Oyamada Library

Pirika, sniffled, still attempting to get over the cold she contracted from that wet, rainy night she would like to forget about on the field. "Well...that didn't work out so well...try writing the element's symbol next to the name I give you, okay?" She shoved a piece of paper at him that she had hurriedly scrawled on before their tutoring session. Her tutoring session. With Ren. Merely a week after that catastrophic encounter they had after his game. Stupid counseling center! Why did they have force me to tutor him! Why! She smacked her forehead repeatedly until he gave her back his answers

As -- Arsenic

S -- Sulfur

K -- Potassium

Mg -- Magnesium

Eu -- Europium

O -- Oxygen

U -- Uranium

Ti -- Titanium

Ar -- Argon

Li -- Lithium

Rb -- Rubidium

Er -- Erbium

Al -- Aluminum

Dy -- Dysprosium

Y -- Yttrium

Si -- Silicon

Te -- Tellurium

Uun -- Ununnilium

P -- Phosphorus

I -- Iodine

Db -- Unnilpentium

She even added an exclamation point at the end of the series of questions, which would look totally random to the inattentive observer. Okay, so maybe that was a little straightforward, but it-- Her train of thought skidded to a halt when she saw what he had written at the bottom of the work sheet:

Nitrogen

Oxygen

No?! Jeez, someone's mean today. That jerk. She twitched a little, stung by the bluntness of his answer. She whipped out a pencil and threw the paper back at him:

Why?

He looked deep in thought before sighing and giving up.

Because your brother will kill me.

She saw red. "Who cares about my brother?" she demanded, making the entire library go silent. "Er, sorry, everyone..." The librarian glared at her. "Is that really why?"

He clamped his jaw shut and nodded. "Can we go back to the lesson...I need to pass this final or I'm going to summer school."

"Not until we finish this talk," she snapped. "Is that the only reason why?"

He studied her face. "Convince me and then maybe." He turned back towards his textbook, hoping to continue to study.

Convince him? Why shouldI have to be the one to convince him?For once in her life, she was the one trying to persuade someone to go out with her, rather than the other way around. She had come to expect a deluge of notes asking her to be someone's girlfriend every morning after she opened her locker. Every Valentine's Day, while other girls complained that they didn't get a single card or flower or piece of candy from a boy, Pirika was there complaining herself that she got too many requests and little trinkets from the entire male school population. She was typically seen with a whole gaggle of dumbstruck boys following her around campus. Which is why...

"What?!" Another angry face from the librarian

Ren slammed his book shut. (Librarian Glare Count: 3). "I said...'Convince me and then maybe.' Did you not hear me the first time, Ainu Girl? Or is your brain still frozen?"

"Why should Ibe the one to convince you?" she huffed.

He rolled his eyes. "Because I already get multiple requests every hour from many different girls to engage in a relationship with them. Hence, you would need a lot of persuasion to get me to even consider going out with you."

She scowled while he started packing up his things. "Well, there are a lot of boys wanting to be my boyfriend. So that kind of levels the playing field."

He shrugged, putting on his backpack. "Your loss." He stood up and walked away. "Oh, and I'm not stupid."

"Come back here!" she yelled. (Librarian Glare Count: 4). She ran after him.

"Get out of my library! Both of you!" The librarian shrieked. "God, kids these days with their yelling and their teenage drama and their tension that eventually develops into a romantic relationship—"

Free Period--The Quad

"It's really quiet here without the seniors..." Tamao remarked sadly from the lunch table they were seated at, observing the sparsely populated campus as she struggled with a pile of applications for next year's LANSC staff.

"It sure is. When are Yoh and Anna leaving again?" Horohoro kicked a nearby can at a flock of birds on the ground causing them to scatter and fly away before he took out his sandwich.

"Next week." Tamao pouted. "I can't believe they're really going...And Lyserg and Jeanne are going back to their schools on the same day too."

