Insatiable

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi does.

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Chapter 19: Two Idiots and a Home Run
 
 
The summer was closely coming to an end, as the last of the season's sakura blossoms fell from the branches once it perched. A beautiful day – perfect for indulging oneself, or something of the sorts. Kagome pleasurably took another sip of her smoothie. She had called Sango a couple of minutes ago and had arranged to meet her. She was not dumb. She knew Sango was still sore about her not returning her calls. It had been five days since she last saw her bestfriend. She was in for a long scolding. Conveniently, there was an outdoor cafe outside Sango’s workplace. That way, Sango couldn't decline her invitation and it would not be too much of a hassle.

Being alone for the past five days had been good for her because it made her… think. It gave her the chance to see things in the past clearly than ever before.

Before she met Shun, she was a fresh graduate trying to build a 2 year-old company that she had founded with friends during junior year in the university. She was also very single and quite happy being one. Not really new to dating, she had had a few relationships in the past. One was with Shirako, one of her partners in the company. The relationship did not last long, but they remained close friends. When she’d met Shun, there had been no instant jolt of attraction but she thought him handsome and pleasant. It was certainly not hard being with him, eventually. However, it was also not difficult being apart from. This slightly bothered her, yet completely ignored in the beginning. Now, she realized that she shouldn’t have made that mistake.

Then she met Shizuru – his ex-everything. Shun had introduced the two of them. She was mature enough to understand that the woman had been important to Shun’s life in the past, and perhaps, she still was that she had not suspected anything behind the closeness of the two. Then two days later, the two hitched a flight to Kyoto without even leaving a word. She got hurt, but not enough that she was devastated. Not enough for her to be depressed. Instead, she was angry. She had a big pride and they literally tore it apart! Now that she thought about, it was actually funny – and quite telling. Instead of her heart, it was her pride that had gotten the biggest blow.
 
However, life goes on. What's the point of stopping, right?
 
She buried myself with work and started working on a high-rise design for a big corporation. In addition to every Sunday, she had asked Jinenji to spar with her on Saturdays too. She needed the extra workout. Not that she couldn’t put the past behind her. The truth was she was still angry. Then one night, Miroku knocked on her door looking all-frantic. Shun was back, he said, and he needed her help. Eventually, after several months of not seeing him, she found herself facing him again. He was drunk and a complete mess, almost crying in front of her. He looked pitiful, and she was slightly disgusted by it. There he was, drunk to his knees looking like a pathetic fool. He apologized. She did not accept. Still angry, remember? Before that night ended, he had sworn that he’d get her back – that he would make her fall for him again.
 
It took the time he had been away to make her his fiancée.

Six months.
Kagome almost slapped the back of her head at the thought. Instead, she took a long sip from her smoothie. Darn. Looking at how things had progressed with Shun, she was shocked by it. What the hell had she been thinking? She must have been on crack or something when she had said yes on being her fiancée. Not that she was on crack But apparently, she was thinking of something foolish. Come to think of it that was the time when work had caught up with her. She had been busier than a bee. She had a deadline to catch. So she had ignored it. She’d thought that the hesitation she had felt with the proposal was a temporary one. That later on, she’d get used and would learn to accept it.

She never did get to that point because of that night.

That magical night when she met Inuyasha. He had swept her off her feet with only a kiss. Until now, she still couldn't forget the shower of sakura blossoms raining down endlessly under the blue moonlight, and the two of them in their midst… dazed in each other's gazes, flushed in each other's arms, lost in the kiss. Inuyasha – the stranger she hated at first – the man she had crushed on the next and desired afterward in her drunken stupor. She just couldn’t resist, you know. He was one of those men whom she admired, cared for and respected for his courage, self-reliance and accomplishments as a person. He owned two dogs she adored so much. Hell, he could wear killer heels and skimpy stripper outfits and still looked killer on it. He could disarm her with a stare. He could make her breath hitch and her pulse race with a whisper and a touch. He was walking sex, darn it! He was the first man she’d ever made love to, as he was the first man she had taken home and introduced to her family. That meant a lot to her, even though she had not told her the significance of it. He had come into her life like no other, and she feared he might be someone she probably couldn’t do without.

And yet, she had chosen to distance herself from him. She ignored the slight pang she felt in her chest. She had a reason why she hesitated. Deep inside her, there was this feeling that kept nagging at her that with the way things were going, she would surely end up crashing against the wall. That it would hurt – BIG time. And she didn’t want that! Who does?

Was she scared? Of course not!

