'Kami! This is amazing' Kohaku leaned back in his chair chewing on the katsu he'd ordered.

'Is there something between Rin-san and Hakai-sama?' Ayami asked him.

Kohaku leaned forward again.

'I don't think there's a snowballs chance in hell of Rin-san liking Hakai'

'What about him though?' Rika asked.

'On his part, I don't know' Kohaku mused 'he isn't the easiest person to read, let's put it that way' he looked away from Rika, blushing faintly. 'Ayami-san why are you only eating a vegetable side? This chicken is amazing, you need to try it'

'Unlike you men' she replied haughtily 'we women need to watch our figures'

Kohaku made a face 'Rika-san is eating more than you'

'Rika-chan can afford to' Ayami remarked snidely; it was true that Rika was unbelievably small.

'Don't be fooled' Rika chimed in 'this is the only meal I'll eat today. I only have fruit in the morning and evening'

'Damn you girls must be starving all the time!'

'The price of fashion' Ayami sighed, looking wistfully at Kohaku's fried meal.

'Don't be so silly. A bit once in a while won't hurt' he took a piece of his chicken and placed it on top of Ayami's dish.

Ayami smiled in a bittersweet way at the gesture and gingerly tried the chicken, her smile becoming one of pleasure.

'Thanks Kohaku-kun' she said. Rika looked at him under her lashes as she scrolled on her phone.

'Wait, what?' Rika said suddenly, pausing her eating. She held up her phone and showed it to her two friends – on the screen was an image of Hakai, with a girl under his arm.

'Is that Rin?' Kohaku exclaimed, taking the phone from Rika's hand to look more closely.

'It was uploaded to a fan forum' Rika said 'everyone thinks she's his girlfriend'

Kohaku was silent for a moment before bursting in to laughter.

'What's so funny about it?' Ayami said, slightly annoyed 'you just said there was no possible way Rin liked him'

'I stand by what I said' Kohaku said, still laughing 'it's what makes this even funnier! She's going to explode when she sees this' he continued laughing.

'I wish it was me' Ayami sulked.

'Come off it, Aya-san' Kohaku retorted 'if it was you, you'd be trying your hardest to get the camera's attention, not hiding from it. You want the clout not the guy'

'Excuse you!' Ayami exclaimed, offended 'you seem to know more about me than I know about me!'

'Calm down Aya' he teased 'let's get you some sugar, that's why your so cranky all the time. You're starving'

'I won't get any sugar with you, you rude person, nor is it the reason I'm angry. What I need is air!' With that Ayami stood and went outside.

'You're jokes sometimes go a bit far, Kohaku-kun' Rika said sheepishly 'I know playing pranks is your 'thing' but Ayami might actually like Hakai'

'I doubt it' Kohaku said. 'The guys only been here a week, she's going off looks alone. That's never a safe thing to do' He scratched his head, feeling nervous being alone with Rika.

She wore a pretty pink dress, and her caramel coloured hair bounced on her slim shoulders.

'True' Rika conceded 'but sometimes attraction can be the beginning of something more'

'I mean' Kohaku shifted in his seat; not comfortable hearing Rika speak such words to him.
'Ayami-san is free to like who she likes. But if you want to know what I actually think – that Hakai is not a very nice guy. It's not like I don't trust him. I just think he's hiding something'

'Do you? Like what?'

'Not sure' he continued 'I've been thinking about it, and I can't place my finger on it'

Rika watched Kohaku's friendly face in its thoughtful pose and thought he looked nice that way.

'Why'd you let Rin go with him then if you don't like him?'

Kohaku's eyes swung round to Rika's in slight shock.

'I don't control what Rin-chan does' he replied 'she's most definitely her own woman. If she hadn't wanted to go, she certainly wouldn't have'

Rika nodded. 'Will she be safe with him?'

'It's funny' Kohaku pondered 'but yes. I think she's completely safe'

Ayami had stood outside the café they were in to breath some lungfuls of air. Kohaku could be mean sometimes – he didn't have to act as though he knew exactly what people felt.

Hakai-kun was her idea of a very attractive guy – was she to be blamed for recognising what was obvious, and having a crush on him? Within a week of starting at their school, Hakai had already become a model with a big agency in the city – add in his elusive assured aura and you had a bishounen who was irresistible to someone like her.

She wandered down the mall to absently admire some clothing – she didn't really have money to buy anything, but she loved fashion and looking at the different styles available in each season. Bending to look at a particularly cute pair of shoes, Ayami dropped her credit card without knowing and kept walking slowly down the mall.

