Chapter 11
Silence was enveloping that long hall. Only plants and tribal decorations in rows were guarding that place, like mute witnesses who has seen everything happening in there yet cannot do anything.
A silhouette of one head suddenly appeared from a corridor, followed by another one below, and another one, and another one. All those heads looked at their right side, and then quickly looked on left. When they were sure no one was there they all sighed in relief in unison.
"What are you doing?" someone said behind them, his tone was quite annoyed.
The one who has a blue hair looked at the guy and raised a brow. "Isn't it obvious? We are hiding."
Ren's brows twitched, his arms around his torso tightened, he was doing his best restraining himself not to strike the nape of the bluenet. "Can you explain to me again why are we are hiding
Horohoro slowly stood up and faced the purple-hair guy. "I hate my father," he answered seriously then shifted his gaze afar. He did not need to elaborate things anymore, that short answer was enough.
Ren smirked, looking at him in a taunt manner. "Pride, eh?"
"What do you know shark-head?"
"Who are you calling shark-head, BAKA?" Ren yelled angrily, his tongari was growing.
"I'm not BAKA!"
"You two shut up!" Anna's cold voice lingered around, making the two frozen and looked at her. She was wearing a cloak made from Aomori which designed with spider lilies. Underneath that cloak were red scarf around her waist, a white top with long sleeves and blue short shorts, and white knee-high boots. The Harusame was tied on her side. "Stop that love quarrel of yours. Now how will we fine Pirika?"
Horohoro slightly frowned on her. Why was she acting concern for his sister? Was not she only her for other specific thing? "Don't worry there is a secret door here that will lead us to secret path which leads to different rooms of this mansion." Horo then began looking around the wall.
"Nobles' mansions are too amazing, huh? Too many secrets," Manta said.
"Yeah, too many pockets…" Chocolove added but they only ignored him which made him sulked in corner. Yoh was patting his back.
"Where is it?" Horo mumbled, still groping on wall. Yoh offered help and the bluenet accepted it. Manta and Chocolove helped too. Time was passing still they could not see the secret switch that will opened the door. Ren who was watching was getting annoyed.
"Are you sure that there is a switch there?"
"Shut up! You are not helping anyway." Ren's brows twitched. He walked over Horo and asked him to move aside. "What are you going to do?"
But Ren did not bother to answer back. He just got his Kwan Do and smashed the wall. "If there is no way then make one," he said with smirk. The guys looked at him with horror. Horo then began to yell about ruining their house is not right. Ren reasoned the materials used in these mansions were too cheap and easy to break which made the bluenet anger more.
Anna who was still leaning on wall across looked at them in a bored manner. A sigh escaped her mouth as she thought these guys are helpless. Then something beside her on wall caught her attention.
"Hey!" The blonde called gaining the attention of others. They saw a rectangular hole where she was going to enter. "Are you coming with me or not?"
Oh-oh… wrong wall… Horohoro thought.
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"Onni-chan…" she whispered as she bowed her head. It was been a week since she last seen her brother and she miss him so much. Even though he is sometimes annoying and most of a time an idiot she still loves him. He is a caring brother and she doesn't want to have anyone than he. And she knows he loves her too and willing to protect her, whatever happens.
That was why when she learned from Guru, the general of their Koropukuru Soldiers, that it was her brother who told where they were hiding she got confused. He promised her they will not get apart so why her brother did that?
Pirika lifted her head as she heard a door opened. Her eyes widened seeing someone she did not expect.
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As Horohoro opened the door, he called Pirika's name excitedly. But the answer he was expecting from her sister never came. The room was silent. Pirika was not there. The bluenet was expecting her to be in her room playing piano or doing some stuff in this time.
"Where is she?" Ren's stern voice heard beside Horohoro. A hint of concern tone was visible but unaware to Horo.
"I don't know but she must be here." Horo quickly looked around and went in dressing room but haven't found his sister.
The knob of the door suddenly moved, giving warn to the occupants inside. Horo didn't know what he should feel that time. A part of him was excited hoping the one who will enter is Pirika. But the other part was nervous for some reason.
They all stood frozen, waiting for the door to open, and when it did it revealed a girl which Horohoro didn't recognize and looked at them bewildered.
"INTRUDERS! THE INTRUDERS ARE HERE!" The girl shouted on top of her lungs. All were shock because of her outburst. The teens ran toward the secret door and through the path.
