ok, this is it, chapter four.
"Chapter Four;
Betrothal"
I stared at the dark man in total shock,...I didn't know there was someone who could scare me more than Lukimi, or Kanye, but sure enough, I found someone. The young man didn't look any older than me, actually, but I could only bet that his looks were deceiving me. He was somewhat older than me, but still, definitely younger than Kanye, who was twenty.
"Now, dearest sister, you're being rude to my friend." He complained.
Now I gave him the shocked stare, glancing back at the other man standing in the room. For him to have a friend is really creepy. "Your friend?" I questioned, in disbelief.
"But, of course." The man behind me said. I looked at him, still slightly startled. "Where are my manners? I am Akito Sohma." He greeted, bowing his head, his right hand placed upon the black torso that covered his chest.
I raised an eyebrow at him, then turned to Kanye. "Kanye?" I questioned. He stared at me, questioningly. "Why is the head of the Sohma family here?" I asked. Who hasn't heard of Akito Sohma? Haru practically tells me about him, saying that he was a bipolar, maniac, who likes to please himself with the clan's suffering.
Kanye gave me that creepy-warm smile, meaning it's news I'd actually wouldn't regret hearing. "He's here to help us, dear sister." He answered.
"Help us?" I questioned, more confused than before, or ever in my life. These things are always what I never got.
"But of course." Akito said, bowing his head. I was thinking the line as a catch phrase, for him.
I looked back at Kanye. "Akito, and his family have a secret, just as our family does; we're both cursed, Ai." He began.
Okay, confession time. I admit it! My family is cursed. My family's curse is grand. There are five born with a single flaw against humans.
Kanye is one. He will never die until such time another is born with his capability, and that could take hundreds to thousands of years.
Shinge is another. He can cause everyone, but the five, great, and horrendous pain that kills, yet he still holds compassion while doing it. This happens when he gets angry, and touches someone.
I have two other cousins, whom you'll meet soon. Their flaws include forcing one into loving, and deceives their mind into what they want them to think, and the other can heal.
I'm the last one,...the one with the worst curse. Whenever I hug someone, except for the other four, I give them an early death. It could be within days weeks, or months. But with each person I hug, my time gets shortened. As another sad part, my existence ending means that our crazy parents will be sent to a dimension of darkness. It couldn't be helped. By the way, the parents of the five are literally crazy, as soon as the curse is revealed.
Back to reality; I looked at Kanye puzzled, then got off the couch, motioning myself towards Akito. "And, your family is cursed?" I questioned. He nodded. "How?" I asked.
"The zodiac animals." He stated. The Chinese zodiac? I didn't follow, and my expression was enough to explain it. "You know the old folk tale, don't you?" He asked. I nodded. "Well, the twelve animals' spirits, along with the cat's spirit, were angered, and possessed our family, some time ago. Whenever they're weak, or are hugged by someone of the opposite gender, they transform." He explained. It kinda made sense, somewhat.
I raised an eyebrow. "Okay! Then, explain how you can help my family." I said to Akito. I didn't believe this for a second.
"Ai, you remember that everyone else, in your family, is doomed with their curse the day you die, correct?" He questioned. I nodded, not liking this simple fact. "Well, I did some research on what your family is up against, as it turns out; you aren't just the key to their doom, but to their release." Akito explained.
"What do you mean?" I asked, turning to Kanye.
"Your death makes these things happen, Ai, but if certain events happen, the curse will be set free." Kanye told me.
"And these events would be?" I questioned Akito.
"They revolve around a certain emotion." He started, sitting next to me. "Love, dearest Ai, weakens your part of the curse, expands your time, not decrease it. You have fallen in love with one of my zodiac, that I'm pretty sure of, and now, we only need to let other events take hold." He said.
"Again, with the events." I sighed out. "I already know love expands my time, but what else has to occur to ensure that the curse is lifted?" I asked, annoyed.
Akito chuckled. "You've already done the first: falling in love. The second event would be a return of feelings through a kiss." He said. Yeah, I've never been kissed. "Thirdly, the lover has to confess true love to you. Fourth, you must become married. Fifth event is making love to each other, then finally, the sixth; becoming pregnant." He explained.
I was surprised. That was it? Find someone true, get married, then become pregnant? Wow. "How am I supposed to get all of this, if I can't even hug someone, unless it's we of the Yudinte curse?" I asked.
"As it turns out, anyone of the cursed zodiac, won't be affected by us, nor can we affect them." Kanye assured me.
If that's the case, then that means that whichever Sohma I hug can't be affected by my curse. I felt so happy. "Ai?" Akito questioned. I turned towards him. "What if I can guarentee that you won't have to worry about doing the stages yourself?" He asked.
"Where are you going with this?" I asked.
"I talked to your brother, and since our families can't affect the other's curse, what if I made you betrothed to one of my zodiac?" He asked. I stared at him, shocked. Me? Marry a Sohma?
hope tht wasn't too long, I'll try, and update sooner. Also, no one bothered to guess, oh well. see ya l8r!