Lyra didn’t know how long she had been sitting in the shrine. She cried and cried until she could cry no more. Her heart and mind had become numb from the pain and she couldn’t even tell if she was still breathing or not. But she knew she was somehow still alive. Barely.
Soon, she heard someone's voice in the distance.
“Sota!” It sounded like Kagome's mom, Mama. “Come inside quickly. It's raining.”
“Coming, mom. I need to put my bike away before it gets rusty.”
“Be quick!”
“Okay!”
A few seconds later, the wooden door of the shrine creaked wide open. Lyra glanced up and saw Sota standing at the door with his raincoat on, his hood covering his head. Behind him, the skies were grey and the rain was heavy. They both stared at each other in silence, only the rain falling on top of the building and outside making any sound.
“Lyra?” Sota said in confusion. “What are you doing here?”
She gulped and sat up slightly. “Oh... I, um...” She cleared her throat. “I wanted to see Kagome in the feudal era but I think she’s somewhere with her friends.” Lyra couldn’t believe how good she was becoming with her lies. She was pretty much fluent in it now.
Sota walked in with his bike, leaning it against the wall to shield it from the rain. “Yeah, she loves it there.” He went down to her with a big grin. “Come on. Mom's gonna be so glad to see you.”
He took her hand to pull her up. She smiled at his enthusiasm and stood up before they both made their way to the door. The rain was already quite heavy and Sota stuck his hand out as they stood at the doorway. Lyra didn’t even have any sort of coat or jacket with her.
“Hey, you can borrow my raincoat if you like,” he offered her.
“No, I'll be okay.” She smiled again but it was blank. “Don’t want you getting a cold.”
Sota laughed. “We’ll just have to run in quickly then.”
He grabbed her hand and pulled her outside. Within a second, her clothes and hair were completely soaked. But she didn’t mind. At least the rain would wash away the dry tears that stained her cheeks. Once they made it inside, Sota closed the door and quickly took his shoes and coat off before putting them away and running inside to call his mom. Lyra stayed standing by the door, not wanting to make the floor wet. Seconds later, Mama had rushed towards her with Sota beside her.
“Sota, go and get some towels,” she told him before smiling at Lyra as he ran off. “This is such a nice surprise.”
Sota had returned with a couple of towels and handed them to Lyra.
“Thank you.” She began to dry off as much as she could from her clothes and hair. “Yeah, it was last minute.”
She gave her aunt the same lie she told Sota before her aunt told her to go up to Kagome's room and borrow her clothes. Apparently Mama wanted to hear all about the engagement. Lyra was not keen about talking about it but she knew she didn’t have a choice. Going up to Kagome's room, she grabbed the first jumper and jeans she could find. After changing, she hung her clothes on the chair to dry. As she straightened out her wet top, the shine of the diamond ring caught her eye.
‘Hm. A few mere trinkets is all it took to sway your heart.’ Sesshomaru’s words echoed in her ears making her close her eyes tightly.
‘I'm sorry, Sesshomaru... I don’t care about money or jewellery. I would give everything up just to be with you. Just not my father’s life...’
Opening her eyes, she looked at the ring, her anger at her father slowly rising again. It didn’t remind her of Kanda. It only reminded her of the words her father had said to her. She may have forgiven him, but she was still upset. Those words he spoke was all it took to trap her in her web of lies, which only wrapped around her tighter and tighter. She was imprisoned by those words and that ring. That ring was nothing but a lie. Cuffs that imprisoned her to a life that would slowly break her.
With nothing but hate for it, she snatched the ring off her finger, clutching it in her hand and storming over to the window before swinging it open. She lifted her hand up, ready to throw it out of her life and run back to Sesshomaru.
‘If you don’t agree to this marriage you’ll come face to face with my dead body.’
She froze. Suddenly, all of her resolve had vanished and washed away with the rain. Silent tears fell from her eyes, drops landing on the window sill. She used to love the rain. The smell as it hit the earth. The sound as it pattered against the window. The rainbows that would appear after the clouds had gone. It rained the day she made love to Sesshomaru. Looking out at the grey clouds and the rain now...it had become a curse. Whenever it rained now she would only remember her lost will and hope.
She brought her hand down and fell to her knees. As she sobbed quietly into her hands, the ring dropped to the floor.
***
“Look, Jaken! Lord Sesshomaru’s back!” Rin exclaimed with joy.
Jaken jumped up, excited that his master had returned and he no longer had to babysit. “Finally!”
Sesshomaru walked towards them. Although the rain had stopped, the sky was still dark reflecting his own heart. Rin and Jaken ran towards him but Rin giggled because Lyra would be with him. That is why he had left them after all. She couldn’t see Lyra but she simply thought she was hiding behind Sesshomaru.
