That was it, Hatori was going to kill Shigure. He was going to empoison his tea the next he will sneak in his office, or maybe he should be more direct and strangle him.

"Hatori, I need you to buy me underwear." Said Akito out of nowhere. "And real female underwear. I don't want boxers anymore, I have enough of them. Buy me panties and bras." Hatori had to struggle with himself to not choke. "Can't Kureno do it?"

"No, that would be too noticeable." She just answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Hatori massaged his temples. "Akito…Why now?"

"Well, I am a woman, isn't that normal to wear underwear for girl?" she said, avoiding his eyes and blushing. His eyes wandered on magazine and Shigure's trashy romance novels, who was she kidding. She and Shigure have been dating for months now, it was a miracle that Shigure did not jump her yet actually. Hatori wasn't stupid, he knew how both of them worked and for each of them, he had cleaned off their messes after their sexual urges. Well, it was a part of his works to erase memories and to take care of Akito's health. But going out to shop panties for her was too much.

"Akito, I don't even know what kind of underwear you want." He said with patience. "I-" she started, before closing her mouth. "Didn't you go out with somebody…Hana…"

"Kana." He corrected. "Yes" she said, barely taking attention. "You must have seen her with lingerie" oh boy "Just, take something similar" she pulled his sleeve and looked in his eyes like a puppy, and fuck, was Shigure the one who taught her to use that expression? "Please Hatori…You're the only one I can ask…" how could he say no to that kind of voice.

Hatori opened his eyes and looked at the lingerie store in front of him. Ah, he really wanted to die. And people were starting to notice him, of course they would. Any men staying in front of a lingerie shop would give creeps. Maybe he could try to buy her undies on internet or something? Yeah, it sounded good. Nodding with himself, he started to take a step away of the shop window when he ended up nose to nose with a friend. "Ma-Mayuko?"

They were looking at each other with wide eyes. "Wha…What are you doing here?" she asked suddenly in a yell before turning her head toward the store sign. "In front of a…Lingerie store?" she said slowly as if not believing before snorting. "Mayu…it's not what you think it's…"

"Did Shigure's pervert mind finally caught you?!" She asked, starting to tears out because of laughing too much. "Mayuko please hear me out" he tried to say desperately. Her body was bend in half because she was giggling too much. "Oh my god, it's perfect, I'm dying haha." She tried to breath between laugh but it was no use. This day was already perfect for her, she saw Hatori in an inappropriate position. She caught her breath and she could see how Hatori was embarrassed and annoyed at the same time.

"Let me guess, you lost a bet with Shigure and Ayame and you have to buy a panty or a bra?" she said, massaged her cheeks, she was smiling so much that it hurt. Hatori sighed. "If only…But no, a cousin of mine asked me to buy for her uhm…" he eyed the store, a bit blushing and Mayuko found him adorable. Yet, it didn't prevent her to laugh again. "I'm so sorry Hatori…It's just…You…In front of a that kind store is…Haha" Hatori grunted, passing a hand of his face. "I know, it's already hard enough for me Mayu"

She took a deep breath to stop herself from laughing, still, a grin remained on her face. "Okay, you want help? It will be less cringy if I go with you." She proposed and Hatori blinked, surprised. "Are you sure? It's really nice of you actually…"

"Of course I'm sure, you're already suffering enough!" she chuckled, already enjoying to have the chance to get to share a little of her time with him. She guessed it wasn't such a good idea, knowing that he was one of her best friend ex. But she remembered the discussion she had with Shigure months ago when he came for a book. "So what? I didn't know you were the kind of person to let the past shadow you Mayu, watch out, it's not good for the spirit~" he had teased. He annoyed her, he never let anything move him, not even the past nor the future. "Anyway, I'm sure Kana won't mind. For her, it's already all forgotten."

Mayuko shook her head, having him in mind made her cringe. "Tell me what are her measurements? And why does she want lingerie? It's not free, especially in that kind of store. Wouldn't a normal underwear work?" She said and Hatori blinked. The idea of buying normal undies didn't even cross his mind.

"It isn't?" he asked, genuinely surprised. Lingerie was just pretty underwear; it shouldn't cost more than a normal pants. "Yeah? It's cost a lot to be a woman you know?" she smirked, bumping playfully her elbow against his arm. "Most of the time, you bought like what, one set?" she said thoughtfully. Hatori frowned. "She won't be satisfied with only one set…" he muttered and Mayu looked at him with wide eyes before rolling her eyes. "Ah, I tend to forgot that you grew up in a fucking rich family." Hatori smirked.

