Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Worthless Humans ❯ Fifteen Years Go By ( Chapter 34 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

 

 

Kurama kept his eyes opened when he attended school on Monday. He could still sense the demonic power within his school and it worried him as he jotted down the notes he felt he would need in his math class. When the class ended, Kurama felt a sudden surge of the powers he was sensing. Turning his attention towards the door that would lead out into the hallway where the energy was coming from, Kurama was quick to pack up his things so he could track it down.

 

Excusing himself from class, he walked out into the hallway to travel down the school's hallway to hunt down for whoever it was. The power keeps rising and falling, Kurama thought with bewilderment. It is as though the demon cannot control it. Turning the corner down one of the hallways into another, Kurama followed the force into the cafeteria only to lose trace of what he was hunting for with a sigh of disappointment. Seeing as it was time to eat anyways, the redhead dug into his bag to get his food.

 

Grabbing his lunch his mother packed, Kurama headed outside where he enjoyed eating his lunch. The breeze was subtle that day as he made his way to the front of the school where he sat down on one of the benches. Digging into the brown bag he had with him, Kurama situated his food on the bench that he had all to himself. He enjoyed eating alone seeing as he was the obsession of some of the females in his school and the envy of some of the guys. As he was eating within the shade of the trees nearby, the branches began to rustle a bit and give signs that something was up above him. The leaves falling from the tree beside him, Kurama looked up into the branches that towered over him to spy the problem with a laugh.

 

“I see you are still hanging around out here, Okuro,” Kurama remarked as he shielded his food from the bits of leaves and bark that were falling onto his spot.

 

The elder student Kurama was talking to jumped down from the tree limb he was hiding out upon. Laughing softly as he joined the empty spot beside the redhead, the senior stretched upward in his white t-shirt and pink pants he was forced to wear when attending the same school as Kurama. He didn't enjoy the color so he rid himself of the top shirt and stuck with the pants. The wild nineteen year old had soft blond hair that nearly looked white. It was cut closely to his neck except for his bangs that reached down to his cheeks up front. His mismatched dark blue with brown bill hat he was lectured continuously for wearing to school hid his hair everyday. Everyone questioned him wearing such a thing but he just popped out jokes about why he wore it. “Sorry about that. I didn't expect anyone to be sitting here at all today,” the teen explained.

 

“You know your mother is going to lecture you for skipping class again today,” Kurama warned. He tutored Okuro at his house after school from time to time seeing as the boy was almost twenty and still in his senior year thanks for the times he had been held back. He was desperate to try and help the guy graduate regardless of what it took to do so.

 

Okuro rolled his eyes a bit at the thought as he looked about the area to make sure none of the teachers were nearby to hassle him for it. “My ma will be okay. Don't worry about her.” Digging into his pocket, Okuro pulled out a few pieces of paper to show to Kurama. “Look what I managed to snag.”

 

Kurama looked over at the papers Okuro had once he took a bite out of the food he had in his bag with the chopsticks his mother placed in there. His eyes widening at what the mischievous boy managed to steal, Kurama was quick to grab them from Okuro with a shocked expression. “Okuro, these are the answers for the upcoming test you have in your math class! Where did you get these? More to the point, how did you get these?”

 

Sighing at Kurama's reaction, Okuro snagged back the papers with a smirk. “Just like that,” he answered simply.

 

“Okuro, I swear,” Kurama sighed with a shake of his head. “If you are not stealing things that aren't yours, you're stealing test answers. You cannot keep doing this or you are going to be expelled!”

 

“Please, you act like I am going to get caught,” Okuro gloated. He had been known for testing out his pickpocket skills on everyone he could. It was a way for him to survive when he was growing up and he and his mom had very little. Throughout his teen years, it was hard for that part of him to die and he continued to steal from others to get things he wanted and didn't feel like really working for.

 

Kurama heard the bell ring to indicate that the next class would start soon. Looking at his watch, he packed what was left in his bag and got to his feet with an irritable sigh. “Look, I will just give the papers back to the teachers. They would never believe I would take them and you will be saved once again.” Kurama situated his bag over his shoulder before bothering to criticize Okuro with his expression. “And after school meet me at my house. You are graduating this year whether you want to or not.”

