To Whom We are Really Belong Chapter 2 : Keiko's tease
Author's notes: Thank you Heartluv;) I love you
Disclaimers: I do not own YuYu Hakusho
Botan gazed Tokyo's panorama blankly. She has left Spirit World but her mind was still devoured of what just happened awhile ago. Even if he can turn to be a pesky and rather bossy employer, they are friends. Whenever he's father punishes him, she's always the one who spend some time beside Koenma trying to pacify him even if he stubbornly refused. Often, he annoyingly try to strays her away but, she's insistent and persistent to stay. Koenma usually pisses off of her bothering him with the same thing over and over again but, only ended up in submission knowing no one can stop what his ferry girl wants. The one who always receives Enma-sama's rage whenever she tries to cover up Koenma's absence and the one who always unruffles Koenma's distorted face by telling her slapstick and rather cheesy jokes. At first, he seems uninterested and annoyed but, a few minutes later a restrained smile will started to form around his lips and ended up laughing his lungs out. But, she have kept her distance to him. They never engaged in a friendly kiss nor hug. She never attempt. He never attempt. That's why what Koenma had done astonished her. He's never really that type after all.
She touched her cheeks she could feel they are still burning red. But, what really amused her was her heart she think's there's something wrong.
LUB-DUB LUB-DUB LUB-DUB LUB-DUB LUB-DUB
It beats in a rather oddly tempo. It's a basketball that dribbles constantly. She shifted her hand to her chest. "Why you won't stop beating like that?! . She's not aware that she's beginning to look like a fool berating her own heart. "It was just a friendly kiss okay?! He only did that because he was just sooo elated and grateful to me because I will play a major part on bridging him to Ayame-chan so, you stop acting like that okay?!, as if she's a mother scolding a mischievous child.
"And don't you ever ever put malice on friendly gestures because that is bad, really bad AND, if you will refuse to listen then….uhm… ( " What?a big secret of yours will reveal?, a part of her mind teased)
"W-whoa! , her eyes widened. "What are you talking about? What secret's? and who are you?", she turned her head up and down left and right. ( "Fool! I am also you Botan", it continued)
Botan smacked her head,"Maybe I was just getting dopey I never have a good sleep these past few days". She shrugged it off believing her own alibi. ( You're so called friendly kiss makes your heart sounds like a tramping battalion of soldiers ?but, why Botan?," it teased even more)
Botan finally pissed off, Shut up whoever you are!, but it only followed an eerie silence. She composed herself. "Okay! you're going to get crazy if you wont stop talking to yourself Botan," she snickered and with that, she bustled her oar towards the Urameshi residence.
She rang the doorbell energetically. The gate flew opened and reveal the now heavily pregnant Keiko.
"Hi friend!," she flung her arms tightly around Keiko who she has not seen since her wedding to Yusuke. Keiko was also excited to see the perky shinigami as much as she did. But, she's uncomfortable considering her baby bump was unconsciously pinned by Botan.
"M-m-my.. b-b-aby," she said wryly. Botan curtly free her, that's why Keiko almost fell backwards. Good thing, she held just in time. "Oh! Sorry sorry! clumsy me," she hastily steady Keiko. "Oh my! Yusuke could kill me if something bad had happened," she shivered at her thought.
"No, no I'm already okay," Keiko assured her chuckling while placing a protective arms around her baby that, they gave each other a proper hug. They have really missed each other. Keiko gave her a small laugh. "Next time, be extra cautious especially when a pregnant woman is around."
"Keiko! Why don't you let the visitor come in?," they heard Atsuko's voice from behind.
"Yes mom!," Keiko shouted back. She turned to her beaming ,"come inside".
She took off her footwear before going inside. Her sight caught Yusuke's mother cramming in the sofa. She gave her a light bow ,"Good afternoon Atsuko". She's more like Yusuke and Keiko's older sister," she thought. Atsuko rose up and just nodded. "Have a seat here," she patted the sofa. She goes off the kitchen preparing something. Her gaze followed Atsuko as she and Keiko sat down. "She really has changed," said Keiko noticing Botan gazing her mother-in-law in amusement.
"Y-yeah", she said sheepishly she just couldn't believe that the drunken and party goer mother she had seen when Yusuke died is now a caring mother/mother-in-law/soon-to-be grandmother. Atsuko had not allowed Yusuke marry Keiko when he returned 3 yrs after from Makai unless, he finished his study got a decent and stable job, had his own house and was mature enough emotionally to start and raise a family. The reason behind this cause she didn't want Yusuke suffered what she had. She wanted his life to turn out better and have something he can brag about to anyone. She associated Keiko in her plan and she didn't had a second thought to agreed. Atsuko worked in –between- jobs to support Yusuke's education. And when he had to enter college,she doubled her hardships. Yusuke gradually realized and appreciated her mother and repayed it by studying really hard and of course, with the help of Keiko. Now, Yusuke was employed as a teacher in their alma mater Sarayashiki Junior high that stunned his former schoolmates, teachers, and classmates. Who wouldn't be? The former notorious delinquent that tends to skipped school always, pugnacious that always getting him into street fights, and a punk is now a teacher? His former teachers, until now seemed incredulous that they are actually working with him.
