25

Kurama promises to take Chouko out that night, but in the meantime he has to get to class. Nothing on the subway irritates him, not the crowds of people pressing in on every side, not the smell, and not even the heat. He feels like he has to keep from swaggering as he walks across campus. For the first time in a week he manages to look like he's paying attention during the lecture, but now his wandering thoughts are in a pleasant place. There is still plenty to worry about, though he tries to only let those thoughts occupy the back of his mind. Two classes down and he's free again, but he's not meeting Chouko for a few hours. He leaves class without really thinking about where he's going.

"Shuichi-kun, aren't you coming to the library with us?" Sakura's voice startles Kurama out of his thoughts and he has to hurry to catch up with the girls as they leave the building.

"Your head's in the clouds today," Ayame adds.

"It's better than the funk he's been in," Sakura says before Kurama can reply.

He smiles. The sun is shinning, it's a beautiful June day, and at the moment he feels like he's capable of effortlessly unraveling the most complex mysteries before dinner.

"I was just thinking about summer break," he says and the girls sigh.

"If only I could fall asleep and wake up after exams!" Sakura opens her umbrella and Ayame squeezes under it with her, shading themselves from the sun.

"Less than a month and it'll be over, that's what I keep telling myself," Ayame fans herself and sighs. "Just get through the month."

"We can do it!"

"I'm sure you'll both get perfect scores," Kurama says and they break out into a fit of anxious giggles.

They're both smart, but they're intimidated by the school and their classmates. Kurama tries to be encouraging but sometimes he just wants to shake them. It's not as bad as tutoring Kuwabara at least. Those had been some agonizing hours but they'd paid off when Kuwabara passed his entrance exams.

The three of them settle into their usual table in the library and Kurama actually does work. It has to get done and he doesn't need his full concentration. Shiori and Hatanaka will expect certain grades from him and he can't let them down.

"Do you guys have plans for the summer?" Ayame asks about an hour later. She's been daydreaming for a while, chewing on her eraser and staring out the window. "I want to travel. Maybe go to Europe."

"I'm going home," Sakura says. "I promised my parents, and my ex-boyfriend will be in town."

"That's never a good idea," Ayame says.

"You don't know that, Aya! Things might work out this time."

Shaking her head Ayame turns to Kurama. "What about you Shuichi?"

"I was planning on staying in Tokyo; I feel like I haven't seen enough of the city yet. I suppose I'll look for a part-time job."

"You should check the business school, they always have projects that they want programers for. I did a small one at the beginning of the semester and it paid rent for a month."

Kurama and Ayame look at Sakura in surprise. She seems to spend most of her free time shopping or day dreaming, he's surprised she squeezed in any part time work.

"Thank you, Sakura, it wouldn't have occurred to me, but I'll look into it."

The girls spend the next quarter hour talking about all the places they'd like to visit and agree to go to Paris one day. Kurama promises that he'll take more of an interest in the rest of the world someday and they give up on him as hopeless.

Evening is approaching when Kurama decides he's spent enough time in the library. "I have to get going," he says as he packs away his laptop and books. "But I'll see you both tomorrow."

Sakura leans back in her chair to stretch and yawns. "Oh you're not going to stay with us? We'll be here until closing."

"Going to work at home?"

"Actually," Kurama says, "I have a date."

Ayame puts down her pencil and looks up at him incredulously.

"You're going on dates? Aren't you worried about studying? I cancelled all of mine for weeks!"

"Maybe if you hadn't been going on so many you wouldn't need to catch up," Sakura says. "Go have fun Shuichi!"

Kurama waves to them as Ayame calls, "No fair!" after him.

When Kurama reaches his apartment building Chouko drops silently down beside him. Her long skirt swirls around her knees in a soft rustle of fabric and she flips her hair back in an elegant movement. Kurama can't help glancing up. She must have jumped at least five stories but she hasn't even scuffed her shoes. He ruined too many to count climbing over roofs when he was younger.

"Nice place," she says, leaning on the wall while he unlocks the front door.

