Chapter Text
A raven haired young woman sat by herself in the window of Café Mori. Fingers flying over the keyboard of her laptop as she worked feverishly to hit the word count on her latest assignment. The paper wasn't due for another week but past experience had taught her to finish everything as quickly as possible. She'd made it into high school by the skin of her teeth and the amount of remedial work she'd had to do to actually catch up to her peers was a nightmare she never wanted to repeat.
“Howl” by Florence + The Machine came through over the sound system, making her fingers freeze in their flight for a moment. The song didn't hold any special connotations for her, but the word itself gave her pause, calling up memories of dogs with silver hair and golden eyes. It had been five years since she came home and not a sign of any of her friends had been found. She had chosen a university on the other side of the country for that reason. The need to put some distance between herself and the past she could never reach again. Still though, she couldn't completely forget. Café Mori got its name because it was situated on the edge of a forest. Not HIS forest, but she was drawn to it all the same. After so many years of studying in clearings, surrounded by the trees and the comforting crackle of a campfire she found it easiest to focus here.
Shaking herself out of her reverie, she bent her focus back to the keyboard, trying to regain her train of thought. Her stubbornness and tenacity had carried her this far and she refused to be derailed by pining for what she couldn't have anymore. She had just managed to get back into her flow when she was again yanked away by a sudden shout of recognition, “Kagome, there you are! Told you she'd be here!”
Kagome sighed, saved her work, and turned to greet the friends that she knew would not leave her alone until they'd decided she had interacted enough to boost her mental health. “Hello Rika, Mayumi, how are y'all?”
“Better than you! We've been out enjoying our weekend.”
“And who says I haven't enjoyed mine?”
Rika cocked a skeptical eyebrow at her. “Have you been anywhere other than campus or here? The konbini doesn't count!” she added quickly.
Kagome's mouth snapped shut, her one retort stolen from her. “Okay, no. I haven't but that doesn't mean I'm not having fun.”
“Don't give us that.” Mayumi chimed in. “Unless we drag you out you never do anything except study. That does not count as fun, no matter how much you enjoy the subject matter. Have you even explored the town outside of this coffee shop?”
“I like it here. It reminds me of home.”
“Well and good, but you need more than that!” Rika this time.
“What I need is to finish this paper...”
“Nope!” Mayumi now. “Knowing you that paper is, at minimum, ten days out from being due and you're over halfway through with it. Invalid excuse.”
Before Rika could tag back in the bell over the door chimed, and a tall, slim man entered the shop. Jet black hair, rich brown eyes, immaculately tailored three piece suit, with a cobalt blue tie. Everything about him commanded attention, even as his own gaze slid over the other patrons as though they weren't there. All three young women momentarily forgot their verbal tussle as they watched him walk to the counter and place his order.
Kagome quickly turned away, staring blindly at her computer screen, as she attempted to distract herself from the sudden memories. His body language was so similar. The utter disdain for all other lifeforms wasn't there, but the sense of aloof superiority that he carried was identical. She hadn't imagined out of every possibility, that this was something she would miss.
“Oh. My. Word....” Rika had regained her faculties of speech and her eyes were alight with a suspicious gleam that made Kagome nervous. “Alright Kags, tell you what. Let's make a bet.”
“What sort of a bet?”
“I bet you four consecutive weekends of not pestering you to go out that you can get a date with that guy.”
“....what?”
“Come on, it's a win/win. He says no and I leave you alone for a month!”
“And if he says yes?”
“You get a date with an absolute hottie who is CLEARLY doing well for himself.”
“Aaand, I didn't see a ring!” chimed in Mayumi.
“Hush, you two. He can probably hear you!”
“Oh please, he's at the other end of the shop and we're whispering. Don't be silly.”
Come to think of it, why had she assumed he could hear them? Risking a glance, she found him looking straight towards her right when she faced him. She kept her head moving, trying to make it look as though she were just scanning the shop in general. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw him smirk. Greeeeaaat.
“Guys this is ridiculous, I'm not going to accost some random rich guy just because you want me to.”
“Four consecutive weekends AND I will leave you alone during finals week."
“Four full consecutive weeks, plus finals week, and the restriction applies to the both of you.” Kagome knew better than to leave Rika a loophole.
“Fiiiine,” she huffed. “Gah, you should have been a lawyer with that attitude. Now go on, shoo!”
