A/N: Well, here's the third chapter! I get to work on it much more now, since our school's exams are over! Hmm…I've noticed that there are more fluff scenes between Ruo and Hatori. At this rate, even I'm wondering if Hatori will end up with Akane or Ruo. *snicker*

RE-CONSTRUCTED & RE-POSTED ON: 04/29/10

Thanks To:

Euphoric-Dysfunction- Thanks again! Your reviews give me the will to carry on! So yeah, I decided that you were right. I shouldn't make the chapter dark, I had a hard time of coming up with an idea of how the meeting would go…sigh…I hope this would be sufficient!

Sister Dearest- Thanks…I guess. Haha, anyway, you better review your ass off!

xXxSanzoxGoku4LifeXxX- My twin halfway across the Earth! How I love you so! Thank you for your very much appreciated review! And I am very glad to have IMed you randomly as well!

Enjoy!

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Chapter 3: Visiting the God

Akane bit her lower lips. The silence was eating at her. The group had fallen into step with each other; Momiji's light humming the only sound emanating from them. Akane ran a hand through her hair, wincing as it got tangled in a few knots. Though no complaints were heard from either of the two families, Akane knew that they were uncomfortable with her and her brother there with them.

Most especially when Ruo had mentioned their meeting with Akito.

Their eyes are so dark, so sad and empty…Ruo thought grimly as he remembered the look on Yuki's face when he mentioned his name. Akito…the curse must not be all fun and games. And I'm sure that this Akito person isn't making it any better for them.

Akane nudged her brother silently. The Yoshikuni siblings then lagged behind from the three Sohmas.

"You okay, Nii-chan? You were zoning out…" Akane asked softly as she looked worriedly at her frowning brother.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that, did you notice the others' faces when I mentioned Akito. They were scared." he replied silently, furrowing his eyebrows while contemplating. He noticed the flash of fear in their eyes, Yuki's being stronger than most.

"It doesn't mean we should be scared. They probably just got surprised that we knew about the curse…or something." Akane reasoned just as silently, sighing when she realized that it wasn't Ruo she was trying to convince. Ruo, sensing the distressed look on his sister's face, quickly changed the subject.

"Eh! No need to worry about it, Kane-chan! That's probably it, I mean, I doubt they go gallivanting around saying that they turn into animals when you hug them." Ruo teased as he flicked Akane's ear softly.

A mental image of the Sohma men skipping down the road blabbing about the curse to random people appeared in Akane's head. She laughed silently and shook the image away.

"Yay! You laughed! I win!" Ruo shouted as he threw his hands in the air, laughing a hearty laugh.

"Nii-chan!" Akane laughed silently as she slapped Ruo on the arm. "Well, you're probably right. No need to get worried, right?"

"Yup!" he replied happily, pulling Akane into a hug. "No need to worry, baby sis."

"Nii-chan! I'm not a ba-" Akane's complaint was cut short though when the deep voice of the silent doctor called the two's attention.

"We're here." he said as they both looked up to see their first of the Sohma Main House. The two felt their mouths dropped as they examined the huge wooden doors, 'Sohma' written on a stone tablet beside it.

"Wow…" they sighed out simultaneously, still gaping at the huge entrance.

"C'mon! C'mon! Let's go in now, okay?" Momiji said as he tugged on Akane's hand, pulling her towards the wooden doors. Akane let herself get dragged through the doors like a rag doll, still in shock at the large amount of property she never would've guessed their family had.

"Sohma-san?" Akane asked timidly, suddenly more nervous than ever for the meeting she had with the head of this kind of family. She shivered as the breeze picked up the scarf wrapped lazily around her neck flapping around her and Momiji's body.

"Ka-chan! Don't call me 'Sohma-san'! You make me sound so old!" Momiji complained, his bright smile turning into a cute pout. Akane nearly melted at the cuteness of the small boy in front of her before reverting back to her stuttering self.

"Momiji-san, then?" she asked quietly, craning her head to look around the area. Not noticing the boy's pout turn into an amused laugh.

"Nope, nope! It's Momiji-chan! Okay?" he shouted loudly as he let pulled her along the tree-lined road. "You call me Momiji-chan, and I call you Ka-chan!"

