What I Learned At Genkai's Temple
Chapter 27: Kiss the Girl

Kohari: Before y'all start askin' questions, yes we're gonna use lyrics (we may change 'em a little) from Ashley Tisdale's song from "The Little Mermaid." No, we do not own the movie, the song, or…why are we doing the disclaimer? Y'all know we don't own any of this stuff! (By the way, I hope this doesn't resemble the music video too much. This came from my imagination, but it could have been influenced by the music video. You know how that goes.)

GGF Update: Wow, has it been that long? As you can tell, we've both been busy as heck! lol. We still plan to finish our fics and continue WhatLearned, we just have a lot of stuff on our plates right now. Please bear with us and don't lose interest in our fic! Thankies much!

Daphne followed Kuwabara's gaze. He had been staring at Yukina, standing at the other end of the porch talking to Genkai as they watched Yusuke spar with Kurama. Daphne elbowed Kit, who was right beside her sewing, and gestured to the scene. It was no secret that Kuwabara had a thing for Yukina. No one doubted he intended to marry her. But Daphne was certain Hiei would never allow it.

The two of them felt sorry for Kuwabara. He was a good guy; sure he wasn't good-looking, but he was still one of the nicest guys you could meet, and he would take care of her. Kit could see it in Kuwabara's eyes that he was dying to go over to her and talk to her. Maybe even -

"Kiss the girl," Kit advised him. Her sudden statement shocked all three of them.

"Admit it, you want her," Daphne joined in. When Kuwabara turned to her quickly, she added, "Look at her - you know you do."

"It's possible she wants you, too," Kit suggested. Both girls were in earnest this time.

"You think she might?" Kuwabara asked, hopeful. Then he snapped out of it, "No way. She wouldn't like me."

"Only one way to find out," Daphne egged him on.

"What would I say?" Kuwabara was willing to trust the girls, if it could get Yukina to be his girlfriend.

"You don't have to say a single word," Daphne replied.

"Then what do I -?"

"Kiss the girl!" Kit and Daphne simultaneously interrupted him.

Kuwabara looked in Yukina's direction and gulped, nervous.

"My, oh, my," Daphne teased. "Looks like the boy's too shy."

"Ain't that sad?" Kit agreed.

"It's such a shame," Daphne added.

"Too bad."

Their comments touched Kuwabara's pride, and he made his mind up to go and talk to her, but she was already walking down the long steps. He guessed she was heading for the beach. He followed her slowly, still nervous and uncertain. Her silhouette was beautiful in the light of the setting sun.

Daphne watched him, silently wishing him luck. Kit happened to notice a problem, however, and drew Daphne's attention to it. As Kuwabara gradually caught up to Yukina, Hiei, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, glared at his back angrily. Before he could prevent Kuwabara's mission, however, Daphne stood up, offering herself as a distraction. She spoke to her lover and took his attention from Kuwabara and Yukina, hoping to buy the redheaded human enough time. 'Now's your moment,' she mentally told him, though she knew that he couldn't hear her. She just prayed that Hiei would rather deal with her than Kuwabara at the present.

"Boy, you'd better do it soon," Kit whispered to herself, not taking her eyes off of Kuwabara approaching Yukina, who still had no idea she was being followed. "Don't be scared." Kit didn't know if she was referring to Hiei's wrath or Yukina's possible reactions.

Suddenly, Kuwabara stopped in his pursuit. "No, no, no," Kit tried to will him forward with her mind, even though she knew it was impossible. "Don't stop now!" But Kuwabara didn't move.

Kit glanced at Daphne and Hiei. She knew the apparition wasn't stupid, and Daphne wouldn't be able to distract him much longer. Worried, she looked back at the frozen Kuwabara and the increasing distance between him and the girl he loved. She knew she had to do something.

She put her needlework down and quicky, but stealthily, descended the stairs and caught up to Kuwabara. After standing behind him for a few moments undetected as Yukina kept walking, Kit finally got fed up with Kuwabara's lack of action. She put her lips to his ear and repeated her simple instructions. "Kiss the girl!" She shoved him to get her point across and to get him moving.

Surprised, he looked behind him to see who had pushed him, but he immediately returned to the task at hand and recommenced pursuit. He walked fast to recover ground lost in his hesitation.

Kit clenched her fists, worried for him. She prayed that he would succeed. She couldn't even turn her eyes back to the temple. She kept mouthing those words - "kiss the girl" - as though doing so would help Kuwabara do it.

Yukina disappeared from sight as she descended more stairs. Shortly after, Kuwabara went down the stairs, too, and out of Kit's sight. After a few minutes, Kit returned to the temple and to her needlework, hoping Kuwabara succeeded. Daphne expressed a similar wish when she resumed her seat beside her partner in crime (after somehow managing to dissuade him from going after the lovebirds).

The suspense surrounding Kuwabara's pursuit killed them, but the girls tried to remain patient. They would find out soon enough.

Kohari: Okay, you've read it. Now let us know what you thought! Thanks in advance!

Proofread? Um…a little.