InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ This Wasn't In The Job Description ❯ Meet the Band ( Chapter 18 )

 

Chapter 18

 

Meet the Band

 

As InuYasha rode the bike back to his home, Kagome clinging tightly to him from behind, the air whipped into his face and helped to revive him. Soon, he was pushing the bike to its limits again, and he could feel Kagome grip him tighter, pressing her cheek against his back in an effort to avoid the whip of his hair and the air rushing past them. Somehow, it was a comforting feeling to him. He did not realize until recently how much he had missed the feeling of a woman holding onto him on the back of his bike. Not since the good days with Kikyo, which now seemed like a distant memory.

 

Behind InuYasha and Kagome, Miroku and Sango followed to the best of their ability in Miroku's car. The hanyou always made it hard for him to keep up, but not out of outright malice. InuYasha just expected that his friends would keep up without considering that his bike could weave in and out of traffic in a way that Miroku's car couldn't.

 

When InuYasha pulled up to his house, there were three cars parked in front. As he opened the garage, Miroku and Sango parked the car and followed them in.

 

“Figures they all show up now,” said InuYasha, pulling off his helmet as Kagome got off the bike.

 

“Who's that, InuYasha?” Kagome asked.

 

“I see the band's all here,” said Miroku, coming up behind them with Sango.

 

“Did you tell them to come?” InuYasha growled irritably.

 

“No, Masahito probably just told them that they needed to have a meeting with you to set up band practice,” said Miroku.

 

“Yeah, and I saw Kenta's car out there, too,” said InuYasha sourly. “I bet it was his idea to have everyone show up this way.”

 

“Kenta?” said Kagome questioningly, as InuYasha punched the code to open the door.

 

“InuYasha's road manager,” said Sango, as they all stepped inside.

 

They went down the short hallway that connected the garage to the entertainment room, where they found several people sprawled out on the couch, watching TV. One by one, they looked up and smiled as InuYasha and the others walked in.

 

“InuYasha, Miroku, Sango!” said Kenta jovially. “The gang's all here! But who is this lovely lady?” The lanky road manager with the long, limp black hair and bloodshot eyes winked at Kagome and gave her a lazy smile.

 

“Gee Kenta, she reminds me of Kikyo,” said Chiyoko, the keyboard player, a pixie of a woman with short, bobbed blonde-streaked black hair.

 

Kagome began to blush under their scrutiny, and InuYasha looked annoyed, growling slightly.

 

“Nah,” said Yamato, the lead guitar player, tossing back the long red-dyed hair from his face and giving her a rakish look, “she's prettier than Kikyo.”

 

“So ask her if she has a boyfriend!” said Daisuke, the bass player, giving Yamato a challenging look.

 

“No fair!” said Kaito, the drummer. “Why does Yamato always get to ask out the pretty women we meet first!”

 

“As if a girl as pretty as - what was your name?” said Daisuke.

 

“Kagome,” said Kagome, getting slightly flustered at the dynamics going on around her.

 

InuYasha looked like he was going to explode.

 

“Kagome! A girl like Kagome here would never be interested in a troll like you!” said Daisuke.

 

Everyone started to laugh, except InuYasha, Kagome and Kaito. The short, squat drummer looked offended, crossing his arms and frowning.

 

“That's enough!” InuYasha roared. “Kagome is my new personal assistant, and you are to give her some fucking respect! She's not some groupie, you hear?”

 

Daisuke snickered and Chiyoko looked at him, exasperated, and elbowed him in the ribs.

 

“Hey, Kagome,” said Sango, pulling Kagome aside in an attempt to save her further discomfiture. “I'm hungry, and there is a nice little restaurant in walking distance of here, you want to go have lunch with me? My treat.”

 

“I'll go if it is alright with InuYasha,” said Kagome, glancing over at the red-faced and glaring hanyou.

 

“Fine, fine,” said InuYasha, waving his hand dismissively. “I need time to get this fucking unruly mob of a band back in shape, anyway.”

 

“Thank you,” said Kagome, smiling at him and hoping he would acknowledge her smile.

InuYasha stole a look at her, and she was gratified to get a quick smirk and a fleeting warm look from his eyes. This made Kagome perk up a bit as she left with Sango, trying to ignore some of the lingering looks given her by the male members of the band. They were obviously not intimidated by InuYasha very much, probably because they were used his temper.

