In Inu-no-Taisho's car
"Yipee!" The two adults chimed out unanimously, their high-pitched cheers and laughter disgusting Sesshoumaru to the pinnacle of madness. He shoved one elbow hard on the side of the window, looking out and completely not wishing to speak to the girl beside her.
"It's so exciting that we can all go to the amusement park together!" Izayoi placed one hand on the Taisho's as he turned to offer her an equally eager smile.
"Yes! It's our very first family outing!" He sang out the last three words like a song.
"Can you please look in front when you drive?" Sesshoumaru exploded when he noticed that his father wasn't at all concentrating on his task as the driver. "You're gonna get us all KILLED!"
"Oh!" Inu-no-Taisho just chuckled, so light-heartedly that it seemed he hadn't realized the seriousness of it all. Izayoi and him, they were so engrossed with gazing at each other.
"Rin! Do you mind coming with us on this trip?" Inu-no-Taisho flipped his whole head back, blinking at the girl in an upside down position. And before she could answer…
"GOD HELP US! We're never gonna reach the park ALIVE!" Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, this time, more of a comment to himself. His dad was looking everywhere but the front.
"Of course not, uncle. I'm glad to come along!" Rin gave a gentle tug at the one sitting next to her, then politely made her reply. "Myoga-ji-chan had invited us there last week. I wanna go visit him too."
"And I thought you might want to go out on a date with your boyfriend or something, since it's Saturday." His statement was made without knowledge of who her boyfriend' was but Izayoi chipped in almost instantly in her daughter's defense… so she thought.
"Oh, my Rin, she's still so innocent. She doesn't have a boyfriend yet." The mother raised one finger as if stating an overly confident fact, an utterly WRONG fact. "Every weekend, she stays at home, helping out in the housework." The girl's face was changing, becoming increasing red as her mom went on. "Like last Saturday, she helped me sun all the blankets and mattresses… and last last…."
"Mom!" Rin screamed out but it was too late, she noted. Sesshoumaru was laughing softly to himself, mumbling something only she could hear.
"Lonely… so lonely… someone…no dates…." She gave him a murderous stare in which he missed seeing. The girl folded her arms, sulking to herself the rest of the way.
Rin's narration
Sigh Can this be considered as our first date? Sesshoumaru and I?
With Uncle, mom, Sessh and I in the car, it really seems like we're going on a family trip. There's dad and mom and sister and little brother. sigh Perhaps, it's about time I start to really act like an elder sister. But can I? Can we? peeked at Sessh
Because of our yearning to love and be loved, the four of us have found one another, uncle and mom, Sessh and me. But can we all get the love we wished for at the same time? If Sessh and I were to cross that last line of defense, if we were to…, will I still be able to wear that innocent smile everyday? in front of uncle, mom and everyone else?
A soft careful hand caressed the top of hers and Rin turned. It was Sesshoumaru. He had noticed how silent the girl had become, seemingly deep in her own thoughts, her face solemn. Possibly, he was correctly guessing what was on her mind.
The girl feigned a slight smile, turning her palm matching his and lacing her fingers with his as Sesshoumaru flung his jacket over, hiding it from view. The warmth of his skin against hers, the tenderness behind this simple comforting gesture, it was drawing in her rather mixed and complicated emotions. At the same time while she was touched, there was still that same old feeling of guilt, constantly reminding her of their soon-to-be status and how scandalous to all their relationship possibly was and how destructive it could be.
At the amusement park
Repulsed by the exaggerated elation of his dad plus the two females, the boy went on grumbling to himself as the other three merely couldn't keep their eyes off the assortment of rides available.
"I can't believe I actually came here with two over-aged kids!" Just as he finished that statement, Rin dashed up to him, her eyes twinkling with exhilaration.
"Sessh! Sessh! I'm sooooo excited! I wanna go for all the rides. Oh no! I can't decide which one to go first! What shall I do?" She squealed, stamping her feet.
