.Four.

Days passed by before anyone took notice of my "relationship" with Kurama. It all really started when I got a call from Kuwabara one day. Of course being the idiot that he was, he called me at nearly the crack of dawn and I was not happy.

"Kuwabara?" I asked into the phone as I tried in vain to smooth down my hair. Glancing at the clock, I was quite upset at the fact that it was five in the morning. "Why in the world are you calling me at this ungodly hour?!" I screamed out before Kuwabara could respond.

"What are you talking about, Urameshi? It's nine o' clock!"

I groaned mentally before telling myself to calm down. "Kuwabara, you numbskull, did you forget to replace the batteries in your watch?" I inquired as patiently as I could muster. There was a slight pause on the other end before I heard Kuwabara curse at himself.

"Oops."

"Yeah, oops," I repeated sarcastically. I sighed when I looked at my clock again. There was no way I was going to be able to fall back asleep so I decided to rid myself of my anger. Maybe I could do some early training or something.

"But anyway, I was calling because I had a question for you," Kuwabara suddenly said.

Arching an eyebrow, I sat up in bed and began stretching. "What is it?" I replied. Kuwabara having a question was definitely not a surprise to me. The guy always had questions.

"Where were you and Kurama heading a few days before? I saw you guys heading into a pool hall near my workplace at night. Then you two headed back out again. I never knew you two were the type to hang out," he said nonchalantly, though I knew it was Kuwabara's way of hiding his curiosity.

Grinning, I thought to myself. Kurama's plan had actually worked. Kuwabara did notice us. That was quite a shocker. "Why do you ask, huh? Can't two friends hang out without people growing suspicious?" I remarked as I brought the cordless phone into the bathroom. Pulling out my toothbrush and paste, I began to brush my teeth as Kuwabara contemplated my question.

"It's just that…it seems weird. You and Kurama just having fun together? I would have been less shocked at seeing Hiei singing karaoke."

I nearly choked on toothpaste at the idea of Hiei singing before I rinsed my mouth with water. "Gee, that's nice of you to say," I said in the most aggrieved tone I could make. Then I rinsed my mouth one more time with water before deciding to resolve the matter. I was getting hungry. "Look, Kurama and I just wanted to go out, okay? There's no reason to be asking questions. Now good-bye, Kuwabara," I said coldly before clicking the cordless off.

Chuckling to myself, I placed the phone back in its stand and headed to the kitchen to whip some breakfast. Mom was off doing whatever task and I pulled out a box of cereal and milk. I was jus about to dig into my bowl before the phone rang again. This time I was getting a little impatient. Why did people have to call at the wrong time?

"What?" I snapped into the phone.

"Um, Yusuke?"

I nearly dropped the phone in shock. "Keiko!" I exclaimed before I stuttered out my apologies. "Sorry, I thought you were Kuwabara."

She laughed on the other line and I found myself relieved. "Is that so? Well, he did call me before. And now I have my own question," she said, her tone growing serious. I groaned. Of all people Kuwabara had to call for advice, it had to be Keiko?

"What is it?"

"Are you and Kurama…well…are you two…"

I decided to help her out. "Going out?" I suggested meekly.

Keiko took a deep breath before answering. "Yeah," she said. I could almost imagine the smile on her face as she agreed with my suggestion.

"Are you mad?"

Now don't ask why I asked that, but it was just something that lingered in my mind and just wanted to get out. But after I said it, I felt extremely embarrassed. Why in the world would Keiko be mad? She and I were more than over with. I guess maybe I still wasn't completely over her, though.

"What? Why would I be? In fact I'm happy that you're moving on. It's been a while since our breakup and I was beginning to wonder if you would ever go out with anyone again," she said, "but to be honest, I never knew you were bi."

I couldn't help but laugh at what she said. "I never told you? God, I always thought I did," I replied. Keiko laughed.

"Well, I suspected you were but you never told me straight out. But then again you were always like that-unless someone asked you directly."

