Misconceptions

Chapter Nine:
Model Behavior

Ayame was consumed by the large house. It almost seemed impossible to be a house. The whole structure of it reminded her of the great city library. It almost seemed guised by a city-like format. "I don't think I can go in there."

Kouga shoved his hands in his pocket. "There isn't really much of a choice. I'm sure you could always come later . . . but why come later when you can do it now?"

Ayame looked at him for a moment and then back at the gates of the house that separated its great royalty from the rest of the city. "Maybe Carissa was also mistaken."

"Right, because most families in the world loose a child and never end up finding them till they are old enough to make their own honest living."

"You never know," she let out innocently.

Kouga stared at her in wonder. Was she being sarcastic? Her voice was hard to tell apart.

"Would you like something? How about a glass of water, or a small meal?"

Ayame shook her head. "No, thank you."

The guard nodded and opened the door for her as he bowed his head. "Burke will be in soon. He's got some business to tend to first."

Ayame nodded. "Thank you," She waited till the largely developed guard closed the door behind him to look around the room. It was of course still covered in books—just as Carissa had described it. She was sure that since Carissa had spiked her soda she wouldn't be able to remember anything she said, but oddly enough she remembered every word.

Growing up, Grandfather would constantly scold and reprimand Ayame for touching things that didn't belong to her. However, she had never learned her lesson. She reached for a leather-bound book. She stared at it front-to-back before opening it to the first page. The book consisted of large words that she knew she would never find in a dictionary.

"Who might you be?" a rough voice came from behind. Burke stepped closer toward Ayame.

She squeaked and dropped the book. The loud thump echoed through out the spacious room. She quickly picked it up. "Forgive me, I've been clumsy my whole life." She gently set the book down to its rightful place. 'I'll be happy to buy you another book if it's damaged," she added gratefully.

He squinted at her—almost glared. "I doubt you have seven-hundred dollars to waste on a simple first-edition classic." He used his forefinger to lift her chin up to his height.

Ayame looked around nervously—clearly having no clue to what was going on.

"Ayame, I presume?"

She nodded slowly.

He pointed to the chair in front of his desk. "Sit,' he suggested, but it sounded more like a command.

Ayame did as she was told. "I'm sorry, but I didn't get your name."

"I didn't give it," he allowed. ". . . You look exactly like your mother. It's almost insane." He stared at her warmly as if they were old friends catching up."

"You knew my mother? That's a first." She felt like her body was eating her heart! Her stomach turned and a ball formed in the back of her throat. She became flushed with a heat that could burn through her flesh. She swallowed her odd feelings. "I'll be honest . . . I'm not exactly sure why I'm here—let alone if I want to be here."

"Do you want to be here?" Burke questioned curiously.

She shrugged.

"Then why are you here?"

"I . . . don't . . . know. I think I'm here because I'm a little curious. Then again, I think I'm here by accident."

"Trust me," he reassured her. "This is no accident. I've waited so long for this moment. So please believe a stranger when he tells you . . . this is no accident."

.o0o.

Kouga walked back-and-forth, passing quickly. She hadn't said in a word in a while. Was that bad? Was that good? She hadn't shown a facial expression for an hour. Even when he was being a jerk she managed to work up a smile or a scowl. But her face was empty. "Are you going to tell me what happened or stay mute?" he finally snapped harsher than he meant it to come out. He was about to apologize for raising his voice just as a small smile tainted her face.

"I-I think I just found my father. I mean . . . my real father."

His brows furrowed. "I'm not sure I understand."

She turned to him as he sat down on the park bench next to her to listen to her tale. "When I gave you my mother's name you found the address of my father. It was her last address and since they moved and she wasn't heard of again, you must have found him."

She jumped up. "It was . . . amazing. I mean this man . . . is my father. I finally know that I have one. After all these years of not knowing what a parent was . . . I have him! I was in that room with him for so long just ranting and there was my father sitting right under my nose just listening to me. He just listened."

"How can you be sure?"

