Author's note: Guess who's back everyone? That's right, me! HAHA! I'm so sorry for not updating for over a freaking year, but life has a nasty habbit of getting in the way of fanfiction. I've been busy with college and church along with other things. I've also been focusing on my original stories and those take precedent over fanfics. I'm hoping to publish within the next couple of years, so be on the lookout for my work! :D

Don't worry, I won't leave you guys hanging. I will finish this story. I have some definite plans for it and I might even be able to finish it by springtime.

Also, I have a Tumblr now, go follow it and remind me to update! .com

Now, without further ado, Chapter 14. Enjoy!

The Art of Teaching

Chapter 14

"Kumiko," Shigure called in a sing-song voice. The young woman sat up suddenly, his voice having called her out of a rather lovely reverie.

"Huh?" she asked dazedly. He raised his eyebrows at her from across the table.

"You're doing it again."

"Doing what?" she wondered.

"Daydreaming," he said. "You've had your head in the clouds for a few days now. What's got you so happy, hm?"

"Oh, nothing," she replied dreamily. "I'm just pleased with the direction my life is going in."

The novelist cocked an eyebrow at her incredulously. "Uh-huh," he said, clearly not convinced. However, he let it go, for which Kumiko was very grateful. She recalled what Hatori had told her when he had driven her home the other day.

They had just rolled up the driveway and Kumiko was about to open the door, when Hatori called her back.

"Just a moment, Miss Kumiko," he had said, her first name sounding foreign on his lips. "There's one more thing..."

"What is it?" she asked, happy to stay behind.

"Would you mind if, just for a little while, we kept this between us?" He could see the hesitation in her eyes. "Just until we figure this out," he assured her. She looked away from him for a moment, considering it.

"Okay," she agreed, smiling to dispel her uncertainty. "I trust you."

Kumiko pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked at the clock. 12:30. "Well, I think I'll get that shopping done," she stated, getting to her feet and stretching her arms over her head. "Anything in particular you want?" Shigure looked up at her from the television.

"Surprise me."

"Easier said than done," she said half to herself as she walked away. She sang to herself as she collected her shopping list and purse and put on her shoes and coat. As she opened the door and stepped out into the cold, she wished that she hadn't had to sell her car. It wasn't that she minded walking or even minded the cold, but trudging through the snow tended to lose its charm rather quickly.

Oh, well, she thought. I won't be walking for too long, at least. Kumiko set off down the path with a smile on her face, despite the less-than-ideal walking conditions. She was finding it difficult not to smile these last few days, now that she and Hatori were officially dating, even if they hadn't "gone public" as Naoko would have put it. The phrase made Kumiko laugh, giving her the mental image of herself and Hatori as some celebrity couple, stepping out on the red carpet together for the first time.

As she walked, she entertained herself with silly scenarios of hiding from the paparazzi. Distracted by her own comedic ideas, she didn't notice he car pull up next to her as she walked along the sidewalk.

"Something funny?" asked a deep voice. Kumiko jumped a bit, but laughed again when she saw that it was Hatori.

"Just me," she said into the open window. "I'm hilarious." He grinned and motioned for her to get in. Happy to get out of the cold, and to be in his company, she hopped in and quickly shut the door. "So, where are we sneaking off to, Romeo? Not to an apothecary, I hope."

He chuckled a little at her joke as they drove away. "No. I was thinking something more along the lines of the art museum, if that's all right."

"Sounds great, but I told Shigure I was going shopping, so before I go home I've got to get the groceries," she explained. He nodded in consent, keeping his eyes on the road.

"He isn't giving you any trouble, is he?" he inquired, glancing quickly in her direction.

"About what? Us?" she replied. He nodded again. "A little, but so far it hasn't been too bad. I think he's getting suspicious, but don't worry, I can hold him off."

Hatori raised his eyebrows skeptically. "If you say so." Kumiko cocked her head in confusion, but shrugged and disregarded his comment.

