Today's Chrismas eve and Malaysia is still as warm as ever. Nope, I'm not
celebrating X'mas but still I would love to give out a present =) esp. to a
few of my friends like Bulma, Jeremy, Sylvia and nge1... Highest credits go
to Rhionae for pre-reading this fic.
P/S ngel, see ya in school! AND don't lose your head over those *good*
books in the school library. =)
P/S 2 FFMLers, please send your C&Cs or comments to directly to me 'cuz I
set the flag to 'vacation' weeks ago.
Siew Lee
[wsiewlee@tm.net.my]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Past, The Present And The Future
~~~The Present - Vengeance~~~
Chapter 12 - Misty Eyes, Injured Hearts
---------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***12th of August***
It has been such a bad day for me. I can't sleep and I am not
sure why... Could it be my innermost feelings twisting and turning
like a demon in me? Or is it just the loneliness that that is
affecting me? I can't be sure... Life has been so cold and hard for
me in this world. As I am writing this page, I'm fingering a razor
sharp leaf, contemplating what to do next. The cutting edge of the
leaf feels so enchanting and luring. I know mustn't end my life like
this, but what can I do? I have only Shiori and she is all that I
ever owned in Ningenkai. I understand her love for me, but sometimes
I really feel like ending my life as Shuichi Minamino. Sweet goodbye
is just only a slash away, but I simply can't bear to form an image
of Shiori crying endlessly over my dead body... But the most of all,
will he shed a single tear for me? Even a single tear?
*Will he?* I asked myself endlessly, searching for the answer
but failing every time so far. I know he loves another person now and
I'm not the lucky one... I am secretly hoping that he *might*, at
least for a friend who had been through thick and thin with him.
Most probably a lot of people won't comprehend what I have been
through. I'm a brilliant student, acing every test I was put through.
To a student, that is the ultimate goal! My life as one of the most
popular guys in school doesn't help much. I am chased by pretty
girls, yet I don't take interest in them for my heart already
belongs to someone. Yes, someone; someone very attractive to my
eyes...
It was just a few days ago that I finally plucked up enough
courage to tell him the revealing truth that I loved him... Tears
came to me when he rejected me. How could he do this to me?! When he
pushed me away, I felt I was falling into a bottomless hole, never
touching the ground. More or less, it was exactly like he had just
smashed my fragile heart into a million pieces. That very push had
toppled over my self confidence which I had always been proud of. For
once, I wept, weeping miserably to the dark skies of Makai. I felt so
helpless...
I have never written a diary before, but I'm breaking the rules
tonight. Now, I feel a lot better after writing what I'm experiencing
into a mere notebook. Strange, isn't it?
Human emotions are just so strange to me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"He loves someone else deep inside... and he's a guy..."
whispered Arisa softly, a teardrop splashing onto the first page,
blurring the words printed there. Tentatively, she turned to the next
page, unsure whether she should read on or not.
A cluster of pink rose petals fell out from the page, obviously
slipped in between them by Kurama himself. A sweet fragrance drifted
from the petals, making Arisa dizzy from the smell. She didn't bother
to pick them up, she was too exhausted now...
Drying her eyes again, she read on, unearthing Kurama's deepest
thoughts and emotions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***19th of August***
It has been a week since I last entered anything here, but my
innermost feelings are still the same, pining away for Hiei. No one
will be able to understand the pain when I look at him from a
distance, not daring to walk near him. To Hiei, I am a mere friend.
Hiei rarely has friends, most probably I'm the only friend he has.
What he feels towards me is just pure friendship, nothing beyond
that... and it hurts me to know this reality.
I know I have to forget Hiei and get on with my life, but I
can't seem to put down that burden...
This whole week, I have been training very hard, trying my best
to forget about my humiliation. I worked harder and harder every
second, occupying my mind with the motto 'Strive For The Best'. I
really strove for the best, my sweat pouring down in huge quantities
onto my soaking shirt. Maybe I have found the correct remedy. Hiei's
shadow fades more and more as time passes.
