True Belonging

by Too Young to Feel This Tired

It always felt as if the world was grey, haunted, silent with barely enough noise for him to realize that he was awake and present. Except for when she touched him. When she touched him, the world bathed in the brightest colors of sunflowers and green ribbons in raven hair.

4. Youth Part II

Title: True Belonging

Summary: It always felt as if the world was grey, haunted, silent with barely enough noise for him to realize that he was awake and present. Except for when she touched him. When she touched him, the world bathed in the brightest colors of sunflowers and green ribbons in raven hair.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Chapter Four: Youth Part II.

---

A true friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.

– Bernard Meltzer

---

When Nana opened her eyes that morning it took her a while to remember what exactly happened last night. Absently her hand reached to the spot next to her, but of course, it was empty. It made sense since if her granny or Shuichi's mom found out he spent the night in Nana's bed it would no doubt caused them problems.

Still, his spot was warm so he must have left only a while ago.

Turning to his side of the bed, Nana went over everything that happened yesterday and last night. She didn't get any answers, but that was sort of expected since she didn't ask any questions.

He looked so shaken.

The redhead wasn't trembling or looking visibly distress the way she probably looked five years ago. He was mostly very still with an empty expression on his face, which scared Nana even more than if he was manic or frantic. She never saw him like that. Even if he was dealing with something he usually looked focused or lost in thoughts but still with a slight frown revealing even if only to her that something was bothering him. Now it was like he was completely empty to the point he lost all contact with the world around him.

She wanted to know what was going on. She wanted to know what happened. She wanted to know what he was hiding from her. Last night at one point she thought she would be broken in half with how tightly the need for answers was griping her body, but seeing him like that, Nana didn't have the heart to force him to get those answers.

Instead, pushing away her feeling of uselessness, she did what she could. She took him into her room. She took care of his arm. She offered him clothing and a bed to sleep in so he wouldn't be alone. She offered him comfort knowing that it was the only thing she could give him. Judgment-free, honest and loving comfort which soothed her own worries as it allowed her to feel useful.

Even if he didn't explain anything, he didn't push her away and allowed them both to find peace. For now, it had to be enough.

When Fuku jumped onto the side Shuichi slept on, Nana smiled at the cat and started scratch it behind the ears as it purred.

'Did you sleep here too, or did you find another place to stay?' she asked the cat in a soft voice giving herself a few minutes before she ultimately got up from her warm bed and glanced outside. The backyard was covered in snow. The first snow of the year.

'What do you think Fuku? Breakfast?' Nana asked the black cat right before she stood up and started to stretch wondering if she and Shuichi would be pretending nothing happen or talk about it. Probably the former.

She finished breakfast just as her granny came from the bedroom, 'Ah, you woke up early today?'

'Yes, sometimes I can do that too,' she said grinning at the woman which earned her getting one of her cheeks pulled, 'Don't be cheeky.'

Nana sighed slightly annoyed as this was usually what her granny did to her and Shuichi when they were little and talked back. It probably hurt her more since her cheeks were rounder though.

She finished her lunch box, kissed her granny on her cheek, and waved goodbye to Fuku who was sleeping by the door before she rushed out.

Shuichi was waiting for her outside on the street the way he usually was looking prepared and calm as if nothing happened.

'Good morning,' she said and offered him a smile which he returned although less enthusiastically than she did.

Their walk was silent and unlike yesterday where the silence was comforting today, it was almost uncomfortable. It was probably because of the both of them knew they should talk, but neither of them was apparently willing to start. It vexed Nana to no end, but she couldn't really figure out how would she be able to make it stop if neither of them was talking.

Halfway to the school, the girl lost all her patience and stopped grabbing into his sleeve and pulling him to one of the alleys nearby to avoid people getting to work and schools.

'Look, about yesterday,' she started and caught the slightest flinch in his features before she put her head down, 'You don't have to tell me…' it was a hard decision, but she felt in her heart it was the right thing to do, 'what happened and about what you're keeping from me. You don't have to tell me but in return… I want you to answer two questions for me,' she said and raised two fingers in a victory sign while keeping her eyes on the ground.

A moment passed and when he didn't say anything she dared her eyes to lift slightly from under the shadow created by her hair to sneak a peek at him.

He looked like the embodiment of the world's greatest gambler not giving away a single hint of emotion making it impossible even for his longest friend to know what was running through his mind.

Their eyes met and only then did she saw how the corner of his green ones softened, and he nodded clearly accepting her proposal.

She rose her head to stand tall and proud in front of him not allowing him to see just how anxious she felt, or she hoped he couldn't see it although lately, she realized she couldn't really tell so surely as she once did.

Finally, Nana took in a deep breath before she started, 'I know…that something's going on. I know for a while or maybe ever since I met you? I know it's something heavy, and I know if you would tell me, it would make sense of all those things which are different about you and about what happened not just with Kitajima-san but everything else too. I'm not stupid,' she said and raised her brows to give him a slightly frustrated look.

'I know you won't tell me today or tomorrow or maybe even next month or year,' she glanced away frowning slightly as she voiced her first question, 'But do you ever plan to tell me?'

His eyes blinked and his expression changed to a surprised one and remained that way even when she looked at his face properly.

Ever so slightly he nodded, 'I would like to think that one day I will. I wish I wouldn't have to, but it seems impossible that I would be able to hold onto it forever,' he said, and Nana almost smiled except when his face darkened and his eyes left her, she realized he wanted to say more, 'But if it was solely up to me, I don't think I would have told you at all.'

She knew she couldn't cover the hurt caused by his face from showing on her face, 'Okay, the second question. Why?' she asked carefully raising her eyes to meet his again, 'Is it because you don't trust me or think I couldn't handle it or something like that?'

His eyes widened again the dark expression was replaced with a short-lived shocked before he took a step closer. His features softened, but still remained somehow sad and conflicted like he wanted to comfort her but couldn't since his decision was the reason, she was hurting, 'Remember when we were younger, I asked you once what would you do if I changed.'

Nana blinked remembering briefly such conversation when they were stargazing, but even before somewhere around the time Shuichi was ten, he often asked her such questions. She was pretty sure most of her answers were regarding her staying by his side and as his friend no matter what.

He glanced away toward the entrance to the alley out of the shadow created by the building that blocked the morning sun, 'I asked what would you do if I changed and no longer was myself. If I no longer wanted to be your friend. Do you recall what you said?' he asked, and it made her even more upset that he wouldn't look at her as he asked.

'I told you that I would always be your friend, even if you didn't want to be mine. I would…I would try to get you to be my friend again,' she said not remembering the exact words just the main message behind them.

He turned his head back at her, but refused her to see his face as he hid it behind the shadow created by his hair, 'I don't want to put you into a position where you have to go against your morals and believes if only to remain my friend. To be completely honest with myself, I'm a very selfish being,' he sadly smiled as he said that, 'I wish…to keep you forever, Nana,' he admitted and the girl's eyes widened surprised by the weight and depth of his words feeling the tight knot of anxiety inside her stomach warming up and filling with something other than negative feelings as Shuichi continued 'and I fear I would lose you if I showed you the truth. Even if you wouldn't leave me, a part of you would surely resent me.'

The bittersweet smile was still present on Shuichi's face as he looked at her again, 'As a selfish person, I simply refused to accept having less of you than I do now…less than everything than all of you.'

Through his answer to her second question, Nana wasn't sure she was breathing until she heard the breath coming from between her parted lips. She didn't expect his answer. Even if she had no idea what he would say, she didn't expect him to say this. It felt heavier and more intense than anything he ever said to her before, and she didn't blame her heart at all for hitting her ribcage like an angry bird that wished to fly away. Perhaps even away from him if only for a moment. It was hard to be looked at the way Shuichi was looking at her now in that very instance.

His green eyes were darker than she ever saw them probably reflecting all those emotions he hid inside from her that were connected to his secret. They watched her with a sense of intimidation almost as if he was trying to prove to her, she truly was that weak, their friendship truly meant that little to her to toss it aside because he said his secret was about bad immoral things.

She closed her mouth and swallowed before she took a step closer to him hoping her face showed the determination she felt inside her now steady beating heart, 'You're my best friend. It's where everything begins and ends for me. When you're ready, I believe you will tell me freely knowing I will accept it and you just like I always do, Shuichi.'

The darkness behind his eyes faded, and if Nana thought it was possible for a moment her redheaded friend looked almost intimidated by her which somewhat amused her.

She offered him a bright smile and closed her eyes as she patted him on the arm, 'But take your time. I'm not going anywhere.'

When she opened her eyes, his features calmed down again leaving no trace of his previous worrisome expression, just a slight smile, she found kind of cute, 'For what it's worth, I never thought you were stupid, Nana. I just hoped you didn't notice for my own benefit. It had nothing to do with how highly I think of you and your intelligence,' he said, and she was willing to believe him.

'Good, now let's go, you're going to make us late,' she said as a matter of fact and started to walk if nothing else feeling that her chest was slightly lighter.

'How can I make us late, when you dragged us into this alley?' he asked while he started to follow her before he managed to get to her side. Perks of having longer legs the girl supposed.

They walked in silence again, but it was much more welcoming than to previous one. Nana knew the strange air around them wouldn't clear until he would finally tell her his secret, but for now, this would have to do.

---

Despite his life returning to its ordinary human way, Kurama couldn't help but feel even more alerted and suspicious than ever. Kitajima's abduction and his fight with Yasuda showed him just how weak and how comfortable he became dulling down many of his survival instincts that kept him alive all those years in Makai. It was a grand mistake on his part, one he would make sure to never commit again.

Even if for now the yokai he met while dealing with Yasuda, Hiei, didn't seem to have any effect on his life, he would be a fool not to see him a treat to his human life. Although Hiei seemed to follow his own honor code, he was still a yokai driven by greed and murderous tendencies and his own personal goals.

An ice maiden

The information didn't present much, but if it came to worse there would be some way to use it.

Apart from that, however, the formal grand thief started to slowly train his abilities in secret in order to gain some of the power he once possessed.

His hand reached out and snatched Nana's wrist before her fingers would touch the roses he had been growing in his part of the garden, 'Careful, thorns can be quite dangerous.'

And deadly

Since he manipulated his yoki to grow red roses with highly sharp thorns that could cut through even the heaviest metal. Apart from gaining more power and training, Kurama also started to experiment in the creation of new plants that could be used as weapons.

'They look a bit different than those ones over there,' said Nana pulling away from him to point at the ordinary roses at the front of the garden.

This would be their second to last weekend before they would graduate from middle school. Although so much time had passed, Kurama still occasionally caught himself drifting into a strange surreal state where he realized this was real, and this was his life.

'It's a different type,' he said calmly before he reached for one of the roses and cut it changing the sharpness of the thorns before handing it over to his female friend.

The girl blinked before she rewarded him with a wide smile as she took it. Her warm brown eyes held only the highest praise and admiration for the flower inside her hand while Kurama watched her from his place down by his roses.

Since their final year in middle school, Nana didn't grow much in height. It was amusing to imagine a time when she was slightly taller than him and other boys in their kindergarten. Now she barely reached below his neck often complaining that he and the rest of the people who were taller than her were being unfair. It made it especially rewarding and pleasing to tease her about it by reaching behind her whenever she needed something from the top shelf and watching her pout as he handed it to her. Despite her lack of height growth, Nana still continued to grow turning into a charming young girl. Apart from other girls in their class, who were mostly very tin, Nana filled up in all the right places to give her a far more adult feminine look that in his own mind was by far more appealing than what perhaps others considered some sort of standard for the beauty of the human world. Her cheeks still remained round and perfect to pinch whenever she teased him too much, and he felt like punishing her a bit. She still put her hair into a high ponytail wrapping the green ribbon she had since childhood around it. He didn't say it, but whenever he looked at her hair, he found a sense of nostalgia and created a warm ball inside his chest that often forced him to smile as he recalled their childhood. In an odd way, the fact that his memories didn't come until his human self was older was a blessing that allowed him to truly experience the wonders of that period of his life that now he looked back at so fondly.

She crunched to the ground next to him looking at her rose before she looked at him with a grateful smile, 'Thank you, Shuichi. It's lovely.'

He hummed looking at his creation as well while Nana spoke, 'It's still pretty lucky that everything that you plant grows even in the cold weather.'

He stole a glance at her, but she kept her eyes on the rose again either knowing he would be able to tell if there was another meaning behind her words or because she was honest about them.

'It's not lucky. It's a skill, Nana,' Kurama said with a hint of pridefulness which earned him a light shove into the side from the girl's elbow, 'Don't be cocky. Not even you can control the weather,' she looked at the sky for a moment thinking, 'Or the plants.'

At times like this, it was hard for him not to think if the universe found humor in his life and liked to play around.

He didn't answer her wondering just how much longer would he be able to hold the charade before it would catch up to him and her.

---

Nana groaned in absolute frustration as she ripped the tie from around her neck and tossed it onto her bed. She had spent the better part of the last five minutes trying to somehow nicely tie it under her collar but all she did was wrinkled it.

Her eyes glanced at the mirror in front of her as she tried and failed to feel comfortable in her new uniform. It wasn't bad looking. The jacket and skirt were light brown while the shirt was white, so it was a relatively nice contrast. It was just that when Nana put it on and looked at herself she felt like she was staring at a stranger. She looked a bit like her mom.

She wasn't as skinny as her, but she was definitely her kid. She recalled the incident from her first day of middle school and despite herself shiver.

It was stupid.

She was being stupid. What happened before was an unfortunate incident, but it was just a coincidence, and it didn't mean something would happen today or at all. Her mom last called her a few months ago to wish her a happy birthday. She surprisingly called on the right day. She didn't sound as cheerful as she usually did, mostly she just kept on asking Nana what was new and how was granny before she asked for some money.

Luckily, granny came from her room, so she quickly ended the call with an apology before lying to her granny that it was a classmate calling about some homework. Her mom called often, and only rarely spoke with Nana since before she refused to talk to her only giving the phone to her granny. It wouldn't be hard to think that the woman asked her for money, so really Nana didn't have to lie, but she couldn't help it. She didn't want her granny or Shuichi or anyone to know she was talking to her mom again after everything that happened. It made me feel weak and like an idiot who couldn't make up her mind. Not to mention, she didn't know herself why she was talking to her again.

Most of the good memories from her time with her mother were overshadowed by the bad things. Even if it was true that with time, she resented her less for what she did, she still hadn't fully forgiven her. Maybe it was because of everything that happened with Shuichi. She just felt she needed to think about something else, and maybe as somewhat of a punishment she needed to have a secret of her own.

