Chapter Nine
Tohru walked between Yuki and Kyo on the way to school that day.
She was exhausted, and she knew they must be, too. It was the only way she could account for their silence. Either that, or they were trying to give her space. Tohru appreciated their thoughtfulness—it had been a hectic morning—though if they were anything like her, there were no doubt a dozen questions turning in their minds. In particular, questions pertaining to Akito's most recent visit.
I have to say, it was very strange of him to just show up in the middle of the night like that.
He hadn't told anyone he was coming first, hadn't even announced himself when he arrived. Tohru shuddered to think of the zodiac god lurking in Shigure's yard, watching her as she kneeled in the dirt, tending to that poor injured bird. What, she wondered, had Akito been hoping to accomplish by spying on her? Tohru gave her head a small shake. Perhaps it was presumptuous to think that he had ventured to Shigure's specifically with the intent of seeking her out.
And yet, she couldn't deny that that was exactly how it had appeared.
I don't think he even once mentioned wanting to see Shigure, Yuki, or Kyo. He just...stood there and talked to me. I mean, it's nice to think that maybe he just wanted some company, but...
But Tohru knew Akito well enough by then to know there had likely been something more sinister going through his mind.
If he really did come just to see me, then he certainly went through a lot of trouble to do so. She sighed, feeling at a loss to explain the events of that morning.
"Miss Honda? Are you all right?"
Yuki's soft, tentative voice jolted her back to the present. She turned, color flooding her cheeks when she saw that both he and Kyo were several paces behind her.
"Oh my gosh," she gasped. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to walk ahead of you! It's just that I have so much on my mind right now, especially with everything that happened with Akito earlier, and I-"
"Stop," Kyo said harshly, though he managed to curb his irritation before continuing. "It's not a big deal. We know that you've got a lot to think about right now. We all do. Things've been weird lately, especially since last week, when you went to see Akito at Sohma House..."
He trailed off, looking to Yuki, but the rat met his gaze with an icy stare. "What?" Kyo snapped. "I know we're not supposed to talk about stuff like this, but if we're gonna, we'd might as well do it before we get to school."
"It's not that I don't want you to talk about it," Yuki replied, his voice taut. "It's that I think you're making far too light of the situation."
"How so?"
The rat turned his back on Kyo, as if he couldn't stand the sight of him. "You said things have been 'weird' lately. That's an understatement if I've ever heard one."
"The hell was I supposed to say, then?" Kyo demanded. "That Akito's become one of those crazy stalker guys that Shigure's always teasing us about?"
Tohru lifted a hand, trying to grab their attention. She hated it when they fought, especially when whatever it was they were arguing over directly involved her. "Um, Kyo? Yuki? Can I just say something, please?"
Kyo abruptly snapped his jaw shut and turned to face her, his expression one of surprise. Yuki's frown lingered for a moment, though he was also quick to tear his gaze from his opponent and direct it at Tohru. She smiled. As much as she didn't like watching them fight, she had to confess that she felt a small sense of accomplishment every time she succeeded in making them forget their differences— even if it was only for a moment.
"Um, I'm sorry," she said at last, giggling. "But Kyo, did I...did I really just hear you call Akito a stalker?"
Kyo growled at that, scratching the back of his head. "So what if I did?" he grumbled. "It's not far from the truth. You heard Hatori this morning. Akito's snuck out of the Main House twice in the last week. To find you. He's crazy. It's like he's fixated or some crap, and I..."
His hands began to shake, and Tohru felt her heart wrench. "Kyo," she said, her voice quiet. "It's all right. I'm all right. Okay?"
She reached for him, her hand brushing the back of his arm, and he jerked away, as though she'd burned him. Tohru winced and pulled her hand back. She was constantly telling herself that she needed to learn to stop taking things so personally. But she found it almost impossible to simply cast aside Kyo's blatant act of rejection. They'd been holding hands for most of the morning, after all, standing side by side on Shigure's porch while they anxiously awaited Hatori's arrival.
