Let’s do the disclaimer dance!!! *ripped this off Kit-koi’s quote! Yoshihiro Togashi-sama own most of these characters. Some extras are just imaginations. Suing me would be useless… I’m already broke… hunger and poverty hovers over me… nah, jyodan deshou… ^_^ Shonen ai? Yaoi? Just read and you tell yourself. A fanfic by ~> Bulma Briefs ************* Homescience Home-science. A class that Kurama was forced to take. It was in the subject package he took as a pure science student. Besides Japanese, English, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and other mathematical subjects like Calculus, Geometry and all; Home-science just seem out of the group, but the board of education department had to forced it down the students. And the class was damn crowded. Imagine, only 25 students in Chemistry class and 54 in Home-science. And the room? It’s like a big mansion. First section was Home-economics, the living room and bedroom, where you learn how to make things perfect there; the kitchen, where you learn how to cook, use and display cutlery and last but not least; the sewing room. No more explanation needed. Also you learn how to budget your spending and all. Second, the Manipulative Living Skills section. This is where you learn to do carpentry, plumbing and electronic stuffs. Third, the Agricultural Science. There’s a big greenhouse next to the Home-Science building where you plant your own veggies. Which is a no problem to Kurama. Now, you can see how silly it was. You can just hire someone to do those jobs, right? And today, was the first day of learning Home-economics. It was done in the hall of the mansion and has mirrors all around. "Budget is very important… What if you had used up all your income and when the bills come, What’re you going to pay that with?" the teacher started. "Pay them with girls?" joked a boy in the class. The whole class went berserk. It was so boring that they needed a break. Kurama put down his pen after scribbling the word ‘BUDGET’ on his notebook. He was sitting in between two girls who’s secretly eyeing him. He could see them through the reflection of the mirror. The teacher chuckled and smiled broader as she opened her book. "Well…," she started excitedly. "Today, we’re having our first project," she started. A small sound of protests were heard throughout the class. "Now, now… it’s not that hard. Well, we just have to divide you guys into a group of three. One, playing the role of the father, another as the mother, and the other as the son or daughter," the teacher informed them enthusiastically. Kurama gulped. This means he’ll get stuck with a girl for the whole week or he could die if he gets a ‘daughter’ too. "This was my favourite project when I was in high school," she said excitedly. "Yeah right," mumbled Kurama, but then the teacher saw him mumbling. "What is it, Minamino-kun?" she asked, a smile was painted on her face. Kurama stood up. "I said you’re right," he had to lie. Sounds were heard, they thought Kurama really liked the project. Damn. "Good, to make things fair and square… I made these numbers. Number 1 until 18. Each number has three copies. So, after you got your numbers, be sure to sit near your ‘family’ members," said the teacher as she put the box down on her table. One by one the pupils in the class took the numbers. Kurama took his and got number 16. He looked around. There’s no way he could ran from this. "Ready all?" asked the teacher after all the numbers were taken. "Hai," the class answered. The teacher clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Who has number one?" she asked. Three students raised up their hands. Two boys and a girl. Kurama sighed. Groups passed and group number 15 was another one boy and two girls group. It seemed like the girls were more dominant here. "Number 16?" asked the teacher. Kurama raised his hand. He turned around and two squirming girls were exclaiming in happiness. :… Oh, Shimatta …: The other girls were also letting out a sigh of jealousy. Kurama needn’t have to move, the girls instantly came up to him. "Hi Minamino-kun. I’m Yuri Akano. Hajimemashite," introduced the first girl, she had long blue hair. "I’m Izumi Honda. Hajimemashite," the second one with the long green hair introduced herself. "Douzo yoroshiku," he smiled and opened his book. "Now, assume all of you have a monthly income of 900 000 yen a month. 