InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Not Soon Forgotten ❯ You don't know me, I don't know you... ( Chapter 3 )

The next day found Sesshoumaru wandering the decks near the pool. He had awoken from one of the most pleasant sleeps of his long life. Dreams of an ebony haired woman danced through his subconscious and he did not waste a minute to set off and find her.

 

As he walked along the deck near the pool, he allowed his gaze to shift over the many forms of the bathing beauties that had positioned themselves on the sun chairs. Most had sunglasses and hats covering their faces, which allowed him to openly admire the many sets of long legs that were lined up along the side of the pool. However, when his eyes caught sight of the woman that haunted his dreams that night, he blocked out the rest.

 

Walking slowly up to where Kagome sat, he let his eyes travel up her long, slender legs. Like many other women out today, Kagome had her face covered with her hat; but Sesshoumaru knew it was here.

 

Making it to her side, he made himself known.

 

“I never forget a face,” Sesshoumaru played.

 

He watched as her form stiffened a bit before she slowly raised her hat from her face.

 

“Cute,” she said with a smirk.

 

Sesshoumaru took a seat in the chair next to her and she sat up straighter so they were at a more even height.

 

“You know,” Sesshoumaru started, “the sun deck is a great place to pick up women.”

 

“Oh really?” Kagome asked.

 

“Indeed. Didn't your mother ever warn you about sun decks?” he asked.

 

“Yes, she told me to watch out for…freckles,” Kagome stated with a smile.

 

Sesshoumaru gave her a slow one-over. “Any place in particular?”

 

Kagome's eyes grew wide and a blush crept over her face. She was about to reprimand him for his perverted line of thinking, but before she could, the messenger boy of the ship approached them.

 

“Taisho-sama, I have a message for you that has been radioed to us,” the young man said as he handed Sesshoumaru the slip of paper who stood to accept it.

 

“Thank you. Please excuse me for a moment Ms. Higurashi,” Sesshoumaru said with a small bow toward her.

 

“Ms. Higurashi?” the messenger boy said turning back to them from a few steps away.

 

“Yes, that's me,” answered Kagome as she also stood.

 

“I have a message for you as well,” the boy replied also handing Kagome a piece of paper before walking away.

 

“If you'll excuse me Taisho-sama,” stated Kagome mockingly as she turned to read her note.

 

The two of them read over the messages silently to themselves and then sighed simultaneously. Hearing the in sync expressions, they turned to look at one another.

 

“From him?” Sesshoumaru asked.

 

Kagome nodded. “From her?”

 

Sesshoumaru nodded as well. They stayed that way for quite some time, both trying to think of what should be said to make this uncomfortable situation go away. Luckily Sesshoumaru, being the always quick thinking Kagome had come to know, broke the uncomfortable silence that seemed to follow them around.

 

“Now then where were we? I do believe you were about to tell me where you were born.”

 

“I was born in Osaka,” Kagome spurted out quickly.

 

“And from there?” he urged her on.

 

“Well, from there my family moved to Gifu where my mother got a job as a nurse maid; but after her patient passed away from age we moved to live with my grandfather in Tokyo. My life was as normal as it could be for a girl living on a shrine; it wasn't so bad.”

 

“Go on…”

 

“When I was old enough I moved out on my own and got a job singing in a night club from ten to three in the morning-the manager used to chase me around his office till about four and then I would go home. The job helped pay for my schooling, which I went to from eight in the morning to two in the afternoon. The club is where I met my boyfriend…”

 

“Ah yes, the mysterious boyfriend,” Sesshoumaru cut in.

 

“Yes. He said that I didn't belong in a place like that.”

 

“And just where did he say you belonged?”

 

“Well, he said that I, um, belonged in a place like, uh, Izu Peninsula with a lovely view of...”

 

“Of him?”

 

“Well, yes, sort of…”

 

“And he was indeed in business?”

 

“In a way, yes…”

 

“And living in a grand condo on the Izu Peninsula was to help you better yourself?”

 

“I guess. I studied very hard.”

 

“Did you study singing?” Sesshoumaru asked.

 

“Yes, that and other things as well,” said Kagome.

 

“All of this in order for you to one day be a charming house wife?”

 

“I think that was the general idea, yes,” she sighed.

 

“And then, no doubt, you discovered he was married,” Sesshoumaru guessed.

 

“No not married at the time; they were separated,” she defended.

