She could remember seeing the face her mother glued on as she ripped out an
advertisement from one of the light posts from the street. She could see
her reading the paper, and staring dreamingly towards her freaked-out
offspring.
"Kagome! I got a splendid idea! Hurry!" Her mother was too excited to even walk like normal people would; she was literally power jogging with grocery bags around her arms.
"Could you maybe slow down a little, mama? You do know that I'm carrying grocery bags, right?"
"No time for that, dear! Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Her mother smiled as she climbed up the steps up to the shrine. Kagome pouted and sighed mentally.
"Why is it that mama always had these perky mood swings all of a sudden?" Kagome asked herself. When she got home, her mom explained her everything during dinner and Kagome could not even believe that her mother, out of all people in this sad, sad world, would suggest such a thing!
"You want me... to work as a house maid... in Kyoto?" Kagome asked her mother softly. Her mother nodded as she held the piece of paper in her hands.
"Do you know how good this is?" she asked her daughter, "you get to work for one of the richest families in the country!"
"But in Kyoto, mama? So far away? It's already enough to not live in the shrine. And now we can't live in Tokyo either?!"
"No," she assured, "you go to Kyoto. Souta, grandpa, and I will stay here."
"What?! You're not coming?!" Kagome asked infuriated as she rose from her chair.
"It's only for the summer, Kagome," her mother said, "or a sixth of a year, if my math's correct."
"But still..." Kagome sighed, "Why can't you come with me?"
"Money, Kagome. Money! We don't have it. We can only afford enough for you..."
"But I have to work as a house maid? I can't even clean my own room."
"That's why we have the entire weekend to work on it," her mother stated as she reached for her daughter's hands. "I know you can do this. You've been through a lot this year and you've been able to step through magnificently..."
Oh, man... Did she have to remind Kagome about that again?
That no-good ex of hers...
"Mama, let's not talk about that. Please?" Kagome asked as she sighed again and looked down towards her empty plate. Her mother looked away, ashamed of herself for knowing better than to bring that up again. What was she thinking?
"Sorry... I'm just trying to do what I think is best, dear. You know that, right?" her mother asked. Kagome looked at her mother finally and felt like she wasn't strong enough yet.
Her mother was wrong.
She hasn't 'stepped through magnificently'
Because the truth was that she hasn't; she still droops over him. The worst part of all this was that she didn't even know why. She possibly couldn't love him. He cheated on her with someone else, and that 'some one else' is now pregnant with his child!
How could she love him?
Her mother noticed her daughter's sudden change in expression. She saw Kagome bite her lip and clench her hands hesitantly around her own.
"Why did he do this to me, mama?"
Her mother's heart broke as she saw her daughter's tears tumble down freely.
"...what did I do wrong...?"
Her mother guided her weeping daughter out of the kitchen and into the living room, as she endeavored to console her daughter the best way possible. But by the way things seemed, this condolence wasn't really doing any good.
"It's not your fault, hun..." her mother said.
Kagome felt her heart slowly go at ease as she heard her mother whisper to her. "You did nothing wrong..." Kagome hugged her mother around her neck and dug her face into her shoulder, as she sobbed lightly in that warm embrace she always loved.
"It's gonna be all right..."
~*~*~*~*~
Kagome eventually got herself together that weekend, and spent the entire Saturday working on her stepping, her speech, and trying to bring back that so-called curtsy she had back in the old days of childhood. Souta kept making fun of her as she was acting like her own family was the one she was going to be hired as. Her grandfather couldn't recognize her since she seemed to be so sweet and delicate that day. School exams were finally out of the way, and she jumped with joy as she received her report card in the mailbox with all subjects A's and A+'s.
[Yes, Kagome-chan. We know you're worthy of Harvard. Don't rub it in.]
Then came the big day: June 10th.
Her mother waved good-bye to Kagome as the train to Kyoto shot off into the afternoon sky. Kagome's worries stacked up on her like a stack of plates, and she couldn't help but hesitate of this whole situation. She tried to looked at the sights out of her window until she managed to fall asleep. What relief she felt...
