Control Freak

Chapter 11: Haunting Past

*Momaji's Point of View*

I woke up and made my way to the kitchen, expecting to see Runa in there cooking breakfast. Instead in her place I found Ritsu! He noticed me and started apologizing.

"Oh, sorry sorry!" he began, "I didn't mean to start cooking! I... I was hungry..."

"It's fine." I dismissed it. Then Runa came into the room. She had obviously just woken up because she didn't look ready for the New Year's party at all. She yawned tiredly, not noticing us. "Morning." I greeted her. She looked up at me in acknowledgement.

"You want anything to eat?" Ritsu offered, then felt he was being pushy. "I mean! I can cook you something! Maybe? If you'd like..." She gave him a smile.

"Only if you'd like, Ritsu."

"I'd like something." I smiled too.

"Okay..."

Runa stretched. "How'd it go last night?"

"Oh..." Ritsu looked downcast. "I... Just have one last thing to do... Sorry..."

Runa smiled, a bit embarrassed over the night before. "It's okay. I'm really sorry I couldn't help." She seemed sincere in this statement.

"Oh nooo! It's fine!"

Momiji came in and sat down, and Runa greeted him with a "morning bunny." He laid his head down on the table and ignored her, making her smile disappear. Ritsu served us food and continued with the cooking as Runa looked at the blonde haired boy. "Momiji?"

"Hmm?" He looked up at her.

"What's wrong?" She tucked her bangs behind her ear. Every day she was beginning to look more like the stoic doctor, Hatori.

"Tired." He laid his head back down.

"You're not gonna eat?" I asked him a bit concerned. These kids needed to stop making themselves sick! Momiji sat up a bit and began eating a little. Runa didn't seem happy with this and rested her head with a hand. I began eating, myself. A brown haired girl with big eyes popped her head through the door and knocked on the frame.

Runa jumped, then realized it was her. "Oh... Come in, Kagura." She stepped in awkwardly.

"Heyy guys!" She looked at all of us happily. She must be a morning person. "You're awfully quiet... I don't remember that..."

Runa gave a soft smile to her as she stood to walk over. "Things have been weird here."

"Why are you here so late?" I asked my cousin.

She gave a bright and happy smile. "I've been visiting my dear Kyokyo!" She was so enthusiastic over it. "He was sooo happy to see me!" Runa perked up at the mention of the orange haired cat.

"So is he coming tonight?" She looked almost happy. Kagura looked down.

"The cat isn't invited, remember...?" She spoke calmer.

"Poor Kyo.." Momiji commented.

"I know," Runa should've known that, being a cat herself, "but is he at least coming around?" She was hoping so much he'd come. It was pretty doubtful he would though.

"I doubt it," Kagura pouted, "he chased me out of the house this morning..." No surprise there. She smothered him.

Runa looked away. "Oh..." Poor Runa. Kagura sat and sighed. "Well..." Runa found a couple books and placed them on the table, "guess I should start continuing reading tonight."

"For what?" I asked her. Since when did she care?

"Medicine." She said it plainly as if she didn't mind it.

"You're really gonna do that?" I was a bit surprised at her change of heart.

"I think it's nice!" Kagura said. Runa shrugged her shoulders and crossed her arms.

"Who else will?" True... "I'm not helping anyone by fighting him."

"And it might be cool!" Kagura gushed.

"You might like it." I told her. I noticed Momiji roll his brown eyes. What was that for?

Runa smiled a bit to herself. "And maybe I'll get to see Dad more." Both me and Kagura nodded at her, happy she finally decided to do it. She stood upright and stretched. "I need to put on different clothes." She left to her room. We all watched her confused and Kagura spoke up about it.

"So what's been going on while I was gone?" She looked at us. Momiji got up prompty and left. She sat silent for a while. "Did I say something...?"

I shook my head. "Something's up with him lately." I wasn't quite sure what it was, but it was obvious.

"How are you, Ritsu?" Kagura changed the subject.

Our clumsy cousin dropped of bowl and it shattered into many sharp pieces on the floor. He nearly screeched, "Aaah! I'M SO CLUMSY! I don't deserve to be here!" Both me and Kagura went over and began picking up the glass from the tile floor, reassuring him it was fine.