"What the hell is that Horohoro?" Manta shouted beside the bluenet.
"I don't know. The only thing I know is we need to run."
"Is this really your house Horo? The girl seems doesn't recognize you."
"I don't know her either," he answered back while thinking the girl must be a new maid.
"I don't get it. Why are we running?" Chocolove asked with puff. "You're the son of the owner of this house."
"The fact that we entered this house without their knowledge we became intruders," Anna answered.
"Besides I don't want to see my father," Horohoro yelled.
Yoh who was running quietly suddenly asked, "Hey guys, do you feel something?" They all looked at him confusingly, then minute passed the ground beneath them shook violently. Horo's eyes widened.
Crap! I forgot the traps…
Before Horohoro could warned the others the ground started to incline. They all slid down, the path became an endless slide.
"EVERYONE HOLD EACH OTHER!" Horohoro shouted. He saw Yoh embraced Anna protectively. Chocolove grabbed Manta like a child. And he gripped Ren's arm. Before Horo could reach the others, two different paths had shown and lead them apart.
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Pain... He can feel some parts of his body in pain. Does he become unconscious? He wasn't sure. The thing he is sure was that he is in uncomfortable position now. After that almost endless slide and when they pushed from that path forcefully, they almost like they flew on air, he can't remember anything. He even lost his hold on the blonde...
Anna! Yoh's eyes snapped open as he remembered the blonde. His eyes wider even more from the thing greeted his sight.
Butt...
Someone's butt was facing him. To be exact his face was inches away from that butt. That butt was covered with blue short shorts and the owner was under of white cloak with flower design in edge. The owner was hanging on branch of a dead tree, same with his situation.
Yoh can't help but to blush. His face is in deeper shade of red. He involuntary gulped as he wandered his eyes on those creamy legs.
"W-where are you looking at?" someone yelled that snapped him from his reverie. Over those legs, he saw Anna's plastered face, frowning deeply. "Stop staring at me and make a way so we could get out in this damn position," she commanded as she held tightly on branch, her stomach still laying on it, while struggling not to fall from that high part of tree.
Yoh, which was in more comfortable position than Anna, slowly crept down from that tree. He held in every branch which he thought will help him to smoothly make the way on the ground but he failed to notice a weak branch and caused for him to fell hard down, chin first. It was only good that the grassless land was covered by snows which lessen the pain he gained.
The brunet caressed his aching chin before looking up. He then realized that they were far now from the mansion of Usui. They were now in woods which were on the foot of the small hill where the mansion is. He brought back his intension at Anna and see the blonde was still clutching tightly on the big old branch like a frighten cat trapped on a tree.
"Come on Anna! Just jump and I'll catch you," Yoh shouted as he lifted his arms.
Anna looked at him. She was not afraid of high places. No she wasn't, until that incident. It became harder for her to look down in that position as she remembered that wild river which engulfed her fiancé. Gulping as she closed her eyes, she finally released her hold and let the brunet do the rest.
Yoh yelp a bit as he felt Anna's weight crashed onto him. His body fell on the snowy ground once more along with her. As the brunet opened his eyes, he found his self underneath of Anna. A blush crept on his cheeks seeing that their faces were uncomfortably close. For some reason he can't move from his position. Was it because he is mesmerized by her beauty and enjoying the scene?
Anna's eyes were deeply close and she looked cute with that small frown. At this time it was not bad to admire her beauty, right? Just don't let the cruel reality interrupt… like what is going to happen now.
Her eyes slowly opened and her eyelashes fluttered. Yoh can't help but to stare on those wonderful orbs and looked deeply on them.
SLAP!
A brutal sound of slap lingered around which frightened some birds and made them flew from trees. Yoh found his self laying on snowy ground. In his mind, he was bleeding.
"Pervert! What are you doing?" Anna angrily accused.
"Anna, I'm not doing anything," Yoh said as he caressed his numb cheek. He was looking on Anna's red face, cause by embarrassment or anger, the brunet doesn't know. He stood and going to walk over her when she suddenly said:
"Don't come near me!" Puzzled, Yoh asked why. "I haven't forgiven you from the last incident."
Oh! Great… he thought. She hasn't forgotten that kiss. "But Anna that was an accident."
"Shut up!"
Yoh shut his mouth. There was no way she will listen to him. He looked around and noticed the thick woods covered with snow. "Where do you think the others are?"
