Tabloids by SuWan

Front page

Hello everyone!

I know, it is odd to see another story despite one gone. There are reasons for such, but I will not discuss it nor continue on the matter since I won't have the chance to properly do so. Know, that I am not upset or spiteful at all, please understand. I take what is given to me and use it positively.

Please, have patience with this tale as it will be weaved to its full maturity slowly.

Dedication: I dedicate this story to those of you whom inspire me.

Disclaimer: This is a total work of fiction. I do not own any of the InuYasha characters. This is strictly a fan project of composition and there is no monetary gain to be had. Any occurences similiar to others is strictly coincidental.

Chapter one:

Front Page

Things happen for a reason. But that's not reason enough to give up always.

...

Screeeech!

"Everyone on-board air Japan-- We would like to Welcome you to Tokyo, Japan! Thank you for flying with us. The date is December 3rd, 2014, the current time is 6:02 pm and the temperature is 40 degree celsius... I am told, we had a very special guest flying with us! Authoress Higurashi is on board with us-- everyone, give a big hand and cheer to her."

Jostling from the sudden fanfare of attention, Kagome awoke dazed, her eyes scrunching in a stupor. She after all had taken a nap she was so enjoying.

Attention was something the young woman never enjoyed lately.

Ignoring the desire to shudder and roll her eyes at the obvious excited smiles--she braced herself mentally for the possible onslaught of the begging autograph or two. She wasn't coherent enough for this. Still drunk with sleep.

Giving a half-hearted smile and modest bow of her head, she meekly waved her hand before curling back into the safe confine of her seat against the window. Window seats were always the best, the idea of truly being able to fly was exhilarating. Seeing the world from so high above was a breathtaking moment that she--ever since a child, had enjoyed.

However, with a frown, Kagome only got to see men bundled up for warmth and the obviously used tarmac with carts slowly moving here and there and a luggage falling, Someone's not gonna be happy, she thought seeing the contents having spilled out whilst men scrambled to secure the luggage agai-- "Miss Higurashi? Can I have an autograph--I'm one of your biggest fans and I would really like to give this to my wife since we both really love your books!" came a trembling male voice.

Shoulders slumping she really didn't want to sign anything, why did they have to announce her on the flight? Why didn't they just leave her alone? And why didn't these people already get off the plane? She wanted to be the last to get off, enjoy taking her time  and just breathe.

"I-I really do--"she began interrupted, "Please Miss Higurashi! It would make our day brighter," begged the man.

Sighing, she turned to the man eying him once to see what she could write about him in her tiny message. Signing the piece of stained napkin airfare paper offered to her wouldn't hurt she supposed finally.  It would get him to stop bothering her at least.

Taking her pen out from her blazers breast pocket, she bit the cap off and left her small message with a John Hancock.

Closing her pen and securing it back into place all before handing back, a now signed--and stained, paper napkin.

"Oh! Thank you Miss Higurashi! Thank you-- we will cherish this autograph," this was her chance she knew. Small smiles aside, this was her chance to get away. Hands adjusting her pea coat and scarf, she took firm hold of her small leather bag. Run while they are awestruck, c'mon girl we gotta get out of here.

Raising from her seat abruptly and just missing the base of the overhead compartment, Kagome waved off any further pleas or proclamations with a smile and quickly made her way down the aisle and out of the cabin.

This was happening too often. Kagome at first didn't mind the attention- with her work being praised. She being a best-selling authoress and all. Or was, she thought a bit too bitterly-- or was it shame?

Lately, Kagome had found herself in a dump so-to-say. After the small leak that happened during her book tour, she just wanted to get away from it all. She even left Japan to breath in America-- New York specifically, for a moment..and just...be herself again. It still stung nonetheless...

Kagome stood still, ignoring the whispering glances and those stealing photos from their mobile devices of her, the slow ascent of perhaps another begging autograph. With her blue eyes cast in a distant daze-- oh yes, she still could feel the sting, the embarrassment. The shame...the desire to hide, the-- need to use the bathroom!

Pivoting her heel quickly, Kagome did a quick surveillance of the airport terminal. There, not too far in the distance was her-- well, release. 

Shouldering her leather bag, she made a quick bee-line for the bathrooms. She wasn't fond of public bathroom, but if the urge to go came, it was best to just go.

And now, with relief tingling through her body. Kagome approached the sinks and washed her hands. Her gaze drifting up from the water running over her hands to her reflection in the mirror and frowned.

She had the looks of your average twenty-five year old woman. Her skin was still fair and age had yet to make a big show of presence, her raven hair was healthy, pulled into a pony tail now messy-- perhaps from her inflight nap. Her signature look that caught peoples attention however, was her cerulean eye colour. But no, Kagome wasn't upset with her aging body--no, she was just ashamed of the person who was looking back at her, herself.

