✔ | At Least We Have Forever

Chapter 37 - His Heart's Resolve

For the next three days, everything went well for Kurama and Riya as they talked to each other with no care about what was around them. And it was a completely good thing for the team who had just heard about Riya finally talking to Kurama after a week of not doing so. They didn't know Riya's reason for that but then it didn't matter now.

On the other hand, Kurama was undeniably happy that he could be able to talk and be close to Riya like this again even though they would only be considered friends for now due to some circumstances.

The day after the tutoring session, however, someone spotted them and didn't like the blossoming closeness between the two for the second time. And because of that, a somewhat diabolical plan had been set to ruin that blossoming closeness. Unfortunately for Kurama and Riya, that plan would be set in motion later that day.

The day before their date.

It was lunch and the gang decided to eat their lunches under the tree near the soccer field. And much to their surprise, Yumi joined them. The blonde transformed to her taller form before she appeared to them.

"Yumi, why didn't you bring Hiei with you?" Yusuke asked when he looked around and didn't see the said three-eyed demon.

But she just shrugged and continued eating. Riya, on the other hand, knew that there was something wrong with Yumi that concerned Hiei though she decided not to ask her about it. But much to her surprise, Yumi talked to her telepathically.

'He was letting me choose which to prioritize the most,' Yumi started, making Riya frown a bit and looked at the blonde.

'What do you mean by that?' She asked.

'He was forcing me to choose between my love for him and my father whom I have to fight to save. There's no way I could do that. It's so hard...' Yumi answered desperately in her mind but remained stoic.

Riya sighed inwardly and continued eating. 'But why would he force you to choose between two of the most important to you?'

'He figured that I might be able to forget about him once I defeated my father and accepted the position of being the clan leader. And I guess he would just leave me without a word once he learned the true story of my birth.'

'Do you mean Hiei doesn't even know that part? And wait! How did he figure out that you love him?'

Yumi sighed before looking at Riya. 'I broke down after the battle a week ago, saying that I got so scared of dying without even letting the person I love know that I love him. Hiei said that he was having the same fear when I almost got stabbed by one of the demons we fought. And of course, you know the rest. Confession here and there.'

'Is that so? So I guess Hiei also has his own set of fears.'

Yumi chuckled upon hearing that in her mind from Riya.

Yusuke and the others got so busy talking with each other that they didn't have any idea about Yumi's predicament. It was a good thing that they didn't or else, all hell would break loose.

"Hey, guys. What are you going to do after school?" Keiko asked once they were all done eating.

"Arcade," Yusuke and Kuwabara answered in unison.

"Don't you two ever get bored of going to the arcade?" Yumi queried sarcastically.

"No," the two said in unison again.

Keiko rolled her eyes while Riya just chuckled.

"I have to head to the shop after school to deal with some problems there," Ayako said.