The weird thing about me is that I often think of a pairing first before creating the plot. Most writers would think of a plot first and then choose the characters perfect for it. This story is so hard to do because I don't have a plot at all, unlike my other stories. This one's floating in serendipity, at least for now.
Michi:Thanks for the review! :D I was just about to put another chapter when I read your review! Thank you soooo much! I haven't seen Special A (I think my sister watches/reads this) but it sounds like a good anime. Will try if I can grab a copy and let's see. As I said, I don't have specific ideas for this fic. Was thinking of something high schooly but I dunno, might put in some other stuff as I move along. Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: Everything takes place after the FY OAV and YYH series. :) FY and YuYu Hakusho are not mine.
Chapter One
By Slavedriver2008
Yotsubadai never happened, and so was Jounan. All the planning she and Miaka did that fateful day over a slice of chocolate cake, slices in the brunette's case, were shelved the moment she went home and delivered the good news to her parents. It was one of those nights Yui's parents were home after constant trips around the world. And the mood was not at all pleasant since her parents have been arguing almost every night lately. The family business was falling and key investments were at risk of withdrawing.
It was partly her fault why the mood got shadier. She lied about Jounan but told them about Yotsubadai, hoping against hope they'll let her study with Miaka. After all, with the current financial constraint, her studying in a public school was the best option at the moment. There was a moment of complete silence when she broke the news.
"How can you fail Jounan and top Yotsubadai?" Mom asked, her voice tight.
"That's what the results said, Mama. Yotsubadai isn't so bad," she reasoned out, playing with the remaining peas on her plate.
"How can it not be bad? It's only third in Japan. You should have studied harder." The older woman, who was the exact replica of her: dusty blonde hair and blue eyes, put down her fork and stared at her. "Very well, you're going to Meiou then."
Yui looked up, surprised. "Meiou? But—"
"The mail arrived earlier, you topped the exams. They're giving you a full scholarship and benefits that are probably better than ones in Jounan," she explained without batting an eyelash and Yui looked back in horror.
"But Mama, Miaka—"
"Is this all about Miaka, Yui? Did you intentionally fail Jounan because Miaka did not pass?" she said sharply. "I always knew that girl would bring you trouble." She sighed and in that exact moment, Yui realized she looked tired. "Your father and I talked about it, you're going to Meirou. We're selling this place anyway. We'll move to a smaller house after you finish junior high."
Yui sat there shock. "Is business that bad? You never told me…"
"You didn't need to know, sweetie," her father spoke, he looked just as tired as her mother. Yui pitied them, they were doing their best to not let business problems affect her lifestyle.
"If I study in Meiou, I have to spend more. Yotsubadai—"
"No, Yui, you're going to Meiou and you're going to graduate in that school even if we have to sell all our properties in Japan." Mom was looking at her with a sad look in her eyes. "Don't disappoint us, high school can open lots of opportunities for you, Yui."
She nodded, there was no use arguing. Yui felt hurt she was not informed of the status of the business. For them to sell this house meant finances were very bad. Sadness filled her when she realized she was leaving her old life behind. Moving to the other side of Tokyo was as good as moving to another prefecture. She doesn't want to move out but she doesn't want to disappoint her family either. Too bad, she was seriously expecting minor changes in her high school life. Looks like life was not as easy as she initially thought.
Miaka cried when she told him about Meiou and the reason why they're moving to another district. It would mean they would not see each other as often as they want to. They would have different separate lives. Yui didn't tell her about the shaky family business and that they're selling the big house. But they'll get used to it, their friendship always survived the toughest challenges. Shin Jin Ten Chi Sho, for instance, was the biggest challenge they ever had. Besides, she already has Taka, a man they met over the last months. The two have been dating and Yui knew Taka would take care of her bestfriend.
Graduation came too soon and they parted that spring with heavy hearts. "You'll come for a visit, huh Yui?" Miaka told her and she nodded.
"Hai. Visit me when you have the time too."
