4,316I was reading Taste of Love and the ending of it annoyed the crap out of me so I decided to come back and make an ending version two, just so that the story seems complete. I realized that Ai and Hikari totally... disappeared... so, to account for the mishap, here's Taste of Love, Revisited!
Taste of Love
Kagome ran away from her demanding family and found herself right in the arms of Takahashi Inuyasha. Caught up in his world, it's getting hard for her to leave, for she has had her first taste of love.
-x-
Revisited
-x-
"Women are so slow, aren't they, Solider?" Inuyasha asked his boy as they both trotted through the park, Muteki's hand slipped into Inuyasha's. The three year old boy looked up to his father and nodded, his short messy black hair flopping around.
"They are," the mini-Inuyasha agreed. The family of six was taking a walk through the park along with Ai and Hikari who were both at the cusp of being ten years old. The two girls were donned in cute pink and purple summer dresses respectively and the triplets had on matching khaki shorts, however each triplet had their own coloured t-shirt; Sayuki was yellow, Sayumi was blue and Sayuri was white. Kagome wore a floral summers dress along with a giant sunhat and even bigger sunglasses.
Inuyasha said she looked like a clown.
She said that his face was a clown.
Muteki turned around. "Mommy! Huwwy up! Daddy said he'll get us ice cweam!"
Kagome grinned and waved at him. "We're coming baby!" She called back before turning to the five girls behind her.
"Who wants ice cream?" She inquired and all five squealed before making a mad dash to Inuyasha. The business man, clad in white shorts and a black tank top, lifted his sun glasses and winked at his wife. She blew him a kiss but continued to walk languidly behind her family. She was enjoying life, enjoying how her life turned out at the very end. Souta was still in acting but he had moved to Los Angeles, California because he made it big in a Jerry Bruckheimer movie. Akira still directed, but not so much since he helped the Takahashi's with their business and Korari was a proud grandmother constantly spoiling her grandchildren.
Sesshomaru, Kagura and their children, Rin, Suoh and Zen all lived in the States as well, also in Los Angeles and Souta made it a point to drop by his brother-in-law's brother's house to mooch off his food. Sesshomaru growled, Kagura got angry at Sesshomaru for getting angry at Souta and the kids enjoyed the presence of famous actor uncle, Souta Higurashi.
Kagome's grin grew wider as she saw Sayuki grab onto Inuyasha's left leg and Sayumi grab onto his right. Ai and Hikari were doubled over in laughter and Sayuri was shaking her head. Muteki was trying to pry Sayuki off: "YUKI-ONEE! STOP HUWTING DADDY!"
God, life is too perfect... She thought contentedly to herself. And to think, everything happened because of her father's idea to get her married to Naraku...
"Mademoiselle!" Inuyasha called, the girls were still clutching onto his legs and Muteki was still trying to get his sisters off. When Sayuki wouldn't pry off he ran over to Sayumi:
"YUMI-ONEE!"
"Muteki, you'll hurt yourself!" Kagome called as she broke into a light jog. Stooping down, she scooped her only son into her arms and kissed him wetly on the cheek. "What flavour ice cream do you want, baby?"
Muteki's eyes lit up as all events prior were forgotten. "Chocolate!" He squealed. Ai hopped on the spot.
"Oh, oh! Me too! Mama, me too!"
Hikari rolled her eyes. "I want vanilla dipped in chocolate. That tastes good."
"It does." Inuyasha nodded in agreement as his daughters let go of his legs.
"Rocky road!" The triplets squealed simultaneously. The large family approached the ice cream vendor and ordered their many ice cream cones. The elderly man no-charged the children, saying that so many cute faces made his old heart melt. Inuyasha, being the ever good hearted person he was, tipped the man generously and paid triple of what his bill would've came out to be should the man have charged him.
"Mama, can we go swing?" Ai inquired as she pointed to a large jungle gym. Kagome and Inuyasha found a bench and both sat down, still consuming their delectably delightful dairy dessert. Kagome licked her lips clean and nodded.
"Take the girls and Muteki with you but keep an eye on them, understood Ai?" Kagome turned to the other girl, "You too, Hikari!"
