AN: Still don't know if I'll post this. Tell me what you think.
"And all I can do is just pour some tea for two, and speak my point of view, but it's not sane…"
It'S nOt SanE
ChaPtEr 2
"For the last time, no. You may not. I'm busy and you would be a pointless distraction, not to mention you would probably cause an apocalypse and create general chaos in everything. My life is perfectly fine without you at the moment, and probably for the rest of all time, so while you're at it, do not bother ever showing up at all…I don't care… No, I haven't. Go ruin someone else's life, half-wit."
It had already been a bad day. My daughter had professed her 'hatred' for me over the phone as I sent the check for another semester of boarding school.
I hung up the phone and rubbed my temples, trying to prevent the headache which was coming on.
I can't stand my half brother. Take the most annoying person on earth (which is him) and crossbreed it with the most ignorant and idiotic person (which is also him) and that would explain my pain at just hearing his voice. Wait, crossbreeding Inuyasha with Inuyasha. I shivered. That would bring the apocalypse.
And why did he insist on calling me on my cell? Because he knew he could get hold of me no matter the circumstance, for the most idiotic reasons. I sighed.
I had lost two secretaries within a week and a half, my assistant seemed to decide it was a perfect time to slack off, and certain tools in the office had quit working, but I must say that, after that hellish week, things were turning out better. Not as good as they had been three weeks prior, but getting better. When I thought about this, it gave me a small tinge somewhere in the pride area, probably located by the spleen, as it proved that 1.)I could run a company smoothly and even more successfully than my father. 2.)Even when things started going wrong, I could still run a company smoothly and successfully.
Unfortunately, this pride tinge must be spread out. I am most secure enough to observe that, if not for the help of Miroku and the woman he chose as my new secretary, things could have been far worse. Having a secretary, for myself, is a must. Appointments, meetings, dates, could not possibly be kept by myself along with all of the numerous tasks I have to perform. A secretary must see that everything is on schedule and going to order, phone calls are made, messages taken, know which calls were in need of directing to myself, and which calls should be thrown away with the rubbish.
So far, Higurashi had proven (though a bit of a neophyte) comprehensive and capable at all of these tasks except for the last.
My conference phone buzzed. "Mr. Hypocritical Stiff, you have a call on line six from a mister….Onigumo." Our-Higurashi and myself's-conversations were very similar to this the last two weeks. Short, to the point, and altogether degrading of the other. Fascinating, really. Great working environment.
"Thank you, Higurashi." I sneered for two reasons. One being that Miss Thang would not even address me properly though I had given her a solid, well-paying job (probably more health care than she had ever had). The second reason was that Mr. Onigumo was absolutely the last person on earth I wanted to have a conversation with and was the first person on earth I would think about decapitating, and I wholly blamed Higurashi for telling him I was in the office.
I picked up the phone, preparing myself for the crafty predator that was Onigumo.
"Taisho speaking." Do not misunderstand, I'm not scared of him in the least, but every time I talk to him, I come away from it feeling as if I need to shower and scrub myself clean for three hours. The man was completely off somewhere, most likely in the head.
"Ah, Sesshoumaru. How are you?" an oily voice said from the other side of the phone.
"Onigumo, I don't recall ever being on a first name basis with you."
"Come now, Sesshoumaru, I thought we were past this." his voiced flowed, tinged with mock and a sneering tone.
"I do not tend to get 'past this' when the last time I was in your presence, you had tried to shut my company down completely with false persuasion and lies."
"Grudges, Sesshoumaru, needless grudges."
I could see his greasy smile in the receiver.
"Cut to the point, Onigumo. What do you want?"
"Just to congratulate you on your success with Subarashi and Sons. Your company has grown quite…impregnable."
"That's very genial of you. Now, if you don't mind-"
"Of course, of course, you're a very busy man. I understand that. Goodbye Mr. Taisho Sesshoumaru. I wish you luck." And he hung up. I put the receiver down, a little more forcefully than usual. That man always sparked an unsteady hatred in me that threatened to spill out some day. At the mere sound of his voice, I became inexplicably angered.
"Stiff, this came from the-"
"Can you not see I'm busy at the moment?" I growled, not wishing to be bothered by anyone in such a fit state as I was after talking to Onigumo.
"Fine. Sheesh, jerk. Hey, nice stapler." she mumbled under her breath, just audible. Ah, it was Higurashi. That should have been evident from her greeting though.
"It works at least." I had thrown caution to the wind and bought a gold-plated stapler when I learned Subarashi and Sons had agreed to merge. Sort of a congratulations present to myself.
