Life at the Office by Kayko

The Personal Ad

Higurashi, Kagome, was now twenty-three years of age, plenty old enough to settle down with a nice young doctor or a rich lawyer, or so her mother told her. Kagome, however, did not like the idea of being tied down to a man, when she had plenty of time to think about things like that. She was, after all, a working girl, and hardly had time to go on dates, much less take care of some spoiled boyfriend or husband.

"Higurashi-san," a young, dark-haired man, inquired as he walked by with a stack of manila folders filled with paper work. She blinked and looked up from her computer screen, "Hai, Houshi-sama?" The young man sighed and shook his head slightly, "Higurashi-san, I have been married to your best friend for almost a year now, would you please call me Miroku?" Kagome chuckled softly, taking the folders from his hands and nodding slightly, "Gomen nasai, H. . . Miroku-kun, I have been very busy, Sango-chan says that I am very proper when I am working hard." Miroku nodded and showed her the top most folder, "She would be right . . . any way, these files need to be sent to Taiyoukai-sama as soon as possible." She peeked inside of the folder and scanned the top line, "Hai, these are all of the transactions in and out of the company from the treasurer, right? The employees down in advertising still blowing the entire budget on bogus billboards? I will have them in his office right away." She stood and bowed to her best friend's husband, then hurried down the hall, towards her boss's office.

"Kaze-dono, are you sure that this month's pay will have to be cut? My current employees are still quite angry about last month's cut, and I am beginning to think that they will riot," a well refined voice questioned to the treasurer of Uesutan Banking Industry, the largest banking chain in all of Japan. "I am afraid so," the petite woman replied, hiding her face with her fan, covering the angered expression on her face, "Mirour-san has been working non-stop to find out where all of the advertising budget has gone, but it seems that all of the money has simply disappeared." The silver haired business man sighed, tracing the crescent-shaped scar on his forehead, "Very well then. . . Mirour-san's results should be coming any moment now, I will go over them myself, and inform you of any breakthroughs. You may be excused now, Kaze-dono." The petite woman bowed gracefully, her lovely kimono flowing around her, "Hai. . . Have a nice evening. . ." She shuffled out of the room and back to her office on the floor below.

"Good evening, Kaze-dono," Kagome said, bowing to the woman. "Higurashi-san," Kaze replied, nodding slightly, then continuing on to her office. "That woman is scary," she whispered to herself, continuing on to Taiyoukai-sama's office.

"Hai, Onigumo-kun, I will have it to you as soon as possible. . . just a moment, my secretary is down the hall," Furin-sama murmured, pressing the hold button on his phone, just as the raven haired secretary walked in, "Good evening, Higurashi-san, how may I help you this evening?" The girl stopped and blinked at the brown haired man, "Ah. . . Furin-sama. . . is Uesuto-sama sick again? I have the results on the computer scans from Mirour-san. . ." The man seemed surprised, "Ah. . . I see. . . so this was not a personal call, Kagome-chan?" Kagome growled inwardly, though on the outside she was smiling brightly, as though the words did not phaze her, "No, Furin-sama, this was not a personal visit. . . If you could please make sure that Uesuto-sama gets these papers, I will be on my way."

She bowed slightly, then quickly turned to exit the room, hoping that her boss's assistant would not pull the usual, 'May I take you to dinner?' crap that he usually did. "Kagome-chan," the brown haired man called, making her stop in the middle of the office. She grumbled something under her breath, then turned to him with a sweet smile, "Hai, Furin-sama?" The man stood up and walked around his desk, then to her, "Kagome-chan, how many times must I ask that you call me Kouga?"

Kagome knew how this would go and sighed inwardly, "Furin-sama, it is very unprofessional to be on first name basis with Uesuto-sama's assistant, one would get the wrong idea." Kouga chuckled softly and wrapped his arm around her waist, "May I take you to dinner, Kagome-chan, so that you may explain to me, what wrong ideas one would get?" Kagome removed his arm from her waist, then looked him straight in the eye, "I gave you a chance once before, Furin-sama, and you ruined that chance. Now, if you would please excuse me, I have filing to do, as well as a baby shower to attend. Good evening to you Furin-sama." She bowed one last time, then stalked out of the room, feeling completely satisfied with today's work.

