Note: Hello people… Thanx for reviewing! Feeling very happy now. Anyway, Chapter 5 will focus on Anna/Yoh and Mari/Hao. Hope you enjoy it…
ChibiAzn3: I totally fell for it lolx. You totally scared me to death.
Holy Girl, angelpup, Callista Miralni, YohandAnna4ever and azimataiji: Thanks for reviewing!
Chapter 5: Settling Down.
"Oi Ren! Come here!" Pillica squealed excitedly on Saturday morning. Ren, who had just awoke, strolled over and asked, "What's up? Why're you standing outside Yoh's room?" He asked curiously.
The remaining household trudged up after Ren. "Where's Anna? She wasn't in the room when I woke up." Tamao said sleepily. "She's… In here!" Pillica cried gleefully, jabbing her thumb in Yoh's room. "WHAT!" HoroHoro yelled. "WILL YOU SHUT THE HELL UP!" Ren yelled at him. "Ren, just to remind you, you're yelling too." Manta said quietly. "And WHO asked YOU, Shorty?" Ren demanded. Manta sighed. Ren can be a real pain in the neck. "Shut up, all of you, and listen to me! No one was awake when I woke up, so I thought I had to wake Tamao to ask her to make breakfast… But when I walked past, I saw them…" And Pillica peered through the half-opened door. Marion peeked in too, and saw Yoh and Anna huddled together, Anna's blonde head on Yoh's broad chest, and Yoh's arms around Anna. "Oh, they look so sweet together." Marion whispered, privately wishing that she had the same opportunity with Hao. Then, she caught herself, and began to blush furiously. "Mari isn't supposed to feel this way!" She thought frantically. "Mari isn't supposed to…Not allowed to fall for Hao… Mari must not think like that!" And Marion avoided Hao's amused gaze and Matilda's curious squints.
"Wonder what they did throughout the night, huh." Lyzerg mused as he stuffed a sushi into his mouth. "No idea, but it should be sweet." Pillica said wistfully, casting a sidelong glance at Ren. Marion lowered her gaze as Hao tried to catch her eye, and Matilda stared curiously from Hao to Marion, and then from Marion back to Hao before understanding. "Mari likes Hao!" She thought, choking on her tea. "You ok, Macchi?" Ryu asked in concern. "Gah Yeah…" And Matilda coughed again.
Anna's eyes fluttered open slowly. Sunlight streamed through the room, and Anna winced. "What time is it?" She wondered, then realized that she was lying against something…tanned. "Yoh!" She gasped in shock, turning red. "Mmph?" Yoh muttered, then saw Anna. "Oh, hey, morning." He told her easily. "Err… Morning." Anna muttered. She gripped her robes tightly and gritted her teeth in agitation. WHAT the HELL was she doing, SHARING the futon mat and blanket with YOH! HOW had she got there in the first place?
As much as she wanted to, Anna did not want to recall the previous night. She couldn't really remember what exactly happened, anyway.
Anna got up, and her robe slipped of her right shoulder, revealing her fair, flawless skin that seemed to glow gently as the sun rays hit it. The area between her neck and shoulder was slightly red, and Anna noticed it. "Yoh, what did you-" She asked. "I… gave you a love bite?" Yoh teased, looking down at her. "Yoh, you!" "Hahahaha, don't worry about it. It's ok." Yoh interrupted. Anna glared at him reproachfully. Sure, of course it was ok for HIM. He wasn't the one who had gotten the bite, and HE need not go around with the bite showing either. She sighed. Yoh can really be a pest if he wanted to, but, Anna had to admit, he was sweet. And she loved the way they're interacting now.
"Mari, look at me." Hao commanded as he followed Mari back to the room that she shared with Matilda and Pillica. "Leave Mari alone." Marion said in a low voice, taking wider strides. "Mari. Look- At- Me." Hao repeated, grabbing her wrist. "LEAVE MARI ALONE!" Marion shrieked, blushing profusely. Hao pulled her close, and Marion soon found herself being held close to Hao. "Mari, what's wrong with you?" He asked the trembling girl. "Let Mari go." Marion said. "No." Hao replied forcefully. "Let Mari go!" And this time, Marion's voice was hard. "Mari, what's wrong with you?" Hao exclaimed. "Mari isn't supposed to feel this way. Mari shouldn't be falling for you… Mari isn't supposed to have feelings! Mari…Mari…" And Marion stopped dead, horrified that she had blurted out her true feelings to Hao. Quickly, she wrenched herself out of Hao's grasp and sprinted away, leaving Hao standing alone in the walkway, shocked.
"Where's Mari? Haven't seen her around today." Anna said that afternoon as everyone lazed around. Hao stuffed chips into his mouth, avoiding Anna and Yoh's suspicious gazes. "No idea. I thought Hao was with her after breakfast today." Manta said casually. Hao didn't answer. "Hao..." Matilda began, but a sudden movement made her stop, scared. "What's wrong, Hao. It's not like you to keep quiet and stuff chips when you're usually full of nonsense." Yoh said. "I…Mari…Mari…She told me that she liked me, but she…she also said that she wasn't supposed to feel that way…What is she thinking!" And Hao slammed his fists on the table angrily. Tamao cowered behind HoroHoro in fear. "Hao, what matters most is how you feel." Jun said sensibly. "I GUESSED IT RIGHT!" Matilda yelled out in triumph. When she saw Hao gazing at her with raised eyebrows, she explained, "I saw the look Mari was wearing during breakfast and realized that she was avoiding your eyes whenever you tried to make eye contact with her, so I figured something was up." "But she doesn't seem to approve of her own feelings, does she?" Ren asked. "No, but you're not any better, Ren. So don't talk about others like that." HoroHoro said shortly. Ren glared, and HoroHoro stuck his tongue back at Ren. Anna, who got impatient, whacked the two of them on the head and said, "If you two are not going to knock it off, I'll knock you out." In that stop fooling around or I'll get you tone. "I guess, I really like her…" Hao said weakly. "Then go tell her!" Ryu roared genially, and Hao sighed, wondering if he should do just as what Ryu said.
As the others changed the topic and began teasing Yoh and Anna, Hao made up his mind. He slipped away quietly into his room. Drawing open the mahogany drawer, he took out a silver ring, which glinted mischievously under the sun. Slipping it into his pocket, Hao then slowly made his way to Marion's room.
Marion Phauna's diary entry for the day:
Mari is so dumb.
Mari had totally embarrassed herself in front of Hao.
How could Mari have blurt out her feelings so easily! Oh, just what should Mari do now!
Marion Phauna