Author's Note: Hi everyone! I'm sorry for the late update. To be honest, I had a hard time writing this chapter because of Kikyo's attitude. I just didn't want to deal with it. I actually wrote this chapter out 3 times and I felt like those authors writing on typewritters and throwing away the papers to start ALL OVER again. I finally chose to settle with the third one I wrote and to just go with whatever came of it. Her attitude still bothered me (spoiler alert: it might bother you too) but I really needed to get this chapter out because it sets the foundation of all the things that are going to come with Kagome and Inuyasha. Anyways... hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha
PS- thanks susu-anon for the correction. I updated the chapter with the correction
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RTR
hive-chan: Awww... I want to thank you for your second review. That was a huge motivator and a kick to my butt to keep writing this next chapter when I really didn't want to. Everyone's reviews always encourage me and get me writing more because I know you guys are waiting and anxious to read what's next. I know what's next- but you guys don't. So thanks for your second review. As to your first review... I think it would be cool if an artist could draw out the characters of my story. I love the details of their attire and concert costumes and would love to see it portrayed. I also love your thoughts about the lemon scenes and Kag's sexual appetites. I will say... without giving away too much... those scenes will definitely be M-rated. It will definitely be something different from what most will expect out of Kag who comes from an abusive relationship.
susu-anon: Hahaha. Yes, I actually thought about "Pretty Woman" with Julia Roberts as I was writing that scene with the saleswoman's harsh treatment. But "Selena" too does come to mind. I can't promise that'll happen. Kag is over it and doesn't let that bother her. She's had that kind of treatment her whole life. And yes, of course you will be able to get into Kag's past soon enough. She hasn't told me when though, so I'm just waiting for her to be ready. With her and Inu, she definitely needs to grow up a little and get a backbone. But she's learning and she's getting more comfortable with him. Soon enough, though, you will see her bloom!
xsophiex: Huh... can I just say I love your questions and love your answers to your own questions lol :) I cannot answer them (obviously) or I will be giving away the whole story and what's to come. I will just say that your questions WILL BE answered. Thanks for your review! It got me smiling as to how you're connecting the dots.
inusitter: Thanks for your review and funny you should ask. This chapter will explain what's to come with an Inu/Kag appearance of their own. Things are going to get so much more bigger for Inu/Kag in the sense of their fame and relationship. This chapter is the foundation of that build. But things are also going to get a lot more crazy because of their fame and relationship.
Rosie B: Oh my gosh. I just love how all of my fans are putting pieces together and asking questions that... ahhhh just makes me laugh and smile. To your point about the portrayal, yes, I would love that. If there was an artist who could portray Inu/Kag or the entire group because their attires are in my mind and they look sexy in them. Would love for you guys to see what I envision, so I try to do my best to write it out for you all. But writing can only do so much for the imagination. As for Mir/San- I will say that your question will be answered soon :) To your thought about Kag/Kog/Inu... yes, things will get intense and interesting. All of these chapters are of course build up to the whole plot that is to come. As the title of the story says... the past will come back to haunt Kag. I never heard that Mariah Carey song but I'll go have a listen. Thanks!
anime-geek: Thanks for your review. Yes, our parents and our childhood shapes who we become- but it doesn't have power over us if we are willing to break free of our past. There will be more scenes on Kag's past so you will see what she has been through and how strong she is for overcoming all that. Thanks for your review.
val-rommel: Awww, I'm sorry you didn't have your skirt blown up, or whatever I said lol. But I do appreciate your feedback. I don't take it personally. I love the way every fan takes the chapters, whether they like it or not, and I appreciate all feedback. From my perspective, that was a huge chapter, especially for Kag since I know where she comes from and how Inu is starting to get into her heart. That's a huge step for her- so I felt so giddy writing it because I felt so happy for her. She'll be able to finally be happy too- if only for a moment. To try to answer your questions without giving away too much= Yes, Kag's parents will come into the story and you will see the childhood she once had. Oni didn't go because the club was more important to him than this charity event, but he is in the same circle as the Fujimotos. Naraku wasn't there because he doesn't care for Inu- they have a past together that isn't so great. Don't worry- Kag will open more with Inu and some of the others. Yes, yes- the fluff will come. I have to build up to it and get Kag to break down her walls and insecurities first. She is getting there. But they will go on dates and she will open up to him :) I'm glad you liked the chapter and the scene in the garden. I hope you like this one.
MinxieXCX: Yes! I loved Inu's suit! I really want to see him and Kag portrayed in their charity event outfits. So hot! Anyways, sorry. You will find out more about Kag's parents in the future and the lifestyle she had. Hopefully that will bring a better appreciation as to who she is now and why she is the way she is. She is stronger- a victor and not a victim, even though it may seem like her past has a hold of her and she acts like a victim sometimes. Yes, all your questions will be answered :) Awww thank you for your love on the Inu/Kag relationship I portray. It's all them. Their characters just speak through me and I write them down. I love the way they are as a modern couple. Things will get spicier and cuter as time goes on between them :)
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Everyone waited in the warehouse, chatting until Kikyo showed up and sitting on chairs in a circle that the crew had setup for them. Kikyo had texted the group to meet at the warehouse on Monday morning instead of at the academy. Everything would be explained about what she shared at the charity event and the timeline of the weeks to come before the concert in Osaka. They all couldn't stop talking about how the internet was exploding after Kikyo's announcement and the fans were raving about her next concert.
"Once you guys are finished, I would like to show you around and explain what the crew setup," Hintaro said as he walked up to the group.
Inuyasha looked up to him and nodded. "Thanks, Hintaro. Once we finish the meeting and whenever the DJs get here, then we'll get started." Hintaro nodded his head and left the group, heading back to oversee the stage operations.
Kagome looked around and marveled at the space of the warehouse. She remembered the last time she was here when they had practiced for Hawai'i. And just like before, everything was set up according to their needs from the venue they would be performing at. She could see the stage crew working hard in putting down tapes on the ground which she remembered was to mark out the actual stage like it did before. The crew were rolling the huge light stands around and some were readjusting the angle of the lights above, high up on the metal bars, while testing the different colors. No one in the group said anything as the room erupted in an array of colors as the crew went through their own system of operations. Kagome smiled, marveling at how everyone knew and did their tasks without asking or being surprised by any loud noise or strange lights. They all knew the drill and were accustomed to all the protocols. It was easy for her to feel at home with all the movement around because it reminded her of Midnite, so she blended in easily to the chaos.
"Okay, guys. Sorry for making you wait." Kikyo called as she hurriedly walked through the door, her voice echoing in the large room. Naraku and Akari followed behind her as they closed the door and walked up to the circle. Kikyo looked a little flustered and frantic as she dropped her designer backpack onto the floor next to her chair and sat with a deep sigh. She wore her sunglasses on her head and casual clothes, jean shorts with a black, ruched top. "Oh man. I'm pooped."
"Already?" Inuyasha asked, arching an eyebrow at her as he sat across from her, one ankle propped up on his opposite knee.
Kikyo nodded, closing her eyes. "Lots of phone calls with the label and with the venue in Osaka. Naraku and Akari have been taking the brunt of it but I still have to verify a lot of things."
Naraku sat on one side of Kikyo as Akari went to sit on the opposite. Both of them had a tablet to take notes on while Naraku had a manila folder underneath his tablet, placing both on his lap as he regarded them.
"We've been getting a lot of calls from the venue about the logistics behind the ticket sales and with all of our schedules. They wanted to know when we would be coming down and all that stuff," Naraku said with a wave of his hand. "We'll go over what I'm talking about in the handout I have."
Akari smiled and nodded her head at them. Kagome took note of the woman sitting next to Kikyo and couldn't help but notice the striking difference between them. Akari wore glasses with short, crop brown hair and was dressed very sophisticated. She wore a light brown skirt that went down to her knees and a white, long-sleeve blouse. Simple yet elegant and very business-like. Kagome had to admire her for she looked very beautiful dressed so simple.
"Well," Akari started. "I would like to get started and go over those handouts that Naraku printed out with all the information for this next concert." Naraku nodded his head as he opened up the manila folder and took out a stack of papers that were stapled together. He took half and passed them on his right and the other on his left.
"I only brought enough for you to share in pairs," he informed them, giving one to Kikyo and Akari each while keeping one for himself. Everyone took their copy and leaned into one another to look over the packet together. Kagome leaned over and shared one with Inuyasha, smiling at him before looking ahead at Akari.
"This packet has all the information on the venue, the itinerary of these next four weeks, the hotels, the flights…" Everyone gasped and began to look through the packet excitedly, wondering what hotel they would be staying in and when they would be flying down. Since they had all just heard about this concert at the Fujimoto's charity event, they were still unaware about what to expect. Akari smiled and put her hands up, trying to calm everyone down. "I will explain everything. First, I did want to go over the itinerary for these next four weeks which is on the first page. Kikyo, did you want to say anything before I begin?"
Kikyo shook her head slowly, looking over her own copy. "Well… I did want to mention that we will be meeting here from now on since it's hard enough for me to get into the academy without getting hounded on by the fans. And everything is being setup according to the specs of the venue so it's best if we just practice on the actual stage from now on." Inuyasha nodded his agreement, thinking the same thing, as the others looked around and nodded their agreements. The academy was seeing its share of frequent fans that even the academy had a hard time trying to control since the fans didn't know when Kikyo Hayashi would show up. Many of them stayed as long as they could, from the time the academy's doors opened until its closing hour. It was even hard for the dancers to get in without having to do some meet and greets with the fans.
Akari nodded her head in agreement. "Okay. Let's get into this. If you look at the first page, you'll notice that there are three different colors of font written out in a bullet format under each date while on the back of the page, it's in a calendar format to make the days easily visible. Two different styles that show the same thing." They scanned the first page front and back, noticing the calendar of the month and with every day's box having different colors within them. "If you notice on the calendar, there are three different colors of font. Each color represents a person or team. One color is for the dancers, one for the crew and one for Kikyo. I put them all on this sheet so you know where everyone needs to be on what date, at what time and what should be completed by a specific date."
"Where are we performing?" Itsuki asked before he looked at the calendar and saw the name. "Yanmar?!" Everyone had the same reaction as he did and they all began to erupt in excitement, talking among themselves about the venue.
"I take it you didn't tell them," Akari said with a smile as she turned to Kikyo while the others continued their excitement. Kikyo just shook her head and looked to Naraku. He took out photos from the manila packet and called everyone's attention.
"Here's some photos of the venue." He passed half of the polaroids on his left and half on his right. "Yes, we are performing at Osaka's Yanmar Stadium Nagai," Naraku confirmed.
Shiori gasped, looking speechless. "That's where BTS performed." The others agreed, knowing full-well who the K-pop group, BTS, was and how big of a success they had been in Japan at that very same venue. Now they understood the magnitude of this concert and how Kikyo was growing in the music industry. If BTS performed there, then their concert would have to be just as good, if not better, than theirs.
"Yes. This is going to be a big deal. If you look at the pictures, the stadium is huge, which is why Kikyo wants you guys to practice here from now on since the stage will fit better in this warehouse," Akari said as she looked at the crew walking around the warehouse.
"How much people can the stadium hold?" Shippo asked, hanging on to some of the polaroids as he passed the rest of them down. The stadium looked huge. Though he had never been there, he had seen many concerts on television of big-time stars who sold out the entire stadium. Sometimes the artists would have grand displays of fireworks and smoke because everything always had to be big at this venue.
"We're expecting to sell out 50,000 tickets," Akari said.
"50,000 tickets!" some of the group exclaimed, all of them shocked and looking at each other and at Kikyo, speechless.
"Holy crap," Inuyasha said, sitting back in his chair comfortably with an arched eyebrow. Even he was taken aback by all of this information. "50,000 people? This is… big, Kikyo," he commented, staring at her.
Kikyo smiled at him, knowingly. "Yeah. It's big, Inuyasha." The two of them exchanged a look, both of them knowing how long it took them to get here. Inuyasha couldn't help but to be so proud of her, at where her dream has taken her thus far and where she is going. He always wanted her to get what she wanted, ever since they became friends years ago, and with himself, Sango and Miroku following their dreams with her, it was a win-win for all four of them. Still, something this big was like a dream to him too. And as he looked to the side of him to see Miroku and Sango, both with stunned and happy looks, he knew that they were thinking the same thing. It was surreal and such a dream come true for all of them after all this time.
"I have already done a lot of social media on this concert," Akari said, looking down at her tablet as she got her notes ready. "The tickets are already up for sale online. Kikyo will be doing some television interviews to promote the concert and her upcoming music video. She'll also be on Tokyo's popular radio station, J-WAVE, next Wednesday. But let's take a look at the calendar first so you can see what I'm talking about." Everyone began to focus their attention on the packets and listened to Akari explain the itinerary.
"For these next four weeks, you will see what each group is doing based on your color. Just to give a general run-through, every day you will be here practicing for the show. There are other little things that may come up that I'll go over. You'll also see that Kikyo will be popping in and out depending on the press releases and interviews she has scheduled. The crew also have their own schedule to follow."
