STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY: Inuyasha and all its characters do not belong to me. They belong to their rightful owner, Rumiko Takahashi. This is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended.

Title: In Pursuit of Happiness
Author: Gladiel
Series: Inuyasha
Genre: Romance, Humor
Pairing: Sesshoumaru x Kagome
Rating: PG-13
Chapter Summary: It doesn't take much for a girl to dream. After all, it isn't always that you find yourself married to some god. The power of imagination is strong, even if it's only to fabricate stories and excuses about your love life - or lack thereof.

IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
chapter five
a love story


"We need to fabricate certain events," he said. Sesshoumaru sat on a chair in the Higurashi's dining table. It was an hour since Kagome offered lunch and he accepted. Her companion and brother left the house shortly after and they were given privacy to discuss certain matters he deemed important while he sent Jaken back to his office to handle a few of his affairs. "Do you have any suggestions?" he continued, after receiving a wordless answer.

"What?" Momentarily distracted, Kagome ceased playing with her dessert fork, stabbing the fluffy strawberry cheesecake splashed here and there with red syrup, as if it was something more than a cheesecake. "Oh, yes, of course. Make a story," she said without looking at him, after which she concentrated once again on her dessert.

God help her. If she can't control herself, she was more likely to ogle at Sesshoumaru's blinding presence. After all, it hadn't sunk in that the man was merely human. At least, not yet. She was still to plan how to go about that.

Sesshoumaru watched her silently. The woman was obviously paying more attention to the lifeless, unconsumed cake than the more immediate and pressing issues they have to talk about. He was more than ready to eat the cake himself, if only to divert her attention so that they can accomplish something. Was the woman really twenty-seven? If she was so in body, she seemed twenty-one in mind. But then again, he did think she was twenty-four or twenty-five at first.

"I would appreciate it if you stop stabbing the cake to death and start suggesting a place where we could have met."

Kagome decided it was time to devour the stupid cake. "The airport?" she offered, before finally taking a bite out of the creamy white.

"Someone would have seen if so," he pointed out. When he went abroad it was always due to business - and he never traveled alone.

"Then we could have met abroad," she amended.

He considered her idea. "What places have you visited?"

"I was sent to China once. We could have met there."

"True."

"And we don't even have to relate to others how. But in any case, if asked where, we could always say we met at Guangzhou."

"I was present at the Chinese Export Commodities Fair last spring."

"That settles it then," she said cheerfully. They were getting somewhere, and she was glad for that.

"But if we were pressed for details, we will say we met each other while walking leisurely one morning."

"And you were taking a break from your business meetings and was," Kagome tilted her head a little, thinking, "smitten with me."

He arched an eyebrow. "Smitten?"

"You fell deeply, helplessly in-love!"

"That would hardly suit my character," he said flatly.

"I was just kidding," Kagome retorted. "I'm not too stupid to assume you could actually…"

"Actually what?"

She shook her head. "Never mind. That was mean of me."

Sesshoumaru was not an imbecile. He knew exactly what the woman wanted to say, but he could not blame her for it. It was not as if he treated anyone in a friendly manner, much less with minute affection. Dismissing the sudden negative turn of the subject, he merely said, "Shamian Island."

"Pardon?"

"The precise and exact location where we met."

"Oh, the Daije! Meeting at a park lush with greens and flowers would be too romantic to be true, don't you think? Really screams the theme: 'Love at First Sight'."

He shot her a glare, displeased by her lack of seriousness on the subject.

"Alright, alright, I won't press the romance issue," she muttered. "I was hoping you'd play along a little."

"If you insist on it so much, then why are you not the party who fell 'deeply, helplessly in-love'?" he asked, quoting her very words.

"It's more amusing to see you in that situation. Face it."

"Regardless of what you think, we only met. There was no relationship involved."

"How did we become lovers then?"

"'Lovers'? We merely became good friends."

"Love doesn't really suit your idea, huh?"

"It isn't necessary for marriage."

"But can't we have one wild, midnight rendezvous?"

"No," he disagreed with no second thought.

Kagome sighed. Well, there went her fairytale with a handsome stranger. It wouldn't have been bad to have a fabricated lover-like relationship with an angel that walked on land. But still, there was no harm trying. "I mean, hey, if we're getting this on the papers – if – then we might as well make it worth talking about."

