Once they got on the bus, Hiei pushed Shuichi into the window seat and sat down beside him. His body was tense. His phone rested on his knee. Shuichi noticed that he held it with white-knuckled fingers.

"Hiei?" Shuichi asked tentatively.

"Not here," Hiei said shortly.

"But-"

"Not here," Hiei snapped.

Shuichi bit his lip. Hiei was being infuriating. He wanted answers.

Hiei didn't relax until they entered the temple. Botan greeted them happily, until she noticed the sour look on Hiei's face.

"Make sure he doesn't leave," Hiei ordered, shoving Shuichi towards Botan. "And don't tell him anything."

Botan looked stunned. "What?" she asked.

But Hiei was already turning to leave.

"You're going?" Shuichi asked. "You are leaving me here?"

"Yeah. I'm going back to get those idiots," Hiei told him. "Just wait here, Shuichi."

Shuichi tried to protest but Hiei ignored him. Botan took hold of his arm and pulled him towards the living room.

"It'll be fine, Shuichi," she said, patting his arm. But Shuichi could see that she looked worried.

Genkai entered the room from the hall leading to the rest of the temple just as Shuichi and Botan entered.

"What are you doing here?" she asked Shuichi.

Shuichi shrugged. "I do not know," he said. "No one will tell me."

Genkai looked him up and down. Then she said, "I see." She passed them and entered the kitchen.

What did she see? Shuichi sure couldn't see anything. What the hell was going on here and why did everyone else seem to know about it except him?

-0-

Hiei met Kuwabara and Yusuke at the bus stop. Both of them looked ragged. Kuwabara had one arm around Yusuke's neck, using the shorter man for support. The leg of his jeans was burned and bloody just below his left knee. Yusuke's clothes were dirty and he had a scratch on his face but otherwise he seemed fine.

"What happened?" Hiei demanded.

"I kicked his ass," Yusuke said proudly.

"And scared the crap out of everyone at the hospital," Kuwabara retorted. "They think a bomb blew up in the parking lot."

"Is he dead?" Hiei asked.

Yusuke frowned. "I don't think so," he admitted. "Last I heard, he was being taken care of by the hospital. They think he got caught in the bomb blast. He was unconscious."

Well, at least he wouldn't be able to come after Shuichi for the moment.

"How's Shuichi?" Yusuke asked as they stepped onto the bus that would take them to the temple. The bus driver gave them all skeptical looks as they paid.

"You kids all right?" he asked.

Kids? They weren't kids. Hiei scowled at him. "Mind your own business, old man," he snapped.

The bus driver glowered at him. "I was just asking," he said defensively.

"We're fine," Yusuke assured him. "We just came from the hospital."

The bus driver's face lit up with understanding. "Ah," he said. "I heard about that on the radio. How bad is it?" His eyes strayed down to Kuwabara's injured leg.

"Not too bad," Yusuke said. "Apparently only one person got seriously hurt."

The bus driver shook his head ruefully. "The world is going to hell," he muttered.

The men took their seats. "How's Shuichi?" Yusuke asked.

"Annoying," Hiei said, scowling. "He won't stop asking questions."

Kuwabara leaned against the window and rested his legs on the seat, his feet sticking over the edge and into the aisle. "Yeah, about that," he said worriedly. "What are we going to tell him?"

Hiei had been wondering that himself. "We could just tell him about the Syndicate and Koenma," he suggested.

"And leave out all the stuff about Kurama?" Yusuke asked.

Hiei nodded. "Yeah," he said. He knew it wasn't quite fair to continue to keep things from Shuichi but he didn't think that Shuichi would believe him anyway. Not about Kurama, at least. He had no proof.

"We could try it," Kuwabara said. But both he and Yusuke looked doubtful.

-0-

Shuichi found himself fiddling nervously as he waited for Hiei to return. He contemplated calling him but decided against it. Hiei would probably just get angry with him.

Botan tried to cheer him up but Shuichi could tell that she was as worried as he was.

Shuichi found himself practically racing Botan into the entryway when he heard voices floating into the living room. He noticed Kuwabara's leg immediately.

"Kazuma?" he asked worriedly, moving up beside him to help support him.

"I'm fine," Kuwabara assured him. "It's nothing, really. I've definitely had worse."

"That looks like a burn," Shuichi said. "How did it happen?"

"Never mind that," Hiei told him. "We need to talk."

