Polar Attraction by Chie

Chapter 1

Chie: This is for the lovely and super talented Rannyunny, who requested a CEO!Sess fic!

Also for SessKag Week 2020, Day 4: RomCom, because two birds, one stone, why not!

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I

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Sesshoumaru stood in front of the wide window in his top-floor office, looking down at the glinting city lights spreading out before him in the night. He brought the glass of whisky to his lips and took a good long sip of the amber liquid.

The meeting had gone on for too long. The international sales executives had been annoying and obtuse and trying to explain the North American market to him as if he was a complete idiot.

Sesshoumaru had quickly divested them of such gross misconceptions, and promptly reminded them why he was the CEO of the company. Cowed though they had been after that, it had still taken time to come to an agreement on all the necessary details relating to the upcoming international release of their newest video game.

People, Sesshoumaru sneered, taking another sip of whisky. Dealing with them was exhausting.

Proud as he was of his accomplishments and how far they’d come, there had been an appealing simplicity in the old days when they’d only just been starting out. With Miroku having the great vision and ideas, and also the charm, he had dealt with marketing and hiring and every other annoyance requiring interpersonal skills. Sesshoumaru had been happily left to deal with the finances and the programming end of things.

But their business had grown exponentially from those days; their games had become household names across the globe and Sesshoumaru found himself a CEO of a multibillion corporation. 

Which meant that now he, too, was forced to deal with people, at least whenever there was another meeting to sit in. 

Still, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sesshoumaru had been born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. His father, a former warlord, was now the head of a formidable multinational electronics conglomerate that he’d first founded back in Meiji era. And though he had given Sesshoumaru and Miroku financial backing when they had been starting out, Sesshoumaru had paid him back every yen.

All of this, the company, the top-floor office, the CEO position, were of Sesshoumaru’s own making, which made them all the more precious.

He could easily have found employment in his father’s company. 

He could easily have lived off his father’s money without pursuing any employment at all, had he so wished.

But Sesshoumaru had desired to make his own way, to come to his own power instead of relying on his father’s influence.

And in that, he had succeeded. Sesshoumaru’s lips curved, and he downed the rest of his whisky. 

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II

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An important deadline to a big project they'd been working on the past two years was fast approaching. Everyone was working hard and long hours, doing their utmost to meet the deadline.

Even Sesshoumaru had left the lofty luxury of his top floor office and the daily grind of his administrative work so he could focus on his other strength: programming.

He'd commandeered a spare desk in the programming department and sat there, typing intently – one of the herd of his senior and junior programmers. 

When asked to, he might flit around the room to troubleshoot or check out a code or help someone hitting a digital wall.

After wrangling a particularly stubborn piece of code to do what it was supposed to do, Sesshoumaru leaned back in his chair and stretched.

A youkai had not been meant to crouch in front of a computer screen.

He needed to get up and walk, his neck was starting to ache.

More importantly, he needed coffee.

He could have headed for the breakroom or one of the vending machines out in the hallway but he preferred coffee of better quality and the café on the ground floor should still be open.

Besides, going down to the café would allow him to stretch his legs. 

Instead of the elevator, Sesshoumaru took the stairs. He walked down the five flights and the exercise helped ease the tension from his body. 

For a brief moment, he longed to let his youki burst out, to transform and run… but letting loose like that in the middle of Tokyo would be to no one’s benefit, least of all Sesshoumaru’s.

A few key people here and there might have been aware of the existence of youkai, but the public at large remained unaware.

Even if they’d try to explain the incident away by claiming to be filming a new kaiju movie, giving in to his true nature would be a heedless risk. 

Sesshoumaru stifled his growl. 

He’d feel better after he’d get his coffee.

Sesshoumaru pushed into the lobby, but instead of making a beeline to the café as he had intended to, he came to a halt.

There seemed to be some kind of a commotion going on at the front desk. The security was there, frowning down at a woman.

Sesshoumaru wasn't sure which reached him first; the cold spark of purity that sent a shiver down his spine or the scent, so sweet and beckoning that for a moment Sesshoumaru's mind went blank.

Before his brain had quite caught up with his actions, he was already striding towards the front desk, his instincts screaming at him, his blood thrumming in his veins, his youki coiling in tight around him.

The security guards had noticed his approach and were standing at attention.

Sesshoumaru ignored them.

He stared at the woman facing them. She had her arms crossed over her chest, her cheeks flushed with temper, her blue eyes narrowed in annoyance, her wealth of dark hair flowing freely down her back.

She was the most magnificent thing Sesshoumaru had ever seen.

“What seems to be the problem,” he asked, his voice coming out a rumble, his eyes still trained on the woman.

