"I won't be able to come home for lunch today", Yuki called as he slipped on his jacket. "Remember? I have study group", he called again. "Yes, yes", Tohru joined him at the door. She slipped a scarf around his neck. "It's not that cold out yet", Yuki complained. He actually loved the attention- the kind he had never received as a child. "I know, but I don't want you to catch anything. It will go right to your chest", Tohru tied the scarf and smiled up at him. "OK, if you insist", Yuki grinned at her, and kissed her goodbye. Then he grabbed his bag and hurried out the door. He was running late.
As Yuki neared the campus he saw two familiar figures waiting for him. "I swear they're stalking me", Yuki mumbled to himself and rolled his eyes. Chiaco and Sae were all smiles as Yuki approached. "Good morning", Chiaco called to him as Sae waived him down. "Fancy meeting you here", Yuki tried to sound polite. "Yes, are you ready for the test?", Chiaco beamed at him. She had been doing her best to win Yuki over since the first day of classes, and she felt sure she was making progress. In her mind Yuki was only resisting because he didn't want to be hurt in a relationship again.
The three of them turned to go when they heard a voice calling behind them, "Yuki!" They turned to see a girl with long brown hair, who was out of breath, running with a bundle in her hands. The girls stood there perplexed, but a broad smile flashed across Yuki's face, and they watched as he strode over to meet her. "You forgot your lunch", Tohru forced the words out between pants. "You didn't have to do that", Yuki said grinning at her. His eyes were full of gratitude. She constantly amazed him with her kindness. Tohru handed him the package she was carrying, and grinned back. "So, you're still surrounded by girls at school I see", she teased. "I guess", Yuki shrugged, "but I only have eyes for you", he said with bravado, and kissed her sweetly". "You'd better hurry", Tohru prompted with a smile. "Thanks. I'll see you a little later", Yuki said and turned to rejoin his classmates. Tohru smiled and waived goodbye, and Yuki turned back and waived at her one more time. The two girls were dumbfounded at first, then, "who was that?", Chiaco blurted out, barely masking her disappointment. "Oh, I'm sorry", Yuki said casually, "that's my wife, Tohru". "Y-your wife?", she sputtered. Yuki nodded, "we've been married for four months now", he said coolly. Inside he was congratulating himself on taking care of the would-be girlfriends. A heavy silence fell over the three as they proceeded to class, but Yuki grinned all the way there.
The phone rang for the third time, and Chiaco's aunt finally answered, "Hello?" "Hello, Auntie?" "Chiaco, what a nice surprise", her aunt said with genuine happiness. "I was wondering, Auntie, were you able to get that information for me for my class?", Chiaco asked. "Yes, dear, I got it. You can come by any time. Are you feeling alright dear?", she asked with concern. Her aunt could hear the lack-luster tone in Chiaco's voice. It had been a week since Yuki had dropped the bomb on Chiaco's plans for love. "I'm fine Auntie", she said, "but", Chiaco hesitated, "You were wrong Auntie", she blurted out, "Yuki Sohma is married". "You must be mistaken dear", her Aunt said in disbelief. "No Auntie, I saw her myself. He says her name is Tohru". There was a long silence from the other end of the phone. "It can't be", her aunt finally said, almost in a whisper, "Miss Honda, his wife?"
Another week had gone by and it was finally midterm. Yuki had scored well on the test, and true to form, he was getting very high marks in all his classes. That morning he had received an invitation from his architecture professor to do a poster presentation at a regional conference that was coming up. Yuki could hardly wait to share the news with Tohru, but he had one more class before he could head home for lunch.
Needless to say, Yuki was in high spirits, and he smiled as he made his way to his next class, until his eyes fell upon a familiar figure. Yuki's step slowed, and his smile melted away as he recognized Kureno waiting by the walkway just up ahead of him. A sudden chill fell over Yuki, which congealed into dread as realization took hold of him. He paused several yards away, as the two made eye contact. Kureno didn't smile or acknowledge Yuki except to stare pointedly at him with an apologetic look on his face. "What are you doing here?" Yuki finally challenged when he dared to speak. He thought he probably already knew the answer to his own question. "Akito requires your presence", Kureno said simply. Yuki's mind raced, calculating his options. He would not be taken in by Akito's henchman if he could help it.
