Sorrry for the long wait!!! By the way, happy new year

this must be my shortest chapter. I'm not convinced by it but I'll cookyou a better and quicker chapter for sure. not mush renai in here, but still enjoy

I don't how Hell Girl. If I did, there would be a Renai.

BAMBAM!

Ren groaned. He was still in bed, thinking with difficulties due to his sleepy state. He yarned and turned on the other side. It was only 6 am, and he was going to sleep a little longer.

"Hey Ren! Wake up sleepy head! Kion and I…"

His eyes were wide open in the second. The door opened wide, and two figures stood in the doorframe. He almost jumped out of bed, if an undignified cry hadn't stopped him.

"What is the kid doing in your bed!"

Ren was petrified. He had completely forgotten Ai sleeping next to him. As he opened his mouth to answer, she opened her eyes. She didn't even flinch when she saw the two women in the doorway.

"Good Morning Hone Ohna, Miss Kion."

Ignoring the 'how does she know my name' from the latter, and Ren's shocked face, Tsuyu entered and bent next to her.

"Are you all right, Ojou?"

The girl nodded.

"Just a tiring experience. How are you?"

Tsuyu smiled softly and shook her head.

"I'm fine Ojou. I'm more concerned about you."

Kion came next to Ren and frowned:

"you weren't doing weird things to her, were you?"

Ren blushed furiously and babbled:

"I'm not! And what are you doing in my place!"

"Well we're just visiting. You came yesterday; and we would be so awwwwful friends if we didn't do the same."

'Never mind' the young man thought. He got up, knowing neither of the girls would move even if he asked them politely to get out.

--

As time passed, Ren started to realize how close he had become with the girl. Every evening he would be waiting for the familiar frame to come across the room, say a faint 'hello' before sitting and starting her homework. A comfortable silence would settle between them, until he got up and start cooking, she helping him, or put on TV and watch it. Otherwise, they would talk, sometimes late in the night. Life was easy with her around. Even if she was very silent, he didn't need to put on the television to fake company. He accompanied her again when she had a new exorcism to practice; she came to his fence training. The two weeks went fast, and he hardly realised it was time for her to go until she had a call from Wanyuudo.

"He'll be back tomorrow" she told him one evening. At first, he didn't realize she was talking about the old man.

"Oh. When did he call?"

"A little before you came back. He said everything was arranged, and that he'd come back tomorrow evening."

"Oh…okay" Ren muttered, unable to hide his disappointment.

She had a small sad smile: "I don't really want to leave; but I think I've been residing here long enough. It was kind of you to let me stay."

"You don't need to be so polite with me, Aï. You've been a roommate for some time, and I'll miss that. You're free to keep the copy of the key, and come back on the couch anytime."

She smiled at the joke, nodded and continued eating.

--

She left the next evening, as scheduled, with a very, very satisfied Wanyuudo. Ren couldn't help wanting to punch the guy's smirking face. His cell phone rang, and he picked up without looking at the ID.

"Ishimoku Ren"

"Hum…Ren?"

Kion. He sighed. He wasn't in the mood for talking right now.

"What's wrong Kion? Do you need something?"

"Hum well, it's just that…our movie is done and…and it was accepted in a small movie theatre. Do…would you like to go with me? Tsuyu won't come because she's working on another project and I don't feel like going alone…"

Movie. Just what he needed he thought sarcastically.

"Is this a date?" he asked, half-joking.

"Hum…to tell the truth, kinda."

He stopped laughing; he knew the girl had a little crush on him for some time. He had one as well, but that was so long ago. Somehow, Ren was positive Tsuyu pushed her a little to invite him. He answered, not thinking much:

"Sure…I'd love to go with you. I'll be the first to congratulate."

He heard a soft sigh of relief and a giggle.

"Okay then. Are you free tomorrow? The movie starts at 8 pm."

"I'll pick you up at 7 then. We can have a bite on the way."

"Yeah, that seems nice…thanks Ren."

"No problem. See you tomorrow"

As he hang up, he realized he was about to be late to fence if he didn't leave now.