"Who fakes this kind of stuff? Besides, I just felt this instant click. It's impossible to fake." Ayame got on her knees in front of Kouga and looked up at him. "It was just amazing! I can't even describe the feelings. All this time I've dreamed of this moment and I didn't believe it was even possible, but it's happening. It's happening now."

"Well . . . that's good right?" he questioned.

"Are kidding? It's fantastic! And I owe all to you. I mean, if it weren't for you bullying me I wouldn't have given you my mother's name and I wouldn't have known my own father lives only blocks away from the university. I don't even know how to than you. Is there a way of thanking someone for something like this?"

He shrugged. "I do have a term paper due in a few days."

"Granted," she agreed.

"I was kidding," he noted.

"I wasn't."

"Trust me. After the mini soap opera I put you through you can count this as pay back." Kouga sighed and sank in his seat.

She smiled up at as she squeezed his hands. "I'm serious, Kouga. You have no idea what you've done for me. I'll do that term paper with a smile—I'll do every term paper you get after today in total happiness, I promise."

Ayame suddenly sprang to her feet and grabbed her tote bag off the bench next to him. "I have to . . . do something—anything." She turned on her heel to run but stopped herself and turned back to Kouga who had already stood to dig in his pockets for his car keys. Catching him off guard, she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him in for a kiss. Her tongue ran along the edges of his lips for surprise entrance. She was a bit startled when his head caught up quickly and he pressed his face harder against hers and let his tongue do some further exploring her mouth.

Just as quick as they separated, Ayame ran off. Kouga smirked and used his fingers to wipe his mouth. "Crazy bitch," he murmured.

.o0o.

"Ginta," Ayame called after him.

He turned around and waited for her to catch up. "I haven't seen you getting punished by Kouga in a while," he noted.

She shrugged and smiled. "I guess I'm off the hook." She pulled his note book out from her bag. "Thanks for the notes and the mock-test. I've been missing so many classes lately I'm worried I won't have enough credits to graduate."

He took the note book from her. "That's okay. You should come to our study group tonight."

"As much as I would love to, Carissa is presenting her clothing line today and I promised her I'd be there—"

"Hey you," Bankotsu interrupted her rudely. He glared down at Ginta from under his sun glasses. "Scram rat," he ordered.

Ginta looked at Ayame and then Bankotsu and then slowly made is way out their sights.

Ayame glared at him. "What do you think you're doing? You don't just talk to Ginta like that. It's rude and unnecessary."

"Blah, blah, blah—I've heard this all before. That's not why I'm here."

She sighed and rested her hands on her hips. "Then what is it? I'm a bit of a rush here."

"I want to know what you think you're doing with my best friend," he finally let out.

She looked at him strangely. "What?"

Bankotsu rolled his eyes. "Well first you two run away together, and then I see you with Ginta."

"Ginta is my friend. And Kouga practically abducted me! We aren't doing anything."

"Whatever you say, but you should keep your distance for a while," he advised. "Auntie is extremely pissed. She'll pop a blood vessel if she hears you two are still seeing each other."

"We're not—wait what makes you think Kouga and I are seeing each other?"

He shrugged. "That's what I hear. Everyone knows about your little scandal. I mean, it did go out on the web."

Ayame gave an exaggerated breath. "I don't know what I'm going to do," she murmured under her breath.

"About what?" he questioned curiously.

". . . About this—about Kouga. People keep saying all these things that aren't true. The last thing I need is his mother poking at me with her drama."

"Well," he began. "You could always leave the country. I'm sure Auntie will learn to get over it once she hears they agreed to get engaged."

"Kouga is officially engaged to Ai?"

Bankotsu nodded. "They announced it at a business press conference last night. It was in the papers and everything."

She bit her lip hesitantly. "Of course it was. Are you also engaged to that other girl?"

He stretched his arms out behind him in attempt to impress the group of giggling girls behind Ayame. He looked down at her again with a satisfied smirk on his face. "As a matter of fact, yeah. I don't exactly have much of a choice anyway."