 

And yet again they were left with a less-than-comfortable silence. This time however, it was Kagome who took the liberty of breaking it.

 

“I suppose that bring us up to date. My life is now an open book.”

 

“Oh come on, that was only one page in your book,” Sesshoumaru berated.

 

“No, that is the only page,” Kagome said.

 

“Excuse me!” a voice said off to the side of them.

 

Kagome and Sesshoumaru turned to look for the owner of the voice. A photographer had called out to them and when they turned fully he raised his camera to take a picture of them.

 

Sesshoumaru was ready and struck his trademark business pose while Kagome, who had been a little surprised to have a camera pointed at her, stood there gaping with her mouth open.

 

“Thank you very much,” the photographer said as he began to walk away from them.

 

Kagome was taken aback a little. She opened and closed her mouth a few times while pointing at the retreating photographer. “Oh, that's-that's bad, that's not good-um…”

 

Sesshoumaru looked at her and saw her semi-panicked look.

 

“Oh-allow me to handle it,” he quickly said heading towards the photographer.

 

“Excuse me, that's a very nice camera, might I see it?” Sesshoumaru asked.

 

“Oh, yes of course Taisho-sama,” replied the photographer.

 

Sesshoumaru took the camera from the man and looked it over quickly before opening the back and taking the film out. He walked towards the edge of the boat again.

 

“Takes clear pictures, yes?” Sesshoumaru continued.

 

“Y-yes,” the photographer said before he saw what Sesshoumaru was doing. “Oh please Taisho-sama, don't do that!”

 

Sesshoumaru took out the film the rest of the way from the camera and handed it to Kagome from behind his back. She took it from his hand and nonchalantly tossed it overboard. She looks at the photographer who is now glaring at her, and she shrugs. The photographer gives her and Sesshoumaru a nasty look and then turns around and storms off.

 

Kagome sighed at the nearly avoided mess. “I'm sorry about that, but I don't think it would benefit us to be seen together. It would not matter if we weren't doing anything inappropriate, people would talk. This should probably be good-bye.”

 

Sesshoumaru allowed a frown to cross his features. “Do not tell me you are afraid?”

 

Kagome looked at him. “Of you? No, of course not.”

 

“But we are still stuck on this ship together. There are, after all, at least five days left of the trip.”

 

“I'm sure you'll find something, or someone, to occupy your time with. You could take walks in the sunshine,” Kagome suggested.

 

“Perhaps. However, what happens if it rains?”

 

“I'm sorry Sesshoumaru, it's just no good,” Kagome said in defeat.

 

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her in annoyance. “It is not good for you in particular.”

 

Kagome returned his glare. “You're right; it is no good for me. If I were to be seen in a picture with you it would be news, and not the good kind. It would be better if we were to go our separate ways.”

 

Sesshoumaru reluctantly nods and then they walk their separate ways.

 

Kagome walks towards one of the stair cases and sees the photographer bent over his camera. She sees that he is inspecting the pictures he just took and her eyes grow wide when she sees that some of them are of her and Sesshoumaru.

 

Kagome turns and sees Sesshoumaru bent over the railing and she calls out to him as quietly as she can so as to not alert the photographer; thank goodness for demon hearing.

 

Sesshoumaru hears her and walks over to where she is standing. When she points to the photographer Sesshoumaru nods and walks over to him. He then grabs the other roll of film that is in the photographer's hand.

 

“You should not test me,” Sesshoumaru threatens the man. In return the photographer says nothing as he watches Sesshoumaru once again hand over the film to Kagome. She walks to the edge and throws that one over as well.

 

“See?” Sesshoumaru says, “Now it is no good.”

 

Sesshoumaru gives a small bow to Kagome and walks away. The angry picture taker glares at his back and then at Kagome as she too makes her exit.

 

Little did they know that the film they threw overboard was not the film he used to take the pictures of them. There was no way he was going to mess up his job twice; he was offered way too much money to fail.

 

The man made his own way around the ship and came to a room at the end of one of the long halls. He took a cautious glance over his shoulder and then knocked twice, paused, and then knocked four times. He could hear the turning of locks and then the door was opened only a crack.

 

“You have them?” a deep voice asked the photographer.

 

“Yes, although it is not as many as you would have liked. They were pretty adamant about not being seen together,” the photographer replied.

 

“No doubt; they are both involved with others. It would prove most inconvenient to either of them if rumors were to spread now wouldn't it,” the man in the room said.