The air was cold and Yui was walking along the streets of Shinjuku district. Winter had ended and spring had just begun, but the air was still freezing. It was exactly three years since the family transferred houses. She pulled her brown overcoat tighter. It was useless, though, floral dark silk green dress and white pumps were not the best clothes during the changing of the seasons. She sighed and tried to remember what transpired during dinner.
"What do you intend to study in college, Yui?" her father asked and she looked up from her plate.
"I'm taking up medicine, father. I want to be a pediatrician." Her father laughed.
"Pediatrician? Why don't you be a cardiologist like me? Or an orthopedic like your mother?"
"That's still subject to change Papa, I'm still weighing my options." Her father laughed again but Yui noticed the frown on her mother's face.
"You should know what you want as early as now, sweetie," she said. "And you have to focus on your studies. You slid down to number two last year. You should graduate first in class. We cannot afford the full tuition in the current state of things."
Yui tried to smile. "I'm trying my best, Mama."
"Well, try harder. I always knew that boy could only distract you from your studies." Her father touched her mother's arms and she focused her attention on the food. They looked older now, they no longer were the picture perfect couple. Time passed too harshly for them.
"Whatever happens Yui, we're proud of you."
Whatever my butt, she thought. Her mother would throw a fit if she didn't graduate first in class. She sighed again, white wisps of smoke formed in her mouth. She should hurry home now. Her parents were scheduled to leave for London tonight and they had an early dinner with her near the airport. The Japan pharmaceutical business had fallen but her parents were trying to resurrect the company. They were to sign a deal with a London-based company and it was a big achievement if it pushed through.
Yui briefly remembered those troubling years. They had to move houses again. This time they ended up in a smaller apartment. The space never bothered her, she always hated big houses considering there were only three of them under one roof. Besides, her parents were always in another country so the place, though small for her mother's standards, was perfect for her.
Meiou never suited her well. The teachers were really good, it was the students she could not stand. In Meiou, money was everything for the students. It dictated your social standing, the number of friends you have, the popularity rating. In the outside, people looked up to the Meiou students, but in the inside, it was a school full of rich brats. There were parties during weekends and if you're not invited, woe to you. Yui was never the party girl so not getting an invitation never bothered her. But her being a social outcast soon became the talk of the town.
"There's the Hongou girl, I wonder why she's still here. I heard she's as poor as a rat, with the family business closing down." She would constantly hear the murmurs in the library. But it never bothered her. There were more important things than high school. When she was in first year, the students made fun of her, although she ranked first in the entrance exams. It was not because of the way she dressed, her uniform and things were always new and above standard. (Her mother would not simply approve of her dressing in rags.)
It was because the fall of business created quite a stir in the Japanese medicine industry. A collapse of a big business always made it to the headlines. Court cases needed to be attended and sometimes there were photos of the family in the front pages of the newspaper. Reporters pried on their personal spaces. One time, a newspaper decided to take it further and reported on her lifestyle—her expenses at Meiou, her little apartment, her shopping choices, everything. Her father was outraged, she was a minor then, barely sixteen. The reporters retaliated afterwards but the rumors in school did not. She became some sort of local celebrity—in a bad way, and she hated it.
A shiver ran through her spine and she caught her reflection in one of the shop's windows. She had dressed nicely for dinner and she was in her best behavior. She seldom shopped but she did so because she wanted them to see how grown up she was now. Besides, she seldom had dinner with her parents, too bad they didn't notice the effort she had to put up just to dress decently. She even went shopping and had a trip to the salon the day before. Expectation was a bitch.
Yui adjusted her wide white headband. At least her hairstylist got the length right. Her hair was cut to mimic Kate Moss's peroxide blonde haircut. Good thing she was a natural blonde or her stylist might have urged her to have it dyed.
"At least you look good tonight, Yui," she told her reflection and after smiling at herself, walked away.
