Chapter One

Rui walked her new path to school, her soft, amiable green eyes sparkling and the wind tugging at her long, wavy blonde hair in an almost playful manner. She sighed softly and stepped up to the building, then pulled open the door and walked inside, going down the hall to her new class. She had been given a tour the day before, and was now ready to start. She walked into the classroom, handing the teacher a piece of paper. She read it, then nodded. She put her next to a boy with long red hair and gorgeous jade colored eyes. She blushed lightly as she took a seat next to him and the teacher began her lesson.

Rui walked out of school and saw the boy from her class heading towards the woods. She decided to follow him. As he walked into the woods, she felt something telling her to be careful about him, and wondered why. Curious, she continued to follow him until he walked into a clearing. She put her books behind a tree a good bit away and then hid behind a different tree and peered out. He was talking to a short man who had black hair shaped like flame and crimson eyes. He dressed entirely in black. There were two others there as well, one with black hair and brown eyes and the other with orange hair. She listened quietly.
"So, what's the mission this time?" she heard the boy from her class ask. The one with brown eyes was the one who answered him.
"There's someone else trying to open a portal to the demon world. Like with Sensui, except this guy is supposed to be stronger," he explained. Rui gasped, then regretted it when the man in black looked her way.
"Who's there?" he called out. She held her breath and closed her eyes tightly. In an instant, the man was in front of her. She opened one eye, and wished she could disappear when she saw he had his hand on the hilt of a sword.
"Please don't hurt me!" she cried. The boy in her class looked around the tree at her. She looked to him, then cautiously back to the man in black.
"Don't I know you from somewhere?" he asked. She nodded, still watching the man in black.
"I'm Rui Asahi, I was a new student in your first class today," she said. He nodded.
"I'm Kurama, Shuichi at school, and this is Hiei-san," he said, and the man released his sword. "This is Yusuke-san," he said, motioning to the brown-eyed boy, "And Kuwabara-san," he said, nodding to the orange haired man. She nodded.
"Nice to meet you all," she said shyly, walking into the clearing. She looked down at the ground as the four guys looked her over.
They're probably sizing me up so they can kill me or something like that, she thought. She felt someone lay a hand on her shoulder and tensed, closing her eyes and bracing herself for an attack.
"It's alright Rui-chan," Kurama said softly to her. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. She saw his smile and blushed lightly, then hugged him, suddenly in tears. He rubbed her back softly, muttering over and over that it was alright.
"I'm sorry I suspected you... and I'm sorry I followed you out here... And I'm especially sorry if I get you into any kind of trouble..." she said. He nodded.
"Really, it's alright," he said. She nodded, then stepped back and wiped her eyes. She looked around and saw everyone was staring at her. She blushed.
"Uh..." she muttered. Kurama put his arm around her shoulders.
"I'll catch up to you guys later," he said. "Come on, I'll take you home," he said. She nodded and walked over to collect her books.

Rui blushed as she looked up at Kurama. They hadn't spoken since they'd left the woods. She sighed softly, then looked forward again. He looked at her and smiled softly.
"You know Rui-chan, you're a very beautiful girl," he said. She blushed more and looked up at him. He hugged her gently, rubbing her back. "You didn't have to apologize," he whispered in her ear. She looked down, then at him again.
"Kurama-san, let's go to the park. I think I need to rest..." she said. He nodded and picked her up, carrying her on his back. She put her arms gently around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder, half closing her eyes. He carried her to the park and set her down on a bench, then sat down next to her. Then he leaned over and pressed his lips gently against hers, his eyes closed. She blushed, then closed her eyes and kissed him back. After a few seconds he moved back. She looked at him, and he smiled to her. She hugged him tightly, snuggling against his chest. He rubbed her back softly, hugging her in return.

Rui and Kurama walked down to the river, standing on the bridge and looking over the edge of it. Then they faced each other. She rested her arms on his chest and he put his hands on her shoulders, pulling her close to him, then leaning down and pressing his lips against hers softly. She kissed him back, both closing their eyes. She felt him smile against her lips. Seconds later, he moved back again, then looked and saw that the sun was setting. Rui blinked, then grabbed her books and ran off.
"I'll see you tomorrow!" she called over her shoulder. He nodded to her and waved goodbye.
Oh no, Mom is going to be really mad at me, she thought to herself as she ran off, praying she didn't get into too much trouble.

When Rui got home, her mother was not at all pleased with her. She had been out until sunset and hadn't called home at all to let her know where she was.
"Rui Asahi, where on earth have you been? It's well after six o'clock and you're just now getting home! This is unbelievable and you know that it is unacceptable! I have half a mind to ground you for this!" she snapped at her. Rui looked down.
"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean for it to be so late, but I met someone who I really like today. His name is Shuichi-kun and he's in my first period class. He's really nice and smart. I mean, he'd never hurt me, and I just know he wouldn't," she said. Her mother laughed.
"You just met the boy today and you already think you're going to marry him! That's cute. You never know who you're going to marry until you turn at least twenty-one," she said. Rui sighed and headed upstairs to get started on the pile of homework she had to have done by the morning.

As Rui ran towards school, she remembered the "mission" Yusuke had mentioned. She stopped, then ran back home and told her mom she had forgotten her science book and needed to grab it before she could head back out to school. When she was up in her room, she tried to remember what she had overheard before Hiei had tried to behead her.
Who is this Sensui person he mentioned, and why did he try to open a portal to the demon world? Is he dead, or am I going to have some competition, she wondered as she dropped her backpack on the floor and climbed out the window to go find Kurama and the other three who had to stop this