A/N: Once again, thank you to everyone who reviewed. Sooo what will happen in this chapter? Hmm...I wonder...


As the days went on, the slow dancing incident at the Sigma Omicron Psi frat party began to become just a distant memory. For a moment there, I was beginning to wonder if I was as over Naraku as I thought that I was. I finally concluded that I just had a temporary loss of sanity and tricked myself into believing that I still had a thing for my best friend. That sneaky, sneaky Bankotsu and his arsenal of Silk songs. It was no secret that Bankotsu had always wanted Naraku and I to be together and he almost had me to believe that that was going to happen. Next time, I vow to be more careful not to fall prey to his plots. I had a good, wonderful, hard working man in Sesshoumaru and I wasn't going to let him go. No, not in this lifetime.

It was a chilly Saturday in early October and Naraku and I were sitting at a table in Yokai University's main library working hard to finish our fighting project in Taisho-Sensei's class. It was our last day to work on it for it would be due on Monday and I had to work on Sunday. Naraku and I had pretty much done everything that we needed to do. We had written the oral report, the essay, and learned about each other's skills and abilities. The only thing that we had left to do was find a way to combine our abilities to make one major attack.

"...Well, we can't use my miasma as part of the attack, because it's poison," Naraku said as he looked through his text book of combat techinques as I finished typing our essay. "And we can't use your poisonous claws in anything either."

"We could try combining my shooting claws attack with your tentacles," I suggested.

"Nah. That wouldn't do much damage to the opponent. We want something strong enough to knock the opponent out, but nothing fatal."

"Uhhh...let's see, well, I learned a paralysis spell in Spell Casting class. It's not very good, but it can stop the opponent for a few seconds." He looked up from his text book and stared into the space in front of him.

"You know, I think you might have something there."

"I do?"

"Yeah. If you paralyze the opponent for a few moments, I can use my levating to lift them off of the ground. The opponent won't be able to move at all and won't be able to defend himself, which leaves him a sitting duck. Then you can deliver the final blow and hit him with your Shooting Claws attack. That should be enough to knock someone out." I stopped typing on my laptop and looked up for a few moments in deep thought.

"That just might work, but we should try it out before we finalize it."

"Yeah, we should."

"Mmm and I know just who to try it out on."

"Who?" I picked up my cell phone beside the laptop and dialed our guniea pig's number. It rang three times before he answered.

"Hello?"

"Baaaankoootsuuuuu."

"...oh God. W-what is it?"

"Naraku and I need to ask you a favor."

"I shudder to think. Go ahead."

"We wanted to try out our attack for Taisho-Sensei's class on you and Banryu."

"Why me?"

"Because I love you."

"...you're creeping me out, Naima. Will this shit kill me?"

"Of course not. That's against the rules anyways. So will you help us? Please?" He sighed.

"...I guess so."

"Coolness. Meet us at Grant Park. We're leaving right now. Oh and bring Jakotsu with you too. You might need him."

"Alright. Bye."

"Bye bye."

"So what did he say?" Naraku asked when I hung up the phone.

"He's going to meet us at Grant Park, so let's get going."


We had about a five minute wait before we saw Bankotsu's black Explorer pull up in the park's parking lot. Both he and Jakotsu hopped out with confused looks on their faces. "Now you promise me that this won't kill me, right?" Bankotsu suspiciously asked as he walked over in front of us with Banryu.

"We promise," I assured, "although you might get knocked out, so I apologize for that ahead of time."

"We'll make it up to you man," Naraku told him with a smile. Bankotsu gave us both another suspicious look before lifting Banryu up into a defensive stance.

"Ready?" I asked

"Yeah."

"Okay, now come at us full throtle." Bankotsu obeyed as he charged at us with Banryu. I immediately closed my eyes and recited the Japanese chanting spell of paralysis. All of a sudden, I didn't hear Bankotsu's movements anymore. I slowly opened my eyes to see that he was indeed paralyzed and Naraku had already gotten him lifted off of the ground. It was now time to do the shooting claws attack. I lifted my hands up, palms facing the earth and black balls of demonic energy flew from my claws and to Bankotsu. "Sorry about this 'B'!" I cried out as the attack hit him. Our combined attack had worked, for Bankotsu was now hovering above the earth, knocked out. Naraku gently lowered him back down in the grass and we all walked over to our helpful friend.

