Okay, this the the YYH fic 'Entwined Destinies' I promised earlier. This is
the pre-readed version and many thanks to Rhionae for wading through my fic,
picking out all those little typos. Please send your C&Cs to me and it will
go to the RAAC later. 

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Entwined Destinies 

A Yu Yu Hakusho fanfic by Siew Lee 

---------------------------------------------------------------------
*Destinies, the stream of life, 
 Destinies, the hope of dreams...* 

Two figures sat side by side under a huge tree in the middle of the 
deserted park. It was nearly midnight now, as twelve stokes of the 
garden clock tower signaled it. The night was heralded by the constant 
chirping of crickets and a lonely hoot of an owl. It was so silent, so 
unfathomable in the depths of the darkness. At first look, it was 
maybe just some lovers having a secret meeting right here, but at the 
second glance, it was not quite what it seemed. 

Sometimes, things shouldn't be perceived lightly. 

A soft and gentle voice pierced the air, shattering the tranquil 
silence that hung over both of them for a long time. The moonlight 
wasn't clear and high that night, but two shapes could roughly be 
seen. 

"Hiei, we can't go on living like this forever," began the gentle 
voice. 

"Why? Isn't it good this way?" answered another voice, this one 
deeper than the first voice. 

"Because... I found it difficult to withstand the pain that I have to 
endure... The pressure from my family, community, friends... 
Sometimes, I was a little scared that our secrets might get 
disclosed," explained the first voice. 

"Why? You could just turn a blind eye and a deaf ear on them... If we 
live just like this, won't it be a lot better?" growled the deeper 
voice. 

"No... Hiei, you don't understand..." 

"Yes, I understand everything you want to say, you are just plain 
selfish," the other voice said hardly, slightly indicating that there 
was a slight tone of resentment. 

"No... That was not what I meant!" exclaimed the gentle voice loudly, 
loud enough to scare away the birds which were resting up in the tree. 
In the dark skyline, dark shapes of frightened birds flew away in 
flocks. 

"Yes, Kurama. I always knew that you wanted me for something. I want
you to come with me to Makai, yet you say that you can't leave your 
human mother alone. What do you want then? My body?" snarled the much 
deeper voice. 

"No, you know I won't be that! Hiei, you are just being ignorant and 
belligerent tonight!" 

"That depends..." answered the deeper voice. Suddenly, a dark figure 
got up from its place under the tree and flitted off quickly, leaving 
the other person below the tree in the dead of the night... That night 
carried a very heavy scent of despair and rejection. The very scent of 
a tragedy. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------
*Love, the blood of feelings, 
 Tragedies, the death of love* 

Hiei sat down on a branch of a tree. It was nearly three in the 
morning already. Almost three hours after he had left Kurama in the 
silent and lonely park, now he felt a twinge of regret what he had 
done. Besides, Kurama just wanted to be with his family... 

Family? Hiei had never once had a family to go back to. He was an 
outcast, a pariah, a forbidden child. That shame of being a bastard 
had left a scar that could never heal in his very soul, so deep that 
nothing could ever restore it into its original form. He was the cruel 
and cold-blooded killer in Makai, fear and terror were written across 
everyone's face whenever they were to hear his name. Hiei bit back the 
bitter taste in his mouth, or was it simply the unbearable pain in his 
heart? Hiei didn't know for sure. 

He had always thought that Kurama was the one who truly discerned his 
inner nature, but he was wrong... He had once asked Kurama to take him 
to Makai, so they might live forever as a couple, without any barriers 
to stop them; but Kurama didn't want to accept his offer. What should 
he do? Nothing. 

Hiei just had to hold back the sob that he was constraining painfully. 
Slowly, he buried his face in his hands, he had never expected Kurama 
to be that selfish. Kurama had actually put his mother ahead of him. 
Who was Shiori compared to him? Shiori was only Kurama's human mother 
and Hiei was Kurama's lover! Hiei blinked away hot tears that came to 
his eyes... The acute feeling in his chest was so bad that he had to 
close his eyes and hold his breath to calm down... 

Loving someone was so difficult for him. It was simply too much when 
he had to admit his love for Kurama in the first place, but he 
admitted it anyway. A wry smile lit up at the corner of Hiei's mouth 
as he recalled the time when Kurama had tricked him into saying his 
feelings out loud... That was truly a priceless moment; but it was all 
gone now... Leaving only ashes of saturnine emotions; and at last, of 
anger. 

