Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Shaman King characters in this fic…
"Anna-chan!" Pirika went over to her friend. A simple handshake was enough since Anna wasn't one to be emotional at all.
"Nice to see you too. Tamao-chan, we've been awaiting your return; we have a lot of preparations." Anna said in that expressionless tone of hers. They quickly returned.
"I beat your sorry little butt!" Ren shouted proudly at Horo Horo. The Ainu was quickly angered.
"What do you mean, you pointy-headed, pig-faced, idiot?" Horo Horo shouted in front of the Chinese shaman's face. The girls sighed.
"Enough. We had a tie!" Pirika shouted as she stepped in between them. Everyone headed into the house.
"Ren-kun! Horo-kun!" Yoh said down the hall as he walked to the door to greet his best friends.
"Hey man, haven't seen you in ages! And now you're getting married!" Horo Horo congratulated his best friend with a handshake. Ren didn't stay for the festivities but went straight to his room.
"Well, you have to congratulate me as well; I also picked up a girl." Horo Horo boasted proudly. Anna smirked, clearly amused. Tamao, who heard him mention her, blushed crimson red. The room burst into laughter. Even the Tao in his bedroom was smirking.
"And what about you, Pirika-chan? Found someone yet?" Yoh asked his best friend's sister. Ren suddenly found interest in the conversation as he stuck his head out of the doorway.
"Well, not yet, Yoh-kun. But as you say, "Everything will turn out alright."" Pirika said as she smiled cheerfully. Ren felt a knot twist inside him as soon as he saw that smile on her face.
"True, true." Yoh said as he went back to the living room and continued watching T.V. Everyone else followed him, but Pirika noticed someone missing from the excitement. 'Where's Ren-kun? He's suppose to be joining us.' Pirika thought as she wandered the house to his room. She rapped on it softly. Ren pushed open the door, kind of peeved.
"What!" Ren snapped at whoever was at the door. It was Pirika, but he was still somewhat annoyed.
"What's wrong? Why aren't you with the others?" Pirika asked innocently. He didn't answer her but he sat back on his bed.
"What? Is the Tao annoyed now?" Pirika asked as she flashed him a teasing smile. Tao was kind of surprised.
"N-No, just tired. That's all." Ren said as he still refused to make eye contact with her. But it was the truth. He spent so much of last night thinking of her that he didn't get much sleep.
"Well, do you want to accompany me on the rooftops? I want to watch the sunset." Pirika invited. She knew the Chinese shaman was just shy around large crowds. Ren took a moment before answering, but he hesitantly nodded and followed her outside. She climbed onto the roof, struggling to get up. Ren, seeing her clawing the side of the house in vain attempts snatched her into his hands and jumped up.
Pirika immediately pushed him away as they landed on the roof. 'Calm down Pirika, you're over him, remember?' Pirika said to herself as she faced the sunset.
"Isn't it beautiful, Ren-kun?" Pirika asked in amazement as she looked down at the wonderful horizon. He gave her a slight nod. He finally had to let out what was in his mind.
"You could let out all your anger now, and you could stop being so nice to me. I know ever since that incidence, you'll hate me for the rest of your life." Ren said, exasperated at her false happiness towards him. But when he looked up at her to see how she responded, it showed nothing of anger or sadness.
"You know, Ren-kun? You're a really funny person." She said, laughingly. Ren looked at her with strange awe.
"Well, you are angry, aren't you? I did cause you a lot of pain, didn't I?" he asked, kind of guiltily. She smiled at looked towards the horizon.
"So I thought as well, but you had also helped me realize that there are second chances in life." She said mysteriously with a content smile as she continued awing at the orange sky.
"When?" he asked, daring to continue. She turned to him with dazed look in her eyes.
"Surely Yoh-kun has given you a second chance at life, has he not? Though sure, you were making my life a living hell the first few weeks, but since you arrived, I'm quite content actually. I deserve a second chance to love, and that was what made me get over it." She said. The words 'over it' struck Ren sharply. He didn't know why, but he felt his inner being breaking into two. He nodded in somewhat agreement.
"Dinner!" they heard someone shout from below. Pirika smiled meekly at the Chinese shaman.
"Time for dinner." She simply said and made her way to the edge of the roof. Now, Pirika frowned. 'How am I going to get down from here? Maybe if I jump down…but it's so high up.' Pirika thought as she looked down to the ground. Arms encircled around her waist and pulled her downwards. She turned her face to see the golden orbs of the Tao's eyes. They remained like that for what seemed to be forever to them as Ren landed swiftly on the ground. He still remained dazed in her blue ocean eyes, his arms still around her tiny waist.
"Dinner!" They heard Tamao shout again. They both broke from their daze.
"Better hurry inside or else Anna-chan would get mad." Pirika said nervously and broke away and walked inside.