Author's Notes: I would like to thank everyone who reviewed (along with everyone who didn't). Knowing that there are people reading this and silently encouraging me to keep going, makes me so happy.
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha. Sadly.
Office Romance
Section VI
Saturday, August 16 – 5:49PM
"So, you're telling me," Kikyou began hesitantly, giving her long-time boyfriend a series of looks. "That you accidentally sent our dinner plans to Kagome, the new girl, and therefore I wasn't able to go to dinner and make things up with you?" The older man nodded, holding his hands out to grasp her arms, hoping that she would believe him—besides, it's not like he was lying. He thought that he could leave out some of the more embarrassing details for now, before she heard it from Miroku—or worse—Sesshomaru. "Inuyasha, why aren't you more attentive?"
He could have choked. "What do you mean? It was a common mistake!"
"As CEO of a flourishing company, I would expect you to be more careful. What if it wasn't a dinner invitation but important, confidential client documents instead? Then what would you do?" Inuyasha sweatdropped, he hadn't been expecting her to lecture him about being more careful about sending emails. Instead, he was expecting her to smile at his thoughtfulness, maybe give him a kiss, and then maybe they would head upstairs to the bedroom—and perhaps just forget about going to his parents' for dinner. It didn't look like it was going to happen now. "Also, you better be glad it was Kagome you sent it to."
"Why would I be glad? That little bitch—" Kikyou shot him a glare. "Kagome is a bitch. Deal with it."
"She is not a bitch! She's very pleasant. You don't even know her," His girlfriend chastised, shaking her head and moving towards the front door. "Now, I do not expect you to use such language at your parents' house. We haven't had dinner with them in a while, and I don't want you to ruin it with that potty mouth of yours!" Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha nodded and opened the front door for her. "I wonder who Sesshomaru will bring. Do you think Kagura will be coming?"
"Unlikely. Unless she likes lengthy plane rides."
"Right, I wonder how she is. It's too bad she went all crazy ex-girlfriend on everyone." Kikyou mumbled as she sat in the passenger seat of Inuyasha's all-too-extravagant vehicle. "Hey, maybe he'll bring Rin. Wouldn't that be a sight?" Her boyfriend cringed.
"No. No, that would not be a sight. That would not be anything but absolutely fucking gross!"
"Why would that be gross?" She asked, ignoring his use of such colourful language.
"Because she's like a child. It's practically pedophilia." Inuyasha tried to force the idea of a very young and still maturing Nakamura Rin and his brother together out of his mind as he started the engine. He didn't want to have to pull over and puke his guts out on his way and be late for the dinner. His mother would not like that at all. Meanwhile, Kikyou let out a dry, sarcastic laugh.
"You're like a child, Inuyasha. You don't see me complaining."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."
Arriving at his parents' house, Inuyasha dreaded what would happen. Kikyou would probably find out about his embarrassing little mishap with Higurashi Kagome—the one Kikyou was so convinced was the nicest girl on the planet. He resisted the urge to snort, not wanting to look like an idiot. When Izayoi opened the front door, lots of hugs and kisses were exchanged. It was a good thing, to see Kikyou and his mother getting along so well. Of course it was nice.
"Is my son here? Is that my son?" InuTaisho emerged from the living room, where the football game was blaring loudly from the television.
"No Dad, it's the fucking tooth fairy." Izayoi shot her son a glare but he didn't say anything or apologize for his behaviour, even though he had told Kikyou he'd watch his tongue. His girlfriend and his mother trotted off to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner, while Inuyasha joined his father and Sesshomaru in the living room. "Look, guys. I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell Kikyou about what happened at the office."
"Come now, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said, still dressed in his neat business suit. "Surely you're not still hung up over that. Besides, I'm sure Kikyou wouldn't judge you too much for it."
"Couples don't lie to each other, son. Women catch onto these things quickly. Very quickly. And when they do, it's game over. Lying is as good as cheating. Or shitting on her carpet, whichever one's worse." Inuyasha gave his father a look, telling him that he was not appreciating the humour at the moment.
"Can't you be serious for once, Dad?"
"I am serious. I am very serious. I lied to your mother once about going fishing with some old friends when I was really out getting drunk. She didn't like it at all, son. Not one bit." Sesshomaru laughed at the thought. Izayoi sure did have a temper, so he wasn't surprised.
