And So They Danced by Midnight Song

Prologue: You've Got To Be Kidding

((A/N – Odd how I find myself unable to resist all these new story ideas. Anyway, hope you enjoy this new story and can't wait to see what you think of it. Later!))

Prologue: You've Got To Be Kidding

Monday, 2:00 AM

Violet eyes watched the screen with interest as the girl moved, her black tresses captivating as the moved with her. She danced with an easy rhythm and born skill, something he was finding much harder to locate lately. Her moves, though at first surprising, seemed to make so much since as she completed another step. And then she stopped, frozen in place at the same time as the music did, her brilliant blue eyes locked onto the camera, before the music started up again and she slowly started the rhythm again. Quickly and easily she changed the pace, adding a whole new flavor that he felt would look oh so wrong on anyone else. It had been entirely too long since he'd last seen her. His wife would be ecstatic.

He leaned forward in his chair, barely listening to the voice that droned in his ear from the phone he held. Yes, he had finally found her and she would do perfectly. Exactly the thing that stick in the mud needed, not to mention it would fulfill the requirements of the competition. Smirking, he turned his attention back to the conversation on the phone.

"Kohaku, let me call you back in a little bit. I believe I've just found the solution to our problem."

Without waiting for a response, he closed the phone and turned back to the computer, minimizing the screen with the female dancer and setting to work. Oh yes, this was definitely her. There was no way his new plan could go wrong.

****

Wednesday, 3:24 PM, Metro Cafe

"Yuka," she muttered, leaning her chin on her palm as she pouted, "I still don't understand why we're doing this."

The other woman smirked before leaning forward, a wicked glint in her warm brown eyes. "Because it'll be totally worth it. With this deal, you'll get mega promotions, not to mention more than enough cash to help your family. Besides, you'll thank me. You new partner is totally eye-candy."

Kagome rolled her eyes as she glanced back down at the watch on her wrist. So they were six minutes early. God, how she loathed waiting. She couldn't stand waiting for people or time. Too many things could go wrong.

Sighing, she leaned back in her chair and tugged on the too short shirt Yuka had her in. The bright red thing stopped maybe an inch or two below her breast, not leaving anything to the imagination. Her black shorts were better, sticking to her legs and stopping just a little above her knee with two baggy pockets on both of her outer thighs. Clinging to the belt loops of the shorts was a silver chain, clinking gently against the warm metal of the chair. Personally, the only think Kagome liked about the outfit was the shorts. Everything else she couldn't wait to take off and switch for a baggy t-shirt or a sweater. Sadly, Yuka didn't understand this odd part of her and insisted on clothing like what she was currently wearing.

Suddenly Yuka pushed her chair out and stood, a warm smile on her face as she welcomed a man to the table. He was taller than both of the girls with what Kagome guessed was a natural tan and pretty green eyes. He had a piercing in his left ear and his hair was tied back in a low tail at the back of his neck, brushing against the middle of his back. Kagome was surprised when he pulled Yuka into a hug and the other girl returned it, a small smile playing on her lips. So...she knew him? She had to because if there was one thing Kagome knew, Yuka didn't go around hugging random guys...or did she?

Before her speculations could go any further, Yuka was motioning for Kagome to stand. Doing so, she offered her hand for a handshake only to squeak in surprise when the man pulled her into a hug. Tentatively she returned it, patting him awkwardly on the back. Just as she was trying to pull away from him, she felt his hand rub gently against her butt. Blushing furiously, she pushed the man away and slapped him, an embarrassed frown on her lips. "Hentai!"

However, the man did not look at all fazed as he sank down into his chair, a dreamy smile on his tan features. No, in fact, he looked quite happy with his situation. Yuka sent her an apologetic look before sitting as well and motioning for Kagome to do the same.

"Kagome, let me introduce you to your new manager, Roki Senata." At that, the man grinned at her and this time reached his hand out to shake hers. Kagome looked at it before leaning back in her chair, an obvious snub.

