Chapter Four
Hiei came to learn that on 14th of February every year, the humans in Ningenkai celebrated Valentine’s day.
And it happened to be that 14th of February is 2 days away, right in this spring holiday.
Hiei handed Yuuki her manga and sat next to her. They had just finished dinner and Hiei came to gave back Yuuki her manga. “Valentine’s near,” he uttered. Yuuki nodded and sighed. “Yeah…” Hiei started the conversation again. “Who are you going to celebrate it with?” Hiei asked. “Some guy,” she smiled. “Where?” Hiei asked.
“Right here with them all. Keiko-sensei already made all the arrangements. We could bring our boys here and have a Valentine’s picnic,” she beamed. “Is it?” Hiei blinked. “Well it’s supposed to be a secret. Don’t tell anyone that I told you, okay?” Yuuki winked at Hiei. “And come join us,” she smiled.
Hiei smirked. “I don’t know. I don’t want to ruin your perfect Valentines. Besides, Kurama might not want me there,” Hiei uttered. “Oh don’t be silly. Everyone knows he loves you a lot. It’s just his pride. I’m sure he’d be happy to have you around. Try to get Kurama-san back by then. It’s really sweet to have your Valentine’s spent with your loved one,” she put the manga on her chest, embracing it.
Hiei smirked. Maybe Valentine’s could fix something.
“Um, sure I’ll drive you two to the market tomorrow. But whatever for?” Kurama asked. Kurama was washing the dishes with Botan and Yukina when they suddenly asked a favor from him. “Well, we need to buy some groceries for the picnic,” Botan told Kurama, Yukina smiling happily beside her.
“Picnic? What picnic?” Kurama blinked. “It’s the surprise Valentine’s picnic we’re having for the boys. But since you’re the only one here with the car, we have to tell you. But you will act surprised in front of the other’s right?” Botan grinned. Kurama smiled and wiped his hands dry. “Sure, after breakfast tomorrow?” Kurama ran a hand through his hair. “Thank you!” the girls beamed. He waved and walked back to his room.
He snickered. How ironic, Valentine’s and he just have to have a fight with his lover now. Kurama sighed and hope Hiei will show up. Since it was suppose to be a surprise, he can’t actually ask Hiei to come; and besides, he was still angry at the han-koorime.
So there you go; youko pride. Kurama laughed bitterly to himself. Maybe Hiei didn’t even know about Valentines Day. He had just came back from Makai after leaving for 10 years and this might be his first valentine. Thanks to whatever creature who blew it off, Hiei would miss this year’s one.
Only Inari knows how painful it was to bear Hiei to be so near yet so far. If only his youko pride would let him.
But then suddenly the thought of Hiei in Mukuro’s arms… it made him all furious again.
Kurama was about to sleep when he heard noises outside. He got up and redid his sash. The redhead walked out of his room and saw a car identical to his but in different shades. “Shizuru-san,” he smiled as he made his way to the newcomer.
“Konban wa, Shizuru-san!” Kurama greeted as he walked down the stairs. “Yo, pretty boy! Just thought I’d come up for a visit. Where’s everyone?” She took out her cigarette and lit it. “Oh, they’re inside. Come let’s go inside,” he gestured. Shizuru nodded and followed the redhead to the living room where everyone seemed to be.
“Neesan? What’re you doing here?” Kuwabara asked as soon and they entered. “Girls, this is Shizuru Kuwabara, Kazuma-san’s sister,” Kurama introduced Shizuru to the girls, they all nodded and introduced themselves to Shizuru as she got along well with the kids.
Hiei who was listening to the girls talk about shoujo manga went up to sit next to Kurama when the redhead sat down and sipped some tea that was poured by Yukina.
Kurama felt irritated and uneasy with Hiei next to him. He would have the image of Hiei with Mukuro and jealousy would build up in his body, resulting in a bad temper. And he was trying his best to keep his temper in check for the others.
“Excuse me, but I don’t feel well. I’m settling early. See you, Shizuru-san,” Kurama smiled as he got up and left. “Oh, oyasumi pretty boy,” Shizuru waved and resumed her story about fashion tips to the girls.
“What’s up with Kurama?” Yuusuke asked, his eyes not tearing off the TV screen. “He’s not feeling well might be just all,” Keiko shrugged, eyes on TV screen as well.
Kurama had drove the girls to the market and back. He was locking his car when Hiei approached him from behind. It nearly made Kurama’s heart jump but he reserved it to himself. The redhead tried to ignore Hiei and walked off when Hiei held his wrist.
Kurama shook it off, suddenly his anger evoked from nowhere. It must be the youko pride again. He left Hiei and walked straight to his room.
