{ Kuwabara }
"Mizumi!"
We all turned our heads to where Keiko's pointed at. It's Mizumi, standing at the door. She seemed like lost in thought because she jumped and almost bumped into the door.
"Oh. Hi there." she spoke, waving her hand while grinning. Although I can see that her grin is a forced one. And I noticed one more thing. She has a bandage on her right cheek.
All of us went towards Mizumi. I visited Urameshi's class to thank Takako for the thing she gave me yesterday—I forgot it's name though. But still.
"What happened to you? We're worried sick, we don't know what happened to you!" Keiko scolded her. Mizumi scratched the back of her head and nervously laughed.
"Well... I have things to take care of in my apartment so..." she mumbled, awkwardly laughing afterwards.
"What happened to your cheek?" Keiko asked worriedly, pointing at the bandage on her right cheek.
"Uhh... I slipped yesterday and I didn't noticed a rock... heheh." she nervously said, scratching lightly her other cheek that's not bandaged a finger.
"Slipped? Seriously?" Yusuke remarked. Keiko scolded him. And while she wasn't looking at Mizumi, I swear Takako and Mizumi were communicating eye-to-eye. Although it was only for a few seconds or so. I shrugged it off when I heard the bell rang.
Nah. It's maybe because they're best friends.
••••
"You two are cousins?!"
Takako tilted her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. We were currently at the rooftop. It's kind of our place to stay during breaks.
"Isn't it obvious?" she questioned like it was the most obvious thing in the world. All of us shook our heads.
Takako laughed as she told us her and Mizumi's story. It turns out, the reason why Takako is a miko is because she's an heir to the family shrine and it was also a tradition to be one. And the reason why Mizumi isn't a miko is she isn't directly related to the Miyamoto family. Since Mizumi's father and Takako's mother are siblings, then it explains why they don't have the same surnames and are certainly cousins.
Oh. I get that because Takako was great at telling things. She even answered all my questions when I don't get one single detail.
But one thing is still bugging me.
Unusually, Mizumi kept quiet—even if Urameshi teases her or something—and just stared off to the distance. One more thing.
She's not eating or drinking anything sweet or sugary.
Although she still wears her usual scarf on. But still. It's very suspicious.
Since Mizumi was quiet, Takako was the one who told us about her. Mizumi is the daughter of the brother of Takako's mother. The Ryusaki family is known for their absolute and unlimited riches due to its enormous business all over the world—well, except for the Spirit World & Demon World. Mizumi is also currently living alone but she has her parent's riches with her. She doesn't have any family left besides Takako.
When the bell rang—indicating that the break ended and we should go back to our classes before the second bell rings—we all went back to our classes.
••••
When classes ended and we met up with Kurama, we decided to hang out in our house for awhile. Mizumi wanted to pass but Keiko and Takako forced her to. Mizumi's acting strange. And I think Urameshi & Kurama noticed it too.
"You noticed it too, huh?" I whispered to Urameshi when Keiko, Mizumi and Takako are not looking.
"Yeah. I'm pretty sure that cleaning your apartment is the reason for that big of a bandage." he uttered.
"But didn't you heard? She slipped and there's a rock, that's possible, 'ya know." I retorted. Yusuke picked on his ear with a finger.
"Well... I don't know of Mizumi as a clumsy one. She might be a sarcastic and joyful one but never a clumsy one." he muttered.
"I agree. She doesn't seem to be careless, for me." Kurama said.
"What are you guys talking about?"
We three jumped when we saw Botan in front of us.
"When did you came here?!" I exclaimed.
"Just now." she giggled before sitting down in front of us.
"So tell me, what are you guys talking about?" she whispered, making sure it's out of the earshot of the three other girls—who were busy enough to remember about us.
"Well... Kuwabara here said that he noticed that Mizumi's acting strange. And we also figured that Takako might be hiding something too." Yusuke said while shrugging.
"Although we can't figure out what they might be hiding since we don't have much evidences about it." Kurama muttered, bringing up his hand under his chin.
"Hey kids do you want some snacks?" Shizuru came, a tray of glasses of juice on her hand.
"Sure!" Keiko answered her, taking the tray from her hand. She handed each of us a glass of juice. Shizuru left afterwards.
