A/N: Special thanks to all my readers who messaged, followed and reviewed.It's funny how most of you were screaming "we want HaoNa!" And I'm just, okay? Should I really crossover to the dark side? LOL.
So, to HaoXAnnaxYoh agenda fans, take a deep breath. You're gonna need it.
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UNSPOKEN FAITH – Chapter 3: Entanglement
Hao carefully peeked at Anna's face while she slowly gathered herself from bawling like an immature schoolgirl. He tried his best to display a passive look, but his eyes betrayed him as they flickered with so much concern. He felt her sobbing gradually toning down, but her face kept hidden onto his chest. His fingers were gently stroking her head to calm her down even further.
Luck was seemingly on their side when the show just carried on around them. He looked around and noticed that the drama they shared was drowned by the live band's performance and incessant chatter of bar patrons. Everyone was absorbed in their own little world, and he wouldn't let anyone burst their tiny bubble.
"Is it true?" He asked. He wasn't even sure if she understood what he was asking about, nor did she ask if he was talking about the same thing that was in her mind. Neither of them explained their sides.
She could only nod whilst being buried within his grasp.
Hao closed shut his eyes forcibly, took a deep breath and then pursed his lips. "I'm going to kill that son of a b—!" He motioned to stand up, ready to bash someone's head in.
"Wait!" He stopped in his tracks when he felt her hands desperately clinging onto his shirt. His eyes found her pleading ones and he expired the air from his lungs which he did not know he was holding. "Please! Just…" Seeing her imploring face ridden with trails of waterfall tears and more threatening to come, how can he say no?
Hao looked away and muttered a silent curse before resettling on his seat next to her as he tried his hardest to calm down. When has he become this powerless? He snickered inwardly. She blinked as her attention got distracted by Hao's shirt being a mess— severely crumpled fabric, stains of lipstick, and traces of wetness from her own tears. "I ruined your shirt. Sorry."
"Seriously, Anna? That's what you're worried about?" He gave her a cynical look.
"Well… it's Gucci." She muttered the words with so much seriousness that he had to bite his tongue to prevent a degrading snort. The urge to pinch her cheeks for being so adorable was strong.
He looked at her. She looked at him. They both burst in hysterics.
They were laughing so hard, tears started to come out of her eyes again and at this point, it was quite difficult to determine if they were of joy or of anguish. Anna darted her eyes upwards and swallowed hard to prevent more tears from falling, wiping the ones that had already dropped. The brunette noticed this and grabbed the back of her neck as he pulled her again into a protective hold.
Neither of them spoke as her forehead remained pressed onto his right shoulder, his chin resting atop her crown. His left thumb automatically found her cheek to wipe away the excess tears. She exhaled a tremendous amount of air and he sort of enjoyed the ticklish feeling it brought to the base of his neck.
"So, what's your plan?" He asked.
"I don't know."
"Do you want me to talk to him?"
"No. I can take care of myself." She replied immediately, her voice muffled by his body.
"Anna…"
She didn't respond.
Ever since she grew close with the twins in her early teenage years, she always felt dear whenever they acted like the older brothers she never had; particularly Hao, but she also hated it when he tries to meddle with her affairs like an overprotective sibling. It somehow left her the impression that she was not capable of standing up for herself. Sometimes, she accepted his kind gestures, most of the time, her pride dominated.
Hao gazed downwards but not after noticing a couple of blokes standing across the room acting suspiciously. He shrugged the thought as all his focus now shifted on the blonde at that time. It must be the liquor that he consumed earlier that was making the decisions for him right now. He tried to peek through strands of hair and saw how her neck moved when she gulped for the third time that night. She unconsciously licked her lips and left her mouth slightly agape in between sniffles, as if they were calling him, luring him into the depths of sin.
He could not recall when he started leaning down towards her face. It was as if his mind suddenly stopped working. All inhibitions ceased and only a single, biased, braincell remained functioning telling him to kiss the woman in his arms.
Anna felt his face gradually descending. Her mind told her to react, but her body was too slow to process the idea. She was too overwhelmed with all the events that happened in her life for the past 24 hours and her current situation was not helping at all.
