A/N: please don't be mad at this chapter! *hides from the angry readers* If you know me at all, you know I love drama and heartache more than anything else! LOL and I warned ya'll, at least I'm sure I did, that things were gonna start going down-hill from that last chapter ahaha
ALSO! I have to share some thoughts lol When I'm writing this story, it helps me to put real faces to these characters so that I'm better able to describe what's going on for them. I've listed the Japanese actors/singers/celebrities that match my idea of what these characters might look like in real life. And this pretty much just applies to their face and general physique. Hair and eyes, especially for the Taisho men and Kagome, still have to be imagined haha Ya'll don't have to agree or like it, but dammit I wanted to share my thoughts!
Inuyasha = Kamenashi Kazuya (Fucking yes…so handsome and such a badboy!)
Kagome = Ishihara Satomi (those eyes and lips, yaaass. Especially for when Kagome gets older)
Sesshoumaru = Hideo Muraoka (Just picture it. White hair, golden eyes…that body…UNF)
Kikyou = Chiaki Kuriyama (just such a deadly beauty with perfect hair and gorgeous eyes)
Sango = Mirei Kiritani (Understated and effortless beauty, a Sango if there ever was one)
Ayame = Lena Fuji (Got the auburn hair and sweet face! I can't get over her expressive face!)
Miroku = Fukushi Sota (gorgeous and silly, of course)
Kouga = Kentaro Sakaguchi (Goddamn…his face when he smiles is life)
Izayoi = Koyuki Kato (mature pretty lady!)
Touga = Kitamura Kazuki (HANDSOME DILF)
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Chapter thirty-nine: How Could an Angel Break My Heart
Sesshoumaru's piercing eyes watched the red digital numbers crawl backwards from thirty-five as the elevator he stood inside slowly descended towards the first floor. It was a little past noon on that typical Wednesday, and about time for his lunch. A man of very few simple pleasures, there was one thing he allowed himself to indulge in; pretzel day. Every Wednesday, a man and his colorful cart set up camp inside the building's café, and prepared gourmet pretzels for the employees that worked there. Though it was no secret that Sesshoumaru could always be found waiting in line every Wednesday, no one suspected the depths of his desire for the salty treat. Should a Wednesday go by without one, it spelled disaster and frustration for the rest of his day.
Once the elevator doors opened, revealing the ground floor's lobby, Sesshoumaru took a single, long stride and he was in the open area. Fellow employees, security guards, and visitors mulled around the foyer, their footsteps echoing more than their voices. The receptionist, who sat behind a very large desk in front of a huge, black granite wall, noticed Sesshoumaru's sudden appearance and sent a coy smile his way. She was a pretty thing, with brown hair and blue eyes, but utterly boring beyond that. The stoic twenty-something turned down the hallway and followed the delicious smell of baking pretzels until he arrived at the café. Of course, there was a line forming and he stepped into place behind the seven people already waiting. However, Sesshoumaru was irritated to discover Inuyasha standing ahead of him, chatting with one of the other mailroom employees. His animated and loud voice was completely grating against Sesshoumaru's patience as he was forced to listen to their conversation.
"So, you're dating a high schooler?" The nameless boy, who matched Inuyasha in age, asked curiously.
"Yep. She's a total babe." Inuyasha bragged smugly, completely unaware of Sesshoumaru's presence only a few feet away. The older brother was intrigued; this sort of news was something the family usually knew about.
"You got a picture?" The other kid seemed eager. Inuyasha pulled out his phone from his back pocket and clicked through a few screens before tilting it towards the other. "She is cute! How old?"
"Turning seventeen this year." It sounded better than 'I'm dating a sixteen-year-old'. The line moved up as people from the front left with pretzel in hand; but Sesshoumaru barely paid attention anymore. His focus was entirely on the back of Inuyasha's head. For the past few weeks there had been a change in his younger brother that everyone took notice of. He wasn't so quick to anger and an uncharacteristic content vibe followed him wherever he went. Initially, Sesshoumaru and Touga concluded that it was a side-effect of working and earning his own money; but now it was clear that he was chasing after a new love interest, and it made much more sense. But why would he be poaching the high school for a girlfriend? Inuyasha was nineteen now and, with his busy night-life, should be going after women a bit more mature.
"Nice. How long you guys been going out?" Again, the line moved up, allowing Inuyasha and his co-worker to request various toppings and seasonings for their pretzels.
"Since earlier this month. She started school on the seventh. Hey, let's go outside and eat this. I don't feel like going back to the mailroom just yet." As if fate intervened to prevent Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru from crossing paths, the younger brother and his co-worker walked across the café towards the doors that opened out into the street. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes as he mused over the information. If Inuyasha was dating a high school student, it was safe to assume that she attended their alma mater. And knowing that she was the same age as Kagome meant the two girls were in the same grade; so, Kagome quite possibly knew who the mystery girl was. Deciding he'd ask her, Sesshoumaru redirected his attention to the pretzels baking at the front of the line.
Adjusting to school life without the boys felt wrong and utterly lonely for Kagome, Sango, and Ayame. It was similar to their transition from middle school to high school, with the three being left behind for a year. Only now it was much more painful and permanent. They still had to complete junior and senior year, while Inuyasha, Miroku, and Kouga were off being adults and leading exciting lives. Relationships were being strained and put under great pressure, making Ayame and Sango miserable to be around some days. Kagome had to remind herself, however, that she was supposed to be playing the part of someone who'd recently broken up with their boyfriend.
For all intents-and-purposes, she was a single girl. No one could know that she was in the most exciting and satisfying relationship ever, vastly exceeding what she and Houjo had shared in the years of them being together. Occasionally, Kagome found herself yearning to share her feelings with Sango and Ayame, but she always caught herself before something incriminating could slip out. Another down-side to her deception was since she was considered single, her two friends were constantly trying to push Kagome into going out with every boy who showed interest. One such discussion was going on now. They sat at their lunch table, and Kagome was getting tired of the whole situation.
"Look, all I'm saying is that William is really cute AND he asked me if you were ready to date again. I got his number. Here." Ayame reached across Sango to place a torn piece of notebook paper in front of Kagome. The youngest girl remained quiet as she chewed on the salad in her mouth, offering a noncommittal sound to her friend. They didn't seem to notice her disinterested aura though.
"I think you should text him, Kagome. You're the only one out of us who can even get a date." The tone in Sango's voice was dejected and melancholy. "I can't even get Miroku to call me back or make time to come see me. He's cheating on me. I just know it." As if on cue, Kagome and Ayame began denying the absurd notion; even though they had no proof if he was or wasn't being disloyal. Eventually, Ayame would voice the same complaints about Kouga, and the endless cycle of denial was perpetuated. The whole process was getting tedious in Kagome's opinion. When had they become such boring and depressing people?
