InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fighting Temptations ❯ Surrendering Eyes ( Chapter 2 )

Interlude: Bedroom Blues

The harmonious chirps of singing birds just barely reached Kagome's ears as the sound desperately tried to crash through the closed window of her diminutive apartment. Clothes, some dirty, others probably clean, littered her floor, scattered about the end of her bed, chairs, and even the knobs of her closet, bathroom, and entry doors. She remained glued to her idle position atop of the bed, her head propped comfortably within the warm depths of her pillows while her left hand lay tucked safely beneath her head.

"555-6089," she dreamily murmured to herself as her hazel eyes continued to scan the business card that the producer handed to her. She was left unaware as the phone-number drifted faintly into the air, some of the numbers entering her mind in an instant that left her whispering it over and over again within her mind as it lingered there for probably hours to come.

She had managed to call him days ago after their little meeting, yet she heard not a word from him, and every time she mustered enough courage to call him back, his secretary was head on in telling her, "Sorry, Miss, Mr. Hayashibara is attending an important meeting."

Hah, seven-days in a row? How can a meeting progress that long, unless he was talking to senior citizens who had the brain rate of probably a two-month old child?

The sun remained still within the clear skies, showering rays that literally soaked the entire city in searing light. Nothing horrible seem to plague the minds of joyous pedestrians and shoppers while the usual gangsters loitered the same shops they did everyday, feeding their minds with the irritating bass of rap that never failed to attract the occupying attentions of those who just adored stuff such as that.

Both Kagome and Kayla lay situated atop of the customer counter of the discount store that they decided to work at only two-days a week for extra money. Kagome was seated on the far left of her friend, kicking her legs nervously against the counter as she stared hesitantly towards the black phone benched between them like some kind of imaginary, battle wall. If you wandered beyond it, you'd probably find yourself shot straight into the butt.

"C'mon, girl, just call the man," Kayla goaded, her eyes laced with pure eagerness as she gazed up towards her anxious companion, "Don't be scared-"

"I'm not scared!" Kagome bitterly interrupted, disliking the piercing word 'Scared', "I'm just tryin' to take my time." Somehow, her voice died off into a numbing murmur that had her in a swamping doubt that flooded her entire mind.

Despite the fact that she was known as the hard-headed one around her, it was just hard to admit that she just couldn't phone him because she was scared, scared of being denied the richest job that God provided her.

Fingertips wavering slightly, Kagome's hand inched cautiously towards the receiver of the phone. Worry heavily marred her entire expression as an awkward 'click' sounded from the base just as she removed the receiver.

Bringing the phone to her left ear, Kagome heaved her left shoulder instinctively in order to safely pin the phone in place before dialing the numbers left to her by the famous producer. Nothing but hesitant buzzing met her ears as she took in a long, careful breath just as the monotonous sound stopped and merged into a pleasant, feminine voice.

"J. Corp., how may I help you?"

"Hi, umm, I'm Kya Jiles, the woman that Mr. Hayashibara asked to be a background dancer for one of his videos," It sounded ridiculous, but she was unable to say anymore than that as an uncomfortable spray of sweat slowly began to envelop of her face and neck.

"Oh, Kya Jiles you say?" the woman blandly asked just as the audible clicks of a stroking keyboard streamed through Kagome's ears, nearly bringing the pouring sweat to grow heavier.

"Oh yes," the woman finally murmured, the mindless strokes of keys finally halting to a stop as a strong tension slowly curled its way around the phone, "The computer says that you managed to change your name just two-years after you moved into the Bronx. Humph, that must explain why I was a bit curious about your name."

"Yeah," Kagome slowly whispered, unable to know if the woman was paying even the slightest attention to her or not as a weak, nervous giggle left her lips.

Kayla instantly shot her a look filled with an endless string of questions that Kagome was left desperate to answer if it weren't for the strong tension gradually settling about her shoulders.

'Well," began the secretary, her voice voided from any emotion, "Mr. Hayashibara is attending an important business meeting that will probably take…hours to complete."

Silence.

"Would you like for me to take a message?" the woman inquired apprehensively.

"No," Kagome softly whispered, her voice steadily picking up in volume, "No, that's okay, I'll…just call back later."