"Well, let's go in" she said. "By the way, you didn't answer, what are her measurements?" she asked, once in the store when she had her eyes on a red corset. Hatori decided to stare at his shoes "…A cup" he said slowly. He really felt out of place and he felt everyone in this shop was looking at him. "And you know what kind of lingerie she wants? It's for her or her boyfriend?" she asked and showed him a black bra. "How is this one?" she asked, shoving it against her own chest to show Hatori. When he blushed, she suddenly became aware that she was talking about underwear with the dude she was just in love with and that she just showed a cute bra on her chest. She pulled the underwear back at its original place, red on the cheeks. Oh god.

She avoided his eyes and he cleared off his throat. "She got her first boyfriend four months ago" he explained "I guess she want to please him." He grimaced and Mayuko smiled at his face. "And…As a man you have an idea of what might please him?" Hatori cringed even more, he did not want to ask to Shigure was kind of lingerie he wanted to see on Akito. Between him and Mayuko, she was the one who had experience with the man, or he thought so.

"No, not really…" he said hiding one more his face behind his hand. Mayuko had a little giggle. "Alright, I get it, I'm choosing for you. I'll be back." Before she could walk away, he caught her by the arm. "Mayuko I-" she blinked and she realized that she couldn't let him alone in the middle of a store selling bras and knickers. "I mean, hm…Yeah follow me and let's be quick?" she chuckled again when she saw a desperate 'yes please' in his eyes.

She mainly chosen neutral colors like white and black with cute laces. She kept on the classic, nothing transparent and no garter belts. If his cousin wanted more, she will have to ask. But it was enough in Mayuko's taste and Hatori was visibly feeling bad here, as if staying more than one minute here might make him faint. When she walked to the counter with him, she felt like she was with her lover and she almost squirmed at the thought. For that reason, she was all smile.

"You can be worse than Shigure sometime." He chuckled and she gasped. "That's was uncalled for!" she said and he laughed, feeling more comfortable. Mayuko smiled kindly, she was so glad to see him happy. He paid the underwear and they walked out. "Mayu, can I buy you a coffee? As a thank." He asked and she wouldn't say no to any occasion to spent time with him.

Having a bra around her chest was different than having bandage. She was scared it would block her breath and that it would be uncomfortable, but it was actually at the worst scratchy. The tissue felt good on her breast and it was maybe her impression, but when she looked at herself in the mirror wearing the lingerie, she felt like her body was indeed a woman's and not some eldritch abomination's. Bit by bit, Akito was learning to accept her body and its beauty.

At first, she only wanted women undies to continue on the path of regain the control of her own body, she already wore dresses and skirts, but here she was touching something more intimate that was touching her most secret parts, her female's. The same parts of her body that her mother tried to binders forcefully and ignored when it was pouring blood. But Akito had enough, she wanted her body back to her. She was glad of the result. She quickly put a pant and one of her girl-fitted shirts and looked at her once more in the mirror, satisfied.

She walked along the hall heading to the living room and then sat in front of Kureno at the table. Her smile disappeared when she saw the usual fish, miso soup and white rice. Kureno had tried to talk to the cooker but they ranted, saying that they have been cooking this breakfast for years and there were no reasons for it to change. The next day, the rice have been barely cooked and it had stuck between her tooth. Kureno was sorry. She did not care.

"Are you going to meet her?" she asked suddenly, chewing hardly the rice. Today too, it wasn't cook well enough. Kureno nodded. "Yes, she told me she wanted to see a movie. I think it can be nice." Kureno blushed shyly at the idea and Akito played with her rice and chopstick. "I hope she will fall asleep." Kureno risen up his eyebrows, confused. "What…Why?" Akito only sighed and looked at Kureno as if he was stupid. "Because that way she will fall in your arms." She rolled her eyes, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. After all, it was what happened with her when she did go with Shigure at the movie theater. He was so tired that he had fell asleep and slid against her chest. Akito had blushed hard and she had wanted to squeal in joy when it has happened but instead, she had just put him back on her shoulder instead. It was the only time she had the chance to embrace him. Actually, even since they started to go out, he was never pulling her close to him. He did have kissed her and sometimes took her hand, but when she was seeing the couple around sticking to each other's arms or chest, she couldn't help but feeling jealous. Why Shigure wasn't doing it too? And he even rejected her, each time she tried to embrace him, he would hold her still by the shoulders or taking her wrists. She felt angry and she wanted to scream at him for this, but each time, his sweet kisses and his caresses on her skin made her dizzy and she was forgetting everything else.