Balancing her chin in the palm of her hand, Kagome's blue gaze stared down at her food while she pushed it around the plate lazily. Her mind preoccupied itself with better thoughts, such as what Inuyasha might be doing at work. Was he having a good day? A smile pulled at one corner of her mouth, and she closed her eyes to imagine what sort of fun they'd have tonight. He was performing at some bar, as usual, and she was going to accompany him. Wednesdays evening were the only day of the week she didn't have dance lessons, and she always took the opportunity to spend that free time with Inuyasha. After dinner with the family, Inuyasha and Kagome would leave together, not having to lie about where they were going. Why would their family question it? They all thought Kagome just needed to have fun after her break up, and that's why she went out with Inuyasha so much.
Unfortunately, they were getting careless. Unable to balance their responsibilities and a new relationship, Kagome's grades were suffering and Inuyasha's job performance was slipping. But none of that seemed to matter to the reckless teenagers, especially when they were having so much fun sneaking into each other's bed at night, then back to their own room before the rest of the house woke up.
"Kagome? What are you smiling about?" Sango's gentle voice pulled Kagome from her day dreaming. Blue eyes opened to look over at her smiling, curious friends. What did they suspect she was thinking of?
"I bet she's thinking about William! It's time you got back to dating Kagome and he's totally a safe bet." Ayame's proud tone made Kagome roll her eyes, but she kept her smile. If only her friends knew the truth. It was then that a soft chime alerted the students that their lunch period was over. All three stood up from the table and began heading towards the stairwell, along with many others.
"Look, I was thinking about my audition tape for Julliard. Madam is helping me choreograph a whole new routine for it." That wasn't a lie. As Kagome and her friends ascended the wooden stairs, she looked back at them over her shoulder with an excited expression. "I've got like five letters of recommendation from the instructors and directors I've worked with and after this semester is over, I'll have an up-to-date transcript to send as well. She says that as long as I keep my grades up, I'll be invited to the live auditions and from there I'll be their first choice." It made Sango and Ayame happy to see their friend get so animated and determined about her future.
"Yeah, well, you'll probably want to spend more time at the library then. Last time we studied, you were way behind." Ayame had a warning, almost motherly, tone to her voice as she began drifting away from her two friends. Her next class was down a separate hallway from theirs. Kagome stuck her tongue out at the jab, but then they all smiled as their paths went different ways.
"Kagome," A soft voice whispered into the darkness of the car. No response; only continued sounds of their passionate lip-lock and the rustling of clothes made a noise. "Kagome I have to go get ready." Inuyasha's voice was laced with a breathless laugh as he did nothing to fight off her eager hands. They were seated in his car, parked on the street outside of the packed bar, hidden from the unaware citizens passing by. Due to the tinted windows of his red car, Inuyasha felt comfortable with letting Kagome have her fun for a few more minutes. Ever since their first sexual interaction, she'd only grown more hungry and eager, which Inuyasha was only happy to indulge.
"You've still got a few minutes," She argued with a soft, teasing voice. Currently, Kagome was sitting in Inuyasha's lap, her body flushed against his, and her mouth latched onto the hard muscle of his neck. Despite his meager attempts, Inuyasha's hands remained firmly on swell of Kagome's waist, fingers dipping into the black leggings she wore in order to feel the soft skin underneath.
"If we keep at it, I'll have to perform with a massive hard-on." Grinning cheekily, he knew that'd do the trick. Kagome pulled back with a sigh, needing a moment to fix her hair and re-adjust her shirt.
"Fine, be that way." She huffed, clearly upset to be left to deal with her own residual desire alone. Kagome began moving back into the passenger seat, then cried out when Inuyasha gave a playful shove, sending her sprawling in the cramped space.
"I will be that way." He teased and quickly got out of the car, not bothering to help his girlfriend out of her awkward position. She instantly began cursing his name, which Inuyasha heard bits and pieces of as he retrieved his guitar case from the backseat. "Stop playing around and get out." He shouted, then shut the backdoor. Not a second later he could hear the passenger-side door open, as well as Kagome's angry grumbles.
"Not funny," She barked, stomping around the side of the car to beat Inuyasha inside. He just laughed and chased after her. In public, they had to maintain the act of doting brother and sister. If tabloids sniffed out that there might be more to the high-profile family than their perfect facade, it'd be the end of Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship. How long could they keep this up? What was in store for their future? It was easier to ignore the uncertain possibilities and to focus on how good it felt now.
Once inside, the both of them sporting a garish black 'X' on the tops of their hands (signifying that they were both underage) Inuyasha pulled her towards the back where he knew the stage was. It was open-mic night and his thirty-minute slot was coming up soon. There were comfortable couches and seats arranged along the side of the narrow bar, occupied by other's enjoying their night out in the bustling city. At first, Kagome had been anxious going to such mature places, but Inuyasha had been a great help in making her feel comfortable. He had a gentle hold on her wrist as he pushed and maneuvered through the crowd, using his guitar case to nudge people out of their way.
"Ay, after this guy's done I'm gonna need you to move." Inuyasha whispered to the girl seated at the very first couch, which had the best view of the small stage. At the moment, a man was singing into the mic to an old rock classic. The blonde girl glanced up at Inuyasha and scoffed.
"Who the fuck are you?" She whispered back angrily, triggering Inuyasha's temper.
"I'm the guy who's about to be on stage and this is my friend who's gonna sit there so she can watch. I come here every week and I have more leeway with the staff than you do, so kindly fuck off when this guy's song is over." Kagome sighed and covered her face in shame and amusement. Thankfully the blonde knew what was good for her and she abruptly left the area once the other singer's time came to an end. As soon as the spot opened up, Inuyasha pushed Kagome down into the couch and sent her a secret smile before going up on stage. The people who recognized him gave their cheers and support.
"How's everyone tonight? Ha, just kidding I don't care." Inuyasha muttered playfully as he began setting up his guitar. It was his trusted acoustic, and Kagome smiled as she noticed him become exponentially happier with everyone's eyes upon him. While the nineteen-year-old plucked a few notes, testing the strings to make sure they were in tune, he shared a few words back and forth with one of the male employees. Taking the few moments before his set began, Kagome looked around her surrounds curiously. People were talking amongst themselves, some obviously in familiar groups and others meeting one another for the first time. It was the sort of social interaction she couldn't wait to be old enough to enjoy. Kagome was turning seventeen in three months, a step towards become a true adult with all the opportunities and chances available without any age-restrictions. Suddenly, a gentle melody filled the bar and most of the bar quieted down in respect for the performer.
