When Rin got home, the clock had just passed 12:30pm and the house was dark and quiet.
She sighed deeply, glad to be away from the noise and heat of the city – kicking off her heels, she began haphazardly removing her dress and headed for the bathroom to take off her makeup.

Despite still being quite tipsy, she hadn't felt scared walking home from the bus stop, and she smiled to herself, remembering Akihiro's cute dimpled face. Almost as though conjuring him from mid-air, her phone buzzed with a message from the college student.

'It was great meeting you tonight. Would you be free tomorrow evening for a drink at my place? I have something I need to tell you in private'

Rin's initial delight at reading his request turned to confused curiosity – what did he need to tell her, and only in private? After all, she had only just met the man and she didn't want him thinking too much in to her expressed interest in him.

'I'd love to. But I'd rather meet at a café, if that's ok' she thought it best to send such a response. Fortunately, Akihiro agreed, and Rin resumed removing her makeup.

The tingling across her skin did not come from conversing with him, however, but from the memory of Hakai's leg pressed against hers and his warm breath whispering on her face; being so close to him had felt like being naked pressed far too close to an open flame – his words had felt like debilitating poison flowing in her veins.
It was as though he possessed some powers of charm that entranced her – though she would never admit it.
Shaking herself, Rin remembered her vow to not allow herself to be influenced by That Person. He was bold indeed to have pretended to know her for so long in front of Akihiro, and his loathsome behaviour was part and parcel with his off-putting turn of phrase.

Having prepared for bed, Rin found herself tossing and turning uncomfortably for a couple of hours before a fitful sleep took her; and her soul tormented her with vivid, garish dreams.

/

Was there any way for him to reconcile his hatred for humanity and his pursuit of Rin? There was nothing more irksome than this tangent his beast had taken – swearing to never be like Inutaisho, he was doing just that.
Sesshomaru had tried with all his five hundred years of self-control to suppress the emotions that dwelt within him, but when his eyes saw that girl in front of him, small and unreachable, there was no use.

How could every other mortal mean less than the dirt on his shoe to him?
Was this some trick devised by his mother to train him? If only he could know that this desire was not his own!
His mother had told him that unless he bent the knee to his pride, there would be no returning to his true state – and he would be cursed to a miserable life trapped on earth, with no companion but his bitterness.
That would seem to be his only choice – but did Lady Mother know that he had found a way to slowly regain his powers?
It hadn't seemed so when she spoke with him in the apartment. If he could remain around Rin for as long as possible at night time to slay the vermin that surrounded her, he might just gain enough of his true self to execute what he had threatened in return to his mother's farcical meddling.

Jaken was asleep by the time Sesshomaru flew back in the apartment window, and the Demon turned as he landed to look back out through the night sky, vowing to the stars that he would find his way through them once again, and not allow one singular female creature under those same stars to distract him from his task.

!~!~!

The next morning, Ayami approached Rin as soon as she saw her friend at school and tugged at her sleeve.

'Rinny, please let me explain about last night with Hakai'

Rin looked at her friend with mock annoyance, enjoying the pleading expression on Ayami's countenance before laughing and threading her arm through her friend's elbow.

'Don't be silly. You don't need to tell me anything. How can I be angry at you for inviting someone you like, Aya-chan? I admit, I was shocked and annoyed at first, but I shouldn't let his effect on me influence our friendship. No one can have that power over me.'

Ayami sighed in relief.

'Phew! When you refused to look at me when you left last night, I felt terrible. That Akihiro guy left pretty soon after you, then Hakai did too. Did you get home safe?'

'I did' Rin smiled 'but did you get along with anyone there?'

Ayami pursed her lips 'they were nice' she said dubiously.

'But not - ?' Rin prompted.

'Not quite possessing that something special'

'I see' the girls smiled at each other.

'Hey peas in a pod!' Kohaku came up to the two girls.

'How was your Sunday?' Rin asked him.

'It was good, did nothing, which is my ultimate form of pass time'

'Is your brother better?' Ayami asked him.

'Yeah – he's just a big sook'

'Oof' Rin scoffed 'just you wait till you get sick too and see how you like being called a sook'

'I just don't get sick' Kohaku looked down his nose at her 'my bloodline is too strong'

'You share the same bloodline as your brother you idiot' Ayami laughed.

