Part 3
Full Bloom
***
Hiei
***
I was wrong.
I thought if I left you, trouble would not follow you around.
I was wrong.
When I thought that you would now stay out of harm's way, because no one will bring it upon you…
I wish I could have realized that I was mistaken before I fully tried to storm out of your life. Kurama…
Didn't you know that I did it for you? That what I'm doing now is for you. Feh… you should know that Mukuro is now after my hide because of the damage I caused her kingdom. You should see and laugh at the way half of her domain is charred just because… I lost you.
Half of her warriors were burnt to a crisp, when I finally regained back my senses, a day after the tournament ended, and I got out from shock.
Whenever I see a rose, I have the urge to scorch them to nothingness. They remind me too much of you… Fox, do you know why I stayed with you for such a long time? I knew you were always astonished whenever I came back. A fire demon like myself – growing attached to a half-youkai? I, myself was surprised whenever I found myself making my way back towards your window over and over. But I knew my reason.
When we first met, you were still young – a ningen who had not gone past his puberty. But even then, you were beautiful. It is shameful for me to admit this out loud, but indeed… you were. And the reason why I stayed was… to wait for you to bloom. To become mature, and yes, you have. It became so painful to watch you but not being able to touch you… But I kept my distance. Though I waited, I knew I shouldn't love someone. Especially one whose life is fragile. You grew very beautifully, as the danger of being around me did. That's why I had to let you go. After waiting for so long – I had to let you go again.
I can picture you now, laughing at my pathetic self. I guess I deserve it. After all the times I hurt you… I certainly deserve it.
***
Yuusuke
***
My thoughts still center on you, even now.
I don't know whether to hate you, pity you, or get angry with you: I don't understand why you did what you did; why you made that choice.
What was going on your mind at that time?
Did you only want to get back at Hiei? Why didn't you at least think of me? Why didn't you think of the mother you were so willing to give up your life for? All those – wasted.
WHY DID YOU DO IT?!
Answer me – I'm going insane!!!
Even Enki thinks I won't hold out much longer. I can tell from the looks he gives me. He's worried, but the extent of it still needs a mile to equal my own concern for you.
You know, I often hear Enki talking to his wife these days about you. They say you are indeed like a rose – you need the right ingredients to grow right. Expose you too much, and you wither, but to neglect you too, will cause death. Indeed, I find it so true.
Kurama… you are a rose in full bloom. I worry about you. I would be willing to take care of you, just not Yomi… not him… Stop fooling around…
***
Mukuro
***
Elusive fox.
Who knew that things would end this way?
I, for one, did not. I was one of those who were shocked, and the only thing that brought me out was when I realized that my heir was already destroying half of my kingdom. That brat, always letting off steam in the wrong places – he should have just been content slicing trees – and definitely NOT my people. What would happen if someone (particularly Yomi) would attack and try to take over? I'm out of lackeys…
Damn that fire demon!
And what's even more unassuring, that it would be SOOO like Yomi to attack when the opponent is not ready, just like…
Kurama.
I really wonder what that blind goat did to convince the redhead to side with him and be his heir. Everyone knows that Yomi has such a… libido. Though Youko Kurama had equally a drive, or maybe even more, Minamino Shuuichi is the exact opposite!
Delicate, radiating innocence… and still so dangerous. I was surprised with his hidden talent… He certainly showed us… And we, the unassuming people, fell into his trap. But still, he is so pure… like a rose in full bloom: mature, with a childish tinge, innocent, yet protected by thorns…
What was he thinking?
I can definitely feel for Hiei – the great loss he must go through must be great right now. But that doesn't mean he can go on slashing everyone who got on his nerves. And in the first place, he was the stupid one to let Kurama go when he had the chance.
Hiei, though I sympathize with you, I can still say:
SERVES YOU RIGHT!
***
Yomi
***
Mine.
It's hard to believe, but finally, you're mine. I watch you with my other senses,
while you sleep peacefully. You gave yourself so willingly, so innocently…
I am glad that it has come true – at last! For the past years I have wanted you so badly… I knew you had been behind trying to kill me… And yet… I could not bring myself to hate such a beautiful creature. And now that you've changed… I can feel compassion, and I am surprised that even the heartless Youko Kurama (!) can change…
Truly, you are like a rose… delicate, shy from those who want to view you, cower behind those thorns, but when you finally open to the world…
They cannot help but gaze at such openness… Like a child has first gained sight of the world. And they cannot but help try to pick you up; though pricked by the thorns, they try. For you are so lovely. The dangers you pose are all but forgotten; all they want is to breathe in your scent, to gaze at your lovely features.
They do not realize that you are digging your thorns deeper in their skin; and even YOU do not realize that you are planting yourself in them, leaving a mark, a scar that holds a deeper meaning in their lives. You cannot be forgotten. I know the person you hate so much will come back. He is one of those that got ensnared in your vicious world…
And I am proud that you are mine, now.
I will keep it that way, no matter what.
***
Touya
***
I speak for the six of us whom he hired. Jin, Chuu, Rinku, Suzuki, Shiwa and I all agree upon saying: NO!!!
I don't understand why… Neither do the rest. Maybe we should have been happy for Kurama, since we will get to spend more time with him, but somehow, each of us felt an impending doom…
Maybe it has something to do with Yomi. Who am I kidding? It HAS to be Yomi. In truth, we tried so hard to keep his innocence as Minamino Shuuichi – with Yomi breathing down his neck…
It is impossible to keep his chastity now… And you may wonder why we are so determined to do so. Honestly… we don't know either. It actually started out as a game. We were all swigging drunk (yes, even Rinku), and somehow, our conversation naturally fell on our trainer. At first, complaints were the ones that came out of their mouths, about the training being so hard, and everything else… When Shiwa suddenly brought up how Kurama reminded him so much of the weapon he wielded – a rose. And that's when it began. We all waited for him to bloom fully – being youkai like him, we knew that he had some potential he was hiding. We were right, as we learned in the tournament. And that's the time we all agreed on keeping his… innocence. He would have been a really rare specie in Makai: an innocent, who was as powerful as hell…
Maybe we were wrong to push out Enki instead of Yomi… we never really thought about it… because at that time, obedience was important. We won, but Kurama… We are full of regrets. We won't be able to keep our promise, unless –
That is why we have come up with a plan. All we need is Yuusuke and Hiei.
Hopefully, for his sake, it will work.
tbc...