[Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or the rest of the chars.]

PLANS AND MEETINGS

*****

Kagome woke slowly Sunday morning, lying still in her bed for almost an hour before stretching lazily and yawning. Snuggling down deeper under her comforter, she considered to stay in bed all day, not even going down to get something to eat.

Her brother set that thought flying out through the window as he came barging in, startling her.

"Hey, Kag, mom says you're going to help me with my math!" At sixteen, he was very much like her in that age - except that he actually cared about school.

'Perhaps something you should try once in a while?'

Hey! Cut it out! I take care of school, I DO!

'Yeah, you DID, till you were what, sixteen? Seventeen? Pre-Inu, anyway…'

"Do I have to? Can't granpa help you instead?" Ignoring the voice, she tried to come up with something to avoid having to play teacher for her brother. God,I hate math…

"With Trigonometry? Oh please…" He snorted, and she sighed. Oh what the hell… This day is probably ruined anyway…

"Just let me get something to eat, would you?" Shooing him out of her room again, she looked at the watch, trying to come up with a plan to at least get some more sleep. It had taken her forever to fall asleep last night, twisting and turning and thinking about the bet. It's a fucking BET! And you're NOT in love with either of them, got that, baka?!

'Whatever you say… '

Go away, it's too early to have you here again!

Stretching, she rose from her bed, grabbing new clothes and heading for the shower, trying to ignore the churning in her stomach that was there whenever her thoughts brushed Inuyasha or Sesshoumaru. Something was wrong with her, she shouldn't react like this. Perhaps I'm sick? No, it's all their fault, the bastards!

Stepping into the shower, she yelped and cursed as she rather violently noticed that someone had turned it to the cold.

"Souta! I'm so going to kill you!" She screamed, knowing that he couldn't hear her, and loosing her temper wasn't the best way to start a new day. That's it, I'm going back to bed again! Screw ALL males!

Giving the shower a second chance, she stood there for an eternity, trying to let her troubles disappear with the water down the drains, failing miserably. She knew that her mother didn't like it when she stepped out and looked like a raisin, but right now, she didn't care. She's just going to have to blame herself this time, setting me up to teach Souta something he won't have any use of anyway!

Stepping out of the shower and drying off, she dressed and went back to her room. Her door was slightly ajar, and she stepped in, still toweling her hair. Inuyasha was seated on her bed, startling her.

"Morning." She wasn't up for arguing with him right now, and he probably wanted to know what Sesshoumaru had had to say to her last night. Tell, or not to tell?

"Good morning, sunshine!" She scowled at him, and the fact that he always was up and alert before she even could begin to consider it a new day, regardless of when he had gotten to bed the night before.

"No 'sunshine', thank you…" He grinned, knowing that her morning temper wasn't the best.

"Keh! No sunshine? Rain then?" Narrowing her eyes, she stared at him.

"Are you drunk or what?" He actually managed to look hurt for a second before the grin was back in full force again.

"Hey! You're insulting me!"

"I know. I kinda hoped that you would leave if I did. I'm going to help Souta with his homework." He snorted, knowing very well that it would take her about a minute before she began yelling at her brother and the fight was a fact. She ignored him, not wanting to hear his opinion on the subject.

"What did you and my brother talk about last night?" Curiousity shone in his eyes, and she stood there for a moment without answering. If she told him, he would want to know everything, and she had no intention of telling him exactly what had happened.

"Nothing special. We were just… talking, that's all." Half the truth, anyway.

'And the other half?'

Not acceptable right now.

'If not now, then when?'

Never? Or at least, not right now…

He grinned at her, and she forced herself to return it. This was going out of hand, the pain from last night wasn't something she had been expecting, let alone wanted.

"Anyway, I count on you to show up tonight as well." She nodded and he grinned even more. What's he up to now?

"About the bet…"

"Yeah? You don't want out, do you?" His eyebrows rose expectantly, and she forced herself to laugh. Yes, very much…

"No, I just want to clear a few things first. Like, if he leaves on a business trip, what happens then? You can't count the days he's not here." Nodding, he looked at her.

"Then, you get the same number of days afterwards, when he's home again. That's fair."

"Good. And if one of us falls sick? I can't do anything if I have a cold that keeps me in bed all the time." He was silent for a moment before sighing.

"I'm too nice… You don't have to worry about that either. By the way, how's things coming along?" Smiling, he watched her blush.