"Gods! Here's another over-grown baby!" He shook off her hand, making Rin instantly disappointed. "Hey, old man, you go relive your childhood all you want. I'm going for coffee." And he walked off, just like that, not even giving the girl any form of signal.
Rin watched with complete devastation his fading back as Inu-no-Taisho sighed.
"Yoi, Rin," He began, this time, with a definite seriousness in his tone. "You may not believe it but… this is the first time I've ever brought Sesshy to the amusement park. In fact, I've never once even brought him to the nearby neighborhood park." There was penitence written all over his face. "Throughout his childhood, I had been so busy with my work and every time I would tell Sesshy, next time, next time daddy will bring you to the amusement park but every time, I never kept that promise. And slowly without my knowing, this child had grown up to become one who can handle everything, solve every problem by himself. Without my knowing, he had no longer needed me."
So, that's why Sesshoumaru was so against coming here. In her heart, Rin had made a decision. "Uncle, mom, you two go enjoy yourself. I'll go look for Sessh." She waved to them as she paced away following the boy's trails.
Spotting him at a bench, Rin started toward Sesshoumaru and even then, she had noted that he was looking at every family that passed him by, families with dad and mom and kid with multi-colored balloons. And his eyes, it was filled with…. a certain confused envy?
"Sessh…" he looked up, rather surprised to see her. Rin sat down beside him, both her hands reached to hold his. "The memories you've missed out, the childhood memories, those happy moment, let's find them back together."
Deeply moved by the depth of the seemingly simple suggestion, the boy took a moment by himself, closing his eyes while the girl waited. Then, Sesshoumaru stood up, flashing one charming smile. "I've been eyeing at that one since I reached here." His finger was pointing at one particular ride that was filled with dangerous twists and turns.
Rin gulped as she stared at his preferred choice. "Erm… that one?" She had been here so many times but never once had she dared to try that one. "I think I prefer The Sakura instead." She pointed at the magnificent Ferris wheel in front of them. There was a huge glittering sign The Sakura' imprinted on it. That was its name. "Can we perhaps…."
It was too late. The boy pulled her along as he ran full speed toward the queue he preferred.
"Sessh… ahhh…" They had bumped straight into an elderly lady, all the items in her hands flew in scattered directions.
Rin shot forward, helping her up while the boy went about retrieving all the papers and materials that had fallen from the lady's hands. As he picked them up, he made a rather strange discovery. These papers that she was holding, they weren't ordinary. They were… maps… maps of the amusement park. On a closer look, they were not maps to direct visitors around for easy navigation. They were geographical in nature, filled in rather intricate co-ordinates.
"Aunty, are you alright? We're so sorry." The girl apologized profusely while guiding her to sit on a side bench. "We didn't see you coming.
The elderly lady merely laughed. "It's okay, my dears." Sesshoumaru joined them, returning the items to their owner. "I wasn't looking where I was going too. I was too engrossed in studying these." She brought the maps up for the two to see.
"Wow!" Rin's eyes blew up, her curiosity was aroused too. "Aunty, these are maps! But, they don't look like those at the visitor's counter."
"Yes, they're for a special purpose." She brushed the excess dirt from her knee and the girl realized that the lady had suffered some scratches. Instantly, Rin assisted to tend to it, bringing the lady to wash and applied medication.
"Is this better now, Aunty?" The girl implored, still concerned.
"It's better, Arigato. You two are such sweet children." She pointed to a café by the corner. "Let me buy you some drinks. Let's go for tea together."
Rin turned toward Sesshoumaru for approval and the boy simply nodded in agreement.
At the café
As they were sipping their tea, Sesshoumaru and Rin watched as the elegantly lady continued to make markings on her map. It was as though she was looking for something.
"Aunty, you don't look like a local." The boy was the first to detect that and he was right.
"Yes, I just arrived from the San Francisco two days ago. I'm a geography lecturer at the university there." She replied with broad smiles.
