Part 3: Questions
Morning had come and to Reiko's dismay she was still in the infirmary. She let out a sigh as she sat up and glanced around the room. 'Guess I better get use to it.' She thought, pulling back the sheets and swinging her feet over the edge. Her feet dangled a few inches above the ground, suddenly reminding her of something. 'Who was that guy that saved me?' she thought, jumping down and rising to her feet. 'Well, there's one more question to the list.' She looked down at the robe she was wearing and took it distastefully in her hands. "Eug," she groaned just as Botan came in from behind the curtains, wearing normal clothing.
"Oh, good, you're up!" Botan grinned, Reiko turning to look at her. "Koenma's sending us a portal right now." She said and as if on command one appeared. "You ready?" Reiko only sighed and nodded. "Then here we go!" Botan exclaimed before jumping into the swirling colors of purple and green and disappearing. Reiko hesitantly stuck her hand into it and before she could change her mind was quickly sucked in.
Seconds later she was hurled into her apartment and luckily landed on her bed. She groaned, sitting up and blowing hair out of her face. Botan laughed from across the room. Reiko glared, standing up from her bed. Botan stopped and chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. Reiko walked over to her closet and began rummaging through it, throwing articles of clothing onto her bed. She didn't stop until she had a fairly large pile of clothes and two pairs of shoes. She crouched down beside her bed and dug underneath it until she pulled out a medium sized duffel bag.
She began stuffing in clothes, shoes first, when Botan began talking into a compact. Reiko brushed it off; she had already witnessed so many weird things she was sure nothing else would surprise her so much. Botan closed the compact and put in back into her jeans pocket.
"Kurama will be at the restaurant in thirty minutes." Botan told Reiko as she zipped up her bag.
"Then I need to shower." Reiko stated as she grabbed a set of clothes and walked into her bathroom, closing the door behind her.
"Well." Botan huffed, crossing her arms.
Reiko turned on the shower before walking over to the sink and pulling out one of the drawers. She pulled out a blue velvet pouch and opened the medicine cabinet. After taking out random bottles and boxes and setting them on the counter she fingered around the edges of the inside of the cabinet. There was a successful click as she pulled out the wooden panel to reveal a not so empty outlet. Emeralds, rubies, sapphire and jewels of all kind, as well as hundreds of bills (yen), rested inside. She quickly put them into the bag, tying it closed and then putting the panel and bottles back.
Fifteen minutes later Reiko came out, fully dressed with her hair dried and velvet pouch in hand. Botan stared quizzically at it.
"What's that?" she asked.
"Just some toiletries." Reiko replied, picking up and swinging her duffel bag over her shoulder. "Lead the way."
"Right." Botan said a bit skeptically before they both left the apartment.
Kurama smiled up at Keiko set down a bowel of soup for him.
"Thank you, Keiko." He said.
"You're welcome Kurama." She smiled back, "So, when is this mystery girl suppose to arrive?"
"Soon I hope. Botan is bringing her."
"Botan?" she repeated, eyebrows raised.
"Yes. In fact, there is something we're going to fill you in on once they get here."
"Huh? What are you talking about Kurama?" she asked just as the door opened with a signifying bell. Botan walked in with a cheery hello, Reiko behind her. Reiko looked around at the shop, thumbs in her front jean pockets and blue t-shirt tucked in. She had seen the shop many times but never took the opportunity to come in and eat. Kurama, as well as Keiko and Yusuke, looked over at them. Kurama stood and Keiko walked over to the two while Yusuke tried to avoid any eye contact.
"Hello Botan!" Keiko said, "And you must be the girl the boys have been talking about. My name is Keiko." She bowed, holding her tray her front of her against her body.
"Anayama Reiko." Reiko replied, bowing in return.
"Well that's interesting." Keiko smiled, referring to the similarity of their names. "You look familiar, have we met before?"
