"So, what do you want?"
Foot tapping, arms crossed, Yusuke was ready to get things over with. It wasn't the first time he and his girlfriend had been interrupted by the infant king, but the fact that he had been called upon just as he was about to surprise her with their anniversary plans had especially irked him.
"Keiko and I were going on an amazing date tomorrow," he thought angrily, "If I have to cancel our reservations, I'm going to lose it on this guy. It's not often I get a win with this kind of stuff…"
Thoughts focused on the ways he would "lose it," Yusuke nearly missed his boss's unexpectedly short description of his mission. "Wait, what?"
"Aren't you listening? Don't be so impatient if I'm just going to have to say it again!" Koenma scolded as he slowly stamped away at a seemingly unending pile of papers in front of him.
Yusuke scowled at the scoff of his teammate, Hiei, as he exited the future king's office, mumbling about having already heard. The door clicked and Koenma resumed.
"A young woman needs escorting and protecting to a national demon competition. Because she is the head chef of our royal family, there are, unfortunately, some political enemies who will be after her. You leave tomorrow morning."
"What kind of political enemies," thought Kurama aloud from beside Yusuke, "would feel the need to go after someone as unimportant as your chef?"
"Is she really that important?" Piqued the only human in the room, Kuwabara.
Placing a finger on his chin, the fox wondered, "What aren't you telling us?"
Koenma stopped shuffling his papers, looking wide and angry eyed at the three remaining boys, "What is it with you crazy kids always thinking I'm doing something sinister or that I'm hiding something from you?! That's it! That's the mission! Keep her safe at the cost of your own lives! Now, get out of my office!"
Pointing as the huge arched doors swung open, Koenma's straightforward response had startled the trio enough to send them immediately out without another comment.
Parting ways to take their own portals home, Yusuke dreaded telling Keiko the news that he would indeed be missing their anniversary another year in a row.
Keiko took the information as expected – with grace, but deep sadness. She expressed her understanding and disappointment, ending the conversation with a kiss goodnight as Yusuke headed to his own home to rest before yet another "protect the girl" assignment. He slept heavily, awaking to the feeling of his mother rocking him.
"Kuwabara's here, kid." She cooed, "you two sure do have some early plans for the first week of summer vacation, don't you?"
"Yeah.." Yusuke groaned, hoisting himself out of bed as his mother left his room.
"We'll be gone for a few days. I'll call if it's any later than that," he explained as he lumbered into the living room, pulling a fresh shirt over his head. "Will you be alright?"
"Is it for Koenma again…? You should ask him for a vacation…You're wasting away your youth! The little bit of college I had was the best time of my life," Atsuko said distantly, swirling her green tea about in its cup.
"Yeah, and today is Keiko and my's anniversary. If you invite her over while I'm gone, don't let her in my room. I don't want her finding her gift before I can give it to her."
After packing a light knapsack and hugging his mother goodbye, Yusuke set off with Kuwabara, who was waiting outside, to the usual meeting spot for Koenma's "magic portals".
Tall grass and other unkempt foliage, illuminated by the pink morning sun gave the abandoned park a dreamy look. A light breeze swung the chains of long-broken swing sets, melodic clinks filling the air until Kurama eventually arrived, smiling warmly at the boys who sat waiting on a short, concrete bench. In a tree nearby sat Hiei, eyes closed, arms crossed, peaceful smile hidden.
A swirling, whooshing apparatus manifested itself out of seemingly nothing, into a tall, arched door. Unfazed, the young men filed in one by one, arriving just a grand hallway away from the office of the son of the ruler of the Spirit World.
Upon entering the great child's office, each detective was met with the wide smile of a young woman. She had healthy, freckled skin, tinged pink and bronzed from her time outside collecting fresh ingredients. Her deep, shiny, plum colored hair, braided into twin fishtails, reached her hips and swung as she stepped out from behind Koenma's desk. She was stylish for the time – a modest chocolate colored sweater and pink floral skirt kept her looking human, despite her very muscular physique and the small horns coming from underneath her flat bangs.
"This," Koenma introduced, "Is Aki."