Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Fox vs. Crow ❯ Anguish ( Chapter 3 )

 

That afternoon I was walking home from school. I was passing by the park in the middle of Kyoto when, I heard voices… very familiar ones.

 

I sneaked and searched for the source of those voices. It was actually the first time I was able to go to that park since the time it was renovated because now it was also a wildlife preserve. It seemed more like a jungle of medium sized trees and beautiful shrubs with colorful flowers. I marveled at the beauty of all the different flowers around me. It felt as though I had reached paradise. There was a small man-made stream, which I followed that led me to the heart of the park where I found Kurama and Karasu. I couldn't help but eavesdrop… and soon I found out such a horrible thing…

 

“You better stay away from Sumire…” I heard Kurama say to Karasu, who stood before him.

 

“Ah… Sumire... such luscious lips…” Karasu smiled slyly and touched his own lips. “She hasn't changed a bit either…” I felt my cheeks grow warm…

 

Kurama didn't speak but I could see anger in his eyes. He just glared madly at Karasu.

“Huh? Jealous? You finally realized she still means something to you?” Karasu said in a challenging tone. I could not believe what I was hearing.

 

“I know exactly what you are trying to do…” was Kurama's firm answer. I didn't understand them. Where were they getting at?

 

…”It seems you already know so there is no point in denial anymore. I admit. I used her to get to your nerves. I've always been a sore loser!” Karasu confessed. I was mortified!

 

I couldn't believe that I stupidly fell for Karasu. I would have been wiser knowing him for so long now. He probably just wanted to get me to take revenge on Kurama in all the ways possible…

 

They began to fight… but all I could think of was Karasu and his evil self that I now hated the most. I felt my blood rising… higher and higher… and higher until I could not hold it much longer. I made an energy bolt and hurled it towards Karasu. It hit him squarely for he was caught off guard. He was thrown some meters away.

 

Kurama too, was surprised. They were both too busy to even notice my presence.

 

“Sumire… darling… how nice of you to join us…” Karasu was already walking back to our direction. In his right hand, light had started to gather. He was conjuring some sort of bomb.

 

“Leave her out of this!” Kurama said and stretched out his left arm, to stop me from attacking Karasu myself. I wanted so much to destroy him…“This is my battle… I'll finish it. You know you better think things over…” he said to me and yet he didn't take his eyes off Karasu, who was ready for an assault…

 

“Yes…” I whispered and ran away. I was ashamed of what I had caused.

 

“Leaving so soon… but the party has just begun!” I heard Karasu yell out.

 

“Let's party…” Kurama shot back.

 

I then heard several explosions as I left but I didn't bother to look back anymore. I just ran as fast as I could to get away as soon as possible.

 

 

I practically ran all the way home, passing people who were all baffled to see me in so much hurry as if someone was chasing me. By the time I got home it was already snowing pretty hard…

 

That night Botan visited me and told me that Kurama had won the battle and Karasu was sent back to Makai. I was thankful she didn't scold me or anything for she could pretty much read how low I was already feeling…

 

But I was real dumb to have believed Karasu. I guess I was beginning to feel lonely being all by myself… so I easily got carried away and set aside my feelings for Kurama… but still I love him. I'll always will…

 

 

It's been snowing real hard, since then school has been canceled for two days. Much to my advantage because I was stuck home and I had lots of time to think. That's actually all I did… excluding all the necessary human deeds…

 

I had come to a conclusion… that I should at least say sorry to Kurama for all the trouble I caused. I owe him that.

 

It was Saturday morning. I glanced out the window and was relieved to see that the snow had finally ceased to pour. Children were already happily frolicking and playing with the heaps of snow outside. I went outside and headed to Kurama's home… I kept on wondering, how he would react, what would he say… for I didn't know.

 

Everywhere I passed there was a certain sign of joy in people's eyes. A couple was happily walking the streets together. Some bunch of friends was hanging out by the restaurant. The children played and laughed; they enjoyed what good the wintertime had brought… snow… snow… and lots of it! Even the beggars by the street looked happy… maybe because winter had always been the time when people were extra giving especially to the less fortunate.

 

 

 

By the time I arrived in front of his home, I was beginning to think twice… almost on the verge of chickening out… but the white washed gate suddenly opened, even before I could muster up the courage to ring the doorbell, and a lady went out…

 

“Sumire…” surprise! Surprise! It was Shiori… “I didn't know you were coming!” she even added. Somehow there's this solitude that always emanates from her motherly face.

 

I just smiled at her. Nobody knew I was coming, of course!

 

“Well, Kurama is up his room. I'll have to go now… work…” she said and waved goodbye.

