Chapter II: Discordant

There was something missing in his eyes. She could sense it even when his gaze did not set upon her. He had never been an exceedingly cheerful one, but he had never been so stone-like either. The foreboding feeling that crept up her spine told her the inevitable: something had happened. It was obviously not in her business to delve into a blatantly private matter. Still, they had once been co-workers and had the same Sohma blood running through their veins; she cared for his wellbeing as any cousin would have.

He still had that same handsome face. It was seasoned and neatly sculpted, bearing grievances without displaying a wrinkle. He was still young and seemed to already understand all the world's workings behind his staid disposition.

Kana sighed. He would never cease to be handsome. One tiny part of her regretted not ever having their relationship transcend a friendship, just to see what it would have been like. However, she pushed the guilty notion out of her thoughts. It was a shallow thing to speak of, really. She hated herself for ever allowing herself to be so superficial. She loved her husband. He was everything she ever wanted in a life companion, and she knew they complemented each other like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. It was something she just felt in the way their two energies would synchronize. Only a feeling. Sometimes, it didn't need to get much further than that. Compatibility. Love. What more to explain?

Her old quarters within the Sohma residence still bade her welcome. It provided her with a familiarity in which she had craved since her move to Tokyo. She loved the city life, yet nothing could beat the serenity of home. Lifting the light switch of her bedroom, she hung her long woolen coat upon the door rack and fell into the bed headfirst.

Hatori had walked her home; it was hardly out of his way anyhow. The conversation home had been littered with formalities, and she seemed to remember slightly more casual talk when she had still been working for him. She had marveled at the fact that their breaths could be seen in faint puffs; summer had just dominated the skies hardly a week ago.

The communication had ended with a simple "good night" from each of them. She wished the walk had taken longer.