My Best Friend

My Best Friend's Wedding

By Misty

*Hi! Hope you like this fic, it's *finished* unlike my other fic. This is actually my first purely Koenma-Botan fic , I got a sudden inspiration (huh?!). Though it has the title "My Best Friend's Wedding", the story isn't the same. Sorry, I couldn't think of a better title. Er, and if you get confused, the paragraphs in blue are in Koenma's point of view, while those in lavender are in Botan's point of view.

Two small children sat together on the lush, green grass. One of the children, a brown-haired boy, picked a wild flower growing nearby, and gave it to the other child, a sweet-looking girl with soft blue hair. The girl giggled, and sat back down on the grass. Her face took on a serious, reflective expression, rarely seen on her lovely features.

"I'm going to start training tomorrow," she said, rather pensively. "They said I'm going to be a ferry girl. That means this might be the last time we could play together like this, Koenma-chan."

The boy nodded. "I'm going to start training too, perhaps some time this week. They want me to become a good king someday, you know."

"You're going to be a king?!" the girl gushed. "Wow! That's great!" She frowned all of a sudden. "Wait, we can't be friends anymore then. I mean you're going to be a king while I'm just—"

"What are you saying?" the boy interrupted. "We'll still be best friends, Botan. And don't worry, when I am crowned king, I'll make you my queen! That way, you wouldn't be 'just a ferry girl'."

The little girl brightened. "You promise?"

"Yes, I promise." And to seal their promise, they shook hands.

I still remember that promise, that promise I made to her when we were still children. Perhaps she doesn't even remember it now, but I do. In my mind, I still have vivid pictures of what happened then, the way she smiled, the way she laughed…and I hope to have more memories of her, which is why I am about to talk to my father now. I don't know what his reaction would be, heck, I'm not even sure if she herself would accept my proposal, but I do so want to keep my promise. She is my best friend, after all.

I hurried towards my father's throne room, and to my surprise, Botan was walking in the hall too, but she was going to the opposite direction.

"Ohayou, Koenma-sama!" she greeted me, and I nodded.

She looked at me curiously, and inquired, "Why are you in such a hurry?"

I stopped walking. My heart was beating rapidly, but I still managed to smile. I turned to face her. "Remember that promise I gave you when we were still children? I want to see my father because I mean to fulfill that promise."

I watched her face, and she was taken aback, but she looked pleased…I think. So I just continued walking, and entered my father's room.

I approach my father, who was seated at his magnificent throne. I bow to him in respect, and announced,

"Father, I want to get married."

I mean to fulfill that promise...

Did he mean THAT promise? Could it be possible that he wanted to …marry me?

I could still remember that day. I was still very young back then, and I wasn't even a ferry girl yet. AND Koenma-sama wasn't the tense, hot-tempered prince he is now; he was actually very good-natured then. Oh well, I kinda understand why he's like that. Who wouldn't be, with such a grave task to undertake?

I hurried towards the room where most of the ferry girls (and most of the employees in the castle) stayed. My face was burning with embarrassment, but I was feeling happy too.

No, I shouldn't hope.

"Oh look, Botan, here comes Enma-sama, " Hinageshi, who was seated beside me, observed casually. "He's probably here to give some orders again--" She did a double take. "Hey wait a minute! He's carrying Koenma-sama with him. Botan-chan, I think he's about to make an announcement!"

My ears perked up, and my heart started to beat rapidly. I couldn't help it. Though I like being with Koenma-sama, and I feel comfortable around him, when he makes sudden appearances like that, I usually get nervous.

"People of the Rei Kai," Enma Daiou announced proudly. "I would like to announce to all of you that my son is about to get married soon!"

Cheers went throughout the crowd, and the ladies started to whisper among themselves. "Who is that lucky girl?!" one of the ferry girls whined.

My heart beat even faster, and I could feel butterflies in my stomach. Why was I feeling like this? I cannot hope – I must not – for that promise he gave me was something that belongs to the past. We were children then, we didn't even know what we were saying at that time! Maybe what he was talking about earlier was something else.

But still, a part of me keeps on hoping that I would be his future queen. Though I try to stop hoping, I never could.

I reddened, embarrassed at how my father reacted to my announcement. I haven't even told him who my prospective bride would be! Now I would have to announce it to all the people here. What if she didn't like me, after all?