"Things are… coming along well…" A questioning eyebrow.

"Details, Kag!" She scowled at him, but obliged, swallowing the lump in her throat before answering.

"Details? Well, let me put it this way; hadn't there been anyone outside the kitchen door Friday night, I would have won the bet easily." His jaw dropped, and he stared speechless at her.

"Keh! You're kidding me?" She shook her head, smiling innocently at him.

"No, it was him, me, the counter and a salad."

"You're lying!" A slight panic was detected in his voice and she laughed, the sound echoing in his ears to the image of how she would drive away with his Tetsusaiga.

"Let me put it this way, honey, he knows how to kiss a girl breathless…" Grinning, she watched that little piece of information sink in and he scowled.

"You're lying!" Indignantly, this time.

"I'm not!" Glaring at him, she crossed her arms under her breasts, challenging him.

"Keh!" He snorted and put his nose in the air, not meeting her eyes.

"One thing though… What happens if he begins to suspect something? Are we calling it off then?" He was silent for another moment, studying her. Please, say yes! Please…

"No. The bet still stands, through everything." She almost flinched. Oh fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck!

"Sure, whatever…" Shrugging, she dried her hair with the towel before flinging it on her chair. "I must help Souta now, but I'll be by later, okay?" She was almost shoving him out of her room and down the stairs before turning to her brother, trying to calm her frazzled nerves. She could almost picture them fraying themselves up as Sesshoumaru and Inu stood there laughing at her. Great, now you're paranoid as well, Kagome you idiot!

"Let's get this over with, Souta." Forcing herself to sit down by the kitchen table, she looked at the numbers and figures, trying to remember how it was done. Math hadn't been her favourite subject, and she had done her best to forget about it. Scowling, she sat her brain to work.

*****

Sesshoumaru was seated in the kitchen, working through his lunch methodically, pretending not to see how his brother cast him smug glances. He had been over to Kagome's. Why, he didn't know. Probably to talk about their little game or something like that.

Inuyasha cleared his throat, the nice way of trying to catch his attention and he glanced up.

"Yes?" Keeping his voice calm was a little tough as all he wanted to do was to double over laughing at the look on his brother's face. The little idiot…

"Um… Nothing." The idiot looked away, fiddling with his shirt, and he almost sighed. Whatever he had said to Kagome, he guessed that he would find out pretty soon. What annoyed him the most though, was that although he had so clearly revealed that he knew what they were up to, she still refused to admit it, even as she must know that it was futile to keep up that charade. Resistance is futile… From a movie? Whatever, it was a good metaphor describing this.

He was actually beginning to enjoy their little game, and he would have crushed them both before he was done. Inuyasha because it was the right thing to do, and Kagome because she had had the nerve to try this with him. He didn't pretend that he didn't enjoy what she was doing - he wasn't totally oblivious of her looks whatever he had tried to tell himself from the beginning - but he wasn't about to let anyone play with him in this manner and get away with it.

"I'm going for a walk." He rose, cleaned his part of the table and left, fighting the grin on his face as he felt his brother watching him with a calculating gaze. The little pup has so much to learn still…

Grabbing his coat, he left the house and the garden, not up to stay there today. He wanted a long walk, to clear his head and plan his next move. Perhaps he should treat her to dinner tonight, pretending to be interested in her as a person? He wondered how she would react to that, it would probably fling her far off balance, and he would get something to laugh at. He could picture her as she would stare at him, trying to find a smart retort, but still - because of whatever she was going to get if she won - give in and go out with him. Or perhaps he was just going to sleep with her and then more or less throw her out? No, not that… Then I have to put up with her temper afterwards… Better to do this in a subtle way…

Heading out on the sidewalk, he pretended to be oblivious of the gazes he recieved from two young women passing in a car. He knew what he looked like, and he knew how to use those looks as well to get what he wanted, but now, he was mostly annoyed. Are all women like this? Always acting like bitches in heat? Or have I just been too long minding my own business? Whatever, Kagome Higurashi was the reason for him acting like this. And she would get hell for it.

