The Beloved Curse

Chapter Fourteen

Kyo ran out into the cool evening air, forgetting about his pain. "Kara? Kara!" he called out, but all he heard in return were the crickets chirping. "Come on Kara! Answer me...please." he called out again as he walked through the grounds. "She already left, Kyo." He looked up in the direction of where the voice was coming from and saw Momiji sitting up on one of the branches. He hopped down, landing next to Kyo and looked up at him sadly.

"I'm sorry." Momiji said softly. Kyo snorted. "Yeah? Sorry for what? Not like you did anything." he said, angrily. Momiji sighed and clasped his hands behind his back as he walked slowly down the path with Kyo. "What she did, she did to save you Kyo." Kyo remained quiet, listening. "She wants you and Yuki to be able to live your own lives without the worry of Akito. She's willing to throw her life away, to protect the two of you. That's how much she loves you. That's how much she loves Yuki."

Kyo sighed. Maybe Momiji was right. But it still didn't seem right. "Thanks Momiji." Kyo said as he stepped through the gate. He looked back, seeing Momiji give him a small, sad smile, then saw Akito standing at the door, smirking at Kyo. He clenched his fist and walked away.

A little ways away from the Sohma house, Kyo relaxed slightly. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked the long way back to Shigure's house. He soon reached the house and went in. He could hear Tohru, Yuki and Shigure laughing as they played Rich man, Poor man. Kyo slowly walked into the room where they were playing and Tohru looked up at him and smiled.

"Welcome home Kyo!" she said cheerfully, then seeing his bruises, she jumped up and ran over to him. "Oh my! Oh my Kyo! What happened to you? Are you hurt? Does it hurt?" she asked as her arms flailed around, panicking. The others looked up at Kyo and she disappeared to get the first aid kit. "I'm fine. Really." he managed to say. "You haven't seen Kara at all, have you?"

Tohru came back and set the kit on the table. Yuki shook his head. "I haven't seen her all day." he said, slowly thinking. "In fact, I was supposed to help her with the homework she was having trouble with." Tohru looked up at Kyo and Yuki. "D-did something happen?" she asked, worriedly, as she made Kyo sit at the table, trying to pull up his shirt.

"Yeah something happened!" he said angrily, smashing his fist down on the table. His gaze moved over to Yuki. "You're such a stupid rat, you know that?" Yuki sighed. "What did I do now?" he asked calmly, gazing intently. Kyo was going to answer, but Shigure stood up. "I really don't think now is a good time to pick a fight, Kyo. Let Tohru fix you up. Kara will come home when she's ready to, alright Kyo?"

Kyo looked away from them. "Yeah, whatever." he muttered, and when Tohru finished bandaging him, he stood up, and walked outside where he climbed onto the roof. He entwined his fingers behind his head as he laid back, wincing slightly, looking up at the stars. A short time later, he could hear someone climbing up the ladder. "Ah! Um K-Kyo?"

Kyo lazily turned his head to see Tohru's head pop up, then the rest of her climbed onto the roof. She carefully made her way across the roof, and then sat down next to Kyo, sighing in relief. She looked up at the starry sky and her eyes lit up. Kyo watched her in amazement and smiled softly to himself. A smile he hadn't smiled for a while. "The stars are so lovely, don't you think Kyo?" she asked. "They're so different out here, than in the city."

She looked over at Kyo and smiled at him, making him blush. It was such a sincere smile. A real one. Kyo chuckled. "Well, yeah, silly. Of course they are different out here because here, there aren't too many lights, and it's peaceful. But in the mountains they are all over, stretching right across the sky!" Tohru nodded in amazement and agreement. It was amazing how this one person could make him feel..slightly better. She squealed in delight and pointed to the sky. "Did you see that shooting star, Kyo? Oh! We should make a wish!" she turned to him and gave him a wide, warm smile.

Kyo found himself smiling back and he sat up. "Alright, let's make a wish." he said softly. Tohru nodded and grabbed Kyo's hand, making him flinch slightly. He took a deep breath. This was Tohru, not Akito. She would never hurt him. He looked at her and noticed she was looking at him worriedly. He gave her a reassuring smile. "What are you going to wish for?" he asked.

She thought for a second. "Oh! I know!" she said, then she closed her eyes. She held onto Kyo's hand, holding it close to her chest. He could feel the beat of her heart and the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. "My wish is...that I want to break this curse, that I want my friends to be happy. I want Yuki to be happy with Kara, and Kara to be happy too wherever she is right now and I especially want Kyo to be happy. Because out of everyone, he needs the most happiness. Oh and I also want Kyo and Yuki to become friends and put their differences aside."

Tohru, the selfless human he had ever met. But he had to chuckle at the thought of her breaking the curse. She looked at him and he rubbed her head telling her that she was silly, but in the end, he thanked her and before he knew it, he found himself kissing her. They ended up bumping bodies and Kyo turned into his form. He sighed as Tohru started apologizing profusely. "Calm down stupid." he said in a jokingly manner.

When she calmed down, she gathered Kyo's clothing and put them neatly in a pile next to her. She then picked up cat Kyo and put him in her lap and started petting him. This time he didn't complain. "Hey...Kyo..?" Kyo looked up at her. "Yeah?" She took a deep breath. "What were you going to say earlier? What happened?" she asked him. He was going to say nothing, to just forget it, but she was generally concerned. Kyo looked away. "He hurt her," he said quietly. "Hurt her in a big way." He poofed back into human form and he got dressed again but it was pointless because Tohru gave Kyo a hug and she never let go of him. He never fought her off.

***********

My head was spinning. He told Kyo. He rubbed it in his face for his own enjoyment. I picked up a rock and threw it as far as I could into the water. I watched the ripples move towards the edge. The moon was bright enough that I could see the pond. I sat, not doing anything. I couldn't cry because all my tears dried up. I wondered how late it was, and wondered if Kyo was still looking for me. I heard him calling for me when I ran from the Sohma house, but I couldn't face him. I wouldn't be able to face Yuki either. Maybe that was Akito's plan all along. To separate me and Yuki. Make me so ashamed that I would leave Shigure's house.

I stood up and walked down the path that led back to the main house. I heard a rustle in the bushes and saw Haru step out onto the path. I froze and he looked at me in confusion. "Where am I?" he asked. I sighed. It seemed that Haru was lost again. "Oh Haru, what are we going to do with you?" I muttered quietly more so to myself than him. I took his hand and led him down the path. "I'm sorry, Kara." he said quietly.

I snorted. "Sorry for what Haru?" He remained quiet and I looked back at him. He looked sad. "Sorry we couldn't do more to stop him." Haru then made a fist with his hand and an evil smirk appeared. "But if he wasn't our God, damn I would just love to smash his face in with my fist here." He held up his fist, ready to fight. I smiled at that and rolled my eyes as we walked again.

"You should go home Kara. They are worried about you." I shook my head. "I can't Haru. I can't face Yuki...it's like I betrayed him." Haru took my hand again. "No, you did what you had to do. I know that Yuki would never hate you, how could he? You do what you need to do to protect the people you love." I sighed. He was right. "Go home Kara. Go talk to Yuki." I looked up at Haru and it just all made sense.

"You were never lost were you?" I asked. Haru smiled and winked at me. "No but I also know where you like hanging out when you want to think. At least you're not like Kyo and run off to the mountains for months." he joked. I smiled at Haru. He was a good friend. "Thank you Haru." I said and started running the opposite way. I was going to go home.