Chapter 10

After the incident, Yoh was always depressed and he hadn't talked to anyone, not even Anna…Everyday he would go for his daily training early in the morning and came home late at night. He didn't bother Anna and the others scolding him when he returned.

The Asakura family had decided to stay there for a few weeks.

Matamune had stayed with them and he always followed Yoh when he went out for training. Of course, Amidamaru followed as well. Anna had sent the ghost that lived in the house to watch over him in case anything happened but they would always lost sight of him while watching over the younger boy. It has been a long while since they last watched over him during training.

Everyone was worried about Yoh. Nobody had ever saw Yoh so upset before. Maybe, they have never seen him upset in the first place. They blamed Hao for still being alive and they now hated him more than anything.

Today, Yoh managed to escape from the spirit that was watching over him and he went to the city for a leisurely walk with Matamune and Amidamaru. While he was standing at the pavement, he thought of his brother. Ever since that incident happened, he never saw him again.

'Did you really think that I would actually change??? Did you really think I would care about someone like you??? Nonsense…I only cared because you are the other half of my soul that's all. To think that you actually believed it…' those words spun around his head as he walked across the street.

In truth, he believed it. He believed that he would change. He believed that he would truly care for him. Right now, he felt like he was being shattered to million pieces.

He thought of the times when he met him for the first time after his supposed death.

He thought of the times when he managed to lure him out from his hiding place.

He thought of the times when he called him 'Otouto' for the first time.

He thought of the times when he made a promise with him.

He doesn't want all this to end. He wanted to see him again…

Suddenly, a thought came to his mind. If he didn't care about him, why would he be doing all this?!

The wind blew against his long strands of hair as he peered down the water from above the bridge. He glanced at his wavering reflection. A small cat suddenly nudged Hao's leg until it gained his attention. His eyes softened as he stared at the kitten. He began scratching behind the cat's ears. A small smile formed on his lips. He heaved a sigh. He held the kitten in his arms and walked away from the bridge.

SLAM!!!

'Grrr….IT'S ALL HIS FAULT!!!' Horohoro yelled out of the blue. The others were startled by his sudden motion.

'It's useless Horohoro…even if we don't want it to happen, it has already happened and there's nothing we can do about it…' Ren told the Ainu boy.

'That Hao, causing so much pain to my son…he is definitely unforgivable…' Yohmei said angrily.

'I don't get it…why would Yoh care about that man?' Mikihisa said as he rounded his hand into a ball of fist.

'THAT'S RIGHT! WHY DID HE CARE ABOUT THAT JERK!' Horohoro exclaimed.

'Yoh is too kind…' Anna replied nonchalantly.

'BUT WHY MUST WE SUFFER AS WELL! HE HASN'T BEEN TALKING TO US FOR WEEKS! I'M DYING TO HEAR HIM SPEAK!' Horohoro raised his voice.

'You're noisy. Just shut up and drink your tea already...' Ren told the Ainu boy.

'Grrr…why don't you just get lost, SHARK HAIR!'

'WHY DON'T YOU SHUT UP BORO BORO!'

'WHY YOU…'

Suddenly, a scream was heard. Manta came out of the toilet and pointed accusingly at the direction of the toilet bowl. Anna heaved a sigh as Horohoro and Ren went towards the direction of the toilet. There were spirits inside the toilet bowl as they slowly rose up and floated towards the direction of the itako.

They bowed their heads with an apologetic look.

'He escaped again didn't he? Sigh…I knew this would happen…' Anna said.

'Matamune…' Yoh called to his brother's ex-spirit who was now staring at him with a goldfish expression. He was surprised but relieved at the same time when he heard him speak again. He was about to talk when Amidamaru interrupted his conversation.

'Yoh-dono, you have finally spoken…' Amidamaru was crying.

'Sorry to worry you Amidamaru, it's just that…' he paused for a moment.

'Yoh-sama, you don't need to explain. We understand that you're still sad about the incident…' Matamune said.

'Matamune, why didn't you pass on to the afterlife? Onii-chan said that you can do whatever you want right?' he asked startling the spirit.

'Well…right now, I wanted to stay with Yoh-sama for a while… ' he responded.

'Matamune, if he really didn't care about me…why did he came out that time?' Yoh asked.

Matamune was taken aback by his second sudden question. He knew what he was referring to but he chose not to tell him.

'I don't know…' he replied simply. Yoh realized his tactics and decided to play along.

'I see…So Matamune, you know where he lives right?'

'Yes…Yoh-sama. Why do you ask?'

For a moment there was silence.

'Can you take me to him???'

Matamune and Amidamaru stared at him with wide eyes.

'Yoh-dono…please…don't go there. We don't know what he might do to you… last time he nearly crushed you with his shikigami…'

'That was last time…anyway, right now I have you with me so I don't think he can do any harm to me this time…and also…' then he gazed at Matamune.

'I have Matamune as well…'

'Yoh-sama…' Matamune said and Yoh grinned.

'Amidamaru, Matamune, will you lend me your strength???' he asked. He was really determined to prove to them that Hao really had changed.

Amidamaru and Matamune stared at him for a moment.

'I understand.' Amidamaru replied seeing his determined expression.

'I will lead the way…Yoh-sama.' Matamune told him.

Yoh smiled at the two spirits. He knew he could always count on them.

'Well then…let's go.'