'What did you two get up to?' asked the dark-haired boy.

The girls glanced at each other 'We went to a mixer' Ayami replied.

'Oh?' Kohaku wriggled his eyebrows at them 'any good?' He asked, looking at Rin.

'Well – ' Rin's face was a pattern of uncertainty.

'It would've been better' Ayami quickly stepped in 'if I hadn't invited – Hakai-kun'

'Oooh, did you now?' Kohaku whistled 'and he actually came? I thought that stuff would be below his notice'

'He spent the whole time talking to a girl opposite him, otherwise he did talk with Rin and her partner a bit'

'He's not my partner Aya-chan' Rin corrected.

'Who's this partner?' Kohaku was confused.

'Rin met a guy there – his name was Akihiro – and they talked for the whole night, with Hakai too nearer the end'

'I see! Go Rin-chan!' Kohaku playfully hit her on the shoulder, to which the girl blushed.

'It's not like that!' Rin protested, but Kohaku lifted a sarcastic eyebrow at her, making her giggle.

'Before you two go off getting boyfriends we need to hang out again' Kohaku sighed.

'Number one rule' Rin poked him in the arm 'if anyone I end up dating doesn't like me having a best friend who happens to be a male, then he isn't worth my time frankly'

'Rin-chan!' Aymai looked at her friend 'isn't that a bit harsh? I mean, some people may feel uncomfortable with it'

'If the person I might end up with can't see the clear difference between friends and a romantic connection, then they're stupid'

'But Rin-chan, your partner should also be your best friend – your go-to person. They are top of the list on all things, not just love'

Rin shook her head 'I disagree. I mean, absolutely I think your partner should be your soul mate – able to tell them anything – but we all need friends in our lives'

'Speak of the devil' Kohaku said, looking up and across the school yard as they all made their way to class. Hakai was walking with Rika and a few others under the large patio.

'Devil is the right word' Rin muttered, before remembering that she was not going to allow herself to stoop to his level.

'Was he mean to you last night Rin-chan?' Kohaku asked with humour to his voice.

'You know what, I don't even want to talk about it' Rin raised her eyebrows gracefully, putting on a careless air. 'I'm just looking forward to meeting Akihiro again tonight'

'Oh la la' Ayami giggled 'already going on a date?'

'Psh, not a date. He told me he has something important to say'

'Proposing already?' Kohaku smirked 'keen guy'

'Stop it' Rin laughed 'I'll let you know what it is as soon as I know'

And by then, they had reached their morning subject.

Sensei opened the first day of the week by giving them some reprieve, or so he thought. He allowed the students to merely work on their assignments in class time, by going to the war memorial which lay across the sports field.

This was a time when Rin couldn't substitute Hakai for her friend, as they were under the Sensei's watchful eye. Well, she was going to woman up and face the scoundrel fair and square.

Rin raised from her seat as the teacher gave them the sign to follow, and she even waited for Hakai to rise so she could walk with him.

Sesshomaru was surprised by Rin's sudden interest in waiting for him, and his hazel eyes met hers with faint question in them. She met his gaze openly without any embarrassment, and she sighed. Come on, Rin, she said to herself, his handsome face is only skin deep! It was like a mantra in her heart as she willed herself to not show any sort of blush as he looked in to her eyes.

'Shall we start again?' Rin offered to Hakai, a small hand out stretched. 'I feel like we've misunderstood each other'

I still hate him. Rin bit her lower lip as she tried to repress a shudder as his hand hesitantly met hers, gripping it for a moment. His fingers were long and elegant, yet his hand was strong, and veins showed underneath the pale skin.

'I have hidden nothing or given cause for misunderstanding' Hakai replied coldly, but his eyes seemed to flicker as he held her little hand for a few moments. 'But as you wish'

Rin nearly rolled her eyes. No! She would not roll them; he was not going to influence her good mood.
She would walk next to him and chat about anything, as she did with any other of her classmates. He wasn't a monster or an ogre, surely, she could talk to him casually?
It hurt her pride to swallow her chagrin towards his highly abrasive and provocative character, but she had to try – it was too exhausting allowing her anger to control her after almost every encounter with the boy.
Not to mention, the very strange, hot sensation that he had aroused in her last night. That was certainly not allowed to happen again.
Hopefully by treating him unconcernedly, she would suck any abnormality or intensity out of their encounters.

