"Kisa…" Hiro whispered as he stared at her helplessly. She was laid on Hatori's bed and was covered with thick blankets. She was panting slightly and beads of sweat covered her face. Hatori expertly scanned on his cabinet for a capsule.
"We're loosing her." Hiro glanced at the doctor, who opened another set of cabinets near him. "She's soaked and tired. If I could just find that…. Here, I got it."
"Is she going to be…"
"Pray, Hiro." He said firmly as he gently helped Kisa drink all of the sour medicine. "This time, Tohru can't help us…
Hiro looked away, feeling ashamed. He made a wish for his own selfish act. All I wanted was her to be happy…
"It's not your fault." Uotani spoke out after she saw him regretting. "Happiness can be obtained in two roads… two hard roads : selfishness or sacrifice. Both can be regretting but it should be paid fairly in the same price. Right now," she glanced at Kisa. "You chose the road of selfishness… and sacrifice, Hiro. It's not your fault… because you're not aware of it."
"But Tohru warned me---"
"Even so, you won't believe her…" the sun guardian replied. "All we can do now is pray for the best… that she can hang on…"
Hiro couldn't help but stare at his cousin. She was sleeping peacefully, or maybe is nearly dying before his eyes. He clenched his fists and shut his eyes. He couldn't watch…
"Kisa…" he heard a whispering voice. He looked up and saw Tohru kneeling beside the sick Sohma, with Yuki also near her. Kazuma followed them but stopped once he saw Uo staring at him.
"Kisa… can you hear me?" Tohru called out softly. Gradually, her eyes opened and smiled weakly in front of the goddess.
"Ne…ne-san…" Kisa whispered. "Am I…"
"No…" Tohru leaned forward and whispered on her ear. "Not on your birthday, Kisa…"
"She's suffering influenza." Hatori whispered. "Even so, she's too young… and weak to recover. There's another virus in her blood that I found a few days ago… and I think I can ask my fellow doctors to examine it for me."
"So there's an antidote?"
"Yes there is… but I believe it's very expensive…and rare…" the doctor adjusted his glasses and stared at his cousins. "It's way out of our budget but I can manage to find one…"
"Please hang on, Kisa-chan…" Yuki whispered.
"Where are the others, by the way?" Hatori asked.
"They're waiting on the main house."
"Please take Tohru there, Yuki." Hatori kneeled in front of the goddess. "Tohru, I know that's the last place that you'll ever stay at but that's the only place that's available for tonight."
"You too Yuki." He stared at the clan head. "To point it out simply, you're sick. You need rest after getting soaked in the rain and all."
"Thank you Kazuma." Hatori held out his hand and grinned. "For everything…"
"I did what I can, Tori." He replied as he held out his hand and shook it with the doctor's. "Please take care of her."
"She's in good hands." The doctor smiled. "I promise that I won't leave her alone."
She finally stood up and nodded at Yuki. Yuki accompanied her out of the room and Uo followed them as well as Kazuma.
Hiro stood still in his place while Hatori walked across the room and popped a cigarette in his mouth. Before he even lit it, he glanced at Hiro. "Is there something that you would like to tell me?"
Hiro remained silent. The doctor placed the lighter back on his desk and sat on the side of the bed. He wiped away Kisa's sweat and placed a damp cloth on her forehead to cool her off. "Tohru reminded me a long time ago that you always have a choice. Despite that you believe in something, you always dared to go to a different direction." He smiled. "I believe what she said. That's why I'm like this right now."
"…do you think I can help Kisa right now?" Hiro asked.
"Anyone can help Kisa in her situation." Hatori replied. "So… is there something you would like to share to me?"
Hiro bit his lip but he managed to speak out. "I… think I can help about that antidote…"
"Oh no!" Ayame cried out. "Oh, our dearest Kisa!"
"What can we do?" Shigure wondered.
"I heard something from the TV that the best way to earn money was to perform a side show!" Kagura declared.
"What should we do then? Make Haru and Kyou fight each other?" Aya asked.
"Now that's quality entertainment…" Haru murmured sarcastically.
"Maybe we could teach sex education." Shigure grinned. "Aya and I can be the teachers. We're experts!"
"But what about us?" Kagura wondered. Both adults grinned evily.
"Maybe… you can be our performers…" Ayame voiced out dreamily. "… while we explain, you demonstrate what will happen."
