A week goes by, the snow has finally stopped, but the snow that has fallen still glistens on the ground. A month is almost over, and winter becomes a bit closer to its end. I have managed to finish the song that I started a week ago, I also composed another song, it's a special song for a special occasion. I wake up one day with a stretch and a smile on my face. The morning and afternoon goes on as usual, I go and wash up, braid my hair and help out around the village. When the late afternoon comes, I head to the big hut, Kagome, Sango, and Lady Kaede were cooking up a feast. I helped them out and talked and smiled. 

 

"I'll go get Rin, I think it's about time?" I asked Sango. 

 

"Yea, it's almost ready, the guys should be back soon as well." Sango says setting out bowls and plates.

 

I go out and fetch Rin,she was busy this morning looking after Sango's twins and son with Shippo. She went back to her room when the afternoon came around. I arrive at her hut and lift up the curtain.

 

"Hey Rin, Happy Birthday!" I say to her as I walked in.

 

"Thank you____________!!" She says turning from her mirror and smiling at me."

 

I stop in front of her and kneel down. She's holding a brush and on the little table behind her is a gold hair pin with a dove on it. 

 

"Did Lord Sesshomaru drop by earlier?" I asked with a smile.

 

"Yes he did, he gave me this hair pin as a birthday present, he wished me a happy birthday and left." Rin says looking at the hairpin.

 

"It's beautiful, you should wear it to dinner, I think it fits the occasion perfectly. It would be nice to have Lord Sesshomaru here to celebrate your birthday as well. You're turning 18 today, into an adult. I think this hairclip is a perfect gift to show that." I say taking the hairclip and looking at it.

 

"You're right, unfortunately, Lord Sesshomaru's not on the best of terms with the others. Uhm____________ can I ask you to style my hair before we go?" Rin asks me.

 

"Of course, it's been a long time hasn't it?" I say with a bright smile.

 

Rin turns around and I take the brush and brush her hair.

 

"Rin, since you're an adult now. Have you thought of marriage?" I asked her remembering the way my mother asked me on my birthday.

 

"I haven't really, Lady Kaede, Sango, and Kagome have mentioned it a few times to me before when I was younger. They would say that I would find a nice young man and fall in love as I get older. I never gave it much thought because I was young, but I suppose I should start thinking about it now since I'm at that age." Rin says quietly.

 

"I understand how you feel Rin, my mother asked me the same question on my birthday. I told her it's not something that I want right now because I have goals that I want to accomplish first, and that was to travel. My parents didn't force me, but I don't know what Kagome, Lady Kaede, and Sango would think in this matter. I suppose the important thing is, love and marriage isn't something to be rushed. Don't force yourself to fall in love if you don't feel like it, and don't put marriage in priority if you can't find love before it. Alright?" I say to Rin while pinning the last braid of her hair into a flower.

 

"You're right___________, I'll give it some more thoughts." Rin says turning to me.

 

Her hair is styles into a more mature look, but still show her youthfulness. It's sectioned into three parts, I twisted the two top sections back into curls and pinned it back, I let the bottom layer freely fall over her shoulders and gave her a few braids and pinned some up in shapes of flowers. 

 

"Beautiful, now can't forget this special gift from Lord Sesshomaru." I say taking the hair pin and placed it gently into her hair. 

 

"Thank you__________." Rin says hugging me.

 

"Come on let's go, they're all waiting for us now probably." I say standing up and taking her hand. 

 

We both ran back to big hut, Miroku and Inuyasha came back as well. We celebrate Rin's birthday with a big feast, we all gav her a birthday present. Inuyasha and Miroku got her lip colors and make up respectively, Sango gives Rin a small decorates handheld mirror. Kagome and Lady Kaede both gives her a new kimono that they worked on together. Shippo gave her a handmade necklace, I on the other hand performed the special song that I composed last night. We all had so much fun together, it's a special day for Rin. It's important to make her feel she has her family with her celebrating this special day. After the party, Miroku and Sango took their children and headed to bed after bidding us goodnight. Inuyasha turned in as well with Shippo behind him. Rin, Kagome, Lady Kaede and I stayed behind and had tea. We talked about fun things together and then Lady Kaede asks Rin something.

 

"Rin, since you are an adult now, marriage is a topic to be considering soon." Lady Kaede says softly to her.

 

"I know Lady Kaede, ___________ actually talked with me about it earlier as well. She says it's not something that should be forced if I can't love first." Rin says. 

 

"I suppose it's true that love and marriage shouldn't be forced. But in this era, it's better to marry off in your youth as soon as you reach adulthood. I suppose it just leaves it up to fate. Also, since you're an adult now, have you thought about it if you wanted to stay or go with Lord Sesshomaru?" Kagome asks Rin. 

 

I look at Rin and she's looking at her hands, I can feel uncertainty in her expression.

 

"I'm not sure anymore, I've grown to love you all and I also care about Lord Sesshomaru, so this is a very difficult situation. I think I need more time to think it through." Rin says looking torn.

 

"Don't worry about it Rin, you have all the time in the world to decide, no one's going to force you choose right away. I'm sure Lord Sesshomaru will understand." I say giving her back a gentle rub. 

 

"________'s right Rin, it's just a something to think about. You can always choose to live as you are now." Kagome says giving Rin's hand a squeeze.

 

Rin nods.

 

"Time solves everything, now to important matters. Tomorrow, Kagome and I are to visit a village and meet with the lords of the town to purify the village's local shrine. It's a 2 week assignment Rin would you like to come along and see the outside world?" Lady Kaede asks.

