InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Half Souls ❯ Prelude to a Reunion ( Chapter 5 )

Half Souls

By Yasashii the Aggressive Kitsune

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Inuyasha DVD's, I swear! Just leave me alone!

Note: Yes, it's another chappie! You didn't really think I'd leave you hanging, didja? Okay, I'm borrowing a name idea from Mia-san. Thank you very much for letting me use it! All credit for `Ren' goes all to her! Thank you all for waiting so long for this chapter, I worked really hard on it and wracked my brain to its limit! Enjoy and review!

~Yasa-chan ^_^v

Chapter 5: Prelude to a Reunion

The day in spring finally arrived when it was warm enough to go outside without a jacket. It was nearly 9 AM on the busy city streets, signaling the daily morning rush. With a thermos of coffee in one hand and a briefcase clutched in the other, Higurashi Kagome hurried along the sidewalk towards Engel Inc. At 23, Kagome was certain that she was one of very few successful stockbrokers in the company, especially at her young age. She poured all her time into her work, and she felt bad about turning down Hojou's proposal. Kagome recalled his harsh reaction:

"You never loved me, did you?!" he had yelled.

"It's not that, but I just wouldn't be able to spend any time with you because of my job." In reality, she could never love anyone else again.. the thought was too painful.

"..There's another man, isn't there?" Her startled gaze told him all he needed to know. "I thought so. And he's been around since your illnesses. I almost expected you to reject me, but what else was I to do? I'm the moth and you're the flame, I guess."

"Hojou.."

"It's alright, Kagome. You should keep seeing that other guy. I hope you will be happy with him." With that, he walked out of her apartment and out of her life.

Kagome shook her head. {Being happy is not an option now.} She squared her petite shoulders and marched into the office building. She wouldn't let thoughts of the past slow her down. There was another busy day ahead of her.

~*~*~*~

A curse filled the air, breaking the peaceful atmosphere in the park. Teenagers just had no respect! Well, he had been like them a few years ago, but never mind that! They were ruining his concentration, which was already short enough to begin with. It was times like these when he regretted becoming a lowly writer. True, his book had become a movie, but no one really gave HIM credit for it. Like a teacher, his job was pretty thankless. He ran a hand through his midnight locks to help him think. He was glad he decided to grow his hair out after he graduated, and it now reached to his shoulder blades.

"Hey mister! Give us our ball back!" Teenagers were so impatient. Sometimes he just felt like shoving his fist..{Okay, stop that train of thought before it gets you into trouble.} His amber eyes flashed mischievously.

"I'll give your ball back when you give me my lost time back." He knew it would get a rise out of at least one of them.

A tall and lanky boy stepped forward, the sun shining down on his shock of red hair. "It's not our fault that you chose to sit there!" The boy folded his arms.

A smirk found its way to the young man's lips. "This is a park, isn't it public property? I would hate it if people were to fear sitting at a park bench because of a few rowdy kids. Perhaps I'll forget this incident if you stay out of my way, hmm?"

The red haired boy snorted and rolled his eyes. "Whatever, man." He grabbed the ball away from the dark haired man and left him to brood over his lost concentration.

Muttering darkly to himself, the young man packed up his things, shoving all this paper into his backpack. Maybe a long walk would refresh his creative thinking. Putting his hands in the pockets of his baggy jeans, he plodded down the narrow path. {Wish I had some inspiration..}

~*~*~

Lunchtime didn't come quickly enough for Kagome. She usually skipped lunch, but today was so beautiful and the atmosphere in the office was.. less than cheery. {It is such a bear market today, but it's not like I can control the stocks! Maybe if Jennings pulled that stick out of his ass, he'd make a better superior.} The nearest café was across the park, so Kagome decided to cut through it. "This day is so terrible!" She looked down at her feet as she walked, wishing that a well would appear and swallow her up. Maybe she would go 400 years to the future instead. Then at least she wouldn't have to face Inu - him. She picked up her pace as if that would leave memories of him behind her. It had been eight years since he sealed off the well of the shrine. Devastated, Kagome dove headfirst into her schoolwork and avoided the subject of the Sengoku Jidai as much as possible. As soon as she was able, she moved away from the shrine. Once she would have considered living at the shrine and caring for it as her family had for generations, but the distance was necessary..

Kagome had been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see the man crossing the path in front of her until she careened right into him, sending them both to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs.

"Ow! Hey, watch where you're going, wench!" an angry voice bit out next to her.

Kagome's eyes widened as she heard a familiar voice. {It can't be, your mind is just messing with you again. Just apologize, get up, and walk away as fast as humanly possible.} She struggled to fix her hair as she began murmuring apologies, "I'm very sorry, I wasn't watching ahead of me, but you really.." She looked up at him then, and the words died on her lips as chocolate brown clashed with warm amber. (AN: Like caramel and chocolate! Woohoo!)

The man cocked an eyebrow at her, feeling that this wasn't the first time they had met, though he was certain he'd never seen her before in his life.

