Chapter Three: A Breakup?
The rain began to fall even harder as Tsukasa stared out the window. He frowned slightly as from her chair Sara watched him with deep concern.
"Hey cous! Why the long face?" she asked.
"Huh? Oh" he turned around and walked toward his seat, sitting down with a sigh, "I finally got the ball rolling this afternoon."
"Huh?"
"I had no idea that putting myself through something like this would make me feel so sick inside" he put a hand to his forehead.
"What do you mean?"
"I called Seitarou out at lunchtime and began" Tsukasa started to explain.
(Flashback)
"So" Seitarou spoke up, "What did you want to see me about Tsukasa? You look like you haven't slept in a few days," he observed staring at the dark circles under his cousin's eyes.
"I can't take it anymore" Tsukasa replied lowering his eyes a bit, "I can't stand feeling like this anymore" he clenched his fists.
"I don't understand. What do you mean?" Seitarou asked clearly surprised by his reaction.
"I can't eat. I can't sleep. It's horrible."
"Tsukasa" Seitarou said a bit irritably as he crossed his arms, "You're not making any sense. What are you talking about?"
"Miss Kamiya."
"Hmm?" Seitarou's eyebrows rose slightly.
"I want her. I want her more than anyone I have ever wanted."
"Really?" Seitarou replied quite amused.
"I'm never gonna get her the way I am now. Which is why I called you out here?" Tsukasa raised his head.
"Hmm?"
"Does the offer you made me still stand?"
"Offer?"
"To join the Nakagami family" Tsukasa replied seriously as the lightening flashed behind him in the sky illuminating his face since the sky had become quite dark.
"Are you serious?" Seitarou said uncrossing his arms surprised.
"I've been Mr. Goody two-shoes all my life" Tsukasa nodded, "Thinking I could escape from the inevitable. I am a Nakagami too aren't I? I mean why am I running away from it. Besides experience has taught me one thing."
"And what's that?"
"I won't get anything I want the way I am now. And if I want to get those things" Tsukasa grinned menacingly, "I'm gonna have to play dirty for them."
(Back)
"And he bought it?" Sara said astonished as Tsukasa finished.
"Oh he bought it all right. A couple more words of flash and mirrors and he congratulated me for at least three times. And the worst part about it is I bought it almost. You know why?"
"Why?"
"Because a lot of the things I said were true."
"What do you mean?"
"Not that I would ever join the Nakagami's in reality" he added noticing the note of worry in her voice, "But I do love Stephanie. And to hear myself say stuff like that, it kind of scared me you know."
"Sure. But I thought Seitarou was infatuated with her. Didn't he mention anything about that?"
"Actually that's the funny part" Tsukasa frowned, "He didn't. He went as far to tell me that he would help me get her anyway he could."
"Really?" she crossed her arms angrily leaning back in the chair.
"Mhm. In conclusion I'm now going to be involved with whatever the Nakagami's are up to. Well at least for a little while."
"What does that entail though?"
"It means I won't be here at the apartment with you for some time" Tsukasa faced her seriously.
"Huh?"
"Seitarou asked me to come stay with him at the big mansion and I accepted."
"Why?"
"One, I can keep an eye on Seitarou's moves. And two maybe I can discover the location of the journal. Well at least until the third part of my plan comes into play."
"The third part?"
"Yea. Which reminds me" he stood up and walked over to the phone, "I need to get the second part moving right now" he picked up the receiver and dialed a number quickly as Sara watched with a worried expression on her face.
(Next Scene)
"Mhm" Stephanie nodded as she listened, "I understand. I'll call Kaye right now. And Tsukasa" she added, "Be careful" she hung up the phone slowly and sighed.
Then she picked it up again and dialed the number of the Sohma residence.
(Next Scene)
Takara was walking past the sitting room when the phone rang so ran to answer it.
"Hello Sohma residence" she answered, "Oh hi Stephy!" she said cheerfully, "Hmm? Yea. I'll get him for you. Kaye!"