"Alright then, Momiji-chan." Akane replied, finally gaining some confidence at the warm disposition of the laughing rabbit. "You're cute." she commented, holding a hand over mouth to giggle lightly.

"Really? You think so? My other classmates say it's weird for me to dress up like a girl…but you think it's cute, right?" Momiji came to a sudden stop and held unto both of Akane's hands, unshed tears glistening at the corners of his eyes. "You think I'm cute, right?"

"Of course, Momiji-chan! You must get a lot of admirers! I can just imagine what it would be like when you reach high school!" Akane consoled him gently, immediately warming up to the German youth.

"Well, I will be high school next year, why don't we wait and see?" Momiji replied as he latched back onto Akane's hand and started walking, fortunately for Akane, at a slower pace. Akane gaped at him n shock.

"Eh? You'll be high school next year?" Akane asked, not bothering to hide her obvious surprise. "You're kidding, you look way too young, Momiji!"

"I'm fifteen, silly Ka-chan!" he replied, laughing at the woman's fish-out-of-water expression. "I'm the same age as Haru!"

"Haru? Oh, Haru!" she exclaimed and stopped mid-step, looking back at the distance. When she saw the two other Sohmas and her brother nearing them, they decided to sit down on a nearby bench while waiting.

"Hey, Momiji-chan…" Akane muttered silently as she looked at her hands, folded on her lap. "What's Akito like?" She immediately regretted asking the young boy, because just as she mentioned his name, his usual bright brown eyes darkened sadly. "Y-you don't have to answer Momiji-chan…" she said as took the little bunny's trembling hand in hers. "I'm sorry for asking."

"No, it's okay Ka-chan!" Momiji replied, as small smile playing on his lips. It was a forced smile, but still a smile. He slowly let his feet swing up and down, his legs too short to reach the floor. "Akito…well, as you know, he's the head of the Sohma Family, and what we, the members of the Zodiac, call 'God'."

"God? Why would you call him that?" Akane questioned as she let go of the boy's hand.

"Do you know the story of the Chinese Zodiac, Ka-chan?" he asked as he got up from the bench he was previously sitting on. Momiji continued when he saw Akane shake her head, 'no'. "The legend was that one day, God invited the twelve animals to his banquet that was going to be held the next day, and told them all not to be late."

"But the mischievous rat told his neighbor, the cat, that the banquet was the day after tomorrow…" Momiji said as he jumped unto the bench railings.

"M-Momiji! That's dangerous!" Akane interrupted the story as she stood to bring the small boy back on the chair.

Momiji ignored her instructions and gave her a small, distant smile, continuing with the story when the redhead calmed down slightly. "The cat believed the rat, and slept while the banquet was already happening. The poor cat was dreaming of the banquet that would never happen…" he finished telling the story with a sigh.

"The God the legend was talking about is supposed to be Akito then?" Akane asked as she tried to pull Momiji back into his seat.

"Yeah…" Momiji replied with a solemn expression. "But, here's a game! Guess what animal I am, Ka-chan!" the sad look on his face disappeared was quickly replaced with a happy one as he pointed at himself teasingly.

"Well…I would have to say-" Akane gasped as Momiji's foot slipped of the thin railing, spreading her arms out to catch the falling boy before he hit his head.

Poof!

There, in Akane's arms, sat a little yellow bunny. She giggled slightly as she rubbed Momiji against her cheek. "The bunny…it suits you, Momiji-chan." Akane said as she kissed the bunny on its head. "But being sad doesn't."

"No worries! I'm not sad anymore! That's because you kissed me Ka-chan!" Momiji exclaimed squirming around in Akane's arms in an attempt to find a comfortable position. "You're so warm Ka-chan!"

"Thank you, Mom-"she was cut off again when Haru, Hatori, and Ruo approached the bunny and Akane.

"Momiji!" Hatori scolded Momiji as he picked up the fidgeting bunny in Akane's hands. "You should be more careful."

"Ah! Hatori-san, it was my fault, I accidentally pulled him and he landed on me." Akane explained while looking down worriedly at the bunny now held in the man's larger hands. "I shouldn't have been so careless."