Looking down--she had too, lest she be pulled into another negative spiral. And so, the water seemed so suddenly interesting.  She couldn't look at herself in the mirror lately, it was all just an embarrassment to her.

Sighing as the timer on the water faucet ended and her hands now damp with the annoying drip of water on the cuff of her blazer, she dried her hands with heavy eyes.

You can't keep living like this, you won't survive, she mentally tried to pep herself. But she knew it could only do so much before the sting would rise up again and drop her morale.

Walking mechanically out of the bathrooms and to a baggage claim screen, Kagome looked for her flight and which gate her suitcase would be tossed roughly onto and spun around waiting for her to grab.

Turning down the corridor and riding the escalators down, there on the bottom floor-- was an even larger sea of people. And like a mantra of a holy person, one word was chanted mentally as she descended into the waiting crowd. All she had to do was get to gate six, grab her luggage, and be on her merry way without the hassle of people--right? Right.

Tugging her scarf up higher, and ducking her head a bit in hope of helping to hide her identity, she noticed the craning necks of people looking for her she assumed. It was best to assume, she really didn't want to be bothered.

Slinking behind a pillar, she peeked meekly out to the side--like a child spying on their parent on Christmas eve to see what gifts they received, or how many. "Oh, this is so ridiculous." She whispered to herself sighing deeply with a minor head butt of her forehead to the pillar-- which she quickly regretted with a hiss and rub of her forehead.

"I agree."

"Whoa!" Gasping and holding a hand to her heart, she lunged herself back against the wall adjacent to the pillar in a pant. Eyes wide in a quick dart to the person whom was closest to her, Kagome held her breath. Fear tickling down her back that she would be announced and her plan to grab her luggage and be gone, ruined. A man with oddly coloured white hair stood opposite of her, his eyes hidden with glasses  glinting in the mid day sun pouring through the wall of windows over him, cast an eerie angelic like glow around him. He looked like an ordinary man. He was dressed in a slim-fit suit and seemed to have returned from a business trip himself.  He was tall and seemed to be very refined from what her mind could quickly asses-- given the situation if she needed to run, a simple shove would work.

"Do--,"

"Shh!," Lunging and reaching in a haste, Kagome slapped her palm which smelled of cheap airport soap against the man's lips silencing him effectively. "Don't...say...a word..." Leaning in her voice quivered as did her grip against the mans face-- and then, an idea struck. "I know-- I know I am probably scaring you, and you might think I'm a bit crazy right now, but I need you to do me a big favor."

By the sound of a defeated sigh, the man bowed his head down to her height in assistance with eyes shut, perhaps from annoyance.  Offering his ear to her in listening, Kagome darted her eyes around to make sure she was still hidden in the shadows. "Could you please, please, go to baggage claim six. And grab my luggage. It is a simple black one with the letters 'K' and 'H' in brown leather sewn onto them." She knew she couldn't trust the man, but he was her best option right now and she desperately wanted to be home and away from the mass of people.

Letting the stranger go, she peeked up to him nervously licking her dry lips as he stood and made his way to the baggage claim like she begged-- not ask.

Approaching the pillar with a quick step, Kagome peeked out once again watching the good-samaritan, her hand raising the collar of her pea coat to help in aiding with her horrid job at disguising herself. Then a sudden realization hit her as she watched the man grab her single luggage and return. I do sound really crazy-- how embarrassing...she though with a slump of her shoulders and hug against the pillar, eyes shutting and a childish pout formed.

"Here." Came a smooth and husky voice, though cold.

Peeking to her right, Kagome saw the frown on the mans face and eyes that seemed to still be shut, with her luggage between them. I must have upset him.

Letting the pillar go limply she looked up to the man and sighed before taking a step towards the luggage and him. "Look, I apolog--" Before she could finish her apology and leave, her scarf; lovely with knitting-- had caught onto one of the bolts on the pillar and effectively halted her movement and trip her in a stumble over her luggage. She screamed in her sudden terror of a slip squeezing her eyes shut bracing for a very painful fall. A very pain full fall...A very less pain full fall?

Still tensed and curled in brace for impact, Kagome opened her eyes to see the floor. Flinching she tensed once again thinking her mind was slowing down the process. But she surely wasn't that tall, she was average height. So-- why was the moment she and the floor became one taking so long?

Then the felt the flex of muscle beneath her stomach. Eyes opening in confusion, her body relaxed into a limp posture before she craned her neck to the side and up. Heart stopping and lips curling into a nervous smile-- Kagome found the ability to talk was drained from her.