Rin ran straight past Sesshomaru. “Lyra! Huh?” There was no one there. “Where’s Lyra?” she asked, her smile fading.
Sesshomaru simply side eyed the girl but continued walking. “She's gone.”
“What do you mean?” she asked turning to look at him.
He stopped and closed his eyes. “She's never coming back. She means nothing to us now.” His eyes opened again but his gaze was lowered. “It will serve you well to forget about her. Let’s go.”
Sesshomaru continued walking. What he had just told Rin were more for himself. He had to forget about her now. She had made her choice. Rin still stood on one spot, unable to understand what was happening. Lyra wasn’t coming back and Sesshomaru told them to forget about her? It must have been a nightmare. But it wasn’t.
Tears began to well up in her eyes. “Lyra’s not coming back?”
“It’s about time!” Jaken exclaimed. “This is the best news I’ve heard since we first found her.” The little imp clutched onto his stick as he followed after his master. “She was nothing but a waste of Lord Sesshomaru’s time and strength. Now come, Rin! Don’t fall behind because we won’t be coming back for you!”
Rin used the sleeves of her kimono to wipe away her tears before running after them.
For the rest of the day, everything was silent. Sesshomaru didn’t want to hear anything. He blocked everything out; Rin's questioning to find out what happened, Jake’s constant yacking that he was right the whole time, even the sound of the birds which he learned to enjoy with Lyra. He wanted nothing.
When night fell and Rin and Jaken had fallen asleep, Sesshomaru stood alone on a field. The future he had envisioned to have with Lyra was over. He had never thought so much about the future until she came into his life. And now everything had been lost. A home. A family. A wife. She had crushed it all.
***
Lyra was sleeping in Kagome's bed for the night. She was tired but she couldn’t sleep. Her aunt wanted to know all about the engagement, apologising that they weren’t able to make it on such short notice. The conversation itself was tiring with both Mama and Sota being excited about the whole thing. However, Grandpa kept on saying arranged marriages were too old fashioned and people should be with the ones they love. It was as if he knew the truth in Lyra's heart but she denied it. Since she had to drive the next day, she forced herself to get some sleep. The last thing she wanted was to fall asleep on the wheel on her way back.
After breakfast the next morning, she tidied Kagome's clothes away to get ready to leave. Just as she was leaving the room and closing the door, she suddenly stopped. She quickly rushed back in, grabbing the diamond ring off the bedside table and placed it back onto her finger. She almost left without it having completely forgotten about it.
By the time she arrived back to her house, it was around mid afternoon. Renji greeted her as she entered but she didn’t hear it. She went up to her room and closed the door before flopping down onto the bed. Clutching onto her pillow, she stared blankly at the ceiling.
Renji stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking up to where she had disappeared off to. He figured she must have said her goodbye to the feudal era and Sesshomaru. She was bound to be upset. Trying to think of ways to cheer her up, he decided to make her favourite meal and serve it in her room. It was the least he could do for putting her in such a position. He still hated himself for forcing her into the marriage. But there was no way he was going to allow her back to that world. He couldn’t risk her getting killed.
A couple of hours went by. Lyra was now sitting up against her headboard looking out the window. All she could think about is everything she had left behind. She was sure that Sesshomaru had told Rin about her decision but she didn’t want to imagine how hurt she would be. Rin had asked her to return soon because she would miss her. Lyra wished she could see her again so she could give her a big hug and see that adorable little smile again. And Sesshomaru... The anger in his eyes and the hate in his words, all directed at her. An anger and hate she never thought she would be at the receiving end of. But it was what she deserved.
A knock came at the door but she ignored it.
“Lyra honey?” Renji called through the door. “I made you some food.”
Her stomach began to rumble. “I’m not hungry.”
Renji looked down at the dinner he had made for her and sighed. He had made her a steak with vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy, just the way she liked it. He put his hand on the handle.
“I’m coming in,” he told her.
Opening the door, he saw her sitting on her bed staring outside. He looked at her hands in her lap. The ring was off as she fumbled around with it absentmindedly. He let out another sigh before walking in and sitting on the edge of the bed. He held the plate of food up to her and the delicious smell itself caused her stomach to grumble again.
“It’s your favourite.”
“I'm not hungry,” she repeated, unmoving.
Renji breathed out quietly and put the plate down onto her side table. “Lyra...” He placed his hand over hers and she stopped fumbling with the ring. “I know this is hard on you and I’m sorry. It's hard for me to see you like this. But you’ve made me proud that-"
“I told him yesterday,” she cut him off as she continued to stare out the window. “Sesshomaru... I told him that I'm never going back. He was confused. I told him I’m marrying someone else. He asked me if I was being forced. I wanted to say yes but I said no. To save you.” As Lyra spoke, Renji looked away sadly unable to bear the hurt in her eyes. “I told him it was my choice. And now he hates me. The one I love with all my heart now has nothing but hate for me.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “I may have forgiven you, dad.” She turned her head to look at him as he met her hurt filled eyes. “But I can’t help but resent you now. And I'm not sorry. I'm glad you’re proud of me and that you’re happy. But it has cost you my heart. Because it's no longer here.”
