But unknown to Kurama and Riya inside that particular room, some people were eavesdropping outside. And they weren't just "some people"; they were the people that have been monitoring those two since the formal introduction/date happened two weeks ago. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko, Botan, Ayako, Yukari, and Soujiro were there as they listened to every word that Kurama and Riya had spoken.
The first four came to Class 2-C to check on Kurama an hour before. They were surprised when they learned that Kurama ended up in the clinic because of a fever. And so they headed immediately to the clinic but they were surprised to see Kurama and Riya sleeping together in that room, with Kurama holding Riya's hand. They decided to wait for the two to wake up before they could enter but they never did when they heard those two people's conversation.
And that includes Kurama's bold question about asking Riya to be his date for the traditional Rose Ball.
"Wow! I never expected Kurama to be this good when it comes to asking girls to be his date," Kuwabara said in a soft tone. "Or maybe I shouldn't since he already has good looks."
"This is the first time he asked a girl to be his date," Ayako seriously stated. "He's been my classmate since middle school so I know that part of his life. Usually, it's the girls who were asking him and not the other way around. Ever since Riya-chan came here, everything about him changed."
"Really? Like what?" Yusuke asked.
"There's a lot to tell and I can't possibly enumerate all of it," Ayako simply answered which made everyone's sweat dropped. But she thought that it would be better if those guys could discover it themselves. "It's better if you wait for them in our classroom. It may take them some time before they could get out there. So, mind as well, respect their privacy."
Keiko and Botan giggled at that. Kuwabara, Yusuke, Soujiro, and Yukari were having a good conversation as they all headed to Class 2-C...
...without knowing that the Spirit Detectives were starting to become acquainted with the Legendary Weapon Wielders themselves!
xxxxxx
Kirisawa Mansion, Ayako's room...
It was already way past midnight and most of the lights inside the mansion were turned off. The night wind blew softly as they passed the sakura trees in the backyard and nearby gardens. The stars plastered on the night sky were shimmering brighter than they were last night. But this particular night was something different.
The moon was surprisingly bright and in full shape.
And it was perfectly right for Ayako to do her meditation—more specifically, her predictions. She was born with a strong aptitude in her precognitive ability and her ability to sense danger. Her ESP often leads her to have premonitions of upcoming events that no one can avoid or prevent from happening. Her premonition of the dangers that the Spirit Detective faced the last time was already proof of that. Along with it was about the lead roles for their play to be performed during the Rose Ball, which she also predicted the night before Miss Ryuuzaki formally announced it.
She inherited this ability from her mother who died when she was eight years old. Her mother's death became the reason why she rarely used this but there were instances in which she unconsciously used it. It had become powerful when she was revealed to be a Legendary Weapon Wielder and the bearer of the Amber Heart (a magical gem inside the wielder that became the source of his powers and proof of a wielder's identity).
Right now, she was sitting on an orange futon on the veranda of her room, facing the full moon. Her eyes were closed; her hands were both placed on her lap. As the light of the full moon began to shine down on her, orange energy began to surround her as the wind continued to blow softer. This lasted for a minute or so before the energy faded and opened her eyes. After that, she looked at the full moon with a solemn face.
"Romance beneath the sakura tree... Red rose and white rose together... A fated revelation between two unsure hearts in love..." she mumbled before she smiled after a few seconds. 'This would be something to watch out for. I guess I better inform the others about this.'
And then she stood up before materializing a virtual screen in front of her. In it, images of Yumi, Soujiro, and Yukari appeared along with two others. A teenage boy and a teenage girl—both orange-haired and blue-eyed.
"It seems to me you've discovered something interesting, Ayako-chan," Yumi stated with a small smile.
She returned the gesture and spoke. "Yes, I have, Captain. And it will happen tonight—" she paused. "—during the Rose Ball."
xxxxxx
The anticipated Rose Ball of Hanasakura Academy had finally arrived and almost all of the students were getting ready preparing for the said event. Some of the faculty members and students were decorating the school's function hall with roses and ribbons, along with different lighting to make the event a memorable one.
The others were busy trying out their tuxedos and their gowns to get ready for the ball.
