A Mission to Remember
Yusuke Urameshi couldn't sleep. He kept tossing and turning in his bed, wishing he could close his eyes and have them stay that way. But his head was too full. His mind kept turning to Keiko and how this next mission would affect her. Eventually, he gave up his battle with sleep and reached for the phone next to his bed. Yusuke punched in the numbers and waited for Keiko to answer, listening to the ringing while he waited.
"Hello?" moaned a tired voice on the other end. Yusuke sighed with relief at hearing her voice. He had been terrified that her father would answer.
"Keiko, it's Yusuke," he said quietly. He didn't want to wake his mother. Though he doubted a wild boar could wake that woman at the moment, as she'd been drinking with her friends and passed out on the couch the second she got in.
"Yusuke?" Keiko groaned. "It's three in the morning. What is it? Can't it wait until I'm awake?"
He paused and thought for a moment. "I have another mission, Keiko."
That woke her up. "What? When you left for your last mission, you said that would be it! You promised me that would be it. I didn't believe you, but when you came back I did. You promised. I don't want you to leave again."
"I know I did, and I wish I could keep that promise," Yusuke explained. "But this mission is way too important. I have to do it."
"You don't have to do anything," Keiko noted bitterly. Yusuke thought he heard tears in her voice.
"No," he corrected. "This is something that has to be done. I've put it off for too long already."
"Okay then," she answered. He was positive she was crying now. "Go away for another three years. See if I care. This time, though, when you come back, I might actually have a new boyfriend."
Yusuke could tell she was about to hang up so he quickly told her to wait. "This won't be a long mission," he explained. "I want to keep that promise I made to not leave you. Come with me, Keiko."
The other line was silent. For a moment, he thought she had hung up on him anyways. Just as he was about to hang up his end, Yusuke heard her speak. "What help would I be? I'd probably just make things worse."
He didn't have a response for that. "Just say you'll come. I promise that nothing bad will happen to you. You'll be safe."
She was quiet again. This time, though, Yusuke could tell she was still there. "How long will this mission take?" Keiko asked skeptically.
"It will only take tomorrow," Yusuke said on a much happier note. "I bet you'll be back in time for dinner."
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see tomorrow," he said in a mysterious voice. "Does this mean you will come?"
"Yeah," Keiko answered quietly. "I guess I'll go."
"Great," Yusuke said. "I will be at your house around ten to pick you up."
"See you at ten, then," she said before they hung up. Now, neither of them could sleep.
Keiko heard a knock on her front door and rushed to get it before her father could answer it. But before she could open the door, her mother stopped her.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?"
Keiko paused. "Um... With Yusuke," she told truthfully. "We're going to be out all day."
Her mother smiled. "Okay, then. Have fun, Dear. I'll let your father know where you went."
"Thanks, Mom," she replied. "See you around dinner time!" I hope, she thought as she turned the handle and opened the door. Yusuke stood in the doorway smiling. She smiled back.
"Hey, Keiko," he said. "I almost thought you wouldn't come down."
"It crossed my mind not to," Keiko answered. "But it sounded like you really wanted me to come. So I came."
"Thanks," Yusuke said, grasping her hand. "I did really want you to come. It means a lot that you are with me." She looked down at their laced fingers and smiled, squeezing his hand slightly. Keiko still had no idea where they were going and was rather nervous. What if one of them got hurt? She knew that Yusuke would keep his promise about not letting anything get her, but what if he was hurt? Who would save them? Keiko decided to let the scary thoughts aside and concentrate on the present.
"So why couldn't any of the others accompany you on this mission?" she questioned, trying to make conversation.
"It really is a one person mission," Yusuke told her. "But I promised you I wouldn't leave, so I brought you along. Plus, the others weren't really qualified to come."
"And I am?" she demanded. She couldn't do anything! If Yusuke expected her to do something that even Hiei or Kurama couldn't, he was badly mistaken. When Yusuke didn't answer, she turned to him. "What can I do that the others can't?"
Again he didn't respond. Instead, Yusuke just looked at her and smiled. Keiko didn't ask again, seeing that he wasn't going to give an answer. She tried to ask questions about the mission and where they were going, but all Keiko got was, "You'll see when we get there." Rather than continue to fail at conversation she changed the subject to the homework they both had due in Math.
"Yeah, like I'm going to do that," Yusuke commented, as if the very idea of him working was preposterous. Which it is, Keiko noted silently.
After walking all the way downtown and after pushed small talk, Yusuke finally announced that they were there. Looking around, Keiko didn't see anything out of the ordinary. They were on the sidewalk next to a restaurant with a jewelry store next to it. A book store was across the street and there was a man singing rather out of tune on the sidewalk for money. Other than that, there wasn't anything strange that would be 'mission worthy.'
"I don't see anything," Keiko said, turning to Yusuke and looking very confused. "What's the problem here?"
"It's not out here," Yusuke explained. "It's in there." He pointed to the jewelry store.
All Keiko could do was point at the store with bewilderment. "In there?" she asked stupidly. "What could you possibly have to do that is so important in there?"
"Something that is very hard. Trust me," Yusuke said seriously. "But nothing will happen to you, I promise. I'll keep you safe." She bit her lower lip as he led her to the door of the store and pushed it open.
Tentatively stepping inside, she took a deep breath as she walked. The way Yusuke was acting, there had to be something horrible in there that could very well harm her. She linked her arm around Yusuke's and stayed close to him as they entered.
It wasn't anything like she had expected. The store looked absolutely normal. The cashier was ringing up a necklace and there was a woman browsing around a shelf. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening. For the third time, Keiko looked up at Yusuke very confused. He remained expressionless and led her over to one of the glass cases holding a bunch of rings.
"Pick one," Yusuke said, offering no explanation, just pointing to the case and all of the rings inside it.
Keiko froze. This wasn't very mission-like. "What?" was all she could say. She looked up at him, hoping for answers this time. Yusuke was looking at her with loving eyes, a sincere smile playing on his face. Suddenly it all made sense. Yusuke's very important mission was to propose to her, like he said he would. He was keeping his promise. They were going to get married.
"Oh, Yusuke!" she cried happily, throwing her arms around his neck as tears welled up in her eyes. Yusuke wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight. The store was silent and the couple knew that everyone insidewas watching them, but neither cared.
"I love you, Keiko," he whispered into her ear.
She pulled out of the hug and looked him in the eyes. "I love you, too."
"Keiko, will you marry me?" Yusuke asked quietly, tilting up her chin so he could see her entire face.
A tear rolled down her cheek as she nodded, unable to say anything. Yusuke took her in his arms again and sealed the agreement with a gentle kiss.