It's your fault for acting so rashly, I berated myself angrily. I shouldn't have made such a hasty decision…

But I have to say something. I summoned some courage, and started to speak. Clearing my throat, I began, "Uh, well…I would like to marry B—"

But nobody heard what I said. For my father had suddenly boomed in that loud voice full of pride, "My son is going to marry the beautiful Countess Carina, the daughter of one of the most powerful aristocrats in this world!"

And I just stood there, stunned at what my father said.

My heart sank, and I was filled with utter disappointment. He had found someone else along the way, someone who would make him happy for the rest of his life. The Countess Carina was a beautiful, though thoroughly spoiled, woman, and her father was one of the most important leaders in the Rei Kai. Her father was one of those people King Enma assigned to take charge of spirits in certain continents; the Countess' father actually handled the spirits from Europe. He was a very important person, and the Countess was a suitable wife for the future king of the Spirit World.

Though I tried to be happy for Koenma-sama, my heart just simply refused to. I knew it. He was probably talking about some other promise, perhaps that promise he gave me that he would be a perfect king, or something. I shouldn't have hoped for the best, for now, I feel ever so miserable.

I just couldn't accept the fact that Koenma-sama was already getting married, but not to me.

I left the room as quietly as possible, for my tears were starting to fall.

You promised, Koenma-chan, I thought bitterly. You promised.

I promised her. And I refuse to break that promise just because my father told me to.

I stormed after him, shouting, "She is not the girl I wish to marry! Why did you announce that to them? What about my own feelings?"

"I already told you about the Countess last week," Father said calmly. "When you said you wanted to get married, I assumed you meant to marry the Countess."

"Why didn't you let me finish first?" I fumed. "Fine then, I will announce to them again that she is not the woman whom I wish to be my future queen."

Father stood up straight. "I do not allow you to do that."

"WHY NOT?!" I exploded.

"She is a wonderful, refined girl, and she is a suitable match for you. She could help you become more of a king, for you are, I'm afraid, too wild right now."

"I do not love her, father!"

"Love is not the question here, Koenma. You are to be king, and you have certain obligations to perform. You would need an heir, and it is necessary that you must marry."

I was starting to get more exasperated with my father. Why couldn't he see things the way I see it? "But if all you want is for me to have an heir, then I can always marry someone else, can't I?"

My father raised his eyebrow. " And who could that girl be?"

I looked at him straight in the eye. "Her name is Botan."

"But she's one of those ferry girls!" my father exclaimed in disdain. "Really, Koenma, you ought to have some sense. She is not of our class."

"So what?! That doesn't make her any less of a wonderful person!"

"Trust me, Koenma. You would be happier if you married the Countess and not that ferry girl."

I couldn't take it anymore. "Arranged marriages certainly didn't make anyone in our family happy, did it? Look at what happened to you! Mother left you for another man! Were you happy with that?!"

I had made a big mistake. My father gets absolutely furious whenever my mother is mentioned, and this time, all hell broke loose. Because of my father's wrath, the earth beneath me began to shake violently, and I was thrown to the ground.

I realized with horror what I had done. For if the Rei Kai experienced this strong a tremor, then for sure, there would be chaos in the Ningen Kai.

I tried to reason with him. "Father, but…"

"NOT ANOTHER WORD!!!" he barked, and the ground trembled again. "MAKE SURE YOU NEVER PROTEST AGAIN! OR ELSE, THE WHOLE NINGEN KAI COULD BE DESTROYED BECAUSE OF MY ANGER!!!"

I hung my head in defeat.

My heart was filled with terror as I felt that tremor. I was thrown out of my bed, but fortunately, I wasn't really hurt that badly. What could it have been?

Oh no…what if Enma-sama got really angry today? Then that means—

I ran swiftly, and brought out my oar. I sped away, fervently hoping that all my friends down there in the Ningen Kai were safe.

Hinageshi finally landed on a safe spot. I jumped off, and ran to the hospital where I saw Botan and the others head towards.

I could see that a huge earthquake hit the Ningen Kai, but probably in their terms, it would be intensity 7. I had Hinageshi fly me here, so I could check on the others. And guilt rushed through me as I saw some medics carry an unconscious Keiko to the emergency room.

Yusuke explained to us later about what happened. He and Keiko were studying in her house, and he had gone out of the house because they had an argument. Suddenly, the earth started shaking. Yusuke wasn't harmed, for he was in an open space, but unfortunately for Keiko, the house collapsed because of the earthquake. She was buried underneath the rubble, and all Yusuke could do was to pull her out.

