Chapter One
Kuwabara's Friend
Author Notice:
Unlike the anime, the timeline will be quite different, and certain things that have happened in the anime will have either been changed or altered. 9th grade is when Yusuke first became a spirit detective, just a heads up.
XXX
Sunday
May 14, 1992
An empty pack of cigarettes was tossed upon the coffee table as Shizuru Kuwabara lazily seated herself on the large sofa of their average house. A nonchalant expression graced her features as she sorted through the mail that early morning, a single cigarette limply positioned between her lips, her eyes scanning the letters curiously.
As she sorted through several envelopes, all issued to herself of course, Shizuru couldn't help but sigh. It seemed the water bill had increased since last month and the electric bill was earlier than usual; all in all, this left her feeling somewhat annoyed, especially since she was the one paying for Kuwabara's laziness. As she tossed the bills onto the counter, she squinted her eyes at one particular envelope with a name quite familiar to her scribbled messily on the exterior of the cover.
Shinohara
Baffled as to why she was receiving a letter from the Shinohara family, especially considering she and Kuwabara hadn't received contact from them in a few years, she casually used her nail to rip open the envelope before pulling out a short letter, her eyes scanning over the writing carefully. As she took in the contents of the letter, every sentence at a time, Shizuru removed the cigarette from her mouth before setting it into the ash tray to her side. Eventually, she found herself reading the last paragraph out loud, her eyebrows furrowed.
Under these unfortunate circumstances, we ask that you look after our daughter for a time until then. We understand that she and Kuwabara were once close as children, and we hope that the two will get along just the same. Again, we are sorry for dropping something so burdensome onto you so suddenly. It won't be for long, of course, and we will get in touch later.
Sincerely,
Takemori Shinohara
Shizuru blinked and for a moment, she sat there, taking in the gravity of the situation before calmly lifting herself from the couch. Within moments, she was standing in front of her baby brother's room, the door closed. The constant sounds of snoring echoed within the narrow hallway and without even knocking, she turned the knob and entered, moving to stand beside his bed.
Kuwabara was sleeping in the most awkward of many sleeping positions. His mouth hung open, a small dribble of drool spilling from the side of his mouth as his tongue stuck straight out with his continued snoring. Both his arms were flailed on either side of his head, one leg under the other. There was an urge to tug down his shirt where his small gut protruded outwards in the stuffy room, but instead she gently shook his shoulder, hoping to awaken him from his sleep.
"Kazuma, wake up."
Her loud voice failed to reach his ears, and annoyingly, Shizuru watched as her baby brother turned his back to her as he laid on his side, his rear end on full display before her, and to her disgust, she noticed his crack peeking out from beneath his tighty-whities. The sight was certainly a sight to see, and it was something Shizuru was used to taking in, day by day.
With a small twitch of her eye, she raised her foot, easily hitting him square on the rear and to her relief, Kuwabara was abruptly startled from his slumber, crying out in obvious pain before turning to glare at his sister.
"OW! What was that for!"
Without so much as an apology, she bent down and displayed the letter before him, and for a moment, he curiously stared at it before giving her an irritated look.
"What is it?" He asked before suddenly positioning himself into Indian style. His tired eyes searched his room before landing upon his small alarm clock beside his bed. "Is that why you woke me up at 8 in morning? Shizuru I didn't get much sleep last night an—"
"The day has already started, Kazuma. If you weren't up every night doing missions with your friends, you'd have gotten up earlier," She pressed before dropping the letter into his lap, her hands on either side of her waist.
Grumbling to himself, he picked up the letter and began to read its contents. The handwriting was very sloppy, and he found he had slight trouble trying to discern the message. Cursive wasn't very easy to comprehend, especially if it was chicken scratch writing.
"It seems that under some circumstances, Shinohara will be staying with us for some time."
Shock suddenly graced his face, and Kuwabara stared at his older sister incredulously, his mouth wide open before looking back down at the letter in his hands and back at her. "Seriously?! Akane is coming over?"
Shizuru nodded, noticing the excitement emanating from her baby brother and how his mouth widened elatedly. "That's right. She'll be arriving tomorrow, so as of right now, you need to get up and clean this house."
Kuwabara's smile dropped at this and he abruptly removed himself from his bed to stand before his sister. "Hey, why do I have to be the only one to clean? I already have plans with Urameshi and Kurama!"
