It's the last day of work for Yusuke. He's just helping out on duties now shared by remaining colleagues in the construction. Then he and Keiko will travel to Genkai' place for his trip to Demon Plane.
Aside from Keiko, Kuwabara will be there to send them off. Him, Kurama and Hiei. Koenma, Botan and Jeorge will directly travel to DP from their home at Spirit World. Since they're still taking care of their DP lodging.
The King Enma insist his son's needs be provided by the Spirit World men. It's the best thing he can do when his son's mind is so made up he'll probably end up dead if he will not be protected by the Spirit World influence within Demon Plane. Its a first time for his son to be resolute, he decided to let him take charge. But still him in there to guide.
Along with Yusuke' senses, the rays of the sunset tells him that its time to go.
_______________________________________
He should be here any moment from now.
Keiko thought, sitting on a bench in a park about two blocks away from the site. She asked the instructor of her last subject for her to skip and just attend next class the next day. She wanted to properly send off Yusuke this time. Unlike before,today is different.
She knows Yusuke will comeback for her.
It doesn't hurt her a bit. Though she is still worried for him. Always. Who knows about the danger of this trip. But she trusts his words that he will be there for her after it...
A clearing of throat caught her attention.
Two men, with one significantly older than the other, stood beside her. She stood up and greeted them both.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Foreman and Mr. Saki."
The Foreman tip his hat in greetings for the young woman. "Good afternoon to you too, young lady. Ah, did that pom head keeping you waiting, again?"
If this has been like the past cases, she would feel the pinch of the old man's last statement. But its different now. She gave him a smile and replied, "He always does."
"Ah, if you realized that you're tired waiting, I can suggest you to meet a nephew of mine, perhaps to be a friend -"
"Hey hey hey, Mr. Foreman, Saki, I was looking for you. And I guessed it right where to find you somehow." Yusuke made it to stop his old Foreman marketing whoever relative he has to Keiko. A habit of the man.
"Yeah, always on time to cut me. So what is it?" The Foreman trying to look his signature irritated look.
Yusuke inhaled a deep breath and bestowed a deep sincere bow.
"Thank you for everything. I look forward to another opportunity to open when I return."
"Huh, don't expect an easy way back in boy. Let's see if you can pass your next job qualifications. Saki, back to work." The Foreman turned his back at the couple and walked back to the site.
Saki, who was still on the spot where Yusuke found them, just shook his head at his superior then turned to Yusuke. "You know him. Good luck to whatever it is in your sleeves, Yusuke, young lady." He gave them his salute and run after his Foreman.
Yusuke took time to watch his superiors go, then turned to Keiko. "Shall we go?" His hand offered to her.
Keiko gave him a nod and took his hand.
Their hands holding on together is something she will definitely miss in the following time that he will not be around. For the mean time.
___________________________________
The warp will open any moment from now. An opening that Yusuke's right hand monk will operate this time. He refused the Spirit World's help on opening one because he wanted to experience the demons' way.
Kurama and Hiei are both present in Master Genkai's home. They will travel to Demon Plane all together.
Houkoshin already set up their lodgings. They will all lodge at the King's Hall for the moment. Houkushin already arranged his schedule with the demon spirit and the hall is a convenient place for such.
And besides, King Enki is more than happy to accommodate his best friend's son under his roof.
"So, should I consider this as regular occurrence?" Kuwabara asked to Yusuke. The former referring to frequent travel of the latter to DP.
"Mmmm... No, but maybe occasionally. Keiko will definitely be persuaded to meet with someone else if I keep her waiting for my ass. Add to it persons like my Foreman who never fail to serve anyone to her."
"Hay hay hay, I wonder if you know how many courted her when you were first gone. I thought she's gonna entertain one-"
"WHAT?!? The hell! You didn't even cared to tell me immediately?" Yusuke didn't expect that. Well, its not a breaking news for him that Keiko would have suitors after her. Its the very reason he proposed to her before he left. So she would hold on to him and she would know that he will return for her. But for her to entertain.. She never even tried before...
"You should have told me! Now I have no time to fend them off with shit loads!"
"Well, you announced your engagement in no time upon your return, so I thought that wouldn't matter anyway."
"But-"
Soft creak of Master Genkai's floor stopped Yusuke from his rants. The moonlight lit up her face when she reached them on the back yard.
"Koenma said the opening of the warp from DP has already started. He said it may open any time soon." She said.
Kuwabara, sensing a different mood in the scene decided to leave both of them with each other.
"Wait Kuwabara," Yusuke called on before he got to totally go. "I've got your back. I'll send a message for you if I've got something, Ok? So don't cry on the side much."
