While Sesshomaru was occupied with Rin that evening, Jaken had received a note delivered through the apartment window, apparently dropped by the wind.
Blowing a sudden strong gust, swinging the glass panes open, the sheet of paper tumbled inside with some leaves and settled on the carpet.
The servant demon had only noticed it when he got up to go to the bathroom, and he stopped, considering it for a moment; he turned his eyes outside the window and stared in to the darkness of the night sky suspiciously as he slowly bent to pick the message up.
The writing was elegant, flowing – and Jaken couldn't help but read it through.

'Sesshomaru – do you remember?
The King who was called Midas
He lived just before you, in times of old
His golden victims adorn
many of our palaces
you recall as a child, breaking one as you raged?
Everything he touched turned to gold
He thought it a blessing
To have such power and wealth
at the mere touch of his hand
But one day his wife came to him
and when he went to hold her
she turned cold and was no more
Her statue still lies in the vaults
of the gods
The soul that flesh houses is far more precious
Than the redness of blood
or the yellow of gold
you will learn to see
something you cannot hold
or control
is far more valuable
than the things you desire'

The demon boy read the note and knew who it was from immediately.
He left it on the table for his Master to read, remembering the time he passed Midas's wife for the first time in the grand hallway of the main palace.
Her face had been contorted in despair – even golden tears could be seen forming in her eyes; but the terrible transformation that took her life occurred too quickly for the salty drops to even fall down.
The statue itself had a limitless gold price, but the fee Midas had paid for such a treasure had cost him the jewel of his wife's heart.

Jaken understood these things as an imp who had loved and followed Sesshomaru since his three-hundredth year.

One sacrificed their personal interests and selfish pursuits to assist and follow in the wake of a greater importance.
Jaken also knew that Sesshomaru did not understand the meaning of the tragedy of Midas, and instead had his desires still bent on things that would bring him no rest in the end.
He might be going after the mortal Rin for now, but such an aberration in the Great Demon's interests was like a drop in the ocean of his centuries of blood lust.

There was a time when Sesshomaru, the great Demon, would traverse throughout the lands in the Sengoku Jidai era, high on the instability of the lords and armies of the time, taking advantage of the fear of the humans and wiping out anyone in his way on his quest to battle the most powerful beings in existence.

Naraku had been but one strong demon in a line of many that his Master had fought – and Jaken knew that Sesshomaru might be externally dealing rather well with his imprisonment in human form, but the old and wise servant knew otherwise.

An ancient demon had more layers than a geisha's kimono – and simmering beneath the uppermost levels of the Dog Demon's being was a murderous wrath so furious at his confinement that Jaken feared if the magic could hold him for long.

~!~!~!~!~!

Mrs Urihara slowly sat down after her daughter's rescuer had departed, holding her cup of tea like a life support.

How had that child known that she harboured an awful secret against her beloved Rin?
The older lady was kind and tender hearted, but also keen of mind and perceptive due to her years and life experience.
She had understood in the fine-looking boy's face such an expression as though he had seen all seven heavens and hells and knew the mysteries of each one.
It was as though his eyes were an x-ray to her ailing body and she couldn't defy the facts that his gaze had laid bare like an image before her.
Who was he?
More importantly, if she didn't tell Rin of her degeneration, would that other-worldly child let her daughter know?
Mrs Urihara had desperately wanted to evade the necessity of telling Rin that she was ill, as the last thing she wanted was for her child to drop her motivation on anything but caring for her mother.

Rin was at such a vital time in her young life that it was incumbent on her as a mother to ensure she went well with school and college to set her up for a comfortable life, devoid of the struggles she had faced growing up.
But this beautiful male had stepped in to her home just now and turned all of her plans on their head.
She felt certain he would tell Rin if she did not – his face just about said it without words.

Did that young boy love her daughter?

If he didn't, then why had he looked at Rin with such softness in his eyes as he stood in their small living room?

The older lady blushed, thinking of such a person loving her small and tired Rin.
If that were the case, then maybe she as a mother didn't need to stress so much about Rin's future, with such a person guarding and caring for her daughter.

