Chapter 5

Truths

Ha ha! I just realized that in my story 'Loved and Hated Words'.. I have Tohru hug Yuki and he didn't transform. I didn't even notice that! And I'm so tired I find that really funny.

"Hatori! I'm sorry!" Erika said frantically as she got up. "Hatori?" she looked around. God please don't notice.. "Eek! Hatori?!?!" Erika had spotted the sea horse. Damn. "Hatori?! Is that you?!" The sea horse squeaked but didn't say anything. Though she took it as a word and freaked.

"Hatori! Do you need water?! Water! Where's water!?! Hatori!" She was lost in this place as it was. She picked him and his clothes up and ran into the house they'd been about to enter. "Water! Water!" she said frantically. She didn't know what to do as she sat the dragon on the counter on his clothes. What to do?! What to do?! Suddenly there was a pop sound and she turned her head slowly to see Hatori on the counter. She quickly turned her head before she saw anything. Holy Freakin Crap! She yelled in her mind. (I got that from Azu Manga Daioh. lol.)

"You saw.." Hatori stated obviously. Of course I saw.. Wait! No! I saw.. a sea horse.. I didn't see anything else.. Nothing! Augh!!! "Uh.. the.. horse.. thing.. um.. yeah." her voice got small.

"I guess.. you'll want to leave now.." Hatori sighed. "You're probably very disturbed and.."

"But you went through all the trouble to get me here.. I.. I can't just.. you know.. leave.. but.. uh.. I.. uh.. um.. I don't know.. um.." Erika stuttered. She was a little disorientated..

"You want to know what happened a minute ago." Hatori finished her sentence.

"Um.. yes.." Erika was sweating like crazy. She was so nervous.

"My family is under a curse.. A few people are born cursed by the zodiac. I'm the dragon. But it's be strange if I became a dragon. So I'm a.. sea horse." Hatori sighed. "What happens is when my body is under too much stress or I'm hugged by a person of the opposite sex, I change. Same is true for 12 other people."

"But um.. there are only.. 12 Zodiac's right?"

"But there's a cat."

"A cat? Oh! I remember that story! You mean like the banquet?" Erika looked at the ceiling in awe.

"Yes.." Hatori was fully dressed and walking around. "I can erase your memories now.. or I can console the head of the house first. What do you think?" Hatori asked almost coldly.

"Hatori." Erika didn't want her memories erased. Of course, she didn't quiet understand that yet. But that was for after she got this out of the way.

"Yes?" Hatori was looking at. By his voice, he was across the room.

"Earlier.. you said.. I was going out with Ayame.. but.. I'm not." Erika was blushing furiously. She was about to tell her crush she liked him. God! She'd liked him since seeing him!

"You're... not?" Hatori turn his head to the side so he could see her back out of the corner of his eye. She hadn't turned around.

"I.. I don't even like Ayame.. I.. I.. I.. Ayame has been helping me.. to. to.. to spend time with.. you.. Cause I.. uh.. I.. I like you Hatori." Erika squinted her eyes closed and hoped for the best.

Hatori had turned completely to face her. Me? Now it was his turn. Holy friggen Crap. Okay.. so he dimmed some of the cursing. He'd started to like her.. but he'd been so afraid that she liked Ayame that.. Holy Fudge!

"Me? Why?" Hatori wondered why anyone would like him? Ayame was the popular one. Shigure was the outgoing, good with most ladies guy, and he joked. But Hatori Sohma... Wasn't a people person, Didn't talk much, and.. what did she like about him? People said he was handsome.. was that it? Was that why? Only?

"I uh.. uh.. um.. I.. You.. are.. You're.. I... Um.. You're handsome?" That was it.. really? "You.. uh.. er.. I'm.. It's just.. I've liked you since I saw you a year ago. And I.. um.. You were just.. I couldn't.. take.. my eyes away from you.. My friend had to hit me to wake me up. But I.. You.. I don't know really.. it's not just because you're handsome.. You have this great personality. I don't want you to think I only care about looks. Cause you do look professional.. and.. I.." she was freaking out and her voice was going faster and she felt like she could faint any second.

"Well..." before anything else could be said the doors opened and our favorite Dog and Snake appear on the scene. "Well.. aren't you wondering.." Hatori sighed. Ayame and Shigure looked lost.

"Excuse me? Did we interrupt something?" Shigure asked. "Yes.. despite myself.. we can come back later." he said slyly. Him and Shigure eyed each other like they knew something.

"But Hatori! I don't hug them!" Erika jumped up and spun around to face them all. Suddenly she blushed. For no reason in particular.

"Oh my! She.. Hatori?!?!" Shigure asked. Hatori closed his eyes and said nothing. "My! We'll have to tell.. um.. do we?" Shigure asked.

"Of course not. Why ruin the fun?!" Ayame laughed. "By the way Hatori.. has she told you how much she adores you? Yes. I found out on day one. Shigure too. I guess you're just not quick on the pick up. Yes she truly has a shrine of you in herself. The gracefulness of her quiet steps as she silently danced around you for a whole year. And even your keen ears could not pick up her dainty feet as the crossed the thread of life and love."

Hatori sighed. Aya just loved to hear himself talk. Shigure too... if the time came. Erika smiled despite herself. "See! Even Erika agrees!" Ayame finished. Hatori looked up at Erika and their eyes connected and he couldn't move for a minute. He turned to Ayame and Shigure.

"Erika.. I believe you know the dog and snake.." He cleared his throat. Wait.. Why'd he introduce them like that? He'd just said.. Man! Now what would he do!?!

"Dog and Snake." Erika said slowly. As she said the animal name, the respective man bowed.

"Now isn't this wonderful! We've been introduced!" Shigure clapped his hands together. "Thank you Ha'ri!"

"I don't believe I just did that.." Hatori groaned.

"Ah! Tori-san! Don't be like that!" Aya cheered.

"Aya! So formal!" Shigure smiled.

"Yes Shigure! Now! Let us leave these two to their own! For we have our own to do too! Let us fly! And not a word to.. Tori.. are you ok?" Aya looked at the Dragon.

"Just leave." Hatori said exasperatedly.

"Alright Tori!" Aya waved good bye to Erika and literally hopped from the room, followed by Shigure.

Erika stared wide eyed at the door they'd gone through. "What.. the.. hell.." she got out. Hatori looked up at her.

"You cuss?" he asked.

"Um.. uh.. er.."

"Nvm.."