Kagome found that she couldn't take her eyes off him. He looked like.. like Inuyasha, but different. If he really were Inuyasha, he would have recognized her. She knew he could live another 400 years.. unless he was killed. {Stop thinking like that! He'd never die like that so it can't be him!} His hair was black and not nearly as long as Inuyasha's had been. It only reached to just past his shoulders. His face held no frustration or stubbornness. He wasn't frowning as Inuyasha always did. He looked as if he were full of life and good humor. His eyes, his brilliant gold eyes she remembered so well, spoke volumes. They had always shone with regret and anguish in the past. These eyes were lighter, happier, and just as brilliant. He was no longer carrying the burdens of a hanyou and lost love.

Her inner voice suddenly screamed at her before she could open her mouth and thoroughly embarrass herself. {STOP! He's NOT Inuyasha! Pull yourself together, woman!} Kagome blinked, and the world was spinning once more.

"I'm sorry, sir. You must think I'm strange for running into you and then staring at you." She averted her eyes and looked at her shoes.

"It's alright, I wasn't in as big of a rush as you were!" he replied flippantly. He took in her astonished expression, which was still directed towards her shoes. "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Kagome forced a small smile, "Just a little.. I thought you were someone I knew."

"Dead boyfriend?"

"Girlfr - I mean, um.. no. Yes. Sort of."

He chuckled. "So I remind you of a sort of dead girlfriend?"

"No! I meant that HE had a dead girlfriend and he wasn't my anything!"

He smiled. "Whatever." He held out his hand to her. "I'm Ren. Ahsayuni Ren."

Kagome looked at his hand as if it were a dangerous animal. "Higurashi Kagome." She hesitated before slowly reaching forward to grasp his hand with hers.

Ren couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity with this woman. Her coal black hair hung down to the middle of her back. Something about the way it shone and how it curled at the ends made him want to run his hands through it. The feeling only got stronger when he felt her take hold of his hand. Her hand was soft and delicate, but her fingers were strong. She was gentle and charming with a fiery temper and determination. He stared at their hands as he wondered how he knew that from a simple handshake.

"Um, Ahsayuni-san?"

Ren quickly snatched his hand back, shoving it in his pocket as he realized that he had been staring. "Sorry.. Weren't you in a rush to get somewhere?"

"Just lunch," she smiled, "It's been a lousy day and lunchtime seemed just the right opportunity to get away for a while."

"Funny, this day started out pretty good from my point of view, and it just keeps getting better and better."

No, this definitely wasn't Inuyasha. Not by a long shot. At least, not the Inuyasha she knew. Perhaps Ren was an incarnation of Inuyasha? She couldn't just dismiss the uncanny resemblance and his distinct voice. She knew her situation in the Sengoku Jidai was hopeless, but it certainly wasn't now. Maybe this was what was meant to be in the first place.

"Higurashi-san? I know this is a bit forward, but may I join you in your rush to lunch?" He looked almost hopeful, but it wasn't as if he could help it. Ren felt drawn to her, like a string of fate was connecting them.

She blinked at him in surprise. Well, she couldn't say he wasn't as blunt as Inuyasha! {Stop it! Don't compare Ren to him like that! It's cruel!}

{But I'm pretty sure he WAS Inuyasha, so why shouldn't I?}

{That doesn't mean he's the same person as before! He's less.. uh.. demon-ish.}

{Look, I know better than you do about him! Waitaminute, how can I know him better than me? Arguing with myself is always confusing.}

{..Schmuck.}

Ren interpreted her mental conversation as a bad thing. {Maybe she doesn't like me, maybe I came on too strong! MYARG!**} "Higurashi-san?" he waved his hand in her face.

Kagome blinked again and seemed to come into focus on him. "Oh! I.. you just surprised me is all. I wasn't expecting you to..{be alive? Run into me? Turn my world upside down?}.. ask that."

He smirked and folded his arms, "Is that a yes or a no, Higurashi-san?"

"Yes," she smiled, "but on one condition."

"What's that?"

"You have to call me Kagome."

"Oh, already on a first name basis?"

"I'm not really into formality. Especially when I run into someone who looks like a college student."

Ren frowned. "I'm not a college student! At least I don't look like some know-it-all on Wall Street!"

"Those people make good money!" She started walking away.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!"

She replied without looking back, "Lunch. Are you coming or not?"

He quickly caught up with her and grabbed hold of her hand. Kagome almost jerked her hand back, but she decided to let him hold it. How often had Inuyasha ever held her hand?

"By the way, Kagome, now you have to call me Ren."

She smiled, "I suppose I do." She liked how he said her name. She liked it a lot. Her fingers twined with his affectionately as they made their way to the little café. "Ren, do you believe in past lives?"

He grinned, "I guess I have to."

"Why should you have to?"

Ren shrugged, "I just feel like I know you from somewhere," then elbowing her lightly, "Think we met in a past life?"

{You don't know the half of it.} "Maybe so." Kagome smiled up at him and had the sense of coming home. She had found her anchor, friend and love again. {Maybe this day isn't so terrible after all.}

~End Chapter 5 ^_____^

** - Myarg = a fun little word that's like "argh" but elaborated. Brady-chan got me using it, it's all her fault! *giggle*

REVIIIIIIIIIIIIIEWWWWWWWW or I'll sic Sesshoumaru on you!

~Yasashii the Aggressive Kitsune ^_^v