Control Freak
Chapter 7: Exposed
*Kyami's Point of View*
I walked downstairs straightening my purple dress and pushed my black hair out of my face after fixing the purple bow. The others were already eating and I joined them quietly. Kyo spoke up to make his comment.
"You sure do sleep in a lot." He always looked at me like I was some weirdo.
"I've been having trouble falling asleep.." I answered. It was true. I couldn't fall asleep lately with so many things going through my head.
"I'm sorry I didn't wake you up!" Tohru apologized. "You just looked so peaceful." I smiled at her.
"It's no problem." We continued eating in silence until the door opened abruptly. We all looked to see Runa and Momiji.
"Akito wants to see everyone." Runa said with a solemn expression. I knew she was afraid on the inside, but would never show it. Momiji's expression was more worried. We all were caught off guard.
What would Akito want..?
"E-everyone?" Tohru stuttered. I swallowed hard. Runa only nodded, no clear emotion showing in her green eyes, reminding me of Hatori's.
Could it be about me..?
"Well, I guess we have to go then." Shigure said in an 'oh well' tone of voice. We all stood up and followed Runa and Momiji out towards the estate. I stayed to the back of the group, in my own thoughts, slightly shaking with nervousness. I looked up to see Runa in her own thoughts, her eyes staring straight ahead the entire time. The walk was silent and the air around us was tense. It seemed as if there was anyone else on the streets, our cloud of tenseness would ward them off.
When we got to the gate, Runa stopped and opened it without a word. She wouldn't look anyone in the eye; she was losing the light in her own eyes quickly as though the stress of this was draining it away.
"What do ya think he wants?" Kyo spoke up, breaking the silence without a problem.
"I don't know," came Runa's soft and emotionless reply. That was the opposite of Runa's normal personality, but when it came to Akito... She would instantly quiet down.
"So is everyone supposed to come?" Shigure asked. Runa shook her head.
"Everyone except Momiji and Ayame." Her emotionless voice replied. I stayed quiet and we all stopped when we got to Akito's door. Fear flashed in Runa's eyes, but they went back to emotionless quickly. She knocked on the door. I took a deep breath. What could she think it was about?
"Come in." As soon as I heard that voice, I was clinging to Shigure's arm. My heart pulsed sharply in my chest. My friend opened the door and led us inside. Her soft voice spoke up while her eyes were empty, void of any light.
"I brought them..." Her voice trailed off. Akito put a flower in the vase as we sat down and I looked at the floor. The morning glories I had delivered yesterday. I swallowed hard. Runa seemed to be spaced out, still standing. Her eyes flashed what looked to be sadness. Does she remember something? I wondered sadly, almost hopefully.
Yuki pulled her down as Akito turned to face us. "I'm so glad you all came." The head of the family paced around, staring us coldly down to size. "I've been very lonely lately." He continued to pace around. "You're probably wondering why I called you here." Runa snapped out of her trance and only looked up a little with unreadable eyes.
Akito smirked and walked over to me. I flinched a little and closed my eyes. The one I feared kneeled down and lifted my head with a delicate finger under my chin. I held my breath. Shigure looked down from my corner of vision, while Yuki and Kyo watched Akito carefully.
"Kya..." Runa looked afraid for me as a foreign, quiet voice spoke for her. Something I'd rather not had seen.
"How can you just run away?" Akito was getting angry. "You've seen it out there! There's nothing out there for you!" He grabbed my hair, making me yelp, and dragged me over to the vase, dumping the cold water onto my head. The black hair dye I had been using washed out onto the floor, showing my blond curls. "You're place is here, Momaji!" Akito shouted as I remained bent over, the blackened water dripping down from my hair and face. "There's nowhere else for you to run! We've found you." Now it was revealed. I ran away to get away from here.
I had feared this day with my life. Dreaded it.
I looked back at Yuki and Kyo and they both looked at me shocked. Faint recognition flashed in both pairs of eyes. Akito roughly grabbed my arm, making me squeal, and pulling me upright to look at him at an angle.