Renji felt like his world was slowly falling apart. But the resentment she felt for him was worth it just to keep her alive.
“And I’m not sorry that I’m doing this to keep you safe. You’ll understand one day.” He stood up. “Make sure you eat. It's not nice when it gets cold.”
With that, he left her room and closed the door. Without even looking at the food, Lyra turned her back to it and lay down.
A few hours later, Renji returned to check up on her. He called her name but was met with silence. Quietly opening the door, he saw that she was fast asleep. He entered the room and pulled the blanket over her so she wouldn’t get cold.
“I'm sorry, Lyra,” he whispered.
His eyes were caught by the untouched plate of food that he had brought up earlier. He sighed and picked it up to take it but he paused, doing a double take as something else caught his eye. The necklace that Kanda had given her was left on the table and beside that, her engagement ring. He looked back at Lyra. She was sleeping peacefully. As long as she rested, it didn’t matter. He left the room.
***
The next morning, Lyra woke up to the sound of a text message notification on her phone. She groaned and blindly searched around for her phone before finally finding it. There were a few messages from work and friends, just general conversations and her manager asking if she could work some shifts. She replied to them before coming across one from Kanda. He had text only about an hour ago.
I miss you.
He had also added a heart emoji. She typed back, each tap feeling like a chore as she did so.
I miss you too. Got back yesterday and was really tired from the journey.
A few minutes later, he replied back.
That's understandable. Rest it out for now and how about I take you to dinner this evening around 7?
Lyra breathed out softly.
That sounds perfect. I'll see you then.
Another message tone a couple of minutes later.
Great. I'll call you later.
She put her phone down and forced herself out of bed.
***
That evening when Kanda called her, he said he was going to take her to Aragawa, one of the most expensive restaurants in Japan. She did some research on the place and quickly learned that they expected their guests to be dressed for a proper fine dining experience. She wanted to cancel the date right then. Unfortunately, she couldn’t.
She quickly pulled on the first outfit she found that was classy, elegant and looked expensive at the same time. Whilst making sure she had her necklace and ring on, she heard a knock at the front door. She heard Renji open it and greet Kanda. Grabbing her heels, she left her room and made her way down to the front of the house where Kanda and Renji were still standing and talking. Kanda saw her and smiled.
“Hi,” she greeted him as she put on her shoes before walking to him.
“Hi.” He looked at her properly, including her outfit. “Wow. You look-" He suddenly noticed that Renji was still present and cleared his throat, holding his hand out for her to take. “Uh, ready to go?”
“Yes,” she replied taking his hand as he lead her out.
Kanda bowed respectfully. “I’ll have her home before it gets late.”
“You two have fun,” Renji waved with a smile.
“Thank you, sir.”
Lyra didn’t say anything, keeping her head down. Not even a ‘see you later'. Kanda could feel the slight awkwardness and soon left with her. On the way to the restaurant, they made small talk about family. She told him about her aunt, Kagome, Sota and grandpa and that they were going to make it for the wedding. He also told her about his family and all of his cousins, aunts and uncles. His family was so much bigger than hers. It only ingrained it more and more into her mind how opposite they both were.
He was wealthy, she was not so wealthy. His family was big, hers was small. He had an expensive taste in food, she preferred takeaways and junk food. The list was endless. They were worlds apart. Her and Sesshomaru were physically worlds apart but they shared a connection. There was something that drew them together. But now that something had been cut and she would have to try and get used to being in Kanda's world.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, Kanda parked up in front of it. They had valet parking. The man standing outside in a tux opened Lyra's door and helped her out. She could have gotten out herself but she didn’t want to refuse his kind gesture. Kanda came around and gave his keys to the man before holding his arm out to her. She held his arm and they both entered. Everything seemed so luxurious, just like the hotel. The place was filled with so many high class people chatting away and eating. Soft music played in the background and there was also an open kitchen so people could watch their food being made.
“Right this way, Dr Hideki,” the maître d' spoke in a posh accent. “Your table is waiting.”
“Thank you.”
Kanda and Lyra followed behind the man to their table. It was a private area and there was a beautiful waterfall feature opposite their table. Beside them was a huge fish tank with an amazing aquarium inside, the most beautiful fish swimming around. The maître d' pulled out Lyra's seat and tucked it in under her as she sat down. Everything about this place she wasn’t used to. Even when she went to restaurants she would never expect them to help her sit. It felt odd.
