Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of Rumiko Takahashi's other creations.
Chapter 17
Maika gave Reiku a hug goodbye and made sure the tutor had her cell number before she walked out of the penthouse. The sickness hadn't gone away, so she had to keep her appointment with the doctor. Sesshomaru had left for work and was probably already stuck in that meeting he'd been dreading with Mr. Iwahashi, a business ally of sorts.
Maybe she should have told him she was going to the doctor today. She fingered the cell phone for a moment before sliding it back into her purse. No, she would call him if there was something seriously wrong, but it was probably nothing.
He had enough to worry about with Reiku's nightmares and their upcoming ceremony. The press had been literally hounding him so much he had finally given up answering the phone all together. It must have been a slow news week for there to be this much coverage. It wasn't like either one of them was a celebrity or anything. She was glad he had forbidden the media from the actual ceremony, but that only meant that the reception would be even more of a nightmare.
Maika laughed hollowly and halted that line of thought. She was still standing right outside the penthouse door.
"Come on, girl. You've got nothing to worry about," she told herself and continued reluctantly to the elevator.
After stopping to check out a special on kitchen supplies, to see if they had gotten any good movies in at the rental place, and to admire a particularly colorfully and creative advertisement, Maika admitted that if she didn't hurry up and get to the doctor's office, she was going to have to reschedule the appointment.
"Best to get it over with," she reminded herself, but it did little to abate her nerves. What if it wasn't nothing? She didn't know what it could be, but there were plenty of nasty things you could catch without knowing about them. Maybe it was contagious. She could put Reiku and Sesshomaru at risk.
She was still asking herself these questions as she filled out the forms in the waiting room. The nurses were kind, and since it was a facility specifically for youkai, she was able to deactivate her charm.
The wait time was unfortunately short, and before she knew it, she was perched on the edge of the padded examination table. It was rather intimidating. The way her legs dangled over the edge was like being a kid again where everything was just a bit too big for you. She literally jumped when the door swung open and the doctor walked in.
He was a short, roundish youkai with a cheerful face that reminded her of the man who owned the confection shop downtown. He had a pen behind his ear and a stethoscope stuck in his coat pocket.
"Why hello, Ms.," he glanced down at the clipboard in his hand, "Kitoku. I must say I don't get a response like that very often. Is this your first visit to a physician?"
Maika steadied her racing heart and chuckled softly. "Maika, please. I'm not one for formalities, and I guess I am a bit nervous. It's been over two hundred years since I've visited the doctor."
He grinned at her and took the pen from behind his ear to mark something on her chart. "Well, Maika, what's brought you in after such a long time? I must say you look the picture of health to me."
Maika smirked. "I'm recently mated."
"Ah, yes, such a shame," he told her with a wink.
"I started feeling sick recently. Not all the time, just sometimes in the morning and in the afternoons, and well, I'm youkai so that's just not normal. I was afraid it might be a side effect from the mating that just needs time to work itself out, but if there's a chance I might be contagious, I need to know."
"Hmmmm," the doctor said, and he made another note. "What kind of sick? Do you ache, or is it like a fever?"
"No, more of a nausea. I haven't had any fever yet, at least."
"I'm going to test your aura," he said, walking closer, but he hesitated. "What kind of youkai is your mate?"
"Inu," she told him.
"Okay," he said, taking a step backwards, "I'm going to test your aura. It's a simple thing that won't harm you in any way. You shouldn't feel a thing. All I'm going to do is examine it for the extent of your bond with your mate. His aura should be in a harmony with yours, but sometimes, due to the newness of a mating, it can cause symptoms like yours while they adjust to one another."
Maika smiled. The doctor was smart not to get close enough to transfer his scent.
"Good, just relax, I need you to be calm and this won't take more than a minute or two."
Maika did as she was asked with only a little difficulty. His words had reassured her a lot. He sat on a stool and closed his eyes. She could feel the gentle probing, like a feather being twisted through her aura. It kind of tickled actually.
"Whew," he whistled. "Who is your mate?"
Maika felt a flutter of nervousness. "Sesshomaru. He goes by Daiginkeiko Reizo now, though. Why? Is something wrong?"
