Another year, another gift, and still no clear signs of who it could be that is giving me the White Day gifts. To make matters worse, this year's new gift was clearly not meant to give me any clues as to his identity. It's pretty. It's a journal with a beautiful flower pattern on it, but I never asked for one or even hinted at even using a journal. What the heck? Why can't he just come out and say he likes me?

And if that's not complicated enough, it seems that fate wants to throw me together with Sesshomaru. I finally graduated from college and have started working for Sesshomaru. One particular day in the middle of winter while I was here at the palace while there was an ice storm outside. I shouldn't have been at work that day like the rest of my fellow advisors, but Sesshomaru had insisted that I help my predecessor with getting some financial projections out. The economy is kind of in an influx right now, and it seems that Lord InuTashio is quite worried. He's obviously not a financial person because the markets always go in patterns like this.

But anyway, I was at the palace all day while an ice storm raged on. By the time we finished the storm was still raging, and the buses had stopped running because the roads were too slick. Thankfully I had brought some clothes with me because I had this feeling I would be stuck there overnight. I was given a guest room for the night and then left on my own. Of course I was here so much that it seemed like I almost lived here.

For some reason I just couldn't sleep that night. I didn't have anything on my mind, but it seemed like I just couldn't get tired enough to fall asleep. At 1 o'clock I finally gave up and walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water and maybe find something to snack on. As I rummaged through the cabinets I heard someone else enter the kitchen. Turning my head I saw Sesshomaru standing there in only a pair of sweat pants. Oh my gosh, he has such rock hard abs! I think I was literally drooling there staring at him. What didn't help was remembering how I had been pressed up against those rock hard abs when he held me close to him.

Of course he was looking me over also. I'm sure I looked strange standing there in my penguin pajamas. Yes, my pajamas have cutely drawn penguins on them because penguins are awesome! Anyway, when we both realized we were staring at each other I blushed and turned away from him. Finding a box of crackers I grabbed them and sat down at the small table there in the kitchen. I was hoping that he would leave me be, but much to my dismay he sat down with a glass of milk in his hand. The silence between us was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Finally I broke the silence since I dread silence so much. "Do you think that the storm is over?"

"It's finished, but the roads will be too hard to travel on until mid-day tomorrow." I groaned softly, but his better hearing of course caught it. "I would have thought you would be happy being here with your friends."

"Well, yeah, I don't mind being around Inuyasha and Kagome too much, but I'm friends with them more because Sango and Miroku are. Kagome's a little too nosy for me."

"What could she possibly be doing to bother the most patient Rin?" he asked half mocking me.

"She thinks I should go out with Fumio. Don't get me wrong, he'll be a great husband to some woman some day, but there's no chemistry between us."

"How does he feel about it?"

"He hates listening to Kagome also. I think he and Inuyasha have become friends because Inuyasha and he suddenly start talking about everything and anything to avoid Kagome."

"He would be a better choice than Naraku."

I remembered looking down at my shirt and picking off a fuzzy while mumbling in agreement. I then was brave enough to bring up his love life, but he informed me that he didn't have one because picking one woman in the entire country could create all too many controversies. It was strange, but that night we actually sounded like friends instead of enemies. And the strangest thing is that Sesshomaru actually opened up to me. Why me of all people? I haven't figured it out except to think that perhaps he is my secret admirer.

And even more strangely, when we do find ourselves alone we continue to talk casually like I would talk to Fumio. Speaking of Fumio, it was Sesshomaru who mentioned to me that he overheard Fumio stay that he was attracted to me but refrained from asking me out because he thought I would only say 'yes' due to Kagome's pressuring. So after White Day this year when I heard that I finally approached Fumio.

We had been hanging out at his house again watching a movie. I wanted to bring it up in such a way as to not embarrass him, but I was never very good at that. He didn't seem to be commenting much on the movie so I assumed he wasn't that interested in it. Casually I said, "I heard a rumor about you at the palace today."

He lifted an eyebrow and then lowered it. He didn't fool me with his casual tone when he nonchalantly said, "Oh?" I knew he was dying to hear what it was.

"I guess someone thinks that you are interested in me." I could see his frame stiffen in nervousness. "If it wasn't for Kagome's meddling, do you think you would have ever asked me on a date?" I asked trying to sound absolutely curious in a good way.

"Rin," he drawled out slowly while trying to search for the right thing to say to me. "I never wanted you to hear about that."

"Why not?" I asked defensively.

"Because I know you don't feel that way about me. I'm not your secret admirer, so there's no way you would consider dating me."

"It's not because you aren't my secret admirer. Honestly, whoever he is he's obviously not worth it because gifts are just one of the 5 ways of showing love and he's never come close to the other 4. Honestly, I think he's a chicken who needs to stop it." That was the honest truth; however, I have no idea why I said the next thing. "And maybe if you had asked me I would have said 'yes'."

Oh crap, I had just opened a new can of worms. He asked me, and at that point I had to say 'yes' despite my heart telling me 'no'. So for a year we went out, but I don't think I ever came close to falling in love with him. It felt strange even kissing him, and after awhile I dreaded being close to him. But the last thing I wanted to do was break his heart and lose him as a friend.

And the last thing I expected was to develop feelings for someone else.