"Yes, but eligible and able are two different things."
Hiei
What He Said, She Said
"Hanasaki-san, you're rather late," Koenma muttered with slight exasperation as Botan, entirely out of breath, burst into the Student Council Room. "The meeting started at seven forty-five; it's almost eight twenty right now. You're about thirty-five minutes late. I am surprised that you have the courage to show up so late, Hanasaki-san."
Botan's cheeks flushed with embarrassment and from running while she bowed respectively to Daioh Koenma, the Head Officer in charge of the First Year Representatives. The second-year Sarayashiki student observed Botan through mahogany eyes and sighed as he raked a tired hand through his rich, honey-brunette hair. "What am I going to do with you, Botan-san?" Koenma muttered beneath his breath; no one but Botan had heard him.
"I'm so sorry, Daioh-senpai. I--I had some trouble getting here this morning," Botan replied, blushing cherry red. Although she could have blamed her cousin and could have easily been declared innocent, Botan could not find it in her heart to do something so cruel to Yusuke. In fact, it was because of Yusuke that Botan had made it to the meeting at all! "I'm really sorry, Daioh-senpai. I know it's my fault, but I promise I'll do better after this."
Koenma nodded with understanding and empathy. "All right, Hanasaki- san, I'll let this tardiness slide this time, only because we need to get ready for the fall and winter festivals. But I want you to clean this room afterwards and expect for you to be on time at the next meeting. And be sure to talk to Saotome-sensei before you leave school today; he'll have to change your attendance record."
"Yes, Daioh-senpai," Botan muttered gratefully as she took her proper seat. "Thank you very much." After that small interruption, Koenma immediately continued with the First Year Representatives' meeting.
"All right, for the first years, the student council has agreed for you to be able to handle the interior design of the building, since you are the younger and more in-style age group of our school." Pleased the first years had been given such an enormous responsibility by the upperclassmen, everyone began to mutter to one another. Although it probably meant more work for them, the young high school students glowed at the ideas for the festivals that passed through their minds.
"Wow, you're so lucky, Botan-chan," Yukimura Keiko whispered to her best friend as Koenma tried calling order and the meeting continued. She giggled somewhat as she watched Botan try to taming the color of her cheeks.
Botan nodded glumly in agreement as she whispered quietly back, "I know. Koenma-senpai should have suspended me right then and there, but he didn't, thank goodness. He's such a great guy, ne?"
Stealthily walking through the library, Kurama lazily browsed through the many novels and volumes without interest. And there was a reason for his boredom: he had read all of these books before. Minamino Syuuichi was not the top student at Meiou High School for nothing. 'I need to find more challenges here,' Kurama complained to himself. 'Either that, or I will have to start going to Sarayashiki for stimulation. I will grow stupid and slow if I do not find something to amuse me.'
"Can't find the book you're looking for, Kurama-san?"
Kurama turned his attention to his left where he spotted a fellow female Meiou student. She had beautiful long ebony hair, cool cerulean eyes, and was dressed in the school's white buttoned-down shirt, black skirt girls' uniform; the girl was considered to be one of the great beauties of Meiou High School, but like Kurama and his mask Minamino Syuuichi, she hid her true self behind her attractive façade. "Yes, it is a little difficult for me to locate it, I admit, Ayame-san."
Kinamoto Ayame, who was also a second-year high school student, smiled at her fellow classmate and childhood friend. "But then again, I think it isn't a book you are looking for here. So tell me, Kurama-san, what can I do for you today?"
Kurama grunted with a little annoyance as he leaned his back gently against a bookshelf. Fiery crimson locks shadowed cool verdant eyes. "I need an invitation to Maya-san's party this coming weekend, Ayame-san; and I need it before the end of today."
Ayame tried her best to stifle her giggles, the girl comprehending Kurama's request. "What did you do with the first one Kitajima-san gave you, Kurama-san? If I remember correctly, you were the first one she invited to her party," she questioned, searching the shelves for a certain book.
Kurama carelessly looked away, wearing his trademark poker face. His emerald eyes were expectedly cold and empty, a sight very familiar to Ayame and many of Kurama's close friends. "I threw it away."
"So why the need of a new one?" Ayame laughed faintly, leaning on a bookshelf opposite to the one Kurama was leaning on. "By your actions and tone, it's obvious you don't want to attend that party, Kurama-san. And personally, if I were you, with what you and Kitajima-san have in between, I would want to avoid going to her party as well."
Kurama gave his female friend a foxy grin. "Yes, but Hiei and Kuronue have somehow convinced me otherwise. According to the insistence of those two troublemakers, there is someone who is going to be at Maya-san's party who will change my mind."
"Who?" Ayame asked curiously.
"Urameshi."
Ayame's glassy eyes grew wide in surprise. "No! You aren't serious, are you, Kurama-san? Urameshi wouldn't come so far into our district. That would be utter foolishness."
Kurama narrowed his sharp lush eyes in suspicion. Although it was barely noticeable, there was a sense of acting and expectation in Ayame's voice. "You--you have something to do with Urameshi coming this weekend, do you not, Ayame-san?"
