Disclaimer: this author doesn't own Yu Yu Hakusho

Warning: this chapter may get a little OOC-y, particularly towards the end.

Chapter 10: Yellow, Kisses, and Christmas Pageants

When Yoko and Hiei entered the math classroom on Monday of the week before Christmas Vacation, they had to leave immediately. Why? Because they didn't want to let Karasu see them laughing like maniacs. And they weren't the only ones. One of the 8th grade teachers, Ms. Michaels, was still chucking at random moments. Even Sarah Carroll was hiding a huge grin behind her folder.

The worst thing about it? Later that afternoon, they'd have Karasu for Gifted. And Yoko highly doubted that he'd take being laughed at very kindly.

A.N: Gifted, for anyone who doesn't know, is like an extra class after school for "smart people" that kids usually only go to because their parents either make them or because they get to do advanced math, painting with acrylics, and/or go to see Broadway shows.

Ana tried not to look at Karasu in Gifted class later on. He was explaining something about advanced math something-or-other, but there was a reason why her math scores were lower than her other scores.

"Anastasia, do you find something funny about Hiei's hair?"

Hiei turned around and gave her a look that said, 'Yes, do you?'

"Oh, no."

"It's proper etiquette to look at a person when you speak. Now answer the question."

"No, sir. I don't find something funny with Hiei's hair." Ana was holding her breath and biting her lips trying not to laugh.

Satisfied, Karasu turned back to the board and explained this or that before stopping again to look at a ready-to-burst-with-laughter Yoko.

"And you, Yoko. What is so hilarious?"

Yoko couldn't help what he said next.

"Oh, sir, I was just wondering about your hair. It's different today. It's yellow."

"I believe the word is blonde, Yoko."

"No, yellow. You know, like a crayon. Yellow. Did you use saffron?"

"Excuse me?"

"Saffron. Like that stuff you put in rice. It makes the rice-" here, Yoko snorted, "-yellow. 'Cause your hair is yellow, Mr. Karasu. It's-" snort, "-yellow."

Yoko and just about the rest of the class dissolved into piles of laughter.

"Oh my God, his hair is- is yellow!"

Sitting in detention on Tuesday, Yoko wasn't laughing at all. In fact, he was banging his head on the desk, wondering how in Hell he was going to nab valedictorian.

Though it was pretty funny how they hadn't needed to castrate Karasu in order to get revenge.

Suichi was walking home alone. Hiei, along with his sister, was at their mother's work, probably playing games with the boss's son (Yukina, of course) or sulking because there wasn't anything better to do (Hiei, naturally). Ana, the good friend that she was, had ditched him for a soda and taco at Taco Bell, and Sarah was helping out with the Afterschool Program. No one else lived in the direction he was going, or at least as far. Yusuke had left him a while back, and traveling half-way home with a bunch of giggling, gossiping girls wasn't very high on his agenda, thanks very much!

But God was it freezing out! Suichi shrugged his arms out of the sleeves of his jacket in order to hold them closer to himself. It was a wonder if he didn't freeze to death while walking home!

Remind me again why I decided that walking was a brilliant idea…?

A horn honked. Suichi paid no mind to it until it honked again, seemingly at him. The red-head turned and froze in his tracks, like a deer in the headlights.

Huh, not a bad comparison.

Karasu sat in his car, motioning for Suichi to come over.

Oh, okay, don't panic, don't panic… You can't pretend that you didn't see him, because you just turned all the way around… brilliant idea, moron… uh, pretend you're not who he thinks you are? Yeah, like he'll believe that! 'Quien eres?' 'Oh, Suichi, I see you're practicing your Spanish.' 'Uh… Quien es Suichi?' 'Suichi… Are you scared of me?' Must… not… strangle… him…

"Hi, Mr. Karasu."

"Hello, Suichi!"

He seems cheery, Suichi thought miserably.

"You look like you're freezing, Suichi. Where do you live? I'd be more than happy to drive you there…"

…What did he just say?!

"Er… no, that's fine, Mr. Karasu. I don't live very far away from here."

The newly blonde teacher looked skeptical. Still, he smiled and drove away, leaving Suichi on the curb.

The red-head sighed in relief.

"Kayko. Psst, Kayko!" Yusuke hissed at her as they walked up their block.

"What, Yusuke!?"

"Let's go to Eckerd."

"Sure. But why? We just came from that direction."

"Yeah, I know. But I was thinking of dyeing my hair."

"WHAT?! I—I mean, what color?"

"Yellow. I mean, Karasu looks good in it, why can't—"

"Yusuke, that's not funny. We all know that Karasu looks terrible," Kayko stated, skirting a patch of ice.

"Hey, Kayko?"

"What now, Yusuke?"

"Remember Arielle?"

Kayko stiffened slightly.

"Yes."

"Why does she keep watching me in school?"

"WHAT?!"

"Chill, Kay—"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, WATCHING YOU IN SCHOOL!?"

"Kayko, chi—"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, WATCHING Y—?!"

"KAYK—"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, WATCH—?!"

Kayko was abruptly cut off when Yusuke smashed his mouth to hers.