'You seemed bent on telling the guy I was speaking to last night that we'd known each other for a long time' Rin looked up at Hakai, her eyes laughing, as they walked among the other students, making their way to the memorial.
He met her gaze and slightly raised a brow.

'Perhaps he was right' Hakai replied.

'What do you mean?' Rin asked.

'Maybe your memories are repressed.' Hakai's hazel eyes slid downward to watch her face. Her expression seemed strangely light hearted and jovial – something she usually was not when he was the one talking to her. Sesshomaru wondered what had caused her sudden change in demeanour. He found her currently appealing behaviour toward him unwelcome, for it was arousing.

'I didn't know you could joke, let alone keep the same joke running the next day' Rin smiled. This was damn hard, talking to this tall stick-in-the-mud in the same easy manner she would towards Kohaku or Ayami, but it had to be tested.

'My humour is much darker than that' Hakai responded inscrutably.

'Did you enjoy the Goukon?' Rin searched for questions to ask him, as it seemed he was not inclined to ask her any in return.

'It served its purpose' was all he said.

Rin glanced up at him at that reply, her dark brows raised 'oh, I see' she re-joined, her words heavy with meaning. 'I guess it makes sense for you to be a playboy with that face' she laughed.

However, Sesshomaru had not meant what Rin took him to mean, of course. But he was too entranced by her complimenting his appearance (albeit in a back-handed way) to correct her misconstruction.

'You seemed to get along well with the college student' Sesshomaru cleared his throat in an attempt to refocus himself. What was she playing at, being so coy and friendly? She would soon find herself in a dangerous situation if she kept up.

'Akihiro-kun, yes!' Rin was more than relieved that Hakai had finally brought something to the conversation.
He was making her more and more nervous, against her own will. It seemed to be a specialty of his to unnerve her merely with his presence, aura, or tone of voice; all the above!

'He was very genuine and humble, traits I definitely admire' Rin said hoping that her emphasis on the two characteristics would stand out to him. Of course, it would not – he was far too blinded by his own ego to pay attention to any of her words.

Sesshomaru 'hmph'd' before saying ironically 'I'm sure'

Rin had all this space available to her; the entire field they walked across, yet next to Hakai she felt claustrophobic, as though she was locked in a tight box, only his velvety voice in her ears. She mentally scrambled around for something else to say.

'I have to say; I was shocked to find out you lived where I just got hired. I hope you don't find it too weird – I had no idea you lived there'

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, his lips curling slightly at the idea of her following him around.

'It was strange, yes. Are you stalking me, Rin?'
He turned his face downward to meet her look of surprise at his response and accusatory question.

Rin couldn't help but blush hearing her name on his lips again.

'I bet you get it a lot, being famous online – but I swear to you, I am not in the slightest bit like that – '

Rin spread her hands in a 'no-way' motion to emphasise her point.

'Like what?' He asked her, his tone evil, enjoying her discomfort.

Rin glanced up at him, cursing his fine face for making her feel extra layers of embarrassment. Oh no, how was she to convince him? Of course, he was going to be disagreeable about it.

'I'm not like one of those fangirls' Rin explained 'I really hope you don't think I'm like that'

'Oh?' Sesshomaru raised a fine dark brow at her, his hazel eyes slanting to look in her brown ones 'you care what I think about you?'

Rin was trying her best to not get all shades of flustered at his sexy expression and tone. She could've slapped herself for even allowing that adjective come from her internal dialogue in relation to That Person.

'No!' She answered far too quickly for her intended 'casual' pace of conversation 'I mean, I don't care what anyone thinks about me except for people I love' she added, trying to make it sound far more generic. She only cared what Hakai thought as far as him not mistaking her for a fan of his. By Kami, anything but that!

Sesshomaru looked at her pretty flushed cheeks and watched at how she used her hands to express herself so charmingly as she spoke.
He drank in her scent as she was so close to him, almost as close as she had been last night. His beast was tempting him more and more; in the past, he would've just taken any woman he desired without asking anything or anyone – least of all the girl.
But he could not touch Rin – for she was human, and though he entertained all sorts of thoughts regarding her, to actually defile himself, a Demon Prince, with human flesh, restrained him.

