Love Witch: Thank you for the reviews. Sorry I took so long to write the next chapter but I'm a busy witch, with university, the husband and severe writer's block and all. Anyway, in response to Alianna-chan, I've never heard of that anime till now but thank you for pointing it out. All I can say it's just a mere coincidence but I believe that my story is taking a far more different route compared to that anime.  

Special thanks to my new beta-reader Sakura. I've still got so much to learn.

Well here's the story, hope you enjoy and review once you read, please.

Surprise, Surprise

"Van," The long haired blonde man called from afar. Van turned to look at the blonde, who was running towards him, for a moment and, without any hesitation, continued on with his walk home.

"Did you just give me 'the look'?" Allen questioned delicately, as the fear of aggravating Van any further intensified with every progressing second that passed. "Oh come on, Van. It's been two weeks and you still won't forgive me. It wasn't even my fault."

Van suddenly halted at 'his so called friend's' last sentence. "You're unbelievable," Van muttered viciously.

Allen then realized he had just walked into 'the danger zone'. "I didn't know what Elisa was planning. I only found out when it happened." Seeing that he wasn't getting through, Allen sighed as he tried valiantly to justify his argument. "Look, I'll admit that was really low of her and this is coming from me."

"Oh, that's easy for you to say. You're just the bystander." Van retaliated.

"Van, how many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Allen asked in an exhausted manner.

"Don't bother. From this day on, you and I are no longer acquaintances." Van spoke clearly yet slowly.

Allen looked slightly confused. "Acquaintances means friends?" Van sighed as he realized that the tall blonde had no idea what the word meant.

Allen's face then displayed a reaction of shock. "Van, we've been friends since we were toddlers. I refuse to believe that you would…" Allen stopped mid-sentence as he tried to figure out which word he was to use.

"You are so exasperating," Van realized that he had slowly found his feet again, as he began to walk to his destination.

"Please forgive me Van," Allen pleaded as he strolled along side the raven haired youth. "I don't want our friendship to end because of some stupid girl."

"I'm not falling into this trap again," Van muttered.

"This isn't a trap," Allen sighed. "Your friendship is of great value to me. Van, if I hadn't met you, I would have been really messed up."

Van turned to the blonde youth and lifted his right eyebrow. "Allen, I am no miracle worker. No one can put you right."

"Cynical Van," Allen shook his head sideways.

"Do you even know what the word 'cynical' means?" Van asked curiously, surprised by his friends broadened vocabulary.

"No, it just seemed like a cool word," Allen honestly replied with a smile.

"Well, you used it in the right context," Van said. He glanced sideways to Allen, who was walking beside him. 'He's always had my back. Maybe he really didn't know what was going to happen.' Van's mind pondered as events were being recalled up in his mind.

"It was all Poseidon's doing," Allen spoke seriously yet slowly.

"How do you know?" Van asked as he abruptly stopped.

"My younger brother, Dilandau overheard a conversation between Lana and Keri. To confirm this gossip, we beat the information out of Chester," Allen told him.

"What has Poseidon got against me?" Van asked, slightly baffled. "I haven't got anything he should be jealous of and I've never done anything to upset him."

Poseidon was one of Van's peers at university and the Adonis on campus. He had the most penetrating ice-blue eyes Van had ever seen and hair to match. The daytime sky would even appear mundane compared to his beautiful azure locks. No one knew why Poseidon hated Van. It was really strange that he couldn't even handle Van's presence in a room, always causing some sort of scene in his company.

Van could still remember the day Poseidon had laid eyes on him. His topaz eyes transfixed on to Van's one day. At first, they seemed accepting, and then, all of a sudden, changed to look of disgust. That was the day the one sided war between the youths began.

"Van, have you looked in the mirror? You're gorgeous. If I was a girl or if I bent that way, I would so go after you," Allen replied in cry. "And to top it off, your smart and a really nice person. I just don't think a lot of people see that since you put that lone wolf act on whenever there are more than two people around."

"What 'lone wolf' act?" Van cried in aggravation. "It's not an act."

"Whatever," Allen replied, rolling his eyes.

"I don't need your opinion," Van bitterly spoke. The white picket fence that surrounded his home soon came into view, causing a smile to creep upon his lips.

"Is Millerna still angry with you?" Allen asked cautiously.

"I don't care anymore," Van spoke in an exasperated voice. "I'm just fed up of you, Millerna, Poseidon and most of all…my life."

His eyes became bleak as pestering thoughts rummaged their way through his mind. 'Why? Why am I here? There's nothing here for me so why am I here?' The hatred at his own existence was increasing these days. Soon it would consume him and then swallow him whole, so he would be left upon the world, ravelling in his own self pity.

Allen couldn't think of anything to say. His body had become frozen at his friend's last remarks. He recalled a time when a smile was constantly bearing upon the raven headed youth, but it suddenly all changed with the death of his mother.

Van was a mother's boy like most boys are. Folken, his older brother, was also but not to the extent Van was. Van depended heavily on his mother and considered her his mentor and, most of all, his best friend.

Then tragedy fell upon the Fanel household, the accident destroying Van. Refusing to eat or socialize, he isolated himself into his room, rejecting even his father. Grief swept over the young boy; hatred soon grew within him as the revelations occurred: his father was to remarry. Ever day became more and more turbulent for young Van. No one knew of the inner sorrow that dwelled deep within his soul.

Van realized it was best for him to hide his pain as he noticed he was inflicting it upon his younger sister Merle, who he loved dearly. He would die before causing her any pain.

