A/N: And the plot is skewering off again. But 200 drabbles has quite a bit of room to play around with subplots. And with a certain someone sick again, the subplot brings about a nice balance.

And in case anyone forgot like me, Katsuharu has an older sister, a younger sister, a younger brother (6 years old) and two younger brothers that are twins and four years old. And a dog.

The Curse of the Cat

076. Letters

'Do I have to spell it by the letter?' Zoe asked, annoyed.

Takuya shrugged. 'Well, you have to admit that was unexpected. Although I think Koji's more to blame than you for –'

'For what?' Koji chose just that moment to arrive.

'For not warning us!' the brunet exclaimed. 'Or Zoe really.'

'About?' The Rat didn't look too pleased to be questioned without putting all the cards on the table.

Zoe looked a little uncomfortable. 'Koichi told me a little more about the curse,' she said quietly. 'Including how the hierarchy works and the part of the curse that only affects the Cat.'

Koji frowned a little at the look in her eyes. 'I told you,' he said plainly. 'I've never met the Cat of the Zodiac, so I only know they're looked down upon because they're not a true part of it.'

'Not…the other form?' Zoe asked, fiddling with her empty hands. She'd given the Juzu beads back – she'd had to, obviously – but she'd gotten used to their feeling around her wrist in that short period.

'A little,' Koji admitted. 'I was really young though, so the memory's hazy. It's more what Fuyuno's said. Eons of hatred accumulating in a single soul that knows only revenge –'

Zoe's gaze darkened unexpectedly. 'That's a lie,' she spat. 'He was lonely, and afraid, but he certainly didn't want revenge on anything.' She fiddled with her empty wrist again. 'I wish he wasn't sick again; I feel like I need to talk to him about something, but I can't think what.'

'Maybe you've got a crush on him?' JP suggested, breaking the ice.

'JP!' The blonde blushed a dark red.

077. Phone Call

Teppei hung up the phone and glared at it. Seriously, you try to ring a guy to tell them you'll be late, and you get an annoying sister in return. Then you try to ring and apologize for being late – despite he had tried to warn ahead – and he gets another annoying sister in return.

He rolled his eyes. No doubt Katsuharu was causing trouble somewhere again. He abandoned the phone and grabbed his coat, relieved the weather had turned back to its usual early spring.

Too bad Katsuharu hadn't. But his family could be blamed for that as well.

Teppei's mother stopped him at the door. 'Are you going with that friend again?'

'Yes Mum.'

She frowned at him. 'He always gets you caught up…' She shook her head. 'There's no talking you out of it, is there?'

He shook his head.

'You could at least be more assertive,' she sighed. 'I don't know what you hope to accomplish following him into trouble.'

078. Music

Teppei found Katsuharu tapping his foot while listening to his walkman.

'Yo,' he said, waving a hand.

Katsuharu glared at him. 'Where were you yesterday?'

'Chores,' the other explained. 'And I tried to call you.' The grimace showed what had happened during those phone calls.

'My sisters,' Katsuharu said dryly. 'Were they flirting with you or blasting your eardrums off?'

'Both,' Teppei admitted. 'But I left a message.'

'Which obviously didn't go through.' He kicked at the ground again. 'Too busy in their own little worlds.'

079. Silence

They stood in silence after that, each of Teppei's suggestions getting shot down.

The younger brunet knew his mother meant well, but he really couldn't see her point from his position. Suggestions were going nowhere, and he almost wished something would attract the other's attention.

'Go home Teppei.'

'Huh?' The boy blinked. 'Why?'

'I don't really feel like hanging out.' Katsuharu stuffed his hands into his pockets and started walking off.

'Not even the arcade?'

'No.' And the elder brunet let his accomplice standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

080. Cards

Katsuharu happened on a pair of five year olds playing cards under the shade of a tree. They looked pretty cute too, happy and carefree and giggling madly every time they reached for the pile together.

From his view, they looked to be playing Snap.

And the sight was so giddy that it made him want to kick something. And so he did, scattering the pile about and sending the two kids scampering after them in tears and wailing for their mothers.

'Yeah,' he muttered bitterly, turning his back to them. 'Go crying to your mothers.'

Just like those bratty twins.