Damn…Nano is tiring…haha but it's fun too! Anyway, recently somebody raised that snow-angel-anna and my story are quite alike, like the parents' death and all. Well yea we planned that. We both wanted to kill the parents, so we decided to do it in the same chapter and post together. And for chapter 10, both were named after flowers. Well, the only reason why I named it after a flower was because the meaning of the flower, namely 'joy to come' was perfect for the chapter since that was the promise Hao made to Kaede. So yea. I'm not copying her idea, neither is she copying mine. I guess we just think too alike at times. Scary. We can end up saying the same thing at the same time. Hee. On with the story! snow-angel-anna has updated already, and its her last chapter, so check it out. I think mine will be around 20 chapters in all.

Chapter 15- Painful Decisions

Lyzerg wrapped the last of his presents for Yoh and the rest and stacked it up with the rest, before leaning back and stretching. He was done with the presents, so he was ready for the Christmas Eve party they were having that night.

Yoh had suggested a get together at Christmas, and eager to meet each other again, they had all agreed. Lyzerg had arrived in Funbari about a week ago, and throughout the week, the rest had slowly joined them. Jun had stayed in China to celebrate Christmas with her family, and Choco Love had only arrived the day before, quite thankfully.

Lyzerg grinned a little at the thought. He had been surprised when he had met the two girls who had fought against Yoh and Ren in the finals, and even more so to find out that they had actually been staying at the En Inn for the past two months.

But that hadn't been the biggest surprise. They had all been amazed at how much Hao and Ren had changed. Hao was no longer so flighty, having found someone he could care for, namely Kaede. Hao admitted that change in himself, and had even told them he liked it.

Ren on the other hand, desperately fought to deny the fact that he had softened, even if it were just for that one single person.

In the week since Lyzerg had arrived had Funbari, he had gotten to know both Lyn and Kaede better, and he understood how two seemingly normal girls had touched the hearts of the last two people on earth he had expected to love another.

Kaede was quiet, but she had a kind heart, and she wasn't afraid to show concern for her friends around her. She was also friendly, and very caring, especially towards young children.

Lyn had struck him as immature at first, and he had wondered what had made Ren fall for her. But after talking to her for awhile, he had realised that she was actually quite mature, and it was just that she chose to look at things in a more light-hearted way. She was alike to Yoh and Horo Horo in that way.

Lyzerg stood up and Morphine flew over to his shoulder. He smiled at her and left the room, walking towards the dining room, wondering if Yoh was the one preparing breakfast. He hoped that Anna had decided to let Yoh off since it was Christmas Eve. He had to admit…Yoh's cooking was pretty…unique.

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"Aww…Anna can we please? Lyn will be so happy…" Yoh begged Anna, who rolled her eyes in annoyance. Since Ren had asked her if she would allow a certain something into the house as Lyn's Christmas present, Yoh had been bugging her about it.

Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea though. As long as she didn't end up looking after it. Anna nodded reluctantly, wondering if she was going to regret her decision. Yoh whooped and slapped Ren on the back with a grin. Ren glared at Yoh, but left it at that although he looked like he was trying to suppress a smile.

"I'll go and collect it after breakfast…" Ren muttered, and Yoh began asking to go along too. Ren ignored him, staring at the food on the table. Anna had decided to give Yoh a break, and she had prepared a big breakfast for all of them since it was Christmas Eve.

"I'll bring it for walks, I'll feed it, I'll take good care of it!" Yoh exclaimed, grinning excitedly. "It's Lyn's…not yours…unless your name happens to be Lyn?" Anna reminded Yoh sarcastically.

Yoh stopped and nodded with a disappointed frown, then went back to asking Ren whether he could go along to collect Lyn's present with him. Ren growled and nodded slowly with an exasperated sigh.

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Ren clenched his fists in irritation at Choco Love's lame jokes. Those stupid jokes were driving him crazy. He wished he had brought Kwan Dao down with him. One more lame joke and he swore he would kill him. Suddenly, the shrill ring of the phone broke through the sounds of laughter.

"Phone!" Horo Horo called, and Yoh jumped up from where he was sitting on the floor and ran into the inn to answer the phone.

Choco Love blinked for awhile, as if he was thinking, then smacked his right fist on his left palm as if he had gotten an idea. 'Not another lame joke…' Ren muttered under his breath. "Phone made of Bones!" Choco Love exclaimed, looking around at everyone and sighing in disappointment when he saw that no one was laughing.

"ARGH!" Ren growled, and he poked Choco Love in the nose with the sharpest thing at hand-his tongari. It was an action born from desperation, and Ren knew he would regret it the moment he saw the expression on Choco Love's face.

"Attack of the killer tongari!" Choco Love cried, looking around with a contented smile on his face when everyone began laughing. Of course, they were laughing at Ren's expression, and not because he had made a funny joke.

