Kurama sat on his bed, looking out the window at the sky, which was growing brighter by the minute. He constantly strained his ears for the sound of Mayumi's voice, anywhere, he didn't care where it was. As long as it was there.

'It won't be there, baka,' he thought. 'Because you let her go. We buried her.'

::FLASHBACK::

Yusuke put a hand on Kurama's shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "But we've got to bury her. We can't do anything else."

Kurama nodded silently and got up, still holding Mayumi. Hiei punched the ground, creating a hole.

"Go ahead, Kurama," Kuwabara said. "Take as much time as you need."

Kurama landed in the hole and laid Mayumi down gently. "Gomen nasai, Mayumi," he said softly. "I wasn't able to do anything to save you." He kissed her forehead and climbed out.

Kuwabara and Yusuke filled the hole with the loose earth surrounding them. After they had finished, everyone stood there silently.

Finally, Kurama turned to leave. "Let's go," he said coldly. "There's nothing we can do anymore."

They all looked up at him, surprised at his tone. Yusuke nodded.

"Let's go home."

::END OF FLASHBACK::

There was a soft swishing noise behind him. He didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"I would like to be alone, Hiei, if that's all right with you."

The fire youkai smiled ruefully. "Not a chance. You may look calm and collected on the outside, but I know what you feel inside."

Kurama glared at him. "I'm not going to commit suicide or anything. Jesus."

"I'm not very tactful, am I?"

"No, I'm afraid not." He went back to staring out the window. "Who sent you, anyway? Yusuke? I know you would never do anything Kuwabara said."

Hiei snorted. "Damn straight. Anyways, I came here of my own free will."

"Please, Hiei. I want to be alone."

The voice that met his reply was quiet. "Hn."

Kurama was surrounded once again by blessed silence. 'I didn't want to do that, Hiei," he thought apologetically. "I just...well, you know..." He punched his pillow. "I wish I wasn't a youkai! I wish I was just a ningen! Then maybe I wouldn't have to go through this!" After saying that, he felt different...lighter...relieved of a huge burden. Maybe he just needed to get that off his chest.

It was some time before he fell asleep.

Hiei stood outside his friend's window, watching his sleeping form. "You'll be okay," he said softly. "We'll all be okay."

With a swish of his cloak, he was gone.

----------------------------------------

When Kurama awoke, he was in a field. A river flowed quietly a few yards away. Looking around, he saw that his friends were with him, too. He quickly walked over to Yusuke and woke him up.

Yusuke yawned widely. "Where the hell are we?" He lifted his left hand off the ground in disgust. "For Christ's sake, Kuwabara, even I don't drool when I sleep!"

Kuwabara awoke. "Huh?"

His friend shook his head. "Never mind."

Hiei landed next to Kurama. "So you're here too."

"Yes. Do you have any idea where we are?"

"No, but..." Hiei pointed to a figure in the distance. "I think she might."

He was pointing to a girl with long black hair. She wore a tight fitting black sleeveless tank top and loose black pants.

"It..." Kurama gaped at her. "It can't be..."

"It is!" Yusuke said in disbelief.

"Huh?" Kuwabara's mouth hung wide open.

Mayumi sauntered towards them, grinning.

Yusuke elbowed Hiei. "I thought she died."

"No shit, Sherlock. We're in a dream."

"Huh?"

Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara by the shirt collar. "KUWABARA, IF YOU SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, I SWEAR I WILL--"

"Is that all you guys have done since I died?"

They all looked at Mayumi, who was shaking her head and smiling. "I swear, even if you live to be a hundred, you guys will never grow up."

"Mayumi," Kurama said softly, walking towards her. "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't get to finish what I said," she replied. "You know me, I always finish what I start." She looked at the river for a few minutes.

"Where are we?" Kuwabara asked, breaking the silence. Mayumi looked at him.

"We're at a certain place in Makai. The only green place where there is no killing. To be specific, we're in a dream."

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT?!?!?!"

"Kurama."

Mayumi's voice, though softer than that of Hiei, was more powerful than his yelling.

"Do you still have what I gave you before Daisuke?"

Kurama nodded. Mayumi smiled.

"Remember what happens to it if...well, you know."

"What were you going to say before...?" Kurama asked her.

"Don't forget me, okay?"

They all looked at her. Her eyes had tears in them. "What?"

"I said don't forget me, okay?"

Kurama shook his head. "How could we ever forget you?"

Mayumi looked away. "Just, well...I know already what's going to happen to all of you. You're going to find love...well, it's already apparent to some...and you're going to get married someday. And the old saying, out of sight, out of mind? Just...do as I say. Please."

"It's all right," Kurama said. "I just wish we didn't have to leave you alone like this."

She smiled suddenly. "No, you're not," she said. "You took care of that this morning."

A tall kitsune with long silver hair and fox ears stood beside her. The boys gaped at him.

"But..." Kurama tried to find words to say. "That's me!"

"Not anymore," the kitsune said. "You separated yourself from me this morning. We're two different beings now."

"I thought that we weren't allowed to separate."

"True, but you never wished that we could, did you?"

Kurama couldn't find an answer to that.

Mayumi hugged Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei goodbye. Then she got to Kurama and gave him a long hug.

"Take care of yourself," she whispered. "Shuichi."

They were gone.

---------------------------------------------------------

Kurama woke up for real this time. He almost ran to the phone, dialing Yusuke's number.

A groggy voice answered. "H'llo."

"Yusuke. It's me."

"Kurama?"

"Did you have any dreams last night?"

"Uh...yeah, I did."

"About Mayumi? We were in it, correct?"

"Yeah. It was pretty fucked up, too."

"Cut the jokes, Yusuke. I want you to call Kuwabara and tell him to meet us where we buried Mayumi."

"Uh...can I ask why?"

"No."

Kurama hung up and pulled on his jacket. He had no idea why he was doing this. There was some kind of force telling him to go there. Go to Mayumi.

Not caring if he woke up his mother or younger brother, he ran out of the house, his red hair streaming behind him. He heard Yusuke and Kuwabara's voices: "Hey, wait up!" He didn't slow down. He heard Hiei behind him. Still he didn't stop until they had reached Mayumi's grave.

They caught up with their friend. "Kuso, Kurama, I didn't know you could run like that," Yusuke panted. Then something caught his eye.

Kurama stared at the object in front of them.

It was a dogwood tree.