Disclaimers on everything that I don't own, this includes all of the characters of InuYasha by Rumiko Takahashi.

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Chapitre Vingt-et-Un,

By Winterwing3000

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Ayame looked into the dim hallway as she came out of her room and noticed that it was dark in the living room. She turned on the hallway light and then stared at the other bedroom door. Her frown only deepened.

She came home not too long ago from work and the house was surprisingly empty. She figured that Rin must have stepped out. But when Rin came out of her bedroom and made a beeline toward the kitchen, Ayame was startled. When she tried to stir up a conversation as usual, Rin only smiled tiredly and gave minimal answers before excusing herself back to her room. Normally, she wouldn't think too much on Rin's behavior because the brunette once told her before that writing was a lengthy process which was extremely mentally taxing. Yet something nagged Ayame at the back of her mind, urging her that there was possibly a much deeper reason for the solemn air that hung about Rin's person the two days.

Ayame knew that right now Rin was going through several rough patches at the same time and that she intruded on her roommate's business for long enough. During some points of the events that unfolded, the female ookami felt guilty—especially when she unwittingly handed that personal photo of Rin's to InuYasha. It was obvious that because of the picture, Rin and InuYasha's relationship became more strained. Yet, it was annoying her how oblivious that hanyou was to her friend's feelings.

Sighing, the redhead shook her head clear of the past. Even though Rin never blamed her for it, Ayame knew that she shouldn't have done so. She should and could only do so much, even though she would like to help Rin out more because in the end, it was not her place to stick her nose where it did not belong. She was sure that Rin knew that if there was anything she needed, she could always come and find either her or Kouga for help. But right now, the wolf knew that she did not like the current Rin. She missed the laughs and easy smiles that they shared. Firming her resolve, Ayame trotted over to Rin's closed bedroom door and knocked on it.

Her ears caught the muffled consent and she turned the knob. Smiling widely so that her fangs glinted, Ayame said in a sing-song voice, "Rin-chan! Let's go grab something to eat! It's already dinner time!"

Rin was perched on her bed with her laptop sitting next to her. The room was almost completely enveloped in darkness save the blue glow of her computer screen and the night lamp by the bed. The brunette human smiled lightly at her friend. "Sorry, Ayame-chan, but I don't feel like going out right now. I had a big lunch, so I'm still full."

Ayame pouted at Rin's refusal but tried to persuade her once more. "Are you sure though? We can go grab something yummy, like at that new Mediterranean place that opened up a few streets down! I'll even call up Kouga and he can treat us girls to a few drinks later at the bar you really like!"

"Sorry, Ayame-chan, maybe next time? I really just want to spend some time on my writing," Rin said apologetically.

Ayame caught the slight sound of sadness in her voice as she said that but made no comment about it. Instead, the redhead conceded with the pout intact. "Aw, all right then! I'll bring back some delicious dessert for you then! How does a chocolate cheesecake with strawberries sound?"

"It sounds great, Ayame-chan!" Rin answered in a happier tone. "Thank you! Have a good time with Kouga-kun."

"Thanks! Make sure you eat though, okay?" the female wolf demon said as she wagged her finger in a playfully stern manner at Rin. "I'll see you in a few hours."

"Bye~!" Rin smiled and watched her door close. A few moments later, she heard the front door close with jingling keys. Releasing another heavy sigh that evening, the brunette stared at the black cursor on her computer. It blinked mockingly at her against the blank page.

Ever since she came home, she booted her laptop and opened an editor. Hours later, no words appeared on the screen. Her fingers only rested on top of the keys, but they never applied pressure. Her mind was just muddled with pieces of the conversation before. Her eyes stared dazedly at the blue-white glow as she sank into her subconscious.

Her stomach grumbled in protest suddenly. Rin sat up and looked down at her belly, faintly noting that she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. Sighing, she dragged herself out of her bedroom and into the kitchen. Her body moved in autopilot as it reached for a bowl and a pack of instant noodles from the cupboard. The kettle was set on the stove and quickly brought the water to a boil. As her eyes measured out the appropriate amount of water into the bowl, Rin watched as the steam rose.

The noodles began to soften in front of her eyes and the seasoning mixture floated on the surface.

Don't play innocent, Rin. I am not the woman with two men dangling at my fingertips.

