. Turning Point .

Horo blinked, "Wh-what?"

Anna tilted her head and narrowed her gaze at the boy, "I thought everyone knew?"

"No way! I had no idea!"

Anna chuckled, thinking it will lighten the mood, "Sucks to be a slowpoke like you."

Horo tried to ignore the blonde's insult and this time, put on a sober expression, "So, who do you think he likes?"

"Hm?"

"Hao, I mean."

Anna gazed up at the sky for a while, as if pondering over something, before turning back to the bluenette and shrugging, "He's always mentioning about this old friend of his, so I'm assuming he's crushing on 'im."

Horo furrowed his eyebrows, "Hao having a crush? I can't imagine that..."

"Well, it's called a crush when the person you like doesn't know about it, right?" Anna queried.

"True..," said Horo. "So Hao has his shy side, after all..."

"Well, the person he likes is - like I said - an old friend of his. We don't even know when was the last time they spoke to each other." Anna then came to an abrupt stop and arched a brow at the boy, "Yoh's gay too, isn't he?"

Horo widened his eyes, "How did you—"

"—I overheard your conversation the other day," Anna explained. "I also heard you saying that he liked me several times."

Horo scratched the back of his neck and laughed nervously, "Ah, about that..."

"It's not surprising, seeing as we used to be friends," Anna shrugged. "And you're wrong about him being gay. When someone likes both females and males, it makes him bi."

"Yeah, yeah...," Horo mumbled, rolling his eyes.

"I have to tell him that I can't have him, though..," Anna sighed.

It was Horo's turn to arch a brow, "Why is that?"

"There's someone else my heart belongs to. Don't even bother asking me who it is," Anna shot Horo a cold glare before he could say another word. For a second, Horo felt a thrilling chill run down his spine, and he swore the atmosphere around them just got darker and gloomier.

"A-are you going to, uh, 'reject' him tomorrow?" asked Horo, after a long moment of frightening silence.

"The sooner, the better."

Yoh sighed upon stepping into the school building. How many days has it been already? Ever since he got sick, his best friend has been spending more and more time with the girl. Was having a girlfriend really more important than having a best friend? Yoh pouted; he wished he had a girlfriend too. Or a boyfriend. Whichever was fine to him. He just wanted to have someone to be by his side at all times. He just wanted the relationship Horo and Anna were having, more than anything else.

As he walked into his classroom, he caught said couple staring at him and whispering to each other. Yoh frowned; Gossip already? Or are they planning to hide something from me? He shook his head and brushed the disturbing thoughts away as he made his way to his desk by the window. The couple then walked up to him quickly.

"Morning," Yoh said lazily upon seeing them.

Both Anna and Horo greeted back. Anna then gave Horo a hard nudge in the stomach, and Horo began, "Uhh, Yoh, we have something to say to you. ...Sorta."

Yoh arched a brow as he watched Horo nudge his 'girlfriend' back. "Well...," Anna spoke up, taking in a deep breath as she did. "So I've heard that you've somehow developed a crush on me, and—"

Yoh widened his eyes, but he couldn't help but blush, "What? No! Usui Horokeu, what did you tell her?" The brunette shot his friend a cold glare, which Horo swore was even scarier than Anna's. However, Anna was oblivious to Yoh's comments, so before any of the two boys could do anything, she had already got to the point:

"I just wanted to tell you that I sorta can't—"

"Whoawhoawhoa, no!" Yoh almost yelled. "I-I don't like you, Anna!"

Anna stopped, and then she and Horo blinked and responded in unison, "What?"

"I don't like you!" Yoh repeated. "I mean, you're my friend and all, but I don't fancy you. Not the way that you think I do!"

Anna shook her head, "But I've always noticed you looking at me and Hao all the time.."

"Just because I look at you both doesn't mean I like y— ...you...," as his voice trailed off, Yoh cupped his mouth with both his hands. As if the both got the hint, Anna and Horo widened their eyes as well.

"Y-you mean..."

"Yoh..," Anna called out. "Are you telling us that you like—"

"Good morning!"

Fangirl squeals and deafening shrieks began to fill the entire classroom, as the three teens slowly turned to see who had turn up at the doorway.