"No, no, sorry, just relax, Maika," he told her with a wave of his hand. "But I guess the rumors are true."
"Rumors?"
"About an actual daiyoukai revealing himself here in Tokyo. I'd thought they had all disappeared into legend and whatnot, but well, you're definitely mated to one. I've never encountered such a powerful aura."
Maika smiled, it was nice to hear people refer to her mate with such admiration, but at the same time it worried her. "Is that a problem? Are our auras not mixing well?"
"No, no," the doctor told her hurriedly. "In fact, quite the opposite. I've never seen two auras complement one another so well. It's really quite amazing. I do wish you and your mate would allow me to study your bond. I could present a paper on something like this."
Maika laughed. "Now that would definitely not please my mate."
"No, I suppose not," the doctor agreed sadly. "Hmmmm, please wait just a moment more. I want to check one last thing. It's still a bit early, but I'm sensing something I want to examine."
Maika studied the doctor. His eyes were closed and he sat on his stool with his hands on his knees as if in deep thought. Suddenly, his eyes popped open and he laughed out loud.
"What? What's wrong?" she demanded.
"I almost missed it!" the doctor exclaimed, still smiling broadly. "That mate of yours' aura nearly overpowered it, but I could still sense it, which is a good sign since it's still so early."
"What? What did you sense? Is something wrong with me?" Maika demanded a little more harshly.
"Hmm? What? Oh, no, no, you are perfectly fine, Maika," the doctor told her.
Maika's fingers twitched around her fan. "Then what did you find?"
"Beneath you and your mate's auras, there is another newer, growing aura. I almost missed it, too."
"Another aura? What does that mean?"
"It means," he explained, "that you and your mate better get ready. You have a little one on the way."
Maika had been prepared to hear anything from "you're fine, go home," to "you have three days left to live," but something like this she just hadn't taken into account. Although, she now wondered why it didn't occur to her earlier. They had been awfully busy since they mated and not at all careful against something like this.
The doctor retrieved a cup from the cabinet and set it on the counter. "You give me a sample and we'll make this official. You can go ahead and schedule your first prenatal visit with the nurse, then you are free to go home and tell your mate the good news. Congratulations to the both of you."
Maika stood up and retrieved the cup. "Um, won't my mate already know? I mean, if you could sense it in my aura, I'm sure he knows."
The doctor smiled. "I doubt that, though I can't say anything for certain about a daiyoukai. I could barely find the aura and I'm a trained professional. You're still not very far along yet. And even with him being an inu, I doubt he has smelled a change in your scent yet either. As I said, it is still very early, and such a change is a subtle one. Since he is around you so much, I doubt he will smell the change until well after you start showing."
She nodded her head, still trying to process what she'd just learned.
The doctor winked. "Don't worry, you should have the joy of giving him the same shock you just got. Again, congratulations."
That said, the doctor took his chart and pen and left. Maika moved in a numb daze until the nurse gave her a receipt for the visit and an appointment card for the next one. She slipped both into her purse and emerged back onto the streets feeling like she had spent an eternity in there.
She checked her watch, though, and saw it was only about three. "Pregnant," she said aloud as if still trying to convince herself. Then she smiled. She couldn't wait to let Sesshomaru know their little pack was about to grow by one. He would be thrilled, she knew it. Maybe he'd even take the rest of the day off so they could celebrate.
Eagerly, she pulled her cell phone out of her purse and called his office. She tapped her foot impatiently as the phone rang.
"Dai-eiko- fice," a voice much deeper than Mrs. Toyosawa's said. The crackling static meant a poor signal, but at least she'd gotten through. Honestly, what good was that secretary if he had to answer his own phone?
"Sesshomaru, where's your secretary? I have something to tell you! I'm pregnant! Hello? Reizo? Sesshomaru? Damn it!"
Maika growled and shoved the phone back into her purse. Stupid dropped calls. There were so many times she hated technology, and all of them involved it not working like it was supposed to. Oh well, it would be more fun to tell him in person and see his reaction.
"You're pregnant? Oh my gosh, congratulations!" a high pitched voice squealed behind her and Maika found herself swept up in a tight hug. She turned and pried herself from the ecstatic teenager.