Cautious? Probably…
 
For the past five days, she had annoyed herself to no end because she couldn’t seem to make up her own God damn mind. She had whined too much. She sounded pathetic. But then, there was this sci-fi freak inside her that told her that she wouldn’t be crashing on that hard wall. Instead, she’d be walking on it; side ways like that Bond girl in Pierce Brosnan's 2nd Bond movie – only without the harness – or be like Jasmine and have her own magic carpet ride. And what would their friends say? How would they react when they’d find out?

“You and I…” Nothing and no one else mattered but the two of them. Inuyasha had told her that.

Darn it! He had a way with words, hadn't he? She felt guilty though because she had left him hanging like that. She’d admit that it was her fault. She was thinking too much – thinking of what could go wrong instead of how right and happy it felt being with him. Anyway, her mom had given her a piece of advice that helped her a lot with her thinking. She had told her to “Go for it.” There was really no need to explain further.

Could you imagine a thunderstorm on a pitch black night? Well, put that picture behind a scowling Sango emerging from the street, and you got what Kagome saw approaching her that beautiful afternoon. Scary – she cringed on her seat slurping the last of her smoothie. She was going to get scolded heavily she just knew it.
 
“Okay, first, I want to tell you that I did not want to come here. You have ignored my calls for the past 5 days, and I'm beyond upset because you haven’t returned any of them. But I came, nevertheless, because you said it was urgent. Second, it doesn't mean that because I'm here, I've already forgiven you. What you did was beyond mean. It doesn't mean that because you've just had a split, you can just mope around and ignore me. Third, I hate it when you keep secrets from me. And fourth, I will surely get answers from you even if it means breaking you. I swear, I'll do it, Kagome,” Sango ranted once she was of earshot from Kagome. She had a cross expression on her face; her arms perched stiffly on her hips. Kagome only listened, slightly embarrassed that she was scolded like a child in public. At least, nobody listened, or even bothered caring to.
 
“Hi, Sango,” she greeted with a small sugary smile.

Well, too sweet for Sango, who puffed an exasperated breath and roughly sat down across her, scoffing. She rested her chin against her fisted hands and snubbed her blue-eyed best friend. “I'm totally ignoring you.”
 
Kagome sniggered. “But I thought you came to `break' me,” she teased earning a heated glare from her best friend.
 
“Stop teasing. It's not funny,” Sango chided. “And I'm not amused.”
 
Kagome bent her head down and stared at her best friend pleadingly with big blue-eyes. “I was only trying to rid you of that ugly scowl you have on, Sango,” she uttered cautiously. She hoped that she had looked pitiful enough for her so that she’d stop scowling at her.
 
“Drop the childlike voice, Kagome. The puppy pout is not going to work this time. And have you forgotten that I'm allergic to dogs?”
 
“Want a burger instead?” Kagome added timidly, crinkling her nose making a cute effect.
 
“Are you bribing me?” Sango asked. She was giving Kagome a very suspiciously look that the latter could only giggle nervously.

Acting as if taken aback by such statement, Kagome faked an overrated gasp of incredulity. “Me? Bribe you? Why Sango… I would never! How could you think I would stoop to such level as to bribe you?”
 
“Because you're goofish grin says so, Kagome,” Sango snapped at her, and yet, painting her own goofish grin. She happily noted that Kagome appeared to be more animated compared to the last time she had seen her that afternoon when Inuyasha had “borrowed” her. But there was no time for reminiscing. She asked without qualms. “So, why did you call me?”
 
Kagome smiled. “I missed you.”
 
“Hell no! Really?” Sango couldn't help biting back with a bit of sarcasm.
 
“Sango, please… You know I'm sorry – really really sorry. So, we're cool, okay?” Kagome implored. She paused. “I was only clearing my head.”
 
“For five fucking days? Without even calling me?” Sango exclaimed incredulously. “Kagome, do you know how worrying about you for the past five days has put at most 10 years of my youth down the drain? Do you see these lines? They’re called age lines – and they only appear when you're already undergoing midlife crisis. I'm twenty-six! Do you see these things around my eyes? They're from staying up late because I'm waiting for you to return my calls. But, of course, those were the least of my worries because, mainly, my mind was frantic to know where the hell you were and what you were doing.”
 
“I know. I know. I've been a pain in the neck. I'm sorry.” Kagome sighed, bowed her head palming her hands in apology. “But you know me, Sango. I tend to block everything out when I want to clear my head. It's rehabilitating that way for me.” She then smiled beseeching at her best friend. She had proven that arguing with Sango was a losing battle in the past, and that the most effective way of dealing with her was simple.

Smile and take the blame – subtly, of course. Besides, it was her fault in the first place.

