InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Enlightenment ❯ Chapter 15 ( Chapter 15 )

Chapter 15

 

“Mr. Takahashi here are the files. They've just been dropped off by your brother's assistant.”

 

“About fucking time… That asshole knows how important it is that these documents should be reviewed and he just sends them over now,” grumbled a disgruntled looking Inuyasha.

 

“Is there anything else Mr. Takahashi?” inquired his middle-aged secretary as she flipped through the rest of the folders in her arms.

 

“No that will be all,” he replied dismissing her with a wave of his hand.

 

Inuyasha skimmed through the documents to make sure everything was as it should be, ever so often rereading some of the sentences to review it. He was getting another tension headache. This merger was going to be the death of him. His father's company was preparing for a merger with an overseas marketing company based in the United States. There were so many details that he had attend to, not to mention he had been running around along with his brother, father, and some of the company's top executives making preparations.

 

With a groan Inuyasha Takahashi laid the documents he held in his hand down on op of his glass desk. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples… He was getting another tension headache again. He opened his eyes and reclined back into his plush leather chair to take a moment to relax.

 

Three years had come and gone since his father had fired him. It was only a two months ago that he had received a phone call from his father asking him to return to the company. The company needed as much knowledgeable staff and executives on this merger project as possible. His father had offered him his old position back in the company seeing as how the guy that had replaced him was sent to their company in the United States to handle the merger there.

 

Inuyasha had been more than ready to accept the job. For three years he had been unemployed and had been forced to dig into his savings account a couple of times because he had no income. Fortunately, he had accumulated enough money in his savings account to support him for three years of unemployment. Accepting the job would sure as hell help him pay for his bills, not to mention support him.

 

However, he had also been reluctant to accept his father's offer for solely one reason. Tai.

 

His son had become his best friend. He knew that sounded pathetic or corny, but it was the truth. Sometimes when he was feeling absolutely shitty about his life and unemployment, his son would cheer him up. Tai gave him a reason to be thankful to stay that he was unemployed. So for the last three years he had spent them making up the first three years he had lost with Tai. He still sometimes felt guilty upon remembering how he had neglected his son for the first three years of his young life. However, now he was much more confident and could honestly say that he had tried his best to step up and become a good father to his son. He wasn't sure if he could ever take the chance of losing that kind of feeling or trust himself with having a career and being a good father at the same time.

 

His father had been kind enough to give him a few days to make his decision about accepting the offer. Inuyasha was surprised to say the least. His father was so close to disowning him after his messy divorce and had fired him. He never thought that his father would offer him his old job back after three years. His relationship with his own father wasn't any better than how it had been in his childhood. He didn't care anymore.

 

Tai had taught him to become a good father and what he had learned was that effort was a major factor in any relationship. And that was what lacked on his father's part. Effort.

 

“What do you think buddy? Should daddy go back to work?” he asked as he bounced Tai on his knee while they were watching some cowboy movie.

 

“Work?”

 

“Yeah. You know? Like mommy,” he said relaxing his knee and turning Tai to sit across his lap.

 

“But who will you play cowboys with if you go to work daddy?” asked Tai.

 

“I'll still be around to play cowboys with you and Teddy, just not as much anymore. What do you think?” Inuyasha was getting more and more nervous. He didn't know how Tai would react to him accepting the offer. He thought that it would be best to ask his son first to see how he feels about it and then base his decision on that.

 

“Will I still see you?”

 

It was such a simple question but it was enough to break his heart into a million pieces. Immediately he pulled his six year-old son into a fierce hug. He knew it. Maybe he shouldn't return to work. His son wasn't ready for that yet. He never ever wanted Tai to feel like he had abandoned him again.

 

“Of course you'll still see me! You're my favourite person in the world,” Inuyasha whispered.

 

“You promise?” asked Tai hugging him back.

 

“I promise.”

 

His voice echoed in his head and every time when he thought whether he should put in some over time.

 

A whole new routine had to be worked out with Kagome of course. They still alternated Tai for two weeks. He dropped Tai to school since Kagome left for work earlier than he did. So whenever Kagome had Tai for the two weeks, she'd drop Tai off at Inuyasha's. Then Kagome would pick Tai up after school and bring him over to her house. If it happened to be his week with Tai, he would pick Tai up from Kagome's and sometimes stayed over for dinner. It had taken them a while to settle their problems from the divorce but they eventually worked things out.

 

His relationship with Kagome was no longer as awkward as it had been. They could be in each other's company without their efforts to be civil toward each other feeling like it had to be forced. Sometimes, they could even speak about their lives before the divorce. Of course that was only on rare occasions. They weren't exactly friends, but they acted like acquaintances on friendly, peaceful terms.

