Author's Note: Just in time before the week ends! I kept my promise, yay! Okay, onto the chapter..

Thanks for those who reviewed!!!

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CHAPTER 15: WHAT'S THE MATTER?

He found him still massaging his temples the way he left him a few hours ago.

"Kitsune," Reilan called when it was apparent that his friend hadn't heard him enter.

"Oh, Rei. What's the matter?" he asked nonchalantly as he continued to look daze.

"Kuronue has returned," Reilan said that Kurama suddenly looked interested, "he brought you this," he continued as he handed Kurama a piece of rolled parchment.

Kurama read the content and a small smile escaped from him, "he did a good job."

"As usual."

"Where's he now?" he asked as he rolled the parchment again.

"I have no idea. Probably resting. He hadn't had any sleep for awhile."

"Oh."

"We have another problem, kitsune," Reilan began.

Kurama's eyebrow shot up, "Another one? I don't think I'll be able to handle that what with my wife's craziness."

Reilan shot him a disapproving look, "this is a serious one, Kurama, you –"

"I need to think of a way to get my wife back. It's driving me against the wall. The only time she wasn't smiling was when I'm making love with her!"

At that, Reilan couldn't suppress a naughty smile from appearing on his face. "Well, at least –"

"Don't start, Rei," Kurama warningly cut him off, knowing his friend too much to know he's going to tease him. "This is a serious problem, you know. She's smiling even when she's asleep, for god's sake!"

Kuronue cleared his throat that Kurama turned to him, "What?"

"Kitsune," he began, "the solution to your problem is very easy, you know. No, let me finish first before you react. All you have to do is tell her you don't like it and tell her to stop it. Now, I know why you don't want to do that. I know, in doing that, you might have to lower your pride and bruise your ego a little bit because you are admitting that you're wrong, but it would really solve –"

Reilan shut up when Kurama stood up and suddenly hugged him then held him at arm's length by the shoulder, "You're right, Reilan! Why didn't I think of that?"

"Maybe because you're stupid?" Reilan asked sarcastically, then, "Would you let go of me? Yuck! I can't believe you just hugged me! What are you, a nutter?" he said, then shuddered involuntarily.

But it looks like Kurama didn't hear him and was even about to kiss him that Reilan turned his face away from the kitsune. Fortunately, but still completely beyond him, Kurama burst out laughing (while still holding his shoulder).

"Kitsune, get hold of yourself! You completely disgust me acting like that!" Reilan scolded and, Kurama, regaining his senses, let go of Reilan (who sighed with relief!) and patted his shoulders instead.

"Reilan, old pal, you are really a very smart friend," he said and patted his shoulder again before walking away to look for his wife.

Reilan shook his head and after a full minute, dashed after the kitsune who was whistling happily in the hallway. "Kitsune! I forgot to tell you about the problem –"

"Save that for later, Rei. Or figure it out by yourself. I'm such in a happy mood to be bothered," Kurama said and grinned idiotically at his friend, who frowned at him in return.

"That's very irresponsible of you, milord," Reilan said disapprovingly but Kurama paid no heed to him.

In the end, a very disgusted Reilan went out to look for Noriem in the battlefield. A training would do him some good after that idiot Kurama acted to immaturely.

"Oh, Kurama –"

Botan never got to finish what she was about to say because Kurama had just pushed him against the wall and kissed her passionately.

He smiled mentally when she responded to him with equal passion as he explored her mouth with his tongue, and before his increasing desire and arousal fully clouded his judgment, he pulled away from her.

And he smiled at his wife's obviously dazed and confused expression.

"Aren't you going to smile, wife?" he asked huskily at her.

"Huh?"

His smile broadened. "Smile! Like this," then he smiled mockingly at her.

Before Botan could realize what her husband's intention was, she glared at him, "You want me to smile after you just pushed me against the wall and ravished me?"

Her husband had the nerve to look bored. "So, you're not going to smile now?"

"Why do you keep on –" then, as the realization downed on her, "oh my god, husband, I'm terribly sorry. I shouldn't have said –"

"That's perfectly all right with me," he said cheerfully even when his wife started to shake her head furiously.

