Another uneventful day had passed by, the bell of the school chimed loudly in every hall, letting everyone know that the lessons were over while and remind a certain Urameshi boy that more time from his life had been wasted for nothing, building more frustration within his mind but he kept it in, so he won't make Keiko or Kuwabara have the smallest hint of concern within them about him. With a loud groan he threw his head back before taking his legs off of his desk, pick up his schoolbag, and leave the classroom with some curses and nonsenses that he began to grumble under his breath quietly.
Though, just as he set one step outside the door frame-.
"URAMESHI!!!" A gruff voice, all too familiar to the mentioned teen, made him froze in the spot in annoyance and reflex, giving his friend the perfect opportunity to trap him in a headlock, suffocating Yusuke for sure. "There you are, you Stupid Punk! Now you better have my notes with you, or else I will make your face turn as blue as my shirt!" As he demanded that, he was drilling one fist into the Urameshi boy's skull, which hurt him in a way, and he was not pleased by the feeling at all.
"Leave me alone, asshole!" Yusuke retorted furiously before the two got into another aggressive catfight where they either threw punches at each other in the gut, bruise their faces, pull some hair, and every petty thing they could have think of. However, it soon came to a halt when a feminine voice called out to them.
"Guys, enough already!" Keiko shouted at them, making the boys freeze in their position, which ended up making them fall on their butts, hard.
"Jeez, you and your naggings Keiko!" The Urameshi boy whined irritatedly as he rubbed his side while Kuwabara got onto his feet and stretched his back before straightening his clothing.
"Oh, stop with your whining and let's go!" The brunette girl told them sternly before starting to walk ahead.
"Go where?" Kazuma questioned, clearly confused like Yusuke who got back onto his feet.
"To Genkai and Yara of course." Keiko replied to him as she waved her black school-bag that seems to be heavy with homework and books. "I need to drop some homework assignment for Miyuki." She explained pointedly and of course it made the Urameshi boy go a little stiff for a second before letting out a small cough.
"Well, you guys can go ahead and have your fun-!" Yusuke was ready to just leave that as it is, but just as he was about to finish his sentence, someone hit him in the back of his head, hard which left a big lump on the top. "Hey, what the hell did you do that for, Jackass?!?" He demanded as he turned to look at the angry orange-haired teen who looked really pissed at Yusuke who was nursing his head.
"What do you mean 'you guys can go ahead', you Big jerk?!" Kuwabara exclaimed, clearly infuriated by his friend's attitude and the answer he was giving. "Your sister must be going through some tough times while you just sit on your butt all day or skip school every now or so, going somewhere and do who knows what! Have you forgotten your duties as a big brother?!"
"Of course, I haven't, but I don't think she is in the mood to talk-!" The Urameshi boy was about to retort in his own defence, but his words were cut short by Kazuma's loud mouth that doesn't stopped moving at all.
"Lame excuse!" The orange-haired teen snapped back as he gave a furious look to his so-called best friend. "You're just scared of facing her because if you do that, that will make you realize how much of a lazy ass brother figure you are!" As he stated it, he pointed an accusing finger right onto the Urameshi boy's nose.
"Am not!" Yusuke shouted back at Kuwabara before slapping away his friend's finger that is jabbing his nose. "And as a matter of fact, I do visit her from time to time-."
"Asking Ruby about her is not the same thing." Keiko cut in with her point in the background which just painted her friend's image in the wrong way of course.
"You're not helping me here Keiko!" The Urameshi boy growled at the brunette girl who just scoffed at his angry face with a mental eyeroll.
"See?! Even Keiko can tell you're being a crappy brother right now!" Kuwabara commented, which set Yusuke off for sure.
"ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT! COME HERE, YOU UGLY CARROT HEAD!!!" The Urameshi boy cried out and within a second him and Kazuma got into another meaningless brawl, leaving the poor brunette girl sweatdrop and sigh miserably at her friends' immature behaviour.
