A/n: I'm back again and working. I am sorry if the last chappy is too short. I promise to make it up on the following chapter. Hope you like this; I tried really, really hard! (!) Anna will be coming soon! You have to wait and read the following chapter to find out! And oh, an explanation why Amidamaru's not here..and songfic too!

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King no matter what I do...

Chapter 5: Aya

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After last night's accident, Yoh had fallen asleep on the couch with Aya in Anna's room. He brought Aya home because of the head injury she got which knocked her unconscious. Twice the night, he would check up on Aya and see if everything is still okay, change the damp clothe on her forehead and head back to sleep.

Yoh woke up surprised the next morning to find a warm blanket on his shoulders. He doesn't remember getting a blanket for himself because he didn't feel any cold that night. He stood up and headed to Anna's room to see Aya. But instead of seeing the girl's crumpled form, all he saw was the folded sheets and the pilows stacked up neatly in one corner. He scratched his head and searched for Aya inside the house.

He found her on the porch sitting with mug of hot chocolate in her hands.

"Ohayo, Yoh-kun." Aya smiled up at Yoh.

"Ohayo Aya." Yoh comfortably placed himself beside her and looked at her. "Are you okay? How's your head?"

"It's okay. I don't know why I collapsed though but I thank you."

"No problem. You sure are an early bird." He commented at her. Well, she sure look pretty at this early hour. Her hair was a little tousled; shining beautifully at the gentle rays of the sun. She sipped on her mug and looked at Yoh, who was smiling too.

"You want me to get you a cup? I'm sorry I rummaged through your kitchen." She winked then stood up.

"That's okay. It's a miracle you found something to eat or drink in there."

She then turned to leave while Yoh sat staring at her back and sighed. It was like working with Anna again except it's very different. The atmosphere is so weird.

She returned with a cup in her hand and handed it to Yoh. "So you live here alone eh?" She said looking around. "A decent place for a guy like you to live in. Wow, how do you manage to keep it this clean? Some guys I know didn't even touch their own briefs." Aya sipped.

A voice whispered at the back of Yoh's mind. But he fought the urge to say it.

Yoh smiled instead. "That's an overstatement. Perhaps I really have to do it."

"Yeah, I like it." Yoh felt Aya staring at him. He can't help but look at her in wonder.

"What is it?"

"Uh, I was just wondering... Did Anna and You live here together?"

"Yes. She was the one who taught me how to maintain a house." Yoh raised his hand to block the sunlight from his face. Aya's heart flowed with emotion the way Yoh's eyes did so when she told her those words. She felt the desperate longing in his voice.

She didn't dare ask him the questions... but her curiosity was overpowering.

"Tell me...how was Anna like?"

"Anna?"

"Yes."

Yoh looked at her with something unreadable in his eyes. Should he tell her?

"Anna, as I have told you before was my fiancée. We lived here for quite sometime now and she helped me train everyday."

"Train? For what?"

"Being a shaman. But please don't tell this to anyone."

"I see. I promise. I've read those shaman thingie over books. Like wow, they're great."

"She wanted me to be a shaman king." Yoh grinned at the memory. "Anna is very snappy. There are times when she really is hard to get along with and may be a pain in the arse with other men, heh, but that is so fine with me. She orders everyone about and everyone seems to be afraid of her. One can almost think that she should be the Shaman king. She can almost irritate the hell out of anyone."

"Gah! Just thinking of her scares me." She almost choked her drink out.

"Yup, that's the usual." Yoh drank the contents of the mug. "But, she also has a way of telling me that she cares though I can't actually explain it."

"Oh?"

"Our roles here reversed. I was the one who does the household chores like washing plates, cleaning, sweeping and cooking. Sometimes Manta helps me."

"Manta? Who is he?"

"He was the one that you saw with me yesterday."

"Ah! I know! That cute little boy with blond hair!"

"Haha! Yes, yes. But I guess you shouldn't call Manta a little boy. Cute perhaps, yes but little boy? No, I don't think so. Manta doesn't like Anna very much but he has great respect for her though."

"This Anna is tough. Got any idea why she left?"

"Nope. I had no idea." Yoh lay back on the porch with his hands under his head. "I wish I knew why."

"Yoh-kun, don't be sad. Maybe she'll come back."

"Maybe...but hey! I am okay. I'm doing fine." He closed his eyes, blinded over the light.

"No notes or something?"

"Yes she left me a note but with only one word on it."

"Goodbye?"

"You're good. But it isn't hard to guess, ne?"

"Yes."

---

Later, Yoh told Aya to stay for lunch and offered to cook for her. She agreed but refused about cooking for her. She wanted to cook for Yoh to repay the touble that she caused him.

"No. Let me cook for you. You are a guest here."

" Look at all the trouble I caused you! I should be doing something for you in return."