Hatori's eyes narrowed as he eyed Akane. "You'll do well to remember that."

Arrogant bastard…I told him it was an accident. Akane fumed as she frowned at the doctor's face.

"Eh! Ha'ri! I want to stay in Ka-chan's arms!" Momiji whined as Hatori held him by his arms. "I want to stay with Ka-chan!" tears started spurting out of the bunny's distinguishable brown eyes, shouting complaints of Hatori being mean.

Hatori tapped the bunny on his pink nose and chided him softly, "No Momiji. You stay with me, or you hop all the way until you change back."

"Fine! I'll hop the way!" Momiji huffed as he leapt out of Hatori's arms, landing on the ground with a soft thump. Akane giggled slightly as Momiji started hopping beside her.

"You're so adorable, Momiji-chan." she commented as the little bunny struggled to keep up with her long strides. "Here, I'll help you." Akane picked up the small bunny and held him in her arms. When said bunny was lifted from the ground, he looked at Akane, with a shocked looked on his furry face. Sensing Momiji's head turned to her, she looked down at him and caught his gaze. Akane laughed at the expression on his face and hugged him even tighter.

"I don't have to listen to what he says, Momiji-chan." Akane whispered to the giggling bunny. She held him at arms length then winked at the still laughing Momiji, "He's just jealous, because his Zodiac form isn't as cute as yours." she said in a voice loud enough for said man to hear.

Hatori rolled his eyes at the young woman who was 'whispering' to the giggling bunny, "Act your age Yoshikuni-san."

"Why don't you act your age," Akane replied to the doctor, now holding Momiji closer to her chest, "Grandpa." she teased, innocently sticking her tongue out to Hatori's back. The two other Sohmas, along with Ruo started snickering as the silent doctor scoffed.

"I have no time for this, and besides…" Hatori said as he stopped in front of another door. "Welcome to the Sohma Main House."

"But I thought we were already in the Main House." Akane questioned the doctor who was approaching another set of wooden doors. It was similar to the first set, but beside the hinges of the doors were wooden carvings of the twelve Zodiac members.

"Well, technically, everything from the first set of doors we went through, including what is beyond this door is the Sohma Estate. But the area we just went through is what we call the 'outside'." Haru explained with a bored expression as he too neared the wooden doors.

"Everything inside the doors here is the Sohma Main House, or the 'inside'. Every single person living in the Sohma Estate is, well, a Sohma. But only those who are part of the curse and who know of the curse can live in the Main House." he finished as the group entered the double doors of the Main House.

The Yoshikuni siblings stared in amazement at the sight that lay before them. The sidewalk had been lined with huge houses, and if no house was found, a beautiful garden would be. Having a first glance at the Sohma Main House, you would never have guessed what kind of curse they were going through.

"This is huge…" Ruo exclaimed as he surveyed the entire complex. "And I mean, really huge!"

"Momiji-chan, this is amazing! You live here?" Akane questioned the yellow rabbit in her arms, unconsciously stroking the soft fur she found behind one of his long ears.

"Yup, I do! And so does Haru, Kagura, Hiro, Kisa, and Hatori too!" Momiji explained as they continued to trek along the road, leaning into the woman's soft fingers.

"Kagura? Hiro? Kisa? Are they part of the Zodiac too?" she questioned again as bent down to place the little rabbit down.

"Yeah, they are! But, Ka-chan! Why'd you put me down?" the bunny asked sadly, eying the smiling woman.

"You've been a rabbit long enough, Momiji-chan."

"Aww…but Ka-chan!" he whined as he once again struggled to keep up with the others. "I wanna be with you for a little while longer."

"Momiji, it's about time you change anyway." Haru reasoned out as he slowed down his pace, soon walking beside the bunny and Akane.

"Oh, fine, but it's your fault if I get really tired, Haru!" Momiji replied as he frantically hopped in the direction of Hatori's house.

"Don't worry Momiji, I'll walk slower so you won't have a hard time, okay?" Akane said as she indeed slowed down even more her pace. Haru eyed the girl through the corner of his gray eyes, scrutinizing her kind gaze towards Momiji softly.