"Wow! A geography professor?" The girl was even more intrigued by this new discovery. "And you're here on a tour, Aunty?"
The elderly lady chuckled. "No," She heaved a soft sigh. "I'm here because of a promise I made forty years ago."
"A promise made forty years ago?" Rin's brows lifted. "You came all the way from the States just for that?"
"Yes. I made a promise with a friend of mine to meet somewhere in this park on this date. You see, today is my birthday." Her smile disappeared.
"Somewhere in the park?" Rin asked. "You mean you don't know where exactly?"
"Yes, my friend and I never set a place to meet. It was just a set of co-ordinates indicating a location that's to be read on the map."
"That's so strange, Aunty." The girl scratched her head, looking at Sesshoumaru.
"It's a game we used to play back then." She finished.
"Aunty," This time, the boy finally spoke, his eyes half closed. "This person you're to meet, HE is not just an ordinary friend, is he? He was your lover."
The lady laughed heartedly, giving Sesshoumaru a pat on his shoulder. She must hand it to this young man. He was an intelligent one. Looks like she wouldn't get off the hook that easy without letting these two nosy little ones know of her story. "Well, you're almost right. But, he was more than a lover to me."
She gazed into the air, as if remembering something from a long long past. "He was my first, one whom I loved with every essence of my heart and soul. Back then during our schooling days, every corner of the college seemed to be filled with memories of us, of our romance. During that time, he knew that I was a fanatic about maps and he used to play this game with me. He would send love letters to me, not written in words but filled with pages and pages of nothing but mapping co-ordinates. He knew I'd have great fun decoding them. It's like a little game of secret love codes understood by no one except us."
"That's so romantic. Did something happen after that, Aunty?" The girl was guessing, rather accurately.
"After we graduated, I went to the States to further my studies while he joined the army. In the beginning, we wrote to each other almost every single day. But I met with a serious accident, one which made me lay unconscious in bed for almost a year." Tears began to flow down the lady's cheeks.
"A year? That long?" Rin's own hand searched to grab Sesshoumaru's for comfort.
"My injuries were so serious that my entire family had to move to the States to take care of me."
"Then what about him, your boyfriend? Did anyone inform him about your situation?" Rin offered her some tissue.
"At that time, who would have remembered that?" She took it but not at all interested in wiping away the fluid. It all felt as if it had just happened the day before. The pain was still too much to bear, even after that many years. "When I finally could move my neck and hold a pen, ten months had passed me by. I wrote letters after letters to the army but they were all sent back as he had been transferred to another unit. Then, I tried writing directly to his house but…."
"But what?" The story too affected the girl. Rin's eyes were also flooded with uncontrollable tears too and Sesshoumaru gave a little squeeze at her hand.
"His house was no longer there. It had been torn down. And no matter how hard I tried to look for him, I just couldn't locate him." The elderly lady's lips quivered, stifling her sobs. "Sometimes, I can't believe how ridiculous this was. He and I, our hearts had once been so close but by a cruel stroke of fate, we were separated like two ends of a map which could no longer link up."
Sesshoumaru circled his arm round Rin's shoulders, wishing to calm her down from crying. She swallowed, her hands briefly brushing away the moisture.
"A-Aunty," The girl's voice was still slightly choked, making Sesshoumaru rather concerned. "Then, the promise you made to meet him here…"
The elderly lady inhaled a lengthened breath, her eyes had become too red, too swollen. She had been too agitated. "It was something we joked about before I left for the States. We said that if ever we were to break up, we'll meet each other again on my sixtieth birthday at these set of co-ordinates."
"Just a joke?" Rin's brows furrowed. "What if he forgets about it?"
"I thought I would have forgotten about this as time passes too. But, strangely enough, it had been etched into my mind and the older I got, the clearer it clung to me." She chuckled. "And so, here I am."