Without waiting for the woman to say her usual goodbye, Kagome slammed the phone firmly onto its cradle while it only gave a wounded 'ring' in reply. Her expression was filled with enough despair that had Kayla jumping from her place on the counter, rushing towards Kagome's side and comforting her with the gentle caress that only close friends could possess.

Kagome couldn't understand whether he wanted her or not, and if it was just a plain fact that he didn't want her, why give her the card? Possibly he only wanted her because he was indescribably drunk and wanted to go for a tease that would leave him laughing for hours to come.

"Nah," Kagome murmured to herself, her voice scarred, "It can't be that, otherwise that secretary would have told me that he didn't inform her about me."

Shifting slightly, Kagome rested her left cheek softly onto the twin pillow beside her, feeling as its cool material engulfed her cheek's silken flesh. She released a surrendering sigh that had her glancing towards the card once again only to find herself knee deep within the same bewildering questions that plagued her mind.

This was going to be a long day.

Fighting Temptations

Chapter Three: Surrendering Eyes

The low, constant cries of roaring engines zoomed pass Kagome like rabid animals as she wandered the streets mindlessly, hands stuffed deep within the tight hollows of the front pockets of her denim jeans. Her custom designed jacket billowed slightly within the gentle winds of the cloudless afternoon while its muddied-blue tone seeming to appear as a dark azure swirled with gold beneath the heavy pouring rays of sunlight.

Her eyes remained slumped towards the ground while her legs continued to work on their own accord, having memorized the exact street with such precise it nearly surprised herself. She could just barely hear the usual pleads of pandering gangsters as some tried their best to get their girlfriend back or tried their best to promise the best from them and only them when in their hearts they knew they couldn't keep such a promise until all that wild hair wedged in their butts disappeared.

"C'mon, baby, I promise you," came a nearby, desperate plea outside the door of a local barbershop, "I will give you the best so help me. I'll probably even marry you, girl."

"Awww, Daemon, you are so sweet," his girlfriend swooned, smothering him in her arms while she planted a huge kiss on his deceiving lips enough for the Book of World Records, and if not that, enough for the Book of Quick Surrenders.

Kagome nearly reared to a brief stop within the very center of the sidewalk, her eyes drowned with fascination as she spotted the young girl scurry off around the corner, hand and hand with her presumably future ex-ex boyfriend. At that thought, she couldn't help but to exhale a heavy sigh that nearly rendered her lightheaded as she wobbled her way towards the lip of the sidewalk where she waited, glancing from both sides to see if any cars were coming.

When she was positive that the probing conscience within the back of her mind was correct, she hurriedly raced towards the opposite walk before the barbershop. Gathering her breath, she opened the door and entered just as a startling 'ping' sounded from the doorbell.

Sighing in order to get rid of the restless sense settling atop of her shoulders, she walked further through the almost empty shop, receiving a few greetings from some of the middle aged African Americans scattered about the small shop, doing this and that.

Though small, the shop appeared new and almost massive to Kagome's observing eyes, the checkered flooring beneath her feet just barely spotted with straying hairs from the barber's recent appointments. Mouth slightly parted she peered up towards the blank ceiling only to spot that not a spitball marred its wonderful blankness.

Yep, though the shop was old itself, the owner sure knew how to keep it clean.

With a slight shrug of shoulders, Kagome took a brisk glance towards the small area, her eyes surfing along the painted walls of the shop before stopping on a familiar guy dressed in a tight-fitting, white shirt that never failed to catch the true physique of his well-toned muscles, and a pair of dark blue jeans.

With a smile, he was working on a young client's head, carefully putting on the finishing touches with a few sprays and greases. Kagome couldn't help the confused expression scrunching her entire face as she cut slowly to the side towards a nearby group of barbers who peered up from their chores and, all at once, eyed her with a worrisome gaze.

Just as some of the barbers decided to continue their task at hand, one bravely asked, "Just what is the matter with you, Kya? You look like you got a chicken bone stuck in your throat and too afraid to breath."

With a realizing gasp, Kagome immediately snapped her mouth shut, her eyes never leaving the handsome man just five chairs away from her. "Who is he? I never saw him before?" she finally asked, eyes unblinking while her arms remained limp.