Hiei sighed. By now, all the girls had invited their boys to the picnic and he was here trying to get Kurama’s heart back.
Hiei sighed. It was the dawn of Valentine’s day. The girls had woke up early to get everything ready for the Valentines picnic later. Kurama did not yet invite him but maybe if he’d show up Kurama might appreciate it. It’ll save the youko some pride. And he’d be happy to be with his redhead and everything would be fine.
But did the youko really wanted him there?
“It won’t hurt to try,” Hiei tried to lift his own sprits as turned around. He flitted away to get his presents and outfit, just for the day.
Hiei looked at himself at the mirror. He looked pretty decent. Lucky he got something that look as quite as the boy did in the shoujo manga for Valentine’s day. Hiei smiled at the sales girl and handed her the amount of cash as he walked out of the shop wearing his newly bought white jeans and sleeveless mandarin collar top, oblivious to the girl who tried to tell him that they need to take away the price tag.
He wasted the last bit of cash with him to buy a box of chocolates for Kurama (also a shoujo manga rip-off). A stare at the sun told him that it was already time for the picnic.
He took his leisure time to walk to the shihan’s temple. Daydreaming of how would Kurama act to his appearance. Maybe he’d be so happy that he would hug him and kiss him, then they would spend their time walking by the park and watch the sunset together by the lake. It was so perfect, just as in the shoujo manga.
He wiped off the goofy grin he had when he reached the temple. He walked to the back of it where the light shrilly noises were heard, guiding him there.
Hiei paused for a while to watch the scene. All the girls were there with their special guests; Botan was telling something to Koenma, Yuusuke was trying his best feeding Keiko with chocolates, Kuwabara with his endless praise and poems for his Yukina and Shizuru puffing smoke next to Kurama.
Oblivious to the fact that everything was perfect without him, he walked towards them, the bag with a box of chocolate cleverly hidden behind him.
Reiko was the one who spotted him first. “Hiei-san you came!” she exclaimed. Hiei smiled. “Hiei!” Yuusuke waved. “Kurama-san did ask you to come after all! I told you it'll be fine!” Yuuki beamed.
“I did not!” was Kurama’s answer and made everyone stuck in silence with suspense hanging in the air. “Then who did?” Kuwabara asked absent-mindedly. That really made Yuusuke sink his elbow deep into Kuwabara’s side. “What did I do?” Kuwabara gritted his teeth at Yuusuke. “I thought Kurama might want me to come but didn’t have the guts to ask me, so I’d just show myself,” Hiei grinned at Kurama and handed him a small cute paper-bag.
The air was thicker even when Kurama made no movement to retreat the present bestowed in front of him.
Kurama narrowed his eyes and slapped away the bag, having its content land in front of Hanaya. It was a box of chocolate. Hiei’s over confident attitude was getting to the best of him. He was dead wrong to think that Kurama would just forget about it and act like a giddy high school teenager.
“NO one invited you here Hiei, and would you really think that I didn’t have the guts to ask you here if I wanted to? I told you it’s over between us. Finish! Or which part of ‘finish’ that you don’t understand Hiei?” Kurama stood up, being in eye level with Hiei.
“Well let me tell you. I don’t want you here or your stupid chocolates for that matter; Go back to where ever you came from,” Kurama gritted his teeth.
Hiei took the humiliation and clutched his fist till it bled. He forgot the pain and blood as those cruel words kept emitting itself from Kurama’s mouth.
“And look at you. Did you steal these clothes?” Kurama asked. Hiei looked up at Kurama with unbelievable eyes. He bought the clothes with decent money. “I bet you did, Hiei. It still had its price tag off. Paid-for clothes would have their price tag taken off,” Kurama spat. “Pathetic bastard,” the youko concluded.
“Go away you cheap ludicrous youkai; A dirty bastard of the glaciers,” Kurama’s words stung like thousand of bees stinging him. Stinging him numb until he couldn’t even feel pain.
Hiei tried to open his mouth and retort but he couldn’t. It was no use. His pride had literally being ripped and torn to pieces by the youko’s sharp words. So what’s the use.
Hiei looked around at the other people who were staring at him. No one made a sound of protest to tell Kurama to stop those cruel words. It was clear that they didn’t want him there. It was crystal clear that he was the forbidden glacier child and was destined to be humiliated and insulted and alone.
His sweet kisses, his warm hug, his sunset… all turned into rough needles
and burst out from within his heart. It hurts, but too much that Hiei had
forgotten how pain felt like.
Hiei smiled despite the abase words thrown upon him by his loved one.
Everyone was quiet. Hiei bent down and took his chocolates, turning around.
“Happy Valentine’s day everyone. Enjoy,” he uttered, trying hard to suppress
his tears.
