Chapter Dedication: This chapter and update is dedicated to Nichelle. Happy Belated Birthday. I did try to update by your birthday but I couldn't. So Sorry.

Chapter VII: Reminiscing Past

Botan folded a pair of skinny jeans and put them on the display shelf with the other ones. She then picked up another one from the box and started folding it. She had been at this for the past thirty minutes. It was around eleven on a Saturday morning. She much rather be in bed or hanging out with her friends than be at work folding jeans. The store was totally deserted. A few costumers came in from time to time. Since she, Hinageshi and the two other girls that were working weren’t busy, the manager had put them on stocking duty.

“Hey, B” Hina said.

Hinageshi was balancing a stack of cropped tees in one hand and a box in the other. Botan could barely see the top of her red head.

“Hey, Hina.”

“Could you give me a hand? I can’t really see where I’m going.”

Botan smiled and took some of the shirts from her.

“Where are you taking these?”

“In front. Where the purses are.”

She followed Hina to the front of the store.

“So are you still giving Yusuke the cold shoulder?”

“I’m not giving him the cold shoulder?”

“So what do you call what you’re doing to him?”

“I’m not doing anything to him. We decided that it’d be better if we didn’t get involved with each other?”

“Better for whom? You’ve been miserable since last weekend.”

“I’m not miserable. We just thought it’d be better for everyone. We’re not the same people. We have different views and values…”

“Hate to break it to ya but so does everyone else. I don’t see what the problem is.”

“A relationship between Yusuke and I would never work. We hate each other.”

“So you’re pissed because he broke up with you and you want to punish him.”

“I’m not punishing anyone and he didn’t break up with me. We weren’t even dating.”

“But you wanted to. I mean anyone can see that you wanted more than that brief relationship that you guys had.”

“What? I don’t want Yusuke. The guy has the …”

“Most gorgeous body…”

“Biggest ego. Not to mention, how…”

“Filthy rich he is.”

“Self-centered. He’s arrogant, narcissistic and.…”

“Everything you ever wanted in a man.”

“Uh? Would you stop interrupting?”

“I’m just saying that you guys are madly attracted to each other.”

“I’m…Uh…Oh! Forget it. No matter what I say, you won’t believe me anyway.”

“That’s because I’m right. Why don’t you just ask him out?”

“The same reason you don’t ask Hiei out?”

“Well, that’s different.”

“How so?”

“Hiei doesn’t like me. I don’t think he even know I exist. But you on the other hand, Yusuke know you exist and he definitely want you and you want him too.”

“Tell you what, when you ask Hiei out, I’ll ask Yusuke out.”

Botan smiled smugly. She had definitely won this round. There was no way Hinageshi would agree to that.

“Okay,” Hina said.

“What?”

“I said okay. I’ll ask him out.”

“But you can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Well…because…you just can’t, okay?”

“Are you chickened out on me?”

“I’m not. I…I just can’t ask Yusuke out.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have made a bet then.”

Hinageshi put away the last shirt and picked up the empty hangers from the floor. She gave Botan a sly smile.

“Thanks for the help, B.”

“Wait…”
Her manager ran up to her and stopped her from going after Hinageshi.

“Botan, I have a job for you.”

“What is it? We’re done stocking the shelves.”

“That’s not it. Could you finish the window display in front? I need to run to the bank before it closes.”

“Yeah! Sure.”

“Thanks. You’re a doll.”

By then, Hina was already out of sight. She was a little miffed that Hina thought she wanted Yusuke, Ha! She couldn’t care less about that bastard. He could be on fire and she wouldn’t piss on him so why would she want to go out with him? And why was she wasting her precious time thinking about him when she had work to do?

YBYBYBYBYBYBYBYBYBYBYB

“Young master? Are you awake?”

Yusuke heard the voice from underneath the pillow that was covering his head. He didn’t want to wake up. He was just about to go back to sleep when his door flew opened and banged against the wall.

“Oh, for God’s sake, Yusuke. Wake up. It’s already noon.”

He grumbled but moved the pillow to glare at his mother.

“What do you want, mom?”