"No, of course it's not all right. I know you hate it when I lose my temper and –"

"I hate it when you act like that," Kurama muttered, loudly enough for her to hear, cutting what she had to say.

"What was that you said?" Botan asked in confusion.

"I take back what I said about my idea of a proper wife. I was wrong. I want my impossible wife back," Kurama said seriously while looking at her straight in the eye.

Botan only blinked at him, he got worried.

What did he do now?

"Botan, please say something," he pleaded. "Did you hear what I said?"

She nodded slowly and slightly shook her head, as if to clear her mind, and then, "Does that mean I don't have to smile?"

"Well, of course, you can smile. If you are happy, you should smile. I'm not in the position to stop you from smiling –"

Botan furiously shook her head. "No, what I mean is, does that mean I don't have to smile all the time now?"

Kurama smiled. "Yeah, something like that."

She let out a big smile. "Good. My jaw's getting numb from smiling too much," she said as she massaged her jaw.

The couple was silent for almost two seconds before the two of them burst into laughter. They can't believe how foolish the both of them were, trying to please the other, only to end up displeasing him/ her.

And in the middle of this shared laughter after a long time since this fiasco began, they kissed.

Of course, we all know that the very virile Kurama started this and as the kiss went deeper and longer –

"Kura – oh, for the love of god, save that for tonight, you disgusting kitsune!" Kuronue yelled, thoroughly annoyed. He was just in the middle of catching the sleep he lost when Reilan barged in his room, woke him up, and demand that he help him tell the kitsune about the problem. So, there was really no question as to why he's annoyed.

The couple jumped apart, Botan blushing furiously (the number of times they'd been caught kissing had been increasing embarrassingly), and Kurama looked annoyed. "Didn't I tell you about the proper timing –"

"Reilan told me you've been acting immaturely and wouldn't let him discuss the problem with you," Kuronue interrupted him and glared.

Kurama huffed in annoyance and shifted his glare to Reilan and, who looked at him sheepishly. "I told him to handle it himself," he told Kuronue as he continued to glare at Reilan.

"Milord," Kuronue said in mock emphasis, "this couldn't be just handled by your second-in-command. We need you to handle it yourself. Don't you forget your responsibility in this keep."

Kurama sighed at that. "All right, let's hear it."

Just before Reilan could open his mouth to speak, Botan cleared her throat, "I'll just leave the three of you to discuss your business, all right?"

Kurama nodded, but then, "Are you sure you don't want to join us, milady? The estate's doing is your business, too," Reilan told her.

Botan politely shook her head. "I don't know anything about politics, anyway. Just tell me about it after you finished your discussion, ne?" she said and started walking away when she noticed Kuronue still frowning.

She turned around to face them again, "Oh, by the way, Kuron, I think you would look more handsome if you smile more often."

The three men's jaw dropped, surprised at what she just said. "Is there something wrong with what I've said?"

Kurama recovered his senses first. "Are you making a move on my bestfriend, wife?" he asked, his voice strained from controlling his anger.

Botan gaped at him. "Am I … husband, don't be absurd!"

Reilan sensed an argument brewing so he dragged Kuronue (who still haven't recovered his wits from his mistress's comment) a little farther from the couple.

"Absurd?" Kurama yelled, then glared at her. "You're the one making comments about how handsome my friend looks!"

"I'm –" she huffed in annoyance. "You're being ridiculously stupid! I don't like Kuronue that way!"

"Oh yeah?"

"I believe she's talking about her sister," Reilan decided to butt in.

Kurama whirled at Reilan. "Yukina?"

Reilan rolled his eyes. "Like Botan has another sister?"

"What does Yukina got to do with all of these?" Kuronue asked, confused. He obviously haven't recovered from having been complimented for his looks by his mistress, then the jealous glare his friend gave him, and now – this. The whole world really has gotten crazy.

"Kuronue, dear," Botan suddenly said sweetly, "I would love to have you as a brother in law. Now, if you will all excuse me," she said and turned to leave she didn't notice the gaping expression of Kurama and Kuronue.

Reilan burst out laughing.