"Alright, I'll be playing a few covers cuz I can't write songs for shit yet." Inuyasha joked playfully, earning some laughter from the crowd. Kagome perked up in her seat and focused all her attention on him. There was a chandelier hanging just above him, it wasn't large or terribly expensive looking, but cast the striking young man in a beautiful light while the bar remained dim. "This first song is from the seventies and got stuck in my head for about a month. It's not particularly good, but I want it to get stuck in your heads too. It goes out to my girlfriend who can't be here tonight." This was a lie, of course, but the other patrons didn't know that. Kagome smiled to herself when her gaze met Inuyasha's.
It was the David Cassidy song, 'I Think I Love You'. It was a catchy tune and very easily imbedded itself into the minds of everyone who listened. Short and sweet, it was a decent warm up song to get his vocals in check and hands warmed up for much more difficult songs to follow. Still, the words were very significant to Kagome, who was torn between crying and laughing from sheer happiness. While the couple was not yet at the point of saying those three words directly to each other, it was still considered safe territory to say it through song. At the lyrics, 'I don't know what I'm up against. I don't know what it's all about. I've got so much to think about.', Kagome found herself agreeing. Was this love? She couldn't tell. It was only a month into their relationship, and it'd taken two years for her to say the words to Houjo! However, the feelings she had for Inuyasha vastly overshadowed what she ever felt for the other boy.
Inuyasha moved onto his next song, which was a slower, more subdued melody. Originally sung by the band Guster, a group that heavily influenced Inuyasha's own sound, he began singing the simplistic lyrics with the voice that always caught people's attention. 'Satellite' was yet another song describing his feelings towards the girl seated less than ten feet away. As he snuck a few glances at Kagome, trying to be as discreet as possible, he couldn't help but admire how her eyes still dazzled even in the dim light that surrounded her. There were other eyes watching her as well, but Kagome seemed completely oblivious to them. Inuyasha knew that she only had eyes for him, and he thanked his lucky stars to have been given a shot with her.
Towards the end of the song, one particular lyric required softer strumming of the guitar, drawing attention to the words. "Maybe you will always be...just a little out of reach." They were very honest words that exposed some of Inuyasha's deepest concerns. Kagome was in a class of her own, always had been, and he had anxiety that one day she'd realize they were in two different leagues. It put a kind of pressure on Inuyasha's shoulders that he'd never experienced before, and sometimes he wasn't sure how to live up to it. As he continued to play, going through a few more songs, everyone was enraptured by the quality of his performance. The bar's regular crowd knew what to expect, but new fans were surprised every time he came to perform. Towards the end of his set, Inuyasha ended with the cover of a Harvey Danger song, 'Flagpole Sitta'. It was a bit faster, more intense and emotional, and ended with raucous applause and his guitar case being filled with grateful tips.
Inuyasha stood up straight and smiled at everyone, holding up a hand to indicate his gratitude. Kagome was on her feet, clapping eagerly and looking like she wanted to run up to him. Inuyasha used his time wisely and quickly collected the wadded-up dollars before placing his guitar back into its case. With it latched and secured, the nineteen-year-old carried the case by its handle and left the stage to approach Kagome. She was still beaming gorgeously, though there was a darkness tinting her eyes that made Inuyasha shudder with desire.
"Come on, let's get back home." He whispered before dragging Kagome back through the crowd towards the entrance. Kagome watched as patrons clapped Inuyasha's back with praise and admiration. They asked him to stay and mingle, but he politely declined each offer. He could do so on other nights; Wednesdays were for Kagome. Once again outside, embraced by the chilly September night, Inuyasha and Kagome raced each other back to his car laughing and pushing each other like two young children. No one knew they did so because their bodies were demanding contact with each other.
"You were amazing up there!" Kagome gushed as Inuyasha tucked the guitar in the backseat. "I mean I've heard you practice that last song in your room, but it's so cool to get to hear it on stage." Her face was red from the cold nip in the air, and a sudden wind swept her black tresses around her face. Inuyasha caught sight of her smiling and fixing her appearance, thinking Kagome was the most beautiful creature in existence.
"Come on, let's get a bite to eat before we go home." He said warmly and opened his door to slide inside. Kagome copied him and shut her own door with a satisfied breath.
"I'd love french fries and a chocolate shake." She informed sweetly, her hands pulling the seatbelt across her chest. Inuyasha nodded and started the car, checking his mirrors before pulling away from the curb and into traffic. It was a little before midnight, which meant nothing because this was the city that never slept. Kagome, however, was a girl who very much enjoyed sleeping. Already she had positioned the passenger seat to recline, allowing her to get comfortable and shut her tired eyes for a few minutes. Smiling to himself, Inuyasha reached across the space between them to pinch the tip of her nose, shutting off her air supply. Kagome made one attempt to take in a breath and instantly began spurting and making garbled noises out of surprise.
"Don't do that!" She whined, shoving Inuyasha's hand away and turning her face away from him. The older boy was trying to maintain his driving despite tears of laughter blurring his vision.
"Your-your face was priceless! A-ha! God that was so fucking funny." Pleased with himself, Inuyasha ignored Kagome's classes middle-finger and drove the car to the nearest fast food restaurant he could find.
"So, did you mean it?" Kagome asked nonchalantly as she and Inuyasha sat in his car, parked in the garage of their home, enjoying the last of their midnight treat before needing to go inside. She did have school and he had to work in the morning.
"Did I mean what?" He asked around the plastic spoon, not yet motivated enough to look up from his phone. Kagome was looking at hers as well while bobbing her head to the rhythm of a Selena Gomez song that played on the radio.
"That song you dedicated to me had some pretty significant words…did you mean them?" She pressed further, admitting the question that had been on her mind most of the night. It made Inuyasha stiffen initially, and she heard his teeth scrape against the spoon in his mouth. He was quiet for a while, not helping Kagome's nerves. Was it too soon to ask? Had she gone too far?
"I mean…yeah." He finally replied, eyes wide as saucers and cheeks blazing red. He wasn't one for such displays of direct emotions, and it was the most she'd get from him right now. There was still quite a bit of growing up the two needed to go through, both together and on their own. Still, it made Kagome's heart flutter to hear him admit it. Smiling cheerfully, she leaned over and planted a kiss on his hot cheek.
"Cool. Me too. Let's go inside. I'm getting cold." Her awareness to make as light of the situation as possible couldn't have come at a better time. Had Kagome made it a big deal, Inuyasha wasn't sure how he'd react to the added pressure. Letting out a shaky breath, Inuyasha joined Kagome's side with his guitar in hand. She held her hand out to him, graceful fingers reaching and palm open, waiting for him to meet in the middle. The two-walked together into the dark and quiet house, entering through the back door that opened to the kitchen. To their shock and surprise, Sesshoumaru was there as well. Kagome and Inuyasha's hands fell apart just as Sesshoumaru looked at them from around the open fridge door.
