(Chapter Four: Machi and Yuki)

With the rumor gone and no longer floating around Yuki could get back to his normal duties off running the student council. It had been two weeks since the unfortunate rumor and now that life was getting back to semi-normal Yuki was much more comfortable talking with the council. It was a Wednesday afternoon and he was on his way to the office with a stack of papers under one arm. He opened the door and expected Kakeru to come jumping at him at any moment. But he didn't. Instead Yuki settled comfortably in his chair and placed the papers onto his desk in front of him. It was study period and he was anxious to get some work done, during his free period before the first afternoon class. A few moments later Kakeru came strolling in with a smile.

"Good afternoon Yun Yun!" he said as he closed the door.

"Good afternoon Kakeru. Oh I'm glad that you're here" Yuki looked up, "I wanted to discuss this afternoon's meeting with you."

"This afternoon? I thought it was tomorrow afternoon?" Kakeru frowned surprised.

"No" Yuki shook his head pointing to the calendar, "It's this afternoon."

"What do you know" Kakeru replied, "You're right. Unfortunately I can't make it. I've got work. Oh and if you're expecting Kimi or Shorty to show up, they also have previous engagements."

"Well this is just perfect" Yuki said sarcastically, "This meeting was very important. What are we supposed to do now?"

"Well" Kakeru replied sitting on Yuki's desk, which he frowned at disapprovingly, "This meeting is about the school budget right? So who better to discuss the school budget, then you and Machi? The secretary."

"Machi is available?" Yuki asked.

"As far as I know, she has no plans" Kakeru smiled, "I mean it would be the perfect opportunity."

"Opportunity for what?"

"Oh nothing" Kakeru smiled mischievously, "I'll tell you what. I'll tell her and then you can decide what time" he jumped off the desk.

"What time? What do you mean?" Yuki stood up confused.

"What time you should come over to the house of course" Kakeru grinned at the door, "I'll go talk with her now, and let you know in the next class" he opened the door.

"But" Yuki started to say.

"Don't you worry about a thing Yun Yun! I'll take care of it" and with a wink he disappeared.

"Thank you" Yuki said slowly as he sat back down, his cheeks a little pink with embarrassment.

(Next Scene)

Yuki informed Tohru that afternoon that he wouldn't be home for dinner. She smiled simply and walked to the front door of the school where Kyo was waiting to take her to work. After saying goodbye to Hatsuharu and Momiji Yuki walked to the Student council office to grab his notes. He bumped right into Machi at the door.

"Oh Yuki" she said with a half smile, "Hello."

"Hello Machi" he replied shyly, "I just have to grab a few notes in here and then we can go."

"Okay" she nodded, "Me too."

"Good" he nodded back and slid the key in the lock to open the door.

(Next Scene)

Akito sat in his room noisily drumming his fingers on the floor. Kureno entered the room and knelt down.

"You wanted to see me Master Akito."

"She hasn't responded" Akito replied standing up and walking over to the birdcage.

"Sir?"

"To my letter. I haven't received an answer."

"From who Master Akito?"

"From Tohru Honda of course. My plan to find the truth from Kyo fell through. It's obvious that she is a much easier nut to crack. I guess we are going to have to speak face to face about this. Kureno find out where she is this evening."

"Tohru Honda?"

"Yes" Akito snapped, "Go ask Hatori, he probably knows."

"But Akito" Kureno started to say.

"Kureno don't defy me. Now go!"

"Yes sir" Kureno nodded exiting the room.

He walked along the main house and came to Hatori's front door. He knocked once and Momiji answered it.

"Kureno?" he replied in surprised, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Hatori, is he here?"

"No" Momiji shook his head, "Hari's not here at the moment. But I can leave a message for him."

"It's just" Kureno said, "This isn't the kind of thing that, hey wait a minute, you're close with her, Momiji do you know where Tohru Honda is this evening?"

"Tohru? I imagine she's working tonight. She works in one of Papa's buildings. Why do you want to know?" Momiji asked looking straight ahead, but Kureno had disappeared, "That's strange" Momiji thought as he closed the door, "I hope I didn't say anything I shouldn't."

(Next Scene)

Machi once more led the way to her house. Yuki walked slowly behind her careful to not step on her feet. When they arrived at the house she opened the door and turned to him.

"Come on in."

"Uh Thank you" Yuki replied once more stepping inside.

"I'm sorry that Kakeru ditched you like this" she said as she took off her shoes, "He can be so inconsiderate sometimes."

"Oh no that's okay" Yuki replied, "Any way it might be easier to get more work done without him here."

"That's the way I see it too. He is quite distracting. Would you like some tea?"

"Oh yes please" Yuki nodded, "If it's not too much trouble?"

"Not at all" she smiled, "Make yourself at home."

"Thanks" Yuki smiled back as she walked into the kitchen.

