A Pathetic Attempt at Romance

by Misty

Chapter 2

“You’re actually in love, Koenma?!”

“I’M NOT!!!!”

“You’re actually in love!!!! WAHAHAHAHA!!!!!”

Yusuke and Kuwabara collapsed on the floor, rolling helplessly with laughter. Koenma was trying, with much difficulty, to control his rapidly rising temper, and he clenched his fists. If only Kurama wasn’t away on some business, he thought angrily. Maybe he would have been much more help than these two…

“Why do people laugh at me whenever I tell them that?!” he fumed, glaring at the two. “I’m the Reikai Prince, and everybody should give me a little more respect--”

“It’s really hilarious, Koenma,” Yusuke guffawed. “I mean, you actually falling in love with someone? It’s even more incredible than Hiei being Yukina’s twi—er.” He stopped talking abruptly, realizing his blunder.

Luckily, Kuwabara didn’t hear Yusuke’s comment, for he was too busy laughing. “Yeah, and with Botan, too. The poor girl…”

“WOULD YOU TWO JUST PLEASE SHUT UP AND HELP ME?!” Koenma finally yelled, his patience spent.

“Okay, okay,” Yusuke said casually. “Calm down.”

He regarded Koenma for a moment, examining him from head to foot. He looked disapprovingly at his clothes, and he shook his head.

“Well, if you want to be really romantic, Koenma, you have to look it,” he said critically.

“How?!”

“Change into a tux or something,” Yusuke said, shrugging. “Anything but that.”

‘What’s wrong with it?”

“It just is,” Yusuke insisted. “Oh, and this has to go, too.” Moving swiftly, he pulled Koenma’s pacifier out of the the prince’s mouth.

“What?!” Koenma burst out indignantly. He tried to get hold of his pacifier, but Yusuke pulled it out of his reach.

Koenma stamped his foot, and started repeatedly yelling “Give that back!!!!!!!!!!!!!” at the top of his lungs.

“No, no,” Yusuke said, grinning smugly. “A romantic man doesn’t yell like a baby either.”

“Who’s yelling?!” Koenma yelled. “And I’m not a baby!!!”

“Whatever you say, Koenma,” Yusuke said sardonically.

“YUSUKE!!!!!!!!!!”

“Anyway, as I was saying,” Yusuke went on, ignoring him, “You also have to give her a nice gift. Do you have anything in mind?”

“No,” Koenma said sheepishly. “That’s also my problem. I don’t have a gift for her…”

“So what are we doing here then? Let’s go!”

***************

 “Er…what about this?” Koenma said, holding up a small box of chocolates. “No, too ordinary. Or maybe this? No, this!” He kept holding up possible gifts, but he still wasn’t satisfied, and his two companions weren’t helping.

“Augh!” Koenma grunted, his patience spent. “Could you please at least help me?!”

Utter silence met his outburst. He suddenly realized that he was all alone in the shop, except for the young woman at the cash register. The woman raised an eyebrow at him.

“You know, if you don’t stop talking to yourself, mister,” she said rudely, “I’m going to call the cops. You’re obviously deranged.”

“I’m not deranged!!!” Koenma said, and left the shop, insulted.

Now where did those two go off to?! he thought, stomping off to find his companions.

“YES! I GOT IT!!!”

“No fair, Urameshi!”

Koenma heard familiar voices coming from an arcade, and he stormed inside it, gritting his teeth in fury. Several people ducked out of his way, for he looked as if he was about to explode. And explode he did.

“YUSUKE!!!!!! KUWABARA!!!!!!!!!”

Kuwabara and Yusuke started, and they looked up at him, sheepish grins on their faces.

“Hey, Koenma,” Kuwabara said, trying to mollify the prince, “Have you seen this new game? It’s cool, and it’s called Greed Island, and it’s--”

“We’re not here to play video games!” Koenma said sternly, but looked at the game in spite of himself. “Hey, that looks really interesting…”

“Wanna play?” Yusuke offered, standing up.