 

Okuro merely scoffed as he lied back against the bench to gaze up at the sky above. Confused a moment at what Kurama had just said to him, seeing as the last thing he remembered he had the papers, Okuro began to feel of his pockets only to find them not there. “Hey!” He growled realizing that Kurama had stolen the papers back from him. “Shuichi, give those back to me!” Jumping up from the bench, Okuro dashed after the redhead who was quick to take off to escape the angered senior.

 

Kurama refused as he dashed into the school building with the papers he cleverly stolen from Okuro in return. He was always stealing things back from Okuro to give to their rightful owners. Kurama had tried countless times to get the mischievous boy to stop his thievery but it was a hard habit for Okuro to break. Being a former thief himself, it wasn't difficult to get things back from the wild Okuro seeing as he was a novice compared to the once legendary bandit Kurama used to be.

 

Okuro quickly ran into the school building to try and chase down Kurama who was quick enough to disappear down the many halls within the high school. As he was dashing through the hallways to try and track down his tutor only to be halted by the principle, who happened to catch Okuro who zoomed right by the room he had been visiting.

 

“Okuro Suzuki!” The principle shouted making everyone freeze, including Okuro. The stern, elder male headed down the hallway in his suit with a frown he often expressed to the wild boy. “It's nice to see you are actually here. Too bad all your teachers found you absent today.”

 

A nervous smile made its way across Okuro's face as he shrugged. “I got better and decided to come to school?”

 

The principle wasn't above buying anymore of Okuro's simple stories as he thumbed over his shoulder. “My office—NOW!”

 

Grumbling, Okuro followed the principle to his office down the hall. As he did so, he caught the redhead watching the event from one of the rooms he was passing by. Seeing Kurama there with a shrug at the situation, Okuro could only show his frustration as he was herded down the end of the hallway. I'll get your ass for this, Shuichi.

 

Okuro plopped down in the chair opposite of his principle's chair. Slumping down within the leather one he was given, he looked unimpressed to be where he was seeing as Okuro had witnessed the principle's office way too many times. He didn't like getting caught, especially when the day was nearly over.

 

“So, Okuro, what am I going to do with you?” The principle asked as he sat down to eye the troublesome teen's record. “If you do not sharpen up and attend class as you should, you will fail once again and be forced to repeat your senior year. Are you willing to do that again?”

 

Okuro said not a thing as he looked unenthusiastic with a sigh through his nostrils.

 

Sighing as well at Okuro's impudence, the principle grabbed onto the phone to hand to the student. “Call your mother. You are going to be in detention after school with me for an hour all this week.”

 

Rolling his eyes, Okuro took the white phone but not without eyeing the principle with a raise of his brow. “Care to leave me alone to do so?”

 

It was always a request by Okuro to be left alone to call his mother. The principle never understood why, but he agreed to once he dialed Okuro's home number quickly. “Make it quick. This isn't a big house call,” the principle encouraged as he got up from his chair. “I should have your mother on speed dial with how much trouble you cause.”

 

Okuro watched as his principle disappeared for the moment before removing his hat he wore to reveal his coal black fox ears he was ordered to keep hidden from the world. The phone ringing at his house, he could only frown a bit at the sound of his mother's voice at the other end of the line. “Hi, ma, it's me,” Okuro began with a bit of a chuckle to try and lessen his mother's angered reaction that would follow. “No, I was merely trying to skip classes today because—,” stopping a moment to listen to his mother's lecturing, Okuro flinched a bit at her slight yelling. “—Why? Because school is boring, ma! Anyways, I have detention all this week after school and I still have to go to Shuichi's house to study for math and science.” Okuro paused once more as he listened to what else his mother had to say to him while he bit on his nails. “I don't know if I am going to make it back in time for dinner. I promise I will try, ma. Goodbye—I love you.”

 

Hanging up the phone, Okuro put his hat back on just in time as the principle entered the office once more. Sitting back down at his chair, he looked at Okuro with a shake of his head as he situated his phone the way he preferred it. “Alright, Okuro, go to your next class and I will see you at the end of the school day. If you don't show up, I will be forced to suspend you. You are dismissed.”

 

Okuro excused himself with a grumble as he exited the Principle's Office. Shutting the door behind him, he headed down the halls to get to his next class with his hands in his pockets. He was in no hurry to get to his next class so Okuro simply walked down the hall he was within to get to science.

 

 

 

 

An hour after school was over, Okuro was dismissed from detention and Kurama parted from the science lab he enjoyed working in from time to time. The two of them met up to where the two halls they were within joined to make the main entrance hallway. Kurama could tell Okuro was displeased with getting him into trouble regardless but he said not a thing. He merely smiled as he nodded towards the doors that would lead them outside and to the gates of the school.

