Chapter Sixteen

Tohru stared at Kureno with wide, disbelieving eyes. "What...what do you mean 'not anymore'?" she asked.

He remained silent for several moments. "It would be a lot easier if I could just show you."

He started walking toward her, and though Tohru knew what he was about to do, she was grateful all the same when he stopped, adding, "With your permission, of course."

She nodded, moving closer, and Kureno folded her gently in his arms. He cradled her head against his chest before finally letting go and stepping back. Tohru felt stiff as a board as she held her breath, waiting.

But nothing happened.

"I was born the zodiac rooster," he began. "For most my life, I was just like the others. I lived in a house with my immediate family on the Sohma estate. It was a sheltered existence, but...I didn't know any different. I would even go as far as to say that I was happy."

He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, as though embarrassed to admit that last part. "Years passed, and when I was a little older than you, I begged Akito to allow me to attend university. It took some convincing, but once I assured him that the school I'd chosen was close and that my living arrangements wouldn't change, he relented."

Tohru didn't miss the way his brow relaxed as he recalled happier memories of the distant past. "I didn't expect to enjoy the outside world, but...I did. Very much. I never shared those feelings with Akito, though. Because what would have been the point? There was no question that he would deny any requests to leave, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to go against his decision no matter how strongly I might disagree with it. I was bound to him so long as the curse was in place, after all." He took a deep breath. "And then one day...I wasn't."

Though she was dying to ask questions, Tohru allowed him to continue speaking without interruption.

"I won't act as though it wasn't very sudden and very dramatic," he told her. "Because it was both of those things. One moment I was walking through the courtyard on my university campus, and the next, I…" He broke off, grimacing, and Tohru watched him, her eyes gleaming with compassion. "I'm not sure I can accurately describe the way it felt. It was like something in me had been severed. And it was painful, so much so that I fell to my knees and wept."

Tohru held up a hand, though before she could place it on his shoulder she fell back, deciding against the action. "Was it the curse?" she asked him, her voice soft. "Did it...was that the thing that had severed inside you?"

Kureno nodded sadly. "After I got over the initial shock of it, I just felt empty, like there was a gaping hole in my chest. It was the rooster spirit," he explained when Tohru regarded him with a confused look. "The connection that I'd had to Akito and the other zodiac members was gone."

Tohru thought of Yuki, Kyo, Hatori, Shigure, Momiji, and the others. I'm sure it was a difficult day for all of them. Because they must have felt it, too.

"As I'm sure you can imagine," Kureno resumed, "Akito was beside himself when I got back to the estate. I was still in shock, but the drive home had given me time to come to terms with what had happened. And there was a part of me that felt immense relief. Because I'd finally found my out. No." He shook his head. "More like...it had been dropped directly into my lap, like a gift from the heavens. I knew I would be a fool not to seize the opportunity when I could, and so...I did. I went to Akito and I told him that I was leaving for good."

He closed his eyes, waiting several breaths before opening them again. "I know you probably think me heartless. But please understand that I was only doing what I felt I had to, and know that it was, without question, the most difficult thing I've done to this day."

That must be why Akito never talks about Kureno, Tohru thought, why none of the others have ever mentioned him. He's estranged from them. By choice.

"I don't think you're heartless," she told him. "My mom used to say that sometimes we know better than anyone what's best for ourselves. And you did, Kureno. You knew what was best for you, and you did it despite knowing that others wouldn't approve. It must've taken a lot of courage."

Kureno ran a hand down his face. "I know. But I still felt guilty. Not for leaving Akito, but for leaving them. The other zodiac. Most of them still hate me for it."

"Oh, I'm sure that's not true," Tohru said, but Kureno gave her a tight smile.

"I am."

I wonder what made him decide to come back, then. Tohru frowned, though she supposed Kureno's reasons for returning didn't matter nearly as much as the implications of his story. Turned out, the zodiac curse could be broken after all. The man in front of her was living proof.

"Err...yes. Well, then." Kureno shifted from one foot to the other, clearing his throat awkwardly. "I suppose I ought to be going. Let's part with a proper good-bye this time, as we likely won't be seeing each other again anytime soon."