It was nearly three hours later that she was finally able to leave the office, though she was still very happy with how the day had gone. In fact, she was positively glowing when she arrived at her apartment, and hit the 'play' button on her answer machine. 'Oi, Kagome-chan, this is Inuyasha. We missed you at the shower. Hope nothin' happened to ya. Call me later. . . Hope Kouga didn't give you too much shit today. . . Bye,' the answer machine beeped and began to play the next message, 'Kagome-chan, its Sango, Miroku and I were worried when you didn't come by. He said he reminded you at work, but you were probably really busy. Call me when you get this. Later.'

Kagome blinked and shrugged, figuring she could take Sango out and give her the present she'd bought for the baby later, then went into her bathroom for a quick shower.

'Ah, Kagome-chan, I forgot to mention that Miroku and I put a single's ad in the Tokyo Item for you. Hope you don't mind, Bye!'

Kagome sighed happily as she pulled on her PJ's and hit the 'Erase All Messages' button on her answering machine, then went to the kitchen to make herself some tea. "Buyo! Here kitty, kitty," she called, placing a small saucer of cream down for the large, fat cat. Buyo wobbled in and lapped at the cream as Kagome sipped her tea and read the Tokyo Item. 'Hey, there's another Kagome Higurashi in here. Wow she must be desperate for a man to put a single's ad in the paper. . . no telling what kind of freaks will show up at her door step,' she thought, shaking her head and placing the paper on the table. She stood up and cleaned out her cup, then picked up the empty saucer. "C'mon Buyo," she called, snapping her fingers, "Time for bed." The fat cat mewed softly, then followed its master to bed.

"Kagome," she heard a soft voice call, her eyes fluttering open, and the rays of sunlight spilling between the branches of a large oak tree. "Hmm," she blinked a few times, her eyes adjusting to the light as she sat up. She looked around and found herself in a vast forest. "Kagome," the voice called again, this time a bit louder. She looked around again, unable to fine the owner of the voice. She giggled softly, lifting her hand to brush the hair from her face, "Where are you?" She slowly pushed herself to her feet. "I'm right above you, Kagome," the voice murmured soothingly. She looked up, finding silvery hair and amber eyes smiling down on her. "You have been sleeping for a while now," the voice said, lifting a clawed hand to brush the silvery hair behind lovely pointed ears. "I have," she asked, holding her hands behind her back, looking up at the graceful figure in the tree. "Yes, I thought that you would stay asleep forever," the voice murmured sorrowfully, though it had a slight note of playfulness, "I thought that I would never see your soft lips smile at me again. . ." Kagome giggled and reached her hand up to the figure, "Help me up?" The figure reached long graceful fingers to pull her up, then cradled her gently in it's lap. "I have missed you, Kagome-chan," the voice whispered against her ear. She shuddered slightly, a soft squeak escaping her lips, "I am sure that we have never met, though I would like to know you. . ." A long graceful finger reached beneath her chin and tilted her face up. . .

Kagome growled quietly to herself as the door bell to her apartment rang. "Damn neighbors," she mumbled, pulling a robe over her half naked form, and stumbling to the door. She peeked out of the peep hole and blinked when she saw a strange young man standing on her door step. She opened the door a crack, being greeted with a kind voice. "Good morning, Higurashi-san, I am Hiromu Houjo, pleased to make your acquaintance," the sandy-blond haired man said. Kagome blinked, "Umm. . . I don't mean to be rude. . . but. . . what are you doing at my residence at. . ." She lifted her arm to read her watch, "Nine thirty on a Sunday morning?" Hojo blinked back at her, "Well the personal ad in the paper said that the best time would be nine o'clock on Sunday's before you went out for coffee. . ." She raised her eyebrow and looked at him strangely, "I'm sorry. . . I think that you have the wrong Higurashi. . ." The boy stepped up and looked at her hopefully, "This is three-seventy-four Shikon Apparements, isn't it?" Kagome nodded slightly, "Yes, but you see, I never put a personal ad in the paper. . ."

