Thank you all for the reviews!!! :) Thanks to you, KYS,K has gone so far!!! -tears-

Kurama's Younger Sister, Kurumi

Chapter 23: Hot Springs

Kurama stood stiff, but managed to shake his head. Botan hopped in and start giggling, "This is so much fun! Ku-" She stood and stared at Kurama, who's cheeks were scarlet red.

"Why are you just standing there? C'mon, Kurumi!" She said and found a spot to sit, "Don't worry, I'm not planning to take off my towel."

Kurama gulped and took a daring step into the warm water. It was so soothing, he couldn't wait to jump in and relax, but with Botan around...

"C'mon!" Botan said happily, then they both heard Yusuke on the other side of the bamboo wall scream something.

"Hmm?" Kurama quickly got into the water and stared at the wall.

"And just what do you think you're doing, Tashi!?"

"Keep your voice down, I was just making sure of something!"

"Like, if you really knew how chicks looked naked!?"

"I wouldn't!"

"You were!"

"I told you-"

"And you, Yusuke, are trying to get a peek while you're stopping him." Hiei's voice pointed out.

"Ahhh!" Botan screamed, understanding what Yusuke and Tashi were doing and got up to the wall-and there Tashi was, almost high enough to peek over. She smacked them both across the face and started to lecture, "How dare you peek on girls like that! It's so rude! We're trying to relax and enjoy ourselves and here you are pulling off perverted stunts! Cut it out! Ugghh!!! Men are so stupid!"

Kurama and Hiei both wondered if she considered either one of them before saying men were so stupid, or if Tashi and Yusuke were the only two on her mind.

Probably. Kurama thought and leaned against a rock.

Botan hopped back over and joined Kurama, "Ooo! The nerve of those guys! Isn't it annoying?"

Kurama nodded, not wanting to make eye contact, all he had to do: nod. He could hear Botan sigh with relief and felt her energy relax.

Hiei could only pity Yusuke and Tashi for their foolishness, and feel terribly sorry for the girls. Say goodbye to relaxing, these morons will never give up... He sat quietly and watched Yusuke and Tashi try to form an agreement on peeking over the wall.

Stupid fools... Yusuke was wearing a greed smile and dangerous sparkles in his eyes, and Tashi looked like a 'newbie perv' with a tight frown and determination in his eyes.

Oh my gosh... I'm going to run out of words for them... I've used fool twenty-five times or more, moron about ten times today... Oh well... Guess it'll have to be this way...

"They're trying to look over again." Hiei's voice said, and Botan jumped up, fury spread like fire in her veins. She hopped onto the wall and punched both, Yusuke and Tashi, in the jaw.

"What did I tell you!? No peeping!"

The hot springs didn't turn out quite as relaxing as they should have, and Kurama noticed more and more that Tashi was acting strange. First, he kept trying to peek over the wall, then he forgot his manners back some where and cut in front of Kurama twice and cut into Kurama's speeches twice and never bothered to say thanks or please or anything! Which was strange for Tashi because he usually had did.

Maybe he found out! No, then he would have taken action! Or, it's all a game to him and he was just waiting until we're all relaxed! Maybe he's known all along! Maybe right now-he's-he- Kurama sighed ad shook his head, "I'm going inside real quick. I'll be right back."

"Hurry up, or we'll play Rich Man Poor Man without ya! Haha!" Yusuke called back.

He slipped into the room he had to share with Botan, but suddenly was knocked onto the bed, big hands around his wrists, and then Tashi's nose pressed against his own.

Tashi said something, but all Kurama could hear was his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

TBC Tsuzuku