--

At 7 pm, Ren was knocking at both Tsuyu and Kion's house. The lights and giggles he could hear from the outside made him shiver. Of course, if Tsuyu knew about the 'date', she would be pushing her cousin to put on her best dress, best make-up and make her look like a bimbo. He sighed, knowing he was hard on the older woman. No, Tsuyu has changed since her short-college years. Ren couldn't help but smile, remembering the first time he saw one of Tsuyu's "artwork" on Kion. The only thing that kept all horny teens away from her was the nasty glare both he and Tsuyu –who hadn't calculated the effect of her cousin's metamorphosis –sent to them.

He went to the front door and knocked. The door opened almost right away, on a wide-grinning Tsuyu.

"One minute big boy and she's all yours! Oh I'm so proud of you Ren!"

"Remember she's the one who asked" Ren retorted, half-smiling.

"I know" Tsuyu nodded and added: "That's why I'm so proud of her too. I hope you'll get along well, I know you've dreamt about this moment for a while when you were in high school. And I swear she did talk about you a lot."

Ren sighed again, only to get his breath caught at the sight of the beautiful young woman in front of him. Kion hand her hair loose on her shoulders, a small touch of make-up on her face and a bright smile. Ren could only whistle at the view.

"Very nice, Kion. Where did you get that skirt?"

"Somewhere in the mall" she replied, obviously pleased with the comment. "So, should we go?"

Ren nodded and they started to walk away when…

"Bring her safe before two o'clock you rascal!"

--

The evening was nice, really. But still, Ren wasn't satisfied. Kion was adorable, as usual, cute, fun and they had a good time in front of the movie. But he didn't feel any hint of romance in the air. Friendly, but no romance. He could smell it miles away, Kion was much more in the mood than he was. When he drove her back, he kissed her quickly on the cheek and waited until she closed the door to take off, thinking the date was maybe a huge mistake.

--

It was raining that day, and Ren blessed his luck. In no time, he managed to catch a bus, get home without being too soaked and wet, finished his homework in time and was about to start dinner when the phone rang. He prayed it wasn't Kion –and was rewards when he notice it was Ai's ID.

"Ishimoku Ren" he said, suddenly in better mood.

"Good evening" the grumpy voice of Wanyuudo greeted him. "Are you free right now?"

"Depends on what I have to do"

"Ojou is…"

There was a knock on his door. Ren didn't hear the end, distracted a second.

"H…Hold on please" he said to Wanyuudo, getting up, reaching the door. Through the hole, he saw…

"Ojou is missing!" the old man roared on the other side of the line.

Ren winced.

"No need to search, she's right outside my apartment."

Wanyuudo was silent. Ren opened the door. Ai, soaked just like the first time he met her, was staring at him with her beautiful brown-red eyes.

"I miss the couch" she said simply without blinking. "May I come in?"

--

When Wanyuudo arrived, Ai was already sleeping. Ren took him to the kitchen and made tea. The old man sighed and sat down, putting a old worn hat on the table and his red scarf on the chair he was sitting on.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble" he muttered. "Ojou seems quite comfortable here. She has been doing exorcisms in mass the last few days…Humans are so narrow-minded and weak. They cannot break to their own freedom and leave their family rest in peace…Exorcists like Ojou are getting rarer and rarer."

Ren sat in front of the old man and took a sip of his own tea.

"I've heard you've known Ai for some time."

"I saw her mother giving birth to her, Ishimoku Ren. I saw her first steps, her first words. Her first exorcism was incredible for someone her age. Her parents were so proud of her. Too bad they didn't last in our world. They died in a car crash you know; she was only seven."

Wanyuudo took a sip, then nodded.

"Very good tea, young man."

"Thank you" Ren sighed, unsure of what to make of the compliment. Was it a sign of the old man finally accepting him? He saw him studying him from the corner of his narrowed eyes.

"Remember one thing, young man; I only left Ojou in your care because she asked me to. Ojou is good in discerning human nature, but someone has to pull on limits. Because of the loss of her parents, I tended to let her do whatever she wanted. She isn't a difficult child, you know; but she is strong headed when she wants to."

He kept silent a few moments before continuing:

"You might want to know the story behind Ai's persecutor, Gil de Ronfer."

"You told me that his brother was arrested on Ai's behave."

Wanyuudo nodded.

"It's a bit more than that. Ojou seems to trust you, so I have no choice but follow her lead. Once you get the story, you'll understand"

Ren nodded, and waited for the old man to start

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