What must he do in the meantime? The feeling of being rejected and 
abandoned was terrible, as if something had slashed him across the 
chest, leaving him powerless to defend himself. Hiei sighed unhappily, 
maybe he was unworthy of Kurama paying so much attention to him... 
After all, he was just only a poor and pitiful koorime child... Tears 
began to form at the corner of his eyelids, but Hiei squeezed them 
away. 

*I, Hiei, the Forbidden Child of Makai, shall never shed another tear 
for Kurama, that heartless youko...* 

Hiei felt even angrier as he thought that. In a sweeping motion, he 
flew, in search of a place to rest, to calm down. Or at least to hide 
from the reality... 

---------------------------------------------------------------------
*A friend lost shall never be returned, 
 Lost love shall never be reunited...* 

Kurama stared at the fleeing shadow for a long time, until Hiei 
disappeared from his sight. Hiei was so stubborn and defiant at times. 
Kurama gritted his teeth and tightened his fist, unable to believe 
that Hiei had actually flown off like that... Sometimes Hiei wasn't at 
all reasonable. 

Kurama sighed, depressed, and sat down on the grass. The night was so 
silent and moody, almost reflecting what he was experiencing right 
now. Hiei still could not comprehend why he was unable to leave his 
family, his friends back here in Ningenkai. Kurama had a very docile 
nature during normal times. Perhaps being a human now had neutralized 
his actual youko behaviour. 

Kurama almost laughed out aloud as he remembered all those glorious 
days he felt when he was in Makai, living as a pure youko. Youkos... 
He was a thief back then, slaughtering and decapitating enemies as he 
robbed and killed. Inari-sama... He had not seen him for a very long 
time... 

*Hiei... Why can't you understand what a predicament I am in now? I 
have a life in Ningenkai as Shuichi Minamino, but I still can't let 
you go. I love you too fierily, too deeply to see you go just like 
that; but I can't leave my life hanging here just like that. No... I 
can't be that selfish... Hiei, you must understand,* whispered Kurama 
into the night. 

Kurama's thinking was confused now. He had to make a choice, either 
Hiei or Ningenkai... No... If he went with Hiei, what would his 
dearest mother do? Live alone in this world? No... She still had her 
husband and stepson. If he let go of Hiei now, he might never see him 
again. Kurama collapsed on the soft grass, fervently hoping that 
somehow, Inari-sama will help him out. 

The moonlight was so placid... but hordes of doubts and unanswered 
questions lingered in the cool night air, heralding the fall of a 
being, the fall of his hopes and dreams. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------
*Sacrifice for one is priceless, 
 Remembrance of love is forever...* 

It was already afternoon, but Hiei was still nowhere to be seen. 
Kurama paced up and down across the room, occasionally looking out of 
the window for any signs of a black shadow. No... was the answer 
again. 

Maybe Hiei really meant what he said. Kurama sighed again, and took 
out his windbreaker from the wall closet. Perhaps a walk outside these 
four walls might do him some good... Besides, if Hiei didn't want to 
come back, waiting forever for him here wouldn't do any good. 

It was a fine day alright, but as Kurama walked along, he simply 
didn't have the heart to look around and enjoy the beautiful scenery 
set before him. Hiei was missing, but Kurama couldn't take any 
initiative to look for him. Sometimes, mortals couldn't control 
destiny, as it must be allowed to take its own course. 

Kurama strolled along the sidewalk of the busy streets. He didn't have 
any idea where he was heading nor where he wanted to go. Maybe 
loitering? Kurama despised loafing around during his free time, but 
this time was an exception. He then sat down on a bench outside a row 
of shophouses. 

Kurama looked straight up at the sky, thinking of problems that 
arrived in waves, yet he was powerless to stop them. Hiei was the only 
one he had ever truly loved in his life, whether as Youko Kurama or as 
Shuichi Minamino. Hiei... was so attractive to him, his small body 
frame was delicate, enough for Kurama to hug him whenever he wanted. 
Kurama smiled dreamily and closed his eyes. Perhaps Hiei was only 
trying to test his reaction... 

