This Simple Life by Keito-chan

Playing the Part

This Simple Life

By: Keito-chan

Rating: PG-13

Summary: When her sister is engaged to one of the most richest men in Japan and the world, things start to get crazy for Kagome. The reporters, her sister Kikyo's starry-eyed looks, oh just everything. But when a certain elder brother disagrees with the match, even when his parents soften, things take a nasty turn. As does Kagome's life.

Chapter One: Playing the Part

"Oh! And this dress would look just lovely on you, dear!" Kikyo shoved the frilly pink monstrosity towards Kagome, who grunted.

"You know pink isn't my color! And besides it's hideous! What is this?!" Kagome asked as she picked at the feathers lining the collar of the dress like some type of boa.

Kikyo snatched back the dress in distaste and with a superior look on her face snapped irritably, "It's the latest fashion! And it's my wedding. You will wear it."

"Whatever." Kagome grunted, while rolling her eyes and plopping down into the nearest chair to continue reading her magazine. She just might as well let Kikyo have her way. She'd be leaving soon anyway - off to be married into the largest company in Japan - and perhaps the world; Sukido Industries. They owned everything. Well at least it seemed that way to Kagome. They owned coal mines, oil refineries, malls, airlines - oh, the list goes on and on.

The Sukido family had met the Higurashi family at one of those formal banquets to celebrate the wealth of some of Japan's most wealthiest people. Now Kagome's family was far from rich. They just happened to be the best catering company around at the time - luckily for them. Kagome had been at the party - too busy with keeping everything in order and running smoothly to worry about anything else - or anyone else for that matter.

Kagome had always gotten the 'exciting' job of making sure that every type of food, dessert, appetizer, wine etc. was present and set out upon the tables. She was also to make sure any platter that became empty was refilled and any beverage that was running low was replaced. Hence she never truly got time to look around and enjoy the beauty of the place or the people around her.

As for her two sisters, Kikyo and Midoriko, they got the more glamorous jobs. Kikyo was the hostess. She got the privilege of dressing up in whatever attire the occasion called for and standing by the entrance of the room to greet the incoming guests, shaking their hands and flashing her amazing smile. Midoriko played a similar role in making sure everyone was enjoying themselves, by either striking up conversation or simply asking if they were content or how they liked the food - and any other random snips of conversation. She also was exempt from the uniform that every other worker had to don. Souta had the job of carrying around platters of champagne and appetizers to the guests - although he always snuck a few of them for himself. Kagome even envied her brother's job.

Their mother was, of course, in charge of the whole event. She would do the before hand things; making sure that the company was stocked with everything their customers ordered, what type of decor, calling the needed help, etc. Along with this she also greeted guests and made sure everyone was doing their job.

It was here that Kikyo met the 'love of her life' (or so she says), Inuyasha Sukido.

Kagome didn't like him. She didn't like the family altogether, actually. To her they were conceited, arrogant, and overpaid. To Kikyo and the rest of her family they were everything.

According to Kikyo she had greeted the Sukidos when they had walked into the room. Inuyasha had walked in last after the rest of the family and Kikyo had smiled and welcomed him with a bow. She had expected him to move along but he stood there staring at her. When she had raised her head again and caught his eye (and Kikyo had said this fondly while giggling) he had turned the cutest shade of pink!

Kagome was then informed that he had asked her her name and her age and then whether or not she'd like to dance. Of course Kikyo had said she had been reluctant (a lie in Kagome's opinion) to accept, but after those 'pleading puppy dog eyes' she couldn't say no. Kagome had wondered sarcastically if that had been the way it was when he asked her to marry him.

Kagome had remembered her mother coming over to her in a frantic angry way demanding if she knew where Kikyo was. Kagome - having been bored out of her mind and simply not in the mood to worry about it - had snapped a 'no and I don't care'. Her mother had huffed and then snatched a nearby server to take over Kagome's position while Kagome found her sister. Kagome had found her in Inuyasha's arms - dancing.

Kagome remembered being completely miffed and totally annoyed that her sister had been in the arms of the handsome, rich, and famous Inuyasha Sukido's - which gave her all the more pleasure in reporting this to her mother. Kagome had expected her mother to promptly walk up, grab Kikyo by the arm with a swift yank, and supply a brusque excuse to her now deprived dancing partner. But it had been the total and complete opposite effect. In fact, her mother's eyes had widened and then watered and then she had grabbed Kagome by the arm and rushed her to a dark corner of the room.

Kagome had been slightly surprised at the reaction and asked what was wrong when she saw the beginnings of tears in her mother's eyes. But she had just hugged Kagome tightly and said in an excited voice, yet whispered, that she was to take over Kikyo's job for the rest of the evening and that she not disturb her sister - at all - for anything.

Yes that was how it had all began. And then there were those surprise gifts being sent to the house, the fancy Jaguar car parked in front of their yard attracting the neighbors' attentions. The sneaking out of the house on those nightly secret rendezvous even though her own mother knew of it (but did nothing about it) when Kikyo had tried to discreetly shimmy down the drain pipe, so to speak.

Yes, the wooing had taken a full six months of Kagome's life. And now the wedding was taking another six.

She had to always be on her best behavior, because 'you never knew when the next reporter would be jumping up' (as her mother liked to say) to question how the wedding was going, or how Kikyo and Inuyasha had met, and other annoying interrogations.

Although, they only seemed to bother with either her mother or Midoriko, Souta and herself were mainly left alone - much to Kagome's happiness.