The brunette could have sworn he heard someone gasp from a far distance, but it really didn't register in his lovesick, hormone-driven self. Their noses were almost brushing against each other when his gaze locked-in with hers, illuminating a myriad of emotions within them.
After a few seconds of tedious contemplation, their minds seemed to click in understanding when his lips came crashing down on hers in a fiery passion. His reason immediately turned into a heated mess when he felt the curve of her hips with his roaming hands. Her fingers crunched the collar of his shirt to pull him closer towards her igniting body.
She moaned into the kiss when she felt his hands slid onto her butt to give it a thirsty knead. Her hands simultaneously pressed onto his chest and encircled around his neck, deepening the connection. He took this as an approval and lifted her by her thigh and waist then pushed her down against a lower section of the bar table, now almost leaning above her. His right hand glided from her hip down to her thigh and sort of yanked it up to hook her knee onto his waist, then went back into placing hot and wet kisses on her soft lips, down to her neck while pressing down on her all the while.
Her suppressed cries served as music to his ears, and this elicited a low groan from him when he deliberately pressed onto her pelvis. He heard her moan his name once again; her voice almost seemed as if instincts finally kicked in.
"This is a mistake."
"What?"
Desire and disorientation has played tricks on his brain; and Hao only dissociated reality from fantasy when his field of vision was welcomed by a pair of the most beautiful amber irises he has ever seen in his entire years, still staring at his in questioning. They were still sitting in their own stools in front of each other by the bar. Her eyes manifested a hefty amount of feelings, but a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty took up the majority in them.
He forced his eyes shut I frustration before opening them again.
"Sorry, I…" He withdrew his face a few inches away from hers. "I wasn't thinking at all." He reasoned with a forlorn sigh.
Anna paused for a few seconds concentrating on trying to stabilise her breathing. After gaining momentum, she then pushed herself up from her seat, ready to step away from him but both his hands found their way to the side of her arms to prevent further movements.
A slap was almost expected by this time but surprisingly, none came.
"Anna, I said I'm sorry."
She let out a dreadful groan then removed his hands from their grip. "Hao, I don't want to create further problems. I was the one who wasn't thinking. I… I shouldn't have come." The man was speechless, his mouth left gaping. Anna stood up abruptly and turned her heel to leave but due to sheer bad luck, her knees suddenly gave out as she felt her consciousness slip away.
Luckily, Hao acted quickly and caught her in his arms just before she hit the ground.
"Shit!"
. . . . . . . . . . .
A cool object pressed onto her chest in repeated sliding motions. Long curly lashes fluttered at the touch of fingers pressed on to one of her wrists. White ceilings greeted her, and the distinctive smell of disinfectant clouded her brain. Her vision travelled to her left corner noticing intravenous fluids hanged on a pole seemingly connected to the back to her hand as she traced the line. She felt her throat and lips shared the common sensation of dryness.
"Good evening, Mrs. Asakura." The voice sounded familiar. She scooted her sight to her right and saw the familiar face of a handsome blonde man.
"Good evening, Dr. Faust," she managed a small smile.
"I must say, you did quite a drama back there! Hahaha! You're not out from the red flags yet, but both of you are stable." If he wasn't a good doctor and a friend, she would have strangled him for his lack of tact.
She heard the door open and saw an indifferent Hao enter the hospital suite. Their eyes connected for a brief moment before he evaded her gaze and settled a duffle bag full of clothes on the sofa.
"Which reminds me, Anna-san. I don't know if I remember correctly, but there's something quite different with your husband from the last time I saw him." The female blonde just looked at the doctor incredulously. "Anyway, both of you are such a good-looking couple. It excites me to see how your genes mix! Hohoho!"
"Thank you, Dr. Faust. You are very kind," replied the brunette who was obviously amused with the doctor's oblivious thoughts. Anna darted a scandalised look at Hao and he winked back at her.
Faust turned to his patient in a more serious manner and held her hand. "Well, I shall take my leave now. Please take further rest and try to eat well, love. Dehydration and stress are not something to be taken lightly especially at this stage." She just nodded politely in return before the physician left.
An uncomfortable silence ensued between the two remaining occupants of the room. The blonde pressed a button from the remote of her bed to sit herself up, while her glare sent daggers towards the brunette.
