"You're finally up." A familiar voice said as Minami opened her eyes, she noticed the messy room filled with books from that reached to the ceiling and papers all around the room. "I was afraid you weren't going to wake up early enough."

Minami looked over at Shigure who was reading a book. "What time is it?" Minami asked and she yawned. It took Yuki and Kyo took long to set up the cover for her window, so she ended up sleeping in Shigure's room… in one of his kimonos.

"Time to go." Shigure said and Minami noticed his packed suitcase and narrowed her eyes at him. "What? You think I did something? You went to sleep almost immediately after Rin left."

"If you say so." Minami said and stretched with her back turned to him. "Do you really seem different? Like what you said before…"

"That I already know you? That you're someone who shouldn't be here?" Shigure asked her and leaned over towards her. "Yes I meant those words. I'm not the only one who thinks that either."

"Who else does?" Minami asked.

"Kyo, Hatori, Ayame, Kagura, Momiji, Hiro, Ritsu, Yuki, Hatsuharu…." He listed off the names of all the Sohmas. "You just seem to be guilty all the time, sometimes it's about us, sometimes it's when you say your sister's name, or when you hang out with her friends… It's the worst when you look at Kyo and Hatori." Minami stared at him.

"So I seem guilty, that doesn't explain again." Minami said and he wrapped his arms around her.

"What are you so afraid of?" Shigure asked her, she could feel his heartbeat against her back as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Nothing." Minami said and he laughed.

"Lies. Lies." Shigure said and paused. "It seems like everyday, you're waiting to disappear, to wake up from a dream. That everything around you is fading and isn't real." Minami felt very tired, not physically but mentally, as she listened to his words. "Most people your age are worried about what careers they want to do in the future, what colleges and univerities are going to attend.. But not you. You seem to carry on like a breeze, following with the wind, afraid to change."

"I could say the same thing about you." Minami said sharply and she looked behind her and saw his face, with a blank smile on it's face. "You're letting other people figure out the curse, instead of doing it yourself, you don't even know if you're right. Maybe the curse will never break, that you'll always stay this way, that your desire will never come true."

His eyes widened slightly and she could feel his hands tighten as he stopped playing with her hair. His eyes narrowed and he placed a hand on her chin. "And what would you know, about the curse, about how it breaks, about my desire. You're no one, just a pawn in breaking the curse."

"I know more than you ever will." Minami said. "Especially about… Akito and…" Minami swallowed. "Ren… and Akira." Shigure tensed up completely and Minami pushed herself off of him.

"Who… Are you?" Shigure asked her as she opened his door. She gave him a tight smile.

"Just a girl whose following the pages." She told me and walked up the room with the door slammed shut behind her. Minami paused by the door and tried to calm down her breathing. She knew she said things she shouldn't have, secrets she couldn't have revealed. She leaned back against the door and closed her eyes.

"Hey, are you alright?" Kyo's voice asked her and she opened her eyes and saw Kyo with a concerned look on his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Minami told him. "Just fine."

"So you say." Kyo said and anger flashed in his eyes until it vanished. He grabbed her hand and moved her towards the stairs that led upstairs. Minami took the first step up when she noticed Kyo was still holding her hand. His face was covered by his hair. "When…" He paused. "When did we become so distant? When did I feel like I don't know you, the real you, before when we were kids everything seemed fine… But now, I feel like I don't even recognze you."

Minami looked at him with sad eyes. "Have you ever?" His eyes widened and he released her hand and she went back upstairs. She was undisturbed until it was time to leave. With the addition of Hatsuharu, Momij, they went off to the summer house. Shigure explained that he would arrived later. But the summer house was large and beautiful, with many rooms and servants. They had arrived late, at night, Minami shared a room with Momiji and with a quick night's sleep they were off to the beach.

Minami had on a nice high-waisted bottom without frills and bikini top that fit her frame well. It was a black swimming suit that had pink roses decorated on it. She must've looked rather well because she was met with red faces. It wasn't often that she showed this must skin, plus she always felt that swimming suits were just water-proof underwear Momiji had on pink trunks with white polka-dots that had a yellow bunny on the sides. Hatsuharu had on black shades and black trunks with white lining. Yuki had on a grey unbutton shirt with dark blue trunks. While Kyo just had on an orange jacket and tan jeans. Minami guessed that his trunks must've been underneath.

