Chapter 2: The Feeling Was Mutual

M.M. (B.E.A.) : I suggest you read the fist chapter first, but this fiction could stand by itself. By the way, thanks for those who gave the first chapter reviews, you encouraged me to write this one! Thank you so much! And, sb1, thanks a lot, too.

***

Hiei peacefully closed his eyes, his head rested on the trunk of a tree. He could feel the bristly grass rubbing against his bare and sun- tanned back. His eyes tightened as he vividly recalled the scene on that summer day.

Even now, he couldn't believe that he did it: he kissed her. He kissed the "baka onna" when they were locked up in a cottage. He didn't believe it, but he did know how he did it. The blue-haired ferry-girl convinced him that he should stop being so protective of Yukina, and that many other people are worth to be cared for. She said that other people cared for Hiei. and she was one of them. And then he kissed her... and he often replayed that scene in his mind, capturing every angle of Botan's face as it drew closer to his. And he couldn't doubt it... their lips touched. And he could still feel the sensation. the touch of her lips on his. That incident was etched on his memory, and it played repeatedly on his head and brought him to a cozy slumber.

"Uh. Hiei?" a girlish voice interrupted his deep sleep. He blinked his eyes, then widely opened them to see who disturbed him. Under the sunlight, clad in jeans and a sky-blue windbreaker, clear and very pretty, was Botan. Hiei groaned. Just the knowledge of her presence was enough to irritate him and remind him of "the summer day." And the more irritating part was, she didn't even seem to remember anything and had the nerve to act normal.

"What do you want?" he asked, sitting up straight. She smiled and inched away from him, seeing the annoyed look on his face.

"Well... Kuwabara has something to say... he summons us... to his house." She chuckled forcedly. He frowned and murmured,

"Then why are you here, are you his messenger or something?" he asked as he stood up and rubbed his head. She stepped back further from him.

"Well, I." she stuttered. She couldn't tell him that she personally proposed to get Hiei to go to Kuwabara's. "I did it as a favor."

"Yeah, yeah." He nodded. "You lead the way."

"Okay." Botan agreed and walked towards the street. Hiei followed, hands in his pockets. They kept walking until they reached Kuwabara's apartment. Shizuru opened the door for them and let them in. They were all sitting around a coffee table with cups laid before them.

"Hi!" everyone greeted as the two entered and sat on the floor.

"So, what are you going to tell us?" Botan asked immediately as Shizuru offered her a cup of coffee.

"Okay, here's the big news!" Kuwabara said proudly as she held Yukina's hand. "I and Yukina..."

"Oh, I don't want to hear it.." Hiei murmured as he covered his ears. Botan scowled at him but then turned eagerly to Kuwabara and Yukina.

"Yukina and I. are going to get married!" Kuwabara exclaimed. Everyone gasped. Hiei clenched his fist and gnashed his teeth, ready to blow the carrot-topped head. Botan noticed this, and gripped his fist tightly to stop any murder from beginning.

"That baka." Hiei said in a whisper, "I'd kill him. get your hands off me, onna."

"Hey! I spoke to you about this, I thought you accepted that Yukina is not a baby! You should let her go and be happy. Her world doesn't just revolve around you, and yours don't revolve around her, either! Haven't I told you that!?" Botan frowned as she held the closed fist gently. Hiei's clenched fist relaxed in her palms and his expression became calmer.

"I know you love her so much, Hiei... but remember... another... you just have to feel." Botan sighed. Hiei nodded, then frowned. Botan thought that he would give her those stubborn replies again, but instead, he murmured,

"You hand, onna." Botan noticed then that her hand enveloped his very lightly. The blood rose up to her face, then she pulled away her hand. That was the first time that they became that close again since "the summer day."

***

Yukina was very ready, wearing a very pretty wedding gown and a white veil. She marched slowly, and Hiei, who agreed to "give her away," was walking beside her. He could have smirked. Yukina didn't even know that they had the same blood flowing through their veins.

"Thank you." Yukina said as they reached Kuwabara who was very eager to take Yukina's arm. Hiei sighed, and handed her at last to one distrusted baka. Before he sat on his appropriate seat, he caught glimpse of Botan in a white dress. She smiled faintly at him, and then nodded as if to say, "well-done."

