Tohru knocked at the door of the Sohma main house nervously. She waited until a servant opened the door. "May I help you?"
"A-ah…" her voice faltered. "I-I am here to see Akito-san."
The servant observed her doubtfully. "You don't look like someone Akito would see willingly," she concluded. "Are you sure Akito has summoned you?"
Summoned me? Tohru was close to panicking, but she was also a bit confused. "O-oh no, I-I was actually… what I mean to say is… a-ah, I was the one who r-requested this visit…" The servant looked at her even more skeptically.
"Really, I don't think…" the servant was about to go on, when a voice from behind her spoke sharply.
"Izanagi, what are you doing? Who are you talking to?" demanded the voice. The servant reluctantly stepped out of the way. There was Akito, in all his dark glory.
"Akito-san?" Tohru asked uncertainly. She had only met Akito once, and was not sure about meeting him again. However, she had to do this.
"Oh, hello, Honda-san," he said, the sharpness disappearing and charm in its place. "What a delight it is to have you here." Tohru could hear his polite words, but she could also sense something poisonous beneath them. She shuddered.
"Are you cold?" Akito's voice sounded concerned. "Do come in and get warm." Tohru hesitantly walked in and followed Akito to his room, leaving the surprised servant behind.
"Well, this is comfortable." Akito and Tohru sat on mats, facing each other with only a table between them. "May I ask why you are here, Miss Honda?"
Tohru noted his change of title for her. She stammered out, "U-um… it's about Kureno-san…" At this, Akito's mind started raging, but he showed no expression at all. "Do go on," he said politely.
Unaware of Akito's anger, Tohru said, "W-well, see, I have a friend… h-her name is Arisa Uotani. U-um… she has been with Kureno-san these past few months." Akito almost screamed then, but he controlled himself. The outburst would come later. Tohru, still unaware of the danger she was in, continued, "Um… Kureno asked her to marry him. A-and since Kureno needs your permission, he asked me to ask you about Kureno's proposal…"
Bitch! Whore! screamed Akito's inner mind. He stilled himself, forced himself to smile, and said, "Hm. And what do you expect me to do about this?"
"Excuse me?" The question was unexpected. Tohru did not know how to respond. Instantly, Akito's rage broke.
"You idiot girl! Do you think I would give Kureno to one of your fucking friends?! I don't care about them, I don't care about him! I am God, and he lives to serve me! He shall never leave my side!" Akito seized the potted plant on the table and threw it at Tohru. Luckily it missed, and the vase shattered on the wall. Tohru stared, speechless, at Akito.
He pushed the table aside and smiled evilly, his rage disappearing but a more malevolent force taking its place. "I don't care about you or your friends," he whispered, crawling closer to Tohru, who tried to back away. "I don't care about any of you. Kureno is happy by my side. How dare you try to take that happiness away?" He slapped Tohru with such force that a hand mark could clearly be seen on her cheek. Then he grabbed her long brown hair and forced her up.
Tohru closed her eyes tightly. She was sure she was going to get hurt really badly. Her eyes opened in surprise when she felt… a kiss. Akito was kissing her.