Atsuko glared back at her son. He was reclining against the headboard and rubbing sleep from his eyes. The gesture reminded her when he was a sweet little boy. Now her almost-eighteen year old son was nothing like his two-year old self. He was bitter, and selfish. He didn’t seem to care about anything, well other than his friends and these antique cars he collected. She often wondered what happened during the course of his young life that made him changed so much. He barely talked to her and his father. He avoided them at any cost. She could barely remember the last time they sat down and ate a meal together as a family. He was always busy or out with his friend. And when he was around, he ate in his room or the gaming center downstairs. He would rather eat with the servants than her and Raizen.

Although she couldn’t blame him. His father and she hasn’t been that involved in his life. Oh! They care for him. They love him very much. He was their only son after all but they were always busy with other things.

She was only twenty-two when she gave birth to Yusuke. At the time, she didn’t want to be a mom. She was young, and wanted to be with her friends and enjoy her life. Her husband was struggling to get his company out of bankruptcy. Yusuke’s grand-father had made a mess out the company and was expecting his son to pick up after him. As a result, Yusuke was left to be raised by the servants. Understandingly, he had grown closer to them than his own parents. He talked to them a whole lot more than he ever did to her and Raizen. By the time she realized her mistake and wanted to set things right, it was already too late. Yusuke was all grown up and didn’t want to accept any excuses she and Raizen could offer. For a while, she realized that she was jealous of the servants. As absurd as it sounded, it was the truth. She couldn’t stand that her precious son cared more for the lowly servants than he did for his own mother. She wanted to fire them all but Yusuke wouldn’t allow it.

“Did you want something, mother? Or are you just going to stare at me all day?”

She resented it when he called her ‘Mother’. She hated the word so badly because of the tone he said it with. It was full of cynicism, and resentment. Yusuke was well aware of the effect it evoked in her. But today was a new day. She wasn’t going to let that little word get under her skin. She wanted her son forgiveness and she wasn’t going to get it just by sitting here and doing nothing.

“Yes, actually,” she said.

“What is it?”

“I was wondering if you’d like to have lunch with me today.”

He arched his eyebrow.

“You’re kidding right,” he said.

“Of course not.”

“Why?”

“Do I need a reason? Is there something wrong with a mother wanting to have lunch with her only son?”

“Yeah! If I was any other son and if you were any other mother then no but it’s us. We don’t do lunch. We don’t socialize with each other. You stay out of my life and I stay out of yours. Just like you wanted, mother.”

A pained expression crossed her face but she didn’t let Yusuke see it. She just left the room.

“I’m going to shower. Aki, please get some clothes ready for me,” he said to the servant.

“Hai, Young Master.”

“How many times do I have to tell to call me Yusuke?”

“But…Young…”

“My name is Yusuke. You, of all people should know that.”

“Hai, Yusuke.”

He laughed and kissed the old woman on her forehead. Aki, short for Akira, has been taking care of Yusuke since he was a baby. She was twenty-four when she starter working for his parents. A year later, his mother dumped him on her to care for. She knew him better than anyone else. She was always there for as long as he could remember, and she was the one that always gave him the support he always wanted from his parents. Whenever something was bothering him, she was the first to know. To him, she was his mother. She was there more often than his biological mother ever was. She had raised and made him the person he was today. Well, she did a better job than the mess he was today, but that was his own doing. It wasn’t anything she did wrong. It was just his stubborn streak, and teenage rebellion.

He left Aki in his room and, went to the bathroom. He wasn’t quite awake yet so a shower was exactly what he needed at the moment. Although, his mother’s behavior perplexed him a bit. She had been acting out of character a lot lately. Wanting to know where he was? What he was doing and with whom? She was concerned about him a whole lot more too. Going out of her way to get him to be in the same room with her and his father. But he never let that happen. He didn’t want to be with them. They didn’t want him when he was little so they shouldn’t want him now when he didn’t need them.

All of his friends have great relationship with their parents especially Kurama. Hiei was indifferent to most of things but even he would spent time with his parents and his sister, especially when he wanted something from them. The same could be said for Kuwabara and Koenma. So why couldn’t he have the same? It was probably because they put a whole lot more of themselves into it then he was willing to share with his parents.

When he got out of the shower, his bed was made and all of his dirty cloths were picked up from the floor. His room was cleaned and an outfit was laid out on the bed for him.

“Guess I haven’t grown up much. I still need someone to dress me,” he thought, wryly.