Shrugging, he continued walking, not really caring where he was headed, but as he began to near the business district, he could as well go to the office and get a couple of hours of work done. And call Jaken and have that slimy little bastard working faster to find out whomever was stealing from them. He had notified his father, but as Inutaisho was stuck in Europe for another month, he was the only one who could deal with it right now. Inuyasha was out of the question - the little idiot would probably just ruin things more, and he really had no head for business. He almost dreaded the day when he would get into the company, probably bringing it down as he tried to learn the trade. Shaking his head, he opened the door to the building, not caring about the stares from the passing people. There were not many of them as it was Sunday, but not one of them seemed to understand why he was so obviously heading to work today. And he didn't expected them to either. Mindless sheep…

He took the elevator up to his office on the 18th floor, at the top along with his father and the other executives, trying to find his keys in his pocket. He knew that they were there, he always kept them there, but now they seemed to try to hide. Grumbling, he found them, unlocking the door and slipping in, closing it behind him. The silence of his office greeted him, the only sound the light swishing of the fans of the building. He went over to his desk, sinking down in his chair, turning the computer on as he shrugged out of his coat. Work was fine, it would help him clear his head better than the walk would have done.

Lifting the phone, he dialed the number to Jaken, wanting to get a full report of what the man had been up to.

*****

Kagome sighed, and rubbed her temples as she stared at Souta's mathbook. The young man himself was sitting beside her, mimicking her movements. In two hours, they had completed seven sums and tried half a dozen more. I really, really, REALLY hate this!

"Can't we call it a day? Neither you nor me get this, and I have more important things to see to today." She yawned, and Souta cast her a glance. He knew exactly what was more important to her - after all, he had been up when she scrambled through the door last night - and he didn't have a hard time figuring out that it was her bed that was calling her.

"Yeah, it's probably for the best. Are you going over to Inu's tonight?" His question sparked her suspicions and she glared at him.

"Yeah, why?" He smiled innocently at her before answering.

"Hojo called last night, he had planned a surprise for you…"

*****

The young man with the brown eyes was happily walking the street in front of the Onishi company when a man came barging out, not watching out as they collided. The papers he had been carrying were spread around, making him curse.

"Watch where you're going!"

"I'm so sorry!" Kneeling down, he helped the man - who was actually younger than he had seemed at first - to collect them again. The man didn't say anything beyond a few muttered curses before shooting him a vicious glance with his golden eyes.

"Hold it, you're Sesshoumaru Onishi, right?" Before the man - Onishi - had had a chance to react, he had grabbed his hand, shaking it violently and almost causing the papers to spread again.

"And you are?" The chill of the man's eyes didn't bother him though, he knew about him; had heard of him from several sources in fact.

"You don't know me, but I'm a friend of your brother's. My name is Hojo Miwa." He let go of Sesshoumaru's hand, and looked expectantly at him. The older man stared at him expressionless before answering.

"Nice to meet you, Mr Miwa. If you excuse me, I must get back home. I have work to do." Brushing past the younger man, he didn't even acknowledge him with another glance, not that it bothered Hojo the least.

"Oh, I'm not going to keep you here then. Have a nice day, Mr Onishi!" Scurrying off, he didn't notice the glance of astonishment, anger and curiousity the other man sent him. He was already late to get to the flower shop, he was going to get Kagome her favourite jasmins for tonight, when he was going to ask her to go steady with him.

*****

"What? When did he do that?" Kagome was slowly realizing that she was panicking as her brother stared at her wide-eyed. She scowled, wiping the grin off his face. Things were falling apart more quickly now, like Domino bricks on the floor.

"I told you, yesterday! How was I to know that you had other things in mind?" Other things in mind, yes… Sesshoumaru…

"Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!" She was almost screaming, trying to get a hold of herself as her mother emerged into the room.

"I won't have that kind of language in my home, and you know it, Kagome." The stern glance she sent her daughter had her shutting up for the moment, her mind working overtime. And once more not coming up with a single thing.

"Sorry…" she muttered as she hurried out, grabbing her coat and leaving the house, determined to keep out till late that night. Sango! Sango would hide her! She hurried on the bus that so conviniently came around the corner, trying to hide herself from the people outside on the street.

"What the hell did I do to deserve this?" Muttering for herself, she tried to avoid the looks from the other passengers, glaring at them if they didn't get the message at once.

'Well, for one thing, Hojo's been in love with you for quite some time, and you knew it. And for another, this little bet-thing might be the reason…'

What the hell are you talking about?

'Ever heard about Murphy's Law?'

