Mai: Hey I haven't updated this in a real long time but I think I made up for it with an especially long chapter that is the best chapter yet in my opinion. Anyway instead of random rambling on about whatever I feel like today I have decided to write a dedicated one-shot to who ever can tell me what little brother is in Japenese. However there are some rules about what you request.

It has to be a couple from, Naruto, Shaman King, or Yu-Gi-Oh.

No yaoi, yuri, or incest requests because I don't write those and I never will so don't even ask.

No KakashiXSakura because he is fourteen years older then her and her teacher so it's a little bit weird plus I do not like the coupling.

Please no NeijiXTenten because while I enjoy the couple I don't have a clue how to write one of those because I really don't know enough about Neiji and Tenten's personailities yet.

That's about it for rules so please help me out if you know! Thank you !

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King or the song Sand in my Shoes by Dido and I won't until I take over the world and take Shaman King as my own! Anyway on with the story!

Chapter 8: Less than Perfect

Dream

She was lying on a bed in the room from the first. She had a book in her lap and she was attempting to read it but her thoughts kept slipping from what was written on the page the other inhabitant of the room.

He should be home soon she found herself thinking. She smiled thinking about him again. She couldn't quite grasp who it was she was expecting but she knew that he was special.

She gave up on the book and decided to listen to some music. She flipped through the songs in her ipod until she found the one she wanted to hear and pressed play.

Two weeks away feels like the whole world should have changed

But I'm home now, and things still look the same

I think I'll leave it till tomorrow to unpack,

Try to forget for one more night

That I'm back in my flat

On the road where the cars never stop going through the night

To a life where I can't watch the sun set,

I don't have time,

I don't have time

I've still got sand in my shoes

And I can't shake the thought of you

I should get on, forget you

But why would I want to

I know we said goodbye,

Anything else would have been confused

But I want to see you again

Tomorrow's back to work and down to sanity

Should run a bath and then clear up the mess I made before I left here

Try to remind myself that I was happy

Before I knew that I could get

On a plane and fly away

From the road where the cars never stop going through the night

To a life where I can watch the sun set

And take my time,

Take all our time

Two weeks away, all it takes,

To change and turn me around I've fallen

I walked away, and never said,

That I wanted to see you again

I've still got sand in my shoes

And I can't shake the thought of you

I should get on, forget you

But why would I want to

I know we said goodbye,

Anything else would have been confused

But I want to see you again

The song ended and she was about to select another one when she felt someone sit down next to her on the bed. She turned to look at him and smiled.

"I'm home," he said smiling back.

"I can see that," she giggled.

"Well don't I get a hello kiss or something?" he asked.

"Well alright," she told him in mock reluctance. Then he smirked and leaned in for a kiss. She wasn't sure how long they were kissing but when they finally broke apart she was smiling. She laid her head down on his shoulder and just enjoyed the moment. "Promise me, you won't leave me alone for that long again."

"Of course next time I'll take you with me," he said.

"Promise?" she pleaded.

"Promise," he repeated.

"Good because I missed you way too much," she sighed and nestled closer to him. He started to kiss her again just as the dream began to fade.

End of Dream

Umi sat up in bed blushing. This was the fifth dream about this guy that she had had this week. Somehow she could never quite remember his face and his voice just sort of mixed into the rest of her memory until it was undistinguishable.

She had also started to notice that she always got a killer headache right before she had one of these dreams. But they were so wonderful.

"Are you ok, Umi-dono?" Sen asked popping out of nowhere. It had taken a while for Umi to get used to this habit of Sen's but after a week of hanging out with the dead samurai it was becoming second nature.

"It was nothing just another one of those dreams," Umi muttered rubbing her head. She had pretty much figured out that these dreams were her memories and that was why they felt so real but why did she only get visions of this guy. It must be her fiancé but why only him, why not show her the rest of her friends and family as well. She shook her head no closer to any answers then before.

She sighed and reached for the book hoping it would give her answers. She hadn't read anything in a few days so it took her a few minutes to find her place.

Umi reading the book

"I was beginning to worry that you'd never come and get me," Umi said when they arrived back at the campsite.

"I couldn't find you. I knew my little brother was stupid and trusting but I would never have thought that he'd be stupid enough to invite a known enemy into his group no matter how badly injured. But then again he does trust that Tao boy," he said.

"You said you wanted to ask me something," she said holding her breath. What if he knew about her feelings for him?

"Ah yes. Well now's not really the right time. Tomorrow morning after breakfast let's go for a walk and then I'll tell you," he said hoping that he wasn't blushing even a bit.

"I can't wait," she smiled at him. He turned to go before he heard her say, "Um, Hao."