"Uh, yeah." Reiko chuckled awkwardly. "We had some of the same classes in school."
"That's right." She said before turning to Kurama as he walked over to them. "So, what is this thing you guys have to tell me?"
"I do believe Yusuke is supposed to fill you in." Kurama chuckled, Yusuke giving him a death glare.
Keiko was quiet as they each sat on a stool, Yusuke safe behind the counter where she couldn't reach him. Her hands were folded in front of her on the counter and she stared down as she took it in.
"When?" she asked calmly. She did not yell or speak much of all as Yusuke told her. Honestly, that terrified him more.
"About a week from now." Kurama replied.
"For how long?" she also asked.
"We don't know." Botan said, "But don't worry! I'm sure it won't be too long!" she grinned, trying to cheer her up. "Besides, it'll be close by and you all can live there." She added.
"Yeah, I guess so." Keiko smiled weakly.
"Keiko?" Yusuke spoke, and she looked at him. "Can I…talk with you?" he asked, "Privately?" Keiko only nodded as she stood up and walked around with him to the back. Reiko sighed, leaning onto the counter.
"Great. This just makes my day better." She said sarcastically.
"Don't feel bad, Reiko. Those two have survived this far I think they can get past this." Botan reassured but Reiko only waved it off.
"What is it Yusuke?" Keiko asked, her back to him.
"Keiko, don't be like that-"
"Be like what?" she snapped, turning around, her eyes teary. "I've waited and waited for you Yusuke. You promised-"
"I know." Yusuke interrupted and sighed. "I know, Keiko." He stepped toward and her and took her left cheek into his hand. "And I'm going to keep that promise." He smiled softly as she placed her hand on his.
"Really?"
"Yes." He said, stepping closer. "I love you Keiko. I want to marry you." Keiko bit down on her lip smiling.
"Oh Yusuke!" she threw her arms around his neck and he embraced her back.
Kurama looked at his watch. "My mother is expecting us soon." He said to Reiko causing her to look up at him as he stood. "Tell Yusuke and Keiko I said goodbye, will you?" he asked Botan, who gave a hesitant nod. Reiko stood and went to pick up her bag only to have Kurama pick it up for her.
"Um…I can…carry…" she started to say but his smile silenced her. She swallowed her words and followed the red head out of the shop.
It seemed to take forever, but yet not long enough, until they reached Kurama's house. Kurama walked up the porch and before turning the handle looked back at Reiko. She had yet to take a step up, as if her feet were plastered to the ground.
"Don't worry." Kurama reassured, "I think you'll like it here." He smiled, opening the door as she took her steps up the porch and followed him inside. "Mother? Are you home?" Kurama called and a middle aged brunette woman peered around the corner.
"Suiichi?" she replied, "I didn't think you back so soon."
'Suiichi??' Reiko thought, a bit puzzled; yet another question.
"Its nine o'clock mother." Kurama responded softly, closing the front door.
"Oh? It is?" she smiled, walking up to the two. "You must be Reiko." She said as she wiped her hands on her apron. "I'm Kurama's mother. You can call me Shiori." She added, sticking out her hand. Reiko took it, smiling back. Shiori looked back at Kurama, "I just finished making breakfast, are you hungry?"
"That would be lovely mother." Kurama smiled, remembering he didn't get the chance to eat the soup Keiko made him.
"How about you, Reiko? Are you hungry?"
"Well, not-" she started to say when her stomach let out an embarrassing growl. Her face turned beet red as she wrapped her arms around her stomach. "T-that would be fine, thank you." She said with a weak smile.
"Suiichi, why don't you show Reiko to the guest bedroom?"
"Yes mother." Kurama said, nodding for Reiko to follow him up the stairs as Shiori walked back into the kitchen. She walked behind him up the stairs and into the door at the end of the hall.
It was a normal room; not too dull but not too out there. The walls were painted a light bluish gray; the bed was pushed into the far left corner, next to the window, with a bedspread that matched the walls. There was a small desk and dresser against the right wall, the closet in the near right corner.
