InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Ohayo San Francisco ❯ A proposal & a plan ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Inuyasha, it's the sole property of Goddess Romiko Takahashi, and I cannot take credit for her genius.

Kagome's father forcibly gets her married to Inuyasha, but she is only interested in the delectable Kouga. When Inuyasha realizes that she considers their marriage invalid, he is shattered. Would he be able to convince his wife that he is the one for her?

A/N: This fic does not intend to disrespect Americans or Japanese! Please do not flame me for this!

R&R please!

Please NOTE: All underlined dialogue is in Japanese and the rest is in English.

 

Ohayo San Francisco

 

Chapter 2

A proposal & a plan

 

 

"What the hell do you think you are doing coming home at this hour?"

 

An incensed Kenta saw his daughter colouring at his words. Despite her blush, she calmly made her way into the house and deposited her bag on the living room table, before turning to face him. The fact that she seemed less than steady on her feet, did not escape her eagle-eyed father and further ignited his ire. "Answer me! Or are you too drunk to comprehend. I never thought that you would behave in such a-"

 

He was interrupted by Kagome's scathing words, "If I am drunk, it is my own choice. Who are you to interfere in my life? I am an adult and can do whatever I want. You have no business telling me what I can or cannot do."

 

Her words caused him great pain, and greater anger. "You are my daughter, and I think as your father, I have a right to know why you have come home drunk at four a.m.! Where in the seven hells were you?"

 

Kagome whirled and made as to walk out of the room, but her father caught her by her arm, "Answer me! You will not leave till I get a satisfactory answer from you!"

 

She pulled away from him, her blazing eyes and twisted face making him retreat a few steps, "I am 23 years old and not a child anymore. I refuse to answer any questions regarding my whereabouts. So, do me a favour and stop wasting your breath on this topic. My life is mine and I refuse to let you interfere in it."

 

Ashen-faced at the venom in her voice, he tried to re-assert his authority, "I am still the master of this house, and as long as you live in my house you will do as I say. I-"

 

"Fine, I will move out." 

 

Her quiet words shocked him to the core, and when she left the room, he did not try and stop her. Fearful that he had finally pushed her too far, he sank onto a chair, his head cradled in his hands.

 

'Kami, what have I done! How did things get so out of control?'

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

Kagome awoke several hours later, with a throbbing head. She felt as if her mouth was stuffed with cotton balls. Wincing as the slightest movement caused her head to spin, she stood carefully and made her way to the kitchen. Within a few seconds she had whipped up a Miroku Special, a hangover-cure that her hentai friend swore by. Drinking it with hesitation, as it was the first time she had ever required the remedy, she nearly gagged at the vile taste. Thankfully, the brew was extremely potent, and immediately began curing her off the ill-effects of her midnight binge. 

 

A glance at the clock nearly gave her a heart-attack, till she remembered Kouga's words from the night before and giggled. She was still giggling when her parents entered the kitchen. The sight of their solemn faces sobered the girl as she remembered her spat with her father. She looked out of the window, attempting to ignore the man. Now that she was sober, she realized that she had over-reacted to her father's questions. She knew that his words had been prompted by his worry for her. However, she was furious at his controlling attitude and knew that her outburst was long overdue. 'By God, I am no child and it is time he realized the fact.'

 

The silence stretched on for a few seconds, and then Aiko nudged her husband discretely tipping her head towards their daughter. Kenta cleared his throat nervously, and then shuffled towards their immobile and seemingly disinterested daughter. "Kagome, I...I want to apologize for my behaviour last night."

 

The soft words immediately thawed the young girl, "Oh, Dad! I am sorry too. I shouldn't have been so rude with you. I just wanted to let you know that I am no longer a child and that I deserve my own freedom. It is high time you realized that I have a life of my own and a right to my own privacy. I do not want to hurt either of you by moving out, but I cannot stay here if my every move is to be questioned and my every decision challenged.”

 

Kenta nodded, “I agree with what you are saying, and that is why, we have always tried to give you your own space and have not tried to interfere too much. But, yesterday-”  

 

“Yesterday was an aberration. I know you were worried about my not coming home, especially since I have never been out so late. But, really, you should not worry so much. I am a big girl now!” Kagome smiled and hugged her father, then her mother, before leaving the kitchen.

