Hi! This is Myanime91!

Memo: Thank you sooo much to all who reviewed! It really means a lot to me. I kept checking like every hour for someone to review, and finally a special someone did. Thanks a lot! It really means a lot, and I will continue to update as soon as I can. I plan on finishing this story, and updating regularly. On this note, I want to announce to everyone that I will undoubtedly update once every week, or maybe twice in a week. School is starting and it will be stressful as I do have a life outside of anime "gasps of shock" so bear with me and I will make it all worth it. Thanks!

Disclaimer: don't own it. Never will…

Chapter 2:

Keiko reached a hand up to tuck a delicate strand of brown hair behind her ear, and took a long sip of her iced tea. Her eyes were downcast and her left leg bounced up and down in unexplained nervousness.

The silence was tiny bit deafening, Keiko noted as she glanced up to study the redhead across from her seat at the quiet little café.

Kurama had barely touched the green tea he'd ordered and instead was looking at her in a scrutinizing manner. His gaze was a touch intense, but it was barely noticeable underneath the concern, sympathy, and kindness. His orbs shone like the emerald necklace given to Keiko for her birthday.

Keiko gave him a small smile before peering around at her surroundings. The sun was directly above them, and the cool afternoon breeze felt good on her neck. More people were piling into the outdoor restaurant, and the sound of their soft chatter was the only noise that was being made. It only served to amplify the silence between the Kitsune and the woman.

Keiko sighed quietly as she remembered the events leading up to their meeting. It was like a throbbing thumb: constant and bothersome. She wanted to forget, but it wouldn't go away. The feeling of betrayal was a dull ache in her chest. Yet Keiko forced herself to think of something else….

Strong arms wrapped around her…the unique yet alluring scent of flowers, ginger, and something definitely sexy and masculine…the shivers that involuntarily ran through her body as soft fingertips barely touched her upper arms, raising the hairs on her neck…the foreign feeling of honest contentment that washed through her as sweet words were whispered into her ear…the—

Keiko blinked a couple of times as the memories and images slammed into her mind and then hastily pushed them away, clearly feeling her cheeks heat up. She couldn't get that innocent yet totally unexpected little hug that she and Kurama had shared out of her head!

It was nothing! She screamed to herself. Kurama was comforting her, and that was the total truth. She didn't even think of him that way! And she couldn't! After everything that had happened to her and Yusuke, she should not be thinking of other boys. And besides, what would Kurama want with her? He had offered to take her out to lunch because he felt sorry for her! He pitied her because she had been dumb enough to belive that things were genuine with Yusuke, when it was probably obvious to everyone else that he didn't even care about her! Kurama would never want to be with someone as naïve and dull as her.

She was a plain and ordinary girl, and Kurama deserved someone extraordinary.

Even as she thought that, Keiko could feel something nagging at the back at her head that she was jumping to conclusions a wee bit too quickly. She also was hit with the sudden realization that while Kurama was sitting in front of her looking the epitome of handsomeness, Keiko was basically wearing what she wore to bed along with the fact that her hair was uncombed, her teeth unbrushed, and her face a mass of dark under-eye circles and red splotches. She probably smelled like a litter box! Keiko hadn't taken to time to groom herself in-between the incident last night and her meeting with Kurama that morning, and she was sure he noticed.

Keiko wanted to run back home and lock herself in her bedroom, never to come out. Instead, she glanced back up at him, while subtly trying to comb her hair with her fingers.

Kurama smiled, and seemed to decide that it was time for the silence to stop.

"So Keiko, may I ask which colleges you have been accepted to?"

Keiko, surprised by the sudden question, swallowed and blinked twice before answering in a calm tone, "Oh, well I was accepted into a bunch of small universities scattered throughout Japan, and even one in England. But what I'm most happy about is that I got into my main choice, Shikon University! I move into my dorm in a few weeks."

Kurama's eyebrows rose so that they were covered by his crimson bangs.

"Congratulations Keiko! That's wonderful! You must be quite intelligent to be accepted into Shikon University."

Keiko, who knew that Kurama could easily win in a battle of smarts, smiled appreciatively.

Kurama continued, " I, as well, have been honored with the acceptance into that same university."

Keiko, who had been contently sipping her drink, immediately stopped and widened her eyes at the Kitsune's confession. He was going to her college? That would mean they would probably see each other a lot more. Shikon was a small school, only for the exceptionally smart. Keiko wanted to become an author, and that was the best place to learn the arts.

It was one of the best schools in Japan, and Kurama would be there with her. Keiko didn't know if she was happier or more nervous knowing that Kurama and her would probably be running into each other a lot, sharing classes, and studying in the same library, but happiness began to win over.

Involuntarily, a bud of hope began to arise in her stomach, and Keiko began to like the idea of spending more time with Kurama. He was a caring, sweet, smart, and interesting individual, and she honestly did not care about his past or who he secretly was. He was someone she wanted to be around, and was now energized with the prospect of not being completely alone at college.

