Disclaimer: The characters originally were created by Rumiko Takahashi. It's a good thing too, because I can't draw.

A Distant Promise - Mini-Chapter # 29

"My favorite color?"

Kagome stared at the dog-demon in confusion. What would have prompted him to ask this question, so suddenly? It was not too personal a question – she felt comfortable around him these days, unlike in the distant past. Still, the taiyoukai rarely asked about frivolous items or interests.

"Blue, I suppose," she answered slowly. "Why?"

"No reason," he replied evasively. Strangely enough, she could tell that something fishy was going on. It wasn't that Sesshoumaru was easy to read. On the contrary – the studied blankness on his face seemed too perfect. She wondered if a chuckle or a frown was hiding behind his impassive gaze.

Suspiciously, she studied his profile, as Sesshoumaru stared determinedly straight ahead. "You just suddenly want to know my favorite color?" she raised one brow, eerily reminiscent of one of the taiyoukai's own gestures. "Nope. Not buying it."

"Hn."

"Fine," grumbled Kagome, crossing her arms. "Be that way. But in that case, it's only fair I ask too… What's your favorite color?"

This time, the smile almost escaped. She could see it shimmer in his eyes, even if it didn't reach his lips. "Isn't it obvious?" he said, apparently pleased with himself. Then, he leaned toward her slightly, as though he was about to impart a great secret. "… White."

"Would that be white like snow, white like ocean foam…" she pondered, mockingly serious, "Or white like doggy-fur?"

Knowing when to change the subject, instead of allowing himself to be drawn in by such a ridiculous query, Sesshoumaru ignored her. "One week from today there is a conference I must attend, in Kyoto," he continued quietly, "I was wondering if you might choose to attend."

The subject switch was so sudden that Kagome felt bewildered. What did that have to do with her favorite color? Wait, Sesshoumaru had just asked her to go… to go with him to a… what exactly?

Her mouth opened, then closed, uselessly. Just when she needed it most, her brain seemed to be malfunctioning. Why couldn't she think of anything to say? A thousand questions had sprouted up in her mind, the moment he spoke, but she was unable to voice them.

"Like a…" mumbled Kagome. Date. Like a date? No, not a date. She wanted to say it, but the mere idea was too silly for words. So instead, she finished by asking, "Like a… business associate?"

His brow creased a little, at this, but he did not contradict her statement. Focusing his attention on her fully, the taiyoukai coiled his youki tightly around himself and melted into his human disguise. "Meetings can be boring and tedious," explained Sesshoumaru, "And yet become slightly more bearable if someone else attends."

Heart-rate slowly returning to normal, Kagome breathed deeply and tried to relax. What was wrong with her? He asked a simple question, and she instantly behaved like a stammering schoolgirl. She was in college now. And besides, this was Sesshoumaru. And when someone like … well, like Sesshoumaru… asked someone like her a simple question, he expected a simple answer.

He merely wanted to know what she was doing next weekend. Because without her, he would have to go alone, and that would be boring and tedious. And she would be bored and lonely too, having nothing to do with her weekend. And why should they both be bored and miserable, alone, when they could be bored and miserable together at a business meeting? Yes, that was very sound logic.

It was nothing like a date – it was a partnership of sorts. Just like their lunches and dinners and card-games and other friendly associations over the past few months were not really dates, they were just… spending time together. Keeping loneliness at bay by associating with another person who understood their shared past.

Yet somehow that didn't keep the blush from her face when she answered. "Sure," she announced, far more certain than she felt. "Why not? I'm still curious about what you do for a living."

Even through his human disguise, his eyes flashed gold for a moment, and he shook his head. "I do many things," he answered, his earlier mischievous demeanor returning bit by bit, "And yet very little. Owning companies is not as difficult as building them."

They worked out the details, and it was not until she entered her dorm room and started digging through her books that she realized he had never answered her original question. What did her favorite color have to do with anything?