Chapter 17: The Trip Part 1
Kaori and Sesshomaru decided to return to Kaori's time to have a break. It seemed if they stayed in the past, more problems would surface. Kaori opened the door of the house and found her parents in the living room.
"Mom! Dad!" Kaori exclaimed, embracing them.
"Hi to you too," Kaori's father joked.
"Where did you uncle go? Neither you or him were there," Kaori's mother said.
"Well, I went to the past, so maybe because I wasn't here, he didn't want to stay," Kaori suggested.
"That's an idea," Kaori's mother thought.
"Well, I hope you didn't make any plans for the next few weeks," Kaori's father said.
"Why?" Sesshomaru asked.
"He's here too! This is great!" Kaori father exclaimed.
"Dear, we are planning on going on a trip tomorrow and bought four tickets for North Carolina. You, Sesshomaru, me and your father. A few weeks of relaxation," Kaori's mother explained.
"North Carolina! Wow! Yori will be so jealous!" Kaori exclaimed.
Sesshomaru was confused. What was a vacation? Where was North Carolina? And what were tickets?
"Kaori, please explain," he told her. She was too excited to explain. She gave him a hug and hurried upstairs, nearly skipping.
"She's excited," Kaori's mother stated.
"Can someone explain?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Well, North Carolina is somewhere across the world. Tickets are pieces of paper that are needed for an airplane ride," Kaori's father explained.
"Airplane?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Uh, a vehicle used to fly over seas and to places," Kaori's mother explained.
"Vehicle?" Sesshomaru asked. All these words were odd.
"Uh, a car?" Kaori's parents said together.
"That flies?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Something like that," Kaori's mother said.
"I see," he said. He followed Kaori upstairs and heard her nearly laughing her head off on the phone. He entered and found her putting clothes into a box-like backpack.
"We're going to North Carolina! I'm so excited," Kaori said fast and excited. Sesshomaru sat on the chair and Kaori didn't even notice him.
He saw Kaori finish the phone conversation and sigh.
"Um, hi. When did you get in here?" Kaori asked Sesshomaru.
"A while ago," he said.
"Well, I'm going to be packing, so don't get in my way. Maybe you should start packing. Or should I pack for you?" Kaori asked herself. She felt a hand on her shoulder.
"You need to relax. Isn't that why you came here?" Sesshomaru asked.
Kaori sighed and looked at him. "You're right," she said. "But I need to pack first."
Just as soon as Sesshomaru thought he had gotten her to calm down, she was rushing around again. Kaori's parents could be heard laughing downstairs. It was going to be a long day.
Oddly enough, it wasn't. The day passed by fairly quickly. Kaori packed for both of them and even got some time to relax. Well, she was threatened if she didn't relax, he was leaving and she was going on that trip alone. She said she would finish packing and then relax. He allowed her to, but he saw she did and was still rushing around, telling her parents to start packing. He actually needed to take by the collar and drag her downstairs to relax and watch TV. Kaori sighed and finally relaxed, watching some sort of movie on TV. She even fell asleep. He sighed and allowed her to sleep on the couch, her parents putting a light quilt over her to keep her warm. Sesshomaru went upstairs and found the room a mess. Everything was packed, but she often had to choose between clothes to put in. He first got dressed into clothes suitable for that era and then put the remainder clothes on hangers and into her closet. The room looked better now, but now the sun was rising. He yawned and went downstairs to get her breakfast ready. Oddly, Kaori was already getting up and her parents were cooking breakfast, dressed and their bags downstairs. Kaori sniffed, complimented it was good, then freaked, running upstairs to get ready. She was out in almost five minutes, her hair a mess and wrinkles in her clothes. Sesshomaru had to block her way to the food to get her to freshen up. She went back upstairs to brush her hair and brush her teeth. He had an omelette or two and waited for Kaori to finish. She came back down, looking better. He smirked at her and allowed her to sit and eat. She ate very fast and Sesshomaru got her bags downstairs. She finished up and made a few adjustments to her looks in the bathroom. Then they all headed to the airport.
Sesshomaru helped with the bags and they started going towards their terminal for the plane. They were waiting for their tickets to check out and Kaori had gone to the bathroom. A teenage girl walked up to Sesshomaru and started flirting with him.
"Hey, nice hair. Is it naturally silver, or did you dye it?" The girl asked. She was chewing bubble gum and popping it loudly.
Sesshomaru ignored her. He was waiting for Kaori to return as soon as possible.
"Hey, are you listening?" The girl asked. He gave a her glance from the corner of his eye. "I thought you were."
Kaori returned and found a girl hitting on her man. She walked up next to him, smiling sweetly.
"Hey, is this your sister?" The girl asked.
"No," he said.
"Cousin? I don't really care what part of your family she is, just as long as she's not your mother!" The girl laughed. It was more like a crackle.
Sesshomaru was trying his best to ignore this stranger, but she was really annoying him. Kaori looked up at him. She really didn't like this girl.
"Let's go see if our tickets checked out," Kaori said, holding Sesshomaru's hand.
Sesshomaru followed, but so did the teenager. They couldn't get rid of her.
"So, she is your sister. You do look similar in some ways," the girl said, popping her bubble again and again.
"I'm not his sister," Kaori said.
The girl looked at Kaori up and down and ignored her.
"So, are you single?" The teenager asked.