~*~*~*~*~
She arrived at the desired building. She took her name tag and number, and sat down in a chair aligned with girls talking amongst themselves. There were so many of them, and all for the same purpose.
Kagome took out her purse and stuck her lucky pen in her mouth. She never knew why pens made her calm down so much, but all that mattered is that it worked... Just biting that damn thing with her jaw made her anger and anxieties fly away like ugly-looking ravens.
It was finally 5:30 when girls were finally asked to come in one by one into the other room. Slowly and anxiously they all went, some in the verge of hysteria, and some filled with a confidence larger than the Niagara Falls.
But many came out bawling like newborns and some with faces infuriated with anger. Kagome felt very sad for the tear-filled maidens. Maybe they needed this job for bigger reasons other than re-buying a home shrine. Maybe they were even worse in life that herself. Who knew?
She looked at her watch with an affectionate face as she read 6:15 pm ticking rhythmically.
"Number 57, please?" A young woman called out. Kagome looked at her number and stood up. The woman grinned sweetly as Kagome entered the room. As she walked by the other girls going after her, she could notice a few of their faces sending her messages. Some looked at her with a face of envy, because she went before them. Some didn't even care...
But the door closed, nonetheless.
"This is it..." Kagome thought as she sighed one last time, "it's time to shine..."
~*~*~*~*~
The interview started, and Kagome really was impressed with herself as she answered every question with a very placid calmness. She talked to the young woman with no hesitation. Kagome felt no pressure or fear. She felt at ease with all this.
Across from her eyes was a large mirror, at least 10 feet wide and a yard long in divided area. But there was something that young Kagome didn't know:
Inutaisho Takahashi and Kumiko Takahashi were behind it in a secret room. These were the people who chose which girl was going to be hired for the job and which one was packing up and going home. They were the wealthy couple who the girl was going to work for.
The handsome taiyoukai was standing up straight with his hand cupped under his chin, his eyes surveying the young girl.
"What do you think of this one?" he asked his mate, "do you think she's worthy?" Kumiko didn't reply.
"What was her name again?" she asked. He put both his hands on his pockets and sighed.
"I think it was Higurashi Kagome?" he asked as he made sure his intellects were true. Kumiko looked at his motions for a moment and then looked back at Kagome. A grin began to bend across her lips as she leaned her side towards Inutaisho.
"Ah. I see," she said. She kept looking at the girl with a very splendid shine in her eyes as she listened to her speak in her convivial and lively voice.
"She would really make quite a lovely singer," she commented, "don't you think?"
"Don't start that up again. I'm not going to hire her, Kumiko," he said, "this is the first time she has worked as a maid. Not only that, but this is her first job ever! You know as well as I that we can't hire someone inexperienced to such an employment. We have to hire the most experienced and the best in Kyoto."
"Dear, she came all the way from Tokyo, Japan. Do you know how much it costs to get here? And she's doing it for very legitimate and caring reasons."
"I have heard more pitying stories than hers. Trying to earn money to buy back a shrine is not a good reason, Kumiko."
The woman sighed. She knew what happened when he became stubborn like this. Nothing would ever change his mind; his philosophies were always true. Unless something contradicted them...
"You know what? Ever since I was a little girl, it never crossed my mind that something like that would happen to me. I never thought I would have to leave it someday. I always thought I would live there, and I even dreamt of raising some children there of my own..."
The couple in the room focused again on the girl.
"Go on..." she said. Kagome paused for a second to gather herself. She then continued.
"My mother was born and raised in the shrine as well, just like her mother and her mother's mother and so on; and since my mother had me, it's now up to me to continue the line of generations. I don't want this to end with me. I want my children to live in that shrine, and I want them to be raised just as I was..."
"So you're applying for this job just for the continuation of your bloodline?" Kaede asked unbelievingly with a raised eyebrow. Kagome shook her head.
"No... I also... I also want to save up enough money to pay for college tuition..." she said shyly. Kaede was very shocked when she heard this.