Blinking, Tohru stared, surprised by the abruptness of his farewell. "Oh...um, yes. Of course." She took his outstretched hand and shook it, managing to compose herself just in time to add, "Good-bye, Kureno. And if you ever change your mind about wanting to see Arisa...well, you know where she works."

He dipped his head, his warm brown eyes lingering on her for several moments until at last he turned and strode off down the beach.

The next few hours passed in a whirl of dull colors and sounds for Akito.

Hatori half-carried the younger man to his room, and when he instructed him to rest, Akito didn't say a word. He sat quietly on the end of his bed, though it was only when Hatori had gone that he finally allowed himself to sink to the floor. The hard wood was cool on his bare knees, though instead of shivering and draping a blanket around his shoulders, for once the zodiac god found himself grateful for the slight chill. While not an altogether pleasant sensation, it was at least a welcome reprieve from the summer heat.

Thinking of the outdoors reminded him of the beach and of his most recent conversation with Tohru Honda. Slowly, Akito brought his fingertips to rest on one of his cheeks, the memory of her hands on his face giving him a sudden rush of euphoria. Though there was a part of him that knew hope was a foolish thing, there was another, stronger part that didn't care.

Maybe, just maybe, the world wasn't as terrible as he'd once imagined it to be. Maybe there was happiness to be had, even for a loathsome creature like himself. She certainly believed it was possible, and now, despite his steadfast resistance, he found he was beginning to believe it, too.

How could I have ever thought her weak? The zodiac god shook his head, disgusted by his own arrogance. Seeing potential in others despite their glaring flaws isn't weakness.

He glanced about the room. There wasn't any question that it had taken a great deal of courage for her to come here last month, uninvited, all for the express purpose of confronting him. No, of reminding him that all was not lost, that there was still time to change the end to his story. But he'd been too stubborn to allow himself to accept her words. He'd told himself time and again that she was lying, saying what she felt was necessary in order to gain his friendship.

But he'd been wrong.

"I care about him. Very much. I want him to be happy, and I want to save him. That is...if I can."

The elation Akito had felt at hearing her say that was unlike anything he'd ever experienced before in his life. Because it meant that there was someone in the world who truly believed he could change, who believed that he deserved the chance to try. It meant there was someone who cared for him, who thought that he was worthy of being saved.

And loved.

The bedroom door flew open just then, jarring him from his thoughts, and Akito inhaled sharply, heart racing as his head snapped toward the sound. A tall, lean figure stepped into the room, and Akito released a steady breath. It was only Hatori.

Equally annoyed and relieved, the zodiac god held out a hand, expecting a pair of painkillers to be promptly deposited into his palm. But then...

Wait a minute.

The figure drew nearer, and Akito jerked his hand back down to his side as he realized that it was not Hatori who had entered his rooms.

Ren Sohma sniffed as she stepped through the door to her son's chambers. The air was stale, the faint scent of fresh linen making the act of entering the room only slightly more bearable.

The boy was sitting on the floor, as usual. He had one of his hands held out toward her, and it took her a moment to realize that he had likely mistaken her for one of his attendants. Spoiled, entitled brat. Her expression darkened as she studied his gaunt figure. And faring just as poorly as ever, it would seem.

It took far too long for Akito to recognize her, though when he finally did he dropped his hand, gaping, his already pale face going white as a sheet as Ren closed the bedroom door behind her.

"My. You don't look very well at all, do you?" she said, smoothing her hair back with one hand before turning to regard him with a smirk. "It would appear the reports I have been receiving as of late are, indeed, correct. The ones that say you are-"

"Why are you here?" Akito did his best to sound commanding, though Ren didn't miss the fatigue in his voice as he asked, "What could you possibly have to say that would so much as tempt me to listen to you a moment longer?"

Ren stepped away from the door, her eyes flickering with triumph. "Just as disagreeable as ever, I see. I confess I had always hoped my child would be the more...resilient type. But rather than make the best of the unfortunate cards you have been dealt, you have instead chosen to wallow in misery and self-loathing, lashing out and blaming others for your circumstances rather than enduring them with fortitude. How disappointing."

She expected him to snap back, though Akito surprised her by remaining both still and silent. She saw his eyes flash with anger once, though in the end he chose to ignore her, dipping his chin so that his hair draped around his face. Either he was simply too exhausted to argue, or he knew she was right.