"Why do I even bother. . . ?" Keiko asked herself tiredly in a sigh before turning on her heels and leave to the train station to do her usual delivery without the big brother's company. Again. And that disappointed the girl very much as she was walking out of the hall and leave the two boys horse playing.
Keiko had heard, and seen Miyuki's struggles, and had been trying to somehow get Yusuke involved somehow, thinking that maybe he can talk things out with her, anything that could help her troubled mind, but the looks of it, Yusuke was dealing with his own issues as well, and as he mentioned it, he doesn't want to give more to his sister's plate, because she already has enough problem on it.
Time eventually passed and the bell chimed at Meiou High as well. Everyone began to leave the classroom, including the famous redhead who came out last from the classroom. On his way out though, he bumped into Kaito and have a civil chat with him until they both parted at the outside area of the school gate.
In the past days or so, the two males who were once rivals, they began to get along pretty well. The rivalry and competing spirit was still in Kaito, but it had been toned down and is keeping things civil with his classmate, who wished no ill will, nor held grudges.
"See you tomorrow, Shuichi!" The teen with curly black hair and sunglasses dibbed his goodbye while Kurama nodded his head in acknowledgement and waved a hand a little before walking toward the opposite direction and follow his good old daily routine.
However, after walking for a good few minute on his usual path, and turn at the next corner, he noticed his friend, Yusuke, staring up at a tree and looking rather troubled by something that must be bugging his mind.
Getting a little concerned by that solemn expression on him, he walked up to the Urameshi boy and greeted him in his usual friendly manner.
"Hello Yusuke!" Kurama called out which did eventually ripped Yusuke out of his train of thoughts and turn to the redhead.
"O-oh, hey Kurama! What's up?" Yusuke stammered at the beginning, feeling startled by the sudden presence of the redhead, but in the end of his sentence he jumped back to his regular carefree behaviour again like there was nothing wrong at all. The redhead knew that kind of behaviour really well since he had seen it many times before from his childhood best friend who would always put others before her.
"I'm alright." Replied Kurama with a small smile. "But I can ask the same from you." After those words left him, the Urameshi boy's grin dropped and now he was frowning a little while his gaze turned back to the tree. "Is something troubling you, Yusuke?" He couldn't help but ask it straight forward only to earn a small groan from the Urameshi boy.
"Well, nothing much, really. . ." Replied the other teen with a lazy tone before sighing a little. "Though when I walked past this tree, I remembered about how I found Hiei there and gave the Chapter Black Tape. Nowadays, I haven't seen him or felt him anywhere. Do you have any idea where Mr. Hothead is?"
"Not really." Replied the Fox-Demon with a weak shake of his head. "To be quite frank here, I haven't seen him either. He must be somewhere far away where we can't find or bother him."
"Huh, I see. . ." Yusuke replied with a sad sigh before taking another long look at the tree and he couldn't help but think about his sister again, and about that small exchange he and Hiei had weeks ago.
Seeing that facial expression again Shuichi placed a hand onto his friend's shoulder who looked at him questioningly.
"Walk with me Yusuke." Kurama asked him with a gentle tone. The offer surprised Yusuke, but instead of saying anything, he just nodded his head and took his friend's offer since one: he had nothing better to do, and two: he for once really needed someone to talk to. Someone who can maybe somewhat get the situation he is in at the moment.
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"Hiei really said that?" I questioned in a bit of surprise in my voice after Yusuke had told me about the conversation with Hiei.
"Yeah. . ." Yusuke breathed out as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "That got me at times thinking. However, I wonder if I said something that offended him. I mean, if we wanted to, we could have a serious match but then he replied with ' As if I can get into a serious fight against you'. I honestly don't know. . . " After his explanation I couldn't help but silently chuckle to myself, feeling quite amused by the reaction that demon had performed. That's Hiei's pride alright. "What?" My friend asked. "What's so funny Kurama?" When he asked the second question Yusuke almost look like a pouting child, amusing me further.