Akari looked up at the group as she began to explain some general things. "If you look at the photos of the outside of the venue, we'll only be setting up banners and displays on the entrance side of the stadium. Who has those photos?" Kokoro rose the two photos she had while Mai also rose the three she had in her hands. "Can you pass those along just so everyone can understand what I'm talking about? So the outside of the stadium has huge, stone columns and in between those stone columns we'll put up banners of Kikyo right next to the entrance. We'll also have posters and displays of Kikyo everywhere on the grounds near the entrance. You will also see the area that they have marked off with white rope on the opposite side of the main entrance," she indicated with her chin as everyone passed the photos around so they could get a look of what she was talking about. "That will be where the venue will setup ticket booths for anyone who wants to buy tickets at the event or for pre-sale. That entire area will have displays up everywhere so fans can take their photos with the displays to help promote the concert too."
Kikyo smiled, shaking her head as she crossed her legs, looking around at everyone. "You guys too."
"Huh?" Sango asked, staring at Kikyo in wonder. "What do you mean?"
Kikyo smiled at Sango, mischievously. "All of you will have banners and displays of your own and as a group alongside my displays."
"You're kidding," Miroku said under his breath. Inuyasha's ears flicked and he looked at Naraku.
"Why? The concert is about Kikyo."
Naraku shrugged, leaning back as he propped his elbow up on the back of his chair, staring at Inuyasha. "You, of all the dancers, should know that you have your own fan base. On top of your family's fame, you also have a huge following because of your looks and your talents as a dancer and a choreographer. Don't act like you don't know that," he reprimanded.
"I'm not saying that," Inuyasha said with a glare. "I'm wondering why we have to have displays of the dancers too."
Akari smiled kindly at Inuyasha, wanting to answer as she could sense the hostility between the two. "It's good business, Inuyasha. Smart business. Honestly, all of you have fans out there, whether you know it or not. Most of you have been with Kikyo since almost the beginning of when she started and it's not like the dancers change often. And Kagome," she said, looking over to where Kagome sat next to Inuyasha, "you have a huge fan base since you went viral after your debut in Hawai'i." Kagome smiled timidly as everyone focused their attention on her and she moved around in her seat nervously. Inuyasha just smiled at her, remembering how good she was during their trip to the states and how the fans really took a liking to her. "I think it's smart to have photos of all of you since Kikyo doesn't have a high turnover rate of dancers. There are fans who have their own love and appreciation for each of you."
Kikyo nodded, leaning back. "It's true, Inuyasha. All of you, especially you, have fans who love your styles, whether that's your dance or your dress or your looks. You all know that everyone watches you because they watch me. So you're not only representing yourselves but you're also representing me. I think it's smart for us to make displays of the group not only because you the fans but also because you guys got me. We're in this together. You're my friends and your success is important to me too," she said, smiling at everyone.
They all smiled at Kikyo, grateful for her and to be working with her. They had all become like a family, more than just strictly business as coworkers, and they were always involved in each other's lives outside of work. So they were thankful that she, the one getting the most fame and the most fortune out of all of this, would be humble enough to acknowledge them like this.
Inuyasha grunted, nodding his head as he regarded Kikyo. "Thanks, Kikyo. We are all in this together. You as our leader and we as your support. This though… this is something we've never done before."
"Yes," Akari said. "Which is why this is so special and so big for us. I think it'll be the start of something new. We'll see how it goes here first."
"For sure," Kikyo said with a huge grin, hopeful. She was over the moon and ready for the next adventures in her career.
"If you look at the calendar, this Wednesday we have a photo shoot that will be shot in here," Akari continued on. "The photoshoot will be for all the dancers and Kikyo. Haru will be here at eight in the morning with his crew. I need all of you here by eight as well for hair and makeup, hopefully it'll only take an hour. You guys will be wearing the famous black leather outfit but it's going to be modified for the next concert. You'll see it on Wednesday. You will have two outfits to shoot in. For the last one, Kikyo wants you all to dress in casual wear. So Haru will bring in his choice outfits for you. Naraku will give him your bios and he will figure out your styles based on those and your photos."
They all nodded their understanding, looking over the calendar month of all the events that filled every single box until the concert night. Whether it was the dancers practicing every week day, the crew doing their own business or Kikyo doing her own business, the month was packed with daily things in different colors.
"Haru should have the photos ready by Thursday night and brought to me so that by Friday morning, they'll be ready to be setup in Osaka. If you notice, the crew is flying down to setup all the posters and banners that Haru will be making on Friday. I will be going with them so that Hintaro and I can talk to the venue managers. I also want to be there to help position the banners and posters," Akari said, looking at Naraku.
"There is a lot of things happening this week," he started. "We already started alterations on your costumes. At the same time, Kikyo will be spending this week with all of her interviews and press releases but also getting her newest music video finished."
Kikyo squealed, cutting Naraku off. "I'm so excited!"
"What song are you making it for?" Inuyasha asked.
"'Who's Got You?'."
"Any ideas on what's going to be in it?" Sango asked, now intrigued. Kikyo had only had a couple other music videos before over the past four years, but that was mostly due to budget restrictions and her music label. The timing never seemed right, at least not for her from the label's perspective. Now that she gained international fame on top of national fame, the label was more than willing now to pour all their energy and resources into Kikyo's momentum.
Kikyo shrugged, looking over at Naraku. "I've thought about it, but haven't really decided. It is a love song and it has been my top rated songs of my entire career. I just haven't thought about making a music video for it because it was my baby and I wanted to keep it that way," she said with a shrug. "But I did think about some ideas. Maybe a video of two lovers acting out the song or maybe something abstract." She groaned, playing with her hair as she frowned. "I don't know. I really can't make up my mind."
Shippo perked up and rose his hand excitedly, making everyone look at him strange as if they were in class and needed to be called on to speak. Kikyo shook her head with a giggle but nodded towards him. Shippo started excitedly. "Inuyasha made a duet with that song!"
The others gasped and nodded, just remembering that. Sango slapped Miroku on his thigh, making him jump and stare at her in wonder.
"Oh my gosh! I totally forgot about that!" Sango said excitedly. "Inuyasha! You should totally show Kikyo the choreography." He looked around the room as everyone grew very excited, egging him on.
"Wait. What?" Kikyo said, breaking through the cheers. "What duet?" As far as she knew, Inuyasha didn't tell her anything about making a duet choreography to that song. And as long as she's known him, he has never done a duet with anyone before. Let alone have a dance partner to do one with. Suddenly he does and didn't tell her?
Inuyasha shrugged, crossing his arms as Kagome turned to look up at him with a smile. He looked at her and saw the encouragement and pride in her eyes, making him stop. He knew that he had feelings for her and their chemistry together has been explosive sometimes. But in that moment, with her looking at him like that, he felt like he meant something. Like his work actually meant something and not just for the fame and the fortune. But because it meant something to her.
"Inuyasha," Miroku said, waiting for his response.
Inuyasha looked at Kikyo and cleared his throat, a little uncomfortable having to speak about it, again. He couldn't figure out why this particular choreography made him feel so guarded and apprehensive to tell everyone. "I made a duet to that song for me and Kagome. I told the others about it at lunch a week ago or so," he said, as if it was no big deal.
Kikyo, however, thought it was a big deal. 'A duet? With Kagome?!' Naraku turned to glance at Kikyo, knowing her reaction to this news wouldn't be a good one. He smirked, looking between Kikyo and Inuyasha with empty humor. The two of them would always have a strange relationship because of their past together but Naraku knew one thing. Kikyo still wanted Inuyasha. Probably loved him, but what did he know about love? He couldn't tell if she loved Inuyasha but he could tell that she desired him and talked about him a lot. He did spend enough time with her as her manager to know her personal life and the things she wanted for herself. As much as she tried to hide it from everyone, even him, Kikyo couldn't hide that she still liked Inuyasha. Even though Inuyasha didn't reciprocate the same feelings towards her. 'Foolish woman… running after someone who runs away from you,' he thought to himself, inwardly laughing at the entire situation.
"When did this happen?" Kikyo asked, irritated, with a glare at Inuyasha.
Inuyasha's ears flicked, catching her tone, but didn't bite the bait. "A week ago I told you."
"But you didn't."
Inuyasha shrugged, now starting to get irritated because of her attitude. And they were in a public setting around everyone, nonetheless. If she wanted to take it out on him, they could talk about it privately. It was obvious that her emotions for him was getting in the way of wanting to see one of his pieces so he wasn't going to even bother.
"I just told you. Anyway… it's not a big deal. I just wanted to do it with Kagome because of her talent. And it turned out okay."
Kagome chuckled softly and shook her head. "It's more than just okay," she interrupted, looking ahead at Kikyo. "It's really good. You should see it, Kikyo. Inuyasha really thought through the dance to fit the lyrics of the song."
Kikyo turned her attention to Kagome and stared at her, hard, for a long time. 'Why did he do a duet with her? Does he like her?' She eyed Kagome down for a long time, trying to see what it was that Inuyasha saw in Kagome. It was obvious to her now that Inuyasha was spending a lot of time with Kagome. And that made her very uneasy. She hadn't noticed it before now. And it bothered her more than she cared to admit.
"Kikyo," Naraku called, not wanting her to make a scene now that the silence was getting too awkward and the conversation was as well. "We should look at it. Since you don't have any solid ideas yet as to what you want to do, I think it would be wise to add this to your list of ideas. Then, you can choose between all your options. But if Inuyasha created a number for this song, it's only right that you consider it. If not the music video, then I want to see it for myself and perhaps we can add it to the concert." That got a head turn from the entire group, except for Kikyo. He knew that she would yell at him later about it but he honestly did want to see it. As her manager, he wanted to see what Inuyasha put together since he was one of the best choreographers he has ever known.
"I think it's a good idea too," Akari said. "Especially since Kagome's still the talk of the group and after her viral videos… I think this would be a wise investment to take her popularity and run with it." Kikyo didn't say anything but instead chose to look back at her packet with a blank expression, trying to compose herself while trying hard not to make a scene. "Kagome's fame is up right now and if we use her in a duet, the fans would love it. They would also be interested to see her skills and this duet would catch everyone's attention. Kikyo… Naraku's right. We should put this on for the concert at the very least."
Kikyo frowned, still looking down at the packet. She was too stubborn to say 'yes' because she was too stubborn to let anyone have him. But because the group was waiting for her answer, she spoke. "I'll think about it," she said, clipped.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes, now pissed that she was making this a personal thing. He was about to say something when he felt a hand on his thigh and looked down to see Kagome's hand on his thigh, stopping him from saying anything. He looked at her in confusion but she only smiled reassuringly at him and shook her head, clearly seeing that he was agitated and angry at Kikyo but not wanting the awkward tension to go on. She was right. But he would talk with Kikyo about it later. This had to stop. Kagome took her hand back just as Akari started up again.
"Okay… let's leave it at that then since I can tell there's something deeper that we don't have to get into right now," she said, not wanting to get into any personal business between Inuyasha and Kikyo. She would have to ask Naraku about it later if Kikyo was close-minded about this possible potential. "Anyways… so that will be happening for the next two weeks. Kikyo will be working on the music video and it will be released next Friday."
"Wow. That's really fast," Miroku said, looking at Naraku. "Why the quick release date?"
"Kikyo wanted to give her fans a treat before the concert and I think it's a good idea. To give them a music video and a concert all in one month- that just proves how big Kikyo is getting and how much of a force she is. It is a lot to do, but half the battle is done. She has the song. All she needs is to film the music video that we're leaving up to the label and then we can release it."
Miroku sighed, shaking his head, clearly hoping that Kikyo would have an open mind. "That's even more of a reason why I think you need to at least look at the duet, Kikyo. If the music video has to be released so soon, and you still haven't finalized what you want and started filming yet, then I think since Inuyasha already has a choreography done, it'll be easier to use that."
"Have you seen it?" Naraku asked, clearly speaking for Kikyo when he knew her mood right now wasn't the best.
Miroku shook his head, smirking as he nudged Inuyasha next to him. "Nope. He hasn't shown any of us. I've only heard about it."
Naraku nodded his understanding. "After the DJs get here, Inuyasha and Kagome, the two of you can do the duet for us," he demanded, wanting to see it for himself. "Since no one has seen it, I think this would be the best time for everyone to see it and we can decide if we're to use it for the video," he said, casting a look at Kikyo. She was looking up at Inuyasha with an unreadable expression, but she spoke.
"Whatever."
He shook his head with a sigh. "Alright. Moving on!" He wanted to get off this subject and out of this awkwardness.
Akari cleared her throat and everyone got back to the calendar. "So back to this Friday. The crew and I will be flying down to do those banners. On Saturday is when we all fly down so that all of you can check out the venue." There were whispers and excitement spreading around the circle as they all looked to one another, excited to be able to go on a trip together down to Osaka for the day. "Naraku and I will be planning with the venue managers while all of you with Kikyo will be on stage to see how you want things setup. From what I understand, the venue is spending these next two weeks setting up the stage and the lights and everything. So things might not be ready for you to do a practice run. But it'll be a perfect time for you guys to give their setup crew some instructions based on how you want things to be setup."
Inuyasha nodded his head, liking that idea. If they got to the site before the venue set everything up, then they wouldn't have to make double the work to change things around after the fact. "We're just there for the day, then."
Akari nodded her head. "Yes. We'll fly in the morning and come back at night. I'm expecting there to be a lot of buzz this Saturday since the tickets just went on sale and it'll be right after the banners are up so it'll be a good time to interact with the fans while we're at the venue. We'll all be going down this Saturday and next Saturday just for the day."
"The third week of the month is when our crew can start setting up our personal touches," Naraku said. "The first two weeks is the venue's crew setting up all that they can provide for us like the stage and their lights. The last two weeks is when our crew can go down to prep our backstage, to familiarize themselves with the venue and all the equipment and backstage things, and whatever else final touches Kikyo wants them to do. The crew will be there for the last two weeks or however long it takes them to do what we need."