'Miss!'

Ayami didn't think the person calling was after her, so she did not turn.

'Excuse me, miss!' A hand lightly touched Ayami's shoulder and she turned around, surprised.

'You dropped this' a tall guy with dark hair and a bright smile held out her card, and she blushed looking in to his hand.

'Oh, thank you very much!'

'My pleasure' the guy bowed, and Ayami watched him turn and walk off, weaving through the crowd. He'd had a cute smile, but not quite the magic allure of Hakai.

Thank goodness he'd been honest enough and nice enough to return her bank card.

She flipped over the plastic rectangle in her hand and taped on the back was a very small piece of paper with a number on it. Ayami looked at it in shock, wondering what to do – did that guy think she would be interested in him after a split-second meeting? Despite herself she blushed at being noticed by such an nice looking person. The name next to the number was written very small, yet neatly.
'Koga'.
Ayami slowly walked back to the café her friends were in, a new sort of confidence in her step, though she still wondered what Rin and Hakai were up to right now.

The doubt Rin felt at Hakai's almost placid bearing caused her to keep glancing at him with a suspicion founded on her deep belief in his being wicked.

Physical closeness with him might make her tingly from head to toe, but Rin could separate mind from body and knew nothing would convince her away from her initial judgement; and if there was such proof to dissuade her – it would have be monumental indeed.

'Inugami possessed people long ago' Hakai said to her as they stood before the shaded temple 'Family lines cursed with the spirit of the Dog would be shunned from their villages – exiled, outcast. Could you imagine what that feels like?'

His eyes slanted down at Rin, who seemed to be watching him with a wary expression, clutching the cat toy in her arms. He almost saw cat ears and a tail spring from the small human, such was her watchful expression.
The Dog and the Kitten.

'I think so' she replied dubiously 'why?' Rin wanted to know where all this was tended. How did these questions apply to the assignment?

'If you don't know how it feels' Hakai swung his gaze back to the dog statues guarding the temple entrance 'then you wouldn't understand'

'If you're talking about an answer for the assignment' Rin ventured, trying to steer the conversation to a more grounded topic 'You could say that historically, people were a lot more superstitious not just because they were religious, but because they could use the excuse of demon possession to rid communities of those who were already disliked'

Hakai watched Rin's face as she spoke – he sensed a deep-seated distrust in her dark eyes.

'Why did they hate the spirit of the Dog?' He found himself asking her.

Rin breathed in deeply, feeling more and more uncertain about Hakai's tone.

'I don't know – dogs can be vicious and lethal, but also loyal and very loving. Maybe those people didn't know that about them'

'You like cats?' He looked at the stuffed toy cuddled in her arms.

'I like almost every animal' Rin breathed out 'except cockroaches'

He watched as her nose scrunched up slightly.

'Do you think the people who built this temple worshiped or hated the Dog?'

Rin furrowed her brow, still unsure as to what Hakai was trying to get out of her.

'Probably both I'd imagine' she answered 'Hate, or fear, is surprisingly close to worship and love'

Sesshomaru's eyes gleamed. He had to find a way to understand why those vermin demons appeared in such multitudes around her!

'Do you believe in the spirit world, Rin?'

She blushed slightly at hearing him use her name without formalities so easily and wished that he didn't know her name. It sounded alien on his lips.

'I believe things like love and compassion exist. Those things are unseen and can perform what would seem to be magic – heal, revive, relieve, cure illness. If those things can be invisible yet powerful, then I don't see why spirits couldn't be real' Rin turned to look up at Sesshomaru. 'Why are you asking me all of these questions?'

He looked at her with a strange expression and cleared his throat.

'The assignment asked for religious perspectives, I merely wanted to know what yours was'

'Oh' Rin replied with some doubt. 'Then do you believe in spirits?'

Sesshomaru could have laughed, if he was such a frivolous sort of personality. What would this girl do if she knew she was speaking with one now?

'No' he scoffed 'such beliefs are for fools'

Rin smirked, of course he'd give such a rude, uninspired answer.
'Of course you'd say that' she retorted 'I couldn't imagine you being able to grasp the concept of love or compassion either – so how could you dream of something even stronger than those?'

The Demon Lord's lips curled in to a slight sneer. She was so quick to insult him.

'Love and compassion is not what creates progress' Hakai re-joined quickly 'If something were to attack you, could you defend yourself with your love?' He mocked.