Yet he wondered how Rin would look slick and begging underneath him. It took incredible effort to not allow his hardness to become apparent.

'And who are the people you love?' He asked.

Rin was so glad that the memorial was only another few metres away, so she did not have to get too much further in to the discussion with Hakai. She disliked how he made her feel in every which way; despite her efforts to remain calm.

'My mother, for one' Rin answered off-handedly. That was a topic absolutely not classified as casual and safe.

'So here we are, at the memorial' Sensei spoke, and he began explaining the history of the monument.
Rin caught Kohaku's gaze and rolled her eyes at him as he gave her subtle thumbs up. Ayami and Rika came up next to Rin and Hakai, and the class waited until the teacher had concluded.

'It's big' Rika said to Ayami, looking at the structure 'do you think we should write that down?'

'Of course,' Ayami nodded her head. 'Rin, what do you think?'

'I mean – it is pretty big' she agreed.

Rika nodded in agreement and snaked a look at Hakai.

'What do you think, Hakai-kun?' She asked.

Sesshomaru met Rika's candid gaze with indifference.
'War isn't something to be remembered' he said 'it must be lived'

Rika's widened eyes met Rin's look and they frowned slightly.

'If you mean we should never stop fighting for our freedom, then I agree, Hakai-kun' Ayami said brightly.

No, the bloodthirsty demon had not meant that.

'Come on, Ayami, we should go to the other side and read the names!'

The two girls made their way around and left Rin standing with Hakai.

'I knew what you meant' Rin eventually said in response to her assignment partner. 'Have you already done your army service, Hakai-kun? Do you know what war is like?'

He met her gaze with a steel to the hazel.
'I know what it is like' he assented 'and it's a place where the greatest glory can be gained'

Rin huffed. 'And also where many countless people lose their lives!'

Oh dear, they were already getting in to another argument. But how could he be so callous?

'For the greater good' Sesshomaru adjoined 'do you really think the land could have continued to support all life if it was not culled every hundred years?'

'Culled?' Casualness be-damned. 'You talk about us as if we were livestock! I'm sure you'd feel different if the ones being slaughtered were your family, or yourself. The men in those graves were once as human as you are now'

Sesshomaru's eyes travelled to an unknown distance beyond. Human. That, he decidedly was not.

'On the contrary' he said lowly 'death is a blessing if you can't gain honour in battle'

'You sound like a role player' Rin scoffed 'have you really been in the army?'

'There's a lot you don't know' Sesshomaru folded his arms across his chest. 'But I am not surprised that you are so bent on peace talk'

'Who in their right mind isn't?' Rin was so very perplexed yet again at this strange boy's beliefs. They sounded irrational – from another time even.

'Those who see that sacrifice equals progress'

'And so you've said something similar before' Rin retorted heatedly 'but why do you hate the idea of peace so much? Just because it isn't exciting? It's as though you're some blood thirsty warmonger'

Sesshomaru smiled darkly; it was the closest she had come to his true self.

'Peace is a fallacy created by those in power to brain wash you. War is always happening, Rin' he turned to face her. 'Around us now, there is war. Yet you all don't realise it, because you are trained to think that battles are only made of blood'

Rin tilted her head in confused question up at him.

'You mean, something like the cold war? I realise the world is never fully at peace – but at least we can stand here without getting shot down – that sort of freedom is priceless, even if tensions run high in the background. Can I ask – what war do you love so much? The under-handed political one you mention, or open war?'

Sesshomaru met her gaze powerfully. Centuries of slaughter flew before his memory, his hands so stained red that his skin might as well be scarlet. If only this innocent, unaware girl knew the passions he harboured as a warrior demon, as a singular force of pure destruction. The rivers of blood that had flowed from bodies clawed to pieces by his talons would probably cause this girl he desired so strongly to leave him and never return to his side. Her interest in him even without such knowledge was precarious at best.
Yet ironically, the only killing he could do confined to this confounded flesh prison was when he followed Rin at night and slew the beasts that pursued her.

'There is nothing quite like the rush of killing something' he murmured under his breath, barely realising he had said it out loud enough for Rin to hear.

The girl took a quick step back.