400 000 from the wife and 500 000 from the husband. Now, I’ll distribute the bills of how much you have to pay for each watt of electricity, each litre of water and each second of the phone. I’m sure you’ll have fun doing this. You can have some money for leisure, but be careful. You guys still need to eat, pay the school fees, buy groceries and all," she said. Kurama eyed his piece of paper. "900 000 yen is definitely not enough," uttered Yuri. Kurama looked up at her. "It’s enough. If you can manage it," he told them. "You really have the potential to be a father," they commented. "Now, who is going to be the wife?" asked Kurama as he scribled something in his notebook. "I want," said Izumi. "No, I want!" protested Yuri. Kurama sighed. "Oh, come one. It’s not like you’re really going to marry him. Let me be the wife," said Izumi. "No, let’s ask Minamino- san," suggested Yuri. Both gave Kurama meaningful looks. But the redhead just shrugged. "No matter who becomes who, you two are still part of my family," he said. After a few moment, they came to an arrangement. Yuri was the wife and Izumi was the child. The bell rang and school was over. "Work together everyday, okay class?" asked the teacher. "Hai," was the answer, though it was dull and lazy. "Can we go to your house, Minamino-kun?" asked Yuri. Kurama frowned. "Why?" The girls smiled pleasantly at him. "Because our houses are too small," they answered simultaneously. Kurama chuckled. "As if we’re so big. But I don’t mind," he smiled. "No, really. Anyway, my house is so noisy that we can’t even do our work," said Izumi. Kurama sighed. "Mochiron." "Tadaima," Kurama hollered as he opened the door. Shiori came out of the kitchen and smiled. "Okaeri yo, Shuu-chan," she leaned over and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Oh, you brought your friends home," she smiled at the two girls behind him. "Konnichiwa, basan," they greeted her, Shiori happily nodded. "Hairu, hairu… don’t just stand outside," she said. Boy, were the girls happy. They gaped in awe as the tidy and nice big living room greeted them with warm yellow lights. "I’ll change first," said Kurama as he went to his room. Shiori walked them to the kitchen and served tea. Kurama bathed and freshen up himself; he then put on a pair of boxers and slipped on a checked shirt. He gathered his pen and notebooks on the table. Then, suddenly there was a knock on his door. "What?" he hollered from inside. The door opened, Izumi and Yuri came in. Their smile looked so fake. "We’re here… daddy!" said Izumi, chuckling. Yuri also giggled and closed the door. "Why are you guys here?" asked Kurama. "Umm… your kaasan said that we could come and study here," said Yuri, Izumi nodded. Kurama smiled, but inside he was sighing. Boy, he was going to explain a lot when Hiei comes. They looked around. The room was perfect and fancy. Tidy and clean. "Your room is nice, Minamino-kun," said Yuri. Kurama nodded and smile. "Doumo." They sat on the floor and opened their book. They did some calculations and accounts. "After giving pocket money to Izumi, buy groceries for the week, I still have 185 000 yen to spend," said Yuri proudly. Kurama blinked his eyes. "What did you buy? The whole store?" Kurama checked the bills. She did buy at least half the store. Kurama shook his head. "Cut down on the junk food will ya? After paying for the house, electricity bills, water bills, phone bills and the Hi-fi you guys decided you want, I still have 415 000 left on my side," said Kurama. "Oh, Shuuichi-san… I mean ‘darling’… you’re so thrifty," said Yuri. Kurama winced at the word ‘darling’. But he just let the matter drop. "We still need to cull out the items from your shopping," said Kurama. Izumi nodded as she scanned the bill. "Kaasan, you even bought the baby formula?" asked Izumi. Yuri blushed. "I thought it looked cute. The new packing of the tin was…," Yuri hadn’t finished her sentence when Kurama broke in. "If you buy things like that, another zero behind our income wouldn’t even be enough," said Kurama, looking over at Izumi as she crossed out a few items. Baby formula. Diapers. Three types of soy sauce. Kurama shook his head. Then the window slid open, then shut. Both Yuri and Izumi looked at Hiei as he came in, sitting on the sill. Kurama smiled. But then, sweat dropped. How can he explain a ‘family’ in his room to Hiei? "Excuse me," he said to the girls and turned to Hiei. "Hello, itoshii," he whispered at Hiei. "Who are they?" Hiei gestured to the two girls. "We have this