Hey! Sorry for the late update. I had a hectic week of exams, so I was really busy. Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys make my day! Oh and snow-angel-anna has already updated her story too, so go check it out! Anyway, we ended off part 1 with Lyn and Ren leaving Hao and Kaede alone. Well, enough dallying! On with part 2!
Chapter 6- Riding with you (Part 2)
Hao waited impatiently at the exit of the maze of mirrors. What was taking the others so long? Especially Ren. Ren should have been observant enough to have made it out already.
"Hao…"
Hao looked up when he heard someone call his name, and saw Kaede walking towards him. "Where's Lyn and Ren?" Kaede asked, looking around for any sign of them. Hao shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know…Maybe they're still inside?"
"Hey. The two of you. Do you know a Ren and Lyn?" The lady at the exit counter called to them, beckoning them over. "Yes we do. Did anything happen to them?" Hao asked, striding towards the counter.
"The girl asked me to tell the two of you that they have gone ahead. So you two are on your own…" Kaede's eyes widened and she flushed. "Did she mention why?" She asked quietly. "No. I've told you all she told me to."
Kaede turned and looked at Hao helplessly. "So…what do we do now?" Hao considered the options, looking at the sad expression in Kaede's eyes.
"Well, Lyn must have a reason for doing this. I meant it when I said that I…we…hope that you'll enjoy yourself. So let's make this a memorable day, even if Lyn isn't here with us."
Kaede stared at Hao in surprise. "Don't you want to find Lyn and join her?" Hao smiled warmly and shook his head. "I may not have known her for long, but I can tell that she's the stubborn sort. Once she sets her heart on something, it's hard to make her change her mind. Am I right?"
Kaede nodded thoughtfully. Now that Hao had mentioned it, Lyn was a stubborn person. "Well…what are we waiting for? Let's go." Hao said, walking away from the maze exit.
"Thank you…" Kaede said as she caught up with Hao, and smiled gratefully. "No problem…" Hao replied, stopping and flashing her a grin. When he began walking again, there was a thoughtful look on his face.
I used to find her smile beautiful,
I still do, but I'm finding yours beautiful too.
Just like I want to make her smile,
I want to see joy in your eyes, on your face too.
I don't know what I'm feeling,
My understanding of it is zero.
So all I can do is hope
For the very best end result
Where no one winds up getting hurt.
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Ren smiled when he saw Lyn skipping out the exit ahead of him. Lyn had dragged him onto the Viking ship ride. "That was fun, wasn't it?" Ren wiped the smile of his face when he saw Lyn peering at him curiously.
"No. It was boring and I nearly fell asleep on it." Ren growled gruffly. "Yea right! You were just smiling just now! And on the ride too! Why don't you just lighten up for once and admit it when you're enjoying yourself!" Lyn said, punching him lightly on the shoulder.
"Whatever…" Lyn rolled her eyes at Ren's reply and walked past him towards one of the game booths. Just then, a cold wind blew and she sneezed, shivering.
She felt something soft and warm hit her head from behind, and pulled it down only to find that it was Ren's jacket. He was looking away, feigning that he had lent her his jacket simply because he had to, and not because he had wanted to.
Lyn grinned and wore the jacket gratefully. It was still warm from Ren's body heat and the warmth that enveloped her when she wore it was immensely comfortable and satisfying.
"What about you? Don't you need it?" Lyn asked Ren, who was wearing a sleeveless black shirt and jeans. "I am used to this kind of weather, so I won't fall sick." Ren said gruffly, still looking away.
Ren wished that Lyn would just start walking again. There was an uncomfortable crick growing in his neck from looking away at that angle. Then, he felt something warm around his neck, and he flushed when he realised what it was.
Lyn had jumped towards Ren and wrapped her arms around his neck in a quick hug. "Thank you!" She said, laughing as she stepped back, letting her arms drop from his neck. Ren felt his cheeks growing hotter by the second.
Why am I feeling so embarrassed?
Stop it! Stop blushing!
"Why's your face so red? I think it's redder than a tomato…" Lyn asked, tilting her head at Ren curiously. "Now come on…I wanna play that target game! Maybe I can win that cute little dog beanie!" Lyn continued as she grabbed Ren's hand and pulled him towards the game booth.