"What's up?" he asked sticking his head out from his room.
"Stephy's on the phone for you."
"Oh" he grinned, "Thanks Kara" he added coming and taking the phone gently from her, "Hey you. Hmm? Oh. Okay" he said slowly, "I understand" he nodded, "I'll be right there" he hung up the phone.
"Everything okay Kaye?" Takara asked.
"Yea. Everything's fine" Kaye grinned as he put on his sneakers, "Never better."
"Okay" she said a bit worried since it was raining and he was going out in it.
"I'll be out for a little while" he stood up, "Don't wait up!" he added walking out the door.
"All right" she nodded as Sakura came out in the hall.
"Hey. Where's Kaye?"
"He went out."
"In this weather? It's raining cats and dogs out there."
"Mnm" Takara shrugged.
As soon as Kaye had exited the house he immediately frowned as he walked towards Stephanie's house.
"I guess it's time," he thought bitterly.
(Next Scene)
Stephanie and Katsuya sat quietly in her room side by side at her window seat as the rain continued to fall. Kaye turned to her as she sighed heavily.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I'm really worried Kaye" she shook her head, "I'm not so sure we can pull this off."
"Sure we can" he encouraged.
"Or rather I'm not so sure that I can pull this off."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not comfortable with doing this. I mean I was okay with it at first. But now that Tsukasa's done his part I'm a little afraid."
"Look he's thought this out so clearly. Let's think about this" Kaye took her hand in his, "The first step of his plan has gone beautifully. He's convinced Nakagami that he wants to join him right?"
"Mhm."
"Now the second part is up to us. As of right now Nakagami thinks that Tsukasa is on his side and that he will supposedly be threatening you, making me break up with you because you have admitted to choosing Tsukasa over me. That will be proof to him that Tsukasa is on the level."
"Right."
"The part that I have to play is that I have broken up with you because of your declaration and I also have to convince my sister and my best friend that I want nothing more to do with you ever again. Meanwhile that's when Tsukasa makes his move."
"Mhm. And then third part of his plan comes into focus. That is the part that I am really worried about though."
"Well it is the most dangerous part. But if you think about it right now Tsukasa is the one in the most danger. He's in that house with Nakagami as we speak."
"Mhm. I'm sure he can handle himself. I hope."
"It'll be fine" Kaye reassured her patting her shoulders, "I'll leave this place tonight in a huff pretending I have really broken up with you for whatever reason Tsukasa's threatening you."
"Uh huh."
"And I'll keep in character tomorrow and you'll play your part."
"Until Tsukasa confronts me."
"Correct. The whole school will think that we have broken up."
"That's the other part that worries me," she said sadly.
"Hey it's okay. It's not for real. We'll still be together even though we'll be the only ones who know it."
"I know. But it's still gonna be hard.
"I'll try not to be too harsh. But I'll have to be convincing."
"Yea" she nodded, "And so do I" she sighed again as he wrapped his arms around in her comfort and the rain ceased to fall outside.
(Next Scene)
After departing Stephanie's house Katsuya immediately got into his character. When he entered his house he walked past his sister and Takara with an angry grimace and slammed his door behind him so convincingly that the two of them wondered what was up.
The next morning he stayed in character and walked to school with the same grimace on his face. When he arrived at the front gate Reiji and Soujiro greeted him.
"Hey Kaye. Good morning" Reiji replied but then noticed his glare, "What's the matter?"
"Yea" Soujiro nodded, "And why are you here alone? Where's your honey bunny?"
"What honey bunny?" Katsuya shot back in a snapping voice.
"You know? Your main squeeze, Miss Kamiya?"
"I don't know what you're talking about" Kaye turned his head angrily.
"Huh?" Reiji replied confused.
"I don't want to hear you two ever, ever mention her name again. Ever! I'm going to my locker" he moved past them without even glancing at them.