Among those 'others', more particularly Kurama and Riya, were in their respective houses to prepare for the ball.
Shiori was getting excited as Kurama tried on the three-piece suit that his stepfather got for him just for that event, especially when he told his family that he was the one who asked Riya to be his date for that night. In a way, he could say that they supported him. He noticed that ever since he introduced Riya to them, they kept on talking about her and the 'progress' in their relationship. Though he kept on saying that they were just friends and couldn't admit to them that he was starting to fall in love with her, they still didn't stop bugging him about that. In a way, they knew that sooner or later, he would admit everything to them. Sooner or later, he would be able to admit his feelings for her. He just didn't know when.
When he came out of the room wearing the outfit, Shiori and Suuichi approached him with smiles on their faces. Kazuya was at work so he didn't have a chance to see his stepson in his formal wear. But he asked Shiori and Suuichi to take some pictures of it.
"Mom, do you think it looks... good?" Kurama sheepishly asked. Then he scanned himself to do his assessment.
"It looks really good on you, Shuichi-san," his stepbrother commented. "This way, you won't be having a hard time catching the girls' attention. Of course, I know your attention will only focus on your lovely date the whole time. Right, Mom?" Then Suuichi faced Shiori.
She nodded. "That depends on the situation but I have to agree to what your brother said." Then she giggled.
All Kurama did was blush because of that.
Shiori then approached closer to him and fixed his tie and the collar of his coat. "You wanted to confirm the feelings that you have in your heart for her, right?"
His eyes widened when he heard that and he couldn't say anything. His mother continued."Whatever it is that you feel for her, try to do something for her to realize that. It might take some time but still, you have to do something. That way, you'll know if your feelings for her would be reciprocated or not."
He didn't say anything because he couldn't. He didn't know how but it seemed that his mother somehow knew what he felt for Riya. But in the end, Shiori has a point.
"Thanks, Mom," he said with a small smile.
As for Riya, she was already fixing her hair for the Rose Ball that would start at 6:30 pm and Kurama would pick her up half an hour earlier. She did her hair in her usual ponytail that was curled using a curling iron and had two small batches of hair strands curled that framed her face. The ribbon used to tie it was colored blue as the color of her gown. When she was satisfied with her hair, she stood up from the chair and scanned herself in the mirror.
She was about to take her gown out of the box when she heard someone press the doorbell.
"That's weird. Who would visit me at this hour?" she asked herself but still, she decided to go and see who was at the door of her apartment. But she was quite sure that those at the door weren't dangerous at all since she could sense it.
When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko, and Botan at the door.
"Hi, Riya! Mind if we come in?" Yusuke greeted.
She smiled and then completely opened the door to let her guests enter. Kuwabara, Keiko, and Botan looked around the apartment in awe as they saw elegance in each of the pieces of furniture there.
"Wow! I can't believe your cousin lived like a princess in this apartment, Urameshi," Kuwabara commented in awe as he continued to look around.
Keiko just smiled at that comment. "It's not that impossible for her, Kuwabara. She is an heiress to one of the most prominent families in Japan, particularly in Hokkaido." And then Keiko faced Riya. "Right, Riya-chan?"
"I just wanted to make this place almost like the one I had back home, Keiko-chan," she said, and then she faced Yusuke. "By the way, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be doing something at this hour? Or at least prepare for the ball?"
"We canceled that for now since we're not hyped up to go there." It was Kuwabara who answered and then he laughed while scratching the back of his head. "Sorry. I haven't introduced myself. My name's Kuwabara Kazuma. I'm from Class 2-D along with Keiko and Urameshi."
"And I'm Botan, by the way," Botan said. "We're Yusuke's friends."
"Pleased to meet you," she said and slightly bowed. "My name's Miyuzaki Riya, Yusuke's cousin." And then she looked at them seriously. "But seriously, what made you come here?"
"We're here to help you get ready for your big date with someone tonight," Botan said excitedly and with a sly smile. "Right, Keiko-chan?" The said girl nodded.
She was surprised; nonetheless, she just frowned since she remembered that she hadn't mentioned to anyone about anything about that date.
"How did you know that I'll be having a date with Kurama tonight?" It was late when she realized that she had said a name she shouldn't have. 'Great! Me and my big mouth...' "Ah... Just forget about that."