"I suspect they might only need a week," Akari said, pointing at the polaroid photos in Itsuki's hands. "Some of the photos show what the stages will look like based on past performances. They took some shots with just the bare minimum of the stage: the main, the runway and the smaller stage. We also have some photos of past performances. Some artists included fireworks, so they told us where we could put fireworks if we wanted them. And all sorts of pyrotechnics if that's what we want. Kikyo hasn't decided yet."
The group began to pass around the photos so that everyone could see every single photo and visualize what Akari was trying to explain. It would be better once they were able to go down to the venue, but for now, as they normally did, they would have to deal with just the photos and imagination. The venue looked grand and the stage itself looked too big for their small group. The seats in the stadium itself looked like it was made for national sports events. Kagome took some photos and looked them over, marveling at this new experience that she would have with the group. She never dreamed that she would one day dance in a stadium like this, let alone for 50,000 people and then the thousands more who would watch the YouTube videos of amateur recordings. She smiled to herself, thinking of how blessed and grateful she was for her dreams to be coming true.
"Next week will be the last week you'll have the crew here in the warehouse with you guys," Akari informed. "So get what you need from them before they have to leave. You guys will still be practicing here up until the last Wednesday of the month. And I'm sure you won't have to practice every day since most of the numbers will be the same."
Inuyasha looked over at Kikyo, wondering how her attitude was. "Kikyo. I was thinking that we could keep the choreographies of each song but change the lineup, which means changing the transitions."
Kikyo nodded her head, flipping a page so she could quickly skim through the list of songs. "I was thinking the same thing. I want the fans to see something new, but nothing new with the choreography. I don't think it's needed. But I don't want them seeing a redo of Hawai'i."
"I agree," Miroku said, crossing his leg. "I think we would have to completely move all the songs around and add a few more fillers just to make it feel like something original and not a rerun." Sango nodded her agreement next to him as the others did the same.
"Do you want me to put together the list or are you gonna do it?" Inuyasha asked, staring at Kikyo.
She shrugged. "The list of songs is in the packet. I told Naraku the order in which I want them but if you think we should move them around, then whatever you think."
Inuyasha flipped to the page to look over the list of songs, Kagome looking them over with him. Miroku kept his eyes on the calendar.
"So if the crew goes down the third week, when do we…?" He stopped as he saw the answer to his own question. "The fourth week."
Akari smiled with a nod. "The plan is to have everyone fly down every weekend for the next three weeks. The first two weekends, we'll only fly down on Saturday and come back that night. It's mostly to become familiar with the place and to address any preferences or concerns while also meeting with the fans."
"The weekend before the concert is when we'll stay overnight," Kikyo said with a smile, turning to the page with the accommodations. "We'll go down Saturday morning like usual and I told the crew that I wanted the stages to be completely setup and ready by then so we can practice that weekend. If anything, the last things they'll have to do by then is the backstage area and a few more stage touches, but at least we'll be able to practice. We'll practice at the stadium for the whole day and then stay overnight at Hotel Hankyu International." The others began to flip through to find the page that Kikyo was looking at, excited for the weeks to come.
"Sunday we check out and go back to the stadium to practice more. Then we fly back to Tokyo Sunday night," Naraku said. "That Thursday night we fly back to Osaka to stay at the same hotel and Friday night is the concert."
"It would be best if, for that last week, you all can rest up and practice less to prepare yourselves for the performance," Akari said politely. The others nodded, agreeing to all that was said. They were all smiling and still looking at the photos of the venue. Everything sounded so exciting and seemed to be happening so fast.
"Other than that, I think we covered everything," Kikyo said, just as the front door creaked open and a woman and man walked in carrying computer bags and some equipment.
"Mizuki!" Shippo called, hopping out of his chair and rushing over to the door to help the two. He went up to the woman and kissed her on the cheek, making her smile at him. "Everything in the car?" She nodded at him as he began to head out the door. "Inuyasha!"
"Yeah, yeah." Inuyasha gave the packet to Kagome and stood, making her watch in wonder as he headed out to follow Shippo. She turned to watch the two newcomers as they made their way to the other end of the warehouse. She didn't recognize the two of them and had never seen them before.
Miroku leaned over towards her, placing his hand on Inuyasha's empty seat. "That's Mizuki and Suikotsu," he said, answering her question. Kagome smiled at him thankfully. "Mizuki is Shippo's mate. She's a fox demon like he is. And Suikotsu is a human. They're both our DJs. They create the tracks and help Kikyo with creating the beats to her songs." Kagome made an 'o' with her face as she turned to see Inuyasha and Shippo return.
The two of them were carrying huge black bags, one hefted onto a shoulder that looked too heavy for any one man to carry, while their other hand carried another big bag with handles. Her eyes widened at the strength of those two, reminding herself that they were demons and had enormous strength. Whatever was in those huge bags could only be something along the lines of speakers or some kind of big music equipment a DJ would need. She watched as the two of them talked and didn't even seem to break a sweat as they walked casually towards Mizuki and Suikotsu. They placed the things down and the two of them headed back out to grab the rest of their equipment.
Kagome watched Mizuki and Suikotsu as the two of them began to unzip and unpack all of their equipment that Inuyasha and Shippo were bringing in for them.
"Does anyone have any questions?" Akari asked, wanting to finish the meeting since it would be about time to practice since the DJs were here.
Kagome looked back at the group, wondering what else there was to talk about. She flipped through the packet now that she had it in her hands, skimming over the itinerary over the next month and going to the itinerary of the final week. She would have to take this to work with her and ask Onigumo for days off. She looked at the photos of the hotel they would be staying in and made a note to Google it later just to see what was in the area and where she could explore while she was there. She smiled to herself, loving this freedom she had to go with the group and travel as her job. This definitely didn't feel like a job with this group of people and with the passion she has for it. She loved what she did and who she did it with.
"I think we're done here," Naraku said. "Everyone pass the photos back. Akari and I will stick around on the couches until Kikyo has to leave." They all began to stand and give the photos back to Naraku. They talked amongst themselves as they walked around a bit, examining the tape on the ground that the crew had setup while others were sitting and stretching out.
Kagome stood just as Shippo and Inuyasha returned for the last time carrying smaller bags this time, closing the door behind them. Shippo looked her way and waved, his voice carrying in the huge, empty room.
"Kagome! Come meet Mizuki and Suikotsu!"
Kagome smiled and walked out of the circle of chairs to head over to the opposite side of the room. When she got there, Mizuki and Suikotsu had already uncovered most of their equipment from the bags and cases, revealing all the things a DJ would need in order to do their work, some of which she noticed they had at Midnite too. She marveled at the huge speakers and the DJ tables that Inuyasha and Shippo had carried in. They were too big and too heavy for humans to carry alone.
Shippo smiled at her and walked over to Mizuki, wrapping an arm around her waist as he brought her up against him, pulling her from her work. She looked a little peeved, but her scowl turned into a smile when she looked at Kagome.
"Mizuki, this is Kagome. Kagome, my mate, Mizuki," he said, turning to look at her with love and adoration in his eyes. She didn't miss the beaming smile he sent to her as he gazed at her with affection. Kagome smiled softly at Shippo, never seeing this side of him before, before turning her gaze to Mizuki. The fox demon was beautiful and she looked young just like Shippo. She had beautiful brown eyes that danced with mischief and youth, and she had short brown hair that bounced. Kagome could tell that she was naturally a happy, go-lucky person by the way she looked and how she carried herself. She had on a red and white plaid skirt with a white short-sleeve button-up blouse, finished off with a red tie. Kagome could tell that she had taste and her own flavor in fashion, which she admired her for.
"Hi! It's nice to finally meet the girl Shippo's been oogling about for months now," Mizuki said with a smile, bowing slightly as much as she could with Shippo's arm around her. "You're very pretty."
Kagome giggled, shaking her head. "I was just think the same about you. And… what has Shippo been saying about me, exactly?" she asked, looking at Shippo with a suspicious stare. Shippo laughed and waved her off.
"Oh, you know me. I can't keep things to myself."
"Damn right you can't," Mizuki said, pushing out of his hold as she got right back to work. "This is Suikotsu. He and I are Kikyo's DJs slash musicians you could say."
Suikotsu looked up from fiddling with the DJ table and smiled at Kagome. "Hi. Nice to meet you, Kagome." Suikotsu was the complete opposite of Mizuki, much to Kagome's surprise. Where Mizuki was lively and dressed rather spunky, Suikotsu seemed a bit reserved and dressed more like a goth. He wore black shorts that had a few chains hooked onto the belt loops with a black tank top. He was definitely fit and not hard on the eyes at all, but he wasn't her type. He had a piercing on his right eyebrow and on his left nostril. His black hair and black eyes matched his fashion statement. Kagome smiled at him and bowed.
"It's nice to meet you too. I never knew that Kikyo had DJs," she said, looking at Inuyasha. He just shrugged.
"Kikyo needs help with tunes for her songs and when we hired Shippo, he told us that his mate was a DJ. So Kikyo decided to see if Mizuki could help her write songs or make tunes for her songs, and ever since then, we've had both of them with us. Mizuki and Suikotsu have worked together for years and she was only willing to come on if Suikotsu could join her," he said, looking over at Mizuki with a smirk. "Foxes are loyal to the end."
"Damn right!" Mizuki said, breaking into a huge smile. Kagome noticed she had fangs and she also noticed her ears were just like Shippo's, pointed at the top with a puff of fur. She looked down at Mizuki's hands as she setup her DJ table and noticed that she had pointed claws for fingernails. "I know talent where I see it. Kikyo had it in her since the beginning. And we've been with her all this time. Now look where she's going. And she's working on a new album! This is all happening so fast for her but it's going to be so fun for all of you."
Suikotsu nodded his head. "To think of where she was and where she's going now. She was a huge pop star here in Japan and everybody loved her. But now that she went international she's been growing her fame in other countries and that has given her new avenues and new achievements to hit. Japan loves her even more for representing us internationally. I'm not surprised if her next album and her next concert will sell out in mere days."
Inuyasha turned to look back at the rest of group, thinking they needed to get to work. "I'm sure it will. It's just a matter of time before we sell out 50,000."
"50,000?!" Mizuki exclaimed, placing her wireless headphones onto her head. "That many tickets?"
Shippo beamed and nodded. "Yup! We're going to have 50,000 people cheering for us. Can you imagine what that would be like?" he asked, closing his eyes as he tried to imagine the cheers and the energy of the fans, of what it would be like to be on stage surrounded by all that. He felt anxious at the thought of it, moving side to side.
"Well, you won't have to wait long. It's just a month away," Suikotsu said, placing his own headphones on his head as he continued to take out more wires and cords from the bags, hooking up their equipment.
"We'll leave you guys to it then," Inuyasha said, turning to Kagome and Shippo. "Let's head back to the others. I want to start practicing. And I want to see how Hintaro and the crew setup the stage." The two of them agreed and Kagome said her goodbyes to Mizuki and Suikotsu, happy to have finally met them.
The three walked back over to the group as everyone was all spread out, stretching on the floor. They all looked up at the three of them approaching, waiting for Inuyasha's instructions.
"Let's go see Hintaro and get acquainted with the stage." They all agreed and followed Inuyasha as he called out to Hintaro in the big open space. The stage manager turned to them and walked over with one of his assistants holding a clipboard in her hands.
"Can you go over the entire stage?" Inuyasha asked. Hintaro agreed and walked them through the floor map of the stage.
The colors of tape on the floor represented the different parts of the stage. The blue tape was the main stage and it went up against the wall on one side of the warehouse. The wall represented the huge LED screen that was the backdrop. Behind the LED screen would be their backstage area. There was also an LED screen on each side of the stage that was marked off by the blue tapes. Things on the stage that were immovable or main stands would be marked off with a box that had tape with writing on the inside as to what would be in that place. There were a few X's on the stage where Kikyo had wanted the dancers to be as much as they could when they were all dancing together. But the X's were just guidelines to keep them in perfect symmetry, with evenness on both sides of where Kikyo would stand so that they were even in their spacing. The edge of all the stages were marked off by double colored taped.
Hintaro then took them to the next color which was yellow and this was a long strip of double tape on either side of the stage. This was the runway area that led down to the smaller stage at the end marked off by double green tape. There was an X in the center of the circle for reference but that was about it. The smaller stage was almost to the opposite wall from the main stage. The venue's layout nearly took up the entire space of their warehouse! The DJs had setup their equipment in front of the small stage and were now plugged in and ready. They began to turn on their sound system and start testing out some music, allowing the beat to echo in the warehouse. The dancers began to move while listening to Hintaro, allowing their bodies to stretch and prepare for today's work.
"Okay. Thanks Hintaro." Inuyasha looked at everyone, smiling with a chuckle as they were all bobbing their heads and moving to the beat. "You guys ready to warm up and practice?" Everyone nodded their heads and agreed with enthusiasm.
-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-
The next day they all showed up at the warehouse on time, ready to start stretching and get to work. Everyone splayed out on the main stage stretching and talking with one another until Inuyasha called them together. He and Kikyo stood in front of everyone while Naraku and Akari came through the door.
"Alright. Let's start. Kikyo has to leave in an hour so we want to get through as much as we can while we have her. Tomorrow will be a long day with the photoshoot."