The dejected youkai walked away, from where he came from…
Hiei opened his Jagan thus opening a portal, going through it. He wanted to cry. He wanted to have someone’s shoulder to cry on. He wanted… his eyes burnt with tears.
Hiei wanted someone who would try and soothe him even though had no clue of the sadness within. He wanted someone who would wrap its warm soothing arms around him just to assure him it’s there; he wanted someone to hug back in gratitude for the assuring embrace; he wanted to be loved, if not sexually, paternally… Yes, what he wanted was…
…A mother.
Being in one of the 2 drastic seasons in Makai, the han-koorime dropped to his knees in the snowstorm and bit his lips until it bled, choking tears.
Tears of pain…
Tears of self humiliation…
Tears of loneliness…
“You and Hiei still…” But Yuusuke was cut by Kurama’s brash words and his deadly glare. “There’s no such thing as Hiei and me! And don’t ever mention his name in front of me if you want to live!” Kurama gritted his teeth. Hanaya saw a small paper coming out from the beautiful paper bag left by Hiei and picked it up. “It’s a receipt from an attire store,” she uttered softly.
Kurama bit his lips as he got up and left.
Everyone silenced themselves. Yukina cried, her heart suddenly felt painful. “It’s okay Yukina-chan… they’ll be alright,” Kuwabara tried to sooth the young koorime. But he knew it was dead far from all right. Kurama had never been that weird and this was serious.
“You need me to look after Hiei?” Botan asked Koenma. The demi-god shook his head. “He’d be okay,” he sighed.
The han-koorime opened his eyes in a dark place. Rotten meat filled his nose as he wrinkled them. When he tried to move, he realized that his limbs were tied. Not only with ropes, but wards. And it didn’t only kept his limbs immobile, but also burning the flesh slowly.
Suddenly a big hairy creature opened the door, pouring light into the smelly dark cell.
“You’re awake,” a very low and deep voice announced. Hiei kept his silence. He didn’t know where he was and couldn’t care less at this point. “You know who you are?” the creature asked.
Hiei tried to remember but only one phrase came out. “I’m a dirty bastard of the glaciers,” he murmured. The creature burst into laughter. “That’s good. Very good,” he came closer and pulled Hiei by the hair with enough force to tear off the chains from Hiei’s limbs, also inducing painful wounds in the process.
“Who are you again?” the creature asked. “A dirty bastard of the glaciers,” Hiei answered weakly as if on cue. The creature laughed again. “Very good. I knew it the moment I found you in the snow that you’d be good for business. Don’t worry baby, I won’t hurt you,” the creature laughed happily and inanely, dragging the weak han-koorime by the hair up the stairs and into another chamber.
The small lithe han-koorime was thrown in and there was silence. Then the spotlights shown on him and Hiei realized that he was in a glass room. Outside the four walls were hideous creatures of all species cheering.
Hiei blinked. Cheering? What were they cheering about? He asked himself. The spotlights were hot against his skin and it seemed that his body was burning under that ferocious ray of light beam.
Then a sudden pain hit him. A lash or a whip, he barely recognized. “What’s your name?” the creature that just slashed him stood next to him. Looked human but with elf-like ears and knife-sharp teeth. Its voice suggested that it was a male.
“A dirty bastard of the glaciers,” Hiei repeated for the third time since he was conscious. Hiei could hear that there were more cheers outside the room.
“A bag of gold to see him lashed again!” Hiei could hear them shout. And not long after another dash of pain whipped through his body travelling up his spine and made him shudder.
More and more lashes were presented to him and later punches as slaps. The phrase ‘A dirty bastard of the glaciers’ had been uttered for almost hundreds of times as long as asked.
Hiei was beaten into a pulp. Whiplashes were everywhere on his body, his ribs were broken, his skin was burnt, his hair soaked in his own blood, yet the crowd was still wild and demanding.
“A chest of jewels for this to be up his ass!” said a voice. The crowd gave way for a moment of silence, then noises beyond imagination could be heard. Hiei managed to open his eyes to barely see what was it. A hideous monster held its hand up to show a 5 feet long, 3 inches wide rod with spikes around it.
Hiei closed his eyes as he heard the glass room door opened and closed. The crowd was wilder than ever.
He was pushed down on his knees and his bare ass to the crowd.
The noise decibels ascended incredulously.
Hiei then felt the most ignominious pain he could ever felt in his life.
The rod was shoved up his ass, its thorns adding to the pain, tearing Hiei’s inner walls.
The second scream was heard when the rod was being pulled out from the han-koorime; a burst of youki was emitted from within him. It shattered the glass room and the han-koorime dropped limp on the glass-covered floor, shaking…
In shock…
In pain…