Ren clenched his fists and punched Choco Love on the head before stalking off, leaving Choco Love lying dazed on the ground. "I think I see stars…" Choco Love muttered dreamily.

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"Kaede?" Hao called softly, walking towards the bench on which Kaede was seated. She turned around and smiled gently when she saw him.

"What are you doing here on your own?" Hao asked her concernedly as he sat down next to her. He peered into her eyes curiously when there was no answer.

Kaede shook her head, flushing slightly. "I was just thinking of how much has happened this year…Why I was made to meet you…" She murmured thoughtfully, her eyes distant.

"So that we could fall in love?" Hao asked with a grin. She looked at him in surprise and he smiled. "Why not?" He asked, shrugging and putting an arm around her shoulder.

Kaede stared at him in silence for awhile, then leant comfortably into his touch. She felt Hao shift around, looking for something. He took out a small wrapped box and handed it to her. "Merry Christmas…" He told her with a smile.

"Thank you…" Kaede said, putting the gift to one side and as she sat up and reached for her present to him, which she had placed under the bench. "And merry Christmas to you too." She said, handing his gaily wrapped box to him with a smile.

Hao raised his eyebrows in surprise, smiling pleasantly. "I didn't expect you to get me anything. Any clue as to what it is?" He asked, grinning. "Open it…I hope you like it…" Kaede muttered, a slight flush on her face.

Hao carefully opened the box, and was pleasantly surprised by what was inside. There was a card, carefully drawn out by Kaede herself, and there was a carefully knitted red scarf.

"So this is what you've been busy with the past few days?" Hao asked curiously. Kaede nodded slowly and grinned nervously. "I love it…Even more so because you were the one who made it…" Hao told her, stroking her hair.

Kaede nodded happily, and leaned back into Hao's arms. She took the gift from Hao and turned it over, examining it and wondering what was inside.

"Open it…" Hao told her. She looked at Hao uncertainly, and he urged her to open it again. She carefully unwrapped it and gasped at what she saw.

Inside the carefully wrapped box, was a pair of crystal swans, their necks entwined in a heart.

Kaede took the note from the side of the box and read it, tears flooding her eyes at the words so carefully written.

Hey…It's been quite a year, hasn't it? I think the best thing that happened to me was meeting you.

I'm sorry for hurting you at first, giving you the cold shoulder. I should have realised from the start how important you were to me.

The swans…are bound by love. That is how I feel right now. I am bound to you by my love for you. That you have entered my life, is the greatest thing that has ever and ever will happen to me. You let me see a part of me I thought never existed. The part of me which can love a single person with my whole heart, my entire being, my soul. And that single person is you.

Thank you for having let me fall in love with you.

Merry Christmas.

Your Fiancé,

Asakura Hao.

Hao tenderly raised a finger to Kaede's eyes and wiped her tears away. "Don't cry…did I say something wrong in there?" He asked concernedly. She shook her head quickly. "It wasn't that you said something wrong…Thank you…" She whispered, smiling through her tears of joy.

Hao leaned in towards her slowly, and she blinked back tears, closing her eyes. She smiled when she felt the gentle pressure of his lips against hers. His tongue ghosted over her lips, and she opened her mouth at his request.

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Ren sat under the bare tree near the garden pond, staring up at the night sky thoughtfully. He wanted to give Lyn her present, but he had been unable to find her.

Just then, he heard the crunching of shoes against the frozen ground, and he turned around to see Lyn, who was holding her hands behind her back. He noticed that she was wearing the necklace her parents had given to her.

"You're going to freeze your butt off that way, you know?" She commented with a grin, but sat down next to him despite her earlier comment. She found the ground surprisingly warm, and saw that Ren had laid his coat on the ground.

Ren looked at Lyn nervously, uncertain of how to give her present to her. Little did he know that the exact same thought was passing through Lyn's mind.

Lyn decided that a direct approach was the easiest, so she took her hands out from behind her back and gently whacked Ren's head with the box she was holding. Ren looked at her questioningly and she flushed, trying to pretend that it was because of the cold.

"Open it…" She told him, grinning mischievously. Ren raised an eyebrow, wondering what she was up to, and proceeded to unwrap the box.

When all the wrapping paper had been removed, Ren lifted the cover of the box and peered into it. Inside, he saw another box. He looked at it in bewilderment. This was probably one of Lyn's pranks.

He lifted the cover of the second box, and found a third box lying inside. By now, he was certain that Lyn was just being her usual mischievous self. He opened the third box, and as expected, there was a fourth box.

Ren sighed, smiling amusedly at Lyn's silliness. He opened the fourth box, and the fifth box inside, expecting to find a sixth box. Instead, there was an assortment of items inside the fifth box.

There was a note, a few sheets of paper and a keychain. Ren took out the note and read it, smiling in amusement.