“Sir, the miss here claims to be a relative of one of our employees and seems to have some concerns about his welfare. We’ve offered to contact his department to check up on him, but she’s very insistent about being allowed up to see her relative herself.”

“I just need to see that my brother is alright, with my own two eyes,” the woman snapped.

“Again, Miss, we simply can’t allow –”

“Has she offered you any form of identification?” Sesshoumaru cut in.

“I have,” the woman replied, her irritated gaze flickering to him.

Sesshoumaru met her eyes.

“And does that information correspond with that we have of her brother?”

The security guard shifted. “Sir, it does, but we still can’t allow her to go up unaccompanied and –”

Sesshoumaru slanted them a sharp glance and the security guard shut up.

Even with his instincts howling at him, he understood the risk.

He couldn’t detect any deception from the woman, anger and worry were the only things she seemed to radiate at the moment.

But she could have been an accomplished actress, with a plausible story and well-forged false identification. 

She could have been a reporter after a scoop. Or something much worse.

Corporate espionage was a serious threat in this day and age.

But despite the risk, and perhaps because that sweet scent of hers wrapping around his being stirred his blood, he believed her story. Trusted her to be sincere.

“Very well. In that case, I will accompany her. What department is her brother in?”

“But Sir, I don’t think… Ah, the design department, Sir.”

Sesshoumaru gave him a brisk nod, then turned to the woman.

“Come with me.”

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III

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Kagome’s shoulders slumped in relief when the elevator doors slid shut. She was one step closer to Souta now and making sure he was ok, but she couldn’t fully relax yet.

She slanted a glance at the man who’d come to her rescue.

“Thank you for helping me.”

He gave her a curt nod.

She was all too aware of him, in the contained space they were in. She wasn’t sure if it was the fact that he was startlingly handsome or the fact that he must have been one of the managers for the security guards to react to him the way they had… or maybe the weight of his lingering gaze pressing against her skin.

It could have been any of those things – or all of those things – but something about him set Kagome on the edge.

He had such a… presence. 

“I’m sorry I was creating a commotion down there,” Kagome said. 

When nervous, she had a tendency to talk. A lot.

“I don’t normally behave like that, it’s just that my brother never came home last night and his phone is turned off and when those guards didn’t listen to me I just got so mad…”

“I understand,” the man replied, his voice smooth and deep. “It is very natural to be concerned in a situation like that, and such emotions easily get the best of a person.”

She turned to him.

“However, irritating as the guards were, they were only doing their job,” he continued. “Competition is fierce and we’re working on a very important project right now. Any information leaking outside and to our competitors would be most unfortunate.”

Kagome blushed and looked down at her feet. 

Now that she had had a bit of time to calm down, she realised how rude she had been at the front desk. She’d have to apologise profusely – after she had made sure Souta was alright.

“Shall we?”

Kagome started and found the man looking at her expectantly. She hadn’t even realised that the elevator had stopped.

“Yes. Sorry.” 

She scooted out, all too aware of the man following behind her.

“This way,” he intoned. 

Kagome had to walk quickly to match his large strides. 

She frowned at his back, clad in an elegant suit.  

What was it about him? Something nagged at her that she couldn’t quite make sense of; something sending her nerves skittering. 

They came to a big, open-concept office. Even though it was getting late in the evening, most of the desks were still occupied. Some people were furiously tapping at their keyboards, others were muttering to themselves under their breath. Some were sketching or writing on bits of paper, others were conversing with one another, heads together.

And scanning the room, one familiar figure stood out to her from the mass.

“Souta!”

Her brother’s head jerked up and he turned away from his computer screen as Kagome hurried towards him.

“Kagome? What are you doing here?”

Souta’s eyes were rounded in surprise but soon they squeezed shut and he hissed out in pain.

“Ow, what the heck?”

Kagome let go of the shoulder she’d pinched and crossed her arms.

“I had to come to see for myself that you were still alive,” she said, her immense relief at finding Souta OK now turning into anger. “You had us worried sick!”

“What? Why? I told you I might have to stay late because there’s a deadline coming up,” Souta said.

“Staying late, yes. But you didn’t say you wouldn’t come home at all. And then you weren’t answering any of our calls and messages either.”

Souta dug his phone out of his jeans’ pocket and grimaced.

“Sorry. I forgot to charge it. Anyway, I’m fine, I worked late last night and then crashed in one of the break rooms.”

“I understand that if you need to stay late working it might be easier to just sleep over here at the office,” Kagome said, her tone gentler now. “But if you decide to do that, please let us know, so we won’t have to worry.”

“I will. I promise. I’m sorry, big sis.”

Kagome smiled and ruffled his hair. “Apology accepted.”  

