Okay so this is the eighth chapter now…

The disclaimers can be found in the previous chapters so maybe it is annoying you already.

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Chapter 8:

Pirika was walking around the ship as it sailed the wide ocean. She would never know what the future hold for her but all she knows is that she must face Ren sooner or later. Because even though Ren and Pirika are on the same ship, they haven't bumped into each other yet. Well, maybe not yet.

Yoh and the others were all eating in the snack bar. Most of them are laughing about the stories that they are sharing with each other. Though they have some of these reunions often they haven't really talked like this… as in a real boy talk because of their wives.

In the middle of their blissful conversation Yoh noticed a familiar figure passing by the entrance of the snack bar. Upon seeing it he decided to check it out… alone!

"Um… guys… could you excuse me for a moment. I really need to go." He asked.

"Let me come with you Master Yoh." Ryu presented himself.

"Thanks Ryu but… I don't want to be escorted anymore if you know what I mean." Yoh said smiling.

"Okay…" Ryu groaned.

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Yoh followed his instincts on this one. He doesn't know if what he saw was true or just his imagination but it looks a lot like his older brother.

He climbed up the stairs, walked out of the cabins and saw himself in the upper deck of the ship. There, Yoh saw Hao standing by the metal bars that keep the people from falling to the water.

"Hao. I knew it was you!" Yoh shouted happily.

Hao turned around smiling when he saw his little brother. He had no idea whatsoever why he saw here and he was surprised. He was avoiding their boat and now they were riding the same ship…'what a coincidence? I wonder what he wants from me?' He thought,

"My little brother… you're the last person I would expect in this ship. Where's Anna?"

"Let's not fight, aniki." Yoh said walking beside him. He then started looking at the sea as well.

Hao smiled, even though Yoh called him 'older brother' so many times before, that simple term never fails to change his mind about his brother.

"Why did you follow me? I know this isn't because you missed me, right?" Hao asked in a formal manner.

"Its about Pirika… she's here too right?" Yoh asked his eyes were still fixed at the calm sea.

"Yeah, and she is roaming around the ship freely. I do not keep her captive… to be honest she was the one who wanted to be kidnapped."

"I knew it!" Yoh shouted happily finally looking at Hao.

Hao blinked.

"B-but Why? Doesn't she love Ren anymore?" Yoh asked as soon as he stopped rejoicing, for once his guess was right although somebody else got that idea in the first place.

"No… she still loves Ren." Hao said; his eyes rolling as if he was getting annoyed by that fact. Yoh was a bit shocked, he never saw Hao so upset like this.

"You like her." Yoh suddenly assumed quite audibly.

Hao shot a look at him.

"Do I?" Hao asked, ironically.

Yoh then laughed.

"Why? What's so funny?" Hao asked, though he knows a lot of things about the Shamanic world… he was still a toddler when it comes to human emotions, like love.

"So Chocolove was right. You kidnapped her because you liked her. Wow I never thought that you'd adore another woman except for Anna."

Hao placed his right hand at his chest, feeling his heart beating.

"Is this love?" he asked.

"Why? I thought you fell with Anna before? Come on aniki you can tell me anything." Yoh said smiling at his brother whose face was a mix of disbelief and a bit of eagerness.

"Actually when I told you I liked Anna… that was a mix of respect and admiration."

"But with Pirika?" Yoh asked being entertained by his brother's feeling. Not just because now he knows that his brother will leave Anna to him but also because he never thought that his brother could love… as in really love.

"I kind of adore her simplicity, her cheerful smiles and being naïve. I am very amused whenever I see her and I am entertained whenever she is mad, or happy. She's like you somehow childish but she's like Anna too, determined and an epitome of feminine strength."

"I don't get you… but I think you're in love. But even if that is your reason why do this? You can still have her in a fair match."

"No. I never thought I would like or even tend to like her. The real reason is… because I want to save her."

"From what?" Yoh asked, expression changing from a teasing to a serious one.

"From death. There's a curse that runs in her blood… if she marries Ren she'll die. I don't want her to die!"

