Chapter 11

"So, Tohru." Arisa turned around in her seat so that she could face her friend. "You got any plans for this summer? I could've sworn I heard Writer Guy say he was thinking of taking you all to the beach for a couple days. Is that true?"

Tohru glanced up at Arisa with a start. "Oh! Um." She put her pencil down carefully next to the piece of paper she'd been writing on. "Well, I'm not entirely sure. Yuki and Kyo said that the Sohma's have a summer home on the ocean. Shigure has talked about going there, and I would really like to, though I don't know if it would be appropriate to ask. I don't want to trouble anyone."

Several seats in front of them, Kyo sat quietly at his desk, chewing on a pen. His brow furrowed as he tried to concentrate on the essay he was writing, though the conversation between Tohru and her friends was simply too interesting for him to resist listening in to.

"I'm sure it wouldn't be any trouble," Hana softly interjected, "to take you on a vacation. Oh, a weekend on the seashore sounds lovely." She sighed dreamily. "How I wish that I could go…"

Kyo frowned, all the while tapping his pen rhythmically against the desk. Had Shigure said something about taking a summer trip? If he did, I sure as hell don't remember hearing anything about it.

An unwelcome image entered the cat's mind then, an image of Yuki standing with his arms crossed, wearing that familiar look of disgust, the look that made Kyo want to punch him in the face every time he saw it. He could hear the soft, yet biting retort: "That's because you never pay attention, you stupid cat."

Kyo held back a growl. There was no doubt that that was exactly what the damn rat would say if he were there. And while it was possible that Shigure had said something about taking a vacation, the last thing Kyo wanted was to admit, even to himself, that Yuki was right. That sometimes, he really didn't pay close attention to things.

In any case, there was a part of Kyo that hoped they really were going to take a trip, and a part of him that didn't. On one hand, a vacation would mean having to spend even more time around Yuki than usual, and that thought was enough to make Kyo's blood boil. On the other hand, it would also mean that he would have the opportunity to talk to Tohru more.

I only have so much time left, after all, he thought grimly. And if there's one thing I want to do before then, it's just to be near her. To hear her laugh. To see her smile.

"Won't you need a new bathing suit, though?" he heard Arisa ask Tohru casually. "Last I checked, the only one you've got is your school suit."

Tohru immediately sounded concerned. "Oh, would that...would that not be appropriate for a beach trip?"

"It's not that it wouldn't be appropriate," Arisa replied. "It's just that that suit is kinda…"

"Unbecoming," Hana finished for her. "And a beautiful girl like you should have nothing but the best when it comes to swimwear. "

Kyo was very glad he was sitting in front of them, so that they wouldn't see his burning cheeks.

"Not to worry though, Tohru," Hana continued. "Arisa and I will take you out shopping for a new one once we've finished our final exams. I know that I, for one, am much in need of a girls' day out."

"Heck yeah!" Arisa said excitedly. "How about a trip to the mall? We can help you pick out a suit, Tohru, then maybe hit up the food court or somethin'. Whattaya say?"

Before Tohru could answer, the classroom door suddenly flew open. Kyo turned to cast a glare at the newcomer, though his face immediately filled with shock when he saw who it was. What the hell? What's that little brat doing in here?

"You guys! You guys!" Momiji shouted. His brown eyes darted between Tohru and Kyo, and he ignored the stares of the other students around them as he said, "You've got to come see! It's terrible, terrible!"

At once both Tohru and Kyo stood from their chairs. "The hell do you mean?" Kyo raised his fists, as though preparing for a fight. "What's going on?"

"What's terrible?" Tohru added, her eyes wide with worry. She exchanged a glance with Kyo. The cat motioned for her to follow him before stalking off toward Momiji. Tohru hesitated only a moment, shooting a brief, apologetic look at her friends before rushing after him.

"It's Haru," Momiji whispered as soon as Kyo and Tohru were both within earshot. They stepped outside the classroom door so as to avoid being overheard by the rest of the class. "He...well, he wrecked an entire room," the rabbit told them. "A classroom." He gave a slow shake of his head. "Where's Yuki? I think he should probably be the one to go and talk to him."

"Yuki's in a student council meeting," Tohru said. "But Momiji, I don't understand. Why has this happened? Does it have to do with Hatsuharu's girlfriend, Isuzu?"

Kyo turned and stared at her. That's right, he thought. That little asshole Hiro seemed worried about Isuzu this morning. He wouldn't say why, though. Shit. Whatever this is, it can't be good.

