Standard Disclaimer Applied

A Crack In Love - Part 4
by Gini

The first thing Hiei felt was the softness beneath him. It certainly didn't feel like any tree branch he used to sleep on. The second thought crossed his mind was Kurama. No....it couldn't be. He remembered he left Kurama after a big fight with him.
He turned his head and took a deep breath. He also remembered how those SS plus demon attacked him out of surprise. He remembered he was badly wounded......The thought of that threw him off. His eyes flew open. Where is this place? Hiei sit up abruptly as the blanket flew off his body.
"What the...." said Hiei when he saw himself naked except his underwear. He looked at his shoulder and saw the big red scar and the one on his left leg.
"Yukina...." Only Yukina could heal him. He saw his clothes were beside him, neatly folded. He took them and quickly threw them on him.
"Oh great...She washed my clothes."
Suddenly the door opened. Hiei snatched his katana and withdrew it.
Yukina gasped.
"Onnijan....it's only me." Yukina said with a smile. In her hands were a tray of food.
Hiei slowly put his katana away.
"Sorry....my reflection reaction." He mumbled.
"I know. How do you feel? Here, you need some food." Yukina asked while putting the tray down to the near table.
"I am okay. Not hungry."
"You must eat something." Yukina said firmly as she handed him a bread. Hiei looked at it strangely, but ate it once he was sure it was no harm.
Yukina smiled. "So, tell me what happened."
"Nothing you want to know of."
"But I want to know."
Hiei looked at her, then sighed, deciding she was serious.
"I met a couple of demons.....they were pretty powerful."
"But you can beat tons of S rated demons with no problem."
"They were SS plus."
Yukina gasped. "Those must be the ones Koenma wanted to talk about. They had a meeting today. How come you didn't go?"
Hiei stopped eating. He lowered his gaze.
"Didn't feel like it." He said carelessly.
"It's more than that...." Yukina challenged him.
"What do you want to know?"
Yukina took a sip of the hot tea before continuing.
"What's wrong between you and Kurama?"
"I think I better go now." Hiei put down his tea.
Yukina stood up. "But you haven't answered any of my questions. I demand an answer." Hiei stared at her but kept silence.
"There is nothing about Kurama and me."
"And how could that be? Everybody knows you guys are together."
"You have mistaken."
"And how's so when Kurama can talk nothing but you?"
"That was before." Hiei's face remained expressionless, but Yukina could make out the hurt in his eyes.
"Before what?"
"I don't think we should talk any further." Hiei took his katana. " I'd better go before those demons find me." Yukina opened her mouth, but closed it again.
"Where are you going?" She asked softly.
"Somewhere nobody knows." With that, Hiei jumped out of the nearest window and disappeared into the darkness.
Yukina sighed. She sit down again.
What's wrong with him? And he is not even fully recovered yet...
She saw a small piece of cramped paper ball underneath the bed.
Onnijan must have lost it when I was taking his clothes off.
She grabbed it and unfolded it. It was a letter. She quickly read it.
Yukina's tears slowly dropped down as she lowered the paper in her hands.
"Onnijan..........." She whispered.
==================================================================
"Let's hurry back! The snow is freezing me to death!" Kuwabara whined and half ran ahead. Setsuyo and Kavelu both got snowballs and threw them at Kuwabara.
"Hey! What the fuck! You two are toast!" Kuwabara formed a big snowball and fired it out at them.
They had tried to help Koenma to locate those new players but without success.
"This SS plus kind of demon sounds threatening. We should try to stay as close as we can. What do you think Kurama?" Yuusuke asked. The two of them were walking rather slow compare to the rest of group who were playing further ahead.
"Kurama? Kurama? Hel-lo-o?"
"Huh? Excuse me. What did you say?" Kurama finally got off his dazed mode.
"What's wrong Kurama? You looked spacey." Yuusuke asked, worried.
Kurama sighed.
"It's about Hiei." Yuusuke said softly.
"Yes." Kurama sighed again.
"Was the fight yesterday about Setsuyo?"
"Unfortunately."
"No wonder. I would do the same if I were Hiei." said Yuusuke. Kurama looked at him, confused.
"You spent way too much attention and time on Setsuyo, Kurama. Hiei may be a Youkai, a Koorime, or a cold fire demon,.....but he still has a heart you know. He has a soul too. And you have hurt him."