"I'm his girlfriend," Kaori said.
The teenager looked at Kaori again up and down and laughed. "You're not even worth half of this guy," the girl said.
Kaori was insulted beyond belief. She was just glad no one was watching them.
"Leave us alone," Sesshomaru told the girl.
"Hard to get, hmm? I like that in a guy," the teenager pointed out.
Kaori nearly barfed when she went to touch him, but Sesshomaru was walking away with Kaori. Sesshomaru looked behind him and found the teenager following them.
"Sesshomaru," Kaori whispered.
He turned to her. The only way to prove they were dating was if they kissed. Kaori pulled Sesshomaru head down far enough to kiss. He didn't mind it, but he did push her a little too hard into the wall. The teenager saw it and her gum fell out of her mouth. She came near them and acted as if she was just walking by.
Passing by, she whispered harshly, "get a room."
Kaori laughed and then heard her father calling them. Sesshomaru also heard it and stopped. He saw Kaori's father yelling for them and Kaori fixed her hair as much as possible and returned to her father.
"We were looking for you. Our tickets check out. Let's get going," Kaori's mother said, walking towards the terminal. Sesshomaru followed with a tight hold on Kaori waist. They saw the teenager behind them with her family and Kaori nearly laughed. She suppressed it to a giggle and continued.
On the plane, Sesshomaru and Kaori sat next to each other. But right across the isle was the teenager. She was chewing a new piece of gum with attitude, angry she couldn't get Sesshomaru. His hair was just fascinating and even when the flight attendant passed by to tell them to buckle up, she caught a fascination with his hair. Kaori fell asleep halfway through the trip and the flight attendant purposely came by just to see his hair up close. She would ask if he needed anything many times, without trying to be a bug. When Kaori fell asleep, she would come by and ask if he wanted anything to cover her up with. He had said no and no to any other offer of hers.
Kaori's parents sat in the seats in front of Kaori and Sesshomaru and noticed it was the same person showing up at Kaori and Sesshomaru's spot. Kaori's mother laughed when she tried to spill water accidentally on Sesshomaru's lap, but the plane had moved suddenly, spilling it on the people behind them.
When the plane was descending, Kaori was waking up. She nearly missed all of the excitement sleeping. The flight attendant was welcoming Kaori back when Kaori swore she saw that person in the beginning of the flight, coming over to check if their seatbelts were on. Kaori sighed and leaned a head on Sesshomaru's shoulder. The flight attendant froze and smiled sweetly. She finally realized what the teenager had realized before the plane ride; they were in love and dating.
They got off of the plane and Kaori was fascinated with how big the airport was. The one they had boarded on was fairly big to Kaori, but this one was huge. They got their bags and headed outside.
"Are we staying in a hotel?" Kaori asked. Another new word for Sesshomaru.
"No. Your grandparents live here, remember? We're staying at their place," Kaori's father told Kaori.
Kaori looked over at Sesshomaru. Her grandparents were very strict on sleeping in the same room unless they were married. Sesshomaru most likely be sleeping in a room all alone. She held his hand and followed her parents to a rental car they had rented for the next weeks.
Sesshomaru's nose and ears were in overdrive. He had just gotten used to Kaori's town and now there was this new one with new scents and sounds. He was led by Kaori to a car and got in on his own and even buckled up on his own. They drove to a house and Kaori held his hand as they walked up the steps. Kaori's parents were in front of them, nervous. It had been many years since they had seen each other. Kaori's father hit the doorbell and it rung throughout the house.
An elderly man answered the door. "Kaori! Nice to see you again!" The man said.
"Father," Kaori's mother said. They hugged and entered one by one. Kaori's father shook hands and Kaori was hugged and then it was Sesshomaru's turn. Sesshomaru shook hands and entered and the door closed.
"Dear, Kaori's here!" The man yelled out.
"Kaori!" An elderly woman said almost running down the steps. "How have you been?"
Kaori's mother was hugged as the men put down the bags.
"I've been just fine, mom. I brought Kaori this time," Kaori's mother said, pointing to Kaori.
"And who did she bring?" The elderly woman asked, looking at Sesshomaru. She then leaned to Kaori's mother. "He's not human, right?"
Kaori's mother nodded and the elderly woman walked towards Sesshomaru. "It's nice to meet you. Are you and Kaori married yet?" The woman asked.
"Grandma!" Kaori exclaimed, giving her grandma a hug. "We're just dating."
"I see," Grandma said, tilting her head. "Reminds me of Sesshomaru."
"Uh, he is Sesshomaru," Kaori corrected.
"You got the famous Sesshomaru?" Grandma exclaimed. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."
Sesshomaru nodded his welcome and looked over at Kaori. She shrugged and Kaori's father started taking the bags upstairs.
"Where are we sleeping?" Kaori's father asked, halfway up the steps.
"The usual," the elderly man said, who seemed to be Kaori's grampa.
"What about Sesshomaru?" Kaori asked.
"Well, I don't think he would like the couch, so he's allowed in your room, Kaori. Just I better not hear any-" Grandma started.
"Yes, Grandma," Kaori said before Grandma could finish.
Grandma laughed and so did everyone else. Sesshomaru didn't know what the joke was. Kaori just shook her head laughing and held Sesshomaru's hand in hers. This would be a great trip to North Carolina.