Or are you just trying to delay your meeting with Akito? Haru thought as he studied the woman.

"Thanks Ka-chan! You're so kind!" Momiji said as he relaxed his pace, hopping with the two in a steadier pace.

"You're pretty kind yourself, Momiji." she laughed silently as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the silence.

"Really? But you're cute too, Ka-chan! Really cute!" Momiji continued as he hopped along beside Akane's feet. "Don't you think so Hatori?" he shouted over to the doctor who was walking slightly ahead of the trio.

"Momiji, stop playing around." Hatori replied stiffly as he quickened his already fast pace. Ruo looked to him as he evaded the question, giving him a pointed look as he smiled slyly.

"Eh? What's this? Hatori-san, are you blushing?" Ruo teased as he poked the doctor's cheek. "My, my, my…I think you are!"

"Ha'ri has got the hots for Ka-chan!" Momiji laughed playfully jumping around in small circles. "Ha'ri and Ka-chan sitting in a tree!" he sang as his laughing increased and hopping sped up, just in time to hop beside Ruo.

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Ruo continued, wagging his fingers in time with the tune. Behind them, Hatori, Akane and Haru felt sweatdrops slide down their heads

It's hard to believe the age difference between the two. The three thought simultaneously as the watched the antics of Ruo and Momiji. "Grow up, Nii-chan." Akane shouted as he whacked her brother on the head. "It's only cute when Momiji does it, you old man."

"Yay! Ka-chan still says I'm cute!" Momiji shouted as he jumped up and down several times. Akane's head nodded in sync with Momiji's hops then slowly shook her head from the approaching dizziness.

Poof!

"Aww! I wanted to be a bunny a little while longer!" Momiji whined as he stood where the yellow bunny once was.

"Oh! Sorry, didn't see anything!" Akane screeched as heat evidently crept up to her face. She turned on her heel, walking in long strides to hide behind the amused Haru.

"Here are your clothes Momiji," Haru said as he tossed the blonde said articles. "Go change behind the tree or something." he mentioned jokingly as Momiji did what he said, trying to fight off the smile creeping up his lips.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Early in the afternoon, the group of five had finally settled in the living room. Hatori served them tea, Akane graciously accepting hers. She smiled as the warm liquid overwhelmed her senses, a big change from the piercing wind they walked through outside.

"Stay here while I tell Akito that we have arrived." Hatori barked at the siblings as they settled in his living room, taking an occasional sip from their cups. "Momiji, Haru, keep them company."

"Alright, Ha'ri! Good luck!" Momiji shouted as he waved the doctor good bye.

Haru glanced at the two siblings, taking down silent notes. He furrowed his eyebrows at the thought of the redhead in front of him. He didn't know what had exactly happened resulting into them finding out about the curse. But he wasn't impressed. There was nothing relatively special about this girl, save for her motherly attitude. Haru raised an eyebrow at her as her green eyes met his gray ones, sighing out of boredom when she offered him a polite smile.

"So, Haru-san…" Ruo said in an effort to break the silence, shifting his weight to his hands pressed against the floor. "What year are you in?" Haru allowed himself a couple of seconds to take down mental notes on the older Yoshikuni, eventually driving to the same conclusion; neither of them would be able to help the Sohma family.

"Same as Momiji, Yoshikuni-san." he replied, his cold tone matching his gaze perfectly. Unbeknownst by them, Haru was inching closer and closer to a transformation to Black Haru, the darker personality already affecting his thoughts.

"Oh…is that so? And please, call me Ruo." the older man replied smiling sheepishly at Haru. Momiji felt Haru stiffen up beside him, cocking his head to the side and poking his cousin softly in the ribs. Haru turned to face Momiji, the sight of the innocent look on his face calming him down instantly. He gave the Momiji a small smile as 'thanks', chuckling when the blond pulled out another lollipop and offering it to him.

When Akane noticed the taller boy relax slightly, she decided to try and strike up a conversation. "Is that your natural hair color?" she asked boldly, resting her elbows on the table and letting her eyes squint at the oddly colored boy.

