InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Favorite Mistake ❯ A new job ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 5: A new job

It was two weeks after The Bar incident, as Sango phrased it, and Kagome was back to minding her boring existence. Sometimes, in an unguarded moment, she would think about the gorgeous stranger, and would muse if he still remembered her - and inwardly laugh at herself for being so silly. Of course, he wouldn't. Someone who was as good-looking and rich as himself will not be caught sparing her more than two seconds' thought. As soon as she had walked out the door, Kagome was certain she had already been listed in his history book.

“Kagome, can I see you in my office for a minute?” she looked up to see her boss, Hojo, stopping by her table before proceeding to open the door to his office, which was right in front of her workstation. Kagome nodded and picked up a pen and paper before standing and following him. Hojo was the owner of a general merchandise store in one of the sub-urban neighborhoods of Tokyo, and Kagome worked as his secretary. The pay was okay, and there was a warm camaraderie between the employees. Plus, Hojo was the most agreeable boss she's ever had.

Kagome didn't have the burning desire to climb a corporate ladder like she knew most people her age did. She just wanted a simple, uncomplicated life, and she sure didn't want her work to cause her more stress than it had to. She had more than enough of that in her personal life.

“What can I do for you, Hojo?” Kagome smiled, closing the door and taking one of the seats across from her boss.

Hojo cleared his throat and spoke in that melodious voice of his. No one could ever tell his mood just by his voice; one would have to listen to the actual words to get it. Two years ago, when Kagome had just started working for him and was still learning the ropes of being a secretary, she made an error in doing the delivery timetable for the clients, and as a result a big bulk of order wasn't delivered to one of their clients on time. Kagome bawled over this, of course, and when Hojo talked to her about it amidst overflowing tears from his miserable secretary, Kagome actually thought he was comforting her - until she stopped crying long enough to listen to what he was saying. “The thing is, I've been accepted to a medical school in England.”

“Congratulations!” Kagome's smile became even wider. Everyone who worked at the store knew that it was Hojo's life-long dream to be a doctor. Now that he was getting a chance to be one, Kagome was all for it. His next words, though, dashed her happiness to the floor.

“But I'm afraid I'd have to sell the merchandise store. The expenses for the school cost a fortune, and my parents wouldn't lift a finger to help me.”

Kagome fought against the clutter in her brain and tried to string coherent words together. “What-what does that mean?”

“It means I'm going to ask you - and everyone else who work here - to look for another job.” Hojo looked so apologetic Kagome could almost feel sorry for him, if she wasn't so preoccupied feeling sorry for herself. “I know this is going to be short notice, but you will have about two weeks to make sufficient arrangements. I will make sure you'll get your severance pay, of course, and you have my highest recommendations.”

Kagome was hardly paying attention when Hojo apologized again and gently ushered her to the door. She went back to her desk and stared numbly at her computer, not really seeing it. A new job. How the hell will she manage to look for a new job in two weeks? Five minutes later, she flung her bag in her shoulder and strode out the store in determined strides.

She could only think of one thing to do. She had to talk to Sango.

*****

Inuyasha leaned heavily on his chair and closed his eyes. When he opened them after a few seconds, the mountain of files on his desk still didn't diminish. Damn. After that whirlwind meeting with Mystery Girl, he went to the office the following Monday to find a resignation letter from his executive assistant, Kaede.

She was an old cow, and she had been in the company even before he and his older brother Sessomarou had been born, but she was a valuable asset, and a remarkable assistant, that's for damn sure. For months now she was telling him about her plan of moving back to Kyushu to spend her retirement there, but he didn't take it seriously. He couldn't imagine Takahashi Corporation without her. How the fuck was he supposed to know she was really going to make it official and hand her a resignation letter first thing on a freaking morning.

Two weeks without an assistant was unbelievably hard. Inuyasha had to go to the office earlier than usual, and stay there long after everyone had gone home. He had always been serious about work, but it didn't mean he didn't have a life outside the office. But that's what was slowly happening. Given his frustratingly heavy workload, he didn't have the time to see a girl outside office perimeters, much less fuck one somewhere. What the hell happened to having a balanced life?

He turned off his computer with a growl and stomped outside his office, only to be greeted by the company receptionist Kikyo, on his way out the building. She had been staying late these past few days, always on the pretext of doing something, but Inuyasha knew she was dropping not-so-subtle hints on him. “Good evening, Sir,” she said. Her hair was artfully coiled at the back of her head, her makeup perfect.

Instead of merely responding to the greeting like usual, Inuyasha actually stopped and turned back towards her. `Might as well put her to good use,' he thought. “Listen, can you do me a favor?”

“Why, of course, Sir,” she responded, looking at him through her lashes and giving Inuyasha a seductive smile.

“Can you put an ad for an executive assistant as soon as you come in tomorrow? Note there that the vacancy is very urgent.”

“An executive assistant?” she repeated, digesting the information. Why did the young director need to hire an executive assistant when he could just say the word and she'd drop her post and be his? Surely he must have realized that she was more than capable of the job - as well as other things?

“Yes, I need one.” With that, Inuyasha strolled through the glass doors, not looking to see Kikyo glued on the spot.