Chapter XXII

Rin, Kagome, Kazumi, along with the Taisho men gathered around Rin's home. Looking at the party her daughter's entertaining, Rin couldn't quite hold back the sigh that wanted to escaped drawing the—unwanted—attention of the eldest Taisho. Looking into his golden coloured eyes, Rin offered him a rather glum smile. Noticing this, Taisho made a motion towards the kitchen and, reluctantly, Rin nodded her agreement. Standing, Rin trudged towards the kitchen.

While waiting for Taisho to make an appearance, Rin gathered ingredients to make a late lunch/early dinner. As soon as all the ingredients were collected Taisho walked in.

Stating to either take a seat or help her out, Rin watched as he walked towards the sink, washed his hands, and asked what he should do. Seeing as she didn't know if he could cook or not, she directed him towards the rice cooker, where she told him to make the rice.

"What did you want to talk about Taisho?"

Humming to tell her that he heard her, Touga stayed quiet for a minute as he contemplated how he should word what he wanted to ask. Inwardly sighing, Touga looked over his shoulder to see Rin focused entirely on chopping the chicken in front of her. "Rin," he called.

"Hmm?"

"Have you made a decision yet?"

"No, Taisho—I haven't," Rin stated as she slammed the knife into the chicken. "And if I had it my way, I wouldn't have anything to decide."

Touga took a good look at Rin from where he was standing, and carefully decided on what he should say. He knew that this wasn't easy on her; it wouldn't be easy on anyone. Taking in a deep breath, Touga walked towards Rin and murmured low enough that not even his sons in the next room over could hear him, "Hideaki you were a fool to think that your daughter would ever think this would be okay."

"Rin," Touga began. "I know this is hard, but you need to make a decision soon. If you don't have one ready in two months the company will be taken from you."

"I know!" Rin exclaimed. "That doesn't make it any easier though...My father worked so hard to keep the company afloat when my grandfather died. Now you're telling me that in order to keep my family's legacy I need to marry someone I barely know. That's ridiculous Taisho, and you know it."

"While I find myself in agreement my dear, the fact is that the contract has been made and cannot be changed. I suggest you come to a conclusion, and quickly."

"I find myself wondering why your son isn't making more of a fuss about this."

"Sesshomaru is the type that likes to think everything through before he acts, so he might have an answer for you, he might not. You'll have to ask him yourself to see where he is on this topic."

"I will."

"Good."

With that final note said between them, silence engulfed them. Minutes after their conversation Kagome strolled in, offering to help when she saw that they were making a meal. With Kagome helping, it wasn't long before the food was cooking and conversations flowed.

"Taisho-san," said Kagome.

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering are your sons fully related?"

"Why do you ask?"

"It's just...something about them doesn't seem right. It's like they have similar...auras? but still seem to repel each other." When she received no immediate answer she meekly asked, "

With a raised eyebrow, Touga considered Kagome for a second before answering her question. "I understand what you're trying to say my dear, if that's what you're worried about." At this Kagome breathed with relief and offered a small smile. "But to answer your question, no they're not. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha are only half-brothers."

"So I'm guessing Sesshomaru-san gets his looks from his mother then?"

"That's correct."

"Hmm."

For a moment there was silence before Kazumi came running in saying she was hungry. She was closely followed by Inuyasha. Seeing that the kitchen was slowly becoming crowded, Rin handed Kazumi a couple of slices of apple and told her that dinner would be ready momentarily and that she should go entertain her uncle.

This of course resulted in Kazumi asking the never ending, "Why?"

"So that he won't be able to eat all the food."

"He will?"

"Un."

"Why?"

"Because he's a greedy person," Touga supplied.

"Eedy?"

"Greedy," Kagome corrected. "It means that he wants everything for himself and doesn't want anyone else to have it."

"Oi!" Having remained silent as his niece's questions were answered by the girls and his father, Inuyasha's outburst came as a shock. "Don't go corrupting the kid's opinion of me."

"It would happen anyway," Touga said.

"What of it?" Inuyasha defended. "If it does, I want it to be on my terms not yours."

Sweat dropping at his son's answer, Touga offered a sigh before telling Kazumi to take Inuyasha away until dinner was ready. Once the two were out of sight and—what the girls assumed—hearing range, they looked at each other and broke out in giggles.

"Real mature that one," Kagome said once she calmed down. "Wouldn't want him anywhere near my kids. Rin are you sure you're okay leaving Kazumi-chan with him?"

Drawing in a breath, Rin offered Kagome a smile and stated, "I'll be worried if Kazumi didn't know how to take care of herself, but for all appearances Kazumi has that boy wrapped around her finger, not the other way around."

Musing that thought over, Kagome shrugged and said, "if you say so."

Turning back to the stove, Rin quickly stirred the chicken before looking over her shoulder to gaze at Taisho with an inquisitive eye. From what she could see, Taisho was as puzzled as Kagome over her decision to let Kazumi drag his son away, however unlike Taisho and Kagome, Rin knew her daughter. Although she had just turned one Kazumi is very perceptive and knew right from wrong...for the most part.

For the next few minutes Taisho, Kagome, and Rin spent it in silence as they finished cooking the meal, until there was an exclamation of Inuyasha yelling something indistinguishable. Without looking up from what she was doing Rin called for Sesshomaru to check what was going on. In the seconds that Rin had called out to him, Sesshomaru appeared at the kitchen entrance holding up a pouting Kazumi by the scruff of her clothes.

"Why the long face Kazumi-chan?" Taisho asked.

Huffing, Kazumi glared at the floor as she answered her grandfather's question with arms crossed in front of her and bottom lip stuck out. "Papa no wan' Kazu play with Yash!"

Rin, knowing her daughter well and the antics she could get into when she's forced to act nice, asked, "And why's that?"

"Yash night night."

"Why?"

"Bad smell."

Confused by her answer Rin, looked towards Sesshomaru to see if knew what the problem was.

"She forced Inuyasha to be her guinea pig as she demonstrated her skills at cosmeticology. Needless to say, the boy is unconscious due to his senses being overloaded."

Not knowing what to say, Rin stared at her daughter in shocked wonder. She didn't know Kazumi was evil—going to extreme measures to ensure that she didn't have to spend more than enough time in Inuyasha's presence is just...wow. Staring into Kazumi's guilty face Rin couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Kazumi is a prime example of how she was when she was younger.

Clearing her throat, Rin faced Sesshomaru and stated with a straight face, "You discipline her on her behaviour."

The widening of his eyes is the only indication of Sesshomaru's shock but overall he dealt with that statement as regal as he could as he walked out the kitchen with Kazumi held as far from his person as possible. 'How...bothersome,' Sesshomaru thought as he walked towards the living room.

Author's note: Updates for this story can be found on my profile page, and with that being said, chapter updates will be slow so to be up to date for chapters check that—I automatically say when one will be up there.

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