The It Couple
Chapter Thirty
The phone on Sango's desk buzzed. "A Miss Kagome Higurashi to see you, Miss Ryoshi," said the secretary over the intercom.
"Send her up," Sango said, ignoring the nervous energy charging up her spine. She quickly grabbed her small compact mirror out of her desk drawer to check her concealer. The bruise was long and dark, but a good ten coats of her expensive shit had reduced it to a tiny shadow on her face. For a second, she contemplated putting her sunglasses on, then realized what an idiot she'd look like. So she settled herself with looking super busy with a fake phone call.
"Yeah, we need to get the interview with Hiten Raimei rescheduled for later this week. He's going on some sort of yoga retreat and won't be back in town until Friday," she was bullshitting as Kagome walked through the door. Sango didn't look up yet, trying to give off as much of an illusion as possible that she was Sango Ryoshi and had it all together.
After a good fifteen seconds more, Sango hung up her phone call of lies with a simple, "Get it done," and looked up at Kagome sitting in the chair across from her.
"Good morning, Kagome," she said, "Here for the contract? I had it drawn up this morning."
Kagome sat there, in a Slayer cut-off tee shirt and black jeans with the knees ripped out, her face half-obscured by large dark aviator sunglasses. She said nothing, just remained still with her arms crossed.
Sango got the contract out of the stack of paperwork on her desk and plopped it in front of Kagome.
"How's your face?" Kagome finally said, and Sango felt a strange aura of animosity grip the room suddenly.
"It's fine," Sango said with a wave of her hand, trying to avoid the embarrassing blush rising to her cheeks. "No big deal. I guess I deserved it, huh?"
"Well, I thought so." Kagome removed her sunglasses and placed them atop her head with a small smile. The air had a distinct chill to it.
"Anyway, the contract," Sango said quickly, feeling that stupid urge again to apologize tearfully at Kagome's feet and stamping it out with a distraction, "Just as you wanted. Basically, the studio will represent you for the next two months and handle all your press and public engagements. I'll email you the calendar. It's just the interview this week, and then all the awards ceremonies. Not much more than that."
"I want to see the calendar," Kagome said politely.
"Oh. Okay." Sango suddenly felt like it was her first day of work again as she pulled her events calendar up on her phone and handed it to Kagome.
Kagome looked it over for the next few seconds, scrolling through the months, no doubt looking for anything objectionable. Sango suddenly wished she did smoke on the regular; a cigarette would do a lot for her nerves right now.
"Looks fine," Kagome finally said, "And the NDA?"
"Right here," Sango pointed out a highlighted bit on the contract, "Already signed by Yura and a dozen of our other local press people for good measure." She had called the extra people for signatures as some strange form of penance, a way to ensure to Kagome that she really did mean what she said this time.
She fucking hates me now. And it's all my fault.
"I'm completely off-limits after the Oscars, then," Kagome said, nodding and reading through the paragraphs, "Nothing reported, no magazine articles, nothing."
"Well, we can't stop the unsponsored bloggers, of course," Sango said quickly, "but once they figure out you're no longer big news, they'll leave off. And no pap calls, ever. Not ever. I've made that very clear to every agency in town. If anything, and I mean, anything, ever shows up in papers or online, we move forward with a cease-and-desist and a breach-of-contract suit."
"Good," Kagome said, still reading carefully.
"Oh, and there's this," Sango, almost too eagerly, turned the page to the last clause. "The contract guarantees you your remaining salary as Kikyou's assistant for the next year and a half, so you're free to go open that photography studio wherever you want. The studio is covering it for you and the funds will be wired to your bank account bimonthly."
Kagome just looked at it with a small hum of approval. "You didn't have to do that," she said, her expression unreadable.
"I wanted to," Sango said, trying to keep the edge of pleading out of her tone, "I realize how difficult this whole situation has been for you, and I really am sorry for using you without talking to you first."
Finally, Kagome met her eyes. There was a raised eyebrow, but Kagome seemed to read the sincerity in Sango's face, and finally she nodded.