After celebrating her Granpa’s birthday, Inuyasha had been kind enough to drop her in her apartment. The drive had been quiet and she could tell that he was withdrawing from her. She assured herself that perhaps he was just gentlemanly enough to give her some space. And he did. For the past five days, he had not contacted her. Not that she was expecting he would after what had happened. But she hoped.

“Remember that property that I’ve always wanted to buy?” Three years ago, she found a house. It faced the coast and it was perched on top of the cliff. It badly needed a renovation, and she was up for it. Too bad someone had already bought the property before she had a chance to.

“Yeah. Why?”

“I went there.” Actually, she had trespassed. But she wouldn’t tell Sango that. She’d been scolded enough that afternoon.

Sango closed her eyes. “I would not ask what came to your mind as to why you decided to spend five days in an old shack outside of civilization just to clear your head. But I would ask the reason for this sudden need of clearing your head.

Kagome wrinkled her nose. “Do I have to?”

Her bestfriend scoffed at her. “Of course, you do. You've caused me enough trouble already. I would have you know that I haven’t had decent sex with Miroku for the past couple of nights because I'm so worked up thinking what has happened to you,” Sango revealed.

Sango stared at her, seemingly in deep thought. “All right,” she replied. “But I want you to spill everything - and I mean everything, Kagome.”
 
Kagome put up a disgusted look and leaned over the table. “And what the hell do I have to do with your sex life? I'm not even part of it,” she hissed.
 
“Exactly! You aren't and never will be, and yet, you're hurting it – so end of discussion. And give me that burger. I'm starving,” Sango replied heatedly, snatching the burger from Kagome's hand and took a gigantic bite out of it. She hadn't had lunch after all.
 
Kagome pouted. “I thought you didn't want the bribe.”
 
“I changed my mind,” Sango mumbled as her mouth was still full. “Now – SPILL!”

 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
 
Miroku sighed exasperatingly. Of course, this sight was not new to him. His friends had barged in at work without warning in the past, and it had been okay with him them. But right now was just wrong timing. Next week was opening night and he was trying to prepare everything, rehearse everything, make everything perfect as possible.
 
“Hiten! Stay away from those naked women. They're mannequins, you idiot!” he yelled.
 
“I know a fake woman from a real one, Roku! But have you ever wondered if that movie `Manequin' is true?”
 
“Um… no.”
 
“You're such a prude.”
 
“I'm a prude because you're here disrupting my work. Should you be somewhere else? Like you're workshop maybe? I thought you were working on with your new creation,” Miroku said snatching a prop from Hiten's clutches.
 
“I'm taking a break.” Hiten sat down.
 
“And you decided to crash here?”
 
Hiten shrugged. “I called Kouga. He was held up in the hospital, and Inuyasha was busy as hell as he would be taking the weekend off with the rest of the family and Sess would be leaving for Hongkong next week, so he had a mountain of work to finish. So that led me to you.”
 
Miroku glared at him. “I am not babysitting you.”
 
Hiten smirked leaning on the chair he sat on. “Don't worry. I'm not here to be babysat. I'm looking for inspiration. And since, you own a play house, I thought this place would be a great source of it.”
 
“How could it be a great source? Weren't you making a piece from garbage?”
 
“Not garbage, Roku! Recyclables! Recyclables!”
 
“Does it seem that I care what it's called?” Of course not. “Anyway, how's that new chick you're seeing? She seems like a nice gal,” Miroku said changing the subject.

Hiten stared at him boringly and crossed his arms and legs leaning further to the chair. “I dumped her.”
 
Miroku gave him a disgruntled look.
 
“She was getting quite clingy,” Hiten defended seeing the displeased look of his friend. “I seem to attract those types of women. You know, the needy, insecure and desperate kinds who want to squat at any place after a fuck and then think that you're already her happily ever after. She stays in your pad and annoys the hell out of you. She rearranges your furniture and gets madly jealous when you interact with another specimen with a vagina. I hate those bitches!”
 
“But then, you still continue to date them.” Miroku chuckled. He stopped himself from saying “You deserved it.”
 
“Laugh all you want, ass.” He glared at Miroku. Then his eyes lit up. He smirked. “Damn! I'm in pain! I want a good woman, too, you know! I think I deserve one after all those bitches I've been through. I've put up with a dozen of them this year! I should get some kind of reward for my services to the desperate and the needy! I've given them a good fuck for free! God, are you hearing this?”
 
Miroku could not stop his laughter with Hiten following suit.
 
“Shit! I'm going to hell,” Hiten said mid-chuckle.
 
“We all are,” Miroku replied.
 
