InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ One Last Summer ❯ The End ( Chapter 11 )

 

 

 

 

One Last Summer

 

Chapter Eleven

 

Part I

 

2:08 PM, Monday, June Twenty-Third. (Oishii Oishii Teien)

 

Walking side by side, Kagome sized him up. Looking from his feet to his face, and from his face back to his feet, she saw how much he had changed over the last four and a half years she hadn't seen him for. His long black braid was the same, and so were his glowing cerulean eyes, but he was more masculine looking and taller than before. Much taller.

 

In high school, he had always been shorter than all the others, and fun of it for it. But in his last year, he shot up about a foot and a half, which made the others scared of him. They were scared of him before, as well, because he would - of course, without Kagome's approval - beat them up in a dark alleyway.

 

His once cheery, never-ending-even-if-I-die-tomorrow attitude was gone, but a slightly airy demeanor still hung around him. He stared straight in front of him as he walked, once in a while looking at herself or Rin. He smiled a brilliant grin when catching her staring at him; one that seemed like tomorrow would never come. He seemed happy enough, but his eyes told her that something was on his mind.

 

What was it?

 

Just the dark presence that hung over his head was enough for her to look closely with concern. Although barely noticeable, dark circles hung under his eyes, proving the theory that he was so completely stressed out that he couldn't sleep. Enough to arise a small suspicion in at least someone, right?

 

Hell yeah.

 

"Bankotsu…" He turned to look at her. "I uh… was just wondering, if uh… um…" A dark eyebrow on a smooth and tan forehead rose in amusement.

 

"Yes…?" He asked slyly, obviously noticing her nervousness.

 

"Um, well, you seem a bit more tense than usual. Is everything alright?" Rin looked confusedly between the two, trying to figure out the tenseness of Bankotsu. She didn't see any… to her knowledge, anyways.

 

"Oh? I should be asking you the same exact question, Kagome-chan. Since when did the happiest girl I know slump her shoulders and not skip down a path in the park, hmm?" She sweat-dropped at the sudden and direct change of subject. "Is it something I should be worried about, sweet darling Kagome-chan?"

 

"Oh! No, I mean, everything's alright!"

 

'Despite the fact that someone broke into our house, I was knocked into a pool and in a coma for some time, where I then "caught" a case of amnesia, which I only recently got over. Oh, and did I tell you that there's someone out to kill me? And that I have only this job to support myself? Also that the sole reason I still have this job is because Rin loves me and I love her?'

 

Regardless of the fact that she wasn't supposed to tell anyone, and that it wasn't a laughing matter, she was tempted to actually tell her old friend everything as she let loose a small laugh.

 

"You sure?"

 

"Yeah, I swear that I am!" She replied, crossing her arms over her chest and sticking her nose up into the air.

 

"Since when did you start swearing?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

 

"I'm a grown woman now, Bankotsu! You missed out on me changing from that sweet little girl, to the one who swears all she wants!" Kagome proclaimed, her nose tuning up even higher, if it was possible, in the air. He laughed a bit as Rin focused on the shiny rock she just found.

 

"Yeah, you're grown up, and I'm walking next to your daughter." He rolled his eyes and looked at Rin, while Kagome sweat-dropped.

 

"Uh, well… she's not exactly MY daughter, but -"

 

"Fuck, she is your daughter!"

 

"I never said that. Not exactly, really…"

 

"Well then, who is this little girl standing next to me who is not exactly your daughter?" She chuckled at the way he placed his words.

 

"Bankotsu, this is Rin. I baby-sit Rin while her father is working."

 

"Hello Bankotsu-sama! Will you be friends with me?" Rin brightly chirped, running to stand in front of him and walk backwards while staring up into his face. She had been to afraid before to ask him the question. Their eyes met, and he couldn't help but smile at the young child's enthusiastic exterior. He guessed it was interior, too.

 

"Sure, Rin." He answered with a large grin that could rival the one on Rin's face.

 

"Okay!" She replied, and ran back off the path and into the grass, running alongside the adults as they talked. The old friends had so much to talk about, since they hadn't seen each other for so long. Back in high school, the two had been inseparable, even at the annoying times of Jakotsu wanting to spend time alone with Bankotsu.

 

The two had a joke of saying 'The old hag wants her husband to come home,' much to Jakotsu's disapproval. Despite the fact that Bankotsu hated the phrase as well, it was always hysterical to see the darkened, aggravated look on his friend's face when Kagome said it aloud.

 

The friends had gone through their high school years with detention every day after school and every Saturday morning almost all year round for four years. Of course, no one but the three of them - also sometimes Jak and Ban's friend, Suikotsu - knew about it. Where as, through all her life, Kagome was thought of to be the good girl that never swore, never committed any secret crimes, never went anywhere past kissing with a boy, and never did drugs or smoked anything.

