little talk

--Now responding...(This is the first time I've done this...):

-- review lord: thank you! I remember reading that somewhere, 'funbari' is that from the anime, or manga?

-- Lady Dragon, ChibiQueen-Anna-Asakura, Kaimara : thank you! Shinra, I'll try to remember that...

-- ChibiQueen-Anna-Asakura: tell your friend Carmen I said 'thank-you!' I didn't think my story would be good enough to print out.

-- Blue Savage: thank you! needed that for this chapter 'Tamamura'...and I don't really get it. (-.-) except that both names Tamao, and Tamamura start with "Tama"...!! maybe that's it.

-- Nakashima-Michiyo: I like Kouichi, I like Digimon...

-- snowducky, Tsubasa no Yami, KristiexxNguyen, DrakeTheDuelist, someone, Nakoudo, Samuari of Cherry Blossoms, shaman queen lee, rachiru77, silvia : thank-kyouuuuu!

--also, to all reviewers...I don't respond by email. (--) sorry about that, I'm pretty sensitive about things like that (more like paranoid..--;) I don't like emailing people that I haven't met in person, but I'll try to soon, for those that already have asked before this note. you can contact me by my AIM screen name: jia feong. (there's a space...) but don't just say 'hi', and not explain a thing of how you know me. that will freak me out. (really bad)

--disclaimer is on the1st chapter.

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KEY

Italics are Tamao's thoughts

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Moving In

Chapter 8

...How am I going to tell him now?

"Tamao, Tamao." Anna asked, "are you okay?"

Tamao slept through Chemistry, and Math.

"Here, pencil ,and paper. We're taking notes on Meiji Era." Anna spoke with empathy.

"Ah...what?" Tamao whispered.

Anna resumed taking double copies of notes for Tamao.

"Since you're going to detention today...you might as well study a little while you're there." Anna said, and handed Tamao the complete notes.

"Thank you..." Tamao said.

Why is Anna being so nice...? I mean, she is somewhat nice to me when the others aren't around...like pity...

The lunch bell rang, students piled out of the classroom.

"Or actually...you can just skip detention. And do it after school instead. Go ask the teacher, or the supervisor in charge of detention. They can change it.

"And then, today when your detention ends, that's about the time when the school's soccer team practice ends. So you can pick up Hao on your way home..." Anna said, "You know what? I'll go take care of it for you..."

The class being half empty, Anna easily walked up to the teacher's desk.

"Sensei!" Anna spoke sharply, in a different tone than when she spoke with Tamao, "could you please have Tamao do after-school detention instead?"

"Of course." the teacher responded, a bit absent-mindedly.

Anna ran back to Tamao, and grabbed her hand, "Let's go."

"Anna, why?" Tamao whined, not wanting to get up.

"Well, if you sit in class like that, Sensei will just drag you to detention. Maybe I should tell you, Hao told me exactly what he told you. And didn't I tell you already? When your detention ends, Hao's practice will end, and that way I don't have to go back to the school to get him...or have Yoh possibly be in danger by being around him."

"But Hao...I don't think he cares anymore, about harming Yoh--"

"I don't care. You never know, Tamao. He can just be hiding it for all I know."

Anna stopped.

"What is it?" Tamao turned around.

"Nothing, I'll go check out that bulletin board." Anna quickly turned away.

That's not very...Anna-like.

Tamao went into the cafeteria, and sat with Yoh, and his friends. Being her, she never really made any friends out on her own, so who else who be there for her to sit with?

"Hey, Tamao-chan!" Pirika ran up, and sat down by her, "I haven't seen you for a while...I've been preoccupied with my other friends in my class. I didn't forget about you or anything, I mean, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I'm pretty quiet, so it's understandable that you'd forget me for a while."

"Don't say that! Even though you're quiet, you stand out. You're different, not like my other friends, that's why I like being with you." Pirika smiled, with her mouth closed, eating lunch.

"T-thanks," Tamao stuttered.

"T-Tamao-chan, you're blushing!" Pirika giggled.

"You know I do that easily, and all the time." Tamao said, slightly hurt, "Why are you so happy today?"

Pirika only smiled, but it wasn't like before. It was more...artificial.

"H-Haru..."

Just like Haru's smile.

"What?" Pirika asked.

Tamao quickly finished her lunch, "Nothing, I have to meet someone!"

Tamao left Pirika at the table.

"She said, 'Haru'." Pirika felt somewhat downcast, "but she deserves him. It's about time someone has walked into her life."

How did I forget? I hope he doesn't feel like I just...ditched him there, or something like that.

Tamao ran down the empty hallways. Hearing her feet pattering, a heavy breath.

This is too strange. Like this is meant to happen. When I was being ordered by Sensei to be going to detention, Anna helped me get out of it. Not that she wouldn't help me, but...would that event not have happened, if I didn't walk down the upper-class men hall?

Tamao finally was outside, and saw Haru sitting where he said he would be. At the picnic table, under the tree.

I only think this...because I believe in fate.

She kept running where the shadowy figure sat. The sun shinned brightly, making it abnormally warm. Tamao, not really an athletic, was easily fatigued.

"S-sorry, Haru-kun." Tamao stopped to catch her breath.

"Actually, Tamamura, I don't mind." Haru sighed, "Sometimes I do really like being alone."