The one about whatever can go wrong, goes wrong?

'Something like that, yes…'

So you're telling me that I've got hit by that now?

'Or you're just having a bad day, who knows?'

Shut up! You're always like that, you know! Always so… so… self-rightous!

'Hey! That's the way it is, someone has to keep you in line and take care of you, you know! It's not like I want to, I have better things to do, but there's not much choice if you're going to survive in this world!'

Shut up! Just shut the fuck up!!!

Snarling at the voice, she jumped off the bus, heading to Sango's appartment. She hoped that she was alone, she really didn't want to spend time with the rest of the gang right now.

*****

Sighing, Kagome left Sango's empty apartment. She hadn't been at home, and since she didn't have the keys to it, she was left to find somewhere else to hide. Inu's? And meet Sesshoumaru? Why the hell not… Might as well let it continue this way…

Hurrying out on the street again, she just missed the bus and was left standing there and cursing. This was not her day! Shrugging, she began walking, trying not to scowl at the people she met. Everyone seemed so happy, and content with life, and it was making her sick. She really didn't understand what was wrong with her; ever since the bet had begun, she had been behaving very irrational, snapping at everyone and everything, cursing and threatening. Not that the last things were overly unusual for her; she could have a vicious temper - and hangovers usually made it worse - but the call from Sesshoumaru had brought her way off balance. And then, the way he had behaved yesterday… Not good. And I can't do anything about it either… God, what's wrong with me?

Passing a corner, she bumpted into someone, almost sending her flying on her ass.

"Oof!" Flinging her head up to tell whomever she had bumpted into that he or she could go fuck themselves, she stopped short as she met Sesshoumaru's golden eyes. Perfect… Just bloody perfect!

Neither of them said anything, the silence deafening. The street was suddenly empty, not another person in sight, and no cars passing, and she suddenly had a little trouble finding her breath again.

"Sorry…" she muttered at last, barely audible, and he blinked. Not what he had expected, not with that scowl.

"Don't worry, I didn't break anything." Icy sarcasm washed over her, and she scowled again.

"Too bad." Taking a step backwards, she turned around again. Perhaps, home wasn't so bad after all, and Hojo would probably make it a nice evening anyway. And Inu could win this little mistake of hers if he wanted to. She just wanted to get the hell away from those golden eyes.

"Stop." The pure force of the voice stopped her dead, and she drew a deep, calming breath. It's not like he's going to jump you in the middle of the street, baka!

'But that would be nice, wouldn't it?'

No! Go away!

Turning around, she watched him curiously as his usually stoic face actually had one of those rare smiles - the kind that set her heart racing away and leaving her breathless, no matter how much she tried to deny it.

"Yes?" Trying to be polite was always an option, not that it worked one time out of ten with him.

"Would you like to go for a walk with me?" She studied him, trying to find the catch in his words, before shrugging, trying to get a hold of herself again.

"No, not really, but I guess I'm going to anyway." He snorted at that, the sound so unlike him that she couldn't help but stare.

"You don't have to, you know. I'm just curious about where you're headed at that speed?" Taking a step closer to narrow the distance between them, he watched her as she once more tried to find the catch in his words.

"Miroku's, or somewhere else, I don't know. Sango wasn't at home and I just wanted to get out of the house." Politeness again…

He nodded, and she shrugged. She wasn't going to play this anymore, as soon as she could get a hold of Inuyasha, she was going to admit her defeat. I can't take this anymore!

*****

Touching her arm, he turned her around by the pure force of his will and set them walking down the same way she had emerged from. He wasn't sure why he had sought her company like this, but there was always the chance of kissing her, of course. No, you're not going to do that. Not this time…

They continued down the sidewalk, arms touching now and then, and he watched her out of the corner of his eye, how she seemed to be arguing with herself again. Wonder what that little voice is telling her now…

They turned down another street, still silent as he lead her to a charming little café that he used to visit now and then. She didn't say anything as he stopped outside it, but merely looked at him with her blue eyes.

"My treat… What do you say?" Keeping the predatory smile off his face, he leaned a little closer, watching how the blush began to spread across her small face as she tilted it upwards to him. An unsure smile lit up, warming it even more. Why she was smiling like that, he couldn't even begin to imagine.