Why is Kyo acting this way all of a sudden? Could it be...could it be that he's reluctant to touch me now because Yuki's here with us?
She considered the thought, but was quick to dismiss it. Because that wouldn't make sense. Kyo had held her hand plenty of times while Yuki was around. Could it be that...
Tohru's heart sank as a new possibility entered her mind.
Could it be that he doesn't want me to think he has feelings for me beyond friendship?
Luckily, Kyo spoke before she could dwell too much on that thought.
"I know. I know you're all right." The cat sighed heavily. "I just want you to be safe. And knowing that that bastard's probably got some screwed up plan to try and hurt you...it pisses me off. And the more I think about it, the more pissed off I get."
Tohru glanced over at Yuki, who for once seemed to be in agreement with his cousin.
"It pisses me off, too," he murmured. "More than you can imagine. I think back on how much we all have suffered at the hands of Akito, and I..." He shuddered. "I just don't want him to hurt anyone else, least of all you, Miss Honda. I guess what I'm trying to say is that, in some ways, I feel responsible for bringing you into this mess."
Tohru blinked rapidly at her silver-haired friend as she tried but failed to grasp the meaning behind his words. "This mess? Yuki, what are you trying to say?"
The rat's eyes were downcast as he explained, "I just mean that sometimes I think I should've never gotten you involved with us in the first place. Hatori's right when he says that a dark shadow looms over our family. That might sound dramatic, but...it's true. And that's why sometimes I think that what I did was selfish. I allowed myself to be your friend, Miss Honda, even knowing the pain that it might cause you later on. And that's why I just want to say that if, one day, you do decide you want to part ways with our family, if only to minimize your suffering..." He paused, hanging his head. "Well, I would be sad. But I guess I would understand."
Already tears had begun to pool in Tohru's wide blue eyes.
Part ways with the Sohmas? Minimize her suffering? Why was Yuki saying these things? Didn't he know that she considered herself a part of their family now?
Being with them made her happy, happier than she'd ever felt in her life, and she wouldn't trade the time she'd had with them for anything in the world. She cringed to think of what the alternative to living with them might have been. If she'd never stumbled onto Shigure's porch that spring morning last year, she likely would've never befriended Yuki. She would have continued to camp out in that tent in the woods for a few weeks. Then she would have returned to her grandfather's house and been stuck living with her cruel aunt, uncle, and cousins. She would have had to endure their constant mockery, ridicule, and attacks on her character. Tohru wasn't sure just how much of that she could have taken.
"No!" she said, perhaps a bit too loudly. "No, don't be silly! I would never want to part ways with any of you! I know you may not believe this right now, but I meant what I said to Akito last week. I'm glad to have known him. I'm glad to have known all of you. I don't regret it, not one bit, and..."
She took a deep breath, hesitating. "Despite everything that he's done, I want to find a way to try and help Akito, if I can."
Silence fell, though it didn't last more than a few seconds before Yuki shook his head. "Miss Honda...no. That isn't a good idea. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Shigure's right. From now on you should try to stay away from Akito as much as possible."
"Yeah," Kyo said. "Hanging around him is like asking to get punched. You've seen the way he gets when he's mad. He may be sick, but that guy can do some real damage if he puts his mind to it."
Yuki nodded. "Akito sees you as a threat, Miss Honda. It's why he's been trying as hard as he can to torment you these last few days. But I'm not going to let him keep doing that."
Kyo narrowed his eyes. "Neither am I," he said, his voice resolute.
Tohru regarded them silently, not knowing how to respond. She knew they were right, of course. Akito was a potentially dangerous man—she'd seen as much herself firsthand. However, her most recent interaction with him had led her to believe that there was reasons for his angry, often destructive behavior. She remembered the way he'd looked at her earlier that morning, cold and shivering, his body trembling as he coughed and begged for her to stay by his side.
He was hurting. Of that, there wasn't a doubt in Tohru's mind, and as foolish as it might be to think...she found that she wasn't afraid of him. At least, not nearly as much as she used to be.