"Kagome? What are you doing here?" Maika smile was a little forced as she greeted the girl. She had wanted Sesshomaru to be the first to know, but the phone just had to cut out and now the miko had overheard.
"I was just on my way to find Inuyasha," Kagome explained, adjusting the bag on her shoulder and falling into step beside her. Maika had never met someone so friendly. "He went to see Sesshomaru today and didn't meet me after school, so I figured he and his brother were still talking. Well, since Tokyo's still in one piece, we can assume it's just talking."
Maika just looked at the girl as she laughed as if at some joke. Sometimes the brothers' past mystified her. No matter how much Sesshomaru explained, she just couldn't quite fathom two brothers hating one another so much. Even if one of her brothers had been a bastard child, she still wouldn't have wanted to kill him. Yet she wasn't born aristocracy. The upper class always did things a little differently.
"I can't wait to tell Inuyasha he's going to be an uncle," Kagome rattled on. Maika jerked to a stop.
"Um, about that, do you think you could keep it a secret for a bit? I kind of wanted Sesshomaru to be the first to know."
Kagome's eyes went dramatically wide and she clapped her hands over her mouth. Maika had to smile at that. Kagome really was a sweet kid. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I thought you had told him. No, no of course I'll keep my lips sealed until you tell him."
"Thanks," Maika said and continued on her way down the sidewalk. A passing display caught her eye, and she stopped and backed up to look at it.
Kagome noticed and came back as well. "That looks like Sesshomaru in his true form," the girl remarked when she noticed the particular item that had caught Maika's interest.
Maika started and blurted, "You've seen his true form?"
Kagome laughed. "You bet! I was there when Inuyasha cut off his arm. That was after Sesshomaru tried to kill me with his poison, though."
Maika just stared openly at the girl. Would wonders never cease? Kagome put a finger to her chin and said, "And boy do I never want to face that stuff again. I was lucky I was holding Tetsusaiga. It melted all the bones around me, even the gigantic ribs of his father's skeleton. It took a week to get all the gunk and smell out of my hair."
She must have noticed Maika staring and blushed. "Sorry, I tend to go on like that sometimes. Just tell me to stop next time."
Maika smiled, making a mental note to ask Sesshomaru about that incident later. "It's okay, you just surprise me, Kagome, how much you know." She turned her attention back to the display. It was a set of stuffed figures, white dogs. There was a male, a female and a tiny pup. Maika put a hand to her stomach. Sesshomaru often called Reiku their pup and would probably do the same for the one growing inside her now.
She giggled, and this time it was Kagome's turn to look at her. "I just got an idea," Maika explained and pulled the girl by her elbow. "Come on!"
The girls left the store about ten minutes later, flushed from laughter.
"You have to call me and give me every detail of his reaction, okay?" Kagome said.
Maika nodded. "Okay, I'll do that. Remember, though, not a word to anyone until after I tell him tonight."
"Right," Kagome agreed. "Oh, and if you see Inuyasha will you tell him I'm at the shrine? Congratulations, again."
"Thank you, Kagome," Maika told her, then they both went their separate ways. Maika smiled and held her bag tightly all the way home. She had a little bit of preparation to do before Sesshomaru came home tonight.
xxx
When Maika returned to the penthouse, Reiku was taking a nap. She thanked the tutor for staying, then hurried into their bedroom with her purchase. Smiling broadly, she wrapped it in a box and set it out on the counter. Reiku woke and stumbled groggily into the kitchen just as Maika started dinner.
"What's in the box?" Reiku asked, climbing a stool so she could see the countertop.
Maika stopped humming and answered, "Oh, just a surprise for your father."
Reiku moved onto her knees and leaned over the box excitedly. "Oh, what did you get him?"
"You'll find out when he opens it," Maika teased, laughing as Reiku pouted beautifully. "That won't work on me, hon. I'm not Sesshomaru."
"I hope he gets home soon," Reiku told her.
But Sesshomaru didn't get home for another hour and when he did, he was not in his usual suit and tie, but his casual silks from his family estate. He arrived via the window, surprising the two girls who were watching the front door like hawks.