Souta grumbled and tried to smooth his hair back into place.

“Now go away, I need to work.”

“Love you too, Souta. Take care, ok?”

“Yeah, yeah. See you at home.”

He’d turned back to his computer.

Kagome stared at the back of his head and sighed in affectionate exasperation.

Oddly, it was comforting to know that even if they were both grown up, her little brother still remained a brat.

It felt a little odd to just turn and leave; after making such a commotion she hadn’t even spent five minutes upstairs. But she’d done what she’d come here for, made sure that Souta was all right. 

It was obvious that everyone was very busy, so Kagome walked back over to the elevators.

The man she had met in the lobby was still standing there just outside the office, waiting for her. 

Her heart skittered again as she saw him, goosebumps blooming down her arms.

“Did you find your brother?” he asked, the deep smooth voice enough to send a shiver down Kagome’s spine.

“Yes, he was fine, just too busy with work to charge his phone or let his family know he’s well,” Kagome said, rolling her eyes. 

“I’m glad everything was resolved,” the man intoned, then gestured towards the elevators. 

Kagome resumed her walking and stepped into the elevator when it arrived. The man stepped in after her, and pushed for the lobby.

Kagome leaned against the wall of the car, feeling both exhausted and embarrassed now that she knew Souta was ok. There had been a café downstairs, hadn’t there? She’d have to go in and buy something there to leave at the front desk as an apology.

Startled, she realised that the elevator had stopped moving.

Biting her lip, she turned her head, only to find the man staring at her.

Having his undivided attention flustered Kagome. She could feel her cheeks warm as she dropped her gaze.

“Thank you so much for helping me out,” she said.

“You already thanked me,” the man replied.

“Well, I’m still very grateful,” she said.

He inclined his head. “The pleasure was mine.”

Something in his voice had Kagome’s breath catching.

Blushing furiously, she stammered a goodbye and then left the elevator, heading towards the café.

The man’s lingering stare made the spot between her shoulder blades tingle every step of the way across the lobby.

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IV

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The woman didn't leave him alone.

Brief though their encounter had been, over the next week Sesshoumaru kept picking apart every word they had exchanged. Her expressions had been carved into his memory and he would study them to better discern her moods. He would replay the sound of her voice in his head, to a degree he was sure he had her tones memorised. He couldn’t forget that sweet light scent that had teased his nose. 

Never before had he encountered anyone who had so stirred his instincts.

Briefly, he had wondered if the cause for such a reaction had been the frisson of purity he had sensed. Then he had decided against it – after all, miko could be said to be a natural enemy to youkai, so it made little sense that meeting one would cause such yearning.

Of course, a mere memory could not sustain him forever, so, eventually, Sesshoumaru had to move from thoughts to action. 

He found her on social media, although it took him a while. She was a nurse. And single. Or at least she’d never posted about a boyfriend from what he could see.

For the longest time, that was where Sesshoumaru was stalled.

Sesshoumaru wasn’t sure how to proceed, what would be the best way to approach the woman he was longing for. 

When, on one evening, he found himself semi-seriously considering faking an injury or an illness so that he might go to the hospital she worked at and orchestrate a way to meet her again, he knew that something had to be done before this woman would drive him into insanity.

He would do what he always did and approach the problem head on.

It was easy to find her address from the personnel files they had for her younger brother. 

Sesshoumaru was well aware that it was an invasion of privacy, but sometimes the ends justified the means. And a forthright approach would at least have more honour than any way he might attempt to engineer an “accidental” meeting.

He packed his things, shot a quick e-mail off to Miroku, and left work early. 

He didn’t know anything about the woman’s schedule, didn’t even know if she was working today let alone what shift she might be in. 

But Sesshoumaru fervently wished that fate would be on his side, and he was prepared to wait.

He plugged the address into the navigation system of his car, then drove across Tokyo. 

The Higurashi home appeared in fact to be a shrine – which, given that the woman was a miko, shouldn’t have come as a surprise to Sesshoumaru.

He parked near the curb, then looked at the long wooden staircase rising from the sidewalk, leading up to a torii gate.  

Then, he settled in to wait. 

Sesshoumaru didn’t know how long he sat there in his car, his window cracked open, his radio on to try and alleviate his boredom, with his fingers drumming against the steering wheel and his gaze trained on the sidewalk, never wavering.

Finally, the light tantalising scent he’d memorised teased his nose.

Sesshoumaru sat up straighter, then quickly got out of the car. Standing still, intent like the predator he was, he stared up the street and at the approaching figure. 

She looked up just then, her blue eyes widening from surprise.

Her steps slowed but didn’t falter as she continued walking towards him. 