Her thoughts away from Yusuke and his deception, Keiko began to smile, genuinely happy for what seemed to be the first time all day.

"Really Kurama? That's amazing! You know, Shikon is the perfect school, don't you think? I mean, it's small and intimate, and it lets you interact with the teachers and your peers in a way you couldn't at a regular school. Then there's the fact that it's the perfect distance away. Not so far that you'd be totally alone and homesick, yet far enough so you can have some independence. Don't you agree?"

Watching Keiko become noticeably happier, Kurama grinned and launched his reply, his eyes never leaving her face. She was strangely mesmerizing when she was excited about a subject, he noted. Her entire complexion lit up, and her eyes became a captivating dark chocolate color that held him prisoner. He had waited patiently before, watching her as she was thinking, knowing that she needed time to sort through her thoughts and catch herself up on what had gotten her to this point. He had seen the emotions flitter across her face, her eyes not as guarded as they were that morning. Kurama had wanted to grab her hand and tell her that everything would be all right and that he would help her, but wisely stayed silent until he was sure she was ready to engage in conversation.

But for the third time that day he had been thrown off guard when Keiko told him that she was attending Shikon University in only a short while, like he was. Kurama had liked the school from the start, when he had first started looking at colleges. His days working as a spirit detective with Yusuke, Hiei, and Kuwabara were over, and he wanted to continue with his education and make the most of his non-demon-and-magic life. He was going to major in biology and botany, and he had thought he was going to do it not knowing anyone. But Keiko had admitted that she was going, and it made something swell inside Kurama, making him excited and eager for the school year to start.

He admitted to himself that he wanted to get to know her more, and find what else he could learn about the spirited female. Keiko's mere presence sparked an interest to know her thoughts about everything, if only to have her smile like she was now, which made his heart beat a tiny bit faster than usual. She was fascinating, with her emotions so complex yet so easy to understand, and Kurama felt the odd need to stay by her to see how she dealt with life and everything around her.

She drew him in like a moth to the flame, and it was then that Kurama knew he would not be able to get Keiko Yukimura out of his head for a while. The though confused and comforted him at the same time.

It's about time you started thinking of things more interesting than school and plants. I was beginning to think you were gay with all of this no-woman behavior. Youko commented, and Kurama could feel him smirking inside him.

Just because I don't think of each new day as another chance to get laid, like some people do doesn't mean I'm gay. Kurama retorted in his mind while also carrying on the conversation with Keiko.

It just means your stupid. Youko confidently said. With all of these fine specimens surrounding you who would worship the ground you walk on if you so choose, you can't even think of the possibilities. Why if you wanted, you could grab that lovely girl sitting across from you and take her to the nearest bathroom, with no arguments, and make her scream louder than a—

SHUT UP! Kurama thought as parade of images washed though his mind at the suggestion. He hastily shoved them away, and put all his power into ignoring the sly Kitsune inside of him. He was appalled that Youko could suggest that of him and Keiko. He would never do something so inappropriate, and she would never agree to be used in such a way without first having very strong feeling for whomever was with her. Kurama could never sink that low, for obviously Keiko was far from feeling strongly about anyone at the moment. She needed to heal fist and then she could move on.

Move on to you, perhaps? Kurama recognized the voice in his head to be his and not Youko's, and his eyes widened. Where had that come from? He shouldn't be thinking of him and Keiko in that way. She was still recovering from a huge traumatic event, and Kurama didn't want to make things more complicated.

The best he could do now, Kurama decided, was wait and observe. He would be there when the time was right and then, when Keiko was ready, start considering and questioning his intentions with the pretty young woman. All that drama could be put off for a while. For now, Kurama was completely content with just sitting in her presence and letting her eyes shine to their heart's content. That, he concluded, was all he needed.

But then, out of the corner of his eye, Kurama spotted something, or someone that made him freeze mid sentence in his conversation with Keiko.

Keiko blinked a couple of times at Kurama's sudden silence, and asked softly, "Kurama? Is anything the matter?"

She noticed his eyes focused on something to his side, and curiously turned her head to see what caught his attention.

Keiko swore her heart stopped beating as her eyes settled on the lone figure that stood only a few meters away from their table, in the middle of the road. A sudden chill swept through her body, followed by numbness as she registered in her brain the familiar slicked back ebony hair, the piercing brown eyes, and the confident stance of her ex-love.

Keiko's ears were ringing and her eyes were blurry as she whispered the name that had become such a taboo in the last few hours that she felt pain in her heart just by saying it.

"Yusuke…"

ooohhhh, cliffhanger! I never knew how good it felt to write one of those! The feeling of power is awesome….

Next Time: Yusuke and Keiko confront each other and Kurama lends his view. Such drama, I can't belive they don't have a Yu Yu Hakusho soap opera! (I bet Hiei would be the slutty maid!)

Please Read and Review. I'll probably update sometime next week! (P.S. I don't flame so don't flame me!)

Bye! Myanime91