-------------------------Disclaimer-----------------------

I don't own Furuba or any characters associated with Furuba. They all belong to Takaya-sensei.

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Konnichiwa! Thank you so much for getting over 100 reads! To quote Takaya-sensei, I feel so grateful! Also, as I'm thinking of renaming this fic, please comment your ideas for a new name! Arigato and please vote and review! Enjoy the story!

Yuki's P.O.V

"Wha- Akito?!" I exclaim in disbelief, as I opened the door to the head of the family.

"Hello, Yuki. I hear the girl is ill." Akito says coolly. 

I know he doesn't care about Honda-san. But why is he here?

"We don't know that, but she might have breast cancer," I tell him gravely. Her test results are coming tomorrow. 

"Oh. What a shame. I need to see her." he demands. 

Those empty eyes lock their gaze onto mine. 

"Now." 

The last time Akito saw Honda-san  was right after she saw Kyo's true form. He now despises her even more than he did before. Which is saying something... I've often wondered why he had let her stay at Shigure's in the first place. I bet he has an ulterior motive. He needs Honda-san for something. 

"What do you want her for?" I ask. 

"You nosy little brat. This has nothing to do with you! Now, let me see the girl" He tries to push past me, but I don't budge. 

"You don't get to touch Honda-san" I reply calmly. 

"What?" Akito spits. 

"You don't get to touch her," I say. 

"YOU UNGRATEFUL BRAT! I'LL DO WHAT I WANT TO THAT BITCH!" he screams. 

Then he slaps me, hard. 

It hurts badly, and my lip is bleeding. I watch as the blood drips down on my shirt, and vermillion stains my school uniform.  

I lift my head up and stand as tall as I can. I'm almost as tall as Akito. Almost. 

I can't back down. I have to be strong for Honda-san. 

I'm not the child who Akito enjoyed tormenting when he was little more than an infant himself. I'm not the terrified  boy who Akito would lock in that dark room because he enjoyed making me scared. 

Not anymore. 

"You will not touch Tohru-kun. And don't ever call her a bitch." I say, firmly. 

"Are... are you telling me what to do?" Akito smirks mockingly. 

"You will not touch her," I repeat. 

What happens next totally shocks me. Akito just walks away. 

"This isn't the end, rat!" he cries before getting into the back seat of his black car. I notice Kureno is driving it. 

As the car drives into the distance, I realise that I should feel proud. I should feel strong for standing up to Akito. However, I don't. What replaces it is an overwhelming sense of fear.

***

"Yuki... was that Akito?" asks Momiji at lunch. He's staying till Honda-san gets her test results. 

"Uh... yes. He and I had a little... chat" I pick my words carefully. Shigure is always around Akito. I suspect he spies on us for him a little. 

"What kind of chat?" asks Shigure from the kitchen. 

"Oh... just about... things. He wanted to know how Honda-san was." I tell him. Again, I cherry-pick my words. 

"I see" replies Shigure. 

"Did he want to hurt her? Did Akito do anything to Tohru?" asks Kyo as he walks in. I suppose the word "subtle" really isn't in that stupid cat's dictionary. Although, to be fair, he does seem genuinely very concerned about Tohru. 

"No, he didn't see her," I tell him. 

"Well, he couldn't have talked to Tohru even if he wanted to; she's at her Mom's grave with her friends," Shigure explained. 

"Oh, no. We haven't missed the anniversary of her Mom's death, have we?" I ask. Please, say we haven't. 

"No, she said she just wanted to be with her Mom before she got her test results" Shigure answers. 

I breath out a sigh of relief. I hear a strange, high pitched whimper coming from outside the door. 

I walk to the door and open it, to reveal a weeping woman with short, brown hair and a expression that screams "I'm at my wit's end". 

"Hello, Mitsuru-san" I smile at her. 

"Please. Get Shigure. Please" she whispers, her eyes filled with tears. 

"Ah! Mit-chan!" he cries. He really does enjoy tormenting that poor woman. 

"Shigure... where... is it?" she asks. 

"Please. You have no idea how desperate I am" she pleads. 

"About that. Well, with poor little Tohru-kun awaiting her results, Iv'e been too worried about her to even think about writing" Shigure tells her. 

"You... you monster! I need that manuscript now! And to think about using that poor girl's illness as an excuse..." Mitchan yells. 

"I'm sorry, Mit-chan. I'll get on it right away" Shigure reassures her. Falsely reassures her. 

"I hate you so much!" Mitsuru-san says. 

And although it feels wrong, I can't stop myself from grinning.