Chapter 18 is up and at them. Sorry about the chapter 19 mistake; I'm hoping I could get away with that by saying that it could happen to anyone. Darn, am I one unsmooth talker. Anyway, back to the news ahead of me. I have a MAJOR case of writer's block. I had to take up a huge amount of my time just to come up with this chapter, so please enjoy it! As promised, there is more romance in this than the other. Please, read and review me! The end of this story is about to come. I'm thinking of making a sequel for this. . .I'll keep you all updated about it.

CHAPTER 18

It was raining.

The droplets fell from the sky like evaporated, wet needles; hard enough to sting, yet soft enough to soak through the undergarments. Yet, through the ferocity of the weather, a young boy of not more that nine walked along the narrow passageway with ease; the rain somehow seeming to gently bounce off him gracefully. He smiled softly, humming a soft tune to himself when he stopped in mid-step.

There was someone blocking the road.

" Hao-sama?" came Opacho's cautious voice from behind him.

Hao turned, his eyebrows raised, changing his attention from the window to his small friend. " What is it?" he asked kindly.

" Nothing. . ." Opacho said, pausing for a moment. " I thought you seemed. . .troubled."

" I'm just deep in thought, Opacho." Hao said, chuckling. " Now, if you don't mind, I would like to be alone for a while."

" Certainly. . ." Hao's little friend said, before walking out of the room, in which Hao looked out the window once again at the pouring rain outside. " It was raining when we first met," he muttered to himself. That was what he had told Ren just three days ago. He never really remembered what had happened that day; but ever since he mentioned it in the café, the whole scene just kept playing over and over in his mind. " It was pouring buckets. . ." he whispered softly. " And she was standing there like an angel from Hell."

A crash of lightning flashed across the sky.

Hao smiled.

A girl stood in the middle of the road, an umbrella in her hand, looking up at the sky in dazed wonderment. There was something distinctly childish about her; yet there was something also utterly magnificant about her. She was like a frosted ice maiden; pale and unblemished, not suitable to be touched. He took an obvious step towards her, and her gaze fell onto his. Immediately he could feel an unnamed air dispersing around her, and despite how strong he already was at that age, he could not help but feel a slight bit of fear for this child.

" Strayed away from your mother?" he asked kindly, almost to an extent of mocking.

She did not answer, but continued to watch him.

There was something different about this girl. She was young and old at the same time; an ageless wonderment that stood before him. They were barely a meter apart from each other when he stopped in his steps.

And her watchful eyes stayed on him.

" It's too dangerous for a young girl like you to be alone with this weather." he said cheerfully.

" Neither is it time for young boys to play outside." she rebuted calmly.

A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes.

" Is that all you wanted to tell me?" she snapped.

" Are you in a rush?" he asked.

" No." she said.

He read her mind fairly easily. " You're waiting to pick up a cousin, and this is your meeting place." he said, and she spun around to look at him, eyes wide.

" What's your name?" he asked, taking yet another step towards her.

" Who needs to know?" she said.

" I do." he said calmly. " Now, if you may, would you tell me?"

It was as she opened her mouth to speak when the memory in his head went blank.

Hao opened his eyes, yet again and sighed miserably.

" Damn." he muttered under his breath.

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" Alright now," Anna said impatiently. " Let's try it again, shall we?"

Yoh sighed and nodded his head, peeking slightly at the clock that was hung on his wall. It was already midnight, and Anna had been teaching him continuously from the end of dinner. You would think she would be as sick of French as much as he was at the moment by now. " Yes, Anna." he muttered under his breath, trying desperately to keep his eyes open. He was concentrating so hard on acting awake that he didn't notice Anna's eyes on him. She looked at him thoughtfully, snapping the book shut, making him jump.

He blinked.

" Anna. . .?" he asked doubtfully.

" You seem tired." she said flatly, still not turning around to face him. " Go and have a quick bath. I'll wait here for you."

His eyes widened before smiling gratefully.

" Merci." he said, before running out, shutting the door behind him.