They made small talk along the way. Hatori asked her about school, which was hectic with finals fast approaching. Kumiko responded with a question about his work, which he would be able to finish much faster if he didn't have Momiji to look after.

"You baby-sit? Where are his parents?" she wondered, her tone half curious, half disbelieving.

"His father has to work most days and his mother is…" he hesitated, the young woman's green eyes studying him intently, "away." His gaze flicked over to her, hoping he had convinced her. He hadn't. The look on her face told him that sooner or later, she would get the truth out of him. But, for now, she let it slide, not wanting to force him to talk about things he wasn't ready to discuss. "He isn't there all the time, but he often comes by after school and sometimes on the weekends." Kumiko smiled.

"That's nice of you. He seems like he needs someone responsible to look out for him," she observed. There was the faintest trace of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, though he said nothing.

They turned right, heading into a parking garage beneath a tall building. Hatori led the way out of the garage and up to the museum entrance. Kumiko got out her wallet to pay for her ticket, but Hatori refused to let her pay.

"You're such a gentleman, Hatori Sohma," she said with a smile. He tried not to smile as he took the tickets from the man behind the desk. "Thank you."

"It's nothing. I invited you to come here with me. It would be rude if I didn't pay for you." Kumiko laughed a little. "What?"

"Nothing. You're just so matter-of-fact." Before he could ask what she meant, she took a pamphlet from the front desk and held her hand out to him. "Come on," she said warmly. He gave her a small smile, grasped her hand, and followed her into the gallery.

The first floor was mostly classic pieces. They read from the plaques about the various paintings and statues and Kumiko talked about what she had learned about the different time periods. She told him about the composers of the era, other artists, and who influenced who to do what.

"The Archangel Leaving Tobias, Rembrandt, 1637," Kumiko read from the plaque.

"Rembrandt was a Baroque artist, wasn't he?" Hatori asked.

"How'd you know that?"

"I've done some reading, too, Miss Kumiko," he replied simply, a grin playing at the corners of his mouth.

She smiled self-consciously. "I'm sorry. Am I talking too much?" she asked, shuffling her feet.

He pushed a strand of hair away from her face and she felt the blood rush to her cheeks. "I like it when you talk." She bit the inside of her lip to try to stop herself from smiling like an idiot. It didn't work. "Besides, one of us has to do the talking."

Kumiko laughed and took his hand again, ready to lead him to the next exhibit. "Well, I've still got plenty to say. Let's go." He held back, his feet rooted to the spot. Kumiko's brow furrowed and she looked back at him. "What's the matter?"

Hatori's olive-colored eyes were fixed ahead of them. She followed his gaze and realized why he was suddenly unwilling to move. Passing in front of them was a large school tour group; boys and girls skipping along, following their teacher and a tour guide.

"Oh," she muttered quietly, the curse coming to the forefront of her thoughts. If one of those little girls accidentally bumped into Hatori, he could transform.

She looked up at him as he watched the tour group intently, waiting for the moment when he could pass without incident. As the group lined up near the back of the room, Hatori and Kumiko skirted around them, making their way out of the gallery and into the corridor.

They walked to the staircase that led to the second floor, Hatori's head hanging in embarrassment. He paused suddenly, staring at the ground. She halted on the step above him and turned back to face him; she was almost eye-level with him this way.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

"Hey, it's not your fault," she assured him.

He shook his head. "No, but my condition certainly complicates things."

Kumiko reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. Her green eyes shone with sympathy as she looked up at him. "Lots of people have handicaps, Hatori. Maybe that's how you should think of it. It's not so different, really. You just learn how to live with your, uh, circumstance."

He gave a small, bitter laugh and brushed his hand against the left side of his face before taking her hand again. It was a gesture just big enough for her to notice.

"I know all about dealing with handicaps, Miss Kumiko," he said, leading her up the stairs. Her brows furrowed quizzically. "I suppose you don't know; I'm almost blind in my left eye."

