InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Welcome to The Age of Un-Innocence ❯ Dinner and a Breakdown at 8 ( Chapter 2 )

A/N: Well wow yay for updates one day later. How's that for quick service :p. Well I'd really like some reviews on what you guys think, thanks to everyone for reading so far though! Ok enjoy and Please review! It'll only take a second, you know you want it...heh Ja ne.

Laurell ~

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Kagome breathed in the light aroma of flowers and sank deeper into the warm water of the tub she was soaking in. One nice thing about being home was the lavish lifestyle she could visit, it was like going to a five star hotel on vacation, except the staff and fellow tenants were much more annoying. She sighed and tried just to relax and enjoy the large tub for what it was worth. Her father had planned a welcome home dinner for her that was being catered and started at eight. Despite her mother having not worked in Kagome couldn't remember how long she rarely cooked and had a full time maid that did all the cleaning. Kagome wondered just what her mother did all day long...you couldn't even say she was a housewife really. Either way, whatever you call her she didn't understand how any woman could be content with that lifestyle, this wasn't five hundred years ago after all! Didn't her mother realize she could be so much more than a pretty ornament on her fathers arm? If she were happy Kagome wouldn't think on it, but she wasn't, so she didn't know what her mother were doing.

 

She switched gears thinking to the different architecture schools she had in mind, imagined having a beautiful office in a fancy sky scraper of a big city. She would wear suits and put on hard hats and visit construction sites herself, none of that have an assistant do it for you crap. A chance to see her art come to life and to make people happy with where they call home. Designing `homes' for people and not just houses they lived in, that was Kagome's true goal. They type she could imagine grandchildren loving to visit, beach houses and condo's family would rave over and gather for reunions. She loved entertaining these ideas, all of these people having a house they loved enough to call a home, and she having made it possible. And there was still so much she had to learn, but instead of being intimidated by the amount of school she would need she was eagerly looking forward to it. Being able to boast her knowledge and prove she was the best at what she chooses to do was something Kagome always strived for. The thought that so much more knowledge was out there for something she loved excited her to no end. `I really am a nerd' she thought with a laugh then dunked her head underwater.

 

She didn't mind being a nerd as much as you'd think, she was happy, and liked her life so that was all that mattered to Kagome. She could give her family a little time over this summer because college this fall would be amazing no matter where she went, she was going to make sure of it.

 

She got out of the tub draining it and toweling dry. She brushed her hair out and blow dried it a bit so it wouldn't be so damp, put on a little light make up incase her mother wanted pictures taken and headed for her room to slip into a dress she had already picked out. It was the one she wore to the graduation party with her friends, a simple black and ivory lace dress with a `sweetheart' look to it. It had a v neck with see through cap sleeves, clung tightly to her waist, then flared out at the hips a little more fluttering around her knees where it ended. It was elegant and Kagome loved how she felt in it, even more than how she looked in it. So she thought it would be perfect to impress her father. She had been the first to leave home for such controversial reasons and the youngest, not to mention one of the only women to have such a sharp tongue in her family. It left her as a black sheep no matter how much she tried to convince them it was a good thing she had moved to America. Most just saw it as running away from her responsibilities, instead of how Kagome saw it; chasing her own dreams. She could live with the critiques as long as she was happy in what she did, but it was painful that the critiques were her family members. Souta understood though, he was the only one that did, or ever could really.

 

She checked herself in the mirror one last time before heading downstairs for what would most likely be an awkward but delicious meal.

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Inuyasha had been outside when his father came home. He was sitting in the garden when he heard all the familiar sounds. Normally he would have been smoking to ease his nerves, but if his dad smelled it on him it would have only made things worse. He had amazing senses including knowing when Inuyasha was lying, which is why he had stopped lying from a young age on.

 

He had always been a cop, and never wavered on punishments, or gave the boys any slack growing up. He hounded over them and was horribly over protective, any idiot would have told you it was because he loved them, and didn't want them to go through the hardships of life that he had, but Inuyasha didn't think it was a good enough excuse.