Sesshoumaru’s nostrils flared as he inhaled her scent, his eyes becoming hooded for a few lingering seconds. He watched her approach; she was far lovelier than the memories he’d been cherishing.

He hadn’t even talked to her yet, and Sesshoumaru already felt that coming here had been worthwhile, simply because he had got to see her again.

She stopped at a respectful distance and fidgeted.

Sesshoumaru greeted her with a small bow. “Miss Higurashi.”

She mirrored the gesture, offering him a hesitant hello in return.

“I apologise for showing up unannounced like this,” Sesshoumaru continued. “It must seem rude to approach you like this, waiting around near your house, but I really wanted to see you again.”

Miss Higurashi blinked.

To Sesshoumaru’s relief, she appeared neither alarmed nor annoyed at finding him waiting for her. The emotion most clear on her features was confusion.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“First, I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Nishizuka Sesshoumaru. And what I want is to take you out on a date. I’d like that very much, actually.”

Miss Higurashi was staring at him, as well as the business card he was holding out, her lips parted. 

For a moment, silence reigned between them.

Then, Miss Higurashi found her voice, though it was squeakier than before and the words tumbled out in a stammer.

“I, umm, what? Really? Why?”

The corners of Sesshoumaru’s lips twisted. He was thoroughly charmed by the woman, and seeing her so flustered because of him stroked his ego in the most delicious way.

“Because I really wish to know you better,” he told her earnestly. “After our meeting, I haven’t seemed to be able to forget about you.”

She was blushing now, and Sesshoumaru couldn’t take his eyes off of her. 

Her fingers trembled as she accepted his card. She fumbled around her handbag for a moment before pulling out a business card that she offered to him in return.

Sesshoumaru accepted it gracefully, and ran his thumb over the hiragana spelling out her first name.

Kagome.

Warmth swelled in his chest.

“Your answer, Miss Higurashi?” he prompted, a smile curving his lips.

“I…” She bit her lip, tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. Then she looked up at him, blue eyes soft. “Yes. I’d like that.”

Sesshoumaru’s smile widened, and though he did stamp out the primitive urge to howl in victory, he couldn’t help the flare of his aura, trying to weave his youki around her. 

“I’m glad,” Sesshoumaru said. “Thank you for indulging me, Miss Higurashi. I won’t take any more of your time. I’ll contact you so we can settle the details of our date.”

“Sure,” Miss Higurashi replied, still holding his card in her hand. “I’m looking forward to it,” she added, flashing him a shy smile.

“I am, too,” Sesshoumaru told her, his gaze intent on her, hoping to commit the sweetness of that smile into his memory. “I’ll be in touch,” he promised.

Then, he bowed and left.

Pulling out in his car, he looked into the rear-view mirror and found Miss Higurashi still standing by the shrine steps. 

A rare bark of laughter bubbled up Sesshoumaru’s throat as a sense of euphoria the likes of which he’d never experienced before swept over him. 

He had no idea what the miko was doing to him, why she was affecting him so.

And at this point, Sesshoumaru did not even care.

He was already craving more of it; more of her.

He couldn’t wait for their date and getting to see her again.

He’d have to get home soon so he could start planning.

Nothing short of perfect wouldn’t do.

His miko deserved the best.

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V

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Kagome clutched at the business card in her hand. Her heart was racing, but it had nothing to do with the stairs she was climbing. She was in a daze, still trying to wrap her mind around what had actually just happened.

The hot manager from where Souta worked had been waiting for her because he’d wanted to see her again. Because he’d wanted to ask her out?

She looked at the business card in her hand, just to reassure it was all real. 

There was nothing on there but a phone number, and a name spelled out in elegant kanji.

Nishizuka Sesshoumaru. 

It sounded faintly familiar, but Kagome wasn’t sure where she’d heard it.

Maybe Souta had mentioned it at some point.

Even with the proof in her hand, Kagome was having a hard time believing that the conversation from ten minutes ago had actually taken place.

Stuff like this didn’t happen to Kagome.

Sure, she had been asked out before – there had been Houjou back in high school and then Kouga when she’d been in university – but a hot guy she’d met by a chance purposefully seeking her out because he wanted to see again?

Unreal.

That was just something straight out of a movie, wasn’t it?

Kagome smiled at the card.

The butterflies were going crazy in her stomach and she wasn’t sure what to make of the tangle of emotions weighing in her chest. Her imagination was already taking wing as she couldn’t help wondering what their date would be like.

She needed to get home and calm herself down, Kagome decided, racing up the remaining stairs with light feet. 

But even after she’d got home, taken a quick shower and changed into more comfortable clothes, she was humming to herself as she helped her mother prepare dinner.

