(Okay, Chapter Two! This won't be as long, I guess. All apologies for the OOCness. I know Kurama/Minamino Shuuichi doesn't wear glasses in reality, but it's part of the story. It will be explained in Part Three. And also, Kuwabara's dream is modeled on the one he has in the episode where Yuusuke first wakes up from being dead.) So, here comes…

Promise: Part One

Kazuma and Yuusuke have been friends ever since Keiko left. A week has passed since, and every day, Yuusuke has stopped by Kazuma's house. Surprisingly, he's helped Kazuma improve his cooking to the level of "cheap TV dinner". But then, things started getting weird…

"Yuusuke… I don't know about this."

"Just relax, there's nothing to worry about," Yuusuke replied, unbuttoning his shirt.

"Yuusuke… I can't," pleaded Kazuma.

Yuusuke put one hand on Kazuma's face. "Come here… I'll teach you."

The morning was calm and peaceful. The silence was unbroken except for the occasional chirping of birds.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Honey, that sounded like a supersonic boom…" the neighbor's wife commented.

"Really. I didn't hear anything," replied the neighbor, ignoring that huge noise coming from the house next door.

"I wonder if that was the Kuwabara kid…" she said.

Kazuma sat frozen in his bed, red-faced and breathing heavily. "Whew. Just a dream."

He sat there for a while longer, then it hit him. "DISGUSTING!" he yelled to nobody in particular. "Why the hell did I have a dream like that?"

The minute he got to school, he grabbed a book from the library shelf. It read: "A sexual dream is an indication of the intensity of one's life force and the abundance of one's creativity and curiosity. It is also indicative of one's desire to incorporate the strengths of the other person and to deepen one's relationship with that person."

"Whew. Dreams are too abstract," Kazuma thought, worried if it meant he was gay.

"Good morning," Yuusuke said, hanging over Kazuma like a storm cloud. "I called you several times. Didn't you hear me?"

Instantly, Kazuma had a short flashback of the dream. As it kicked in, he turned bright red, matching his hair.

"What the…? Are you…sick or something?" Yuusuke asked.

"Um…it's not that… I-I'm sorry. I…I didn't do it in the end. I-It was just a dream, you know."

"Uh…What the hell are you talking about?"

The bell rang, and the two walked to class together. Yuusuke asked again, "What happened? You're as red as a beet, dude!"

"It's nothing!" Kazuma shouted, turning away.

"Oh-kay…" Yuusuke said in a singsong voice.

"Really!" Kazuma flipped madly through his textbook.

Some of the boys came up to Kazuma and Yuusuke. One of them held a book titled "Health and Physical Education for Good Children". They didn't seem to fear Yuusuke anymore, since they thought he had gone soft. Typical of their age group, they started hassling the two with various insults.

"Have you guys done it?"

"I don't get it, man…how two guys can talk about love and crap."

"Hey, how far have you two gone?"

Yuusuke grinned at them, unruffled. "I can't believe they're still saying things like that."

Kazuma turned red again. "W-We aren't gay!"

One of the guys laughed. "Ooh! Did you hear that?"

Another asked Yuusuke, "Hey, does your mom let you off doing it with someone of the same sex?"

Yuusuke stared calmly back at him. "Why don't you guys try it out and tell me? Enough already!"

Some of the girls held the boys back. "Geez! Would you guys just drop it already? This is getting old. You're all so immature."

Kazuma walked out of the room.

"Hey, Kazuma is running away. Guilty conscience?"

About half of the boys chimed in. "Hey, queer boy—don't run away!"

Kazuma closed his eyes and tried to ignore it. "Boy, if I didn't have that deal with Mr. Akashi, they'd all have broken noses."

He kept walking, not knowing where he was going. A boy with long red hair walked along in the opposite direction. He held a huge stack of papers, so high he couldn't see over it. They both came closer and collided, sending the papers flying.

"Uh…excuse me," Kazuma sputtered.

"Look where you're going," the boy replied.

"I'm sorry."

"That kind of apology just won't do. Drop down on your knees and put the tips of your first three fingers together on the floor, then rub you forehead."

"What the…? I don't have to go that far, do I?" Kazuma asked angrily.

"…Huh?" the boy asked, staring at Kazuma with deep green eyes. He was wearing glasses.

