Five years later….

Nineteen-year-old Rin Mamiko was sitting in the back of her Physics classroom, typing furiously on her laptop as her teacher dictated to her the various laws and theories of the said science. But unlike the rest of her classmates who were prattling away on their notebooks – actually taking notes – Rin had long given up on that task, deciding that her teacher was much to dull to listen to for such a long time. Now, she was signed in on messenger, talking to Kanna, who was in a different class than she was, but shared the same form of boredom:

Kanz: So…when are you going to leave?

Rinny: Call it five more minutes, and I'll be free to go

Kanz: I hate you, you know. I'm so jealous.

Rinny: Don't be.

Kanz: Too late. .

Just as Rin was about to reply to that in another – feeble – attempt to convince her friend to still love her, a new tab appeared on her task bar, flashing orange. Opening the window, she read the message: They just told me to turn off all electronics, so I'll be touching ground in about ten minutes. You'd better leave now if you're still coming.

She grinned, and typed a quick reply: Yes, I'm still coming, and I'm leaving now. Then she typed a quick explanation to Kanna about her need to sign out now – to which she earned more growling, angry and crying emoticons from her best friend – before shutting her notebook and thrusting her hand into the air.

It took her teacher about three minutes to acknowledge her: "Yes Ms. Mamiko?"

"The note I gave you earlier, professor, is coming into play now. I have to go."

The teacher blinked stupidly, and Rin reserved the feeling to roll her eyes. Finally after a couple more wasteful minutes, her teacher spoke again: "Well Ms. Mamiko, if you must leave now."

Finally, she thought irritably as she stood up. She swept all her belongings into her shoulder bag and sauntered out the room. As she walked passed the other classes in session, she glanced in them to see if she could spot Kanna in any of them. But then she realized Kanna would probably be sitting in the back, and completely out of sight from the small window in the door. Too bad: Rin would have made an excuse to get her out if she knew exactly which one she was in.

Then as she thought it over, she realized that was a lie. She wanted to do this all by herself.

She went out to the student parking lot and hopped into her car. She prayed that there wouldn't be much traffic on the highway, especially since she hadn't left as early as she wanted to. She had only been on the road for twenty of her hour long drive when her cell phone rang. Slipping on her headset first – she had enough tickets from hand held calls already – she answered it.

Kanna was on the other end: "Where are you?"

"On my way to the airport."

"Are you serious? I just got out of class. Couldn't you have waited two seconds?"

"I'm not going to hog him to myself you know."

"Bye Rin."

Kanna hung up after that, but Rin merely chuckled. She knew that Kanna wasn't as upset as she sounded, and that she was just pretending to be annoyed. Rin knew that Kanna didn't have time to come with her to the airport – she was probably off starting the plans for the welcoming party. Hell, it was Kanna who assigned Rin the task of pick up/welcoming party, not that Rin minded in the least.

She felt herself smiling at nothing in particular, her excitement building with every passing minute, until finally she neared the airport. She drove towards the terminal parking – not sure how long the wait would be – and paid the toll. Then, just before heading to the actually building – she glanced at her reflection in the small side mirror. Loose strands of hair were freeing themselves from her bun, but they looked intentional as opposed to messy. After a quick swipe of Chapstick on her lips, she straightened her white blouse and went towards the arriving terminal.

The usual crowd was there: people with eager expressions as they stared at those automated double doors, waiting for them to slide open and for their love ones to appear. Rin wondered if she was wearing one of those expressions herself, then decided she probably was. Especially since her loved one was coming through those open doors right now.

He was amongst a thick crowd of people, but she couldn't miss him, as if there was a beam of light beaming down on him. He looked taller, and handsome, and even a little tanned. She had to avert her eyes just to retain sanity and resisted the urge to rush towards him and tackle him to the floor. Instead, she made a big show of turning her whole body to face the opposite direction.

He must have not seen her as soon as she had seen him, because she felt like eternity was passing as she waited. That urge to tackling him was coming back again. But before she could spin around, she felt a pair of strong arms inched their way around her slim waist, and a warm body pressed gently against her back. She released a blissful sigh, and smiled in content, just as he spoke:

"Excuse me miss," his voice was low and throaty, and he was speaking directly in his ear. "I'm waiting for someone to get me, but I'm afraid I couldn't help but be drawn to you in the mean time. You don't mid if I hold you for a moment, would you?"

