Upon hearing news that Isuzu was once again admitted to the hospital, Tsubaki went to visit. The hospital did not have fond memories for Rin yet she always ends up back here.
"305...305..." Tsubaki walked through the hallways as she check for the room Rin was in. Upon finding it, she smiled as she knocked the door and opened it. "Isuzu, I came to visit-"
However Tsubaki noted that she was not alone, she was visited by Honda Tohru. Tsubaki beamed at the visitor. "I see that you came to visit, Tohru-san!"
"Yes!" The girl twirled as she smiled. "I brought some jelly for Isuzu-san. Please help yourself with some if you want."
"I'm good." Tsubaki refused as she looked at Isuzu. Their relationship was rather awkward but there wasn't a doubt that after Tsubaki jumped after Isuzu when she was pushed by Akito, the zodiac member warmed up to her. "I bought some puddings as well."
Isuzu perked up as she looked at Tsubaki immediately. The woman smiled at her nervously. "You loved them a lot as a child. Do you still like them...?"
Isuzu pinked as she turned away. "I don't mind them." Her response made Tsubaki laugh as she put the puddings in the fridge.
"Actually...." Tohru started in an unsure tone. "I actually came here to ask something."
Noticing Tohru's hesitant voice, Tsubaki could guess what she was going to talk about. "Why don't we talk as we walk outside?" Tsubaki looked at Rin. "I'm sure Isuzu can use some fresh air."
As the group walked along the nearby park, Tohru started. "Akito-san told me that her existence is equal to that of God. I also heard about your story from Yuki-kun as well, Tsubaki-san. And that all zodiac members and Tsubaki-san will live with Akito-san. "
"Live in the same place, enduring. Is that bond the curse?" Tohru asked.
"We have no memory of the curse but God made that promise...many many years ago." Isuzu explained as Tsubaki simply listened quietly. "A promise to be together for eternity."
"No matter how many times reborn, we continue to be together, never to be separated, forever and ever." Isuzu explained. "We're bound by that promise. It may seem beautiful to others but to us it is nothing but a burden."
"That's why it's a curse."
"Is there no way to break the curse?" Tohru asked.
"I doubt even if Akito knows how." Rin replied. "Even if Akito knows, he has no reason to tell us."
"I expected someone close to Akito might know so I asked Gure-nii..." Upon hearing Shigure's name Tsubaki stiffened, the said man was indeed very intelligent. Tsubaki doubts that he already suspects Kureno's curse being broken. "But he said he doesn't know."
"What about Kureno-san?" Tohru asked.
"He is no use." Rin huffed as she turned away. "He's no use since he only follows Akito's orders."
"Please don't say that he is no use." Tsubaki smiled at Tohru's reply but it only further irritated Rin as she said. "I'm only saying what is true."
Then the two became quiet as they slowly turned to Tsubaki, making her laugh. "I don't know how to break the curse as well." Making both Tohru and Rin droop in disappointment.
"But I'll tell you this...Not once has there been an occasion where all of the zodiacs, servant and God been born in the same era, till our turn there was never a complete banquet after the very first one." Tsubaki continued. "Also some of our forms are quite different. Hatori is a seahorse rather than a dragon...Kureno is a bird rather than a rooster."
"Slowly but surely the bond has been weakening. Sometimes I think to myself, if the reason for a complete banquet for our nearing farewell." Tsubaki smiled, her heart hurted as she explained. She wondered if it was the sound of the servant saddened. "Maybe not in this lifetime but this bond is sure to break..."
"That's not alright! If that happens then... Then..." Kyo-kun will leave... Tohru then flushed as she apologized. "I'm sorry for acting rude."
Tsubaki chuckled. "Don't worry I didn't mind." She then tilted her head. "But then why do you want to break the curse?"
Isuzu as turned to look at Tohru. "The curse has nothing to do with so yet... what is it that you can't give up? What is it that is most important to you?"
Tohru opened her mouth to reply yet no words came out. She stood still as if even she was shocked at her hesitation.
Isuzu quickly noted Tohru's hesitation. "You don't have to tell me..." She continued. "Just don't go running off to see Kureno by yourself."
"If you're going to tell me not to overdo on my own." Tohru smiled at Rin. "Let's team up!"
Rin's eyes widened before she turned away and walked away from Tohru. "I don't need an unreliable partner like you."
Tsubaki smiled at the two girls, as her heart warmed. Isuzu has become much more kind...
......
When people hear the word servant, in the Sohma family, it was to be looked with pity. Mainly due to the fact that the servant, if their God was not born, lived only till their fifties.