Flicking his forehead lightly, Shizuru calmly turned around to exit his room, but she turned with a knowing look at Kuwabara. "Well for one, I have to go to work. I also pay all the bills and put food on the table. Since your friend is coming to visit, you could at least clean the house before I return this evening."
After she left, Kuwabara's eyes returned to the letter, and once again, he couldn't stop the excited grin from leaving his face. It had been so long since the two had hung together and the fact that she was going to be staying with them for some time immediately motivated him.
"Alright! If Shizuru wants the house clean, then I'll do it!" After all, he didn't want Akane to arrive to a messy house. He understood that it would leave Shizuru embarrassed to have an invited guest over to an untidy environment.
As Kuwabara scanned his room, he noticed many of his clothing lying strewn across the bedroom floor, a clutter of school books laying in the corner of his room and all across his desk, Kuwabara decided his room was the first on the list for the day. If he hurried, he could still meet up with the guys before noon.
XXX
Sunshine peered through the large window panes of the Minamino Residence, and Shiori Minamino found herself happily fixing the curtains in the lavish living room. The curtains were a vibrant red with gold etched into the beautiful cloth and it perfectly matched the ornate rug within the large room. There was not a speck of dust to be seen within the home, and yet, Shiori couldn't help but keep herself busy while her husband was away working.
After wiping away the sweat from her brow, Shiori stepped through the archway leading into the kitchen to wash her hands. While she ran her hands under the warm water, she caught sight of her oldest son, Shuichi tenderly watering the rose bushes in the back yard through the window.
After drying her hands, she stepped out into the backyard, smiling as her son took great care of their shrubberies and plants. Many beautiful flowers in various colors were well planted and nourished within their yard and it seemed there was never a day they had ever withered. Her son most certainly was gifted with a green thumb.
Her son was dressed very modestly, just like herself. Shuichi was adorned in a plain white dress shirt buttoned up the front and tucked neatly into his beige pants, his long red hair flowing behind him beautifully. For someone so young, he showed great maturity for his age.
While he was focused on watering the roses, he realized he wasn't alone, and with a smile, he turned to his mother, who approached him sweetly. "Good morning mother. I hope you slept well."
"I did. I thought you stepped out this morning with your friends," She replied before acknowledging the beautiful flowers. "But my have they grown beautifully, Shuichi. You take such good care of the flowers."
Kurama smiled at this before setting the watering can down beside the house. "How are you feeling this morning? Would you like me to step out and run your errands?"
Shiori only shook her head, smiling at her son's courteous offer. "I'm feeling much better today. I was hoping we could have dinner at home, if you would like. Since your father won't be return until late, I thought it might be nice to have dinner together for a change."
"Of course, but please don't over exert yourself. The doctor said to take care of your health most of all," He worryingly exclaimed, noticing how there was still some paleness to her cheeks, fatigue still seen very clearly in her gaze.
She nodded, taking her son's arm in hers, her smile never faltering. "Kokoda called this morning. It seems he wanted to stay longer on his camping trip with his school mates. He asked how you were doing."
As the sun shined down brightly on the two, Kurama worried too much exposure would increase his mother's fatigue, and gingerly, he led her back inside. "He seems to enjoy the outdoors. Although he will be taking a couple days off from school, I doubt his grades would drop. He seems to have taken after father a bit."
"I think he is taking after you more and more as the days go by, Shuichi. You know Kokoda looks up to you," Shiori pressed before sitting down on the cream colored couch in the living room.
"You think?" Kurama asked, smiling at the thought.
Shiori couldn't help but chuckle at a funny thought, earning her son's curiosity. "Although he tries to mimic you in many aspects, he seems to lack the green thumb."
At this, Kurama joined in laughter with his mother. "Ah that is true. I can remember recently how he over watered the tulips in the flowerbed, not to mention mistaking some new buds as grown weeds."
"He certainly is a funny child."
Glancing down at this watch, Kurama realized it was already past 11. Very soon he planned to meet up with Yusuke and Kuwabara. There was no doubt in his mind that Yusuke was already making his way there.
"Is something wrong, Shuichi?" His mother asked, noticing his stern glance at his wrist watch.
Kurama shook his head. "I just remembered I made plans with some friends this afternoon. I should probably be leaving soon," He replied.
Hearing this, Shiori nodded. "Alright hon. What time will you be back? Your father should be home around 10 tonight."
"I shouldn't be gone too long," He said, before briefly pondering. "On my way back, I'll stop by the store to pick up some groceries that we may need."
