Orphans
by Keiko no Miko

Chapter One
Yusuke

Two weeks in junior high. Two weeks that didn’t go too well. Two long, boring weeks filled with trips to the Dean, reprimands from impersonal teachers, and nights of dragging my drunken mother from the bar back home.

And now…this.

I can’t believe this, I thought. This can’t be happening. I have a life! I need to live! I have to make my own decisions for myself! You can’t lead my life—it’s MY life. MY decisions. You can't make me do this!

But I knew I couldn’t argue more, lest I wanted to feel that painful blow from the one dragging me towards that dingy old bus that was going to take me and several others to a place I was sure to loathe for the rest of my life.

Wait. I can use my authority, right? I’m a guy…I’m only Urameshi Yusuke, the toughest guy in Sarayashiki, and I can beat up just about anyone. People shudder at the thought of my name. My classmates avoid me whenever they see me. So, see, I have all the power in my hands. I can even beat up Dean Takenaka if I want to.

The problem is, I couldn’t.

And worse, the one who was hauling me to the bus is the one and only person I can’t stand, but I can’t hurt—even if it kills me….

"Darn it!" I couldn’t stand it any longer. I finally yelled, pulling my arm off Yukimura Keiko’s hands. "Are you really born to annoy me every step of the way?"

"I’m not born to do that, and I am not annoying you," Keiko retorted, crossing her arms under her breasts. "I just can’t let you get caught by Dean again."

"Ack, Dean, teachers, Dean!" I groaned loudly, scratching my head with both hands. "As if I care—"

I was cut short when Keiko pulled me again. "Come on now or the bus will leave us!"

"That’ll be good," I muttered to myself.

"What did you just say?!"

"I said I can’t stand these…these…these stupid class trips!"

Keiko had somehow managed to make me get on the bus. Now she was leading me to the back of the bus, where there were empty two-person seats. Some of our classmates gaped at us funny.

It wasn’t me. It was Keiko.

"I’m SURE you’re going to enjoy this one," Keiko said as she let me take the seat beside the window. The sensible little pain. She knew I would escape if I sit by the aisle. She sat beside me, placing her denim backpack on her lap. "This is different."

I pouted and looked outside. It was springtime (yeah right, naturally), and Sarayashiki Junior High was surrounded by blooming cherry trees. You know, odd as it may sound, I like seeing these sakura. They’re just so pretty; they just let these cute pink petals fly when a gust of wind blows…

…What the heck…

I turned to Keiko. "Where are we going again?"

Keiko’s face faulted. "What…you don’t know?"

"Er…"

Keiko waved her hand over her face. "Never mind." She probably remembered that I did not know anything about school activities. "We’re going to the orphanage."

"Ah. Sou da."

I looked out again. The bus had begun to move.

Orphanage, I thought, pushing the strands of hair off the front of my eyes. Lack of anything to do got my mind wandering to places again.

I don’t know where my scenario of the orphanage came from, but I imagined it to be a filthy old building reeking with the scent of cockroaches…no, make it kiddie barf. (I’m horrible, ne?) It would be littered with nutty children wearing unruly clothes. Hmm…their sleeping quarters would have to be on the second or third floor, where a hundred futons are lined from end to end of the room. And they would be eating in a stuffy dining hall where the kids would yell at each other for having less food than the other.

That was funny. For me, I mean, but don’t laugh. It was funny—you know, the way things were. I was very close to being thrown into that orphanage anyway, considering how my mother had been acting. If I had the heart to leave her at home with her bottles of sake, social workers would get me. But I couldn’t do that. Therefore, I just had to put up with her, or at least wander about the streets until bedtime. Thankfully, I was fourteen years old and I could stand on my own feet…as regards some things.

Come to think of it though, if my teachers tell social workers that I’m a delinquent because my mother is a drunkard…well, they’ve got to do something to keep me from being a big-time thug.

And I’m at least proud to say that I’m not a gangster, even though almost everyone in Sarayashiki thinks that I am one. Well, I can’t convince them that I’m not, can I? But I’m not a thug.

Maybe you can thank Keiko for that.

