Chapter 8

Ice Cream & Ear Grabbing

Kurama blinked.

There they all were... sitting there, just chatting away happily.

Why had he come here again? This felt weird. He should turn around before they see-

"Kurama?" Nanami suddenly waved to him, motioning for him to join them. He almost turned back, but figured it wasn't worth it by now and strutted over to sit in beside Mizuki.

"Hello~ remember me? You helped me out that one time when I was lost in the city!" The white-haired man smiled warmly, and Kurama only gave him a dull once-over with his eyes.

"Yeah, I remember." He said, turning his head to look across the table at Nanami. He smirked. "Aren't you going to introduce everyone to me?"

Nanami rolled her eyes at his attitude, and started pointing at everyone at the table. She first pointed to a pretty, tall girl with long orange hair. "That's Kei," The girl named Kei hardly looked up from the phone she was rapidly texting on. Next, Nanami pointed to who sat next to Kei, a shorter girl with pink curls for hair. Kurama recalled kissing her once, it was nothing really, he was just trying to distract her. She was kind of a cutie though, just not his type. (he liked long-haired brunettes, apparently, with big brown eyes...) "That's Ami," The smaller girl glanced at Kurama shortly, blushed, and sat back in her seat, leaning comfortably into the guy's arm that was settled around her shoulders.

Nanami pointed to said-guy next. "And her boyfriend, Shin." She smiled coyly as she pointed to the guy sitting beside her friend.

The boy waved, as Kurama glanced at him. He looked young, had short black hair, and big dark eyes, with long, girly eyelashes. He was cute, for a guy, I guess you could say. He matched up good with that Ami girl, they were like one of those perfect-for-each-other couples. Kurama simply nodded, and then his gaze switched to the guy beside himself once again.

"And you know Mizuki I guess." Nanami said, and Mizuki unexpectedly put his arm around Kurama.

"Yep!" The white-haired boy smiled, happy as a clam. Kurama was unsure if it was annoying yet or not, his happy-go-lucky attitude. He didn't move away, because he didn't really care enough to, but he wasn't exactly overjoyed about having another male's arm around him either.

"So, Nanami." Kurama looked past Mizuki at Nanami, who sat on the snake familiar's other side. "Thanks for inviting me." He flashed a beautiful smile, but inside he frowned when she looked unaffected by it.

"Sure thing." She gave him a small smile, then turned to look across the table at her friends. "Hey, now that everyone's here, should we all order?"

The guy... what's his name... Shin, nudged his girlfriend, who blushed as he poked her cheek and gave her a childish smile. "What do ya want, Ami?"

"Oh." The pinkette blushed more when he put his face near to hers. "Um..."

"Cherry ice cream, vanilla icecream, chocolate, mint, caramel, black sesame, green tea, sherbet..." The boy listed off the flavors on his fingers, stopping suddenly to press closer to the girl next to him. "Huh? Ami-chan, you look red. Are you too warm? You're not sick are you?" The naive boy lifted a hand to his girlfriend's forehead, pressing it there while his face was covered with concern.

Kurama's eyes switched to the girl on the other side of Ami, who had put her phone down momentarily to look over at the couple. She smirked. "She's not sick, you're just making her blush." Then her gaze traveled to Mizuki, and Kurama felt the familiar's arm tense up from where it was settled around his shoulders still. "Mizuki, what do you want?" She leaned forwards, invitingly smiling at the white-haired man. "Maybe we can share an ice cream cone. Personally, I like the caramel-flavored."

"Uhhh..." Mizuki blinked, cocking his head to one side. Kurama pulled the familiar's arm off of him finally, nudging him in the side.

"So what about it?" Kurama smirked as Mizuki's vibrant green eyes glanced up at him in uncertainty. "A pretty girl got up the courage to ask you, you should say yes."

Mizuki looked confused, and Kurama and Kei were smirking at the poor man. Nanami clapped her hands together, sensing the nervousness of her familiar.

"Okay everyone! Let's not waste anymore time deciding," She laughed nervously. "Uh, what does everyone want?"

Kei glanced at Mizuki with an evil sort of sparkle in her eyes, and pursed her lips, saying nothing. Uncertainly, Mizuki raised his hand.