"Ooh~!" the boar's eyes opened excitingly. "Kyou-kun, let's volunteer!"
"NO, PERVERT!" Kyou shrugged off her wandering hands. "I would rather perform indoors that outdoors!"
"So that means…" Kagura jumped on him and kissed him lightly. "You're ready to make---"
"Don't---say---it!" Haru growled.
"Yeah." Kyou nodded. "For the first time, I agree with Haru."
"At least Kagura is agreeing with us." Ayame grinned at the novelist.
"Perverts…" the moon guardian whispered from the shadows. "Doing such filthy and arrogant actions for inner pleasure…"
"Why?" Shigure approached the guardian and winked at her. "Haven't you felt that… inner pleasure yet? I can help you… I'm an expert…"
"Really?" she grinned. "I hope you know why millions of men die everyday after they do 'that' to women."
"No… not really…"
"Because I gave them the best judgment that I know." She raised her hand and placed it one his shoulder. She massaged it playfully. "I believe that the inner pleasure that I know is craving for… blood."
"EH?"
"An instant death won't hurt you. Besides, I think you'll die pretty soon… so you should watch out… for the raging loudmouth…" she whispered hoarsely.
"Raging… loudmouth?" Shigure shivered. Then he walked briskly towards the door. "Got to go!"
"Gure-san!"
"I have to talk to Mit-chan about that deadline." He yelled. "I'll catch up with you later!"
"But…Now I don't have a partner…" Aya sighed heavily. "I wish Yuki was here."
Kyou laughed as he closed the door that Shigure left open a while ago. "Do you think the nezumi will with you in that idea?!" he pressed on Ayame's face.
"No, it's not that… I'm kind of worried…" he whispered. "I couldn't stop myself from worrying…"
"Hey, Yuki will be fine." Kagura gave him an assuring nudge on the shoulder. "He can take care of himself."
"Yes but… as brother, I can't… stop worrying…" he buried his face on his hands. "I'm too powerless to tell him how much I cared for him, that I want him to be happy. As soon as I heard that Tohru came, as a goddess and a friend, I realized that Yuki never needed me anymore… despite that Akito already left him."
"Ayame…"
"No, I musn't worry… you're right." He wiped off his tears. "Tohru's is with him. He's in good hands. I'm happy that I called Kazuma in time."
"The question behind all these is…why Sensei?" Kyou rose from his seat. "And how come Yuki knows???"
"Maybe he got the information from Akito." Kagura guessed. "You know, Sensei has been taking surprise visits and calls from Akito weeks before he passed away. They always talk about business proposals, they say. But I think it's more…"
"And Yuki might now something about it…" Haru noted.
"Damn that nezumi!" Kyou clenched his fists. "If he's behind all these set up, I'll---"
"Don't get my brother involved!!!" Ayame roared. His flared in anger and stood firmly in front of Kyou. "He's innocent… and he's Yuki! He dislikes Akito! And for goodness sake, he thinks, Kyou!"
"How could you know everything about this if you weren't there for him for the past… I don't know, 10 years?" Kyou smirked. "It's not that personal but you don't know Yuki… he's an enigma… like Akito."
Ayame backed out for a while to calm himself down. He sat on his chair again and murmured, "You're right. I wasn't there… I'm sorry."
"Don't think like that! You're his brother!"
"Am I? Does he even show it?" Ayame cried.
"Show what?"
"… brotherly love?" the moon guardian spoke. "So, that's how distant you are from each other."
Ayame nodded slowly. The rest maintained their silence, as well as Kyou, who leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.
"I had a brother…" the guardian spoke once more. "But I had no chance to visit him. I spend most of my time guarding the princess and the royal family, and serving my days as a powerful sorceress that looked after an invisible and invincible city. But I wasn't satisfied… not until I met my only younger brother for the past 7 years."
"So… how does it feel?" Aya asked and the guardian sighed.
"Relieved… but empty. We sat together for about two hours without saying anything. We made a glimpse or two but no response, no emotion… just looking at each other." She replied. "It was a bit sad… but relieved… very relieved… to see him again…" she chuckled. "What am I doing here? I'm pouring my heart out to you."
"It's better than sealing it all inside, right?" the boar smiled.
"He'll come back." The guardian stared at Aya. "He will. He's your brother. I know where he got that great confidence in himself : from you, his only brother."