"Tomorrow, we're all going to be taking turns. I'll be doing some solo shots and so will each of you and then we'll finish with group shots," Kikyo informed them. "So it'll be a long day with a lot of waiting around until you're called. Haru knows what he's doing so we just have to be patient and let him do his job."
Naraku chuckled as he came to stand next to Kikyo, Akari next to him. "Photoshoot is the least of our concerns now, Kikyo. We still need to work on that music video. The label is getting really nervous about you not making up your mind yet."
Kikyo shrugged, not fazed by the timeline. "I'm not set on one thing yet. I like all the ideas. I just don't know what I want."
"Oh yeah!" Sango exclaimed, sitting up taller with her legs spread wide in her stretch. "Let's see Inuyasha and Kagome's duet for the song. Maybe you might like it," she offered Kikyo.
Kikyo scowled. Obviously she didn't want to see it. And everyone in the group knew why because everyone in the group knew about her and Inuyasha's relationship. It was obvious to them because they were all like family and did a lot together. But Kikyo's feelings towards Inuyasha was always one-sided. And it sometimes caused this strange energy in their group that they had all come to deal with as a part of the work environment. Everyone but Kagome knew this, which was why she couldn't understand why Kikyo was against seeing the choreography.
"Come on, Kikyo," Miroku said before Kikyo could make a complaint. "Let's just see what Inuyasha and Kagome did. And then if you don't like it, then at least you gave it a shot." Miroku's point was logical and Kikyo would be a bad artist to not listen to the members of her group who were only trying to help her in her success.
Naraku sighed, shaking his head. "Let's see it." He turned and lifted his chin towards Inuyasha. "Show us, Inuyasha. I want to see it."
Inuyasha took a glance at Kikyo, waited for her to say something, but when she looked his way, he saw the resignation in her eyes. He wasn't going to get anything better than that. He shook his head, irritated at her, and turned to Kagome. He gave her a look and went to the middle of the room, knowing she would follow him. She got up from stretching and began to walk behind him to the middle of the room.
Kagome turned around to look at the others as they began to crowd close together to get a better look at their dance. She felt butterflies in her stomach now. Everyone would see what they had worked on together in secret and it was a very… sexy dance. But then again, the song talked about two people who loved each other, but didn't say it to each other or fight to be together, yet they just knew in their hearts that they loved each other. Kagome could only wonder if Kikyo had written this song because of personal experiences. Possibly with Inuyasha? 'Is that why she's acting so strange? Why she doesn't want to see it?' She didn't know the relationship that the two of them had but she knew that something was there. She had been around long enough to see that Kikyo liked Inuyasha. But she didn't know if Inuyasha liked her back. From all of the times they've had together, especially after Inuyasha had taken her to his mother's garden during the charity event, she really couldn't figure him out.
"Mizuki! Put on 'Who's Got You?'!" Inuyasha said, knowing Mizuki could hear him from the opposite side of the room without having to yell. He turned around and stared at Kagome as she came up to him, her eyes showing her anxiety.
Inuyasha smiled at Kagome. "You ready?"
Kagome swallowed, not wanting to turn around. These were her peers she had to dance for. Not an audience of die-hard, screaming fans who would love any kind of dance that she could give them. And they weren't like the men in Midnite who would pay to see her dance no matter what it was. No, these were friends, colleagues, who were just as skilled in dancing as she was. And she didn't want to make a mistake in front of her friends who were professionals like she was. The thought made her even more nervous.
Inuyasha reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her to him. He didn't turn her around but just brought her up to him. "You're nervous." He could sense her anxiety immediately, as he found he was getting attuned to her. The more time he spent around her, the more he began to find little things about her that he found intriguing. Or little things that he never paid attention to in anyone else but Kagome.
Kagome nodded, turning her head from him, embarrassed. "A little."
"Why?"
She shrugged. "It's… everyone."
"And?"
"It's different… from dancing for fans. These are our friends. What if I make a mistake? What if they don't like it?"
Inuyasha smirked, looking ahead as everyone watched them have their moment. Miroku, in particular, was paying a little too much attention to them, and he had this wicked smirk on his face. Inuyasha knew he would ask too much questions later when they were alone. "Don't pay attention to them," he said, looking back down at her, his focus solely on her. "It's just you and me dancing."
Mizuki started the song, watching the pair in front of her, taking cues from their bodies. She could tell that they weren't ready so she played out the beginning a little longer, adding in some freestyle beats, until she saw the two of them get into their spots. She's been around the dance crew long enough to know when they were ready to start dancing. Especially Inuyasha. There was an energy about him, he was always so confident and so dominant in his dance, that one could always tell when he was about to dance. He had a way of commanding the music and the attention of everyone and Mizuki could read the subtle differences in his body language after all these years of working with him and the group.
Kagome turned to smile at Inuyasha, his confidence spilling over to her, giving her the confidence she needed to dance in front of the group. "Okay." Inuyasha smiled, seeing the spark in her eyes, and let her go. Kagome turned around to face the others, the two of them getting into their positions. Mizuki began to bring the music back to the beat of the song and the dancers found the cues, noticing the eight count that would begin the first verse.
Kikyo's voice echoed into the warehouse at the same time the two began to move, perfectly in sync together. Inuyasha and Kagome danced and kept their eyes on each other the whole time, moving perfectly in time together, their bodies fluid and their feet quick along the ground. The others watched in awe, speechless. Inuyasha and Kagome came together, their moves sexy. The air crackled with electricity between them as they danced, bringing the words to life. It was almost like no one else was in the room but the two of them, and they were reading each other's bodies, stepping around and sliding up against each other with such chemistry that it was easy to see they were a perfect match. This dance brought the song to life.
Kikyo frowned, watching Kagome dance with Inuyasha, getting angrier by the second. 'What is he doing?! When did he have the time to make this and teach it to her?' Kikyo could feel herself burning with jealousy and hatred towards Kagome. She had never felt like this before and it was a little unsettling. She crossed her arms and stared at the girl. She had to admit, since the day she saw Kagome audition, she knew that Kagome had a gift for dancing. She was as good as her best dancers, probably just as good as Inuyasha from what she had seen out of Kagome ever since she was hired. She hated to admit it, but it was the truth, even though Inuyasha always seemed to remind her of Kagome's great dancing abilities. And as she watched the two of them dance, so intimately and so familiar with the way their bodies moved to the beat of her song, she couldn't help but feel like she was losing Inuyasha.
"Wow…" Naraku said next to her, crossing his arms and glancing at her. "You should see the look on your face," he taunted.
Kikyo turned to glare at him. "Go to hell."
Naraku snickered and kept his eyes on the couple dancing, watching the way Kagome moved. He had to admit, that girl had a sexuality about her that just brought on this lust in him that he had never felt, not even with Kikyo. It was in her body, in the way that she moved and in the way that she carried herself. Without even trying, Kagome was beautiful and sexy in her own right, she didn't have to try to be. He began to wonder if she really had no idea how sexy she truly looked, especially in this dance. And right now, the way she danced with Inuyasha, he envisioned himself in Inuyasha's shoes dancing along with her, touching her body the way Inuyasha touched her. And he couldn't help but feel turned on. He groaned.
Akari moved to stand on the other side of Kikyo, a huge smile plastered on her face and her eyes twinkling with promises. "This is really good, Kikyo. You should consider this choreography being a part of your music video."
"No." That simple. Kikyo wouldn't have this dance as a part of one of her biggest career decisions in her life. This music video was long in coming and it will be something that the world will be watching with expectation now that she has made an international name for herself. This would be a huge move for her, one that she couldn't screw up on, one that needed to be a huge hit that would only be another achievement and spotlight for her. This dance, was not it.
Akari frowned, turning to look at Kikyo, concerned. "You don't like it?"
Kikyo frowned. Of course she liked it. And she knew that everyone else did. Inuyasha never disappointed when he created a choreography. She wasn't lying when she said he was the best choreographer she knows in the entire industry. This dance was proof of his talent as a choreographer and as someone who knows his dancers well. The dance was suited for the two of them, too much so. It wasn't that she didn't like it. She didn't want to use it because of what she saw between the two of them.
"She doesn't like it because she's jealous," Naraku said, voicing what was on her heart. Kikyo glared at him, knowing that the others couldn't hear them because of the song blaring in the room.
"Jealous?" Kikyo sneered. Akari really didn't know anything about her and Inuyasha or her and Naraku for that matter. Akari wasn't around Kikyo that much to know her personal life on a deeper level. Or at least, she never led on that she knew anything was going on. "I'm not jealous."
"Whatever," Naraku said, rolling his eyes. "All seriousness, Kikyo. This is a really good dance. If I were you, I would consider using this either in the music video or in the concert." Kikyo couldn't believe what Naraku was saying. He knew how she felt about Inuyasha. He knew about their history together. Knowing all that, Naraku still wanted her to use this sensual dance either in one of her biggest music videos as of yet or as the closing number of her hit song at the concert.
Akari voiced her opinion as well. "I agree. I don't know what you have against this or against those two. But coming from an outside source with no bias, I would have to highly advise you to use this choreography. The chemistry between those two is one that I haven't seen in this group since I have been working for you. It's… explosive. I can see it in the way they dance together. And you would lose out on this opportunity if you don't use this." Akari warned, keeping her eyes on the couple.
Kikyo kept her eyes focused on Inuyasha and Kagome as her song got to the last chorus. She frowned, watching them, both lost in their own world. Kikyo bit her bottom lip, her entire focus on Inuyasha. 'He's looking at her like… does he like her?' She couldn't help but feel a bite of pain along with her jealousy.
The song ended and everyone got to their feet to walk towards them, clapping and cheering for Inuyasha and Kagome. Miroku slapped Inuyasha on the back, a huge grin plastered on his face.
"Holy crap, man. That was totally electric!" Inuyasha arched his eyebrow at Miroku, wondering what that even meant.
Sango giggled as she went up to Kagome, elbowing her. "You were sexy, Kagome. You sure you two aren't dating?"
Kagome blushed and refused to look at Inuyasha, thinking about all the times they were intimate together and the kisses they shared. Sango looked up at Inuyasha with a smile but decided not to press the issue, her eyes going to Miroku instead.
"Leave her alone, Sango," Inuyasha warned, getting punched on the shoulder by Shippo and Itsuki who came up to him with huge smiles.
"Damn! That was hot, Inuyasha. I can't believe you made that choreography for just you and Kagome. Why couldn't you make one like that for us too?" Itsuki said, pouting. The others just laughed, voicing their opinions about the choreography.
"You guys seriously look like a couple."
"The chemistry you two have when you dance together is on fire!"
"You two couldn't keep your eyes off each other," they all teased.
Kagome couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and embarrassment, all coming together at once. She was elated that she didn't mess up but also that the others loved the choreography. She knew they would, it was Inuyasha who created it and he always did a fantastic job. But then again, if it wasn't executed well then it was just another choreography. They all saw how the choreography tailored to the two of them, something that only they could pull off, which was why the choreography worked so well. Kagome smiled at Sango, watching as the girl winked at her.
"I think it was amazing," Naraku said, seriously. Inuyasha turned to look at him, surprised that Naraku liked it so much that he would say that. Even though he and Naraku never got along and they had deeper issues against each other, Inuyasha knew that Naraku could be cordial and professional when they had to be.
Naraku looked at Inuyasha, catching his shock. "It really was good, Inuyasha. I've always known that you're a talented choreographer. But this was the best one you've ever made. I liked it." He then looked to Kagome, his eyes raking over her body, not going unnoticed by Inuyasha. He glared at Naraku, all thoughts of gratitude being pushed aside by his demon's instinctual response to the male's attention to Kagome. "You really have grown, Kagome. We all knew you were talented from the beginning. But we've seen you grow in the past couple of months in the group as you have begun to get comfortable and find your place here. It's really showing."
Kagome smiled at Naraku, a little embarrassed by all the attention she was receiving, but grateful that they all liked the song and liked the fact that she was in their group. She still had more relationships to grow in with the others and she knew there was a lot about herself that she wasn't ready to tell anyone, possibly never. But she was willing to be more open with everyone now. She wanted to be a part of their lives and she wanted to make deeper friendships with them, especially with Sango.
"Thanks, Naraku. Thanks, everyone." Her eyes then went to Kikyo who came to stand a little behind Naraku, her eyes on Inuyasha. "Kikyo? Did you like it?" She really hoped that Kikyo did. Inuyasha did such a good job on it. They both worked hard practicing it and Kagome knew that Inuyasha hoped to one day use the choreography where the world could see it. The two of them both loved it and wanted to show everyone, especially Kikyo, because it was such a good dance.
Kikyo didn't answer at first, making everyone turn to look at her, especially Inuyasha. Inuyasha's eyes locked with Kikyo's and he frowned, seeing her look at him with a mix of emotions. He inwardly sighed. 'Kikyo…' He knew that she was not happy. He could sense her aura and he could tell since yesterday that she didn't like the idea of this duet. Inuyasha inwardly groaned. He needed to talk to her. Again. He was tired of trying to explain things to her.
"We'll think about it," Naraku said, speaking up for Kikyo. "It was really good and there's other things that we're considering. So we'll sit down and talk about it before we make a decision on what we're going to use in the music video."
Inuyasha shook his head. Naraku was only covering for Kikyo. He knew too. He sighed, hoping that Kikyo didn't make this a personal thing. Business was business, there was no space to involve personal feelings into this. "Fine." Kagome turned to smile at Inuyasha, oblivious as to what was truly happening.
