Chapter Five: The Tiger meets Mr. Kim
The phone rang at the Kamiya residence the next Saturday afternoon. For a week now Stephanie had been meeting with Tsukasa at the town library to discuss the events that were occurring in her recent dreams. As he had guessed he was three nights ahead of her and wasn't at all surprised by the outcomes in the dreams. Anyway Sam was the one who picked up the phone as he was walking out of the kitchen.
"Hello Kamiya residence. Oh Katsuya. Yes. I'll get her for you" he called to his sister who was in the sitting room and she at once came over taking the phone gently from him.
"Hello. Oh Kaye" she said excitedly, "I'm fine. How are you? Hmm? Yes. I agree. It has been awhile. Okay. Actually there was something I wanted to talk to you about too. It's kind of important. I'll be right over" she nodded as she hung up the phone.
She hurried upstairs, informed her brother that she had dinner plans, and then ran back down, grabbed her purse, and headed out the door determined to tell Katsuya everything that had been going on.
(Next Scene)
When she arrived at the Sohma's house Takara answered the door with a surprised look on her face.
"Stephy!" she exclaimed.
"Hi there Takara" Stephanie grinned.
"What are you doing here?"
"Kaye invited me over for dinner."
"Cool! Well c'mon in" she entered the hall and Takara closed the door.
"Well where is Kaye?" Stephanie asked.
"He's in the kitchen making dinner. Aunt Tohru, Uncle Kyo, and my daddy went out tonight."
"Oh that's nice."
"Mhm" Takara nodded, "This way" she replied after Stephanie had taken off her shoes.
Takara led her into the kitchen where Katsuya was standing in front of the stove stirring the contents of a medium sized saucepan.
"Kaye!" Takara called, "Stephy's here!"
"Huh?" he turned surprised and smiled when he saw her, "Oh Hey!"
"Hey" she smiled back.
"What are you doing here so soon?"
"I said I'd be here right away."
"Okay. Well it's nearly done. Listen Takara" he looked down at his cousin, "Would you mind watching the pot for me for a few minutes? I really need to talk to Steph."
"No problem" she agreed with a grin.
"And if Sakura comes home and tries to steal anything, you let me know all right?" he added.
"Check!" she saluted.
"Good girl" he laughed and then took Stephanie's hand gently and led her to the back yard, "We can talk out here" he replied, "This way I can keep an eye on Takara and we're pretty secluded."
"Yea" she nodded and then immediately embraced him.
"Whoa. Are you okay?" he asked a bit worried about her sudden reaction.
"I just missed you. That's all."
"Well I've missed you too. But we've seen each other at school."
"It's not the same thing" she shook her head, "I feel like since what happened a month ago that you and I have been apart quite a bit."
"Yea" he sighed sitting on top of the picnic table, "Or rather I've been keeping my distance."
"Why Kaye?"
"It's not like I've been doing it on purpose or anything, but I've been training really hard at the dojo. More so than I ever have before."
"How come?"
"When I rescued you I had to face Nakagami's older brother as well as him."
"Mhm."
"I noticed I was kind of rusty. I could have easily beaten him in a matter of moments if I had kept up with my training. So I'm making up for it. I'm sorry."
"It's all right. I understand."
"Also" he reached into his pocket, "I forgot to give you something back."
"What do you mean?"
"Reiji found this at the temple" he handed her the object and tears entered her eyes as she stared at it in her palm.
"The promise ring. I thought I'd lost it forever. I felt so guilty about that."
"I'm sorry I kept it for so long and made you feel that way" he said sadly, "It's just I wasn't sure if you would want it back" he lowered his head.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because of everything. You know I wouldn't blame you if you want to forget everything that happened. Including me."
"Katsuya" she took his hand, "How many times do I have to tell you. I'm not going anywhere? I'll prove it to you" she slipped the ring onto her finger, "There. Back where it belongs. See."
"I love you" he smiled softly.
"I love you too" she kissed him lightly on the lips, "And I always will."
"I know that" he nodded, "I don't know what's wrong with me. Anyway that's all I needed. Now what about you?"
"Huh?"
"You said there was something you wanted to talk to me about. Something important?"
"Oh right" she realized, "I remember now" she took a deep breath, "Kaye. A lot has been happening lately."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, remember you gave me the cat's journal?"
"Yea. Have you read it yet?"
"Some of it."
"Some of it? I thought that you would have been finished with it by now."
"Well that's just it. The first night I read that book, I began to experience something similar to what your mother did."
"How do you mean?" he said confused.
"I've been finding myself in dreams for the past several weeks. I don't know what they mean but I have seen a lot of familiar faces including my own."
"Okay" he replied slowly, "Anything else?"
"Yes. Something that you are not going to be happy about but you must hear me out."
"Okay" he nodded.
"About a week ago I decided that I wanted to find out more about my dreams and I thought the best way to do that was to look up the place where the dreams were located. So I went to the town library, walked into the history section, and I bumped into someone."
"Who?"
"Tsukasa Nakagami."
"What was he doing there?" Kaye replied angrily.
"That's what I wanted to know. And right away I tried to leave but he followed me and then I managed to shake him off by leaving the library. However he then followed me to the park and stopped me there."