The man began spewing out information about the array of wines and champagnes, the specials of the night and all the other offers that were going on. She was glad that at least Kanda understood him because everything sounded like gibberish to her. Once Kanda had ordered their drink, the man left them to view the menu.
“Wow... This place is really something,” Lyra spoke as she looked around.
Kanda chuckled. “I know this isn’t exactly your thing but I wanted to treat you.”
She smiled at him as she rested her hands on the table. “Thank you, Kanda. I really appreciate it. I’m sure it’s something I’ll grow used to eventually.”
“You’re welcome, Lyra. Besides, after this we’re going somewhere else for dessert.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere of your choice.”
She rose her brows slightly and dropped them again, laughing awkwardly. “Yeah... About that. The places I know are all takeaways and junk food.”
Kanda placed his hand over hers. “That’s why I’m telling you it’s your decision. I want to see the places you like to eat at and try the things you love to eat.”
“Really?” she asked, surprised.
“Of course. I think you’ve seen enough of my world, especially after tonight. So, I want a little taste of yours,” he told her with a smile.
She couldn’t help but smile at his generosity. “Very well. I already have a place in mind but I’m not telling you until we get there.”
He laughed with a small shrug. “That's fine with me.”
As Lyra looked through the menu, she felt like she was reading another language entirely. She felt embarrassed about having to get Kanda to help her out but he didn’t mind at all. It was all just steak and noodles but it seemed so much more complicated than it needed to be. When the food arrived, she had to admit it was presented beautifully and it did taste good. But you definitely needed a more refined palette to eat that sort of food. However, she definitely preferred the more warm, flavourful and rich cooking at the cheaper restaurants.
Overall, she enjoyed her experience with Kanda. It was certainly different. He made her feel more relaxed and comfortable so she didn’t feel awkward. The only thing that annoyed her though were the people who kept coming up to speak to them. Kanda and his family were somewhat celebrities in the upper class world. And so every few minutes, people would come up to congratulate them on their engagement and some even had full blown conversations with Kanda while Lyra continued to eat her food silently. She could tell that he kept trying to cut the conversations short and get them to leave but it was quite difficult to do. After the bill was paid, the maître d' escorted them out.
As Kanda’s car was brought to them and they got inside, Kanda couldn’t stop apologising.
“Lyra, I am terribly sorry about that,” he said. “They just kept coming as if they were breeding.”
Lyra laughed and shook her head. “It’s fine. Seriously, don’t worry about it.”
“No, it's not fine. It’s not what I wanted from tonight. I wanted to be with you and speak with you, not them.”
“Kanda, listen to me,” she quietened him. “It’s only half past 10. We can still save this night. Now start driving. I’ll give you directions.”
He sighed with a nod and began driving. Whilst Lyra gave directions, he wondered where she was taking him. He figured it would be some sort of dessert parlour or café but he wasn’t so sure. As he turned into a car park, he looked up at the big lit up sign.
“McDonalds?”
“Yep!” she grinned.
He chuckled in amusement. “Alright then.”
“We’ll just go to the drive-thru so we don’t have to get out.”
As he drove towards the drive-thru, they saw that it was closed. They would have to go inside to get what they wanted.
“Tell me what you want and I’ll get it for you,” Kanda said as he parked the car.
She shook her head with a smile. “It's okay. We’ll go in together.”
He looked at her outfit and then back at her. “Are you sure?”
“Of course.”
They both left the car and entered McDonalds. The people in there and the atmosphere was like a breath of fresh air. There was no fancy music and everyone was chatting and laughing without worrying what other people would think. Kanda quickly gripped onto Lyra's hand.
“I feel quite overdressed,” he leaned down a little to whisper to her.
She laughed. “At least you’re in a suit and look like you’re on your way home from work. I’m wearing this fancy jumpsuit and heels.”
He glanced around as they joined the back of the queue. “People are looking at us.”
Lyra tried to see who was looking at them but people were just minding their own business.
She sighed softly and gazed at him with amusement. “No. They’re looking around and they’re eyes are skimming past us.”
Kanda breathed out in relief. “Oh.”
“You’ll survive.” She laughed at his behaviour. “To think I used to come here in pajamas and now look at me.”
“Pajamas?” he asked, raising his brow slightly. “So you would come here at night?”
“No. It would usually be around lunch time.”
He chuckled at the thought. “Now that’s something I have to try.”
“We'll do it one day,” she smiled. “What do you want?” she asked as she looked up at the menu.
He looked up at the menu and looked at the dessert and drinks section. However, just like Lyra had difficulty in the restaurant, he couldn’t tell what was what.
“Uhh... I’ll have whatever you have,” he decided.
