A/n: This was the renewed version of Numb (see through my fics, I haven’t deleted it yet) that was on hiatus. I decided to rewrite first few chapters and continue on with the story. Shifting POVs so don’t get all confused. Yey, no more hiatus. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I’m poor and I own nothing. :3

Chapter 1: Impressions

Pirika

I stared disinterestedly into space. I sighed. Could the day be any more boring that it already is? I looked at the time.

5.45 pm

That late? It’s nearly dark. Where is onii-chan anyway? He hasn’t returned since before lunch and it’s getting dark already. Maybe he’s slacking off again at Yoh and Anna’s House. He didn’t even tell me where he’d go. I decided and smiled at Kororo.

“Wanna go for a visit?”

So here we were where we ended up walking the path to Yoh and Anna’s house. But then I realized how I hungry I was. Starving, I mean. My stomach growled and I clearly wished they have something to eat there.

I reached their house and knocked at their door. “Uhm, hello?” The door opened to reveal Yoh grinning lazily at me.

“Hey.”

“Hi, Yoh. Listen, I was wondering if my bum of a brother dropped by here?”

“Yup. Come in.” He beckoned me in.

Hah.

I knew it.

As soon as I entered their living room, I found my so-called brother, languidly splayed on the floor, his stomach bulging from what I could only guess to be the after shock of eating too much food. I could almost here myself say so? What’s new? I rolled my eyes up at him. He’s always the same gluttonous person I know. His eyes were closed so I thought he was asleep but then he raised his hand lazily and muttered a lazy “yo”’ at me and Kororo.

“Hey,” I said. “…pig.” I looked helplessly at Yoh.

“Onii-chan, how could you possibly leave us at home? We’re starving, you know. And I find you here making your bum bigger by sitting on it all day doing nothing. Let’s go home. NOW.”

“No… wait. Can’t… move.” The epitome of laziness muttered. Yoh could only grin as I looked at him again, and said, “Disgusting.”

“I heard that!”

“I bet you did. And I hope you know it means you!” I walked towards him and placed my foot down on his stomach and began stomping on it.

“Hey! What the-- oomph! I can’t… breath! I feel… mpghn… sick…” He turned on his side, ready to puke, and I wished he would. I watched him hopefully.

“Are you gonna puke now?” This is one way of finding out what he ate for dinner. I snickered.

“Anna’s going to kill me.” Yoh said as he sat down and looked out at his friend, grinning.

“Well, I know she will but I hope she kills this pig too!” I said angrily.

“Course I will.” Came a reply from the door as she took her shoes off.

“You need not sound so hopeful.” Came nii-chan’s hurt voice.

Hurt, huh? I was the one supposed to be hurt. He left me and Kororo to starve to death while he enjoys his free meal here? I sighed. I wish he’d be more responsible. I looked at Anna. She was leaning on the door and glared at my brother then looked at me. I just raised my eyebrows and shrugged. Well what?

“HoroHoro clean the house would you? Or I’ll have you retch the dinner that you took.” Anna moved away from us into her room. Yoh grinned triumphantly at him he pumped his fist into the air.

“Heh. I wouldn’t have to clean the house after all.”

“And you too, Yoh.”

“What?” Yoh groaned as he slumped, and fell back. Typical of Anna. Yoh would never get away with anything. Maybe nii-chan should get a girlfriend like her too…

/imagination/

“HoroHoro, m’dear!” called his girlfriend who somehow looked like… Anna?

“Yes my love!” Horo-niichan passionately called out and started running in slow mode like in a movie.

What the?

“HoroHoro!” And they erm, hug and they…. they errr… kiss? Let’s skip the gory details please.

“I’d give anything for you…” His eyes looked glazed all over. He looks hypnotized.

“Really?” Hug again. “Could you please wash my clothes… especially this frilly little panty that I used…”

Oh gross.

“And while you’re at it, my hands are hurting all over so can you please wash the dishes too…”

“Mmkay…”

“And my pet dog needs a haircut…”

“Yes…”

“And can you also weed at the garden because it now looks like a jungle, love.”

“I will.”

You mean HoroHoro-niichan would do all that? Oh God.

STOP! STOP!

/end/

“Err, Pirika, you okay?”

“Huh?”

So I was staring stupidly at the ceiling for a few minutes imagining that uh, sordid scene.

Well, okay. If nii-chan would get a girlfriend like that then… no thanks. I mean, she maybe not as snappy as Anna but she looks like a prim princess that needs to be served. It’s as if her boyfriend was her maid. She piles more work than Anna herself! Wash her under--? I shuddered.

I’d rather have him stay single, thank you.

I laughed at them as I watched them set to work. Onii-chan complaining how he would puke anytime now because of how I kept stomping on his stomach and Yoh trying to keep a straight face. Was it me or did HoroHoro-niichan really looked slightly green?

Hah.

Bomb’s away.

---

“There’s still food, Anna. Have you eaten yet?” Yoh offered as we all sat by the table at around 8 pm, at the same time Anna came out, dressed in her usual black.

“What, still managed to save food?” And she eyed my brother piercingly. “Impossible.”

“Well, that proves that I’m not a pig after all.” And he glared at me. “And I care.”

