A/N:
Well, allow me to open with an apology ^o^;, as this chapter is long overdue. These past few months have been truly hectic for me, as I was unfortunately sick for a week and a half which delayed all of my real-life work, and therefore any progress I could also potentially make on this story. I had originally planned to finish this one by the end of September in time for the story's two-year anniversary, alas, that is now nearly a month late, haha. Regardless, happy belated birthday!
I must also thank Seyary-Minamoto for drawing a beautiful artwork for this story; Link is up in my updated profile (along with some other relevant info as well) so you guys could also enjoy its loveliness! I feel giddy and so honored to add another wonderful piece to my most cherished collection. Thank you so much :)
Now, with all that said, please enjoy.
Chapter Forty-Three
Brown eyes fluttered awake as Rin slowly climbed into a sitting position, squinting against the brightness of the new morning which filtered through the closed shoji doors before her.
Yawning widely into her small palm, she scratched her head and then rubbed the residue of sleep from her face, proceeding to look around the unfamiliar room she was currently in, soon recalling yesterday's occurrences and the fact that their group was now momentarily halting their unvarying journey in favour of staying the night in this beautiful, secluded mansion that she, herself, had picked.
Quiet, Rin's eyes inevitably detected the still sleeping Kohaku before her with his face now clear for her to see, and the child filled with relief at how eased his features seemed to her at that moment, as well as how deep into his peaceful slumber he appeared to be, the steady rise and fall of his chest and his expression free of its usual sternness.
Once her gaze shifted to the imp-demon located to her far left, however, Rin's face crossed with surprise to the sight of Jaken sprawled onto the futon he deemed so pitifully unworthy only the night prior, snoring loudly with the soft blanket covering barely half of his body in the most graceless of visions.
'Such a liar...' She pouted her lips.
Stretching her arms above her head, Rin climbed to her feet, the rustle of continuous movement in the room inevitably waking Kohaku too as the boy stirred in his bed, propping himself on his elbows before her.
"Good morning." He greeted, his voice thick with sleep as he strained his eyes to follow her form.
Blinking, Rin turned and stared at him for a moment.
"Good morning, Kohaku-kun." She answered, "How did you sleep?"
The taijiya maintained his silence for a while to that question, pinching the corners of his eyes in order to rid them from the leftovers of his laden slumber.
Then, he lifted his head before her, pushing his dark bangs back and letting them fall to messily frame his face.
"It's weird..." He admitted, observing the girl before him, "I can't even remember the last time I've slept this well..."
Hearing that, Rin smiled with pure happiness.
"Rin is glad to hear that." She said simply.
After snuffing out the still glowing embers in the middle of the room completely, both the boy and the girl crossed the tatami mats and approached the wide shoji door, sliding it aside and allowing the early morning mist to slither into their room in pale and delicate waves, engulfing their bare feet. Stepping outside to the dark-colored wooden veranda surrounding the manor, they were greeted by the chilly wind and crisp, cool air, prompting them to breathe in deeply and enjoy its soothing freshness. And once their gazes travelled the beautiful garden laid before them under the sun's soft rays, Kohaku and Rin shortly noticed both Sesshomaru and Kikyo already silently watching them from their far spot beneath the lushness of trees, sitting comfortably on large, flat-faced rocks etched into the outer path of the mansion, with A-Un slumbering not that far beside them.
"Good morning, Sesshomaru-sama! Kikyo-sama!" Rin happily called over to them, her loud greeting jolting the sprawled Jaken behind her awake with a fright, who only sluggishly climbed to his feet and dragged himself outside of the room, as well.
"Such noise." The imp-demon muttered and yawned, coming into a stop beside Kohaku.
Smiling, Rin hopped down from the elevated platform and crossed the garden with hurried steps until she reached the priestess, soon noticing the dark-colored plate resting beside the woman on a nearby rock serving as her workspace, causing the child's eyes to widen at the variety of colorful food it supported; nectarines, apples and pears, parted pecan nuts and round, red berries, all laid out in aesthetically sliced, thin layers, collected from the mansion's greenery above for their breakfast.