"I appreciate your concern," she told her friends. "But it's really okay. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I really believe that Akito is the way he is because he's suffering."
"Oh, he's gonna be suffering the next time I see him," Kyo said threateningly.
"No, Kyo. I really mean it." She turned to Yuki, her eyes pleading. "You were there with me last week at the Main House, when I requested an audience with Akito. Do you remember what he said to me when I told him that he was alive?"
The rat was quiet for a long moment. "Yes, I do remember. He laughed at you. He said that he couldn't believe anyone would consider the state he's in as being alive."
"Yes." Tohru nodded. "That's exactly it. I think he feels like he never really got to live. And he knows that he doesn't have much time left, so-"
"That's no excuse," Kyo spat bitterly.
Both Tohru and Yuki turned to stare at him, to which the cat quickly defended, "Look, I know where you're going with this, but I'm sorry, I still don't have a lot of sympathy for the guy. I mean, if you know you've only got so much time left to live, then how about you dedicate it to making the world a better place instead of going around acting like a complete asshole-"
"You're one to talk," Yuki muttered, though it was more than loud enough to be heard by Kyo. The cat hissed and took a threatening step in his cousin's direction.
"Akito is angry, I'm sure," Tohru said, ignoring them. "And while I agree with you when you say that lashing out and treating people cruelly isn't the correct way to go about expressing your anger...I don't know. Maybe that's all he knows. Maybe he learned that behavior from someone close to him. Someone he looks up to."
She waited, but neither of them uttered so much as a single word of acknowledgment. Instead they fixed each other with a strange, almost haunted look. While anyone else might've figured that they were digesting her words, Tohru jumped to the immediate conclusion that she'd said something terribly wrong.
"Oh! I mean, I don't know Akito all that well, of course," she said, backpedaling. "It's just that, my mom said we all learn how to express ourselves from the people that we're around most growing up. Like a parent or a guardian or-"
"Tohru! Yuki! Kyo! There you are!"
A tiny voice shouted at them down the sidewalk. Tohru looked ahead and spotted Momiji, his bunny rabbit backpack bouncing up and down as he rushed toward them. She raised her hand to him in a wave, grinning. "Momiji! Hi! What are you doing so far from school?"
"Looking for you, of course!" Momiji grabbed Tohru's hand as soon as he had reached her. He giggled, pulling her along with him. "Come on, come on! I wanted to make sure I had a chance to talk to you before class."
Kyo scowled down at the rabbit. "Damn it, Momiji," he said. "Just hold on a minute. We weren't done-"
"Come on, Tohru!" Momiji said, ignoring him. "Let's race! Last one to school is a rotten egg!"
"Hey!" Kyo shouted, shaking his fists. "Get back here, you little runt!"
But Momiji and Tohru were already gone. The pair raced off toward school together, leaving Yuki and Kyo behind in the wake of their gleeful laughter.
Momiji acted like everything was normal as he raced down the sidewalk with Tohru. In his head, though, he was reeling with thoughts of concern for his friend's safety.
If I'm going to tell her everything I overheard this morning,I should probably do it now, before anybody can come along and try to interrupt.
The rabbit's breath caught in his chest as the schoolyard came into view. There, sitting on a bench off to the side of the building's entrance, he saw Arisa Uotani and Electric Girl, Tohru's two closest friends. They both waved the moment they caught sight of her, and she waved back, bringing Momiji to an instant halt.
Aw, man. Now I'm gonna have to find an excuse to pull her away from them, too. His mission was proving to be far trickier than he'd hoped.
"Yo, Tohru!" Arisa shouted, barreling toward them. Her angular face was set with a severe expression, and Momiji nearly shrieked in surprise as she gripped Tohru's arm. "I need you to come over here for a second," she said. "It's real important."
Tohru didn't appear the least bit frazzled by Arisa's rough greeting, and for about the hundredth time that year, Momiji found himself looking between the two girls, wondering how on earth they'd gotten to be friends in the first place.
