Tatsuhana wiped the sweat from her brow. She lowered her arms and placed the wooden practice back on the wall. Her muscles were not used to the exercise anymore. It had been over a year since she picked one up, a few years since she practiced with her dad and several months since she did any exercise at all outside of biking. Of course, biking everyone was more a matter of necessity than choice. Cars were expensive. Even with two jobs, she wouldn't have been able to afford filling it up, maintaining it, or cover the insurance. Where would she put anyway? There weren't a lot of spaces in her neighborhood.

She climbed into the shower in the guest room. The hot water soothed every ache in her body. When she climbed out, her phone rang on the bed, where she left it. Tatsuhana stepped out of the bathroom wearing roomy sweatpants, a tank top, and a towel turban around her head. She picked up her phone, which was blaring her friend's caller ID ringtone. Tatsuhana answered it.

"Oh my god, I'm so bored out here!" Came Maiko's voice.

Tatsuhana stifled her laugh to little effect. By the sounds of it, Maiko wasn't enjoying her short vacation in the countryside.

"It's good to hear from you, too," said Tatsuhana.

Sesshomaru had been racking his brain for the past week while Rin grew more sullen. She wasn't behaving poorly; she knew better. However, Rin became more distant and spent a lot more time in her room. It was a sudden shift in personality that Sesshomaru didn't like. He especially didn't like the fact that he was responsible for it.

He began to wonder if he reacted too aggressively after the park incident. Tatsuhana had no experience in dealing with criminals and had no idea that the Band of Seven would start following her. She didn't post her schedule for the criminals to find. There was no harm done to Rin because of Tatsuhana's quick thinking. Rin became morose after being told that Tatsuhana would not be seeing her any time soon. Sesshomaru thought he was doing right by his child in keeping her away from a danger magnet like Tatsuhana. He watched Rin closely throughout the week when he was able. The change was subtle at first but slowly became more visible before his very eyes. There was a little twinge in his stomach. It was the closest thing to guilt that he would ever get.

Tatsuhana's negligence might have gotten Rin hurt or, worse, dead. Yet, he couldn't 'stay' mad at her. Since the incident, his temper cooled. He no longer felt the way he did before. Sesshomaru might even confess to saying that she didn't have any control over what happened that day and couldn't have predicted the Band of Seven. On the other hand, he'd likely never say it to her face.

At least, until today.

"Rin, would you like to visit your grandparents?"

Rin looked up from her coloring book. She didn't say anything, but she showed him her brightest, most honest smile.

She moved the call from the guest room to the living room. The four walls were starting to close in on her. Tatsuhana didn't talk much on the phone, mostly she listened. She inwardly cringed at the phone bill next month. Maiko was a city-girl trapped inside her grandparents' rural small town. Maiko made it seem like she was on the other side of the world instead of Shiretoko in Hokkaido. It was getting warmer up there by now even though it'd been hot and sticky here down south. Tatsuhana listened to all the things that Maiko hated about the countryside from the lack of shopping malls to the insistent chirping of bugs. More bugs than she was used to, that is to say. Maiko also didn't get a chance to pack better summer clothes, having been used to wearing business suits most of the time. According to Maiko, she was stuck with some of her mother's old clothes, which included a pair of overalls, a garment Maiko always had an expressed loathing for.

"I can't wait to get back to civilization!" Maiko nearly screamed into Tatsuhana's ear.

Tatsuhana listened patiently to Maiko's ranting when she picked up something else. Footsteps were entering the house. Mrs. Taisho was out in the garden, and her husband was putting in extra hours at work.

"Maiko, can I call you back?"

"Sure, what is it? They haven't followed you where you're staying, have they?"

"No, I don't think so," said Tatsuhana.

She rose from the couch and said good-bye to Maiko. She didn't know how well she'd be able to keep her promise to call back later. Tatsuhana rubbed the coin necklace at her throat with her thumb. It was a habit she picked up again after her first unfortunate meeting with Bankotsu. Tatsuhana crept towards the foyer.

"Miss Hana!" Rin shouted.

The little girl ran to her and wrapped her arms around Tatsuhana's legs. Tatsuhana ruffled Rin's hair before turning to Sesshomaru.

"Mr. Taisho," said Tatsuhana curtly.

"Is my step-mother around?" He asked.

Tatsuhana furrowed her brows. While not outwardly vicious, Sesshomaru always displayed an air of cold indifference towards his step-mother. Tatsuhana wasn't feeling curious enough to ask the 'why.' Instead, she directed him to the garden. Rin did not follow. Apparently, the business Sesshomaru had to discuss with Mrs. Taisho was 'grownup business,' as he put it for Rin. He left his daughter in Tatsuhana's hands for the time being.

