Summary: They were bad for each other. They've hurt one another too many times. But they couldn't help it… Why does love makes people do stupid things?

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.

Chapter 1

1st Grade – 15 years old – January 1st.

The first time he met her was on the first day of high school.

"Botan Shizukawa" was the name she had introduced herself that day. Long, silky blue hair and big, sparkly amethyst eyes. Cheerful, and polite.

Those were the few things he had first noticed about her upon seeing her.

When she had walked back to her seat which was coincidentally next to his, she had accidentally tripped on her own shoelace, and upon watching this, he could only conclude that she was also careless and probably lack observation of her surroundings.

He had noticed a while ago that her shoes were untied, but apparently, she didn't.

After getting back up, dusting off her clothes and fixing back her skirt, the girl, Botan had laughed nervously and had quickly sat on her seat in an almost embarrassed manner. Her head was hung low that day, her face beet red and he could still vividly remember how she fumbled with her skirt.

"U-um…sorry about that sensei…" she had apologized, and then giggled sheepishly, all the while scratching her head, "Pretty bad first impression, huh?" Despite her embarrassment, she had said that totally out of the blue and probably too perfectly honest.

But he kind of liked that.

The teacher had laughed, saying something about how it was okay, and the whole class had joined in the laugher. But he just watched. His emerald eyes staring at her as she simply smiled and started babbling about how she had always been so careless. This had only caused the students to laugh louder.

She probably wouldn't have stopped talking if the teacher hadn't cut her off a minute after her fast-speed talking, and had ordered the whole class to remain quiet.

He had always disliked girls who were too talkative. But the way she had waved her arms around and started doing symbols or whatever of things that she had babbled about was amusing that he had to bit his lower lip to stop himself from letting a chuckle escape him.

She had only opened her textbook when he had first spoken to her that day,

"Quite the first impression, I must say. Not bad at all."

Eyes averting his direction, and a smile forming on her lips, she just replied with a, "Are you kidding me? I totally messed up."

He had shrugged his shoulders. "Still better than boring introductions, don't you agree?"

She had blinked. "O-oh…" was the only thing that had left her lips then.

Botan was about to turn her attention back to the teacher but was stopped when a hand had suddenly held out to her. She had looked down at it for some moments before looking back at the owner.

"I'm Shuichi Minamino. It's a pleasure to meet you," he had said, and a smile had made its way to his lips.

She had beamed. Her eyes sparkling and a pink tint coloring her cheeks, she had accepted his hand into hers.

"Pleasure's all mine."


1st Grade – 15 years old – February 2nd

A month had passed after their first encounter. A month and a day to be precise.

Shuichi had his legs crossed Indian-style and a book in his hand when the door to the school roof suddenly banged open and out-walked Botan with two home made lunches in her hands.

"Shuuuichii-kun! Let's eat!"

He had just smiled politely and nodded his head, and it served as an invitation for her to come closer.

She did.

And she had sat down next to him.

"Aren't you tired of making two bentos everyday?" Shuichi had found himself asking that question almost abruptly.

Botan, ever since they had started hanging out with each other, had begun sharing or more precisely, making him bentos everyday. He had found out a while ago that she was living with her dad who was always busy with work in an apartment and just by observing the way how neat her uniform was, he could tell she was very good in house chores so cooking wasn't probably a difficult thing for her to do.

Still, he couldn't help but feel like he was being a nuisance.

But Botan, being the kind-hearted girl Shuichi had come to know, had shook her head and exclaimed, "What the? No, of course not!"

Scooting closer to him, she had even added, "Plus, I like sharing bentos with you—"

"Botan, you're making me one…"

"Doesn't matter."

Shuichi had always eaten food in the cafeteria but ever since she had started this… bento-making for him every day, he had apparently and probably permanently stopped doing so.

"Ne, Shuichi…" she had spoken all of a sudden after a few minutes they started eating.

He had hummed in response and she had continued, "I-if we stay friends forever, is it okay?"

Shuichi had looked up, his emerald eyes staring at her for what seemed like the longest time. They had only known each other for a month… Why was she asking him this now? Was the question that went through his head that day.

But when she had started explaining about how her family, her dad and her, constantly moved away and how she had made and lost so many friends, he couldn't really think about how rash she was being. "I-I mean, even if I move away soon, I want to stay friends. I'm just tired of making new friends and then losing them, you know? S-so, is it o—"

She hadn't even asked if it was okay when he had cut her off with a small pat on her head, and had simply responded with a soft, "Sure, why not?"

Botan's lips had curved up into a very, very big grin. "Great then! Let's make it a promise!"

Holding out her pinky finger, she had gestured him to do the same.

He did.

"Promise."

It was all simple, childish and pure. Just a small friendship that could've lasted forever.

But of course.

That was before they started the games.