"And?"
"Well at first I tried to leave again but he confronted me."
"What did he want?" Kaye crossed his arms furiously.
"He wanted to know why he was being treated so badly by us Kaye, and he was tired of it."
"Well he's supposed to be treated that way. He's a Nakagami" Kaye retorted.
"But that's just it. I thought that too. However he said something that really altered what I believed."
"What?"
"He said innocent until proven guilty. Kaye I beenhad blaming him for something someone else had done just because they have the same last name."
"But that was the point wasn't it? I thought we all agreed that we weren't going to trust a person with the name of Nakagami ever again?"
"We did. But he did make a valid point. And because of that I felt very bad for the way that I treated him. The next morning I went back to the library and he was there once more in the history section. I apologized for what I had done but I told him that I still couldn't trust him. He understood and accepted the apology. But he still said he needed me to trust him."
"Why?"
"I'll get to that. I told him once again that I couldn't, that it wasn't possible. And he asked me why. I told him because of something someone with the same last name did. He got quiet all of a sudden and then began to ask me questions about Nakagami's description."
"Accurately?"
"Yes. He even guessed his name right. And when I told him it was correct he got angry immediately."
"Angry?"
"Mhm. Practically furious like you are right now. You see he knew about Nakagami's ways because he's his cousin."
"Cousin!" Kaye exclaimed.
"That's not all. Apparently Seitarou's done something similar to him that he did to us. Mr. Nakagami got quiet again after that and said he understood why everyone had treated him that way. But he still wanted me to trust him and I told him I couldn't just like before. So he said he had no other alternative but to do something I have never seen before."
"What was that?"
"He reached into his bag and pulled out a gold chain with a heart shaped pendant on it, took my hand, and placed it in it. Then he told me that he was offering me a trust gesture."
"A what?"
"A trust gesture. Have you heard of it before?" she asked at his sign of familiarity in his tone.
"Yes I have. But it's only known in very few families. It requiressomething of great value in order to trust someone."
"Yes, exactly. He said that the necklace was an heirloom given to him by his grandmother when she died. He said it was his most valued possession."
"He could have been lying. Then again the Nakagami's don't know anything about a trust gesture."
"What do you mean?"
"It was something the Sohmas came up with along with a close family ally."
"You mean the Kim family?"
"How did you know about that?"
"It's Tsukasa's mothers last name. In fact it is the very name he uses in the United States."
"Kim?"
"Mhm."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Anyhow. After that I couldn't possibly refuse his trust. Oh I forgot to tell you the reason he wanted my trust."
"Why?"
"Because he also has been experiencing the dreams Kaye. That's why he has come all this way from America. We've been researching on it all week."
"So then you trust him now?" Kaye replied a bit angrily.
"Katsuya don't be angry. You know what might help, if you talk to him too."
"Talk to him? What good would that do?" he stood up from the table and began to pace.
"What could it hurt? If you talk to him maybe you'll see what I'm talking about."
"This is very important to you isn't it?" he looked at her directly and she nodded, "All right" he relented, "Where do I meet him?"
"I can take you to the library after dinner. More than likely, he's there."
"Okay" Kaye nodded still a bit uncertain, "We'll do that."
(Next Scene)
After dinner Stephanie led the way to the library, through the front doors, and towards the history section where sure enough Tsukasa was sitting at the same table doing more research. She told Kaye to wait for her while she spoke to Tsukasa and he reluctantly agreed, sticking his hands in his pockets and waiting by the end of the aisle. She walked over to the table and Tsukasa looked up with a smile as she approached.
"I thought you weren't coming today" he replied.
"Well I wasn't, but I was hoping I could convince you to do something."
"What?" he put his pen down as she walked over and pulled Kaye's sleeve urging him forward, "Oh. Mr. Sohma?" he said surprised.
"Mr. Nakagami" Katsuya stared back at him angrily and then averted his eyes.
"I asked him to come and talk to you Tsukasa. Do you mind?" she asked.
"Not at all" he shook his head, "I just hope he doesn't mind?"
"I don't" Kaye said shortly.
"Okay" she nodded pushing him closer to the table; "I'll leave you two alone. Be nice," she added in a whisper to Katsuya before she departed.
Katsuya nodded and then looked in the direction of the other young man.
"So."
"So" Tsukasa repeated.
"Stephanie's told me a little bit about what's been going on."
"Oh I see. Well, I'm not surprised. I wouldn't expect her to keep it from you. After all honesty is the most important thingin a relationship."
"Yea" Kaye nodded a bit astonished by the other's response, "So I'm just here to verify it."
"Well. Pull up a chair" Tsukasa indicated with his hand, "This might take awhile, but I'll answer any question that you have to ask."
"Okay" Kaye nodded again and sat down on the opposite side so now they were facing each other, "Well first of all I got to tell you I feel very uneasy about all of this."
"I understand that, now" Tsukasa grinned a little, "Stephanie had to explain it to me and to be perfectly honest I don't blame you at all."
"You don't?"
"No. You see Mr. Sohma we have something in common."
"We do?"