'Oi, I'm leaving,' she said to her granny as she found her watching the TV while sitting by the kotatsu, 'Have a good first day in school, Nana-chan. Say hello to Shuichi-kun.'

'I will,' called the girl back and rushed outside waving at Fuku who was sitting by the door before she reached Shuichi who was already waiting for her dressed in his new uniform.

The raven-haired girl chuckled, 'It's red.'

He ignored her comment clearly not in the mood for another argument about the color of his clothing of all things, 'Let's go. You're missing your tie.'

'I can't put it on correctly,' she said with a sigh and pulled it from the place in her pocket. It looked even more wrinkled of course.

They hurried to the station so there wasn't much time to chat. Since it was the first day there were plenty of people, and they were pretty much squeezed against each other by the window.

'Would you like me to help you with it?' he asked her with a fake innocence she didn't buy one bit. It wasn't like Shuichi wasn't a very kind and helpful person and friend to her, it was just that she knew when he was making a bit fun of her for example for her inability to tie her ties nicely.

Still, Nana offered him a fake smile as well and handed him the tie, 'If you would be so kind, Shuichi-kun.'

He chuckled in that silent way of his as if he didn't want outsiders to know he was capable of laughter and started to fix her tie while Nana took the time to look more closely at him.

He got taller. It vexed her to no end since last year she barely managed to grow three inches and constantly ended on the receiving ends of his little cute jokes and comments about her height. He wasn't mean. It was all in good friendly bickering, but she couldn't help herself and get easily pissed about it. Still, based on how many girls around them in the train were stealing glances at him or full-on ogling him it was obvious the height suited him. It wasn't like she saw him shirtless often. In fact, the raven-haired fifteen-year-old couldn't recall the last time they went to the public pool, but she could tell his shoulders got boulder, his chest got firmer and solid and since she was in the room when he tried on some old clothing even his arms grew slightly bigger. She wouldn't say in any way that Shuichi was muscly, but he was rather fit. However, due to his handsome face that often resulted in him being mistaken for a woman and his new-found decision to let his beautiful red hair grow, people would most likely label him as a gentle intellectual type than some sports enthusiasts which wouldn't be a total lie since Shuichi didn't practice any sports and more often than not spent his free time reading hard to understand for her at least books. There was also something else that gave him a bit of favor in comparison to other boys their age. A sort of mysterious aura that almost made people want to reach out but not quite. However, that might have been just her case and maybe it was only somehow connected to his biggest secret that he kept so close to his heart and out of her reach.

It still bothered her.

When his green eyes met hers, Nana was surprised. She was staring at him so openly and almost creepily checking him out that she let out a nervous chuckle and looked away, 'Sorry.'

He didn't really tell her anything and finished her tie before turning her around so she could partly see her reflection in the window, 'Can't have you looking sloppy on the first day, Nana.'

She offered him a smile instead of a thank you up until they reached her stop.

Sighing, she turned toward him not sure how to say goodbye. Luckily, Shuichi seemed to read her mind because he gave her a smile and determinate nod, 'Good luck.'

Some of her confidence returned seeing the look inside his eyes, and she nodded as well, 'You too. See you in a bit.'

She rushed out of the train and turned around to wave noticing that now Shuichi's features appeared gloomier probably because he wasn't trying to ease her own worries. They always did that for each other. Tried to stay strong if only to ease the other's soul.

She continued to wave long after the train was gone before finally, she made her way toward her new school constantly reminding herself she would still get to see Shuichi later that day.

It wasn't the worse of days. She ended up in 1-B and saw a few of her old classmates in other classes, but maybe it was for the best that she was alone in hers. It would be like a fresh start of sorts.

Since they were most handed instructions and then sent home early, she didn't really have much time to dwell on how lonely it felt when others seemed to talk to each other and discuss other things.

She got back to the train station only to find the redhead already there waiting for her.

'So how was it?' she asked taking a seat next to him on the bench.

'Pretty uneventful,' he said politely although she knew he meant boring.

She grimaced, 'What no one kept asking you every moment what did the teacher say because they were too busy thinking about what to cook for dinner?'

'Precisely,' he smiled at her making her realize just how much she missed him doing so all day.

'Hey, let's go for ice cream,' she suggested suddenly not really sure where did the idea come from, 'We can catch the next train. It's still pretty early.'

He didn't reply right away which made her wonder if she said something wrong. His expression was a bit odd like he was thinking about something, but his eyes were very much pierced at hers so it was obvious he was paying attention to her as well. Maybe he was thinking about something that had to do with her? It wasn't uncomfortable, but it definitely caused the girl to feel self-aware and like she wanted to break the eye contact.

It carried on for a moment, and Nana wondered if people who glanced their way thought they were having a serious conversation since it felt like even outsiders could see something was going on between the two with their intense stares.

Ultimately, Shuichi's face lightened up, and he closed his eyes making the intense look behind them disappear before he stood up. All of a sudden he looked behind calm which only added to the handsomeness of his face something Nana immediately forced herself not to think about as he said, 'Let's do that.'

---

Time went on slower than ever, and Kurama couldn't help but feel an irrational dread from time to time. Things were too good and too calm and for far too long. His everyday life gained a bit more dullness as now he didn't have Nana presence in the school. It wouldn't have been the worse. Boredom was a pesky thing, but it was better than constant danger even if from time to time he missed the rush. Perhaps, it would have been better if something happened not something colossal, but something small enough to change the stir his life at least a bit.

His life was good. Still far better than an ex-thief and yokai deserved which was probably why he couldn't accept it. It seemed too unfair to gain so much by offering nothing in return.

It was annoying.

But it would be still more sufferable if he at least had his human friend to waste time in class. Despite the difficulty of the school, he managed to stay on top of their study materials. There was some challenge during the exams but in the end, he managed to one way or another gain the first spots in those as well.

'Minamino-san,' he heard someone say as he was waiting for Nana at their usual spot to walk to the station together.

He sometimes finished before her and other times he felt like walking instead of waiting for the train and her to catch up. More often than not he needed to clear his mind of the dullness of his classes and doing so in the Spring with everything awakening calmed his inner beast and frustration.

He glanced at the girl who spoke to him. She was wearing his school uniform, but he knew she wasn't from his class. She was probably a 1st grader as well and with the shy look on her face and how she wouldn't meet his eyes, he knew right away why she approached him.

He mentally groaned, but for her sake, tried to remain calm and polite. The curse of girls confessing to him seemed to have followed him from middle school making him uncomfortable every time it happened. He really wished they would stop somehow and leave him alone since this was not the stir, he wished to break the dullness of his life with.

He noticed a rather not so subtle and far away from their group of three other girls from their school probably there to witness and support their friend.

'I know you probably don't know me all that well, but I-'

'Sorry, you had to wait so long,' said Nana as she rushed toward them passed the girl from his school completely ignoring her and stopping in front of Shuichi, 'We had gym last, and I needed to change.'

The raven-haired girl carelessly took hold of his wrist to lift her leg and fixed the sock on her left foot as it fell down a bit to her shoe. It was a habit of hers. Nana never seemed to lean down to fix her shoes instead she always balanced herself on one leg and rose the other to do so. Kurama made fun of it claiming she didn't want to even for a moment be shorter than she already was. Some of the girl's quirks were rather amusing. It could have been just that he grew up with her and found sentimental pleasure in them that he expressed by fondness, but either way he always found it less dull and annoying when Nana was around.

He didn't even realize he tuned the girl from his school out until he caught her shift a bit.

Ever since Nana came and used his hand to balance herself, he rather focused on her to make sure she wouldn't fell down all the while enjoying her antics.

When he looked at the stranger, it occurred to him he subconsciously smiled when Nana showed up and the smile remained until now.

The girl watched them in a very clear shock, but instead of looking at them as a whole, she seemed to be fixed on the way Nana's hand was holding onto his wrist.

An idea clicked inside his mind, and quickly he took Nana's hand into his and pressed it against his chest, 'It's no trouble. I don't mind waiting when it's for you.'

Nana was too busy with her sock and shoe, but he still caught her smiling as he placed his hand on her lower back to make sure she wouldn't fall while carefully noting the way the other girl's shock melted into realization and horror.

When his raven-hair friend was done she let her foot back to the ground and offered him a thankful smile before she turned a bit and probably for the first time noticed the intruder.

'Uh?' Nana let out confused.

The other girl, whose face was very pale a moment ago as she must have connected everything in her mind the way Kurama hoped she would, turned instantly red. She took a clumsy step backward and looked away as if she wanted to appear she wasn't there to talk to either of them.

Nana gave him a confused a slightly worried look, but he just started to lightly push her by the hand he still kept at her back further from the girl and toward the direction of the station, 'Don't worry about it. It was just a misunderstanding.'

The girl started to furiously nod behind Nana before she bowed to her, 'I'm sorry, I-I-I didn't know. Sorry.'

'Why are you-?' Nana started to ask still looking confused about it all, but the girl didn't waste time and rushed away toward her friends frantically tossing her hands as she must have explained to them what she witnessed and what it meant.

Nana turned back to him still not noticing he had his hand on her back as she was leading her to the station occasionally turning back to the girls.

He sensed them following them until the train station, but luckily not further as Nana by some point did notice he was leading her and had his hand on her back, but only shot him a look with a mixture of confusion and amusement. He couldn't even count the times, he was grateful for Nana's nature. She was easy to deal with, supportive of almost every decision he made, and a good and kind friend. It was the reason why he was so set on not telling her about his true nature. He didn't want to put her in the position where she would have to become someone else only to remain his friend. He didn't think he would like any of the outcomes of that happening. If she stayed his friend, she would lose a part of herself for his benefit. If she stopped being his friend…

He would rather not think about it as he made peace with himself a while ago that he was too selfish to let her go.

'Say, aren't the girls in your school a bit weird?' she asked as we finally got into the train causing him to chuckle, 'Yes, very weird.'

The rumors spread like a wildfire, and in only three days it seemed everyone who cared knew he was already in a relationship with a mystery girl from Takeuchi High School. Apart from a few rather embarrassing attempts of his peers to show their support for having a girlfriend at such a young age, Kurama was mostly left alone and confessions-free from the girls for a couple of weeks.

He still held the attention of a lot of girls who didn't seem to give up even if they knew he was taken, but after one faithful day when a classmate approached him rather publicly while he was reading a book and eating from the lunch box Nana prepared for him, they seemed to learn their lesson not to discuss the topic anymore, 'W-would you break up with your girlfriend if someone else told you they liked you?'

It was sort of a tradition that his friend prepared food for the both of them. His mother worked long hours, and it seemed more practical and economical if only one household cooked, and shared with the other while they split the groceries. Nana was only supported by the low income from her grandmother's pension, and although he and his mother were better when it came to money most of what his mother earned went to his studies or future studies which was another reason why he always made sure to be on top of the class.

He didn't mind. Although his mother's food was good, he knew she didn't find in the activity the same enjoyment and passion Nana did. The girl had a much better sense of taste and creativity mixing things and spices together with far more delicious and interesting results. It always made him smile fondly when he saw her talk about a new idea for recipe her bright smile even brighter always the same as it used to be when they were innocent carefree children and her brown eyes gained a certain dark alluring look he figured made her look especially easy on the eye. At this point, even if it could have hurt his mother, Kurama had to admit, Nana's cooking was better.

He knew the smirk was rude, but he couldn't seem to help it as he found the question utterly rude and his own response amusing him, 'No. We already promised each other we would get married.'

He returned to his book and bento box not interested in what expression the girl would show while she must have taken the information in. He heard some other classmates chat or stop chatting clearly hearing the exchange as well. It wasn't a complete lie. They did make such a promise when they were kids, and if it would serve as a shield against further attempted advances of the girls around him so be it.

The girl didn't say anything else and returned to her seat while he heard a male classmate dramatically sighed, 'Damn, Minamino-san is so lucky. I will never get a girlfriend.'

'Maybe you need to act more maturely, dumbass,' replied another classmate before the redhead tuned them out finding the comfort of his own thoughts and the book he was reading once again.

---

A couple of weeks into the school, Nana caught onto the new rhythm of not having Shuichi around all the time. She tried not to dwell on it and focus more on paying attention or gaining some new friends. Both not as successful as she would hope, but she did form a sort of bond with Aoki Mina, the most intimidating girl in her school.

They were scheduled to clean up after class, and Nana offered her one of the shio daifuku she made the other day.

'Did your mom make these?' asked the girl eyeing her piece of dessert between her fingers.

'No, I did. But my best friend always tells me they're really good so… try one?' she suggested and shrugged her shoulders. She mostly offered them since she had two left and figure it would make the things less awkward. Aoki rarely spoke with anyone and always looked like she was in a murderous mood. Most of the people in class avoided her because of some rumor she beat up a senior classmate for calling her fat on the second school day.

Nana would rather not get on her bad side, and it also perhaps it would be good to get some feedback from someone other than Shuichi, her granny, and Shiori-san.

The girl's expression remained angry, but when she finished, she gave Nana a nod and stated, 'You will make a good wife.'

The raven-haired girl beamed at her and offered her the last one as well as gratitude.

After that, it seemed the other girl decided Nana and her food were worthy of her presence, and she started to spent time with her.

Aoki didn't say much apart from complimenting her food and snapping insults at anyone who would look at them for too long. Sometimes Nana found it a bit embarrassing, but she supposed it was better than if someone tried to pick up on her.

'That's her, right? The girl Yuki spoke about with the green ribbon and chubby cheeks.'

Nana immediately stopped eating, and she sensed that Aoki also chewed a bit slower. They had a lunch break, and since it was warm enough and their school had a fence around most of its territory, they were allowed to sit by the benches outside. Due to Aoki was a fairly intimidating person the closest three benches to the ones, they were sitting at were empty as people would rather stand or walk around than get on her bad side.

The raven-haired girl tried to glance at where the voice was coming from and immediately spotted three girls in redish uniforms grouped nearby the other side of the fence looking at her.

Meiou uniform

Confused about why would someone from Shuichi's school be looking for her, she took her bento box and stood up walking closer to the fence, 'Are you looking for me?'

The girls immediately went silent and glared at her as if she insulted them somehow by speaking to them.

Nana raised her brows not sure if she should be worried or confused more before one of the girls took a step closer to the fence and pointed at her with an angry look on her face, 'You-you need to break up with Minamino-san! Who-who do you think you are coming from this disgrace of a school and- and stealing him?!' she demanded not keeping her voice down but also stuttering possibly from how angry she was.

