Analyze Me

By: Shinsei Kokoro

Chapter 3

The room seemed almost tense, and for Sesshoumaru, spending lunch with his father was the last thing he would ever ask for. But Taisho had perked his attention with this strange news.

"In marketing?" Sesshoumaru raised one of his elegant brows as Kagura straightened up next to him. It seemed more of a habit to have her next to him wherever he went.

"Have Morishita settled in by the end of tomorrow." Taisho leaned back in his recliner, then picked up a glass of scotch, "I'm sure he'll be glad to have his cabin away from Kanowashi's."

"Are you sure this is a good idea…father?"

"You question my decision?"

Sesshoumaru remained poised under his father's unwavering gaze. Unlike his younger brother, he could keep his calm…even when provoking him, "No…just being vigilant."

Taisho broke into a small smile at seeing his son dither his gaze, "There's no reason to be." Yes…he enjoyed having this power by just raising his brows at people.

"If this is just because of Sano—,"

"I assure you it's anything but that." Taisho snapped abruptly, then paused to look over his desk, "Kagome's a good girl. Her qualifications may not exceed as far, but don't forget…this merger was feasible only because of her."

"So in other words we owe her." Kagura remarked from her spot beside Sesshoumaru.

Taisho chuckled, "Very much so." Then he looked up at the row of photo frames on the mantle, "After all…generosity runs in the family. I've never paid back Sanosuke, so the least I can do is help out his daughter."

Sesshoumaru only frowned in his seat, then turned his attention to a photo that held two men, laughing together with their fishing rods. Next to his father, was the man Taisho always seemed to owe everything to. The late Mr. Sanosuke Higurashi.

They stayed for over two hours. Over two hours of bickering. Over two hours of bitching about the waitress. And over two hours in his stupid company. By the time Kagome was getting out of Inuyasha's car after her little lunch date, the sun was gleaming heatedly. She had to shield her eyes when she turned back to the car.

He was sitting there, with sleeves rolled up and that idiotic look on his face. The look that said he owned the world and everything living on it.

"Thanks for lunch." She attempted to smile at him. His arrogance undoubtedly disturbed her. But he had managed to bring out a bit of Yamagi's strict civil manners when he offered to pay for her order.

Then he had to go and open his big fat mouth, "Thanks for making me an hour late."

Gritting her teeth, she slammed the door in between them, "Your welcome." She seethed. She was about to whirl around and cross the road. She was aching to get out of his sight. Every moment felt as if he were inspecting her. She wasn't starting work until next week, and her boss was already scrutinizing her conduct.

But Inuyasha honked when she took that one step, "Father wants you over for dinner on Saturday. At around six."

"What?" she hurriedly turned around, "Why?"

"To interrogate you about your cousin?" he gave an indifferent shrug.

"Lovely." Kagome gave the forced smile she had been wearing for a while, "I'll see you soon then."

"I wouldn't hold onto my breath if I were you." he sneered before stepping onto the gas and turning into a distant black whirl as his Mercedes roared down the street.

"Asshole." She muttered under her breath, while stomping back up to her apartment. There was definitely something about him that made her skin heat up.

"Dinner?" Sango's voice echoed over the table.

"Yes dinner."

"He's awfully concerned about how Kikyo is isn't he?" The brown head grinned as she sipped onto her cappuccino.

Kagome smile good-naturedly, "It's nothing surprising. Tycoons like him always have a complete back-up check on whom they're marrying their kids to."

"I don't think you've ever made Kikyo sound like much of a drunk-driver."

"No Sango." Kagome rolled her eyes as she pulled Sango's cat Kirara onto her lap, "She's actually a sticker for the rules…believe it or not. I don't she's ever had a single parking ticket."

"Which I'm sure you must have had tons of." Sango coughed through her sip.

"That's because she sucks at driving, and always had her boyfriends driving her around." Kagome retorted back all the while scratching the gracile cat behind her ears.

Sango giggled, "I think I read this a while ago. Is it true she once had some sort of a fling with a reporter?"