I began talking more to that new Reikai-tantei, Arisa. She
seems rather interesting herself, endlessly speaking about wonderful
topics... But I sense something strange in her, yet I have no idea
by what means of 'strange'. She seems vaguely familiar in a way, yet
I cannot place where. No, it is not because we might have seen each
other back in Meiou High. It is her grace, the way she carries
herself... The air around her enchanted me... This sense occurs from
my inner self. Maybe she was linked to my past somehow but I do not
know the answer...
This world has so much secrets hidden behind it, yet I cannot
break through these restraining walls.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hiei-san..." murmured Arisa slowly. It was Hiei all along.
Those scattered bits of clues began falling back into place like a
jigsaw puzzle, finally forming a clear picture.
The pained looks on Kurama's face... Those dreamy expressions
whenever Hiei was to sit somewhere near... The agony in his voice
when he voiced out Hiei's name...
"No! I can't believe he actually likes someone else! Kurama
loves me! I know he does!" shouted Arisa weakly, trying frantically
to convince herself that Kurama loved her. The one and only Arisa
Kino...
Another thought popped up in her mind, *What past? What past
does he have?*
Her fingers were already unsteady when she turned the page...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***26th of August***
Guilt.
Tortured conscience.
Pain.
These are the emotions that I am experiencing now. I have made
a terrible mistake tonight... I still can't believe I have actually
done that... One quick glance at my table clock shows that it is
already five in the morning. Five in the morning... Here, at least I
found a place to think quietly, consider possibilities properly.
Last night's activities began streaming back into my mind now.
I remember myself playing cards with the rest... Yusuke, Kuwabara,
Botan, Arisa and I... Five all together. The slightly bitter taste
of alcohol is still embedded in my taste buds as I recall drinking a
lot as the penalty of losing that poker game. Arisa drank with me, as
she had another unlucky hand at the cards. Both of us took turns
drinking recklessly... Slowly, I lost count of the cans set before
me...
I remember feeling sad... Hiei's rejection has finally gotten
to me. There is no use trying to hide from the glaring truth. It is
so obvious that I have no place to stand in his heart. I laughed
and grinned, borrowing the magical effects of alcohol to dismiss my
misery, at least for the moment. I felt so happy all of a sudden! Who
cared about Hiei?
The next moment was when I stumbled into Misuko-san's room
with Arisa holding onto my shoulder carelessly. She was very drunk,
so was I. Half dragging her, I placed her on the bed before a cool
draft blew into the room, thus giving me a cruel slap. Hiei didn't
want me anymore! More and more dark thoughts flowed into my brain as
I looked at the face before me. She was there, mumbling my name
repeatedly, saying over and over again that she loved me... I
switched from feeling miserable into overjoyed! I simply couldn't
believe that there was some girl who liked me, who loved me.
Arisa looked so beautiful to me that night. I was already
losing my judgment... I leaned down to kiss her softly... I knew I
shouldn't kiss her, but I did and I went overboard. In the end, I
slept with her without thinking of the aftermath...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arisa stopped reading for a while to dry her tears which were
streaming down her cheeks. "So he used me to forget about Hiei..."
whispered Arisa sadly, staring at her flat belly.
"Child... How could you be so unlucky?" said Arisa to her
unborn baby.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I walked back after waking up and finding the both of us lying
together. I had no choice but to feed her that painkiller. I have to
consider and think things over properly. My heart was swollen with
guilt when I forced the white pill down her throat, causing me to
shed a tear or two. I have never done this before... but I was forced
to that time. I have thought of giving her abortion pills just in
case, but I simply can't bring myself to produce that type of
medication...
I really can't accept that I forced myself on her barely a few
hours ago...
As I am writing this line, I feel fear in my soul. If Inari-
sama is to know that I have had an intimate relationship with a
human, he will never forgive me. Youko have a certain rule that was
set by Inari-sama centuries ago. I remember how Inari-sama used to
remind us over and over again about restraining natural impulses with
humans, yet I have smashed the rule. I am not worrying about this in
the meantime, I am worrying for the sake of Arisa. She might get
pregnant after my stupid mistake... I do not want her dead! I will
readily exchange my life for hers' if Inari-sama is to kill her...