He walked over to the wall of paintings and gazed at the one in the center as he had the first time he came to the house. Machi came out a few moments later with his tea and saw him staring at her painting. She blushed a little as she put down the tray.

"You're quite fascinated with that one" she replied.

"I guess I am" Yuki grinned sheepishly, "I have to admit it. I think it is very beautiful. The flowers I mean. I know this is gonna sound kind of strange coming from me, but I have always been quite attracted to plants and flowers. Gardening in particular."

"Why is that so strange?" Machi asked sitting down on the couch.

"I don't know. I mean I am a guy. Guys aren't supposed to be interested in things like that. I mean guys in my family anyway" he walked over and sat down next to her.

"Here's your tea" she handed him his cup.

"Oh thank you" he took it gently.

"I don't think it's unmanly for a guy to be interested in plants. I think it's silly for anybody to think so. I mean guys can be interested in flowers just like girls can be interested in martial arts."

"That's true" Yuki nodded, "This is a new generation. I mean it's not like when our parents were growing up."

"Mhm" she agreed, "Men and women have equal rights. To some extent of course. Anyway my father is a painter. That's not a very manly profession now is it?"

"I guess not. Incidentally where is your father this evening?"

"He's working late tonight" she put her cup back down on the table, "He should be home in a couple more hours."

"Oh" Yuki said placing his cup back on the table, "Well I guess we should get started" he walked over to his bag and pulled out his papers, "Let's see" he replied as he sat back down, "What?" he asked as she looked at him.

"I don't know" she said, "It's just something has been bothering me for awhile. Something you said."

"Something I said?" Yuki looked at her surprised.

"Do you remember the first time that you were here, and you were leaving? You said to me that you don't know how lucky you are to have a parent that loves you. Or something a long those lines. What did you mean by that?"

Yuki sighed and rubbed his fingertips over his lips, obviously in deep thought. Then he stood up.

"Do you feel uncomfortable answering? I mean I know you said it was a long story. But we have time."

"You're right. We do" he nodded sitting down once more, "Well no I don't feel uncomfortable about telling you this. You see my mother. My mother is not the warmest of people. My mother is the type that when she gets angry, she hits."

"You were beaten?"

"Not a whole lot. But that's only because I didn't live with her for very long."

"What do you mean?" Machi leaned on her armrest.

"When I was four years old I, well the head of my family took an interest in me. And with not much persuasion my mother sold me to the main house."

"Sold you? As in gave you away?"

"Yes. Now at first, I didn't mind. I mean I was terrified of my mother. I didn't like to be around her. I still don't, much. But the point is, I thought that by moving out of my mother's house and moving into the main house that I would get away from all that. But boy I was wrong."

"Oh?"

"Yes. You see the head of my family was only three years older than I."

"But how can that be? That sounds so unique."

"You're right it is. But in the Sohmas case it's not that weird. My first thought when I moved into the main house, was that I finally have someone I can talk to, to confide in. You see I have an older brother. He's about ten years older than me, but we never had anything in common. Anyway I moved into the main house, thought my life was going to be better and it wasn't. It turned out, it was worse. The head of our family, Akito was just as violent as my mother was, maybe even more."

"He hit you as well?" Machi put a hand to her mouth.

"Well he liked to do more mental abuse then anything. He would tell me how worthless I was, and that I wouldn't amount to very much without him and all sorts of nonsense. That was around the time I would often think about running away from the Sohma cage as I call it. But when I got older I moved out of the main house and moved in with my cousin and that is where I am now."

"I so sorry Yuki" Machi said, "I had no idea. But I do understand where you're coming from with the mother department."

"What?" he turned to her.

"You see me and my mother, we don't get along either. When I was born. No it's best to start at the beginning" she paused and sighed, "In the Manabe clan, my mother's family there is an old tradition. If the daughter of the respected elder has two children then one must be chosen by this elder as the next clan leader. Kakeru was not in favor with the elder, but I was. From the time I was born my mother tried to make me into the clan leader. She wouldn't allow me to have contact with Kakeru; in fact I was told that he was beneath me. I hated my mother's ways. So when my mother asked my father for a divorce, I ran and came to live with him. My mother was very disappointed, because I also gave up the name of the Manabe clan. But I don't want it. And I hate that Kakeru and I couldn't know one another. He hated it too. Which is why he convinced me to join the council so we could spend some more time together" Machi stood up, "Of course my mother hounds me every chance she gets to convince me to come back. She thinks school is a waste of my time. She just doesn't understand" she sighed again and looked at Yuki in the eye, "I guess we have a lot in common."

"I guess we do" he nodded.

"So living with this head of the family, is that what makes you so standoffish toward people?" she asked.

