"Beautiful Disaster"
Chapter 2
And do I try to change him?
So hard not to blame him…
Hold on tight…
Hold on tight…
Sitting in the back of the policemen's car, where it appeared as though she was behind bars, did not do anything for Keiko's terribly poor mood. She realized how ironic it was that the weather always portrayed the opposite of what she was feeling: it would rain when Keiko was happy, and the sun would shine when she was sad. Needless to say, it was a perfect day in Tokyo that day.
"Would you like a particular radio station, Miss Yukimura?" The officer at the wheel asked her, ever-so-calm.
Keiko rested her head on her palm, looking out the window stoically. The two officials kept trying hopelessly to make her feel better, and it wasn't working. "No." she answered, resisting the urge to snap at them.
Following Keiko's rejection of the radio, there was a long silence in the car as one man drove, the other messed with his cell phone, and Keiko reminisced. She couldn't come to terms with the fact that her parents were gone. Her brain couldn't accept the idea, like a mismatching blood type coming into a system. This couldn't really have happened to her…could it? The police car would stop and her father would be at the door, screaming, "April Fools!" in June.
But the police car did stop in a few minutes, and surrounding her once peaceful home were a number of police cars, lights still flashing, a few normal cars, and some black vans which Keiko supposed were to take the bodies for autopsies, like in crime shows. There was a ladder going not only to her window, but to the window of her parents' room as well. To top it all off, neighbors and passersby were stopping and gaping in awe, creating a crescent of people behind the caution tape. Some of Keiko's neighbors were being interviewed by the local news stations on what they had seen.
Their car stopped right outside the crescent, and Keiko was grabbed on either side by the two officers. Holding out their badges, the police were able to get the crescent to split for them, and then they let go of Keiko's sides. The three walked easily where the spectators had parted, and then under the tape. After they were gone, the crescent halves rejoined, twice as loud.
Keiko was led over to the first ladder, which went to her parents' bedroom, because other officials were using her bedroom's ladder. Keiko went up one-armed, due to her briefcase, and landed safely in her parents' untouched bedroom. She tried not to be nostalgic, but the memories took over. She remembered when she was barely three feet high, and she'd come in and sleep with her parents because of some crazy monster in her dream. Or, when she was twelve and she liked to sneak in here and take her mother's jewelry to wear to school. And for some reason, when Keiko looked at their room, she didn't think she could take anything with her, to her "new" life.
She found some photographs of her at various ages, and some of her mother's most prized jewelry, and a family picture taken when she was a baby, and again at fourteen, all of which she packed into her briefcase. Inside their bathroom, Keiko found a bottle of the cologne her father had wore heavily all his life, and now its smell was basically his scent. On the left side of their sink was a large, framed picture of their wedding kiss, another treasure of Keiko's childhood. She packed both and left the bathroom, heading for her bedroom.
Keiko opened the door, and wasn't sure just what to take. She had so many things in here that she didn't think she could leave anything behind. What if she forgot something important? What if she forgot her-
She rushed to the window, getting some air on her face so she could calm down. Keiko saw the two policemen at the foot of this ladder, looking up at her.
"Don't worry about the big stuff, the clothes, et cetera, Miss Yukimura. We've called a moving truck." The first hollered up at her. Seeing Keiko's head stick out of the window, sympathetic bystanders in the crescent held up dollar bills and jumped up and down, trying to get the officer's attention. Dumbfounded by the crowd, Keiko waved, and returned to collecting her smaller items.
Keiko found her favorite book in her bookcase, and a few others that held special memories, and packed them inside. She took all of her makeup, and her low supply of jewelry. Keiko found some old report cards, and packed them in as well. A little geisha doll sat on Keiko's desk, and she remembered how enthralled she had been with the tiny doll as a girl, staring at it for hours. She placed it carefully in her briefcase, which was now bulging with items. Keiko decided that the moving truck could get the rest that she wanted, and so she came down the ladder. Once her foot came off the final rung, the officer shoved a basket in her face full of money, checks to herself, and more money. Not bothering to ask where the basket had come from, Keiko took it, watching as the officers once again split the crescent. They walked through again, and then got in the police car and drove away, the officials taking Keiko's directions to their next stop.
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"Oh…another woman for a perm, ne? I'm telling you, as a professional hair stylist, that perms are going to go out of style very quickly. Personally, I never liked them; they can make a pretty blonde like yourself look like you taped a million yellow threads on your head in nonsense fashion. You'd look worse than Barbie, and from me, that's saying a lot."
Keiko laughed for the first time that day as she got out of the police car, hearing Shizuru's famous "Don't Get a Perm" speech. The first official, who had introduced himself as Officer Yamada, opened the door for Keiko and the second policeman, who walked inside. The tinkling of the bell on Shizuru's door filled the room, and all of the stylists and manicurists looked over.
Shizuru's hazel eyes widened, and she continued to look from the policemen to Keiko in confusion, as did all of her coworkers that had been introduced to her in the past. Some of them, Shizuru included, dropped combs and other styling utensils in shock. The entire salon fell silent, until Shizuru finally spoke.