Mrs Urihara felt sure she had stood in the presence of a boy with no little life experience and wisdom; he certainly did not seem a child of only seventeen.

The older lady worried how she was going to tell Rin when she woke up the next day. Perhaps she would begin by telling Rin how the landlady from her work had rung at 5:30 that afternoon to ask where her maid was for her shift, and Mrs Urihara had to lie through her teeth to save her daughter's new job.
If she had Rin in a guilty frame of mind, perhaps it would be easier for her beloved child to forgive her mother of keeping such vital news from her?

It was the only way her frantic mind could imagine at this stage.

She looked for a long moment at her sleeping daughter on the couch, before getting up and laying a blanket over her small body. She placed her phone beside her as she'd need her alarm to wake up for school the next day, then the older lady got ready for bed herself.

~!~!~!

Rin almost threw her phone across the room when the alarm went off the next morning, as she'd been in such a deep state of sleep that the loud metallic noise shocked her like a sudden thunder crack.

She groaned, wondering why the hell she was sleeping on the couch in the living room. Slowly getting up, she stretched, yawning lazily and scratched her bed-head hair.

As she started getting ready for the day, Rin noticed that there was a note on the kitchen counter.

'I need to talk to you when you are home from work tonight. Love, Mum'

What would Okasan need to talk about? Rin wondered idly as she went to make some toast; before the word 'work' popped starkly in to her mind.
Oh, for Kami's sake.
In her anticipation to see Akihiro, she had completely dipped out on her work last night! Rin audibly groaned so loudly that anyone hearing might have thought she was suffering a deathly stomach ache.

Scrambling for her phone, Rin went to call her employer when her phone decided to go off in her hand as she went to punch in the contact number for her employer.

'Hello?'

'Hello, is this Mrs Urihara's daughter?'

'Y-yes' Rin wondered at the strange voice.

'Hello, my name is Doctor Suzuki. Your mother has been admitted to the emergency unit this morning and is unable to speak at the moment, so I am ringing you to ask if you could make it down to the hospital as soon as you're able?'

Rin's face went white and she had to sit on the floor straight away.

'I'll be there' was all she could manage, and the phone line went dead.

Barely able to think straight, all Rin could do was haphazardly rush around, tearing off her clothes from yesterday to throw on whatever came to hand – not caring about even brushing her hair or cleaning her teeth she burst out of the door and went for the bus stop, pulling her fingers roughly through her tousled strands as she ran.

'Okasan'

What on earth had happened?

The bus seemed to be taking ages, and Rin was panicking in such an extreme way that she was about to take off on her own two feet to make it to the hospital when a car pulled up next to her. The passenger window rolled down on its own and a voice called out:

'Rin-san, get in the car, I'll take you'

Rin stopped in her tracks and breathlessly bent down to see who it was.

'Akihiro-kun?'

'I heard about your mother - as I study closely with your local hospital. Her name popped up on the newly admitted patients list while I was transferring data to their lab reception, and I knew you'd be in a rush to see her so I came her as quickly as I could'

As he explained, Rin all but tumbled in to the car seat next to him and thanked him so profusely that tears fell from her eyes.

'No need to thank me, I'd do the same for anyone' he replied with soft humility 'you must be in shock at the moment. I can assure you; we will transfer your mother to our Tokyo hospital as soon as she is stable enough and take utmost care of her'

'Oh, Akihiro-kun' Rin turned her pained yet blatantly grateful face to the college student 'are you sent by Kami? Are you sure?'

'Of course. Now you stop worrying, I am sure whatever is wrong with your mother can be fixed. Our technology and medicine these days is so far advanced that there are very few things likely to cause us confusion. The best thing you can do for yourself and your mother is to remain as calm as possible'

He drove with deft quickness to the emergency unit and Rin's heart was a mantra of thankfulness toward Akihiro. How he must have needed to quickly search Okasan's home address on the hospital records to then so quickly make his way toward their house in order to pick her up drove Rin to cry even more.

'Thank you, thank you so much Akihiro-kun'

They arrived at the hospital, parking in one of the patient bays and Akihiro helped Rin out of the car, guiding her to the visitor's foyer.

She had to automatically give her name and address, as well as the patient she was needing to see before they were let through to the ward in which Mrs Urihara was.

