I've never wanted a day to go by any faster. I am constantly using any means necessary to check the pass of time, and breathe in freedom as training finally comes to an end.

I announce to my friends that I am visiting my family for a few weeks and they are nothing less than shocked. Especially Touya, who I know wants to ask, how? Are you safe? Are you lying? But has no other choice than to seclude himself from the conversation, crossing his arms and staring off into the distance while everyone else wishes me a safe trip. I wish I could tell him everything is ok, I don't like him worrying so much.

I guess I could blink a few times, scratch my nose or do something loopy like a cartwheel, but he could take it as a cry for help instead of a confirmation of stability. This time he'll just have to wait.

Once again when packing I take nothing I didn't bring myself. My pair of clothes, toothbrush, deodorant and other essentials, then a red little spark gets the attention of my peripheral vision. I take the choker Zein gave me from the table stand and tie it around my neck. They aren't real rubies anyways, and I really like it, there's nothing wrong with taking it. I throw the white backpack over one shoulder and head to his room.

I knock three times and he orders me in. I let the backpack fall on the floor as I walk over to the window, where he's standing with the wind whisking his hair and clothes. I've been in this room so many times, and yet the anxiety I get entering it never ceases. The wind is strong today, strong enough to have blown out all the candles in his room, leaving us only to the light of the moon which doesn't help at all with my chronic anxiety issue.

"I am leaving already, Yomi. I came before I left like you asked me to."

He walks to his bed without turning to me and opens a small black box that rested in the counterpane. From it, he removes a necklace with a thin black chain but a large ruby rock, and I can tell with just a glimpse that this on is real. He calls me to him and inserts it over my head letting it fall down my neck. It hangs low down my chest, the large rock is overwhelming.

"With it I'll be able to hear everything you do. If you decide to take it off don't even bother coming back."

"I understand." I nod my head as I speak to emphasize my credibility, which I know right now is zero, but hopefully after this he'll be able to trust me at least a little. "I won't."

"And one more thing, while it is on, no one gets to touch you. I fixed it up with DNA of your mother, brother, and step-father so they are the only ones who don't have this effect on you, but if anyone else touches you-" He taps his finger in my neck and bolts of electricity are sent through my whole body, I stumble back but stay on my feet. "If a finger tap did that imagine what more contact will do." I nod again, still woozy from the electricity. "Well then, good luck. I will see you in two weeks." I reach for the necklace to take it off, but my hands burn as if I am touching fire-hot metal. I let go instantly, and it falls back down my chest. "You can take it off, but in the process your hands will burn badly. It will be like my last farewell to you, you took my eyes, I'll take your hands, fair isn't it? Only I can remove it without causing harm."

"Then do it just for a while," I take a step closer and look up at his face, "I want to kiss you before I leave." My eyes fall on his lips. I want to bite into them, I want to feel his tongue reach for my throat and his arms tightened around me. I want to feel him urgently.

"They'll be plenty of time for that later, if you do decide to come back." And again, I am rejected. His eyebrows frown as he reaches for my neck violently, with the very tip of his fingers he lifts the choker from my flesh. "Who gave this to you?" His voice is a roar with plenty of hatred.

"Zein," I blur out, hoping to sound a lot braver than what I feel. "He was just trying to be nice."

"He gave you this?" he asks, his voice a lot calmer, all displeasure erased from his face. It frightens me how fast his mood can change. I don't want to make him angry anymore, I just want us- I want us- the thought of us ever being happy doesn't make sense even in my own brain. Can it even be possible for us to make things work? There has to be, I'll find a way, because I know that no matter what, ultimately what I want is to be with him.

"Yes, while you were away."

He takes a step back and rubs his face with both hands. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I am sorry for not telling you about it sooner, I assumed it was fine because he is your friend, but if you want me to give it back-"

"No, don't," his arms reach for me, but he lowers them remembering what is placed around my neck.

"Take it off Yomi, just for a little," I close in on him as much as possible with no contact. "I need to touch you too."

He backs away lifting his hands as a shield "No Kurama! Stop! If you DO come back, and if you DO obey me, you will gain some of my trust. But until then it's best if you leave."

Just a little. Just a hug. Just a kiss.

