It's a brand new year! I hope you all had a great holidays and that 2019 will be a great year for every one of us.

Feb 13, 2019.


An hour later, Kurama and Botan joined the others for brunch downstairs. No sooner when they had stepped off the elevator, Kurama's phone began ringing.

"What a very busy life you lead, Kurama." Botan said, looking up at him with a smile.

Kurama looked at her tenderly, wound his hand around Botan's and answered his phone.

"Ichika." he simply said.

On the other end of the line, Kurama's assistant is close to having a panic attack. After all, her inbox had been flooded with emails and her voicemail full from press phone calls - all wanting to know who's the mysterious blue-haired lady that managed to snag Tokyo's notoriously hard-to-get bachelor.

"Boss! I'm glad I was finally able to get hold of you. The office has been flooded by inquiries from the press since last night." Ichika said breathlessly.

"Press. Last night." Kurama said in an even tone, his face calm.

"That's correct. Have you had the chance to check your social media this morning?" his assistant asked him.

"Not yet. That's why we hired a social media manager. You know I barely post anything on my social networking sites." Kurama said, trying to quell the beginnings of annoyance. Whatever the reason for this phone call is, Ichika better get straight to the point.

Ichika had been working for Kurama for two out of the three years as his assistant from his first promotion, up to when he made history by being Tokyo's youngest CEO. And she definitely knows when he is already starting to get irritated. Her boss does not like beating around the bush, so she went straight to the point.

"Sir. Photos and videos of you and this lady from the wedding went viral last night. Everyone wants to know who she is. Should we issue a statement now?" Ichika told him.

"Hang on." he said, pressing mute on his phone.

"Please go on to the dining room, I'll follow immediately." Kurama told Botan, who nodded and went ahead inside.

"I'm back." Kurama said, his tone suddenly all businesslike.

"By the way, I just received an email from Marketing. The company's stock is up since the photos came out last night." Ichika reported to Kurama.

"Before we issue any statement, let me reach out to someone from Legal." Kurama said. "I will call you back."

Kurama has not yet dialled the number he needed when his phone buzzed again. It was from the head of the board.

"Sora-san." Kurama said.

"Kurama-kun. I am pleased to see the company's portfolio increasing a whole lot this morning. Now, business and personal life must still be separate from each other. I'd rather have your young lady's identity kept secret. This will generate more interest in the company. More sales. It's a win-win situation. Legal has already been informed about this. I hope I'm making myself clear." the elder man said.

Kurama nodded. "Crystal-clear, Sora-san."

Sighing, he dialled his assistant's number again.

"I just got a call from Sora-san. Please have someone from Public Relations draft a response that I would like to keep her identity private." Kurama instructed Ichika.

"I'm on it." his assistant said. "Any further instructions, boss?" she asked.

"That's all. I'm sorry this had to happen on a weekend." Kurama said apologetically.

Ichika smiled. "Not a problem, boss. Comes with the job."


Kurama made his way into the dining room and sat down beside Botan.

"Everything ok?" she asked.

"Yes. Just stuff at the office." Kurama said.

Botan smiled up at him and poured another cup of coffee for herself. "Would you like some?"

He nodded. As he sipped his coffee, he realized that today is the last day for the guests to stay in the hotel for the wedding.

He observed Botan chatting animatedly with Yukina. It seems that the girls are planning on going shopping today before they all go home.

"You look like a lovesick puppy. It's embarrassing." Hiei muttered, sipping his iced latte.

Kurama leaned in closer to Hiei. "I want her so bad, I don't want to be apart from her anymore."

"Hn. Do whatever you want, fox. Your life not mine. I hope you had considered living arrangements? Because I doubt that the brat prince will take it well." Hiei said snidely as he picked a freshly baked blueberry muffin from the bread basket.


After brunch, everyone went on their separate ways to pack. Check out was at 1pm, after all.

Botan was already done packing even before she went to brunch with Kurama. They dropped by her suite so that she can get started so that all she has to do is pick up her luggage for check-out.

She and the girls, with the exception of Shizuru had agreed to go shopping before going home. They can always leave their luggage in one of those rental lockers in the train station so that it will be less cumbersome.

As she sat in the lobby waiting for the others, she can't help but think about the sudden twist of events. Kurama is suddenly all touchy-feely, and while she appreciates that, Botan can't help but feel stifled. Sleeping together was fine. Saying "I love you" to each other was even better.

But what does this make us? She thought.

A hand gently squeezed her shoulder. Startled, Botan looked up and saw that it was Shizuru.

"We're also checking out as well. We have a flight to the Maldives in a couple of hours." her friend said as she sat across Botan.

"So…" Shizuru looked at Botan pointedly.

"So?" Botan asked.

"Details. You little minx, I knew you had it in you." Shizuru said in a conspiring tone, a wicked smile on her face.

"There's nothing to tell!" Botan squeaked.

Shizuru lit up a cigarette elegantly. "It's just us girls." she goaded her blue-haired friend.

"Well… it was good." Botan said coquettishly.

"Did he make your toes curl?" Shizuru asked.

"Yes, and more." Botan confided, both of them trying not to laugh hysterically.

"Ah. Here comes my husband." Shizuru said in a mock droll tone.

"Excuse me ladies, I'm sorry but I have to whisk away my beautiful wife to paradise." Sakyou said smoothly.

Botan stood up to hug Shizuru. "You two have a safe flight. Best wishes." she said.

Sakyou nodded. "Ah! Kurama's here."

And in a manner that's totally out of character, Sakyou clapped Kurama's shoulder. "You almost upstaged me in my own wedding! I knew it was always the quiet ones like you."

Laughing, the newlyweds left the two in awkward silence.

"What was that about?" Botan asked him.

"Um… Botan, I know you and the girls have plans today before you are supposed to go back to Reikai. But, I have one thing I'd like to talk to you about." Kurama said.

Botan nodded.

"I really meant what I said last night, Botan. I don't want us to be apart anymore. Please move in with me." Kurama said with an intense look in his eyes.

"Kurama. It's not going to be that easy." Botan started.

"I know. I'm not asking us to move in now. But, please consider it." he asked her.

"I'll think about it." Botan said.

Just in the nick of time the others arrived in the lounge area. "Ready to shop?" Keiko asked Botan.

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Just call me if it's time to actually go home, Keiko. Me and the boys will just go chill somewhere." Yusuke blearily said.

TBC...