"Maybe they fell on the other path," she answered and began to walk. Yoh was going to walk with her when she suddenly glared again. "I said don't come near me."
"But Anna…"
"Don't dare to come closer to me with in five meters. If you close the distance you're dead." She began to walk again leaving Yoh behind. The brunet sighed as he thought how stubborn she was. He then chuckled as he remembered the words she said to him back at the Solemn Kingdom. The same words she just said now.
Anna walked continuously, pace quicken, never looking back. She didn't care what happened to a certain pervert brunet, or so she thought. She needs to find the others quickly to finish her business and she really needed to go home. She looked around, still trees covered with snow was in her vicinity. She sighed, thinking where the hell she was.
Anna kept her pace until she heard something from the bushes. She turned around, her eyes widened as she saw a big wild bear in white fur looking angrily at her, fangs can clearly see.
The bear lifted his claw and aimed for her…
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"LET ME OUT OF HERE! I TOLD YOU I'M HOROHORO!"
The room was dark, narrow, and untidy. The idea that he was in this room annoyed him but what annoyed him more was this bluenet who kept shouting.
"LET ME GO! I NEED TO SAVE PIRIKA!"
They were in a dungeon. The path where they entered leads them to the guards of this mansion. They quickly imprisoned and interrogated. From there they learned that Pirika is missing, and they are the prime suspects.
"LET ME OUT OF HERE!"
"WILL YOU SHUT UP?" Ren's patience was gone. He looked at Horohoro angrily and grabbed his collar. "They won't listen to you whatever you do. They believe their young master is dead."
Horohoro pushed Ren's hand and glared. "I don't care. I need to save Pirika."
A creak heard suddenly. They both looked at the wooden door and saw a silhouette emerged from there. The silhouette slowly walked towards them, both teens felt their hearts were pounding fast. When the silhouette was near he opened a lighter under his face making a scary appearance.
"Miss me?"
Both teens inside the cell stretched their arms to hit the afro hard on head.
"Aww… What was that for?" Chocolove asked with teary eyes.
"Forget about it. Make a way to free us."
"Is this enough?" Chocolove asked as he let Horohoro see a key.
"Where did you get that?"
"Oh! Remember I'm a thief," the afro said proudly with smirk. Horohoro smiled at him.
"Then move quickly. We don't have much time," Ren said.
"Only if you say sorry for what you have done to me," Chocolove muttered with pout while scratching his head. "It hurts you know."
"CHOCOLOVE!" Both teens yelled.
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As Anna opened her eyes she saw the concern face of Yoh. She blinked them several times and when she finally adjusted her sight she saw him smiling brightly.
"Anna," Yoh called as he hugged her. The blonde remain motionless on his arms. "I'm glad you're fine."
"What happened?" Anna said as Yoh finally released her, confuse on the events.
"A bear attacked you. It seems we invaded his territory. Then you lost conscious."
Oh! The bear… she thought as she looked around but the idea quickly shifted on the back of her mind. Trees covered with snow still surrounded them. She stood and brushed her clothes. "Let's go. We need to find the others."
From the corner of her eyes Anna saw Yoh hardly balancing his self from standing and then fell on his knees. She halted from her pace and glared at him.
"What's wrong?"
"N-nothing," he said as he tried to stand again. Something reddish on the snow caught Anna's attention. She walked towards him and examined it. Yoh noticed what was she doing and quickly covered his side.
"What happened?"
"It's nothing." He grinned nervously. Anna glared at him and pushed his arms away. She then grabbed his orange jacket and pushed them opened. Her suspicion was right; the stain on snow is blood.
Three claw-like wound were bleeding under his chest bone. Anna glared at him, demanding for a complete explanation. Yoh gulped, looked away and nervously began his tale.
"I saw you're going to be attack by the bear and pushed you in the right time which resulted for me to take the attack." Yoh explained as he remembered how he saved the blonde and ran faster to escape from the bear. He then looked at her, smiling. "But don't worry it doesn't hurt much."
Anna poked his wound as he said that and Yoh yelped in pain. The blonde sighed while looking at his curl position. Pulling the red bandana from her waist, she knelt in his front and started to put the cloth around his torso.
"Anna you don't need to –"
"Just shut up!" Yoh quickly obeyed and Anna continued her work. Silence envelope before he decided to speak.