Snorting, Kagome nodded, "I don't remember his name, but I swear to God, he was such a creep." She paused to shudder, "He was always around her. Mostly all over her. It was disgusting to even have dinner with them. But I think my uncle managed to break up whatever they had. He was so freaking mad when Kikyo came home one night all drunk and giggling. And I guess that was it with them. Kikyo's sudden spurt of maturity after that freaked everyone out. But her parents are happy."

"And I guess that's what matters the most with rich people," Sango leaned back into her couch, "Keeping that one big happy family image."

"Yeah." Kagome smile vaguely, "At least most of the rich people that is."

Sango watched the woman opposite her busy herself in making faces at her cat.

It was strange sometimes. So strange that Sango would pinch herself once in a while. Even if Kagome wouldn't think so herself, one look at her and one would never guess that this woman was Kagome Higurashi. The woman who was one day the heiress to a million dollar company. The woman who one day could have been the wife of one of Japan's richest men. The woman who could have been on the top of the socialite today.

Sometimes Sango wondered if it was something more than wanting independence that made Kagome give everything up…

The week went by with her mother and Kasumi calling her almost every evening. On Saturday evening, Kagome made herself comfortable in the car Tsubaki had sent along with a driver.

She was nervous. Undeniably nervous. But she let the pitter-patter of the rain try and calm her nerves.

On the course of the week, Tsubaki had planned every little thing she was allowed to say, and every little conversation she was supposed to avoid. Most of them involved what happened five years back and anything about her father.

Kagome was highly sure Taisho Yamagi wouldn't be wasting his time wanting to know bout her little pathetic life, when it was actually his future-daughter-in-law's secrets he wanted to know about. Therefore, it was certainly much of a surprise when she found the host himself waiting at the door with his doorman.

He was an amiable man. Because the first thing he did through his laughter was pat her head and usher her in from the rain.

He showed her around a little as she managed to remark of how beautiful his house was. And when they finally made it to the lounge, the first thing that caught her eyes was the large rosewood piano that sat gleaming like a majestic beast.

Taisho merely caught her gaze and offered her a seat and some wine.

"No thank you," she smiled apologetically, refusing the glass a maid had poured over for her.

"Oh come on, a fine guest in my house deserves the best. One glass should do."

Caught in an inner turmoil and her mother's constant reprimand in her head on refusing any alcoholic drink, Kagome looked helpless as she took her glass, "One glass." She murmured to herself.

Taisho watched her take a slow sip, then chuckled to himself.

She was definitely one of a kind. Just like her father.

True to his word, Taisho never offered her another glass. But not for one moment did he stop talking.

Kagome watched him with intriguing interest as he talked about Yamagi Corp. and its regulation. He went over the policies, the names of several people she would be working with, including her immediate boss, the Marketing Manager, Kouga Morishita.

Yamagi Corp's newest installment was the coming age of computer micro chips and its security lock systems. Taisho talked on animatedly on its advertising and marketing requirements. He spoke about their specific modifications, but Kagome thoroughly lost him as he continued into things about data base and computer science.

She wasn't much into computers and she barely understood much of it other than using the standard Microsoft installments.

Feeling her slight despair, Taisho swiftly changed the subject to her salary and benefits.

"Morishita will be expecting you in his office on Monday. He's…he's a decent man. A bit of a rogue but he does good work. You should have no problem getting along with him. Make sure, you give in your bank account documents to him by the end of the day and he'll give it in to me or Sesshoumaru."

"Yes sir." Kagome nodded, then bowed lightly, "Thank you…for everything."

"No, there's no need to thank me. It's what you duly deserve." Taisho smiled.

"Sir, I assure you. This is more than what I deserve. My qualifications don't even come near—,"

"Your qualifications meet my requirements. And as long I own this company, everything will go as I say. Is that understood Miss Higurashi?"

She could feel the tears in her eyes. And Kagome swore to herself…she would always be indebted to this wonderful old man.