Rin blushed with anger.
'Does it look like I'd be able to protect myself from anything at this size?' She huffed 'Hate and fear can only do so much before there would be nothing good left in the world'

'You're mistaken' Hakai said under his breath. 'Love is nothing but delusion – a chink in the otherwise impenetrable armour. I've seen strong people bow like weaklings and call it 'love'. If you believe in the spirit realm merely because of your faith in the restorative powers of delusions created by electrical impulses in your brain, then I can tell you now the spirit realm is as non-existent as those'

Rin nearly dropped Jiji as she stepped back, seeing the true Hakai resurface again – the cold, awful person.

'Who hurt you?' Rin said mockingly, turning to go, feeling sick at his hate-laced speech. 'I need to go and get ready for work' Unfortunately, it meant she had to see him later. Meeting his younger brother properly would have to be left until she could greet him without Hakai's assistance.

The Demon Lord immediately cursed himself. He'd been going so well in maintaining her slight interest – but something about Rin seemed to crawl right under his skin and rip it off, exposing his true self underneath. How was he to find out what he wanted to know if she kept doing that? The female mortal spoke of things such as love and compassion; it made him hate her even more. Was she not just earlier that day spewing out hatred toward him, to her friends? Hypocrisy was anathema to a Dog Demon.

As Rin was rushing away from Hakai, his blonde-haired brother seemed to come out of nowhere and almost knocked Rin clean off her feet.

'Sessho – I MEAN – big brother! Sorry Rin!' The poor overwhelmed boy bent to help Rin up as he simultaneously rushed towards his tall Master.

'There's an emergency at home' was all Jaken could say with a shaking voice of terror to the white-haired Demon Lord – he still held Rin by the forearm, helping her dust off and giving her back her stuffed toy.

'Sorry Rin, I didn't see you at all!' Jaken tried to be attentive to the disheveled girl, but he seemed extremely pre-occupied.

'It's ok!' Rin looked at the sweet younger boy and felt warmed by his presence despite the guy's perturbation – unlike his older brother's aura.

'Jaken, calm yourself. What's going on?' Sesshomaru's voice was cold and commanding.

'I – I can't say' was all the poor imp could answer, wringing his hands.

'I have better things to do if you won't – '

'YOUR MOTHER! YOUR real MOTHER IS HERE!' The toad burst out as though it was eating at him, cutting off his Lord's brusque response.

'What?' The Demon said with quiet danger to his voice.

'YES – she almost killed me when she saw you weren't home, and she'll kill me if I don't return with you in tow!'

'Curse her!' The Yokai Prince muttered under his breath.

'Your mother? Aren't you brothers?' Rin looked bewildered, glancing between the two tense boys.

Sesshomaru's eyes swung to Rin, the hazel orbs slits of light as he narrowed his eyes in a harsh expression.

'We have different mothers' was all he said in a curt tone 'this is none of your business'
The Demon Lord grasped Jaken by the upper arm and they left Rin standing in the temple courtyard, feeling a sense of whiplash as well as a resurgence of burning curiosity. She felt somehow akin and responsible for the little brother of Hakai – he seemed meat in the middle of some intense family feud. So Hakai had a different mother? And this woman was going to kill Jaken if she did not see her birth son? Perhaps this was where the arrogant man got his shockingly bad personality from; he did seem the type to threaten death to someone if he was inconvenienced.
Rin wanted to befriend Jaken and perhaps convince him that he did not need to remain with family when they were so toxic – she would hate to see such a sweet boy tarnished for too long by the egoist Hakai.

Her curiosity made her glad that she had to go straight to work – presumably Hakai's mother was at their apartment, and there were no rules stating that she could not begin at their room first. Rin felt invested in Jaken's fate, and almost didn't want to admit to herself how much she wished to see this psycho of a mother.

Later that day, Rin faced room 44 and she certainly heard some abrasive conversation occurring behind the closed door. A woman's deep, smooth voice seemed to be dripping vitriol to her sons as far as Rin could tell, but it was very muffled.

Should she knock? After all, she had decided to get the initial rooms out of the way as her nerves got the best of her in the moment.
Raising a hesitant fist, she knocked.

'House-keeping?' her declaration sounded more like a question.

A few moments of silence ensued, and the door was opened by Jaken to let her in.

The sight that greeted Rin was one she was completely not expecting.

A woman, more beautiful than Hakai, stood in the small space – her waist length white hair shining like stars – her figure that of a model, her face perfectly proportioned with golden eyes so immense and piercing that Rin blushed to the roots of her hair. The girl felt it necessary to bow.

'I apologise for intruding. If you don't mind, I will finish cleaning this room quickly'

The striking woman made no movement or sound for a few moments, merely studying Rin in return.