"MEN DON'T CRY!" He shouted when he turned back to them.
Yusuke and Keiko can still hear his courses while he was walking away, and Keiko can't help but wonder...
"What's that about?"
"Nothing much... Just his manly stuff..."
"Ok..." She was not looking at him now. For some reason she was more interested on the grass in the dim sight.
"I'll come home every three months." Yusuke voice broke up the sudden silence.
She looked up to him but didn't speak. She lifted her arms to embrace herself.
"And hope you're gonna cook me dinner. You will right?"
Keiko, for some reasons, can't form words. She took the last step towards him and embraced Yusuke. Her arms made its way to his torso and her head ended up resting on his neck. He grew few inches more this past year.
"Hey hey hey.... " Yusuke cooed her softly. He returned her embrace, enclosing all of her in his arms.
She exhaled deeply, "Its your lose. You will never get that much dinner now."
"I know, and it sucks. Old man will definitely have to calm it down or else I'll visit him in Spirit World myself and knock this craziness out of him. Or..... maybe remind him that this will not make his lady comeback to him, or him to her."
She just nodded to him. She definitely knows how his father feels.
That waiting. Waiting for some time unknown. Waiting for someone you didn't know if they will ever return.
Her couple of years waiting for Yusuke is nothing compared to 700 years of his ancestor waiting for his beloved. But the number doesn't really matter.
Its the feeling. Uncertainty. And all those feeling that drowned her deep, with only her trust in him that he will return held on to her to pull her out.
"You wouldn't call off the engagement just to try it out with someone else right?"
Keiko straightened up after that. She didn't quite heard the context of what he said. And after another run-through in her mind she couldn't fight the giggles that was heard even within the house.
"Hey? What's funny?!? Keiko?!" Yusuke tried to understand where her amusement came from.
By that time a face of the backyard has started to swirl but the couple doesn't seem to mind. Keiko's feminine giggles and Yusuke's irritated questioning still occupied the area.
A man dressed in Tourin monk robe step out of the swirl, but the couple in front of him still hasn't notice. The monk could just stare at them. He could tell from his master's voice that he was irritated. And that's a sign not to bother him in anything he's doing. But... surprisingly, the lady is still giggling in close presence of his master.
"Comeback much later and you'll know the answer to that." Keiko replied. She overcame her giggles, but the traces of it is still in her eyes. Its comforting to know that he worries such things.
Yusuke continued his ramblings. But Keiko was not affected.
Master Genkai and the rest of his guests all came out to figure what Yusuke's mouth is running all about. They got to catch Yusuke, looking problematic in stance while Keiko in her crescent profile shows she's delighted.
And add to that the monk staring at them.
"Yusuke, when will you acknowledge your aide? Will you just let him grow roots in that spot waiting for you?" Master Genkai reprimanded Yusuke.
"Wait a sec, I'm still dealing with Keiko... Common...-" Yusuke still continuing on.
Keiko finally noticing the man, gave him a bow in greeting which she received in return, but Yusuke tried to occupy her attention.
Kurama and Hiei moved closer toward the monk. The monk, still mystified by his master, doesn't know how to react at the moment. After recognizing them, his stare returned back to his master then back to the two demons.
Kurama just expressed an amused expression.
"PUUUUU!!!" Yusuke called on to his spirit beast. The humongous bird came out from the house. Master Genkai and the rest needed to make way for the bird for it to fly to Yusuke.
"Puu, can't you return to a stuff-toy-bag-key-chain again? This lady needs some company you know, to swat all those leech." Yusuke encasing Puu's head in his palms. The bird could only gave him an apologetic expression.
"Oh comm-",
"You should go now. The monk has been standing there for while. Puu, his baggage pls." Keiko commanded. The bird has Yusuke's travel bag clipped in its beak. Puu slid the strap to his shoulder and caressed Yusuke's head as farewell gesture.
"Where not done yet Keiko. I...."
Keiko rolled her eyes, and shooed him to leave.
Kurama walked into them and braced Yusuke with his arm.
"See you next time." Kurama's farewell to Keiko. He also gave a wave to the other group and proceeded to drag Yusuke to the warp, still bickering.
Hiei was the first to pass the warp, followed by Kurama dragging Yusuke.
The monk, after all of the callers got in, gave a last bow and stare to Keiko, then walk back into the warp.
The face of backyard started to swirl again, slowly, and when it stopped, its as if nothing came out from there.
---------------------------------------------
".... Kuwabara not tell me about this. I could have stuck those maggots noses on the nastiest dumpster." Yusuke's mouth still on it.
