"…You said that you weren't like that when you started culinary arts…" I answered, "Does you mean that this new curse came upon you recently?"

Kyo shook his head, sighing lightly at my question. I wondered if he would tell me about his curse now, I truly hoped. "I told you, Tohru… you will regret this…" he eyed me, almost like he was warning me.

"Nonsense…" I smiled, "If I do, tell me anyway."

Chapter 9 - The Fatal Truth

We chatted so much.

…Sadly, it was more stuff about me.

I didn't worry about it too much though. Kyo promised me that he would tell about his whole life story after he left us and hopefully, how he changed. Those were his exact words, followed by, "You would surely regret after I tell you…"

I'm sure he meant the curse… I paid no attention to that, and still, I couldn't wait for when he would tell me. In fact, I found myself at the edge of my seat each time I thought he was going to blurt out something about his past. Unfortunately the assumption failed me each time.

For the meantime we just walked in silence, closer than two mutual friends would. I randomly began thinking what type of creature he was. I mean, I know I said he was a Werecat. But Werecat, was such a cheap way of trying to put a name on him. There had to be another name for it other than that. The truth was I didn't know what he was, but he was something. I had the picture stained in my mind but I just couldn't put it with words… It was something beyond my prospect of rational, lucid explanation.

I was stomped every time.

"Where would you like to go now…?" Kyo turned to me in question, "And don't say nowhere… there's gotta be some place you want to go or haven't gone to yet."

"Not really." I sipped on my ice cream cone.

He sighed in aggravation. "Seriously, Tohru. Just give me an answer. Anything…"

I smiled at his annoyed face. "Home." I willingly answered.

Kyo blinked twice. "Already?"

"Yeah." I told him, "Don't worry I'm not wanting to go home because of Yuki."

"So you're bored then?"

My eyes widened. "No. Of course not."

"Did my way of fighting off those bastards scare you then?"

I made a face at that memory. "Meh… No."

He glared at me. "You're a bad, bad liar."

"…Yes I am," I rolled my eyes, "But, I'm not trying to lie to you. I suggested home because there's no other place to go." my stomach growled unexpectedly. I haven't had a real meal since yesterday morning, so of course it would growl now… I also recognized Kyo's disturbed facial expression.

…He heard it… simply because he heard everything.

To the sound of my belly, his eyes flared a lighter ruby color. "Come on…" he grabbed my hand, leading me back to his car. His grip was so hard, I thought my arm was going to fall off. That may have been but he seemed like he was containing himself so it wouldn't happen.

"Where are we going…?" I asked hurriedly but Kyo didn't answer me. I wondered if I had struck one of his nerves by my stomach growling. As we got to the car, I started to say something but Kyo closed the door on me quickly, not even bothering to hear my voice. When he slipped into the driver seat, I decided to go ahead and ask again, urgently this time.

"… Where are we going to, Kyo…?"

"Not home." Kyo finally answered, closing his door and fastening his seatbelt.

"Oh…?" I fastened mine too.

He paused to look my way for a while, ruby eyes staring evenly at me as if they were trying to read my face but couldn't. He may of have had a plan for me at that moment, I wasn't sure yet. After a few seconds, he then started the engine, "…I'm gonna have to break the deal I had with you." his voice was thick with much gravity.

I nervously fiddled with my fingers. "What do you mean by that?" I stared at the side of his face, relieved to see that his eyes weren't black. Instead his eyes remained a light ruby, his face stayed gallant and emotionless. Again I was rewarded with the cold shoulder.

I got it… you don't want to tell me, I thought. …so I decided to shut up.

Kyo drove a lot faster on the busy streets this time and I could truly see why he called himself a speed demon. He didn't even slow down for the sake of other cars around him, yet, he was still careful not to hit a single car around him. His emotionless expression confused me though. I couldn't see if he was driving fast out of rage or because he wanted to. Then, I heard his tires screech against the pavement as he parallel parked effortlessly on the curve.

From him slamming his breaks, I jerked back, lightly bumping the back of my noggin on the leather head rest. "Oof." I rubbed the back of my head.