Kureno on his owns, was feeling troubled with his relation with Arisa Uotani. She was a girl he had met one day when he had left Akito in the parc. Their first meeting had been strange, for their second, she ran after him and they ended eating soba noodles. It had made him forget about the main house, Akito's depression, the family pestering and his own uselessness. The way she made him smile and how she laughed delighting at what he said was ecstatic. He was sad when it was time to fetch Akito. He had dared to go see Arisa one month after this meeting, when he saw a scarf that wasn't his or Akito's around the young goddess neck. He had told himself that if Akito was meeting new people, maybe he could try too. Even now, it felt like the best decision of his life.

He had been so happy to meet Arisa that he felt the need to tell Akito. He had wanted to tell her everything about the joy he felt when he had been around Arisa. And he did, and Akito had listened. Sometime she had a sad frown, other time she was smiling gently. Sometime she asked question about her and wondered what would be their future. "Akito…We are nine years apart…She is still in high school. I barely know her." He had answered softly.

"But…Wasn't I the same age when we-"

"Akito, we both know it was an error." He quickly interrupted, feeling his head growing hot. Thinking about his first time was the worst, Akito had been in tears, Hatori was ready to strangle both of them and he had felt sick during the act because it had felt wrong, wrong, wrong. And yet, he did it. "The fact is, I won't see Arisa under this light, she is just a friend. Nothing more." He said softly. They were nine years apart, that wasn't normal.

"We are just going to see a movie between friends" he said gently and she rolled her eyes before clicking her tongue. "Akito…" he called. "I know, but did you ever thought that she was in love with you, aren't you just giving her false-hope?" she grunted, visible angry and Kureno did not understand why. "Even so Akito, I can't give her that. She is too young." Akito still frowned and the rest of the morning passed slowly for both of them. Akito was reading files and lessons about managing the incoming of a company and was studying the example of the Michiba company crisis. Kureno was simply dusting the room and taking care of their laundry since today maids weren't here.

For lunch, Kureno simply reheated rice and Japanese hamburger. At least he was sure that she will eat, she was kind of fond of occidental-alike meals. So even though she barely touched the bland rice, she eaten the whole steak. There were improvement and he and Hatori had noticed the few pounds she took since December. Even during the lunch, she was studying how to manage the Sohma family in the future. She was so serious yet, Ren wouldn't let her handle Sohma's business and Akito was still too scared to confront her. Ren had scarred her beyond repair.

When he cleaned off the table, she was already behind him, asking silently but with urge in her eyes to go. "It's the maid's job to clean it off!" she said, groaning and pulling at his sleeve. Kureno smiled patiently. "Yes, but it will be awkward isn't it? Leaving it here when we should have been staying here the whole day." He said. "We'll just gonna clean it before the maids come back." She spat, crossing her arms. Kureno smiled. "Still Akito, we have to clean it, now." He gently told and she grunted even more and then walked back to the table and watched him with her eyes narrowed.

Only when he was satisfied enough, he went to her, her shoes in the hand. "Let's go Akito." She rushed to her shoes and ran to the genkan to put them. Kureno took his time to put his on. Akito was like a little kid vibrating of impatience while he was the calm big brother. She called him and then go out. Closing the door behind they quickly rushed to hid themselves behind bushes and walked in alert along the wall until arriving to the garage where they stocked all the Sohma's car. Kureno pulled out his keys from his pocket and they slid into the car, both smiling at each other like two naughty children.

Then he drove her to the parc. Multiple time she looked at herself in the reflection of the window, putting a lock of her hair behind her ear before pulling it off. This gesture reminded him of Arisa when she was talking to him. It was cute and innocent, yet, Kureno didn't find Akito as endearing as Arisa. He didn't ask himself why he was thinking this; he was scared of the answer.

He stopped the car and told Akito that he was going to fetch her later, she barely listened him and walked quickly into the parc. He exhaled a laugh and drove farer to park the car and leave it here. He exited the vehicle and walked to the nearest combini, the one where Arisa was working in. She will be finished in a few minutes now, so he decided to wait for her outside. Maybe he will buy her an ice cream after, the summer was starting to get really hot and Arisa must be tired from her work. They will probably eat it while walking to the movie theater. Kureno smiled at the idea.