Understanding, Shiori stood up before walking with her son to the kitchen. In the drawer near the fridge, she pulled out a small slip of paper before handing it to Shuichi. As she reached into her pocket, she pulled out some money for him to take, which he kindly declined.
"It's alright, mother. I'll pay for it. I really don't mind."
"Are you sure?" She asked, the money held out for a moment.
Leaning forward, Kurama placed a small kiss to his mother's cheek before pulling away smiling, the shopping list stuffed into his pocket neatly folded. "I'll try to be back by 4." He explained. As soon as he got to the door, he stopped before turning back to his mother, who was smiling just behind him. For some reason, he always felt guilty leaving her alone by herself. "Will you be alright while I'm gone?"
She nodded. "Of course, dear. You needn't worry. Lately I've been watching a lot of soap operas on television, and Aiko visits regularly."
Understanding, he waved goodbye to his mother before stepping out into the blazing sunlight. As he looked up at the sky, watching as the white clouds shifted across the constant blue sky, he placed his hands into the pockets of his beige pants and made his way down the street to meet up with his friends.
XXX
Realizing he had over slept, Yusuke quickly jumped out of bed, a clutter of items tossed here and there as he struggled to dress himself. Unfortunately, he hadn't had a chance to wash the laundry, and he knew his mother was too lazy to even move from the couch where she spent most of her days.
As he tossed on a plain white tank top, tucking it into his tight jean pants, he picked up his old black and red flannel long sleeved shirt before bringing it up to his nose. The scent on it wasn't too bad and it had only been worn a few times, so he figured the smell wouldn't be too noticeable since he was only planning to hang out with his friends. On second thought, he opened up the window before glancing out. It was terribly hot outside and as he questioned himself whether or not to wear his flannel, in the end, he took it off and tossed it in the laundry bin near the tv.
The sudden sound of his doorbell buzzing brought him away from his room. As he passed the living room where his mom was sprawled out upon the couch, a few beer bottles lying upon the floor beside her, Yusuke opened the door, before flashing a bright smile to his girlfriend.
"Hey Keiko."
Dressed in a short-sleeved blue and white dress, her brown hair just above her shoulders, she fumed at Yusuke, her arms crossed. "Don't tell me you forgot about our date?"
Pausing in the middle of scratching his head, sudden recollection came to him and he couldn't help but sweat drop. In truth, he had forgotten all about taking Keiko to the movies, and he knew he wouldn't hear the end of it for the next few days.
"Yusuke!"
"Sorry Keiko. I'll make it up to you, I promise!" He apologized, rubbing the palms of his hands in front of her, but her glare only hardened. "If you want, I'm heading out here in a few to meet up with Kurama and Kuwabara."
Before she could even say a word to protest, Yusuke suddenly disappeared from the living room, retreating to the bathroom to brush his teeth while searching his room for his tennis shoes.
While he quickly tried to get ready, Keiko closed the door behind her and stepped into the living room. Across the room, she noticed Ms. Atsuko lying asleep on the couch, and as she approached, Keiko couldn't help but pick up the empty beer bottles before throwing them in the trash nearby.
"I swear really…"
Although things had been difficult recently for Atsuko in regards to her alcohol addiction and recently fighting to support Yusuke so he does well in school, it seemed she was doing worse than before. Fortunately, after the house fire, she and Yusuke had gotten a nicer apartment to live in thanks to her insurance.
Keiko couldn't help but frown at the thought of Yusuke and his mother's financial situation. It was a wonder they still had a roof over their head. "Atsuko?" She called, but she only continued to snore, a placid smile gracing her flushed cheeks as her brown bangs covered her eyes.
Peeking his head from the doorway of his room, Yusuke glanced out at Keiko, his teeth already brushed and already slipping on his sneakers. "Don't bother. She'll be out for a few more hours."
Understanding, Keiko stepped away from the couch and followed Yusuke out the door of the apartment until they took the elevator to reach the first floor of the complex. Eventually the two-walked side by side down the street.
"I'm sorry Keiko. I didn't mean to forget about our date. I promise I'll make it up to you," He explained, looking at her expression beside him.
Pouting slightly, she only nodded. "It's alright," She replied.
"You look pretty."
Blushing from the comment, Keiko couldn't help but glance over at him, noticing his eyes were facing ahead of him. Truthfully, Keiko had taken her time early that morning to put on some light makeup and wear something a little more flattering. There were times Yusuke never noticed a change in her appearance, but perhaps that wasn't true. "Thank you."