Kyo got out of the car, slamming his side and walked over to my side. He glared at me through the glass as he opened the door. "Let's go." he said annoyingly.

…That was a brief drive, I thought.

Now I really wondered if I struck a nerve. He changed his mood so quickly like he was angry with me or I was being annoying. I didn't doubt that I was. Sometimes I wondered if I got on Yuki's nerves with my stupid attitudes. But as I got out of the car, I read the neon above our heads: Café Pho

Figures, it would be a restaurant… a noodle restaurant at that.

…Then I realized what he meant by breaking the deal with me.

"…Where ever we go, I would like it if you didn't spend your money on me."

"… Allow me to buy one thing for you…" For the record, ice cream and dinner was two things. I bit my lip, feeling horrible. If my belly hadn't of growled, we wouldn't be here now and since Kyo knew that I was hungry, we weren't leaving till I ate something no matter what. Luckily this place happened to be a buffet and buffets happened to be cheap. I could just choose one item and pick at it for an hour…

I looked down. "Kyo… I could of…"

He shook his head, interrupting my words. "Don't tell me you could have eaten when you got home… me and you both know that's a bunch of bull." he told me irritated.

…And generally, I smiled to relieve some of the pressure his eyes were putting on me. I had been caught, Kyo was wiser then what I took him for. "I guess there's no fooling you huh?"

"Nope."

Once we were seated, he told me to stay at the table. For what reason I didn't know but as he walked to the buffet line, he was an odd contrast amongst the rest of the people. I think… others began noticing too. I could see random people whispering and making faces at Kyo, as if he was a disgrace to look at. But I couldn't understand why. Kyo was very, very attractive, even when he was younger. I guess he came off as a little bit more intimidating now and that's probably why people around him shunned him.

The affect the curse had? Maybe…

Very quickly did he come back to the table, holding two fairly large plates of food in his hands? "Is all that… for me?" I wondered, scooting up in my chair.

"Nah, it's all for me…"

"…?"

"I'm joking, of course it's all for you." he sat down across from me. "I don't really eat… I'm sure you know that by now." I knew that but still, it was so hard to comprehend. I couldn't imagine what that felt like, not having passion to eat regular food anymore.

"I know but…"

"But nothing…" Kyo pushed both plates in front of me, "…eat anything you want." I assumed he read my face again. Note to self, I shouldn't make my facial expressions so obvious.

"Thank you so much." I nodded, grabbing a fork and sticking it in a pile of Pork Lo Mein. I guess since he couldn't eat, he was gonna watch me stuff my face. Oh which he didn't have a problem with, I was sure.

"No problem." he answered, "I figured you wouldn't nitpick if I got the food for you."

I smiled, shaking my head slowly. That made sense. "Sure but two plates?" I asked, in which I felt like my words were ungrateful and now I wished I hadn't of said them. But Kyo just leaned forward as if he didn't want other people around us to hear what he had to tell me. I leaned my face in closer to hear him too.

"How weird would it be if I just got one plate and sat it in front of you…" he murmured.

I blinked distantly, "Not weird at all I guess."

"Wrong…" he shook his head, "You may not notice but I kinda do stick out in a crowd. I already look like I don't eat. So, I guess if I got two plates then I would look half way normal."

"You treat yourself as if you're some alien to all human kind."

"Uck, don't say that," Kyo's face filled up with disgust, "…Everyone knows that aliens try to probe you and pregnate you, then… slimy offspring pop out of your chest when you're trying to have lunch…"

I laughed, leaning backwards. "…But my point is that there's no need to alienate yourself because you are normal." but I could see what he was talking about before he had even said something about it. Kyo was a little thinner than usual, plus he was oddly paled - skinned. It was enough to make him look abnormal among the rest of the people around him.

"I'm not." he objected, "…and I will never be, okay?" he grimaced.

"But…"

"Just drop it…" Kyo looked the other way.

"Okay."

"I'm pale, bitter and dangerous…" Not to forget, tall and charmingly mysterious with true blood irises for eyes and a charismatic smile that was out of this universe. These were all traits for capturing prey, I supposed. Prey meaning the opposite sex.

"Pale, bitter, and dangerous almost like a vampire…" I joked, calling myself trying to lighten the mood between us.