'What's your name, girl?' She eventually asked in a haughty yet playful voice.

'Mother' Hakai almost growled.

'No, no, son, let me speak with her'

'My name is Rin Urihara, ma'am'

'Well well. Have you ever seen someone as handsome as my son?'

The exquisite female motioned with her head toward Hakai, and Rin felt like she was being put in a spotlight she was not at all expecting to be in.

How was she to answer such a cripplingly awkward question? If she told the truth, would she be under threat of the same intimidation as Jaken? If she said yes, would she be mocked?

'Ah – I'm not sure, ma'am'

'Not sure?' scoffed the beautiful lady.

Rin inwardly kicked herself; evidently her answer had been the wrong one.

'How can you not be sure? Most women would trip over themselves for him. You know, what you see may not always be as it seems.' the fox-like woman cryptically remarked.

'If you don't shut up I will – ' Hakai advanced on his mother with vicious intent, but that lady sent him such a look that he froze.

'Let me have my fun' her terrifying demeanour changed instantly, and her tone was that of a pleading debutante toward her son.

Rin was in such a state of anxiety in the presence of both Hakai and his mother that she felt as though she'd entered a different dimension – such was their beauty combined, their formidable auras and their puzzling turn of conversation.

Glancing at Jaken, Rin looked for an out in her situation, but that boy was just as on edge as she.

'What is there to deny in my son, Miss Urihara? Height, intelligence, a commanding personality – the looks of a model – why do you shake like a leaf and deny his attractions?'

Rin clutched the duster handle that she'd brought in with her with a sweaty palm, almost hoping for it to turn in to a sword of self-defense, as it felt as though this vision of perfect femininity was going to charge at her if she answered wrong.

The question itself of course was ludicrous – there was no chance in heaven or hell that she would acquiesce and give this woman the answer she wanted. What could happen, after all? This mother of a disdainful boy meant nothing to her but a momentary experience of awe.

'I don't know why you're asking me such things, ma'am' Rin said in a low voice 'because I refuse to lie, even if you are his mother, and agree with your statements.' Rin's chest rose and fell with shallow breathing as she swung her eyes in to the golden hazel ones of Hakai's mother.
'Your sons character taints any value he may have for exterior worth – which is barely a commendable trait due to its transitory nature. Looks are not worked for or earned - a pretty face is the most contemptible of accomplishments, and is in fact as useless as my opinion on the topic!'

Rin's voice had grown steady and full of feeling by the end of her reply, but she glanced away as she could not look the lady in the eyes for fear of her reaction.

Rin almost jumped from her skin when after a few moments of silence, womanly laughter erupted in the room.

'I knew I wasn't wrong!' the lady cried; mirth spilling from her red painted lips 'priceless, totally priceless! Hakai, what do you think of her answer? Such virulent eloquence!'

Sesshomaru had, despite himself, turned his eyes with veiled curiosity on Rin to hear her answer, and with no little rage he turned on his Demoness mother.

'You've played your little games' he snarled quietly 'now leave!'

Rin finally swallowed to ease her dry throat and felt as though she dared not move – what was this crazed woman on about – talking about not being wrong about her, laughing like a madwoman?
Rin had been quite tempered in her scathing reply in comparison to her passionate nature, and yet a curious feeling told her that if she'd spoken her whole truth the stunning lady would've been on the floor in stitches.
Did Hakai's mother enjoy hearing others insult her son? Or was she an aware mother – completely in agreement with those who called out her son's atrocious personality, and found the whole topic funny rather than tragic as it should be?
Rin was far too bemused to make sense of the entire situation, and she was dazzled by the lady's entire person.

'You take heed to what I said' spoke Hakai's mother, in a tone pared back to low threat as she addressed her son 'it won't be so easy for you any more'

'If you don't tell me what I want to know I'll do what I warned' Hakai re-joined with heated anger.

'You can't do anything while you're like that' the mother spat back at him with spite, looking him up and down – and Hakai made to maybe attack her – but the woman swiftly side stepped him, walking forward to where Rin was rooted to the spot, as a horrified spectator.

'I will do as you wish and leave now' said the ethereal woman in a louder voice, and as she did so, bent down to embrace Rin. Poor Rin became even more dazed – the lady smelt of many mingled faint perfumes – things that she'd had never breathed before, so sweet and deadly that she almost swooned under the effect.

'There, there, dear, you did well' the woman murmured in Rin's ear, causing the girl to blush again.

'Goodbye – son'

And with that, the incredible vision was gone.