She chuckled, and went along wit his story. "Just as long as you aren't waiting for your girlfriend. I'd hate to get thrown into a sordid affair."

"Actually, to be honest, she's the love of my life."

His words made her knees buckle, and a wide smile to appear on her face. She turned slowly, making sure not to leave his embrace, and smiled up at those welcoming amber eyes. But as soon as she was pulled into that intense gaze, her cool façade and storyline melted away, and her excitement came back. Immediately, she wrapped her arms around his muscular frame and held him tightly.

"Sesshomaru. It's so nice to see you again." She gave him a squeeze, burying her face into his shirt. "I missed you so much." And she realized that she really had, more than she thought she did when he had first left two years ago.

He returned her squeeze with one of his one, gently stroking the small of her back. "I missed you too Rin. I missed you too."

---

Two years. Sesshomaru had only been gone for two years, but watching him now as he sat in the passenger's seat of her car, his eyes focused outside but his hand laced with hers resting in his lap, Rin felt like he had been gone for a lifetime. A couple weeks after her graduation, he announced that he was going to do the study-abroad program his college was offering. Two whole years. And even though Rin had spent the majority of those two years getting on with life, looking at him now, she wondered how she had survived in the first place.

I swear, I love this boy way too much, she thought to herself. But she couldn't help but smile regardless. Loving Sesshomaru didn't bother her in the least.

Sesshomaru had wanted to know what had been going on with everyone in the past two years, and Rin tried to give him the short version of everything:

Souta and Hitomi were still hopeless in love, and had managed to convince their respective parents to let them stay in a small apartment off-campus together. In the end, they had won – which made Sesshomaru smile knowingly. Rin decided to let him draw to his own conclusions about their living experience. Kanna and Kohaku broke up…again – this made Sesshomaru roll his eyes. Ever since junior year, Kanna and Kohaku had jumped into one of those 'breakup, makeup' relationships. Everyone wished they'd just admit that they love each other and stop beating around the bush, but that was the very reason why they broke up so frequently – both afraid to seriously commit to each other. Kira was flying single at the moment, but was seriously considering – much to their new circle of friends' dismay – one of the guidance counselors at the school: a young man about three years her senior.

"Something about that sounds familiar." Sesshomaru said teasingly, giving Rin a wink.

Rin laughed. "You know what's funny? She actually said 'if Rin can get Sesshomaru who is five years older than her, I can get Mr. Ranma, who is only a mere three above me'."

Sesshomaru chuckled at that. "Kira's still as feisty as ever then huh."

"Hasn't changed a bit."

"And my brother." He didn't say this with much enthusiasm, but with mild curiosity.

Rin smiled. "Of course he and Kagome are another example of a 'hopelessly in love'. She and Inuyasha just bought a house actually – this cute homey place in the suburbs. And their acting very married. I wouldn't be surprised if Inuyasha pops the question soon. I think he's considering it though. Don't tell anyone, but I saw him wandering around a Tiffany's store, genuinely considering some of the rings on display."

"Now isn't that something." Sesshomaru said with a hint of a smile. "My little brother wants to marry."

"Well we all know those two are about as likely to break up as Souta and Hitomi are, which is doubtful. So why not get married?"

Sesshomaru turned to face her, a teasing grin on his face. "You want to get married Rin?"

She smiled dreamily at the thought of herself in a beautiful white gown, holding an gorgeous bouquet of lilies. "Someday." She said wistfully.

He gave her hand a squeeze. "I'll remember that." He murmured.

It was then Rin realized the gravity of the question, and couldn't stop the reddening of her cheeks. But before she could say anything about Sesshomaru's last statement, he spoke again: "So how have you been Rin? Chaste I hope."

A strange noise left her throat at the word 'chaste', which made Sesshomaru chuckle. She rolled her eyes, but her face gave way to her obvious embarrassment. "I've been fine, and that last part is none of your business." She said hastily.

"I'm making it my business." Then he grinned slyly. "But then again, I suppose I already know all about your chasteness…or lack there of."

