Hi there...

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own Saiyuki? No? Didn't think so.

ONWARD!

Hakkai's hand paused on the doorknob of the front door. He knew Gojyo wasn't home, so he was hesitant to enter. He wanted to walk into the house, enter the kitchen, where Sanzo, Goku and Gojyo would be sitting, look at them all and give his usual friendly smile, locking eyes for a moment with the kappa, before starting on dinner. Everything had to be perfect. ecspecially his entrance.

The brunette turned on his heel and decided to head back into town. Maybe Gojyo was at the local bar. He would look for him there. Maybe his entrance didn't have to be at the house, or with Sanzo or Goku involved at all. He nodded in friendly greetings to a young woman and her daughter before he started down the street to look for his friend.

Gojyo's fist made contact with the side of the punk's head, sending the thug into the wall.

"Ya wanna say that again? What's wrong with my hair?" he practically screamed. The kid wiped the blood trickle off his mouth and spat at the kappa. Gojyo wiped the sloppy red mess of his cheek with disgust and grabbed the young youkai's shirt collar, and then threw him against the wall, pinning him there. The kid laughed hoarsely and looked at Gojyo through one eye.

"You're a taboo! That's what's wrong with your hair. It's a dead giveaway of what you are!" he croaked. Gojyo glared daggers at the kid. He never stood a chance.

With a newly aroused wave of fury, Gojyo flung the kid across the alley, where he hit the opposite wall and crumpled to the ground, landing in a rather painful looking heap. But the kappa wasn't finished with the youkai. He stomped over to him and yanked him up again, only to fling him across the alley once again. The youkai punk would regret the day that he made fun of Gojyo's hair...

Hakkai stepped out of the bar, his brow creased. Gojyo hadn't been there... He thought for a moment before remembering that he had seen the red haired man heading for an alley. Hakkai's tension lessened a bit as he headed to the last place he had seen Gojyo.

"Ya still think it's funny now? Huh? Do ya?" the half-breed screamed at the kid, who was lying face-down on the ground, coughing up blood. The alleyway was already stained with the kid's blood. "Ya ain't laughin' now are ya?" Gojyo spat as he kicked the kid. The insult on his heritage had left him almost in a state of insanity.

"GOJYO! STOP IT!" a voice yelled through the alley, echoing off the walls. The kappa looked up though his red hazed vision at Hakkai, who was running towards him. "What are you doing!"

"I... uh... Hi Hakkai?" Gojyo sputtered. The brunette shoved him away from the youkai, who wasn't moving.

"Gojyo! You killed him!" Hakkai whispered after he had knelt beside the youkai and examined him. The kappa just stood there.

"He... but... I..."

Hakkai shook his head and stood to his full height.

"Gojyo, I can't believe you killed a kid," he whispered. So much for the perfect entrance.

"Hakkai, I..." Gojyo couldn't even finish. He gazed at Hakkai for a moment before brushing pass him and heading into the street.

"Gojyo! Come back! Gojyo!" Hakkai called after him. The kappa froze, his shoulders hunched.

"He was mocking my hair Hakkai. Everyone knows, he just pointed it out. I'm a half-breed, not worth anyone's attention. Just leave me alone," he said without turning. He then continued towards the street. Hakkai rolled the youkai's body into a corner and ran after his friend.

"Gojyo! Wait!" he yelled. Gojyo didn't stop, but he wasn't in any real hurry either. It didn't take long for Hakkai to catch up with him. "Gojyo, I'm sorry. You're worth my attention, so don't listen to anyone else. Let's just talk," the brunette coaxed. Gojyo swallowed the lump in his throat and blinked back angry tears. He was not about to let Hakkai see him cry. He had a reputation to maintain.

"I don't wanna talk about it Hakkai," he said fiercly. "Just drop it and get lost!" he spat. Hakkai stopped and blinked after him.

"Gojyo..."

"BEAT IT!" the kappa shouted before he started running off. Hakkai half thought about running after him. Almost. Instead he just watched his friend run off towards the forest that surrounded the small village. Hakkai looked down at his hands, which had a little of the young youkai's blood on them. He knew that it was best to just leave Gojyo alone to blow off some steam but that didn't stop him from worrying about him. But he still decided to go back to the inn with Sanzo and Goku.

When Hakkai had returned to the inn, he found Sanzo whacking Goku with his paper fan because the monkey was complaining that he was hungry.

"What took you so long dammit!" Sanzo yelled angrily. "Cook the monkey some food before I kill him!" Hakkai smiled softly, not really expecting the other to notice his glasses, but a little disappointed non-the-less.

"Sure thing Sanzo," he said quietly before setting to making dinner.

Their meal was just a plain one. Fish, meat buns, pork, the usual. Goku wasn't complaining. He was too busy stuffing his face, as usual. But Gojyo wasn't back yet, so it was unusually quiet. Even Goku eventually got bored with no one to argue with.

"Where's Gojyo?" he asked. Sanzo flipped a page in his newspaper and shrugged.

"Who knows."

Hakkai gnawed his lip but no one noticed.

"Gojyo's out on his own time," he said after a moment's thought. Sanzo looked over his paper at him but shrugged off the thought.

"Whatever," he mumbled. Goku just looked at Hakkai for a moment before returning to his dinner, gobbling it greedily. Hakkai just turned back to his own food, staring at it blankly. He was really worried about Gojyo, and hoped that he was alright.

Gojyo downed his third sake', not really tasting the stuff. It had only been about a half hour since he'd left Hakkai and he was already drowning his anger and sorrow in booze. How dare that youkai punk insult his hair. No, it was worse than that, he had insulted his heritage. Was it his fault that he was half youkai, half human? Everyone called half-breeds taboo children, cursed beings created by a forbidden union. That union was created only because of each races stupid lusts in the first place. It's not like he asked his father to have a human mistress. Or for his stepmother to hate his so much... Was he, in fact, the cause of all of her tears?

Gojyo shuddered. He shouldn't be thinking about that. He instead ordered another sake'. A really big jar. He needed to numb his mind, get it off youkai and humans and everyone. Youkai weren't worth dirt. No... That wasn't true... Hakkai was worth something. Hadn't he just comforted Hakkai in the rain? But he often forgot that Hakkai was a youkai. He had self-control, something the bastards like that little punk didn't have.

The kappa took a long swig from his sake' jar and set it down, starting to feel the burning sensation that suggested thta he was gettting a buzz. He like the feeling. It made him... well, frisky. He looked around the barroom, searching for any good looking candidates. None. Not one good looking girl to be found. The red-haired man sighed. Oh well.

He finished the rest of his sake' and decided that it was time to head back. The others would be worried. Well, no, that wasn't true. Hakkai would be worried, Goku would be bored and Sanzo just wouldn't care. Gojyo smiled to himself as he stepped outside into the darkening streets. At least he knew that Hakkai would always be there for him... and he was looking forward to seeing him.

Sorry to disappoint you but, this is the end. No more. Sorry... But review and tell me what you think. I'm sorry if you're disappointed with my ending but I found that this was the perfect place to stop... My apologies to you... Keep your eyes open for other saiyuki fics by me! I'm writing one now and it should be posted soon!