"I.....but he was spending his time with Kavelu!" Kurama defended himself.
"Oh man...I thought you were smarter than that Kurama. He was only trying to make you jealous. Can't you see?" Yuusuke sighed.
"But you didn't see his face expression when he was with Kavelu....He was..."
Before they could talk any further, a shriek sound appeared.
"WHAT'S THAT!!!!!???" Yuusuke and Kurama both turned their heads sharply to the voice they heard.
They saw something very fast flying through from trees to trees. That something was not alone. There were at least six........six demons.
Yuusuke and Kurama both hurried over to Kuwabara and the others.
"What are those things??" Setsuyo exclaimed, clutched to her brother's arm.
"I think we've got a problem over here." Kavelu observed.
Just then, all six demons stood around them.
"Oh-oh." said Kuwabara.
"Those are not just any ordinary demons guys.." Yuusuke said in a warning voice.
"They are SS plus demons," Kurama said before all those demons jumped on them.
"Scatter everyone! Protect Setsuyo!" Yuusuke yelled while posing for his rei gun. Kuwabara and Kurama both pulled out their weapons; spirit sword and rose whip.
"Kavelu, get Setsuyo out of here." Kurama shouted as he jumped away from one of the demons' attack.
"Shit! Where is that shrimp when we need him the most?" Kuwabara said through his teeth.
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After leaving Yukina's room, Hiei sit alone on a tree's branch deep in the woods. He sit still, letting the snow cover him slowly even though he hated every bit of it. Because..snow reminded him of his past. Especially now, it reminded him his emptiness and hatred for himself. He hated that he had no power of turning Kurama's heart.
But then again, he had no more strength to hate. As long as Kurama is happy....why not let Setsuyo have him?
He pulled his black cloak tighter as a cold wind blew over.
Suddenly, a girls' scream shattered into the woods.
Hiei sit up abruptly. He recognized the voice.
"Setsuyo." He took off his bandage on his forehead, letting the Jagan open. He scanned the whole area of the woods, finally locating the team.
"Oh shit."
In a blink, he was gone.
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"Rei-gun!" Yuusuke yelled at the top of his lung as three green-gray monstrous looking demon moving toward him.
The rei gun only wounded two of them.
"What the..??"
On the other side, Kurama and Kuwabara were fighting to save Setsuyo and Kavelu. Setsuyo was hiding behind her brother's back who pulled out his dagger and started to help the team.
Just then, a humongous demon with a sharp blade appeared in front of Setsuyo.
"AH!!!!" Setsuyo shrieked with fear. She staggered backward but found out she was stuck....stuck between the monster and a tree!
Suddenly, Hiei jumped out and stabbed the monster at the back using his katana. He used this opportunity and grabbed Setsuyo away from the tree. He threw her aside and began to fight the demon.
"Ah-ha! It's Hiei!" Yuusuke said happily as he fired another shot.
"Good timing, little shrimp!" Even Kuwabara cheered.
But those demons were hard to kill. They had special technique of blade killing.
"Hiei! Be careful with Setsuyo!" Kurama yelled. Hiei narrowed his eyes as anger began to rise.
The enormous demon's blade came down on Hiei. He heard Setsuyo gasped. Just then, he lifted up his katana and stopped it in the mid-air.
The demon and Hiei were wrestling.
"Setsuyo, get the fuck out of here!"
But she was too shocked to move. Hiei could feel his wound on his shoulder began to open again.
"Quick!" He used his last strength and pushed his katana hard. The monster got threw backward.
"Run!" Hiei yelled at Setsuyo who finally began to realize the whole situation.
"Imouto! What out!!" Kavelu shouted.
Setsuyo stopped dead in her track. She turned around and saw a disc-like blade flying her way.
"Look out!!!! Get to the right!" Yuusuke, Kurama and Kuwabara yelled at the same time.
Hiei span around and saw the blade.
"Oh shit!" But there was no time for him to think. He ran at the fastest speed and pushed Setsuyo hard.
"Hiei!!!!!" Yuusuke shouted. Everybody looked at the scene with open mouths. Yuusuke quickly fired a shot at the blade disc.
The blade changed its course and flew crossed Hiei and Setsuyo. Setsuyo screamed and fell unconscious.