Without warning, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. Judging by her reaction, she had already forgiven him and he couldn't help but enjoy her flushed expression.
Although she was a little embarrassed by his bold behavior, she honestly didn't mind. However, as she received a few looks here and there on their walk, she couldn't help but lean into him. "So where are you and the guys meeting up?"
"That little dining place near the arcade," He replied. "Kashiwara Diner."
"Oh! You know they have the best milkshakes!" Her eyes suddenly sparkled at the thought of enjoying such a sweet dessert. "Well since you forgot all about our date, you have to at least pay for our meal."
At this he laughed. "Sure thing, Keiko. But you might want to lay off the shakes for a while…" He couldn't help but comment, before pinching her cheek, watching as her expression turned from ecstatic to horrified.
"What? Yusuke!"
From her reaction, he couldn't help but laugh and pull away from her before taking off in a slight run down the street. "I'm just kidding, Keiko!" He laughed, but she only chased after him with her fist raised, and her cheeks flushed.
Eventually the two arrived at the diner, and they were surprised to find Kurama had already taken a seat at one of the many booths. As they stepped in, they saw that it wasn't entirely busy that day, which meant they could talk as loud as they liked without upsetting anyone.
As they walked over to the booth, Kurama politely said hello as they took a seat across from the red head. Soon after they each engaged in comfortable conversation. Several minutes went by as they sat there, and there was still no sign of Kuwabara, much to their confusion.
"Where's Kuwabara? He's normally the first here," Yusuke asked, but neither of his friends knew. Yusuke wondered if he should walk over to the pay phone and give him a call to see if he was still coming, but he caught sight of a familiar reddish orange pompadour, six-foot man running towards the diner from the window. "Well speak of the devil."
At his reply, Keiko waved the young man over, and he elatedly took his seat beside Kurama, before grinning like an idiot.
"Sorry I'm late. Shizuru wanted me to clean the house from top to bottom before evening," Kuwabara explained.
"She's making you clean? What did you do?" Yusuke asked, smiling at his friend curiously. He wondered if the siblings had gotten into another fight, but from Kuwabara's expression, it didn't seem like the case.
Eventually their food arrived within minutes, and the four ate until their hearts were content. They each ordered a normal cheeseburger, fries, a salad for Keiko, and various shakes that suited their tastes. Keiko had ordered a small vanilla while Yusuke and Kuwabara settled for a large Chocolate shake. Kurama on the other hand settled for a small glass of sweet lemon tea instead, not one particularly interested in sweet treats.
All the while they fell into long conversation, discussing their recent missions Koenma had given them as well as their various school topics. Kurama went to a different school from that of the others, studying at Meiou High School as a Junior, while the others attended a less provincial school at Sarayashiki High School.
A couple years ago, they were sought out by Koenma, who had assisted Yusuke in his revival. Although Kurama had been convicted as a criminal who had stolen from Koenma some time back, he made up for his actions by joining the spirit detectives and completing various and dangerous missions. Although their abilities and strengths had increased, there was still more each of them had yet to learn.
Yet as the years went by and their training continued, their grades gradually remained the same, never faltering in the slightest. Each had made a pack that once they graduated from Senior Year, they would spend the rest of their years as spirit detectives as they would finally have more time to focus on their careers rather than worry about their education.
"Kuwabara you still planning to get into a good college after we graduate?" Yusuke asked leaning back against the chair.
He nodded, sucking his milkshake relentlessly through his straw. "Shizuru wants me to go into law and make something of myself. She has me studying every night without rest."
"Geez that's tough," Yusuke remarked before biting into his burger hungrily, a few crumbs falling into his lap. "So Kurama, are your fan girls still giving you a problem at school or did you run them off?" He teased.
Chuckling at the question, the red head merely shook his head, taking a drink of his lemon tea before looking at the detective. "The same as always, I suppose. I try not to pay them much attention."
Keiko canted her head at Kurama before huffing slightly; her response to this caused Yusuke to laugh. "I can't believe the nerve of most girls these days. Just one look at an attractive guy and they lose their minds! If I was a guy, I'd set them straight!"
Kurama laughed at her reply. "Yes, well it is rather inconvenient, but they don't mean too much trouble. I have been fortunate enough to escape when their backs are turned."
Keiko Yukimura only crossed her arms. "If I liked a guy, I wouldn't be throwing myself at his feet every waking hour of the day. A simple hello or something would suffice."
