Chapter Seven: The Brawn and the Brain

The next Monday morning at school whenever Reiji was around due to her guilt for breaking her promise, Stephanie avoided him as much as possible. Since their groups weren't gathering that day in class he still didn't know by the time lunch came around and he knew that something was wrong because of her avoidance and she was certain that it wouldn't be long until she would have to admit the truth. So around lunchtime he walked over to the bookstore to speak to her. When he entered in Sakura was the one who greeted him cordially while Stephanie merely nodded with her head bent a little.

"Listen uh, Sakura" Reiji replied, "Do you think I could talk to Stephanie alone for a few minutes?"

"Sure" Sakura nodded knowing that something was going on between the two of them as well, "I'll just run and go get us something for lunch" she moved from behind the counter, "Got anything in mind?" she asked the other girl.

"Whatever you choose will be fine Sakura" Stephanie said with a smile and then added reassuringly, "It's okay."

"Okay" Sakura nodded totally understanding her real meaning and then departed from the store leaving the two of them completely alone.

"Well" Stephanie began as Reiji moved forward, "What can I do for you?"

"Actually I was kind of wondering if I did something wrong" he replied his grey eyes filled with sadness.

"What makes you think that?" she asked averting her eyes.

"Because you have been avoiding me all morning. That's not like you. Even Kaye and Sakura could see it. You didn't even respond to me when I asked how the project went on Saturday. Not that I thought you'd go, considering that it was probably canceled, because of the inclement weather, and."

"I went," she said interrupting sadly.

"Oh?"

"Yes but" she sighed, "Reiji" she looked up, "I'm afraid that the only reason that I've been avoiding you all day is because I'm ashamed of what I did."

"What you did?" he said with a perplexed look on his face, "What do you mean?"

"Please don't hate me, but Saturday I went to Mr. Naoki's place as planned. I got there just as the rain started to fall. But when I arrived at his front door he told me that no one else was coming. That they had canceled like you said. So naturally I told myself I was leaving but by that time it had really begun to pour behind me and I hadn't brought an umbrella. So I had to break my promise to you Reiji" she sighed heavily, "Mr. Naoki insisted that I'd stay until the rain was over. That he wouldn't let me go out into that weather. So I stayed with him. Alone. For two hours until it finally stopped. And then I left."

"I see" Reiji nodded his head slowly.

"Reiji I am so, so sorry."

"What?" he looked at her confused by her apology.

"I feel so guilty that I had to break my promise to you."

"But you didn't."

"What do you mean I didn't?"

"You promised that you would never be alone with him if you could help it. There's no way I would send you out in that kind of weather either. You had no choice."

"No. I had a choice" she shook her head, "I could have walked home in the rain."

"And what? Catch a cold like me? I wouldn't hear of it" he shook his head this time, "Besides I think that maybe I was a little too overly concerned. I shouldn't have asked for such a promise from you. It was wrong of me" he bowed his head, "I apologize."

"I'll accept yours if you'll accept mine" she smiled finally.

"Okay" he nodded, "Deal" he added with a smile of his own, "So did anything happen on Saturday?"

"No" she shook her head once more, "We just worked a little on the project. The only thing we really did talk about though was our family. Although" she paused.

"Although what?"

"He did say something strange as I was leaving."

"Something strange?" Reiji raised his eyebrows questionly.

"Yes."

"What was it?"

"He told me to beware of spiders."

"Spiders?"

"People like spiders."

"Okay" Reiji said scratching his head, "That is weird. But probably irrelevant. So are we okay now?" he asked.

"Mhm" she nodded.

"You know you don't have to be afraid to talk to me if something is wrong. I'm not the type of person who's going to jump on you just because you break a promise. Under the circumstances I understand."

"Okay. Thank you" she nodded again as Sakura came back; "I'll keep that in mind."

"Well. I got to be getting back to lunch too. So I'll see you ladies later" he added with a wave as he left.

"Bye Reiji!" Sakura replied with a smile and then turned to Stephanie, "So is everything all right now?"