And Rin could only gasp with pure delight, with Kohaku following closely behind her quickly doing the same.
"Good morning," Kikyo calmly greeted them both, setting her pocket knife aside and placing her hands onto her lap, "Have you slept well?"
Both children nodded to the question.
"Yes! It was so warm and comfortable." Rin answered earnestly, large brown eyes shifting to the silent Sesshomaru, then returning to Kikyo before her.
Observing her young companion for a moment, Kikyo mirrored her eased smile as her gaze surveyed the wildness of her frizzy hair which was now sticking in every possible direction, inviting warm amusement to bubble in her chest. But once her keen eyes settled upon the child's rosy face, Kikyo soon detected a sole, dark stain of some sorts, placed on the girl's cheek and attempting to conceal itself from both her sight and knowledge. Just like that and before the priestess even noticed, a single fair hand already sent to that tiny imperfection, slim fingers tenderly cupping Rin's face as she used her thumb to try and wipe the darkened spot away, only making her burst into a hearty giggle and squirm in her hold as a result.
"Kikyo-sama, that tickles!" Rin called, laughing as she raised both of her own hands and placed them over Kikyo's sole one.
Watching her like that for a moment more, Kikyo simply released her amused breath into the air, mahogany eyes never leaving her companion;
The cheerful girl she found herself adoring and caring for so much... the same one who never failed to spark this inner and most consuming need within her to make sure she was happy, protected, and loved. A genuine, pure feeling of elevated giddiness almost, that the priestess did not think was even possible for her to experience to this level, anymore.
"Why don't you two properly sit down and eat?" She offered, calling back on her hand while turning to grab onto the plate resting on the flat-surfaced rock next to her makeshift seat, handing it before both Rin and Kohaku with a smooth motion.
"Thank you very much, Kikyo-sama." The taijiya quickly accepted, raising his hands to take the plate and relieve her from its weight.
Then, both children turned and stepped back to the wooden platform located behind them, already curiously picking some of the delicious contents they were carrying on the way there.
"Have some too, Jaken-sama." Kohaku nonchalantly offered, head turning to his green companion, whose round eyes were glued onto the very appealing array of food before him.
But the imp-demon's mouth hurriedly set in a hard line to Kohaku's words, swallowing harshly as disgust overcame his expression.
"T-This Jaken will not eat food grown on human grounds." He whipped his head aside in strict defiance and crossed his small arms over his own chest.
"You said the same thing about the futon, Jaken-sama, and you still used it." Rin countered casually through a mouthful, staring at him with large and judging eyes.
Once he heard that, Jaken's yellow orbs immediately bulged out of their sockets to her airing out his most shameful secret so carelessly, mouth gaping open with shock.
And both children could only laugh as the feeble excuses proceeded to pour out of their more than transparent ally.
Watching the lively occurrence from their spot in the middle of the garden and under the various trees, Sesshomaru and Kikyo maintained their lengthy and comfortable silence, observing as Jaken eventually surrendered himself to his own hunger and begrudgingly sat down beside Kohaku and Rin, reaching his hands into the ripe selection on the plate and soon beginning to consume the breakfast as well, his screeches of displeasure still stubbornly voiced into the air and their overall combined chatter drifting through the entire garden, blending with the curled chirping of birds and distant melody of windchimes.
Somehow and at that moment, both the daiyoukai and the priestess felt as if a mundane scene like that, was something they could very well get accustomed to.
"Rin is thirsty, is there anything left to drink?" The child suddenly asked, turning her head towards the resting A-Un who carried the necessities for their travel, including her desired water compartment.
Already finished with his meal, Kohaku lifted his head and then rose up to his feet.