She kept smiling to herself. Every chime of her phone made her jump, as she was desperately waiting for Mr Nishizuka to contact her, and she kept patting her shirt’s pocket where she’d stowed the business card she’d got. 

Her mother made comment of her good mood, but other than asking if everything had gone well at work didn’t press for more details as to what had caused it.

Souta, of course, as younger siblings were wont to do, wasn’t as considerate.

They were all sitting at the table, enjoying dinner, when Souta set down his chopsticks with a frown.

“All right, sis, spill it. You’re so cheery it’s getting gross, what gives?”

Kagome, suddenly put on the spot, squirmed in her seat.

A part of her didn’t want to tell; she liked how right now it felt like a secret just between her and Mr Nishizuka.

But she also didn’t want to come up with a lie, so after some fidgeting, she did confess.

“Someone asked me out on a date today.”

“That’s nice.” Kagome’s mother smiled. “Was it someone from work?”

“No, it was someone from Souta’s work, actually.”

Souta nearly spat out his drink. “What? Who? How do you know anyone I work with?”

“I met him a while back when you hadn’t come home and weren’t answering your phone. The security didn’t want to let me in so he interfered and helped me out, took me up to the office to see you. He’s someone from management, I think.”

“Who?” Souta asked again, looking a little ill.

“Nishizuka Sesshoumaru.”

“Nishizuka…” Souta sputtered. “Kagome, that’s not someone from management. He’s the big boss!”

“Eh?” 

“You have a date with the big boss?” Souta repeated, stunned.

Kagome felt just as confused as Souta looked. She reached for her pocket to pull out the card. It came out the flip side up, the side she hadn’t even noticed before.

On it, against a black background, was the familiar crescent moon logo and the name of the company Souta worked for, Luna Kabushiki gaisha.

Underneath were three simple letters that shook Kagome to the core: CEO.

Kagome stared at the card, still clutched by her shaking fingers. 

Wide-eyed, she looked up from it.

Souta met her gaze from across the table, looking pale and shocked himself.

“He’s the big boss,” Kagome whispered, and just like that the whole thing became wholly surreal again.

Being asked out by the CEO of a multibillion corporation? 

Definitely filed under things that simply didn’t happen to Higurashi Kagome and under unrealistic movie plotlines.

It did of course explain a lot of things – the way the security guards had acted, and why his name had sounded familiar. She must have read it in countless of newspaper articles written about him or the company over the years. 

It also explained why he had such a powerful and commanding presence.

Kagome tucked the card carefully back into the pocket, and then pushed the rice around in her bowl, her appetite vanished.

The butterflies in her stomach were working themselves up into a frenzy.

Half of her was giddy with excitement while the other half was absolutely terrified.

And yet, both halves were united in one aspect: Kagome really wanted to see Mr Nishizuka again.

Nervous as she was, now that she knew precisely who she was up against, she was still looking forward to the date.

After all, having your life suddenly turning into a movie only happened once in a lifetime, right?

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VI

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Sesshoumaru stood in front of the café, his spine stiff against the restless instinct to pace the sidewalk.

It was early evening in early October, but the weather was still mild – and cold wouldn’t bother Sesshoumaru anyway.

His sharp gaze followed the passers-by as he waited for Kagome to arrive. 

Sesshoumaru had taken a rare day off from work, just because of his date this evening.

Well, he had gone to work as usual in the morning, at first… But after two hours and three enormous coding mistakes and a big meeting where he had been unusually snarly, it had become clear he wasn’t accomplishing anything and couldn’t concentrate on work at all.

So he had gone back home to his apartment where he had been practically climbing up the walls while waiting for the hours to tick by agonisingly slow.

The very important preparations he left till the last minute hadn’t made the time pass any quicker, and in the end Sesshoumaru had come to their agreed meeting spot – a cute and trendy café Miroku’s fiancée had recommended – forty minutes early.

Sesshoumaru glanced at his watch again. Only six minutes left now.

Anticipation thrummed through Sesshoumaru’s veins.

He had never really felt this way, his emotions were a confusing knot of polar opposites all mixed up with one another.

He’d been planning this date for two weeks and was sure everything would be perfect. He also remembered fondly how flustered the miko had been when he’d asked her out.

So naturally, he was brimming with confidence.

At the same time, however, he really wanted to impress Kagome.

This wasn’t just a date to him; if all went well, this would just be the beginning. Deep down in his heart, spurred on by the wild insistent howl of his youkai instincts, Sesshoumaru knew he was playing for keeps.

That meant the stakes were high – the highest they’d ever been in his personal life. 

Besides, even a perfect plan could only help him so far, because things did not always go according to plan. And you could never really completely anticipate another person’s reactions. Certainly not with the insufficient data Sesshoumaru had been operating on. 