I feel so confused now. That painkiller I gave Arisa is to make
her feel as comfortable as possible, but I will be cheating her if I
hide the truth away from her. I'm halved into two parts. One part is
screaming at me to tell her once the sun is up while the other is
urging me to keep it as a secret forever.
I have thought about this question for a long, long time. I
have made my decision at last.
I cannot bear to hurt someone innocent. I cannot tell her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arisa buried her face onto the armrest of the sofa, her tears
wetting the pink material that covered that part; weeping endlessly.
What had Kurama done? He lied to her intentionally! If she hadn't
been to the doctor's that day, she wouldn't have known about her
pregnancy... She wouldn't have known what had actually happened that
day...
*He even fed me painkillers!* thought Arisa, tiny screams
escaping from her throat. *How could he do that?!*
*Most of all, he used me as a tool to get rid of Hiei! He loved
Hiei all along!*
Arisa suddenly thought of an important phrase in the entry.
Quickly, she glanced cursorily through the passage, finding the very
sentence - *I will readily exchange my life for hers' if Inari-sama
is to kill her...*
What did Kurama mean by that? Arisa had heard of Inari before
in mythology stories... The guardian of all foxes! And he would hunt
her down soon... Tales of mythology flashed past her mind quickly,
searching for the name 'Inari-sama'... 'Inari-sama'... 'Inari-
sama...'
Finally, a clear image dawned in her mind.
Kurama was a youko. A fox.
Quickly, she flipped past a few pages before she finally
spotted her name printed there...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***11th of September***
11th of September. It is already late autumn in Japan now...
Time flowed past me so quickly and I could barely feel the cold
biting my skin late at night. Today is Saturday and the girl who
I wronged is lying on my bed now... As I am writing this page, she
is sleeping so sweetly that I actually feel the pain of her carrying
my child. A half youko... I'm a youko myself so my children with any
female human will be half youko, half human. As any father might do,
I am willing to be banished from Makai provided that my child is
alright, Arisa is alright.
I simply can't believe I'm going to be a father soon. It just
came so quickly! A few days ago, I was still sitting on this very
same place, wondering about the forthcoming exam within a month. The
shock of kaasan's voice floating up my room that day telling me about
Arisa crying and looking for me had totally alarmed me. I knew this
is going to happen somehow, it is just the matter of time before she
finally discovered what had actually happened to her that night. I
calmly walked down the stairs and opened the front gate, expecting
the worst; but a part of me still prayed that Arisa was just having a
row with her parents.
Her tear streaked cheeks scared me. When she wanted to talk to
me, I just followed her, and she pricked the bubble. The news hit me
roughly, and I didn't take it easily too. My worst nightmare had
turned into reality. I didn't have the choice but to take her as my
wife. I knew this would be lying to myself, yet I must carry this
responsibility, both to her and to my child.
I am looking at Arisa's sleeping form again. In my heart, I
feel sympathy for her, the same way as I feel pity for myself. I
can survive with another person in my life, right?
Even with all these problems that plagued me, Hiei will still
hold a place in the deepest corner in my heart.
Forever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Kurama..." murmured Arisa softly. At least he still cared for
her... She sighed unhappily, at a loss for words.
A soft click rang straight into her ears. Her fox was back.
There were too many questions unanswered and she was determined
to get some.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Oi Kurama, what are you planning to do?" asked Yusuke,
slapping a casual hand on his shoulder once Arisa left. He peered
over his shoulder just to ensure that she wasn't peeking at them
around the door.
Kurama shrugged and pulled out a book. "Why don't we
concentrate on training based upon our elements? I think it might be
better this way," explained Kurama as he flipped open the book and
began poring through it. "No use trying to master something that we
are not suitable for, right?"