"I'll go check." He said, moving across the garden until eventually reaching the two-headed dragon, untying one of the bundles tied to his side and sending his hand into the package, pulling out the wooden compartment only to realize that unfortunately, it was now nearly empty.
Turning back to the girl, Kohaku lifted the object into the air.
"It's almost empty!" He informed, "But it sounds like there's a stream close by, I'll be right back!"
"Okay!" Rin answered back to him, watching as the boy stepped to the edge of the rocky ground beyond the dense trees surrounding the estate, then easily climbed down alongside the angled mountain.
Effortlessly making his way through the woods, Kohaku nimbly leaped from one stone to another with ease, following after the nearing sounds of flowing water and letting those guide him in his current task, all until eventually approaching the desired fresh stream of water. Opening the lid of the compartment in his hand, the taijiya lowered himself into a kneeling position before the brook which ran through the small clearing almost entirely hidden from sight, lowering it under the surface of clear water and allowing himself to relax as he patiently waited for it to properly fill.
However and much to the boy's surprise, it was not long before his stillness allowed him to pick up on a familiar sound; a certain voice which he had not heard in so long...
Swallowing harshly, Kohaku finished refilling Rin's compartment and lifted to his feet, his steps as if lured by a force stronger than himself while he followed along the flow of water to the edge of the small cliff it poured down from, sending his free hand to quietly move away the branches of trees in order to permit him with better view.
And his breath caught in his throat when he could indeed confirm the source of the sudden, familiar calling;
The sight of both his older sister Sango, as well as their youkai companion Kirara, stopping to drink from the continuation of the same river stream, just as he did.
Frozen in his place, Kohaku could only maintain his staring down at his sister as he watched her gather a small portion of water in her hands, bringing them up to her mouth to drink. Then, he witnessed her exhale deeply, drying her palms on her green-colored mo-bakama and sending one hand to pat the large feline demon resting beside her.
"We should go back, Kirara." He heard her say.
Yet, once Sango noticed Kirara's fixed line of vision, she swiftly raised her head up in the same direction...
Colliding with the unreadable gaze of her younger brother standing above her.
"Kohaku-kun sure is late..." Rin noted, kicking her legs back and forth while she nibbled on a single piece of pecan, her attention fixed on the spot where her companion was last seen.
Lazily resting his back against the thick wooden beam connecting the dark boards to the roof and satisfied with his meal, Jaken only snorted and rolled his eyes to her unneeded and yet fairly expected concern.
"Fret not, the brat would most likely return soon." He answered through a bored tone.
But Rin was hardly pleased with that response, and soon the girl jumped down from her elevated seat to the ground below her, causing the imp-demon's yellow orbs to widen at her abrupt actions.
"Rin will go check." She casually notified, not even waiting for his approval as she began stepping in the same direction, as well.
"Wha –?! Hey! Rin!" Jaken exclaimed, trying to halt her sudden doings, yet to no avail, as the child was already halfway across the garden at this point, inching closer and closer to the dense treeline surrounding the mansion and keeping it secluded from the rest of the world.
Frozen in his place, he shortly felt all of the hairs on the back of his neck stand as shock violently seized him at that very moment, sweat beginning to emanate from the top of his green head while his yellow eyes slowly and carefully shifted to Sesshomaru, who was quietly glaring at him from his seated position, transmitting a single, very clear order to his servant.
With that, Jaken swallowed harshly, not needing any further clues as he hurriedly abandoned his comfortable spot, hopping to the ground and following after the child while muttering something unintelligible under his breath, his private terror managing to energize his steps enough to catch up with the enthusiastic girl.
"Rin! slow down, child!" He called after her, successfully making her somewhat lower the rush in her movement once they both reached the angled steepness of the mountain, the uneven ground of the patch of forest before them layered with tree trunks and countless fallen maple leaves, large rocks and dense, soft bushes.
