Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. I never will. But, one day... SESSHOUMARU WILL BE MINE! he-he... just kidding.

A/N: If you're wondering about the last chapter, the title I mean, well, the girl that the chapter refers to is named Mai. I just forgot to actually put that. Hope you weren't confused! Oh, and THANK YOU! to all (the 4 people) who reviewed my story! It warms my heart, so bunches and bundles of thankys to all of yall. REVIEWERS ROYALLY ROCK!

Chapter Three: A Surprise in the Park

Another day is going by, I'm thinking about you all the time.

But you're out there, and I'm here waiting.

-Simple Plan "I'd Do Anything"

"Come on Mai! Can't you run any faster?" Her swift and rushing friends had swept far ahead, leaving her behind. She gave a little growl and made a slight effort to pick up her pace.

"I don't want to speed up," Mai grumbled. "Wouldn't it be better to walk and enjoy and enjoy the day? Why can't we do that?" Her humble opinions were met with a plethora of laughter. "Don't be silly!" they said. "How are we going to get anywhere if we don't run? It's the best way to travel."

'Maybe I'm already where I want to be,' she thought to herself. 'I wish they could just break away from the norm for once.' To her friends, all she said was, "Well you guys go ahead, I'll catch up to you later. I want to take a walk through the park that just opened up. I've heard it's beautiful. If you wanted to, it'd be great if you could come with me."

Not surprisingly, they shook their heads. "We'll see you later Mai!" they called, as they continued on their venture home.

"It's for the best then," she mused, slowing down to an even calmer pace. Her busy mind was hurriedly slipping out of its school-day focus. She loved to be able to appreciate the sereneness of solitude, but her opportunities for this were rare. She loved company as much as she loved her solitude, so she was always with one friend or another. Her brain didn't dwell on this though, and instead turned to wonderings concerning her destination.

The newly built park was supposed to be beautiful. It was a block away from where she was then, located right near her home. The city had promised that it was going to be spectacular. Mai loved trees and plants, all of which were much to rare in the busy city she called home. It gave her heart a thrill to walk through a forest, or a beautiful park, and just take in the majesty of nature. The visions calmed her, and the walking cleared her heavily-burdened mind. It was hard to forget that restless feeling that continually stayed with her, but the steady, uneven pulse of her feet on the ground pushed it away, and she could relax.

She found the entrance easily, and strolled in, hoping to be surprised. She was. It was indeed beautiful,- shady and cool- a delightful retreat from the busy and worried days of the city. The path, made of small stones, was smooth and easy to tread upon. A short, wooden marker lined both sides of the walkway, a subtle warning to "keep off the grass". She would have much rather been treading upon the lush, green grass, but it didn't sit well with her to break such a rule on her very first visit. There would be time for that later.

Many other people seemed to have had the same idea that day- apparently walking was becoming a popular pastime. More than once, Mai's solitary ramble was broken in upon by the chatter of little groups of her fellow park-goers. She traveled along by herself, until she found a secluded path that no one seemed to be using.

As she dreamily meandered along, she was arrested by a sudden surprising sight. A young man, with half-closed heavily lidded eyes seemed to be napping under a tree. He was leaning against it and the impression was conveyed that the park had been built around him. He seemed to truly belong- as the grass and flowers belonged- to fit in as a component of the park, but Mai immediately sensed that he was absurdly out of place.

She was unable to move; she was unable to even pull her gaze away from him. Something about him was so familiar that it was unsettling. She had never seen him before, yet she could swear she had known him for all her life.

As she still looked him over avidly, his eyes shot open. Instinct turned her away quickly, and she began to hurry away. Embarrassment came to make her face feel warm, and she hoped that he didn't think she was some sort of a nut, who often stared at strange men. She never even turned back to see what his reaction was.

Truthfully, he didn't even notice she was there. His eyes had in fact opened, but they saw nothing. At that moment, the only vision he possessed was that of his weary spirit. A nightmare had haunted him again. He noticed nothing though, and so could be offended by nothing. The girl had mattered so little to him, that he hadn't consciously acknowledged her presence. So her pounding feet were ignored, as well as the tiny gasp she hadn't realized she'd made when she first came across him. He ignored it all, and let out a sigh.

When she could no longer sense him, her pace slowed down to an easy walk. It was a strange experience: to not even know that man's name, and yet be sure that she knew his heart. She left the park after that, and finally headed home.

Upon arriving, her mother and younger sister smiled and greeted her pleasantly. The asked how her day at school went, and gave her more than enough cheerfulness to calm any restless feelings she had. After dinner, her mother read the girls a poem, in a familiar nightly ritual that had been in place since Mai's early childhood.

'I'm so glad I'm not alone,' she thought to herself. 'This is my home, and I know that these two will always be there for me.' Her thoughts began to drift back to the man from earlier. 'I am so lucky, to at least be able to pretend like I belong.'

There! chp. 3. I'm putting up chp.4 soon, like in an hour. So look for it. Review please!

Love and PEACE! -A.D.D.