by Keiko no Miko
 
 

Chapter Five
 

The sun rose slowly above the horizon, bringing forth a new day. Few cottony cumulus clouds dotted the jade sky and birds were heard chirping, welcoming another beautiful spring day.

However, some people didn’t share the day’s enthusiasm.

Yusuke and Kurama walked forlornly back to the city. Kuwabara followed far behind, carrying his love on his arms.

Hiei was nowhere to be seen.

"Yusuke! Kurama!" the two heard someone shout before them. They raised their heads up. They saw two figures running towards them, both women.

"Shizuru! Keiko!" Kurama yelled, waving a hand over his head quite weakly.

The two girls ran faster. Keiko rammed straight on Yusuke’s body and hugged him tightly.

"Yusuke, are you okay?" Keiko asked, her voice muffled by Yusuke’s clothes.

Yusuke pulled her away and held her arms tightly. He looked sadly in her questioning eyes.

"W-what happened?" Keiko stammered softly. "Where’s Yukina?"

Yusuke sighed and closed his eyes.

"Yusuke—"

"Keiko. I’m sorry." Yusuke opened his eyes, now slightly filled with tears.

"Y-Yusuke…she can’t be…."

The young man bit his lip and shook his head slowly.

Keiko’s wide eyes stared back at his, her body trembling. "Y-you liar! Tell me it isn’t true!" she screamed, punching Yusuke’s chest with all her might. "Tell me it’s not true!!!"

Shizuru looked from Yusuke and Kurama. "W-what’s going on?" she asked worriedly.

"Yukina…" Kurama stated, his usually sparkling green eyes now dull. "She passed away last night."

"No," Shizuru gasped, her own eyes watery. "You…you saved her…Where’s Kazuma?"

Yusuke and Kurama looked back. Kuwabara was nowhere there.

"It’s not true!" Keiko cried at Yusuke over and over again. Then, as if she had lost her energy, she collapsed in Yusuke’s arms, sobbing. Yusuke embraced her, whispering something in her ear.

Shizuru turned around, her face buried in her hands. Slowly, she sat down on the ground, giving out a loud wail. Kurama sat down with her and patted her back gently.

On one of the trees around the four, a pair of red eyes watched.

Hiei suddenly took off, going back to the direction of the cave. Along the way, he found Kuwabara, sitting under the shade of a tree. His head was turned down. He looked as if he were sleeping.

Hiei landed on the ground just in front of Kuwabara. "Kuwabara," he said softly.

Kuwabara looked up at Hiei. "What?" he asked flatly.

Hiei didn’t know what to say. He wanted to apologize to Kuwabara; he wanted to touch Yukina one last time.

"It’s over, isn’t it?" Kuwabara said, his voice throaty as if he had cried the whole night. "She’s dead now. I don’t have a reason to live anymore."

Hiei kept quiet. He wanted Kuwabara to howl at his face, to tell him that it was his fault. He wanted Kuwabara to blame him, to pull every strand of his hair out of his head.

"What about you?" Kuwabara asked.

Hiei looked up. For the first time every, he felt small and intimidated under Kuwabara’s gaze.

"I…I don’t know what to do anymore," Hiei admitted, looking down on the ground. He sat down slowly.

He suddenly remembered the necklaces. He felt his neck for the two strands of strings and pulled the precious jewelry off his head. Kuwabara watched.

Hiei picked one out. "Yukina gave this to me last year before I left," Hiei explained. "She told me that she wanted to see it when I come back. She…never had the chance to see it."

After a heavy, almost audible silence, Kuwabara spoke up. "But she saw you."

Hiei looked up at his face. Under normal conditions, Hiei would most probably have wondered how a ningen as ugly as this one could ever exist, but at that moment, he almost felt relieved of his burden. Kuwabara had just told him something other than worthless insults.

"I didn’t see it, but I know that she was glad to see you again," Kuwabara continued. "A few weeks ago, we argued over a little thing. You see, she told me that she thought you were a great guy—that you’re almost like her brother. I got a bit wound up because…you know, I hated you."

A small, wistful smile curved on Hiei’s lips. His gaze went to the girl in Kuwabara’s arms.

She was lying rather peacefully. Her lips, although pale and slightly parted, didn’t show any signs of regret or sadness. She just looked…contented.

Perhaps Kuwabara was right.

Hiei gave Kuwabara the tear gem. "This is yours, Kuwabara. I know that Yukina wants you to have it."

With shaking hands, Kuwabara took the necklace from Hiei. He stared at it for a long moment.

Tears started to fill his eyes. "Y-Yukina-san…aishiteru," Kuwabara whispered to her. He gritted his teeth together and pulled her close to him. He hugged her tightly, as if never wanting to let go of her.

"Kuwabara…I’m sorry," Hiei finally told him, a tear sliding down his cheek. He wiped the stray tear away, and as he did, a tear gem formed on his hand. "C-could I hold my sister…one last time?"

Hiei swallowed as he watched Kuwabara bury his face in Yukina’s lovely sea-green hair. Slowly, he nodded.

Hiei wrapped his arms around Yukina. He watched her pale face, imagining that her eyes would slowly open and look at him with complete trust coming from deep within her heart.

Tentatively, Hiei pressed his lips on Yukina’s forehead. Another tear gem fell on Yukina’s kimono.

I go back to the tree where I had been this morning. No sounds of children screaming are heard, but a little girl in brown pigtails is seen.

She is sitting on the bench, rather edgily. I remember her as the girl Misao, whom her brother left this morning.

It is nearly sundown. Misao starts walking back and forth, impatiently waiting for her elder brother.

After a few minutes, no one comes.

Misao sits back down n the bench again. Gradually, she hugs her backpack tightly against her chest. Tears start to flow on her chubby cheeks.

"O-niisan, where are you?" she wails.

I wonder myself where her brother is. Going out with his friends, leaving his sister behind? She is all alone, crying. A very pitiful sight.

"Misao! Misao-chan!" I hear a man call. I turn to the sound. Misao’s brother is running across the lot, his head turning from one direction to another frantically.

"O-niisan!" Misao screamed. The young man heard it. Misao and her brother run toward each other, both of their arms open. The brother scooped Misao up easily.

"Niisan, where have you been?" Misao asked, sniffing.

"Gomen ne, Misao-chan," her brother apologizes, wiping Misao’s wet cheeks. "I was stuck in school, thanks to my teacher. He wanted our class to finish our project right this afternoon." He smiles. "Actually, mine is a bit dirty because I was worried about you."

"Hmph. Baka," Misao says.

"All right, so you’re now calling me a baka, ne? I’m still your elder brother, you know."

They walk towards the bench. The brother sets Misao down and picks her backpack up.

"I knew you’ll come, anyway," Misao suddenly says.

Her brother looks at her, quite surprised. I know that he is touched by his sister’s words. I know how it feels.

He grins widely. "I promised I’ll come back, didn’t I?"

Misao giggles happily at her brother. Trust and confidence were in her young eyes, gazing at her hero—her wonderful elder brother. She is lucky to have him.

I watch Misao climb on her brother’s shoulders. "Let’s go!" he announces. Misao giggles more.

They leave the playground together, their hearts humming a joyful song in perfect harmony as they walk the city streets.
 
 
 

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