'What?' asked Nana taking a step closer wondering what the hell were these girls talking about.

'You-you're not good enough for him. You don't deserve him. He's so smart and handsome and you're just some lower-class dropout,' continued the girl while the other two girls nodded their heads or agreed with her.

Nana wasn't sure what was going on, but her eyes widened as the realization that someone just came up to her to insult her hit her and caused this unpleasant feeling to drive a hole inside her stomach.

The girl carried on with her accusations and insults while Nana tried to gain some courage to tell her something or at least walk away, but she felt like she couldn't move. Although back when she was a child many kids made fun of her and told her something mean, she always had Shuichi there to protect her or tell her not to worry about them. Even though she wasn't a little girl anymore so she should be able to handle herself, she knew she would be able to at least move if Shuichi was there just like he had been every time she needed him. It didn't matter that the girl was only tossing mean words at her or that there was a fence meaning they couldn't even get to her, just listening to someone saying such things about her made Nana feel very small and like someone reached into her throat and painfully squeezed her heart.

Too caught up by her own gloomy thoughts, she didn't realize when Aoki stood up and left the other bento box, she prepared especially for her on the bench only to grab the girl by her uniform and pull her against the fence.

'Hey-let go!'

'Shut up,' said Aoki, and Nana saw how in the instant the angry looks on the girls' faces were erased by fear as they must have noticed just how tall and large not to mention scary Aoki was, 'Who the hell do you think you are coming to our school and insulting someone. You think you're tough or something? I could break you like a twig, you brainless doll.'

The girl tried to get Aoki's grip to lose, but it didn't seem like it would work.

Seeing that Nana recalled the time she and Shuichi were harassed by 3rd graders back in middle school and finally snapped out of her own self-loathing and despair, 'Aoki-san, it's okay, you can let her go.'

She walked closer to the fence as well and patted the other girl's shoulder, 'This is all just a misunderstanding, I'm sure.'

'No, it's not. You…you shouldn't be with Minamino-san. He's so much more than you could ever be, and you should stay away from him,' spoke one of the other girls but with much less bite than the first one did and clearly worried about her friend being hurt by Aoki.

Nana blinked, 'Shuichi?'

The girls looked at her in horror as if saying his first name out loud was the greatest sin.

Nana finally understood what must have been happened remembering how strangely embarrassed one of the girls from Shuichi's school looked when she saw them together, 'Me and Shuichi are best friends. We're not dating.'

'That's a lie,' said the girl held by Aoki, 'Everyone knows you're his girlfriend, and he even said out loud that you're planning to get married one day.'

She caught Aoki turning to look at her, but she refused to meet her eyes as she felt her cheeks warming up. By now she should have been immune to people making such assumptions about her and her best friend. But hearing that girl say Shuichi even said that they would get married one day even if logically the girl knew he must have said it to get the girls off his back still made her feel silly and embarrassing and worse of all warm which caused her to blush.

'It's not really like that,' she mumbled not sure if she should explain the situation to these girls. Clearly, if Shuichi told them something like that, he probably knew about the rumors circling inside his school. She wouldn't put it past him that he was trying to create an illusion that he was taken so they would stop bothering him. It caused her to mentally chuckle a bit at least for a second as she clearly recalled teasing him if he received many love confessions since the school started, but his only result was a groan and stop being so childish, Nana.

The girl gathered some courage and stepped closer to the fence, 'If it doesn't matter what I say anyway, then I won't try to change your minds, but you should know that people like you will never end up with Shuichi or anyone they like if you act this way.'

The girl who spoke first stopped struggling in Aoki's hold and shot her a nasty look, 'What the hell does that mean, you-you boys' thief?'

Nana took a deep breath trying to shed away everything the girls told her so far and how it made her feel to look more confident and sure of herself. She wasn't a little girl anymore. She didn't need people to hold her hand. She didn't really care about the opinions of these girls. They didn't matter to her.

'If you truly love someone, you want them to be happy no matter what. It's the only thing that you should want for them. It's human to what something for yourself and be selfish but at the end of the day happiness of someone you care for should come first,' she said looking directly into the girl's face, 'If Shuichi has someone and picked that someone and you care for him enough, you shouldn't want to break them apart. You should want for him to be happy even if it would be with someone else. Otherwise, you don't really care for him, only yourself.'

She walked to the fence almost to the point her nose touched the metal so she would be directly face to face with the girl who insulted her so much, 'And I know Shuichi since I was four. He never cared for a person who's selfish like that, and he never will.'

Nana wasn't sure if it began when she started to talk but by the time, she was finished she realized everything around them fell into a heavy silence.

If nothing else the anger in the girls' faces seemed to melt and was replaced with realization or just a look of deep in thoughts as they must have realized it wasn't the best idea to go harass someone like this especially since now the person, they liked could hear about it. In Nana's experience with her mother's decision, it was always better to have no reputation than to have a bad one.

'So…so he picked you because he knows you the longest and you care about his happiness?' asked one of the other two girls who hadn't really said much yet.

Nana blinked at her some of her annoyance with girls melting away as well, 'I guess.'

'He probably also wants you to continue to cook for him,' said Aoki suddenly causing all the girls including Nana to glance at the tall girl, 'That's why he wants to marry you.'

Nana grimaced at her feeling once again uncomfortable that she would say something like that before the girl who Aoki was holding scorned, 'Please. You can't be that good.'

The raven-haired girl felt a vein pop onto her forehead. The other insults hurt and made her feel small before she felt upset with the girls for coming here and saying such things not to mention not even caring about what someone they liked would want. Especially when that someone was her best friend. But to insult her cooking when she didn't even taste it made Nana irrationally angry in a matter of seconds, 'You really don't know that. Want to try some?'

'Of course not,' said the girl disgusted as if taking food from her would be worse of humiliations.

'I would like to,' said the girl who asked her why Shuichi liked her. She seemed to be the most understanding of the group making Nana wonder if she only didn't come because she was forced by the other to.

Aoki made a noise of displeasure, but Nana shot her a bright smile, 'Don't worry, I will bring you more tomorrow. I promise.'

The other girl came to the fence and took a few bites before she pressed her hands against her cheeks and let out a delighted girly sound, 'So good!'

The other girl came to the fence as well and took some food while the first one who was done chewing asked, 'Did you really cook it yourself?'

'Yes.'

'You're so lucky. I can barely make rice,' complained the girl while the other ate and then covered her mouth, 'This is delicious. You…you're fantastic.'

Nana smiled a bit at the compliment before she glanced at the girl still held by Aoki, 'Do you want to try too?'

The girl shot her a glare and for a moment Nana was sure she would refuse and call her something mean. However, in a matter of seconds, the girl seemed to lose all her anger and bowed her head in surrender making Nana feel a small sense of victory, 'Yes.'

The sense of victory inside the raven-haired girl only grew when even the girl who knocked her down so much praised her food, 'This is it. This is the reason why he picked you.'

Nana grimaced with a crooked smile, 'That's not how love works.'

'It's true. You won him over with your food. I saw him eating from the same bento box,' said another girl pointing at the box in Nana's hand before she asked, 'You prepare lunch for him as well, right?'

'Well, yes, but-'

'That's it,' said the girl who was so mean to her and turned away from her spreading her legs as she took a posture to show how determinate she was, 'From now on I will master the secret arts of being a good cook and win Minamino over-'

'Please don't,' muttered Nana already sensing this would end badly, 'he will hate it.' It was a strong word to use, but the level of annoyance Shuichi often felt for the girls who followed him and luring him away only to out of the blue confess to him would match it. She wasn't sure what he would do if cooking was involved, but since she always made a bento box for him too, he would probably not accept this girl's and crush her even more.

The girl continued to rant as if she was the main protagonist of her own show before one of the other girls signaled for Nana to lean closer and when she did, she whispered, 'Don't worry. I can't make rice, but she can't even boil an egg.'

Nana bit the inside of her lip not to chuckle just as they heard the bell signaling the end of the break. She offered the rest of her bento to Aiko as a thank you for sticking up to her and waved the other girls goodbye.

The class was uneventful afterward, but that was for the best as Nana already sinisterly planned how she would tease Shuichi about what did.

Aoki walked her toward the place she and Shuichi usually met before leaving without a goodbye which was usually how she left.

'Your friend seemed to not like me today even more than she did yesterday. Her glare was even more profound than usual,' said Shuichi as they started to walk.

Nana casually shrugged her shoulders, 'Ah, well, I think I barely notice anymore.'

It was hard to smile like a maniac knowing what she knew. She really did suck at lying like Shuichi always told her.

Taking a deep breath, she suddenly grabbed a hold of his arm and pressing her side close to it the way she would imagine couples did.

Her redheaded friend looked down at her with a curious look behind his green eyes, but she refused to give him any indications and instead looked in front of her trying to push down her smile.

They walked like that for a while before he must have reached his limit of not knowing as he now checked their surroundings and constantly tried to catch a glance at her face to figure out what was going on.

They attracted quite a few viewers who watched them or pointed at them or even commented, which served to bring bright red color into Nana's cheeks, but she stood her ground and refused to let her embarrassment force her to break character.

'Alright, I'll bite,' said Shuichi finally as they reached the train station, 'What are you doing?'

'Oh, isn't this how newlyweds-to-be walk together?' she asked with fake sweetness as if she was some poor naïve little housewife, 'Or at least a boyfriend and girlfriend?'

His curiosity turned into confusion, but when she finally lost it and started to laugh, she knew he must have realized something and put it all together before he pulled his arm away from her hold and groaned, 'How did you find out?'

She wiped her eyes as she stopped laughing and pressed a finger against her chin to think, 'I think I will keep that a secret.'

'Nana,' he said calmly, but she already went to take a sit on the train.

He followed her sitting next to her, 'Who told you?'

'Not telling.'

'Nana.'

'Nope.'

'Seriously, who-'

'No.'

It went back and forth for a while. She knew she was getting on his nerves but also knew he wouldn't do anything reckless with some many people around to cause a scene. Instead, he waited until they left the trains, the station, and were on a fairly remoted street before he stopped her.

'Three of my classmates were missing from two classes. Did they come to your school?' he asked rather seriously, and Nana saw no point in teasing him anymore.

She nodded, 'Yeah.'

'We're they rude to you?' he asked, and even if he looked calm as ever, she knew him a bit better than that, and saw the storm behind his green eyes that must have been in his heart as well because he was never alright with someone being rude or mean to her.

'A bit, but they praised my cooking so it's not a big deal,' she said and took a hold of his arm again as a joke hoping it would ease his worries and anger a bit, 'Come on. We can work on homework while I finish cooking. Shiori-san is working late again, right?'

'I'm sorry, I dragged you into this,' he apologized but allowed her to lead them home, 'I shouldn't have used you like that. I should have known there would be trouble for you.'

She shook her head, 'Don't be stupid. I know how much you hate being the target of so many affections-'

'Nana,' he groaned, and she giggled, 'But don't worry, I don't mind. I don't really care if anyone thinks I'm taken or not. It's not like I have suitors or whatever,' she said and waved the hand holding her school bag.

For a second his own palm turned around and his fingers touched her elbow before he let it fall back to his side again.

Nana blinked at him, but he only offered her a small smile, 'Are you sure it's alright?'

'Yes,' she nodded quickly, 'It was actually kind of funny afterward. Would you like to hear the whole story?'

He was silent for a moment, his thoughts a mystery to her before he took a deep breath probably accepting her words that she was alright, and smiled at her, 'Of course.'

She beamed and told him everything from the beginning wondering why he didn't tease her or comment on her holding onto him until her house, but not really minding either even tuning out the stares of passing by people.

---

It seemed that very slowly their lives were changing and adjusting to their new normal. Shuichi joined a botany club, and she mostly spent time with Aoki and started to casually look for some part-time jobs. It wasn't anything serious. She was almost sure, she wouldn't even get any, but seeing how much her grandma struggled because of her and how her school advisor said she would be able to work for a couple of hours after school if she kept her grades above failing, she figured it wouldn't be the worse idea.

'Perhaps in some coffee shop or diner? If I would be able to cook, it would help me so much to gain experience for the future,' she told Shuichi as they were sitting on his bed finishing a movie while stuffing their faces with dango sticks with chocolate topping she made in his oven earlier that day.

'So you finally admit to yourself your future career will be a chef?' he teased, and she lightly shoved his arm almost making drop the stick on his clean covers.

'No need for violence,' he said and took another bite, 'It's a simple question.'

She sighed and looked at the white screen on the TV indicating the tape ran to its end, 'I hope to be a cook or at least work in some gastro industry. Hoping to become a chef seemed like reaching too close to the sun. There are tons of cooks who are better than me and probably have better opportunities. My school advisor told me the university programs only take ten people from the whole country. Seemed stupid to expect I would be one of them since I barely managed to get into my high school-'

Shuichi shut her up by painfully flicking her forehead.

'Au!' she whined and covered it shifting away from him. Before she had time to get over the shock and pain and demand what he was doing he started to talk, 'I don't like when someone is rude or critical of my best friend, you see. Not even if it is said best friend herself.'

Nana lowered her hands to have a look at him, he seemed to be thinking for a moment before he glanced at her his face open, 'You're very talented. You shouldn't bring yourself down. You will only catch nerves and make pointless mistakes. It's good, to be honest about one's abilities, but that doesn't mean to lessen them more than you should.'

'Spoken like an old wise man,' she teased and quickly ducked worried he might try to go for her cheeks or forehead again.

Shuichi chose to ignore the commented and continued, 'Even if you would lack the education. You could still gain status by being the main cook at your own restaurant. A good restaurant that is.'

She raised her eyebrow, 'Yes, but I don't someone would hand me that position just like that.'

She snapped her fingers to prove a point, but it didn't seem to faze her friend too much as he leaned closer to her, 'If it comes to that I will give you that position.'

Nana blinked confused, 'In what restaurant?'

He closed his eyes and shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, 'I will buy one or build one for you.'

She opened her mouth to say something but found herself lacking the thoughts to turn into words in the first place.

When he opened his green eyes again, Shuichi offered her a gentle smile, 'I will use my own education to earn a lot of money to make your dream come true.'

Nana closed her mouth swallowing hard and feeling an odd familiar warm sensation inside her stomach as his words ran through her mind again each word as if followed by an exclamation point as if to further bring heaviness into them.

