A/N: Another short chapter, they'll get longer. Sorry, I haven't updated recently, but while I was gone I finally got the last few chapters edited on both my stories and decided that my chapters in the future need to be edited, even if it means they're published late, so I can't promise weekly updates anymore, sorry. I hope you all forgive me, love you.


"Kikyo," Mai's voice called softly from the hallway, Kikyo laid as still as possible, holding her breath. After Sesshomaru had left she had excused herself and retreated into her room. Mai sighed and stepped away from the door, Kikyo only caught part of what Mai said afterwards.

"Of course, Sesshomaru has upset her!" Koshiro snapped.

"Call Sesshomaru and have him apologize then!" Mai snapped back.

"It won't do one bit of good, Sesshomaru probably didn't even realize he upset the poor girl." Koshiro lowered his voice so Kikyo had to strain to hear.

"Then you should call and apologize to him, you know I don't like it when the two of you fight." Mai suggested.

Loud again. "I'm not apologizing to him, this time, Sesshomaru can apologize to me, we've dealt with his attitude long enough!"

"But-" Mai protested.

"No buts, I'm done with him until he grows up." Koshiro walked off.

Kikyo moved to the door and placed her ear against it, she could hear Mai sobbing softly outside. A little while later Mai sniffled and walked off, the opposite direction Koshiro had gone. Kikyo fell back into her bed and stared up at the ceiling, how could I let Sesshomaru affect me so much? She continued to stare at the ceiling until she finally drifted off to sleep.

"Kikyo!" Mai called from the other side of the door. "Kikyo, wake up, we're going shopping!" Mai knocked a few more times, then retreated from the door. "I'll be waiting downstairs!"

Kikyo emerged from her room and walked downstairs towards Mai.

"Oh don't you look beautiful this morning Kikyo." She smiled and Kikyo groaned and yawned. "I thought since we did something with the guys yesterday, today you and I could go out and spend some time together."

"What time is it?" Kikyo asked.

"8 am, you have to get started early if you want to get anything good."

"I didn't even know stores were open this early."

"You're being ridiculous Kikyo, now let's go." Mai laughed and opened the door, she walked towards the car and Kikyo followed slowly behind her.

They arrived downtown and the driver opened the door for them. "Thank you." Kikyo smiled at him.

"Pick us up here at 4 this afternoon." Mai glanced around, as though planning where to go throughout the day.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Are you sure you want to stay that long, that's about 8 hours of walking around down here?" Kikyo asked.

"Yes, we'll barely have enough time to look around and get lunch together." Mai said. "Now come on, we're wasting time." Mai quickly crossed the street and led Kikyo into a small boutique, she crossed the store to a rack of clothes. "Okay, Kikyo, you should try on this shirt, and this dress too, and that bracelet would go perfect with this hat."

Kikyo struggled to hold on to the pile of clothes in her hands, she glanced around the stack and saw Mai looking through more racks. "Mai, why do I need all of this stuff?"

"Oh, of course, I forgot to tell you, we have several events coming up that you'll be attending so you have to look your best. We have lunch with a potential investor next Saturday, then that evening Koshiro's company is hosting a party, and Sunday evening an old friend of Koshiro's invited us to a party he's hosting for his new charity. Not to mention all of our commitments during the week."

Kikyo laughed nervously as Mai grabbed a pair of heels, then told Kikyo to go try the clothes on. Eventually, they emerged from the store carrying several bags each, and Mai immediately ran down the street to another store. A few hours later they dropped all of their bags in a small restaurant where they had stopped to eat.

"Okay, Mai," Kikyo began. "What's really going on, why are we running around buying way too many clothes and doing everything we can to keep from going home?"

Mai sighed. "Never could get anything past you. The truth is Koshiro and I argued about Sesshomaru last night, I told him he needed to make up with him, but Koshiro doesn't think he needs to apologize, and I doubt Sesshomaru is planning on apologizing any time soon. Don't you think they should make up, they're blood after all."

Kikyo sat back and sipped her water. "Look I don't really know all of what's going on so I can't say much, but what I can say is that I can't say I think they need to make up, I haven't made up with my own mother yet, and I don't plan to anytime soon, so I can't say that Sesshomaru and Koshiro both need to grow up and talk about this like adults, even though that's what I think needs to happen."

Mai sighed. "I just feel like it's all my fault, I love Koshiro, but our relationship isn't worth him sacrificing the one he has with his son. I think that the two of us and Sesshomaru need to talk, as adults, and figure out exactly what we need to do to fix everything."

"I don't think Sesshomaru can talk like an adult." Kikyo said.

"You sound just like Koshiro." Mai smiled. "We'll have to figure something out, there must be something I can do to fix all of this mess."

Kikyo leaned forward and put her arms on the table. "And if Sesshomaru asks you to divorce his dad?"

Something like fear flickered in Mai's eyes. "If it will save their relationship then I'll do it. Come on Kikyo, we need to head back to the house and set all of this up." Mai pulled out her phone and called the driver, then she started gathering the bags and Kikyo stood to help.

"Mai," Kikyo said as they walked out of the restaurant. "If Sesshomaru asks you to leave Koshiro and you do it, Koshiro won't forgive either of you."

"He won't forgive me, but sooner or later he and Sesshomaru will make up, and if that happens, then I'll be happy."