 

That's what they believed, not what they knew.

 

Kagome knew almost every swear word in the book by age eight.

 

Kagome and Bankotsu spray-painted walls, shoplifted, and committed other indecent acts every Friday night.

 

Kagome went far past just kissing a boy in her time… way past…

 

And although she was never addicted, Kagome was one of those kids who tried and experimented with drugs. Never long enough that she got hooked, though.

 

And here we thought Kagome was perfect!

 

Fuck it.

 

 

 

3:13 PM, Monday, June Twenty-Third. (Taishou Offices)

 

 

 

Storming through the building, the trio made it to the elevator - much to their surprise - without getting thrown out of the office. They waited for a few minutes, before the elevator brought them up to the seventy-seventh floor, the second to the top, where Sesshomaru's office was. Rin leading the way, they walked slowly through the sterile and perfect hallways of Sesshomaru's floor.

 

It was like walking through heaven, there was so much luxury and comfort all around. Each window had been perfectly set to capture the best view a window could, and each office had to be big enough for someone to live in. Well, that is, since the only office on the whole floor was Sesshomaru's. It was probably as big as Sango, Kikyo, and Kagome's apartment, including the parking lot out front.

 

"Wow, your boss works here? What is he, a secretary?" Bankotsu whistled, his hands in his pockets. Taking one out and tucking a stray lock of ebony hair behind his ear, he absorbed every sight there was to see in the building.

 

"No… he doesn't work here that much…" Kagome started, hesitant how to reveal to her friend what Sesshomaru was.

 

"Internship?" He asked, still looking around.

 

"Sesshomaru-sama owns Taishou Corporation!" Rin chimed, and Bankotsu gave her a look of disbelief. He glanced over at Kagome to see if she would prove the young girl wrong. She didn't.

 

"Shit, this guy owns this place?"

 

"'This Guy' is Sesshomaru Taishou, owner of Taishou Corporation. Or soon to be, at that." The three looked up into the cold eyes of Sesshomaru, who had on one of his black suits that he seemed to wear every day.

 

"Does that mean you'll have the top floor?" Kagome asked, excited at the new prospect. Sesshomaru restrained from rolling his eyes, and made a mental note to do it later when he was trying to get to sleep at night and thought back upon the day.

 

"Yes, it does." Both males in the room could have swore that they saw lights shining in the shape of stars in her eyes at that moment.

 

"Well then what are we waiting for? I'll go up there and convince Mr. Taishou to retire right now!" She sang, and skipped back to the elevator with Rin in tow, leaving Ban-chan alone with Fluffy.

 

There was a few moments of silence as Sesshomaru walked away towards his office, followed by the blue-eyed man, and sat down at his desk. He typed away at his computer as Bankotsu leaned on the wall of his office and looked around. Irritated by the long lapse of silence, he spoke to Sesshomaru.

 

"So… I guess she forgot to introduce us, huh." He said, his fingers running over a small groove in the glass walls of the office, while avoiding all eye contact with the tall, silver-haired man. There was no sincere need, since his opponent refused to look at the miscreant anyways.

"Please refrain from speaking to this Sesshomaru while I am working." He spoke few words in one sentence, but in clearly got the meaning across for Bankotsu.

 

It was more like a 'I don't give a shit what you have to say, the only reason you're still here is because you seem to get along with Kagome and Rin.'. Then there was the look that clearly stated 'Touch anything and I'll have my assistant castrate you.'

 

All of that was just enough to discourage him from speaking, or touching anything.

 

 

 

3:17 PM, Monday, June Twenty-Third. (Seventy-Eighth Floor)

 

 

 

"Mr. Taishou!" Kagome called through the large office, both she and Rin giggling when her voice echoed back. They skipped through the hallways just like they did in Sesshomaru's office, confident in the fact that they would not disturb Mr. Taishou.

 

Ever since she was brought out of her coma, Kagome had received more and more visits from the man who really owned Taishou Corporation, and had become more like her natural self around him. He was no longer that humiliating, strange old - if fifty years counts as old - man that seemed to pop up wherever Kagome was and embarrass Sesshomaru and herself, but now seemed to be the kind, funny guy who was like the father figure she had missed out on since she was seven.

 

"Mr. Taishou! Rin and I have come up here all the way from the seventy-seventh floor to bother you into retiring and giving up your office!" Mr. Taishou's office seemed more like a playhouse than an actual office.

 

They was much more color than Sesshomaru's office, and there was actually some fun, yet strange, pictures on the walls, and not just windows. Colorful draping hung from the ceilings and doorways, where the brightest one, a glimmering golden color, hung from the doorway to his office. Twirling through the doorway with Rin in her arms, she called out again.

 

"Mr. Taishou -" She was cut off by an unfamiliar voice.