"Yeah, it is." Haru replied, running a ringed hand through his growing hair, "This is my natural hair color."

"Really? It suits you, Haru-san." Akane wasn't surprised, she remembered the odd coloring of the other family members as well. A look of realization came to her eyes as she smack her fisted hand on her open palm, a light smile playing on her lips. "You must be the cow then!"

"Yup! Haru's the cow!" Momiji shouted, running over to where Akane was seated. "You're so smart Ka-chan!"

Akane smiled proudly at herself then pinched Momiji's cheek, feeling the roundness of the lollipop inside his mouth. "It's kind of a dead give away, Momiji." she pointed out with a chuckle.

The four chorused with laughter as the little bunny pouted at the young woman. As the laughter slowly died down, Akane took the chance to study the room, listing an eyebrow when she noticed a lone picture frame in a bookshelf near the shoji doors. She looked the room a bit more then concluded that it was the only personal item in the area.

"Momiji-chan, who is this?" Akane asked, standing up from place on the floor and approaching the bookshelf. She peered down at the picture, studying the woman in it thoroughly feature by feature. "Hatori's girlfriend?"

The silence reentered the room as the bunny's expression saddened slightly. Akane then lifted the picture off of the bookshelf to take a closer look at it, looking back at the two Sohmas briefly while waiting for an answer.

"Kane-chan…" Ruo said softly, silently asking the curious girl to drop the question. He stopped though when he heard Momiji get up from his seat and approach Akane near the bookshelf himself.

"Yeah, her name is Kana." Momiji said as he neared the picture in the young woman's hand, looking down at it as he had several times. "She's a Sohma too."

"Oh, that's amazing." Akane replied as she placed the picture back down on the shelf. She laughed slightly as she looked at the confused gazes directed at her, missing the tension from the topic. "It's amazing that someone as pretty as her can stand that grumpy geezer. What happened to her?"

Haru sighed at the joke Kane directed at the doctor and then stood up from the couch. "It isn't a very nice thing to talk about…you might not want to know about it."

"Nasty break up?" Ruo questioned the monotonous cow.

"Eh…something like that." Momiji said as he smiled and pulled Akane back to the couch. "So, tell us more about yourselves!"

"Well…umm, my name is Ruo Yoshikuni, I'm twenty-eight and is being taken care of by my darling sister over here." the older Yoshikuni stated, smiling sheepishly at the two Sohma cousins.

"My name is Akane Yoshikuni, twenty-five and is currently being free loaded by my brother." Akane said, glaring at said older brother.

"Well, you know you love having me around, Kane-chan!" Ruo said as pulled her in a hug and dug his knuckles into Akane's skull. Akane huffed as she lost her balance, now half lying across her brother's outstretched legs. She gripped his hands tightly as the tangled themselves in her now matted hair.

"Oww! Nii-chan! Stop it!" Akane complained as her scalp began throbbing from the fist of the laughing madman. This was how Hatori found them. The two Sohma boys laughing at the Yoshikuni siblings, one of the said siblings digging his knuckles into the other's red hair.

"I won't bother asking," he muttered to himself, though his voice loud enough to gain the group's attention. They all sat in attention now, though Ruo, Haru and Momiji exploding into another laughing fit at Akane's hair, now standing in crooked positions. Unfortunately, breathing wasn't an option when Akane patted down her hair only having it stick back up to its messy state, the action sending the three into more hysterics. "Akito will see you now." Hatori stated, ignoring the loud shouts of his cousins and Ruo.

"He's in a relatively good mood, consider yourselves lucky." he continued, directing the latter statement to the Yoshikuni siblings.

Ruo sobered up at this while Akane gave up trying to tame her hair, both suddenly looking hesitantly at each other before altering their gaze back at the Sohma doctor. Both felt a wave of nervousness attack them, and several questions concerning the Sohma Head started popping in and out of their minds. Some crazier—but more Akito-like—than others.

We're supposed to be lucky that he's in a good mood?

Is he crazy? Psychotic? Bi-polar?!?!

Shit…is he capable of murder?

Panic was etched on Akane's pale face as she studied over her last thought. Considering what Hatori had said and the Sohmas reaction to Ruo's mentioning of their so called 'God', she believed that it would be safe to assume that they should be scared.

