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Chapter 17: The Sound Of Breaking

Akari's POV

We finally returned home from our trip to the beach.

"We're back! Home sweet home!" Shigure called out, opening.

It was already nighttime when we reached home.

"Quite so!" a familiar flamboyant voice spoke up.

Oh god...

I peeked inside the living room and sweat-dropped at the sight.

Ayame, again, in our fucking living room.

He was wearing a purple robe and had a fan in his hand. And the living room was a total mess with trashes scattered around the room, looking like a pigsty.

What the hell happened in here?

There are beer cans, wine bottles, pizza boxes, tissue papers and so many other things scattered on the floor... Did he throw a wild house party or something? Now I've to clean this room...

Fuck you Ayame...

"You must be tired from your long journey, comrade! Step right in! Don't mind me... make yourselves at home and relax!" Ayame stated.

"I think I can't relax with so much mess around here, Ayame." I crossed my hands across my chest.

"Ayame-san! It's nice to see you again!" Tohru greeted him with a big smile.

"Ah, Tohru-kun! Have your summer experiences matured you a bit?~" Ayame sang.

I sighed and started to walk away. I'm so tired right now. I can't handle Ayame at this moment. I need to take a cold shower.

I quickly went upstairs to my room and dumped my bag on the floor. I took my towel and some fresh clothes and went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. When I came out and went back to my bedroom, I found Tohru sitting on her bed while I was walking past her bedroom, thinking deeply about something. I went up to her and sat beside her on the bed. I put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at me.

"Wanna share what's going on in your mind?" I asked.

Tohru nodded her head.

"I'll go to visit Shisou-san tomorrow." She replied.

"Kazuma-san?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. I want to talk to him about the curse and the bond between Akito-san and the zodiac members and how to break the curse." She explained. "You know anything about the curse, Akari-san?"

I sighed and looked away from her, locking my gaze on the floor, slightly frowning.

"I don't much about it, given the fact that I'm neither the 'God' nor a zodiac member..." I stated. "But in my point of view, Aniki was like a small child, only to able scream hysterically. A fragile, unstable child. Yet to the zodiac members, he was like a god, a being to be feared and respected, the weak and the strong. To outsiders like me and you and even Kazuma, this seemed like a mere word of rejection most likely caused a rending pain in their hearts. There was a 'world' that exists between Aniki and the zodiac members that was unfathomable and impenetrable to others, a 'world' for only them. They were bounded by the blood that rushed through their vein. These were the bonds of blood. And these 'bonds' were the curse the zodiac members possessed. I do have speculation that the curse or this bond can be broken by Aniki himself. I think he's the only one who can do this."

I looked back at Tohru who was looking at me with surprise, eyes widened. I smiled warmly at her and ruffled her hair.

"Go to sleep, Tohru." I stated. "You must very exhausted from this trip."