A sweet light fragrance pulled Sesshoumaru out of his muddled thoughts and he immediately stood straighter as he scanned the crowd, seeking his miko.

He found her quickly, his youki flaring in a delighted greeting. 

She noticed him, offering him a small, cute wave as she made her way towards him. 

Excitement built up like a tidal wave and Sesshoumaru's nerves hummed as age-old instincts, long dormant until now, rose to the surface. 

The time had come, for him to try and win over his chosen female.

She stopped a few yards away, and nervously straightened her jacket before greeting him with a rather formal bow.

Sesshoumaru inclined his head in return.

"Hello, Miss Higurashi. I'm glad you could make it."

"Ahh, please, call me Kagome." She looked up, meeting his gaze, her blue eyes holding him captive. "I'm glad you asked me out."

"The pleasure's all mine," Sesshoumaru told her, meaning every word.

She was blushing again, and Sesshoumaru was enraptured.

He gestured towards the café. "Shall we?"

Kagome nodded, and followed Sesshoumaru inside.

They made their order, and Sesshoumaru gallantry carried their purchases to the table Kagome had chosen.

She had opted for a hot chocolate and a slice of cheesecake, while Sesshoumaru had gone for the house blend with a double shot of espresso and some daifuku. 

They settled in, and after some initial silence loaded by slight tension, Sesshoumaru manage to coax Kagome into a conversation.

“Tell me about yourself,” he asked, his intent gaze studying her over the rim of his coffee cup.

“I’m not sure there’s all that much to tell,” she replied, shrugging.

“I think there’s plenty,” Sesshoumaru countered. “And I want to hear all of it.”

“Well, I’m twenty-four and a Tokyo native. I have a younger brother, as you know. Other than him, my family consists of my mom and my grandfather. I live at a shrine, which you probably know already, too. I work as a nurse at the Tokyo Metropolitan Children’s Medical Centre.”

Sesshoumaru’s eyebrow rose. “Really? You’re a nurse at a children’s hospital? That is very impressive, Kagome.”

“Oh, please. It isn’t half as impressive as your job, Mr Nishizuka,” she said, shaking her head.

“Sesshoumaru,” he responded immediately. “And I do believe that caring for sick and injured children has much more value than making video games,” he added.

“They’re not just video games,” Kagome replied, her blue eyes stormy in a display both of temper and passion. “You provide joy and entertainment. An escape to people. Do you know how popular handheld game consoles are with the inpatients at the hospital, especially those who require long-term care?”

Sesshoumaru sat still and silent. He could all but feel his attraction deepening at this show of emotion, at this impassioned defence of the worlds and stories he created for living.

Wholly subconsciously, tendrils of his youki were swirling around Kagome, brushing against her aura. 

She absentmindedly rubbed her arm, as if warding off a chill.

“The point is,” she said sternly, “that what you do is really important. More important than you probably even realise.”

“I could say the same to you,” Sesshoumaru replied, his voice warm with the tenderness swelling in his chest. “I have great admiration for you and the work you do.”

“Thank you,” Kagome said, her cheeks flushing.

“And I hope at some point I might be able to visit the hospital you work at personally, to see the difference you claim my games are making,” Sesshoumaru continued.

Kagome’s eyes sparked. “I’m sure that can be arranged, and then I can prove to you it’s all true!”

Sesshoumaru’s lips quirked into a smile.

“I will hold you to that, Kagome. It’s a date.”

The blush returned full force, and Kagome looked down at her her cooling hot chocolate.

But she was smiling; another sweet expression that Sesshoumaru engraved into his heart.

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VII

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When Kagome had taken a seat back at the café she had slumped in relief. 

She'd been a nervous wreck for the entire week leading up to the date.

She'd tried to read up on Nishizuka Sesshoumaru to prepare herself but had only managed to twist herself into tighter knots.

She'd fretted over her makeup and agonised over her outfit, which she had ended up changing twice before she'd felt confident enough to leave the safety of her room.

Confident enough that someone like her, an overworked and underpaid nurse, could truly walk arm in arm in public with a CEO whose net worth was counted in billions.

Seeing him standing there, tall and handsome in his long, dark coat, waiting for her, had set the butterflies flitting about in a frenzy. 

Her nerves had made an appearance though this time, instead of just blurting out any word coming to her mind she’d been all but tongue-tied.

But going into the café with him had set her at ease.

It had been a very nice place. Trendy, certainly nicer than a regular café. It’d had that distinctive mood some places just carried. 

Kagome had been positively surprised. 

It also hadn’t been one of those super upscale and insanely fancy places she’d been mentally preparing herself for.

She hadn’t felt like a fish out of water like she had feared.