"It's fine! It's fine!" Ritsu started mopping up the spilled food with a towel, weeping to himself.

"So sorry..."

Runa came in and looked at us as if expecting an emergency. "What the hell is all the screaming about?" Ritsu bowed to her repeatedly.

"I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I didn't mean to! I don't deserve to be here! Sorry sorry!" I looked at her slightly annoyed for stirring him up again. Runa paused, then decided she didn't care.

"Forget it." She picked up a book and sat down to begin reading. She was quiet as we cleaned up the mess and I helped Ritsu calm down. Kagura went over and peeked over Runa's shoulder to see the book she was reading.

"Looks hard..." She commented, lost in all the words and diagrams on the pages.

Runa sighed. "Yeah..." She continued to focus on it.

"Do you understand this stuff?"

"Some." Runa simply replied to give her full attention to this enormous book.

"Oh..."

Hatori walked in, noticing our new guest. "Oh, Kagura's here." He said it as if it explained everything. Kagura waved at him. Runa was too distracted with the book to care what went on around her; that was not like her at all. "Momaji." I looked at him. "Your father wants to talk to you on the phone."

What...?

I was shocked. I hadn't spoken to him in an eternity. Still in shock, I shook my head. "I don't want to talk to him..." From the corner of my eye, Runa's expression got more annoyed as we talked. She glared at the book in front of her as if her stare would burn it into her mind.

"You don't want to talk to your only father?" Kagura asked as if that was the one thing anyone here would give to have. I turned away.

"No."

"Fine." Hatori left the room. Runa's fingers tapped in the tense silence as she continued to stare at the book in front of her. Ritsu and I cooked quietly as Kagura was surprisingly quiet.

Runa stayed still for quite a while. "... I can't focus." She shoved the book away from her, letting it fall off the table.

"Hm... Wanna go do something fun?" Kagura suggested. "I'm bored..." Runa shrugged.

"Sure. I need some fun." She was starting to sound like she didn't care much anymore.

"Whatcha wanna do?"

Runa sat back, unsure. "Don't know... We can always go mess around in the snow."

"Ooh! That sounds fun!" I left the room as they talked.

What would my father want...?

*Runa's Point of View*

I stood up and pulled on my coat as Kagura waited on me. Once I was set to go, we both went outside into the cold air. It was much colder than the day before, and the ground was slippery. Kagura did the childish thing and picked up some snow to eat it. I thought for a moment before starting a conversation.

"So how have you been, Kagura?" I couldn't think of other ways to start talking to her. It was weird I couldn't find something...

"Good." She smiled. I tried to manage a small smile myself.

"It's funny that this year is year of the dragon." To imagine my dad having to dance was an... Interesting thought to say the least.

"Mhm!" Kagura nodded. "Doesn't that mean Hatori has to dance?"

I nodded. "The dance isn't hard though." My cousin giggled.

"I can't picture someone as serious as him dancing!"

"Me either!" I could've laughed at the idea but didn't feel the need to. "Too bad I won't see that."

"Yeah... Maybe you could get him to dance with you sometime!" She teased.

"Ha, it's hard enough to get him to smile." I joked. The boar smiled and picked up some more snow. I looked off into the distance. "What do you think we'll be like when we're older?" It was a random question I guess, but I wasn't too sure what would happen. I couldn't see myself doing anything in my future right now.

"Us or you and Hatori?"

"All of us."

"... I don't know... I just picture us being the same..." That made me ask my next question.

"Can you picture me taking my dad's place as the family doctor?" I wasn't so sure.

She stopped to think, those pretty eyes pausing. "... I guess so... It would be a change to have a girl as the Sohma doctor... But I could see it."

"I guess I can't," I watched her nibble the snow, "but I can't picture anything in my future."

"I think you would be happy as the Sohma doctor!"

I smiled. "Thanks Kagura." She smiled back and continued to eat the clean snow.

*Momaji's Point of View*

I heard a knock on my bedroom door and looked up to see Hatori standing in the doorway. "Your father keeps calling." He spoke up. "He really wants to talk to you."