The girl smiled her sweet self. She made a decision. "Aunty, Sessh and I, we'll help you." The boy nodded in affirmation. "We believe that you'll find him."
"I hope so." The lady drew up the map again. "I've already confirmed that our meeting point is somewhere in this amusement park but as to where exactly, I was still checking."
Sesshoumaru spread the paper evenly on the table, doing a little study on his own. "Aunty, I'm quite familiar with map reading too. Let me help."
Rin watched in full admiration as the boy and the elderly lady went about their task and for one moment, she felt so proud of him, to love and be loved by him. Sesshoumaru, he's so smart. He seemed to know everything.
After many references and checks, Sesshoumaru stood up, hopping spiritedly striking a fist into the air. "Yes, I got it! Aunty, do you think it is…"
The elderly lady nodded, sharing his excitement. "Yes, I think so."
"What, Sessh? What did you find out?" Rin shook the boy's arm, was equally anxious though she hadn't the slightest idea how to read maps.
"IT'S THE FERRIS WHEEL!" Both shouted out unanimously.
"That's the exact location. It's on the spot where the Ferris wheel is!" Sesshoumaru pulled Rin and pointed to the far eastern end of the park.
"Oh, I'm so happy. You're finally going to see him!" Rin attempted to pack the stuff on the table in a scurry so that they could set off as soon as possible. "Then Aunty, let's hurry. Perhaps, your friend, he might be already there waiting for you" In the midst of her haste, she swiped the lady's handbag by mistake, over turning and sending the items in it on the ground.
"Actually, I'm not really that confident he would come." Trying not to be overly confident, the lady reached for her handbag under the table. "It HAD been forty years. Perhaps…." She hesitated as if in muse. "Perhaps, he has forgotten about it."
Not in the mood to give the girl a good chiding for having butter fingers, Sesshoumaru bent to help Rin pick everything up. He got to the mobile, the brolly, the slight snacks and lastly her purse. "Here, Aunty, there you go."
Rin went after the last item that hiding away in a bush. She retrieved it carefully. It was the lady's identification card.
"Sakurako. Is that the Aunty's name?" That name, it's kind of familiar, isn't it? Rin thought to herself for only a moment before her hazel eyes were wide and beaming with sudden delight as she noted the name printed on it. Covering her own mouth to prevent herself from yelling out, she shot like an arrow back to Sesshoumaru, tugging the edge of his cotton sleeves. "Sessh, look at this." She highlighted to him that too similar name, one that's also the…. "Isn't this the…." Rin pointed up to the sky.
A broad and victorious smile curved on the boy's lips. The two exchanged silent signals for a like a minute, then…
"Sessh, why don't you accompany Aunty to the Ferris wheel?" Rin flashed a wink before skipping away. "Aunty," She waved. "I'll see you there in a while."
Though already panting heavily for air, the girl persisted on until she arrived at the management office. With a force she couldn't hold back, she swung open the glass door, almost shattering it into pieces as it hit the wall. Everyone in the room stared at this sudden young dainty intruder.
"Myoga-ji-san, is he here today?" The words spilled out in a jumble and just as she finished, the elderly man exited from his office.
"Rin-chan, you're here already. Where are Izayoi-san, and your new uncle and your new Otooto?" He strode to her, imploring warmly. "You're all here today, aren't you?"
The girl swallowed, panting and catching her breath. She couldn't speak properly still due to the lengthy run.
Myoga chuckled seeing her like this. "Calm down girl. What's the matter with you?"
"Myoga-ji-chan, did you forget something important today?" The girl tried to first give a hint as she cooled down significantly.
The elderly man let off a cough, one entertained brow lifting, not quite certain what the girl was getting at.
"Ji-chan, you know, my Otooto and I, we met a very interesting lady at the park just now." Rin noted that Myoga was listening intently. "She came all the way from the States to meet a friend whom she hadn't seen for forty years."