Nothing! All I get is an escort down the hallways until he finds someone else to hand me over to. He orders five guards to escort me to the barrier, but Zein offers to do it himself. In a way I rather for him to take me, but on the other hand, my own thought surprise and alarm me. I can't let him stay alone with Yomi for these two weeks, and plans go through my mind, plans that show me just how rotten I am. I know I have to get rid of him.

Once outside Gandara, we take the two mile walk to the barrier not with haste, talking along the way about everything and nothing at all, just random things I never thought I would ever talk to him about. When we reach the barrier, he goes off about how this is his first time seeing one, and how exiting traveling between worlds must be.

"There is a barrier that doesn't allow A and S class demons to cross, being a middle S class, it's impossible for you."

"Then how do you get to cross?"

I smile, a large smile that shows all my teeth, "because I'm human."

He lifts his eyebrows and nods slowly, "I see."

Well this is it. I can't back away now.

"You can come with me to see it, if you want." I need to do it fast, Yomi won't take long to send someone, he might even come himself, he'll know there's something fishy about this. No turning back now at all.

"Really?" his face lights with excitement.

"All you have to do it jump." I invite, and I jump into the portal, landing on pseudo space. My heart shakes with every beat, what if he doesn't follow? But seeing him land right in front of me doesn't calm my shakiness, only makes it wilder.

"WOW! That was crazy! It felt like I was falling or something… I think I'm a little dizzy," he rubs his forehead with his hand. Hurry Kurama, hurry!

"Well come this way," I sprint away from there, I have to get away from where they might find us. We run though the pseudo space freely, occasionally coming across shadows, other demons, and unexplainable figures, other being crossing between dimensions.

"It is just like he said," Zein gasps behind me.

"What is?" I ask, not slowing my pace.

"From beyond."

"Oh, you mean Lovecraft?"

"HEY! Don't go saying you like him too, he is mine!"

"You can keep him, I like his works but he isn't number one on my list. But if it comes down to rights, I obviously have more since he is from my world. It's weird for you to have heard of him."

"I met a demon a long time ago when I was traveling in the South, he told me he actually knew him. He tried to build a tunnel to come over to Demon World, but failed."

I sigh, thinking of Sensui. "Many have tried, it takes a lot to build a tunnel. There are some natural ones like that one we just traveled through, but you can't pass the Kekkai unless you're B class or lower, or human."

We run for almost an hour before I am sure he is lost, and then I actually make my way to the barrier. The Kekkai is only about five minutes away from the portal, I just ran through this place randomly to lose him. I know my way around, so once I cross over, I'll find my way to Human World with ease. I will direct him to another portal that falls in the northern lands of Demon World. It will hopefully take longer for him to make his way back to Gandara than for me to go back. My lips turn with a sorrowful smile, look at what you're doing Kurama. This isn't you.

"Look, is that it?" he asks, intrigued and still exited. The Kekkai Barrier is in view.

We reach it and I cross over. Curiosity killed the cat, it's true. He falls back and rolls from side to side trying to ease the pain from touching it. He is so dramatic, yes it does hurt, but nowhere near as much. I give him directions to the other barrier and make my way home. The only question now is will I be able to see my mother in the eyes after what I'm doing? The way she raised me, everything she taught me, I am throwing everything away. Why do I even dislike Yoko so much, if I am turning out to be more like him with each day? I just tricked someone with lies and manipulation.

"Yomi, I am sorry, but I couldn't let him be near you. He will land safely in another portal. It will take him a while to get back to Gandara, but he'll be fine." I speak to the rock hanging from my neck. "I understand if you are mad, but I don't care." I smile and force myself to take on a happy tone. "I'll be back soon, wait for me," and with those words I step into the Human World.

Part 2

I hate to admit it, but I think I am completely lost. Getting back is harder than I anticipated, and the random running shadows that catch my attention straight up scare me. I shouldn't have come. I should have stayed at home eating, drinking, or taking a nap.

Oh no wait, I think this is the portal he told me to take. Yes! I am definitely sure this is the one he told me to take.

