The Price of Being Demanded

The two young men across from him were clearly stunned after hearing Kurama’s words.

“You… you know Miss Yuko?” The delicate youth in glasses hesitated as he spoke. Kurama surmised that he must be Watanuki Kimihiro.

“I don’t actually know Miss Yuko,” the fox spirit replied with a gentle smile, shaking his head. “But I’ve heard tales about her from others. Coincidentally, I have some matters I wish to ask her help with. So when I overheard your conversation, I couldn’t resist inquiring, though it was rude of me. If I startled you both, I truly apologize.”

Kurama’s appearance was striking to begin with, and now he wore the visage of the gentle and refined Shuichi Minamino. His manners, so naturally cultivated and graceful, could easily disarm anyone and inspire goodwill.

Watanuki was certainly no exception.

“Ah… no, it’s fine.” He hurriedly waved his hands, signaling Kurama not to apologize. “Doumeki and I only… well, it’s because we just encountered a monster that we—ah, sorry, I mean…”

Only midway through his explanation did he recall that ordinary people shouldn’t be able to see or know about monsters. Flustered, Watanuki tried to correct himself, but under Kurama’s soft, smiling emerald gaze, his face gradually flushed red.

“S-sorry,” he muttered.

Kurama’s smile never wavered.

“There’s nothing you need to apologize for,” he said warmly. “And you don’t need to be so nervous. I believe everything you’ve said.”

Watanuki’s head snapped up at these words.

The red-haired youth opposite him met his gaze with a calm, gentle look, as if reminiscing over a beautiful dream.

Under such eyes, the waves stirred by Kurama’s simple “I believe you” seemed to settle, soothing his heart until not a ripple remained.

“…You’re really strange,” Watanuki grumbled quietly, glancing aside, his awkwardness evident.

Kurama smiled faintly, offering no retort. Meanwhile, Doumeki, who had been silent, shifted his gaze between Kurama and Watanuki several times. Then, without a word, he turned, drew the feathered arrow from his back, and delivered a final, fatal blow to the dying monster.

Watanuki’s mouth twitched.

He glared fiercely at Doumeki, as if wanting to say something, but the tall, handsome stoic offered him no chance.

“All right, it’s done. Let’s head back.” Doumeki put away his bow, turned, and ignored Watanuki’s impending outburst. He nodded to Kurama. “You said you need Miss Yuko’s help? Come with us.”

With that, he grabbed Watanuki. Whether intentionally or not, his hand landed squarely over Watanuki’s mouth, causing Watanuki to grip his wrist and struggle, letting out a series of muffled, indiscernible sounds.

Kurama blinked at the scene and suddenly smiled.

This Doumeki youth, who appeared so stoic and indifferent, and seemed to accept Kurama’s explanation without much suspicion, was actually the most perceptive—and the most cunning—of all.

“Whatever needs saying, do it in front of Yuko.” That was, in essence, what Doumeki meant.

And Kurama, regardless of whether the reasons he’d given for appearing before Doumeki and Watanuki were true, knew that once he met Yuko, everything would be decided. At that point, Doumeki and Watanuki’s task would be complete, and on Yuko’s turf, they would no longer face any threat or danger.

So, without questioning further, Doumeki simply brought Kurama straight to Yuko, leaving her to handle him—truly the best way to deal with the current situation.

Kurama curled his lips silently and followed behind Doumeki and Watanuki without objection.

＊＊＊

Yuko’s shop was nestled within a neighborhood that seemed utterly ordinary.

It was said that those who could see this shop must harbor a strong desire or wish, or an obsession, and possess the ability or resolve to pay the price for it.

When Kurama used to read the manga before crossing worlds, he found this setup exquisite—one must have a wish to make a deal, and only by paying a price can one obtain something. Wasn’t that the essence of fairness?

But now, standing at the threshold of the shop himself…

The feeling was, indeed, complicated.

Yet Kurama had always been the kind of person who, once he made up his mind, never wavered or hesitated. So after a brief moment of reflection, he simply pushed open the sliding door and walked confidently into the courtyard.

Watanuki and Doumeki, who’d entered ahead of him, had already disappeared. Instead, as Kurama stepped inside, he was greeted by two adorable girls, one in pink and one in blue.

“Welcome~”

“Welcome~”

“Please—”

“Come with us to the tea room!”

“The mistress is already waiting there!” x2

“A guest who arrives as promised~” echoed x2

In perfect harmony, as if singing a tune only they knew, the two girls flanked Kurama, almost forcibly ushering him into the entryway.

Kurama was not at all annoyed by their antics. In fact, to accommodate their gentle tugging, he deliberately relaxed his control over his body.

Thus, he was half-stumbled, half-led into a traditional Japanese room, where pale smoke drifted throughout. Reclining lazily upon a sumptuous chaise, dressed in vibrant robes, her long black hair tied simply, a beautiful woman with a long, elegant pipe awaited, exuding an air of indolence.