"It's about time you had her home." His deadpan voice and criticism was to be expected, letting the teenager's breath a relieved sigh. Sesshoumaru was shirtless, sporting just a pair of long pajama pants that hung low on his trim waist, and his stylish hair was unkempt. "Kagome, you've got school tomorrow. Go to bed." The tone was softened only for her sake, which she responded to with a smile.
"Okay. Night, Inuyasha." Practically skipping across the kitchen, Kagome made sure to give Sesshoumaru a sisterly kiss on the cheek before disappearing down the hallway. The brothers stared hard at each other as they listened to her fading footsteps, and then the faint sound of her door shutting upstairs.
"If you two insist on her going out like this, you should at least try to have her back at a more reasonable hour. Kagome is still in high school and needs to focus on her grades." Sesshoumaru came around the counter to approach Inuyasha, folding his impressively built arms across a firm chest. The younger brother just rolled his eyes and began heading towards the hallway.
"Whatever. I'm not gonna cut my stage-time short. So deal with it." As he passed by Sesshoumaru, a strong hand shot out and pressed hard against the center of Inuyasha's chest. "Ay!" He snapped, taking a step back when he caught Sesshoumaru's hard gaze.
"I heard you at the café today, talking to that other underachiever." The words felt like ice in Inuyasha's veins. His palms became moist and heart raced irregularly.
"What did you hear?" He asked directly, voice betraying him as it trembled slightly.
"You're dating a high school student. I was going to ask Kagome about it, since she probably goes to school with the unfortunate girl, but you kept her out far too late for that. So, I'll ask you directly; who is she?" Inuyasha was both relieved and panicked at Sesshoumaru's blunt, and slightly offensive, statement.
"Kagome doesn't know shit, so leave her out of it. And as for who I'm dating, that's no one's business but my own!" Inuyasha's tone was very defensive, making Sesshoumaru's brow lift slightly.
"And the other mailroom clerk, apparently." Sesshoumaru cut in, unable to refrain from ruffling Inuyasha's feathers. It worked liked a charm.
"Just fuck off and leave me alone. If I wanted you guys to know, I'd tell you." Going out of his way to roughly brush their shoulders together as he passed by, Inuyasha made sure he had the last words before Sesshoumaru could say anything else. The only reason that tactic worked, however, was due to Sesshoumaru's distraction. On the counter, a cellphone lit up and began vibrating as an incoming call beckoned the twenty-two-year-old to answer. Who would be calling him at such an early hour? Holding the device up, dread gripped Sesshoumaru's heart, because it was a very familiar number.
"Yes." He spoke coolly, though his heart was racing. A somber voice at the other end of the line already told Sesshoumaru what he didn't want to hear, but a few moments later the words were spoken.
"Your mother, Kimi, has passed away. The orderly on duty found her when he was checking the rooms as scheduled. You are her emergency contact. I am so deeply sorry for your loss. Would you like to know the nature of her death now, Mr. Taisho?" The woman's voice was timid and sorrowful, but his remained stoic and even.
"Yes."
"Somehow, Kimi was able to tear open her mattress and pulled out one of the metal springs. She then proceeded to cut her arm from wrist to elbow. She was barely hanging on when the orderly got to her, and died before our doctors could control the bleeding. Kimi was pronounced dead at twelve-fifty-three this morning." Sesshoumaru's mouth was a thin line as he looked over at the microwave, where the digital clock read one-fifteen.
"What do you need from me?" he asked coldly, even though the world was beginning to spin all around him.
"Someone will need to tell us where to send the body and come pick up her personal items. There's paperwork as well. Our office doesn't open until eight tomorrow morning. Will you be able to come at that time?" She asked softly, trying to be as sensitive as possible.
"I will be there. Thank you." Sesshoumaru wasn't willing to listen to anything else the woman had to say. He ended the call and dropped the phone against the tiled counter, uncaring if it caused damage to the expensive device. His mother was dead. A pain stabbed at his chest, causing Sesshoumaru to bring his hand against the muscle there as it began to throb throughout his entire form. She had died alone. Something was rising inside of him, burning and causing tears to sting his tightly shut eyes. He'd failed her. Unable to prevent it, Sesshoumaru stumbled towards the drawer that hid the trashcan and ripped it open as he emptied his stomach. The normally cool and collected young man was left kneeling on the kitchen floor, trembling and clinging to the trashcan as wave, after wave, of violent nausea wracked his body.
"Touga, go talk to him." Izayoi whispered softly across the kitchen table. It was a Saturday morning, the week following Kimi's funeral, and a thick gloom still hung over the family. The death had been so unexpected and tragic, forcing those who were willing to ignore Kimi's existence to acknowledge it directly. Izayoi hadn't known how to approach Sesshoumaru with her sympathy, and he had quickly made it clear that he wanted to hear none of it. After coming back from the funeral home, Sesshoumaru had secluded himself in his bedroom. Coming out only to eat, he refused to go into work or attend his online classes, causing the rest of the family to worry.
"I tried. He won't listen. We just have to give him space for now." It pained Inu-Taisho to see his beloved son so tormented. At that moment, dinner was being served at the kitchen table. Inuyasha and Kagome were there as well, lost in their own minds and barely picking at their food. The younger brother was nervous, as he didn't know how to act around Sesshoumaru now. Everyone was walking on eggshells around the disheartened man, except for Kagome.
"I'm gonna go have dinner with Sesshoumaru." She blurted out suddenly, seeming very determined and resolved. They watched Kagome stand up from the table, taking her finished plate to the sink before making a new one for Sesshoumaru.
"Kagome, I think you should leave him alone. He'll come out and eat when he's hungry." Izayoi said softly, but Kagome just shook her head.
"He's hungry now, but won't come out with all of us down here. I'm done waiting for him to get better on his own." With a full plate in one hand, Kagome grabbed a water bottle from the fridge before she quickly left to head upstairs. Inuyasha had mixed feelings about the situation. He certainly didn't want his brother to keep suffering, preferring the man to return to the pompous ass he knew and tolerated; but he also didn't want Kagome spending all her free time nursing Sesshoumaru back to normal. It was going to cut into her available Inuyasha time! Frowning darkly, Inuyasha attacked the food remaining on his plate with a stab of his fork.