She felt as though she had a rock in her stomach. "Really? I-I didn't mean to offend you-"

"You haven't. You just helped put things in perspective." She couldn't help the little grin that worked its way across her face. Hatori was so intelligent, and the fact that she thought of things that he didn't flattered her.

"So, what happened, if you don't mind me asking?" she inquired curiously.

His expression darkened a little, and she wished she hadn't said anything. "There was an accident."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry," she apologized quickly.

"Don't worry about it. I brought it up." They walked leisurely toward a section of the museum dedicated to Vincent Van Gough. He kept hold of her hand, so she supposed that he wasn't annoyed with her. They kept the conversation light after that, avoiding the subject of the curse.

After about an hour, they went to lunch in the museum café, which Hatori treated her to despite her protests. He asked about her family in Kyoto, and she told him about her parents, who were both retired, and her two older brothers, Ryuusuke, who was a successful lawyer, and Nori, who was an engineer. Music ran in the family, she explained. Everyone played an instrument: her mother played the piano, her father preferred the guitar, Ryuusuke was a violinist, and Nori played upright bass. Sometimes their family was asked to put on recitals, but they hadn't performed together in a long time since all the children had left home.

After lunch, they explored the museum a while longer before deciding that they had had their fill of art for the day. They made a quick stop at the grocery store in order to try to throw Shigure off the scent, although they both doubted he would believe them. After all, who takes four hours to go grocery shopping?

When they returned to the novelist's house, he nearly pounced on them.

"Miko, where have you been? I was worried sick! The thought of my dear little song bird out there in the cold for hours; I was terrified!" he exclaimed as they came into the living room.

"No you weren't," Hatori said flatly. Kumiko smirked and continued toward the kitchen.

"You stole her away, didn't you Ha'ri? How could you, you shameless dog?!"

"You're a fine one to call me a shameless dog," he replied, trailing after Kumiko.

"You're not even denying it! Oh, my precious Miko has been taken like a babe from the cradle!" he continued dramatically. He kept rambling about how horrible it all was as they put the groceries away. The young woman couldn't help but laugh, though Hatori told her not to encourage him.

"I think that's everything," Kumiko said as she put the last of the groceries in the refrigerator. "Would you like some tea?" she asked. He smiled down at her and brushed his hand against hers.

"I suppose I could stay for a little while," he replied. She blushed and grinned stupidly. She couldn't believe how easily the little touch could shift her heart into high gear.

"Okay," she managed. "I'll just heat up the water then." As she got everything together, Hatori waited in the living room with Shigure, who was still ranting about his cousin's wanton ways.

Hatori endured the relentless lecture as well as he could, but in the midst of his persistent clucking and tutting, Shigure was dancing dangerously close to the truth.

"Ha'ri, stop acting so innocent! I know you're trying to steal my Miko away from me! You were out on a date, weren't you?" he exclaimed loudly. As though detecting Hatori's tension, the kettle screeched from the other room.

"I'm going to help Miss Ku-Hishida," he corrected himself. Shigure's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Knowing that he would only make things worse by acknowledging his slip-up, Hatori got to his feet and strode toward the kitchen, avoiding Shigure's shrewd gaze. Just as he made it to the kitchen doorway, Kumiko stepped into the living room.

"What kind of tea—oof!" she grunted. There was a sudden eruption of smoke and an all-too-familiar popping sound as she collided with Hatori's chest and fell backward.

All at once she realized what had happened. She looked around with wide eyes before realizing she wasn't even sure what animal she was expecting to find. He had never told her. He hadn't wanted to talk about it, yet. Shigure coughed and pointed to floor directly in front of her.

Slowly, she looked down. If it were possible, her green eyes would have widened even further. Resting on Hatori's crisp white shirt was a little brown seahorse, no bigger than the palm of her hand. Ever so gently, she scooped up the little creature and cradled him in her hands.

