Since then, she was locked up inside the main house and wasn't allowed to look out or even answer a call. All she could do was to roam around the house, doing nothing but to drag the shackles that she was forced to wear. She wandered aimlessly. She had nothing to do now. Whenever Akito was asleep, she stared at the birds who chirped near him.

"Why are they so happy to be with him?" she wondered. She was happy to be with him, but he changed. He's not the Akito she used to know.

"Hmm?" she heard a voice near her. She glanced at her side and saw a young man, wearing glasses and a very formal suit standing near her.

"Who are you?" he asked her.

"Um, Celeste." She bowed low. "I'm… Akito's servant."

With that answer, he laughed softly. "Is there something wrong?" she asked.

"You should persuade yourself in that kind of answer." He said. "He may control your life, but never your dignity."

"I guess so…"

"Don't guess." He replied. "You should be sure. Be proud to say yes. Go on and say it."

"Ah…" she tried to but she was too scared that Akito might hear her or their conversation.

"I see." He whispered and went towards her. "You're a goddess, right?"

She made a quick nod and left him on the hall.

He was so good to her. She looked back to see him but, to her surprise, he was right there in front of her. He grinned and, as quickly as he can, grabbed her on the waist and bent down to kiss her lightly.

He pulled back and smiled at her. "It was nice meeting you Celeste." He walked away and she remained speechless.

He just kissed her but he wasn't worried of the consequences. She smiled at him, knowing that she won't be bored inside the house.

"Stand up!" Akito commanded. Celeste remained on her position helplessly. He already hurt her too much. "Why won't you grant me my wish?!"

She couldn't reply because of her wounds on her chest. He grabbed her hand angrily and slapped her on the face. "TELL ME! All I wanted was the money of the Sohmas! Why won't you get me my wish?!"

She cried silently as he stared at her. He let her go and sighed. "I'm disappointed, Celeste, you know what I do when I'm disappointed." Then he left the room.

"Akito-san…" she whispered before she lost consciousness.

She woke up and a comfy bed. She noticed that it was nearly dawn and her shackles are gone. She tried to sit up but arms came and prevented her.

"Please." A man whispered. "Don't move. You need rest."

She looked at him. He was the man he met a few days ago. "You…"

"Yes, I heard Akito screaming in his room and…" he smiled. "You needed some help so…"

"Why?" she asked as her hands shivered in his touch.

"I pity you." He answered. "You haven't seen the outer world yet."

"True…"

"By the way, my name is Sohma Hatori." He whispered. "I'm the family doctor."

"I see."

"Please rest. Akito will probably wake up by noon. You have enough time to rest." He suggested. "That's a doctor's advice, so follow it."

"Yes."

He smiled at her. "May I ask you a question?"

"Sure." She answered.

"I couldn't help overhearing but why didn't you grant his wish?" he asked. "I mean, you granted his wishes other than money or material things. Why is that?"

"Um, you see, there is rule wherein when you ask for a material thing," she explained. "Something happens. I don't know what but I'm expecting it to be the worst."

"I see. You're worried because he might---"

"Please don't say it." She looked away. "I would be happy if he stays alive."

"Look, I heard that you two were so close back then, until his wish of being immortal was granted." He gazed at her. "You still loved him despite that he sees you as his slave."

"I don't know why but, I have a feeling that he still has hope." She smiled. "I still can change him for the better. I know it."

"Then may the goddess of luck smile on you."

"Ne, I don't need her." She giggled.

"Why?"

"Because I," she declared. "Celeste, am the daughter of the goddess of luck."

But I'm a bit of unlucky myself, she thought.

Hatori and Celeste became good friends. They used to spend time with each other in his office, usually when Akito is asleep or busy. That was until…

"Ohayo!" A cheerful smile greeted her. She turned around and saw a girl looking at her.

"Ohayo…" Celeste greeted. "Ne, my name is Celeste. What's yours?"

"Kana." The girl replied.

"Kana? I heard that name before…" she wondered. "Ano, you're the new assistant of Tori-san!"

She blushed. "Hai, I didn't know that he talks about me."