“Times like these, I can't help but envy you and Shun. You know, you have good women beside you two. It's something that should be envied. Damn! I think Shun got the best of them, actually... lucky bastard. How he's bagged Kagome is still a big question mark to me. Though I`m his friend, I think Kagome`s way out of his league. Man, is he not lucky,” Hiten mused trying not to be too obvious of his crush on Kagome. She had been his crush since she shot him down when he hit on her the first time they'd met.
 
Miroku stared at his foot and drummed his fingers against his jean-clad thigh. “Hmmm…”
 
Hiten noticed the cryptic reply. “What `hmmm?'”
 
“Yeah, he had been lucky,” Miroku whispered. “But he's a jerk, too.”
 
Hiten listened.

Miroku's voice was laced with bitterness and suppressed anger. He was about to probe when Miroku continued. “Kagome broke up with him. She caught him fucking the witch on the phone.” Then, he stood up and gave Hiten a menacing glare. “And you need to get out of my theatre.”
 
Hiten sat there watching Miroku walk away. 

Shun's out of his God damn mind. How could he drop Kagome for someone like Shizuru? He thought standing up and swaggered out of the joint.
 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
“Stop laughing like this is funny! This is serious shit we're talking about Kagome!” An irritated Sango bellowed almost pulling a handful of her hair. She and Kagome had walked from the café to the local ball field near Sango's workplace, and now, were sitting on the wooden bleachers watching a local junior baseball team practice.
 
Kagome sniggered. She had been doing that for a while now that Sango was now annoyed at her happy disposition despite her insistence that Kagome display a more hostile reaction.
 
“There's nothing serious about this ‘shit,’ Sango. You make it sound like this is such a big deal. The relationship has run its course. That`s all,” Kagome replied cheerfully. She had dished almost everything about her relationship with Shun – nothing about Inuyasha though. Sango, of course, for most of the time, was edgy. If thoughts could kill, Shun and Shizuru would have been stabbed to death by now.
 
“Nothing serious? The relationship has run its course? Are you fucking delusional?”
 
“No,” Kagome replied frankly. She had come to terms with her feelings after several days of pondering. Yes, she had gotten over things quite quickly this time.

They stared at each other. Sango, one with a frown, while Kagome had her face contorted strangely as she tried to be serious. But she couldn't… so she burst out laughing – much to Sango's annoyance.
 
Sango sighed exasperatingly. “I give up. Now, I'm convinced that you're quite crazy.”
 
“It's just that you make it sound like it's already the end of the world for me, when it's not really,” Kagome told her.
 
“Look. Listen to me. You've just been dumped by the same piece of shit that dumped you many years ago. And for what? For the same shit of a woman! That's an insult and a low blow! I am making this such a big deal because it is! You are a beautiful woman who doesn't deserve to be treated like this. I just want you to show a bit of normalcy and be angry, damn it!” Sango implored rather harshly, her words intended to shake some sense to her best friend.
 
Do you know why she's so intent in seeing an ill reaction from Kagome? Because she wants to be involved and be an active participant with Kagome's concerns and that's her wish for Kagome to do when she has problems. Kagome's a free-spirit and really independent. She makes it her business and only her own to solve her issues and that has been Sango's frustration because it makes her feel helpless even though she knows she can help. It's exasperating!
 
“I never said I wasn't angry. I was furious! And that was what the five days were for, Sango. To get rid of that hostility,” Kagome answered. And of course, she also did a lot of Inuyasha-thinking. “You shouldn't be surprised about this. I've always been this way.”
 
“I know. And I hate you for it,” Sango replied giving up.
 
Kagome giggled. Sango scoffed.
 
“So, are we good?” Kagome said.
 
Sango faced her and thought for a minute. Then, she smirked. “No.”
 
Kagome raised an eyebrow.
 
“There's still one thing though,” Sango said.
 
“What?”
 
“Inuyasha.”
 
Kagome only stared at her. “What about Inuyasha?”
 
“Oh come on, Kagome! You know what I'm talking about,” Sango exclaimed. “What's with all the `Can I borrow Kagome for a while' bullshit last week, huh? I swear I saw sparks fly and not to mention the eye-fucking going on.”
 
“Sango!”
 
“Yeah, act shocked now. It's not working by the way,” Sango replied smirking. Hah! Payback's a bitch! “So tell me, is he…”
 
“No, he's not,” Kagome answered abruptly.
 
Sango beamed with a knowing smile. “But has he got something to do with…”
 
“No, Inuyasha has nothing to do with why I've broken up with Shun. I`ve told you. The relationship has ran its course and we`ve ended up not crossing the finish line at the same time,” Kagome answered. She seemed to know what Sango would ask next. Damn, this conversation was uncomfortable.
 
