Disclaimer: I did not own Inu Yasha… TT_TT

AN: Hiyaaaa! Meet me again, fuih… I hope I didn't make you wait for a ,ong time!^^ Anyway, Happy V-day everyone!^^ I hope your day full of love and joy! And thanks a lot for my Beta Reader, BJ Chan, and thanks a lot for your reviews and support! I really appreciate it! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!^^

I really hate this!!!!X( Did you see this chapter's format??? I've change it for three times already! But it still wont change!!!!!!!X(

Now, into the story…

I walk through many seasons

Many days have passed

Many loves I have thrown away

Just to meet you

The special person only for me

Playing with Fire

+Chapter 09+

Uh-oh!

"Nee… Kou-chan." The little girl called to the lone boy who was playing basketball at the quiet field.

"Hm?" he merely sounded in response at the girl's call. His hand continued to dribble the orange ball skillfully, even thought he was only ten-years-old.

"Is it true?" she asked uncertainly, ignoring his earlier remark. Her fingers intertwined nervously and she kept her eyes focused on them. "That you're going to leave?"

"Yeah," he answered shortly, making the anxious girl furious at his annoying act. "I don't want to." The girl's anger was replaced by shock when the boy said those words.

"Then… why don't you stay?" she asked quizzically.

"I can't. I must stick with my parents; I'm just a kid after all." He suddenly abandoned the orange ball and walked up silently until he was standing in front of his childhood friend.

"Adults," she said bitterly, her eyes narrowing and filled with hatred. "I hate adults. They're bossy and… meanie." The boy smirked at her harsh words, but silently agreed with her.

"Well… since I know you'll miss me terribly," he said playfully, stretching his hands in the air while his eyes teased the girl standing still in front of him with a funny expression on her face, "I promise I'll be back." He patted her gently on her head while his other hand searched for something in his pocket. "…And I'll replace this with a real diamond ring," he said as she felt something being pressed into her palm. He then nervously made his way back to the field and was once again paying attention to the deserted ball.

She blinked her eyes in surprise then slowly opening her palm and sees a small plastic ring.

+++

"Rin?"

Rin's eyes fluttered open slowly, the lights in the room blinding her sight. She immediately closed her eyes in an attempt to avoid the sudden, startling brightness after the blackness she had been in a little while ago.

"Are you okay?"

She blinked her eyes until she could see clearly. Black orbs moved around to inspect her surroundings before she nodded at the girl standing beside the bed where she was lying upon at the moment.

"School Clinic?" Rin asked her best friend as she finally recognized her surroundings. The smell of the medicine made her nose wrinkle in dismay.

"Yeah. You just passed out for about 15 minutes. That really caused a scene, you know," Ayaka said, smiling as she recalled what happened in the classroom, with everyone yelling in panic and then almost all of the girls on the class following Ayaka, who taking Rin to the school clinic. That really was quite a scene. Fortunately, the bell rang and they had to go back to class, leaving Ayaka and the unconscious Rin in peace.

"Whew... that's weird, ya know. I've never fainted in school before." Rin smirked at her own remark.

"Umm... Rin? May I ask you a question or two?" Ayaka began carefully, not wanting to make her best friend faint again, but she has to ask Rin! Rin raised her eyebrow and then nodded.

"Soo... Are the articles right?" Rin had a questioning look on her face, making Ayaka sigh and ask again. "You know, about you and Sesshoumaru-san... um... being a couple and all..."

Rin's eyes went wide at Ayaka's question. She remembered now about the reason for her fainting! Those articles! Those f$%^ing articles!

"N-NO WAY!" Rin blurted out. "I mean... I just went to give back his stuff, and being a jerk, he treated me-"

"Come, I'll see you home." His amber eyes, for the briefest moment, showed a hint of emotion that she couldn't read but... it made her heart beat faster. She even blushed when she realized that his hand was brushing the snow gently from her hair.

"-like trash or something…," she added as her cheek went pink against her pale skin.

Rin nodded in defeat and hung her head down, not daring to look up at Sesshoumaru's face. She could feel her face getting hotter. Rin almost felt disappointed when he stopped brushing her hair and opened the car's door for her.