"I know that you are a lonely boy," she went on in the most pitying voice she could muster. "You have no friends to speak of; even your beloved doctor sees you as a drag."

Again, he said nothing. "Speaking of Hatori." Ren tried a different tactic, knowing she was bound to strike a nerve at some point or another. "I will never forget the day I learned of what you'd done to the poor man. Of course, most didn't want to believe the family head capable of doing something so horrific. But I did not need to see the doctor's bandaged eye in order to know that it was true."

Akito didn't look at her, and Ren stepped closer, bending at the waist in an attempt to catch his eye. "I know who you are, child. Make no mistake, whenever I hear of something monstrous you have done, I never doubt it for an instant. But, as I'm sure you've already guessed, it is not this particular rumor that I wish to dissect."

Her hair brushed his cheek as she leaned in to whisper near his ear. "It would appear that you have developed a taste for a very specific sort of company as of late. A girl, yes?" She watched her son with careful eyes, though his face still betrayed no emotion. "They say that you've made her an exception to the Sohma family's cardinal rule, the rule that states you must never allow an outsider to retain knowledge of the zodiac curse." She pulled back from him, chuckling. "This rumor was not wholly unsurprising, as I assumed that you intended to toy with the girl. But my spies all seem to agree that that isn't the case at all. No, it would appear that you allow the girl to remain in the family not because you wish to exploit her for your own amusement, but because you like her."

Though Akito had yet to acknowledge her words, Ren didn't miss the slight downward curl of his lip as she said, "Now, that rumor I confess to having doubts about." His frown deepened, and she took this as encouragement to press the matter further. "The very idea that you would ever develop any sort of attachment to another person, let alone someone outside the family, is completely preposterous."

Akito did speak then, though only in a half-hearted mumble. "I will neither confirm nor deny any of that which you've said."

"Then I assume I am correct in my belief that you do not, in fact, care for this girl after all?" He didn't respond, and Ren felt her shoulders sag a little. "Of course you don't. And how could you, detestable thing that you are? Though I suppose it is just as well. Because such feelings would never be reciprocated. Not by the zodiac, and most certainly not by an outsider."

"You're wrong."

His response caught Ren off guard, and she immediately snapped her head back toward him. "What's this? Do you mean to say that you honestly think this girl cares for you? Well?" She prompted when he didn't reply. "Do you?"

Akito met her gaze directly then, his voice full of conviction as he said, "I know she does."

Shigure was enjoying a hot cup of tea when the back door flew open. He turned his head, only to find Tohru shuffling in from her morning walk. At last. I was beginning to wonder if she'd gotten lost. He smiled slyly over his cup. The young girl wore a pensive expression as she slipped out of her shoes and walked toward the kitchen.

"Good morning," Shigure said pleasantly from his spot at the table, and she gasped, a hand flying to her chest.

He couldn't help chuckling at her reaction. "Sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you. Did you have a nice walk along the beach?"

Laughing shakily, Tohru raised a hand in greeting. "Shigure! Good morning. And yes, I most certainly did. Thank you."

"No," he shot back, beaming, "thank you for enjoying yourself."

His cheery response seemed to have the intended effect. "How could I not?" she said, her voice full of that childish wonder and excitement that often made Shigure envious of her. "Everything is just so beautiful here! I know I can never possibly hope to repay you for your kindness and hospitality-"

Shigure cut her off there. "Tohru, how many times do I have to tell you? You don't need to repay us for anything."

"Well, I'm going to do my best to try in the ways that I know how!" In order to prove her point she approached the stove, rolling up her sleeves. "I hope everyone is in the mood for pancakes!"

"Pancakes?" Shigure leaned back in his chair, sighing blissfully. "I don't think I've had those since I was a lad. Make a few extra for me, would you, please? I find myself feeling rather famished after the events of last night."

He waited, though Tohru was too busy rummaging through cupboards to read much into his comment. "No problem!" she said, shooting him a thumbs-up. "I'll make you a whole mountain of them if you'd like!"

It appears that this time I will need to take an active rather than passive role in my pot stirring endeavors. He resisted the urge to sigh. "So, tell me," he said, deciding to go straight for the kill, "what did you make of Kureno?"