school work that needs us to be family for a week. So…," before Kurama could continue, they waved at Hiei. "Hi, I’m Minamino-kun’s wife!," said Yuri. "And I’m his daughter," said Izumi. Hiei turned death glares at Kurama. "I leave you for the morning and you come back with a wife and a kid?" Hiei exclaimed in a whisper nearly let the girls heard him. Kurama put a finger on Hiei's lips. "No, no… it’s just a school project. We just get together and discuss the budget. Nothing more," said Kurama. Hiei narrowed his eyes. "You mean… you don’t sleep with her?" he asked. "Of course not!" Kurama exclaimed. "Something wrong, Minamino-san?" asked Yuri. Kurama smiled at them and shook his head. "No, no… nothing’s wrong," he assured them. "Anyway if I were ever going to get married, I’ll get married to you," Kurama informed Hiei. Hiei looked over Kurama’s shoulder at the two girls. He decided to stay. Just in case those ningen women decided to make a move on his fox. Kurama gave Hiei a piece of chocolate. "I need to finish the work. You can seat here, okay?" Hiei nodded. But as Kurama wanted to turn, Hiei pulled him and gave him a kiss. Kurama returned it, but it was short. After they parted, Kurama looked into Hiei's ruby eyes. It was as if trying to tell him ‘You’re mine. So don’t you dare to jump into any other women’. Kurama smiled and sat back at his place. He hoped the girls didn’t saw his little scene with Hiei. Or the whole home-science class would be hovering with whispers. He was glad anyway that they didn’t ask him about Hiei… yet. Izumi eyed Hiei from time to time. The little boy just sat on the sill, gazing out to the horizon. He’s wearing the ever cutest scowl she’d ever seen. An his attire, it weird. A black cloak and a white scarf around his neck. Then, there was a knock on the door. Shiori came with a tray containing three bowls of dessert. "Ah, Hiei-kun! You’re here too? Matte, I’ll get another bowl of dessert for you," started Shiori. "Ah, daijobu kaasan! I can share with Hiei," said Kurama. Shiori smiled at him. "Okay then," she said placing the dessert bowls next to them. Before she leave, she turned to Hiei. "Hiei-kun. Next time, when you come in please tell me you’re here," she smiled. Hiei nodded and returned his gaze out the window. After Shiori left, the girls stopped for a while. "Let’s have a break. I’ll do the bank accounts after this," said Izumi. Kurama nodded and handed them a bowl of dessert each. Kurama walked up to the sill and took a spoonful of jelly and stuff it in his own mouth. Then he took another one, shoving it at Hiei. "I’m full," he told the fox. "Oh come one," said Kurama and pushed the spoonful of jelly into the koorime’s mouth gently. Izumi frowned. Was Hiei, Minamino’s brother? No, he couldn’t be. Cousin? Might be… But they’re so close. They were talking. Kurama chuckled at something Hiei told him but the other one kept a serious face on. "You sure? Reikai was really giving Koenma a break?" asked Kurama, fairly amused. Hiei nodded. Izumi of course, didn’t get what they were saying about. But the look in their eyes were so intent. So pure. So sincere. She had never seen Minamino-kun give that kind of a look to anyone else. Anyway, the other boy seemed to call Minamino-kun ‘Kurama’ or something like that. Sounds like one of the Sumo fighter’s name. Hehe…
Everyday, they would hang around at Kurama’s house doing the accounts and budgeting for the day. Hiei came for the first two days but then on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday he didn’t show up. Sunday came and they gathered in Kurama’s room for the last day’s budgeting. Kurama wasn’t such in a good mood since Hiei didn’t show up. He even looked thinner. So, Izumi finally opened her mouth and asked. "Oi, tousan… how come Hiei-san doesn’t come anymore?" she asked, still having the pun stick to their conversation. Kurama shrugged as he added the overdraft to the cash accounts. "He might be busy with something else. It’s not like he’s my baby-sitter or something," Kurama answered. Yuri shook her head at Izumi telling her not to ask anymore. Shiori blinked as someone knocked on the kitchen window. She opened it and smiled. "Hiei-kun… the door is that side," she helped him in. "It’s faster this way," he told Shiori. The woman just chuckled and walked over to the freezer. She took out a tub of ice-cream as Hiei made himself comfortable on the counter. Shiori put the whole tub of ice-cream which has