Chapter Fifteen

Ren Sohma had not been born to privilege, though no one would've guessed as much by the way she carried herself.

As always, she kept her pointed chin held high. Her waist-length black hair fell in loose waves around her slim figure as she sauntered through the bare, immaculate hallways of her private home on the Sohma estate. When at last she had reached her destination she paused in the doorway, taking a moment to appreciate the pleasant scent of the many fresh soaps and salts wafting from inside the bath chamber. Then she stepped into the room, not bothering to acknowledge the existence of her attendant, who waited nervously with her hands clasped in front of her.

"What's this?" Ren murmured a moment later, withdrawing her hand abruptly from the bathwater, as if burned. She spun, her searing brown eyes coming to rest on the attendant for the first time. "My instructions were to draw a warm bath. If I wished to die of heatstroke, I simply would have asked one of my valets to drive me to a hot spring resort!"

The attendant, a middle-aged woman with all gray hair, blinked back at her mistress in bewilderment. "Err...I'm very sorry, ma'am. I did my best! Truly." She paused, swallowing, and for a moment, Ren almost pitied her. "B-but of course, if it isn't to your liking, I can draw you a new bath, or-"

Ren sighed, already bored of her groveling. "Don't bother. You'd just mess it up again, I'm sure." She waved a red painted hand, shooing the older woman away. "I suppose it's just as well. I'm tired. You may go, though do not think for a moment that I will forget this display of incompetence."

After the attendant had left, Ren sat on the lip of the tub, frowning as she debated whether or not she could truly bring herself to allow such a well prepared bath to go to waste. Then, with a sigh, she submerged her arm and pulled the plug, momentarily transfixed as she watched the glistening water swirl slowly down the drain.

It wasn't that the bath had not been to her satisfaction. Quite the opposite, in fact. Ren had just decided on a whim that she no longer wanted it. The activity had sounded refreshing and exhilarating twenty minutes ago, though upon entering the washroom, its prospects had at once come to lose their appeal.

Much like it is with the idea of having children.

Before leaving, Ren snagged a red kimono from a hook on the wall, letting it drape loosely over her shoulders. She tried with all her might to avoid thinking about her son as she padded down the hallway toward her bedchamber, though she found she simply couldn't prevent the image of his gaunt, pale little face from creeping into her mind.

It had been over a year since she'd last seen the boy. While she was more than happy to keep her interactions with him to a minimum, there were times where she found herself wishing that someone in the family would see fit to give her the courtesy of an update on his health. That way she would know if he was any closer to dying, as everyone kept promising her he would do soon.

But alas, Hatori refused to keep in any kind of communication with her. The doctor cared for her son, of that much Ren didn't have any doubt, and it was for that reason that he did everything he could to keep her in the dark. His evasiveness irritated Ren, though luckily there was one person she could always rely on for information, a person whose company and correspondence she had grown particularly fond of in recent years. He was a young man, and in truth, Ren had no business showing interest, let alone pursuing him. To her credit, she'd tried to resist her attraction at first, though that had quickly proven impossible.

She absently twined her slender fingers through her hair as she continued on down the hall. Thinking of the young man in question made her remember—not for the first time—that it had been several weeks since she'd heard from him. She had but a moment to ponder this irregularity before her thoughts were interrupted by a commotion just outside the door to her rooms.

"...terribly sorry, miss, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"I'm not going anywhere."

The first voice belonged to the gray-haired attendant, the one who had prepared Ren's bath just minutes before. Ren didn't recognize the second voice at all, but the fact that there was someone—anyone—calling on her so late in the day was enough to vex her.

"Miss," the attendant pleaded, "I understand that this is an urgent matter, but by denying you access to these rooms, I'm only doing my duty-"

"I don't care. I will speak with Ren."

The attendant didn't reply right away, though when she did, it was clear that the woman was at her wits' end. "B-but the mistress...she isn't even in her rooms!"

"Then go get her."

Ren chose that precise moment to step into view and reveal herself. She glared pointedly at the arguing pair, eyes flickering toward the attendant before honing in on the young woman standing next to her. It took a moment, but when it finally registered who she was, Ren frowned.

"Isuzu," she said flatly by way of greeting. "What are you doing wandering the estate at such an early hour?"