She looked away not sure what to say. They helped each other out. They were friends. But this seemed far more profound and important and life-changing than cooking food and helping with homework. This seemed to carry the weight of their futures and despite knowing hers would always be linked to his since they were so close and best friends, it still coughed her to feel a sense of panic, shock, and joy at the same time not sure how to react to it properly.

He didn't say anything after that either but after a moment Nana felt his fingers gently touched her palm as if to tell her that it was alright if she didn't know what to say.

Still, it didn't seem right to just end it like that, and so she leaped forward and put her arms around his neck hoping he wouldn't hate the hug and accept her gratitude since she didn't know how else to express it.

Shuichi's arms slowly came around her back and his palms pressed against it as he held her for a moment probably more for her benefit than his own.

When Nana finally felt like her feelings weren't so overwhelming, and she calmed herself down enough not to act weird or feel embarrassed, she leaned away from him and smiled before she returned to her spot on his bed neither of them mentioning their future again for the rest of that day.

Despite his generous promise, Nana still thought she should help out a bit more and started to look around for some help wanted signs near her school area which was probably why she ended up in the situation in the first place.

'Oi, who do we have here?'

She noticed the boys a little while back, and since she was alone due to Shuichi's botany club, she figured it would be best if she made it to a more filled with other people location.

When she heard the comment, she was more or less sure, it was directed at her, until she caught a fainted female voice behind her as well, 'Please, I don't want any trouble.'

'Who's talking about trouble? We just want to get to know a cute girl like you,' said the voice painfully too much reminding Nana of the jerks who harassed her and Shuichi while they were in middle school.

'Please, just-just let me go home. Please,' begged the girl her words turning into hiccups as she must have really been scared which was something Nana could relate to, 'Hey, what do you think you're doing? Leave her alone!'

She turned toward them and crossed her arms hoping to look more confident and sure of herself than she felt at that moment. There were four guys and one young very timid-looking girl.

'Who the hell are you? We're just talking. Beat it, fatty,' called one of the boys and the others laughed.

The fear was dulled down a bit as she felt a sudden sense of anger toward the guy. She wasn't fat. She was curvy and her cheeks were chubby. Just because she wasn't skinny and enjoyed her well-cooked food didn't make her fat and damn this whatshisface for thinking that about her when he looked like an absolute delinquent, 'I said let her go or I will call the police!'

The boys stopped laughed and some looked worried while others upset. The boy who was cornering the crying girl in the corner stepped away and the girl immediately ran for it. Nana didn't blame her although a thank you would have been nice.

'Look, who the hell do you think you are?' asked the boy already walking toward her. They weren't in an empty street. There were quite a few stores and people passing by, but it seemed they were avoiding the vagabond-looking individuals as well. Their uniforms indicated they were from some middle school, Nana didn't know.

'Well look at that,' said the boy as he stopped close to her but not as close as he did to the other girl probably not sure if she would be as easy of prey as the other or not, 'You're not half bad looking. You could lose some weight though, cheeks,' he commented and tried to touch her face which caused her to push his hand away and step on his foot as hard as she could.

'Freaking wrench!' he called out hissing at the pain while Nana wondered if she would make it into the nearby clothing store just as someone called out, 'Hey, what do you think you rotten punks are doing here?'

All of them turned to the other side of the street and notice four boys walking toward them. The group was a bit odd. The three boys had a matching middle school uniform, but the one who shouted and was the tallest one out of them had a lighter blue one. It caused Nana to wonder if he was a student at all since he was significantly taller than the other boys not to mention even taller than Shuichi and most of the time Nana annoyed wondered if he wasn't the tallest person in town. If it wasn't for the height, he definitely stood out due to the bright orange color of his thick hair that was styled in a way Elvis Presley did them.

'Should have known you Ryoichi assholes were up to no good,' stated the boy as he continued to walk closer to them, Nana taking the moment to take a step away from them but not rushing to the shop like she originally thought.

'Oh, please like you Sarayashiki brats think you're something special!' called out the boy who was rude to Nana. She didn't know his school, but she was more than sure that Aoki mentioned on those brief moments she talked about herself she came from Sarayashiki Junior High, and since she lived close, it must have been in the area too.

Nana still found it surprising since it meant the tall boy had to about fourteen years old.

'Unlike you punks, we have the honor and don't scare little girls on their ways home,' he said as the groups started to approach each other no doubt ready to fight it off since they appeared to be rival schools and delinquents and wait-

Little girls?!

Nana lost some of the respect and gratefulness she felt for the boy just because of that comment. She never liked to be called short, but to think someone mistook her for a kid when she was even older than these boys was truly humiliating and annoying.

'Oh, yeah? Do you want to show how tough you losers are? Come at us!' shouted the boy and in the next moment the boy with orange hair sucker-punched him which immediately started a fight.

Fights in the middle of daylight on busy streets were never good and not long after it started, they heard someone screaming at them that they called the police.

Nana would blame it on a survival instinct that she started to run as well coincidentally following the group that saved her in a way. They ran for quite some time, and it made her wonder if she wouldn't even catch Shuichi on his way from the club this way while the boys talked about how they would totally win if they had more time.

She listened to the group and took in each and every one of them wondering if they even noticed she was there. Probably not since they were laughing like monkeys and imitating the other boys as scary cats which weren't really how it went down.

She could probably walk away, and they wouldn't even notice, but it seemed rather rude and reminded her of the girl she technically helped out who ran on her so instead she pulled out her bento box from her school bag. She still had four sponge cakes, castella, she managed to make early this morning, but Aoki didn't have time to finish since she got detention for being late again.

'Excuse me,' she said and knew for sure that the boys didn't notice her there as they all froze at the same time and then looked at her as if she was some apparition there to eat them, 'Thank you for your help, can I offer you these cakes in return?'

The boys looked at each other and then at the orange-haired one which led Nana to believe he must have been a sort of leader of their group. He seemed just as shocked as the others, but eventually blinked and cleared his throat, 'Uh, no problem, uh…miss? You looked kind of like a kid but your uniform is from Takeuchi High, right? My sister used to go there before she quit it.'

Nana blinked a bit surprised by so much information and not sure what to do with it other than pushed her bento closer to them, 'Well, yeah, uh, my classmate went to Sarayashiki Junior High so I guess it's a small world.'

'Hey, Kuwabara, the cakes look good can we have one?' asked one of the boys in a whispery voice, but the raven-haired girl still heard him loud and clear and directed the box closer to him, 'Please, it would make me feel better.'

She glanced at the orange-haired boy who after a moment nodded his cheeks turning slightly pink which made Nana feel bad wondering if she was embarrassing the younger boys.

They took each one and started to eat while Nana put her box back into her bag only to hear one of them let out a loud moan that startled her and made her take a step back, 'Oh heavens! This is good!'

Nana blinked watching the large riverlike tears fall down the boy's face while another feverishly nodded.

'You like them? I use cinnamon instead of more sugar since I think they're too sweet otherwise,' she explained sure why before looking at the other two boys. The other one looked also pleased by the good although he preferred to savior the moment than to talk or show anything dramatic.

The orange-haired one stared at her.

'Uh?'

Before she knew it he put one of his hands on her shoulder and looked at her with the most intense look across his face she ever saw, 'My name is Kuwabara Kazuma. Please, be my wife.'

'What?!' asked Nana leaning away not comfortable with his request or how weirdly intensely he was looking at her. She wondered if he asked all the girls, he just met, or she was the unlucky first one. He probably didn't mean it in a bad way, but it definitely rubbed the girl the wrong way, and feeling very embarrassed she immediately decline.

'Sorry, but no. I'm-I'm taken.' If Shuichi could use the lie, so could she. Plus, she had a feeling he would more than forgive her knowing the circumstances of how it happened. She wondered if the boy was talking based on his momentary enchantment by her food or because he wasn't right in the head.

His head fell down in a very quick and dramatic way as he mumbled, 'Of course, a pretty sophisticated girl like you who can cook so heavenly was already snatched by someone.'

He removed his hand and looked at her again. He didn't seem as down as she would fear which was good since she didn't want him to like think he had to win her over or something.

'Do you maybe have more?' asked another boy so hopefully, she felt bad for actually not having any more of them, 'Sorry, those were the last ones.'

He started to cry again and another one patted his back in condolences while their leader spoke again, 'Thank you for sharing them with us. They were really delicious.'

'Yeah, we never get thanked when we help someone out. Usually, they ran or call the police,' complained another one.

Nana thought about it, 'Maybe they're just scared, or you guys look well like punks too.'

She wondered if they would be offended, but they didn't seem to even notice as they talked a bit.

'Well, we should be, lady,' said Kuwabara, 'We're the punks Sarayashiki Junior High School. We're the toughest in town. Undefeated-'

One of the other boys cleared his throat causing Nana to look at him curiously while Kuwabara shot him a look before he rather grumpily mumbled to himself, 'Well, except for that stupid punk Urameshi.'

He then put a fist against his chest and proclaimed loud enough for everyone on the street to hear it, 'But I will get him next time and settle this once and for all and prove to him that I'm the toughest punk in Sarayashiki Junior High!'

Nana raised her brows wondering if all middle schools and junior highs were this intense, or just those around this area, 'Okay. Well, I'm Hinata Nana, and I guess I will be going. I need to catch a train.'

'Oh, you don't live around here?' asked another boy, 'Ah sorry, that's rude. I'm Sawamura, this is Kirishima and Okubo. Why were you still here so late then?'

Since they looked more like punk wannabes than actual assholes, and they did help her despite not knowing her even if maybe they just wanted to fight, Nana chose to tell them, 'I was looking for a part-time job. The school is not too far, so it would be better if I got one here and could work some days after school.'

'Oh, I see, I work part-time too,' said dark-haired boy, Okubo brushing the back of his head, 'I have younger siblings, so my mom doesn't really have much time to work full time.'

Nana nodded not asking why didn't his father work, 'I live with my grandma so I figured it would help her out too.'

They shared a small understanding smile before another boy, Sawamura, spoke, 'Hey, if you're looking for a part-time job that involves cooking, I know a place.'

Nana immediately took a step closer her hope rose, 'Yeah? You do?'

'Yes, my mom told me. Their daughter goes to our school, and she's in all these clubs and a school representative so she doesn't have the time to help them out properly anymore. I can give you an address.'

The girl's entire face lightened up as she started to nod feeling that her luck might finally turn for the better.

When she got home, she was surprised to find Shuichi already there his homework seemingly done talking with her granny about something, 'Ah, so you found your way home on your own.'

Nana rolled her eyes but still placed a kiss on the older woman's cheek, 'I'm sorry, I got caught on and lost track of time.'

'Did something happen?' asked the redhead. It was probably the first time he ended up waiting for her here and not the other way around ever since they were kids and her one and only time left with her mother, 'Yes, but it's fine. I ran into some punks, but luckily there were nicer punks who helped me out. They also helped me find a diner looking for someone to work part-time. I spoke with the owner, and he made me cook rice for him and said it was very good and that I could start from next week. I will have to bring some documents for the school and decide which three days a week I will work, but apart from that I'm all set.'

She said it all as rushed and lightly as she could so her grandma wouldn't catch onto worries, but she had no such luck with Shuichi as she caught him frown for a moment before hiding his expression by turning a bit away.

'So…I will make dinner, is Shiori-san coming later?' asked Nana and quickly stood up to get started and change.

'I will help you,' he said instead of answering her question which made the girl cringe fully knowing he did it so they would be able to talk without her grandma listening to them.

He purposely situated himself close to her and in a lowered voice asked, 'Are you really alright?'

'Yes, promise. It wasn't anything serious. Those guys fought between themselves anyway. They didn't really even notice me and one of the good ones later told me about the job so it was quite lucky,' she said hoping he wouldn't worry too much about it.

He hummed a bit but didn't say anything which meant he probably thought about it a lot even if later when his mother came a bit breathless from rushing over so quickly, he tried to pretend like nothing happened talking to her about his day and asking them all questions as he usually would.

Shiori-san started to cough a bit during the dinner leading Nana to believe she made the food too spicy.

The woman politely waved her hand, 'No, no, dear. I think I'm just coming down with something.'

'You shouldn't overwork yourself, Shiori-san. It's not good for anyone's health,' said her granny, and the two shared a look that left Nana puzzled. It was understandable that just like her and Shuichi their caretakers would also have secrets and things they didn't share with them, but this was the first time she ever noticed them both communicating in such a way.

She stole a glance at Shuichi who had a slight frown across his handsome features before he looked at her obviously sharing her worry and confusion about the situation.

As it was time to leave, Shiori-san and her grandma went into another room to look for something while Shuichi and her waiting for them by the front door, 'Do you know what it's about?'

He glanced at the house for a moment as if he was listening before he looked at her a bit startled and then shook his head. She wasn't sure if he possibly heard something or realized he shouldn't be able to hear them but either way she didn't comment on it just neatly tugged into her Shuichi's Biggest Secret box.

'So these individuals that stopped you today,' he started again putting his hands into the pockets of his school uniform pants something she noticed him doing a lot wondering if it was a new habit and to what emotion or thoughts it was connected to, 'Did they really not bother you?'

'Well, the mean ones called me things,' she crossed her arms over her chest remembering how they insulted her weight which made her wonder if she didn't gain some now that she recalled it, 'but apart from that no, and I let the goods ones taste my sponge cakes, and they said they were delicious,' she chuckled at the end remembering their reactions and the weird moment when their leader asked her to marry him, 'They liked them so much one of them…,' Shuichi raised his brows curiously waiting for her to finish her words, but she found it impossible to do so for some reason. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't want him to know that someone asked her to marry him even if it wasn't serious. Instead, she quickly let out a nervous chuckle, 'He said if he could, he would hire me as his personal cook.'

She made sure not to look at Shuichi until she heard a very quiet, 'Oh.'

When Nana did glance at him, she could tell he didn't believe her, and based on the slight coldness of his eyes he found her attempts to lie to him insulting to his intellect, but Shiori-san came out, and they said their goodbyes.

It sounded silly not to tell him the stupid story, but it made her feel weird imagining she would. It was probably for the best. She tried to pry information from her granny about what she and Shiori-san were talking about, but her granny just waved her off. Nana found it suspicious, but she didn't really have any way to get it out of the older woman if she didn't want to talk.

---

The fact that Nana got once again harassed by someone bothered Kurama all night. It happened far too often for his liking, and it always seemed Nana was just lucky that someone else was around or she managed to get out of the situation before something truly horrible would happen to her. It wasn't that she purposely looked for trouble, but it seemed trouble somehow always managed to find his human friend, and he was beyond crossed about it.

