A.N. Two more chapters after this! Very exciting. I'm not even pausing to read reviews until the next chappie goes out but thank you for reading and taking the time to respond!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Inuyasha and never claimed ownership at any point during this story.
-
(Tsuki)
-
Simply Business
Chapter Thirty-Eight
-
(Tsuki)
April
The beginning of spring, April housed a sense of new life. It was the month where spring decided to unveil itself in the most refreshing of ways.
"Before the rain completely ruins them, you should go take Rin and Shippou to see the cherry blossoms." Kagome spoke up one night at dinner, "My family and I went last weekend in Kyoto and it's a great way to spend bonding time."
Sesshoumaru looked incredulously. "I've spent an hour in a field full of pumpkins. I think I've bonded outside with Rin enough."
Shippou cleared his throat noisily. "And what about me, old man? You barely spend time with me! The only time we ever did anything together was when we made that chocolate. And we were in the kitchen the whole time!"
Kagome giggled, "See, Sesshoumaru, take them out for a picnic or something."
Rin piped up, "But nee-chan has to go too!" She pouted, "You haven't bonded much with us either lately."
The raven haired girl slowly brought her fork to her mouth.
She had probably been a bit preoccupied with moving her things back home and she was guessing it showed. Plus, Souta and Kohaku had spent their Spring Break with them so she was more than a little drained.
The girls had driven to Kyoto at the end of March and when they returned to Tokyo, they had more than their newly washed laundry.
And those two boys were giant balls of energy.
Ending with a relaxed picnic a week later had been just what the girls needed.
Rin snapped Kagome back to reality with a playful huff, "And nee-chan has been very spacey lately."
Sesshoumaru snorted, "She's always been that way. It's only worse now." He smirked at the girl who grinned sheepishly. "Okay, okay. Now that we're all very blatantly aware of my inabilities to concentrate," she glared a little at Sesshoumaru, "I propose a picnic and I know just where to go!"
She smiled wider and winked.
"I'll take care of everything, Sesshoumaru; all you have to do is drive."
-
-
(Tsuki)
-
-
True to her word, Kagome arrived that weekend, carrying a large wicker picnic basket. She supported some of the weight on her hip as she rang the door bell.
Sesshoumaru opened the door, dressed not quite how one would to go on a picnic—unless of course pajamas were his normal outdoors wear.
He looked at her as if she had two heads, "Were you actually serious?"
Kagome's jaw dropped down and she sputtered, "Y-yes! Go get dressed, mister!" She waved her hand at him and urged, "Go!"
Sesshoumaru raised a brow at her as Kagome huffily pushed him inside, "You act like you're allergic to sunlight or something. It's finally nice out and some fresh air will do you good," she said definitively as she put down her basket and gave him one final push she grunted, "Comfortable jeans and an I-don't-give-a-damn shirt!"
Rin and Shippou ran from the living room, Gome in tow, at the sound of the noise.
The redhead cheered when he saw the picnic basket, "I knew the old man was wrong when he said that you weren't taking us out to see the trees!"
Kagome blew a breath of air into her hangs, "That guy!"
Rin embraced the raven haired girl and murmured into the fabric of her jeans, "Rin is glad nee-chan did plan a picnic."
Kagome ran a hand affectionately through her hair, "Apparently you're the only one. At least you're actually wearing clothes though." She rolled her eyes at the image of a pajama wearing Sesshoumaru that was still stuck in her head.
-
-
(Tsuki)
-
-
Whites and magentas swirled all around them as Sesshoumaru pulled up to the park where Kagome directed him.
"This is one of the MNU's nature preserves. It's completely open to the students, though no one really has time to go here with that much with exams around the corner."
She opened her door and a gust of wind tossed around her thick hair.
Sesshoumaru let the children and Gome out of the back seat and went to the trunk to get Kagome's ridiculously large picnic basket out of it.
Kagome took Rin's hand and giggled, "Let's go pick a tree!"
Rin soaked in the enthusiasm and chirped, "Okay, nee-chan!"