Her face flushed even further at the suggestiveness of his tone, and now her whole body was warming. Boy, did he know about her 'lack there of'. It had been the one time she saw him in his two year gap. On her eighteenth birthday, he held true to the statement he had made when she was still a freshmen, in more ways that one. He paid for her to fly to Italy – the country he was studying in at the time – and to stay with him for the weekend. And what a B-E-A-UTIFUL weekend it was. Long story short: Rin went to Italy a girl, and came back home a woman.

"Don't look now, but I made Rin red as a tomato." He said with a smirk. "Never done that before."

"Shut up Sesshomaru." She said, rolling her eyes.

He responded by bringing her hand to his mouth, planting light kisses on her fingers. She couldn't resist the giggles that fought their way out of her throat, only subsiding when her hand was back in his lap again. She told herself to focus on the road, before she had her first accident in this car. But it was difficult: Sesshomaru was too captivating, with his red long sleeved shirt with the first top two buttons undone, his long legs seeming endless and separated suggestively, and that ever-melting grin on his face.

Road, road, road, Rin told herself. Road, road, road.

"You know, you didn't answer my question."

Sesshomaru's voice broke through the seventh and eighth 'road' that was echoing in Rin's head. "What question? You only asked me how I was."

"I asked you how chaste you were too."

Rin went beet red again. "Sesshomaru, that's still none of your business."

"Sounds like a 'no'. So who is he? I'll kill him."

"There is no he. Be a good boy and be quiet."

They had approached a red light, and as soon as the car came to a halt, Rin felt herself being pulled over to the passenger's seat. But before she could question a thing, Sesshomaru was kissing her. Really kissing her. And wow, did he taste absolutely delicious. Her heart was beating wildly, and she felt herself being to melt. But just as sudden as he had kissed her, he pulled away from her.

She looked up at him with glazed eyes. His expression seemed thoughtful. Then he said: "Oh yes, I forgot. I'm supposed to be acting like a good boy. Never mind that then."

Rin growled. "You meanie. You evil, teasing, little–"

He was kissing her again, and her words died in her throat. Sesshomaru was an excellent kisser. She'd never forget the first time he had kissed her this way. It was on the night of her graduation, when he was taking her home after the party Kagome had thrown for her and her friends. She had still been seventeen, but Sesshomaru had said 'I think I'll just give you a small taste of what's coming next year'. He had already been leaning over towards her, so his voice was lower than a whisper. Then, without another word, his lips brushed hers. His hand cupped the back of her head, and he kissed her again, his lips slightly parted. When Rin did the same, their seemingly innocent kiss went plunged into one full of passion and intimacy. He took her breath away – literally, because when they finally pulled away, she had been gasping for oxygen – and her whole body burned as if on fire. She had felt so many emotions in that car she didn't even know she had.

And in true Sesshomaru fashion, before she could get her bearings and possibly attempt to really get into it, he pulled away from her, telling her she still had a year. Rin had left car, pretending to be grumpy and annoyed, but she entered her house floating on clouds, and everything around her seemed so much brighter. The smile she wore didn't erase for another two days, no joke.

And when Sesshomaru finally pulled away from her in the car – cars behind them were starting to honk, overtake them and yell obscenities in their direction – she knew that 'two days' smile was back. She drove off from the spoke slowly, her eyes half-mast, and giggling at nothing in particular. Sesshomaru only smiled, still holding her hand.

---

Kanna's party had gone off without a hitch. Kagome and Inuyasha had offered their house for the festivities, and the turn-out had been lovely. A lot of Sesshomaru's friends from college, and even back to pre-C were there. Rin could tell that he was happy to see them, even if his face didn't light up – his eyes said it all. Rin was happy too, but for different reasons – mainly because as Sesshomaru made his way around the room to greet friends, he kept her close to his side, their fingers laced. The statement he was making was bold, and no one missed it. More importantly, Kagura – who only had to be there be default – didn't miss it. And her expression had been priceless when her eyes had landed on their hands. And it had been even more priceless when Sesshomaru had completely brushed passed her without any acknowledgement at all, and went to Kanna to ask exactly what she was doing here in the first place. Rin resisted the urge to point and cackle and say mean things – similar to what Kagura had done to her a while back – but Rin was bigger than that now.