As she and Kurama fell into this topic of conversation, while Kuwabara continually feasted upon his fries, listening contentedly to the entire conversation, Yusuke couldn't help but lean into Keiko, his brown eyes narrowed suspiciously at his girlfriend.
Noticing his change in behavior, Keiko blinked at him. "What is it?"
Yusuke squinted his gaze at her, his arms crossed. "Are you hitting on Kurama?"
Flustered by his response, Keiko smacked his shoulder, quickly denying such an embarrassing thought. "W-what? Of course, not! Yusuke, why would you say such a thing?"
"I'm sure my ears didn't deceive me when you said Kurama was attractive…" Yusuke pouted, in turn causing his girlfriend to blush a brighter shade of red. Although he was only teasing her, he couldn't help but envy Kurama when it came to looks.
Before the situation got out of hand, Kuwabara unexpectedly began choking on a fry which had lodged itself in his throat, and with Kurama's assistance, patting his back, he managed to swallow the fry easily.
"You keep eating like that and you'll be in the grave before you know it," Yusuke commented, laughing at Kuwabara's suspense.
"Are you alright, Kuwabara?" Kurama asked, watching as the color in his friend's face return to normal.
After cleaning his throat, Kuwabara nodded. "Yeah I'm fine. Thanks." He pushed his empty plate forward, clearly finished eating, and he couldn't help but smile widely at his friends. "Guys there's something I want to tell you."
"What is it?" Yusuke asked.
Grinning from ear to ear, he fumbled for his wallet in his jean pocket before pulling out a small photograph of a little girl and boy sitting near a pond outside. The little girl was wearing a flowered hat and yellow sun dress, her long brown hair curling around her waist prettily with side swept bangs. The little boy on the other hand had short reddish hair, a full fringe over his eyes and he was smiling very much like Kuwabara that very moment. The children were holding hands while the little girl held up a small peace sign, her face flushed and her smile just as big.
As Kuwabara laid the picture on the table, his friends leaned in to look at it. Keiko awed at the two children in the photo while Kurama smiled tenderly. As Yusuke inspected the photo for himself, wondering just who these kids were, Kuwabara went on to continue.
"You see that girl? That's Akane. She used to go to the same grade school as us," He explained.
"She's adorable. I'm guessing you two were good friends?" Keiko asked, and at her reply, Kuwabara fervently nodded. "Where is she now?"
"Okinawa, I think," Kuwabara replied before pondering briefly. "It's been a while since I last saw her."
At this, Kurama couldn't help but confusedly stare at his companion. "I take it she is coming by to visit?" It would likely explain why Shizuru had wanted the entire house cleaned thoroughly.
Once more, Kuwabara nodded. "Because of some situation at home, she'll be staying with me and Shizuru for a while!"
While Kuwabara was excited to discuss the topic, Yusuke couldn't help but lean forward on the table while the waitress returned to take their plates and glasses away. "Hey wait a minute, Kuwabara. Who is this other kid in the picture?"
His friends sweat dropped at his question, obviously knowing exactly who it was. Kuwabara on the other hand only stared at Yusuke before grabbing the photo from his hand and holding it up to the detective's face before pointing at himself. "It's me!"
Three seconds went by suddenly, and as Yusuke looked from the picture to his friend seated across from him with the pompadour, Yusuke couldn't stop himself and fell into muffled laughter, hardly capable of containing himself.
"Oh Yusuke…" Keiko shook her head disappointedly.
Kurama on the other hand only laughed slightly to himself at his friend's reaction before taking another sip of his tea.
"That's you?!" Yusuke snorted, holding his stomach tightly, his mouth wide open as tears flooded his eyes. The sight was incredibly hilarious. There was no way these two people were the same. "You were such a cute kid … what happened?"
Offended by his response, Kuwabara abruptly stood up and loudly hit his hands onto the table. This action caused many heads to turn in their direction, and embarrassed, Keiko attempted to wave her hands innocently to the employees and other customers nearby. "What was that Urameshi?!"
"Yusuke that wasn't nice!" Keiko scolded.
Despite this, he couldn't help himself. There was a clear distinction between then and now, but Kuwabara's reaction was priceless. After finally managing to calm himself, Yusuke's wide grin remained. "I'm only kidding, Kuwabara. Sit down before you make a scene," He teased.
Realizing he had caused many heads to turn, the red headed pompadour quickly sat down, snatching the photo from Yusuke's hand before putting it back into his wallet. "Anyways, like I was saying, Akane will be staying with us for a while. Most likely she'll be going to the same school as all of us. So, I hope you guys will be nice to her."
