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Chapter 2
Botan's Stalker
by Reiko
mosqamuerta@yahoo.com


"Botan!"

"Hai, Koenma-sama?" She quickly ran to Koenma's office. Throwing the door ajar, she stood there huffing and puffing. Koenma raised an eyebrow at her.

"What's wrong?"

"Really, Botan..." He began rolling his eyes. "Do you have to rush in here like there's a fire or something?"

"I thought..."

"Botan?"

Botan stopped upon hearing a soft, shy voice penetrating the air inside the office. She shifted her eyes from Koenma's face, looking for the source. Her gaze finally landed on a woman, who was staring at her shyly. Botan found herself wondering who the new face was since she hadn't seen her before.

"It's so nice to finally meet you." The woman began standing up, her head bowed slightly. "I'm Otsuka Sayuri."

"O-oh..." Botan stuttered, her eyes widening. She studied the woman beside Koenma and instantly, she felt a pang of subtle envy rush through her.

The woman Koenma was about to marry was beautiful. Her hair was like spun ebony, gleaming and shining with health. It fell softly to her shoulders, accentuating her milky complexion. Her face was silken white and blemish-free, with a tinge of pink tints as their only adornment, and her lips were like they had been dipped in cherry.

Botan couldn't help but notice the way they stood there, side by side. Indeed, the woman was made for Koenma. She stood up to his chin, a perfect fit for his height, and the way she moved... graceful, and delicate, showing her noble breeding. She was, indeed, a woman made for a prince.

"Botan?" Koenma hissed.

"N-nani?" She stuttered, looking at Koenma's tight expression. Upon realizing that she had been staring quite rudely for some time, she immediately put on her best smile.

"I-it's nice to meet you, Sayuri-sama. Finally." She said, bowing low. At that, Sayuri let out a soft giggle.

"Oh please..." She began walking towards her. "No -sama onegai?"

"B-but..."

"Koenma told me about you and it seems that you are the only one who can make him sit still and stop for a while, since you know just what a workaholic this bishounen here is." She said, smiling and turning to Koenma shyly. Koenma smiled softly upon meeting her eyes. She then turned to Botan once again.

"It seems you are his only, closest friend." She continued. "And as his wife-to-be, I'd like to ask if you could be my friend too. So, no -sama, all right?"

Botan stared at Sayuri's waiting expression. She was about to open her mouth when suddenly she felt it again... the cold piercing eyes looking at her....

<"I'm gonna get you...>

Instantly, she paled. She felt cold, her eyes frantically looking around the office.

No eyes.

No body.

Nothing but air.

"Botan?"

She looked at Koenma's confused expression which also showed her his worry, his concern.

"D-did you hear that?" She asked.

"Hear what?" Koenma asked, walking towards her. "Are you feeling okay? You're pale."

"Yes, you're white as sheet. Do you need anything, Botan-chan? A little wine perhaps, to get your color back? Sayuri asked, equally worried. "You're cold." She added touching her arm.

Botan smiled.

"Wine? Wine is good." She replied, the thought of filling her brain with alcohol making her mouth water.

"All right." Sayuri said as she proceeded to get some. Koenma immediately stopped her.

"No. No alcohol." He said firmly. Then he turned to Botan sternly. "You have been drinking more and more these past couple of weeks, Botan."

"What do you mean?" She protested.

"You practically drank all the champagne at Shizuru's party, remember?" He said. "I practically had to drag you in here, that night."

"At least it doesn't interfere with my work." She answered back. "And besides, I only took-- um..." She paused, looking up to think.

"Only took what, Botan?" Koenma said, crossing his arms over his chest and smirking at her, waiting for her answer. When nothing came, he spoke firmly. "How the hell can you remember? You were so drunk!"

Botan fell silent. How could she explain everything to him without sounding crazy? She was feeling something, hearing something... Somebody was out to get her... Someone she couldn't even see! Instantly, fear filled her, and the desire to get some alcohol got stronger than ever.

< I need a drink... > She thought.

Sayuri cleared her throat, shattering Botan's thoughts. Trying to ease the tension, she spoke mildly. "So where were we?" She asked. "Ah... so what do you say, Botan-chan? No -sama, all right?"

Botan blinked, snapping out of her trance. She looked at her and forced a smile.

"As you wish, Sayuri-chan." She said finally. The woman's smile widened. Then she turned towards Koenma.

"Do you mind if I spend the rest of the afternoon with Botan-chan, dear?" She asked Koenma softly. "I'll just meet you later tonight."

"But I'm helping with the preparations for the party tonight." Botan said quickly.

"Oh... then I'll help." Sayuri said immediately. "After all, it's my engagement party, ne?"

"But..."

"Oh, no 'but's, Botan-chan." Sayuri quickly said, dismissing her with a delicate wave of her hand. "At least I can show off to my sisters later on. They don't know a single thing about throwing parties." Then she turned to Koenma.

"Will it be all right, dear?" She asked again, the shyness coming back at once.

"Whatever will make you happy." He replied softly. Then he turned to Botan who was still lost in space.

"And no drinking." He said firmly. "And don't even think of sneaking off, I will surely know."

"Don't worry I'll take care of her." Sayuri said, laughing softly, pulling Botan with her out of the office.

"Ikou!" She said cheerfully, leaving Koenma staring after them.

======

Koenma sat alone in his office later that night, the faint sounds coming from the palace ballroom his only companion. He had excused himself from Sayuri for a reason he couldn't even fathom. He just found himself walking away from the party, and then suddenly inside this dimly lit office, where he sat alone and thinking.