"I'm to do what?" Sesshomaru gaped.

Izayoi patted down some fresh soil around her rose bush while Kaede helped water and fertilize the other plants. Sesshomaru counted on the old woman's hearing to match her age.

"I think you heard me quite clearly, Sesshomaru. If you want Tatsuhana to change her opinion of you, you have to apologize. You've been a real beast towards her despite everything bad happening right now. Her family's inn is shut down, she's out of work, and she has a violent gang following her through parks. The last thing she needs is to have someone tear her down even more. I'd say you've been downright cruel to her."

"What if she doesn't accept my apology? I would have embarrassed myself for nothing," said Sesshomaru.

Izayoi rolled her eyes. "I didn't think you thought so low of her. Tatsuhana is a lovely soul, even if she doesn't express it like most people do. It would do you well to put some effort into pretending you care about her feelings."

"She's right, you know, Sesshomaru. Ms. Hamasaki is a lot like you in some ways. She puts up a barrier around her feelings because I suspect that she was hurt by someone. She isn't, however, cruel or unforgiving, as far as I can tell. It would be wise to listen to a woman's advice concerning another woman," said Kaede.

"I have to apologize?" Sesshomaru was more incredulous this time.

He hated apologizing; it always made him feel like he'd done something wrong. Worse yet, it made him feel just a little bit like a human. Sesshomaru, the Killing Perfection, could not afford to even so much as appear weak or vulnerable. But stronger than his resistance to admitting he was wrong was Rin's happiness. Rin smiled more often and more brightly when Tatsuhana was around. Only to himself, Sesshomaru admitted that it had been a mistake keeping them separated. Despite the park incident, Tatsuhana was an excellent caregiver, and Rin never before opened up like she did around her. He would have to keep Rin's well-being at the forefront of his mind when he apologized.

"Is there anything else?" His tone was more snide than he meant, but it did feel good.

"Grovel," suggested Kaede. "I recommend groveling."

Sesshomaru's jaw tightened. He was undoubtedly above 'that.' Without another word, Sesshomaru turned on his heels and headed back into the house. He followed the lengthy maze of corridors and open rooms to return to the main living room. He paused at the doorway when he heard Tatsuhana speak somberly. Sesshomaru arrived at the door at the tail end of a conversation she was having with Rin.

"You must never say that about your father, Rin. Never, ever," Tatsuhana scolded.

"But he won't let me see you! It's not fair. I hate him!"

"You cannot say that. Some of Dad's out there are really bad, but your dad's trying to do what's right by you. I put us both in a lot of danger last week when I took you to the park. You shouldn't say that you hate your dad."

"But I do!"

Sesshomaru gritted his teeth. Not out of anger towards Rin or Tatsuhana, but at himself. Rin never spoke to or about him in such a manner. He wondered where she learned it from before he asked how he was going to clean up that mess.

"Rin, I'm going to tell you something, and I want you to listen carefully. You should never say that about your dad unless he does something truly awful to you. Learn from my experience. You don't want your last words to your dad to be 'I hate you.' It stings, and it'll follow you for a long time. I lost my dad almost seven months ago, and to this day, I regret the things I said to him before he left. I said some terrible things, and I never got the chance to apologize. I didn't get to tell him that he was right, and I never felt more sorry until I broke his heart. I couldn't take it back, nor could I say to him on his deathbed that I was sad. You won't know when you'll see your dad next, so I suggest that you think before you say such things."

Sesshomaru didn't hear Rin's reply. There was a jangling of keys. Sesshomaru stole himself away from the doorway and entered the foyer as if he was just coming from the corridor. His father lurched inside, followed by a familiar face.

"Sesshomaru, what are you doing here?" Asked Toga.

"I was letting Rin visit you, Izayoi, and Tatsuhana." Sesshomaru's eyes turned to the man stepping behind Toga. "What's he doing here?"

"Your father offered me dinner, and I humbly accepted. How is Ms. Hamasaki doing?"

Sesshomaru grit his teeth again before answering. "She's doing well, Mr. Kaazana. Thank you for asking."

"I think I'd rather hear from her directly. Where is she?"

"Right in here." Tatsuhana stepped out.

Sesshomaru saw the haziness in her eyes as if she was close to bursting into tears. He heard her short story and felt his bones tremble. Was this pity he felt? Whatever emotion he felt was quickly replaced by something else entirely. Tatsuhana brushed past Sessohmaru without ever knowing or acknowledging that he was there. Like he was a ghost. Her eyes were glued onto Kaazana for some reason. She bowed to him. 'Bowed.' To 'him' of all people. Sour bile rose in Sesshomaru's throat. Tatsuhana never smiled so sweetly at him as she did with that author. Sesshomaru couldn't see the appeal of a man who wrote smut for a living.