Damn, she was having a great time seeing Kagome so uncomfortable. Yeah, she’d say it again. Payback's a bitch. Sango thought. She was trying so hard not to snigger. She wanted to know something. “He's hot, isn't he?” she said out-of-the-blue.
 
“What?” Kagome replied having been caught unawares.
 
“Inuyasha… He's hot, isn't he? And he's got a nice and sexy swagger, too. And that ass… just YUM!” Sango said musingly.
 
Kagome gave her a passing glare. Oh yeah, daggers and all. Sango should have dropped dead by now.
 
“Oh-oh. Somebody's proprietal. Possessive much, Gome?” Sango teased in mid-laugh.
 
Kagome looked away and frowned her pretty little face. “I'm ignoring you,” she huffed.
 
Sango burst out laughing. “Oh God, this is priceless. Someone's jealous! Ahahahaha…. Okay, let me just basked in my triumphant revenge a little. God knows this is a rarity. Kagome Higurashi is jealous, people,” she announced to no one in particular. The bleachers were empty.
 
“That's not true!” Kagome protested.
 
“Oh, it is so totally true! Oh my God!” Sango exclaimed. For some reason, she couldn't hide her excitement at the thought of Inuyasha and Kagome as a couple and she couldn`t just keep it to herself. “I don't know why I'm so fucking excited right now, but I am! Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! Tell me, have you two been doing some… naughty things together?” She just couldn't help herself.
 
“What the – Stop it, Sango!” Kagome yelled at her. However, she couldn't stop the sudden flush on her face, which Sango noticed.
 
Sango gasped. “Oh! My! God!”
 
BUSTED!
 
Of course, Kagome knew she was busted. She had never been a very good actress in front of Sango. Sango was like x-ray, CT-scan, MRI and all that bullshit diagnostic apparatus that could see through skin, flesh and bones! Yeah, Sango was all powerful like that. She was born with that greatness! And Kagome knew she had no choice but share a few tidbits here and there. She couldn't get away with it – not now that Sango was breathing on her neck literally. In an instant, the conversation about her break-up and non-existent heartbreak over Shun was totally forgotten. And now, she faced a new query from an overeager best friend who was about to jump her if she refused not to divulge anything naughty about a silver-haired Adonis whom she lusted, and even…
 
“So.” Sango waited patiently. Her eyes lit up like stalker eyes! It was actually scary.
 
Kagome stared at her best friend. She was rabid, and you shouldn't cross a rabid Sango by not giving her a bone.
 
“All right, we kissed,” she said abruptly.
 
Sango stared at Kagome for the longest time. “That's it?” She was quite disappointed.
 
“Yeah.” Kagome put up her best poker face. Of course, she would not dish all the sexy, wild and orgasmic shit she had shared with Inuyasha. Why should she? That was private!
 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
“Hey baka, are you done moping?” Sesshomaru said as he walked inside Inuyasha's office. Inuyasha leaned back against his chair and glared at his brother.
 
“I'm working,” he replied gesturing at the files on top of his table.
 
Sesshomaru gave out a forced chuckle. “Yeah right. Like you've been a workaholic in your life.”
 
“Let's say I have had a change of heart,” Inuyasha replied with a bored voice.
 
Sesshomaru smirked. “More like a broken heart,” he said knowingly, causing a death glare directed his way. He laughed. “All right. I'll leave you to mope some more. I just came to tell you that I'm going out for a drink.”
 
“And? What's that got to do with me?”
 
“I think you need a few, so stand your ass up and have a drink.” He turned around towards the door. “I'll be at the bar,” he said before he closed the door.
 
Inuyasha watched his brother leave the room. He sighed stretching his hands above his head. God, he missed Kagome. But he couldn't get himself to see or call her when she was still getting over a recent split. He understood that she was confused. So he decided to not pressure her. It was better this way. He would wait. He just hoped it wouldn’t be too long a wait.
 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
“Hello? Earth to Kagome. Are you even listening?” Sango asked, annoyed that her best friend wasn't paying attention to her.
 
“Sango, have you ever hit a home run?”
 
“What?” Sango furrowed her brows pocketing her phone and walked towards her best friend who kept on watching the baseball game going on in the diamond.
 
Kagome chuckled. “A home run…. You know – baseball.” She then turned her head and faced Sango with a smile.
 
“I know a home run, Gome. And no, I've never hit one. But I've hit a fly ball several times in gym class. Why?”
 
“I was just wondering how it'd feel like to hit one,” Kagome whispered bringing her attention to the junior baseball team practicing in the diamond.
 