I jump into it and once again I get the nauseated feeling of falling, the inability to open my eyes scared of what I might see, and the urge to hurl. Traveling between worlds is not as cool as it sounds. I feel safe once I touch land under my feet, I open my eyes and blink… and blink, and blink and blink again, but no matter how much a blink the image doesn't change. I am not anywhere near Gandara!

"No, no, no, no, no!" I yell out of my lungs. Did I take a wrong turn? No. I am sure I followed his exact directions. Did he lose me on purpose? No. I don't want to think that way, he wouldn't- Oh who am I kidding? That son-of-a-rotten-banana lost me on purpose! "OH NO!"

I run around in circles, both hands on my head. Yup, I look pretty crazy right now, but I don't care. "Where am I?" Where am I?"

I climb the highest tree around and at a distance see a small town. I make my way to it quickly, and ask the first demon I see for directions. She is an elder female fixing up her small garden, "Gangara?"

"Gandara," I repeat. This is useless. I thank her anyway and am about to leave when someone else comes out of her house, a young demon with light brown skin and short dark brown hair. He has light blue eyes and a gently touch, dressed in brown lose pants, and a tight white shirt that gives way to his figure.

I blush and immediately direct my eyes to the floor. What happened? I've never done that before… I've never actually seen someone that makes me wonder about his body. I stop my thoughts all together. Yomi! Yomi! Yomi! And my body gets submerged in fire, just the thought of him gets me this way.

I lift my eyes to the young demon again. He has delicate features and the way he is swinging his body outside of the house, holding on to the edge of the door like that, gives him a free-spirited aura. He is very pretty, cute, but that's it. Nothing else. Even if I tried. But… Should I try? Just out of curiosity? Look where curiosity got you today Zein, but I give in anyways.

I let my eyes take all of him in, the leanness of his arms, the cuts in his muscles that show through his shirt, his small waist- He smiles. Oh no, I just checked him out shamelessly. My face burns with embarrassment.

"Oh son, maybe you know what he is talking about. He is looking for a city called Gandara."

"Oh Gandara," he says, letting go of the door and landing both feet on the ground. He smiles as he walks towards me, looking straight into my eyes. I turn away in shame. "Yeah I know where that is." He directs with his finger. "You're going to have to cross these mountains, and then there's a lake, and you keep going straight into the Deep Woods. Ummm… after about two days, you'll come across a river and you follow it upspring. You will come across Mukuro's land first and then from there you can ask around. It's really close after that."

"Oh… thank you."

"Are you going that way right now?"

"Yes," I think about mentioning that I live there, but having to explaining how I got lost in a space that isn't even really real and how I got tricked into landing here by the guy I got dumped for, changes my mind. "I need to get there fast."

"You know there's a war about to explode right? If you're going to look for relatives I would hurry and get them out of there fast," he explains.

I smile. Telling them I am one of the commanders of the army will surely scare them. "I will be very careful. Also, is there a way to make it over without crossing through Mukuro's land?"

"You could go around, but it will take longer."

"How long would that be?"

"If you go the way I explained, depending on your speed, about eight days."

"Eight days?" I ask in shock.

"Well I don't know how fast you are? If you need more time feel free to slow your pace as needed."

"No, what I mean is that I need to get there sooner. How much longer will it take if I go around Mukuro's land?"

"Maybe three, four more days."

"Oh no!"

"How do you even know all this?" his mother interrupts, a bit bothered by it.

"I do study you know, Lady."

"I better not find out you are leaving town or hanging out with people you're not supposed to."

"Mother!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause problems." I apologize.

"No, it's nothing. She will get mad if I was to step outside the village just to get a fruit."

"Now you know why I do it, Han." She lowers her face and her voice. "It's for your own good." She tires of the conversation and enters her home, leaving us outside.

"She's always been like that, I am twenty-two years old already and she treats me as if I'm ten. How am I ever supposed to live my life is she has me tied by the neck."

"What do you mean?"

"She doesn't let me do anything. Everybody half my age is already wondering the forest, going hunting, or learning to fight. I'm just at home doing nothing!" he kicks at the ground hard and by his voce I can tell he is very upset. I can also tell his mother is listening. "I have to be home at sundown like a kid, and even to go to school she makes a big deal just because it's a mile away. A mile!" he yells towards his house, with the clear intention for his mother to hear.

