InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ "Shards of Our Memories": The Soap Opera ❯ Chapter 1: These Days of Our Lives ( Chapter 1 )

SUMMARY: A/U- Kagome is thrilled: she just got her break, cast in the lead role of a new daytime soap. But she's quickly finding that weird cast members, blooming relationships and dark pasts can be even more exciting than a soap opera plot! I/K S/M

DISCLAIMER: *wishes* *hopes* *pleads* but still no Inuyasha has come to her….

A/N: Hey, everyone! It's Sadia here, and I've got a brand new story for everyone to sink their teeth into! Since I came up with this concept, the story has just been writing itself, and I'm having a lot of fun working with my favorite characters ^_^. This is one of my first ventures into full-blown fan fiction, but I've been working very hard on this story. I'm very proud of it so far. I've received a lot of flattering comments from my friends about this story, so I figured I would let the fan community enjoy it as well.

So, without further ado, here's the first chapter in my fic, "Shards of Our Memories":

CHAPTER 1: Days of Our Lives

"OK….Miss…Higurashi, is it? You've been through this process before- correct? Well, very good then, let's get started. Why don't you take your place on that X right there…yes, the duct tape one…right….hold on….alright, we've got you. Hold that." There was a moment of scuffling and the sound of shifting metal.

"Here we go. Take One- Audition- Kagome and Isumu. Scene 5. Pilot. ACTION!"

Kagome, after smiling politely and trying to follow the casting director's orders in the swiftest and most professional way possible, turned her cheek to the camera, calmed her bouncing nerves and put on her game face. A face that Maya Dupri, the beauty of "Shards of Our Memories" would definitely wear. Her dark eyes widened, her round mouth pouted sensuously, and her lashes fluttered in distress.

"Oh! Damien! You can't leave me!" She was proud of that voice, perfected after countless failed auditions, and hours of practice with her agent in his cramped office. Her tuned voice shook with sweet emotion.

Faking a shuddering sob, she crossed to fling her slender form at her audition partner. "Damien!" Again, proud of the voice….Her face was muffled in his weak chest. She could tell right away that this guy had no acting prowess whatsoever, as he struggled to act natural under her grasp.

She tried to play over his lack of understanding of the scene, by digging her fingers into his shirt, tearing up the space around her with the dramatic phrases. "We've…." Dramatic pause.. "we've only just met yesterday…but- yet- I feel as if we're soul mates…we're compatible hearts, pierced on one thread, pulled together by fate!" Lavishing the boy in front of her with affection, she lifted her lashes slowly and demurely to meet his eyes, her Maya Dupri face shining to its maximum. With a deep breath, she began to pull in closer for the kiss…

Two inches…one inch….half…ready….

"CUT!"

Kagome froze. --Dang. I must have really bombed this if we can't even take it to the kiss--. She quickly replaced her Maya Dupri face with one that attempted not to have "failure" branded on her forehead. Hiten Raiken, the casting director, was standing next to the camera, looking somewhat mollified.

"Kagome!" She tried to smile and waited for the note of dismissal. "Kagome, that was fantastic!" Her face broke into beams. "But you-" he turned to face her audition partner. He was standing stark still, his sandy hair flattened against his head in an awkward way, and his face pasted with a nervous blush.

"Er…You….Hoho, was it?"

"No…ah, it's Isumu Hojo, sir…"

"Ah, Hobo…let's retake this, but, for God's sake, don't freeze up. You're a soap opera hunk…" He clenched his wiry fingers in an act to personify the hunkiness of the character. "Damien is a god embodied in….well, the body of a male masseuse. Feel it! Alright..take two….ACTION!"

Kagome took her place again, glancing at Hojo, who was struggling with no success to strike a sexy pose. If it hadn't been her chance to make it big that he was obstructing, she might have found this funny. He looked rather like a Cabbage Patch doll, his round face puffed in frustration, his arms hanging loosely at his sides.

As the scene commenced, Kagome sobbed out her lines. She tried again to materialize some kind of chemistry with her leading man, wrapping her arms around his bony waist, and tried to ignore the stiffening of his body. --Really….where do they find these actors?-- She felt as if she were acting against a brick wall, and hoped that his lack of skills didn't affect her chance of getting the part. He spit out his line about his wife standing in the way of their fated love. From across the room, there was an audible sound of consternation from Hiten Raiken.

When the casting director finally told the cameraman to stop rolling, Kagome was looking forward to putting her face into a pillow and perhaps screaming very loudly.