Horohoro gulped down a huge bite of bread, meat, dressing, cheese, and lettuce-y goodness before responding. "Huh...we'll probably never see them again...I mean, Lyserg's going all the way to England and Jeanne's going back to France. That's so far from here...and airfare is expensive and think about the scheduling if we'd ever meet up with them agai--Hey, are you...what....are you crying?" He put down his sandwich to stare incredulously at her. "Er, I mean, what's wrong?"

She sniffed. "Well, J-Jeanne and I got to be pretty good friends...and-and-and...to think I'll never see her again..." She began crying.

He passed her a freshman's LASNC application to wipe her tears away with. "I'm sure she'll visit once in a while. I was just exaggerating when I said never again." He cut himself off as he saw that his words weren't of particular comfort to Tamao. "You know what, I'll make Jeanne and even Lyserg promise to come back at least for our graduation next year! Okay?"

She hiccupped and put down the moist, crumpled application. "Okay." She pulled out a red pen and one of LASNC's trademark manila folders. "Let's get started on--"

"Hey! You two!"

Horohoro and Tamao turned to the source of the angry voice. "Can we help you...?" Horohoro asked slowly, resuming his consumption of the sandwich.

"You guys know Ren? The Tao kid?" The boy who was speaking crossed his arms, his eyes flashing. "You hang out with him a lot."

Tamao blinked. He looked a lot like Ren. "Yes, we're his friends. Are you related to him?"

Ren-look-like-with-longer-prettier-hair scowled. "No! I'd kill myself if I was related to that asshole—"

Horohoro looked up. "Hey now, Ren might not be the nicest kid on the block but he's still our friend. Watch your mouth."

He rolled his eyes dismissively. "Whatever. Next time you see him tell him I say it's time that I reclaimed what's mine!" He banged his fist down on the table dramatically.

The two juniors stared at him. "Er…who are you and what are you talking about."

Mini-Ren paled a bit. "Um…oh I'm Nichrom and uh…tell Ren I'm going to be the lacrosse captain next year…not him."

Awkward silence.

"Well, that doesn't sound so intimidating. What are you, a sophomore?"

"Yeah, what's it to ya? That stupid Tao kid took captaincy from my brother last year. He was so humiliated that he was forced to quit the team! He graduated the laughingstock of the school."

Horohoro furrowed his brows. "Er, I don't even remember this…"

Nichrom reddened. "Well, I was—I was exaggerating! But still, I have a bone to pick with him…just tell him the message please." He turned around and promptly bumped into someone. "Watch it, pipsqueak."

The little girl that Nicochrome had nearly knocked over skipped up to Tamao and Horohoro. "Do you know Manta?" she excitedly inquired, her wild hair threatening to topple her over by the sheer size of it.

Tamao smiled at her. "Yes, he's our friend." Horohoro shot her a look. "Er, why do you want to know?"

She squealed. "Ooooooh, because Opacho wants to meet him!" She clutched at her face. "Opacho has admired him for so long! Please tell him Opacho wants to meet him!" She skipped away before either of them could respond.

Horohoro groaned. "Next year is shaping up to be a very interesting year." Tamao laughed. "We're never gonna get a break until graduation."

Tamao tapped a finger to her mouth. "You know actually…I heard that Bason might be replaced next year." Horohoro's eyebrows skyrocketed upwards. "By an American." His eyes widened.

"Whoa, really? But his team has done so well for like six years now." Tamao shrugged and she filed away six more applications.

"I suppose the school figures that Americans are just intrinsically better at everything," she mused, frowning.

"Yeah, just like how they're replacing Marco with an American professor for environmental science next year too." Horohoro sighed. "I was looking forward to getting him. I don't understand why they would do that though."

Tamao stared. "He talked about guns nonstop and told his class that he wanted to cleanse the world and set trees on fire while he was smiling."

The Ainu boy paused before finishing off his sandwich. "I don't see your point."

She rolled her eyes and smiled. "You're so silly sometimes."

"I know. I don't understand how you put up with me," he grinned.

Tokyo International Airport

"Are you sure you've packed everything?"

"Yes, Marco."

