(Short chapter, so I used some space to write a longer Author's Note. Sorry for the length)
• Note on Taishō's name from last chapter- I made it up. Hiroshi is not Inu no Taishō's real name (and Taishō is simply his title "General"). Touga, commonly believed to be his name, is in fact a temporary name that the director/creator-people of the 3rd Inuyasha movie called him. (I guess it was to make things easier during storyboards and stuff)
Touga means "Fighting Fang." Touga-ō means "Great Fighting Fang" but dear Rumiko Takahashi never approved of those names, so it is not his name.
I carefully picked out the meaning. The 1st kanji means like: vast, extensive, immense, magnificent, grand. That kanji itself can be read as 'hiroshi' but can also be read as 'hiro' and the latter is what I chose. The 2nd kanji I picked for 'shi' means like: ambition, aspiration, a wish, a desire, hope, resolution, will, an object, an aim, a purpose, aspire, kindness, goodwill, a small gift. So then Hiroshi 弘志
• The family name I invented/picked 赤月光樹 breaks down to Red, Moon, Light, and Tree/Establish – in that order. I decided on the reading Agekkōki. I got the idea for the name from the pattern that Sesshōmaru wears on his kimono; it will be explained more later on.
• Earlier Grandpa was referring to islands in the southeast, and Uchinaa which is Okinawa Island in the Ryukyu archipelago, located between the islands of Kyushu and Taiwan, which are considered the "Galapagos of the East." The Yamato people are the native Japanese ethnic group.
Sesshōmaru Ante Iam Part 1: Early Years- Chapter 13~Affirmation
~~A year later~~
Taishō and Sesshōmaru still live at their little home. Sesshōmaru has lived for a little over a year without a mother, and Taishō hasn't seen her as of late either. Sesshōmaru continues to play with and teach Yume.
Taishō and Sesshōmaru are sitting outside. It's still dark. Taishō sits while Sesshōmaru stands in front of him – they're watching the sun rise.
"Chichi-ue, where do you think the sun goes to at night?"
"Some say that the sun passes through hell, fighting all night, and then rises again in the morning triumphant. Others say that every day at sunset it dies, and is then reborn again at sunrise, similar to a phoenix."
"Hmm… I like the first one better."
"Sesshōmaru, eh, would you like to have… a… mother?"
"Huh?"
"Uh, I mean, it's not supposed to – it shouldn't be like this."
"What do you mean by that?"
"A child's… supposed to be raised by their father and mother. I, I doubt things will work out between me and your mother, but it's been over a year now… and… Sesshōmaru… maybe I should find-"
"That's enough Chichi-ue," Sesshōmaru calmly states still looking at the horizon.
"What?"
"Don't say that. Don't say that you're going to force yourself to 'love' again simply so that I may have some replacement mother, but do not think I'm implying that she is irreplaceable either. *Scoffs* I don't feel nearly as much attachment toward that women anymore, but neither do I hate nor especially love her. Chichi-ue, I would rather not have you lie to yourself. You, to play some charade for my sake, so that I can be happy?" he asks.
"I thought I already said it…" Sesshōmaru turns around, "My reason to live is to make you happy!" he lowers his head, "Heh, I'm not a naïve fool. I'll see through the act. I don't want you to be with a woman who you're not truly happy with."
"But, this isn't what supposed-"
"That's nonsense Father. It's not true… A 'happy' family's 'supposed' to a mother and father, but that's not the case sometimes. Gramps and Granny came from nothing, right? But now here we are, wealthy and powerful," he raises his head,
"Who the hell says that I can't be happy with just you!"
Taishō's eyes widen.
The sun rises, and Taishō sees a gentler look on Sesshōmaru's face: lowered eyelids, a slight smile. Sesshōmaru walks over to his father and puts his hand on his cheek, "Chichi-ue, if some day you actually do fall in love with another woman again, it'll be fine but don't lie or force yourself to, okay? I'm happy, Chichi-ue. Really, I am. I'm happy! As long as there is a smile on your face, that's all I need. Even if I do grow up without a mother, I will be fine. I will, really, so please, don't worry over such things. Besides Chichi-ue, you're all I really need…"
"…Sesshō-" Taishō hugs him tight and Sesshōmaru rests his head on his father's shoulder.
"It'll be okay, Chichi-ue. It is okay," he buries himself into his father, and closes his eyes. What he says next is both muffled and very quiet, "I love you more than anything in this whole world."
Taishō grabs Sesshōmaru's shoulders, pushes him back and stares, "Wh, wh, what did you just say?"
"Say what, Father?" Sesshōmaru hugs him again.
Taishō's expression relaxes. The boy's not going to repeat himself apparently.
"I love you too."
"Mm-huh."
It's daylight now.
つ づ く...
Ch. 14- A Cracking, The Silence