Kyo's eyes laughed at me as he shook his head in disagreement, "For one, there's no such thing as vampires…" he assured me, "And two, I hate being called a vampire… But…" he uttered in a low voice, his face suddenly pouted as though thinking something through, "…At least a vampire is promised life by taking the blood of others. I'm not promised life at all…"

"What do you mean?" my eyes widened in bewilderment.

"Meaning… I can take as many lives as I want but that won't extend my life." he answered sighing, "It doesn't change a thing, actually. My life will always be judged and the verdict can't be prevented…"

Hm, what on earth did he mean by that? A verdict? I thought. I'm sure he wouldn't want me to ask about it like I did everything else. But like everything else I asked, he always would put it off or discourage me from asking again. I was saddened by the large gap that still remained between us. He knew everything about me, plus every facial expression I made.

…And I still knew nothing about him. Nothing new anyway. I wondered then, what would happen if I asked him random questions.

"Kyo." and at my voice he looked up. "What would happen if you ate this?" I questioned, pointing to my plate. He glared at my pork dinner, then looked back at me.

"What do you mean, what would happen?" he raised a brow.

"I mean, would you get sick from eating regular food?" Kyo had been with us for a few days now. He refused every meal I made this week by staying cooped up in his room. Yes, it's true that the man didn't eat but why, other than the fact of him being a beast. I wondered if he missed food. Did he crave it? My thoughts vanished as soon as I saw Kyo unexpectedly take a fork and twirl it in some noodles on the second plate.

With a look of discomfort, he swallowed the noodles in one gulp. "…Happy?"

I sat there with my mouth wide open, speechless.

"What?" he questioned my facial expression which was more than flabbergasted? "That should answer your question, shouldn't it?"

"I-I guess…" I couldn't pull my eyes away from him.

"I could eat regular food if I really wanted to but I don't." Kyo gulped down some water then licked the sauce off his lips, "What's the need? I can't even taste it and every time I have attempted to eat, it pretty much feels like I'm gnawing on rubber…"

I quickly averted my gaze, fiddling with the edge of my plate. "But even rubber has a taste though…" I pointed out softly.

"Yea," the cat nodded. "…But I'm sure you would much rather eat your lo Mein than eating rubber, correct?"

"Of course." I agreed.

"Same way with me… just only, I rather eat raw meat over human food." he explained openly. It was like he was comfortable with telling me this. In return, I was a little on edge about that. Raw meat was a nice way of putting it for my sake. And clearly, raw meat wasn't just eating animals, I knew that Kyo meant humans too. But it just opened up more questions.

"Oh… I see." I nodded.

"Don't worry, Tohru…" he grinned lightly, "I will do my best to not harm you… but for your safety, try not to hang so much around me."

I mutually smiled, taking his little warning lightly. "…I know but what if I'm not afraid…"

"It doesn't shock me at all that you would say something like that." he frowned, "But damn I wish you were just a little afraid. Then you would keep some distance." I know he said that for my safety but I wasn't that little teenager girl anymore. I felt like I could handle myself around him and not only that, but Kyo was perfectly harmless the way he was now, modest and human.

"Don't worry about me." I smiled again.

"Too late I already do…" he admitted. I really didn't have much time to respond to that. "Anyways, next question?" he immediately said right after. Like he knew or had a feeling that I was going to smother him in more of my questions.

"Well?" Kyo sighed at my silence, "I know you're just dying inside if you don't." His ruby eyes were so penetrating at that second, it was almost impossible to look straight into them. But I didn't let that keep me from asking. Now was my chance of gaining more knowledge about him.

I nodded.

"Alright…" I put down my fork, leaning in closer with my arms folded on the table. There was so much I wanted to know and at that moment I think we both knew what I wanted to know next. "You said that you would tell me about everything that happened to you after you left us." I reminded him as my lips pressed into a thin line.

"…Anything but that." Kyo tried to put off again.

"…You promised." I reminded again.

"Fine." the cat crossed his arms, eyes staring radiantly at the side of my face, "What do you wanna know?"

"Everything." I responded, "Starting with why you left… three years ago."