At that, the girl saw a slight change in the elderly uncle. He was seemingly getting more and more tensed. "Her friend, they didn't set an exact spot, just a set of co-ordinates to pin-point the location to meet. After a long search, we finally decided that it was the Ferris wheel."
By now, Myoga's walking stick was shaking so violently that Rin knew she had made the correct guess. "Ji-chan, is that the right spot?" She hinted for a confirmed answer.
The elderly man turned to face her and the girl saw tears welling up in his wrinkle saturated eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but could not form a word at first. He took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Yes. You've gotten the right spot. That's where we were supposed to meet." His eyes flew shut talking to himself. "Sakurako, is it really you? You've finally come."
Rin placed a comforting palm on his shoulder. "Ji-chan, let's go. Aunty's waiting."
At the Ferris wheel
Sesshoumaru looked back realizing that the elderly lady had stopped in her tracks. He was puzzled. "Aunty, are you alright? Let's go. It's just ahead."
"I-I think I'd rather not go." She had a change of mind, obviously, taking two steps back. "I-I'm afraid. What if, he had really forgotten our promise?"
The boy smiled, already knowing that would not be the case. If her lover wouldn't be there, if he had really long forgotten their promise, then, why was the Ferris wheel named after her? "Well, you'll never find out if you don't go there? Besides, you've already come this far from the States, you're not giving up now, are you?" He was teasing but his actual intent was to encourage. "Moreover, if he's really not there, I'll ditch Rin and be your date today."
Sakurako couldn't help but chuckle. What a sweet, sweet boy! Plus the girl, they make such a lovely couple. She gave a short nod, continuing on their route.
From a distance, the two long lost friends caught a glimpse of each other. Sesshoumaru supported the Aunty as she nearly missed a step in her anxiety.
"Sakurako aunty, is that him? Is that your friend? Do you need to take a closer look?"
She shook her head, her eyes already tearing, making her vision blurry. "I-I can tell… It is him…" and they paced up slowly toward Rin and Myoga under the Ferris wheel till they stood face to face.
No one spoke as the two merely took time to regard each other.
"Sakurako, have you been well?" the elderly man was the first to ask. "Y-You remembered the promise we made." He tried a laugh.
She nodded, trying to stifle her sobs and still look presentable. "Myoga, I-I didn't think you'd still remember to come here today too."
Myoga shook his head in disagreement. He rose up both his hands. "All those years ago, when I had designed and built this amusement park, I had been here." A single tear rolled down his eye. He brushed it off, laughing a little. "And every year, on this day, your birthday, I would stand here waiting for you to come back to me. No matter when you choose to come, I would be here."
Sakurako was crying and he went up, offered his hanky. "Myoga, I didn't know you own this amusement park."
"A long time ago, it had become my lifelong wish to purchase this plot of land, to build a Ferris wheel right at this spot, our spot." He pointed at the magnificent structure. "I named it after you, Sakurako."
"You bought too much, too huge. I almost could not find you." She managed a chuckle through her tears.
Myoga flashed a grin. "How's that possible? Your map reading powers are invincible, isn't it?"
"I'm getting old. My eye sight's failing. My powers are fading." Both found it difficult to suppress their laughter.
Yes, though it seemed like yesterday that they had parted, a good forty years had in fact passed them by. The cruelty of fate, of destiny, of the world, of time… had made them miss each other for a whole life time.
But till this day, what could have been was no longer of importance. What ought to be treasured was the present, and how God had decided to end his game.
Finally, the elderly man heaved a sigh and contentment. "Come, Sakurako. Come take a ride on the Ferris wheel with me. I have a gift for you, the most beautiful map in the world. Remember I promised I'd give that to you?"
A soft blush appeared through her wrinkled cheeks. "Myoga, after so many years, you're still just as naughty. And in front of these two children…"
"For fun… just for fun…" Myoga turned to Rin and the girl was alerted that she hadn't introduced Sesshoumaru.
