To Dance with the Devil
If there was anything Kagome learned it was that when one danced with the devil, they never won; even if the so-called devil was their husband, notorious and elite gangster, Takahashi Inuyasha. Too bad Kagome was stuck with him, till death do them part.
.xx.
To Dine with the Devil
The limousine ride was painstakingly quiet; Kagome sat on the opposite end of the backseat and had her eyes glued out of the window. Inuyasha, with utter amusement, sat in the middle of the backseat and maintained a conversation with the driver (Kagome learned his name was Ginta), and another man (Kagome learned he was Kouga). As predicted their conversation consisted mainly of who they killed, which mission was ongoing, something about Inuyasha's business, and a 2.479% increase in their gross annual sales.
Everything prior to the increase in gross sales went to deaf ears for Kagome. Her attention zoned in on how much profit that asshole made. I'm pretty sure 2.479% is equivalent to 9 million yen... so maybe I can persuade him to forgive my father and we can all resume life as it was before daddy's lapse of sanity.The thought, despite being her own, Kagome knew was farfetched. The kingpin could quadruple his sales and still claim that Kagome's father is required to pay back his loan… there was no winning with people like Inuyasha and Kagome knew, deep in her heart, that resisting and fighting was simply futile.
"Penny for your thoughts, Kagome?"
Kagome blinked a few times and turned to gaze only to find that his ochre eyes were glued on her.
Studying her.
It sent a surreal shiver to course up her spine.
"I doubt a penny would be of any use to you, Mr. Takaha—"
"Inuyasha." He cut her off rather curtly. "Must I keep asking you?"
Kagome drew a sharp breath and hesitated for a moment before completing her statement: "Inuyasha."
His name felt foreign to her lips. Inuyasha smirked and slouched a bit further in to the leather cushiony seats of his limousine. "It wouldn't," Well, that was very humble of him. Not. "But I still want to know what you're thinking."
"I thought you were a mind reader."
Her swift and witty responses kept him on his toes and Inuyasha found it very refreshing. Very rarely did he find a woman that would intellectually keep him stimulated. More often than not, women in his life kept him stimulated in other ways, but it had been a long while since that happened as well. The proposition that he was going to present to Kagome over lunch began to excite him; he loved clever retorts and witty banter. Too often was Inuyasha thrown in to the role of businessman, criminal, and gangster all in one. Conversing with Kagome reeled him out of the world he had grown so familiar with, and threw him in to a world he wanted to familiarize himself with.
"I am. When I choose to be." He added the latter as an afterthought and flashed Kagome a smirk. The girl sitting before him bit her lower lip and turned to look out the window once again.
It took Inuyasha a lot of willpower to not laugh at her expense.
"So… about what was on your mind?" He pressed when he realized she wasn't answering. As if the heavens parted and a ray of sunlight beamed directly on to Kagome, Kouga announced that they arrived at their destination giving Inuyasha the distraction that Kagome desperately needed. Without waiting for the driver to, politely, hold her door open for her, Kagome cranked open the limousine door and scrambled out of it. The close proximity with Inuyasha was making her feel lightheaded. He exuded an aura of confidence and pure masculinity, yet personified fear and death at the same time.
It was a deadly combination and Kagome was seriously beginning to question her father's mental state for entering in to a deal with, who Kagome was going to refer to as, the Devil.
Kagome pushed the limo door shut and, slowly, approached Inuyasha to get a better view of the restaurant he took her to.
Basil
Kagome raised an eyebrow. This restaurant is named after an herb…? If Inuyasha was an old friend, colleague, or family member Kagome would've bombarded him with a plethora of sarcastic quips of the unusualness of the restaurant name. Alas, he was none of the above and had the potential of dismembering, maiming and or killing her and Kagome wasn't fond of any of those options.
She liked being alive.
"Shall we?" Inuyasha extended his arm to Kagome.
Kouga was leaned against the limousine Ginta, watching the interaction unfold. Ginta leaned towards Kouga and whispered: "Does he normally have such manners?"
Kouga shrugged. "Beats me. I've never really seen him talk to women before. Up until last year I used to see them leave his room but that stopped too."
Making a face, Ginta turned back to Inuyasha and Kagome to see her, hesitantly, loop her arm through his. Inuyasha began escorting her into Basil and, what happened after, was left a mystery to Kouga and Ginta.
"Wanna drop by the shooting range?" Ginta offered and Kouga grinned.
"Do I? Let's go! Maybe Miroku wants to join too…"
.xx.
The fact that Inuyasha requested his usual private table gave Kagome the impression that he came to Basil on the regular.
Probably with his concubines.
"I switched my mindreading ability back on and, to answer your question, my nephew Shippo loves this place. We have a weekly tradition on Sundays to come here, just the two of us. An old family friend owns a chain of these restaurants."
Kagome could do nothing but gawk at Inuyasha. Does he really have mindreading abilities?! I am so confused…
The deep rumbled that sounded from him caused Kagome's hairs to stand on end. "You must learn to control your expressions, Kagome. You're an open book… in case you weren't aware."
I'm aware now. Thanks.
The walk from the front desk to their private table took a whole thirty seconds. Inuyasha held Kagome's chair out for her and she, daintily, took her seat. Inuyasha took his seat and loosened his tie a little bit; Kagome hadn't even realized he wore a tie. If he were anybody else she would've gawked at how goddamned beautiful he was: perfectly imperfect silver hair, a masculine face accented by a strong jawline and unnatural ochre eyes, and a faint scar that outlined his left jaw, trailing from his cheek to just behind his earlobe. But because he was an asshole that was out to ruin her life, even if he was Adonis claiming that her presence in his life would complete him, she would still think he was uglier than a dry toad.
"Would you rather pleasantries, or to get down to business?"