"A seahorse?" she murmured quietly. The little fish stared up at her, looking mortified—or as mortified as a fish could look, anyway. "He's a seahorse!" she shrieked suddenly, shoving her hands at Shigure for him to see, her moment of quiet shock giving way to complete bewilderment.

"I know," the man responded.

"But why a seahorse?!" she demanded. Before he could respond, another thought flung itself to the forefront of her mind. "Oh no! Can he even breathe? What do we do?!" she asked frantically.

Shigure calmly rested a hand on her wrist. "Just set him down in my office. He'll change back quickly enough," he told her in a soothing tone. She swallowed and nodded, doing as she was told and neatly folding his clothes and setting them down in the corner for him. The seahorse stared up at her, irritation emanating from his olive eyes. "He'll be fine," Shigure assured her as she slide the office door closed.

Kumiko stared at her feet wordlessly for a moment, her face burning with embarrassment, before turning on her heel and going back into the kitchen. Without speaking, she finished brewing the tea and set it on the table with a few cups. She poured one for Shigure and Hatori before going out on the back porch, closing the door behind her.

She sat on the wooden deck, her knees hugged to her chest, as the past five awful minutes replayed themselves over and over in her mind. She had completely embarrassed herself and, more importantly, Hatori. How else could she have reacted? She was pretty sure that any way other than screaming about how he had transformed into a tiny sea creature would have been less offensive. There was no etiquette for this sort of situation, no So, You're Boyfriend is a Seahorse pamphlet, no set of social rules that she could have followed to make this terrible faux pas less horrifying. She wanted to crawl inside of herself and disappear.

The distinct popping noise that signaled a transformation reached her ears and the young woman hugged her knees tighter, bracing herself for the inevitable storm of repugnance that would surely befall her. Snow fell lightly across the yard as she stared ahead morosely. Now that she had found out a secret that he wasn't ready to share, he would withdraw from her, she just knew it.

The door slid open and shut again behind her and she shut her eyes tightly, readying herself for what was about to come.

"Miss Kumiko," Hatori said softly. She glanced up at him reluctantly. "What are you doing outside? You don't even have your shoes on. You're going to get sick."

"It would serve me right," she mumbled. He stepped forward and held out a cup of tea to her that had escaped her notice before. He didn't look angry, but then, he was skilled at masking his emotions. Surprised, she took it as he sat down next to her with his own cup in hand. They were silent for a moment. Kumiko watched as an unfortunate snowflake strayed into her tea and melted away in the blink of an eye, the delicate little thing now gone as though it had never existed.

"Hatori, I am so, so sorry," she blurted suddenly.

"You don't have anything to apologize for, Miss Kumiko. It was an accident," he reasoned.

She gazed at him, stunned. "But, you seemed so upset…"

"I was," he answered. She hid her face behind her knees miserably.

"Oh."

"But not at you, just the way you had to find out. My zodiac form is…well, it isn't something I'm particularly proud of-"

"I know," she interrupted. "I remember your reaction when Shigure and Ayame almost told me what it was. I feel so awful-"

"Please let me finish," he said evenly. Her mouth snapped shut immediately. "Although I had wanted to talk to you about it first, there isn't really any way to break this slowly to someone. None of this is your fault; it's just the nature of my curse."

"Then, you aren't mad at me?" she asked hope returning to her features. He smiled gently.

"No, I'm not."

As if to prove it, he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. His lips were warm against her chilly skin, making it all the more shocking. Her heart leapt into her throat and she felt herself turn red as he pulled away.

"Now, come on, let's go inside," he said, getting to his feet and holding out his hand. She took it, smiling ear-to-ear, and he lead her back into her warm, welcoming home.

Author's note: Well, there you go. I hope it was worth the wait. Let me know what you think! Don't forget to follow me on Tumblr so you can see what I'm up to. :D

-Camie

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