Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

UPDATE: I just wanted to apologize for this chapter being so short. I will try and upload chapter 9 tonight.

(}-} FORGOTTEN MEMORIES {-{)

8

It had been raining the day Hojo told Kagome of his new job offer. The clock above the stove read 9:06, and although it was the weekend, the pair just couldn't remain in bed. They both sat at the kitchen table in their apartment, sipping coffee and reading the newspaper. Kagome had noticed that her boyfriend had been considerably quiet all morning, which was sort of unusual for him, and she wondered if the bad weather had affected his mood. She gazed over at him while he read the sports page, his expression looking rather vacant.

Kagome frowned, wondering what was troubling him. "Hojo, is everything alright?"

His focus snapped back and he mumbled, "Yeah…I was just thinking…"

"About what?" Kagome inquired curiously.

Hojo shrugged and glanced back at the newspaper, but not before he muttered, "Just stuff."

It was odd that he was being distant from her, but Kagome didn't want to pry. The last thing she wanted to do was get in a fight with him over his silence.

He coughed suddenly, his eyes quickly darting in her direction, realizing he couldn't contain his secret any longer. After clearing his throat, he said, "Kagome, I've got something to tell you…"

She rose a brow and placed the paper flat on the table, folding her hands together. "What 's going on, Hojo? Did something happen?"

Hojo grinned and nodded, "Yes, something did happen." He paused and reached for one of her hands. "My ship has finally come in!"

Kagome frowned. "What?"

Hojo's eyes sparkled with joy as he replied, "I got a offered a job!"

"Really? When?" She smiled slightly at his happiness, as it was nice to see him in better spirits.

"About two weeks ago. I didn't want to say anything, plus Inuyasha asked me not to. Nothing was final yet, and he didn't want me to get my hopes up."

Kagome froze when she heard his name. "Inuyasha set this up?"

"Yeah. He told me that I was a fantastic salesman, and of course, a vital asset to the company, but I wasn't going anywhere if I stayed with Oshimoto. There's simply no management jobs available at the moment."

Kagome shook her head quickly, trying to take all of it in. "Wait…so, you're leaving Oshimoto?"

"Yep, looks like it. Mr. Tashio hooked me up with a job at one of Oshimoto's sister companies, Akima Marketing. Yesterday, he just received the good news that I'll be transferring. I'm pretty stoked."

"You're really leaving?" She asked him worriedly. If Hojo left Oshimoto, then that would leave her with Inuyasha. Alone. Her eyes suddenly flashed from suspicion. 'Wait! Did Inuyasha transfer Hojo so he's not in his way? If that's the truth, then I'm in big trouble.'

"Kagome, don't worry. I know you're going to miss me, but it's going to be okay. It's not like we're not going to see each other."

She nodded grimly, uncertain of what to say. Although she didn't want him to go, she knew how much this promotion meant to him. Kagome silently vowed to table her fears on the matter for the rest of the day and give him the congratulations he so rightly deserved.

Forcing a smile, Kagome replied, "I'm so happy for you, Hojo. Congratulations."

"Thank you." He walked around the table to plant a kiss on her cheek. "What say you and I go out tonight and celebrate, huh?"

Kagome nodded and returned the kiss. "What ever you want, Hojo." She watched as he retreated into the bedroom, and when he was out of sight, her true feelings resurfaced. Kagome bit her lip, worried by this new development. 'If Hojo leaves, how will I resist Inuyasha's charms? This is not good…not good at all!' Kagome pondered and pondered, realizing she would be absolutely powerless to ignore her attraction to Inuyasha.

'What if this was Inuyasha's plan all along? To keep Hojo and I apart?' Kagome's eyes narrowed at the thought. 'Oh no, he doesn't! I will not be apart of his scheme! Look out Inuyasha Tashio, because I'm not going to play this game anymore! It ends now.'

Thank you for reading! If you have enjoyed the story so far, please review, review, review!