I open my eyes to the brown of my ceiling, I stretch and my back cracks, it feels nice. I yawn and I sit up. Another day and another travel, but I'm anticipating it a lot. I let Atamashi hop around my room as I quickily go wash up, after washing up I return back to my room. When I open my door, I see something zipping from mid air to the ground. It surprised me. Turns out it's Atamashi, he managed to lift himself off of the ground but wasn't able to maintain long enough in the air.

"Atamashi! You're so close to flying! Amazing job! You'll be flying in no time. Come on let's go eat some breakfast and head off to see Naraku." I say picking him up.

I grab my stuff and head out to the eating hall, my parents and Sazanami are already seated. I sit down in my spot.

"Morning, are everything packed for your trip?" I ask them.

"Yes we are everything's on the carriage, and you?" My father asks me.

"I don't have much to take with me, I'm coming back in two days." I say to them.

"Right, as always, be careful on the way there and home." My mother says.

"You guys as well." I reply with a smile and a nod.

We ate our breakfast quickily so that we can get an early start on our seperate trips. After strapping my bundle on Boshi's saddle I hop on, my parents and Sazanami get on their carriages with a few servants to accompany them.

"Well, guess we'll be seeing each other in two weeks time." Sazanami says to me.

"Yes, make sure you enjoy the trip, the road there and when you get there. Many wonders awaits you." I say to her.

"I will. Take care of yourself alright. We'll see you soon." She says with a smile.

"It's time for you to take control of this house  with our absence, eventually, you'll be the master of this house when we leave. We trust you___________, you're a grown up now. Responsibilities are now laid upon you, I know you'll be a young woman with a lot of potential. Take care dear." My mother says with a smile.

"Thanks mother, I will." I reply.

I give my father a nod and with a snap of our reigns, we head off towards the exit, and when we reach the outskirt, we head off into opposite direction towards our desired destination. I gallop on the gravel laced road, my hair is flying behind me. Atamashi is snugged cozily in my kimono. Hours go by and the sun is starting to set, but I suppose Boshi rested well last night, he's galloping faster today. At this rate I think we'll get there an hour earlier than last time. The sky is pale blue with a slight lace of orange in the distance, I arrive in the forest area and tie Boshi to another tree surrounded by luscious grass. I take the bundle with me and walk through the serene forest filled with the voices of nature. In no time, I return to the all so familiar Cherry Blossom Tree, when I arrive, I smile as I see the person standing underneath it looking up at the flowers. As I see his flawless presence I feel an overwhelming feeling deep inside, perhaps I know what it is. I then walk towards the center of the attention in this majestic land. As I get closer, Naraku turns around as he senses my presence. When I see his eyes I almost stop in my track, but I regain my composure and wave to him. He smiles.

"Guess I made it earlier than last time huh?" I say as I stop in front of him.

"Yes, the sun is still setting. Nice to see you again." He says.

"Ya, nice seeing you again too. Thanks for being here this time. Were you waiting long?" I ask him.

"No, I practically live here remember?" He replies with a subtle smile.

"Right, how did I forget. Oh good news, Atamashi flew in the air today." I say taking out Atamashi and handing him to Naraku.

"He did? He must be fully recovered soon." Naraku says smoothing out Atamashi's head.

"Yes, he should be ready to fly the next time I come back here. He could only stay in the air for a few seconds, but he's almost ready." I say with a smile.

Naraku looks at Atamashi, he looks absolutely flawless. But as I examine is expression deeper, I can see a slight furrow on his brows. As I look at the sun that is still in the process of setting, the sky is still bright. I got an idea.

"Hey Naraku?" I ask him.

"Yes__________?" He responds looking back at me.

"Since it's still bright outside, how about let's go take a dip in the stream. The weather is pretty warm, what do you say?" I ask him.

"A dip?" He asks me confused.

Right, he probably doesn't know the meaning of that word. Also, he's a demon so he probably doesn't require a lot of humanly needs.

"It's another word for taking a swim. I understand that demons might not do these kind of things often but I think it's a nice time for one before the sun sets. So you up for it?" I ask him.

I feel like a little kid trying to persuade an older sibling to do something or go somewhere with me, but I don't really feel embarrassed. I feel like I'm giving a pleading look but then Naraku smiles.

"Sure, let's go take a "dip" at the stream." He replies.

"Great! I brought towels with me. Thought I could put it to use, also, I think it will be relaxing." I say to him.

I then take his hand in mine without thinking, for some reason, I feel that his hand fits mine. The grooves and curves of our hands, his hand slightly cool to the touch but it feels soothing, Naraku doesn't pull away. I take us to the stream that I remember, it's beautiful under the flaming orange of the sky. As we arrive, I release Naraku's hand, I place one of the towel down and wrap Atamashi inside.  He has grown attached to me so I know he won't hop away. As I look at the stream, a thought comes into mind. I feel a slight heat come to my cheeks, yes, I forgot something.
I turn around to look at Naraku, he's looking at the water without moving.