"Do you know what he wants?" I asked him, uninterested. He shook his head. "Then there's no reason to talk."

"There must be if my phone keeps ringing." He stated. "I don't want it ringing through the whole banquet." I looked away from him annoyed.

"How many times has he called?"

"About four now." He answered, putting a hand up in the doorway he was standing in. "I think you should speak with him."

I gave him no answer. I didn't even look at him.

"Fine." He left then and I stood up, thinking to myself.

What could Papa possibly want? I made my way to Hatori's office. I know he doesn't want me back. He's too busy to do anything with me, plus he doesn't even like me! Mama probably died. I doubt he'd tell me if that happened. I sat in Hatori's chair and saw the phone he left laying on the desk, not hung up. Did Hatori really expect me to come here anyway? I paused before lifting it to my ear.

"Hello...?"

"Momaji?" I heard his voice.

"Yes?" How does he still remember the sound of my voice?

"How are you?" Really? You never talk to me and the first thing want to know is how I am?

"What did you want?" I got to the point, semi- flinching, noticing that I was acting like Hatori. "did something happen?"

"Ah..." He paused. "I get New Year's off this year and I thought-"

"If you have it off, then why aren't you spending it with Mama?" I cut him off coldly.

"Well... She's doing something with Momo..." I lifted my feet onto the desk and sat back in the chair.

"How is Momo?" I questioned him. "For your only normal daughter, you don't say much about her."

"She's fine. Stop changing the subject." He was getting a little flustered. "I wanted to know if you wanted to get dinner or something tonight." I stopped and thought hard about it.

"... No." I finally said.

"Why?"

"I don't want to." I shot back. "You or Mama never cared about me. You should have forgotten me along with Mama... You never liked me."

"You talk like you're the only child I had!" ...what? Was he talking about Momo again..? "What happened to Momiji?"

"... What...? Momiji...?" What was he talking about? Momiji's my brother? That little blonde boy is my brother?

"You're such a selfish child." He rambled on how horrible I was to me over the phone. I stopped paying attention after that and eventually hung up the phone, shocked.

"A brother...?" I got up and walked towards my room, not sure how to take this. Could... Did Hatori erase my memory...? He... He wouldn't do that! Footsteps sounded in the hall and I looked up to see the head of the house. "Akito?!" I was so surprised to see him.

"What?"

"Um..."

"Spit it out," he commanded, "I don't have time to wait for you."

"Do I really have a brother?" I had to know.

"What made you think of this?"

"My papa said... Momiji-"

"He is." He cut me off. "Now shut up and stay out of the of the banquet." He went and was gone. I went back to my room, very confused.

*Runa's Point of View*

I quietly sang a Chinese song to myself as I sat. "Liang zhi laohu, liang zhi laohu..." There were two tigers. "Pao de kuai, pao de kuai..." They run very fast. "Yi zhi meiyou weiba, yi zhi meiyou erduo..." One was missing a tail, one was missing an ear... And in walked Kisa and Hiro, with Hatsuharu following. I paused in the middle of my tiger offensive song.

"Hey guys!" Kagura greeted them.

Kisa's tiger ears pricked up. "Runa... What are you singing...?" She innocently asked.

"It's that annoying Chinese!" Hiro was still a brat. I rubbed my arm embarrassed that I was caught singing that song.

"A song about two adorable tigers that run fast..." I left out the rest purposely. "Heh..."

"One is without an ear... And the other without a tail..." Kisa backed up a little, afraid of me.

"Look what you've done now you dumb girl!" Hiro glared at me. He took Kisa's arm and led her inside. Wow I'm stupid...

"Is Yuki here yet?" Haru asked, obviously bored.

I shook my head. "Doubt they'll come, Haru..." I put my head in my hands a bit angry with myself for nearly making little Kisa cry.

"Kyo's not coming." Kagura was still down about that, but so was I.

"Okay... I should get back inside before I catch a cold..." He turned to walk inside the house. "You guys should too."

Kagura sighed. "Okay. I'm getting cold anyway!" I nodded and went in with them.

I decided to start putting the food out before the party started and Kagura came to help me. She spoke up as we placed the dishes on the table. "Have you noticed... Anything strange about Momiji...?"

