It was late afternoon when the sky grew dark, like heaven cursing every living person in the land, as it dominated the whole country. The animals started to take cover as the first drop of rain fell, and soon, it was a heavy downpour. Very disturbing, all of the vendors closed their shops as they let the rain pass.

Sohma Hatori stood by the windowsill, gazing at the nearest peasant house. He watched them blankly as the father called out his children to get inside the house. They followed obediently before they even got wet. After that sight, the doctor's mind started to recall memories of his own.

"Please get inside. You'll get sick." A woman called out from the open door. Hatori just stood there looking at her as the rain poured down heavily against him.

"I don't enter any peasant's house." He mumbled.

"Then think of it as your own. As long as you're breathing, I can consider you as a fellow human. So you also deserve the same warm hospitality as anyone else."

"Why are you doing this?" he asked suddenly. The woman chuckled.

"Is it forbidden? I guess not. If you're planning to get drenched on your way back to the way, I won't bother. But if you may, you can stay here until the rain calms down. It won't take long." She replied.

"…no."

She grinned at him. "You're pretty stubborn, don't you think?"

"Like I said, I don't enter any peasant's house."

"And like I said, think of it as your own." She glared. " If you're smart enough, you'll realize that you're the one who's wrong. Get inside before you'll get sick, Hatori."

"How dare you call me by my name!" he yelled.

"Well at least I got your attention, didn't I?" she smiled heartily.

Because of that, he entered the house, the very first peasant house.

And the last one, at least.

Hatori glanced at the table, where a small dragon carved from wood lies. It was hand made by the nearby villagers… and probably the only village who respected them. He knew that the name Sohma definitely rings the bell. According to the villagers, it was the name of their masters, their conquerors, their leaders and the most superior being that needs to be worshiped. Even though rumors spread that they're cursed, it never held them back.

A curse of the Jyunishi, wherein it made them hide themselves beyond their power. They usually stay inside the mansion, waiting for the right time to come out. It remained as a secret for a long time, maybe only a legend for the villagers. Anyone who tried to prove that will be killed.

But ever since he went inside that peasant house, he knew that he deserved greater respect.

That day was so wrong. "She even called me with my first name." He whispered.

He remembered that time when he looked at her. She looked so innocent but strong. No wonder she had guts to call him that. He suddenly recalled the name he himself adored in his younger years.

"Kana…"

"Hatori?" a orange-haired guy came in. His body stiffened as Hatori's eyes caught his. "You called?"

"Ah… yes." Hatori nodded quickly, snapping himself out from his imagination. "I believe you heard about what happened to your cousin---"

"Serves him right." The boy said.

"… and I want you to find him."

"WHAT?!" the guy banged his fists against the table. "Why would I look for that nezumi?!"

"First of all, it was partly your fault when that happened." He glared. "You left him alone back there and---"

"HE CAN TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF!!!"

"Well, you thought he would… but he didn't. He's sick and he's alone out there." Hatori sat on his chair and glared at the guy. "You know these forests more than I do or anyone else. We're counting on you more than those police."

"But---"

"I promise I'll take care of Kagura." He grinned.

"It's not that! A cat was created to battle a mouse!" the guy yelled.

"Also, the cat WAS invented to find a mouse." Hatori popped a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. "Good Luck."

The guy growled as he left the room. At the same time, Shigure entered the room and stared at Hatori. "Do you think sending Kyou out there is such a good idea?"

"That's the best idea I got so far. The police aren't really working that fast anymore." He replied. "In this way, we have doubled our chance in finding him."

"I see. But do you think will be able to find Yuki?"

"I don't know. Let's just hope that nobody finds out about the curse. Once it happens," Hatori stared out of the window once more. "We're done for."

"You really like your position as an acting mayor of the country." Shigure laughed.

"As long as Yuki isn't back yet, I'll take his place for a while." He grinned at his own idea.

"Thank you, Hana-san, Uo-san." Tohru bowed again for gratitude. "I do hope I could pay you soon---"

"Tohru, you shouldn't think that way. We're your friends right?" Uotani gave her a friendly nudge. "Don't worry. As long as you're father's sick, you can stay her as long as you want, right Hanajima?"

Hana's eyes stared at Tohru's large ones. "The sky is dark, the moon is out tonight and the wolves are howling differently."

"Er… right." Tohru tried to understand those words.

"She means that you can stay." Uo quickly said. "C'mon I'll show you to your room." She took her hand and he luggage as she guided her friend upstairs.

"Uo-san…"

"Yes, Tohru?"

"How did you understand Hana-san's words?" she sweatdropped. "She's so confusing sometimes."

"It takes time and experience." She winked.

"I see."

"Don't worry. Hana's mother is very good in curing people." She opened the door for her. "Here, it's not much of a room you know but it's the last one we have left."

"Thank you, Uo-san." She bowed once more.

"I'll call you when dinner's ready." Uotani smiled at her and closed the door.

"I'm glad that they're such great friends." She whispered to herself.

"Yeah. Me too."

Tohru jumped from her place. Did I hear something? "It must have been the wind." She smiled.

"No it isn't."

She looked around and she was now a bit nervous. I did hear something. "Are you… a g-ghost?"

There was light chuckle. "Don't worry I won't hurt you."

"Eh?" she grabbed the nearest umbrella that she had and swayed it from side to side. "D-don't come near me!" she yelled panicky.

"Hey! Stop that!" the voice came again.

"Who are you?! What do you want?!" she asked.

"I want you… to help me mend my wounds."

"Wounds?" she wondered. "Where did you get those?" This is so weird. I'm talking to someone I don't know and I don't see!

"It doesn't matter. Can you help me?" The voice sounded nice and calm but a bit weak. Moved from pity, she slowly dropped the umbrella and looked around.

