CHAPTER 22:

BROTHERLY BOND

There was a moment of silence between them.Sesshoumaru coldly glares at Kagome who was staring back at him with an determine expression.

"...Did I just hear you say...' jealous '?" asked Sesshoumaru with his expressionless face.

"Yes,.." Kagome nodds her head,"You're...You're jealous of Inuyasha.That's why you hate him."

"Hmph," he snorted,"Jealous?I,Sesshoumaru,jealous of such a filthy guy?"He leans on the wall,arms crossed,and looked down at Kagome."Tell me.Why would I be jealous of such a guy like him?"

"Well,.." Kagome hesitated,"...Inuyasha...is..free...and you're not."

Sesshoumaru's body twitched but he held his expression-less face as usual.Kagome noticed this and continued,"You've been brought up as being perfect and everything.You did everything you've been told.You were always relied on everything you do.Everyone expected you to be perfect but,......but Inuyasha.Unlike you,Inuyasha is free.He did things he WANTED to do.No one told him or ordered him to.He did everything his own way.Of course,he's not the scholar type like you are,Sesshoumaru.But he is...free.He has freedom,...unlike you."

Sesshoumaru glares at Kagome with his cold eyes.Normally people would get scared and run away by his glare but Kagome didn't move a bit.She continued,"You're jealous of Inuyasha because of his freedom to do whatever he wants to do.Inuyasha can go out and make friends while you stay in the house practicing your piano or violin.He can be having fun while you stay and be doing what you were told to.You're jealous of him because he has something what you don't have....freedom."

Inuyasha pricked his ears as he carefully listens behind the wall.' Sesshoumaru.....jealous of me? '

"Inuyasha....he told me that when he first moved into the house,...you were kind towards him.I..I think..that was the real you.Kind and has a good heart,...I think that is the real Sesshoumaru that people has to know.Not the cold,heart-less Sesshoumaru standing right in front of me.You're faking and lying to yourself.You're lying to yourself that you're a cold-hearted person when you're really not.You trapped yourself in your own shell because you hate everyone around you.Everyone who goes out having fun,making friends,....having freedom...."

"Shut-up..."

"You hate them because you don't have what they have."

"Shut-...up.."

"And..."

Sesshoumaru slaps her across the face,"I said to shut-up!!"

"Kyaa!"Kagome falls to the floor.Inuyasha,in surprise came out of where he was hiding, runs over to her and shouted, " What the heck did you do that for!!?"

Sesshoumaru stands above them,his eyes narrowed dangerously."What do you know of me!!?You think you know everything,do you!!?Well,you don't!So I suggest you mind your own bussiness or you will surely get hurt." He then turns to leave.

"Sesshoumaru!!" Inuyasha stopped him," Dammit!Why....why the heck did you...."

"I thought I told you not to show your face in front of me again?" Sesshoumaru glared at him.He starts walking forward leaving the two behind.

"Sesshoumaru!!" Inuyasha shouted but Sesshoumaru made no move to stop.He disappeared as he turned the corner.Inuyasha stares at the direction where his older brother has left.He then turns to Kagome who was rubbing where he had slapped her."You okay?"

"Owww..not really.He really hit me hard."

"That's Sesshoumaru,"Inuyasha chuckled,"He doesn't know how to go easy."

He then lowers his face as his hair covered his eyes."I...didn't know....that..."

"It's okay,Inuyasha."Kagome placed a hand on his shoulder,"Sesshoumaru is the type of guy who doesn't show off his feelings.So of course,you don't know what he's been going through."

"But,you did." Inuyasha looked at her,"I should've known!!I'm just so stupid!!Not even knowing what that guy's been through!!I was just relying on him all along!!"

"Inuyasha..."

"Dammit!Stupid me!!Fuckin' stupid me!!!" shouted Inuyasha," This is BS!!!"

"Stop it,Ayakashi Inuyasha!" Inuyasha looks at Kagome in surprise.She had a sort of angry but soft expression,"If you have time to complain about yourself then why don't you go to Sesshoumaru himself and tell him how you really feel about him.If you don't really hate him then tell him!!Sesshoumaru won't know if you don't tell,you know?I just bet that even if he is jealous and hates you,somewhere deep inside his heart,...he still cares about you."

"...How the hell do you know that?" asked Inuyasha

"Because you're brothers,of course!Do you need any other reasons!!?"

"Wha..!?" he makes a surprised expression," What kind of a stupid reason is that!!?That is just so lame!!"