"You're in school?" she asked. Kagome blinked at her and nodded.
"Yes, ma'am..."
As Kumiko looked at her husband, he kept on studying young Kagome and sighed. He looked at his mate.
"What?" he scolded.
"Now what do you think? Is saving up money for college and continuing the bloodline well enough reasons, or are you still refusing?" Inutaisho smirked a frown and rolled his eyes.
"Feh," he mumbled. Kumiko smiled.
"Is that a yes?" she said eagerly. Inutaisho looked at her.
~*~*~*~*~
"Well, Ms. Higurashi. You just wait here and I'll be back with your stats." Kagome looked at the woman confusedly.
"My stats?" she reiterated.
"I'm basically going to go see if it's thumbs up or thumbs down. Wait here, please." And with a grin, she closed the door. Kagome felt relived to hear that door shut; she finally had time to herself. Kaede's reaction to the college thing started to sink it anxiously in her mind.
Was that bad?
Was that good?
The poor girl started grabbing her pen again and gripping it tightly, trying to squeeze away the stress out of her system.
But Kagome almost jumped out of her skin when she heard the door open and close. Kaede's face was expressionless. But Kagome knew that the result was definitely a thumbs down for sure...
Kaede gave her a box and motioned Kagome to open it. Kagome looked at her, but opened it anyways.
Inside, there was a black and white short-sleeved buttoned chemise, a black skirt , a white apron , a pair of white tennis shoes, and a pair of white stockings. Kagome's eyes widened towards Kaede. Kagome's eyes trembled with joy. Kaede smiled at the official maid.
Was she really a maid now?
Was she really?!
"Congratulations, hun. Your schedule and everything is in the box. You are to be in this room next week at 6:00 am sharp. If you have any questions, my number is in the sheet as well." Kaede grinned. "Got it?"
Kagome gulped excitedly as she beamed with amazement towards the woman. She wanted to squeal with joy so bad, but she sustained herself and shook her head yes.
"Good. See you next week then," she said as she opened to door to Kagome and called out the next number.
~*~*~*~*~
"Kagome! I got a splendid idea! Hurry!" Her mother was too excited to even walk like normal people would; she was literally power jogging with grocery bags around her arms.
"Could you maybe slow down a little, mama? You do know that I'm carrying grocery bags, right?"
"No time for that, dear! Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Her mother smiled as she climbed up the steps up to the shrine. Kagome pouted and sighed mentally.
"Why is it that mama always had these perky mood swings all of a sudden?" Kagome asked herself. When she got home, her mom explained her everything during dinner and Kagome could not even believe that her mother, out of all people in this sad, sad world, would suggest such a thing!
"You want me... to work as a house maid... in Kyoto?" Kagome asked her mother softly. Her mother nodded as she held the piece of paper in her hands.
"Do you know how good this is?" she asked her daughter, "you get to work for one of the richest families in the country!"
"But in Kyoto, mama? So far away? It's already enough to not live in the shrine. And now we can't live in Tokyo either?!"
"No," she assured, "you go to Kyoto. Souta, grandpa, and I will stay here."
"What?! You're not coming?!" Kagome asked infuriated as she rose from her chair.
"It's only for the summer, Kagome," her mother said, "or a sixth of a year, if my math's correct."
"But still..." Kagome sighed, "Why can't you come with me?"
"Money, Kagome. Money! We don't have it. We can only afford enough for you..."
"But I have to work as a house maid? I can't even clean my own room."
"That's why we have the entire weekend to work on it," her mother stated as she reached for her daughter's hands. "I know you can do this. You've been through a lot this year and you've been able to step through magnificently..."
Oh, man... Did she have to remind Kagome about that again?
That no-good ex of hers...
"Mama, let's not talk about that. Please?" Kagome asked as she sighed again and looked down towards her empty plate. Her mother looked away, ashamed of herself for knowing better than to bring that up again. What was she thinking?