Yuki thought he might make a run for it when he sensed movement behind him. He threw an elbow backwards into a set of ribs, and roundhouse kicked to the left, which connected with a set of teeth. As he turned to face his opponents he recognized the two men in business suits; a pair of guards from the main house. Kureno had brought reinforcements. "Akito must mean business" Yuki thought, and that notion caused his fears to escalate. But before he could get away, the first man was on him again. He tried to grab Yuki from the side, but Yuki evaded his grasp and instead delivered a punch to his gut. The other man was up again too. After a few moments of sparring he lunged at Yuki with his whole body. Yuki sidestepped, and tagged him in the kidney. He sensed the other man returning and prepared to deliver another blow when he heard the metallic sound of a trigger being cocked, and felt something hard being shoved into the small of his back. Yuki froze where he was and slowly raised his hands at his sides. The second man got up, grabbed Yuki's arms and craned them around behind his back in a restraint. Kureno looked very pained now. "I'm sorry", he offered quietly, "but I must insist". The four of them made their way to the parking garage causing as little a disturbance as possible. When the two guards went to force Yuki into the car he made one more attempt at escape. He kicked the gun from his one assailant's hand, then in a split second he freed his arms from the other guard with a twist, and turned quickly to subdue him, but as he did the first man drove his fist into Yuki's mouth. This was followed quickly by a blow over the head with the butt of the gun. Yuki slumped to his knees, barely hanging onto consciousness. He felt himself being grabbed and unceremoniously stuffed into the car.
The tires finally crunched onto the drive of the Sohma Estate. Yuki's head was still reeling, and a trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth. He scrunched his eyes open and shut to try to force his mind to focus. The two men pulled him from the car. One man drove his fist into Yuki's gut causing him to double over. The other struck him once more over the head with the gun handle to make sure he didn't try another escape. Then they dragged him through the front gate of the compound. Yuki found himself being shoved through the front door and into the reception room. There he was forced onto his knees. He crouched, chest heaving, eyes on the floor, and awaited Akito's scrutiny. Kureno stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Master Yuki has arrived", he announced, and backed away.
Akito was sitting with her back to them near a large window looking out onto the garden. She was completely still for what seemed like an eternity to Yuki. His eyes remained fixed on the floor, and his head pounded.
"So you wanted to go to college, for what reason?", Akito began in very soft tones. "I think you said it was to better yourself; to help the family", she continued, "is that right?", she turned towards Yuki's abject figure. He didn't make a sound. He didn't move. "ANSWER ME!" Akito's scream echoed through the hall. "Yes", Yuki said simply, "That's right". Akito rose, her eyes aflame under a remarkably cool exterior. Her expression intensified, "And how could I deny such a noble desire", she continued in martyred tones, "especially to one so gifted and favored as yourself?". As she spoke, she paced slowly, silently, keeping her gaze focused on her captive. "So of course I dismissed it when servants' rumors reached my ears that Yuki Sohma had taken himself a bride". She turned dramatically for emphasis, "and not just any bride, but a lowly housemaid", she spat the syllables out in disgust. Yuki's jaw tensed at her words. "Still, my associates urged me to check into the matter, 'there are ways to confirm it', they assured, so I agreed thinking I would dispel the rumors and clear your name", she turned to face Yuki head on. Her eyes narrowed. "So imagine my utter shock when I discovered that, according to public record, Mr. Yuki Sohma was married to Miss Tohru Honda on May 12th of this year" she hissed. Yuki said nothing, and didn't dare move. Akito reached behind him for his left hand, and wrenched the gold ring from his finger. She thrust the ring into Yuki's face, "how long did you think you were going to be able to keep this from me?", she screeched. Yuki kept silent, and did not look at her. Akito clenched the ring in her fist for a moment, and then with sudden force, flung it into the blazing fireplace across the room. Hatori, who had been standing in the doorway, drawn by the commotion, entered the room now silently, and seated himself in an overstuffed chair nearby. He watched passively as Akito disposed of the wedding ring, and grabbed Yuki by the hair and pulled him onto his feet. She pressed her face in close to his, "ANUL IT!" she screamed at him; her eyes had a murderous glint. She let go of his hair and Yuki's head dropped limply, his body weight supported by the two guards on either side of him.
"I don't think that would be wise", Hatori interjected without any emotion. Akito whirled around to face him. "And why not?", she sputtered, ready to turn on him as well. Yuki wondered what Hatori was doing there anyway. Had he come to enjoy or add to his torment? "The marriage was contractual for one thing", Hatori began, "it was legally drawn up with Tohru's grandfather", he said matter-of-factly. "Then pay the old man off!", Akito hissed. "There is also the matter of the media to consider", Hatori warned. "They are likely to have a hay-day with it if they find out the Sohma's annulled a legal agreement. It could be very bad for the family name and for business if we are depicted as the kinds who go back on their word". "They wouldn't find out", Akito said stealthily, "and if they did, they could be bought as well", she sneered. Hatori hesitated for a moment, and then spoke. "There is another point that ought to be considered", he offered gravely. Yuki was suddenly awake now. He thought he knew where Hatori was going with this. "Hatori, NO!" Yuki shouted at him and struggled wildly against his captors. Akito's eyes widened and she fixed them on Yuki, reading into his distress. "Oh, do tell Hatori", she said mockingly, and turned her attention to him.