“Okay, okay. I'm going. No staring or I won't do it.”
“Just go!”
With a huff Kagome straightened her clothes and approached the man who very obviously did not want to be bothered. Good, hopefully this would be quick and she could enjoy a month free from her friends’ well-intentioned meddling. Giving a short bow she said, “I'm sorry to interrupt-”
“No,” he said without looking up from the newspaper he was reading. “I do not give out my number, nor am I in the market for whatever it is you intended to attempt to wheedle me into.”
“Oh, excellent. You just made my life much easier!”
That was clearly not the reaction he was expecting. His head jerked up, taking her in more closely. He studied her silently for a long moment before asking, “Easier?”
“Yes. By turning me down you have gained me a blissful month free from my friends attempting to force me to socialize for my own good. Thank you very much.”
“And had I said yes?”
“Then I would have had to join you on some form of a date.”
“And that would be distasteful to you?”
“Well, not a date with you specifically, no. I've nothing against you personally. But I have a degree to finish and I learned from experience that delays make scholastic life far more difficult than it needs to be. I prefer to finish my work as early as possible so that I don't have to worry about deadlines and due dates. Dating just doesn't really have a place in my life right now."
“Hmm, such dedication is commendable.”
“Thank you. Well then, I'll just be on my way.”
“Sit.”
“Pardon?”
“Sit. I accept.”
“Accept?”
“Indeed. I have received more propositions than I can count, but you are the first to approach me hoping to be denied. My curiosity is piqued.” There was an odd glint in his eye that almost seemed like mischief.
“...Are you accepting just to get even with me for disturbing your coffee break?”
“Perhaps. But I believe you made a wager with your friends did you not? Are you so dishonorable that you would go back on your word miss...?” He looked at her expectantly, clearly waiting for her to fill in some gap.
“Oh! Higurashi, Kagome.” And there went another odd flash of emotion across his face.
“Kagome, you wouldn't try to throw a bet now would you?” Was he...teasing her?
“Well of course not, but-”
“Then please, join me. Unless you'd prefer I take you to dinner, though that would take up far more of your precious time than a simple coffee date.” Oh, he was absolutely baiting her. Two could play at that game.
With a sly grin she said, “You seem like the type who enjoys games like chess, or shogi. And especially like the type who enjoys winning through superior cunning and strategy.”
“Perhaps.”
“Then how about this: I'll let you take me to dinner, if you make a show of turning me down right now.”
She expected another gleam of mischief and perhaps a mildly theatrical show of brushing her off. What she got was a sudden chill as the temperature in the room seemed to drop by several degrees. His face turned into a mask devoid of emotion, and he stood without another word, gathering his coat and paper and striding out the door. He didn't so much as look back as he left, leaving her standing there trying to figure out what she had said wrong.
Kagome walked woodenly back to her friends, hands mechanically reaching to pack her things up. The sudden dismissal stung a bit, but that wasn't what upset her. No, it was the way he looked at her, the stony mask that hid whatever feelings he may have had in the moment. Another sudden reminder of someone she never thought she would miss. It felt like pins and needles in a phantom limb.
She'd had enough. It was time to go home. This was another reason she always rushed to finish her projects early. So she could afford to rest when the bad days hit, and boy was this shaping up to be a rough one. She had worked so hard to grieve and let go so she could move on and not miss out on life because of what couldn't be. But suddenly missing your first love's arrogant, uptight older half-brother was not something that ever appeared on her mental health bingo card.
“-gome? Hey, Earth to Kagome!”
“Hmm? Oh, sorry Mayumi.”
“You okay? What happened, it looked like it was going really well!”
“Yeah, I thought so too. I'm gonna go home, I'll see y'all next month.”
“What? But-”
“Four full weeks, Rika. I tried, you saw how he took it, I win.”
Her friends exchanged a worried glance at her bitter tone. They'd roped Kagome into this kind of shenanigan before and while it often failed she usually just laughed it off. What made this guy so different?
“Hey, Kagome, we're sorry. We shouldn't have pushed you on this one. Why don't you let us take you out for ramen. Just the three of us okay?”
“Thanks, but I'd rather just go home for tonight. I want to be alone for awhile. I’ll call y’all tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay, if you're sure.”
“I'm sure. Bye guys.”
