CHAPTER 2

"Mou..." Yusuke moaned, massaging his butt. Were they pushed? He didn't feel it though, but if he find out they were, they sure are gonna pay! 'Oh wait! Keiko? Did she fall with him? What if she ended on another land?' Yusuke panicked, feeling that he was going to die instantly after a minute Keiko doesn't show up. He kept his eyes glued on the sky. 'Keiko...'

"Yusuke!!!!!" the sound began to be audible, louder, now unbearably loud, just as he saw a small figure from above and with a blink of his eyes, her full weight was on him, her nose touching his.

"Ouch..." his voice became diminutive; feeling his spinal cord like it was shattered into pieces. It didn't really matter, though. "Kei-chan, you okay?"

She leaped to the ground from his body, "Sorry."

He noticed that her face turned crimson. He laughed on the back of his mind. He wanted to say that it was okay, she's almost his wife now. He noticed too that her eyebrows were somehow raised. 'Ooppsss, maybe she won't be in the mood for jokes.' He turned to her who was now sitting on the ground, eyes wandering through the surroundings. "Kei---" ready to repeat the question.

"Uh-huh." she answered absent-mindedly. Her thoughts still reserved to all the visible things around her, "Just like Ningenkai. Exactly what he said back in the woods." she hissed.

"Yeah." he checked the environment. Everything was a familiar site. The blue sky, the sun, the mountains, the green trees, the brown soil, the flowers...they were really just like Ningenkai; except, it was as empty as Makai. He took a deep breath. The hollowness is weakening and suppressing. The stillness of the atmosphere was somehow disturbing rather than soothing.

"It's very quiet in here." she continued her observations. She has never been into a place as quiet and empty like this. Ningenkai was always full of noise. People talking, screaming, and laughing, music playing, vehicles passing by the streets and horning irritating sounds, the dogs, the birds, even in the library there are soft chuckles. This is not a place for her. Yes, she hated noise, but the silence in there was deafening than any sound.

Yusuke didn't know what it was, but the beating of his heart suddenly went faster, and louder. He was afraid. 'Of what?' he cannot tell. Keiko's warm smile flashed into his mind, he knew he was afraid of losing her. "We should find shelter, it's getting dark." He stood up and started to walk. Keiko followed him silently.

They stopped in front of a cavern, size which was just enough to serve as refuge for the cold night, and some unknown creatures they might encounter. Yusuke made fire to keep them warm, as Keiko opened the package Kurama gave them. She put each item out one by one.

Yusuke checked them out. "We have here a blanket, inflatable pillow... errr... two separate packs..." He took the blue one and handed it to Keiko, and he opened the red one. "Oh, yeah! Things we should have brought but forgotten to, good thing they remembered." It was a number of clothes and garments good for a week. Yusuke continued unloading the other stuffs inside the big package. "What are these?" he blurted out, revealing bundle of wires and ropes. One by one, he took out the plastic of nails, hammer, and saw. There were also pot, pan, and other utensils. Keiko and Yusuke sweatdropped.

"They are so thoughtful, ne?"

"Hontou. Totemo!"

The gleam of the sunlight touched her face. She opened her eyes and squinted. For a moment, everything was blurred, until Yusuke's face popped on her nose. "Wai!" she screeched in shock.

"Ohayo." he greeted giving her a soft kiss on the forehead. "Slept well?"

"Yusuke! You almost killed me!" she complained and got up. She noticed the foods set outside and realized that Yusuke did it. She gave him a smile.

"Breakfast is ready." They sat across each other, savoring the smell of grilled fish, and sweet fruits. They began to eat.

"This isn't that bad at all." she said assertively.

"'Course not! We're in this together after all."

"You cook well." He gave her a broad smile, hunching his chest out. "How long have you been awake?"

"I didn't sleep. I can't sleep. I watched you sleep and then I decided to take a walk, find some nicer place to stay, and I saw a pond so I thought I'll cook fish for breakfast..." he turned his head on the bucket beside him.

Keiko looked on the bucket as well. It was full of fishes. She turned her glance back at him, "...and for lunch, and dinner, and breakfast tomorrow?" They laughed, and finished their meal.

The day seemed short, as the sky began to grow dark and stars shone brightly on the sky. Yusuke and Keiko stayed inside the cavern, pondering of their happy times back at Ningenkai. They felt too weary to go anywhere. Besides, there would be a lot of time to discover the land. They spent the night talking about their childhood as if they did not grow together. Laughing at every detail like it was still happening at the very moment. They leafed through the pages of the album Kurama had affixed with the other stuffs from the package. There were pictures of them together with the gang. There were also pictures of their parents and other friends. Each picture gave them pains of being away from the ones they love, for they were aware of how life would be totally different now and on the coming days.

The striking light from the afternoon sun nearly made Keiko faint. The small beads of liquids formed on her forehead were like the sands on the shore. Her shirt was almost drenched. She withdrew from walking. "Can't we rest for a while?" she said almost pleading.

Yusuke glanced at his partner. He completely comprehended the weariness she was feeling, although he did not want to stop until they see a safer shelter. He nodded as she sat under a tree, big enough to cover her from the fiery daystar. They have been walking for at least eight hours. They decided to leave the cavern for they have stayed there for already three weeks. The pond where they were getting the fishes have dried, and it seemed that there were no seafoods left. Even the trees that gave them fruits were drying. There should be another cavern somewhere else, or a place where they won't be starved. They are going to find one, Yusuke thought, but for that moment, his wife needed rest.