Sango frowned. “Okay… I don't know what's so significant about hitting a ball with a stick-”
 
“Bat,” Kagome corrected.
 
Sango, shrugging, only gave her a do-I-look-like-I-care look and continued, “Whatever… it's still a stick, Kagome.”
 
Kagome raised her hand defensively, giving up. “I'm not picking up a fight.” She laughed. “Why are you looking at me like that? I'm just curious, that's all!”
 
“Yeah, right. Come on. Humor me a little, will you?” Sango replied sardonically.
 
Kagome gave her a lopsided smile and leaned back on the bleacher behind her. “I can't win against you, can I?”
 
“No, you can't,” Sango simply replied standing tall before her best friend. She had her arms crossed tapping her foot impatiently against the wooden platform of the bleachers.
 
“All right, bossy lady, I'll humor you. But quit giving me that look. I'm not a child.” Kagome relented. “My mom told me something silly about it. She told me she knew my dad was her soulmate because she felt like she had hit a home run with him.”
 
“What the hell does that mean?” Sango asked, baffled. You could just see the question mark drilling hard on her head.

Kagome coughed hiding her laughter, as she had imagined that. With a “somewhat” straight face, she answered Sango's query, “I don't know. But,” she gave Sango a playful look and chirped, “Want to find out?”
 
Sango only stared at her for a while. And then, wailed, “Are you fucking serious? I'm wearing damn heels!”
 
“It's not stopping me,” Kagome replied uncaringly. She stood up, took off her stilettos and started climbing down the bleachers. She gave Sango one last look. “Coming, Sango?”
 
Sango glared at her. With a resigned sigh, she rolled her eyes. “All right! I'm coming! But first, tell me again why we're doing this? I mean, why am I allowing myself to do this?” she ranted as she, too, removed her shoes, and followed Kagome down the bleachers.
 
“For the sake of science?” Kagome replied jokingly, eyeing her best friend amusingly.
 
“Science? What's this? A subjective research on when and how to surely know one`s true love?” Sango stopped suddenly. “Wait. When I met Miroku, I didn’t feel like I had hit a home run. In fact, I felt nothing in regards to baseball. But I felt so damn horny.” She gave a meek smile at Kagome. “Does that make him my true love then?”
 
Kagome only laughed at her, and continued down the bleachers. Behind her, Sango uttered a “perhaps, home runs can make you horny.” She abruptly stopped walking on their way to the dug-out when she saw a familiar face. It was Jinenji, and consequently, he was also the coach of the team.
 
“Kagome!” he called jogging towards her. “Fancy seeing you here.” He eyed what she was carrying. “And stilettos… Took off from work again?”
 
Kagome smiled. “No, took a few days off. I would never take off from work without notice. That'd be a crime.”
 
“Yeah, yeah. That's true,” Jinenji said chuckling. “What brought you here anyway?” He eyed her and Sango, who was clearly a bit annoyed. “What's wrong with Sango?”
 
Kagome giggled. “She's just sore. I think the heat is getting to her. Anyway, Can I ask a favor? Can we try a few bat swings with the team?”
 
Jinenji smiled. “Of course! Anything for little Kagome.”
 
“Don't call me that,” Kagome snapped at him.
 
Jinenji raised his hands in defense. “Okay. Okay. Just kidding! Anyway, you're in luck `coz our pitcher will start pitch practice any minute now. By the way, he's good so you better get you're A-game up.”
 
“Don't I always?” Kagome gloated.
 
Sango rolled her eyes taking Kagome's handbag and turned around leaving for the shade the dugout offered. Jinenji chuckled and jogged passed Kagome towards the rest of the team.
 
“Break a leg, Kagome!” he shouted as Kagome crouched down to pick-up the bat from the dirt. She could hear the laughter of the middle school players in the background. Some even whistled and hooted at her. Damn perverted teenagers. She scoffed in her thoughts.
 
For the record, Kagome was no baseball player. In fact, she could barely hit a baseball. She sucked at it.
 
“Ugh… Kagome!” Sango whined loudly. Kagome had been hitting nothing but air after 20 minutes, and even though she was not the one who was under the searing heat of the sun batting her ass off in vain, she was the one getting all fed up and frustrated because Kagome couldn't hit one single ball.
 
“What?” Kagome shouted.
 
“Ugh, could we stop now?”
 
“We?”
 
“Yes! We! You! Me! Stop! Now!” Oh God, she was talking like in morse-code-ish. It was fucking crazy! Sango groaned.
 
Kagome stared at her for a minute. She seemed like she was contemplating on something, but then only shrugged in response much to Sango's dismay.
 
