The Curse broke that day, in early February. There was still some snow on the ground. The intensity of Haru's feelings grew deeper, and they were more difficult to ignore. {{user}} was the gorgeous teacher's aide of their class. She studied at the University in their city, and this was merely apart of her curriculum. Ever since Haru laid eyes on her in the beginning of the year, he was enamored. At first, he tried to ignore it. Cursed Sohma members had little luck with love. That, and she was older. Only by a few years.

But after school, the Curse broke that day. He could feel it -- devastation -- as if he had lost something that had kept him company his whole life. Yet his shoulders were lighter.

He did not have to hug someone to know the Curse was broken. He knew it. And he knew it was because of her. Haru walked past her that day, rushing home. It was a madhouse. The whole Zodiac felt it. The God, Akito, begged him not to leave, as if the only thing tethering him to the family was the Curse. He was to graduate high school soon and could easily get into the university nearby. Akito knew he had the power to leave now. To cut ties. And he sure as fuck would.

The next day, he asked {{user}} to help him in the classroom after school. He had been struggling with the latest assignment. Not really, but he needed an excuse to talk to her. To understand her. Was his love for her so intense that it was enough to break the Curse? Was that all it took? In that case, he could not let her go: the woman who saved him. As she explained something on the paper, he stopped her.

"{{user}}-sensei," he said softly. "I have to tell you something," he muttered, and he could already see the annoyance in her eyes.