You seldom know what happiness is, but most of the time you know what happiness was.
Francoise Sagan

After Anna had said goodbye to Tomoko, she stubbornly walked straight ahead in the direction in which the ghost girl had pointed.
One of the topics she had texted Anna with was what Tomoko didn't want to show her when the long haired Anna had killed. The Itako of course dismissed this idea immediately, she was too sure that she was not threatened by him. Still, a little doubt remained. What if he didn't react so well to her and he let her fry slowly and crispy?
Before Anna could pursue this madness any further, she pushed these unwanted thoughts aside. He wasn't allowed to harm her, nor would he. He wouldn't dare to curl a single hair!
After not too long, she thought she saw a fire between the too low-hanging green branches. Unconsciously, she quickened her pace until she passed the trees and could really see one campfire behind the next. The closer she got, the slower she got again.
She would see him for the first time in months, stand in front of him and hear his voice. Anna didn't slow down for fear of him or of what he could do. No, on the contrary, even she wanted to savor the feeling that was called anticipation.
When she saw him sitting quietly in front of the campfire, half turned her back, she stopped. As always, his poncho was brilliant white, his hair well-groomed, just his eyes. His left eye, which she could only see from this position, was shiny and expressionless, it looked bored into the flames.
"Who's there?" he asked just as disinterestedly without turning around.
Anna didn't react immediately, stayed in the position she was in for a moment.
"Don't make me stand up." came his voice again.
Anna made an amused noise as she started moving. "If you have to ask who is here, you probably can't hear my thoughts. Good to know."
When he heard her voice, he lowered the hand on which he had rested his head and looked back at her.
"What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing." she just replied.
She walked calmly towards the campfire, with a little distance from Hao, who just watched her quietly. But a little tired because Tomoko had led her through the forest all day, she sat down exhausted in front of the small fire. But she still made sure not to let it show. After all, she didn't want to show any weakness.
Anna then took some of her provisions and chewed on them under Hao's now thoughtful look.
"What are you doing here?" he asked when Anna had just swallowed the last bite.
"Do you mind my presence?"
"I didn't mean to say that." Hao shook his head. "But I think it's weird that you show up. What's the heck on it? Are Yoh and his friends here too?""No, Yoh and the others are at the inn and doing the tasks I gave them."
Hao started smiling. "So you're still so dominant."
"Looks like it." she replied monotonously. "Why are you here right now? In this forest? Why not where else?"
"Japan is my home. So why should I go anywhere else if I like it here?"
"Many people don't like the forest of the dead."
"You should know that I am like no other." grinned Hao. "But you are also in the suicidal forest. What is your excuse?"
"I'm an Itako. There are probably no forests in the world where more spirits live than here."
"That should be your reason? A really bad excuse from you Anna."
"If you used it as an excuse, I would be interested in what you think."
"Who said I suspect something?"
Anna made an amused noise. "You always analyze everything. You always tried to experience everything and to fathom it. You have certainly not changed and your attempt to convince me that this is ridiculous and unsuccessful."
He had watched her little talk with amusement. “I think I'll keep my guesses to myself for now.” Hao then rose and stretched.
"It's getting late. I guess we should talk more tomorrow. If you don't intend to harm me in your sleep you are invited to stay here."
"Very kind of you." she said sarcastically.
"The fire will burn all night, if you are still cold you can come to my tent."
While the offer was very polite, it was utterly unnecessary. If Anna had wanted his tipi, she would have simply taken it, and Hao would probably have even thrown out.
Snorting, she turned away from him and unrolled her sleeping bag.
Before the long haired man disappeared into the tent, he let the fire flare up too high for a moment, which shocked Anna. When she looked angrily over, Hao was already gone.
After she lay cuddled in her sleeping bag, she looked up at the sky to look up at the stars. But what was not possible because it was covered by clouds that did not let a single ray through.
Sighing, she turned on her side, using one bent arm as a pillow, she looked across the fire to his tent. With a small smile on her face, she closed her eyelids and fell asleep.