 

“Ready to go home and study?” Kurama asked as he headed onwards in front of Okuro.

 

“I swear, if I didn't fear getting hanged for beating up the wonderful Shuichi, I would do it right now,” Okuro threatened.

 

“That's awfully kind of you,” Kurama chuckled softly as they both exited the building late that afternoon.

 

The two boys headed to Kurama's house that day so they could at least study for a few hours. Okuro refused to have him over at his house due to his mother's paranoia in strangers being near her that she didn't know. She was also extra cautious lately and would rather her son spend time with his friends away from their house than have them be invited over. Kurama never questioned why they couldn't do this at his friend's house but the thought did come to his mind every now and then.

 

Both of them studied in private there in Kurama's bedroom. Okuro had to do extra homework for the classes he skipped intentionally as part of his punishment. The math homework and science was really testing his nerves as he tried to solve the equations given to him. “Man, this is really putting me to the test.”

 

“Well, seeing as you have a math test soon, I would really take an extra look at your math homework,” Kurama encouraged as he continued to work on his own school work.

 

His face meeting with the carpet Okuro was resting upon, he used it to muffle his groan he unleashed at all the work set before him. “I am never going to get through with this crap.”

 

Kurama looked over at Okuro with a bit of a smile as he shook his head. “I will go and get us something to eat to last us until dinner. You continue your work and I will be back in a moment. Is there anything specific you would like?” The redhead asked as he got to his door.

 

“Just get me anything with chocolate in it—do you have pocky sticks?” Okuro asked once he lifted his head off the ground.

 

“Yes but they are only in strawberry,” Kurama answered at the doorway.

 

“That will do.”

 

Kurama parted from his room to head down the stairs to get the food he had in mind. He knew his study buddy wouldn't be able to survive without food in his stomach. Okuro was known to be a glutton at times and Kurama knew Okuro's stomach growling would make things difficult for the both of them. Searching through the cabinets that had the snacks he was thinking on eating and sharing with Okuro, a demonic power attacked Kurama's senses and froze him where he stood.

 

Spinning around when he could feel his body once more, he looked up at the stairs not too far away with nervousness. It's that same power again, Kurama thought as he hurried up the stairs where he could feel it. The demon must have followed me home! He hurried down the hall once he was upstairs to throw open the door to his bedroom where he felt the energy previously with a panicky look. “Okuro, are you okay!”

 

Okuro looked up from his book with a scoff as he nodded. “Yeah, what is wrong, Kurama? You look like the world is going to end.”

 

The more Kurama stood there, the more he realized that the power had gone down. The thought only worried him more as he quickly parted from his bedroom to head down to his mother's door. Knocking on the door for a warning, he opened it to peek inside with fear written on his normally calm features. “Mother, are you okay!” He exclaimed in the bedroom.

 

Hearing her son's fearful tone, the woman got to her feet to allow Kurama inside if he wanted to be. “Of course I am, dear. What ever is the matter?”

 

Placing his hand on his rapidly beating heart, Kurama shook his head with a sigh of relief. “It is nothing. I guess all the studying recently is really getting to me. Don't worry, mother.”

 

“If you say so,” Miss. Minamino responded as she watched her son head back to his bedroom. Tapping her finger upon the doorway she stood within, she watched as Kurama disappeared into his bedroom without another word. She was still wondering what was going on with him lately. Ever since he turned fifteen it appeared as though he was really on edge. “I hope he will be okay. I wonder what has gotten into him,” she whispered to herself as she closed her door behind her.

 

The young Okuro was there upon the floor still when Kurama entered the bedroom once more still looking slightly worried as he did before. “Is something wrong?” Okuro asked once more with a light laugh wondering what could have possibly gotten to the normally calm redhead. “You came flying in here like the planets were out of line.”

 

“Nothing, nothing,” Kurama insisted as he headed back over to the desk to continue his homework. “I just thought—it's nothing, Okuro, don't worry.”

 

Okuro merely shrugged as he went back to his work there before him. “Hey, smart ass, get your butt down here and help me with this problem, will you?”

 

Regardless of the boy's colorful choice of words, Kurama parted from his work once more to get down next to his friend to look at the problem there in the book. As he was doing so, the scent of a demon wafted his senses and caught his attention. Looking at Okuro's side profile, Kurama furrowed his brow in interest. This couldn't be true…is Okuro a demon?

