"Probation"
Hatori knelt in front of Akito and searched for the right words. He didn't know rather he should apologize or just skip right to the begging. Akito stood far away from him, facing the open door that led to the garden. He wasn't sure where to begin either but the silence didn't bother him as much. Hatori, on the other hand, found it disturbing. He decided to try to put the blame on himself, which he knew Akito would resort to anyway.
"It's my fault. I should have kept a closer surveillance on her."
"I warned you."
"I know. I'm sorry but.." Hatori began but was interrupted by Akito.
"Don't bother," he said sternly.
"I don't understand?" This left Hatori a bit confused.
"You're standing up for her. It's useless; I've heard all this before."
"Please let her out. Don't you think she's been locked in there long enough?" Hatori decided that begging was the last resort. Akito suddenly felt very dizzy. He hung his head and placed his hand on it. Hatori stood up and went to him.
"What is it?" He asked, concerned.
"I'm fine. Leave."
"You're sick, Akito. This can be very serious."
"How many times do you think I've heard that?! Leave!" Akito yelled and Hatori reluctantly left the room. He was worried about both Nami and Akito. He knew Nami might be emotionally strong but he wasn't sure how well she could take physical abuse. Akito likewise, seemed to be getting worse every day. The sudden dizziness, the short yet unbearable fever outbreaks; it all seemed to be getting the better of him.
Nami sat in the dark, wretched room since the morning before. She was hungry but she couldn't tell. Even if she could it wouldn't really matter. She felt nothing except for emptiness. She hadn't cried, slept or even moved since Akito had locked her in the day before. She was still perched up on the door from when she last called his name to let her out. All she could do was remember to breathe and blink. The shawl was still draped around her shoulders but she didn't feel its presence.
Suddenly, the lock clicked and the door swung open. Nami fell to the ground, not realizing the absence of the door she had been perched upon. She glanced up as she slowly regained her thoughts and saw Akito looking down on her. She wanted to speak but no words came to her lips. Akito knelt down next to her and touched her cheek. She could barely feel his palm on her face. Nami gathered every ounce of strength and picked herself up. As she walked out the door, she dropped his shawl to the floor.
Akito ignored the shawl and went back to his bedroom. He was surprised that she wasn't angry or broken. She didn't speak to him at all; she didn't even ask for help to get up. He was actually very taken aback by the absence of any crying at all. He sat down in his chair just in time to see Nami enter the garden. He watched her walk effortlessly to the fountain they talked by the day before. She sat on the edge and moved her fingers through the water. He then saw her bury her lovely face in her hands and cry.
Nami cried for her imprisonment, for the absence of family, friends and love in her new life. This was worse than a prison. This house was an insane asylum where she is secluded from everyone around her, and brutally forbidden to hope for anything at all. She cried because she was alone.
Akito had ordered a servant into his room. "Nami is in the garden. Have her brought to me," he said when a maid answered his order. After a few minutes, he watched the maid enter the garden and approach Nami. She tapped her on the shoulder and began speaking with her. Eventually, they both retreated back into the house.
Akito heard Nami walk into the room and the door closed behind herself. "Come closer, I have a proposition for you," he said, still staring out the window. Nami approached him and stood by his chair. He refused to face her at all costs and kept his eyes low.
"What is it, Akito-san?" She asked with a steady voice.
"You can go. Leave this house by this evening," he said.
"Uh.. Akito-san.." Nami was too stunned to stutter out a thank you. Nami's heart suddenly leapt with joy. She held her arms out to him but dropped them as if they were cement blocks upon remembering what happened last time.
"Just go," he said.
"..Arigato." With that she ran out of the room, completely overcome with happiness. She felt that she finally got her wish.
She made a quick trip to her bedroom to find a cap to wear. She had to hide her bandaged forehead from her sister. Before she left, she wanted to say good-bye to Hatori. She approached his office first and saw that his door was wide open. She looked inside and saw him standing over his desk. His head was hung low and he looked very weak. Afraid that he was hurt, Nami rushed in to see what happened.
"Hatori-san, are you alright?" She touched his shoulder and he seemed startled by her presence.
"I'm fine, Nami." He turned to face her. His bangs completely covered his eyes and Nami thought she saw a tear glisten on his cheek. Couldn't be, not Hatori.
