PROLOGUE
Every month, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke got together for a night of drinking and merriment. They somehow managed never to end up in the same place twice. Yusuke and Kurama admitted that if left to themselves, they would probably arrange get-togethers only once a year, but Kuwabara was adamant about the monthly outings. "We're each other's best friends," he'd insist sagely. "Friendships don't sustain themselves, you know. You have to work at it. And that's why we're going to meet up again in a month." He always managed to extract a promise from his friends to show up at the next meeting, and they always kept their word.
As to Hiei's absence -- "Well, the little guy grows on you. I'd die for him," Kuwabara would confide. But only after at least three bottles of beer. Then, his words slurred, he'd add, "But if either of you tell him that, I'll kill you. He's in the demon world, and he can stay there. I like him better when he's not around."
This night, their meeting promised to be more interesting than most. Kuwabara had just come from a visit to Genkai's mountain home, where Yukina also lived, and he learned that Yukina was planning to go to school.
"High school, huh?" Yusuke took a swig of beer. "I know Yukina looks young enough to play the part, but it's going to be a big culture shock for her."
This month, the three of them were in a seedy bar. Yusuke only had to land one good punch on a hulking troublemaker to scare everyone else away from him. Kurama had to fend off advances from both males and females, but he handled it good-naturedly. Kuwabara knew the bartender from some literature class, and managed to secure free drinks.
"Actually, it sounds like a good idea," said Kurama, tapping his fingers thoughtfully on his glass. Yusuke and Kuwabara were chugging down beers straight from the bottle, but he was having vodka and ice.
"Really?" Kuwabara looked sharply up from his beer. "Do you think she can handle it?"
"Well, she handled that ugly bastard who wanted to make her cry so he could make money off her tears when they turned into pearls, right? She survived that pretty well," Yusuke pointed out. "I think she can handle a few high school kids."
"I wish I wasn't in college yet," Kuwabara grumbled. "I wish I were in high school, too, then I could protect her from all the jerks there."
Yusuke and Kuwabara were taking business-related courses, but Kurama was taking a premed course. His knowledge of medicinal herbs was a great help to him. He wanted to become a doctor.
"How do you think Hiei's going to react when he hears this?" Yusuke said without thinking.
"Why would Hiei care what Yukina does?" Kuwabara asked, frowning.
Yusuke turned red, and Kurama coughed. Kuwabara still didn't know that Hiei and Yukina were brother and sister. And Hiei wanted to keep it that way.
"He wouldn't," said Kurama quickly. "Yusuke meant, how is Hiei going to react when he hears that — that you want to go back to high school." He grinned weakly. "It was just a lame joke, right, Yusuke?"
Yusuke burst out laughing. "Right."
"I didn't say I was planning to go back to high school," Kuwabara retorted. "All I said was that —"
"You wanted to," Yusuke interrupted, still smirking.
"Because I want to be near Yukina!"
"Not because college is harder than you thought?"
"No! I'm doing fine!"
"Oh, are you? Are you? Then why are you out here drinking with your friends on a school night?"
Kurama marveled at how neatly Yusuke had managed to divert Kuwabara's attention from his blunder. He watched, grinning, as they continued to bicker about Kuwabara's brains and Yusuke's lack thereof.
After a few more minutes, when the argument showed no signs of abating, Kurama decided it was time to interrupt. "So when does Yukina plan to start?"
Kuwabara picked up a nut from a saucer on the table and tossed it into Yusuke's bottle. His aim was perfect; the nut landed precisely inside the tiny round opening of the beer bottle. "This school year's going to end in a month, so I think she plans to start next school year."
"As a freshman?"
Kuwabara shot another nut into Yusuke's bottle, nodding.
"Was this Genkai's idea or Yukina's?" he asked.
"Yukina's. She talks to Keiko and Shizuru all the time, too, and they planted the idea in their head."
"Yeah. Keiko's big on education," muttered Yusuke. He glanced at the nuts floating in his beer. When Kuwabara wasn't looking, he switched their bottles.
The glum note in his voice didn't escape his friends, and Kurama and Kuwabara traded looks. "How are things with you and Keiko?"
"She found out that I haven't passed a single test in weeks," Yusuke said despondently. "She got a bit angry about it."
"By 'a bit angry,' do you mean she's furious?" said Kurama dryly.
Yusuke sighed and nodded.
"Cheer up," said Kuwabara, slapping him on the back. "She'll get over it and forgive you. She always does."
Yusuke couldn't suppress a grin. "That is true."
Kurama finished his vodka. He grabbed Kuwabara's beer and drank from it, then promptly choked. "There are nuts in the beer."
"His fault," said Yusuke and Kuwabara at the same time, pointing at each other.
Disclaimer:
I own nothing except the plot of this fic, and any characters you may not recognize.
Author's Note:
Hiei arrives in Yusuke's house in the next chapter. Please review!
