Uo waited in the town square for Kyo. He asked her yesterday if she wanted to hang and she said sure. Yesterday was very interesting. She found out about his curse and the Sohma family's curse too. Uo still had a hard time processing all the information together, but that didn't change the way she looked at the Sohmas.

She checked her phone which read, 2:25

"He's 25 minutes late." Uo muttered. (A/N: Anyone know that song? 25 Minutes Too Late? No? Yes? Maybe? Oh well haha xD)

She gazed up at the sky which was gray and cloudy, seemed like it was gonna rain anytime soon. People gathered around a Starbucks coffee shop from across the street. Some walked by Uo talking rapidly. It was like they didn't notice her but she shrugged it off.

From the corner of her eye she saw a girl standing on the side of the building, her back faced Uo. Her long brunette hair swayed back in forth in the afternoon wind.

She looks familiar...

The girl quickly glanced back and made a short eye contact with Uo then rounded the corner of the building.

"That's odd." Uo pondered.

"What's odd?"

Uo jumped and turned around. Kyo stood behind her with a confused look on his face. "Dammit Kyo, don't scare me like that!"

He smirked. "I thought your senses were on high alert, Yankee."

I punched him playfully in the shoulder. "Why were you late?"

He shrugged. "I just told Shigure and that damn rat about how you know about the curse and that I told you."

"And they're okay with it?"

"Yeah, unless you don't tell anyone. Then Hatori will have to erase you memory."

"Say what?" Uo's face turned pale.

"Relax." Kyo snickered. "But seriously. Don't tell anyone, not even Hana."

Uo hesitated then nodded. "Okay, I promise."

"So how long have you been waiting?" He asked while they walked around town.

"About half an hour." She replied. "You we were 25 minutes late, orange top."

"Better late then ever." He shrugged. "So where do you wanna go first?"

Uo paused and stared intently at the Starbucks shop. "How bout some hot chocolate?"

"Sounds good to me."

Time laps...

Uo and Kyo chose to hang out in the central park. The lake was frozen solid and trees were covered in snow.

Uo took a sip from her beverage and sighed. "Nothing's better than a warm drink on a cold day."

Kyo nodded in agreement. He kept his eyes glued on the frozen river ahead of them.

"Why the sudden interest of frozen water?" She joked. But Kyo didn't seem to hear her.

"Hey." Uo waved her hand in front of his face. "Kyo? Earth to Kyo!"

He flinched and shook his head. "Yeah what do you want?" He glared at her.

"Nothing, its just you seemed a bit tense." Uo carefully placed a hand on his shoulder. "Is everything okay?"

He gave a curt nod. "Yeah just thinking.."

Uo set her drink down on the bench they were sitting on. "About what?"

He shook his head. "Just stupid memories."

After a long period of silence, Kyo finished his drink and threw it in the trash. Uo took one last sip and did the same. They walked around the park in silence, enjoying the chilly weather and the cloudy sky. Uo swore she felt a rain drop fall on her nose, but she brushed but off.

"So.." She started, after moments of awkwardness. "Why do you and Yuki and each other so much?"

She was curious and she wanted to know more. Maybe that way she can show Kyo she can handle the truth of his curse.

He stopped dead in his tracks making Uo flinch in surprise.

"He's the rat. And I'm the cat." He muttered. "The story explains everything."

Uo gave him a confused look.

He let out an exasperated sigh. "In the story, all the zodiac animals were welcomed to a feast one night. The rat thought it would be funny to play a trick on the cat so he told him the feast was the tomorrow night, not tonight. So as the cat slept that night he dreamt of all the food he would share with all the other animals. But while he slept, all the zodiac animals were on their way to the party, leaving the cat alone, thinking that the party was tomorrow."

As Kyo finished the last sentence, Uo felt a tear escape her left eye. She quickly wiped it away and cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry.." She blurted out. "I didn't know."

Kyo stared at the ground and grunted.