"Yes," he said his heart beating quickly.

"Could you help me back to my tent I'm not quite strong enough to walk that far by myself yet," she said embarrassed.

"S-sure," he said a small anime sweat drop appearing on the back of his head.

"Thank you, Hao-sama," she said once he had helped to her door.

"No problem, Umi-chan," he replied.

"Goodnight," she said kissing him on the cheek before hobbling inside. Hao blushed a deep shade of crimson. He was thankful that no one could see him; it would totally shatter his image.

The next morning Umi woke up feeling well rested but slightly uneasy.

For some reason Tao Ren had occupied her dreams. He had told her that he loved her and Hao had jumped out of nowhere and the two started to fight. In the end Hao cornered Ren and had moved to kill him when she cried out and woke up.

'It was just a dream,' she told herself. 'I don't really care about him at all. So he helped me for a few days while I was weak. It doesn't mean anything.'

'Then why dwell on it?' a voice in her head asked.

'I'm not dwelling on it. I love Hao-sama,' she told that voice stubbornly.

'Love him. Or should still love him?' the voice asked.

'I DO love him. I have ever since I was a small child!' she argued.

'Then why am I here? Why are you even indulging in this conversation?'

She couldn't answer that so she remained mentally silent.

'I thought so,' the voice replied smugly. 'Your heart falters.'

'Shut up!' she snapped at the voice.

'Fine but I'll be back later.'

Umi sighed relieved to have rid herself of that troublesome voice. Then she got dressed and exited her tent.

"Umi you're back!" Macchi exclaimed when she saw her. This caused Mari and Kanna to turn their heads and both Mari and Macchi to tackle her to the ground with the force of their hugs while Kanna stood watching her eye twitching and a large anime sweat drop on the back of her head.

"Mari missed Umi, soooooooo much!" Mari exclaimed happily.

"Me too!" Macchi shouted joyfully.

"Mari! Macchi! The poor girl can't breath! Get off of her!" Kanna shouted when she noticed that Umi was having trouble breathing.

"Sorry, Umi-chan!" Macchi said as she and Mari released the choking girl.

"Thanks, Kanna," Umi gasped.

"No problem," the bluenette said before taking out and lighting her usual cigarette.

"Umi!" Hao's voice called across the campsite. She turned around smiling to see him rushing towards her.

"Good morning, Hao," she said cheerfully.

"You're walking normally again," he stated slightly surprised.

"Oh yeah I am. I hadn't noticed," she said as Hao did an anime fall. "Anyway weren't you going to ask me something now?"

"Oh yeah. After breakfast you're probably starving," he said.

"I sure as hell am!" she replied.

After breakfast Umi and Hao took a walk outside the campsite.

"You going to tell me what you want to ask me now or what?" Umi asked impatiently. He paused for a moment and almost swore that she saw his left hand twitch a little inside his pants pocket.

"Alright," he smiled. "I'm not quite sure how to say this so here it goes. Umi I-I ever since I found you we've been good friends, right?"

"Yeah," se said then noticing that he was hesitating she added, "go, on."

"Well somewhere along the way I think I started to want to be more than just friends. It seems like I've always wanted to ask you this but it's a big step and I was afraid that it would ruin our relationship. But the Hanagumi convinced me that with my victory in the Shaman Tournament approaching so fast that now would be the perfect time. Do you get what I'm saying?" he asked hopefully.

Her heart was beating fast now. "Oh my god," she whispered.

"Will you marry me and become my shaman queen after I win the tournament?" he asked getting down on one knee and taking out a ring box.

"I-I…yes!" she exclaimed getting over her moment of hesitation. "Hao-kun I feel the exact same way! But I thought that I was just a lowly follower and I could never be enough for you."

He got up and kissed her passionately. "Umi-chan even if you were only a follower you could never be a 'lowly' one, you've been with me way too long."

She smiled. "So are you going to help me with that or do I have to put it on myself?" she asked gesturing towards the ring.

"Of course, my lady, how inconsiderate of me!" he exclaimed making her giggle as he slid the ring onto her finger. Then he kissed her again.

"I love you," she whispered when he broke away.

"I'm glad 'cause guess what I love you back," he said before kissing her again. Somehow though this scene that had always been the center of her dreams felt somewhat incomplete like something had changed or gone missing and she couldn't figure out what it was.

Umi shut the book her heart pounding. Could this 'Hao' be her fiancée? He had said that he was Yoh's brother in the story but she had never heard Yoh mention any brother before and if she truly loved this Hao guy why did the Umi in the book seem hesitant?

"It seems that every time I read this book things just get more and more confusing," she muttered to herself before closing her eyes