She had felt… like a young woman out on a date with an attractive man in a very nice coffee shop. 

And she had smiled.

The evening had progressed much more smoothly from there.

The conversation between them flowed surprisingly naturally. 

That was probably because, for whatever reason, Sesshoumaru seemed to be genuinely interested in Kagome’s life, and asked several very mindful questions so he could learn all the more.

The hot chocolate was divine, and the cheesecake sweet.

Kagome’s smile came easily and her nerves had calmed by the time their cups and plates were empty.

“I was thinking we might take a little stroll next,” Sesshoumaru suggested. “Make some room for dessert.”

“Dessert?” Kagome laughed. “I just ate a slice of cake.”

“Trust me,” Sesshoumaru said, his golden eyes glowing with amusement.

Kagome shrugged, and with something in the pit of her stomach quivering, realised that she did. 

She put on her jacket and then followed Sesshoumaru out.

Evening had truly fallen now, but the streets of Tokyo were still busy and well-lit. They walked the streets, side by side, turning after a while to stroll along a river and then crossing a small park.

And as they walked, all the while a light conversation ebbed between them in a rapid-fire game.

“Favourite beverage?” Sesshoumaru asked.

“Hot chocolate,” Kagome replied, grinning. “Yours?”

“Whisky.”

“Favourite colour?” Kagome asked in turn.

“Dark blue. You?”

“Pink.”

And so it went, back and forth, punctuated here and there by quick side-glances, secret smiles, even a laugh or two. 

Eventually, they started moving towards a business district, and though Kagome was curious as to what their destination and the promised ‘dessert’ were, she held her tongue and followed Sesshoumaru’s lead. 

His plan started to become clearer, however, when Kagome noticed the lit sign of a company’s name built into the side of one of the towering buildings. 

“Really?” She said, slanting a sly look at Sesshoumaru. “Can’t stay away from work for one evening?”

“You’ll like it, I promise,” Sesshoumaru said, as he steered her towards the Luna headquarters. 

“I’ll hold you to that,” Kagome quipped, earning a smirk from Sesshoumaru in return.

He escorted her to the building, bringing her in through a side door he unlocked. They headed straight to the elevator, and Kagome couldn’t help a giggle.

“Don’t tell me you brought us here for old time’s sake?” she said as they entered the elevator.

Laughter lit Sesshoumaru’s eyes as he pushed the button for the top floor. “Not entirely.”

“If you say so.” Kagome leaned against the wall, remembering her first meeting with Sesshoumaru, riding up with him in this very same elevator.

She felt more comfortable around him now that she knew him a little better.

But his presence still had that mysterious edge to it.

“You know, I should have guessed that you were the CEO even if you didn’t explicitly tell me,” Kagome murmured. 

“How so?” Sesshoumaru asked, curiosity colouring his voice.

“You have this… aura, I guess.” Kagome shrugged, and vaguely noticed the elevator slide to a smooth stop. “I can’t really explain it, just something about you that I feel but can’t put my finger on it. Does that make any sense?”

He was silent for a while, and when Kagome looked at him, all signs of amusement had vanished from his face.

“That makes a lot of sense,” he said. 

For a moment, even in the bright elevator lights, Kagome could have sworn his eyes flashed.

A shiver slid down Kagome’s spine.

“You can feel that, can you?”

“I…” Her skin tingled as goosebumps erupted up her arms. “Yes, I can. What is it?”

“You were more correct than you even realised when you spoke of an aura,” he said, his voice soft and serious. “It’s because you are a miko in truth, Kagome.”

Kagome blinked. “What does that mean?”

Sesshoumaru sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. 

“I’m about to tell you a very personal secret, Kagome. Something I would not usually share on the first date. But I trust you. And I feel like you deserve to know the full truth so we can pursue a relationship honestly. Because I truly wish to have a relationship with you, Kagome. A real one.”

Kagome’s words and breath caught in her throat. She was trapped by Sesshoumaru’s grave golden gaze, unable to look away from him.

Then, something in the air shimmered, shifted. Kagome’s nose itched.

And then, a gasp was torn from her, because Sesshoumaru…

Sesshoumaru had changed.

His hair had changed colour to a captivating silver-white. His eyes, his stature, his features… everything looked same and familiar as before, but odd markings now decorated his forehead and cheeks, vivid and startling. And his hands… Those could only be described as claws.

“W-what? What’s going on?” Kagome stammered. She hugged herself, as pressure built in the air around them.

“This is who I am,” Sesshoumaru said calmly. “A youkai.”

“A youkai?” Kagome said, her voice gaining another octave with this revelation. “Seriously? But youkai are a myth! They’re not real! They –” 

Something warm and electric flared in the air, and Kagome’s protests died.