"What is it, Higurashi?" I rubbed my temples, now attempting to get rid of the headache that had taken root in my forehead and was causing an annoyance almost comparable to Inuyasha's presence, but not quite.
"Oh, a folder from downstairs." she walked in and threw it on my desk. "Who were you talking to?"
I blinked at the tone of her voice. She almost seemed interested or worried. Or maybe just snoopy.
"Nobody of importance." I replied dully.
"Ah, of course. That would explain the excessive moodiness, headache, and overall upped annoyance factor radiating from you."
"Higurashi, really. I do not want-"
"The other people-your subordinates, I guess-" she smiled dangerously. "are all going out for a drink to celebrate the expansion of Taisho Inc. and the coming corruption and dissolving of the family-owned T&S company. It wouldn't seem right to celebrate your success without you there, so,"
Was she? She wasn't…or was she?
"…you should probably make an appearance or something. You know, smash a bottle of champagne on a boat or cut a really big ribbon or something. As much as you seem like a cold-hearted bastard-"
"Thank you."
"-of course." she interjected. "-well, there seems to be a minor few people who are actually dim enough to enjoy you, so why don't you come out for drinks?" She smiled, not dangerously this time, and I didn't know whether to be pleased or worried. "It'd probably do you some good.." she muttered, ready to leave my office.
"Perhaps I will consider it." I said, without really considering it, but thinking deeply about what would drive her to ask me to come along. She turned and looked at me, truly surprised. It seemed I was thsee only one that could truly shock her. I smiled inwardly. I always had some profound effect on people.
There really was no reason to go out; the merging of companies was not so uncommon. Yet she was right-it was my success, why not celebrate it? I could use a good scotch or a glass of becaucabernet sauvignon anyways.
"Sure, whatever." she mumbled, walking out my door. I followed her. And immediately thought of something fun.
"And Higurashi, you might want to watch yourself. Hitting on you boss is not always an intelligent way to advance yourself."
I smirked broadly as her face slowly changed like a thermometer, the red spreading up and across.
"Why you-" She stopped and sudden composure crossed her face. It worried me, the sudden calm change in her. Not characteristic of her. "I don't think you need to worry about that Sesshoumaru. But then," and her eyes traveled up my body and down again, painfully slow. " Jaken does seem very substantial, doesn't he? So, you know-"
"Yes, I can see how Jaken and yourself would get along agreeably. Similar characteristics, you know."
The red came to her face again as she fumed once more, ready to pounce.
"I'm busy, Higurashi. Goodbye." And I closed the double door in her face. I went back to my desk, my mind temporarily removed from the downfall it had taken after my conversations with Inuyasha and Onigumo.
"You did it again, you stiff bastard!" Kouga clapped me on the back. "I don't know how you get them to fall for your BS, but whatever you do, it's a talent. He grinned at me wolfishly.
And for once, I did not feel inclined to dismember him for treating me so friendly. It was true that I had pulled off a pure stroke of genius in persuading the small, traditional, but very, very profitable Subarashi and Sons Inc. to merge with my company- an immediate gain. Now, I'm not one to brag, but it had taken a sharp mind to talk an old man like Totousai Subarashi into altering everything his family had ever set up between the generations of the company. But, it had been done, and I had succeeded in what was necessary, and my company would benefit greatly from it.
I looked around the crowded bar and was reminded of why I chose to avoid places such as it. The smoke hung in the air like fog and created a layer that seemed to separate reality into two plains. People were chatting animatedly and passing more rounds at the same time. One employee was even attempting to talk, hold her drink in one hand, and light her cigarette with the other. Nonsense, but interesting nonsense. It had been years since I had been in an atmosphere this similar to college nights spent studying, then drinking, then attempting to get laid, not necessarily in that order. I realized that while I was thinking this, I was eyeing the bartender behind the counter who wore a skirt that left little to the imagination. How long had it been since I had any? Well that was private. Hell. I downed another shot, successfully ignoring a woman in spandex that were not flattering on one of an age such as her, who was trying to chat me up while her neon pink flamingo earrings bounced in rhythm with her unrestrained, spandex-ed breasts and blue-painted eyelashes. I got up and left, sliding into a booth that was far enough away from the main chaos, where I could observe my employees without them observing me. The eye of the storm.
'What the hell am I doing here?' ran through my head at least five times before Kouga found me again and talked my ear practically off with his howling, introducing me to Tracy? Melissa? Who knows who, who I found was sitting across from me in the booth five minutes later, yapping her head off about the latest Stephen King novel. I immediately restrained a gagging reflex and excused myself right on over to the bar where I ordered another shot.