 

As Aiko rubbed her husband's back, he rubbed his eyes. “Child, but that is precisely why I am so afraid for you!”

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

Since that first date with Kouga, days flew by in a blur for Kagome as he took her world by storm. She met Kouga everyday, escorting him to his social engagements - to high-profile parties, to premieres, to charity events, to football and golf tournaments and to quiet dinners.

 

She had spent her winnings from the casino towards improving her wardrobe, as she endeavored to look her best for him. And when his eyes gleamed with appreciation and approval, at her attire, she would swell with happiness.

 

Despite the inordinate time she spent with him, they had yet to advance their relationship to a physical one. They had kissed and indulged in some heavy petting, but neither had seemed to be willing to rush the inevitable. And, the fact that Kouga had not pressurized her to sleep with him, as was often rumored that he was prone to do, made her respect him even further.

 

Things on the home front were good too. Her father had backed off, giving her the much-sought after freedom to do whatever she wanted. While she reveled in the feeling of independence, she made sure not to abuse the trust that they had put in her. To her great relief, her parents had even stopped pestering her about marrying a Japanese boy. She felt as if she were on the top of the world, with nothing holding her down, and nothing keeping her tied down.

 

The only thing that gave her slight reason for pause was the fact that she had been neglecting her responsibilities at Maya. She had hardly had any time to devote to the magazine, spending most of her time either with Kouga or in preparation of meeting him. She had so much to tell Sango but somehow, had not been able to keep in touch with her friend. But even though she missed Sango, and to some extent Miroku, fiercely, she did not want this beautiful time, when she was with Kouga, to ever end.

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

Kenta shook his head, despondently, as a beautiful Kagome breezed out of the house after calling out a hurried `Bye!'

 

“There she goes, again! I don't know what she sees in that lecherous lout. Sometimes I wonder if he has used some demon magic to hypnotize her.”

 

Without pausing in her work, Aiko answered him, a smile in her voice. “I think it is the same magic that you had put on me so many years ago. It is a most potent magic, as I recall.”

 

He shook his head. “Ever the romantic! You see the world through rose-tinted glasses, but forget that the world is actually a very dark and dangerous place. Take this Kouga, for instance. You think that he loves our daughter, while I am not so sure that he is capable of any such emotion. If he was serious about her, would he not have met us till now? Would Kagome have not told you about him? Imagine, being her parents, we come to know that our daughter is seeing a twice-divorced, multi-millionaire youkai, thanks to photographs in the tabloids. No, Aiko, I do not think this spoilt-little youkai is the right one for her. Even if a fraction of the stuff in the tabloids about him is true, then she is too good for him by far.”

 

She immediately turned towards him. “Kenta, why do you have that tone in your voice? I know you are planning something and I demand to know what it is! Look at me…what are you going to do?”

 

A grim smile grew on his face as he raised her palm and kissed it. “I have told you, many times, that I will not allow my daughter to make a mess of her life…and by all the Kami, I will do whatever it takes to ensure her everlasting happiness. Whatever it takes!”

 

Aiko could only watch in apprehension and helplessness, as her husband walked out of the house, a determined spring in his step.

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

 

Kagome leaned back in her chair, a champagne glass in one hand and a bright smile on her lips. She surveyed the placid blue waters that were the same enchanting colour as Kouga's eyes and sighed in contentment. Cool air whipped her tresses and she immediately placed her new sunglasses on her head to help keep them in place.

 

Kouga appeared on the deck from the cruiser's control room, a triumphant smile on his face. “I've studied the charts. We'll be there in another few minutes. I swear, Kagome, it is the most beautiful coral reef that you have ever seen. No matter how many times I come here, the sight of all that beauty blows me away, every single time.” He looked straight at her. “I am a sucker for beauty. And, by the gods, what a beauty!”

 

She smiled at him, a naughty glint in her eye, and raised her glass. “I'll drink to that!”

 

When Kouga had invited her for an exquisite and mysterious trip, she had wondered about it. But none of her thoughts and imaginings had come close to reality. He had stopped at the marina and had led her aboard one of his large cruisers. The well-stocked boat had immediately sped off towards the distant horizon, and for a moment, Kagome had felt like one of those heroines of those books that her mother read, who was being kidnapped by a dashing pirate. It was only later that she realized that he was taking her to a coral reef near the coast for a spot of scuba diving.

