InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Overcoming ❯ Repeated Coincidences ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three: Repeated Coincidences

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sesshomaru! Hey!" The young manager of the Japanese cuisine restaurant called to the senior who was currently working at the stove. He turned, his golden eyes stoic as he observed his boss.

"What?" He asked, turning off the burner.

"We've got a new employee working in the kitchen with you. Show her the ropes, will you?" He told him in a reassuring manner. He bowed slightly and then exited the kitchen. Sesshomaru let out a sigh and rolled his eyes, turning the burner back on. He's always employing new people who will never work more than a week. Idiot, he thought as the shrimp cooked soundly in the pot. He was so wrapped up in what he was doing that he didn't even notice his new co-worker enter the room.

"Oh hell no," He heard a feminine mutter from behind him as his golden eyes turned to look her over. He dropped the utensil he was using to sauté the shrimp and it hit the floor with a redundant clattering sound. He stared at her, unable to form words. "Hi, Sesshomaru…" Kara muttered.

"No," He stated calmly, eying her in the female version of the kitchen. "You are not working in the kitchen with me," He added, crossing his arms. His face washed over in irritation and slight disbelief.

"Well," Kara said equally as calmly as she toyed with a long lock of hair, "I guess I am." She gauged his reaction, as he just stood, emotionless even though she could sense the tension in his body. He was angry. Very angry. "Your shrimp's burning," She added after a pregnant silence as a rubbery burn smell permeated the kitchen air.

Sesshomaru let out an annoyed `hmph' and turned off the stove, bringing out a plate from the clean stack of dishes that had just been brought in. Kara observed him as he poured the sautéed shrimp onto the plate, added extra seasoning, and arranged steaming hot vegetables in an orderly fashion next to the shrimp. He then left the room, brushing passed her, his golden eyes flaming with intensity.

Ho boy… I guess I didn't start things well with this guy today… It's too bad, She thought as he re-entered the kitchen. He's really hot. She was brought out of her slightly brooding when she heard the senior clear his throat, catching her eyes.

"What are you staring at?" He asked her, his voice gruff.

"Nothing. Only admiring your work," She replied, her voice just as steeling as his. "I didn't know you were into breaking the rules of school about working. In the U.S. you're allowed to work and go to school but not here."

"I should say the same thing about you," Sesshomaru answered her, shoving the pot into the slot where the people washing dishes were stationed. "I can get away with it because they don't want to deal with me. You, on the other hand-"

"Can be equally as hard to deal with," Kara filled in for him, watching as he scowled at her. She just smiled at him with childish innocence and sighed, clasping her hands behind her back. "So… Are you going to show me how to cook this crap?" She asked.

"I suppose I don't have a choice in the matter," Sesshomaru muttered, bending over to get access into a cupboard.

"Butt shot," Kara said with quirky humor in her voice. The senior stopped what he was doing and stood up, giving her the strangest of looks.

"I beg your pardon?" He asked, a lone eyebrow hiked up in his bewilderment. Why was she looking at his butt? Kara just stood, wiping the silly expression from her face and placed an emotionless façade, just like one that he wore sometimes, over it.

"Nothing. Are you going to show me how to cook or what?" She replied, looking slightly irritated.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and returned to bend over to retrieve a pot from the cupboard when he heard her make a crack about his bottom again. Choosing not to be affected by it, he grabbed the pot and went to fill it with water from the sink. She followed him but then broke off, going towards the spices and the oils. "We're going to make a noodle entrée," he said to her. Sesshomaru placed the pot on the stove while he waited for her to come to his side but saw her pour a little bit of olive oil into the water.

"Why did you do that?" He asked her, his voice neutral. That was strange. He had never known anyone to put olive oil in the water they used to cook noodles.

"It adds extra flavor to the noodles, Grumpy Sessho. They'll taste a little bit better and while they cook they'll get thicker," Kara replied cheerfully. She put the bottle of olive oil back where she found it and helped Sesshomaru break up the noodles and then distribute them evenly in the pot. "It's what we back at home," She added, her voice airing melancholic tones.

Sesshomaru's golden eyes scanned her face, seeing her change in expression but didn't pay any mind. It wasn't his business anyway. An uncomfortable silence passed between the two high school students as the noodles cooked. When the noodles were finished, Sesshomaru poured the contents of the pot into the strainer, shook them around and then poured them back into the pot. He showed Kara what seasoning to add and had her add the finishing touches to the food.

"You're talented, Sesshomaru," Kara told him, her azure eyes sparkling at him. "You're also a lot of fun to harass!"

"I don't enjoy harassment. Stop," Sesshomaru said in reply, not wanting to be bothered anymore. He was already very cranky and exhausted as it was from his lack of sleep the past few nights, but she had already driven him crazy more than one this day.

"Geeze! Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed! Why are you so grouchy?" Kara asked with a light tease in her voice. She was only playing but Sesshomaru was not in any mood to `play.'

"People like you piss me off. You think you know everything and you drive me insane. I shouldn't have to socialize with girls or people of your nature at all. You should go home to your family," He spat in return, his eyes flaming. Kara took a step back, shocked.

"Well then," She said, feeling slightly uncomfortable, not to mention a little bit hurt. "I can understand why everyone calls you the Ice Prince," she added, turning away from him to occupy herself with anything. She started to arrange the spice bottles in alphabetical order. "I would go home to my family… If I had one…" she said in a whisper as a tear crept out of her eye.

Sesshomaru just barely heard the statement she had muttered but felt a small blossom of guilt in his chest. Was her family dead? Was that why she had grown so solemn earlier? Good Kami-sama! She was crying! He had pissed girls off before. He had even been slapped. But never before had he made one physically cry. Oh Shit… He thought as he watched her walk slowly out of the kitchen. Not knowing what to do, he just stood and tried to act as if nothing had happened. He had done nothing wrong. If I've done nothing wrong, why do I more like an ass than usual?

**

I was only teasing him… He really can't take a joke… Why did he have to say that? I thought he was all bark with no bite but I guess he proved me wrong, Kara thought as she stifled her sobs in her hand. She leaned against the side of the stall she was crying in, in the bathroom. You stupid jerk…

**

"You can go home now," The manager told Sesshomaru as the senior was tidying up the kitchen. He looked around. "Where's Kara?"

Sesshomaru shrugged and hung up the apron he had been wearing and left, stopping when he saw Kara walking out in the parking lot. Damn it all! She had parked right next to him! He froze like a statue when she saw him, her face was blotchy and he felt another pang of guilt in his chest. Shit!

Kara's walking speed increased as she neared her car, Sesshomaru followed. She opened her car door and glared at him when he opened his car door because they were right next to each other.

"You shouldn't cry when you drive," Sesshomaru told her, cringing inwardly at how he had only just worsened the situation. I should have stayed quiet… He thought as he saw her scowl at him.

"I am NOT crying!" She screamed at him through her teeth as she flopped in the driver's seat, slammed the door and sped off, her foot roaring on the gas pedal. Sesshomaru stuffed the nagging feeling in his chest away as he shrugged. It shouldn't have mattered. She was, after all, only a junior bitch who was from the United States.

But, she had really been crying over what he said. Bawling… He now knew how Inuyasha felt whenever he had made Kagome cry, either purposely or unintentionally. Shit, shit and DOUBLE shit! Sesshomaru cursed inwardly as he drove home. He didn't want to go to his sixth hour the next day for fear of making her cry again.