They had all eventually met the family - after the big question had been asked and then accepted (will you marry me?). It had been...awkward. The Sukidos had seemed rather...cold to the Higurashis. They probably hadn't liked the idea of one of their sons being married into such an inconsiderable family as their own. But it had seemed that Kagome and Souta were the only ones who had noticed their curt and slightly rude behavior. Kagome's mother had been so blinded by the mere excitement of being in the presence of the Sukidos and eventually a mother-in-law to their very son that she didn't seem to notice or to care of their somewhat low-toned hostility that electrified the air. Midoriko had been too absorbed in either watching the eldest brother, Sesshoumaru, or listening to Kikyo drone on about how wonderful this all was and what she was planning for the wedding.

Ah, yes, Sesshoumaru had been another matter all together, entirely. As the parents were just slightly cold, but bearable and polite, this creature had been utterly intolerable. He had made chide remarks and rude silent stares whenever asked a question to eventually answer in a one worded answer. He had shown his dislike for them immediately, while his parents at least tried to cover it up with false smiles. And Kagome had found herself resisting the urge to slit her throat with her butter knife to end it all there.

But she had survived the dinner and the revolting scenes when Kikyo and Inuyasha had tried to unnoticeably flirt with each other. Yes, that would be something that one would remember but wish to forget. Actually the past six months and the six ahead Kagome was sure she'd wish to forget.

Kagome flipped a few more pages into her magazine, somewhat heartened after reading the most embarrassing moments page. Only to be thrown back into despair when the title in bold greeted her eyes, "Inuyasha Sukido Ties The Knot!". Yes, and also supplied on the page was a lovely picture of her own sister and Inuyasha making out in public.

Kagome sighed and scrunched her face in disgust and looked up at Kikyo who was fussing over various selections of dresses. Kagome shook her head mentally making a note never to get married anytime soon - of course she wouldn't, only being a freshman at Tokyo U and planning on getting a medical degree to become a surgeon, but still, precautions were always a good thing to make.

"Kikyo you really should try to keep your sexual tendencies to a minimum when not behind closed doors." Kagome said while standing and tossing the magazine to her starry-eyed sister. Kikyo caught the magazine and chuckled as she looked at the picture and read the article.

"Well I think it's wonderful that we can express our love to each other without feeling any shame."

Kagome rolled her eyes, "While the whole world watches?"

Kikyo shrugged, "I don't care, I love him and he loves me. That's all that matters - they can take as many pictures as they want!"

Kagome decided that not answering would be best. No matter what she said concerning the wedding or her romantic affairs in public, Kikyo wouldn't care. Kagome had guessed it must be some type of love thing - of course she wouldn't know being that she had never been in love.

And she was still deciding if she ever wanted to be. Recent events had left her quite questioning on the matters of love.

Kagome groaned as Kikyo whipped out another frilly creation of man called a dress and told Kagome to try it on. Kagome complied after a bravely fought battle before her mother told her to shut up and do it.

It was uglier that the first with lace covering every inch of it in some type of sloppy pattern. It basically hung on her like a sack not to mention it was a hot pink color that even a blind man was sure to see.

She looked more like a prostitute than a bride's maid. Kikyo sighed dreamily while the fabric itched and scratched at Kagome's skin.

"What do you think, Midoriko?" Kikyo asked. Midoriko tried to contain the giggles from spilling out of her tightly clamped mouth covered by her tightly clamped hand.

Kikyo frowned and looked at her sister in agitation. "I can't believe it! You don't even know style when it's right here in front of you!"

Kagome looked at herself in the mirror of the fancy shop and stifled her own bout of chuckles. Even though she was uncomfortable, the sight that greeted her eyes was funny. She looked like a pink feathery, lacy puff ball with a face, hair, two feet and two arms.

Kikyo sighed in defeat and threw up her arms, "I give up!" and she whirled around and stomped over towards the door of the store and flung it open and left, but not before pointing an accusatory finger at Midoriko and Kagome while screaming, "Find your own goddamn dress!!"

Kagome looked at her eldest sister as they both burst into a fit of laughter.

.-.-.-.

AN: This should be an interesting story. It is a Kagome/Sesshoumaru romance/humor/drama fanfic I guess...You could say that it is also a Kikyo/Inuyasha fic if you want, but I really wont be focusing on them too much. (and I'm not really a fan of that pairing)

Stuff you should know:

The ages of my characters, I think, are important so read below:

Midoriko: Eldest child of the Higurashi family, 24. Her job is basically running the catering business alongside her mother. (Basically she is going to inherit the whole business.)

Kikyo: Second oldest, 22. She was attending college to become a fitness trainer, but since she has been engaged to Inuyasha she ended her student career.

Kagome: Third oldest (and I guess you can say middle child), 19 going on 20. Helps with the family business as a job to earn some extra money, is basically a student at Tokyo University. She is a freshman and planning on becoming a surgeon.

Souta: Also helps with the family business for pocket money. Is 15 and a sophomore at Idoken High School.

Inuyasha: Rich, famous, handsome guy (basically a celebrity). Fiancé to Kikyo and 22 years old.

Sesshoumaru: The vice president of his father's company and the next in line to inherit the title of President and his father's company. 25 years old.

The Parents: Basically Mrs. Higurashi and Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's parents are around 50 years old. Kagome's grandfather is about 80, but as healthy as ever - don't worry ^_~!

If anyone has a similar fanfic, I'm sorry, but I didn't know! (I'm not the stealing type!) Also if you have any questions or suggestions about my story feel free to ask/tell me. Flames are fine by me, (and as I like to say) Burn me and I'll burn you.

Oh yes! R+R, please? Chapters will get longer - have no fear!

Lots of luv,

Keito-chan