Her mother had an oxygen mask on, electrodes, a drip and was currently having her blood pressure re-evaluated. The sight caused Rin to choke on her breathing, sobbing as she fell in the chair beside the bed grasping her mother's hand.

Mrs Urihara smiled at her daughter, though her expression was full of pain; her hand squeezed Rin's weakly.

'Oka – san' Rin cried through her panic, kissing her mother's hand tenderly.

'Are you her daughter?' The doctor turned to Rin as he pressed a button on the compression machine.

'Yes' Rin merely glanced at him as she replied.

'I am so sorry to have had to call you in for such a shock. We promise to get your mother feeling better in no time.'

Akihiro had stepped forward and he said, 'do we know what's wrong with her?'

The doctor looked at the medical student, his brows raised, and the older gentleman bowed.

'Ito-san' he said with reverence 'I am honoured to have you in my ward. We do not yet know the diagnosis for Mrs Urihara's illness, but she has a fever and her heart rate is high.'

'I wish to transfer her to Tokyo hospital as soon as possible' Akihiro stated, and Doctor Suzuki assented with a bowed head.

'It's just a fever?' Rin looked with wide eyes up at Akihiro and wiped carelessly at her eyes.

He held her gaze a moment before sighing. 'I hope we can diagnose the problem soon' he stated, before asking if she was thirsty. Rin nodded, and watched as he went to go and get them some water.

She already owed Akihiro a lot, and she felt a stab of guilt at having thought him strange or clingy over the past few days.

Turning to watch her mother's face, she noticed Okasan's eyes seemed to hold some guilt to them. She wondered why, but the last thing she was going to do was ask her sick mother any questions. Akihiro returned, handing Rin some refreshment – and he stayed for another half hour to oversee Mrs Urihara's vital signs, before telling Rin that they would be able to transfer her to Tokyo the next day.

'Akihiro-kun, what can I do to thank you - ?'

'Nothing' he returned her look with warmth 'Just promise me to not worry, I don't think it's anything serious – I discussed with Doctor Suzuki briefly while I got us some water and we both believe her to be suffering merely from exhaustion and stress. It will be something easily dealt with. Would you like to remain with her or return to school? I can drive you there if you like'

The relief that flooded Rin's face at hearing the problem was not dire was palpable.
'Oh, thank the kami's' she breathed, closing her eyes for a moment. 'I can't stand seeing her like this' she motioned to her sick mother.

'I know, it must be very hard' Akihiro comforted 'I promise you to do everything in my power to help. Don't think you need to thank me in any way'

'I will have to think of some way' Rin sighed 'you're being way too kind. Would it be possible for me to fly with her to Tokyo?'

Akihiro watched as Rin's long lashes were coated with unshed tears.

'I'll see if I can arrange it, but usually there are no passengers allowed on such flights. Perhaps you could come down on the train?'

'Ok' Rin said softly, staring at her mother's face. She'd do absolutely anything to ensure Okasan was safe and comfortable as possible. She looked so vulnerable and weak in the big hospital bed, and Rin could barely take seeing such a characteristically strong lady lying there weakly. Okasan seemed to have fallen asleep, and Rin glanced at her companion.

'I think I should go to school. Okasan hasn't worked herself to get this sick for me to skip out on it'

'You're as strong as your mother, Rin-san' he replied and watched as the girl slowly got up and kissed her mother on the forehead.

'I could only wish to be' she said softly before turning and following Akihiro out of the hospital.

'Would you mind dropping me home first? I'll need to change in to my school uniform'

Akihiro did as Rin requested and waited for about ten minutes before she reappeared. He didn't like that such a sweet girl and mother lived in such poor conditions, and he felt a sense of protectiveness overtake him. He would ensure Rin's mother was healed by his hand, by Kami!

~!~!~!~!

When Sesshomaru went to the school that morning, his eyes searched unconsciously for Rin to no avail. Instead, Ayami came up to him.

'Hakai-kun! How are you today?'

The Demon's gold flecked eyes looked down at the girl with vague disgust.

'Where's Rin?' He asked.