"Well someone must have," he replied, looking somewhat disappointed. "I-," she stopped and glanced at her table, "Listen, I'm very sorry to say that no one here is single. Now if you would please excuse me, I have to go to work in about an hour." Hojo bowed, a pleasant smile on his face, "I am very sorry for the misunderstanding, Higura-. . ." The door had slammed in his face before he was able to finish.

Kagome hurried over to her kitchen table and found Buyo lying on the newspaper she had been reading the night before. "Move," she mumbled, pushing the cat out of the way, and quickly flipped through the pages to the personal ads. She read through them quickly, then let out a frustrated scream.

"Do you think she knows about the ad yet," Miroku asked, reading the Sunday paper, and sipping his coffee quietly. "I called her last night and left a message on her answer machine, but knowing her she probably didn't get it," Sango replied, taking a bite of toast as she looked out the window at her garden, just as Kagome pulled up and nearly flattened the mail man. "Kagome is here," she said calmly, pushing herself out of her seat so that she could answer the door before her friend busted through it. "Good morning, Kagome-chan," she said, smiling pleasantly, "Would you like so-"

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS," Kagome screamed, holding up the Tokyo Times from the day before. Sango read over the page and answered relatively calmly, "The personal section, Kagome-chan. Oh, look Hojo-san has an ad out as well. Miroku, did you know that Hojo was divorced now?" Miroku walked past, a plastic coffee cup in his hand, "Its news to me," he muttered, reading over some files from work, and heading out the front door, after kissing Sango's cheek. Kagome growled quietly, finding it very unnerving when her two best friends acted as though they were completely innocent and uninterested.

"Well how did it get in there," she asked, glaring at Sango. Sango, in turn, shrugged her shoulders and waddled back to the kitchen to fix breakfast for her friend. "Coffee, Kagome-chan," she asked, tilting her head slightly at the younger woman. "Yes, please," Kagome muttered darkly, walking over to the table and plopping down in a chair near the window.

"Morning Higurashi-san," the man at the front desk called as Kagome stomped through the front doors. "Go to hell," she growled, hurrying to the elevator. She pushed the up button quickly and stepped inside. "Higurashi-san," she heard a familiar voice call out and when she looked up, she found her boss's assistant hurrying towards her. "Just what I need," she grumbled, pushing the close button multiple times, hoping against everything that it would close before he got to the elevator. Unfortunately for her, just before the doors closed all the way, two hands pushed them apart as Kouga climbed in.

"Good morning, Kagome-chan, you are looking marvelous as always," he said, leaning against the wall just a little too close to her. "Thank you, Furin-sama," she said, trying her best to sound pleasant. "I read something very interesting in the Tokyo Times this morning, Kagome-chan. I have come to understand that you placed a personal ad in the paper," he said, sounding absolutely delighted, "Would this mean that you are free for dinner this evening?" Kagome shook her head slightly, "I am sorry to tell you, Furin-sama, that it was a terrible mistake. Houshi-sama and Sango-chan put it in the paper as a joke, and meant to have it taken out today, but they were unable to do so. It will be gone by tomorrow morning." Kouga nodded slightly, "I see, but are you free for dinner tonight?"

Kagome thought about this for a moment, and panicked when she found that she was not busy this afternoon. "I-I. . . I am meeting my. . . umm. . . fiancé' this afternoon," she stuttered, smiling nervously. Kouga looked at her skeptically, though the pleasant smile never left his face, "Ahh, I see. If you do not mind me asking. . . who is your fiancé'?" She bit her lip and thought that she would be trapped, when the elevator doors opened, revealing her best friend, Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha," she called, smiling brightly and walking to him, "Darling, are we still up for dinner this evening?" Inuyasha blinked down at her then nodded, seeing Kouga still standing inside the elevator, "Yes, of course babe. Just call me when you get home and I'll come pick you up, ok?" Kagome nodded and giggled softly, kissing his cheek gently, "All right, see ya then." Kouga glowered and pushed a button in the elevator, then disappeared behind the doors.