"Yeah, well Mom doesn't know nothin'." Inuyasha grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back into the sofa. He visited his parents often, a couple of times a week. However, he could never fight off the feeling of nostalgia whenever he came over. He missed being in his home, as much as he liked the solitude of his apartment. He and Kikyou worked different shifts, so some days they never saw each other even though they lived together.
"Mom's much smarter than you," Sesshomaru chimed in, grabbing a beer from his father's hands. "You've had too much."
"Mom ain't smarter than me!" The younger Taisho son snapped, hoping that his mother hadn't heard that last comment.
"No?" InuTaisho stopped his attempts to snatch the beer back from his older son. "Well, then, ask yourself this: has Mom ever unknowingly had toilet paper hanging out of her ass?" Inuyasha reddened at the memory from when he was at his high school prom. His date had been the one to laugh the loudest. In fact, she was the one who drew all of that attention to him. Sesshomaru snickered when he, too, recalled the incident.
"Mom 1. You 0."
X x X x X x
X x X x X x
From: Kobayashi Miroku [ mkobayashi (at) taisho . com ]
To: Fukazawa Sango [ sfukazawa (at) taisho . com ]
Subject: Please talk to me.
Sango,
It's hard to be partners if you choose not to speak to me. In fact, it's very difficult. I need your consultancies on the Yamashita project. Would you please come to my office? I've paged you many times. I've even personally went to your office, okay not much of a travel, and nobody answered. But I know you're in there. I can hear your music. Great choice; I love the Beatles.
Please get back to me,
Miroku
X x X x X x
X x X x X x
From: Fukazawa Sango [ sfukazawa (at) taisho . com ]
To: Kobayashi Miroku [ mkobayashi (at) taisho . com ]
Subject: I refuse to speak with you.
Kobayashi,
Perhaps this is what they call, hm, payback? It's about time you realize what it feels like to wait around for someone. You can go ahead with whatever it is you want with the Yamashita project. You don't need my help for such trivial things.
The only reason why I choose to answer this email is because I'm not like you. At least I'll reply once. Let's see, just last week I sent you a grand total of — seven emails! And, oh, let's see, how many did you reply to? None! Stand back, ladies and gentleman! That's a record!
I'm glad you can hear my music. I know you absolutely hate country music, though. Maybe I should play a little Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood to piss you off? Surely, that's much better than hearing your partner screw some random chick who cannot seem to keep her legs closed through these horribly thin walls?
Of course you love the Beatles. Everyone does.
Got back to you,
Sango
X x X x X x
X x X x X x
From: Kobayashi Miroku [ mkobayashi (at) taisho . com ]
To: Fukazawa Sango [ sfukazawa (at) taisho . com ]
Subject: I deserved that.
Sango,
Okay, I deserve it. However, I wasn't doing anything naughty with any of the girls in the office. I know, what a shock right? Even I was a little surprised. But for personal reasons, I cannot disclose where I was or what I was doing. And, with all due respect, my lovely Sango, it is really none of your concern.
Yes, I'm sorry that I did not reply to your emails. I'm truly very sorry. Now can we move past this? I thought better of you, Sango. I didn't know you held grudges.
I'm surprised at you,
Miroku
P.S. How many times have I told you? Stop calling me by my last name. It makes me sound like an asshole. Please, call me Miroku.
P.P.S. I would love to hear you screwing some random chick who cannot seem to keep her legs closed.
X x X x X x
X x X x X x
From: Fukazawa Sango [ sfukazawa (at) taisho . com ]
To: Kobayashi Miroku [ mkobayashi (at) taisho . com ]
Subject: Wrong move, buddy. Wrong move.
Kobayashi,
You are disgusting. Vile. Sickening. Psychotic.
That's all,
Sango
P.S. And I do not hold grudges. You just don't deserve to be forgiven.
P.P.S. You are an asshole, so why does it matter?
X x X x X x
X x X x X x
There was a series of knocks on the door before it opened and revealed two dark-haired girls standing side by side. Sango smiled at the sight of her friends. "Hey guys, what are you up to?" Without answering but exchanging proud looks, Kagome and Rin held up three lunchboxes. Sango squealed with delight. "You two are such saints."
