Thief

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot!

Botan sat back in her seat, extremely uncomfortable under all the looks she was receiving from the male student body in the classroom. She sunk a little lower while tapping her pencil against her notepad, and tried to relax.

All in all, the day wasn't going to badly. In fact, besides getting lost, being late for her first class, and all the unnerving stares, one could even say it was going well. After her first class had ended, a shy boy who had been sitting next to her offered to help her find her next class. So far, she had found out that she wasn't behind in any of her classes. She only had three more periods to go, and lunch, and then she could go home.

She sighed and rested her head no her hand. She wouldn't have had to change schools like this, if only… Botan's gaze narrowed as slightly darker thoughts filled her head. Thoughts that had nothing to do with school.

A portal. A bigger one. And a new client who paid VERY well. And in advance. Whowouldn't have taken the offer?

Still, though, she'd had to move to take the job. Not that she minded really, a change in scenery was always nice. And she was a rather restless soul, something which was reflected by her occupation.

And it wasn't as if her family minded. Her mother had been more than willing to let Botan move. After all, it would be good for her wouldn't it? Give her a real sense of what the world was like.

Botan snorted. Still, she was grateful to her mother for allowing her to move out, into the new apartment, all by herself. After all, hadn't she worked hard to be accepted into this good school? She sure had, she deserved a little freedom. Mother's little girl was growing up and all that.

Botan's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of bells signaling the class change. She sighed, it was time for fourth period. This day was going by quickly… Wait… Where was her next class?

Botan looked around her. No one seemed interested in helping the new girl. She sat back in her seat, huffing.

Fine. She could find it herself. It might take a while, but she would. She marched off down the hall, glancing at room numbers as she went.

Kurama dodged another group of giggling, blushing girls as he headed for his locker. He readied his bag for the torrent of notes sure to come spilling from the metal contraption. Sure enough, about ten tumbled into his bag. He couldn't help but roll his eyes as he dumped them from his bag into the garbage. Didn't these girls ever give up?

And not just girls, he got love letters from some of the boys at his school as well. After all, he was far prettier than any girl, they told him.

He used to read the notes, a few years ago. After all, he was a vain fox and if these silly ningens wanted to inflate his ego then he certainly wasn't going to stop them. But they got so old after a while, and they said essentially the same things: Oh, Shuichi, you're sooooooo hot, and sooooooo smart, blah, blah, blah, would you go out with me? Blah, blah, blah…

Not an original thought among them, he concluded, looking at another group of girls who were walking up to him. He tried to move around them, but they mimicked him, moving in front of him and effectively cutting him off. It seemed as though he would not get to his fourth period class without having to confront the girls.

"Excuse me, please." Kurama said, in his airy tone. The girls giggled and one stepped forward.

"Sure, Shuichi-kun, but first you must pay the toll!"

Brave little ningen. The rest of the girls blushed and giggled, but the speaker stood her ground. Kurama grinned to himself in amusement, but placed an innocently confused look on his face.

"Toll? What kind of toll?" The girls blushed again. Their speaker flushed as well.

"Um… A movie! You have to see a movie with me this Friday!"

Kurama frowned. He did not want to spend any of his free time with this girl. With any of these girls for that matter.

"Ah, I would love to, Hikari-san, however, my mother is ill. I will be staying home quite often for a while to help take care of the house and, of course, my mother." Not a lie. He would be home more often to take care of his mother, but she was regaining her health quickly, he probably could have gone to the movie with Hikari. In fact his mother would have been happy to see him go, she had been gently questioning him on his dating habits. But that didn't change the fact that he had no desire whatsoever to waste any of his spare time on this girl.

She looked very disappointed.

"Oh. I'm so sorry Shuichi-kun… I understand." She didn't get out of his way.

"Thank you for your concern Hikari- an. Could you please move? I'm going to be late to class."

The group stepped aside for him, and he walked off.

Kurama took his seat, and the empty desks around him immediately filled with drooling girls, each batting their eyelashes at him while trying to catch his eye. He calmly ignored them.

He glanced toward the door, in time to see the last student make their way in. It was that new girl… What was her name? Oh, yes. Botan. He regarded her out of the corner of his eye.

