The frigid wind played naughtily through the deserted streets, caressing his exposed skin with cool, humid fingers. Hooded eyes looked around tiredly; it was getting quite late as he walked doggedly through the darkness. 'Where am I?' he wondered with a sigh. The empty streets echoed his question mockingly. Everybody else appeared to be busily going thru the motions of life as he wandered listlessly. The problem with not having a good sense of direction was that every corner looked promising, every turn seemed correct, and every nook and cranny appeared familiar to his already confused mind. Almost 3 hrs ago, he was cockily certain of his directions when he'd turned right.
'I told you to turn left! But no, you never pay attention to me! And as always, I was correct!' His black side grouched.

"Yes" he countered, muttering to himself, "You are right, you told me… almost half an hour after I'd made that right turn! I was hopelessly lost by then! As lost as I'm right now!" His words echoed mockingly against his ears. He sighed again, closed his eyes and shrugged as he kept on walking.

"You had the chance to have your say when I was making up my mind on where to go but if I'm not mistaken, you kept pretty much to yourself, so don't come now with the I-told-you-so's!" He wrapped his mid-thigh leather jacket tighter against his lean frame. 'But I DID!'

Exasperated, he stopped and said "I am NOT talking to you anymore, Kuro-haru!" A fit of coughing suddenly stopped his tirade, taking the fight out of him. Closing his dark eyes, he whispered defeatedly "Look, I am tired, hungry and cold. I don't have time to beat myself over this. I came to do something; I did it and promptly got lost. There! I said it. Happy? I must get home soon… Miyu-chan's waiting." A sad smirk twisted his handsome features. 'She really shouldn't have sent me to buy her chocolate, damn it!' He grabbed the package tightly; fighting his impulse to throw it away as if by doing so he'd rid himself of the situation at hand. He should have known better than to let those comments bother him. Nonetheless they did, specially coming from those lips.

The memories were especially strong if he dared to look at them. There was something particularly erotic about her mouth. If he closed his eyes he swore he could almost feel their humid heat gliding over his skin, tracing unknown patterns, enticing him with their petal softness, making him tighten and ache. He could almost see those hot pink lips outlining a molten trail down the center of his chest, berry-red tongue, flickering down his navel and lower still, making him lose his mind, body and soul. He moaned softly, feeling himself harden swiftly at the memories. He shivered as a peculiarly strong gust of chilling wind tousled his hair, bringing him back to the problem at hand. He couldn't let his guard down or he'd be royally screwed.

His natural sense of caution was gone; he'd gotten quite cocky in the past weeks, utterly confident he knew his way around since he hadn't become lost in such a long time. Jeez! Almost two months, and even to him that was quite a feat! 'Damn it, Hatsuharu! Damn you and your lousy memory!' He cursed himself regretfully, 'after such a long time I have to go and mess that record. Once more I'm lost. On top of everything else! Why today of all days? Why?'

His gray eyes, usually so peaceful they appeared vacant to the uninitiated, glittered hotly in the darkness as he reminisced. By the time he left Sohma's main house to run that errand, he'd been ragingly angry. He felt the metallic taste of his Black side at the back of his throat, hounding him, snapping at his feet, struggling to get out. Incredibly enough he'd controlled his anger, viciously forcing the reins of his mind away from Black's impetuousness. Proving his point was too important to allow for such weakness, and even though time and his newfound closeness to Yuki had helped him control Black, this time the struggle was too fierce; so forceful he was almost lost. But he was too proud to let him through, not today. Never today, especially when she, the only person that he'd permitted himself to love, was the one mocking him.

"Did I hear you right? You actually asked Haru-chan to go buy something for you? Better sit down, Miyu-chan, because you'll be waiting quite a long time!" she started laughing. That tinkling laughter, which in the past he'd loved so dearly, was now grating on his nerves. He was on his way to get Miyu-chan's favorite chocolates as he'd done quite a few times in the past. Miyu was one of his favorite cousins, a quiet, sweet person.

"Asking Hatsuharu! He is such a klutz! Didn't you hear the last one? He went out looking for Kisa-chan and got lost himself! He is always doing that! You can depend on him to get lost in his own bed! When we were together it really got to me how he can also get lost in bed…although there he was king… beautifully proportioned, pleasing -if you get my drift- That really was his only redeeming quality. Sex. Truly! Of course I am sure! He's always been kind of slow! You know? What do you expect from that dumb Ox possessing him, eh?" It was in that moment he chose to show himself to get out of the house.