The street was sparsely dotted with pedestrians, hardly taking notice 
of anybody else around. A few boys were playing street football by the 
sidewalk, screaming and yelling their lungs out. There was hardly any 
commotion around, as Kurama carried on his daydreaming. 

But things couldn't be judged by their covers. Kurama dreamt on, 
reminiscing of those wonderful and happy times that he and Hiei had 
enjoyed... Hiei's behaviour, Hiei's reaction to a cheese cake, Hiei's 
first bath... It was just so perfect and heavenly. *Why? Why do you 
have to destroy all this? Isn't it better this way?* asked Kurama 
aloud suddenly, scaring away a kitten nuzzling against his feet. Hiei 
was gone now. Maybe Kurama would never get to see him again, after all 
those hard words they exchanged yesterday night. Or else... there 
might be another way... Kurama shuddered suddenly as he thought of 
that... Since Hiei wanted him so badly, why not do something that he 
would be proud of? But no... Kurama hadn't forgotten why he had 
declined Hiei's request. He still had a life in Ningenkai... 

Slowly, after what had almost seemed to be an eternity, Kurama got up 
from the bench. Absent-mindedly, he crossed the road, too indulged 
with thoughts and memories... He didn't notice a few voices shouting 
behind him... Then, there was a loud crash... Something big and fast 
slammed into his body, sending Kurama flying to some 20 meters away. 

It was a long time... Kurama didn't quite feel anything... It was just 
a sudden pain and everything was lifeless... Everything went dark... 
Everything was gone... 

---------------------------------------------------------------------
*Ashes of hope buried in the sea of rejection, 
 Colors of love fading away in the shadow of Death...* 

Hiei stood alone in the huge chamber of Mukuro's palace in Makai. Yes, 
he had gone back to Makai, because maybe Makai was his actual home, 
but never Ningenkai. Mukuro's palace was always chilly and Hiei never 
liked sitting down on the ground. At least standing was better than 
to sit on the chilly marble floor. 

Ningenkai, a place of dashed hopes and dreams. Even Kurama had those 
strong Ningen feeling binding him to his human life. Kurama was a 
sliver youko, how could he do that? Hiei wasn't sure. No, Hiei was 
never sure of anything. 

Although Hiei's body was there in Mukuro's palace, his mind was 
somewhere else, in a place where no flesh and blood could ever reach. 
Hiei never liked to admit anything, but perhaps this time it might 
serve as a guide to unravel his own doubts and mysteries. He dug 
deeper into his memories... 

A male koorime child... The Koorime tribe had thrown him into a 
freezing river and left him to die... Hiei would always hate the 
koorimes... They had made him endure suffering and torments ever 
since childhood.  What had he done to harm them that time? Nothing, 
he was just a baby! What could he done as a baby? Yet, the koorimes 
had the callousness to dump him, whether he survived or not. As a 
child, he had to fend for himself, making an invincible barrier 
around him, both physically or emotionally. That was why he had grown 
up to be a vicious and cold-blooded killer. 

Killing and slaughtering, he was brought up by his own self. What to 
do? Nobody would be there to welcome him home, nothing to comfort his 
anguished soul... Life was really tough for him back then. 

The Reikai Investigators... A half-smile lit up at both corners of 
Hiei's mouth. Yusuke Urameshi was really a perfect partner, always 
helping him out. That Kazuma Kuwabara wasn't bad either, except that 
he was a bit too sarcastic at times... Nah, he wouldn't be tricked 
easily in the scissors, stone and cloth game. Hiei won't have any hard 
feelings towards him, although he did really felt like strangling him 
at times. Botan and Koenma? Well, yeah, Koenma did get on his nerves 
every now and then, but that blue-head girl was really irritating. 
Hiei snickered as he toyed with the idea of his Korkuyuuha tearing her 
into pieces. 

Yukina... She was his sister, but she didn't know that he was her 
brother. Perhaps it was better that way, enough room for him to do 
his own things in peace and without worry. Hiei trusted Kuwabara in a 
way, but he would never ever say that in front of him. Not even to 
Kurama. 

Hiei's heart ached when he thought of his friend in Ningenkai. Yeah, 
Kurama was the perfect friend for him, although they had just broken 
up yesterday. Why? Why was Kurama still attached to Ningenkai? Now he 
had regained him youko form, he should come back to Makai at once. 
Besides, what was the use of staying in Ningenkai for so long? Because 
of his mother? Because of his friends in school? Or was it just simply 
that he didn't want Hiei around? 