But the clear and undeniable sounds of the nearby river stream were enough to guide them ahead, and Rin only resumed her movement with a smile, beginning to easily sort through the messy trail and improvise a safe enough route before herself.
"Come on, Jaken-sama!" She encouraged her companion, "It's close! Rin can already smell it!"
Sighing heavily, Jaken reluctantly followed.
"Kohaku is there, safe and sound, Rin." He determined, annoyance clear in his voice now that he could pick up on the boy's scent and confirm they were both making this trip for no apparent reason, "What is the point in this nonsensical check-up?"
Rin, however, simply kept her attention forward along with her progress steady.
"Rin just had a feeling, Jaken-sama." She told him while sending her hands to move the next fern before her to the side.
And as soon as she cleared that final obstacle from her view, the small clearing of the forest parted by the narrow water stream came into sight below her, causing Rin's features to cross with mild confusion as she next witnessed Kohaku standing idly on the edge of the grassy high ground, his form partially camouflaged by the trees and bushes around him, staring down intently at something which she could not quite see, yet.
"There, see?" Jaken's mouth formed a straight, irritated line, raising one green brow at her.
But the way the child was still so focused on the uneventful revelation sparked further exhaustion within him.
"What's Kohaku-kun looking at?" Rin couldn't stop her bubbling curiosity, and she only continued to step along their current high grounds until finally granting herself with a direct angle to the continuation of the stream, making her ultimately blink with silent realization.
Inevitably hearing the commotion not that far above him, however, Kohaku soon turned his head back and glanced upwards, detecting both of his companions, much to his own surprise.
And once his gaze settled on Rin, he watched the girl's features ease with understanding while she nodded once down at his direction. Inhaling deeply, he held her gaze for a moment before she turned with a swift motion, sending her short arms to Jaken's back as she pushed him away from the spot and right back through their tracks, the imp-demon's blabber of confusion scattering behind him as the two of them shortly engulfed by the dense growth of the forest, away from his sight.
"Now you suddenly wish to return?!" Jaken struggled against her hands forcing him up the path, demanding for answers.
But the child refrained from giving away any more information on the subject, merely smiling softly in return.
"It's okay, Jaken-sama." She said, voice filled with compassion, "Kohaku-kun will be right back."
Silent, Kikyo maintained her seated position as the soft wind blew through her long and loose hair behind her, back straight and chin raised, following closely after the energetic readings of her three companions, who were now all gone on a mysterious, unplanned detour. And while the priestess could detect no danger lurking about their current location, she also could not ignore something else residing in the air, a certain familiar existence which she happened upon a few times before, until now.
Lowering her head, mahogany eyes flickered to Sesshomaru sitting across form where she did, observing as the daiyoukai was carefully monitoring the presence of their companions just like her, his attention placed on the far distance while he sat regally before her, one knee bent and his sole arm resting gracefully atop it, his silver hair glistening under the subdued sunlight, pouring down along his back and swaying according to the steady breeze.
And despite her best efforts to keep as calm and focused as she possibly could, Kikyo found herself unavoidably recalling yesterday night's events, along with their combined risky actions, which thankfully, they managed to restrain under a semblance of control, this time. However, Sesshomaru's brazen declaration still remained warm and stubborn on her flesh as if now forever imbued with it, and before the highly dangerous sensations that followed could stir her thinking too much, the priestess quickly brushed the memory away from her mind and regained her composure, clearing her thought process from any possible distractions of the sort.
"Inuyasha's group is meandering around the base of the mountain, huh." Sesshomaru dryly commented, then, he rose to his feet with an elegant motion, fierce gold locking with calm mahogany brown.
Staring up at him for a moment through a placid expression, Kikyo processed the information which somehow managed to slip her completely, eventually lowering her gaze to her folded hands resting in her lap.
'Inuyasha...' The name inevitably rang in her mind as if possessing a will of its own, prompting a bittersweet sensation to swell in her chest.