"Yeah," Momiji said in reply. "Haru went to go and see her this morning. At Kagura's house. But she wasn't there. Haru looked everywhere for her. When he couldn't find her, he came back to school. He looked real bad when I saw him. About an hour went by, and that's when all of a sudden he got up and stormed out. Our teacher went after him, and by the time she found him, he'd trashed an entire room. He's in the principal's office right now. They've already called his parents, and-"

Kyo swept past Momiji, cursing under his breath before storming off down the hall. It took him all of two seconds to realize that Tohru was on his heels. "Kyo," she said, struggling somewhat to keep pace with him. "Are you...are you going to see Hatsuharu?"

The cat nodded wearily. That black Haru is too much sometimes. He really needs to learn how to control himself. Hell, I get pissed off every day, but you don't see me goin' around trashing rooms.

Kyo sighed. "Momiji's right," he told Tohru. "That bastard would probably be a lot calmer around Yuki. You wouldn't mind going to get him for me, would you? If I interrupt one of his student council meetings, he'll just get mad. He won't care if you do it, though."

Tohru leveled her gaze with his. Her expression was grave as she said, "Of course. Leave it to me. I'll go as quickly as I can."

Kyo's face softened as he regarded her. "Thank you."

Tohru's eyes lingered on his face for a moment, and there was a split second where Kyo thought she might say something else. But then she turned on her heel and took off down the hall without another word. Kyo didn't know why, but as he watched her go he felt a surge of sadness, a sadness that tore at him even long after she was out of sight.

I wonder, he thought, how many times I'll have to watch her walk away before she disappears from my life forever.

And with that final, solemn thought he gritted his teeth and began to make his way toward the main school office.

Shortly after Isuzu left, Shigure decided to make a phone call. A phone call to the Main House.

It was an impulsive decision, one he still was not sure he wouldn't regret later, but Rin's spirit and determination had renewed his confidence. This can work, he thought. This will work. It had to. Because if it didn't...

No. He refused to let himself finish the thought. I will not be cursed for the rest of my life, nor will I allow myself to die only for this burden to be passed on to someone else.

He picked up the phone and dialed the main line at Sohma House, a number he had had memorized since he was a small child. The phone rang and rang, and as Shigure waited patiently for someone to answer, he twirled the cord around and around his index finger.

Though the phone only rang five or six times, Shigure found that the seconds that passed allowed more than enough of an opportunity for his doubts to start creeping in again. What if Hatori was right? What if Akito's health improvements were a sign that the zodiac god's death was drawing nearer? What if Shigure was about to put forth all of this effort for nothing?

The dog gave his head a sharp shake. No. Akito is alive, and so long as he lives, there is hope.

It was true that Shigure felt no great love for the zodiac god, aside from his innate compulsion to remain respectful and obedient toward him—the same compulsion that existed within the minds and hearts of each of the other zodiac animals— though Shigure believed there was another side to Akito, a side that his cousins seemed completely unwilling to even consider. They all hated the zodiac god for the way that he was, for the way he treated them, and Shigure did not deny that they had every right to be angry. Akito's behavior over the years had been nothing short of monstrous on various occasions. And yet Shigure found that, despite it all, he couldn't bring himself to hate him.

He believed Akito when he said that, in some moments, a sort of blind rage overtook him, a rage that prevented him from thinking and seeing clearly. After all, Akito was possessed by the spirit of a lonely and very, very unhappy god. Did it not make sense that there would be times in which that spirit would overtake him? They all experienced a similar type possession when they found themselves in a situation where they wanted to disobey or disrespect Akito, but could not. He was their god, and no matter what he said, they obeyed. That was their curse.

Does it not follow that Akito would have his own curse to bear as well? The only person other than Shigure who had ever seemed to consider this possibility was Hatori, who, for once, the dog found himself hoping would not be the one to answer the Main House phone. Though the doctor was also anxious to break the zodiac curse, somehow Shigure doubted his friend would be in favor of this particular plan of his.

"This is Sohma House." A gruff woman's voice finally greeted him on the other line, and Shigure found he had to suppress a sigh of relief as she said, "Please state your name and business."

Shigure hunched forward a bit, lowering his voice so as to avoid being recognized. "Yes, this is Yoshi Nishidake. I work with Kureno Sohma. I was told to call this number if I had to reach him."

"Just a moment." There was the sound of papers being shuffled, and nearly a full minute had passed before the woman grumbled, "Mr. Sohma left no notes indicating that his colleagues might attempt to contact him during his stay here. If that is the only information you can give me, then I'm afraid-"

"I promise it will take but a few minutes of his time." Shigure had to try very hard to keep his voice from sounding sharp. "Please. It's important."