It didn't help that he heard his mother coughing from her bedroom further delaying his rest because now he was worried about her as well.

In the morning, he forced her to take tea instead of coffee fixing it with some herbs for cold, but he was beginning to suspect that something might actually be wrong with his mother as her scent started to change from the usual sweet one that reminded him of home and motherly love to a bit sour one. It wasn't the first time he noticed his mother share a look with Inko-san, but so far, the two never talked about anything when he was around which made him almost wonder if they didn't know about him.

Even if that was the case, he had to stay patient and deal with one problem at a time starting with Nana.

'Have you brought the forms you need for your school?' he asked her on their way toward the school on Monday. It was getting warmer soon every day. In a couple of months, they would have summer and another summer break before they would start school again.

The raven-haired girl nodded, 'Yeah, I filled most of it out and just need the signature of my new employees. It won't be a problem. They seem like a nice couple. They have a daughter who's a year younger than us and really smart by the looks of it.'

He felt a bit at ease knowing that she would be working in a family diner with at least one woman, 'That's good,' he paused for a moment before he tried again, 'Have you decided what days you will be working? Your school allows you three days and fifteen hours. You should probably divide them for fewer hours on school days.'

'Yes, I think I will definitely choose Saturday and maybe seven hours then? It's before Sunday so they will definitely need me more and I will still have time for homework and time to help around the house but also rest a bit on Sunday,' she explained surprising him that she put so much thought into it, 'And I guess I will ask them what days do they think they will need me more and pick those for four and four hours.'

'That would be the polite thing to do,' he said diplomatically knowing he couldn't leave such a decision for coincidence, 'However, it might be better for you if it isn't Monday or Friday because you end with gym and need time to change.'

She looked like she thought about it, 'I guess. But I could also start doing it faster. I already barely left you waiting last week so I think I could perfect it even more.'

He didn't allow himself to reveal his disappointment, 'Perhaps, but you hate using school showers. The warmer it gets the sweatier you will get.'

'Rude,' she commented sticking out her tongue at him childishly although they both knew it was true. She didn't like to use other showers than those in her home.

'It wouldn't be great for your customers,' he said although he didn't find joy in pointing out something like that to her and making her upset.

She looked like she was genuinely thinking about it all her face not holding any of the previous upset looks.

Suddenly Nana stopped walking and turned around which caused him to stop as well. They remained looking at each other for a moment, and Kurama could see she was annoyed as her face was marked by that slight frown and her lips were pressed into such a tight tin line, they almost completely lost their pinkish color and turned white.

It lasted about five seconds which was usually the time it took for Nana to forgive him if he was doing something that annoyed her that wasn't really all that important.

Her face cleared and her eyes brown warmed up just as she pulled on a soft small smile, 'I know I'm not Meiou material, but I'm not an idiot.'

He blinked for a moment surprised she realized what he was doing, but then again reminded himself that Nana knew him better than anyone, and although she wasn't as good in school as him, no, Hinata Nana was no idiot.

He nodded offering her an apologetic look asking for forgiveness just as she raised her hand and to his surprised pressed her fingers against his chest over his heart. If she was an enemy, a yokai, he would feel threatened as it would appear she had the intention of shoving her fingers into his chest and pulling his heart out.

However, in contrast to such violent thoughts, Nana's face was calm and soft, and her posture relaxed which helped him let go of any instincts that suggested he was in any sort of danger.

She titled her head to the side which reminded him of a little bird, 'Thank you for looking out for me. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you either. But if you want me to do something just ask, don't try to manipulate me into it.'

Her fingers were barely touching him. He couldn't even sense the warmth of Nana's hand through his school uniform. It was almost as if she wasn't touching him at all, yet he couldn't help but had the strongest feeling that she was holding onto his bare heart itself. It puzzled him the way she acts or what they caused him to do or feel sometimes did. They usually left him wondering if he wasn't still missing something essential from the humans, emotions spectrum, others seemed to know about, yet he was a stranger to.

'I would feel better if you worked on Tuesdays and Thursdays so we could walk from school together too,' he said almost wishing she would take her fingers away from him because the strange feelings they awake inside him confused him too much for his liking.

Her smile grew bigger, and she straightened her posture, 'I will think about it and talk to the owners of the dinner.'

Her fingers disappeared and she spun around causing her skirt to dance a bit before the fabric returned to its proper place hiding most of her legs.

'But don't think it's because of you or anything. I can't let you think you have such a big hold over my life and all,' she said joking as they started to walk.

It's almost as if she has a hold over my heart that's greater than my hold over hers.

It thought came and went quicker than he had time to block it knowing it probably appeared because of the strange feelings he got when she had her fingers over his heart, he decided to dismiss it as a moment of insanity.

'I would never assume such a thing,' he replied with a fake serious voice which heard him a small glance and a giggle as they followed on their track home.

By the end of that school week, Nana already finished her first three shifts on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, when Kurama waited for finishing most of his homework at school and staying late to help clean the classroom, they were once again walking together from school every day.

---

'Ah, Nana-chan, you're so fast, I barely even managed to finish the sauce,' said Yukimura-san as she glanced over at the girl working next to her.

It had been about three weeks since she started to work for the Mrs. Yukimura family diner, and Nana felt more confident about her skills than ever. The pair seemed to be satisfied with her and often told her she did a good job.

Nana enjoyed working with them and found strange calmness and satisfaction in watching them interact with each other. They were married for almost fifteen years and seemed more than comfortable around each other almost like old friends. They joked and teased one another creating a good atmosphere around them that seemed to make people ease up and often take a moment to watch and appreciate their shenanigans. Despite, the good-natured humor side of them, Nana often witnessed some forms of affection as they tried to do something to ease the load of the other or paid each other a sincere compliment. It was the first time Nana actually saw a real married couple in everyday surroundings, and she was surprised she found it nice. She and Shuichi didn't come from a two-parent household and although it never bothered them since her granny and his mother did an excellent job in raising them, seeing the Yukimura family did cause Nana to think that if her mother and father would behave such a way if things were different in her life.

When Mrs. Yukimura finished the sauce, Nana quickly prepared the plates and set the food for the customer, 'Meshiagare!'

The man slightly bowed his head and thanked her but something caught Nana's attention outside and caused her to look through the glass window instead of returning to prepare the next one.

'Uh, is your daughter alright?' she asked as she watched the short brunette, Yukimura Keiko, the daughter of the owners of the diner waving her hands and looking very furious with some black-haired boy in a green jumpsuit. He looked about Keiko's age, but it puzzled Nana why wasn't he wearing a uniform.

Mrs. Yukimura rose her head and looked at the scene outside of the glass as well before she chuckled and waved her hand, 'Don't worry about it. That's just Keiko's friend, Yusuke. They always goof around like that.'

Nana decided to take her word for it just as they saw Keiko slap the boy across the face causing him to fall back down and the girl with pigtails rushed into the diner mumbling to herself, 'Good-for-nothing idiot. See if I care!'

Nana hadn't really talked much with the girl as she usually wasn't home when focused on her studies or was out with friends when she came to work, but the few times she did see her she wouldn't think she could act this violently.

After a moment, the black-haired boy in the green jumper came inside, his cheek red from the slap, 'Good evening, Yukimura-san.'

'Hello, Yusuke-kun, come sit down. Nana-chan and I came to make something for you,' said Mrs. Yukimura without batting an eye about what just happened probably used to such displays of friendship.

The boy took a seat directly in front of Nana, and after a moment, she found herself constantly staring at his cheek. Speechlessly she went to the back and grabbed some ice into a cloth before she brought it to him, 'Here.'

He took it mumbling thanks and pressed against his cheek, 'If she wasn't such a teacher's pet, she would have been cuter.'

Nana chuckled at the statement, and the boy glanced at her for a second smirking. She and Mrs. Yukimura continued to work while the woman asked Yusuke about school and his mother Nana sometimes listening and sometimes tuning the conversation out.

When they finished Nana set the plate for him on the counter, and he took it, 'Itadakimasu.'

When Mr. Yukimura came, he slapped Yusuke across the back energetically almost making him spill the food he just ate. He seemed just as excited about the boy coming over as did Mrs. Yukimura, so Nana figured he couldn't be so bad.

After a while, Keiko seemed to cool down because she came down as well and sat beside him, 'I'm telling you this for your own good. You need to work harder in school, and stop fighting.'

'Yeah, yeah, yeah,' said the boy waving her off, but even as they started to bicker it seemed they wanted to be closer to each other instead of leaving one another.

When Nana looked away from them at Mrs. Yukimura the woman winked at her and Nana offered her a small smile carrying on with her work before it was her time to leave, the two younger boys and girl still arguing with each other occasionally stopping to crack jokes and talk to one of the Yukimura's.

She almost ran into Kurama as he was already done with his club and probably decided to come toward the diner to cut back his spare time, 'Ah, you're fast.'

He offered her a quick smile, but it didn't reach his green eyes which told Nana right away something was going on, 'Did something happen?'

He seemed hesitant if only for a moment before he shook his head and started to quietly walk. She could tell something was on his mind and wanted desperately to ask, but at the same time didn't know how, worried he would lie to her or refuse to answer both of which would hurt.

On the walk, she thought about Keiko and her friend Yusuke and how they argued with each other loudly and enthusiastically openly stating the others' flaws. They seemed so open and honest, Nana didn't think they shared any secrets with such loud and open personalities.

'Shuichi, is something going on?' Nana waited until they reach her house to ask, cowardly hoping she wouldn't at least have to hide her disappointment in the safety of her room.

The redhead stopped walking with a slight frown across his forehead and worry behind his eyes, 'I don't know yet, but when I do, I will tell you first.'

Knowing it was probably the best answer Nana could get, she let it go for the night and wished him a good rest before heading home.

---

Kurama knew that something was going on for a while, but he had to hand it to his mother, she managed to fool even him with just how serious it was. His mother was a woman who worked hard to achieve a better future for him. He knew this ever since he was a child. His father passed away before even his human self became aware of his surroundings and so for the better part of the beginning of his human life, it was just the two of them. At first, they were from time to time helped by his mother's parents, but nowadays it was clear she was cutting ties with them still loving them and carrying respect for them but no longer serving as their soldier.

'Your grandparents like things a certain way to maintain a certain image,' she told him when he was thirteen and received presents from the two noticing a whole year had passed since they visited them.

She smiled awkwardly probably torn between treating him as a child, but recognizing that he was becoming an adult, 'They would like for me to marry again. Another man they chose for me, and I feel that I'm no longer a girl, but a person who should be able to make my own decisions.'

He often wondered if his mother's life wouldn't have been easier if his father was still alive because she often spoke so lovingly about him, but for the first time, he wondered if it wouldn't have been worse and just how much of a different woman, his mother would have been.

'I understand,' he told her and took her hand hoping she would believe him, 'You made the right choice.'

She smiled at him and called him a smart boy seemingly thankful.

Still, her independence came with a price. The fact that she worked wasn't strange or new. She worked probably since he started kindergarten, but with every passing year, it seemed she was working more and more.

They all noticed, and they tried to talk to her about it. She had an office job, but it still seemed to have taken a toll on her. She was exhausted and often went to bed without eating or drinking water. She was still his mother. She still took care of him tried to do his laundry, iron his clothes, make sure he had everything for ready for school, even though she knew by then he was perfectly capable to do it on his own so he wouldn't bother her more. She didn't need to cook because Nana prepared food for both of the households and on those rare moments she didn't her grandma took over, but it seemed whatever anyone did for Shiori to ease her workload only made her work harder and longer at her office. When Shuichi started his botany club, and Nana her part-time job, his mother decided it meant she could stay even longer in the office often coming home even later than them when Nana had already finished dinner for the four of them.

He knew it couldn't last forever, and he tried to talk to her growing even more troubled by the constant secret glances between Shiori and Inko-san.

'Is something wrong with my mother?' he asked Inko-san as he came to Nana's house when he knew the girl would be staying longer at work on Saturday.

The elderly woman looked up from newspapers and waved at him to come next to her on the pillow by the low table in their living room area, 'Don't you have school?'

'No,' he said. It wasn't a lie. If he didn't wait for Nana, he could have been home this early every Saturday, but since he didn't like the idea of her running into another school gang or trouble, he rather spent extra hours in the lab or the school's greenhouse so he could walk her home that day as well.

The elderly woman chuckled, 'I see, you're a very good boy, Shuichi-kun.'

'Inko-san,' he said pleading, 'Is something wrong with my mother? I would like for you to be honest with me,' he slightly frowned the mere idea causing an unpleasant grip of something cold inside his heart, 'She's ill, isn't she?'

The older woman looked at her wrinkled hands, 'A good mother will always try to take care of her child and do everything she can to arrange a good future for it. Even if she will bring herself to the grave in the process of doing so.'

Despite expecting the answer, he couldn't deny it was beyond painful to know it was true. Even if he was never one to falsely convince himself of better scenarios, some weak part of him must have wished for it to turn out to be a mistake or lack of judgment.

'Did she tell you how bad is it?' he asked the older woman who looked at him with an apologetic look behind her eyes as he felt his insides both freeze and burn. How could Shiori do this to him? How could she lie to him and hurt herself for his benefit? For his future? What future would he have without her? She was part of the reason he stayed in the human's world in the first place. How would she think he would feel if he never even found out about her illness until it was too late? If he truly was just a human? Why was this happening? Why to her of all the people. Someone who was kind to him and love him despite how different he was from the others, how violent he used to be, someone others thought was the devil.

'When you're my age, you don't need details to figure out such things. When you're as old and mortal as me reading the obituary to learn how many classmates do you have left you, you know such things without asking too many questions.'

The dread and anger he felt upon learning the truth of this mother's illness was momentarily pushed back as he glanced at the woman wondering about her words, 'I…see.'

She didn't look sinister or like she was playing some mind game. Instead, she gently touched his cheek like she was his own grandmother and looked into his eyes. In the evening light they looked almost the same as Nana's chocolate brown and warm enough to melt the ice around a person's heart, 'Your mother loves you very much. Everything she does first and last is for you. Not every mother does that. I know you are grateful for that and love her as well. And I know you are scared and possibly angry, but don't take it out on her. She's going to need you to be calm and supportive. It will be easier for her that way.'

