Resurfacing by Strawberry'd
Chapter Six: the Beginning of an Everlasting Love… Two Actually


"I don't know why she's making us do this…" grumbled Ren. "It isn't us she's training. It's Yoh!"

"Oh come on, Ren-kun, it'll be good for us." Pirika said, cheerfully, stacking another washed dish.

"I don't see how," he mumbled. Ren wasn't actually doing anything. He was just standing, complaining, whining, and well, nothing. But at the moment, he was staring at Pirika. I never noticed how pretty she is, he thought. All I've ever seen her was HoroHoro's annoying sister. But now, I find her quite interesting.

"Ren-kun?" Pirika questioned. "You aren't doing anything." She sighed and flicked water at him.

He started and angrily wiped his face with his hand. "Why did you do that?" he questioned.

"Because you aren't doing any work!" she said, hotly. "Just like onii-san! Mou (1), you're so lazy!"

"No I'm not! I just think this is a total waste of my time!" he shot back.

"Then go tell Anna-sama that!" Pirika was at her last shred of patience.

Ren had a fearful look and then walked up to the sink. "Fine, I'll dry." He said, resignedly.


HoroHoro had a tough time doing the laundry. He never really did it before. As a result, he just lounged around while Tamao did all the work.

"Hey Tamao, I have an idea that'll pass the time." HoroHoro said. "Let's play 20 questions!"

"Um, I don't know shouldn't we be working?" Tamao, like everyone else, was frightened of Anna-sama.

"It'll be ok! As long as we're working while playing, you see?" HoroHoro persuaded her.

"Ok," Tamao agreed, hesitantly.

"So, we both get to ask 20 questions each and we have to be a truthful as possible, ok?" HoroHoro explained.

"Ok."

"I get first question!" HoroHoro exclaimed. "Ok, um, why are you so shy?" he said, after a moment of thought.

"Um, I guess it's because I'm scared of what people will think of me." Tamao answered. "Now, it's my turn, why are you so loud?"

"Loud? Me? I'm not loud, am I? Well, I think it's cause, I'm scared too, like you, of what people think so I hide it behind by loud exterior." HoroHoro confessed.

"Wow, I never knew that." Tamao stopped folding clothes for a second to stare at him.

"Don't go telling people then." HoroHoro said.

Tamao nodded as she resumed folding the laundry, only this time, with HoroHoro helping.


Now working together, Ren and Pirika finished the dishes sooner. They set on cleaning the kitchen. Ren got the broom and Pirika started to wipe the cabinets and tables.

"This is pointless!" Ren suddenly yelled and threw down the broom. "Why are we doing this?"

Pirika looked at him, exasperated. "Didn't we go through this before?" she asked him. "Go complain to Anna-sama if you don't like it!"

"Do you think this is meaningful?" he returned, ignoring her comment about Anna.

"We live here; we should be doing something to help out." She answered, patiently wiping clean the table.

"She lives here too! Why isn't she doing anything?" Ren countered.

"I don't know! Go ask her!" Pirika was starting to get angry. "Can't you just do anything without losing your temper?"

Eyes blazing, he stood before angrily pinning her arms at her sides. "You're the one making me lose my temper!"

Pirika's anger was suddenly replaces by fear. She looked up at him. Azure eyes met amber ones, and locked.

Pirika trembled but couldn't pull away. She felt mesmerized by this powerful tawny eyes and strong grip. Her mouth was open slightly from the shock and she closed it, trembling. A strand of hair fell into eyes, making her blink a couple of times.

Ren released one hair and lifted it to brush away that lock of hair that fell into Pirika's eyes. His hand lingered near her ear and he let go of her abruptly.

"Sorry," he murmured and ran out of the room.

Pirika stood there, in shock, wondering if she liked it better with him near or not.


Anna smiled to herself quietly. Her plan was going along accordingly. From behind her, Yoh stared at his ex-fiancé.

"Do you really think they'll come together?" he asked.

Anna turned to him, slightly surprised. She had thought of Yoh as dense, but now realized that he wasn't dense because he never spoke; he must have been observing quietly.

"We'll see what comes out of this." She answered.

He just smiled softly and continued to clean the living room.


"So, your last question was 'what are your hopes and dreams?'" HoroHoro asked, incredulous.

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Tamao asked. The laundry was done and now the two just sat on the floor playing the game they had not finished.

"But it's your last question!" seeing Tamao's confused look, he just muttered, "Never mind…"

Giving it some thought HoroHoro answered her question. "My hopes and dreams… Well, I think I have a little dream. I-I want to have a happy life, and to fall in love with a wonderful girl and- and I hope Pirika will have a good life too."

Not for the first time, Tamao was surprised. She never thought of HoroHoro being so… so… serious. "I think that's a wonderful dream." She told him.

He grinned. "Now, for my last question," HoroHoro gazed thoughtfully at her before snapping his fingers with a huge grin. "I know! What do you look for in a man?"

Tamao looked flustered. "Um, well, the man should be a gentleman, and he should be kind and thoughtful and loving and caring. He should respect me and love me for who I am and" she thought some more. "And he should make me happy."

HoroHoro turned to her. "Even if I don't have those qualities, would you still fall in love with me?"

Silence.

Then, "HoroHoro-kun! You already used your 20 questions!" Tamao laughed nervously.

Both were secretly glad Tamao didn't answer the question.


Notes: I don't know if that's how you play 20 questions... if not, just go along with it :)
(1): jeez

End of Chapter Six