Is it Wrong to Fall in Love?
by Keiko no Miko
Prologue
Job is done for blue-haired Botan, a ferry girl from Reikai. She wasn’t sent by the Prince to the city of Tokyo to ferry another soul, but to patrol on "hot spots"—certain places on the Ningenkai where youkais are supposed to appear more often. And since she saw nothing peculiar, as like any other day for the past five years or so, she decided to change into casual attire and head for the restaurant of a ningen friend.
"OREO COOKIES!!!" came Urameshi Yusuke’s booming voice as he saw Yukimura Keiko come out of the kitchen, holding a tray filled with cookies and three glasses of warm milk. "That’s the new version, ne?"
"Yeah, with a thicker cream filling," Keiko affirmed, setting the tray on the table. Yusuke automatically took two cookies and stuffed them in his mouth, much to Keiko’s dissatisfaction.
Botan took a glass of milk and sipped. "What does it taste like?" she asked.
"Why, they’re like the most delicious cookies I’ve ever tasted!" Keiko exclaimed, picking one up. She detached the brown pastries sandwiching the white cream inside. "Come on, have a bite."
Botan, although in a bit of hesitation, took a cookie. "You put this in the refrigerator or something?"
"It’ll taste better that way," Yusuke said, dipping another cookie into his glass of milk. "And with hot milk? Mm-hmm!"
"I see," Botan said cheerfully, taking a bite. "Mm, ‘re good!"
"Told you so," Keiko said. She carefully licked the cream off one cookie. "I’m really glad to see you around here, Botan-chan."
"Actually, it seems as if I’m sneaking off my duties," Botan said with a nervous laugh. "Koenma-sama is going to get really angry when he finds out I’m here."
Yusuke shook his head. "He won’t," assured he. "If he knows you’re visiting Keiko, he won’t get mad."
"You think?"
Yusuke took a huge gulp of milk and set the empty glass on the table. "‘Course."
Keiko smiled at Botan. "By the way, tell him we’re happy for him."
This caught Botan off-guard. "Er…happy?"
Yusuke snapped his fingers. "Oh, yeah! Hah-hah, yeah, tell him that."
Yusuke and Keiko failed to see the confused look in Botan’s face. She found herself reddening a bit. "Uh…tell him what?"
This time, Keiko noticed. "Doushita no? Don’t you know he’s getting married to your friend, Ayame?"
Botan’s jaw almost fell on her glass.
Yusuke raised his eyebrows. "You don’t know?!"
"Ah…er, yeah, of COURSE!" Botan blurted out, feigning recollection. "Of COURSE! The WEDDING! How can I be so forgetful?!" Botan broke into a wide grin as she scratched the back of her neck. "SURE, I’ll tell him THAT!"
Yusuke and Keiko exchanged baffled looks.
"By the way, did you try to choke out the information from him or something?" Botan asked.
Yusuke was staring at Botan. "Er…he told me…"
Botan stood up and banged her fists on the table, letting out a thunderous bang. "He TOLD YOU?!"
Yusuke almost fell of his seat. "Uh, hai…"
Botan’s mouth hung open for several moments. The three stared at each other.
Finally, Botan was able to collect herself. She gave out a loud Santa Claus laugh. "Which reminds me, I should be going now. Ha-ha-ha!" Her oar appeared on her hands all of a sudden. "I’ll visit you again sometime, ne?"
"Um…uh…yeah," Keiko stuttered, too shocked to speak.
"Ha-ha!" Botan opened the door. "Ja ne!"
"Er…"
Without letting Yusuke and Keiko say goodbye, she sped off, leaving them still staring after her.