"Homo…..I mean…er…Hojo….Kagome. I think we're done for the day. That was….very good." His face sure didn't look as if it had been very good. "But, we'll be sure to…..get back to you." He nodded sharply, and moved to walk them out.

The two actors moved to the rows of seats, picked up their belongings, and made their way to the door.

--Another failed audition…maybe he tells all the girls that they're fantastic….I guess I'll have to go to his office and let him know all our work has gone to waste .He must be waiting for me right now--….Kagome slipped an arm into her jacket.-- Maybe I should just give up on these damn auditions. I guess I'm not what they're looking for…--Kagome sighed to herself, and began to let herself out.

"Wait! Kagome!"

She swung around, and saw Hiten standing before her, his dark hair plastered into a long braid, and his eyes flashing over the rims of his glasses.

"Do you…think that `Maya Dupri' is a good name….?"

Kagome stared at him for a second. "I….well….sure, it's a good soap opera name…"

"Well, then…..how would you like to be Miss Dupri?"

"BE Maya Dupri!? You mean…I…"

"You did beautifully on your audition; I couldn't have imagined a better embodiment of our leading lady!"

Kagome had wrapped him in a tight hug within seconds, her apprehension and surprise spilling out into laughter. "Of course! Yes! I'll be Maya Dupri! I can't believe this…"

He looked very glad that she was excited. He adjusted his glasses, and winked at her. "I'm sure you'll be glad to know Mr. Hojo will not be playing Damien Court…but, we would like to audition some more actors for the part, preferably tomorrow…..If you could be here tomorrow at…say…four pm sharp, that would be wonderful.."

"Of course! Anytime you need me…."

"Well then, it's settled. We'll find your godly leading man, Miss Higurashi!"

Her face had already broken into a wide grin, and she shook his hand almost violently as she turned to leave. "Thank you, Mr. Raiken! Thank you so much!"

Walking out the glass doors of the lobby, her feet felt lighter than ever before…..

--Just wait till I tell everyone…..Kagome Higurashi…Daytime Soap Star….--

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Kagome's Higurashi's agent sat, in his secondhand chair, behind his secondhand desk, turning his pen idly between thumb and forefinger. After a few minutes of this, he set the pen down, thought for a moment, and smoothed back his loose bangs.

He then commenced to drum his fingers impatiently on the scratched wood.

Without warning, the phone rang very loudly. Before the first ring was finished, he had dived across his desk for it, and had his mouth practically wrapped around the receiver.

"KAGOME! Is that you?!" he yelled.

A gentle and disapproving growl greeted him from the other end.

"Oh, Rin. It's just you…."

"Sorry to disappoint." Rin tsked lightly, though she understood her employer's apprehension over the girl's audition. Kagome was very talented, the light and center of their lives…it just seemed that the casting directors had yet to notice.

"Miroku! You scream loud enough to drill a hole in my eardrum! I'm sure Kagome will call as soon as she finds out."

Miroku ruffled his already-messy tangle of dark hair, and screwed up his face in boyish impatience. "I know…sorry…" he muttered sheepishly.

"This is unusual for you, Mr. Calm-and-Collected Agent!"

"I can't help but worry in this situation!"

He heard Rin's smile as she spoke to him. "Ah, yes….I've forgotten. The almighty practitioner of Buddhism and the martial arts can't sit still on audition days."

He grumbled amicably. "OK, OK…I'll try to calm down."

"That's all I ask."

"So why did you call in the first place?" He pushed the pen into motion again, watching it intently as it rolled up the desk and then back towards his outstretched finger.

"Ah…yes…would you please stop drumming on the desk? I can hear it from outside, and it's distracting me from my work."

Miroku huffed irritably and slammed the receiver back into its cradle. "That girl…"

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"Yes, mom….yes, I won't let these big-name producers take advantage of me…I'll make sure my contract…what? NO! Ma….mom! Why don't you come to the meeting when we draw up the contract, ok? Then you can't nag me about it anymore! OK….well, thanks. I'm excited about it to….I was sure I hadn't got the part, but Mr. Raiken…yes, yes….Hiten Raiken. Yeah, it's his real name…he's the same guy that did Soul Sharing…OK….MOM! I…really have to go…Miroku still hasn't heard…yes…yes….I know that…….BYE MOM!"

Kagome slammed her cell phone shut, cutting off her mother's voice. Her mom was the sweetest, most well-meaning and supportive mother a girl could have, but she had the annoying habit of harping on issues when it came to Kagome's future. She dropped the phone into her purse, and hurried onward to the drafty office building down the street….