"I'm sorry," Tamao ignored what Haru said, "I almost got lunch detention today, and so, I just...lost track--"

"You could just say, 'forgot'. Anyway, I was late coming here too."

Tamao looked at Haru, who seemed quite annoyed. He kept looking towards the school as though he was looking at bother you today?" Haru asked distressfully.

"No...?" Tamao answered, suddenly confused.

"Well, whatever you do, just don't stay anywhere near her. I know her, and she gets a lot of people in detention. She got angry at me once, and I almost got kicked off Shinra's ((Funbari's))soccer team."

"Oh...but, it was really my fault, I don't think Ruki had to do anything with it."

So maybe I was right? Maybe I did bring my Chemistry book....

"That's fine," Haru sighed, "Anyhow, this wasn't what I was going to talk to you about. Sit down, you look really hot. Your cheeks are all red."

Tamao sat down facing Haru who kept looking at her.

"Did you see the bulletin board?" He asked.

Not this thing...again.

"No, I haven't." Tamao replied.

"Don't bother looking for it now because I took it off. I can't put posts on the board when they're school-unrelated...."

"What is it about?" she inquired.

"Well, Tamamura, I was hoping--" Haru paused, "that...well, here."

Haru handed Tamao an envelope.

"That bulletin board...it isn't important, I put a post with contents about a party this coming weekend that my friend is hosting. And I would like to make it clear that this invitation isn't to that party."

"...Is that all?" Tamao asked.

"Just read what's inside the envelope, then tell me tomorrow what your reply is." Haru stood up from the picnic table.

The school bell rang, warning the students that lunch time has ended, and passing time started. Tamao quickly got up, and headed back to the school.

"By the way, Tamamura," Haru said, a step ahead of her, "Do you know where Hao is? From what I know, Hao, and you live in this complex together with other people."

"Last night...Hao hurt his foot. But he told me he'll be here for soccer practice today."

"Hao's smart but I guess he has no common sense, ne? You do more on your foot in soccer than school."

"I guess you're right..."

After a few hallways down Haru stopped.

"I have to go now, this is where my classroom is," he pointed, "See you tomorrow, Tamao!"

"See you..." Tamao nodded.

Wait...did he call me, 'Tamao'?

She placed the small invitation in her skirt pocket, and went to her classroom. Down those blurry hallways, people standing in groups talking, walking. How those gray lockers shined in a dull way.

I remember something. Something that Anna told me earlier today. 'Hao told me exactly what he told you...' I don't get it, why's he talking to Anna? If Hao was ever to get close to Anna, or even start a conversation, she would just talk back to him, or just try to shut it down immediately.

Anna always stays away from him, but why can she stand him today? Yesterday?

Or even...that day. The one day I went down the stairs for a glass of water...((chapter 6)) If I remember correctly, Yoh was asleep. And only Hao, and Anna were in the room. Even in her sleep, Anna has quick senses.

Hao was ordered to leave the room. I really thought he'd notice me, but I guess he just stopped with all shamanic things, and didn't bother with anything. His intuition wasn't as keen as before, he used to be better than Yoh.

But Anna...she isn't the kind of person to do that. She wouldn't cheat on Yoh, no matter how strong Hao was. But if she really does love Hao...then...I don't know. What can I do to help Yoh? He'll be in agony if I tell him this...albeit that this isn't factual yet.

Undoubtedly, Hao loves Anna. he might've tried to take her away from Yoh because of...well, Yoh. But he still likes her, all the same, I'm pretty sure. If he didn't love her, he wouldn't have bothered to talk to her. That's his personality. That's how she knew why Hao wasn't in class today.

Tamao, feeling quite dizzy, slumped into her chair. She leaned over to check her book bag. It was just as Haru said, inside her book bag, everything was there. Everything except what was supposedly her History book. Tamao took out her Chemistry text book, and checked it to make sure that it was really hers. I didn't think Ruki would be so mean....

Tamao then took out the envelope Haru gave her.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

C-Corp. Soirée

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

You are invited to C-Corp's international ball reception

in honor of the President of C-Corp.

Date: May 23

Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

RSVP by letter provided.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-

Tamao took out the smaller envelope provided. Inside contained the response letter, and ready-to-stick post stamps. She took out a pen, and marked on the response letter in the box saying:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

-Yes, I will be coming to the Soirée on May 23 at 6 PM.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Tamao placed the unneeded stamps back into the envelope, and sealed it. It was ready to be given to Toshihito sooner than expected.

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-soirée - def. a formal evening party (derived from French) I thought I'd use this word because it looked so fancy...haha, I didn't want to just say 'party' because that seemed a bit casual title for the invitation.

- "Wait...did he call me, 'Tamao'?" in the Japanese language, you usually call people by their surname because you're just acquaintances, or formality. You call people by their first name when you're friends, or somehow close/know each other well, or for a long time ((something like that...I'm not Japanese or speak it...so if I'm wrong, correct me, thank you))

- I like it when people smile with their mouth closed. It seems such a sweet, innocent, sincere, pure smile to me. (-)

- typo on chapter 6, please forgive me.

- I started to read Rave Master from my library...that guy. his name is Haru, isn't it? haha, mistake, oh well.

-ok I'm getting confused. Is the school Yoh goes to is Funbari or Shinra?