Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha!

(}-} FORGOTTEN MEMORIES {-{)

7

The next few weeks were sort of a blur for Kagome. After she finally settled into her new office, Inuyasha had her working overtime. He needed her to call clients, book appointments, and he even brought her along on a few business dinners. She enjoyed feeling useful for a change, and Kagome found that she actually looked forward to coming into work every day. She knew that it was all because of Mr. Taisho's generosity that she felt like she had a real job. But most of all, Kagome felt like she had a real boss.

Inuyasha Taisho seemed to care about Oshimoto Industries, unlike her former supervisor, Mr. Kato. He frequently asked the employees about their opinions, whether they revolved around him or the company, and he didn't seem to care if they insulted him. He would listen openly, offering whatever he could to improve their jobs. Kagome found that she looked up to him. He was a man of honor, a man of compassion, and as they spent more time together, Kagome realized she saw him less as her boss and more as a man.

One day, he casually asked her what she thought of him, and Kagome didn't know what to say. She couldn't tell him what she really thought; it would surely make their work relationship awkward. But she knew she couldn't sound too reserved, for fear he might assume that she didn't care for him at all. She realized that she was in a tough spot, and that it all came down to the way she phrased it.

'Just tell him he's a great boss and be done with it!' She thought hastily, her eyes bouncing all over the room. 'It doesn't matter if you're attracted to him or not. He definitely doesn't want to hear it…and you're a taken woman anyways! So what's the point?' Kagome fought so hard to find the right words as Inuyasha stared up at her from his desk.

"Well?" Inuyasha asked with a smile. "You don't have to hold back, Kagome. I can take it."

Kagome forced a grin as she racked her brain. "Uh, well…I think you're a really great…no, an outstanding boss! It's a pleasure to work for you, Sir."

Inuyasha seemed slightly offended by her comment. "Oh, I see." His smile faltered as he glanced back down at his desk. He reached for a pile of papers, trying to keep himself busy, and his eyes off of her. Inuyasha didn't want her to know he was upset.

But Kagome was sharp, and she had noticed the quick change in the atmosphere. She eyed him curiously, wondering why he seemed wounded by her statement. "Mr. Taisho, is something the matter?"

He shook his head at her question, pretending to be engrossed in his work. "Nope, everything is fine."

Kagome frowned and replied, "I don't know why that would offend you, Mr. Taisho. I guess I could've gone more in depth, but I just didn't know what to say…your question sort of caught me off guard."

Inuyasha froze and looked up at her, his hazel eyes searching for the young woman he remembered her to be. But the woman he stared at now, who looked and sounded like Kagome, was not her. The Kagome he used to know and love was gone, hiding somewhere, not wanting to be found. Inuyasha sighed deeply and said, "Please, Kagome. Just try."

She stared blankly at him, unsure what he meant. "Excuse me? Try to what?"

"To be honest with me," he told her blatantly. "Honesty is important in every relationship…even those at work. I want to be able to trust you, but I can't do that if you hold yourself back from me."

'He's taking this a little personal. I told him he's an outstanding supervisor, so why is that not enough?' Kagome wondered what else he wanted her to say. 'Could it be that he wants me to say that my feelings for him go beyond platonic? No, that can't be it. He's just my boss, that's all. There's nothing going on between us…right?'

Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, Kagome murmured, "I'm sorry, Mr. Taisho, but I don't know what you want me to say…"

His gaze on her intensified as he replied sternly, "Never mind. Just forget about it." Inuyasha sighed and added, "And please, call me Inuyasha from now on."

Kagome bit her lip in distress, slightly overwhelmed by his tone. "Sure, yeah…no problem."

"Good. You may return to your desk." He motioned towards his door and she stared at him in disbelief, stunned by his dismissal of her. 'He's never done that to me before…I must have really hurt his feelings…' Kagome thought sadly as she walked back into her office. After shutting the door, she leaned up against it, closing her eyes as she tried to calm herself.

"What am I going to do?" Kagome whispered, hugging herself sadly. "I can't tell you how I really feel, Inuyasha. It wouldn't be right." She moved off of the door and sat down at her desk, laying her forehead onto the cool wood. "No matter how I feel about you, Inuyasha, nothing can happen between us." Kagome sighed softly as she forced herself to return back to work.

Inuyasha regretfully heard every word she said. Staring angrily at the papers covering his desk, he had to suppress the urge to toss them to the floor. 'What was I thinking, listening to them? Try to get her to remember you, Inuyasha…what a laugh! She's never going to remember me. They were all wrong. I shouldn't have tried! I feel worse than I did all those years ago…'

His heart grew cold at the memory of trying to pass through the well. After she had left him, he had tried and tried to get back to her era, but the portal would not open to him. Inuyasha never wanted to believe that she had truly closed it, and so he tried jumping into the well every day for a year. Even after a year, the well would not activate, and finally, Inuyasha knew that Kagome was forever gone.

He moaned sadly from remembrance, and he snapped back to reality. Inuyasha stood up from the desk swiftly, eager to retreat from his office. He felt the desire to jump through the trees, to run as fast as he could away from the charade he was portraying. This man that he showed her, was not the real him; his appearance, patience, and speech, were all part of his act. They had told him to try and fit into the human world before seeking her out, informed him what women sought for in man. But as hard as he tried to be what they wanted, he couldn't help feeling like a joke. Staring down at his clothes, he suddenly felt the need to be free of them; they suffocated him considerably.

Thinking of his red hakama, Inuyasha frowned and yearned to be coated in it's soft, free fabric. His eyes darted at the door and he relished in the idea of leaving. 'I can walk out that door right now, and never look back. I can finally start living my life.' Taking one step forward towards the door, he paused, his gaze flickering over at the other door in the room; the one that led to her office. He stared at it longingly, coming to the realization that he could not leave her behind.

Inuyasha sighed and shook his head at his weakness. Trudging back over to his desk, he folded his arms across his chest and frowned. 'Fine. I'll stay…but I'm putting my foot down here and now! No more Mr. Nice Guy! Mark my words, Kagome, you will remember me!'

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this chapter and would like me to write more, please review!