Shouldering her bag, Kagome left the café and headed down the road towards the bus stop. She heard the sound of footsteps coming up behind her, and she kept her eyes downcast, not wanting to have to acknowledge anyone else on her way home. Instead of passing her, the feet drew up alongside her and matched her pace. She was about to pull away when the voice attached to the feet asked “And where shall I be taking you for dinner tonight?”
His sudden reappearance, and return of the subtle teasing in his voice made her jump. “What are you doing here?!”
“Escorting you to dinner, as per our agreement. Or did you think to use me to get what you wanted from your friends and skip out on your end of the bargain?” There it was again, that sudden flip to the familiar facade on a face she didn't know. It hurt, and she didn't want to hurt, so she decided to get mad instead.
“Excuse me?! You're the one who couldn't be bothered to so much as let me know what you were doing. Not a single word, just that frigid ice prince routine and a hasty exit. I thought you were dismissing me for real. So don't give me that crap about me skipping out on an agreement when you don't even know how to communicate!”
Spinning on her heel she began to storm off, not caring what he thought of her at this point. The feet caught up with her again, but this time the voice was gentle. “I have upset you.”
“Gee, you think?”
“I apologize, it was not my intention. I had thought that a summary dismissal would get your intended point across without risk of overplaying the part. You did not strike me as the sort of woman to be upset by a man you have known less than ten minutes.”
His voice was calm and logical and it rankled her that he was right. Had he been anyone else she wouldn't have cared at all, or more accurately had he behaved like anyone else. Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, she looked back at the man with a weak smile. “You're right. Just about any other time I would have shrugged, been glad I still claimed a win, and gone on with my day. But, you have the dubious fortune of reminding me of someone I once knew, and it would seem you caught me on a day when I was ill prepared to handle the reminder. I apologize as well for my reaction, Mr...?”
“Ginkin. Ginkin, Shiro.” He offered a hand to shake but ended up taking her by the arm when she started to sway on her feet. “Ms. Higurashi, are you unwell?”
“You can't be serious?!” Her voice was too high, and thready with rising panic. “That can't be your name. Silver, gold, white....that's too much. There's no way that's really your name. Are you doing this on purpose?? Is this some sort of karmic retribution for not doing a good enough job?! What did I do to deserve this?!”
Firm hands gripped her shoulders, holding her steady as a commanding voice finally cut through the rising panic. “Ms. Higurashi, calm down!”
Her frantic ranting died in her throat as she finally looked up into eyes that felt all wrong. She couldn't help but expect hard gold. Instead she was met with concerned brown as he asked “When did you last eat?”
“Wh-what?”
“You are a student, you have professed to have little time for things that are not your coursework. Given your current erratic behavior it seems likely that you have not eaten a proper meal any time recently and are suffering ill effects from it. Come, food first, then we'll deal with whatever is unsettling you.”
Kagome let him wrap an arm around her shoulders and lead her to a small noodle shop just down the road. She stifled her reaction when she noticed the place was called Crescent House, but he seemed to notice it anyway. She was thankful that he didn't comment on it. It was warm and cozy inside and he led them to a quiet corner that would afford them a measure of privacy. He ordered tea for them, made suggestions from the menu, kept her distracted with questions about her studies, or sharing tidbits about the work he did. She was grateful but couldn't stop wondering,
“Why?”
“Why what, Ms. Higurashi?”
“Kagome.”
“Why what, Kagome?” A barely there smirk lifted his lips as he spoke.
“Why did you agree in the first place, and why did you bring me here even after I started ranting and raving at you on the sidewalk?”
“In answer to the second question, you were in distress.” He left it at that, as though easing a strange woman's pain was simply the done thing for him and why question it.
“And the first question?”
“You were refreshing, and...you reminded me of someone.” Her expression soured at being compared to someone, again. He must have noticed because he hastily added. “I apologize, I do not mean that in a negative light.”
“Sorry, you just...hit on yet another reminder of painful memories and that's like...the fifth or sixth one in the span of less than thirty minutes. I spent a long time being compared to someone's past love and never measuring up. It left me with a bit of an issue in that regard.”
“Perhaps it would help to mention that this woman was not, mine . She was with my brother, and he and I were not close, so I never got the chance to truly know her. But, like you, she held little regard for my apparent station and was never one to show...veneration for status. She was, however, always kind to anyone she came across. I cannot deny that it was irksome when I first knew her. Now though, I have grown to appreciate people who do not simply fawn or grovel based on a perception of power or wealth.
