Chapter three: Who are you?

Alexis looked at his reflection.

He had just finished drying himself off, and what stood before him was an image of a handsome brunette with rich chocolate eyes.

He sighed.

"Who is the real me? Why…why am I having these…these nightmares?"

Flashback seven years ago

"Whe—where am I?" a brunette said weakly, his hand clutching his throbbing forehead. He had IV's littered on his arms, and most of his body was wrapped in bandages.

A blue-haired figure smiled at him, her azure hair draping from her shoulders.

"Alexis! You're awake!" She said, throwing him into an embrace.

The boy just stared in shock.

"A-Anna?" was all he managed to say.

She made a face and let go.

"Who…are you? Where am I?"

"I'm Rika Han, your fiancée, and we're currently in Seoul. You were involved in a car accident…and…and you had amnesia..."

"Seoul? Amnesia?"

He cupped his hands on his forehead. This was too much.

"Rika…?" He removed his hands and faced her.

"Who am I?"

"Alexis Yu, Chairman of the Fu Er Mo Xa group of companies in Taiwan. Of course, I don't expect you to remember much…you've been sleeping for a week now, and I was afraid we…we'd lost you…" her voice faded as she spoke the last three words.

"Alexis…Yu…" he repeated, making a mental note to himself. But he couldn't stop thinking about the name "Anna". Something in him felt incomplete…

Suddenly, images flashed in his mind.

A blonde girl, a samurai, then…

Images of people screaming, some shrieks of adults and cries of children…

And then…darkness.

"Alexis? You alright?" She asked, her beautiful face full on concern.

He shook his head and cupped his hand on her right cheek.

"No…I'm…alright..."

End of Flashback

Ren listened attentively as Amidamaru related the past events, with Ren almost spitting out the milk as the ghost mentioned Hao's engagement with Anna.

"Don't tell me…" Ren stuttered as he choked on his milk, coughing and sputtering.

The ghost turned his head away.

"Master Hana never experienced having a real father…and Hao is the closest thing to that, and I take it he appreciated Hao's proposal."

"Yes, but…" Ren hesitated. "But…what if…somehow…Yoh somehow…survived? If he were dead, he'd be around…since he still hasn't fulfilled his promise to Anna…but he isn't…"

"We'd…or even Miss Anna would feel it if he were alive…she's a spirit medium, remember?"

Ren sighed. "I know that this isn't like me, but somehow…I feel that he's alive…somewhere…"

From the doorway, a dark figure dissipated. "Alive, eh? We'll see about that…" she thought as she disappeared into nowhere.

Ren's ear twitched.

"Amidamaru, did you sense that?" He asked the ghost, who merely shook his head.

"Maybe it was just the wind…"

Horo stopped by the convenience store at the corner, grabbing the bouquet as he stepped out of the car. Grinning, he made his way inside.

Anna's eyes welled with unshed tears as she and Tamao talked things over, especially when Tamao mentioned the man who looked a great deal like Yoh. It took all her self control to stop herself from crying at the counter.

"Anna, it's been seven years…try to have a move on, think about Hana…and you'll be married soon, right?"

"Hm…he ran away…?" Rika asked, her brow arching.

Hiro nodded.

"Tell the guards to take him back to the hotel. I don't care even if we have to search every bit of space in Japan, as long as we get him back!"" She ordered, crossing her arms on her chest.

Hiro smirked. "Why does it seem that you are so desperate to get him back?"

Rika turned to face her friend.

"It's because…" She bit her lip.

"You know that he used to live here…right?"
Hiro gave a nod.
"Well, it's just…I don't want him to regain his old memory…it would be…" She turned her head away, unable to finish her statement.
"Painful?" Hiro finished for her.

"Kind of…I just don't want to be left alone…as I was eight years ago…"

"Is that why you never used your old name around him?"
She shook her head.

"I knew him from childhood…his fiancée…and…"

"Ren." Said Hiro.

She nodded. "I don't want the past coming back…it just…brings back painful memories...I just want to forget all about the shamanic world, my brother…everyone. A fresh start would be good…just as creating a life for Alexis…and taking the past behind him."
"But you faked his life…all the awards, scrapbooks, old photos…everything." Hiro responded, his tone a serious one. "It's not a fresh start, but a mere lie."

Rika's expression darkened at those words and tears flowed from her eyes.

"I…I…I'd do anything to make him love me…even though I may have had issues with Ren in the past…I need…I want him…Yoh is mine…"

Hiro's smile faded. He placed his hands on her shoulders and shook her.

"Rika! Please…don't do this to yourself…"
A tear streamed from his eye as he turned away, hands still on her shoulders as she just stared into nowhere. She snapped out of her trance and gazed at her friend.

"Hiro…"

Horo took a deep breath as he headed to the counter, where the pink-haired cashier was talking to a familiar blonde…

"Anna?" he thought, walking closer.

Alexis took one last look at the mirror and straightened his clothes as he got out the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Hao gave Ren a smirk as he entered the living room where Ren was reading a book.

Ren lowered his glasses, looking at the brown-haired shaman.

"Hey." Hao greeted as he sat down on the side opposite to him.

Ren raised a brow. "She was here."

"She?" Hao asked, looking confused.

"Kanna. You should know better than make her spy on me and Amidamaru…"

Hao let out a laugh. "Mari? I've had her dismissed eight years ago, together with Marion and Matilda." He paused for a second, checking his hair.

"But I must say, Ren, you really have grown stronger all these years."
"Stop eluding the subject." Ren said irritably.

"Well then…she was indeed here, no point denying that…but then…I never recalled seeing her or even making contact with the girl." He said, his expression becoming serious.