"…Thanks…uh, we really haven't got your name." Ayame chuckled.
"Lheila, the moon guardian."
"Ooh~! Another guardian!" Kagura jumped excitingly. "SO, what are your powers?"
"I prefer curses… it's a much better term." Lheila replied. "I'm a bit different from Mildred. We aren't really that close but… it's much better when we agree on a same thing."
"I see… to protect Tohru, right?" Kagura asked.
"Yeah…" she looked at Ayame. "He'll be okay. Just count on him."
"I hope he's fine." He replied.
After a while, they heard a knock on the door. Kagura went to open it. To her surprise, it was Yuki in front of her. "Yuki!" she almost yelled.
"Quiet…" he whispered. He went inside and Tohru followed.
"Oh my God!" Ayame yelled. "What happened to you, dear brother?"
"Ayame, second commandment, please…" Tohru whispered.
Before anything else, Yuki lost his balance and landed on Ayame's arms. All of them were speechless, for they thought that he did it on purpose, even Ayame. The nezumi looked up to his brother and grinned.
"Who… did this?" Ayame asked.
"…Oni…chan…" he whispered and lost consciousness. Ayame found himself hugging his younger brother like a cherished doll, while the rest were remained on their placeless wordlessly.
"Ayame, you got your wish!" Kagura whispered. "Brotherly love!"
Tohru smiled happily as he smiled to his brother. "I hope it will be like this… from now on…" he looked at the goddess.
"Hai, Ayame-san." Tohru replied.
"Hey… has anyone seen Lhelia?" Kyou looked around the room. It was only them who remained inside.
Tohru thought for a while and realized that Kazuma and Mildred wasn't there too.
"Why have you returned, Kazuma?" Mildred asked once more as she drew her weapon.
"I don't want to cause violence anymore." He raised his hand. "They sealed my powers, as well as my own memory of my family back in your homeland. It's not my fault why I'm here."
"Then why haven't you returned? What are your plans?" Lheila whispered hoarsely.
"I… was sent… here to protect her." He replied. "It's not what you think it is. I carried the name Sohma not because of Akito's orders, but it is also my will to protect these people whom I cared for, especially Kyou and Yuki."
"I see. But we won't hesitate to kill you once you did something suspicious, got it?" Mildred replied. "My fellow guardians frankly believe that you're still a murdurer, that you chose to live an immortal life in front of defenseless mortals."
"We still believe that by heart, but if your cause is for the princess, then we will serve by your side… and you should serve as well." The moon guardian glared. "I won't forgive you when you betray us."
"I will give you my word that I wish nothing but his highness safety." He replied.
"Good… I believe that you shouldn't use the name Kazuma here. It's wrong---"
"You're too late, Mildred. They already knew me by that name. I think you should give her a name." He pointed at Lheila.
"What's wrong with my name?" she asked.
"Lheila, I agree with him. Can you give her a name."
"Certainly." He thought for a while. "I see, your name will be… Hanajima Saki…"
"Hana-san." Uo grinned. "Not bad…"
"Curse you, Mildred."
"No talking gods and goddesses here." Kazuma pointed. "It's for their sake."
"So if they talk about Jyunishi animals in the public, it's for their sake also?"
"Shut up, Hana." He glared.
Yuki…Tohru… is that you?
Are you awake?
A little… why?
I'm in your dream… whispering…
Should I wake up?
Don't… it's better to talk here…
Is there something you would like to talk about, Tohru-kun?
Are you still granting my wish?
Huh?
…my freedom…
I told you I would, right? … you sound a bit worried---
What did he tell you?
Who?
Akito-san…
Tohru, whatever he told me back there, I won't believe him…
But…
He abused you... on who and what you really are. But I won't. You're my friend… and I won't let him touch you.
Yuki.
I can't promise… but I'll try my best to protect you. If I were just a bit stronger---
You are, Yuki. Standing before him is courage.
What did he do that make you all so afraid of him?
…
Tohru, are you still there?
…it doesn't matter now…
What do you mean?
Yuki, do… do you love me?
Of course, I would love you like the rest of my cousins…
Thank you…
Yuki opened his eyes and saw Tohru kissing him. He laid back on his bed as she mounted over him, making the kiss even hungrier, more passionate. He smiled secretly as he went back to his sleep while she cuddled beside him.