"Yes. Stephanie told me that Seitarou caused you all a lot of trouble a month ago. And knowing my cousin, I can only imagine the damage that he's done. Seitarou and I have never seen eye to eye on anything. One because I don't agree with his methods and two well, he's an asshole."
Katsuya chuckled a little as Tsukasa continued.
"I despise him as much as you do I imagine. Maybe more so, which is sad to say because he's family. The truth is Mr. Sohma Seitarou did something horrible to me about five years ago and I will never forgive him for it. And not only that he's just another reminder of what I am trying to avoid."
"Avoid?"
"Yea. I am a Nakagami by blood, but not by heart. The fact of the matter is I want nothing to do with the Ushida's revenge against your family. For years I have been sidestepping all of them and their persuasions, including my old man. So far it's been pretty easy since I live in another country but now that I'm here it's been a little harder. I've come very close to bumping into the Ushida's more than once."
"Is that why you ran into the store that day?" Kaye interrupted.
"Huh?"
"You scared my twin sister."
"That was your sister?" Kaye nodded, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. That was just the closest room that I could find. Yea, I was dodging them that day. And I've been dodging them ever since" he looked to the left with a far off look in his eye, "The sooner I finish up here the sooner I can go back home."
"What are you doing here? If you don't mind me asking?"
"No, I don't mind" Tsukasa turned his head once more and looked at him directly, "I'm sure Stephanie's told you some things but you want to hear it from me too don't you? So here it goes" he took a deep breath, "A couple months ago I started experiencing strange dreams. These were unlike any dreams I have ever had, because I was in them and the people in them were also familiar. There was also one who looked just like me."
"That is what is happening to Stephanie right now?" Kaye replied surprised.
"I know. After having the dreams a few more nights, I spoke to my grandfather about them and he told me that it seemed to him that my dreams were leading me down a pathway to my destiny. After much thought he suggested I come to this place, since it is where the dreams happen. Here in Kyoto. I think it's the feudal era. Around the time when the Ushida clan was at war with the Sohma clan. Sometime after the curse came to be I believe. My grandfather also suggested that I find someone who looked like someone in my dreams. And I did. Your girlfriend was the first person that I found. Of course it took me awhile for her to learn to trust me, after what Seitarou did. But I needed her to trust me so we could work together to find out the answer."
"That makes sense. So you gave her a trust gesture" Kaye frowned slightly.
"That's right."
"But what I don't understand is, how can you possibly know about that. Trust gestures were known as a bond between the Sohma family and a close family ally."
"Known as the Kim family right?"
"Huh? Yea. But how do you know that?"
"Because that is my mother's maiden name. In fact it is the name I go by in the states" he added repeating what Stephanie had already said, "I had to use my real name to come here. My grandfather is the one who taught me about trust gestures."
"And that necklace? Was it really your grandmothers?"
"Mhm. She gave it to me before she died. My grandmother was very important to me. Both of my grandparents on my mother's side instilled good morals and judgments in me. That's another reason I choose the Kim line over the Nakagami one. I believe that the Kim's are on the side of right."
"Not to sound accusing, but your cousin did a song and dance quite similar to this too. I need more proof."
"What would you like me to say?"
"If you really are a Kim descendant then you must know about Master Seki Kim?"
"Master Seki Kim? That's my grandfather's name."
"What?" Katsuya's eyes became wide, "That's impossible."
"No, my grandfather is the greatest martial arts instructor in the world."
"No way" Kaye replied.
"In fact, he's taught a Sohma before" Tsukasa grinned, "He told me all about it. It was a long time ago but he remembers that student above everyone. He said that nobody could outmatch Kazuma Sohma. He said he was his favorite student, next to me of course."
"Kazuma Sohma? That's my grandfather's name."
"You actually know him?" Tsukasa said excitedly.
"Well, yea. He's not really my grandfather, but he did raise my father."
"This is amazing. Do you how many stories I've heard about him? He's the greatest. Oh I'd give anything to meet someone like him."
"Well" Kaye scratched the back of head, "You know what maybe that can be the proof."
"Huh?"
"I'll take you to meet my grandfather tomorrow."
"Really?"
"Yes. He can prove if what you say is true. I admit I do trust a little of what you've said today and I am an excellent judge of character when I pay close attention. If you can prove to my grandfather that you are who you say you are, then I will trust you."
"I understand" Tsukasa nodded, "I can't believe it. I'm gonna meet Kazuma Sohma!"
Katsuya smiled a little at his enthusiasm, knowing fully well how wonderful his grandfather really was.
(Next Scene)
"So how did it go?" Stephanie asked as Katsuya walked her home.
"He's an interesting guy. Wears his heart on his sleeve it seems."
"So do you trust him now?"
"Not yet. He's gonna meet my grandfather tomorrow. You should come too" they stopped at her gate.
"How come?"
"Once he's spoken to my grandfather" Kaye replied looking towards the sky, "Then I'll know for sure what side he's on."
(Till Next Time)
Authors Note: Long chapter coming at ya! In fact you are getting two long chapters tonight and one short one! See you later for the next two!
Next Chapter: Meeting a Hero
Tsukasa meets the hero of his dreams, Kazuma Sohma!