Yukiko slowly said goodbye to her duties in geisha house. For last few weeks she had been teaching this young, but really intelligent geisha, who Yukiko has chosen as new oka-san. And so, by the end of second week after receiving news about her family, Yukiko technically stopped coming to the Asakura mansion, only showing for few minutes if new girl had problems. To tell the truth, Yukiko now saw two lives in one time: one before the truth and the current: knowing about her family. The fact that she was royal concerned Yukiko least, but another thing, where her mother was spirit medium, or Itako, as they say, raised interest in Yukiko…did she inherit it as well? The blonde figured that she won't figure it out until she gets to the mansion…somehow, she felt that answers lied there. And so, slowly, everything was prepared for her leaving...only the heardest part left: say goodbye to people.

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Anna knocked into wooden door of her former geisha house, in the centre of town. A woman, with long loose black hair, black eyes and white kimono opened the door and smiled, greeting her:

"Hello, Anna" Aya said and showed in "please, come in" the blonde stepped inside and took off her shoes. Aya led her to the quadroon wooden table and showed her to sit down. The elder woman began to talk:

"First of all, I'd like to congratulate you, Anna" she said, still smiling "you finally found what you were looking for" the blonde nodded, eyes fixed on her so called one-san…how long haven't they been talking like this? Long time.

"Thank you, Aya. I'd really like you to come where I am going" the elder woman sighed with irony in it.

"You know I can't" Aya's smiled turned into sarcastic "maybe when I am too old to work here, I'll come to you and spend last days of mine"

"That is too far away, one-san" Anna didn't retreat her eyes from the woman in front of her "I also came to seek your advise before going away" Aya nodded, letting her to continue. Anna thought for a while before saying:

"Let me put it into one single question: what to do, when you love too much?" Aya expected this kind of question and she was prepared for it. The only thing was if it contains any real help to Anna. The black haired woman stood up and walked to window. She was standing there for a while, looking at young maiko, sunning the laundry in the inner yard.

"There are two ways, Anna: run from it, or run with it" the elder woman looked at the blonde's eyes "the choice is up to you" Anna stood up as well and walked to Aya. The black haired woman took her former apprentice's hand and squeezed it. Anna answered the same way, saying:

"I'm going to need strength, Aya, much strength" she whispered. Aya hugged Anna tightly, knowing that it may be the last…who knows what might happen.

"Take mine with you, Anna" they stood like this for couple of minutes and the blonde found strength to leave her…after whole life, the blonde was leaving her one-san for gods know how much time…her beloved one-san.

At the door, right before leaving, Anna turned around, inhaled deeply and said:

"His name is Asakura Hao" Aya nodded.

"I knew it, Anna. That was the love from first sight, no matter how you denied it" she smiled understandingly "now go. We both hate long goodbyes"…

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Anna came back to her home, where almost all her things were packed into bags and packages, ready to leave any time soon. But the blonde somehow was delaying the departure, waiting for something…and she knew for what. Anna didn't even decide whether she'll stay for Hao's wedding or not, but she also didn't see Ren for quite a while and maybe this was stopping her from leaving as well. But the second reason was soon wiped out.

Ren, as usual, showed up in late evening, when sun was almost set and he came onto Yukiko, when she had just been climbing into hot water of onsen, only white towel around her. The blonde gasped when she heard unexpected voice of Ren:

"A rather going away mood, don't you think?" the blonde froze in place, but quickly whirled around and drilled Ren with her frosty look.

"You do not know what knocking is, do you, Tao?" she asked harshly. Ren only smirked.

"Sorry, thought you had already used to it" he said, closing the door behind himself and walking closer to the blonde:

"Where are you leaving to?" Anna only raised her eyebrow.

"Why do you want to know?" Ren shrugged shoulders.

"Maybe because I care about you?" the man stopped few steps away from her. Yukiko analyzed him for a while, and then said:

"If I tell you, promise to not try to stop me, or convince me not to, or any other bullshit that you might pull?" Ren laughed lightly.

"For you, Yukiko, I can do it" the blonde nodded.

"I'm going away to Osorezan, to my family's mansion and home. There is where I belong. Oh, and Ren" she silenced, rethinking quickly if it is a right thing to do, but decided to be honest before leaving "my name is Anna Kyouyama" Ren's eyes widened, but stayed sharp as usual.

"Anna…beautiful" he said, obviously more to himself "if you want to go, then I can't stand in your way. How about Asakura?" this question shaken Anna, but she managed not to show it.

"What about him? It's not like he could stop me, you know" the blonde crossed arms on her chest "he's getting married if you didn't know"

"Yes, I did" Ren smirked again "and I'll be even calmer when he does so" Anna laughed to his words and by shacking her head she climbed into hot water and leaned against bath's wall. Ren squatted, facing her naked back. He gently touched her skin, feeling how soft, wet and hot it was. Anna felt his touch, memories of Hao's touched coming back to her.

"I will miss you, Anna" Ren whispered. Only with her he could allow himself to become soft…only to her he could say something like this.

"I know, Ren" Anna answered silently "and I'd be lying if I said I won't" With him, I had strangest relationship ever. I didn't love him, but I didn't hate him either. It wasn't brotherly feeling, like to Yoh, nor was it friendship. It was something in between: I liked his presence, his touches, yet my heart didn't really beat for him. Never figured that out, as a matter of fact.

"Will you come back?" he asked. Anna didn't answer at first, but this question made her to make up her mind instantly.

"If nothing unexpected happens, I won't" she said, surprised by her own words. It wasn't like she was planning to not come back, but then again, will there be any reason to be here anyway?

"So I thought" Ren said, playing with her wet hair "you are such a secret, Anna. Maybe that's the reason I like you so much" Anna turned around in water and leaned onto floor, right in front of Ren, placing her head on crossed arms.