"Why not?" Glad that she wasn't playing the Ice Queen anymore - or the rebellious heroine, or something - he opened the door to let her through first. She glanced at him over her shoulder, another smile slightly confusing him and his eyes narrowed. Whatever she was up to now, it would be interesting. He was really beginning to appreciate the things she went through to cast him off balance, how she seemed to plan her moves very carefully.

They seated themselves at a table by the window, and ordered. She was just going to have some tea, not really in the mood for something else, and he ordered coffee. He hadn't have any yet today, and he could feel the dull ache of the abstinence beginning to throb behind his eyes.

They were silent again, not looking at each other. He was watching her reflection in the window, trying to figure her out. She was slightly blushing, or it might have been the change from cold to warm in her temperature, and her blue eyes were sparkling again.

"So…" She was going to try to start a conversation now, try to ease the pressure of the silence.

"Yes?" He forced his attention back to her voice.

"Why…" She was definitely blushing this time, and he had to fight to keep the grin off his face as he watched her twiddle with the cloth on the table and her cup.

"'Why' what?" Amusing, to say the least, to see how her head shot up, how her blue eyes narrowed as they met his own, which he willed to stay calm.

"Why are you doing this?" Tilting his head slightly to the side, he smiled gently, watching her reaction. She wasn't angry anymore, at least, not the kind of anger that she usually displayed around him.

"Why do you think I'm doing this?" Calm… Got to keep calm…

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking. Perhaps you're falling in love with me?" Her sarcasm made him blink and drop his composure for a split second before regaining it. She laughed, not at him, but at her own words. A cynical laugh, and for some reason, it set him on edge.

"No." The answer cut her short, and she looked down into her tea again, bringing it up to taste it. Soon, soon…

"Didn't think so, either." The girl from just now was gone, and staying behind was the one he labeled as 'the Ice Queen' - the sarcasm that was her trademark heavy in her words again.

Silence engulfed them again, as they were both busy with their own thoughts. He studied her again, without letting her notice. She was staring into her cup, and grimacing. The image was… sweet? No, not sweet. Just… interesting…

Outside, darkness was already beginning to fall. They had been seated there for quite some time now, not that anyone seemed to care. Jerking her head up, she glanced at the clock on the other side of the room, and then at him, her blush back in place.

"I… I think I have to get back home… A friend's coming by tonight." Curiousity took the better of him then, and he placed his hand over hers, making her flinch.

"Who?" Her head shot up, and she met his eyes.

"Hojo Miwa. I don't think you know him." Once more in control of herself, she took her hand back.

"I've… met him." So… the brat he had collided with earlier was actually the same one she was going to meet now. It's a small world… And perhaps the same 'Hojo' that her brother spoke of? Probably…

"You have?" Curiousity shone in her voice, sarcasm gone. He nodded, not bothering to explain.

"I have." She rose, him with her, as they left the little place out in the darkness that was coming down heavier for each moment. He briefly considered walking her home - he was curious about how she lived - but decided against it as she probably was going to give him some mad rant about being able to defend herself.

Standing outside for a moment, she began twiddling with her hands again, not quite meeting his eyes.

"I… Thank you for the…" Waving her hand in the café's general direction beside them, she was actually… Cute? Pretty? Or just… interesting? He settled firmly for the last, ignoring the other two.

"You're welcome." Touching her arm slightly, he watched her bite her lip, suddenly having to supress the urge to do the same. She was waiting for him to do that, he realized. Suppressing a chuckle, he leaned down, their noses almost touching. She was waiting, her breath a little ragged and he watched her close her eyes a little. Not so much that she would be standing there like a fool if he decided not to kiss her, but enough to show herself not a threat. Not that she had ever been - most of the time she was as threatening as a kitten, actually. And one tangled up so nicely in the yarn…

Not really sure of what to do, he stared at her for another moment before tilting his head slightly to the side as not to collide with her nose, and kissed her softly. She wrapped her arms around his neck in an instant, pulling him in closer, and he felt a momentarily surge of… something… as she parted her lips under the pressure of his. His hand glided down to her back of its own, pulling her closer to him, while the other caressed the sensitive skin at the back of her neck.

"See you later…" He whispered the words as they broke away from each other, watching how her eyes widened. Got you…

She blinked as he released her, turning on his heel and left her there. He could feel her eyes following him around the corner, and as soon as he was out of their reach, he drew a deep breath. Things were definitely beginning to become interesting now…

********

End Part IV