Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King.
Author's Note: Another quick update...yey! I enjoyed writing this chapter so, yeah read on! By the way, there's a mention of a timezone thingy here so if I got it wrong, let me know and I shall make the changes. :D
Thanks sooooo much for the reviews!
~o0o~
It was a peaceful night for the Tao-s until the phone rang. Ren reached for the cordless handset, pressed the answer button and was greeted by a shrilly and evidently ecstatic voice. He immediately knew that it was Yoh.
"Hey!"
"Oi, do you know what time it is?" The chinese shaman sound irritated - his voice was too gruffly he couldn't even believe it was coming from him.
"Yeah, it's..." Yoh looks up on the wall clock "...two in the morning. One hour difference from your time zone, right?"
"Exactly. And you woke me up because...?"
"I've got some great news." He continued.
"News that couldn't wait, say, eight in the morning?" He protested, mind still dazed from the literal rude awakening he received from his friend.
"Something like that..."
Yoh heard him yawn over the phone "Alright, just give me a few seconds to get to the other room."
Ren got up from bed and almost tripped as he made his way to the doorsill, en route to the next empty room.
I can't believe this guy... I just hope it's nothing serious.
Seconds later...
"Speak." He said in a commanding tone.
"I remembered a few things," He paused "my promise, my wedding proposal, my son's conception..."
"Wait, wait." He interrupted "...Hana's conception? You mean the... you know?"
"What? I don't know what you're talking about." He said dismissively.
Ren thinks for a while and realized that he made the wrong assumption.
"Ahh. You mean, you recall the time when she told you she was pregnant, is that it?" He asked.
"Yeah, what else is there?"
"Oh please." The chinese shaman jeered and rolled his eyes. "Well, whatever. I knew she'd be able to straighten you out sooner or later. I'm really happy for you Yoh, but I need to get some sleep, so do you mind?"
"Yeah sorry, I just wanted you to know. We are, after all, best friends, ne?"
"Hai. Get off the phone now - long distance charges is going to bite you in the ass and your wife manages the funds - all of it. She's gonna be pissed, I'm telling you."
"Alright, alright. See you soon."
"Yeah, yeah. Bye."
Good for you, Asakura.
He thought.
"Who was that?" She asked with half-lidded eyes, as the cushions move down when he slipped back to bed.
"Yoh." He pulled the covers up to his chest and faced her.
"Is he alright?"
"Yeah. I'll tell you everything later..."
"Okay."
They both went back to sleep.
~o0o~
Yoh offered to go the store and pick up ingredients for today's dishes. He was humming that tune again; the song he apparently sang to her, the song which he still don't remember, when someone called for his attention.
"Yoh."
"Huh?" He turns his head sideways and sees a guy resting underneath a tree, surrounded with cats. "Do I know you?" He inquired.
"Of course you know me." He answered back.
"Are you a friend of ours? Sorry but I have a slight memory issue so..."
The mysterious guy stares at him for a mere second and he suddenly felt lightheaded. Yoh shakes his head and looks back at him. His face went pale, lips formed into a thin line, eyes widened upon the overflow of past and present memories.
"Hao." His voice was full of contempt.
"See? You know me."
"What the hell did you do to me?"
"Nothing. I was just putting you to the test."
"A test of what?"
"It wouldn't be exciting if I reveal everything to you this instant, don't you think?"
"Why can I remember everything now?"
"Because I wanted you to."
"I don't understand your reasons..."
"You don't need to understand."
"You're wrong. I have to understand. You have no idea how much this has caused me."
"In due time Yoh." He smirked. "Well, ta-ta."
"Wait, we're not done talking yet, Hao!" He screamed.
As soon as Hao was out of sight, everything resets to the way they were. Yoh stood there, totally oblivious of the previous conversation he had with the shaman king. Bewildered but seemingly uninterested to ponder about what he considered as something trivial, he dismissed the thought and walked the few blocks to get to the store.
~o0o~
"Dude!" A blue haired guy greeted. Yoh gave him a blank stare. "Oh yeah, you don't know who I am. I'm Usui Horokeu but everyone calls me Horo-Horo."
"Boro-boro?" Yoh repeated as he placed down the stuff he bought on the kitchen counter.