"Are . . . all high-rank families like that?"

He thought for a moment. "I guess just the crazy ones."

.o0o.

Ayame used a pin to hold the dress in place on the mannequin as she pinched together the fabric and began to add some last minute touches. "Is that model here yet?"

Carissa had been jumping all about the back stage all day looking for that one little missing model that was to be there a few hours ago. "No," she growled. "That bitch better be here in two minutes or my foot is going up her ass."

Suddenly a small man with a phone permanently attached to his ear appeared. "It turns out your model couldn't make it. And the substitutes are also caught in traffic."

"Are fucking kidding me?" Carissa yelled after him. She ran back to Ayame. "Give me those shoes!" she ordered bitterly.

"What? Carissa, you're a size seven, these are size fives. They'll slowly bring you to your death."

"I don't exactly have much of a choice here, Ayame," she pointed out. "The one model we booked isn't here. The substitutes aren't even here! I have to go out there and model these clothes."

Ayame sighed and took a deep breath. "You can't. You have to go out there and announce the fashion line. I can do it."

"Ayame, are you sure?"

She nodded. "I can fit into the shoes, and I know how to wear the clothes. Besides, you taught me how to walk for that one dress party. I can do it."

Carissa smiled. "I knew there was a reason we were best friends. Do you think Kagome could model some stuff?"

"Don't push it. Kagome would be that last person who would want to go on stage. You know here fear of big crowds looking at her."

Carissa, however, didn't listen to a word that came out of her mouth. She pushed her onto a chair and began applying some cream shadow to her eyes. She then quickly slicked on some brown liquid eye-liner. "Stop moving around, I'm trying to give you smoky eyes, not fuck-up eyes." Carissa worked like a bee. She was quick and to the point and she made sure she used her time well.

"Just have the outfits ready for me," Ayame suggested. "The last thing I need is to be confused while I can't find what I have to wear."

Carissa nodded as she helped Ayame slip into a halter-dress. "I'll do that. Just remember—don't look down and have a straight-on tough face. Don't smile."

"I think I can do that."

"Do it well," Carissa drew back her hand and slapped Ayame's bottom, startling her a pushing her onto the run way.

Ayame felt a deep feeling in the pit of her stomach. She felt as if she dry-swallowed a huge pill that got stuck in her throat. The heavy lights blinded her and the music made her feel def to every other noise that was happening. What had she gotten herself into this time?

.o0o.

"I just wanted to wish you both a good life and congratulate you. You are so young and it's amazing to get married at this age."

Kouga nodded and Ai smiled. That had to be the tenth person to congratulate them that minute. Since the press conference from the other night, no one had stopped talking about them. Hana even called him excited that he finally went through with it.

Everyone had smiled and said their words then left. But he knew they were always going to talk about how young they still were and how his mother was a total monster to make him do this and how her parents were probably just victims of the whole thing. It was probably true, but that last thing he needed was pity.

Kouga took his seat next to Bankotsu—who was also forced to flaunt his future wife—and his fiancé who also happened to be one of Ai's most cherished friends, Emi. Emi looked almost like Ai. She had a small figure that barely made it to five feet tall. She had a mass of long, endless dark hair and eyes the color of olives. If it weren't for her lack of height, she could make it as a top model. She smiled at Kouga and Ai before turning her attention back to the fashion show.

"I'm so happy I'm not the only one here," Kouga admitted.

Bankotsu sighed. "I know what you mean. I've actually managed to catch up on some sleep."

"What do you need to sleep for?"

He smirked. "You know I'm up all night."

Kouga rolled his eyes. He knew what he was up to at night.

Bankotsu leaned in against Emi and wrapped his arm around her. She turned back at him to whisper something that made them both laugh as she let her hand caress his cheek. He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm as he whispered back and ran his fingers through endless darkness. He suddenly turned his eyes to the stage. "Isn't that—?"

"Ayame?" Kouga finished for his friend. He squinted.

"What is an Ayame?" Ai questioned.