“So when you were pleased that I refused you it was a... pleasant reminder of someone I had grown to respect. And if your character proves to be of similar quality, I would not mind pursuing a better acquaintance with you.”
“Do you always speak so formally?”
“I am told I have loosened up considerably over the years.” His voice was stiff but his eyes were bright and she swore she saw the hint of a smirk as he spoke.
“You remind me of someone too.”
“Fortunately for me, I do not carry the same stigma of comparison that you do.”
She snorted. “Your ego for starters. He never once believed himself lesser to anyone. And the way you can just close yourself off and show nothing of what is going on inside your head. Though I have to admit you seem more relaxed than he ever was. He and I weren't close either, but regardless of everything that kept us from being friends, he was someone I could respect, and eventually rely on. He was my best friend's half-brother, and they didn't get along either. Towards the end, I hoped to be a bridge between them, but...that didn't work out.”
“Why not?”
“About five years ago I lost him, and several other close friends.”
“What happened?”
“That's the worst of it. I never found out. They were gone and no one could tell me what happened. I wasn't with them, I had gone home...and there was no one left to tell me anything.”
Her voice began to shake and he poured her a fresh cup of tea, giving her time to collect herself as she sipped the warm drink.
“You have been unable to find closure on the matter.”
“I tried. I have tried so hard to let myself grieve and let go. I moved to the other side of the country to try and move on. I thought I was making progress but...I go to that cafe because it's near a forest. The forest was a special place for us, and I can't even hear a simple song or encounter someone with somewhat similar personality traits without becoming an emotional wreck...”
“You cannot properly heal from a wound like that. It is like a bone that was improperly set. You can use it, but it will never be quite right, never fully support you as it once did.”
“You sound like you speak from experience.”
“The young woman I spoke of. In a sad coincidence, I do not know what became of her either. I did not see my brother for several years, when next I did, she was not with him and he would not speak of her. And, I was not so close to either of them that I had any reason to push the matter.”
“But you wanted to.” The quiet observation made him pause for a moment, as though he had never thought of it himself until she mentioned it.
“I, suppose I did.”
“Did you love her?”
“No,” he softly laughed. “I did not love anyone then. But, as I said, she never withheld friendship, and friendship at that point in my life felt as out of reach as the ‘True Love’ of fairy tales. I had realized, too late, that I desired to have someone I could view as an equal. I can admit now, that even then my ego was still the strongest aspect of my nature.”
“What about now?”
“Now?”
“Do you love her now?”
A soft huff, like wry laughter slipped out. “I see that you are a romantic. I am not. I cannot profess to love a memory of someone I barely knew. I can say however that I do desire to find the kind of friendship that she once offered.”
“So you want someone who is willing to tell you that you're not nearly so fantastic as you think you are?”
“Truly, your words fill me with a deep sense of nostalgia,” he deadpanned, and she snorted.
“Aah, now this is definitely something you don't have in common with him. He never would have found that amusing. I don't think he found anything amusing honestly.”
“I occasionally permit myself to laugh when I have secured a particularly lucrative contract at someone else's expense.”
That made her laugh, and he found he rather enjoyed the sound. He wanted to make her laugh again. “Oh, I see you share my own bloodthirsty tendencies. That bodes well for the future of our friendship.”
“Oh, we're friends already are we?”
“Well, you have propositioned me as a means to manipulate your friends into giving you what you wanted. You have yelled at me over a simple miscommunication. I have helped you through a panic attack. Now we are having dinner together and sharing our oldest and deepest traumas. Surely we are already the best of friends, are we not?” Another laugh, another bright smile. He inwardly congratulated himself.
“I suppose you're right. Okay then, new found bestie, it's getting late and I do have coursework to deal with, so I should head out for now.”
“Of course,” he said as they stood and headed for the door, “but, I would enjoy meeting with you again if you're open to it. Do you have any plans this weekend?”
“Thanks to you, none at all. What did you have in mind?”
“Perhaps coffee to start?” He pulled out a business card and wrote his personal number on the back. “Just let me know when you're available.”
“Sounds fantastic. I'll give you a call Mr.-”
“Shiro, please.”
“Shiro. I'll give you call, then.”
“I look forward to hearing from you, Kagome.”
As they shook hands goodbye they both felt a jolt, like a tiny static shock. And neither one could resist looking back over their shoulders as they walked away to their cars.