"Tohru is pregnant", Hatori said simply. Akito was dumbfounded for a moment. "Are you sure?", she said in a harsh whisper. Hatori merely nodded his head in confirmation. Akito turned slowly towards Yuki with an incredulous look, "Oh, you have been busy, haven't you?", she said sarcastically. Yuki just glared with hatred at her. Akito paced furiously for a time, thinking. She paused, "Where is she?", she demanded of Yuki. Yuki didn't respond. Akito approached him and struck him hard across the face. "WHERE IS SHE?", she repeated more forcefully. Yuki was a stone. "Get his wallet", Akito instructed one of the guards. He fished Yuki's wallet out of his pants pocket, and handed it to her. "There has to be something in here with an address on it", she said as she tossed the wallet to Kureno. He opened and started to thumb through it. "Once you find out where she is, you will bring her here", Akito barked at him, "and you, Hatori, will erase her memory, then throw her out on to the streets where she belongs". Yuki clenched his fists and his jaw. He was failing Tohru and his vow to protect her. What was Hatori thinking disclosing her pregnancy?
"That isn't a wise idea either", Hatori interjected again. Akito wheeled around to face him. "And why not?", she asked indignantly. Hatori looked at her calmly. "The child she carries is a Sohma, the offspring of the rat no less", he began. "As such, the mother and the child have claim on the Sohma estate for their care". "My point exactly", Akito countered. Hatori raised his hand to her as a signal to listen, and continued, "If you erase her memory, this branch of the family will be lost to us", Hatori was building to his main point, "all the members of the zodiac are accounted for at present", he posed, "but what of the future? What if the curse manifests itself in that lost line of the family years from now? It could be difficult at best". Hatori sat back signaling that he rested his case.
Akito didn't speak for a long while, but paced, obviously wrestling with the situation. There was a tense silence in the room. Finally she paused and said quietly, "Hatori, how are your abortion skills?" She glanced up at him with a wicked smirk. Hatori's face showed alarm at the question. "Almost non-existent", he answered in disbelief. Akito chuckled softly, "Tohru is such a giving person", her smile widened, "I'm sure she won't mind letting you practice on her". Akito laughed a bit louder. She was obviously amused at her own joke. Yuki stared wide-eyed at Hatori. How could he have done this? This couldn't be happening. It was his nightmare coming true. "So, first you abort the baby, and then erase the mother's memory and throw her out on to the street", Akito said with glee". Now that her problem was solved in her mind, her mood lifted somewhat. She approached Yuki and brought her face close to his. "If you wanted to play house you should have just told me", she said coyly, and ran the tip of her tongue up his cheek. "Don't touch me!", Yuki hissed and pulled away from her in anger and disgust. An incredulous, indignant look swept over Akito's countenance. She balled up her fist and struck Yuki hard in the face with it. He slumped over from the blow, being held steady by the two guards who still had a grip on him. Then Akito grabbed him by the hair and lifted his head up to her eye level. With her eyes fixed on his, and her face very close, she slowly, angrily said, "I OWN YOU!". Then she ran her tongue over his mouth and followed it with her lips, forcing him into a passionate kiss. In her mind, Yuki was her prize, and she was savoring her triumph in reclaiming him as her own. He tried to escape her advances, but his confinements were too great, and his strength was gone. He was at her mercy.
Once Akito had had an ample taste of Yuki's lips, she released him with a look of satisfaction. Then she turned to Kureno and barked, "Go bring me the girl!" Kureno bowed obediently, and started to exit. "And you know what to do with him", she said to the guards, and motioned for Yuki to be taken away. As the guards dragged Yuki through the household, he knew where he was heading, but he couldn't give up yet. He struggled weakly against their hold, causing some commotion in the other end of the house. Haru poked his head out of a hallway to see what the noise was. He took one look at Yuki's pathetic condition and guessed right away what had happened. Yuki made eye contact with him. "HARU!", he screamed desperately trying to convey his message. If ever he needed his cousin to read his mind, this was the time. "I'm on it", Haru called back, and darted from the scene. Yuki gave up his struggle, and allowed his captors to lead him to that dark place he knew so well. He only prayed Haru would get to Tohru before Kureno did.