Her mother stroke a nerve when she mentioned Tetsuya. She always referred to him as 'that boy' maybe because she never liked him much. Tetsuya always wear black shades even at night and her Mom hated those about him. He drives a cranky black car and he led a carefree life. Those were the things that endeared him to her but then again, those were the reasons why they broke up. Too bad they're not together now, Yui thought. He would have gladly taken her home if they were still together.
They broke up a few months ago because of 'creative differences.' It was the reason she told Miaka and Taka but the truth was, he caught him cheating on her. Two years of relationship going to smoke because of one pathetic mistake. But it was a mistake that hurt her so much.
Tetsuya lied to her, Nakago lied to her. The men in her life always lied to her. She was too heartbroken to study and her grades suffered. Yes, she had to agree, 'that boy' was the reason why she slid to number two in class. And this year, she intended to get the first slot. Sliding to number two was additional woes, it meant she had to pay for all her expenses this year. To augment for the expenses, she had to sell her books and work after school. She was working two jobs, one at the coffee shop every night and one at the book store every weekend. That way she never had to depend on her parents for allowances.
She sighed again and was about to cross the road when she heard a boy crying in a distance. Yui looked around and found a little boy, probably of seven years old, sitting alone in the dark part of the park. Was he lost? She asked herself but shook her head when she realized a policeman will probably find him and take him home. She crossed the road, still hearing the cries of the boy in the cold night.
The wind blew and she clutched her jacket tighter. She needed to go home early, tomorrow was the first day of classes. The boy's figure appeared in her thoughts. He would go to school tomorrow too and it would be bad if he caught a cold. If he could go home. Annoyed at herself for being uncaring, Yui turned back and crossed the road again, heading toward the brown-haired boy. Yui hesitantly sat beside him and the boy looked up, his green eyes filled with tears. He was such a cute little boy.
"Hey, what's wrong?" The boy wiped his tears and looked at her intently.
"Can I trust you?" Yui laughed heartily and nodded.
"Of course. Why are you crying?" With a wail, the boy embraced her and Yui held him just as tight, rubbing his back.
"Oh my, you're cold." She immediately pulled off her jacket and had him wear it. "This should keep you warm." The boy cried again and she brushed her fingers in his short brown hair. This was just like having a younger brother. "Are you lost?"
"Yes, onee-chan," the boy whispered in between tears. Yui's back prickled. Onee-chan. Older sister. "I don't know how to go home."
"Where do you live? Should I take you home?" The boy looked up to her, nodding slightly. She pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his tears. "Stop crying now and let's go home." The boy smiled and she blushed, smiling back. He was such a cute boy she'd gladly adopt him to be her own brother. They walked hand in hand toward the building the boy told him. The boy had stopped crying now and she was freezing.
"I'm thirsty, nee-chan," the boy said and Yui looked around for a vendo machine. She found one and they walked toward it.
"What do you want?" She smiled and the boy blushed. He pointed toward a green can.
"Winter melon." Yui took out her coin purse and after inserting the coins, the can rolled out of the machine. The boy laughed as he took it out and struggled to open it.
"How old are you?" Yui took the can and opened it for him. "And what's your name?"
"Five." He motioned with his fingers. Yui raised an eyebrow. He was quite tall for a five-year-old boy. "Watashi no namae wa Kazuyu Kokoda desu, onee-chan." He said as if he memorized the line and then took a gulp of the drink.
Yui laughed and bowed to him. "It's nice to meet you Kazuyu-kun. Watashi no namae wa Hongou Yui desu." She answered back and the boy smiled at her.
"Can I call you nee-chan? I don't have an onee-chan…" She nodded and the boy smiled. "Great! Let's go home. Onii-chan and otou-san and okaa-san might be very worried."