"Yes sir. I appreciate your offer. And I hope everything goes well with the merger." She smiled back at him. Kagome knew she was here for reasons other than to discuss her position in his company, but she had never filled so drowned in gratitude. She most definitely didn't deserve it, but he had offered her an Assistant Marketing Manager position, and she felt at the top of the world knowing that from Monday on she would be a proud employee of Yamagi Corp.

Taisho watched her closely. Her happiness radiated around her and he knew he had made the right decision no matter what his sons might think. Her eyes were the exact colour of her father's. Like stormy clouds on a warm day.

And it brought him happiness to be sitting with the daughter of a good friend.

So he asked what he had wanted to ask. "Tell me something Miss Higurashi." He paused knowing he had her attention, "Are you angry?"

Her face instantly changed as his question dropped like a bomb-shell.

"Why…why would I be angry?" she looked half frozen between a smile and a frown.

Taisho smiled ghostly, "To see your company vanish away from your hand? Especially when you were its rightful owner. I would be angry if I were you. I wouldn't dare let my inheritance just be taken away from me."

Silence broke down over her, and Kagome felt slack in the couch.

This was it. This was why she had been invited over for dinner. Not to be interrogated about Kikyo as Inuyasha had put it, but to be interrogated about herself. And it was twisting her insides. Because this was one topic she didn't want to delve over.

"Hardly." Kagome felt her voice waver as she bore holes into her lap, "My choices were slim." She had managed an answer. And every word out of her mouth felt like a drum beat against her heart.

"A dead man's will is strong dear." She heard him say and her insides collapsed, "You do realize you could have fought for it."

And at that moment, she recognized he knew about her. Everything about what happened five years ago. Everything about her misery. Maybe that was why she was able to let out a wry laugh.

"Sir…" she paused to look up at him, "I don't want you under the assumption that I never thought about it. Because I did." She allowed her jaw to grit, "I thought about it long and hard…and I realized…I realized the company would be no good in my hands. I wouldn't know how to take care of it, and I wouldn't be offered any help if…if I had gone and claimed what was mine."

"Without ever having tried? Sure you could not have though that."

Kagome broke into a short laugh, "You know sir, I came here today thinking you would ask me things about Kikyo. But…" she smiled, "But I guess it's my story you wanted to know."

She was right. And she knew it.

Taisho chuckled, nodding, "Guilty as charged."

"But since you've asked me, I guess you're required to know…" Inhaling, she looked up at the ceiling, attempting to ignore the sting in her eyes, "I think I rather have it this way…than be shunned by my own family. And I don't regret my decision."

The older Yamagi wrinkled his eyes, "That's very wise…but surely you regret not marrying Kyou Takeda?" his eyes glittered playfully and Kagome smiled to herself.

"Don't tell my mother…" she leaned in with a sad quirk of her lips, "…but I do. That's one thing I regret every single day. Probably the worst mistake I've ever made in my life."

"And I think those are the most honest words I've heard in a long time." Taisho offered her a soft smile, then setting his whisky glass down, he stood up, "Do you know how to play the piano Miss Higurashi?"

"Uh…" Rubbing at her eye a little, Kagome attempted to orientate herself, "Yes…well, I used to play it…a long time ago." He was changing the subject. And she felt even more grateful.

Extending a hand down to her, Taisho beckoned her up, "Then come. Let's see who's the better one."

Kagome vaguely remembered playing the piano while sitting on her father's lap. She remembered the way he would tense behind her when she missed a key. The way his laughter would make her world when she would play a piece to completion. The way he would let her place her hands on his to get the co-ordination. And he would rest his chin on her head, while she swayed merrily like as if there were no other care in the world. They would sometimes play through the afternoon, until her mother came to drive her back to school work.

Excepting the hand in front of her, she got to her feet and smiled brilliantly, "You're on."

Sitting beside Taisho Yamagi and playing Mozart, Kagome felt like she was next to her father once again.

If she closed her eyes, let her fingers move and concentrated hard enough, she could almost hear his haunting laugh. His warmth. His sweet and gentle voice humming to the tune.