Keiko knew me all too well. I looked down at my bowl of cereal which suddenly became unappetizing and pushed it out my way. Here I was thinking she'd be angry. But it still sort of pained me to think of what we had two years ago. Yeah, two fucking years. I hadn't gone out with anyone for that long. It even sounded crazy to me, but those years passed by quickly. I always thought Keiko and I would be together forever as corny as that was.

I mean in the beginning for the first year or so, it was great. But then gradually, our relationship began deteriorating. Soon Keiko and I were having arguments about our busy lives and how we never had enough time for each other anymore. It was then that we realized that we had grown so far apart, that it couldn't even be helped. She led her own life at her college and I was jumping around all over the place from the Ningenkai to the Makai. Our breakup wasn't completely weepy and overdramatic but it was still kind of sad. I guess we both had been convinced that we were soul mates. Life really sucked sometimes.

But as I talked with Keiko on the phone, I almost felt like nothing changed. We were still best friends, though not boyfriend and girlfriend. We still knew each other inside out. Oh yeah, how things could change in two years. Keiko began talking about her current boyfriend she had been with for nearly a year now and I couldn't help but feel jealous of that guy. Whoever he was had better treat Keiko right. I told her this and she laughed, saying how I was still overprotective of her. How could I not be? Though I didn't say that, I grew slightly depressed by the thought. Keiko thought of me now like a brother. Now I knew there would definitely be no chance of her and me getting back together. I guess I was still living in delusions. Keiko might have been able to let go of me but I still hadn't gotten over her. Talking to her only reinforced these feelings. I was an idiot, yup.

"It was nice talking to you again, Yusuke. I have to go now to meet up with my group to finish up our project. Good-luck with Kurama, okay?"

"Yeah, bye, Keiko."

Click. I hadn't even realized we were talking for nearly an hour. Looking at my bowl of soggy cereal, I tossed it into the sink and headed back to my room for a change of clothes. Yeah, I was definitely depressed. Keiko always did have that effect on me. And I needed something to snap me out of it. So, dressed in sweats and a hoodie, I practically bulleted out of the house and began jogging around the neighborhood in a blind rush. Headphones were planted over my ears and everything was tuned out as I listened to the sound of heavy American rock.

Running along in beat to the music, I found myself drowned in thoughts of the past-when it was just Keiko and I. We were so happy together once upon a time. Then I had to go and screw everything up by leaving on my crazy trips to the Makai, and occasionally, the Reikai. I should have known Keiko would have to somehow cope with my absence but I never thought we would grow that far apart. I had been gone for three years before and she and I still were crazy about each other. But that was how our relationship began-with me coming back. How ironic was that?

It was the oh-so typical breakup I suppose-the girl getting over the guy yet the guy still longing for the girl but knowing he would never get her back. I snickered bitterly at that. Someone up there was laughing at me.

Eventually I came to a stop at a small deli shop where I picked up a tuna sandwich to replace the breakfast I had so kindly drained down the sink and practically swallowed the entire thing whole before I started running again. My destination? Nowhere in particular. I was venting out my feelings I suppose.

I ran for about an hour maybe before I realized my stomach began to cramp up. I paused by the park for a moment and rested on the bench for a few minutes before standing up and beginning to run again. I was never much of a runner, but at that moment I felt like I could run around the entire Makai, Reikai, and Ningenkai without breaking a sweat. It was really all an effort to forget about Keiko but her voice was still echoing in my mind like a broken record.

Then who else did I see but Kurama?

As I turned the corner, there stood the infamous redhead across the street. He looked up right about the same time as I did and waved at me. I grinned back at him slightly. And then that was when his expression turned to alarm.

"Yusuke, look out!" I heard him yell.

I turned to my right just in time to see a renegade bicycler running straight into me.

"Oh, fuck…"

And with those two…err…words, we crashed. Seconds passed and…

"Ow…"

Lord, give me strength. Stars were still running around in circles around my head and everything seemed to be out of focus. I was vaguely aware of someone holding me up and speaking to me, but the words were a jumble to my ears. Everything else about me seemed to ache as well and I wondered hazily about the fate of my CD player. I shook my head and felt another pain shoot through my stomach. I groaned and looked around wearily.