A strange voice came from nowhere. "Hello, Kazuma…"

Kazuma looked up at the red-haired boy. He didn't seem to notice the guy floating above him, wearing black clothes and a weird hat with the top ripped off. "Yoo-hoo!" said the strange guy.

"You can see me, can't you?" he asked Kazuma. And he truly was a sight. He had long navy-blue hair, drawn up in a ponytail and sticking out of the hole in his hat. His ears were long and pointed, and he had a pair of batlike wings coming out of his shoulders. He had a lazy look to him, and around his neck, a red pendant hung.

"Oh no. Not again! I didn't see or hear anything. I will NOT let another ghost take over me!" Kazuma walked stiffly away.

"Hey you… You!" The guy flew over to Kazuma and hung over his shoulder. "Hello!"

"I can't do anything for you!" Kazuma shouted, running away.

The guy pouted. "Oh! Please, don't be frightened! If you run away like that…" He flew after Kazuma, who suddenly felt very heavy. "…I'll have to come after you."

He planted his hands firmly into Kazuma's shoulders. "I've been looking for someone who could see me for a long time. After a six-year search, you're not slipping away from me that easily." He put one finger on Kazuma's neck. "I'm really glad that person is a cutie like you, and not some creepy old dude."

Kazuma froze. The ghost let go of him and said, "Sorry for trespassing." He popped into Kazuma's body. Kazuma's spirit stared. "Not again!"

The guy ran over to the red-haired boy. "Kurama! Hey, Kurama!"

Kurama stared at who he thought was the weirdo who knocked his papers out of his hands.

The guy slammed into Kurama, sending the papers flying again. He threw his arms around the boy. "…Kurama, all this time, I've wanted to hug you like this."

Kurama stared some more.

"Oh, Kurama," the guy said, stroking Kurama's hair. "You want to steal things, right? It's your true passion. Please, please steal something."

Kazuma and Yuusuke stared blankly. Some of the boys shouted towards the guy holding Kurama, "Hey, what's this? Are you two-timing Yuusuke?"

Suddenly, the guy in Kazuma's body was flung to the floor. He sat up and looked at Kurama, rubbing the bruise on his cheek.

"Stop talking crap, you pervert!" Kurama shouted at him, then ran off.

Yuusuke went up to the guy in Kazuma's body. "Hey, are you all right?" There was no response.

And that's how Kazuma Kuwabara met Kuronue.

At lunch…-

"Eek. Who on earth is that supposed to be? Me? How terrible! Even a five-year-old could draw me better. What an insult! To think I even posed for you!"

The guy was a bat demon named Kuronue. He had been just another demon a couple hundred years ago. Apparently, after he died, he came back and haunted a boy named Shuuichi Minamino. Why he calls him "Kurama", nobody knew at the time.

"Hmm… so that's what he looks like?" Yuusuke asked, studying the drawing. Kazuma wasn't exactly an artist.

"Augh! The injustice!" shouted Kuronue melodramatically.

"Is my drawing so bad it makes you cry?" Kazuma asked Kuronue.

Yuusuke had no idea what Kuronue really looked like. He could see demons, but only living ones.

"I've already told you—there's nothing I can do for you. Go back to haunting Shuuichi Minamino."

"No way! Kurama can't see or hear me. Besides, I just want to borrow your body for a little while, if it's okay with you."

Kazuma muttered something that had to be bleeped.

"Hey, Kazuma, don't forget about these," Yuusuke said, holding up some charm cards.

"Oh, yeah. D'you always carry these around?"

"It's good to always be prepared. Right?"

"Of course. Did he bring these…because he's worried about me? Heheh. What a great friend."

"Thanks, Urameshi."

Kuronue grumbled, "Hey! Throw those away!"

"No problem," Yuusuke said to Kazuma, unaware of Kuronue's presence. "We'll put these here." Yuusuke stuck a few cards onto Kazuma. "Are they working?"

"Uh… he doesn't seem to like them. As long as I have these, he can't get me."

"You underestimate me, Kazuma!" Kuronue took off the pendant and swung it around a few times. The charm cards and Kazuma's shirt were instantly ripped to shreds.

"Geez…" Kazuma muttered, brushing a few shreds off of himself. The entire lunchroom started cheering.