"Father!" Reiku exclaimed, running over and latching herself to his leg. He patted her head gently and waited until she released him to move.
"I see you took a little vacation from work today," Maika teased as she smoothed a wrinkle in the silk.
He bent and kissed her on the lips, then replied, "Inuyasha responded to my request today, which saved me from another boring meeting with Iwahashi. That human has tried my patience to the limit. Sometimes I miss the days when I paid no mind at all to the affairs of mortals."
"And I think you miss them even more when you've been to your childhood home," Maika pointed out, moving him over to the couch so he could sit down, then sank down beside him. "Did you and Inuyasha have a good conversation?"
"It went much better than I expected, and he has agreed to attend the wedding," Sesshomaru explained. "Then we sparred for the rest of the afternoon. I must admit I enjoyed the challenge. So few opponents these days do that."
"Well, I'm glad you were able to work things out," Maika told him. "I still can't fully understand how brothers could hate one another so much."
"I have done many things to him, Maika, cruel and hateful things much worse than my attempts on his life. His hatred for me is warranted, and I am pleased he was able to overlook those grievances and attempt to amend things with me."
Maika idly twisted his hair around her fingers as excited butterflies stirred in her stomach. This was it. As if on cue, Reiku ran up to them holding the box.
"Mother got you a gift, but she won't tell me what's in it. Will you open it now? Please?"
Maika smiled coyly at Sesshomaru's arched eyebrow. He accepted the gift with a blank face and said, "May I inquire as to the occasion for such generosity?"
"Oh, quit being pompous and just open it," Maika scolded and tugged his ear playfully.
Sesshomaru sniffed the box as he carefully unwrapped it.
"Don't worry, it's not chocolate."
He scowled at her and finished opening the package. He then pulled the stuffed white puppy from the box and regarded it quizzically. He turned it back and forth, obviously confused by her gift, and asked, "What is this?"
"It's a puppy, of course. What's it look like?"
Sesshomaru turned and blinked at her, a rather puzzled expression on his face. "And why would you give me this? Are you calling me your puppy?" His confusion turned into a rather lustful gaze and he put a hand on her thigh. "I thought I taught you better than to think me a puppy?"
Maika swatted his hand playfully and met his gaze, "No, far from it, in fact. I'm saying you need to get ready for a puppy in the house."
Then she sat back with an excited smile on her face to wait for it to process. Sesshomaru looked down at the toy in his hand, a blank look on his face as he mouthed the word, "puppy." He stared into spaced for a few minutes, then suddenly he turned around, his jaw slack and his eyes wide.
"Are you saying…?" he began, unable to finish the question.
Maika nodded and put her hand to her stomach. Reiku grinned and clapped her hands as it finally dawned on her, too.
Maika squealed softly as she found herself suddenly swept into a tight embrace. She molded herself against Sesshomaru as he held her tight, his arms rubbing her back and his nose buried against her neck. Then his hands were on her face and he gave her a fierce, passionate kiss.
"I love you," he whispered against her mouth, not breaking their kiss.
"I love you, too," she told him, almost whimpering as he finally pulled away. His hand drifted down and hovered over her stomach as if he were almost afraid to touch her.
"I'm afraid it's too soon to feel anything yet, but it's in there," Maika told him, guiding his hand to rest against her. "I just saw the doctor today, and they confirmed it with tests. I'd been feeling sick lately, so I made an appointment thinking something was wrong with me. But everything is just fine."
"I'm going to have a little sister!" Reiku exclaimed hopping excitedly in place.
"Or a brother," Maika pointed out. Sesshomaru smiled broadly and kissed her yet again.
"Are you two hungry?" he asked. "We could go somewhere to celebrate."
"Well, I made dinner, but I wouldn't object to a little celebrating. Perhaps a movie, or just a night stroll in the city."
"Oh yes!" Reiku agreed happily. "Can we go to the Home, too? I want to tell them about my sister."
Maika laughed, and Sesshomaru smiled.
"Perhaps later, once the pup is born, we can take it to the Home for you to show it off," Sesshomaru told her, and Maika noticed how he wouldn't call it Reiku's sister. She knew he was already hoping it would be a son.
