Saki and Arisa meet Akito, with some unexpected results.

Akito: I don’t know what she told you, but her injuries…those are my fault.

Saki: Tohru-kun doesn’t blame anyone for that.

Akito: …She also told me about Kureno.

Meanwhile, these two are still persecuting Kyo mercilessly (perhaps justifiably).  

Arisa: I don’t know if it’s that she doesn’t want to see him…more like…

Saki: Yes…Tohru-kun…thinks he dumped her…

Kyo: Why would she think that-!?

Arisa: Well, you told her you were disillusioned!

Saki: You might as well have said, “I never want to see you again!”

That poor boy…

Strangely enough, Yuki seems to take pity on him, informing Kyo that Tohru is supposed to be released from the hospital soon and suggesting he pick her up then.

Yuki: And I’m sure you’ll monopolize her after that. So for one last short little while, how about you leave some Honda-san for the rest of us?

Uo-chan and Hana-chan evidently have the same idea as Yuki, but with slightly different reasons – Tohru does seem genuinely scared or nervous when they bring up Kyo, so they’re concerned that if he shows up before she’s ready to leave, she might just bolt out of the hospital.

I’ve been wondering about Kureno-san’s twenty-six years. His accomplishments, his failures, his…loves…

Akito: Kureno is here, in this very same hospital, right now. I…stabbed him. You see…I shackled him to me. I stomped all over him. But Kureno doesn’t blame me. I don’t…know what…

Saki: You’re a woman, aren’t you…? Kureno-san told Tohru-kun there was someone he needed to stay with. The person he was talking about was you, wasn’t it…?

Because of course Saki would pick up on that.

I wasn’t really frustrated with Akito. It was simple. It was something much simpler than that. It was the fact that I was the outsider here.

Akito is actually kind of adorable with these two.

I was just a “footnote” in Kureno-san’s twenty-six years. That’s probably why I kept going over our single day’s worth of memories together, polishing them like a diamond. It’s kind of pathetic when you think about it. That’s the real frustrating thing.

Kureno: I didn’t think you would come…

Arisa: Why?

Kureno: …I don’t deserve it. You talked to Akito, didn’t you?…There’s still something I have to do for her.

Arisa: What is it?

Kureno: I have to leave. As long as I’m here, that girl won’t be able to stop beating herself up.

Arisa: Huh…then why don’t you go somewhere? Wherever it is, I’ll go with you…Do you know why? Well, it’s a secret. I’m not telling you.

It’s okay. It’ll be okay. Right now, I can wait. But I’m not going to be a “footnote” any longer.

This is why I love these two: They push each other to do better.  I said that Kureno needed somebody to look out for his own best interests, and Arisa has experience doing just that.  I’ve always considered this the least problematic of the May-December romances in this series, but I’m sure part of it is my personal bias towards Kureno.

Then Kyo runs into Akito coming out of Master’s house…

Akito: I…have nothing to say to you. You can do whatever you like. Live as you like.

Kyo: Huh? What do you mean by-

Akito: Just what I said! I hate having to repeat myself!

I love you, Hana-chan. And yes, she is indeed making herself at home in Kazuma’s house…

Akito: Please don’t call me that…I told you…

Saki: Why not…? It’s cute. Have confidence in yourself…

Saki and Akito as a pair just makes a bizarre amount of sense.  But poor Kyo has several more “nice faces” about the situation before Master gets to the point.

Kazuma: I heard what happened. You went to see your father, didn’t you? Akito-san heard about it too, apparently. And he promised to destroy that isolation room. I’m sure correcting the twisted attitudes of your father and the others at the Main House won’t be as easy as tearing down a physical structure, But you’ve cleared one obstacle. I’m proud of you.

Personally, I just have a hard time seeing Saki and Kazuma as a couple, but I think I understand why she’s attracted to him.  She’s attuned to the feelings of the people around her, and Kazuma (like Tohru) fosters a positive atmosphere where she could feel at home.

Some time after that, Kureno-san moved out of the Sohma compound. He didn’t make a big fuss about it. He took what he could carry and threw out the rest. He said, “I’d like to make it as if I was never here.” He was smiling. Some people can’t help but be self-centered, so I think it’s okay for some other people to be selfless. I think that’s just fine.

Kureno: Are you sure you don’t mind? Getting a job out here in the country…

Arisa: Whether I mind or not, this is the right place. It had to be here.

Kureno: Why is that?

Arisa: Hmm? Not gonna tell!

Kureno: Tell me. I want you to tell me.

Until next time…