Part 8 - It's playtime!

Shinrei quickly averted his gaze from Hotaru to the lady, and then stepped forward to have a better view of the lady, "Wait here...I will ask her if she found a baby." he said to Hotaru, then he took a few more steps through the lady's location, but as soon as he got nearer to the lady, the place becomes more hazy, and the image of lady was slowly disappearing in his sight. Then he felt a slight chilling sensation and his skin soon develops goose bumps.

Damn...Why it's already dark in here...it's only afternoon...Shinrei thought.

"What the heck!" Shinrei shouted when a lady suddenly appeared in front of him; she looks like a corpse, floating in the air. Shinrei felt aghast, he never felt like this before – being frightened by something or someone. "Are you looking for someone...then I am here to help you...but before that you should also do me a favor..." the lady said, her voice was like coming from a deep underground. Shinrei shook his head in fright.

"No."

"No...Hotaru..." Shinrei looked back at Hotaru, but he can't see him because the place was covered with fog. "Yes...Yes..." the lady continued saying to him until he shouted "No...I don't want!"

"Hey, are you crazy?" Hotaru suddenly appeared with a worried look, "Shouting like a fool...?" he smirked.

"Let's get out of here! Now!" Shinrei shouted at the top of his lungs, shaking, and then he dragged his younger brother.

"Why are you like that is there something...that frightens you?" Hotaru asked to Shinrei.

"You don't need to know...baka...it's your fault...because of your stupid idea that we end up in this hell!" Shinrei chided, cursing everything that he sees.

Bontenmaru sat near the riverbank, still looking on the baby's cute face. "Hmmm...It's like I know you before..." the baby's smile widens as Bontenmaru gently poked his cheek. "Oh...you really made me feel happy...can I adopt you for a while," Bontenmaru giggled.

Soon he become so fond of the baby and started to play with him. As he looked at the baby's cheerful laughter, he suddenly felt hungry, but soon he realized that he brought some food with him. It was a bento that he bought in the nearby market a while ago – the food in which he planned to give Yuya and Kyo for their snack while he was there, but now that he was already hungry there's no need to wait. Bontenmaru opened the bento box and saw that it was full of delicious rice balls, meat, fried fish, and pickled vegetables which are artistically arranged.

"Wow...so Yummy..." he gaped in surprise, feasting on the food in front of him, then he picked a piece of rice ball and took a bite on it.

"Oh...great...it's very delicious," the baby looked at him and tried to reach the bento box with his little hands. Then Bontemaru glanced at the baby on his lap, "Oh...you want it too? Then...let's eat this all...ha-ha...".

Bontenmaru took a small piece of rice balls and tried to feed the baby "Here's the food...say ahhh..." the baby slowly opened his mouth as Bontenmaru placed the food in it."Oh...you really liked it..." he smiled and remembered that he also brought a bottle of milk and sake. "Here...you're lucky I brought milk for Yuya's baby...you can have it too..."

As they finished eating, Bontenmaru laid his back on the floor, belching in satisfaction. The baby, on the other hand, leaned on Bontenmaru's belly, and soon released a burp when Bontenmaru gently pat his back. Bontenmaru gazed at the sky, the cloud was slowly moving and forming to different shapes, then the baby blocked his view and taps his face. "Why do you want to play?" the baby smiled and creep away from him. Bontenmaru rolled his body and positioned himself to crawl. "Hey..." Bontenmaru crawled after the baby, then all of a sudden he heard some footsteps coming closer, but his attention was on the baby. As Bontenmaru watched the baby creeping, a man suddenly took it, and when he looked up, "Kyo!" Bontenmaru nearly shouted, "Eh you're here...it's been a while...you still look the same... But...I'm still more handsome than you..." he slowly stood up; then he laughed at the top of his lungs as he comes closer to Kyo.

Kyo smirked as he looked at Bontenmaru, "And you're still the same as I knew..." he said, then he darted a glance at his baby and caressed his blond hair, then he began to scrutinize him if he had any scratch, luckily he found nothing. Soon the baby snuggled on his chest and soon fell asleep.

"Eh...it seems that you like the baby too...Kyo...he's so cute isn't he?" Bontenmaru smiled.

"Yes...he's cute...Because he's my son." Kyo smirked as he looked at the baby.

"Y-your...so I was babysitting your baby all along..." Bontenmaru exclaimed, "So I'm right...'cause he really looks like Yuya..."

"Yes."

Bontenmaru released a profound sigh. "At first I really like your baby so much that I planned to adopt him...If ever his parents...I mean you, won't find him...but I guess you're here now...so can I just pay a visit to your house so that I can see him more often?"

"That's not a problem with me...as long as you will take care of him." Kyo replied, and then he remembered something. "But before that can you tell me where that idiotic man is?"

"Who?" Bontenmaru asked.

"Benitora..."

"Benitora…?" Bontenmaru was confused, he don't know why Kyo suddenly asked of him.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I of his carelessness..."

"For what…?"

"For leaving the baby of course..."

"I don't know I just dropped by to visit your house, and then I saw your baby crawling near that river."

"Is that so...then he really needs this..." Kyo looked at his sharp tenro, then he showed his evil grin.

"Hmmm...Looks like it's Benitora's unlucky day..." Bontenmaru grinned.

"Sakuya...do you think Kyo will like this?" Yuya said, holding a haori, they were in the market, buying some goods and everything that pleases them.