The two girls saluted Kagome before taking their practically-siblings off to play on the swings and monkey bars and other delights of the jungle gym. The two adults watched the kids run off. Inuyasha threw his cone in the garbage can beside him before turning and kissing his wife's cheek. Kagome smiled and looked over at him.
"What's on your mind, Casanova?" She asked, her hand slipping into his.
"You." He murmured, nuzzling his nose against her cheek, "What else?"
Kagome giggled. "Seriously!"
"I am serious." He pressed another kiss to her cheek. "I love you, you know that?"
Kagome grinned. "I think I do." She turned to look into his eyes. "Perhaps I need a reminder?"
Gently, Inuyasha kissed her lips before mumbling against her: "I'll remind you just how much I love you, tonight."
Kagome blushed as she threw her arms around his shoulders, "Casanova," she murmured, "can we have another baby?"
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "For real?"
Kagome nodded, her blush growing stronger. "Yeah for real... I want another son, like a playmate for Muteki."
Inuyasha grinned, showing off his rather wolfish fangs. "Perhaps we could make an arrangement... tonight." He kissed the tip of her nose. "If you wear that devilish French Maid outfit Sango got you for your official bachelorette party last year?"
Kagome's blush was at top notch, matching the shade of a tomato- or perhaps a really ripe apple. "Maybe we can make an arrangement...?"
"EWWW!" Muteki pointed and the adults pulled away from each other. "COOTIES!"
"Were you kissing?" Sayuki made a face. "That's gross!"
Ai rolled her eyes. "I've seen them kiss so many times its irregular if they don't kiss." Hikari nodded in agreement, a huge grin spread across her features.
Inuyasha had a deadpan look on his face. "You are way too much like Sango."
A cheeky grin spread across Inuyasha's goddaughters lips. "I am part Takahashi and all Lin. Best of both worlds."
Hikari snorted. "I got stuck with being a Lang. You know how uncool my parents are Ai? At least your parents have awesome jobs and your godparents are even awesome- model and business man extraordinaire. Mine are just..."
"Lame?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "I know Kouga's always been way uncool." He winked at Hikari. "That's why you're our adopted daughter when your parents aren't around. Our coolness will spread to you and you'll grow up to be cooler than Kagome and me!"
"Uncle Inu," Hikari crossed her arms, "What you said was uncool. Don't try to be cool, please?"
Kagome burst into laughter and pushed Inuyasha away. "Told off by the nine year old! Move away before you spread your uncoolness!"
Inuyasha crossed his arms and faked a pout. "I changed your dirty diapers as a baby you know."
"You didn't do it willingly." Hikari giggled. "I'm pretty sure Mommy asked you to change my diapers."
"Ayame probably did," Kagome muttered, "your mother is really demanding."
"I'm tiwed," Muteki yawned and Inuyasha pushed himself off the bench to coddle his baby boy.
"Alright Solider," he kissed his cheek, "home time?"
The triplets nodded simultaneously. "Home time!"
-x-
Eight Years Later
-x-
Fourteen-year-old triplets sat in their Theatre Room watching a marathon of Harry Potter while an eleven-year-old Muteki sat in the kitchen, inhaling a sandwich his mother made for him. It was almost the triplet's birthday and Kagome was planning a surprise party with the help of Muteki.
"A pink cake?" Kagome asked and the young one shook his head.
"Yumi-onee hates pink..."
Kagome bit her bottom lip. "But Sayuki loves pink."
"Get three cakes?"
Kagome considered that. "It could work..."
"GET SPIDER MAN!" a dual set of voices echoed through the kitchen as the youngest two members of the Takahashi Clan, twin boys Aki and Sao, voiced their opinion. After Kagome heard the news she was having twins, she wondered where in the world such amazing fertility existed on either side of their family tree. First triplets, then twins?
"I doubt your sisters would like Spider man, boys." Kagome said lovingly.
"Superman?" Sao blinked, cutely.
Muteki rolled his eyes. "They like girly stuff. Not boy stuff."
Aki frowned. "That's no fun." And turned and ran off, with Sao on his heels. Kagome scratched the back of her head.