It didn't take me long to weave through another chattering crowd, working my way past employees one by one, stopping for two-second conversations, while holding two shots, to find the only empty booth left. I slid down in it, leaning against the wall, thoughts of Naraku and my half-brother coming back in fading shots as I made sure more shots faded into me. Over the next minute, I was aware of someone sitting next to me.
"You look like shit, Taisho."
Ah. Higurashi. Swell.
"That would account for the way I feel." I stated sturdily. I was always one to hold my drink well. I didn't become oblivious and idiotic when drunk like most men. It was something I prided myself on in earlier days. Now it didn't matter, but it was still beneficial.
Higurashi ran a finger over the rim of a shot glass and looked up at me with big blue-gray eyes that reflected the dim lights amazingly.
"Taisho, how many of these have you had?" she looked at me, a trace of worry coming over her flushed face.
"A few." I muttered, half of me wishing she would leave me alone to feel relieved and drunk by myself, the other half wishing for her to stay so I could share my relief and drunkenness. Yes, I admit I was tipsy.
"I'm not drunk though, if you're implying something." I stated plainly.
"Of course." she nodded knowingly and giggled. That's when I realized that we were both hammered. And it was hilarious.
"You know, my little girl, Rin, you could be her mother you know. You both look exactly alike, except she is far more youthful." I observed out loud. Higurashi giggled.
"Are you calling me old?" she reprimanded playfully.
"Comparably, yes."
" How cute! How old is she?"
"Eight going on thirty."
"Well then, it's hardly possible that I could be her mother! Going on thirty and only eight? Sounds like the type of kid you'd have, you stiff bastard." she quipped happily through giggles.
"Why the hell did I just tell you about Rin? I never talk about Rin." I questioned out loud to nobody in particular.
"Why the hell are you here? Why the hell am I here? Why the hell are we drunk? Who knows, who cares!" was her light and possibly slurred response, coming with a giggle and an amazing smile.
And I talked to Higurashi for the remainder of our time at the bar, making stupid remarks about anything and everything and unintentionally telling each other a good portion of our life stories, as the bar emptied out slowly. I felt absolutely ridiculous and stupid but more free than I had been in at least four years. I found an unlikely, very unlikely confident in the drunk Higurashi and it intrigued me. Perhaps I was just completely hammered, which I was, but I noticed things about her sitting across from her in a smoky bar, that I never had and never would have noticed if she had not come to talk to me. I found a new secretary, confident, and something else in the girl across from me. And I wondered tipsily why she was so different and more worthy than the others as I downed another round with her.
I couldn't remember more than five minutes of what had happened the previous night, but I could think of two things at the moment I woke up.
Splitting and Headache. If I had thought I had a headache from talking to Inuyasha and Onigumo in the same day, I had obviously not remembered the effects of mans' best friend: the hangover.
Don't misunderstand, I have a very, very good tolerance for alcohol, but I hadn't been that very, very drunk in quite some time. Simply put, I was getting old. Yay. Nothing like a hangover to remind you that you're getting old. Needless to say, my alarm clock was laying on my floor in a few pieces when I was don't with it.
I got up and showered, hoping that would help hurriedly once I looked at my wristwatch and discovered I would be late to work. Not technically late, mind you, just late for my standards. I got to work an hour early at least every day and usually stayed afterwards, as that felt like the only time I could actually accomplish something. I was just trying to fix my tie (I'd not felt that disheveled in….years and years. Bad feeling.) when my cell rang. I answered it and cringed at the loud voice that assaulted my ears.
"Yo, Sesshoumaru! Up a little late, aren't ya?"
I cursed and growled about how it was because I, I, was the only one responsible enough to run the family company.
"What's that? I can't hear you."
"I said I have a splitting headache and you will be lucky if you last for another thirty seconds if you don't shut the hell up!!" I growled a little too loudly and made myself cringe. I felt like I was falling apart, piece by piece.
"Heh heh. Is that a…hangover, Sesshoumaru?"
"…."
"Woah, never thought I'd see the day. Here, try this."
He proceeded to name off the ingredients of some disgusting concoction, which, thankfully, I had in my kitchen. For once in his lifetime, the runt did something meaningful that actually worked. Not that I would thank him for it. I walked to me car, a white, classic corvette that I'm rather fond of, and headed for work.
"So can I come in today?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"We're still in limbo with some deals and the last thing I need is a half-wit brother bouncing around my office.