Keiko is the only person in the world who can tell me what to do and get away with it. Sometimes, I think she’s a tyrant, but actually she acts more like a mother bird towards me. I really don’t know how to react to that (she still drives me crazy with her "education is an important part of you life" lectures, even though I know she’s right, unfortunately).

But somehow, I knew she is a very special person to me. She is my best friend—it still stumps me from where she got that title, though.

…No way the stubble forming just above my upper lip has anything to do with it….

Oh, please. Not these "budding teen" stuff! I could just puke, you know! I hate it! I thought, shuddering. I think too much!

"Doushita no, Yusuke?"

Keiko must have noticed that shudder. "Uh…maybe I felt the presence of a ghost," I said. I really did hope she’d buy it.

Keiko raised an eyebrow skeptically. "You didn’t even notice that we’ve arrived."

"We have?!" I looked outside again. So where’s the building?

"There!" Keiko said, pointing. "That’s the orphanage!"

She was pointing at a cozy-looking two-story house, although quite larger than the usual houses I see. There was a well-tended garden on the front yard, probably where the kids played. It was located in a suburban neighborhood I wasn’t quite familiar with.

"Now isn’t this a cool place for orphans to live in?" Keiko was asking. "It makes them forget about…you know, things…."

"Yeah," I muttered. For a split second back there, I kind of wished that I lived in that orphanage.

I guess my imagination had gone way overboard again.

"Hey, where are all the toothless kids?" A voice from the front boomed. Nakamura. I hardly noticed him and his sidekick Matsunaga all morning, though I was sure they had been rowdy as usual.

"I kinda expected ‘em to jump from the windows," Matsunaga added, "armed with toy guns—"

Nakamura finished it for him. "—where they hide their nose candy!"

I saw Keiko’s eyes widen in shock. "What the—"

"Nakamura! Matsunaga!" It was Iwamoto, the teacher who accompanied us to this trip. "Shut up and don’t say that term around here!"

Everyone was shocked. My classmates began whispering at each other. Actually, I was shocked, too. I never used drugs and I have no intention to use them, and hearing two of my classmates say them as if cocaine was kids’ junk food pissed me off.

"Maybe the kids got scared of your pig faces," I blurted out.

The bus fell silent. Urameshi Yusuke has spoken.

The two weren’t affected, though. "Who are you calling pig face?" Nakamura returned.

"Look who’s talking!" Matsunaga put in.

"Ask anyone from this class and they’ll tell you who’s pig-faced between the two of us," I replied calmly, but I narrowed my eyes for good measure.

"Yusuke, stop it…"

I glanced at Keiko. I saw her swallow; she gave me a look I knew too well. Don’t do anything, or else, her widened eyes said like there was a hidden threat in them.

I knew she just didn’t want to put myself in trouble, but no, you can’t stop me now, I told her in my mind.

"You wanna fight, Urameshi?" Nakamura threatened menacingly as he stood up.

"You’re cheating on your own life upon saying that," I replied, cracking my knuckles.

"URAMESHI!!!"

I rolled my eyes. I dropped my gaze on the intruder—no one but Iwamoto. He was standing beside a shaking Keiko.

"How many times must I tell you, you little brat, not to pick fights anymore? Don’t you just get it? Are you that dumb?!"

Oh, no. I’m not as dumb as someone who became a teacher yet couldn’t understand the meaning of "pick fights." Who started it, man? Don’t you just get it?

I fought hard to keep my fist from ramming smack on that ugly face. Of all the teachers who could come with us, why him?

Iwamoto glared at me more, then left.

"Bastard," I muttered.

Suddenly, sharp pain hit me on my thigh. "Whoa!" I yelped. "AGGGHHH!!!"

Keiko had hit my left thigh with her elbow. And it hurt. HURT!

I hugged my legs. "WHADDAYA HAVE TO DO THAT FOR?!" I yelled at her face.

"TO MAKE YOU SHUT UP!!!" she yelled back.

"COULDN’T YOU JUST HAVE TOLD ME?!"

"Yukimura!" Iwamoto was back beside Keiko. "Now do you have to let Urameshi influence you?" He shook his head disgustedly. "I thought you were one of my better students!"

Ooookay. Looks like Keiko has gone way over the edge, too. It was the rarest of times when Keiko got admonished by our teachers.