She laughed at his excuse and made her usual order whenever she wanted dessert but times two. Kanda pulled out his card to pay for it but Lyra stopped him.
“No way, Kanda. This is my treat. Put your card away,” she ordered as she pulled out her card.
He was taken aback. “But-"
She shook her head. “Please.”
He smiled with defeat and allowed her to pay. After paying, she put her card away and rested her hand on the counter, a habit of hers. Suddenly, the girl serving her at the till gasped, her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide. Lyra and Kanda glanced at each other before looking back at the girl. She grabbed Lyra's hand and zoomed in on the ring.
“This is the most gorgeous ring I’ve ever seen!” she exclaimed with excitement.
Lyra laughed softly. “Thank you.”
“Everyone, come look!” she called her colleagues over. “This diamond is huge. I swear I almost went blind.” Her colleagues soon surrounded her, all ooh-ing and ahh-ing in astonishment whilst Lyra's arm was still stretched out. “Wow, you’re so lucky!”
Lyra looked towards Kanda for help as they kept her hand hostage. Kanda chuckled and took her hand back before kissing the back of it and interlocking their fingers.
“Actually, I'm the lucky one.”
They all cooed at his words and Lyra couldn’t help but laugh and roll her eyes at their reaction. Their order was finally ready. Kanda took the tray whilst Lyra found them a table near the window. He looked down at the items on the tray as she shared them out. There was a rectangular box, a box of fries, a small pot with a plastic spoon sticking out of it, and some sort of cold drink with whipped cream and chocolate sauce on it.
Lyra began to explain. “This is an apple pie. Careful. It’s piping hot. This is a McFlurry. It's ice cream. And this is a mocha iced frappé. That one is my favourite. And some fries for us to share.”
“Interesting. Let’s try it.”
He took the apple pie box and opened it. The shape of it was quite intriguing to him. He watched Lyra as she looked as though she did this a thousand times before. She took the lid off the ice cream and then took the apple pie out of its box. She dipped a corner of the pie into the ice cream and took a small bite. Seeing as she was a pro, he copied her. But as he went to eat the pie with the ice cream, he took too much of a big bite. Since the filling was so hot, he instantly burnt his tongue.
“Ow!”
Lyra gasped. “Oh, no! Quick, drink this!”
She grabbed his frappé and put the straw into his mouth. He took a big sip to cool his tongue but was met with another pain.
“Brain freeze!” he groaned holding onto his head.
Lyra face palmed, quickly grabbing some fries and shoving them into his mouth so the warmth would calm the pain. Once Kanda was safe he breathed out in relief. Lyra began laughing out loud at what had just happened, tears forming in her eyes from laughing so much. Kanda smiled at the way she was laughing and soon she calmed down.
“Well,” she giggled. “That was an exciting few seconds.”
He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. “It was. I’ve never eaten such an apple pie before.”
“You have eaten hot food before though, right?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think it would be that hot. And that drink is super cold.”
“It's a frappé. It's made of ice.”
He smiled at her. “I’m glad I was able to entertain you. And I have to admit, even though I’ve burnt my tongue, this stuff is delicious.”
“I'm glad,” she smiled back brightly.
They continued to talk and eat. Kanda ate some fries while waiting for his apple pie to cool down. And then Lyra showed him how she ate the whipped cream and chocolate sauce on top of the frappé, using the end of the straw to scoop it up and put it in her mouth. Kanda tried it as well, struggling at first to balance it. But he got it in the end. She giggled quietly as some cream stayed on the corner of his lips. Kanda gave her a look but she simply took a napkin and wiped it away for him.
Standing in the dark outside beside a tree some distance away, a pair of golden eyes watched her. Sesshomaru witnessed Lyra as she fed the man and laughed joyously before wiping his lips. That was all he needed to see. He went to her world to find her so she could have a chance to tell him the truth. But the truth was evident to him. She was happy. He turned and flew away.
Once Lyra made sure Kanda was free of cream, she randomly glanced out of the window for a split second. But something caught her eye making her look out again quickly. ‘Did I just see-'
“Lyra? Is everything okay?” Kanda asked, also looking out of the window now.
She blinked a couple of times and turned back. “I’m fine. Just thought I saw something.”
He gave a nod as he began eating his apple pie. “I wanted to ask you something. I hope you won’t mind.”
“Of course not. Go ahead.”
He cleared his throat. “Is everything okay between you and your dad? I felt some tension when I picked you up.”
She glanced down, awkwardly tapping her fingers against the table. “Everything’s fine. We just had a small argument earlier. I didn’t realise it was obvious. I'm sorry.”
“Lyra, don’t be sorry.” He placed his hand over hers and she instantly stopped tapping her fingers. “I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
She put on a smile. “Thank you.”