"Thanks for the apology," Kagome said, picking up the waiting ballpoint pen and turning to the signature page, "I don't know if I'm ready to say that I forgive you yet, but…" She trailed off and signed her name on the highlighted blank sections.
Sango wanted to hug her, but knew that was a terrible idea right now.
"You know I really love him, right?" Kagome said, leaning back in her chair, twirling the pen in her hand and staring at it, "You know it's not just a fling."
Sango, a lump in her throat, sat back down at her desk, ran a hand through her hair, and said, "I know."
There was a moment of silence.
Kagome sighed and stood up, replacing her sunglasses on her face. "So when do I meet the new assistant kid?"
"Right now, if you like. He's in an office down the hall, filling out his W4 and all that shit."
"Sure. I'll take him to lunch or something."
Sango led her down the hall and opened the door.
"Kagome," she said as the young man stood up with a start, "I'd like you to meet Hojo."
Inuyasha blinked awake, wondering where the hell he was for a good ten seconds before remembering. He was still in his suit from the night before, laying atop the covers in Kagome's hotel room.
He'd lain in this bed, this bed that smelled of her so strongly, so of course his dreams had been plagued with images of her smiling face the entire night. Of course that oh-so-important little nugget of truth she'd dropped just before walking out the fucking door was playing on repeat in his head.
"I'm trying to say that I love you, you moron."
Inuyasha pressed both fists into his eyes and heaved a great sigh.
"Good morning."
Inuyasha shot up with a start. Kikyou was standing there in her white robe, leaning on the doorframe.
"Morning," he said, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand casually, "How's your head? You had a shit ton of champagne last night."
"I knowww," Kikyou said, running a hand over her face with a pained smile, "What happened last night? Where's Kagome?"
"You seriously don't remember."
Kikyou looked at him with an expression of confusion. "Did something happen with Kagome?"
Inuyasha sighed, stood up, and stretched. "I'll order room service."
"Get me some fresh fruit and a Bloody Mary, okay?" Kikyou disappeared down the hall.
He ran a hand over his eyes and trudged to the hotel phone in the suite's common room. HIs own phone sat discarded on the chair, and he picked it up. The battery was low, crawling at around ten percent. No missed calls.
With a quick look toward the master bedroom, he texted Kagome's number.
"Morning, kiddo. You okay?"
He slipped the phone into the pocket of his suit pants.
"Oh, god, Houshi, give me a fucking cigarette."
"Well, hello to you too," Miroku said as Sango rushed up to him. He reached in his jacket pocket, produced the pack, and lit the cigarette for her, as well as one for himself.
She stood there, inhaling like no tomorrow, then coughed. Her legs seemed to be trembling. Maybe it was the heels; they were sky high once again. Miroku counted his lucky stars he'd been blessed with a fairly decent adult height or he might have been looking up at her instead of straight into her eyes.
"I take it Kagome came in to sign her contract, then?"
"She just left," Sango said taking another drag, "Took the new kid to lunch. He's green as hell, but that's probably a good thing. Kagome always went above and beyond when it came to her job, so he has no basis for comparison to realize what a snake pit he's walking into."
"How was she?" Miroku leaned against Sango's desk casually. She looked away.
"Fine, I think. Still hates me, of course. But she signed the contract, no problem. Thanks for drafting that, by the way, I owe you one."
Miroku fought the urge to make a saucy remark about just how she could repay him and instead just gave her a small smirk.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" Sango said, holding the cigarette aloft in her hand and fixing him with a suspicious look.
Miroku put a gentle hand to her cheek, his fingers lightly tracing the hint of a bruise on it. "Just came to check in on you. Should I not have?"
Sango's eyelids fluttered slightly, and the cheek he was touching started to turn a bright shade of pink. "Houshi, just because I had to make out with you last night doesn't mean-"
"Of course it doesn't," he cut her off smoothly, refusing to remove his hand from her face, "I know when a kiss is real and when it isn't, babe."
She blinked in what looked like mild surprise. Miroku resisted the urge to grin in self-satisfaction. Weren't expecting that, were you? He continued.
"Don't worry your pretty little head about it. I'm here purely to check on my business partner."
She looked almost sullen for a second and Miroku wanted to laugh out loud despite the pounding in his chest.
