"Oh gods, Shuuichi! She's coming this way!" Tokou whispered excitedly to Kurama. Kurama winced at his companions excitement about this new girl, but just kept it to himself. "Hello" she said. "I'm Shiito Yui, I'm kinda new here" she greeted the two. Tokou grinned and held out his hand. "Kagami Tokou, at your service" he said, shaking hands with her. She then glanced at Kurama and raised her brows in question. "Minamino Shuuichi" he said plainly. He thought he saw her pout at his reply. "That's it? No greeting?" she asked him persistently. Kurama sighed. "I'm Shuuichi Minamino, if there's anything I could do for you, just ask...is that okay?" he asked, trying to supress a smile. Yui clasped her hands together. "Oh good! The principal told me about you. He said that it would be best for me to ask you to be my guide for a few days around here. So, let's start!" she said, taking Kurama's hand. Kurama looked at Tokou, his eyes pleading to help. Tokou grinned yet again and went in front of them. "Actually, Ms. Yui, I was just taking Shuuichi to the clinic" he said, pausing if it was okay with Kurama. Kurama nodded quickly in reply. "And...if it's okay, I'd be glad to help you in his place". Yui glanced at Kurama. Kurama nodded slowly with a "disappointed" face. Tokou took Yui's hand and led her away from him. From that time on, he thought he saw Yui's face twitch in irritation as they walked farther and farther from him. Kurama lowered his eyebrows and stared at the new girl. Something's strange about her, he said to himself. Shrugging the thought off, he went on the other way.

Back in Reikai, Botan was doing her regular rounds when..."Gang way!!!!" a reikai worker raised towards the hallway, nearly pushing Botan on the wall. "Watch it!" she yelled at him. The youko didn't even flinch at the statement and went on running faster. Frustrated, Botan followed him.

Kurama sat down on one of the benches thinking of absolutely nothing. One of his rarest past times, just doing nothing. This wasn't the usual Shuuichi at all, not even the usual Kurama. He was acting like some other guy who had just taken of his very being. Reading books, usually that of academic ones, too much of a cliche already, which he never grew tired of. Almost the perfect ningen. Almost. Thinking too much about her was too much. He tried to get it away. He tried so hard, but once he got the hang of the idea, she would just pop into his mind again. All over again. Over and over. The same thing happens, willing him to give up and take up all the pain his body and soul could take. The pain that his heart could take. Kurama sighed and leaned back. It's not helping him...nothing's helping him. It was too much. Too much, he couldn't almost take it. "Shuuichi-san!" a not so familiar voice disturbed his thoughts. He looked around, searching for the one who just called him. Just there in his sight was the new girl, Yui Shiito. he felt something about her, he's just not sure what. He stood up to welcome her, forcing his mind to give her a smile so that he wouldn't turn out acting rude towards her. Yui smiled faintly, catching her breath as she drew closer. "Good thign I found you, I've been looking for you all over the place" she said. Finally, she took a deep breath and sighed. "You said you'll be going to the clinic. How come you weren't there?" she asked. Kurama looked around. "I'm sorry, but, where's Tokou?" he asked her. Tokou was supposed to be with her, now where was he? yui backed off a bit and placed a nervous finger on her lips. "Well, you see, I kind of ran away from him" she answered. "He was giving me a hard time so I thought it would be better if I just look for you instead" she said with a shy smile. But in the shy smile there was something even more. Her eyes glowed in his sight, almost hypnotizing him to her. What was happening? Before he could find out the answer, she wrapped her arms around him, coiling them tightly to her chest. Kurama gulped. "Ne, would you mind if you'd be the one who would give me a tour? Please?" she asked him with the most innocent eyes he ever saw. Well...not as innocent as hers though. But Kurama wasn't going to turn his back on her, there wasn't a good excuse to do so. With a final breath, he said, "Okay, maybe I could give you a little round"

Botan had butterflies in her stomach all of a sudden. A strange feeling had rose within her so sudden, she didn't even know what. She took a deep breath. That guy who just bumped into her had a strange worry in his eyes. She wondered what the news was. Hopefully, it's something to get her back to ningenkai...just to see him again. She continued sneaking behind the youko. He was heading towards Koenma's office, it's probably something really serious.