I'm starting to get used to sensing spiritual energy with average amounts—if you don't count Urameshi, Kurama and the little shrimp. The big stuff overwhelmes me a bit and I'm feeling it right now.
"Hey Kuwabara, are you having another lock jaw?" Yusuke jokingly asks as he leans over and takes a good look at me.
"I'm sensing something." I mumbled while my mouth is clenched.
"How strong is it?" he whispers as he suddenly turned serious while looking around.
"Just a bit stronger than normal..." I whispered back.
We looked at Kurama who quietly sat beside us even though he's been doing the same thing—observe.
"This energy you're feeling is weaker than the one we felt at the shrine but still, both are the same." Kurama explained in a voice that only us could hear.
"So where is it?" Yusuke asked.
"It's scattered around us so that we can't be able to exactly pinpoint it. An impressive control of spirit energy." Kurama remarked before sighing.
I looked at the girls. By girls, I mean Takako and Mizumi.
Like awhile ago, Mizumi silently stayed put and looked a bit pissed off. Sometimes, she would sip from her glass and make a slight comment on whatever the girls talk about. But other than that, she was like herself earlier—unusually quiet.
"I bet that Mizumi is secretly a trouble maker and those bandages are from a fight." Yusuke snickered.
Takako, on the other hand, spoke like she was like a walking encyclopedia. Sometimes, she would open a strange notebook and scribble something, then read it or get a book to browse when she looked bored. That's what she usually does in school too.
"I really think Takako is a stalker. Or maybe a hacker. I also don't like her sassy attitude when we visited her." Yusuke mumbled and glared at Takako.
"You talk too much, Urameshi" I grinned.
He strangled me on the neck with his arm. "Oh look who's talking? It's loverboy who can't shut his trap about someone's sister!"
I immediately stood up which made him fall. "YUKINA HAS A SIBLING?"
The girls looked at us. Botan looked like she was going to be killed, Keiko looked confused, Takako laughed behind her fist and Mizumi fought a laugh.
"What? A sibling? No way~" Yusuke denied as he looked away.
I grabbed him by his shirt. "YOU JUST SAID IT EARLIER, YOU PUNK!" I exclaimed.
"Did I?" He denies once again. I fumed.
"DON'T PLAY WITH ME URAMESHI. I HAVE PERFECT HEARING." I declared.
"Nah. I didn't."
That does it.
We ended up wrestling each other.
••••
"Why don't we ask Koenma? I mean, he knows everything, right?" Urameshi suggested and I nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. When he gives us these missions, he always knows all the information and stuff." I said.
"Well, base on what I know of, Koenma only gets the information through his people and not only by himself." Kurama said.
"Then why don't we ask him to investigate Takako and Mizumi?" I suggested. Urameshi agreed.
"That is possible, but for what specific reason? We are not yet sure about our presumptions about them." Kurama said while frowning.
"But I am sure that I sensed something in Takako's shrine and earlier!" I declared.
"That wouldn't be enough for an evidence, idiot."
Wait... I know that voice.
"Hiei?" Urameshi called when he turned his head towards the shadow behind us. I also turned to confirm it.
"Shrimp!" I also called out.
"Hn." he scoffed. He's leaning on a lamp post that is behind us with his arms crossed and his eyes crossed.
"What are you doing here? Did Koenma got something for us?" Yusuke asked. The shrimp didn't answered.
"Do you know something about Takako and Mizumi, Hiei? Kurama asked. Hiei opened his eyes and glared at the ground.
"They have the ability to protect themselves from getting their minds be read." he answered.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"That means Hiei can't read what they're thinking, stupid." Urameshi argued.
"Then that answers to our questions. If Takako and Mizumi can hide their thoughts away, then it is possible that they have high spiritual awareness like you, Kuwabara." Kurama said.
"Me?" I asked, pointing at myself. He nodded.
"Humans with high spiritual awareness can also cast themselves with mind barriers. Mind Barriers can be used in order to block any kind of intruders who wants to read your mind. But these can only used with special training for years." Kurama explained.
"So Takako and Mizumi are like Kuwabara, then?" Urameshi asked.
"It's only a guess but... I suppose yes." Kurama answered.
••••
A/N:
Hi! wew too much intense.
-rozette & denise