"I should have been there to save her," he said in despair. "I shouldn't have left her. Then this wouldn't have happened…"

I tried to comfort him, but I couldn't think of anything else to say. For I really was to blame for this, and I was overcome with guilt.

As I saw Keiko-chan lying there, so helpless and weak, I began to sob uncontrollably. She had been a very good friend of mine, and I couldn't bear the thought of losing her.

In my sadness, I reached out for the person beside me…and that person turned to be Koenma-sama. I wept on his shoulder, reaching out for comfort, and he held me, not saying anything, but he made me feel better. I had forgotten that he was getting married to someone else, all I thought of was that he was there with me, giving me the love and solace he had always been giving me.

As I held Botan there, I tried to give her some reassurance…tried to put it in the way I held her, for I cannot soothe her with just mere words. I loved her, but I knew that I have to let her go. This may very well be the last time I would hold her like this.

I don't want to sacrifice other people's lives just for my happiness. If I defy my father again, he might bring about the end of the Ningen Kai, and that is something I do not want to happen.

The doctor came out, and told us, "Her condition has stabilized. But she is not out of danger yet, though. But at least, she is better."

We smiled, but I know that the next time we may not be so lucky. Knowing my father, if I say just even one word in protest, he would get angry with me, and what would happen to the Ningen Kai then? He was very capable of carrying out that threat.

So I finally made my decision, hard though it is.

I would just have bear it. At least I would be satisfied with the fact that no more lives would be endangered because of me.

…………………………………………….

A week had passed. Keiko was getting better, and perhaps in two weeks or so, she could already get out of the hospital.

So now my only problem is Koenma-sama's wedding.

He was getting married today. I dressed up in my blue dress, though I would have preferred wearing one of my shabbiest ones. I felt THAT terrible. Sure, I'm beginning to get over it, but it isn't easy.

I was mulling over my hair. I was wondering if I should tie it in my usual ponytail, or just let it loose. I threw my comb backwards in frustration.

It was at that moment when he came in. Poor Koenma-sama –it was funny, actually—the comb hit him on the face!

I yelped, for I was so surprised when the comb hit me. "BOTAN?! WATCH IT!!!"

She grinned at me sheepishly. "Uh…whoops?"

I calmed down. "It's okay." I had something else to tell her, something very important. I have to say this before my wedding, for I have to let her know that…that I…

"Botan, please listen to me," I said sadly. "I have something to say to you."

I looked at him expectantly. Maybe it's just a thanks-for-being-a-good-friend speech, the usual thing best friends say to each other. But nevertheless, I was ready to listen.

"Yes, Koenma-sama?"

He opened his mouth, and began to speak.

A sudden crash outside blocked the sound of his voice.

I turned to the sound of the crash, wondering what had happened outside. Maybe some sort of accident about the plates or something.

I didn't just turn to the sound because I was curious…actually, it was to make me calm down. I may not have heard what Koenma-sama said, but I read his lips…and from what I saw, he said three special words…words that I so longed for him to say to me. But it only left me confused. Why was he saying this to me now that he's getting married to someone else?

"I always have to obey my father," he said sadly. ", and try not to make him angry, so as to save the Ningen Kai. It really is hard to be a Rei Kai prince." He started to walk away.

"Koenma-sama?" I called after him. I needed to make sure that I heard the right words a while ago. "What was it that you said to me a while ago?"

I looked at her. Looking at her lovely face, I felt a deep sadness. After the wedding, I will now be bound with a duty to another woman, someone whom I don't even love.

I will miss the times we had together, and though I will still see her, it would only be a painful reminder of how I could have married her, but no one gave me the freedom to do that.

I took her into my arms, and we kissed, softly, gently. The tears shone in my eyes. I didn't want to let her go, but we had to. She pulled away from my embrace, and I could see that this hurt her too. I looked at her, and bid her farewell.

"Aishiteru, Botan. But this time I have to say goodbye."

We kissed each other softly. It made me happy that he did so, but it also pained me; for though this was the first kiss we ever shared, it would also be our last.

Neither of us wanted to let go, but I knew that eventually we had to. I made a huge effort, and succeeded in pulling away from his arms. He looked at me, and bid me farewell.

"Aishiteru, Botan. But this time I have to say goodbye."

And I know even I have to do so.

Goodbye, Koenma-sama. I will never forget you.

~End~