Sighing again, Rin dropped her chin to her chest and closed her eyes. Even though it was hard to hear and accept, she couldn't help but feel that Kagome's words rang with some verity. Maybe she shouldn't have prolonged her decision and just cut her ties permanently with both InuYasha and Sesshomaru. If she did that, then she would be trouble free. There would be no need to worry about her mixed feelings for InuYasha or wonder about her budding emotions for Sesshomaru. Not to mention, she would finally have the chance to remove Kagome from her suddenly turbulent life. Would things have been easier if Kagome never showed up, or would they have been just as headache-inducing?

Looking at the steaming bowl of noodles, Rin prodded them with her chopsticks. Once she felt that they were ready, she carefully brought her dinner with her into the living room. She didn't bother turning on the lights in the adjoined room. The kitchen lights spilled partially onto the ground, providing enough illumination for her to see the room with some clarity. The tiny lights and natural light from the window also came into the room. She sat in semi-darkness and her mind shut off all train of thought.

Even as she tried to focus on savoring her meal, the food didn't taste like anything to her. It was almost as if her body ate automatically—her hands lifted the chopsticks and her mouth opened to ingest. Rin was surprised to see that she managed to finish the entire bowl without actually realizing it.

Just as she deposited her empty bowl into the sink, she could hear her cell phone ring shrilly from her room. Thinking it to be something important, Rin nimbly darted to her room and grabbed the gadget from her night table. It was an unknown number.

She hesitated, but answered just before the fifth ring. "Hello?"

"Rin?" Her ears perked at the familiar voice on the other side of the line.

"Is it you, InuYasha?"

There was some shuffling on the other side. "Yeah, it's me. Are you busy?"

The brunette glanced at her laptop. The blank page still stared at her. She certainly didn't expect him to call her so suddenly. "A little. What's wrong, InuYasha? Are your hurt?"

"No, I'm okay." She heard him suck in a deep breath. "You know what, forget I called."

Rin bit her lower lip. Even with their current situation, she couldn't help but allow her concern for him speak up. "Don't be silly. You know you can still talk to me if you need to, right? We're still friends…"

"Heh, you don't sound too sure about yourself there, Rin. I hope it's not because of that bastard's influence."

"InuYasha," Rin sternly said. But she couldn't help to remember Sesshomaru during his visit yesterday and the offer he made. Why was she still talking with InuYasha when she told Sesshomaru that she wasn't going to in order to ensure fairness in her final decision?

"Hmph, can you blame me? He could be talking shit about me to you for all I know."

Sighing, she rubbed her forehead. "InuYasha, I hope you really didn't call me just so you can badmouth Sesshomaru. You know it won't influence my decision."

He snorted on the other side of the line. "No way. I was just seeing how you're feeling, but it sounds like you're pretty lively. So I guess I'm worrying over nothing."

"How about you? Are you… Have you seen Kagome-san yet?"

"Kagome… Yeah, I saw her. Why, did something happen between you and her?"

How did this always happen to her? Rin frowned at InuYasha's sharpness. Maybe she could pretend she didn't know what he was talking about. "No, why would there be?"

"There's no reason for you to mention her if something didn't happen!" He harrumphed. "This is a stupid conversation to have over the phone. Come meet me in person. I'll wait for you at the park entrance at the end of your street."

"What? Wait, InuYasha!" Rin said his name several more times but there was only the dial tone.

She stared at the gadget in her hand blankly. Meet up with InuYasha, right now? She sighed. Why didn't he let her tell him no? For him to make her do this, she was finding it hard to forgive herself for breaking the promise that she made with Sesshomaru. If she met up with InuYasha, she knew inside that something definitely was going to shift. Whether it was his feelings or her feelings, she wasn't sure yet. But whose ever it was, her decision at the outcome was definitely going to be harder to make.

Pocketing the phone, she grabbed the first thin sweater from her closet and pulled it on. She powered off her laptop and scribbled a quick note to leave for Ayame in case her roommate came home early. Last thing she needed was to worry the other girl further with her glum behavior by disappearing without notice. Taking her keys from the bowl, she slipped on her worn-out sneakers and locked the door behind her with a quick hiss.

After hanging up the payphone, InuYasha turned around and headed in the direction of Rin's apartment building. He picked up the pace in order to arrive at the meeting place first. He appreciated the fact that her part of the neighborhood was relatively quiet and had few people about during the dinner hours. It allowed him time to think as he speed walked down the streets.