"By the way, when are you going to tell Arisa the truth? You
can't just hide it away like that, she will know one day..." asked
Yusuke, looking at Kuwabara who was sitting at a corner reading a
book.
Kurama's look focused at Hiei. The fire youkai was sitting on
top of a bookshelf idly. "I don't know... It is very difficult for me
to tell her automatically... I realized that this truth might hurt
her..."
"Well, it's up to you," shrugged Yusuke and he walked off.
Kurama sighed unhappily and sat down with the book. He even had to
act as if he was stealing now... Hiding away from Arisa's
knowledge...
*Why do I have to act in the same way as when I was a youko?*
Kurama was rather unsure of the answer itself. Was it for the sake of
concealing the truth from Arisa or was it some joke that Inari-sama
was playing on him?
Kurama sighed again and picked a corner to sit down. His hand
dusted the floor and he sat down with a wistful look on his face. He
opened the book and began staring at the words aimlessly. Those
letters didn't get into his head, instead he kept seeing Arisa's face
there. She was his fiancee, but he didn't originally intend it to
happen... He just wanted her as his friend... From the moment he saw
her, he didn't want her to know his background. For her sake, he
didn't even transform whilst fighting with Murashi... *What will
Arisa think if she is to know Youko Kurama in depth?* His mouth
curved up to form a wry smile; it might be better if this matter was
kept a secret forever.
Kurama's attention shifted towards his unborn child. He never
knew that he would be a father someday.. Would it be a son or a
daughter? Kurama wasn't quite ready 'yet' to raise a child but what
was done could not be corrected in a way. One question had intrigued
him all along... Would his child be able to transform into youko
form? Maybe...
Kurama shoved all those thoughts aside first. The final
tournament was approaching at an alarming speed... Focusing back onto
the book, he hoped to find something useful, but those words swirled
in front of his eyes wildly, making it difficult to concentrate. *Why
don't I go back to my room to see how's Arisa doing? Besides, I could
get some rest...* thought Kurama as he got up.
Bringing the book with him, Kurama bid goodbye to Yusuke and
the rest as he walked out of the door...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hello, Kurama."
A cold voice greeted him as he walked into the room. The voice
was Arisa's, of course but it was surprisingly chilling. It hit him
like a slap, giving him shivers down his spine. The very voice made
him clutch at the book he was holding even more tightly.
"Arisa?" asked Kurama cautiously. Focusing on Arisa this time,
he looked closely at her. A book was opened on her lap and her eyes
were red and puffy from crying. Tear streaks were still visible on
her cheeks. A whiff of the scent of a flower floated past him,
drawing his attention to the scattered rose petals lying on the
floor.
Kurama took a deep breath and looked at Arisa in the eyes
directly.
"You read everything?" asked Kurama softly.
Arisa didn't answer him. Instead, she kept her silence, glaring
at him stonily.
Kurama stood there, unable to decide what to do next.
Finally, she broke the silence. "Is this all true?" she asked,
holding up the journal for him to see.
Kurama stared at the book, speechless. He should have known
better than to simply lock his precious journal in a simple drawer...
Tears were streaming down Arisa's face by then, her eyes were looking
at Kurama with remorse. That light flashed past in her pupils and it
was quickly replaced by hatred.
Kurama looked at her in detail this time, remaining silent.
"Does silence mean a 'yes'?" asked Arisa softly, her face
showing obvious disappointment. She had always thought that Kurama
loved her only, and he was acting so sincerely to her! Acting!
"Goodbye, Kurama," said Arisa and strode out of the room.
Arisa didn't need anybody like him to survive!
Kurama's eyes trailed her figure until she was out of sight.
"Sorry," whispered Kurama as he picked up the book from the floor,
shutting it again with a clench of his fist.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Hiei stood at the top of a tree of Reikai. He always had the
habit of standing on trees at nighttime, perhaps the silent
environment could calm him in a way. The darkness provided him with a
lot of information that one thought would be impossible to know.
There was basically no sound now with the exception of crickets
chirping. Slowly, he touched his Jagan beneath the bandage than kept
it hidden. So many things had happened within such a short span of
time.