Ren knew without a doubt that she looked formidable as she stood in the center of the hall, face fixed carefully in a stern expression. Long, dark hair splayed behind her in perfect ringlets, a striking contrast to the blood red silk of the kimono she wore. She was the picture of a proud matriarch with undeniable authority. Despite this, the horse-girl did not shrink back. If anything, she seemed to stand straighter as she nodded stiffly in her direction.

"Looking for you," she replied. "We need to talk."

At hearing this, Ren smirked. So different from the timid, sweet-natured little girl I once knew. Then again, she supposed it had been some time since she'd last spoken to Isuzu—five years, at least—and Ren knew perhaps better than anyone how drastically time could change a person.

She certainly had to commend Isuzu for the newfound spunk adolescence had gifted her. And beauty. Though Ren was more than twenty years the girl's senior, she still found herself feeling a twinge of jealousy at her lithe, well proportioned body. Not, of course, that Ren was unattractive. The opposite, actually, particularly for a woman nearing the age of forty. The fact that she had successfully managed to turn the head of a young man in his mid-twenties was proof of that.

"Talk?" Ren gave a sharp shake of her head. "I think not. For what could we possibly have to say to one another? Aside from the loose familial connection that we both—regrettably—happen to share, I hardly know you, and am, therefore, under no obligation to grant you an audience."

But the horse-girl stood her ground, undeterred. "I'm here on behalf of Shigure."

Ren had to put a great deal of effort into keeping her expression blank, though when Isuzu lowered her gaze and watched her through hooded eyes, there wasn't a doubt in Ren's mind that the girl knew she'd grabbed her attention.

"Shigure? He told you to come here and speak with me?" Ren swore she was going to give the dog an earful for this later.

But Isuzu just rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. He didn't tell me about your relationship. I'm not an idiot, though. I know what the two of you get up to when you think no one is paying attention."

Ren felt a surge of hot anger course through her. But before she could say anything, Isuzu resumed her speech.

"I'm here to gather information about the zodiac curse. I want to stop it from progressing, and I figure if there's anyone in this family who knows how to do that, it's probably you."

"Stop the curse from progressing?" Ren said, astonished. "And how do you propose to do that?"

Isuzu's dark brows seemed almost permanently knitted together as she contemplated her response. "Akito is the key. I know that he is. And in light of recent developments...I think now is the ideal time to act."

"Developments?" Now Ren was intrigued. "How do you mean?"

Instead of answering, Isuzu glared over at the attendant, who was still standing silently by. Ren rolled her eyes and made a sweeping gesture with her hand, and the maid bowed gratefully, hurrying off without a word.

"What makes you think I will assist you in stunting the progression of the zodiac curse?" Ren asked, and Isuzu folded her arms across her chest.

"I know you're estranged from Akito. I'm not sure why, but I came to tell you that it may not be too late to make amends." She took a deep breath. "My goal is to break the curse. Shigure has said that he'll help me, and...well, I guess I'm wondering if you might want to join us. As Akito's mother, you probably have lots of insight."

At that, Ren snorted. "Really? I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."

Isuzu scowled, clenching her fists. "Quit playing dumb. In order for the curse to break, something has to happen. Something very specific. Surely you must have some thoughts as to what that thing might be."

Shaking her head, Ren began pacing the room in a small circle. "I don't believe this. You came all this way hoping I could provide you with some small clue as to how to break the zodiac curse, is that it?" Isuzu didn't reply, and Ren took that as an affirmative. "Well, then I'm sorry to say that you've wasted both my time and yours. Because I know nothing more than you or Shigure."

She thought that would be the end of it, but the horse-girl was not one to give up so easily.

"Shigure seems to think that in order for the zodiac curse to break, something has to change. Something within God's heart." She looked at Ren expectantly. "What do you make of that theory?"

This poor girl. So delusional. What sort of lunacy has Shigure been feeding her? Ren heaved a sigh. "Shigure could very well be right, though I must warn you that to even hope for such a thing is folly. Everyone knows my son is near his end, and that boy's heart is as bitter and full of hate as ever it was. If I were you, I would just get used to the idea of being cursed."

She smirked, though much to her dismay, Isuzu still did not appear discouraged. "Shigure disagrees. And I do, too."

