyasha and the others pull this audition out as quickly as they could, and thankfully they all agreed on one person without even having to go through all the auditions and without having to go back and forth on their choices. They all chose you once you finished your dance. And I'm assuming they all see potential in you. If they chose you for this part, I'm sure I can trust you enough to believe you can learn all the numbers in three months."

"You're asking for a lot," Kagome said. Fifteen numbers were a lot. They would be a complete number to a song that was usually three to five minutes long, depending on how the singer chose to modify their songs during a concert. So each number would have to be learned and memorized based on the singer's choosing and the time they had at the venue they were performing at. Taking all that into consideration, she had to learn not one but fifteen of them! The transitions coming on and off the stage, the changing of clothes between numbers… honestly she never really knew all that went on behind the scenes of a concert, but since she worked at Midnite, she knew what it took to put on a show. They were asking for a lot.

"Not anyone can pull it off," Inuyasha said, speaking what was on her mind. "But I saw potential in you the moment you stepped in front of us," he said, speaking the truth. Kagome couldn't help but find herself drawn to him as he spoke. He was handsome, to say in the least. Hot. A drop-dead gorgeous man who many women probably throw themselves at. Who knows how many women he's been with. That was something that she didn't want to think about. But just looking at him, Kagome was sure that she was going to have a hard time working with him. Not to mention his cute puppy ears on top of his head. She was attracted to him. That she could feel, just sitting there at the table she could feel an attraction to him, something about him that made her feel… safe. Safe was not a word that she knew.

"If you don't think you can do it," Inuyasha said with a smirk, "then tell us now so that we can look for someone else." He was egging her on and he caught that she realized his taunting her. He watched as she smiled and saw her blue eyes gleam with the challenge.

"I can do it."

Inuyasha nodded and slammed his hand on the table, jolting everyone. "It's settled then. You're hired."

Kikyo glared down the table at him. "I say whether or not she's hired."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes with a huff. "Whatever, Kikyo. Say exactly what I just said then."

Kikyo frowned and crossed her arms, the movement making her dress show more of her cleavage than Kagome would've liked. "Well, it beats the point now."

"Then why even bring it up," Inuyasha mumbled, irritated. Kagome smiled at the two of them, realizing that they had some sort of connection. They obviously knew each other better than just coworkers.

"Oh!" Kagome said, snapping to her senses. All of this excitement had caused her to forget about her reality. 'Onigumo…' Would he let her go? She had three months to ask him, although she would ask him tonight so that she could give them her answer for sure. There was no reason to take the job if Onigumo wouldn't allow her to go. That left something else unanswered. "How long will we be in Hawai'i?"

Kikyo turned her attention to Kagome. "For a week and a half. We were planning on arriving on a Thursday in O'ahu. I have a local news station interview on Friday to promote my concert that's on Saturday and Sunday at the Neil Blaisdell. Then, we stay until Tuesday and everyone is free to do their own thing while I do more promotions and 'fun' stuff," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Then, Wednesday we leave O'ahu and land on Maui for a couple of days of downtime for you guys while I do more PR stuff there to promote my concert at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center on Saturday and Sunday. Monday we do whatever else shopping or whatever everyone wants to do and then Tuesday we fly back to Japan. That was the plan anyways," Kikyo said with a shrug.

Kagome nodded. 'Wow. This is so awesome!' she thought, listening to the plan and seeing herself in Hawai'i again. She knew she would be there for work, and she fully didn't know what went into doing a concert, four days of performances at that, but she was excited to start and to actually be up there on stage. It was thrilling to think about it.

"We will be practicing at the venue," Inuyasha said, not wanting Kagome to get her hopes up. "So don't get too excited and start planning a whole vacation. We're there for work."

"Yeah, you are," Sango said with a wink at Kagome. "It's Hawai'i. Who said we can't have any fun in Hawai'i?"

Kagome giggled, totally agreeing with Sango. She could tell that she and Sango could be great friends.

"So… what do you say, Kagome?" Naraku asked.

Kagome nodded her head, but bit her lip. "But… I have to ask my boss." She really did have to ask Onigumo, even though none of them knew what she really did or where she really worked. She wasn't sure if Onigumo would let her go. He never let her for that long before. She had gone away on vacation before whenever life became too much for her here. And it was usually a little under a week or so. Which was fine to him since she worked only four days of the week. But still… those four days were crucial to him and his business. She was his girl, one of his best girls, and she knew that Onigumo wouldn't give her up even if she asked to quit and work full time for Kikyo. He wouldn't allow her.