He loosened his gaze on me, then he looked away, deliberating. "One of the reasons why I left was because I was fed up with being dependent and hopeless. It seemed that everyone had their own plans of making it in life and hell, I wanted that too. I wanted to go college and I knew I couldn't if I stayed in Shigure's house."

There was one word that caught my attention more than the rest. "Plans?" I wondered.

"Yeah… you and Yuki." he looked back at me, "The night before I left, you two were planning on getting together. I knew then, it was time for me to leave. Honestly, I wasn't looking forward to being the third wheel."

"Just like that?" I asked him, my heart already broken, "You were ready to leave? I and Yuki weren't even a couple until a year after you left…"

"…but you did like him and he liked you." he frowned, "Right?"

I couldn't lie, even if I could think of one good enough to persuade him. In the end, I knew he would read my face and that… would be the end of that. I looked down, suddenly that pork didn't look so good to me and I pushed the plate away.

"I did like him." I agreed.

"Anyways after that," he proceeded after my confession, almost ignoring what I said without question. But I knew he had heard me. "I found me an easy paying job and went to school."

"Oh." I tried to smile, but the muscles in my face failed me. I could tell Kyo was angry by the way he was talking, and I knew he was merely telling me all this because he promised not because I asked. "What did you go to school for?" I asked, you know, to lighten the dull mood again. I figured whatever he majored in had to be something I wouldn't expect like a nurse or engineering…

…Maybe… Cosmetics…

Kyo grimaced again, almost blushing. "Culinary Arts." which explained why the breakfast he made the other day was better than I expected and why everyone else ate it, even Yuki.

"Seriously?" I chuckled lightly.

He heaved a sigh, "…Yea."

"But why would you major in something that involved food? It's not like you could enjoy the meals and projects you made…" especially if everything he cooked tasted like… rubber. Such a thing like that made no sense to me.

"When I first went for culinary arts, I wasn't like this…" he corrected me, "…at the time, I made myself take the dumb class because someone dared me take it for a full year."

"Then you started liking it…" I added.

"Yeah a little." he replied, "…maybe because I finally found something that I was good at other than picking fights and being emo all the time." he explained, "When the dare was over, I tried withdrawing myself from it but the damn professor wouldn't allow me to. She said my talents were beyond average and rare among my fellow students…" he quoted, rolling his eyes, "Then later that following year, she placed me in a mandatory contest for cake decorating."

I laughed.

"That's not funny." he glared.

"Whoops… I mean…" I cleared my throat, "So, what place did you get?"

He sighed at my question, "…first."

"Awe…" I clapped silently as he began to blush even more. "Still that's so strange."

"Not stranger than getting a masters in Culinary Arts… I was only half pissed about that." he admitted to me.

"But why? That's a good thing…"

"…Do I have to have a reason for everything…?"

"I suppose not." I chuckled. "Though, it's interesting that you chose to get your masters in that instead of something else… you know… something more…"

"More what?" He suddenly leaned forward, one elbow appearing on the table. "More manly?" he assumed and then pouted when I proceeded to laugh again, "…hey, guys can do culinary classes too."

"I know. But you're… a different kind of guy."

"Whatdo you mean by that?" Kyo raised a brow, then blinked significantly.

"I mean, you're much, much too masculine for that …" I answered.

He lowered his arm, trailing the table with his finger tip. Then stopped at my plate. "So you're saying that… a man like me," he pointed to himself, "…isn't capable of learning how to cook because it's a woman's job?" I could see that others had brought this fact to his attention and he was ready to debate this topic with me down to the last straw.

"Well." I thought.

…I guess what I meant was, I couldn't really see him cooking in the kitchen and actually knowing what to do. Back then, Kyo never even thought about cooking. He left all that to me, the girl of the house. Now, here he was baking cakes and making full course meals. With no doubt, I'm sure he could cook better than me now.

That was a weird thought in itself.

"No, that's not it." I shook my head, "…it's just different. But I'm happy that you know how to cook." that didn't enlighten him so I tried a different approach. "At least you can cook better than Yuki can…"

Kyo's ruby eyes softened a bit, "Damn straight. I can cook better than that damn rat, even with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back." Now that teenager tone seeped out, but very quickly did he suppress it. "…but seriously, I'm so pissed now cus you think I'm all girly because I can cook."

