Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, they all belong to Arina Tanemura and as well if I ever use song lyrics they as well do not belong to me

A/N: Just like I said before this story is on the border line of the rating T and leans a little more towards M just to let you know.

Chapter 9

Alone

It was new years and the family was gathering to celebrate the holiday. The white snow slowly descended from the sky reminding Takuto of a small snow globe. He stared out the window of his aunt's large mansion on the mountain side. He didn't enjoy meeting with his distant relatives for one reason and one reason only…they all hated him. It seemed that the curse had affected the entire family except for Takuto's parents who were still madly in love with one another.

"Takuto!" His older cousin Sheldon yelled dauntingly "Figured out how you're going to fix the curse!" Takuto glared at him shaking his head. "Awe common, you can't tell me you haven't thought of anything yet you're nearly seven!"

"And you're almost twelve" Takuto scowled.

"Yeah but it's not my fault the family is going to become extinct" That did it, Takuto charged the brunette boy flinging him to the ground. Takuto lifted his fist in the air to punch the boy in the face. He had a perfect shot until something strong grabbed his arm flinging him off his cousin.

"Stop it you two!" Takuto's older brother instructed holding back both the cousins from killing one another. "What's going on here?" Both didn't respond and Kato turned to Takuto thinking he would give him an answer.

"Humph" Takuto growled crossing his arms across his chest.

Kato sighed "Does this fight have to do with the curse?" he guessed knowing that that was the reason why the two hated each other so much. Sheldon would patronize Takuto about how he was the only one who could fix the curse and Takuto being the hot head he was would use violence as the answer.

"Damn straight!" Sheldon roared "Do you know how annoying it is not being able to get a girl' affection!"

"Like they would look at you anyways" Takuto mumbled.

"Shut up runt!" Sheldon barked balling his fists.

"Back off Sheldon" Kato said calmly.

"Like hell I will! And why are you always defending him he's not even your real brother!" Both Kato and Takuto flinched at his words. They both knew the truth, and it was that they both shared the same mother but had different fathers. Kato's father had passed away when he was young so his mother had remarried and had Takuto.

"Real enough to help out!" Kato spat back "Now get out of here!" Sheldon smirked pleased that he had successfully managed to piss of both brothers at the same time, killing two birds with one stone as he would say.

"You gotta stop letting him get to you like that" Kato said once Sheldon left. Takuto was silent and Kato turned to look at him. "What now?" he asked his younger brother softly.

"Why me?" Takuto asked quietly "Why does it have to be me that everyone depends on, relies on…hates" Kato took in a deep breathe.

"Takuto it's because it was your dad's father who-"

"I know!" Takuto exploded "I know that my father's father was the one who turned down that Fuzuki Koyama lady breaking her heart way back when! I know that she put a curse on him for breaking her heart! What I don't know is why it took so long for the curse to take effect why me!?"

"Takuto I understand and-"

"No you sure as hell don't understand! Everyone hates me Kato they all want me to pull off some magic trick making the curse go away!" Takuto fell to his knees trying to hold the tears that were threatening to burst from his eyes.

When midnight rang the family gathered making resolutions and wished for the New Year to come. Most wished that the next year would be better then the last, but not Takuto, Takuto wished for same thing he always did and that was for the curse to be broken and for his families love. He knew that the only ones who truly loved him were his parents and that was all, not even Kato. Takuto could see the almost grudging look from Kato's eyes when he thought he wasn't looking. He knew that everyone wished he was never born, never born to curse the family.

The family stuck around then, just visiting and basking in the glories of each others company. Takuto had wandered off on his own not wanting to see the evil glares he would receive from people who were supposed to love him no matter what.

"Hiroko" Takuto's ears pricked at his father's voice which came from one of the nearby rooms. He slightly poked his head around the door frame making sure he wasn't caught.

"Yes" his mother replied. She was crying. His father was standing behind her with his hands one her shoulders.

"Every year?" he asked quietly.

"Yes" she answered "Every year I have wished for the same thing and nothing happens, the curse still looms over our heads. All of our family has gotten divorces because they fell out of love and I'm scared that we're next" he heard another muffled sob come from his mother.

"I know" his father replied.

"Sometimes-sometimes I wish he was never born"

"Me too"

Takuto's eyes widened and his heart stopped. That was everyone…everyone wished the same thing now. They wished he was never born, never put into existence. He ran as fast as he could from the two people who he thought he could say loved him. His life was filled with empty meaning, he was not wanted.