Hiei pushed that awful thought away. In fact, he ought to feel at home 
right now! He was Hiei, the Forbidden Child of Makai, Mukuro's elite 
warrior... That was something that wasn't easy to achieve. That didn't 
do any good, life was just so bleak without someone to lend a 
listening ear to him. 

Unexpectedly, someone spoke aloud in the silent chamber. 

"Hiei?" asked the voice.

"Mukuro, why are you here?" growled Hiei, snapping back into reality 
from the Lands of Dreams. 

"Simply because I want to send you on a special training course," 
answered Mukuro. 

"Special training? What special training?" asked Hiei curiously. 

"It is a training to ensure that you can make full use of your youki," 
replied Mukuro. "Do you want to go?" 

Hiei was quiet, his thinking confused. Just as he was about to say 
'no', he shut his mouth again. *No, I can't give up such a good chance 
because of Kurama. Besides, he doesn't care about me anymore...* Hiei 
bit back the bitter feeling arising within him. 

"Yes," answered Hiei, his heart angry at Kurama. Perhaps both of them 
needed more time apart. 

"Alright then, so it shall be," said Mukuro as she walked away, 
leaving Hiei alone... 

---------------------------------------------------------------------
*Homelands were never meant to be left, 
 Friendship were never meant to last forever...* 

It was very dark and silent that Kurama himself could nearly hear the 
regular thumping of his heartbeat. His head ached from a dull pain, 
his limbs felt weak and powerless. For the first time in his life, 
Kurama actually tasted the very agonizing sensation of being 
defenseless. Maybe that was what Youko Kurama's enemies felt when they 
were defeated by that unscrupulous thief. 

*Where am I now?* Kurama began to recall what had actually happened to 
him before he came to this strange place... A big and fast moving 
object... Voices shouting behind him... 

"So was I involved in a road accident?* asked Kurama aloud, looking at 
his open palms in disbelieve. 

"Yes, you were," answered a smooth female voice. Kurama raised up his 
head and looked around, startled; but he saw no one... Who was that? 
The voice that answered him sounded familiar. In fact, very familiar. 
Was it... *No! It couldn't be!* Kurama pushed away that possibility as 
soon as it popped up in his head. That was practically unimaginable 
for her to appear now!

Once again, Kurama looked around, but calmly this time. Slowly, a 
figure in white materialized in front of him. At first, it was just a 
soft white shadow, Kurama strained his eyes to see the figure in 
detail. An wave of recognization overcame him... Quickly, Kurama stood 
up straight. 

"Hello, Kurama. Long time no see..." greeted the figure, dressed in 
pure white robe. This time, the figure had fully appeared and 
obviously, it was a youko, a vixen. A long furry tail trailed the 
ground and soft ears protruded from its head. 

"Greetings to you, Inari-sama," greeted Kurama back with a slight bow. 
It was very strange, since Inari had never visited him ever since he 
came to Ningenkai as Shuichi Minamino. What did she want this time? 

The female youko acknowledged him with a nod and began speaking. 
"Kurama, how's life been for you all these years? You've changed a 
lot, haven't you?" 

Kurama just kept quiet. What could he say? He just simply disappeared 
from Makai to live as Shuichi Minamino in Ningenkai. Not many knew that 
he was injured at that time... 

"You look pretty well for a Ningen, don't you?" spoke Inari again. 

Kurama just smiled. 

"Well, this time, I want you back in Makai. Perhaps the time has come 
for you to leave Ningenkai anyway. Remember, I'll be waiting..." spoke 
the vixen again. 

"Inari-sama..." called out Kurama, but he was met with no reply, as 
Inari was nowhere to be seen. Her words repeated eerily in his head, 
*Perhaps time has come for you leave Ningenkai anyway...* 

Darkness reigned his thoughts once again. Slowly, Kurama realized that 
he must leave Ningenkai very soon, even though he didn't wish it. One 
doubt still remained in his mind, as once he left Ningenkai, Hiei 
won't be able to find him... Maybe he won't be able to see him ever 
again. *Hiei... where are you?* 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Intuitions are always correct, 
 In the fact of everlasting love...* 

*No!!!* A scream pierced through the silent and still night in the 
depths of Makai. A figure sat up straight and beads of perspiration 
dripped down from its face. Ragged breathing filled the inaudible 
silence and panting followed with little difficulty. 