There was a long pause. Then, just when Shigure was sure she would hang up on him, the woman growled. "Very well. Please hold."

It was several minutes before Kureno finally came to the phone. During this time, Shigure made a mental note to tell Hatori to have someone arrange for hold music to be installed on all of the Main House phones. It would make for a much better, less boring experience for all callers, in his professional opinion.

When at last Kureno came to the phone, Shigure could tell just from the sound of his voice that he was irritated. "Yoshi? How did you get this number?" he demanded.

Shigure narrowed his eyes. Just as haughty as I remember him. Some things really do never change. "This isn't Yoshi," he said brusquely. "It's your cousin Shigure."

The other end fell dead silent, to the point where Shigure found himself wondering if Kureno was even breathing.

"Yes, I suspect that I'm the last person you thought you'd be hearing from," the dog resumed. "But as it stands, I am the one who summoned you to Sohma House in the first place, and while I don't particularly care to see you in person-"

"You're the one who sent that message?"

Shigure raised his eyebrows. Another thing that hadn't changed: Kureno loathed surprises. "Yes, I did," Shigure told him. "Is that really so shocking?"

"It is," Kureno said, his voice somewhat shaky. "I mean, I...well, I thought for certain it was Hatori who summoned me. At least, that was the impression I got when I talked to him. He seemed to have known I was coming."

"He did. The truth is that it was my idea, though."

"Why?"

Shigure chuckled. "It's no secret that you're not my favorite person," he told his cousin, "though before I get into the particulars of why I sent for you, I must confess that I too find myself feeling rather...mystified.

"You arrived at Sohma House within a few hours of receiving my message. Tell me: Why did you rush to us with such haste? After shutting everyone out for almost two full years, it really makes me wonder-"

"It wasn't personal," Kureno cut him off, his voice taught. "Don't you understand? I shut you out because I didn't know what else to do. It was clear that you all hated me for what happened-"

Shigure was quick to correct him. "Oh, no. I definitely hated you before then."

Kureno sighed. "The way I saw it, I could either leave, start a life of my own and try to forget you all, or I could spend the rest of my days living among you, your presence serving as a constant reminder of your suffering. I felt...guilty, and I thought that separating myself from this family would be enough to ease that guilt."

"Hmm," Shigure mused. "I see. And how has that been faring for you? Not so well, I take."

Kureno's hesitation was more than enough of an answer. "I returned hoping to find some way to help you all," he said finally. "To set things right. To...to make amends, if I can."

Shigure almost snorted. This is not at all the direction I was expecting this conversation to go, he thought. Though I suppose I can still spin it to my advantage. Shigure considered a moment before replying. "You want to make amends?" he shot back. "Fine, then. Save us."

Clearly flabbergasted, Kureno sputtered. "And...how, exactly," he said, "would I go about doing that?"

"Use your head, Kureno," Shigure snapped. "The girl is key in all of this. She's our one last shot at redemption. At god's redemption."

Silence again. It was almost enough to make Shigure's ears bleed. "Oh my," he said, unable to stand it another moment longer. "Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself. You do know about my house guest Tohru Honda, don't you?"

Kureno's voice sounded tense when he spoke, almost angry. "I won't put that girl in harm's way," he told Shigure. "She is an outsider, an innocent. Frankly, I'm ashamed of you for even suggesting-"

The dog cut him off with a hiss. "I would never do anything to hurt Tohru," he said, then clarified, "at least...never on purpose."

"Then what," Kureno said, "are you asking me to do?"

Shigure told him everything that he had planned.

When he finished, he could almost hear Kureno shaking his head. "But Shigure." His tone was heavy with disapproval. "How can you be certain that this will work? Even if Akito feels the way you believe he does...how can you be sure that he won't opt to hurt her instead?"

"I can't," Shigure admitted. "But it's a chance that I'm willing to take. You see, Kureno, all I want—all I've ever wanted—is to have peace, like you. To be free."

"I am not free," Kureno muttered icily, " and I most certainly don't have peace."

"Then you stand to gain from this endeavor as much as I. As much as any of us."

There was a brief pause on the other end. "Hatori will never agree to this."

"Yes," Shigure said with a nod. "I know, and that's precisely why I asked for you instead of him when I called. Now...will you help me, or no?"

The silence that stretched between them was much longer this time. Then, just when Shigure was sure that Kureno would say no, the ex-rooster sighed deeply and conceded, "I'll do what I can."