The morning arrives, we all wake up early to send Rin off to her happiness. Lord Kisho is helping Rin load her belongings on his horse. Sango, Miroku, Lady Kaede, Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo and the twins are all there to see her off. They are all giving Rin a hug and talking to her and giving her words of happiness. She spent her teenage years with them, they are her family. After talking with Rin, they all turn to talk to Lord Kisho. Rin turns to me and gives me a hug. She then looks up at me.

 

"I have found the one I love, I hope you'll be able to tell the one you love your feelings for him as well_________." Rin says to me with a smile.

 

I smile back at her and tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

 

"I think I'll tell him when the time is right, even though I don't know when that will be. In the meantime he has some important things to take care of first, then we'll see where my fate takes me next. Don't worry about me dear Rin, I'll be fine. Be happy, be strong, and make sure the choices that you make from now are the ones that you truly believe in. Alright?" I say with a smile.

 

"I will, thanks again__________, you were really like a big sister to me even though we've only been together for a few months. I'll miss you greatly." Rin says.

 

"And as well I. Come visit the village when you have time in the future, and come visit my village as well." I say.

 

"I will, don't worry." Rin says and hugs me again.

 

"Rin are you ready? Lady Kaede asks her.

 

"Yes I am, goodbye_________." Rin answers and looks back to me."

 

"Take care..." I say to her.

 

Rin walks up to Lord Kisho's horse and he helps her up. He then mounts onto the horse and sits behind her. 

 

"Do not worry, I'll make sure Rin will be happy for the rest of her life, rest easy. I'll keep her safe as well. Thank you again for giving her hand to me. Farewell for now and take care." Lord Kisho says with a bow. 

 

We all nod, Lord Kisho then nudged the horse on its side, then along with his guards they head towards the direction of their village. It's a 2 and half day trip there, but Rin will reside there for the rest of her life. Only if Sesshomaru doesn't do anything. Rin looks back one last time and waves to us with her big smile. They slowly disappear into the distance. We all turn back into the village, I stood there and continue to look into the distance. I turn and in the distance standing at the border of the forest, I see the so familiar white magestic figure. He looks out into the distance as well. He then walks towards the fields, I follow him. In time, I see him standing into the middle of field with Jaken and A-Un. I walk up to him and stand beside him, he is looking into the distance where the mountains rest. 

 

"Rin left, and I hope you still remember my request?" I ask him quietly.

 

Sesshomaru doesn't say anything but his expression turns tense.

 

"Please Lord Sesshomaru, for your own sake. Let her know how you feel, I want you to let go of that pride of yours, embrace those feelings. Don't hold back and then one day come to regret it in the future, a chance like this doesn't come twice in life. Please go follow her..." I say with a pleading voice as I look at him.

 

I can see his eyes looking around as I gaze at his profile.

 

"How about put aside all those feelings for the time being, and go follow her as her guardian, as her first dearest person after her parents. Well, dearest demon in your case." I say with a small laugh to lighten the mood.

 

Sesshomaru still doesn't say anything but his brows frows together more and more, his eyes narrows. 

 

"I know how hard it is to let someone you love go. I understand that feeling completely." I say as I pat A-Un.

 

A-Un looks at me as if remembering what I told him that day. Sesshomaru let's out a very quiet gasp, you almost have to strain your ears to hear. He looks at me and our eyes meet, I smile at him gently.

 

"Please Lord Sesshomaru, go to Rin, make sure she's safe. Watch over her when the happiest day of her life arrives. Watch over her as her guardian." I say again.

 

As I say all of those words, I feel my heartache painfully. But I have to endure.

 

"__________ is right Lord Sesshomaru, you should go. Tell her your feelings... even though it's only such a thing that humans would experience." Jaken says.

 

"Jaken." Sesshomaru finally says sternly.

 

He then turns back to look at me, his amber eyes looking into me. I use my eyes to beg him instead of words.

 

"I'll go." He finally says flatly.

 

I gave a smile of relief, and nod.

 

"I'm sorry that I, a mere human is telling a great daiyokai what to do. Please accept my apologies, but I feel like this is my only way to make you feel some kind of resolution and hopefully, a slit of happiness." I say with a bow.

 

Sesshomaru looks at me and loosens up his tensed expression, he then turns towards the direction that Rin went.

 

"Let's go Jaken." He says.

 

"Yes My Lord." Jaken responds surprised. He then hops onto A-Un. 

 

I give A-Un a pat on the neck. 

 

"Goodbye Lord Sesshomaru." I say to him.

 

He turns to look at me with a slight furrowed expression.

 

I don't say anything else but give him another smile. He then turns and dashes off towards the direction of Rin's future home. His long white hair flowing behind him gracefully as he dashes into the distance with A-Un and Jaken flying behind him. The wind blows against my back as if to follow behind him. I watch him as he disappears, a single tear finally falls from my eyes. 

 

"I'm letting my chance go, but for the best I hope. I'm letting you go because I love you." I whisper to myself with a smile. 

 

I then head back to the village. The next three days went along as usual. At this rate winter is coming to an end, the snow has completely melted. Another 2 days goes by in a blink of an eye. The village has become just a bit les lively, but Sango's twins and Shippo fills in the void. I have placed Sesshomaru to the back of my thoughts these few days, because I feel like it's about time for me to leave here and continue on with my journey. During dinner, Kagome suddenly mentions something out of the blue.

 

"It's almost the time of week when Sesshomaru would visit Rin, but now that she's gone, do you think he'll still drop by?" Kagome asks.

 

Without knowing, I froze of hearing his name.

 

"Why would he come here? He doesn't even talk to us, did you forget? Aside from Rin he find the human race irritating." Inuyasha mutters as he eats his rice.