"I have the feeling you've been here before."

She laughs and follows him inside. Small would be a generous word for Kurama's apartment. Cramped is perhaps more accurate. It's on the first floor, with one main room with a kitchette along one wall, a low table and some cushions by the window, and a small couch and bookshelves filling all of the remaining space. The bathroom is not appalingly small, but standing in the center of it Kurama can touch all four walls. The bedroom is barely any larger and the bed fills the entire floor space by the window. He's managed to wedge a small desk and wardrobe into the room as well but it leaves just enough room to walk from the door to the bed or closet. There are a couple of potted plants spread around, but they're innocuous species and nothing that look out of place. Overall the apartment is clean and fairly neat but there are a few trinkets around and it makes Kurama a bit uncomfortable to see just how closely Chouko examines them.

"I'll just be a moment," he says as he goes into the bedroom to drop his bag and change his shirt. When he comes out he finds Chouko squatting by his bookshelves, carefully looking through the few photographs he has.

"Who's this?" she asks, holding one up.

Kurama chokes. The picture is almost a decade old. In it he and Shiori stand by a lake; Mount Fuji rises in the background, its lower slopes green in the height of summer. Shiori had taken him on a 'fun adventure' and he had done his best to humor her as they hiked the mountain. Kurama's hair is still short and he's wearing shorts and a fanny pack while Shiori has on an offensively bright, floral shirt and oversized hat. Shiori had given him the picture when he moved and looking at it still makes Kurama uncomfortable. Chouko's barely holding back laughter and her eyes sparkle.

"Is that you?"

"No comment," he says as he takes the picture and puts it back on the shelf.

The phone rings and Kurama is half-expecting Shiori, but it's Kaito instead. Either way he's grateful for the interruption.

When he looks hesitant about answering it Chouko gives him a little nudge. "Go ahead and answer. It gives me more time to look through your things."

Kurama snorts, but he answers the phone. Chouko starts rifling through his books.

"Minamino, why don't you come over for dinner? Miyuki is cooking and then we're going bowling with some friends. No karaoke, I promise."

"Sorry Kaito. It sounds like fun but I already have dinner plans," Kurama says into the phone with a roll of his eyes that makes Chouko laugh.

"I already called Kuwabara-kun," Kaito's voice comes across as a resigned huff. "I know you're not eating with him."

"I really do have plans," Kurama says mildly and Chouko presses her hands over her mouth.

"Come on," Kaito says, "you can take a break from homework. It's not exactly a matter of life and death anymore."

"Did it used to be?" the fox says and gets a grudging chuckle from the other end.

"I felt like it was. Now, come on, what do you say? Miyuki is a great cook and my friends are starting to believe you aren't real."

"Really, Kaito, I do have plans but I would be happy to come over another time."

"What are they then?"

There's a pause and Kurama looks towards Chouko, who nods enthusiastically.

"I have a date," he says slowly, wondering just what sort of reaction he'll get.

"Well, if you really didn't want to say," Kaito says in that oh-so-put out voice he uses when he thinks Kurama is being intentionally difficult, "you should have just told me you didn't want to say."

There's some snarky comment from someone in the background on the other end that Kurama catches part of and he makes sure to remember that voice. Out of habit. Not because he actually thinks about putting people in their places anymore.

"No. Really. Kaito, I—" One second the phone is in his hand, the next it isn't. He would be impressed if he wasn't worried by the fact that Chouko has tucked the phone against her ear and skipped out of reach already.

"Excuse me, I'm so sorry," she says with disgusting sweetness. "Shuichi-kun is mine tonight and I don't appreciate you taking up his time like this. Try again some other time. Buh-bye."

She doesn't even give Kaito time to respond before she hangs up with a wicked smile. Then she slips Kurama's phone into her skirt pocket and goes to pick up her purse as nonchalant as can be.

"Can I have my phone back?" Kurama asks as he follows her to the door.

"I think not. Now, where are we going?"

As always feel free to leave a little love or tell me what you think!