He smiled sadistically, thinking off all the youkais he had
slain over this few years... He was the Forbidden Child of Makai, an
evil and cruel youkai... until he became a Reikai tantei. He was
forced to be one anyway, thanks to the condition stipulated by
Koenma for freeing him from punishment.
He met Yusuke a few years back, when he was fighting with him
over the one of the Sacred Treasures of Reikai. Another enemy-turned-
friend... Then there was Kuwabara, the irritating fellow that always
taunted him. *Carrot top...* muttered Hiei vexingly. Yukina could
have all the youkai or humans in three worlds yet she purposely
chose this young man named Kazuma Kuwabara... Hiei sighed
forlornly... Now Yukina knew that he was her dearest brother, but he
still felt the same deep inside; lonely and isolated. Botan was good
to him, but too much time together with her gave him health problems,
especially heart attacks. Hiei had once wished that there would be at
least *one* person that could understand him in depth.
Kurama... Hiei sighed again at that name. He was the only one
that truly knew him. He had been his friend for so long now... During
the Dark Tournament with the Toguro brothers, Kurama had actually
tended him wounds... Bandaged his aching arm... The black dragon
tattooed on his arm writhed painfully as Kurama enduringly wrapped it
up. Hiei closed his almond shaped eyes, imagining Kurama's sweet
Ningen face with red hair. Was it just pure friendship that he felt
towards this youko? Hiei tried searching for the answer in his heart
but failed. Perhaps Botan's face kept intermingling with his
concentration. He felt responsibility... Botan was some sort of
burden to him in a way, but he was so sure of himself when he
actually pushed Kurama away back then in Makai.
He had pushed Kurama away... What would the youko think of him?
Hiei opened his eyes again, snapping back into reality.
Hiei couldn't care more or less now. What he was really
concerned with now was the final battle with Yamaro and Murashi...
Suddenly, his sensitive ears picked up a single sound among the
chirping of crickets.
The sound of a girl weeping alone in the night.
With a flick of his cloak, Hiei flitted off into the darkness.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Slowly, the sobs got closer and closer. Gently, he landed on a
branch and perched there, looking at the girl.
Silently, he stared at her. A hunched form of a girl was
sitting there on a stone garden bench, her face buried in her hands
and sobs echoed clearly in the darkness. *Arisa?* thought Hiei as he
peered at the girl. *Why is she crying? Well, none of my business,*
thought Hiei again and prepared to flit off. The girl then quickly
wiped away her tears and looked up.
"Hiei-san?" asked Arisa, catching sight of Hiei standing on a
tree branch in front of her eyes despite the tears that blurred her
eyesight. Somehow, she had had the premonition that Hiei was nearby,
watching her.
Hiei, knowing that he had been seen, jumped down from the tree
and stood before Arisa. "Hn."
Arisa looked at him, unable to say anything. Kurama had stated
clearly that he had always secretly admired the small fire youkai
from a distance. She was at a loss for words... What did Kurama see
in him? Hiei was well known for his rudeness and lone ranger attitude
towards everybody. Even Koenma-sama had to be patient with him,
unable to do *anything* if he wanted to go off in the middle of a
mission. Quickly, she dried her eyes. She had a lot of questions for
him.
"Hiei-san, do you know what Kurama is thinking deep inside?"
began Arisa slowly. She had no tears to shed anymore. All her grief
had dried up inside her...
"Hn, why should I take notice?" asked Hiei back, his ruby red
eyes focusing on hers'.
"Because he thinks of you day and night," growled Arisa,
more disappointment flashing across her mind. She just felt a dull
ache in the pit of her stomach, making it difficult for her to keep
everything a secret. It was even choking her, not giving her any
space to breathe.
Hiei stood there, unable to say anything. *Kurama thinks of me
day and night... Why?! Haven't I already told him I have someone
else?* thought Hiei in shock although his face still remained calm
and stony.