And usually, it was my fault they happened….

But I didn’t tell Keiko to shout at me, ne? And her elbow did hurt. Funny how a girl does that. Unfortunately, I’m the only one who knows how hard she slaps—or elbows, for that matter.

"G-gomen nasai, sensei," Keiko whispered, her voice evidently quivering.

"Hn." Iwamoto left again, and this time, he got down the bus.

I couldn’t help but crack a smile. I nudged Keiko’s elbow. "Hey, something always comes up, right? Cheer up, there are bad times in a good day."

Keiko looked at me. There she was with the dagger-throwing look again. However, the anger I saw in her eyes were matched by tears that threatened to fall down. Her eyebrows began to protrude, although she kept a hard look.

"Er…" I couldn’t tear my eyes of her distressed face. "I…"

I looked up for sympathizers.

And GEEZ, I realized that the whole class was staring at us like we had done some major public display of affection!

"So what are you looking at?!" I told them, putting in my best my-name-is-Urameshi-Yusuke-and-I-came-to-beat-you-all-up voice.

Everyone straightened up and looked away. Heck, even Matsunaga and Nakamura did so.

"Yeah, that’s it; mind your own business!" I clamored.

"Just…shut up."

"Huh?" I glanced at Keiko once more. She was staring at the floor as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world, but even that couldn’t conceal her flushed cheeks.

As she was saying about enjoying this trip….

"You may all go down now," Iwamoto called.

Keiko immediately stood up and slung her backpack over her shoulders. Yes, she’s mad at me again. The toss of her bag proved it.

I hate it when she does that. We always get on each other’s nerves, sure, and I don’t stop annoying her, but…I sure feel bad when she ignores me.

I tried to catch up with her. Now it was me who was trying to be with her (no malice intended, okay?). "Oi, wait up!"

"Leave me alone," Keiko groaned, descending the bus.

"Hey, come on, it’s not as if Iwamoto is going to give you a low grade in conduct, you know."

She suddenly whipped around and faced me. "Oh, no, I don’t feel bad about my grades. I just…ack!" She threw her head back. "I just don’t understand why you can’t even listen to me once!"

"I don’t listen to you? How did I get in this bus if I didn’t?"

I got her, I saw. But she didn’t give up. "I told you to stop throwing back insults at those…Matsunaga and Nakamura!"

"Oh, geez, thanks for thinking about me, Kei-chan." I added a little emphasis on the name I always used when we were younger. "But if you were in my shoes…they just said something about drugs! Don’t you just…hate it? I couldn’t let that pass, and you know it."

Keiko sighed, her shoulders slumping forward. "Look, I just…" She shook her head and looked at my face. "Get out of trouble, okay?"

"Oh, sure," I said.

She turned about-face and walked towards the bunch of kids that had formed a group in front of the gate of the house. I didn’t even see them come out.

How many times had Keiko asked me to stay out of trouble?

I didn’t bother to think about it when Iwamoto called everyone to meet the kids. Among them were two grown-ups, but one elderly lady caught my attention. She was a bit chubby and she wore a pair of wire-rimmed glasses. A warm smile lit up her face; it was clear to see that she could have been very pretty when she was younger.

As I got closer, I heard her introduce herself as Hayashi Yuriko. "You may call me Yuriko-san," she said as she took a close look at each one of us from Sarayashiki. Most of my classmates just stared at her blankly, as if she was giving the most boring speech in the history of Japan. We were like that, you know.

Where is Keiko?

I squeezed my way through until I got to the front row of the junior high group. Sure enough, she was there. And sure enough, she had the most stupid look on her face.

She looked like what treasure hunters look like when they have found a pirate ship on the seabed overflowing with diamonds and rubies. But of course, for Keiko, the treasures would be the kids. She loves them a lot.

"Saa, you guys can play with these kids now." Iwamoto’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Yeah!!!"

I turned to look at the only person who made that noise. And what do you know, it was Keiko! She suddenly took off from her place towards the kids. All of their innocent eyes were wide at her, and even Yuriko-san seemed surprised.

"Hello, kids! My name is Keiko-neechan." Keiko greeted them, kneeling down on the grass and grinning widely. "What are yours?"

I saw Yuriko-san sigh softly, then smile.

