"Mother, no!" Yoh whined. "Please, no! Anything but that!"

Keiko folded her arms and regarded the panicked couple sternly. "You two have to go," she insisted. "An important part of the wedding is the first dance, and neither of you can dance."

"Maybe we can have the first training session instead," Anna suggested.

"No, Anna," Keiko said. "You and Yoh are going to dance class this afternoon, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Yes, we can!" Yoh blurted out. "We, um, don't have the right clothes."

"Go look in your rooms," Keiko said. "I already thought you would use that excuse. Class starts at five, and you two are going to be there."

Despite their best protests, the reluctant couple was at the dance studio at five. There were about five or six other couples there, enough for Yoh and Anna to blend in casually.

"Yoh, you're staring at me," Anna hissed. "What's wrong with you?"

"I've never seen you dressed up like this before," Yoh said. "I like it." Anna's new dress was red, with a full mid-calf length skirt and short sleeves. Her long blonde hair was tied back with a soft red ribbon, and she was wearing new heeled shoes.

"You look a little different yourself," Anna retorted. "And I'm not staring at you." Yoh shrugged. His own clothes weren't too radically new- khakis and a red button down shirt.

"But you like how I look, don't you?" Yoh teased.

"I'm not saying anything."

"You like it. I am so fine..."

"La la la, I can't hear you..."

"You think I'm gorgeous, you want to kiss me..."

"No, but I am thinking of stepping on your foot, and in these heels that would be lethal."

Yoh was leaning over Anna's shoulder to tease her some more when the instructor interrupted. "All right, everyone, we're going to start. Get a partner!"
Immediately a bright-eyed young man leaped up in front of Anna. "Will you be my partner?" he asked. She didn't even have time to respond before he dragged her away.

Yoh tapped him on the shoulder. "That's my fiancée. Can I have her back?" he requested.

"Oh, sure, sorry," the young man blushed, running off to find another girl.

"You had me worried," Anna said.

"Didn't you think I'd defend you?" Yoh grinned. "He can't have my woman."

The teacher waved his arms for silence. "We're going to start off easy with waltzing. Believe me, this isn't very hard. Guys, you take the lead."

"I think you're in the wrong position, Anna," Yoh said. "You can stand a little closer. I don't have cooties, I promise." He took Anna's right hand and held it gently. His other arm slipped around her waist.

"What am I supposed to do?" she whispered.

"Put your hand on my shoulder," he whispered back.

The soft, pretty waltz music started. Yoh kept his eyes on the dance teacher to figure out where to move. It didn't take long for him to lapse into the pattern. Anna, however, was having a tough time. She stared at her feet, trying not to step all over Yoh or fall down.

"Anna, just trust me," Yoh whispered. "Let me be the one in control. I'll keep you from making a fool of yourself."

"Too late," Anna said, biting her lip. Her hand kept a tight grip on his shoulder.

"You're just approaching it all wrong," Yoh said. "You're too uptight. You have to relax. Here, stop thinking about the steps. Just lean into me and follow what I do."

The grip relaxed. Anna began to flow with Yoh's steps, finding the rhythm. But she still wouldn't look up at him. Yoh grinned fiendishly and drew his arm tighter around her tiny waist. Anna couldn't do anything but look up.

"Hi, Anna," he smiled. "You're playing shy again."

"It's not playing," she mumbled.

"Why are you so shy with me?" he asked. Yoh stepped forward and Anna stepped back.

"It's nothing," she shrugged. Yoh took another step forward.

"Anna, tell me," he said.

"Everything's so different," she said. "Just a few months ago I was yelling at you for not working hard enough and you were running around with your friends, and now we're dancing together and getting ready for our wedding in three months, and I- and I-"

"You're afraid of all of this changing," Yoh finished gently. Anna nodded and rested her forehead against his shoulder. "You don't have to be scared. I mean, I'm a little nervous over it too, but it's nothing we can't pull through." He laid his cheek against the top of her head. "We'll be fine."

"No, we won't be," Anna said. She stopped dancing. "Everyone is staring at us."

"Oh," Yoh said, loosening his grip on her.

The dance teacher grinned at them. "You're engaged, aren't you?" he said. "I can tell a mile away."

-----

"Sick and tired of hearing all these people talk about," Yoh sang loudly, his headphones over his ears. "What's the deal with the something-something and when's it going to fade out!"

"Goodbye, Yoh."

"And then you gotta realize that you're something-something-"

"I'll see you in two months."

"We got the gift of melody, we'll bring it till the- hey!" Yoh yanked off his headphones. "What? Goodbye? Two months?"

Anna blinked innocently. In her small hands she held her battered suitcase. "Of course," she said. "Didn't your mother tell you?"

"No, my mother didn't tell me a single word!" Yoh exclaimed. He put his hands on Anna's shoulders. "What's going on?"

"Keiko-san said it would be best if we were apart for a little while before the wedding," Anna explained. "It's only going to be for about a month and a half, really."

"So you're going to Izumo?" Yoh said.

"Hai. Tamao and Pilika are coming too, to help get ready for the wedding," Anna said. "You're going stay here and get the house ready for us to live here as...well, you know. A real couple."

"It's going to be hard, Anna-chan," Yoh said, squeezing her shoulders gently. "I'm really going to miss you."

"Well, I'm going to miss the train," Anna said, pulling away. "I'll see you in two months, Yoh." She headed towards the door.

"Bye, Anna," Yoh said, watching her forlornly.

Suddenly Anna dropped her suitcase and ran to him, tossing her arms around his neck. Yoh hugged her so tightly he lifted her off the ground. Her long hair tickled his fingers.

"I'll miss you too, Yoh," Anna whispered.

Yoh tightened his grip. "I know you will," he said. He set her gently on the ground. "Now you're really going to miss your train."

She smiled a little at that, just the slightest bit, and picked up her suitcase again. "Goodbye, Yoh," she said. Her little garnet ring flashed in the October sunlight as she left.

Yoh sighed. "And now the house seems so much emptier," he mused.

Author's Note:

Yeah...this was a quick update...

Tell me if there's anything/anyone you'd like to see in the wedding...

And remember to look at my poor neglected fanart!! Go to and search for KeitorinAsthore!!!

Love and huggles for all.

Oh! And please review my poor neglected "Half Pint." Wow...I'm being really egotistical and greedy...sorry...

PS: Anna and Yoh's clothes MATCH!! --collective awww--