"They aren't like Inuyasha or me."
Muteki snickered. "They're like Uncle Miroku and Uncle Kouga."
Kagome paused. "... yeah, I think you're right..." Turning around, Kagome kept flipping through a cake book that she picked up from the store earlier that day. She was trying to find the perfect cake for her daughters but nothing seemed to pop out to her. Muteki took a sip of his fruit punch.
"Why don't you get a three layered cake thing?" Muteki inquired before slurping his drink. Kagome turned and looked at him.
"Three tiers, you mean?"
He shrugged. "I dunno what it's called... but like a wedding cake? But have like Sayuri-onee at the bottom 'cuz she's oldest and have that her favourite colour. Then make the second one Sayuki-onee and the last one Sayumi-onee?"
Kagome blinked twice before randomly hugging her son. "You are so the next heir to the business. How the heck are you so smart at eleven?"
Muteki dusted off his shoulder. "It's in the genes mom," he hopped off the bar stool, "you wouldn't understand."
Kagome twitched. "Genes—MY GENES ARE IN YOU!"
"Your jeans are where?" Inuyasha inquired, walking into the kitchen still in his business suit and holding his briefcase. Kagome laughed and went to greet Inuyasha, pecking him on the lips.
"Not pant jeans, the DNA genes." She explained, loosening his tie for him. "Muteki said that his intelligence is in the genes and that I wouldn't understand."
Inuyasha laughed as he understood what happened next: "So you said that your genes are in him."
She nodded. "Yeah—the kid's smart, wanna hear what he told me?"
Inuyasha plopped down on the barstool. "What?" He plucked a grape from the fruit basket stationed at the center of the island.
"To make a three tiered cake and have each tier represent one of the girls."
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "Well then," he chewed his grape slowly, "his intelligence genes came from me, no doubt about that."
Kagome threw a bag of marshmallows at him that she found in the cupboard. "Oh hush you!" She scolded.
"Where's the cook?" The alpha Takahashi inquired.
"She wasn't feeling well so I relieved her for the day." Kagome was wiping down the counter. "Wanna run to the cake shop with me tonight to order the girls' cake?"
Inuyasha nodded. "Why not. On one condition..."
Kagome raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh? And that is..."
"Help me de-stress?"
Kagome caught the innuendo and licked her lips. "Just tell me how I can be of assistance."
Inuyasha grinned. "Well first... we can depart to our sanctuary known as the master bedroom?"
Kagome couldn't help but giggle.
-x-
Five Years Later
-x-
Sango blew her nose into a handkerchief as she watched her baby girl leave the wedding venue in the arms of her new husband. Kasumi, Yuka and Hayabusa's 21-year-old daughter, had her arm wrapped around Sango's shoulder in an effort to comfort her. Ai's younger sister, Noriko, was the maid of honour and she wasn't there beside her mother during the ending of the ceremony due to ceremonial obligations. Ichiro, Kasumi's 22-year-old brother, was holding the limousine door open. Ai Lin had married her childhood friend and long-time lover, Kyo Asuki, son of Eri and Hojo Asuki.
Hikari wiped the tears from her eyes as she hugged her best friend before she entered the limo.
"Congrats, Ai." Hikari whispered and Ai grinned.
"You're next," Ai giggled referring to the fact that Hikari had caught the bouquet. Inuyasha and Miroku were standing side by side and for once in Inuyasha's life, he didn't badger Miroku for doing something out of the ordinary: cry. Aki and Sao, 12-year olds, played groomsmen for Kyo and 16-year old Muteki wanted to be a groomsman for Ai so he broke the rules for his childhood friend that was more a sister to him than anything else. He stood beside his blood sisters, Sayuki, Sayumi, and Sayuri (all nineteen) behind Ai as they were the bridesmaids.
Kagome also wiped a tear from her eye as the family gathered around the limo, watching Ai ride off with Kyo.
"It's sad that we're gonna see her tonight at Hojo's house, AND NOT OUR OWN!" Sango wailed.
