Chapter 1: Fateful Meeting

"Do you believe in fate?"

"Fate is something that is predestined. It's not for us to decide."

"Oh."

"Do you think we'll stay together forever/"

"It's a possibility but at the same time it's not very likely."

"Then promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Promise me before I tell you."

"Alright then, I promise, now what is it?"

"No matter what happens, even if we get separated or we never cross paths again, never forget me and I'll never forget you."

"We'll never get separated Rin, you don't need to worry. Now get some rest."

Rin woke up in her bed with the covers strewn around her. She stared at the clock, it read three a.m. Sighing, Rin pulled the covers over her head again and struggled desperately to sleep. Giving up all her attempts to sleep, Rin stared at the white ceiling of her bed room and thought about her dream. She had been consistently having the same dream for several nights now and it was something that picked at her consciousness. In the dream she was a child again and it was part of a memory from her tenth birthday but she had failed to remember the boy that was with her at the time. His name and face were unknown to her.

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"Lord Sesshomaru, the documents you have ordered to be delivered to your office have arrived from the Osaka branch. Where shall I put them?"

"Give them to me, I'll look them over immediately."

"Yes my lord, and will you be attending the meeting in an hour."

"We'll see, I may not be able to return in time after my meeting with the chairman of Shikon enterprises but I'll try. Is there anything else that requires my attention Shiki?"

"No, that will be all, thank you for your time my lord."

Leaning back in his leather armchair Sesshomaru submerged himself in thought. It had been ten years since her left Japan for America. Originally he was supposed to stay to finish his last year of senior high and leave after his graduation but his parents insisted it would give him time to adjust to the new environment. Actually in truth he had no problem adjusting since he was already fluent in English so communication wasn't a challenge. What bothered him was that he never had the chance to say goodbye. His parents were always spur of the moment people and they acted impulsively. When they had made the decision to leave for America they ordered tickets immediately for the next flight that evening and departed without a word. Well, he highly doubted that anyone would even remember who he was but he didn't really care. After all he had more than enough work to occupy himself with and had no spare time for anything else even though his father kept pestering him to attend marriage interviews. Luckily he had found a convenient way to evade all of them without having to say anything at all.

Basically he had ordered Shiki to search for a picture of an middle-aged man with short gray hair, a messy beard, wrinkly skin and glasses with lenses the size of magnifying glasses. He knew that any woman would find the person in the picture disgustingly unattractive. Moreover, it was the exact opposite of him. He had long silver hair, amber eyes, porcelain skin, and a clean shaven face but he knew that these precautions were completely necessary. Also, these actions were conducted secretly without his parent's knowledge because he was sure they would object. Three months were good enough though because he knew that pretty soon his parents would start to wonder why every person turned down the offer for a marriage interview with him but this plan had worked well enough for him even though he would have to find a new plan soon.

The sudden ring of his cell phone pulled him from his thoughts as he flipped the cover open to check the caller ID. Father. Either he's finally caught on to my scheme or he's forcing me to attend another ridiculous charity ball. "What is it father?"

"Good news."

"You won't ever force me into a marriage interview ever again."

"No, but you're quite close actually."

"How so?"

"Well, I think they've found a perfect match for you."

"What?"

"Yes, at first I couldn't believe it either but apparently that's the case."

"Tomorrow at the Empress Hotel at seven p.m. Don't be late."

"Yes father." Sesshomaru hung up exhausted. He suddenly felt as if his arms and legs were made of lead and he flopped back into his black leather armchair. The woman who agreed to go to a marriage interview with the man in that photo must be out of her mind. Or even worse, she may have found out the truth about the photo though that wouldn't be possible. Well, he'd find out soon enough.

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Rin stared at the plain white ceiling of her bedroom from her position as she lay flat on her bed like a starfish. Life was totally a drag and nothing exciting ever happened to her anyways. Well, I might as well go outside and catch some fresh air while I watch the grass in the lawn grow. Just then Rin jumped back in fright as her bedroom door swung open with so much force that the hinges shook and vibrated violently threatening to pop out. After she had realized that it was her father who had decided to suddenly appear in her room she managed to calm down reasonably and sighed heavily.

"What is it dad? More importantly, why are you in so much of a rush?"

"Firstly, I've been looking all over for you. Secondly, bear good news which I believe you have the right to know."

"What kind of good news?" Rin's eyes narrowed to slits with suspicion. Good news for her father usually never meant good news for her, even the way they defined good news was different. It was one of the few barriers between the two of them and although Rin's father had tried think from Rin's perspective of things it just never worked out the way it he had hoped. Soon both of them had abandoned hope to resolve the barrier but their father and daughter relationship was smooth enough despite the differences.