"Speak of the devil," Horo grumbled, frowning.

"Please don't tell him," Yoh whispered to his friends as he clasped both his palms together and tilted his head in a begging manner.

Four hours passed and it was finally time for lunch. Oh, how relieving it was to hear the school bell at twelve. Most students immediately dashed out with their lunch sets upon hearing the bell. Of course, Horo and Anna were no exception, but this time, they brought a confused brunette along with them. They dragged him until they were outside their classrooms and tried to think of something to say.

"I-I don't even know how to begin," Anna blabbered, making random hand motions to emphasize on how confused she was. "So, you like Hao and—"

"—and you don't want us to tell him?" Horo finished. "Why is that?"

Yoh widened his eyes, "Are you crazy? He's going to hate me if he knows! There's no way I'm telling him!"

"B-but he likes men!" Anna replied.

Yoh couldn't say that he wasn't surprised by Anna's response, but nevertheless, he still shook his head, "So what if he does? How could the school's star and hero like someone like me?"

Both Anna and Horo turned to stare at each other, and remained silent. Then, as if on cue, another brunette made his appearance behind the couple. He gave off his usual, friendly smile. "Hey, there!"

"Hao!" Anna and Horo yelped in unison.

Yoh gasped slightly and averted his gaze from the star to hide his blush, but it didn't seem to help. Fortunately, for him, the other Asakura didn't notice.

"Yoh!" Hao called out. "I've been looking for you. We're supposed to have our lunch together, remember?"

Yoh laughed nervously, "That's right." He then gasped once again upon feeling a hand tightening its grasp around his wrist and being yanked by the elder. Hao briskly made his way back to the classroom, dragging Yoh along with him and leaving the other two teens alone. In the classroom, both Asakuras sat beside each other and took out their lunch sets.

"I noticed you've been avoiding me lately," Hao spoke up plainly, breaking the uncomfortable silence between them both. Yoh blinked as he began to recall about how he pretended to be busy that morning to avoid talking or even looking at the elder. A huge wave of remorse began flowing in Yoh's guts all of a sudden; he was going to lose his appetite for sure.

Hao continued, "I also noticed Horo and Anna are paying you a lot of attention now." The brunette leaned in closer to the younger and narrowed his gaze at him, "Is something going on?"

Yoh began to panic, "N-no! No! Nothing's going on! I swear!"

Hao wasn't convinced, "Are you sure?"

"Of course! Y-you don't believe me?"

Hao continued to stare at Yoh for a while before leaning back in his seat and sighing deeply, "I find it hard to."

Of course he wouldn't trust someone like me..., Yoh thought to himself, frowning. "L-let's just have our lunch," Yoh said, fidgeting around to find his pair of chopsticks. As he did so, he swung his arm and accidentally knocks into Hao's tumbler (which acted as a water bottle), spilling water all over Hao's clothes and the floor. Yoh panicked even more, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to...!"

Knowing that his constant blabbering wasn't going to help change anything, said brunette bent down and outstretched his arm to help pick up Hao's now empty tumbler. Hao, too, did the same, but instead of picking up his tumbler, he gently grabbed Yoh's wrist to stop him from picking it up. Confused, Yoh looked up at the elder, whereas Hao simply returned him a smile "It's okay, you don't have to apologise," he said gently. "It's just an accident, after all."

Yoh could feel heat slowly creeping up his face when he was able to feel Hao's skin upon his very own, resulting in him being complete speechless.

Hao then proceeded to pick up his own tumbler. While doing so, Yoh finally got back to his senses. Then he noticed something about the other Asakura. "Wh-what about your clothes...?" he asked.

"It's okay. It's just water," Hao replied.

"I have a PE shirt in my bag right here," Yoh blurted out. "I can lend it to you if you want."

Hao furrowed his brows, "Won't you get scolded by the teacher for not wearing the proper attire during PE class?"

"That doesn't matter," said Yoh, shaking his head. "I can't just let you walk around in school in wet clothes." Something about that line sounded wrong, but Yoh shook the feeling away before it truly bothered him. As he did so, he slowly fished out his neatly folded PE shirt from his bookbag and passed it to Hao.

