ONCE AND AGAIN
By Jodie-chan
Chapter 4 Let Go, Breathe In and Move On
Five years later…
Inuyasha is still lying in the bed, snorting peacefully when the phone rang. He didn't even stir in his sleep when the answering machine recorded the incoming message, "I died yesterday, so just leave a message, if I comeback to life I'll call you back…. beep sound "Hello Inu honey, it's me Kikyou, just want to ask you a favor…you remember the bracelet you gave me on our anniversary last year, the one with rubies on it? I kind of misplaced it, I look all over my luggage and I can't find it, it's one of my favorite, you know. Can you look for it, in the closet, under the bed or in the bathroom? Wherever just look for it ok, I can't come home tonight, we'll go clubbing. Don't wait for me; I'll be home in the morning. Bye!"
After a few more minutes Inuyasha is already up. It is a warm Sunday morning; he'd taken a bath, ate his breakfast and read the newspaper before checking the answering machine for new messages.
He already got Kikyou's message that earned a mouthful of cursing from him. Telling his self that his wife only remembers him when she's asking a favor not even bothering to ask if he's still alive or dead.
He still did what she said and look over the bedroom to find the bracelet that is so precious to her. While looking in the closet over the pile of her clothes, he noticed something underneath. He pulled it out and saw a foil pack of pills.
When he saw it, he's blood boiled, he fisted his hands and crumpled the whole pack. He clearly remembered what Kikyou told him, two months ago. They had a fight that day but she agreed to stop taking the pills so she'll be able to get pregnant and they can start to build a real family. He was so happy that day, thinking that there is still hope in their failing relationship…but now what he discovered has shattered every hope he has to build his dream, a family… a complete one.
It's morning and he waits patiently for her to come home. He's just sitting in the couch, he already packed everything he needs, his luggage laying on the floor when he heard the car pulling over the garage. The clock's ticking and so are her shoes on the floor. He's looking down and he heard her speaks.
"Morning hon! Business trip?" He looked at her with a scowl, anger evident on his face. She's pointing a finger over the luggage on the ground. He shook his head and looked at her intently. The moment of truth has come.
"Here's the bracelet you've been looking for I found it in the closet…" His voice was cold and sends shivers down her spine.
"You're visiting your mom?" She said calmly and walks over to Inuyasha taking the bracelet from his hand.
"No…I'm leaving Kikyou…" He stood and walks over to his luggage to pick it up when Kikyou caught his left arm.
"What do you mean you're leaving?" Her brows furrowed in confusion, eyeing his every move. He pulled something in his pocket and handed it to her. She gasped when she saw what it was. Blood escaped her narrowed expression for a moment but recovered quickly in a span of a minute.
"What a pathetic excuse Inuyasha!" She glares at him trying to push guilt and nervousness that engulfs her.
"Pathetic excuse? Do you know what you're talking about Kikyou? Do you know how I felt when I saw those pills? You agreed to me two months ago! You said you'll stop taking those pills and you God damned lied to me!" He bursts out his anguish. His towering over her, his face was red in anger and he's clenching and unclenching his hands as if ready to strike any minute.
She's gaping; she has never seen Inuyasha that angry. She doesn't want to admit to herself but she's afraid too. She wouldn't let him have his way; she can always control him…that's what she believes.
"I told you before, I'm not ready!" Her hands on her hips, she's trying to fight back with same anger in her voice.
"Damn it Kikyou, it's been 5 years and still not ready! Keh! I already waited too long and I had enough! I'm sick and tired of this game, I'm going back home!" His voice is mocking her and she will never let him win.
Her eyes soften and tears are starting to pour from it. She covered her face and cried harder. For a while Inuyasha was caught off guard but he's ready. She can't pull her acts anymore.
He starts to walk over his luggage picking it up when he felt arms encircled his waist. "Inuyasha, you're not serious aren't you? We can still talk this out and start again." He untangled her hands on his waist and turned to face her.
"Too much damage Kikyou…it can't be fixed anymore" It's not easy for him too, he has to leave before she melts him again. "When I get back in Tokyo, Atty. Hirigizawa will send the divorce papers to you. We already talk so you can just ask your lawyer to talk to him."
She stared at him, shock written all over her face, then he felt her hand on his face. slap His face turned slightly due to the impact of the slap he received from her. "Bastard! You can't do this to me!" She's back in her normal self again.
"Why can't I?" He snorted and crossed his arm over his chest regaining his composure.
"On what grounds! You can't use your pathetic excuse to divorce me because that's a normal thing for women!" She fights back, word for word, glare for glare.
"Keh! My lawyer can take care of that for me. That's why I'm paying him, it's his job." His sense of reason is breaking every possible way she has to turn him down.
"Maybe you just want to get rid of me because you're womanizing!" She's desperate and she's freaking out, she can feel that she's losing.