"Are you sure you've packed everything?"

"Yes, Marco."

"Are you sure you've packed everything?"

"Yes, Marco."

"Are you sure you've packed—"

"Marco," Lyserg sighed. "Even if for some strange reason I didn't pack everything, which is a very, very small chance considering you continually asked me every five seconds last night and checked every drawer in my room seventeen times and insisted on having my address in England so that you can mail me anything that I had left behind, it really wouldn't make a difference since we're at the airport already."

Marco had been frowning while Lyserg was talking. He took off his glasses, cleaned them, put them back on his face, crossed his arms, uncrossed his arms, ran a hand through his hair, closed his eyes, looked down at the ground, and sighed.

"Are you sure you've packed everything?"

Lyserg groaned and went through the revolving doors, leaving his temporary guardian outside to torture Jeanne instead.

"Hey, Lyserg! Over here!" Yoh waved him over to where he, Anna, and Tamao were standing. "Took ya long enough," he said smilingly, slinging his arm around the younger boy's shoulder. "Pirika, Ren and Horo'll be here in a few minutes."

"I can't believe it's all over," Lyserg said quietly, not quite sure if he was referring to his foreign exchange program or the fact that he'd never see anyone for at least a year. He thought about it and decided that it didn't really matter.

"Yeah, I know." For once when the British boy looked at Yoh he wasn't smiling. "I haven't admitted this to anyone but…I'm scared." Lyserg blinked in surprise as Yoh laughed. "Hard to believe, right? I mean it's just college. But just thinking about it scares the crap out of me. But…I'm still excited. I don't understand."

Lyserg nodded. "No, I get what you're saying. I felt the same way before I came to Funbari Hill. It was terrifying…the prospect of moving halfway around the world to a country where I didn't speak the language, didn't know anyone, didn't know the customs, didn't know if I'd make any friends," he remembered. "But then I met you guys." He grinned shyly. "And you were the best friends I've ever had."

Yoh pulled Lyserg into a hug. Not just a man hug that only losers do at school to preserve their masculinity but a real, genuine, OMG-man-I'm-never-gonna-see-you-again-I'm-about-to-cry hug. "You'd better keep in touch…or I'm going to buy a plan ticket, fly to England, hunt you down, and beat you to a pulp."

Lyserg sniffed. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me." He burst out bawling as Yoh began crying too.

Anna and Tamao stared at the spectacle. "What…the hell…."

"I'm not entirely sure if we got the rest of the conversation. Maybe in context it would make sense," she posited.

Anna shot a look at Tamao. "Oh please. What could ever explain how a violent death threat is the biggest compliment he's ever heard?"

Tamao hung her head. Isn't threatening death exactly what you did when you met Yoh?

The two boys pulled away and stopped crying and stood in silence until Yoh asked, "So…have you told Jeanne…you know…"

Lyserg quirked an eyebrow. "Told her what?"

Yoh sighed. "You know what I mean…that…you…well…" He gestured aimlessly as if he could pull the words he was looking for out of the air. "Like…her…?"

Lyserg squawked. "I don't…I don't…I don't know what you're t-t-talking about," he was able to splutter out, his face looking as if he had spent ten hours under direct sunlight.

"It was pretty obvious, Lyserg. Don't you think she should know—"

"No, never!...Er…I mean…even if she did know, it's not like she would ever like me back…or that it would matter. We're going to two different countries…and…" He shrugged. "It's pointless."

"I guess. But have you ever cared about anyone as much as do you with her?" Lyserg paused and shook his head. "Now you're never going to know if she felt the same way about you. What do you have to lose? You just said you're going to two different countries." He slapped Lyserg on the back. "Hey, Ren!" He stepped away but turned back before walking towards the newcomers. "Just think about it."

"'Just think about it'? What am I going to even say? 'Oh hey, Jeanne, I've liked you for the longest time and was wondering if you liked me too but don't worry I'm not going to act on it which is why I chose to tell you on the day we were going back to our respective homes and will probably never see each other again'?"