Heaving a heavy sigh that almost caught her attention if only a little bit, the barber peered towards the young man and gave a quiet "Oh" that nearly caused Kagome to dart her head around and toss him a poisonous glare.

"That man right there is the owner of this place," the barber bluntly replied while averting his gaze back upon his chore, "I thought you knew that Henriquez was shot by a drive-by shooter just two-nights ago?"

Suddenly, a frightening, yet straining gasp uttered from Kagome's throat only to ricochet off of either wall surrounding her and be directed with enough force that when it finally collided with her ears it became just a dying echo. Jamal Henriquez was a friend of Kagome's ever since she moved into the neighborhood and wandered here by accident, unsure of where the apartment complex was where her father and her lived. When she winded up here it was the most happiest day of her life when she had gotten the quick chance to meet him, and just like a friend, he phoned her father and tried his best to keep her content with old Blues songs.

It was amazing how some of the lyrics to the songs he sang to her never seemed to fade. Instead, they stuck to her mind like glue and never seemed to lose their lively rhythm, the rhythm that always had her coming back for more every time she was either alone or afraid of being in the apartment complex by herself.

Being here, he also taught her like father teaching his son how to braid and just how to trim. Humph, that was the beginning of her tomboy phase, which never seemed to end until she turned eighteen and decided in her best interest not to visit the barbershop anymore.

It wouldn't be a big surprise if she was also thrown out of the loop and left untold of his death.

Head drooping vaguely, Kagome eyed the checkered flooring with a look of heavy depression disguising her once surprised expression. "I can't believe…he's dead," she finally murmured, unsure if the barber was still listening to her or not until he replied slowly, words supposedly thought out.

"Yeah. Good ol' Jamal just managed to mix with the wrong people at the wrong point of his life."

"What do you mean?" Head perking with sudden interest, Kagome eyed the barber with a sense of bewilderment lacing, in and out, rapidly within her hazel orbs.

"His wife decided to divorce him," began the barber, his voice steadily growing slower by the second as an inevitable, depressing climax was promised to arise, "but before the divorce was confirm, she had went through certain problems and hung herself in the closet of her bedroom."

"Wh-what?" Kagome couldn't help it if her voice wavered heavily beneath the frightening weight cascading violently upon her. The news being represented to her was all such a piercing impact upon her, "I can't believe Kazumi killed herself."

"Yeah, but anyways, he was lucky to have such a wonderful son who cared about him enough to take up the business just as he did when he was young," replied the barber, not another word escaping his lips as he directed his entire attention back to his half finished task.

Kazumi's nationality was known as a Japanese just like Kagome's father, and every time she saw her when the was little, she couldn't help but always say to her, "You know what? You look just like Mommy." She literally said it everyday Kazumi strolled in with her usual, joyous face when visiting her husband.

Really, what she said was never a total lie for she did look like her mother with her rich, ebony curls.

With a ragged sigh, Kagome found herself marching that nervous road towards the young man just as he released a pleasant string of laughter, "There, we're all finished, Ben, your style is as tight as it'll ever get."

The young boy that he was currently occupied with, jumped out of the chair with joyous eyes just as his small laughter filled the shop. His laughter just barely tugged at Kagome's eardrums as a certain familiarity brushed the very tip of her tongue.

"Benny?" Kagome called slowly, unsure if that was quite him or not until he twirled around with that usual, naïve face, which was unusually opposite from his older brother, James.

"Kya!" he joyously cried as he rushed towards her only to be swept off his feet in a tight, bear hug that left him wrapped in warmth even after it ended and he backed away slightly to face her, "I can't believe you're here, the barber over here was just about to teach me something."

Without even the meager tinge of who it could be, Kagome slyly lifted her head only to find the guy that she was sure was the producer from only nights ago staring back towards her with the same jaded eyes and the same short, raven hair. The young man's flesh-tone was enough to send shivers down her spine as it only reminded him of Jamal while his eyes and hair was enough to remind her of poor Kazumi.

Catching her faltering smile, the one called Benny stood still between the two while not a word dared to stray from their mouths.