only quarter of it left in front of Hiei and stuffed a spoon in his small but sturdy hands. "Doumo," thanked Hiei and started his treat on the sweet snow. "Oh, look at you. Take off your clothes. I’ll repair it for you," said Shiori, shaking her head. Then she disappeared. She came back a few minutes later with a bundle of clothes. "These are Shuuichi’s. My step-son’s. He’s the same size as you are," she told Hiei. After finishing the ice-cream, Shiori took the tub to the sink while Hiei changed. When she turned around, Hiei was finished. She smiled pleasantly at Hiei. She bent down and hugged him warmly. "I hope you love Shuuichi as much as he loves you," sighed Shiori. Then she straightened up. "Anyway, those clothes look good on you. Get Shuu-chan to go shopping with you sometimes, okay?" she wiped away a streak of tear off her face. Hiei frowned. The women of his lover’s life was in front of him, crying. "Doushite, Shiori-san?" asked Hiei, trying to soften his tones. Shiori shook her head and smiled at Hiei. "You are such a sweet boy. You have become like a son to me. And I’m proud that Shuu-chan have you as a lover and no one else," she told Hiei. The woman in front of him was making him confuse. "Shuuichi was so worried about you that he hadn’t eaten anything for two days already, Hiei-kun," Shiori finally told him. Hiei stood up. Sometimes, the fox could be so stupid. Shiori smiled as she saw Hiei ran to Kurama’s room in concern. *********** "You on some kind of a diet or something, Shuuichi-san?" asked Yuri. Kurama shook his head. "Nope," he told them. Izumi’s mouth was itching to ask something and finally did. "Anyway, is Hiei-san your…" before Izumi could finish asking there was a knock on the door. "Sumimasen," Kurama excused himself. When he opened the door; Hiei, in normal casual clothing that looked quite familiar was standing in front of it. "Oh, Hiei!" Exclaimed Kurama and wrapped his arms around the koorime, carrying him up turning one complete circle. "Where have you been?" asked Kurama, nuzzling the koorime’s neck. "I went to see Mukuro. She had a problem with the borders. Sorry didn’t tell you," explained Hiei short. The rest he’ll tell Kurama when they’re alone. Izumi and Yuri looked at each other. "I tell you what, Hiei-san is Minamino-san’s boyfriend. believe me," whispered Izumi. Yuri nodded. But they just shrugged. Most of the cute looking boys in school were involved with people the same sex as they’re. "Why did you come in from the front door?" asked Kurama as he set Hiei down, hands still cupping his cheeks. "Well, your kaasan told me to come and see her first. And when she saw my torn cloak and all, she said she’ll mend it for me and meanwhile I am to wear Shuuichi’s attires," Hiei told him. "Un… that’s why these clothes look so familiar," said Kurama, pulling him in. "Oh, Hi Hiei-san," greeted the two girls. "Where have you been?" Yuri asked. "Working," answered Hiei as he lied on his stomach on Kurama’s futon. "You working?" asked Izumi. Hiei nodded. "Part time," he told them. They all nodded. "You all still working on that stupid thing?" asked Hiei peering over to Kurama’s opened ledger book. Kurama nodded. "It’s finishing soon, soon enough," mumbled Kurama as he calculated the last sums of money left. Yuri and Izumi looked at Kurama. "So, how much left?" asked Yuri. Kurama smiled at them. "398 327 yen. If we keep on with this, we’ll be zillionaires in a few years," laughed Kurama. Both of the girl cheered. "If I really have a father like you," sighed Izumi. Kurama shrugged. He glanced up at Hiei who was already asleep waiting for him. The girls were sent to the door. "Mata na," he waved them goodbye. At last, no more girls hovering around the house. Then his kaasan crept up to him. "So, don’t tell me you’re cheating on Hiei-kun," said Shiori, wiping her hands with the kitchen towel. Kurama looked at his mother and smiled. "Of course not kaasan… of course not," said Kurama. "Dinner in a few minutes," hollered Shiori as her son went to his room. ************ The next Home-science class was on Monday afternoon, last period. The teacher looked over everyone’s report on the budget stuff and found one that she was quite pleased with. Anyway, they had the most remaining money and have completed the task well, very neatly. She flipped over to the names and saw the biodata:- Title ~> A Report on Budgeting a Month’s Income Father ~> Shuuichi Minamino Mother ~> Yuri Akano