As the girls enjoyed their lunches together, they were interrupted by another series of knocks. Turning, the door slowly opened and Miroku's head popped in just a little. It was almost as if he were afraid things would be thrown at him. "Oh, why hello, ladies." He greeted them with that charming smile of his.
"Hello, Miroku." Rin and Kagome smiled back, exchanging knowing glances and grinning at Sango.
"Kobayashi, I'm on my lunch break." She was not amused at all, causing her two friends to bury their faces back into their lunchboxes.
"I can see that," he ran a hand through his hair and sighed, not knowing how to phrase his words. He had done this many times before; why was he so nervous now? Miroku glanced at the woman sitting in her desk chair, her plastic fork stabbing into her salad as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. Even when she wasn't trying, she still managed to look so sexy. "Listen, Sango," he cleared his throat and stepped a little closer. It was awkward, having the other two girls in here. It never stopped him before, though.
"What do you want?" She asked, nonchalantly.
"I want to," he began, testing the atmosphere. He glanced nervously at Kagome and Rin, who were staring back at him curiously with their large eyes. Sango finally looked up from her food, peeking at him through her glasses. "I want to take you out."
"Excuse me?"
"To dinner. I want to take you out to dinner." Shocked, Sango dropped her fork and her napkin. Her glasses slid further and further down her nose, but she didn't care as they fell off her face and landed noisily on her desk. Looking at her two friends for help, they shook their heads quickly, indicating that she was on her own. Sango glared, but luckily for the others, Kagome's cell phone rang.
"Hello!" Kagome answered, sounding much too eager. "Oh, hey Souta! What's up?" Although the phone call had nothing to do with Rin, she chimed in and tried screaming into the receiver. "Oh, that's Rin. Yeah, she says hi. You've got a what?" Kagome whispered something to her younger coworker, whose nose wrinkled with disgust. "Souta." More babbling from her younger brother. "Souta." More rambling. "Souta!"
Sango turned her attention back to Miroku, who was still waiting patiently for an answer. "Kobayashi, I don't know what to tell you."
"A mule kicked Uncle Bob once," being in the same room, they couldn't help but listen to Kagome's conversation. Miroku cleared his throat and made quick glances at his receptionist, hoping she would take the hint and leave the room, but they made no such moves.
"Um," he said when they didn't move. "How about you just tell me that you'll come?"
"I don't think—"
"Yeah, it broke his ribs. Then he punched it in the face!" Kagome started laughing as she spoke with her brother. "Oh, my point? Right, right. My point: you've got an ingrown fucking toenail. Stop bitching!" Then she snapped her cell phone shut and placed it on the table. Rin giggled. If they were in any other situation, Sango would have laughed as well.
"...I don't think," Sango started again, "that's such a good idea."
"Why not?" Great question. Wasn't this the moment that Sango had been waiting for? Seven years, and Miroku was finally asking her out on a dinner date. However, that was precisely the point. It had been seven years and he had made no move to take initiative whatsoever. Why now? Maybe he had already gone through all of the women at the company and decided she was the last one on his list? He wouldn't go for Rin; she was too young. He wouldn't go for Kagome; she'd kick his ass. Sango was the only one left.
Yeah, that was it.
"Because," she began, wondering if she should confront him with her little theory. "I'm back together with Kuranosuke." It was too late, essentially. She had blurted it out before she could stop herself. Where did that come from? She hadn't seen Kuranosuke in years. The rumour was that he had decided to go back to school and better himself so that he could win her back, but she hadn't heard from him since. Would he even be the same person she was once engaged to?
In other words: she lied.
The shock on Miroku's face was evident. Heck, Kagome almost choked on her spaghetti and meatballs. Rin had been in the process of drinking her signature red vanilla tea, before the news caused her to spit it back out all over Sango's desk. "Oops."
"Oh," the object of her affection flushed with embarrassment. Never had he been rejected; even if the girls did have boyfriends, they came to him anyway. It's not like he encouraged them to cheat, it was all out of their own free will. However, he couldn't do that to Sango. He just couldn't. "Well, then, congratulations."
"Thank you."
He left, closing the door behind him.
"Sango," Kagome began in that tone of hers. "What did you just do?"
She pushed him away. After years of yearning for him, Sango pushed Kobayashi Miroku away.