Ayami smiled a little awkwardly, blushing under his scrutiny.
'I don't know, I haven't heard from her. Strange, because she always tells me if she isn't making it to school'

The Demon remembered how Rin had asked him to bring this girl who was trying to speak with him on a date for the weekend – but he was not going to ask the human. If Rin wanted him to bring her so badly, she could ask her friend herself.

Sesshomaru began walking away from Ayami to the next class, and she followed him.

'I wonder if she's still with Akihiro-kun' Ayami mused to him 'they went out last night, that much I know'

Sesshomaru knew even better than her on that point, recalling Rin's resting face as she cosied in to his arms unaware.

A car had pulled up to the side road leading in to the school near the science lab, and Sesshomaru watched as Rin got out of it.

'Oh, there she is!' Ayami smiled.

The pair looked on as Akihiro also got out of the car and Ayami whispered 'oooo' under her breath as she stood at Hakai's elbow.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened as he saw Rin go on her tip toes and reach up to hug the college student; her face was the picture of worry yet thankfulness – and Ayami looked up to say something to the Demon before she realised he was not anywhere to be seen. Blinking, the poor girl wondered where on earth he had gone with such rapidity, before running off to meet her friend.

Ayami was soon caught up on what had happened with Rin's mother, and she put an arm around her friend.

'Well, it's good that she seems to be in trustworthy hands' she tried to sound optimistic 'Akihiro really must be interested in you to offer to take her to Tokyo!'

Rin blushed.
'I owe him a lot. I think he'd do it for anyone though, he seems to be that kind of person'

'Oh yes, for anyone, sure' Ayami smiled sarcastically and prodded Rin in the ribs 'at least it doesn't seem serious. So, you'll go to Tokyo tomorrow?'

'Yes. I can't stand thinking of her being all alone up there'

'That's true' Ayami agreed 'Maybe we could see you off before you go?'

'That would be amazing. Oh, that reminds me' Rin seemed to be all over the place, and Ayami felt her pain. Knowing a precious loved one was ill was one of the hardest things to deal with.

'I was organising a get together between Akihiro, you, Hakai and me'

Ayami blushed 'y-you managed to ask Hakai-kun? What did he say?'

'He agreed' Rin glanced a smile at her friend 'we were going to do it this weekend, but maybe I can see if they are free tonight. I'll go straight to my employer after work and explain what's happened to her then we could go?'

'Oh Kami, that sounds amazing; but I'm all nervous now!' Ayami giggled, playing with her hair 'what will I wear? Where are we going?'

Rin actually managed a laugh though her mind was heavily occupied with Okasan, and she looped her arm through Ayami's as they made their way to the next class.
'Come home with me and we'll get ready together. I'll message Akihiro about it now'

'Thank you so much for getting me a date with Hakai-kun' Ayami was all giddy 'I know you've just had a shock, so I'm sorry if I annoy you over the next few hours!'

'Aya-chan could never really annoy me' Rin smiled 'unless she decided to rant about Hakai's many non-existent attributes'

Ayami laughed 'I'll try and not do that' she promised.

'Ugh, if only Shippo were here' Rin sighed as they turned a corner, close to their lab room. 'I am sure he must wish to see Okasan too'

'I think he would' Ayami agreed 'but, at least as you said, it isn't serious. She'll be fine' Ayami side hugged Rin as they went to find their seats near Kohaku, who had reserved some spaces for the two girls.

Kohaku immediately flicked a paper wasp at Rin and she all but stopped in her progress towards her chair next to him.

'Kohaku-kun' Ayami said 'I don't think you want to be pranking Rin-chan right now'

Kohaku looked with a cheeky grin from his friend to Ayami in question.

Hakai was seated behind the three with Rika next to him, but he didn't seem to be listening.

'Her Okasan is in hospital' Ayami explained in a low voice as the teacher entered the class room.

Kohaku's brows shot up. 'What?' He whispered hoarsely, turning to Rin who had taken her seat.

'Rin-chan, are you ok?'

She glanced at Kohaku, her lips pressed together, and she nodded briefly.
'It's not serious' was all Rin said, as they had to pay attention to their sensei for the rest of the lesson.