That was odd, coming from Inuyasha, Kagome thought. She figured he would take the wheel and give her a speech of what her father did wrong and now she had to atone for her sins et cetera, et cetera. He probably wanted her to say 'business' so she threw him a curveball.
"Pleasantries."
The way he raised his eyebrow rose made Kagome feel that she chose the right option.
"Very well. You're a jazz teacher?"
"Yes." Stay curt. One word answers.
"But you wanted to go in to the field of feudal archaeology, no?"
His question sparked something within her and in a split second her eyes were aflame with rage. "If you've done such intensive research, Mr. Takahashi, then why bother with asking me questions. You already know the answer."
Feisty.
Inuyasha liked that in a woman.
"I did do research, Kagome, but that only gives me materialistic and factual information. The intricacy of your personal feelings and personal rationales are at a loss for me. I might know what you did, but I have no idea why you did it."
Kagome threw caution to the wind. He was playing mind games with her and she was tired of his shit. "Why should I tell you why I did something? That gives you more of an edge on me and, to be frank Mr. Takahashi—" Second time she referred him by his last name. She's mad at me. "I don't want you to know more about me than you already do."
"Fair enough. Maybe you'd like to ask me a question?"
Kagome seemed to consider his option. She sipped on the water the waiter provided for them upon them getting seated and considered the many questions she could ask him. Should she stay within the pleasantries track or veer away and tread on business territories?
The options…
"What type of business do you deal with?"
Kagome opted to stay safe and stick to pleasantries. I don't think I'm ready to hear his conditions as of yet…
Inuyasha relaxed his shoulders and cracked his neck – the crunching sound made Kagome cringe. "All sorts of things. Legal or illegal?"
"Legal, please." Kagome didn't like lawbreakers, law-breaking, ex-lawbreakers… anything to do with the law and breaking it. It was poetic justice, however, that she was dining with the devil that broke the law (presumptively) on a regular basis.
"I cofound a pharmaceutics company with my brother. I don't run it, though… he does. I deal with international trade, I'm the founder of Shikon—do you know?"
Kagome's eyes widened. Shikon was a prestigious clothing store with overpriced but amazing quality work. Some critiques justified the prices of Shikon saying that materials were obtained using fair trade methods and a percentage of all sales went back to the industries of where the goods were obtained from, such as hunters for fur and skin.
Deep inside, despite not believing in such ridiculously priced merchandise, Kagome really wanted something from Shikon just to say she owned a Shikon original…
"Kagome?"
For the nth time, Inuyasha broke Kagome out of her reverie. "Uhh—yes, sorry. I know about Shikon. Didn't know you founded it though… it seems too… legal to be associated with you."
He flashed a grin. "That's the point; nobody knows I own it. I use an alias."
"Oh?"
"Tetsu Saiga."
Kagome eyes widened. "You're… Tetsu…?"
"In the flesh."
Before Kagome could respond, the waiter approached them asking if they were ready or if they wanted a few more minutes. Inuyasha was prepared to order (as he was extremely familiar with the menu). Kagome, though, hadn't looked at the menu once and quickly scanned over it while Inuyasha was placing his order.
Pasta?... maybe. Spaghetti and meatballs is always a safe bet. But so is lasagna… oh the options!
"Kagome?"
Kagome looked up at the waiter and then glanced at Inuyasha.
"Are you ready?"
No. But she ordered anyway. "Spaghetti and meatballs please, but instead of tomato sauce can I substitute for pesto?"
The waiter nodded. "Of course. Anything else I can get?"
"Not at the moment. We'll call if we need anything, Shiro." Inuyasha quickly glanced at the nametag when he tacked on the waiter's name. Bowing, the waiter took his leave and Inuyasha returned his attention to Kagome. His stark silver hair was perfect for the duration of time Kagome spent with him; I can't even keep a ponytail on nicely and he manages to keep his braid perfect. And I'm a girl.
"Back to our conversation."
Kagome nodded. "Of course; you're Tetsu?"
"That I am. If anybody knew that Inuyasha Takahashi was the founder of Shikon, they would've doubted its honest credibility."
"Is there a reason to doubt?"
She wasn't afraid of him.
"Of course not. It is the only honest project I've ever done. In honour of my mother." The tone of his voice indicated that he did not want to speak on the topic any longer and Kagome wasn't stupid enough to press the matter.
She sipped her water again. "Apart from Shikon, what else do you do?"
"Again, legal or illegal?"
"Both." Kagome kind of wanted to hear what he did…
"I maintain peace and justice in the world with my money, status, and power."
"Kind of like Sailor Moon?"
Inuyasha looked genuinely horrified. "Excuse me? I would prefer to be compared to Batman. Sailor Moon had no money, status, or power." He was shocked and appalled that she had the gall to compare him to a whiny and bratty dumpling head! Moreover, the lead male character in the Anime had no balls and practically depended on aforementioned whiny brat to save his hide. Inuyasha had a disgusting aftertaste in his mouth after Kagome's fucked up comparison.
"She did, she was the Princess of the Moon—how would you know what she had?!" Kagome's eyes widened slightly. "Have you watched?"
"I have a sister-in-law." He replied coolly. "There have been a few… instances where I've accidentally had the misfortune to catch the tail-end of certain episodes."
"So you've watched it."
Inuyasha, though he wouldn't admit it, felt defeated. She caught him—"Alright. Yes. I have watched it; but who hasn't? Their skirts left nothing to the imagination…"
Kagome felt victory. She won against the big, bad, elite gangster. It was something for the books.
"After that, I do believe I have no more questions."
"Excellent. On to business?"
She gulped. No.
"Yes, on to business."
"Good." Inuyasha leaned back in his chair, studied her for a long ten seconds before dropping the bomb.
"Marry me."
.xx.
What are your thoughts so far?