"Oh?" Ren tried not to be bothered by the knowledge that Shigure and Isuzu were chatting regularly, though with every moment she was finding it increasingly difficult to do so. "And why is that?"

"Because Akito has changed. I've seen it for myself."

Though Ren was surprised by this assertion, she wasn't inclined to believe it for a moment. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence," she said, and much to her surprise, Isuzu seemed to agree.

"It isn't as though he's a completely different person," she offered. "He's still bitter, as you say. But he isn't nearly as unfeeling as he once was."

"Oh?" Again, Ren was intrigued, but unconvinced. "And what have you seen that has led you to believe this is true?"

Isuzu hesitated, an array of expressions washing over her pretty face before she finally said, "He cares about someone. Someone outside the family. A girl."

Tohru took a walk alone on the beach that morning, before the others were awake. While she wasn't normally one to favor solitude, lately she'd found herself seeking it more and more.

What's happening to me? She couldn't seem to shake the feeling that she wasn't the same person she'd been a year ago, or even last month. And she was still changing, every day, every minute. Her mother had once told her that change was good, something to be celebrated.

"After all, if we always stay the same, then we'd might as well be dead."

At the time, Tohru had heartily agreed. But now that she was older, she couldn't help wondering if maybe her mother had been just partially right. Maybe change was only good if it was for the better.

I've always liked who I am. But this person I'm becoming...this person who meddles in things that don't concern her, who challenges rules that have been set in place...that's never been me.

But it was who she was now, and what scared her most about that was the fact that she knew there was no going back. Not because she couldn't, but because she didn't want to.

If Mom could see me right now, would she be proud, or would she be disappointed?

That was the ever lingering question in the back of her mind, the question that made her wonder if it was a good thing she was evolving into a different person. It bothered her so much that she almost didn't see the stranger walking just ahead.

He was a young man, probably only slightly younger than Shigure, with a head of short, meticulously trimmed auburn hair. He wore a pair of neatly pressed black pants and a gray button down shirt. It looked like the sort of attire someone might wear to an office, and Tohru frowned as she watched him turn his head up toward the sky. She had never seen him before, and yet somehow, she got the distinct feeling that there was something familiar about him.

Could this be a Sohma?

The closer she got, the more certain she became. Sohma's tended to have a sort of mysterious air about them, and this man was most definitely mysterious. Why, for instance, would he choose to wear such stiff, uncomfortable clothing to a beach?

Deciding to announce herself, Tohru cleared her throat. "Um, excuse me!" she said perhaps louder than was necessary. "I don't mean to disturb you, but..."

His head shot up, and Tohru nearly gasped when his eyes came to rest on her face. They were the exact same reddish brown color as his hair, and there was no mistaking the warmth in them as he regarded her. He was also, she couldn't help but notice, very handsome.

"Ah," he said softly. "I was wondering when our paths might cross."

I was right! He is a Sohma! It was the first time she'd ever guessed as much on her own without any clues. Though she knew it was silly, she couldn't help feeling proud of herself and her deductive skills.

"You already know me," she said, unable to contain her excitement. "Then I guess there's really no reason to introduce myself. I-I mean..." She shook her head, cheeks burning. "I mean, of course I'll introduce myself! That was terribly rude. I only meant-"

"Tohru Honda," the man said, inclining his head. "It's a pleasure. I'm Kureno Sohma."

Tohru's mind reeled. Where had she heard that name before?

Wasn't that the man Arisa said she met at the convenience store? Though there was a part of her that insisted it would be improper to mention it, Tohru found she simply could not, in good conscience, let this moment pass her by. Not without at least trying to see if there was something she could do to help her friend.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well," she said, also bowing. "Um. This might seem a bit strange, but there's something…" She bit her lower lip, stalling. "The thing is," she tried again a moment later, "I have a friend who says she's met you. Her name is Arisa Uotani. She told me she bumped into you one day at the convenience store she works at. Does...does any of that sound familiar to you?"

Tohru knew right away that Arisa's name was, in fact, familiar to Kureno. She could tell by the way his eyebrows—also the same color as his hair—shot up in surprise when she said it.

"Arisa told you about me?" he said, stunned, and Tohru smiled, nodding her head.

"You made quite the impression. She said she doubts she'll ever see you again, but when she told me your last name was Sohma, I couldn't help wondering-"

"If I belonged to the same family as your friends," he finished. Tohru thought he sounded solemn, though she couldn't begin to guess why.