Takuto shot up in his bed clenching his hands into tight fists against his head. Sweat trickled down his face as the pain rocketed throughout his body. Why did he have to have this dream, why did his conscience have to torture him like this? Every single year on this day he would have it and he knew exactly why. He remembered the day as if it were yesterday and when he forgot about it his dreams would remind him and it would ring clear as a bell. He was grateful that he had woken when he had because he knew that the worst part was to come, and he would much rather have it as a faint whisper in his mind then to have to live it vividly in a dream like he had used to.

Slowly he rolled out of his bed afraid to fall asleep knowing the haunting memories were waiting for him in the land of his dreams. He wiped his forehead with his hand then let it slide down to his eyes. "Fuck!" he screamed falling to his knees on the ground. This was always the worst day of the year for him. Someone could have been kicking him in the chest and he wouldn't have noticed it would probably be an inviting sensation compared to what he felt in his heart.

"Sometimes-sometimes I wish he was never born"

"Me too"

A soft sob escaped his lips but he bit down hard on his lower lip not allowing himself to cry. He wrapped his other arm around his chest feeling his body shake as he tried to hold in his cries of pain. He was grateful that no one came to check on him and he knew that they knew why this day was so painful for him as well. The only person who would try to invade his privacy was Sheldon but he knew Kato would keep him away.

When his shaking had died down to a low minimum Takuto rose to his feet picking up an old shirt which lay on the floor. He had to get out and be by himself. No one could make him feel better on this day, like in his dream and his reality, he had no one.

Mitsuki woke to the soft song of a robin which sang outside her window. Her cheeks were flushed and she knew why. 'He was going to kiss me' her mind had continuously raced around the memory and the fact that she had actually wanted the kiss. Her heart stung, she was betraying Eichi. She loved Eichi so why did her heart beat whenever she thought of Takuto's almost kiss?

"He almost kissed me" she repeated out loud placing her hand against her forehead.

"A kiss really? After I told him he wasn't supposed to do anything to you when you were sleeping" Mitsuki gasped then turned to see someone sitting in the polyester chair positioned by the closed window.

"Wha!" she gasped.

"That silly boy he doesn't know how love works" he shook his head sadly.

"You know I can't remember the last time I woke and you weren't there" Mitsuki said as sarcastically as she could.

"Well I'm sorry if I wanted to be a gentleman and escort you to breakfast" Mitsuki thought she heard a double meaning to his words.

"Okay but lets go get Takuto first I wanted to tell him something" She smiled. Izumi hesitated reaching his hand behind his head.

"You know I think we should let him decide that"

"What do you mean?" Mitsuki asked confused. Izumi smiled and Mitsuki knew he was hiding something from her.

"You know how silly Tak-Kun can get, let's just leave him be and I'm sure he will meet us for breakfast" Mitsuki's eyebrows creased but she nodded not pushing him further.

When Izumi went out to the hall waiting for her to change Mitsuki let her mind race at all the possibilities as to why she was not allowed to go get Takuto. What if Izumi had something planned with Kato and Sheldon? What if they were going to torture her knowing that Takuto was still sleeping and wouldn't know she was in danger? She quickly ran to her dresser pulling out the little device that Takuto had given her.

"Here" he said handing Mitsuki a small cell phone like device "If you're ever in trouble just push this button and I will come" Hesitantly Mitsuki took the mechanism, grasping it tightly

This time she pushed the button, not because she was worried for herself, but because she was worried something was wrong with Takuto. She slowly knelt to the ground waiting. She didn't know how long it would take him to get there but didn't mind that much so long as she would be able to see him. A soft knock came to the door and Mitsuki's heart jumped as she sprinted to the door flinging it open hoping to see his blue eyes.

"What's taking so long I'm getting hungry" he complained. Mitsuki's shoulders slumped and she nodded at the blonde.

"I'm ready" She replied disappointed. Izumi just looked at her with that same smug expression he always seemed to have then shrugged pulling her towards the dinning room.

"You know you don't have to hold my hand so tightly" she said politely "In fact you don't really have to hold my hand at all" she wasn't trying to be snarky, she just felt uncomfortable because it felt as if he was trying to keep her from running away.

"Yeah but then you'll run away" he said under his breathe

"What?" Mitsuki asked

"But then you might get lost if I don't guide you the whole way" He lied quickly. Lying seemed to be one of Izumi's talents and he always used it to his advantage.

