InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Vindicated ❯ The Wheels in Motion ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the other characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

 

Title: Vindicated

Chapter 2: The wheels in motion

Pairing: Inuyasha/Kagome, a bit of Miroku/Sango

 

Inuyasha found himself laughing as Kagome fell for what must have been the twentieth time since she had stepped into the rink.

 

“Stop laughing, Inuyasha! My butt hurts and this isn't even funny.” Kagome winced as she tried to stand but fell back down once more as her legs slipped out from under her, “I don't even know how I allowed you to persuade me to come here.”

 

Inuyasha stifled his laughter as he reached down to haul her to her feet. He placed his arm around her waist and helped to support her as she stood up gingerly. “Follow my lead.”

 

Kagome felt her cheeks flush as she realized just how close she and Inuyasha were standing. His golden eyes were serious although she could still detect a hint of mirth in them. He had a well-defined face with high cheekbones. With that long silvery mane of hair, girls were practically throwing themselves at his feet. She'd witnessed how all eyes of the female species seemed to swivel towards Inuyasha when he stepped into a room or restaurant. How excited whispers and murmurs would fill the room when Inuyasha entered. And of course she'd experienced what it felt like to be the envy of all those women. Judging by how the other women had looked at her, they were probably planning ways to bump her off conveniently. The past few weeks that she'd spent in Inuyasha's company had been filled with laughter. Not once did that lying scum Kouga cross her mind and put a dent in her mood.

 

Kagome sighed. Inuyasha was really too good-looking to be allowed to roam the streets this freely.

 

 

Miroku turned to look in Inuyasha's direction as the hanyou's loud laughter drifted towards him. It had been a long time since he'd heard and seen Inuyasha so carefree and happy. Inuyasha had always been a bit of a workaholic and immersed himself even more in his work after the death of InuTaisho Takahashi.

 

Kagome was good for him, Miroku mused. Since Inuyasha had met her, he'd seemed happier. He wondered if Inuyasha had begun to realize that he was starting to fall in love with Kagome already. Probably not considering that the hanyou seemed to be relatively helpless when it came to affairs of the heart.

 

“I must inform Sesshomaru to prepare my payment in advance.” Miroku said. Visions of how he was going to spend all that money filled his mind. He ought to take a break from all these matchmaking business and go on a long holiday. The Bahamas, perhaps or maybe Hawaii. He could already picture himself lying on the beach that was filled with beautiful women. All of them wearing bikinis, of course and throwing alluring looks in his direction. Yes, that would be heaven. Just him, the sand, the sea and most importantly women. So immersed in his little daydream was he that he failed to notice the arrival of one very irate Sango.

 

Sango threw herself into the nearest chair. One look at Miroku's face and she could almost tell what he was thinking. No, scratch that. Not almost but most certainly. “I rather hope that you are not going to start touching yourself in public, Miroku. This is a public place and whatever fantasy you're entertaining in that perverted brain of yours should not be carried out here.”

 

“Sango, love, you look absolutely radiant today. You never fail to brighten my mood, darling. It is nice to see you,” Miroku smiled. He took Sango's hand in his and before she could pull away, planted a kiss on the back of her hand.

 

Sango snatched her hand away. “If you must know, I'm feeling far from radiant. A client of mine recently broke off her engagement to another client. All my efforts gone down the drain! All because the man in question couldn't seem to keep his hands off her sister!” She threw Miroku a dirty look. “Much like you, Miroku. You don't happen to have a relative by the name of Tom Burke, do you?”

 

Before Miroku could answer however, a rather tired but happy couple plunked themselves onto the remaining chairs at the table. Kagome hugged Sango in greeting.

 

As Kagome launched into a detailed account of her first attempt in ice-skating, Sango took the opportunity to observe her. Kagome's eyes sparkled with something that Sango couldn't place. There was definitely joy in those expressive gray-blue eyes and if she was not wrong, the look of a young woman in love. The past few days with Inuyasha had certainly improved Kagome's spirits. She seemed positively happier. All those years of being in the matchmaking business had equipped Sango with a sixth sense. She almost always knew whether a couple was compatible and whether they were in love.

 

Kagome was undeniably in love with Inuyasha or at the very least falling in love but she didn't seem to have noticed it yet. Although Sango very much wished that Kagome could have someone to love, she couldn't help feeling a bit wary. Inuyasha was what some would say a flirt, a playboy. If Inuyasha turned out to be another Kouga in this relationship, Sango thought grimly, she would not hesitate to castrate him.

