It was nearly time; Kurama was summoned by Inari to come to the Throne Room. Everyone else came in; all the youkos in the palace came into the big Throne Room.

  "SEAT AS HOW KURAMA CAME THAT TIME," spoke Inari-sama. All the youkos of the Palace went to take their seat. Mirui and Sekishi guided Kurama to the center of the room. When all is seated, Mirui and Sekishi left Kurama and went to seat as well. Suddenly the lights were off.

  There were various colors of multihued resplendent fogs around. Kurama remembered this scene. It was the exact scene when he was first welcomed into the palace.

  Then he remembered something. "Inari-sama, may I humbly ask a question?" Kurama politely asked. "YES… YOU MAY," was the answer; "I was blinded by a youkai before my body and soul were separated. What will happen of me? Will I still be blinded when I return?" Kurama asked.

  Inari-sama chuckled amusedly. "KURAMA MY SON… YOUR BLINDED EMPTY HEART HAD BEEN FILLED BY LOVE THUS YOUR BLINDED EYES WERE CLEANSED AWAY BY YOUR LOVER BY WASHING YOUR FACE WITH FRESH SPRING WATER. IT WASHED AWAY THE POISON THE EVIL YOUKAI LEFT ON YOU HENCE MAKING YOUR EYES AS EASY TO OPEN AND AS CLEAR AS CRYSTALS. DO NOT WORRY MY FAIR SON. YOU'LL BE RETURNED TO NINGENKAI AS GOOD AND AS PERFECT AS YOU CAN BE," Inari explained long and wide.

  Kurama smiled sweetly. "Thank you very much, Inari-sama," he thanked the god. "MY PLEASURE, MY SON… MY PLEASURE," was the light answer.

  A wave of silence clouded the room. Then Inari spoke. "IT'S TIME, GOODBYE MY SON," he announced. Kurama's face tensed. Whispers were heard. "Goodbye, Youko Kurama," Mirui whispered. Kurama turned to look at them. The golden and the red youko who had been his best friends there waved secretly at him. Kurama's features softened again. "Goodbye my fellow youkos," he uttered in time as his soul were transported back to Reikai.

  Mirui's eyes were watery, "Inari-sama, I loved him!" he got up and ran out of the Throne Room, crying. Sekishi blinked. Inari nodded. "CHEER HIM UP, MY RED YOUKO… HE'S JUST DEPRESSED TO LOOSE A FINE FRIEND," he noted. Sekishi nodded and went after his sensitive lover.

  When he saw his golden youko crying against a pillar outside the room, the red youko approached the golden beauty. He slowly enveloped his arms around the youko who turned around into the embrace, sobbing heavily. "It's okay baby, he's not going to go forever, he'll come and visit us," Sekishi tried to reason with his lover. "He's the best friend I've ever had!" Mirui choked back his tears.

  "I understand… I feel the same way," Sekishi's own eyes were teary. "But I prepared something for us," Sekishi smiled. Mirui looked up, their liquid golden eyes locked into each other's presence making time stop. Mirui smiled, he realized how much he loved this red youko of his and embraced the red youko. "Thank you," he uttered out of gratitude.

  Kurama suddenly appeared in a place quite familiar but unknown. "Ah, there you are! Faster, we have a schedule to keep up with!" a familiar voice. Kurama turned around and was met by a pair of clear gray eyes. That red hair! "Hinageshi!" Kurama blinked.

  "It's me alright! I am ordered to guide you back to Ningenkai! Come, we have not much time left!" she pulled Kurama to sit on her oar. "It's been a while, how have you been?" Kurama asked. "As fit as a fiddle, Kurama-san," she giggled.

  In mere seconds, they were already in Ningenkai. They traveled at high speed to a certain destination. "It's getting darker, Hinageshi-chan," Kurama stressed his eyes to get a brighter view of the surroundings. It was dark indeed but the blindness was caused by Hiei's love, which yet to be delivered to Kurama.

  Hinageshi stopped right outside the walls. Orders given to her were to send Kurama here. "This is where I leave you to find your way back Kurama-san," she uttered. "Wait, Hinageshi-chan!" Kurama stopped her. "I know you can't see… it's up to Hiei-san now. I wish you luck with all my heart," she said and retreated.

  Kurama blinked in the darkness. "Hiei?" he echoed softly.

  Hinageshi turned around and slid the door open. "He's here," she smiled, taking a place behind Botan. "Good work, Hinageshi," Koenma congratulated her. She nodded shyly as Botan hugged her.