"But it doesn't have to be that way." Uo said. "You don't have to follow what the story says. Its your life. So make your own path."

"Its not so simple like that." Kyo argued. "I can't do anything about it because its my curse. Its the Sohma family's curse!"

"I felt humiliated when I found out I was the cat!" He continued. "I hate what that damn rat did to me. I didn't belong in the Chinese zodiac. I was the thirteenth. So that's why I left, for four months up in the mountains to train. So that one day I'll be able to beat Yuki and show everyone else that I could mean something in the world!"

Kyo's voice cracked in frustration. He was breathing so hard, sweat trickled down from his forehead.

Uo didn't know how to calm him down, so she tackled him in a hug, even though it was a stupid idea at the time.

Poof

Kyo yelped in surprise as he transformed into a cat. It was a good thing no one else was in the park, or that would've caused s big scene. Uo picked up his clothes from the ground, including orange cat.

"What the hell did you do that for??" He growled as Uo carried him in her arms as she walked through the park.

"I'm sorry. But I didn't know what else to do." She sighed. "Plus, I thought you needed a hug.

Kyo muttered rudely under his breath.

Suddenly the clouds exploded with pouring rain. Uo was quickly getting soaked since she wasn't wearing a rain coat or had an umbrella.

"We should hear back to the city." Not waiting for Kyo to protest she sprinted out of the park and into the city. People everywhere had their umbrellas above their heads, speed walking into multiple directions. Uo found a tall pine tree nearby, underneath was a dry stone bench. The branches of the tree protected it from the pouring rain. Bushes surrounded the area creating a thick wall from prying eyes.

Uo ran towards the bench and quickly sat down panting. She set Kyo's clothes on the bench which were dry from being kept inside Uo's sweater. Kyo wasn't in good shape. His orange fur was damp from the rain and he was shivering. Uo's clothes were soaked as well.

"Hey you okay?" Uo whispered.

Kyo nodded his shaking head. "Cats hate getting their whiskers wet. You did a fantastic job pissing a specific orange one off."

Uo scoffed. "Well excuse me, I could've just let you stand there in the rain soaking wet."

"It doesn't make a difference, since I am soaking wet just by being held in your arms." He muttered.

"Your welcome." Uo set him down on the grassy floor. He shook his body making drops of water spray Uo in the face.

"Hey watch it!" She sputtered.

Kyo smirked. "Now we're even."

Poof

Uo forgot to close her eyes and Kyo stood in front of her naked.

"Holy crap warn me when you do that next time!" She scowled covering her eyes.

"Sorry. I don't know when it happens. It just does."

After a few moments later, Uo opened her eyes slowly. She sighed in relief as she saw Kyo sitting beside her fully clothed.

"So what now?" She asked. "Its pouring hell out there and we don't have an umbrella."

Kyo shrugged. "I guess we just wait out her under the tree, at least it's keeping us dry."

Uo nodded. "Hey orange top?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for.. You know. Asking to hang out with me." Uo mumbled.

He smiled faintly. "No problem."

Snap

Kyo stood up from the bench. "Who's there?"

Uo looked around cautiously. She stared into the direction the sound came from. "Whoever is there. Come out!"

A girl stepped out from behind two tall bushes. She had a smirk plastered on her face. Her long brunette hair was soaked behind her. Her blue eyes gleamed with a hint of mischief. She was wearing the same uniform Uo saw her last. A short sleeve tan top with a matching long skirt.

That's why she looked so familiar.. But no it can't be...

"Well, I guess we meet again Arise Uotani." She snickered.

I thought I was never gonna see her again.. For good!

I scowled and stood up from the bench. My chin rasied in the air confidently. "Hello, Minako."

---------------------------

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it took so long! But I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

I was also wondering if you all could check out my new story I wrote called "The Wolf Within."

Thanks so much! I love ya all!

(Throws stuff animal plushies at the crowd)

HAPPY READING

-M