I'm back, from outer space…just kidding. I've been happy about all the reviews I've been receiving this story because I thought this story was going to be one of those that got like twenty reviews at most. (And half of them would be from Teresa.) But instead lots of people seem to like this story. Which is good, because so do I! I feel like this story always writes itself the easiest.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yugi.

Warnings: Angst. Cussing (Tasuki is bad!).

Somewhere Out There

Chapter Fifteen

I woke up, went to school. My mind was on the other world though. I was curious about Houjun and what his story might be. The others were probably hearing all about it and I felt bad for missing out. Of course they'd have to explain the fact that I lived in a completely different world!

I wonder if the last two senshi live in this world as well!

That would be something…

When it came time for bed I have to confess I was pretty excited. I wanted to know what Saihitei was up to and whether Miaka and Kishuku were any happier and what Genrou was trying to set on fire.

I really missed the fact that Saihitei wasn't in the real world. Why did we have to live in separate worlds?

But if we didn't…he would know I'm a boy.

I appeared at sunset in the land of Konan, nearly landing in the fire if it hadn't been Genrou's fast thinking and faster reflexes. He caught me in my arms and landed on the other side of the fire.

"Thanks Genrou, you're my hero." I batted my eyelashes and clutched my hands together. He dropped me on my ass.

"Whatever, just didn't want you to fall in the fucking fire." Genrou looked irritable. So, nothing new. "Saihitei and Houjun are fishing."

"Okie dokie." I saluted him and looked around the camp. "Where are we?" There were a couple of trees and I could hear the sound of water behind them but our camp was in open fields.

"We're heading towards some village because of Miaka." Genrou explained. I blinked in confusion.

"What happened to Miaka?" I asked.

"Oh fuck, I forgot, you weren't here." Genrou hit his forehead. "After you disappeared, Miaka passed out and we didn't know what the fuck to do because there weren't any girls around and we weren't allowed to touch her. But luckily Houjun knows some cool magic tricks and got her on a blanket and we carried her like that. Saihitei had to pay some guy off on the road to give up his wagon and that's where Miaka is right now." I glanced over at the horses and saw a small uncovered wagon and Kishuku sitting on the railings of it.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked.

"She's complaining about a fever or something." Genrou shrugged. "I don't know, she's sick, I ain't a fucking doctor."

"Gee, had me fooled for a second." I rolled my eyes. "I'll go see what I can do."

Miaka…argh, I should have just told them. I should have just said I was a guy and then they would have taken care of you a little better. Kishuku's a wreck…

"Hey, Miaka." I approached the wagon and heard some coughing. Miaka looked up at me weakly.

"Hey Kourin." Miaka greeted me with a small tired smile. "I'm not feeling so well." I put a hand on her forehead and knew Miaka was burning up.

"Do you want some water?" I asked her.

"I had some but I'm too tired to drink any without spilling now." Miaka looked at a cup next to her and then back at me.

"Here." I climbed up into the wagon as Kishuku watched and picked her head up carefully while picking up the water cup with the other one. I carefully tilted the cup against her lips and she drank steadily before I pulled it away. "You're probably okay, you just need some medicine."

"We're heading to a village but we thought we should stop and rest for Miaka." Kishuku spoke up, a dark look on his face. "I wanted to ride on ahead and bring the doctor back but Saihitei thinks it would be better if we all went."

"She'll be fine, just like I said." I got up and went over to put a hand on his shoulder. "Just keep her company, it'll make her feel better."

"I will." Kishuku smiled. "Thanks Kourin."

I went to go see how the fishing was going and saw both Houjun and Saihitei sitting there with fishing poles. Houjun seemed to be doing a lot better than Saihitei but then he was a wandering monk, he probably had to go fishing all the time.

I thought I'd be clever and sneak up on them but Houjun knew I was coming.

"Saihitei?" He turned towards Saihitei who looked at him curiously. "You have company no da." Saihitei turned and saw me, his face lighting up in a smile while I thought I was going to melt in a puddle.

"You gave it away!" I pretended to be mad at Houjun. Then I ran and glomped Saihitei. "Hiya Saihitei!"

"Hello Kourin." Saihitei hugged me back.

"Saihitei was telling me all about you no da." Houjun mentioned after a few minutes of hugging. "That you're from another world."

"That's right." I beamed. "I come here when I sleep."

"I was thinking, for you to make the initial jump, something must have shocked your body and mind no da." Houjun went on and I stared at him in wonder. "Something that made you want to leave no da." Then he turned towards me. "Did something bad happen to you right before you arrived here the first time?"