"The bathroom is the second door across the hall, the linen closet is straight across from you and my room is next door." Reiko nodded as he handed her her duffel bag. "I'll tell my mother you're putting your stuff away." He told her as he stepped outside the door, about to close it.
"Kurama?" she said, causing him to stop, "Um…thank you." Kurama smiled.
"You're welcome." He said before closing her door.
A few minutes later, Reiko came down the stairs with her hair pulled back in a low ponytail. She walked into the dining room and took a seat next to Kurama. The table was neatly dressed with a white linen cloth, the dishware was set and a pitcher of juice sat next to the flower center piece. Reiko eyed the red head questioningly, turning away quickly when he looked at her. He smiled.
"It'll be just a few more minutes." Shiori said from the kitchen. Reiko sat quiet a little while longer before finally turning to Kurama.
"Why does she call you Suiichi?" she asked in a hushed voice, "I thought your name was Kurama?"
"Kurama is my former name." Kurama paused as he looked at the door to the kitchen, "I'll explain more at a better time." Reiko took a second before nodding. She supposed she could wait a bit longer. A few minutes later Shiori came out with a plate full of pancakes and set them on the table.
"I'll be right back with the butter and-"
"I'll get them mother." Kurama said as he stood up.
"Thank you, Suiichi." She smiled, taking a seat. Reiko could already tell this was going to be a very awkward week. It had been three years since she had eaten a home cooked meal, let alone with someone else. Kurama came back out and for the next half an hour or so there was silence and the occasional small talk.
By the end of the meal she had learned a lot about Kurama's family. Shiori had remarried a few years ago to a nice man who owns a carpenter shop. Kurama is her only son and her husband also has an only son who ironically has the name as Kurama; Suiichi. After high school Suiichi, Kurama's step-brother, went to college while Kurama stayed at home and works in his step-father's shop. Not completely dull but definitely normal; with the exception of Kurama's secrets that is.
Shiori stood up and began to stack the dirty plates. Reiko started to do the same when Shiori stopped her.
"Don't worry about," she smiled, "I'll take care of it, why don't you two go to the park? The sun is out and the snow is beautiful."
"Are you sure you don't need help?" Kurama asked as he stood up and pushed in his chair.
"Yes, yes. I'll be fine. You two go have fun."
"Alright, mother. We won't be gone too long." He looked at Reiko before walking around her, intending her to follow. She trailed behind him as he went to the coat closet and pulled out a coat.
"Oh, um, my coat's-" she started to say as he held a brown coat with fuzzy lining out to her.
"You can borrow this. My mother never uses it anymore."
"Um…thanks." She took it and put it on as he put on his own coat.
"It not too far from here." He told her as he opened the door and she stepped out so he could close it. She didn't say anything in response but only followed him as he walked down the porch and down the street. They were silent as they walked next to each other and like he said they arrived in a matter of minutes. They followed the path down to the park, passing the slide and monkey bars.
"So how about you explain a few things to me?" Reiko asked, her eyes scanning the playground as they walked.
"Like?" he asked with raised eyebrows.
"The name thing for starters."
"Ah, yes." He chuckled a bit, folding his hands behind his back and continuing to walk. "As you know, I am demon; a spirit fox. Now the tricky part starts over a thousand years ago." Reiko looked at him oddly but let him continue.
"I use to be a very notorious thief in the Demon world. Yoko Kurama was my name. But eventually I was tracked down and caught. And in result I made my way into the Human world, my spirit that is. I resided inside the womb of a pregnant woman, Shiori, and decided when my spiritual power was strong enough I would leave this world and return to the Demon world." They slowly made their way toward the swing set, Reiko taking one of the chains into her hands as she listened.
