They stayed in touch after that, exchanging texts often enough for her to invite him to a gala the following month. Mama was supposed to be the one to go, as it was to secure funds for the shrine, but Gramps had come down with the flu, so she'd asked Kagome to take her place.

Kagome was grateful Sesshoumaru had agreed to come with her. It wasn't his type of scene—she'd sent him multiple photos of the dress code so he didn't show up in the same outfit she'd first seen him in—but there would be a lot of schmoozing involved, and having someone familiar on her side would keep her from putting her foot in her mouth.

She hoped.

Reciting the list of people she was supposed to talk to, Kagome checked her watch, trying not to pace on the pavement. She was wobbly enough on the stilettoes she was wearing, but the long silver dress wasn't helping either. She'd wanted to wear one of her pretty cocktail dresses, but Mama had insisted that everyone else would be wearing something like this, and she was there to make an impression.

She clutched her purse, fingers flexing as she took a deep breath. A slew of people had already entered the building, and so far, Mama had been right. There was a combination of ballgowns and tuxedos, high heels and gleaming shoes clicking against the floor as the door was held open for them. Most of the women showed off glittering jewellery with fancy updos, but Kagome had put her foot down at slathering on a layer of hairspray to make her hair behave.

She'd let Mama twist it to one side, dark curls falling over one shoulder. The intricate folds of her dress hugged her curves, the slit on the right side showing off just enough leg to intrigue, but a headache from having her hair pulled back was the last thing she needed. Plus, Sesshoumaru was likely to show up with his hair long as well, so then they'd match.

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She'd told him to wear a black suit, so given the lustre of his hair, it would be obvious that they were there together. If he would just show up. She checked her watch again. It was only a few minutes past when she told him to meet her. The bus was probably late. She sighed. She should've just picked him up.

A snicker had her turning around, blood freezing in her veins. "What are you doing here?"

Kenta straightened his shoulders, Himeko's hand clasped tightly around his arm. "We were invited. Why are you here? Hoping someone will drop their invitation in the gutter?"

If her shoes hadn't cost half of her last paycheque, she would've stabbed him with it. The thought of his blood staining his suit, along with Himeko's gaudy green dress, was satisfying though fleeting. "I'm waiting for my date, and then we'll bothbe going in," she replied in a clipped tone.

Himeko looked her up and down, nose still in the air. "There's a dress code, you know. No knockoffs allowed."

"Guess you'll be turned away at the door, then," Kagome said without missing a beat.

The woman bristled. "At least I'm not out here pretending to wait for someone." She leaned her head on Kenta's shoulder. "Such a shame you couldn't hold onto a man. Must be your breeding." The pair laughed, and Kagome opened her mouth to scald them with her next retort, but a sleek car pulled up beside her, the engine still running as a man in a custom-tailored suit stepped out.

Dark hair was cropped short, silver cufflinks glinting as he adjusted his collar. If Kagome had any mind, she might've taken a second look, but she just stepped out of the way, biting her tongue. She wasn't going to let Kenta bait her into making a scene. She was here for Mama and the shrine.

"Care to join me for a drink?" the man asked, holding his hand out to Kagome. She felt Kenta and Himeko staring behind her, but she didn't trust them not to have pulled one of their friends in to humiliate her even further.

"A shiny car and an expensive suit won't hide the fact that you all rely on your money to speak for you," she sneered, turning on her heel. "I'd rather spend my time with someone who's worked hard to create a name for himself. You are all slaves to a dollar sign, thinking that spending more will get you noticed."

Himeko gave her a slightly panicked look as she stalked toward them. She cowered behind Kenta, gripping the pearls around her neck as if Kagome was about to snatch them off.

Kagome looked between the man on the sidewalk and the two vipers in front of the door. "I wasn't impressed with your money when we were dating, and I'm certainly not impressed with it now." She looked Himeko up and down, then flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Careful, Kenta. If she finds someone with deeper pockets, you'll be going home alone tonight."

The woman sputtered out an argument, but Kagome flounced past them. She'd wait for Sesshoumaru inside.