"So… you won't give us an answer until you get the okay from your boss?" Miroku asked.

Kagome nodded. "I don't want to say 'yes' and then I won't get the approved time off. I'm sure my boss will allow it," she said, hoping that he really would, "but I really want to be sure I can commit with such short notice."

Inuyasha grunted and leaned back in his chair, seemingly disappointed from what Kagome could tell as she looked over at him. His eyes were closed but she watched him, noticing that he was a quiet one, but when he spoke, he always spoke with authority and everyone listened to him. He was Kikyo's choreographer and the leader of the dance group. So she could see why everyone listened to him when it came to decisions like these when hiring a new dance member.

"Okay," Kikyo said. "I appreciate your answer. Will you let us know by tonight?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes."

-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-

The club was pumping. The sound of the music flooded her veins and made her feel alive again. Midnite always did that to her. It gave her something that made her feel alive. Like she was able to hide from the world, from her past that haunted her every second of her day. But here, she was safe. Midnite was her fantasy world that she could live in for a couple of days of the week.

Kagome made her way through the men that littered the floor. There were so many men tonight being that it was a Friday night. Last night wasn't as busy but the weekends were always the liveliest, and that was why Onigumo wanted her to work the weekends. She along with Ayumi and Midoriko made the most money, they were his top three girls, and he wanted them only on the weekends. Tonight was no exception. The place was packed and Kagome was thankful for the welcome excitement tonight.

She made her way past the bar, noticing Hojo and Kohaku busy behind the bar as men sat and waited for their drinks. Some were facing the dance floor and some had their backs to her. But she smiled at the men who she caught eye contact with, watching them with appreciation as they followed her movements right past them.

Finally, she got to the end of the bar and went behind it. At the back of the bar's wall, away from the lights and attention, were the stairs that led to Onigumo's office. His office was above the bar where he could look out at his club and watch his girls. He was constantly watching them, for their safety and for his income, but he was never too far. And there was always a bouncer at the bottom of the stairs. Tonight, it was Manten. He was a thunder youkai, like his brother Hiten who was Ayumi's bodyguard, and he had purple eyes with his red spiky hair that stood up short. He was huge, his broad shoulders blocking the view of the stairs and if she didn't know any better, she wouldn't have known there was anything behind here. It was dark when you looked up. But for those who knew better, when you walked up the stairs there were lights pointed directly up so that you could see the stairs without tripping.

"Manten," Kagome greeted with a smile. She placed her hand on his left arm. "Is Onigumo up there?"

Manten smiled down at her with a nod. "Yeah. You want to see him?"

Kagome nodded. "Mmm hmmm. I have a half hour before my next client. I need to talk to him."

Manten looked up behind her and his eyes met with Jinenji. The bodyguard was never too far from her but always staying back where she never really noticed him being there.

"Okay."

Manten moved aside so she could go up. Kagome took her hand back and thanked him, making her way up the stairs. The stairs were metal but there were small holes in them so as not to make it difficult for Onigumo's girls to come up to him with their heels on, but also to let the light shine through so they could see where they were going. She made her way up and noticed how the music began to get softer. The walls of Midnite were soundproof and Onigumo's office was no exception. Even here in the stairwell, the music began to die down some except for where it came from down at the bottom where Manten remained vigilant.

She made it to the top and knocked before she opened the door. Onigumo's office wasn't anything that huge, but he did love his money and he loved to show it. The room was a neutral cream color with a furry cream carpet to match the walls. There was a chandelier in the center of the room, right above a table that held many different drinks that he could help himself with. To the right of the door was a glass wall that was soundproof and a one-way mirror, so only Onigumo could see out but no one could see into his office or know that there was one on top of the bar as it was tinted on the outside. Closer to the window, in the center, was a soft cream leather couch with a table where he could sit and watch the dance floor. And to the corner opposite of the door was a round table with chairs so he could do business near the window and watch out as well. There were lamps near the couch and in every corner of the room. But the light mainly came from the chandelier. To the left of the door was Onigumo's desk. He kept it simple and tidy, with only a couple stacks of paperwork and some trinkets, a couple of photo frames of his girls and some pen holders and office supply stuff.

Kagome noticed Onigumo sitting at his desk and he immediately looked up, his eyes meeting hers, and he smiled warmly, his eyes lighting up.

"Sapphire."