"What was that, Lyserg?" He nearly jumped out of his skin as he saw who had asked the question.

"J-J-J-J-Jeanne!" His face felt like the victim of yet another of Hao's pyro experiments

"I heard you say me name earlier but I didn't quite catch what you—oh this rolling suitcase is really bothersome." She tugged on the handle in a vain attempt to get it wedged out of the door frame.

"Here, let me get that for you." In one fluid motion, he was able to free her suitcase and hand it back to her. "There you go, Jeanne."

She looked up at him, causing the poor boy to blush profusely. "Thank you, Lyserg. I don't know what I would do without you." She smiled.

Did you hear that?! He screamed inwardly at his cynical side. Did you hear? She doesn't know what she would do without me!

"You're always so helpful."

Score! The optimistic part of him that still believed in happiness, true love, puppies, rainbows and romance danced in circles around cynical Lyserg.

"And a good listener."

Mmmhmmmm. Happy Lyserg nodded with his eyes closed and arms crossed while the cynical one merely rolled his eyes.

"You're such a great friend."

The cynical little voice in him could've sworn that she had emphasized the word friend when she had said that. His optimism faltered as friend echoed around in his head, amplifying in volume by the second.

"In fact, you're like a brother to me."

Now the cynical Lyserg laughed sadistically with an I-told-you-so look on his face. Or rather, he would have if the optimistic Lyserg was still alive. But alas, he was dead in a heap.

He hung his head and gripped the handle of his own baggage. No. No, I will not accept this. For once, I shall speak up! He held his head up. "Jeanne. I have something to say to you."

She cocked her head. "Hmm?"

He puffed his chest out. "Ever since we began talking especially because we got to live together, I have admired you and…and…over time, I think…no…I know that it has developed into a different kind of feeling…and well, Jeanne, I can say now that I really, really, really like you—"

Right at that moment he looked up. And boy, did he choose the worst possible moment to look up. Because what he saw made him snap his jaw closed so hard that the reverberations from his teeth hitting together vibrated around in his mouth for a second. He saw Ren smirking at him. No, no, smirking is much too kind a word. He was jeering and sneering and probably torturing him to death inside his head with taunts. Oh and everyone else was expectantly staring at him too.

"Photography skills."

Jeanne blinked. "W-What?" Everyone else groaned.

"I really, really like your photography skills."

She looked around for a second uncertainly. "Oh…why…why thank you…? I didn't know that you liked photography so much."

He was beating himself up internally. No! I can't chicken out this time. I have to tell her. "No, I don't think you understand. I really, really, really like…you…r photography skills. I don't think I've ever liked someone else's aptitude in the media arts quite as much as I do with you…rs. In fact, I think if you added up how much I have liked everyone else's in my entire life, it pales in comparison with how I feel about you…r finesse with the camera."

Her face suddenly showed that she comprehended what he was (very, very awkwardly) trying to say. "Oh Lyserg, the thing is…is that I like…your hair…a lot too. I just never had enough courage to say how much I really like your hair." Her eyes started shining.

"Really? But you have to understand that not only do I like your photography. I think I might actually love it," he stated solemnly.

She looked up confidently. "That's exactly the same way I feel about your hair."

They both smiled and embraced.

Ren, Horohoro, Pirika, Anna, Yoh, Tamao and Marco stood there, jaws hanging open, eyes bulging out. Well they were until Marco placed one hand on his hip and pumped his other fist in the air with a very loud, "That's my boy!"

The reactions went something like this:

Ren: "WHAT."

Horohoro: "That was…"

Tamao: "The most…"

Anna: "Awkward thing I've never wished I would live to see."

Yoh: "Well it worked, didn't it?"

Pirika: "How did they even understand what the other was talking about? Photography and hair? Really?"

Well, you can imagine it went like that because I only translated their conversation from their unspoken language that is communicated through eye twitches and opening and closing of mouths.

"Now boarding gate A32, now boarding gate A32, please check in if you haven't done so already. Gate A32."

