Disclaimer: too late for disclaimers now…continue…

Chapter 3: Realizations

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"Anna." I said, astonished.

"What?" she asked as she dusted her clothes off. "Oh? Sorry! Are you hurt?" She came by my side to inspect me. Her hands were at my shoulders, checking for any injures.

"Anna, you came back." I was still looking at her with wide eyes. Abruptly she stopped what she's doing and looked at me.

"Anna? Who is Anna?" She looked behind her and searched for the so called 'Anna'. "I don't see any Anna's here." She shrugged with eyebrows raised. "Are you okay?"

"You are Anna. Did you have any amnesia or something?" I shook her shoulders, in hopes that maybe she would remember me in case she had forgotten.

"Hey!" She staggered away from me and placed her hand on an aching shoulder. "What do you think you're doing? And for Heaven's sake stop calling me Anna! I am not Anna, you idiot."

I snapped back to reality, focusing more evenly. I looked at her more closely and realized that she was NOT Anna. Well, she's too talkative for Anna's kind and Anna doesn't wear pants nor her hair is quite long, though it's the same style. But those eyes, they were far too the same.

I was still observing her when Horohoro came running towards me.

"Yoh! What ha- Anna?" He stopped dead in his tracks as he too looked her.

"Oh great. Just plain great. Why do you keep calling me Anna? Keep guessing my name or I'll guess I would have to stuff you both in the nearest trash can. The name is Aya." She placed her hands on her chest and leaned on one leg.

"Oh, believe me miss, you wouldn't do such a thing." Horohoro fought his way to laughter. Maybe he couldn't just imagine a girl, less than a woman, stuffing boys of our build in trashes.

"Try me." She narrowed her eyes on him. Geez, she was deadly serious. Instantly Horohoro shut up. The air between us was growing heavier because of the awkward silence.

It was Horohoro who first recovered. "But you sure do look like Anna, right Yoh?" He elbowed me hard on the side.

"Yeah. We mistook you for someone else, sorry." I started to laugh. I wanted to laugh at my foolishness. I was really out of my mind, acting like I was having an emotional breakdown.

"Oh okay. Sorry too, I was running and I didn't notice you coming." She laughed with us too. "Wanna come with me to the park?" She asked us, grinning.

"Sure." I accepted the invitation without doubt and started our walk towards the park. Horohoro cut me to a stop and whispered something to my ear.

"You go ahead. I need to do something okay?" His eyes were dancing, mischief in them.

I tapped his shoulder and grinned. "Okay. Have fun."

"Where will he be going?" Aya asked from beside me as I readjusted my headphones.

"I don't know. He said he was going to do something." I smiled at her and gave one in turn.

"I was surprised at what happened. Where are you going when I bumped into you?"

"Nowhere. I was just strolling actually. I guess today's not my lucky day huh?" I laughed and she joined me.

"Me too. I think."

We were quiet for a moment and when we reached the park, we sat on a stone bench under the comforts of a shading tree.

"Can I ask you a question?" She asked abruptly. I can't tell if she can't bear the silence anymore or she was plain bored. She was looking at me with those eyes... intense eyes.

"Hai. What is it?"

"It wasn't that I am being nosy or something but just plain curious. Who is Anna?"

That question always comes to my face like some ghost, haunting me to death. "Anna? Oh that? She was my fiancée."

"I see."

Silence.

"And I look like her?"

I nodded.

"I see." She repeated. "And... where is she?" She looked at me questioningly.

I sighed heavily. Perhaps it wasn't bad to tell something to someone. Even strangers.

"She ran away. I don't know the reason why until now. I think...I will never know, maybe if she will come back." But deep inside I doubted it. Why would someone call it 'running away' when the one who left comes back? Can anyone call it just field trip? or maybe vacation?

I laughed when I caught her looking at me. "Never mind that. It's the past. Nothing can change that. Don't be too serious about it."

She managed to smile at me and looked up at the blue, blue sky. "You're right."

"Yeah. I tried to think of it as little as possible." I searched the sky too for any signs of bad weather and fortunately, none.

"I am sorry for calling you idiot. I was just shocked I guess."

"That's okay."

"What's your name again?"

"Yoh Asakura, and you're Aya?"

"Uh-huh. Haruno."

We talked and talked until late afternoon where she bid me goodbye for the day. She said she was hoping to see me again some other time. I agreed because I find her company enjoying. She has no problem listening to other people. In a few hours time, I have gained a new friend by a mere accident. She thanked me for spending the day with her and she left with a smile and a wave. I too, departed.

I especially felt light and happy the rest of my way home. I haven't felt like this in months. It's really hard to express it on words; it was better shown by my actions. I smiled without really any particular reason. Nothing. I just wanted to smile. Here I sat peacefully on my porch, gazing at the stars above me. I was already recalling the different things that happened today.

I thought nothing could make me feel better when I saw Horohoro inside my house. He startled me by his presence and did much more when he volunteered to cook for me. I cannot refuse the generous offer, not by a friend.

Aya.

No. She did not just startle me; she scared me to my guts. How can someone look so much like Anna? Her blond hair, those eyes. I never thought I'll see them again. Maybe I will, but not now. I've begun to realize that I wasn't ready to see her yet. Both physically and mentally. The way I acted... it just wasn't me. Damn these emotional breakdowns. Either way, now that I knew what will happen, I will prepared myself. I took a sip from the drink I brought with me earlier. The taste of liquid on my lips is sweet, more than that, refreshing. I smiled again. I have felt a unique sense of familiarity somehow when I am with Aya. We have just met and yet it seemed that we were like friends for years. Deep inside, I hope that it wasn't just because of her looks. No, it wasn't merely that, I assured myself and rose. I walked to my room and lie down, fell instantly asleep.

"Yoh..."

I jolted upright from my sleep. Cold sweat broke through me, nothing that I've felt in my fights before even if I faced the worst enemies. That dream...It's haunting me again. I have not paid attention to it and now it has come back when I have forgotten about it already.

"Yoh...wait for me..."

The dream...it's showing me some kind of message. What was that?

I cannot deny anymore the voice that was screaming at the back of my head, how hard must I try to ignore it. No it can't possible be but... when you really see through that dream...

For it was telling me that Anna will come back…

I lay down again. I can't sleep. My body kept perspiring and it was already feeling like I have been chased by thousand dogs for miles. The more I ignored the realization in my mind, the more I can't sleep.

Am I really waiting for her?

Deep inside me, I really wished she would come back. It's hard for one's pride to let go when you've tried really hard to despise something but obviously still wanted it. But never sound too hopeful though, it was just a dream. Sometimes dreams do trick a man in believing something impossible. I guess I'll just have to wait.

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A/n: revised as of 3/26/2007