"Uuum…it looks like dinner's going to be wind down to stir fry…" Yoh-kun says as he shuffles through the fridge contents. I stand on a stool, and am now at the right height to chop things on the chopping board. Damn all this heightness…

"Once I had the best stir fry at Ren's place." Yoh-kun starts rather mellowlly as he rummages through the vegetable box, looking at bunch of bok-choy rather sentimentally. "That was the time when his sister was out of town, his parents were away and he called me over because he couldn't cook…we had the best fun…well, at least I did." Yoh-kun throws me the bok-choy, which I catch with the end of the chopping knife (that was so a fluke).

"He's a strange one, isn't he?" Yoh-kun begins again, still looking through the assorted vegetables in the fridge. "He has something in him that draws attention, even if he doesn't want it…" a capsicum comes my way, and I catch it, again with the end of the knife. Maybe I have some hidden talent for catching vegetables on the ends of knives. Wow.

"I guess it's fair enough that Hao should set eyes on him…he's just too…I dunno, amazing for his own good…" Yoh-kun hasn't said so explicitly, but I know he's worried. Worried that, maybe Ren-kun has some kind of feelings for Hao. I mean, sure, Ren-kun didn't really resist Hao's approaches at the rehearsal, but he did end up throwing Hao. This is all very much a mystery to me.

"I guess it's only natural that Ren-kun would have some kind of…I dunno, something for Hao…" Yoh-kun says rather softly. I doubt my ears for a second.
"Yoh-kun…stop that…" I say, a little held back.
"I've said it before, but people just naturally flock to Hao…he's got the charisma, he's got the power, he's got the influence…if only I could…"
"Yoh-kun, stop that!" I say, a bit loudly than I had intended to. Yoh-kun looks at me, slightly bewildered. "That's really unlike you…to be so pessimistic…" Now that I've started, I may as well continue on with what I mean to say.

"You have a charisma too, but you maybe just don't realize. There are heaps of people that surround you and support you…Horohoro, Anna-san, lyserg, Ryu-san…and Ren-kun and me…don't ever say anything like you want to be like Hao…it's not like you…"

Yoh-kun considers what I've said.
"Hhhhhmmmmm….you know, you're right." His face loosens up in fractions of a second. I beam back at him.
"Besides, you're always up for a fight when it comes to people you care about… you've never been inhibited by Hao before."
"I know I know, and I usually wouldn't…" Yoh-kun begins, scrunching up the bag of bean shoots in his hands. "Just…if it's what Ren wants…"
"Yoh-kun…" I bite my lip. "But you know, how can you tell what Ren-kun wants? Have you actually asked him?"
"Huh?" comes the dumb reply.
"Yoh-kun, you haven't confirmed anything you know…"
"…"
"…"
Silence prevails. Then we both burst out laughing.

"Come on Manta, we need to make dinner." Yoh-kun says with a new found light, and tosses me an avocado, which I again catch with the end of the knife.
"Yoh-kun, I don't think you're meant to put avocado in stir fry…"

*BRRRIIIINGG!*

"The phone? I thought mum was using it…" Yoh-kun heads into the hallway to pick up the phone. "Hello, Asakura household…uh, yeah, sure, hang on a second…." Yoh-kun covers the reciver with one hand.

"HAO! IT'S NICKROME! GET UP DAMMIT!"

A stream of incoherent, but no doubt insulting sounds came streaming from the living-room.
"HAO! PHONE!"
"Shut up Yoh, I heard you the first time!" A rather groggy retort comes back.
"Then hurry up! I'm leaving the receiver here!" Yoh-kun yells back, coming back into the kitchen. "Jeeze, I guess you could tell from usual, but he really hates being disturbed by people…"
"Not a morning person?"
"No, he's a morning person…just hates being woken up by others…" We both work silently in the kitchen, but we do that to strain our ears, trying to catch bits and pieces of the conversation going on between Hao and Nickrome. If I recall correctly, Kanna said something about Nickrome approaching Hao, as did Yoh-kun some time back.

"Nickrome… you should've left a message on my mobile or something…" Hao says in a semi-irritated tone. "…uhuh….no…When I feel like it, it's up to me, isn't it? …No…yeah, I'm busy with school…true, point taken, but so what every once in a blue moon…why? That needs to be known only by me… I don't think it's anything that you should be interfering with. … …sure. See you." Yoh-kun and I make weird faces throughout what sounds like Hao's monologue, trying to guess what the hell is going on. Seconds later, a tired looking, and least to say, a very unhappy looking Hao appears from the hallway, running his fingers through his long hair.

"Nickrome?" Yoh-kun asks.
"Duh." Hao replies, obviously pissed off.
"What'd he say?"
"Does it matter?" he snaps back.
"Let me guess, he misses you or something…" Hao merely snorts at the statement.
"Yeah, just because I haven't fucked him in, what, two weeks?"
"Hao, too much detail…" Yoh-kun and I pull faces. "We really don't want to know what you do in your spare time…"

*BRRRIIIIINGGG*

"Phone again?" Yoh-kun groans, but it seems Keiko-san beat him to it. We can hear the voice of the twins float through amidst the steaming water.