Just why did he call Rin so suddenly? He still couldn't figure it out. He initially considered calling his mother, to let her know that he was doing well here in New York and that he might be returning to Japan soon. After all, he was sure that she was deeply worried. He didn't have the chance to give her a call since he landed, and it has been nearly a month since he arrived. The last thing he wanted to do was to worry her sick. But just before he dialed, he realized that he didn't have an international phone card. Instead, his fingers pressed the numbers he memorized from yesterday afternoon and the next thing he knew, Rin answered.

It felt comforting to hear her voice. It reminded him of home, of the happy times they had before their world turned upside down. Suddenly, Kagome and her cold eyes came to mind. His ears drooped slightly at the thought of the other woman. They had happy times as well, yet it seemed that neither of them was smiling any more. He sighed and scratched the back of his head. How did it come to this?

Taking a left, he scoured the nearby area with his eyes before catching movement in the shadows ahead. He stopped underneath a tall lamppost and watched carefully as the person closed the distance. It was Rin. He could hear her heart beating just a tad quicker than normal, telling him that she also came over here in a hurry. He took a step forward. "Yo."

Rin slowed down her trot to a walk in order to calm her breathing. She waved in greeting. "Hey InuYasha."

He looked off to the side, suddenly awkward in her presence. "Sorry for calling you out so randomly."

"It's not a problem," answered Rin. She couldn't meet his eyes either. "I was worried about you, too. But I wasn't expecting your call so soon, did something happen?"

She knew that he couldn't possibly call her out of the blue to check on her. There was something on his mind and it was bothering him enough to seek her out. But InuYasha avoided the question and suggested, "Why don't we find a place to sit?"

"Ah, okay," she agreed unsurely. They went past the entrance of the park and found a bench not too far. The park was still lively with couples and musicians but they all seemed to fade into the background as they sat down, both not facing each other.

Rin squirmed and fiddled with the zipper of her sweater. Why was it suddenly so difficult to raise a subject? They were friends since childhood and spoke to each other about everything, yet why couldn't they look at each other in the eyes? Stamping down her sudden insecurities, she mustered the courage to break the silence. "InuYasha…"

"Rin," InuYasha said simultaneously and they turned to face each other. Their gazes held for several seconds before Rin cracked a smile and he snorted at the situation. He told her, "You first."

"Hm, what's troubling you?" She hesitantly inquired. "And don't say 'nothing' because it's written all over your face that there is something."

The half-demon exhaled loudly and leaned back into the bench as his golden eyes stared up at the dark sky above. "I don't know… I guess I just had a lot on my mind after running into Kagome."

"When did you run into her?" Her curiosity got the best of her, even though it felt like she shouldn't be asking.

"Funnily, not too long after I left your place that morning," he told her. Awkward tension hung between them as they recalled the events that transpired between them. She was jealous of his hearing suddenly, because she was sure that he heard her heart skip a beat yet she couldn't tell if he was thinking about that kiss as well.

To break the lapse, he added glumly, "We fought, terribly. I'm pretty sure I became a jerk in her eyes."

Even though she wanted to pry deeper and ask what he might possibly have said to make Kagome change her mind of him, Rin refrained. It was clearly making InuYasha upset for him to even think of the conversation. She wanted to help him and comfort him, but she knew if she pressed any further with the topic, she might say something she might not mean. Guilt started to creep into her heart. She knew that somehow InuYasha's sudden bout of melancholy was partially her fault and right now, his feelings were more important than hers.

"You should probably have a heart-to-heart conversation with Kagome-san," Rin told him as she looked at her kicking feet. "Maybe there are things that are misunderstood in between the both of you. I'm sure you both can reconcile."

"For us to reconcile…" InuYasha trailed off, lost in thought momentarily. "Keh, that seems unlikely for us now that we've reach this point. I told her that I wanted to break off the engagement, this time for sure."

His expression became so glum that Rin wondered if he was beginning to regret his decision to end his relationship with Kagome. Knowing that, it made her feel guilty. The words that slipped from her lips surprised even her. "At least try and see if you can patch up your relationship—see if you both can still be friends or not. I'm sure Kagome-san still wants to talk to you, face to face. After all, I can tell that she still loves you."

Immediately, InuYasha looked at her with suspicion. "What do you mean by that?"

"The truth is, I met with Kagome-san yesterday," admitted Rin. Her heart rate picked up when a scowl covered his face. She quickly continued, "She wanted to speak to me and I agreed. We talked and I could tell that she still loves you, very much even though you've hurt her deeply."