For the next month, that was all Lyra's life consisted of: going on dates; going to work; wedding preparations; having lunch with his mother and sister, both even taking her to their evening club where a bunch of snooty women would drink expensive wine and champagne. Sure Lyra enjoyed a bit of gossip but these women took it too far. She was lucky that Kasai and Kimi were a lot calmer than all the others though. Kuba was too busy running his business and empire so she didn’t see him as much. And Kanda was his usual self. He would sometimes visit her at work but only about once a week, which she was grateful for. She would see him almost everyday anyway and work was her little bit of escapism. Kanda was definitely different to the rest of his family. He was down to earth and understanding of Lyra's feelings. All everyone spoke about was the wedding but Kanda would speak of other things, and she was appreciative for that.
Her relationship with her father was still rocky. She would avoid him in the house, only speaking to him whenever others were present. Renji hated it but he kept on telling himself that it was a sacrifice he had to make.
Lyra took everything one day at a time and one step at a time. It was the only way she was making it through the whole ordeal. Every morning she would put on her mask and show the world the Lyra everyone wanted to see. The only person who she was actually able to put on a true smile in front of was Kanda. He loved her but although she didn’t love him the same way, he had become a great friend to her. The moment she was back alone in her room, the mask would come off. Her room was her safe haven where she didn’t have to put on a fake front and act. The ring and necklace would come off and she would spend the rest of the night thinking of everything she left behind for a life she couldn’t live in. She wished she could tell Kanda the truth but she had no idea what her father would do to himself. She knew that Kanda would understand but she also knew her father wouldn’t.
She tucked herself into bed, clutching onto her pillow as the tears came just like every night. ‘Please come and take me away, Sesshomaru...’
***
Lyra and Renji were having dinner with Kanda and his family at one of the expensive restaurants they liked to go to. The atmosphere was relaxed but again Lyra had to dress up. She and Kanda couldn’t talk much because Kimi had her trapped in a conversation but she was thankful it wasn’t about the wedding. Their parents were talking and laughing over who knows what and Kanda simply sat in silence most of the time. He was trying to join in on Lyra's conversation but Kimi kept pushing him out.
Kimi suddenly brought the conversation to the wedding and Lyra instantly felt uncomfortable. She continued to smile and began fumbling with the napkin in her lap. Kanda noticed her nervous habit, secretly reaching over and placing his hand over hers. She glanced over at him to see him acting casual as he gently squeezed her hand. She relaxed slightly and continued to listen to Kimi.
“Renji, you and Lyra simply must come to our home for tea tomorrow,” Kasai said across the table.
Kuba nodded with agreement. “Yes! No excuses. Lyra, what do you say? Around 3pm?”
Lyra smiled politely. “If my father is okay with it, then so am I?”
Everyone looked towards Renji now who was suddenly taken aback by everyone’s stare. “Of course! We’d be delighted.”
“Then it’s sorted,” Kasai grinned.
After their meal, Kanda dropped Renji and Lyra back home. He said he would pick them up again for the invite to his house but Lyra denied him. She insisted on driving there herself. Kanda had been like her chauffeur every time they went out and she missed driving her own car. He gave into her request and sent her the address.
The next day, it was again raining heavily. It was rather annoying since Lyra had already picked out a simple day dress to wear for tea the night before. She didn’t want to have to wear a jacket on top but it seemed like she had no choice. Renji held an umbrella over them as they rushed to the car, letting Lyra into the driver’s side before getting into the passenger’s side.
“I told you I would drive,” he said as he put on his seatbelt.
Lyra stared at her phone as she set up the GPS with the address. “It’s fine. At least allow me to do some of the things I like.”
Renji remained quiet. It was only fair. After everything was set up, they set off. The entire journey was silent, the only sound coming from the woman's voice on the navigator who was giving out directions and the window wipers clearing the view from the pouring rain.
Lyra soon turned down a narrow path that went through some trees. She initially thought she went down the wrong road but she quickly found that she was wrong. She soon saw a huge mansion in the distance. Even from afar, the place looked huge and it only grew bigger the closer she got to it. The long drive up to it took about 20 seconds in itself until she came up to the main driveway. She spotted Kanda’s car parked outside getting wet in the rain and she parked up behind it.
There were a couple of men wearing some sort of shirt and trouser uniform, both standing under umbrellas. One went around to Lyra's side and opened the door for her, shielding her from the rain. Renji received the same treatment.
“Um, thanks...” she said awkwardly as they escorted them inside.
Upon entering the house, Lyra thought she was going to turn blind from all the glamour. The marble entryway was grand and open with two staircases on either side curving up to the first floor. There was a chandelier hanging from the ceiling all the way down above some sort of centrepiece.