She let out a depressed smile. " Well, at least he got one word right." she muttered, crossing her arms across her chest before falling down to her feet, sighing. " Damn, I'm tired too." she yawned, rubbing her eyes. Outside, there Yoh stood, taking in every word, watching her figure slouch forward through the translucent sliding door that separated the two of them from each other. His fingers grazed the area where her head was, and patted the air fondly before running off for the showers. " I love you too, Anna." he whispered; eyes tearing.

And he knew that there was another reason for that besides sleepiness.

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The next day came soon enough, and the two tired teens entered the exam hall restlessly. Ren and Hao walked up to the group, grins on the both of their faces. " Good morning." Hao said cheerfully, taking the seat next to Yoh, before looking at him and stepped back, shocked. " Damn, what party did I miss?" he asked.

" Bite me." Yoh muttered, slapping his face to stay awake.

" You do know that you can make Anna do that for you voluntarily." Ren said, and Hao chuckled. " Were the two of you up all night studying for the test today?" Hao asked, leaning on his brother's shoulder.

" Not her, me." Yoh said listlessly.

Hao blinked.

" Sorry, didn't catch that." he said.

" She was teaching me all the way through the night." Yoh said, managing a smile.

Hao's eyes widened before grinning.

" Is that so. . .?" he said softly.

" Enter the class, everyone!" came the piercing yell of the teacher at the front door; and the students winced. Yoh sighed and was ready to enter when he found Anna standing by the door and he stopped. She met eyes with him for a moment and smiled warmly, and he found himself melting in a puddle at his feet.

" Don't stress yourself too much." she said. " Just do your best."

" Y. . .Yes, Anna." he said meekly.

She gave him one last smile before walking off.

Yoh bit his lip and clenched his fists. " I'm going to top the class." he muttered under his breath. " I'm going to top the level if I have to!"

Hao smiled to himself.

" I'll like to see you try." he muttered under his breath.

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Yoh was forced to admit that he would not do as well as he expected. Or hoped to expect, in any means. Somehow, the questions just did not agree with him; like baggy pants going with a polka-dotted shirt, or Ann and Yoh deciding on what television programme to watch. But nevertheless, he was confident of at least scraping a pass, and that was good enough for a person like him. He handed his examination paper to the examiner rather tiredly, managing a sheepish smile in which the teacher did not return.

" So how did you do, Asakura?" he said gruffly. " One more fail and I'm afraid I'm going to have to make you drop the subject. Your grades for the past three semesters are preposterous."

" I think I did. . .alright." Yoh said sheepishly.

The teacher, Seika, looked at him thoughtfully before crossing his arms across his chest. " Asakura, you're not a bad kid." he said, after what seemed to be much thought. " You don't disrupt the class in any way. . .it's just that you're incapable of scoring distinctions for this grade. Perhaps you would be better off in another class. . .maybe German or something?"

" Sorry, sensei." Yoh said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. " I don't think I can."

" Asakura. . ." Seika said, rather sternly.

" Besides," Yoh said, turning around to walk away. " It would be wasting Anna's time last night teaching me, won't it?"

Seika's eyes widened. " Anna. . .?" he asked.

Yoh turned around to face him and smiled. " Yeah. That's why I can't drop the subject."

With that he walked out the room.

Seika just stared at the area where Yoh previously stood before sighing. " That girl Anna. . ." he chuckled softly. " She's not as cold as she appears to be after all."

" You got that right, sensei." came two voice behind him.

He turned, and there stood Ren and Hao, smirks on their faces.

" Can we speak to you for a moment?" Ren said, hands on his hips.

" It'll only take a short moment, we promise you." Hao said, smirking.

And Seika agreed.

Heck, he knew he would be forced to even if he disagreed anyway.

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" So how do you think you did, Yoh?" Anna said sternly. She, and Yoh were alone in the dining room; eating the dinner that Manta was preparing inside the kitchen.

" I did alright, I guess." Yoh said, grinning. " In fact. . .thanks, Manta. . ." he said to Manta who just appeared from inside the kitchen with fish, chicken and noodles. " . . .I think I might just be able to pass this one."

" What are you guys talking about?" Manta asked, sitting himself down on a chair next to Yoh.

" My exam results." Yoh said as calmly as a person could be with his mouth bulging with teriyaki.