"He's going to kill you two when he wakes up," Jakotsu said with a snicker.

"That's okay," I said with a smile. I leaned over and kissed Bankotsu on the forehead. "Thank you," I said in his ear.

"Well, I guess I better get him home," Jakotsu said. He and Naraku bent down and lifted him up and placed him in the back seat of his car. "See you guys later," Jakotsu told us right before driving off.

"I smell both an A and an ass kicking," Naraku said as we watched the black SUV speed off.

"Definitely," I replied with a smile.


After we had determined that our project grade was secure, Naraku and I decided to spend the rest of the time that day just hanging out together. We walked through Grant Park talking about nothing, anything, and everything. As I spent more and more time with him, I kept revisiting that night at the party over and over in my head. Why did I feel so safe being in his arms that night? Why didn't I care that I was a little too close to him than I should have been? All of these questions were going on through my head. Many questions, few answers.

"So tell me Naraku, how are you able to create such strong barriers?" I randomly asked as we continued to walk through the park. He turned to me and smiled.

"It's really easy once you get the hang of it. You just focus all of your demonic energy around you and maintain focus of it and you have a barrier."

"It's that simple?"

"Mmm...for the most part."

"Okay let me try." I stopped walking and closed my eyes and did exactly what he said. I focused all of my demonic energy around me. After about a minute or so I opened my eyes to see a green barrier around me. I dropped my jaw in shock. "I did it!" I squealed.

"Not so fast," Naraku said with a slight smirk. He lifted his hand and poked at my barrier with his index finger. And just like that, the barrier completely shattered. I narrowed my eyes at him which caused him to roar in laughter.

"Damn you," I said.

"What was that Naima? That was so pathetic."

"Okay, okay, so I'm not one for making barriers."

"That's for sure."

"Oh shut up," I said giving him a playful push. He playfully pushed me back. I pushed him again.

"Naima," he softly said.

"Yes."

"Do you realize where we are?"

"Hmm?" I stopped walking and looked at my surroundings. My eyes widened when it registered in my brain where we were. We had made it out of Grant Park and were now standing in front of the elementary school where Naraku and I went to. P.S. 145. A big smile formed at my lips. "Oh my goodness!" I squealed, "I haven't been over here in years. It looks exactly the same too." Naraku and I crossed the street and walked up to the school.

"Wow, we are really old," Naraku said as he looked at the pictures of Jack-o-lanterns that were hanging in the windows that the little kids had drawn. "I can remember when we used to do things like this."

"Seriously though. You know what? I wonder if the playground is still the same." Without waiting for a response from Naraku, I grabbed his hand and drug him behind the school where the playground used to be when we were students. Sure enough, it was still there. I turned to Naraku with bright eyes. "Come on. Let's go." He looked at me like I was completely insane.

"Naima, do you realize how old we are?"

"Awww don't be such a drag. C'mon Naraku...or I won't be your friend anymore." He smiled as he remembered how I used to tell him that in order to get my way. He sighed.

"...Alright."

"Race you!" I cried as I took off running towards the swings. He ran after me and ended up beating me to the swing set. He was that fast.

"You know Naima, you are something else," he said as he started to swing with me, "only you could talk me into doing something like this." I laughed in reply.

"Well you might be an adult, but I'll never grow up," I said with a smile. He smiled back. "Do you remember when we used to try everyday at recess to swing over the top?" He laughed again.

"Yeah and how we would used to jump off to see who could land the furthest."

"Oh yeah and one day you jumped too far and ended up knocking Kikyo into the mud." He laughed harder

"Yeah and she got mad and didn't speak to me for the rest of the week until I bought her one of those massive jawbreakers." I laughed too.

"Umm...do you remember in third grade when we watched Charolette's web and I cried because I thought that that was what happened to your mom?" He roared in laughter.

"Ohhh yeah, I remember that...and how you used to always hate to be 'It' whenever we played Tag."

"Hey, at least I didn't use to cheat at Simon Says."

"How about that time you and Koga got into a fight because he called your favorite Barbie doll ugly."

"Ohhhh no, you're not getting off that easily. What about when you broke your arm doing flips on the big slide because you wanted to be like Superman."

"I got you on this one. You remeber that time when we had that boating field trip and you threw up on the teacher."