"She must have her reasons."

"I know the world is dangerous, I know there's evil, but she can't protect me form it by caging me in. One day I am just going to leave, I am not going to care about her or this village or our crops or anything-"

"Now you know you're lying."

He looks at me curious, "If you really felt that way, you would have left already."

He breaths heavily, "I know, I know, I love her. I love my family, my village, our crops, by the way, we grow crops in case you haven't figured it out."

"I did." I answer with the same amount of sarcasm.

"I just want to live. You wouldn't understand that, you're a traveler. You've seen the world!"

"It's true. I'll never know because I've never settle in one place for long. I've traveled since childhood, wherever the slave traders force me to go." He looks at me apologetic; he knows he said something he shouldn't have. I hate talking about my slaved days, I still don't understand why all of this is pouring out of me, but I feel like I have to say it. "Just the same as I'll never understand the feeling of having a loving mother that cares for me, a family to eat dinner with, and someone that nags me to tend to our crops."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"There are a lot of bad people out there, Han. Evil, manipulative, dark beings that only want to hurt, most of the times disguised as beautiful creatures. You don't know how luck you are to be here and to have what you have. I'm sure the day will come when you will leave, and that is also fine, she can only protect you so long. But when you do, always remember these days not as your jailed days, but as the most beautiful days of your life."

He smiles, "No one's ever talk to me like this. You make me feel so stupid. What is your name?"

If I say Zein they might have heard rumors, "My name is Black, nice to meet you." I stretch out my hand.

"Han, nice to meet you." Our hands meet and he looks at me. I see my image reflected off his light blue irises. He smiles and the sunlight bounces off his white teeth. He is so cute. I have that feeling, the one you get when you know you are doing something for the first time in your life, and I break eye contact as soon as I realize this is the first time I've ever seen myself in someone else's eyes like this. With Yomi, I can't. With anybody else, I've never noticed.

I am ashamed of what I'm doing, I feel like I just cheated. Not directly, but in some form I just had a moment with another person, one I will never be able to have with him, and this sadness me to no end. I don't want to even see Han anymore.

"Well I have to go now, remember what I told you." I say, my eyes wondering everywhere but at him.

"Wait, you're leaving already?"

"Yup! It was nice to meet you, good luck with your life."

I get ready to sprint but feel a weight in my left hand, "Wait!"

I look down to find him clinging to me. For a second I look, I look, and what I see is an untainted soul. His face pleading, his eyes with residues of liquid, a small demon in size reaching only to my shoulders, but with big dreams and to tied down to reach for them. What I see pierces me, and I shake him off in confusion, "Please don't touch me."

"Oh… I'm sorry." He looks at the floor.

"Take care of yourself, listen to your mom."

"Will you stop by on your way back home?" he asks, with trails of hope.

"I might come back, but who knows when. Hopefully next time I see you it will be under different circumstances. Maybe you'll already be a hunter or a fighter, or whatever it is you want to be."

"Thank you," he smiles, and I catch a red-like color growing in his cheeks. I need to stop seeing him I need to stop noticing these things.

I turn and sprint away, not turning back for any reason. As I get further and further away, I am shocked by the course of today's events, definitely one of the 'weird ones' in my life. First, Shuichi tricks me, I land in some random place, I pass by some random village, and meet a random mother, who introduces me to her not so random son. That demon was cute. I've never thought of anyone that way before, I've never found anyone attractive before. All my life, it's always been Yomi.

What would have been of my life if I would've never been kidnapped by those slave traders? Maybe I would have ended up like Han… maybe I would have married someone like him.

I chuckle. Could have, should have, but it's never going to happen. Yomi is my life, he is my reason for everything. I run towards the mountains, the first obstacle on my way back home.

Hello everybody, and thank you for reading. I know i took a bit longer to update this time but i have this very important test coming up, so i've been busy. Today I didn't work, so i got to writing as soon as i could :) I've wanted to write this chapter for a while, and i was surprised by how long it turned out... O.o but i really like it :)

Oh, the refrence above is to H.P. Lovecraft, and his story 'from beyond' but i think i mentioned that already xP

Well like always thanks for reading, it makes me very happy, and i hope you are enjoying the story :) Bye-bye!