A/N: italic words are the thoughts of the characters
italic and underlined are the special thoughts of Anna that Yoh hears.
Yoh and Anna went to a festival wearing their kimono. Yoh is in a simple blue kimono while Anna is wearing a red kimono with baby pink Sakura petals. There are lots of people, stores and booths. Everyone is having fun – the atmosphere Yoh likes the most. The two are walking around buying some of stuff in every booth and trying some little games.
In one corner, there was a cute girl with straight and long, silky black hair which is ponytailed high leaving her bangs on her forehead. She's dressed in pink kimono with white Sakura petals. She's about a year older than Yoh and Anna. She is seated and in front of her, there are some rows of hanged rectangular wood pieces about 5x2 inches and 3cm thick. Anna in curiosity of what the stall is all about went close to it while Yoh is buying some candied apples for them. She saw names on the wood pieces.
"You write your name here and the name of the guy you love on the back.", the girl said handing Anna the piece of wood. Anna just stared at the wood.
"Know what? This is for good luck. When you write your name on this with the name of the guy you love, you will never part forever. You'll be together forever.", the girl said with a sweet smile.
"Trying to attract a customer?", Anna said coldly.
"Just for 50 yen. Wanna give it a try?"
"Just as I thought."
"But girls writing on these go back here with some good news and thank me. Meaning, it's really effective.", said the girl blinking her one eye.
Anna just sighed and took the wood piece. She wrote her name. Then, she flipped it and wrote "Yoh".
"Anna, I already bought the candied apples you want. Where-". As Yoh approaches Anna, she gave the wood piece suddenly to the girl with the payment and ran towards Yoh so he won't see the wood pieces.
Anna stopped suddenly when the girl called her. Then, she looked at her. "Wait. Anna-san. I'm Ai. Please come back here when something good happens, okay?", Ai, the girl in the festival said sweetly at Anna while waving her hand.
Anna didn't say anything and took her back from Ai as she continued running towards Yoh. She took one candied apple and walked pass away from the direction of the girl.
"Wait Anna, I wonder what that stall is about. Let's go see it.", Yoh said looking and pointing at Ai's stall.
"I don't want to. We'll go there.", Anna said coldly pointing at the opposite direction.
"But Anna, just for a while. I'm just a little curious. So—"
"I said no. Are you trying to oppose me?", Anna said with a scary face. That look sent chills to Yoh's spine.
"Uhmm. Ofcourse not. Heheheh."
"Good. We'll go this way."
"Hai.."
As they are walking away, Ai wears a smile. "What a cute couple."
"What's so cute about a guy who's so freaking scared of a girl? I don't even think they are a couple.", said a guy with blonde hair named Shuhei who suddenly came.
"Look.", Ai said showing Anna's wood piece to Shuhei. "She wrote their names here. So I'm sure there is some love there. I can feel it."
"You're helping them too, right?"
"Ofcourse. I think Anna-san is finding it hard to express her feelings to Yoh-kun. But what I am not sure is if Yoh-kun knows Anna-san's feelings."
"What are planning to do then?"
Ai's arms are folded and her head is bowed (a thinking pose). Suddenly, Ai spoke and got excited. "I have a really nice idea, Shuhei. This is going to be really fun.. and romantic! You're helping as usual, right Shuhei?"
Shuhei smiled. "Ofcourse, match maker-san.". Ai gave back a sweet smile to Shuhei.
After the festival.. 8 am..
Yoh is doing the light chair training under Anna's supervision making sure he won't slack off. After a few seconds, the timer finally beeped signalling that 3 hours has passed. Yoh fell on the ground as soon as the timer beeped. "I can't feel my legs anymore."
"You only have 5 minutes to rest. You'll run with these weights after that."
Yoh cried anime tears. "Hai.."
To their surprise, Ai and Shuhei passed by carrying some bags of groceries.
"Oh, Anna-san. I never thought I'll see you here.", Ai said.
Anna is looking at Ai trying to remember where they met. Then, she recalled the girl in the festival. "That girl. It's you. Ai, if I'm not mistaken."