Koenma nodded, suddenly forgetting his earlier anger. “I guess…”

They began playing the game again with Koenma, and so engrossed were they in the game that they would have forgotten all about his Valentine predicament, if Kuwabara hadn’t suddenly heard a soft, sweet, and to his ears, divine voice speak outside.

“It’s Yukina-san!!!” Kuwabara yelled, running towards the door. “It’s my Yukina-chan!”

Koenma and Yusuke tried to keep up with the excited orange-haired young man, when Koenma suddenly came to a dead stop.

Yusuke, being behind Koenma, bumped into him. “Kono yarou, Koenma! What’s going on?”

Koenma gulped, looking at the girls with Yukina. “It’s…it’s…” He discreetly pointed at the girls. Shizuru was there, along with Yukina, Keiko, and…

“Botan…” Koenma whispered, feeling butterflies in his stomach.

“Eh, so what?” Yusuke said, pushing him towards the girls.

“But…but…I don’t even have a gift for her yet!” Koenma silently protested.

Koenma would have just stayed frozen where he was, had not Botan suddenly spotted them. “Koenma-sama! There you are! Just the person I wanted to see--”

She never got to finish, for Koenma suddenly fled.

What the heck is happening to me? Koenma inwardly fumed as he ran. He never felt this way about Botan before, not in all those years she had known her. She was his most trusted employee, his confidante…his best friend. He had known her for all these years, so why was he acting this way, running away like some crazy lunatic just because she was coming his way? He had always been confident in her presence, even to the point of bossing her around, but now…why was it the other around? Why was it that she made him nervous? Wasn’t he her boss?

I guess you do have a heart after all, Koenma-sama!

Koenma shook his head, remembering George’s words. So maybe I do, he thought, grinning in spite of himself.

“Aha! Gotcha, Koenma-sama!!!”

Koenma’s thoughts were cut off by a shrill scream behind him, and he reddened furiously. He increased his speed, but a hand had grasped his wrist, and didn’t let him go.

“Oh, Koenma-sama!” Botan continued excitedly. “You’re not going to get away from me this time!”

“No..I..let me go!” Koenma stammered, still trying to run.

Probably from her annoyance at me, Koenma thought.

“I…I…c-can’t…” Koenma stuttered, still not finding the courage to face Botan.

“Well…I love you, you know!”

Koenma stopped his struggling. “You…what…?”

But Botan only ignored his question, and went on. “I’ll let you go, then, if you give me a kiss!”

“What?!” Koenma said, and his amazement was so great that he finally whirled around. “I—I’d love to—no! I didn’t mean that—well I guess I do, but—oh what the heck—” He stopped, staring at the person before him.

‘Botan’ turned out to be Yusuke, and he grinned at Koenma impishly.

“Oh, Koenma-sama,” he said in the same shrill voice, “So how about that kiss?”

BLAG!

Koenma massaged his sore fist, and he stomped off, leaving the now-comatose Yusuke on the ground.

“Wait! Koenma, wait!” Yusuke, having miraculously recovered from Koenma’s punch, ran up to him.

Koenma ignored him, and went on.

“It was just a joke, you know,” Yusuke said, grinning. “You were stupid enough to fall for it, but—”

“Harrumph,” Koenma growled, and walked faster.

“Anyway, I can still help you,” Yusuke went on. “I asked Keiko what you could give to Botan—”

“You told Keiko?” Koenma paled visibly.

“Of course I did,” Yusuke said, shrugging. “I asked Yukina too, and Shizuru—”

Koenma buried his face in his hands. “Oh no.”

“Anyway,” Yusuke continued nonchalantly, “I now know what you could give Botan.”

Koenma looked up interested. “Oh? What is it then?”

Yusuke leaned forward and whispered a few words in Koenma’s ear.

“That does make sense,” Koenma said, a small smile forming on his face.

“See? So just listen to the master.” Yusuke grinned pompously.

Koenma grinned back. Now I guess everything will be all right…

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