"Umm... thanks...," Rin mumbled under her breath and she bit her lower lip as she took in the exclusive cologne that Sesshoumaru was wearing, standing only an inch from her.

"Ummm...Rin? Are you sure you're okay? Your face is all red," Ayaka said. "And you're spacing out," she added as she tried moving her hand in front of Rin's face and getting no response at all. She then let out a deep breath before shaking her head. "You really got it bad, don't you?"

"Huh? Wh-what are you saying?" Rin asked dumbly when she finally realized that Ayaka was saying something.

"Uh huh. Nothing serious. So, the articles are not true, right?" Ayaka asked again.

"Of course it's not true. There's no way he'll be interested in me! I mean... I'm just an ordinary girl while he is... different." Rin spaced out again as she was saying those words but her face grew serious, as if she had though of something. "Plus, he must be irritated right now. You know… being a famous businessman, he probably didn't want to be seen hanging out with a little girl like me… But hey! Who cares anyway?" Rin exclaimed and then let out a fake laugh.

"Well, they did care," Ayaka said casually and pointed at the now half-opened door that revealed about 7 or 8 girls peeking in from outside the room. "Don't you guys have some studying to do right now?" Ayaka asked with a threatening glare, making them shriek in terror and they vanished as quickly as they had come.

"And you do care, Rin," Ayaka added as the silence greeted them again.

"What are you talking about? I do not! I don't care about whatever they're saying! I DON'T CARE! It's just stupid gossip! Just f***ing, immature, childish, insane, totally messed up gossip! AND ONCE AGAIN, I DO NOT CARE!" Rin yelled in anger, her hands gripping tightly at the bed sheet to control her emotion. Yes! There was no way that silly coupling-thing would ever affect her! She'd be better off dead than be with that egoistical jerk!

… right?

Ayaka sighed and just smiled at Rin's outburst. It was really easy to see that Rin was having really conflicting thoughts about this matter. And did she actually think she could convince anyone with her bad acting? Well, if that was so, Rin really needed to practice harder.

"Well…," Ayaka opened her mouth again. "How about going back to class, since you're feeling better already?" Ayaka pasted on a smile to hide the fact that she was biting back her tongue to keep from saying something that would probably make Rin start screaming again, so she decides it's better to end this sensitive subject.

"Let's go then!" Rin exclaimed cheerfully, totally unaware that she hadn't succeeded in convincing Ayaka to believe her, and felt relieved to be done with the earlier conversation.

…Right.

+++

Sesshoumaru read the newly received message on his cell phone that asked the same questions as the previous message. A second later, his long finger hit the delete button.

"--- and they're whispering stupid comments behind your back as if they were higher than you, Sesshoumaru-sama! But don't worry, Sesshoumaru sama ---"

Satisfied at the empty inbox, he closed the menu and placed the small cell phone on his pocket.

"--- I've already made their ears hurt with my heart-stabbing words!--"

His attention then turned to the documents from his bag, placed beside where he sat in the car. He took the documents and started to go through them.

"I wonder why you didn't protest or ban the articles, Sesshoumaru-sama! But I know you must have something going on in your brilliant mind then, Seshoumaru-sama! Or… is it the brat's trap so she can take your money, just like what her cousin is doing to Inu-Yasha? Oooohhh… such a cunning family! You have to do something Sesshoumaru-sama!--"

He set the documents on the car's seat beside him and placed the notebook on his lap. He turned it on and continued to work.

"--- Ohhh… I still remember how filthy she looked last night! How dare she scream at you in public, Sesshoumaru-sama! I believe her parents feel shame to have her as their daughter!--"

He placed his hand on his chin as his long eyebrows knitted together in concentration. His fingers returned to typing swiftly on the keyboard, the soft tapping sounds discordant with the loud, squeaky voice of his servant.

"—And right now, the little brat must be think that she has succeeded wrapping you in her finger! How wrong she is! As long as –"

"Shut up, Jakken," Sesshoumaru quietly cut into Jakken's babbling. He placed one hand on his forehead and closed his eyes in annoyance before opening them abruptly, sending the servant into fear at the expression in those sharp amber eyes.