 

"— Is currently in a business meeting. He has taken a restroom break at the moment, mis—he~llo…" The man drawled at the end of his sentence as he caught a glimpse of Kagome and Rin. More Kagome, though.

"Uh… hi." She spoke tentatively, and slowly waved her hand. He stood up leisurely, scraping the feet of his chair on the soft carpeted-ground. He took her hand and kissed it, though never taking his eyes off of the beauty in front of him.

 

"Pleasure to meat you, miss. My name is Onigumo. Onigumo Naraku." He said, finally releasing her hand. He gave a glance at Rin that only lasted for a few seconds, possibly less. It seemed he couldn't really make any moves on her if a little girl was present. And trust him, he would've, if they were only somewhere else with less witnesses.

 

"Uh… Higurashi Kagome… the pleasure's all mine, Mr. Onigumo." She spoke, eyeing his stature, and internally gagging at her words.

 

He was handsome enough, not as tall as Mr. Taishou or Sesshomaru, but taller than InuYasha and Miroku. He had long, wavy black hair that spiraled down his back, brushed to perfection by what she guessed was his assistant, or girlfriend, or wife. His glowing, seemingly red eyes - she guessed it was a trick of the light - penetrated her own with an intensity that made her shiver.

 

"Please. Call me Naraku."

 

"Of course, Mr.Onigu—Naraku. Do you know when Mr. Taishou will be getting back?" Kagome still watched his every move with a close eye. He didn't seemed like one to trust at first; too slimy and greasy. Sure, his hair was alright, hell, it was beautiful if anything, but Naraku himself seemed to hold an aura of… slyness.

 

"Mr. Taishou -" He started, but a deep voice interrupted him from behind.

 

"—Is right here. Hello Kagome, you must have met my client, Mr. Onigumo." Mr. Taishou made his grand entrance behind them, coming from the restroom.

 

"Um… we'll just be leaving now… yeah. Goodbye Mr. Taishou. Pleasure, Mr. Onigumo." Kagome and Rin made their exit as quick as Mr. Taishou had entered, the older girl picking up the younger one in a quick attempt to escape the piercing eyes of Naraku.

 

"Visit sometime again soon, Kagome." Inu No Taishou called after her, but he knew she was too caught up in running away too focus on his words. He would call her later.

 

"Mr. Onigumo. I thought you had more honor in you than to prey on young, harmless girls like Kagome." His cold eyes narrowed, while walking back to his seat and glaring at the offending man.

 

Naraku chuckled, his deep voice ringing through the office. "Taishou. You flatter me with your words of 'honor'. You better watch out for that girl. Some day, someone might just… make her an offer she can't resist."

 

 

 

 

3:23 PM, Monday, June Twenty-Third. (Seventy-Seventh Floor)

 

 

 

"We're back!" Rin yelled as she entered the office where the girls had left the two men.

 

"Sorry for leaving you here, Ban." Kagome took a seat in the leather chair in front of Sesshomaru's desk, slumping down until all he could see over his computer was the top of her head.

 

"Tired much? What'd you do, run a marathon?" He asked, still leaning against the wall and trying to ignore the alarming presence of the man named Sesshomaru.

 

"Kagome was running! She picked me up and ran away from the scary man!" Rin plopped down in Sesshomaru's lap after crawling under his intricately designed desk, gazing up at him with an admiring look.

 

"What man?" He asked, suddenly disturbed from his work.

 

"Onigumo Naraku… I think he was making a business deal with your father…" Kagome said quietly. Bankotsu looked between Sesshomaru's icy face, Kagome's hesitant one, and Rin's cheerful one, and made a statement.

 

"So what's so big and bad about this Naraku guy?" He crossed his arms over his chest and stood closer to his friend for an unconscious reason.

"Naraku is… he is one of the company's biggest clients. A competitor as well. He seems to be interested in some projects that go deeper into the Taishou Corporation." He gave Kagome a flash of a look, to get his meaning, but quickly turned back to work.

 

No one seemed to notice the darkening look on his face. Quickly Bankotsu, Kagome, and Rin left, one girl over each of Bankotsu's shoulder. They giggled as he pretended to swerve and swoop on the way to the elevator, not noticing the deep glare Sesshomaru gave them.

 

Was he jealous?

 

No, couldn't be.

 

The day Sesshomaru Taishou was jealous, was the day the world ended.

 

All he needed something to drink. FAST.

 

 

 

 

No, the title of the chapter does not mean the end of the story! Refer to the last few lines. Hm… sorry it is so short, and that it took so long to get out, but never fear! Part II is coming out soon, I promise. And I hope chapter thirteen will be out soon as well. I am truly sorry about the angst-y ness of last chapter, but I wanted to add some depth. Also, I have to change the rating on this story for language.

 

Please Review, and keep on reading! Love, Cat.

 

(PS: I have two other stories up for adoption: Make It Go Away, and Its Not Over).