If she concentrated hard enough, she could almost remember how beautiful life used to be before he left her. How she could just get away with everything by being a daddy's girl.

When Kagome felt a tear slip by, she quickly wiped it away, knowing full well that memories were only ghosts. They would stay. They would always stay. And that was the best thing about it. Her memories of her father would always stay with her.

Ending the piece together, Taisho leaned back and looked at her admirably, "I think my wife would have loved you if she were here with me today." He looked mournful, but the twinkle in his eyes could not stop Kagome from smiling.

"It would have been a pleasure to meet her." She caught his eyes, then looked back at the keys before starting of a Chopin.

The hallway was filled with an unwinding melody the moment Inuyasha stepped in.

The rain outside had turned into a little storm, and Sesshoumaru had been nothing but a freaking prick under his feet the entire time at work. So when he had opened the front door, expecting nothing but silence and warmth, he was strangely disturbed to hear something he hadn't heard in years.

Someone was playing the piano…

Layering Hiroshi, his doorman with his coat, jacket and tie, Inuyasha hurriedly followed the music all the while struggling to open his collar button. He hadn't heard his father playing the piano in months…hardly ever since his mother had died eleven years ago.

Up the stairs, he passed smiling maids and scowled as they quickly rushed away at the sight of him. They were always gossiping…it was a wonder how they managed to get any work done at all.

But when Inuyasha strolled into the lounge, he was granted with a sight so inexplicable, he had no words for it.

There, sitting by the piano were his father and Kagome Higurashi. Both laughing and bounding their fingers onto the keys enthusiastically. He had never in a million dreams expected to see someone like her playing the piano with her father.

Never in a million dreams had he ever found the sight of a woman so beautiful. This little woman…who had actually managed to make his father laugh while playing the piano. She seemed to be radiating with such brightness.

They didn't seem to take any notice of him. Not until Taisho looked up, "I swear Inuyasha. This girl plays the piano better than you and Sesshoumaru put together."

Her fingers suddenly froze and he watched her face drop at the sight of him. The brightness flickered for a moment, until it died out.

Collecting himself, he settled himself into an armchair, "Sesshoumaru probably, but surely not me." He made sure to watch her closely, and she looked away.

Taisho laughed, and Inuyasha smirked as Kagome got up from the chair to meet him full length.

It seemed strange. Almost every time they would meet, there would always be something different about her. A week back, he had seen her in tight black jeans and a rusty shirt, but here she was, looking the epitome of everything elegant in her blue dress.

"Hello to you too Mr. Yamagi." Kagome smiled at him through a gritted jaw, "Glad you could make it in time for dinner."

"Miss Higurashi." Inuyasha acknowledged her as she passed by him, "Glad to see you're not in your overalls."

Sitting herself down, she aimed a tactful glare at the man, while Taisho merely slapped Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Be nice boy. You don't see a fine pianist like her every day." Gathering his whiskey glass, Taisho sat opposite his son, "And I'll presume Miss Higurashi, that Inuyasha took you out for lunch last week and poured you questions over his fiancée?"

The silence after his question was so awkward, Kagome locked eyes with the man himself for a second and she grinned, "Oh yes." She let a delicate cough escape, "Several of them in fact. Just questions after questions."

Inuyasha only smiled back grimly at her response.

No matter how he much had scowled at his father, Inuyasha once again found himself dropping this woman to her apartment. Dinner went by smooth without Taisho saying anything embarrassing. But he was tired. So damn sleepy. And yet, he was behind the wheel, once again having to take the presence of Kagome Higurashi next to him.

Still frowning, he couldn't understand why Taisho had severely insisted that it was him who dropped her back home and not their chauffeur. Sometimes, Inuyasha could never understand his father at all. If it wasn't something evil he was plotting, he would just straight out be an annoyance.

And in the end…refusing anything asked by his Dad was just plain suicide. That stupid old coot…

"Uh…you missed a turn." Kagome's soft voice flitted into his mind, and he turned to her absentmindedly.

"Huh?"

"I said," she rolled her eyes; "You missed a turn back there."