"Lame,plain,who cares!!?" Kagome shouted,"A reason is a reason!!"

"Tsh,whatever." Inuyasha snorted but then smiles,"Heh,thanks though.It feels like my heart got a little lighter."

Kagome smiles softly,"I told you...I'll do anything to help you,Inuyasha.Because...I care about you a lot."

"Kagome.."

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At the end of school,

Sesshoumaru was walking towards the gate when a black limo pulled over and stopped in front of him.An old man came out from the drivers seat and went around to open the door in front of him.Ayakashi Genichirou, the owner and No.1 in the Ayakashi family and the two brother's step-father,came out wearing very expensive clothes.

"Father...." Sesshoumaru said in surprise."What are you doing here?"

Genichirou looked to his son,"You fool!You have forgotten that you have a violin competition to day,have you!?I was expecting to meet you at the Hall at one but look what time it is now!Four 'o clock!?And because of that,you have lost the chance to win!!"

"I...I'm sorry,Father.." Sesshoumaru bowed down apologetically,"I...I was in thoughts.."

"Hmph!You?In thoughts?" Geinichirou then stared at his son's face,"..Nevermind!You have piano lesson in thirty minutes.Get in the car,I shall take you there."

"Yes..."

"Sesshoumaru!!!"

They both turned to see Inuyasha running towards them with Kagome right behind him."Inuyasha?"

"Inuyasha,you say?"

Inuyasha noticed his step-father besides the person he was looking for and growled,"What the heck are you doing here?"

"Hmph,"Geinichirou snorted,"I came here to pick up MY son,of course."

Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru who turned his face away."What is it that you want?" He asked.

"I...came here to talk to you," said Inuyasha,"I wanted to tell you something."

"There's nothing for you to tell my son,you filthy little coward!" Genichirou stepped between them.

Inuyasha glared at his step-father angrily,"I have no bussiness with you,old man!So hurry up and die and go to hell already,will ya!!!?"

"Hmph,still being an idiot fool,are you?You never change,Inuyasha."Genichirou glanced at Kagome,"I've heard that you broke up with that Miko woman.Is it you that thought of breaking up or did she just want to get away from you because you were such a fool?"

"Ugh!" Kagome said behind him,"Give him a break!He is your son!"

"I told you before,this filthy fool is not my son!The only son I have is Sesshoumaru!!No one else!"shouted Genichirou angrily.Inuyasha angrily steps up to punch him but was stopped by Sesshoumaru.

"Wha..!!?You fuckin' gonna be on this old man's side!!?" Inuyasha shouted angrily as Sesshoumaru held his fist."How long are you going to be his puppet!?"

"Shut-up," Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes," I won't allow you to insult father in front of me."

He then turns to Genichirou,"Father,would you please give us a little time?Inuyasha seems to want to have a talk with me."

"No!I won't allow you!" Genichirou shouted,blue striek of veins popping out of his face,"Now get in the car!We're leaving!!"

"....yes..."

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome shouted which stopped him,"Please....listen.I beg of you."

Sesshoumaru stares at Kagome and Inuyasha,"..Father...I'm sorry."

"Wha...!!!?"

"Let us go,Inuyasha.Behind the school will be a good place for a conversation,would it?"said Sesshoumaru and starts walking back.

Inuyasha nodds his head and follows him.

"I won't allow it!You're disobeying me,Sesshoumaru!!?"shouted Genichirou,"Come back here!I order you to come ba.."

WHACK!!!

Kagome had slapped him hard on the face.Genichirou fell on the ground uncouscious."There!That should shut him up!"

She watched the two brothers walking towards the back of the school,"....good luck,Inuyasha."

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"Hmph...,that is the first time disobeying father's orders," said Sesshoumaru as he stands in front of the tree.He turns around to face Inuyasha,"But I just don't know why.....it feels...good."

Inuyasha smirked."Now you know how I feel."

They both stare at each other for a while as though they haven't seen each other for a long time.Inuyasha could feel his heart beat growing louder.

"I came here to say.....I'm sorry."

"What?"

Inuyasha looks into his brother's eyes,"I've been....thinking only about myself.I never thought that you've been going...through a lot of things.I didn't know that you were...suffering a lot more than I do.I'm....I'm really sorry."

He continued,"You were really kinds towards me when I first moved into the house.You'd play with me when you had the chance to.I...I was really happy at that time.When you started hating me,...I thought that you hated me because I was weak.I thought you hated me to always rely on you to defend me.So,I decided to become stronger....stronger than you so we can be together again."