Upon seeing him, she had the grace to blush, fall silent and evade his eyes. Miyu-chan's face was fearfully red, as she jumped, stuttering his name. "Ha-Haru-kun! I thought…" her voice trailed off as he kept on staring at her. She ignored him as if he wasn't there. As if she couldn't feel his furious gaze crawling all over her form. 'I wanted to hit her, tear her, bite into her skin, to make her feel pain just like she made me feel. I wanted her to see me, really me. Not her idea of who I am.' He was getting worked up again, and to top it off, he wasn't feeling well either.

In his case, he knew exposure and emotional turmoil could make him transform easier than hugging a girl. He had to find shelter soon or he was risking transformation in the middle of the street. 'It's so damn inconvenient! I can't even get lost like everybody else! The damn curse is a nuisance for everything!' Definitively, today was not his day. It had started normally enough. He could still hear his schoolmates taunting him today; He could always fight but then he knew Kyo-kun was the hotheaded one not him. Still their whispering voices, gossiping about him as if he were deaf and dumb or both drove him up the walls. This time the topic pretended to prove how his two-toned hair proved his bastardly sinful ancestry or his sexual inclinations. They could get pretty nasty when they wanted to, specially those yakuza wannabes. They'd thought they were tough.

'And so am I' he smiled darkly as he shrugged with his hands inside his pockets. The poor guys had gotten on the bad side of Kuro Haru. It had taken the presence of all four: Kyo-kun, Yuki-kun, Momiji-kun and Tohru-chan to get him to let them go, especially after Tohru started crying. Lucky for him, the fight happened after school hours, there were only three of them and all were unconscious by the time Tohru jumped on him to get him to stop. As it was Black Haru left Kyo-kun a wonderful shiner; Yuki-kun was left breathing heavily and Momiji-chan running around hysterically. 'I made such a racket over nothing!' By the time he got home, which was pretty late since Tohru-chan wouldn't let him go until she fussed over him, he was busted. Akito-san had been asking for him; which meant no good from that quarter either.

Wanting to avoid a possible confrontation with the Soma Head, he accepted to run Miyu's errand, hoping to return later and escape Akito's summons. Then she came, ignoring protocol and ignoring him completely, started to talk up a storm, which in turn takes us to this time and place. And leaves him with no idea of where he was, no food and nobody to ask how to get home.

"Pathetic, ne?"

"Whom are you talking to, Haru-kun?" a concerned voice broke through his mind.

"Daijobu ka?"

Surprised, he turned to find none other than Honda-san, looking at him with her soulful brown eyes. "Honda-san? What? Where? Uh, hi!"

"I'm just finished here and was waiting for Sohma-kun. He usually walks me home. I was starting to worry because he's late but now that you are here I feel better."

His tired head perked up upon hearing Yuki was on his way. His heart jumped inside his chest, happily. 'Good, now I get to spend time with my favorite person! Maybe then I'll feel less blue.' He leaned against the wall outside Tohru's workplace. If he was not mistaken Momiji's dad was the owner of one such building.

"Uh, Tohru-san" he started before giving up on the pretense of speaking and scrubbing at his face with his hand. 'I hope Yuki gets here soon.' His eyes were burning, his head felt stuffed and he was starting to get a hell of a headache. "Why are you here again, Tohru-san?" He asked tiredly trying to make conversation. She looked him over, concern marring her features as she closed the distance between them.

"Is everything ok, Haru-kun? Do you feel fine? Because to tell you the truth, you don't look too good…" He tuned her out as he looked around to reorient himself, or at least try.

Distractedly he responded, "Hai. Don't worry, Tohru-san, everything is fine. I'm okay, just a bit tired." He saw her relax visibly.

"Thank God, Haru-kun! I don't know what I would do if you were sick! A cold is very dangerous!" She paused a bit as she gathered her thoughts to continue "Ne, Haru-kun, I was meaning to ask, do you remember the disagreement you had with the council president?"

Haru hesitated before replying cautiously "Hai"

Tohru's eyes brightened as she clapped happily "Good! Then you can tell me how did prove to him that your hair is naturally white with black roots! I have been wondering and even though I have tried, I can't puzzle it."

Haru paled sharply as he felt his headache hit a new high. 'Huh? What? I can't tell her THAT! Yuki would kill me! Kyo would kill me! Shu-san would kill me… hell, even Momiji-chan would want a piece of my ass for breakfast!' His hands trembled inside his pant pockets "Uh, Tohru-kun, I don't remember that particular incident." He looked at her using his utterly adorable, incredibly naïve Momiji-perfected look.

It went past her head as she insisted. "But you said you remembered, Haru-kun! Explain already! Please!" She touched his chest, gazing earnestly into his soul. Haru felt himself go up in flames at this. He started sweating profusely, stalling for inspiration.

