-Evil Demon, Naraku-

A tall, pale boy with pitch black hair that grew past his shoulders walked into the classroom. His skin was paler than snow, but his eyes were so dark and alluring, they demanded the attention from everyone in the room. With one glare, this strange boy had the power to make one cringe.

"Well, introduce yourself young man," Mr. Myoga encouraged.

"My name is Onigumo," he said in a deep and husky voice. Onigumo surveyed the room and focused his stare on Sesshomaru and Inuyasha.

"Onigumo?" Mr. Myoga asked. "Interesting name, take a seat anywhere you'd like."

Onigumo walked down the aisles of desks, taking slow steps and making sure to thoroughly examine Inuyasha as he did so. He ended up sitting two desks behind him, which happened to be the desk next to Rin's other side.

Sesshomaru paid no attention to the new boy, but seemed to be stiffer and stranger than usual. Rin noticed, but shrugged it off and turned to Onigumo with a warming smile. "Hello there," she said, sticking out her hand. "I'm Rin, welcome to our school."

Onigumo looked at her and smiled sheepishly, taking her hand. Rin shocked at how cold it was. "Nice to meet you," he smoothly said. "Say, where can I find a boy named… Naraku?"

Rin raised an eyebrow in surprise. Nobody cared for Naraku. "Oh, him?" she asked, remembering the usually quiet and depressing Naraku, "he's in my art class, next period."

Perfect, Onigumo thought. "Would you mind taking me there with you?" his eyes sparkled with a strange mysteriousness that Rin couldn't help but to get goose bumps by.


-Dead Soul-

Rin noticed that throughout the entire art period, this new boy, Onigumo talked with Naraku, occasionally lifting his eyes to make sure no one was listening.

I shouldn't butt into other peoples' business. But she couldn't help but to feel a certain strangeness about those two. Why do they keep looking at Sesshomaru? Uneasiness settled in her stomach as she grabbed her paintbrush to finish drawing the bowl of fruit on the table.

Looking to her left, she saw that Sesshomaru's grip on his own utensil was enough to make her nervous. His knuckles were white with pressure and if she didn't know any better, she would have thought he was shaking. Gently, she placed her hand on his and took the brush away from him.

Surprised at her touch, he looked at her with a face completely lacking expression.

"I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, but you seem a little…" she started.

"It's nothing, forget about it," he replied coldly. She rolled her eyes and gave him his brush back.

"Try not to break it, okay?"

Sesshomaru didn't pay attention to her though; his focus was pointed towards clenching his fists and staring at the floor.


-Miroku's Bro, Tanuki Hachiemon-

"See you later, bye!" Kagome waved as she took her bicycle and pedaled away from the school. Looking back at Rin, she smiled. "And don't forget, you're coming over to my place tomorrow!"

Rin smiled back and nodded at her friend. Sighing, she adjusted the heavy bag on her back and started heading home. But as she turned around, she saw Onigumo in his black convertible drive up to Naraku. She crept behind the corner of the building and watched the two, as Naraku looked around and eventually stepped into Onigumo's vehicle. What on earth? Ugh, why am I hiding?

"Rin," a voice said behind her. She jumped out of her skin and waited for her heart to restart before she saw who it was.

"Sesshomaru?" she breathed. "Please, don't ever scare me like that again."

Sesshomaru gave her a suspicious look. "Why are you scared?"

"It's… it's nothing." She was glad to see that he had returned back to his cold, superior self. "Why are you still here anyways?"

"You're to come to my house today," he answered, shrugging his shoulders. "My father asks of your company."

Rin's jaw dropped a little as she scratched her head in confusion. "You mean, for the project?"

Sesshomaru walked past her and headed towards his own silver car without saying a word.

He always just expects me to follow. But naturally, she wanted to, and did.


-Searching for the Sacred Jewel-

"You're driving too fast!" Rin exclaimed as she grabbed onto the dashboard with her life, her body swaying from left to right as if she was on an amusement park ride she really didn't want to be on.

"Get used to it," he snapped, turning the corner so sharply, she lost her balance and hit her head against the window.

"I don't want to die in your car, Sesshomaru," she said sarcastically, rubbing the ache on her head. "What's wrong with you anyways? Is there something about me you don't like? Because if there is…"

Sesshomaru slammed on the brakes, throwing Rin off of her seat once more. "Like I said," he narrowed his eyes at the red light. "You talk too much."

"Fine, maybe I just won't talk at all then!"

"That would be nice," he retorted.

He's being unusually mean today, what the heck is his problem? She scoffed at him and turned to face the window, pretending to be interested in the passing pedestrians.

For the next few minutes, all that could be heard was the smooth whirring of Sesshomaru's engine and the occasional laughing child outside on the streets. Sesshomaru sighed, and turned his head to face the girl next to him.

"You may speak now," he said, unsure of himself.

Rin didn't move a muscle, especially not the ones used to open her mouth. She bit her lips shut and tossed her head in the opposite direction. He wants silence? He's gonna get silence! See how he likes that!

"Rin, your pathetic attempt to guilt me is not working."

Her face turned as red as a beet and opened the window to cool herself down. She saw in the reflection of the side mirror that Sesshomaru was smirking to himself, his eyes still fixed on the road ahead of him. "I'm not talking until you drive slower, and maybe apologize," she huffed.

Sesshomaru shook his head at himself and sneered. "Fine, I will slow down, but as for apologizing," he continued, "that would indicate that I'm wrong."

Her jaw dropped to the floor, she couldn't believe the nerve of this guy. "Well, of course you're wrong! Why else would I be so mad?"

Sesshomaru raised a perfect eyebrow and slowed his vehicle. "You admitted to talking too much, didn't you?"

She crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue. Wow, real mature, she told herself.


-Kagome and Inuyasha-

Sesshomaru watched Rin from the corner of his eyes as she busily wrote notes in her pink notebook. He found it amusing that she was so interested in demons and the truth was, he wanted to show her, to tell her everything he knew, everything he's seen, but refrained from doing so.

She suddenly sighed, stretched and pulled her long dark hair into a ponytail.

Damn, now he really couldn't concentrate. The flowery scent that radiated from her exposed neck overwhelmed his senses as he found himself staring at her longingly. He had tried so hard to avoid her, to push her away, but why was it that she kept coming back? Or was it him who was doing the chasing?

"Sesshomaru? Is everything all right?" she looked up at his intense eyes and smiled. "Is there something on my face?"

His hand slowly went to the side of her cheek, and used his thumb to gently caress the side of her pale, smooth face.

"Just a speck of dirt," he replied warmly. He noticed his hand was still on her now pink cheeks and pulled away. Of course there was no dirt.

"Well, um, thank you," she blinked.

Could she really be the one Mother mentioned? The girl I am destined to…

Like two magnets, they found themselves drawing closer and closer together until the sound of Inuyasha barging into the room caused both Rin and Sesshomaru to gasp and look away.

"Hey you two, dinner is ready," Inuyasha grumbled. "Say, are you guys—"

Sesshomaru threw a cushion at his face and stood to push him aside and open the door further. "We'll study later," he said, briskly leaving the room.

Rin stared out into space, trying to calm the blush that radiated from her entire body. What just happened?