"Hey wait a minute!" Reiji said chasing after him, "Katsuya!"
(Next Scene)
Katsuya moved down the hall with Reiji and Soujiro trying to keep up with his angry strides. The students in the hall watched as he brushed past them with surprised looks on their faces. They had never seen Katsuya Sohma so angry before. Coming down the opposite end of the hall as Sakura and Stephanie so when he saw her face he stopped abruptly in the middle making her stop and stare back at him and then lower her face. All morning Sakura had been asking her what was wrong. And now Stephanie knew that it was her turn to begin her part.
"Kaye?" Sakura replied slowly.
"Hello Katsuya" Stephanie said softly holding her school bag out in front of her.
"Don't you hello me," he said back coldly.
"Hmm?"
"We're not together anymore remember? I don't want to be with someone like you."
Stephanie lowered her head.
"Kaye!" Sakura exclaimed completely appalled.
"What are you doing?" Reiji added just as stunned.
"It's none of your business!" he shouted, "But perhaps you should all know that Miss Kamiya and I are no longer together. I broke up with her. I don't want to be with someone so deceitful and hurtful."
"What are you talking about?" Reiji replied, "Have you lost your mind?"
"She knows" he pointed, "I'm not good enough for her anymore."
"What?" Sakura said as people began to whisper around her and Seitarou watched from a corner of the hall.
"After everything. Everything we've been through" he clenched his fists, "She chooses another over me."
"Katsuya" she held up her hand.
"I don't want to hear it!" he shouted again even louder this time making her take a step back with a very hurt look on her face, "We're through! There's no point since we. Oh yea. Which reminds me. Give it back!" he held out his hand.
"Huh?"
"Give me back the promise ring!" he demanded.
"Katsuya" Sakura said as Stephanie held onto her left hand.
"Give it back to me now!" he yelled his voice echoing off the hall.
Her eyes became wide as the tears entered them and she slowly removed the ring from her finger, the tears now sliding down her face and for a brief moment Kaye felt a pain in his heart for her tears were clearly real.
"Oh honey don't cry" he thought, "This is just an act. I'm not really doing this. No must stay in character," he chided himself.
She placed the ring into his palm.
"Now. Get out of here. I don't want to ever see you again. You can just forget about me."
She stared at him one last time and then ran off in a flood of tears dropping her school bag as she ran.
"Kaye. What are you doing?" Reiji asked again running over.
"Leave me alone Reiji" Kaye replied slowly walking away clenching the ring in his fist.
"Hey!"
"What the heck" Sakura said coming over to her cousin's side.
"I don't know. But I'm gonna get to the bottom of this Sakura. You just watch me!" he ran after Katsuya's retreating figure as Sakura stood there confused with the smug Seitarou and a crowd of students gossiping over what they just saw.
(Next Scene)
As she ran Stephanie's heart ached.
"If it hurts this much when it's just pretend," she thought, "I can only imagine what it would feel like if it really happened. And I'm crying. But it's not real. I guess it adds realism to it" she walked into the bookstore, "But I can't stop the tears. I can't stop crying. Stop it!" she told herself, "Stop crying" she closed her eyes and wiped away the tears as much as she could.
From outside Tsukasa approached the room with a bit of trepidation.
"Well this is it" he took a deep breath before entering in, "So did you do it?" he replied loudly in his most menacing voice.
Stephanie turned and saw him staring back at her with a smug grin.
"Tsukasa" she replied slowly and thought, "This is it" she too took a deep breath, "No turning back now."
(Till Next Time)
Authors Note: Here's the next chapter for you! I hope you enjoyed it!
Next Chapter:
Chapter Four: Aligning Oneself with the Enemy
Katsuya has convinced the entire school that he and Stephanie are no longer together. Well almost everyone. Before long Reiji and Sakura are brought into the deal. Meanwhile Tsukasa and Stephanie prepare themselves for the hardest part of the plan yet. Can they pull if off?See what happens next time on Curse Renewed!