Not only had she scared the stranger, but here he was-- rescuing her from her fall, and he had the strangest hazel eyes?

They stared at each other, from the lack of expression on the mans face, Kagome almost felt her saviour was only a mannequin. Hushing the giggle that threatened to spill from her lips, that was an interesting thought filed in the 'I'll think about that on a rainy day' folder.

Bracing her hand on the mans shoulder, she gripped the suit fabric, and with his assistance righted herself up. "Ah-ha-- thank you," she then noticed the way she had crinkled his suit. Patting her hand on the fabric to smooth it out, "I would like to say tha--" A hand on her chin, raised her head up sharply with a tip to the side causing her to once again clutch the strangers suit in her flinch-- all while noticing he too turned his head aside.

"There she is! That's her, Miss Higurashi!" Kagome froze, that voice-- she recognized it.

It was the man on the plan whom she gave her autograph to! Oh no...why... why! And without thought, Kagome hid her face against the mans chest in hopes of hiding her identity which was given away. "Miss Higurashi!"

"Miss Higurashi! Can you answer some questions!"

"Miss Higurahi, how does it feel to be caught in that scandal!" She flinched, clutching tighter to the stranger. Embarrassment filling her body in a heat. With how tightly she was clutching to the man, Kagome was sure he would think she was trying to purify him like he was some demon, and she a miko. "Miss Higruashi. who is that man? Is he your lover?"

"Sir! Sir, you look familiar, can you tell us who you are? And your relation with Kagome Higurashi?" And that was when Kagome finally felt the man against her stir.

"We are going, now." His voice so smooth against her ear-- was still very cold.

His hand, she felt-- grabbed her hand firmly and pulled her along. Grasping quickly for her luggage, she followed after his swift and graceful steps with her own hurried tempo. His own business bag slung onto his shoulder, her stranger guided her quickly through the crowd, to the elevators and with quick and she assumed much practiced ease. Shoved her in the metal box, hit the button to descend and the doors shut.

Panting, she yanked her hands from his grasp which earned her nothing from him in terms of reaction. Adjusting herself and pulling her luggage to herself Kagome felt guilty.

Here, she was with a stranger whom she now-- probably scared, begged to help her with luggage, was seen with him from a hoard of reporters.  Oh, and he helped her get out of the sea of people--more like wolves that was causing her distress. Needless to say, she basically owed this man, a lot.

"Hey... I want to apologize. Apologize for my behavior... It was rude and a bit creepy I bet," she laughed nervously to herself biting her lip. "Thank you for getting my luggage for me, and for helping me escape. If there is anything I can do for you please let me--"

"I don't want anything." He cut her off coldly. And that was it for her, people not only kept cutting her off, they were just... Just getting in her way! All she wanted to do, was return home to her cat and relax.

"Look, I apologized and I gave my thanks, I feel guilty for all you've done and putting you through this trouble. I've just had a bad time recently and I'm getting real tired of people pushing themselves into my life," the door opened in her rant and before she could finish, the man walked out.

How rude! That man....ugh!

She'd have to find a way home now aside from the normal street level. Great.

....

Unlocking the door to her apartment and walking in, Kagome sighed, shutting the door with a slump and half roll of her eyes. Hanging her keys lazily, the young woman was tired. She was finally home after being left behind on the lower level garage floor. Luckily there was also a taxi service stationed there for guests of the adjacent hotel that shared the garage with the airport.

"Buyo!" Kagome sang kicking her shoes off and walking into her living room. "Buyo, I'm home!"

Jingle, jingle, jingle.

Out from her bedroom came a plump calico cat. It's eyes drawn onto Kagome with a barrage of meows whilst rubbing himself on her leg, pawing and waiting for the affections that he missed. "Aw... I've missed you too Buyo." She beamed picking up the warm cat and hugging him to herself. "It's nice to come home with someone waiting for you."

Sighing, she set her cat down, offering quick pets and walked into her spacious kitchen. Her home looked the same, model-esque of the ones found in home or living magazines. She was hungry but, she was also very  very  tired. The flight from Japan to America was well over twelve plus hours. There was to be no dinner for her tonight, just sleep. She could grab something in the morning anyway she knew with a shrug. And, just to make sure, Kagome opened a can of moist cat food for Buyo and set it on the ground, ignoring the now small mountain of cat food she had left behind for him.

Walking into her bedroom with her cat ignoring her in favour of the moist feast, Kagome began to undress-- imagining the dirt and stress of the day coming off of her with her clothing, readying herself for a bath.