"Tell the truth," she said.
"Really. Is there something you wanted to talk about?" He gestured to a chair for her to sit. He sat down next to her and she saw his hands shaking.
"Actually, yes. I wanted to say good-bye. I just spoke with Akito-san and he said I can go home." Her excitement was somehow diminished by his pain.
Upon hearing that, Hatori buried his face in his palms.
"Please, Hatori-san. Tell me, what is it?"
"Why do you think he's letting you go?" Hatori countered.
"I don't know," she replied. "On my first morning here he told me that I was just another curse to him. Maybe he actually wants to get rid of me."
"I don't think you realize how serious his condition is," Hatori said as he looked up at her. "There is just nothing I can do for him anymore. This is it. He's letting you go so that you're not here when it's over."
Nami was taken aback by this. Hatori's behavior was highly unusual, especially for him. He seemed like more of the solitary type and she was surprised to see him open up to her like he did. "So, you're trying to tell me that he's actually doing this to make me happy?"
Hatori nodded. She touched his hand and said, "In that case, I'll come back to him."
"I couldn't ask you to do that."
"It would be by my free will, Hatori-san."
"Then I'd love to take you back home. I'll support anything you choose to tell you family," he offered.
"Arigato. Of course, you understand that I want to leave as soon as possible."
"How's now?"
"Perfect."
Within minutes, Nami and Hatori were on their way off the Sohma compound. Akito watched them leave from his window. In the car, she thanked Hatori for all his help.
"I'll really miss you and Haru-kun. You were both so kind to me."
"I'm sure Haru will visit often... if he can find his way," Hatori said. "I'll visit, too. Just not as much. I do have to take care of Akito."
"I know. I want to thank you for taking care of me for the past week. You took time out of your day to teach me. I'm just very grateful," Nami said.
"I have to confess, I wish you would come back as soon as possible. Although Akito might not show it much, your company means a lot to him."
Nami didn't know what to say so she kept silent until Hatori pulled up by her house. "Do you want me to go with you?" He asked.
"No, I'll be alright. Take care," she said to him as she stepped out and approached her home. She opened the door and found her sister reading a newspaper.
"Nami-chan! Where have you been?" She ran towards her and hugged her.
"It's a long story, actually. To make it short, I was very suddenly offered a job at the Sohma compound. It required more time than I thought but I'm home now," Nami lied.
"Nami, I know that you take lots of odd jobs but you really should let me know what you're doing more often," Keiko said with a hint of concern in her voice.
"There was really no time, you see. It was a very good opportunity that arose very quickly. I had to jump on the chance." Nami hated lying but she couldn't tell the truth.
"What kind of work was it?"
"Oh you know, the usual. I did some cleaning, cooking and running errands." Nami felt she had to leave right that moment. She couldn't spin any more lies.
"Nami, you can't cook.. and I haven't yet seen you clean," Keiko protested.
"I clean," she said meekly.
"You know, I've heard some rumors about that family."
"Like what?" Nami was actually interested in the answer but afraid all at the same time.
"That they're all kind of, well, whacked," Keiko said, lowering her vice to a whisper.
"No, Keiko. They're all really nice people. They treated me well." That was it. She couldn't stand it anymore. "I'm going to take a bath! Good night, Keiko!"
"Wait.." her sister called after her but saw she was already long gone.
Akito had slowly made his way out of his bedroom and opened the doors to the garden. Undetected by Hatori, he stepped outside and walked towards the flowers he watched from his window. A sudden gust of night air swept by him and he felt dizzy. Regaining his balance, he walked over to the flowers. They were the same kind as the one Nami brought to him. He felt especially weak that night but was determined to see the flowers. He picked one gently out of the ground, forgetting his peeve about picked flowers. He then watched it as he twirled it in between his fingers. He touched the petals and moved them along his cheek.
Suddenly, a fierce pain began in his chest and spread throughout his entire body. He struggled to breathe and clenched the flower for support. Each part of his body ached more and more with every passing second. The pain quickly overwhelmed him as he fell to the ground. His hand relaxed and the wind scattered the petals of the crushed flower around him.
[Preview of next chapter- Nami has a creepy dream. She goes to visit Yuki and Shigure but her plans don't turn out exactly as she had hoped.. then again, do they ever?]
