Chapter 3
The four of them, Kuwabara, Yukina, Kurama, and Botan entered the dimly lit
movie house. They're going to watch yet *another* love story, at Kuwabara's
insistence, of course.
They sat down, with Yukina and Kurama at either side of Botan.
"Um, Kurama-kun?" Botan whispered.
Kurama turned to her with a questioning look.
"Aren't we supposed to visit Keiko and Yusuke's baby?"
"We will, after the movie. Kuwabara really wanted to see this."
"Ah. What's this about?"
"Asteroids. The end of the world."
She nodded and turned back to the screen just as the word ARMAGEDDON appeared.
Several hours later, after yet another gripping (literally and figuratively)
movie...
"Oi, Botan, where's your other half?" Kuwabara asked.
"Other ha--half?" Botan asked with a nervous gulp, wondering if
Kuwabara can read minds now. <He doesn't know that I was thinking of Koenma
throughout the whole movie, right?!>
Kurama is still rubbing his arm to bring back the circulation.
"Koenma!" Kuwabara exclaimed.
"Ko--Koenma-sa--sama?" Botan stuttered.
Kurama shot them an amused look. Yusuke told them a few days ago that Koenma and
Botan seem to be getting closer these days.
"He's not my other half!!" Botan said, her face red.
Kuwabara laughed, "Then why are you blushing?"
"Because!" Botan reply, irked.
"Because?"
"Just because!"
Kuwabara is about to comment again but Kurama elbowed him. Kurama knows that
Kuwabara and Yusuke have plans of setting up Koenma and Botan together but the
trick is to drop hints and not be obvious.
Botan seems determined to change the topic as she began to ask questions about
the new baby.
As they near the ramen shop, Botan asked Kurama, "I was wondering, how come
you're all by yourself?"
"I'm not all by myself," Kurama said, pretending that he doesn't know
what she's talking about, "I'm with you, Kuwabara, and Yukina."
"You know what I mean!"
Kurama chuckled. "She stayed at the ramen shop to help out Yusuke."
<And I promised her we'll cheer you up> he added to himself silently.
Botan seems like her usual cheery self but there's something missing from her
eyes. But after watching the movie *and* after Kuwabara's teasing, she seemed to
have lighten up a bit, even though she seems a bit disturbed by the latter.
They enter the shop and Kurama immediately walked up to the dark haired girl
standing by the counter. He gave the girl a hug from behind.
Yusuke came down the stairs, "Oi! Where's Koenma?" he directed the
question at Botan.
Botan felt another hot blush rise up to her cheeks, "He can't come,"
she mumbled.
"Why are you blushing?"
"It's a trigger. Try saying Koenma," Kuwabara said, stressing every
syllable of Koenma's name. Botan's face reddened even more and she glared hotly
at Kuwabara.
Yusuke laughed, "Do I detect..."
Yusuke never got to finish his question as Botan's hand landed hard on top of
his head.
"AWW!"
~~~
Koenma walked to the balcony and saw that Botan is already there. "I didn't
know that you're back. How are they?"
"They're fine. And the baby is so kawaii!!"
He chuckled, "What else did you guys do?"
"We watched a movie. You should have been there, it's pretty good and the
guys were looking for you."
"Ah." He looked at her closely. "You seem...distracted."
"Distracted? Me? No," she gave a slightly forced smile, "of
course not!"
"Yusuke?"
"No," he looked at her closely, she seems to be telling the truth.
"Kurama?"
"Are you nuts?"
He laughed, "It is Kurama. Well, he's a nice guy. Good choice."
Botan's cheeks reddened.
"I...do...not...like...Kurama-kun...that...way," she said, stressing
every word.
"Sure you don't," he replied, clearly skeptical.
Botan lets out a defeated sigh, "Believe what you wish."
Koenma grinned, "It's true then!"
<He's got a really nice smile. And those hazel eyes... How come I've never
noticed before?>
"He already has a girlfriend, in case you've forgotten..."
"So what?" Koenma shrugged, "It's just a crush..."
"I don't have a crush on him!"
"Un-hn."
<Baby or not, he can still be so annoyingly stubborn.>