Yukina is still upset though. She cries most of the time. Fortunately, Shizaru managed to convince her not to send assassins after Hiei. I was there when she talked to the Koorime...

"She's going to do it unless someone stops her. And she won't even talk to me."

Shizaru sighs. "Alright. I'll talk to her." She looks up at me. "But you're coming with me." I shrug. At least she's agreeing to help.

We go to Yukina's room, and Shizaru knocks on the door. After a few moments, the little Koorime opens the door. "What is it?"

Shizaru glances briefly in my direction, then speaks. "We need to talk to you, Yukina-chan."

"Fine." The Koorime lets us into her room. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Yukina-chan..." Shizaru pauses. "I hear that you plan to send assassins after Hiei."

The Koorime nods. "Yes. You must be happy about that. Want to help? Kazuma-san was your brother, after all. I'm sure you'd like to see that horrible murderer dead as much as I would."

Shizaru's mouth drops in shock. I tried to warn her. She recovers quickly and looks Yukina in the eye. "No, I'm not. Kuwabara-san's death was an accident. Hiei-"

Yukina interrupts angrily. "No it wasn't! Hiei killed him! That's no accident! He deserves to die!"

Shizaru grabs Yukina by the shoulders. "No, he doesn't! You have no idea what you're saying!"

I touch Shizaru's shoulder and she glances at me. I shake my head. She reluctantly releases Yukina. The Koorime speaks angrily. "I don't care what you say! I'm going to make sure he pays for killing Kazuma-san!"

Shizaru gives me an apologetic look. Then she turns to Yukina. "Don't stoop to that level, Yukina-chan." I look at her in shock. Then I realize that the look meant to disregard everything that she says. "Don't be like him."

Yukina sighs. "You're right. Let him be a bastard. He'll eventually get what's coming to him." She leaves the room.

Shizaru deflates. "I can't believe I said that."

I put a hand on her shoulder. "It was the only way to stop her. Don't worry about it." She nods.

Kurama comes to the funeral, but he's only staying for a little while. He says that he needs to get back to Hiei. He's the only reason that Hiei hasn't left already.

The half-youko told me and Shizaru about his relationship with Hiei soon after Kuwabara's death. I was surprised and disgusted at first, but after I thought about it for a while, I realized that it should have been obvious. Kurama's always helped Hiei, taking care of him when he's hurt, or protecting him when he's helpless, after he uses the kokuryhurra. I should have figured it out a long time ago.

Shizaru had just smiled and said that she had realized that a while back, and thought that they made a `cute couple.' Kurama had looked rather surprised and asked he how she had figured it out. She told him that he and Hiei spent a lot of time together, and that he was the only one, besides Yukina, that Hiei would put up with.

The funeral is open casket. I don't bother going up to the casket. I've seen enough dead people to know what Kuwabara will look like.

Kurama, however, has no qualms about going up. He walks up and puts two roses in the casket, one red, one black. Yukina goes up after him and stands in front of the casket for a while, looking inside at the empty shell that used to be Kuwabara. Then, to everyone's surprise, she takes off her Koorime tear-gem necklace, and carefully puts it in the casket. Shizaru goes up briefly, then walks to me and pulls out a cigarette, her hands shaking slightly as she lights it. Keiko goes up, but soon hurries back to me. Kuwabara's mother stands in front of the casket, crying into her husband's chest for about ten minutes. Finally they leave the casket.

Suddenly, I feel Hiei's youki in the area. Kurama feels it too and looks around with horror written on his face. Yukina hisses slightly and looks around for the fire demon with hatred in her eyes. A blur of black races past Kuwabara's casket. Moments later, Hiei's youki is gone.

I hurry up to the casket and peer reluctantly inside. There, in Kuwabara's hands is Hiei's most prized possession. His katana.

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I'll be nicer to Hiei-san. Promise. *fingers cross behind back* Okay, okay, so maybe I'm lying through my teeth. I can't help it! On with the fic!

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