Yusuke Urameshi was trying to save a child when he was killed in a traffic accident. In order to return to life, he must hatch the egg of a Spirit Realm beast, which grows by feeding off human energy. However, supposing the egg were to hatch, if Yusuke's actions are wrong, the Spirit Realm beast will become a demonic monster and attack Yusuke, and he will be unable to return to life again!

Hot Flames! Ties of the Beloved

Yusuke stares at the egg Koenma gave to him, and says he's not about to be eaten by this thing. Botan tells him if that's the case, he has a lot more good deeds to do. Yusuke tells her people who say things like "I want to do what's right" make him want to puke. Botan warns him if he keeps that attitude up, he'll never be able to return to life. Yusuke starts tossing the egg up and down and is about to say how much of a pain in the butt Koenma is for making him do this...

...when Botan silences him. She says that Koenma has apparently sent an investigator to see how Yusuke is doing. Suddenly storm clouds appear, and some lightning strikes. There's a very bright flash of light.

Everything returns to normal, and there's someone there: Sayaka. She says hello and tells Yusuke that she is the investigator. Yusuke asks what kind of investigation someone like her is supposed to conduct, and she tells him that it's a secret. She then asks which person is Yusuke's girlfriend. Yusuke asks what she means by that, and she says she means Keiko.

Yusuke tells her Keiko is just a friend he got stuck growing up together with, so she shouldn't go embellishing things as she sees fit! However, Botan points down to a group of girls below, and says the one in the middle is Keiko. Sayaka thinks it's unbelievable a girl as cute as that would want Yusuke to come back to life. She explains that if the people around Yusuke aren't seriously delighted about him coming back to life, there's no real meaning for him to do so.

Yusuke doesn't understand what she's talking about, and tells her they don't even know if Keiko seriously wants him to come back to life. Botan is sure Keiko wants it, but Yusuke says to let him tell them about her. She's always pulling a face like this, and saying things like "come on Yusuke, come to school sometime", and so on. He thinks she probably just wants him to come back to life so she can preach to him some more!

Botan tells him to hold on -he shouldn't be saying things he doesn't believe in his heart! He tells Sayaka that Yusuke is just embarrassed, and that really he likes Keiko and awful lot. Yusuke yells and tells her to shut up, but she asks for what reason -is he saying she's wrong? Sayaka says this hasn't cleared anything up, but she'll have to investigate this thoroughly.

They head to the school, where they watch Keiko for a bit. She's great at reading and speaking English, and also good at volleyball. She won't let people copy her homework, but she will help her friends with problems. Sayaka notes down that Keiko gets excellent grades, is proficient at sports, and quite popular. She's the ideal girl!

She wonders if this could just be one-sided love on Yusuke's side after all. Yusuke is about to correct her on the matter, when they all see some handsome boy approach Keiko. He asks her if she has a moment, and says ever since he started school here, he's had his eye on her, and asks if she would like to go out with him.

Everyone nervously watches as the guy tells Keiko he'll make sure she won't regret it. But Keiko politely declines, and when he asks if she's someone else she likes, she says yes. She walks off, leaving him in despair.

Botan thinks Yusuke is really fortunate, but Yusuke tells her not to jump to conclusions -she didn't say who she liked, did she? Botan points at him and asks why is he like this, when he and Keiko obviously both feel the same way? Meanwhile Sayaka notes down that from outward appearances, it appears that Keiko does not necessarily hate Yusuke.

After school, Keiko heads over to Yusuke's home, only to find that the place is in a mess. She finds a note from Atsuko addressed to her, saying that she's going out for a bit, and asking her to look after Yusuke.

Sayaka tells Yusuke he wasn't blessed with good parents. Meanwhile Keiko goes to check on Yusuke, and finds that even he's got a load of trash around him. She thinks when someone gets this lazy, it should be criminal. But she starts moving away some of the garbage.

She sees Yusuke's face is covered with dust and starts wiping it off. As the others watch, Botan says Keiko has been going to great lengths to look after Yusuke's body. But they then see Keiko edging towards Yusuke...

...so she can kiss him. Yusuke screams what's the big idea -what does she think she's doing with someone who can't fight back?! Sayaka tells him this is a great chance to check her behavior, so he needs to be quiet. Keiko is about to kiss Yusuke...

...but then stops when she hears someone talking on a loudspeaker. Outside, the neighborhood association are driving by, with a message that it has been very dry today, so this is now a situation where fires could easily break out. There have also been several cases of arson in this area, so everyone needs to be careful. Yusuke thinks they had nice timing.

Keiko wonders what was she thinking, but then remembers her mom asked her to do some shopping for her. She decides to finish cleaning up this place once she's got the shopping done. As she leaves, Sayaka says there was a pretty good air about that just now, and makes some more notes. Botan says even she was starting to blush then, and envies Yusuke.

Suddenly some guy lights up a can, opens a window, and throws it into Yusuke's home. It hits some trash, which quickly catches fire.

The group notice the guy running off, and wonder who he was. But they then see a load of smoke coming out of the window, as they realize the guy just committed arson! Yusuke can't believe his mom didn't even bother to lock the windows, and realizes this is bad -his body is going to get burnt up!