"Um... we'll share a caramel one." He said, glancing over at Kei, who gave him a slight nod of approval, tossing her orange hair over her shoulder while she smirked at his naivety. She was obviously having too much fun with the poor guy- it was like a sly cat playing with a mouse.

Nanami gave a weird look to Kei, before turning to Ami and her boyfriend. "Do you guys want to share one too?" She asked politely, a small smile on her face.

Ami blushed again, but Shin was happy to nod his head. "Okay! Then we'll get what we always do-" He turned to Ami just to make sure. "Watermelon and peach mixed together, right?"

A shy smile was on the cute girl's face as she nodded her head in agreement. "Yes!" She squeaked suddenly as he put his arm around her again and laughed happily.

"You're so cute, Ami-chan!"

Nanami watched the couple with somewhat of a sad look in her eyes, before she got a hold of herself and smiled warmly again. Kurama was watching this all go down, and was suddenly startled when she turned her dark sepia eyes on him.

"And what about you Kurama?"

He blinked, realizing he didn't have an answer for her.

"What's good here?"

Nanami leaned forward slightly, mouth agape. "Everything! It's ice cream!" She said, as if that was a good answer, even though it wasn't for him.

Kurama looked at Mizuki, who had his hand pulled over the counter by Kei and was curiously watching with great interest in his green eyes as she traced his palm, talking about some sort of something, only to distract him while flirting with him, making subtle advances. He smirked- well, he couldn't turn to the snake for help, it would seem. His eyes again found Nanami's.

"Well," He leaned back in his chair, looking relaxed with the smirk still on his face. "What do you want, Nanami? I'll just share with you, since everyone else is- AHK!"

A flying foot came out of nowhere, kicking the tengu hard in the side of the head and sending him sprawling off the edge of his seat and onto the floor. Next thing Kurama knows, in his dazed state he stands up, only to see that Mizuki is now where he was just sitting, and their whole row was scooted over just to make room for a certain someone now sitting on the other side of Nanami.

"DAMN FOX!" Kurama growled, rubbing the side of his head and glaring at the other man, who was sitting beside Nanami with the most innocent, ignorant look on his face.

Nanami turned to Tomoe, shocked. "TOMOE! I thought you said you weren't coming?! And why did you kick Kurama off the bench?!"

The silver-haired man turned his head slightly in her direction, his eyes shiny with an innocent, childish look in them. "I simply changed my mind and wanted so spend time with my precious master. And I was only protecting you from a possible threat."

Kurama froze, looking absolutely abashed by the comment, while Nanami angrily pointed a finger at her first familiar. "Tomoe!" She whined angrily. "Apologize to him right now! I've told you before, you can't keep hurting him like that- or Mizuki, as long as we're on the topic."

Tomoe sniffled, acting hurt. "But I was only trying to protect you. Why should I have to apologize for that, when that's my job?"

Nanami bumped her head into the table in frustration.

"What's going on?" Kei asked, looking both amused and a tad suspicious.

The land god shot up like a bottle rocket, shaking her hands back and forth vigorously. "Nothing, nothing! They're just stupid boys being boys, you know."

Kei shrugged, and stood up from her seat. "Well, I think I'll go get my ice cream now." She batted her eyes at the snake familiar, putting on her dark charm again. "Mizuki?"

"Uhhh... okay!" The man gave her a friendly smile, before he stood from his seat and slowly followed her to the counter.

Shin suddenly grabbed Ami's arm, pulling her out of their booth enthusiastically. "Oooh, come on Ami-chan! Let's go get ours too!"

Ami giggled lightly with a blush as he pulled her with him across the shop and to the counter, laughing giddily all the way.

Meanwhile, Kurama was still frozen with a look of shock and offense on his perfect face, standing beside the booth he had been kicked out of and staring as Nanami glared at Tomoe.

"Tomoe, you weren't going to come in the first place, so you shouldn't just suddenly change your mind and try to kick Kurama out." She said in a stern tone, while he cut the innocent act and sighed, leaning back with his arms folded and his eyes closed.

"I have no reason to apologize." One amethyst eye slit open and stared right at the tengu. "Besides, a good kick to the head should do him some good. It may make his puny bird brain start to work properly." He smirked.

Kurama unfroze at this point, stepping up to the booth and placing both palms down on the table with a hard slam. "What's your deal, kitsune? Aren't you just jealous? Why can't you simply put it that way, eh?!"