The walk was long and awkward. Mitsuki's hand was getting sweaty beneath Izumi's and she constantly felt the urge to take it away so that she could wipe it clean on the skirt of her dress. Izumi's hand had actually tightened around hers once they entered the dining hall when they saw the cousins sitting in their usual spots. All were present, well all except the one Mitsuki had wanted and waited to see the most.

"It's that day Sheldon and if you go messing with his head like you did last year I will not stop myself from-"

"Ehem" Tarou cleared his throat quickly tilting his head to the side twice to inform the men of the new additions to the room.

"Good morning Mitsuki" Kato greeted happily opening his arms out "What a great surprise to see you so early in the morning. Did you sleep at all with that terrible storm last night?" Mitsuki swallowed then gripped Izumi's hand back for once grateful of his presence.

"Y-yes I did sleep thank you" she replied in an almost unintelligible tone. Kato smiled at the girl's shyness.

"And how do you like your new room?" he asked happily. He had planned her new location perfectly putting her in the room which was closer to Sheldon's and across the mansion from Takuto's. He knew that if she was ever in danger now it would take Takuto long enough to get there that they would be able to do some real damage to the girl.

"It's lovely" she smiled shyly again. She was tired of the awkward small talk with the boss and just wanted to ask where Takuto was.

When breakfast slowly started its usual pattern Mitsuki noticed the antagonizing looks Sheldon was giving to Kato.

"Well" Sheldon began "I think that the princess should suck it up and get over the past" What ever tension was between the two cousins seemed to get a lot worse as Sheldon threw in his snide little comment. At first Mitsuki thought he was talking of her until Kato retorted.

"You don't even know half the hell he has been through! So don't sit there and say shit about him!" This was the first time Mitsuki had seen Kato break his calm composure.

"Yeah well think about it wouldn't you be a bit happier if you still had you're glowing mother around comforting you? But because of him-"

"That is enough Sheldon" Kato snarled gritting his teeth "There will be no more comments from you so long as Mitsuki is around"

The room was silent. When Izumi finished his plate of food his chair scrapped across the floor. "Could Miki and I be excused" he asked politely noticing that Mitsuki had only eaten some of her meal and was now staring at it dejectedly.

"Be my guest" Kato had regained his calm façade. Izumi smiled then motioned for Mitsuki to follow. She obeyed. They silently walked down a dark hallway until Izumi pulled her into a dark room.

"Izumi what were they talking about and where is Takuto?" she asked wondering if her worried voice rang in his ears like it did in hers. Izumi let out a worried sigh.

"Mitsuki" he began shortly "How much do you know about the curse?" Mitsuki looked at him confused.

"Only enough to say that it is an endless torrent of unrequited love, and that they have me here to see if I can truly fall in love with one of them to break it" Izumi shook his head.

"Wh-what?" she asked concerned of the terrified expression on Izumi's face. He was always so cool about everything but now…now she could tell something was wrong.

"Mitsuki as that is true about the curse there is something more you should know" he licked his lips trying to think of an appropriate place to start. "You see Takuto, Takuto is the only one who can break the curse" Mitsuki's heart froze.

"What why?"

"You see his great grandfather fell in love with a lady named Fuzuki…Fuzuki Koyama" He paused letting her absorb the information "And you see the two fell madly in love with one another but…but one day Fuzuki caught Takuto's grandfather cheating on her and he said he no longer wanted to be with her. This made Fuzuki so angry that she went to one of those weird voodoo people and the lady put a curse on the family, and well we all know what the curse was" Mitsuki nodded in shock.

"B-but why did it take the curse so long to happen? Wouldn't this happen to Takuto's father and not himself?!" she didn't know why she was getting so angry.

"That's actually the part of the curse which confuses me as well, but Mitsuki he needs you I didn't want to have you involved in this but…he needs you today more then all other days" Mitsuki's heart was escalating in fear.

"Wh-what do you mean? Is he going to kill himself" she shook at her own words.

"No he wouldn't do that he wouldn't want everyone to hate him even more then they already did" Mitsuki's eyes widened

Who could possibly hate you?

My family, and to have my family hate me is even worse then having every single being in the world despise me!

"I will" Mitsuki whispered as his words rang in her ears. His worst fears were all happening. It's not like everyone else who could only imagine their greatest fear. Takuto was actually living it. "Where is he?"