"What? They assumed I was Yoh, alright? I'm tired of explaining things, so why bother?" Hao remarked with a playful smirk. Her eyes narrowed at his annoying smugness. He unzipped the duffle bag to retrieve a piece of clothing which seemed to be a fresh clean shirt; then shamelessly took off his frayed white Gucci shirt in front of her.
Anna had to avert her attention towards the ceiling but not before taking a quick appreciation for his toned arms, chest, and abs. Although she cursed herself for her little sinful exploration, a tiny detail never escaped her sly mind. For there laid on the lower left side of his ribcage, assuming the anatomical position of his heart, was a vivid tattoo resembling 3 animal claws tied in a necklace.
She smiled warmly at the sight of it. Yoh had the same exact tattoo on the same exact spot. They apparently had it done together during their teenage years, with Hao being the mastermind, of course. Anna remembered Yoh once cheerfully recalled the memory about his older brother daring him to get a matching ink work with him if she agreed to go on a date with him. "You obviously have this weird crush for her! And if you don't make a move now, maybe I will." Yoh mentioned in annoyance, imitating his brother's voice while reciting his words in verbatim.
Of course, it became a messy proposition that ended up with a slap on each cheek of each twin. Still, she agreed to go on a date with Yoh, the twins got the tattoos, their mother, Keiko, almost murdered the duo upon seeing their proof of 'recklessness', and Anna kept teasing him for being a victim to such manipulation. Yoh shrugged it off though, saying that he never regretted anything; given the fact that she started dating him, and that he eventually got her to be his girl.
"Tsk, idiots." An amused smile made its way on her mouth at the simple thought of her husband. Her Yoh.
Hao raised an eyebrow upon hearing her murmur something to herself but decided to not comment on it. "You got fresh clothes in the bag in case you wanted to change." Anna only muttered a simple "thanks," but refused to acknowledge his presence by avoiding eye contact.
"How are you feeling?" Hao spoke finally, upon seeing her instinctive change of mood, gently sitting himself at the edge of her bed beside her. He was now fully clothed. Good.
"Depends. Are you going to try and kiss me again?"
"Do you want me to?" He chuckled to tease her, which earned him an indignant gasp from the blonde. A suspicious look was thrown at him, but he kept mummed for a moment.
"Anna, does he know? Does my brother know?"
She glanced down at her hands resting on her lap and slowly shook her head.
He let out a sigh of understanding, if not of compassion. "I still don't understand why that idiot will do such a thing. I mean, yes, he does share a big portion of my chick-magnet genes but, come on. He was practically a saint!"
Anna didn't know whether she liked to slap the nonsense out of this bastard or to send him to hell with spiteful comments against him first.
"Were there even any signs? Like, little, little, things, you know? Indifference, disinterest, fatigue, neglect. Same goes from you."
"Hao, if you side with your brother about this, I swear—"
"Dare I remind you that I was the one who wanted to reach for his neck first, but you went ahead and pleaded me to stop like a poor abandoned kitty cat."
Yep, she can strangle him now.
He continued when she did not speak. "Seriously though, do you really believe he would cheat on you?"
He stared at her perpetually as they shared each other's melancholy for a good full minute. It was getting harder and harder to see her this distraught. Her plaintive silence was driving him insane.
Meanwhile on Anna's end, Anna pondered. She didn't think he would. Deep down her heart, she did not believe Yoh would cheat, but he anger threw away that thought whenever she remembered his lies and deceit.
Yet another sigh eluded. Hao secretively glanced at his phone. There were a crazy number of missed calls from his brother since last night. He sent a quick SMS to him: Where R U RN?
He swung his gaze back to Anna to follow-up if she even heard his question, but his phone vibrated with a reply almost instantly from his brother: What took U so long to reply? Do U know where Anna is? At Ren's.
Good. He was only about 10 minutes away. He hid his phone back in his pocket when he noticed that she was watching his actions carefully.
"I need to go to attend something for now." Hao concluded in order to divert the situation.
Anna's honey orbs gleamed in interest. "Are you going to see him?"
"No." He lied.
She just stared back at him with her famous impassive expression.
"I'm going to kiss you now."
