400 yen is about $4.00 canadian. which is about $3.20 US. I don't know what it is in Euro or whatever.

This chapter is dedicated to Casi and the Elf. One of whom inspired me to write this, the other demanded that I post. I'll let them firgure out which is which. (they know who they are :P)

CHAPTER 21

Akiko slept through the rest of the day and night. The next day, she woke up around noon. Hatori wasn't there. She wandered into the kitchen and found a steaming cup of tea. Hatori had also left a little note that said he'd be back around four. Akiko glared at the note, tears welling up in her eyes. She picked up the cup of tea and drained it, and then went back to her bedroom. Then, picking up a little notebook, she started to doodle. She began drawing a cute seahorse, and labeled it 'Hatori' then she started on the rest of the junishi.

Hatori got home from checking on Yuki and went to his office. Momiji was spending the week at Hiro's house. He wandered around the room, pulling folders and charts off of the shelves and wondering why he felt so lighthearted. He almost felt the way he had when Kana was around, like…he was in love. But that was ridiculous. He couldn't be in love. Who was possibly close enough to him that he could love them? The only person who had been close to him for the past little while was-

Hatori shook his head wildly and went back to working.

A little while later, Akiko stormed into the office and dropped into a chair, glaring at Hatori. She was wearing the usual crimson kimono, almost fully done up.

"Hello, Akiko." Said Hatori blandly, as usual

"I hate you. " She replied, looking up at his face spitefully. Surprisingly, he felt hurt.

"Why?" He asked, turning to look at her.

She glared defiantly at him. He patiently returned the gaze, although his mind was roiling inside. He felt, amazingly, upset.

"Why do you hate me?" He asked again. She didn't answer, but he saw tears in her eyes.

"Is this about Kana?" he asked.

"I hate you for making me love you, damn it!" She burst out. Hatori froze.

"Me? You love me?"

"Who else is in the room?"

"Well, you might have been talking about Momiji." He said. He could have hit himself for saying something so stupid. Talk about putting your foot in your mouth...

She simply glared at him with something akin to disbelief.

Hatori just shook his head, dumbfounded. A tear trickled down Akiko's cheek.

"Why? Why did it have to be you, YOU of all people? The one person whose life I pretty much totaled. You hate me. WHY?"

Hatori opened his mouth, but didn't get a chance to say anything.

"I've been kissed more in the past three weeks than in my entire goddamn life! Why is it always so stupid?"

Hatori tried to say something again, but was cut off.

"I hurt your eye, I ruined your marriage, or engagement or whatever the hell it was! I told you to wipe her memories. I hurt her, too. I'm sorry now, but that won't change anything, and..just…Arhhg!" She collapsed back into the chair and sobbed. Hatori moved closer to her and lifted her chin. She stopped sobbing and looked up at him desolately, thinking there was no chance in hell-or heaven, for that matter-for her. Hatori brushed away her tears with his other hand. He didn't say anything, but the expression on his face was clear enough.

Her expression became so hopeful he was almost blinded. Hatori stepped back and she stood up. He pulled her into a tight hug, looked down at her for a second before closing his eyes and giving her a long, passionate kiss. Akiko felt as though she would float away with happiness. It was the first time in her life she could ever recall feeling this happy.

Hatori suddenly pulled his face away from hers, and frowned with a puzzled expression on his face. She gazed back at him, confused and slightly hurt.

"Wait a second," he said. "Why aren't I transforming?"

Akiko's mouth opened in a little O of surprise. She hadn't thought of that. Hatori grabbed the collar of Akiko's kimono and yanked it open almost to waist level. Akiko glanced down at herself in surprise.

"I'm a guy again? Since when?" She-He looked up at Hatori. "Shit. Why now?" Hatori stared at him for a second. Akito stared back. Then Hatori pulled him into another kiss.

Akito was sitting in the bath, glad to be male again. The thick covering of bubbles on the water was sweet smelling, and helped him to relax. Then the door opened.

"Hey, Akiko." Said Rin, walking into the bathroom. Kagura was close behind her. "Mind if we join you?"

Without waiting for an answer, they slipped off their clothes and stepped into the bath.

Rin sighed. "Ah, perfect. This is so relaxing. I just had a huge fight with my parents, they're still trying to get me to wear 'proper' clothes. Do you believe this?" Kagura nodded sympathetically.

Akito sat stunned for a minute. Then he spoke up. "Pardon me, but I, uh, think that you're in the wrong bath."

Kagura and Rin both looked at him. "What do you mean, Akiko?"

"Akito," He corrected. Rin reached over and cleared away the bubbles in front of his chest. It was definitely a male one.

"Crap." Said Rin, sitting back and sinking down into the bubbles.

"We're, uh, so sorry to have, um, disturbed your bath, Akito-san," Kagura stammered.

"Where's Akiko, then?" interrupted Rin.

"She went back to the convent." Replied Akito evenly.

"Uh, we'll just leave now, then.." Kagura said, blushing furiously.

"Where's my towel?" asked Rin, sitting up slightly.

"Oh no! I knew I forgot something!" wailed Kagura, sinking into the bubbles. Akito buried his face in his soapy hands.

"This isn't really happening, this isn't really happening…" He took a deep breath. "Leave. I'm not looking."

The two girls scampered out of the bath and bolted for their clothes. Akito was alone again.

"Thank God," He breathed, relaxing.

A crashing noise was heard from the hallway. Hatori's voice was heard, and then a –

PYON!

A wriggling seahorse fell through the doorway. "Well. Hatori," said Akito, reaching out of the bath and picking him up.

PYON!

Akito dropped the seahorse into the tub and it surfaced as Hatori. "Sorry, Akito." He said.

THE END

There WILL be an epilouge, and possibly more than one! I hope you guys enjoyed this, and enjoy the next few bits as well. Thanks so much for all the great reviews (even if 10.7 of them were informing me that Akito really is a girl :P)!

Until next time, farewell! Hugs for all!

Lady Literature