Kagome smiled and entered, closing the door behind her and making her way toward him. She noticed the approval in his eyes as he watched her come to him. He loved to watch her, whether it was walking towards him or away from him or just dancing. He had told her many times that he loved her body. It made her feel special and wanted. She loved the attention from him.

"Onigumo," she said in greeting, coming around his desk. He noticed what she wanted and moved his rolling chair back as she went directly onto his lap.

"Mmmm, I love what you're wearing."

Kagome chose to wear all black tonight. She wore leather pants that went to her hips and a leather bustier-like top. It reminded her of a halter sports bra as it held her girls tightly with a clasp in the back and it had a cut-out hole in the middle where her cleavage was in plain sight.

Onigumo reached up to support her bare back with his right hand and with his left he used his index finger to trace a line from her top down her bare stomach to the start of her pants.

"I like this a lot," he said with a wicked tone. "Did you get many approving looks?"

Kagome nodded with a satisfied nod. "Yeah. I called attention." He liked to hear of their 'conquests' as the girls like to call it. They sometimes loved to retell stories of how the men treated them or looked at them. And Onigumo noticed that it made them feel wanted, which was what all women wanted from a man. To be seen and to feel wanted. He gave that to them with this job.

"What's with the visit, then?"

Kagome leaned back a bit and wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling nervous all of a sudden. He noticed the change in her attitude immediately. He knew her so well after nine years of them being together.

"I need to ask you something."

"Oh? What?"

"I had my interview today."

Onigumo nodded, bringing his left hand onto his desk to tap out a rhythm. "I know. They called."

Kagome's eyes widened. "They did?"

"Yes. They did their references check already. Taylor called me to let me know that they called him too."

"Oh." She didn't know that they would've called her references without her giving them an 'okay' that she would take the job. She had told them she would let them know by the end of the day. But then again, Naraku did say he would call her references today. And it was already nine o'clock. She needed to ask Onigumo now and run to make the phone call before she lost her opportunity.

"Don't worry, Sapphire. You know Taylor and I know what to say."

She nodded. "I know. I just didn't think they would've called today honestly."

Onigumo arched an eyebrow. "So it didn't go well?"

Kagome shook her head. "No. It did. I just told them that I would have to check with my boss about something first before I take the job."

Onigumo was now curious and he settled into his chair, placing his hand on the armrest, gazing at her intently. "Well?"

"They told me the reason why they were looking for a dancer was because they had to replace one who got pregnant. They were quickly trying to find a replacement because in three months they have a concert in Hawai'i for a week and a half." She felt Onigumo stiffen and she grew quiet, knowing that this came as a shock for him. He could already figure out where the conversation was going without her having to finish.

Onigumo moved, making Kagome release his neck and come to a stand. He rose, fixing his dark blue suit, and she watched as he made his way to the table in the center of the room where he fixed himself a drink.

"I… I wanted to ask if you would allow me to go for a week and a half. It would be from a Thursday to a Tuesday. So I would miss two weeks of work." She made her way around his table and leaned her butt onto his table, placing her hands down beside her and waited. She watched as he poured himself a drink and reached into the ice bucket with a small tong and retrieved an ice cube. He dropped it into his dark amber liquid and grabbed his drink, taking a sip.

"A concert? You do know that you will be put into the spotlight."

Kagome nodded with a frown as Onigumo walked towards the glass wall, taking a few more sips of his drink. He stopped and looked down at the dance floor. She could only see the runaway lights that pulsed to the beat of the music. The music was droned out in here but she could still hear the muffled music.

"I know that, Onigumo," she said, looking down at her heeled boots. "I knew that when I decided to audition for the part. This is my dream." She looked up but his back was still towards her. "You knew I always wanted to be a dancer."

"You are a dancer."

"Yes," she nodded. "But here I'm a dancer in secret. No one knows that it's Kagome Saito who dances. No one knows who this woman is behind Sapphire."

"But out there they will."

Kagome nodded. "I know it'll be hard to keep my identity a secret but also be in the spotlight at the same time. I know that I'll run into trouble. Trouble seems to find me everywhere I go."

"You know, Sapphire… I will never give you up."

And there it was. Onigumo always reminded her that she belonged to him. She was his. No matter where she went or what she wanted to do with her life, he would never let her go. She was his to own and his to use. He was the one who saved her life and gave her a new one. This life that he had given her belonged to him. She belonged to him. In truth though, he was her saving grace.