Those eyes, was the only thought to linger within Kagome's eyes, repeating itself over and over again as if some mindless riddle. But, what could she do? After all, all of his features screamed with remembrance of both Jamal and Kazumi all at once.

Suddenly, only emerald curled its ghostly fingers around her mind as its color bled into her sight and almost colored the entire world surrounding her in and endless sea of green.

Those beautiful, emerald eyes.

A prone figure lay with not a care in the world, atop of its queen-size bed, flapping its legs slowly as its bare feet plopped up and down against the wrinkled bedding. Kayla thumbed through the limited pages of her magazine, her ebony strands showering her back in a sinister curtain of black and seeping just barely over the edges of her shoulders as she hummed quietly to herself, mentally reading over the article that she found indescribably interesting since it was about some of the most famous dancers in the world.

Though it was clear that she probably had a one-track mind, she couldn't help it if she wanted her friend to go places with her dancing and her being right there at her side. It was just…meant to be.

Night bled across the once livened skies again almost as if God himself pierced it with a bitter dagger and allowed the inky blood to contaminate its clear plains like oil upon the ocean. Dark blue grasped its usual, firm hold upon the darkness as countless, flickering stars followed in its wake, accompanied with the ominous glow of the full moon.

Just as the peaceful silence building soothingly around her became just the companion she desired at the moment, Kayla released a relieving sigh that drifted idly towards the very ceiling of her Master Bedroom, clearly despising the thought of ever coming down. Before she knew it, her stomach gave a painful lurch just as her body jumped fiercely, the magazine in her hand slipping from her grasp and instantly falling to the floor with a gentle 'slap' as the doorbell scratched loudly at her ears.

With a heavy sigh, Kayla instantly rolled over the edge of the bed and came to her feet, trudging with a strong grudge following close at her heels, towards the main entrance of her condo. Peeking through the eye hole of her door, Kayla finally opened the door just as her shocking gasp flooded her ears, "Kya! What in the hell are you doin' here!"

Kagome stumbled through the entrance, her desperate pants petulantly wrapping around her ears with its constant, monotonous breaths. Somehow her friend's shock-stricken scream didn't seem to reach her ears as she regained her composure and twirled around to face her, "Sorry, Kayla, didn't mean to bust up in here like that."

"Naw, it's okay," Kayla replied as calmly and hushed as she could while the door clicked shut behind her, "I just wasn't expecting…you." Spinning around, Kayla's entire expression literally stole her thoughts and threw them out to the world, informing the thread of emotions lacing endlessly through her mind.

Kagome could only afford to take one glance towards the expression hurtled her way before starting off instinctively for the loveseat found huddled against the left wall of the living area. Testing the firmness of the material beneath her with her sifting hands, Kagome finally found a good position and settled down instantly with hands clasped gently within her lap.

Moments later, she could feel a familiar drop and bounce beside her as Kayla decided it in her best to join her at the couch, eyes beaming. "What's wrong wit' you?" she tenderly asked, ignoring the uncomfortable shift of the sofa beneath her.

"You know that…producer I told you about?" Kagome asked gravely, throwing her head back against the post of the of the couch with a deep sigh.

"Yeah," Kayla replied slowly, the joyous glint in her eyes exceedingly growing larger by the second as suppressed hope probed at her insides, just wanting to be released to the world.

"Well," Kagome stammered, "I saw him again."

"And?" Kayla pressed, hope mounting with overlapping eagerness.

"He was working at the barbershop," Kagome went on almost as if the eagerness enveloping her friend's voice was just a sudden change in the wind, though it wasn't until Kayla's expression abruptly dropped into a full gawk did she finally cock her head to the side.

"W-what in the HELL do you mean?" Kayla finally inquired, "He can't be a fake! You just told me two-days ago that he was a full-fledged producer."

With an inaudible sigh, Kagome averted her gaze back towards the ceiling above as a sense of serenity washed over her even as the finicky rants of her friend continued to rage on. She finally shook her head as the same thought from later that day, collided with longing desperation into her mind.

Those beautiful, emerald eyes.

Author's Notes: Here you go, a long chapter to quench your thirst!!! Anyways, I managed to type this up in one-day just before I return back to school, but I hope you enjoyed it.

Please review!