Tohru's the type of person who could probably be friends with just about anyone, given enough time, Momiji reminded himself. Besides, Arisa seems nice in her own way. She's certainly a tough cookie. He stole a short glance at the blonde girl's muscular forearms. I bet she could take Kyo in a fight, he thought, fighting back a giggle.
"Um. Uo?" Tohru's face was etched with worry as she regarded her friend. "Is everything okay? You seem...not yourself."
Arisa waved off her concern. "Oh, I'm fine," she said as she made a poor attempt at a cheerful laugh. "There's just something that I want to ask you about, and..." She cut a glance at Momiji, as if noticing him for the first time. Her thin lips curled into a polite grin. "No worries, kid. I'll give her back to you as soon as I'm done, okay? We just need to have a little girl talk."
Momiji considered his options. He really didn't want to wait to talk to Tohru. But if he was too insistent, Arisa would become suspicious, and the last thing Momiji needed was for her and Electric Girl to pry into Sohma family matters.
And so he beamed at Arisa, giving her the thumbs up sign. "Of course!" he said, his voice as jovial as ever. "No problem! I'll see you later, Tohru, okay?"
"Oh, um...yes!" Tohru jolted, inclining her head toward the rabbit. "See you later!"
Momiji winked. "You bet you will!" he said before scurrying off to give them some privacy.
I'll just have to catch her after class, he thought, sighing as he pushed his way through the double doors of the school building. Maybe I can find a way to meet up with her during lunch hour
He stopped as he entered the first year's hallway. Class didn't start for another ten minutes, and most of the students stood leaning casually against their lockers, talking. Already the rabbit saw a few people that he knew, though his attention was drawn away from them the moment he caught sight of a head of black and white hair bobbing up and down just ahead. The figure effortlessly weaved through the many clusters of students. Though he did his best to lay low, there wasn't a doubt in Momiji's mind that the person in question was Haru.
Momiji rushed forward to grab his cousin before he disappeard into the fray. Haru's one of the smartest people I know. I'll tell him what I overheard this morning at Sohma House. Maybe he'll have some advice for me.
"So, um, what is it that you wanted to tell us, Uo?" Tohru asked her friend the moment they had joined Hana over by one of the schoolyard benches.
Arisa sighed. How could she tell them about Kureno without sounding ridiculous? The more she played over that morning's events in her head, the more foolish she felt.
It had only been a short meeting, after all, lasting a grand total of...what? Fifteen minutes? Hell, she hadn't even managed to get his phone number! Even so, Arisa couldn't help feeling that there had been something between them, something that had the potential to develop into something more, if given the chance.
I have to find out if he's related to orange-top and the prince. Because if he is...
Well, that might just be the only chance she would need.
"Okay," she began, holding both her hands out in front of her. "This is going to sound totally insane, but humor me for just a minute, okay?
"This morning I went into work for my early shift. Hinako was at the register, and I was there to relieve her at six o'clock. I came in a few minutes early so that I could do a little grocery shopping, and while I was walking around, I met this really hot guy..." She trailed off, already feeling like an idiot. "And...well, we kind of hit it off," she finished, shrugging. "Or at least, I sure as hell thought we did."
Tohru's eyes were wide as she listened, whereas Hana looked as calm and collected as ever. "I see," she said slowly. "Please, do continue."
"Well," Arisa said, "I guess to make a long story short, when I asked him for his name he said that it was Kureno. Kureno Sohma." She snapped her head in Tohru's direction. "Do you think there's any way that you could ask around and see if he's related to the Sohmas that you're staying with? Because if he is, I'd really like to have another chance to talk to him. If I can. I mean, if he wants to."
Tohru thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I've never heard Shigure or any of the others mention anyone in their family named Kureno."
Arisa's heart sank. She tried to hide her disappointment, though it certainly didn't escape Tohru's notice. The brunette perked up and quickly added, "But that doesn't mean he isn't one of their relatives! I'll be sure to ask around for you."
Arisa smiled, her heart flooding with warmth at her friend's unwavering kindness. "That's sweet of you, Tohru, but I don't wanna trouble you with my guy problems."