"Thank you, thank you, everyone. Though you can't see me, I do appreciate my adoring public." Kuronue turned to Kazuma. "Hmph. I've had a career as a ghost for over 450 years. I've got quite a few tricks up my sleeves. And I'm not afraid of silly ol' charm cards. Sorry!" He stared at Kazuma's ripped-up shirt. "Oops. I got a little carried away with tearing your shirt." (Is he sure it wasn't on purpose? o.O)

Yuusuke covered his mouth, in shock at the whole situation.

Kuronue cracked his knuckles. "Are you ticklish? I'll bet you are."

Kazuma flailed madly at Kuronue, trying to get him off. The truth is, he really was ticklish. As seen by normal people, there was some whacked-out carrot top dancing around shirtless in a middle-school cafeteria.

After school…-

"…You look kinda beaten," Yuusuke pointed out.

"Yeah, well, it takes a lot out of me when I'm possessed…and Kuronue's powers are really strong."

A brief summary of the day… After second period, Kuronue possessed him and stalked Shuuichi. During lunch, Kuronue possessed him and bothered Shuuichi. Right after school, Kuronue possessed him and harassed Shuuichi. Shuuichi was a master at ignoring.

"Since the cards won't work on him, an exorcism at a shrine or temple probably won't do any good, either," Kazuma said.

"Do you want to look for an expert to help you?" Yuusuke asked.

"Sure. Let's look into it. Urameshi… I'm sorry I'm troubling you all the time."

"Forget it," Yuusuke replied. He wrapped his arms around Kazuma. "You don't have to worry about such things." He leaned in and gave Kazuma a quick peck on the cheek.

It took a few seconds for Kazuma to realize what had just happened. When it finally set in, he bolted three yards away from Yuusuke. "(bleep)! AAUGH! You put your lips on me—your lips! That's freakin' gross!"

Yuusuke smiled. "What's so bad about embracing a friend… or kissing for that matter?"

"…Huh? Really?" Kazuma asked. "You really think it's OK?" He was wrapped around Yuusuke's little finger. "Uh… sorry. This is all kinda new to me. So even though it's kinda disgusting, it's OK?"

Yuusuke laughed. "Yeah, nothing wrong with it."

Kuronue floated behind the two, following them to Kazuma's house.

In the kitchen…-

"Is it fun watching me cook?" Kazuma asked, fixing dinner.

"I enjoy it," Yuusuke replied.

"Haha. You're one weird kid, you know that?" Kazuma laughed.

"Hey, how often do I get to see you wear an apron?" Yuusuke thought to himself.

The real Kazuma stared at Kuronue, who was in his body. "This is really sad. Me…in an apron. Sorry ass…"

Once he finished cooking, Kuronue returned Kazuma to his body. Kazuma and Yuusuke both shoved fistfuls of food into their mouths. "This is delicious," they both said at the same time.

"Oh, good. I was worried since I haven't cooked for nearly half a century. I didn't think I'd ever cook again. Thanks, Kazuma. If you'd let me, I'd make meals for you every day."

Kazuma stared at Kuronue, wondering how he died.

"You better finish your plate…or else!" Kuronue said, grinning darkly.

Kazuma shoveled more food into his oversized mouth.

"Wha… habbened?" Yuusuke asked through a mouthful of food.

"It must be nice to be immune to ghosts…" Kazuma thought.

The next day at school…-

"Kurama!"

Kuronue had taken over Kazuma's body yet again. "Hey, Kurama!"

The red-haired boy gave no response.

"Kurama, let's go steal something. Come on!"

Kazuma flinched. He had a strict honor code against stealing and things of that sort.

"Please? It'll be fun."

There was still no response.

Kuronue grabbed Kurama's wrist and dragged him into a small shop. "Here goes! C'mon, Kurama! Pick something out!" he hissed.

"Shut up!"

Kurama stormed out of the store.

"Oh, please? Kurama, you know how much you used to love stealing. Please, please steal again." Kuronue frowned. "You've gone soft, haven't you?"

Kurama whirled around and grabbed Kuronue by the shirt collar. "Stop, dammit!" A dark gleam shone in his eyes. "Do you want me to kill you too?"

"…Kurama?"

"Because of stealing… I killed someone."

(Woohoo! End of Chapter Two! There will be more to this subsection, "Promise", later. I am truly sorry for the late update.)