She squeezed his hand and moved into the kitchen. "Well, let's eat so we can go celebrate."
"Indeed," Sesshomaru said. "Our pack is growing, an excellent reason to celebrate."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"What's wrong with you?" Inuyasha demanded as he sat, legs and arms crossed around Tetsusaiga. He had been watching Kagome bounce around like a grinning lunatic ever since he returned from his visit with Sesshomaru.
"What do you mean?" she asked sweetly, as she completed another circuit of her room.
"I mean what's wrong with you. You've been smiling like that for hours now and you haven't asked me once how it went with that bastard. And if you don't stop that pacing, you're gonna put a hole in the floor!"
Kagome blushed and halted. Now she just bounced up and down on her toes. Suddenly the phone rang and she practically flew downstairs to answer it. Inuyasha just stared at the still swinging door and winced at the sudden cry from her brother.
"Hey, Kagome, you don't have to shove, you know!" the upset boy hollered.
A minute later, Kagome came back upstairs, an even worse grin stretching from ear to ear. This one clearly said, "I know something you don't know." How he hated that smile.
"So, Inuyasha, how did your visit with your brother go?" she asked casually. The bed dipped from her added weight, but the hanyou leaned away from her. Now he was nervous.
"Uh, fine. We talked and sparred some. I hate to say it, but he's only gotten better. I thought he'd have gone soft or something, but I couldn't lay a scratch on him."
"That's nice," Kagome interrupted and leaned almost drunkenly into him. He backed away, holding up Tetsusaiga like a shield.
"Um, Kagome, is there something I should know?"
"Guess who's going to be a father?" she said, following right after him on her knees.
Inuyasha blanched and scooted so far back the fell off the foot of her bed. "But I- we've never…How could you?"
Kagome blinked and straightened. "What?" Then it must have hit her because she blushed furiously. "Oh, gosh, how could you think…? But we've never… Honestly, try again. Who else do we know who could be a father?"
Inuyasha exhaled, greatly relieved. Not that having pups with Kagome would be bad, it was just um too soon, yeah, too soon. But who else did they know? Shippo was too young, and Kirara was female so she wouldn't be a father.
"The monk knocked up Sango?" he finally guessed, unable to think of anyone else they both knew.
Kagome gasped and put a hand to her mouth. "He did? When did this happen?"
Inuyasha frowned, now thoroughly confused. "How the heck should I know, you're the one who told me."
"I never said Sango was pregnant. I said someone was going to be a father."
"Oh, well then who did the monk find to bear his child?" She was making this too hard.
Kagome grinned, "No, it's not Miroku. You can't think of any other young guys?"
Inuyasha thought harder. "It's not that Hojo, guy is it?"
"You are hopeless, you know," she told him. "This is someone we both know. Someone you visited today. Someone who is recently mated."
Kagome seemed to lose patience at this point. "Long white hair, crescent moon, sword of life. That ringing any bells? You're going to be an uncle, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha still didn't respond, though he had already figured it out. He was just in too much shock to do anything. Sesshomaru was going to have a pup?
"But, but I just saw him today, and he didn't mention anything about a pup? How do you know this?"
Kagome giggled at him. "He didn't know it earlier either. I ran into Maika today and she had just found out herself. She promised to call and tell me once she told Sesshomaru, so I could tell you. Isn't this so exciting! Oh, I wonder if it will have Maika's hair or your brother's? I bet they want a boy since they have Reiku already."
Inuyasha groaned and fell back on the floor with a thump. "Great, so you're telling me there's gonna be a little arrogant asshole running around?"
"Inuyasha, don't talk about your niece or nephew like that," Kagome scolded. "I think it's wonderful. I wonder if they have any names picked out yet. Wow, you're going to be an uncle."
Inuyasha tried to picture his brother holding a tiny, squirming little pup. Sesshomaru was a royal pain and a killer, but he did seem rather fatherly towards Reiku, in his own warped way.
"Well, it's a good think that kid has me for an uncle and Maika for a mother, otherwise it'd get all screwed up by my uptight brother," Inuyasha said. He couldn't help but smile as an image of himself playing with the little pup came to mind. "Yeah, I'll make a great uncle. Teach the pup all sorts of ways to prank Sesshomaru. Put honey in his hair, chew on that fur, put curry on his food."