Hiei reached up with the back of his hand to wipe away sweat and 
sighed. It was a very bad dream. A nightmare, in fact. Hiei slowly 
closed his eyes.

*Kurama was dead... Kurama was dead! How could that happen!* Hiei 
opened his eyes again, forcing himself to calm down. It was only a 
nightmare. Hiei seldom experienced nightmares, only when... Hiei shook 
his head. Must be that youko doing something. 

Hiei slowly lay down on the bed. Mukuro's place was always that silent 
at night, providing him a perfect place to rest whenever he had 
problems he wanted to escape from... 

Perhaps... he had been a little too hard on Kurama that night. Maybe 
he didn't mean it. Maybe he was just attached to his human mother... 
Hiei sighed moodily, unable to resolve the turmoil that occurred 
within him. Why not he, himself, go back to Ningenkai to see Kurama? 
Besides, he could just stay hidden, without Kurama knowing where he 
was... He could camouflage his youki with living things around him. 

Without much thought, Hiei got up from his bed and dressed in his 
black clothes. With a swing of his hand, he flicked his cloak behind 
him. Just then, a black wind slithered into the pitch black night of 
Makai, heading towards Ningenkai with truly amazing speed. 

***
Hiei perched lightly on the windowsill of Kurama's bedroom. Almost 
cautiously, he took a peep into the room. Books were arranged neatly 
on the desktop, the bed was well-kept and the whole room was very 
clean, but no Kurama. Hiei sighed and leaped on to the rooftop. He sat 
down on the tiles, maybe Kurama went out with his friends. *Might even 
be his new girlfriend...* thought Hiei bitterly. 

Just then, Hiei could hear sobs coming from the ground floor... It was 
a female voice whom Hiei recognized as Shiori's and another male voice 
trying to console her. The weeping was very sorrowful, almost it was 
bursting with the emotion of a heartbroken human. Hiei jumped from the 
place he was sitting on, landing on the grass below nearly 
noiselessly. Hiei craned his neck to look, as he had done many times 
before. Spying on Kurama... Hiei shoved the thought away at once and 
concentrated on the scene in the living room. 

The living room was dimly lit. A female figure, Shiori, sat hunched 
on the sofa, grasping the phone receiver. Over her, was her husband, 
Mr Hatanaka, trying his best to console her. Shiori wept 
uncontrollably, almost breaking down into a teary mess. The room was 
almost stiflingly quiet, except for the sound of Shiori's weeping. 
Hiei had a bad intuition, something really bad had happened... 

"Don't cry anymore... It is his destiny that he would have to be 
involved in that accident... Leave it to god..." consoled Shiori's 
husband. Kurama's ningen brother, little Shuichi, sat by himself in a 
corner of the room, his eyes red and puffy from crying. 

"But Shuichi... He is my son and he is now lying in the hospital... 
The people there said that he is in critical condition and he might 
die anytime soon..." wept Shiori tearfully, her voice cracking with 
the sense that her dearest son, her little boy, was going before her. 

"Alright, why don't we go over to the hospital to visit Shuichi? After 
all, he needs our support," suggested Mr Hatanaka. Shiori nodded 
limply and her husband helped her stand up. Not long after, there was 
the sound of a car being pulled out of the garage. The sound of the 
car's motor dying away only brought silence to the night... The night 
where Kurama was dying... 

***

Hiei suddenly understood it all. It wasn't just a nightmare after all, 
it was a signal that Kurama was going! Hiei knew he mustn't waste 
time, as Kurama might go any moment, as his Ningen body couldn't 
withstand such force. In a way, it was fragile. Hiei seriously doubted 
that he would be able to see Kurama after this, as a soul wouldn't 
have a definite shape after it left its body. In a way, Kurama would 
be eternally lost to him... Just as Hiei was about to fly off, he 
hesitated... 

What hesitation? Was there anything left to hesitate anymore? What 
would Kurama think of him? Most probably some poor koorime child that 
was starved for sympathy... starved for love... Kurama was just only 
being kind to him, not that type of feeling that Hiei felt towards his 
friend! Hiei stopped on the wet grass. 