"Yup. Anyway, what are you two doing, Anna-san?", Ai asked.
"Making him strong.", Anna said looking at Yoh who's resting and sitting in the ground.
"Uhmm. Excuse me. Who are they, Anna?", asked Yoh.
"You must be Yoh-kun.", Ai said. "I'm Ai. And this is Shuhei. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too.", replied Yoh with the usual grin.
Shuhei pulled Ai and whispered to her. "She said that she's making him strong. She's probably just his sister or sensei."
"No. I'm absolutely sure they are a couple.", Ai whispered back.
"But Ai.. I don't really get—-"
"I'll prove it to you.", Ai replied. "Just wait and see.", she said with an eye blinked and a smile.
"Hey.. Don't tell me you'll-"
Slowly, Ai approaches Yoh who's still sitting on the ground. She bends, puts her one hand on her knee and offers her other hand to him so he can stand up. "Yoh-kun, would you like me to help you stand?", Ai said with a sweet smile as usual.
"Uhmm..". Before Yoh could reach for Ai's hand, chills were sent to his spine. Then, he can see Anna burning and looking so scary.
"You just did the light chair training you're always doing. And I think you already had enough rest to stand alone, RIGHT?", Anna said to Yoh with a face that makes Yoh sweatdrop and scared.
Yoh stood up straight in an instant. "Ofcourse!".
Ai smiled. "Eh? This is more than I expected. This is really fun.", she thought. "Okay, for the second test."
Ai pulled out a towel from her back. "Yoh-kun, you're sweating too much. I'll help you wipe it. Before Ai could wipe Yoh's face which is sweating because of the heat and training, a towel flew on his face.
"You have your own hands to wipe your own sweat.", Anna said coldly after throwing the towel on Yoh's face. Again, she's having that scary expression again.
Yoh nodded in fear and wiped his face with the towel Anna threw in her face.
"Now, I'm 90% sure about this. And for the final test.." is what Ai says in her mind.
Ai approaches Yoh again but before she could say or do anything, Anna spoke. "I haven't told you about us, right? Yoh here is my husband to-be. No other girl is allowed near him. Remember that."
"She's scary..", Ai told herself. "But it seems like I've got an interesting love story here. I'm getting excited. And it's confirmed finally that they are a couple."
She approached Shuhei after her "tests". And she whispered, "See? It's definitely jealousy. It's definitely love. I'm sure of it."
".".
Then, the two said goodbye to Anna and Yoh. "Anyway, we've got something to do. Off we go, see yah.", Ai said.
The next morning..
Ai and Shuhei went to the inn for a visit. There was only Anna and Yoh. For some reasons, their friends are not at the inn.
"Ohayou! Anna-san and Yoh-kun!", Ai greeted lovingly. She is with Shuhei. Yoh let the two in.
"Anna, Ai and Shuhei is here.", Yoh said.
"What brought you two here?", Anna asked coldly.
"She isn't forgetting yet what I did yesterday.", Ai told herself.
"Remember the plan, okay Shuhei?", Ai whispered to Shuhei.
"I got it.". Suddenly, Shuhei stood up and looked at Anna. "Anna-san, can I have a glass of water please?"
"I'm not a maid here. Go to the kitchen and have a glass of water.", Anna said coldly.
"But-", Shuhei said. "This girl is different. And she's not planning to leave Yoh-kun here."
"Got a problem?", Anna said.
"No, well- "
"I never thought I'll have to use this. But never mind.", Ai told herself.
"Wait, is she planning to use that?", Shuhei told himself.
Ai snapped her finger and time stopped. But with that spell, she was left with a very low energy.
"I knew it. Ai, you know you get weak when you stop the time. Why did you—", Shuhei said.
Ai put her hand over Yoh's head and some spell was cast. She's nearly fainting but she continued to finish the spell. "It's done.", Ai said and fainted. But Shuhei caught her. Then, the time is back to its original flow.
"Eh? I feel something different.", Yoh said scratching his head.
"Same here.", Anna said.