The monster came to them again. Hiei got his katana and slashed with all his remaining strength.
The monster finally fell to the ground in half and disappeared into the thin air. The other demons disappeared at the same time.
"That one must be the leader...." Kuwabara observed.
Hiei knelt down on the snow, supporting by his katana.
Kurama quickly ran to Setsuyo.
"What do you think you are doing? You could have got both of you killed!" Kurama exclaimed angrily. He saw a deep cut caused by the flying disc blade on Setsuyo's arm.
"Setsuyo...are you all right?" Kurama asked anxiously. But he got no reply.
"Look what you've done." He said softly. Hiei looked at him expressionlessly. His grip on his sword tightened.
"Stop it Kurama." Yuusuke said.
"Stop? Look....she is badly hurt." Kurama said. He quickly put some herb plants on the wound.
In a blink.....Hiei was gone.
"Hiei! Wait!" Yuusuke called. He turned back to Kurama. "Now are you happy?"
"Huh?"
"Hiei was trying his best to save Setsuyo. If it weren't for him, she would be a dinner already!"
Kurama lowered his head, as if regretting of what he had said.
Yuusuke sighed. "Never mind. I don't understand you Kurama. Why do you fall for Setsuyo all of a sudden. Hiei couldn't have been a better choice."
"She was my sister." Kurama whispered.
"What?"
Kurama turned and looked at him sadly. "Setsuyo was my half sister long ago."
"What!?" Kavelu said in astonishment.
"Minamino Shuiichi, you better explain this later. If I were you, I'd make sure Hiei is all right now." said Yuusuke, looking on the ground.
"It appeared that they wanted that shrimp. Did you notice how the demons stopped fighting with us and helped that leader one to battle Hiei?" Kuwabara said.
"Yeah....I have noticed it too." said Kavelu.
"Let's go back to the temple. It's not safe here and it's too cold. We have to ask Yukina for help." Kuwabara said.
"I think Setsuyo is not the only one who needs help." Yuusuke said slowly.
"What do you mean?" Kurama asked.
"Because...." Yuusuke pointed on the ground not too far from them. It was where Hiei was a few minutes ago.
There was a pool of blood on the snow.
Kurama felt his heart ached. He closed his eyes and whispered painfully, "Hiei."
================================================================
Hiei fled as fast as he could into the deep heart of the woods. But the echo of Kurama's blame wouldn't leave him alone.
He finally stopped and knelt down to the ground. He was only trying to help. Was it so wrong?
He panted when a sharp pain shouted up from his right chest. He almost forgot about the wound. When the disc blade came to Setsuyo, he pushed her out of the way. But the blade still cut them both. Except that Setsuyo got the cut on her arm...and he got his on his chest. Now he came to think about, either way somebody had to get hurt. If he didn't push her, she would have died by now.
Hiei slowly took off his black cloak which was soaked wet with blood. He hissed and groaned as he saw his wound. The old cut on his shoulder had opened up and started to bleed again. He looked down to his right chest, the blood was pouring out from that cut.
Hiei suddenly felt dizzy.
He fell to the ground and fell into blackness.
============================
"How's my hunting game going?" Pazeru asked.
"All is going well. We caught him in the woods. He is now in the brainwashing chamber." the leader answered.
"Very well. How's he?"
"He is badly hurt. And he has lost lots of blood. Good thing we got him earlier."
"Excellent." Pazeru walked down the stairs and went to the chamber with the leader demon following behind.
"Ah....my beautiful mysterious creature. I finally got you." He touched Hiei's cheek gently. Pazeru turned to the leader.
"Heal his wounds first....and then we can continue with our plan."
"Yes, Master."
=================================================================
The four guys went back to Genkai temple painfully due to the fact that they spent too much youki just to fight those SS-plus demons.
"Keiko! Come over and help us!" Yuusuke yelled when he saw Keiko was walking toward Genkai temple.
"What happened? " Keiko ran over and gasped when she saw Setsuyo was bleeding in Kurama's arms.
"We were attacked....let's hurry inside. I will tell you later."
Keiko nodded and helped them open the door of the temple.
They went in and found Yukina sit quietly by herself.
"Yukina! I am so glad you are here! Can you help Setsuyo? She is badly hurt." Kurama said.