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"Thank you…" Kaede said, accepting the warm hot-dog bun and the steaming cup of hot chocolate that Hao handed to her. "No problem…" Hao replied, smiling, as he sat down next to her on the bench. As Kaede stared at the bun and the drink she held in her hands, she remembered the last time she had been to the theme park with her parents.
Flashback:
"Mummy! Daddy and I bought a cup of hot chocolate for you!" Kaede said, walking briskly to the bench where her mother was seated, gingerly holding the cup and checking that its contents did not spill. "Thank you, Kaede…" Kaede's mother, Yuri, said gently as she patted Kaede on the head.
"Oh! And we saw auntie Arisu on the way back! And then she stopped us and she was telling daddy something about work." Kaede continued as she clambered up on the bench next to Yuri. Yuri frowned at Kaede's father, Daisuke. "Arisu again! She always seems to be there wherever we go…"
Daisuke sighed in exasperation. "I've told you before…there's nothing going on between us…" "There had better not be…" Yuri warned, standing up and throwing the untouched cup of hot chocolate into the dustbin.
Kaede stared at her parents, who were frowning at each other again. She took her father's hand in her left hand, and her mother's hand in her right, and put their hands together. However, when she removed her hands, their hands slipped away from each other.
End flashback.
"Kaede..." Kaede was jerked out of her thoughts when she heard Hao calling her name. She looked up at him in surprise and saw him staring at her in concern. "Why aren't you eating? The food and drink taste better warm you know…" Kaede nodded slowly and took a bite from her hot-dog bun.
Hao looked at Kaede in concern as she slowly ate her food and drink. She had seemed very upset when she was deep in thought. There had to be something he could do to cheer her up. He couldn't stand seeing her so upset.
As I looked at you
The sadness in your eyes
My heart throbbed
With the very same hurt
That you were experiencing
I had to do something
But I didn't know what
I looked around for an option
And thank the heavens
I saw my answer
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When Kaede had finished eating, Hao took her hand and pulled her towards a game booth. "Where are we going?" Kaede asked as she walked after Hao. "Well, we're gonna play that game and win you a prize. That way, you will have happy memories of the theme park too…"
Thank you…
"Why are you so quiet? Don't you believe I can win that game? It's simply bowling bottles down with a coconut…" Hao asked Kaede as she followed him in silence. She shook her head, giving him a small smile. "No. I'm fine. Thank you." She said quietly, her voice grateful.
That gentle look in your eyes
Is enough to cheer me up
Even if you do not win the prize
Because of that look
I can tell how much you care
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"Sir, you may pick your prize. Is it for the lovely lady here?" The booth attendant asked, glancing from Hao to Kaede. "Well, pick which of the prizes you want…" Hao said, smiling at Kaede gently.
"I'm fine with anything. It's the thought that counts…" Kaede said, shaking her head. Hao gave a small sigh of exasperation then slowly looked through all the prizes. Then, the perfect gift caught his eye and he smiled, pointing it out to the attendant.
Kaede was pleasantly surprised when the attendant handed her a pink teddy bear. "Thank you!" She said to Hao, who grinned. "I guess that means I picked the right one? I can breathe again…" Hao said jokingly, laughter dancing in his eyes.
To see that small smile on your face
The joy leaving a sparkle in your eye
That makes my effort fully worth it
And for that, I am satisfied
Kaede glanced at Hao as they walked away from the game booth and found that he was looking at her curiously, tilting his head. Kaede felt her heartbeat quicken and she flushed, staring at her feet in an attempt to ignore his gaze.
It would have been so much easier
For me to have let you go
But your kindness and your concern
Have made me love you more
And now, it's so hard to let go
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"And it's a bulls eye!" Lyn commentated, laughing as the cork hit the target right at its centre. "That was excellent shooting! I haven't seen anyone else hit every target in the centre. So, which prize do you want?" The attendant asked, smiling at her enthusiasm.
Lyn was about to say that she wanted the dog beanie when something caught her eye. It was a model of a halberd, an exact replica of Ren's very own Kwan Dao. That would be the perfect way to thank him, but she really wanted the dog beanie too. After some deliberation, she made her choice.
Ren was staring into space when he felt someone tap his shoulder. His grip on Kwan Dao tightened and he turned around only to see that it was Lyn. Lyn handed him a model replica of Kwan Dao with a smile.