"He usually does and with you around, he said that he could finish his work better." The goddess smiled at her. "He was thankful that you're there for him."

"He is?" Kana looked at her confusedly. "But… he hardly looks at me."

"Hardly?"

"Yes, he's too busy with his work or reading his newspaper. He never…" she frowned. "He never smiled at me…"

"Really?" That sounded pretty unbelievable for her. Hatori always smiles whenever she is around but for Kana…

"Ohayo, Tori-san."

"Celeste." He stood up and smiled. "Come in."

Celeste let herself in and looked seriously at him. "How's work?" she asked.

"Harder everyday but I'm fine." He replied calmly. "Do you want something to drink? DO you need anything?"

"Tori-san, why are you smiling?"

"Nothing. I'm just happy to see you."

"But," she said calmly. "You're happy that Kana is here with you, helping you with your work. Why aren't you smiling at her?"

He sat there in silence. "So, you came here for that question?"

She nodded slowly. "I wanted to know why."

"Celeste, I had this curse, remember. I was forced to be alone, to be independent in a crowd. Despite that I'm happy for her, I couldn't just let out what I really feel." He explained. "I'm happy for her, really, but I might be this close to her and…"

"I understand. No outsider must know about the curse, right?"

"Right." He ended the conversation.

Celeste turned around to leave when he stood up and held her hand. "Is she mad at me?" he asked.

"You haven't done anything wrong." She replied. "But you have a choice, Tori-san. You can't close your heart forever."

"Arigato, Celeste."

"Eh?" she looked at Kana. "What did I do?"

"He's a bit friendly towards me now." She replied. "And guess what, he's inviting me out for lunch."

"That's so romantic!" the goddess clapped her hands.

"It is…" she whispered.

"Celeste! Celeste!" a voice rang on the hallway. The goddess looked up and saw Kana running towards her.

"What? What is it?" she asked.

"Tori-sensei… he…" Kana was out of words and was shaking. Celeste quickly went towards his office and…

"I just hugged him and…" Kana pointed at the seahorse on the floor. "There…"

"Tori-san!" Celeste quickly went towards it and picked it up gently.

"Tori-san?" Kana repeated. "That's Tori-sensei?"

"No time to explain Kana!" she yelled. "Get some water quick!"

"Water? WATER?!" Kana ran around panicking. "Which does seahorse need, sea water or fresh water?!"

While Hatori was resting, Celeste told Kana everything…

"I see…" she wondered. "He had a curse…"

"It's not deadly but…it keeps him distant to outsiders."

"But, how come when he hugs you," she pointed. "he doesn't transform."

"Ah, Gomen, I missed that part, see…" Celeste smiled. "I'm a goddess."

"You WHAT?!" Kana stood up from her seat.

"Don't scream." A hand reached out and tugged Kana's sleeve, which made her turn around. "Akito might hear…"

"Tori-sensei!" she cried. She almost hugged him but she remembered the curse. "Gomenasai, I didn't know… about the curse…"

"It's not your fault." He replied. "If this curse didn't exist in the first place, I would have been friendlier and warmer than I am now."

"Don't blame yourself, sensei." She smiled. "I like you the way you are."

He blushed for a while, then he said, "Now you know about the curse, you disgust me as your friend---"

"Shh…" she lightly played with his hair. "What are you talking about?"

"Huh?"

"I was scared at first, but I understand." She explained softly. "I wanted to help you. I don't want you to be distant or ignore me in any way, ok?"

He looked at her silently as she continued. "I'm the only outsider who knew about the curse so… I may be the only one who understands. Please, sensei, let me stay here with you. Let me continue my career."

He smiled at her sweetly. "I guess I can't do anything to stop you---" he stopped and was surprised once Kana bent down to kiss him in the forehead.

"I won't leave you now, sensei, since I already knew your true color." She whispered.

All he and Celeste could do was to smile calmly in satisfaction.

"Sensei, you still owe me a lunch." She whispered once more.

"No I don't."

"Ne?" she looked at him surprisingly.

He grinned at her. "I owe you a date."

*******

Ahh, it's not yet over, but soon. The next chapter has some finishing touches for it. Please review!