"Daddy?" Rin appeared at his side.

Hesitantly, she wrapped her little arms around him, not even able to encircle him. Rin looked up at him with her big brown eyes and said, "Can we talk for a minute? I wanna say something."

"Sesshomaru, how long have you been there?" Asked Tatsuhana.

With her shoulders tight and arms folded across her chest, Tatsuhana's body language was hard and tense. She stared at him with slightly furrowed brows as if she was angry about something. Sesshomaru had a feeling that she might have suspected him of listening in on her conversation with Rin.

"Not long, I assure you. Excuse me, but Rin and I apparently need to have a talk."

Sesshomaru relented to Rin tugging on his wrist and followed her up the stairs. He looked over his shoulders and saw Tatsuhana standing too close to Mr. Kaazana for his liking.

Rin apologized for her behavior. Sesshomaru let her hug him as she cried, saying that she didn't want him to die. In all likelihood, it would be Rin who died before Sesshomaru. She was a mere human and Sesshomaru being a pure-blooded demon. The whole time he wondered what happened in Tatsuhana's past. He heard glimpses of it, but there were details she skipped over so Rin could understand. He should have thanked her, at least. It would make what he had to do a little bit easier. Apologizing would be the bitter pill he had to swallow to get rid of this nauseating, nagging 'thing' growing in the pit of his stomach. It would get Rin back to her usual self. He just had to sit through dinner and wait until afterward before pulling her aside.

The bad thing was sitting at the table across from her and Miroku Kaazana. Sesshomaru considered them awfully chatty for two people who just met. Tatsuhana might have been talking to Miroku based on getting a job doing cover art for his books. Still, Sesshomaru didn't like the look the latter was giving. He'd seen many human men in his lifetime. Though he mostly stayed away from their species, Sesshomaru knew enough about them to know when the male of the herds desired the female.

Miroku's eyes were fixed on her as if nothing could tear his gaze away; it was annoying how he looked at her. He looked relaxed around Tatsuhana like they were best friends or something. Whatever it was that humans called each other. However, Sesshomaru rarely heard or seen successful 'friendships' between men and women. It either ended up with them in bed together or in disaster. Sesshomaru didn't care to see how Miroku presumed it was safe to be so at ease around Tatsuhana. Perhaps he didn't know the full story? There was a chance that the smut writer didn't realize that Tatsuhana currently had a target on her back placed by the Band of Seven. And if he did know, then he was a fool. The man couldn't even hold his steak knife properly. How could he possibly defend himself and Tatsuhana against armed, dangerous men? It must have been the universe's joke.

Sesshomaru sipped his wine while trying to make his glare too obvious. Both Tatsuhana and Miroku were oblivious to the fact that the man across from watched them. Tatsuhana chatted away with a smile on her face while Miroku talked her ear off. The color red painted her cheeks. Sesshomaru saw a wine glass beside her but rarely saw her drink; he couldn't help but clench his teeth. They talked about business, books, and marketing strategies. Still, it was plain to anyone who had functioning corneas that Miroku was flirting.

Sesshomaru didn't know why it bothered him so much. He held no claim over her, and she was an adult woman. Tatsuhana was free of any obligation towards anyone. She could sleep with the man for all he cared.

Except he did care in his own way. The idea vexed him more than it should. Tatsuhana probably had a boyfriend or two in the past. After all, she was young and beautiful. Who wouldn't want to make her his? Still, the idea of her sleeping with the smut writer annoyed Sesshomaru. He didn't know why, and he didn't care to know. All that Sesshomaru knew was that he would rather see Miroku dead before he saw Tatsuhana share a bed with him. The writer had a presumptuous air about him that made liking him nigh impossible. Tatsuhana might have been thinking about business, but Miroku was trying to find a way into her pants.

Dinner mercifully ended before too long. Sesshomaru didn't doubt that if it stretched on for another hour, he would have reached over the table and strangled the man. Toga called a cab for Miroku, but it was Tatsuhana that waited with him. She wasn't even a member of the family, and she still acted like a hostess. Sesshomaru wondered if it was always about business, if she was just polite, or if hold habits from running an inn were hard to break. Sesshomaru watched the cabbie pull out from the living room window. Rin was upstairs with Izayoi getting ready for bed. Somehow, Toga convinced him to stay one night. He wasn't sure what the old man was planning, but Sesshomaru didn't like it.