"Well... Yeah..." At least I knew I wasn't imagining it. "Things are weird for me though since I just got over a bad fever."

"But seriously... Momiji just doesn't... Act like Momiji."

"I know... It bothers me."

"Mhm..." She nodded. "Does Hatori know...?"

"I've asked indirectly..." I never get good answers though... "I don't know..." I put a plate down. "I should check on him."

"Okay." She smiled sweetly at me before I left. I headed towards his room first, the most likely place he'd be. And there he sat, on his bed, hugging his legs. I knocked lightly on the open door.

"Momiji...?" He looked up at me sadly. I stepped into the room and shut the door. "Hey..." I weakly greeted.

His brown eyes looked down. "Hi..." I walked over and leaned over to softly speak to him.

"Now what's the sad look for?" I asked him, wanting an answer this time.

He hugged himself closer. "I don't know... I just..." He shook his head. "Nevermind."

"You can tell me anything, Bunny..." I said gently. "That's what I'm here for. You're like my brother."

"Days like today... When everyone's around..." He started sorrowfully. "I can't help but close my eyes and feel that something's missing... I feel so sad and I don't know what it is."

I sighed and sat next to him. After a moment to collect words into a sentence I told him, "say anything you want, I'll listen."

"It's like someone should be here but they're not..." He looked up at me with his lost eyes. "Like if I left you for a week... I'd feel this feeling... But I don't know who it is... It can't be Mama... Or Momo..."

"It's like a puzzle..." I came up with a relatable analogy. "Everyone has a spot but there's a spot unfilled, right?" He nodded at me, hopeful I could figure it out. "Huh..." I thought but didn't come up with much. "Maybe we just haven't been having as much fun like we used to."

"No..." He quietly shook his head. "It doesn't feel right..."

"Hm..." I couldn't think of what he was missing. All we have is all we've ever had. I looked up when there was a knock at the door. It opened and Dad looked in.

"We're starting, Momiji." Momiji slid off the bed and sadly went out the door. I sighed and stood up, glancing at my father, wondering if he knew anything about this.

"Make sure you stay away from the party and out of Akito's sight, Runa." He instructed to me as if he knew I would try something. Which was always a thought...

"He didn't catch me last time..." I crossed my arms. Wait, I just said that out loud...

"What?" He looked at me seriously. "Do you know what would have happened if he caught you?"

"Not really. I was lonely last year." I justified it that way. Dad just shook his head, not wanting to bother with it now.

"Just stay away this year."

I sighed, "whatever." I left Momiji's room and went down to the kitchen. I placed a medical book on the counter so I could read from it as I made myself dinner. I nearly jumped when I heard a small noise out of the quiet.

"Mrow?" A little white cat looked up at me with small eyes. I couldn't be angry with a cat there.

"Well hello kitty." I petted it gently down its soft back. "You gonna keep me company this year?"

"Mroow!" It called, walking toward the door then returning to me. Another cat sat itself in my doorway.

"Mow?" It mewed. I looked at them puzzled.

"Next I know it, it'll be a cat apocalypse," I laughed at my terrible sense of humor, "that'd be nice actually." I walked over to the doorway.

There outside stood my orange-haired cousin, scowling at the cats attached to him. "Get away cats!" I stared at him surprised.

"Kyo?!" What was he doing here? He suddenly froze when he saw me.

"I... Uh..." He tried to explain himself. "I was just going home!" He turned on his heel quickly to leave, but tripped over a couple cats. "Damn!" He rubbed his head from the ground.

"Kyo, what are you doing here?!" I was shocked, but happy he came. "I- I thought..."

"Don't think anything funny of it!" He shouted at me. "I was..." he crossed his arms, "the cats led me here...!"

"The cats?" That sounded odd. I looked down at my hands to see I was still holding a partially rolled rice-ball. That was a bit funny I guess.

Kyo stood up, "well... Anyway..." He got on to the point of his coming, "since Tohru is spending New Year's with her friends and the others are at the party... I was kinda wondering if you wanted to go do something." He looked away from me.

"Well..." I was a bit surprised he'd ask that of me but I couldn't say no. "Sure Kyo."

"So what ya wanna do?"

