InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Close Quarters ❯ Casting Call ( Chapter 14 )

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“Can you give me a little more excitement in your face?” Kagome asked.

 

“We're going to need about five or six different camera angles, the most important one being in the sky,” Kouga said.

 

Kagome and Kouga were busy on the sets. Kouga was speaking to the director about Kagome's vision of how the commercial should go. Kagome was busy interviewing all the child actors, and there were a lot.

 

She couldn't really complain because it was her idea to have so many kids in the commercial. But her butt was hurting from sitting down so long and she wasn't even half way through the list. If it wasn't for all the delays they had she would have had more time to do this.

 

“Kagome we have a few unforeseen problems,” Kouga said, walking into the room.

 

“What is it?”

 

“The director wasn't told of the sky shot so we have no other way to do it unless we rent a fucking helicopter. And we haven't got a school courtyard to use!” He was now standing in front of her with his arms crossed looking supremely pissed.

 

“I can't take this. I'm calling a break,” Kagome said, standing.

 

“Kagome we have to do something! Without the sky shot this commercial is going to lose the most dramatic effect it has,” Kouga said, leaning over the table and glaring at her.

 

“I think I know that since it was my idea,” Kagome replied, leaning over and glaring right back.

 

“I'll call the boss and see what he can do,” She said, backing off. Kagome walked out in the waiting room to tell the actors that the interviews would resume in a moment.

 

Kouga turned around to walk out of the room and speak with the director and instead slammed into Ayame. She was wearing a white “V” neck shirt with long sleeves and a long white skirt. She also had a silver necklace around her neck with a charm on it that resembled a little paw print. She fell back onto the floor and for the first few seconds he just stood over her and shock. But then he began to get angry and jerked her back to her feet by her forearm.

 

“Ayame what are you doing here?” He hissed, but before she could answer he cut her off.

 

“You're stalking me at my job now? Are you crazy? I could have you locked up for this.” She tried to move back to put some distance between them but he kept moving forward too, and on top of that, he still had her arm in his grip.

 

“I am not stalking you!” She jerked arm from him. She knew she was lying some-what but he didn't have to know that.

 

“Daddy thought it would be good idea to get me an internship. He thought it would be good for us to spend a little more time together,” she said, turning her nose up.

 

“Well you can go home and tell Daddy to get you another internship somewhere else,” he growled.

 

“You don't tell me what to do. Now, I think I'll go introduce myself to Kagome.” She walked away in the same direction that Kagome had. Kouga gritted his fists and followed the girl. She was working his last nerve but like before he would not strike her.

 

“I promise that this commercial will be worth it. Yes, I know I only specialize in non-live action advertisement but this is a good idea, even Kouga thinks so. I promise that you will never hear another word out of me about commercials if this doesn't work out Sir.” Kagome was talking on her cell phone to her boss, or begging was more like it.

 

“Thank you so much, you won't regret it.” Just as she hung up, she was tapped on her shoulder.

 

“Kagome, hi.” She was greeted with a small bow and big smile from none other than Ayame.

 

“I don't think we were properly introduced the first time,” she said, “I'm Ayame Shiro.”

 

“Oh my…” Kagome began slowly, looking stunned. Kagome looked her over from head to toe. She looked very different from the first time she had seen her.

 

“Kagome I had nothing to do with this,” Kouga said, coming up behind Ayame and crossing his arms. Kagome looked from him back to Ayame and shook her head a little as if she thought she was seeing things.

 

“Then why are you here Ayame?”

 

“My father got me an internship at the ad company. And when your boss found out that Kouga and I were engaged he decided to let me shadow the two of you,” she said, happily.

 

“Oh…well…” Kagome stuttered.

 

“We are not engaged! See Kagome I told you she was crazy! She's stalking me at work! Imagine going through this morning, noon, and night!”

 

“Kouga let's not bring our personal life up at work okay? I'm sure Kagome doesn't want to hear about it.”

 

“We don't have a personal life!” He shouted.

 

“Kouga!” Kagome shouted. She was getting annoyed. They had enough problems without this girl showing up and causing more.

 

“We have to get back to the problems at hand. I talked to the boss and got him to rent the helicopter but if this commercial doesn't go the way it's supposed too then we can kiss that promotion good-bye,” she said, through gritted teeth.

 

“What about the school thing?” He said, sighing.

 

“I'll take care of that too, it shouldn't be hard since today is a holiday. Just please go tell the director to get everything set up to be moved to the school. And please handle the interviews until I get back.”

 

“You got it Kagome. Ayame, you're coming with me.” Kouga did not want to leave Ayame alone with Kagome. This little stunt of her's only proved that she was serious, and would use any amount of manipulation to get what she wanted.

 

“I'll catch up with you,” she said, sweetly.

 

“Ayame…” He began.

 

“Kouga please go now before the director gives up on us. She'll be fine,” Kagome consoled.

 

Kouga stomped away and Kagome opened her cell phone again, but before she could dial the number, she was tapped on the shoulder again.

 

“Kagome I hope you don't mind me being here?” Ayame said.

 

“Not as long as you try not to fight with Kouga. We have a lot get done,” she said, honestly.

 

“I can't help it! He's awful to me, and always messing around with other women! And none of them seem to get the hint when they find out about me. They just keep clinging to him like desperate whores…” Ayame was making no efforts to hide her accusations and Kagome knew who they were about.

 

“Well I wouldn't know anything about that since I am not now, nor was I ever, in a relationship with Kouga. Maybe you should consider the fact that he might have lied to the other women as well; and told them a different story after they met you,” She answered, harshly.

 

The wind seemed to be taken from Ayame's sails and she deflated quickly. Her face took on an expression of pure sadness as she stared off into the distance. Suddenly Kagome felt terrible, she hadn't meant to take her frustrations out on the girl.