"I want to help, though," Tohru said. "And it's really no trouble at all. I'll just find Yuki and Kyo and ask them. I'm sure they won't mind, and-"
"Kureno Sohma." Hana's soft voice seemed to linger in the air several moments after she had spoken, almost like an eerie echo. "Kureno Sohma," she said again, looking to Arisa. "That was what you said his name was. Right?"
Arisa's lips parted as she stared at her friend. Something about the way Hana was speaking gave her a sense of uneasiness. "Uh...yeah. That's what I said. Why? What's up? Do you know something about him?"
Hana hesitated, which was a sure indication that she definitely knew something. "The darkness," she murmured. "That...shadow that looms over Kyo and the prince. It isn't around Kureno, is it? Hmm. Yes. Very interesting."
Arisa and Tohru exchanged a glance. For some reason that Arisa couldn't figure out, Tohru's eyes had gone wide. She seemed almost nervous. Hana, on the other hand, had a pensive look about her, and Arisa was tempted to wave a hand in front of the girl's face. Much as she loved her friends, she had to admit that sometimes Hana seriously frustrated her with her cryptic language, not to mention the one-sided conversations that she so often seemed to have with herself.
"Yes, it is very strange," Hana continued before Arisa could demand that she explain herself. "He is one of them, I'm sure. And yet, at the same time...he's different."
Arisa frowned. "Uh. So you're saying that Kureno is related to the Sohmas that we know?"
"Yes," Hana replied. "Of that, there is no doubt."
Arisa mulled over this for a moment. Then she shook her head sharply. "Hang on a minute. How could you possibly know that? You've never even met the guy. No offense, Hana, but-"
"No," Hana agreed. "I have never met him. But from the moment I saw you this morning, Arisa, I sensed that you'd met someone who had affected you greatly. What I am picking up right now is merely an echo of that experience. Neverthless, it has given me insight into the sort of person he is."
"And?" Arisa prompted.
Hana's face betrayed no emotion. "You are correct in thinking that you left an impression on him as well. However, I'm afraid that right now he cannot be reached. His mind is not at peace, and therefore, his heart is closed off to you and to anyone else who might try to breach it." She bowed her head. "And that is all I can tell you for now."
For a while Arisa could only gape dumbly at Hana. Anyone else likely would have pointed an accusatory finger at the raven-haired girl and called her a liar. But Arisa knew better than that.
Though she wouldn't deny that she'd once laughed off Hana's psychic "powers" as bogus, Arisa now found that she had a very different opinion. Because Hana almost always ended up being right about the things she "sensed," and as creepy and illogical as it was to entertain the notion that something like electric signals might actually be real...well, Arisa had no other way of explaining how Hana knew all of the things she knew about the people around her. Over the years Arisa had made the conscious choice to start believing and trusting in her friend, odd and quirky as she might be, and thus far she could honestly say she hadn't once regretted doing so. Not even in moments like this, moments where Hana told her things that she really, really did not want to hear.
"Yeah, well, I guess that figures," Arisa said at last with a sigh. "Ugh! Damn it, Hana. You're looking out for me, I know you are. But what you just said really hurts."
Hana kept her head low. "I know. And I'm sorry, Arisa. Truly, I am. Perhaps one day your path will cross with Kureno Sohma's again, but for now..."
She trailed off, her head turning slowly in the direction of a distant sound. Footsteps. Loud, booming footsteps. It sounded like a pack of wildebeests was charging them.
"What the hell?" Arisa said, laughing when she caught sight of the twin figures rocketing toward them. Of course. Those two are always looking for an excuse to compete.
"Would you look at that," she remarked. "Day's barely started and already the prince and orange-top are at other's throats. Don't they ever get sick of trying to kill each other?"
Tohru smiled, knowing the question was directed at her. "I don't think so," she said. "I know it's strange to say, but honestly? I think I'd be worried if they did."
Arisa chuckled. "I bet. Aw man, here they come! Let's see who wins. My money is on the prince."