"If this girl just died of that falling cabinet, I would have stopped this wedding." He thought.

***

Botan sat on the grass and sighed. Kuwabara and Yukina were still enjoying their honeymoon, she thought. She could just imagine how happy Kuwabara could be. She then remembered Hiei.

"Where could he be?" she wondered.

"Who?" asked a very cold voice. Botan turned. Hiei was there, his arms crossed and his back leaning on the tree. She gulped.

"Oh, I was wondering where... where you are..."

"Don't worry, I didn't kill him." said Hiei as he walked near her.

"Good thing, you threw in the towel." she smiled. At least there was one good thing.

"I wish I didn't... wish I choked him with it." Hiei smirked and started walking to her. Botan felt drops of sweat rolling down her temples.

"Well. I really think you're right in doing it. I know you feel something... I know you miss your sister." Botan said as she patted the clean lawn so he could sit.

"Miss?" he said, taking the offered seat. "Maybe... I long for those times to be back, when I could still interfere with her life."

"You could still 'interfere'; you could kill Kuwabara if he doesn't take good care of Yukina. But I'm sure that won't happen. He loves her so much. You just have to be less protective and 'out of the way.' You know what I mean." Said Botan knowledgeably, saying everything in a lighter tone.

"Onna, since you know so much about this stuff, tell me... why do I long for my sister back? I want to take care of her. I want to watch over her." he asked. Botan wanted to laugh, but was too chicken to. Hiei was serious and she didn't want to be burnt by his fire dragon.

"You mean, you don't even know why!? Well, of course, because you love her! And now that she's away with Kuwabara, you lose something that you care for. You need to love, that's why I told you..." Botan kinda swooned a little at the recollection, but didn't want to ruin her nice and easy explanation so she went on, "I told you that you need somebody else to love. Not just Yukina. You must accept it, Hiei. She would be parted from you someday. She isn't the only person left in this world. You just have to feel!"

"Oh, damn." Hiei groaned. She was starting all over again.

"Look, Kurama is always there, your best friend. I know you care about him, I know you're not numb! So please, turn your attention to somebody else." Said Botan, half pleading. He closed his eyes.

"I love Yukina so much. Do you know how easy it is to let somebody go? To entrust her to somebody?"

"Well, you say that because Kuwabara is just 'somebody' to you!" argued Botan as she stood up and looked down to Hiei. The heat crept up to her face and then burst into shouts, "He won't take her away! Don't you understand!?!? I've been talking in circles, don't you notice, I'm running out of lines, so would you just use those senses of yours and try to comprehend!?"

"Alright, calm down, onna!" Hiei shouted, ready to fire his fire dragon to shut her up. She noticed his aim and shut up immediately. She panted, and flopped down beside him. He nodded, "I guess you're right."

"Okay. You know, Yukina is so lucky." she said between heavy puffs. He cocked an eyebrow,

"Why?"

"Because she has many people to care for her." Botan sighed as she wiped her brow of sweat. "Yusuke, Keiko, Shizuru, Kurama, Kuwabara."

"They all care for you, too." Hiei cut off. She grunted in agreement, but went on,

"But you don't. And that's a nice credit, when you care. I have nobody to protect me as much as she does. Nobody would get jealous when I get married, and nobody would even marry me. Yukina... is very lucky." said Botan. She was very teary-eyed, very moved by the topic. He noticed this and asked,

"What?"

"Oh, nothing." She said as she wiped the tear that rolled down her right cheek. "It's just that... sometimes I wish I had what she had. Somebody to care for me as much as you do. Uh, I guess I got to go. Bye." She said and stood up. She produced her oar before Hiei could even say a word. She mounted on it and would have flown towards the sky with the birds if he didn't say,

"Chotto mate. I care for you, too."

*** M.M: Okay, I hope you liked it. It's kinda open ended but I would make a next chapter. It took me so long to post this very short chapter because of that rest I had! Anyway, I hope to come up to a nicer idea for the third chapter. I hope you're not disappointed because this is really short and the first chapter was nicer. (as I judge it). Wish me luck for the next chapter!