Her pupils dilated at his sudden declaration and before she could throw in any forms of protest, his lips have already planted a soft, adoring caress on her forehead. The blonde could only remain in her trance for a several seconds before she spoke. "Hao, I- I never apologised to you."
"Hm? For what?" A question, even though he already knew the answer. He was not stupid and neither was she.
"For…" she sighed in defeat, "for not clearing things up properly with you. For…" she stared into his eyes in all seriousness, "for being unable to reciprocate your feeli—" he silenced her off by putting his forefinger onto her lips.
"Don't do that to yourself."
He coerced a smile. "Besides, it's your fault that you fell for my brother and joined his idiocy, right?"
It was aimed as a joke. Though there was something he held in his voice when he spoke those words. Was it bitterness? Was it contempt? She will never know. What she was sure about though was that he was a good actor, a master of disguise. That he never failed to put up a front, always for good intentions, always for her sake.
"Stop worrying about others and concentrate on yourself." He added, staring directly at her still.
"Hao…"
He motioned to leave but paused when her palms caged his hand, a soft smile on her lips. "Thank you."
"Please take a rest, Anna. For you… and the baby."
The brunette stood up and left.
She could only stare at the spot where he previously stayed before a serene smile crept on her face. Hao has proven many times that he can be a good lover if he really wanted to; but what he truly deserved was award for being the best big brother— both to Yoh and her.
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Yoh opened his eyes to a searing discomfort that originated from his skull's insides… or spine. Whatever applies. He drove his heavy eyelids open as he felt the succession of vibrations coming from his mobile phone propped next to his head on the sofa. An illuminated ceiling greeted him as his pupils became accustomed to the light that was peering inside the room.
He ignored the throbbing nudge at the back of his head that radiated to his temples when he made a sudden move to retrieve his device and got a slit-eye's view of the time. It was 7 AM. He accessed the notification that has just arrived.
It was his twin.
He immediately pulled up his message: Where R U RN?
He frowned. Was Hao seriously not going to acknowledge the fact that he has called and texted him about a dozen times last night? Yoh immediately responded to his brother's audacity: What took U so long to reply? Do U know where Anna is? At Ren's. His sight remained on his phone's screen despite the blue light furthering his discomfort. He was still desperate to know his wife's whereabouts and he still had this strong feeling that Hao would know.
A minute went by. Two minutes, seven, nothing.
A wave of infuriation rose within him. His twin was being a complete douche when he dared to ignore his worries. He sat up with an exasperated groan, trying to contain his annoyance.
Yoh sought for Hao's number to ring him directly, but he got distracted when he surveyed his surroundings. He noticed that his other friends, minus one Tao, were strewn wildly on the other couch next to him in the living room.
'When did they even get here?' He recalled the events from several hours ago. He and Ren were about to call it a night when HoroHoro and Manta arrived to join their 'session'. More than sharing drunken stories, he was sure that one reason for his two mates to deliberately show up at Ren's doorstep in an ungodly hour was because they were also concerned about his now scandalized romantic life. He chuckled sheepishly then shook his head. He had the best set of friends in the world.
He closed his eyes for a bit in order to shake of the fatigue. He only needed a few more minutes of rest. He was sure it will not hurt to…
Suddenly, he froze and wrenched his eyes open for the second time that morning. He glanced at the wall clock; 30 minutes has already passed. He gave himself a mental slap. How could he get distracted? His priority was to find Anna and up to now, he has not a clue to where she is or whether she was even safe and sound. He had to start another day of search right this instant.
He dragged himself up to the kitchen to rehydrate and replenish. He will need tons of energy before dealing with his twin to get him to squeal some information. Yoh snorted. He loved his brother at world's end. He really did. But sometimes, he can be the best jerk in town.
Yoh brightened when he met two sets of eyes sitting by the breakfast nook. Ren and Jeanne were already having a lovely meal.
"Good morning, guys. Thanks for letting me crash last night. What's for breakfast?" He joked charmingly at the couple, rubbing his abdomen to act cute.
"Hm, idiot." Ren muttered behind his raised coffee mug, shoving another cup filled with the same warm drink towards him. "Here. You're gonna need it."