"Sorry... I'm just trying to do what I think is best, dear. You know that, right?" her mother asked. Kagome looked at her mother finally and felt like she wasn't strong enough yet.
Her mother was wrong.
She hasn't 'stepped through magnificently'
Because the truth was that she hasn't; she still droops over him. The worst part of all this was that she didn't even know why. She possibly couldn't love him. He cheated on her with someone else, and that 'some one else' is now pregnant with his child!
How could she love him?
Her mother noticed her daughter's sudden change in expression. She saw Kagome bite her lip and clench her hands hesitantly around her own.
"Why did he do this to me, mama?"
Her mother's heart broke as she saw her daughter's tears tumble down freely.
"...what did I do wrong...?"
Her mother guided her weeping daughter out of the kitchen and into the living room, as she endeavored to console her daughter the best way possible. But by the way things seemed, this condolence wasn't really doing any good.
"It's not your fault, hun..." her mother said.
Kagome felt her heart slowly go at ease as she heard her mother whisper to her. "You did nothing wrong..." Kagome hugged her mother around her neck and dug her face into her shoulder, as she sobbed lightly in that warm embrace she always loved.
"It's gonna be all right..."
~*~*~*~*~
Kagome eventually got herself together that weekend, and spent the entire Saturday working on her stepping, her speech, and trying to bring back that so-called curtsy she had back in the old days of childhood. Souta kept making fun of her as she was acting like her own family was the one she was going to be hired as. Her grandfather couldn't recognize her since she seemed to be so sweet and delicate that day. School exams were finally out of the way, and she jumped with joy as she received her report card in the mailbox with all subjects A's and A+'s.
[Yes, Kagome-chan. We know you're worthy of Harvard. Don't rub it in.]
Then came the big day: June 10th.
Her mother waved good-bye to Kagome as the train to Kyoto shot off into the afternoon sky. Kagome's worries stacked up on her like a stack of plates, and she couldn't help but hesitate of this whole situation. She tried to looked at the sights out of her window until she managed to fall asleep. What relief she felt...
~*~*~*~*~
She arrived at the desired building. She took her name tag and number, and sat down in a chair aligned with girls talking amongst themselves. There were so many of them, and all for the same purpose.
Kagome took out her purse and stuck her lucky pen in her mouth. She never knew why pens made her calm down so much, but all that mattered is that it worked... Just biting that damn thing with her jaw made her anger and anxieties fly away like ugly-looking ravens.
It was finally 5:30 when girls were finally asked to come in one by one into the other room. Slowly and anxiously they all went, some in the verge of hysteria, and some filled with a confidence larger than the Niagara Falls.
But many came out bawling like newborns and some with faces infuriated with anger. Kagome felt very sad for the tear-filled maidens. Maybe they needed this job for bigger reasons other than re-buying a home shrine. Maybe they were even worse in life that herself. Who knew?
She looked at her watch with an affectionate face as she read 6:15 pm ticking rhythmically.
"Number 57, please?" A young woman called out. Kagome looked at her number and stood up. The woman grinned sweetly as Kagome entered the room. As she walked by the other girls going after her, she could notice a few of their faces sending her messages. Some looked at her with a face of envy, because she went before them. Some didn't even care...
But the door closed, nonetheless.
"This is it..." Kagome thought as she sighed one last time, "it's time to shine..."
~*~*~*~*~
The interview started, and Kagome really was impressed with herself as she answered every question with a very placid calmness. She talked to the young woman with no hesitation. Kagome felt no pressure or fear. She felt at ease with all this.
Across from her eyes was a large mirror, at least 10 feet wide and a yard long in divided area. But there was something that young Kagome didn't know:
Inutaisho Takahashi and Kumiko Takahashi were behind it in a secret room. These were the people who chose which girl was going to be hired for the job and which one was packing up and going home. They were the wealthy couple who the girl was going to work for.
The handsome taiyoukai was standing up straight with his hand cupped under his chin, his eyes surveying the young girl.
"What do you think of this one?" he asked his mate, "do you think she's worthy?" Kumiko didn't reply.