 

His father was more than demanding, he was an outright asshole most of the time, and had a terrible temper. The only time they talked was when they were fighting and when Sesshomaru couldn't take it any more and took off, it only made things worse on Inuyasha. When he was 19 he had a curfew, his dad wouldn't even allow him to carry cigarettes, not smoke them around his parents or in the house, he wasn't allowed to have them at all. He was also constantly threatening to throw him in jail for a night, and let him see where his future was headed. He was never able to make his own decisions, or had the chance to make mistakes and his frustration of having all the attention directed onto him with his brother gone made him even angrier.

 

The sad part was as always with these things, his over bearing parenting was what ultimately pushed Inuyasha to act the way he did. The tighter his Dad pulled on his leash, the more Inuyasha retaliated. If his dad didn't trust him to begin with, what was the point of acting good? He got accused for everything anyway; he might as well be doing the things he was in trouble for. So the distance grew farther between them and on the night of his twentieth birthday he left for good. He walked out on his entire life, all of his friends, just up and left everything. Got on the first flight he could to America and hadn't been back since.

 

So when the sound of his father's boots and jingle of his keys in the lock happened Inuyasha stiffened. He told himself this is your family, they're with you for life, if nothing else, do it for mom. And so his father came to stand beside him, he didn't sit with him, just stood silently. Inuyasha had no idea what to expect, he could have swept him into a hug or cursed his existence, he would have been no less surprised by either. But he didn't do anything that extreme. Instead he simply said.

 

“I'm sorry,” and “We've miss you.” An apology was the only thing that could have shocked him. He inhaled sharply and not finding any words simply nodded. His father understood. He looked up and his dad looked down, a classic scenario for them but their eyes did meet. And after a long conversation spoken without a single sound, his dad sat down next to him.

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“Hey mom,” Kagome came into the kitchen and stood next to her mother who was directing caterers with her hands.

 

“Oh hello dear, that dress looks fabulous on you!” She smiled at her giving her a standard quick kiss.

 

“Thanks,” she smiled looking down bashfully. Souta came up to stand beside her and took her by the crook of the arm leading her out of the kitchen.

 

“Trust me you don't want to be in there when mom goes on one of her power trips, that poor company, it's amazing they still do functions for us.” Kagome giggled at her brother, she was still in awe of how grown up he had become. Souta had always been mature for his age but his body was matching his mind more every day, he was wearing a white polo with a pair of fitted khaki slacks. They were perfectly pressed with creases running down the center and just barely lapped over some dressy boat shoes. `A picture perfect son, dad must be very pleased with himself,' she thought absentmindedly.

 

“Hey are you tired from all the plane rides still? You seem so out of it Kagome.”

 

“Yea I've been zoning out a lot on you I guess, sorry about that kiddo.” She ruffled his bangs a bit. He groaned rolling his eyes at the nickname but let it slide.

 

“Kagome, Souta! We're sitting down!” Their mother's voice rang out from the bustling dining room. As soon as Kagome sat down she felt uncomfortable. Caterers began orbiting the table, serving and pouring drinks and doing everything for them, once everything was set her father came in to join them. He stayed standing saying a short prayer, then sat down at the head of the table.

 

Her father droned on about the elections and the company and Souta, and asked her a couple questions about high school; it was all rather dull so far, as predicted.

 

“So Kagome what are your thoughts on college?” She hesitated a bit not wanting to upset her mother during dinner, but she didn't want to lie either.

 

“I'm going to an architecture school in the states.” She tried to say it as quietly as possible.

 

“What?” Her mother lowered her fork to her plate looking up to stare at her.

 

“I didn't want you to be upset mom, sorry I didn't tell you earlier, who told you I was going to college back here?”

 

“Well I did Kagome,” her father voiced. “I just thought that since we allowed you to do as you wanted for high school you would take college more seriously and be sensible going to a business school over here.”

 

“I took high school very seriously father! I graduated with honors, one of the top of my class and you didn't allow me, you practically pushed me out the door!”