Yukina slowly got up and walked to Setsuyo and checked her pulse.
"Put her in my room." She said coldly to Kurama. Everybody glanced at each other, wondering what was wrong.
Kurama paced back and forth, waiting for Yukina to come out. The others were sitting there sipping hot tea.
"Stop it Kurama! Sit down! You are making my head spin." Kuwabara said.
"So what's with you and Setsuyo?" Yuusuke asked as Kurama sit down.
Kurama sighed as he began the tale.
"The first time I saw her, I knew she looked familiar. I thought she would be someone I knew in my past...centries ago."
"Like your former lover?" Yuusuke asked carefully.
"Yes. That's what I thought at first. I was so confused. But then I talked to Koenma, and he knew it all along. She was my sister 2 hundred years ago."
Kuwabara whistled. "This is getting rich." But he was elbowed by Yuusuke. "That's why I have been spending so much time with her.....and ignored Hiei." He said with sadness.
"So....you mean you've never fell in love with my sister?" Kavelu asked.
"How can I? I am only treating her like a sister....the way you do."
Suddenly, the door opened. Kurama hurried over.
"How's she?"
"She will live." Yukina answered simply, but still eyeing Kurama as if he did something wrong.
"Yukina-chan. Are you all right? You don't look so good." Keiko said with worry.
"Yeah, Yukina. I have never seen you like this before. You are a bit pale," said. Kuwabara with concern.
Yukina looked at them with tears in her eyes.
"How can I? How can I even feel good when my brother is suffering?" She nearly shouted.
Everybody was speechless. Kurama lowered his head.
"I can feel it. Hiei is not just hurt physically and emotionally. There is something else wrong with him. I can no longer feel his existence."
"You mean he is....." Kurama asked nervously.
"I hope not. And it's all your fault!!!!!!" Yukina pointed at him.
"It's all your fault, you heartless creature. My brother loves you...and what did you give him? Your stupid promise and left him for Setsuyo!"
Everybody was staring at Kurama. "Yukina...you've misunderstood. I was only treating Setsuyo like a sister."
"Oh yeah?....Then why did he leave THIS?" She took out the paper and threw it at Kurama, who caught it.
Everybody stared at him as he opened the letter and read it slowly.

Kurama:
Never thought that I would be the one to write this letter...but I guess this is better than talking face to face. At least, we can avoid speechless.
I have been thinking a lot lately. About us I mean. I have discovered that...I don't know you as well as I thought. Like I don't even know what you like to eat or what colour you like. I know this is stupid....and this sort of things has never really crossed my mind before. If I can't understand you, what and how in the world can I bring you happiness?
I am sorry if I have hurt you in anyway when I was overly friendly with Kavelu. You should know the purpose behind all these; I was just trying to make you jealous. Now I know I was wrong for doing so. Because....no matter how many times you have hurt me....I can never ever bring myself up to hate you, or hurt you back. It would be like hurting me back. I guess I......love you too much for that, but this is the last time I will ever admit this to you.
No. I am not good enough for you. But I know someone is. Someone like Setsuyo. She is so understanding and she knows tons things about you. I can't compete with her. Maybe she is a better choice.
For your own happiness, Kurama, choose her.
Hope you know this means......Goodbye.
Don't try to find me fox. It's better this way....I guess.
Hiei

The paper dropped out from Kurama's hands.
"What is it? Kurama?" Kuwabara asked as Yuusuke went and grabbed the paper. He quickly scanned the page over before slowly put it down.
"Did Hiei give this to you?" Yuusuke asked.
"No. He was wounded when you guys were still at the meeting this morning.."
"Are you serious?" Kuwabara asked Yukina who nodded as tears began to fall.
"He came to me and I healed him a little. I found this paper after he left. I guess onnijan didn't know whether or not he should give this letter to you."
"Oh shit....That means..." Yuusuke swore as he looked at Kurama's wide eyes condensed with fear.
"We have to find him..." Kurama mumbled as he walked unstabledly to the door.
"No Kurama," Yuusuke stopped him. "You are in no condition to search. You are too pale due to the shock. Kuwabara and I will go." Kuwabara nodded and the two of them ran to the snowy outside.
"Hiei...." Kurama called mentally. "you have to be all right. You have just got to be!!"