And lured by the occurrence, Kikyo could not help but momentarily wonder about the half-demon's state, his well-being and his progress since they had last seen each other... However, the priestess quickly forced her own musings under control before she slipped right back into old habits, knowing full well by now that her concern was misplaced, as worrying for his sake was disrespecting her promise to him. Whatever happens now, Inuyasha could take care of himself. It is what they had both agreed to in their most recent conversation.
And somehow, at that moment, she found that this type of resolve which she had deemed so unbearably hurtful in the past... now left nothing but a sense of tranquillity within her.
Keeping his silence, Sesshomaru's watchful gaze remained fixed on her refined features, already recognizing the inner turmoil that the woman sitting before him was most likely experiencing, much to his own dismay.
However, her private setback did not last long, and shortly he saw her close her eyes and breathe in deeply, steadying herself, stern expression gradually softening before him as her gaze found his once more, and she gracefully lifted herself to her feet as well, taking a single step closer to his spot.
Wordlessly, the priestess examined him for a while, noticing the familiar, unspoken mixture of both interest and displeasure which tugged on his being to her extensive quiet.
Then, Kikyo only exhaled and smiled up at the daiyoukai with reassurance.
"It is strange, really..." She started, mahogany interlocked with gold, "How distancing ourselves from certain unhealthy situations and finding other places to devote our attention to, can also grant us with a new and different perspective about them, making those initial issues suddenly appear so small in comparison to how utterly consuming they once used to be." Pausing, she witnessed as the meaning behind her words successfully settled on him, "I believe both you and I managed to benefit from that."
Studying the woman beside him in silence, Sesshomaru allowed his mind to drift for a moment as he processed her insight, understanding precisely the type of comparison she was making followed to the themes of their intimate conversation the night prior. And while even the notion of his loathsome half-brother serving as a consuming factor in his way of life remained nothing short of disgraceful in his eyes, still and despite that, he could not refute the sense behind her wisdom; one that he only needed to peer inwardly in order to see for himself and discover that the concept of his father bequeathing Tessaiga to the half-breed instead of him... was indeed somehow already far less gutting than ever before.
As if the immovable steel shackles that seized his mind so strictly imprisoned by that single slight, were now weak and brittle and easy to shatter, allowing him to break free from the depths of the suffocating murk and rise up once more for fresh air.
Perhaps, Sesshomaru noted, chasing after the precise answers to his late father's unfortunate choices was as fruitless as attempting to catch mist with his bare hands.
And it was this same, specific mental clarity which next unlocked a single, private decision inside of him, an iron-clad vow which the daiyoukai was confident he would not ever forget;
'I shall make sure that I, Sesshomaru, will never prove so blind as to repeat those same vague errors.' He determined.
With that and inevitably as those always did, Sesshomaru shortly sensed his thoughts pulled in another direction as his vision focused on the priestess once more, observing the way Kikyo's deep mahogany eyes reflected his own form in them, feeding one of his most secret musings with the faintest hint of validation;
Was Inuyasha the only issue that now seemed inessential to this woman...?
Before he could gather the proper words to finally investigate his hidden interest, however, Kikyo soon broke from his gaze to glance up at the tree brimming with fruits above, watching as its lush growth swayed in the easy wind. Eventually, she reached her left hand up to hunt a single, ripe nectarine from the closest branch to her, using her other hand to gently clear some of the early morning dew off its smooth surface.
Then, she extended her occupied fair hand out to him, presenting him with the reddened fruit.
"You have not eaten anything lately either, have you?" The priestess calmly noted, studying him.
Sesshomaru stared at her for a moment, sharp eyes lowering to the gesture, then rising back to examine her through an unreadable expression, neither of them allowing any more words into the air between them.
Curious and patient, Kikyo awaited his next move as the soft sounds of the nearby pond's water spilled into their quiet space to sooth the atmosphere all around. He had told her before not to provide for him, that she did not forget, however, did something as small as this even count as providing in his eyes? Will this proud man accept her offering, or will he deem it an insult and completely deny it?