"You just said 'Kurama' a while back," Yusuke stated. "Did you just figure out that it's Minamino Shuichi's real name, Riya?"
It wasn't a demand; it was more of a concerned and curious question. Knowing Yusuke, he wouldn't stop until his questions were answered.
She sighed before facing her cousin. "More or less, I did. And I also know that he's... a demon."
No one said a word. But after a few moments of silence, Botan did.
"How?"
"His scent, even though it was most likely covered with the scent of roses," she answered, and then she sat on the sofa. "I also know that you're only taking a human form, Botan-chan. I could sense your spirit energy even from afar, Yusuke. Same goes to Kuwabara-kun."
Yusuke sighed before he sat beside her. "Does Kurama know about this?"
She shook her head. "I kept on calling him Shuichi-kun even though I already figured it out." She laughed weakly. "Pretty surprising, huh?"
"You can say that again," Kuwabara responded as they all sat on the sofa. "But since when did you start to sense spirit energies?"
"Since I was a kid. Yusuke knew that because I could see apparitions even since and somehow, I was shunned by my classmates because of it," she confessed. "I couldn't only sense them; I could also see them and identify them as either spirits or demons."
"I bet Kurama doesn't know that fact, as well." It was a statement rather than a question and she figured out when Yusuke said it.
"He also doesn't know that I've once monitored your encounter with the Legendary Weapon Wielders and the demon shinobi," she said in a soft tone but it was loud enough for everyone to hear it.
That was enough to surprise them. No one could say a word after that.
"Riya, are you one of the wielders?" Yusuke asked in a whim that surprised her inwardly.
She chuckled after a few seconds which made the four look at her curiously. "I only said that I've monitored your encounter but that doesn't mean I have one of the weapons. If I had, then one among the four of you who have the Legendary Weapons' energies would have sensed it inside of me. Besides, I can only use a weak amount of power inside of me and it wasn't enough for me to become one of the wielders. From what I heard the weapons possess a vast amount of powers, right? No one can seal it for the time being to prevent detection from you."
"Hmm... you have a point," Yusuke said.
'Sorry, Yusuke. But I have to keep this from you,' she sadly thought. 'There's no other way...'
"Well, better not disturb her with such questions anymore," Keiko said, making them snap out of their musings. Then she faced Botan. "We came here to help her get ready for her date, not interrogate her."
"I agree. So let's get started," Botan gleefully said and then took Riya from the sofa. "By the way, what time will Kurama arrive here to pick you up?"
"He said it would be half an hour before the ball will start, so it's around 6:00."
"We still have an hour so let's go!"
xxxxxx
An hour later...
Kurama arrived at the building and now, he was already standing in front of Riya's apartment. He heaved a few heavy sighs before he lifted his hand and knocked on the door. He didn't know why but he felt like knocking on the door rather than pressing the doorbell. But he was surprised to see someone unexpected had opened the door.
"Kuwabara! What are you doing here?" he couldn't help asking but all he got was a grin from Kuwabara before he opened the door completely.
Yusuke was smiling when he saw him on the sofa. "We came here to see you and Riya take off on your first date together," he said with a grin that surprised him. "I know you're wondering how the heck we knew that. Well, we did some eavesdropping while you were in the clinic three days ago. And for that, we canceled our preparation for the ball just for this day."
"Botan and Keiko came here, as well. They said that they're going to help Riya prepare for your date," Kuwabara added.
He just shook his head slightly and smiled when he learned that. "I can't believe you guys."
Then he saw Yusuke approach him and tapped his shoulder. It made him look at Yusuke confusingly.
"I'll leave Riya to you, Kurama," Yusuke said seriously which caught him off-guard. "I know you'll take care of her."
Even though most likely he had an idea about what Yusuke just said, he just kept quiet about it. Somehow, he figured out that Yusuke wasn't only talking about the date alone. There was still something else.
He smiled before he answered. "I will."
That was the time when Keiko and Botan came out of the room smiling.
"Looks like the Prince Charming had arrived," Botan said while giggling. Keiko just smiled before they slowly guide a girl out. What they saw had made them stare at her in awe.