"Let's swim! Let's swim!" Momiji said and he pulled her into the water. Minami immediately smiled, she loved swimming, it was her passion. Minami swam underneath the water and every time she looked up Momiji had a surprised look on his face. "Minami! You swim just like a fish! Maybe this is why you and Haru get along!"

Minami blushed and covered her face in embarrassment under the water. She swam over to a large rock, a ways away from the others and sat down. "Hey idiot, your ears are red." Kyo said and she noticed him take a seat beside her.

"So now I'm an idiot?" Minami asked him and he frowned.

"Of course." Kyo said. "You're the biggest idiot I know!" He told her and Minami was about to yell at him when he placed his hands on her shoulders. "But you made me an even bigger idiot! After all these years.. You never told me your problems! Not once! You always worry about others instead of yourself and take up others burdens!" He said angrily, but hurt was laced in his words.

"Kyo I-"

"No! You're not allowed to talk yet!" He said and she immediately shut her mouth, in a mixture of shock and embarrassment. "You're weird, stupid and idiotic yet you were my first friend!" he stood up on the rock angrily. "You don't even act like a kid! You like you're an adult! You look at me like I'm some little kid, not like I'm your equal! Like you can read me like the back of your hand! It's the worst!"

"Kyo…" Minami said and stood up. He turned his back to her and she placed a hand on his shoulders.

"I couldn't even be the one to make you feel better when you're angry." Kyo said angrily. "I couldn't even be the one you-" He paused and Minami noticed how red he was, especially his ears. "I couldn't even speak to you when we first saw each other. I can't even notice when you're mad or sad, I can't even be there when you go funerals. I always stand at the sidelines, and worry about my own problems. All I ever do is yell at you, or push my own issues against you."

"Even when you've already done so much for me." Kyo said sadly. "I still want to be more, but I know… I know that's not right. I know I shouldn't, because…" He looked up at the sky. "I know you enough, that you'd do anything to make other people happy. Because you're afraid of what will happen if you don't." He turned back over towards her and grabbed her hands. Minami felt tears run down her eyes as she looked at his broken expression. "I think about the future and I can't imagine it, without you by me… because when you left, the world just got darker and colder."

Kyo looked over at her and wiped away her tears, but they wouldn't seem to stop. "Stop crying, I'm the one who should be." Kyo said and it only made her want to cry more. Minami wiped her tears away, so that she wouldn't met Kyo's eyes. There was a loud splash and Minami felt arms around her waist and looked up. Kyo gave her a small smile as they stared at each other in the water.

Almost immediately after he grabbed a circle floatie and placed it around her. "Kyo, I already know how to swim." Minami said confused and there was a big splash on her face and she felt circle drag her around as she lifted her feet off the ground.

"We're supposed to be having fun." Kyo said. "Aren't we? If we talk any longer, the rest of them will come over here."

"But-" Minami said.

"I know already. I just felt like getting some of it off my chest." Kyo said.

"I'm sorry." Minami said and Kyo swung her around on the floatie.

"I know." He said and stopped it near his face. "Sometimes these things are one-sided. I already knew how you felt, but..."

"You hoped, it would change." Minami said and he frowned.

"Yeah I did." Kyo said. "I wanted to force myself to be okay with a platonic friendship, especially with a childhood friend, so I distanced myself… But it only made it worse.". A confession,

"I'll always be here for you." Minami told him and Kyo placed a kiss on her forehead.

"The same for you." Kyo told her and walked back to shore. Momiji swam over to her.

"Let's compete! A competition!" Hatsuharu said as he dragged Kyo back into the water.

"LET GO! IDIOT! LET ME GO!" Kyo yelled. "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!"

They watched them as they went into deeper waters. Minami gave Momiji the floatie as Yuki came into the water.

"It's quite cold." Yuki said.

"You'll get used to it soon!" Momiji cheered.

"This swimsuit really suits you." Yuki said with a slight blush on his face.