He had her.
Maybe not completely like before, but this was a start.
"And on that note," Miroku said, practically tearing himself away before she could put her hand over his and make him lose all sense of control and self-respect, "I'd better get out of here. I'm still persona non grata around these parts."
He turned to leave.
"Um," Sango said, sounding very flustered indeed, "Did you want to meet somewhere for lunch, maybe?"
Yes, yes I do.
"Oh, sorry, babe. I got a meeting with my client. You know him. Tall, white hair, looks like a lovesick puppy lately?" Miroku refused to turn around; it might give him away entirely. "But call me later if you want. I'm free for dinner if you want to discuss business."
As he left, he heard her muttering his name and a few choice curse words under her breath, and he finally let himself grin like an idiot.
"So yeah," Inuyasha said, "That's about the long and short of it. Basically, you fucked up big time, Kikyou." There was a strong, sharp edge to his voice that he refused to bother disguising.
Kikyou just looked at him, chin in her hand, over her barely-nibbled breakfast. "Oh dear," she said, "I didn't mean to be that harsh."
"'Harsh' is a fucking birthday cake compared to what you did," Inuyasha growled, feeling himself growing frustrated again and trying hard to stamp it out.
Kikyou picked absently at the fur lining of her luxurious robe. "I guess I was just jealous, is all. And I lashed out at her."
"Jealous?"
"Of you and Kagome. How long have you two been...seeing each other?"
Inuyasha almost choked on the water he was drinking. "Wh-what?"
"You and Kagome," Kikyou said, not meeting his eyes.
Inuyasha gulped, knowing his face was turning beet red. "How did you-" He drank another sip of water. "Uh, not very long."
Kikyou's eyes met his. "I knew it," she said evenly, sitting upright in her chair.
Inuyasha wanted to be anywhere in the world but in this hotel suite at this table right now. He steeled himself for the temper tantrum.
It never came. She just sat there, sipping her mineral water.
"So you say you knew," Inuyasha said, "Is that why you threw her to Yura Kaminoke? Is that why you fired her?"
"No," Kikyou said simply, "I just think she needs to get away from all of this, don't you? This is the kick in the pants she needs, isn't it?"
"She didn't need a kick in the pants in the first place. She didn't do anything to you at all."
"You're right, Inuyasha." Kikyou sighed and resumed playing with the lining of her robe.
Inuyasha had not expected such an easy agreement.
"I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with," Kikyou said, looking deeply ashamed of herself, "but I'm sad she didn't feel like she could talk to me about it. I'm her sister, after all."
Okay, who are you and what have you done with the real Kikyou Higurashi?
"I guess I deserve it, anyway," Kikyou said, her eyes filling with tears, "Losing you to Kagome is my punishment for taking you for granted in the first place." She buried her face in her hands and gave a quiet sob.
Inuyasha reached out an awkward hand and patted her on the shoulder, his mouth open in a sort of half-grimace, half-frown. "Listen," he said haltingly, "This thing with Kagome and me...it just sort of happened, okay? It wasn't-"
"Were you just trying to make me jealous?" Kikyou's eyes snapped up to his, shining with tears, "Do you actually love her?"
Inuyasha swallowed. There was a long silence.
"I'm trying to say that I love you, you moron."
"Yeah," he said finally, "I think I do."
And holy shit, it was so true.
Kikyou's eyes narrowed for an instant, then she crumpled back into tears and buried her face in her hands once again, "And I've ruined your happiness. How can I ever ask for your forgiveness?"
"Oh, don't worry," Inuyasha said, wanting to curl up and die from the awkwardness of all this but putting a good-natured tone in his voice all the same, "She and I are fine."
"You are?" Kikyou didn't look up.
"Yeah. So don't worry. You didn't spoil anything." He smiled and sat back in his chair, then glanced at Kikyou to find she was staring at him through her hands.
"Well," she sniffled, "I suppose that's good. And at least with her getting out on her own, you're free to be with her just as you please, right?"
Inuyasha nodded.
She sat back up, wiping the two delicate tearstreaks off her cheeks. "Well," she said, "I guess I know when I'm out of my league, right? Can't combat true love."
