My virgin shot at Furuba. Therefore, reviews are much love. :)

Ayame has never known temperance nor moderation.

Everyone else in the Sohma House thought that the Snake would have benefitted from his two childhood cousins (Hatori restraint and kindness; Shigure depth and callousness), since they grew up together, attended the same schools and university eventually. One would rarely be seen without the company of another, and females in the neighbourhood swooned over their God-given physical attributes.

It was common to see schoolgirls lurking somewhere outside the Sohma House with their fashionably-cut pleated skirts and a book in hand (just in case a neighbour throws them a weird glance or a police car drives by); hoping to see the infamous, handsome trio walking out from their seclusive family compounds to school, back home, or simply for an evening stroll. Even the old lady who lived at the corner of the street would wait with her Husky after her grocery shopping until she gave her customary morning wave to the boys (and she wonders why her bitch was always trying to go after one of them).

Then as time went by and the boys grew older, the schoolgirls disappeared but the female attention they gotten never waned. The females started to hang around their school-clubs (Hatori at Science Club, Shigure at Writing Club, Ayame at Drama Club) and everyone (save for the Principal) knew that half of them were after Ayame. They would linger around in the school corridors for the President of the School Council, with their hairs decked in pretty ribbons and clips and sometimes, an envelope or small gift in hand. Their worried faces would light up with a blush as Ayame walked towards them and the tension in the air would escalate, as the anxious admirers waited for his lovely golden eyes to look upon their faces and acknowledge their presence.

Of course, Ayame being himself, didn't notice anyone else other than his two cousins (Hatori might let out a soft sigh; Shigure would smile slyly at the lovelorn girls) and continues to walk towards their destination until one of them (a bolder girl, who is too desperate for his love to simply let him go away like that after all the courage she has mustered up) calls after him.

("Aya-kun! Someone is calling you!" Shigure would say.)

The Snake would stop abruptly, swing around with a dazzling smile (as all talented actors do) and focus his gaze on the girl (afterall, snakes do not have good vision). And then the three minute scene would replay itself as usual. The girl would somehow confess her feelings with her head bowed, Ayame would genuinely let out a gasp of surprise, innocently and cruelly reject her ("Ah! What is your name again?") and let out another heart-breaking smile at her before he laughs (because he cannot understand love, other than the physical side of it which he enjoys very much) and walk down the corridor with the Dragon and the Dog.

("Ayame, that was too blunt," Hatori would sometimes add.)

Most of the time, Hatori made no comments (perhaps, another sigh or a frown) and Shigure merely chuckled as they watched Ayame crush their hearts, one by one. Flowers, chocolates, poems, letters would all go to Shigure (and these incidents would allow the Dog to write about unrequited love and romance in future) while Ayame bothered Hatori about his homework and the wonders of sex and fashion.

And as more time went by, the three boys grew up to be men and each led their own life even though they kept contact with each other. Hatori as usual, fulfilled everyone's expectations and became a doctor. Shigure was a bit of an oddball; since he became a writer (a prolific and famous one at that) despite his own parent's discouragement but nevertheless, the Sohma House approved.

Ayame was the biggest (and expected) disappointment. Not only did he not land a decent, white-collared job after his expensive varsity education, he went on to open a small clothing store that catered to people's sexual fetishes. The only relief that the main House could draw upon was that the store was at least not in the same neighbourhood and the feminine namecard that Ayame so proudly distributes do not bear the family name.

But the Snake continued to hold his head high and attended all the necessary dinners at the main House, believing that there was nothing wrong with his profession even though he knew that the elders were terribly shamed and unhappy with it. Akito said nothing at the buoyant offering of his namecard since her gaze would always be directed at Shigure when they visited her together. Happy, carefree days drifted by and to everyone's surprise, Ayame's business turned brisk and he had to employ a helper.

A petite lady by the name of Mine, with big round eyes, full bosom and adorable spectacles.

("Even her name is so lovely!" Ayame yaks non-stop into the phone. Hatori quietly nods his head while signing a patient's documents; Shigure laughs into the receiver and fishes for more information about this extraordinary woman since the Snake never, ever remembers a female's name.)

Mine was a great helper. She would do everything Ayame said; from designing, cutting, sewing, window display, customer reception, sales, opening hours (and sometimes offering her own view of opinion) and he did not know when or how, but life suddenly became happier and brighter, if it was possible.

The hideous shadow of the Snake was dimmer, and the curse of the transformation no longer seemed to have such a strong hold on his soul anymore. Ayame was amazed, and wondrous at Mine because he had never found a person who could get along with him better than his two cousins did (of which half of their brotherhood bond was from the damned curse itself). Not to mention that Mine adored him as much as he adored her and they truly shared similar views on many aspects of life and business and human beings.

However, romance still did not occur to his mind since he was as peaceful and contented as he could ever asked for throughout his whole life. Snakes are by nature peace-loving creatures who do not feel the need to be aggressive or advance as long as their territories are well-protected and their stomachs filled.

Of course the fateful day came, that the Snake began to feel very much threatened when Mine fell ill and a certain 'dubious'-looking man visited the store day after day not buying anything but looking out for her presence. During that week when his faithful helper was down with flu, Ayame fretted like never before and sleep did not come to him easily. His brain was frequently occupied with her and that guy, although the exact contents were murky and flimsy.

Not understanding why, his natural reaction was to pick up the phone and dial Hatori's number. And after an hour of patient listening, the Dragon smiled a little and said, "Call Shigure."

And so the snake obeyed, because he always listened to Ha-san and he was at a complete loss to the complexity of his feelings. ('Gure-kun!") To which the Dog did not smile nor laugh after thirty minutes of ear-smattering phone call, "Aya, you are jealous and insecure. You resemble my male protagonist now."

The call ended there and then (after a few intimate goodbyes) and Ayame closed shop for that day and the day afterwards. He remained at the store though (for his apartment was above the shop only), alone with his costumes for company as things became crystal-clear to his dense and not very perceptive mind.

He was in love!

But the first emotion he felt was not of love, but of fear. What if Mine rejected him? What if Mine already had a boyfriend? What if that 'dubious'-looking guy was her lover of old times?

Many 'what-if's flitted through his mind and he couldn't sit at the cashier's counter anymore. Ayame paced up and down, relentlessly and anxiously in the dimly lighted store and thought of many things (too many for him to comprehend all at once though). Eventually, he charted out his plans to get Mine back, be it whether she was single, attached, married or divorced because he realized that he could not do without her.

So when Mine returned to the store, pale-faced and smiles-weak, Ayame dragged her to the fitting room, sat her on a stool (which was made for her, anyway) and stood before her, silently and sombre-faced. Mine was afraid; had she done something wrong to warrant such attention from the store manager? Or was she going to be sacked for her medical absence?

"No, no," Ayame shook his head and confessed his true feelings. His legs did not feel sturdy, his normally loud voice sounded weak and faltering, his heart pounded and he couldn't smile at all. He had practised his speech much, went through the steps in his mind countless times yet he felt wretched and cold as Mine's eyes rounded and colour returned to her cheeks.

Only one question ran around in his head; would she reject him? The way he had rejected many girls before?

But Mine gave him the answer that he had hoped for, (oh how his heart leapt at the joy!) and a smile such that would break his heart (yet, it continued to beat as before) as they kissed. For the first time in Ayame's life, the curse did not seem to matter to him anymore because he had her love to draw strength and courage and hope from.

And she loved his flamboyance and animated attitude, as much as he loved her.

Note: Mine means 'beautiful sound'.