She was flushed, and panting slightly from having run across the campus to the classroom. Her eyes were bright. Purple eyes. How unique…

She hadn't noticed him in the first class, but that was understandable, she was under a lot of pressure what with it being her first class in a new school and all. It would be hard for anyone to focus. But she'd had some time to calm down now, and adjust. She'd see him now, wouldn't be able to miss him in fact, as the only empty desk was the last one on the row in which he was sitting. He could see it now. Her face, already flushed, would get even rosier. And her eyes would glaze over. She'd stop in her tracks and stare at him. Maybe she'd mutter something like, "Wow, you're so beautiful…" as one girl had done before. Or maybe she'd just get embarrassed and look at her feet as she shuffled by him. Either way, he was surprised to find himself looking forward to seeing her reaction. He smiled in anticipation.

And here she came. She saw the empty desk. She was making her way over slowly, moving gracefully across the room toward him. Any second now, she'd stop, and stare at him. Any second. Had to come soon, she was almost -- wait! She did it again! She walked right by him… what was wrong with that girl?

Botan sat down in the empty desk, glad she had made it on time. Her stomach growled. She blushed and looked at her schedule. Halfway through this period they broke for lunch. Oh good.

She took out her textbook and some paper, glancing around the classroom while digging in her bag for a pencil. Why were those guys looking at her like that? What was their problem?

One of them grinned at her. She smiled at him uncertainly, before the teacher began his lesson.

The bell rang for lunch, and the students filed out of the classroom and stampeded off in the general direction of the cafeteria. Botan decided to follow, as they all seemed to know where they were going.

The food in the lunchroom looked very unappetizing, even to Botan, who was not known for being picky. She decided to buy a bag of chips and sit in the library. She didn't have anyone to sit with here anyway.

Kurama followed Botan at a safe distance. Normally, he scoffed at the attention he received from the girls here. But for some reason it irked him that he wasn't receiving any attention from this particular girl. Not a blush, not a glance, nothing! The day was nearly over and he was tired of being ignored. He watched her make her way into the library, then peeked through window on the door to see her.

She was reading a book. And munching on chips. And looking… rather cute actually. He wasn't sure what it was, he hadn't even had a conversation with her yet, but there was something about her that was really very endearing. He watched her throughout the lunch period. She looked up once or twice, glancing around suspiciously as if she knew she was being spied on. Kurama grinned. She was sensitive to her surroundings then, hmmm? Interesting.

The bell rang, and lunch was over. As Botan got up and made her way to the doors, Kurama got an idea. And idea that would guarantee that she would notice him. His grin became slightly more sinister and he prepared to spring into action.

Botan made her way to the double doors that marked the exit to the library. She had been able to have a peaceful lunch period after all, although there where a few times when she felt as though she were being watched… She was just paranoid. It was all new surroundings, of course she'd feel uncomfortable for a while. She shook her head and opened a door. On her way out she collided with… Something.

A mass of red was all she could see as she and her victim both tumbled to the floor, pencils and papers and books flying. She managed to catch her own book before it landed on her head and gave her a concussion. Then she looked at the person she had run into.

A boy. He'd be tall if he stood up. And slender, though she could tell he was very toned. He smiled sheepishly at her, large green eyes twinkling with suppressed laughter. He had a piece of scrap paper caught in his long, vibrant red hair which he reached up and plucked it out, chuckling as he did so.

"I apologize, " He said, bottle green eyes fixed on her. Botan grinned at him, eyes closed.

"Entirely my fault, I should have been looking at where I was going!" She began to gather up the boy's fallen items that had landed nearest her. The boy stood up and offered her his hand, but she waved it away and got to her feet on her own, missing the slight frown that crossed her companion's face.

She looked back up at him and bit her lip, "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you when I bowled you over, did I?"

He smiled softly and shook his head. He opened his mouth to say something more, but she cut him off.

"Good! Well, sorry about that, I can be such a klutz sometimes!" She stopped to grin before continuing, "Oh, I'm going to be late for class! Sorry, again!" Then she turned and ran off. And she didn't even look back. Kurama frowned. That wasn't the reaction he'd been hoping for. She'd treated him like… Like… Like he was normal or something.