Her sweet face had gone pale.
Rin had heard Hakai's soft avowal, and it had been spoken with the same zeal she had heard him use before on the same topic that she really believed him to have killed a person in that moment.
'Y-you're not Yakuza, are you?'

'What I am' Sesshomaru turned from her again 'is something you won't know'

Rin only just noticed that tears had pricked at the corners of her eyes. She felt fear – the same fear that had gripped her when his hands had snaked around her neck in a deathly grasp. Her own fingers ghosted over the spot.

'Hakai-kun, you mystify me.' Her voice was slightly choked up.
'Your appearance is delicate, but when you talk about war and killing you sound as if you speak from experience' Rin tried to half-laugh to make a joke out of something she dearly wished to not be true. To think that this boy was a killer seemed absurd.

'Boys far younger than me and with a lot less experience have killed before' Hakai looked down at Rin again 'these men you people worship, whose names are engraved on this memorial, were all murderers in another countries' eyes'

Rin looked at the edifice with a pondering expression.
'I know what you mean' she replied slowly 'but those poor boys in war were made to do what they did. And even if they did have a choice, in war heroism is seen as fighting for freedom, at whatever cost. But you cannot compare that to the choice of an individual living in that very freedom to take it upon themselves to murder merely for pleasure or preference. Those men there did not kill and die for our country so we could abuse that freedom by taking more innocent lives on a whim.''

'And yet, evil people exist now just as much as they did in wartime' Hakai added. 'Should we let them walk around abusing the freedom those men died for?' His eyes glittered at Rin in mockery.

Rin looked confused for a moment, only to flash her gaze angrily at him for a moment.
'Two wrongs don't make a right' she said with pithy austerity 'you can't make me come around to your twisted way of thinking by pointing the finger at others just as much to blame as you are'

Sesshomaru actually let out a laugh – if you called a singular sharp exhale a laugh.
'I am not trying to make you think like me' he returned 'that would be impossible'.
Certainly there was no way a girl of 17 could ascend to the level of thinking of a full blooded Demon who had lived half a millennia.

'At least we agree on that point' Rin was the one who folded her arms across her chest. 'But your startling lack of recognising the individual sacredness of every person's life is worrying'

'It's wiser to view humanity as a whole, rather than in singular' he said.

'That is one of the most dangerous things you could do' Rin countered, but she met a look of icy coldness from Hakai's eyes and decided against speaking more on the topic. His father must be some sort of soldier, or political paragon, for his son to have such sweeping and ruthless views on human life.

'What does your father do, Hakai-kun?'

Sesshomaru's eyes widened at the question, finding it completely from left field. Rin's voice sounded light and vaguely curious.

'He is – a general in the army'

'Ahhh' Rin nodded her head once and smiled to herself. The Demon wondered why she looked so self-satisfied.

'What of your father, Rin? If you believe my parent's occupation has anything to do with my views, then I would guess yours to be a farmer or gardener'

Rin blushed.
'Ah – he – he's a far – farmer' she stole a look up at him in shock as she stuttered her reply.

Hakai was sneering at her and she cursed him inwardly. That damn snob!

'What about your mother, the one that I met?' Rin inquired. She couldn't stand her curiosity in his family and background – but he was such a mystifying and repelling person that she couldn't help but ask – almost like the Doctor with the Frankenstein he had created.

'My mother' Sesshomaru's sneer became more obvious 'does nothing but create trouble'

'Yes' Rin agreed 'she seemed determined to put me in the spotlight the other night'

'You needed not engage her frivolity' was Hakai's taciturn reply.

'You said similar after she left' Rin re-joined haughtily 'but that would have been impolite. So, it's her job to go around saying inappropriate things making strangers uncomfortable?'

Perhaps his Demoness mother would not laugh so merrily as she had when Rin insulted her son, if she heard herself being reduced to a job title of 'making strangers uncomfortable' by the same human.

'You should ask her yourself' Sesshomaru replied without emotion - but hoped Rin would follow through if the opportunity arose.

The girl at his side scoffed 'I doubt I'll ever see her again'

But Sesshomaru looked at her with inscrutable hazel eyes, and as the teacher rounded everyone up to return to class, he watched as Rin walked back with Kohaku and Hitoshi.

There was never a person alive who had only ever met his incorrigible, infuriating mother just once. Especially ones that had made her laugh.