 

They passed Kaede on the way out the front door, and informed her they would not be staying for lunch. The old housekeeper didn't seem to mind, she looked at bit harried and then smiled as she told them that meant two less mouths for her to feed.

 

Stepping outside, Kagome took a deep breath, realizing how tense she had been in there. Sango turned to her and smiled a knowing smile. She knew Kagome had never been exposed to situations like that before.

 

The two women walked out of the residential district, with its pretty houses and beautiful gardens, and into the downtown area. They walked by quaint shops, and mothers pushing strollers and leading small children by the hand.

 

“Here it is,” said Sango, stopping in front of a café style restaurant with a green awning.

 

Entering, Kagome and Sango were given a table by the large window that fronted the restaurant. As she looked at the menu, Kagome was distracted by her thoughts. Should she ask Sango about all the questions that were nagging her about InuYasha? Would Sango even give her the answers, or would she say it was none of her business? Kagome stole a look at Sango, and decided from the relaxed look on her face that maybe she would be receptive to her questions.

 

After they had placed their orders, Kagome decided to speak what was on her mind.

 

“Sango,” said Kagome, “can I ask you something?”

 

“What is it?” asked Sango, folding her hands on the table in front of her and smiling slightly.

 

“Do you think InuYasha hired me because I resemble Kikyo?” she asked, blushing.

 

Sango laughed a little and shrugged. “I like to think he hired you for more reasons than that,” she replied, “but I would be blind to not see the resemblance between you and Kikyo.”

 

Closing her eyes a moment, Kagome sighed and wondered if she should tell her what almost happened between her and InuYasha the other night, when Sesshomaru came to try and take Tessaiga. Well, she knew of no one else whom she could confide in, and Sango seemed very trustworthy. If InuYasha trusted her, there was no reason for her not to trust Sango as well.

 

Slowly, Kagome told Sango the whole story of what happened, and did not falter when she heard Sango take a surprised, indrawn breath when she got to the part where InuYasha almost kissed her. Then she went on to describe how InuYasha had acted afterward, including how he came home drunk. When her story was finished, she waited for Sango's reaction. The Public Relations agent looked thoughtful, gazing at a spot away from the table and not at Kagome.

 

“I think…InuYasha is probably lonely,” said Sango hesitantly. “I wouldn't be surprised if he has feelings for you, but don't tell him I said so.”

 

“No, don't worry,” said Kagome. “I was just confused and hoped for someone else's perspective on this situation. I won't say a thing to him.”

 

“That's good,” said Sango, looking relieved. “Let's keep all this between us, shall we?”

 

“Yes, I agree,” said Kagome, “but there is one other thing. Did you pick up on the way InuYasha reacted when I told him about Kouga? I could've sworn he was acting jealous - and all I did was help someone in need.”

 

“That someone happened to be a full youkai,” said Sango, “and a very grateful one, indeed. InuYasha has always been fighting those who believe that he is inferior because he is only half youkai. So your helping that wolf youkai must have angered him.”

 

“Oh, I see,” said Kagome, and she did begin understand how it must be from his perspective.

 

The haunting, pain-filled words to InuYasha's song “Hanyou Blues” suddenly came to Kagome's mind. In fact, she could hear him singing in her head. How could she not have realized how hard it must be for InuYasha? It hit her that maybe that was because she accepted him just the way he was, and would never think of looking down at him for being a hanyou.

 

“I just have one more question, if you don't mind,” said Kagome.

 

“I don't mind,” said Sango, “but I'm not promising you I have all the answers.”

 

“Why is InuYasha looking for the Shikon no Tama formula?” asked Kagome.

 

“I think I would prefer if InuYasha told you that himself,” said Sango slowly. “But you are a smart young woman, I think that you can figure it out for yourself.”

 

A crease formed on Kagome's brow as she mulled over what Sango just said. If the Shikon no Tama reconfigures genes, as she had gathered from the documents she had seen, then InuYasha must want to change…himself. Question was, to what? He was half youkai, half human. Which half did he want to erase? With a sinking feeling, Kagome thought about Kouga and put two and two together.

 

“InuYasha wants to become full youkai,” said Kagome wonderingly.

 

“Bingo,” said Sango, “but don't tell him that you know. He should tell you himself.”

 

The food came, and as Sango and Kagome ate, Kagome was feeling forlorn. She did not want InuYasha to become full youkai. In truth, she liked him just the way he was.