Title: Time Wasted, Time Gone

Anime: Nura: Rise Of the Yokai Clan

Characters: Kibunashi and Kejoro/Kino

Genre: Romance

Description: "How important are birthdays to you?" He remained silent and later, he gave her a smirk. "Idiot, we're about 400 years old." Time may be wasted. Time might come and go. But does love work the same way?

Underneath the moonlight, cherry blossom petals were flying. They were playing and dancing on the midnight breeze. Kejoro was quiet but not asleep. She knew it was late. But for some reason, she just couldn't resist coming out into the night and watching the full moon that night.

Softly and discreetly moving out of her sheets, she got out of her bed and quietly opened the door. She stealthily moved out and towards the mansion garden. She had to keep quiet. She mustn't wake up the young master (or anyone else, as of the matter).

She slowly opened the mansion door leading to the garden. Finally, some fresh air before I sleep.

But when the garden came to full view, she froze in shock but she quickly recovered. Sitting in the shadows of the garden was a familiar figure in dim moonlight. His blonde hair gave off a dull shine and his amber eyes were quick enough to sense her presence.

"Kino?" the figure called out. "Alone, I presume?"

Kejoro chuckled. "Well, what brings you here?" she asked. "This is my territory, Kubinashi."

The figure stepped out of the shadows. Amber eyes were heavily lidded and with no hint of surprise. "What teritory? As if you own anything in this mansion." Kubinashi walked up to her. "Anyway, what brings you here?"

"Not much," Kejoro replied as she toyed with her long curly brown hair. "I…just wanted to see the moon tonight for some reason."

"Well, since we're alone, I guess I could probably have someone help me keep watch in my night shift. What do you say?"

Kejoro smiled. "Sounds good," she replied.

"Good," Kubinashi agreed. "Just as long as you won't bother me or anyone else. We can't go around waking Master Rikou up in the middle of the night. After all, he is still three-quarters human. He'll still need sleep."

"Sure," she said. "Whatever you say, Leader."

The two sat quietly on the roof as Kubinashi kept watch on the manor. Underneath the moonlight, Kejoro didn't really have a hard time not saying anything at all. She just felt content sitting on the roof watching the moon with him by her side. It's not every day that you get to find the manor to be that peaceful considering the number of yokai occupying the entire household. It's not that she hated it but she sometimes felt the need to have peace and quiet around.

Besides, it wasn't every day that she got to spend time with Kubinashi alone, either. Well, sure, they knew each other even before they died. Ever since they died, they've been through a lot for how long? 250 years? 400 probably? So, they were friends, no doubt.

He broke her train of thought. "Master Rikou is turning fifteen soon. And look at what he has accomplished at his own young age," Kubinashi said with a hint of nostalgia. "The Leader of the Pandomonium. The Heir to the Nura clan. He is simply a genius and very gifted."

Kejoro chuckled. "Sure, a genius. Remember when he threw your head at Aotabo when he was still eight?" She muffled her laughter, knowing that she struck a nerve hard.

"You don't have to bring that up," he said, clearly annoyed. "How about the time when he rigged every kitchen utensil you had with rats?"

"Shut up!" she shot back. "That was very out of hand, Kubinashi! You knew that!"

"Look who's talking," Kubinashi replied. "As if I was the one who started remembering what Master Rikou did when he was younger!" He stopped for a while and grinned. "Remember the eyeball gag he played on everyone by placing it in the lunch soup once? That was sick!"

Kejoro laughed. "You don't say!" she blurted. "It got most of the household trying to puke out their lunches! They didn't trust anything they ate for two weeks!"

"Good thing I wasn't there," Kubinashi replied. "I was off at some other area, taking a break."

"Well, remember the birthday cake prank?" Kejoro asked him. "The entire thing blew up on whose face again? How's that for a break?"

"Haha, funny," Kubinashi replied with sarcasm. "It wasn't in my mind that he'd place a tiny firecracker inside the cake."

"I always thought you'd think one step ahead," she replied.

He was silent. "I couldn't bear to be that strict on the young master," he replied gently. "After all, I think a joke or two from him won't hurt." He stood up and brushed his haori free from dust. "I swore to be loyal to the Nura clan even if it means dying. So, I'm just happy when I see Master Rikou grow up in age and maturity, regardless of how many birthdays, fevers, holidays and pranks he needs to pull off."

The silence between the two returned. Then, it was Kejoro's turn to break it once again.

"Humans think that when they age, they grow older, more mature and stronger," Kejoro started. "But right after that happy thought, they suddenly scramble once again since they fear that death might catch up to them soon." She turned to him. "If that's the case, Kibunashi, how important are birthdays to you?"