"I think we can catch up on them if –"
"We will take rest first." Finally she knotted the fabric. Anna's eyes looked at him in that-is-final-no-more-argument way. She looked down and saw the red stain again. She sighed, thinking how cruel she was. It never entered her mind that Yoh helped her from the bear. "I'm sorry, because of me you're hurt."
Yoh looked at her puzzlingly, his eyes blink several times. A smile crept on his lips after a minute. "It's not your fault. It's my decision to help you."
"No. You are hurt because of me."
He shook his head. The warm smile never leaves his lips. "I am hurt because I decided to protect you. If I don't want to get hurt then I should not help you. Don't blame yourself Anna. This is my choice."
A small smile crept on Anna's lips. She bowed her head as she mumbled a soft thank you, which Yoh didn't hear. She then stood and put her cloak around Yoh and her. The brunet felt his face grow red as Anna's body touched his.
"A-Anna?"
"Body heat," Anna's short replied as she snuggled on his back. She can smelled it again, the smell of orange. How she loves to smell Yoh's fragnance.
The two remained silent. Yoh didn't want to look behind for he was afraid if Anna finds about his face as red as tomato. The silence was getting uncomfortable for him. So he decided to start a conversation.
"So, what is your real reason for coming here?"
Anna remained her eyes close as her head rested on his back. "I told it already. I came here to see if the blue monkey was telling the truth," she said tonelessly.
"I doubt it," Yoh said which made Anna's eyes opened. "You see there are many ways to find the truth about Horohoro than doing this."
"So… what do you think why I'm here?"
"You're here because… you want to help Horohoro to see his sister." He finally turned his head, their eyes met. Anna can't help but to feel ease whenever she stares on his chocolate orbs. There was something on his eyes. She finally shifted her gaze and sighed.
"You're right. The truth I only live in inn because I suspected him. But living with you for months I realized that he can't do bad things. He has a good heart, a good brother and a good friend. I only get angry to him whenever he said bad things about Prince AshLee."
Yoh hugged his knees and rested his chin on it. "Prince AshLee must be really important to you."
Anna's grip tightened on his clothes as she buried her face. "He is… He is really important to me."
"You must be really sad when the Patch declared his death."
"HE IS NOT DEAD!" Anna said stubbornly as she sat up straight, the cloak loosen on Yoh. The glare Yoh receiving from her was deep but he can see clearly the sorrow from her eyes. Seconds passed, she finally looked down and whispered, "He is not dead, I believe."
A hand touched Anna's softly. She looked up and saw his comforting gaze and warm smile. "If you have that much faith on him, then I'm going to believe too he is alive. Who knows maybe this power of faith will bring him back to you." Then he smiled boyishly. He was such a simple minded yet he could bring hope in Anna's broken heart.
"Yoh," Anna said softly, a tear was threatening to fall but she quickly blinked it away. She then put back the cloak around him and said, "I want you to know something about me."
Yoh blinked, slightly surprised from what she said, but inside he felt nervous.
"Lee, my fiancé and Prince AshLee Kazan is one person." She paused as she looked at her ruby ring. "I'm Kyoyama Anna, Lady of Aomori."
The shock from Yoh's face was visible. It was not a shock because of a new knowledge he acquired for he already know this. He was shocked because for he was not ready to hear this from her. "Why… are you telling this to me?" Telling such information to a commoner from a noble is quite unusual as they don't want the commoner feel uneasy to them and some kind of a humble attitude. Besides, nobles try their best to hide their real identity as long as it is not time for them to know in public.
Anna thought for a while. Why was she saying this to a simple commoner like him? Then a smile crossed her lips. Of course there was a reason, a simple reason. Anna looked at his eyes deeply and said softly:
"Because I trust you Yoh… You are the one who teach me to trust again… and… you are a special friend for me."
I want more YOHxANNA… How about you?
Note! Note! Note! Note! Note!
For Tics readers the story is on hiatus. I want to finish this year my very first fic My Light in Darkness and seeing that I'm going to be busy in school I need to put the other stories on hold. Why Do I Love You is going to update every month. Just one more chapter from this story and we will enter the major chapters. ^_^
Oh! I forgot to say I'm editing some chapters. If I'm going to re-write some chapters I'm going to inform you.
Maybe I'm going to re-write Tics too. Once Tics come back I'm going to update the story regularly.
Thanks for reading! ^_^
Thanks zazable09 for the advice.