"Kagome," he muttered her under his breath. Regret flashed through his eyes. "I can't face her, not after what I've said to her. She made it pretty clear to me that she was no longer interested in talking to me anymore."

"InuYasha…" She frowned at his behavior. This was not the stubborn childhood friend of hers. InuYasha never gave up on things dear to him, she saw that first hand. He was confused, she was confused, and Kagome was also probably confused. She shouldn't have come out to see him because they all needed time to think and to get this matter between them resolved. It wasn't just about her feelings anymore—it involved a lot more now. InuYasha, Kagome, Sesshomaru. How did it get to this point in her life where it seemed as if she had to weigh between her own happiness and the happiness of others?

"I have to go," she said abruptly to InuYasha. She stood up from the bench and looked at him, a storm of thoughts brewing in her own eyes. "I need to finish up with some work."

"Rin, wait." InuYasha stood up and grabbed hold of her wrist. His golden eyes pierced her brown ones. "You never answered me."

"Answered you? About what?" Rin was confused as she tried to remember just what he was referring to.

"My," he stumbled over his words as if embarrassed. "That time, at the park. When I, when I said that to you."

"That time…" She knew what he was talking about now and for some reason, she only felt anxious. "InuYasha, please, not now."

"And why not?" The hanyou argued. "I know that you said you'll give me an answer about whether you'll be coming home with me later, but this is different."

"It has a lot to do with it, too much in fact," the woman countered softly and sighed. "Right now, I don't want to say anything that might influence your actions or my decision. Just know that I still consider you my best friend—as for something more, I still need time. I'm sorry."

He released a frustrated growl. "Do you really need to think about it? I just need an answer—do you still love me?"

Depositing his briefcase onto the floor by his desk, Sesshomaru loosened the tie around his neck and undid the first two buttons on his shirt. The second quarter reports were due soon and the executive board and trustee board were not satisfied with the current sales. Sighing quietly, he pushed back his bangs. There were further details to work out, but he did not feel like looking at any more paperwork.

Instead, he looked at the pristine envelope sitting on his desk and the two additional tickets peeking out from the envelope. The invitation was still left unfilled and the complimentary tickets were mocking him.

After InuYasha left his home last evening, he retired to his room and thought long and hard. He knew that if he were to delay any further his plans any further, all of his questions would never be answered nor would his curiosity be quenched. Yet, he had a feeling if he moved further with his plans the consequences might be severe especially if Rin found out.

Could he afford such a risk? Sesshomaru pulled out the RSVP card and stared at the embossed letters.

Picking up a pen, he took off the cap and hesitated for a moment before filling it out entirely. Once he was finished, he capped it and set it aside. As for the two tickets, he grabbed them and inserted them into his shirt pocket. His feet turned toward the door and directed him to the only occupied guestroom.

The door was left ajar and he could see his guest sprawled out on her bed while looking up at the ceiling blankly. He knocked and she looked over. Quickly, the dark-haired woman sat up and fixed her hair and straightened out her clothes.

"How can I help you, Sesshomaru-san?" asked Kagome. Sesshomaru took that as her invitation to push the door fully open. He stayed by the entrance.

"Why are you not with InuYasha?" he questioned though he knew the answer. "He is the person you were looking for, wasn't he?"

"Uh, yes, he is," she answered cautiously. "But we've gotten into a fight, and are not on speaking terms at the moment."

Sesshomaru commented, "It concerned Rin, didn't it?"

Her attention snapped onto him. "How did you know…?"

He waved aside her curiosity. "Rin has told me a bit of the history between the three of you."

"Ha, history," Kagome muttered angrily. "More like the drama that she's caused me and InuYasha to go through."

"Why not just leave, then?" Sesshomaru said suggestively. "You have found him, but you obviously are pained with each encounter that you have with that hanyou. He has no desire to be at your side any longer, so why not return to Japan and forget him?"

"Hmph, you just want me out of your hair," Kagome retorted. But then her expression fell. "You make it sound so easy to forget someone who was so dear and someone who managed to hurt me so deeply."

"Then why prolong your pain by staying? What other purpose do you have now that he has turned your back to you?" He asked offhandedly. "You have lost InuYasha. You can only accept defeat and return."

