Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters...just the randomness of this plot. Curse you wild imagination XD

Kuronue had spent a week in his room after the party. Kara thought it had something to do with her acceptance of the date with Jesse, but Kurama knew what was really going on.

Back in high school, Kuronue's father would send people to "look after" Kuronue to make sure he wasn't doing anything "wrong." To make sure his father didn't gather any idea of who his friends were, he would avoid everyone, even in class. It would usually last two weeks until the men got bored and went back to say they had nothing to report.

Kurama was going to explain Kuronue's actions to Kara; but every time he was alone with her, Jen would show up and stop him. She didn't know exactly why Kuronue was hiding away, but her idea was that Kara would go try to talk to him at some point.

After that one week, the weekend finally came and Jen decided to go home. Kurama did like her and he respected her, but he could not go along with her plan anymore. While she was gone, yes, he would meddle, but only to fix the problems between Kuronue and Kara.

"Hey, Kurama," Kara said when he walked into the mini kitchen. "Is Kuronue planning on joining us tonight?" She didn't look up from what she was cooking.

Kurama shook his head. Kara had asked him the same question every day. "No, Kara. He won't be joining us."

Kurama noticed her frown. "He's been locked in his room all week. Why?"

"How much do you know about his father?" Kurama asked.

Kara stopped stirring the soup she was making and looked up. "I know that he's involved in organized crime and that Kuronue has suffered because of it, but he hasn't told me any more than that."

"Well," Kurama started, "every couple of months, his father sends some 'bodyguards' to watch him and make sure he's not doing anything wrong, which he never does; however, Kuronue doesn't want his father to know of his friends. He stays away from all of us until the 'bodyguards' get tired of watching him and report back."

"Why doesn't he want his father to know who he's friends with?" Kara asked.

"Because if Kuronue does do something his father doesn't like, he'd probably threaten his friends. I for one have never him myself. Kuronue has never told him about me or anyone else."

"That's ridiculous," Kara stated. "I'm just going to bring him something to eat. It doesn't matter to me if his father knows I'm his friend or not."

"Just stay here," Kurama pleaded. "Kuronue won't be happy about that."

"Why? He shouldn't be afraid of his own father. I mean, what the hell?"

"He's not afraid of his father," Kurama retorted. "He's afraid of what his father will do to the people he cares about."

"But why?" Kara asked. "What did his father do that made Kuronue think that he should keep us hidden?"

"Honestly, I don't know. Kuronue was told he could never talk about it."

"By who?"

"Again, I don't know. Just stay away for one more week. That's usually how long it takes. Kuronue is a big boy and can take care of himself."

"Okay," Kara muttered. However, she was not going to just stay away.

It was ten o'clock at night when Kuronue came out of his room. Kara was usually in bed by this time so he wouldn't chance running into her; and he knew Kurama would stay away.

He went to go cook himself dinner; but when he opened the fridge to see what was there, he saw a plate of food with a note from Kara.

Kuronue,

Kurama told me what's going on and just because you're avoiding us, doesn't mean you shouldn't get food, so here you go. I'll see you soon.

Kara

Kuronue would have been angry at Kurama for saying anything, but it was better he tell her. Kuronue didn't want to have the conversation with another friend, especially one he cared for as more than a friend.

"I knew you'd come in here eventually," Kara said walking into the kitchen.

"K-Kara," Kuronue gasped in shock.

"I'm just getting a snack," she said as she grabbed a pudding cup. She was dragging this out as long as she could despite his nervousness. "I did have a question about the chem lab, though. Can you help me?"

"Um, sure?" Kuronue was confused. They had already done the chemistry lab during class and she was the one who explained it to him.

Kara took out a notebook with stuff written down on it.

"So what was the acetone used as again?" she asked while pointing to a note that said "are you okay?"

Kuronue smiled at the gesture. "The dissolving reagent," he said as he wrote down "yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm seriously never going to get this," she lied. "I don't want to be the annoying lab partner or anything, but do you think you could tutor me some time after class?"

"I guess so," he replied. "But only on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

"That's fine with me," Kara stated. "Okay, well tomorrow is Monday, so I guess I'll see you the day after."

He gave her a half-smile. "I guess so."

"Well, goodnight," Kara said as two guys entered the kitchen. Kara didn't notice Kuronue glare at them.

"So, Kuro," one of the guys said, "who was that?"

"Chem lab partner," he replied. "If you did your job right, you would know that."

"So why did she ask for you to tutor her?" the other guy asked teasingly.

"Because I've always been good at chemistry," Kuronue responded. "Seriously, you two need to start doing your job."

"Shut up!" the both snapped.

"Anyway, that better be all this is," the first guy said again. "You know how your father gets. You wouldn't want some random, innocent girl to get hurt, now would you?"

Kuronue looked down. "No, sir. She's just a classmate."

"Fine," he replied. "Anyway, you seem to be doing fine, so the two of us are going to return home. Watching you gets so boring. You never go anywhere."

Kuronue glared at them. "Where would I go? I'm here to study."

"Well, we'll see you again next semester. You've passed this one."

"Oh joy," Kuronue muttered.

The men laughed as they left the kitchen. Kuronue just stared at the food Kara had prepared for him.

"So those are the guys your father sends?" Kurama asked standing in the doorway. "They look like drug dealers."

Kuronue frowned. "What is it with everyone sneaking up on me when I come to eat?"

"Sorry," Kurama muttered. "What Kara did was pretty bold, I must say. I told her to stay away from you for another week."

"Yeah, why did you?" Kuronue asked accusingly.

Kurama stared at his best friend. "She was blaming herself for this. What would you have me say?"

Kuronue gasped. "She was blaming herself? Why?"

"Because she thought that here accepting that date made you angry with her and that you were avoiding her," Kurama explained. "The timing was bad."

Kuronue scoffed. "Tell me about it. At least he gave me warning. He at least does that."

"I overheard the conversation," Kurama stated.

"So?"

"So, what are you going to do about Kara?"

"What are you talking about?" Kuronue asked, pretending not to know what he meant.

"Is that why you haven't told her how you feel?" Kurama pressed.

Kuronue sighed. "Yes. I want to; I really do want to…but I can't. Not until I get away from that man completely."

"When will that happened?"

"Wouldn't I like to know?" Kuronue bitterly joked. "Maybe when I apply to graduate school because he won't be receiving the acceptance letters anymore like he did for the colleges."

"Oh," Kurama said flatly. "So then what are you going to do about Kara until then?"

"Let her live her life…what else is there to do?"

Kara's heart broke when she heard him say that. He liked her and he didn't want to tell her because he was afraid for her. She fought the tears that were about to fall and quickly ran back to her room. At least those creeps were gone for the time being. There was only one more thing for Kara to take care of.

A/N: Yay, drama! Anyway, I wanted to get another chapter out before tomorrow. I wanted to update at least ONE of my stories before classes start. I still can't believe I have to get up at 8 AM for a physics class right after the day I experience my first earthquake...yeah, all up the east coast and I swear I thought I was going crazy. Anyway, even though it's still early, I have nothing better to do so I guess I'm going to sleep so I don't oversleep. Goodnight everybody :)