Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Feigned Innocence ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

~Kurama's POV~

It was obvious to everyone that this stalker was getting to me. Hiei was not visiting as often, most likely put out by my lately snappy attitude, and my mother was constantly asking if I was all right. Even Yusuke and Kuwabara had noticed a difference in me, and were talking about asking Koenma to give me a break with the whole spirit detective thing for a little while.

"You're running yourself ragged, Kurama," Yusuke said absently from his spot on the bed beside me. He, Kuwabara, and I were all in Kuwabara's room, the other two enthusiastically playing a video game while I watched.

I pushed back my hair and sighed, watching without much interest as Yusuke's character in the fighting game they were playing beat the hell out of Kuwabara's. It was hard to focus on anything lately. My nightmares were increasing, and were becoming more and more frightening as time went on, and I was still receiving drawings from my mysterious stalker.

"I'm not running myself ragged, Yusuke, I'm just… distracted. It's really nothing to worry about."

I absently traced an invisible pattern into the fabric of Kuwabara's bed, trying to keep my eyes trained downward, in case it was as easy for Yusuke to see through my lies as it was for Hiei.

"Well, if Koenma gave you a break, then… that move wasn't fair Urameshi, and you know it… maybe you wouldn't have so many distractions."

I laughed as Kuwabara argued with Yusuke at the same time as he expressed his concern for me. "It's really no big deal, you two. We haven't had many cases lately, anyway."

I watched the two play for a little longer, feeling my boredom grow. I really wasn't very interested in video games, though I tended to be good at them. Sometimes the lengths to which humans would go to entertain themselves amazed me.

Finally, I stood, stretching slightly as I said, "Well, I'm going to go home. Lots of homework."

Neither of my friends looked up, but Yusuke said, "Okay, but… Kuwabara, at least try to fight back… think about what we said, Kurama."

I actually did think about what the two had said as I walked home. It was kind of them to offer me a break, but I had no intention of taking them up on that offer. I knew they meant well, but sometimes I got annoyed with them. They, along with everyone else, automatically assumed by my looks that I was fragile, someone that had to be protected. It was the one drawback to this body that I now possessed, besides the fact that it seemed to attract psycho stalkers.

But, despite what Yusuke or anyone else thought, I was fully capable of taking care of myself. I resented the fact that my appearance caused others to feel like they had to coddle me, and was determined to prove my worth, and earn back the respect that I'd had in my other life. No one had ever considered Youko Kurama to be fragile, and I missed that.

When I got home, and up to my room, there was another envelope waiting for me on my pillow. I almost didn't even bother opening it, but my curiosity got the better of me. I ripped open the envelope and unfolded the slip of paper inside to find another drawing. This one was of me at Kuwabara's house, sitting on his bed, but Yusuke and Kuwabara were mysteriously missing from the picture. Their absence seemed to have a silent and frightening meaning, one that I didn't care to think about at the moment.

I stuffed the picture into my desk drawer, where I had discarded all of the others that I had received so far. I didn't want to look at them, but for some reason couldn't seem to throw them away. I had the strangest feeling that to get rid of them would be a terrible mistake.

After shutting the drawer, I sat down at my desk, determined to clear my mind and focus on my homework. I vaguely realized that I missed Hiei. His presence was always comforting to me for some reason, and I was lonely without him.

But I pushed all thoughts of Hiei out of my mind, and began writing.

I left the school building late the next day. I had been asked by a teacher to stay behind and tutor a new student, and the study session had taken longer than I had anticipated. I had phoned my mother to inform her that I would be late, but I was now faced with the unfortunate task of walking home alone in the dark.

I walked calmly down the sidewalk, not the least bit intimidated by the dark, deserted street. There was nothing in the human world that could pose a threat to me, so there was no reason to be frightened.

I was, in fact, so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't even sense the quiet figure following me, or his eyes watching me. I wasn't even aware of his presence until I heard a soft voice calling my name as I passed the park.

I paused, suspecting that I was hearing things, but cautious all the same. And then I heard it again.

"Suuichi…"

The voice was definitely coming from the park, and I took a step in that direction as I asked, "Who's there?"

There was a quiet, sinister laugh, and then I heard, "Come and see."