He sucked in the cool night air, debating what to do next. 
Reminiscing of those happy and wonderful times they had together. In 
fact, it were the most wonderful and happy times he ever had in his 
life... With a flick of his cloak, he was gone into the deep and 
unfathomable night. 

*Kurama... Wait for me...*

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Waiting was never an eternal cycle, 
 Hesitating was only the key to hopeless waiting...*

"Mrs Hatanaka, your son is in a very critical state now. You must 
prepare yourself..." A person in white gown saying almost 
monotonously to a sobbing woman. The woman cried even harder... 
Kurama slowly blinked open his eyes. White washed ceilings greeted 
him together with a continuous beeping sound. 

*What happened?* thought Kurama. As he looked again, he found that 
many wires were attached to his body, and he felt a painful stab down 
his spine whenever he moved a finger... 

"Shuichi! Shuichi! You are awake!!!" exclaimed a woman who Kurama 
recognized as his human mother, Shiori. Teak streaks ran down her 
face and her eyes were red and puffy from crying. Kurama tried to 
reach out a hand to wipe away her tears, but that agonizing pain 
shot throughout his whole body. Kurama just had to bite his lower 
lip to restrain the groan. 

"Mother, what happened?" asked Kurama weakly. 

"You have been knocked down by a lorry..." said the woman tearfully, 
breaking down into more anguished sobs. 

*I've been in a road accident?* was Kurama's first reaction. Almost 
immediately, he remembered the part where he met Inari-sama... It 
wasn't a dream after all! It was just simply that Inari-sama was 
calling him back to her... 

"Okasan? Please don't cry..." pleaded Kurama. He had always hated the 
sight of his mother crying like that... It had shattered his heart 
just to hear her sob sorrowfully. 

"The doctor said... you are dying..." As Shiori said that out, she 
wept ever harder... She simply couldn't accept the fact that her son 
was dying at such a young age. 

Kurama closed his eyes slowly, "Okasan, don't be sad. It is my luck 
that I would have to be knocked down in a road accident. Perhaps, it 
is in my destiny. Don't grieve anymore..." Kurama halted for a moment, 
as he could feel tears brimming over at the corner of his eyes. He 
never expected that he will leave this world so fast and quick. Life 
was just so short and quick in Ningenkai. Inari-sama was right, he 
would be going soon. 

"Okasan, what else did the doctor say? Tell me the truth," demanded 
Kurama slowly. 

"The doctor told me that... you won't be able to live through 
tonight... All your internal organs are failing... I don't know! I 
don't know!" screamed Shiori, her heart breaking over her beloved son. 
Just then, a doctor rushed in and two nurses tore Shiori away from the 
bedside. 

The doctor quickly did a pupil check on Kurama and sighed in relief. 
"Mrs Hatanaka, may I have a word with you?" Shiori nodded and turned 
towards the door. 

"Mrs Hatanaka, your son has just woken up from a coma and I'm
surprised, but... he is still in critical condition. I'm sorry to say 
that, but it seems that his condition had worsened. It intrigues me 
that although his health is slowly deteriorating, he can still talk 
to you like that. Mrs Hatanaka, I suggest you should have some mental 
preparation," explained the doctor. 

"Thank you, doctor. I know what to do..." sobbed Shiori, eventually 
calming down. 

On the other hand, Kurama was lying on the hospital bed, thinking. 
What should he do next? It was a regret... He didn't get to pay back 
Shiori after all these years, didn't get to enjoy life to the 
fullest... In fact, he was even wondering... wondering what will Hiei 
react if he would see him in this condition. 

It was already sometime midnight. There was no one in his room anymore. 
Just the continuous beep of the electrical heart beat machine. Shiori 
had already went home with her husband. That heartbroken expression on 
her face was so sad, almost driving Kurama to the very brink. No, he 
couldn't be that selfish; but Fate still controled his life, Destiny 
still ruled his soul, Death still controlled his life. 

There was still one wish in Kurama's heart. The wish to see Hiei for 
one last time... There was a crescent moon in the dark sky, but that 
was the last time that Kurama ever saw Ningenkai's moon through the 
eyes of Shuichi Minamino. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Regret is never to be revived, 
 Once belated would in peril...*

Hiei stood on the windowsill of the hospital bedroom. The room was 
quite dark, overshadowed by his shadow. Placid moonlight still poured 
through the window panes, although it was present in sparse amounts. 
The silver rays rested on a body lying on the bed. Wires and tubes 
were attached to the human while two electronic screens showed a few 
jagged lines. The figure's eyes were closed, almost sleeping. 