"Really! B-but why didn't you tell us?" Yoh asked seemingly interested.

"You won't believe me. But if you want to know the story read this." Hao said giving Yoh the black book as his proof. Yoh then stared at the book… 'is this really true?' He asked himself.

"Yoh! Where have you been?" Manta's voice suddenly called behind him.

Yoh turned to Manta completely turning his back at Hao.

"Manta! You see I was just talking to-" Yoh said then turned to Hao again but he was gone.

"What are you saying Yoh? You're alone." Manta reminded.

"Oh… yeah. I am alone. Okay let's go back now." Yoh said starting to walk. He was already used to his older brother popping in and out of nowhere.

"Everyone went back to the room now…" Manta was saying while Yoh was looking back at the place where Hao was before he vanished.

"So he likes Pirika," he murmured.

"Are you saying anything?" Manta asked.

"N-nothing."

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Hao was leaning on the door while looking at Pirika as she tells what happened to her short walk around the ship.

"Wait! Are you even listening?" Pirika finally noticed. Hao's face alone tells her that his mind is drifting somewhere.

"Yeah… go on." Hao said and with that Pirika continued.

'Do I like her? Perhaps. She's so adorable though… her cerulean eyes, her cherry lips, her sweet giggles. Wait!' He then shook his head. 'I'm sounding mushy now… I hate this!'

"Hao! You're not listening." Pirika said stomping her foot, the noise caught his attention.

He smiled; 'he makes my name sound lovely though.' He thought.

"I am listening."

"No you're not! What are you thinking about?" Pirika asked while walking towards him.

"Why should I tell you?" Hao asked, teasing her. Pirika then pouted, an expression that Hao liked very much.

"Come on! We're friends! Though we didn't have a good start… we're friends now." Pirika asked. She is starting to be comfortable around him already.

"Okay. But don't laugh." Hao said pointing his fingers at her.

Pirika nod as Hao went to the bed and sat there. Gasuka then appeared behind her new young master.

"How do you know when you're in love?" Hao asked.

"Hao! Don't tell me you still like Anna-okami! She's married now!" Pirika shouted hysterically.

"I don't think so. Hey you once said that I don't know anything about that feeling and to actually know it I must experience it first."

"Yeah. But I also remember that…" Pirika said pausing.

"That I told you that I'm in love with you, am I right?" Hao said inquiring. Gasuka noticed Pirika blushing intensely.

"B-but you said it was just a joke and that you don't like little girls." Pirika said chuckling trying to alleviate the tension between them.

Hao was happy. She remembered. It was just a joke so he never really cared. It might be a joke back then but now…

"But Pirika you're not a little girl anymore." Hao corrected.

Pirika blushed even more.

"I need to go now… I- I saw some chocolates back there and I want to buy some. Bye!" Pirika said avoiding the issue.

Without another word she left the room. Somehow she cannot take those words seriously. It was Hao speaking… those words could never be applied to him.

"You changed." Gasuka noticed. She heard news about the monk who rebelled against his clan because of the radical thought but the man in front of him was unlike that.

"You think so?"

"Yes… is it because of her?" The spirit asked.

"Perhaps." He answered smiling.

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The night then fell and everyone was already sleeping. Even the lovely Ainu was overpowered by the sandman.

Though her trip to dreamland was not that good… her nightmare struck again.

In her dream she was the luckiest girl in the world, being with Ren and becoming his bride… then as soon as they kissed Pirika felt something cold in her lips. She opened her eyes just to see –Ren frozen solid!

"NOOOOO!" She shouted at the top of her lungs.

She woke up.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHH!" She shouted.

But somehow waking up doesn't mean that the nightmare would end. Her heart was still aching and her eyes were still crying.

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What exactly did she saw?

To all the RenxPiri fans out there… don't worry Hao would never end up with Piri, or will they? Personally I don't like Hao for her.

Okay, maybe the sequel will be a lot longer than the first fic I'm sorry I can't make it as short as 9 chapters… why? You'll find out just continue reading. Don't forget to review! Thanks!