Shippou hooked on Gome's leash and grinned, "Let's go follow them, girl!" The two broke out into a playful run and Sesshoumaru was left to bring up the rear.
The two girls had not gone far though. They had chosen a tall, impressive tree that had a nice patch of shade beneath it.
Kagome waited for Sesshoumaru to catch up so that she could take the basket from him and lay down a large blanket from within it. She sat on the edge of it and set to work on bringing food out.
She, with some help from Sango, had made a picnic style lunch for the four and packed a Tupperware container with dog food for Gome.
Sesshoumaru had to admit that leaned against the tree trunk while eating appetizing food was cozier outdoors on that breezy yet warm April day.
Kagome smiled and looked over at him, "I see you're enjoying yourself. Reluctantly, of course…"
Sesshoumaru only smirked at her a let his eyes rove around the expanse of the park. It was a striking sight.
He felt as he did that New Year's Eve as he gazed up at the stars.
Kagome Higurashi was a girl who seemed capable of bringing him out of his comfort zones in ways he never thought possible.
And he didn't dislike it either…
The sunlight over the field slowly lessened more and more with each passing moment.
Kagome did not take note as she too had taken up leaning against the tree and had dozed off, Sesshoumaru was off within his reveries, and children at play never were considered observant, so when the sky opened up on the field, everyone was caught unawares.
Kagome jolted awake and Sesshoumaru rose quickly to the sound of pattering rain and squealing children. "I suppose I can safely guess that you didn't check the weather when you were planning this impromptu trip?"
The raven haired girl laughed while shaking her head, "I suppose you can."
Sesshoumaru chuckled and murmured, "I suppose this is a sign to head home."
Kagome pulled his arm and dragged him under the brunt of the shoulder, "C'mon, Rin and Shippou are having fun—live a little and let's join them!"
For the first time in perhaps the entirety of his life, Sesshoumaru was forced to play in the rain…
-
-
(Tsuki)
-
-
The last Tuesday of April was a sad one for Kagome.
It was after her last exams day where she finally had to face reality.
She had been checking things off her mental list of things that needed to be done before she left.
And she was finally at the bottom.
"Hey Sesshoumaru…" She sucked in a breath, "We need to talk." Kagome gingerly knocked on the door to his study. When he gave her the green light to enter she stepped inside the room. He pierced her with a look that partially irritated that she was interrupting his work, and yet grudgingly relieved at the same time.
Kagome felt awkward under his gaze. She rubbed her arms slowly and his raised a brow, "You may begin speaking at any time, Higurashi."
The girl took in another deep breath and looked up at him with saddened eyes. "I'm giving you my two weeks' notice."
The room was eerily quiet then.
Kagome did not know what to say and for once neither did Sesshoumaru.
It was as if her saying the words out loud suddenly made them real.
Of course both had known that she was leaving…
But to Sesshoumaru, it had been one of those things he had long since decided was better not to think about. It was something for him to disregard, lest it make him come to realizations he was still too obdurate to come to.
Now her leaving was abruptly official.
Sesshoumaru knew he had to be the one to break the silence so he murmured, "I see." He stood, feeling the need to get away from his desk. It felt too cramped now. The man rubbed his brow, "When do you leave?"
Kagome wet her lips, "My graduation from MNU is the first Sunday of May. My flight is the following Tuesday because I landed an interview with a company in Boston."
The silver haired man felt minutely relieved that she wasn't entirely disappearing out of range. He inquired quickly, "Do you have a place to stay there?"
Kagome looked taken aback by the question, "I figured I'd rent a hotel room for awhile or something. I hadn't really thought abo—"
"Tell Inuyasha you will be arriving and he will be happy to let you stay with him until you need to." Sesshoumaru looked at her, "Do you want his number?"
The raven haired girl ran a hand through her hair, "I don't want to intrude—you said he lived with his girlfriend and with Sara and everything, I'd just be in the way."