Akihiro had been able to agree to their moving forward of their plans to tonight, and he and Rin decided to suggest a Tonkatsu restaurant to everyone else; Rin had also decided to invite Kohaku and Rika along.

During break, Rin broached the subject with her friends, and was happy when they could all make it; except Rika, who already had other plans that night.

Rin wished Hakai wasn't going to be present at what had turned in to a going away party of sorts, but she accepted it based on how happy Ayami was at the arrangement. Kohaku would hopefully lend some light-heartedness to the situation, as Rin felt that Hakai would cast his customary dark cloud on the evening.

She did not want to tell Hakai that the evening had been moved forward, so she asked if Ayami could do it; grateful that her friend was more than willing.

Ayami stood around a few moments under the shelter they were seated at, calming her breathing, trying to get up some confidence to go and speak to the mysterious bishounen.

'Kami give me strength, your acting like he's the Emperor of Japan' Kohaku snorted in disgust. 'Just go and ask the guy or I'll do it'

'Kohaku' Rin prodded her friends' arm 'don't be mean! She likes him, ok! That makes any girl super nervous to talk to a guy'

'Psh' Kohaku rolled his eyes 'I don't think that guy needs any more ego boosts. Ayami would be better choosing Hitoshi'

'Ew' Ayami interjected 'I saw him picking his nose the other day'

'So?' Kohaku protested 'I bet Hakai could spit in your bento box and you'd still go ga-ga over the guy'

They both reluctantly laughed, and Rin gave Ayami a playful push 'off you go, he's just there now, look!'

Rin pointed to where Hakai was walking by with a few students following him, and Ayami went bright red.

'Oh, I can't do this, last time I talked to him he disappeared on me! Rin, can you do it?'

Kohaku rolled his eyes.

'No, you need to get to know him Aya-chan!' Rin winked at Ayami.

The poor girl wrung her hands, saying a few words of encouragement to herself, before taking another deep breath and heading in Hakai's direction.

'Are all girls really like that with guys they like?' Kohaku said in half awe, half disgust.

'Of course, haven't you ever felt that way around Rika?'

Kohaku's cheeks fanned red and he cleared his throat 'well, no! I talk to her without having a meltdown beforehand'

Rin eyed her friend 'you're blushing' she teased.

'Oh shut up!' He scoffed, before looking at Rin a bit more seriously. 'But Rin-chan, are you sure Okasan is ok?'

Rin looked down at her hands. 'I think under Akihiro's care she will be. His father owns the hospital in Tokyo, and I think she'll really be taken care of. If I'm there as well, it should give her the best chances at recovery.'

'Who's going to look after your house while you're gone?' Kohaku asked.

'It'll be alright. I'll just have to lock everything up and deal with it when I get back. I don't know how long I'll be gone for'

'I wish I could come' Kohaku mumbled 'Tokyo would be cool'

'I don't think I'll be doing much sightseeing' Rin half smiled 'Okasan needs to get better so she can see Shippo again'

Kohaku finished his food and took a gulp of his juice.
'How old would that kid be now?'

Rin looked up as she saw Jaken crossing the school yard.

'The age of Hakai's younger brother there' Rin pointed 'fourteen'

Kohaku whistled 'It's been a long time. Maybe you should write to him? I know he doesn't have a landline number or cell'

'No, he doesn't. I would love to write to him, but we don't even know their address, remember?'

Kohaku watched as Jaken disappeared toward the home economics buildings, sighing.

'True, I'd forgotten. Hakai's younger brother looks like a way happier guy than his brother'

'Tell me about it' Rin raised her brows 'I'm glad I get a break from cleaning his room for at least a few days'

'Yeah' Kohaku agreed. 'I wonder if Ayami has melted in to the ground yet or actually got her words out to Hakai?'

'I wonder' Rin mused. 'If that person says anything to hurt her, I'll kill him, by Kami'

'Me too' Kohaku agreed. 'She's way too sweet to be hurt by that prick'

Rin was so glad she had Kohaku and Ayami to lend her a listening ear, and she hoped that in future she could do the same for them as well.
Love interests and partners be damned! Friends were what warmed the heart the most, in Rin's opinion.