It was a happenstance. Kagome nearly dragged her feet to the closest Starbucks after a fourteen-hour shift. As much as her feet were aching and as much as her bed was calling, she needed fuel just to get home. After working the long overnight shift, it was time for the lunch rush when Kagome lined up for her fix. She was deep in thought when nearly every girl and woman in the cafe suddenly cooed and squealed in unison.
Instinctively, Kagome's eyes followed the line of sight of the other women to the doorway. The bell was still chiming from the recent motion of the door being used. Kagome's eyes widened for just a moment. It had been so long since she saw someone so young and handsome wear such ashen hair. Furthermore, Kagome understood the other women's excitement with just one glimpse at the man. Everything from his face, style, and build was stunning. Not only was he a man blessed with natural beauty but he had the sense to use it.
"Hmph," The adonis suddenly regarded the long line of patrons with a toothy grin, "Are you ladies really gonna make me wait that long?"
Kagome reeled back, hiding her aversion by returning her eyes forward to the front of the line. That grin. It was just a smirk with teeth. Despite having an angelic face, this man's grin was nothing short of devilish. She ignored the way several women's voices became breathy as they graciously expressed their pleasure in letting the man cut.
Kagome pitied them.
She had only seen smirks like that one on demons like Hiten and Koga or maniacs like Bankotsu. Granted, the man could have had some redeeming qualities like Koga but Kagome wasn't interested enough to find out. There was certainly more to her selection process than physical attraction.
Kagome kept her eyes trained on the menu as she ignored the sound of many shrill voices begging the man for selfies, his number, or to strike poses. By the sound of his arrogant, pleased huffs, he seemed to be relishing in the attention. Luckily for Kagome, her torture was drawing to a close as it finally became her turn to order.
"A cafe mocha and a brownie, please."
"Sure! Would you like your brownie warmed up~?"
Kagome maintained her composure despite her anticipation for the chocolately dopamine rush she craved, "Yes, please." She offered a cordial smile.
After giving the cashier her name, Kagome joined the rest of the crowd awaiting their orders. 'Wow,' Kagome's eyes wandered back to the cash register and noted upon discovering that the man wooed his way to the spot just behind her in line, 'He's good. As long as he doesn't use his looks for evil, more power to him.'
Her inner voice muddled the man's voice as he bristled at the cashier's words. The service worker behind the counter suddenly leaned over to get a glimpse of the pickup area. Upon making eye contact with Kagome, the cashier pointed at her. Kagome flinched when the distraught-looking man followed the invisible trail straight to her.
'Oh God...' It had been a long time since Kagome had felt anything akin to dread. But somehow, the sight of the man's pencil-straight lips and black glasses trained on her was unnerving. This man was nothing but trouble.
Suddenly, his mouth curved into a brilliant, dazing smile as his hand rose.
'Erk!' Kagome shrunk away from that smile. 'Yup, he's good. Too good.' She was mortified with how disarming his smile was. He went from strutting into the joint like the top dog to smiling like the boy next door. That was the type of smile she expected from Miroku.
And Kagome refused to fall for it.
"Higurashi-saaaaan~!" A barista called before scooting her warm beverage and snack across the counter towards her. Kagome was so grateful for ordering simple items.
"Thank you so much," Kagome smiled as she grabbed her items and turned. "Wha—?" To her shock, the man was suddenly towering above her. She had to crane her neck up to meet his shades. She could tell that he was tall from his height relative to the door, but the difference between them hadn't become so apparent, so brazen until now. And worse yet, he was standing so closely that there were mere millimeters between her face and his chest.
This man was a freak.
"Can I..." Kagome's smile dropped into a squinty-eyed incredulous grimace, "Help you?"
The man's lips widened into a grin, as if he was waiting for her to ask, "Word on the street is they're out of brownies," he stared down at her from behind his shades, "And you've got the last one."
"Oh, lucky me~" Kagome chirped through a strained smile. A twitch of her eyebrow betrayed her sweet voice and sunny disposition. She made a move to sidestep the man, only for him to follow her motion with perfect precision.
It was then that the man leaned his weight forward and rested on hand against the pickup counter, further cutting off one of Kagome's final escape routes. He tilted his head downward, allowing his glasses to slide down the bridge of his nose. He revealed pale, feathery eyelashes and blue eyes aglitter, "Don'cha wanna give it to me~?"
Onlookers's eyes widened as they viewed the scene with shoujo lenses. It wasn't every day that you saw two astonishingly gorgeous strangers meet like this. The pair were surrounded by a bright, colorful background as mysterious, soft bubbles floated around them.
