CHAPTER 4

THE SECOND VISIT

Minoly tossed and turned in her bed as she tried to get to sleep. "Why does he have to act like that?" she asked herself, hugging Ichigo, her stuffed hedgehog, to her chest. "I'm just trying to be his friend. I don't see why he has to be that way toward me."

She sat up and looked out her bedroom window at the stars. Too bad I don't know, she thought. And I bet I never will... Then she got an idea. Hey, Shuich- Kurama seems to know Hiei pretty well. Maybe he can help me!

She lay back down and smiled. "I'll talk to him tomarrow," she decided, hugging Ichigo and giggling. "I'm sure he'll know something. I mean; how many best friends do I know that don't know a thing about each other?" She opened her eyes. "Maybe I should call him to let him know I'm coming?" then she dismissed the thought. "Nah! I'll just come over! It will be a surprise! I love surprising people!"

Kurama was surprised all right.

He'd just gotten home from school and entered the livingroom when he spotted her sitting on the couch. He nearly had a heart attack. He took a step back and breathed a moment to settle his racing heart. I never expected this! "M... Ms Akari?"

She looked up at him. "Please call me Minoly," She cocked her head. "What's wrong? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"I'm fine," he told her, calming down. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, your mom let me in," she said, standing.

"She did!"

"Yeah."

"That doesn't explain what you're doing here," he pointed out.

"Well," she said suddenly shy. She looked away from him. "I came here to see you."

"Uh.. me? Why?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

"What?"

"I wanted to ask you if you could tell me what you know about Hiei..."

Kurama stared at her. Is she some kind of stalker?

"Well," she said, her face turning red. "I... he is your best friend or so I gathered. I thought maybe you would know..."

Kurama didn't say anything. He couldn't tell her what he knew about his friend. It was best she didn't know. Besides she wouldn't believe me anyway...

"Uh...," he hesitated. "I'm not sure Hiei would like me telling you anything..."

"Oh please," she practically begged. She stood in front of him with her hands clasped. "You don't have to tell me everything. Just the nice things. Like; what's his favorite food, what animels does he like, where he likes to hang out. Those kinds of things."

"Well," he still stalled. "I can't really tell you anything like that..."

She fell forward. "Oh, PLEASE!" she begged, grabbing his arms and nearly knocking him over. "I'm begging you here!"

Kurama grabbed her arms to keep her from falling into him and knocking them both over. "Okay," he said, pulling her away. "Why do you want to know so badly?"

"Well," she said looking away and blushing. "You see... I think he's cute..."

"Cute?"

"Well hot actually... um yeah." Her face was flaming.

"So you're stalking him because you think he's... hot..."

"He's the first guy I ever had a crush on and..."

"Let's sit down," he suggested.

"Yeah..." she said spacily.

They walked over to the couch and sat down.

A while later Hiei came into Kurama's house. He walked into the living room but stopped at the doorway.

What! Her again? What in the world is she doing? He heard Kurama say his name. Are they talking about me?

Minoly noticed him and looked up. "Hello," she said.

He didn't acknowledge her in any way. He looked straight at Kurama. "What's she doing here?" he demanded.

"She's..."

"And why are you talking about me?" he cut his friend off.

Kurama stammered. "Well.. I..."

"Oh, do go on," the fire/ice demon encouraged sarcasticly. "While you do I'll be outside. Let me know when your big mouth is done running and she's gone." He turned around and went back the way he had come.

Minoly watched him go them looked at Kurama. "Why is he like that?"

"He's always been that way..."

"Why?"

Kurama looked at her. "When he was born his mother was forced to give him up. After she did she killed herself.."

"HieI has many troubles. He has a sister named Yukina who doesn't even know he exists."

She was surprised to hear this. "Why not?"

"He's not allowed to tell her."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you."

"Oh." Minoly was silent for a moment then stood.

"Where are you going?" the fox demon asked.

She looked down at him. "I have to do something," was her only reply.

