"Yoh-kun, are you alright? You haven't been eating much recently, and you look really tired…"

My wandering mind is brought back to reality as I see Manta being held by Faust, looking at me, concerned. Maybe Manta's getting used to the whole attachment thing Faust seems to have going for him, but he still looks a bit rigid. I shake my head and cast a grin. A weary one.

"Well, it'd be a lie if I said that I aren't…" I mumble as I scratch the back of my head. When I told the others about Ren being with Hao, the reactions were varied. Chocolove thought it was a gag, Anna was emotionless, Manta started ranting, Ryu and Faust were both in a state of shock, and Horohoro yelled at me. Horo took it the worst I think. He grabbed the front of my shirt and called me a bloody liar. I wish I had said it as a gag or a lie, but it wasn't. I told them that I hadn't actually seen Ren with Hao, and that I'd just heard it from Hao so I can't be a hundred percent sure, but everyone seemed as dejected and defeated as I had first felt when I heard the news. But I think I took it the worst internally. I couldn't stop thinking what it was that I'd done, as Hao said…

"By not choosing, that's what."

Choosing what? In what kind of situation was I ever put in, to have to decide something? When I'm faced with a decision to make though, I usually make one. I rarely put off decisions, especially if they're important ones. What could I have done to drive Ren into Hao's arms? Or what didn't I do?

I start thinking about Ren again. I miss him. I don't think I'd feel like this had it been (no offence guys) Ryu or Faust. Maybe if it were Manta, but this was bad… I had it for Ren, bad. It felt like I hadn't seen him for so long… I miss his glares, his insults, the physical violence he throws on me whenever I show affection in public…gosh it sounds like he loves me…I miss the little hugs and kisses…I begin to wonder what it is that Hao wants from Ren. Ren has an amazing amount of Furyoku, huge potential and strength. Some of Hao's (so called) allies don't even measure up to Ren's power. Is that why? Ren's strength? A small voice prods me that Hao is my twin, and that I am (according to him) a part of him…maybe he looks at Ren the way I…I kill off the thought before it even develops. I doubt that Hao could ever be affectionate to anyone.

But what I find the most unbelievable is that Ren went to Hao willingly. Ren would never betray me, us. But Hao had told me that it was I who betrayed him. And it all comes back to the point, what was it I did?

"Yoh-kun?"

Manta calls out to me again. We're all sitting around in a park, doing nothing in particular. It's actually a wonder that Anna's letting me sit around, because usually she'd tackle me with one of her killer training sessions. Maybe she's worried about Ren in her own way too.

"Yoh-kun…maybe Ren isn't really with Hao. Besides, what would Hao want from Ren anyway?"
"I was thinking that to myself just then." I honestly tell him. "And I have no friggin' clue."

"Yoh, you're spending too much time worrying over him." Anna says in an irritated voice. I look over to her, sitting on a wall a few steps away from me. "If you have time to do that, train." "Anna-san, maybe just this once let Yoh-kun relax, ne? After all he's…"
"What?" Anna throws Manta a death look. Manta shakes his head quickly and ends the conversation. I sigh and look up to the sky. Maybe Anna's right...maybe I shouldn't think too much about it… but I can't help it. If Ren left me willingly, then there's nothing I can do about it. But if he didn't…

The air sharpens.

Everybody in the area felt the change in atmosphere, and tense up. I stand up, preparing myself for whatever is to come.
"What is this atmosphere…?" Ryu mumbles, looking slightly nervous. It feels familiar, but very dark. Manta shivers, as Faust puts him down. I look over to the streets. I doubt my eyes for a second. I see Ren standing there, eyes down cast, a shadow over his face. I can't see his face at all, which adds to the whole eeriness of the area. I hear someone take a sharp breath in.

"Ren…" I call out.

But he doesn't seem to hear me.

He looks up all of a sudden, and his eyes are set firm. But somehow unclear. I feel something wrong. Ren draws his sword, and in a flash heads towards someone. I realize suddenly that he drew to kill. There is something defiantly wrong. Takes me another half second to realize the person he's after.

Anna.

She stands there wide eyed, taking in the situation. I run up to Anna and push her out of the way, and block Ren's oncoming attack. Just. Ren glares at me, and looks straight past me, at Anna. He's still set to kill her.

"Ren!" I yell at him, as he jumps back away from me, and aims for Anna again. Before I can comprehend what's happening, Horohoro attacked Ren. Ren being Ren blocks him off easily, and Horo gets thrown away by the impact.

"What the fuck are you doing Ren!?" Horo yells, getting up quickly, poising.
"Stop calling me so easily." Ren snarls, and looks right past Horo. I don't believe this is happening.

"Ren… is it true that you're… allied with…Hao?" I manage to muster. He looks at me. His eyes narrow, observing me.

"I've always been with Hao." He says without hesitation.

I can almost hear eveybody's mind blanking.

"What's happening here?" That voice calls again.
"Hao…" Ren looks behind him to see the long haired one sitting on the bench I was sitting on just minutes before. "I'm sorry, I missed her…"
"That's unlike you…" Hao stands up, completely ignoring the rest of us, all attention on Ren.
"I'm sorry…"
Hearing Ren apologize is one thing. But seeing him go up to Hao and wrap his arms around him is another.
"It doesn't matter." Hao whispers kindly, and holds the back of Ren's head, drawing him closer. Now I really doubt my eyes.

"…What the hell is happening here!?" Horohoro yells again, as I'm violently drawn back to reality from the small world of my vacant mind. Ren looks at all of us, with cold condescending eyes. So untrusting. His body faces us, with Hao standing behind him, one arm around his waist.
"Can't you tell?" was the mocking reply Horohoro got from Hao.

I see Hao's hands wandering over Ren's stomach, hands dangerously close to his waist band. He starts playing with the obi around the waist… I glare at him. Hao just smiles back, looking smug. He strokes Ren's stomach. Ren gasps and throws his head back, body pressing into Hao. Ren's sweet voice dripping sounds that mean nothing. I can't stand it.

"Hao, let him go!" I finally yell.
"Jealous?" coolly Hao says, still holding Ren. Ren has his eye's half closed, looking blissful, completely oblivious to the incredulous looks he's receiving from those in the area.

"What did you do to him?"
"Nothing much. Just cleared his memory of you and all those other little scums."

…

"…you call that nothing much?"

I realize my voice has dropped. Peripheral vision, I think I see Manta look up at me, but I'm not too sure. I grip Harusame so tightly, my finders ache. My ears feel like they're blocked, the ground beneath me feels awfully weak. I can't believe how much I've lost my grip on myself. If Hao says anything more, I think I would try to kill him, regardless of the consequences, not thinking about what would happen next. Jealousy? Perhaps.

"I cleared his memory of all that's happened between now and when he met you, Yoh."

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This chapter seems longer than the others… hm. Yoh's POV again (is it just me but all mah fics are POVs? It's so much easier to write from a person's POV I find…)

I really can't express the thanks in words at the number of positive reviews I've recieved from people... it's quite incredible (for me atleast). I jsut really want to finish Vacant ASAP, because I've started writing up another one... but that's not going up till Vacant is finished. ;D