"Well, actually I forgot to tell you that there was a bit of bad news as well."

"Argh, would you just tell me already."

" Will you promise to not lose your temper?"

"That really depends, why? Have you done something that you think will make me lose myself or have you hid something from me and secretly conspired against me behind my back."

"Nothing of that sort. I'm not a sinister crook out to prey on young defenseless women."

"Dad, we've been over this before, I am not young and defenseless, I'm twenty years-old and a karate black belt."

"Speaking of which, Rin, honey I know that you're still in school and everything but pretty soon you'll graduate. After graduation you'll want to start a family of your own and all that but have you ever considered starting early?"

"No, you said that we wouldn't discuss this until I completed my bachelors degree in business and management. You agreed, remember."

"Um... well you see sometimes things slip and with my age you really can't blame me for it. I am hitting the halfway mark pretty soon you know. Besides I haven't done something I'll regret or rather I haven't done anything I think I will regret in the future."

"Stop going in circles, I'll decide your fate after you tell me what you've done. Innocent before proven guilty right?"

"Alright then, I was convinced into setting you up for a omiai (marriage interview). But don't worry it's not as if you've agreed to marry the person, just meet with them and decide for yourself. If you do take a liking to them then that would be great but it you don't it's fine anyway."

"Dad, I know that you're hoping I'll get married soon but I really wanted to concentrate fully on getting my first degree before I consider marriage. After all it's the turning point in a person's life and I want to be well prepared before I approach it because I know mistakes in marriage are never easy to correct."

"I know, but can you just help your father out this once and attend the omiai even though you think it's the world's most stupidest thing ever. I swear, I'll never sign you up for something without your consent in the future so is it okay?"

"Well... I guess, you already promised so it'd be extremely rude if we turned it down last minute so I go but you'd better live up to your promise, is that clear?"

"Crystal."

"When is it?"

"Tomorrow, the Empress Hotel, at 7:00 p.m. sharp. Be punctual alright, even though you hate omiai it doesn't give you the right to behave impolitely."

"I understand, so would you stop worrying, it'll give you another wrinkle to add to your already massive collection."

"Another wrinkle, where?" Rin laughed so hard she had to hold her stomach.

"Don't worry, I'm just joking, besides even if you shrivel up like a prune mom will still love you."

"Yes, but still I don't want to look like I'm old enough to be your mother's father, right?"

"That would be embarrassing ."

"Ohཀ Look at the time I have to help your mom with dinner, but don't forget tomorrow, okay."

"Aye- aye captain." Rin replied, saluting sarcastically." She watched as her father's face broke out in a wide smile and he vanished into the hallway closing the door with a soft click this time instead of a slam. What have I gotten myself into this time, thought Rin as she pressed a fluffy star shaped pillow over her face. ________________________________________________________________________________________________

"So let me get this straight. You don't want to go to the stupid omiai but our old man is threatening you with your inheritance?"

"Yes, that would just about sum it up."

"Then what are you going to do about it?"

"Well, the usual, go on a few dates then tell her it's not working out for me and breakup over the phone or something."

"You're not even going to tell her in person?"

"Koga, I don't know how you live your life but my time is far too precious to waste over something as trivial."

"Wow, how cruel. Are you even going to think of a good reason to suggest a breakup?"

"No, it's completely unnecessary."

"Ah... I see."

"I'm bored is there anything else to do around here?"

"I have no idea? Why don't we order some drinks. I could totally go for a martini right about now."

"Hm... go ahead."

"Anything you want?"

"No, I'm fine." Sesshomaru sighed and leaned back into the lush black leather seating of the armchair. As he closed his eyes fragments of the early conversation with his father entered his mind. He still could not bring himself to believe that his father could have possibly threatened him with his inheritance but although he knew that the possibility of Inuyasha actually running Taisho Corp in the near future was a laughable matter he could not risk even the smallest chance. When he had first entered the entrepreneur industry he had taken some unnecessary risks as a vice president but after a while he realized that even if there was a one percent chance slim as it was he could not afford the risk. If there was an enemy he would eliminate the opposition regardless.

Koga returned from the bar with a martini in hand sipping it casually. "Is it still bothering you?"

"No, not as much but I resolve this problem soon enough."

"You know maybe you should look at this situation in a different light. Firstly, even though this is an arranged marriage proposal I think it wouldn't be such a bad idea to give it a chance. I mean if you old man recommended the person it couldn't be that bad."

"Correction. He did not recommend that particular person he just merely arranged for me to meet with anyone who agreed to the meet with the disgusting old man in that picture we sent to the match maker's."

"Well, anyway, my point was that you haven't been in a serious relationship with anyone since that incident three years ago and maybe it's time to move on."