Hao laughed softly - it was Yoh's first time hearing him do so, and it made him melt on the inside - "Well, if you insist."

Yoh watched as the elder unbuttoned his uniform top and pulled it out, revealing his bare chest. Yoh scanned Hao's marvelous body and just about noticed on how muscular the other brunette was. He must have obtained those muscles from his constant volleyball training. Yoh also noticed a few scratches and bruises on him, but paid no further attention to them as he assumed that Hao either obtained them from his training, or Anna's random beatings.

It was only then that Yoh widened his eyes and felt even more heat creeping up his face.

Oblivious to Yoh's reactions, Hao swiftly put on the younger's PE shirt.

"H-how is it?" Yoh couldn't help asking.

"It's a little small, but it'll do."

Yoh averted his gaze from Hao's now covered top to his lower region. His long pants, too, were complete wet, and Yoh didn't know why, but he felt an unfamiliar tingling sensation building up in the pits of his stomach. "Aren't you going to take your pants off?" Yoh asked, and he wished he hadn't. He really felt like killing himself for asking such a question.

Thankfully, Hao couldn't read Yoh's mind, and neither did he think anything of his last question. The elder simply responded by laughing, "I'm wearing a pair of PE shorts on the inside. It doesn't matter."

Yoh nodded meekly, but to avoid further humiliation, he fished out a handkerchief and got to the floor - knees and all - to clean up the puddle of water. Hao got down too and, once again, grabbed Yoh's wrist to stop him from doing anything more. He smiled, "Don't trouble yourself." With Yoh being too shocked to do or even say anything further, Hao took Yoh's handkerchief from him and proceeded to clean up the puddle himself.

Don't just stay there, make yourself useful!, Yoh mentally scolded himself, but by the time he got back to his senses, Hao was already done with his chore.

Hao stared at the wet diminutive, white handkerchief and laughed, "Sorry about your..."

Yoh shook his head, "Don't worry about it. You can keep it if you want." Yoh smiled shyly, "My mother can always get me a new one."

Hao turned to Yoh and smirked, "A mommy's boy, huh?"

Yoh began to blush, bringing forth a grin from the other. "Well," Hao added. "Consider yourself lucky."

Yoh was confused, but refused to say any more. He watched as Hao got back to his seat and picked up his chopsticks. "Let's start on our meal, shall we?"

The two Asakuras, though, were completely oblivious to the fact that there were two other teens watching them the whole time. How they managed it, no one knows. But, hey, they deserved an award for being able to spy on others without getting caught.

"It's official," Horo whispered. "Yoh does like him."

Anna frowned, "There's something about the both of them that sort of bothers me..."

Horo tilted his head at the blonde, "What is it?"

"I don't know," Anna replied. "But I've been both their friend long enough to suspect something going on between them.."

"Do you want to talk to them about it?"

Anna shook her head, "Let the two of them be alone for now."

After almost an hour of lunch, it was finally time for class. Students - Hao included - packed up their lunch sets and reluctantly walked back to their respective classrooms. The teachers entered shortly after and immediately began on their classes. This went on until the last period. Although he had found it to be awkward, Yoh really did enjoy Hao's company during lunch period. He soon found himself staring out the window throughout the rest of the day, replaying to himself the scenes that happened earlier in his head. Not that any of the teachers minded; it was better to see the lazybum awake rather than sleeping.

A slight blush began to form on the brunette's face whenever he pictured a shirtless Hao, but of course, he was oblivious to his own body's reaction.

Anna sighed and shook her head; she had been watching her friend the whole time, but somehow, she'd rather him to be sleeping than daydreaming. She didn't know if Horo did the same as her, though.

"I need you guys to copy these notes down into your notebooks. This is very important and can help you for future reference. For example, you can score very well in your future exams if you included these notes into your essays."

The whole class sighed and obliged. Anna dug into her pencil case for a pencil, but frowned when she wasn't able to find one. Not giving it any further thought, she turned to the Chinese student by her right and said, "Do you think I can borrow your pencil?"