"Don't ever accuse me of something I never did! I may never be a perfect husband but I never cheated on you! Don't stop me anymore! I'm leaving now!" He stomps towards the door carrying his luggage when he saw a porcelain vase hit it before he can even pass.
He looked over to see a hysterical Kikyou throwing everything she grasped towards his direction. Good thing he can dodge every hit.
"You asshole! You can't do this to me! You can't leave me! I'm your wife bastard!" She's in rage, her tears and mascara smudged her face and her voice is squeaking.
"Go on! Smash everything you reach! The law is on my side anyway." He continues on his pace but turned around again to face her. "Why don't you just take an audition in Holywood, you'll probably have a good part in a film…you're a great actress Kikyou, you might win an Oscar award. Put that talent of yours into use." He smirked and his voice was filled with complete sarcasm.
"Fuck you! Get out! Go back and crawl to your mother's skirt for all I care!" She shouted back on him in full force.
"I've been trying but you wont let me…just don't forget to sign the divorce papers." He shrugged and resumes his track.
"I'm not signing anything! You can't get rid of me that easily! I swear!" Her voice didn't leave the same level of anger she has a while ago.
"Is that so? Ok…see in you in court Kikyou…goodbye." He managed to calm himself at least before he left…she had been part of his life too.
He walked out of the house he lived in for 5 long years…leaving every painful memory. Miroku's waiting in his car, they have a flight to catch. "What took you so long? I almost fall asleep here, you know."
"I had just been watching a very dramatic and touching scene…" he trailed off.
Tokyo, Japan
"It's nice to be back…" Inuyasha said stretching his arms over his head while waiting for their driver to fetch them in the airport. He called his mother after they arrived at Narita Airport. She didn't seem surprised that he's back and she sounded really happy…no…she's extremely happy.
"Yeah, I miss all the pretty girls here too…"A grin creeping up Miroku's face.
"There you go again Miroku, as lecherous as ever?" He rolled his eyes and made a face.
The driver didn't take too long. He dropped Miroku on his old condo that's being occupied by his cousin.
Her mother greeted him with a smile from ear to ear. He hugged and kissed his Mom; he really missed her after all.
"Oh my baby…look at you, you never seem to grow old, you still look as young as ever… not a 27 year old divorced man." She said still smiling on him with a glint of mischief in her eyes.
"Not yet Mom, it haven't been settled." He snorted remembering what just happened between him and Kikyou.
"I knew it even before, it will come to this Inuyasha. It just took you 5 years to realize it didn't you?" She led her son to his room…his old room.
"Now all you have to do is rest, I'll call you later for dinner, you must be really tired from the flight and everything." She exited his room and he tried to rest and sleeps in order to forget all the troubles he had and will have. He knew that Kikyou would never give up easily. Thankful that he listened to his mother before the wedding that he and Kikyou should sign an agreement that neither of them should share their wealth, in other words, there are no conjugal properties to split. At first he was not in favor of it but his mother insisted, and Kikyou agreed, her pride was more important to her, besides she's equally rich like Inuyasha's family.
The next day, his father demanded an explanation from him. He tried his very best to convince his father that he was reasonable enough to divorce his wife. At first he was still disapproving, but in the end he manage to make his father understand him and his situation.
"I guess we can't do anything about it anymore, can we?" His father sounds exhausted after an hour of argument with his son. They're sitting in the study room where they talk about family matters privately out of earshot of the helpers in the mansion.
"We can't stop the inevitable…" His mother stood up and headed to the door, Inuyasha followed his mother but his father spoke again.
"Ahh Inuyasha, since you're staying here for good…I want you to handle the Advertising Agency, your brother has a handful in our import/export business and I'm tired. I will be retiring this year. Didn't your mother tell you?" His wife made a face and he smiled and winked at her. Inuyasha sweat dropped.
"Ahh, yes dear…your father will be retiring and we have plans to go on a cruise vacation. We've been planning this for quite sometime now, and since you're here already, it's a great timing.
"Yeah right…as if I have a choice." He snorted and smiled at them. His parents were sure old enough but never they lose the fire and romance in their relationship. How he wished the same for himself…
Takagi Advertising Unlimited
"Kagome-chan, how does it feel to be a newly promoted Junior Creative Director huh?" Sango nudged her best friend while handling her a file of folders.
"Well…you know Sango-chan,I was really scared because I have lots of responsibilities now. This is very different not like before, being just a staff of the Creative Department, I'll just contribute ideas and brainstormed with the others, now I have to think all by myself, well not actually but mostly it should be entirely my ideas and concepts. It's just heavier…I guess. But I'm happy, especially I get to have a raise." She giggled and winked to her.
"Have you heard about the new president? I think he's coming today. Nanami said he's the youngest son of Mr. Murasaki Takagi…I wonder if he's as strict as Mr. Smith." Sango stated while looking up the ceiling.