And he laughed! The man had the gall to laugh at her! Ohhhh!!! Not quite sure how to react, she merely stared at him, not finding anything funny about the situation.

"Forgive me Kagome, I just could not help myself. Such beautiful curves you have. Tell me, how would you feel about---

Before he could get another word out Yuka smacked him in the back of the head, a glare forming on her features as well. "Don't even go there Hentai."

Grinning still, he reached out and snatched Yuka's hand, planting a kiss on her soft knuckles. "As you wish my dear."

After a few minutes of small talk between Yuka and Roki and a confused silence from Kagome, they finally got down to business.

"So where is he?" she asked, glancing around the small café as if he were hiding. Kagome had never really bee into partnerships or any other kind of team dancing but she was curious as to what her new unwanted partner was like, both physical and personality wise. Turning back to Roki, she raised an elegant black brow, waiting for his answer.

This is where he hesitated, before sighing and leaning back into a pout much like Kagome had done earlier, his arms crossed over his chest. He rolled his emerald eyes in annoyance, still frustrated at his friends actions. "He...had other things to do today. He said that he would meet us at the studio later tonight."

Something about the way he hesitated bugged Kagome but from the look on Yuka's face, she decided not to press the matter. "Alright then. Can I at least know his name?"

There was an exchanged look between the two managers, before Yuka nodded minutely; still wondering if this was perhaps the best thing. After all, she'd know Kagome since they met in high school and she knew that the other girl did not take well to people who thought they were better than everyone else. Still, an agreement was an agreement. "He goes by Tashio."

The name, though vaguely familiar, did not ring any bells. She felt as if she should know the name but she could not bring herself to remember. "What kind of dance does he do?"

Another look between the two managers. Come on now, really! It couldn't be that bad. Slumping back in her seat Kagome eyed the two, wondering when they were going to get to the truth already.

"Um...well," Yuka muttered, brushing a strand of hair out of her face as she sent a small glare at Roki. "He doesn't exactly....dance..."

Now she was confused. Narrowing her eyes, she leaned forward and rested her arms on the table. This was not the time to be giving her half baked answers. "That's enough. No more little secretive looks and no more giving me half the truth. If I'm going to agree to do this then I need to know everything I can about him and the situation. So spill."

Chuckling slightly, he couldn't' help but to admire the younger girls attitude. "Very well then, Kagome-san. The truth is that Tashio does dance when he feels the need to, but for the most part...he does choreography."

"No, not going to happen. I make my own moves, not follow someone else's."

"And he does ballroom dancing...."

That bit came from Yuka and it helped make Kagome's mind even more. As if she was going to let some ballroom dancing prissy do her choreography. Yeah right! Leaning back again, she sent a scathing glance at Yuka. The other woman knew Kagome didn't like for others to create her moves for her, knew that Kagome thought it felt wrong to do the steps that others designed. It just wasn't right to her.

"Kagome...you need to listen to the rest of it, alright? Before you say know, just listen to what Roki has to say." Yuka's voice was pleading, filled with a tone that made Kagome slump and turn to face the man. She'd never been able to refuse Yuka when she asked like that.

"Fine."

He smiled slightly, before continuing. "As I said, he does Ballroom Dancing and choreography. A couple of weeks ago, he was offered the chance to participate in a contest called Aero's Task. You recognize it, yes? I'm not surprised you do. It's a contest where the best dancers gather and battle it out through their moves to win a prize. This year's prize is a sponsorship and production from one of Japan's top companies, Kaze Dance Productions. As it is every year, it's an exclusive contest, meaning you can only participate if you're specifically invited or if a choreographer that's been invited signs on as their student." Glancing at her, Roki knew he had her right where he wanted her, knew that with his next statement she would agree to do it. "Tashio set me the task of finding him a dancer; he also said that'd pay you for your time seeing as you'd be unable to work because of the amount of practice you'd have to put in."

