𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 -𝘼 𝙃𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞 𝙁𝙖𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙘-

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟖

I didn't get much sleep last night. I was having the oddest dreams ever. I suspect it was because of the events of yesterday. I keep seeing those dark eyes of that woman. "Yuihiso, why don't we take off early today and go get something to drink?"

"Oh, you sure that would be okay?" I ask Hatori. Yes, I'm calling him just Hatori, mostly because when I accidentally said it in front of Hanako, he gave me such a funny face.

"Sure, why not. You look like something's bothering you." Pushing away from my desk, I clear my throat.

"It's nothing. I didn't get much rest last night, nothing big." Hold my tongue is a specialty of mine. Plenty of people in my life have just waited for me to step out of line, so I had to learn. Although the circumstances of this time are not the usual, I made a promise.

"You should try drinking chamomile tea before going to bed with honey." He suggests as we pull on our coats. "Or stretching. Did you notice if it were something physical or mental?"

"I had a couple of bad dreams. With time they'll go away." I shrug, placing my feet into my heels.

He mutters something as he ties his loafers. I can't make out what he said, but I know he said something. "What was that?"

"Huh? Oh, I was just verbal processing." He's most obviously bluffing, but I don't push.

The road we take is one I've never taken before. By the look of the broken-up bricks, I can tell it's much less traveled on. "Where are you taking me, Hatori?"

"It's quicker if we go this way than through the main gate." I must remind myself not to think foul words about him as he is my boss. Plus, he's taking me out for drinks! Who can complain about that?

"Watch your step. There are a lot of roots here. And you're in heels."

"Huh?" I feel my feet get caught on something, and gravity has gotten a hold of me. In fear, I let out a shriek. But as I reach the ground, I am greeted with a puff of purple and blue smoke. "Heh?"

"Ha-Hatori? Where'd you go?" I look around, noticing that my boss is absent. I look down at the ground, ready to push myself up, except there are clothes in between my hands and the dirt. There shouldn't be-

"A SEAHORSE!?!?!?! DID HATORI TRANSFORM INTO A SEAHORSE!" No, surely not. My boss didn't transform into an eight-inch-long sea-creature, did he?

As I gawk at the sight, unable to comprehend what on earth has happened, the smoke appears. "Well, that was most unpleasant."

Heat fills my face up, turning me into what I can only imagine, a radish. "Hatori, you're nude."

I've never seen his bare-arms, less alone his whole bare body. "Then stop looking."

"Right." I turn around, taking in the fact that I saw all of it, every last part of my boss's body. Why is this shocking me so much? I'm a nursing student!

"Well, that was a short-lived career of yours." He comments. "Sadly."

"What do you mean?" I look over my shoulder to look at him as he ties his tie.

Is he crying? "Hatori?"

"The Sohma family has many secrets that certain people aren't supposed to know. The curse of the Zodiacs happens to be one of them." I'm ninety-nine percent sure he's crying, and if he isn't, I'll eat the shoe that made me fall. "I'm afraid we won't be going out for drinks."

Dammit, he's not crying, time to eat my shoe. "Wait, Hatori! You have to tell me, what does this mean? What's going to happen to me because I found out."

Are his eyes twitching? Just fricking cry already, Hatori! "If Akito does not say otherwise, you're memories will be erased."

"What? Erased? You people can't just trust someone to keep a secret?" I thought this family was eerie. I was wrong. They're just weird and have trust issues.

"Yuihiso, I don't have authority over this situation. Whatever Akito determines is the best for the safety of those cursed by the Zodiac, then I must follow those rules. Even if it means hurting you in the process." He lashes out at me, with his thorax rising and falling as his heart pumping more blood from the anger.

"I'm taking you home." He grabs my hand and pulls me to my feet. "Truly, I am sorry on your behalf, Yuihiso. You've been a great employee, and I'm sure Ayame will be sad to see you go."

Whether he does it consciously or not, his hand is intertwined with mine the whole walk back to my house. Part of my wonders if he does it because he has to keep me from running off and telling the entire world his secret. But it feels nice.

"Hanako." I rip my hand out of his as we reach the house, where my fiance is sitting, reading the newspaper. "You don't usually come here at this time."

"You're right. I don't. And neither do you." Is he trying to tell me that he saw Hatori and me holding hands and thinks we're dating? "Doctor."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Yuihiso."

"Of course, Dr. Hatori." Right as I was beginning to call him only by his first name, I'm going to have all of my memories of him erased. "Thank you."

He quickly hurries away, leaving a cold tension between Hanako and me. "Are the two of you dating?" He doesn't even bother looking up from his newspaper when addressing me.

"No."

"Then why were you holding hands?"

"To tell you the truth, I haven't a clue." Why does Hatori choose to enchant me with his ways when I must forget him? God, I would have been better off if I had never met him than receive a lick of warmth and wanting right at the tail end.

"Come inside, Yuihiso. You could use a bit of a drink." When Hanako finally looks at me, face to face, all I see is exhaustion.

He holds the door open for me, and all I wish is for him to continue to act like this towards me. The hostility is so low you can only feel it if you try. "Thank you."