"Keiko…tell me you haven't been arrested." She said, making it hard to tell whether she was afraid or angry.
"Her parents were shot in the Yukimura Diner shooting this morning, and, after a few questions, apparently you're the person Miss Yukimura would most trust as her guardian."
"Yukimura Diner shooting?" Shizuru yelled, now seeming more angered. "Why the hell did no one tell me?"
"The department wasn't aware of your connection to the Yukimura family, Miss Kuwabara," Yamada replied, still calm. "Now, if you please, could you come outside with us to discuss the minor at hand and fill out the proper papers?"
Shizuru picked up her comb and set it back on her small desk with the scissors. "I'm coming. Now, Arisa, while I'm out there, I suggest you look through that book again and look for something besides a perm. You've got rare tresses- I suggest you put it to good use."
Keiko was left inside, standing at the door. She looked around the familiar salon, which had been pink before Shizuru bought it. There were still some pink spots at the top and bottom, but for the most part, Shizuru had successfully made her salon a scarlet red, with black floorboards. Red light bulbs were placed inside the black ceiling lamps, and black was also the color of choice for the furniture. Modern-looking racks of hair and nail products were along the wall, and the stations for the six stylists were arranged in a circle. The four manicure stations were around that circle, two on one side, and two on the other. Keiko recalled Shizuru once saying she wanted a "sexy single woman" feel to the salon.
"Keiko-chan?" Greeted a familiar voice from the second manicure station. Kyoko was a manicurist extraordinaire, about thirty-seven with brown hair falling to her waist, chocolate-colored eyes, and tan skin. She currently had no customers, and was perfecting her own nails. Kyoko was playful, and rarely seemed like an adult to Keiko. "Do you want a manicure? It might make you feel better."
Keiko walked over to Kyoko's station and sat in the customer's chair, swinging it around just slightly. "No. I had one last week." She replied, messing with one of her pigtails.
"My manicure used to get messed up in two days when I was fourteen," Kyoko insisted. "Just let me do your nails? Please? I'm so bored. I haven't had a customer for an hour now."
Keiko shook her head again. "No."
"Fine." Kyoko reached under her desk and pulled out a box. "Candy? I have peanut butter cups, Hershey's…" She dug through the box, looking for new types of candy, and pulled out a sphere covered with a powder blue foil that had a picture that looked like a 1700's portrait of an important person. "Oh! I have these. When Sakura-chan went to Europe for her exchange program last semester, she brought these back! They're called 'Mozart's Balls', I think. Dark chocolate with white chocolate in the center! Absolutely scrumptious." She waved it under Keiko's nose with pleading eyes. "Come on, Keiko-chan. You need to get your mind off of all the bad things that happened to you today."
Keiko wasn't in the mood for Kyoko's antics, and took the European confection to shut her up. She grumbled "Fine", and took off the foil to reveal the Mozart's Ball in all of its chocolate glory. Keiko bit into the candy, finding she rather liked it, and continued to munch on various chocolate candies in Kyoko's box as the woman dragged on and on about her customers throughout the day and their nervous habits while having their nails done.
About forty-five minutes passed in this fashion (although Keiko stopped eating after fifteen minutes) before Shizuru came back inside without Yamada and his partner, tossing her light brown hair on her back. "Okay, Arisa, have you found a new hairstyle?...Well, that would look good on you! Probably better than it does on her. Good decision." Shizuru picked up a comb and scissors and began looking around the room before she found Keiko at Kyoko's station. "Keiko, Yamada and the other one are going back to help the movers, and they'll drop off your larger belongings in my guest room. And tonight's Chinese takeout night, does that bother you at all?"
"No." Keiko answered, not wanting to be a burden to her best friend and her new caretaker, although she had a craving for pigging out on McDonald's. "Where's Kazuma?"
Shizuru had shifted her attention to Arisa's hair, but Keiko could see her head shaking in the mirror. "He doesn't like stopping here after school. First it was for his image, now it's just because it's 'so girly it's repulsive'."
Keiko laughed again. Nothing like a best friend to work wonders for your day. "You guys have a wonderful bond."
"You only say that because you don't have a sibling. It can only be called a 'wonderful bond' when he's in a good mood and I'm not PMSing."
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"There," Shizuru said, breathless as she put Keiko's dresser into place on the wall. "As much like home as I can make it, ne, Keiko?"
"It's okay, Shizuru. I've always liked your house." Keiko replied, looking around somewhat satisfied at her new room. Shizuru's house was an old boutique in downtown Tokyo with brick walls on the inside and out, a look Keiko thought was neat and unique. The downstairs was a big kitchen and living room, with a small bathroom to the right of the counter and Kazuma's bedroom behind it all. After going up Shizuru's iron stairs was a bathroom and two bedrooms, one of them now belonging to Keiko.
Together, they looked out Keiko's window to the streets of Tokyo, with the many red lights of cars and late-night shoppers gazing into petite stores along Shizuru's street. The doorbell rang, and the pajama-clad girls ran downstairs.