Yusuke tries to get his body to move, but he can't do it. He thinks he might be able to do it if he possesses himself, but Botan tells him he can't do that, not until the egg hatches. She suggests they have to inform someone, and heads off to try and find Kuwabara.

The fire quickly starts to spread, and enters Yusuke's room. Nearby, Keiko is out shopping when she hears someone say there's a fire in the 4-chrome block. She turns around and sees some smoke in the sky, and realizes it's in the same direction as Yusuke's home. She starts running back.

Elsewhere, Kuwabara is doing some training, beating up a Yusuke doll. He asks Yusuke why he had to die, as he wanted to take him on one more time. Botan appears and touches him, making him feel one of his chills. Botan explains the situation, but of course he can't see or hear her.

But he does notice the smoke, and thinks he has a bad feeling about this. He starts to run towards Yusuke's home, as Keiko arrives at it. She sees that the place is completely set ablaze. She remembers what Yusuke told her before -asking her to wait for him.

Sayaka points out to Yusuke that Keiko has come back. Keiko moves past the crowd, saying there is someone still inside. They try to stop her and tell her the flames are spreading too quickly, but she screams at them to let her go. She grabs a bucket of water and pours it over herself.

She then throws open the door and enters the house, which is all on fire. Yusuke follows her and screams for her to go back, his body doesn't matter any more. Sayaka tells him that without a body, he won't be able to return to life, but Yusuke says that if Keiko dies, is there any point in him returning to life?

Outside, the crowd sees that the fire has spread in front of the door. Kuwabara arrives and finds out from Sawamura that Keiko is inside the house. Inside, Keiko is able to get to Yusuke.

She covers him up with a blanket and says they need to get out of here quickly, but she then realizes that they are completely cut off from the exit due to the flames. Yusuke asks Botan if there is any way to save Keiko, but she tells him she has no power to help.

Sayaka says there is a way. If Yusuke uses the energy from the egg he's carrying, something will happen. Yusuke takes out the egg, and Sayaka tells him to throw it into the fire. But once he uses the energy in that egg, it will prove to be grievous for him. It will mean he cannot return to life ever again.

Yusuke takes a look at the egg and thinks about what Sayaka just said, but then throws it into the fire. The egg explodes in a burst of blue light.

The image of a beast is briefly seen, but it vanishes. In doing so, the flames split apart, revealing an exit which Keiko sees. She starts moving towards the door, taking Yusuke with her.

Kuwabara appears and helps her get Yusuke out, as they all escape safely.

The crowd are distracted by the appearance of a fire engine, as Kuwabara asks Keiko what she has wrapped up in there. He takes a look and is shocked to see who it is! Keiko tells him she'll explain everything later, but right now they have to get going.

Kuwabara tells her he doesn't know what she has going on here, but for now they have to get going. He picks up Yusuke and leads her away. Up above, Yusuke isn't too happy Kuwabara is holding Keiko's hand -he shouldn't be getting so friendly with her! But Botan then stops him and says that it looks like all the days ahead are going to be hard on him, as he now cannot return to life.

She doesn't know who it is who Keiko will come to love, but for him to watch it all the way through... she's sorry for him. The reality of the situation hits Yusuke, as he looks over the town. Later on, Atsuko returns and apologizes to Keiko and Kuwabara for putting them at risk.

Because she was out, it even cost Keiko some of her hair. Keiko is fine with it, as Yusuke's body is unharmed. And she saw something -in the middle of the fire, the flames parted, and a path was formed. She's sure it was Yusuke who saved her! Meanwhile Kuwabara just can't believe it -this guy just can't die! Atsuko tells her son to come back to life, all well and healthy!

Yusuke says he must be the most unfortunate guy in the world, to have a mother who's so temperamental. He tries to tell his mom that he can never come back to life again. Botan feels sorry for him, but Sayaka says it can't be helped, as this was the decision he made. Yusuke says at this point, either Heaven or Hell is fine, just take him some place else. But then a voice calls out to him, telling him not to despair like that -it's Koenma.

An image of Koenma appears, as he tells Sayaka that he's received her report. He tells Yusuke that it seems he's much better than he thought. He had decided to investigate whether the people around him wanted him to come back to life from the bottom of their hearts. But from this incident, he himself has been able to come to know Yusuke's heart. For the time being, he's returning him to life. If he had now thrown that egg earlier, and just looked on as Keiko died, a monster would have been born, and he would have been devoured. But he threw the egg without any hesitation. It seems Yusuke may posses gifts even he wasn't aware of, and so in returning him to life, he believe's he'll ascertain what qualities he has. Until he is returned to life, he says he'll keep this egg. Koenma then disappears.

Botan hugs Yusuke and is so happy he can return to life. With his body now safe, Botan continues to swing around Yusuke, but he tells her to stop clinging to him -it's embarrassing!

NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW

(Yusuke is speaking)

The time for me to return to life has finally come! But for that to happen, I gotta have someone first impart their life energy into me, mouth to mouth! Today is my only chance! If we don't make it, my next chance won't be for another 50 years! At a time like this, the only one I can count on has to be Keiko! Please, Keiko! Sometime today, give my body some life energy! Next time: Yusuke's Resurrection! A New Trial. The Other World's not watching for nothing!