 

“Kagome,” her mother shushed her quietly “please watch your tone darling; the caterers are close by...” She rolled her eyes but tried to control the level of her voice.

 

“Dad, I'm sorry but I don't want to go to business school, architecture is what I love, its what I want to do with my life, and I feel the states is the best place for me to do that.” She congratulated herself for the mature response that would hopefully end the conversation.

 

“I see...” he put his fork down and threaded his fingers together as if considering something heavy. “Well, this changes a lot Kagome...you haven't done anything for this family you realize...while your brother here has dedicated so much to it already. I'm just not sure I can allow that to go on.” Souta quickly jumped into the conversation.

 

“Dad Kagome doesn't need to do anything, I love business and I'm more than capable of handling things better than she would,” he glanced nervously at her telling her silently to just play along. “ So don't bring her into this honestly, I think she would just get in the way of my career. Let her do her little art degree in America, things have been great as they are don't you agree? Why risk it?” Kagome's heart lurched realizing what her brother was doing for her. Their father sat upright again still not eating and mom was pushing her food around quietly in a childlike way. The air was very tense, Souta and Kagome exchanged worried glances. Of all times why did her father have to bring such a terrible subject up during her welcome home dinner and in front of caterers no less. That's when it hit her, `he's trying to control my reactions by having them here.'

 

Her father sighed. “You do have a point Souta, I agree she shouldn't be involved in the business if that's not where she wants to be.” Relief flooded Kagome. “But that still doesn't mean you can just run back to your America and expect a free ride from this family Kagome. It's not fair to us.”

 

“Dad what are you trying to say? We both don't want me in your precious stocks game and I can't be of any use to your campaign nor do I want to be. What do you want from me? I don't understand where this is all coming from!” She was being to feel frustrated with the way he was dodging around something.

 

“How would you know if you could be helpful or not when you've never tried to be Kagome? You just run off and dump everything on your brother when you're the eldest.” Souta tried to interject again but he put his hand up to silence him. `He's realized Souta's my soft spot in all this,' Kagome's heart raced. The way her fathers mind worked even with his own family was down right villainous.

 

“Fine dad, tell me what can I do to help while I'm home for the summer? Do you need me to make some appearances? Volunteer at an animal shelters, go to some balls with a big fake smile on the whole time talking about how much I love being there?”

 

“You're sarcasm isn't going to help you, again please watch your tone.” Kagome ground her teeth trying as hard as she could to bite her tongue. “And since you've asked there is something I would like you to do this summer. As the mayor of Tokyo I would be closely tied in with the Tokyo Police Department of whom I have several friends with, safety will be my biggest concern and I want to express that to the people of this city. Crime has been on the rise especially with rapes of young girls and my team and I have realized it's an issue the people want addressed and taken care of. I need to secure my relationship with the chief of police the way other candidates can not and I want our families to get closer.” It seemed reasonable so far Kagome thought, `but what do I have to do with this?'

 

“And by closer I mean I would like them to become one.” The words sank in...what did he mean one? How did he want them to become one and what exactly was he asking of her?! “I would like you to announce an engagement with one of the chief of police's son's at the political ball next week at the Four Season's Hotel Tokyo.”

 

Kagome felt like her body and just been thrown through a windshield and there was nothing left of her but a bloody projectile. Things popped and fizzed in the back of her brain and her lungs had been punctured by something during the crash, the air was rushing out of them, it was the most painful way to die she had always heard. She gasped for breath but stopped trying as it was too painful. This was all in her head, but she didn't know that, as everything faded to black and her real body hit the expensive carpet of the dining room floor.

 

A/N: gasp! Who guessed it? heh, so love it? hate it? tell me what YOU think! And aww we had a happy moment between Inuyasha and his dad...yea savor it I think we all know hell is coming. And don't worry Kagome is fine she just fainted very dramatically, hell I would! Poor girl. Till next time! Ja ne.

Disclaimer: Oh btw, Inuyasha or any of the characters involved in it do not belong to me.