"Right," she affirmed. "Because...well, Arisa means a lot to me. She was the first real friend I ever had, so I guess it's safe to say I know her pretty well. And when she talked about you, I could tell she thought you were someone really special. Someone who made her happy. And...well, I just thought that maybe-"

But Kureno cut her off there. "I admire you for trying to help your friend. I really do. But I'm afraid that what you're about to ask is simply out of the question. I..." He trailed off, sighing wistfully. "If you want to know the truth, Arisa made an impression on me, too. She was...authentic. She said exactly what was on her mind, and she definitely wasn't afraid to put me in my place when she felt she needed to." He chuckled, though his expression turned serious again a moment later. "She tried to stop me when I ran out of the store. I could tell she wanted to see me again, but the problem was...I wanted to see her again, too. And that was how I knew that I could never allow it to be."

Tohru listened, all the while thinking to herself that the longer she talked to Kureno Sohma, the more mysterious he became.

She thought back to when Arisa first told her and Hana about Kureno. Didn't Hana say she'd been able to sense something about him that day? Yes. She'd said he was troubled somehow, and that until he resolved his inner conflict he would be...what was the word she'd used? Unreachable.

"I don't understand," Tohru said, frowning. "If you want to see her again, then why-"

Kureno ran a hand through his hair. "There are...things—or rather, circumstances—in my life that prevent me from having healthy and long lasting relationships. So you can tell Arisa that I'm sorry, but I won't be stopping in her convenience store again." He dipped his head in what Tohru was almost certain was a gesture of farewell. "Well then, I think I'd best be going. It was nice to finally make your acquaintance, Miss Tohru Honda."

Circumstances? Could he mean…?

"Wait!" Tohru called after his retreating figure. "I...I don't mean to be rude," she said after several moments of floundering, "but I'm curious as to whether or not you're part of the Sohma family's inner circle."

She froze, heart pounding against her ribcage as she awaited his response.. I've never said something so forward to a complete stranger! He must think I'm terribly assuming. I mean, even I'm technically not a part of the Sohma family's inner circle. And yet I just had the nerve to-

But Kureno didn't seem the least bit offended. He fixed her with a curious look. "Yes, I am. Why do you ask?" he said, though Tohru thought he looked like he knew full well what the answer to that question was.

"I…" Tohru felt a bead of sweat trickle down her neck. Stop being so nervous! Just ask him. He seems like a kind person, and I'm sure he'll understand your reasons for inquiring once you explain.

"Forgive me, but I can't help wondering if maybe you're...that is, are you...p-part of the zodiac? Maybe?"

She held her breath, hoping that she was right in her suspicions. Because if Kureno was part of the zodiac, then Hana's reading of him made perfect sense.

Which is why she felt such immense disappointment when Kureno smiled and said quietly, "No."

Tohru cast her eyes downward, though she barely had time to let the truth of what he'd just said sink in before he added, "At least, not anymore."

The jerking movements of the vehicle tossed Akito back and forth, causing his stomach to churn. He gripped the cool leather of the headrest behind the driver's seat, fighting a wave of nausea as Hatori drove over yet another unexpected bump in the road.

"Apologies," the dragon said from the front seat. "I'm trying to make the ride as smooth as possible."

But Akito waved him off with a half-hearted flick of his wrist. "Don't waste your breath," he muttered. "You're doing your best. I know that you are."

If Hatori was surprised by the remark, he did not let on. "Why don't you lie down?" he suggested when he saw Akito's head slump, the young man's fingers still clinging steadfast to the back of the driver's seat. "It can't be comfortable sitting like that-"

"No," Akito said, emphatic. "I have to stay awake. I have to stay...strong."

The zodiac god released a long, shuddering breath as he recalled the events of the previous evening. He'd collapsed in the woods on his way back from the beach, and the effort it had taken to drag himself back to the house and through the window to his rooms had nearly killed him. There was no pretending otherwise. The doctor knew it, too. He just wasn't saying as much.

"Hatori?"

By then they had stopped, and though Akito did not raise his head, he could tell by the way the interior of the vehicle had darkened that they were sitting beneath one of the overhangs in the parking lot at the Sohma estate.