"Hmmm...I think so..." Sakuya replied with a slighty hesitating tone, then she looked for another one, "Here...this one might suit him." she said, looking at the one she picked, her eyes glinting as if the thing that she picked was a precious one, " I think Kyoshiro might like this one...so I will now buy it." then she smiled in satisfaction.

"Hmmp...why you're like that...everything for you looks better...than I am...look at me...I've been looking at this for almost an hour, but still I can't fully decide to buy it...why am I so picky?..." Yuya complained.

Sakuya chuckled. "That's not being picky...I think you're only quite hesitant if Kyo will like it or not because you don't want to be insulted again.

Yuya was a bit affected on Sakuya's statement that she pondered in silence.

Flashback:

Eight months ago Yuya went to Sakuya's house, wanting to tell something and also to have a little chat with Sakuya about her life as a married woman. She also brought her newly born baby with her for Sakuya to see. There she completely divulged everything about her problems with Kyo and their life as a husband and wife.

"Why is he so picky...I tried my best just to please him, but still he don't like everything that I cooked...he always said that I had a bad taste on everything...my meat stew taste awful, too salty...too hot...too...damned..." Yuya complained, breathing unevenly.

"Maybe because he was not used to your cooking..." Sakuya assumed, trying to console her; she was looking at Yuya while cuddling Yuya's baby.

"If he was not used to my cooking, then why he had to request for it over and over again…oh what a demanding husband!"

"Hmmm...I think he only wants to know if you improved...something like that..."

"And there's more...he often left the house just to buy sake...he left me doing a lot of household chores, taking care of the baby...then...then seduces me every night...knowing if I have an energy for that...then he often shakes me and saying these in the middle of the night..."Quit snoring you might awaken the baby...you're drooling on my neck Dogface...hey...are you awake cause I want you tonight...blah, blah...so annoying..." then Yuya released a profound sigh.

"Do you regret that you married him?" Sakuya suddenly asked.

"No...of course not...I'm completely happy with him...it's only his incessant insults and demands that I don't want."

Sakuya chuckled. "Maybe he just trying to test your temper...you know Kyo was a kind of man, who wants to make people feel humiliated to the point that they will feel hopeless on trying, but before that they will realize to be much better.

"I already know that...If that so, what should I do?" Yuya asked in desperation, "Of course I don't to be like this forever...or else I might end up being a nagger."

After a moment of silence, Sakuya suddenly snapped "If you're really fed up...someday...try to make him realize your importance...then he will not do such things to you again..."

Yuya was confused. "I don't really understand..."

"Is it in you to make a change Yuya...try to understand that..." Sakuya said, smiling while she toyed the baby's little finger.

Yuya pondered on what Sakuya have said, trying to understand the meaning of it, still she was confused.

End of Flashback:

"You're lucky Kyoshiro likes everything that you give to him." Yuya uttered as she looked at Kyoshiro, carrying a furoshiki filled with goods that they bought, which was tied on his back.

Kyoshiro, on the other hand, was looking at a near restaurant; the aroma of the food coming from it really made him crave - making him hungrier. Then he looked at Sakuya and Yuya, who was still busy choosing on what to buy.

"Why they took so long to decide on buying that simple kimono...Is there something special about it..." Kyoshiro scratched his head. "Darn...I'm starving already...they have to pay for my long wait..." he said with a naughty grin. Then suddenly Yuya darted a glance at him as if she heard him. Kyoshiro waved his hand and smiled. Yuya taps Sakuya, and then whispered something to her. "I think Kyoshiro is hungry...look at him he's already salivating while staring on that restaurant. Sakuya laugh softly and said: "Yes...but he has to wait for us...because we're not done yet...so Yuya whether you like it or not you have to choose immediately."

Yuya murmured, and then she tried to randomly pick a haori with her eyes closed. "If Kyo will not like this...I will kill him..." when she already chose one, Sakuya suddenly snapped "That's it...that's really great...see, you can choose well better than I am."

"Wha –" Yuya slowly opened her eyes and smiled when she saw it, "Then let's buy this one." Sakuya nodded in approval and chose another for her.

When they were already paying for the kimono, Kyoshiro suddenly appeared to their side, "I think you're done with that, so let's go now." he said excitedly as he dragged the two through the nearby restaurant. Yuya was panting heavily when Kyoshiro released her hands, and so was Sakuya, who almost had asthma. Kyoshiro folded his arms and said: "We are going to eat here." he stood in confidence as he stared at the restaurant.

When Yuya saw and read the signboard of the restaurant, she suddenly gaped in surprise. It was the most expensive Japanese restaurant in town. "Are you kidding us, Kyoshiro...who will pay for our food...?" Yuya said, raising an eyebrow.

Kyoshiro suddenly laughed. "You two of course...I don't have money..."

"Then why did you brought us here...If you don't have money to pay." Yuya scolded.

"It's because you starved me, waiting for you for almost several hours..." Kyoshiro shrugged his shoulders.

"Grrrr...You're too mean Kyoshiro..." Yuya gritted her teeth.

To be continued...

Bento: A take-out or home packed meal.

Haori: a lightweight silk jacket.

Furoshiki: a wrapping cloth.

A/N: Hey, it's been so long...here I am again, continuing this fic...hehe (Sigh)...Oh by the way, this is a fic made for fun...so expect that there's a lot of OOC. Guess you like this...because I tried hard just to be inspired while writing this one...And I hope from you to give me some reviews, comments, or suggestion just to enlighten me...If you want me to continue this just leave a review, but again no flame please...thank you...