"That is a most illogical reasoning."

"Wouldn't people want to ask why you disappear every night? Why so cold to women? When in the end you're only a lonely man, pining after your Japanese lover in China?" Kagome said, eyes shining with mischievousness.

For the second time he glared at her. "I am not a man to be ridiculed."

Kagome pulled herself backward. "Ridiculed? Have you ever had a joke with a person? Every time I try to get into the business of kidding around, you decide to be so sensitive about the matter!"

"I am unaccustomed to jokes," he defended himself.

"What a sad life you must have lived."

"And you lived most happily?"

"Certainly. Undoubtedly."

"You say that with confidence but did you not wallow yourself in alcohol the night before in order to forget your troubles?"

"What are you, a lawyer? How dare you interrogate me!"

"Then you admit you are not 'certainly' and 'undoubtedly' happy?"

"My happiness is not your business!"

It finally dawned on him that they were arguing over a petty subject and Sesshoumaru shook his head in disapproval. "This is ridiculous."

"Of course! That's because I am happy!"

"No. I meant to say that we are arguing over the circumstances that led us to a fated meeting. As sensible adults, we should settle this in a more civil, adult-like fashion."

"Well, you could be pretty childish," Kagome said, satisfied at believing it was the other man's fault that they had argued in the first place.

"Me? Odd I don't see the situation in a similar light."

"Alright, I might have some hand in the matter. Now let's get over the subject of having met?"

He nodded. "That was the first wise suggestion I received from you today."

Kagome stared at him. No sense of humor? She did not say anything about his obvious sarcasm but instead continued with their discussion. "And after you went back to Japan, you saw me again and we went out a little. Wait, do you spend some nights alone?"

"Occasionally."

"Well, that settles it then. We ate out during those nights."

"And finally became friends," he nodded.

"And then you proposed to me."

"Because my father insisted I marry," he said, following her train of thought.

"Precisely!" Kagome grinned from ear to ear, pleased at the story they weaved together. Sesshoumaru had on his face a puzzled expression while wondering why the woman seemed so cheerful. Was she that simple-minded to find a mere story telling activity fun?

There was a moment's pause before he finally said, "It's realistic. Somewhat convincing."

"Of course. It isn't impossible."

"But why did we marry without notice?"

"You've said it already. Your father threatened you. You merely took him seriously - not that there isn't any reason not to - so we went about it. And I didn't want something big of a wedding."

"It was your preference we were married with only a few witnesses?"

"That's right," she nodded.

"Someone will certainly question your eccentricity," he eyed her.

"And I thought you were convinced that it was not an argumentative matter," she muttered. "You realize I'm helping you save your butt here?"

"And you do realize I am paying you for this service."

"Well, no matter how much that is, I'm sure it's a couple of change compared to your precious company," she retorted. "I'm used being poor - compared to you, of course - while you are not. To forfeit you of inheriting the company, wouldn't that affect your lifestyle? I'm assuming it's too grand as compared to mine."

"Are you saying five hundred thousand yen is not enough?" he said with obvious irritation.

"No! Of course not! I'm merely implying that..." she faltered a little, and Sesshoumaru's lips twitched lightly at that, "that...I'm helping you more than you are helping me."

"Oh really? And I assume you'd be able to pay five million yen alone?"

"And I assume you'd be able to find a wife within the next three months," she challenged.

"With that I have no problem," he returned with an imperious hauteur. "There were already too many women killing each other for that post."

For a few seconds she stared at him, mouth open in indignation. "Oh you - you - you arrogant bastard! Well I'm a woman who wasn't initially looking for that position!"

"You seem to have fallen into this habit of name-calling."

"Oh, yes. I'm surprised you just noticed," Kagome replied, tone dry. "So our game of charades starts here?"

"Of course. First thing in the morning tomorrow, you will come with me to be seen."

"You know, if we pull this off, we can be stars of our own movie," she said, getting into a calmer mood.

"I am flattered by your offer but unfortunately, I must decline. The idea of working with you isn't exactly appealing."

It was Kagome's turn to glare at him. "Bastard. Wicked, infuriating bastard."


to be continued…

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry for the long delay. That was quite short and seems to be merely a filler for the story, but a significant event or two will most certainly happen in the future.

Please review!

Last edited: April 16, 2007