Everyone began to moan, wanting to know what the decision would be. They obviously liked the choreography and wanted it to be a part of something that Kikyo could use, like Naraku said.
"Alright, alright. Let's get to practice," Inuyasha called as he started to walk back towards the stage area as the others followed. Some of the women walked with Kagome, talking to her about the choreography and how they felt about it. Sango made a joke about what Kagome should wear during that dance, her imagination running wild and making Kagome think about her outfits back at Midnite. There were a lot she had there that would suit this dance.
"I'm actually going to skip today," Kikyo said, heading back to grab her bag. Naraku stood in place, watching her retrieve her things with a shake of his head. She was causing a bigger scene than she should and she was making a big deal out of something she shouldn't. He would have to put his foot down with this and make her see past her emotions. Things were getting out of hand and he was sure it was going to get worse. He stared annoyingly at her as she spoke up to the group, who now turned to her with shocked expressions. "I have a lot to do today anyway. You guys keep practicing for the day and I'll see you guys for the photoshoot tomorrow." She waved her hand at them and took her leave, not even looking back.
Naraku rolled his eyes, now getting pissed that Kikyo was acting like a spoiled brat. He sighed, frustrated, and turned to Akari. "Let's go." When Kikyo got in this mood, there were sometimes no sense in talking to her. He would give her some time before he had a good conversation about this. And as long as he had anything to do about it, he would make sure that this duet would be shown to the public somehow. Naraku had a feeling that this would be a big hit for Kikyo, and for Inuyasha and Kagome too. It would put them in the spotlight but it would also make a good impression for Kikyo's number one hit. Whatever the case, Naraku saw this as potential and he was going to make use of it. "Thanks for showing us the choreography, Inuyasha. I'll talk to you about it later." He and Akari said their goodbyes and left the others to follow Kikyo outside, heading off to her next event.
"What… just happened?" Mai asked, looking around at everyone in shock. Sango sighed, shaking her head.
"Kikyo was just being Kikyo."
"It's because of Inuyasha," Shippo said, turning to take a glance at the hanyou. Inuyasha looked like he was ready to blow a casket. Shippo frowned and he felt bad for Inuyasha. Kikyo didn't even give any feedback on what she thought about the choreography, which he felt Inuyasha deserved in the least. But he also knew Kikyo and how much she liked Inuyasha. Shippo wasn't a fool and knew that there was something between Inuyasha and Kikyo, but he never wanted to ask. It was not his place. Those two had a friendship before he became involved in the group, and from some of the interactions he's seen between the two during and outside of work, being a demon, Shippo could sense and smell things from the two that humans could not pick up on. It was easy to put two and two together. Yet, he never bothered Inuyasha about it. It was none of his business what they decided to do together. After that choreography and how sensual it was between Inuyasha and Kagome, it wasn't any wonder why Kikyo was acting the way she was. Still, he did feel bad for Inuyasha and the effort he put into the making of that choreography.
Kagome frowned, turning to look at Inuyasha, concerned. "Inuyasha? But why?"
Inuyasha glared at the door and turned to head towards the middle of the stage, furious that Kikyo was acting like this. He needed to concentrate on work. He needed to get his team to do what needed to be done for the day and then he would call Kikyo and give her a piece of his mind. He just needed to do something.
"Nothing. Let's just practice," he said gruffly.
Kagome frowned, staring after him as the others followed, clearly used to this, no one wanting to push the subject further. She felt Sango grab her hand and tug. Kagome let Sango lead her to the front of the stage as everyone began to find their spots. She didn't understand what everyone knew that she didn't, but she knew that it wasn't the right time to talk about it. And it probably wasn't her business to know. One thing she knew and respected, especially after working at Midnite, is that it's not her business to get into everyone else's business. So she wouldn't bother unless someone thought it best that she should know about whatever it is that got Kikyo so closed up and Inuyasha so frustrated. Kagome tried to shake the strange feeling off and get into the mode of dancing. None of it was her business.
-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-
"Alright, everyone! Let's all gather around and sit here!"
Haru was a very direct and assertive man. He had beautiful green eyes, and though human, he commanded the room with his authority and with his appearance. He had short brown hair that he kept gelled and spiked at the tips. He wore black jean pants with a white shirt that looked like it had graffiti paint splattered all over in an abstract design. He was tall and muscular and walked everywhere with his Canon camera either looped around his neck or in one hand. Kagome couldn't help but to find him attractive, even though she did notice his wedding band.
It was an hour after they had all arrived for hair and makeup, and they were just now starting to get the photoshoot started. Now that they were all ready with their first outfit of the day, they were all waiting for Haru's direction. The crew had setup some chairs behind the desk that was setup for Haru's assistants and equipment and also behind all the light stands that pointed towards the shooting area. The entire group sat down as Kikyo came forward to the front of the group, going into Haru's welcoming arms.
"You look gorgeous. You ready?" Kikyo smiled at him with a nod. She was dolled up and decked out in one of her outfits for the concert.
Haru brought her forward to the area his team and their crew had setup for today's photoshoot in the warehouse. There was a huge white screen against the wall with the stage lights shining against it and a white sheet on the ground. Kagome noticed that everything was white in this shot except for Kikyo, or the one being photographed, as that person would stand out in the shot. She gazed around at the crew that stood nearby out of the shot should they be needed, and Haru's two young assistants, one male and one female, who stood behind him. The female assistant carried an iPad in her hand that was attached to Haru's camera with a long cord to give him room to move around so she didn't have to be too close to him. The male assistant sat on a desk the crew had setup with a laptop and a monitor where Kagome could only assume the photos would be displayed on.
The group sat behind the photo desk as the desk was setup between two backdrops that Haru wanted to use. First, he wanted to start off with the white backdrop to get the basic photos he needed that could always be photoshopped into another background if Kikyo desired. The second backdrop he wanted was with graffiti, hence his apparel choice. The graffiti backdrop was right next to the white backdrop where two more stage lights shone on either side of that area. It was quite the setup they had going on. Kagome had butterflies the entire time since she arrived and saw the entire setup.
'Photographs… I've never had my photo taken.' She really never did. She had always been careful not to take any selfies or get in any shots being taken randomly on the streets. Always. She didn't have to worry about work because no cameras were allowed in Midnite. And her coworkers always respected everyone's right to privacy, even outside of work, unless they all wanted to take a picture together, which she always refused. She never had her photo taken. This job had changed her entire world. Her viral video was the first time she had ever made her debut in the social media world. Then there were the shows they did on television and now this. 'It'll be okay, Kagome. This will be great. This will be great.' She muttered those words in her head over and over again, trying to make her anxiety go away. As much as she was afraid of taking her photos and it getting out to the world, she was just as excited to do it. This was such an experience for her, every bit of it was. This job with Kikyo really had opened her up to so much, so much exposure and so much new experiences that she never thought she would have ever had had she not got this job.
"Okay," Haru said, standing Kikyo in one spot and turning her to face him and the lights. He began to back away, taking his camera strap around and off his head, placing it in front of his face. "After I'm done with you, I'll start doing the group."
Kikyo nodded and looked at the camera, her entire attention on it. She had decided to wear a pink short with black, knee-high boots with heels. She had on a cute shirt that was a white long-sleeve beneath a pink tulle. The long sleeve clung to her and was ruffled at the ends with had elastic bands at the wrists in case she wanted to move them higher. The shirt was a scoop neck that stopped beneath her breasts and revealed her midsection. The pink, see-through tulle over was more of a cute, dramatic look to the shirt, to give it some color. Her hair was up in a ponytail with pink butterflies near her eyes and pink lipstick with smoky eyeshadow.
Haru began to direct her into some poses or he let her do her own thing, both artists finding a rhythm together. Kagome watched with wonder at the interaction. He played with Kikyo's body, wanting her to do smiles and also to be serious, telling her to move her arms slowly into different positions. He moved into a crouch or he stood. His camera flashes went wild and his female assistant stayed behind him, giving him a wide berth while she tapped onto the iPad, capturing the photos in rapid succession as they came in. The group then was able to see the photos being uploaded wirelessly onto the laptop and the monitor screen on the desk in front of them.
Everyone got up from their sitting positions, too excited and intrigued not to go and look at the photos. They crowded behind Haru's male assistant, looking at the photos of Kikyo being shot real-time. Naraku and Akari were also in the group, wanting to see the shots of today's shoot.
"Wow…" Kagome said, looking at the photos that seemed like one of those anime strip books where the characters would move when you flipped through the book super quickly. It was the same with the photos. Haru took three photos in rapid succession and sometimes if he had Kikyo move during the shot, it would show her moving slowly like anime. 'This is cool!'
"Cool, huh, Kagome?" Sango asked with a huge grin on her face. She loved photoshoots. Sango was a huge selfie girl herself and she loved it when they got to dress up and take photos for business. It was always fun to her.
Kagome turned to smile at Sango, the girl's excitement pouring off of her, contagious. "This is cool. I've never seen anything like this."
"This is top notch," Shippo said behind them. "Haru is amazing. He's been with Kikyo since she started. I like his style."
Miroku nodded his head, standing next to Sango. "Haru is amazing," he agreed.
Kagome looked back at the photos with Inuyasha standing next to her. All of them were dressed in their first outfit for the day. They had two outfits that they were going to shoot, including Kikyo. First, they were all dressed in their first outfit which was the famous black leather outfit. But true to what Akari told them on Monday, it had be modified and they all liked this look way better than the older version. The men and women still had the black leather pants with the strip of hot pink that went down on the side of each leg. The women's pants were tighter on them to hug their feminine form and give them easier movement. The men still had their black leather jackets with the pink hoodie, but this time for the concert, Kikyo wanted them to have the jacket halfway opened to reveal their chest. The women also had a change in their top as their black leather tank top was cut short above the belly button, which meant the pink butterflies that were stitched on the front had to be taken off. Now, they had smaller pink butterflies stitched along the hem of their tank top from their cleavage to stop at their neck to look like a necklace of butterflies.
Kagome had to admit that the look was very cute and she loved the modification. So did the others. The men laughed at each other and made jokes about their chests now having to be revealed, teasing each other on who had the better abs and the better body. The women liked the sexy reveal of their midsection as the pants stopped low on their hips and their tank top started high above their belly button, giving a lot of skin to reveal. Inuyasha wore his hair down as did all the women. He had made a comment earlier about needing to practice with this outfit on to see how they managed with the new change. The men would have to dance while trying to keep their jacket on since it was now halfway open and would move off their shoulders while dancing. The women might get their hair caught in the butterflies when they danced. So his comment only made sense that they had to practice with all the outfits on again just to make sure they were all comfortable with what they were wearing and that they tailored their hair and makeup to the outfits.
"You ever done a photoshoot before?" Inuyasha asked, making Kagome turn to him. She smiled and shook her head.
"Never. I don't like taking my picture so this is all new for me."
Inuyasha frowned, finding it so odd for someone of this era to not like taking pictures. He had an idea of why after what happened between them in Hawai'i. But he still hadn't talked to her yet about what, or who, she was so afraid of. It was obvious that she was running or hiding from someone. But he didn't know who. Inuyasha kept watching her as she smiled one last time at him and turned back to look at the monitor full of Kikyo's pictures. He made up his mind then that he was going to find out more about her. He wanted, no, he needed to know who was threatening her. Who was she running from?
"Wow, Inuyasha. Check this out!" Miroku said, turning Inuyasha's attention to the monitor. The stills were coming in as Hisato, Haru's male assistant, sat and clicked on each individual picture, making it bigger for them to see one by one as it came in to him. Inuyasha nodded his head, figuring all of them were good of Kikyo, not having a preference. He looked up and watched as Haru directed Kikyo, taking a few rapid shots, and then telling her to pose a different way. Haru had moved Kikyo over to the graffiti background this time to get a few shots of her with a different background. The outfit that she wore might be a little too much color to stand out from the background but he wanted to see what he could get from those shots. Haru was great in that he knew exactly what he wanted and how he wanted it and once he knew he got what he wanted in the bunch of shots he took, he was done. No doubts. It was time to move on.
"Alright! Let's do some photos of each group member!"
Haru turned towards them as Kikyo came up to his side, smiling at Haru.
"Thanks, Haru. That was fun."
Haru smiled at her with a wink. "You can checkout your photos with Hisato or go take a break. This is going to take a while. I want to get every dancer individually in their first outfit, and then take a group photo and then do a gender photo. Then, I'll bring you back in with your first outfit and we'll do a group photo with just the white background. By then it should be lunch so we can take a break before we do the same routine for outfit two. For that one, I want your casual wear group photo in front of the graffiti for sure." He turned to look at his assistant, Sachi, holding her iPad as he reached his hand out to her. She immediately gave it over to him and he scrolled through some of the photos.
"I'll take one of the dancers," Haru called, not looking up at anyone but keeping his eyes focused on the iPad. He showed Kikyo the screen and she squealed, scrolling through some of the photos with him until he began shooting the next person.
Inuyasha turned to everyone. "Who wants to go next?" Everyone looked at him expectantly and then turning to look at each other, wondering who would go first.
"I'll go!" Sango said, raising her hand. Miroku smiled with a shake of his head and some of the women giggled.
"Of course you will, Sango," Inuyasha said with a shake of his head. He ushered her to go and she moved out of the group to walk around the table and head towards Haru and Kikyo. "Where do you want me?"
Haru looked up at her and smiled, extending his hand out with the iPad and feeling Sachi grab it from him. "Sango. You're always the first one to volunteer." He moved her towards where he wanted her to stand and then backed up a few feet to get into a crouch.