<Three more months... > He thought as he slumped his back against his chair. Without thinking, he opened his desk drawer and fished out a small, velvet box, which well hidden in its secret compartment. Placing it on his desk, he sighed and opened it.

<Yuki... > He thought as he held out a small band. He smiled faintly as it gleamed against the pale moonlight illuminating the office.

"It still has it shine." He thought twirling the ring around his fingers.

It's been what? Decades? Centuries? But the memory still ran fresh in his mind. How could ever he forget when he had Botan to remind him of everything?

<Botan... >

He gave out a humorless laugh. Just thinking about that made him glad Ayame wasn't there to witness this. He wouldn't know what to say to her after all the things she did, the things she said. But then, something inside him wished that she were there. She would know what to do or to say. She always knew what to do in situations like this, unlike him...

Well, he had no other choice. It was actually three years after the Makai Tournament when he had received a report from the High Council saying that Ayame's term was up. She was reborn, with Koenma personally seeing to it. Basically, he was the last person she saw before joining the human world.

And that's just it. Ayame and Botan, they were the same. Same ferry girls, same fate; same destined to be reborn since they had no immortal souls, same destined to leave Rei Kai eventually... leave him... But then, it made him wonder... Was that the reason? Was that the reason that kept him from loving Botan or Yuki again? What's more, was he still in love?

Without thinking, he slowly put the ring on his finger and stared at it. A perfect fit. He heaved a sigh as he looked out the window, the sound of music coming from the ballroom slowly fading as he transported himself back in time.

He remembered her first smile, her first laugh... his first smile, his very first laugh. He clearly remembered the days where she would instantly lift his spirits up. Somehow she always found a way to lighten his mood up after his grueling work there in Rei Kai. The first night they shared as a married couple...

He closed his eyes as he slowly brought elegant, long fingers to massage his temples. So many memories, so many to remember... But the thing that really hurt him was the fact that Botan didn't seem to remember any of it. Well, yes, he never doubted the power of the River Lethe but somehow he'd hoped that a sign would eventually turn up. A sign of whether or not he was making the right choice or... He stopped.

Choice?! What choice is he talking about?! He let out a humorless laugh.

Choice?!

Many would think that being a prince was a gratifying profession. Sure, you got to scream and yell and order the people around you, if you wanted to. You got to live in a magnificent palace, and occupy the most spacious and elegant room. You got to be respected, with the highest title of -sama always tagged after your name (Well, that's with the exception of Urameshi and the gang. They never really did give him the respect he certainly deserved).

Many would think that he was lucky, even with the heavy workload, to have royal blood... but what they didn't know was the loneliness and sadness that tagged after him, together with the noble duty he had to perform. A noble duty where he had to sacrifice *all* of himself, even his happiness...

<Three more months... >

Well, not that he didn't like Sayuri... He liked her all right. She was beautiful, kind, shy... well, often times bashful, truly of noble birth. She obeyed without question and she would surely serve her noble purpose as his wife and the future queen of Rei Kai, but that was where it ended. Something was lacking, something that even he couldn't understand. He had grown to like her, but to love her?

He shook his head. Love. Such a strange thing. Love was supposed to make him happy for the rest of his life, but instead it had hurt him, made him miserable. He had completely shut that thing out of his life, thinking that people like him didn't love. They were not entitled to have it. Just like now, he was marrying because of duty. It was as simple as that.

Choice?

He snorted. Such word didn't exist anymore. Well, at least, for him. Just then, he heard the door of his office creak open. He hastily removed the ring off his finger and placed it back in the box.

"Koenma-sama?" Botan asked, entering the office just in time to see him shove something hastily inside his drawer.

"Nani?" He asked quite gruffly as he turned around to face her. Instantly his face softened upon seeing her before him.

<Lovely... > He thought, noticing how the blue waves of her hair cascaded softly against her shoulders. Her eyes were wide with surprise and wonder, but to him, it showed innocence and vulnerability. And the way she stood there, so timid, shy and uncertain... so unlike the noisy Botan he knew. He resisted the urge to walk towards her and wrap his arms around that perfectly shaped body.

"D-Daijoubu desu ka, Koenma-sama?" Botan asked, suddenly feeling tense after seeing the the look he gave her. A look she now always saw from him... A look of... She hastily turned away as she felt her cheeks warming.

Was it desire she saw, or was it just the moon playing tricks on her? Anyhow, Koenma had been acting strange, lately. Oftentimes, she would catch him staring at her, his eyes conveying things she couldn't understand. And then the next moment he would be irritable, and then he would stare at her again... it just went on and on! She really hated to admit it, but now he was actually giving her the creeps.

"Botan..." She heard him whisper. She was surprised at how beautiful her name sounded when it came out of his lips. She could feel his warmth reaching her as he slowly made his way towards her. Then something inside her snapped. She shook her head, forcing herself to clear her thoughts.

"S-Sayuri-sama is- is asking for you, Koenma-sama." She squeaked.

At that, Koenma stopped abruptly. Upon hearing the name, he blinked, as he tried his best focusing his brain. Then, realizing that he was standing so close to the warm woman before him who was actually making him hyperventilate, he hastily stepped back, his cheeks flaming with obvious embarrassment.

"She- she's asking for me?" He asked, shoving his hands inside his pockets.

Botan only nodded mutely as her reply. Then, with one last look, she quickly turned away from him and left him staring after her with obvious confusion.

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