"What is it? Are you all right?"

Akito did lift his head then. "How much longer until I die?"

Hatori just looked at him. Though the zodiac god normally would've been annoyed by the doctor's blank-eyed stare, instead of reacting, he chose simply to sigh and say, "I have a right to know. After all, it is my life, is it not?"

The doctor seemed to consider this. "There's no way of telling when you will die," he said finally. "Some days I'm convinced you're growing stronger. Others, I find myself feeling truly worried for you." He regarded him with a grave, almost sorrowful expression. "As it so happens, today is one of those latter days."

Akito nodded his head wearily, unwilling to confess that in that moment he wanted nothing more than to lie down and drift off into a dreamless sleep. But he couldn't allow himself to close his eyes. Not even for a moment.

Because if he did, they might never open again.

Ren clutched her side, her sharp, bony shoulders quivering with laughter. "Goodness, what a delight you are! I think I'm finally beginning to see why my son considers you one of his favorite playthings."

Isuzu's expression turned murderous after that, and Ren couldn't help herself. She cackled again.

"I'm not Akito's plaything," the horse-girl snapped. "And I'm not messing around. You've heard of Tohru Honda, haven't you?"

Ren straightened then, her expression at once becoming more serious. "I have," she replied carefully, "though I've yet to see any reason to concern myself with her."

That, of course, was a lie. Ren had been suspicious of Tohru Honda's intentions from the start, particularly when she learned of her living arrangements. Ren had accused Shigure of shacking up, though as usual, the dog had been quick to placate, swearing up and down that he had no romantic interest in the outsider. But this assurance alone had not been enough to convince Ren. She'd been worried enough that she ordered several of her spies to gather more information on the girl, and when they returned, Ren came to learn the truth at last.

Shigure had taken Tohru Honda in out of pity. She was a homeless orphan, and what's more, she was a classmate of Yuki's. Apparently, the boy was close with her. It was only after hearing this that Ren finally began to relax. Everyone knew what a lonely and miserable creature the rat was. Shigure had told Ren on more than one occasion that he felt sorry for him. Shigure may be a fiend, but I will grant him one thing. He does try to alleviate people's suffering where he can.

And that was more than Ren could say for herself.

"Well, Akito wasn't terribly interested in her at first, either," Isuzu said. "But there's something about that girl that just…" She sighed as if annoyed. "She's pretty much impossible to ignore. Or hate. I tried for a long time, and so did Akito. It's pretty obvious how he really feels now, though."

"How he really feels?" Ren echoed.

Crossing her arms, Isuzu averted her gaze. "He enjoys her company. It's...odd, I'll admit, but there's no denying the truth of it."

My son cares for another person? Ren scoffed. No. That's impossible.

"What proof do you have?" she demanded. "I will grant it was unusual for him to allow her in the family's inner circle. But it is not wholly unsurprising if you think hard enough about it. My son suffers from many things, but immense boredom is likely the most trying. The idea of letting an outsider in on the family secret was probably exciting. It speaks nothing of any feelings he might have for her."

But Isuzu was insistent. "There's more to it than that. I didn't believe it at first, either. But after what I saw at the summer house last night-"

"The summer house?" Akito had stayed at one of the summer homes? This story was becoming more unbelievable by the minute.

"Yes. He went because he knew the Honda girl would be there. This is what I'm trying to tell you! Akito is changing, and I..." She stepped closer, voice lowering. "I came to you because I thought you might want to help. If we succeed, it means we'll be able to save your son."

Silence hung heavy in the air after that, and Ren took a deep breath, willing her voice to sound calm and controlled when at last she opened her mouth to speak. "Yes. I think maybe...maybe I would like that."

Her voice was only just above a murmur, and Ren didn't blame Isuzu one bit for looking doubtful. "Really? You mean it? You'll help us?"

Somehow, Ren managed to push her anger deep down inside herself, to a place where she would be free to unpack it later in private. "Of course," she said, summoning a warm smile to her lips. "Do you know when my son will be returning from the summer home? In light of everything you've just told me, I think it's best I speak to him as soon as possible."

Isuzu frowned, clearly still not knowing what to make of the older woman's sudden change in demeanor. "Hatori brought him back to the estate earlier this morning," she told her. "You can see him whenever you want."