Keiko smiled at this. "Of course, since I'm the student body president, I can show her around the school and to her classes. Maybe we can even have lunch together." The thought of having another female friend greatly interested the school girl, as she only had two female friends at school.
"Take it easy Keiko. You haven't even met this Akane. Who's to say she will even want to be friends so easily? For all we know, she is probably the opposite of this big lug over here," Yusuke was referring to Kuwabara.
"Hey! Akane isn't a mean person!" Kuwabara protested, his voice becoming louder as the conversation continued.
Hearing this, Kurama turned to his friend beside him, his arms crossed. "Kuwabara, have you and Akane met up recently?"
Realizing Kurama had turned the direction of the conversation, Kuwabara only nodded. "Yeah. Let me think…" He pondered for a brief moment before holding his hand out in front of him as he counted each finger. "It's been three years since I last saw her. Every now and then we send letters to each other," He explained.
"Three years is a long time," Kurama couldn't help but reply.
"You two still send letters?" Yusuke teased. "Let me guess, you had a crush on her?"
Kuwabara effectively paled at the thought before furiously shaking his head back and forth. "No! It wasn't like that! I have always thought of her as a little sister!"
Keiko smiled at his words. "So … what is she like?"
Grinning like an absolute and adorable idiot, Kuwabara searched through his wallet once more and after struggling to find the exact picture he was looking for, he produced a small photograph before his friends. "This is her three years ago; Isn't she pretty?"
The picture he showed them was of a young girl dressed in a middle school sailor uniform with a button up white blouse and a long black skirt. Her beautiful brown hair cascaded to her waist and her smile was the brightest among her friends beside her. What stood out amongst this picture was her amethyst eyes, the color a vibrant purple much like Botan's.
"She's so pretty!" Keiko awed.
Even Yusuke took a double take. "Damn, Kuwabara what are you doing just staying friends with this girl?"
Ignoring Yusuke's comment, Kuwabara left the photo on the table, allow his friends to look at the picture of Akane from her eighth year of middle school. "She's really nice when you get to know her and she's easy to get along with. Her grades are almost as great as yours, Keiko. Akane plays a lot of different sports, but she prefers volleyball more," He explained. "As far as I know, she has never had a boyfriend and when she last came to visit me and Shizuru, you should have seen how many guys turned their heads."
Keiko smiled. "If she likes volleyball, then I think she and I will get along just fine."
Yusuke only shrugged. "Well when she shows up, Kuwabara, you'll have to introduce us. We should all grab a bite to eat together."
"Sure thing," Kuwabara replied, returning the photo back to his wallet.
As they fell into another comfortable conversation, the sudden sound of a phone ringing close by quickly quieted the four friends. Yusuke, recognizing the light dinging noise, retrieved a small circular compact mirror from his back pocket, known as a communication mirror. From time to time, Botan or Koenma would contact them when any startling news or new missions surfaced, so it wasn't a surprise to hear it ring on their day off.
Flipping over the magenta cover, Yusuke and Keiko peered into the mirror, and a sudden reflection of Botan was seen staring flabbergasted on the other side, her expression entirely troubled. From behind her, numerous ogres were running around the office, parchment scattering all over the place and people yelling in the background.
"Botan? What's happening?" Yusuke asked.
"It's big trouble Yusuke!" She replied, earning Kurama's and Kuwabara's utmost curiosity from across the table. "Listen, Koenma wants you and the others back in spirit world pronto! We'll explain everything then!"
Before they could ask anything more of the blue haired woman, the mirror's powers stopped and Yusuke looked at his friends worrisome. Somehow, he didn't feel the gravity of the situation was pleasing.
"Well you hear that?" He asked, suddenly standing up, followed by Kurama and Kuwabara. "Looks like the toddler needs our help."
"Yusuke…"
Smiling at his girlfriend still seated at the table, Yusuke gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry Keiko, we'll be back before you know it."
With a nod, Yusuke and the three quickly ran out of the diner, leaving Keiko to watch after them through the window despondently. With a sigh, Keiko stood up, fixing her dress as she moved away from the table, but she was immediately approached by their waitress whose smile never faltered.
"Did you and you friends enjoy your meal?"
Keiko nodded.
"That will be $32.25," She replied, immediately causing the brunette to pale.
After digging through her purse to retrieve exactly the right amount, she paid for everyone's meal before stepping out of the diner. With clenched fists, her eyes narrowed angrily. "Yusuke, you jerk!"