"But, Kazuma…" Shuichi felt torn. He wanted answers but he also wanted to make sure that his friend was all right.

"I'll take care of him," Botan told Shuichi. Her smile was bright but slightly shaky. "Come on, Kuwabara."

Shuichi reluctantly let Yusuke and Botan take Kuwabara towards the living room.

Hiei took a hold of Shuichi's arm and pulled him towards the porch. Shuichi allowed himself to be led out to the steps. Hiei plopped down, stretching his legs out until his feet touched the ground. Shuichi sat down beside him.

Hiei was silent for some time. Shuichi found himself growing impatient. "Well?" he asked.

Hiei looked at him and then looked away. "It's complicated," he said.

Shuichi frowned. "Why do you have a gun?" he asked. Guns were pretty much illegal for normal citizens in Japan. People didn't carry them unless their job required it. Or they were involved in something illegal.

"I-I used to work for a group," Hiei said uneasily.

Shuichi was reminded of Yusuke's assertion on the beach, that Hiei had done things in his past. Things that Yusuke thought Shuichi would not like.

"Karasu still works for them," Hiei continued.

"He has an office job," Shuichi told him.

"He lied to you, Shuichi," Hiei informed him. "He works as an assassin."

Shuichi's blood turned to ice. "No," he said, shaking his head. "I am sure that is not true." The idea that he'd been sleeping next to a murderer was abhorrent to him.

Hiei laughed bitterly. "You sure can pick 'em, Shuichi," he said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Shuichi felt his ire rising.

Hiei shrugged. "Me. Karasu," he said. "Seems like you have a type."

"If all you are going to do is make fun of me," Shuichi snarled, standing up.

Hiei grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's just… this isn't easy. Maybe it's better if you don't know."

"It is too late for that," Shuichi pointed out. His anger still simmered.

Hiei sighed. "The group I used to work for is called the Syndicate," he said. "My job was a lot like Karasu's. But I got out."

"What about Yusuke and Kazuma?" Shuichi asked. "How are they involved?"

"They work for Koenma, who is trying to take down the Syndicate," Hiei explained. "It was Koenma who helped my sister and I get out."

"Yukina worked for them, too?" Shuichi couldn't imagine it. Yukina was the nicest person he'd ever met.

Hiei nodded. "But don't ask her about it," he warned. "She doesn't like talking about it. Her experience was nothing like mine."

Shuichi frowned, sure that Hiei was leaving out a lot regarding his sister, but he'd follow that track later.

"What happened to Karasu?" he asked uneasily.

Hiei frowned at him. "Why do you care?" he demanded.

"Because I do," Shuichi snapped back.

"He was hurt but he'll probably be fine, knowing our luck," Hiei muttered.

Shuichi felt relieved.

"How did you meet him?" Hiei asked.

Shuichi looked away from Hiei. "I, ah, it was online," he said evasively.

"Why?" Hiei asked.

"Why, what?" Shuichi asked, confused.

"Why did you go looking for someone online?" Hiei asked.

"I don't want to discuss it," Shuichi told him.

Hiei scowled. "You owe me the truth," he said.

"Yes, because you've been so honest," Shuichi retorted.

"Don't make this about me," Hiei returned.

Shuichi stood up and started up the steps.

"Shuichi…"

Shuichi ignored Hiei and entered the temple. That hadn't gone well. He was sure that Hiei wasn't being straight with him. And he was asking questions that Shuichi wasn't comfortable answering. He felt as though the tables had been turned on him and he didn't like it.

Kuwabara leaned back against the cushions of the sofa, letting out a sigh of relief as Shuichi entered the room. Botan stood from her kneeling position on the floor.

"Thanks, Botan," Kuwabara told her.

"You're welcome," Botan told him.

Kuwabara stood up, moving much easier than he had been before. Shuichi raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden recovery.

Kuwabara caught sight of Shuichi and his face turned pale. "Ah, hi, Shuichi," he said awkwardly.

"I see you are feeling better," Shuichi said.

"Ah, yeah," Kuwabara said. He looked very shifty.

Shuichi felt Hiei's presence behind him, though he didn't turn around. "If you will excuse me, I need to make a phone call," he said.

"Shuichi."

Shuichi pretended that he hadn't heard Hiei. He walked out of the living room and down the hall. Yusuke stepped out of the bathroom, catching sight of Shuichi.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, his expression wary.