"Where are you?" she asked. "Can you come out?"

"I can't."

"Why? There's nothing to be afraid of." She whispered. "It's just… me."

"I know… but you see… I'm a bit stuck."

"Where?"

"Below you."

She looked down and saw the cage that her father gave her. He's…*gulp* inside the cage?!

She slowly opened the cage and looked inside it. "um…"

The mouse was staring back at her and it looked so cute, so she smiled. "You're awake now."

"Yes." A reply came.

Tohru stared at it. The mouse is talking.. to me! TALKING TO ME?!

"Can you help me now?" it asked.

Before she could even reply, she let out a silent scream and fainted right in front of him.

This is not happening… The mouse wondered.

"What's wrong, Hanajima?" Uo asked as she prepared the table.

"I feel a strong wave of indifference in the area. I believe something came so unexpected." Her friend wondered.

"Stop it, Hana-san. You always get that feeling when it rains." She laughed. "I wonder why so many people are afraid of you."

"Uo…"

"Please, don't scare the wits out of Tohru. She's already been scared enough." Uo glared at her. "Promise that you won't share any death claims or something right in front of her, understood?"

"… yes."

"Hey wake up."

"Eh?"

"… Tohru, is that your name?" a male voice came. "Please wake up."

Tohru opened her eyes once she heard that. There's a male in my room?!

It was true. A teenage male sat beside her on the floor, staring at her. He smiled once she blinked. "I'm happy that you're ok. I'm sorry if I scared you."

Scared me? She tried to remember. Yes, there was a voice… from the cage and… She stared at the young man. He was… ahem…undressed…

"Ahh!" he covered her mouth before she screamed. She blushed hotly as she ignored him.

"Don't shout. Once you do, your friends will notice that someone's here with you. Please, I won't hurt you, just don't shout." He pleaded.

She quickly nodded as he let her go. She looked the other way while he scanned the room fro clothes.

"It was good that they let you sleep inside this place. There's a lot of stuff here that we can use." He said.

We? She wondered. Am I involved already? I just met him!

"Can I use these clothes for a while?" he held up some old shirt and jeans.

"U-Use it if-f you want…" she stuttered. She heard him humming as he got on the clothes.

She slowly looked around to look at him. He was about her age and he picked out clothes that are pretty casual for him. As he was about to put a shirt on, he winced in pain.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Um… to tell you the truth, I'm not really joking about those wounds." He replied.

"Sorry!" she guided him towards the bed. "Wait here, I'll get some bandages." She scanned at some drawers hastily. Once she had some, she went back to him and attended his wounds.

He looked at her calmly as she dressed his wounds. She looked so happy and innocent but her eyes weren't. He can tell that she was confused and scared after what happened.

"Sorry.." he whispered.

"Huh?" she was surprised to hear the words he said.

"I scared you a while ago." He continued. "You see, your father found me in the river and tried to nurse me back to health but wasn't a very good vet." He laughed at his story.

"You mean, you… were the mouse earlier?"

Uh-oh. I shouldn't have said that. His face fell in sadness. "I… shouldn't have mentioned you that. I was born with this curse and…"

He couldn't say anything anymore to her. Heavy silence came and all they could hear was the rain colliding against the nearby window. She already finished dressing his wounds. He slowly put on a shirt and looked at her.

"Are you… angry at me?" he asked.

"Why should I?" she whispered. "It's not your fault why you have these wounds."

"No,,, I shared to you something---"

"I know… it's the legend that my mother used to tell me." She looked at him. "That the ones who had this curse could never hug his or her opposite sex. They avoid to get hugged so they are used to be alone… away from the crowd…"

"You're right…" he smiled.

"How is it?"

"What is?"

"Your life… I mean, you had this curse with you." She whispered. "Isn't it kind of sad?"

"… a little. But there's nothing I can do." He looked away. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you. Thanks for your help but I can go home now."

"Wait." She held his hand. "You're still hurt and it's raining very hard outside. Please stay."

"I might be a bother."

"No, it's fine." She smiled. "You need rest more than I do."

"But---"

"I may not be a doctor but I know when a person desperately needs to recover." She said firmly. "Rest now. I'll tell Uo-san to bring extra food up here."

"But they'll know that there's someone---"

"I'll just tell them that I need a midnight snack." she smiled.

"You've done enough…" he held her hands. "Please, I don't want to cause anymore trouble."

"But---" Before she would say something, her foot slipped and she lost her balance, finding herself falling over him. They end up in a bed for a second and…

POOF!

"Ah!" she looked below her and saw the same mouse she saw earlier. But this time, it was wrapped in bandages and his clothes a while ago were scattered on the bed. "SORRY!" she quickly apologized.

"Ne, it's nothing…" he replied. "I guess you're not used to this yet."

"Sorry! I was so clumsy and…"

"No, it's fine." He said soothingly. Instead of saying anything else, she laughed.

"What?" he asked curiously.

"Now, I have a reason why you need to stay." She looked at his form. Soon after, he laughed with her.

"Maybe I need to stay for a while." He replied.

"Good. I'll get your dinner." She stood up and went towards the door. Before she left, she looked back at him. "Ne, you already know my name. What's yours?"

"Ah, Yuki." He said quickly.

"Yuki." She smiled. "I'll be right back Yuki." Then she left him alone in the room.

Yuki sighed heavily as he stared at the windowsill. It was raining awfully hard. I guess she's right. Maybe I should stay for a while.

It's a good thing I didn't mention to her that I'm a Sohma. She might react even more… like the rest of the peasant do. Meeting a Sohma is quite an entertainment for them.

Hatori-san, please, in case you'll know that this ordinary girl knows the Jyunishi curse, please don't hurt her. She understands me and I think she's… he smiled secretly. She's nice.