"Sorry." I apologized with an innocent voice after I had calmed down a little. "It's just that. . . You're the one who wouldn't be able to fight in a serious matter Yusuke." I explained it to him, which of course confused the teen even more before his eyes began to glare at me. The same glare that he had sent me when I agreed with Koenma's statement and reasons to why he had chosen Yusuke and Miyuki as Spirit Detective's. Guess he finally realized what I meant by the topic and what Hiei's reply was actually about. Or he is just tired of the mystery and can't think of anything.
"Huh? What is that supposed to mean Foxy?" Yusuke once more asked, clearly annoyed. So the latter guess was true in this situation.
"I mean, if we look at things now, you and your sister inherited your demon powers from an S Class apparition which is the highest rank amongst the demons' community. " I reminded him while trying to explain the situation as best as I could for him to understand it. "As for Hiei and I, we had just reached the level of an A Class apparition. So even if both him and I are at our best, still we could never match up to your energy level. So, in my calculations, if we would have a match with you alone Yusuke, you would have to hold back for us to have a normal fight." At that I closed my eyes for a second and let out a small hum." And I guess Hiei had figured that out too, but knowing him he and his pride would rather die than admit anything of that sort to anyone."
"Yeah, that's Hiei alright." My friend agreed as he threw his arms behind his head and crossed them.
"Though, I can't help but agree with his words in some extent." At my comment, Yusuke turned to me, looking puzzled at my words. "From experience there are sometimes that we demons would try to find our own troubles just for some challenge and the thrill of it. It's in our nature. So, what if you can't bear to not fight any longer?" At that I see my friend think deeply for a second before turning to me.
"Well, in that case, maybe I would ask Miyu for a small match." Yusuke replied with a small grin on his face. "But since you mentioned how big our demon energies are, that would probably get us into trouble here and maybe cause the end of the world or some crap. Hey, maybe we can just go back to Demon World and do the fight there. Who knows, maybe we might create our own tournament there." He jokingly added before letting out a small laugh.
However, as he was talking about this idea of his, I couldn't help but remember about our last encounter we had with Sensui and his teammate and admirer, Itsuki.
'Your Spirit World will have to create another enemy so you can keep on fighting as that is after all what you do. ' Those last words of his echoed through my mind, and it got me thinking a little about my own nature and identity at this point. . . I mean, I am back here in the Human World where most people know me as Shuichi Minamino. . . With the people that I care about and cherish the most. . .
However, after our last case from Spirit World, things had begun to take an interesting turn. But during the events of it all, my demon nature, Yoko would make his appearance known most of the time without me knowing, but leave me with warnings about that. . . .
Something that couldn't be just brushed under the rug like nothing.
And even now that the nightmare had ended, it sadly hadn't finished for us completely. I didn't mean that our inner struggle was stopped in any way. It just meant that is just got more stirred up than ever, and that included my own turmoil as well.
My past, and nature. . . They would pop out here and there. . . And the more I think about it, I couldn't help but agree with Hiei's words. . .
Him and Yusuke would continue on searching for their next opponent. . . and who knows, maybe Miyuki would join in that party as well. . . And there might be a chance that I will follow their footsteps too. . . won't I?
But that's what Yoko would want most. . . Not Shuichi. . .
But in a technical manner, my demon's feelings are mine as well. . . After all, the two of us were the same person. . . Meaning I would want that too at some point. . . I would want to fight. . . But then. . . why does this feel wrong to think that way. . . ?
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After that last question to himself he shook his head and turned back to his friend.
"Speaking of which, how is your sister doing?" Kurama asked making Yusuke groan a little dramatically.
"Well, not that well to be honest. . ." The Urameshi boy replied with honesty, which caught the redhead's attention, making him now feel once more concerned about his friends. The black-haired teen of course continued on with his explanation but without much details. "She had been in a rough shape since stupid Sensui's World Domination plan. . . I would mostly ask about her since she busies herself with other stuff, and from what Ruby told me, Miyuki is taking things harder than ever, constantly beating herself up about how everything had turned out." He left out the break up part, because he doesn't want the others to know about it. After all it wasn't his place to tell the news. Only his sister had the rights to do it, once she finally has the courage to tell the tale, and when she feels like it.
