The Cause and The Effect { A Yu Yu Hakusho Love Story }

{ 07 }

{ Takako }

It's a saturday—which is supposed to be my whole day shift as a miko. But fortunately, I took that shift on a school day so grandma and auntie both agreed to let me do only a morning shift.

My parents didn't dare to argue with grandma and auntie when it comes to this miko and family tradition business. One reason is that grandma and auntie are dominantly traditionalists in their personality and will definitely cause a feud if someone dared to 'break the rules' or 'destroy the order of things'. Dad says that we can't afford the family to break apart just because of our differences.

I just think he also doesn't want his mother and sister to die of heart attack because they'll realize there are things from the past that are better to let go.

But of course, I don't say that out loud.

"Noble child, why don't you color your jade (green) hair into ink (black)?" Grandma Miyamoto just entered the room while I was blessing the many ofudas for the stalls outside.

I uttered the last syllables of the chant before facing and bowing in front of her.

"Grandma, I wouldn't dare change my natural features. That would make the beings who blessed me upset." I explained to her for the hundredth time.

"But it was not like that before." she retorted. I sighed and bowed again before making my way out to my room.

At times, I wish she could be more open minded. I thought silently.

••••

I changed into civilian clothes—jeans and a jumper and am on the way to Mizumi's apartment.

Why would Toguro want to fight Yusuke in a tournament? Is Sakyo planning to eliminate the members of the club? What demons would they face? What would be the prize they want?

Dark tournament. Black Black Club. Sakyo. Toguro. Special guests. Demons. The prize.

These are my key words. I finally reached Mizumi's apartment and knocked the door a few times until it seems useless. I noticed the door was not locked so I entered.

"Mizumi?" I called out. No answer. I reached the living room. I saw the said person lying on the sofa, her earphones plugged on and her eyes closed.

I cleared my throat loud enough for her eyes to jerk open.

"What the hell Takako?! You almost gave me a heart attack!" she shouted as she sat up, pulling her earphones out of her ears.

"There's a thing called knocking, you know." she added and almost hit me with a stick she uses for practice. I grinned.

"It's nice to see you too, Mizumi. I brought you mochi ice cream that mom made for you." I said. But before I can even hand it to her, her arms had already stretched out for them, grabbing the box filled with the sticky rice balls filled with ice cream from me. You can never spell Mizumi without sweets.

"Tell auntie I said thanks." she said while fully sitting up and facing me.

"But I'm still not going to live at the shrine with you. No offense." she mumbled as she took a bite from a white colored mochi—probably a vanilla flavored one.

"None take." I closed the door and went back to the living room.

Since Mizumi's parents died, my mother swore to Uncle—Mizumi's father and my mom's brother—that she would take care of Mizumi and would take responsibility of her. But Mizumi always refuses to live in the shrine due to unknown reasons. We may be cousins and are extremely close. But there's so much that I don't know about her