"Just act normal like you're taking any other photo. And then I'll direct you as we go." Sango nodded her understanding and began to smile, posing casually with her hands on her hips.
Kagome watched as the two interacted in front of the white screen and Sango's shots began to pop up on the monitor screen. Everyone who gathered around were now smiling and eyeing Sango's shots. She could tell that they were all getting some ideas from Sango as they began to disperse from the group to try their own poses. Some of them went to sit down on the chairs, waiting for their turn, while others went to check their phones or walk around the warehouse. She watched as Kikyo left the photoshoot area to head to the wall where the front door was that had a lounge area set up in the corner near the door. There were two couches with a few chairs and a coffee table for them if they wanted to take a break, especially on long days like this.
Kagome moved back from the table to stretch out, heading to her bag to check her phone. She felt someone come up behind her and turn to see Naraku.
"How you feeling?"
She shrugged. "Okay. This is my first time doing anything like this."
Naraku nodded, smiling as he regarded her. "Photoshoots are pretty revealing. But what comes out of it is beautiful."
Kagome nodded her head, remembering the past photos of Kikyo for her album and her press releases. All those professional shots were probably done in settings much like this. And now, she was getting her chance to do one too. It was still a little surreal for her to fully comprehend that this was all her life now. It was sort of like living the life of a celebrity with all these perks and benefits.
"Yeah. I'm excited and eager to do mine."
Naraku nodded his head. "I think I'm going to have Haru take a few shots of you and Inuyasha together."
Kagome looked at Naraku with shock. "The two of us? Why?"
Naraku shrugged. "Good press." He turned to look out at Kikyo sitting in the far corner with her head down looking at her phone. Akari was sitting next to her, hitting away on her iPad, both of them getting back to business while Kikyo waited for her next shoot. "I haven't been able to convince Kikyo yet but I want that duet of you and Inuyasha to go live."
Kagome's eyes widened as she looked towards Inuyasha, his back facing her as he was talking with some of the gang. She was happy for Inuyasha if Kikyo decided to use his choreography but then that would mean more spotlight for her. And the reality just hit her now with all the flashes happening in one part of the room, reminding her that these photos will be displayed in Osaka and people will no doubt post them on their personal social media accounts. Now with the possibility of Kikyo using the duet somehow would mean that she and Inuyasha would be dancing in the spotlight, alone, together. And that would turn more eyes to her. No matter how many times she told herself that this was what she wanted, that she needed to go after her dream, there was always that inkling of fear that crept down her spine knowing that he was still out there. She would never be safe and would always worry about him as long as he lived. 'Be happy, Kagome. The choreography is great. And it's your time to shine.' She tried to encourage herself and talk herself into it.
Naraku could sense Kagome's discomfort and looked to her, wondering why she grew silent. "You don't like the idea?"
Kagome blinked and shook her head quickly, not wanting to ruin it for Inuyasha. "No. No. I love Inuyasha's choreography. I was shocked as to how Kikyo received it yesterday."
Naraku groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, about that. That's a long story that maybe Inuyasha should tell you," he said, a wicked gleam in his eye. He chose not to speak about it, especially not here, but he would love to see her reaction to the news once Inuyasha told her. It was almost like a soap opera drama with this group, and he was much a part of it, for his pleasure. He didn't mind. But it was almost laughable.
Kagome saw Inuyasha coming their way and she smiled at him as he came up behind Naraku. "Inuyasha. Naraku said he's trying to talk to Kikyo about using the duet somehow."
Inuyasha stood to the side of them, wondering what they were talking about. He turned to Naraku with knowing eyes. "You talked to her then."
"I tried. She didn't want to hear it yesterday after we left. Akari brought it up this morning on our way here and she didn't respond, but she listened. I think she knows it's good. She loves all of your choreographies. But this one…" he turned to look at Inuyasha, the two of them passing an exchange. "I'm still trying to talk to her about it and I think she'll come around. She has less than two weeks to figure out what she wants to do with the music video. And I think this would be a great finale for the upcoming concert. But I'm still trying to get that through to her."
Inuyasha sighed, turning to look out at Kikyo sitting in the corner. "I'll talk to her too. This has to stop."
Kagome looked at Inuyasha, wondering what he meant, and looked at Naraku, knowing that they knew something that she didn't. Something pertaining to why Kikyo was acting the way she was to this choreography when she usually loved all of Inuyasha's choreographies. She had a feeling that she was the reason why, and that bothered her. She didn't want to lose her job or cause this weird tension between the three of them from now on. She didn't want Inuyasha or Kikyo to miss out on a good opportunity because of her.
"Alright! Who's next?!" Haru called out, his voice echoing in the room.
Once everyone had their solo shots done with their first outfit, Haru split the group up, taking photos with just the men and then with just the women. He decided to do these gender shots in front of the white screen so that their outfits and the pink butterflies that were Kikyo's signature could stand out. Then, he took shots of all of them together as a dance group. That became fun as they all tried to work around each other and touch each other to get close enough for Haru to be satisfied with the poses. They all laughed together, some of them acting silly between takes, but they all were able to be themselves and still be a unified group. Then, Haru called in Kikyo and took shots with her and the dance group. By the time outfit one was done, it was lunch, and Haru called for a one hour break. So they all decided to change out of their outfits and head out to the marketplace the next block over to get some lunch and head back. The gang left the warehouse, leaving Kikyo, Naraku and Akari inside as they were going to order food to be delivered while they continued working.
The twelve of them walked a block over, talking about how the photoshoot was going and what was in store for them for the next couple of weeks.
"Do you guys think we're going to make it big?" Shippo asked, the men following behind the women, looking on both sides of the street at all the options of food. Food vendors lined up both sides of two blocks, the smell of delicious aromas wafting through the air. "I mean… 50,000 tickets? And Akari mentioned that they already sold three-fourths of those tickets! That was fast!"
Kokoro nodded her head, twirling around in excitement. "We are going to be big! Can you imagine seeing our faces on huge banners and posters hanging all around the stadium? I wonder how far out in the city you can see those banners? We've never had something like this before, guys."
Aiko shrugged, fixing her over-the-shoulder purse. "We've never gone international before either. And, we had a huge trump card." She looked at Kagome and so did everyone else. When Kagome realized that they were all staring at her, she blushed and waved her hand.
"Me? No way."
"Yes way!" Sango said excitedly. "Your viral video is probably the first time some people has ever heard of Kikyo Hayashi. So thanks to you, her name and songs are getting out there because of you."
Kagome smiled to herself, taking pride in what Sango said. It meant a lot to her that Sango appreciated her talents and to think that the world did too. That made her feel better about the whole situation of her being known to the world. She just had to look at the bright side of things. She had made a name for herself and people were now seeing her talents. It's what she always wanted.
They all bought lunch and went back to the warehouse to sit down on the picnic tables outside of the building. Kagome remembered this place from the last time she and Inuyasha got into a… fight? Whatever it was, it was a night that had gone wrong when everything had been so right. She was glad that they were on better terms now. She liked him. The more she allowed herself to accept it, the more she felt better about being his dance partner and the more she relaxed around him. She trusted him. He had somehow gotten through her walls and were slowly tearing them down. It was easier for her to feel comfortable with him touching her when she still has a hard time with other men touching her. That night at the charity event was a huge break in their relationship, at least for her it was. She would always remember that night and how special he made her feel. No man had ever made her feel that way. Not even those at Midnite with all their money and empty words of promises.
"So what do you guys think will happen this weekend when we go down to Osaka?" Shiori asked, taking a bite out of her noodles.
Miroku shrugged, wondering the same thing. "I don't know. Sounds like fun though. We're all going to be traveling together, which is always fun. It kinda feels like a school trip." They laughed at the similarities of it all.
"The thought of being in that stadium though," Inuyasha said thoughtfully, swallowing his ramen and looking up at Miroku. "When we finally take a step in there and when we're surrounded by the stadium seats… that's when reality will hit us." He knew it to be true. Somethings were just unimaginable until they experienced it for themselves, this being one of those things. Inuyasha could only imagine what Yanmar Stadium really was like when one is standing in the middle of the stadium, looking up at the rows of fans. Even he was excited for something like that because he never had that before. None of them did. Kikyo really was opening doors for all of them and taking them with her along the way. He really couldn't be angry at her when he truly was grateful for her, even though her attitude sucked sometimes.
Itsuki whistled, popping a shrimp into his mouth. "I can't imagine," he said with food in his mouth. The others agreed wistfully and continued to eat their lunch, knowing that soon lunch would be over and they would have to go back in and finish the last half of their day.
Once lunch was over, everyone went back in to change into their second outfit. For Kikyo, it was one of her favorites. She wore her favorite mini pink, strapless dress that had a white tutu skirt sticking out from underneath. The dress accentuated her breasts and it had dark pink and white butterflies along the bodice. She wore white, knee-high stockings with black high heels and she kept her hair wavy and down, clipping pink butterflies into her hair. She finished her look with pink glitter near her eyes and pink lipstick. The dance group wore the casual wear that Haru had chosen for them. Since he knew Kikyo's wardrobe for today, he wanted to pick out outfits that would compliment her but not overtake her. Kikyo was meant to be in the spotlight.
Haru had chosen all of the dance group's casual wear for the last shoot and he had a taste for fashion. From what Haru could glean off of their bios and photos, he had chosen well for all of them and read them like a book. Some of the women had on shirts and shorts or pants while others had on dresses. All of the men had on pants with either a shirt or a tank top. But it was the way they felt and how they wore the outfit that gave the outfit such power and attention. Some of them had on jewelry to accompany the look while others wore hats. Shippo and Inuyasha had on black leather fingerless gloves with silver buckles to add some shine, which Shippo loved and commented that he wanted this to be his iconic look from now on. Some of the women wore boots, others wore street shoes and still others wore heels. Haru really kept them all diverse but unified in their colors. They were all dressed in black and white.
"Dang, Kagome. You look hot," Sango said with a smirk, checking out Kagome as they all waited for their turn to take their individual photos after Kikyo.
Kagome wore a black spaghetti strap top that accentuated her breasts but it had a side knot tied on one side, exposing her midsection and belly button. She had on a white short that was tight against her butt and her thick thighs. It had black floral stitching near the front pockets and she wore black leather ankle boots with a short heel. The boots themselves had white flowers stitched on the side where it zipped up to match her shorts. Haru didn't have any preferences for their hairstyle so Kagome kept hers down, looking naturally wavy. Kagome couldn't believe how much she loved this outfit and wished she could keep it. She loved this style and thought it very much fit her personality. It suited her and she felt comfortable in it. Not to mention she looked hot.
"Thanks, Sango. You look hot too." Sango wore a halter-top dress that had a white, laced bodice with a black, pleated skirt. She wore a black tutu underneath the dress to give it more volume and flare. She had on black knee-high flat-bottom boots that had white shoelaces to tie at the front and a white butterfly on the outside of each boot. She had her hair up in a high ponytail to finish the look with light makeup. She twirled from side to side, loving the bounce of the skirt.
"Thanks, Kagome. I love these looks," she said, looking at everyone sitting around or walking around, waiting for their turn.
A couple of hours had gone by since lunch and they were almost finished with the individual shots. Kikyo had taken the longest because she wanted more shots in one of her iconic looks, which Haru didn't mind. He loved the look on her and was having a heyday with the shoot. Everyone else just had to wait until they could get their individual shots finished and then move on with the group shots. They were still planning to finish by sunset at the latest.
"I love it too. I wonder if we can keep them," Kagome wondered out loud.
"Yeah," Inuyasha said, coming up to them, drinking some of his water from his hydroflask. "Whatever Haru brings for a shoot we're allowed to keep if we want them. If not, he just donates them."
"Do you think we could use these for the concert?" Sango asked, her eyes shining at Inuyasha. "I love them. Everyone looks so different and so themselves, but we all match and look like a group together," she said with a shrug.
"I agree," Inuyasha said, noticing Miroku coming over to them.
Kagome looked Inuyasha over and couldn't help but eye him from head to toe. He looked delicious, she had to admit, but not out loud. The style really suited him and it made him seem more… dangerous. Like Shippo, Inuyasha wore black leather fingerless gloves and a white tank top that showed off his muscular upper body, but it was a little loose against his torso to give him some movement. He wore black cargo pants that were loose fitting and that had a couple of silver chains hanging on the belt loops. He finished his look with white shoes and he kept his hair down. With the prayer beads around his neck, he looked sensual. Kagome imagined hooking a finger into the prayer beads and bringing him up against her, the same way he was at the charity event.
"Kagome… Kagome!"
She snapped out of it and realized that she was staring at Inuyasha. She blushed, noticing his smirk, and turned away from him, not wanting to make any more of a fool of herself.
Sango laughed as Miroku came up to them wearing a black t-shirt that clung to his body with a white cargo pants that was like skinny jeans, tighter going down to the ankles. All the zippers were black, a stark contrast against the white, and he wore black shoes with white lace. Standing next to Sango, they wore the opposite color on their bodies, complimenting one another. It was the same for Kagome and Inuyasha, which made them wonder if Haru made the outfits this way for a reason.
"Are you staring at Inuyasha, Kagome?" Miroku teased, wanting to see her reaction.
Kagome blushed furiously and walked away, not wanting to say anything. Inuyasha glared at Miroku, making him put up his hands in self-defense.
"Leave her alone, Miroku."
"What?! It was just a joke." But Inuyasha wasn't having it. He followed Kagome as she went back to the monitor to look at the photos being taken of Shiori.
