Omake
Walking into the dining room this cold Friday afternoon, Shigure stops at the door to talk to the Sohma kids who were in the middle of a conversation.
"-So only you and Shigure will be home tomorrow." Yuki is explaining to Haruhi.
"Actually, my school is throwing a Ball, so I have to help with that."
"Really?" Yuki says, "Sounds… elegant."
Haruhi laughs, "Yeah, definitely not my type of event. But my club is putting it on to earn money and get the parents on their side, which is basically just to learn how to manage a business and to defeat boredom. Mainly the latter."
"What's this about?" Shigure inquires.
"Ah, Yuki, Tohru and I are going to go do a stupid race at school tomorrow. Haruhi is going to her school to prepare for a Ball her club's throwing. Makes sense, that does seem like something rich girls would do for fun." Kyo sounds unimpressed as he waits for his food.
Haruhi laughs nervously, but no one notices. They are thinking she's in a club with all girls considering she never added the word Host to the clubs name and she plans to keep it that way.
"I am going to beat you in the race you damn rat!"
"As if."
The other two Sohmas ignores the bantering teens, "So what about this ball? Are we invited to it?"
"My club puts this on every year in December, but it takes a whole month to prepare. I would invite you all, but I don't want to attract attention right now with Akito and all. I still haven't told them yet and I should before I start visiting with him next week. I mean he let me be for the last two weeks but with the Ball coming up in two and a half weeks, I at least want to get through that before I have to tell them. I have a feeling this will change a lot of things."
"Don't worry~ tell them when you're ready, we'll keep it a secret for now, just don't wait long. If they are true friends, they will stay by your side. Well anyway, I have to go see Mitchan today. I'll be back by dinner; I assume you all are staying in?"
The Sohma kids nod but they can't help thinking how odd his statement is since Mitchan usually comes to the house instead of Shigure going to her. Sharing a suspicious glance, the boy Sohma's start to question him but to Shigure's luck Haruhi steps in. "Mitchan? Who's that? Your girlfriend?"
"No, the devil." Shigure replies irritated. "Otherwise known as my editor. She said she will kill herself if I don't get the book done. Now it's done, and she said she's too sick to pick it up and that I must drop it off for her like she's a princess or something. So, Hatori is going to drop me off then we'll go visit Ayame at his shop."
"Sounds like a fun day. Have a good time!" Tohru says as she puts breakfast on the table. The boys who were still not buying it, but not really caring at this point, turn their attention to the food. As Kyo is reaching for some bacon, he knocks his juice onto his plate. Cursing he goes to wipe it up before it runs to the rest of the table and ground. Tohru immediately ran over to help like how a good wife should act. Shigure chuckles at the thought of those two married. He can see it, but then again, they do seem completely opposite of each other. Before they notice, and before he lets himself feel jealous of the two teens, he sneaks out.
He can still hear Yuki and Kyo fighting inside when Hatori pulls up. They nod at each other but remain silent for a couple of minutes. "Why are you doing this? It's not like it will solve anything. You know Akito, he will never change his mind."
Looking out the window Shigure lets out a troubled sigh, "But if I don't do this that girl will never get her life back. You, Ayame, Kureno and I are the only ones who know his secret. That can have leverage and you know we need all the help we can get to bring Haruhi back home to her father. I just worry about what he will do. I don't want him hurting her anymore, but this seems the only way to set things right."
"Your right but I still don't like it. Exposing everything just for one person. This isn't a game you want to be playing with Akito. He will win no matter what. He will make her bend to his will by putting not just her life on the line but everyone else's. He will make everyone miserable to get his way. Yes, she's family and we should do everything we can to help family, but she's safer how it is. Living at your house with the other kids is way better than living on the estate. And at least she can stay at her school, doing this might break the only hope of a connection to her former life she has."
But Akito wasn't the only one with a secret, and as far as Hatori knew, he was the only one who knows about Haruhi's secret. If it got out anymore it might get back to Akito and who knows what he'll do to her.