Kouga only got a glimpse as she stomped into the backstage crowd. "I'll be right back," he announced before running off. He flew through a few curtains and finally made it to the back where most of the models were switching heels and outfits in their under garments. However, for once, he paid no attention to the women who were flaunting everything their mothers gave them.

"I can't get it on!" Ayame yelped as she tried to fit into a skirt two sizes too small. She managed to pull it over her hips, but couldn't button or zipper it.

"That's actually really hot," Carissa noted. She folded the flaps out exposing Ayame's pink underwear. "It'll be like a new little fashion statement.

"Are you out of your mind? The last think I need is everyone knowing what kind of underwear I own!"

"Panties," Carissa corrected. "It sounds sexier that way."

"What are you doing here?" Kouga asked.

Ayame gasped and turned around forgetting her underwear was out in the open. "I could ask you the same thing. You can't be back here."

"My family owns the building and some of the designers," he explained.

"You have three minutes," Carissa warned before speeding off to do God knows what!

"You really shouldn't be here," Kouga suggested. "My mother's flying in tonight and promised to show up here. That last thing you both need is some confrontation."

"Well your mother needs to know to back off. I can't go hiding in a ditch every time I even hear her name." She began struggling with the skirt again but it wouldn't budge.

Kouga grabbed each end of the fabric and zipped it up as Ayame winced. "Just a simple warning,"

"I think you just dislocated my hip," she complained.

"I don't care if you broke your face," Carissa interrupted as she pushed her friend. "Get out there," She sighed and looked at Kouga. "What are you doing back here, get out."

"Excuse me?"

"Yes that right, you heard me. I don't know what kind of games you think you're playing with Ayame, but I've been playing those games since I was eight. I invented those games. That's my best friend. If you break her heart then a break your face."

.o0o.

Ayame used a damp cloth to scrub ferociously at the massive make-up Carissa had over loaded her with so she'd blend in with the rest of the models. That was obviously impossible sense Ayame was practically two heads shorter than all of them. She had gotten dressed quickly in hopes of avoiding a confrontation with Hana.

"What is taking you so long?" Carissa whined behind her.

"I think you tattooed my make-up on!" she joked loudly.

"Ouch," Carissa yelped in sympathy as she turned Ayame around and ran her fingers over the bruise that stained her hip. "What happened here?"

Ayame also stared at it in fascination. "I guess Kouga got a little rough."

Carissa's eyes widened as she gasped. "You never told me he liked it rough."

"Wha—no! Carissa that is so not what I meant. I was trying to get into that small skirt when he zipped it up."

She nodded in agreement. "I still like my story better." She grabbed a heart shaped necklace with a thin gold chain off the make-up stand. "Oh, looks like someone forgot this. I'm going to turn it in."

Ayame looked down as she threw out the dirty cloth. "Fig," she cursed aloud and ran after Carissa. "Carissa, wait," she called.

"Ayame," Hana recognized her. "I saw your performance. Are you thinking about a career in modeling?"

Ayame paused for a moment trying to stop the bit of shock that had come over her. "Good evening, Hana. I wasn't aware you were in the crowd."

"Obviously," she noted snootily. "I suggest you button up your ensemble," she pointed out half-heartedly.

Ayame looked down at her outfit and noticed she'd forgotten to button up her blouse. A warmth crawled up her cheeks at she did what she was told. She realized she probably looked like a complete hick compared to Hana. Ayame wore a thin cotton blouse with a pair of Carissa's shorts and sheep-skin boots. Hana however was covered in a bunch of brand names Ayame probably never even heard of.

"Forgive me, Hana. I only forgot to fully get dressed."

She smiled. "I'll pardon you for now my dear. You've met Ai, Kouga's mate-to-be, yes?"

Ayame smiled shyly and bowed. "I guess now I can say I have."

"I'm honored," Ai encouraged politely.

"You remember her from the party, don't you, Ai? This is the girl that kissed Kouga," Hana added.