“Mistress, the guest has arrived!”

The moment Kurama saw her, the two little girls abandoned him mercilessly. They ran to the woman’s side, faces lifted in anticipation, and received affectionate pats from her in reward.

“Well done, Little Mo and Little Quan.”

With that, her gaze turned to Kurama:

“Welcome, guest from another world.”

＊＊＊

It would be a lie to say Kurama wasn’t surprised.

That Yuko could identify him at a glance wasn’t entirely unexpected, but he hadn’t imagined she’d be so precise.

Then he recalled that she was the renowned dimensional witch, revered even among those of other worlds. Her understanding of space was far beyond his current comprehension, and Kurama quickly accepted it.

“Good afternoon, Miss Yuko.” He smiled, stepped forward, and took her hand, pressing a light kiss to her knuckles. “It’s an honor to be welcomed by you.”

Yuko remained languidly reclined on her chair, fixating on Kurama for several seconds, then suddenly laughed heartily, curling her lips.

“Kurama? You’re quite impressive.”

The fox spirit accepted the compliment without even a flicker of surprise at hearing his name.

“Thank you, Miss Yuko. You are the most remarkable woman I’ve met.”

Their eyes met, and both smiled again.

From the doorway, Watanuki, peeking in, shivered—how odd, why did his back suddenly feel so cold?

Doumeki, dragged along to observe, glanced at him with resignation; clearly, he had nothing left to say about Watanuki’s dull sense of danger.

A few minutes later, the smoke in the room cleared.

Watanuki brought in the sweets and green tea that Yuko had instructed him to prepare. Little Mo and Little Quan snuggled up to Yuko, Doumeki sat quietly in a corner, as if everything in the room was unrelated to him, while Watanuki, after setting down the refreshments, withdrew to Yuko’s side, waiting for her and Kurama to begin their discussion.

The beautiful witch, whose allure could make hearts skip, did not rush into the topic.

She picked up a confection, nibbling it slowly, as though she were not entertaining a first-time guest.

Kurama seemed unconcerned, sipping his tea in measured sips, apparently determined not to interrupt her until she finished.

Both hosts displayed an unhurried composure, leaving Watanuki squeezed between them, nearly agonized to death. Yet he dared not speak, so he simply drank his tea, his face a mix of curiosity and frustration, which made Kurama’s lips twitch with amusement, easing his own heavy mood.

Finally, Yuko finished her confection. She picked up her teacup, sipped, and looked at Kurama.

“Go on, your wish.”

Her tone was so casual, as if Kurama were just another ordinary customer among thousands.

But Watanuki, who knew Yuko well, sensed a subtle, unusual anticipation.

Miss Yuko… are you expecting something?

He glanced at her curiously.

Yuko did not respond to his gaze.

She simply watched Kurama intently, as if wholly absorbed in awaiting his answer.

Kurama’s heartbeat quickened.

He met Yuko’s eyes, searching for some reassurance within them…

“I wish to return to my original world.”

After an uncertain stretch of silence, his own voice sounded faint, weighted with expectation, even rough and hesitant.

But the witch, upon hearing his reply, smiled beautifully.

“To cross time and space… That requires a tremendous price,” she said, narrowing her eyes, her sharp gaze seeming to pierce through him, reaching his soul. “Are you certain you can pay any price? Even if… what I ask for is your power as a fox spirit?”

Author’s note: So, the fox spirit finally meets Queen Yuko~

Her aura is truly overwhelming! I’ve adored her from the very beginning~

But isn’t the price she demands a bit too heavy, or perhaps too…? We’ll reveal the answer in the next chapter =w=

Some readers may be wondering—since he can cross worlds, why doesn’t Kurama try to return to the world before entering Yu Yu Hakusho? There is a reason for this, which will be explained later, so please be patient~

Attached to this chapter is an illustration featuring the main xxxHolic cast—

The stunning beauty with long black hair is, of course, Miss Yuko; the bespectacled youth is Watanuki; the stoic, handsome young man is Doumeki; and the two adorable girls are Little Mo and Little Quan. The cute girl with curly black hair is Watanuki’s sweetheart, Kusanagi Kue. But honestly, as xxxHolic progresses, the chemistry between Watanuki and Yuko just keeps intensifying… sigh.

Finally, a preview for the next chapter: The white dumpling changes hands. Is the price Yuko demands too heavy, or too… for Kurama? Once their transaction is settled, what will Kurama receive from Yuko? Stay tuned for the next chapter, “Fox Spirit Kurama: The White Dumpling Changes Hands!”

P.S. Although no one has asked yet, let me clarify—the update frequency for this story is daily, usually around 1 pm. Feel free to check for updates then. Although there aren’t many drafts, daily updates for this new story are guaranteed, so rest assured~

As for the Black Demon King arc, updates should come in the next few days. I’ll try to write today, but if there’s nothing by 11 or 12 tonight, then it’ll be updated tomorrow. Please be patient =3=