"Are you going to stay here all night? If nobody's going to be in here, someone should turn off the lights." Tatsuhana appeared in the archway, leaning against the paneling.

"You and that author are getting rather close."

"It's strictly business," said Tatsuhana.

"Does he know that?"

"You sound like you don't approve."

"It's none of 'my' business. You can flirt with whomever you like," said Sesshomaru curtly.

This wasn't how apologies usually began. He thought about kicking himself, but his mouth moved before he could stop himself. Kaede's advice rang in his head.

'Grovel,' said the old woman.

As if he would stoop to that level.

"You never did answer my question, Sesshomaru," said Tatsuhana. "Were you listening in earlier? When I was talking to Rin?"

"I might have," he answered.

His response earned him an eye roll. Tatsuhana folded her arms across her chest. Her shoulders were hard and stiff, and she planted her feet. She looked him in the eye, and nobody dared to do such a thing. Not if they wanted to live. So far, Tatsuhana and all her willfulness had been the only one to survive and live to tell the tale.

"Did you or didn't you? There's no real point in lying. I knew you were standing there. It's really a matter of time before you confess."

"The story…about your father. Was it true?"

Sesshomaru remembered Tatsuhana's tone when she told Rin the story. He would hate to have Rin's apology be tainted because Tatsuhana lied to her. If it turned out that the story had been nothing more than that, he had lost a little respect for her. There was no reason to lie to a child like that, especially one so vulnerable like Rin.

Tatsuhana didn't answer. Not right away. She sat on the couch and sighed. There were a full wine glass and a bottle on the coffee table. Tatsuhana took it, downed a mouthful, and then set it down again.

"Unfortunately, yes. It is true. If you think I'm young, dumb, and naïve now, you should have seen me a year ago. I was even worse then."

Unexpectedly, Tatsuhana patted the empty seat beside her. Sesshomaru, not knowing what else to do, took it. Tatsuhana leaned on the arm of the couch with a hand against her temple. She stared off into as if she recalled memories from the void.

"The story is much longer than what I told Rin. Last year, I met someone. Being the semi-sheltered girl I was, I fell head over heels for the man. I'd never been lucky with love or boys. I pinched myself just to be sure I wasn't dreaming." Tatsuhana grabbed her glass but didn't set it back down after taking a sip. "He had a lot going for him. He was handsome, smart, talented, and he listened to everything I said. At the time, I thought he was perfect."

"You fall for a man, but then he breaks your heart, I take it? What does that have to do with your father?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I'm getting to that. We dated for a few months, and you have to imagine that I was not the first to see the warning signs until after the fact. Maiko tried to warn me, but I wouldn't listen. A few months down the line, he proposes. I'm so giddy that someone actually wanted to marry me, I didn't care that we only dated for five, six months. I was just happy someone wanted me enough to propose. So you can imagine my conservative parents' thoughts about this."

"They didn't like the man?"

Silly question, probably. Tatsuhana nodded.

"It wasn't a matter of hating him, but my parents told me that they had a suspicious feeling about him. They were set firmly against it that my father told me that he would not pay or participate in any wedding of mine to that man. I was heartbroken. That was my father, who I loved dearly. I couldn't imagine, or afford, having a wedding without him. But I was in love or thought I was. I got into a heated argument with them and said some things that…haunt me to this day." Her eyes became watery. Tatsuhana wiped away the invisible tears. "I stormed out of the house. I was going to tell him that we should elope and forget about getting my parents' blessing. We could have a simple affair at the courthouse. When I got to his apartment, I got him in the act of proposing to another girl. He forgot that I had a key to his place. I was furious when I found out that the other girl and I weren't the only ones. He performed this scam with a lot of artists in the area in the hopes of stealing our work, selling it, and collecting the profit for himself. Bastard."

She drank. Tatsuhana had been doing that a lot lately. Sesshomaru was worried it was going to become a habit.

"I spent a few days in my apartment, wallowing in my tears and shame. I said things that I don't want to repeat. Worse yet, they were right. They had been right about that man, but like a spoiled brat, I didn't listen to them. After swallowing my pride, I decided to go over to the inn and grovel at their feet. Beg for their forgiveness."

Tatsuhana swallowed hard, but she hadn't taken a drink. Her eyes turned watery again, but this time, tears flowed. Sesshomaru watched the droplets fall down her cheeks. A single tear at first, then the floodgates opened.