Ruo's thoughts were probably focused on practically the same thing as his sister's, Sohma Head plus Zodiac curse plus Yoshikuni siblings' knowing of said curse equals, 'Be afraid; be very afraid'.

Hatori narrowed his eyes slightly as the two outsiders kept staring at him. When he suspected that they had no intention of snapping out their daze anytime soon, he sighed loudly and raised a hand to beckon them to come with him.

"He's not going to be in a good mood forever. Let's go." Hatori stated firmly, finally pulling the Yoshikuni's out of their panic filled trance. "Hurry up."

"Alright-y!" Ruo said cheerfully as an effort to push down some of the worry filling his body. He tugged on Akane's wrist and called to her loudly. "Let's go Kane-chan!"

"Okay…okay…sheesh!" she replied pulling her hand out of Ruo's tight grip. Akane rolled her eyes at her brother's obviously fake behavior, the attempt not doing anything to calm her nerves down. She looked back at the younger Sohmas and smiled brightly, "I'll see you two later, alright?"

"Okay! Bye, Ka-chan!" Momiji said jumping up from his seat and waved to the retreating form of Akane. "See ya soon!"

"Bye, Momiji-chan!" Akane replied, looking back at the bunny. "Bye Haru!"

"Goodbye Akane-san." the cow replied silently, nodding his head in respect. "Good luck with the meeting."

"Thanks!"

And with that, Ruo and Akane gave each other an encouraging smile before walking behind the doctor silently, solemnly.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Akito-sama?" a timid voice was heard from the thin shoji doors leading to the Sohma Head's room. Akito's dark eyes drifted slowly from the bird resting idly on his hand to the door behind him.

"What is it?" he muttered softly through gritted teeth, annoyed that the serene setting was interrupted once again. He looked back at the garden located outside of the room, his hand nudging softly and watched enviously as the bird now flew freely in the sky. His eyes narrowed as his room's door opened, keeping his gaze on the scenery in front of him.

"Hatori-san and the two outsiders have arrived, Akito-sama." the elderly maid replied, bowing in respect to the young Head. Akito's mouth curled upward slightly, his body reeling with malicious excitement.

"Is that so?" Akito smirked and rose from the ground. He stared coldly at the old woman, throwing her a dismissive wave. "Send them in."

"Very well, Akito-sama." She bowed once again, and retreated silently back to the shoji doors to give the cold consent of Akito to the doctor and the Yoshikunis. Akito lied back down, the other set of shoji doors leading to his private garden pushed back widely, exposing the greenery to Akito's hard gaze.

This…should be interesting. He thought with a smirk, a throaty chuckle finding its way to escape his lips.

The sound of the shoji doors sliding opened interrupted Akito's train of though but instead of the usual annoyance, his feeling was now replaced with something much, much darker.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Akane wrung her hands together, the tension in her body eating her slowly inside out. Finally, the elderly woman Hatori had talked to reemerged from the dark room and bowed politely to the three.

"He will see you now." she said softly, keeping her frail voice low. Hatori nodded and dismissed her before putting a comforting hand on the redhead's back and the other on Ruo's shoulder.

"Let's go," Hatori said, slowly directing them to the room of the young Sohma Head. Akane could feel her heart beat hardly in her chest, the constricting tug enveloping her body. The sound of the doors being drawn open seemed to match each thump of her heart, her breath suddenly coming in short heaves. She inhaled deeply as the dark room was revealed, the only light being from the other set of doors that were too drawn open.

"Akito-san," the doctor greeted the dark figure facing the open view. "It would be best if you came inside now, you know how cold it gets in autumn." A cruel laugh filled the three's ears as the figure's head turned to look at them.

"Hatori…you always worry too much," a sickly yet firm voice said shocking the two Yoshikuni siblings.

He sounds so young… Akane thought as she craned her neck over Hatori's shoulder to try and get a better look of the Sohma Head. Her body stiffened as light fell over the God's face, cold dark eyes suddenly meeting shocked green ones.