I shivered, but walked silently into the park, my books clutched tight against my chest. I couldn't sense any youki, but could vaguely detect the scent of a human coming from somewhere in the park. Unfortunately, though my senses were much stronger than those of a normal human, they were nowhere near as strong as they had been in my youko form, and I couldn't pick out the precise location of the human using only my sense of smell.

I made my way through the maze of park benches and picnic tables until I came to the woods at the edge of the park. And then I heard the voice again.

"Come and see me, Suuichi…"

It sounded almost playful, but in a frightening way.

I walked into the woods, feeling my tension ease a bit as I was surrounded by plant life. Nothing could hurt me here. The entire forest was my ally. I slipped silently through the woods, following the laughing, teasing, and yet disturbing voice.

Eventually, the woods began to thin out, and I came upon a small clearing. The trees stopped at the edge, and formed a broad circle around the area. I stepped into it cautiously, missing the protective growth of the trees, but content with the grass beneath my feet.

The voice had disappeared the moment I'd entered the clearing, and I scanned the area carefully, searching for any sign of life. Everything was silent, and I squinted my eyes, trying to better discern my surroundings.

I made no reaction as I felt warm breath against my ear, though every part of me wanted to scream.

"Thank you for coming."

The words were spoken from so close that I could feel soft lips brushing against my ear, and yet I didn't move. I was frozen, just as I had been months ago, when confronted by Karasu. Why couldn't I seem to move?

Whoever it was was behind me, leaning over my shoulder to whisper in my ear. My body felt stiff, and I tried to get at least my mouth to work, to demand that this person get away from me, but my voice betrayed me and kept silent.

Perhaps sensing my discomfort, the figure moved out from behind me and into my field of vision. My eyes widened, and I finally found my voice.

"…Nekura?"

He stood before me, all traces of the meek, polite attitude he had demonstrated in the hallway several days ago abandoned. His posture was confident, hands resting arrogantly on his hips. His mouth was twisted into a demented grin.

I stepped back, seeming to finally regain my motor skills, and glared at him. "What do you want?"

His answer was simple and direct. "You."

My mind was racing. Nekura was obviously the stalker, but why hadn't I been able to sense him? Only a talented youkai could have snuck up on me the way he just had, but I sensed no youki from him. And he couldn't possibly be a youkai posing as a student, because I vaguely remembered him having gone to my school for years. And even if he was a youkai, why would he be calling me by my human name?

"What do you mean?" I asked, stalling for time.

"You know exactly what I mean."

I took another step back, and regarded him cautiously. "I told you before, I'm not interested."

Anger flared in Nekura's cold blue eyes, and he said, "Actually, you said you were busy. And yet somehow you had the time to meet with someone else."

My gaze switched from angry to questioning, and, seeing this, Nekura elaborated. "The short one. Dark hair."

Hiei. Of course. Nekura had been following me home as I walked with Hiei that day. And if he had been watching me ever since then, he had probably seen Hiei come in through my bedroom window a few times, also.

"That's just a friend of mine. His name is Hiei."

"I see. So you often have people that are just friends sneak in through your window and spend the night," he said in an accusatory tone.

I felt my anger flare again, and said, my voice deadly calm, "My relationship with Hiei, or lack thereof, is none of your business."

"Sensitive subject?" Nekura asked, smirking.

I ignored him, instead saying, "I want you to leave me alone. I know you've been sending me those drawings, and I know you've been following me, and I want you to stop."

Nekura didn't answer, but simply watched me, his eyes regarding me in an almost hungry manner.

"Do you understand?" I asked, attempting to make sure that I had gotten my point across.

"I want you to stay away from him."

"What?" I asked, surprised at the abrupt change of subject.

"I want you to stay away from that boy that I saw you with," Nekura said. "He can't have you."

I was shocked, to say the least. I felt a bit of my old self pushing to the forefront of my consciousness as I contemplated the audacity of this pathetic human who dared to think that he could give me orders.

"I don't know where you got the idea that you could control my actions," I said slowly. "But you were mistaken. I suggest you stay away from me from now on."

And with that, I turned and left, my hands clenched into fists, shaking with anger. Nekura didn't follow. I walked all the way home, my movements stiff and forced, absolutely seething with rage.

Yet, as I climbed into bed, still furious, there was a small voice in the back of my mind, whispering softly that I'd just made a terrible mistake.