 

To sum it all up, he was content with his life. At least he had thought so until his cell phone began to vibrate.

 

“Daddy!” squealed Tai as soon as he answered his phone. He used the speaker feature on his phone mainly because it was awkward to hold up a small phone to his ears atop his head.

 

“Hey buddy, what's up?”

 

“Can I stay with mommy for a while? Kouga is visiting so he's taking Chiyo to a movie and invited me and mommy. Can I go?” explained Tai, rather long-windedly.

 

Inuyasha smiled at his son's voice. “Can't I come too?” he asked jokingly.

 

“Hold on daddy let me-”

 

“No! I was only joking! You can go. Just call me when you get back to your mother's,” he said amused.

 

“Thanks daddy, I'll bring you home some food!” cried Tai happily.

 

“Alright, I'll see you tonight. Have fun squirt,” he said before ending the phone call.

 

“Mr. Takahashi your father is on line two,” came his secretary's voice from the speaker box on his desk.

 

Inuyasha resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was glad to be back at work but at the same time he just wasn't as used to it anymore. He felt more like a stand-in than an asset to his father's company. For once he began to acknowledge that he may have reached as far as he could within this company and in the eyes of his father. His efforts never seemed to be enough whether it was to please his father or obtain his approval.

 

“Inuyasha you there boy?” his father's voice echoed throughout the room.

 

“Yeah I'm here,” he replied not realizing that he had spaced out for a moment.

 

“We need you in the board room asap,” was all his father said before hanging up.

 

“Great…” Inuyasha sighed heavily. “I wonder what this is about now.”

 

 

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Kagome watched astonishingly as Kouga shoved half a sub into his mouth. He had decided to get a sub for dinner while she, Chiyo, and Tai opted for burgers and fries. They had decided to first get a bite to eat before going to the movies.

 

“Do I have something on my face?” Kouga said with a mouthful of his sandwich.

 

“Just noting your impeccable charms,” answered Kagome dryly.

 

“Daddy you're embarrassing me!” whined Chiyo.

 

“Look Kouga! I can do it too!” said Tai opening his mouth, preparing to do the same with his burger.

 

“Young man, don't you dare,” said Kagome pinning him with a hard, but playful glare.

 

“Ugh, boys,” said Chiyo flipping her hair.

 

Chiyo often visited Kouga every couple of months and every time, Kagome swore the girl was growing like a weed. When she had first met the child, she had barely reached past her hips. Now, the eight-year old was almost up to her shoulder.

 

Over the three years Kagome had known Kouga, he surprised her more and more by the things that she discovered about him. She had discovered that he was a loving father and despite his arrogance, had a very sweet side to him.

 

A year ago they had decided to try going on a date but that ended with both of them agreeing that there was just no spark between them. They both decided to remain friends since they had more things in common than they cared to admit. Kouga was like the guy version of her, that it was unnerving sometimes. Nonetheless, he had quickly become one of her closet and most trustworthy friends.

 

It was really great having a friend like him, and she was more than thankful for knowing him. Sango was her best friend there were just some things that she couldn't talk about with her. Sometimes she needed to talk to someone who had been through what she had and offer some advice.

 

Another reason was because she hated feeling a twinge of jealousy whenever speaking to Sango about her failed marriage. Sango and Miroku's relationship had lasted far longer than hers and Inuyasha's. Seeing her friends together only served as a reminder of the days when it was the four of them, doing things together as couples. She knew it had been a long time since then, but her divorce with Inuyasha was one thing that she just couldn't heal herself from.

 

Nonetheless, she and Inuyasha had made several improvements in their treatment of each other. They were no longer hostile and she no longer harboured any ill feelings toward him for his past sins. She hadn't forgiven him of course, she knew deep down that a small part of her maybe never would, but she was able to be nice to him and forget the ordeal and misery he had put her through.

 

She also noted that despite everything that has happened, she was proud of Inuyasha. She saw the kind of man he had developed into, the kind of father he had become to Tai. Sometimes she felt that her Inuyasha was back, but then again, he was always the same person. His personality was only shaped by the circumstances he found himself in. He was always the same person deep down, and she just had to live with that.

 

However, Kagome was slightly plagued with the prospect of Inuyasha returning to work. He had spoken to her about it so that they could work out new arrangements for Tai. She had to admit, the subject did bring out old wounds. Especially considering why he was fired in the first place and the events that had led to that. She was more concerned about Tai. What if Inuyasha got too absorbed in his work again?