They would die very young since their soul's owner did not exist with them so they would desperately try and leave to go back to their God. They would die by accidents, take their own life or simply die a natural death. The servant was more fragile than anything else.
Imagine the uproar when people learned that the servant was born into the head family. Tsubaki heard that her father cried day and night, apologizing to the newborn baby who was yet to understand the world.
"I'm sorry I gave you a life where you would leave before you could fully enjoy the beauty of life." How ironic it was that he was the one who died young.
Her mother frowned but she did not weep like her father. "That's unfortunate."
The family who the previous servant belonged to was deeply insulted. The reason being the previous servant had died by hanging himself. The young servants born prided themselves and felt immense joy as they waited to serve their master and when they knew their God would not be born their heart will fall into abyss.
Tsubaki continued to play the instrument as she finally came out of her thoughts. Maybe it was due to the fact that they were in their new year's banquet, Tsubaki felt quite sentimental as she pulled the last string of her kōtō, ending the beautiful performance of Hatori. After that their feast commenced and after they were done eating ,the banquet became less formal as the zodiacs members indulged themselves in small talks.
Tsubaki who was looking at the group noticed Yuki was in deep thoughts even though he was sitting beside Akito.
Akito turned to look at Yuki as she smiled. "You didn't run away this time? I'm happy you returned back to me so I'll forgive you..."
"It's not the matter of forgiving or not." Tsubaki heard Yuki say, as her eyes widened. Did he just say Akito was wrong? "I'm sick of blaming others. I have become aware of my faults and areas I can improve."
"If I always blame someone or something, I'll never change." Tsubaki stood up from her seat as she could feel those words meant Yuki has changed. And change meant leaving a part of ourselves behind so we can embrace a better part. Change meant leaving...
Before Tsubaki could interrupt, in a blink of an eye Akito stood up and hit Yuki with the sake bottle making it break into small multiple pieces.
"Yuki!" Tsubaki ran to Yuki who had blood dripping on his face as Kureno stood up and immediately restrained Akito who kept shouting at Yuki.
"Apologize! I said apologize!" Akito would have sure hit Yuki if Kureno had not retrained her. Tsubaki stood up to get Hatori who went outside.
"Sorry..." Yuki did as told. Apologizing to Akito was always the easy way out. Tsubaki returned with Hatori as they both went to Yuki's side.
"Because of you, my head hurts." Akito let go of the broken sake bottle as she walked away.
"Yuki, press this on your head!"
Akito turned around hearing Tsubaki's voice. Did she not hear me? I said my head hurt... Her older sister sat beside Yuki with a worried expression on her face. Shouldn't you be prioritizing me, Tsubaki?!
Akito winches as she feels another throbbing pain due to her headaches as she walks away
.....
"I don't want to talk with those people ever again...." Akito complained.
Tsubaki sighed beside her. "It can't be helped, we have to keep this up for formalities." Akito and Tsubaki had returned from a meeting with some of the people belonging to the main family. There, the head and the rest would have some tea simply for the sake of formalities. Akito hated these things.
"We'll return to you room now as Hatori will be coming soon for your checkup." Tsubaki explained as she walked behind Akito.
"Is there anyone I will be meeting after that?" Akito asked as she kept walking. Upon receiving a 'no' as an answer, Akito continued. "Then bring Kureno to me after that."
Tsubaki ignored the sudden pain in her chest as she nodded. "Of cour-... Hatori?"
Akito stopped walking as she stared in Tsubaki's directly. Along the long hallway, there was Hatori standing as if he was talking to someone and the next moment a hand reached out for Hatori making both Akito and Tsubaki stiffen.
"Hatori!" Akito cried in panic as she immediately rushed his side as she pushed him away. "How many times do I have to tell you to keep your distance from her?"
Hatori shook his head. "Akito, it's not like that. She was only saying hello."
"That's right, I was only saying hello. What's so wrong about it?" The door further opened as the owner of the voice walked out. It was Sohma Ren.
Akito glared. "You leer at any zodiac man you see..." She took a step forward as she shouted. "Go back into your room!"
"If you continue to speak like that they won't like you anymore." Ren ran her hands through her hair as she something caught her attention. "You're here too, Tsubaki."
"Good evening, mother..."
"Mother is sorry for saying those things last time... So come to me later, we can catch up okay?" Ren took one step towards her, as her hands reached out to cup her face. But then it was slapped away.
"Stop meddling with our bond!" Akito once again stepped in. "We are connected in a world that you can't reach!"