Nanami looked between the two men, who were snarling and glaring and looked about ready to tear each other limb from limb. She sweat-dropped uneasily, putting a hand on Tomoe's arm and glancing up at Kurama.

"Come on guys, this is a public place... can't you act like gentleman for once?" She said carefully, sternly- though her face was shrouded in her nervousness.

Tomoe turned his head slightly, nose upturned and eyes narrowed at the crow.

Kurama's nails scratched into the table for one more second, before he pulled back with a heavy sigh, adjusting his bangs with a swift movement of his hand. He smoothly pulled his phone out of his pocket- flicking it open, studying the screen for a moment, and then answering.

"Hello?"

He could feel Nanami and the fox's eyes on him, and turned slightly to the side, still speaking into the phone casually.

"Yes, I'll be able to make it. I can be there in about fifteen minutes if I leave now."

He paused for a moment, and then gave a nod with his next words.

"Alright, see you then."

He snapped his phone shut, glancing at the curious Nanami and her haughty familiar. He gave a little smile, starting his act of putting on airs with a sweeping movement of his arm.

"Well, it would seem I'm needed elsewhere, so this all worked out for the better." He gave the fox a hard glance, before looking to Nanami with a handsome gaze. "Next time, only invite me if you're sure he won't come to ruin the fun."

Before anyone could speak, with a wink he was gone- swiftly stepping across the shop, past the counter where all of Nanami's friends talked cheerfully about frozen dairy treats, and out the door.

Once outside, Kurama sighed deeply, a troubled look on his face.

If he hadn't have faked a phone call like that, he would have probably been stuck in there for the rest of the evening with that rather uncomfortable group of people- only made all the more uncomfortable what with the fox having shown up like he did.

It was best to leave himself out of it.

He had only come for Nanami, anyway.

It was still very nice out, even though the day had steadily worn away and-

"Hiiiizuuuurruuuuu!"

-and the sun was hiding behind a few clouds that had popped up out of no where a few hours after-

"Hizuru-chan? Hiiizzzuuuuu-chaaaan!"

-after she had gone out for Taiyaki with Mamoru. As she walked, Hizuru looked up at the once-blue sky, noticing that more and more clouds were steadily gathering to block out this afternoon's source of heat and light. She really wished it wouldn't rain, and that the-

"HIZURU!"

-the sun would stay out for much lon-

"It's impolite to ignore your older sister, Ru-chan~" Now that Satomi had a firm hold of Hizuru's ear, and was dragging her along with her a bit more harshly down the sidewalk, the younger girl stopped her thinking about the day and winced in pain.

"Oi, lemme go- ouch!- Satomiii!" She glared up at her older sister angrily. "And don't call me Ru-chan!"

"Mou mou, Ru-chan." Satomi sighed, exasperated as she dragged her younger sibling along by the ear. "Don't be so fussy. When you were little I called you that all the time!"

"Yes, because when I was little it was fine!"

"Come on, you're still little though." Her sister teased, her curls of auburn hair bouncing along her shoulders as she walked with a purpose to get to their destination. "Such a kid, huh, my little Ru-chan?"

Hizuru glared at her sister, grumpy as can be at this comment. "I'm only three years younger than you, and I'm way more mature than you are..."

As they rounded the next corner, with Satomi giggling in a silly sort of way and Hizuru being forced to follow close behind her, a large frown on her face, they came to an abrupt stop when almost bumping into a tall figure.

"Sorry." The three of them all said at the same time, and, recognizing that male voice, Hizuru looked up, doe eyes wide as she was startled by the sight of him.

Meanwhile, her sister froze on the spot, stuttering uncontrollably.

Kurama looked just as startled to see Hizuru, as she looked to see him. He soon got over that though, as she could plainly see him starting to make a move on her sister.

"Oh, are you alright?" He asked in a tone that would have melted all the hearts of his fan girls. He leaned slightly closer to Satomi, invading her personal space on purpose.

He was abruptly stopped by a fuming Hizuru, who, without anything on hand to throw at him, had stepped between him and her sister and given him a shove.

"Just what the hell are you doing around here?" She asked, for the moment simply ignoring her statue-like sister behind her.

Kurama shrugged, placing his hands into his pockets. "What do you mean? I was simply taking a stroll with myself."