"Sesshoumaru, I brought you dinner." She spoke softly into the wooden surface of his closed door. Kagome waited a few moments, but there was no reply. "It's spaghetti. I made sure to put extra sauce, just how you like." She could hear some shuffling on the other side of the door, but still no response from him. It tugged at the girl's heartstrings to know Sesshoumaru was in so much pain, but there was another reason for her sadness. Kimi had become quite important to the young girl, and the three of them shared a special bond that no one else could understand.
"Sesshoumaru, I really miss you. And I miss Kimi. Please," She touched the door gently, as if trying to reach him through it. "let me in." Finally, the door opened and a grateful smile pulled at her lips. Kagome slipped inside and shut the door with her hip. This was the first good look she'd have of Sesshoumaru in almost five days, and the sight was not what she expected.
He looked absolutely ragged and a shell of his former self. Along his beautiful jaw, she could see unshaved silver stubble. When was the last time he bathed and groomed himself? His room was a mess and he was wearing the same clothes from five days ago. A pitiful look masked Kagome's face as she watched him return to his bed, looking utterly dejected.
"Just leave the plate on the desk. I'm not hungry." His deep voice was raspy from disuse. Kagome looked over at his desk and saw Kimi's beautiful ceramic urn sitting there. Was this all he could bring himself to do? Stare at her urn in self-imposed seclusion? Sighing softly, Kagome approached his bed and sat down on the edge, making sure not to touch him.
"I'm not going to leave you, Sesshoumaru. Not like this." Leaning towards his bed-side table, Kagome set the plate and water bottle down and turned to look at her older brother. His eyes had a far-off look to them, and he barely reacted to her words.
"I just want to be alone." He whispered coldly. Kagome shifted on his bed to face him completely, then reached out to touch his hand. But before she could do so, Sesshoumaru jerked his arm back and startled the girl. "I said I want to be alone!" Finally, there was some emotion in his voice, but it was obviously starting to chip away at the dam that held everything that wanted to pour out of him.
"You've been alone for almost a week and you only seem to be getting worse. You need someone here, Sesshoumaru." She tried to reason with him, but he was fervent in his refusal. She watched as his face broke out in a tormented expression, brow knitting together and lips curling.
"What about her? Why do I deserve such consideration? My mother was alone for years. She didn't need to be there in the first place, and staying only made her worse! She deserved so much more than to die in that fucking prison! So, don't tell me I shouldn't be alone! All I want is to be with her!" As his guilt and resentment built upon itself with every word, Sesshoumaru became louder and frantic. It was obvious that he carried the brunt of the guilt, and it was pulling him down into a dark place that was quickly consuming him.
Without thinking, Kagome crawled towards Sesshoumaru and calmly evaded his attempts to keep her at arm's distance. Tears were rolling down his handsome face, probably without him even noticing, and he was determined to continue punishing himself. Eventually, Kagome got past this and knelt between the larger man's legs so she could wrap her arms around his neck. Sesshoumaru's hands were balled into fists at his side as he tried to keep a hold on his emotions, but Kagome was effectively undoing all his hard work by simply rubbing his back and whispering in his ear.
"Don't do this to yourself, Sesshoumaru." She began softly, holding fast even as he tried to free himself of her embrace. "Kimi was sick. You can't take the responsibility for her actions and situation all on your own. I know you miss her and wish she was still here, and that's never gonna go away. But you can't lose yourself because you feel guilty." Kagome's voice began to break as his grief permeated her own body. Sesshoumaru took in a shuddering breath, his body rigid and fighting every desire to break down.
"No one has loved me as much as my mother did." At this misguided statement, Kagome felt her emotions shift from pity to anger. Pulling back from him, her hands remained at Sesshoumaru's shoulders as she looked upon him with a watery glare.
"That is the most stupid thing you've ever said! Sesshoumaru you know that's not true. There are so many people that love you and only want to see you happy; just as much as Kimi did. There's Dad and Kagura, for starters, who have bent themselves backwards to allow you to go after your dreams. Even though it meant you'd be away from them, they sacrificed so you could be happy." This didn't seem to have the effect Kagome wanted, because Sesshoumaru simply turned his gaze to the side and refused to meet her blue eyes.
"No one else has mourned my mother's passing…would they mourn me if I died?" She was losing him to the darkness that clouded his mind. The words he spoke sent a terrified chill down Kagome's back, spurring her to do the only thing that came to mind in the moment. Reeling her hand back, it struck Sesshoumaru's cheek with a resounding slap that left her hand throbbing and his face stinging. It effectively knocked him out of his depressing disillusion, forcing Sesshoumaru to look into Kagome's face with shock. A tear rolled down her cheek, but all he saw with unfiltered anger and sadness looking back at him.
"Don't you ever say that again! I wouldn't be able to handle it if something like that happened to you! If you went away and I was never able to be with you again, I would feel just as badly as you do now. And so would the others." She paused as a sob choked the words from her throat. Kagome was no longer a teenager, but a heartbroken child sitting in his lap. Sesshoumaru felt a pang of regret when he saw the effect his words had on her, and quickly brought his arms around her.
"I'm sorry." He spoke softly, drawing Kagome close as she pulled her arms around his waist. "I wouldn't wish this pain on anyone, let alone you or Kagura or father." Clearing his throat, Sesshoumaru pressed his cheek to the top of Kagome's head as she buried her face into his shoulder.
"No one expects you to handle this on your own, Sesshoumaru. You can depend on me and the others to catch you if you break." Kagome slowly pulled out of the embrace and wiped away her tears. "I'm here for you and I'm not going to leave you alone until I know you'll be okay. You have to talk about what you're feeling…but I won't make you do it now." She leaned over and grasped the plate of food before holding it between them. A fork was resting on the edge. "The only thing you have to do tonight is eat." Using the fork to coil a bit of noodles and sauce around the tines, Kagome held it up towards his face. "Eat." She commanded, unyielding even as Sesshoumaru sent her a disapproving look.
Eventually, he caved into her wishes and allowed Kagome to serve him a few bites before his hunger took over. She was more than happy to allow Sesshoumaru to feed himself, and watched as he devoured the food within minutes. Smiling prettily, she felt a bit of hope return to the situation. "Good." Taking the empty plate back, Kagome rose up from the bed. She wiped away the remnants of her tears and laughed softly. "I'm gonna take this back to the kitchen and take care of some stuff. I think you should go shower, cuz you're starting to get ripe. I'll come back later to check on you." With a nurturing and teasing voice, Kagome became Sesshoumaru's figurative mother and was bent on whipping him back into shape. He offered a crooked smile and nodded, but could not bring himself to speak. She left Sesshoumaru to his own thoughts and made her way back towards the kitchen.