 

Wondering why Kurama went silent, Okuro gazed over at his tutor with a cock of his brow. “What is it? Why are you staring at me like that?” He suddenly felt very uncomfortable as he leaned away from Kurama's piercing gaze.

 

“It's nothing,” Kurama insisted as he looked back at the problem in the math book Okuro had out in front of him. But before he could say anything about the homework his friend was having issues with, the clock within the house rang to indicate the hour of the evening. Pulling back his sleeve on his shirt, Kurama checked out the time. “Well, it looks like it is nearing time for dinner. I guess it flies when you have to serve detention.”

 

Closing his books, Okuro scoffed at the redhead. “Yeah, yeah, well now I have to go home and hear it from my mother. I guess I better get home. I promised her I would eat dinner with her.”

 

Kurama watched from the floor as Okuro gathered his books to head on home. Gradually he pulled himself to his feet so he could help his friend to the door but as he did so, the nagging feeling about Okuro being a demon came back over the former fox demon. “So, Okuro,” Kurama began as they both exited his bedroom, “I don't really know much about you or your family. I have tutored you for some time and not once have I ever seen your house or where you live.”

 

“And for good reason,” Okuro was quick to express once he made it to the front door. “My mother doesn't really like my friends over. I can't say I blame her with all the things she has been through.”

 

“What happened to her?” Kurama pried.

 

Sighing at having to think on it, Okuro looked at his concerned friend with a shake of his head. “I cannot tell you. I am not allowed to tell anyone about it.”

 

Hearing such a thing probed Kurama's interest as he allowed Okuro to leave his house without another word on the matter. Leaning against the door he closed once his friend departed, Kurama brought his hand up to his mouth to think for a moment. His hand soon grabbing onto the curtains that cloaked the windows beside the front door, he watched as Okuro headed down the sidewalk without looking suspicious. It still makes me wonder…

 

The entire walk home made Okuro sigh as he watched the sun disappear to give way to the moon. To have to think on why his mother had become the way she was made his mood change into awfully melancholy. As a child, he could still remember bits and pieces of what happened to them both in Makai and it tore at him and gave him nightmares. There were times he wished he could have gone back and protected his mother, but he knew what was done could not be undone.

 

Making his way to the apartment his mother and him had moved into four years ago in Japan, Okuro jogged up the stairs to make it to his home with the keys in hand. Opening the door cautiously, he peeked around inside to look for his mother. “Ma?” He called as he closed the door behind him and placed his keys on the dining table that rested at the end of the small hallway from the front door he entered the apartment from. “Mom, are you home?”

 

The interior was different and not as grungy as when Okuro and his mother first started living on their own. They had a black leather sofa instead of the grungy green one at the old apartment in America they kept for a time and pressed against the left wall where a glass table was in front of it to give drinks and such a place to rest if anyone were to watch TV. The television was at the opposite wall with the news channel running on low as usual. The kitchen was connected to the living room so Okuro could plainly see that she was not there as he made his way down the next hallway that held two bedrooms and a bathroom.

 

“Mom, are you here?” Okuro called once more as he made it to her bedroom in the very end of the hallway. Getting to her bedroom door, Okuro knocked upon it to try and get her attention before opening it to peek inside. “Hello?”

 

Nari's room had one bed pressed against the wall near wall the door was and a small television to the right of it so she could watch TV whenever she felt the need to do so. A desk, where she spent most of her time writing small stories and articles that she would get published in magazines and newspapers, rested beside the television and held a black lamp upon it and a telephone close by. A bookcase was beside the desk and held many books on fantasy and demons seeing as Nari preferred to read to pass time and help jog her inspiration for the things she wrote about.

 

Continuing to look about the room, he saw not a sign of his mother. The sound of the front door opening caught Okuro's attention as he pulled himself from his mother's bedroom to go up front to greet whoever was there. It came as no surprise to see his mom as Okuro pulled his hat from his head to reveal his black fox ears. He saw his mother make her way into the house with a couple of bags of groceries she had obviously bought while he was at Kurama's. “Hi, ma, do you need help with the groceries?”