  Genkai nodded. "It's exactly 4.15, Hiei," she announced to the youkai who was sitting next to Kurama's body. Hiei nodded and took a deep breath. The koorime gradually leaned down, his lips puckering slowly.

  Kurama's face seemed to glow in the brightest hues when Hiei's lips were finally bonded with his. The koorime parted Kurama's lips slowly with his tongue and felt Kurama's cold one. He closed his eyes and tried to have passion. He let out his breath slowly, feeling the soul of Kurama.

 Kurama floated around for a while. He tried to find some anchor to make himself stable or something to help him find his way. Then his nose smelled something. "Roses," he uttered softly. His nose breathed in more of the scent and it guided him somewhere. He floated himself towards the smell, sliding gracefully. He didn't know where but he felt confident about it.

  Kurama's eyes suddenly saw light. It was soft but visible. "Hiei?" he called. The light became more visible as it cleared the view around him. Kurama could see clearly now. He was already in the room, afloat. He could see everyone. His lips curved into a smile when he saw his own body with Hiei bending over to kiss him right in front of everyone. He felt himself slipping back inside. "You're one brave youkai, Hiei," he uttered as he opened his eyes.

  Hiei blinked and broke the kiss. Then he felt it. Those familiar electric impulses traveling at high speed to churn his stomach as his eyes met with the most beautiful pair of emerald gems in the whole three worlds, all his life.

  The fire demon was stunt. "You kept your promise Hiei," Kurama smiled. Hiei widened his eyes. :… Those warm loving smiles!!!! …: his head was shouting. He shook his head. He was too apprehensive. He couldn't face this; it was too intense for him. The youkai stumbled to his feet and ran out of the room.

  Kurama looked at the leaving youkai. "He'll be fine, Kurama. Give him some time. Welcome home," Genkai smiled. Kurama smiled broader. "Guys, I love you all," he announced.

  "All of us too!" they all chimed together as they closed up to him for a big bear hug. Yuusuke kissed Kurama on the forehead. "Don't ever do that again to us!" he warned. Kurama nodded. "I won't because you all are the most precious people in my life," he smiled.

  They started talking non-stop. "Kurama, what the heck were you doing with Inari?" Kuwabara asked. Kurama smiled. "I was living in his palace. Very nice youkos around," he answered. "Talking about youkos… did you meet a golden youko named… err… what's his name already…" Botan thought hard. "Mirui," Koenma answered. "Yeah, Mirui!" she beamed.

  Kurama nodded. "Mirui was my best friend there," he was staying in the room next to mine. A very sweet young man," he smiled, remembering their times together, the three of them having fun in the palace.

  "What about him?" Kurama asked, looking at Botan. Botan blushed. "He's so gorgeous, Kurama… maybe I could…" Kurama chuckled in her mid-sentence. "Botan-chan… he's married," Botan blinked. "Married?" Kurama nodded. "Yes, happily married to a male red youko named Seikishi," he told the ferry girl. "Really married?" she asked again. Kurama nodded. "Even I had a married status there," Koenma burst into laughter. "Tried to warn her," he giggled. Botan pouted as everyone chuckled.

  "Why are all the good guys taken?" she wondered heavily. Hinageshi patted her back and giggled.

  "Why is that, Kurama?" Kuwabara asked. "Well, in the Youko Imperial Palace, there are rules such as no flirting with married youkos. This is because Youkos get married to show their willingness to commit and bond themselves thus making then an honorable, faithful and trustworthy also a disciplined and dependable youko. Anyone who flirts with a married youko will be abhorred by Inari-sama and since they're living in his palace, they don't want such things to happen," Kurama explained.

  "But what does that have to do with you?" Yuusuke asked. "Well, in the palace they're a lot of single youkos that are very interested in silver youkos, because silver youkos are considered the most high leveled ones among youko breeds, more even silver youkos with golden eyes," Kurama paused.

  "Youkos with golden eyes are the most talented and beautiful ones," Botan added. "And how did you know?" Kuwabara asked. "Mirui told me so," she insisted. "Oh…" they all nodded.

  "Anyway it was Sekishi who came up with that idea because he said it was to protect me off the lot of single youkos in the palace; especially the Lady of the Treasure house. She was beautiful yes, but she has attitude problem. Sekishi said such confession was to prevent her from getting any closer to me," Kurama smiled.

  "Interesting history you have in there, Kurama-san" Keiko voiced. Kurama nodded. "I find it interesting myself," he admitted.