That sounds rather lonely... he worded that as if he was in need of company. Hizuru thought to herself, though her eyes landed on him with pure, glinting frustration, not concern. "Well, why would a famous singer like yourself be walking alone down the back streets of the city, huh?" Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You're not into any sort of risky business, are you?"

Kurama scoffed, as if offended. "If you want the truth so badly, just ask me. No I am not involved in any 'risky business'- don't you know how bad that would be for my image?" He gave her a cocky grin. "Even idols need a break from their raging fans, every so often. I was at the ice cream shop up the street and when I left, I decided to take a walk. But I didn't want to be bothered, so I came down this way."

Hizuru crossed her arms in front of her, eyeing him. She was trying to look suspicious still, but she couldn't help the light flush that entered her cheeks when she observed him this closely. He looked good, as always, and was as fashionable as ever. He was wearing a silky grey long-sleeved v-neck, with a red shirt that could be seen underneath it (always him and his damn layers of clothing!) the usual necklace pulled over the red of the undershirt, and other jewelry placed at his wrists. He also had a long scarf wrapped delicately around his creamy neck, and the dark purple fabric of it trailed behind him in the light breeze, fluttering this way and that as he stood there, looking right back at her.

She shook her head back and forth, trying to get her barrings. When next she looked up at him, he was smirking- as if he knew of the effect he had on her. She scowled, giving him a rather brutal stare.

"Well, whatever. We're going somewhere, obviously in the opposite direction you're going, so-" She reached back and grabbed her sister's hand, ready to drag her away. Meeting his eyes one last time, she lowered her voice slightly so Satomi wouldn't hear. "I guess... I'll see you tomorrow."

Kurama had a very smug look on his face, as he watched Hizuru try to walk away with her stone of her sister weighing her down. He inhaled sharply in surprise when he found that his hand was being grabbed though, and looked down to see said-older-sister grabbing his hand and unfreezing, looking at him with stars in her eyes.

"Why don't you come with us?!" She proposed eagerly, ignoring the way Hizuru's mouth dropped open, nearly reaching the ground.

Kurama quickly regained his cool, smiling charmingly. "I might tag along if it interests me. Where are you going?"

"NO WHERE!"

"Shopping~"

The twin replies of the two sisters met his ears, and Kurama made sure to look at Hizuru long and hard as he thought this over. Because he knew that would annoy her greatly.

Well, every time he saw her, he was highly offended by what she wore, especially when she wore it in front of the great him. Like right now- he stared at her and his eyes felt sore, seeing how she was donning an old blue t-shirt, and ripped khakis. He had to do something about it, so this was the perfect opportunity!

His eyes switched to her older sister. "What kind of shopping are you doing? Clothes shopping?"

Satomi looked ready to faint, seeing as he was probably going to agree to come with them. In a quiet voice, she whispered, "Y-yeah."

Kurama's coal eyes seemed to spark with a wicked light in them as they again landed on Hizuru. He smiled at her, an evil grin that meant she was certainly not going to enjoy this little shopping spree. "I have nothing else to do right now, so why not?"

And so, in the end, he tagged along with them; flirting and flaunting his charms while he walked along-side Satomi, who kept a tight hold on Hizuru's ear in case she tried to escape.

That damn crow, the angry brunette thought viciously, glaring daggers at Kurama's back. is getting a good plucking the next time we're alone...

A/N: Whoa, so, I haven't updated in like *holds up all my fingers* this many days... or, you know, maybe it's been longer than that... who's really counting, right? Hehe... heh... ha... ah. Yeah.

Sorry I haven't been steadily updating. I've been busy and such. Also, I thought over scrapping this story, but looked at the reviews again and decided I wouldn't do that to you guys. ^_^ Aren't I kind? *crickets chirping* ...right.

Anywho, I find the idea of the next chapter to be very amusing, so prepare yourselves for that. Also, I know I don't really act like it but- I love you! :D And I do feel bad for the late update. I do, seriously. So please forgive me, for I am ashamed. *hangs head in shame*

Psst, if you review, Mamoru will take off his hat for you and let you scratch his puppy ears... (they're very soft ;)

For some reason though, Kurama's wings have been very sensitive lately, so alas, you cannot touch his feathers. (which are, by the way, also very soft and incredibly silky... wow, no wonder Hizuru has a feather fetish...)

So yes, cya next time~ Which, don't fret, should be very soon.

CK :*