A/N: Hello everyone! See? I'm not gonna abandon you all! However, I've decided not to do daily updates considering things will happen but I will still try to post as often as I can. So! Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

xxx

The sun rose from above the horizon as birds began chirping, welcoming the new day. Inside of the Tenseiga residence, three figures slept peacefully on a futon. As the sun began to peak through the curtains and shine on the face of the smaller figure, her eyes opened as if an alarm had been set. She quickly rose up from her pillow and pulled out a whistle. She didn't hestitate as she blew the whistle and raised her arm energetically.

"Morning!" Kirara cried out. She jumped over to Sesshoumaru's side and began flailing and dancing. "Master! It's morning!" Sesshoumaru opened his eyes lazily, slightly irritated his amber eyes glanced over at Kirara. Beside him, Rin began to rise as well. He sat up and placed a hand on his forehead, attempting to hold back the headache that threatened to break out.

"Kirara, stop that insessant noise before Miroku decides it was a bad idea to switch the ownership to me." Kirara, understanding the threat, stopped speaking and smiled up at him as Rin stood and began to make breakfast.

"Good morning, Sesshoumaru." Rin said from the kitchen. He could already smell the delicious breakfast Rin was making. He heard the sizzle of the bacon and eggs she was preparing and for a moment, he wished she wasn't a persocom and instead... alive. Though he liked Rin as she was, a part of him wished that she was a demon, or even human. Standing up, he grabbed the blankets and futon and began the daily routine of putting away the bedding and getting dressed. Once his teeth were brushed and his hair was braided (compliments to Kirara) he sat down at the table and ate.

"This is delicious, Rin. Thank you." He said, giving her a light smile.

"I'm glad you like it." Once he was finished and washed the plate, he grabbed his backpack and made his way towards the door.

"Alright, I'm leaving now."

"Have a good day!"

"You have work today too... right, Rin?" He asked.

"Yes!" She nodded.

"Be careful. I work late today, so I won't be able to pick you up." He said. Rin tilted her head slightly.

"What should Rin be careful about?"

"Someone seems to be watching us. They might do something to us if we aren't careful." He explained as he put on his sweater.

"Why...?" He looked over to her and paused.

"You are special." He said. "Do you remember the image from the e-mail? Shippou said that whoever sent that picture, the one where you were with Kagome, they wanted me to see that." He sighed. "I'm not sure who it is...and I can't even begin guessing. I've tried going to Kagome to ask about it...but I haven't seen her around." His amber orbs met her chocolate ones. "You have to have something they want...Rin. You are special, but I don't know what about you. I may be the heir to Tenseiga Industries, but even then no one would try to mess with me. This is about you."

"Rin doesn't know..."

"I know you don't remember..." He placed a hand on her head and gently pat her. "I will protect you, Rin. I won't let them harm you." Even as he said those words, he still couldn't help but wonder... who had owned her before him? What kind of person were they?

"Rin...doesn't know..." She looked down, saddened. He placed a hand on her cheek.

"I apologize."

"Why are you sorry...?"

"You look like you're in pain." He said, becoming eyebrows furrowed.

"It hurts..." She leaned on his hand as she closed her eyes and placed her hands on his hand. "It hurts right here..." As if his body had been possessed by something, he pulled her into an embrace. He held her against him, tightly, as if his life depended on her. "Se...sshoumaru..." She returned the hug as she held onto him.

"Time to get going!" Kirara cried out as she appeared from his backpack. "If you don't want to be late, we're going to have to run now, Master!" He pulled away from Rin and gave her a gentle smile.

"Be safe, Rin." He turned away from her and left the apartment, leaving a stunned Rin behind. She claasped her hands together and watched as the door closed behind him before hugging herself. She could still feel his warmth on her skin. She smiled.

"Sesshoumaru..."

Sesshoumaru quickened his pace as he walked towards his job. On his shoulder, Kirara sang to herself in attempts to get him to get a move on and to not be late. However, Sesshoumaru couldn't be bothered. The events that just happened seemed to be running through his mind. What on Earth had possessed him to embrace her in such a way? He could reason that it was due to how her face showed such pain that he couldn't help but comfort her but... she was a persocom. She has no heart yet...the emotions felt so real. An impulse even though he knew she was just a program.

As he walked, he noticed the people and perocoms around him. He noticed that he hadn't seen two people walking together in a long time. Everyone was with a persocom. Behind him, he heard his boss call out to him.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" He stopped and turned towards the voice.

"Hn..." He said and turned around towards the front of the store. His boss smiled, seeming to know that Sesshoumaru had been in deep thought.

"You know, if you hadn't showed up, I'd be crying just around now." He said. "Ayame called in. She asked for the day off."

"Is she sick?"

"I don't know, but she sounded down." He said nothing as he went to the back and changed into his uniform. Once done, he walked over to the front desk and saw his boss with the store's persocom. "How many cases of this did we get in?"

"Fourteen cases, sir." She said with a smile after a brief pause.

"Oh, that's right. Thanks! Take case of these receipts for me, will you? I'd just lose them."

"Yorokonde!" The persocom said excitedly.

"You taught her our slogan?"

"Nope! Surprised me too. She started saying it on her own. I guess she thought it'd make me happy." The boss said with a laugh. The boss looked around before stretching out his arms. "Well, looks like it's just you and me! Open up the door and prepare for battle!" Sesshoumaru nodded and began his job. For a moment, a memory of Rin appeared in his mind

Can Sesshoumaru buy the things he needs with this money? With the parameters of her programming being normal, why was he acting so odd? He knew she wasn't human or demon, so why was he acting this way? She was cute, but she wasn't a cute person. This wasn't him. Where was the point that he stopped thinking of her as a machine? What did he think of her now?

xxx

"Work starts at 4:00. Rin is going early so she won't be late." Rin said to herself as she walked by the book store. At the corner of her eye, she noticed a little book of the series she was infatuated with. Stopping in her tracks, she turned towards the book and walked to it. Taking the book in hand, she opened it and began to read.

Many days have passed since you brought me to this place. You still go outside, even when you have me. You do so many things...and you come home and tell me about it. Sometimes you even take me outside...even though I'm one of "them." You tell me that I can do whatever I want with my things...as if we were by little...you and I pass the time. Little by little...this place becomes yours and mine. Little by little, the distance is changing. Yours and my distance. But has the distance between us gotten smaller? Or has it grown bigger? I do know that I want it to be smaller...

But then the same thing would happen again.

"The same thing...?" Rin's eyes scanned the pages as a hand appeared in front of her. Her eyes widened as the hand covered her mouth and pulled her away.

xxx

A/N: Cliff hanger! Ze gasp. What will happen now?! Short chapter, but I felt this was a good place to end it. Next chapter will be longer, I promise!