Everyone else had dispersed and gone about their nightly routines, leaving the kitchen empty as she washed the plate and put it away in the dishwasher. Kagome was so lost in her thoughts, however, that she didn't notice Inuyasha coming around the corner.
"Is he gonna be okay?" He asked softly, startled by her jumpy reaction. Kagome took a few gasping breathes as she recovered from the sudden scare and smiled sheepishly at her boyfriend.
"You scared me!" Laughing softly, Kagome calmed down and took a few steps towards Inuyasha. "Sesshoumaru's pretty upset…like really upset. He needs someone to be with him right now or he'll go to this dark, scary place. I wish Kagura wasn't out of the country, cuz then she could be the one to take care of him. Looks like it's up to me." Inuyasha held back his trepidation about the idea, though he wanted to argue with her very badly.
"You want me to spend the night tonight?" He offered hopefully. It had become a common occurrence for him to sleep with her at night. Kagome seemed reluctant, however. She averted her eyes and shrugged.
"Tonight I'm gonna be with Sesshoumaru. I know he's not sleeping well, if at all, and so I'm gonna keep him company." She knew it wasn't what Inuyasha wanted to hear, but that couldn't be helped. At this moment, Sesshoumaru needed her attention more than him.
"Well, when can we hang out? I've got late shows all this week and then I'm gonna drive upstate with Miroku Saturday and Sunday for a gig. We won't have any time til Monday or Tuesday." It was clear that Inuyasha wanted time alone with Kagome, seeing as the nature of their relationship already constricted so much of their time together as it was. Still, she denied him.
"I know, and I'll miss you. Look, when you come back we'll have an awesome night together. I promise. It's just that Sesshoumaru really needs me right now. I can't just ignore him. You understand, right?" She reached forward to hold Inuyasha's hand, but he did nothing to respond. His eyes were downcast and a frown had fixed itself on his face.
"Yeah, I guess." Was his clipped reply, but Kagome didn't let it bother her.
"Can I have a kiss?" Her tone became lighter and more sweet, hoping to appease his hurt feelings. But all Inuyasha did was plant a quick peck on her cheek before turning away to go upstairs. He offered no parting words of comfort or affection, which hurt Kagome somewhat. She knew he may not understand now, but eventually he'd come around; right? Later that evening, Kagome spent her time in Sesshoumaru's room studying while he returned to his online coursework as well. The TV filled the silence with some mindless sitcom, though neither really paid it much attention. Instead, they took comfort in the nostalgic familiarity of the situation, neither needing to speak.
"What do you mean you aren't coming? Kagome you promised me yesterday!" Inuyasha growled angrily as he stood against Kagome's door. She was dressed in pajamas, but was standing at the barre at the other side of her room going through a few routine movements. It was Wednesday night, the one day in the entire week she was supposed to have to herself, and yet she spent it dancing like any other night. Kagome looked over at Inuyasha with a deadpan expression, her body continuing through the movements without her even having to think about it.
"Inuyasha, I never promised you. I said I'd try to come out tonight. I can't though. I've got Julliard and a competition I have to get ready for. You know my schedule always gets crazy around this time." It was mid-November now, and with the first semester of school winding down, her dance schedule was only getting more hectic. Kagome, now seventeen-years-old, had a lot on her plate to deal with. She'd spent the rest of September and Octover healing Sesshoumaru's broken heart. It left very little time left to spend with Inuyasha, which only strained their already rocky relationship. And now her attention had to be redirected towards studying and dance. Why couldn't Inuyasha be more patient?
"Kagome, Its been like two weeks since you last saw me perform. I miss having you there in the crowd, watching me and cheering me on." Inuyasha come forward and joined Kagome at the barre, taking her hand in his and forcing her to stop practicing. His yellow eyes searched her blue ones for what he wanted. "I'm gonna be singing some of my originals tonight and I'm really nervous. Please, just come out tonight. I need you there." He was so eager, so desperate, that Kagome found her resolve slipping away. And as Inuyasha drew her into a tender embrace, she allowed herself to melt into him.
"I miss watching you and I want to be there tonight, but I just can't. I have a test tomorrow and a rehearsal after school. I'm so sorry-" Her words were cut off when Inuyasha abruptly pulled away and turned to leave. By the way he hunched his shoulders, she could tell his temper was in control.
"Fine! I'll go by myself; as usual." He barked angrily, leaving her room in haste despite Kagome calling out his name. Hearing the commotion, Sesshoumaru's face emerged from his bedroom and he gazed at Kagome's open door with a blank stare.
"Kagome, is everything alright?" He called out with a loud enough voice to be heard, and listened as Inuyasha disappeared through the front door. She never came out from her room, but eventually shouted back.
"Yeah. It's fine." It was enough to satisfy Sesshoumaru, who returned to the confines of his room to continue his coursework. No one knew the inner-turmoil plaguing Kagome's mind. She felt so torn between the responsibilities and obligations that controlled her life. Why was it that Inuyasha's dream always trumped hers? He had hopes of attending a conservatory one day, so more than anyone else he should understand her dreams for Julliard. With anger motivating her, Kagome practices her most difficult ballet moves until her muscles couldn't handle a minute more of the strenuous activity.
"Kagome, is Inuyasha dating someone?" Sango's question was so unexpected that it caused Kagome to choke on the water she had been drinking. The two were waiting in the lounge area outside of the woman's bathroom of Neiman Marcus, both occupied with their phones as Ayame finished using the facilities.
"What? No! I don't know! Why do you ask?" Both defensive and nervous, Kagome tried to calm herself down as Sango handed over her phone.
"Cuz I saw on my newsfeed pictures of Inuyasha and some girl at the club he was performing at last night. See? He's all over her." She seemed rather nonchalant about the news, and Kagome had to do her best not to over-react at the images she was looking at. Every once in a while, one of them popped up in the local papers for one reason or another, and Inuyasha was quickly becoming well-known around the city. The newfeed was a review of his performance, but the candid images taken that night showed a pretty fan hanging on his arm, as well as the two of them kissing in the back corner. Was this for real? Sango watched as Kagome looked more shocked than anything else, curious about the strange reaction.
"What's up?" Ayame interrupted them as she emerged from the bathroom, still wiping her wet hands on the fabric of her jeans. Sango and Kagome both looked up, but their expressions concerned their red-headed friend. "What happened while I was in there?" She asked nervously.
"We just saw some pictures of Inuyasha and some girl from the club last night." Sango informed, seeing as Kagome was incapable for some reason. Ayame waved her hand dismissively.
"Oh yeah, I know. Kouga told me about it." This caught Kagome's attention and she stood up a bit faster than she meant to.
"How'd he know about it?" She asked quickly, catching Ayame off guard.