"What do you have to say for yourself?!" Akito demanded. Runa stared wide-eyed. I knew she wouldn't remember me. Hatori had erased her memory of me. He erased all of their memories. I could tell she was trying so hard to remember, but couldn't. I was shocked to see her pass out onto the floor. Shigure jumped to help her.
"You get her out of here!" Akito demanded. I watched sadly, and still shocked, as Shigure picked Runa up and carried her out. Everyone else followed him very confused, their expressions blank.
*Normal Point of View*
Yuki and Kyo both sat down, holding their heads. They couldn't believe what had just happened. It was revealed that the 'weirdo' as Kyo called her, was actually Momaji. Momiji's twin sister.
"No wonder she was acting so weird..." Kyo said. "She was trying to hide who she was."
"I can't believe him." Yuki spoke bitterly, making Shigure look at him. "I can't believe Hatori would erase our memory of her."
"What about you, Shigure?" Kyo looked at their cousin. "Why aren't you like this?"
"I've never forgotten."
"So you knew this whole time?!" Yuki practically yelled.
"Yes," Shigure replied, still holding Runa in his arms, "but I didn't expect Akito to do something like this." He then left to take their fallen cousin to her room. Momaji walked out with a sad, blank stare. Yuki jumped up immediately.
"You okay!?"
"Yes." She sat down and hugged her knees, wiping either water or tears from her face. After that, silence.
Shigure placed their cousin on her bed gently. Her expression was calm as she quietly slept. The dog of the zodiac knew his young cousin would remember Momaji. But that wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Runa moved, waking up a little. The auburn-haired girl sat up slowly, rubbing her head for her pounding headache. Shigure was leaning against the door.
"You okay?" He asked her.
"What happened...?" She looked up with confused eyes.
"Akito found Momaji and decided to expose her..." Shigure replied gently. Her eyes shot open fully.
"Momaji!" Runa jumped up but put a hand on her forehead. "Ow..." Her cousin stepped forward.
"Be careful!" He warned. "You don't want to push yourself so much!"
"Is Moma okay?" She asked concerned.
"Yeah... I think so."
"Why did he do that...?" Runa asked quietly. "Why did he erase my memory...?" She was desperate to know.
"I think you should ask Momaji about that." Shigure walked out. Runa stared at the door a short while before getting off of her bed and walking out. She walked over to where they were slowly, not completely there. Her eyes were frozen on the floor as she desperately tried to figure out what was going on.
As soon as she spotted her friend sitting against the wall, she hurried over and fell to her knees to give Momaji a hug.
"Momaji!" Runa was happy to remember her dearest friend. This was the happiest she had been in a long time.
*Runa's Point of View*
Momaji' eyes widened at my sudden burst of affection as I hugged her. I was so happy to see her! She was my best friend ever! Yuki spoke up with a concerned voice I rarely heard.
"You okay Runa?" He asked me, looking at me with deep purple eyes. He probably wondered if I knew anything more about this than I did. I released my friend and sighed, anger taking over.
"I can't believe he did that!" I growled out. I was referring to my own father erasing my memory of my closest friend. How could he do that to me? I thought angrily.
"It's okay Runa.." She assured.
"No!" I stood up. "It's not okay!" I felt myself slightly shaking from my pent-up aggression. He had no right to take that from me! Momaji remained calm, with understanding brown eyes.
"He did it for a good reason..." She said.
"What reason is there to erase my memory of my best friend?!" I demanded. There was no good reason in my eyes.
"It's my fault in the first place..." She admitted, causing everyone to look at her confused. I stayed silent, calming down enough to listen to her. All eyes stared at her either confused or sorrowful, or a combination of both.
"How is it your fault?" Yuki asked for everyone.
"When..." The blond-haired girl spoke. "I was put in charge of taking care of Akito... I played with you guys... instead of caring for him... he was sick..." Her eyes grew distant, remembering times when we were little. I remembered those times. She was always happy and smiling... She continued after a moment. "Hatori found out... and he decided that it was best if everyone forgot..." I spoke up next in this tense moment.