"I have to go, I have a meeting with the representatives of Kaishin Corp over dinner."

"See you around."

Sesshomaru slipped his black Armani suit jacket on and drove away in his silver Porche speeding away in the night streets, driving so fast that the tires screeched against the hard cement of the busy Tokyo shopping district. He considered what Koga had meant and he knew that most people would have moved on after the breakup three years ago but somehow he knew that he wouldn't be able to move on that easily.

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7:00 p.m. The Empress Hotel

Rin was genuinely shocked by the sheer size of the building and even more surprised by the money they spent on lavish furnishings. 'This place could probably fund a whole third world country. No, it could probably even afford to fund over twenty third world countries without taking on any loans. As, I thought this place is exclusively for the extremely wealthy. I guess the one I'm meeting today is probably some high class snob. I don't even know what he looks like, how in the world am I supposed to locate him, this place is so vast, I think I'd still get lost even with a GPS navigator.

"Excuse me, are you by chance Miss Nakamoto Rin?"

"Yes, I am but how did you know?"

"I'm afraid that it is not my place to say but please follow me, this way please."

Rin followed reluctantly as the attendant began a brisk pace down the spacious marble hallway to a VIP room hidden from the public. "We have arrived."

"Er, thank you so much, Miss... Shina." Rin struggled as she had remembered that the woman had never introduced herself before but noticed that she was wearing a shiny gold plated name tag on the left pocket of her uniform. Bowing politely the attendant left quickly her black high heels clicking against the cold black and white marble floor, echoing away into the distance. "Here goes noting." Rin took a deep breath and thrust the double door open. She gasped as what she saw registered in her mind. Sesshomaru was the most handsome man that she had ever seen but something about his personality seemed cold to her as if it repelled people. Gulping Rin tried to smile but it was futile because Sesshomaru had already seen through it all.

"There's no need to try too hard. Take a seat." Timidly, Rin took a seat across from Sesshomaru hesitantly and folded her hands in her lap trying to appear calm. "Then let's begin." Sesshomaru set his coffee aside and motioned for a waiter. A young waiter bounded over quickly after immediately noticing Sesshomaru's minimal gesture of a snap.

"Sir, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Not particularly, would you like to order anything?" Asked Sesshomaru lazily as he stared at Rin from under half closed eyelids. Somehow that particular pose seemed to make him seem even more god-like in more ways that one. "Well?"

"Oh, um, what would you recommend?"

"Wh..." The young waiter apparently appeared shocked that she would ask for his opinion. "Well, I definitely recommend the chef's special tonight which consists of a light Ceasar salad, clam chowder, and for entrees a New York steak."

"That sound delicious, I have that please."

"And you, sir?"

"The same."

"Thank you, the food will be served shortly."

A bored Sesshomaru stared across the table at Rin apparently trying to study her face. Calmly, he drummed his fingers on the white table cloth. "Your name is Nakamoto Rin, is it not?"

"Yes."

"Nakamoto, I've heard that name somewhere before."

"Nakamoto is a fairly common surname I'm sure you'll find."

"Hm..." Muttered Sesshomaru in thought, "I suppose so."

As planned the two ate their dinner in silence. Sesshomaru glanced casually at his watch occasionally out of boredom. Rin on the other hand immersed herself in the paintings and meticulously carved designs of roses which travelled along the walls of the restaurant. She felt uneasy about the awkward silence but she did not dare to break it and she was perfectly fine admiring the architecture of the building. When the dinner ended Rin was practically relieved that the tension had left her body but was forced to take her leave slowly because she was almost certain it would seem offensive if she rushed to leave right after.

Sesshomaru_____________________________________________________________________________________

Sesshomaru was lost in thought as he drove back to his mansion. Nakamoto somehow seemed familiar even though he was sure it wasn't possible. What were the chances that something like that could happen. Fate had purposely separated them cruelly ten years ago but would it bring them back together now? The question echoed in his mind irritating him further. He did not need another problem to handle when his plate was already overflowing with problems. His parents wanted him to marry, correction, his father and Izayoi wanted him to marry. He could never consider Izayoi his stepmother and considering her as his mother would be even less likely as long as he was still alive.

Even as a child Sesshomaru had lived his life in an orderly fashion. Always in control and never being controlled but he now realized that his life was slowly spiralling out of his control but he was entirely powerless to stop it. Ever since his parents had forced him to move to America, he knew that they would start to control him in some way or another and impose their will upon him. For several years he had rebelled and refused to obey his father but it soon proved futile. At that tender age he wasn't completely helpless but he was worse enough off considering the fact that he lacked in both money and experience. As expected he had wound up being dragged back to his parents and he knew that he would never be able to erase the shame from his life. He would have to live with his mistake for the rest of his life.

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