More Than Friends 
chapter 9
Manille

Another day in school, another day for idling around the school premises.

Yusuke whistled to himself, trying to be cheerful, as he headed towards the rooftop of the school building. But no amount of humming or whistling could hide his feelings.

He saw Keiko twice that day. She neither spoke nor looked at him. And he didn’t, either. Why should I? Yusuke asked himself. She just happens to be my former acquaintance, nothing more.

It was a lie, he knew. He still missed her. Yukimura Keiko, where are you now?

Yusuke climbed the stairs, keeping his head up.

"Oi, Urameshi!"

He recognized that voice. A scowl knotted his forehead as he turned to look behind him.

"What the hell is it again, Okada?"

"Again?" Okada laughed. "Since when was the last time you spoke to me—asides from the day before yesterday?"

"You don’t have to remind me, you know," Yusuke told him and proceeded to continue climbing.

Okada laughed more loudly. "Sorry, but I can’t resist."

Yusuke stopped and looked at Okada once more. "I should have known." He sauntered downstairs, joining Okada. "Now what do you want?"

"Just want to ask—do you have any last words for Keiko before she completely ignores you?"

"There’s none," Yusuke replied, his patience slipping away. "If there is, I’m going to tell her personally."

"Hey, I can be trusted too, you know," Okada told him. "After all, I’m her boyfriend."

Yusuke felt his hands ball into fists. "Are you here only to irritate me?"

"No. I’m just trying to help."

Yusuke glared at him.

"Hey, we have a mutual sweetheart, haven't we? It just happens that she likes me much more than you. Therefore," he continued, "I would like to propose a treaty. You know, let’s be at peace with each other."

Okada extended his right hand. "You’re not mad at me, are you? It wasn’t my fault that Keiko broke you off—even if you’re only her friend."

"A friend, Okada, is a lot better than a boyfriend if the friend cares for the girl more than the boyfriend does," Yusuke told him firmly. He glanced at Okada’s hand. "What do you want me to do with that?"

Okada shrugged. "Maybe kiss it?"

"Or maybe throw it to the crocodiles."

"It’s up to you, Yusuke. Keiko will still like me even without a hand."

Yusuke gritted his teeth. He kept on reminding him about her. It was all he could do to stop his hand from knocking his chin out.

"I’m not going to shake your hand, nor am I going to forgive you for what you have done—"

"What have I done?" Okada interrupted. "It was Keiko who—"

"Shut up and let me finish." Yusuke stepped closer to him, his eyes throwing daggers towards Okada’s. "If I learn that you broke Keiko’s heart again, for whatever damn motive that you have, I swear to the name of my late father that you are going to pay—even if I have to do it the hard way."

Okada wasn’t the least bit moved. "We’ll see," he said coolly.

Yusuke glowered at him for another moment, then walked away.

Yusuke closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. He should do it. If not, his spiritual powers would get the better of him. And what’s next? The end of his life?

That would be a lot better, he told himself, rather than spending it here doing nothing.

He knew that it wasn’t the boredom. It was she. Yukimura Keiko.

"I miss you, Keiko," Yusuke whispered in the silence of their living room. "Where are you…?"

When he opened his eyes, he saw the face of his mother looking down on him.

Yusuke sighed. "What is it now, o-kaasan?"

"Why? What happened to Keiko?" she asked curiously.

Yusuke stood up from the floor and walked towards the kitchen. "It’s nothing you should know about."

"What do you mean, it’s nothing?" she argued. "Don’t I have the right to know?"

Yusuke looked at her. He noticed that she wasn’t drunk. Good for you, he thought grimly.

"You don’t care about me. Why should I tell you?"

Yusuke immediately regretted saying it. There she was, trying to be a mother, while he was pulling off his rowdy-boy stunts at her.

Yusuke bit his lips and looked at his mother’s eyes that have a hurt look in them. "All right. I’m sorry, okay?"

Urameshi Atsuko trembled. Then, without warning, she burst into fits of tears.