Sango slapped Miroku on the chest, causing him to cry out in pain. "Why'd you say that for?" she hissed at him.
Miroku rubbed his chest and feigned innocence as Sango followed Inuyasha back towards the photoshoot. Shiori was doing her last shots as Haru snapped a few photos, the flashes setting off the side of the room, and then he called it.
"Alright! Thanks Shiori!"
Haru's assistant, Sachi, came up to him to hand him the iPad while he scrolled through his shots, looking for ones that he wanted to work with. Naraku then went up to Haru as he was scrolling through the iPad, the two of them talking together as the group waited for Haru to make the next call. Kikyo was sitting in one of the chairs next to Hisato at the computer. She was watching as all the shots came in, making sure that she liked them too, not just Haru. And she was also dealing with the label and her social media account to keep up with all the fans, even though Akari did help with that. Akari was currently sitting on a chair a little behind Kikyo, frantically typing on her iPad keyboard.
Haru moved away from Naraku, looking towards Inuyasha and Kagome who were standing behind the desk. "Inuyasha. Kagome. You're up."
"Huh?" Inuyasha asked, looking at Kagome for a split second before he looked at Kikyo. She now had her full attention on Naraku, the two of them eyeing each other as if they were speaking telepathically. From what he could see, Kikyo's expression didn't make it seem like a happy conversation.
"Wait, just the two of us?" Kagome asked, looking at Sango and Miroku next to her. "But I thought we were doing the females and males next?"
Haru waved his hand to get them to hurry towards him as he gave the iPad back to Sachi. "Naraku has told me that he wants to change things up. I'm going to shoot just the two of you. You have a duet together, correct?" he asked, not really waiting for a reply. "He wants to get some shots of just the two of you for the big reveal."
"Reveal? What reveal?" Inuyasha asked, looking at Kikyo this time. He knew that she didn't like the duet and he didn't think that she was going to allow it in for anything, at least not before he talked to her and gave her a piece of his mind. But she kept her mouth shut and had her arms crossed, glaring at Naraku. "You want just a photo of the two of us?"
"Yes, Inuyasha," Naraku answered. "Now hurry up so we can all go home," he said, really worried about Kikyo voicing her opinion and overruling him. He wanted the shots to be taken already before she tried to stop it. He glanced at Akari who was beaming next to Kikyo, her face lit up at the idea of the two taking a couple shots together at the thought of possibly the choreography coming out to the public.
Inuyasha shrugged as he turned to Kagome, tilting his head to tell her to follow him, and the two walked up towards Haru as he stood between the two backgrounds.
"I want to start off with the two of you on the white screen." He walked them to where he wanted them to stand and grabbed a hold of both of them with one hand each. Facing them towards the lights, he looked them over, liking the fact that he had planned for their outfits to be the complete opposites of each other thanks to Naraku's email yesterday about his plans for Inuyasha and Kagome.
"Oh my gosh. Okay. This… I can work with." Haru wasn't used to working with a couple in the group. It was either Kikyo or the entire group or individuals. Never couples. But when a male and a female body came together, it brought about so much life and emotions to the shot, but it depended on the chemistry with the two and with the photographer. "Okay," he said, moving backwards with a huge smile on his face. He had his hands up in front of his face, tilting his head back and forth, trying to figure out what he wanted to do first with all the ideas he had flying at him. By now, the others were all crowded behind the desk and behind Kikyo as they all watched the scene unfold, excited to see what Haru was going to do.
"Inuyasha, I want you to stand with your legs apart and your arms crossed. Kagome, you sit on the ground and straddle one leg, but keep one knee up and one leg flat on the ground." The two of them stared at each other with amused and confused looks so Haru went back to help them. He positioned them the way he wanted them, with Kagome's leg that was closest to the camera propped up while her leg behind Inuyasha's legs laid flat on the ground so that she straddled his left leg. "Hang on to his leg and…" Haru turned around and found Naraku standing behind Sachi, in the same position. "Naraku, is this a love song?"
Naraku nodded his head and Haru nodded, turning back to face the two. "Hang on to his leg and wrap the arm closest to the camera around his thigh." Kagome's heart raced as she listened to his promptings, gazing up at Inuyasha with concern. He had his arms crossed and was looking down at her with the same wonder and concern, the two of them locking eyes for a moment.
"Come on. Just wrap your arm around his knee, up his thigh. Yes. And then tilt your head against his knee while looking at the camera." She did as she was told, feeling like this was such an intimate position. After all that they had been through, should she still feel this embarrassed to be touching him like this? Their dance was even more sensual than this one pose. She wrapped her left arm up and around his thigh to settle at the back of his leg, taking a glance up at him to make sure he was okay. His golden eyes were staring down at her intensely, making Kagome's heart skip a beat. She looked back towards Haru, needing to focus on her pose, and tilted her head so that her forehead was touching his knee.
"Okay, hold it there." Haru quickly took his camera off his neck and began to snap away.
Inuyasha held his ground, looking serious at the camera but inwardly, he liked the pose and the fact that Kagome was entwined around him. He had felt something deeper when she had wrapped her arm around his leg and he looked down at her, needing her. He had held her many different ways over many different times both in their dances and in their private meetings together. But this was different. He felt exposed now, having his photo taken with Kagome, as if the whole world would know that she was his. This was a first for him because he never took pictures with anyone like this in their group. And as he looked out at everyone's faces for a quick second, he could see their shock and glee plastered on their faces.
"Okay," Haru said, standing up as he checked the photos directly from the screen of his camera. "New pose." He went up to them with a wicked grin and a glint of mischief in his eyes.
"Are you two dating?" he asked softly so only the two of them could hear. But Shippo could hear as he was the only other demon in the room, and he couldn't help but smirk to himself.
Kagome smiled as she stood up, dusting off her white shorts. Inuyasha smirked, shaking his head. "No."
Haru smiled, shaking his head thoughtfully. "Bummer. I can see something between the two of you. But never mind that… I'm not a matchmaker." He moved forward and placed his hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "I want you to go down to one knee and have both of your arms resting on the knee that's up," he said, demonstrating it to Inuyasha. Inuyasha followed suit, going down on one knee and keeping his other knee out in front of him to prop his arms on top of it. "Good. Stay there." Haru stood up and went around Inuyasha to look at Kagome, showing her what to do. "Kagome, I want you to stand behind Inuyasha like this and bend at your hip like so." Haru demonstrated so that his butt was sticking out behind him but he leaned both of his forearms on Inuyasha's shoulders. "Lean forward on Inuyasha's shoulders but stick your head over onto one side so that I can get your entire face in the shot. You can prop one elbow on his shoulder and put your chin in your palm," he demonstrated, "or you can touch his arms," Haru said, demonstrating that too. "Whatever you want to do, try to be natural with each other." He moved back and urged Kagome forward to take her position.
Kagome took a deep breath, knowing that everyone's eyes were on them, including the huge bright lights that she couldn't hide anything from. She didn't know how 'natural' she was supposed to be but she wanted to be comfortable enough to just lean against Inuyasha without feeling awkward and exposed. She moved forward and got into her position as Haru moved out of the way and back to his spot in front of them. She brushed some of Inuyasha's hair out of the way so that she didn't pull on any of them while she leaned her weight on him.
"Awkward," she said softly, coming up from behind him, leaning her weight onto him. "Am I too heavy?"
Inuyasha turned his head to cock an eyebrow at her. "Seriously?"
She giggled, smiling, and the flashes went off. "Oh! Sorry. I didn't know you were ready," she said, looking back at Haru apologetically.
"No. I want you guys to be natural. Interact if you have to. Pretend I'm not here."
Inuyasha turned to look at her again over his shoulder. "Pretend him and the others are not there. Easy enough." Inuyasha rolled his eyes, causing Kagome to laugh, and she leaned further into him, her breasts coming to rest against his back so that her head was over his shoulder, enough that he could see her more. He watched as she began to relax even more, feeling her weight settle onto him without holding back. He knew that she had gotten more comfortable with him over the past few months, especially in these past weeks with just the two of them spending more time together. But with everyone's eyes on them, Kagome was just nervous at all the attention that he didn't want the group's attendance to affect the way she acted around him. He liked the way she became so comfortable with him and he wanted others to see the Kagome that he was starting to see when they were alone. She was starting to open herself up even more to him and he was going to make sure that she would open up more.
"So… I take it you do these a lot?" Kagome asked him, her head turned to him with a slight smile. In order to see him, she had to adjust her positioning so that the hand under her chest came around his shoulder to press her hand against his collarbone while the opposite hand rested on his other shoulder.
Inuyasha shrugged, moving her up and down, adjusting his arms on his knee. "You're the first."
"Awww… the only?" she asked in a sweet voice.
"The only," he affirmed with a smile. The two of them laughed at the innocence between them, forgetting that Haru was snapping pictures of them in rapid succession, loving the casual interaction between the two.
"Should I give him a good show?" Kagome asked, now feeling devilish, playing into the scene.
Inuyasha arched an eyebrow with a wicked smirk. "What do you have in mind?"
She wiggled her eyebrows and moved positions again, letting him go to prop her elbow on his shoulder, resting her chin in her palm. "Does this look cute?"
He made a face, trying to figure out if he liked it or not. "Mmmm not really."
"Really?" she pouted, making Inuyasha laugh. She glared at him and slapped him on his chest lightly. "Tease."
"Me?" he said, turning to look back at her. But she was so close to his face that his eyes immediately went to her lips. She looked so tempting that close to him, especially her scent that he couldn't get enough of. He moved his shoulders rough enough to jar her, making her lose her hold on him. She ended up falling onto his shoulders, but being a hanyou, he didn't move in the slightest. She laughed, only causing Inuyasha to chuckle because she was happy and relaxed. Kagome moved lower down his body to rest her chin on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his chest, looking at him with adoration and wonder.
"I guess people are going to start talking now."
"What? About us being a couple?"
"Mmm hmm."
Inuyasha looked forward at the others, seeing them all talking amongst each other with huge grins on their faces as their eyes were glued to him and Kagome. Yes, they would be the talk of their group. And once these photos got out to the world, they would be the next big news.
"I think it already started."
"Alright! Got it!" Haru said excitedly. He stood up, walking to Sachi to check some of the photos, a huge grin on his face. "Oh! Yes! Okay! I have one more idea."
Haru turned back to Inuyasha and Kagome as the two of them slowly stood, wondering how many more photos they had to take. "I want the two of you to do some action shots."
"Huh?" Inuyasha asked. Haru had never asked them to do an action shot before. For him to ask for one now, Inuyasha didn't know why or what got into Haru and why he was so fascinated with shooting him and Kagome together. Where they really that interesting to shoot? What did Naraku tell Haru anyway?
"Come." Haru led the two of them to the graffiti backdrop and stood them in the center of the shot. "I want you guys to do one or two action shots. Basically, do the dance that you guys do together but find a pose that you want to hold for a little longer than normal so that I can shoot that."
Inuyasha turned to look at Kagome who was now looking at him a little wary and shocked. The two of them didn't even know that they were going to be asked to dance for Haru. And the others were feeling the same way as they began to cheer for Inuyasha and Kagome, encouraging them to dance. They loved the choreography and the chemistry in front of them.
"So… just go into a move and hold it a little longer?" Inuyasha asked, his choreographer mind processing what Haru was asking.
"Yeah. If there's a move that you two love or that you two think would make a good shot to use, then do it. Honestly, I have to trust you two to make the decision on that. You know your dance and what is the best pose and what would make the greatest impact for the dance and for Kikyo."
Inuyasha took a second to glance at Kikyo but he couldn't see her face that was hidden behind the monitor. 'She decided to use the duet?' She or Naraku would've told them about it. Maybe Naraku was still trying to persuade Kikyo to use it for something. Maybe Haru just wanted to capture the best of the two dancers to be able to promote Kikyo and her song. Whatever was up Naraku's sleeve, Inuyasha simply nodded his understanding and grabbed Kagome, pulling her to him.
"Let's just stick with the first verse. I have a couple of moves in mind that might look good on camera."
"Okay." Kagome trusted his judgment and followed whatever he wanted to do.
Inuyasha directed Kagome to do the move where they rolled their bodies opposite of each other, keeping their legs in the same position, but rolling their hips and moving their upper bodies in the opposite directions. Kagome nodded her understanding and Inuyasha asked Miroku to do an eight count for them. He looked at Haru who was ready and waiting for whenever they decided to start. Inuyasha took the lead and told Miroku to start the countdown. Miroku started from the five count and then went into the eight count, clapping his hands to help keep the tempo for the two.
Inuyasha and Kagome kept their bodies flushed against each other but rolled their hips with Kagome grinding into his. She smiled, her eyes gleaming at him in seduction as she rolled her butt against him, looking over her shoulder as he moved opposite of her. And then they exchanged sides, their bodies passing by one another to roll in the opposite direction, keeping to the beat. The two of them stopped and took a few spaces away from each other as they were highly conscious of everyone staring at them. It was just a little nerve-wrecking and awkward to be dancing like this for a photo.
Haru looked at his camera screen for a few seconds, scrolling through to see if he liked any. "Okay. Do it again. But this time, try to be more sensual. Pretend we're not here. And be in the moment."
"Pretend they're not here, he says," Kagome said softly, rolling her eyes at Inuyasha as he chuckled at her comment.
"Come on. Let's really try." Kagome nodded her agreement, feeling more comfortable with him now, and wanting to get a good shot for Haru. She was really into this stuff.