Izumi's eyes almost lit up. "If you just walk out that door there you'll be brought to the forest" Mitsuki swallowed as she remembered her terrifying day in the forest. "Then you just have to walk strait ahead down the dirt trail and you'll run into a large tree that is so large you wouldn't be able to wrap your arms around it. And then he'll be there" he froze looking down "Please hurry Mitsuki, I could tell it was really bad for him today" Mitsuki nodded not sure of why today was such a hard day.

She turned and sprinted for the door. She was outside in no time. There was a soft mist from the storm the previous night and the ground was still soggy. When her eyes locked with the trail she ran, she ran as fast as she could. 'Please hold on Takuto' she thought afraid of what she might run into. She completely ignored her fears as the adrenaline coursed through her veins. She could see the large tree and ran directly for it. She froze when she saw the weak man. He had his knees tucked against his chest and his hands were clenching his head.

"T-Takuto" she whispered. His head slowly lifted as his blood shot eyes met hers. Her eyes widened. "Oh my god Takuto" she saw a small bottle sitting beside him. It was antidepressants…he was trying to kill himself.

She fell to her knees touching his arms which were wet from his tears and the rain. He jerked his arms away from her warm touch. "Please Takuto don't do it don't take anymore" he shook his head.

"You don't understand" he whispered.

"I don't but please, just don't do this to yourself"

"No Mitsuki I mean you don't understand"

"What don't I understand?" she asked knowing she shouldn't push his temper further.

"Mitsuki they all hate me, I don't have anyone. The only reason I stick around is so that I can maybe one day earn there respect and be accepted into the family. But I don't see the point anymore I mean I'm obviously never going to break that damn curse!" Mitsuki sat unknowing what to say. "Mitsuki" he let out a shaky breathe "I hate today I hate this stupid day of all days that haunts me!" his eyes were filling with tears.

"Takuto this day isn't any different from the rest don't worry it will be okay" she whispered trying to comfort him.

"Don't do this I don't deserve it" he growled. His grip grew tighter around his head "I don't deserve it!" he roared angrily.

"Takuto please I can help you" he shook his head an evil grin lit his features

"No you cant you don't care you're just like everyone else, you only have false concern but in the end you wont give a fuck about me!"

"Takuto I-" he cut her off

"Mitsuki I killed my own parents!" he grimaced. Mitsuki gasped covering her mouth. "That's right I killed them…when I was eight. I was so angry that day and the only thing I could think of was how no one had cared. At first it was just that Sheldon had pissed me off but then I heard them arguing, over me. They had done that a lot lately. And it's not even that I wanted to kill them Mitsuki that's the worst part" he put his head back against his knees. Mitsuki kept her distance.

"Mitsuki we went out that night, well except for Kato he was at a friends, but when we were walking home I had tripped and fell my father had caught me but my mother not seeing us had walked into him, they both fell into the street. That was when it happened a semi was coming, I saw it my mother and father were still in the middle of the road and I saw it coming" he repeated "I saw it coming and they didn't but I didn't tell them I- I just stood there watching. I still remember the screeching tires against the blacktop. The driver was trying to stop but couldn't, I could have told them it was coming and they could have been saved…but I…but I didn't" his voice trembled and he stopped when he felt two arms wrap around him.

"Please Takuto don't" she was crying. Mitsuki knelt over top of him like a mother would and rested her head in his hair. "I know its hard Takuto but please stop beating yourself up about it…I don't want you to be sad anymore please. Takuto we all make mistakes but please just stop beating yourself up about it…Takuto I don't hate you" He trembled underneath her and she could tell he was trying to cover up his emotions.

"It's okay Takuto you can cry, I will be here" he lifted his head slightly and Mitsuki slightly pushed on his knees. He let them slid so that his legs were straight. She then climbed over him hugging him tight against her. "I'm here" she whispered. The rain started falling harder but the two ignored it, Takuto's arms timidly wrapped around the girl. As the rain fell harder the memories became more vivid and he gripped her tighter grateful of her presence.

"Mitsuki it was this day that it happened" He whispered "It's been ten years"

Mitsuki didn't say anything she just pulled him tighter against her body. She didn't even know the pain he was going through but didn't care. She wanted to comfort him and let him know she was there for him. She had to show him she cared.

It was weird for him to be comforted like this but he didn't push her away he needed her so badly. Every year on this day he would be alone living the painful memories of that night. But this time it was different…Mitsuki was there, she was helping him. She felt so warm in his arms and for once he was actually comforted.

They sat there all day holding one another getting drenched by the cold rain. The only thing that kept them warm was each other. The sounds of the forest and its small inhabitants bounced off the trees. No other words were spoken.

Chapter End