In the middle of the night Anna was woken up by something that she didn't like at all.
Any ghosts who dared to come closer would have been much better for her. But no, she wasn't that lucky.
The worst possible thing that can happen to someone who wanted to spend the night in the open air has happened. The thick cloud cover that had previously denied her a view of the stars was torn. Not only did it trickle slightly, it began to pour straight away.
As fast as she could she jumped to her feet, grabbed her sleeping bag and bag in which she was carrying the most important things and ran towards the tent.Without hesitation, she opened the flap and crawled inside your things, then simply dropped them to close the flap with a few buttons
When that was done Anna sighed and fell on her bum, wringed out her hair and then wiped her arms with her hands. The numerous drops flew through the whole tent.
Hao, who was just facing away from her, turned around and looked at her in amusement.
"Do you want to stay here now?"
As if he couldn't hear it from the patter that the drops caused when they hit the tent, or from their completely soaked appearance, she said, "It's raining."
"I wouldn't have noticed."
Anna snorted and then crossed her arms over her chest. "Turn around."
Hao knitted his eyebrows. "Why?"
"So that I can undress and hang up my wet robe."
The long haired man wanted to reply something but then smiled and preferred to let it go. As she wished, he turned around.
Anna then got rid of her wet clothes except for her underwear and somehow draped them so that she would hopefully be dry again by tomorrow. After that was done, she readjusted her sleeping bag and then lay down in it. She lay down in such a way that she was neither facing away from Hao nor looking over at him, but at the pointed ceiling of the tipi.
After he couldn't hear any noises from her for a while, he turned back to her. "It's a lot more comfortable in here, isn't it?"
Without looking at him, she replied. "It's also nice to sleep in the open air every now and then and watch the stars."
Hao couldn't help but grin. "I definitely wouldn't stop you from going out again."
"Very kind of you."
"Tell me if I'm wrong but I'm definitely not known for my kindness."
"No, but for your vengeance and cruelty."
"And yet you are here now." said Hao with a smile. "How come?"
Anna wanted to tell him, wanted to tell him that she had been looking for him. But somehow it couldn't. Which is why she literally gave him the cold shoulder and turned away. "Good night."
"I'll get to it. You can rely on it."
Anna pulled the 'blanket' of the sleeping bag higher and mumbled. "I am convinced of that."
She didn't know whether he understood her or not. In any case, he didn’t say anything but lay still.

When Anna woke up the next morning she didn't know where she was at first. After blinking a few times, everything came back to her instantly and she turned her head to Hao.
After she sat up, she leaned carefully and almost noiselessly over to him to look Hao in the face. His eyes were closed, his breathing was calm and steady.
Satisfied with the knowledge that he was still asleep, she got up to check on her clothes. Sighing silently as everything was still wet, she turned back and froze.
Hao had turned on his side, resting his head on one hand, and was studying her."Still everything wet?"
Anna nodded hesitantly.
Which is why Hao had to start laughing and sit up. She tried to ignore the fact that he was also only in his underwear.
"Oh Anna, just say you're embarrassed? You have absolutely no reason to be ashamed. I've seen uglier women's bodies."
Snorting, she went back to her sleeping bag and covered herself up with it as best she could.
The long haired man lifted his head a little, as did his gaze, when he looked at Anna again, he said.
"Since it is still raining we will have to stay in the tent. We will probably have to pass the time talking."
"And what do you want to talk about?"
"A good start would be if you tell me why you came here."
"Didn't I already say that?"
He smiled and shook his head. "All right, keep it to yourself for the time being. I can wait."
After a short silence, she asked him. "Have you been here all the time since the end of the shaman fight?"
"No, I was somewhere else before and have only recently been here."
"Then why did you come here?"
Hao just gave her a smile. "How is my little brother?"
"Good. He's training for the next shaman fight, studying for school and trying to make the world a better place for everyone."
"Then he is very busy. Shouldn't you be sitting at school like a good girl and studying?"
"I have mastered the subject matter of this school level. So it doesn't matter if I'm absent for a few days."
"A few days you say? How long are you going to stay here?"
"I haven't thought about that yet." she told him the truth.
"Very interesting."
Because of his practically permanent smile or grin, Anna found it difficult to judge. He