Kagome sighed, feeling trapped again. As much as she loved him and was grateful for his help when he rescued her, she felt like she payed him back and then some. She did whatever he wanted of her, but he also accepted her boundaries and her terms. Much like Kikyo guys did today. They accepted her terms, which she was grateful for, and they left the decision up to her. They already chose. Now she had to choose.

"Onigumo. This is what I want to do."

She made her way toward him, the carpet in his office making her heeled boots silent. His broad shoulders were stiff and his whole posture was threatening, possibly because he felt like he was losing something precious to him. She could feel the tension radiating from him. Kagome stopped just a few steps from him, afraid that she had angered him.

"Onigumo?"

He turned to look at her and she saw the set of his clenched jaw. His blue-green eyes were blazing. Kagome gasped and took a step back. But before she could put distance between them, his left hand came up and he grabbed her arm, pulling her to him.

"Ah, Onigumo. You're hurting me."

Onigumo brought her flush against him, careful not to spill the drink in his right hand. He gazed down at the top of her head.

"Look at me, Sapphire."

He refused to use her name at a time like this. Even though no one could hear them, he still used her stage name. A name that he controlled, that he owned.

She obeyed, looking up at him. His eyes were still hard on her but his grip on her arm loosened.

"You are mine. Remember that, Sapphire. I won't let you go." Kagome nodded her understanding. "If you really want this job, then I will let you have it. But you will remember well that your security and your privacy will be shot once you take up this job. It's nothing like what you got here."

"I know," she said, turning her head so that she looked down at the stage. Midoriko was on now, doing one of her favorite numbers. Kagome watched as she twirled around the pole and slid down until she did the splits and flipped her long hair back, causing money to be thrown onto the stage for her. This was the kind of dancing she knew. This was the kind of spotlight she loved. The one in the darkness. The one that no one knew who she was and wouldn't know about her if she walked along the streets to go get some coffee. No one would hound her for autographs or to take their picture with her. Even if they did notice her and was one of her clients, they were bound by their obligation to the secrecy of Midnite's girls and they were not to harass any of the women should the clients come into contact with them in the world. They would be kicked out of the gentlemen's club and possibly sued if Onigumo wanted to go that far for their crimes to his girls.

"I protect you," Onigumo said, reminding her of how much she needed her privacy. "I make sure that outside these walls, he cannot find you. That you can be and do what you want to do here, but outside no one will harass you for it. I gave you what you wanted."

Kagome frowned. 'Why is he bringing it up? He's trying to make me feel bad about signing up for this job. Does he not want me to take it?' Onigumo hadn't denied her when she told him her plan to signup for Kikyo's dance group. He had agreed to be her reference and had given her his consent to apply for another job. So then why was he now making it seem like he didn't want her to take it?

Onigumo tugged on her arm, making her look back at him. "I want you to be sure of this, Sapphire. I want you to know what you're really asking. I told you numerous times that I can protect you, and I have. I told you what that job will do for you and that if anything was to happen, I cannot protect you from the repercussions. But… I also told you that I will never let you go."

Kagome nodded. She knew his terms. He was willing to let her fulfill her dream but she would still have to work for him. Her dream would have to revolve around Onigumo.

"I know."

He waited. Onigumo wanted to make sure that Kagome knew what she was asking of him. He couldn't protect her from all the fans that Kikyo has, from the spotlight that she was going to put herself in. But he also wouldn't let her go. She was his. He only wondered how long she would stay with this job before she realized it was too much. Being famous like that pop-star is something that Kagome never wanted for herself.

Kagome's eyes pleaded with him. "I know what I'm asking for. I know that I could be giving up my privacy. But I need to try. I need to do this for me. I've always wanted to be a dancer, you know that. Not like this. But a real dancer. I wanted to make something of myself, of what I love to do, and I wanted to show the world how beautiful dance can be. If it means me having to strip away a little of my privacy, then so be it. But it's my choice to make, Onigumo."

He smirked, releasing her arm and taking a step away from her towards the window, gazing down at Midoriko. "Your choice," he said softly to himself before he took a drink.

"My choice," Kagome said, more adamant this time. She would not give in. "My choice is to remain here. But my choice is also to be a part of Kikyo's dance group. I already gave them my terms."

"Which is?" Onigumo asked, now curious.

"I told them I would not appear in any music videos or do any PR or any television commercials. I would do concerts only."

"How long do you think that will last? How long until they change their minds?"