Kurama continued to show Yui all the things she needed to see in the university. Only, the whole time she had herself clung to his arm. No matter where they were, she's always there like a tight ribbon tied to a tree. Kurama sweatdropped as she laughed and giggled every time they see something cute or something funny. He even felt girls all around him redden in anger at the new girl who just took a liking with Shuuichi Minamino. Too much attention was killing him, he could just wish he was left alone. How he wished just to be alone. How he wanted to just sit in one corner and be silent. But that would ruin him. Ruin Shuuichi Minamino's personality, his reputation. He was never considered rude, selfish or anything. It was almost they think he didn't have any bad points at all. He hated himself for being that. "Shuuichi-kun" all of a sudden she was getting too attached to him. Being too familiar. She even called him...'Shuuichi...-kun'. Kurama sighed. "Hai, Yui-san?" he asked. The girl with him frowned. Even if she did change her address towards him, he didn't change anythig in the way he addressed her. He didn't even change his expression. But she didn't mind, all she wanted was to get Shuuichi all to herself. It was selfish of her, yes, but she wanted him. She want him...only him. "You've been so quiet all of a sudden, is something wrong?" she asked. Kurama mentally winced at her persistence. But somehow, he felt somewhat light towards her, well, a little bit lighter than any other girl in the university. "I'm just not feeling well, that's all" he replied. yui's face turned concerned. "Oh, do you want me to take you to the clinic? I knew you should've been there" she told him. Kurama turned his head. This isn't working. He couldn't get away. Something inside him wanted to stay, but more of him wanted to go off and ran away from her. "No, no, nevermind, let's just continue on this" he said, willing himself to smile. Yui smiled back and leaned her head on his arm. Kurama sighed. This is harder than he thought. Yui was more persistent than the other girls who tried to lure him.

Koenma was steadily scanning the places in ningenkai as he sat back on his usual seat. The stupidity of boredom had somehow came acroos his day, not to mention the problems he still have with Botan. Even for just a little bit he wished she would give her a chance. For the time being, Enma Daioh had ordered him to stay in his teen-aged form, not knowing the real reason why. All he knew is that Enma favored his more matured form rather than the other one, though he is more comfortable with the smaller body. He sighed with ahlf-closed eyes, almost sleepily. he couldn't think of anything to do, with the world, with her...with him. He had som much problems in his mind but why was HE bothering him? As if he was right there in reikai, Botan won't have a chance of seeing him. God, even his name gave him the shivers. Kurama...

"Koenma-sama!" a sudden call came from behind the thick doors of his office. Koenma shook his thoughts away and asked the guy behind to to come in. Carefully but nervously, the youko opened the gigantic door that led to the prince's office. Koenma sat straight in place. "What is it?" the youko sttod straightly. As if the small Koenma was scary enough, what about THE other Koenma? the one who is more mature looking like this one here in fron of him. The youko gulped and handed him some papers. "There's been a report of some youko stealing an artifact in the treasury, master" he told him. Koenma was rigid for some time. Youko? Was it...Kurama? There could be some sense, maybe he gave up the human act. He scanned through the papers to make sure. At least Kurama was easy to beat. Even if he was Youko Kurama, the ningen feelings have already come upon him. Especially conscience and guilt. Partially, Koenma hoped it was Kurama, but little did he know it wasn't. On the bottom of the third page, his eyes grew wide as the name printed in it caught huis sight. He sucked his breath and stared at the youko. The guy stood frozen and scared all of a sudden. "Relax you idiot, I'm not going to eat you!" Koenma said angrily, noticing the fear in the guy's eyes. "Tell me who gave this report" he told him. "Some of the Reikai seishis saw him, but he was too fast for them. They said they only recognized him from the Ankonku Bujutsuukai" he replied. Koenma stared at papers again. The bold print. In it was printed the name that the man he hated had always dreaded. The man who had almost killed him. He could only mutter under her breath the horried name, "Karasu..."

Note: Hehe...didn't you just loved the sound of that name? **grins**

Next Chapter
Go Back