I was going to visit my grandma in Orange County (which means I live in California, duh), and I was absolutely DYING of boredom, so I thought up of fanfiction. -wink- it's my hobby. Anyway, so here it is. Sequel to "This Love". Pirika wants to give Ren a haircut. Ren resists. They remember something a certain itako said a year ago, and...well...some things never change. Two-part RenxPirika. One more thing, Ren doesn't call her onna because...I forgot what that meant. Curses.

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Ren, Pirika -- 18

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Disclaimer: ...I have the soundtrack, and the DVDs...

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Haircut

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"WHY CAN'T YOU GUYS EVER SHUT UP?!!! I KNOW YOU'RE JUST HIDING YOUR FEELINGS FOR EACH OTHER SO MAKE OUT ALREADY AND GET IT OVER WITH!!!!!!" Anna screamed, banshee-like, into their faces. Satisfied she had gotten that into their heads, she stomped off, once again.

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Ren shook the thought from his head and continued to practice wielding his spear. Slash, slash, thrust. Slash, slash, thrust. Slash, slash, thrust. For some reason, the stupid Ainu girl was always fascinated in watching him train. It was unnerving, seeing Pirika sitting there every time, staring fixedly at him, slashing and thrusting. Over and over and over.

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But today she wasn't here. To Ren, it was a relief. She proved to be a distraction--a large, large distraction. Ren shuddered. Why was she so interested at looking at him?

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Stopping to wipe a slick sheen of sweat off his forehead, Ren was about to resume his slashing-and-thrusting when the back door leading to the yard of the Funbari Onsen burst open, revealing a super-energetic Pirika, holding a see-through bag with scissors, a comb, and numerous other items. "Moshi moshi, Ren-kun!" She yelled cheerfully to him.

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Ren's facial expression turned unpleasant and he narrowed his golden eyes, sneering at her. "What are you doing here, Ainu?" he asked arrogantly. They'd go through this routine every day, minus the bag with things in it. Pirika would greet him happily. Ren would snap back. Pirika would sit down and just stare at him dazedly enough to get him nervous and back to training again.

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But this time, she stepped up to him and looked at him curiously. Resisting the mad urge to brush a few fine blue hairs out of her face, Ren pointed his spear at her, an inch from her nose. Pirika didn't back down. "What do you want?" Ren hissed.

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Pirika pushed down the point of his spear and leaned towards him, hands behind her back. "Ren-kun...I think you need a haircut."

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The long, purple spike of his hair twitched. "I do not," he said indignantly, almost sounding like his evil clone Len Tao for once (perish the thought). Americans messed all dubs up.

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"Sit," she ordered, pointing to a stone bench under a sakura tree.

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"Iie already, you stupid girl!"

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Pirika shoved the Chinese shaman onto the bench, sat behind him, and quickly slapped four pieces of paper with Chinese writing on them on his hands and legs, one each, binding them to the bench. Ren uttered a long list of expletives Pirika had never heard of in her eighteen years. "Borrowed those seals from your sister Jun," the Ainu said innocently. "She thought you could use a haircut, too."

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Ren cursed again. "Just...just don't cut all of it off," he said lamely.

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Pirika smiled evilly. "I won't...maybe."

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This girl deserves to belong to Hao's Hanagumi, Ren thought weakly.

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Slowly, carefully, Pirika began the process of cutting the Tao's hair. Actually, it had grown quite long, though Ren had never noticed it--too busy training. What is he training for, anyway? Pirika thought, snipping a bit of hair near the nape of his neck. The Shaman Fight is already over...Yoh's Shaman King...so, what's he doing it for? A thought struck her and she almost cut into Ren's neck, if the shaman hadn't jerked out of the way just in time with a yelp. Is he--is he doing it to impress somebody?!!

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Maybe it's me, some small voice in the back of her head said suddenly. Pirika fumbled the scissors and dropped them, blushing embarrassedly when Ren turned around to stare at her. "Well, if you're going to cut my hair, at least do it correctly," he growled, annoyed.