"Well, can the first thing involve eating?" I asked embarrassed of myself. "I haven't eaten anything yet."

"Me either..." He grumbled a little, putting his hands in his coat pockets. "Tohru didn't make anything." He began walking away. "So I guess we'll go eat something." I smiled a little and went after him. He walked with his hands in his pockets, and I decided to speak up.

"I was really surprised to see you." I laughed slightly. "I was in the middle of just making some rice."

"You should be happy I rescued you..." He told me as if I should be grateful, which I was. "You would have been bored."

"Of course I'm happy!" I responded.

"Good." That reply would normally irk me, but I was in a better mood by now. I thought for a while until we came to a small restraunt.

"Wanna eat here?" Kyo didn't care all too much.

"Sure." I shrugged, not minding where we went. We entered and Kyo's eyes wandered and locked on a group of people I couldn't see once he turned away.

"No. We can't eat here." He was set on going suddenly somewhere else.

"Why?" I didn't see why not.

"I remembered I don't like this place." What a lame excuse! What was up?

"Oh, come on, Kyo!" I walked over to a table and sat down. Kyo sulked over and sat across from me.

"Fine." He sunk down into his chair as I picked up a menu.

I looked through the different choices and spoke. "I can't remember the last time I came to a restaurant to eat..." I looked up. "I don't remember eating at a restaurant at all actually." I said embarrassed.

Kyo opened his menu and concealed his face behind it. "I doubt you have." When he spoke behind the menu, his voice was a bit muffled.

"Probably not..." I laughed a little at his actions. "Stop hiding from me."

"I'm not hiding from you!" He shouted abruptly. "I'm hiding from-" A boy put his hand on Kyo's shoulder.

"Kyokyo!" He greeted as though they were best friends. "I thought that was you!"

"Damn." He sulked, I guessed not.

Another boy looked at me and back to him with a wide smile. "Yeah Kyokyo! And you gotta girl with ya!" Oh, that's embarrassing...

"On a date, Kyokyo?" I sat up straight in my chair, quickly looking down at the tablecloth.

He banged his fist on the table, making everything on it tremble. His face was starting to turn red. "No! She's... She's..."

"She's what?"

"She's just my cousin!" I blushed a little and looked down. Ouch... That stung a little. One of the boys put his hand on my shoulder then, making me jump.

"In that case, I'll consider this beauty mine." He looked down at me with a confident smile as he pulled my chin up with a finger. That caught me off guard there!

"That doesn't bother you, right Kyokyo?"

My cousin stood up. "Stop calling me that! And don't talk to her like she's your property!"

"Are your kitties gonna appear now, cat-lover?" He continued to taunt.

Kyo shoved him to the ground, outraged. "Shut up!"

I stood up to stop him from injuring anyone. "Kyo!" Except my arm was taken by one of those boys.

"Is there a problem?" He asked me, too close for comfort. Before I could react and push him off, Kyo punched him in the face, sending him backwards.

"Bastard!" He called to the boy.

The boy stood, putting his hands out in front of him. "Whoa, calm down! We were just messing around!"

"Idiots!" He yelled, "you don't mess around like that!" The two boys backed away, making their way to the door.

"Sorry sorry!" They repeatedly apologized to calm his wrath. Once they were gone, Kyo set his chair back up and sat down. Just like nothing had happened.

"Idiots." He mumbled. I sighed and pushed my hair out of my face.

Well, that was wonderful... Great way to start this...

"... That wasn't my fault... Those two are idiots." He defended himself. He must have seen my expression.

"It's okay." I assured him before sitting down. I wasn't hungry anymore after that little incident.

"Um..." The waitress stopped by our table, a bit disturbed by the scene. "What would you like...?"

"Some water and oden..." Kyo plainly stated.

"Mhm, and you?" She turned to me.

"I'll just get the same as him..." I didn't really care much what I got.

"Okay!" Our waitress took our menus and left. The wait was silent. Kyo tapped on the table and looked downcast, while I played with a strand of my dark hair. The lady eventually brought us our food and my cousin began eating. I ate a bit and looked down before softly speaking.

"I'm sorry if this is a waste of your time."