"I-I'm sorry Sesshoumaru-sama! Please forgive this—." Jakken bowed down to his knees, even though he was sitting on the car's chair which usually didn't give you room to doing movement like bowing, his toad-like face turning green as he felt the unwavering stare, he was scared, the same nausea he felt last night started to coming back again. His big eyes moving everywhere as long as it away from his angry master, he even didn't glared back as he saw the driver's eyes were hiding the laughter from the scene.

"Did you hear my words?" Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrow. "Shut up," he finished coldly and turned his eyes from the frightened servant, who nodded slowly in understanding.

Sesshoumaru exhaled deeply and powered his notebook down. He then carefully placed the documents that he had been studying earlier on top the notebook. Actually, he still had other documents to examine but after having a 'conversation' with Jakken, he suddenly had no desire to continue working. Sesshoumaru looked at his watch and realized that it was almost afternoon and he still hadn't had lunch. That was probably the reason for his losing interest in continuing to work besides hearing Jakken's foul comments.

Ah, suddenly he remembered about that girl, the main character of Jakken's earlier tirade. Mikagi Rin.

He stared at her face with mild interest. She was flushed with anger after her out burst, making her look like a crab. Um…a crab with snow on top of it. He knew Rin had realized that he was staring at her but her anger at Jakken had diverted her attention away from him. He shook his head at the two immature humans in front of him. He really needed to stop them since they were causing a scene; it was fortunate that there were only five (including the driver and the security) people here. Plus, the weather wasn't friendly.

"Come, I'll see you home," Sesshoumaru said at the fuming girl who suddenly looked at Sesshoumaru in shock. Sesshoumaru held back the urge to roll his eyes at Rin's reaction. He then frowned as he remembered her situation. She was wet and covered with snow! He suddenly felt sorry for offering to take her home but still… Sesshoumaru would never go back on his words. He was about to tell her to clean herself off first but when his eyes meet hers, he felt something unfamiliar start to spread inside of him, something he didn't recognize that made him to do something totally out of character.

His hand moved slowly to her snowy hair and gently stroked it to brush off the snow and to tidy her mussed hair.

When he realized what he was doing, he froze and his mind started to chant some curse he rarely said aloud. He needed to find an excuse, a reason for his action, because he didn't dare accept the truth, which he didn't understand, which he refused to understand.

That was when he saw that unfamiliar man with a camera hiding in the building's shadow. His mind suddenly walled away everything related to the unfamiliar feeling he had experienced earlier. His pride was taking over and his brain started to work again. Now, he had discovered the only rational excuse behind his act.

Wait a minute… he hadn't discover it… He had made it all up.

'I did not. All I saw was an opportunity.' Sesshoumaru frowned at his own thought. Mikagi Rin was just a game for him, nothing more and nothing less. So… why did he feel a twinge when he listened to Jakken mock her?

'Guilt,' he answered. He knew that it wasn't fair to be doing this. He was the one who had set up this whole situation and yet, the victim was Mikagi Rin, the person who didn't know anything. He wondered what Rin's reaction would be when she read the articles and what she would do if other people asked her about them?

Sesshoumaru's lips curved into a slight smile as he imagined Rin's reaction. She would probably yell that the articles weren't true in her particular way. You know…full of cursing. Maybe she'd even start to jump up and down and try to convince everyone that the articles were all just part of a practical joke.

Yeah, she'd never take it seriously and that'd make his plan gone even smoother.

….Right?

"Right," Sesshoumaru unconsciously whispered, his face still emotionless and yet, there was something hiding behind it, something unfamiliar for him and yet so familiar for anyone who could have seen it.

Something that had been sleeping deep inside of him for a long time and was now starting to awaken and force him to understand…

+++

"F&*k him!" Inu Yasha crumpled the newspaper in rage and tossed it into the trashcan. "That F$%^ing Sesshoumaru!"

Feeling unsatisfied with what he had done, he walked over the trashcan and crushed the newspaper down with one of his feet. His childish act made his girlfriend roll her eyes but she didn't want to stop Inu Yasha. She found it so endearingly funny to see Inu Yasha actually show concern for the 'little brat' since he was always teased the younger girl.