Hey! You're smiling aren't you? I can just picture what your smile is like right now when I'm writing this note.

Thanks for comforting me when I was down about my parents' death. And also when I was having mixed feelings about my brother.

I remember our first fight. The shaman fight, that is. Back then, you struck me as an arrogant person, who was overconfident of your own abilities. You also struck me as a self-centered person, capable only of caring about yourself.

But I was proved wrong that very night. I sprained my ankle, and there you were, showing concern towards me.

That look on your face as you looked at the stars. You looked so lost, so confused, so alone. And I knew you weren't as bad as I thought you were.

One thing I never expected that night, was that I would fall in love with you. Is it the same for you?

Needless to say, I'm glad that I met you. You've thought me not to judge people by face value, and you've also thought me that every person, including myself, is capable to love another.

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

Aizawa Lyn

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Ren carefully put the note back into the box, then took out the sheets of paper. On them, were sketches of him, grinning, smirking, frowning, smiling, shouting and even sleeping.

He looked at Lyn in surprise and she grinned. "I decided to do a sketch of you and your many faces…I thought it would make a meaningful gift." She told him, smiling from ear to ear.

He nodded gratefully, and took out the keychain. It was a figure of someone with a tongari, holding a Kwan Dao, and it was made of bent metal. Ren looked at it in surprise.

"That's supposed to be you!" She told him cheekily. "Thank you…" He said, reaching for his present for her.

Lyn blinked in surprise when Ren handed her a box which had holes punched into it. Then, she heard a scratching sound from inside the box and she realised that the box held a living thing.

Lyn gingerly lifted the cover of the box, and out leapt a tiny Jack Russell, barely seven weeks old. It jumped onto her chest and began slobbering her face with happy, excited licks.

Lyn grinned happily as she lifted the dog from her chest and placed it on her lap. The puppy ran on her lap for awhile, before curling up and promptly falling asleep.

"Thank you so much!" Lyn cried happily, throwing her arms around Ren's neck, though she took care not to wake the puppy.

Ren nearly lost his balance and blushed. "I'm glad you like it…" He told her with a slight smile. She nodded and leaned on his shoulder with a yawn, and he slipped an arm around her shoulder.

Ren couldn't help but yawn too. It had been a long day and they were both tired. Ren felt his eyes closing slowly, and the last thought in his mind before he fell asleep was, "I can't fall asleep…gotta bring Lyn back to her room…"

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Lyn awoke in the middle of the night when she felt her necklace tugging. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and blinked in surprise to find that she had fallen asleep with Ren's arm around her shoulder. She slowly removed his hand and walked in the direction that her necklace was tugging on.

She stopped abruptly when she saw her brother, standing outside the En Inn with a smirk on his face.

"I see you finally decided to wear your necklace again? Well, I just dropped by to wish you a merry Christmas, and to tell you that our final face-off will take place soon, perhaps sometime in late January. Oh and who was that guy? Your boyfriend? He will be the first one I kill."

He disappeared with a flash the moment he finished what he had been saying, leaving Lyn staring at where he had been standing a second ago, her eyes trembling with fear, not for herself, but for Ren.

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Ren walked down the stairs silently, duffel bag in hand. His parents' had asked him to return to China for his birthday. He had been planning to celebrate it with Lyn, but this arrangement suited him too. It had been quite awhile since he had seen his parents anyway.

Ren walked to the door, careful not to make any noise as he slid it open. It was six in the morning, and the rest were probably still sleeping.

"BOO!" Ren got a shock and stumbled forward when he heard someone shout. He turned around to see Lyn, mischievous grin on her face. The puppy ran circles around his leg excitedly.

Ren had not expected Lyn to be awake so early. "Here." He looked up in surprise when she handed him a box. "It's for your birthday. Open it only on your birthday." She told him, grinning.

Ren nodded with a slight smile, casting a worried look at Lyn. She seemed unusually chirpy this morning, as if she was hiding something.

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Lyn slid her room door shut behind her, breathing hard in an attempt to force the tears back. She had made a decision, and she would stick to it no matter how much it hurt.

She walked over to her study table where she had been writing her diary earlier and she read the entry she had made.

December 27th

My heart is shattering, I'm breaking inside.
The world seems so dark and I just want to hide.
I harden my heart, kick the fragile pieces aside,
For I have made my decision and I will not give up.

I take a firm stand, 'no turning back' I say,
For I will protect you, no matter if I pay.
No harm will befall you, until I am dead,
For I will love you, even to my grave.

Haha what decision did Lyn make? Well, you'll just have to read on. Hee. Hope you liked it. First part was pretty random, I know. Sorry about that. I just couldn't resist the 'attack of the killer tongari' part. I came up with the idea when I was having a mock fight with snow-angel-anna. We were blurting out Chinese martial arts moves, and it just burst out of my mouth. We nearly died laughing.