A/N:Hi guys! I was just cleaning out my laptop when I found this little piece that I wrote four years ago. I decided to pick it up again, so here we are! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own YuYu Hakusho

Chapter One: Gone

It was particularly hot that summer.

Keiko had graduated grade school with flying colors while Yusuke barely scraped by. Keiko knew that Yusuke wasn't stupid (he could easily ace math if he tried), he just had a one-tracked mind. Honestly, all that boy thought about was picking fights.

To celebrate the start of the summer holidays (without homework), they both agreed to meet at the park and spend the day together.

Beads of sweat rolled down Keiko's forehead, making her bangs stick to her skin. Where was Yusuke? It was already an hour past the agreed time. He was never late for their dates before. Worry filled her heart, what had he gotten himself into now? What if Yusuke had gotten on the wrong side of upper graders and was lying in some alley, fighting for his next breath?

No, that's silly. Yusuke never lost, not even to people older than him. Keiko vividly remembered last month when Yusuke beat up that high-schooler who had tried to mug her.

But still … what if …?

A pair of calloused hands cupped over Keiko's budding breasts. "Guess who?" said a young boy's voice teasingly.

Reacting on instinct, Keiko spun around and slapped the offending idiot. "Baka Yusuke!"

Said delinquent fell to the ground, rubbing his swollen cheek, an unapologetic smile on his face. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

"Mou, Yusuke! I was getting worried, where were you?" Keiko could feel her heartbeat speed slow and her lungs expand. She always felt so at peace when Yusuke was around.

Yusuke didn't answer Keiko's question, he picked himself up and led them to a bench in the shade. "Were you really worried about me?" he asked curiously.

"Of course!" Keiko was baffled that Yusuke would expect any less from her.

He regarded her thoughtfully. "Say, if I disappeared off the face of the world, what would you do?"

"Yusuke! Be serious." The fact that Yusuke did look serious scared Keiko. She pondered the question for a moment, "I'd look for you."

"What if you can't find me?"

"I'd still look for you. Forever and ever until I do find you."

Yusuke seemed a bit surprised and slightly pleased. "What if you had to get through a million demons to find me?"

"What kind of question is that?" Keiko demanded, nonplussed. It wasn't like Yusuke to ask things like this.

"Just answer."

"I'd do it," Keiko replied without hesitation, "and when I find you, I'd give you the beating of the century for making me go through all that."

"Good." Yusuke grinned.

"What brought this on?" wondered Keiko.

Yusuke shrugged but didn't answer. Keiko dropped the question, giving it up as a lost cause.

The two spent the rest of the day together, they saw a Chinese martial arts movie at the cinema, and goofed around the mall. When they finished torturing shopkeepers, Yusuke and Keiko had an early dinner at the Yukimura's diner. The two of them then enjoyed the sunset on the grass bank of a nearby river.

The edges of the sky turned into a myriad of blue, lavender, and purple while a ring of gold surrounded the crimson sun. This was the best day of Keiko's life (not counting her hour of worry caused by Yusuke's tardiness) since Yusuke was actually making a conscience effort to make Keiko happy. Strange as this behavior was from her childhood friend, Keiko wasn't going to look at the gift horse in the mouth.

"I wish every day could be like this." Keiko sighed contently.

Yusuke was unusually silent. Curious as to what he was thinking about, Keiko turn to look at him.

In that moment, something strange yet wonderful happened.

Her heartbeat sped up for the first time ever in Yusuke's presence, pounding hard enough to drown out all other sound. An emotion welled up inside Keiko, so strong that it knocked the breath out of her. She had never experienced anything like it ever before. The feeling spread quickly from deep inside her heart, curling her toes and warming her cheeks.

Yusuke was looking at her instead of the sunset, his expression intense, like he was peering right into her soul. His beautiful brown eyes smoldered, fierce, unblinking, hypnotic. Keiko noticed things about her childhood friend that she had never seen before. His long, thick eyelashes; his dark hair that seemed almost brown in the current light, his smell, a mixture of sunshine and something so uniquely Yusuke; the curve of his lips … …

Yusuke grabbed her hands, causing the warmth in Keiko's cheeks to turn into a blazing inferno.

"I love you, Keiko."

This wasn't the first time Keiko had heard these words from Yusuke, he said it all the time after they had a fight. It was like his own special way of apologizing. But this was the first time Keiko had heard it without a hint of humor, the first time Yusuke had said it so seriously, so earnestly.

Keiko felt a bit lightheaded and only just realized that she had stopped breathing. She sucked in a ragged gasp of air, though it didn't seem to help much.

"Whatever happens, don't forget that." Yusuke leaned in and pecked Keiko on the lips, so fast that she wasn't sure it had happened.

When Keiko finally regained control of herself, Yusuke was already leaving.

"Tell my Ma that I love her too." He called over his shoulder.

Keiko stumbled home, her fingers brushed over her lips, remembering the soft sensation of his mouth ghosting over hers. It was only at midnight that Yusuke's words registered in her brain. That and the fact that he left in opposite direction of his home.

The next morning, Keiko met a hysterical Atsuko at the Urameshi apartment. Yusuke hadn't returned home that night.

A/N: Man its wierd reading this! I sound so different from the way I am now (at least I think so). I actually wrote three different versions of chapter one back then. This is the first and my favourite. The first three chapters are all from four years ago, so heads up if you feel my style change in the fourth.

To those who aren't familiar with me, I am not a native English speaker so my stories might sound a bit wierd. If you have any suggestions and constructive critcism, please tell me! This way I can improve my writing and bring you better chapters!

To those waiting for me to update ReaNo, you have my most humble apologies. ReaNo started as just a rabid blotbunny ravaging my brain; I didn't have a proper storyline planned out so now I'm a bit stuck on what should happen next. I've already got half a chapter finished so I'll update as soon as I find the time and inspiration to continue. If anyone has any good ideas, I'm open to hear them.

Thank you for reading! RiverGhost signing out.

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