Inuyasha winced. "Kikyou-"
"It's okay," she said, looking immaculate despite just having cried like a baby, "I understand and I just want the two of you to be happy. And if you ever need someone to talk to, someone who's not Kagome or your agent, I'm here."
"Th-thanks," Inuyasha said, unsure of how to take this. This was like old Kikyou. A little overdramatic, sure, but sweet and magnanimous to a fault. Had she had a drunken epiphany last night and realized treating people like dirt wasn't worth it?
"You'd better go," Kikyou said, "I need a good long bubble bath and some me time. It's not every day you get dumped for your little sister."
"Kikyou, you and I haven't been a couple in months. I didn't dump anyone."
She simply smiled and said, "I'll see you at the LA Film Critic Awards. I'll be there as your date, just as planned. Keep me posted. I think I'm wearing gold."
And then she left him there, sitting at the table, feeling very confounded but pleased despite himself.
He checked his phone to see if Kagome had answered his text.
Nothing.
"It's just such an honor to meet you," Hojo said, "I can't believe I'm sitting with the sister of Kikyou HIgurashi!"
"Oh please," Kagome said, awkwardly waving him off and disappearing behind her menu, "I'm the lowest form of celebrity."
Hojo was cute, in a college boy sort of way, with short brown hair and a very kind, open smile. Kagome felt both endeared by his enthusiasm and repelled by it. He was young, probably right around her own age. But Kagome had been in this town over eight years and he'd been here all of two weeks.
"Oh, I don't think that's true," Hojo said, talking animatedly as he perused his menu for what to order for lunch, "I saw you on Yura Kaminoke's blog the other day. The red carpet interview for 'The Red Robe.' You're amazing!"
Please stop, Kagome thought, my thoughts are turning murderous again and I was just starting to feel better now that I'm getting a good sandwich. She simply answered with a shrug and a warm smile.
"Anything you want, by the way," she said, watching Hojo's eyes bug out at the prices of the various dishes, "It's on me. Welcome to Hollywood, Hojo."
It was weird, feeling like the seasoned, grizzled old veteran here.
When their food had arrived, Kagome thought of a good icebreaker. "So you just got here," she said through a mouthful of sandwich, tossing her long dark curls over her shoulder to get them out of her way, "Where are you from originally?"
"South Dakota. I just graduated with my film studies degree, so here I am!"
Fresh from the Midwest, full of Hollywood hopes and dreams. She wanted to scream, "RUN!"
"So you're...twenty-two?"
Hojo nodded.
Yep, just a hair younger than she was. And he seemed like such a kid.
"So you know Kikyou Higurashi better than anyone," Hojo said, "What's she like?"
She's the absolute fucking worst. She will tell you how much she loves you and needs you and then chew you up and spit you out. Everyone else is an object to her.
"Oh, you know," Kagome said, "She's a star, through and through." Good job, significantly less bitchy. Ten points for Kagome.
"I'm so excited to meet her," Hojo said, "I have to admit, I had a bit of a crush on her when I was in high school."
"Tell her that," Kagome said, "She'll be thrilled to hear it."
"You look kind of like her, too. Does anyone ever tell you that?"
Oh, for the love of fucking god.
Hojo didn't seem to notice Kagome's subtle attempt to rip her sandwich in half with her bare hands and barrelled on with the questions.
"You know Inuyasha too, right?"
Kagome hoped her gulp wasn't as audible as it felt.
Hojo looked up at her from his lunch. "What's he like in person?"
She busied herself with another bite of her sandwich, chewed, swallowed, then said, "He's a really great guy. You'll like him; everyone does when they meet him." Also I love him, I love him, I love him...
"So, I'm sure this is all top secret," Hojo said, leaning forward conspiratorially, "but are they actually getting back together? Like the magazines and blogs are all saying?"
Kagome sat back in her chair, taking a long sip of water out of the goblet-like glass. Her face was expressionless.
"For now, maybe," she said.
Kagome on the warpath is new favorite best Kagome. Also Inuyasha you IDIOT. - meggz0rz