The silence that followed was heavy, though to Tohru's credit, she did a good job pretending like nothing was amiss. She busied herself with a mixing bowl for several moments before replying. "I...I thought he seemed a very decent person," she said, and Shigure smirked, amused by her diplomatic answer.

"Really?" he said, his voice betraying only the slightest hint of curiosity. "I wonder, did he tell you what happened to him two years ago? Why he left the family?"

Though he still couldn't see her expression, he didn't miss the way her back stiffened at the question. "Yes. He did. I'm sorry," she added before turning around suddenly. "Is that...something I wasn't supposed to know?"

Shigure regarded her with surprise. "Tohru, you're part of the family's inner circle now. Really, I don't think there's any information you could stumble on that would make Akito angry. Not anymore. He's quite fond of you, you know."

He smiled, though Tohru promptly returned to her task in order to avoid his gaze. "Oh, I don't know about that," she said noncommittally.

But he insisted, "I do. Believe me when I say that-"

"Hey. You'd better hope you didn't just say something."

Both Shigure and Tohru turned to find Kyo standing in the kitchen doorway, arms crossed. His amber eyes were fixed disapprovingly on Shigure, and again the dog had to resist the urge to sigh audibly.

Oh, dear. This may prove to be a complication.

Instead of altering his plan, however, Shigure decided to do what he did best in situations such as these: improvise. "Me?!" he cried, pointing to himself in a show of innocence. "It wounds me, Kyo, that you would think me even capable of such a thing!"

Kyo let his arms drop back down to his sides. "Cut the crap. You do stuff like that all the time and you know it." He moved to stand beside Tohru. "You okay?" he asked her in a slightly lowered voice.

"Me?" Tohru blinked up at him in bewilderment. "Oh, um...yes, I'm fine. We were only talking about Kureno. I got to meet him this morning and-"

"You what?" Kyo's eyes went wide. "Kureno is here? At the summer home?"

He fixed Shigure with a glare, as if Kureno's presence at the summer home was somehow his fault. Which, technically it was, but...that was beside the point.

The dog steepled his fingers together. "No. He wisely chose to stay at a bed and breakfast up the road. He arrived last night with Hatori and Akito." He nodded at Kyo's stunned expression. "Oh yes, you children missed a lot excitement while you were out setting off fireworks and roasting marshmallows."

"I bet," Kyo remarked dryly before throwing his head back in a groan. "Well, now that Akito's here, things'll probably start to get a lot less fun." He trailed off, panic flitting across his face as he seemed to catch himself. "N-not that I was having much fun to begin with-"

"Oh, spare me," Shigure said. "You're having plenty of fun. Don't think I didn't see you and Momiji frolicking around with those sparklers."

"Yeah," Kyo retorted, "if by 'frolicking' you mean him chasing me around trying to burn me with them!"

Shigure's smile was not the least bit sympathetic. "Still, that sounds a fair bit more fun than what we adults were dealing with back here at the house."

Tohru was quick to take the bait. "Why?" she said. "What happened?"

The dog didn't even bother trying to hide his smirk. "Oh, the usual. Aya talked Hari's ear off, Rin spent most the evening sulking in her room-"

"The hell? Rin's here, too?" Kyo exclaimed, and Tohru turned to him with a guilty expression.

"Yes," she said. "I mean...I know. But she made me promise not to tell anyone I saw her. Especially not Haru."

Shigure dipped his head. "Yes, well, I'm afraid Haru found out anyway. You see, Rin made the mistake of coming to see me, and as everyone knows, I can't be trusted to keep a secret for any length of time."

At that, Kyo snorted. "Betcha she about killed you."

"You would think so, but no. She just gave me the cold shoulder after that. Which is fine. She and I have said everything we need to say to each other for the time being."

Kyo shook his head. "I don't know what the hell that's supposed to mean, but I'll take your word for it." He paused in order to glance over Tohru's shoulder. "Pancakes?" he said, his mood seeming to lighten somewhat. "How'd you know I've always wanted to try those?"

Tohru grinned up at him. "Really? I just thought they sounded so yummy. But I had no idea you'd never had them before! You should've told me. I would've made them much sooner."