 

"I would love to accompany you Lady Kaede and Kagome!" Rin says with a smile. 

 

"Alright, Inuyasha maybe coming as well just for backup. Miroku will stay and carry on his job, guess you're stuck with babysitting the kids again_________. " Kagome says with a small laugh. 

 

"Don't worry about it, helping Sango out is a must. Being a mother isn't easy." I say with a laugh.

 

We all laugh and then get up.

 

"Alright, let's head to bed then, we'll get you tomorrow then Rin. Goodnight and Happy birthday again." Lady Kaede says with a smile.

 

"Thank you! And of course." Rin says and walks out.

 

"You going to the fields again?" Kagome asks me. 

 

"Yes, it's a must in my daily routine." I say with a laugh.

 

"Alright, rest early though." Kagome says giving my shoulder a pat. 

 

Kagome and Lady Kaede exited the hut, and cleaned up the tea table. Grabbed my koto and headed for the field. The talk actually lasted longer than I thought. The snow crunches below my feet as I head to the field, telling me that it's crystallizing and will met soon. I arrive at the field and I take a sweep around the area, sitting against the same tree is Sesshomaru looking up at the night sky. I smiled and walk up to him and sit down against the same tree that's beside him.

 

"Rin was really happy when you dropped by to give her your birthday present, it would've been nice if you stayed and celebrated with us." I said looking up at the sky as well. 

 

"Like I said last time, interacting with humans isn't exactly a hobby of mine." He says flatly as always.

 

"I remember that, but for Rin, you could've at least stayed for a little while." I said looking at him.

 

"I never stay too long in the village because I'm not fond of it, I prefer peace and quiet." Sesshomaru says. 

 

"Like this field?" I ask him.

 

"I suppose so..." Sesshomaru says quietly and looks up at the moon.

 

"I like this field too, ever since arriving at this village, I come here every night to play my koto so I won't bother the others as they sleep. The open and vast field allows me to clear my mind and play to my hearts content without fear." I say with a smile. 

 

"I noticed." Sesshomaru say turning to look at me.

 

Our eyes met once again when I turn to look at him. There is a brief moment of silence. 

 

"Uhm by the way, I managed to finish the song that I showed you last time. Would you like to hear it?" I ask him.

 

Sesshomaru without blinking or fazed turns forward and closes his eyes.

 

"Doesn't matter to me." He says leaning his head back against the tree trunk. 

 

I smiled and place my koto on my lap and begin to play the new song. As I played, I closed my eyes and begin to clear my mind, although I say clear, there is something just faintly in the back of my mind. I focused all my emotions into the song, and when I almost finished, I opened my eyes. I turn my head gently and glance at Sesshomaru, I gazed at his side profile with his eyes closed. The moonlight shining on his white hair and porcelain skin. He looks so peaceful. As I finished the song and strummed the last note, the confusion that I felt towards Sesshomaru finally resolved. I thought it was love, admiration, curiousity, and being in debt to him. All of those feelings swirled in my mind, but in the end it is love the surpasses all of them. I fell in love with Sesshomaru, long before I even knew it. The song that I wrote in the end is a love song, from me to him. It's a love song that only I know but hidden from him. 

 

"How was it?" I asked.

 

Sesshomaru slowly opens his eyes and looks forward.

 

"I suppose the title of musician fits you." He says with a small smile without looking at me. 

 

I feel so happy to hear him say that.

 

"Thank you Lord Sesshomaru. I appreciate it."  I say with a smile.

 

Sesshomaru replies with a "hmmm". 

 

I look forward and up at the moon, I don't think he knows about Rin's discussion of marriage and her departure for the two week trip tomorrow.

 

"Uhm Lord Sesshomaru, I just want to let you know that Rin's going on a 2 week trip tomorrow with Lady Kaede and Kagome." I said leaving out the marriage part thinking it's not important right now.

 

"I see." He replies without fazing.

 

I look back up at the moon and bring my knees to my chest. I realize that sleep is slowly creeping up on me, but I want to stay awake and take this time to talk to him.

 

"Rin's such a beautiful young girl, now that she's an adult, she has a whole life in front of her. So much happiness awaits her in the future. She had so much experience in her past, good and bad, but in the end she found people who cares deeply for her... How I wish I can be her age again." I say without knowing and my eyes slowly feeling heavy. 

 

Without knowing, my eyes closes on their own, and my head rested onto my knees. Sleepiness takes over me and the world disappears into darkness. As I fall deeper in slumber, unconsciously I can feel a disant warmth on the left side of my body for a for a while, he leaves a while later but I can feel the lingering warmth. I didn't feel cold although I know I fell asleep outside in the fields. I don't know how long time has gone by, but I manage to wake up eventually. I lift up my head from my knees and look up and into the distance. The moon has moved and the sky is slowly turning a bit brighter.

 

"It's almost dawn?" I asked myself.

 

I look to my side where he is, but he isn't there anymore.

 

"He left... well not a surprise, a few hours went by and I fell asleep while talking to him. Guess I better head back before I really catch a cold." I say feeling a bit down. 

 

I get up slowly and something fell from my shoulders. I look down at the ground and my eyes went wide. I picked it up and it's fabric meets my skin. It's the blanket that I gave Sesshomaru the last time I saw him. He must've placed it around me after I fell asleep. I feel my heart beating faster and warmth fills me."

 

"Thank you for showing me your kindness Sesshomaru..." I whisper quietly with a smile.