Thanks for all the people who have read my story and I will try my best to make it better. I know the story is going slow, so be a little patient and keep on reading. In this chapter there are a lot of confusing things that I have wrote, so if you do not understand I will explain to you if you ask. The mood of the story will be spoiled if I explain it in it.

Shiori's POV

Ever since Hiei came to our house, I noticed Shuuichi becoming more joyful and melancholic at the same time. Ironic, isn't it? I could not help noticing that whenever Shuuichi is with Hiei, his eyes sort of lights up, making them shine like the twinkling stars in the sky, simply delightful. I definitely love to see him that way, but right after shining, his eyes would flash a look of unbearable sadness, Just a quick flash of it, and it might have slipped the glance of many, but not me, his mother. That kind of sadness seemed to have formed itself over a long period of time, collecting bit-by-bit, rather impossible to accomplish by a normal teenager. I'm worried.

I always take pleasure in looking into Shuuichi's eyes. They are warm, gentle and calm, but that are all you could see. I feel a little unsatisfied, not even able to look through my son's eyes and read what they are speaking. His eyes are like fine emeralds, carved smooth and shiny. Staring at it, you could easily admire its beauty; staring through it, you could see everything on the other side, but the scenery is all green. There is something in his eyes, like a barrier, making you think that you have seen it all, when actually most of his feelings are hidden.

Shuuichi is a riddle I have been trying to solve all these years, thinking that no one would be as complicated as him, and yet, life is full of mistakes.

My first look into Hiei's eyes made me shudder. They are cold and hot all at once. I did not realize that life could be filled with so many ironic things till now. Unlike Shuuichi, whose eyes make you see what he wants you to, Hiei's are simply impenetrable. They have a barrier too, but it is solid and firm, one look at it and you would understand that nothing could break it. His stare sort of makes you freeze first, them burns you up, the flames swallowing you mercilessly.

His smile, which I only caught for a fraction of a second, was rather beyond my imagination. It was not easy to put into words about his smile. All I could feel in his smile was. pain. Endless suffering, although I am not him, but I could still feel the pain searing through my heart.

All there made me think. Shuuichi and Hiei seem to have known each other for a long period, and the bond between them could be almost seen. Shuuichi, as far as I could see, is very protective about Hiei; the latter takes no heed to anyone but Shuuichi. I need to make things clear with them.

"Kaasan! We are home."
"Great. Come and take a seat by the table. I have something to talk to both of you."

"What's wrong, Kaasan?"

"Just some things to clarify. Hiei, you are not really my cousin's son, are you?"

I saw Shuuichi exchange swift glances with Hiei, but the words they exchanged using their eyes were hidden from me. I wonder how they could understand that special language of theirs.

"Why do you say so?"

His voice was deep and mature, much unlikely to be and eighteen year old's. I hardly hear anything from him, so I was still a bit awkward in hearing his speak in such a tone.

"I could see that you are not an ordinary child. Although I don not know how you made my cousin cover up for you, but I could feel that you are extraordinary. Extraordinarily sad. Besides, the understandment of each other between you two must have been built over long periods. Am I wrong?

"Hn."

"You are correct, Kaasan, and I admit that our acquaintance traces back to a long time ago. Now Hiei just needs a place to stay for the next few months. He never had a home."

"Of course he is welcome, but why did you lie to me?"

"I was not lying to you, but rather making Hiei have a more reasonable position in the society. I'm sorry."

"It's OK. I understand, but you said that he has not home?"

"Yes, well.He is an orphan."

He said that rather hesitantly, while looking a little nervously at Hiei.

Hiei lifted his head and I saw a sneer forming. That distant and forlorn look flickered past.

"Just spit it out, Kurama. I was abandoned, treated like a germ everywhere. You could chase me out too for all I care," his voice was filled, not with bitterness, which would match his feelings, but contempt and resentment. He shot a glare at me and lowered his head once more.

"No, I would definitely not do that. In fact, you will stay and you have to. I want you to learn something while staying here," I softly said, my voice not filled with sympathy, but care. I walked over to his side and kneeled down, so that our heads were of the same level. I gently put my hand on his face and turned it, so that his eyes met mine. He recoiled at my touch at first, but knowing that I would not release him until he did it my way, he turned. His eyes, face, and every part of him were emotionless. If not for his burning eyes, he would look no different form a corpse. It pained me to see anyone so.