"Yes" Stephanie nodded, "Oh by the way Sakura" she pulled out a small white envelope out of her bag, "This is for you" she handed it to her.

Sakura's fingertips held onto the envelope as her eyes glowed in excitement.

"Oh good. I've been waiting for this," she said happily as Stephanie nodded understanding with a smile.

(Next Scene)

As Reiji began down the hall he noticed out of the corner of his eye that someone else was standing near the bookstore, quite closely reading a book. He frowned slightly when he recognized the tall teenager and at once walked over to confront him. Seitarou Naoki looked up a little as Reiji stood in front of him and crossed his arms.

"Mr. Sohma" Seitarou replied with a snide grin, "What can I do for you?"

"Actually I was going to ask you the same thing Naoki" Reiji said angrily, "What are you doing hovering around here?"

"I'm just reading, obviously."

"There are plenty of other places to read on the school grounds. I want to know what you're doing here outside the school store?"

"It is a free country isn't it? I can read anywhere I please."

"Not if your purpose for being here is what I think it is."

"Let's lay things out on the table Mr. Sohma" Seitarou said closing his book with a snap and straightening his glasses, "Let's be perfectly honest with one another."

"Hmm?"

"You don't like me very much do you?"

"Gee is it that obvious?" Reiji said sarcastically, "I was trying so hard to hide it. All right I admit it. I don't trust you."

"What have I done for you not to trust me?"

"It's what you're doing right now" Reiji replied, "You're not just hanging out and reading a book. I am not stupid. I know what you're really doing here and if it's that then you can just forget it. She's off limits to you."

"My we are awful protective of someone who doesn't even belong to you."

"No. But she does belong to someone I care about. Hey wait a minute. Belong? Scratch that" he said angrily, "She doesn't belong to anybody. But her heart does belong to someone. And I'll be damned if you're gonna do anything to change that. I know you got a thing for her."

"Just like half the boys in school. I'm fully aware about her romantic situation Mr. Sohma. I'm not stupid either. I have no intention on doing anythingthatobvious for that matter."

"You'd better not" Reiji replied, "Because the person you will have to answer to is me. Leave her alone or else" he added placing his face closer into the other boy's and then moving it just as fast.

"Whatever you say" Seitarou raised an eyebrow as Reiji moved away, "Mr. Sohma" he added with a menacing grin as he returned back to his book, but not before glancing up at Stephanie's figure inside the bookstore.

Suddenly he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see a teacher standing next to him.

"Mr. Naoki."

"Yes sir" he replied politely.

"You have a phone call in the office. Come with me please."

"Yes sir" Seitarou nodded closing his book and following the teacher down the hall.

(Next Scene)

The call only took a few seconds. After he hung up with a frown he turned to the teacher and informed him that a family emergency had come up and that he must depart for the remainder of the day. With that said Seitarou left the school furiously, went to a local store that he had been directed to by the person on the telephone. Once there he apologized to the owner, paid him for the damages, and then angrily walked home, where he was sure he would find the culprit of the huge mess. He stormed through the house until he came to the door that marked the entrance of his older brother's room. He cleared his throat and tried to calm down as he knocked loudly on the door.

"Souichirou!" he called firmly, "Open the door! I need to talk. Souichirou!" he shouted loudly and then sighed angrily as he wrenched open the door and stalked into the room.

He could hear splashing and the sounds of girls giggling so he rolled his eyes at the familiarity as he pushed open the door of the bathroom only to see his brother in the center of two girls in the hot tub holding onto a half drunk beer bottle and laughing as his brother entered.

"Ah Seitarou!" he smiled as the girls waved flirtatiously, "Just in time. Girls this is the one I told you about" he added as Seitarou crossed his arms and stared at his brother frowning, "Why don't you come and join us little brother?"

"I need to talk to you now" Seitarou replied through gritted teeth.

"But we just got started."

"Now Souichirou!" Seitarou demanded his eyes burning furiously.

