Issues
Hatori's days at the hospital kept on getting worse and worse. As much as Tohru cared for her mother, her mom cared more for her. She seemed to know that he knew what was going on. Tohru also failed to mention that her mother was a former gangster. He was a little bit scared. One thing, there was the curse. Another that he couldn't defend himself. He wasn't Kyo or Yuki. He was a doctor, and for good reason.
Kyoko was standing at the hospital door, fully healed. Hatori already could tell that this wasn't going to be good at all. "Where is my daughter?" She asked sweetly. The way she asked reminded him of Akito a little bit. He backed away. He knew if he didn't give a truthful answer, the sweet mother Tohru always loved would turn deadly on him.
"I told you yesterday." Hatori looked up. "I can't tell you where she is, even if you beat me up. If anything, that means I'll never come here again. This isn't by my own choice." Hatori sighed. He didn't like seeing Tohru with Akito. In fact, it distrubed him greatly, but Akito was his God. What could he do?
"You don't like it either. Why don't you just tell me where she is? I promise, I can get her out of there. I have the manpower. I can just call a few old friends and we'll get her out of there in no time. If there is anything I know, is that we always have a choice." Kyoko said determinedly. Hatori did not want a gang anywhere near his house.
"I don't have a choice." Hatori replied.
Kyoko lost it. "Why won't you save her! She is just an innocent little girl!"
"I'm trying my best. I'm looking out for her the best I can. I don't want to see her hurt." Hatori desperately wanted to save the girl, but what would happen even if he could? Akito could take back her deal any time she wanted to. He didn't want to see the look on Tohru's face when she lost her mom. It hurt enough seeing her there, watching her mom inches from death. "It really isn't my fault."
Kyoko got a clue from his face. "I see. So you care for her too. She has that effect on people. It was her that saved me from my own grief. I just was so scared of losing her you know? I already lost my husband. I didn't want to lose Tohru too. I almost lost her once. When I saw the note here, it was so unlike her. I just thought she was kidnapped." That was pretty close to it. "Going away to help save up money. I knew that was pure crap the moment I read it. You don't have to give me the details, but what exactly is she doing?"
"Working, I guess she is good at it. Her life, well, frankly it could be better. She is taking it quite well after all. I never expected her to. I offered something to her, and she took me up on the deal. I really shouldn't of offered it. Tohru took it and never looked back." Hatori regretted it, that didn't begin to cover it. It hurt to cover up those scars and treat them. He already knew that some of them would be permanent.
"The deal was for my life, wasn't it?" Hatori could just nod. "That is just like Tohru, but I would of done the same thing for her sake. I guess I couldn't blame her. We are the only thing each other has. If I lost Tohru, I don't know how I could go on. Maybe Tohru could, but I can't. I guess Tohru is more like her father."
"I have to disagree with that. I think she resembles you more." Hatori said.
"Look out for her, would ya?" Kyoko left. It was time to go back to the main house. It was common sense to look out for that girl. There was just something about her that made Hatori want to protect her. He just couldn't touch it.
Main Souma House, Akito's room:
Hatori and Akito were having a private meeting. For once, Tohru wasn't present. Hopefully, she was getting some sleep. She wasn't looking so good. Akito stood up. "Tohru is still sleeping, I presume." Hatori nodded. "I wouldn't want her to figure out about this till morning comes." Akito began pacing. "Tohru still has a lot to learn, but there is that certain simulatity that I was looking for. It turns out you were exactly right."
"Thank you. I told you that it was worth it." Hatori said back blankly. He tried not to put any emotion in his voice. It wasn't worth it. Tohru shoudn't be here.
"Before I made any permanent changes, I wanted to test out the theory. It turns out that the rooster hasn't been completely lost." Hatori's eyes widened. He thought the curse was breaking, not getting stronger. Another zodiac being born into the family? "I think it is a risk to have it born into the family, where it might be lost again." Hatori stared back blankly. As far as he knew, that was the only way that the zodiacs existed. "I never used the power. I have control over all the zodaics, and their ties. What better to make Tohru a permanent part of this family?" Shit, Kyoko should have busted in here. Hatori had experience, and once you were in the family, you couldn't leave. It was like a gang, but with a curse binding them together. At least you had a chance to run from a gang. You couldn't run from the Souma clan. Just look what happened to Yuki.