Yoh raised a brow at his friend's remark and observed Ren and Jeanne's worried looks. He grasped a moment of cunning after he stared from one Tao to another and then back. "Please don't tell me anything can get worse than yesterday."
His question was indirectly answered when Jeanne turned the screen of her tablet device towards him, already attuned to an entertainment article published less than hour ago. Yoh never needed further affirmation when he saw a 'blind item' being presented, which coincidentally contained photos of his wife amorously embraced by a man, who was not him, but with a face so identical to his.
And like a sickening joke, the doorbell rang.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Anna could not understand her feelings. Must be the hormones, really.
She was both infuriated and grateful. Thankful that she is now being nursed back to health and that she and her baby are stable, for starters; but still furious at her husband and all of his idiotic glory and at her brother-in-law for being such a suave martyr. She detested the fact that Yoh was out there for the past 9 hours, doing only the gods know what and only the gods know where.
'Was he even looking for me?' She pondered sadly. Anna had the desire to check her phone to ease her doubts, but she had not the slightest idea where it was. She will have to ask Hao later.
She also hated the reality that her husband's twin was right. Despite the annoying brat that he was, it was true that she needed to take care of herself more now that there is a little angel growing inside her womb. Her instincts brought a hand to caress her still non-existent baby bump whilst her lids remained closed, as a ruse to lull her mind to sleep despite sitting upright on the hospital bed.
Only the ticking of the clock echoed in her hospital suite when she felt exhaustion take over her consciousness. Anna was almost certain that she already entered the first stages of sleep when she heard the door open and hurried footsteps confirmed that someone has entered the room. She grunted in displeasure, ready to reprimand the older Asakura for ruining her mood for a nap.
"If you're going to tell me that you forgot something, I'd be sure to give you a good ridiculing laugh." She muttered through her mischievous smirk, not exerting an effort to open an eye.
Silence remained but she could feel someone's gaze beneath heavy lids.
Out of curiosity, the blonde fluttered her orbs open only to find a pink-haired woman who topped the list of her least favourite humans in the world, as of present. Shock filled her senses, but she hid it perfectly with her famous inexpressive face. She will not give the pleasure of revealing her reaction to the despicable person standing before her.
"I am not going to engage in one of those ridiculous cat fights, if that's what you're here for." Anna spat immediately. The tigress in her ready to tear at the slightest sign of movement from the enemy.
"I just wanted to talk."
"Bold of you to assume that I'd even want to see your face."
"Anna-sempai…"
"Don't you dare call me that." If Anna's glare sent daggers, Tamao would have had her head on a plate by now. She noticed how her 'visitor' had reddened, puffy eyes, indicating that she has been crying before she arrived. But she could not care less. She could collapse in dehydration from all the tears she could shed, and Anna would throw her a party because she deserved it.
"Please… I just…" The younger singer found it difficult to start her spiel. Her body slumped on a nearby chair as she felt her strength leave her knees. Tears started to form in her fatigued eyes, and she glanced at the ceiling to prevent them from falling.
Anna maintained her stoic countenance and shifted her line of sight on a distant object across the room, refusing to acknowledge the other woman's presence.
Tamao resumed with pleading eyes directed at Anna despite her apparent efforts to ignore her existence. "I wanted to say sorry." She saw the blonde inhale a sharp breath, but no reply came. "I'm not going to say 'I didn't mean to' because that would be a big lie. Truth is, at first, I really DID mean to. I wanted him to look at me. I wanted him… to love me."
By this time, the last speaker saw the woman in bed balled her fist tightly until they turned white, but she continued her confessions. They both needed this closure. "I don't know when it started, but all I know is that every moment I spent with him gave me genuine happiness. That enabled me to form my own delusions that maybe he could love me, too…" she trailed off once again. "I swear, I knew it was wrong. I knew that I was dangerously throwing myself into the fire pit but, it's him, it's… before I could stop myself, I realised I was already in love with him, I was already devising my plans to win him over and I… I was a fool. I'm sorry! I'm really, really, sorry!"
She could not help it anymore. Tamao broke into uncontrolled sobbing, he hands covering her face in defeat. She did not even care if her companion in the room was even listening to her. She just needed to let it all out. Perseverance led her to continue.