"Okay. Okay" Souichirou nodded standing, "I can see that you're serious and angry. Ladies. I'll be right back."

"And for heaven's sakes, Cover up" Seitarou ordered as he left the room while his brother wrapped a towel around his waist and then followed him, closing the door behind him.

"So what's up little brother?"

"You know damn well what's up. Perhaps it would interest you to know that I was called out of school this afternoon by the bosses son who informed me that that there had been some trouble at a local store today. And who was behind all that damage that I had to shell out a ton of money for?Why it was YOU!"

Souichirou chuckled a little as he sat on the couch in a lounging position.

"Well I was uh. Just having a bit of fun."

"Do you realize how much you're fun cost me? Do you have any idea?"

"No."

"Of course you don't. That shopkeeper was furious. He wouldn't stop complaining."

"Well that shopkeeper was impossible anyway."

"How much have you been drinking this time?" Seitarou placed a hand on his forehead.

"Only a few" Souichirou shrugged.

"Dozen you mean?" Seitarou replied sarcastically, "Listen Souichirou I told you that if you're going to stay down here and help me to not get in my way."

"But how is that getting in your way?"

"It just is. I have a reputation around here as an upstanding citizen. Nobody knows who I really am. Nobody cares. And I will not let you drag our family name through the mud with your ridiculous shenanigans and drunken outbursts."

"At least I am using our family name" Souichirou replied somberly.

"Listen I came down here to do a job and you are not going to screw it up with your idiocy. Unless you want to be shipped back to the old man."

"No" Souichirou said a bit afraid, "I don't want that."

"Fine. Then this is the rule from now on. You may not leave this house during the day. At night when I am home you can go out as much as you want. So I can keep an eye on you."

"I'm not a baby."

"Well that remains yet to be seen. You either follow the rules or I will send you back to the old man. I can not have you mess things up now when I am this close."

"Okay" he nodded fervently, "I won't. It's a done deal. I won't go out anymore during the day. But when am I going to get to do something?"

"When I tell you to. A few more months I imagine. Summer vacation. Yes" Seitarou nodded to himself with a smile, "I believe summer vacation would be just right. But until then" he wagged a finger at his brother, "Stay. Out. Of my way."

"Okay. So do you want to join the girls and me? There are two of them after all."

"I don't accept your hand me downs remember? Besides I am not interested in that type of girl" he turned his back as his brother stood.

"I'm starting to think that you're not interested in any type of girl. Except. Oh!" he said knowingly.

"What?"

"I see now. There's only one girl you're interested in. That cute one who was sitting in your sitting room the other day."

"What makes you say that?"

"You were smiling."

"I was playing the part of the interested classmate" he retorted.

"No, I mean when she was singing that pretty song. Her back was turned and you were smiling."

"Just leave me alone" Seitarou huffed, "And go back to your company" he trudged to his room while Souichirou chuckled and headed back to his own.

(Next Scene)

When he arrived in his room Seitarou flopped into his leather desk chair and sighed heavily staring at a picture frame on his desk.

"What would you do?" he asked the picture, "If you were me?"

Seitarou leaned his head back as he thought a little about his childhood. Back then he was always the smart one who could get his older brother out of scrapes. He smiled slightly as he thought that despite his brother's lack of intelligence he was very strong and that often came in handy in the past.

"The brain and thebrawn" he replied to himself, "That's what father would call us. Didn't you?" he said to the picture frame.

Then he cleared his throat, turned on his monitor, and began to type the information that he was reading off a piece of paper on his desk in front of him, glancing at the photograph of his father who had the same short dark hair, his hazel eyes behind a pair of glasses.

(Till Next Time)

Authors Note: Okay here's the first chapter of the week. I decided to change the title of the chapter a little. See you guys tomorrow for two more chapters!

Next time on Curse Renewed:

Chapter Eight: Passing Down a Tradition

With summer break looming ahead Kaye comes to a decision about his future with Stephanie. Find out what happens next time!

And

Chapter Nine: Captured

Not telling!