 

As the boat stopped at the coordinates entered by the youkai, he placed her glass on the table and gently turned her face towards the sea. A gasp of amazement escaped Kagome as she drank in the sight the multi-coloured fish teeming the coral reef and the gentle silver tipped waves.

 

“Oh, Kouga, you were right, it is beautiful!”

 

She turned her bright eyes towards him, and he immediately kissed her murmuring, “But, not as beautiful as you, my sweet! And I will drink to that!” He placed his glass to his lips and swallowed mechanically, observing her carefully over the rim of his glass.

 

Kagome picked up her glass and took a big gulp. And then she coughed, as something hard hit the back of her throat. She discretely spat the object into her hand, thinking that it was some sort of an insect that had fallen into her drink. And then, stared at the most perfect little ring that lay on her palm. Overcome by emotion, she stared at the grinning youkai in front of her. “K-k-Kouga? What is the meaning of this?”

 

Kouga plucked the ring from her palm, cleaned it with a napkin and then got down on his knee. “My sweet, over the past month, you have complimented me in every way. This month has been extremely precious to me. But I am greedy, and I want more, much more. I want you…I want you for the rest of my life. And, so I ask of you. Kagome Higurashi, will you honour me by agreeing to marry me?”

 

Dumbfounded, she stared at the youkai, not believing her ears. “You want to…marry me?”

 

As he nodded silently, Kagome looked away. She had always wanted this to happen, and so should have been ecstatic that her dream was being fulfilled. But for some reason, her traitorous heart was not over the moon with happiness. There was a sudden apprehension in her mind, that despite being with him for an entire month, she knew next to nothing about the youkai in front of her. It was that hesitation and the feeling of being rushed, that made her hesitate.

 

Just then her phone rang, and her first thought at that interruption, was one of relief. `Saved by the bell.' She flipped her phone open and groaned mentally, when she realized that it was her father. Lifting her finger to ask Kouga to wait for a minute, she turned her face away and spoke. “Dad?”

 

Her father's exuberant voice traveled over the airwaves. “Kagome, you will never believe what happened. I have won free couple tickets to Japan in a lucky dip. And, since, we haven't had a family vacation in years, I was wondering, would you also accompany us? You always say that you've never been to Japan and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity for you to explore your culture-”

 

Kagome caught Kouga's irritated look from the corner of her eye as her father droned on about this wonderful trip. To get him off her back, she interrupted his long lecture cheerily. “Sure, dad! I think it is a great idea.”

 

“Great! Then it is settled. I'll book your ticket right away. Do remember to take the necessary leaves from Maya, since I will not listen to any of excuses. Since you must be busy, I won't disturb you any more. Bye!”

 

She stared at the phone pensively as her father abruptly cut short the conversation. Surprisingly, talking to her father had helped bring clarity to her thoughts. She realized that Kouga was the one for her, and that there would be plenty of time to get to know him even better. She loved the youkai and obviously, by proposing to her, he had indicated that he returned her sentiment. There was no conceivable sense in her declining him.

Making up her mind, she turned to the impatiently pacing youkai and smiled, “So, where were we?”

 

Kouga gave her a soft growl. “You were about to either make me the happiest man alive or shatter my heart into a million pieces. Which one is it?”

 

She paused theatrically, before launching herself at the immobile youkai. “Yes! Yes! Yes! With all my heart, Kouga, I agree to marry you.”

 

There was a minutes silence as he stared at her and then he was kissing her as if his life depended on it.

 

xxXxxXxxXxx

 

A cackling Kenta rubbed his hands in glee, after tossing the phone on the bed. His naïve daughter had not suspected a thing and had fallen in with his plans. He had already put all the pieces into motion, and everything had been arranged by his friends in Japan. One final call remained to be made to his oldest and most distinguished friend, and then things would all fall into place.

 

As he dialed the number for Kaigaishii Taisho, his old friend and the head of the House of Inu, Kenta glared at a darts-ridden picture of Kouga Ookami tacked up on the wall. `By the time she comes back from Japan, she will be out of your reach, and very much married. I will save her from you, Kouga, even if I have to marry her off forcibly!'

 

A sudden smile broke on his face as he imagined his daughter's anger over the deception. `Ah, Kagome, this is one trip that you will never forget, I promise you that!'

 

 

TBC…