"Oh, ji-chan. This is my Otooto, Sesshoumaru."
The elderly lady was taken aback. "Your Otooto? You two are brother and sister? But I thought you are a couple. You two look so compatible together."
Rin's face was flushed instantly with deepen red and Myoga already guessed the reason why. He gave a soft tap on the girl's shoulder as he led Sakurako up one wheel cabin. "Rin-chan, remember what I told you the other day, about the Ferris wheel?"
Life is like the Ferris wheel. At some point, you'll have to let someone up your cabin, someone whom you'll go the full circle with.
"Well, my dear, don't miss your ride, even if, the cabin you've chosen may not be in coherent with the expectations of the world. I'm the perfect example. You'll never know what fate will install for you tomorrow. Treasure what you have today… Be brave and let tomorrow worry about itself." Myoga followed his friend into the cabin, but not before giving Sesshoumaru an assuring nod of approval, his approval.
Myoga-ji-chan, he knows! Rin turned to the one beside her, her chosen partner, lover.
"Sessh…" Before she could mouth another word, the boy had pulled her into the next oncoming cabin.
As they took to the clear blue mid morning sky, Sakurako admired the splendid view around her.
"Tell me, Sakurako, have you lived your life to the fullest? Have you fulfilled your aspirations?" That was something Myoga had wanted to know for the longest time. He had not been by her side. He had not been there. But he just needed to know that she was truly happy. That was all.
She nodded in silence.
"Did you find someone who truly deserved your love?" He had been single all his life… for her.
"Yes." This time as she answered him, as much as she hated it, she was crying again. "I did find that person." At that instant, she almost felt that she had betrayed him. "If I hadn't met him, perhaps I wouldn't take forty years to come here to look for you."
That wasn't the answer he had hoped. But it was fair. Sakurako, she deserved to be loved, protected, to be cared for, and he was glad someone had done that in his place. His mood lightened.
"Look, this is the map I wanted to give you as a present." He pointed outside ecstatically.
Sakurako couldn't see a thing. "What map? What do you want me to see?"
"Look below." He guided her. "When I built this Ferris wheel, I had intended for you to see this, the suburbs of southern Tokyo… is the most beautiful map I've ever seen in my entire life… don't you agree?"
Her lips quivering as she fought back more tears. "Yes, indeed. It is the most beautiful map I've ever seen."
In another cabin, Rin had been pondering on Myoga's words to her since she got on.
Be brave… even if my choice isn't in coherent with the expectations of the world.
Sesshoumaru gently circled his strong arm around her, knowing what was on her mind.
"Sessh… What does it take to wait for someone for forty years and still get to meet him at the end?" She looked up searching for his eyes, his opinion.
All she received was a soft chuckle, then Sesshoumaru became gradually solemn. "A miracle…"
"A miracle?" True enough, it really ought to be called a miracle when two who separated for almost half a decade could ever meet up again. She swallowed hard.
"Will.... there be a miracle for us too, Sessh?" She choked in a soft whisper.
Sesshoumaru lifted her chin so that he could see her eyes, those beautiful hazel eyes that never ceased to mesmerize him. "If Myoga-ji-san can wait forty years for a miracle, so can we... if we have faith."
His words were so assuring and Rin reached out embracing him with all the strength she had. She wanted to hold him, to feel his warmth with hers. It could give her the courage she lacked.
Sesshoumaru released his grasp and Rin raised her head. "Yes," She seconded itwith a slight chuckle. "If Myoga-ji-chan can wait forty years for a miracle, so can we." And she lurched forward, offering a short kiss on his mouth but that wasn't enough for the boy. He brought her in for another, then another and another, their lips simply refusing to let go of each other.
"Myoga, look!" Sakurako caught sight of the cabin above them, of Sesshoumaru and Rin.
Myoga chuckled. "It's great to be young, isn't it?"
"Yes, indeed. It's great to be young."
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