Author's Note: Another chappie! Sorry 'bout the lame chapter last time, but this one is going to be more interesting!

I'm REALLY SORRY REVIEWERS! I can't reply to your reviews anymore 'cux FF made a new rule thing saying how we can't and if you do, then you'll get in trouble. Sigh. Stupid rule. I don't understand why. I'm sure you guys would rather want my story to be up and running than for me to reply and discontinue the story 'cux of the rule. ANYWAYS, IF YOU HAVE WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO ANSWER A REVIEW/QUESTION, CONTACT ME AT:

AIM: OhDangItsTang OR E-mail: thienthanh514 (at) hotmail (dot) com (no spaces in between)

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Chapter 18

--Surprising Revelations—

A few days passed, and Kyo was still in Tokyo. He was staying at Shigure's house at the moment. He was going to go back to the dojo tomorrow. The visit went better than he thought it would've. He was still jealous and in love with Kagura, but what could he do about it?

Kyo lied on the bed staring at the ceiling. He was too depressed to do anything. After the four years, he was hoping that Kagura was one again single, but who would've have thought that they would last that long together?

Suddenly, the phone rang. Shigure was who knows where, and that left the cat alone by himself.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Um…Kyo?" the other person asked.

Kyo raised an eyebrow. He had no clue who the person on the other end was. "…Yeah…" he replied slowly.

"Oh, Kagura told me that you were here visiting. Anyway, do you think that you and Shigure can come to Restaurant de France at seven?" Kagura's boyfriend, Kenji asked.

"Oh, it's you," Kyo spat.

"Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot, and I'm sure it'll make Kagura happy if you were here today," he added.

Kyo rolled his eyes. "Fine." It wasn't like he was going to ever see them again. He might as well never come back to Tokyo again after today.

"Great. Don't forget to tell Shigure. Thanks."

Kyo cursed under his breath. He wrote a note to Shigure telling him about the plans for later that day. He was going to take a long walk and meet everyone else at the restaurant.

That evening, Kyo arrived promptly at Restaurant de France. He spotted most of the other Sohma's there including Kagura and Kenji holding hands.

"Yay! Kyo came!" someone shouted behind them.

"Yeah, well it's my last night here, and it's free food," Kyo explained.

"That's a lame excuse," another person voice entered the conversation.

"Do you want to start something, you d--- cow!" Kyo spun around to face Haru and Momiji.

"No, I don't want to embarrass you in front of the family," Haru retorted.

"Last time I checked, I was better than you!" Kyo argued. "Besides, I train every day since I own a dojo."

"Train every day, huh? I bet that training doesn't help since you still can't beat Yuki," Haru taunted.

"What? I'll beat Yuki someday," Kyo yelled, his face getting red from anger.

"Then prove it. You have to get pass me first," Haru roared. He had turned black.

Haru started things of my punching Kyo. Kyo answered and starting fighting him back.

"You're just a weakling. A weak little cat that needs him mommy," Haru taunted. By now, all the cursed Sohma's were there watching the fight.

"If I was a weakling, then I wouldn't be the one flying," Kyo retorted, and with that, Haru flew for a few feet and landed on his back.

Everyone was waiting for Haru to stand back up and continue the fight, but Haru just stood up and wiped the dust of his clothes.

"That was a good fight, Kyo. I still need training. Come on. Let's go inside. I'm hungry." Haru led them inside the restaurant. No one argued and followed, leaving Kyo standing there shocked.

"D--- punk!" he cursed.

After that incident, nothing big really happened during dinner except for the occasionally 'I'M SORRY' from Ritsu.

It was only at the end of the dinner when something really exciting happened. Everyone was about to leave until a soft, soothing music starting to play. They all stopped, trying to figure out where it came from and before you know it, Kenji was on one knee, and Kagura was standing.

"These last four years have been the greatest moments of my life, but it would be even greater if you will be my wife. Kagura Sohma, will you marry me?"

Kagura's eyes didn't tear up as any other woman. She just gave him a light smile and said yes. The boar helped Kenji stand up, and their lips locked. Everyone was cheering, excited for the future husband and wife except of Kyo.

The cat snuck out of the crowd, went to Shigure's house, grabbed his luggage, and left for the airport early, crying. He didn't care who saw him. All he cared for his to have Kagura in his arms. It was supposed to be him who was to propose to her. Him who was destined for her, and yet all he cared about now was her happiness.

Kagura saw Kyo leave, and her eyes sadden. Not one-day pass when she had hoped for him to love her back, but knew it was too late. He said he hated her, and that was that.

