Prompt: Child's Play - Ring around the rosie

Word Count: 850

Posted: 5.17.11

The Passing of Time

15 Years Later

Sesshoumaru sat at his usual table in the back of the small café. Seated across from him was one of his co-workers, Miroku, a man he had known practically his entire adult life. The two worked together at a law firm downtown. Neither one said anything until the waitress brought over their order. She placed a cup of coffee in front of each and a pastry in front of Miroku.

"If you guys need anything else just give me a holler. The name is Sango." Miroku was absorbed in his morning newspaper and didn't pay her any mind, so Sesshoumaru gave her a nod. As she walked away she noticed the article he was reading, "It's such a pity really. Such a pretty girl, you'd think someone would notice if she just up and disappeared. Not that I blame her of course."

Sesshoumaru was going to ignore her chatter entirely until he noticed just whom she was referring to. He had been following her career since the beginning, and he'd recognize those striking blue eyes from anywhere. At 24, Kagome Higurashi was a well known fashion model for a prestigious magazine company in Kyoto.

"Miroku let me see that." He reached for the newspaper but Miroku kept it out of his reach. He finished reading and then placed the article in front of his colleague.

Sesshoumaru quickly scanned the page while Miroku chatted openly, "How does a girl with that much public attention just disappear in front of the face of the media like that?"

"What was it the waitress said? She didn't blame her. I wonder what she meant by that." The youkai asked to no one in particular.

The waitress had been hovering over the two and decided to share her two cents. "You know it's not published in the article, but apparently she recently had a death in the family. A senile grandparent, or something of the like. Then she just disappeared and no one's heard from her since."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow but refused to acknowledge her again. "Miroku we're leaving."

Seeing his friends determined look he didn't ask twice but when the two left the café he paused. "Where exactly are we going?"

"We are taking the day off."

"Does this have something to do with the model?"

"Hn."

"Why so interested all of a sudden?" Miroku questioned, waggling an eyebrow.

"I knew her once," Was all he supplied.

Miroku let the subject drop until they passed outside the city limits. "I'd like to assume you know something?"

"Hn. I have a hunch."

"How can you be sure?"

It was a good question, one he had asked himself already. There was no guarantee she would be there. For all he knew she didn't even remember him. They hadn't spoken in over 15 years, and while that was nothing to someone like him, for her well… it was practically a lifetime.

They hadn't kept in touch at all but it wasn't as though he didn't wish to. He had been too busy, and after her career had taken off in the modeling industry he was sure she had been too busy to even give him a second thought.

Walking into his office one morning he passed by a newspaper stand and noticed her staring back at him. He bought it on impulse and hid it between two case files. After that, he paid careful attention to the media concerning her. There had been countless times early on in her career, where he had picked up a phone to call her, and hung it up before anyone could answer.

What would he say to her? Would she remember him? How would she react? So many questions he had asked himself. But as he drove up to the house that he hadn't seen in ages he realized one thing. He didn't care. None of that mattered.

He let himself out of the car, ignoring Miroku's protesting. How much she had changed since the last time he had seen her on these shores. She was taller now, no longer the short, out-of-sorts child she had once been. Her frame had filled out nicely, and she had curves in all the right places. Her dark hair flowed behind her in the wind, and though her back was to him, he knew when she turned around he'd be greeted by her sapphire gaze.

Sesshoumaru stood next to her without a greeting, and she didn't turn to look at him. "How did you know where to find me?"

"I didn't."

"You never came back."

"I couldn't."

Kagome didn't ask him anything else after that. "It looks so much smaller since the last time I was here."

"You are no longer a child."

"No, no I'm not." She smiled wistfully. "I suppose this means we've come full circle."

"So it does."

She enfolded one of his hands in both of her small ones. "Why did you come back?"

"To be sure you would remember." Sesshoumaru gave her hand a small squeeze, to let her know she was not alone.

"I could never forget."