“How the heck do you like Kurama?!” exclaimed Imachi. Mayari, Hikaru, and he were all in Hikaru’s room sitting by the window. Hikaru stared out the window with her emerald spring green eyes at the ocean breaking on the cliff rocks. Ever since her teammates had found out about her relationship with Kurama things had been really rough.

“I have been with him since round five ended. I thought you would’ve noticed,” Hikaru sighed. Mayari threw up her pale hands in exasperation. Her bark colored eyes glittered with frustration.

“Why couldn’t you just tell us?” he snapped. Hikaru turned to look at her. Her crimson locks fell into her angelic face slightly. Brushing the stray tresses back she spoke.

“The chances of us fighting against each other were very slim,” Hikaru argued. Imachi shook his head in annoyance. His golden yellow hair shifted slightly.

“That’s not why you should’ve told us!” he exclaimed. He was equally—but probably less than Mayari was—annoyed as the Earth Sprite. His dark green eyes met Mayari’s. Silently they both agreed that Hikaru was purposely avoiding the question.

“So? I didn’t tell you because…” Hikaru began. Then she bit her lip to stop herself. Two pairs of eyes stared at her expectantly.

“…because…?” prompted Mayari as she brushed a stray strand of forest green hair out of her face.

“I thought you’d either make me spy on team Urameshi, kick me off team Yugori, or kill me,” Hikaru explained reluctantly. Both team leader and member gaped at her.

* * *

Kurama sat on the edge of his bed surrounded by his interrogators—er, friends. Botan had nearly fainted, Koenma had nearly thrown a tantrum, Kuwabara had sweatdropped, Yusuke had his jaw on the floor, and Hiei was emotionless as usual.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” demanded Botan.

“He was probably too busy thinking about her to,” Yusuke muttered.

“I, for one, find this shocking,” announced Koenma.

“Who doesn’t?” Kuwabara agreed.

“Me,” snapped Hiei.

“What do you find it?” Botan asked. Hiei sneered.

“Repulsive,” he answered. Kurama just sighed at him.

“I told you when round five ended,” he said. All of them looked guilty except Hiei.

“We were—er—too wrapped up in the fighting…” Kuwabara explained.

“You said something…but I was too busy watching Mayari beat down another demon. Dang, she’s good,” Yusuke added the last sentence with a slight hint of bitterness in his voice. So no one except Hiei remembered, go figure.

“How will you fight her in the arena, Kurama? You can’t forfeit the match,” Koenma inquired. The red-head seemed to be thinking about that.

“He should just fight her,” Hiei snapped coldly.

“B-but fighting the one you love…” Botan stammered “Is…wrong.”

“Love is for the weak,” Hiei muttered. Kuwabara gritted his teeth.

“Everything you say just makes me want to punch your little shrimp face in!” he thundered. Hiei smirked.

“I’d like to see you try it,” Hiei challenged.

“Save it for team Yugori!” yelled Yusuke angrily. Kurama sighed at let his emerald eyes wander around the room. He could just see Hikaru’s smiling face in the room…in the arena…