"That's one of the reasons" he nodded, "Growing up in the main house, I wasn't allowed to associate with anyone except Akito. I wasn't permitted to see anyone except at New Years. I didn't know what it was like to be accepted for who I am by anyone. Until I met Miss Honda. She showed me that there were people in the world who would accept me. I guess that was when I really changed and actually started to see that I wasn't what Akito said I was."

"Oh I see" Machi nodded.

"What time did you say your father would be home?"

"Not for a few hours, why?"

Yuki stood up and walked over to the painting once more. He thought many things as he looked at it and strangely enough words that Kyo had said popped in his head.

"I'm tired of keeping it a secret."

Yuki turned to Machi who was staring at the floor.

"Machi" he began, "I want to tell you something."

"Okay" she nodded as he sat back down on the other side of her, making her move over slightly.

"It's something very important and I don't want you to freak out or anything."

"All right."

"You see like I said, there is more than one reason why I keep my distance from people. Especially girls."

"What is it? Do you have some kind of disease?" she joked.

"No" he grinned, "No not a disease. I have a curse."

"A curse?" her eyes became wide, "What are you talking about Yuki?"

"Promise me you won't freak out?" he asked.

"Yuki you're scaring me" she pulled slightly away, "What is it?"

"Come here" he moved in close and embraced her.

Suddenly a loud POOF sound was heard and Machi closed her eyes for a second. When she reopened them, she couldn't see Yuki anywhere.

"Yuki?" she looked around her, "Where are you? Are you invisible?"

"Not exactly" Yuki replied from below, "I'm down here."

Machi looked down and saw the little rat with purple eyes staring back at her.

"Yuki?"

"Uh yes Machi. It's me."

"You're a, you're a rat" she replied.

"I know" he nodded, "Uh listen Machi I have to run behind the wall over there. Will you hand me my clothes when my hand comes around the wall?"

"Sure" she nodded as he scampered off the couch and ran behind the wall.

A couple of seconds later another POOF sound was heard and Machi could see Yuki's hand reaching for his clothes. She handed it to him and stepped back. He came back out fully dressed.

"Yuki?"

"I guess I owe you an explanation?"

"That would be good."

"Uh okay. Let's go sit back down and I will explain" he gestured towards the couch.

They both sat down and Yuki began.

"The thing is my family. The Sohma family has been cursed with the Zodiac curse for many generations."

"The Zodiac curse?"

"That's right. At one given time twelve people in my family are cursed by the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. I myself am the rat. Oh and there's a cat too. Just like in the old legend. Kyo is the cat in fact. Miss Honda already knows about all this. And she accepted us as we are. The thing is, that if I hug a member of the opposite sex I transform. If a girl bumped into me in this region" he pointed to his chest, "It will happen. It also happens when we are under a great deal of stress."

"So that is why you don't get too close to girls?"

"Yes, that is why. It's also the reason I dashed out of the gym that time at the dance. Some girl had bumped into me and I."

"Transformed" she finished.

"Right" he nodded, "I wanted you to know, because I care about you and I understand if I scare you off by this."

"What are you talking about?"

"You mean you're not scared?"

"Of what?" she giggled, "A rat? Yuki it's not like you're a monster or anything. I mean you're a rat. And a very cute little rat I might add."

"It doesn't bother you at all?" he asked.

"No" she shook her head, "Not in the least. Yuki I am honored that you wanted to show me your secret. And I promise I will keep it a secret if you like."

"Yes Machi" Yuki smiled, "I would like that very much."

They looked at each other for a few moments and then Machi turned to the table.

"Oh look at all the time we've wasted. We really need to get to work," she said nervously.

"Oh you're absolutely right" Yuki nodded, "Let's get down to business."

He pulled out the first sheet of paper and a pen and began to write on it. Machi did the same on hers and while she wrote Yuki smiled slowly to himself with satisfaction.

(Next Scene)

"Thanks again! See you next time!" Tohru called into the door as she closed it.

She walked out into the moonlight and gazed down the street. She pulled out her watch to look at the time.

"I guess I am a few minutes early. Kyo should be here very soon."

As she waited she looked up at the buildings and sighed contently. Now that things were back to normal at school she felt much more at peace, but something was still weighing heavily on her mind. She didn't have time to ponder over it for to her left she could hear footsteps and a shadow approaching. She grabbed her bag and with a smile ran directly toward the shadow.

"Hey Kyo" she called as she rushed forward, but her face dropped as she saw the person who now stood in front of her.

"Not quite Miss Honda" Akito grinned at her.

(Till Next Time)

Authors Note: Okay guys! That's it for this week. I will see you all next Monday for the next two chapters!

Next Chapters:

Chapter Five: Kazuma's Opinion

Kyo and Tohru face Akito's confrontation and decide the best person to talk about their problem is Kazuma. What advice will he give the new couple?

And

Chapter Six: Yuki's Heart

Once more Yuki seeks advice from his brother, this time on love. Don't miss a moment!