" Which reminds me!" Manta exclaimed. " Anna. . .the tapes of your soap operas are on top of your wardrobe. I recorded them for you when- - -"

" Thank you, Manta." Anna cut in, blushing.

Yoh's eyes widened.

He had totally forgotten about Anna's soap operas.

Did she. . .miss them. . .just to teach him?

" Anna. . ." he said softly.

Just at that moment, the door burst open and there stood Hao and Ren, grim looks on their faces. The three at the dining table knew at once that this was not going to be pleasant. The two of them exchanged glances before turning their attention to Yoh; looks of pity and sympathy on their faces. " Yoh. . ." Hao said, scratching the back of his head uncomfortably. " There's something that I need to talk to you. . .in private."

" What is it?" Anna snapped, curious. " What's going on?"

" Yoh?" Hao said, rather firmly. " Come outside."

" What is going on here?" Anna said sternly, getting to her feet; which was never a good sign.

" You'd be better off without knowing." Ren said quietly. " Yoh, would you. . ."

" Tell me, or I'll jam these chopsticks in my hand down your throat." Anna said menacingly.

Hao and Ren looked at each other.

They looked at Manta.

They looked at Anna.

Then they looked at Yoh.

" Yoh!" Ren said, in a falsely bright tone. " I have GREAT news that I want to tell you!"

" I'm not buying it, Hao." Anna growled. " Tell me."

" You know, Anna. . ." Hao said placidly. " In a world of time and difference. . ."

" Say it here, brother." Yoh said quickly at the look in Anna's eyes.

Ren and Hao looked at each other one last time before sighing and looking at Yoh. " You failed the French test, Yoh." Hao said, rather pitifully. " It looks like you're going to have to drop the subject."

You could have dropped the hole of a doughnut on the ground and it wouldn't have gone unnoticed.

" What?" Anna asked in disbelief.

Manta's eyes were bug-wide with amazement, but neither his nor Anna's expressions could match the look of shock and sadness on Yoh's. He just stared at Hao and Ren for a full minute before finally seeming to grasp the fact of the matter. " I. . ." he said slowly. " . . .Failed."

Hao and Ren said nothing but nodded their heads.

The whole room seemed to swirl; and Yoh would have swayed to the spot if it were not for pride and the fact that he had very strong kneecaps thanks to Anna. Anna. Right. Anna. Yoh turned and looked at Anna; and there was not anger and hate in them, but disappointment and was looking back at him like he was a. . .

" Failure." Hao muttered. " Failing isn't everything. Maybe you could pick up German or something."

" That's not the reason why. . ." Yoh started, but shut his eyes and walked out of the dining table. He stepped past Hao, and for that mere second, Hao heard one thought whisk through his head.

I've disappointed Anna. . .once again.

Hao turned to look at his brother before looking down at his feet.

He smirked.

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Yoh felt cold.

Not only because of the frozen cold weather; but his heart just felt empty, like someone had thrown an ice cube down his throat in one swift moment. Sitting down at the cold, front steps of his house was obviously a stupid thing to do at this time of the day. He hugged his knees and shivered. " So Anna wasted one whole night on me," he whispered through his gritted teeth. " She ignored her tiredness and sitcoms for me just for this night and I. . ." he started before burying his face in his hands.

" Don't flatter yourself." came a cold voice from behind him. He jumped and turned around, his eyes widening at who he saw. " Anna. . ." he said softly.

She sat down next to him, refusing to meet eye contact with him. " I'm not the sort of person who ignores my own needs just for the sake of my useless and dense. . .and extremely useless fiancee." she said curtly, and he managed a sheepish smile. " I just felt like being with you at that time. . .that's all." she said, a small blush appearing on the traces of her cheeks and Yoh's eyes widened.

Then he smiled.

" Oh, don't grin at me." she snapped, face flushed, as she got up and made her way to the house before she stopped. She turned around and her eyes and Yoh's eyes met. " You're coming too, aren't you?"

" Yes!" he said happily.

Ren and Hao watched them before smirking at each other.

" So they've had their moment. . ." Ren said. " Shall we begin now?"

Hao smiled.

" Yes." he said. " Let's."

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" A party?"

