"Or else of thee this I prognosticate, Thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date." - William Shakespeare

The Darling Buds of May

Chapter 16:

Sesshomaru leaned back into his chair, stretching his hands after a particularly long day of work. He looked to the clock on the wall, smiling somewhat ruefully as he read six-thirty, the setting sun outside his office window proving just how quickly the day had passed into evening.

Pushing himself away from the desk, Sesshomaru picked up his briefcase and suit jacket, turned out the light, and locked his office. Taking some papers from his brief case, Sesshomaru was placing them onto Jaken's desk to be copied and filed in the morning.

"Mr. Masato?" Sesshomaru turned around slowly, almost startled. He hadn't expected to see anyone else at the office so late in the day.

"I - I didn't expect you to still be in the office. . ." mumbled the young man facing Sesshomaru. "I -if you would prefer, I w -would gladly copy the papers for you this evening, before I leave. . ."

"Thank you, Mr. Ohmono. I'm sure Mr. Jaken will appreciate the assistance." He watched the nervous young man as he retreated to the copy room with the papers.

Sesshomaru left the office building and proceeded to walk to the park where he'd scheduled to meet his fiancée, Ms. Rin Naruo. His mind wandered back to the young man in the office, trying to recall exactly who he was.

'Hrm . . . Ah, yes! Akira Ohmono. Not much younger than myself. Father hired him last year, as a last favor to Ohmono's family. . . Was it something to do with his shyness around other people?' Sesshomaru tried to recall why he wasn't able to get a job at any other firm, but such thoughts were driven out of his mind by his lovely fiancée.

"Sesshomaru! Are you ready? Let's get going already." Rin smiled, her face glowing as she looked up from her book. "Sesshomaru? Is something wrong?"

"No," he said, still standing a few feet apart from the young woman on the bench.

"Then why are you just standing there?" She said, placing her hand on her hip.

"I was admiring your beauty. . . the way you've been sitting there on the bench under the cherry tree with the sun setting behind you. . . I think that many people would agree that you are quite a site to behold my love." His lips quirked into a smile, as he watched Rin blush. Rin smiled up at Sesshomaru.

"Well, you know," she began. "I don't believe the scene you've described is quite complete unless you're sitting here with me. . ." she slid to one side on the bench. "Come and we'll enjoy this sunset together." Sesshomaru sat down next to the one he loved, and together they watched the sunset. Any thoughts that might have pressed themselves were lost altogether.

Author's Note: Don't worry, this isn't the last chapter I'll post this week. ^_^ So how have your weekends been so far? Lovely? Well, whatever your weekends have been, that's great. Now Why don't ya'll review my chapter now, ya here? *turning on Southern charm* I know ya'll 'r capable of doing me that one itsy-witsy favor aren't-cha? Well, anywhoo I'll post at least one more time this weekend. Promise ^_^ I'll even try to make it longer. I hope you all enjoyed a little insight into Fluffy's love life ^_^ I think his character's been ignored for a little too long. I ALSO WISH TO APOLOGIZE FOR UPDATING SO LATE, BUT A WRITER NEEDS TO PLAN WHICH DIRECTION HER STORY'S GOING TO TAKE, YOU KNOW. . . Gomen nasai, but this story could follow like three different directions right now, and it's hard to decide which one feels right. . . Well, until later! -Starmoon