"You're a smart-ass stiff with no character, Sesshoumaru. No wonder you don't get any. I bet you get off when you see the sales reports, don't you?"
"And you: a dumb-ass cad with too much of the wrong character. No wonder the women you do get in bed leave you the following day. I bet you get off every other day, after the latest dump."
"….You'll get your's some day."
"I'll look forward to it." I hung up.
I wasn't expecting my third round of headaches to come as soon as I got to the office building, but there it was, and it nearly ran into me.
"Ah! Please excuse me! I'm very sorry, I couldn't….oh, it's you."
"Humane as ever, Higurashi."
"You're one to talk," she snipped, trying desperately to balance a stack of files that was far too large for her to carry to the last floor. She wouldn't make it to the elevator at this rate. I sighed and put down my briefcase. My headache was dissipating, only to return once again like a dimming pulse in my head. I took half the files from her, but not without a condescending look that told her plainly what I was thinking: you're useless. I balanced the stack with one arm and held my briefcase with the other.
She looked shocked for the briefest of seconds then looked as if she decided against it and followed me to the elevator.
"You're looking quite well today, Sesshoumaru-san," she smirked from behind her stack. My brain hurt. It made me feel a bit better though when I realized she wasn't looking all that great either. Her clothes were wrinkled and she had bags under her eyes, giving her a horribly gaunt look, but her mussed hair was actually a bit attractive, waving unruly over her shoulders, I admitted.
"I tried to outdo you today, but as ever, you are the over-achiever, Miss Higurashi. Cleary, you took the Drunken Maniac Day memo a bit more enthusiastically than I ever could. I bow to your superior. costuming skills." I smirked when she growled and looked at me like I was mad.
"Did I just hear you admit that someone is better than you at something? That must be a load off your chest, to not be the best of the world at everything."
I sighed, not wishing to deal with this new pain. We stepped out of the elevator and she followed me to my office.
"Don't you have someone else to stalk?"
"Much worthier victims, I assure you, but these however," she motioned with her chin to the mountain of files we carried. "go straight to you."
She won.
I opened the double door to my office and strode quickly to my desk, placing the folders down and unlocking my briefcase. I had already lost enough time that morning. I was behind, even though other employees would not be in for at least another half hour. That didn't give me much time.
"Yo, Sesshoumaru, CEO of pricks."
My whole body clenched and I felt a painful sigh seep out of my chest, wrapped up completely in utter annoyance.
Higurashi had jumped a foot in the air and flung the files she was about to place on my desk across half the room. She cursed softly, yet colorfully, and began picking them up.
"What gate of hell opened and let you into my building."
"You know, technically," he picked up my stappler and fumbled with it. "hey, I think this is broken…well, it's our company and our building, remember, Sesshoumaru? You just horded it to yourself when Dad died."
"Would you rather have."
"Naw, you're doin' a good job, I guess." He put the stapler down with a clunk.
"Inuyasha, if you would be so kind as to get the hell out, I may be able to do some work." I growled and suddenly felt more tired than I had been in a long time.
"Yeah, yeah, I just wanted to-"
A nice, loud "Damn!!" came from the floor and Higurashi stood up awkwardly in her wrinkled skirt suit.
Inuyasha who had, undoubtedly just noticed her presence, looked at her a bit too wide-eyed for my liking.
"Well, well, Sesshoumaru! Maybe I was wrong! Maybe there is some hope for you still. She's a looker."
"She's my secretary, you imbecile."
"Excuse me. I'm sorry for my bad assumption. He's such a stiff though, I thought he might have finally remembered what women were, but I guess I was wrong." he smiled at Higurashi who smiled back, bowed, and put the folders on my desk and left to do whatever secretarial scheming she did while I had my back turned.
Once she was gone Inuyasha turned back to me, eyebrows raised.
"Hell, if you don't want her, can I have her?"
I clenched my teeth, anger rising. If he thought he could take another secretary from my company, he was gravely mistaken.
Keep your dirty claws off of my employees Inuyasha. In addition, for all you know, she may be married."
"Yeah…sure, way too young."
"Engaged."
"No ring."
"Could be dating."
"Will be."
He grinned at me, like a twisted Cheshire Cat, and all I could do was wonder what Higurashi would say, and sigh at the over-abundance of folders and files within my vicinity.
Higurashi was winning. And losing, though she didn't know it.
Sorry, I wanted to try humor. This chapter is an experiment. If you guys like it and I get enough good reviews, I'll keep going, if not, I'm trashing it, but….;I AM BACK!!! Bwahahhahah ha ha a h a. Tchao.