He looked up at me. "What? What do you mean?"

"You didn't have to come over if it was so much trouble."

"It wasn't my fault!" He quickly defended himself, then tried fixing it. "I mean- I... Wanted to do this..."

"Well, it's the first time in a while you've asked me to do anything with you." I played with my chopsticks as I talked. "So I just assumed you had other important things..." I wasn't sure where I was going with this conversation here.

"I just don't want to be anywhere near that house..." I guess I could understand that... "I wanted to do something today because I didn't want to spend New Year's alone... And I knew you wouldn't be doing anything."

"So it's just..." I sighed. "What the hell am I saying? I don't know why I'm talking."

"Just... Just say whatever is on your mind." I've heard that somewhere before... Haven't I?

I shook my head. "Sorry, my mind is just a bit scrambled right now."

"Hey..." He seemed to notice something. "Where was Momaji? She's usually with you. Especially on New Year's." I stared at him blank and confused for a moment.

"Momaji?" I thought a second. "Oh, that blond girl that lives at the main house!" He gave me a strange look.

"Yeah?"

"I talked with her some yesterday." I watched his dark eyes as I thought about that girl. "She's actually nice." He stood, put some money on the table, grabbed my hand and dragged me out.

When we were in the cold dark he looked straight at me. "What is up with you?"

I blushed a little that he gripped my hand. "What?" I wasn't sure what he meant.

His eyes stared into mine with a hardened expression. "Did Hatori erase your memory again?"

"What?!" I stared at him surprised and a bit angry. "How could you accuse my dad of doing that?!"

Erase my memory? And again?

"He did!" He went on to explain. "Momaji was your best friend! We both forgot about her before and remembered! Hatori must have erased your memory again!" I could not believe my ears.

Was it true...?

I stared at him. "What are you talking about..."

Kyo turned and started walking again. "Stupid...!"

"I..." I couldn't think of much, "don't know what to say..." What was I supposed to do? Would Dad really erase my memory...? I didn't like the idea...

Kyo put his hands in his pockets, his back turned to me. "Whatever. Believe me or not, you'll figure it out eventually."

I watched him, unsure what to do. "It... Could explain some things..." Like my cuts and burn...

He shrugged. "It might. Don't let it bother you if you don't believe me though."

I sighed. "He did erase Mom's memory..." That still bothered me, even though it wasn't his fault. Kyo kept walking and I followed. "Anything Dad does though... Is because of Akito..."

"I wonder if Akito really does have anything to do with it..." Kyo shook his head. "I've never really liked Momaji anyways."

"Is there something wrong with her?" I asked him.

"She's a rat," he said, "plus she's Momiji's sister, which I can't stand. I've never liked her."

"So..." I rubbed my head when it started to ache, "I feel like something hit me in the head..."

"Don't worry about it," he told me again, "tomorrow, if it's still bugging you then you can ask her yourself."

"How can I not worry about it?" I gave him a look.

'It's a sidewalk, silly!'

"You'll probably end up hurting yourself." He took my hand again, knocking me out of my thoughts. "It's best if you go home and think about it there."

"I feel like I almost have something though..." I kept trying to remember.

"I really don't wanna have to carry you home though," Kyo looked at me, "especially if you transform." I frowned. He led me back to the house and let go of my hand. I looked up when his hand disappeared.

"You're leaving now, aren't you...?" I didn't want to be alone now.

"I'm not allowed to be here..." he answered, "and Kagura can probably sense me from out here..." He unhappily looked away.

I sighed sadly. "Okay..." I looked away, but surprised both of us by suddenly hugging him. "Bye..." I wished he could stay so I didn't have to sit in this house alone. I noticed a faint blush cross his cheeks.

"See ya..." He walked off, probably happy to get away from me. I sadly walked up to my room.

Laying on my bed, hugging my pillow for something to grip, I felt so alone. I had to deal with this mess on my own. If my dad erased my memory... Again... He doesn't seem to care much about me... Or is it Akito's way of punishing me? I'm a stupid extra cat... So maybe he wants me to suffer for that... Keep me here so he can watch me die inside slowly every day... That must have been it. Somedays I really hated everyone else here. Even though I know it's not their fault.