Sure Kenji was now her fiancée, but she never did and never will love him the same way she loved Kyo.

That night, both of them cried their heart out, longing the other, but only wished for a brighter, better future.

XXXXX

The days on the world tour were finally over. Uo and Hana couldn't wait. Anymore time with Yamato, and they would pull their hair out.

Now, Tohru, Hana, Uo, Yamato, and Akito back in Tokyo. With the duet thing over, it was time to talk to Akito about their future plans. The three women had already discussed it over in their hotel room before leaving. It depended on Akito's plan first before deciding what to do. He had told them to spend the rest of the day resting and to meet him in his office tomorrow morning.

"Home at last!" Uo said, plopping down on the couch of their hotel room.

"You call our hotel home?" Hana asked in a monotone.

"Well, technically it is since we have a habit of staying in a hotel," Uo replied hastily. "Once we talk to Akito, we are going to go apartment searching and get a real home. What do you think, Tohru?"

"You mean you want to live here?" Tohru asked as her excitement went up.

"Sure, why not? Then maybe you can go find Yu…I mean then you can go find a nice guy and settle down," Uo let the words slip out of her mouth.

Hana gave her a glare, but surprisingly, Tohru didn't seem to react in a negative way.

"That sounds perfect!" Tohru said happily. It was going to work well for her plan to find Yuki, but what if he had forgotten her? What if he had found another woman? What if he was married? Her enthusiasm went down as she fell down and was on her knees.

"Tohru-kun, what's wrong?" her friends asked, but she didn't answer them right away.

"It's nothing," the singer or soon to be ex-singer replied weakly. "I guess I shouldn't have stood up for too much. Jetlag." She hoped that they would buy that, but since her friends didn't say anything, she thought she had fooled them.

"If we're going to go apartment hunting, then we should start looking at the possible apartments. I'm going to go get the newspaper," Uo spoke up, leaving Hana and Tohru in the room.

"You still love him, don't you?" Hana spoke up a few minutes later.

Tohru stopped what she was doing and froze there. She turned around and nodded, her eyes filled with hope. "I want to find him, and once I retire, I can finally be with him."

Hana's ears wiggled. "Finally be with him?" she repeated slowly, not sure what she meant by that.

Tohru forced a smile. She was going to keep her promise and not tell anyone about what Akito did to Yuki and about the curse. "It's nothing."

"OK, I got today's newspaper!" Uo shouted once she entered the door. Uo had the leasing apartment page open and slapped it on the table so they can all look at it. "We can circle the ones we want to go to and check them out tomorrow."

They spent the next few minutes looking through possible choices and circling them. At the end, they had sixteen choices for tomorrow.

XXXXX

Early next morning just liked Akito ordered, the three girls arrived at his office and his secretary rang them in.

Tohru, Hana, and Uo stepped into his office to find him sitting behind his desk on his black leather chair. Yamato was standing on Akito's right side, his arms across his chest.

"Hello ladies. I'm glad you were able to make it. You probably know why you're here, correct?" Akito smiled, his fingertips slightly touching.

The three women gave him a forceful nod.

"Yamato here has decided to continue his music career. He's going to have his own album. Now, what about you, Tohru-chan? Another CD? How about a music video?" Akito jumped her with questions.

Tohru took a deep breath. "Actually Akito-san, I was thinking of retiring. After three albums, I think I should do something else in my life. I don't think my singing career will last for the rest of my life. Fans will get bored of me sooner or later. I need something that'll ensure my future," Tohru explained, looking straight into Akito's dark beady eyes.

Uo and Hana were observing the two men's face expression, trying to read their emotion at this.

Akito's eyes flared with anger for a second. His muscles tighten as if he wanted to break something, but stopped himself from doing so. Yamato's eyes widen for a second as he dug his nails in his palm. He bit his lower lip so he wouldn't burst out profanity.

"I see," he said coolly. "What do you plan on doing?"

"I don't know." Tohru shrugged. "Get an apartment. Find a job. Then maybe, settle down one day and have a family," she told him.

"Well, I guess I can't stop you. Your last contract was to do the duet CD, and since that's over, I have no hold on you. Once you step out of the room, you will no longer be a singer. Course the media is going to fuss over this, but I guess I can manage something," Akito told her.

"Thank you." Tohru bowed.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Akito urged her one last time.

Tohru nodded her head. "I guess this is good-bye, Tohru-chan, Hanajima, Uotani," Akito nodded at each of their name. After that, the three left without a word.