"I want you to lean how to like, love, and be loved in this house. I want you to know how it feels that someone in the world cares for you, and that you are special."

"I don't deserve it," came his icy reply. He tried turning away, but was forced back by Shuuichi.

"Go on, Kaasan. He would listen even if he appears to have not."

"Hiei, everyone, everything in the world deserves to love and be loved. Open you heart and accept what people give you, whether it's good or not, and someday, you would find someone who really loves you. If you seal yourself up completely, you are just rejecting others and feel that no body likes you when in fact you are the one in fault."

His eyes were deep in thought. I could see he still could not completely digest what I have said. May be he has been solitary for too long. Poor kid. Finally, he seemed to have taken in a little.

"Hn. I'll see."

I have a hearty smile and leaned over and hugged him. I could feel his body tense up, and tried to push away this unfamiliar touch but I held firm. I wanted him to get used to this, to make up for the embraces he missed when he was small. I let go after a while and Hiei went to his room without looking at Shuuichi or me.

"Thanks, Kaasan. I was afraid you were not going to accept Hiei."

"Being my son, you should have a better understanding of me."

"That was really helpful too."

"But it is still up to you to open his door, and I know you card for him more than I do. I would really love to see him smile without the pain hidden behind. Why did he call you Kurama?"

"It's just a nickname. I'll go check on him," he bent down and gave me a peck on the cheek. I could see he was real happy. His eyes shone with a soft hue.

I watched as he opened the door of Hiei's room, disappeared behind it, and closed the door once more.

Hiei's POV

I went into my room. I had never had a steady place to live for all these years. Once I step into the room, I felt like a bird trapped in a cage, but rather unwilling to let someone open the cage door. Somehow in this room, things were realistic and illusions all at once. I could feel my self in this room, yet it was not for me, but for Tanaka Hiei, a fake me, but still he is who I am. Nothing would ever belong to me if I turn into my real identity, the Forbidden Child.

The bed was placed beside a huge window. I could easily jump out of it and escape, but I felt something pulling me back. Several times had I stood on the windowsill, gave up my sense of balance and see which side would I fall. The gale blew onto my face, inviting me outside, but no matter how much I wanted to go, I always ended up landing on the soft mattress of my bed. My bed. Is it really mine?

I opened the window and sat on the bed, leaning against the sill, enjoying the harmony of reality and delusion.

"Hiei, are you all right?" The mattress sank a little as he took a seat beside me.

"Hn," I closed my eyes, shutting myself form the dangerously elegant creature beside me.

"Can you ever open you heart?"

"It's always been open."

"Liar.'

"If I am the liar, you are the hypocrite."

"Hmm. Interesting. Let's hear how you explain that."

"I do what I want. You do what other people want and expect you to."

"But your heart is still closed."

"The way my heart is open is that it is close."

"Apparently confusing, but straight to the point. Looks like I have to use my skills and experience as a thief to get that door open."

"Don't ever try."

"Why?"

"There's nothing you want to see in there," I kept my eyes firmly shut.

"Open you eyes."

"No."

"Afraid?"

I should have blocked my ears too. Despite our acquaintance for so long, the sight still managed to take my breath away. His emerald green eyes were burning into mine; his scarlet hair, mixed with the bloody rays of the setting sun, turned into a brighter shade of vermilion. The perfect shape of his visage, decorated at the most appropriate places with his delicate and fine features--- his nose, which had a gradual contour, added a slight tender feeling to his whole expression and cast a graceful shadow over half of his peach-coloured face; his lips, petite and soft, where music like words poured out.

I tore my eyes away and saw the setting sun outside the window. Was it pretty? Perhaps, if it had not dyed the whole sky bloody. Its rays had invaded my room too, painting the bare walls reddish.

I felt a pressure on my right shoulder, smelled the familiar scent of roses and saw wisps of vermilion carried into my view by the wind.

"I can, can't I?"

I suddenly found the source of that invisible force field.