=================================================================
"Hmm..." Setsuyo moaned as she began to wake up.
"Setsuyo? Setsuyo?" Kurama called softly.
Setsuyo slowly opened her eyes. "Kurama?"
"Yes, it's me."
"I knew you'd be by my side when I wake up." Setsuyo said with a smile.
"Setsuyo, there is something I meant to tell you." Kurama said seriously.
"What, what is it?"
"I had a sister before, back to the days when I was still a fully youko. She was half human and half youko."
Setsuyo blinked.
"When I see you, I remembered her. And whenever you were with me, I could feel her presence."
"What are you getting at?" Setsuyo asked, too afraid to know the answer.
Kurama turned to face her. "Setsuyo, you WERE my sister."
"Is this some way of telling me that you can't like me?" Setsuyo asked innocently.
"No, Setsuyo, you've mistaken."
"Kurama, I like you, more than ever. Even if you were my brother, that was a few years ago....it can't bother us now."
Kurama turned away.
"Setsuyo. I have someone on my mind already."
"Kurama. Hiei is gone. He is not here anymore." She got closer to him. "But I still am...and will always be if you want me too."
Kurama stood up. "Please Setsuyo. Things are not that simple. Hiei means to me more than you can ever think of." It was his sorrowful voice that made her stop.
"I will let you think about it, Kurama. I don't want to be your sister. And I won't rush you at this time. But think about it....because in the end, I will be the only one still standing by your side." Setsuyo said to Kurama's back before he walked out of the door.
================================================================
"Yuusuke..Kuwabara......anything? Did you guys find anything?" Kurama asked anxiously as the boys came back. Yuusuke sighed painfully.
"We....we followed Hiei's blood drips into a woods. We found a pool of blood by a huge rock and some foot steps around it." Yuusuke swallowed, unable to predict how Kurama would feel.
"Those foot steps in the snow appeared to be those demons we fought today. And if the pool of blood belongs to Hiei,.......then...I think our friend is in trouble."
Kurama suddenly felt dizziness.  No... this can't be..... "No....no.." He murmured before he fainted.
"Kurama!"
================================================================
Back to the dark side of the world.....
Pazeru was observing the cute little youkai he had just captured. Hiei's wounds had fully recovered.
"Kurama......Kurama......" Hiei murmured as he twisted and turned in his unconsciousness.
Kurama? Pazeru said in disbelief. This had to be the 10 thousand times he heard it from the youkai's lips.
"Master Pazeru." the leader demon came in.
"Have you found out who this Kurama fellow is?"
"Yes. He is a youko and is now living in Ningenkai. He is Hiei's lover. They were so very in lover before another girl came to their relationship. You've seen him in the major tournament a few years ago. His youki and tactics are very high...He and Hiei are a pair of good fighter and they are equally high in fighting skills. Together, they are almost unbeatable."
"Hmm.." Pazeru nodded thoughtfully.
"They are both Reikai's detectives. They have other two friends; Yuusuke and Kuwabara who are extremely powerful as well."
"But certainly, they can't be SS-plus level yet." Pazeru said to himself. Suddenly he had a brilliant idea. He clapped his hands and a black crystal ball flew to his hands.
"What are you intend to do Master Pazeru?" the leader asked, puzzled.
"I am going to brainwash him and leaving only the bad memories of Kurama in his brain. Then when they came to find him, we will have a great love story to watch." With that, Pazeru put the crystal ball above Hiei on the ceiling. The crystal suddenly burst out of energy and smoke. Then Hiei's memory began to flew toward the black crystal. Like a movie, Pazeru and the leader could see everything in Hiei's memory.
All the hot lovemaking Kurama and Hiei had made, all the passionate kisses they had shared, all the happy times they had spent together............all the tears Hiei had cried..............................................
"This way, Hiei would be mine...forever...HAHAHAH~" Pazeru laughed.
================================================================
Two days had passed without anything about Hiei. They had already informed Koenma and Botan..now the only thing they could do was to wait. It seemed like in this small rooms everybody was in deep thought about the love tragedy. Christmas didn't bring their spirits up.
