Author's Note: As much as I love Yoh, he's a bit OOC in the beginning, in order to make the plot work. Several other characters are too, here and there, but I assure you I tried my best to make everyone IC. –rambles on-

Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King or any of the characters, etc. Hiroyuki Takei does. The storyline is based on a novel, Fourplay by Jane Moore, which I recommend if you're bored and are looking for a fun, relaxing free-read. Cliché, yet not!

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CHAPTER I

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What was it that first stirred up suspicion? Their recent lack of intimacy? His late arrivals from work at an ungodly hour? – She considered 11:00 PM on weekdays quite a blasphemous time to be coming home – Or maybe, it was just an innate, feminine intuition. Regardless, this tiny spark of doubt was all she needed to conduct investigations.

Anna Asakura – maiden name Kyouyama - would get to the bottom of this.

It started off as a typical day. After being kicked out of bed by a no-nonsense wife, Yoh Asakura would go about his morning routine as per usual. Breakfast was on the table when he sauntered downstairs in his business suit, looking ready to run a company. Which was exactly what he did. The AA (Asakura Association) didn't run itself, you know.

Settling down next to his son, Yoh took a bite out of his toast, rinsing it down with – what else – coffee.

"What're ya drawing there, kid?"

Little Hana looked up at his father, and held up his paper with a bright smile on his face. Anna had entered the room. She couldn't help but allow a small smile grace her features as her eyes fell upon the drawing.

Though not a Picasso, one could easily tell it was the three of them in the picture: a brown-haired man with headphones, a golden-haired woman with a red bandana, and in between them a small child.

Yoh grinned at Hana, finishing up his breakfast, before walking over to his son and russling his hair affectionately.

"Take care," he said to the boy, bidding his wife goodbye as well. "Oh, Anna, the photos from our vacation are developed."

She nodded, in acknowledgement of the crisp comment directed towards herself.

In their son's drawing, all three of them were smiling. All of them were holding hands. And it was so easy to forget the nasty feeling clawing inside of her; easy to forget he'd even stopped kissing her goodbye.

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Anna flopped gracefully onto her bed. 9:00 AM, a time she devoted solely to herself before she went about her daily chores: cleaning, cooking, shopping, typical soccer-mom things. She'd just dropped off Hana at the daycare and was preparing to indulge in her usual soap operas, when she remembered the photographs Yoh had mentioned as he was leaving for work. True to his word, there was an envelope with "Kodak" stamped in the corner lying on the dining room table.

The three of them, along with Anna's closest friend, Jeanne, had gone skiing a little over two weeks ago. It was an okay trip, though it was so cold she wound up wearing four bandanas: two to keep her head warm, two for her neck, all red. She looked like quite the mugger, but no one noticed. Or if they did, no one dared comment for fear of sleeping outside with only the snow and friendly, neighborhood raccoons as company.

Five minutes later, Anna found herself half-focused on the photographs in her hand and half-distracted by the TV. Regardless, as she fingered through the photos, the pile felt a bit thin.

'...27...28...29.'

Just as she'd suspected. She knew for a fact that the film capacity was thirty-five photographs, which meant six were missing. And the filmstrip was nowhere to be found.

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"Hello, my name's Anna Asakura. My husband, Yoh Asakura, had our photographs developed here, and I think a few are missing. Would you happen to have..."

"...have a copy of the filmstrip?" the woman at the counter finished for her.

Anna nodded.

"As long as it was within the decade, I'm sure we've kept them in our records. Would you like them redeveloped?"

"Yes, as quickly as possible."

"It'll probably take two hours or so. They'll be here when you get back, so in the meantime you're free to run an errand or something."

The blonde forked over the fee, three hundred yen.

She decided to get some shopping done while the photos were being developed and, in usual Anna-like fashion, mumbling about missing her precious television drama at the same time.

Thoughts of her and Yoh flooded her mind, overflowing with memories of everything that had led up to this point: from the agreement between their parents to their wedding day, to just that morning.

It was an arrangement, one that would benefit both families.

Anna would get the easy life she'd always wanted. The heir to the Asakura's prosperous company would without-a-doubt be able to provide her everything she'd ever want. And more.

As for Yoh, he would have a strong-willed woman to stand by him and help him run his family's company. Though not a very motivated worker herself, Anna would never permit him to slack off.

It was a rocky start for the two, but Anna knew she loved him. She loved his carefree smile and his happy-go-lucky attitude, but it had always bothered her that she never knew how he felt.

She'd come to the conclusion that Yoh cared for everyone, and this thought contented her. It was enough at the time, and on the day of their wedding, she was nearly positive she saw the love in his eyes.

Love for her and her alone, sealed with a vow to be with her until death.

In two hours, would that vow be broken?

Deep down, she contemplated whether or not she wanted to return to the camera shop.

In two hours, they would be there. All thirty-five photos would be awaiting her in the arms of that witty, grinning saleswoman who could finish her lines for her, including the six which were missing before.

Six. The devil's number.

to be continued

A/N: So concludes the first chapter. This is my first multi-chapter story and a measly attempt at drama. Any and all feedback are loved. Thanks!