He closed his eyes trying to accept the woman's words and her comfort knowing she was right. His mother wouldn't benefit if he acted irrationally and gave into his emotions and impulses no matter how strong they were. He knew better than that, so why did it seem so hard now?

Because his mother was someone he cared for deeply.

It was true. Before he didn't have anyone in his life like that. He didn't have anyone he could tie with human feelings and heart but escalate with yokai emotions. She was his mother. She was his, and he refused to let her go so easily.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Inko-san blinked confused probably because she could see the look behind his eyes changed.

He took her hand into his and patted it, 'Thank you for telling me, Inko-san. I promise I won't cause more trouble for my mother.'

The woman watched him carefully before she frowned a bit, 'Shuichi-kun, I hope you don't plan to do anything that would hurt your mother-'

He frowned, 'No, I just told you-'

'Or Nana and I,' finished the woman making him realize she could probably read some of the determination and resolution from behind his eyes perhaps just as well as many times before her granddaughter did. Often, Kurama thought it was simply something that was birth in the raven-haired girl due to the years she spent by his side, but now he had to wonder if it wasn't a feature inherited by the elder Hinata woman.

He offered the woman a short smile hoping just like Nana she would accept it and not press him further as he couldn't give her a promise, she hoped for her, 'I will come to visit you later when I walk Nana home.'

She didn't look satisfied and not for the first time revealed an expression he saw on Nana's face many times before whenever she sensed he was keeping things from her but knew she couldn't ask yet. He hated when she looked that way but was always grateful that she did know she wouldn't push the answers out of him.

Finally, Inko-san sighed and looked down at her newspaper, 'In most cases, children get their stubbornness from their parents, but in your case, I think Shiori got hers from you, Shuichi-kun. Then again,' she glanced at him from under her eyelashes making him pause in the doorway to look at the woman, 'You always were a special case.'

Her eyes returned to the newspaper, and she waved at him seemingly done with the conversation leaving Kurama to wonder just how old and experienced the woman was before he walked out.

He went to walk Nana home, ignoring her worried glances and rather changing conversations when he felt she would be able to pry what weighted down his heart out of him all the while thinking about his mother and what he would do later when she would come home. He needed to talk to her and find out more about her illness to be able to cure it. He had to. She was his, and he couldn't allow anything to happen to her or for her to be stolen from him even by death itself.

He owed her that much.

---

The first time, Nana realized something was wrong must have been long before the dreadful day of the incident, but until the moment she was sitting inside a hospital waiting room with Shuichi awaiting the doctor to bring them some news, she never really put together just how serious Shiori-san's health problems were.

Nana couldn't even count the times she saw the always cheerful and kind woman, who was like her second mother, exhausted falling asleep during conversations or too tired to work on chores, but she always assumed it was because she worked so hard. As long as Nana knew the family, it was obvious both Minamino members did the first and last for each other. Shiori-san by working hard and long hours at work to have enough money to be able as a single mother to secure a good future for her only son. Shuichi by studying harder than anyone almost constantly ended at the top of his class in every subject to make her proud and see her hard work wasn't for nothing. Even if Nana, her granny, and Shuichi often told the woman to slow down for her own good, she never did.

The raven-haired girl never would have thought there was something far more sinister taking place behind Shiori-san's weakening state although based on how cold and speechless Shuichi looked she probably should have.

It was the first time, the boy didn't walk her home even though she waited for about an hour for him at the station. She got worried but figured it would be better to wait for him at home than go look for him to his school.

Her granny was waiting for her by the entrance of the house with a troublesome look on her old face that caused the girl to run to her going over every single horrible scenario until the older woman revealed which one was true.

Shiori-san collapsed at work and was rushed into the hospital. Shuichi was already there and called their house so they wouldn't worry. Of course, he must have known by now that wouldn't be possible, and with only exchanging her school back for some food inside a bento box her granny had already prepared, she rushed to catch the first train to the hospital.

She found him sitting at one of the benches motionless almost like a statue with an unreadable look on his face. The look reminded Nana of the time he had that strange boy visit his room when for a second, she honestly didn't recognize her lifelong friend. Now, it felt the same, as Shuichi sat on the bench with his elbows resting on his knees and his lips hidden behind his linked fingers. His expression screamed deep in thoughts which was further proved by when Nana lightly touched his shoulder.

Immediately that icy look behind his green eyes melted a bit and some of the tension faded away as his eyes landed on her, 'I told Inko-san you didn't have to come.'

Without saying a word, the girl gave him a 'you're being stupid' look and shooed him a bit to the side so she could sit down next to him handing him over the bento box her granny prepared probably while waiting for Nana to come home. Usually, her granny only cooked when she felt stronger than usual. She was an elderly woman after all but also knew just how much Nana enjoyed doing the activity so she gave her space.

The redhead sighed and accepted the offering.

Nana was about to ask him what happened when he caused her to swallow her words by taking settling his forehead against her shoulder. She would have thought he needed an embrace to expect right before she could make up her mind about pulling him into one, she felt him press his nose against the fabric of her school uniform sleeve and take in a deep breath.

It lasted about five seconds before he raised his head and looked in front of him slowly unwrapping the lunch box while pressing his leg against her own.

It seemed almost like he breathed in her smell, but before Nana could think about it some more, Shuichi took her mind away from it. He started to explain how one of the teachers told him the hospital called the school sometime during lunch and how he rushed over.

'They didn't let me see her yet because they're still doing tests,' he said and frowned some of that coldness returning into his eyes, 'It's been so long. They should have known something by now, shouldn't they?'

Nana shook her head not knowing the answer hoping her silence would be just as effective as a correct answer since she didn't have it at the moment.

He ate in silence leaving the other half to her, 'You haven't eaten anything either since you ran over here immediately when you came from school.'

'You don't know that,' argued Nana without any heat in her voice mostly just to take his mind away from how worried he was about Shiori-san, 'I could have been home for hours.'

'Impossible,' he said and handed her the bento almost making it fall to the floor if she didn't reach for it then, 'You would have to leave for the train fifteen minutes after I didn't come at my usual time or wait another hour for the next one.'

She frowned at him as she balanced the bento box against her knee.

'I know you would have waited longer than that,' he said lowering his voice and any annoyance she might have felt for him disappeared leaving only feelings of affection and comfort.

'I would have,' she agreed and started to eat knowing it would make him feel better if she did. She couldn't offer him much, but what she could Nana would gladly give to make him feel better.

Once the tests and checkups were all done, Shuichi and Nana were allowed to see.

Upon entering the room, the boy immediately rushed to his mother's side and took her hand in both of his, 'Mother, how do you feel?'

She offered them both a smile that was so kind and so bright, Nana had to look away so she wouldn't cry. It was hard to see Shiori-san in the hospital bed very pale and sickly. It was even harder to realize this has been a way she looked for a while but when she smiled and soldiered through telling them both she would rest during her day off, Nana always forced herself to believe her rather than accept that something could have been wrong with her for real.

The woman slowly stroked Shuichi's cheek with her free hand never losing her smile, 'Much better. I'm sorry they pulled you out of school.'

'Don't worry yourself with that,' he told her, but his face remained pained by the same hurt Nana felt in her heart by looking at the scene before her.

Shiori-san shook her head and glanced at the girl, 'Ah, you came as well, Nana-chan. You didn't have to. You know you shouldn't leave your granny alone for so long.'

'Don't say that Shiori-san,' said the raven-haired girl as she stepped closer to the bed, 'We were all worried about you. Please take better care of yourself and allow us to help.'

The woman let go of Shuichi's face and offered the freehand for Nana to take, 'Ah, my two children always looking out of me. I feel like the wealthiest woman on Earth.'

It was hard to listen to the woman's cough fits and fake assurance that she would be fine, but somehow both of them managed. Even when Shuichi didn't say so right away, Nana knew it wouldn't have been a one-time thing and that his mother was very sick.

The nurses allowed them to stay longer than the visiting hours, but in the end, they were forced to leave mostly silent on their way to Nana's house.

'She's going to be alright,' said Nana wincing herself at her own lie knowing Shuichi wouldn't appreciate it, but still she felt like she had to say it, 'She's a strong woman. She raised you after all.'

The redhead didn't say anything in return. Instead, he pulled Nana into his arms and buried his face against her hair breathing her in some more like he did in the hospital.

She returned the embrace just as fiercely even if her arms were mostly stuck inside his hold barely reaching his back. He felt heavy against her like he was leaning his entire weight against her, but the petite girl didn't care as for the first time since she heard about Shiori-san she felt like she was actually doing something to help him. She would gladly carry his entire weight and more if it meant, she would someone ease his soul.

'Shuichi, stay here tonight,' she mumbled against his chest knowing he would hear her anyway.

He didn't say anything for the longest time still just holding onto her, but he did grip her tighter at one point which she took as a thank you.

After what felt all too soon, Shuichi let her go and they met with granny in the kitchen, who must have been waiting for them to hear news about Shiori-san's health. They told her the essential information, but neither of them mentioned Shuichi would spend the night as if they silently agree to it upfront. Not long after, her granny walked up to Shuichi and gave him an affectionate hug before she retreated to her room for the night.

They didn't talk about anything just silently walked from one room to another while Nana changed clothes and set away from his uniform jacket. It reminded her of the time he stayed over after what happened with Kitajima Maya. Except the atmosphere was more intense and gloomy. Shiori-san was sick. One of the closest people in both of their lives was sick and seemingly small chances of recovery. It crushed something inside Nana with every breath she took trying to wrap her mind around it. She couldn't. She couldn't bring herself to accept it.

Instead, she crawled under her covers and waited for Shuichi to do the same. Shuichi was taller again and even when they were lying on their sides there was little room left between them. Although the proximity offered some comfort it wasn't enough, and Nana knew they could both sense it.

'She's going to be alright,' whispered Nana into the dark even if she could still clearly make out his face and opened eyes filled with the same coldness she witnessed earlier in the hospital, 'She will.'

'I know,' he whispered back and when he glanced at her she felt her heart stop because Shuichi genuinely looked like he believed it or even more as he knew for a fact that she would as if he had some say in it. As if he could make her be better.

Nana opened her mouth possibly to ask or say something before all of the sudden his hand reached out and touched her cheek slowly stroking it with his thumb, 'Rest now, you still have school in the morning, and then work.'

She blinked noting the icy determination from behind his eyes melted a bit even if it was hard to see in the dark, 'If you're going to the hospital-'

'No point in both of us being there. You can call me from the diner, and when you come home so I know you got home safely. I will give you updates about my mother.'

'Shuichi-'

'Rest now, please,' his voice grew lower, 'You can do this for me.'

She didn't know what else she could say. She wanted to help him somehow and if her sleeping was something that would make him feel at least a bit better how could she deny him.

Taking a deep breath, Nana closed her eyes sensing that he continued to watch her at least until she fell asleep with his hand still softly stroking her cheek maybe because he wanted to comfort her too or maybe because it brought some peace to him. Either way, when she woke up, Shuichi was already long gone making it all seem like a dream except for the side of the bed he occupied still feeling warm against her palm even if the rest of the room felt icily cold.

---

Weeks passed in such a gloomy atmosphere, Nana couldn't even remember the time where they lived without the dreadful reminder of Shiori's health problems. It seemed like just a while ago their lives were peaceful and nice with most of their problems being school and lack of time.

'You don't have to come every day,' said Shiori-san every time, Nana came to the hospital which was almost every other day if she didn't miss the visiting hours because she was working. Her health seemed to be rapidly heading toward the worse, with both the raven-haired girl and Shuichi more often than banned from the room due to complications and Shiori's breathing troubles.

'I don't want you two missing school or work,' the woman told them during each and every visit which only made Nana want to cry more as it seemed ridiculous they were forced to go to school as normal when Shiori-san was here, her days numbered.

Nana didn't accept it, and she knew that neither did Shuichi.

She just couldn't bring herself that this should have been how someone as kind, sweet, and caring as Shiori would end her life. She couldn't accept the woman working her entire life only to see her son succeed and not be there when he would. It was unfair. More unfair than anything Nana ever believed to be.

The last time they were over, Shiori looked so pale and weak, Nana's smile felt like it was cutting her cheeks before she excused herself and went outside to cover her face and cry against the wall.

When Shuichi came outside, he handed her a handkerchief and told her it was good she didn't cry in front of his mother since it would only bring her more sorrow. Shiori always greeted them with a smile, glad that they came lying that she felt better or not as bad she looked. Nana could barely hold herself together every time. She had no idea how Shuichi did it that he stood tall and strong worrying about his mother but never letting his own sorrow break him in front of her or Nana for that matter.

She wondered if he felt he crossed some line when he accepted her offered and stayed that first night in her room because ever since she had the strangest feeling that he was distancing himself. Unlike before, he didn't always have time to walk her home, but he always kindly asked her to call him that she got there safely. Their conversations were only about Shiori which was understandable because everything else seemed meaningless in at the moment, but at the same time, it felt as if they lost the ability to talk about something else. Before even if they occasionally stayed silent it was always the nice kind of silence where they could simply enjoy each other presence. However, not it felt like they were strangers not really able to talk about anything because they had nothing in common. It scared Nana and made her feel hurt. Was it her fault? Shouldn't she able to help him? Wasn't she his best friend? So why couldn't she think up anything to help him or at least talk to him the way she used to?

She wondered about it all day until she came to work only to find Mrs. Yukimura cleaning up some broken plates from the ground.

Without changing, Nana immediately went down trying to help her, 'Are you alright? Did something happen?'

The woman dropped the pieces of plates she already cleaned and started to cry, 'Yusuke…Keiko's friend, he died yesterday day. He got hit by a car while he was saving some little boy. It's so horrible. He was just a boy. So young.'

Nana was left speechless looking at the woman not sure what to say before she glanced at the chair the boy in the green jumpsuit sat in just two days ago. He was here just two days ago sitting there and annoying Keiko while eating and praising the food looking like he got jumped but claiming he won the fight like a pro. It seemed surreal to imagine he was gone just like that.

'Uh, I'm sorry for your loss. H-how's Keiko?' she asked softly and busied herself with cleaning the pieces of the plate not brave enough to look at the woman in front of her, 'Broken. She didn't want to come out of her room at all. The tsuya will be tonight. I know this is short notice, but could you stay today a bit late? We will need to go there earlier to help Atsuko-chan. It's so horrible. He was so young.'

Nana nodded glad she could do at least something for them and finished the plates. The rest of the day went by in a very strange fashion with many people coming over and talking about the death most of them surprised by the fact that the boy, Yusuke Urameshi, died while saving someone.