Slightly swearing under his breath, he took a quick left at a corner, then another.

Kagome unbuckled herself when they stopped across the road of her apartment building, "Thank you for the ride…and for dinner."

Inuyasha merely glanced at her, her small smile working his fingers into tensing. "I'll see you Monday."

"Um…yea. Good night." With a sigh, her smile fell, and she allowed herself out of the car. His fingers clenched when she slammed the door shut.

Abruptly, Inuyasha quickly leaned his head in, "And remember," She turned around and bent down when he spoke, "We have a dress-code. So don't even think about wearing your torn jeans."

The smile immediately flew over her face and he felt himself relax once again in the back of his mind, "I think I should be able to manage that." Then with a wave of her hand, she turned around.

He didn't leave until she disappeared in through the door.

The second she closed the door behind her, Kagome heard the Mercedes riding into the quiet street. Leaning back into a wall, she sighed heavily.

He confused her. For a moment, when he would reply to her with a sneer, she would suddenly catch him watching her quietly. Not like he was checking her out, but somewhat like…like he enjoyed her company.

Like he enjoyed sitting on their grand dining table eating peas, corns and chicken with gravy. Like he enjoyed sitting on the far side of his father, listening to their conversations. Listening to her stories from her past work places. Listening to how the Higurashi's used to take family vacation a long time ago, and how Kikyo and her would do nothing but complain.

Taking the elevator up while swinging her keys, Kagome decided it was time she stopped bickering with her new boss. Today had been enough. But from Monday on, she would take whatever he had to say without snapping back.

If only for good relations and for the good salary itself.

Being around her was certainly odd. Like his senses would do nothing but listen to everything she had to say. Usually, when Taisho would call anyone at home and he was unfortunate to have dinner with them, Inuyasha would pleasantly tune them out and concentrate on how he would rather be having ramen than boiled veggies and steak.

So after hurling his keys to Hiroshi, he already had his mind made up to grab some ramen and then hit the sack.

But he hadn't exactly had the best of luck today, so it was obviously nothing but pure omen to see his father on the counter, swirling ice into his whiskey glass.

"So?"

Groaning, Inuyasha pulled open the fridge to grab a beer.

"So what?" he scowled, opening the kitchen cabinets one after another. If he knew his cook right, she must have hidden his stash somewhere once again.

"What do you think about her?"

"W-what?" Inuyasha paused to glance at his father, "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

Sighing loudly, Taisho put down his glass, "About Kagome you idiot." After gaining an indifferent look from his son, he added in, "I think she'll do well."

Finally with a triumphant sneer, Inuyasha pulled out a ramen packet, "She doesn't even qualify for the position." He said while ripping open the plastic covering.

"She'll get used to it. All she'll have to do is sign a few papers, type them, make some calls, help the juniors, take Morishita's advice—,"

"And do whatever else he asks her to do." Inuyasha finished dryly.

"More or less, yes." Taisho smiled at the back of the man busy in cooking his ramen. He continued when he didn't get a response from his son, "But I think she's capable of greater things."

"Why is that?" he finally heard Inuyasha's faint murmur.

"If not for her wretched mother, one half of Higurashi Corp would have been run by this girl. And if I knew Sanosuke well, his daughter would have handled the company exactly like he had."

Turning around slightly, Inuyasha regarded his father with a brief glance, "So it's true? Mrs. Higurashi cut her off the will only because she refused to marry?"

Taisho snorted, "It blemished the Higurashi name…and we all know Tsubaki. She would kill to get what she wants…and keep what she has."

Stirring the pot busily, Inuyasha couldn't imagine how someone so radiant and care-free like Kagome could come from a mother who was obsessed with power. Pouring his ramen into a bowl and grabbing his favourite chopsticks, he settled himself onto the counter with his beer. "Who was she supposed to marry?"

Looking up from his glass, Taisho smirked jovially, "Getting interested are we?"

Scowling, Inuyasha busied himself by slurping his noodles, "Just asking."

"Kyou Takeda." Taisho took one last gulp of his whiskey.