Atsuko arrived from the kitchen carrying a tray with a flowery kettle , two teacups, and two platter of toasted sweet bun.
"Thanks!," they said in unison as Atsuko lay it down the table.
"Welcome," Atsuko said smiling and goes back to kitchen.
They chatted as if they hadn't seen each other for years. Their conversation always punctuated with full throated laugh especially in reminiscing the past. Botan can't help but tell Keiko what will be her role between Koenma and her fellow ferry girl Ayame.
"I'm gonna help Koenma-sama invite Ayame to be his date on what we called "The Annual Reikai Ball" but, my biggest problem is what should I do to give her a hint that our master really likes her and wanted her to be his date. She's more of an introvert and only once in a blue moon she leaved her main job as a researcher in the huge Reikai library and I always presume she treated that towering bookshelves as her best friends,"she chuckled not noticing Keiko wincing.
"Even if he's more than 700 yrs old in existence he's still a baby who doesn't know how to court a lady, always afraid to be reject-,"she stopped in mid-sentence finally noticed Keiko's face distorted seemed she had said something annoying. She sipped her hot tea before proceeding.
"Why Keiko? ," she asked quizzically
"You will served as a sort of cupid between… Koenma… and… that Ayame?," her grimaced grew further.
"YE-," Keiko didn't let her finished.
"How I wish you were just kidding, because there's no other woman that I can take to see to be the future queen of Koenma but you". Botan choked, eyes widened to Keiko.
"W-what… what are you talking about Keiko?! You know were just friends and there's no other way to become lovers!," she's slightly sound defensive. But Keiko wouldn't buy that.
"Whatever! I hope you won't succeeded as a cupid and in the end Koenma and you will eventually ended up together!," she said sternly before she poured another hot tea for both of them.
"There's no other woman that complement Koenma, both of you complemented each other. Your discrepancies to each other made both of you unique. He tends to be grouchy and bossy while you are always cheery and friendly. I can already picture your future children," Keiko smirked. "Oh, they're gonna be SO…SO… beautiful Botan". She just ignored Botan's florid cheeks. Keiko sipped her tea before turning to Botan. Mischief playing in her eyes.
"Don't you find Koenma very handsome and…sexy? And, I mean his adult form not his toddler form who looked like a baby in a bib."
"W-w-well… there's no women I presuppose wouldn't mesmerized at the sight of Koenma-sama's adult form and -," Keiko suddenly snapped a finger.
" I knew it!, you have loved him more than friends for a very long time but you can't even admit it even to yourself maybe in fear of jeopardizing your friendship with him or fear of unreciprocated love. Am I right? Botan?."
She was dumbstruck she doesn't why she can't opposed Keiko. She suddenly lost her tongue .She was caught really off-guard. She deliberately changed the topic.
"So… did you guys already know if it's a boy or a girl," she said eyeing Keiko's protruding abdomen. She apparently succeeded on changing the topic.
Keiko gently rubbed her baby bump.
"Mmm … not yet, but I prefer a boy while Yusuke prefer a girl but, whatever if he's a he or she's a she we only wanted him/her to be born healthy and of course, before that my labor to become safe and sound. It's my first pregnancy you know and I have no idea how much pain a woman in labor feels like. But my mom has told me it wouldn't be easier. The baby has been kicking and it cause a little discomfort to me. Luckily ,Mom and Yusuke are always there at my side always attending all my needs and my parents who regularly visits me making sure my pregnancy is going smoothly especially my mom."
While Keiko is talking Botan subliminally fell on a dreamy state of emotions. She envisioned herself cradling a newly born baby boy in her arms wrapped in a soft pastel blue blanket. The baby has blue hair and amber eyes. She felt someone's arm wrapped around her waist from behind.
"Thank you for coming into my life Botan and thank you for this wonderful gift," as he pressed small kisses in her cheeks. She was startled. "That voice," she thought. She looked over her shoulder to see her presumable husband-to-be. Her eyes and mouth widened because its no other than but the Prince of Reikai Koenma!. She didn't notice that Keiko was waving a hand in front of her face.
"Botan?," Keiko finally cut off her trance.
"Huh?! ," she turned to Keiko. "What?".
Keiko's brows furrowed. "Are you still with me? You look like daydreaming," Keiko said while a teasing smile playing on her lips.
She retorted quickly. "Of course not!".
They have planned to set a grand reunion for the whole Urameshi gang that will be held on Genkai's residence .Soon afterwards, it's time to say good bye.
"Okay! see you next time guys!," as her oar started flying away.
"Make it fast Botan! Don't let love slip on your hands," Keiko squealed as she gave her a wicked wink. Atsuko's brow knitted in puzzlement she looked at her daughter-in-law .
"And who's the guy? The so called Reikai Prince with distracting pacifier?".
Keiko chuckled,"Yeah!".
Atsuko arched an eyebrow. "I thought they are already couple."
"Nope! but they are couple-to-be." She looked up and let out a deep sigh, "However, they have to admit first to themselves what they've really felt for each other".
Botan just swayed her head from side to side chuckling. She heard what Keiko squealed to her before she strayed her oar back to Reikai.