~Next Afternoon~
"Oh shi..amrock!" Komiko caught herself from swearing as she glanced at her watch. She had ten minutes to get from school to her shift at the cafe. Usually, it was a quick, seven-minute jog, but she also needed to get on her uniform before she left.
She glanced down the empty hallway. To go all the way upstairs to find a girl's bathroom would take too long. Komiko darted into an empty classroom and shut the door behind her.
Stripping down to her underwear, Komiko started rummaging in her backpack for her pink skirt. Slipping this on, Komiko was reaching for her blouse when the door to the classroom opened, and Suechi walked in.
Komiko stared at him dumbly, blouse in hand, totally useless. Suechi stared back, and unprompted his eyes slid down. Then, he backed out of the room and slammed the door shut.
Komiko dressed almost mindlessly, turning the event over in her mind. How his eyes had lingered how the sun had framed him as he entered, and the incredibly adorable look of panic and embarrassment on his face as he made his hasty retreat. She fought back her own embarrassment at her urge to run to him and fling her arms about his neck.
Once she was dressed, Komiko peered out of the small window in the door. Suechi was still outside, cheeks bright red.
"Um...Suechi?" She opened the door. He jumped.
"I am so sorry-Oh-" Suechi flushed an even darker shade of red. "I needed to hand in-I'm terribly sorry!"
"It's okay." Komiko couldn't help but smile. Then, her eyes sought her watch again. "Shi..amrock!"
"What?"
"I'm almost late for work!" Komiko started to make a mad dash for the door when Suechi caught her arm.
"I'll give you a lift." When Komiko started to protest, he persisted. "It's the least I can do. It's sort of my fault you're late in the first place."
Komiko opened her mouth again, but Suechi was already walking out of the door towards the parking lot.
Komiko followed, heart beating a little more quickly. Her sort-of rescuer from Gui, the witty new "regular" at the cafe, and now an accidental peeping tom! Why, all of a sudden, was he always around? And why did she feel breathless around him?!
Kurama cursed inwardly. Amid the sleek trans-ams and sports cars of the other students, his old orange Dodge looked a little...worn. He yanked open the door and held it open for Komiko before climbing into the driver's seat.
"Thank you, Suechi."
"No problem." Kurama put the truck into gear and pulled out of the parking lot. Noticing Komiko wringing her hands silently in her lap, he pressed the gas pedal to the floor. Horns honked as the Dodge lept into the right-hand lane and careened down down the street. Komiko gripped the sides of her seat and glanced at Suechi. His face was calm, and his deft handling of the steering wheel was almost lazy.
They screeched to a halt in front of the cafe.
"T-thank you...that was quick." Komiko's eyes were still wide from the speed.
Kurama simply smiled.
Driving home (at a much slower pace) Kurama blew out a sigh. Seeing all of that white skin had reminded him vividly of his own vixen mate. His heart had sped up, and he found it hard to breathe for the first time in fifteen years.
* * *
"You saw her doing WHAT?" Hiei leaned back, disbelieving.
Kurama and Hiei had met in the town's park upon Kurama's request. They were seated on a park bench, relaxing in the afternoon sunshine.
Kurama sighed. "I saw her changing, Hiei. I didn't mean to. But her manner and just-just her, Hiei. I just want to know.
"Hiei narrowed red eyes. "So...you want me to research if Emiko did die or fell into Human World, and now if Komiko Ishitono."
"Yes."
"But you remember being Yoko, why wouldn't she remember being Emiko?" Hiei eyed his friend with hidden concern. Usually the once-demon was calm and levelheaded about everything, but now he was anxious, worried, hopeful. To see Kurama like this was unnerving.
"I don't know. She could of...had something happen, but it is a possibility she can't remember anything." Kurama said firmly.
"It's a slim possibility." Hiei admitted. "It isn't impossible. But it is a one out of a thousand chance."
Kurama looked at something just over Hiei's shoulder. "I need to know."
Hiei stood. "I'll be back with your answer in two days or less. Just don't trust to hope, Kurama. I don't think you could handle another loss.
