Part 9

I'm worried.

I worry about a lot of things these days. If I'm taking care of myself properly. If things are back to normal at Shigure's house. If Isuzu really needed help.

Isuzu stood out as my biggest worry at that point.

Her disappearance hardly caused a riptide in the family. She had run away numerous times in the past, only to show up a few days later. Well, she had reason to run away; what, with the argument I had with her. But it somehow felt different this time around.

She had been missing for over a week. And no one has seen any sign of her.

I feared that Akito had a hand in it, but his open irritation was too real for me to suspect he did it. That didn't leave very many options for me.

Whoever took her was obviously the one who had been listening in on our conversation. If only I could find out whom that was…

But once again I was faced with a brick wall. Hatori had absolutely forbidden me to leave the house since I was still recovering. When I told him about Isuzu, he calmly said that he would keep an eye out for her. I had a sinking feeling he thought she had run away and would turn up eventually. And I also had a feeling that he wasn't going to try very hard to find her since he had me to look after. But I didn't say these things, as I had a promise to keep that I would never bother or criticize him again after he saved my life.

So I was stuck. My only refuse during those long days of waiting were my calls from Kyo. They were getting fewer, but each one was just as long as the first ones. I had a feeling he had mended fences with Yuki and Tohru and they were back to their trio. While that meant that I couldn't talk to Kyo much, I could tell he was becoming happier. And I could tell he valued our newfound friendship; he needed someone to reach out to, and that was me. And even though he was friends again with Yuki and Tohru, he still called me.

"What's wrong?" he asked in one of our talks.

"Eh?" I blinked several times. "Why do you think something is wrong?"

"Because you haven't said a word in like ten minutes."

"I'm sorry. It's just that…" I trailed off.

"Worried about Rin?"

"Y-yes. Then you know about her disappearance?"

"Yeah, Momiji told us about it two days ago. I expected Haru to be scared out of his mind, but he wasn't. He just had a neutral face and spoke as calmly as ever. Do you think he's gotten over Rin?"

My throat closed. Oh no. Haru has gotten over Isuzu? Dammit Haru, she still loves you!! She's just trying to protect you from Akito!! You blind, stupid—

"I might be wrong though." Kyo's voice cut through my thoughts. "I mean, it would be stupid for him to just suddenly give up on her when he's been trying to repair their relationship for quite some time."

I laughed weakly. "You're right. Maybe he knows her routine and expects her back within a few days."

"Yeah probably."

"Kagura! It's time for bed!" Mom called to me.

"Oh, I have to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay. Take care of yourself."

"Thanks." I love you, I said silently, but I clenched my teeth to prevent me from saying that. I put the phone on the cradle and sighed sadly.

If only I didn't have this damn cancer, I thought, staring at the ceiling. Then I would've been free to find Isuzu! Hell, I would've been free to see Kyo-kun anytime I liked!

But if it weren't for the cancer, you wouldn't have been on speaking terms with Kyo-kun, a soft voice said to me. You'd still be depressed and tiptoeing around him.

And what makes you think Kyo-kun's being sincere? another voice but in. You know it's because you had cancer that he's going to such lengths to be nice to you. It's a little that called 'pity'.

Stop it!! I yelled mentally, covering my ears. I know Kyo-kun doesn't love me, but we're friends now!! And right now my main concern is Isuzu!!

"Kagura?" Mom was standing over me. "Is something the matter? Are you in any pain?"

I dropped my hands into my lap and looked up at her. "No, Mom. I'm fine. I just need a little sleep…"

---

The days seemed to drag on for me. Aside from wanting a real bath, there were two things I really wanted. To see Kyo, and for Isuzu to come home.

Then again, I also wanted a quick and speedy recovery so that I can carry out my normal life again. Even if it meant I had to give up a few liberties; like beating Kyo to a pulp every time I saw him.

As it was winding down to two weeks since Isuzu's disappearance, I got a visit from Kureno. Since he almost never left Akito's side, his visit could only mean one thing.

Akito wanted to see me.

"But Hatori told me to stay in the house at all times," I explained, not exactly thrilled at the idea of seeing Akito. "I-I-I probably need to get his permission—"

"Akito-san requested you personally," Kureno said calmly. "I'm sure not even Hatori can go against Akito-san's orders. Here, I'll help you get there.

So that was that. I didn't know if Hatori would give us all earfuls, but there was no way he could ignore an order.

And there was no way I could avoid it.

---

I sat there calmly watching Akito, who was busying himself by staring at the wall and not saying anything. I knew that it wasn't my place to speak first, but being careful with myself and worrying about Isuzu was making me exhausted. And fifteen minutes had already gone by!

"Um, Akito-san?" I said tentatively. "I'm feeling very tired and I think I should—"

"Silence, girl!" Akito interrupted. "Don't you know not to address me first?!"