"Why are you suddenly so interested in my problems? Before, you barely give me the time of day and even brushed me off when I tried to thank you. Now, you become my love doctor. Did you hit your head or something?" she asked him dubiously. "If you wanted me to leave, you can just come out and say it."

"I merely think you pitiful to waste your time over a half-breed. Then again, perhaps you both are a match, to be chasing dreams you cannot achieve." Sesshomaru smirked.

Irritated, Kagome sat up straight and said, "Look, Sesshomaru-san, if you have nothing better to talk to me about, please leave me alone. Or please just tell me what you really want to say, Sesshomaru-san. I am really not in the mood to have this kind of conversation right now."

"Very well," he agreed as he stepped into her room. "In my hands, I have something which can possibly bring closure to you and InuYasha."

Now her irritation faded and curiosity peaked. "Closure for me and InuYasha? That's impossible. It probably won't happen even if you had the miracle herb. I've given up on him completely."

"It doesn't seem that way to me, not with the way you are moping around," he commented snidely. "If you truly gave up on him, you would be packing your bags and flying back to Japan now. Not here in my house."

Now exasperated, Kagome pointed her finger at him at glared. "Look, if you want me out of your house, just say it. You don't have to keep rubbing it in about InuYasha."

"I'm merely seeing how much fire you have left," Sesshomaru answered coolly. "Whatever. It's none of my business if you choose to sever ties with the hanyou or not. I am only here to offer you the opportunity to meet him in person once more to make your final decision."

She watched nervously as he walked into her room and stopped by the dressing table. "What opportunity would that be then? And why are you doing this? You just said it's none of your business."

Sesshomaru reached into the front pocket of his shirt and pulled out two slips. "There are two tickets to an art gala. You can choose to invite him or not. The setting is formal enough that he will not cause a scene, but informal enough for both of you to talk freely without disturbance. Think of it as a parting gift from me."

"Art gala?" Kagome wondered about that. InuYasha was never the type of person who would willingly go to an event such as that without being threatened or forcefully persuaded. Did she even want to see him, after what he said to her?

She had to admit that when she suddenly saw him in front of her yesterday it took most of her willpower to not be furious and to not break down in front of him. Part of her wanted to physically throttle him but another part of her wanted to cry. Neither of which she wanted to show him.

Suddenly a thought crept up on her. "Wait, aren't you afraid that InuYasha will take Rin away from you? You love her, don't you?"

"That situation can be easily avoided if you were to attend then, wouldn't it?" He told her smoothly. "You both can make amends and return to Japan together and pretend that this trip to New York never happened. You will have your fiancé back at your side and Rin will no longer be a bother to either of you."

"So basically you want me to persuade InuYasha to come back to Japan with me so that he won't get in the way of Rin and you?" Kagome asked him suspiciously. That did sound very tempting, but with the impasse she and InuYasha were at currently, it sounded very difficult to achieve.

"Think of it as your chance to reconcile your relationship with him. I am sure that you are not the kind of woman to give up easily, am I correct? Therefore, it is up to you. The ball is in your court." Sesshomaru exited her room without another word and walked back into his study.

Once inside the room, his hands clenched at his sides as he stared down at the fancy cream-colored invitation with the RSVP card. His name was printed on the line and on the line for his guest's name, he printed Rin's name.

Soon, all the players would gather and the pieces would fall into place. If all went accordingly, it would be his game. No, he would definitely make sure that he came out the victor. There was no time or room for errors, not with all he was putting up at stake.

In her room, Kagome stared at the two slips of paper on the vanity. She stood up and walked over to further examine the words on them. The gala was on Thursday evening, which meant two days from tonight. She assumed that there was no dress code, seeing as how the ticket mentioned public admission.

Now all she had to do was decide whether she wanted to see InuYasha once more.

With the tickets in hand, she returned to the bed and fell back onto it. Cradling them to her chest, Kagome curled into a fetal position and pressed a button on her cell phone from Japan. The screen brightened the background image of InuYasha and her in an embrace underneath the blooming cherry trees.

Deep, deep inside her heart, she knew the answer.

"InuYasha…"

AN: We are drawing ever closer to the end (thank goodness)! Also, while I'm pretty proud of myself to have gotten these two chapters out, it'll be a while till the next one.

Many thanks to xYuzuki17x, I love Siberian tigers, icecreamapparition, and L.H for your reviews and to my readers. Your support and love is fueling my desire to finish this! So please read and review!