"Did she just told me she wanted me to marry her sister?" Kuronue asked, still a little dazed.

"Directly, no. Indirectly, yes," Reilan said and offered a mock sympathy.

Kurama cleared his throat. "Well, that was a little different and a little surprising," he said and by the look of him, he had just began regaining his senses.

"Tell me something I don't know," Reilan said and rolled his eyes again. "Now, back to our main business –"

"I can't marry Yukina!" Kuronue whined like a woman.

Reilan rolled his eyes. He knew it was coming. "Think about that later."

But, obviously, Kuronue missed the impatience in Reilan's voice, having forgotten the problem on hand because of the bizarre conversation that had transpired a while ago with Botan.

"Lady Kurama had surely gone crazy," he immediately announced.

"Hey!" Kurama protested angrily. He perfectly agreed to his friend but damn it all if he would let his wife be insulted in front of him. "Don't you dare say that in front of me."

"Look, the both of you," Reilan began, raising voice to be heard by the two quarrelling youkai.

He never got the chance to continue what he was about to say because Kuronue interrupted him again. "Well, I still can't marry Yukina."

Reilan glared at him. "Well, obviously, at this time, we cannot talk about that. We've got our main issue to settle."

"Oh yeah, I remembered. We were supposed to discuss something, right?" Kurama said.

Reilan looked at him darkly and handed him the parchment.

Hn, some lord they got. No doubt, they would surely be slaughtered with the way his friend was behaving.

Of course, he will never say it to the kitsune loudly. Who knows what's going on in the mind of that dolt.

Botan was humming when Kurama and his two friends emerged from the hall. The three of them wore blank expressions and there was a terribly grim aura surrounding them. They talked in low voices, as if they didn't want to be overheard.

Botan's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. Whatever the problem was, it surely was big and serious for the three fun-loving and juvenile youkai to act so seriously.

Then, something Kuronue said make Kurama frown, lines appearing in his forehead and his lips forming a straight line.

It was a bad news alright.

Botan walked towards them (it went unnoticed by the three), and when she was near enough, she called Kurama's attention.

"Husband" she suddenly asked in concern when he saw the seriousness and somewhat terrifying look on his face.

"We'll leave you to talk," Reilan said and dragged Kuronue to the door.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked when he didn't say a word.

Kurama would have ignored his wife, keep everything from her (he didn't want to worry her about these things. And for sure, she would blame herself for this) but he knew this was inevitable. And knowing his wife, she would no doubt get into trouble for doing something drastic and acting first before thinking.

So, after weighing the pros and cons of everything, he took a deep breath and turned to her.

"Botan, I want you to give me your promise that from this time on, you will obey me and my friends without objection until I tell you you're free to contradict me again," he said a little harshly.

"Why? What's the matter?" she asked, a little alarmed by his request.

He had just told her that he wants her old self back, and now, he's asking her again to follow his each and every order.

This was a little confusing, don't you think?

"Just give me your word, wife," Kurama said impatiently.

Botan sadly shook her head. "I can't promise something I can't understand."

"Botan –"

"Please tell me what's wrong. I'm your wife, I have the right to know," she pleaded, eyes clouding with tears.

Being in the dark only frightens her more; not knowing the seriousness of the situation they're facing. Besides, it's her right to know, she's the mistress of the keep and she would demand knowledge from her husband no matter what it takes.

"Alright," Kurama said and sighed.

For a second there, he thought he could have spared her the worry of thinking about it, at the same time giving him the peace of mind she'll be safe.

But alas! Her stubborn wife was just too curious and too stubborn to give her promise to him. Well, he had to hand it to her, she didn't give the promise she knew she wouldn't keep.

He pulled her to him and enveloped her in a hug, and held her tight – like he didn't want to lose her and would hold on til the end. He had to admit, this thing had happened to him before, but that was before he met Botan. And back then, he had never felt this scared. Who would be scared when you have nothing to lose, anyway? He has now. "We're going to war, sweetheart," he whispered in her ears.

Botan gasped at the news. Her worst nightmare is now coming true. She tried to pull away but he was too strong for her. "What?"

Author's Note: Okay, so they're going to war...what will happen next?

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