Arisa was outside, sweeping the floor. When she noticed him, she threw him a shiny smile. "Hi…" he just said, a beam on his lips.

"Ah! Wait a few minutes I'm almost over!" she grinned, showing her teeth and Kureno just told her to take her time, that there was no rush. "What? Stop lying! Each minute is important when you're with somebody!" she yelled and Kureno chuckled. She was cute. She quickly ran back to the inside of the store to finish her shift and Kureno patiently waited outside. The road was more crowded that normal, it was July and students were in holiday. That was why he could had saw Arisa today. She was right, their time together were precious, he wasn't as lucky as Akito, seeing the person she loved every week. Kureno still wanted to ask her about that mysterious person, but she was stubbornly keeping silent.

Arisa rushing out of the store snapped him out his thoughts. She showed him two popsicles and her white teeth. "Look what I got! Let's eat them quick before it melts!" she beamed and handed him the grapefruit flavor one. He smiled and took it. "Let's eat it on the way." He offered and Arisa yelled her agreement and she joyfully showed the way. Kureno smiled in happiness, following her. They had time to finish their ice cream before arriving to the movie theater and Arisa pulled out the two tickets she already bought. Kureno was embarrassed to let a such young girl pay for his place but she was adamant about it. "You already payed me restaurant!" she exclaimed and she pulled his sleeve until they were sitting in front of the big screen of cinema.

"I have never been in at cinema before, I'm a bit excited. My friend told me the movie she had seen was boring, but I'm sure the experience was incredible." He said joyfully, like a kid and Arisa looked at him with big eyes before putting her hand on her face and turning her head away. Kureno was sure he saw redness on her ear.

The movie started and Kureno was in a second immersed in that world of colors and sounds that he almost hadn't noticed when bold Arisa's hand slid in his. He should has pulled her off but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He felt like a criminal.

When they got out, they walked while discussing of the movie. Kureno found it great and Arisa was arguing on some plot point. It was nonetheless one of the best moments in Kureno life and he was enjoying every second of it. They were still talking when his alarm rang. Kureno stopped it and looked at the time and gasped. "Sorry Arisa, I have to go. I'm already late." She made a sound of disappointment but did not argue. She still walked with him until he arrived to his car.

"You really have to go?" she asked suddenly. "Yes, she is waiting for me."

Arisa bit her lips and downed her head, Kureno hated that sight and he lifted her head by pulling her by the chin. "I'll be back, don't worry. See you next time." He said gently and Arisa nodded. "You're too kind, you know it?" Kureno thanked her. However, as he started the engine, he wondered what was the use of kindness if he was useless and even sometime hurting the ones he loved.

Akito was already waiting for him at the entry of the parc and she commented his lateness. "It's too hot! I thought I was going to faint!" she grunted, crossing her arms on her seat. Kureno apologized and he noticed a necklace around her neck that wasn't here before he left her at the parc. He couldn't help for see it as a mark of possession.

The parked the car in the Sohma estate and they quickly rushed back to the main house before their absence would go noticed. Akito directly jumped in a bath and Kureno decided to use this time to wander around in the main house and taking out the trash. What wasn't his surprise to end right in front of Ren when he opened the entry door.

The moment she laid her onyx eyes on him, he felt his blood freeze. "Ah, Kureno, what are you doing here? Did you had enough of my son?" she asked in a sweet wicked voice that made Kureno want to shiver. "Akito is taking a bath" he merely explained. "Should I go fetch him now?" he asked, knowing that if Ren made all the way up there, it was to see her son-daughter.

Ren smiled gently. "Oh, it's alright, I wanted to go present you the new part-time maid I hired, she will cook for you the week-end. Come here Honda-chan, don't be shy." She called, turning to the young girl behind her.

The girl, she must have the same age as Arisa, walked and bowed. "Nice to meet you I'm Honda Tohru, please, please treat me well." She said gently. "Honda-chan will start working here at mid-august." Said Ren, putting her hand on Tohru's shoulder. The girl's breath hitched at the touch but she said nothing and studied Kureno.

He simply gulped, wondering what Ren had behind the head. "You are welcome here Honda-san."

There, a chapter with Kureno and Hatori POV all along. The akigure was more implied here, haha.