Cheery Tune by Kaoruhana [Christmas Challenge]
Theme: Jingle all the way
Genre: Friendship
Rating: G
Warnings: AU Setting
Word Count: 1,554
Summary: Kagome’s new client for the Interior Design Firm offers her a holiday proposition she can’t refuse.
Kagome clambered into the taxi that she had just hailed swiftly giving the taxi driver instructions to go to Piccadilly. She’d been in London for a year and could now say that she’d effectively mastered the art of travelling around- not that it was hard to learn in the first place. As usual the day was cold and wet, normal December weather for the city. Her umbrella was clutched in her hand and her coat was wrapped tight around her with her scarf peeking out. As soon as she was done dropping off this folder of hers, the Christmas holiday would be hers.
A song started playing on the radio and Kagome distinctly recognized it as the only English Christmas Carol she knew by heart. She hummed along to it enjoying its cheery tune of “Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way” and watched as they crossed by Parliament Square. There were still people on hunger strike in the tents making her inwardly praise their resilience while pitying them for being in the cold weather. The taxi continued on its route and soon Kagome recognized the brilliant facades of Piccadilly. The driver stopped by the comedy theater and she quickly paid him hurrying out of the taxi and opening her umbrella as swiftly as she could.
Piccadilly was by far Kagome’s most favorite place to be in London. There was always something going on there and she loved it. Quickly scanning her surroundings, she decided which way to go to her destination and promptly proceeded to walk towards it. There was the usual crowd of tourists, youngsters, and working class people all clad in their coats, some with, some without umbrellas making their way towards various destinations. Kagome blended in with them remarkably.
A sudden gust of wind knocked her umbrella slightly askew and by the time she’d righted herself she realized she’d run into someone. Kagome looked up at the man and apologized swiftly turning back to see if she could cross the street. She’d have to wait. While she did, she silently looked at the man again.
He was tall, probably crossing six feet, and had the most loving shade of silvery white hair. A pair of glasses rested on his nose and he seemed uninterested in anything she had to say. Well, that was an opportunity wasted. Turning back, she waited again and when the pedestrian sign flashed continued her walk.
Kagome entered the building her company’s client had requested to meet her in. She was a low level worker at an interior design company in London and they had recently negotiated with a client to design an office for him in Japan. Since she was the only person available who was literate and knowledgeable about Japan she’d been selected to deliver the documents and answer any questions.
“Excuse me.” She asked the receptionist upon arrival. “Is Mr. Taisho here?” The receptionist quickly looked into the computer logs and checked before answering her.
“He’s not arrived yet but he’s booked table thirteen by the window. Would you like someone to show you there?” Kagome nodded her head yes and waited patiently as the receptionist informed someone of her arrival. However moments later another deep voice spoke up from next to her. She turned to see the stranger from earlier.
“Oh! Mr. Taisho! It’s nice to see you here sir! Your companion has arrived here already so if the two could follow Mr. Collins.” He nodded his head and Kagome decided to lay off the conversation until they sat down at their respective table.
“It’s nice to meet you sir. I’m Kagome Higurashi.” She held out her hand for a greeting and he shook it cordially before greeting her in turn.
“Likewise Ms. Higurashi. I presume we can continue on with business now that we are properly introduced?”
He hadn’t meant to sound harsh but he was a tad miffed that this was the same woman who had nearly rammed him with her umbrella minutes before. But she had been knocked into him so he supposed he could give her the benefit of the doubt. She seemed smart and she was Japanese but had managed to run all her conversations entirely in English thus far. Perhaps there was more to be seen to her.
Kagome had initially been surprised seeing him but now was wondering if her boss couldn’t have sent someone else. The interior design company she worked for had specified she meet this client because she knew Japanese and this client had specifically come from Japan to request they run a project for him in Tokyo. Sighing, she resigned herself to her job.
“Of course we can Mr. Taisho.” Putting the folder from her purse on the table she instructed him to look at the designs as she explained them to him.
“We were told that you wanted to see some samples of what we had done for office interiors so we came up with a few designs to show you what we have to offer. If none of these appeal to you we can have a designer work with you throughout the entire process until you get the result that satisfies you.”
Sesshomaru kept one ear trained on her rambling as he inspected the few designs laid on the table in front of him. There was one of an office that he envied for its old shiro like charm. However he knew it would not work for him, since his office was in a huge skyscraper. The next one had the furniture he needed but the interior design was too minimalist for his tastes. The others were eye-catching and he could clearly see why this firm was reputed worldwide but they did not suit him and he doubted he could work in an environment like that.