 

“Look Ayame, maybe you should try a different approach with Kouga,” she offered, gently.

 

“He doesn't respond to anything I do for him.” Her voice sounded choked and Kagome could practically hear the tear drops falling.

 

“Well try not doing anything. Kouga is the type that doesn't like it when people tell him what to do. That would explain why he didn't have such a good reaction to an arranged marriage, or you trying to force it on him. Maybe if you told him you were going to back off he would lighten up with you?”

 

“Why would you help me win Kouga?” She asked, while wiping her face with her hand.

 

“I'm not out to ruin anyone's love life. And you could say that match making is what I do,” Kagome said, cheerfully. “Just give it a try Ayame.”

 

“I'll try it,” she said, smiling through her tears.

 

“Good, now I have to make a phone call.” Kagome turned back around and dialed up her mother's number.

 

“Mama do you have the number to Souta's school?” She asked, with her fingers and toes crossed. “I need to shoot a commercial there.” In the background, she could hear her brother yelling to speak to her. She had always had a good relationship with him, even when it looked like they were fighting they were really looking out for each other.

 

But she knew what was coming next. Her mother had an odd sense of humor and the second she told her brother what she was doing…

 

“I wanna be in the commercial!” Was all she heard on the other end. Her mother returned to the phone chuckling of course.

 

“Yeah I think I heard him all the way from Yokohama… If I get permission and you get him there then yeah, he can be in it. Okay I'll call you back.” She hung up for a moment and then redialed the number her mother gave her.

 

“May I speak to the headmaster?” She tapped her foot and checked her watch as she waited. When the headmaster came to the phone, she immediately switched on her professional mode.

 

“This Higurashi Kagome, my brother Higurashi Souta attends your school. I was wondering if you would be willing participate in a new commercial that my advertising company is shooting? All we would need is the use of the courtyard.”

 

Ayame watched Kagome work and was a little in awe. Here was a girl no older than her, that was arranging commercial shoots and working at a huge company. She sounded like she had done this countless times. But it wasn't like Ayame was envious; she just wondered if this is what attracted Kouga to her in the first place. Ayame had always depended on her father for everything, but she didn't think she was spoiled. She knew how to take care of herself. Maybe it was her lack of showing it that made Kouga think she was a child.

 

“Thank you so much, we'll be there shortly.” Kagome hung up the phone light out a huge sigh. All she could think about was her bed.

 

“How did it go?” Ayame asked.

 

“Good, we can use my brother's school for the shoot because the headmaster thinks it will make their rival school jealous for the upcoming baseball game.”

 

“Is everything's okay now?”

 

“Yeah and we should get back to the interviews.” Kagome walked back inside and Ayame followed.

 

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“Mr. Kyouryoku are you ever going to get back to those magazine editors about interviews?”

 

“I'll speak with some of them after the press party.” Inuyasha answered. He now had a new secretary. His boss said it would help lighten his workload. At first he agreed but now he wished he had been doing the interviewing.

 

“Oh yes; when is this little get together?”

 

“Tomorrow night, why?”

 

“Well maybe I could be your date…”

 

“No thank you! Get back to doing your job Jakotsu!” Inuyasha screamed into the intercom.

 

“But attending to your every need is my job. Would you like it if I called you master?” Inuyasha did not hesitate in putting the machine on block.

 

He had bigger things to worry about like getting everything set up to meet the shipping date. And he needed Kagome to get back to him on the commercial. But really the only thing that kept popping back into his mind was the press party. When he thought about seeing Kagome in her dress again his stomach reacted like he was a little boy again. But he didn't have to wait long, just until tomorrow night.

 

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The crew and everybody else arrived at the school on time and they began to set up for the shoot. Kagome found her mother and younger brother in the parking lot. After she told Souta that he would be one of the main focuses in the commercial she was subjected to bone crushing hugs around her waste. She and Kouga went to speak with the headmaster and explain how things would go.

 

Ayame followed but she said nothing to Kouga who kept giving her side-glances, instead she asked Kagome all of her questions and acted as if Kouga wasn't there at all. When everything was set up and the rented helicopter arrived, they were ready to begin. The headmaster and Kagome's mother watched from the sidelines along with the hair and make-up staff. The camera crew was set up and ready, the director was seated on a high raise chair to watch over the whole thing. The camera operator in the helicopter was ready and the cast was in place.

 

The director told everyone what to do via megaphone. When he said action, they were to act as if they would of a normal day at school when on break. Then Souta and another young boy were to pull out the new game players and start playing. When the other children heard the sound of players beeping, they were all supposed to rush over to Souta first and watch him play, then rush over to the other boy and watch him. The whole thing was supposed to look like a huge crowed of kids running back and forth to watch the games being played.

 

It actually went better than Kagome could have hoped. They only had to practice once and shoot twice then it was all over. Of course, her brother couldn't stop talking about how he was going to be on TV. She thanked the headmaster and everyone else and they prepared to leave. The only thing that was left to do was to send the footage to editing. She was just glad that her day was over so she could go home.

 

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“Yeah let me see that necklace,” Inuyasha said, tapping on the glass of the display case.

 

“Yes sir,” The sales girl said. Inuyasha looked at the piece of jewelry carefully, wondering how it would look on Kagome.

 

“That's a genuine 18" 6-6.5mm Cultured Akoya Pearl Strand with 14K Gold Clasp,” She said, smartly.

 

“How much?” He asked, bypassing all the sales pitch.

 

“That particular piece is about three hundred,” she said, in a way as if she was hoping to show him something else.

 

“I'll take it,” he said, pulling out his wallet.

 

“I'm sure your wife will love it,” she said, flashing a big smile. But Inuyasha never felt the need to correct her.

 

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A/N: Next chapter is the press party!!!!