She must have thought, I didn’t know there still are junior high school students like her.

Well, that’s Yukimura Keiko for you.

Later on, the others came closer to the kids, not really greeting them like how Keiko did, but just did it because their grades are at stake. Or maybe because they didn’t want to be called to the faculty room or to the dean’s office. Talk about fakers….

If people are meant to help these kids, or at least make them feel all right, then they should have done it…you know, from the heart. And not because they’re supposed to be there, and at least pretend that they are happy to see them. Do you catch the drift?

The point is, people should be more like themselves, who they are deep inside.

And you say that that’s probably the reason why I’m like this, cutting classes and busting guts?

Yeah, maybe you’re right.

I made my way towards Keiko. She was talking to a shy-looking girl who did nothing but to stare and nod at her. But it was obvious she was fascinated at Keiko.

"Oi," I said, squatting down beside her.

"Oh, hi." Remarkably, she smiled, as if she had forgotten all about our fight just a while ago. "Kids, this is your Yusuke-niichan." She nudged me with her elbow. "Say hi to them."

I released a dramatic sigh—too dramatic, in fact. "Hi, kids," I said in a flat tone. "So do you and Keiko get along well? She becomes more and more dangerous as you get to know her."

"Don’t listen to him," Keiko said, throwing me a killer’s glance. "I don’t bite, really!"

"She only punches."

"Shut up, Yusuke."

I noticed that a few girls giggled. I was getting a knack out of annoying Keiko. But then again, I always have.

I knelt on the ground and took Keiko’s right hand. Her eyes suddenly widened; she gasped a little as I gripped her hand tighter.

"Wh-what?" she stammered.

I mustered up all the strength to say those words: "Keiko…"

Everyone was quiet.

"…Will you…marry me?"

Keiko took in her breath sharply; I even noticed her tremble a bit.

After a long moment, she began to speak. "Will…you…"

I raised both eyebrows, urging her to continue.

"Will…you…STOP SAYING THAT WHEN WE FIGHT?!"

The next thing I knew, I was thrown off the orbit of the earth. But when I came to, I noticed that I had fallen on the ground…right, where I was before she hit me.

I blinked, trying to get rid of the stars dancing in front of my eyes. I heard laughter—kids’ laughter.

"Eheheh…what do you know, they loved it!"

"Huh? What?" I shook my head and looked up at Keiko, who had a funny expression on her face as she scratched her head.

"They think we’re doing a show!" Keiko exclaimed, chuckling softly. "Let’s do it again, ne, Yusuke?"

"NANI?!" I fully recovered all of a sudden. "No…no thank you."

She held out her hand. "They think you’re funny."

I took her hand and pulled myself up. "So a marriage proposal is funny, huh?"

"Not when it’s real," she replied. But if I didn’t know better, I’d say she was blushing.

The fire truck came when I was scrutinizing Keiko’s cheeks. It hit me on the head like a mallet. Give me a break, the fire truck was a toy. But still, I fell off my feet.

"Hey…who was that?" came Keiko’s voice. "I didn’t do it, Yusuke."

"Dang it!" I muttered, soft enough so that no one could hear. I stood up and whirled around to find the culprit.

It wasn’t too hard to find him. A boy, probably six or seven years of age, was standing in the middle of a semicircle formed by other boys. He had an almost scared look on his face…I guessed that he didn’t do it on purpose. On second thought, it could have been because I was scowling the Urameshi Yusuke way.

I picked up the toy truck and walked towards him. The others took a few steps backwards, but the boy didn’t even move.

To my surprise, he lifted up a defiant chin and said, "I’m not scared of you."

"Hey, you’re a bratty kid," I muttered.

He pouted, his frown deepening. "Give that back to me!"

"Oh, sure I will." I turned to the nearest boy. "What’s his name?"

"Toshiro," the boy wearing a red baseball cap replied. "He’s pretty tough around here, so be careful."

"Toshiro," I repeated. "Thanks, uh…"

"Kaemon," the boy said, grinning.

"Kaemon. Toshiro, Kaemon." Yeah, it was obvious that Toshiro was a rugged little kid, and he even had the potential of being someone like…

Like me.