And staring at her like that, it did not take long before Sesshomaru managed to read the awareness hidden in her keen look, the realization behind the priestess' actions and her newfound interest following to that one occurrence, all those months ago.
With that, the daiyoukai huffed before her, stern gold narrowing.
The nerve of this woman...
Even so, he did not plan on just obediently cooperating with her obvious test, and without sparing her any of his words nor breaking her watchful eye-contact, Sesshomaru reached his sole hand to her wrist, his clawed fingers enveloping the back of her palm and bringing it up to his mouth as he bared his pearly white teeth, sinking them into the delicate fruit and taking a single bite out of its sweet and smooth surface;
An action which he was sure this woman would certainly not expect out of him.
Stilled in her place, Kikyo attempted not to startle, masking her avid shock to his bold and unthinkable reply and hurriedly regaining her false composure of indifference before him, yet still not quickly enough for her clever lover to miss, inviting a hint of a pleased smirk to his features at how her current experiment backfired, granting him with a rare and interesting sight of this ever-so poised woman, instead.
Satisfied, Sesshomaru chewed and swallowed his mouthful, then released her fair hand still holding onto the fruit, savouring her knowing gaze for another moment before turning on his heel using an elegant motion, stepping away from their spot and leaving Kikyo standing there as if nothing had just happened at all.
Mahogany eyes lingered on his back until his silvery form disappeared beyond one of the mansion's wooden walls behind her, then, her calm gaze fell onto to the bitten nectarine still held in her palm, now missing a large chunk out of its center. Staring down at it, she only proceeded to raise her chin and softly clear her throat, inhaling the cold air sharply in an attempt to rid herself from the wildly spreading warmth and tiny bolts of lightning still persistently tingling all over her skin.
This time, she will reluctantly admit her own defeat.
With that, Kikyo collected herself once more, then stepped to the nearby A-Un, extending the leftovers in her hand before one of his hungry heads.
"Here, you may have the rest of your shameless lord's meal." She said, feigning nonchalance.
The morning sun steadied above them as it shone its golden rays down onto the earth and through the dense treetops, casting the meadow with intermittent patches of light, shifting and dancing all around Kohaku, Sango and Kirara while the three of them sat on the edge of the riverside, their eyes set on the stream before them and their lengthy silence compensated by the sounds of trickling water gliding against and over the smooth pebbles.
And despite his previous, endless fears on the matter, Kohaku found himself strangely at peace.
It was so oddly nostalgic and comforting, the boy realized, to have his sister sitting beside him like that; something that he attempted to avoid before as he knew that even the mere sight of her face could potentially leave him bleary and haunted, stricken with guilt and unable to operate at all. Now, however, he suddenly felt nothing but calmness wash over him, as if he was currently exactly where he needed to be... as if all that he had been through had culminated to this very moment.
"We've been seeing a lot of Naraku's Saimyosho lately." Sango inevitably started, her gaze still placed onto the flowing stream ahead, "Kirara and I were following one ourselves, but we ended up losing it."
Collecting himself, Kohaku maintained his prolong quiet to the information.
"He's hiding like a coward." The boy determined, voice firm, "Sesshomaru-sama and Kikyo-sama are waiting for him to make his next move, as well."
Turning to glance at her younger brother, Sango eyed his freckled profile for a moment.
"Those two... are you feeling alright... staying with them?"
Stilled in his seat to that fairly expected inquiry, Kohaku's brown gaze simply lowered to the long meadow swaying in the wind before his folded legs, yet his steady expression did not falter, surprisingly holding a certain conviction in it, a peaceful comprehension of both himself and the situation.
"I'm doing much better than before, Ane-ue." He told her; words that he previously forced himself to voice out, to fabricate in order to calm the worried minds of others around him, scraping his throat as those left his mouth and filled the air with convenient lies... were now finally the truth, sliding out of him with so much ease, filling his chest with comfort, instead.