"Th-Thanks Yuki." Minami said.

"Yuki! You can't take all the attention!" Momiji yelled. "I have already written to Hari, Aya, Ritsu-chan, Kisa, Hiro, and Kagura, telling them to come!"

"It means you've called basically everyone… why did you ask my brother to come too…?" Yuki asked and received no answer.

"It would be nice… if… everyone could come." Minami said slowly. 'Everyone. Will everyone come? Even Akito?' Minami thought to herself and Yuki was forced to join Hatsuharu and Kyo in their competition. Which lasted until the night. Yuki immediately laid down on the couch.

"Having a fever suddenly… is it because of the sun? Why not use an umbrella tomorrow?" Hatsuharu asked as he sat by Yuki's feet. Minami placed a cold wash-cloth on Yuki's forehead.

"Yuki, you didn't have to go swimming…" Minami said sadly. "Are you sure you'll feel better."

"I'm only having a mild fever… Calm down…" Yuki said with a soft smile on his face.

"But Yuki was really great! He got first in the competition!" Momiji cheered.

"Kyo's confidence is shattered, went straight to sleep in rage... " Hatsuharu said.

"It could be because his body is too weary already…" Momiji said with his arms around her.

"Yuki, can I go and bathe?" Haru asked.

"You don't have to ask me, go ahead." Yuki said and was greeted with silence as Hatsuharu got up from the couch.

"I'm afraid you'll be lonely…" Hatsuharu said.

"GO AND BATHE!" Yuki said angrily.

"We will keep him company, leave it to us!" Momiji said.

"See you in a bit Haru." Minami said and he looked at her for a second and rubbed his head.

"Could I talk to you later?" Hatsuharu asked. "It doesn't have to be now, but later."

"Sure?" Minami said confused and he walked off.

"What would you two have to talk about?" Momiji asked her and Yuki looked at Haru's back.

"I have an idea." Yuki said.

"You do? Ever since Haru destroyed the classroom, he's been avoiding Mi-chan! I was afraid he wasn't going to come!" Momiji said.

"It will be fine.." Yuki said. "Sorry, in the end I'm making you worry again, I think my fever will go down soon…"

"Don't worry, Yuki." Minami said and smiled at him. "Your health is the most important." His eyes softened on her.

"Tomorrow we will explore the forest!" Momiji cheered.

"Are we going to the sea tomorrow?" Minami asked him.

"Sure! But we must apply sugar water on the trees, and only then can we catch stag beetles. It would be more effective if we can find sawtooth oaks! It was Kyo who told me!" Momiji said.

"Sawtooth oaks…" Minami said. "What does that even look like."

"I have no idea…" Momiji said and then brightened. "I know it! It's a tree that can produce acorns!"

"But I've never seen them before.." Minami said.

"I've only seen those that have fallen to the ground!" Momiji said. "I'll get a book! You must look after Yuki!" Minami smiled at Momiji and he hopped away. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked back, Yuki had a soft expression on his face that was enough to make her blush.

"I have something… to tell you. I think… sooner or later I must tell you something. No… Such thing… Right now I feel… there's not only darkness alone. Right now.. I believe… I am not mistaken. When the times time, if you are willing to listen to me…. I'll be really happy. The tight lid… must be opened…"

"I do too… but not yet." Minami said and leaned against the couch. Her eyes tired and feel asleep.

A/N: Kyo had confessed some of his feelings. Although us the readers/author know that Kyo and Minami are platonic, it doesn't mean that Kyo himself knows. I've been skipping some of Kyo's part in some of chapters on purpose, after the 'I love you' after he turned back to his normal form, he's been feeling conflicted. Shigure is... testing Minami... testing if his theory is correct. this entire chapter was just heavy in terms of character-relation progress and mending past problems. In case anyone was wondering, Kyo was nodded at himself and Minami because he knows that they don't feel the same way about each other.

I'm not talking much about the Sohma Curse and how it breaks because I know there are probably anime-only readers and I don't want to spoil to much. I've been doing that a lot within the story, because I'm trying to lay the ground-work and not just give off spoilers.

Comments~ Comments~ Tell me your thoughts and questions~