"Uhm, I guess we should start discarding our kimono first before heading in. You want to go in first or I?" I ask him.

"It's something uncomfortable for you isn't it? Or is it something that humans do when they see each other...bare?" He asks me with a slight confused expression.

"Uh... well, it's kind of a modest thing or respect for each other. It's kind of a thing between men and women." I explain to him.

"I see. I suppose I'll go in first then, I'll then give you your privacy before you come in just like how you gave me my pivacy that day when you gave me this kimono." Naraku says.

"Oh right, alright yea, thanks." I say with a smile.

Naraku nods and we both turn around, I hear the slight rustling of his kimono. I then hear the gentle sound of the water rippling, I take that as a signal for me.

"I'll be looking the other way, you don't need to worry." I hear him say behind me.

I take a deep breath, I feel really embarrassed but I shouldn't be? I slowly take off my red kimono, and then shed the inner clothes. I realize that I could use it to cover my front as I enter into the water, I hold the white inner kimono to my chest, and I turn around. Naraku is looking the other way as he's sitting in the middle of the gentle flowing stream. His long black hair flowing in th stream like black silk, his broad fair shoulder gleaming in the water. I gently step into the water, it's cool I feel goosebumps raising on my skin. I remember Naraku telling me that Demons don't feel cold or hot, I take a deep breath and in no time I get use to the cool water. My white kimono is swaying in the water as I wade towards him.

"So how do you like the feeling?" I ask him.

Naraku turns around and I see his eyes, he looks, serene.

"It's relaxing, thanks for telling me about this." He says with a smile.

"This is nothing to be thankful about, it's nice to feel the calming water at times." I say as I look at him.

Naraku shows me a gentle nod and he looks up at the sky. For some reason, I'm not thinking much about us being bare and being in the water together. As I see his face, his eyes are travelling along the sky. I want him to try something.

"Hey Naraku." I say his name quietly.

He looks down at me upon hearing his name.  His eyebrows slightly raised in curiosity.

"Let's try something a bit more, relaxing." I say to him.

"How?" He asks me.

"They say that in order to be completely relaxed, your mind has to be like calm water. Water is continuously flowing, it has raging moments but only under circumstances. Most of the time it's calm, so we should try to become like the water." I say to him.

"You know quite a lot." He says.

"Well not really, it's just a saying that I heard and read in readings when I was younger. Let's try it out." I say to him with a smile.

"How?" He asks me again.

"Well, first we need to take a deep breath of air. I'm not sure about you though but I need to, then we submerge our heads underwater. When we're underwater, all the sounds around us are muted. So when we submerge, empty out your mind, and let the quietness calm you. You ready?" I ask him.

"I'm ready if you are." Naraku says looking into my eyes.

"I am, close your eyes when you're underwater alright, don't think to much or you'll want to surface due to lack of oxygen that you may experience. Or not." I say with a slight laugh.

With our eyes mentally counting down, I take a deep breath and we both submerge our heads simultaneously. I close my eyes as I feel the cool water surround my face, I can feel my long black hair flowing around me. I empty out my mind, no sounds were heard, just muffled silence of my own heartbeat. I don't want to think of anything right now, but unconsciously, Naraku comes into mind. I open my eyes and I look through the blurry water, I see Naraku in front of me. His eyes are closed and his face is calm and serene, I smile as I see him at peace. As I gaze at him, I forgot about the lack of oxygen problem. I feel that overwhelming feeling again deep in my heart, I close my eyes again to try and block out that feeling but when I managed to calm my mind. I realized what it is, I open my eyes again and look back at Naraku through the cloud of my hair. This feeling that I've been having whenever I see or think of Naraku, I realize it's love. I love... Naraku. Just as I realize that, I gasp. The oxygen dilemma fills my mind, I guess my sudden panic interrupted the stillness of the water and Naraku's eyes slowly open. He slowly looks at me and when I see his eyes, I feel my love rising for him again. Within the clear blue water, his ruby eyes glistens. Lacking oxygen I lift my head out of the water, I shake my head and wipe the water away from my face. My hair is matted to my shoulder and face, Naraku lifts his head out of the water too. He wipes the water away from his face, after I recover I look at Naraku. The water droplets laces his long eyeslashes, his fair flawless skin glistening in the setting sun. How could I not have fallen in love with him? I might have already fell in love with him that day that he saved me, I just wish I realized it sooner.

"You alright?" He asks me.

"Yea, I guess I just have a low lung capacity. How was the feeling?" I ask him.

"It's not a surprise that you started to lack oxygen, we are different after all. You can do things that I can't and I can that you couldn't. The feeling, it was very relaxing, soothing. I actually felt at peace." Naraku says with a smile.