"So, she followed her plans and separated with Hiei. . ." Kurama breathed out in a sad tone, truly feeling sorry for the decision his best friend had to make which costed hers and his demon friend's happiness. Unknowingly to the Fox-Demon, he dropped a bomb on the Urameshi boy who had jumped back in surprise and look at the redhead in total disbelief.
"What?!" Yusuke exclaimed loudly, making his other demon friend stop on his track and look at him with a confused look. "How do you know about it? Since when?" At that Kurama turned back his head and sighed a little.
"Well, I talked to Miyuki weeks before we met up with Hiei. . . and left them be when we tracked him down. . ." The redhead's reply baffled Yusuke greatly.
"Wait, you mean to tell me that she had told you her plans before executing it on the big fish?!" The Urameshi boy asked as soon as he realized this conclusion, meaning that his own sister turned to talk with Kurama instead of him, his own brother. Again. That kind of hit him in the gut in a way. Just like before.
"Well, to put it that way, yes." The Fox-Demon confirmed with a small nod of his head.
"Oh, Man!" Yusuke groaned in defeat. "If this keeps on going, I might end up getting even more jealous. . ." That statement was something that the redhead did not expect in the lightest.
"Jealous?" Kurama questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Why is that Yusuke?" He couldn't really understand the statement since it came out of the blue.
"It's not that I don't like you or anything. Don't get me wrong . . ." The Urameshi boy quickly stammered in defence before collecting his thoughts carefully. There was a long pause that followed his sentence which got the Fox-Demon a little bit intrigued but also for some reason, nervous even. Is it because he felt a bit guilty about the fact that he was the one that is somewhat more close to that girl. . . ? Is it maybe because he somewhat 'stole' the thunder without knowing from Yusuke, who had been trying so hard to be a better sibling for Miyuki? Maybe both. Though, before Kurama can reassure Yusuke about Miyuki's feelings about her own sibling, the Urameshi boy eventually spoke up, making his thoughts get hold up for a moment. "Well. . . after seeing how the two of you were so close. . . I couldn't help but get jealous of how you can handle things better with my sister while all I do is scold at her when she did something wrong, or when boys are involved in the topic, or when she survived death. . . But never really did much other than that. . ." Then he looked up at the sky with sadness in his gaze. "And after talking to Miyuki. . . You know. . . really have the sibling talk back when we were leaving that damn Dark Tournament, sometimes I would get this feeling that. . . sometimes I wish I am like you in a sense."
"Yusuke. . ." The Fox-Demon breathed out as his eyes softened up like marshmallows.
"I mean, look at you, you two can somewhat talk to each other with a cool head without yelling your lungs out and bicker over silly little things that would get on your nerves. . ." The Urameshi boy continued on with his points. "You're at the top of your class, you have better social cues better than I am, and you don't piss off people by simply breathing. Not to mention your dad was nicer than ours were. Sure, he is gone, but at least he did not whack you around like some rag doll. . ." His voice trailed down a little, and mood began to drop, but before he can continue on Kurama placed a comforting hand onto his shoulder.
"Either way, just because Miyuki turns to me at times for talks and advice, it doesn't mean she doesn't want you to be there in her life." The redhead began with his talk of reassurance to give his friend some spirit and hope. "You may view yourself negatively, but trust me, you are doing your best to be there for her, and I know Miyuki deep down appreciates your efforts, even though she doesn't show it much."
"You think so?" Yusuke asked, that small spark of hope coming back into his orbs.
"I'm sure of it." Kurama replied with a small nod and reassuring smile. "Just give it some time, and with some patience you will get the results you and Miyuki secretly hope for." Then a small idea came to his mind. "Maybe you should try to go on her journey she is at right now?" The suggestion knocked Yusuke off his feet, mentally.
"What do you mean?" The Urameshi boy asked with the smallest hint of surprise in his voice.