Yusuke felt bad about himself. Scratching his head, he walked towards his mother and massaged her shoulders. "O-kaasan, I told you I’m sorry. I’m just…upset, that’s all." Yeah, and you’re upsetting a lot of other people with your dumb attitude as well, a voice inside his head said.

Mrs. Urameshi sniffed and looked at her son. "It’s about Keiko, huh?"

"Well…" Yusuke blushed a little. "Y-yes…"

"Why? What happened?"

Oh, brother, Yusuke groaned inwardly. Might as well tell her than make her cry again.

"Uh, you see…Keiko sort of ended our friendship. And…you know…I miss her."

Her eyes widened. "Oh? Why?"

"I don’t know," Yusuke said, shrugging. "I guess she exchanged me for another guy."

"Exchanged? Don’t use that word, Yusuke."

"But…I can’t find any other reason. I asked for them, but she told me that she couldn’t, that it’s too important to be told to me, that…" Yusuke ended the sentence with a sigh. "It’s just dumb, you know! Sure, she likes the guy, but why does she have to end our friendship? Doesn’t that mean anything to her? I mean…I know that she still likes me—okay, as a friend—but why did…? Why did she have to…? She could have a boyfriend and a friend at the same time, doesn’t she?" The words seemed to flow out of Yusuke.

Mrs. Urameshi looked at Yusuke for a long moment. Then, smiling, she shook Yusuke’s hair.

"Keiko wouldn’t do that if it’s not for you," she said thoughtfully.

"For me? She’s hurting me, for goodness’ sake!"

"Didn’t her boyfriend tell her to leave you?"

"Okada?" For the first time, Yusuke thought of him. Okada, tell her to leave me?

"But if he did," Yusuke pointed out, "Keiko won’t leave me. She likes me too much to do that…doesn’t she?"

His mother paused for a while before speaking. "Yusuke, I believe I’m missing a piece of the puzzle here."

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "What? What am I not telling you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yusuke, from the moment I saw you and Keiko together, I knew that both of you will end up marrying each other. Now tell me. Do you love her or not?"

His mother spoke so suddenly that Yusuke stepped back in surprise. How did she know? he asked mentally. She doesn’t even know what’s going on with my life!

"I may seem like a drunk bastard, but I’m telling you, I know you too well."

"Well…I…"

"Hmm?"

"I…I think I do. I…feel…I do." Yusuke swallowed. "I don’t have to think about it, you know. I can just feel it—my heart tells me so. And whenever I use my head, when I ask myself if it’s love that I’m feeling, I believe it more."

His mother smiled slowly.

"So why didn’t you tell her?"

"Don’t you see, o-kaasan? She was with that guy already! It was too late when I realized that I love her!"

Mrs. Urameshi rolled her eyes. "I’m telling you what you must do. Go to your room, lie down, and think. Understand why you need her and what would happen if she weren’t around. Then ask yourself why letting go is important when you love someone."

Her words struck Yusuke as if hearing his mother give advice for the first time. Well, it is the first time, isn’t it?

"Okay." Yusuke walked slowly to his room.

Then, after a second, he bolted towards his mother and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Arigatou gozaimasu," he said sincerely.

Keiko laughed as she tossed Pu to the air and caught him again.

"Puu…" Pu twittered contentedly.

Keiko giggled and hugged it tightly. "Oh, Pu, I don’t know what would happen to me if it weren’t for you."

"Ha-ha!" She tossed it again.

Keiko felt a strange kind of peace inside herself. It was the first day in a few weeks when she didn’t break down. No, it isn’t that she had already forgotten about him. She had been crying for such a long time that it seemed impossible to shed another tear.

It was a quiet Sunday and she was alone in the house. There was a kite-flying festival in the Mushiyori City Square and Mr. Yukimura had gone there to witness the event. Keiko had somehow convinced him to let her stay at home, for she was too tired to go. Mr. Yukimura, although insistent that he would just stay with Keiko at home, threw his hands up at Keiko’s tenacity.