So far there is only two members who has escaped the curse. How did they do it? What do they have in common? Did they have anything in common? Hatori didn't know but his scientific personality is starting to show through. He needed to know the answer. He wasn't going to get them if Shigure angered Akito. But what could he do to help without sharing what he knows? Anyways, he promised himself he would stay out of it in order to remain safe and to keep his family safe. But if this family is willing to throw it all away, what will he do?
ꬸ
Stepping into Akito's room Shigure sits on the ground. Akito doesn't move from hanging out of his frigid window, only pretends he is still alone. This of course is another game for Akito, seeing who breaks first. Minutes tick by.
"What do you want?"
Looking down to hide his grin, Shigure knows not to immediately ask his question. "Are you feeling better today?"
"Like you care. Where is Yuki and Anri? I thought I told them to visit me. I'm growing impatient waiting on them."
"It's only been a week and a half, she needed that time to settle down, I'll have them visit you Monday. Besides, they're all going to be exhausted with their busy weekend. The boys and Tohru have a race to get ready for and Haruhi is getting ready for a Ball."
Shit. Right then he knew he made a mistake. Akito pulls himself up and turns to glare at Shigure.
"Hm. A Ball? Really?" without waiting for a reply he carries on, "I see. How high class. Hm. Yes, I have heard of this Ball. The school's Host Club throws a Ball every year. But tell me, why is my Anri going to prepare for this Ball with this Host Club? She is a girl, she cannot make contact with anyone of the opposite gender, unless she wants to have everyone's memory erased. And if that happens, why bother going to this precious school of hers in the first place?
"Maybe she's just a guest, but again, the risk is too high and why would she be helping set up? This is pissing me off. Make sure she tells the school her real name Monday. Also, have her quit her club. I don't want her spending time with boys, she's mine and mine alone. Bring them by after school."
Nodding, Shigure contemplates asking his own question. But seeing how mad Akito is right now, it might be even more disastrous than when he's calm. But he has to try.
"Say, Lord Akito. May I say something."
Giving a curious glare, but guessing what he will say, Akito inclines his head to proceed.
"I'm going to ask you this forthright. What do you plan to do with Haruhi? Why play this game? Why are you trying to ruin her life? It wasn't her fault she was given away, you let her stay with her adopted father until now. So, what changed?"
Akito stares at Shigure. Seconds tick by. Again, another game. Like the other he refuses to back down. Out of nowhere Akito bursts into hysterical laughter. He falls to the ground, tears rolling down his cheeks, he finds it hard to catch his breath.
And just as abruptly he stops. He's sprawled on the floor, staring at the ground, hair covering his head like a sick doll from the ring. Jerking his head up he looks deeply into Shigure's eyes making his skin crawl. He involuntarily jerks his gaze to the floor; this is a mistake.
Backing up slowly towards the door, he locks eyes with Akito again but sees the boy clutching his head, looking down with a grotesque grin on his face. He backs up another step. Akito begins to chant, "She's Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine…"
Almost there, three more steps. One, two, three. Running the best he can in his Kimono, he sprints towards the front door. But footsteps and whispered chants follow him. Grabbing on to the door handle he slams it open, running past house after house, he sees Hatori's car just beyond the estate gates. Hatori sees him coming and throws open the door. Jumping in and slamming the door closed again they split, creating skid marks they were going so fast.
"I take it went well?"
Laughing at this rare joke, Shigure looks over at his longtime friend. "Peachy."
They head off to Ayame's shop like he told the kids he would do before going home for a few hours. As they pull into his house's driveway, he sees Mitchan's car. Great, he thinks as he says goodbye and goes inside. I forgot to give her the book. He stops in the doorway. Then it dawns on him, he forgot the lie he told. Rounding the corner, Yuki and Mitchan smiles at him before Yuki says,
"Welcome back, how was your day with Michan and Ayame?"
6/3/18