 

“I suppose. Am I going to get paid now or what? These pictures aren't free you know.”

 

“Of course: my apologies. I assume this is enough for your troubles?” the man asked as he handed the photographer a wad of cash.

 

The man eyed the money and greedily grabbed it. “This will do. Please let me know if you have any more jobs for me Nakamura-san.”

 

“You have done very well for me; please call me Naraku,” he said with a wicked smile.

 

 

****

 

A bit down and out, Sesshoumaru headed towards the bar to find solitude in a stiff drink. Now how was he going to spend his time? Kagome was keeping him very much entertained, and it was a loss that he did not want to admit to.

 

Sesshoumaru made his way up to the bartender. “Dry martini please with a Spanish olive,” he requested.

 

The bartender nodded and began mixing his drink.

 

“You wouldn't happen to have a cigarette would you?” Sesshoumaru asked him.

 

“There is a vending machine just around the corner,” the bartender offered.

 

Sesshoumaru nodded and began to walk away. Before he did though, he asked, “Do you make a champagne cocktail?”

 

“Of course sir.”

 

“I'll have one of those instead,” Sesshoumaru said and then left to go get his cigarettes.

 

As soon as he left Kagome entered the bar.

 

“I'll have a dry martini with a Spanish olive please,” she requested.

 

“Yes ma'am.”

 

“On second thought,” she spoke, “you wouldn't happen to make a champagne cocktail would you?”

 

“Of course,” the bartender said with a smile.

 

Kagome smiled back and watched as he made two of the drinks she just ordered. He sat one of them in front of her and then the other glass at the seat right next to hers. She looks at it curiously, but then picks up her drink and begins to sip it.

 

Sesshoumaru re-enters the bar and then picks up his own glass. Kagome turns to face him and she smiles. He gives her a small smile in return and they tip their glasses towards each other's and drink.

 

“You know, I changed my table to a table for one,” he said suddenly.

 

“As did I,” Kagome said.

 

A woman enters the bar and leans over to hear their conversation. Ah, the gossip she hears on these trips.

 

Kagome sees the woman trying to eavesdrop and then takes a conscious look around her. She notices that a few other people are also looking at them. Kagome absently runs a hand through her hair and turns back to Sesshoumaru.

 

“Do you speak French?” Kagome asks.

 

“I speak it fluently,” he replied.

 

So, in French she tells him, “Let's leave from here then. Too many people are taking it upon themselves to make our business their own.”

 

She gives the woman next to her a dirty look and then sticks her fingers in her champagne cocktail. She then flicks her fingers at the woman, splashing alcohol on the woman's face before she and Sesshoumaru leave the bar, walking once again in opposite directions of each other.

 

****

 

Later that evening Sesshoumaru made his way grudgingly to the dining hall. Dinner was not going to be the same without Kagome keeping him company. Like usual, there were quite a number of people within the dining hall, and he had become the center of attention as soon as he walked through the door. However, unlike usual, he was dining alone.

 

He is shown to a booth with a tall back so that he could have his privacy, facing the back of the room and is left with his menu. Sesshoumaru sighed quietly to himself; he never thought he would enjoy the company of one woman so much as he did Kagome's.

 

Not long after Sesshoumaru was seated, Kagome walked through the door, also gaining the attention of a few people. She nervously fidgeted and waited for the host to show her to her table. She was led towards the back of the hall, and was seated at a table facing the front; unknowingly, she and Sesshoumaru were back to back.

 

By now, the two of them were the center of everyone's attention. They were each looking at their own menu, clueless as to the other's presence. Kagome, feeling eyes on her, turned slowly to face the room. She saw that everyone was looking her way and that a few people were smiling knowingly and whispering to each other.

 

Other people were not being so polite and they were pointing, while other laughed behind their hands.

 

Sesshoumaru also felt many people were staring and did the same thing. He wanted to growl at the sight before him; couldn't these people just let him dine in peace? Obviously not!

 

Sesshoumaru caught the gaze of Myoga Nakamura's son, Naraku and narrowed his eyes at the amusement he saw play across the man's features. Naraku grinned like a Cheshire cat and raised his glass while letting his gaze shift to the table behind Sesshoumaru.

 

Catching on, Sesshoumaru turned to see what or who was behind him. He almost wanted to laugh out loud when he saw Kagome doing her best to hide behind her menu to avoid everyone's stares. She looked as though she was absolutely humiliated, and he could not say that he blamed her.