"That's cold Naraku. How are you going to bring that up?" He laughed in reply. "Okay, I got your number mister. You remember when Kagura dared you to lick the flagpole one day in December and you were stuck there for an hour." Naraku's face twisted into an expression of horror.

"Okay. Okay you win. Touche," he said as he jumped off of the swing. I laughed as I jumped off the swing too. As soon as I landed on the ground, my attention was caught by a sandbox that was at the corner of the playground. I instantly ran over to it and Naraku reluctantly followed.

"I remember when we used to play in here all the time," I said as I began to construct a small sand castle, "in fact this is where we first met. Do you remember that?"

"I'll never forget that day," Naraku said as he helped me with my construction.

"You know, I've always wondered what you thought when you saw me threaten those kids that day." He chuckled softly.

"Honestly, my initial reaction was that you were really scary." I laughed as I stared at him with wide eyes.

"Are you serious?!"

"Mmmhmm."

"Well, I'll tell you what I thought when I first met you."

"Oh yeah? What?"

"I thought to myself that this boy is really sweet and really kind and his eyes are the same color as my favorite Skittles." He gave me a crazy look.

"You're lying. Skittles?"

"Yep. Skittles." He chuckled.

"You know, you always were a little off."

"I know, but that's what makes me so special."


Naraku's POV

As I sat there playing with her in the sandbox, which was ironically where we first met some thirteen years ago, I began to feel something deep within me. All of these good times Naima and I shared. All of these memories. It was bittersweet reminscing with her. All the happiness, joy, anger, sadness, fun, love that she made me feel throughout the years was now just a memory. For now, she gives those emotions to another man. I couldn't take my eyes off of this gorgeous, young woman that was in front of me right now. Her long silky black curls, that framed her face beautifully. Two lovely hazel eyes that could hypnotize a guy with the fire that they held. And her curves were so dangerous, they could make a man wreck his car. Oh and that brown skin the color of caramel that made me want to just taste her to see if she was just as sweet. Her full lips so lucious and kissable. I wanted Naima so badly. I needed her so badly. Not just because of her looks, but because of her soul as well.

"Naraku?"

This woman brought so much joy into my life. She befriended me when no one would and she stuck by me throughout the years. Even when I broke her heart by leaving those five years ago, she never stopped calling me her best friend.

"Naraku?"

Then I remembered what Bankotsu had told me about two weeks prior. He was right. I wasn't ever going to find another woman like Naima. Never ever.

"Naraku? Are you okay?"

She was the right girl for me. I used to love her. I still loved her. Right then, I didn't care that she already had a boyfriend. I just had to...to...


Naima's POV

Before I knew what hit me, Naraku had leaned over the sandcastle that we had made and planted a tender yet passionate kiss on my lips. My eyes instantly widened for I surely didn't see this coming. 'Oh no! What do I do?' I frantically thought as my best friend kissed me. 'Give in? Do I give in or fight?' No, what was I saying?! I couldn't give in. I already had a boyfriend. I loved Sesshoumaru, what was I thinking? Yet...at that moment, fighting didn't seem like the natural thing to do. No, the natural thing was to kiss him too. Did I actually want to kiss him back? Naraku's kiss was so sweet and filled with loving passion. My lips didn't want to tear away from him. So I just, gave in and kissed my past right there in the place where we first met. I closed my eyes and relaxed into the kiss, almost not registering when Naraku had pulled me closer to him. This felt so good. The kiss, the heat from his body. It sent tingles all throughout me. But that nostalgic feeling didn't last long for reality and reason managed to overpower it. I quickly withdrew from Naraku before the kiss completely took me over. I stared into his questioning and pleading red eyes. I knew that shame, guilt and confusion were written all over my face. "Naima..." he softly spoke.

"I...I...got to go," I stammered as I jumped up and started to take off running into the distance. I had enough money for a cab so I would find a taxi to take me back to the campus. I could hear Naraku call for me, but I refused to stop. That kiss had done something to me. Something that I was not ready to admit or face. I wasn't completely over Naraku. Whether or not I was still in love with him, I didn't know, but I did know that I still had some feelings of attraction for him. I felt so confused and I just had to get away from the spider demon for the time being. I just had to get away.


A/N: Awww, she ran. That really has to make a guy feel bad, lol