Ai smiled. She knew Hana meant instigate some kind of rue reaction, but she refused to budge. "Hana, please, you shouldn't bring up such encounters. The past is in the past, let's look forward."

Kouga approached the crowd and opened his mouth to say something, but Carissa pushed past him. "Excuse me while I steal my model away." She grabbed Ayame and pushed her behind the curtains. "What were you doing with that monster?"

"I came to chase after you, but ended up running into Hana."

"Well, that's over. What did you need?"

"Oh, right. That necklace is mine."

Carissa pulled the trinket out of her pocket. "When did you get this?"

"It was a present—"

"I'm guessing it's from your father."

Ayame nodded as she fit it over her neck. "He said he saved it for my sixteenth birthday. Obviously, I'm no longer sixteen but he gave me it."

Carissa grabbed her hand. "And this ring?"

Ayame nodded. "He was close to even giving me his car before he realized I couldn't drive a stick shift. Besides, I don't car about all the things he could give me. I'm just happy to spend time with him. How do you suppose I should tell him that?"

Carissa shrugged. "Let's just not tell him and give me whatever you don't want," she suggested jokingly.

She sighed. "I'm being serious, Carissa. I want Burke—I mean Papa to know that money is not going to by my happiness. I'm already happy."

"I can't believe you just called him Papa."

"Why? I figure it's time I recognize him as something other than Burke." She suddenly wondered. "Burke is such an odd last name for a Japanese man. It's also weird to call my own father by his last name."

"Isn't Landon American?"

Ayame nodded. "He's adopted."

"That explains a lot."

"Burke also changed his last name when he moved to the states long ago. I still can't guess why."

"Have you told Grandfather yet?" Carissa asked. She also called him Grandfather since everyone else did. It was hard to break the old habit.

She shook her head and sighed. "I'm not exactly sure how to tell him. I know he's not going to have a stroke or anything, but I still don't know how he'll react."

"Well he'll find out from you or someone else."

.o0o.

Kouga stared at Ayame from afar. How could he apologize on his mother's behalf—again? Ai ended up telling him about the whole thing since he did ask about it. Carissa managed to push past him and steal Ayame away just before he'd arrived at the scene. The end bell rang and everyone sprang before the professor could give them and assignment over their end-of-winter-break.

He jumped in front of Ayame, causing a small startled yelp to slip from her lips. "How've you been?" he asked curiously.

She looked at him strangely as if she knew he were up to something. "I've been good, I guess. What are you doing?"

"I'm going to school, obviously."

"No, I mean what are you doing?" She shoved him a little. "Is this another little show you're putting on for Ai, because I'm not selling it?"

He shrugged innocently. "I'm just making friendly conversation."

"Really, because I wasn't aware the word friendly was even in your daily vocabulary." She smiled with clear satisfaction. "Your mother sure was nice when I ran into her the other day."

"I doubt that but I'll buy it. I just wanted to make sure she didn't say anything to mean."

"How nice of you, but being around your mother made me a bit tougher." She looked behind him. "I have to go."

Kouga looked at the car she was walking to. "I didn't know driver."

She smiled and shook her head. "I don't. My father insisted on a personal driver. He doesn't think its safe or something."

"Your father?" he repeated slowly.

She nodded. "Don't you remember what I was talking to you about a while ago?"

"Oh, right. I actually only remember you running off."

A blush began to creep up her cheeks. "Oh, that . . . I'd prefer if we just kept that a bit of a secret."

.0o0o0.

A/N:

WOW! I just want you to know that with every chapter a lot of time passes.

I promise next chapter I'll make Ayame and Kouga an official couple, but you'll just have to see how! Thanks for all your reviews. I'm glad you all enjoy the story!!

.0o0o0.

A blanket disclaimer for all chapters associated in the story of Misconceptions, which is soon to become an Inuyasha fan fiction series. R. Takahashi owns all rights to the original characters of the manga/anime series. However, for all characters not associated with the manga/ anime series, they are owned by me, Tayanese.