Hatori knelt in front of Akito and searched for the right words. He didn't know rather he should apologize or just skip right to the begging. Akito stood far away from him, facing the open door that led to the garden. He wasn't sure where to begin either but the silence didn't bother him as much. Hatori, on the other hand, found it disturbing. He decided to try to put the blame on himself, which he knew Akito would resort to anyway.
"It's my fault. I should have kept a closer surveillance on her."
"I warned you."
"I know. I'm sorry but.." Hatori began but was interrupted by Akito.
"Don't bother," he said sternly.
"I don't understand?" This left Hatori a bit confused.
"You're standing up for her. It's useless; I've heard all this before."
"Please let her out. Don't you think she's been locked in there long enough?" Hatori decided that begging was the last resort. Akito suddenly felt very dizzy. He hung his head and placed his hand on it. Hatori stood up and went to him.
"What is it?" He asked, concerned.
"I'm fine. Leave."
"You're sick, Akito. This can be very serious."
"How many times do you think I've heard that?! Leave!" Akito yelled and Hatori reluctantly left the room. He was worried about both Nami and Akito. He knew Nami might be emotionally strong but he wasn't sure how well she could take physical abuse. Akito likewise, seemed to be getting worse every day. The sudden dizziness, the short yet unbearable fever outbreaks; it all seemed to be getting the better of him.
Nami sat in the dark, wretched room since the morning before. She was hungry but she couldn't tell. Even if she could it wouldn't really matter. She felt nothing except for emptiness. She hadn't cried, slept or even moved since Akito had locked her in the day before. She was still perched up on the door from when she last called his name to let her out. All she could do was remember to breathe and blink. The shawl was still draped around her shoulders but she didn't feel its presence.
Suddenly, the lock clicked and the door swung open. Nami fell to the ground, not realizing the absence of the door she had been perched upon. She glanced up as she slowly regained her thoughts and saw Akito looking down on her. She wanted to speak but no words came to her lips. Akito knelt down next to her and touched her cheek. She could barely feel his palm on her face. Nami gathered every ounce of strength and picked herself up. As she walked out the door, she dropped his shawl to the floor.
Akito ignored the shawl and went back to his bedroom. He was surprised that she wasn't angry or broken. She didn't speak to him at all; she didn't even ask for help to get up. He was actually very taken aback by the absence of any crying at all. He sat down in his chair just in time to see Nami enter the garden. He watched her walk effortlessly to the fountain they talked by the day before. She sat on the edge and moved her fingers through the water. He then saw her bury her lovely face in her hands and cry.
Nami cried for her imprisonment, for the absence of family, friends and love in her new life. This was worse than a prison. This house was an insane asylum where she is secluded from everyone around her, and brutally forbidden to hope for anything at all. She cried because she was alone.
Akito had ordered a servant into his room. "Nami is in the garden. Have her brought to me," he said when a maid answered his order. After a few minutes, he watched the maid enter the garden and approach Nami. She tapped her on the shoulder and began speaking with her. Eventually, they both retreated back into the house.
Akito heard Nami walk into the room and the door closed behind herself. "Come closer, I have a proposition for you," he said, still staring out the window. Nami approached him and stood by his chair. He refused to face her at all costs and kept his eyes low.
"What is it, Akito-san?" She asked with a steady voice.
"You can go. Leave this house by this evening," he said.
"Uh.. Akito-san.." Nami was too stunned to stutter out a thank you. Nami's heart suddenly leapt with joy. She held her arms out to him but dropped them as if they were cement blocks upon remembering what happened last time.
"Just go," he said.
"..Arigato." With that she ran out of the room, completely overcome with happiness. She felt that she finally got her wish.
She made a quick trip to her bedroom to find a cap to wear. She had to hide her bandaged forehead from her sister. Before she left, she wanted to say good-bye to Hatori. She approached his office first and saw that his door was wide open. She looked inside and saw him standing over his desk. His head was hung low and he looked very weak. Afraid that he was hurt, Nami rushed in to see what happened.
"Hatori-san, are you alright?" She touched his shoulder and he seemed startled by her presence.
"I'm fine, Nami." He turned to face her. His bangs completely covered his eyes and Nami thought she saw a tear glisten on his cheek. Couldn't be, not Hatori.