Kagome sighed in relief and hugged Inuyasha tightly, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you. . ." Inuyasha snickered and patted her head, "He botherin' you again?" She nodded and rolled her eyes, "Same old, same old." Inuyasha shook his head knowingly, "All right, if he stops by, just call me and I'll bring you over to Sango's k?" She nodded and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Inu-chan, you're the bestest," she squeaked in a baby voice. He shook his head again and headed back to the break room.

Kagome left work as quickly as she could that evening, barely managing to escape Kouga's questions about Inuyasha and herself. She wasn't looking forward to going home, however, as she was feeling a bit down after the whole personal ad incident. She really needed to get out and at least try to date, she knew, but she simply did not have the time, nor the energy.

When she arrived at her apartment, she was quite taken aback at seeing a tall, handsome man, standing outside of her door. "Um, may I help you," she asked, eyeing the man's midnight blue, tailored, Armani suit and gold and ivory cufflinks.

"Ah, hai," the man turned to her, amber eyes lighting up as he caught sight of her, "I am looking for Higurashi, Kagome. There was an ad in the paper a few days ago. I do hope that I am not too late to reply to it."

"N-no, you're not," she stuttered, her eyes rolling over the delectable looking man, "The ad was a fraud. A friend of mine put it in the paper as a joke, you see."

The man nodded, looking a tad bit disappointed, "I see. I attempted to call and check up on that, but no one answered. I suppose it was a bit forward of me to come by." He pulled a small bouquet of baby's breath, lavender, and lilac hibiscus from behind his back, "I got these for you. I do hope you don't mind, even if the ad was a joke. It was a pleasure meeting you, Higurashi-san, good day."

Kagome nodded dumbly as the man handed her the flowers and headed down the hall. She sighed softly and thought about Sango-chan and Miroku-kun's concerns, as well as her own, and stomped her foot a bit. She had to start somewhere.

"Wait," she called, hurrying down the hall after him, "Don't go. . ." Even to herself she sounded desperate. When she finally caught up to him, the doors to the elevator of her building had just opened. "Wait," she called again.

The man turned and blinked at her, as though he were surprised that she had called out to him, "Hai?"

` Kagome blushed profusely, "Th-thank you for the flowers, uh. . . um. . . I do not believe that you told me your name?"

"Uesuto, Sesshoumaru," he said, bowing gracefully, "You are very welcome for the flowers."

She chuckled nervously, "Again, thank you, Uesuto-san. . . Umm, you wanted a date. . . with me?"

Uesuto nodded, "Hai, that is why I came. Perhaps you have reconsidered my offer and will accompany me to dinner at Hanabe's?"

Kagome nodded slightly, "Hai. I would not mind going to dinner with you, Uesuto-san. Would you like me to meet you there?"

"That is acceptable," he said with a nod, "Is six-thirty an appropriate time?"

"I have work until seven," she winced.

"Seven-thirty then," he reiterated.

"Hai, that sounds good," she smiled gently, "I will see you then."

He nodded once more, turning around, and stepping into the elevator.

"Sango-chan, I have great news," she squealed into the receiver.

"What is it," Sango asked, sturring the large pot of oden that she was cooking.

"I have a date!"

"What? When? With who?"

"Tomorrow, seven-thirty, with Uesuto, Sesshoumaru-san."

"Wow," Sango chuckled, "That was fast. Was he nice?"

"Hai," Kagome nearly screamed in Sango's ear, "He was very polite and understanding about the ad being a joke, speaking of which, if that isn't out by tomorrow, I'm gonna keep you and Miroku-kun's anniversary gifts until next year."

"I'm sure that we will get over the pain in time," Sango murmured sarcastically.

"Hey, what is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Have fun."

"Hey, Sango-chan, don't tell Inu-chan, k? He'll get all mopey."

"I won't, promise," Sango murmured gently. She knew how protective of Kagome, Inuyasha was.

"Thanks Sango-chan," Kagome squealed.

"Bye Kagome," she chuckled.

"What was that all about," Miroku inquired, lifting his gaze from the stack of papers infront of him.

"Kagome has a date with a guy that saw her ad," Sango replied calmly, "She very excited."

"That's nice. I hope that everything goes well," he said, a gentle smile upon his face.

"Me, too," she murmured, "Me, too. . ."