"Question." I looked at her seriously. "Taking care of Akito should have been my responsibility. Why wasn't I chosen?" It only made sense. I was the daughter of the Sohma doctor. I was to have the same fate. She looked at me, and then looked down.
"He was afraid that Akito would hurt you..." She explained. "He wanted to protect you... So he had me do it instead." My eyes widened at that. He would do that to someone else? He would use someone else as a shield to take that pain and abuse instead of me? I clenched my fist, my knuckles paling. In a swift and thoughtless movement, my fist connected with the wall with all of the force of my anger.
"Dammit!" I exclaimed as my fist pounded the wall. I could have cared less if I broke my knuckles. I was so angry and I wouldn't forgive my dad for doing this. I wouldn't.
"Please don't be angry!" Momaji pleaded. "It's all my fault! I should have done my job!"
"How the hell can I not be angry?!" I shouted at her. "He used you so I didn't have to take care of Akito like I'm supposed to do!" I didn't like the idea of caring for Akito, but I couldn't stand the idea of someone else in pain because they were forced to do my job. Momaji stood up to look me in the eyes.
"It's not like that!" She denied. "He cared about you! He didn't want you to get hurt! If it was my choice, I would of taken care of him anyways!" I looked away from her and looked at the others to see their expressions.
Tohru looked on with sympathetic blue eyes. She almost looked like she could cry. I didn't know how much she knew about any of us, be she was very genuine with her sympathy. Shigure was standing in the doorway, thinking. He knew. He watched this unfold before his eyes, and yet did nothing. I looked away from him at the other two; Kyo and Yuki just continued looking confused.
I turned on my heel and stalked away. At this point, I just wanted to be alone. I left them standing there and felt their eyes following me. I would have thought I'd be happy to remember my dear friend, but I was only infuriated. Maybe I didn't understand, but that's beyond the point. It still wasn't right to me.
*Momaji's Point of View*
Runa disappeared from our line of sight. She was so confused and angry, and I blamed myself. How could I have done this to my irreplaceable friend?
"I'm leaving now." Shigure said. He left with Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki quietly following him. Tohru was sympathetic, while Kyo and Yuki were still trying to figure it out. I knew it'd take a lot to get them to understand though.
I turned and went to Hatori's office on a mission to find a small metal object. I searched through everything and finally came across the small key in one of the drawers of his wooden desk. I took it and left, making my way to my room. I hadn't been there in almost a year. I unlocked the door and went inside, sitting on my bed.
I stood up and decided to leave my room. I had to find Runa. I found Akito standing on the porch, but I wanted to avoid him for now. I looked away and went to walk past him but he grabbed my shoulder.
"I did this for you, you know." He told me, "you could at least act like you care."
"I'm sorry..." I apologized weakly. I didn't want to start anything. I already had enough punishment now.
"I don't know why you thought running away would solve your problems." He let go of me.
"It didn't..."
"Exactly. So don't do it again." After his final word, I walked away. I found Runa in the garden, sitting on the ground. Her shaky breath hung in the winter air and quickly evaporated. If only her pain could have disappeared as quickly as that.
*Runa's Point of View*
I sat in the garden quietly. I didn't care if the cold air bit my fingers and played with my auburn curls. I thought back to when I used to play with Momaji. We had both changed so much in personality since then and I didn't even remember when it was Dad erased my memory. Apparently back when we were seven. That's as far as my memory could go. I didn't remember Moma anywhere between then and now.
I hated him for doing that to me. If he cared so much, why did he do that to me? I pulled out the picture of Momaji and me. We were so happy then, and that was torn away from us. Maybe it was because of the zodiac.
I wouldn't know. The cat of the zodiac didn't deserve happiness, not to mention an extra. I was a worthless extra that didn't matter. I was betting Akito loved to watch this unfold. He probably enjoyed watching all of us struggle. All of these bitter thoughts fogged my mind, and my eyes were clouded with tears. A tear fell onto the picture of two children, smudging the ink in a vertical line. That happy girl in the picture with her friend... it just wasn't me. I heard soft footsteps walking on the hard ground.