He scribbled down his brother's number on the one of the post it notes the girl had given him so long ago. "Consider it."
He felt as if he was trying to will her to take the offer. Like her staying with Inuyasha would be as if she never had to leave his world. When Kagome's hand slowly took the digits, he almost smiled.
Kagome tucked the number into the pocket of her jeans. "I know I've complained a lot since I started working for you, but you've been really great to work for Sesshoumaru." She had to will herself not to spew word after word of what she truly felt. She knew if she started up she would begin weeping as well.
And she didn't want to lose her composure, while she still had two weeks left.
She smiled at him and joked before he could say anything, "I'll try not to get sappy on you until I really leave." In trying to change the subject, Kagome asked, "Anything you need me to do until then?"
Sesshoumaru's next sentence almost broke her heart. "I'll need you to find your replacement."
-
-
(Tsuki)
-
-
"I can't do this Sesshoumaru! I can't interview people! I can manage getting interviewed—but it's totally not the same the other way around!"
Kagome was practically hyperventilating in the kitchen as she protested to a borderline concerned Sesshoumaru.
"I placed an ad in the paper—shouldn't that be enough?"
Sesshoumaru firmly gripped her shoulders, "I'll guide you through the few interviews. I am trusting your judgment over mine in this, so do try to calm down."
Kagome looked up at him, "That's way too much pressure… Why don't you let Rin and Shippou choose—they'll end up spending the most time with her." She paused, "Or him…"
"They are going to be biased and unresponsive and you know that. You are, however, for the most, part a decent judge of character." He looked her up and down and pursed his lips slightly and said again, "For the most part…"
Kagome sighed and ran a hand through her hair, "I wish Sango wasn't going to grad school. I'm happy for her and everything because she's heading to an amazing school—but this would be so much easier."
Rin and Shippou liked Sango and could get used to her as the replacement. A complete stranger though?
'She'd have to be frikkin' Marry Poppins…'
Kagome sucked in a deep breath and Sesshoumaru said, "We'll deal with the circumstance we have." He looked at the clock. It read five minutes to noon.
"The first candidate will be here momentarily. Are you ready?"
"Not really…"
"That will have to do. Come on." He took her arm and led her to the living room. He sat her down and said, "This will be a simple dialogue, so try and keep it together. Think of it as a discussion."
Kagome nodded and breathed deeply as the doorbell rang.
-tsuki-
"What made me consider the job? …Uh well," the girl smacked her giant wad of gum and continued in her breathy, whisper of a voice, "I like kids and… houses. I live in one…"
Kagome drew her lips into a thin, forced smile. Under her breath, she said, "Oh she's wonderful, Sesshoumaru. Absolutely marvelous."
Sesshoumaru glared at her, "Need I remind you who placed the ad?"
The woman giggled, "You guys are talking a lot… Does that mean I get the job?"
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and before he could say anything to the girl, Kagome rose and quickly shook her hand, "I'll be in touch."
-tsuki-
"I've babysat before, so I think I'm definitely qualified for this position."
"And this was before or after your incarceration…?" Sesshoumaru drawled as he read the man's resume.
"A little before..." He let out a chuckle, "You could almost say one thing let to another!"
Kagome shook her head slowly, "That's not funny…"
-tsuki-
"Kagome-chan!"
"Jakotsu!!"
"No."
-tsuki-
Kagome let out a sigh as the last person left for the day, "Today sucked. Everyone was either under qualified, too scary, or you refused to let them into your house."
Sesshoumaru rubbed his temples as he shut the front door and returned to the living room. He murmured, "It was only the first day. I'd like to hope that things will gradually improve."
Kagome giggled, "I can't believe you're the optimist for once."
Sesshoumaru looked over at her and murmured, "I cannot believe you're so difficult to replace."
He took one look at Kagome and left after that minute span of gaze.
-
-
(Tsuki)
A.N. Thank you all for reviewing and staying with this real delightful disaster, (DD humor anyone?) But seriously I'm really excited and working hard to meet my own goals.
R&R