Glancing between them, Shigure not so tactfully jumped right back into his recounting of the events from the previous evening. "Ah yes, it was a rather boring time here at the house last night. That is, until Akito made himself sick with fever."

Hearing that, Tohru nearly dropped the spatula she'd been using. "He what?" she shouted at exactly the same moment that Kyo said, "Huh?"

Shigure reached for the teapot across the table, taking an unnecessarily long amount of time to pour himself a new cup. "Alas, the exalted one decided to ignore his good doctor's instructions to remain indoors," he told them in a solemn voice, "and the consequences were...not pleasant, to say the least."

Tohru stood with her back to the stove, eyes wide, whereas Kyo looked more apprehensive than anything else. "Is...is he gonna be all right?" he asked Shigure. "I mean, you don't think that-"

But Tohru interrupted him. "I had no idea it was bad for him to be outside. The heat," she whispered, more to herself than to either of them. "Of course. I should've known..."

She fell silent, and Shigure tilted his head, his expression quizzical. "Tohru?"

"Hey!" Kyo yelled. "The pancakes!"

Shrieking, Tohru whirled around, but by then it was too late. A charcoal smell had already begun to permeate the room. She lifted a slightly smoking skillet off the burner, her expression mortified. "How could I have been so careless?" she exclaimed, using her spatula to hastily scrape the darkened batter into the garbage. "I'm so sorry! I'll do better next time-"

"Calm down," Kyo said. "Jeez, it's all right. Just do us a favor and don't burn the house down."

"Tohru," Shigure said, deciding at once not to even acknowledge her little mishap. "What did you mean just now, when you said that you 'should have known?' Was that in reference to Akito?"

Taking a deep breath, Tohru set the skillet down on an inactive burner before replying. "Yes. I saw him last night, too, around the same time that I ran into Rin."

Kyo stared at her. "And you didn't think to say anything?" he snapped, to which Shigure narrowed his eyes.

"Kyo, be nice," he chided.

"I am nice!" the cat shot back. "I'm nice as hell! I'm..." He trailed off, closing his eyes, and Shigure could practically see him counting to ten in his head before he finally resumed, "Look, Akito is dangerous. It's not a good idea for her to be alone with him. You've even said as much."

"Yes. But that was before." Shigure returned his attention to Tohru. "Did you speak to him at all?"

She nodded. "Yes. A lot, actually. Where is he now? Is he recovering upstairs? I...I'd like to see him, if he'll allow it."

The dog's expression turned regretful. "I'm afraid that's not possible. Hatori took him home much earlier this morning. He thought it would be best if Akito suffer through the worst of the illness at home."

"What does that mean?" Tohru asked, her eyes suddenly becoming large, desperate. "Shigure, please tell me he's not-"

"Hey." Kyo put a steadying hand on her shoulder. "There's no need for you to be so worried about Akito. He doesn't deserve it, what with all he's done to you. To us."

But Tohru shook her head. "Kyo, you don't understand. Akito, he…" She looked at Shigure with pleading eyes. "Hatori needs to make sure nothing happens to him. Okay?"

Shigure gave her a warm smile. "I assure you that Akito is in the best care possible with Hatori."

"I know. It's not that I doubt him. I just...he can't die." She sounded on the verge of tears, and Shigure's expression softened, though before he could reassure her, Kyo cut in sharply.

"Whoa. Are you feeling all right? Maybe you should sit down for a minute."

But Tohru ignored him. "Where is Rin?" she asked Shigure. "I need to talk to her."

"Rin's gone too, I'm afraid. I went to check on her earlier, but her bed was empty and she was nowhere to be found. I think she fled in the middle of the night, as she tends to do."

"Do you have any idea where she might've gone?"

"Back to Kagura's, if I had to venture a guess. Rin likes that family, whether she wants to admit it or not. They provide a safe and warm environment, which is a stark contrast to what she's used to with her own family."

"Why the sudden need to talk to Rin?" Kyo asked. "Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"Yes," Tohru said. "It's just that I find it easier to talk to her about...certain things."

"What kinds of things?" he asked, and Tohru looked down, as though she were suddenly afraid to look at him.

"Kyo," she whispered. "There's...there's something that I need to tell you."