"I am fine. Why does everyone seem so concerned about my well-being?" Shuichi snapped. "I was not even the person who was hurt."

Yusuke frowned at him. "You're pissed," he observed.

"I think I have a right to be. It seems as though all of my friends have been lying to me."

Yusuke looked guilty, but also determined. "Look, it's complicated," he said. "We had our reasons for not telling you."

"I am not particularly interested in your reasons," Shuichi informed him. He continued on down the hall.

The area of the courtyard he was aiming for was secluded, sheltered by a riot of leafy bushes. Shuichi sat on a rock and called his mother's number.

It wasn't until the call failed to connect that Shuichi realised that he'd forgotten that the temple didn't have any mobile service.

After several minutes, Shuichi worked up his courage to go back inside and use Genkai's landline to call his mother.

She picked up the phone on the third ring. As she did, Hiei stepped into the hall. Shuichi swallowed nervously. He avoided Hiei's eyes and tried to focus on his mother's voice.

"Mother, is it all right if I stay with you for a few days?" he asked.

Hiei frowned but said nothing.

"Of course, darling," Shiori said. "We'd love to have you."

"Thank you," Shuichi breathed out.

-0-

"Shuichi, please don't go," Botan begged. Shuichi stood at the top of the long flight of stairs, anxiously trying to reassure the blue-haired girl. Hiei, Yusuke and Kuwabara stood several feet away, watching the scene. Hiei had his arms folded across his chest and was frowning.

"I cannot stay here," Shuichi explained for the third time.

Botan's pink eyes brimmed with tears. "Of course you can," she said. "Please stay."

"I cannot," Shuichi repeated firmly. "I have a job I must return to."

Yusuke decided that it was time to interrupt. "Don't worry, Botan," he said. "He'll be fine."

"But…" Botan glanced between Hiei and Shuichi. She knew that the two of them hadn't really sorted anything out and she was concerned that Shuichi would disappear again.

Shuichi let out a small breath of relief, glad for Yusuke's interruption.

"I'll walk you to the bus stop," Yusuke told him.

After saying goodbye to Kuwabara, and a sullen Hiei, Shuichi and Yusuke made their slow way down the staircase. Yusuke seemed in no particular hurry and Shuichi was forced to drop back several times.

Yusuke waited until they were well out of the hearing range of their companions back at the temple before speaking.

"I don't want you going to the hospital to see that Karasu guy," he said firmly.

"You cannot tell me who I can and cannot see," Shuichi informed him testily, his shoulders stiff.

Yusuke frowned at his back. Shuichi could practically feel the disapproval radiating off him.

"He's dangerous," Yusuke said. "You don't know how dangerous. Fuck around with someone else if you want to. But don't go back to Karasu."

Shuichi felt awful. It seemed that Yusuke knew the circumstances of his break-up with Hiei, which probably meant that Kuwabara knew as well.

Yusuke seemed to sense his mood. "Look, man," he said, stepping up beside Shuichi. "I know there's more to this whole cheating thing than we know. You're not the kind of person to do that without a reason. But, reason or not, what you did to Hiei wasn't fair."

Shuichi remained silent. He knew that Yusuke had a point. He certainly hadn't been fair to Hiei.

"And I know that Karasu guy hurt you. From what he said at the hospital, it sounded as if you agreed to it. Wanna tell me why?"

The birds twittering in the trees above them was the only answer Yusuke received and he scowled.

"If you don't want to talk to me, fine," he grumbled. "But at least give Hiei the truth. All of it. You owe him that."

Shuichi kept his head down, still not responding. Yusuke was right. He should tell Hiei everything. But he still couldn't do it.

Finally he told Yusuke, "There is nothing to tell."

"I think we're past that now," Yusuke said. "So don't try and deny it."

The gravel of the road crunched under their feet as they walked towards the bus stop. Shuichi had chosen to leave the temple in the morning and the sun was cresting the horizon.

"There's a lot about us you don't know," Yusuke said quietly. "But we know a lot about you. Maybe more than you realise. And, no matter what happens, you're still our friend. We want to help you."

"I don't need help," Shuichi said, resolutely keeping his eyes on the bus shelter in the distance. Beneath his shirt sleeves, his skin crawled.

Yusuke released an exasperated sigh. "You're a stubborn bastard, you know that?" he grumbled.