The two of them did it again, this time putting more emphasis in their moves, in the way they touched each other as they passed by and in the way they looked at each other while they rolled their hips. They did it a few more times and then Haru cut them on that shot.
"Do you have another one, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha nodded. "One more."
Inuyasha directed Kagome to do the move where they both ended with the cha-cha-step-out while Kagome threw her hands up above her and her head falls back against his shoulder and Inuyasha grabs her hips and brings his head forward against her neck. Kagome blinked up at him, a little worried and startled.
"That one?" she whispered.
Inuyasha smirked, grabbing for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Come on. It's a good move. It's sensual. And you like it." Kagome felt her blood run hot as he said it, as if he could read her body and knew how it will react to him. She tried to tug her hand out of his but he grasped hers tighter, smiling at her as if in knowing. She squinted her eyes at him, wondering what he was thinking while wanting to get revenge on him. But with the others waiting and watching, she could only trust Inuyasha's decision.
The two of them got into position and Miroku helped by doing the eight count again with his claps. Inuyasha and Kagome moved with their cha-chas and then ended with their final pose.
"Again!" Haru said, looking down at his camera to look over the photos. "Can someone play the song? I want you two to be in the moment for real. I need more sensuality. I need more emotions."
"I'll pull it up!" Shippo said, reaching for his phone in his pocket to fish out Kikyo's 'Who's Got You?' song. He quickly found it and played it, turning up his phone speaker as loud as he could. Shippo walked forward into the shoot so they could hear it better but stayed behind Sachi so that he wouldn't get in the way of anyone.
Inuyasha and Kagome got into positions. Kagome found it easier this time to forget that everyone was there now that Shippo had the song playing. She was just going to dance with Inuyasha and hopefully Haru would be able to get something out of it. Inuyasha had the same idea because she caught his eyes and he was nodding at her with a smile, encouraging her. She smiled back just before their starting beat began. Haru began to snap the shots as soon as they started. He immediately recognized the first move they did and he took as much as he could again for that move and then he snapped a few more. Then he recognized the last move they did with Kagome's head falling against Inuyasha's shoulder and he shot in rapid successions as they froze on that move while the song went into the chorus.
"Again." Shippo obeyed and restarted the song, making Inuyasha and Kagome go back to their spots again to wait for the beat. They did this three more times and the more they did it, the more they got into the song. Even for Haru, he got more comfortable with when the two moves were coming up so that he could time his shots just right and get the parts of those moves that he really wanted to capture. His favorite was the second move and once he got what he wanted, he called it.
"Alright! That's good!"
The others cheered and clapped for Inuyasha and Kagome as they all were standing behind the monitor, staring at the photos that Haru capture. The photos that they saw came out clear, like the camera was able to have perfect clarity and focus on the moving bodies. Nothing was blurry and everything was in focus. They were in awe at how well Haru captured shots, but there were so many of them that they coudn't figure out which ones were the best or which ones he was going to use. They were all just super excited to have done today.
"Thanks, Haru," Naraku said, moving closer to him. "I'm sure we'll be able to use these shots soon."
Haru gave him a look. "If you don't use them, I will. I mean it, Naraku. These shots are priceless. Those two are special. If you know what they're worth, you'll use them." That was a warning and Naraku heard it loud and clear. The only problem was: Kikyo. She had been quiet the whole time, simply watching the photos coming in on the monitors and not paying much attention to Inuyasha and Kagome as they danced or did their shoot. She was just motionless and speechless, as if she wasn't there.
"Okay. We're almost done, guys. Next I want the ladies to come up. Then, I'll do the men. Then the entire group and then the group with Kikyo."
Haru took them back to the white backdrop and took most of the last shots with that background. Finally, he took their last group shot with Kikyo in front of the graffiti backdrop and he called it a day.
"That's a wrap guys! Thank you so much for your hard work!" Haru said, looking at everyone and bowing towards them. They all bowed back and thanked him for the long day of photos. It was now five in the afternoon and the sun was starting to reach the horizon, a long day for a photoshoot.
Kagome yawned, covering her mouth before anyone saw her. "Tired?" Shippo asked her, catching her in the act.
She giggled. "Yeah. Who knew taking photos would be so long and tiring?" she said, the two of them walking towards their belongings against the wall near the lounge area in the corner. "Is it usually this long?"
Shippo shook his head. "No, not really. The last time we did it, it was mainly group photos. This time, it was a bit more thorough with the gender photos and the group and the individual. I guess we're going to be having a lot of posters and banners all over the stadium."
Kagome nodded her head, thinking about how much there could possibly be. "I want to see them."
"Haru will pick out his final choices and give us the digitals of them," Akari said as she and Naraku joined them. The others were following behind as they all thanked Haru and his assistants who began to close up their equipment. "He'll then narrow it down to the ones that he wants to print out and he'll have all day tomorrow to do all of that. We need the print outs by Friday morning."
"Wow. That's a lot to do in one day," Kagome thought, getting a nod from Naraku.
"It is. But the crew goes down Friday morning to put the banners and posters up so we need it all done by then. Haru is good and deadlines and he knows his work well. If he can't finish all the banners by Friday morning, we can help set them up too when we go down on Saturday to give Haru another day to print out whatever else he needs."
Inuyasha and the others arrived to grab their things. "That was an awesome shoot, guys," Sango said, looking around at everyone. "We've never had a shoot like this. Especially with you and Kagome, Inuyasha," she said, looking over at him.
Inuyasha smiled with a shrug. "Not my idea." He looked over at Kikyo and watched as she grabbed her backpack, hefting it onto her back. She had been acting strange ever since he and Kagome had to do their shoot. And everyone noticed. It was hard not to with the way she avoided talking to everyone and with the way her entire aura changed. The energy she was giving off was not one that everyone wanted to be around, but they all knew why. Inuyasha glanced over at Kagome, watching as she and Shippo talked about the shoot, Shippo making big hand motions, causing Kagome to laugh. 'She doesn't know Kikyo that well.' Kagome would be the only one who wasn't used to their group dynamic, even though she had been around for a while now and had got to know a lot about them already. Not all of their true colors were shown yet, himself for sure.
Turning to Kikyo, Inuyasha walked up to her just as she began to head to the door, her head down as she checked her phone. "Kikyo. A word." She stopped and turned to look at him over her shoulder, making a face at him.
"I have to go. I have an early interview and it's already sunset."
Inuyasha glared at her. "This will only take a minute. Outside." He stood waiting for her to make the next move, the others too far away to hear them. She stared at him, contemplating what to do, and he expected her to fight him. But she said nothing as she turned from him and walked out, making him follow behind her.
Once Inuyasha and Kikyo stepped outside, Kikyo walked towards the tables set up on the side of the building, dropping her backpack on the top as she sat down on one side of the picnic table. Inuyasha sat opposite of her and the silence stretched between them, both of them not looking at each other.
"What do you want to talk about?" Kikyo finally asked.
Inuyasha arched an eyebrow, noticing the bite in her voice. "Really? You don't possibly know?" he asked back, giving her the same attitude. He was in no mood to play or put things lightly for her.
Kikyo reared back and crossed her arms, sitting taller. "Don't talk to me like that."
"I can talk to you however I want." Inuyasha brought his arms on the table, leaning in. "I've known you long enough, Kikyo, to know when something's bothering you and I know how you react to things you don't like. You shut down. Like now." Kikyo turned her head from him, refusing to look into his eyes. "You don't like the fact that Kagome and I are doing a duet together."
"Am I supposed to be thrilled?"
"You're supposed to be grateful that your choreographer created a new number and you should want to see it like you always do."
"Well… I'm not excited about this one."
"Because it's with Kagome?" No reply. Inuyasha waited, hoping she could see how foolish and childish she was being about this, but she said nothing.
"Listen, Kikyo. Whatever you're holding on to between us, let it go." That was when she turned her head towards him. "There was never anything there between us."
"There was for me!" she said, slamming her hand down onto the table. Inuyasha didn't even flinch. He simply stared at her, knowing she was emotional about this, knowing that she had held onto the two of them being together ever since they first met.
Ever since he met Kikyo, the two of them had hooked up a couple of times. For him, it meant nothing to him. It was just the way he was. He never opened his heart to a woman. He never kissed a woman and he never had sex with a woman. He and Kikyo had strictly been friends with benefits for a while in the beginning of their relationship. The only thing they did together was oral, and that was all Inuyasha wanted from her. He made it clear to her in the beginning because it was obvious that she was falling for him, more than he was for her, and he wanted to draw the line at just oral. No kissing. No hugging. No intimacy and no intercourse. Strictly getting each other's rocks off through oral sex. She agreed. Then, as they became more like business partners and her career began to kick off, she began to like him even more and he began to distance himself from her. He stopped fooling around with her and told her that he didn't want to do it anymore with her. He respected her as his friend and as his boss, and he wanted them to keep it civil and professional between them. But Inuyasha knew the damage had already been done. She was too deep, too into him to want to just let go so easily. Then, Naraku came in, and that became a whole other story.
"You know that I love you, Inuyasha!" Inuyasha flinched, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I told you this before!"
"You don't love me, Kikyo."
"How the hell do you know?!"
"Because you don't," he said roughly, sighing forcefully. How the hell was he supposed to get out of this? He had dug himself a deep hole and Kikyo was not willing to let go of her feelings for him. "Listen, Kikyo. I told you in the beginning that this wasn't supposed to be anything permanent between us. That we were just friends with benefits."
Kikyo leaned forward towards him, trying her best not to lose her cool. "That was your idea. Not mine. I fell in love with you."
"You agreed to my conditions. You were okay with it up until it ended."
"Because I fell in love with you."
Inuyasha sighed heavily again, seeing that he was going to get nowhere with her. They had this talk many times before, and every time she brought up her love for him and no matter how many times he tried to put some sense into what they did, she would not see it for what it was. There was no love in their relationship. If there was, it was all one-sided. He had no room for love. At least, not for her.
"I'm not going to argue about this with you again," he said, looking up to see everyone filing out of the warehouse. Some of them looked their way and began to walk over to them. "Listen, before everyone gets here. I'm going to say this once, so listen good, Kikyo."
Kikyo glared at him. She was furious that he was speaking to her like this. Yes, they had this conversation many times. But why couldn't he see that she did love him? Why couldn't he love her back? Their relationship meant more to her than it did to him. And she hoped that with time, he would open his eyes and see that they were good for each other. She was not willing to give up hope. And she was not willing to give him up.
Inuyasha looked at her and his eyes grew serious, his face stern. "I don't love you. I never did and I never will. I told you this before, but you still won't listen. So I just want to say, get over this attitude of yours and whatever you think you feel towards me. I'm your choreographer. My job is to make choreographies to your songs and to train your dancers to execute them. I made one hell of a good choreography with Kagome and everyone likes it instead of you, because of your feelings. This is business, Kikyo. If our past relationship becomes too much of a problem for us to even work together then I will quit." Kikyo opened her mouth to speak but Inuyasha beat her to it, leaning in, knowing he only had less than a minute before the others got here. "I'm not done. Kagome is an amazing dancer and she has even boosted your fame for you. You should be thankful and proud of her. I also like her."
Inuyasha went silent, giving Kikyo a few seconds to hear what he was saying. When she did, realization dawned in her eyes and she slowly moved back from him, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I like her, Kikyo. And if you make it a problem between the three of us, you will have to find yourself a new choreographer." She went to speak but he rose up his hand. "Don't cause drama for us, Kikyo. I'm warning you." Kikyo glared at him, pissed that he would threaten her, especially with something like her love for him.
"Hey guys!" Itsuki said as he and the others came up to the table with their bags, ready to go home.
"Hey," Inuyasha said, looking up at everyone with a smile. He was done with this conversation with Kikyo. He had said all he wanted to say for now and he hoped that she heard him and would change her attitude before the concert. He noticed Miroku carrying his bag so he got up to grab it from him. "Thanks."
Miroku looked at Inuyasha and then at Kikyo, then back at Inuyasha with wonder. "Everything okay?"
"Fine," he simply said, turning to see Kikyo slowly getting up, putting her backpack on. The others began to chat about how they were excited to see the photos that Haru took. They were also excited about this weekend's getaway work trip to Osaka. There were so many things that they were excited about that led up to the concert that they couldn't stop talking about all the blessings they had in store.
Miroku frowned as Kikyo simply told everyone 'goodbye' and she left to find Naraku and Akari. He glanced at Inuyasha, who simply shook his head. 'I'll talk to him later.'
Kagome walked up to Inuyasha, smiling at him, noticing the way he went from looking irritated after Kikyo to looking at her with a soft expression. "Everything okay?"
He smiled at her, nodding. "Yeah. It's fine. Just needed to talk to her about some things." Kagome didn't press the issue and he was grateful. He noticed that she immediately calmed him. Her presence and her scent alone made him relax after that talk with Kikyo. He longer cared or worried about Kikyo's next move or what tomorrow would bring with her attitude. He simply allowed himself to feel how Kagome's presence really was like a balm to him.
Inuyasha sighed inwardly, defeated. 'Now what, Inuyasha?'
I hope you liked it. This is a foundation as to what's going to come with the concert, with Inu/Kag, with... everything! LMK what you're thinking :) Hopefully soon I will post the next chapter now that I got through this one that I was dreading to write for months now. Kikyo's attitude just irritated me. But I got it out and now I can move on with relationships, concerts, drama, etc.