"I don't know if you could call that being a great uncle, Inuyasha," Kagome pointed out. "And you better watch out. That could backfire. Sesshomaru could teach his kid how to prank you, you know."
"Keh," Inuyasha retorted. He knew he would be the best uncle ever, and already he was filing away brilliant schemes for later use.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mrs. Toyosawa was sulking. She was fairly good at it, too. Many years of wallowing in self-pity and harboring a general dislike for the world's population had seen to it that she was a near expert.
Life just wasn't fair. Faithfully, untiringly, she served him, worked for him. She had been something, too, before she came to work for Daiginkeiko. She worked at a law firm, with an assistant and secretary of her own. But then he had come along—with that long, exotic hair, those hard, cold eyes that could be so intense and void of emotion at once. Those pale, beautiful features even a woman would envy.
Her employer at the time had been one hard-assed, no-nonsense lawyer. He would crush the poor, rich, ill, and healthy alike in court without batting an eye, yet he had seemed like a fumbling child in comparison to the suave, cold, calculated manner of Daiginkeiko. In a matter of minutes, Daiginkeiko had had her employer in a cold sweat as he deferred like a beaten mutt to Daiginkeiko.
She had been standing in the doorway, holding a stack of files, when she witnessed the incident. And then Daiginkeiko had turned to go in a swirl of silky hair and movements so graceful and smooth it was sinful. Her heart had been pounding and she had a sudden, instinctual need to flee, as if she had just found herself in the path of the most deadly of predators. Gods, he was beautiful!
He paused and met her worshipful gaze with one of bored disdain. "Move, you are in the way," he told her in a deadpan voice that made her knees feel weak.
She had complied. There was no other choice. When this man told you to do something, you did it. The files fell forgotten to the floor and she found herself running after him. She ignored the cries of her current employer, and snapped an impatient, "I quit!" over her shoulder.
The elevator closed just as she reached it. She cursed and turned to the stairs. This man could not get away. He was fast. He managed to stay just out of her reach until he arrived at his own office. Then he had stopped and turned to wait for her as if he knew she had been following all along. His cold eyes regarded her with mingled curiosity and something older and almost wistful, like he was seeing someone else when he looked at her.
Mrs. Toyosawa stumbled to a stop and just looked at him, waiting for her breath to return. As soon as she could speak coherently, she said, "I, sir, I was wondering if you needed a secretary? I am the best there is. I have credentials from the finest schools and have an impressive resume, if you would do me the honor of allowing me an interview."
She followed this with a deep bow. He seemed the type to expect the respect and deserve it. He had stared at her for the longest time, then turned and went inside the building without a word. He paused just inside as if waiting to see if she followed, which of course she did. People paid her no mind as she scurried after him. Finally, he led her to an office with his name, Daiginkeiko Reizo, written in gold letters. There was an empty desk sitting outside, fully equipped with a computer, phone and all the little things a secretary needed.
Without turning to look at her, he said, "If you make it through the day, we shall talk salary and benefits. If I am displeased for any reason whatsoever, I will send you away and never wish to lay eyes on you again."
And here she was, ten years later. That had been the first of many threats from the mystery known as Daiginkeiko, and she had survived them all with loyal, if a bit imperfect service. And he paid her well. No other businessman kept their secretary so well, but it took every penny sometimes to keep up with his eccentric behaviors. Ten years and she had thought she knew him better than any—until recently.
First it was the little girl. She had really made a mess by chastising the child he had adopted as his own. She had feared for sure he would have sent her packing over that, but so far he hadn't. And today the incident with his brother. His brother! Ten years and he had never confided in her that he had a family. How did she get herself into these messes? Mrs. Toyosawa had no doubt whatsoever that Reizo would fire her without batting an eye, tenure or no.
There had to be some way to get back into his good graces. Something she could do to remind him what a good employee she'd been all these years. Working up the nerve, she went over and knocked on the office door.
"Mr. Daiginkeiko?" she called, when she got no reply.
