Chapter 4 of "Before & After." Again, constructive C & C are welcome.

--Shuuichi Minamino

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BEFORE & AFTER
Ch 4

 "I've been kicked in the corner,
  I'm down in the dirt
  I can't feel a thing
  But I know it ought to hurt
  Now you are shaking my spirit
  I'm too blind to hear it
  So I over react to satisfaction..."
			-"Soul Doctor" by Foreigner

	"Kurama, where are you child?" Rokuso's voice snapped Kurama
back to reality. He quickly put himself together, got up from the pool, and
put on a white robe.  Kurama then hurried out of the bathing room, for he
didn't want to get Rokuso angry again.

	"Ye...yes, father?"  He stopped in front of the taller youkai,
not daring to look up into Rokuso's face.  

	Rokuso looked down at the boy for few minutes, then sighed.  He
gently picked up the boy, let the boy settle comfortably in his arm.

	"Look what have I done.  I'm sorry," the other hand gently stroking
Kurama's fine, shining hair.  Sorrow and sadness showed in his dark purple eyes.

	"You are not mad at me, are you?  You have a reason to, I was too harsh
on you.  But you know I love you, anything I do is for you, right?"

	"Father, I promise I won't do it again...I just forgot..." The man
put a finger on the child's lips.  

	"It's all right, son, I know you will never break my heart like Mai did
right?" The little boy nodded.  Mai sounded familiar, he thought he had just
dreamed about her and another man but he couldn't quite recall who they
were.    

        "Now, look what I got for you." The man put the little youko down.
and put a large brown bag on the ground. "Go ahead, open it."

	The little boy did as told.  Then his breautiful golden eyes widen
with surprise and happiness. 

	"Oh, father, thank you thank you!"  Kurama said as he picked up a
beautifully made wooden craft.  Then he noticed the other toys in the bag
and picked them up as well.  Kurama then started to go through the whole
bag.  He had completely forgotten about the sufferings moment ago.

	"I got those toys from a trader, I know you would like them." The
man smiled in contentment. 

	"But father, aren't they....hnnn....expensive?"

	"Anything for you is worth it," The man gently patted Kurama's
head. 
 
-------------------Chapter 4 End (TO BE CONTINUED)---------------

   --Shuuichi Minamino
   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
  * "J'aurais                            "I would have wanted                 *
  *           voulu ne pas mourir.                  not to die.               *
  *  J'aurais voulu                       I would have wanted                 *
  *           ne jamais grandir.                    never to grow up.         *
  *  J'aurais                             I would have                        *
  *           voulu me casser l'ame."             wanted to rend my soul."    *
  *                                                                           *
  *                ~Cirque Du Soleil                      ~Circus Of The Sun  *
   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~