Kazuma opened up the door to reveal a thin man carrying two plastic bags. "Food for Kuwabara Shizuru?"
Shizuru took out her wallet and pushed Kazuma aside, giving the man the necessary amount of cash and proudly taking the bags. Closing the door, she exclaimed, "It's Chinese time!"
She spread the food and plates on her coffee table and turned on a subtitled "Seinfeld", which Keiko knew Shizuru loved and watched loyally.
"Dammit, Shizuru, do we have to watch this again?" Kazuma complained, taking some sweet and sour pork.
"It's only on on Mondays, Kazuma. We could watch 'Pretty Woman' instead," Shizuru said, taking some rice and Mongolian beef for her plate. There was a pause. "Kazuma, did you get-"
"Yes, I got them," He answered, pulling a vase of white daisies from behind his back. "We wanted to give you these for your room," Kazuma said, a little more serious, although there seemed to be a distant look in his eye. He set the vase on the table and Keiko stared at them, studying them. "Hey, Shizuru, can I talk to you…later?" He asked with a wink.
She nodded. "I get your drift." Shizuru said, her head dropping slightly.
There was another long pause as each of them focused on their meals. Keiko, faced with silence again, tried not to think about the sudden and crazy turn her life was taking. She didn't want to think about how she'd survive.
Shizuru seemed to realize this. "Keiko, what high school are you going to go to?"
"I want to go to the all-girl school next to the school Kazuma wants to attend, but Ms. Yoshida thinks that I'd be much better at Meiou."
Kazuma made a loud and long coughing noise just after Keiko said, "Meiou." Shizuru gave him a warning glare. "Well, I was thinking, Keiko, that your parents had saved a lot of money for their retirement, and for you, and for lots of things, and most of that money is going to go to you now that…well, you have my point. Have your parents ever talked to you about Yamajiro Boarding Academy?"
"Shizuru, are you crazy?" Kazuma yelled, banging his fist on the couch arm. "Don't you remember, that's where-"
Shizuru mumbled something under her breath, obviously directed at Kazuma, and he nodded in agreement. Shizuru and Kazuma then looked at Keiko in unison for the answer.
Keiko looked up from her meal. "No,"
"Well…I guess it was their ambition to send their child there, and with your grades, you do have the ability to attend there. It's a prestigious school in the mountains, which you can tell by the name. Of course, money was always a question before. Now, you could easily attend, and if not, your grades would probably convince them to provide you with some financial aid. You know how schools are- they'll do anything for higher grades." Shizuru took a bite of beef. "Do you think you'd like it? I don't want to pressure anything on you; it's just that that's probably what your parents would have wanted."
Keiko thought about this for a minute. A boarding school wouldn't have any memories of her parents, nor any reminders, and she'd be able to get into a fine college by attending there, which would end her worries of not going to college. She did like Shizuru's home, and Tokyo, but her parents had been here, and she knew from today that she couldn't stop thinking about them. Sure, Keiko had the summer, but…somehow when she heard the name; she knew that was where she needed to go.
"Okay," Keiko answered. "I suppose I can apply for it."
End Chapter 2
Note 1: Any names of places or things I used in this chapter…I don't own them, okay?
Note 2: About the 90's pop culture- because Yu Yu Hakusho was originally made in the 90's, and the hairdos and clothing of various characters show that, this fic is set in the 90's, because it follows the YYH storyline except for the things I changed to make it an AU. Which means you'll have Seinfeld, perms taking over the world…and really bad rap music (Man, was 90's rap bad!).
Note 3: Yamajiro- Mountain Castle.
Note 4: So, how do you guys like my story? Do you like it? I have about 55 hits for the first chapter and four reviews. So, if you are reading this, leave a review that says, "Update soon", favorite the story, put it or me on your alerts, just something so that I know that you're reading it and you like it. And I do accept anonymous reviews, so anonymous readers, review away! I love my anonymous reviewers (I was one for about six months!)!
Note 5: Just what is with Shizuru and Kuwabara? You'll find out...eventually.
Mama Moose: Yes, you must update! And soon!
What a scene: At your service! Aren't you lucky? I'm going to try to update weekly (depending on my homework level- I'm a freshman now, but hopefully I won't have too much. And I usually have time on the weekends anyway…), because I hate getting those reviews that say, "Grr, why won't you update?"…No, it's actually because I love this story and I want people to read it, so updating faster should do the trick.
Shigi: My first anonymous reviewer on my story! I love my anonymous reviewers! And your review is very nice and sweet, thank you very much! Although Yusuke (shocker!) won't appear for a while…well, not a while, just not until Keiko goes to school. Don't worry, she should be at school before chapter six, chapter seven at the latest the way I see it right now. Would you like me to e-mail you every time the story is updated?
Bradybunch4529: You reviewed! I'm so touched. Your reviews are always so optimistic and sweet, and they always cheer me up. Especially this one! I was worried after almost a day after putting this up that none of my CS reviewers (Or very many people) would review this, and then you did! I was completely ecstatic.
Until my next update…Federer won the U.S. Open! Woot woot!