„He's ALIVE?" shouted out Ren. It was the same evening Yoh and Anna saw Hao alive. The new was exepted in a different ways: Horo and Chockolove let out loud WHAT, Faust's mouth fell open and Ren started punching the wall. " But how?" he asked. " I really don't know" the thousant and one time answered Yoh. "He didn't tell us". 'Us' was Anna and Yoh. She seemed to be surprised too, but since they came back she didn't say a word. Anna seemed to be sank in her own thoughts. " But is he in the Shaman Tournament?" asked Horo "We can check it on our oracle bells." Said Faust and bent over his own. For some time it was quite in the room. Than Faust said "Hao is not on the list, so I guess he's not on the Tournament." "Well that's a good thing. At least he won't have a chance to kill anybody" said Yoh. " Nor I will…" said to himself.
The next few days were boring and no one seemed to know what to do. The fact that Hao is alive, seems to be gotten over all. Well, they cannot live whit the grudge for him forever. But yet one person didn't forget about Hao. It was Anna…
One afternoon, she decided to make a crushade, she'd been planning. So Anna gone to the same place she and Yoh meet Hao. Her heart trembled a bit. She didn't know if Hao would want to see her. Or not kill her… " Hao…" she called. For some time she thought that he won't show up, but then she heard a voice. Familiar one. " What should I be thankful for this visit of yours, Anna?" He appeared in the ball of fire as usual. Anna stood in surprise for some time, but she didn't forget why she came here. " I just wanted to… to talk…" she said silently. Hao seemed to be surprised. " To me?" he let out a light laugh. "About what?" " Don't know… Just to talk whit someone… Out of Yoh friends list…" " And you've chosen me? Why?" Anna thought for a while. " Actually, I don't know. I just wanted to talk whit someone…" "Hmm, I see." He looked at Anna for some time. He couldn't read her mind. As an itako, she could create a block from him. "Let's take a walk, shall we?" he said finally. Anna nodded and they walked up along the roads of forest. For some time there was a silence, because neither of them knew how to start. They were enemies after all. " So what you want to talk about?" asked Hao. "Well… I'm a little bit curious how did you survived… If you don't want to can not tell me… I just…" "It's ok, I expected this question, actually." He silenced for a while. "You know, the funniest thing is that I don't know myself. I just woke up in the dessert, that's all." " Interesting… I mean, well that attack could've killed anybody… I guess that means you really are the strongest shaman ever." Hao stopped. He looked at Anna whit surprise. " You really think that?" Anna's eyebrow raised. She always done it when she heard a stupid question. " If I say so, that means I really mean it. And what if I think so. Like you didn't know that… " Hao laughed softly. Yes, he really knew that. " I just didn't expect to hear it from you." They continued to walk. And to talk. It really was a strange thing to see. If someone, who knew the story about those two and now would look at them, walking together, talking, laughing, they would think that world has gone insane. But after all, they really looked a beautiful couple…
Not Anna nor Hao noticed how the evening came and sun disappeared beyond horizont. Both now were sitting on the edge of the lake. "Hao, why you're not on the Shaman Tournament?" asked Anna sudently. "I just got tired of all of it." Answered Hao. It was really unexpected answer for Anna. She turned to him whit a surprise on her face. " How come?" " Well, when you try to reach the same goal for a thousand years and finally figure out that there is no point to it, you really feel tired. So I just decided to watch Yoh from distance. How my little brother wins this tournament." "What makes you think that he'll win?" "And who else would? Who else disserve it?" "Yeah, that's a good question…" They sited in silence for a while. Than Hao asked "So what's the real reason you came here?" Anna smiled a little. "I thought I already told you." "Is that all?" "No. It's not. I really wanna figure out another thing that's been bothering me for months. "What's that?" asked Hao. Though he didn't expect straight answer. "I've been thinking a lot." Started Anna. She wasn't sure, if it's right to continue. "Mostly about you…" "Now that's a surprise!" thought Hao. He never even dreamed that Anna would think about HIM. Though he cannot lie to himself that he thought about her from time to time. "I'm sorry. I feel so stupid about that." Said Anna. She couldn't look in his eyes. "So should I feel the same way?" asked Hao. Anna was shocked whit this question. Could this mean… "I to thought about you… And I'm really surprised about that. So don't feel ashamed." Anna let out a light and silent laugh "Wow, I never thought that… that you're thinking about me too. Actually, I wasn't sure if you're alive. But still, something inside said to me that you're alive… Well, I guess that something wasn't lieing." " Yeah, it sure wasn't." Silence again. Than Hao stood up "I think it's time for you to go home. It's late already." Anna too stood up. "Yeah, I guess you right. I should be going." "Let me take you to the village" he said and took her hand. Than there was a fire around them and next moment Anna found herself at the edge of the village. "Thanks, Hao. Be careful" "Yeah, I will. Good night, Anna." It was a goodbye that Anna secretly wanted the less than anything. It was a wonderful moments whit this dangerous, yet interesting boy. The boy, which plagued her thoughts for months. "Hao, wait." She said. The boy stopped. "Will we meet again?" she asked. "I think we might. Although I can't promise that. Your friends might think that you… Turned against them…" "I don't really care about it. They can think all they want." "Then I guess we can meet again. But be careful. There's still Shaman Council around. And believe me when I'm saying: Mikihisa is watching over his son, so he might watch over you too." "Ok. Don't worry about me. Look after yourself." Than she stepped closer to Hao and gave him a kiss. It was a thing that Anna longed to feel for a long time. Hao wasn't expecting this kind of act from Anna, but he could feel the pleasure and warmth coming from her, so he didn't resist. Nor did she. She just let him to deep the kiss. And the kiss seemed to take not a seconds, but forever…