InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A new beginning, a new hope ❯ I do ( Chapter 9 )

At noon time, as what Sota had deduced, the school cafeteria was indeed a place where most students congregated. The entire place was livened up by noisy chattering, occasional thunderous laughter and dissonant clatter of cutleries. Crossing her slender legs at a round table near to the middle, Kagome made a quick survey of the environment. The school had created an excellent performance environment even within the confined space of this eatery. Right in the centre front of the dining hall was a small stage on which a baby grand stood. She recalled that Sota had mentioned that regular lunch time concerts are held here so as to give students in the school an opportunity to gain some performance experience.

 

She turned her gaze round the table. The whole family was here to support Rin, mama, Ji-chan, Sota and of course, her own husband and daughter. As her eyes landed on the kid, she heaved an audible sigh of annoyance. Instead of putting her food in the correct place, her eight-year-old was catapulting her fish balls with her spoon over to… Inuyasha? Apparently, the hanyou was catching them deftly into his mouth, the kid chuckling and bursting out in hilarious giggles while aiming.

 

“Nice catch, papa!” Keiko snapped her fingers, her eyes gleamed brightly.

 

“Kah! That's nothing. Wait till you see this.” With that and a little snooty wink, the hanyou did a little somersault while reaching his head out to the next flying object attempting to catch it between his fangs.

 

“Inuyasha, Osuwari!” A voice boomed followed by a loud crash.

 

“Teme, Kagome, why did you do that?” the hanyou climbed from underneath the table. “I was trying not to waste food.”

 

He feigned the innocent look while Keiko froze.

 

“Keiko, do you want to wear something like what papa has on his neck?” The miko was not at all pleased.

 

Detecting the seriousness in her mother's tone, the kid gulped and paused for a second. Then, with great reluctance, she obediently picked up her fork and started with her food.

 

This little family squabble was interrupted by a brief announcement over the microphone.

 

“Everyone, please be seated. The lunch time concert is about to begin. Today, we have prepared for you a few popular classics played by some of the newest talents from our institution. We'll first have two pieces for the flute, oboe and piano followed by a few light hearted pieces on the violin. Lastly, we'll just like to request that you turn your hand phones to silent mode. Thank you and enjoy.”

 

Sesshoumaru, he should be here somewhere, the miko scanned the area, peering hard to locate the demon lord amongst these entire crowd. There he is.

 

The youkai was well camouflaged as he was not in his usual attire. Earlier in the morning, she had presented a change of clothes so as to aid him in his travels about town. And it was not at all an easy task. She had to painstakingly explain to totally-lost Sesshoumaru in detail the procedures of putting them on, almost demonstrating it on herself. Though she would rather that Inuyasha do this dirty job, somehow, instinct told her that it would take a far fetch miracle for that to happen.

 

A flash of self satisfaction danced across her face. Indeed, she had good taste. She had selected the usual white for the demon lord, having a hunch that would be his preference as well. He had a three-piece suit on him now, a collared shirt, jacket, pants and shoes, all pale cream in color. Also, she had bought specially for him a pair of squared shades tinted amber like his eyes and with his hair now tied in a low pony tail hiding his pointy ears, he could almost be mistaken as a normal human. Well, except for those crimson strips across his cheek bones and his crescent symbol. But this was the best she could do and she was proud of it. She mused smugly nodding her head.

 

The concert went on smoothly and when it was Rin's turn, Keiko was enthusiastically clinking the camera. Sota gave the girl a wink as she passed him a nervous glance. She felt jittery during the first few seconds the piece began but as the music went on, she got more involved in it and everything just fell into place after that.

 

Concealed among the crowd, Sesshoumaru's gaze did not leave the girl even for a second throughout her recital. Even when he still could not fully appreciate the strange tunes she was playing on the equally odd instrument, it was undeniably a wonderful show of talent on her part. The demon lord found himself beaming with pride. That was his girl, his Rin. His mood dampened. At this moment in time, he did not actually truly know if she was still his. His usual confidence was badly shaken.

 

The uproarious ovation broke his trains of thoughts.

 

As the performers gathered on the stage, Sota stood up from his seat and gallantly hopped on the stage, presenting to Rin a single white rose. His little action stirred up lots of tiny shrills and gasps from the audience below, mostly the girls. Taken by pleasant surprise, the girl bashfully accepted the gift.

 

At this antagonizing sight, the demon was clenching his fist as he tried hard to control himself. He was swarmed with a mixture of envy, distaste, hurt and angst and just as he was about to lose it, something or someone tugged at the corner of his pants. He peered down and realized that it was the hanyou kid and she was smiling brilliantly at him.

 

“Uncle moon, why aren't you giving anything to Rin-chan?” Keiko implored with interest.

 

Pesky little kid, the youkai lord sneered inwardly as he shot her with a not-so-amiable stare.

 

“You like Rin don't you?” The kid added with a sly wink. “I can tell.”

 

What insolence! Who the hell does she think she is, butting into my business like this? The demon lord was getting frustrated.

 

“Girls like flowers. If you like Rin-chan, you should get her one,” she was apparently quite concerned.