"Hai!" They walked hand in hand toward the building. The Nagisa building was the most expensive in town. Only rich families live there. Yui was a little reluctant to go there. It was the home of most of her classmates and if the bitchy girls in class saw her there with a boy, they would tease her to no end. Meiou Private High was not only expensive, it was the most prestigious private high school in Tokyo and it has the same standing as Jounan. It was not surprising that when she lied about passing Jounan, the immediate impulse of her parents was to send her to Meiou. It was a logical choice.
"What floor do you live?" she asked and the boy looked confused.
"I'm not sure. But it's on top. I see the lights of Tokyo from there." Yui smiled but sighed at the same time. This might take awhile. She took the boy toward the reception desk.
"Good evening, I would like to ask where Kazuyu residence is," the receptionist raised an eyebrow.
"It's at the penthouse but you're not allowed there. Only invited guests can come in." Yui frowned. Great, just great.
"I'm with Kazuyu Kokoda. I'm here to take him home," she told the receptionist and the lady looked down on the boy.
"Onee-chan, what's wrong?" Yui shook her head and the receptionist dialed the number.
"Hai, sir. Your brother is here with an one-chan," The receptionist smirked at the mention of the last word and Yui pouted at her. "Hai, hai. Arigatou gozaimasu, sir." The receptionist said, blushing over the phone. She sighed as she placed the receiver back on the cradle. "You can go now. Take elevator number 6, it's the only one that goes directly to the penthouse," the receptionist told Yui harshly, raising an eyebrow. Yui blinked at her and turned around. She was the rudest receptionist she had ever talked to. She walked with the boy toward the designated elevator and the security smiled at them. At least he was nice.
"Good evening young master. How was your orientation? Shuuichi-sama kept on calling if you've arrived. Step in, please, they are very worried." The boy nodded and Yui let go of him.
"You can go home now, I should go home too." Yui said and the boy embraced her leg tightly.
"No! Take me upstairs nee-chan! Please!" The boy screamed and some of the people looked at them.
"Okay, let's go now!" She pulled the boy toward the elevator and he let her go when the door closed.
"Hey, isn't that Hongou?" she overheard one of the watchers and she wanted to bang her head on the wall for being seen and recognized. Oh no, she will probably be teased again tomorrow. What a good way to start the school-year. The boy was laughing slightly as they waited for the elevator to reach the penthouse. This boy must be rich, she thought, owning the penthouse of Nagisa was like owning a an imperial mansion. Okay, she was exaggerating, but the amount comes close.
"Onii-chan would be glad to meet you." The boy held into her hand and she smiled warily. She walked near the door of the elevator as it reached the stop. The door opened slowly and a hand clutched the door and pushed it open. Yui gasped when she met the most beautiful pair of emerald eyes she had ever seen.
"Kokoda, how—" the man stopped speaking and stared into her wide blue eyes. The world stopped moving as they gazed into each other, faces inches away. Yui's brow creased. The face looked familiar. She had seen it before. "Yui…I mean, Hongou," he breathed out and Yui blinked at him, repeatedly.
"Minamino?" she asked hesitantly, face blushing at the way he said his name. Yui, he called her Yui. They were never close in class, just a few hi's and hello's. Well, she was never close to anyone, anyway. The man smiled at her and she thought she would faint, her heart hammered hard. Wait, he was her classmate. She's not supposed to feel this way for him!
"What brought you here?" he asked, leaning closer, making her breath caught in her throat. She never thought Minamino Shuuichi was this good-looking especially up close. In all the years she was in Meiou, she never found him attractive—until now.
"Onii-chan!" the connection broke and they both turned toward the little boy.
"Kokoda!" Minamino pulled the little boy and embraced him tightly. "Why did you run off like that?! I looked everywhere!" his voice broke and Yui stood there, watching them with disbelief. She didn't know the school heartthrob had such a soft spot for a little brother. But then, she never knew what he was like.
"Nee-chan found me! I told you I can find you a girlfriend nii-chan!" Kokoda said and Yui's widened. What? The boy laughed sheepishly and Minamino just smiled at him. "Will Yui-chan be your girlfriend now?" Yui froze and Minamino looked up to her.