"That's wonderful. I want you to have a moment all to yourself, a moment to erase everything from your mind, the stress, worries, and so forth and just be in this moment." I say to him.

"Thank you for that, ever since meeting you, you have been helping me alot with what I'm going through. What I've experienced just now, it, I don't think it was because of the water that helped me relax. It was your presence and you being here that I feel that made me feel at peace." Naraku says looking at me with his ruby eyes.

As I hear those words from him, I feel my cheeks heating up slowly. I'm at a lost of words, but deep down I feel happy. I smile.

"I'm happy you feel that way, it means a lot to me." I tell him.

"Although I know I have this feeling but I know nothing about feelings. I feel that what I knew before has all disappeared along with my past." Naraku says.

"Hey, it's ok. It's something that we can learn over time. I can teach you. Let's get out of the water first, the sun is beginning to set. Let's have a conversation before sleeping." I say to him.

Naraku looks at me and nods. Holding my white kimono in front of me still, I exit out of the water. Naraku and I dry off with the towels and dress up in our kimonos, I wring out the water of my white inner kimono. Holding Atamashi in his hands, the two of us walk back to the Cherry Blossom Tree as the sky slowly turns navy blue. The moon is out and illuminates the land around us, the fireflies are out again and their glowing yellow aura fills the space like floating stars. I lay one of the large blankets out onto the ground, I spread my damp white kimono out so that it can dry overnight.

"Let's sit down on these, it's more comfortable than sleeping on the grass." I say to him with a smile.

Naraku looks at it, he kneels down and let Atamashi hop off his hands first. He then sits down onto the soft towel, he glides his hand along the wool.

"Comfortable isn't it?" I ask him.

Naraku nods. I then lay the other big towel over his lap and then my own, we're sitting across from each other so it's easy. Atamashi hops around on the towel, I smile at the cuteness.

"You look really happy." Naraku quietly says.

I turn to look at me, and I smile. If only you know the true reason as to why I'm happy.

"I am, I'm happy in this moment right now. Under the night sky in this gentle breeze and under this beautiful tree, with Atamashi and you." I tell him, not telling him the true reason.

"So happiness is when you're in a place of beauty?" He asks me.

"I suppose you can feel happiness in a place of beauty. True happiness though, I believe, is when you're in a place of beauty with people who are important to you." I say.

"So I'm important to you?" He asks me again.

Did I just make it obvious? I feel a slight heat rush to my cheeks. He's not wrong, I love him. So yes, he is important to me.

"Yes, you are someone important in my life aside from my family and some friends that I met a few years back. I'm happy because I'm spending time with you in this beautiful place." I tell him with a smile.

"All those feelings, I want to understand them more." He says.

I'll be happy to tell you. I want you to understand them and know them bit by bit. Then hopefully, one day my feelings.

"Human emotions are quite complex and it seems endless. But, the most common ones are, happy, sad, anger, loneliness, longing, confusion, hate, and love." I say.

Naraku's brows furrows slightly like he's deep in thought, his ruby eyes looks at the ground slightly and then back at me.

"Love... I've heard of that feeling a lot, but never have I understood it or what it feels like. I heard it's the most important emotion. What is it and what does it feel like?" He asks me.

What I'm feeling towards you right now Naraku, is love. I'll just have to describe it to him the best I can without revealing my own feelings.

"Yes, they say that love is the most important feelings of all, yet, it is also the most complicated. Love is a feeling you experience for yourself, but what love is, is that it's a feeling you feel towards someone else or thing. How I would describe love is. It's confusing at first because the majority never experienced it. But when you realize it, it's beautiful. It's an overwhelming feeling of happiness, you feel your heart drops and then beat fast when you see that person. In your eyes, that person is flawless and perfect. You feel an embrace of warmth near your heart when you're in love. They say that for the one you love, you would do anything for them. Nothing is too much when it comes to them, even if it means protecting them with your life." I say as I look at Naraku.

I feel as I'm completely in my own world right now, Naraku's eyes holds me with its beauty. At this point I believe I'm more in love with him than I thought. Naraku shows a gentle smile as he listens to my explanation.

"So that's what love feels like. You also said that it's the most complicated as well." He says.

I'm suddenly snapped back into reality, I pull my eyes away from his and look up at the night sky. I take a deep breath.

"Yes, love is beautiful, but it can also hurt you. Love is something that you'll know for sure when you come to realize it, but, love has to be a mutual thing. You may feel love, but if it's not reciprocated by the other person, that's an aspect that can hurt you. What hurts the most is when the person that you love, loves someone else. That's when "heartache" comes into play. When you feel love for someone, it won't just go away when you want it to. It lingers, so no matter how much you want to forget about that person one day, you will always have that lingering feeling of love for them somewhere in your heart." I say as I look up at the stars thinking about my own affections for Naraku.