Inuyasha shook his head,"But I was wrong.You hated me because you were jealous of me.You hated every bit of me because...you don't have freedom."

Sesshoumaru who was listening sighed and looked up the sky,"...You were always doing things father told you not to.You were always...free...like the clouds.No one can order you or chain you to the ground to do things...,you always did what you wanted to do." He looked down to his own hand,"But I,...I did things I were told to.Chains of obedience held me to the ground and never let me go.I had always admire how free the clouds were...how free you were...and always thought that someday..I will be free myself as well."

"I guess I was angry at myself that I couldn't gotten the freedom myself.If I had a strong heart like you...I wouldn't have to listen to orders anymore."

"Sesshoumaru..." Inuyasha muttered softly as the wind blew his hair.

Sesshoumaru then looks at him,"It was always you that had the freedom to do anything you want.You had the freedom to make friends,have fun,....and live your own life as you want to.As I stay and watch you act freely,I started having this wierd feelings towards you.Feelings I've never felt before...as I grew older,...I found out that this feeling was called jealousy.I never thought that I would be jealous of you when I was more superior than you in everything."

Inuyasha stares at his brother,"I've always wondered...when I was little,you were always laughing from your heart.But now...I don't see you laugh anymore.And now I know why."

"Hmph,laugh?Why would I be laughing?I threw away every emotion I could ever since the day I started hating you." Sesshoumaru narrows his eyes," Then I shall ask you,Inuyasha,...why do YOU laugh?"

"You don't even know that simple question?"

"What do you mean?"

"I laugh because I am with my friends.I laugh because I am free..." smiled Inuyasha which surprises Sesshoumaru,"I laugh because I am what I am.Sesshoumaru,...I'm sure that you'll start laughing from your heart if you stop with this ' chains of obedience ' thing.I know that...you'll return to the Sesshoumaru I know."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widens but he soon narrows them dangerously."Such nonsense...I don't laugh?It's none of your bussiness!!" He glares at Inuyasha,

"Do you know how it feels to be always relied on!!?Everyone expects you to be perfect and mistakes are not to be forgiven!!Do you know how it feels to watch other people live out their own lives freely when I have to always be obeying orders!!?You've always act out on your own,Inuyasha!!So,you never will understand how I feel!!As I stay,covered up in chains,I watched you grow stronger everyday!!I decided that if you are going to be strong then I shall go over that!!I'll be strong enough so that no one will be able to order me around anymore!!You have no right to say such nonsense in front of me!!!"

Inuyasha watches his brother trying to hold his breath after shouting aloud,"Sesshoumaru..."

"You don't understand a thing,Inuyasha!!And you never will!!"

"Okay!!" shouted Inuyasha which stops his brother from saying any further."It's true that I will never understand how you feel!It's true that I've been only thinking about myself...when my brother is out there suffering.But know this Sesshoumaru,...you're not alone now.You have me...you have Kagome...you have...our real father watching over us."

"Wha.."

"Father would be really disappointed seeing you like this,Sesshoumaru.I'm sure that what he really wished for the both of us...is to live our lives freely.Not to be bother by any chains....like what you said...,he wishes us to be free like the cloud."

Sesshoumaru looks at him surprise as he fell to his knees.Tears flowed from his eyes and went down his cheeks but he made no movement to stop them."....Father..."

Inuyasha smiled and looked behind him to see Kagome hiding behind a tree.He held out a thumb out to show that he did it.Kagome smiled and walked over to the two.

' Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru....they are brothers but different in some ways.But no mater how much they hate each other,...someday...they would be bond together again.As what brothers usually do... '

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Ayakashi Genichirou was in his limo still out cold.Sesshoumaru closed the door in front of him.He seemed to have calm down and returned to his usual self.But something was different this time.His face was full of life as though something just came off of him.

"You're going?" said Inuyasha with Kagome beside him.

Sesshoumaru glanced at the two and went back into looking at the car,"Yes...,I can't just leave him lying there.I will bring him back home."

"Okay...be careful.." said Kagome with a smile.

Sesshoumaru then smiles for the first time in front of them,".....yes."

The two watched as the limo took off into the city.Inuyasha stretched his arms in the air,"Glad,that's over."

"You seem happy about it." Kagome looked into his face.

"...I guess.." Inuyasha shrugged and smiles," Thanks a lot,Kagome."

Kagome smiles back to him," You're welcome,Mr.Ayakashi Inuyasha."

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