Kyo let out a war cry as he surged forward, trying to get the upper hand on Yuki, though the prince still managed to outpace him. He reached the school several seconds before his cousin. He stopped to catch his breath near the door while Arisa cheered.
Unfortunately, Kyo's finish was not nearly so smooth. He skidded across the pavement, his momentum carrying him forward until he collided head-on with the school doors. Both of them flew open at the impact, and he wound up landing flat on his face just inside the entryway. While Arisa cracked up, Hana looked on disapprovingly. Tohru, of course, was already scrambling to help Kyo.
"Are you all right?" she exclaimed. "Oh my goodness...this is horrible!" Her head shot frantically left and right. "I hope a teacher didn't see, or you might get in trouble-"
"DAMN IT!" Kyo yelled, whirling on Yuki. "WHAT THE HELL KIND OF CHEAP TRICK WAS THAT?"
The prince was adjusting his tie, unfazed by his cousin's outburst. "Trick? I don't have any idea what you're talking about."
"YOU TRIPPED ME!"
"Tripped you? I was standing right here. There's no way I could've possibly-"
"Look, I don't know how you did it," Kyo said. "But there's no way in hell I would've fallen like that unless-"
"Unless you were going too fast," Arisa said, sneering down at him. "Or, unless you just happen to be a clumsy idiot."
Kyo directed his fury at her, his face reddening as he leaped to his feet. "Shut up, you damn Yankee! Nobody asked you!"
Arisa cast him a shit-eating grin, though before she could say anything, the bell rang. It wasn't until that moment that she realized there were several other students standing nearby. Of course, all of them were staring at her and Kyo.
"All right, folks, show's over," Arisa said loudly, waving them away. "Nothing to see here. Go on, move along!"
The bystanders obeyed, shaking their heads and mumbling to each other as they filed into school. Arisa and her friends followed suit. Though she and Kyo continued to bicker childishly all the way to class, she found herself feeling happier than she had in a long time.
Kureno Sohma or no Kureno Sohma, I'd say I've got a pretty good life.
A flash of blue hair caught her attention, and she turned, only to see Motoko Minagawa, "president" of the Prince Yuki fan club, passing by. The mere thought of the Yuki fan club was usually enough to make Arisa feel nauseous. The club was made up of a bunch of silly girls who had made it their mission in life to win the affections of Yuki. They obsessed over him, especially Motoko. Arisa watched her smile shyly at the prince, who blinked in surprise before smiling back, waving. Oblivious, that's what he was. And too nice for his own damn good. Arisa rolled her eyes at the exchange.
Motoko has convinced herself she's in love with him, when she doesn't even know the first thing about him. She scoffed. Motoko wouldn't know what real love was if it smacked her upside the head.
Arisa would never lower herself to such a level, no matter how she might feel about someone. She refused.
Still, she couldn't help hoping Hana was right. That maybe one day, fate would decide to throw her and Kureno Sohma together again.
I just hope he's all right. Wherever he is, I hope he finds the peace that he's looking for.
"Thank you for waiting." The doctor's face and voice were equally expressionless. "You may step into my office now."
Kureno followed Hatori, unsurprised to find that the room looked almost exactly as it had the last time he'd seen it. The desk still faced the left wall, papers sorted neatly into three piles on top. A beige sofa sat on the opposite end, the upholstery fresh and spotless, as though it had just been purchased yesterday.
It was here that he and Hatori had had their final conversation two years ago.
"Are you sure that leaving is a wise choice?" the dragon had asked him. "I know you're anxious to begin your new life, as any of us would be in your position. But think of Akito. He isn't taking this well."
"I know," Kureno had answered calmly, unable to bring himself to meet the doctor's gaze. "But I have to. Don't you understand? This is may be the only chance I get to have the one thing I've always wanted."
Freedom. The ability to make his own choices. To go where he wanted, have the friends he wanted. To love who he wanted.
Love.
The word made him think immediately of Arisa Uotani, the girl he'd met at the convenience store that morning. It had been a while since Kureno met a girl like her, a girl who was beautiful, smart, and fiercely independent. He bit back a smile as he remembered her hobbling toward the counter with that mountain full of groceries in her arms. He knew that he could easily be happy with someone like her.
