Chapter 7
A week later...
Koenma is in his bedroom with a stack of documents. A phone is cradled between
his ear and shoulder.
"...she's really..."
Switch to Botan, laying down on her bed. She moved the reciever away from her
mouth so Koenma won't hear her eating the junk food she smuggled in with help
from her trainees.
"...nice and sweet," Koenma finished.
"Ahh..."
"So, what about you? Saicho still hanging around?"
"Sometimes."
"Um, do you like him already?"
"I don't know..."
Silence.
"What are you looking for in a woman?" Botan asked.
Switch to Koenma as he pause his stamping to think. "I--" he bit his
lip.
"Well?" Botan prompted from the phone.
"I guess a woman who could understand me, love me, and accept me for who I
am would be more than enough," he let out a dry chuckle. "Finding
someone who could understand me would be kind of hard though. But I'm glad I've
found someone who does."
"Who?" Botan asked, knowing the answer would probably be
"Sakura".
"You."
Botan's heart skipped a beat. <No> she told herself, sternly. <Shut up,
heart! I won't let you fall for Koenma!>
"What about Sakura?" she asked, hoping she doesn't sound as nervous or
eager as she felt.
"I think I'm begining to like her. She's really something else. It's not
everyday that I meet someone who I could easily get along with. Someone who
isn't so intimidated with my status."
Botan's heart plunged. "That's nice," she managed to whisper.
Then, Koenma went on with almost a minute to minute account of the whole day he
spent with Sakura.
Botan shut her eyes as she settled more comfortably on her bed. <I think I'm
going to have another headache.>
~~~
About a month later...
Koenma is walking down the nearly empty hallway when he caught sight of a
familiar blue-haired girl. "Oi! Botan! Is that you?"
"Koenma-sama, hi!" Botan smiled at him as they walk closer to each
other.
"I didn't know that you're back," he said. "And I didn't know
we're back on formalities again," he added softly.
"I just got here the other day..."
"The other day? You've been here two days and I haven't seen you till
now?"
"I'm looking after a lot of new ferrygirls and you're busy. I guess,"
Botan shrugged.
The nagging suspicion that Botan is avoiding him came back in full force. In the
past two weeks they've barely talked to each other. Everytime he looks for her
someone will tell him that Botan doesn't want to be disturbed.
"Are you avoiding me?" he blurted out.
"Avoiding you? Of course not, why would I do that?"
~~~
Botan let out a grateful sigh after George dragged Koenma away to another
meeting, he has a lot of those lately. It saved her from more lies that she's
not avoiding him when in fact she is. Why shouldn't she? Doesn't he understand
that if she keeps on hanging around him she might fall for him the same way she
did for Yusuke?
She was so engrossed in her thoughts she nearly collided with someone.
"Gomen!" they exclaimed at the same time.
"Oh, you're Botan-san, right?"
"H-hai," she forced a smile, "How've you been, Sakura-san?"
Sakura took her arm, "Are you busy tonight? I'd really like to get to know
you more. Over dinner, maybe?" She blushed, "I know that you and
Koenma are good friends and I'm hoping you could give me more information about
him..." Sakura looks at her hopefully.
"Um, sure. What time?"
Sakura smiled brightly.
Botan's heart took another painful dive.
~~~
Over dinner at Sakura's spacious suite, the two of them discuss all sorts of
things.
<Koenma was right, she's very nice, well-mannered, sweet, intelligent... what
more can he ask for?>
"I heard a member of the Special Defense team... Saicho, is courting
you..."
"Saicho and I are friends. It's nothing more than just that."
Silence.
"How are things between you and Koenma-sama?"
Sakura's eyes brighten. "Great! Everything's just great!"
"Do you love him?"
"I hated the idea of marrying someone I've never even met. Back home,
there's someone that I really care about. But he doesn't feel the same way... I
was devasted when they told me that the wedding will be moved centuries earlier.
After I met Koenma," she smiled, "all that changed. He's..." she
shook her head. "I can't explain it, but he's really special, very
different from all the others I've met and not because he's a prince. We became
closer these past few weeks and now, I realize, I don't want to lose him."
She locked gazes with Botan, "I've fallen in love with him,
Botan-san."