Just a reminder:

This story is not over yet, She still has to go to the golden week house, See Kyo's true form,Go to the summer house, Maybe either fight or make peace with Kyo, and then meet Akito so it's far from over

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"Ah! Honda san hi!"

"Hello, Rei san it is good to see you!" bowed Tohru, "Happy New Year!"

"Hm? Ah yes happy new year…" Rei said, for some reason she was somewhat out of it, "Come in." Rei lead her down the hallway.

"Hatori san, Tohru Honda is here to see you."

Hatori turned around, "Honda kun, I've been expecting you."

"I'll make some tea for us ok? Rei left the room.

While in the kitchen, she heard the back sliding door open then footsteps. Oh, they must be on the porch talking…. She thought.

A few minutes past and she heard a loud THUD! She turned off the stove and rushed to the porch, to see Tohru on the ground on top of Hatori's clothes.

"Honda san! Are you ok?" she jumped off the porch and landed next to Tohru.

"Y Yes but H Hatori san..."

Rei heard a rustling in the clothes and she looked at the source there amidst Hatori's clothes was a 8 cm sea horse.

"Waaaaa!" cried Rei she looked at Tohru then at the sea horse, tohru then the sea horse, "AHHH! WHAT THE HECK IS THAT Honda san?"They carried the sea horse into the house, Tohru watched it and Rei went back to get Hatori's clothes.

"Honda san? WHAT THE HELL is going ON!" said Rei.

Poof! There standing where the sea horse was laying appeared Hatori naked. Tohru and Rei looked away as he got dressed. After he was dressed, Rei diverted her eyes, she didn't know what to say to him. He turned his back to them. "I didn't want you to find out my secret this way Rei. I wanted to show you a different way….. you must hate me…..I'm sorry."

"Its ok. I understand, .. I'm not disgusted with you… I don't hate you….. I understand I really do" She walked to him and smiled at him.

Tears filled his eyes and tears filled hers'.

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The next day, Hatori smiled at her a lot more. "Are you busy tonight Rei?"

"No why?" she asked as she filed some papers.

"Do you want to go out to dinner tonight?" he asked/

"I would love to." She smiled at him, "But can you clear me up on something? Why were you a sea horse?"

Hatori sighed, "I'll explain later ok?" he looked away somewhat embarrassed.

"Ready to go?" he asked he handed her coat to her and he slipped on his.

"Yes." She answered she smiled at him.

As they drove in the car, Rei didn't know what to do it seemed like he was mad at her question or something. "Hatori?"

"Hm?"

"Well…I just wanted you to know that I didn't mean to make fun or hurt you through that question that I asked. I mean the sea horse thing." She said shyly.

"I know…." He said he smiled at her as they got out of the car.

"I can't believe it's already spring."

For the snow was beginning to melt and the buds on the flowers had developed.

"Did you spend Sanga Niichi with your family Hatori?"

"Yes. Shigure came but Kyo and Yuki ditched."

"ha ha! That is SO like Kyo!" she laughed. Then she felt a sting in her heart.Oh yeah, Kyo hates my guts why do I care so much about him?

Hatori noticed her troubled expression, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought up Kyo.. are you ok?" he grabbed her hand and tilted her head up so they were looking at each other eye to eye.

"Yeah.. its ok. I guess I should give up on Kyo, but I love him like a sibling still……" she tried to manage a small smile.

" It'll be ok. So, try to have fun ok?" he kissed her forehead lovingly. He held the door open for her and followed her inside.

After they got situated, Hatori started to talk about his "condition", "You see 13 of the Sohmas are born as animals of the Chinese zodiac, when we are hugged by opposite genders of others outside and Inside of the Sohmas we change into animals.Also if our bodies get too weak we change into our animal form. It's hard but other than that it's strange.. it's bizarre.. it's cursed."

"Cursed?" She said she didn't understand, "What about Kyo? I mean the zodiac has 12 animals in the zodiac….."

"Do you know the old folk tale?"

"Ah! Oh, yeah! The cat right? Kyo's the cat of the zodiac legend right?"

"That's right."

"I wonder why Shishou didn't tell me before.. I mean I AM a Sohma."

"Not everyone knows, they aren't supposed to it is forbidden by the head of the family."

"Who is that?"

"Akito."

"I've heard the name but I have never met him."

"Well, lets say he doesn't go out much he gets sick a lot. So that is why hardly anybody sees him."

"How many girls are in the zodiac?"

"Three, Kisa (tiger), Rin (horse) and Kagura (boar),"

"The rest are boys?"

"yes."

"Which one are you?"

Hatori sighed blushing lightly. "I'm supposed to be the dragon."

"Awww. You're CUTE dragon."

He blushed at her words. "Um Thanks I guess."

"What is Shigure?"

"He's the dog."

"How is it that Tohru knows about your secret?"

"She stumbled on it by accident. Akito decided not to have her memor- I mean he is letting her know the secret with out consequence." He didn't want her to know about his power to erase memories, he didn't want to lose her to Akito either, he just wanted to love like any one else.