“Kagome!” Sango called again. “Please…”
 
“What are you complaining about anyway? You're under the shade while I'm under this searing heat!” Kagome yelled, as she got ready to swing the bat.
 
“I'm bored,” Sango replied.
 
“Then try to play,” Kagome said forcefully as she swung the bat. Missed! Damn! How hard could it be to hit just one? Just one!
 
“I won't! It's too hot!” Sango complained like a toddler.
 
“Darn it!” Kagome cursed. She missed again.
 
“You won't hit it. I mean, even professional players seldom hit a home run. And they must have hit a million pitches already. It's a difficult feat,” Sango reasoned. Of course, she had a point. A home run was indeed a difficult task to accomplish especially for a newbie. “It's a combination of skill and luck. The timing and power when you hit the ball should be perfect.”
 
Okay, Sango was totally doing a good job of making her feel dejected. In fact, she was now getting angry by the minute. Each time she swung, she missed! And even if she tried the hardest to concentrate and time the ball’s impact, she still missed! It was hard. For a newbie like her, the probability of hitting a home run was probably 1% or less. She might as well give up.
 
“But don't give up,” Sango shouted interrupting her musings. “Just trust yourself and… and just let go. Give it your best shot.”
 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
Sesshomaru glanced at the envelope on his hand. He had taken it from Rin's stack of invites yesterday morning before she and Inuyasha went to deliver them personally to everyone. She had planned to invite everyone she knew to the beach party this weekend and also his farewell bash, so she decided to make pink invitation cards. He reckoned every one of their close friends had received one, except for the recipient of this last envelope that he took without permission.
 
He faced the door of Kagome's apartment. The old woman who lived downstairs had directed him to her floor. As expected, Kagome was well-off judging from her living conditions. He sighed. Inuyasha was not going to be happy about him minding his business, but he needed to talk to her before he returned to Hongkong. He raised his right hand to ring the door bell when...
 
“Inuyasha?”
 
He turned around after hearing the female voice.

“No,” he said with a flat voice.
 
“Oh – Ah. Sesshomaru… it's only you,” Kagome replied.
 
Sesshomaru raised a brow. A slight curve at the corner of his lips was evident. He was highly amused by Kagome's reaction. Kagome seemed to have realized what her initial greeting had meant to him. Not that she intended to sound rude, she was just – well – just a little bit disappointed.
 
“Ah – I – I'm so sorry. I didn`t mean to sound so rude,” she stuttered her apology.
 
“Don't worry about it. It's my fault for coming here without notice,” he replied without delay. “And I understand you were expecting someone else?”
 
“What? Oh no! I wasn’t. I mean, that's not true.” She kept on stuttering. She sighed trying to steady her nerves before she continued. “You got it wrong.”
 
“I did?”
 
“Yes.”
 
Sesshomaru almost smiled at how quickly she affirmed his query. He watched her fidget in her place.
 
“Um… Wha - what are you doing here?” she asked.
 
He didn't waste any time. “Will you have dinner with me?”
 
“What?”
 
“I'm inviting you to dinner. Will you accept?”
 
“Um… I'm not dressed for a dinner out.”
 
“You look fine. Follow me,” he replied walking passed her.
 
“O-okay,” Kagome answered. She watched him walk towards the lift. Did she say yes? She thought not. Damn! He didn't want no for an answer, did he?
 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
A few hours ago if someone had told her that she would dining in a fancy restaurant with Sesshomaru Takahashi, she would have worn a different set of clothes and she would have accepted Sango's suggestion to stay out of hitting that elusive and impossible home run in the first place. However, nobody bothered to give her this information in advance. So now, she was stuck looking like hell… and probably smelling like hell? Oh God! She hoped not! She ate meekly, all the while blaming Sesshomaru for putting her in this predicament by barging in her doorstep without notice and insisting on dinner in this fancy restaurant. They could have gone out to a McDonald’s drive through and ordered a take out, and then ate it in the park like what she and Inuyasha did in the past. She liked it that way. She preferred it that way – low key, not too fancy, everyday-ish. Preferably, with him.
 
Okay. Enough with Inuyasha for now.
 
The dinner went well. If you consider not talking for the whole duration of it for some chitchats here and there about random things, then all went well with her dinner with Sesshomaru. So now, he was driving her back to her apartment. And again, they were quiet.
 
“Thank you for dinner,” she said taking off her seatbelt.
 
“My pleasure.”
 
She went out and was about to walk towards the front door of the building when he called.
 
“Higurashi.”
 
She turned abruptly. She saw him got out of the car. Walking towards her, he pulled a pink envelope from the inner pocket of his jacket.
 