Still no answer.
Used to his slipping out unseen, Mrs. Toyosawa relaxed and opened the door. As expected, it was empty, but the mess on the desk nearly floored her. Brother or not, Daiginkeiko would kill whoever made that mess. A smile curled her lips. And reward whoever cleaned it up.
Pleased with her brilliant idea, Mrs. Toyosawa went to work. She lifted all the mingled photos, papers and files and carried them all out to her desk, so she could still take messages. She sipped from her cup of water and set to work sorting out the finished and unfinished, the photos from the business papers. And then there were the personal files on his adoption of the girl and the wedding he was planning. Yet another sore spot for her only slightly lessened by the extremely beautiful invitation she had received in the mail.
Several of the pictures must have been hidden inside the frames because there were far more pictures than frames to put them back in. Unsure of which picture went where, she put those aside. Why he had so many of himself in that costume and why he kept those hidden, she would never know. But that could be debated later. Now she had to make a quick trip to the little secretaries' room.
Which was why a still fuming Mr. Iwahashi found an empty desk when he went to speak with Daiginkeiko. Leaving a meeting to go play with his brother—an insufferable insult! That young man had more arrogance than was good for any one person, and Iwahashi was sick and tired of deferring to the little snot. The man was ruthless and vicious—he had to have a skeleton or two in his closet, if you knew what to look for.
Mr. Iwahashi was relieved the annoying secretary was out for the moment. The less he had to see of that horrid woman, the better. He stormed over to the door to pound on it, only to have his courage and rage quickly dissipate. Young upstart or not, Daiginkeiko was scary. Iwahashi shuddered. Sometimes, those eyes didn't even look human.
Finally, he managed to lift a hand to rap his knuckles on the door, but it groaned slightly and swung inwards a few inches. Mr. Iwahashi held his breath. Had Daiginkeiko known he was standing there? The man shook himself and mentally chided his own foolishness. The young man was just good at business, not psychic. Acting more boldly than he felt, the man pushed the door open further and cleared his throat.
The room was empty. Confused, he turned to go, when something colorful on the secretary's desk caught his eye. He made one cursory glance to make sure no one was around, and moved over to look at what appeared to be the entire contents of Reizo's desk scattered out here. The colorful item turned out to be a stack of photos. Some, in frames, were of a young girl in an old-fashioned kimono.
Probably the kid he adopted, Mr. Iwahashi reasoned.
But beneath those were more without frames. They had the same girl in the picture and what must have been Daiginkeiko, only he was dressed as oddly as the girl and had white hair and weird tattoos on his face. Was the man in some cult maybe?
Mr. Iwahashi glanced around once more, then slipped the photo into his jacket pocket. This meant something, he was certain. If not, Daiginkeiko wouldn't have taken the precaution to hide it. He thumbed through a few of the papers nearest the photos and nearly cut himself on them when he saw the mention of marriage.
"So, Mr. Ice and Steel has finally found a girl who wants his money bad enough that she's willing enough to put up with him," Mr. Iwahashi remarked to himself. "Maybe a good fuck will loosen him up some. Wouldn't hurt him, at any rate. I wonder who the bitch is?"
He wasn't expecting an answer, so when the phone gave a shrill reply, he nearly jumped over the desk. It rang again, and he had to chuckle at his own jumpiness. He looked around and still saw no sign of the secretary so he picked it up and lifted it to his ear.
"Daiginkeiko's office."
A young woman in a near breathless voice with a poor cell phone connection answered, "Sesshomaru? -ere's your sec-ary? I—tell-" There was a lot of static, then the line went dead.
Mr. Iwahashi lowered the phone to the receiver and stared at it as though it were a poisonous snake. It could have been a wrong number, but the girl was expecting a secretary, like Daiginkeiko had. And he was getting married, so a call from a young woman was a possibility.
He grinned broadly, feeling much like a kid in a candy store. Daiginkeiko was hiding something. He would find out about the photographs and the name Sesshomaru. If this was as good as it was promising to be, then perhaps he would soon have the mighty Daiginkeiko cowering before him and pleading not to be exposed.
What he needed now were a few answers. And he knew exactly who to ask.