Now Keiko spent the whole day playing with Pu, tidying the house exhaustively, and reading a lot of books. She felt restless. She wanted to do something, but she couldn’t figure out what.

Should she call Yusuke at home? No, I can’t. He was so mad at me the other day…I’ve never seen him so mad at me before…and will he ever forgive me?

"Pu?"

Pu looked at her with sympathetic eyes.

"Do you think…Yusuke will understand?"

"Puu…" Pu flapped its wings cheerfully.

"Really?" Keiko smiled. Then, sighing, she added, "I miss your crazy alter-ego, you know?"

Keiko chuckled. "Ah, what the heck. He always goes away, doing those even crazier spiritual detective missions. I should learn to live without seeing him once in a while."

"Puu…" This time, Pu chirruped sadly.

He understands me, Keiko thought. Just like Yusuke.

"Finally," Keiko muttered to herself as she stood up, still holding Pu, to answer the door. "That’s o-tousan."

She ran her fingers through her tousled brown hair and opened the front door. "Konnichi wa, o—"

A young man had his back turned on her. His hair was a soft black; his hands were jammed inside his pockets.

He turned around. He was smiling, rather sadly, but just the same—his beautiful brown eyes lit up as he saw her.

"Hello, Keiko."

Keiko’s heart was in her mouth. It was he. It was…

"Yusuke."

She couldn’t help but notice how handsome he looked that day. His hair wasn’t slicked back; he had it shook out. He was wearing a light blue long-sleeved button-down shirt that, in her opinion, suit him best. His cheeks were slightly flushed for a reason she couldn’t see.

Keiko placed a hand above her chest as if to keep her heart from jumping out of her ribcage.

"Puu!" Pu screamed in delight as it saw Yusuke.

"Hey, Pu," Yusuke smiled wider.

"W-would you like to come in?" she asked softly as she opened the door a little wider.

"Um, no," Yusuke answered. "I just want to talk to you…for a single moment…"

"Okay." Keiko put on a pair of sandals and walked towards the open, closing the door behind her. Then, after inhaling deeply, she asked, "What is it?"

"I…" Yusuke ran his fingers through his hair. "I…really don’t know how to start," he said, chuckling a little. "I don’t know if you’d want to listen to me or what…but I just…feel that I need to."

"Yusuke—"

"No, wait," Yusuke interrupted her, holding his palms up. "Please…don’t try to stop me now."

"I-I wasn’t trying to stop you," Keiko stammered. "Just…go on."

"Uh, right."

Keiko could tell that Yusuke was having a hard time. For the first time in weeks, she looked at him straight in the eye and saw in their deep recesses the Urameshi Yusuke she had always known.

"I just want…to thank you…for everything," Yusuke continued. "I sincerely say this, Keiko—if it weren’t for you, I’ll be a different person—worse than I am now. You—you made me into this…you…opened up the softer side of me. I’m sorry for I haven’t told you this before. But I’m sure…I’m sure you know how much I really need you…and how much I care."

Keiko felt a lump rise in her throat. I care, Yusuke, Keiko told him mentally. I’m doing this…for you.

"So…without any hard feelings, I’m…" Yusuke inhaled. "I’m setting you free."

Keiko looked at him confusedly.

"I-it’s not for me to lead your life. It’s yours, not mine. It’s your decision, not mine. If you really want this, it’s all right with me. But…for me, you’ll always be the Yukimura Keiko, the best friend I’ve known in my entire life. Never forget that."

This is not supposed to happen! Keiko shouted in her head. We’re always the best of friends! I’ll always be your friend!

"I-I’ll never forget, Yusuke…" Keiko whined as a new set of tears flowed from her eyes. She embraced Pu and let her tears fell on the creature’s black hair.

"Oh, Keiko, you know I hate seeing you cry," Yusuke murmured quietly. He cupped her face in his hands and wiped her tears with his thumb.