Kuba and Kasai soon appeared from the far end and walked over to greet them inside.
“Welcome, welcome,” Kasai smiled as she hugged Lyra.
“Your home is beautiful,” Lyra said, returning the hug.
Kuba looked to her after shaking Renji's hand. “I hope there were no difficulties on your journey. It's an easy turning to miss from the main road. I did tell Kanda to pick you up but apparently you insisted on driving yourself.”
“No, it was fine,” she answered. “And I didn’t want to trouble him. He’s been driving me around everywhere.”
“Where are Kanda and Kimi?” Renji asked.
Just as he asked, the siblings had appeared at the top of the stairs and made their way down. Kimi wore a pretty dress whilst Kanda was in more casual attire, opting for a shirt and jeans. They both said their hellos before Kanda suddenly pinched Kimi's cheek.
“I would have come down earlier but this one kept bugging me about my hair,” he said with a light chuckle.
Kimi pouted and pushed his hand away. “I just wanted it to be perfect for Lyra.”
Lyra laughed with amusement. “It's alright.”
“Here, let me get that for you,” Kanda said as he helped Lyra with her wet jacket.
A maid came over and took hers and Renji's jackets to put away. Kuba and Kasai lead them further into the house, walking slowly as everyone conversed. Lyra was more stunned that houses like that one even existed.
Kasai’s voice suddenly brought her back to reality. “Well, I wanted to have tea in the garden but the weather was clearly not going to allow it. So, we will simply enjoy it in the living room. Kanda, why don’t you and Kimi give Lyra a tour? Food will almost be ready.”
“Sure,” Kanda replied.
The parents disappeared into the living room to discuss some things whilst Kanda held Lyra's hand, leading her up the stairs with Kimi following behind. From the floor to the ceiling and everything in between, Lyra couldn’t believe that that was where the Hideki family lived. It was lucky they could afford to keep servants because cleaning all of that would have been a nightmare. She couldn’t even believe they had servants. She only saw that sort of thing in movies.
They showed her the bedrooms all of which had en suites, and then on top of that there were like 3 other bathrooms. They showed her the billiard room, the library, the upstairs lounge. The place was like a maze. Being the eldest and the only son, Kanda had the master bedroom.
“And soon there will be babies!” Kimi squealed.
Lyra almost choked at her sudden outburst. “W-What..?”
Kanda gave Kimi a look. “Don't listen to her, Lyra.”
She breathed out in relief as Kimi pouted. “Whaaat?” she whined. “You guys are gonna have kids.”
“Eventually. But only whenever Lyra is ready.”
Lyra grew red in the face. ‘Are they seriously talking about this in front of me?’
Kanda noticed the expression on her face. “I’m sorry, Lyra. I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable. This idiot just won’t be quiet.”
“I-It's fine.” She put on a smile. “Kimi is simply excited, right?”
Kimi grinned. “Yep! But I am sorry.”
Lyra shook her head. “Don’t be.”
“Master Kanda,” a male voice came. They all turned to see one of the servants. “Tea is served.”
They all went down to the living room and Lyra was at awe at the beauty of it. The decor consisted of purple accents and furniture but it was equally as glamorous as the rest of the house. The parents were already sitting and talking and so the rest of them sat on the opposite couch with Lyra in the middle.
The food was served on the glass table in the centre of the seating area. There were sandwiches, cakes, macarons and macaroons, and of course tea.
“Lyra, what do you think of the house?” Kasai asked her.
“It’s beautiful,” she replied. “I’ll probably need a map to navigate the place though.”
Kuba chuckled. “It takes some getting used to. In fact, speaking of the house... Kasai, do you wish to tell them?”
“Tell us what?” Kanda asked, Lyra also curious.
Kasai took over now. “This has been something we wished to do ever since we agreed to arrange this marriage,” she began referring to all three parents. “And as a wedding gift to you both, we will be putting this property under your name.”
“What?!” both Kanda and Lyra exclaimed together.
“Dad,” Kanda looked at Kuba. “This is your house. I'm not going to take it from you.”
“Kanda, my boy, we’ve already chosen a house that your mother has fallen in love with,” Kuba explained. “This house will be for you and Lyra to live in and grow your own family.”
Kimi then joined in. “Kanda, weren’t you telling Lyra never to refuse a gift? You can’t refuse this one.”
Kanda sighed in defeat and gave in. However, Lyra was staring at Renji with disbelief. Was that the reason he was so hell bent about the wedding? For property and money? If it was agreed before they decided to move ahead with it, then that must have been the reason. Renji knew what Lyra was thinking. He wished he could take her aside and tell her those thoughts were wrong but anything he said, she wouldn’t believe him.
As Kanda stood to hug and thank his parents, Lyra stood as well. Again, she forced a smile onto her face and thanked them as well.
