Chapter 19
"So can we hang out at your place, or what?" the teen with the greased hair asked as he mashed the buttons of an arcade game. Kuwabara, who was battling him on the other side of the console, was skillfully timing his attacks.
"I'm not sure my sister would like it if I brought a friend over without calling first."
"Then call her, you have a cell phone, don't you?"
"Yeah but..." Kuwabara was nervous at the thought of possibly setting his sister off. He tried to change the subject. "So how much longer is Shuichi gonna be on vacation?"
Yusuke just barely won the first round and was getting ready for round two. "Another week. I told him to bring me back one of those novelty shot glasses from Los Angeles."
"Why are those considered souvenirs?"
"Beats me, but my mom's birthday is coming up and I know she'll use it."
"Where's Hiei been?"
"His mom had to visit his grandmother, so he and Yukina tagged along. Funny since he always told me he hated visiting his mom's hometown."
"Just trying to be a good son," Kuwabara offered as he won the second round.
"Or trying to see what he can steal before his cousins get there. His grandma has been sick and he's just waiting for her to kick the bucket."
"He wouldn't really want that, would he?"
"He says his mom's family treats him like shit, so I wouldn't put it past him." Yusuke snagged the last win.
"No way! That was a fluke!" Kuwabara raged.
"What are you bitching about? I just won!"
"All you do is button mash! That's no way to win!"
"Well the game disagrees, so get over it."
"I want a rematch!"
"Too bad, I'm out of quarters."
"Then we'll settle this at my house, I have a game like this."
Yusuke grinned. "Alright, lead the way."
Kuwabara completely forgot about his original concern as he walked down the street with Yusuke following close behind. When they entered the house, Yusuke examined how tidy and homey it seemed. There were pictures of two children on the mantle that Yusuke recognized as Kuwabara and the girl had to have been his older sister. A portrait of a bride and groom hung on the wall, bearing physical resemblances to both children except the woman had orange hair and the man had light brown.
"Your parents I'm assuming?"
"Yeah, Mom passed away a few years ago and Dad has been struggling to get a job for a while. This is technically Shizuru's house." A very round brown cat starting rubbing against Kuwabara's legs. "Hey Eicichi," he crooned as he picked it up. It purred loudly as he scratched beneath its chin.
"Where's your bathroom?" The other boy wanted to avoid seeing this large guy coddle a cat.
Kuwabara pointed down a hallway. "First door on the left."
Yusuke dashed down the hall and did not bother to knock on the closed door. He opened it and got a full surprise when he saw a naked woman stepping out of the shower. Before he could react, a fist connected with his face, sending him out the door and crashing against the wall.
"Kazuma, what the hell!" Shizuru shouted as she came out wearing a bathrobe. "I told you to call before you bring your retarded friends over!"
Kuwabara only opened his mouth when she slammed a fist against the side of his head. Eicichi jumped out of his arms and bolted underneath the couch as his sister continued to assault him and Yusuke with punches, kicks, and language that was scandalous enough to make a sailor blush. When it was all over, her bedroom door slammed shut and the boys were covered in bruises.
"You sure you still want a rematch?" Yusuke asked.
Kuwabara shook his head. "We could fight a million rounds but no one stands a chance against Shizuru."
Chapter 20
The Jaganshis returned after Hina's mother made her recovery, Hiei managed to only get away with a locket that contained a portrait of Hina as a little girl. The boy wanted to more but the second he saw this trinket, which had carelessly been stuffed away in a drawer, he felt it belonged to him since no one else seemed to claim it or even noticed it was missing. Hina was the third of five daughters, which meant she did get overlooked when she was growing up. But her marriage had caused a severing of many family ties and strained her relationship with her mother. The whole time they were visiting, Hina's sisters maintained a condescending attitude towards her and even her mother only gave her attention when Hina talked directly to her. Hiei's cousins were spoiled rotten and threw insults at him. Yukina kept to herself and no one bothered her.
Yukina was asleep in the backseat while Hina drove and Hiei sat in the front. After an hour of silence, Hina asked, "So what did you take?"
Hiei kept a straight face but internally jumped at her question.
"I know you took something, Hiei. Show me." She did not sound angry but she did not look even remotely happy.
Hiei dug into his pocket and showed her the trinket. Hina looked at it from the corner of her eye. "What's in it?"
"A picture," he responded obscurely.
"Picture of what?" Her grip tightened on the steering wheel.
"You when you were little."
Hina was quiet for a moment. "Why did you take it?"
Hiei did not answer, he was not entirely sure why he had taken it either. He decided to buy time to think, "Why was it thrown into a drawer?"
There was another pause and Hina briefly checked in the mirror to see if Yukina was still asleep. "Because," she began. "Everyone hates us, but mostly me."
"Is it because of him?" Hiei could not say 'Dad'.
"Not entirely. There was wedge between me and your grandmother long before I met your father. To make it short, my dad left my mom and I was only one who didn't blame him."
"Why?"
"Because your grandmother has always been a manipulative woman and I'm the only one who still talks to my dad. Or did before he died."
Hiei opened the locket and stared at his mother's picture. The resemblance to Yukina was incredible, especially when Hina smiled. The picture was no different: the small round face, the wide crimson eyes that looked dark gray in the black and white, the long teal hair that looked ruffled no matter what both of them tried to do with it. The one difference Hiei saw was the sadness he saw in the eyes of the portrait. That same sadness he saw whenever he looked at his mother during their visit.
"When was this picture taken?"
Hina kept her eyes on the road. "Some time before Dad left but he told me he was going away. I think I knew before anyone else did." They passed in silence again. "I wish you could have had a father that was half the man your grandfather was, maybe we wouldn't have gone through all that drama. It sucks knowing I'm all you have."
Hiei scowled. "You're all we need. To hell with everyone." He closed the locket and put it back in his pocket.
Hina gave him a small smile before he leaned back in the seat and went to sleep.