Kaemon had more of a friendly disposition. He wasn’t the least bit afraid when I asked him, but that was out of eagerness, and not of vulgarity.

"Tell you what, Toshiro," I told the kid, holding his truck up. "I’ll give you this thing back, if you can make sure that there is no coin hidden behind your ear."

Toshiro registered a startled look and held both of his ears. "There’s none," he said.

"Are you sure?" I asked. I was enjoying this.

"Yeah," Toshiro huffed. With a toss of his longish brown locks, he held out his hand.

I pulled the toy away from him. "What if I can get one from there?"

"No, you can’t." As if on second thought, he went on. "Unless you’re a magician, of course."

"I am a magician," I said.

"You’re not!" Toshiro laughed aloud. "What kind of a magician looks like you?"

I had to laugh a little. The kid reminded me of myself when I was of his age. But I was worse than he was.

I had wandered off in a department store while ofukuro was checking out a few pairs of kids’ shoes. Completely oblivious to the fact that I was lost, I went to the women’s department. I saw an obese lady looking at herself in front of a mirror, seeing if the strapless black evening gown she was wearing suited her.

I must have had stared at her for too long, for the lady noticed me. "Why, hi there, little boy." She stood in front of me. "What do you think of me in this dress?"

Dumbly, and maybe truthfully, I said, "You look like a fistful of rice and seafood wrapped in seaweed, dipped in spicy sauces and served in a sushi bar."

A blood-curdling scream had rung across the air….

Anyway, back to the present. I reached out and pretended to pull something out of behind Toshiro’s ear. When I drew my palm back, a coin rested there.

I heard a series of whoas and wows. It was only then that I noticed that a crowd had gathered around us.

"An old trick," I heard one of my classmates mumble.

So what? The kids liked it.

"Hey, there was none when I checked!" Toshiro protested. "Give my truck back to me!"

I looked at Toshiro. He actually looked pitiful. He was near tears—I knew I just had to give back the truck.

I was going to give it back in the first place, anyway. The toy must have meant a lot to him.

"Oi." I handed the toy fire truck to him. "It’s yours. I won’t take it."

Toshiro blinked at me. And again. "You…you won’t?"

I smiled. "Hey, I don’t play with those things anymore, you know."

Toshiro stared at me for a long moment. Then, like a child being told that they are going to the zoo, a look of rapture and appreciation crossed his young face. I couldn’t resist smiling even wider; thank goodness the kid didn’t cry or something.

Toshiro gladly took the truck, bowed a little, and took off. I gazed after his running figure. For a while there, I felt the urge to follow him…and maybe give him a big hug.

"So how did you do that?"

I turned around to face Keiko. She held two girls on both sides. "Well," I started, "I knew I couldn’t make any mess around here, and anyway, I wanted the kid to feel happy while we’re here."

Keiko smiled warmly, but shook her head. "Not that. I mean the coin."

"Oh." I snickered. "That? I’ll teach you how when we get out of here."

"Really? Thanks." Keiko’s smile broadened even more. She looked a lot better when she smiled than when she scowled (especially when that scowl is paired with an out-of-this-world slap). "See you later, then."

"Yeah, later." I gave a little wave. Keiko did the same, and followed the girl who was tugging at her left hand.

Sugoi, that was easy. There was no need for any apology, was there? As long as there were kids, Keiko was okay.

I guess I had to thank Toshiro, too.

"Oh, by the way." It was Keiko again, looking at me behind her shoulder.

"Hmm?"

That smile didn’t leave her face. "Sure, I’ll marry you."

WHAT?!

Keiko giggled. She held up her fingers in a V-sign. "Just kidding."

"Oh, geez." I let my breath out with a whoosh. When I looked up again, she was gone.

I rolled my eyes and went on my way to find any kid who would love to hang out with me. Which was hard—they were scattered around the area, and some had even entered the front yard of the orphanage. We were still there, on a grassy patch of land beside the sidewalk. The road was very near.

That proposal…oi, don’t even think that it was real. I always did that when she was mad at me. And it worked most of the time, actually.

But she never said yes.

And when she just did, just a while ago…

It was only a joke, man.

Why do I feel my heart sinking, then? Oh, geez. Oh, geez, I hate this feeling….

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