Hiei jumped down from the windowsill into the room. Slowly, he walked 
towards the figure. "Kurama?" 

The figure blinked open his eyes. "Hiei? Why are you here?" 

"To see you," answered Hiei curtly and turned his head away. 

"Thank god you came so soon... I was afraid that I wouldn't be able 
to see you for the last time." 

Hiei just kept quiet. Tears began brimming on the corner of his 
eyelids. Kurama... his only friend... was dying there. 

"Hiei, I'm dying soon. Promise me something. When I'm gone, please 
take good care of yourself. There is no more time..." said Kurama 
weakly in the dark. 

Hiei nodded, hot tears already flowed down from his eyes, making a 
steady river down his face. Hiei brushed them away with the back of 
his hand. "Kurama, I promise you...", his voice cracking with emotion. 
His best friend was there, his life draining away bit by bit, yet he 
was unable to do anything. Never in his life, he had felt so 
powerless, so useless. 

Kurama tried manage a smile, but only succeeded in coughing. Blood 
spurted out of his mouth and oozed down the side of his mouth. 
"Forgive me for all that I did last time, now we won't have the 
chance to meet in parks anymore." Kurama sighed softly and looked at 
Hiei with his brilliant green eyes. 

"No... No! Kurama, you won't die! Remember all those happy times we 
had together? Please... Please don't go..." pleaded Hiei, his slender 
fingers reaching out to grasp Kurama's hand. Kurama squeezed Hiei's 
hand a little. 

"My time to go is here. Goodbye, Hiei..." As Kurama said that, his 
eyelids slid closed. Slowly, a tear rolled down from the corner of 
his eye, making its way down to Kurama's soft red hair. Kurama's hand 
released Hiei's grasp and dropped limply on the bedside. 

"No... No... Kurama... No..." mumbled Hiei. Tears came as Hiei buried 
his head into Kurama's chest. *No... Kurama can't be dead!* screamed 
Hiei mentally. The whole wide world had fallen on him... His only 
friend, the only person that truly understood him, was gone... Gone 
forever. 

Hiei lifted his head to look at Kurama's face. "He is so serene 
looking, as if he is just sleeping." Almost stiffly, he bent down and 
kissed Kurama softly on the cheek. 

"Kurama... I... I shall love you forever..." In an almost sweeping 
motion, Hiei gathered up Kurama's body and held him in his arms. The 
next second, there was nobody else in the room, only flying curtains 
and the cold wind that blew into the silent room. Kurama's deathbed... 
The death of a legendary youko. 

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*Eternal love would be rewarded with hope, 
 For the ones who are sincere with emotions...*

[Hiei's thoughts in the present]

A year had passed without Kurama by my side. Sometimes, I would wish 
that he was still with me... Time flowed without looking back at me, 
or was it that I didn't look back at it? I truly didn't know. 

Life was so empty without him; nobody to fill out the hollow part in 
my soul. In a way, it was totally lonely for me in this world. I had 
always thought that I didn't need anybody to live near me, anybody to 
treat me as a friend... But I was wrong. I never like to admit 
mistakes... It was too late now, Kurama was already gone. 

I sighed sadly. I was in Makai right now. No, I was not in Mukuro's 
palace anymore, ever since Kurama left me. I simply told Mukuro that 
I had other things to do, then I left. Mukuro was quite kind to me as 
she didn't stop me. I knew she had led a sad life too... 

Makai... It was so cold and hot down here, uncomfortable for many; 
yet I found my peace of mind here. I closed my eyes slowly, as fiery 
gusts of wind blew across the barren lands. One year... It was 
already one year... How I wished I had the chance to apologize to 
Kurama. I remembered the bitter taste in my mouth when I swore that I 
wouldn't shed another tear for Kurama... I remembered how harsh I was 
to him... The feeling now was terrible... It had always been a total 
regret for me, as I didn't appreciate the chances I had to ever say 
sorry to him. 

I buried my head in my folded arms. One year... That one lonely 
night, when Kurama died. I recalled the dreadful feeling I had in my 
chest when Kurama's life drained away. Almost sub-consciously, I 
gathered up his body and flew off in the silent night. 

