Chapter 6: Parting of Ways
He had chosen to ignore her after the day she had invited her to her house...it wasn't hard though as she was rarely seen…he had regretted it now…after that day he ran out of class he hadn't seen her at all… at that moment he last saw her...he was filled with desire to talk to her once more…but he wasn't given the chance...she wasn't anywhere even at the temple grounds of her home. He had given up hope…6 months have past… he was about to leave once again.
"This is so much trouble" Koenma said "having to smuggle you in and out of Makai", watching Kurama as the group prepared their journey.
"You'd benefit from it anyway" Kurama said with a false smile… he was …a bit sad. But he was pretending he isn't…although…this journey isn't something to look forward to… he wouldn't go except for the fact that he knew very well Youmi had meant his threat. It was hard to reason to him at this point. He looked at his watch…it was still half a day before the gateway was completely open… he looked around. Jin and the others were still arguing and packing. He decided to leave for a while promising he'd be back just in time at the appointed place.
He walked down absent-mindedly down Genkai-sensei's Temple stairs. He wasn't actually sure were he was going. He was just walking towards were his feet would go…why is he feeling sad…he couldn't understand his own self…he felt disgusted…sometimes he feel his human emotions are hard to understand…didn't he promised to himself he wouldn't be engaging to 'that' family's affairs… but then again… he wasn't sure capable of keeping that promise…after all… he just broke one….He found himself t that place yet again. He stood there for a very long time until he finally decided to go inside the dilapidated old room. He ran his fingers at the wall and seem to stop and stare at one place. It was actually a trap door. Which leads to a stairs going down to the catacombs…it was an escape tunnel actually…he had been there before…During the days of Youko Kurama…it wasn't a memory easy to forget. The door creaked when he opened it and slowly walked down the stairs towards the catacombs. He still knew where he was going. A few minutes he saw the exit…however he wasn't exactly sure he wanted to continue on… a part of him wanted to return back but ...it seems to be calling to him. Slowly he walked towards the exit…the grass was taller than he had remembered. It was almost as high as his knees. His heart pounded wildly. Ao was standing, staring at the sky, waiting for something. He just stood there and looked at her…unsure of what to do. But Ao seemed to felt his presence and looked at him with a smile on her face… "Its you" she said. Kurama only smiled. "I've always felt calmed when I am at this place" she began looking back at the sky. "A part of me seems to be drawn to this place." She let a leaf land at her hand and watched it as she lets it fall again. "…waiting for something that I do not understand…" she looked at him again and asked… "Don't you feel the same?" her eyes look sad although she was smiling.
Kurama looked at the sky…his eyes aren't too visible with his hair hiding it. He took his time and answered that he only feel pain. Ao smiled and looked at him with eyes that seem to be exhausted. "so I see". She looked at him…but Kurama was looking at a distant place. She walked towards the place where Kurama exited and stop just right in front of it…. " You were looking for me" she asked… "…why?" she was facing the catacombs and not Kurama. Again he took his time… "I wished to say goodbye"
"You do not wish to see me again?" Kurama was surprised to hear this words from her. Much more...she didn't quiver when she spoke this words "… never good bye…" she didn't wait for him to answer. She looked at him and smiled…a smile which he could tell is genuine… "…see you later…" she went back inside the catacombs and left Kurama standing there….he was staring at the place where she was for a few minutes…and then looked up in the sky and whispered… "…see you later…"