  "Come on everyone… I've readied rooms for all of you. Kurama must be tired. Let him rest. Anything else, we talk at breakfast," Genkai announced. Everyone nodded.

  "We have to leave," Koenma said. Genkai nodded. "Thank you," she uttered. "It's my responsibility as well," he smiled. They changed mutual understanding between each other and smiled. "Bye Genkai-shihan," Botan waved goodbye at her together with Hinageshi.

  The others went out to settle in their own rooms. When everyone was out, Genkai stopped at the door. "Talk to Hiei. He had been a very good boy," Genkai smiled before she closed the door behind her.

  Kurama looked at himself. He was covered with rose petals. "No wonder I smelled it," he smiled. He got up and brushed away the petals off his body. He redid his yukata's obi and patted his yukata into place.

  He walked to the door and slid it open. The smell of fresh air made him feel rejuvenated. He observed around. The temple was already quiet. Kurama smiled to himself when he sensed Hiei's youki near the temple's garden. He made his way there and saw the lithe youkai sitting on a stone bench on the middle of the garden with his back towards the redhead.

  He approached the youkai and could see him shivering slightly in the dark, lightened only by the moon's radiance. The weather was cold, it was early winter but he knew better; the youkai wasn't effected by the cold that he was shuddering like a rattlesnake. It was the mixed feelings he had inside for him.

  "I got your message from Mirui, the golden youko you met in Reikai," Kurama started. Hiei turned stridently as if in a bolt from the blue. His eyes were wide and his lips were trembling.

  Kurama drew himself nearer to the youkai; he circled the youkai, facing his body. The koorime's eyes never leaving the tall redhead. Kurama knelt and Hiei's gaze followed him.

  Kurama reached up to touch those cold and quivering lips. "Shhh…" he shushed the fire demon. "You're a fire demon, how could you fear such careless weather?" Kurama teased the youkai even though he knew better. "I…it's not the cold," Hiei managed to croak.

  Kurama smiled sweetly. "Then what is it, my sunshine?" Kurama asked. Hiei blinked. Those feeling were still there but it's not hurting his stomach anymore, it just went up his head to pound it like a drum.

  But that disappeared just as Kurama cupped his cold face with his warm hands. "I've learned a lot while I was away, precious," Kurama whispered. Hiei shuddered again when he heard Kurama's various interesting names for him.

  "Your love had filled the empty space in my heart… therefore making it easier to open my eyes to look at you, my beautiful lover," Kurama told the fire demon.

  Hiei finally found the courage to really look at Kurama in the eyes and speak. "Don't do that again…" he crumbled into Kurama's arms sobbing. "Hiei?" Kurama frowned. "Hiei, what's wrong?" Kurama rubbed slow soothing circles around Hiei's back.

  "Don't do that again!" Hiei repeated himself on Kurama's shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. "What is it, Hiei? Tell me," Kurama said softly, coaxing the youkai.

  Hiei looked up at Kurama. "You shower me with love so clearly that when I finally realize it and went to find you, you died! You're being cruel, Kurama!" Hiei cried. Kurama pulled the youkai back into his embrace and shushed him again. "Shh…" he patted Hiei's back softly.

  "It wasn't intentional, Hiei… I'm sorry," Kurama apologized. "Promise me… don't ever leave me," Hiei said in between sobs. "I promise darling… I promise," Kurama whispered into the ears of the youkai.

  The redhead looked up into the sky. :… Thank you, Inari-sama… for granting me my one and only wish …: Kurama prayed into the sky, closing his eyes with his lover clinched in his arms.
 

Author's note : Hehhee... there you have it. 8 solid chapters of crap... I mean fanfic. It was actually an abandoned fic I found somewhere in my hard disk. It started out 5 pages and left unattented for... I dunno how long... kehkehkeh... Anyway, ideas kept pouring in and I managed to finish this in 3 days ^_^; The piccie of Mirui and Sekishi are made by me. Tell me if you like it, but if you think it looks distorted, forget that I asked.

I dedicate this fic to Wong Siew Lee to wish her good luck in her 'from 5' *kehkehkeh* and to thank her for something *wink*.

The Lost Lemon Chapters are personally dedicated to Sandy Youko, my favourite yaoi fanfic writer. She writes delicious yaoi/lemon stories.

Also dedicated to everyone in the Shin YYH ML and YYH Fanfics-only ML. I love you all and have a nice Happy New Millennium. *kisses and huggles*