Daughter ~> Izumi Honda She stood up. A satisfying smile on her face. "Minamino, Akano and Honda… please stand up," she said to the class. The three stood and looked at the teacher. "I loved your work. It’s excellent!" she said and bent down to jot down something in her book. "You’ll get extra credit for the midterm paper," she announced. A few sounds were heard. She took out something from under her table. Three fancy wrapped packages. "Here, I’m giving these to you guys for a token of appreciation," she handed them each a present. Izumi and Yuri were showered with loads of questions from the other girls. "How’s it feel like to be a family with Mianimo-kun?" "How does his room look like?" "Was his mother a nice woman?" "Is that true that they said his house was so nice?" And all sorts of other questions. Hiei was sitting on the kitchen counter listening to Shiori talking when Kurama came in. "Tadaima," he said, kissing Hiei of the cheek and gave his kaasan a hug. "So, why are you so happy?" she asked her enthusiastic son. "Well, got extra credits for home-science and the teacher loved our whole week of work," Kurama told Shiori. Shiori smiled and gave her son a kiss on the forehead. "You deserve it," she smiled. "Yeah," uttered a voice from the kitchen counter. Kurama chuckled. "Look, kaasan. someone’s jealous," laughed Kurama and walked over to Hiei as Shiori put the vegetables in the frying-pan. Kurama leaned down and nearly touched their noses. "Oh you jealous little gremlin," grinned Kurama and kissed him. Shiori served the food when Shuuichi-kun and Kazuya Hatanaka came home. "The fish was cooked by Hiei-kun," suddenly Shiori announced. Everyone looked at Hiei wide eyed. Hiei shifted uneasily. He wasn’t used to be stared at like that. "You sure, kaasan?" asked Shuuichi-kun. Kurama too was giving Shiori a ‘are-you-sure’ look. "Honto ni, let’s all try how it taste like," said Shiori, taking a bit of the fish meat and tasted it. Somehow, it tasted different. But still nice. "Um… Oishii ne?" she asked everyone. Shuuichi and Hatanaka nodded. Kurama looked at them, then at Hiei. He took some and tasted. Hiei's eyes were intensely on him. "Then suddenly Kurama laughed. "I didn’t knew you cook!" he exclaimed. Now, Hiei's face was really red. Hiei thought Kurama was mocking him. He bit his lips and stood up. He ran to Kurama’s room. Everyone blinked. "Now you’ve done it, niisan," said Shuuichi. "Don’t you think laughing at him was too harsh?" asked Kazuya. Kurama turned to Shiori. "I was just… surprised. I didn’t mean to laugh at him," he denied. "Well, He thinks you’re mocking him, dear," sighed Shiori. Now she knew how sensitive the boy could be. "Go and do something with him," said Hatanaka, giving his step-son a tip. He too had begin to like the boy. He’s quiet and didn’t look like such a busybody and loudmouthed. Kurama sighed. He went to his room and saw Hiei on the sill, his body heaving in slow angry breaths. Kurama closed the door. "Hiei?" he called softly. Hiei still had his face fixed outside. Kurama walked nearer and sat on front of Hiei. Those ruby studs still refused themselves to look at his emerald ones. "I wasn’t mocking you just now, I was just surprised that you knew how to cook good food," said Kurama, a smile was on his face, soft and warm. Hiei was silent. Kurama sighed. Hiei could be so sensitive and stubborn at times. Kurama shifted closer. He leaned his head on Hiei's chest and breathed in his soft scent. Baby lotion! Well, he suppose Shiori had coaxed him to put it on him. "You are sometimes so hard to deal with, you know that?" asked Kurama. Hiei was still silent. "Okay, your cooking was good. Even better than mine I’d say," Kurama praised him. Well, that seemed to work. Hiei looked at Kurama. "You think so?" asked Hiei. Kurama smiled. "Why would I lie? Your style of cooking is different though but very nice," Kurama coaxed the koorime back into his will. Hiei smiled. "Well…" Kurama rolled his eyes. "You can be such a darling, Hiei," Kurama kissed Hiei and chuckled. Owari… ^_^ Just a flashback of my days. I haven’t took Homescience for a year already. I missed that subject! I scored very high marks for cooking, sewing and stuffs! Since I was in Form 4 (10th grade), I have to drop that subject because I took the Pure Science stream… but the memory remains, ne? C&C to… Bulma Briefs UIN# 13254597 bulma_v_briefs@hotmail.com https://members.tripod.com/~Bulma_Briefs/manga_mansion.html