The outfit Aki chose was a blue and white stripes shirt, and a pair of dark blue jeans. He chose his own underwear and socks. He dressed, brushed his hair, and then put on just a bit of cologne. He slipped on his white and blue DCs, and headed downstairs for brunch. He met with Aki in the kitchen. She was bustling around the kitchen making him something to eat. Normally the cook would do it, but he was out getting groceries for the week. Yusuke quickly noticed that she wasn’t making eye contact with him. Usually, she would welcome with a smile, or an affectionate gesture.

“Are you mad at me?” He asked.

She turned around wiping her hands on her apron, looking everywhere but at him.

“Mad? What makes you think that?” she asked.

“Well, it might have something too do with you not making any eye contact.”

She sighed and walked over to him.”

“Sweetie, I’m not mad at you but I am disappointed in you,” she said.

“Why’d I do?”

“The way you treat your mother.”

He opened his mouth to respond but she cut him off.

“I know where you’re coming from and I understand. However, she is trying to make it up to you but when you won’t give her the time of day. You’re making it very difficult for her.”

He sat down at the table. She was right even though he didn’t want to admit it. His mother was trying, and he’s been a total ass to her.

“I know I should be more receptive but I’m not ready to forgive them yet.”

She nodded and patted his shoulder. She then put a plate of scramble eggs, sausage, and buttered toast in front of him. While he ate, she got him a glass of orange juice then sat down with him.

“So what tell me about that young lady you were seeing,” she said.

“I’m not seeing anyone.”

“What about the girl you brought here last week?”

“Botan?”

“Is that her name?”

“I think that’s Botan. Other than Keiko, she’s the only girl I’ve ever brought here.”

“So do you like her?”

He blushed and almost choked on a piece of sausage. She laughed wholeheartedly.

“Well…it’s kind of complicated.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know how to explain it really.”

“Uh! What’s this? The great player Yusuke is having a hard getting a girl to go out with him.”

Her eyes were full of mirth. And as much as he tried, he couldn’t stay mad at her.

“It’s not like that. It’s…she’s different, you know. She’s not like any other girl I’ve ever met before.”

“Different from Keiko?”

“Definitely different from Keiko. She just as smart and just as beautiful. Although, her attitude could use some adjustment.”

“So I’m guess, she’s not taking any of your crap.” Aki asked.

“Hey, whose side are you on?”

Aki laughed.

“It’s hard to believe that the Urameshi charm doesn’t work on her.”

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Well, it’s not everyday I got to see pining over a girl,” she laughed.

“Pining? I’m not pinning. I could care less about the ice princess.”

“Are you sure about that?”

He couldn’t look at her when he answered. He knew she could tell when he was lying and he was definitely lying.

“Well, maybe I’m interested but it’s not as if anything’s going to happen between us,” he said.

“Why not? Doesn’t she like you?”

“I don’t know. She never gave me the in impression that she was interested in me either.”

“Well, I’m sure thing will work out. You can charm the knickers off a banshee.”

He blushed.

“I’m not that much a womanizer, you know.”

“Never said you were,” she stood up. “Just that you enjoy them. Got that from your father.”

He snorted.

“Well, I need to run a few errands. What are you going to do?” she asked.

“Thinking about it. I might hang out with the guys later thought.”

She nodded.

“Thanks for breakfast, Aki.”

She waved him out of the kitchen and Yusuke made his way to the basement. Since he had no pressing plans, he thought he could play some videogames to pass the time. In second thought, it’s probably better if he went to the mall. At least Botan might be there.

YBYBYBYBYBYBYBYBYBYBYB

Botan got out of work at one. She said goodbye to Hinageshi since she was working till three. They still haven’t finished their talk about Yusuke but that could wait until later. She decided to walk around the mall before she went home. Her mother wasn’t there, and her friends were working. There weren’t any point of going home to an empty house. She walked through the mall, stopping every now and then making small purchases. And then she heard it. That unmistakable voice calling her name. She turned around, and came face to face with Yusuke.

“Hello, tutor,” he smirked.

“Hello, Student.”

Author's Note: I know this chapter wasn't as exciting as you were expecting but it's needed to for the plot. Summer vacation is coming soon so I'll be able to update more often. So let's all hope.

A favor from my reader, I have a poll on my site (Visit my profile for the link) if you guys could go and vote, I'll really appreciated it. Maybe that'd be incentive more me to update more often (hint).