***
Kagome, Inuyasha and the others had been travelling to find the lost jewel shards. They had found one quite close to Naraku's castle but were unable to retrieve it. Kagome had believed it was the shard inside Sango's brother Kohaku. Unfortunately, it had to be something they had to deal with another time.
They had come across Sesshomaru, Jaken and Rin a couple of times but Kagome noticed that Lyra was never with them. She figured that Lyra had simply returned for a short while. However, Sesshomaru seemed a lot less friendly than usual but she just passed it off as him being in a bad mood.
After things had died down for her, she decided to return home for a while and get caught up on all the schoolwork she had missed. Once she was back in the future, she left the shrine and saw that it had been raining. The rain had stopped but the ground was still wet.
“Hi, mom!” she called as she entered the house. “I'm back!”
“Welcome back, Kagome,” Mama greeted. “Your timing is perfect. I’ve just finished cooking.”
The two of them sat at the table with Sota and grandpa, Kagome catching them up with everything going on in the feudal era.
“Well, over here, Lyra got engaged,” Mama told her with a delighted smile.
Kagome became confused. “To who?” ‘Did Sesshomaru propose to her?’
“A doctor named Kanda Hideki.”
“What?” she asked becoming more confused.
Her mother explained all about the pact and the arranged marriage. The engagement was apparently a month ago. Now she understood why Sesshomaru was so pissed off. Well, extra pissed off. Lyra must have told him. But Kagome was shocked. She knew that Lyra was falling in love with Sesshomaru when they last spoke about it. And the way Sesshomaru protected her, she knew he loved her too. In fact, she thought they were perfect together.
After she ate, she went up to her room and grabbed her phone.
***
Lyra sat in silence as everyone continued talking. She had eaten a little bit but her appetite was gone. She was already full from all the money her father had so greedily poured down her throat. She felt her phone vibrate in her bag and opened it to see who was calling.
“Kagome?” she muttered. “I guess she’s back.”
“Lyra, you okay?” Kanda asked her.
“Yeah.” She took her phone out and showed him. “It’s my cousin. Sorry, I have to take this.”
He nodded with a smile and so Lyra got up and left the room to find a quiet place to talk. Everyone else was chatting away so they didn’t even see her leave. Lyra made her way to the front of the house where the entrance was and answered the phone.
“Hey, Kagome.”
“Hey. Lyra, what’s going on?” Kagome asked, getting straight to the point.
Lyra knew what Kagome meant but she still asked, “About what?”
“About you. You’re engaged? And who is Kanda? What happened to Sesshomaru? I thought you loved him.”
Lyra breathed out softly. “One question at a time, Kagome.”
“Explain everything. I was wondering why Sesshomaru was angrier than usual but I never expected this.”
Lyra's heart panged at the thought of him. “Sesshomaru.. He- He’s okay, right?”
“He’s alive if that’s what you mean. So you do still love him?”
“Yes. I do still love him. I still love him.” Lyra closed her eyes as she leaned against the banister of the staircase. “I love Sesshomaru with all my heart. And it killed me to say goodbye to him.” Kagome remained silent as Lyra poured out all the feelings she had been holding back. She opened her eyes, now holding onto the pillar of the banister. “I broke his heart. Before I came back, he proposed to me and I said yes. And I made love to him that night.” Kagome was the only one she could admit it all to. “I only wanted to come home for a few days but then my dad did everything behind my back. I told him about Sesshomaru but he still went ahead and did it.”
“Why didn’t you say no?” Kagome asked more softly now.
“I tried. I was going to tell Kanda the truth but my dad sa-" Lyra stopped herself. “He wanted me to be somewhere he knew I would be safe. And everyone is so happy here. To see the joy on everyone’s face, on my dad’s face...I gave everything up for that... And Kanda is such a wonderful man. He’s been so great throughout all of this. I don’t care about how rich he is. He’s just an amazing person. I don’t want to hurt him as well. I just had to break Sesshomaru’s heart in the process.”
Kagome sighed. “The ones who are suffering most in this are you and Sesshomaru.”
“I know...” Lyra lowered her head. “But it's too late now. I love Sesshomaru and I always will. But it was a sacrifice I had to make.”
“Lyra, I understand. I just wish there was something I could do to help.”
Lyra smiled a little sadly. “Me too. Anyway, I have to go now. They’re probably wondering where I’ve gone.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Lyra hung up and clutched onto her phone for a few seconds. It felt good to finally let go of all her thoughts or she might have just exploded. After regaining her composure, she took a deep breath in and out before deciding to go back. She hoped she didn’t lose her way there. She turned on her heel to return to the living room before freezing mid step. Her eyes widened, her heart jumping to her throat.
“Kanda...”