"Jeanne, that's us." Lyserg smiled and offered his arm to her which she gladly took. "Let's get back home."

"And where do you two think you're going?"

The two foreign exchange students turned to see seven bodies rushing towards them to choke them to death (read: hug profusely and enthusiastically with a possibility of bruising certain European students' ribs).

"You didn't think we'd let you leave before one last good bye, did you?" Tamao sniffed while hugging Jeanne.

"We'd become too good of friends, guys, come on now." Horohoro smiled while clasping Lyserg's hand.

"I guess you're okay," Ren stated offhandedly while shaking hands with Lyserg.

"You're gonna have to come back next May for these kids' graduation," Yoh said while Pirika and Marco were blubbering and embracing Jeanne and Lyserg simultaneously.

"If you took anything from my house, I'll kill you," Anna told Lyserg while patting Jeanne on the head.

The door swung open. "Don't forget about us!"

Everyone turned to look at who had said that. "Joco! Ryu!"

"Aw, come on, you were expecting us, right?" Joco smiled while pulling up his goggles.

Dead silence.

Joco and Ryu hung their heads. "Really…"

Lyserg and Jeanne smiled. "We were wondering when you guys would arrive." Joco grinned and hugged both of them.

"Outta the way!" Ryu shrieked, grasping the back of Joco's shirt and flinging him backwards. "Oh, my Lyserg!" He picked up the unsuspecting boy and twirled him around. "I shall miss you so! But it never would've worked out between us," Ryu cried, shining tears flying in slow motion off of his face.

"Guh," was all Lyserg had to say (or could choke out for that matter).

"Put. The boy. Down." A menacing Marco stepped up to confront Ryu.

The coddling drama teacher paused in his tearful goodbye. "And if I don't?" he challenged, sticking his chin up in the air.

Marco cracked his knuckles, his spectacles flashing dangerously.

Joco began shuffling to the side. "Okayyy, guys, let's get out of here before they notice."

Lyserg and Jeanne sidled up to the counter to check in and submit their boarding passes.

"I guess this is it," Jeanne said sadly, offering one last hug to her friends.

"Don't worry though, we'll come back to your graduations for sure next year," Lyserg promised, waving to everyone.

And with that, as with all things, they boarded the plane that would take them halfway around the world to their study abroad program center in London, England where Lyserg and Jeanne would check in and spend a week together with the rest of the foreign exchange students before parting ways, Lyserg by train back to his district and Jeanne by plane back to France.

Tamao sniffed and rested her head on Horohoro's shoulder. Pirika attempted to stop bawling while she forced Ren to hold her (so far, she was winning as Ren's resistance was waning).

Horohoro turned to look at him. Turned back. And then whipped his head around again. "DUDE, I told you to lay off my sister!" Tamao had to hold him back with all her strength.

"She's…making…me…do…it," Ren wheezed out as Pirika had his throat in a death grip.

"You guys…" Tamao pleaded. "Come on, this is—"

"I'm going to rip your spleen out and kill you with it!" Horohoro roared, poised to spring on Ren at any second.

Ren coughed in response.

"Leave me, alone, Horohoro!" Pirika yelled. "You're not the boss of me!"

"As long as I'm driving you to school, I am!"

"Oh yeah? Well I didn't like driving with you anyways! You smell in the mornings! Ren will take me…right?"

Ren garbled. She loosened her clutch. "I already told you to convince me."

She pouted. "You guys suck." She shrugged and placed her hands in her pockets. "Hmm? What's this?" She took out a piece of folded paper.

Pirika, I'm sorry for how I treated you. You have been a great friend to me. Hopefully, you will like the gift that I'm giving you (and that Horohoro won't try killing it and eating it).

-Lyserg

"What the—" Ren craned his neck to read it and Pirika turned around to smack him. "Hey! No reading over my shoulder!"

"Gift?"

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Jealous?"

He shook his head and turned to Yoh instead, causing Pirika to scowl.

