Disclaimer: If I owned YYH, would I be writing fanfics? Think about it, but not too hard, I still want you to read the fic.
I hope that a recognizable part of this fic will make you laugh; it is my firm opinion that even dark fics need a bit of silly humor.
Kurama entered the café and caught sight of Mitsukai as she waved from a booth.
"You're right on time," she commented as he slid in across from her. "Do you want to get started on the notes right away?"
"I suppose so," he answered, pulling out his notebook. 'Perhaps this way, I can avoid any uncomfortable questions.'
"Are you ready to order?" the waitress asked, walking up to the table.
"Sure," Kurama said, giving her a polite smile. "A latte, lots of sugar, please. What about you, Mitsukai-san?"
"Oh, turning on the charm, are we? Sorry, I can't," she reminded him, tapping her mask which gave a soft, metallic 'ping!'. "But don't be so formal, please. Call me just Mitsukai."
"My, my, I come to surprise my little sister, I get my own surprise. I had no idea this day would turn out so well." Kurama's latte was placed in front of him by the long, slender fingers of Karasu. He sat in the booth next to Mitsukai, slinging one arm casually over the back behind her.
"Nii-chan, we really need to get this work done for class, so if you wouldn't mind, I'd appreciate it if you waited for me at my apartment," she said, sounding slightly annoyed at her older sibling.
"Not just yet. I think I'd like to catch up with my old friend Kurama," he said, his tone deceptively light. He then spoke directly to him. "Perhaps it was better that I wasn't able to kill you; you've become even more beautiful than I remember."
"Nii-chan, take your youki out of his latte..."
"Only as soon as you take yours out of my hair," he responded.
"It was just a precaution," she stated, withdrawing her energy. "It wouldn't have caused that much damage anyway."
"I have to go," Kurama said, getting up and leaving his latte in place.
"Wait, what about the notes?" Mitsukai trued to push her brother out of the way so she could stop him, but Karasu refused to move.
"Yes, don't go just yet," Karasu said, still refusing to let Mitsukai past.
"I'm sure that's not helping, Nii-chan." She glared at him, but he didn't seem to take notice.
"No, I've really got to go," Kurama said again, picking up his bag.
"Hold on a minute!" Mitsukai finally just decided to jump over the table. "Since I have to return the notebook tomorrow, you take it for now and just give it back to me tonight if you have time. I'm sure Karasu will have left by then..." She tore out a page from her notebook and wrote her address on it. "Do you know where that is?"
Looking at the paper, Kurama choked on the air he was breathing. It was the same building he lived in! He was careful not to mention that though, especially in front of Karasu. "I'm sure I can find it," he said instead.
"Great," she said, sounding oddly relieved ass she handed him the notebook. Then she leaned over, surprising him, and whispered, "I'll call you when he leaves." Then she sat in him place in the booth, across from her brother.
Karasu looked as if he were about to leave, but received a frosty glare from his sister. "Yes, I did need to speak with you anyway," he said, addressing her.
Catching his chance, Kurama all but bolted out the door of the café.
"See? You scared him away," Mitsukai scolded Karasu.
"Do you want him for your own?" he asked her ignoring her comment.
"I suppose. He is beautiful and talented, and it's not as if he's some ignorant human... But," she continued. "You've already chosen him. And we don't want a repeat of the Mr. Snugglekins incident." She referred to a puppy plushy, her favorite toy when she was younger. Karasu had torn the head, and all the limbs including the tail off because he wanted it and she wouldn't let him have. This was when she got into the habit of setting bombing in his hair in retaliation.
"If you don't want him, why did you move into his apartment building?" he baited her.
"That was purely coincidence," she stated. "I only just met him today."
"You may have only met him today, but I know you, Mitsukai. You have been watching him for at least a month, possibly longer."
"Did you really come here to see me today, or did you find out where he was and use me as an excuse?" she asked, ignoring his comment.
"You know I never lie, I haven't got a reason to," Karasu reminded her, playing along.