"When I talked to Miyuki, she said she wanted to take her time to become a better person for herself." Kurama brought up the conversation he had with her, which still felt heavy for his heart, but right now it might be the solution that Yusuke might need. "She wants to improve and become whole, and maybe this might be something that you want deep down as well. However, Miyuki might want to do the process alone. But if you are able to talk it through with her, perhaps she would give you a room for the idea and open her doors to you. Who knows, in that way you two might be able to get to know each other better truly. As siblings like you always wanted." That did the work.
Yusuke looked down at his feet as he let all this information sank into his mind which eventually began to repeat the words. And once he finally understood it completely, he felt like the fireworks had gone off within his chest, which brought life into his eyes.
"Damn, this might be one of the most brilliant ideas that you had ever come up with Foxy!" The Urameshi boy cried out with excitement before throwing one arm around Kurama's neck and bring him to a brotherly hug. "Gee, now I can see why she turned to you. You are pretty good at giving advices." Hearing his hyped-up voice and happy tone, the redhead couldn't help but smile and breath out a small laugh.
"Well, that's what friends are for, right?" Kurama questioned, repeating the same words that Miyuki had once told him. . . .
"Right." Yusuke replied as he eventually let go of his friend with a small laugh, then he started scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Also, sorry for getting deep there for a second."
"No for that, Yusuke." Kurama replied to him with a small shake of his head but amused smile stretched onto his lips. "You don't need to apologize for explaining how you feel. Besides, I wasn't always the best kid either, you know. There were times when others called me evil."
"Oh really?" The Urameshi boy asked with a raised eyebrow and a challenging voice. "Well, some people called me the devil himself." Then he let out a small sigh. "Jeez, if we had met each other back in that old town when we were kids, we might have been good friends. And who knows, maybe even partners in crime!"
"Yes, perhaps." Kurama replied, feeling good how he managed to lift up his friend's mood and help him out in some way.
If felt nice while it reminded him how his life now became something more after his years as a demon. . . a life that give him a true purpose. . . something that he can truly treasure and cherish. . . and this will be something that he will forever be grateful for. . .
A life that is worth living and fighting for. . .
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After talking with Fox-Face, I left to go home. I felt completely drained by all this thinking for the day. Not to mention that I had to suffer through stupid Akashi's and Iwamoto's lessons for the day. Either way I was happy to be in my room again, where at least I can have some air from stupid people like them and the perfect atmosphere to think for a second.
What Kurama had said, that was genius. Maybe that will be something that I had needed long ago. . . What maybe the both of us needed. . . Me and Miyuki. . .
However, knowing my sister, she might try to argue me out of it, not wanting to share that heavy burden of hers. Even Fox-Boy had pointed out. But he also said that it would hurt if I try it. . .
Either way, this might be something that I really need, but never got to place my finger on it. . . that is until some smarty pants had worded it out for me better than I am. . .
Well, I better keep this in my mind for sure and deal with it later. . .
But for now, I need to find some solution for my other problem too. . . do something about that hollow feeling inside of me. . . Something that is connected to my fight with Sensui back in Demon World. . .
And once I am able to find an answer for that, then I will have time to realize this plan with Miyuki too. . .
But where could I start looking for it. . . ? Who will be able to. . . ? Just then, an idea popped into my mind, making me go out of my room and leave my room so I can go and get the Landline Phone.
"Maybe he can help me. . . " I thought out loud before grabbing the calling device and dial down the number of Master Genkai's and Yara's temple. I still have no idea how they were able to get a connection that far, but I ain't going to complain about it now. After some ringing later, someone managed to pick up my call.
"Hello?" I hear Ruby's voice questioning me.
"Hey Ruby, it's me Yusuke!" I greeted her fast.
"Hey, there, what's up?" My friend asked. "Need to talk to Miyuki?"
"I'll do that later, but right now, is Koenma there?" I asked her curiously. "There is something I need to talk to him about."
"I'll get him in a second." Ruby replied before the line went silent for a moment.
I hope I am right, but if not, then at least he might have some creative ideas on where to start this small search of mine. . .