"Are you all right, Yusuke?"

That was Kurama. As I looked at him, I saw him barely containing his laughter and I looked at myself. I was sprawled out on the ground with my CD player lying safely in my pocket still and the other kid that crashed into me was standing and looking over me apologetically. His bike seemed to have been dented, though. I presumed that was my doing. I did have a hard head.

"Gosh, sorry, sir. I didn't see you. I hope you're all right," he sputtered.

I did my best to smile but the pain in my stomach was not one to be ignored. "Yeah… Don't worry about me, kid. I think your bike deserves it more than I do," I replied before standing up weakly. By this time I think Kurama noticed my discomfort and helped me stand upright. The kid nodded and began to walk away and the crowd slowly started to disperse.

"Are you really all right?" came Kurama's concerned tone.

"I…"

That was all I got out before I suddenly keeled over and dumped everything that was in my stomach onto the pavement. I was aware of Kurama kneeling beside me and the realization that this was probably a most embarrassing moment for me but that didn't matter as I felt all the energy rush out of my body in less than a second. By the time I emptied out the contents of my stomach, I felt considerably dizzy and out of focus. I saw Kurama look over me worriedly and couldn't help but feel some amusement.

"Remind me to never eat tuna again…" was all I said before I fainted dead away.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It's a strange feeling-being unconscious. Most of the times I didn't remember anything. But now, I did. It was like being in a room that had no light whatsoever and the only thing you could do was think. During this state, you also don't keep track of time. A whole week could pass and yet in that dark room, it would seem only like a day passed. It was also suffocating and depressing. I found myself wanting to wake up and escape my thoughts. I was mad at myself and at Keiko for reminding me of…herself. Kurama was a good distraction from the entire thing, but as soon as Keiko and I started talking again after not doing so for a while, everything began to fall apart. It was weird because I liked Kurama a lot. He was a good friend, but I think I really was starting to develop something for him. That was not a good thing of course considering he was so into Hiei and I was only helping him in encouraging Hiei to react. I had a knack for falling for people that really didn't want anything to do with me.

But before I could totally fall into darkness, I heard someone calling to me. It was like a distant call-something from a dream maybe. Everything seemed so unreal but it did slowly melt away to reality. The blackness was dissolving and I could begin to feel again. What I felt was warm atmosphere and…exhaustion-exhaustion unlike any other I ever experienced. But it was a relief to be able to open my eyes again, even if it did feel like they weighed a ton. I saw Kurama watching me intensely and it took me awhile to find my voice.

"How long was I out?" I croaked out. Kurama eyed my seriously for a moment and I found myself wondering why before he slowly smiled.

"A few hours. Kuwabara called wondering where you were. When I told him you were here, he just said 'oh' and then with a quick good-bye, was gone," he replied lightly. I would have smiled if not for the fact that my muscles didn't seem to want to obey and just closed my eyes wearily.

"So what's the diagnosis?"

"Food poisoning. I recall you saying something about tuna before you fainted so I'm assuming that's what caused it."

There was something in Kurama's tone that made me look at him suspiciously. "Are you all right?" I found myself asking. Kurama looked at me sharply before softening his gaze.

"I'm really the one who should be asking you that," he replied quietly.

I could barely even smile back at him. That was how exhausted I was and my stomach was beginning to noise its protest a little too painfully. I looked at Kurama pleadingly and he immediately grabbed a bucket from his desk and placed it before me. I sat up with amazing strength and began coughing up whatever I had left in my stomach. The acid burned at my throat and I closed my eyes tightly as it eventually ended. Kurama was rubbing my bank gently and pulled the bucket away when I was done.

"No more tuna for you."

A strange sort of strangled sound escaped my throat and it was my poor attempt at laughter. Kurama smiled back at me gently as I leaned back in his bed. "You don't mind if I just fall dead asleep right now do you?" I inquired quietly. I felt his warm hand place itself on top of my clammy forehead as a response.

"Sleep. I'll take care of you," I heard Kurama murmur as I drifted away.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

TBC