(A/N): Oh where, oh where have my reviewers gone? Oh where, oh where can they be??? Seriously... where did you all go?? I miss you guys... but I would like to thank the reviews of my latest chapter, and that was Kyae and Lilac Rose6. Thank you so much for taking the time to review my story! And to Lilac Rose6, yes, Ritsu did marry Shigure's editor in my story :)

But anyways, not much happens in this chapter. It's not very long, and it's mostly filler, but I promise that I'll make it up to you with the next chapter :)


That next week, I spent every free period I had with my council for the Spring Festival. They had decided to a fundraiser, centered around the formal dance that would take place the day after the festival. We were making origami roses, which students could purchase to give to their sweetheart to ask them to the dance. If their crush said yes, they would respond by purchasing a white rose. If they said no, then a yellow rose. It sounded more complicated than it was. It was actually a decent idea. Our secretary, Kari, came up with it.

"I've got more orders," said Yoji, coming into the room.

"How many?" asked Kari.

"Fifty-two more people have ordered red roses to give."

"That brings our total to... 531 red roses!"

"Ugh..." I said, planting my head on the table in front of me. I was already surrounded by these flowers!

"What's wrong, Kyoko?"

"We haven't even started on the yellow and white roses! And we have to make enough of those to correspond to the red roses, and were running out of paper, and this is exhausting!" I said.

"Please… you're folding paper!"

"And how many have you made, Yoji? Three and a half?"

"Too much pressure, Kyoko? Would you like to give up your post?" Yoji asked.

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?"

"I'm just saying... you haven't really been living up to your reputation lately."

"Sorry to disappoint you," I replied, sarcastically.

"We should have just put on a play. They already have all of the costumes and props for Cinderella that we could've used. Kyoko could've been—"

"For the last time, I would not have played Cinderella!" I yelled at Muso. He was the other boy in my council.

"I bet you would have been Cinderella if Riku could've played Prince Charming..." he muttered. I grabbed the closest thing next to me, which was Yoji's soda, and sent it flying towards Muso's head. I smiled when it hit him square in the nose. "Ow!"

"Say that again..." I smirked.

"Sorry..." he said, muffled with his hands over his nose and his mouth.

"Stop fooling around guys... we need to make over a thousand flowers. That means you, Yoji and Muso. Kyoko and I have made the most," said Kari.

"Yeah," I said, getting up. "You can have my place Yoji. Get to work boys."

"And where do you think you're going?" Yoji asked.

"I'm gonna go recruit," I said, making my way for the door.

"Great idea, Kyoko! We need all the help we can get," said Kari. I walked out and made my way for the courtyard.

"Kiss ass," I heard Yoji say inside the classroom to Kari.

"Jackass," she shot back. I smiled. When I got to the courtyard, I saw Haru and Akeno sitting together. I walked over and took a seat.

"Done making flowers already?" Haru asked.

"Don't say 'flowers'," I replied, laying my head on her shoulder. Just then, I felt a rain drop hit the side of my face, then another. "Just great..." I muttered.

"April showers bring May flow—" Akeno began, but then stopped when I shot him a look. He smirked, and began gathering his things.

"I love the rain," Haku said, spreading her arms out.

"I don't. Bye," I said, getting up and walking back inside the school. I had just walked through the door when Riku passed me, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me outside with him.

"Ah! Riku, what are you doing?!"

"We're going outside."

"It's raining!"

"I know. I can see."

"I don't like getting wet!"

"You never had a problem with rain before... if I remember correctly, you liked the rain," he said, turning to face me.

"Well, I don't anymore. I'm going inside," I said, yanking away from him, but his grip was firm. He pulled me closer.

"You're the one who said that you wouldn't let your curse control you... are you really gonna let a wet cat get the best of you?"

"I—! Ugh! I don't care about any stupid rain!" I yelled.

"Good," Riku replied, leading me to our friends. I hated this. Every rain drop that landed on me felt like daggers. I grimaced and took a seat next to Haku.

"You don't look very good..." Akeno said.

"Thought you didn't like the rain?" asked Haku.

"Shut it," I muttered.

"Hey guys." That voice made my skin crawl. I stiffened from hatred. Haku stiffened from unease. And Riku and Akeno were oblivious.

"Hey Muki," said Akeno.

"Why are you all sitting out here?"