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. Busybody as she was, the kid actually made some sense. Not in five hundred years would it cross his mind to present gifts to girls in order to gain their favor. He never really needed to do so. They just flocked to him, all those eager beavers of demonesses. But, if the human was showering HIS Rin with such thoughtful gifts, perhaps, he should do likewise.

 

But how am I supposed to do that? He was aware of his situation. How was he going to get himself out of this predicament?

 

“I know you have difficulties,” the hanyou was smart. “I can help you.” She grinned as she swung from side to side proudly.

 

“Why… Why are you doing this?” The demon lord found it hard not to ask.

 

“Because I like you.” Her golden eyes glowed with delight.

 

Sesshoumaru paused for a second as he skimmed through her. That smile, those wide eager eyes, those mischievous little gestures and that bubbly mouth reminded him of someone he knew. He gasped. Rin. The kid resembled Rin when she was a child, when he first met her.

 

“Ikuzo, let's go.” The demon lord beckoned the little hanyou. With this, the hanyou kid tailed behind the youkai lord, much like how Rin used to do.

 

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After dinner, Rin was about to return to her room intending to do some transcriptions of scores for her string quartet practice next week. She was just about to reach for the knob of her room door when suddenly, a hand grabbed hers.

 

It was Sota and his expressions were rather odd that evening. He had a coy smile dangling all over his face but he seemed a little anxious. Even as he spoke, his voice was slightly strangled.

 

“Rin, err… I have something to show you,” Rin's head tilted, bemused.

 

“What's wrong, Sota?” she was worried. Sota was not his usual self.

 

“Err.. nothing. I just wanna… I mean…,” he sighed. “Come with me to the yard.”

 

“Sure.” She consented almost immediately.

 

To her astonishment, Sota went to his room and picked up his cello. Holding the girl's hand in his, he stealthily led her to the Goshinboko.

 

The girl watched as the young man set up his instrument.

 

“Sota, are you playing something for me?” Rin decidedly there could only be one possibility though she didn't have the faintest idea why.

 

“Erm… Yes. I'm playing the Salut d'amour by Elgar for you,” he managed those words with strange difficulty.

 

Rin found nothing all of the similar with this. Sota had now and then played little tunes for her, sometimes even asking her for opinion to improve on them. Well, not that she was of any real help. They were usually already more than perfect. Thus, most times, she would be just sit back and enjoy such moments.

 

The large mellow instrument sang beautifully in the hands of its gifted master and Rin let her eyes drift shut as she immersed herself in the catchy melody of the piece.

 

When the music ended, Rin opened her eyes only to find Sota almost breaking out in cold sweat. She was thoroughly confused by all this.

 

“Err.. Rin,” the young man choked out. “You know, when Elgar wrote this piece, he had intended it to be a present to the girl he loved. As the title `Love's Greetings' implies, he was actually using this piece of music to propose to his girlfriend.”

 

Rin's eyes glinted with inquisitiveness. “Really? Wow. Did she accept it?”

 

“Of course. Why do you think the piece is so popular even up till today?” Sota forced a smile while reaching into his pocket where a tiny box lay.

 

“That's so romantic. I'm sure lots of other lovers followed suit after that. I wonder if I could play it on the violin as well.” The girl obviously did not get the hint.

 

After that, she showered him with all kinds of questions like: What key is it in? Is it difficult to learn? Where can I get the score? And as Sota attempted to answer her questions, much to his disappointment, he placed the box back into his pocket.

 

This is not working, he sighed shaking his head resignedly. I've got to try something else.

 

 

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On the opposite side of the Goshinboko, a tall dark shadow loomed from behind its coarse grooves. Sesshoumaru took in all of the conversations between the two with renewed disturbance. He leaned his weary body against the rutted trunks of the sacred tree and let his eyes drift shut for a moment. He sighed in exhaustion, both physically and mentally from the events that happened in the past two days. Unknowingly, he had let the frail flower fall from his clawed fingers.

 

Suddenly, a soft whishing sound was heard and he turned only to discover that the kid had dived forward to catch it before it landed on the dusty ground.

 

“Hey, be careful. We went through a lot of trouble getting this you know,” Keiko whispered placing her hands close to her little lips and simultaneously pointing to the direction of the well.

 

However, the youkai lord was in the despairing mood.

 

“I've changed my mind.” His voice was bland.

 

“You can't do that! The flower, the moon's flower, it's so hard to find,” the hanyou kid pulled at his sleeves encouragingly.

 

Seeing that the tall demon was ignoring her, she urged him again. “Rin-chan will love it. I guarantee.”

 

Her pleading amber eyes created a softening effect on the regal lord. He nodded, giving her the go ahead.

 

“No, not yet,” the eight-year-old had other plans in mind. She pulled Sesshoumaru down to her level and spoke into his ears.

 

What is it now? He felt he was totally under the mercy of the small child.

 

“You've got to come up with something romantic.” She was indeed thorough.

 

“Romantic?” The lord was clouded.

 

“Yes, romantic. It means something nice, something sweet.” She winked skittishly. “Come on, don't me go into details.”

 

This kid is impossible, Sesshoumaru felt he was dragged further and further down into a whirlpool.

 

He paused.

 

He does have something to say, something sentimental, something he had said before.

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