"I KNOW!" Kagome joined her as they both clung to each other and cried. Inuyasha let Miroku have his moment as he went and joined the little crying circle that was his wife and Kagome. Noriko rolled her eyes.
"Uh, family?" She called out uncertainly, her beautiful silky black hair tied back in a French twist, "We have to go home and get ready to go to Uncle Hojo's house tonight?"
Sango wailed even louder. "HOJO! AI IS AT HIS HOUSE FOREVER NOW! WHY OH WHY!"
Inuyasha rubbed his temples and Hayabusa clapped his back. "'tis the life, brother?"
Inuyasha nodded. "You know it. I wonder how badly Kagome will act when one of the triplets get married..."
-x-
Seven Years Later
-x-
"Do you, Sayuki Kimiko Takahashi, take Ichiro Falcon to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
Kagome whimpered as she clung to her husband, watching her baby girl get married- the first of the triplets. Sayuki had harboured deep feelings for their family friend, Ichiro Falcon and eventually he popped the question. Kagome could not have asked for a better man for her baby.
"I do."
"She's getting married," Inuyasha had his arm wrapped around Kagome's shoulder, "our baby girl..." He turned to Kagome who was tearing up.
"She's still so little."
"She's twenty-six." Inuyasha smiled and Kagome sniffed. "You were younger when you married me."
"Well yeah," Kagome's tone implied the but-we-had-reason-to-get-married message. Inuyasha chuckled softly before turning his attention back to his blushing daughter who was soon to be someone else's daughter. Thankfully Inuyasha knew Hayabusa, otherwise he'd have to pull out his angry-protective-father act. A couple rows behind Inuyasha and Kagome were Daichi Fujii and his wife, Ayumi. They only had one child, a son, before Ayumi was unable to have any more children. Kaoru Fujii was ten-years-old and was babied by his family and friends alike.
"And by the power vested in me, I hereby pronounce you man and wife," the Father smiled, "you may kiss your bride."
The Church exploded into applause and Kagome stood up, wiping her tears off and clapped the loudest. Beside her was Sango- equally as loud in clapping. "Gosh I am so proud of her!" Sango beamed as Ichiro carried Sayuki out of the Church and into their little wedding convertible. Ichiro placed his bride in the passenger seat and then jogged over to the driver seat himself. A very pregnant Ai and an equally pregnant Hikari clung to each other sobbing in happiness. Hikari had gotten married merely months after Ai to a high school sweetheart, Ichijouji Daisuke and happened to get pregnant with her first child at the same time as Ai did.
All the family members twitched uncontrollably upon hearing the news.
"You two shared everything as children, did you have to share being pregnant together?" Inuyasha roared for Miroku and Kouga. The girls had giggled nervously but Kagome had something else to say:
"I'M GONNA BE A GODGRANDMA?"
Inuyasha twitched. "Only you, Mademoiselle..."
"We watched her grow up!" Hikari wailed, her seven month pregnant stomach bulging.
"WE HELPED RAISE HER!" Ai howled as well.
Muteki shoved his younger brothers. "Let's hope the triplets don't get pregnant at the same time, hmm?"
"Oh god no..." Sao mumbled.
-x-
4 Years Later
-x-
"God Muteki," Sayumi snarled, "I only ask you to get a stinkin' cake and you screw that up."
Muteki crossed his arms and glared blatantly at his sister. At 27-years-old he was happily married to Noriko Lin Takahashi (Ai's younger sister) and was the father of a finicky 2 year old girl, Haruka Takahashi. Sayuki and Daisuke had a boy and a year later, had a daughter and decided to call it quits. Sayuki had her tubes tied in case of accidental conception.
Sayumi, at 30, had recently gotten married with one of Inuyasha's Board of Directors member, Ken Wada. She was holding off children for a few more yeras. Sayuri had also gotten married –to a University Professor, Tatsuya Amamiya- and was two months pregnant. Ai and Hikari both had daughters (amazingly...) and named them Sakura and Ume (respectively). The first generation friends (the Takahashi's, Lin's, Lang's, Asuki's, Falcon's and Fujii's) dreaded what'll happen if Sakura and Ume were like their mothers...