“Here, this is yours,” he said handing her the envelope.
 
Kagome stared at him, then the envelope and then back at him, as her hand reached out for that pink thing.
 
“What's this for?”
 
“Rin made a few invitation cards for this weekend’s beach getaway. I reckon you still remember that time when you've stayed at the mansion.”

She nodded.

“Well, she decided it'd be a good idea to invite everyone else. Thus, this…” He gestured at the envelope she held. “She and Inuyasha had been going around delivering it to friends, but they forgot to bring yours. So here.” Of course, that was a half a lie. They did not forget to bring her invitation. He took it without permission.
 
“Thank you. But – But I'm not sure if I can go,” Kagome told him. She thought it was too soon to see Inuyasha. Well, she was just scared what his reaction would be if ever they’d meet. She knew she had hurt him.
 
“Why not?”

Now, that was an unexpected follow-up question. She had expected Sesshomaru to just shrug it off and leave.
 
“Um – It's a – It's – It's work,” she stuttered.
 
“On a weekend?”

Now, he was starting to get nosy.
 
“Ah – Um. Yeah, sure it is,” she answered trying to look unfazed.
 
Then, Sesshomaru decided to go for the jugular. “This doesn't have anything to do with Inuyasha, does it? I`m sorry for bringing this up but I`m not convinced you will be working on a weekend.”
 
Kagome was nailed there speechless. Was he this insensitive when he wanted to be? Okay, note to self: Don't mess with Sesshomaru. He's dangerous.
 
“Ah. No! Of course not! It's – It has nothing to do with - with - with -”
 
“Inuyasha,” he supplied.
 
“Inuyasha! Yeah, that's right!” Oh God, please help me. She thought.
 
Sesshomaru couldn't stop the smile forming on his lips. Even though he was slightly annoyed at her stuttering, she did look adorable doing so. He watched her puff an exasperated breath. He knew that she knew that she had made a fool out of herself.
 
“Anyway, I hope you could come,” he said.
 
“Oh o-kay. I'll try,” she replied, now, with a straight face.
 
He extended his hand. “Dinner was great. Thank you.”
 
“I had a swell time as well,” she said shaking his hand.
 
He pivoted around and started walking to his car. As soon as he had opened the driver's door, he called her again. “Higurashi!”
 
“Yeah?” Kagome waited.
 
“You and Inuyasha…”
 
She waited and listened on.
 
Sesshomaru stared at her. And then with an uncharacteristic grin, he said. “You're both idiots.”
 
What? Did she just hear that correctly? “Excuse me?”
 
Sesshomaru smirked. “You heard me. You`re both idiots.” Without another word, he went inside the car and left.

Kagome stood there, stunned.
 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
It was early Saturday morning and the whole Takahashi mansion was up and about. The beach party was today and most excited was Rin. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were packing several bags into the trunk of Sesshomaru’s car.
 
“Why did you deliver the invitation to her?” Inuyasha asked trying to hide the ire in his voice. He paused for a while to look at his brother who raised a brow.
 
“What? Are you saying she’s not invited?”
 
“Of course not! It's – it's… Why would you deliver the invitation to her? She’s not your concern. And why the hell had you invited her for dinner?” he said resuming stacking up the bags in the trunk.
 
Sesshomaru smirked. “So you're telling me to back off, are you not?”
 
“Shit! What?”
 
“You’re projecting your anger to me. You’re jealous I’ve dined with her, as you’re angry with yourself because you know you don't have a choice but to just suck it up and accept that you can't do anything at the moment because you two haven't clearly defined what kind of relationship you have.”
 
“Stop rubbing it in, Sess,” Inuyasha snapped at him.
 
Sesshomaru chuckled. “You both are idiots,” he said after putting the last of the bags inside the trunk.

Inuyasha closed the trunk non-too gently. He stared at his brother who had a permanent smirk on his face. He fiddled with his fingers for a while. He knew Sesshomaru was right. He was getting all annoyed and easily ticked off these past few days that he had not seen or talked to her. With a deep sigh, he asked what he had been willing to ask his brother. “So, is – is she…”
 
Sesshomaru raised a brow. “Is she what?”
 
“Is – Is she coming?” There was longing and a hint of excitement in Inuyasha's voice. Sesshomaru could have shook his head in sympathy for his brother if he was not so amused on how Inuyasha looked at the moment. But alas, as much as he wanted to say “yes” that was not possible, since he himself didn't know.
 
“I don't know. I only gave her the invitation,” he replied and watched Inuyasha nod once and walked away.
 
Sesshomaru shook his head. Yeah, both are idiots, all right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

R&R!