That is, he could if his mental state weren't so hopelessly marred.
It was maddening. Every time something good came into his life, his traitorous brain had a way of convincing him he didn't deserve it. Because there were others who were still suffering from the zodiac curse. Because he was doing nothing to try and help them. Because he'd gotten lucky.
Why me? The question repeated itself over and over in his mind every day. Why me? Why me?
It was a special kind of hell to be living in, and after two years Kureno wasn't sure he would ever be free of it.
No, of course he couldn't. He was far too empathetic of a person. He suppressed a sigh as Hatori took a seat in his desk chair.
"I want to thank you for coming here on such short notice," the doctor began, tearing the ex-rooster from his thoughts. "I had always hoped that our next meeting would be a happier occasion, but as it stands…well, let's just say that things are not going as well as I would like."
Kureno didn't miss the heaviness in his cousin's voice. "Why? What's happened? Akito-"
"Is alive and well, for now," Hatori said swiftly. "As of late he's said he's feeling much better than normal. Of course, I initially took this as a good sign. However, upon further research…" He paused, his gaze lingering on a manila envelope on his desk. "It would appear that the previous Sohma heads also reported experiencing similar health improvements near the end of their lives."
The end of their lives.
Hatori stared at his cousin, his eyes grave. "I think...well, to be perfectly blunt, I fear that Akito may be nearing his own end."
Kureno was quiet for a long moment after that. "Have you told him?" he asked, and the doctor frowned, leaning back in his chair.
"Of course not. It's a well-known fact that about the worst thing you can do for a patient is crush their spirit."
"That's true. The power of the mind is never to be underestimated." Kureno sighed. He really did feel sorry for Akito. It was kind of Hatori to spare the zodiac god the grisly details of what was soon to come.
Then again, was it a kindness to give someone hope when there was none? Kureno couldn't decide.
"No indeed," Hatori said. "At any rate, on the surface, Akito appears to be doing just fine. In fact, I doubt you would recognize him if you saw him now."
At Kureno's questioning look, the doctor divulged, "You will recall how, when you were still with us, Akito refused to leave the house under any circumstances in hopes of preventing himself from contracting an illness."
Kureno nodded. He remembered all too well the countless times that Akito had snapped at Hatori for suggesting he take a walk or step outside for a breath of fresh air.
"Twice this last week Akito has taken it upon himself to leave the Main House without consulting me first. And in both of these instances, he wasn't just stepping outside for a brief stroll."
Hearing that, Kureno leaned forward, frowning. "Where on earth was he going?"
"The first time, he left the house in the middle of a rainstorm. No coat, no umbrella, nothing to keep him warm or dry. No escort, either."
"He willingly stepped outside into the pouring rain?" Kureno almost laughed. Impossible. Akito would never be caught dead doing such a thing.
"It gets worse, I'm afraid. He didn't just leave the house. He took my car."
Kureno's eyes went wide, though Hatori pressed on before he could say anything. "Naturally, I was alarmed when I realized my vehicle was missing. I arranged a search party, though before I could dispatch them, Akito returned, drenched, but in one piece. He told me he'd gone to Shigure's house.
"The next incident occurred several days later. He stole my vehicle again, this time in the dead of night, while I was asleep. I admit I likely would have never known he was gone, had it not been for the phone call that I received just a little after five in the morning."
"Was it the police?" Kureno held back a chuckle as he imagined how the zodiac god might react to being pulled over. He could just hear him barking obscenities at the officer. Unhand me! Insufferable little man! Do you know who I am?
Kureno looked to Hatori, who he swore had an uncharacteristic half smile on his face. He was probably imagining a similar scenario.
"No, though in truth, that might have been a more favorable outcome," the doctor replied. "It was Shigure on the phone. He was calling to tell me that Akito had collapsed in his front yard. He was having trouble breathing. Luckily, it was only an asthma attack, similar to what Yuki endures from time to time. But if I hadn't shown up when I did, things could have gotten very bad very quickly."