"Just... enjoying the rain?" Haku answered, looking at me as if she was waiting for confirmation. Yeah... I couldn't take much more of this.

"I'm gone. Later," I said, getting up and making a beeline for the school. Relief washed over me once I was back inside, but my clothes were soaking wet. And it was cold inside. I think my gym clothes are... kinda clean? Who cares? At least they're dry.

"I thought you told me that you would deal with Muki," said Riku, walking inside after me.

"I am dealing with it," I defended.

"By ignoring him?"

"That's the only way I can deal with him," I replied. Just then, the bell rang for everyone to go to their next class. "I have to go change, so I'll see you later..." I said, turning and walking away.

"There you are! You didn't find anyone to help us make flowers! I knew you just wanted to skip out on your share!" yelled Yoji, coming down the hall.

"Yeah, no one wanted to come make paper flowers... go figure," I said, shoving past him. All that I cared about right now was dry clothes.


Since it was raining, my mom picked me up from school, which I was ever so thankful for. But she didn't just pick me up, she picked up all of us that went to high school... and that included Muki.

"Are you sure it's okay, Mrs. Tohru?"

"Of course, Muki!" she replied.

"Mom!" I said, in a hushed whisper.

"Kyoko, you're father lived with Yuki, and he never died. I think you'll be just fine riding in the car with Muki for ten minutes," she shot back. I slumped back in my seat as Muki piled into my mom's van. I was up front, Haku and Akeno were behind me, and Riku and Muki were in the far back.

"I hear that the Spring Festival is coming up. What's everyone's class doing?" my mom asked.

"We're selling flowers..." I muttered.

"My class is putting on a play," said Muki.

"Really? I did that one year. We put on Cinderella. I played an evil stepsister."

"You were an evil stepsister?" Haku asked.

"You think that's funny? Well, get this. Your father, Kyoko, was Prince Charming. And your dad, Muki, was the Fairy Godmother," my mom laughed.

"Wow... that's—"

"Embarrassing!" Akeno exclaimed, cutting off Muki with his laughter. I smirked. Dad was Prince Charming? I would've liked to see that. I also would've liked to see the rat play the Godmother. With any luck, maybe Muki would play a woman in his.

"What play are you guys doing, Muki?" my mom asked.

"Uh... Cinderella," he replied slowly.

"Are you the Fairy Godmother, or a step sister?" Akeno asked with a laugh.

"Shut up! And I'm not in it… I'm directing," Muki said.

"Directing?! That's so exciting! You know, Kyoko has always said that she would like to be a show once." I choked on my spit. Mom! Whatever happened to mother-daughter confidentiality?! "Maybe she could be in one of your plays," my mom said.

"Really? You've never told us that, Kyoko!" Akeno said. He was loving this.

"Seriously, Kyoko?" Haku asked.

"You like acting? I've never seen you—"

"I've never acted and I never intend to! Acting is stupid," I exclaimed, cutting Muki off.

"How about your class, Riku?" my mom asked.

"Huh... I don't know," he replied, uninterested. Within a few minutes, we had arrived at the estate. The first stop was Haku and Riku's.

"Thanks for the ride, Mrs. Tohru!" Haku said.

"Thanks," Riku said.

"Not a problem, kids," my mom smiled.

"Do you think it would be okay if Kyoko stayed and hung out for a while?" Haku asked.

"What?"

"I think that's a great idea! I'll call you when dinner is ready, Kyoko," my mom said.

"But I—"

"Come ON!" Haku said, opening the door to the car. I grudgingly got out of the car, and into the rain...

"Wait for me!"

"Sorry Akeno... girls time," Haku said.

"But Riku gets to go!"

"He lives here!" Haku yelled in frustration. "Thanks again! Bye!" she yelled, pulling me by the arm to her house. We walked in, followed by Riku, who took his time in the rain.

"We're home! We've got company!" Haku yelled. Rin walked in, looking a bit disheveled.

"Oh, hi Kyoko. I haven't seen you around in a while," she said.

"Yeah..."

"She's been wallowing," Haku said. Thanks, best friend...

"Well, I'll be in the study if you need me," she said, and then left.

"Haku, what's this all about?" I asked.

"We haven't spent time together in forever, and I think it will probably do you some good."

"Aren't you confident..."

"Someone's got to be... come on! Let's have 'girl talk'!" Haku said, walking off to her room. I slowly followed.