Most likely, the girl was Riya was Kurama thought that she wasn't just Riya. She was just simply amazing and beautiful in her blue gown. It felt like she was a real-life princess in a fairy tale. She was wearing a Greek-inspired gown that flared down at the bottom with light pink translucent above-the-elbow gloves.
"I hope I looked alright," Riya said, breaking the silence among them. "As I told you, I'm suffering from fashion-related stress whenever there are occasions."
He smiled at that before he approached her. "You look great," he said sincerely. "It looks like Keiko and Botan did a good job on helping you prepare."
The others could see the admiration in Kurama's eyes for Riya and they were happy that they somehow managed to help the two in some way. Now they knew that the date would turn out good.
After that, Kurama and Riya went out of the apartment together while the rest decided that they would stay there for a while before they head home.
When they finally went out of the building (that is after they crossed paths with some of the tenants and all said the same thing to them—they looked good together), Riya was surprised to see a red car parking outside and Kurama approached it.
"This is yours?" she asked and then looked at him.
"My stepfather lent it to me. Don't worry about the driver's license because I have one," he said with a reassuring smile.
"What about the driving skills?"
That was when both of them laughed. "You think I would be able to get a driver's license if I'm not good at driving?"
"Just asking," she said and entered the front seat after Kurama opened it. It was when she finally entered and closed the door that he preceded her to the driver's seat.
But before he could start the engine, he faced her and smiled. "You look stunningly beautiful tonight, by the way. Your dress looks good on you." Then he noticed her hair ornament, the white rose-adorned comb. "And the comb..."
"Botan-chan gave this to me while she was helping me fix myself," she said as she unconsciously touched it. "Although I have to say, the flower emblem of my family is the white rose."
He chuckled at that and then he started the engine.
xxxxxx
Hanasakura Academy's function hall...
Most of the students and faculty members have already arrived in their formal wear. Music was played and lights were turned on to enhance the romantic ambiance of the venue since love was the festival's theme. A lot could see that everyone was having a good time with their friends and dates.
But then most of them were caught surprised when they looked at the entrance as a certain pair entered the function hall; while Ayako, Yukari, Soujiro, and Miss Ryuuzaki were just smiling at the sight.
"Looks like the couple of the year has arrived..." Ayako said. "...although they weren't couples yet."
"I guess in time they will. And I'll be waiting for that time to come," Yukari responded.
Kurama looked at Riya with worried eyes when he felt her hand turn cold all of a sudden as soon as they entered. He glanced around and that was when he figured out why their schoolmates were looking at them.
"You don't have to be afraid of them, Riya," he said to her reassuringly when he leaned toward her. "I'll be here to protect you from them just in case they would say something bad to you."
Riya faced him with a small smile on her face. "I'm more worried about what they're going to say about you because of this. I have to admit that a lot of people will be here."
"It's a festival, silly. Of course, they'll be a lot of people here. Just don't mind those unnecessary things they say about you. Okay?"
She was left with no choice but to nod. Anyway, she has nothing to worry about. Kurama was here with her and he was willing to be with her and protect her. So it was going to be alright since he said so.
The pair proceeded to where Miss Ryuuzaki and Ayako were, unmindful of the many eyes that stared at them. As for the other students, even though it was surprising for them to see Kurama and Riya together, they started to feel somewhat envious of the two for some reason.
The festival continued without a fuss. In a way, it went better than anyone had expected because a lot of students performed on stage to provide theme-related entertainment to everyone. The same goes for the Hondou siblings who performed on stage when Yukari played the piano and Soujiro sang that they haven't expected somehow. But even still, Soujiro's performance made the event even more romantic especially when some couples began dancing a slow dance on the dance floor.
Kurama and Riya were just at their table when Ayako suddenly approached them and disrupted their conversation. From the smile that they could see on her face, they knew she was planning something. Or at least, that was what they thought.
"Hey, aren't you two going to dance? You're missing out on the fun and the romance out here, you know," Ayako said with her hands on her waist." Come on! Soujiro-kun's performing a song, so don't miss it out."
Kurama looked at her for some seconds before he smiled and stood up. To Riya's surprise, he stood beside her and leaned toward her with his hand in front of her.