Yoh stared at her dubiously. "Are you afraid I might spoil my cooking?"

Panic flooded her face. "What? No. I trust you very well that you can cook better than anyone else does but I want to thank you."

"Really?"

"Really."

Yoh patted her shoulders amusingly. "Okay. Would you want me to go get you your ingredients?"

"No. I'd get them myself."

"Okay."

"I'll be back in no time at all!"

Aya tidied herself up then left. Yoh busied himself with arranging the house and cleaning. He readied the utensils to be used. He sat on one of the couch exhausted. He was wondering why the hell he felt so much at ease with Aya. Admit it or not, Aya brings back memories of Anna. But the most amazing fact is that it didn't bring him pain just...just plain happiness and perhaps...warmth? He felt damn crazy over Aya being hit by that car that's why he didn't hesitate in jumping in the middle of the road saving a girl he barely knew. He sighed. Why is he acting like this? Yoh asked himself over and over again to get plain nothingness. Aya doesn't know anything about him and vice versa. She's innocent and plain curious. What-

His train of thoughts was interrupted with Aya coming into the house.

"I'm back!"

Yoh quickly stood and greeted her at the door. He helped her bring in the groceries.

"Whew! They sure are heavy."

"I told you." Yoh smiled at her lazily which caused her to blush.

"No, no. It's okay." She said, head bowed down.

"Haha! Let's get started okay?"

"Alright!"

"Uh...Do you still need these spices?"

"No. Just hand me over the pasta." Aya asked Yoh. She was stirring the sauce over the pan. "Look, can you boil water for me?"

"Yup." Yoh worked to set the water and boiled it.

"Please lace the pasta upright inside once the water boils okay?"

Yoh nodded once to show that he understood the instructions given to him.

"And don't forget to stir it mildly so the strands won't stick together."

"Ok. You look like you have been cooking always."

"Actually, yes." She smelled the sauce and tasted it. Aya got a spoon and let Yoh taste it. "Here. How's it?"

"Good." He handed the spoon back.

"Thank you. I live alone in my apartment so that means I have to cook for myself. My parents live in England."

"Wow. Don't you ever get bored?"

"Yes. Sometimes I get bored. I used to go to Arcade shops or go shopping." Her eyes switched to what Yoh is stirring. Her eyes widened at the pasta. "Look Yoh! The pasta!"

"What? Oh sorry!" Yoh turned to the stove quickly. The pasta was going to be over-stirred and would look like rice if Aya didn't notice it. "Hehe, sorry I didn't notice it!"

"Hahaha! That's okay." Aya patted his shoulder in a comforting way as Yoh looked at her, laughing. "Well, I think that will be fine so why don't we get ready to eat?"

"I have arranged it already! Come on!"

"Wait! I'll just transfer this." Aya placed the pasta in serving dishes and brought it to the table. "There you go!"

"Wow! It smells so good, please sit down." Aya was about to sit down when Yoh suddenly jumped from his seat and rushed to Aya's side.

"Wait! Let me pull that for you." Yoh ushered Aya and helped her seat down.

"Why, thank you!"

---

"So how was it?" Aya was leaning on the table with her elbows.

"Great. You would be great cook." Yoh grinned at her with his obvious contentment. They have finished eating the meal and Yoh seems to be very full that he can barely move a finger.

"Get up now. I have to clean this up." She stood and began clearing the dishes. Meanwhile, Yoh was having a hard time standing up.

"Yoh-kun, you need help?" Aya teased. As if a cue, Yoh immediately stood up straight though the winces were far too obvious in his face.

"Thank you, I can manage myself."

"If you say so." Aya grinned at him playfully then looked at him dubiously. "If that is the case, I am afraid I won't cook for you again."

"What?"

She laughed.

Yoh and Aya was sitting again at the porch, chatting and drinking. They have been talking for hours now, and one can almost tell that they have been friends for years. The warmth that they have shared was something Yoh hadn't felt in a long time.

After that, Aya, even though she felt sorry to leave early, bid his goodbyes to Yoh for she had to leave. Her parents might check up on her and call her.

"Yoh-kun, thank you for letting me stay with you and helping me." Aya bowed politely.

"No, that's okay. I enjoyed it anyway. Thank you too for cooking for me." Yoh grinned.

"Hai. I have to go now. Maybe I'll see you around okay?" She said then leaned close to his ear, "I might drop by sometime, ne?"

Yoh laughed dearly. "Okay, okay. You sure you don't want me to escort you?"

"No, I can find my own way, thank you."

"Okay."

"See ya!" Aya waved then turned on her heels to leave.

"Bye!" Yoh waved back and watched her retreating back. He suddenly felt alone but it went away as quickly as it came.

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A/n: revised as of 3/26/2006