 

Well if that happened this time, she would be the first one to set him straight.

 

“Mommy can I bring daddy some food?” inquired her son while tugging on her sleeve to get her attention.

 

She smiled down at his chubby face. He was just so adorable and thoughtful too. Tai was such a caring child. Her son was always there to make her smile even after a long day at work. “We can pack him up some past that I have at home honey. I'm sure daddy eats enough junk food as it is.”

 

 

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“What do you mean he's backing out of the deal?” cried Inutaisho slamming his hand down on the just-polished mahogany table.

“I'm sorry sir, but that's what Patterson-san's representative had said. Apparently they were given the expression that our company doesn't reach enough of the demographic outside of Japan, and that the ones we do reach are only in small areas,” said the bald man who was currently tugging at his collar uncomfortably.

 

“How could this happen? I'm not wasting anymore money paying for Takeda's accommodations for him to fuck all this up,” grumbled the company's CEO. “Sesshomaru, I want you and Inuyasha to set up a presentation to convince Patterson-san and his company why we are the leading enterprise in all of Asia!”

 

Inuyasha perked up when his father had said his name. Did he hear this right? His father was trusting him to help the company out of this funk? Well of course he had to work with Sesshomaru, but this was a chance he had never been given before.

 

“Meeting adjourned. I'll call you all in if anything else comes up,” said Inutaisho with a gesture of his hand.

 

If Inuyasha was asked to describe his father in one sentence, it would be that Inutaisho Takahashi was a ruthless businessman.

 

Despite that, something inside Inuyasha still longed to have his father care for him, or even look at him the way he did at Sesshomaru. More than anything Inuyasha wanted his father to be proud of him. But the only way that could ever happen was through this company.

 

Inuyasha gathered his things and prepared to leave the board room.

 

“Hold it right there Inuyasha,” came his father's voice.

 

“What is it?” he asked trying to sound aloof.

 

“I'm trusting you with this boy. Don't screw up,” said his father gruffly.

 

Inuyasha's back went rigid and his jaw and fists clenched. “I get it dad.” He turned his back about ready to leave his father's presence.

 

“Good. Bring Tai over some time. I haven't seen my grandson in a while,” chuckled Inutaisho.

 

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, though his father couldn't see because he was reaching for the door. He hated it when his father acted like he cared about family, even if it was toward Tai.

 

As Inuyasha exited the board room, he couldn't help but ponder how his father could treat him so heartless and completely disregard him all his life. Though as soon as Tai was born he noticed his father treated Tai with such love, that if he hadn't seen it for himself, he would kept thinking of his father as someone who wasn't capable of love.

 

Regardless of his relationship with Inutaisho, this was his chance to prove himself to everyone. All his life, especially since he entered this company, he felt that he always had to prove himself. Now more than ever, he had to redeem himself. His divorce had not gone by unheard in the company. His affair with his secretary had spread like wild fire shortly after Kikyou had been fired.

 

Now it was even worse because his father had decided to ask him to come back to work. To add on to that, he had his old position to come back to. Of course other people didn't think that he deserved it. Damn them all. He worked all his life to get to the position he was in today. He had worked from the bottom of his father's company by beginning as a janitor and worked his way up to an executive. He wanted to show them all that it didn't matter what everyone thought of him because he earned his position more than any of them.

 

“Any messages while I was gone?” Inuyasha asked his secretary as he passed by her cluttered desk.

 

“No sir,” she answered quickly.

 

Inuyasha proceeded into his office. His secretary reminded him of an old cat lady, while other times she reminded him of an older version of Mary Poppins. His father had taken the initiative to hire the woman due to previous circumstances that he was so sick and tired of thinking about.

 

He hadn't spoken or heard form Kikyou since three years ago. It's as if she had vanished again. It's not like he's tried to look her up or anything, he just wondered sometimes about how enigmatic she was. Maybe that was one of the reasons that he still found her intriguing after all these years.

 

Dating was something he had not considered ever since the divorce. He was just so… well he didn't know what exactly. During the three past three years he just wanted to get his life back on track and figure out what he wanted.

 

He watched as Kagome move on with Kouga. Kouga, he realized, wasn't a bad guy at all though he could do without the arrogance the wolf exuded. Though he couldn't smell Kagome and Kouga's scents on each other, but it was evident to everyone that there was something going on between them.

 

It's not like he was bitter about it. He was more jealous over the fact that Kagome had moved on with her life and had adjusted to all the changes that happened in their lives.

He just wished he knew where his life was going and how to get there. One thing he knew for sure, at all cost he wanted to give Tai a father that he could be proud of and love.