Disclaimer: I honestly don't own Gensomaden Saiyuki. And the one who owned it has absolutely made a good job out of it, deriving the plots from classical novel 'Journey to the West' and twisting it a lot.
Onward with the story....
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"Now, look what you have done, Goyjo. You brought a small girl home, and you nearly cause Yaone-neechan to have a heart attack," complained Goku as he watched the little girl sitting quietly, munching pau, and drawing pictures using Hakkai's crayon.
Goyjo scowled, "That little girl had a name, okay? It's Meia. Look, I had to. That girl was sleeping on the street when I walked by. She looked hungry and homeless. Probably abandoned or an orphan."
Goku retorted, "You can't even take care of yourself. What makes you think you can take care of her. Maybe you like her, you Lolita-lover."
"That's enough, Goku," cut in Hakkai, a little harshly. "I don't think it's your character to dislike anyone, particularly helpless little girls."
"But Hakkai," began Goku protesting, "Goyjo might make a big mistake like how he did when he became friendly with Kinkaku. We might end up in big trouble… I just don't like her." He threw a sharp glare at the small girl who pretended to be unfazed by it.
Goyjo snorted, "Who cares whether you like her or not? She doesn't even like you!"
Yaone sat at the table, with her hot tea in front. Although her eyes fixed on the red headed girl, yet her mind seemed to wander somewhere else. Goyjo and Goku's petty quarrel and Hakkai's occasional interruption seemed to fade away as she recalled the past, someone familiar, doing the thing she likes most…
"Lirin-sama, it's time to take your bath."
"Yaone-neechan, look what I had drawn. Us beating up Sanzo-ikkou and getting the holy sutra! Big brother whacked Goku half dead and I get to be on top of Baldie Sanzo!!"
"What about Dokugakuji and me?"
"Doku got hurt very much but managed to punch ero-kappa flat on the nose. Next, the cook. He was defeated by Yaone-neechan and was punished to cook meatbuns for the rest of his life!"
"Very funny."
"Ne, Yaone-neechan. Do you have some more meatbuns? I need to eat while I'm drawing."
"No meatbuns until you bath first."
"But I want meatbuns, first! Please, Yaone-neechan"
"Yaone!" finally a firm loud voice called her name, jerking her back to the present time. She looked up and saw Hakkai offering a plate of meatbuns to her. She smiled and politely declined. She looked at the girl again who stared at her back. There's something creepy in the little girl's eyes, thought Yaone, shivering a little.
Hakkai felt a little worried for Yaone. The purple-haired girl sat there in a daze, with her tea untouched, staring long at Meia. Her face looked a little pale and tired, while her body, which not many noticed except him, trembled slightly. She must be sick, he thought worriedly. Who wouldn't be? Sleeping late at a cold roof, waking up early in the morning and got shook up by a scarred little girl in a dark bathroom. Hakkai knew of Yaone's little secret fear. She disliked dark rooms, especially when the room was small and crammed. Once, she asked his help to light up a small pitch dark underground storeroom, so that she could move the old things out. When the light suddenly went off in the midst of moving things, Yaone became panic and injured herself in her attempt to fumble her way out of the room fast. The brunette man did not dare ask her reasons for being afraid of dark small rooms. She did not tell him about her fear and pain. Instead, she focused on getting herself busy, operating a grocery shop, trying to forget her past life and building a new one. Sometimes she tried too hard. That was the reason Hakkai wanted her in the camp. To get her out of her shelled life. To relax and enjoy the simple pleasures with children and nature. And to stop keeping her problems all to herself and not be able to let out. He would be there for her to face and let go the past. Just like what she did last night on the roof. Holding him, comforting him over Kana's suicide death.
"Yaone," he asked softly, touching her arm. The young woman turned towards him. "Do you still want to for the camping trip? You don't look well," he asked, feeling a little guilty. She shook her head in protest, "Iie, I feel alright. I just…remembered something… long ago."
For a while, the monocle man scrutinized her, hoping for a further explaination. However it did not come as Goku interrupted his attention on Yaone, by calling his name. "Yes, Goku," he sighed, focusing his attention on the monkey boy. He would talk to her latter.
"Are we going to allow her to stay here forever?" whined the golden-eyed boy, pointing at Meia the red haired girl who seemed to glare sharply at Goku. It looked as if she did not like the boy.
Goyjo whacked his head and growled, "This is my house and Hakkai's. We have the right to decide who's stays and who's out. And right now, I say she stays. If you don't like it, the door is right there. Feel free to use it."
"Why you!" gritted Goku angrily
"Maa, maa. Don't get too worked up here," coaxed Hakkai, trying to break the negative tension that seemed to be broiled among the two. He really felt odd. It's granted that Goyjo and Goku always quarrel, but there never was a moment where Goku and Goyjo were really angry at each other. And he had never seen Goku being paranoid with strangers. He was always friendly with strangers before, trusting them completely. But now…he seemed to be sceptical, so like Sanzo. Hakkai wondered whether Sanzo's cynical aloofness had rubbed on Goku. "Goku, Meia is going to stay in this house," Hakkai told the boy, flashing a smile and another plate of meatbuns to placate him. Before the half-youkai could give a victorious smirk, he added firmly, "But it's going to be only for a while, until Goyjo finds a suitable permanent home for her to stay in."
Goyjo was shocked and angry. "What??" He could not believe it. His best friend did not side him, and not only that, the most gentle, patient and generous man had refused to shelter a homeless girl. "She's a tabboo child, for god's sake!! Which couples would want to take her in? Not many orphanages accept tabboo children!" he shouted, venting his anger and frustrations. He knew the harsh reality that half-youkai children had to face. A social outcast for not being a true youkai or human, they are teased and left alone to survive.
Despite Goyjo's angry outburst, the green-eyed man's smile remained unchanged. "That's why I'm asking Goku to help you find someone who would love and care her enough to raise her," he said with a twinkle on his left eye.
His red eyes softened as he realized Hakkai's hidden motives. He grumbled incorrigible words and placed his arm on Goku's shoulder. "You're going to help me, monkey-wannabe, if you don't want the girl to stay long," said Goyjo, with a resigned sigh. The confused golden-eyed boy stared at two of his friends, first at the green-smilling eyes and then at the red-defeated eyes. Something was going on, except he could not detect it. "I guessed so," he agreed, half-heartedly.
"Good," approved Hakkai as he saw the two were in good terms now. "To make things easier for you, I will take Meia to the camp," volunteered Hakkai happily. "So, in these five days, you would have to take care of Yaone's shop and look for a suitable guardian for Meia," instructed Hakkai strictly. Both Goyjo and Goku nodded and sighed when Hakkai lectured for half an hour about their house duties during his absence. Leaving them with Meia, Yaone could not help but giggled quietly. Hakkai really looked like a mother setting ground house rules on her children.
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To be continued....