So, here in this chapter, we go on with the sort of flash back thingy. Enjoy!

"Of course, Akito, being the strict "leader" that he is, was enraged by what happened. He ordered Hatori to erase the little-boy-down-the-street's memory and then, when evening came, summoned Haru and Aki to his room…"

"What were you thinking!? Running down the street like that!"

"But I just wanted to show Haru-chan my animal form!"

"There's certainly no need for him to see your animal form!" Akito shouted, then, he slapped Haru.

"Akito-san?" Haru looked at Akito with fear. But Akito proceeded with beating him, while Aki watched helplessly.

"Akito, please stop! He's hurt…"

"You still side with this useless person? It is his fault you had to go down the street in the first place!"

"It was my own decision, Akito!" Aki ran towards Haru, who almost fainted. Aki hugged Haru tightly, as though to protect him from the hands of Akito. Aki, then, looked at Akito with a pleading expression.

"Akito, please stop… Don't hurt Haru anymore… He has no fault in this…" Aki began to cry. Akito called on a servant and said that Haru be brought to his room to be nursed. Since that night, Aki saw Haru lesser and lesser, until Haru was the one who always went to Aki's house. One day, he saw Aki and Yuki talking.

"A, Haru-chan! I'm happy to see you again! This is Yuki-kun,"

"I know him… We've met…" Haru replied as though whispering to himself.

"Haru-chan, is there something wrong?" Aki peered at Haru intently, while Yuki stared in a mild expression of curiosity.

"Nothing…" Then, Haru started to walk away.

"Umm, Aki-chan… It seems that Haru-kun wants to talk to you. He might have something to say that I should not hear. I'll leave you two…"

"No, you can stay, Yuki-kun. We're all friends right? You can hear what Haru has to say." Aki said with a smile.

"I don't really have anything to say, but, do you guys want to play?" From then on, Haru felt threat from Yuki. He realized that he had feelings for Aki, but it came a little late because he found out that Aki was also close with Yuki.

"Well, it's never too late… For all I know, Yuki might just be seeing Aki as a friend…"

"So sweet!" Tohru reacted. But Shigure went on…

"So, after several years, Akito suddenly called on all of us for an announcement. He made that announcement, let's see, two years ago…"

"What kind of announcement?"

"He told us that he has finally thought of a new plan to make the lives of us Soumas easier and, simpler. Only, I don't know what his definition of simple was back then…"

"As we all know, many accidents, unfortunate events, and even heartbreaks, have occurred in the past years. These are all caused by, none other than, the curse of our family. What I have thought of is very simple, yet, I know it will be much easier for us to get on with our lives as Soumas…"

"What is your plan, Master Akito?" asked one of their aunts.

"My plan is that the Soumas will have to marry only into our family," At these words, many reacted violently, but Akito took no notice. "And, to serve as an example, and out of true love as well, in front of you all, I choose to ask Aki's hand in marriage. Aki, will you be my bride?" Akito faced Aki.

"Akito? But… You're my brother. You're my TWIN brother…" Aki stared at Akito, thinking that her ears had failed her and that Akito had said something else. But Akito knelt down in front of Aki and put his hand in front of her.

"Aki, didn't I make myself clear in the verdict I made upon us Soumas? Aki, will you marry me?" Akito was serious, but Aki dared not believe. She put her right hand over her lips, out of shock, and ran out of the room. Akito, thinking he was embarrassed by what Aki did, chose to dismiss the Soumas. In one of the gardens, Haru found Aki staring into nothingness.

"Aki, are you alright?" Aki looked at him and smiled softly. What Aki meant by that smile, Haru never knew. Yuki, then, came. As soon as Aki saw Yuki, however, she wrapped her arms around him and cried like never before, harder than she did when her parents died.

"Aki, it's alright…" Yuki comforted her. Haru was not all right, however.

"Why? Why is it that when I asked her, she only smiled at me? Why did she cry carelessly when she saw Yuki? Does she think that only Yuki can understand her? Is Yuki the only one who can actually ease her pain? Or maybe…"

"Haru, then, finally decided that Yuki was his rival for Aki's affection. But things got more complicated after that night… Yuki, do you mind?"

"No… Well then, the next day, Aki-chan was missing. All the Soumas went searching for her but no one found her. Hatori-san later told us that Aki went away to escape Akito. She didn't want to be married to Akito after all. He didn't tell us where Aki went until a year after. Haru, then, thought things over and realized that something must be going on between Aki-cahn and Hatori-san, for Aki to have told only Hatori-san about where she was going…"

"So, Aki went away two years ago? But why does Kyo-kun act like that in front of Aki?"

"Because he's being his stupid self…"

"Shut up, you stinking rat!" Kyo yelled at Yuki. "I hate Aki for being a coward and a traitor! That's what it is!"

"Were you friends with Aki back then?"

"Well, yes… But that's not the point! She went away without saying a word to anybody! She probably was expecting for that, we, looking for her. She wanted us to worry about her! She was enough of a coward to escape into another country just to avoid Akito! She could've just killed him or something!"

"Kyo-kun!"

"Well, that was just an example… But anyways, she was think enough to save her own self! She didn't even think of what Akito might do to us when she leaves! She knows Akito! She knows what his reaction will be! The fact that he always vents his anger on the wrong people!"

At Kyo's words, tears rolled down Aki's pale rose cheeks. Kyo and the others heard a soft but fast inhale outside the door. Yuki went out and saw Aki sobbing on the floor. He put his hand on Aki's shoulder and said…

"Aki-chan, please don't cry…"

"Oi, Aki… I'm… I'm sorry… It's just that… I got carried away… It's all this stupid mouse's fault… But don't feel bad about it… I mean… It's all in the past… I'm not mad at you anymore… Stop crying, will you?" Kyo said as he sat down by Aki's side.

"It's not my fault you're being your stupid self, baka neko (idiotic cat). Aki, you heard that… It's all right…" Aki looked at Yuki and then closed her eyes.

"She was… sleepy? I can't believe I had to say that!" Kyo said. Yuki, however, carried Aki to the room she was to use while staying at Shigure's. Later on, Yuki and Tohru talked while sitting at the roof…

"Yuki-kun, you do like Aki, don't you?"

"I guess so… Why do you ask?"

"But… do you love her?"

"Yes… Uh, Tohru-san?"

"Ahehe… Don't mind me!" Tohru smiled. But of course, we can always expect that something was going on in Tohru's mind when she asked those questions. Let's just find out what'll happen in the next chapters!

Thanks for reading once again and hope you find this new piece interesting! Till next time!