“These two.” He pushed the first two designs forward watching as she appraised them before asking him for clarification. “I like the overall design we have in the first picture but my office resembles more of this.” He indicated the second picture.
“Hmm, so we need to create a balance?” Kagome had come to know clients quite well in the time she’d been in London. He really wanted the room in that old shiro that they had designed a few years back but wasn’t going for it so they had to settle for the combination he wanted. She quickly realized that in order to get the true design she’d actually have to see his workplace, and see him in it. He was not the kind to shun modernity but he wanted it done subtly so that the modern touches would seem at place in his room.
“I believe Mr. Taisho that we need to set up a meeting with you and a designer. There is much more going into designing this room than what we can talk about today. Do you mind if I call the Tokyo offices and set up an appointment with a designer there?”
“Why can’t you do it?” He asked. The Tokyo offices weren’t bad but he knew that the best designers this company had to offer only worked in the London office and worked on contracts as the office saw fit. He had come all the way here to get a good designer and he was going to have this woman as the designer. He felt that her competence in this would prove greatly beneficial to him so that was all that mattered.
“I could, if you would like sir but I’m afraid it’ll have to wait until the New Year. I’m leaving for vacation tomorrow morning.”
“Can you get some paperwork cleared so that you have a tentative idea when I show you my office? I assume you’re going to Japan right?” At her nod he continued, “If I could show you my Tokyo office during your vacation then you will already have an idea and will be able to work faster on the design correct?”
Kagome nodded too stunned at the moment. She knew that being head designer for such a task was an important deal but she wasn’t sure if she’d be allowed to do it- after all she was just a year into her job here. But to be able to work in Tokyo- even if just for a short while- and see her family would be nice. And this man- Mr. Taisho- wasn’t that bad of a person to be around either.
“I’ll do it.” She announced pulling out a card from her purse. “Here’s my information for you to contact me, oh wait!” Turning the card over, she hastily scribbled down the number of her family’s house in Japan and gave it to him. “That’s the number you can reach me with in Japan. I suppose our meeting is over then?”
“It is. I’ll see you around Ms. Higurashi.”
“You too Mr. Taisho.” Standing up and gathering her materials she gave him another brilliant smile and walked out the door humming with a skip in her step. It was a few minutes later that she realized she was humming the song from the taxi earlier. Laughing, she went home to pack, reminding herself to put some of her sketching materials in as well. After all, she had a job to do!
Genre: Friendship
Rating: G
Warnings: AU Setting
Word Count: 1,554
Summary: Kagome’s new client for the Interior Design Firm offers her a holiday proposition she can’t refuse.
Kagome clambered into the taxi that she had just hailed swiftly giving the taxi driver instructions to go to Piccadilly. She’d been in London for a year and could now say that she’d effectively mastered the art of travelling around- not that it was hard to learn in the first place. As usual the day was cold and wet, normal December weather for the city. Her umbrella was clutched in her hand and her coat was wrapped tight around her with her scarf peeking out. As soon as she was done dropping off this folder of hers, the Christmas holiday would be hers.
A song started playing on the radio and Kagome distinctly recognized it as the only English Christmas Carol she knew by heart. She hummed along to it enjoying its cheery tune of “Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way” and watched as they crossed by Parliament Square. There were still people on hunger strike in the tents making her inwardly praise their resilience while pitying them for being in the cold weather. The taxi continued on its route and soon Kagome recognized the brilliant facades of Piccadilly. The driver stopped by the comedy theater and she quickly paid him hurrying out of the taxi and opening her umbrella as swiftly as she could.
Piccadilly was by far Kagome’s most favorite place to be in London. There was always something going on there and she loved it. Quickly scanning her surroundings, she decided which way to go to her destination and promptly proceeded to walk towards it. There was the usual crowd of tourists, youngsters, and working class people all clad in their coats, some with, some without umbrellas making their way towards various destinations. Kagome blended in with them remarkably.
A sudden gust of wind knocked her umbrella slightly askew and by the time she’d righted herself she realized she’d run into someone. Kagome looked up at the man and apologized swiftly turning back to see if she could cross the street. She’d have to wait. While she did, she silently looked at the man again.
He was tall, probably crossing six feet, and had the most loving shade of silvery white hair. A pair of glasses rested on his nose and he seemed uninterested in anything she had to say. Well, that was an opportunity wasted. Turning back, she waited again and when the pedestrian sign flashed continued her walk.
Kagome entered the building her company’s client had requested to meet her in. She was a low level worker at an interior design company in London and they had recently negotiated with a client to design an office for him in Japan. Since she was the only person available who was literate and knowledgeable about Japan she’d been selected to deliver the documents and answer any questions.