The sun has finally calmed down. 'Four o'clock.' Yusuke whispered after a quick look from his wristwatch. Good thing it's still on good condition. He sat beside Keiko, who unconsciously fell asleep. He didn't mind at bit, she doesn't have an energy level same as his, he's a youkai after all. He leaned close to her, they have to find shelter before sundown. "Still tired?" his breath tickled her ears; she moved and gave him a sweet stare.

"Chotto."

"Well... We have to find a safer place before the sun sets, okay?"

She stretched her arms and yawned, "Yah, of course." as she got to her feet and they started their journey again, hoping that they will be able to find what they were looking for.

Keiko tossed and turned causing the blanket to look as if someone had wrestled on it. She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Can't sleep?" was Yusuke's soft murmur.

"I'm okay. Go on with you're sleep. Gomen."

"Are you sure?"

"Hai."

"You're not comfortable?'

"I'm fine. Really."

"You don't need anything?"

"No."

"Nothing at all."

"No, I don't need anything. I'm okay, don't mind me, go on with your sleep."

"Uso."

"Yusuke..." her voice was a little irritated.

"Okay. Oyasumi then."

"Good night." she said, as his warm lips touched her shoulder. She knew Yusuke was tired. It's just that she was feeling uncomfortable. No, not because of the hard ground they were sleeping on, she somehow got used to it. It's the fact that they're sleeping on an open field, under the tree. The day has been a very long one for them. It's bad enough to have walked under the striking sun, but to sleep outside a shelter was worse! Sure, no one's gonna see, but was being banished not enough punishment?! 'I don't want to think!!!' she shouted to herself.

Keiko quietly stood up from the ground so as not to wake the peaceful figure beside her. She walked a couple of meters away from where Yusuke was silently sleeping. She sat on the grass and stared at the big sky. Kurama's words echoed through her mind 'Even if you'll be away, we're still under the same big sky.' Her sepia eyes began to moist; it's like that same big sky Kurama was referring to was playing a big joke on her, as she began to see all the things she secretly wished for flashing on the sky as if it was a wide television screen. She stretched her arms, irritably trying to touch the pictures. When she realized she cannot reach them, she stood up and tried to seize whatever she can get hold of from the air. She began hopping and jumping with both her arms extended, then it seemed that she got tired of it, as she picked a number of stones from the ground and threw them aggressively into the atmosphere. Tears were uncontrollably falling from her eyes, still Kurama's words continued to ring on her mind. She was running out of breath, short inhales and exhales were all she could make. She grasped her head, pulled her hair as if she was feeling a terrible pain. The last thing she wanted that night was to remember anything from Ningenkai to accept the life she and Yusuke were trying to make. But what the hell was Kurama voicing to her? She didn't want to hear them anymore! She didn't want to see anymore of her past, "Enough! That's enough! Leave me alone!" Her voice sounded like a roaring thunder breaking through the storm. "Leave us alone! Aren't you happy yet? Enma! Aren't you happy yet?!!!"

A strong pair of arms enveloped her body. She struggled from the embrace but she was too weak to break free, helplessly, she submitted to him. "We'll be fine Keiko. You and me, we're in this together, remember?" His voice was husky, yet comforting. It was like music to her ears. To hear his voice, to feel his touch, made her capitulate in his body.

"When is this gonna end Yusuke?" her sound started to fade, and listlessly, she lost consciousness.

Yusuke pressed her closely to his chest. "I don't know. All I know is that we'll be together." He examined her semblance. 'Keiko, even asleep, you look beautiful.' he thought, 'Even after crying, you're eyes are radiant.' as he caressed her pale cheeks. For what seemed like hours, he sat there embracing his beloved, staring at what seemed to be a sleeping beauty. He won't let her go. Never.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, months into a year, and the lovers continued to dwell on a life that no one ever deserved. They moved from place to place, walked from end to end of the land, and explored every corners of it. But none of them was vocal about how they felt about their life. They were like nomads, two vagabonds.

Yusuke stared at Keiko while she was dabbling with the small birds. He was thankful that these creatures have eventually showed up. So were the deers, rabbits, some kangaroos, and other animals. Fortunately, no wild animals have visited yet. They didn't really bother him, just a blast from his rei gun and they'll be dusts, what worries him is if ever Keiko encounters them without him around. Well there's a solution for that, he'll never leave Keiko's side. He gave out a long sigh. It has been a year. Time is fast! It was just like yesterday. But as time passed by, he and Keiko came to accept their fate. Maybe this is what they deserve. Maybe this is what's really in store for them, what was planned by the higher Power for them. He never really believed on what Keiko would usually tell him when they were growing up, about destiny. But that moment, it seemed like he wanted to call this life their destiny.

"Oi! Yusuke! I'm gonna melt now!" Keiko teased.

Was he staring at her that long already? He didn't notice. He gave her a smile. She was happy somehow, and that's enough to make him contented. The incident has not yet repeated. Yusuke was hoping and praying with his fingers crossed that it would never happen again. That night, he was able to calm her down, but what if on the next time he won't? Another long sigh. He was thinking too much.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey, there, still with me? Don't forget to review, all right?! It electrifies me when I see people react on what I've written. Don't worry, you can compliment or criticize…I don't bite! Thanks!!!