Inuyasha's chopsticks had frozen halfway to his mouth, "The Heath Minister's son, Kyou Takeda?"

"That's the one. Graduated law school with top honors too. Rolling around in his father's money, I presume."

"Why would she say no to marry that guy? He's loaded until his neck."

Taisho shrugged unknowingly, "Offcourse…Tsubaki personally handpicked him after all."

"But…" Inuyasha stared hard at his ramen, "…that doesn't sound right. Rich girl giving up on property, money and fame just because she has to marry. There must be something else to it. Someone like her must have been aching to get her hands on a rich hubby."

Taisho chuckled at his son's inquisitiveness, "As far as I've heard, several reporters have failed to get a word out of the family. So if you're lucky enough, she may give you a gist of it if you ask her yourself."

'Ask her?' Inuyasha scoffed to himself while chugging his beer, 'Yeah right.'

Taisho pushed back his chair as he made to stand up, "But putting aside her foolhardy decision, I admire that girl's courage. Someone like you would probably fall dead without being waited on hand and foot."

"Gee, thanks Dad." Rolling his eyes at his father, Inuyasha watched his father disappear out of the kitchen with a faint murmur of goodnight. Finishing off his ramen in less than another minute, he remained on the counter with his beer, brooding about this strange woman-girl who he couldn't get out of his head.

Inuyasha laughed inwardly. Maybe this was good for her. He couldn't imagine a crazy girl like Kagome, with her multiple attitude-disorder joining in holy matrimony with anyone from the Takeda family. Kyou was a bastard who ran to his father for every little thing and she was a little underhanded in the finery of being presented as a trophy wife.

Maybe Kagome Higurashi was better off where she was right then.

"You start on Monday?" Miroku glanced at her over their usual café table. He looked somewhat uneasy, but then again, he hadn't been the best conversationalist after their talk last week.

"Yup. Seven o'clock sharp."

"Bet you she'll be up and ready by five." Sango snickered behind her tissue.

They were in their usual café, on a usual Sunday afternoon where they always met. Miroku was supposed to have taken a trip back to Osaka, but Sango had happily thrown it in his face that she would divorce him if he didn't act like a proper husband and stay with her for at least a month.

Rolling her eyes Kagome sipped in her coffee, "At least I don't wake up when the rest of us are getting to bed."

"Anyway," Miroku interrupted the playful glare the two women shared, "What are they giving you as your starting salary?"

Kagome meekly shrugged, "We're supposed to discuss it tomorrow."

"Wait a second." Miroku was already sitting up straight, the frown on his face a full scowl now, "You accepted a job before they gave you information about your salary? How daft can you—,"

"Hey, it's not just any job. It's Yamagi Corp." Sango slid an arm around her husband, "And she's on a personal basis with them. So I'm sure the pay will be fantastic."

"But you don't know that." Miroku argued heatedly, "They could just go ahead and dupe her—,"

"They won't dupe me Miroku. It'll be fine." Kagome assured him with a timid smile, "Taisho Yamagi is not as bad as his sons. So I'm sure to be safe until he retires."

"You can't always trust these rich bastards Kagome." Uneasily he slipped out of his wife's grasp, "One of them has already destroyed your life as it is. Why can you—,"

"Can we please not talk about this?" Kagome was instantly on her feet. It was true. But that didn't mean she had to sit here and listen to every miserable moment in her life being played out from Miroku's mouth.

"Kagome. I—,"

She silenced Sango by picking up her purse and setting some loose change down. "Forget it. Right now, I'm happy." She paused to look at Miroku and stepped aside to sidle out of the booth. "I'm happy for myself okay? Because this is what I want. I want to stop feeling miserable all the time. I want to be able to make amends with my family. I want to be able to see my brother again. To be who I was before. And…and I'm getting a second chance here. Miroku, whatever the pay will be, I'm sure it'll be much better than the insurance agency." Gathering a deep breath, she looked away from the tight-lipped man and walked out of the café before either of the two could say a word.