"Then what did you come to see me about?" she demanded.
"Oh, yes. How would you feel about my taking a few classes with you?" She could see the glint of a smile in his cruel eyes.
"I think I would sooner destroy the campus than release you, unbridled amongst the innocents there. I knew you had an agenda to get to him," she glared at him. It was strange how they argued like a normal brother and sister, but their arguments were about such abstract and usually deadly topics that it was good that people didn't get into each others' business these days, or they would have a very messy situation had a human ever bothered to eavesdrop. "You could never just drop by for a 'Hi, how are you? I'm going to torture someone slowly, to the brink of insanity then kill him.' No it's always going to be 'Hi, how are you? I'm going to torture someone slowly, to the brink of insanity then kill him. Oh, by the way, it just happens to be the person you want, too."
"Mitsukai, you just earlier, you said that you knew I wanted him, and you never actually admitted to my accusation of watching him. But, it's too late anyway. I've already signed up for a few classes. One with you, one with him, and of course, one with you both," he was taunting her. She recognized it, so she was able to counter it.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to get to me as well. But we both know Mama would have your head if you were," she said with her own cruel grin.
"If I were, how would she find out about it?" he attempted to call her bluff. "She lives in the Makai, this is the Ningenkai."
"You mean you don't keep in touch with her? It's amazing what you can do with the internet. I'll have to give you her e-mail address," she said. She really didn't keep in touch except for birthday and holiday e-mails, but he didn't need to know that.
"I hate technology..." he grumbled. "Besides, I'm not afraid of my mother."
"That remains to be seen. Now, I've got to get going," she told him, gathering her things. "I will see you later. I love you. If you are planning to stop by the apartment, anytime after midnight tomorrow is fine."
"Leaving so soon?" he sounded almost forlorn. "I'll hold you to your word."
"Can I trust you in here? Nope, come on," she dragged him out the door with her, leaving the money on the table.
"You don't trust me? I'm hurt," he said mockingly.
"Can you please go back to whatever venture you are pursuing?" she asked him, trying not to beg.
"I already am, and his name is Kurama," he informed her.
"Well, I wish you the best of luck, as long you don't interrupt anymore study sessions," she grinned behind the mask. "See you later." She left him, not realizing that she had already aided him far more than she would ever have wanted to.
As soon as Kurama entered him apartment, he set the notebook on the table and his bag beside the table. He walked to the couch and flopped down. What a day... It wasn't even two in the afternoon and already, the day was too long. At least h had plenty of time to copy the notes and get to his relaxing even, which he really needed now.
What was he going to do? He could move, but he had to close to the university, so that didn't help. He could transfer, but this was one of the top schools in all of Japan. He couldn't drop out, that would break his mother's fragile heart.
"Oh no, I left her with the bill." What a thought to come to mind... But now, he was in her debt. Damned, freakin' chivalry. Ne owed for the latte and for getting her the notes. He could always pay her back for the coffee, but what about the notes? "Well, better get started then."
He went to table and copied over the notes quickly and neatly. Whoever had taken the notes had taken down very good details probably going to be on the test. But the notes were very long. Five pages for an hour and a half lecture. Not only had she gotten im notes, she'd gotten him good notes. At this rate, he'd have to make her lunch, or dinner. He was doomed.
He finally decided he would call her and find out when she wanted him to bring over the notes and surprise her with his "thank you" token. That would end the relationship. He fished out the slip of paper with the number on it and called her. She picked up on the first ring.
"Moshi-moshi?"
"Hello, Mitsukai-san. This is Ku- Shuuichi Minamino-"
"Oh, hi. Did you miss me already?"
"Er- I would like to know when I can return the notebook. I've finished copying them."
"That fast? Alright, how about an hour or two?" she suggested.
"Make it two and a half hours, about 5 o'clock, and I will see you then. Is that all right?"
"Perfect," she smiled to herself. "Don't worry. I already made sure there would be no more surprise visits for a while."
