HEY! TO ANYONE IN THE TENNESSEE, WEST TENNESSEE, MADISON COUNTY, OR JACKSON AREA!

THERE IS A NEW ANIME CLUB CALLED THE HENDERSON/JACKSON ANIME ALLIANCE!

IT WILL BE HOSTING ITS OPEN HOUSE ON NOVEMBER SECOND, FROM SEVEN TO NINE PM.

I want to see anyone who can make it. Please?

Also--suggestions, suggestions!!

Living in the Moment: Unsure

The next morning, Kurama had the house to himself.

It was quiet, naturally. He woke up to that, and was immediately concerned because, normally, a house of four people was not a quiet place to be. He thought about the woman that he met last night—perhaps she had followed him home and killed his family? A trick? Perhaps she knew what he was?

Upon searching the house, he discovered a note on the fridge that explained that they had gone shopping. A sigh of relief. Well, now, with that worry gone, I can have breakfast.

So he fed himself, cleaned up, all rather mechanically, all the while he reconsidered his decision to find a female, and whether or not he should choose the woman that he met last night. It seemed awful hasty to take the first girl he met as a mate. Of course, how many other times would one meet a girl that could fight like that, especially in Human World? Even in the Demon World, there were few real female fighters. Women could fight, naturally, but they were not fighters, they made their goals surviving and killing to eat and breeding, mostly.

Of course, he needed to learn more about her. He could… Well, he had to stay within human bounds of legality. …Well, he didn't, but it would have been advisable to do so because even the cleverest of criminals slip up and get caught. He had sworn off his demonism, his powers. Then he caught sight of the rose on his desk. He stared at it and blinked slowly, trying to remember when he had done that.

Oh, yes. Right before Shuuichi-oto had brought in his homework. Damn.

So after that, he was quiet and he started thinking harder about what could be done about the girl.

He could call her. Ask her out to coffee.

That would be rather foolhardy of him.

Of course, if she wished him harm, she could have easily done so the night before. He had not been on edge, she was merely a human, but she showed no sign of wishing him harm….

Damn.

He went into the living room again and lounged on the couch, pulling his feet into the seat with him.

Her phone number was in his pants pocket upstairs. He could call her. Ask her out for coffee or tea or… something.

This is why he never sought out a female. There was nothing less predictable than a female. And it was one of the few times he had no idea what the hell he could possibly do.

"Shuuichi, dear?" called his mother, suddenly, interrupting his thoughts and startling him from the doorway. She had groceries in her arms, and was deftly kicking her shoes off and putting them into the cabinet, even with her view of her feet blocked and her balance compromised.

"Okay, you know what, I'm gonna just change my name," said Shuuichi-oto from behind his stepmother. Kurama smiled a little.

"Yes, Mother? Do you need help with the groceries?"

"No, no, not at all, thank you, son, but I was wondering if you had given anymore thought towards a girlfriend."

Kurama's blood froze in his veins. Why was she bringing this up, now? She didn't have another girl for him to meet, did he?

"I have been thinking about it," he informed her cautiously. His spine had stiffened; he was looking every bit as on edge as he was feeling. Even the topic of women frightened him. How sad. If only Hiei could see me now, how he would scoff, Kurama thought blandly.

"Well, dear, I was thinking, perhaps, how would you feel if I started introducing you to some nice girls? I know I sprang one on you yesterday, and you practically ran away, but, still, Shuuichi, dear…"

Well, that settles it. I'm calling that girl and asking her for coffee and a walk. If nothing else, she can help deter Mother. She might even be good enough a sport to do this for me on a favor, even if she is not interested in 'seeing' me.

"Actually, mother, I have met a young woman I'm interested in," he told her, then. It's not a lie, for once. "I am going out for lunch with her later," he added. He had a few hours to set that up. If she disagreed, he could still just go out and be away from the house.

"Oh? When did you meet her?"

"On my way home, last night," he explained. He did not tell her how, of course. But she would ask, and he had already come up with a lie. "I met her on my way, and I offered to walk her home, since it was dark."

Shiori bought it. Good, Kurama thought lightly, at least now I have gotten whatever attack she had in mind out of the way.

And with that, he gave his mother a polite bow. "I believe I am going to go call her and confirm our lunch together," he added. She had answered, but Kurama didn't hear that. He had already shot up the stairs as smoothly as he could (Which was very smoothly) and he went to the phone in his room, picked up the pants from last night (they were in the hamper he kept in his bedroom, as he had done his own laundry since she had been sick, that time. Mostly because of the blood and rips in the clothing.) and he dug into his pocket and drew out the slip of paper.

He reminded himself that he was going to, first, just talk to her, get to know her. Possibly ask her if she wanted to help him get his mother off his back. Relationship is out of the question unless she initiates that conversation, and even then, tell her you are willing to try, but you are shy or want to take it slow or whatever it is that humans say in response to that situation.

He dialed the numbers uneasily.

"Hello?" asked a little girl's purr of a voice.

"Oh—I would like to speak to Imako," he told the girl directly. Already, he was losing his cool. This was ridiculous.

"Hang on a second!" she mewed happily. He distinctly heard her cry through the house, "MAKO-NEE! There's a BOY on the phone for you!"

Kurama flushed a little. Ah, so, he would be among her first suitors, then? Or simply the first her family had met.

Being able to assess the situation made him feel better.

He heard the girl's voice growling before the phone was picked up, and he considered hanging up. "Don't remember any boys. They better not cheat." Then the phone was picked up. "Hello?" she asked. "Who is this?" she added.

"Do you remember the gang that you beat up last night?" asked Kurama first.

"Ooh, you're that guy? The red-headed one, right? Shuuichi? How are you?" she asked quickly. "Make it home alright?"

"Yes, thank you. I'm well. I was wondering if you would like to meet me for lunch, later this afternoon," he said quickly, now, to get it over with.

"Ah—yeah, sure," she said, evidently caught off guard by the request. "Thanks," she added. "When and where?"