"I know I may never earn your forgiveness, but I wanted you to know that nothing happened between us." She paused to put emphasis on the revelation. A chuckle of embarrassment escaped her lips. "You know what he did when I… initiated things? He held me on my shoulders with his eyes closed. He told me to get dressed and apologised if he acted inappropriately in any way. 'I'm sorry, but Anna, my wife, she's waiting for me to get home,' were the exact words he said before he pushed me away… I watched how it was so easy for him to turn his back on me." Tamao closed her eyes, recalling the incident she caused while tucking the strands of her now unkept hair. "I was so appalled. I couldn't believe a man like him still existed."
Anna swallowed but she could not stop that lone tear that escaped her right eye. Her head ballooned with the excess information she was receiving at that point, light-headedness crept from her insides.
"I… I feel so pathetic now that I am telling you this but… please, I hope you find the strength to forgive him somehow."
"You don't get to tell me what to do, so get out." Anna was back to her old self when she aimed her penetrating at Tamao. "Get out, now."
The pink-haired woman slowly stood up with a deep sigh, and with one last imploring look, she left the room.
Anna continued to stare at the same spot menacingly, her eyes flickered as more tears threatened to descend onto her cheeks, her lower lip pressed between her teeth. She inhaled a large volume of air which she blew out through pursed lips. Her mind focused in trying to calm herself down from the impending feelings of immense anxiety.
She decided to get up from her bed to get a glass of water when she felt something warm trickle down her thighs. Horror emanated from her when she saw bright streaks of blood.
She leaped for the nurse's call button just in time before mind blacked-out once again.
. . . . . . . . . . .
He pressed the red button to turn off his car's engine.
His consciousness hurled a deep sigh, and he lowered his forehead to touch his steering wheel. He never knew things would have come this far, but he has already made a solid resolve. But not before he made a few trips to memory lane.
There was nothing like the first time they performed. Their band has always been proud to have debuted in their high school's grounds during a school fest.
He carefully watched the audience in front of them as they clumsily readied their instruments prior to their act. His eyes searched for his younger twin and his friend with the signature pointy hair across the stage, only to be met by their equally anxious state. He nodded towards Yoh, who was sitting behind the drums, and to Ren, who had his bass guitar strapped onto his body. They nodded back in confirmation when they have all finished setting-up.
They wanted this badly and they had months and months of practice. They were not going to back-out now.
His eyes caught a glimmering flash of blonde strands that approached the front centre of the show with such confidence and grace. He could not help but to be mesmerized by her appearance from the corner of his eyes. Her exposed shoulders glowed against the intensifying moonlight and her head-turning outfit, a studded, black and red cropped top and short shorts, exposed more skin than what she was accustomed to. He was pretty sure that he wasn't the only teenager blushing madly that night upon being blessed by her glory.
Anna was made to be a queen.
He would be lying if he said he did not doubt her at first. In fact, they often butted their heads against each other when they just took her in as their vocalist. Their personalities clashed, and they were both used to getting the last words to an argument. Though with the presence of his younger brother and his best friend, they developed a peculiar bond that they both cherished deeply.
It is like his consciousness reached the light. She was amazing. Gorgeous and unattainable. He admitted to himself that he was the least bit prepared for her powerful presence that night.
And at that, during their first ever performance in front of hundreds of people, something stirred within him. It was when his younger twin started dropping the beat and when his fingers unconsciously played his electric guitar. It was when she wrapped her fingers and pulled that lucky microphone close to her luscious lips to greet the audience. It was when she revealed her stage persona that he felt the urge to hold her, protect her, to always make her smile.
That is when he knew she captured his heart.
However, before he knew it, their world became smaller.
Before he knew it, she has said yes to being Yoh's girlfriend.
Before her knew it, she has said yes to becoming Yoh's wife.
She has transformed into this precious, forbidden fruit—free to be admired, but can never be touched.
He spent his years being content by her mere presence beside him. By being the 'big brother' whom she never had. He was almost sure that her smiles compared nothing to his whenever he got to spend his time with her. She was the only part of his life that was always there, but he can never have. Someone so near, yet so far.