'I wouldn't mind a surprise visit from the demonic coroner, "Good news, your stalker is dead,'" Kurama thought to himself before speaking. "So, I'll see you at five, then."
"Right." Beep.
Kurama got to work on dinner while Mitsukai went back to watching VMC and trying beat the evil doppelgangers on level 8 before showering.
At 5 o'clock, on the dot, Kurama stood at the door to 5B, but before he rang the doorbell, he heard some interesting sounds.
"Destroy his kneecaps! No, not wet! Yes, make him mentally vulnerable; manipulate his sanity to your will! Bwahahaha!" Ding-Dong!
Mitsukai appeared at the door in a white silk bathrobe with a towel in one hand, working at drying her long hair. "Minamino-san, what are you doing here so early?"
"We agreed I'd come at 5 o'clock, correct? It is 5 o'clock," he told her, making sure he hadn't gotten it wrong.
"Well, yes, I know that, but no one ever comes on time. Oh, I'm sorry," she said, remembering herself. "Come in, please."
He stepped into the apartment, which looked very much like his: plain. He took off his shoes and said what he needed to. "I want to thank you very much for getting me such good notes and for paying for my drink this afternoon, when I left so suddenly. I hope it's alright, but I made you dinner," he said, getting it all out.
"You made me dinner? Why wouldn't that be okay? I was probably just going to wind up having ramen, anyway," she said, making him feel very relieved. After this, it would be over. "What did you make?"
"Fried fish, onigiri, and udon noodles. I know it's not much but-"
"Are you kidding? That sounds wonderful. Could you put it on the table?" she said, her smile sending that slight shiver down his spine. "I may wind up having to repay you for your repayment."
"Oh, no please," he insisted. He really wanted this to be finished.
"Really, I mean it. If you don't live too far, I would like to take you out for dessert. Do you like Inarizushi?" She had found his weakness.
"I-inarizushi?"
"Oh, if you could only see the smile on your face. I take that as a yes. Meet me back here at 6:35."
"Now, is that including or not including the 'be late' rule?" he joked, already on an inarizushi high.
"Very funny. Including, that's why I said thirty-five." As Mitsukai put the game player on the coffee table, it hit the mute button on the remote and Dir en Grey's 'Cage' came blaring out of the speakers. "Oh, I can't believe I almost missed this. 'Cage' is one my favourite Dir en Grey videos."
That brought Kurama right back down to earth. He'd seen the video. Straitjackets, bondage, scary, pointy medical equipment, and lots of blood, that's what is in that video. In general, Dir en Grey videos are gross and/or disturbing. That particular video always reminded him of Karasu... he should be in a straitjacket, spitting up blood... 'No, cannot let thoughts go to dark places. I'll leave that to Youko.' But the thought of thoughts in dark places caused his mind to reach depths of which Yusuke would be proud. He realized that Mitsukai was wearing white, a white robe, just a white robe... One could practically see everything... No, dark places bad.
"Kurama, are you okay?" Mitsukai asked, seeing the almost pained expression his face.
"Wha- Yes, I'm fine... Did you just call me Kurama?" he realized. How did she know?
"Well, um Nii-chan called you Kurama, but... and... Gee, look at the time, I need to change my clothes," she all but pushed him out the door. "We'll talk about it over dessert, right? See you then, bye!" Slam!
VMC- Video Music Channel, Japan's MTV
onigiri- rice balls
Inarizushi- really yummy, sweet, rice ball type things
Dir en Grey- popular JRock band. Have, as I said, dark, gross, disturbing video's, with the exception of Cube, only a little bit of assassination in that one, I'll, not too bad at all, and The Final, okay, that one has its moments.
What do you think? How do you think Mitsukai is gonna be able to eat the Inarizushi? What will they do about classes with Karasu? Will she tell him beforehand? All will be revealed in chapter 3... well, most of this stuff anyway. Give me reviews!