Chapter Six: Sayonara
It was Friday night, and Kurama was finishing up his assignment when the telephone rang. He picked it up almost automatically. "Hello?"
"Hello Kurama, this is Yorin. Look, I know that it's rather late, but could you please come over to my house? There's something very important that I have to tell you."
Anxiety creased Kurama's face. Yorin had been acting rather strangely since the time he had kissed her, and she seemed to be keeping her distance from him. And when he heard the panic in her voice over the phone, he felt that something had just gone terribly wrong. "Alright, I'll be there soon."
* * *
Yorin paced up and down the floor, her nerves edged and unsettled. She checked the door, and then went up to her room to check the window. Nothing.
The sudden knock on the front door made her jump with surprise. She hurried to open it, and found Kurama standing on the porch.
She was touched by the look of concern he wore. "Yorin, what's the matter? You seemed rather upset when you called."
Yorin sighed, and nodded. "I suppose I have a reason to be upset." She looked around. "Let's go upstairs to my room. Otoo-san isn't home, but I feel more comfortable talking about this matter there."
When Kurama agreed, the two of them climbed up the stairs, and went to Yorin's room.
"So what's the problem, Yorin?" Kurama asked, while Yorin closed the door behind the two of them.
Yorin leaned against the door, and let out a heavy sigh. She didn't know how to phrase her next statement. She was weak at that moment, but she didn't hesitate showing her weakness to Kurama. She shut her eyes tight, struggling to repress her tears.
She knew that Kurama had come closer to her, and he wanted to comfort her. No! She opened her eyes, and moved away from the door and Kurama, trying to put some distance between the two of them. It was what she had been trying to do since that day he first kissed her,
Yorin turned away, facing her bed. "I'm sorry Kurama. I'm just so confused about the two of us. I'm having a hard time trying to tell you my opinion."
"Aishiteru."
Yorin whirled around to Kurama, and saw him gazing at her tenderly. "What?"
Kurama's gaze became even more loving. "I know that you must be bewildered about everything, so I'm confirming it now. Aishiteru, Yorin."
Yorin shook her head. "No Kurama, that's not what I meant." Her gaze became pleading, and her eyes were glazed with her unshed tears. "Kurama, I love you, but…I cannot love you."
She nearly screamed when Kurama suddenly grabbed her shoulders, his eyes instantly hard and cold. "Then tell me why, Yorin! Tell me what I must do to win your heart, and I swear over the love I feel for you that I will do it!"
The tears were flowing freely now. Yorin couldn't control them. "I'm sorry, Kurama…"
She felt Kurama gently cup her face in his hands, and wipe away her tears. "Sumanu, Yorin. I didn't mean to be so harsh."
Yorin nodded in understanding, and let Kurama pull her towards him in an embrace. She leaned her head against his chest, inhaling the sweet scent of roses that she so loved. And she knew what she would say. "Aishiteru."
No sooner had the words been spoken that Kurama tilt her head upwards, and kiss her full on the lips. The couple sank down onto Yorin's bed, and was soon engaged in a union of passion and unequivocal love.
* * *
Hiei silently cursed himself. Why did I forget about the time?! He was supposed to go to Yorin's house earlier that evening, but it had completely slipped his mind. He hoped that he'd be able to reach her while she was still awake, but he didn't mind the least if he found her asleep. For him, the knowledge that she was safe was enough.
As he neared Yorin's house, he felt a certain presence coming from the vicinity. He stopped, suddenly wary. He took off the bandage he wore around his forehead, revealing his third eye. He closes his other eyes, allowing the third eye to do the searching for him.
What he saw made him gasp.
Despite his distance from the house, he could see right into Yorin's room. It was dark, and it seemed like everything was in its proper place. Until he saw the sight on Yorin's bed.
There, he saw Yorin and Kurama locked in an embrace, and neither had any clothes on. Their only covering was the thin cotton sheet Yorin had on her bed. Both of them were sound asleep.
Hiei felt deep anger and rage flare up within him. Kurama, how could you do such a thing to her?! You tricked her into giving up her innocence to you!
His face became hard and set. "Be prepared, Kurama. I shall avenge Yorin's loss at your hands."
* * *
Kurama awoke from his languorous sleep. Was it all just a dream? When he turned over, however, he found Yorin sleeping beside him, lying on her side. She had her hands delicately folded on the pillow, and her hair fell evenly over her shoulders, clinging to the dampness that covered her body, the body he had ravaged for every sweet secret, and that, only moments ago, had been entirely his.
He smiled at her adoringly. You are truly mine Yorin. Body, mind and soul.
'How dare you.'
Kurama looked up. Though his ears didn't hear the voice, he could hear it in his mind. 'Hiei.'
'Who gave you the right to claim her innocence?'
Kurama smiled, gazing at Yorin. 'She did. It was a choice she made of her own free will.'
'You tricked her into it! I know you did, kitsune!'