 

"Don't say that Inuyasha, I think in these few years Sesshomaru has really softened up a bit. He even talked with ________ a few times." Sango says with a smile.

 

My face begin to heat up after hearing her say that.

 

"Sesshomaru talked with_________? What a surprise? He's still having a hard time accepting me as a sister-in-law, and he's already talking with________. That is some improvement." Kagome says with a small laugh.

 

"He doesn't even talk to me that much, and I'm related to him by blood. Not that I'm complaining or anything." Inuyasha mutters again.

 

"Well, yes we talked a few times, but it's usually me who does the talking. Sometimes I feel like I'm annoying him." I say quietly.

 

"Well Sesshomaru's personality is similar to Inuyasha's, they both tend to hit those that irritates them or threatens to kill them. By the looks of it. it seems like he has a soft side for you_________. Because if he found you annoying, he might have stopped talking to you already or even come in contact with you. If it's a demon or men's situation he would've threatened or hit them already, like he does to Jaken." Kagome says with a smile. 

 

"Oh..." I let out after hearing her words.

 

We then continue eating and talking together for a little bit again and I put down my bowl and chopsticks.

 

"I want to make a sudden announcement." I say to them.

 

They all stop and turn to me.

 

"Since Winter is coming to an end, the snow has melted already. I've decided to continue on my journey tomorrow." I say looking at them.

 

All of them stayed silent for a few seconds and then put down their bowls and chopsticks. 

 

"Are you sure you're leaving so suddenly, you don't want to leave till spring actually arrives?" Sango asks me.

 

"I'm sure. Since Rin has just recently left us, I'm sure we're all feeling that void still. So that  is why I want to leave as soon as possible so that I can leave the second void with hers, and then in time you can all heal from it at the same time. I don't want to leave after you all have moved on of Rin's abscene, I don't want to leave another void after just patching one up." I say with a sad smile.

 

"I suppose you have a point, besides we did ask you to stay till winter ends. Guess winter ended early this year. You came out here with a goal, by staying with us you postponed your goal and journey. I suppose it is time that we let hou resume your goal, and let you find happines and new experiences." Kagome says with a frown.

 

"Thanks to all of you, I have made wonderful memories, I have met wonderful people. People that I'll love and treasure for the rest of my life. This place is like my second home. I'm sure I'll come back and visit you all one day." I say with a smile.

 

"We enjoyed having you here with us__________, you've helped us and spent time with us. They're all precious memories to look back on." Miroku says with a smile.

 

I nod. We then all finish our dinner while carrying on a normal conversation. The room is filled with a sense of melancholy and sadness though. When everyone goes to bed, I take my koto with me and head to the fields. I sit down onto the ground and place the koto on my lap. I then play songs after songs in the empty field, the moonlight luminates me in my loneliness. An hour goes by without me knowing, I then stand up. I look up at the crescent moon, the moon reminds me so much of Sesshomaru.

 

"This is the last time that I play in this field for the time being, I hope you heard my koto from wherever you are Sesshomaru. I'm letting you go because I love you, I'm leaving here because I don't want to hold on to you and the memories. I want you to go find that one thing that makes you happy. You and I are from different worlds after all, I'm not worth your time." I say towards the moon. 

 

I then turn to head back to the village, as I'm lost in my thoughts, a gentle wind blows from the side. I snap out of my senses and look around the field into the surrounding trees, hoping to see him standing there. But he's not there. I look down towards the ground and close my eyes. I calm my heart down and return back to the village to pack up. The next morning finally arrives, and I wake up early to load my belongings onto Hidzume. The others all come out to see me off, Sango is carrying a bundle of blankets, Miroku carried a small sack of money, Lady Kaede is carrying a small bundle of bread. Kagome is carrying some fruits in a basket. Inuyasha is busy taking care of the twins and Shippo as he comes up to me. 

 

"You guys, really you don't need to give me so much things. I'll be fine." I say with a smile.

 

"Please take these, your journey will be a tiring one, the next village is a day and a half away. You'll need energy and some money as back up." Miroku says. 

 

"For all of your help and time spent with us, these are the least that we can so. We are like family, we're doing what families do." Kagome says with a smile.

 

"Thank you guys so much. You guys are like my second family. Please take care and I'll come back and visit when I have time." I say to them

 

Sango and Kagome gives me a big hug, I hug these two young women back, who has in these few months has become like my sisters. 

 

"We give you all our blessings on your journey." Lady Kaede says with a gentle smile.

 

"Come back and visit us, we might need your help to take care of these 4 troublemakers soon." Inuyasha says.

 

"Hold on there Inuyasha, if you can handle powerful demons and I'm sure some kids are nothing compared to them." I say with a laugh.

 

Inuyasha frowns and his ears flops down. The twins runs up to me and hugs me.

 

"We'll miss you, we really wish you could stay." They say in unison.

 

"I wish I could too, but I have a goal to see. I'll definitely remember you two and I'll come visit." I say rubbing their backs affectionately.

 

"Here's a toy, I hope it'll keep you company at night." Shippo says handing me a toy top.

 

"Thanks Shippo I'm sure it will, I haven't played with toys in a long long time. I'm sure it'll bring back good memories as well." I say and hugging the little fox demon.

 

I stand up, load the gifts and hop onto Hidzume.

 

"I'm off then. You all take care then." I say giving them one more smile. 

 

"Stay safe." They all say.

 

"Thanks. Goodbye." I say with a wave and head towards the mountains with my koto on my back. 

 

The wind brushes against my cheek as I ride towards the horizon, the village that's so dear to me slowly disappears behind me, and so my journey resumes as winter slowly comes to an end. I'm leaving behind the village that I made so much happy memories in, the place where I interacted with my first love. I'm leaving behind Sesshomaru because I want to  remember the happy times.