Kagome was silent, still not quite sure what to do. On the one hand, she really didn't like having to following another person's steps, doing their choreography instead of her own. But on the other, the opportunity this presented for her was amazing. If she were to win, she'd get more deals than she could possibly handle not to mention the pay for those jobs would be beyond anything she'd ever hoped to earn. Her family could use that money...

Studying him for a moment, she nodded, forcing herself to hold back the grimace of following someone else's steps. "Alright. I'll do it."

****

Her headlights shone starkly against the dark building as she lingered in front of it, hesitating for a reason she couldn't really identify. Her hands were tense on the wheel and the radio was playing a song she remembered as being popular a few years ago but it wasn't now. Huh. But that was the way things went she supposed. Sighing, she leaned back in her seat and shut the car off, before reaching over to the glove box and pulling out a small little bottle of pills. Taking two of them, she swallowed them dry and put them back, before getting out of the car. Time to start this thing.

Grabbing her purse, she closed and locked the door behind her, before slowly making her way to the entrance of the study. His studio. Of course he would have his own studio. Freaking rich person. Sighing and pushing away those annoying thoughts, she stepped into the building only to see a large group of women standing in the entryway, muttering under their breath about some kind of security. The moment she entered the building they turned to look at her, some offering threatening stares and others not even bothering to say hello to her.

With a sigh she pushed her way past them and to the side until she came up to the security desk. A young man stood there, his eyes a brilliant green with bright orange hair. Beside him stood a security guard, tall and impassive looking. She wondered if the guard was supposed to be intimidating...turning back to look at the boy for a moment, she wondered why he seemed familiar.

"Um...I'm here to see Tashio-san?" she said quietly, glancing from the boy to the guard, confused as the guard merely shook his head and a smirk formed on his lips.

"So are they," he muttered, motioning to the large group of women now glaring at her because of her announcement. "What makes you any different?"

Scowling, she reached into her shoulder sack/purse and pulled out the envelope she'd received from Miroku. She wondered if he had been expecting something like this to occur. Handing it to the man, she set a hand on her him and glared at him, her blue eyes sparking. "I'm Higurashi Kagome. He called me here to see him. Now, are you going to let me through or not?"

The guard hesitated, before opening the envelope and quickly scanning the short letter. As he finished, his eyes widened and he dropped it, before nodding his head weakly. "I apologize Higurashi-san. I wasn't aware that you were here for that."

As was her nature, she merely nodded and offered up a smile, accepting the apology as if she'd been expecting it. She followed him as he motioned to a door on the other side of the desk, sending one last fleeting glance at the large group of women. She couldn't be sure but Kagome would swear someone called her bitch. Shuddering, she followed the guard into the next room and was surprised when the boy grabbed her hand.

"Come with me Kagome-san. I'll get you set up to meet Tashio-sama."

****

There was a slight tapping on the floor, tapty-tap-tap, tapty-tap-tap, tapty-tap-tap. Upon closer inspecting it was the heeled boot of a young woman tapping against the floor. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her finger beating along with the tap of her heels. A small glance down at her watch had her scowling in frustration. An hour.

She had been sitting in this bright, uncomfortable waiting room for an hour, waiting to meet this Sesshoumaru person. The bastard kept her waiting, sitting here as if she was doing it for her own convenience. Annoyed, she stood and tossed her bag back over her shoulder, heading towards the door. She was not going to be some guys' toy and that included waiting around for her new choreographer.

Just as she put her hand on the door knob and was about to pull it open, the door on the other side of the room opened. Turning around, Kagome could not help but to stare. Eyes the color of whiskey stared coldly at her though she'd swear she could see a bit of amusement in them. He still towed over her, after all these years. If it weren't for the fact that he looked a bit more mature than he used to, Kagome would swear he hadn't aged a day. And of course, he still had the beautiful platinum blond hair tied back in a loose tail. Of course. Then he smiled at her and she was only seventeen again, meeting him behind Inuyasha's back, making him privy to thoughts she'd not shared with anyone else.

"Hello, Kagome."