Kureno mulled over all of this for a moment. "I don't understand. Why would Akito go to so much trouble just to see Shigure? I know he's angry that Shigure no longer lives at Sohma House, but-"
"That's just it," Hatori said. "He hasn't been going there to see Shigure. He's been going there to see someone else."
"Someone else?" Kureno echoed, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. What kind of company could Shigure be keeping that would hold any interest for Akito? It didn't seem possible that the zodiac god would ever deign to pay special attention to anyone outside of the zodiac.
"Who is it?" Kureno asked, unable to keep the eagerness from his voice.
"A girl," Hatori replied. "Tohru Honda is her name."
Kureno's face had gone pale. He looked like he might faint, not that Hatori blamed him. He would be shocked too, if he'd been away for two years only to come back and learn that Akito had taken interest in a person outside of the zodiac— and a female, no less.
"A girl? You mean to tell me that Shigure-"
Hatori narrowed his eyes at the implication. "Honda is a friend of Yuki's," he said before Kureno could get the rest of the question out. "She took up residence with him and Shigure about a year ago. While the arrangement was originally intended to be temporary, she is now a permanent member of the household. Kyo lives with them as well."
Kureno was clearly still struggling to wrap his mind around everything. "Forgive me, Hatori, but...I just can't accept that what you're saying is true. There's no way Akito would ever allow an outsider into the family."
"Believe me," Hatori said, "we were all equally as shocked. But I assure you, it's true. Akito has allowed Tohru Honda to remain in Shigure's house, on the condition that she not tell anyone about our family secret."
Hearing that, Kureno's eyes went wide. "Are you saying this girl knows about the zodiac curse?"
"Yes."
Kureno massaged his temples, as though afflicted by a sudden headache. "And are you also saying," he murmured, "that you believe Akito has formed an attachment to her?"
The doctor paused for a long moment before answering. "At the very least, Shigure and I both believe she has the potential to change things, both for him and for the rest of the zodiac."
"Change things? In what way?"
Hatori quietly tapped one of his fingers against the arm of his chair as he considered how best to answer the question. "While not a particularly bright or interesting girl, Tohru Honda is a person unlike any I have ever met." A small smile touched his lips. "She has a gift for seeing the good rather than the bad in people, and she has the uncanny ability of making them see it, too."
Kureno chuckled, his smile mirroring his cousin's. "Well, then it isn't any wonder she's become a favorite among the Sohmas."
"No indeed. Even Hiro has warmed to her. I don't believe Isuzu has officially met her yet, but I figure it's only a matter of time."
"And Akito?"
Hatori felt his smile waver. "Certainly not at first. When this all started he didn't seem to give her much thought, though after a while he realized just how much influence she had over the zodiac, and he became jealous. I can tell those feelings are waning, however."
"What do you think changed his mind?"
"Kyo," Hatori said simply.
When Kureno regarded him with confusion, the doctor explained, "Just a few weeks ago, Miss Honda saw the cat in his true form."
"Kyo?" Kureno whispered, aghast. "You mean to tell me that this girl...she's seen the cat for what he truly is?"
"Yes," Hatori replied. "And Tohru Honda's acceptance of him appears to have convinced Akito once and for all that she is truly the benevolent person she appears to be. She's certainly given Kyo hope for a brighter future, and I think she may have given Akito a similar hope for himself as well."
Kureno sat quietly for a long moment. "That is a most...comforting thought," he said slowly. "But is it not cruel to allow this girl to give Akito hope when there is none to be had? The curse is what it is. It's as you just said; the Sohma head lives for a short time, and then he dies. It's the way things are, and it's the way that they'll always be."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Hatori said, gesturing at his cousin with a nod. "Look at you. Does what happened to you align with what is considered normal within the zodiac?"
"Well, no," Kureno allowed. "I suppose not."
"Then why must it be for him? For any of us? Shigure and I have talked about this at great length, and we both believe that the final banquet may be upon us at last."