"Cuz he was there last night. Inuyasha called him up and invited him to watch. Apparently, the girl is some super-fan of his and they spent the whole night together making out and taking selfies. But Kouga couldn't stay that late and went home around midnight. Why are you so upset?" Both Sango and Ayame frowned at their clearly distraught companion. Kagome tried to laugh it off, but the sound came out mangled and awkward.
"N-no reason! Look, I'm sorry I can't stay. I've got to meet Madam at the academy for rehearsals. I'll see you tomorrow at school!" And with that, Kagome left her friends lost and confused about her strange behavior. As Kagome rushed through the busy store, texting her driver to come to the front of the store to pick her up, she tried to push down the bile rising in the back of her throat. One fight and he was in some other girl's arms! How could Inuyasha be so disloyal? She didn't want to believe it, and wished that Sango had never shown her those pictures, but the damage was already done. Inuyasha had another performance that night and wouldn't be home until sometime after one in the morning. Kagome would wait up for him though, and confront the jerk before making any brash decisions.
"How was dance class today?" Izayoi asked politely across the dinner table. She and Kagome were enjoying sushi that night, having had the driver pick it up from their favorite restaurant earlier. It was just the two of them that evening, as Sesshoumaru and Touga were kept late at the office and Inuyasha was off performing somewhere. Having such a large home to themselves felt weird, though that was mostly contributed to Kagome's distant attitude. She hadn't been paying attention to Izayoi's voice and looked up with a curious 'hm'. Izayoi repeated herself, emphasizing the words and laughed softly.
"Oh, it went fine." She lied through her teeth. Kagome couldn't bring herself to tell Izayoi that she'd completely bombed that day's rehearsals due to distracting thoughts of Inuyasha's possible infidelity. Madam Chachka had been very critical, challenging Kagome's self-esteem and sense of direction, when she caused another student to trip and fall during one of the pieces. The rehearsals ended with Kagome leaving in tears, tarnishing the professional reputation she had among the other students and further embarrassing her.
"Are you excited for the Julliard auditions? I have it marked on the calendar; just one month left!" Kagome offered a pitiful smile to appease her mother, but could not muster the same amount of excitement that the older woman had. This day had just been too much to absorb and process, leaving her rather numb and tired.
"yeah…hey I'm really tired. I think I'm gonna go to bed early. Night." After giving Izayoi a sweet kiss, something that would ease the older woman's mind, Kagome disappeared upstairs. She tried to keep busy for as long as possible in the hopes she could stay up until Inuyasha came home. The seventeen-year-old took an extra-long shower, applied a rose infused face mask and shaved her legs, plucked her eyebrows, blow-dried her hair; but eventually she ran out of night-time activities. It was only nine o'clock now, nowhere near the time for Inuyasha to come home, and already she was feeling sleepy. Buyo meowed at her from his pillow, as if to beckon her to the comfortable bed. Heaving a tired sigh, Kagome gave in and laid down underneath the covers. She absentmindedly played with the cat's soft tail while her eyes stared up at the quite ceiling above her.
"Inuyasha…" The name sounded different now. It wasn't warm and comforting, but bitter and uncertain. Kagome didn't know when she fell asleep, but when her eyes fluttered open again it was half-past one in the morning and there was a sound out in the hallway. Instantly she became alert and threw the covers away from her body. There was no going back now. When she opened her door, Inuyasha was just about to close his, and the two froze when they locked eyes. He was obviously exhausted, but Kagome wasn't letting him off that easy. Curling her finger at him, she silently demanded that he join her in her bedroom before retiring to his own. She saw him consider it for a moment, as if he had a choice in the matter, and wisely Inuyasha walked across the hallway towards her.
"What is it?" He whispered, not even bothering to kiss her or smile as he entered her room. Kagome kept her mouth shut as she closed the door behind him, then flipped the light-switch on the wall to brighten the room. "Kagome I'm really tired and not in the mood to talk." He started with an irritated voice, unable to bring himself to look her in the face. The guilt was plain to see, especially since she was searching for it. Kagome crossed her arms over her chest, dressed in a pair of cotton shorts and a long-sleeve sleep shirt.
"Fine, I'll make it quick. How long have you been cheating on me?" Right to the point, Kagome remained still and stone-faced even when Inuyasha shut his eyes and wordlessly answered her question with a guilty expression. Before he got the chance to answer, she spoke up again. "I've seen the pictures online. You and some girl were kissing at the club last night. And Ayame heard all about it from Kouga too. So don't lie about it."
"Fine. Yeah I made out with some chick last night. I was really upset and just needed…" How was he supposed to finish that sentence? In what universe was there a logical ending that wouldn't further hurt Kagome?
"Needed what? We had one fight and you go and make out with someone else. How am I supposed to trust you now?" Keeping control of her volume was getting difficult, especially with the painful lump in her throat making it harder to talk at all. Kagome swallowed around the pain and held back her tears as best she could. "I don't want to have to be with you all the time to make sure you don't cheat. That's the kind of stuff Kikyou did and I know how much you hated it." These were the words that triggered his own hurt feelings to come out.
"At least she acted like she wanted to be with me at all! You act like you don't give a shit about being with me. You're always studying, or at dance practice, or taking care of Sesshoumaru, or some other bullshit. I get so little time with you as it is, and now you make it damn near impossible to be with you at all! You act like this relationship isn't important. Yeah, I screwed up by kissing that girl; but it's only cuz I've been so lonely these past few weeks." After spilling his feelings out, in the least possible eloquent way, Inuyasha felt oddly relieved and took a deep breath. Kagome, however, was livid.
"That isn't fair. Inuyasha I can't put everything on hold just to make you happy! It's nice for you that you're done with school and getting to chase your dreams; but I've still got a lot of work to do before I get to do the same. I thought you understood that and could be patient. And as for Sesshoumaru; his mother just died and Kagura was out of the country. He was almost suicidal over it and I could not just ignore that. You can't be at the center of attention all the time, Inuyasha." Narrowing her eyes at him, Kagome turned on her heels and went to her door. "ican't be with someone who'd make me choose between my family, my dreams, and a relationship. I wanted both, but now you're making me pick; so you need to leave." She opened her door and stared the shocked boy down, unflinching and unapologetic for her decision.
"Are you serious?" Inuyasha whispered angrily, his feet taking him towards her. Inuyasha couldn't believe the horrible turn his night had just taken. Why was Kagome so ready to cast him aside after one mistake? He'd been able to forgive Kikyou's transgressions, even when they were far more egregious than his own, so why couldn't Kagome forgive his? Had Kagome ever cared about him? "This is bullshit! You don't want to break up with me!" He was hissing now, forcing his angry voice to remain at a whisper. Kagome's eyes watered up and she gave him a futile push towards the hallway.