"What nonsense!" Ren scoffed as she mocked Akito. "How many time do I have to tell you that those bonds aren't real love? That eternally unchanging concept you cherish is fake! It's just a fantasy..."
"I pity Tsubaki and the zodiac members who have to put up with you..."
These words snapped something within Akito, as in a flash she grabbed Ren by her collars pushing her through the numerous sliding doors and into the rough courtyard.
Hatori and Tsubaki ran after them. Akito glared at Ren as she sat on her, strangling her mother. "How about you tell me what real then?! Parental love?!"
"That is not perfect! Lots of parents abandon their children like most of the Sohma parents! Like you!" Hatori successfully pulled Akito away as Tsubaki held Ren who was coughing from the lack of air. The maids nearby upon seeing the commotion ran in.
Akito kept shouting as she tries to pull away from Hatori, ready to kill Ren. "Who are you to define what's real or not?! No has the right to deny the bond between me and the zodiacs or our eternity!"
Ren glared as she walked towards Akito, however Tsubaki quickly grabbed onto her but then it did not stop Ren from shouting. "The real thing exists! Akira-san and I have the real bond."
Akito tightened her jaw as she shouted on top of her voice. "I'll kill you!"
"Go ahead kill me." Ren opened her arms. "When I die, my soul will be in heaven with Akira-san! I have no need for any of you!"
"What are you doing?!" Tsubaki shouted at the maids who were nearby. "Do you think this is a show for you to spectate?! Take mother away from the head of the family!"
At Tsubaki's raised voice, every one stiffened. The maids gulped as they rushed in and escorted Ren away.
"She is cruel..." Akito cried. "Why is she so cruel...?"
Tsubaki walked towards her and embraced Akito. "We are here Akito...The bond still exists with you being in the center of all of it."
She felt Akito grip onto her kimono as her little sister kept crying. "We didn't leave you. We never will since our bond is for eternity..." After a while, Akito calmed down.
Tsubaki stepped away as Hatori then picked up Akito and carried her back to her residence.
.....
When Akito was young... When Sohma Akira was still alive, Akito was a lively child who really adored her sister.
Young Akito would always cling onto Tsubaki and Tsubaki would always tend to spoil Akito a lot, often she would get lectured by the head maid for that. This was a memory from way back...
So why was Akito acting like that in the present as well? Akito refused to let Tsubaki out of her side, often making her work in Akito's room.
A ring of a phone intruded the silence between Tsubaki and Akito. Akito looked up from her book as she stared at Tsubaki. "Answer the phone. Don't leave the room..."
Tsubaki was confused but nevertheless she nodded as she looked at who was calling her. It was Rin's homeroom teacher.
"Hello Sohma-san?" The person from the other side of the phone spoke. "This is Sohma Isuzu's teacher. I wanted to inform you that Sohma Isuzu did not attend her graduation ceremony."
Tsubaki's eyes widened. Akito clicked her tongue as she approached her. Rin's teacher continued. "I wanted to ask if I could get-" Akito snatched the phone away from Tsubaki as she then turned it off and went a step further to delete the contact.
"Akito, this was an important call." Tsubaki frowned as Akito went back to her seat as she flipped through a book.
''You know how I feel about Rin..." Akito muttered. "I don't want to hear about her so better also not call that person back!"
Tsubaki sighed but she listened. A few days later Tsubaki got another call. It was Hatsuharu.
Tsubaki was still with Akito. The latter raised an eyebrow as she muttered. "Who is it?"
"It's Hatsuharu." The answer gave satisfaction to Akito as her attention was no longer on her.
"What is it, Hatsuharu?" Tsubaki went straight to the point. "It's rare for you to call me."
"Tsubaki-nee." Haru started. "Do you know which Hospital Rin is admitted in?"
Isuzu? Hospital? What was he talking about? She was totally confused. Tsubaki was never informed on such matter. "What do you mean?"
"Huh? You didn't know?" Hatsuharu was even more shocked. Tsubaki always kept tab on the zodiac members whereabouts more focused on Rin as the girl was reckless.
He sighed as his final hope was gone. "If you don't know then never mind. See ya~"
"Wait! Hatsuharu-" Before she could even inquire more, the call ended. Tsubaki then immediately stood up as she walked towards the door.
Akito shouted. "Where are you going?!"
"Akito..." Tsubaki let out a breath. "Apparently Isuzu has been hospitalized. I haven't gotten any words on the matter so I wanted to go check."
"Ahh~" Akito smiled. "I heard about it. I was told to inform you but I forgot. Apparently she is fine so you don't need to go check on her..."