"Whatever. I wonder what it could be? Apparently something living. And edible." She stroked her chin and observed her brother gulp down an uncooked tray of airplane food he had snagged off of a stewardess' cart. "At least, something that is edible to him," she said, crinkling her nose. "I guess I'll see when I get home."

Tamao glanced at her watch. "Hey guys, it's ten minutes until the flight to the States." She looked up sadly at Yoh and Anna.

Right on cue: "Ten minutes to boarding gate A18, ten minutes to boarding gate A18, please check in if you haven't done so already. Gate A18."

As they began making the trek to their next stop, Joco glared at the rest of the group. "You guys really weren't expecting me." He hmphed his indignation.

"You two were late. What else were we to expect," Anna stated dismissively.

"It's all his fault!" He whipped an accusing finger in Ryu's face. "If Mr. Drama-Man wasn't taking so long with his hair—"

"This was my last time seeing Lyserg! I had to look good!" Ryu shrieked defensively.

Tamao cocked her head. "I thought you were over him, Ryu…"

"You know, you could get fired for making advances on a student…" Horohoro said, clearing his throat.

"Oh, what's a little bending of the rules here and there?" Ryu waved his hand dismissively as Horohoro and Tamao mouthed out "little"? to each other.

Joco crossed his arms stubbornly. "I feel sorry for whoever you're gonna molest next year in your drama class." He snickered. "'Oooh, I think you're going to have to stay behind for some, eh, private special improv tutoring sessions,'" Joco crooned in a very convincing imitation of the white suited drama teacher.

The rest of the group laughed as Ryu adjusted his tie out of habit and reddened as they reached gate A18. "I actually have an announcement to make." He paused for dramatic effect. "I will not be returning to Funbari High School next year." He thrust both of his arms out sideways and bowed his head. "Please, no crying. This day is sad enough as it is."

Everyone just stared as Ryu lifted his head up. "Er, Ryu, it's not that we won't miss you," Tamao said carefully. "It's just that…I don't think anyone was taking drama at school anyways. Or was interested in the play."

"Eh?! What do you mean not interested in the play?! You have two of the spring musical stars standing right here!" He made a dramatic flourish to indicate Pirika and Ren.

"It was against our will," Pirika reminded him.

"And we're sure as hell not doing it again next year," Ren grumbled, cringing as he remembered those painful dance routines he was forced to endure.

"But—you had such a wonderful time doing it during rehearsals!"

"What do you think this is? High School Musical?" Ren scoffed. "I didn't join it because I'm an athlete who has a secret passion for acting and singing and wanted to buck the...." he paused before hesitantly and inevitably quoting the Disney franchise. "Status quo."

Pirika nodded in agreement. "Our performance wasn't to prove that drama can unite people across the high school social spectrum and that we can all have fun times together despite our teeny-boppery small crises."

"And if Lyserg were here, he'd probably say that we're not the Breakfast Club: Japanese Edition," Ren said bluntly.

"You two break my heart. Break it into tiny pieces. You didn't even ask why I wasn't coming back!"

"Why are you not coming back," Anna stated monotonously, repeating his words verbatim.

"Thank you for asking, Miss Kyoyama-Asakura." He bowed at her as she smacked him in the back of the head. "Anyways, I have decided to embark on a spiritual pilgrimage with Lady Sati in a few months."

Horohoro widened his eyes. "Are you serious? Who's going to be our principal then?"

"That's not the point!" Ryu shouted. "And for your information, it's going to be Miss Jun. But still, that's not the point! The point is is that I'm having doubts about my direction and goals and purpose in life and I need to sort it out! Don't worry, I shall be back by next February."

"Oh, good." Ren rolled his eyes.

"Now boarding gate A18, now boarding gate A18, please check in if you haven't done so already. Gate A18."

Yoh smiled at Anna. "That's us." He turned to face everyone. "See you at Christmas!"

Cue giant group hug.

Tamao tentatively embraced Anna and Yoh. "Be safe," she implored tearfully.

Horohoro hugged Yoh and meekly waved at Anna behind him. "Dude, you'd better email me like every week, man!" Yoh nodded. "I'll try to visit sometime soon. Try not to kill anyone, Anna…please? For me?"