The cat looked stricken, and for a second, Shigure thought he was going to bolt.

"I know," Tohru told him, the volume of her voice increasing only slightly. "I...I know what will happen to you after high school...about your confinement. Yuki told me, and I...I decided a long time ago that I can't let that happen to you. That I won't. And that's why-"

"That damn rat had no right to tell you anything." Kyo's voice was clipped, almost hostile, though Tohru did not appear the least bit daunted.

"No. I'm glad he told me. Because now I can help! No, really," she insisted when Kyo tore from her, shaking his head. "I met Kureno just now, remember? He told me everything that happened to him. All of it." She reached tentatively for one of his hands. "His curse broke, Kyo. And if his broke, it means yours could, too! And if there's no curse, then-"

Kyo yanked his hand away. "No. I won't listen to this. I can't. I'm...I'm sorry, but whatever you and Rin are doing, you need to cut it out right now. It won't end the way you think." He turned his back to her, as if to emphasize the finality of his words. "Just stay out of it. What happens to me, it...it doesn't concern you."

Tohru slumped as he walked away, her eyes glistening with tears. She was clearly in no state to argue further. Guess it's up to me, Shigure thought before turning his head sharply toward Kyo's retreating figure.

"You should heed what she says, Kyo. Believe it or not, I think she and Rin may be onto something."

Kyo ran a hand through his hair, groaning. "Oh, hell. Not you too."

"Yes, I'm afraid I'm also involved," Shigure said, not sounding the least bit sorry for it. "Most of you youngsters don't know this, but for years it's been my greatest wish to end the Sohma family curse once and for all. One might even call it a mission."

"Yeah?" Kyo shot back over one shoulder. "Well, it's a pretty stupid mission."

"I disagree. Consider: if it happened to one of us, it is equally as likely that it will happen to the rest in time as well."

"Yeah, and equally as likely that it won't."

Oh, ye of little faith. Shigure sighed. "Pay him no mind, Tohru. We must press on in full confidence that our efforts will not be in vain!"

But his feeble attempt at humor was instantly shot down by Kyo's icy glare. "Hey. What'd I say? Leave her out of it."

As he left, Shigure and Tohru exchanged a glance. Her eyes were still filled with tears, though the defiant expression on her face said that she planned to do everything but stay out of it, and Shigure's heart swelled with pride. Tohru, we may make a conspirator of you yet.

She was laughing at him.

Well, screeching would have been more accurate. Akito likened the sound to that of a train scraping on tracks. Even so, he kept his face impassive. He knew all too well that Ren would use even the slightest hint at annoyance to his detriment. And so even though it was difficult, he waited silently until at last she had composed herself enough to be able to speak again.

"This is simply too precious. You mean to tell me that this girl has told you she cares for you—and that you actually believe her?"

Despite her jeering tone, Akito held her gaze, unwavering. "You don't know her. She isn't like other people."

"Oh my poor, poor boy. You really have grown delusional in our time apart, haven't you?" She reached out and brushed a stray lock of his hair behind his ear. It was meant to be a motherly gesture, though Akito found that her touch, however slight, was enough to make his skin crawl. "Perhaps it's a good thing I came to visit. After all, someone needs to remind you of who you are and what your place is in this world."

Despite his best efforts, Akito felt the muscles in his jaw tighten. What was she playing at? He scrutinized her, hoping to find something that might hint at her intent. But there was nothing but contempt in her gaze. It was the same way she'd been looking at him since Akira died.

The zodiac god still had vivid memories of that terrible day. He'd rushed into his father's room to wish him a good morning, only to immediately draw back, recoiling. Akira's lips were parted, his once vibrant blue eyes staring lifelessly at the ceiling. His skin had taken on an unnatural gray hue, a sure sign that he had been dead for some time. Akito had gasped, managing to turn away just in time before vomiting up his breakfast.

No. Father, please...please don't go.

He wasn't sure how long he sat there on the floor sobbing, though eventually the door to the room had burst open, though Akito was so consumed by grief he'd barely registered the sound.

"No," a familiar voice behind him breathed.

Light footsteps rushed across the floor, and the next thing Akito knew, he was being shoved aside as Ren Sohma threw herself prostrate across Akira's bed.

