Café

Inu-Tenshi

No character I use from Inuyasha belongs to me.

"Life... is like a box of chocolates - a cheap, thoughtless, perfunctory gift that no one ever asks for, unreturnable because all you get back is another box of chocolates.

So, you're stuck with mostly undefinable whipped mint crap, mindlessly wolfed down when there's nothing else to eat while you're watching the game.

Sure, once is a while you get a peanut butter cup or an English toffee but it's gone too fast and the taste is fleeting. In the end, you are left with nothing but broken bits filled with hardened jelly and teeth-shattering nuts, which, if you are desperate enough to eat, leaves nothing but an empty box of useless brown paper."

-The X-Files

Day 10

"Oi, Narumi, you live with Kagome, right?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Where is she?"

"Hm... Come to think of it..."

"Was she home when you left?"

"No."

Kouga and Narumi looked at each other, slightly confused by all of this. "Where's Sesshoumaru?" she asked.

Kouga shrugged. "Beats me."

As if he heard them, Sesshoumaru walked into the café... with a woman clinging onto him. She looked Narumi over, and, deciding that she was nothing to be worried about, looked away.

Narumi narrowed her eyes. "Hello, Sesshoumaru," she greeted pleasantly. "And... you are...?"

The woman laughed. "Yura."

Her attention was almost immediately brought over to Kouga. She licked her lips. "My," she whispered seductively. "Aren't you handsome?"

Kouga, apparently, didn't hear her and held his hand out. "Kouga. A pleasure to meet you."

Yura covered her mouth and giggled, ignoring how Narumi was pretending to vomit.

"Hey, Sesshoumaru, have you seen Kagome?" Kouga asked.

"No."

Yura laughed again. "You mean the other girl? You won't be seeing her anymore. Don't worry, honey, I got rid of her for you."

"What?" Narumi hissed, ready to use her fists.

"What did you do?" Sesshoumaru demanded, still speaking in his calm and collected voice.

"Oh. I fired her and the manager. My daddy would do anything for me." She looked at Sesshoumaru. "Of course, you'll be mine sooner or later...honey."

"I'm leaving," he told Kouga. "You take care of this." Sesshoumaru pulled Yura off of him and headed for the door.

"Kagome... it would be best if you stayed away from him. Otherwise..." Yura muttered.

Kagome sat on a swing, sighing. "And that was such a good paying job..."

"Well! Off to find a new one!" she said enthusiastically and jumped off the swing. "And I think I know just the place!"

Kagome hummed as she walked to a health clinic that belonged to one of her old friends. Certainly they would allow her to work there once again?

As soon as the door opened, a woman greeted her. "My! If it isn't Kagome!"

Kagome smiled. "Hello, Maria. Well... I think you can guess what I'm here for... besides visiting you, of course."

Maria laughed. "You're always welcome here. So... what happened?"

Sesshoumaru quickened his pace. Kagome was not home. Where else would she go?

She would not be at her father's company, nor should there be any reason for her to be at his father's company.

He took out his cellphone and called his secretary. "Bankotsu, find Kagome."

Currently, Kagome was organizing files and typing surveys for patients. Maria had immediately agreed to let her work part-time at the clinic. Kagome had been a volunteer worker a few years back and she had worked both effectively and efficiently. Her previous co-workers gladly welcomed her return.

"Kagome! Someone's calling for you!"

"Okay!"

As soon as she saw him, she tilted her head to the side, confused. "Um... I'm sorry, are you sure I'm the one you're looking for?"

"Yes. You may not know me, but I am Sesshoumaru's secretary. My name is Bankotsu."

"Where is he...?" Kagome asked.

Bankotsu had taken Kagome to Sesshoumaru's house after he had introduced himself. For the past ten minutes, they had been waiting for his return.

"Most likely still working," Bankotsu answered.

Kagome sighed. "Do you know why he wants to see me?"

Bankotsu shook his head. "All he told me was 'find Kagome.'"

"... How did you know where to find me?"

"I've searched for a while. Coincidentally, I saw you inside the clinic through a window."

"Hm..."

Bankotsu suddenly stood and bowed. "CEO... and... Miss Yura."

"You may go."

Bankotsu left, leaving Kagome to deal with Yura and Sesshoumaru. Just when Kagome was planning on saying something, Yura beat her to it.

"Honey, why is she here?"

"How rude." Yura was startled for a second at the tone of voice Kagome had used and looked at her in surprise.

Kagome smiled sweetly. "My name is Kagome. May I ask for yours?"

"Hmph. If you must know... Yura," she said after regaining composure.

It was like she was insignificant. The moment Yura finished talking, Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru. "Well... Sesshoumaru. What did you want to see me for?"

"We are engaged," Sesshoumaru told Yura. "Do not interfere."

Yura fumed. "Honey, where did your taste go? She has absolutely nothing womanly about her. What do you--"

Kagome was just as surprised as Sesshoumaru when her hand slapped Yura on its own, but at Yura's look, Kagome decided to throw away her kindness for just this once.

"Yesterday... perhaps my ears were deceiving me, but did you say you were engaged to be married? Sesshoumaru must have been out of his mind, wanting to marry a vulgar woman like you. Or maybe... you were the one forcing him? Oh... but of course, it must have been your father. Am I wrong?"

Humiliated, Yura tried to return the slap Kagome had given her. She didn't expect her to actually be able to catch her arm before she could do it.

"You know... I've taken self defense lessons," Kagome told her, still not letting go of her arm.

"Honey..." Yura turned to Sesshoumaru with teary eyes.

"Get out." Sesshoumaru said, narrowing his eyes.

Yura smirked. "Hear that?"

Kagome stared at Sesshoumaru. He didn't mean me... did he?

She let go of Yura's arm and walked towards the door. As soon as she opened it, it was slammed shut.

Kagome turned around, only to have Sesshoumaru lean down and kiss her on the lips. It was long, and gentle. "I didn't mean you," he said in a soft voice. Kagome was stunned.

Yura yelled in frustration. "What are you doing?"

As if they had just remembered her presence, both turned to look at her.

"Get out. Now."

Yura was teary again. "Honeyyy..."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes again, looking dangerously irritated. "Now. Before I break the deal with your company."

That shut Yura up completely. "I won't forget this."

Kagome and Sesshoumaru were left alone after that. It felt awkward to Kagome. After all, Sesshoumaru had kissed her out of the blue.

She tried to take a peek at him through her hair, but found that he was watching her intently.

Her heart sped up and pounded loudly in her chest.

"Kagome."

His voice startled her, seeming to echo in her head.

She tried to speak, but found herself stammering and looked away. "What is it?" she finally asked.

"Do you still want to continue this?"

"Continue... dating?"

"Yes."

And even though she knew that she still resembled a tomato, she turned around and smiled at Sesshoumaru. "Yes."

Note:

My computer was out for two weeks and I don't have time to buy a new one yet, so I typed this at a friend's place. She was generous. (:

The next chapter will be the last. I would say, an epilogue of sorts. When this story is completed, I am 'retiring' from fanfiction. I'm sorry to say this, but I will not continue my other stories. I will, however, continue writing.

It's quite difficult to grasp Sesshoumaru's character accurately, but if I write him in another way, it would seem strange to me. Therefore, even if I continue to write, it will not be for fanfiction, but for my own creations. That way, I would be able to describe the plot and characters more effectively. And of course, readers will understand better what I'm trying to write.

The next update will most likely be around September 16/17.

Wait for it,

Inu-Tenshi