"Ah, yes, proof! You want me to tell you about the proof. But why the sudden interest, Tohru? It was just a foolish prank among us boys! Something unimportant!" he temporized 'Damn it, Yuki! Get your ass over here ASAP! Hurry up! I don't know what else to say!' He mussed his hair as he looked at her watching him with eager eyes. 'Tell her. She is asking for it, so give it to her! Stop worrying!' Black Haru fumed inside his mind. 'Have you gone nuts! Or better yet, do I look like I have? No way! They will have my balls on a string by tomorrow morning if I dare to tell her that!' a smirking Haru answered back, 'Why, you are only answering sweet Tohru's questions to the best of your knowledge. It's time already, remember last time you hugged her, how good she felt, how enticing her scent? You know you want to! Look at that, Haru! Give the lady what she wants! She is asking for it! Remember, you are nothing if not compliant, even She said it. So give her the Proof!' He saw himself taking her hand between his, kissing their timid fingertips with smirking lips as his other hand went around her waist, and drawing her closer. "So, you want your proof? No problem Tohru-kun! I'll give you proof!" His hand slowly started guiding her hand downwards, as he neared her ear to whisper softly "Never let it be said I don't strive to please!" His hand reached the top of his pants when he regained control over himself again and abruptly pushed her away.

"Hatsuharu-kun, I said enough already!" A deceptively soft hand fell suddenly on his shoulder, forcing him to turn further away from Tohru.

"Yuki? What took you so long?" Haru asked between clenched teeth, thankful of Yuki's timely arrival.

"Sohma-kun! I was starting to worry because you were so late! Is everything fine?" A slightly distressed Tohru asked.

"Sorry, Tohru, there was an unexpected situation that took longer than I thought at the council meeting." Yuki paused, his liquid eyes turning into solid amethyst shards as he gave his younger cousin the once over.

"Ne, Tohru, shall we go home now? Are you coming too, Haru? Or do you have something else to do?" Haru trembled under his cold regard; if there was anyone vital to his self-image it was Yuki, a gentle yet cunning teen; member of the Junishi, possessed by the Rat mononoke.

His good opinion mattered to him in ways he was afraid to investigate. And his cold glare burned his soul, making him feel worse than a creep. His dazzled mind couldn't put a finger on the problem at hand but he knew that whatever it was he'd been wrong. Yuki would never look at him so coldly if he weren't at fault somehow. He needed to sit down immediately and to that purpose started to look around to see if there were any available seats around. Maybe that way he'd feel better, less dizzy, more able to understand what was the matter. Yup, that was all he needed, sitting down. His knees gave under him suddenly; Tohru's eyes grew wide as she saw him fall. She hung on to his arm, trying to avoid contact and to make his descent slower as she too went to her knees. She started to panic, fidgeting nervously with his arm.

"Hatsuharu-kun! Daijobu desu ka?" Asked Yuki, concern marring his brow.

"Oh, Kami-sama, Haru-kun! Are you OK? Did you hurt yourself? Haru-kun!" Surprised, he turned to find none other than Honda-san, looking at him with her soulful brown eyes. Eyes he could get lost in. His gaze fell on her lips, which were moving, forming words of concern he couldn't understand right now. He was concentrating too hard on the way her mouth formed words, how her rosy skin glowed with health and vitality. He was suddenly fascinated with the low beat that settled at the base of her neck. It beckoned him, like a siren from ancient times straight into perdition. "Eh! Haru you are burning up! You need to rest!"

He felt better already even though he was only sitting on the sidewalk. 'Man, you ran yourself to the ground today. No wonder you are beat! What with the fight, her commentaries and walking around on this weather for hours on end is enough to make anybody break!' He winced as her cool hand made contact with his fevered brow. 'Damn it, she is cold! Must not allow her to get sick, she is important to Yuki!' Tightening his mouth with determination, he struggled out of his leather jacket and made as to wrap it around Tohru, who eyed him then Yuki with concern. With a shake of the head, she returned the jacket, which had retained its owner's body heat, and instead wrapped Haru tighter with it as she again pressed her hands to his flushed face.

He started to shiver as she realized he was definitively not feeling fine and was probably going to be very sick, very soon. "Sohma-kun, we must call Hatori-san or Shigure-san, we have to get him somewhere warm and safe. Haru-kun is really sick. We must be quick, if his temperature doesn't go down, he could transform into an Ox!"

Yuki grabbed Haru by the arm and helped him up as he asked, "Hatsuharu-kun, do you think you are up to walking? We need to get you home and Shigure's closer than the main house."