"But as I grew up I discovered I no longer cared about returning to my old life. I loved my mother and the life I had become accustomed to. And through this life I met Hiei, Yusuke, and the rest." He finished, sitting in one of the swings after Reiko did. Reiko sat on the swing and nodded before getting a funny look on her face.
"Wait…Who's Hiei?" she asked, looking at him as she swung back and forth a bit.
"Well, he's a demon like me, rather short but not too short, spiky black hair with-"
"He's the one who saved me, isn't he?" she said as she dug her feet into the snow covered ground, stopping.
"Yes. He is." Kurama replied as she thought quietly to herself.
"He's pretty rude if you ask me." She scoffed, starting to swing again.
"How so?"
"Well, he did slice off a demon's arm right in face, covering me in blood and causing me to hit the ground with a clawed hand still gripped around my neck. I mean, couldn't he have just yanked the demon off me and beat him to a pulp? He is a demon too after all." Kurama chuckled at this. "What? What's so funny?"
"Nothing…just…That's not really Hiei's style." Kurama grinned, "So I suppose you could say he is a bit rude. But you won't mind him much."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I have no doubt Koenma will have Hiei staying with us, considering Yusuke and I cannot be present all the time."
"Great." Reiko droned sarcastically, rolling her eyes in the process. She stopped swinging again and attempted to push up glasses that weren't on her face.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Kurama said as he reached into his pants pocket, pulling out a pair of black glasses, "These are yours, aren't they?"
"Yes." Reiko replied a bit skeptically, taking her glasses. "But how-"
"Let's just say a little birdie gave them to me." He smiled as she raised her eyebrows at him. She figured Botan had given them to him because she had forgotten them. "You don't need them anymore do you?"
"Nope." She stated as she put them on her face.
"Then why do you continue to wear them?"
"Habit." She replied blandly. Kurama paused before chuckling.
"Well, if you don't have any more questions-" he started to say as he began to stand up.
"Ah, not so fast." Reiko said, causing Kurama to sit back down. "You're not getting away that easy." She smirked as Kurama laughed.
"Alright. What else?" he asked. She didn't know why, but she was starting to become comfortable with Kurama. There was just something natural about him that she trusted.
"Why are you being so kind to me? You barely know who I am." She asked trailing off on the last sentence. Kurama paused, looking over at her as she kept her eyes on the ground below her.
"Because I believe you are a good person." He said with a smile. Her eyes only saddened as she continued to look at her feet.
"You're wrong," she said barely above a whisper. "I am anything but that." She looked up at him and sighed with a forced half smile. "And I've learned to accept it." Kurama didn't say anything more, only stared at her for a while before standing up and reaching his hand out to her. She hesitated but took his hand and he pulled her up.
"Let's head on back." Kurama suggested and Reiko only nodded in response as they started to make their way back to Kurama's house. They walked back the same way they had walked to the park- in silence.
Kurama understood what Reiko meant; he had gone through some similar feelings when he was younger. He had let his past convince him he was still the same thieving demon he had been his entire life. But he learned through love and friendship that it didn't matter any more. What he had done, who he had been, was not who he was anymore. He was quite sure it was the same for Reiko. She just hasn't discovered the friendship and love she needs to figure it out yet.
They put their coats back into the hall closet, taking off their shoes at the door. Shiori had left a note saying she would be back later; she had gone to the store for the things she needed to make dinner. Reiko started off toward the stairs but once she had taken that first step Kurama had grabbed her by the wrist. She turned and looked at him with furrowed eyebrows.
"If I believed in you, would it make any difference?" he asked with a sincere tone. She looked at him a bit shocked and her cheeks flushed. She wasn't sure how to respond to that kind of question, no one had ever said anything like that to her before. She adverted her eyes to the side and frowned.
"I don't know…" she whispered, slipping out of his grasp and jogging up the stairs to her temporary room. Kurama didn't react in any way; he only stood there until he heard her door close before turning and walking into the living room…
.::Chapter End::.