Hokushin and another monk is in the scene, was ready to welcome their master. But delayed it when they noticed his bad aura. He's in the Demon Plane and his emotion is triggering a subtle show of his demon energy. The monk who he assigned to collect the young man showed up last. The monk's expression shows that their master was indeed not in a good mood in this travel.
"It doesn't looks like that she will give much time to them, no more than Hello-I'm-fine-Sorry-I-can't-Till-next-time, kind of thing." Kurama stated, trying to calm down Yusuke.
"That's too long of a greeting. She should straight tell them Go-to-hell!. That would save her-" Yusuke felt it before he heard the ring. "Is that mine?"
He reached for the pocket of his sack, and got a phone, ringing with Keiko's name as the caller.
"Hello?" He innocently answered.
'Hi. You're already there?' Keiko's voice replied to his.
"Yeah... And ... where did you get the idea that you could call me?" He weirdly asked. He himself was a bit shocked.
'From a dearest friend, named Kurama. Apparently he has used his cell during his visit there. Good for him he was in touch with his mother when he was away... unlike the other one that I know, who never thought of sending me of atleast a bit of anything from him.'
"Keiko..."
'But never mind, he came back anyway.' Keiko's voice changed from accusing to relieved.
"Huh...."
'I called to suggest to you, that if in case you can't go home in your promised time, maybe you could atleast dial this number?'
Yusuke scratched his head. "Why sure... " He sat up the ground before he continued. "I'm sorry. It was a different story before. Yes, I promised that I will comeback. But when I did it was pure luck. I did my best to find a way to come back home but still... I didn't totally know how I did it. Of course, old man definitely had a hand on it. And I'm thankful. But now is different ok. There 100% chance that I could go home if there is no stronger that me douche bag that would flip me of-"
'YUSUKE!'
"Hehehe... I'm kidding. I'll be good ok? No nonsense suicidal fight and everything." Yusuke again tried to assure her. She became worriedly emotional when he tried to tell her about his life in DP.
'Ok this enough. You know you might follow your father searching when you die untimely again Yusuke. I swear I'm gonna beg Koenma to place me someplace you'll never find. Take care.'
And with that Keiko hang up.
"Or maybe you'll be my tormentor in the afterlife if I sent myself again in the grave." Yusuke blurted out even when the call is dead. He stood up stretching his body. "How the hell would I know that phones work here?"
"There are still so much in here, Yusuke. Still needed to be found and discovered." Kurama stated when Yusuke got to glance at him. Yusuke doesn't look like he was faulting him. But he felt a little bit guilt that he never got to share that to him.
"I'll probably enjoy discovering those in the next century. But for now, I'll gotta help that irritating man." Yusuke stared at the sky. It was dark like before. Its gloomy luminescence is enough to showcase whatever planes and structures this place have.
"Houkoshin, this place doesn't look like the place old man is dumping all of his lividness."
"Welcome back Master Yusuke. Its has been weeks when the presence of King Raizen's demon energy started to decline and the atmosphere has somewhat returned to its normalcy, master." Houkushin replied.
His master was definitely on track with his question. Even with his conversation on the other side, which surprisingly, his companions didn't seemed to mind. And looking at his other comrades faces, it seems that they learned something mind-blowing about their master. Confusing. Impossible.
"Alright, so where do we go now? Where is our great king, Enki eh? And the spirit? Yusuke brightly asked Houkushin. His excited.
"He's in the King's Hall. Both of them." The curt reply.
"Alright. Let's do this." Yusuke started to walk surprisingly at the right direction. "So how long should we travel going there? Ahh I feel like I miss- Huh? What the heck is that?" Yusuke pointing a finger at a hard-shelled-compressed-eggs.... or it might just be an insect.
"Its one of Mukuro's transport." Hiei blurted.
"Mukuro's? Awesome. But what is it doing here... Hiei?" Yusuke asked. Knowing his monks, they're probably going to travel by feet. So the other idea how to put this through is through his pint friend Hiei.
"I need to go back to patrolling. It made its stop here so I could return immediately." The black dragon possessor replied.
"You wouldn't mind me getting a ride if it drives to the King's Hall?" Kurama asked.
Hiei just shook his head once.
"Oh yeah, a service. I feel like so honored right now." Yusuke annouced. He's already walking to the transport.
"Who told that you're welcome in there? You-"
"Houkushin. Get all of your rears in here. Don't blame me if this thing left you in there." Yusuke called on to his monks.
Kurama just shook his head then walked into the transport while Hiei just let go of his irritated state.
With the monks on their tail, they all boarded up the transport and headed to the newly constructed King' Hall.