"Runa?" My blond-haired friend walked over, her soft voice concerned. I tried to blink away my tears before she could've noticed. "It's okay," she said gently, "everything will go back to normal now..." She sat next to me on the cold, dead ground. I looked at her sadly.
Normal? I thought, it will never be normal again. She didn't understand what I was going through. She wasn't the one that felt betrayed by her father. She wasn't the one that had to live life for years not remembering her best friend. Even when she was right before her eyes.
"What are you sad about?" She smiled weakly. "Now I don't have to hide anything from you!" That much was true. We could be friends just like we had been, and we could enjoy each other's company. I wouldn't be lonely anymore. I weakly smiled back at her, wiping the tears from my eyes. She smiled even more and carefully took the picture I held, looking at it with soft brown eyes.
I coughed a little, feeling the sting of the chilling breeze now. Goosebumps covered my arms since I was only wearing my black T-shirt. I normally only wore a T-shirt, jeans, and a pair of tennis shoes. It was nothing special, but it was all I needed.
"We should go inside." Momaji stood up and I did as well. I followed her inside and into her room. She put the little key to her door in a drawer and I looked around the small room. It was just like any of the other bedrooms I guessed. A bed, nightstand, dresser against one wall with a mirror on it. Pretty much just like my room. A closet in one corner and a window let in some light. Everything was just a little bit dusty.
"I should make dinner before Momiji starts complaining." I stopped and turned when I made it to the doorway. "Wanna help?"
"Sure!" She was more than willing. I was overjoyed to have my friend back. I smiled and we went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Momiji ran into the kitchen. "Ruuuuna-" He stopped when he saw Momaji and shied away. Momaji continued to focus on making food, but I stopped and turned to him.
"Something wrong, Bunny?" I wiped my hands on a towel, looking at him confused. Doesn't he remember his sister? They were twins.
"Uh... no!" He continued staring at Moma.
"Don't you remember Momaji?" I asked.
"Who?" The blond-haired boy looked at me confused.
"Your twin." I said then sighed. "Dad probably erased your memory too..."
"My what?" Momaji turned around then and spoke up.
"My name's Kyami," she told him, "I'll be staying her a while, okay?" She offered a small smile. I looked at her completely confused.
"Yeah..." Momiji paused. "You're Runa's friend?!" His eyes suddenly lit up along with his voice.
"You're right!"
Momiji smiled back. "Nice to meet ya! I'm Momiji!" Momaji ignored my questioning look and returned to cooking. Momiji sat down. "She said you had black hair..."
"I did."
I just looked at the two thinking, what the hell?! Why wasn't Momaji telling him who she was? This was so confusing. Did I miss something? I noticed I was staring like an idiot and got the dishes out. Momaji got a tray out, put a meal on it and took it for Akito. Meanwhile, I put the food on the table.
"So..." I finally found my voice. "When's Dad supposed to be back?"
"Sometime today..." Momiji replied to my question. I sat down and waited for Moma to return. She walked back in and joined us, and we started eating.
When we were finished, Momaji got up and went to do dishes. She rolled up the sleeves of her pink shirt to reveal bruises and scars on them. I went over, and spoke quietly and worriedly.
"What happened?" I looked at her concerned. I bet this is because of Akito... That bitter thought was enough to spark a flame of anger. Momiji left and his twin assured me.
"Nothing.." She washed dishes. "Don't worry about it."
"Akito did this, didn't he?" I wouldn't drop it. This infuriated me that he would hurt her like that.
"I said not to worry about it."
"I will worry!" I stated. "You're my best friend. You said you wouldn't have to hide anything from me and I already want explanations." I crossed my arms and looked at the doorway. "Why won't you tell Momiji?"
"Tell him what? That I'm his twin?" She asked a little infuriated. "I doubt anything will get him to remember now..."