A vein pops on the ainu's temple. He hates it when people mispronounce his name whether or not it was on purpose. "It's Horo-Horo," He reiterated.
"Boro-boro?"
"Ah damn it!"
Horo-horo grabs Yoh and pulls him into a headlock. He struggles to get himself free but the ainu's hold was firm.
Anna steps in and asks, "What's with all the noise?" She glares at the ainu. "And you, what are you doing in my house?"
Horo horo seeks refuge behind Yoh and replies to her with, "I'm here on vacation. I sent you guys a letter two weeks ago."
"I didn't see any letter." Yoh mentioned.
She muses for a couple of seconds before finally saying, "Ah, the letter with the hideous handwriting was from you?"
Eyebrows arched higher than normal and a mocking tone from the ice queen, all Horo could say was "Ehh? You didn't even read the contents?"
"It was an eye sore so I threw it away. Hana's handwriting is much better than yours and he's only six."
"Well, I still said I was coming." He fought back.
"You can't stay here." She insisted.
The ainu could feel the diabolical aura steaming off the itako.
"Ehh? Anna!"
"I told you before, years ago, not to act familiar with me."
He always managed to piss her off more, every time he tries to reason out with her or make silly excuses.
"Okay, Anna-cha...nnnn"
Whack!
A newspaper roll hit Horo's head. He never knew paper could hurt this much.
"Owweee!" He yelped. "Yoh, stop her from trying to murder me, please!"
"Get out of my house!" She screamed.
"But... but I don't have anywhere else to go!"
"Get. Out. Of. My. House. Or. Else." She warned.
"No! I must absolutely stay here." He insisted.
Anna clenches her fist, "I tried to ask nicely." She said in deadpanned manner.
"Yaaaahhhh!"
His scream filled the whole inn as Zenki and Kouki drag him violently out of the house.
The itako, making sure she was out of earshot from Yoh spoke "Don't take this personally but I don't want you hanging around here for a while. Not until Yoh's fully recovered. Understand?"
"Oh. Well, you could have just said that. Why'd you have to call on these oni-s?" He stood up and swept off the dust from his pants.
"Because seeing you upsets me, a whole lot. Conversation's over dorkface. If you come here again unless I personally asked you to, I will send your power spirit to the afterlife."
"Hai, hai. I get it."
"Just stay over at Manta's. I'm sure he's got room for you."
"Alright." He sighed.
~o0o~
Horo was suddenly reminded of that one serious talk he had with Yoh, days before the latter's wedding.
~o0o~
"Yoh, I don't know how you put up with her, really. She's like the devil incarnate!"
He reacted while nursing his face after Anna slapped him for his side comment about what the color of her wedding dress should be.
"She's one of a kind."
"You can say that again. Geez Yoh, I thought you hated being in pain. The woman puts you through hell everyday and will most probably be at it for the rest of your life, how can you still smile at that?"
"No matter how I try to explain it, you'll never understand unless you find that special someone."
"Ha, I will never be a pushover for my wife." He scoffed as he took another shot of gin tonic.
"I'm not a pushover. I just love her; it's as simple as that."
"Does she even love you? Did she ever tell you she loves you? I mean, she basically beats you up every now and then..."
"She doesn't have to tell me anything. I know. And once again, you'll never understand how I knew. Or why I whine but do what she wants anyway...because when I do what she wants, it makes her happy. And I'm happy when she's happy."
"Uhh, this is a stupid conversation we're having."
"No, I think this is just one of those moments where you can't relate to. Anyway, I gotta run. She gets mad when I'm late."
"See, that's slavery right there."
"No, I beg to differ. You wouldn't understand."
"Ugh, there's that term again... whatever Yoh."
"See you around Horo. And don't drink too much; Pirika will never let you off."
"Yeah, don't remind me."
I still don't understand. Heh, but I admire his courage.
~o0o~
"Where'd you send him off to?"
"Manta's."
"Is he gonna be alright? It just seemed like..."
"He's fine, trust me. I'm leaving everything to you, today. I just got a phone call from Hana's school and they want me to come over."
"Is Hana okay?"
"I'm sure he is. I'll be back soon...and don't make a mess. I mean it."
And off she went.