Kagome slipped quietly into the office of Miroku Inoue, gently shutting the door behind her. The familiar smell of three-day-old coffee and stale air circulating through the vents greeted her nostrils, and it brought back all the work and practice Miroku had helped her through…..her all-in-one agent, mentor, coach, and friend.

Rin was staring at her expectantly, her eyebrows raised cutely and her lips poised in an encouraging smile. Kagome motioned for her to be quiet.

`Did you get it?' Rin mouthed. Kagome nodded, unable to contain her growing grin. As Rin wriggled in her seat, and clapped in joy, Kagome motioned towards the closed office door. Rin nodded quickly, and ushered her enthusiastically towards it. Inhaling deeply, Kagome straightened the strap of her bag on her shoulder. Glancing proudly, like she always did, at the engraved nameplate on Miroku's door, she turned the doorknob softly and stepped in.

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"Rin! Call Kagome. She should know by now if she got that part! Yes! You call her….yes, it was part of your job description!" He hung up, and swiveled around in his chair to face the view of the twilight spreading over the tops of the buildings. This is where Kagome found him, and made note to remind him that he was not being very productive.

In two steps, she was directly behind him. Before she could even place her hands over his eyes, he had caught them tightly in his own. She looked down at him, impressed.

"Miroku! I guess you're too fast for me…..you never cease to amaze me with your senses…"

Miroku grinned slyly. "I saw you in the window's reflection!"

"Cheater!" He quickly pulled her arms down around his shoulders, playfully nuzzling her cheek against his. He chuckled as she pretended to wriggle away in disgust.

"Oh, Kagome Higurashi, won't you bear me a child?" He looked up at her with puppy dog eyes, trying to pout adorably.

She sniggered. "In your dreams, Monk!"

He sighed, dejectedly. "I guess I'll have to ask Rin again, for the fourteenth time…."

"Only fourteen?" she muttered dryly. "Gaining a control on your perversion, eh?"

"Oh Kagome, you make my heart ache!"

"Nice try, Miroku!" She pulled away from his grasp, moving to plop herself on the chair in front of his desk. She settled back in the chair, putting on a serious face. Miroku followed suit. He suddenly grew apprehensive, and leaned forward as far as the desk would let him.

"So…..what did they say…?"

Kagome stayed silent for a moment, letting the tension draw out deliciously. Raising her eyebrows and parting her lips, she studied her nails over the bridge of her nose. "Now that I'm a big soap opera star, I think I'm going to need more luxuries, better publicity!"

He was grinning like a goofball, and then had picked her up and was dancing her around the room. "Kagome Higurashi! Soap Star! My girl- I always knew you were going to be a star, didn't I?" He laughed happily, and held her tighter.

Kagome's happiness welled up inside of her once again. Why, he seemed even more excited than her, and she was the one who would receive most of the paycheck! He held her at arms' length, and surveyed her rosy cheeks, tousled hair and bright eyes proudly.

"I hope this means you aren't getting a new agent?"

Kagome giggled. "Nah…I don't think I could stand those big-shots anyway!"

Miroku looked hurt, as he rolled his eyes dramatically. "Aren't I a big-shot?"

Kagome looked around at the frayed carpet, and the ratty couch in the corner. They both shared a laugh, as Kagome sat back down.

"I'll never forget my old friend Miroku!"

"You better not!"

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The end of CHAPTER 1

THE LONGEST A/N IN THE WORLD. (PRIOR APOLOGIES.): Isn't Miroku the biggest dork you've ever met? (And wouldn't you just love to give him the hug he deserves? ^_^) And, I apologize profusely to all you Hojo fans. I just couldn't resist taking the shot at his lack of acting abilities(episode 128, anybody? ; ) )

All you IY/K fans may have noticed that our favorite hanyou isn't around just yet…But, just you wait. He's alive, don't worry, and he'll be arriving in within the next two chapters! I'm a romantic sap at heart, so this fic won't go unfinished without some loving for my favorite half-demon.

And, chapter two should be posted by the middle of the weekend. I plan to update this story no less than once a week, since I'm able to write it so fast. So, give me any comments/flames/suggestions you may have, and I'll be very appreciative. I look forward to getting a couple reviews so I know what I can improve on.

Lastly, for a little challenge for all you readers- anyone want a cookie? A piece of virtual cheese? I wonder if you can guess what roles all of the characters of Inuyasha will have in the production of this new soap opera? Take a guess, if you think you've got a wild idea!

-Thanks for reading-

-Sadia-