 

He casually cleared his throat to gain her attention and he actually chuckled lightly when he saw her back stiffen.

 

Kagome turned around to face the person behind her and slumped her shoulders.

 

“This is what we would call fooling the world,” she said to him.

 

“Oh yes, it is working wonderfully,” Sesshoumaru agreed with no lack of sarcasm.

 

“Everyone is looking at us; this is so embarrassing!”

 

“I'm sorry, what did you say?”

 

“I said this is embarrassing! I think I should go,” Kagome said as she stood to leave.

 

Sesshoumaru stood as well, there was no reason for her to have to leave; he would allow her to enjoy her dinner.

 

He started walking and passed her, but she gently grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

 

“You don't have to go, I'll go,” Sesshoumaru told her.

 

“No, no. Just let me go, it's okay, I haven't even ordered yet,” Kagome said as she walked away.

 

Sesshoumaru was about to go back to his seat when he noticed that Kagome had accidentally left her purse behind. He picked it up and looked around for her, but she had already left the hall. Not knowing exactly what to do with it, Sesshoumaru tucked it away in his inner coat pocket and went back to his seat.

 

Sesshoumaru desperately wanted to rub the bridge of his nose where he could feel a headache forming. Yes, this was so much better than being seen together.

 

He picked up his glass when the host came up to him.

 

“I'm here to get Ms. Higurashi's purse,” the host told him.

 

“Oh, of course,” Sesshoumaru said as he stood and took the small purse out of his inner pocket.

 

The host looked at him a little skeptically.

 

“You certainly do not believe I make a habit of taking women's purses do you?” Sesshoumaru asked disbelievingly.

 

“Of course not Taisho-sama,” the host said as he took the purse from Sesshoumaru.

 

Sesshoumaru then reached for his own wallet in order to leave a tip on the table so that he may return to his room. The host reached out to grab it as well.

 

“No, no. This is my wallet,” Sesshoumaru nearly snarled at the man.

 

The host bowed in apology and left to return Kagome's purse to her. Sesshoumaru left not long after, highly upset and hungry, listening as the people of the dining hall whispered and laughed at he and Kagome for their not-so-discreet attempt to avoid each other. So far this was the worst day of the cruise yet.

 

 

****

 

The next morning Kagome awoke feeling refreshed. After last night's stunt in the dining hall she had returned to her room and slept off her embarrassment. Feeling good, she decided that she would take a swim in the pool before too many people were up and about.

 

She made her way to the pool and took off the robe that she was wearing to reveal a nice white swimsuit. The pool was deserted, to which she was grateful, so she took her chance and climbed onto the diving board.

 

With a dive that would make her old swim instructor proud, she entered the water.

 

While she was swimming beneath the surface of the water, Sesshoumaru made his own way to the pool.

 

He, unlike Kagome, did not have such a great night. His sleep was insufficient and there were people knocking on his door all night long wanting to ask him about his “relationship” with Kagome Higurashi. All of this added to the fact that he was too stressed out to eat last night, made him one cranky and irritable demon business lord.

 

Upon seeing what he assumed to be a deserted pool, Sesshoumaru dropped his robe to reveal his swim trunks. He stretched once and then climbed onto the diving board, and with surprisingly less caress than Kagome, dove into the pool.

 

Sesshoumaru swam under water for a bit until he hit something hard. He emerged quickly and looked around only to come face to face with a stunned Kagome.

 

“Well, well. What a surprise; seems as if I'm seeing even more of you lately,” Sesshoumaru said to Kagome.

 

She shook her head in exasperation. She was about to say something when the horn on the boat roared.

 

“We're going to Honolulu. Are you going on shore?” Kagome asked him.

 

She watched as his back stiffened a little and she smiled. “Anyone I know?” she questioned.

 

“I may be calling on a friend or two,” Sesshoumaru answered her.

 

Kagome clicked her tongue at him. “You really get around a lot, don't you Taisho-sama?”

 

“Would you like to accompany me ashore?” he asked her.

 

Kagome quirked her eyebrow at him in silent question.

 

“Completely innocent I assure you,” he placated.

 

“Oh alright, but no funny stuff or I'm leaving,” Kagome said as she smiled at him.

 

The two of them swam to the edge of the pool and went back to their rooms to prepare themselves for a trip on the island. Kagome could only shake her head and wonder what she just got herself into.