"Idiot," Kagome mocked playfully as Inu Yasha became exhausted and was trying to regain his breath. Right now, Kagome was in Inu Yasha's office, hoping to discuss the article in a rational manner but she should have known…

"Ka-go-me…," Inu Yasha called her name dangerously. "Aren't you worried? Right now, Seshoumaru is using his power to manipulate Rin! Damn him! I can't understand what's going on in his messed up mind!"

"Don't think so negatively about your brother, Inu-chan." Kagome raised one of her eyebrow at Inu Yasha's words. Inu Yasha only groaned in reply.

"Come on, it's as if you don't know him! He doesn't have a heart and if you think all of this is happening because it's destiny, you're wrong! I KNOW Sesshoumaru!"

"So? What's the point? I also KNOW Sesshoumaru, and he didn't have any ulterior motive other than to see Rin safely back home that night! He isn't like what you're talking! GOD, can't you try to looking at your brother from another point of view?" Kagome glared at Inu Yasha who glared back, both of them didn't want to lose their arguing.

"Feh! He's my half brother! I've known him much longer than you. You just meet him a few days ago and that was a bad start too! Don't you remember how he treated you that night at the party!?" Inu Yasha growled as he remembered the day perfectly. The first time he dared to take Kagome to meet his family and it had ended terribly, thanks to his half brother, the one who had ruin everything…and the one who had fixed it. Such a difficult person!

"But he did fix everything!" Kagome yell back. Okay, it was true that she had meet Sesshoumaru only a few days ago and it had gotten off to a bad start but when she tried to see him from another perspective, he was not a jerk at all. She had seen the person under that cold mask once and that was enough to make her believe in him, to make him become one of her friends. "Plus… plus… I believe it's just a coincidence the paparazzi saw them! There's no way Sesshoumaru would hurt Rin! I believe in him!"

"So… you still believe that Rin and Sesshoumaru will make a perfect couple, that they're perfect to each other?" Inu Yasha asked in a calm voice, even though his expression suggested the complete opposite. He stood squarely in front of Kagome and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Kagome stared at those intense amber eyes, where she saw a great worry swimming and fusing with jealously and anger, but she saw no hatred on them. She didn't have an answer to that question, even though she believed that Sesshoumaru meant Rin no harm. Still, there was another part of her that didn't quite trust Sesshoumaru.

"I don't know," Kagome answer truthfully. "But I try to believe it because I saw it in them. I saw the strong attraction that pulled them together."

"Woman and their so called intuition," Inu Yasha mumbled sarcastically.

"The same thing that brought us together the first time we met," Kagome added with a smile, making Inu Yasha redden in embarrassment.

"Wh- What are you talking about! It's not the same!" Inu Yasha groaned and automatically spun around to hide his red face from Kagome.

Kagome smiled lovingly at her boyfriend. Yes, she still remembered everything clearly about when she and Inu Yasha had met for the first time. In the hair styling salon where she worked, Kagome was cutting Inu Yasha's hair, and believe it or not, she had accidentally cut it too short, almost rendering him bald. A bad start, ne? But it had ended up in this wonderful relationship. She had ignored Inu Yasha's presence when he kept coming back to the barbershop to make fun of her. She had refused his offer to date. Hell, she had even disliked him when they had met but still… there was something that had brought them together and soon, just like the other Japanese believes, they had learned that they were bound together by an unseen red thread.

"Of course it's not the same." Kagome approached Inu Yasha's back slowly, giggling when she saw that his ears were red. Kagome wrapped her little hands around Inu Yasha's waist from behind and she placed her cheek on his back, seeking his warmth. She smiled as she felt Inu Yasha place his hand on her own, rubbing them gently.

"The route that everyone takes is different, Inu-chan, but what binds them together is the same." Kagome closed her eyes as she felt Inu Yasha relax, knowing that he had calmed down.

"Love," she whispered softly. "I believe it's the only thing that will bind them together."