She drew in a quivering breath. Another. 

“A youkai?” she repeated after a moment, in a strangled whisper. 

Sesshoumaru nodded.

“Yes. An inuyoukai, to be precise.”

Kagome’s fingers twitched.

Before she even registered what she was doing, she had already reached out to him.

Her finger ran along the sharp magenta stripe on his cheek, his skin warm and smooth under her touch. Until she had to jerk back with a hiss of pain when something like static electricity crackled to life between then.

Sesshoumaru’s expression didn’t change, but he did raise his hand to rub his cheek.

“And that is what it means to be a true miko,” he said, his voice wry. “Your kind and mine are polar opposites in many aspects.”

Kagome’s gaze darted between her finger and Sesshoumaru and she blushed furiously as embarrassment flooded her.

“Sorry, I didn’t know.”

“It’s all right,” Sesshoumaru reassured her, his voice gentle. He took her hand in his. “We’ll figure it out.”

“We will, huh?” Kagome muttered, shaking her head at his confidence.

But also, youkai or not, it was very flattering that he showed such interest in her. 

“Yes,” he said, tugging her along and leading her out of the elevator. “We will. And now to the surprise.”

“You mean there hasn’t been enough surprises yet for one night?” Kagome retorted, liking the way he so casually held her hand.

“Well, the surprise just now wasn’t planned, and this next one is much more pleasant,” Sesshoumaru said, pulling her after him through a door and to a staircase.

“Do you still trust me?” he asked, starting up the stairs.

Kagome stared at his back as she followed, her heart softening at the open vulnerability his voice betrayed.

Kagome squeezed his hand. “I do,” she said. 

And she meant it.

It would take her a while yet to really process everything she had just been told.

To come to grips with the fact that youkai were real and breathing and walking the streets of Japan. 

Longer still to accept it.

But she could tell already that it didn’t change all that much between her and Sesshoumaru. His personality stayed the same, as had his appearance, even – for the most part.

She really did appreciate honesty, and it had been a brave thing to reveal such a big and personal secret so early on in their acquaintance.

Sesshoumaru reached the top of the staircase. There was another door waiting, which he unlocked and swung open. Pulling his hand from hers, he gestured for her to go in first.

Kagome raised her eyebrows at him, but stepped out of the door.

Wind whipped at her hair. The skyscrapers rose around her, their multiple windows glittering against the dark night sky like stars. Above them, peeking from behind a cloud was the moon, nearly full.

“It’s beautiful,” Kagome whispered.

And then she saw what Sesshoumaru had prepared for her on the roof.

There were cushions strewn in the middle of the flat rooftop to sit on. A blanket spread out between them, on which a proper picnic had been laid out. Surrounding the scene there were at least a dozen lanterns, the candlelight glowing softly in the night, and also several potted plants, adding onto the atmosphere.

“Wow,” Kagome breathed, awed by everything she was seeing. “This is the dessert?” she asked, turning to Sesshoumaru.

He shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. “It’s almost the time for Otsukimi, so I thought it would be appropriate.”

“I wouldn’t call this appropriate,” Kagome huffed. 

It was sweet. It was thoughtful. It was wonderful. It was impressive.

It was like one of those grand gestures that you might see in a movie.

She looked up at him and their gazes locked, tension humming in the air as they studied one another in the moonlight. 

And because Kagome was touched by the effort Sesshoumaru had put into the entire evening, because she was flattered by his obvious interest, because this date had proven to be even beyond her wildest dreams…

She decided to be brave, too.

Kagome closed their distance. She could feel his aura thrum stronger when she pressed close. His golden eyes were intent on her, never breaking their gaze, their connection.

Until she did, by closing her eyes, a fraction of a second before she brushed her lips against his in a shy kiss.

It had meant to be small and swift, but as Kagome’s heart started racing madly it evolved into something slow and soft and sweet instead. 

Or, at least, it was sweet, until that same weird static shock thing from earlier happened again, forcing Kagome to pull back with a rueful “owwww.”

Sesshoumaru’s eyes were hooded. He was smiling, although it was a very dry sort of a smile.

“We really do need to figure that one out,” Kagome muttered, grimacing.

“We will,” Sesshoumaru replied. “We have plenty of time for that.”

Kagome slanted an assessing glance at him and smiled. “I guess we do.”

The look in Sesshoumaru’s eyes was so sweet and tender that Kagome had to turn away and briskly set her hands on her hips.

“Right then, I was promised dessert.”

Sesshoumaru’s chuckle was smooth and silky, the hand he pressed against the small of Kagome’s back warm even through all the layers of clothing she was wearing.

“Right this way, my priestess. Your banquet awaits.”