"Whatever are you talking about, Kurama-san?"
Suspicion suddenly became confirmed truth. "You are the one who gave Urameshi the invitation."
Ayame grinned at her comrade's sudden accusation; she was pleased her friend had found her out instead of an enemy. "Yes, I am the one responsible, Kurama-san. Well, actually, I'm not the person who gave Urameshi the invitation, so in truth I'm not actually responsible. I just gave a few invitations for Kitajima-san's party to a Sarayashiki friend of mine."
"Your actions label you as a traitor to our school, Ayame-san," Kurama chuckled, highly amused by Ayame's dealings. "If the student body finds out, it will want to have you expelled for this 'treachery'. You would be in great danger."
"Well, I couldn't care less for this feud between our two schools. My friend asked me for a favor, and I granted it like a good friend should have. If my school has a problem with it, then so be it. The school should just deal with it. Besides, Sarayashiki students just want to have harmless fun. They don't start the fights; they only plan on finishing them."
"How many Sarayashiki students will be present at Maya-san's party, Ayame-san?" Kurama inquired inquisitively. "I am quite sure you know the approximate number since you gave as many invitations."
The young lady shrugged indifferently as she turned to leave. "I don't know and don't really care, Kurama-san: as many as those who have the nerve to enter our district. Besides, even if I did know the number, I wouldn't tell you. That would just be sending a herd of lambs into a wolf's--no--a fox's den."
When the student council meeting was completed, Koenma held Botan back after the other students were gone. Before leaving, Keiko gave Botan a mischievous wink. "Don't do anything naughty now, Botan-chan," Keiko giggled. "We wouldn't want Yuu-chan to beat up one of the most handsome guys in our high school all because Urameshi's younger cousin couldn't behave herself, now would we?"
Blushing madly at the teasing, Botan yelled, "Oh, shut up! Keiko-chan, don't you dare tell Yusuke anything about this! If you do, I'll--"
Keiko laughed happily as she pranced cheerily toward her morning classes. "Don't worry, Botan-chan. I'm not going to let your cousin and my boyfriend ruin your chances for happiness. My lips are sealed."
Right then, Koenma returned to the Student Council Room. "Was that the last person, Botan-san?" Botan blushed at the informality, although she did not know why. Koenma always called her by her own name whenever they were not at a public school function.
"Yes, everyone has already gone to their morning classes, Koenma-senpai. Keiko-chan was the last one." And likewise, Botan referred to Koenma by his first name when not in front of other classmen.
Koenma smiled. "Oh, all right then, I guess it's just the two of us here to clean up this mess. Mm, Botan-san, you're Urameshi Yusuke's cousin, right?"
Botan nodded, slightly disappointed by the question. She desperately wanted so much for Koenma to ask her a different kind, a question she would have loved to answer; unfortunately, that question seemed like a never from Koenma. Add to that, he already had a girlfriend. "Yes, I'm his cousin, Koenma-senpai. Why?"
"Well, I've been wanting to speak with him for three weeks now, but I've never gotten the chance," Koenma sighed. The young brunette was silent for a few minutes before he spoke again. "Did you know that your cousin could have been the football captain this year, Botan-san? Even if he is a first year, Urameshi-san has abilities that surpass everyone on our team. If he had remained on the team, Urameshi-san would have actually been the captain instead of me.
"Actually, everyone, even me, voted him to be the captain; we all knew he was far better than the fourth years would be by the end of the year. And now, our team moral isn't the same without Urameshi-san. Ever since Urameshi-san left our football team, it hasn't been the same without him."
"Oh." Botan looked to the ground. Although not many people knew, this argument had been discussed over and over again between Botan, Keiko and Yusuke, ever since Yusuke had quit the football team for the safety of his friends. Because of the school rivalry, Meiou students had already wanted to fight Yusuke because of his profile on the streets, but his talents on the football team had only made Yusuke's problems double. While he was on the football team, Yusuke's loved ones were not only attacked by the Meiou street punks, but they were also mistreated by the Meiou athletes. So, to lessen the danger, Yusuke did the only thing he knew to do.
"Do you think there is anyway for Urameshi-san to come back to the team, Botan-san?" Koenma pondered. "I'm pretty sure the football team and the school would appreciate his return, Botan-san."
Shaking her head, Botan sighed, "Yusuke is firm on his decision, Koenma-senpai. He's as stubborn as a mule. I'm afraid that you won't be able to find a way to change his mind and rejoin the team. Besides, fighting street kids is enough work for Yusuke; he doesn't need to fight jealous athletes too."
"So you agree with Yusuke-san as well?" Koenma muttered.
"Well, I have to, I guess," Botan quietly responded, a fond smile on her lips. "I can't argue about Yusuke's decision if he did it for the sake of his loved ones. You have to understand, Koenma-senpai, Yusuke can be easily persuaded when it comes to decisions about himself; but when the choice involves someone he loves, once he makes a choice, there's no way to change it."
"I guess I understand, Botan-san."