12/29/21 AN: My account turns 18 years old today. It is a legal adult. On this day 18 years ago little baby 13 year old me sat down at my parents computer to make my very own account with my brand new, very own email account I'd been given for Christmas three days before. I have been on this site for over half my life, been reading and writing fanfiction longer than that. I am pleased to be here, please enjoy reading!

I've also uploaded another story centered around Kuwabara. They really don't have anything to do with each other, but in my head they take place in the same universe.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, it is the property of Yoshihiro Togashi.

. . .

The Yukimura Reman Shop did have a strong core of regular customers. The food was good, the atmosphere was pleasant, and they occasionally had a good show to go with their meal! It was the regulars who first realized there was something different about the pink haired woman who walked into the restaurant one day.

Yusuke heard the door chime. He was in the middle of making a new pot of reman and didn't turn around as he called out his normal greeting. "Hello, welcome to the Yukimura Shop, I'll be with you in a minute!"

Task complete, he turned around to see the second to last person he ever expected to see at his workplace. Genkai. Hiei was the first person, if anyone was interested in knowing. Koemna was the third.

She was sitting at the bar watching him with a blank face. Yusuke scowled at her. He set about making tea the exact way she liked it. He carefully slammed it down in front of her. Yusuke was very pleased with himself for that move, not that he'd ever admit it. He'd made enough noise that several people jumped, but not have tea spilled over the edges.

Genkai picked up the cup and sipped it without a sound or change in facial expression. A sure sign she approved.

Yusuke set about making noodles for his mentor. He put a lot of thought and effort into it. His mentor watched him silently. Finally Yusuke set down a bowl in front of Genkai, still scowling.

She looked at the bowl before using her chopsticks to take a decent sized bite. She grunted at the taste.

Yusuke very carefully didn't look at the 'Days Since Yusuke Punched A Customer' sign.

Genkai snorted. "Not even in your dreams, Dimwit."

Yusuke growled and started to do dishes, pointedly ignoring the old woman.

She continued eating her meal, never one to waste food. When she was done she put her chopsticks across the bowl. "Do better next time."

She ignored the loud swearing as she left.

The regular customers where in awe of this woman who could make Yusuke back down.

. . .

The interaction thus far had been normal. The guy order, paid, Yusuke gave him his food. The next step would have been for the guy to take his bowl and walk away. But did he do that? No. No, he did not do that.

Instead this guy stood at the counter and used his hand to pick up some reman noodles to eat them. He made a mess all over the counter.

Yusuke stared at him.

"It's a little too hot for my fingers," the guy said. Totally reasonable tone. Just informing Yusuke about a small problem with his food.

Yusuke turned around without a word. He took another bowl, put ice in it and filled it with water. He set it next to the guy's food.

The guy happily picked up both bowls and went to find a table. He dipped his hand in the ice water before using that hand to eat his reman.

Yusuke cleaned up the mess and went on with his day.

. . .

Word had spread among the regulars about the old woman. Most of those who were not firsthand witnesses refused to believe the story. Yusuke had thrown a man with a gun through a window. Surely a mere old woman couldn't rattle him.

Those people were wrong.

Yusuke would never admit that he'd been working on ways to improve his reman. He'd sent Kuwabara a dozen to-go containers filled with his experiments. The other teenager didn't complain, said it was nice to eat something right when he was done with classes. He'd even shoved some at Kurama and Hiei. He'd told the shorter demon he'd punch him in the face if he said anything.

The two ended up fighting. It was fun.

Back to the main story.

Yusuke had been practicing so he was slightly more prepared when Genkai came back about two weeks later.

She huffed after her first bite.

Yusuke made the dent in the counter a little bigger.

. . .

The third time Genkai came in she raised an eyebrow at the bowl before eating.

Yusuke didn't attempt to put edible flowers in reman again.

. . .

Genkai became a semi regular.

The other, normal, regulars couldn't figure out who she was. One day it became clear. The regular morning crowd came in one morning right at opening. It was obvious Yusuke, Keiko and Genkai had been there for a while. Keiko and Genkai were talking about bonsai maintenance of all things.

Yusuke was busy taking orders and making them. Keiko was making food for herself and Genkai. When she was done she sat next to the old woman, telling her about a half dead bonsai she had rescued from a doctor's office, despite the vehement protests of the secretary. Genkai listened intently while she ate, making no noise and no change in facial expression.

"Oh, come on!" Yusuke yelled, startling everyone but two people.

The two ignored him while Keiko continued to talk about the poor tree.

Yusuke went back to cooking and didn't stop muttering for half an hour.

It became clear to the regulars. The old woman was a relative of Keiko's, and Yusuke needed to earn her approval in order to marry into the family. It was clearly the situation, with no other possible explanation.

. . .

The 27th time was the charm.

Yusuke was very pleased with himself. Until he realized that Genkai would be coming in more often.

Keiko told him to shut up and deal. She liked talking with Genkai.

. . .

AN: I greatly enjoyed writing this one :)