How…how does he know that?

"Actually…" I turned back towards the river and was aware of Saihitei's arm around me. "Someone very close to me died."

"Amazing what happens and makes reality shift no da…" Houjun trailed off. "Who was it that died?"

"My sister…" I said after a few moments. "My little sister."

"I too have lost a loved one." Houjun spoke sadly. "More than one though no da."

"Really?" I was curious about this strange man that had wandered to us and was one of us.

"My best friend and my fiancée." Houjun answered.

"That must have been very hard." Saihitei said sympathetically. "What happened to them?"

"That demon, the one that we killed…I had been hunting it for quite some time no da." Houjun's happy face made it very hard to tell what he was thinking. "I was hunting it because it is the reason…that they are dead."

"It killed them both?" I put a hand to my chest, feeling horrible for Houjun.

"No…it only killed one of them." Houjun corrected, shaking his head. "It can take the shape of many things, not just what you want to see most like it's rumored. It likes to take lives, lives filled with despair at the end. When I saw it, I was living in a village far away next to a river.

"I was at the river one day when I saw…my fiancée, Kouran, and my best friend Hikou. We had all grown up together and were so close. But they were kissing. I didn't know it was a demon and I thought…I thought it really was them. I found the two later and accused them. Kouran kept trying to say she didn't know what I was talking about but I wouldn't listen to her…"

"Oh my god…" I breathed. "That's…that's horrible…"

"Kouran ran out of the house and towards the river. Hikou kept telling me that it wasn't true at all." Houjun reached up and very gently, pulled away the mask he was wearing. He had yellow eyes but I could see only one side of his face because he was looking straight on and not at me. "Kouran was tricked by the demon…I had finally left and Hikou followed me, trying to get me to listen…Kouran jumped in the river just as I was reaching her. The river was swollen because of the flood. Hikou began crying and accusing me of driving her to committing suicide. We saw her being swept off so quickly we knew we'd never reach her.

"Hikou pulled out his sword and we began fighting…we were both in a rage and then it happened…part of the cliff crumbled out from under Hikou. I grabbed his hand but it started raining and the river was so strong. He slipped out of my hand and was swept away as well…" Houjun turned towards us and I gasped but quickly covered my mouth. Instead of a left eye there was a horrible scar. "Right after that, I swore I'd never forget them and…gave myself this scar. But it upsets people so I always show them my happy face." He put his happy smiling mask back on.

"But it's wrong." I spoke up and Houjun seemed taken aback by my words. "It's wrong to just cover it up…If you don't share your pain with others…how can you heal?"

The words surprised even me. It was as though I had been thinking of them all along but never had the courage to say them out loud.

You shut your family out…

And you tried to shut Saihitei out…

Aren't you still shutting him out by now telling him the truth?

"I suppose…I suppose you're right no da." Houjun nodded slowly. I turned my head and saw Genrou standing there gaping at Houjun. Houjun turned towards him too and Genrou's eyes widened.

"I, uh, yeah." Genrou didn't seem to be thinking coherently. "I just wanted to see how the fishing was going…I didn't mean to fucking listen or anything."

"It's alright." Houjun told him and Genrou stopped looking like a deer caught in the headlights. "We're almost done, no da."

"Yeah, cool." Genrou ran a hand through his unruly orange hair. I looked at him suspiciously.

What was that about?!

Why's he acting so weird?

"I'm going to go check on Miaka." I looked at Saihitei. "I'll be right back."

"Alright." Saihitei nodded. I got up and walked past Genrou, apparently patting him too hard on the shoulder because he fell down. After listening to a string of words I didn't even know existed, I went to see Kishuku and Miaka.

"I think she's getting worse." Kishuku told me worriedly. I put my hand on her forehead and it was a lot hotter then it had been.

"I think you're right. We may have to get going now. We need to get to a doctor quickly." I pulled out a handkerchief and splashing water on it before folding it and pressing it against Miaka's forehead.

"Kourin…" Miaka murmured. "Kishuku…"

"Get everyone else, we have to hurry." I ordered Kishuku who quickly obeyed. I was worried about whether or not Miaka would really be okay. I thought it was just a normal fever but now…it was looking much worse.

Hang in there Miaka…

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Gee, Miaka needs a doctor? Where could this possibly be leading? Ehehehehehehehe. Okay, well, please review and stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of SOT!