Arisa shook her head slowly. "He never loved me before... In
his heart, there is only you, Hiei. What he feels towards me is just
sympathy and pity, not love. Do you want to know why he has to take
me as wife?" Arisa couldn't bear it anymore. She had to tell Hiei...
*Kurama isn't getting away with all these things!*
"He used me to forget you... To drown his fears, to cover his
insecurity!" half shouted Arisa, her voice shaky.
"Why do you think he likes me?" asked Hiei, his facial
expression remaining unchanged. He was feeling upset again, but
Botan's cheerful smile flashed past his mind repeatedly, giving him
strength to stand there undisturbed by Arisa's sudden confession
about Kurama's feelings.
"He wrote everything down a journal."
"Hn, stupid youko," muttered Hiei.
"He *is* a youko, right?" asked Arisa upon hearing Hiei's
confirmation of Kurama's real identity.
The fire youkai sighed softly. *If Kurama doesn't have the guts
to tell her, I will...* In an almost monotonous voice, he began
telling a story. "Once upon a time in Makai, Kurama was the name of a
silver youko. A thief and demon fox from my world. One day, about
18 years ago he was injured very badly when he was stealing. He had
no choice but to escape to Ningenkai and exchange lives with Shiori
Minamino's unborn child."
"So Shuichi Minamino isn't Shuichi Minamino," interrupted Arisa
slowly, holding back the sob which was threatening to escape from her
throat.
"No, Shuichi is still Shuichi. It is just that Shuichi Minamino
has the soul of Kurama," explained Hiei, feeling sudden pity for the
girl. *She doesn't deserve to suffer because of the problems that
existed between Kurama and me...*
"Kurama... Why did you have to hide the truth from me?" asked
Arisa sadly.
"Because he doesn't want to hurt you, injure you," answered
Hiei although the question was not directed to him. "I know Kurama
too well in a way. Even Youko Kurama is a cruel person by heart but
being Shuichi Minamino for 18 years has softened him. He has no
choice but to lie to you. What would your reaction be if he was to
tell you abruptly that he is a youko from Makai incarnated as Shuichi
Minamino? What would you think?" continued Hiei gruffly. "Yes, he may
like me but I already have someone else in my heart..."
Arisa was silent... She hadn't thought of this before...
"Go back to Kurama," advised Hiei. Arisa gazed at him,
undecided. The small youkai flicked his cloak and Hiei was gone.
Gone.
Arisa was dumbfound... It dawned on her that Kurama was just
trying to protect her all this while! She had misunderstood him...
Slowly, she began to walk away... Further and further...
Only four words repeated in her mind endlessly.
*Go back to Kurama...*
---------------------------------------------------------------------
A dark shadow flitted and perched on the windowsill. Reaching
out a slender hand, the shadow pulled open the window and jumped into
the room.
The shadow closed the window again and sat on the piece of wood
adjoining the window frame and the wall. Its ruby red eyes stared at
a sleeping form on the bed.
"Botan..." murmured Hiei softly. He just felt so confused now.
All this mess had been caused directly or indirectly by his own
actions. Who could guess what a heartbroken youko would do? He vented
out his misery on someone else...
That youko was always so calm and collected, but now...
Hiei sighed and closed his eyes. He needed some rest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Trudging footsteps echoed down long corridor. A soft click
of a door opening alerted Kurama at once. He looked up towards the
direction of the sound.
A female figure was framed by the light from the lamps placed
in ceiling of the corridor. "Arisa?" asked Kurama weakly. In fact he
didn't need to ask, he knew that the girl *was* Arisa.
The figure nodded. "I'm back," she said softly. Kurama was
leaning against a wall with his arms wrapped around his knees. Arisa
could barely make out his facial expression but she could feel that
he was worried about her. Very worried.
"Kurama..." cried Arisa as she ran over and hugged him. "I hate
you! I hate you!" yelled the girl through her tears that choked her
windpipe and buried her face into Kurama's shoulder.
"You can hate me... Hate me! I have wronged you in the first
place!" whispered Kurama hoarsely. He had been thinking all night...