Inu Yasha sighed at Kagome's words. How untrue it was. He wanted to tell her everything he knew about Sesshoumaru but he didn't want to break the peaceful aura that surrounded them. Yes, he could pretend to agree with Kagome and believe that Sesshoumaru and Rin were destined to be together but he didn't want to. He didn't want to be the one who consoled Rin when she cried over her heartbreak. He didn't want to be the one who had punch Sesshoumaru to make him pay for what he had done to Rin.

"But tell me, Kagome. "Will it still work out if one of them refuses to love?"

"They will fail, of course, but no matter how often they fail, they'll surely start all over again. Because it's their story, and I believe they'll making an epilogue with a good ending."

"Really?"

Inu Yasha's question was left unanswered. Kagome's cell phone rang at that moment and she answered it immediately, smiling as she spoke the familiar name. Inu Yasha looked at his girlfriend with curiosity as she started to mention familiar numbers slowly, still with a smile on her face. She then hung up.

"Really," Kagome said, answering Inu Yasha's question from before the call. She circled her hands around his neck and kissed his cheek.

+++

"Good Luck, Rin chan!" Rin groaned and hung up the phone as she hear her cousin's tone. She knew it was a bad idea asking Kagome about this. She'd probably already started to gossip with Aunt Natsu.

"Did you get the number Rin-chan? OMG! I can't believe you didn't know your own boyfriend's phone number!" Rin rolled her eyes at the malicious voice of Ringo, her eternal enemy, the one who had started all of this mess!

"OOOHHH… Hurry up and call him, Rin-chan!"

"Go call your boyfriend and asked him to come over! I want to see him too!"

"Nee… maybe he has some unattached friends for us?"

"HURRY UP RIN-CHAN!"

Rin groaned a second time as she again placed her hand on the school phone in the teacher's room. It was a mistake! She knew it! She shouldn't have listened to Ringo's words! She shouldn't have agreed to call Sesshoumaru to ask if he could pick her up after school! Oh GOD! And she knew what would happen if Sesshoumaru didn't agree to pick her up. Ringo would start mocking her again and spreading vicious gossip in the school! OHHH…

Rin tried to catch Ayaka's gaze, who standing coolly not too far from them, hoping for help from her best friend. Ayaka wasn't even looking at her. She kept staring at the teacher's room and nodded her head respectfully as some teachers looked at her.

Actually, Ayaka's mind was still fixed Rin's pathetic situation or rather, the consequences. two hours ago, Rin said that she did not care about whatever everyone said about the article but now, she was paying for not sticking to her words. Ayaka knew that it wasn't fair to let her best friend suffer like this. Hell, maybe Sesshoumaru will treat her like trash again if she asked him to pick her up. Maybe… he'll hang up and change his phone number since Rin knew it. Who knew? It was Sesshoumaru, after all.

But now it was way too late to go back.

"CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM!!!" the group of teenage girls surrounding Rin cheered loudly, making everyone looks at them. They kept on chanting.

'GOD, please help me, make him forget his cell phone at home or have it not activated!' Rin prayed in her mind and then, with one last glare at Ringo, the source of this mess, she started to hit the first number.

"CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM!"

Then, the second number…

"CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM!"

Another unfamiliar number that made her stomach clench with nerves.

"CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM!"

Another number, again, again, and again, until all the numbers on the small paper were dialed.

'GOD! Please!!!!!!'

"CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM!"

No one answered. Rin almost smile in relief, feeling that God had answered her prayers.

"CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM!"

Almost…

"CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM!"

"Yes?"

Until a familiar, deep voice spoke on the other line.

"CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! CALL HIM! "

"Uhh… Sesshoumaru san?"

"KYAAA!!!!!! IT'S HER FIANCE!!!!" Ringo yelled with faked enthusiasm, and was being copied by the other girls.

"Fiance!?" both Rin and Sesshoumaru asked at the same time and in the same state of shock.

"You're so dead meat, Rin." Ayaka mumbled and placed her hand on her forehead.

+++

A/N: So… what do you think so far? Is it good or bad??? Please review!!!^^ and… Happy Valentine's Day!^^

Ja ne!

-Yume