Chapter 1

Kagura kicked the slush, spraying it across the narrow street.

Asshole… how am I supposed to get into my school now?

Gritting her teeth, Kagura turned around and walked back to Sesshoumaru's house. This time, Sesshoumaru answered.

"I thought I told you to go." He said; his voice deadpan.

"You were paid to teach me piano, no matter how musically crippled I am."

"You can have your money back." Sesshoumaru replied, and turned to close the door.

Kagura was silenced by his reply. She shook her head. "That's not the point. I have to get into this university, far away from here."

Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow. "Why far away?"

"To get away from my father, Naraku." Kagura tried to look as determined as possible. "Please, I promise I'll learn… whatever I need to."

Sighing, Sesshoumaru walked away. He disappeared for a few minutes, but when he came back, he gave her a thin piano book. "Learn the basics, at least. Come back in spring. If you are still hopeless then… I rest my case."

The door closed.

Kagura sighed. "How did I get myself into this?"

---

Come Spring

---

"Kagura-chan! Let's go already!" Yura waved her hand cheerily.

Kagura heaved a heavy sigh. "Why are you tagging along again?"

"To see your gorgeous teacher,"

"I never said he was gorgeous."

"Oh, it was written all over your face." Yura blushed, clutching her cheeks. "But this time, help me pull him down."

Kagura took a cautious step backwards. Her eyebrow twitched with nervousness. "Uh,"

"Let's go already!"

---

Sesshoumaru flipped the page of his book and sighed. He closed it and placed it carefully on the glass table. It was beginning to get boring anyways. He stood and slowly walked over to the large glass sliding doors that lead to the balcony of his second-story study. He slid open the door and stepped out.

Cherry blossoms… Sesshoumaru watched them fall out of the corner of his eyes.

They were peaceful.

Sudden movements caught his eyes. He frowned and looked below, where Kagura and another girl were walking towards his house. The petit girl skipped circles around Kagura, obviously bombarding her with unnecessary conversation.

The fluttering petals made a fleeting screen between him and Kagura…

…and her friend.

Narrowing his eyes, Sesshoumaru gripped the railing of the balcony. They are multiplying.

---

Hearing the doorbell, the butler sighed, moving reluctantly to the heavy front door.

"It's quite alright, I will get the door." Sesshoumaru's voice rose behind him, descending from the stairs.

The butler bowed and retired to the back.

With a careful eye, the butler watched as Sesshoumaru opened the door and responded with careful preparation. But all is blown away as a small figure tackled Sesshoumaru, forcing him to retreat further into the house.

Kagura stepped in and ignored her excited friend completely. She made herself at home, throwing her bag on the ground, sighing a sigh of relief.

Sesshoumaru, however, was busy trying to pry off the girl off of him, more specifically, his hair.

"Ooooh, they're so pretty… and silky… and smooth… and soft… and long…"

Ignoring the cooing, Sesshoumaru glared at Kagura mercilessly. "What is this… repulsive thing that you have brought along?"

"Meet Yura." Kagura smirked. "Sesshoumaru, Yura. Yura, Sesshoumaru."

"…and soft… and nice… and pretty… and long… and fluffy… and squashy… and sweet…"

"Don't worry, her vocabulary will run out in about a minute." Kagura said, ignoring her friend's now senseless ranting.

"I feel so much better." Sesshoumaru said monotonously.

Determined to lose Yura, Sesshoumaru was starting to contemplate desperate measures. Such as pretending to cut his hair, or poking Yura in the arm, or eveneyeing at a sword hanging as a family symbol.

But, as predicted, Yura ran out of words to say. She loosened her grip on her precious Sesshoumaru hair, and stumbled off to a corner, thinking of more words.

Remembering their original purpose, Sesshoumaru cleared his throat and led Kagura to the piano room.

"So, I assume that you have learned the basics?"

"Of course," Kagura snapped. "Do you think that I would come back empty handed?"

"You mean, empty brained?" Yura suggested.

Sesshoumaru, Kagura and the butler glared at Yura, who go the hint (for once) and rocked herself in the corner.

Seating herself, Kagura looked at Sesshoumaru for his next ridiculous command.

Setting a new book in front of Kagura, Sesshoumaru said simply.

"Play."

After minutes of precisely struck notes, Kagura ended the little etude with an impressive little flourish. Kagura sat proudly (and straightly) for her well deserved praise.

"Okay, then."

A vein popped dangerously on Kagura's forehead. "Okay, then? What the hell is that?"

"That's what I should be asking you."

Kagura's vein grew bigger. "I played that perfectly!"

"With no emotion at all."

Kagura froze, before bursting into laughter. "Emotion? What do you know about emotion?"

Scooting Kagura over, Sesshoumaru proceeded to play the piece. Except instead of cheap music-box tinkering, it was fuller, filled with a simple loneliness; a lingering bitterness.

Kagura looked suspiciously at the piano, how did it sound so much better?

"It sounds better if you play it better."

---

Authors' Note:

Here's the long-awaited first chapter. It turns out that this is probably going to be… short. Maybe even slow… who knows? This is where we finally see that piano lessons are useful for once (no offence to our teachers) (SilverWolf-Ryuki: Yes, offence to mine.)

The emotion problem is really annoying, even to us, the patient… normal people. (sigh) I truly feel for Kagura, being taught emotion by an ice-cube. But it's but than my singing and aggravating thing of a teacher. It's strange… we both take piano lessons.

SilverWolf-Ryuki: Although I must say, I'm less music-literate than my esteemed colleague here. That's alright though… I dunno. At least I'm not less musical in senses, I guess. Just don't ask me to sing.

Dark Lavender: Ha, I'm in the school choir. I can sing (I think…)

SilverWolf-Ryuki: So much for being modest. Anyways… R + R people!