"The way you explain what love is, sounds like you've been in love or are in love." Naraku says.

My eyes goes wide slightly at his observation, I slowly lower my head and look at him. I slowly show him a smile.

"Yes...I'm in love." I tell him.

"This person must be really special to you then. you're eyes seem to light up when you explained it to me just now." He says as he observes my eyes.

"They say that when you're in love, your eyes light up too when you see them." I say.

Naraku's eyes suddenly seem to widen a little. I realized that I might have given myself away. I quickily clear my throat and let out a yawn, it's the very first tactic I could think of to throw off this conversation. I let out an embarassed laugh. Naraku's eyes return to his usual calm expression again and nods.

"My parents and my "big sister" Sazanami are away on a two week travel, so I'm technically home by myself, well with my maids and groundskeepers." I say exhaling.

"Why didn't you go with them?" He asks me.

"Because I told them that I have this friend that I'm visiting, so they respected my wish."  I tell him with a gentle smile.

"Do you feel lonely?" He asks me.

I look at him as I hear his question, I then shake my head slowly.

"No, because I get to spend time with a dear friend." I tell him.

Naraku smiles as I tell him that.

"Like you promised me that first day that we met, you kept me company all this time, so whenever you feel lonely, come and find me. I'll keep you company." He says.

I feel my heart stop for a second as I hear his words, but I find my composure again. I don't think he feels anything for me except gratefulness, I'm alright with that if it means being close to him. I don't mind loving him silently.

"Thanks Naraku." I tell him.

"You know, lately, I've been having this warm feeling deep in my chest and I don't really know what it means. But I hope that I'll be able to figure it out now that you've explained some of these feelings to me." He says.

He's feeling warmth in his heart, perhaps he's feeling something that I am? But I won't grasp onto that hope too strongly in case I'm wrong.

"I hope you'll be able to figure it out soon, don't let go of it. I'm sure that when you know what it is, it will be beautiful. The stars are beautiful tonight, lets observe them for a while before going to sleep." I suggest.

"Sure." He responds.

We both look up at the night sky, tilting our heads up. After a few seconds, my neck is getting sore. I look down at Naraku, he's still looking up.

"Hey Naraku, let's try this." I say.

Naraku looks back down at me slightly confused. I smile. I get up and sit beside Naraku, his eyes following every one of my movements. Till know, Naraku has followed all of my suggestions, and I'm thankful for that. After sitting down, I pat my lap. Naraku looks at me still confused.

"Lay your head on my lap." I say to him.

"Why, wouldn't that feel uncomfortable after a while?" He asks me.

When I'm with you, nothing will feel uncomfortable anymore. I shake my head.

"No, I'll be fine. Try it, this way, my lap can act as a pillow. Also, looking upwards only allows you to see the stars in a concentrated amount. But if you look out and further, you can see more of the sky and the stars. Not to mention more comfortable, just try it." I say with a gentle giggle.

Naraku looks at me and nods, he turns his body slightly and he slowly lays his head down onto my lap, I then take the other towel and lay it across us. I then lean my back against the Cherry Tree's smooth trunk, and we look out into the distance. The grass covers the land and the stars laces the clear sky. It's a scenery with both the benefit the heaven and earth.

"How is it?" I ask him after a few seconds.

"It's comfortable and relaxing. You're right, I can see more of the stars this way, not to mention I can see the mountains and grass." He says quietly.

"Sometimes, trying something different than what we're accustomed too can lead to something more, of course risks are applied." I say.

Naraku turns his head back up and looks up at the cherry blossoms, I gaze down at his face.

"Do people do this when they're in love?" He asks me.

"Do what?" I ask him confused.

Naraku shifts his eyes to me, his ruby eyes blazing into mine. He shows me a gentle smile.

"Laying heads on each other's laps." He says.

I smile but shake my head.

"Well, yes, people who are in love do this and hug, they kiss too. But this, no, friends do this as well." I say with a giggle.

Naraku nods and slowly shifts his eyes again back to the flowers.

"Let's get some rest, goodnight Naraku." I say.

"Goodnight________." He replies looking back at me.

Naraku then closes his eyes, his long dark eyelashes are motionless as his breathing becomes rhythmic. I gaze at him, admiring his flawless features and aura. I lift my left hand up and I hover above his fair cheek, but I stop myself. Remembering that demons has keen senses, he might wake up with the slightest touch. I retreat my hands and I lean my head back against the tree trunk, I gaze out at the stars and slowly my heavy eyelids close. As I feel myself slowly fading into slumber, I feel something soft gently glide along my right cheek. I remember there's no night breeze before falling asleep, and it doesn't feel like my hair this time. It was distinct, it felt like skin. Before I can think anymore, everything fades away as my sleep takes over me.