"If he's the son of the owner, he's probably a good person, a gentleman. I've seen the old man before in some meetings and I think he's really nice. We can hope his son is…" Kagome gave Sango a reassuring smile and gets back to work.
"Kagome-chan, I'm going down the lobby ok. I'll give some appointment schedules to Nanami." She waived to her and headed to the elevator.
Kagome is sorting files in her table when she noticed that the file folder she's looking for was gone. "Where is that folder?" And then she remembered that Sango might have taken the file with her accidentally. She wasn't back yet. "Oh crap, what's taking her so long?" she muttered to herself. 'I should go down now', she thought for a moment and headed to the elevator.
There are two men in the elevator, checking and fixing some wiring in the button pad.
"Uhhm, excuse me? Is there a problem in here," she asked politely to the two men.
They both looked at her in unison. "Yes ma'am, the elevator broke down, so you have to take the stairs, but if you can wait for 30 minutes…" She didn't wait for the man to finish.
"No thanks, I think I'll just take the stairs." She smiled to them before turning and headed down the stairs.
"Ok Kagome, this is just an exercise…Oh crap, I'm in the 10th floor, sigh better do this now…arrggh, it's your entire fault Sango-chan," she muttered to herself and starts to race down the stairs.
Ground Floor Lobby
Inuyasha is waiting impatiently to Miroku. He's standing in the lobby near the front desk area. All the employees and people passing are looking at him curiously while the girls are turning their heads towards his direction and drooling. Who wouldn't be, a long silver haired guy, with flashing golden eyes, clad in an expensive Armani suit, looking as handsome and gorgeous like a celebrity.
Sango nudged Nanami, the receptionist, who is now drooling all over Inuyasha. "Who's that guy, Nanami?"
"Him?" She looked at Sango with dreamy eyes. Sango only nods. She looked at the logbook where he signed in. "Ohh it's here, his name is Inuyasha Takagi."
Sango only gasped. "Why Sango?" Nanami asked innocently.
"He's the youngest son of Mr. Takagi, our new President." Sango trailed off. Nanami was dumbstruck. Sango walks over to Inuyasha and gently tapped his shoulder.
"Excuse me Sir, you must be Mr. Takagi's son, Inuyasha Takagi, the new President of Takagi Advertising Unlimited." He just looked at her knowingly with his brows furrowed. "I'm Sango Taijiya, Executive Assistant for the Creative Department." She held her hands to him, and he shook it.
"Sir if you want to go up now, you can take the stairs, I can show you the way." He's not looking at her and she's a bit ticked off. 'Jeez this guy is such a jerk, I wonder how could Kagome think he would be nice…but who knows?' she thought for a moment before he saw another guy coming their way. He's in a suit too; his hair in ponytail and his eyes are dark. She's just staring at him when he noticed her and smiled a very meaningful smile.
"Ahh, my lady, you have such a great beauty…" He clasped Sango's hands to his and she blushed, "Can you please…bear my child?"
slap Inuyasha looked at the source of a slapping sound. 'Looks like Miroku's here', he thought to himself.
"What took you so long?" He smirked at him.
"Traffic?" he grinned. Sango looked at both of them. She was still furious of the perverted man.
"You know him Sir?" she asked curiously and glared at Miroku.
"He's my Executive Assistant. Keh! Looks like you just had a dose of your own medicine huh Miroku." He snorted while eyeing his friend who's caressing his face with red handprint on it.
"Let's go now, Miroku." He starts to head towards the stairs when Miroku spoke. "Let me just rest for a while Inuyasha, besides there are eyeful of beautiful women here." He turned to look at Sango and grinned but she only gave a death glare.
"Keh! Can't you see, the elevator's not working!"
"Go on Inuyasha, I'll just follow ahead," Miroku said with a wink to his friend.
"Keh! Pervert." he mumbled to himself.
Kagome's in the 3rd floor now, she doesn't look good anymore, she's pissed already, panting and sweating heavily. "Two more floors, two more floors…" she keeps chanting to herself. She feels a little dizzy. Racing down stairs of a 10-story building is not a joke. She hasn't noticed that somebody is on her way. She wasn't paying attention much when she reached the curve of the stairs…she bumped into someone. The impact was strong so they stumbled together and rolled over the stairs, landing on the 2nd floor with a heavy thump.
The man was on top of her; he landed on her chest, her legs tangled on his own. The position they ended up to wasn't a descent one.
Her eyes were closed, she bumped her head a little and she felt that something heavy or rather someone is on top of her. She slowly opens her eyes and saw the most amazing golden eyes she'd ever seen, staring down at her intently.
He blinked, one, two, three, four times. He's looking directly at those two enchanting blue-gray pools below him, but he was suddenly struck by a memory…
"Kik…Kikyou?"