Wait…

What?

He was…

…kissing her?

Yusuke drew back, flushing slightly in embarrassment.

Kayko wasn't blushing 'slightly'. She was blushing. As in, beet red.

"Uh…"

"Ur… YUSUKE, YOU JERK, THAT WAS MY FIRST KISS!"

And then she stomped away, her face flaming and leaving an extremely confused Yusuke on the pavement.

"Jeez, she didn't have to tell it to the whole world. Wait… I just kissed Kayko? How—?! Dammit! That was my first kiss, too! Shit, I just said that out loud!"

And the confusion grew.

It was the day of the annual first grade Christmas pageant. It was also the last day before winter vacation.

Hiei sat in a row of eighth graders in between Michelle and Sarah, who sat to the left of Yoko. Up towards the middle of the church were Ana and Suichi, pointing and laughing silently at the "cute" little first graders in the pageant.

Then the lights dimmed, a microphone crackled, and a little 1st grade angel stepped up to the podium to begin.

For some reason, call it graduating-class-syndrome, Hiei was swept back into the memories of when he was in the pageant, back when he had been a "cute" little first grader.

Memory

The excitement… the excitement was all around…

Kayko, who had been given the position of First Angel Narrator, began her speech by welcoming parents, relatives, staff, students, and Monsignor.

Then, Yukina, dressed as the Virgin Mary in light blue robes, came marching down the aisle, Kazuma alongside of her. He looked ridiculous with a black mustache and beard drawn on his face in face crayon and his brown costume was a bit too short, but the tall six-year-old was grinning at everyone and –thing.

Everything went smoothly for a while, with Sarah as the third narrator and several of the older classes standing up to sing the songs that were assigned to them.

And then it was Ana's turn. She, dressed as an angel, was supposed to be the Angel Gabriel and announce to the shepherds that the Lord was born. Among the crowd of shepherds she was supposed to be speaking to were Yusuke and Paul. Something was bound to go wrong, and sure enough, it did. For, instead of staying in front of Ana to listen to her speech, they went right past her, onto the altar. Ana, knowing that they "ruined" that part, began her speech, crying throughout the entire thing.

Still, she got through it and retreated to the altar, kneeling behind the manger that contained the baby doll. Kazuma glared at her, though Yukina, who was supposed to be sitting stock-still, reached out and patted Ana on the shoulder, smiling, before returning to her 'praying' position.

After that, Michelle took her turn up at the podium, and following her, Suichi introduced the part about the Little Drummer Boy.

That was Hiei's part. Dressed in colorful clothing and with a drum hanging from around his neck, the boy walked proudly down the aisle, pounding the drum like there was no tomorrow. After all, he had an important part!

The three kings came next, one of which was a rather regal-looking Yoko, whose deep purple robes dragged on the floor for about a foot behind him. Setting down his treasure (it was a box wrapped in gold paper) in front of Yukina signified that the pageant was over, and everyone began to sing Joy to the World.

End Memory

"Hiei!" Yoko snapped his fingers in front of his friend's face. "Let's go!"

"Wha—? Oh, right."

Slowly, Hiei stood up, stretching like a cat. Together, the two boys left the church with their class and caught up with Suichi and Ana.

"It just gets better and better every year," Ana commented.

"Hn. Not in our case. You sucked."

"Shut up. At least I didn't get so protective over my drum that I bit one of my friends!"

"You weren't my friend, Ana, you were a tagalong."

"Hey!"

"You were."

"Shut up! Was not!"

"Was too."

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"God help us. They're in kindergarten again."

"SHUT UP, YOKO!" Hiei and Ana yelled in unison.

"Look, guys… It's snowing…" Suichi pointed out, tilting his head back to catch snowflakes on his tongue.

The other three looked up and saw that it was so.

The flurry of flakes floated freely through the air, seeming to calm the childish squabble that had arisen.

The world (or at least New York) would soon be covered in white.

Notes: So… how was it? I hope I'm not over-doing the whole 'Suichi-Karasu' thing… I'd hate for everyone to get bored of it! And Kayko-Yusuke stuff. I know I was told that romance might seriously deteriorate the quality of this fic, but I was dared to do this by my cousin, greeniceangel. And, yes, up until now, all of the memory flashbacks have been about when the gang was in kindergarten but I decided that, hey, one year older doesn't make a lot of difference… does it?

Anyway, this is the first time I've been able to write anything for this fic in ages! I'm so happy! Will you review to add to that happiness? Please?

Ah, yes, and before I forget, I have been paid (in Oreos!) to shamelessly advertise for my dearest cousin, greeniceangel! If you're a Kurama-obsessive, then I suggest you subscribe to her C2, Cornered Foxes and Thorned Roses, 'cause it's just all one-shots about everyone's favorite demon-in-a-human-body! Otherwise, if you love the psychics, then read My City or Instability and Hypocrisy and Murder. She swears she's doing something about Hiei, but I dunno.

Thanks for reading! Please review!

Thanks to: slave2anime, Princess Krystal01, poltergeist report 101, and KuramaIsFine!