'Cut it out,' said Mr. Yukimura as he came from deliveries sharply, 'Yusuke was a good kid. Who cares if he fought from time to time? His heart was in the right place that's all that matters in the end.'

Nana silently agreed with the man and continued working throughout the day until the Yukimura family didn't depart for the wake leaving Nana for the first time completely alone in the diner. Although it felt strange, it wasn't scary as the girl was surrounded by the smell of food and spices something she always found smoothing and that helped her somehow feel better about what was happening with Shuichi and Shiori and now with the Yukimura family and their friend.

When the ring announced someone entering, Nana raised her head blinking surprised when she saw Shuichi enter, 'I came to walk you home, but you weren't there.'

'I'm sorry,' she said quickly realizing she only called her granny to tell her she would be working late, 'I forgot, I didn't think you…sorry.' To be completely honest, Nana didn't think Shuichi would be waiting for her as most of his time was spent in school or in the hospitals nowadays.

He shook his head and sat down in front of the counter, 'It's fine. I'm just glad you're alright.'

She nodded and pointed at the menu, 'Can I make something for you? As an apology.'

'You honestly don't have to,' he said and for a second, she caught the softest smile across his face although in the next moment it was gone.

Nana disagreed, 'Please, I will feel better. If you want take it as a thank you for waiting and walking me home?'

Shuichi seemed to think about it for a moment but ultimately his read head nodded admitting defeat and accepting her gesture. Nana felt some of the weight she had been carrying on for the last few days leave her chest as she pointed at the menu and shared a few words about each meal and what she could do with it waiting for him to decide.

'Where are the owners?' asked Shuichi watching as she prepared the food something she now knew how to do by heart maybe even with her eyes closed, 'A friend of their daughter died yesterday in a car accident. They went to tsuya tonight.'

She didn't dare to look at him feeling that the topic of death was something which could once again ruin their momentary peaceful mood, 'I'm sorry to hear that.'

Nana nodded, 'Yes…but if nothing else I got to try to work here on my own for tonight.'

'How was it?' he asked sounding a bit better, and Nana forced herself to look at him, 'It's alright. Most of the customers are regulars, and it's nicely warm in her. Also, the smells calm me.'

She smiled a bit as she realized something, 'I think it's because of granny.'

Shuichi blinked and leaned closer to her to listen, 'How come?'

'Well, with my mother I can't really remember us ever having homemade food. Just fast food or things from the store, candy and junk like that. But every time we came to granny's there was always the smell of home-cooked food coming from her kitchen into the whole house. I loved every time we came to granny's house because she was there and there were different and better rules and just a much family-like atmosphere. Even when they were fighting it was way better than any of the homes I had with my mom and her boyfriends,' Nana rolled her eyes but smiled again, 'So I guess the smell of cooking and spices remind me of that feeling of being home, safe and happy.'

Shuichi watched her for a moment his own lips forming a small smile that seemed like the first one in months, 'Yes, your house does smell like that. Even for me, when I come over it's like I'm reminded of our childhood and you when I go there.'

'Me?'

'Yes, you cook so often you smell like food and spices more than you know,' he said chuckling to himself with a secret behind his eyes Nana couldn't figure out, 'Is it good?'

'It's very tasty,' he said clearly joking which made her try to hit his hand that was lying on the counter with a spoon, but she missed.

'Oi, is this how you treat all your customers?' he asked, but she was finished so she set his plate on the counter in front of him, 'Only the cheeky ones.'

Nana didn't say it out loud, but it felt almost like old times when they teased one another and talked about something other than Shiori's health. She wondered if it helped both of them since for a moment, even Shuichi looked better, his face not as bathed in worry and coldness he seemed to carry with him these past few weeks scaring the people around him.

When they reached close to 1. A.M and now new customer showed up in the last twenty minutes, Nana knew it was time to close up, so she cleaned and made sure everything was how it should be before she locked up checking it about three times before Shuichi convinced her it was alright and practically dragged her away refusing to let her check again.

'You will break the lock,' he pointed out as she pouted a bit next to him knowing he was probably right.

The night wasn't bad. It was a bit chilly, but since Nana changed back into her uniform, the colder air was welcoming. She wondered if the two of them would be able to sleep better now that they had a moment to breathe.

When she looked at Shuichi, however, she was left confused seeing that his face carried a very alerted look across his face before it changed into a rather unreadable one, the raven-haired girl didn't like one bit, 'Nana.'

'Yes?' she asked confused.

'I have something I need to take care of,' his voice gained a much more serious tone which made the girl feel worried about what was going on. She almost wanted to start looking around as if she was expecting some sort of treat just by how stiff he looked all of the sudden, 'Could you please go home on your own?'

'Uh, sure,' she told him not trying to do anything to further cause him problems or stress. They barely said their goodbyes before the redhead started to run backward making Nana feel even more uneasy. What could possibly happen that would force Shuichi to leave her after he took his time to come and wait for her?

It seemed rather scary to watch him disappear into the dark streets and made Nana strangely self-aware about how alone she was now with only the street lamps lightening the town. It seemed everyone was asleep with not a single window brightened by any light.

For a moment, she wondered if she shouldn't rush after Shuichi if only to have someone with her, but she couldn't see him anymore, and she knew him well enough to know he asked her to go home on her own for a reason. She had to trust his judgment call like so many times before and carry on swallowing her insane fears. It was just dark. She rode a bus alone in the dark when she barely started school. This was nothing.

Finally, after what felt like forever, the girl carried on her journey to the training station trying to ease her worries and convince herself, Shuichi was just too stressed because of Shiori-san and forgot something or something equally mundane happened that needed his attention.

She walked for quite some time before Nana stopped in track turning around. Was the noise only inside her ears or mind? It sounded a bit like a dog or some other animal, but maybe it was just the wind. Still, it was dark, and the streets were empty and quiet which made them sound even louder than they should have been.

Feeling confused, she turned back and started to carry on her journey wondering what had gotten Shuichi so preoccupied that he couldn't continue to walk her home when she heard it again.

This time she was sure it wasn't just her mind playing tricks on her. There certainly was some sort of animal close by perhaps even stalking her giving out such sounds.

Feeling a sense of dread as she couldn't see it and fearing large dogs since she was younger and one bit her, Nana tried to walk faster hoping she would end up at the station before whatever animal it was would get too close and show itself.

However, before that happened, she felt a cold shiver ran through her back as if something very bad was about to happen. Against her reasoning she turned around only to let out a small gasp right before she felt her feet were lifted off the ground and with great force and speed, she was tossed somewhere to the back of an alley, she passed by a moment ago.

Her head hit against something metallic and the shock itself left her momentarily disoriented and confused about what happened.

'Pretty, pretty, pretty, little girl,' said a deep voice, and her eyes shot open to glance up at the creature she managed to catch sight of right before she was tossed against the dead-end of the alley.

Her hands flew to her mouth as her eyes widened in absolute terror just as the large dark brown creature with long arms, dead eyes, and long tongue sticking out of its mouth approached her in a stumbling way, 'I bet you taste so sweet, little girl.'

Her blood turned cold as Nana watched paralyzed with fear the creature shocked that such a thing existed and was walking toward her looking like it wanted to- like it wanted to-

Her heartbeat speeded up as the realization hit her full speed, and she uncovered her mouth to scream only for the creature to appear in front of her and grab her head covering half of her face with its large palm.

Her hands tried to fight it, hitting and punching, but the creature looked somewhat amused slowly lifting the girl by her head up. It was painful to be lifted in such a way, but the adrenaline managed to dull it down and force Nana to try and struggle even more fearing that if she stopped, she would surrender her life to this creature.

It laughed at her poor attempts, 'Feisty little girl.'

Nana's started to scream against the creature's hand as it brought her closer to its mouth and pushed its long tongue against her cheek licking it all the way to her forehead.

Horrified the girl couldn't take it anymore and pulling her lips apart as wide as she could she bit hard into the creature's flesh causing it at least to groan in distaste before it smashed the back of her head against the wall behind her almost making her lose consciousness completely.

'Stupid girl,' said the creature and went to hit her again only for Nana to feel a sudden quick wind against her face and the creature to let out a pained horrific cry from pain.

Suddenly Nana was falling to her knees with the creature taking several steps back holding into his wounded hand as the girl tried to catch her breath and see what happened.

Her vision took a moment to clear, and she found a very short-looking figure standing in front of her, between the creature and her dressed in all black with a katana in his hand, 'Pathetic. A real hunter at least picks a harder to get prey.'

Nana blinked slowly rising to her feet just as the person who must have hurt the monster by cutting its hand partly turned his face to look at her, 'What about you, you useless woman? Don't you even know when to run?' he asked sounding like he was personally offended by the fact that she didn't run away yet. She immediately recognized him although she had a hard time accepting it was the same boy, she saw in Shuichi's room all those months ago. He hadn't grown an inch, but as opposed to before when his face looked uninterested almost bored. Now he looked very upset and mature making her doubt if he really was just a young boy like she originally thought at all.

She wasn't sure what she should have said to that still too shaken by what was happening at the moment, but even if she knew what to say, she wouldn't have the time as the creature suddenly moved and appeared in front of her saver, 'Look out!'

The short boy managed to dodge the creature's attempt to get him and even cut it, but the creature in exchange managed to dig its claw into his side.

Nana gasped in shock and fear before she looked spotted a pipe on the ground and took a hold of it with her shaking hands. She didn't even have time to think rushing closer to the two.

The boy, who didn't look as hurt as one would when stabbed, tried to move, but it seemed the creature's claw was stuck inside.

The creature rose his free hand to try and hit him again right before Nana forced the pipe between its hand stopping him.

'I don't need your help, baka-ona,' said the short boy and all of the sudden Nana felt the same quick wind against her face and heard something like a knife cutting through meat several times before the creature's blood splattered across her face and uniform.

The creature stopped moving and in the next second, it fell to the ground cut into several pieces.

Nana let go of the pipe, and it rolled against the ground until it hit one of the body parts of the creature that were slowly turning into steam and disappearing, 'W-what?'

'Don't do that again,' said the boy pulled out the creature's claw and with clear annoyance written over his face before he tossed it carelessly to the rest of it.

Although still shocked and confused about what happened, Nana noticed the bleeding wound on the boy, 'You're hurt.'

She almost went to touch it but stopped at the last moment and asked instead her voice showing concern she genuinely felt for her savior at that moment probably due to the shock that took over not allowing her to realize just how insane it all was yet, 'Can I take a look? It could get infected, or you could bleed out.'

Some of the annoyance left the boy's face and was replaced with momentary surprise before he looked away covering his wound with his own palm, 'Don't be ridiculous. I'm not weak like you. The wound will be healed by the time his corpse will be completely gone.'

Nana allowed her hand to return to her side looking back at the creature's slowly disappearing body and then back at the boy, 'You-thank you!'

She bowed to the boy who rescued her not sure what else to do or say at that moment slowly coming to terms with what happened. Her head and body started to ache from the two times she was slammed against the hard alley wall not to mention she could taste and feel the blood of that creature against her clothes and body almost sinking in.

'Nana!' she heard and turned to the opening of the alley where she saw Shuichi running toward them.

His clothes were a bit dirty too and before she could call out his name and ask if he was alright, he abruptly stopped with a madly feral look on his face and opened his mouth snapping at the shorter boy who saved her life as a feral animal would bare his teeth, 'Hiei, get away from her! What do you think you're doing with her?!' he demanded in a very dangerous voice and with an even more dangerous look on his face. Nana was pretty sure she never saw Shuichi this anger and wondered if this even was Shuichi to begin with.

The shorter boy, Hiei, let out a strangely pleased chuckle, 'Good to know you haven't completely lost your roots, kitsune. Should have a guest you only needed the right motivation-'

Whatever he planned to say next was cut off by Nana stepped in front of him and raising her arms to show surrender, 'Shuichi, stop. He saved my life. It was…,' she paused and glanced at what little remained of the other creature before she returned to look at her friend, 'Someone else.'

It was the first time she referred to the creature as someone rather than something person remembering that Hiei, the boy, who rescued her did the same.

Her eyes glanced at the boy realizing how easily he managed to hold his ground against the creature, how he appeared out of nowhere, and how cut him without moving his armor at least seemingly without moving it.

Then she turned and looked at Shuichi. His dangerous look faded but his alerted state remained as he started to walk to her looking at her with worry and regret, 'Nana, are you hurt? Is any of this yours?'

He asked about the blood, but the girl couldn't answer as she felt as if she was seeing the boy, she knew all her life for the first time remembering how Hiei called him just now.

Kitsune

She was still confused, but she felt as if for the first time it somehow all made sense and the power of that feeling was stronger than her headache, bruises, and minor cuts.

'When you're done tending your little human mate come find me,' she heard Hiei say, but before she turned to look at him, she felt the sharp and quick wind move across her side and found the place where he should have been empty.

'Nana?' said Shuichi again his fingers gently stroking her face now. He looked and sounded the same and in reality, he really was the same, but now at least Nana understood somehow who he really was.

Her hand took his wrist and moving his hand away from her face but kept it in hers so he wouldn't think she was rejecting him. Far from it. She was accepting him probably for the first time in his life because for the first time in hers Hinata Nana finally understood who Minamino Shuichi really was.

'Let's go home-,' she was about to say his name, but she didn't. Something inside her close to intuition or the fact that she knew this boy for so long despite not really knowing who he really was caused her to instead of saying his name only give him a small smile.

'Let's just go home,' said Nana, the girl who always seemed to know what to say, and squeezed his hand.

---

'How's your head? Better?' Kurama asked as he offered Nana tea hoping to calm her nerves in case she would additionally catch some situational post-stress panic attack or hysteria, but the girl in front of him seemed as calm and focused as always as she accepted the mug.

'Yes, thank you. You have quite the healing hands,' Nana joked lightly not sounding at all like someone who just found out their oldest friend could to some extend heal wounds.

Kurama was stunned and confused and given the situation, he didn't even bother to hide it. He kept on waiting for Nana to fall into shock or start acting irrationally. But it seemed by every indication she wouldn't. She almost looked like she made peace with what just happened to her and accepted it as was. The way, the raven-haired girl always seemed to be capable of when it came to his flaws.

Although she washed hands several times, it seemed the blood stayed under need her fingertips all the same.

