If Only She Knew
Author's Note: (Moe) Sorry for the delay! School has just ended for me- and I had finals and projects and graduation crap to do, so I had little time to work on this chapter. But enough excuses, it's here now! All standard disclaimers apply.
In the next few days that followed, the rain continued as if some all-powerful deity was throwing some major switch in the weather conditions. One minute, it was pouring and the weather channels were having major panic attacks, cutting in television programs to exclaim that Doom's Day was upon them. The next minute, the sun was shining warmly and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. It was rather confusing, and made watching any TV without missing anything extremely hard indeed. It also made a certain detective feel incredibly bipolar.
Yusuke hadn't done too much of anything constructive since his wedding-gone-awry situation. The days since the said-disaster had been spent on the couch with a bottle of sake within arms reach, and cheesy daytime TV flashing across the screen. Keiko dropped by everyday during her lunch break (she was working part time and attending the university on the outskirts of town) with some teriyaki to share. These moments were usually spent mulling over the unusual weather or how exactly the young couple were to pay for their second wedding ceremony.
"Well," Keiko said thoughtfully one day, tearing off a piece of chicken and chewing it in a mirrored fashion. "What if we downsized, and just had a smaller traditional gathering?"
Across the table, Yusuke violently tore a leg of lobster from its body with his teeth. "It'd still cost money and in case you've forgotten, we're still broke."
The brunette sent him an angry glare. "In case you've forgotten, Yusuke, I'm the one working and you're the one sitting around here all day sulking."
The former detective chewed slowly on his crustacean. "I'm working on making up some of the school that I missed while I was away. I'm not a total bum, y'know."
Keiko stopped for a moment, pausing to suddenly get a glazed look over her eyes. She leaned across the table and grabbed Yusuke's hands in her own, staring at him with large eyes. "Why now? We don't have the money; you're trying to make up school. Why don't we wait another year?" Her voice was soft.
"Wait?" Yusuke stammered, his face screwed up solemnly. "You've waited for three years already! I don't want you to wait any longer. I don't want to wait any longer. Keiko," he paused and gave her hands a firm squeeze. "I love you."
The brunette looked down, suddenly incredibly interested in a small scratch on the finish of the table. "I love you too." She said softly.
Just a few days later, their eccentric wedding planner called up for another meeting- of which Yusuke was unable to make. Since the couple's small argument in the previous days over who was doing the most work in the relationship, the former spirit detective had applied for several jobs around town, trying to make anything he could, while taking a few courses to make up for the time lost during his stay in Demon World. Hence, while Keiko was off sorting out their new wedding ceremony, Yusuke was shuffling around Tokyo, going into random job interviews (none of which he had heard back from). He was, in fact, feeling a little downtrodden when his fiancée burst in that gloomy, rainy afternoon.
"Hey, Yusuke!" She called into the living room; setting her purse and the Chinese take-out she had picked up onto the counter.
The previously mentioned spirit detective shuffled in, yawning. "So, how'd your meeting with Miss America go?"
The brunette woman smiled brightly. "Well. We're gonna be able to bypass our 'traditional gathering' and reschedule a new one at the same place."
Yusuke quirked an eyebrow at her as he sat down at the table and unloaded some of the rice and egg rolls. "What's it gonna cost us? I mean, if it's as expensive as the first one…"
Once again, Keiko grinned broadly and plopped down on her chair, placing her chin in her hands and gazing at Yusuke thoughtfully. "Free of charge."
The dark-haired man yelped as he nearly choked on some rice he had already begun to shovel into his mouth. "W-what?"
She nodded enthusiastically, and Yusuke was beginning to see a bit of Botan shining through. "Yup! Apparently Kurama went in yesterday and sorted it all out."
For the second time in the passed five seconds Yusuke nearly swallowed something whole. "Wow. I guess I'd better go thank him, huh?" Suddenly he was standing and shoving on his shoes.
Keiko started to stand as well. "I'll go with you-" but she was cut off.