"Oh shi..amrock!" Komiko caught herself from swearing as she glanced at her watch. She had ten minutes to get from school to her shift at the cafe. Usually, it was a quick, seven-minute jog, but she also needed to get on her uniform before she left.
She glanced down the empty hallway. To go all the way upstairs to find a girl's bathroom would take too long. Komiko darted into an empty classroom and shut the door behind her.
Stripping down to her underwear, Komiko started rummaging in her backpack for her pink skirt. Slipping this on, Komiko was reaching for her blouse when the door to the classroom opened, and Suechi walked in.
Komiko stared at him dumbly, blouse in hand, totally useless. Suechi stared back, and unprompted his eyes slid down. Then, he backed out of the room and slammed the door shut.
Komiko dressed almost mindlessly, turning the event over in her mind. How his eyes had lingered how the sun had framed him as he entered, and the incredibly adorable look of panic and embarrassment on his face as he made his hasty retreat. She fought back her own embarrassment at her urge to run to him and fling her arms about his neck.
Once she was dressed, Komiko peered out of the small window in the door. Suechi was still outside, cheeks bright red.
"Um...Suechi?" She opened the door. He jumped.
"I am so sorry-Oh-" Suechi flushed an even darker shade of red. "I needed to hand in-I'm terribly sorry!"
"It's okay." Komiko couldn't help but smile. Then, her eyes sought her watch again. "Shi..amrock!"
"What?"
"I'm almost late for work!" Komiko started to make a mad dash for the door when Suechi caught her arm.
"I'll give you a lift." When Komiko started to protest, he persisted. "It's the least I can do. It's sort of my fault you're late in the first place."
Komiko opened her mouth again, but Suechi was already walking out of the door towards the parking lot.
Komiko followed, heart beating a little more quickly. Her sort-of rescuer from Gui, the witty new "regular" at the cafe, and now an accidental peeping tom! Why, all of a sudden, was he always around? And why did she feel breathless around him?!
Kurama cursed inwardly. Amid the sleek trans-ams and sports cars of the other students, his old orange Dodge looked a little...worn. He yanked open the door and held it open for Komiko before climbing into the driver's seat.
"Thank you, Suechi."
"No problem." Kurama put the truck into gear and pulled out of the parking lot. Noticing Komiko wringing her hands silently in her lap, he pressed the gas pedal to the floor. Horns honked as the Dodge lept into the right-hand lane and careened down down the street. Komiko gripped the sides of her seat and glanced at Suechi. His face was calm, and his deft handling of the steering wheel was almost lazy.
They screeched to a halt in front of the cafe.
"T-thank you...that was quick." Komiko's eyes were still wide from the speed.
Kurama simply smiled.
Driving home (at a much slower pace) Kurama blew out a sigh. Seeing all of that white skin had reminded him vividly of his own vixen mate. His heart had sped up, and he found it hard to breathe for the first time in fifteen years.
* * *
"You saw her doing WHAT?" Hiei leaned back, disbelieving.
Kurama and Hiei had met in the town's park upon Kurama's request. They were seated on a park bench, relaxing in the afternoon sunshine.
Kurama sighed. "I saw her changing, Hiei. I didn't mean to. But her manner and just-just her, Hiei. I just want to know.
"Hiei narrowed red eyes. "So...you want me to research if Emiko did die or fell into Human World, and now if Komiko Ishitono."
"Yes."
"But you remember being Yoko, why wouldn't she remember being Emiko?" Hiei eyed his friend with hidden concern. Usually the once-demon was calm and levelheaded about everything, but now he was anxious, worried, hopeful. To see Kurama like this was unnerving.
"I don't know. She could of...had something happen, but it is a possibility she can't remember anything." Kurama said firmly.
"It's a slim possibility." Hiei admitted. "It isn't impossible. But it is a one out of a thousand chance."
Kurama looked at something just over Hiei's shoulder. "I need to know."
Hiei stood. "I'll be back with your answer in two days or less. Just don't trust to hope, Kurama. I don't think you could handle another loss.