"Can I ask you to dance with me, Riya?"
Though she was already expecting that question from him, it still caught her surprise. But since he asked for it, she had a feeling that she didn't want to fail him, let alone turn him down. Besides, it was another of the moments that she must take hold of since she would be with Kurama the whole time of the event.
"I would love to," she said with a gentle smile. Then she placed her hand on his before she stood up.
Before they knew it, Kurama was leading Riya to the dance floor. Even though the first song that Soujiro performed was finished, he and Yukari decided to perform another especially since they saw their mistress with the demon fox on the dance floor. Ayako gave them the 'go sign' for it. Because of that, the siblings knew what song to sing—a perfect song (so far) meant for Kurama and Riya.
~You're in my arms
And all the world is calm
The music playing on for only two
So close together
And when I'm with you
So close to feeling alive...~
The said pair started dancing as soon as the music began to play. They didn't decide to dance in the center of the dance floor but still, they caught the attention of the couples dancing there. It felt... beautiful just watching them dance like they were the only people existing there.
Seriously, that was what Kurama and Riya felt at that moment so magical that it made them feel so happy inside just being with each other... without them knowing that they were feeling the same thing.
But then, it wouldn't matter.
~A life goes by
Romantic dreams must die
So I bid mine goodbye and never knew
So close was waiting, waiting here with you
And now forever I know...~
Because of that, many other couples decided to dance along with them. Kurama and Riya noticed that and it made them laugh softly before they stared at each other.
"Sorry if I asked you to be my date..." Kurama said, breaking the silence between them as they danced. "It kind of felt like... I was forcing you to do something for me, knowing that a lot of guys here would want you to be their date tonight."
"So you regret asking me to be your date tonight?" she bluntly asked in a serious tone.
"No! That's not it!" he immediately said which surprised her. "That's not what I meant..."
It took her a while for her to absorb what she said in her mind. But then she noticed that he was avoiding her stares and... he was slightly blushing.
"I know..." she whispered, making Kurama look at her intently.
~All that I want is to hold you
So close~
"Sorry that I asked you such a foolish thing," she said sincerely. "I guess I could say that... I'm a little insecure as of the moment for some reasons."
He frowned at that. But he let her continue speaking.
"I may be a princess to my family but not to a certain guy that I love. I guess... I'm not as beautiful as real princesses are," she continued without looking at him. Her bangs were covering her eyes so he couldn't actually figure out what was she really thinking.
~So close to reaching that famous happy ending
Almost believing this one's not pretend
And now you're beside me and look how far we've come
So far, we are, so close~
Kurama sighed inwardly before he spoke. "You don't have any reason for you to become insecure. You may not be a princess but you're already beautiful to me." 'Because if you're not beautiful inside and out, I would never have fallen in love with you,' he added.
What he said made her look at him with questioning eyes. But he just smiled at that—one of the gentlest and sweetest smiles that he had shown to her.
"Would that be enough for you to believe me?" he asked in a hopeful tone.
But she couldn't speak for some reason. It was just simple words yet their meaning was too much.
~How could I face the faceless days
If I should lose you now?~
She sighed and then she faced him.
"As I said before, I would always trust you. And that includes believing in you, as well." After that, she smiled.
The dance continued like it was really meant for them. The couples on the dance floor felt like the romantic ambiance in that hall was somewhat enhanced by Kurama and Riya dancing together. It was like those two really looked like a couple—a real one.
And the song... They knew it has some sort of significance to the said pair like it was their opportunity to be that close together for that particular night.
~We're so close
To reaching that famous happy ending
Almost believing this one's not pretend
Let's go on dreaming for we know we are
So close
So close
And still so far...~
The song ended and so was the dance. Kurama took it as an opportunity.
"Would it be okay if we head out somewhere else? Somewhere quiet and private," he whispered.
Riya smiled. "You mean to the place where we watched the fireworks more than two weeks ago?"
"You knew, huh?" he commented before he nodded.
To his surprise, she grabbed his hand before he started walking along with her. Then she faced him. "Then let's get going."
So they left the event together. Little did they know, there were sneaky people following them so they would not miss out on the exciting events.