“An underdeveloped pig then… like a piglet. Still a pig but smaller.” I quipped as he snorted at me when he found nothing to say.

Anna then turned towards me. “Starving? Help yourself to what your brother has left.”

“Great!” I exclaimed, unable to contain myself anymore. Although I reprimanded nii-chan, I can’t deny the fact that I am hungry. He snickered at me.

“Gluttonous huh?”

“Uh, brother, in case you haven’t noticed, I am dwelling on your appetizing, very appetizing indeed, leftovers. So it’s not gluttonous. More like eating, you know? It’s the term for humans.”

His hand snaked to grab a fistful of my hair as I punched his face when Anna spoke. “Ren’s coming back to Japan.”

“He is?” Yoh sputtered on his tea. “Why?”

“Study.”

I racked my brains for this Tao person. I can’t seem to remember him well enough but I could vaguely visualize his visage. Oh. He was that shaman that played their leader during the tournament way back. And I also met his sister; I think from a few gatherings that we attended. I shrugged my shoulders. So?

“What, that conceited prat study here? China’s not big enough?” HoroHoro spoke. I knew from before that the Chinese Shaman and he don’t get along pretty well. Can’t blame him though, that guy was a spitfire. Always hot-headed.

“Bloody hell.” I heard him mutter.

“HoroHoro you’d be happy now Ren’ll be coming back!” I heard Yoh state gleefully from beside Anna.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Yeah, what do you mean?”

“Well, life’s always exciting when you’re in danger. Ren would do anything to have you at the end of his spear.”

“Hmph!” I answered through a mouthful of pie. “Let me just see him try!”

Nii-chan grinned at me. “Wow Piri-chan, I didn’t know you loved me so much!” And he started hugging me like the mature guy that he was.

“Geroff, you stupid…” I huffed. “…brother!”

Oh gross.

So I shoved him hard against the nearest desk. Thonk.

“OWW!”

“Wow, nii-chan…” I started knocking his head, staring at it as if it was some kind of artifact. ” You’re head sure IS hollow.”

“You didn’t have to do that! I was just being… affectionate.” He rubbed his head.

“Believe me, you don’t know the meaning of that.”

Hn. Affectionate huh?

---

“Hey, nii-chan…” I tried to catch up to my brother who has been in a surly mood ever since we got out from Yoh and Anna’s house. “I was just… joking, you know.”

Well, what do you know? I certainly didn’t know he’d take that seriously, I mean, I thought it was a low blow myself. He still wouldn’t talk to me and he keeps that ugly face of his contorted. And I didn’t mean to shove him off hard.

“Nii-chan! I said I’m sorry, okay?”

“Yeah well, next time, you be careful where you’re shoving my head!” He winced.

“Yeah well, next time, look up affectionate in the dictionary and you won’t get off!” And I punched him playfully on the shoulder.

“OUCH! Come back here!” He yelled as I started running across the street.

But his voice changed suddenly into panic. “NO, PIRIKA, wait!”

“What!”

And then I heard it. The unmistakable sounds of tires coming this way. And fast. I stood rooted on the spot unable to move as I saw the black vehicle closing in the distance. Anytime now I’d be kissing its bumper.

Nearer now.

Time seems to be too scarce. Too fast.

Too fast.

“PIRIKA!”

I froze.

---

I heard the car tires screech to a halt just before me. A mere centimeters away.

“Oi, just what the hell are you doing in the middle of the road!”

I heard a voice call out. Wait.

Wait a minute.

I’m still alive?

As in breathing?

“YOU ALMOST KILLED MY SISTER!”

The initial shock still didn’t wear off. I heard my brother’s voice in a distance. What in the world is going on? I blinked and took my hands off my eyes. I blinked some more. I blinked again.

Okay, stop blinking now. You look stupid.

I feel my eyes glaze over. I looked at the car, no wait, I mean, limousine that almost hit me. Oh, God. I’m so lucky it didn’t hit me. I didn’t wish for a flashy death with a limousine, too classy. I just didn’t picture myself dying like this. I didn’t imagine a colorful death with guts spreading all over the—

Wait a minute.

LIMOUSINE?

I’ve almost been hit with a limousine? I looked around and found the ‘owner’ with his arms on his chest scowling at me. Initial shock wears off. Anger comes flooding in. I heard the ‘owner’ bickering with nii-chan.

“You came all the way back to Japan to murder?”

Yeah! Like, what am I? A fly to be squashed in a windshield? I don’t even look like one to start with!

“Hey, it’s not my fault your sister had had this sudden urge to die!”

Who said I’d commit suicide this early?

“Well, Ren Tao, the next time around don’t go speeding up like that!”

“I didn’t even hit her!”

Well, you almost did!

“You almost did you arrogant… arrogant well, you’re arrogant!”

Who came back to Japan? And why did nii-chan know this… this stupid arrogant guy who just happened to drive a limousine in a freaking residential area?

“Well, Ren Tao, the next time around don’t go speeding up like that!”

Ren Tao?

You mean THE Ren Tao?

Wow, Pirika, you sure are slow in recognizing facts today…

Are we talking of the same Ren here? The one with pointed hair? Arrogant? Conceited? Shaman?

I looked at him.

And I really looked at him.

Oh. My. God.

A/n: Read and review. :