"But…but when I got there, ambulances were parked out the front. The last time I saw my father, he was being carried down on a stretcher. He'd been pronounced dead at the scene. My mother found him dead and suffered a heart attack at the shock of it. I was with her in the ambulance, but we didn't make it in time. I would like to think she heard me cry about how sorry I was, however, in the end, I don't know for sure." She downed the rest of her glass's contents. "And that's the story. The one time I disobeyed my parents, and they end up dying."

"You know that it was just a coincidence. You didn't actually kill your parents by disobeying them or saying cruel things to them."

Tatsuhana nodded huffing. "I know that. Makes for an unfortunate coincidence, though."

"Is all that why you stay at the inn?" Asked Sesshomaru.

She nodded again. "It's my atonement. Besides, I couldn't imagine anyone else owning the place. Somebody else would just come along and bulldoze the whole lot. That would be a crying shame."

Tatsuhana rose off the couch. She wobbled a bit, making Sesshomaru wonder how many glasses did she have before he found her in the living room. She stumbled on foot and dashed her head against the coffee table if he hadn't caught her in time.

"Um, thanks," said Tatsuhana.

Sesshomaru helped right her but then held her in place by touching her arm.

"You can let go now," she said.

"I have something to say to you, and I want you to listen closely. I'm only going to say this once," said Sesshomaru in hushed tones.

This made Tatsuhana's brow shoot up.

"About Rin…I want to…I need to tell you that I—" Sesshomaru paused to take a deep breath. "I need to tell you that I apologize for my behavior."

Tatsuhana's eyes flew open as if he asked her to bear him a son.

"Are you feeling alright? Should I call a doctor? How much did you drink tonight?" Tatsuhana reached up to feel his forehead, presumably to check if he had a fever.

Sesshomaru gently pushed her hand away.

"It takes a lot more than a glass of wine to get me drunk. In case you forgot, I'm a demon. I feel perfectly…fine. I have been informed that my behavior towards you has been beastly, and I wanted to apologize for it. However, if you're going to make fun of me for it, I take it back."

"I'm not trying to make fun of your apology, I'm just surprised," said Tatsuhana. "I'm shocked."

"You're not the only one who has to swallow their pride. It…wasn't your fault what happened to Rin. You didn't know that they would follow you, and you did a good jump in keeping her out of harm's way. I should have thanked you instead of berated you."

"So there is a person underneath that shield of ice," Tatsuhana laughed. "And I'm sorry I put her in that position. If I knew or watched my surroundings more carefully, neither of us would be where we are now."

"Do you know when you'll be able to return to your apartment?" Asked Sesshomaru.

Tatsuhana shrugged her shoulders. "Depends on how long the Band of Seven is going to have a hang-up about the inn. It could be weeks, months. Who knows? I don't know what they think is down there, but it must be worth it to harass me. I just want to go back to my classes and my apartment. I'm not used to all this…." She waved her hands, gesturing around the room.

The living room was more significant than her whole apartment. Every piece of furniture in it was more expensive than her rent.

"I'm sure you want to return to your normalcy, I suppose. It can be a bit overwhelming for someone who hasn't been surrounded by wealth their entire life. Just imagine, you'll be making enough to rent a bigger place. You are still planning on working for my father in the marketing department, right? Graphic design?"

"Oh yeah. I completely forgot about that. That can wait, can't it? Right now, I'd kill to get some fresh air."

Sesshomaru nodded. "I'm sure that could be arranged. Good night."

"Goodnight."

Sesshomaru crawled into bed, feeling none the lighter. He thought that when he apologized, he would feel better. The problem was that he not only failed to feel better, he felt worse than before. He took the bitter pill and was made sicker. He turned off the light and lay under the sheets. It occurred to him that he stayed in the guest room next to the one Tatsuhana occupied. He used the same one on the night of the party a few days ago, and he found her passed out. Her drinking was starting to become a habit, and it made him grimace. It would be a damn shame for her to waste her talent by chasing down the bottom of every bottle.

He turned onto his side. Sesshomaru startled him. Well, as much as you could startle a demon of his caliber. His thoughts turned to Tatsuhana. This scared him. He loathed being around her, but spending time away made his skin itch in the worst kind of way. Usually, women were either too intimidated by him or were smitten without reason. Tatsuhana fell into neither category. At first, yes, but only because she actually had something to lose. The more time she spent with Rin and with him, the opposite effect happened. Instead, being attracted to him, Tatsuhana was apathetic. A breath of fresh air.

There were three options laid out before him. Sesshomaru could ignore his growing attraction and grow mad, find a way to detach himself from these feelings, or follow his instincts and attempt to court her like a proper demon. The first option was the least appealing, and the second sounded impossible, given his current state. That left the third option, which also made it the hardest. Sesshomaru closed his eyes to sleep. He would decide in the morning.