He remained silent and later, he gave her a smirk. "Idiot, we're about 400 years old. You even lose count of your age at times." He sat down again beside her. "Besides, we're dead so I guess it won't even count."

"You're getting older," she said. "Any plans on having a commitment?"

"Master Rikou is my top priority," he replied. "Besides, I've given up on love centuries ago."

"A guy like you should be with someone," Kejoro told him. "Shiragiku is still the one, am I right? Despite the many girls you stay around, I guess you haven't forgotten about her?"

He laughed inwardly. "You could say that," he replied. "It's just...something that I'm not ready to give up on yet." He turned ot her. "What about you? Don't you have anyone in mind?"

"Guess I'm still waiting for him," she scoffed. "But I have a feeling he's not coming for sometime."

"Looks like we're both not ready for any committments yet," Kubinashi said. "Guess we're still waiting for the right people to come into our lives."

Kejoro leaned her head on his shoulder. "Guess so…" she agreed. "Even when we're beyond life itself, waiting makes time fly by so fast, don't you think so?"

He remained silent. "Yeah. It does."

The two were silent once again. They did nothing but watch the moon for some time. Before they knew it, the night sky was soon starting to fade away.

"I guess it's already day break," Kubinashi said in a soft whisper and smiled inwardly when he turned to his shoulder. Kejoro was asleep soundly and (he noticed mockingly) did a little snore. He brushed a lock of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He just wanted to see her eyes and the way she looked when she slept.

He laughed bitterly at himself. You had all the time in the world last night, yet you can't even bring yourself to tell her the truth. Man, you're pretty pathetic, telling her that you're not ready for committments. Lying to her about Shiragiku.

In fact, you've been waiting for her all along.

Kubinashi, you're such an idiot.

"Kubinashi…" Kejoro softly murmured in her sleep. His eyes turned to the sleeping girl. Shocked to hear his name but interested to know what she was going to say, he promised himself that this will definitely be in one of his teases when she wakes up and probably for the rest of her yokai life.

He leaned in to hear every single word that she was about to say.

"Kubinashi…" she said softly. "I…have always loved you. You idiot."

His eyes widened in shock. Then, a wry smile played on his lips. "Guess it's time to wake her up, after all," he told himself. He shook her softly, calling her to her by her name.

"Kino."

She groggily woke up in response. "Aw, c'mon, it's only four in the morning," she grumbled as she rubbed her eyes. "Don't you think kitchen duty is hard enough?! Try being in my place with a household of yokai to feed! Besides, I need sleep—"

But before she could continue, she felt someone cup her chin. Before she knew it, she felt something warm on her lips. She opened her eyes and looked up. She froze.

There was no mistake. Kubinashi was definitely kissing her.

The feeling inside her was extraordinary. She was scared yet she didn't really want to stop. The warm sensation of his lips on hers was the feeling that she never dreamed of having but was now there. Her heart was beating so fast, it's as though it was about to explode! She closed her eyes as he deepened the kiss. His kiss was strong yet passionate. It was fiery and sweet. When he was about to part with her, she pulled him in.

The feeling was like flying. It was scary at first, but the magic washed over her as he pulled her in.

It was her first kiss and she didn't want it to end that easily.

When they broke apart, she was a bit too flushed and red after what they had done. But from a corner of her eye, she could see Kubinashi smiling inwardly to himself.

"W-Why did you do that?!" Kejoro stammered. "You—You're—Agh! How come—"

"Do you want me to shut you up once more?" he asked her coyly. "If you want to know so badly, why don't I lay it right in front of you?" Kubinashi held her chin once again. "We've known each other for a long time. I don't understand how you can't see what I wanted to say to you." He leaned closer to her ear. "I love you."

Kejoro turned red, stood up and turned away. Then, she felt something holding her waist. A red string was around her. Kubinashi, biting a part of it and holding a part of it in one hand, tugged it softly, drawing her closer to him. She fell into his arms and he held her gently but firmly.

"You asked me how important birthdays were to me," he told her. "Well, they aren't. But I do feel stupid that even after 400 years, even when we died, I never got to tell you that I love you straight in the face. It's the time that's important. Age doesn't really matter."

Kejoro smiled. "Time may be wasted. Time might come and go. But, I guess I still loved you even though you never really said anything," she whispered.

He smiled as well. "That's one thing I love about you. Waiting for me though it seemed as though I wasn't coming."

"Still, 400 years is kinda late," she said with a chuckle.

"Well, better late than never, am I right?" he replied and leaned over her to catch her in another kiss.

The two stayed in each other's arms as the sun's rays started to come out, the rays of the sun signifying a new day. Time maybe wasted. Time might go. But how they felt for each other lasted for more than a hundred years, literally.

And for Kubinashi, as well as Kejoro, that was only the beginning.