And once his elder sister noticed the undeniable difference in his tone, a relieved smile soon spread on her face.
"Won't you come stay with us then, Kohaku...?" She immediately offered, reaching out to place her hand upon his arm, "If you're feeling better..."
However, Kohaku still did not meet her eyes, bracing himself for the harsh words he was about to let out.
"I'm sorry, Ane-ue." He respectfully declined, breathing in, "But staying with Sesshomaru-sama and Kikyo-sama... I somehow know that I'll get stronger. I feel as though I can do it... I think that I finally found my confidence."
Staring at him, Sango eventually called back on her hand, casting her gaze to the long grassy earth, as well.
"I see." She said, sadness easily weighing on her voice, "They managed... to give you that, huh..."
Blinking to her unexpected words, the boy glanced up at his sister, noticing the avid disappointment embedded in her face.
And he could only exhale his breath into the air between them.
"It's not your fault, Ane-ue." Kohaku explained, "It's just that... distancing myself helped me figure some things out... my strengths and weaknesses, alike."
The even breeze picked up through their location, caressing their features and ruffling their dark brown hair as if to soothe the heavy atmosphere. But the longer they refrained from speaking, the easier the unwanted memories ultimately did crawl back into his mind, the sights, the smells, the knowledge of what he had done hovering over both siblings like a dark cloud of smoke.
Yet somehow and even despite those familiar notions that never failed to plague him before, the boy's calm eyes soon found the sole, wooden water compartment resting to his left and illuminated by the sun's soft rays as if drawn to it like a beacon of light, causing every bit of uncertainty to drain from his thoughts, leaving nothing but inspiration and courage in its place.
With that, Kohaku only smiled softly to himself.
"I want to try moving forward, now." He concluded, not a trace of hesitation in his words.
Finding his presence again, the female taijiya processed his assertion while watching him for the longest time.
"Kohaku, you..." She uttered, prompting his brown eyes to collide with hers, "...have really become stronger already, huh?"
Surprise covered his expression at that statement.
"Have I?" He asked.
Sango nodded, her lips curving into a smile.
"You're much different than the last time I've seen you."
Mirroring her look, his freckled features and his taut shoulders relaxed.
"I suppose that I owe my progress to both Sesshomaru-sama and Kikyo-sama." He replied, "I've been training and learning how to sharpen both my skills and my mind during all of this time."
Quiet, Sango studied her brother for another moment, noticing the unexpected shift in him; a different purpose, the newfound motivation that he now wore like a freshly-made shield against whatever strike the future may direct at him.
And just like that, the following understanding found her, a bittersweet realization that she could not deny any longer;
Perhaps Kohaku really did find himself the exact company that currently suited him the most.
With that, she sighed, lifting her head to stare up at the blue sky above them.
"I'll admit, that makes me feel like such a fool." Sango confessed, shaking her head, "To think that I've judged that Kikyo so harshly based only on silly stories of how she came between Kagome and Inuyasha, before..." Then, the female taijiya tilted her head to the side, "Sesshomaru too, I suppose... to us, they both seemed like nothing but two cold-hearted, distant people who didn't care too much about anything else but their own selfish needs."
The boy silently watched his elder sister as she eventually returned her line of sight to him.
"How have they managed to help you...?" She couldn't help but voice her morbid curiosity, desperation more than avid in her expression, "What did they do that I couldn't?"
Swallowing harshly, Kohaku averted his gaze from her.
Then, he simply drew in a single, deep breath.