Walking to her car, Kagome slammed it shut behind her and dragged on her seatbelt tiredly. She hated getting into fights with Miroku. For a few days, that's all they seemed to be doing. He was a good friend along with Sango. She would forever be indebted to them for all the times they had given her loans. For the time she had stayed with them until the reconstruction in her apartment building had finished. They had gone out of their way to help her. And she was indebted.

But Miroku wouldn't know.

He wouldn't know how it felt like to be a real Higurashi again. To know that you're not just another poor woman on the street being jostled around by the morning crowd of workers. He wouldn't know what it felt like to have her identity back.

The Yamagis had fallen into a strange habit of having breakfast together a long time ago. When Sesshoumaru had moved out into his own little villa with Kagura, he stilled managed to come in for some good coffee…which seemed a little strange…but Inuyasha decided it was just because he was feeling lonely without Kagura.

"I am not lonely Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru scowled crankily over his steaming yellow cup.

As far as Inuyasha could remember, his older brother used to be a heavy caffeine addict during exams in high school. Thus it was a surprise that that yellow cup had lasted this long.

"Sure you're not." Inuyasha shrugged as he stifled back a yawn. He spent all night yesterday tossing and turning. Marriage nightmares.

"Kagura has only gone to her grandparents. That doesn't make her dead. So what makes you think I'm lonely without her?"

Snorting, Inuyasha put on a speculating face, "You're moping…and the great, piss-worthy Sesshoumaru never mopes. I wouldn't be surprised if you took the next flight to Taiwan."

"Inuyasha, that's enough." Taisho rolled his eyes from his chair, "You know never to annoy you brother when he's lonely."

Pushing his chair back and setting down his favourite yellow coffee mug, Sesshoumaru was up on his feet looking at the table expectantly. But he pushed back his hair and left the dining room without another word.

Father and son looked at each other, before Taisho cleared his throat and shook his head, "Sometimes I don't know why he doesn't just marry her."

Pushing back his own plate, Inuyasha leaned back, "Some people like to live a life before they settle down Dad."

"Settle down?" Taisho raised a brow, "What do you think I've I been doing till now? Raising pigs? Growing lilies? Watering the garden?"

Getting up from his own chair and pushing it in, Inuyasha picked up his draped blazer, "Knowing you, you've probably been planning our marriages before we were even born." He wanted to have the last word. He wanted his old man to know that this marriage he was getting into was his idea of his old days.

But offcourse, Taisho Yamagi was never the man to let anyone have the last word. "Sesshoumaru can take care of himself. He knows what he wants, and I can expect grandkids from him in two years max. But you Inuyasha, if I hadn't done this for you, you wouldn't be getting married even when you would be retired. And I doubt there's any woman alive to handle you well. So know that what I'm doing right now is for your own good."

And offcourse, that was the usual story. That was how it had all started.

Just because of a few odd girlfriends here and there. Nobody ever believed that he could ever find one permanently and settled down with a family. Nobody ever believed he could ever find a proper relationship. Maybe he was a little picky when it came to women, but what use was it when all the women around him wanted only his money?

Allowing Hiroshi to drive his car into the driveway, Inuyasha slid behind the wheel with a permanent scowl on his face.

In some time, he would be married to Kikyo Higurashi. And he would have a wife to take care of. There would be pressure from annoying and meddling family members, and he would be trapped within restrained limits and his life would be a chaos. It was irritating. Maddening to be a puppet in all this. But he was going to deal with it, just like the other things he had dealt with growing up. Because this marriage was not for show, but to expand the Yamagi business. And Inuyasha intended to stay and remain by his company as long as he could.

But until then, he was a single man. And for some reason, he couldn't wait to see Kagome Higurashi on her first day at work.

§ђϊη§зϊ-Кσќσѓσ

A/N: Well, didn't have much time to go over it properly for grammer, so please excuse me for that. But hopefully this chapter was good enough after my long exams. Hmm...I should be starting the good part (yes, I realize this chapter might have been a tad bit boring) from the next chapter! So be tuned!

Ta!