His nails dug underneath hers and carefully he started to brush the dry liquid out. It was unnerving to see her hands in such away. Her hands that she used daily to prepare the food she loved to cook so much. Her hands were always clean. Unlike others, Nana washed her hands properly several times a day as a habit and before every food she was about to prepare. He always found her hands spotless and pure. If eyes were the windows to the soul, Nana's hands reflected her innocent. Seeing them covered in the blood even if it wasn't her own hit him especially hard. Her hands should have been clean and pure. What happened shouldn't have.

They hadn't said a word, and it reminded the kitsune of the time not so long ago after he came to her to unnecessarily tend his wound after a yokai almost killed Maya. He recalled his struggle about whether or not he should have let her go the way he had Maya. Never before he had felt he made such a colossal mistake based on his own selfishness. He put Nana's safety above all, and yet he couldn't do what was needed in order to protect her today. Then again, what would have happened if Nana was no longer in his life. If a year ago, he erased her memories and forced her to stay away from him would Hiei even bother to help her? Would the yokai hunt her down like an animal and kill her eating the pieces of her body leaving behind nothing for the police to find?

Nana's hands suddenly appeared over his squeezing them.

His eyes looked into her brown ones realizing he was shaking.

'It's alright,' she told him and offered him a small smile, 'I knew for a while you hiding something and that you were different than me in a way. It doesn't change anything.'

He looked away, 'You can't say that. You…you don't know everything so you really can't say that.'

'Then tell me everything and let me decide,' she spoke calmly with a sense of maturity she occasionally showed and surprised him with. She wasn't childish not often at least and not annoying the way some girls her age could be, but she was still a young girl not yet an adult so whenever she seemed to act like one, like someone who saw too much and knew too much and could handle it, it always surprised him even if it shouldn't. Perhaps sometimes he really didn't give her credit where it was due.

Kurama glanced at her, 'The creature that attacked you was a yokai, demon. They're real, and Hiei, the person who saved you was one as well and…and so am I, Nana,' he tried to spot any hater, fear or disgust or anything inside her brown eyes, but as always he saw nothing but warmth, affection, and understanding that seemed to ground him every time he feared he would lose himself and become someone else than who he adapted to be now.

'Were you born that way?' asked Nana leaning a bit closer curiously. She was probably asking because she sensed the shift that happened to him when he was ten and gained the memories of his previous life back.

He nodded, 'Yes, I was. I don't remember it of course, but it happened about a thousand years ago or at least that's how long I suppose it did. I come from Makai, the Demon Realm, it's where all yokai come from. I lived and committed unspeakable crimes and acts there. Anything horrible and sinister you could and couldn't imagine. It's a cruel place where only the strongest survive,' he looked at their hands again, 'I won't apologize for that…I can't…It was my home and I wanted to live so I did.'

Nana was quiet for a while probably waiting for him to continue, but he wasn't sure how, so she asked, 'Was it something you enjoyed or did regardless of any feelings?'

He looked up at her surprised by the questions and how calmly she looked while waiting for his answer as if she already knew it, 'I didn't particularly enjoy the killing, but I took pride in a clever victory and did whatever I had to to survive. I had other interests though.'

When she carried on with her curious look as if waiting for him to finish, he carried on, 'I took joy in stealing things. I was a legendary thief.'

A certain understanding moved behind Nana's eyes and her head leaned a bit as if she wanted to look behind her, but at the last moment didn't.

He noticed her scent across the possessions inside his nest a few years ago, but since she never asked, he hoped she forgot about it or written it off as another of his odd habits. Now, he had to wonder if she didn't just carefully store all the strange things, she noticed him doing away inside her mind linking them to what he was telling her.

'The…yokai who saved me. He called you a kitsune,' she said and looked at him again his brown eyes revealing nothing but wonder and curiosity as she studied his face, 'Is that what you are?'

'Yes,' he admitted, 'My yokai form was quite different from this one. More animal like I suppose, and when I shifted only into my spiritual form, I fully became a fox spirit. That was how I came to the human realm. That was how I ended up in this body, in this family.'

He proceeded to explain to her how he was chased by the hunters and found shelter inside Shiori's still soulless fetus. He admitted to only plan to stay for ten years and how later when he gained the memories of his old self back he decided to stay, 'I didn't expect my time here to change me so fundamentally and create a new person,' he looked at their hands still touching, 'I didn't expect my mother or you and your grandmother to mean so much to me and for the human world to feel like home. For you to feel like home,' he looked at Nana noticing how her face turned slightly red before she smiled at him kindly, 'I'm glad.'

'You shouldn't be. My presence so far caused nothing but trouble, to Kitajima-san, to my mother, tonight even to you. If those yokai didn't catch wind of me, they probably never would have gone after you.'

'Or your friend, Hiei, wouldn't probably care about helping me, and I would be dead. So would be Kitajima-san and as for your mother. How can that be your fault?' she asked seemingly confused not understanding the connection.

'She only worked this hard because of me. She slaved herself digging her own grave and tossing her life and health aside because of me,' he grimaced and looked away feeling his own hater directed at himself as he knew it was true. Shiori was in this state because of how much she pushed herself for his benefit, 'Worse of all is that, in my current state, I'm so useless, I can't even cure her. Even more, I should have been able to protect you, but if it wasn't for Hiei I would have been too late. My past self never cared for anyone the way I cared for people now, and yet I can't seem to do anything to keep you safe. How pathetic I become. It's punishment really. I took the place of the human child who was supposed to be born into the human world. I stole what wasn't mine, and now Shiori and everyone I cared for pay the price. I'm losing the one thing I care for more than any treasure I ever did before.'

He almost wished she would hate him. Just a little bit. Just enough for him to feel her hater. Just enough for him to hurt because of it. But of course, Nana would never do that to him.

She let go of his hand, but only to have her hands reached for his face to make him look at her again. Her hands were warm and soft, and her eyes held no fear, no spite or blame that he could take upon his shoulders. Her scent so close carried the spices and food she worked with most of tonight reminding him of her grandmother's kitchen, their childhood, and good and peaceful things. He shouldn't be allowed such. He didn't deserve them.

'Shiori-san worked so hard because she loves you and because she's stubborn and a workaholic. You can't take the blame for that-'

'I could have noticed sooner-'

'And do what? Forbid her from working?' she asked and sighed, 'I'm new to all of this yokai affairs, but I have a feeling something things just happen for a reason or no reason at all. You can't question the what-ifs because you will go mad. All you can do is carry on and live this life just like any other mortal human,' she grimaced at him, 'Shiori loves you and that love is shown in how much she worked for your future. Don't minimize it or yourself because of it. If she was willing to give so much for you, you're worth more than you think. As for the uselessness,' she let go of his hand and sat her hands against her knees, 'Useless is what I feel every day when I can't seem to comfort you or make you think about something else, or when I see Shiori in the hospital, and the best I can do is not to cry like a little baby in front of her because of how much it hurts me to see her that way or you for having to live through it,' she pressed a hand against her chest and looked at him again, 'Just because you're not as strong as you once wore it doesn't mean you don't have anything to offer. You just need to try harder or think of something better. You're the smartest person I know, and I thought so even before I found out you have like a thousand years' worth of experience in surviving and defeating anyone who would go against you.'

Nana settled her hands against her knees again her eyes never leaving his threatening to make him feel relief and comfort something he desperately tried to away fear he didn't deserve either of it, 'As for your yokai past. It might be the light concussion, but it doesn't change anything for me. You're still my best friend, and I still want to be in your life, so unless you don't want me to be anymore, I'm not leaving you. Not now or ever. There is nothing you could have done that would make me change my mind be it stealing virgins, sacrificing babies, eating rabbits – I don't really know what kitsunes or yokai do, but I could read a book,' she shook her head making him truly wonder if she didn't suffer from the concussion she mentioned. 'My point is…you mean too much to me for something like your past crimes as you call them could ever make me hate you or not want to be with you. Despite what you might think about yourself or what you told me. I know who you are. I think I always did and now I know it more than ever. You're a good person. You deserve to be happy too. You deserve this life, and you shouldn't feel guilty about enjoying it and shaping it into whatever you decide.'

He grimaced her words empty not offering almost any comfort as he wouldn't let them, 'Y-you can't even imagine how delicate your life is.'

Not sure if he wanted to scare her for real or just make her understand he reached out and pressed his fingers against the skin on her neck as if he wanted to grab it but at the last moment stopped.

Nana's eyes flashed a surprised look. Again, no fear just perhaps concern, but even that he was sure was mostly for his benefit than her own, 'I could kill you. You don't even know how many ways I could kill you, Nana. We're not the same.'

Her brown eyes danced across his face for a second, and for a moment, he wondered if perhaps she started to understand what he was telling her. For the briefest moment, the yokai believed she would finally allow those warm and comforting brown eyes he grew so familiar with, to fill with fear and disgust. For the briefest moment, Kurama believed she would ask him to let her go and rush away scared and disgusted with what he was. For the briefest moment, he was sure finally he would lose her as he never really deserved to have someone like her in the first place at all.

Then all of the sudden, Nana rose her hand and pressed it against his neck it was a much nicer and gentle gesture. Something that wanted to soothe and comfort him just as everything about her always seems to want to when it came to him, 'You're talking as if you were the only one.'

His eyes blinked confused by her words watching as her eyes flashed with a determination and confidence that a carefree soul such as Nana didn't often show, 'But if I really wanted to, I could kill you just as easily.'

The room fell silent except for the sounds of their breathing and heartbeat. Nana's was even, much calmer than before. It seemed to further underline her words in a way, Kurama didn't think anything would.

It was a lie

Nana was a human girl. Still a child. She had almost no spiritual energy. At least not the kind she could do anything with. She had no way of actually killing. No way of even defending herself if he decided that he wanted to kill-

He didn't even want to think about it.

The point was, Nana didn't have a secret attack or weapon or any way to actually kill him if she wanted to.

And yet, somehow with how steady her heartbeat was and how confident was the look behind her always welcoming brown eyes, Kurama couldn't help but actual for a slip second believe it.

He could hurt and kill her if he wanted to.

But so could she and just as easily.

Before Kurama could decide an argument to use against her words, Nana's hand let go of his neck and moved toward the fingers he was still pressing against hers. Without much ado, she lanced her fingers through the spaces between his and pulled his hand away against his knee where she left it.

Her lips pulled into a bigger smile, and her brows rose to give him a look.

He couldn't help but averted his eyes. He didn't deserve her kindness or her understanding. However, he found it impossible once again to pull his hand away from Nana's warmth and leave.

'I…I did things…scary things. Things you could consider evil,' he spoke knowing just a moment ago, she gave him a free pass if he didn't want to talk about his past. Maybe it was because he wanted the punishment. Maybe it was because he still didn't believe he belonged here. He didn't earn it. This life even if he stole it from an unborn human just like he stole everything his whole life, still didn't feel earned or deserved sometimes. He still felt like an intruder and outsider when he was alone. He still felt like he didn't deserve his mother and Nana to make him feel like he did belong.

Nana's mouth stayed closed, but her thumb lightly stroked his index finger giving him time and space.

His throat felt dry, but he still carried on. It sounded strangely heavy to admit all those things he had done. He wanted her to know and to hate him at least a little bit, but as he spoke, he realized just how much resentment he felt toward his past self for some of those things. How very much un-yokai of him. He couldn't change his past just move on. It wasn't logical, but he couldn't help it. If only so that when his and Nana's hand would hold onto each other he wouldn't feel like he was soaking hers with his past self's blood.

Perhaps he spent so much time among humans, he partly became one accepting their weakness such as sentiment, love, friendship, and guilt.

When he was finally done, and the sun started to rise behind his window surprising both of them.

'I don't think I ever stayed up this long,' commented the raven-haired girl, but still didn't let go of his hand, 'Do you feel better?'

'A little bit,' he said although he wished he didn't.

Nana's free hand went to grab the tea that was left forgotten on his nightstand, but he took the cup out of her hand and tossed the liquid out of his window.

'What was that?' asked the girl continued as he set the cup back on the nightstand, 'Something that would have to make you forget everything that happened tonight including the attack.'

Again, his human friend didn't show him any fear just surprise, 'Really? Did you plan to use it on me?'

'Yes,' he admitted. It seemed pointless to lie after everything he just confessed to and her still not showing she found him or his past acts repulsive, 'But not anymore.'

He looked at her again, 'I want you to remember. I want you to know. I trust you, Nana.'

'I trust you too.'

'Terrible decision,' he commented earning a light chuckle out of her and causing a smile to appear across his face as well. They were probably too tired, and their discussion was too emotional for one night.

They agreed that she should probably go home at least to change and prepare for school. As they let go of their lanced fingers, Kurama found it almost strange not to hold Nana's anymore wondering if it was also the lack of sleep or something else.

'So you told me quite a lot,' commented Nana as he walked her toward her house the sun slowly coming up, 'Is there anything else I should know? I feel like you just told me your whole life story.' She smiles softly, 'Apart from eating humans and the killings it sounded like a fairytale. A legendary kitsune thief taking everything challenging he pleases,' she truly made it sound like a summary to a fairytale.

He smiled a bit before he realized he did leave one thing out, 'Actually, there is one thing, I didn't mention.'

Nana stopped in the middle of the sidewalk looking at him. She looked the same as she always did. Dressed in her school uniform with her hair tied into a high ponytail by the green ribbon she had since she was a child. The bags under her eyes revealed the lack of sleep, but her eyes still held a childlike curiosity and wonder creating a warm chocolate brown aura and making her face have a certain glow.

'My name,' he clarified, 'It's alright if you want to continue to call me Shuichi, but you should know that my real name was Yoko Kurama,' he said feeling as if he opened a part of him even more delicate than all the vulnerable parts, he showed her so far. It was silly to think that. His name hardly had any value compared to everything else he told her, and yet he still couldn't change the way he felt no matter how much he wanted to.

Nana continued to watch him, but the curious look from behind her eyes disappeared right before she closed then and her lips pulled a sunflower bright smile that looked like it was reaching for the sun, 'It's nice to meet you, Kurama.'

His own heart skipped a bit and before he would allow the weakness inside him to spread, he quickly pushed it away hoping no one was around to sense just how much the girl in front of him moved him making him truly wonder if Nana didn't possess a way to end his life just as easily as he could hers.

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A.N: Thank you for reading and the support. I hope you still like the story. I'm sorry for those of you who I told I would manage the 1-2 arc in this chapter, but it just got too long. I won't try to predict anymore how long the story will turn out to be or how many events can I fit into it since obviously, I'm not good at it. I hope all your loved ones and you are doing alright. Have a nice day :)