Disclaimer: I own nothing. Absolutely nothing…except Lila, Risu, Kiki and Nozomi.Yeah.Other than that I own nothing.
Hidden Love a Fruits Basket Fan Fiction
Chapter 1- Painful Memories
"You're a freak!"
The words echoed in his soul like those of a church bell resounding in the empty halls of a cathedral. It had been ten long years since his mother spat those words at him in disgust and the five year old was turning into a young man. "Mommy, are you ok?" The timid little toddler clung to his blue "Cow's rule!" blanket and stared at his crazed, sick-looking mother unblinkingly. "No, no I'm not ok! I can't handle it anymore, Haru! I can't handle taking care of you anymore! You're…you're…you're a freak!"
Tears clung to his lashes as he watched his pale mother clutch the chair before collapsing onto it in a heavy fit of coughing. His mother was dying and there was nothing he could do but watch, watch and feel guilty. After all, it was his fault his mother was dying. She had been dying for five years. Ever since that fateful night when he was born and his father disappeared.
Tama Sohma was once a beautiful woman; full of life and happiness. She and her new husband Aikiu Sohma were very much in love. When they found out that they would soon have a son or daughter they were overjoyed. But no sooner had their son been born and his mother hugged him with joy that they found the true curse that had been bestowed upon them. For no sooner had Tama hugged him, he turned into an ox.
Yes, the newborn baby, deemed Hatsuharu Sohma, turned into a tiny baby calf. This was something that Aikiu and Tama had been dreading, but you couldn't blame them; looking at the rest of their family. Generation after generation of Sohmas, there were always thirteen people who were cursed like this newborn. The curse dated back to the ancient Chinese zodiac. The story about the twelve animals of the zodiac has been passed down since its creation. That story goes like this:
Once upon a time, God told all the animals "I am inviting you all to my banquet tomorrow, don't be late!" Hearing that the mischievous rat lied to his neighbor, the cat, and told him the banquet would be the day after tomorrow. The next day the rat rode on the back of the ox and nimbly landed before the banquet hall. After him followed the ox, the tiger, and all the rest and together they feasted until morning. All except the cat, who had been tricked and was waiting at home asleep, dreaming of a feast that was already over.
Those twelve animals that attended the feast became the twelve animals of the zodiac. The Ram, ox, snake, tiger, boar, dog, dragon, horse, rooster, rabbit, monkey, and the rat. All but the cat, which was considered an outsider.
Soon it came to be that the thirteen vengeful spirits of the zodiac-this includes the cat- began to possess thirteen members of the Sohma family. As long as all thirteen members were alive, expectant parents need not worry. For it was only when a possessed member died, that a newborn became part of the zodiac legend. This is what happened the night our young hero was born.
That was ten years ago; ten years almost to the day, in fact. The new born was grown up and in his freshman year of school. Hatsuharu Sohma, to anyone who did not know of his secret, was now a normal boy of fifteen. He went to a normal high school and interacted with normal high school students. But his heart was filled with grief when he thought of his horrific past and the secret he hid that would make any normal person's stomach turn.
For the most part, Haru kept to himself. He never let anyone outside the Sohma clan into his life, or into his heart. Until one day in the lunch line.