"What happened to your dog beanie?" Ren asked Lyn in surprise. Lyn shrugged nonchalantly. "I figured that you would like this since you like Kwan Dao so much…" "Thank you…" Ren said, taking the model from her.
It's better that you don't know
The true reason why I've been bringing Kwan Dao around.
It's to protect you
From whatever danger you might be in
For that is all I can do
To keep you safe
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Lyn cast one last longing look at the dog beanie before walking towards the candy floss stand. Ren glanced from her back to the dog for awhile before running after her. "You go ahead and buy your candy…I've got to do something, but I'll catch up with you…" Lyn stared at Ren questioningly, then nodded with a smile.
"Congratulations sir. Your shooting is as sharp as your companion's. Well, pick your prize…" The booth attendant said, a wide smile on his face. Ren quickly picked the dog beanie, thanking the attendant before walking towards the candy floss stand.
As Ren walked towards Lyn, his thoughts were racing. Just as he was about to tap her shoulder, she turned around and beamed at him. "Here! Have a bite!" She said, waving the stick of candy floss in his face. Ren stuffed the dog beanie into his jeans pocket, and cursed himself for doing so. He should have just given it to her. That way, he could prove to himself that what he felt towards her was simply friendship.
"Hey! Let's go to the ferris wheel tonight?" Lyn suggested as she handed Ren the stick of candy floss. Ren took a bite from it before handing it back to her. "Sure." He replied, nodding in agreement.
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"Hey! There's Yoh and the rest!" Lyn said, running towards the queue for the ferris wheel ride where Yoh and the rest were standing. "Hey…Join us?" Yoh asked when he spotted Lyn and Ren. Lyn nodded eagerly and dragged Ren into the queue. "Where's Hao and Kaede?" Horo Horo asked, looking at Ren and Lyn curiously.
"There…" Anna pointed to Hao and Kaede, who were walking towards them. "Lyn…where did you go?" Kaede asked Lyn questioningly. "Sorry…I just had the feeling that to leave the two of you together was a good thing…" Lyn replied, scratching her head and smiling sheepishly.
"Well, its our turn to ride on the ferris wheel. Each car can only hold two people, so…" "I'm sitting with Kaede!" Lyn exclaimed before Yoh could finish his sentence. Yoh and Horo Horo exchanged sly grins, then pushed Ren and Lyn into the first car. Yoh then clasped Anna's hand gently and pulled her into the next car.
"Well…I don't think I want to ride this, so you guys go on ahead." Horo said, walking away from the queue as Jun and Pai Long climbed into the third car. Kaede flushed and stared at Hao. "I guess…it's just the two of us then?" Hao smiled gently at her and tilted his head curiously. "Why do you seem so afraid of me? I'm not going to eat you up…" Kaede looked at him and gasped in surprise when he pulled her onto the fourth car.
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"So what do you think of the theme park now?" Hao asked Kaede, concern on his face. Kaede stared at her hands and bit her lip. "I…I know you did a lot for me today…but…it still holds too much sadness for me…I'm sorry…"
"That's because you haven't learnt to let go." Hao stated matter-of-factly, causing Kaede to look up at him in surprise. "I will help you to move on from your past. I promise…" Hao said, smiling at her encouragingly.
I will help you
Even if I don't know what I feel for you
Because I can't stand to see you cry
And I want you to have a reason to smile
Now and forever.
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Ren looked at the peaceful expression on Lyn's face as she stared out the window of their car. The lights of the theme park were indeed beautiful at night. But he was still going to have to kill Yoh and that stupid Ainu for getting him into this situation, even if it was a good opportunity to have a talk with Lyn.
"What is that dangerous mission that you have undertaken?" Ren asked, staring at the floor awkwardly. When there was no reply, he continued. "Even if you don't wish to tell me what it is, I just want to tell you that I will protect you. I don't know why, but I just want you to know that I wish to keep you safe…here…I got that dog beanie you wanted…it will always be by your side, to lend a listening ear…" Ren finished, flushing slightly by now.
When there was no reply, Ren looked up and found Lyn fast asleep, her mouth slightly open.
She looks so innocent
Her expression is peaceful
And I wish to protect that
And keep her safe from harm