"My wish to give up my life in order to defeat Naraku and face father and the rest in the afterlife with honor... while Kikyo-sama disagreed with it, she still respected it." He told her, fixing his gaze onto the distance, "Sesshomaru-sama, Rin and Jaken-sama, too... they all accepted my decision even if they didn't like it... and somehow, their mutual understanding made me rethink it completely." Pausing, Kohaku's eyes flashed with determination, "The more I trained with Sesshomaru-sama, sat with Kikyo-sama while she purified my Shikon Jewel shard and through all of my conversations with Rin... was the more I felt my own faith in myself slowly return."
Hearing his definite answer, Sango's head hanged heavy with guilt.
"I'm sorry, Kohaku... for being so aggressive with you." She said through a trembling voice, her fingers digging into the grassy soil at each of her sides, "I guess that I've never considered how terribly hard it was for you to bear this burden all on your own like that... I wanted you to keep on living but I did nothing to ease your sorrows..."
But Kohaku merely exhaled to her words.
"It's alright, Ane-ue." The boy breathed out with compassion, "Both of us have suffered so much, already."
Before he even managed to comfort his sister for long, however, the female taijiya suddenly moved, leaping from her seat to wrap both of her arms around her younger brother, making his eyes widen and expression to overcome with pure shock.
"Kohaku!" She cried out, tears filling to the brim and spilling down her cheeks as she squeezed him tightly in her hold, sobbing loudly into his shoulder.
Surprised under her abrupt and uncontrollable burst of emotions, Kohaku only closed his eyes and smiled, bringing both of his hands upwards to return his sister's heartfelt embrace. And allowing himself to relax while he held the sole member of his family still left alive in this world, the boy inevitably felt tears of his own creeping at the corners of his eyes.
Yet, he quickly sent his hand up to wipe any trace of them away before those even had the chance of making themselves known.
He would not cry. Not anymore, he decided. Now, he would live and fight.
"A-Ane-ue... I can't breathe..." Kohaku suddenly coughed under the unrestrained strength of his elder sister.
Releasing her hold on him, Sango moved back and raised one sleeve to dry her overflowing eyes, sniffling and chuckling with both relief and happiness.
"Sorry..." She said sheepishly, smiling.
Returning her smile, his brown orbs rested upon the woman sitting before him for a while before eventually climbing to his feet with a sure movement.
Then, he put down his hand for her, opening his palm and awaiting her to take it.
"Let's both do our best, Ane-ue."
The female taijiya stared up at the gesture for a moment, then, she simply nodded, swallowing the intense wave of emotion which completely engulfed her and grabbing his palm, allowing her younger brother to pull her up, back to her feet, as well.
"Yeah." She confirmed, their gazes comfortably holding.
And just like that, they let go of one another, leaving Kohaku to watch as his elder sister stepped back to her trusty feline companion, climbing on top of Kirara's back while the beast rose to her burning feet, preparing to depart.
"Promise me, Kohaku!" Sango called to him before taking off, her brown eyes filled with fragile hope, "Promise me... that you'll eventually return to my side... when you're ready."
"I promise." He answered, raising one hand to wave his sister goodbye.
With that new and unwavering understanding between them, Kirara ascended into the morning sky, her pale form gradually disappearing into the far distance of the land and the endless horizon while Kohaku maintained his spot until his sister vanished entirely beyond the limits of his sight.
Then, he sighed, facing his side and lowering himself down to the full wooden compartment still waiting amidst the tall grass.
As soon as his fingers made contact with the object, however, the boy suddenly halted his movement, preserving his mid-action stance and his calm gaze on it for a moment longer.
Now... he could fully understand what Rin had meant by her previous words to him.
Everything she, the priestess and the daiyoukai had all been attempting to get him to see;
He will not forget the faces of his loved ones, their voices, the importance of their lives. He will carry them all within him as a way to remind himself that he now needed to take those same hefty steps forward. And only by proving his strength, by living his own life to its fullest, could he ever truly reclaim his honor and meet them in the afterlife with his head held high.
Rising back to his feet, Kohaku's shoulders packed firm with silent reassurance.
And eventually, he turned on his heel, in the direction that would lead him back to his companions.