 

I entered the house in silence. The neat living room of beautiful ornaments welcomed me. It felt very comfortable for nothing changed at all and it has been so long since I last came here. It seemed that Kurama's stepfather and brother too were not to be found so I went straight to Kurama's room, which was situated, on the 2nd floor. I then felt weird, remembering that I used to come up these wooden stairs often when we were still a `we'…

 

His room was to the left from the staircase but something new… and bloody red caught my eye by the right side. There, just beside the master's bedroom was a patio full of rich and sparkling, bloody red roses at their full bloom. This spectacular site mesmerized me. Roses had always been Kurama's trademarks and I see that he was still living up to his standards…

 

I smiled once more at the roses and stood by his room's door. I was about to knock when someone from inside spoke up, “Come on in, Sumire…” it was Kurama. He was totally aware that I was there…

 

I could hear my heart beat faster as I cautiously entered his room. I saw him standing by the desk. He was probably reading some book before I came… Nothing much changed in his room either, all the furnitures and furnishings were still there in good condition, and old and new photos of the gang were still sticking by the mirror's edges including one that I have in my room that is currently facing down on the cabinet…

 

“Am I disturbing you or something?” I asked him.

 

“No…” he even shook his head.

 

There came a moment of silence for we just stared at each other for a while. He acted as if he wanted me to blurt out the reason why I was there…

 

“So what are you doing here?” he asked with that smile again. He seemed to be in a very good mood.

 

Ah… that trivial question again. How many times had it already been asked? Anyway, I smiled back. He was really so beautiful… I loved everything about him… simply everything…

 

“We do have all day to stare at each other… “ He told me.

 

I was embarrassed and certainly I turned pink. I felt that I was falling in love with him all over again which is certainly a good thing…

 

“… I came here because… I wanted to apologize for the way I acted 4 days ago. I'm sorry I sort of… put your life on the line. I really had no idea Karasu was using me to get to you and I should have listened to you… and—“ I stopped talking because he was just staring at me…

 

“What's wrong?” I suddenly became conscious.

 

“It's okay. I've already forgiven you…” he simply replied.

 

I was amazed. “Are you sure? I mean—“ I wanted to be sure.

 

He nodded accordingly still with his brilliant smile on his face.

 

I was overjoyed for I didn't think it would be this easy to be forgiven… “Thank you…” I blurted out and unwittingly hugged him. I was so happy that I didn't think anymore.

 

Oops… I realized that I shouldn't have done that for things were still kind of weird between us… “I didn't mean anything…” I was being defensive and tried to save myself. I started to pull away…

 

But then he put his arms around me. I looked at him with surprised eyes but he bowed his head down and then pulled me even closer until I could already hear his heart beat against mine. His heart was racing as was mine…

 

I didn't know what to say for I was totally shocked… I waited for him to speak… that he did soon enough…

 

“Maybe this isn't the right time to tell you this… but I really have to. Because of what had happened I realized that I still… still… love you… despite of everything that I've gone through. I know now that my love for you has only gotten stronger than before…”

 

I was absolutely speechless and stunned all the more.

 

“There. I said it. I'm sorry, now you have another thing to think about…” he released me from his arms.

 

This was truly unexpected but a lot of unexpected things have happened. So many things went through my mind… I recalled every moment we've spent together starting from that fortunate meeting in the tournament, the confession of mutual feelings, the countless battles, the sweet and ugly moments, the break up, the others, the realization of my loss, the complications in all aspects… there were just too many things that entered my mind that I wasn't even aware that I was already staring into space.

 

“Sumire? You okay?” Kurama waved a hand before me. He seemed worried.

 

“Yeah…” I snapped back to my senses…

 

“… You don't have to react now…” he said to me with concern.

 

“Wait…” I began and faced him… “When you were still with Daisy, I saw you lovingly hold her hand once. You had no idea how I reacted… how it tore me apart. I realized then what I had lost… but soon to my relief it ended too but I spoke too soon for so many things happened… other things happened that complicated our situation even more… in ways I never thought possible…”I paused to look at him.

 

“I know… but what can I do? Those things did happen…” agreed Kurama. I could read in his eyes that he felt very helpless.

 

“… But I love you… despite and in spite of everything…” I murmured this with a sheepish smile but enough for him to hear me loud and clear.

 

His face automatically brightened, “Sumire…”

 

Instantly, we embraced… without a word and then a great romance-novel kiss… We finally know how we truly feel for each other… LOVE!

 

 

THE END

Original: May '99

1st revise: 03-31-02,10:56 pm

2nd revise: 08-27-02,3:40 pm

 

 

 

 

 

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