 

 

Inuyasha shifted his weight impatiently from one foot to another. He'd been waiting in the damn queue for at least ten minutes already. It seemed as if half of the skaters in the rink had decided to order hot chocolate at the same time. Kagome stood beside him, her cheeks pink from the cold. A lock of hair fell over her eyes and he itched to reach out and brush it away from her face.

 

He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this relaxed. After his father's death, he'd been swamped with work. Working with his elder brother, Sesshomaru, to continue and strengthen the software conglomerate that their father had set up. His work took up most of his time, leaving little time for dating. He sure was glad that he'd allowed Miroku to persuade him to take this little holiday. Being with Kagome brightened his day and lifted his spirits in a way he couldn't describe nor explain.

 

She'd seemed so vulnerable the night that she'd confided in him about Kouga. Inuyasha had heard of the name Kouga before. He was the heir to the Ookami Corporation, a rival of the Takahashi Company. Inuyasha didn't know what had possessed him to reach out and kiss her that night. But he didn't regret a single moment. He'd just met this wonderful lady and yet feelings that he'd never experienced before were rising in his chest, wrapping themselves around his heart. Was this love? The thought scared him but at the same time, he found himself thinking, that falling in love with Kagome wouldn't be such a bad thing.

 

A shrill ringing interrupted his thoughts. The mobile phone clipped to his belt rang loudly. Inuyasha excused himself and walked a little distance away. “Inuyasha.”

 

“It's me,” Sesshomaru said. “You'd better get your ass back here in the next two days if you still want to keep your inheritance intact.”

 

“What the hell are you talking about, Sess?”

 

“While you were away partying in Italy, a woman approached me claiming that she's the mother of Dad's illegitimate daughter. She's threatening to bring this information to the press unless we give her what she considers to be her daughter's inheritance.” Sesshomaru paused, as if giving Inuyasha time to absorb the bomb that he'd just dropped.

 

“What?! A daughter? That's ridiculous, Sess. This can't be possible! Dad never ever told us about having a daughter. I mean-“Inuyasha rambled on but was cut off my Sesshomaru's impatient snort.

 

“It's entirely possible, idiot. It isn't as if you don't know about Dad's affairs. No matter how much we looked like the perfect family, you and I know that it's all just a farce.” A long pause ensued before Sesshomaru said, “Just get back here Inuyasha. If this woman goes to the press…I don't even want to think about the consequences. The company can't afford any bad publicity at this moment.”

 

Inuyasha was still speechless when his brother hung up the phone. He had a sister? Just when he thought he could finally kick back and relax, things had to get worse. He walked back to Kagome, his mind still whirling.

 

“Is something wrong?” Kagome looked up at him, her face full of concern. Without thinking, she reached up and placed her hand against Inuyasha's cheek. Her fingers felt cool against his warm skin. Instinctively, Inuyasha seemed to relax slightly. He leaned into her touch and covered her fingers with his own.

 

“Your hand is freezing.” Inuyasha drew her hands between his own and rubbed them lightly, trying to bring some warmth back into her cold fingers. Warmth spread from her fingers to her palms, up her arms to her shoulders and slowly spread through her. She looked up at him wonderingly.

 

“Don't change the subject, Inuyasha. What's wrong?” Kagome pulled her hands away reluctantly. She liked feeling what she felt when Inuyasha touched her, be it a caress or simply brushing her hair away from her face. But he seemed troubled and a slight frown had settled between his brows.

 

Inuyasha sighed. “Something's cropped up back home and Sess has asked me to get back as quickly as possible. In the next two days preferably.”

 

“Is it serious?” Kagome asked. Inuyasha nodded. “It can't be helped then.” Kagome couldn't help feeling a pang of disappointment at his words. They were just getting to know each other and now he had to leave. She knew it was selfish of her to want to keep him for herself, to want him to stay. But whatever trouble had cropped up back home seemed to be pretty important or Inuyasha wouldn't be looking this troubled. “You'd better get back as soon as possible then.”

 

“I…I wish I didn't have to leave this early, Kagome. These past couple of days has been great. I only wish…tell you what. Why don't you let me bring you out to dinner tonight? Just the two of us. I'd like to spend some with you.” Inuyasha said. Alone without anyone especially those two nosy folks interrupting us, he added silently.

 

Kagome smiled. “Sure.” Alone with Inuyasha, she mused silently. Suddenly, she couldn't; wait for night to fall.