"No, I don't. But you're forcing me to pick and I won't be with someone who does that. You also expect me to forgive you when you never apologized in the first place. You made your decision when you kissed that girl, so deal with the consequences now!" Tears were rolling down Kagome's face and she bit back a sob when she finally shoved Inuyasha out of her room. The broken look on her face made his heart ache as realization and regret sank in. The door shut and the lock turned, as if to sever any possibility of him entering her room ever again.
"Kagome, don't do this." He whispered pitifully, pressing his forehead against the surface of her door. There was no answer. It was almost two in the morning now and despite his desire to fix the rift between them, Inuyasha felt the demanding pull of fatigue. He needed to get some sleep, if only to come back tomorrow with a better plan to make it up to Kagome. As he turned to go back to his room, Inuyasha caught the sounds of Kagome sobbing into her pillow, and he felt his heart break even more. His short-sightedness and bitter temper had gotten the better of him, and now she was in pain. What could he do to repair their bond? Would she even listen?
"Mr. Taisho will see you now, Mr. Itou." A kind receptionist spoke softly in the quiet lobby of Touga Inu-Taisho's office, which took up half of the top floor of the tall building. Naraku had made the appointment a week ago, and finally the day had come for their meeting. It was December 1st, a Monday, and he entered the private office at ten that morning. Upon stepping inside, Naraku was honestly impressed with the power and influence that permeated the atmosphere. Inu-Taisho was not an elaborate man, opting for a more understated appearance than wearing his wealth on his sleeve; his office reflected that. Spacious and cold, the furniture was designed with modern and simple inspiration. There was some Japanese foliage tucked away in the corner to liven the room, but other than that, it was just himself seated behind a magnificent mahogany desk.
"Taisho, good to see you again. Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to meet with me." Naraku's deep, slimy voice seemed to echo off the windowed walls that offered a complete and disorienting view of the city below. Moving further into the room, Naraku did not take his eyes off of the older gentleman, who was rising up from his desk.
"Of course," Touga began politely, coming round to shake Naraku's hand. "I can always make time for the child of a good friend. You've done quite well rebuilding your father's business after his passing." Though Naraku maintained a cool façade, inwardly he could not contain the vehement thoughts that came up at hearing those words.
'You mean you were good friends until you stole his client base and forced him into bankruptcy.' Naraku bit those words back and walked behind Taisho towards the set of couches on the other side of the room. As they sat back comfortably, the receptionist entered with a tray in hand. She had prepared a kettle of hot water with jasmine tea steeping inside. As she obediently set the cups in front of the two men and began pouring the steaming liquid, they disregarded her presence and continued their conversation.
"What is it you wanted to discuss, Itou?" Touga sat back and crossed his left ankle over his right knee, looking very composed and in control. Naraku nodded as he took a sip from the cup in front of him.
"I think our two companies should become affiliated with one another. We each have different strengths and weaknesses, and I believe that should we merge, we could eliminate all weaknesses and be stronger together. Your client base is unparalleled and I've been met with difficulty when I try to reach out internationally, but I've noticed that your sales staff is falling behind in numbers and technology. I've recently hired a consultant who has reinvented our sales model and we're experiences record high numbers this quarter. I will share this knowledge and skill set with your sales team if you provide an avenue for my company to become global." Naraku sat back now, folding his hands in his lap, waiting for Taisho's response.
It was a logical and prudent proposition, and Touga was surprised at how much the move seemed to make sense. But did he want to associate his company with Naraku? The man was very business savvy, but there were rumors of underhanded methods used within the company.
"I'm very intrigued by your offer. I'm not ignorant that our sales have been down, but this is a company I built from the ground up and I'm not eager to merge with another business without due consideration. I'll have to discuss this with my board and legal team. Sesshoumaru is about to earn his master's degree and will be promoted to vice-president before the end of the year; so he will be part of the decision as well. Give me a few weeks and we will approach the topic again once my staff and I have discussed it." Inu-Taisho took a sip from his own cup and broke eye contact with Naraku, effectively ending the discussion from going any further. This was fine, because Naraku had something else to bring up.
"Perfect. I'll contact you sometime after the New Year then. Before I leave, however, I want to talk about our children. You know that Inuyasha has been contacting Kikyou again, right?" This caught Inu-Taisho's attention.
"Has he? I don't make it a point of involving myself in his personal relationships without invitation. Has Kikyou said something?" It was no secret that Inuyasha broke up with the girl just after their graduation a little over six months ago. In that time, the father assumed his son had been focusing on work and his music, as Inuyasha had never brought home another girl since the split from Kikyou.
"She's told me that he's looking to get back together. Apparently, he just can't stay away from her." Naraku chuckled softly, though Touga merely offered a smile. Kikyou was a perfectly fine girl from what he'd seen. She was beautiful, smart, and incredibly well bred; though there was something about her that always unnerved him. "She's been doing very well in college, but I know she misses your son very much. The only reason I'm allowing her to date during her first year of college is strictly because I know Inuyasha and trust he won't derail her progress. But this does present an interesting possibility." Naraku took another sip of his tea.
"What would that be?" Touga questioned, trying to hide his curiosity.
"If Inuyasha and Kikyou were to marry, it would only strengthen the bond between our two companies should we decide to merge. There'd be no hostile takeovers, but a joining of two families and two companies." Naraku threw the bait out there, hoping Touga would take it.
"That is an interesting idea, but Inuyasha is not permitted to marry until Sesshoumaru takes a wife first." Touga was very much a traditionalist in that regards. He knew that Sesshoumaru intended to marry Kagura, it was only a matter of timing now.
"Of course, I wouldn't dare to step on Sesshoumaru's toes in such a way. Besides, Kikyou has to finish her first year of college before I'd allow her to get engaged." A lull took over the conversation as both men mulled over all that had been brought up between them. Naraku happened to look down at his watch and clicked his tongue. "It seems as if my time is up. I'll leave you to consider everything and look forward to speaking with you after the first of the year." Both men rose up from the couch and shook hand, their grips firm and dominant.
"Yes, I do too." Inu-Taisho responded and gestured for Naraku to head towards the door. "Give Kikyou my regards. It's been some time since I last saw her." He followed a few steps behind Naraku and opened the glass door for him, holding it until the younger business man passed into the lobby.
"Good day, Taisho." Naraku offered the receptionist a creepy smile before he turned to leave around the corner. She shivered nervously and looked back at Taisho, who was still standing in the doorway of his office.
"Is there anything I can do for you, sir?" She asked politely. He merely shook his head and returned to the quiet confines of his office. There was much to consider and he needed solitude to properly think on it.