Allen knew of all of his friend's anguish. Just when he thought Van's sorrow had departed, Poseidon stepped into the picture. Allen felt hatred inside of him flourish at the thought of Poseidon.

Yet something puzzled Allen when it came to that subject. He had heard some rather peculiar rumours about Poseidon that concerned his raven headed companion. Allen wasn't usually the one to believe in such gossip but there seemed to be some element of truth that fit into this rather strange puzzle. 

"Van," Allen said softly after he slowly found his voice. "Don't say things like that."

"I'm sorry, Allen. I rely too heavily on you. I knew you wouldn't hurt me intentionally. It's just you were there at the wrong time," Van spoke truthfully.

"No Van, I'm sorry. I should have gathered something like this was going to happen. It's just I didn't expect someone like Elisa to do something like that for a person like Poseidon," Allen spoke with a hint of anger as his mind continued to ponder on ways he could have prevented this event.

"Let's just…try to forget it, Allen," Van smiled hopelessly. 'It's all I can ever seem to do.'

* * *

"Van, I'm stuck on my homework," Merle whined uncontrollably as she insisted on her brother's assistance.

Van released a soft groan and tried to regain a proper composure on the couch. He saw his younger sister smiling at him brightly as she slid her text book along the coffee table so it came into his view.

He couldn't hide his soft smile away from her as she was… the light of his life. His little sister, who would constantly follow his every footstep, desperate to be part of his world. Little did she know she was Van's world. Suddenly, Millerna emerged within the room; Van had learned to be accustomed to Millerna's motherly nature. It didn't mean that he liked it, but he had learned how to withstand it.

In fact, he never really liked Millerna that much, but Merle seemed to like her so he tolerated the blonde for the sake of his younger sibling. Millerna was a strange individual in his eyes as she constantly wanted his approval in everything. He never understood why.

He remembered the first time he had met Millerna. His father had taken an instant shine to her and he was left in the shadows, only to observe upon his new found family. He didn't hate Millerna; this wasn't her fault…but he did hate him.

Van couldn't forgive his father for remarrying so quickly and would never forgive his father for abandoning him. His father, Goau, hadn't abandoned him in a physical sense but more in a mental sense. Goau made Van feel like he had never existed after his mother died. He made no effort to comfort his middle child who was the one most obviously stricken with grief for his dearly departed mother.

Van was ecstatic the day he moved out the Fanel mansion, away for his father's cruel behaviour. He had never felt so free in his entire life, even though he had many problems to deal with; it all seemed a whole lot better when he was removed from his biggest cause of angst. Merle refused to see her brother move in on his own and demanded that she live with him when he decided to move for college. In the process, Millerna decided to join them as she decided to attend the same university that Van had chosen on.

"Van, are you listening?" Merle moaned as she waved her hand furiously in front of his face in hope to attain his attention.

"I'm sorry, Merle. I must have… just zoned out," he spoke truthfully. His eyes then automatically drooped down to look upon her text book. "Which question are you stuck on?"

Merle pointed at the question assertively. Van let out a sigh and read out the question. As Van was still reading it, the door bell rang.

"I'll get it," Millerna cried as she ran to the door with great haste.

"She's got a date with Dryden," Merle explained to Van, who seemed puzzled by Millerna's behaviour.

"Dryden. Really? He's a pretty cool guy," Van commented to Merle, who was busy giggling at Millerna.

"Hi," Millerna greeted cheerfully after she had opened the door.

"Hi. There's a package for a Mr. Van Fanel," the man behind the door said firmly. "Does he live here?"

"I'm here," Van replied as he got up from the couch to move over to the front door. "I wonder what it could be; I don't remember ordering anything recently."

"If Dryden comes, call me," Millerna simply instructed with a sigh, as she retreated into the household. "Maybe I've got a couple more minutes to sort out my make up."

"Okay," Van replied to Millerna and then directed his attention towards the man in blue uniform. "What can I do for you?" 

"Sign here," the blonde haired man said mundanely as he handed Van a form. Without a second thought, Van signed the paper.

"What's this for?" Van asked after he had finished his signature.

"This," he whistled straight after, looking to the side of the house. After a few moments, a young, beautiful woman came into view. She was wearing a long white kimono which had baby blue rims around it. In the corner of the dress was an attractive baby blue flower print. Her hair was a sandy brown colour which was tied up in sophisticated bun with little bits of hair dangling from the sides. Her lips were a soft rose pink and her body was slender and sleek. But what hit Van the most was her intoxicating mysterious sea green eyes.

"Who is she?" Van asked, still slightly confused.

"This is Hitomi," the blonde smiled.

"Who?" Van asked politely with a puzzled expression upon his face.

"You know…" The man wickedly grinned.

"No I don't," Van insisted as shook his head sideways.

"Hitomi, he seems slightly confused. Why don't you enlighten him?" The man smirked.

"Um…I am your...tsuma." the young woman hesitantly said. "Huh?" Van queried further.

"Your beloved wife," the man in uniform answered.

"My what?!?" Van cried hysterically, unable to believe this event that was occurring. "I'm not married!"

"Not yet," the man chuckled. "Meet your mail order bride." After the last word was spoken, a large thud was heard.

"Van!" Merle shrieked from the inside of the house as she saw the limp form of her brother lying on the floor.

LW: This is a pretty angsty chapter but it had to be written and I know I left a lot of questions unanswered but you'll have your answers when the story progresses and Hitomi's here. YAH!  Also to mention I had to force myself to write. I might have to do the same for my other fic, forbidden romance. AH! Read and review.