"Have fun," said Riku, smirking.


Haku is kind of the black sheep of her family. Everyone else is usually reserved and low-key. Haku is talkative and has a very bubbly personality. She likes to spend time with people, and she's not afraid to tell it like it is. And she likes to know what's going on, which I'm sure is why I'm here today.

"So... what do you wanna talk about? What's on your mind?" she began.

"The cur—"

"DON'T YOU SAY IT! Curse, curse, curse, curse, curse — it's all I ever hear about anymore! From you... from my parents!"

"Is there something that you wanna talk about?" I asked. This was my ploy. If I asked her questions, she would go on for days. Then I don't have to talk about anything.

"Yeah. I'm sick and tired of hearing about this stupid curse. My parents argue over it constantly! All my mom does anymore is look for ways to break it, while my dad tells her she's wasting her time! I don't care about this curse, okay? I just wanna go back to before! You've been a totally different person ever since the curse and I don't like it! I want my friend back! I wanna talk to you again like we used to and— wait... hold on, we're supposed to be talking about you!" Damn it... "Now, spill!"

"Spill what?!"

"I don't know... spill anything! Oh... I know... you and my brother."

"What about him?" I asked, more defensively than casually.

"Do you like him?"

"Of course I do. I've known him for as long as I've known you."

"Don't play coy with me, Kyoko Sohma! You do, don't you?"

"So? What if I do? What's not to like?"

"He's detached, he's about as emotional as a rock, he goes black if he can't find the remote—"

"That's not true! He's caring, and protective! He understands me better than any guy I—" I stopped. She had lured me into a trap, and I fell for it.

"Finally! About time that you admit it!"

"I didn't admit anything!"

"You didn't have to. It was all over your face as you described him," Haku teased. I blushed. "Don't be embarrassed. I mean, I don't understand what you see in him, but I'd love for you to be my sister-in-law!" she exclaimed.

"Please stop..."

"Fine... but, listen. There really is something that I wanted to talk to you about. About your curse..." she said, a bit uneasy.

"What?" I asked cautiously.

"Well, it's probably just a rumor, but all of the zodiac kids have been talking about it and they're worried."

"Haku, spill."

"Is it true that the cat—?"

"Kyoko, you're dad is on the phone," said Riku, coming in with the telephone. He handed it to me.

"Dad?"

"Hey Kyoko. Dinner is gonna be ready soon. The rain has stopped, so why don't you come home, get cleaned up, and then we'll eat, okay?"

"Okay, I'll be home in a few."

"I love you." ...... just set me up for that, didn't you dad?

"Yeah, iloveyoutoo," I said quickly, and then hung the phone up. "I gotta go..." I said, handing the phone back to Riku.

"I'll get my mom to drive you."

"No way. It's like, a ten minute walk. I'll be fine. I'll see you guys tomorrow," I said. I walked to their front door and put my shoes and jacket back on. I walked outside and was happy to see the sun. It hadn't quite begun to set yet. I began making my way towards home.

Things hadn't been perfect lately. Actually, they had been downright horrible, but today had been a good day. Little by little, things have been getting back to the way they had been. Maybe I am cursed by the cat... but maybe I can slowly start being the person that I always have been again. Today, I felt a little like the old Kyoko. Sure, being able to stand Muki would be a challenge, but the old Kyoko would be up for any challenge. She would face it head-on. And that's exactly what I need to do.

"So, it's true. The monster has returned."

Monster? I turned to my left and saw an old man. And I mean, an old man, with short, black hair. He reminded me of someone... but I had never seen him before. And his eyes... they were so cold and heartless that they sent chills down my spine. Who in the hell was he?


(A/N): DUN-DUN-DUN! I hope you all enjoyed that snippet of maybe-everything-will-be-okay Kyoko, cause next time, the over-dramatic-my-life-sucks story continues! Like I said, I'm sorry if this chapter wasn't as satisfying. It was mostly some filler that I wrote (and had a lot of fun writing it!). Please review! I'm sick *cough-cough* and the only way I can *cough* get better is with your *cough-gag-cough* REVIEWS! Til next time!

stacyTHEemo :)

P.S.: I know that I crammed a lot of characters into this story. If anyone likes, I could post character profiles with my next update, telling you who's related to who and what zodiac animal they are. If you'd like me to do this, just say so in your review :)