"I should go now. I'll see you again Kokoda-kun." The boy made a face and she went back to the elevator, pressing the ground floor. The door was about to close when the redhead bishounen stopped it again with his hands.
"I'll take you home, Houngou-san. Kokoda, tell mama I went out for a while." He went in and the door closed, leaving the two of them alone in the elevator.
"You don't have to, Minamino-san. I can go home on my own." The man blinked at her and it was then that she realized he was a head taller and that his presence made the air of the elevator uneasy—in a good way. There was something about him she could not point out. It was as if he was…magical.
"You took my brother home, I want to return the favor," he said casually and she said nothing. It seemed that there was no use arguing with him. She never actually talked to him before, they were never group mates or lab partners. Besides, he was the one who beat her last year in the rankings. The two of them were always battling head on since she started in Meiou. But the weird thing was, they only knew each other by name. The only things she knew of him was what she found out tonight, like he had a little brother and he lived in the most expensive floor of the most expensive building in the commercial/residential district.
"It's late, I won't be able to sleep if something bad happens to you on the way home," he explained after the long silence. Yui could not help but blush. She was about to answer him when he took her hand and pulled her out of the elevator toward the parking area. "I hope you don't mind riding my bicycle."
"Bicycle?" Yui looked at him nervously. He took out his bicycle and Yui blinked at him. He was making her ride that? He rode it and looked at the girl. Minamino laughed at her reaction. It was the first time she heard him laugh and it occurred to her how everything she noticed about him was always the first time. It was definitely a night of many firsts.
"You've never ridden a bicycle before?" Yui shook her head, making him laugh more. The redness of her cheek was more pronounced now. He pulled her hand. "Sit here and don't worry, I'm good at this." Yui hesitantly sat on the body of the bike and tucked her skirt between her legs. The bicycle went a little off balance and she ended up clutching his shirt.
"I don't think I can do this. Really, you don't have to take me home," she stuttered and he laughed. The bishounen stirred the bicycle out of the parking area and started paddling. Yui trembled and embraced him tightly. "STOP!" The bicycle wobbled at first but he was able to balance it. Yui was trembling and she didn't care if her arms were wrapped mercilessly around him.
"Just hold on, but not too tight, I can't breathe," he whispered and Yui blushed, loosening her hold of him. But she lost balance and ended up embracing him tight again, face on his chest. The bicycle wobbled and wobbled on the streets and he laughed as they made their way toward her house. "Which way?"
Yui looked at the road, unmoving, and gave him directions. She was freezing and she held to him more, the smell of rose and musk and vanilla filled her senses. He smelled like a garden at midnight and it was the exact same smell she wanted her garden to be like. She trembled slightly from the cold and he crouched for her, it was not a good thing to forget her jacket with his brother. Maybe she should just get it back tomorrow or when she had the chance.
The air made her sleepy and she yawned in his chest, hand covering her mouth. He was quite a good cyclist but it was quite uncomfortable hanging on to him like a tentacular squid. She briefly wondered what kind of impression she'd leave him but that aside, she was sleepy as hell. Yui was almost close almost dozing off when the bicycle stopped and she looked up to see his smiling face. She blinked a couple of times. They have stopped moving completely.
"We're home," he said and her immediate reaction was to jump out of the bicycle, which she did just as quickly. She straightened her dress and smiled at him.
"Thanks for the ride," she managed to say out. Yui brushed fingers through her hair, afraid she looked hideous before him. Minamino looked at her and smiled softly.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Yui…Good night." She smiled at him one last time and turned to open the gates of the cold dark house where she lived. She was at the doorway when he waved and left, paddling his bicycle in the night.
A/N:Yeah, Shuuichi Minamino is Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho. He was one of the crushes I had years years back and I like him better than the other characters, though sometimes I think he was the weakest of the four. Too bad there isn't much focus on his life story except that he's a youko. Thanks for reading and please leave reviews!