H-he's so young! Akane looked down quickly, a cold chill trembling through her when she felt his hard eyes boring holes into her body. He looked just on the verge of twenty, a mop of violet tresses on his head, sickly pale skin and cold, hard black eyes.

"Are you two…the outsiders?" his voice asked, every word dripping with malice and disgust. A hushed silence fell, Ruo and Akane shivering at how cold the young boy's voice had been. It had been like a sharp knife, cutting right though all of their feelings of ease.

"Yes, Akito-san." Hatori replied, his eyes never leaving Akito's. "This is Akane Yoshikuni and her brother, Ruo."

"I see, you may leave now, Hatori. I'll call for you when we're done here," the head replied giving the doctor a sharp glance. The doctor tensed slightly, but nevertheless, bowed respectfully. Akane stuttered in shock, almost wishing that she could just latch on Hatori's retreating form and beg him to stay.

"And how exactly did you come to know of the curse?" Akito asked once the doctor had left, rising from his area near the garden door and entered the dark room.

"I-I was about to be hit by a car, Hatori-san pushed me out of the way in time, but transformed in the process." Akane replied, her eyes fluttering to her hands folded on her lap, clutching at the long skirt she had been wearing.

He should have just let you die, you stupid girl. Akito though at he narrowed his eyes at the shaking girl.

"What makes you think I should let you keep your memories? You have no relation to us, and before that eventful day, you had not known any of the Sohmas." Akito said smugly as he leaned back on the wall. "There's nothing special about you two…what's there to trust?"

"Akito-sama, we both understand that this places you in a difficult position, but my sister and I are in debt to Hatori-san…" Ruo said quietly, his eyes never leaving the narrowed ones of the Sohma Head.

Akane eyes widened as she gave her brother a surprised look. She realized that there were those rare moments that Ruo could and would be serious. This was apparently one of them.

"You are…in debt to my Hatori?" he questioned the duo, staring disgustedly at the tense Akane and the blank Ruo. "Have you two no pride?" he questioned cynically as Akane clutched onto her skirt tighter, her knuckles turning a deathly white. "Fine, you two seem the type of people to follow any authoritative figure you see…" he trailed off, observing the slouched figure of Akane. "Just like a lost puppy…" Akito laughed a cold and rigid laugh, sending off terrifying waves to the Yoshikuni siblings.

"Keep your memories." he finished, giving a lazy wave of his hand to the slowly relaxing Akane.

"Thank you, Akito-sama!" Ruo started his shower of gratitude but stopped when Akito shot him a glance.

"But, you will have to stay at the Main House for one week, to see I can really trust your or not." The news of having to stay inside the premises did not falter Akane's happiness one bit. She smiled gratefully at the smirking Sohma Head.

"Thank you, Akito-sama." she said silently, bowing deeply in gratitude.

"Get out, before I change my mind. And call Hatori on your way out, I'm not feeling well," Akito replied, his hand waving a sloppy 'shoo' movement.

"Yes, Akito-sama."

The Yoshikuni siblings exited the room, and called for Hatori, who was waiting on the bench located near the room.

"We can keep our memories, Hatori-san!" Akane said happily as she ran over to the blank-faced doctor. "But we have to stay here for a week." she continued, frowning in confusion at Akito's instructions. She shook off her curiosity and smiled at the shocked Hatori

"And Akito is calling for you…he says he isn't feeling well." Ruo continued, smiling at the mood change of the cheerful and smiling Akane.

"I see. Very well then, I'll meet with you later to discuss your living arrangements." Hatori replied, standing up from the bench. "Go and stay in my house for now, tell Momiji and Haru of the news. Do you remember the way?"

"Yeah, we do. Don't worry!" Akane replied as she grabbed Ruo's wrist and ran down the pavement. "See you later, Hatori!"

The doctor nodded politely, and slowly made his way to Akito's room, his eyes narrowing in confusion.

What are you up to…?

End Chapter 3

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A/N: There it is! The 3rd chapter! I'm so happy! One more thing, I reposted it because I just noticed now there were so many grammatical errors, XD Heehee, so…the chapters will probably shorten, but don't worry, the quality is still there! Just kidding, haha! Review, review, review!