RIN'S COMING OF AGE
It has been raining all day. Here I am, sitting near the door of Lady Kaede's cottage wondering why it had to rain on my birthday. I turned 19 today and the birthday wishes have died down, since it is the late afternoon already. As the earthy smell of rain wafted through the air, I pondered a great many things...
My mind turned to Sesshomaru-sama as always. Sesshomaru-sama, in handing me over to Lady Kaede, also made her my guardian. Whether this was done consciously or unconsciously, I do not know. But the fact remains that since I am currently residing with Lady Kaede and since she is responsible for my food, shelter, and welfare; she is my legal guardian. Not Sesshomaru-sama.
So what did that make him?
He came to visit every second month or so. He always came bearing gifts - they were almost always kimonos of the highest quality. We would spend part of the day together, being in each other's company. He would listen as I told him what I had learned and seen, I would ask him what he had been doing, Master Jaken would interrupt as he always did; but off late, Master Jaken did not accompany Sesshomaru-sama on his visits to me anymore. Whenever I asked him why, he would never give me a straight answer. Although I did miss Master Jaken, I did feel lucky to have Sesshomaru-sama all to myself!
The girls my age in the village had suitors. Their suitors would spend part of the day with them, bring them presents, and just spend time with them. For some reason, all the boys kept away from me though. I did not understand why, until I asked my friend Suki. Suki told me that they were all under the impression that Sesshomaru-sama was my suitor!
What?
Oh how I had a good laugh at that! Sesshomaru-sama as my suitor! Oh how hilarious that is! I quickly told her that she was horribly mistaken but she would not hear of it. She told me that since he visits the village especially to see me, brings me luxurious presents, and spends time with me - he was a suitor in the eyes of the village! She also made the point of telling me that since he was no longer my guardian, he was acting as a suitor would...after all, why else would he continue to want to see me, even after he had handed me over to Lady Kaede's guardianship? Suki also mentioned that the fact he gave me the option of rejoining him again after I was of age, was also suspicious. If he had wanted me to live all my days in the village, he would not have offered me that option...
I of course thought this was absurd. Humans are so simple-minded, as Master Jaken would always say and for once, he was right. I thought I had no suitors because knowing a powerful demon like Sesshomaru-sama drives away any eligible men. I told Suki so but she just shook her head, saying that I would not recognize love even if it hit me on the face. Hah, maybe not but who needs love when you have pretty flowers all around you!
Having pondered enough, I borrowed an "umbrella" from Kagome and went off in the rain to my favorite flower field.
This field was my favorite among all the others because every inch of ground was covered with flowers of all colours. It looked like a rainbow had fallen on the ground! As I stood in the middle of the field with Kagome's "umbrella", I began appreciating how lucky I was to be living a comfortably safe life in the midst of friends, and to know Sesshomaru-sama...I was blessed indeed.
As the flowers started to rain down on me from the big tree, I was ecstatic - raining flowers! Nature's own birthday gift to me!
As I looked up to see how the flowers were loosening from the big old tree, I saw a huge dog! Not an ordinary dog, but a dog demon in his true form! Inuyasha cannot transform and I do not know any other pure dog demon other than Sesshomaru-sama, so could that be him? How would I know for sure?
Just then, the big dog started gathering all the fallen flowers into a pile in front of me with his nose, and I knew right there that it was my Sesshomaru-sama! He was responsible for the raining flowers after all! I looked up at him and gave him my best smile and his dog eyes looked happy. As I went closer to him, he morphed back into his human form. I ran to him, jumping up on him, giving him an earth-shattering hug!
He stood still, rather surprised, but then put his arms around me and his chin on my dark hair.
"Happy birthday, Rin," His voice rumbled.
I looked into his eyes and smiled my thanks.