Shigure read over the letter quickly and handed it back to Akito. She glanced at it again and then folded the papers, sliding them neatly back into the envelope they arrived in.
Shigure promptly took the envelope from her hands and flipped it over.
"Thomas Sashimoto, huh? It has a Canadian post office box as a return address. Whoever sent it probably doesn't want us to know where they live. What do you make of the story though? Did your fa- I mean, did anyone mention this to you before?"
"No, it really doesn't sound familiar at all. Now with the curse gone... Well, to be honest I don't know what to make of it. In all the years we've been cursed, we've never felt a connection to an outsider. As head of the family, it really doesn't make sense for me never to have heard about this. While we have several Sashimotos on staff here at the estate, I don't think anyone in the family here has experienced this bond."
"This is all very unusual. I know the estate holds records of our family and their descendants going back several generations, but I really haven't got the first clue on how to go about tracking down the descendants of the Sashimoto family. That is, of course, assuming you want to look into this. It seems interesting but personally, I don't really see the need for us to seek these people out - assuming they exist. Clearly this bond hasn't been very... ah, necessary in recent times. Otherwise we'd know about it, don't you think?"
Akito nodded. She both wanted and did not want to discover more about this story. Why now? It seems so farfetched, but there were so many details in the story that to consider it a coincidence would be absurd. Someone, somewhere, knew about the Zodiac curse. If they knew about that, maybe they are right about the rest of it?
Shigure loosened his tie and took off his suit jacket. The temperatures were starting to climb and the sun was out in full force. The office they were in had a large bay window facing the garden at the center of the complex. While much of the Sohma estate had gone unchanged for centuries, the family and its business had grown. Many more buildings were added on to other facilities, some in modern fashion and others traditional. He watched a gray and black bird singing outside the window. He suddenly had an urge to smash the bird into the window when there was a knock at the door.
Akito got up from the nasty colored couch she takes every chance to complain about (though she will never admit it's her favorite because of how comfortable it is) and made to open the door. Kureno was standing on the other side of it.
"Hello Akito. Shigure."
Akito smiled at Kureno and welcomed him into the room. Shigure simply nodded and plastered the fakest smile he could on his face. Akito glanced at him with a look that clearly said "Don't start" before addressing their visitor.
"Hello Kureno. What brings you into town? I hope all is going well."
With a completely genuine smile, Kureno responded,
"I've been coming into town for work over the last week or so, and have been meaning to come by and say hello. Unfortunately, the project I'm working on will be done in a few days and I will be heading back home. I just thought I'd stop by and see how everyone was doing. Things are going very well, thank you!"
"Well it's good to see you're doing well, then."
Although Kureno did not appear to be able to sense the hostility to Akito's immediate left, she most certainly did and elected to cut the reunion short.
"I'm sorry to say we have a very full schedule today, you know how it is. Next time you're going to be in town, let me know and we can arrange to go out for lunch? I would very much like to get to know Arisa a little better."
"Yes, yes of course. Your maid told me you were going to be very busy today, so I understand. I just didn't want to come into town without saying hello!"
"Our feelings wouldn't be hurt", Shigure muttered from the side.
A quick elbow jab to his ribs from Akito stopped him from continuing. Kureno smiled, waved, and said something about visiting Hatori while he was here.
Before Shigure could go off about Kureno showing up uninvited, Akito cut him short.
"So, back to this letter. Where do you want to start?"
"Well, it sounds silly but... let's find the oldest member of the Sashimoto family and from there? I mean.. it can't hurt can it? We can just ask them if they remembering hearing any old stories about our two families."
Shigured sighed and then nodded.
"Bring Chie in for me please."