No one outside his family had ever treated him like he was a normal person. And to have some… well, average girl treat him like he was an equal… Like he was her peer or something… It was rather confusing…

And yet, very intriguing.

She didn't even look at him when they were back in class. It was like they had never run into each other… Kurama sighed. He was more than ready for this day to be over. Besides, he had more important things to think about than how some girl didn't even notice him. Yeah, he'd think about other stuff instead… Like pocky… Chocolate pocky… Yeah… And who cared that she didn't notice him? He could have any other girl in school if he wanted, and some of the boys too! Not that he wanted any of the girls here… Or boys, come to think of it… But that wasn't thepoint, the point was that… Wait. He didn't care, remember? And what was he…? Oh. Yeah. Pocky. And maybe some tea. He could invite Hiei over to have some too, the poor guy lived in damn tree…

And then there was Hiei. This morning. That conversation. Koenma. What was Koenma hiding from him? Oh, he'd find out. Tonight. He'd pay Koenma a visit, tell him to stop sending people to spy on him, that he wasn't a baby.

Kurama's brow furrowed. Yes, a talk with Koenma was in order. After pocky. And tea. And maybe a nice hot shower…

The bell rang.

Botan let out a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding in as she stepped out onto the sidewalk. Man. What a day. She was glad it was over. She was also glad that she wasn't behind in any of her classes, which made the transition somewhat easier.

She shouldered her bag and began to walk off.

"Botan! Wait up!" She stopped, surprised, and turned around to see who had called her. A tall boy with light brown hair was jogging toward her. She didn't know him. Should she know him? Why did he know her? Oh. Wait. He was in her sixth period class wasn't he?

He caught up to her, panting slightly.

"Hey, Botan, I'm James!" He shoved his hand in her face, and waited for her to shake it. She reached out gingerly.

"James? Right, you're in my sixth period class, aren't you?" The boy nodded enthusiastically.

"Um, I know that it's kind of sudden, and you don't know me or anything… But… Er…" The boy blushed, and Botan waited patiently for him to continue.

"I was just wondering if you'd like to maybe go out to get some ice cream or something? I could, you know, show you around the city if you'd like… Because I know that you're new here and all…" He looked down at his shoes.

Botan was surprised. She'd never been asked out before, and was flattered. She would have considered going if she hadn't had someplace to be in ten minutes.

She mentally frowned. Her job. Best not get attached to anyone. No matter how sweet they were.

She smiled regretfully to the boy.

"I'm sorry James, but I have somewhere to be right now. But thank you for the offer, it's very sweet of you."

He looked slightly put out. He lowered his voice and looked at her from the corner of his eyes.

"It's Shuichi Minamino isn't it?" Botan blinked. Who? The boy continued:

"Don't hold out for him, Botan. He never asks anyone out, and he probably won't go for you." He blushed. "I- I didn't mean that in a bad way! It's just,

he's like that…"

Botan wasn't offended. In fact, she was delighted. So he thought that she liked someone else did he? And this boy that she supposedly liked… He was unattainable? Well, that was perfect! If he thought that she was waiting on someone who would apparently never even give her a second glance, then James wouldn't bother with her right? Right. It was so nice when things just worked out like this.

Botan sighed theatrically.

"Yes. I'm sorry James, but I just can't help holding onto this hope that he may ask me out. I hope you understand…"

The boy sighed and looked at his shoes.

"I understand. You and every other girl in this school are holding out for him… Oh well, it was worth a shot. See you later then, Botan!" He waved as he jogged away.

Botan grinned to herself. She had successfully gotten rid of the amorous affections of James. How convenient that this school had some kind of playboy that every girl loved and no one had chance with. That meant she had an instant excuse if anyone ever asked her out again. ' Oh, I'm sorry. I know it's hopeless, but I'm just waiting for Shuichi Minamino to ask me out! ' .

Botan glanced at her watch. Oops. She was going to be late. She began to run toward the park, the place she and her client had agreed to meet. As she ran off, a thought occurred her.

Who was Shuichi Minamino?

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