Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Wings of a Butterfly ❯ The Pains of Happiness and Loneliness ( Chapter 3 )

 

A life of solitude is no more than a life of loneliness. A life amongst others, but with none is not a life to look forward to.

 

Every waking moment, every unconscious instant, Kurama has told himself this. He knew this in his past life; he preached the words in this life as well. Yet despite all attempts, despite the newest of friends, Loneliness was his only companion—she and Nature's seedlings.

 

Since the arrival of Yusuke, three years ago Kurama has been isolated amongst intellects at the university many scholarships have granted him. As a human, he sought to become a plant biologist. He could have gone out of Japan and to the best school in the world, but even he wouldn't allow himself to part so far from friends and family.

And currently, he was relieved for his decision. Yusuke and Keiko's wedding was in four more months and he was cordially invited to the ceremony and reception of the long-awaited binding. He stood the invitation upon his nightstand, right next to the sole photo where friends of both human and spirit world joined together for a picture, Hiei included.

 

Kurama smiled at the photo and made to pick it up. At the time, however, the phone rang in his one-bedroom apartment from the kitchen. A small pout fell upon his lips before he rose off his bed and stalked into the living room towards the kitchen.

 

He lifted the portable phone off the receiver and answered.

 

“Hello, this is Shuichi Minamino speaking.”

While speaking into the phone, he willed the plant upon his counter to extend its vines to prepare him some tea on the stove.

“Yes Madame Shiro, I'll tend to the matter immediately. Yes, I'll do that tomorrow. Oh? Well, goodbye then.”

 

He hung up the phone and turned to the plant. Originally, its vines were two feet in length. But seeing as to how it was a common breed from Demon World, it was easily able to quintuple its length. Seeing as to how the kitchen was relatively small, it could reach virtually anything within the kitchen's limits.

 

With that in mind, Kurama retrieved a pair of yellow rubber gloves from beneath the sink and his coat for the ending fall weather. He spoke to the plant as he made his way towards the door, “Behave while I'm gone, okay?”

 

Kurama walked out into the interior of the apartment complex he lived in. His duty carried him outside and to the back, where the entire building's weekly supply of garbage lied. It was not a job he favored, but for the small favor of lowered rent, Kurama sorted the garbage from the recyclables. Luckily for him, it was the responsibility of the tenants to sort out their trash in bags. That made this job all the more simpler and endurable.

 

In the midst of his trash sorting, a voice reached his ears.

 

“Hi, Shuichi.”

 

Kurama blinked and stood to his full height. His searching eyes came across the landlady's daughter, Hanako—to his distress.

 

Hanako Shiro was one of many girls who have fallen in love with his looks and accomplishments in this lifetime—not like powerful demonesses didn't in the last one. Unlike the many others—even in the past lifetime—Hanako was undoubtedly persistent. She was indeed attractive; with full lips, a curvaceous body, petite figure, lustrous long dark brown hair and wide blue eyes—contacts, obviously.

 

Yet despite these features which would drive any human male to his knees, Kurama simply had no interest in girls who paid more attention to her looks than personality. She was snobby, lazy, and utterly malevolent. The past Hiei remains to be pleasant company in comparison.

 

“Oh, hello Miss Hanako,” he forced a convincing smile.

She giggled, placing her hands behind her back in an “innocent” manner, “Oh Shuichi, you have no reason to be so formal. I mean, you are my age, no?”

He inwardly sighed, “Yes, you're right. My apologies, Hanako. What brings you here this time of night?”

“Well,” she hopped over a trash bag, “I was wondering...”

“Yes?” At times, he cursed his politeness.

“Are you free on Saturday?”

Kurama turned back to his task. Experience reminded him of how successful a move like this is when it comes to getting rid of pestering girls. “I'm afraid not, I plan on going to visit my mother in the next town.”

“Your mother? Oh, can I come? I'd love to meet her.”

 

Then again...Hanako is extremely persistent. Times like these truly put Kurama's quick thinking to the test. “As...interesting as your suggestion may be, I'm afraid that my mother has made plans for only one. Alerting her now wouldn't make it possible for you to join us, unfortunately.”

Hanako pouted, “Oh...that's too bad. So, can we reschedule something for next week?”

Kurama gave a falsely apologetic smile, “I am also afraid that I'm practically booked up until the following month. Winter term finals will take up much of my time come the season.”

 

“Aww...now that's even worse. If a slot ever opens, Shuichi, you let me know, ok?”

“Of course.”

Hanako walked until she was at the turning corner towards the building's side entrance. “Goodnight, Shuichi!” she waved.

He waved as well, not even bothering to waste his breath this time around.

 

Kurama then commenced with his job, finishing just as rain started to fall from the dark sky. He rose and turned around to realize something he never realized.

 

In the small alley of next door's complex, a girl sat within the shadows of the entrance. Her clothes were dark and worn, rather loose fitting around her petite figure. At first he thought it was a child, but the longer he stood there, the more he realized that she was in fact a teenager—probably four or five years younger than he. She appeared to be comfortably settled—if it could be assumed as such.

 

Kurama noticed the way she trembled—out of fear. The way her eyes were wide in terror yet wickedly dark. She was like a small animal which had escaped a vicious battle; it was paranoid and thus extremely dangerous if not approached carefully. Carefully was exactly the approach Kurama took.

 

He walked slowly, carefully, making his steps shorter than the normal distance they would cover.

 

“Are you alright?” he asked.

The girl said nothing, but merely stared at him as he slowly drew closer. Kurama knelt before her and examined her for bruises.

 

To his surprise, she was not Japanese. Rather, she appeared to be from one of the countries in the West. Maybe she didn't understand him? Maybe she was a victim of human trafficking?

 

He quickly referenced back to his high school days, recalling the languages he'd learned then. He tried English, “Are you alright?” No response. And despite his many other attempts, he would not get a response from her—only a look of terror that quickly dissolved into one of cold, dark nonchalance.

 

The rain was soaking the both of them now and not once did either blink, not after locking eyes.

 

Suddenly, lightening struck and thunder rumbled ferociously in the sky. The girl seemed to panic and then lose will altogether. The end result was her unconscious form slumped in the rain within the entrance of an alley.

 

Kurama panicked as well, but for the girl's sake. He lifted her up, surprised by her light weight, and rose. His eyes narrowed as he stared into the darkness, noticing the contour of a male figure. One blink of his eyes and the figure was gone, replaced by a fluttering butterfly—anxious to escape the falling teardrops of the sky.