"You know, you can come and visit me there, if you want to" she said "I'll let you know when I'm there" the blonde smiled to Ren "deal?"

"Deal" Ren smiled back and leaned to kiss her: it was a gentle kiss, but Anna liked it. She couldn't feel anyway different anyhow.

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Now nothing stands in my way. I shouldn't delay the journey more, should I? And yet…

Anna wondered like that when she headed back to house from onsen. Ren left just as the sun sat, leaving the blonde alone. Now she fought with herself, thinking whether to just go now, or to stay to see Hao disappear for all time. One person could help her with it. Anna quickly changed into red kimono and put on black cloak. She set off through fields and into town, which was now sleeping, only shining windows of pubs still illuminating narrow streets, laughter and shouting coming from them. Anna passed it all and headed to mansion, guards easily letting her in. She walked and walked through corridors, until she found the door she was looking for. Anna knocked softly. The door opened not instantly, but they were opened by a person Anna was expecting for.

"Anna?" Yoh asked surprised "what are you doing here?"

"I needed to speak with you, Yoh" she said silently and Yoh let her in. Anna took off her cloak and sat onto bed. Yoh, as before, joined her.

"What happened?" Anna shook her head.

"Happened? Nothing. I'm not sure of what should happen, as a matter of fact" Yoh arched an eyebrow.

"You're talking about your journey, right?" he asked, again showing his ability to see Anna through. Only he could do such thing. Anna had to admit that Hao, although loving her much, couldn't do something like reading her mind: he, just like everyone else, had to come through all her barriers.

"Yes. I somehow…delaying it. And I don't know why…it's like something's stopping me. Or maybe I just need a push from behind" Anna smiled to her own words: she never was like this before. Yoh, however, didn't see any problem with it.

"Well, I could be your push from behind" he smiled sheepishly "you know I can do so" Anna almost laughed at him.

"Yes, I know. Maybe that's because I came to you"

"Well, you can trust me at this" he stood up and found his own cloak "come on, we need to find you some transport" Anna widened eyes.

"At this hour?" she showed through window.

"Oh, come on" Yoh took her by wrist and gently made to stand up "have you forgotten that you're talking with Asakura?"

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After half an hour, two carriages reached Anna's house and stopped after crossing the bridge. Yoh and two drivers took all Anna's stuff into one carriage and other was for Anna to ride. After last agreements with drivers, which were supposed to take Anna to Osorezan safe and sound, they agreed that Yoh pays much for forward road and Anna – for backward. When two carriages, dragged by eight light-footed horses, were ready to go, Anna and Yoh stood by one of them, saying last goodbye. Anna's head automatically turned to the house she lived in.

"It's strange, you know" she said "you were the one who gave me this house and now" she turned back to face him "you're the one who helps me to leave it" Yoh laughed slightly.

"Well, what are friends for? The fact is enough that you liked it" Anna nodded, smiling.

"I still do. I'm really going to miss it" she said "thank you, Yoh. For everything"

"Don't mention it. Just don't forget to write, ok?"

"Ok" and she hugged him. Tightly, because Yoh was so dear to her… Come to think of it, my list of people I cared about grew larger from one to six: at first it was only me and me alone…now it is Hao, Yoh, Ren, Aya, Keiko… leaving them all behind was hard enough…especially Hao. And I didn't even say goodbye to him, not even slightest… They retreated and by touching Yoh's cheek, Anna climbed into carriage and left Yoh, left her home…left Hao… All she didn't know that she was being watched by two eyes…

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Two carriages were already picked up their speed, when a sudden stop almost made Anna fly through all the inside. The blonde stepped out of the carriage and in slight light of half-full moon, she saw the one, whom she longed to say goodbye…or rather, whom she wanted to go with… Hao… He obviously caught up with her on his horse, from which he jumped down. They stopped at distance from each other, but Anna spoke first:

"What are you doing here?" she asked with demand.

"I could ask the same to you" Hao said with obvious anger in his voice "I thought we had an agreement, Anna"

"Well, agreement's off. I need to leave, now" she showed behind her back "and you need to come back to your future wife. We can't be together, Hao" the brown haired man walked closer to her.

"And why is that?"

"Go and ask your mother, Asakura. She'll tell you everything"

"I want to hear it from you" he demanded, now standing so close that he could smell Anna's intoxicating smell "where are you going?"

"Home! Is that good enough for you?!" Anna was loosing it. She has chosen to run from it, now why is it running after her? "I've chosen to leave, because I'm scared about your life, Hao, just get it into your head that I love you so much that I'd rather see you alive and well with someone else than you being rejected and dead!" Hao just stood there, looking to her and not believing it: she's self-sacrificing for him? Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?

"I know that, Anna" he said silently "and I want to take the risk with you. Let's go wherever you're going together" Anna shook her head.

"What about your family?"

"They will be alright. Besides, I don't care about them as much as I care about you"

"That's not true!" Anna shot again "if it would be so, you wouldn't have accepted to marry in first place! Hao, just leave and forget me! That's the best for us both!"

"I can't forget you!" now Hao was shouting "can't you just get it that I don't give a damn on them?!" Anna shook her head.

"NO! First go away and talk to your mother. Then decide your priorities"

"Oh, and you're the one to speak of them"

"Yes, because my priorities are your life and love" Anna snapped to him. This left Hao speechless "now go" the blonde touched his cheek gently…the way only she could touch him "and do as I say" Hao took her hand and squeezed it.

"I love you" he whispered.

"I love you too" and by kissing him shortly, Anna jumped into carriage and both moved the previous direction, leaving Hao standing in one place… Oh well, she at least said goodbye to him…