"Hell on earth," Miroku murmured, cradling his granddaughter, "times two..."
"Times four." Kouga muttered as he cradled his. "They'll bring Ai and Hikari along for the ride."
Inuyasha leaned back in his armchair and sipped on a glass of orange juice. "Wouldn't put it past the brats."
Sakura and Ume were three years old.
"It's their 30th anniversary and you know how big of a deal they make it." Sayumi poured chips in a plastic bowl. "If you don't go find a cake-"
"Noriko and Ai were at the stupid spa all day!" Muteki objected. "I had to watch Haruka! You don't have children."
"I might as well," Sayumi muttered, "with all the kids you guys are popping out."
Muteki sighed. "Fine, I'll go find a really nice cake. Mom and Dad know about the surprise yet?"
Sayumi shook her head. "No... just go, Teki."
Nodding, the heir to the Takahashi Clan departed. At exactly that moment, 23-year-olds Aki and Sao entered the kitchen to see their annoyed sister.
"What's up, Onee-chan?" Sao inquired as Sayuki whirled on to them.
"Is the living room decorated?"
Before Sao could reply, Aki clamped a hand over his mouth and nodded. "Yes. Yes it is. We'll go check on it!" And while they both turned and ran away, Sayumi heard Aki say: If you tell her no she'll rip our balls off. Just quickly decorate that shit now!
Sayumi pulled on her hair. SHOOT ME NOW!
-x-
"The kids have been acting very strange." Kagome muttered as Inuyasha and she lay on their backyard swing and enjoyed the sunlight. Her salt and pepper hair was splayed across her back and Inuyasha ran his fingers through her soft tresses.
"My life savings says they're planning us a surprise anniversary present." Inuyasha murmured.
Kagome laughed, kissing his chin. "I wouldn't put it past them." She closed her eyes and listened to her husband's heart beat. "They're great kids hmm?"
"The best," Inuyasha agreed, continuing his ministrations.
A smile played on Kagome's lips. "You know I never dressed up as a porcupine for Muteki or the twins?"
Inuyasha laughed. "I pitied you, Mademoiselle Miko." His voice still sent shivers up her spine. She continued to listen to the thump thump thump that reverberated through his chest. The way he made her feel was exactly like how he did so many years ago in the nostalgic summerhouse that they stole kisses in.
"You forgot," she mumbled cutely, "I still think you're a rich snob."
Inuyasha boomed in laughter. "You're still a little brat, what're you trying to say?"
Kagome didn't say anything but continued to enjoy the cradle that was the swing. "Je t'aime..."
"Moi aussi." Inuyasha whispered.
"MOM! DAD! COME HERE?" Sao's voice echoed. Kagome sighed and cracked her eyes open.
"Let's act surprised when they surprise us?"
Inuyasha nodded. "I'll fake a heart attack, how does that sound?"
"Perfect," Kagome snickered and kissed his cheek. "If you could redo our lives differently, would you?"
Immediately he shook his head. "Not at all- well maybe the triplets being born prematurely because of you getting shot... but that's about it. Would you?"
"Not a single day," Kagome smiled as Inuyasha stood up and held his hand out to her.
"Ready to spend the rest of our lives together?" He asked teasingly. Kagome giggled.
"I think I already am... and besides," she flirtatiously winked at him, "forever isn't long enough. I want you longer."
Inuyasha licked his lips and slapped her butt. "Baby, I'm all yours..."
"STOP FLIRTING YOU TWO SENIOR CITIZENS," Aki popped his head into the backyard, "WE NEED YOU IN HERE NOW!"
"Keep your dentures on!" Kagome waved her hand at her son who rolled his eyes.
"Dad's the one with fake teeth," Aki winked at his father before running away. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.
"Brat..."
"Your brat."
"Our brat." Inuyasha wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder. "Love you," he murmured without looking at her.
She had her arm around his waist.
"Je t'aime aussi, Casanova."
-x-
Thank you for reading Taste of Love: Revisited! Tell me which ending you like better and the one that's preferred I'll keep! In about two months time from this day (August 26, 2011 to October 26, 2011) I'll delete the ending that isn't preferred- let me know!