When the women were outside the building. Uo took out the newspaper from yesterday. "So where to first?"

"Oh no! I forgot my purse!" Tohru cried out. "I have to go back and get it. You two wait here."

Just as Tohru took a step, Hana stopped her. "Why don't I go get it?" she offered.

"No, that's OK." Tohru waved her hands in front of Hana.

"That's fine. I wanted to tell Akito something, but I forgot," Hana lied as she quickly went back to the building and up the elevator.

When she got there, the secretary wasn't there. Hana guessed that she was on her break and was going to ring herself in, but she heard Yamato and Akito's voices talking very loudly. Luckily for her, they didn't close the door all the way so there was a crack.

Hana quietly sneaked over and placed her ear close to the door and listened.

"Ergh! I knew her friends were no good! They were the ones who probably convinced her to retire! When she does, you know what she'll do!" Akito yelled, knocking over the things on his desk without a care.

"…No." Yamato replied nervously, inching away from him.

"Stupid. Tohru eagerly agreed because that'll mean she'll get to do what she wants, and what she wants is my cousin, Yuki!" Akito shouted.

"Really?" Yamato said with interest. "Why would she want him? I'm so much better looking and famous than him."

"Well, I thought you don't like Tohru anymore after she stood you up," Akito commented.

"She's still pretty cute, but what's one woman when I can gave tons?" Yamato remarked.

"Good," Akito mummered, smiling. "Then you won't mind if she disappears for awhile?"

"Disappear for awhile?" Yamato repeated slowly, unsure of what Akito was meaning.

"More like forever," Akito said calmer than he was in the beginning. "You know what I mean."

"I know, but I like the hard to get type women. I don't want to her die yet, if that's what you plan on doing. Besides, don't you think it's a little too drastic?"

"No. I can't…I mean, we can't, let her ruin our plan, can we?" Akito said slyly, walking closer to Yamato.

"What plan? You already got the money from the duet CD, and since she's retiring, I don't think killing her will get you more. It'll probably go to her friends," Yamato said, confused.

"Fool! You think I still care about the money? I don't. I care about my dear Yuki. I don't want that little wench taking my family away from me!" Akito gave an insane laugh.

"Look," Yamato started, getting afraid for the man, "it looks like you have some family issue. I don't think I want to be apart of this anymore."

"Listen, you were the one who wanted Tohru, and it won't be over until you get her. You're not leaving me yet. Besides, if it'll make you feel better, we can prolong her death and give her a little warning...You are my partner, after all, and I would like to know what you want or think," Akito whispered.

"Are you sure?" Yamato raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "What happened to Motoko?"

"She was getting too close to Yuki. I have a thing about an outsider getting too close about my family," Akito said plainly. "That's why I want that Tohru away no matter what. You'll live if you don't get close to my family."

'It seems like you care more about Yuki,' Yamato thought.

"If you there's anything you want, tell me," Akito ordered.

Yamato thought for a moment and smirked. "There is one thing."

"What?"

"Tohru."

"In that case, a little kidnapping won't hurt."

"And once I'm bored with her, you can do whatever you want," Yamato's grinned got wider. They both gave an evil laugh.

Hana gasped as she heard all of this. 'If anyone hurts Tohru, they will pay!' Hana thought. 'That b------! I was wondering why he liked Yamato so much during the contest.'

Suddenly, she heard them walking closer, and she quickly crawled under the secretary's desk. She watched their feet walk out of the room in into the elevator. Then, Hana quickly and quietly went into Akito's office again and grabbed Tohru's purse with only one thought: Yuki.

"Hana-chan, what took you so long? We were starting to get worry," Tohru asked concernedly as Hana got out of the building.

"It's nothing, but I just found out that I have something important to do. You two can go apartment searching without me. I'm sure the apartment you pick will be a good choice," Hana told them hastily as she briskly walked toward Ayame's shop.

"Uo, don't let Tohru out of your sight!" she added.

It took her a good hour to figure out where Yuki live and find his apartment. Ironically, the apartment building his was living in was one of their sixteen choices. Hana hoped that she wasn't going to bump into them or else it might ruin her investigation.

Now, she was in front of his apartment. Luckily, it was a Saturday, but she still didn't know if he was home. She raised her hand and knocked on the door. To her luck, the door open and there stood a taller Yuki. He looked the same as he did four years ago.

Yuki's eyes widen in surprise. "Ah, hello Hanajima-san. What brings you here all of the sudden?" he asked, stepping out of the way and open the door wider so Hana could come in.

"I'm glad you remember me," Hana commented, giving him a nod. "It's been four years now."