Hao chuckled bitterly to himself. If only every person knew how it felt to be secretly in love with someone like Anna, an unavoidable entanglement, then they would probably understand his way of life. Calculated actions, conceited façade, his promiscuity with women. Over the years, he has turned himself into this monster who tried his hardest not to dwell on 'trivial' things that made him susceptible to pain, such as love.
Of course, he could not blame her. It was not her fault.
Never her fault that she fell for his twin. He adored her deeply, but he also loved his brother. He knew deep within his soul how Yoh and Anna became each other's beacon of happiness. He was witness to their unbreakable bond.
So who was he to stand in between?
He was busy contemplating about such banalities when he heard his brother purposely slammed his drumsticks sideways onto his drums, creating an unpleasant noise.
"Brother, you weren't paying attention!"
Yes, he was not, but his pride got the better of him, so he retorted. "And you're pissed because of your own stupid assumption?"
Ren made a heavy groan and threw his hands to the air in defeat, turning his back against the twins as if saying 'here we go again.'
"Look, we came here to practice, and we were not getting anywhere because you are too preoccupied." Continued the younger Asakura.
"You're one to talk. In case you don't notice, brother, you're the one who's been overly projecting your wedding preparation jitters towards us."
"This has got nothing to do with my upcoming wed-!"
"ENOUGH!" A female voice commanded.
All three males were startled by a certain blonde lady who stood amidst their petty quarrels. No one spoke a word but her.
"If the three of you cannot contain your testosterone-fuelled egos from clashing against one another every single day for some unknown reason, then clearly, this band needs a rest!"
They all let out a weird expression as if they have been splashed by ice cold water.
And they did.
Months passed after they have announced their disbandment. It shocked the entertainment industry, disappointed their managers and their old record label's higher ups. They argued that it was for the best interest of everybody. It was for their own 'growth and improvement.' Ren inheriting his father's chain of companies due to a sudden death, the twins fulfilling their childhood dream of establishing their own record label and alas, the famous drummer and vocalist focusing on their upcoming union as husband and wife.
Protests were thrown here and there, but at the end of the day, a band will not run if all the members have decided on a mutual agreement of not performing together. Besides, all the spotlight has shifted to Yoh and Anna's relationship and their 'wedding of the century'.
Ah. The wedding.
Yoh and Anna had two ceremonies. The couple was adamant about holding a very intimate traditional Japanese ceremony at first, which they ended up doing the day before the 'bigger day'. But due to outside influences and pressure, a western style wedding has also pushed through. The first day was only attended by their close family members as it only held the customary rituals and whatnot. The bigger celebration and partying were saved for the next day.
Although it did not stop him from being completely dumbfounded by Anna's beauty on day one, who was clad in a white Kimono dress with intricate embroidery of cherry blossoms at the bottom hems…
None compared to what he felt during the second day.
There he was, standing next to his younger twin at the front, open to every scrutinizing pair of eyes.
Their friends and families admired them lovingly from their seats. He guessed it was quite a sight to have two handsome identical faces, dressed in formal wear, waiting by the altar. It must have been quite confusing to some of the distant guests and members of the media who covered the event, albeit it did not stop him from being there for his brother. He could not fathom how he was able to do it, but he courageously stood his ground next to Yoh as his best man.
Even if it cost him his own happiness.
A few moments flew and a number of familiar faces walked down the aisle. He even remembered how he almost guffawed when his twin briefly glanced at him with so much anxiety, as if he was going to pass out then and there. He remembered opening his mouth to say something funny to ease Yoh's tension but all he ended up doing was to place his hand on the younger one's shoulder to squeeze it tightly, his head motioned towards the direction of the opening doors of the chapel.
Time stopped for what seemed like an eternity when the heavy barriers finally revealed the bride, all dressed in not-so-white. Her light cream gown complimented her flawless complexion as it flowed softly with every move she made. Her golden wisps of hair were loosely pinned up and sporadically adorned with Gypsophila flowers, with some strands hanging stylishly in waves. The bridal bouquet of mixed white and blush Tulips was worthy of praise for its elegant and straightforward beauty, a perfect parallel to the bride. Her delicate veil provided enough coverage over her silhouette but still gave everyone the privilege of admiring her ethereal face.