"I sure don't," Kagome replied matter-of-factly. She used her brownie-clutching hand to push his chest and past him—or at least, that was her intention. Both she and the man froze when her hand made contact. Lightning zipped through her veins.
...
'This power...' Her eyes were wide as she wordlessly raised her head to meet his gaze. With only glimpses of his eyes, Kagome couldn't completely discern his emotions at that moment, but his smirk was wiped and all airs of bravado dropped. She was still speechless but she took the opportunity to move past the man and headed for the door. Her legs felt like lead and her eyes were unable to leave him along the way.
Unbeknownst to the priestess, the man grinned widely as she made her escape, "Well, well..."
It was only after she stepped into the fresh air that the enchantment over her lifted. She paused for a moment to look down at her hand. 'What was that...?' She wondered. She had never felt energy like that from another human being. His power was monstrous and unlike her and Miroku's spiritual powers. Kagome sighed and surmised that this world would always have surprises and mysteries. As a girl who leaped through time, she couldn't count out any possibilities.
But possibilities would be for another day. Kagome proceeded to walk down the sidewalk, raising her lidded cup to her lips. With most people settled into their designated lunch spots, the sidewalk wasn't as nearly as crowded as they were during the evening. She just had to make it to train and—.
Kagome blinked.
"Soooooooo," and suddenly her direct path was blocked by trouble on long legs. Kagome didn't even question that he seemingly teleported just to catch up with her. He even held a Venti-sized frappucino in one hand. "How 'bout that brown—? Hey, wait! Don't be like that!" He called after her when she silently sidestepped him, her escape easier in an open space.
"You snooze you lose," Kagome responded while keeping her eyes forward. She gave her drink a quick sip when he began walking beside her. She figured that the best thing to do was to ignore him until he gave up. "Guess you should have tried harder to win me over," she quipped before thinking about it.
To her surprise, instead of taking offense, the man cackled so hard that he stopped to hold his stomach and contain himself. Kagome paused too to look over her shoulder. "Haaaaarsh," he remarked while grinning. He then regained proper posture, "What if I said 'pretty please'~? We're in the same type of business, right?" and offered a wink from over his shades.
Kagome couldn't help but find herself amused.
She stifled a chuckle before turning to face him properly. "Fine, if you insist," she gingerly unfolded the package that held her snack while being mindful of her drink. With her eyes focused on her hands, she didn't notice the way the man's grin widened into Cheshire territory. She ignored his sunny but boastful 'I knew I'd win ya over!' as she broke the brownie into two pieces, "You can have half."
A sparkling, bright aura surrounded the man as he nearly floated towards her, his hands out, ready to accept the charity, "You angel—. Eh." His aura returned to normal when he looked down at the piece in his hands. It was barely a third. "Heeeeeeey~" he sang with a small, innocent, and blissful smile as he raised the piece. His other hand pointed a long finger at his designated portion, "What is it~?"
Despite his smile and saccharine tone, Kagome could tell he wasn't pleased. This pleased her. "Well," she promptly spun, showing him her back to hide her own amusement, "I bought it with my money so I get to say what a half is."
For a moment, there was nothing but silence behind her. Kagome almost thought the stranger teleported elsewhere. That thought was swiftly squashed when she nearly toppled over from the man haphazardly throwing his weight at her. "Hey!" She cried in protest when a heavy arm wrapped around her shoulder. Again, the man was laughing heartily and invading her space as he dipped his head low enough to be at eye level with her. A few drops of her sloshed mocha escaped through the sipping hole and splattered on the cement. 'This guy—.'
He was so close that Kagome could feel his breath on her lips.
"I like you," He said bluntly. Kagome hated how she felt heat rush to her face. She hated the smirk that spread across his even more. "You're a lot more fun than you look."
Kagome never felt a blush dissipate quicker as she deadpanned, "I'm flattered."
"You should be," He told her matter-of-factly. Kagome almost regretted parting with that third. "You just made friends with the strongest Jujutsu sorcerer." Arrogance radiated off this man like heat off the sun; it made Kagome almost shrink away. "The one and only Satoru Gojo."
Kagome would have shrunk away if she weren't so interested. As obnoxious as his personality was, Satoru Gojo was just the type of person she'd been wanting to meet. Someone who walked the lines between humanity and the supernatural and paranormal—though she could do without his ego.
"Exhausted nurse extraordinaire and per diem Shinto priestess," She said without missing a beat, "Kagome Higurashi."