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Cringing slightly, Pirika resumed her job. No, it couldn't be me. He...doesn't like me. Couldn't.

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"WHY CAN'T YOU GUYS EVER SHUT UP?!!! I KNOW YOU'RE JUST HIDING YOUR FEELINGS FOR EACH OTHER SO MAKE OUT ALREADY AND GET IT OVER WITH!"

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But what about what Anna had said? After the furious itako had stomped off, Ren had hurriedly walked away, leaving the Ainu there to think about what had happened. Pirika put down the scissors, picked up the comb, and started to run it through his hair, which was surprisingly soft. She had to hold the side of his head so he stayed still. Being in such close contact with a male made her shiver. Being in such close contact with a male she LIKED--there, I've admitted it--made her feel tingly all over.

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Anna was always right. Well, most of the time. She was right in thinking Horo Horo and Tamao would get together--and they had--she was right in thinking Lyserg and Jeanne would get together--she thought the Ainu and Ren should get together. The only time she had ever gone wrong with someone's feelings were Yoh's--and her own, a year ago. Now Yoh was Shaman King, Anna was Shaman Queen, and they loved each other. Surely.

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All of her friends had found a love in another--except for her. And Ren. (And Hao, but he obviously doesn't count.)

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She loved Ren. But, she thought, he'd never love me back. A girl like me. A tomboy, ugly girl like me.

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Ren frowned. There had been a lull in action behind him. Pirika, the comb in his hair, and everything else around him seemed stationery. "Usui!" he shouted. "Are you even awake?"

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Then he heard it. A quiet, soft, snuffling sound. She was crying. He hated it when girls cried. Don't all men?

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Trying to turn around, but failing, as the seals still bound him, Ren was forced to stay face forward and inquired gruffly, "What's the matter, Ain--........Pirika-chan?" He mentally slapped himself for showing a sign of weakness. Calling her by her first name. Ridiculous. He'd said chan, too! Kisama, Horo Horo must have put salt in my milk, he thought irately. Stupid Ainu! All Ainus are stupid!!!!

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Pirika whispered, "It's nothing," and sat up, quickly wiping her tears away. She tore the seals off of his hands and legs, releasing Ren from his evil prison--supplied by his sister, Tao Jun. "Shows how much family can help you," he muttered, irritated, and hastily rubbed his hands to get circulation back. Looking up again, he saw Pirika stumbling away, now sobbing uncontrollably.

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Huh? "Wait, Pirika!" he yelled after her. Her first name, again?

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Ren caught up with her in no time, thanks to his training. "Why are you crying?" he demanded, latching onto her arm firmly. Pirika shook her head again, sparkling tears flying. Then she started laughing. Ren stared. Was she hysterical, or something?

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"That tree," Pirika whispered, tears still falling, pointing at the sakura tree they had recently sat under. "That tree's where I met you. For the first time. I saw you torturing onii-chan there. I hated you at first, but then I realised...we had a connection."

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"Yeah," Ren muttered, snorting under his breath. "We both like to torture your brother."

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Apparently Pirika hadn't heard and went on with what she was saying. "And now...after so many years...I think that I..."

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Ren's breath caught in his throat. Damned hot spring air, he thought silently. (Guy's in denial.)

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"...Love you..."

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Ren gaped. "Kami, woman, you really are hysterical!"

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Then he froze.

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"WHY CAN'T YOU GUYS EVER SHUT UP?!!! I KNOW YOU'RE JUST HIDING YOUR FEELINGS FOR EACH OTHER SO MAKE OUT ALREADY AND GET IT OVER WITH!"

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"You're...serious, aren't you?" he said cautiously.

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In that moment, the Chinese shaman loosened his hold on Pirika's wrist. She shook his hand from her like it was a poisonous snake and ran away sobbing.

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Ren could only look at the retreating back of the Ainu girl.

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And hate himself for what he'd just did.

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End Chapter

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That was really long. Really, really, long. On my standards anyway. I shall update when you review. Sugoi.