"You know, Amidamaru is going to kill himself once you're gone," Ren said, stating the obvious as Yoh laughed.

"Boss, keep it real!" Ryu slapped his friend on the back.

"Gwuhh, Anna!" Pirika began sobbing again as she reached out towards her friend.

"See ya, later, man!" Joco man-hugged Yoh. "Erm, Anna." Joco gave a curt nod.

Anna did the same. "You know, McDaniel, I'm going to miss you."

Everyone drew back from their goodbyes to gape at Anna. "What?!" Horohoro shrieked. "He's given you more headaches than you can count on an abacus!"

"Who am I going to use as a scapegoat for everything now?" Anna inquired, totally and completely serious.

"Um…Yoh?" Joco cringed, uncertain if that was the right answer.

Anna looked her husband up and down. "I suppose he'll have to do." She sighed. "Let's go."

Yoh cheerful as ever waved back. "Bye everyone!" And thus, they boarded on a new odyssey of awkwardness and adventure. Because what are Yoh and Anna's lives without awkwardness and adventure?

"Wow," Tamao breathed. "They're actually gone." She stood there completely dumbstruck as everyone began heading back to their separate cars. "I think I'm in denial."

"You know, Tamao, we'll survive." Horohoro grinned at her. "And it looks like we're in for one helluva ride next year."

She gave a small smile back at him. "Who says the chaos has to start next school year? It looks like it's going to start this summer."

Horohoro looked at her inquisitively. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, for one thing," she said as she pressed the Garage 1 button on the elevator's interior. "Weren't you wondering where Manta was? I mean, Yoh and Manta are like brothers."

They both exited from the elevator. "You're right! I missed that Munchkin today…Mmmm Munchkins. Can we pass by Dunkin' Donuts on the way home?"

Tamao laughed. "Of course. But since he's on the Welcoming Committee he was forced by Goldva to greet the three new European exchange students. And apparently one of them is staying with me over the summer and during the school year."

Horohoro nodded. "One of them is staying with me and Pirika too. I think Kanna is returning this year again." They both made unpleasant faces as they recalled the blue haired girl's unsavory behavior. "Rumor has it that Bailong is going to propose to Jun soon."

Tamao's face lit up and the two entered Horohoro's car. "Really? That's great! And then Hana is arriving next year too."

"So I guess that even with Yoh and Anna gone, there're still going to be a whole lot of craziness going on. Maybe even more." And then they drove away.

The plane's engines roared to life. Anna, though looking the same way she always does, was startled when Yoh put a hand on her shoulder, a surprisingly affectionate gesture on his part.

"You scared as much as I am?"

For once, she didn't try shooting him down and putting up a façade of aloofness and perfect calm. For once, she stayed silent because if she scoffed out a curt No and shook his hand off, then she'd be lying. Not to him, but more to herself.

The plane began to rumble as it slowly accelerated down the runway and with a groan of its metal wings, it took off into the sky as Yoh and Anna forged their own way for once into a country that had two empty spots left: one for each of them.

Horohoro looked up at the Patch Airlines plane that had taken off into the clouds as he and Tamao exited onto the freeway from the parking structure. He smiled and reached into his pocket to check if it was still there; a piece of paper that contained one line that he was going to publish in response to Tamao's poem back in March but he realized that there was no need for that anymore. He kept it, secretly, to remind him of where they've been and how far they have come:

I guess my feelings were unwritten.

A/N: oh my goodness. it's over! but never fear, there is going to be an epilogue! Please, please, please, I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this story as well as what you would think about a side story to Unwritten (The Mismatched Adventures of Tao Boy and Ainu Girl) which would take place in between this chapter and the epilogue and a sequel (Wild Young Hearts). Be on the look out for them! If you have enjoyed this in any way, shape, or form, try giving my other story, Yoh and the Oni, a read. It's a fairy-tale-ish kinda deal, so it's different than what i usually write. =) Happy days to you all!