Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They belong to Takaya Natsuki.

From Ayame's Point of View: How he came to respect Tori-san.
Another child is born into the Soma family. Another cursed creature. Another Jyuunishi.

I had been born with unusual snow-white hair and cat-like eyes which was quite unique. But something was far more unusual than their eyes could see about me. I somehow turn into a white snake whenever I am hugged by the opposite sex or whenever I am weak in health.

At first, they thought that I had been spared from the Jyuunishi curse of the Somas or so they wished. They said that the night when I was born and had been unusually cold and I immediately transformed.

After the incident, they immediately informed the clan head of the Somas and as soon as I was 2 yrs. Old, they turned me over to live and be educated in the main house together with the other Jyuunishi.

"You are one of the Jyuunishi Ayame, please understand.", father said. Mom hugged me even though she didn't cry I knew it was hard for her to leave me in the hands of the clan head. I was quite cheerful by nature, which was one quality I was most thankful for. "Goodbye Mom! Dad!", I waved and smiled as their car slowly drove away. But deep inside, a part of me missed them and wanted them to be near me but there was nothing I could do but live in the main house and learn all the rules and restrictions that a Jyuunishi must learn in order to keep the secrets of the Somas through simple lies.

I had met 2 of the other Jyuunishi. A silent green-eyed boy called Hatori, who besides being a Jyuunishi could erase memories, which he learned later in his life to be a painful curse rather than a gift and Shigure, a happy-go-lucky guy somehow similar to me quite, perverted but aside from that he is a kind person actually.

They became my constant companions in the main house and we went to school together. We became even closer friends after that day when we were about 15. Shigure, being a mischief-maker asked us to join his little game called TORTURE-THE TEACHER prank. I being the bold and encouraging one joined him in his planned course of action. We were doing our usual trademark by then.

"AYA!!!, he would menacingly called me.

"GURE-SAN!!!, I would always reply making my most handsome expression.

"YOSH!!!" two thumbs up, posing our best ever handsome selves, as we grin mischievously at each other.

Tori-san would just be silent as always pretending not to hear our words. Tori-san was always calm and in control and whenever we were in trouble he was the one who always bailed us out.

So, as we had planned after most of the students had gone home, I talked animatedly to our target teacher, Mr. Shizuya. Mr. Shizuya was a boring History teacher who wears glasses to thick for a man in his 30's. As you know I am good at talking continuously like what I did with that other teacher who dared to meddle with my long girlish hair. While Gure-san tied his shoelaces easily and afterwards gave me a signal saying that the coast is clear. Anyway, what happened next after the poor guy fell down the stairs was what we didn't expect.

"Ya!!!", even now I could hear his voice as he landed flat-faced at the bottom. Gure-san and I laughed so hard that we were totally clueless to what happened to that guy.

"Gure-san, hahaha did you hear him scream? Hahahaha. I didn't think I could laugh this hard in my whole life." I said grinning about the very hilarious joke we cooked up.

"Haha. Yes, perhaps we should do this again Aya.", Gure-san answered while leaning to the wall to prevent himself from losing his balance.

"Oh no you won't.", Tori-san answered stiffly. "Mr. Shizuya seems to be unconscious and it seems you broke two of his ribs.", Tori-san said. Even then you could tell that he's an expert when it comes to those kinds of things.

We stopped and a cold chill ran down our spines. "If the clan head learns about this.", I said. Both Gure-san and I sweat-dropped.

"Learns what Ayame?", a strict voice answered which is all too familiar to me. The three of us turned to the direction of the voice and the Gure-san and I turned to stone.

Standing there, ever as dignified as ever was Akito's father, the clan head with his deep-boring eyes and sickly body. It was quite unusual though, because most of the time he didn't go out of the main house and was always sick in bed. It seems he had just finished his important meeting with the principal concerning us because after all maintaining the reputation of the Somas is always his first priority.

"What Ayame?, tell Me.", he snapped at me for not answering his simple question. I froze in terror and I couldn't even make a syllable come out of my mouth. I glanced at Gure-san who was having the same problem as I. Unexpectedly, Tori-san answered for us.

"I set up a prank, which got out of control and got Mr. Shizuya injured.", he calmly said indicating the unconscious teacher lying on the cold floor at the foot of the stairs.

"Please sir, I think it would be better if we take him ton a hospital.", he tonelessly answered taking the blame knowing that he would be severely punished for it though he knew that it was really us who are responsible for all of this.

"What the. Very well then Hatori. We will discuss this matter later.", Akito's father said assuring us that the action would not go unpunished.

We took Mr. Shizuya to the hospital. Tori-san had to erase Mr. Shizuya's memory about the whole incident so it won't wreck the reputation of the Somas. Gure-san and I was silent the whole time and even though we wanted to tell Akito's father the truth to save Tori-san but we knew that it will only double Tori-san's punishment.

Akito's father was really mad but Tori-san did not falter and he took the beatings without even making a little sound though Gure-san and I know that he didn't deserve it.

Why Tori-san? Why did you do it? I asked myself over and over as Tori-san tended to his wounds alone. I couldn't even bear to look at his injured body knowing that I was the cause of Tori-san's pain. Tori-san assured us that he was fine and that it was better that we didn't admit to Akito's father the truth or the three of us would have all suffered. After that, Gure-san locked himself in his room.

I finally had the courage to ask him finally "Tori-san? Why did you do it?", I asked him not daring to even look in his calm green eyes, afraid of seeing his pain in them.

"Huh?", Tori-san asked me as if it was the strangest question a person could ask him. "Ayame", he started. "Because its you and Shigure.", he said with a smile which is quite rare for Tori-san to show.

"Hahahaha. I knew you are concerned about me too Tori-san.", I said, my hands on my hips laughing. I regained my usual cheerful self as Tori-san sighed as if telling me "Ayame, you're thinking it the wrong way." Anyway, I didn't mind him and I thought Tori-san how do you say things when I expect to hear them most? And from that moment on I respected Tori-san as one could possibly ever imagine. So what do you think? My story is not good I know and reviews are always welcome. Thank you for reading. Probably I'll continue this if you guys like it and the next topic would be Aya's thoughts about Yuki.