 

Nari placed some of the bags on the dinning room table. Her layered blond hair was still the same as before and she looked as though she were around her son's age if not a little bit older no thanks to the injection that still stayed with her. She was wearing a long-sleeved black, v-neck t-shirt with loose hanging white pants with black designs upon the sides. “Yes, it would be nice. Thank you, Okuro,” Nari responded, sounding quite winded. “Put your hat back on and here are the keys to the car.” Tossing her son the keys, she pointed at him after a snap of her fingers. “And when you get back up here, I want to talk to you.”

 

“Yes, ma'am,” Okuro groaned as he took the keys to get the rest of the groceries.

 

Once Okuro and Nari both managed to get the groceries in, the two of them worked on putting them up. Nari was less then pleased with the news she was called with earlier dealing with her son. Slamming the cupboard to show her frustration, she showed Okuro her disappointment with her hands resting upon her hips.

 

“Okuro, what am I going to do with you?” Nari asked angrily as she gathered the items she would need to make dinner. “With how many times I have gone to your school, I am surprised I haven't gotten a perfect attendance award!”

 

Okuro sighed as he sat down at the dinning table, removing his hat so that his ears could breathe. “Ma, I am sorry! I just wish I could get a job like you did without an education!”

 

Having to think on the school years Nari missed out on pained her and angered her at the same time. Leaning against the kitchen counter, she frowned at her son's choice of words. “So are you telling me you would rather be a sex slave for the rest of your life and hope to come back to find a paying job?” Nari wondered furiously. “Okuro, do you not recall that we came here with nothing and we were practically broke for a year or two?”

 

Okuro raised his hands as he realized he hit his mother rather hard with his choice of words. “I am sorry, ma,” he apologized sympathetically.

 

Massaging her forehead, Nari pointed down the hall. “Just—go do your homework. Dinner will be ready in a little while.”

 

Before Okuro could hope to leave and do so, there was a knock at the door. Looking at his mother, he placed his cap on with a tilt of his head. “Were you expecting company?”

 

“You know I don't invite guests, Okuro,” Nari answered with a shake of her head.

 

Hurrying over to the front door, Okuro answered it only to be surprised who was on the other side. Keeping the door cracked slightly so that nobody could see in the apartment room very well, he glared at the redhead he was shocked to see. “Shuichi, what are you doing here!” He exclaimed softly in wonder.

 

“I came by to hand you your science book you left at my house,” Kurama answered as he showed Okuro his book he had indeed left.

 

Okuro was quick to snatch his science book with a nod. “Thanks, Shuichi, now leave.”

 

“Okuro,” Nari began in disappoint from the kitchen, “that isn't very kind of you to say to a friend, let alone your tutor!” Nari knew who `Shuichi' was when it came to Okuro's time at school. While she was nervous at the thought of him being nearby, Nari felt it wouldn't hurt to let just him inside for a moment or two. He had taken care of her son and helped him survive school since they met.

 

Looking back at Kurama, he sighed a bit with a roll of his eyes. “Thanks, Shuichi, but now I have to go do the rest of my work.”

 

Kurama kept the door from closing completely as he slipped his foot in the door's way. “Actually, if you and your mother don't mind, I wouldn't mind staying to try and help you out further.”

 

Nari heard the redhead that she could hardly see as Okuro was blocking her view from where she stood. “Okuro, that sounds fine with me. It would help you with your study habits you are so horrible at. Besides, you are being punished at the moment for getting into detention.”

 

Okuro could only groan as he opened the door the rest of the way, “Come in, Shuichi.” Watching as his tutor walked on inside, he hissed silently within his ear, “I'll kill you for this later when there are no witnesses!” Guiding Kurama on inside the rest of the way, he waited for his mom to turn around so that he could introduce the two since she was getting dinner ready. “Mom, this is Shuichi Minamino, my tutor and Shuichi, this is my mother.”

 

Nari finished breaking up the pasta she had in her hands before turning around to greet the friend of her son's she didn't know was her former master. Managing a nervous smile upon her features, she extended her hand to Kurama's. “Welcome to our home, Shuichi.”

 

Kurama on the other hand recognized Nari right away seeing as she hadn't changed one bit from when he last saw her in Makai. His entire body went numb as he took Nari's hand loosely to shake it in return. Oh my God…Nari Kudo…! Looking over at Okuro, Kurama tried to keep his surprise in check though it was awfully difficult. No wonder he smelt like a demon…Okuro is a demon! He is a half demon! Pressing a smile on his face, the redhead managed a nod for the two. “Thank you, Miss. Suzuki. It is a—pleasure to be here...”