Just two more days would be Christmas. Kurama was drinking to himself. He now knew why people drink.....it was because wine could make him forget all the pain and sadness. He didn't care if it was just for this short while....just this short while was all he needed, though regret had never really left his mind as the level of his wine bottle continued to drop. He remembered his Christmas promise to Hiei. But it didn't make him feel any better. Sometimes, he could feel Hiei calling his name, but when he spun around, what he saw was sympathy eyes looking at him. He knew it was all his fault that Hiei left him. If...if there was anything happened to him.....he would never....ever....forgive himself.
Kavelu sank into his own thoughts. He now knew why Hiei had been so good with him these couple of days....he was using him to make Kurama jealous. Kavelu sighed. It didn't matter now......he wished he didn't have to know this.
"Hey, he hasn't eaten a thing lately, and right now he is trying to get himself drunk!" Kuwabara whispered to Yuusuke.
"Don't you think I can see that?" Yuusuke snapped. He frowned as he took a look at Kurama who was drinking fiercely as if daring himself to drink more. Setsuyo was also looking at Kurama intensively.
"Kurama, stop drinking and eat something," Setsuyo carefully walked to him and presented him with food.
"Get away from me." Kurama warned as he drank another glass of wine.
"But Kurama!"
"Kurama? Who's Kurama? I tell you who he is! He is a heart breaker. He uses the sharpest dagger and stabs the one he loves the most." Kurama lifted his head up and laughed hysterically. But soon his laughter died and a serious of sobs came up.
"Hiei!!!!" Kurama suddenly screamed and rushed to open the window. He shouted, "I beg you please!!!! Come back to me....please........please.........." Tears gushed out from his eyes as he wept. Keiko and Yukina began to cry silently. Kuwabara just sit there numbly.
Yuusuke ran and grabbed Kurama by the shoulders.
"Kurama! Calm down!" Yuusuke shook him hard.
"What the fuck are you doing? Just what the FUCK are you DOING!? Hiei is not dead yet...okay? He is not DEAD yet!!!!!! So why don't you shut the fuck up!?" Yuusuke shouted as a single tear began to slide down his face.
Kurama stopped and stilled.
"Even if he's dead..... what's the use of crying? You can't bring him back." Yuusuke said softly, looking into those deep eyes that were darkened by the tears.
Setsuyo was totally stunned. She could never imagine that a pair of emerald eyes could lose the sparkling someday. Maybe she was wrong to separate those two......maybe she...
They are really in love, thought Kavelu. What a tragic....
Suddenly, somebody knocked the door. Setsuyo went and opened it. It was Koenma and Botan.
"Good news guys...." Koenma began but soon fell silence as he saw pairs of puffy eyes; even Kuwabara sniffed.
"What's the good news?" Kuwabara asked with hoarse voice.
"Is my brother still alive? Please Koenma-sama, I have got to know!" Yukina begged.
"Hiei is not dead." Koenma said slowly, making sure that it sank into Kurama's head.
"But......he is captured by the head of the SS-plus trainer."
"What?" Kurama snapped out of his trance.
"Yeah, what the fuck are you talking about?" Yuusuke asked angrily.
Koenma sighed. Can't they use a better language? "His name is Pazeru. I don't why he wanted to catch Hiei...but I am sure there is a reasonable reason behind it."
"I have to save him." Kurama said.
"No..it would be too dangerous." Setsuyo said.
"I agree with Setsuyo. This could be a trap...." said Koenma.
"I will save him, even if it costs my life," Kurama said firmly.
==================================================================
The early morning two days later, they were ready to get Hiei back.
Everybody was refreshed, though Kurama's eyes still remained hopeless. Setsuyo and Kavelu had insisted on coming along.
"We have to help you in any way we can." Kavelu said firmly.
"Well, okay, you can come along." Yuusuke said reluctantly.
"Be careful, My friends," Koenma said with Botan standing beside him.
"We will try to be. And we will bring back our team member by the dawn." Yuusuke said before they headed to their destiny.
=================================================================
"Master Pazeru, we have visitors."
"Oh? And who might those be?" Pazeru asked fearlessly.
"Kurama and his friends."
"Hmm...I wonder what they want," Pazeru said as he eyed the new guard beside him.
"What do you think?" He asked the shortest guard in the dark.
Those almond eyes lit up with blue light as he stepped forward.
"Hn... They've come for their death." Hiei said emotionlessly.
"Hahaha," Pazeru laughed. "Good answer. Prepare for the show guys."

To be continued...