" Why not?" Hao said excitedly to Yoh, slapping his brother cheerfully on the back. " It's almost the end of the year. . .might as well blow off some steam at the finish of it! Come on, we could hold it at your house! What do you say, big guy? Is anyone in this with me?"

" I'm not." Anna snapped. Her, Hao, Yoh, Ren, Horo and Lyserg were hanging out at the coffeehouse once again, discussing the new politics. In other words, the possibility of having a party in Yoh's house, as such was previously mentioned. " This is my house, and I make the decisions here."

" Awwwwwwww. . . . . ." Horo moaned, in a voice so squeakily high and long that the sure balance of it was already impossible and the others stared at him in. . .well. . .awe. " Anna! Why are you always such a spoilsport? Wasn't the party of Yoh's birthday great?"

" No it wasn't." Anna snapped. " It was when it was noisy. . .loud. . .irritating. . .AND it was when I found you snooping on the girls showering!"

" You what?" Yoh asked Horo incredulously.

" Horo, I am appalled." Hao said, lips twitching. " What on earth egged you on to do that?"

Horo glared at him venomously.

" Were you always such a horny prick, Horo?" Ren asked calmly.

" Ren!" Horo growled. " If you don't shut up, I'll. . ."

" What?" Hao poked. " Watch him shower?"

" How dreadful." Ren said, shivering.

And through Horo's yelling and the laughing of Hao, Yoh turned to Anna smilingly. " Why don't we have a party, Anna?" he said, shrugging. " It sounds like fun."

" Oh, not you too." Anna groaned.

" Listen to me," Yoh said persistently, bowing his head slightly to prevent himself from being hit by the face by the block of ice that Horo had hurled at Hao. " You were always silently popular with the students at the school. The reason why you were never openly popular because they didn't dare to approach you because they thought you were stuck up, which you clearly aren't."

" I don't care what others think of me." Anna said carelessly, leaning back to prevent her head from being in range of Ho

ro's huge arm cannons.

" But I do." Yoh said firmly.

Anna stopped and stared at Yoh.

" I think it would be lovely." Lyserg said pleasantly, who had been quiet the whole time.

Yoh smiled at her. " What do you say to it?" he said.

She bit her lip and sighed.

" Alright." she said in resignation. " As long as I don't have to clean up afterwards."

" Done." Yoh said happily, bending his neck slightly as three huge fire bolts whizzed past his neck. " You'll love it. I promise you. At least this gives you a chance to make new friends."

" On the last day of school?" Anna said, eyebrows raised as she shifted her seat to avoid being pierced to death by Ren's blades.

" Why not?" Yoh said, jumping to a different chair as the one he had sat on was smashed to pieces. " It's always fun to make news friends; even for just one day."

" Whatever." Anna said, before rolling her eyes at the sight of Ren, Hao and Horo. " Shall we stop them?"

" Alright." Yoh said, smiling. " Lyserg?"

" I'm on it." Lyserg said, getting up, Morphine appearing behind him.

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A young boy and a young girl walked along the road calmly, a book in each of their hands. " It's raining, sister." the boy said placidly, looking up at the sky. The girl lifted out her hand, and a rain droplet fell in the palm of her hand. " Ah." she said quietly. " So it is. My sincere apologies."

" What are you saying sorry for?" he said wirily. " It's not like you can control the weather."

" Right." the girl said. " I guess you're right."

The boy looked at his watch. " It's five minutes to eleven." He said, eyebrows raised. " Might have been earlier than I thought, but I think he will still be at home, don't you think?"

" Who knows?" the girl said, shrugging.

The boy grinned.

" Right," he said, his hands in his pockets; the two of them continuing to their unknown destination. " Who knows?"

And they said nothing more.

END CHAPTER 18

Well, this one certainly killed me. I tell you, it's getting harder and harder to come up with chapters. Either I'm running of ideas or I have too many. I'm sincerely hoping it's the second option that's my problem. I might have to come up with seven or ten more chapters for this. Sorry if that causes several of you to blink in confusion, but I like to end stories with full numbers, or half. 25, or 30. 35 or 40. You get the idea of it. I'll try my best to come up with the next chapter in two weeks. Ice Cream Boy is in the works, I promise you. Anyway, please read and review! Chapter 19 will be up in what I hope will be no time.