"Tell the truth," she said.
"Really. Is there something you wanted to talk about?" He gestured to a chair for her to sit. He sat down next to her and she saw his hands shaking.
"Actually, yes. I wanted to say good-bye. I just spoke with Akito-san and he said I can go home." Her excitement was somehow diminished by his pain.
Upon hearing that, Hatori buried his face in his palms.
"Please, Hatori-san. Tell me, what is it?"
"Why do you think he's letting you go?" Hatori countered.
"I don't know," she replied. "On my first morning here he told me that I was just another curse to him. Maybe he actually wants to get rid of me."
"I don't think you realize how serious his condition is," Hatori said as he looked up at her. "There is just nothing I can do for him anymore. This is it. He's letting you go so that you're not here when it's over."
Nami was taken aback by this. Hatori's behavior was highly unusual, especially for him. He seemed like more of the solitary type and she was surprised to see him open up to her like he did. "So, you're trying to tell me that he's actually doing this to make me happy?"
Hatori nodded. She touched his hand and said, "In that case, I'll come back to him."
"I couldn't ask you to do that."
"It would be by my free will, Hatori-san."
"Then I'd love to take you back home. I'll support anything you choose to tell you family," he offered.
"Arigato. Of course, you understand that I want to leave as soon as possible."
"How's now?"
"Perfect."
Within minutes, Nami and Hatori were on their way off the Sohma compound. Akito watched them leave from his window. In the car, she thanked Hatori for all his help.
"I'll really miss you and Haru-kun. You were both so kind to me."
"I'm sure Haru will visit often... if he can find his way," Hatori said. "I'll visit, too. Just not as much. I do have to take care of Akito."
"I know. I want to thank you for taking care of me for the past week. You took time out of your day to teach me. I'm just very grateful," Nami said.
"I have to confess, I wish you would come back as soon as possible. Although Akito might not show it much, your company means a lot to him."
Nami didn't know what to say so she kept silent until Hatori pulled up by her house. "Do you want me to go with you?" He asked.
"No, I'll be alright. Take care," she said to him as she stepped out and approached her home. She opened the door and found her sister reading a newspaper.
"Nami-chan! Where have you been?" She ran towards her and hugged her.
"It's a long story, actually. To make it short, I was very suddenly offered a job at the Sohma compound. It required more time than I thought but I'm home now," Nami lied.
"Nami, I know that you take lots of odd jobs but you really should let me know what you're doing more often," Keiko said with a hint of concern in her voice.
"There was really no time, you see. It was a very good opportunity that arose very quickly. I had to jump on the chance." Nami hated lying but she couldn't tell the truth.
"What kind of work was it?"
"Oh you know, the usual. I did some cleaning, cooking and running errands." Nami felt she had to leave right that moment. She couldn't spin any more lies.
"Nami, you can't cook.. and I haven't yet seen you clean," Keiko protested.
"I clean," she said meekly.
"You know, I've heard some rumors about that family."
"Like what?" Nami was actually interested in the answer but afraid all at the same time.
"That they're all kind of, well, whacked," Keiko said, lowering her vice to a whisper.
"No, Keiko. They're all really nice people. They treated me well." That was it. She couldn't stand it anymore. "I'm going to take a bath! Good night, Keiko!"
"Wait.." her sister called after her but saw she was already long gone.
Akito had slowly made his way out of his bedroom and opened the doors to the garden. Undetected by Hatori, he stepped outside and walked towards the flowers he watched from his window. A sudden gust of night air swept by him and he felt dizzy. Regaining his balance, he walked over to the flowers. They were the same kind as the one Nami brought to him. He felt especially weak that night but was determined to see the flowers. He picked one gently out of the ground, forgetting his peeve about picked flowers. He then watched it as he twirled it in between his fingers. He touched the petals and moved them along his cheek.
Suddenly, a fierce pain began in his chest and spread throughout his entire body. He struggled to breathe and clenched the flower for support. Each part of his body ached more and more with every passing second. The pain quickly overwhelmed him as he fell to the ground. His hand relaxed and the wind scattered the petals of the crushed flower around him.
[Preview of next chapter- Nami has a creepy dream. She goes to visit Yuki and Shigure but her plans don't turn out exactly as she had hoped.. then again, do they ever?]