Ah… here's the third chapter…(--)

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Chapter 3: The Cat and the Cursed

Saki, Hanajima considers herself as a lonely, self-pitying cursed person. No body knows why, but based on her brother's stories, it's because of the death of the people she loved that was blamed to her by her own family.

Kyou was now staying in an apartment too far from Shigure's residence and the Souma's. He's job was now nearer and his' apartment was quite good.

One morning, as Kyou walked his' way to the train station, Uo called him from behind.

"Oi! Kyou!"

"Uotani? What the hell is she doing here?" he thought.

"What are doing here, Kyou? Moving in?"

Kyou's eyes narrowed and thought it's obvious I just moved in. Almost all the girls in that area knew it. "I've moved in." he continued his walk.

Uo followed him with her boyish poise, "Yah, I know. I knew you'll move in here!"

Now Kyou's really getting confused.

"How did you know I'll move in here?"

"Hana-chan told me! You know… her waves are actually accurate. And here you are! You're just a block away from my place!"

"Huh! It's just a coincidence, Uo."

"No! Of course not! She never said anything that never came true!"

"That Saki, Hanajima… she's really something."

"You bet!"

In school, Kyou did all his best not to talk with Tohru. Even in the classroom, Kyou pretended not seeing her even though they're just a chair apart. When the bell rings for lunch, Kyou runs his way out preventing any communication with her.

That noon, as he ran his way on the corridors, he didn't notice Hana who just went out of the library. He tried to stop but…

Poof!

Good thing Haru was there before Hana could open her' eyes. He held Kyou(in his' cat form) behind him, holding his' orange fur and clothes.

"Gomenasai, Saki-san." Haru said as he left Hanajima on the floor. Hana didn't react because she was used to this, getting bumped and never getting any help. She just watched Haru walk away as she helped herself up.

Poor Hana…

When Kyou transformed back, he immediately grabbed his' clothes from Haru, and after putting his pants and shirt on, he punched him so hard on the face which made his' nose bleeding.

"What the hell was that for!" Haru insisted throwing Kyou an angry look.

"She's a lad, for Christ's sake! You should have been a gentleman Souma, Hatsuharu!" he yelled like an angry lion.

"Sorry, but no one ever taught me to be one." Haru said a he leaned on the wall and folded his' arms.

I forgot, this cow had always been a bad boy… Kyou thought.

"Anyway…" Haru started. "Where are you staying?"

So Haru knew it already.

"Does Akito know about this?" Kyou asked.

"Of course. Shigure told him so."

Kyou stood still.

"I noticed that – you already know about them, don't you?" Haru insisted.

Kyou nodded.

"That's why you ran away? Huh! What a damn idea!" Haru laughed.

"Cut it out Haru! It's not funny…"

"But it's funny for me." Haru continued which made him flying to the tree nearby.

"You better know who to play a joke on, Hatsuharu…" Kyou dared, pointing his' finger directly at Haru.

"So you wanna fight, huh?" Haru stood up, closing his fist and taking a position. He was about to step when Momiji shouted…

"Kyou-kun!" it made Haru's face crash the grass which made Momiji tremble with fear.

"Uh, oh…" Momiji whispered to himself as Haru slowly stood up with such an angry aura. Momiji immediately ran behind Hatori.

"Hatori?" Kyou and Haru asked in chorus. "What are you doin' here!"

"Kyou," Hatori said giving Kyou a direct message. "Come over. Haru, Momiji…" the two understood what he meant. They'll leave. Momiji's eyes whitened as Haru pulled his' collar to get out of there. He was almost crying.

"What do you want?" Kyou grudgingly as he picked his' suit.

"Shigure told me that you ran away."

"So?"

"Akito wants to talk to you."

"And I don't want to."

"He knew you'll say that." Hatori said which made Kyou feel cold. "That's why I'm here."

"What does he want?" Kyou asked not letting Hatori know that his' heart was already palpitating.

"Nothing." Was all he said and made Kyou's temperature rise.

"Nothing! Are you sure!"

Hatori nodded. "He said that it's better to let herself realize that she is just destroying the bond in this clan. Let herself realize that she can never be a part of the Souma clan." The she that he mentioned was Tohru. Kyou absolutely knew that.

"Yah, I think it's better, too." Kyou agreed. Hatori was surprised for that reply. "Let her realize that she's no good for any of the Souma family members." Kyou added.

"So it seems fine with you."

Kyou nodded. "Then, see you around." Hatori bided goodye and left.

Kyou sat alone leaning his' back on the wall. Few inches above his' head was a window to the corridor. He heard students passing by with their usual topic: The Prince. Soon the students were gone and it was silent again.

I'm no good. I'm a piece of trash. I'm not included in the zodiac. Tohru loves the Prince, not the cat who was never been paid much attention. The family says I'm cursed. That's why… I'm… always alone. Kyou thought as he felt the wall behind him. Maybe… That's why… she chose Yuki… instead of me.

As he closed his' eyes, he heard someone's footstep in the corridors then it stopped. He knew it had stopped in front of the window.

"Souma, Kyou." Her deep, cold, low voice called. Kyou looked up, but he was too lazy to stand up. He knew it was Hanajima.

"What is it, Saki-san?"

"You were the one who bumped me, right?" she said giving Kyou the very same Goosebumps he felt every time she mentioned something. "I can still recognize your waves."

"I – I saw – I saw Haru bumped you." Kyou used as an alibi.

"Hai, me too. I saw it was him. But I think I saw an orange cat before I fell down." Kyou's brain was really working fast to find something to say. But instead, he got tired thinking and just pretended to have lost his' temper. He stood up and looked at her angrily.

"I told you, Saki-san! It was Haru who bumped you!"

She didn't respond. She stood silently still, wearing her emotionless face.

"Ah… You're eyes! Why are they so blank! I hate such eyes…"

"So as my eyes hate you." She said.

"You have been sad for a long time, haven't you?" Kyou asked as he turned his back. Hanajima was surprised with that question but she didn't let him know.

"Your eyes, it reminds me of many things – that's why – that's why I hate it…." he explained.

"Criticizing people – " Hana begun. " – that's all they know."

"Hai…"

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ah…um…well there it goes… sorry 'coz I don't know how to end it… please submit your reviews! Please…Please… PLeAse…