He noticed how their grandmother, Kino, met the blonde in the middle of the aisle to escort her towards the altar. He smiled warmly at this gesture, and it served as the tear-jerker for most of his family members and their closest friends. It all made sense. The old lady has grown affectionate towards Anna ever since Yoh introduced her to the family. Kino acted as the girl's guardian and has undoubtedly helped her get through life since then, especially when her sad excuse for biological parents have shamelessly disappeared from her life.
His eyes wanted to make a quick trip towards his twin just to see how we was holding up, but they remained glued to the approaching goddess before them. He realised he didn't need to look as he observed Yoh's shoulders started to shake from his peripheral vision. He deduced that the groom was ugly crying as his bride approached, and he used all his willpower not to do the same. He was not going to steal the show.
His breathing hiked and his heartbeats hitched when Anna paused in front of them, a serene smile embellished her pretty face. He even yelped a little when he caught her gaze towards him, and he could not evoke whether it was him or her who pulled the other for that heart-warming embrace. He drew his mouth close to her ear and whispered words of adoration and encouragement that placed a blush on her already rosy cheeks and grew her smile even more.
Something in him sank when he finally felt her warmth leave him as she pulled back to face his brother, her groom. The immediate glow that reflected on her face when she laid her eyes on Yoh gave him the most bittersweet tug on his heartstrings.
But he had to be strong.
He had to set aside the realisation that only his brother can make her happy like that.
And when Anna took Yoh's offered hand, when Yoh absent-mindedly leaned towards his bride for a premature husband-and-wife kiss only to be stopped by Anna's soft nudge on his stomach (making the wedding celebrant clear his throat and garnering fits of giggles from their audiences), when the couple took their steps towards the altar to start throwing their promises of forever for each other, Hao made his ultimate suicide mission.
To protect the love that was shared by his brother and the woman they both loved.
Hao heaved a loud grunt as he took the time to examine his environment. He was parked outside a beautifully landscaped home in a quiet suburban setting. There were a few vehicles parked at the street and he snorted at the realisation that Yoh's friends may be present inside Ren's mansion, too. He was not in the mood for a grand entrance but what choice has he got? He wanted—no, he needed to talk to his brother about his complete and utter stupidity. This ends now.
He motioned to open his car door with a playful smirk. Oh, he's such a lovesick puppy.
His feet brought him in front of a massive mahogany door. He scanned the sides and pressed the button which he assumed was the doorbell, his assumptions proved when he heard a high-pitched melody from behind the walls.
It took a long time before someone answered the door. He almost grew impatient as he beckoned to press the bell once again when the door swung open, his sight met with sharp golden eyes.
"Before I let you in and before things start to get ugly, could you promise to leave Jeanne's fine China collection out? I'll never hear the end of it if one of those ridiculously expensive things get thrashed." Ren started as an attempt at humour.
The brunette raised a brow. "What makes you think me arriving here would cause a fight?"
The Tao just stared at him passively.
Hao snickered and shook his head in disbelief. "Fine. I promise on a random dead man's grave." He ridiculed with his pinky finger raised towards his friend.
Ren slapped the Asakura's hand away as a form of greeting then stepped away from the doorway to let his latest guest in. The man with long brown hair entered the premises with smug finesse, but before he reached the end of the foyer, his eye met another set of irises that mirrored his own, locked in a serious dead stare. Seconds ticked before he made the initiative for a greeting.
"Brother." Hao nodded towards his younger twin.
"Brother." Replied Yoh, with an unsettling poker face.
. . . . . . . . . . .
A/N: So, I tried, okay? Since my heart will always have a special place for this love trio no matter what, this is an (hopefully not futile) attempt of building a world where both the twins are completely enamoured with Anna, yet they continue living harmoniously, despite only Yoh getting the girl… because, well, they are all beautiful, matured, grown-up individuals. LOL. xD
Kindly let me know if you somehow enjoyed those little HaoNa moments I cooked, though. Hope you Hao simps are happy now.
Please note that the scenarios in this chapter were all occurring almost simultaneously in the timeline just in case anyone got confused with the scene shifting and whatnot.
Italics represent multimedia content/ thoughts of characters/ flashbacks/ foreign words/ foreshadowing points. I hope I did not make it too confusing.
Show me sum luv? :3