I sighed as quietly as I could and continued to wait while Akito very slowly and lazily paced around the room. I didn't know why he was putting me through this. I was still recovering and keeping still like that was taking more of my energy than it was needed.

Finally, after an hour and a half, he finally spoke. "I want to see your stitches."

"Eh?" I had been dozing off, which was really stupid since sleeping in that position put strain on my stitches. "Right now?"

"Yes now!"

I nodded and stood up. I turned away from him and tried to lift up my shirt. But the pain from my surgical area was affecting me, so I couldn't lift it up very far.

Akito wandered over to me and gave my stitches full scrutiny, though there wasn't much to see with the bandages.

"Ah, the marvels of modern medicine," he breathed. He poked at my bandages, causing me to squeak in pain. "Imagine that. The last time you were in this room the cancer was festering on your rotting kidney. Now it's all gone. Quite a miracle, wouldn't you say Kureno?"

"I guess so, sir," said Kureno. He hardly showed emotion, but he seemed uncomfortable at what was going on.

"Okay, sit down," said Akito. I lowered my shirt and did sit down, inwardly disappointed. I had been hoping he would let me leave after that.

"I hear you've been talking to Kyo a lot," said Akito, changing topics. "How has that pathetic fool been doing?"

"Kyo-kun isn't pathetic!" I snapped before I could stop myself. "And he's doing just fine!"

Akito didn't look insulted that I had snapped at him. He looked rather amused. "Ah, I see. Is he still pining over Tohru? They do make a fancy couple."

I realized at that moment that Akito had no idea Yuki and Tohru were going out. I decided immediately that it should stay that way since he had his own obsession with Yuki and I didn't want to think about what he would do if he knew.

So I did my best to look like I was concealing a hurt face. He went on rambling about Kyo and Tohru for ten minutes and I tried to keep on a hurt face without bursting out laughing. I endured it until he immediately switched topics again.

"Rin has been missing for a while," he breathed softly. "Almost two weeks. Right, Kureno?"

"Yes," Kureno answered.

"Well." Akito seated himself right in front of me. "Kagura, where do you thinking she's galloped off to?"

"Um…I don't know." And I honestly didn't know.

"Well, that doesn't help us very much. You see, I'm not one for Rin's antics. And she just seems to love getting on my bad side. That's why I can't stand it when you Juunishi run away. Especially if it's people like her."

Inwardly I was relieved. Akito didn't have a hand in her disappearance.

But that didn't help in her search.

Suddenly, the door was thrown open. Akito jumped up to bark at whoever had just come in. I turned to see who it was.

Hatori stood there, looking both relieved and irritated.

"This conversation is over," he said, storming into the room.

"I was talking with Kagura," said Akito, though he didn't bark at Hatori for ordering him around. "Just a short conversation."

Hatori helped me to my feet. "'Short'?! Two hours isn't short!! I'm taking her home."

"All right, all right." Akito waved his hand dismissively. "Bye bye, Kagura. Be sure to tell me when Rin gets home. If she ever does."

I resisted the urge to glare at him as Hatori helped me leave.

"I'm sorry," I said once we were out of the house. "Akito ordered me to go—"

"It's all right," said Hatori. "I'm just worried about the stress you've been under. Sitting in that same position for two hours…"

I decided not to say more as he helped me home. I was half-hoping that Isuzu would come home soon.

But, I was hoping more that she would stay away. I didn't know what Akito was going to do once she got home.

---

I did get a surprise though, the next day. Mom had gone out to go shopping and I was a home just eating a light snack.

Then the front door opened and closed. Even if it was a little early for her to be home, I expected it to be Mom. "Mom, welcome—"

Isuzu stood in the doorway of the room. I was silent for a microsecond before I shrieked and rushed over to her, giving her a tight hug.

"We were all so worried!" I cried when I released her. "What happened? Are you all right?"

Isuzu was slightly pale and she was wearing the same clothes from the day she disappeared. But otherwise she looked fine.

"Tell me everything," I commanded as we sat down at the table. "What happened?"

"Haru happened," she said softly. "That day we argued he had been listening outside your window."

I blinked several times. That was Haru?

"That night I went outside for some fresh air. Haru confronted me about what happened. He was absolutely furious that I never told him Akito was abusing me. I told him to fuck off and tried to go back inside. But…"

"But what?"

"He grabbed me. I tried fighting him off, but he had gone into Black Haru mode. He gagged me before I could scream and I passed out. When I woke up my hands were tied behind my back and I was lying on a bed. I didn't know until a few days ago that I was at Haru's house."

My eyes widened. Isuzu was still here in the Sohma compound all this time?!

"He did take care of me well. Fed me, let me bathe, let me use the bathroom. But he had sort of kidnapped me. He wasn't going to let me go until I told him everything that happened between Akito and me."

"What happened then?"

Isuzu gave me a sad look. "The obvious. I broke. I told him everything."