Kagome shook her head, bringing her hand up to place it over where Onigumo had squeezed her arm. "We will sign a contract. They are bound to it, as am I. And I will quit if they breach it."

Onigumo nodded.

"Onigumo, please. I know you have your reservations… heck, I have them too. Do you think I don't know what I'm getting myself into? I know that I could be risking my privacy and risking him finding me. I'm going to try my best to not put myself out there where he will see. Which is why I'm sticking only to concerts because I don't think he would go to a female pop-star concert. But I know that I'm risking him finding me by doing this. But… I need to do it. For me. I need to try or else… or else I don't know what more I can be if I don't try for it."

Onigumo sighed. He could hear the pleading in Kagome's voice and he could never deny her anything. There was something so tender and innocent about this woman that always made him give her whatever she wanted. And she never asked for much. The only thing she asked for was for her safety and security. That was it. She didn't ask for cars or a fancy place to stay. She was a simple woman who needed simple things. And yet, he tried to give her the world because she was his world. Without her, he was nothing. And Onigumo had a soft spot for her. She was the only woman he owned who could make him feel this way, like she owned him too.

With a deep sigh and a sip of his drink, he gave into her. Again. "Okay."

Kagome gasped, turning so that she could hug him, laying her head against his chest. "Thank you, Onigumo. Thank you."

He brought his free hand up to tangle in her blue-black hair. He pulled her hair gently so that she would look up at him. Her beautiful blue eyes always stirred something in him. He bent his head and kissed her.

Kagome let him kiss her. He sometimes gave her a kiss on the lips when they would have deep conversations like this and would make up after an argument or a disagreement. Sometimes he would just kiss her. It was his way of branding her, of reminding her or maybe himself, that he still had her and always would. She would never kiss him back, though. She didn't care for him that way.

Onigumo gave her a quick kiss on her soft lips and then released her hair, moving out of her arms as he went back to his desk.

"Now go. Don't you have another client soon?"

Kagome nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "In five minutes. I have to make the call to Kikyo first and then I'll get back to work." Her voice couldn't contain her excitement. She was going to work for Kikyo Hayashi! She was going to be a pop-star dancer. Her life was going to change. She was going to make something of herself and people would see that it was Kagome who could dance, not Sapphire.

"Thank you, Onigumo."

He waved his free hand above his head, dismissing it.

She smiled with a shake of her head. With that, she took her leave. She made her way to the door and down the stairs, the sound of the club now flooding her ears again after the silence in Onigumo's office. It was deafening and yet a much needed distraction. Manten heard her coming down and he turned to move to the side, gazing up at her as she made her way down to the last step.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

Kagome nodded. "Awesome!" She gave him a pat on his shoulder and then left him to guard duty. "I have to make a quick phone call." There was a back door entrance at the base of the stairs, which was another thing that Manten guarded here. This back door that blended so well with the black wall, was another hidden entrance for the women's dressing room. When the club opened, the dancers were only allowed to go in and out of this door because there was always a bodyguard here and no client would be able to follow them into the back.

Manten nodded his head and opened the door for her, stepping back so that she could step inside. He closed it behind her and Kagome made her way down the narrow hallway that was illuminated with neon blue lights. Her eyes had to adjust to the new lighting but she was used to all the different lights in the club. She hurried her steps, needing to call Miroku before she had to get back to work. She needed to make this call and her steps proved how excited she was.

Kagome got to the dressing room and was welcomed with the smells of perfume. She made her way to her work station and opened her purse, grabbing her phone. She found Miroku's number that she saved from yesterday's phone call. His number was the only one she had now that she thought about it. She was sure she would be able to get the other's numbers soon enough now that she would be taking the job.

The phone began to ring and she couldn't stay in place. She walked around the clothes stands and fiddled with some of the outfits, waiting for Miroku to pick up. The ring was cut and Kagome's heart skipped.

"Takenaka."

She gulped. This was it.

"Hi, Miroku. This is Kagome."

"Ah! Kagome! It's nice to hear from you. Sorry, I thought this number looked familiar but I didn't save you as a contact yet."

"Oh… no worries. I… ummm, was calling because I wanted to give you my answer. Sorry for being so late."

"Nah. It's not like we sleep anyways," he said with a chuckle.

Kagome giggled, wondering how true that would be once she had to learn fifteen numbers in three months. She was totally up for the challenge and she could feel her excitement take over.

"I'm in. When do you want me to start?"