Yuki reply. He saw Hana sit down and knew she was going to be staying for awhile. "Do you want something to drink?" he asked politely.

"No thanks. I'm sorry for coming by unexpectedly. I'll try to make my visit short, but I need your help," Hana said getting to the point.

"Help with what?" Yuki asked, sitting down across from Hana.

"I haven't told anyone this so I ask of you to keep it a secret for now," she began. "First off, Tohru-kun is retiring from her music career. Her duet CD was the last thing."

Hana paused for a moment to look at Yuki's face, trying to read his expression, but his expression didn't change.

"To make things short, I overheard Akito talking to Yamato. What I heard was not very pleasant. Akito wants Tohru dead because he doesn't want her to get close to your family. I don't really understand why, but what I figured out is that he doesn't like women getting close to you," Hana emphasized.

Yuki felt his palm getting sweaty, and he was getting nervous. 'Did Tohru tell them? No, she wouldn't do that, would she?' Yuki thought, putting on a calm face. Being a lawyer and keeping cool was really helping him through this.

Hana continued, "I also found out that Akito was the one who killed someone named Motoko. Ring a bell? Anyway, I'm sure you heard about Tohru rejecting Yamato when the winner was announced. Ever since that day, he's changed, and thanks to Yamato, Tohru was be spared for awhile. So instead of killing Tohru for now, they're going to kidnap her for Yamato. Once he's bored with her, Akito's going to kill her."

Hana stopped once more. She could sense that he was anger, which was a good thing. She knew that he still cared about her.

"I don't know what Yamato plans on doing with Tohru, but I don't think it'll be good." That was the last thing Hana told him. She waited patiently for him to say something.

Yuki looked at his hands and then at Hana. "What can I do to help?" he asked. "Akito is going to far now! It's time that we put him in jail. I can't believe that I let him roam free for these last four years."

Before Hana could answer him about his question, she wondered what the rat meant by the last comment. "What do you mean?"

"I've only told Kyo this, but I didn't have proof. Now that I have your word, I'm more confident about my theory," Yuki said and then he explained to her about his theory on Mokoto's murder.

"I see," Hana nodded. "Then we're going to need proof, but how?"

The two sat there thinking how to catch one of them in action. Akito would catch on so Yamato was their only choice. Yuki then remembered about the tape, and how Motoko had tricked him.

"A tape?" Yuki muttered. "No, that's not good enough, but something more advance would." Then it hit him. "Come with me."

Hana followed him to what seemed to be a closet, but with a press of a button, it revealed all sorts of gadgets and TV monitors.

Yuki grabbed something small as a ladybug and showed it to her. "This here is state of the art. It's a tracker and video camera. Tiny little thing, but it's hooked up to here so we can watch every of his movements. I have it taped too so we can go back and rewind and stuff."

"That's perfect, but how did you get all of this?" Hana asked suspiciously.

"One of my cousin is a spy. Comes in handy for my job too," he said broadly.

Hana didn't question him any further.

"Now, the only thing to do is to put it on him. That's always the tricky part," Yuki stated.

"How do you put it on?"

"See this button? Just press it and sticky stuff will come out and it'll stay on. The best part about this is that it can camouflage into your clothing or wherever you put it. The bad part is that people change clothing so it can only for a day unless you put it on something that they'll have with them every second," Yuki explained.

"Say, do you think we can convince one of your girl cousins to do it?" Hana wondered aloud.

"Maybe, but why a girl?"

"Yamato's a bit of a playboy if you don't mind me saying that," she said simply.

"Oh, then Rin would be the perfect choice, but I don't know if I can get her too," Yuki told her hesitantly.

"Well, you better find a way or else Tohru's life is in stake. Once we get proof, it'll be over, and you can be reunited with Tohru. That's what you want, don't you?" Hana added.

Yuki blushed and nodded.

Hana smiled. "I thought so. Now, I must be leaving. Here's my number. Call me when you have the evidence." With that, Hana left.

Yuki stared at the number wondering if he could reach Tohru with it, but first thing was first, convincing Rin.

XXXXX

Author's Note: WOAH! Another chapter finished! Things are just getting interesting! Now…we just need to get Tohru and Yuki to see each other face to face, but when? I know, but you don't.

Can you believe it's almost ending though? In a few chapters, this story will be finished! Hopefully I'll finish it before January. I don't like taking a year on a story. And I lied about this story lasting 18 chapters. I didn't expect for some chapters to be so long and I wanted to add some other stuff.

Review Please!