Tsubaki turned to face Akito. "But still, I think I should visit her once-"
"Are you leaving me?"
Tsubaki bit her lips. "Of course not! I'll return as soon as I check up on her..."
"So you are picking her over me..." Akito walked up to Tsubaki as she slowly wrapped her arms around her. Akito then whispered close to her ears. "How cruel..."
"Stay with me... You know I love you more than anyone else. My heart breaks that I'm no longer your top priority." Akito spoke in gentle a gentle manner. "Choose me, Tsubaki Onee-san..."
Tsubaki's hands fell beside her all limb. Inside she knew she needed to go, something about this situation was weird and even Akito was acting suspicious. But then every time she tried to move, her body felt heavy as she ultimately fell into Akito's submission.
Days after that as similar to the day before. Akito still held Tsubaki close to her and would not let her go anywhere along. As Tsubaki flipped the pages she was reading, the door to the room was suddenly opened gaining the attention of both Tsubaki and Akito.
Hatsuharu stood by the door with a furious expression. The head maid showed up a second later as she shouted. "Hatsuharu-san,you may be a zodiac member but you can't barge in like that."
"Shut up." Haru muttered. "Get out of here, hag"
Tsubaki immediately stood up as she approached Haru. "Hatsuharu, you're being rude!"
Akito smiled as she then stood up from her seat. "It seems that Haru is here for me to speak something important." Akito dismissed the maid. "Now go ahead."
Haru lowered his eyes as his hands tightened to a fist. "Why did you push Rin?"
"Me? Push Isuzu?" Akito asked. "First time I've heard of it. Who told you that?"
"An oracle."
Hearing his response Akito giggled to herself. "As usual you're being stupid."
"Stop laughing." Akito in return glared at Haru. Haru seemed to get more furious as time went by. "Why did you do it? Were you trying to kill her?"
Akito hummed as she then turned away. "You believe in an oracle yet you don't believe in me, your God. You've always been kind to her. Why? Do you pity her?"
Tsubaki flinched as Haru punched the wall. "Because I believe her!" As he kept shouting. "You already know that yet you purposely keep asking me that. Where is Rin?"
Akito scoffed as her back faced Akito. "What a worthless conversation? Where did you get such ideas?"
"You always treated Rin coldly... not only her but to all girls." Haru asked as he took a step towards Akito. "You say and do cruel things without blinking. If you're supposed to be God then-" Haru raised his voice as he walked towards Akito.
Tsubaki stepped in as she stood in between Akito and Haru. "Hatsuharu, back off. " Tsubaki glared.
Haru stood his ground. "Why are you still by Akito's side? She always tormented you as well."
"I said back off, Hatsuharu!" Tsubaki raised her voice.
Hatsuharu let out a breath. "Just tell me where she is..."
"How persistent..." Akito muttered. "Stop asking. Stop always making me the bad guy every-"
Akito was cut off as someone entered the room. "We sent her to the hospital." It was Kureno. "Hatori nii-san took her by a car. She wasn't fully conscious but don't worry. I was told it wasn't life threatening."
"Huh?" Tsubaki let out a sound. "But Akito you said she was already in a hospital few days ago. What does Kureno mean by this?"
Kureno walked towards Akito. "You mustn't do things like that. No matter who you are there should be a limit to what you shouldn't do."
"Where was she?" Haru asked.
Kureno turned and looked at Tsubaki who had her eyes still widened with her face getting paler. "She was locked in the Cat's place." Akito gasped as she grabbed Kureno claiming her had betrayed her.
Before anyone could move, Haru grabbed Akito by the collar. "Cut the bullshit, you little bastard! Were you trying to kill her again?"
"What I was! It's because you choose her over me." Akito hissed. "You're the one who dug her grave."
Wordlessly Tsubaki placed a hand on Haru's as she separated them. Akito gleamed. "Tell him I'm right Tsubaki...Tsubaki?"
Tsubaki was crying. Tears were falling through her empty eyes. She shouldn't have trusted Akito so blindly. All she got in return was betrayal. She shouldn't have loved Akito.
"I'm sorry..." Tsubaki said as she walked away from the group. "I want some time alone."
Akito gasped as she quickly held onto Tsubaki's waist. What if Tsubaki left and never returned back to her. "No! Don't go Tsubaki..."
Tsubaki pulled herself away as she turned to Akito one last time before she left the room.
"You can't expect love in return when all you do is hurt others, Akito..." Tsubaki cried. "I'm tired of this...I'm so tired..."
Next Chapter: "You Fought Well..."