I sat down with his body in the park where we always met. It had all 
happened too fast. It was only two days ago when we first quarreled 
here, after these two days, Kurama was already dead. Tears still 
flowed uncontrollably down my face, dripping onto Kurama's hospital 
gown and soaking it. The wind howled and the trees bent, almost in 
tribute to the tragedy that struck me in such a short time. Slowly, 
I hugged his still warm body... It was impossible...

Dawn arose, the sun bobbing up above the horizon. I knew I had to put 
Kurama's human body to rest. I remembered distinctly that Kurama once 
said that he would like to be buried on a hill overlooking vast 
beautiful scenery, where he could relish the soothing rays of sunset 
everyday... 

***

That happened a year ago, yet I was unable to forget that anguish that 
I painfully constrained deep inside my chest. Yusuke and the rest also 
knew about Kurama's death, as I had sent them each a message. Sad, 
they might be, but they would never feel the emotions that were eating 
away parts of me all the time. They didn't understand the situation I 
had been through. Kurama meant everything to me, besides Yukina. The 
way I said goodbye to him still echoed in my ears, the look on 
Kurama's face when I threw the first handful of earth... It really 
hurt me deep inside. 

Unconsciously, a tear dropped down from my eyes and landed on the dry 
earth. Kurama had never came back... "No! Kurama, why don't you come 
back? Don't you know I miss you so much?" I yelled to the plains of 
Makai, knowing that nobody would hear me. 

But someone did. 

"I came..." a voice said behind me. 

*No... No... That couldn't be... It can't be...* I chanted mentally. 
Slowly, I turned back my head to see who was it... 

A silver youko stood in my path. Long and flowing silver hair blew 
with the direction of the wind. The youko was wearing a half smile 
and his eyes were closed. White robes covered his body and fuzzy ears 
protruded from his head. 

The youko slowly opened his eyes. Liquid golden eyes. "Hello, Hiei." 

I was shocked. I simply couldn't believe the sight that appeared 
before me... Kurama was alive! More tears began to form at the 
corners of my eyes, my heart nearly bursting with joy! I stood there, 
immobilized. 

At last, I managed to open my mouth, but no sound came out. Tears of 
happiness already flowed down. I ran towards Kurama and hugged him 
around the waist. 

"Kurama! Where have you been? I have been waiting for you for so 
long!" I yelled in his embrace, my voice cracking with emotion. 

"Hiei... Inari-sama called me back to Makai," explained Kurama as I 
could feel his arms circling me and locking me into a bearhug. 

"Why didn't you come and find me earlier? Didn't you know that I miss 
you so dearly? Why? Why?" I screamed... 

"My soul had to have a definite shape before I could come. It took me 
a year to recover from the separation from my human body. Now, I have 
my youko form back. I'm sorry..." apologized Kurama. 

"No... It is not you who had to say sorry, it's me. I'm sorry... I 
didn't mean to hurt you that night... Kurama, you won't know what I 
had been through. My conscience torturing me every waking moment of 
my life," I cried. After saying that, I wept even harder. 

"Hiei, we won't be apart ever again. I promise I'll stay by your side 
forever... Are we still friends?" asked Kurama. I nodded and felt 
Kurama hugging me even tighter than ever. This was the time when 
heaven and earth were joined together, the time when our love entwined 
ever more securely than ever. 

It was truly a miracle. Somehow, the time we spent apart from each 
other had helped us to realize things. Realize that important we were 
to each other. Shuichi Minamino's death was a blessing in disguise, as 
I thought I would never have the chance to see him ever again. Now, 
Kurama was here, standing in front of me and hugging me. 

In a way, destinies were important... It was destiny that had brought 
us together, until we had entwined destinies. We were meant to be 
together forever, as destiny calls it. 

*Hiei, I'll never leave you ever again...* 

*Kurama, you shall always occupy a place in my heart...* 

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Copyright reserved 1998 W. Siew Lee 

All standard Yu Yu Hakusho disclaimers apply to this fanfic. 

E-mail: Siew Lee [wsiewlee@tm.net.my] 
URL: http://members.xoom.com/hiei/yyh.htm 
UIN: #14025577

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***Learning without thought is labour lost***

URL: http://members.xoom.com/hiei/yyh.htm 
UIN Number: 14025577