"What was her name again?" she asked. He put both his hands on his pockets and sighed.
"I think it was Higurashi Kagome?" he asked as he made sure his intellects were true. Kumiko looked at his motions for a moment and then looked back at Kagome. A grin began to bend across her lips as she leaned her side towards Inutaisho.
"Ah. I see," she said. She kept looking at the girl with a very splendid shine in her eyes as she listened to her speak in her convivial and lively voice.
"She would really make quite a lovely singer," she commented, "don't you think?"
"Don't start that up again. I'm not going to hire her, Kumiko," he said, "this is the first time she has worked as a maid. Not only that, but this is her first job ever! You know as well as I that we can't hire someone inexperienced to such an employment. We have to hire the most experienced and the best in Kyoto."
"Dear, she came all the way from Tokyo, Japan. Do you know how much it costs to get here? And she's doing it for very legitimate and caring reasons."
"I have heard more pitying stories than hers. Trying to earn money to buy back a shrine is not a good reason, Kumiko."
The woman sighed. She knew what happened when he became stubborn like this. Nothing would ever change his mind; his philosophies were always true. Unless something contradicted them...
"You know what? Ever since I was a little girl, it never crossed my mind that something like that would happen to me. I never thought I would have to leave it someday. I always thought I would live there, and I even dreamt of raising some children there of my own..."
The couple in the room focused again on the girl.
"Go on..." she said. Kagome paused for a second to gather herself. She then continued.
"My mother was born and raised in the shrine as well, just like her mother and her mother's mother and so on; and since my mother had me, it's now up to me to continue the line of generations. I don't want this to end with me. I want my children to live in that shrine, and I want them to be raised just as I was..."
"So you're applying for this job just for the continuation of your bloodline?" Kaede asked unbelievingly with a raised eyebrow. Kagome shook her head.
"No... I also... I also want to save up enough money to pay for college tuition..." she said shyly. Kaede was very shocked when she heard this.
"You're in school?" she asked. Kagome blinked at her and nodded.
"Yes, ma'am..."
As Kumiko looked at her husband, he kept on studying young Kagome and sighed. He looked at his mate.
"What?" he scolded.
"Now what do you think? Is saving up money for college and continuing the bloodline well enough reasons, or are you still refusing?" Inutaisho smirked a frown and rolled his eyes.
"Feh," he mumbled. Kumiko smiled.
"Is that a yes?" she said eagerly. Inutaisho looked at her.
~*~*~*~*~
"Well, Ms. Higurashi. You just wait here and I'll be back with your stats." Kagome looked at the woman confusedly.
"My stats?" she reiterated.
"I'm basically going to go see if it's thumbs up or thumbs down. Wait here, please." And with a grin, she closed the door. Kagome felt relived to hear that door shut; she finally had time to herself. Kaede's reaction to the college thing started to sink it anxiously in her mind.
Was that bad?
Was that good?
The poor girl started grabbing her pen again and gripping it tightly, trying to squeeze away the stress out of her system.
But Kagome almost jumped out of her skin when she heard the door open and close. Kaede's face was expressionless. But Kagome knew that the result was definitely a thumbs down for sure...
Kaede gave her a box and motioned Kagome to open it. Kagome looked at her, but opened it anyways.
Inside, there was a black and white short-sleeved buttoned chemise, a black skirt , a white apron , a pair of white tennis shoes, and a pair of white stockings. Kagome's eyes widened towards Kaede. Kagome's eyes trembled with joy. Kaede smiled at the official maid.
Was she really a maid now?
Was she really?!
"Congratulations, hun. Your schedule and everything is in the box. You are to be in this room next week at 6:00 am sharp. If you have any questions, my number is in the sheet as well." Kaede grinned. "Got it?"
Kagome gulped excitedly as she beamed with amazement towards the woman. She wanted to squeal with joy so bad, but she sustained herself and shook her head yes.
"Good. See you next week then," she said as she opened to door to Kagome and called out the next number.
~*~*~*~*~