"Hello, Asakura residence… yes, hang on a second…Yoh, for you. From Ren-kun." Yoh-kun's face brightens up instantaneously, as he scoots into the hallway. Hao has a slightly dangerous look on his face. I suddenly find the boiling water to steam the bok-choy incredibly interesting. I pretend to pay attention to the bubbling water and the swirling patterns of steam, but again, strain to hear Yoh-kun's half of the conversation over the phone.

"Hi Ren., ahh, it's me…uhuh…sure…….nah, don't worry about it…hey, what's new, na? I'm used to it…well, that's you isn't it……like I said, don't worry too much about it…yeah………yeah, I heard so much…… how do I know? I just have my ways…" Yoh-kun chuckles, and continues on. "…yeah….no…don't worry, tomorrow'll be fine…. Yep….uhuh. Ok. See ya."

Outside, I sit on the stool, still as an avocado, staring at the boiling bok-choy, all too aware of Hao standing just a bit behind me emitting his killer aura. But inside, I was standing with a victory sign. From what I heard, it sounds like Yoh-kun and Ren-kun have resolved whatever misunderstandings stood between there. I steal a quick glance at Hao. I can't see his face because of his hair, but the aura of Jack the Ripper is undoubtedly present. I'm getting just a little bit scared…Yoh-kun then wanders into the kitchen, a really goofy smile on his face. Yoh-kun seems to be in such a blissful state, he seems quite unaware of the evil aura emitted by Hao, directed at Yoh-kun. Or maybe it's just that Yoh-kun doesn't care.

"What did Ren say?" Hao says, breaking the silence. Yoh-kun looks at his twin, with a loose but determined smile. Hao isn't smiling, but he doesn't look angry either. He's got a challenging expression. Silence prevails for a while, and all that could be heard was the boiling water.
"…nothing that you need to know of." Yoh-kun shrugs, and turns to the fridge. "Manta, you alright with pork?"
"Uuuh, yeah sure…" I say. I'm just a little too aware of Hao, and his no doubt murderous mood. Yoh-kun's probably used to it, so he doesn't seem too bothered by it. But I am by no means Yoh-kun. I'm scared stiff of Hao, and am rooted to the spot.

"Yoh."

I cry a river. Hao's mad. Even I can tell that much by the way he said Yoh-kun's name. It's not an annoyed, or mildly irritated tone. Hell no. Hao said that one word in a deep, awful tone that foreshadows death. I am too young to die. Dear God, I have nothing to do with these twin's fight…please don't let me get involved… I pray to God silently.

"What?"
"I don't know why you think you've won. I can tell what Ren said to you. Something along the lines of sorry for being a bit cold to you today, but there is something that was bothering me slightly, I hope I haven't offended you etc etc." Hao says quite levelly. For anyone just looking into the current situation, it would look like a very civilized, normal conversation. But oh, the hidden malice…
"You've always been good with guessing." Yoh-kun compliments Hao with a smile.
"Why thank you." Hao accepts the compliment with an identical smile. I shudder. These two should NOT pull identical facial expressions. It's way too creepy.
"Ren may not want to ruin your friendship, and in that sense you mean a lot. But I'll be the one he'd be thinking of tonight." Hao smiles sinisterly. I wonder what he's getting at…
"What makes you say that?" Yoh-kun frowns a bit melodramatically.
"Oh nothing that concerns you." Hao smiles his celebrity smile, and wanders out of the kitchen. I am too scared, and am still rooted to the stool.

""I don't know why you think you've won…"" Yoh-kun mimics Hao. I laugh nervously.
"Yoh-kun…"
"It's OK Manta." Yoh-kun smiles reassuringly to me. "Tomorrow will be fine. I don't know what Hao's thinking exactly, but things'll turn out OK." I nod, feeling a bit more relieved. There's just a way with Yoh-kun, he seems so confident in the face of odds and trials.
"Well, to know what Hao's thinking is weird, anyway." I beam back. Yoh-kun chuckles, as the pot with the bokchoy chortles.

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Wow. I have NOT update for... so many months! *dies* I am REALLY sorry for the lack of update. No, I havn't discarded this fic. :D It's just that I've had a VERY difficult time these past few months, and nothing creative, let alone anything mildly humourous came out of my brain. I doubt any of the initial readers have stuck around for so long... but yes, INCREDIBLY sorry for the lack of update...I am not dead, and I am continuing. Hope you enjoyed this section. ;D Doing conversations between Hao and Yoh, however unrealistic the conversation may be, is SO much fun. OOC, sure. But FUN. XD

Now follows the actual play... XD