"Excuse us, Anna-san, Yoh-kun. I think the heat made Ai faint. I think we'll go home for now.", Shuhei said.
"You two can stay here until she regains consciousness.", Yoh said.
"Shuhei carried Ai in her back. "No need. I'll just take her home. Thanks for having us here."
Shuhei with Ai on his back left.
"Yoh.", Anna called. "Your battle is starting anytime soon, have you forgotten? Let's go."
Yoh nodded.
"If those two stayed a little longer we'll be really late."
In the stadium.. The battle..
Their friends are in the bleacher. Yoh and Anna came.
"Lucky. The fight hasn't started yet.", Yoh said.
"Let's go Master Yoh. I'm ready to fight now.", Ryu said.
"Okay. Let's do our best."
When Yoh, Faust and Ryu is on their way to the battle arena, Anna suddenly spoke. "Yoh."
Yoh turned his back and looked at Anna. "What is it, Anna?"
"If you lose there will be a punishment for you."
Yoh gave a grin. "I won't lose."
As they are walking, Yoh heard a voice in his mind. The same voice as Anna. A very gentle voice with a caring tone. "I know you can do it, Yoh. Please be safe."
"Eh?". Yoh looked back at Anna.
"Why? You guys hurry. The battle is about to start."
Yoh nodded and continued walking. "My imagination, I think.", Yoh told himself.
BATTLE. BATTLE. BATTLE.
(cheers from the audience)
"The winner is Funbari Onsen Team!", declared the referee.
"We're really great, Master Yoh!", Ryu said.
"Heheh. I guess we did well.", replied Yoh.
The three went back to the bleacher where their friends are watching.
"You won again, Yoh-kun. That's great.", Manta said.
"Yeah. But it was a tough one. Good thing you guys won.", Horo Horo said.
"Ofcourse Yoh will win. Because if not, I'll give him a painful experience he won't forget.", Anna said coldly.
"Scary..", everyone thought.
"Okay. Let's go now.", Yoh said.
"We're not staying at the inn for today again Yoh.", Horo said.
"Eh? Pirika's training you again?"
"Pirika is training us again. What a pain.", Horo corrected.
"Eh? Even Chocolove and Ren?"
"Yeah. We're going."
"Okay. Bye.", Yoh said waving his hand.
Again, Yoh heard something in his head. Anna's voice. There's no mistaking it. "I'm glad you're safe, Yoh. I know you can win."
"I can hear it again. It's not my imagination anymore.", Yoh told himself.
"Uhmm. Anna, did you just say something? Something like- uhmm-". Yoh can't ask Anna if she just said something like 'be safe'.
"What are you thinking. Are you imagining things? Let's go now."
Yoh just nodded and followed Anna as she walked. "I'm probably just tired."
On their way to the inn, they found a flier being distributed by the Patch priests. It says: 2nd day of the Festival. A parade will be held at 6pm. Come and see. It's surely fun.
"Looks fun, Anna. Let's watch this.", Yoh said pointing at the flier.
Anna sighed. "Is there something I can do? Anyway, I'm hungry. Let's eat lunch first."
Yoh nodded and grinned.
In a restaurant..
The two are eating a yummy meal. Yoh heard a voice in his mind again. "It's nice to see you healthy and happy."
"It's here again. Why am I hearing these again?", Yoh told himself. "Anna, did you just say something?", Yoh asked as a confirmation.
"Why do you keep on asking me that? It's annoying.", Anna said coldly.
Yoh scratched his head. "Sorry. I've been hearing things since this morning. I'm probably just tired."
Anna rose from her seat and touched Yoh's forehead. Yoh blushed a little.
"Your temperature is normal. You're not sick.", Anna said. "Thank goodness. I thought you're not feeling well or something. I guess you're just tired.", Anna told herself in her mind.
Yoh heard this. "What's wrong. It's Anna's voice but she's not the one saying it. Since this morning- That's right. That's why I felt something. It's surely Ai and Shuhei."
enjoy this fanfic.
reviews are welcome.