'No, I did not! What she did was her own decision!' Kurama's thoughts became smug. 'Are you jealous, Hiei? You are, aren't you? You hate it that it was I Yorin chose, not you. You lost this battle Hiei, and you despise losing.'
'Then I challenge you, Kurama. Only one of us can have her, and so only one of us must live.'
Kurama confidently rose to the opportunity. 'I accept.'
* * *
Botan whistled happily as she rode the winds on her oar. It had been a very good day for her, which meant that there hadn't been that many souls to ferry over to Reikai. And now, Koenma granted her permission to go to Ningenkai and check on the Reikai Tantei.
As she flew over a wide field, she saw a sight that was both unusual and frightening. She saw Kurama and Hiei facing each other, each with his weapon in hand. Oh no! Could they… She didn't stop long to think. She changed her course, and sped towards Yusuke's house.
* * *
Kurama tightened his grip on his Rose Whip. He assumed a battle stance. He knew his opponent like the back of his hand; however, his opponent knew him just as well.
His eyes narrowed. You will not have her, Hiei. She is mine, and will be forever!
He braced himself as Hiei lunged.
* * *
"What?!" Yusuke's eyes were wide with disbelief. He just couldn't comprehend the very sense of what Botan had reported.
Botan seemed exasperated. "I know it sounds impossible, but I saw it with my own eyes! I saw Kurama and Hiei preparing to fight each other!"
Kuwabara was nonchalant. "Maybe they're just training. They do that all the time."
Botan was now really frantic. "But they were serious! Kurama's stare was murderous, and Hiei's was the same!"
Yusuke stood up. "There's no time for dillydallying now! We have to find them and stop them before they kill each other!"
* * *
Hiei slashed his katana at Kurama, but the latter dodged his attacks. During the split-second pause, Kurama snapped his Rose Whip in a counterattack.
Hiei nimbly leaped back, avoiding the blow of the thorn-covered whip. He steeled his gaze, preparing for another attack. I will not forgive you, Kurama!
* * *
Yorin sat up from bed with a hard jerk, her body slick with sweat. She just awoke from a terrifying dream. In it, the sun and moon were fighting against one another, but neither was going to win the clash. And between them was a single star, beautiful and pure, but its light was fading more and more as the battle continued…
She turned, and realized that Kurama was no longer there. She glanced out the window, and gasped.
She scrabbled in the dark for her clothes, and hurriedly put them on. She had no time to think about the consequences.
She ran out of the room, down the stairs, and out the back door. She sped towards the two figures in the field. The sun and moon, engaged in battle… "No! Stop it!"
* * *
Kurama turned when he heard the voice, and saw Yorin running across the field.
"Kurama, Hiei, stop it, stop it right now!" she screamed.
There was a shout. Kurama turned around, and saw Hiei running forward with amazing speed, his katana held forward, ready to stab him.
He closed his eyes, waiting for death. It was too late for salvation now.
However, he heard a sharp gasp. He opened his eyes, and was horrified by what he saw.
"Yorin!" He caught Yorin as she fell back, and saw the bright red spot of blood as it bloomed over her stomach. Yorin had somehow managed to run over in the nick of time, blocking Hiei's strike with her own body.
"Yorin!" Kurama gasped as he lay her down on the ground, pressing his hand against the wound to stanch the bleeding.
"What the hell happened here?!" He turned around, and saw Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan rushing towards them.
Hiei's voice cut in almost immediately. "Get Yukina here, now."
Yusuke stopped dead in his tracks. "Huh? What for?"
"Just do it!" Hiei roared, and the threesome backed away, and ran off in the opposite direction.
Kurama turned his attention back to Yorin. He watched as her eyes opened, glazed and filled with pain. Her lips moved to repeat one defiant syllable, "No, no, no…"
He tried to smile at her. "Shhh, be still, Yorin. You're badly hurt, and you need your rest."
"Why did you do it?" The hurt in Hiei's voice was distinct.
Yorin reached out with trembling hands, laying one on Kurama's and the other on Hiei's. "Because I couldn't bear to watch the two of you fighting that way." She squeezed their hands gently. "Hiei, Kurama. I love you both. My heart could not come to a decision, and that inevitable choice is what pained me all the more. Kurama is my sun, and Hiei is my moon. I needed the both of you in my world, for to lose one would mean the end of everything."
Yorin winced, and Kurama knew that death was coming. "Yorin, please hold on! Don't give up!"
But Yorin shook her head, a small smile playing upon her lips. "It is too late for me now. Aishiteru, Kurama, Hiei. Remember that I love not one, but the both of you." Her eyes slowly closed as she whispered her last farewell, "Sa………yo………na…" Her eyes were shut at last, a few more tears running down her cheeks as her head rolled to rest against Kurama's chest.
She was dead.
Hiei turned away, gazing at the moon. A single pearl fell onto the grass at his feet.