He shouldn't have hidden the truth away from her, it was a mistake!
Arisa wept even harder... "I know why you lied to me... I
understand! I understand!"
Kurama hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Inari-sama...." mumbled
Kurama into Arisa's ear.
"Inari-sama... Is he going to kill me? Will you still love
Hiei?" asked Arisa shakily, releasing her hold on him and looked into
his emerald green eyes.
"I won't let him! I'll protect you! Hiei... I already have
you... Do you want to see me in my youko form? I think it's time to
let you see my actual self," offered Kurama earnestly. "Stand back
further..."
Arisa got up and stood a few feet away from Kurama. He got up
also and smiled at her. Suddenly, a huge cloud of mist engulfed
Kurama. Arisa blinked in surprise, not sure whether she should look
on.
Finally, when the mist cleared at little, Arisa could barely
make out a tall form with ears poking out from his head. "Kurama?"
asked Arisa uncertainly. When the mist cleared totally, a silver
youko stood in front of her with his eyes closed. He was one whole
foot taller than Shuichi!
"Kurama?" asked Arisa again.
The youko opened its eyes slowly, revealing liquid golden
eyes. Artificial wind swirled his silver hair, lifting it up in the
air. White robes covered his body and a cruel smiled curled his thin
lips. "I'm Youko Kurama..." he said in a deep voice one whole octave
lower than Shuichi Minamino's Ningen voice.
Slowly, the youko walked over to Arisa and knelt in front of
her. His arms engulfed her in an embrace... "See?"
"Kurama..." said Arisa in a certain tone this time. "You are
forever my most loved one... no matter whether human or not."
And their lips met in a deep kiss.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
A mysterious figure stood at the entrance of the Imperial
Reikai Palace. The sharp point of the main pagoda at the huge wooden
doors overshadowed him, making his facial features unseen in the
dark.
Sweat dripped down from his chin, creating a monotonous
dripping sound on the ground below. He was dressed in a pair of long
jacket and a pair of straight trousers. Wispy white hair flew in
loose strands across the figure's face. A coarse hood covered the
man's face, showing only the lower jaw...
That person stood there for a long time, waiting for someone.
Waiting for a suitable time. Waiting...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
It was going to be another hard day at the Reikai Imperial
Palace. Eight strikes of the huge bronze bell indicated that it was
already eight in the morning, thus signaling that the Reikai office
was officially opened for the day. The sun had long since risen. One
glance in the main Reikai division office showed a huge room,
complete with a carpeted floor and beautiful lamps. At one end of
the room, there was an olden style table with a chair there. At one
corner of the table lay a mountain of papers, waiting to be signed.
A high voice screeched and grumbled, complaining why life had
to be so hard on him.
One closer look showed a boy sitting behind the table and
stamping documents at an amazing speed. In the midst of the
paperwork, a booming voice announced something and Koenma yelled out
a remark which sounded like 'Come in' followed by several sounds of
the stamp hammering on the documents.
A man walked in the huge hall. He had been waiting since last
night just to meet Koenma... Koenma glanced up from his work to look
at the man who claimed able to help the final tournament. *How did
he know? Must have spread like wildfire in Makai... Some egoistic
youkai Yamaro and Murashi are...* thought Koenma as he studied the
man.
He was dressed simply and a long hood shadowed his facial
features. Koenma ignored him and continued signing papers. The man
saw it all in his eyes yet he retained his silence.
Koenma, seeing no reaction from the man, finally spoke. "Yes?"
The mysterious figure gave a slight snicker and answered,
"Koenma-sama, I have heard that your highness is desperate for help
in training the Reikai tantei for a tournament. May I be of help?"
"Hn?"
Slowly, he removed his hood...
A gasp of shock echoed from Koenma's throat...
"You... you..." was all Koenma could say.
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Copyright reserved 1998 W. Siew Lee
All standard YYH disclaimers apply to this fanfic.
E-mail: Siew Lee [wsiewlee@tm.net.my]
URL: http://members.xoom.com/hiei
UIN: #14025577
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