Once refreshed and dressed into her make-shift pajamas of a random t-shirt and pair of sleep shorts, she climbed into bed with Buyo taking a pillow for himself.

When she began to reflect the day as she did every night, Kagome found herself laughing in her own odd behavior with the stranger who helped her to becoming angry with his 'better-than-you' type attitude. Turning over to pet her furry companion, she smiled to herself feeling finally comfortable  and drifted off to sleep.

...

Ring!

"Good morning Kagome! Welcome back home." A warm and familiar voice rang to her.

"Good morning Sango, and thank you." She smiled warmly, she felt great this morning! And now, back in Japan for almost 24 hours, Kagome was ready to try and just continue her life and hopefully-- maybe... find inspiration again.

"The usual?"

"Of course! Your coffee and tea, is the only caffeine that can effectively slay the demons of sleep." Her friend, Sango was always there for her, offering her comfort or advice during the occurrence  and her shop wasn't a stranger to her. Each time she stepped in, she felt the warm and familiar pull of comfort. It was a simple and small cafe, but it smelled always so wonderful and the treats were just as delectable. Why-- back then, Kagome would sit here in the corner seat she now occupied against the window and would type up her stories. Back when she had inspiration... back when...when she...

"You better stop right now," Sango spoke sternly setting a warm cup of coffee with cream and sugar on the side. Kagome knew for her friend she was nothing but an open book, and no words ever had to be said--her face was that easy to read. "You are having a simple writers block okay? When you are ready, you will type up something great! And for payment, you better throw me in there." The woman smiled before patting her friends shoulder and returning to the back.

"Miroku, you better take your hands off my buns! Those are for the customers!" Kagome giggled at Sango's punishing voice. Miroku, another person whom she had come to befriend while visiting the cafe, as often as she did; was Sango's fiance and lover of her baked treats. Particularly, her buns-- sweet buns in fact. Some with nuts, and some with fruits. Regardless of the topping or possible filling, Sango's sweet buns where her number one selling item here. And Miroku always tried to steal a chance to get his hands on them.

Ring!

"Paper delivery!" A postal worker cried. Leaving a pile of news papers and magazines in their appropriate stands. Kagome figured she could read what was happening in her local world. She had been away for almost two weeks now and it was nice to be updated on what was occurring around you.

Rising from her seat by the warm sunlight, she meandered over to the stand picking up a newspaper with a smile and hum, unfolding the contents to see the talks of bills passing or a local hero achieving something for the good of society.

Eyes wandering over to the magazines left behind, Kagome tensed. Her hands trembled dropping the newspaper that she had. Lips parted in a slow inhale and exhale, she reached to touch the paper and make sure what she saw was real.

Oh no. No--Oh god no. Oh god... H-how, what.

"Kagome?" her friend asked from concern returning from the back with Miroku in tow, his hands red from a slap on them. "Kagome, are you okay?"

She knew, she probably was pale and maybe trembling-- panting too.

Ring!

"Good morning Sir! How can I help you?" Chimed Sango being the good business woman as always.

Swallowing hard, she turned to her friends who both had curious and worried expressions on their faces. Miroku having to pull away to help the customer whom had walked in.

Licking her lips unsteadily, Kagome rose the paper and spoke in a volume higher than what was considered 'indoor voice'. "First they throw that  out there and now... Now--This!" she hissed in a trembling fury pointing harshly to the paper. "Kagome Higurashi, and her secret lover together in Narita International Airport! Who is this steamy lover?" She now practically screeched reading the title."

Sango stood there with her mouth open in a gape unable to say anything. From the photo used on the front tabloid cover, Kagome's face was buried in the mans chest and his hand upon her head--which indeed looked like a couples embrace. What could she say to her friend? Anyone who saw that photo and read the title would assume it was true.  Kagome searched her friend for an answer, but she knew Sango wouldn't have any.

Thunk.

Click.

Magazine snatched from her hands, Kagome was pulled from her stupor with a gasping frown to see exactly whom was eavesdropping on their conversation--not that she spoke softly.

Hands clutched tightly to the paper wrinkling it in an angry gesture. Whom ever the customer was, why would they react in such a way? What did it matter to them?

Brows scrunched, Kagome rose a brow in curiosity to the persons behavior mixed with annoyance as she began tapping her foot on the floor impatiently waiting to get her paper back, versus grabbing a new one. Their face hidden from sight behind the paper, Kagome huffed folding her arms, "You know, it's not nice to snatch things from people."

Finally, arms lowered, and Kagome felt her heart stop.

It was him, the strangers life, she-- now ruined. His gaze heavy on her, and his usual stony eyes now flickering with annoyance.

She fainted.