"Naw, its fine. I sorta wanna thank him myself, y'know? Personally." He reached for his raincoat and an umbrella.
"I'm gonna eat your rice."
"Fine." And he was out the door. It took her a second to realize he was really going. His footsteps faded into the equally faded rain, and as they finally disappeared, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Was this really what they wanted? Did Yusuke really want to marry her? Or did he feel like he had to compensate for something? Keiko sighed and twirled her chopsticks around the empty dish, swirling the leftover sauce into abstract patterns. Did he feel guilty for all those times that she had been left in the dark, only to need to pull information out of Botan? She rested her head in her hands once more. Or did he want some sort of…closure? She wasn't an idiot, far from it- and she had seen the way a certain redheaded teammate had looked at him. Maybe Yusuke had noticed, too? Maybe he thought that their marriage would end all romantic notions between he and Kurama? Maybe it would give him an excuse to turn the fox down, if he ever chose to make a move? There was a sea of possibilities.
In which, all her thinking brought her to the topic of Hiei. She knew that he had Yusuke's happiness in mind. He doesn't love her, he had said. What did he mean by that? Was Yusuke really just trying to make it up to her for all the times she had stayed up worrying, or made excuses at school or whatever he felt he owed her? Or maybe…
"No!" she said out loud, laying her head on the table. She wouldn't even think of any other possibilities. Hiei was mistaken. Yusuke loved her. He had to.
She needed him to.
As much as she'd have loved to sulk, Keiko's thoughts were interrupted by the sudden screech of metal against metal. She looked up to the source of the ear-shattering sound.
"Hiei?" She exclaimed, abruptly standing. Her eyes met the small fire demon standing in the middle of the room, the window thrown open and the curtains dancing in the wind (obviously the cause of the obnoxious screech). However, the petite figure only mumbled.
"Hn." He stared at her for a moment, as if he knew something that she didn't, and he was searching for some sort of clue to what she was feeling. She shivered. His eyes bore into hers, and she felt exposed and vulnerable.
"Can I help you?" She queried, stepping closer and nervously tucking a small strand of hair behind her ear. She knew that Hiei wouldn't just slay her for no reason, but she had never really been alone with him, either. Plus he looked especially threatening with his hand absently resting on the hilt of his favored weapon- a katana.
Hiei continued to stare. Silence overcame her and she dropped her gaze in submission. "Why did you do it?" She was referring to his objection.
His face remained emotionless, like the features of a marble statue. "I think you know why."
Keiko's head snapped back up, and she glowered at him. "I don't know what you're talking about, Hiei."
The petite fire demon smirked, and he bowed his head to allow a soft chuckle to escape his lips. "If that is true, than you don't really love him, either."
She suddenly became overwhelmed with two very different emotions. One was confusion. What did he mean, she didn't really love him? The second emotion was more prominent, more extreme. She suddenly felt incredibly angry and irritated that he continued to go about telling everyone how they felt. He didn't even know her! They had probably never even talked at any point in the time period that he and Yusuke had worked together. And now suddenly he knew her better than she?
"What are you-" She started, shaking her head. But as she looked up to finish, she realized that the only thing that would reply was the fading storm. Hiei was gone.
"-talking about." Keiko sighed and sank hopelessly into the couch.
Thanks for reading If Only She Knew, and please drop us a review before you go! We always love to recieve feedback from our readers!
Regular Reviewers: I updated! I hope you enjoy.
Requiem of Silence: I hope that this isn't cliche! I tried to make Hiei and Keiko's conversation realistic.
Hyper Dude: Ah, both Zelia and I are working on this together. Two different people, I assure you. We just agreed to post this on my account, in opposition to hers.
Raining Petals:Thanks for the praise! I hope this chapter makes you do more... um, squeeling.
Kirei Kiane: Y'know, it's starting to look like that might just be the case. I hope that you aren't still confused.
Trans: Heh, you know it! You haven't called me everyday, either! Well, I finally got it up, so enjoy!