"No I don't." I hid my smile. "But seriously… you have to let me taste some more of your cooking."

"Deal." Kyo smirked.

Then, we stared into each other's eyes for a while, possibly we were out of words…

…Or maybe we just wanted to enjoy the brief silence that slipped between us. Whatever the case, I cherished it. I couldn't joke and laugh like this around Yuki. Yuki was too much of a serious man, one who had very little time for a joke or to crack a smile now. I couldn't help but feel that I did that to him. Yuki never used to be like that, not until after he promised me that he would go to school to be an attorney.

I shook that thought.

"I'm just curious." I told him after five minutes of staring.

Kyo blinked back, "Huh?"

"You said that you weren't like that when you started culinary arts…" I answered, "Does you mean that this new curse came upon you recently?"

Kyo shook his head, sighing lightly at my question. I wondered if he would tell me about his curse now, I truly hoped. "I told you, Tohru… you will regret this…" he eyed me, almost like he was warning me.

"Nonsense…" I smiled, "If I do, tell me anyway."

"Don't know why you're so anxious to know…"

I leaned forward. "Just because…" I left it at that, still smiling and waiting patiently to hear the story I been waiting so long for.

Kyo seemed calm, as he placed his hand under his chin. His face was emotionless again and his eyes flared a light ruby color as well. "Actually, I knew this was going to happen from the start. Honestly, we all did. Me, Shigure and Yuki." he confessed, "… and… it's not a new curse, it's the third stage of the Juunishi curse." he corrected.

"…You all knew?" I uttered, "The third stage…? What signs?" I was so confused, I didn't know what to think. All this time I thought they were trying to let me figure out for myself what was going on. When really, everyone had been dishonest with me from the beginning. I watched his lips closely as he began to repeat what he said.

"Yes… it's the third stage to the Juunishi curse, the abomination of the wilder beast… Yuki suggested that I leave, that's when the signs were noticeable."

"Yuki?" My own fiancé? Not even Shigure?

"Yeah. I hate to admit it but I finally realized what he meant that I was harmful to you and things would never be the same between us. Then he finally decided to make you his girl. Oh yeah," he remembered something, "Yuki had planned to be with you ever since he told me to leave. I don't know if it was to shorten the competition or not, however," he paused smiling nonchalantly, "He was right about one thing, I wasn't fit to be a boyfriend and definitely not a boyfriend to you."

"It's okay…I knew that he was going to ask you… and I know you like him too. He's normal and much calmer than me right?"

"Kyo? …how could you say that? I like you guys the same. I always have and always will."

"Maybe you did then but this is now… Besides, he's better for you, I have too much crap going on with me… Maybe if you are with him, you can live your fairy tale dream."

I remember that segment from our conversation three years ago. I realized what he meant and why he said the things he said. I realized everyone knew of Kyo's curse and why he left. I knew now that Yuki, my trustworthy fiancé, was the one who drove Kyo away from us.

"Yuki…" I uttered again, almost out of disbelief. "But…"

"Yuki and I both knew that if I stayed, that I would only end up hurting you." Kyo chuckled lightly, "But, go ahead, keep thinking that damn Yuki is the truthful one. I'm telling you, he isn't. He's selfish, like me." He admitted, "He wanted to be with you like I did and the one thing he had over me was my curse."

Kyo sighed, "I was already in the second stage when I left, I was kinda glad I did." Now three years had gone by and Kyo was now in the third stage of his curse. What saddened me the most is why I was the last one to know and the people that I cared so much about, would keep such a secret like that?

"I thought you said you didn't know all the answers, Kyo…" I referred to what he told me last night when he claimed that he really didn't know the answers to what was happening to him. I swallowed hard, my mouth dry from lack of saliva… I waited intensively for his answer.

Merely, he just looked at me, a smirk of the devil snaked across his pale, bitter face as he parted his thin lips, "Heh, I lied…"

No.

I swallowed again.

The truth was… they all lied to me.