Note: I know I've been saying Akito is a woman in this and for those of you that haven't read the Japanese manga then I'd just like you to know that she is a SHE. There's a picture in the last volume, the number has slipped my mind, where it shows Akito with boobs! So please understand that I am writing this as if it were after this has been revealed.
Previously:
She looked up at him and smiled rather sweetly, "I'm Akito Sohma, who are you?" She moved to face him the smiled not wavering, although she seemed happy she really had a million evil plans running through her mind of what she could do with this boy.
He was startled how nicely she smiled for someone so frail looking.
Her dark hair, a similar colour to his, fell in front her eyes but he could still see the glimmer emanating from them. Bone white skin covered her body making her seem ghostly but at the same time it added to that haunting smile. She wore a traditional two layered yukata that hung from her small, fragile figure. The pastel colours appeared to blend in with her pale complexion making her look even more sickly.
"Oh, I'm Kokuyo, Kokuyo Sohma. Are you sure you're ok? I mean, you don't look too good and you're here on your own." He smiled back at her slightly.
The room they were in was dark, the only light coming from the two sliding doors in front of them opening onto the garden. A small bird flew past him and landed on Akito's outstretched hand. She watched it for a while, switching it from one hand to the other. Then, standing she returned it to its cage next to her bed.
Locking the cage door she turned back to Kokuyo who was looking up at her from where he sat.
"Tell me, as you live on the "inside" I assume you know about the curse, yes? So, are you one of the zodiac or just a relation?" She spoke quietly but clearly. He stared at her for a few seconds before nodding, "Yeah, I'm cursed by the Cat. I know there's another Cat but apparently I was born too soon. So now I live in the back of the house away from everyone so they don't figure out who I am."
He watched for a reaction but she simply continued to smile, "I see, that is very interesting to know. I'd head from the others that there was an extra Cat, but I didn't know who it was."
Her smile had faltered slightly when he'd mentioned the cat, but she had been able to fix it before he noticed.
"Oh this is just too perfect. With this new Cat I can finally be rid of that loathsome Tohru Honda girl." She quickly began formulating a plan.
While she was thinking, Kokuyo got up, feeling it was time to leave, and headed for the door he first entered from. "I should be going now. I'm sure you're busy and I have some studying to do. It was nice talking to you Akito, I'll have to come back some…"
"Wait!" she almost shouted it to him, trying to stop him before he left, and before she could set her plan into motion. "Before you go could I ask you something?"
He saw that he smile was fading fast and being replaced with a look of sadness and desperation. "Sure, what is it?" he turned away from the door but didn't move any closer.
"Our family has a problem, there's this girl, you see, and she's trying to break us all up. The curse will never be broken unless we all stay together." Akito looked as if she was about to start crying, but inside she felt like laughing.
"That boy is so foolish, look at him; he believes everything I'm telling him. This could work out better than I ever thought." His face was clouded with concern, not just for the family but for himself. He'd never known the curse could be broken and now some girl wanted to stop that from happening. "What do you want me to do about it?" It was obvious where this was heading so he thought it best to ask now.
"This girl, this Tohru Honda, is currently living with Shigure, the Dog, Yuki, the Rat and Kyo, the other Cat. These three Sohma men are blinded by her mask of kindness and have forgotten what needs to happen to break the curse. So, to solve this problem I have come up with two solutions to get rid of this evil Honda girl; either erase her memory of the entire family, or get rid of her permanently and kill her."
He gasped at her suggestion, "That's murder though! Surely you don't want me to kill the girl!" Her smile returned but it was missing the kindness it had before, it was cold and unfeeling, "That's exactly what I'm saying. You only have a few months left before you graduate. Meaning, unless the curse is broken, you have just a few months of freedom left. However, if the curse is broken, you will no longer be the cat and therefore be able to live where you like."
His surprise turned to confusion, "Hey, I never said how long I've got left. How can you know that?" Akito shrugged, "It's simple really, I know this because I have to. The head of the Sohma house has to know these things if they want to break the curse. Don't you understand? If we get rid of the Honda girl, everyone will come back to me and the curse will be broken."
The room was silent apart from the movements of the small bird in its cage. Sunlight shone through reaching the base of the door where Kokuyo stood. A look of amazement spread across his face as he realised this fragile woman was the head of the estate.
She knew everything about the curse so couldn't be lying about the cure. She had the most to lose too if it wasn't broken, so there was no chance she would make it up.
He was suddenly overwhelmed with anger, how could this Tohru Honda do this to them! She must have a grudge against the family to want to break them up. She's the one in front of his freedom, in front of the rest of his life.
No way would he let some girl, that wasn't even a Sohma, destroy his life.
"I'll do it. I'll get rid of that girl for the family, and for myself. I'll end the girl's life, then the curse." His eyes burned red with determination as he left Akito's room and headed out the main gates.
Tohru Honda was going to get a visitor.
Of course, he would have to befriend her first. He would steal her friendship then when she trusted him enough he would kill her, reuniting the zodiacs and freeing himself from the curse.