Keiko looked at him. Yes, it was he touching her face. She had longed for the touch of his warm hands.

She wished Yusuke would not remove his hand on her face, for just a longer while…

Yusuke chuckled at Pu. Then he turned to Keiko. It was as if he suddenly frowned bitterly. He removed his hands from her face.

"I don’t know how this would affect you, but…" he motioned to Pu. "Since…this…I guess I should take care of Pu myself. You’re too helpful to me. Maybe it’s time that I should learn how to stand on my own feet and take care of my own soul."

Keiko looked at Pu’s sweet face—if it does have a face. Keiko smiled a little at the sight of the stuffed-toy-like creature. It stared back at her warmly.

Yusuke’s right, Keiko thought, although she regretted having to give Pu back. First it was Yusuke…then Pu.

But she knew it was otherwise. Pu was her only comfort amidst all the crap that was going on.

It was just like Yusuke, who never failed to make her smile.

Keiko brought Pu to her face and kissed his head. "I’m giving you back to Yusuke, Pu," she whispered, sobbing quietly. "I’m going to miss you. I…I love you."

Keiko closed her eyes and breathed in Pu’s hair. She wanted to state those words to the man before her. I love you. Yusuke, I love you more than you’ll ever know.

Keiko opened her eyes and glanced at Yusuke. He looked at her sadly.

Keiko wiped her cheeks and handed Pu to Yusuke with both hands, staring at the little guy.

In a blur, she saw Yusuke take Pu.

But she felt warmth in her hands.

She blinked once, letting two beads of tears stain her blouse. Then she saw Yusuke’s hands cover her own. He squeezed it gently.

As she looked up to his face, she felt a pair of velvety soft lips seal over her own.

Keiko’s heart hammered inside her chest. Yusuke wrapped her in his arms and embraced her tightly, making goose bumps rise out of her arms.

Yusuke was kissing her.

It dawned on her after a second. She shivered. Yusuke held her tighter.

Keiko felt as if she were floating on air, feeling Yusuke’s lips and body, while nothing else on earth existed. It was a feeling she had never felt, and now that she had, she didn’t want to let him go.

It wasn’t the first time she kissed him, but feeling Yusuke kiss her…

Her worries—and Okada—were long forgotten. Yusuke was with her, that’s all. And his kiss told her all that she needed to know.

Keiko wrapped her arms around Yusuke’s body and kissed him back. Under her lips, she felt Yusuke smile.

The kiss went deeper and deeper. It was so sweet, so enchanting, so unexplainable. No amount of abstract words or pictures was enough to feel what the couple was feeling.

I love you, Keiko chanted in her heart. I love you, Yusuke.

Yusuke stiffened without warning. Keiko’s eyes snapped open and looked at Yusuke’s face.

His brown eyes expressed terror as he stared at her.

"W-what…?"

Then she felt warm liquid on her hands. She brought her left hand towards her.

Dark red blood.

Keiko’s eyes widened as she gasped. She took a look at Yusuke’s back, where her hands had been.

A small hole gaped in the middle of his back.

Still holding Yusuke, she looked up frantically, as if knowing for sure who did it.

Okada. Okada Takashi.

He was holding his index finger up, just like Yusuke when he fires his rei gan.

"No," Keiko whimpered. "No!"

"NOOOO!!!"

She felt Yusuke’s chest rising and lowering rapidly. With tears in her eyes, she gazed at him.

"Keiko…" he mouthed, his lips quivering. He reached up and touched Keiko's brown hair weakly."Ai…shiteru."

With that, Yusuke closed his eyes.

"No! Yusuke, no!"

Yusuke’s weight pulled the both of them on the ground. Keiko embraced Yusuke’s body, rocking back and forth, cradling him in her arms.

Keiko squeezed her eyes shut. It happened all of a sudden, in a flash. Why did it have to?

"Yusuke…I love you…"

"YUSUKE!!!"

 
 
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