Before he could ask what she had already left the house.

Minoly stepped out of Kurama's house and looked around herself. She could sense Hiei was still nearby but she wasn't sure where. Where could he be hiding? she wondered.

She looked up at a nearby tree. That's funny, she thought after a moment. I may be having hallucinations or I see someone up there... Hiei?

She decided to find out and walked over to the tree.

When she stood under it she looked up and saw someone in black sitting on a high branch. It is him! "Hiei!" she called to him.

The fire/ice demon stared down at her with a look of utter annoyance. "What do you want?" he demanded.

"Can I come up?"

He shrugged and looked away. "Do what you want."

Minoly took that as he wanted her to come up. She jumped up and grabbed a low branch. She climbed onto it. Then slowly she started upward. Don't look down, she thought as she climbed. Don't look down...

From where he sat on a higher branch, Hiei watched the girl as she climbed up to him. He noticed how bad she was doing and how much she hugged the tree trunk and limbs.

If it had been anyone else watching her they might have laughed. Hiei didn't laugh. He just sat there, stone faced, as she came up.

Maybe you should help her, a small voice in his head suggested.

He scoffed at the idea. I don't think so. If she wants to talk to me so much she can come to me without my help.

But what if she falls?

That's not likely to happen. Unless she suddenly gains a hundred pounds.

Why do you say that?

For one thing she's the same height as me and as skinny as a rail. Besides she treating the tree like a mountain climbing rope.

Oh..

You see? There's nothing to worry about. Not that I would be worried about her..

Finally she reached the branch where he was sitting. He scooted over to make room for her but didn't say anything. He just stared at her until she began to feel nervous.

"Umm..," she fumbled for words. She said the first thing that came to her mind. "I'm... sorry about your uh.. sister..."

"MY SISTER?" he exploded standing up and towering over her a moment. "How in hell do you know about my sister!"

Minily's face turned red. Smooth move Akari, you moron! "Um.. Uh..."

Hiei sat down but was still angry. "I bet it was Kurama wasn't it?"

"Uh..."

His gritted his teeth as his fists clenched in anger. "I'm going to.."

"I'M SORRY!"

He blinked, surprised at how loud she yelled. "..."

"I'm sorry!" she said again. "I shouldn't have said anything! I am a jerk! Forgive my stupidity!"

"You're..."

Sweatdrops poured down her head. "I... I'm soo soo sorry!" her face turned blue. "I meddled. Mom's always saying I should stop that but I can't help it!"

"Mi..."

She grabbed his arms. "Forgive me! Forgive me!" she pleaded, her eyes all gooey.

Hiei stared at her with tiny dots for eyes. Has this girl lost it!

He reached up and grabbed her arms. He forced her to let him got then held her away from him. "What's your problem?" he demanded.

"I...," she stammered. "I'm..."

He shook his head. "And why can't you ever finish a sentence?"

"I.. I don't know," she stuttered. "Maybe it's you..."

"ME?"!" he scoffed. "It's not my fault you can't talk right."

She shook her head.

There was a silence... that was suddenly interrupted by a cracking sound.

"What's that?" Minoly asked.

"How should I know..." then he saw the branch they were sitting on starting to crack. "OHMIGOD! Look what you're doing!" he screamed.

She looked at him cluelessly. "What?"

"You're big fat body is making the branch break!"

She was offended. "I'm not fat!" she yelled.

"Well, it's not..."

Before he could finish his sentence the branch snapped off the tree and plunged to the ground... with them still on it!

A/N

You notice something about Hiei in this chap? First he's like "She's as skinny as a rail" then he's like "Your fat body is making the branch break!". Heh, looks like he couldn't make up his mind. Anyway after this chapter things start picking up. I have a bad habit of dragging things so I have to add more of the baddy in here. Just be patient okay?

One more thing. Sorry for any spelling, grammer, of character personality errors. Remember. You're free to review but if you can't be polite about what you say it's better if you don't say anything at all.