3. Disclosure

Yo, it's me, Ume Mitsuki! You must know it isn't my real name, but since I like it so much, I'm using it as my pen-name! I'm sorry if you don't know some of those Japanese words back in chapter 2, but I'm not going to go back and make a glossary (too much work!), so just PM me if you really want to know something. I think you all anime/manga fans know them, though, because they're common knowledge when you watch anime. Don't feel stupid if you don't know some of them, just ask! Love, Mitsuki.

EDIT: Okay, um, please write reviews! I want to know that people are actually reading it so that I'll want to keep writing! :D But if you don't really care, that is… :( Ah, well! I'll keep my expectations low! One review for this one too!

MY BAG AND viola sat haphazardly on the floor next to me, as I waited for Yuki Sohma. Instead of walking home, I now tried to be patient as I imagined what kind of crazy things he would tell me. When he had been telling me to stay, I had been so dazed that I didn't even think to ask where. So I sat in the spot that we had met, cursing myself and hoping he would come here.

Suddenly, I saw Kyo Sohma stalk by. I had never known before, or even guessed, but he and Yuki had to be related! I rushed over to him without thinking.

"Um, excuse me – " I said, trying to catch up.

"If you're going to ask me out, the answer is no," he said roughly, continuing on his way.

I was almost too surprised to follow him, but I tried again. "No, it wasn't my motive. I was wondering maybe you know where Yuki is…?"

"No," Kyo snarled, increasing his pace. "Why should I keep track of that damn rat?"

Before I could think or even take in entirely what he had said, what came out of my mouth was, "Why do you call him that?"

He stopped so abruptly that he seemed to turn to ice. The temperature of the atmosphere dropped about ten degrees.

"C-call him what?" Kyo asked with a desperate try at innocence.

"Kuso nezumi."

"Because he is one!" he shouted.

"Really?" I asked, interested. Then, the temperature dropped by about another ten degrees, and I realized it was the wrong thing to say. "Ach," Kyo said with a fake nonchalance. "Quit badgering me!" He stalked off at an even higher pace.

Left with my same problem, I resumed my place at the side of the hallway. Kyo knew about Yuki's "transformation," that was for sure. But why…? Another thought struck me – what if other people could turn into animals, too? The world could be teeming with animal-people! But wouldn't we know it? What had triggered the "transformation"?

"Um, excuse me, miss?"

Funny. Those were almost exactly the words I'd used. I looked up and saw Yuki standing above me.

"Ah – Sohma-san!" I said frantically, standing up with my baggage at the ready.

"What's your name? I don't believe I caught it this morning…"

"Ume Mitsuki," I said.

"Ah, Ume-san, I must tell you a story, then. Unless you already know about the Chinese zodiac? Or, the Juunishi?" He led me outside to talk more privately, I guessed.

"Yes, I know the story," I said, a little confused.

"Well, the Juunishi actually exist in a sense. There are fourteen people that serve each of the roles. Because, for some reason, we transform into our animals when we are weak feeling a strong emotion, or hugged by the opposite sex."

I thought a little. "Fourteen…?"

"There's not only the twelve zodiac, there is also a cat," Yuki said in a voice that suggested he was talking about something disgusting. "And, there is God."

"God?" I repeated. The God who had invited the animals to the banquet? Who had arranged the years of the lunar calendar according to the place each animal had come in? The pieces fell into place. (A/N: OOH! First Author's Note! First Author's Note! This may seem a bit too obvious, but since I already know the secret in real life, you know, it's hard to pretend I don't. Please tell me what you think.) So there was, like he said, a real group as the zodiac!

"Why are people like this, though?" I asked. "How are they picked? Who is God? What does it feel like?" A million questions tumbled into my mind.

"I can't really answer any of those," Yuki said slowly. "Actually, not much is known about it. We can only read stories and guess."

"You're the rat!" I exclaimed, then realized that didn't sound too flattering. "I mean – " I amended, embarrassed, "You were the most intelligent one! After all, you received first place, even with your disadvantage. The most clever, and the most adorable!"

Yuki looked taken aback.

(A/N: This following paragraph is wholly true.) "I've always wanted to be born Year of the Rat," I continued. "Since I was between the Rat and the Pig years from the solar and lunar calendars' difference, I thought I had a choice. 'I want to be the Rat,' I said. 'They're cuter than pigs.' My parents tried to convince me otherwise. They said the rat was notorious for being sly and taking advantage of others, but the pig was good fortune and abundance. My grandpa was a Rat, too. He told me all the time it was the best of the zodiac, and I believed him." I smiled a little. "I still do!"

"Oh," he stuttered. "Thank you." (A/N: MUHAHAHA! As you can see this is the first time I discovered A/N! AHAHAHA!! Anyways, Kagura wouldn't be too happy about that…)

I looked at him anxiously. "Was that too weird?"

"No, not at all," said Yuki.

I wasn't reassured. We stood a bit in awkward silence. My head was lowered, and I was staring bashfully at the grass (ugh).

"Ume-san." Yuki broke the silence.

I looked up.

"One person not in the zodiac knows about the curse right now… You are the second. You are not to say anything, understood? This is a dangerous secret." He turned his head away. "The only other person who knew had her memory erased."

"Sohma-san," I said. "Who… who is the one person that knows right now?"

He hesitated. "Honda Tohru."

My eyes widened in shock. Tohru! She was the one the girls in my class had called a witch (um, and worse…)!

"Maybe you know her? She's a lovely girl," Yuki said with sincerity.

But, I realized, it made sense. Those girls must have been jealous because Tohru was the Prince's girlfriend, and since she was his girlfriend, he must have told her about the "curse". I remembered what I had thought about her, embarrassed. …I thought her on the dim side…

"Oh!" I managed.

"There's one more thing," he continued. "Of course, you've kept our secret so far, but despite it all, you might have to have your memories erased."

I hadn't expected this. I blinked. "But… why did you tell me all this?"

"Would you rather be kept in the dark?"

Secretly, I was disappointed. The first time I made a friend, I would have all my memories erased of him. Inside, I mourned.

"I'm very sorry," he said, "but the head of the house decides these things. When I was a child, I invited friends to play tag. One girl got carried away and hugged me, so her memories… everyone's memories had to be erased. Of me." Yuki spoke softer than usual now.

"Sohma-san," I tried to say, but my lips wouldn't move. I wondered just how much this mysterious boy kept under his false exterior. What was under his façade? Why did he hide it?

"Am I keeping you late?" he asked courteously. He was already keeping me late by telling me to stay, but it didn't matter to me.

"Oh, no – not at all, I said quickly.

He apologized again anyway. As I got ready to leave, I watched Yuki from behind as he walked off towards where he lived. I wanted to catch up to him and talk and joke. To hug him. (A/N: Now, that would be bad, wouldn't it?) To ask him about… HIM… But each one of these things was too personal. So I refrained as best I could, and watched silently his retreating back, feeling a vague sense of loss.

As I said, please review!! Please! :( And I'm sorry it takes me so long, it's just that I have them all written but I'm too lazy to type 'em up. The next one will be faster!