“Excuse me.” She asked the receptionist upon arrival. “Is Mr. Taisho here?” The receptionist quickly looked into the computer logs and checked before answering her.
“He’s not arrived yet but he’s booked table thirteen by the window. Would you like someone to show you there?” Kagome nodded her head yes and waited patiently as the receptionist informed someone of her arrival. However moments later another deep voice spoke up from next to her. She turned to see the stranger from earlier.
“Oh! Mr. Taisho! It’s nice to see you here sir! Your companion has arrived here already so if the two could follow Mr. Collins.” He nodded his head and Kagome decided to lay off the conversation until they sat down at their respective table.
“It’s nice to meet you sir. I’m Kagome Higurashi.” She held out her hand for a greeting and he shook it cordially before greeting her in turn.
“Likewise Ms. Higurashi. I presume we can continue on with business now that we are properly introduced?”
He hadn’t meant to sound harsh but he was a tad miffed that this was the same woman who had nearly rammed him with her umbrella minutes before. But she had been knocked into him so he supposed he could give her the benefit of the doubt. She seemed smart and she was Japanese but had managed to run all her conversations entirely in English thus far. Perhaps there was more to be seen to her.
Kagome had initially been surprised seeing him but now was wondering if her boss couldn’t have sent someone else. The interior design company she worked for had specified she meet this client because she knew Japanese and this client had specifically come from Japan to request they run a project for him in Tokyo. Sighing, she resigned herself to her job.
“Of course we can Mr. Taisho.” Putting the folder from her purse on the table she instructed him to look at the designs as she explained them to him.
“We were told that you wanted to see some samples of what we had done for office interiors so we came up with a few designs to show you what we have to offer. If none of these appeal to you we can have a designer work with you throughout the entire process until you get the result that satisfies you.”
Sesshomaru kept one ear trained on her rambling as he inspected the few designs laid on the table in front of him. There was one of an office that he envied for its old shiro like charm. However he knew it would not work for him, since his office was in a huge skyscraper. The next one had the furniture he needed but the interior design was too minimalist for his tastes. The others were eye-catching and he could clearly see why this firm was reputed worldwide but they did not suit him and he doubted he could work in an environment like that.
“These two.” He pushed the first two designs forward watching as she appraised them before asking him for clarification. “I like the overall design we have in the first picture but my office resembles more of this.” He indicated the second picture.
“Hmm, so we need to create a balance?” Kagome had come to know clients quite well in the time she’d been in London. He really wanted the room in that old shiro that they had designed a few years back but wasn’t going for it so they had to settle for the combination he wanted. She quickly realized that in order to get the true design she’d actually have to see his workplace, and see him in it. He was not the kind to shun modernity but he wanted it done subtly so that the modern touches would seem at place in his room.
“I believe Mr. Taisho that we need to set up a meeting with you and a designer. There is much more going into designing this room than what we can talk about today. Do you mind if I call the Tokyo offices and set up an appointment with a designer there?”
“Why can’t you do it?” He asked. The Tokyo offices weren’t bad but he knew that the best designers this company had to offer only worked in the London office and worked on contracts as the office saw fit. He had come all the way here to get a good designer and he was going to have this woman as the designer. He felt that her competence in this would prove greatly beneficial to him so that was all that mattered.
“I could, if you would like sir but I’m afraid it’ll have to wait until the New Year. I’m leaving for vacation tomorrow morning.”
“Can you get some paperwork cleared so that you have a tentative idea when I show you my office? I assume you’re going to Japan right?” At her nod he continued, “If I could show you my Tokyo office during your vacation then you will already have an idea and will be able to work faster on the design correct?”
Kagome nodded too stunned at the moment. She knew that being head designer for such a task was an important deal but she wasn’t sure if she’d be allowed to do it- after all she was just a year into her job here. But to be able to work in Tokyo- even if just for a short while- and see her family would be nice. And this man- Mr. Taisho- wasn’t that bad of a person to be around either.
“I’ll do it.” She announced pulling out a card from her purse. “Here’s my information for you to contact me, oh wait!” Turning the card over, she hastily scribbled down the number of her family’s house in Japan and gave it to him. “That’s the number you can reach me with in Japan. I suppose our meeting is over then?”
“It is. I’ll see you around Ms. Higurashi.”
“You too Mr. Taisho.” Standing up and gathering her materials she gave him another brilliant smile and walked out the door humming with a skip in her step. It was a few minutes later that she realized she was humming the song from the taxi earlier. Laughing, she went home to pack, reminding herself to put some of her sketching materials in as well. After all, she had a job to do!