"Why?" I questioned, wanting to know.
"After Hatori erased everyone's memory I couldn't take being alone..." She paused sadly, looking away. "I made Momiji remember me over and over while Hatori erased more and more of his memory of me..." She sighed. "I don't think there's any more memories he has of me now..."
"I still can't believe he did that..." I was hurt and felt betrayed.
"Like I said," Momaji told me, "it's all my fault..." I heard Dad enter and put his things away. I didn't want to talk to him and helped Moma do dishes. We finished and Momaji pulled her sleeves back down to conceal the reminders of Akito. My father walked in and was confused.
"Momaji? When did you decide to return?" He asked her.
"It wasn't much of a decision..." Her voice slightly wavered.
"Who found you then?"
"... Akito." I didn't look at him as my dad and Momaji talked. I didn't want anything to do with him.
"I'm guessing that Akito made a scene out of it, didn't he?" Dad assumed. Momaji stayed quiet for a while.
"Not really..."
"So then," he returned serious, "who knows?" Was he going to erase my memory again? I stayed quiet, hoping I was wrong.
"... Just Runa..." Momaji finally said.
"What about Momiji?" The questioning continued.
"He... wasn't there..."
"We'll talk about this later." Dad told her and left.
"What happens now...?" I asked, afraid of the answer.
"Whatever Hatori decides..." I was afraid of that. What if he erased my memory again? I couldn't believe he did that in the first place. With that, Moma went into the living room to sit. I decided to put the dishes away, finally remembering they were on the counter where I had left them. My mind was full of questions that kept me wondering and a faint noise snapped me out of my depressing thoughts.
I heard Momaji open the door, probably to look outside. I entered the living room with soft steps and looked over at her. Standing in the doorway, I could still feel the chill of the winter air blowing in with a few stray flakes of glittering snow. My friend's blond hair blew back a little at the soft breeze, and her brown eyes gazed outside. To my surprise, the chilling air didn't faze her and she spoke in a soft voice.
"I guess things won't be the same..." I didn't know if she was talking to me or not, so I just looked at my black bracelet as a distraction from our stressed moment. She sat down on the porch and continued. "I don't think things will be any easier..." She sighed. "I shouldn't have ran away.." She hugged her knees, not because she was cold but to feel a bit safer. "I'm so stupid..." Her voice was broken and I couldn't stand to listen to that melodious voice I envied so much to break.
I slowly went over and stood next to her, staring into some distant land I did not know existed. "No, you're not..."
"I've messed everything up.." Her normally quiet eyes screamed sadness and hopelessness. I sat down and looked at her with my green eyes.
"I don't blame you, I honestly don't..." But did I? I truthfully didn't know at that point. She was my friend but... did I blame her for all of that?
"Yeah..." She replied. "I know..."
"Maybe... we can think of something..." I thought aloud, "and make it all better..." I wanted to make her feel better. But could I? What she said next killed that hope.
"I doubt anything can make this better," she stated. "If I would have taken this seriously in the beginning and did my job, then it wouldn't be like this." She obviously hated herself for this, which she shouldn't.
"But I wouldn't remember you now..." I tried to point out a positive to this.
"Yeah..." Another sigh followed, making my hopes diminish.
"I'll think of something, Moma." I promised, my only goal to make her the same friend I knew. "Okay?"
"Okay..." She quietly responded, then her voice turned into a slight warning. "But I think you should be careful around Hatori."
"He'll erase my memory... won't he?" I bit my lip. I didn't want him to take my friend away again. Of course, I wouldn't know any better, but I still didn't want to lose my best friend.
"Yeah," she said in her death-tone, "and he'll probably erase Momiji's just to make sure." I sighed a deep sigh, full of sorrow and stress that evaporated into the night air. How could he do that to the twins? "I'm going to bed..." Momaji stood up and gave me a hug, despite the sorrow in her eyes. "Say goodnight to Momiji for me." She then started walking towards her room, leaving me to stand in the cold. My thoughts were empty, as were my hopes.