Now, any student who caught Anna doing this would be far beyond shocked. Like Hao, Tao Ren was one of the most worshiped students in Shinra Academy. He was very intelligent and the quality of his work could surpass even that of a college student. But what made him so admirable was that Ren chose to study in the academy instead of going to university, for reasons unknown. Not only did he have the brains, the girls found him to be extremely cute, too. Basically, if you didn't approve of breathing the same air as Tao Ren, people would think of you as - you got it - a weirdo. And how is it that Anna had the guts to talk to people this important?

Ren sighed, obviously annoyed by the fact that someone actually had the guts to break into his circle of personal space. He dug into his pencil case and fished out a pencil for the blonde, before turning to pass it to her.

"Miss Kyouyama and Mr Tao, may I know what you two are doing?"

Anna froze in shock upon hearing the teacher's voice. Ren, however, wasn't so lucky. One of his biggest flaws was that he was too jumpy. And so, upon hearing his name being called, he jerked forward in shock.

As he did so, several stiffled gasps and silent whoa's filled the room. This snapped Yoh out of his daydreams and he, like the other students, turned to see what had happened. Even the teacher dropped his chalk and simply stared at the two students at the back of the classroom, his mouth agape.

"What the fuck...," Horo grumbled upon seeing the sight of Anna and Ren leaning in so close to each other.

They weren't just close.

They touched.

Their lips were locked.

Gah! I hate this ending so much; I am so embarrassed by it! I think the only good thing about this chapter is the part when Hao took off his shirt! *sighs* Oh, well. It can't be helped. This was how I wanted the chapter to end anyway. OTL

So, how do you guys like it? The fourth chapter of Masquerade! Only 19 days left until the Masquerade party (yes, I counted)! I feel like fastforwarding the whole thing so we could just get to the party already... because there are so many things I still have to write about after the party! —I'm sorry, what? Did you think the story was going to end there? Of course not! *cackles*

I'm sad to say that the next chapter is going to be a tad bit boring though. And perhaps a little shorter, too. It merely explains the relationship between Horo and Anna, which I know most of you are curious about. xD Though, lemme repeat myself: IT. WILL. BE. BORING. But! You guys will still continue reading this story, right? RIGHT?

On to the review replies! *hides a tear*:

KaitouHime-NightsWing - I hope I spelled your username right! xD And I'm really glad you do! I'll keep updating just as long as you keep motivating me with your reviews! 8D *shot*

RoseblossomWarrior - I do, too. D: But, hehehehehh, you'll start to see why Hao's spending a lot more time with Yoh. Soon. SOON. OHOHOHOHOHOHH. *clears throat* Anywaaaaay. I don't really ship Horo and Anna, but eh... why not add a random crack pairing in here? xD Hehhh. The teens here aren't as crazy about partying and getting wasted and etc., but I agree, the reality shows have to go. Shaman King is way better! 8D

H and N - Heehee, you guys have a very good gay radar. xD Ohohohoho, about Horo and Anna... you'll see. YOU'LL SEE. *evil grin* And I'm so jealous that you guys can speak Mandarin! *sob*

SK-fan7 - YAYAYAYAYAYAY YOU'RE BACK. *pulls you into a bear hug* D'aaw, you think so? Your review made me so happy! ;O; Ahhh, let me love you! *grabbyhands* Heehee, you'll have to wait till next chapter to learn about Horo's and Anna's relationship!

Oh, oh! I was just thinking the other day about a plot for another fic. It's multi-chapter, but there's a (high) chance that I might not upload it on here, mainly because it's HaoxOC, and I don't think anybody will read it. After all, what kind of fangirls don't mind when an OC has been paired up with their man? e.e I'll think about it, though. I'm currently planning on it, and I'm trying not to make my OC very... Mary Sue-like. xD I don't want to say much about the plot, 'cept for the fact that it's probably going to end up like most shoujo-like fics. :P (hopefully not!)

I'm also not planning on writing a birthday fic for Goldva. I don't know her well, sadly. SK wiki doesn't help, either. OTL

Anyway, thanks, thanks, THANKS for reading! I hope you all will continue to support me! :3 Till next time! *bows*

- A