"No! No! NO!"

For the next several minutes, nothing could be heard but the sound of her shrill, hysterical screams, and this only served to make the moment even more surreal for Akito.

"Mother..."

It wasn't that he blamed her for pushing him away. He didn't, actually. Not at all. If anything, her screams and her grief were an outward manifestation of the searing pain in his own heart, and in that moment, Akito felt closer to her than he ever had. He suddenly found himself wanting to comfort her, to wrap his tiny arms around her waist.

"Mother..."

Akito crept forward, one hand hovering just above her shoulder. But the moment he touched her, Ren drew an arm back and struck her son across the face. The blow was so swift and unexpected that Akito staggered back. He didn't realize how hard he'd been hit until he brought a hand to his nose. Thick crimson liquid flowed through his fingers and onto the hardwood floor near his feet.

He began to cry again, and one of Akira's attendants—a middle-aged man who had been standing in the doorway—crouched near the boy and patted his shoulder. "There, there," he whispered in a soothing voice, and Akito could have sworn he saw him shoot Ren a glare over one shoulder as he instructed, "Tilt your head back as far as you can. Good. Now pinch your nose together. Like this." He showed him what to do, and Akito copied. After several moments, the attendant said, "It's all right now. All will be well. I've just sent Hideo to fetch the doctor. When he arrives, we'll ask him to-"

"Be silent," Ren hissed from where she still kneeled over Akira's bedside. "All this ceaseless chatter is giving me a headache."

"It is hardly ceaseless," the attendant responded, his voice low and even. "In your grief you have forgotten yourself and inflicted harm upon your son, your greatest treasure."

"I said be silent!"

Ren whirled on them. Her eyes were wild, almost feral as she pointed a red painted finger at the attendant. "You are hereby dismissed from our service! I've no use for meddlesome fools like you!"

"What?" Akito tightened his grip on the old man's sleeve. "But, Mother...Mother, please-"

"You be silent as well!" Ren snarled before fixing her searing eyes back on the attendant. "What do you know of grief or loss, old man? Take the little brat with you and leave me be!"

"You would refer to your own son in such a way?" The attendant looked disgusted. "The boy is no doubt just as shaken by what has happened here today as you are. Don't you see? You needn't mourn the death of your husband alone. Akira loved you both very much."

"That may be," Ren snapped, "but he loved me more!" She turned her crazed stare on Akito. "You may have been his son, but nothing can ever come between a husband and wife! You meant nothing to him compared to me! Nothing."

The attendant clutched Akito's hand again. "Come, child. Don't listen to her hateful words. She means not the things she says."

But that was just it. Ren had meant what she was saying. Akito knew it then, and he knew it now as he watched her pace the floor to his chambers with her arms crossed, staring him down. She looked lethal, like a viper poised to strike, though luckily he was well acquainted with her games and the tactics she used to try and get underneath his skin.

He also knew that his best weapon against them was indifference.

"I'm tired," he said, and her face fell, eyes wide, lip curling into what Akito thought very much resembled a snarl. "If you've said everything that you came here to say, then I would ask that you take your leave and allow me to spend the rest of the evening in peace."

But Ren pointed a finger at him, much like she had that day at Akira's deathbed. "You don't deserve so much as a minute of peace after everything you've done! As I said, I hear terrible rumors about you regularly, and I know that they are all true. You are irredeemable."

"Nothing that you have done to this point is unforgivable. Don't you see that? It's not too late!"

Akito couldn't pinpoint the exact moment he had chosen to ignore the other voices in his head, the ones that told him he was worthless and detestable. But it was Tohru's heartfelt declaration that gave him the strength to look Ren in the eye and tell her for the second time that day, "You're wrong."

Her expression turned furious as it seemed to dawn on her that she'd lost, that he actually believed what he was saying and that any efforts to change his mind would be fruitless. "We'll see. Even if you don't drop dead tomorrow or next week, I imagine you'll do something soon enough that is so revolting that even she will lose faith in you."

She sauntered toward the exit, though just when Akito thought he was finally rid of her, she stopped and glanced back. "She may be as good-hearted as you say, but even good-hearted people have their limits. Do not doubt me for a moment when I say that."

And then, without another word, she was gone.