All in all, it had been a nice night. Kanna and Kohaku had gotten close again – and it was about time too, since they had been broken up for about two weeks – and even disappeared from the party for a while, to everyone's secret joy. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru managed to not glare at each other the whole night, so everyone's guess was that in another ten years they'll finally manage to act civil towards each other. Then the music was awesome, so Rin spent the whole night on her feet, dancing with her girlfriends – and her boyfriend, hehe. And more importantly, there was a lot of Sesshomaru. Lots and lots of Sesshomaru.

Although, all that Sesshomaru wasn't quite over yet. At least, Rin wouldn't let it end right here. "Can I hang out with you a bit more?" she asked innocently.

Sesshomaru was driving this time, so he glanced briefly in her direction, saying: "Hang out?" before looking back at the road.

"Yeah…I mean, I signed out of the dorms today. So the school thinks I'm staying at home. And then my parents think I'm staying at school. So…" Rin couldn't bring herself to say the rest, her face reddening horribly.

But Sesshomaru only gave her that comforting smile. "It's fine Rin."

She smiled in relief, glad that he could understand what she wanted to imply, and not forcing her to say it aloud. Not for the first time, Rin felt like the luckiest girl alive. Part of her was sure that Sesshomaru would move on and forget about her as soon as he was done with the pre-college courses. She had convinced herself that what he had said that day about him finding her within three years had been a ruse. But he proved her wrong, and never left her side. He had still driven her to school, driven her home. He was her date for both her junior and senior prom. And he sat in the front row at her graduation ceremony, right next to her ignorant father, who of course had no idea that that was his future son-in-law next to him. At least, Rin wouldn't mind if it came to that. She smiled at the thought.

However, the point was Sesshomaru never forgot about her. And he never stopped caring about her. Just like she never stopped caring about him. And she couldn't forget him if she tried. That five year gap - techincally four and a lot of months - meant nothing. But then again, real love knows that age is just a number. Rin wanted to believe that this love she was feeling for this was, indeed, real.

The two of them were now on their way to his house now. As he drove, Rin admired his silhouette in the dim light. His eyes were lowered so that they seemed to glow a muted gold, the incline of his nose and fullness of his mouth outlined in shadow. Another button had become undone over the course of the night, giving Rin a better view of the chiseled torso underneath the shirt. She had to touch him: reaching out to finger the silkiness of his silver hair. He smiled at her touch, even though he didn't look at her. She smiled back, even though he couldn't see.

Then he vehicle slowed, and Rin saw them had reached Sesshomaru's place – something he had once been trying to pass off as a 'bachelor pad', since he had bought it himself at nineteen – the summer before they had met – and had been living alone since. Rin had only been there once, the night before Sesshomaru had left for his European excursion. They had innocently shared a bed that night, and she slept soundly with his arms around her, his fingers raking gently through her hair. It was a goodnight sleep to remember.

Sesshomaru got out of the car first, then walked around to open the car door and help Rin out. She got out and stood close to him, bravely inching up to pressed her lips against his. He kissed her back, soothingly, his hands resting lightly on her waist. The kiss was short, but it was enough. He kissed her forehead, her cheek, the corner of her mouth.

"Rin, Rin, Rin." He said quietly. "You'll be the death of me."

"I hope not." She said with a smile. "I don't know what I'd do with myself if you died."

"Bawl for days I hope." He said with a smirk.

Her smile grew. "Definitely."

He kissed her again, then took her hand gently in his and led her towards the front door. She rested her head on his back as he fiddled with his keys for a moment. Then when the door opened, he let her in before him, before closing the door behind both of them.

He turned on a lamp, which cast a hazy glow about the area. Everything looked untouched, and spotlessly clean. But Rin's focus was on one thing: the staircase.

"You want to watch a movie?" He asked, but Rin could tell his heart wasn't in it. His tone had become husky, implying that he was interested in something completely different.

She turned around to face him, and she could tell immediately that their shared a common thought. "I'm tired." She said softly. "I want to lie down. And–" her face pinked slightly, but she would finish this sentence. "–I want you to lie down with me."

He smiled slowly. "You want my company?"

She shrugged, but was smiling as well. "Something like that."

He nodded and took her hand again, this time leading her up the stairs, towards his bedroom. She had only been up these stairs one other time before, been to his room only once. But that was a long time ago, two years ago: an old memory.

Now as he opened the bedroom door, and gently pulled her inside with him, she knew they would make new memories tonight.